September 2009

  • Palau Bans Shark Fishing

    By erika on 9/25/09 12:52pm
    2 Comments

    This is some of the best conservation news I've heard in ages. The island nation of Palau has decided to ban shark fishing in its waters, a territory of ocean about the size of Texas.  The New York Times points out that the tiny, impoverished nation of 20,000 is going to have trouble policing the ban, but it still remains an important step in the preservation of the oceans.


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  • Gooey Ducks: just weird and delicious

    By Lipps on 9/24/09 1:38pm
    1 Comment

    Geoducks in an aquarium.: courtesy Flickr user cubemateGeoducks in an aquarium.: courtesy Flickr user cubemateA Geoduck (pronounced like 'gooey duck') is a weird one. There are creatures you see and think to yourself, damn, that's weird. Things like Big Foot, unicorns and giant spiders. The geoduck is in that category, except it's actually in the rivers of the Pacific Northwest too. Besides having a rather odd appearance, like a two-foot meat tube with a wallet glued to its back, these weird clams have several other qualities that push them deeper into the weird animal file.

    Geoducks are among the oldest living creatures on Earth with an average age of 146 years. That's a long time to spend in a tributary in Seattle. Only a handful of animals survive longer, including some tortoises, some boring ass sponge from Antarctica and some other boring slimes and microscopic things. None of those animals are more action packed and exciting than the Geoduck.

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  • Ever Wondered What's In That Filet 'O Fish? Now We Know!

    By erika on 9/10/09 2:14pm
    1 Comment

    I went vegetarian-ish earlier this year, and I have eaten a lot of Filet 'O Fish sandwiches since then.  (I call myself "vegetarian-ish" because I do eat seafood.  And as you may have noticed, fish is not a vegetable.)  I have had ample time to study the little cardboard box, with its printed message that "McDonalds Supports Sustainable Fishing."  Conspicuously missing from the box is any information on what kind of fish is in that Fillet!


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