I'm on my last day and working hard (up till midnight last night - well past my baby bed time) but just wanted to drop some info on you while I was checking my emails.

I've been sending queries out to research marine life for my next trilogy and you'll never guess what's happening - if you have a minute, check this out:

A crop circle of dolphins circling around the planet (presumably made by aliens) has appeared in England:
http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2002/eastfield3/eastfield2002c.html
and on the same day, I received an email from Earth Action about the US Navy's deployment of active sonar throughout the world's oceans and how that will deafen and possibly even kill marine life (lots more beaching whales) if it isn't stopped:
http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/020807.asp

And a couple of weeks ago, didn't a whale and it's baby delight people in Sydney by hanging around the harbour for a few days, while at exactly the same time in America a pod of whales beached themselves and died?

Freaky stuff. Maybe the aliens are trying to warn us not to kill our whales and dolphins? I've always suspected that whales are more intelligent than people.

Lou
P.S. I promise to catch up with everyone's news over the weekend - just a bit rushed today

Sort of reminds me of that Star Trek movie where Kirk and the crew go back in time to save the whales and therefore save the world. Loved that movie!

Very interesting stuff, Lou! Very scary too. How dare those who have a duty of care to the world, do something so selfish that it risks some of the most precious and beautiful creatures we have. We know so little about whales and dolphins... I get all hot under the collar when I hear things happening like this.

I tried to open the link to the crop circle site, Lou but it falied to open. Can you give the another link?

deb

isnt it really weird when coincidences happen???? there are some really sad things that happen to animals and if you knew all that happened im sure almost any person would be angry for a life time!!!! did you know that animal circuses chain bears in shacked then make them walk across hot coal so that in time theire feet will always move and in a circus people are told that the bear is dancing i think that is absoulutly inhumane!!!!

Deb, I fixed that URL for the crop circles.  Don't know what I did the first time, but it works now. 

I've been finding out more detailed information from our government about this sonar the US Navy is going to use, and it's pretty scary stuff.  Apparently it goes up to 140 decibels, and to put that in perspective, that's the same volume of sound you'd get standing next to a jet plane taking off.  No wonder the whales are beaching!  And when they autopsied the seven whales that beached and died in the Bahamas after a US Navy sonar test two years ago, they discovered cranial hemorrhaging.  It was the first time that independant scientists had got their hands on beached whale corpses so they had definite proof at last that the sonar had done it.

Really makes you wonder about all the other whale beachings around the world, and whether there happened to be a US or NATO ship in the area at the time.

Anyway, once the US government approved the use of this LFA sonar a coalition of US Conservation organisations went to court to stop it.  It's all over CNN, National Geographic, USATODAY etc so the American people know all about it.  I just don't understand why our media is so quiet about it.  Certainly makes you wonder, doesn't it?

And Cassie, I think the Russian bear thing is appalling too.  I used to be an animal rights activist in my twenties, so I've done my fair share of protesting outside rodeos, fur shops and ciruses.  Must be why I'm so het up about this sonar thing now.  It just seems like funny timing when I'm about to research a marine trilogy.

Deb, I fixed that URL for the crop circles.  Don't know what I did the first time, but it works now. 

I've been finding out more detailed information from our government about this sonar the US Navy is going to use, and it's pretty scary stuff.  Apparently it goes up to 140 decibels, and to put that in perspective, that's the same volume of sound you'd get standing next to a jet plane taking off.  No wonder the whales are beaching!  And when they autopsied the seven whales that beached and died in the Bahamas after a US Navy sonar test two years ago, they discovered cranial hemorrhaging.  It was the first time that independant scientists had got their hands on beached whale corpses so they had definite proof at last that the sonar had done it.

Really makes you wonder about all the other whale beachings around the world, and whether there happened to be a US or NATO ship in the area at the time.

Anyway, once the US government approved the use of this LFA sonar a coalition of US Conservation organisations went to court to stop it.  It's all over CNN, National Geographic, USATODAY etc so the American people know all about it.  I just don't understand why our media is so quiet about it.  Certainly makes you wonder, doesn't it?

And Cassie, I think the Russian bear thing is appalling too.  I used to be an animal rights activist in my twenties, so I've done my fair share of protesting outside rodeos, fur shops and ciruses.  Must be why I'm so het up about this sonar thing now.  

Odd timing when I'm about to research a marine trilogy.

i love protests and that sort of thing wow...wish i had been there with you

that is quite freaky Lou!
I also think dolphins and whales are amazing! I was lucky enough to be part of a sad event of whale beachings. (1996 and 1998)
it was amazing to get so close to them, as we had to support them in the water in shifts until they could be taken out to sea. sad events indeed, and there wasnt a happy ending in either case. (long story there)
but as i was a young girl, i guess i saw it in light of what the adults didnt. that in itself was the strange thing. i will never forget those days and nights!

Cassie, I'm sure Animal Liberation is still going strong.  If you want to protest, give them a call and see what they're up to

Timna, I can't imagine what that must have been like.  I've only even seen whale beachings on television and that seems very sad.  I'll bet it had a profound effect on you.

I'm trying to get to the bottom of the sonar thing all but our government's Environment Agency is trying to pass me off on to the Dept of Defence now, telling me that negotiations with the US is in their court and that I should email them for news of what's happening.  Bit sad to think the fate of our marine life is in the hands of the Dept of Defence.  Wonder what their priority will be?  Protect whales and dolphins or keeping in close with the US.  Sigh... 

Anyway, I'll keep you guys updated if I hear anything new.

it seems to me louise that youve gone realy deep with your resarch... i wish i had the time to find more about magical cretures but college is supposed to come first and it suxs when you dont have the net at home but good going louise you should be happy!