Captive Dolphin Is Named Liberty—If You Go To These Shows, Please At Least Learn Something About Dolphins And The Ocean

The dolphin you see above is named “Liberty.”

It should be named “Prisoner” because it is in dolphin jail.

This dolphin prisoner lives at the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Park in Vallejo, California.

The dolphin is called Liberty because it was born on the Fourth of July.

Liberty, as seen in an Associated Press picture, was forced to do tricks on the Fourth of July for people visiting the park.    

Even though it lives its life in a tank, the dolphin is called Liberty as if it were free and swimming around in the ocean.

These shows would bug me less if I had any sense that they made people care about the creatures they see, or care about the health of the oceans.

I think people come and gawk at the dolphins and the Shamus and move on to some other thought as soon as they leave the park.

I know these shows are not going away, but if take your kids, or go on your own, please take some time to learn about what you are seeing.

Here are a number of questions about oceans answered by the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  There is a lot of information to be found at this site.

Here is a Christian Science Monitor blog post about overfishing and that has a number of links to other sources on the topic. The fish you are eating may be on the verge of going away for good.

Here is the EPA web home with programs meant to protect the nation’s salt water resources.

The Empty Ocean by Richard Ellis is a very good book about overfishing that I have read.

Below is a picture of a Bottlenose Dolphin in the ocean I’m going to name “Captive.” 

Here are facts about Bottlenose Dolphins.

Here are many facts about different types of whales and dolphins from NOAA.

The National Audubon Society Guide To Marine Mammals Of The World is a top rate book.

Texas Young Democrats Event In Austin On July 15—What Can I Plug That Is Of Value To You?

My friend and fellow blogger Rachel Farris of Austin sent me a Facebook invitation today to an upcoming event in Austin.

Rachel writes the blog Mean Rachel.

The event is the Texas Young Democrats Women’s Caucus Happy Hour that is taking place at the Molotov Lounge in Austin July 15 at 6:30 PM.  The Molotov Lounge is located at 719 W. 6th street in Austin. A purpose of the gathering will be to show support for Judge Sotomayor as she seeks Senate approval to serve on the Supreme Court.       

(Above–Vyacheslav Molotov)

I’m not likely to make it to Austin for this event. I don’t think I’d go even if I lived in Austin. I’m sure I’m one of about 300 people Ms. Farris sent notice to about the function as she went down her list of Facebook friends.

Still, I’ve got this forum here and if I can give something Ms. Farris finds of value a plug —Why not? No doubt that would be better than the crap I would write otherwise.

As a further example of this sentiment—I’m very glad to have become an online member of Democratic Women of Denton County.

(Above is my profile picture for Democratic Women of Denton County. If you notice anything different about me it is that I just got my hair done.)  

My friend Judith Ford, who writes the blog Castle Hill Democrats, is a co-founder of the group. If this group has value to Judith, it has value to me.

I see that I can cough up $20 in dues and become a paying member of Democratic Women of Denton County. Maybe I should do this soon.

A few weeks ago I ran an essay here on the blog from my friend Ted McLaughlin of Amarillo about why he supports Kinky Friedman in the 2010 Democratic primary for Governor of Texas. Here is that post.

Ted writes the blog Jobsanger.

I don’t agree with Ted about Kinky. Yet at the same time, Ted is a good guy who writes a strong blog and who is a committed liberal. If I can do something that helps Ted a bit then that is what I’ll do. I know he would do the same for me.

And, of course, we should not forget that Wednesday, July 8 was the birthday of the distinguished Houston political blogger Perry Dorell.

Happy birthday Perry.

Perry writes the blog Brains & Eggs.

Life is brief and brutal. Let’s help our friends and help the people with who we share deeply-held beliefs.   

I’m happy to promote just about any Democratic or progessive/liberal event here in Texas. (or elsewhere.) Please e-mail me at naa618 at att dot net and give me the details—Or leave a comment on this post.

I’m happy to plug to all sorts of things. If you have a band– or some type of creative endeavor in life– or whatever– please  e-mail me and provide the details. This shop runs a bit over 1500 page views a day and you never know who will see a blog post.

We all have things we want to accomplish and be known for in life.  

Here is the link to the Martin Luther King sermon Unfulfilled Dreams.

Texas Liberal has the best Martin Luther King Reading and Reference List on the web.

Please don’t forget that on August 15 I’ll be hosting the most immense punk rock blast of 2009 at Newport, Kentucky’s Southgate House. Newport is just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.

Thanks to my friends and thanks to all who read this blog. 

(Below–A Plug)