US Plan to Protect Right Whale From Shipping Blocked by Cheney
Efforts to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from being killed by ships are being blocked by Vice President Dick Cheney according to leaked documents.
A behind the scenes struggle is raging between the White House and US government scientists who want to force ships to slow down near the calving grounds of the almost extinct right whale.
The right whale controversy is the latest example of the Bush Administration sidestepping the advice of its on scientists which are aimed at protecting endangered species or threats to the environment. On Monday, a judge had to order the administration to release its much-delayed decision aimed at protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act.
Only 350 of the whales remain in Atlantic waters off America’s eastern seaboard and they are considered one of the most endangered species on Earth. Government scientists warn that the loss of just one more pregnant female is enough to doom the species, which was almost hunted to extinction in the 19th century.
Every year around three right whales are either injured or killed in collisions with ocean-going vessels like containerized cargo ships even though they are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Right whales frequently wash up on shore bearing deep scars from being struck by ships propellers.
To reduce ship strikes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) decided that ships should restrict their speed to 10 knots or less near whale feeding and calving grounds during parts of the year.
But Mr Cheney’s office, which tends to operate in secrecy, sent letters repeatedly questioning whether the rule was needed according to leaked documents. Flatly contradicting the scientific research Mr Cheney’s staff argued, “that we have no evidence that lowering the speeds of ‘large ships’ will actually make a difference.”
A critique of the scientists analysis by the administration led to a strongly worded reply in which they said: “The basic facts remain that there is a direct relationship” between a vessel’s speed and the likelihood of death or serious injury to the whale, and “at vessel speeds at or below 10 knots, the probability of death/serious injury is greatly reduced.”
There was, the scientists wrote, “no basis to overturn our previous conclusion that imposing a speed limit on large vessels would be beneficial to whales.”
Congressman Henry Waxman who publicised the correspondence said it was “the latest instance of the White House ignoring scientists and other experts.”
A number of European shipping companies have strongly opposed the NOAA proposal, saying slowing their vessels will hurt the economy and cost the industry money. But while the World Shipping Council wants to block the rule, but the largely US Chamber of Shipping of America is in favour and its director of maritime affairs, Kathy J. Metcalf has told the White House that “the economic impacts” of cutting shipping speeds “are well worth the benefits.”
The right whales migrate from the Gulf of Maine to warmer waters off Florida and Georgia to give birth. The exhausted mothers, which have not eaten for weeks, then make their way slowly up the coast with their young, passing close by busy shipping ports off Georgia and Massachusetts.
Since NOAA scientists first tried to order ships to reduce speed, at least three right whales have died from ship strikes and propellers have wounded two. Voluntary efforts to get ships to look out for whales known to be in their area have been a total failures, according to scientists who can log their progress by monitoring GPS satellite data.
Beth Allgood, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the refusal by the White House to implement the new speed restrictions were “not a huge burden on industry; it’s a huge burden on the whales.”
© 2008 The Independent
Cheney isn’t allowed to shoot whales but he does what he can.
It’s amazing Cheney has time to harm anything else! Does he never sleep? In the midst of plotting more mass murder and corporate mega-theft, while subverting the constitution and finding stuff for little governor Bush to think and say, juggling a thousand lies and betrayals - he puts aside a few hours to make sure some whales go extinct.
Indeed, “the best lack all conviction and the worst are full of a terrible intensity.”
The doctors who fix his pacemaker should be ashamed of themselves.
Cheney a genuine article PSYCHOPATH….
Hare Psychopathy Checklist
Definition
The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person’s psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. People who are psychopathic prey ruthlessly on others using charm, deceit, violence or other methods that allow them to get with they want. The symptoms of psychopathy include: lack of a conscience or sense of guilt, lack of empathy, egocentricity, pathological lying, repeated violations of social norms, disregard for the law, shallow emotions, and a history of victimizing others.
The twenty traits assessed by the PCL-R score are:
glib and superficial charm
grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
need for stimulation
pathological lying
cunning and manipulativeness
lack of remorse or guilt
shallow affect(superficial emotional responsiveness)
callousness and lack of empathy
parasitic lifestyle
poor behavioral controls
sexual promiscuity
early behavior problems
lack of realistic long-term goals
impulsivity
irresponsibility
failure to accept responsibility for own actions
many short-term marital relationships
juvenile delinquency
revocation of conditional release
criminal versatility
http://www.minddisorders.com/Flu-Inv/Hare-Psychopathy-Checklist.html
Add to this probably unrecovered alcoholism and post cardiac operation [4] mental illness…
From Captain to crew: Turn to a heading of Downward Spiral and Full Speed Ahead
Cheney stabs at the heart of our democracy like Ahab and the great shroud of the sea will roll over us as it has for all of histories despots.
This is just the tip of the iceberg about how cheney/bush are treating all wildlife. In the last 30 days since they stripped Yellowstone’s wolves of their Endangered Species protection, 37 wolves are already dead with hundreds more being targeted by Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
If you join only one group to help out this planet, I would suggest the Natural Resources Defense Council (www.nrdc.org). I just sent them $20 and have been a member for many years. They have done more than just about any group to protect this planet from the likes of cheney/bush. We can write about our frustrations all day on CD, but actions speak louder than posts. I also just wrote my Congress member about the horrific attacks on these wolves. One was just killed when it left Yellowstone. Another was chased for 20 or 30 miles on a snowmobile before being gunned down by William Robert (aka Billy Bob).
CHENEY HATES WHALES!
CHENEY HATES ANYTHING WITH A HEARTBEAT.
OR A CNS.
OR A NUCLEUS.
Why should he care? If it isn’t fun to shoot at, what good is it doing anybody? And that goes for trees too - what good are they just standing around like that?
What a hateful, hateful creature. He’s a VIRUS!
Just count the days until this pack of desperados is gone. There is a lot of work to be done in order that America fully recover from the past eight years, but with hard work, a little honesty, integrity, and commitment to real science we can get things back on track. The Right Whale is in serious trouble, and was so long before Cheney inflicted his presence upon the electorate, but if the Right Whale is going to survive it has bigger challenges to overcome than just Cheney (and if the human race is to survive, it too has bigger challenges to overcome than just Cheney). History will not be kind to these people.
Cheney has to be one of THE most evil men on the planet. Why would he fight against something so simple as to reduce speed in the whale breeding/feeding ground? Oh, poor shipping companies, it might take a couple extra hours for their ships to reach port… so frickin what!!!
He’s amazing, isn’t he? Dick Cheney makes every possible, conceivable effort to be a TOTAL ASSHOLE in every possible, imaginable way to all noble causes at all times. It’s like he and his minions must sit around all day, every day thinking of “how can we be even bigger fucking assholes than we already are?” Dick Cheney is the antichrist incarnated. He literally would be HAPPY to see these whales go extinct. You know he would. He has no soul, no decency, not one shred of humanity. He is pure vitriolic HATRED personified. Never once has this fucking asshole made a single, solitary gesture of compromise or goodwill with any political adversary. Strangely enough, he actually seems to thrive on the venomous hatred that is forever directed his way. If there is one person who is responsible for the death, misery, and injustice we have witnessed these past 8 miserable years it is this fat, hate-filled slimebag Dick Cheney. I sincerely hope this asshole gets his comeuppance one day. The sooner the better.
This assh-le should have his pacemaker ripped out on live t.v.
Bastard. He loves to kill anything.
I hope he rots in hell.
And I love to watch him.
Someone needs to have a shooting accident with a bow and arrow! Pictures please!!!!!
I would like to hang his head in my library!
I get physically ill anytime I see a photo of cheney in the paper or on CD or any news with him in the picture on TV. The absolutely MOST evil creature on earth.
Yes, the killing of wolves by those who treasure their g-n-tal extenders is beyond outrageous - any killing of fellow species for “sport”, revenge or the almighty need to enhance ones self-persona is just that, outrageous.
So now we have Cheney and the whales. Yes, what a busy boy he is. However, lets not make him the lone scapegoat for sick thoughts/action - let us not forget those who appear to support him regardless of political party, the American citizens who do not act beyond tut-tuting and those who allow him to get by with his actions. Where is the solidarity of impeachment? Nowhere. The nightmare we live in is not just because of a few. It is many layered and complex - we are all a part of it. But you know what? I think there are some cracks in the damn - be encouraged, even if just a bit. Blessings
Extinct means from now thru perpituity.
Does the ship have life rafts? Darth Viper might blow a hole in the side of it while flushing out whales.
How about his butt instead Judith? It’s probably better looking with all the kiss smudges.
His butt too!!!!!
He kills everything.
He is pure evil.
So many wolves are being killed.
He’s a MONSTER!!!!
Is this the site for the Dick Cheney fan club?
bbr-001,
Ok, that was hilarious.
Seriously though, just when you think those assholes can’t get any worse, they surprise you, time and time again.
Right Whale. Wrong Cheney.
See? War, oil, and profiteering aren’t the only thing Cheney is up to. He also likes to kill for the fun of it.
Log the three of them into a FEMA suite in the 9th ward and post an armed guard. Kent State experience preferred.
Oh, for a patriotic sniper.
my biggest fantasy right now is non sexual. i now live for the day the entire Bush Crime Family, And I do mean every last one of them, is HUNG on National television while the masses dance a celebratory dance…..
Is Cheney a Bilderberger? That would explain a whole lot…. Always follow the gold if you want an explanation.
Look up the Bilderbergers. They’ve been courting H Clinton…saw a video clip of her exiting a Bilderberger meeting in, maybe, Toronto or New York.
In fact, if you put together the USA’s recent history and the Bilderberger history and modus operandi you will see a most interesting connection…and a real connect with the coming totally corporate world.
Do look these people up…the Bilderberger group. Dangerous, dangerous people with a group psychopathic personality as described above.
Errata: Bilderberger should be “Bilderberg” and you can access it by Googling….Bilderberg group.
KEEL-HAUL CHENEY