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Boy struck by giant tropical fish
Sunfish pictured off Pembrokeshire by photographer Janet Baxter
A four-year-old boy fishing off the west Wales coast with his parents was knocked over by a metre-long tropical fish which leapy aboard their boat.
The Grey family were fishing off the coast of Pembrokeshire when the ocean sunfish - weighing around 30kg - landed on top of their son Byron.
"It knocked him flying," said Vivienne Grey, from Little Haven.
Sunfish - the world's largest bony fish - are native to warm, tropical waters and are less common in the UK.
Mrs Grey and her husband Andrew had taken Byron and his brother Owen, 12, fishing for lobster in their 14ft boat. They were about 150m off the coast of Little Haven when the incident happened.
"My husband said he was glad we went with him, because he's sure we wouldn't have believed him if he'd come home and told us about it," she said.
OCEAN SUNFISH FACTFILE
Its scientific name is Mola Mola - also known as the moon fish
It is flat and disc-shaped in appearance, with a distinctive fin
It can grow up to 3m long and weigh 1,360kg
It is found in most of the world's tropical and temperate waters - often along the coastal areas where gulls can rid them of parasites
Like many other unusual sea creatures, it is becoming more common in Welsh waters
It has a small brain - a 200kg specimen may have a brain the size of a nut
"We spotted the fin of the sunfish in the water and, because we knew they were rare, we thought we'd take the boat a bit closer to let the children have a look.
"But as we got closer, it just disappeared. The next thing we knew, it had leaped out of the water and landed in the boat, right on top of Byron.
"We grabbed him from under the fish, and both boys were just shouting to their dad to get the fish out of the boat.
"It was very heavy, but Andrew managed to lift it and heave it over the side.
"Luckily, Byron got away with cuts and grazes.
"I didn't realise there were fish that big in our waters."
The experience has not put the family off sailing, and the boys were back out in the boat within days.
Marine-watchers said several sunfish - which normally live in warm, tropical waters - had been seen off the Pembrokeshire coast in recent months.
'Not dangerous'
Cliff Benson, who runs Sea Trust, the marine branch of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, said sunfish could grow up to 3m long and weigh up to 1,360kg (3,000lb).
"We get them through the summer months, but normally all people see is the distinctive grey fin," he explained.
"They float about eating jellyfish, and our waters are particularly rich in jellyfish at the moment.
"They're not considered dangerous. In fact, only one man has ever been killed by a sunfish - and that was because it landed on him and squashed him."
Wildlife photographer Janet Baxter, from Borth, who took the picture of the fish above, said sea creatures leapt out of the water for all kinds of reasons.
"I saw two young sunfish jumping around last year," she said.
"The usual reasons things jump out of the water are because of food, sex, or parasites - but sometimes they just do it for the fun of it, because it's a nice feeling."
Friday, March 31, 2006
Fish chokes boy to death
Fish Boy, Boy Fish, did you mean "Fishboy"? www.fishboy.com
A boy has died after the fish he was holding jumped out of his hands and leapt into his mouth, choking him to death.
According to a story from the New Straits Times, eight-year-old Samiun Ahmad, caught a 7cm x 4cm Climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, in a neighbour's concrete pond.
Witnesses said that the boy wanted to show the fish off to his friend and brother, but the fish "slipped out of his hands and leapt into his mouth".
"He was so excited with his catch. He showed them to us and wanted to rear the fish in our neighbour's pond", the boy's Father told the New Straits Times."We never thought something like this could happen."
Friends tried to pull the fish out of his mouth but it had lodged itself firmly.
Climbing perch are equipped with very spiky fins and rough scales and often become entangled in nets.
Although this sounds bizarre, it is not the first time this has happened.
Back in 2003, Practical Fishkeeping reported a story about a Cambodian teenager who had caught a similarly spiky Kantrorb, Pristolepis fasciata, which had lodged itself in his throat, choking him to death.
This fish, at some 20cm/8" in length, though, was rather larger than the juvenile Anabas involved in this distressing incident.
A boy has died after the fish he was holding jumped out of his hands and leapt into his mouth, choking him to death.
According to a story from the New Straits Times, eight-year-old Samiun Ahmad, caught a 7cm x 4cm Climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, in a neighbour's concrete pond.
Witnesses said that the boy wanted to show the fish off to his friend and brother, but the fish "slipped out of his hands and leapt into his mouth".
"He was so excited with his catch. He showed them to us and wanted to rear the fish in our neighbour's pond", the boy's Father told the New Straits Times."We never thought something like this could happen."
Friends tried to pull the fish out of his mouth but it had lodged itself firmly.
Climbing perch are equipped with very spiky fins and rough scales and often become entangled in nets.
Although this sounds bizarre, it is not the first time this has happened.
Back in 2003, Practical Fishkeeping reported a story about a Cambodian teenager who had caught a similarly spiky Kantrorb, Pristolepis fasciata, which had lodged itself in his throat, choking him to death.
This fish, at some 20cm/8" in length, though, was rather larger than the juvenile Anabas involved in this distressing incident.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Fishboy Review: BOSS Fishing SUV
The BOSS Fishing SUV is kind of a gimmicky pocket fishing tool box from a manufacturer of similar tools aimed at the hunting market. Why is it called SUV? Who knows expect that the marketing slogan says it can "Do it all" -- I guess that is a reference to Sport Utility Vehicles and their "Do it all" image.
The BOSS SUV is a compact package that claims to eliminate a box full of tools. The Fishing SUV includes 10 functions. Scale, tape measure, hook sharpener, disgorger, line clipper, eye buster, stringer, mag-style flashlight (not included) holder, hauling loop, multi-purpose snap clip.
Basically for tournament fishing the tape measure and scale are the most important items in this type of tool. Most fishermen I know will already have a trusty multi-tool or pliers tool like Fishboy's Fish GrpZ or any number of tools from Gerber or Leatherman to handle disgorging, line clipping and other tasks.
What I really don't like about the design of this product is the way the tools all hang off of it loose like. WIth this configuration you can easily pocket this tool.
Sure I have my line clippers hanging off my vest pocket but this multi-tool is designed to hang off of your belt loop and then the line clippers and other tools hang off of it. I'd rather have some individual tools and put them where I want to and have my Fish GrpZ safely in its holster until I need it.
The manufacturer of the Boss Fishing SUV claims it "is the most complete tool ever devised for the fisherman" but I beg to differ. No one tool can be all things to every fisherman and this tool doesn't even come close to being the most complete tool. Find it online for $15.
The BOSS SUV is a compact package that claims to eliminate a box full of tools. The Fishing SUV includes 10 functions. Scale, tape measure, hook sharpener, disgorger, line clipper, eye buster, stringer, mag-style flashlight (not included) holder, hauling loop, multi-purpose snap clip.
Basically for tournament fishing the tape measure and scale are the most important items in this type of tool. Most fishermen I know will already have a trusty multi-tool or pliers tool like Fishboy's Fish GrpZ or any number of tools from Gerber or Leatherman to handle disgorging, line clipping and other tasks.
What I really don't like about the design of this product is the way the tools all hang off of it loose like. WIth this configuration you can easily pocket this tool.
Sure I have my line clippers hanging off my vest pocket but this multi-tool is designed to hang off of your belt loop and then the line clippers and other tools hang off of it. I'd rather have some individual tools and put them where I want to and have my Fish GrpZ safely in its holster until I need it.
The manufacturer of the Boss Fishing SUV claims it "is the most complete tool ever devised for the fisherman" but I beg to differ. No one tool can be all things to every fisherman and this tool doesn't even come close to being the most complete tool. Find it online for $15.
Origin of Nigeria Money Scams
Did you know all of those bogus emails from Nigeria promising you millions of dollars has its origins in the classic con called THE SPANISH PRISONER?
This hustle dates back to 1588, when a con with a pretty young lady in tow approached British nobility, saying that a fellow British nobleman-the winsome girl's father, in fact-has been imprisoned in Spain. The con man said the nobleman's identity must be kept secret, lest the Spanish realize whom they're holding. The con then asked his marks to help with the ransom price. In exchange, the con said, the freed nobleman would surely reward his liberator with riches and maybe even with his lovely daughter's hand in marriage... Naturally, there was no real-life "Spanish prisoner" and once the con man had the "ransom" money, he galloped off into the sunset.
Today, this scam has been updated for the Information Age, its modern incarnation being the infamous Nigerian money transfer email, wherein marks the world over are asked to help "liberate" funds frozen in Nigeria.
This hustle dates back to 1588, when a con with a pretty young lady in tow approached British nobility, saying that a fellow British nobleman-the winsome girl's father, in fact-has been imprisoned in Spain. The con man said the nobleman's identity must be kept secret, lest the Spanish realize whom they're holding. The con then asked his marks to help with the ransom price. In exchange, the con said, the freed nobleman would surely reward his liberator with riches and maybe even with his lovely daughter's hand in marriage... Naturally, there was no real-life "Spanish prisoner" and once the con man had the "ransom" money, he galloped off into the sunset.
Today, this scam has been updated for the Information Age, its modern incarnation being the infamous Nigerian money transfer email, wherein marks the world over are asked to help "liberate" funds frozen in Nigeria.
Fish Skin Shoes?
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Feb 14, 2006 19:04 EST) This is not another “fishy” tale. Newly-opened shoe boutique Zendalia is introducing shoes, bags, wallets and key chains, made of tilapia fish skin.
With the natural scale pattern in copious colours, these products are simply irresistible.
“Fish skin is another piece of leather,” said Zendalia (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Chris Tan.
“I saw the leather in Bangkok, but it was only used to make wallets and key chains. I thought, why don't we use it for shoes?” said Tan who has been in the shoe retail business for 12 years.
“However, using just fish skin for a pair of shoes may be rather monotonous, so we mix and match it with other leathers,” he added.
All shoes sold at Zendalia are made of bovine hide, or fish, snake or crocodile skin “to ensure the shoes’ durability and the wearers’ comfort.”
The boutique, whose name was inspired by Spanish word sandalia, which means sandals, opened its doors officially on Jan 18 at Lot 10 shopping centre.
“We aim to give customers very high quality products at reasonable prices. It’s not easy to find all-leather shoes at the prices we are offering, even the out soles of our shoes are leather,” he said, adding that price tags start from RM149.
“The designs are exclusive, they are works by Malaysian and Singaporean designers. We should be getting more designers from other Asean countries, as their works are comparable to that of international shoemakers. All they need is adequate exposure,” added Tan.
The products described by Tan as “elegant and exclusive” are targeted at ladies aged 25 and above.
“Having been in the business for more than 10 years, we know what Malaysian women want. I think they like shoes in such bold colours. Gone were the days when they wore only black or brown,” he said, adding that the boutique releases new collections every six weeks.
Zendalia is also developing a franchise programme to expand to other parts of the country and overseas.
With the natural scale pattern in copious colours, these products are simply irresistible.
“Fish skin is another piece of leather,” said Zendalia (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Chris Tan.
“I saw the leather in Bangkok, but it was only used to make wallets and key chains. I thought, why don't we use it for shoes?” said Tan who has been in the shoe retail business for 12 years.
“However, using just fish skin for a pair of shoes may be rather monotonous, so we mix and match it with other leathers,” he added.
All shoes sold at Zendalia are made of bovine hide, or fish, snake or crocodile skin “to ensure the shoes’ durability and the wearers’ comfort.”
The boutique, whose name was inspired by Spanish word sandalia, which means sandals, opened its doors officially on Jan 18 at Lot 10 shopping centre.
“We aim to give customers very high quality products at reasonable prices. It’s not easy to find all-leather shoes at the prices we are offering, even the out soles of our shoes are leather,” he said, adding that price tags start from RM149.
“The designs are exclusive, they are works by Malaysian and Singaporean designers. We should be getting more designers from other Asean countries, as their works are comparable to that of international shoemakers. All they need is adequate exposure,” added Tan.
The products described by Tan as “elegant and exclusive” are targeted at ladies aged 25 and above.
“Having been in the business for more than 10 years, we know what Malaysian women want. I think they like shoes in such bold colours. Gone were the days when they wore only black or brown,” he said, adding that the boutique releases new collections every six weeks.
Zendalia is also developing a franchise programme to expand to other parts of the country and overseas.
12-pound crustacean freed off La Jolla
March 1, 2006
Ray Fulks shows off “Ralph,” the giant lobster he retrieved from the waters off La Jolla. The crustacean was subsequently let go in the protected La Jolla Underwater Park.
As a free diver and spearfisherman, Ray Fulks has seen some incredible creatures underwater, but none prepared him for his eyeball-to-eyeball encounter with “Ralph.”
“Ralph” is the nickname Fulks' diving partner David Frapwell bestowed on a 12-pound lobster that Fulks wrestled out of a cave in about 10 feet of water Friday while free diving off La Jolla. Most lobster tales end with the crustacean going headfirst into a pot of boiling water. But that's not the case here.
“On one of my dives, I found a hole, poked my head in and couldn't believe how big this lobster was,” Fulks said. “I never dreamed I'd ever see a lobster that big.”
Fulks went to the surface, as much to get a breath as to collect his wits. He wondered if he could get his shoulders in the small cave that served as the lobster's lair. He took a big breath and went back down.
“I reached in and grabbed him by the antennae around the thick part at the base, and he didn't move,” Fulks said. “He was just big and slow, but he held onto the cave's sides really tight. I had to pull really hard to get him out. When I got him out, he looked like the biggest thing I'd ever seen. I put him under my arm and expected him to kick the heck out of me as I surfaced, but he never did.”
“David saw me swimming with it, and he couldn't figure out what I had under my arm. When I got it to the beach and we looked at it, I said, 'This could be someone's pet. We could put a collar and a leash on it and take it for a walk.' ”
They took it home, snapped some pictures and took some measurements. The carapace was 7 inches long (more than twice the length of a legal lobster's required 3¼ inches from eye socket to the edge of the carapace), and the lobster measured 20 inches from eyes to tail. It takes spiny lobsters five to seven years just to reach legal size of 1 to 1½ pounds, so a lobster 12 pounds likely is 20 years old or more. Fulks figures Ralph is at least 40. Spiny lobsters can live to be 50, and the biggest ever recorded went 26 pounds and was 3 feet long.
“The more we looked at him the more we realized there was no way we could kill him,” Fulks said. “In the course of his long life – what, 30 to 40 years? – to grow to that size he must have dodged all kinds of divers grabbing after him, hundreds of lobster traps.”
Knowing how unique Ralph was, the men called one of Frapwell's commercial fishing buddies for advice.
“He told us they usually let their bigger lobsters like this go, so we decided to do the same thing,” Fulks said. “We agreed on it almost simultaneously. It just didn't feel right keeping it. I had two legal bugs in addition to Ralph, so I really didn't need to keep an old lobster like this.”
Ralph was spared the pot of boiling water and melted butter and instead was taken to La Jolla Cove for a planned release. Valerie Grischy, president of the La Jolla Cove Swim Club, fetched a scale and Ralph weighed in at 12 pounds.
Lifeguard Casey Owens agreed to paddle the big fella out into the protected San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. It's a “look, but don't touch” area that divers frequent.
Owens, who called Fulks “the real hero in this,” said Ralph was calm on Owens' paddleboard as Owens paddled out around the rocks that guard La Jolla Cove. But at one point the big bug started squirming.
“It was like he could sense he was back on the water, and he wanted to get right in again,” Owens said.
Owens thought Ralph actually might be Ralphette, because female lobsters have bigger tails so they can protect eggs. But Fulks believes the big lobster was a male.
“Definitely a male,” Fulks said. “Males mate with many females every mating season. Females generally seek out large, dominant males for mating. If you believe in natural selection, a lobster that was smart enough to remain free for that many years will definitely produce some pretty superior offspring.”
One other thing: If Ralph knew it was his time to get nabbed by a diver, he couldn't have claw-picked a more conservation-minded, compassionate free diver than Fulks to surrender to.
Live, crawl and prosper, Ralph.
Man catches 42 trout in seven minutes
MILWAUKEE A Burlington man reeled in 42 trout in seven minutes, and he has the witnesses to prove this isn't a fish tale.
Thirty-three-year-old Tom Waite hit the mark at the Journal Sentinel Sports Show going on this weekend at the State Fair Park in Milwaukee.
His mark is nine better than that of the next contestant in the event's fishing derby.
His totals mean he caught a fish about every ten seconds. Even so, he says he lost six fish because of problems with the rods.
Waite says he grew up with a passion for the outdoors. His technique, he says, is to look for the active fish, not necessarily the bigger fish.
Thirty-three-year-old Tom Waite hit the mark at the Journal Sentinel Sports Show going on this weekend at the State Fair Park in Milwaukee.
His mark is nine better than that of the next contestant in the event's fishing derby.
His totals mean he caught a fish about every ten seconds. Even so, he says he lost six fish because of problems with the rods.
Waite says he grew up with a passion for the outdoors. His technique, he says, is to look for the active fish, not necessarily the bigger fish.
Two Drown During Burial At Sea
Madrid - Two brothers drowned off the coast of the Canary Islands after they were caught by a huge wave while spreading the ashes of a deceased family member at sea, Spanish media reported on Monday.
The family of a teenager on the island of Las Palmas, who had died following an illness and was cremated, had gathered on Sunday for the funeral service on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
While they were spreading the deceased's ashes, three members of the family were swept into the sea by a wave that rose up 6m high.
Two brothers, aged 23 and 36, drowned. A 34-year-old woman was able to be pulled to safety.
The family of a teenager on the island of Las Palmas, who had died following an illness and was cremated, had gathered on Sunday for the funeral service on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
While they were spreading the deceased's ashes, three members of the family were swept into the sea by a wave that rose up 6m high.
Two brothers, aged 23 and 36, drowned. A 34-year-old woman was able to be pulled to safety.
And now cats are coyote bait?
Cats tied up, used as live baitPolice seek to arrest hunters responsible
By Josh DeVine
Linden - (03/23/06)--Police need your help to solve a shocking case of animal abuse. Earlier this month, officers found two cats wired to a tree and left for dead.
They also found the remains of a deer, a raccoon and a possum at a swamp on West Ralston Road in Linden.
Police say the animals were used for bait as hunters tried to track coyotes. Now police are trying to track down the hunters.
It all started with an anonymous tip that led police to a swamp. But what police found wired to the base of a tree was not only shocking; it's also criminal.
"There's no way the cat could have got loose. No way," said Linden Police Chief Pete VanDriessche.
And that was the point. Police say someone wired two cats to the tree.
"It was quite elaborate, as a matter of fact," the chief said. "This is not right. This is definitely not right."
VanDriessche says he's sure someone wanted to attract coyotes, killing them for their coat.
"And I hear that cats are the best bait is what I'm hearing," VanDriessche said.
The crime is a felony.
"This is the first one I've seen in my 25 years," VanDriessche said. "I've never seen one like this. I've seen animal abuse. But this as far as I'm concerned is really bad."
The Humane Society of the United States put up a $2,500 reward to find the person who did this.
"You know, if you're going to hunt coyotes, there's a way to do it without using live bait," VanDriessche said.
Already the chief has a half dozen tips and a few leads. But if you know something, the chief wants to hear from you. You can reach him at (810) 735-5454.
Genesee County Animal Control quarantined the animals for 10 days after one of the cats bit a firefighter during the rescue.
The cats were aggressive and weren't able to be adopted, so workers made the tough choice to put the animals down.
By Josh DeVine
Linden - (03/23/06)--Police need your help to solve a shocking case of animal abuse. Earlier this month, officers found two cats wired to a tree and left for dead.
They also found the remains of a deer, a raccoon and a possum at a swamp on West Ralston Road in Linden.
Police say the animals were used for bait as hunters tried to track coyotes. Now police are trying to track down the hunters.
It all started with an anonymous tip that led police to a swamp. But what police found wired to the base of a tree was not only shocking; it's also criminal.
"There's no way the cat could have got loose. No way," said Linden Police Chief Pete VanDriessche.
And that was the point. Police say someone wired two cats to the tree.
"It was quite elaborate, as a matter of fact," the chief said. "This is not right. This is definitely not right."
VanDriessche says he's sure someone wanted to attract coyotes, killing them for their coat.
"And I hear that cats are the best bait is what I'm hearing," VanDriessche said.
The crime is a felony.
"This is the first one I've seen in my 25 years," VanDriessche said. "I've never seen one like this. I've seen animal abuse. But this as far as I'm concerned is really bad."
The Humane Society of the United States put up a $2,500 reward to find the person who did this.
"You know, if you're going to hunt coyotes, there's a way to do it without using live bait," VanDriessche said.
Already the chief has a half dozen tips and a few leads. But if you know something, the chief wants to hear from you. You can reach him at (810) 735-5454.
Genesee County Animal Control quarantined the animals for 10 days after one of the cats bit a firefighter during the rescue.
The cats were aggressive and weren't able to be adopted, so workers made the tough choice to put the animals down.
Dogs and Cats Used As Bait - Urban Myth?
Origins: The claim that live dogs (and cats) were being used as bait by shark fisherman on Réunion Island (a French-controlled territory just off the coast of Southern Africa in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar) started hitting the world press in August 2005 and picked up steam in early October 2005, when it was reported by publications such as the UK's Sun (an excerpt from which is quoted at the head of this page) and Sweden's Aftonbladet, complete with a heart-rending picture of a purported "bait dog" with a large hook through its muzzle. Animal rights groups such as the RSPCA have taken up the cause of putting a stop to the horrible
practice.
Many observers remain skeptical of such claims, however, positing theories that range from media and animal rights groups having been taken in by a hoax to a deliberate disinformation campaign being waged by activists who seek to end the slaughter of sharks for their fins and cartilage by Indian Ocean fisherman. Arguments have flown back and forth over the practicality and plausibility (or lack thereof) of Réunion Islanders fishing for sharks in the manner described.
Based on a recent Réunion newspaper article which acknowledged the practice and reported the recent prosecution of a deliveryman (and amateur fisherman) on that island over animal cruelty charges associated with the described activity, we'd have to say there is some truth to the shark-fishing claim, although the practice does not appear to be as widespread or horrific (or tolerated) as implied by recent news stories. Rather than describing hordes of shark fisherman impaling live dogs on hooks and dragging them behind boats as shark bait, the article notes that employing dogs in shark-fishing is largely the province of a small group of amateur fisherman rather than large numbers of professionals, that the dogs used are generally dead animals picked up from roadsides or culled from the island's large population of unwanted strays (estimated at 150,000), and that the no-longer-alive animals are attached to unattended buoyed "shark trap" platforms rather than dragged alive behind boats.
The French embassy in Washington, D.C., has also maintained that although the practice is not unknown, its occurrence and acceptance is not nearly as prevalent as recent news reports would make it seem:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for writing to us with your concerns. We too denounce the barbaric practices you refer to. Such acts are obviously illegal and will not be tolerated on French territory. But while we share your revulsion, we would like to emphasize that the practice of using live dogs or cats as shark bait is in fact exceptional and isolated. It was never widespread nor traditional, but introduced by ruthless individuals, and has been strictly banned for decades now.
TV reports that raised initial indignation when they were aired in France and abroad in 2005 were filmed locally in 2003 following the discovery of a mutilated dog. The last few months have seen two identical events which received heavy media coverage (one of these events was soon determined to be a false alarm). But can these vile occurrences lead us to conclude that there is an ongoing tradition of barbarism on Reunion Island?
Reunion Island, a French territory and a European region, obeys the laws and regulations of the French Republic and the European Union. It respects the rule of law and does not practice inhumane ancestral practices. The facts that elicited your complaint are the act of a few isolated, irresponsible parties who are being sought by the police and will be brought to justice. The authorities on the island are closely monitoring the situation; one person is in custody and appeared in court on Friday September 30, 2005. All suspicions of such acts will be investigated, and animal protection organizations that have any specific information on these matters are strongly encouraged to inform French police authorities.
The French minister for agriculture and fisheries, Dominique Bussereau, is fully aware of the media and public outcry regarding this issue, and has written to the French National Assembly to emphasize that several measures have been taken to strengthen already existing laws. Veterinarians have been directed to immediately report any suspicious wounds to authorities, and the police will increase their inspections of fishing and pleasure vessels. Meanwhile, a sterilization campaign, launched in 2001 to reduce the number of stray dogs and cats on the island, continues.
Animal rights are an important issue in France: over half of French households have at least one pet, and France has some of the world's most stringent animal rights legislation. French law provides for the prosecution of those who are cruel to animals. Voluntary cruelty to animals is punishable by a sentence of two years in prison and a 30,000 euro fine (equivalent to about $36,000).
Sincerely,
Press Office.
Cordialement / Regards
Service de Presse et d'Information / Press & Information Service
Ambassade de France / Embassy of France
Washington, D.C.
The photo displayed at the head of this page, which has adorned several news articles and humane society-related web pages on this topic, remains a subject of debate. Proponents claim it as documentary evidence of a cruel shark-fishing practice on Réunion Island, while doubters maintain it is a completely unrelated photograph of an accidental entanglement that has been mistakenly or deceptively misused for publicity's sake.
practice.
Many observers remain skeptical of such claims, however, positing theories that range from media and animal rights groups having been taken in by a hoax to a deliberate disinformation campaign being waged by activists who seek to end the slaughter of sharks for their fins and cartilage by Indian Ocean fisherman. Arguments have flown back and forth over the practicality and plausibility (or lack thereof) of Réunion Islanders fishing for sharks in the manner described.
Based on a recent Réunion newspaper article which acknowledged the practice and reported the recent prosecution of a deliveryman (and amateur fisherman) on that island over animal cruelty charges associated with the described activity, we'd have to say there is some truth to the shark-fishing claim, although the practice does not appear to be as widespread or horrific (or tolerated) as implied by recent news stories. Rather than describing hordes of shark fisherman impaling live dogs on hooks and dragging them behind boats as shark bait, the article notes that employing dogs in shark-fishing is largely the province of a small group of amateur fisherman rather than large numbers of professionals, that the dogs used are generally dead animals picked up from roadsides or culled from the island's large population of unwanted strays (estimated at 150,000), and that the no-longer-alive animals are attached to unattended buoyed "shark trap" platforms rather than dragged alive behind boats.
The French embassy in Washington, D.C., has also maintained that although the practice is not unknown, its occurrence and acceptance is not nearly as prevalent as recent news reports would make it seem:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for writing to us with your concerns. We too denounce the barbaric practices you refer to. Such acts are obviously illegal and will not be tolerated on French territory. But while we share your revulsion, we would like to emphasize that the practice of using live dogs or cats as shark bait is in fact exceptional and isolated. It was never widespread nor traditional, but introduced by ruthless individuals, and has been strictly banned for decades now.
TV reports that raised initial indignation when they were aired in France and abroad in 2005 were filmed locally in 2003 following the discovery of a mutilated dog. The last few months have seen two identical events which received heavy media coverage (one of these events was soon determined to be a false alarm). But can these vile occurrences lead us to conclude that there is an ongoing tradition of barbarism on Reunion Island?
Reunion Island, a French territory and a European region, obeys the laws and regulations of the French Republic and the European Union. It respects the rule of law and does not practice inhumane ancestral practices. The facts that elicited your complaint are the act of a few isolated, irresponsible parties who are being sought by the police and will be brought to justice. The authorities on the island are closely monitoring the situation; one person is in custody and appeared in court on Friday September 30, 2005. All suspicions of such acts will be investigated, and animal protection organizations that have any specific information on these matters are strongly encouraged to inform French police authorities.
The French minister for agriculture and fisheries, Dominique Bussereau, is fully aware of the media and public outcry regarding this issue, and has written to the French National Assembly to emphasize that several measures have been taken to strengthen already existing laws. Veterinarians have been directed to immediately report any suspicious wounds to authorities, and the police will increase their inspections of fishing and pleasure vessels. Meanwhile, a sterilization campaign, launched in 2001 to reduce the number of stray dogs and cats on the island, continues.
Animal rights are an important issue in France: over half of French households have at least one pet, and France has some of the world's most stringent animal rights legislation. French law provides for the prosecution of those who are cruel to animals. Voluntary cruelty to animals is punishable by a sentence of two years in prison and a 30,000 euro fine (equivalent to about $36,000).
Sincerely,
Press Office.
Cordialement / Regards
Service de Presse et d'Information / Press & Information Service
Ambassade de France / Embassy of France
Washington, D.C.
The photo displayed at the head of this page, which has adorned several news articles and humane society-related web pages on this topic, remains a subject of debate. Proponents claim it as documentary evidence of a cruel shark-fishing practice on Réunion Island, while doubters maintain it is a completely unrelated photograph of an accidental entanglement that has been mistakenly or deceptively misused for publicity's sake.
Live Dogs Used As Shark Bait
Live kittens used to lure giant catfish
July 13, 2003
LIVE kittens are being used as bait by professional
fishermen hunting giant catfish for European
restaurants.
The cruel practice came to light when police boarded a
fishing boat on the Po River in Northern Italy and
found a stash of frightened kittens ready to be placed
on hooks.
The case, which police say is not isolated, has
outraged European animal rights groups.
Police believe greedy fishermen are using kittens as
bait because their anguished thrashings attract
catfish, the flesh of which is regarded as a delicacy.
Others hunting the fish, with its jutting lower jaw
and long curling whiskers, are dangling live,
harpooned eels in the water.
The freshwater catfish - also known as sheatfish -
grows to a length of 2m and can weigh up to 225kg.
Large specimens have been known to charge anglers'
boats, and sometimes the fierce fish eat each other.
The sheatfish, found in central and eastern Europe, is
the Po River's largest predator. Having consumed all
eels and carp, it has been seen eating ducks and large
rats.
Italian police officer Giuseppe Lagana, who detected
the first case of kitten-baiting in May, said the
incident was not isolated.
He told the European Independent Digital news
organisation many fishermen using live kittens were
taking desperate measures to avoid detection.
"During a nocturnal patrol this week, one boat managed
to evade our checks," Mr Lagana said. "It ignored
warnings and cleared off with its lights extinguished.
"We suspect this was also one of these fishermen
without a conscience. Using live kittens to catch
sheatfish is an unheard-of cruelty."
Mr Lagana said authorities had little hope of stamping
out the practice.
Thousands of anglers go to the Po River district to
hunt the big, omnivorous fish from boats and
houseboats.
"Last year, the voluntary guards in the region covered
15,000km," Mr Lagana said.
"But to catch these squalid people in the act is very
difficult, even using co-ordinated land and water
night patrols."
July 13, 2003
LIVE kittens are being used as bait by professional
fishermen hunting giant catfish for European
restaurants.
The cruel practice came to light when police boarded a
fishing boat on the Po River in Northern Italy and
found a stash of frightened kittens ready to be placed
on hooks.
The case, which police say is not isolated, has
outraged European animal rights groups.
Police believe greedy fishermen are using kittens as
bait because their anguished thrashings attract
catfish, the flesh of which is regarded as a delicacy.
Others hunting the fish, with its jutting lower jaw
and long curling whiskers, are dangling live,
harpooned eels in the water.
The freshwater catfish - also known as sheatfish -
grows to a length of 2m and can weigh up to 225kg.
Large specimens have been known to charge anglers'
boats, and sometimes the fierce fish eat each other.
The sheatfish, found in central and eastern Europe, is
the Po River's largest predator. Having consumed all
eels and carp, it has been seen eating ducks and large
rats.
Italian police officer Giuseppe Lagana, who detected
the first case of kitten-baiting in May, said the
incident was not isolated.
He told the European Independent Digital news
organisation many fishermen using live kittens were
taking desperate measures to avoid detection.
"During a nocturnal patrol this week, one boat managed
to evade our checks," Mr Lagana said. "It ignored
warnings and cleared off with its lights extinguished.
"We suspect this was also one of these fishermen
without a conscience. Using live kittens to catch
sheatfish is an unheard-of cruelty."
Mr Lagana said authorities had little hope of stamping
out the practice.
Thousands of anglers go to the Po River district to
hunt the big, omnivorous fish from boats and
houseboats.
"Last year, the voluntary guards in the region covered
15,000km," Mr Lagana said.
"But to catch these squalid people in the act is very
difficult, even using co-ordinated land and water
night patrols."
Live Kittens Used As Catfish Bait
LIVE kittens are being used as bait by professional
fishermen hunting giant catfish for European
restaurants.
The cruel practice came to light when police boarded a
fishing boat on the Po River in Northern Italy and
found a stash of frightened kittens ready to be placed
on hooks.
The case, which police say is not isolated, has
outraged European animal rights groups.
Police believe greedy fishermen are using kittens as
bait because their anguished thrashings attract
catfish, the flesh of which is regarded as a delicacy.
Others hunting the fish, with its jutting lower jaw
and long curling whiskers, are dangling live,
harpooned eels in the water.
The freshwater catfish - also known as sheatfish -
grows to a length of 2m and can weigh up to 225kg.
Large specimens have been known to charge anglers'
boats, and sometimes the fierce fish eat each other.
The sheatfish, found in central and eastern Europe, is
the Po River's largest predator. Having consumed all
eels and carp, it has been seen eating ducks and large
rats.
Italian police officer Giuseppe Lagana, who detected
the first case of kitten-baiting in May, said the
incident was not isolated.
He told the European Independent Digital news
organisation many fishermen using live kittens were
taking desperate measures to avoid detection.
"During a nocturnal patrol this week, one boat managed
to evade our checks," Mr Lagana said. "It ignored
warnings and cleared off with its lights extinguished.
"We suspect this was also one of these fishermen
without a conscience. Using live kittens to catch
sheatfish is an unheard-of cruelty."
Mr Lagana said authorities had little hope of stamping
out the practice.
Thousands of anglers go to the Po River district to
hunt the big, omnivorous fish from boats and
houseboats.
"Last year, the voluntary guards in the region covered
15,000km," Mr Lagana said.
"But to catch these squalid people in the act is very
difficult, even using co-ordinated land and water
night patrols."
fishermen hunting giant catfish for European
restaurants.
The cruel practice came to light when police boarded a
fishing boat on the Po River in Northern Italy and
found a stash of frightened kittens ready to be placed
on hooks.
The case, which police say is not isolated, has
outraged European animal rights groups.
Police believe greedy fishermen are using kittens as
bait because their anguished thrashings attract
catfish, the flesh of which is regarded as a delicacy.
Others hunting the fish, with its jutting lower jaw
and long curling whiskers, are dangling live,
harpooned eels in the water.
The freshwater catfish - also known as sheatfish -
grows to a length of 2m and can weigh up to 225kg.
Large specimens have been known to charge anglers'
boats, and sometimes the fierce fish eat each other.
The sheatfish, found in central and eastern Europe, is
the Po River's largest predator. Having consumed all
eels and carp, it has been seen eating ducks and large
rats.
Italian police officer Giuseppe Lagana, who detected
the first case of kitten-baiting in May, said the
incident was not isolated.
He told the European Independent Digital news
organisation many fishermen using live kittens were
taking desperate measures to avoid detection.
"During a nocturnal patrol this week, one boat managed
to evade our checks," Mr Lagana said. "It ignored
warnings and cleared off with its lights extinguished.
"We suspect this was also one of these fishermen
without a conscience. Using live kittens to catch
sheatfish is an unheard-of cruelty."
Mr Lagana said authorities had little hope of stamping
out the practice.
Thousands of anglers go to the Po River district to
hunt the big, omnivorous fish from boats and
houseboats.
"Last year, the voluntary guards in the region covered
15,000km," Mr Lagana said.
"But to catch these squalid people in the act is very
difficult, even using co-ordinated land and water
night patrols."
You'd Think We Are At The End of The Earth
Some of our friends from Boston think we live at the end of the earth. So does Realtor.com. When searching for listings in Seal Cove, it won't show any properties from the surrounding towns. Here is what it says:
We're sorry...
Our database does not list any areas near 04674.
We're sorry...
Our database does not list any areas near 04674.
New Lighthouse For Bass Harbor!
For the first time since 1858 when the Bass Harbor Head Light was built, the town of Bass Harbor Maine is seeing a lighthouse erected. Only this time the light house serves no purpose other then to call attention to Tremont's only open year round restaurant - Captain Nemos.
If you've been wondering what all of that lumber stored in front of Nemo's restaurant was for, now you know!
Now I have to wonder how many tourist will be fooled into thinking this is the real Bass Harbor Light they seek? You'd be surprised!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Holy Fish!
London - Muslim worshippers are flocking to see a pair of fish in the British city of Liverpool which appear to bear the words "Allah" and "Muhammad", said their owner on Monday.
Ali Al-Waqedi, 23, who hailed the coloured Oscar fish as a "message from God", said he had lent them to a friend whose house was close to the local mosque so that worshippers could visit more easily.
"I would say at least 100 people have been there since I bought the fish last week."
Sheikh Sadek Kassem, imam of Liverpool's Al-Rahma Mosque, said: "This is a proof and a sign not just to Muslims, but for everyone."
He quoted a passage from the Qur'an which suggested Allah would send signs.
It reads: "Soon we will show them our signs in the regions, and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth."
Waqedi said he went into a local pet shop to show his children the animals, but he had not been planning to buy anything.
"We started to have a look at the Oscar fish because they had such an unusual colour.
'It was unbelievable'
Then I saw that one of them had the word Allah. It was so clear, and it made me very happy," he said.
"Then we saw that another one had the word Muhammad, and that was even better.
"To see the Allah fish was exciting, but to have the Allah and Muhammad fish in the same tank was unbelievable."
Allah is the word for God in Arabic and Muhammad is the prophet who received the word of God, the Qur'an, through the angel Gabriel.
"I believe it is a message from Allah to me, a reminder, and it makes my faith even stronger," Waqedi said.
Ali Al-Waqedi, 23, who hailed the coloured Oscar fish as a "message from God", said he had lent them to a friend whose house was close to the local mosque so that worshippers could visit more easily.
"I would say at least 100 people have been there since I bought the fish last week."
Sheikh Sadek Kassem, imam of Liverpool's Al-Rahma Mosque, said: "This is a proof and a sign not just to Muslims, but for everyone."
He quoted a passage from the Qur'an which suggested Allah would send signs.
It reads: "Soon we will show them our signs in the regions, and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth."
Waqedi said he went into a local pet shop to show his children the animals, but he had not been planning to buy anything.
"We started to have a look at the Oscar fish because they had such an unusual colour.
'It was unbelievable'
Then I saw that one of them had the word Allah. It was so clear, and it made me very happy," he said.
"Then we saw that another one had the word Muhammad, and that was even better.
"To see the Allah fish was exciting, but to have the Allah and Muhammad fish in the same tank was unbelievable."
Allah is the word for God in Arabic and Muhammad is the prophet who received the word of God, the Qur'an, through the angel Gabriel.
"I believe it is a message from Allah to me, a reminder, and it makes my faith even stronger," Waqedi said.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
WHY LOBSTERS AREN't FOOD By Dave Barry
I am pleased to report that the scientific community has finally stopped wasting time on the origins of the universe and started dealing with the important question, which is: Are lobsters really just big insects?
I have always maintained that they are. I personally see no significant difference between a lobster and, say, a giant Madagascar hissing cockroach, which is a type of cockroach that grows to approximately the size of William Howard Taft (1857-1930). If a group of diners were sitting in a nice restaurant, and the waiter were to bring them each a freshly killed, steaming-hot Madagascar hissing cockroach, they would not put on silly bibs and eat it with butter. No, they would run, retching, directly from the restaurant to the All-Nite Drive-Thru Lawsuit Center. And yet these very same people will pay $24.95 apiece to eat a lobster, despite the fact that it displays all three of the classic biological characteristics of an insect, namely:
1. It has way more legs than necessary.
2. There is no way you would ever pet it.
3. It does not respond to simple commands such as, "Here, boy!"
I do not eat lobsters, although I once had a close call. I was visiting my good friends Tom and Pat Schroth, who live in Maine (state motto: "Cold, But Damp"). Being generous and hospitable people, Tom and Pat went out and purchased, as a special treat for me, the largest lobster in the history of the Atlantic Ocean, a lobster that probably had been responsible for sinking many commercial vessels before it was finally apprehended by nuclear submarines. This lobster was big enough to feed a coastal Maine village for a year, and there it was, sprawling all over my plate, with scary insectoid legs and eyeballs shooting out in all directions, while Tom and Pat, my gracious hosts, smiled happily at me, waiting for me to put this thing in my mouth.
Remember when you were a child, and your mom wouldn't let you leave the dinner table until you ate all your Brussels sprouts, and so you took your fork and mashed them into smaller and smaller pieces in hopes of eventually reducing them to individual Brussels-sprout molecules that would be absorbed into the atmosphere and disappear? That was similar to the approach I took with the giant lobster.
"Mmmm-MMMM!" I said, hacking away at the thing on my plate and, when nobody was looking, concealing the pieces under my dinner roll, in the salad, in my napkin, anywhere I could find.
Tom and Pat, I love you dearly, and if you should ever have an electrical problem that turns out to be caused by a seven-pound wad of old lobster pieces stuffed into the dining-room wall socket, I am truly sorry.
Anyway, my point is that lobsters have long been suspected, by me at least, of being closet insects, which is why I was very pleased recently when my alert journalism colleague Steve Doig referred me to an Associated Press article concerning a discovery by scientists at the University of Wisconsin. The article, headlined "Gene Links Spiders and Flies to Lobsters," states that not only do lobsters, flies, spiders, millipedes, etc., contain the exact same gene, but they also are all descended from a single common ancestor: Howard Stern.
No, seriously, the article states that the ancestor "probably was a wormlike creature." Yum! Fetch the melted butter!
And that is not all. According to articles sent in by alert readers (this was on the front page of The New York Times), scientists in Denmark recently discovered that some lobsters have a weird little pervert organism living on their lips. Yes. I didn't even know that lobsters had lips, but it turns out that they do, and these lips are the stomping ground of a tiny creature called Symbion pandora (literally, "a couple of Greek words"). The zoology community, which does not get out a lot, is extremely excited about Symbion pandora, because it reproduces differently from all other life forms. According to various articles, when Symbion pandora is ready to have a baby, its digestive system "collapses and is reconstituted into a larva," which the parent then gives birth to by "extruding" it from its "posterior." In other words-correct me if I am wrong here-this thing basically reproduces by, well, pooping.
So to summarize: If you're looking for a hearty entree that 1) is related to spiders, 2) is descended from a worm and 3) has mutant baby-poopers walking around on its lips, then you definitely want a lobster. I myself plan to continue avoiding them, just as I avoid oysters, which are clearly-scientists should look into this next-members of the phlegm family. Have you ever seen oysters reproduce? Neither have I, but I would not be surprised to learn that the process involves giant undersea nostrils.
And don't get me started on clams. Recently, I sat across from a person who was deliberately eating clams. She'd open up a shell, and there, in plain view, would be this stark naked clam, brazenly showing its organs, like a high-school biology experiment. My feeling is that if a restaurant is going to serve those things, it should put little loincloths on them.
I believe that Mother Nature gave us eyes because she did not want us to eat this type of food. Mother Nature clearly intended for us to get our food from the "patty" group, which includes hamburgers, fish sticks and McNuggets-foods that have had all of their organs safely removed someplace far away, such as Nebraska. That is where I stand on this issue, and if any qualified member of the lobster, clam or phlegm-in-a-shell industry wishes to present a rebuttal, I hereby extend this offer: Get your own column.
(c) 2006, The Miami Herald
I have always maintained that they are. I personally see no significant difference between a lobster and, say, a giant Madagascar hissing cockroach, which is a type of cockroach that grows to approximately the size of William Howard Taft (1857-1930). If a group of diners were sitting in a nice restaurant, and the waiter were to bring them each a freshly killed, steaming-hot Madagascar hissing cockroach, they would not put on silly bibs and eat it with butter. No, they would run, retching, directly from the restaurant to the All-Nite Drive-Thru Lawsuit Center. And yet these very same people will pay $24.95 apiece to eat a lobster, despite the fact that it displays all three of the classic biological characteristics of an insect, namely:
1. It has way more legs than necessary.
2. There is no way you would ever pet it.
3. It does not respond to simple commands such as, "Here, boy!"
I do not eat lobsters, although I once had a close call. I was visiting my good friends Tom and Pat Schroth, who live in Maine (state motto: "Cold, But Damp"). Being generous and hospitable people, Tom and Pat went out and purchased, as a special treat for me, the largest lobster in the history of the Atlantic Ocean, a lobster that probably had been responsible for sinking many commercial vessels before it was finally apprehended by nuclear submarines. This lobster was big enough to feed a coastal Maine village for a year, and there it was, sprawling all over my plate, with scary insectoid legs and eyeballs shooting out in all directions, while Tom and Pat, my gracious hosts, smiled happily at me, waiting for me to put this thing in my mouth.
Remember when you were a child, and your mom wouldn't let you leave the dinner table until you ate all your Brussels sprouts, and so you took your fork and mashed them into smaller and smaller pieces in hopes of eventually reducing them to individual Brussels-sprout molecules that would be absorbed into the atmosphere and disappear? That was similar to the approach I took with the giant lobster.
"Mmmm-MMMM!" I said, hacking away at the thing on my plate and, when nobody was looking, concealing the pieces under my dinner roll, in the salad, in my napkin, anywhere I could find.
Tom and Pat, I love you dearly, and if you should ever have an electrical problem that turns out to be caused by a seven-pound wad of old lobster pieces stuffed into the dining-room wall socket, I am truly sorry.
Anyway, my point is that lobsters have long been suspected, by me at least, of being closet insects, which is why I was very pleased recently when my alert journalism colleague Steve Doig referred me to an Associated Press article concerning a discovery by scientists at the University of Wisconsin. The article, headlined "Gene Links Spiders and Flies to Lobsters," states that not only do lobsters, flies, spiders, millipedes, etc., contain the exact same gene, but they also are all descended from a single common ancestor: Howard Stern.
No, seriously, the article states that the ancestor "probably was a wormlike creature." Yum! Fetch the melted butter!
And that is not all. According to articles sent in by alert readers (this was on the front page of The New York Times), scientists in Denmark recently discovered that some lobsters have a weird little pervert organism living on their lips. Yes. I didn't even know that lobsters had lips, but it turns out that they do, and these lips are the stomping ground of a tiny creature called Symbion pandora (literally, "a couple of Greek words"). The zoology community, which does not get out a lot, is extremely excited about Symbion pandora, because it reproduces differently from all other life forms. According to various articles, when Symbion pandora is ready to have a baby, its digestive system "collapses and is reconstituted into a larva," which the parent then gives birth to by "extruding" it from its "posterior." In other words-correct me if I am wrong here-this thing basically reproduces by, well, pooping.
So to summarize: If you're looking for a hearty entree that 1) is related to spiders, 2) is descended from a worm and 3) has mutant baby-poopers walking around on its lips, then you definitely want a lobster. I myself plan to continue avoiding them, just as I avoid oysters, which are clearly-scientists should look into this next-members of the phlegm family. Have you ever seen oysters reproduce? Neither have I, but I would not be surprised to learn that the process involves giant undersea nostrils.
And don't get me started on clams. Recently, I sat across from a person who was deliberately eating clams. She'd open up a shell, and there, in plain view, would be this stark naked clam, brazenly showing its organs, like a high-school biology experiment. My feeling is that if a restaurant is going to serve those things, it should put little loincloths on them.
I believe that Mother Nature gave us eyes because she did not want us to eat this type of food. Mother Nature clearly intended for us to get our food from the "patty" group, which includes hamburgers, fish sticks and McNuggets-foods that have had all of their organs safely removed someplace far away, such as Nebraska. That is where I stand on this issue, and if any qualified member of the lobster, clam or phlegm-in-a-shell industry wishes to present a rebuttal, I hereby extend this offer: Get your own column.
(c) 2006, The Miami Herald
Quotable Fishing
“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God....I could be eating a slow learner.”
Lynda Montgomery
Lynda Montgomery
Quotable Fishing
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Give him a religion, and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish.”
Timothy Jones
Timothy Jones
Quotable Fishing
“It has always been my private conviction that any man who puts his intelligence up against a fish and loses had it coming.”
John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
Quotable Fishing
"Many men go fishing their entire lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Man Goes Fishing, Catches Python
HOUSTON -- The one that didn't get away wasn't a fish at all for one Texas man -- it was a 10-foot python.
Tom Jones said he and his sons were fishing in a creek in Sugarland, Texas, which is near Houston, when the non-poisonous snake brushed across his elbow.
Jones grabbed it and tossed it into the toolbox on the back of his truck.
He thinks the python was an abandoned pet.
The man said he plans to keep it for awhile, but he may eventually sell it.
Jones said he wasn't scared. He said he once caught an 11-foot alligator in Louisiana.
Tom Jones said he and his sons were fishing in a creek in Sugarland, Texas, which is near Houston, when the non-poisonous snake brushed across his elbow.
Jones grabbed it and tossed it into the toolbox on the back of his truck.
He thinks the python was an abandoned pet.
The man said he plans to keep it for awhile, but he may eventually sell it.
Jones said he wasn't scared. He said he once caught an 11-foot alligator in Louisiana.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Spring Cleaning For The Tackle Box
Spring is here and for 60 million anglers across America its is not time to thing about cleaning out the gutters but about cleaning out the fishing gear and getting ready for a great new season of open water fishing!
Time to organize and make sure all of your fishing equipment is in tip top shape. No one wants to be out on the water only to find out that they are out of split shots or that their trusty favorite lure is all dull and rusty.
Its smart to plan ahead and take a careful inventory of your tackle box – evaluate what you have, what you need, what you want for the fishing season ahead.
It makes sense to take a few minutes to reorganize your tackle box, and Rapala, makers of world famous Rapala lures, offers the following "Spring Cleaning" ideas to help you make the most of your time on the water.
1. Empty and clean your tackle box. Use warm, soapy water and a small sponge or dish rag to swab out the lure compartments. Clean and re-oil the hinges. Adjust selected compartments for new lures, or to group lures by species. Dry the inside with paper towels.
2. Squirt your hands with fish scent. Jim Moynagh, a member of the Rapala Fishing Team, says fish have a keen sense of smell. As you organize your tackle box, he recommends squirting a few drops of Dr. Juice® fish scent in your hands to cut down on the human scents you naturally leave on a lure.
3. Find your winners. Pick out your most successful lures and store them on the top drawer of your box, or if you have one of the new soft tackle boxes, in your "Go To" lure tray. When it's time to go for your lucky lure, you'll be able to find it with ease.
4. Check your lures. Sharpen the hooks of your lures with a hook file. Check lures for wear and tear received from use during the previous fishing season.
5. Check your other gear. Carefully look through your other gear, such as pliers, flashlights, scales, fillet knives, etc., to make sure they're in good shape.
6. Stock up on terminal tackle and new lures. Check your terminal tackle - do you have enough split shot, sinkers, snaps, swivels, leaders, hooks, bobbers, etc? As for new lures - check with your favorite sporting goods store or bait and tackle shop to see what's new (hey, this is the fun part, right?) You also may want to stock up on some of your favorite lures, maybe having two or three of one that produces for you time and time again (there's nothing more depressing than losing your favorite lure).
7. Change your line. If you use mono, plan to change it at least once a year. Line can become scuffed and frazzled. After a year on a reel, it can become so coiled it will give a "Slinky" a run for its money. Many bait and tackle stores now have machines that can wind new line on your reels in a matter of minutes.
8. Tune-up your rods and reels. Carefully follow the instructions that came with your fishing reel (if you saved them), to clean and oil it. If you feel uncomfortable with your own fishing reel parts, check with your favorite sporting goods store to see if they offer a tune-up service. Also, check your fishing rods to make sure the line guides are straight. If you broke the tip off a favorite rod, don't toss your rod out just yet. A local custom rod making shop may be able to repair it, or show you how to do it yourself.
9. Get a fishing license. Don't forget to pick up a new fishing license. The law states it must be current and be with you when you fish.
10. A few other items to think about. Now's the time to prepare for the worst, like when you lock your keys in the car. You may want to store an extra car key in your tackle box, or at least, some spare change to make an emergency phone call. Other items to consider are sunscreen, an extra pair of sunglasses, a shoelace (to pull out hooks that become embedded in your skin), aspirin, bandages, an extra roll of film (or one of those disposable cameras), a kitchen-size garbage bag, toilet paper, etc.
Time to organize and make sure all of your fishing equipment is in tip top shape. No one wants to be out on the water only to find out that they are out of split shots or that their trusty favorite lure is all dull and rusty.
Its smart to plan ahead and take a careful inventory of your tackle box – evaluate what you have, what you need, what you want for the fishing season ahead.
It makes sense to take a few minutes to reorganize your tackle box, and Rapala, makers of world famous Rapala lures, offers the following "Spring Cleaning" ideas to help you make the most of your time on the water.
1. Empty and clean your tackle box. Use warm, soapy water and a small sponge or dish rag to swab out the lure compartments. Clean and re-oil the hinges. Adjust selected compartments for new lures, or to group lures by species. Dry the inside with paper towels.
2. Squirt your hands with fish scent. Jim Moynagh, a member of the Rapala Fishing Team, says fish have a keen sense of smell. As you organize your tackle box, he recommends squirting a few drops of Dr. Juice® fish scent in your hands to cut down on the human scents you naturally leave on a lure.
3. Find your winners. Pick out your most successful lures and store them on the top drawer of your box, or if you have one of the new soft tackle boxes, in your "Go To" lure tray. When it's time to go for your lucky lure, you'll be able to find it with ease.
4. Check your lures. Sharpen the hooks of your lures with a hook file. Check lures for wear and tear received from use during the previous fishing season.
5. Check your other gear. Carefully look through your other gear, such as pliers, flashlights, scales, fillet knives, etc., to make sure they're in good shape.
6. Stock up on terminal tackle and new lures. Check your terminal tackle - do you have enough split shot, sinkers, snaps, swivels, leaders, hooks, bobbers, etc? As for new lures - check with your favorite sporting goods store or bait and tackle shop to see what's new (hey, this is the fun part, right?) You also may want to stock up on some of your favorite lures, maybe having two or three of one that produces for you time and time again (there's nothing more depressing than losing your favorite lure).
7. Change your line. If you use mono, plan to change it at least once a year. Line can become scuffed and frazzled. After a year on a reel, it can become so coiled it will give a "Slinky" a run for its money. Many bait and tackle stores now have machines that can wind new line on your reels in a matter of minutes.
8. Tune-up your rods and reels. Carefully follow the instructions that came with your fishing reel (if you saved them), to clean and oil it. If you feel uncomfortable with your own fishing reel parts, check with your favorite sporting goods store to see if they offer a tune-up service. Also, check your fishing rods to make sure the line guides are straight. If you broke the tip off a favorite rod, don't toss your rod out just yet. A local custom rod making shop may be able to repair it, or show you how to do it yourself.
9. Get a fishing license. Don't forget to pick up a new fishing license. The law states it must be current and be with you when you fish.
10. A few other items to think about. Now's the time to prepare for the worst, like when you lock your keys in the car. You may want to store an extra car key in your tackle box, or at least, some spare change to make an emergency phone call. Other items to consider are sunscreen, an extra pair of sunglasses, a shoelace (to pull out hooks that become embedded in your skin), aspirin, bandages, an extra roll of film (or one of those disposable cameras), a kitchen-size garbage bag, toilet paper, etc.
Frickin' Humongous Fishing Lures!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Fishing Naked?
Actually fishing made the list of things to do naked. Here are some of the things that didn't make the list...
Things NOT to do while naked:
Aircraft Maintenance
Arrive at work late
Attend PTA meetings
BBQ sizzling meat
Baseball
Beekeeping
Blacksmithing
Boxing
Break dance
Bull riding
Carry an angry cat
Chain Sawing
Chemistry
Chop firewood
Chopping and logging X-mas trees
Clean the BBQ grill using hot water
Clean up radioactive waste
Climb a Hawthorne Tree
Climb a Picket Fence
Coal mining
Drive during rush hour
Drivethrough Fast Food
Feeding geese
Fencing
File for Divorce
Fill a propane tank (very cold)
Firefighting
Fly fishing on a windy day
Fry bacon
Frying Food
Glass Cutting
Glassblowing
Grind Fiberglass
Ice Fishing
Ice Hockey
Install Insulation
Iron Ore Smelting
Learn to ride a bike
Learn to rollerblade
Make a snow angel
Metal Fabrication
Motorcycle Racing
Paint the pool with oil based paint
Paintball
Participating in Combat
Pick up frightened kitten
Pickup the kids at daycare
Play leap frog
Play with fireworks
Remove a hornet`s nest
Roof Repair
Roofing with hot tar
Run for office
Sandblasting
Shovel snow
Sit on an ant hill
Sit on hot vinyl car seats
Slide down a hot slide
Slide down an unfinished banister
Slide into homeplate!
Snowball Fights
Snowmobiling
Steam Fitting
String barbwire
Sumo wrestling
Take the SAT's
Tear out Poison Ivy
Train an attack dog
Trim the hedges
Visit City Hall
Weed Whacking
Welding, cutting, or burning
Work around a grill
Working with dry ice
Things NOT to do while naked:
Aircraft Maintenance
Arrive at work late
Attend PTA meetings
BBQ sizzling meat
Baseball
Beekeeping
Blacksmithing
Boxing
Break dance
Bull riding
Carry an angry cat
Chain Sawing
Chemistry
Chop firewood
Chopping and logging X-mas trees
Clean the BBQ grill using hot water
Clean up radioactive waste
Climb a Hawthorne Tree
Climb a Picket Fence
Coal mining
Drive during rush hour
Drivethrough Fast Food
Feeding geese
Fencing
File for Divorce
Fill a propane tank (very cold)
Firefighting
Fly fishing on a windy day
Fry bacon
Frying Food
Glass Cutting
Glassblowing
Grind Fiberglass
Ice Fishing
Ice Hockey
Install Insulation
Iron Ore Smelting
Learn to ride a bike
Learn to rollerblade
Make a snow angel
Metal Fabrication
Motorcycle Racing
Paint the pool with oil based paint
Paintball
Participating in Combat
Pick up frightened kitten
Pickup the kids at daycare
Play leap frog
Play with fireworks
Remove a hornet`s nest
Roof Repair
Roofing with hot tar
Run for office
Sandblasting
Shovel snow
Sit on an ant hill
Sit on hot vinyl car seats
Slide down a hot slide
Slide down an unfinished banister
Slide into homeplate!
Snowball Fights
Snowmobiling
Steam Fitting
String barbwire
Sumo wrestling
Take the SAT's
Tear out Poison Ivy
Train an attack dog
Trim the hedges
Visit City Hall
Weed Whacking
Welding, cutting, or burning
Work around a grill
Working with dry ice
Bobber Shaped Cooler
I saw this cool floating cooler at Reny's today. Looks like a giant red and white bobber.
US D505,050 S
Bobber-shaped cooler
Howard Johnson, Olney, Mont. (US); Julie Johnson, Olney, Mont. (US); James Adams, Jr., Whitefish, Mont. (US); and Marthella Adams, Whitefish, Mont. (US)
Assigned to Locan Properties LP, Columbia Falls, Mont. (US)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2004, as Appl. No. 29/198,171.
Term of patent 14 Years
LOC (7) Cl. 07 - 01
U.S. Cl. D 7—606
US D505,050 S
Bobber-shaped cooler
Howard Johnson, Olney, Mont. (US); Julie Johnson, Olney, Mont. (US); James Adams, Jr., Whitefish, Mont. (US); and Marthella Adams, Whitefish, Mont. (US)
Assigned to Locan Properties LP, Columbia Falls, Mont. (US)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2004, as Appl. No. 29/198,171.
Term of patent 14 Years
LOC (7) Cl. 07 - 01
U.S. Cl. D 7—606
More On Topless Fishing...
I found this item about the topless fishing operation in Key West...
KEY WEST, Fla. (Wireless Flash) -- Two entrepreneurs in Key West, Florida, are reeling in the business for topless fishing trips.
Earlier this year, co-owners David Babcock and Peter Kouris launched the Topless Fishing Charters of America for men who love fishing and topless women.
Babcock says the charters cater mostly towards men with money and does bachelor parties and corporate executive meetings.
The company has 10 buxom women available for parties, some strippers and some housewives.
But don't expect any hooking except for the fish: Babcock claims no hanky panky is allowed. (Hmmmm can the boat reach International waters.... - Ed)
A trip can cost from $700 for a few hours to $2,000 for a full day.
KEY WEST, Fla. (Wireless Flash) -- Two entrepreneurs in Key West, Florida, are reeling in the business for topless fishing trips.
Earlier this year, co-owners David Babcock and Peter Kouris launched the Topless Fishing Charters of America for men who love fishing and topless women.
Babcock says the charters cater mostly towards men with money and does bachelor parties and corporate executive meetings.
The company has 10 buxom women available for parties, some strippers and some housewives.
But don't expect any hooking except for the fish: Babcock claims no hanky panky is allowed. (Hmmmm can the boat reach International waters.... - Ed)
A trip can cost from $700 for a few hours to $2,000 for a full day.
Topless Fishing Charters?
Only in Key West...If you like to look at bare breasted women (all from Eastern Europe it seems from their video clips) while you fish, an outfit in Key West can hook you up not only with a chartered fishing boat but with a boat full of topless women for between nibbles.
Charters vary by boat selected but usually run $600-$800 for 1/2 day trips and $700-$1100 for full day trips. A deposit is usually required by the charter boat.
Then I guess you would "top" off the day with some chicken wings at Hooters. Don't forget to check in with the wife and let her know how the conference is going.
http://www.hooklineandhooters.com
Charters vary by boat selected but usually run $600-$800 for 1/2 day trips and $700-$1100 for full day trips. A deposit is usually required by the charter boat.
Then I guess you would "top" off the day with some chicken wings at Hooters. Don't forget to check in with the wife and let her know how the conference is going.
http://www.hooklineandhooters.com
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Bush Wants To Sell Off Our Forests
The Bush administration wants to sell off an astonishing 300,000 acres of our
national forest lands across 35 different states -- to pay for its
mismanagement of America's finances.
We need your immediate action to stop this raid on our natural heritage, which
would sacrifice some of our nation's most treasured wildlands, including
irreplaceable expanses of several NRDC BioGems.
Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/takeaction.asp and tell the U.S. Forest
Service to withdraw this proposal to sell off any part of our national forests
for the sake of funding budget shortfalls.
national forest lands across 35 different states -- to pay for its
mismanagement of America's finances.
We need your immediate action to stop this raid on our natural heritage, which
would sacrifice some of our nation's most treasured wildlands, including
irreplaceable expanses of several NRDC BioGems.
Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/takeaction.asp and tell the U.S. Forest
Service to withdraw this proposal to sell off any part of our national forests
for the sake of funding budget shortfalls.
Monday, March 20, 2006
One Maine collector dreams of hunting, fishing, camping museum
Harold Porter has a 25-year-old dream that sounds simple, but he hasn't made much headway in seeing it become a reality in his home state.
Except for at the State of Maine Sportsman's Show, held this year from March 31 to April 2.
In two weeks Porter will have his collection of antique camp stoves and lanterns on display at the annual outdoor show in the Augusta Civic Center, and lines of campers, fishermen, hikers and hunters will pass along his table viewing his unusual assemblage, of which he is justly proud.
It's a humble but well-archived collection. But Porter would like to see it on a grand scale here in Maine, a state where outdoor sports are a mainstay and tourists come to enjoy the woods and waters.
"I'm really disappointed the state doesn't have a hunting, fishing and camping museum," Porter said. "Of course, anything with the state, they don't have money for it. I've tried to plant the seed for 15 to 20 years."
The Maine State Museum in Augusta rarely has antique hunting and fishing equipment on display, as it did with a duck exhibit the past two months.
John Otis at the Maine State Museum said the hunting exhibit was the museum's first in more than 20 years, even though it has hunting and fishing equipment in storage.
Porter said he'd like to see Maine follow other states' lead and create an outdoor museum.
Like the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wis., which Porter has visited. Or the Coleman Museum in Wichita, Kan., where he also has been.
The Fishing Hall of Fame in Wisconsin is considered a "Shrine to Anglers," and is a true fishing coliseum. It's a structure one-half of a city block long and four stories tall in the likeness of a muskie. (The open mouth of the leaping fish/building is an observation deck).
Maybe it's good we don't have such "shrines" here in Maine.
Although, one might fit in well beside the giant Paul Bunyan along Main Street in Bangor.
Porter has been collecting lanterns, fishing tackle and camp stoves for 25 years.
Born in Houlton, Porter has lived around Maine, and traveled to antique shows and flea markets around the state, where he adds to his antique collection.
Porter said last year he had hundreds stop by his table, from folks who recalled seeing their grandfather's camping stoves, to campers who enjoyed comparing the old with the new.
"I was hoarding these in my house all year. I wanted to get them and show them to the public. This was my opportunity," Porter said.
Those who have seen Porter's antique camping equipment have marvelled at it.
"He does have some really neat stuff, and it's great for people to be able to see the Coleman products and gear that our grandparents used," said Justin Kane, the seminar coordinator at Kittery Trading Post.
Porter's collection also has been on display at the Sebago ice fishing Derbyfest, the Kittery Trading Post Septemberfest and the store's Derbyfest, said Kane.
Coleman's collection includes a camp stove from 1872, and a Coleman table lamp called a Kero-lite that is one of just 5,000 ever made. That came from a barn in Canada.
At the Sportsman's Show he will have on display a 1920 frying pan, a 75-year-old collapsible water pail, the first Coleman collar made in 1954, and ice fishing equipment from 1895.
"(The ice fishing trap) is probably similar to what is used today. The device holds the wire differently," Porter said.
He has a three-burner 1941 Coleman stove that was rare, because it was made at the end of World War II.
"During the war, they were using metal for other reasons," Porter said.
To the camping neophyte, the stoves have the look of an age long gone because of the extra accessories.
In 1920, the pump for the fuel tank was not built in, but rather a hand pump, like the pumps used for basketballs.
As a member of the International Coleman Collector's Club, Porter travels around the United States to conventions, where Coleman collectors from as far away as England and Japan trade with him.
Porter's display will be on the first floor of the Civic Center with the outdoor art at the Sportsman's Show.
OUTDOORS: Deirdre Fleming
Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Except for at the State of Maine Sportsman's Show, held this year from March 31 to April 2.
In two weeks Porter will have his collection of antique camp stoves and lanterns on display at the annual outdoor show in the Augusta Civic Center, and lines of campers, fishermen, hikers and hunters will pass along his table viewing his unusual assemblage, of which he is justly proud.
It's a humble but well-archived collection. But Porter would like to see it on a grand scale here in Maine, a state where outdoor sports are a mainstay and tourists come to enjoy the woods and waters.
"I'm really disappointed the state doesn't have a hunting, fishing and camping museum," Porter said. "Of course, anything with the state, they don't have money for it. I've tried to plant the seed for 15 to 20 years."
The Maine State Museum in Augusta rarely has antique hunting and fishing equipment on display, as it did with a duck exhibit the past two months.
John Otis at the Maine State Museum said the hunting exhibit was the museum's first in more than 20 years, even though it has hunting and fishing equipment in storage.
Porter said he'd like to see Maine follow other states' lead and create an outdoor museum.
Like the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wis., which Porter has visited. Or the Coleman Museum in Wichita, Kan., where he also has been.
The Fishing Hall of Fame in Wisconsin is considered a "Shrine to Anglers," and is a true fishing coliseum. It's a structure one-half of a city block long and four stories tall in the likeness of a muskie. (The open mouth of the leaping fish/building is an observation deck).
Maybe it's good we don't have such "shrines" here in Maine.
Although, one might fit in well beside the giant Paul Bunyan along Main Street in Bangor.
Porter has been collecting lanterns, fishing tackle and camp stoves for 25 years.
Born in Houlton, Porter has lived around Maine, and traveled to antique shows and flea markets around the state, where he adds to his antique collection.
Porter said last year he had hundreds stop by his table, from folks who recalled seeing their grandfather's camping stoves, to campers who enjoyed comparing the old with the new.
"I was hoarding these in my house all year. I wanted to get them and show them to the public. This was my opportunity," Porter said.
Those who have seen Porter's antique camping equipment have marvelled at it.
"He does have some really neat stuff, and it's great for people to be able to see the Coleman products and gear that our grandparents used," said Justin Kane, the seminar coordinator at Kittery Trading Post.
Porter's collection also has been on display at the Sebago ice fishing Derbyfest, the Kittery Trading Post Septemberfest and the store's Derbyfest, said Kane.
Coleman's collection includes a camp stove from 1872, and a Coleman table lamp called a Kero-lite that is one of just 5,000 ever made. That came from a barn in Canada.
At the Sportsman's Show he will have on display a 1920 frying pan, a 75-year-old collapsible water pail, the first Coleman collar made in 1954, and ice fishing equipment from 1895.
"(The ice fishing trap) is probably similar to what is used today. The device holds the wire differently," Porter said.
He has a three-burner 1941 Coleman stove that was rare, because it was made at the end of World War II.
"During the war, they were using metal for other reasons," Porter said.
To the camping neophyte, the stoves have the look of an age long gone because of the extra accessories.
In 1920, the pump for the fuel tank was not built in, but rather a hand pump, like the pumps used for basketballs.
As a member of the International Coleman Collector's Club, Porter travels around the United States to conventions, where Coleman collectors from as far away as England and Japan trade with him.
Porter's display will be on the first floor of the Civic Center with the outdoor art at the Sportsman's Show.
OUTDOORS: Deirdre Fleming
Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Cait's BBQ Meatloaf Recipe
BBQ Meatloaf
1 pound extra lean ground beef and pork (1 pound total)
¼ cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese (or any grated cheese you like)
Finely chopped onion (amount up to you)
Your favorite BBQ sauce. (Amount varies by brand. Use enough to bind the meat together when mixing.
Cook at 400 for 45-60 minutes or until the top is nice and brown.
This was SO moist! I “crumbled” some ontop of some pasta and then added some freshly torn basil. It was EXCELLENT!
1 pound extra lean ground beef and pork (1 pound total)
¼ cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese (or any grated cheese you like)
Finely chopped onion (amount up to you)
Your favorite BBQ sauce. (Amount varies by brand. Use enough to bind the meat together when mixing.
Cook at 400 for 45-60 minutes or until the top is nice and brown.
This was SO moist! I “crumbled” some ontop of some pasta and then added some freshly torn basil. It was EXCELLENT!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Made in Japan: Robot Fish
Researchers in Japan on Tuesday unveiled the latest upgrade to a robot fish that is taken on the appearance of a carp fit to swim leisurely in a Japanese garden. Ryomei Giken Co, and two other companies belonging to the Mitsubishi conglomerate, have been studying bionic fish since 1999 and have been continuously improving on their models.
This year, they demonstrated to the media at a moat beside remains of Hiroshima castle, the fish's latest three-dimensional diving functions. Previously, the researchers said, the robot's controls lacked the ability to dive or surface underwater or manoeuvre backwards. Now in addition to the robot's outfit of a CCD camera and sensors on its head, researchers hope the robocarp will eventually be able to do underwater environmental studies.
"We hope to develop the robot so it can research live fish as it is unlikely to scare them away and will be able to swim along with them," Tetsuo Ichikizaki, said. The 80 centimetre and 12kg cyber-fish cost the researchers $255 000 to develop. While they have no plans to market it at the moment, they said they are willing to create new ones if demand exists for them.
However open seas research may still be some time ahead for these fishy machines. Currently robocarp runs on rechargeable batteries that last about one hour. - Reuters
This year, they demonstrated to the media at a moat beside remains of Hiroshima castle, the fish's latest three-dimensional diving functions. Previously, the researchers said, the robot's controls lacked the ability to dive or surface underwater or manoeuvre backwards. Now in addition to the robot's outfit of a CCD camera and sensors on its head, researchers hope the robocarp will eventually be able to do underwater environmental studies.
"We hope to develop the robot so it can research live fish as it is unlikely to scare them away and will be able to swim along with them," Tetsuo Ichikizaki, said. The 80 centimetre and 12kg cyber-fish cost the researchers $255 000 to develop. While they have no plans to market it at the moment, they said they are willing to create new ones if demand exists for them.
However open seas research may still be some time ahead for these fishy machines. Currently robocarp runs on rechargeable batteries that last about one hour. - Reuters
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Battle of the Fish Corkscrews: Pisces vs. The Original Lazy Fish
About six years ago I was visiting Newport R.I. -- after a lovely day of touring the grand old mansions of the Vanderbilt’s and friend with their pre-income tax lavish lifestyle I happened upon the coolest corkscrew I ever laid eyes upon. Especially since my business (www.fishboy.com) deals with all things fish.
It was the Original Lazy Fish corkscrew. It’s awesome. Closed it looks like a shiny chrome fish. Open it resembles one of those robot grabber claws you had when you were a kid.
Plus it works even better than it looks! You simply screw the corkscrew end (the fish’s mouth) into the cork. Grab hold of the fish’s tail and pull. The compound lever action in the design of the fish corkscrew multiplies your effort and the cork pulls out with ease. Plus it makes a really cool "plop" sound as the cork pops out of the bottle. The fish corkscrew makes opening up wine bottles fun and it surely impresses any guests you may have in attendance.
The only downside of the Original Lazy Fish version of this corkscrew is its cost. It’s an imported item and can cost $40 to $50. But since the fish corkscrew design is based on a product from 100 years ago, there are other versions on the market.
Franmara Pisces Multi-lever Corkscrew
For a while the Original Lazy Fish Corkscrew was hard to find. I don't know if the company went through some restructuring, stopped importing them for a while or what but I had a hard time finding them for my store. I was also hoping to find a less expensive version of the Original Lazy Fish to offer my customers on Fishboy.com and along comes The Pisces from Franmara.
The Pisces is pretty much indistinguishable from The Original Lazy Fish Corkscrew. It looks the same and opens bottles the same. It even seems to be made of the same materials. The only difference is the packaging and most importantly the price. By choosing the Pisces over the Original Lazy Fish you can save yourself at least 20 bucks.
The only downside that I can see is that the Original Lazy Fish is available in colors and the Franmara Pisces Multi-lever Corkscrew only comes in classic chrome.
It was the Original Lazy Fish corkscrew. It’s awesome. Closed it looks like a shiny chrome fish. Open it resembles one of those robot grabber claws you had when you were a kid.
Plus it works even better than it looks! You simply screw the corkscrew end (the fish’s mouth) into the cork. Grab hold of the fish’s tail and pull. The compound lever action in the design of the fish corkscrew multiplies your effort and the cork pulls out with ease. Plus it makes a really cool "plop" sound as the cork pops out of the bottle. The fish corkscrew makes opening up wine bottles fun and it surely impresses any guests you may have in attendance.
The only downside of the Original Lazy Fish version of this corkscrew is its cost. It’s an imported item and can cost $40 to $50. But since the fish corkscrew design is based on a product from 100 years ago, there are other versions on the market.
Franmara Pisces Multi-lever Corkscrew
For a while the Original Lazy Fish Corkscrew was hard to find. I don't know if the company went through some restructuring, stopped importing them for a while or what but I had a hard time finding them for my store. I was also hoping to find a less expensive version of the Original Lazy Fish to offer my customers on Fishboy.com and along comes The Pisces from Franmara.
The Pisces is pretty much indistinguishable from The Original Lazy Fish Corkscrew. It looks the same and opens bottles the same. It even seems to be made of the same materials. The only difference is the packaging and most importantly the price. By choosing the Pisces over the Original Lazy Fish you can save yourself at least 20 bucks.
The only downside that I can see is that the Original Lazy Fish is available in colors and the Franmara Pisces Multi-lever Corkscrew only comes in classic chrome.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
On Fish Corkscrews
I've had the Original "Lazy" Fish model for a number of years and its my favorite cork screw. Not only does it easily open wine bottle but it looks cool, makes for a dramatic show and creates a nice pop sound which makes every bottle even more of a little celebration. Closed this corkscrew looks like a fish. It's mouth holds the business end, a cork screw that you twist into a wine cork. You then simply firmly grasp the wine bottle in one hand and with the other pull on the fishes tail. The fish expands accordian like with a multitude of levers and sooner than you can say "cabernet sauvignon", the cork pops out with a nice, well "pop" sound and your guests all applaud.
The Original Fish is based on the "Lazy Fish" corkscrew design that was patented over 100 years ago and is currently sold as the "Original Fish Corkscrew". This modern version was designed in 1993 by H2 Product Development and introduced to the market in 1994. Interesting note - America's Test Kitchen rated the Original Lazy Fish corkscrew as "Moderate" in easy of use (Level of effort required to uncork a bottle). It does take a bit of effort but certainly not as much as pulling the cork out with your bare hands - ha ha! And its much less complicated than other designs such as those so called "waiter's friend" pocket wine openers. The levers in the design transform the small amount of force needed by the operator into larger force needed to remove the cork from the bottle. The lever mechanism multiplies force in a pricipal is called "lazy tongs" (or hinged lattice" or "compound levers") and been proven in corkscrews since the 1920's Zig Zag corkscrew.
Note: There is also on the market a copy of the original Zig Zag corkscrew for those who dislike fish for some reason. It works the same just with out the fishhead and tail. I have the chrome plated model but you can also get the Original Fish corkscrew in blue, stain, red, pink, pale blue, black or acid yellow. Just the head and tail are colored. The rest is chrome plated steel and a plastic flange that holds the cork. I've had so many people ask me where to buy a corkscrew like this that we are adding it to our product line on fishboy.com
The Original Fish is based on the "Lazy Fish" corkscrew design that was patented over 100 years ago and is currently sold as the "Original Fish Corkscrew". This modern version was designed in 1993 by H2 Product Development and introduced to the market in 1994. Interesting note - America's Test Kitchen rated the Original Lazy Fish corkscrew as "Moderate" in easy of use (Level of effort required to uncork a bottle). It does take a bit of effort but certainly not as much as pulling the cork out with your bare hands - ha ha! And its much less complicated than other designs such as those so called "waiter's friend" pocket wine openers. The levers in the design transform the small amount of force needed by the operator into larger force needed to remove the cork from the bottle. The lever mechanism multiplies force in a pricipal is called "lazy tongs" (or hinged lattice" or "compound levers") and been proven in corkscrews since the 1920's Zig Zag corkscrew.
Note: There is also on the market a copy of the original Zig Zag corkscrew for those who dislike fish for some reason. It works the same just with out the fishhead and tail. I have the chrome plated model but you can also get the Original Fish corkscrew in blue, stain, red, pink, pale blue, black or acid yellow. Just the head and tail are colored. The rest is chrome plated steel and a plastic flange that holds the cork. I've had so many people ask me where to buy a corkscrew like this that we are adding it to our product line on fishboy.com
Monday, March 13, 2006
International Fly Fisher Recommends Fishboy's New Fish GrpZ To Its Members!
"At first glance it looks like a larger version of the Leatherman Tool, which I have carried in the back pocket of my fishing vest for many years. This new tool is called the "Fish GrpZ" multi-tool. It has 17 different tools built into it's Stainless Steel frame with grips that are rubber coated. I like a lot of the features not found on the Leatherman Tool that I own such as the curve pointed forcep tip pliers, the knot tying tool, the wood saw and the can opener. I think that this would be a nice tool to have along in the drift boat in the event emergency repairs are needed or even on a trek into the 3rd Meadow where you never know what you might need..."
More info
Fishboy Quotes
Poets talk about spots of time, but it is really the fishermen who experience eternity compressed into a moment. No one can tell what a spot of time is until suddenly the whole world is a fish and the fish is gone. I shall remember that son of a bitch forever. -Norman McLean
Fishboy Supplier Lakeshirts Hits 15 million Mark
Lakeshirts prints and distributes Fishboy branded garments.
Detroit Lakes, MN. Lakeshirts, the local screenprint and embroidery company with a nationwide reach, recently produced its 15 millionth garment. The garment was an embroidered piece produced for the up coming Twin Cities marathon. Since 1984, Lakeshirts has grown into a multi-million dollar company turning out screenprint and embroidered t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hats, polos, fleece, denim, and loop
terry products for adults, teens, youth and toddlers for four different markets – golf, resort, college and custom. With 24 embroidery machines, 17 manual and 4 automatic screen print machines (capable of 8,000 shirts per day), Lakeshirts cranks out a garment every 3 seconds. Lakeshirts has their own dye works division which can wash and dye over 10,000 garments per day and over 250 employee’s and 66 sales reps nationwide, including the Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii.
A Garment is produced every 3 seconds. Over 15 million garments since 1984. That’s enough to fill 4,433 semi trailers, like this one and stretch over 46 miles!
Detroit Lakes, MN. Lakeshirts, the local screenprint and embroidery company with a nationwide reach, recently produced its 15 millionth garment. The garment was an embroidered piece produced for the up coming Twin Cities marathon. Since 1984, Lakeshirts has grown into a multi-million dollar company turning out screenprint and embroidered t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hats, polos, fleece, denim, and loop
terry products for adults, teens, youth and toddlers for four different markets – golf, resort, college and custom. With 24 embroidery machines, 17 manual and 4 automatic screen print machines (capable of 8,000 shirts per day), Lakeshirts cranks out a garment every 3 seconds. Lakeshirts has their own dye works division which can wash and dye over 10,000 garments per day and over 250 employee’s and 66 sales reps nationwide, including the Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii.
A Garment is produced every 3 seconds. Over 15 million garments since 1984. That’s enough to fill 4,433 semi trailers, like this one and stretch over 46 miles!
Fishboy In Your Store
About this time a year we get a lot of inquiries about wholesale Fishboy t-shirts. Yes, we do sell our shirts and hats to retailers at wholesale prices. Also, custom printing such as name drops (i.e. Boston, Miami, Joe's Bait Shack) is available.
We refer all wholesale t-shirts and hat inquires to our wholesaler - Lakeshirts:
Lakeshirts
750 Randolph Road
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(800) 627-2780
(218) 847-2171
Lakeshirts handles all of Fishboy's wholesale t-shirt and hat sales.
Direct sales are made through the Fishboy web site at: http://www.fishboy.com
ABOUT LAKESHIRTS:
History
In 1984, Mark Fritz and Mike Hutchinson started Lakeshirts in the basement of Mark’s parents’ home. Selection consisted of six screen print designs. A plywood printer was used as well as two second-hand kitchen ovens. T-shirts were placed on cookie sheets for the curing process inside the oven. Using this process, at least half of the shirts were burned. Distribution at this time was mainly local resorts and the small beach store.
Business Timeline
1984 – Business Established: Begins in Mark’s parents basement!
1986 – Moved to “old” Lakeside.
1989 – Built a new building at 840 Randolph Road.
1990 – Expanded business to include four embroidery designs.
1994 – Built another new Building at 750 Randolph Road.
1996 – Added Doghouse Dyeworks, Inc.
1997 – Added “In The Woods” Stores.
1999 – Another addition – 90,000 sq feet.
2000 – Introduced Blackwater Bay to the golf market & expanded the Doghouse.
2002 – Added 7 Fully Automated Screenprint machines.
Our Company
Lakeshirts is a full-service screenprint, embroidery and dye works company.
Our Mission
“To provide the best colors, garments, and designs to separate you from the rest.”
We refer all wholesale t-shirts and hat inquires to our wholesaler - Lakeshirts:
Lakeshirts
750 Randolph Road
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(800) 627-2780
(218) 847-2171
Lakeshirts handles all of Fishboy's wholesale t-shirt and hat sales.
Direct sales are made through the Fishboy web site at: http://www.fishboy.com
ABOUT LAKESHIRTS:
History
In 1984, Mark Fritz and Mike Hutchinson started Lakeshirts in the basement of Mark’s parents’ home. Selection consisted of six screen print designs. A plywood printer was used as well as two second-hand kitchen ovens. T-shirts were placed on cookie sheets for the curing process inside the oven. Using this process, at least half of the shirts were burned. Distribution at this time was mainly local resorts and the small beach store.
Business Timeline
1984 – Business Established: Begins in Mark’s parents basement!
1986 – Moved to “old” Lakeside.
1989 – Built a new building at 840 Randolph Road.
1990 – Expanded business to include four embroidery designs.
1994 – Built another new Building at 750 Randolph Road.
1996 – Added Doghouse Dyeworks, Inc.
1997 – Added “In The Woods” Stores.
1999 – Another addition – 90,000 sq feet.
2000 – Introduced Blackwater Bay to the golf market & expanded the Doghouse.
2002 – Added 7 Fully Automated Screenprint machines.
Our Company
Lakeshirts is a full-service screenprint, embroidery and dye works company.
Our Mission
“To provide the best colors, garments, and designs to separate you from the rest.”
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Things To Do In Bar Harbor, Maine
Update March 2006: Visitor's this summer will see totally redone harbor side park and retaining wall at the start of the Shore Path.
Bar Harbor was originally called "Eden" which should give you a hint of the scenic beauty of the area. Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island just slightly off the coast of Downeast Maine and was once a internationally known hot spot for the ultra-rich with a summer "cottage" community that rivaled Newport.
The great fire of 1947 which burned about 100 of the great mansions and thousands of acres with in Acadia National Park, officially ended the gilded era which had declined since the introduction of the income tax and the World Wars.
What grew among the ashes of the fire was a new version of the resort town. One that was no longer so exclusive but one that appeals to a broader economic range of tourists. Tourism was not longer only for the ultra rich. The emerging middle class found itself with more vacation time and more money to spend on vacations so instead of summer "cottages" of for the rich, hotels, motels and cabins sprung up for the masses. While villages untouched by the fires such as Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor (Martha Stewart and the Rockefellers have houses here) continue to be dominated by the rich who can afford to "summer" in Maine, Bar Harbor offers more for the traveler coming for a week or two.
So while the town still enjoys the reputation from the gilded age it really offers more for the common man - t-shirt shops and gift shops as well as dining experiences everywhere from take out burritos to fine French cooking.
What hasn't changed over time is the incredible rugged beauty of the Maine coast and the access to Acadia National Park. The park offers a wide range of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, picnicking, "rocking", beaches, swimming, birding, horseback riding and/or simply drinking in the natural beauty. Specify in Bar Harbor there enough activities for a day, weekend or full week.
Great Things To Do In Bar Harbor
Walk the Shore Path
The famous Shore Path in Bar Harbor, Maine, begins at the town pier and continues South for about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile along the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island. Originally created around 1880, people have walked on this path taking in the sites, sound and smells ever since. Soon the shore path will be extended to the north so that you can walk all the way to the Bar Island sand bar which during low tide will lead, over the sea floor no less, to Bar Island.
Go On A Whale Watch
You can buy tickets for a whale watch trip right down at the town dock. Dress warmly for the trip because you'll be heading way out to see.
See the Famous Stained Glass
One of the most popular destinations of cruise ship tourists according to a recent survey was to visit St. Saviour's Episcopal Church which is the oldest, largest and tallest public building on Mt. Desert Island. It is claimed that St. Saviour's has more Tiffany windows than anywhere else in Maine! There are ten beautiful examples of Louis Comfort Tiffany's technique and artistry here at St. Saviour's. We have a total of forty two stained glass windows in all. St. Saviour's also houses a number of more formal English stained glass windows as well as a variety of historic memorials. The windows span over a century, ranging in date from 1886 to 1992.
Watch the Cruise Ships
Some eighty cruise ship visits a year, you are very likely to see one or two cruise ships in the harbor during your visit to Bar Harbor. Last summer The Queen Mary 2, the largest boat afloat came for a visit.
Visit Acadia National Park
Located on the rugged coast of Maine, Acadia National Park encompasses over 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and ocean shoreline. Such diverse habitats create striking scenery and make the park a haven for wildlife and plants. Bar Harbor provides close and easy access to the park.
Eat A Great Meal
Maine is known for lobster and seafood but Bar Harbor also offers Italian, French, Chinese, Tai, Mexican and even Cuban restaurants.
See a Movie
For a rainy day or just to relax after a busy day, Bar Harbor has two great movie theaters.
The Criterion Theatre first opened its doors on June 6th, 1932. The art deco Criterion was used for vaudeville performances for many years during the heyday of the vaudeville circuit, as well as motion picture exhibition. The acoustics are excellent, and every aspect of the theater was designed specifically for the location, from the light fixtures to the carpets and wall fabrics.
One very special feature of the building is its "floating" balcony, one of a few of its kind. Not only is this free-hanging structure an architectural feat, it also offers some of the best seating in the house. The balcony is divided into nine sections (loges) separated from each other with half walls and from the back corridor with velvet curtains. Originally rented out by the box to the town's wealthy summer residents, these seats are now available to all, and offer an excellent birds eye view of the screen and stage. The theatre currently seats 88 upstairs and 781 downstairs.
Reel Pizza offers a different kind of movie experience. Reel Pizza combines great gourmet pizza with movies to create a unique dining and munching experience. Come to the theater a half hour early to put your order in so you won't have to get up during the show. The seat all include tables except the front row which is made up of flea market sofas and lounge chairs.
Museums and Tours
There are plenty of opportunities to learn and explore new things in Bar Harbor. Visit the local art galleries, take a tour and visit the museums.
There are a number of museums in Bar Harbor including Bar Harbor Whale Museum, The Abbe Museum of Native Americans and COA's Natural History Museum, The Oceanarium is great for kids and adults and features a lobster hatchery and touch tank. Tours include bus tours of the island, kayak and biking tours, ATLANTIC BREWING COMPANY brewery tours, nature tours from the Park or private tour companies, Boat tours leave the harbor several times a day and the Margaret Todd, a tall ship, sails out into the harbor three times a day.
Plenty of people come to Bar Harbor for a brief visit. Whether they are on bus tour or cruise ship making a quick stop or are on some kind of 10 cities in 10 days kind of tour of Maine but as you can see there is enough to do in Bar Harbor to last a day or a lifetime.
Bar Harbor was originally called "Eden" which should give you a hint of the scenic beauty of the area. Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island just slightly off the coast of Downeast Maine and was once a internationally known hot spot for the ultra-rich with a summer "cottage" community that rivaled Newport.
The great fire of 1947 which burned about 100 of the great mansions and thousands of acres with in Acadia National Park, officially ended the gilded era which had declined since the introduction of the income tax and the World Wars.
What grew among the ashes of the fire was a new version of the resort town. One that was no longer so exclusive but one that appeals to a broader economic range of tourists. Tourism was not longer only for the ultra rich. The emerging middle class found itself with more vacation time and more money to spend on vacations so instead of summer "cottages" of for the rich, hotels, motels and cabins sprung up for the masses. While villages untouched by the fires such as Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor (Martha Stewart and the Rockefellers have houses here) continue to be dominated by the rich who can afford to "summer" in Maine, Bar Harbor offers more for the traveler coming for a week or two.
So while the town still enjoys the reputation from the gilded age it really offers more for the common man - t-shirt shops and gift shops as well as dining experiences everywhere from take out burritos to fine French cooking.
What hasn't changed over time is the incredible rugged beauty of the Maine coast and the access to Acadia National Park. The park offers a wide range of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, picnicking, "rocking", beaches, swimming, birding, horseback riding and/or simply drinking in the natural beauty. Specify in Bar Harbor there enough activities for a day, weekend or full week.
Great Things To Do In Bar Harbor
Walk the Shore Path
The famous Shore Path in Bar Harbor, Maine, begins at the town pier and continues South for about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile along the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island. Originally created around 1880, people have walked on this path taking in the sites, sound and smells ever since. Soon the shore path will be extended to the north so that you can walk all the way to the Bar Island sand bar which during low tide will lead, over the sea floor no less, to Bar Island.
Go On A Whale Watch
You can buy tickets for a whale watch trip right down at the town dock. Dress warmly for the trip because you'll be heading way out to see.
See the Famous Stained Glass
One of the most popular destinations of cruise ship tourists according to a recent survey was to visit St. Saviour's Episcopal Church which is the oldest, largest and tallest public building on Mt. Desert Island. It is claimed that St. Saviour's has more Tiffany windows than anywhere else in Maine! There are ten beautiful examples of Louis Comfort Tiffany's technique and artistry here at St. Saviour's. We have a total of forty two stained glass windows in all. St. Saviour's also houses a number of more formal English stained glass windows as well as a variety of historic memorials. The windows span over a century, ranging in date from 1886 to 1992.
Watch the Cruise Ships
Some eighty cruise ship visits a year, you are very likely to see one or two cruise ships in the harbor during your visit to Bar Harbor. Last summer The Queen Mary 2, the largest boat afloat came for a visit.
Visit Acadia National Park
Located on the rugged coast of Maine, Acadia National Park encompasses over 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and ocean shoreline. Such diverse habitats create striking scenery and make the park a haven for wildlife and plants. Bar Harbor provides close and easy access to the park.
Eat A Great Meal
Maine is known for lobster and seafood but Bar Harbor also offers Italian, French, Chinese, Tai, Mexican and even Cuban restaurants.
See a Movie
For a rainy day or just to relax after a busy day, Bar Harbor has two great movie theaters.
The Criterion Theatre first opened its doors on June 6th, 1932. The art deco Criterion was used for vaudeville performances for many years during the heyday of the vaudeville circuit, as well as motion picture exhibition. The acoustics are excellent, and every aspect of the theater was designed specifically for the location, from the light fixtures to the carpets and wall fabrics.
One very special feature of the building is its "floating" balcony, one of a few of its kind. Not only is this free-hanging structure an architectural feat, it also offers some of the best seating in the house. The balcony is divided into nine sections (loges) separated from each other with half walls and from the back corridor with velvet curtains. Originally rented out by the box to the town's wealthy summer residents, these seats are now available to all, and offer an excellent birds eye view of the screen and stage. The theatre currently seats 88 upstairs and 781 downstairs.
Reel Pizza offers a different kind of movie experience. Reel Pizza combines great gourmet pizza with movies to create a unique dining and munching experience. Come to the theater a half hour early to put your order in so you won't have to get up during the show. The seat all include tables except the front row which is made up of flea market sofas and lounge chairs.
Museums and Tours
There are plenty of opportunities to learn and explore new things in Bar Harbor. Visit the local art galleries, take a tour and visit the museums.
There are a number of museums in Bar Harbor including Bar Harbor Whale Museum, The Abbe Museum of Native Americans and COA's Natural History Museum, The Oceanarium is great for kids and adults and features a lobster hatchery and touch tank. Tours include bus tours of the island, kayak and biking tours, ATLANTIC BREWING COMPANY brewery tours, nature tours from the Park or private tour companies, Boat tours leave the harbor several times a day and the Margaret Todd, a tall ship, sails out into the harbor three times a day.
Plenty of people come to Bar Harbor for a brief visit. Whether they are on bus tour or cruise ship making a quick stop or are on some kind of 10 cities in 10 days kind of tour of Maine but as you can see there is enough to do in Bar Harbor to last a day or a lifetime.
The Lure of The National Heddon Museum
It was along the banks of Mill Pond in the late-1890s that James Heddon sat whittling, while waiting for a friend. When he got up to leave, he tossed the small piece of wood into the water, where it was struck by a bass. That seemingly insignificant event led him to build a top-water lure, which he called the "Dowagiac." By the 1920s, Heddon's Sons was the world's largest producer of quality fishing tackle.
Located in the former Heddon factory at 414 West Street, the National Heddon Museum preserves the history of the Heddon family's many contributions to the fishing tackle industry and to the City of Dowagiac.
At the centerpiece of the family's history and of the museum is James Heddon's Sons Co. From its inception in 1902 until its departure in 1984, the company made fishing tackle, golf club shafts, ski poles, violin bows, box kites and even radio antennae during World War II.
On display are more than 1,000 lures, 140 reels and 150 rods, including an original James Heddon frog, one of the most sought-after of all collector lures. Visitors can also view models of the famous "flying fish" airplanes, produced by Heddon Aviation Co.
The museum is open Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; the last Sunday of the month from 1:30 to 4 p.m.; or by special appointment. Admission is free. To learn more about the National Heddon Museum call (269) 782-5698 or e-mail museum officials at
heddonmuseum@lyonsindustries.com.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Fishboy's FISHGRPZ Fishing Pliers
Fishboy's Fish GrpZ has a shape unlike any other on the market - its rubber grip handles resemble two fish when closed. When opened Fish GrpZ's is a comfortable and useful set of fishing pliers as well as a jack of all trades with its knife, screwdriver and other tools. In all there are 17 functions in this stainless steel pocket tackle box. The plier end features bent tips for reaching deep inside a fishes mouth for lure retrieval and an assortment of cutters and grips to handle just about any situation.
The Fishboy FISHGRPZ has earned a five star rating From Hunting and Fishing Review.
Click here to learn more
Thursday, March 09, 2006
How the Sideshow Arts Saved Bar Harbor
How the Sideshow Arts Saved Bar Harbor, Maine
by Paul Szauter
Bar Harbor, Maine, is not known as a great venue for the art of sideshow. The town dozes through a long winter with most of the businesses in town literally boarded up. Sheets of plywood are nailed to the windows of tourist trap shops and even restaurants sometime in November. The whale watch boats and the four-masted schooner sail off for warmer water for six months. The highlights of the winter include freak snowstorms, and occasional long cold snaps where the temperature refuses to rise above zero even as a daytime high. If there is not much wind, sea ice forms in the harbor. As the weather warms up a bit in March, it is warm enough for nor'easters, featuring heavy snowfalls, high winds, ice storms and other weather events that evoke disaster movies.
More... http://www.sideshowworld.com/tgodBarHarbor.html
by Paul Szauter
Bar Harbor, Maine, is not known as a great venue for the art of sideshow. The town dozes through a long winter with most of the businesses in town literally boarded up. Sheets of plywood are nailed to the windows of tourist trap shops and even restaurants sometime in November. The whale watch boats and the four-masted schooner sail off for warmer water for six months. The highlights of the winter include freak snowstorms, and occasional long cold snaps where the temperature refuses to rise above zero even as a daytime high. If there is not much wind, sea ice forms in the harbor. As the weather warms up a bit in March, it is warm enough for nor'easters, featuring heavy snowfalls, high winds, ice storms and other weather events that evoke disaster movies.
More... http://www.sideshowworld.com/tgodBarHarbor.html
Maine Menagerie
If you run into any strange characters in Maine, perhaps they are decendents of the Burgess’ Menagerie and circus. The ship carrying the circus sunk and perhaps some of the rescued circus people settled in the area...
"The Royal Tar was a new Canadian-built steamer carrying a circus, menagerie, a brass band and passengers. It was bound from St. John, New Brunswick to Portland, Maine in October 1836, with a cargo of animals which included horses, camels, lions, an elephant and a tiger. En route the Royal Tar sought shelter at Eastport and later behind Fox Island in Penobscot Bay. On October 25, while anchored two miles off Fox Island Thoroughfare, a series of decisions and events would compound the problem those on board would face that day. The pilot's son found the boilers dry, but he was not believed by the second engineer. While it seems like it would be worth checking out, he didn't and ordered the boilers fired up. An empty boiler heated to red hot and started a fire in the elephant stall. The fire was soon out of control.
The stern boat was lowered, loaded with men and then blown to a distant shore. The revenue cutter Veto in the area, sent a gig to rescue passengers, but the pilot in charge, seeing people dangling from ropes over the side and leaping overboard, feared getting close to the burning ship and fled. A group of men constructed a raft out of deck boards and managed to launch it. But just as they were about to push off from the ship, the elephant appeared above them. Struggling to maintain its balance it tumbled over the rail, smashing the raft and drowning the men.
Meanwhile Captain Reed of the Royal Tar took over the revenue cutter whose regular captain was not on board. Its captain had feared bringing the cutter close to the burning ship because there was gunpowder stored on deck. Captain Reed brought the cutter close enough to rescue passengers, saving many. Thirty-two of the nearly 100 on board died. All the animals perished. The Royal Tar continued to burn and finally sank."
Mike Crowe - January 1999 Fisherman's Voice
"The Royal Tar was a new Canadian-built steamer carrying a circus, menagerie, a brass band and passengers. It was bound from St. John, New Brunswick to Portland, Maine in October 1836, with a cargo of animals which included horses, camels, lions, an elephant and a tiger. En route the Royal Tar sought shelter at Eastport and later behind Fox Island in Penobscot Bay. On October 25, while anchored two miles off Fox Island Thoroughfare, a series of decisions and events would compound the problem those on board would face that day. The pilot's son found the boilers dry, but he was not believed by the second engineer. While it seems like it would be worth checking out, he didn't and ordered the boilers fired up. An empty boiler heated to red hot and started a fire in the elephant stall. The fire was soon out of control.
The stern boat was lowered, loaded with men and then blown to a distant shore. The revenue cutter Veto in the area, sent a gig to rescue passengers, but the pilot in charge, seeing people dangling from ropes over the side and leaping overboard, feared getting close to the burning ship and fled. A group of men constructed a raft out of deck boards and managed to launch it. But just as they were about to push off from the ship, the elephant appeared above them. Struggling to maintain its balance it tumbled over the rail, smashing the raft and drowning the men.
Meanwhile Captain Reed of the Royal Tar took over the revenue cutter whose regular captain was not on board. Its captain had feared bringing the cutter close to the burning ship because there was gunpowder stored on deck. Captain Reed brought the cutter close enough to rescue passengers, saving many. Thirty-two of the nearly 100 on board died. All the animals perished. The Royal Tar continued to burn and finally sank."
Mike Crowe - January 1999 Fisherman's Voice
Downeast?
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Maine was a shipping capital. When schooners sailed from Boston to ports in Maine, they traveled to the east. They also sailed downwind (with the wind at their backs). This led to the expression "Downeast."
Is it Mount Desert Island or Mount Dessert Island?
Samuel Champlain, a French navigator and cartographer, sailed by Mount Desert Island in 1604. He named it "Isles des Monts Desert," with the accent on the last syllable, as it is in the French language. He wasn't implying that it was a desert. The phrase means "island of barren mountains." That's why it's pronounced both as it is spelled and as the French meaning would be pronounced (dessert).
It's ACADIA, not ARCADIA
You can usually tell a first time visitor to the Mount Desert Island when they says ARCADIA instead of ACADIA. Drop the "R" please. The arcade is where you got to play video games. Acadia is a National Park named for historic reasons.
Acadia probably stems from a name given to the area by the explorer, Giovanni Verrazano, when he sailed by in 1524. The shoreline reminded him of a part of Greece named Arcadia - but unless you are a time traveler drop the "r" please.
Did ya know?
Cajuns down in New Orleans are the descendants of the Acadians, the French peasant settlers of Nova Scotia (then known as Acadia/Acadie) in the 1600s and 1700s. The French and British warred regularly over control of Acadia; the final settlement came in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht, which gave the land to the Brits.
Eventually, a group of Acadians, led by the Joseph "Beausoleil" Broussard -- who had led the armed resistance to the Brits back in Nova Scotia -- negotiated with the Spanish government to allow Acadians to resettle in the Louisiana territory it had recently obtained from the French. The Spanish agreed, and word went out to Acadians around the world to head for Louisiana.
The word "Acadian" (ah-cah-DYANH) over time became "Cadian" (cah-DYANH) and "Cajun" (cah-JHAN), as a series of Anglos mispronounced it.
Acadia probably stems from a name given to the area by the explorer, Giovanni Verrazano, when he sailed by in 1524. The shoreline reminded him of a part of Greece named Arcadia - but unless you are a time traveler drop the "r" please.
Did ya know?
Cajuns down in New Orleans are the descendants of the Acadians, the French peasant settlers of Nova Scotia (then known as Acadia/Acadie) in the 1600s and 1700s. The French and British warred regularly over control of Acadia; the final settlement came in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht, which gave the land to the Brits.
Eventually, a group of Acadians, led by the Joseph "Beausoleil" Broussard -- who had led the armed resistance to the Brits back in Nova Scotia -- negotiated with the Spanish government to allow Acadians to resettle in the Louisiana territory it had recently obtained from the French. The Spanish agreed, and word went out to Acadians around the world to head for Louisiana.
The word "Acadian" (ah-cah-DYANH) over time became "Cadian" (cah-DYANH) and "Cajun" (cah-JHAN), as a series of Anglos mispronounced it.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Stock Fish Dumber Than Wild Fish
Ever get the feeling it is easier to catch stocked trout? They must be dumber right?Its true. In a recent study it was shown that trout bred in captivity had smaller brains than trout born in the wild.
New finding have show that making the environments in the hatcheries more natural like can increase the brain size of the stock trout. The findings could affect the design of hatcheries for breeding fish better suited to restock wild populations, the researchers say. The results were detailed last month the journal Experimental Biology.
New finding have show that making the environments in the hatcheries more natural like can increase the brain size of the stock trout. The findings could affect the design of hatcheries for breeding fish better suited to restock wild populations, the researchers say. The results were detailed last month the journal Experimental Biology.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Help! We're Addicted To Oil
They're back!
Just two months after we blocked the oil lobby's shameless attempt to use the
defense spending bill to put oil rigs in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
they're at it again.
The White House has released a budget plan that calls for massive drilling in
the Arctic Refuge. Just weeks after he told the nation we're "addicted to oil,"
the President has suffered a relapse and is inviting the oil giants to devour
America's greatest sanctuary for Arctic wildlife!
Just two months after we blocked the oil lobby's shameless attempt to use the
defense spending bill to put oil rigs in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
they're at it again.
The White House has released a budget plan that calls for massive drilling in
the Arctic Refuge. Just weeks after he told the nation we're "addicted to oil,"
the President has suffered a relapse and is inviting the oil giants to devour
America's greatest sanctuary for Arctic wildlife!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Cool trick I just learned...
How can I quickly change the font size in Internet Explorer?
If you have a wheel mouse and are using Internet Explorer you can use the wheel to alter the size of the text on most Web sites.
To do so, just hold down the [CTRL] key as you spin the button up and down. As you do the text will either increase or decrease depending on which way your move the wheel.
If you have a wheel mouse and are using Internet Explorer you can use the wheel to alter the size of the text on most Web sites.
To do so, just hold down the [CTRL] key as you spin the button up and down. As you do the text will either increase or decrease depending on which way your move the wheel.
I'm Gonna Miss Her
I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song)
Written by - Brad Paisley & Frank Rogers
From - Part II
Well I love her
But I love to fish
I spend all day out on this lake
And hell is all I catch
Today she met me at the door
Said I would have to choose
If I hit that fishin' hole today
She'd be packin' all her things
And she'd be gone by noon
Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on this lake shore
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
That I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a bite
Now there's a chance that if I hurry
I could beg her to stay
But that water's right
And the weather's perfect
No tellin' what I might catch today
Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on this lake shore
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
That I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, another bite
Yeah, I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a bite
©EMI April Music Inc. / Sea Gayle Music
Written by - Brad Paisley & Frank Rogers
From - Part II
Well I love her
But I love to fish
I spend all day out on this lake
And hell is all I catch
Today she met me at the door
Said I would have to choose
If I hit that fishin' hole today
She'd be packin' all her things
And she'd be gone by noon
Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on this lake shore
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
That I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a bite
Now there's a chance that if I hurry
I could beg her to stay
But that water's right
And the weather's perfect
No tellin' what I might catch today
Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on this lake shore
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
That I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, another bite
Yeah, I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a bite
©EMI April Music Inc. / Sea Gayle Music
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