Rena: Going...Going...?

It's just a waiting game now.
The stranded container ship Rena is expected to break up - sooner rather than later - in the current rough weather off Tauranga.
Swells of up to 5m have forced salvors to stop work. Crews frantically tried to remove the remaining 358 tonnes of oil, after successfully transferring about 1000 tonnes in a window of good weather over the past week – but the estimates of how fast the oil could be transferred were grossly over-optimistic.

submaRena..!

New damage is evident on Rena, further back from the main crack in the hull. The ship is holding in one piece for now, but creaking and groaning. Salvage teams are preparing for it to break as conditions worsen.
Salvage company Svitzer says if the rear section breaks away, it hopes the powerful tug Go Canopus can tow it to shallower water, which would make things easier if it sinks – the tug is already connected to Rena in anticipation. Svitzer has attached tracking devices to dangerous goods containers and others most likely to fall into the sea (they must have read my blog!). Mind you, I've not heard any reason why the stacks of containers could not have been dragged off the ship by tugs, thus lightening the load somewhat. Sure, the contents may have been ruined - but they'd be insured anyway.
Maritime NZ says in this rough weather, it's too dangerous to have salvors on board. And even though the bigger seas will disperse some of the fresh oil likely to leak from Rena, Tauranga residents can expect a lot more to hit their once-pristine beaches very soon.
Meanwhile the captain and navigational officer have both been charged under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 "for operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk". They're back in court today: if found guilty, they face up to 12 months' jail, or fines up to $10K...
Court Update: Rena's captain and second officer have had fresh charges laid against them, of discharging harmful substances from a ship. The latest charge carries a maximum fine of $300K, or two years' jail, and $10K for every day the offending continues. They were remanded on bail without plea until Dec.21.

Of Babes And Fools...

As we count down to the commencement of Japan's 2011/2012 illegal Southern Ocean whale hunting season, I thought you might find this little gem of some interest...
Japan's top government whaling spokesman is Joji Morishita, well-known at International Whaling Commission (IWC) conferences.
His bio says he is "Deputy Director, Far Seas Fisheries Division, Fisheries Agency of Japan. He has held positions within the International Affairs Division, Fisheries Agency of Japan including Deputy Director, Fisheries Supervisor, and Section Chief. He has worked with the IWC, APEC Fisheries WG, CCSBT, NPAFC, NAFO, CCAMLR, IATTC, INPFC, PICES, IOFC and CITES."
His experience includes research on whales, marine mammals, tuna fisheries management, pollock management, highly migratory and straddling stock species, and development of artificial fishing reefs.

With that much experience - even if one doesn't agree with his position on commercial whaling - one would expect comments from him to be intelligent, considered, persuasive.
Not like this then...in 2001 he was interviewed by the BBC, and a question was asked:
Q: "Under what circumstances, if any, would Japan stop whaling?"
A: "When all species of whales are endangered or depleted we will follow the ruling of the IWC and we have to stop whaling."

"When all species of whales

are endangered or depleted,

we will stop whaling."

What more needs to be said? [Here is the entire transcript...]

Could They Somehow Be Related? #3

A lot of folk think his movies SUCK, but now someone’s claiming actor Nicolas Cage is an actual vampire!

Yessir indeedy, an eBay good ol' boy reckons he has evidence to prove his case!
Jack Mord shared his theory while trying to sell an old photo of a US Confederate prisoner, who bears quite a resemblance to Cage. Mord says the man in the picture is Lieutenant G.B. Smith, captured in 1864 - he also says he believes Lt Smith IS Nicolas Cage!
"I believe he’s some sort of walking undead, who reinvents himself once every 75 years or so," says Mord. "My theory is that he allows himself to age to a certain point, maybe 70, 80 or so, then the actor Nicolas Cage will 'die'... but in reality, the undead vampire Nicolas Cage will have rejuvenated himself and appeared in some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over."
If that's so, then next time he comes back, can he learn not to mumble please? "Put... da bunny... back... in da box."
Jack only wanted US$1 million for the photo - it was later removed from eBay. Ah, well, Jack, back to smoking burlap...but hark!
Was that Duelling Banjos I heard? Or just PhotoShop loading up?