Getting Back on Track.....

It's been a while since my last post! Things had gotten so busy with work and health issues, that I had to put my blog and Facebook dolphin/whale page on the side for a moment. Things are starting to get a bit more calm at work, and my doctors and I are working together on my health for productive results after what seems like months.

 I felt guilty... like I couldn't put the effort into my efforts like I should (helping my dolphin and whale friends) however, I learned one important lesson during the last few months.

When I'm not feeling my best, if I don't take care of myself- I can't take care of the issues I care about. So, it was time for me to finally take care of myself and my health- so that I can be in the best physical shape to do the things I love.

I was so worried about what my "advocate" friends would think about my posts lacking, my blogs missing, my tweets not there (from an account that I had just set up)... but, I had to take care me to take care of THEM (dolphins/whales).

So, now... I am getting back on my feet. I will get back into things slowly... but now I know when too much is too much... and when I need to physically take a break to avoid pain.

Speaking of taking a break, I took the vacation of my LIFE. It was amazing, because for the first time ever, I saw WILD dolphins. It's amazing how much I love them... and I had never seen a WILD one. Well, I can tell you.... seeing a pod of wild dolphins definitely confirms and renews the spirit that these are animals that are meant to be FREE.... The water they were swimming in was so crystal clear, I couldn't believe it, and they would swim so close to our boat, we would have to stop the motor... and THEY would come up on their own. There was this one dolphin, who came up, turned on it's side so slowly and looked me in the eye.... while letting us look at it's whole body... then went back under. It was like an out of body experience. I felt like the dolphin was saying, "I know you.... I know that you feel my home is here, and thank you".

So, the vacation was renewing not only for the body.... but for the soul. Here are some pics for you to check out of the dolphins. Amazing.

To those of you out there who DO read this... I am sorry for my lack of posts, status updates, tweets, etc. I am back. Slowly. And, thank you for being patient with me. When I do things, I want to do things 100%. And, I'm getting there.

 Here I am, out on the boat looking for dolphins. I was SO excited!!!

 Here they are!!!! Amazing!!!!

 You can't seem them here, because they went under so fast... but there was a pod of 5 dolphins!

 So beautiful!

 SO close to our boat!!!

 Words can't even express how amazing this was to see in person.

 This is the dolphin I talked about in my blog... that came up real slow to the side of the boat and looked me in the eye!

It's hard to tell, but here is a dolphin swimming under the water. The water was so clear and beautiful!

Until next time......

Very Excited!

I am very excited, because I JUST re-booked my trip to Sarasota, Florida. Last year at this time, I became ill and had to cancel the trip. I was SO excited to travel to visit family and celebrate my 30th birthday last year, that you can imagine how bummed I was when I got a "no fly" order from the doctor and had to spend the week in bed!
Also, I am very excited about the possibility of seeing my VERY first dolphin in the wild. It's hard to believe with all my word and activism that I have never seen an actual dolphin in the wild! I am so excited about this opportunity.
Right now, I'm starting to look at cameras- I am in need of a new one anyhow for pictures I take at gymnastics meets (another hobby of mine). If you are a photographer, and happen to have any suggestions, make sure to leave them in the comments! If you know anything about one brand vs. another, especially for things like speed shooting (gymnasts and animals, which I tend to shoot the most of, are fast movers!)... please, post away! Thanks in advance! :)


Until next time....and counting down the days till Florida, while I take my vitamins!!! :)

New Twitter Account!

I have now set up a Twitter account, to go along with my blog and Facebook page. Bear with me, because I am new to Twitter... so it's going to take some getting used to. If you have a Twitter page that you would like me to follow, please- leave it in the comments, and I'll be sure to add it.

Please follow me at @mychancetohelp


Until next time......

Great Suprise!

Best part of today? A suprise pic from my cousin, Chris of 2 wild dolphins swimming in Sarasota, Florida. :) What a great shot he caught! I always love when someone thinks of me, and sends a pic of a dolphin or whale in the wild... just makes my heart smile. Chris, thanks for making my day!

 Photo copyright of Chris Loughlin, 2012.

Until next time.....

"A Fall From Freedom"

If you haven't seen the movie, "A Fall From Freedom", it is another MUST see. This movie is about the captive dolphin and whale industry- and is available free for you to view simply by clicking on the link below. "A Fall From Freedom" is produced by EarthView Productions, and you can also view, buy and learn more about the movie at http://afallfromfreedom.org/.

Make sure to share this link, and get the word out about this video. So vital for us to see- explains so much. If you are interested in the actual process of how dolphins and whales are captured, WHO is behind the captures, what captivity does to animals and more... it's imperative that you watch this film.


Until next time.....

Teaching about Captivity at 12 Months... Doesn't Your Baby Want an Aquarium?!

A while back, I was shopping at a toy store when I came across a captive dolphin play-set by the company Playmobil (please see my blog dated Sept. 16^th). This weekend, I was doing some shopping for a friend’s baby shower, and what I came across was even more disturbing. I came across yet another toy that encouraged children to learn about captivity from a VERY early age.... 12 MONTHS.

I believe I was even more disturbed this time, because I was in a BABY store, and this toy was in a bin of other toys called, “My First….” For example, “My First Doctor Kit” Or, “My First Purse”. I was looking through the bin thinking to myself, “hmmm, some of these are kind of clever”. Then, I found it. “MY FIRST AQUARIUM". I kid you not. There it was, for ages 12-18 months, by the company called, “Aurora Baby”. The Aquarium was a part of the company’s “Baby Talk” collection, and contained 4 animals tucked- wait, cramped inside this aquarium which looked like a circus tent with a see-through window. There was an orca, a dolphin, a seahorse, and a clown fish. I was SHOCKED. I knew this was something I had to get home and research about, get out to my fellow activists and most of all- contact this company about my concern about the selling of this toy right away.

 Here's the "My Aquaruium" set, after I took out all the animals that were crammed inside.

 The 4 animals that come with the set- an Orca, a Dolphin, a Clown Fish and a Sea Horse.

 An up-close shot of the Aquarium. Nice, eh?

 Front of the tag.

Inside of the tag.

According to an article on the company’s website from 2009, http://www.auroragift.com/xe/ “The company sells its products via a wide variety of retailers including major zoos (a fast growing market), department stores such as Mervyns and Neiman Marcus, high-end toy stores such as Learning Express, top gift chains such as Hallmark, Claire’s and Cracker Barrel, as well as hospital gift shops, fine florists, candy stores and gift/stationery stores worldwide”. You can find the entire article here.

What set off 2 red alarms for me is this: 1) It seems these toys are spreading like wildfire in zoos, and I am going to assume some Aquariums (although I know places like SeaWorld, it’s hard to find a product without the SeaWorld logo branded all over it). 2) I will be contacting the head of the chain store I was shopping at, where I saw the toy- to tell them my concerns that I saw the toy being sold there. However, these toys could be being sold all over. I would encourage anyone to not only contact the company- but also, anytime they see the product (the “My First Aquarium” toy), to also contact the stores as well. It doesn’t hurt to let the stores know about our concern about a product. That doesn’t mean that I am going to boycott said store- but letting them know of my concern about the toy may help if the store where it is being sold puts some pressure on the company about complaints they are receiving about the toy.

Please, I encourage you to contact this company and ask them to please stop the production of this toy. I see that they are selling other stuffed sea animals- such as dolphins, whales, sea turtles and many others. Why not let children play with these stuffed toys- and possiblilly even attaching educational facts about the animal on the tag that is attached (which contains the UPC code and whatnot). This way, our smallest minds can let their imaginations run wild with adventures of their new found friends- playing in a natural environment. Their toy is not in a cage, which holds their animals, which honestly is a perfect example of an Aquarium.

Yes. The company could lose profit from pulling that one toy from the shelves. But, think about the money that could be gained by adding more educational value to the toys they are already selling. Parents, educational institutions and caregivers would appreciate that it is more than just a toy- it’s also a tool that teaches.

Here is the contact information for Aurora World Inc.

The toy I am referring to through this blog is #20433, and called “My Aquarium”. It is a part of the “Baby Talk” Collection.

Aurora World Inc.

8820 Mercury Lane

Pico Rivera, CA 90660 US

Ph: 562-205-1222

Fax: 562-948-5567

Here are a listed of there other locations to contact, in other countires: click here! (Some countries include: Korea, UK, Hong Kong and China).

Also, if you go to their website, you can fill out a “product-related question” sheet here, and submit it right away. If you prefer to do that, please click HERE.

Here is the link to the toy directly on their site. You will notice under the toy, you can share your thoughts via Facebook, Twitter, Email, and other platforms. You can find that link HERE.. You can also find the company on Facebook under “Aurora World, Inc.”

I’m working hard on my next blog, should be a good one. Look for it soon- until then……….



What's a Blogger Without a Computer?

What's a blogger without her... computer?

Uh? Still very passionate about her cause... working on causes, but frustrated about not being able to update her blog. That's me.

Little story. My computer, it blew up. Literally. There was a beep. What appeared to be some smoke? And, yes, that oh so pleasant electrical burning smell. Yup. Fried.

Took the thing in, and.... toast. At least, the hard drive was saved, meaning all my pictures and documents that I had not yet put on external storage. Lesson learned? Back everything up immediately.

One of my new projects to add to the list? Saving for a new computer. : / It's amazing how much we rely on our computers for finding out about news when we are so passionate about a cause such as this. News articles, journals, other blogs, social networking, emailing, chatting... it's amazing what you take for granted when your computer is always at your fingertips... .and then it's g.....o.....n......e.

I now rely on my phone for most of my work, and get to a computer when I can. It hasn't stopped me from my work, researching daily to find out how our whales and dolphins are, especially those in Taiji, getting involved in various projects, and even coming up with an idea that will hopefully turn out to be really awesome... if I can get it to work out. ;) (details on that in the near future... when I have more of it hammered out!)

The trial starts back up next week, OSHA vs. SeaWorld- starting on November 15th. I will make it a point to update my blog along the way, as this trial is something I have followed from the very start. I hope a decision will come soon, and things swing in favor for poor Tilly, the whale who is still stuck in this whole mess.

I want to leave you with this. A woman who has become one of my best friends, is an amazing photographer. She lights up my life, because every once and a while, she will send me a text or an email saying, "I'm going out to look for whales/dolphins for you today!" Well, it's whale migrating season where she lives (California), and she went out looking this past weekend. No whales to be found, but she sent me 2 pics of dolphins. Makes me smile every single time- because that's one awesome friend. And, I have to mention, that I have never seen a dolphin or whale in the wild... which is why her pictures mean so much. So, if your out there reading this, LDF- you seriously rock. Oh, and your next letter is going to be a real riot. ;)
It's friends like Lindsey... that keep a blogger without her computer smilin'.... because I gets awesome pics like these. Dolphins in their natural home.... simple, pure, and amazing.

 Dolphins in Santa Cruz, California. Picture Copyright of Lindsey D. Fisher.

Dolphin spotted in Monterey Bay, California. Picture Copyright of Lindsey D. Fisher.

Until next time...............

Video From Save Japan Dolphin Day 2011, Detroit

Here's the video I took from Save Japan Dolphin Day Detroit.

September 1, 2011.

Enjoy!

Until Next Time....

Great Video From Save Japan Dolphin Day, 2011

Thanks to our friends at Save Misty the Dolphin! They have put together a great video showing pics from events all over the world held on September 1st for Save/Celebrate Japan Dolphin Day.
Detroit is represented in the first (yahoo!) pic, and also at about 3:15 (with the large red banner). Check it out!

You can also check out Save Misty the Dolphin's blog/webpage here! (they are on blogger!) You can also search for them if you are on Facebook, by putting "Save Misty the Dolphin" right into the search bar.

Until Next Time.....

And So It Starts......

This week starts the trial of SeaWorld vs. OSHA, resulting from the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau last year. After Brancheau's death, the park was issued 3 citations and fined $75,000. (Mike Schneider, www.bostonglobe.com). The trial is scheduled to last all week, with a ruling from the Judge to come about 10 days after the end of the trial. 

In addition, according to OSHA's website (www.osha.gov) it was stated that, "In addition to the history with this whale, the OSHA investigation revealed that SeaWorld trainers had an extensive history of unexpected and potentially dangerous incidents involving killer whales at its various facilities, including its location in Orlando. Despite this record, management failed to make meaningful changes to improve the safety of the work environment for its employees". You can find the full link to the article talking about OSHA's citations against SeaWorld, here. 
 
So many news articles are coming out about the trial this week, it's hard to keep up. Experts on news channels talking about whale behavior... people talking about pros and cons about captivity. In my own opinion, since this is my blog, this is how I feel.

Captivity kills. It's as simple as that. Captivity kills whales and dolphins, because research has shown that captive sea animals such as these large animals live a much shorter life span than their non-captive family and friends. Those whales and dolphins who are in the wild live a life that is double, if not MORE than that of one that is in captivity.
Captivity also kills humans. It's a sad fact that this is not the first time a human has been killed by a orca, or another wild, captive animal. And, even worse- it won't be the last. In fact, for Tilly, the whale that was involved in Brancheau's death- this was his 3rd death of a HUMAN that he was involved in. THIRD.

So, I guess what we really need to ask ourselves is this.... How many more dolphins, whales, and HUMANS need to die before we see the light that captivity isn't the answer?
My heart goes out to Dawn's family during this difficult time. I'm sure reliving the time of her tragic accident is not going to be easy for them.
SeaWorld, shame on you. Shame on you for not only holding animals captive, but for allowing yet another death to occur. This time, a human life was lost.

R.I.P. Dawn Brancheau

If you would like to see the copy of Brancheau's autopsy's report, please click here, thanks to autopsyfiles.org.


Until Next Time....

Playmobil Teaches Captivity to the Most Captive Audience

So, I'm walking through a well known toy store chain the other day, and I am looking through the "educational science section" and BAM... I see it on the shelves, and I almost fall over. I can't even believe what I'm seeing! It's actually a toy, where kids can play "captivity"! The set comes compete with 2 "happy" dolphins, a trainer and her hoop, and some dead plastic fish treats. Sick!

I stared at this thing for a good 15 minutes. Here's a closer pic of the trainer with her dead fish treats.

Not knowing what to do, and being alone in the store, I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I took the 3 boxes off the shelf, and hid them in the store, hoping some kid wouldn't find them. It just made me sick to my stomach. If I had a child with me, my actions would have been different. I would have discussed the toy with the child- but being alone, I just felt sickened.

Upon coming home, I did a little research on "Playmobil". I came to find out that although this particular store only carrier this one box, the maker actually has quite a few sets of dolphin/trainer/captivity toys. There's one with just a trainer/hoop/ and a dolphin... one that's a bit more elaborate, called a "dolphin zoo" that you can even fill with water. To see the images of these toys, I suggest going to either Amazon or Google Images, and just typing in the words "Playmobil dolphin" together. The toy images should pop up.

I am urging you, and others who feel like you do, to please join me in contacting Playmobil. Please ask them to remove these toys from their shelves, as it teaches children from a very young age that captivity is okay... and even a happy thing. Take a close look at the toy... the trainers, the dolphins, and even the dolphin on the flag on have on that smile... the look that dolphins have, that makes them appear as though they are always happy. How about a playset for children with marine animals in their natural habitat? That would be a LOT more educational, could include more animals, and wouldn't be teaching our young ones that captivity is a happy place for dolphins to live.

Children are our most captive audience.
Their minds are like sea sponges, soaking up knowledge.
Let's teach them early about sea life captivity, and how in the end, the best homes for dolphins are in the ocean.

Contact info for Playmobile is:

Address:	Playmobil Malta Ltd. HF80, Industrial Estate, Hal Far, BBG 3000, Malta, EU.
Telephone:	(+356) 2224 2445
Email:	info@playmobilmalta.com

Until Next Time......

Save/Celebrate Japan Dolphin Day, 2011- Detroit.

Words can't describe my feelings after today.

Driven- my drive to continue this fight has only just begun.

Supported- the community of friends I have made in the dolphin community who share the same love I do is amazing. I can't thank these individuals enough. There was so much support from all the event coordinators all around the world in planning the events for today, it was amazing. Also, all the amazing organizations around the globe who are out there every single day offering us and the dolphins support-from the folks at Save Misty the Dolphin, Save Japan Dolphins, Earth Island Institute, Sea Shepherd and the World Animal Awareness Society (especially the WA2S-MI)- today would not have been possible.

Sad, yet more so Anger- I know today marked the first day of yet another hunting season for dolphins in Taiji, Japan.

Proud- Of every single person who stood up today in Detroit for the dolphins. And everyone who was with us in spirit, due to circumstances that prevented you from being at today's event. I got emails from people saying they were wearing their shirts at work, school or wherever they were today with pride- informing people of the Cove. YOU are our heroes. Continue to educate yourself. Continue to educate others. Our fight isn't over, and it won't be until the water in the Cove runs clear. But you, my dolphin loving friends... pat yourself on the backs. Awesome job. Look for some sweet links coming soon as pics/video/radio links start to filter in.

For the dolphins!

Until next time.... I will leave you with a few pics from today.