Whale Debate

SeaWorld is again receiving a lot of negative attention due to the release of a documentary titled, Blackfish.  (Here's a link to the article on CNN if you're interested.)  Have I seen Blackfish yet, no... do I plan on it, yes.

After reading this article and thinking back to previous debates about SeaWorld and their captive killer whales, I started wondering how other people felt about this topic.  Do you think what Sea World does as far as keeping these creatures captive is wrong?  Do you think having the orcas perform is cruel?  Have you ever been to SeaWorld?

Now for my opinion (and yes, it might be a little bias because I grew up in Florida, not so far from from Orlando)... I have high regards for SeaWorld.  I think what they do there is amazing.  I have such great memories from my childhood of watching the performances and being able to come so close to a creature in my lifetime I would most likely never see or interact with in nature.  (Seeing the trainers dive deep in the tanks and then be shot through the air on the orcas nose was breathtaking and magical.)  I think SeaWorld is the cream of the crop, I have attended other oceanariums and so far, nowhere compares.  They have the money and knowledge to do great research and care for the animals as needed, and I think it is very unfair that they are being scrutinized as cruel or immoral.

 

I am capable of seeing all sides of the debate.  By nature these animals should be free.  And yes, trainers have died in the water (our hearts go out to their families).  But look at science and its history, sacrifices have to be made in order to learn and discover.  I admit, I struggle at zoos, it is hard seeing the animals confined, but I know they are being treated well and it's for a good cause.  I have learned so much by attending zoos and ocenariums, and I know the money I spend while at the parks goes back to the animals, and not only the ones on display. 

I think when SeaWorld sees an issue they make an adjustment.  Did you know they no longer allow the trainers to perform with the orcas since 2010?  But back to the actual debate... its not about the trainers or the money raised, its about the killer whales being confined.  Would the debate end if they stopped with the orcas and focused on other sea life... I doubt it, I think the focus would then just shift to another creature.  What's your opinion?

You Trader!!!

Well, it's official, I'm a trader... I've switched from a Windows Phone to an iPhone!!!  I fought it for 2 months, so obviously I'm quite stubborn.  When I wrote the original post about my situation in December, I really didn't know what decision I would make.  And to be honest the only thing that forced me to switch is an upcoming trip to The States.  Since my husband uses an iPhone, it'll be easy for us to stay in contact through FaceTime or Skype apps, functions I didn't have on my HTC phone.  (Yeah, you heard it right, me & my toddler are travelling internationally without my husband, but that'll be a separate post!)  Standing in the store waiting to be helped with the switch (you trader!), all I could do was admire the Windows phones on display... I love the tiles and colors and the way they work.  I love that it's the same applications as on my home computer.  I love supporting Microsoft, great company!  But sometimes you just have to make logical decisions, and this time it was to use the iPhone 4S laying around our house rather than investing the money in another 2 year phone contract inclusive phone.  It'll actually save us around €30 a month... that's until I break the phone (I'm clumsy) and then we'll have to pay out of pocket unlike when you have a phone issued from the phone company.  This was one of my debate points, but my husband wasn't going for it.  Sure, in the end he won (just like with the expensive trash can I didn't want), but I gave him hell and held out for as long as I could, ha-ha!  (I actually refused to use a new trash can in our kitchen for a month in protest of the costs, again, I'm stubborn.)  You'll probably never hear me say that I like the iPhone, whether I do or don't, it's a pride thing.  But since I do have one, I might as well sign up for all of the apps that I hear everyone going on about all of the time, Instagram here I come.  Turns out it's also available on the HTC, arg!

Dog Debate

The dog debate between my husband & I has gone on for years now... mostly because of me, if he had his way we would have bought a dog a long time ago.  I like dogs, I do, and I'm running out of excuses.  Before we had a child the responsibility seemed too big (I knew I would end up doing most of the work).  First & last walks seemed dreadful, plus I had a full time job and there would be no one home with the dog.  Now that I'm a full time mother, I'm up most days before 7AM and I decide my schedule (for the most part).  Like I said, I'm running out of excuses.  One excuse reason, the biggest one of all, I'm allergic to dogs, even a lot of the ones people claim to be hypo-allergenic.  But the look on my husbands face when he plays with a dog or hears me shoot the idea down again is starting to mess with my head.  Now he's involved our daughter, who is also a dog lover... he points out how much entertainment she would get, his childhood experiences with dogs, and the fact we're not ready for a 2nd child.  So, I started looking, just looking.  I pulled out all the stops, I explained hypo-allergenic pure-breed dogs cost a fortune here in the Netherlands, I said we'd probably have to skip a vacation this year, I stooped low enough to say it will be harder to sell our apartment if we have a dog, but nothing deterred him.  Between my allergies and the small amount of breeders here, the list of dogs was short.  I showed him a few pics, knowing if I choose A he'll choose B, and what did he do... he picked the only dog on the entire list that I liked!  Damn!  I then started contacting breeders, running the risk we could end up with a puppy within a couple months.  But I had no luck, almost a year has gone by since I started contacting breeders.  Part of me was content, there was no dog to rush home to before it peed everywhere and the endless costs of dog food and vet bills didn't exist.  But part of me started wanting a dog, ahh!  I wouldn't say my past experiences with dogs pushed me, it was more my imagination (and my husband of course).  Then the other day one of the breeders contacted me; she recently bred her Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and hopes to have puppies by August.  For those of you unfamiliar with this breed here are a couple pics I found, and kind of how I imagine it to be (puppy playing out back / having his own seat in the car) :

 

In the Netherlands, the breeders like to meet with you before agreeing to sell you a dog (might also be the same in The States).  So I spoke with her for a while, explaining our situation, listening to her explain the breed, and promising to set a date to drive up to meet her and her dogs.  After all was said and done my husband tells me he isn't sure if this is the dog he wants, WHAT!!!  No matter what I am going to force the three of us to take a 2hr round trip to go see the breeder.  You never know, I might be allergic, they might scare our daughter, or my husband might not like them at all... and the dog debate goes on.  (Just in case these pics didn't sell you, check out the last pic on an old post - Dog Sitting.  It's what sold me!)