Jaco's random rants and raves

Fwd: A1Fun~ Fwd: Naval Fleet

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:39:00 +0000

79-year-old Phil Warren from the UK spent 62 years to build this incredible fleet of 432 ships. All vessels are built entirely of matchsticks and boxes of wooden matches. The collection includes nearly 370 American and 60 British ships.

Although now has 79 years of age, began creating his first boat in 1948, when he was only 17. This uses a razor blade, tweezers and sandpaper to carve the pieces and boxes, then stick with balsa wood glue. In total more than 650,000 used matchsticks to create an amazing collection of 1:300 scale models. Even 1,200 aircraft made even more realistic appearance to dress the decks of aircraft carriers.

Walk Among the Shipwrecks on the Bottom of the Aral Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Looking for some scrap iron?

Have you ever wanted to walk across the bottom of the River, Lake or Ocean to see all the ships that have sunk? Well....

The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water. It has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. And now it's almost gone leaving a desert full of old shipwrecks.

And it had already been starved of nearly 30yrs of water by 1989

Really quite unreal isn't it,

you just saw the BOTTOM of the once fourth largest salt water sea in the world.

Fwd: The ships are sailing – join the fight!

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

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Dear Jaco,

The year is almost over, but the battle to end the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is just beginning.

Last week, we found the whalers 1,000 miles north of the sanctuary before they were able to kill a single whale. Three days ago, our ship the Brigitte Bardot was badly damaged by a rogue wave and is currently being escorted back to port by the Steve Irwin. Our entire international crew of 88 volunteers is safe and the Bob Barker continues to pursue the Japanese whaling fleet east. No whales have been killed as yet.

On another front, Erwin Vermuelen, one of our Cove Guardians and a Dutch citizen, remains in a Japanese prison awaiting trial. Two weeks ago, Erwin was arrested in Taiji while attempting to take photos of dolphins being transferred between holding pens. He is being charged with assaulting a fisherman, even though there were no eye witnesses.

Please make your special year-end gift today. Take a stand with me to stop the brutal slaughter and show the ruthless killers we will not stand down.

I will have more news for you in the coming weeks.

For the Oceans and the Whales,

Captain Paul Watson
Onboard the Steve Irwin

P.S. If you have already made your special year-end gift in support of our mission, thank-you. Would you consider making an additional gift now to finally end the Japanese whale slaughter forever or fund Erwin Vermuelen's legal defense?

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Fwd: Amazing photos

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:12:00 +0000

The world's highest chained carousel, located in Vienna, the height of 117 meters.

Thor's Well - "the gates of the dungeon." CapePerpetua, Oregon. At moderate tide and strong surf, flowing water creates a fantastic landscape

Emerald Lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. Tongariro National Park - NewZealand

Restaurant on a cliff on the east coast of Zanzibar.

Depending on the tide the restaurant can be reached both on foot and by boat.

Office of Selgas Cano in Madrid

Desert with Phacelia (Scorpion Weed). Flowering once in several years.

Balloons in Cappadocia.

Dubai. The view from the skyscraper BurjKhalifa. The height of buildings is 828 m (163 floors).

And this is the view down

These trees grow in the forest near Gryfino, Poland. The cause of the curvature is unknown

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands in a cafe

Twice a year in the Gulf of Mexico rays migrate. About 10 thousand stingrays swim from the Yucatan Peninsula to Florida in the spring and back in the fall.

In the resort town of Skagen you can watch an amazing natural phenomenon. This city is the northernmost point of Denmark, where the Baltic and North Seas meet. The two opposing tides in this place can not merge because they have different densities.

In the Chinese province of Shandong is a bridge across the Gulf of Jiaozhou. The bridge length over 36 km is calculated for eight car lanes, and is the longest sea bridge in the world.

Day and night. The monument in Kaunas, Lithuania

An unusual tunnel in California's Sequoia National Park

This statue, created by Bruno Catalano, is located in France

Family photo

The longest traffic jam in the world recorded in China. Its length is 260 kilometers

Paris computer games store. In fact, the floor is absolutely flat.

Marcus Levine - slaughtering an artist in the literal sense. He creates his paintings by nailing a white wooden panel. At his latest series of paintings exhibited in a gallery in London, Marcus has spent more than 50 000 pieces of iron.

In the city of Buford (USA) lives just one person. He works as a janitor and as a mayor.

Autumn camouflage

Haus Rizzi - Germany.

Lena Pillars. Russia, the Lena River.

Banpo Bridge in Seoul, South Korea

Favelas of Brazil. The boundary between wealth and poverty.

Lost paradise in the Indian Ocean. Isle of Lamu.

Balcony of floor 103 in Chicago.

From the outside it looks like

View of the sunset from inside the wave.

This is a unique geological phenomenon known as Danxia landform. These phenomena can be observed in several places in China. This example is located in Zhangye, Province of Gansu. The color is the result of an accumulation for millions of years of red sandstone and other rocks.

üÔÏ d

In northwestern Montana, USA. The water is so transparent that it seems that this is a quite shallow lake. In fact, it's very deep.

Airport in the Maldives is located on an artificial island in the middle of the Indian Ocean

Lighthouse guard in Mare, France must be one of the most courageous people on the planet!

Not everyone will have a smoke in such weather, and in such a place!

Photo of storm in Montana, USA, 2010

Skyscraper-Crescent Crescent Moon Tower (Dubai)

Heavy fog in Sydney, which enveloped the whole city

The river above the river: Magdeburg Water Bridge, Germany.

Morning Glory - kind of clouds observed in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia

Gibraltar Airport is one of the most extraordinary airports around the world

Fwd: FW: Radio Interview...LOL

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:53:00 +0000

Call for an end to blue light brigades

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:23:00 +0000

Dear fellow concerned citizen.

Please forward this email to everyone you know, even if you have already signed our petition to ban blue light brigades and forwarded the previous email. This email, unlike many others should be forwarded to all of your contacts.

Since we sent out our last communication on Monday 14 November 2011, a further almost 12,000 people have signed our petition to bring about an end to the so-called blue light brigades. As at 14:30 on Sunday 20 November we now have 15,469 signatories to this petition and this is a fantastic achievement, given that this petition has only been running for 10 ½ days. That represents 0.16% of the 9.5 million licensed drivers in our country. If 3,750 people forwarding an email could bring us another 12,000, you can just imagine what 15,403 people can do!

On Friday 18 November, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, Deputy Minister Pieter Mulder and Afriforum CEO Kallie Kriel added their signatures to our petition – along with Thomas Ferreira's parents, Paul and Pricilla.

This was a sombre affair and there were no smiles and laughter – even for the cameras! There were tears and lots of sympathies though and when the politicians and a civil rights leader put their names on the list, they did so as concerned citizens who just so happen to have a bit more pull than others. They all put their politics aside to take a stand and sign our petition and so should everyone else! Realistically however, we are not expecting the likes of Nomvula Mokonyane to sign our petition, given her response when she was travelling back from visiting Thomas Ferreira's parents on 8 November 2011.

Ms Zille congratulated JPSA on getting 13,000 signatures by Friday and said, "but if you think about it, there should be 13 million!" We could not agree more!

Okay, that's the end of the "pretty pictures" of politicians signing our petition folks. Let's focus on Thomas and what happened to him shall we?

Thomas Ferreira was in the process of writing his matric exams when this incident happened. In fact, he was on his way to his girlfriend's home to help her study when he was crashed into by power drunk Semietsi Joseph Modomai, who was allegedly taking housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi to a meeting and decided that red traffic lights don't apply to him. By default, Thomas will not get his matric this year because it is difficult to write exams when you are in a coma! This remarkable young man was a keen sportsman and cycler. He has been described by his family as a loving and kind person. He did not deserve this!

To date, the Minister of transport, Sibusiso Ndebele has not so much as acknowledged that this "incident" occurred, let alone made any attempt to put things right. It was this very Minister who gave authority for anyone and everyone who feels like it to affix blue lights in their vehicles and disregard the safety of other people in the first place and now he wants to lecture everyone on how "this carnage must stop", tell them to pledge to drive safely and pray for road safety? Just how disingenuous can any one person be?

Damn straight it must stop and we will make sure it does – starting with people who think they are above the law! We, unlike the Minister, are dead serious about tackling road safety issues – not by making long speeches, trying to decree how things should be and spending millions on launches; but by direct action that gets results!

That's right, Semietsi Joseph Modomai is walking around like nothing has even happened! He still has his driving licence and his job driving the MEC around.

VIP has come to mean Violent Inconsiderate Pomposity instead of "Very Important Person" when it comes to the use of blue lights.

No matter what your politics are, you should be outraged that this kind of thing can be allowed to happen in our country. Similarly if you cannot see that there is unequal "justice" in this country then you are blind. If you don't sign this petition, then:

1. Don't gripe the next time you are pushed off the road by blue light brigades.

2. Don't pretend that you give a hoot about road safety.

3. Don't shed a tear the next time someone you know is killed on our roads.

Legislative sanctioned lawlessness and recklessness cannot be tolerated! Please sign the petition at http://www.turnitaround.co.za/petition/17/banning-blue-light-brigades

With just 10 days to go before we have to close the petition to public input, we need lots more people to sign our petition. It takes just a few seconds to do so (or a minute or two if you type slowly). There are a few requirements though:

1. You must have your own email address.

a. If you share an email address with someone in your family please set up a Gmail account or the like.

b. Your email address MUST be valid as we send out emails like this one from time to time and will remove all "signatures" that return emails saying that the address is invalid.

2. You MUST provide your real first name and surname. Idiots who have put in "Anonymous" or something similar in these fields will be removed from the final petition and are doing three things:

a. Silencing their own voices;

b. Giving us extra work to finalise the petition and

c. Causing disparity between the count on the internet and the final count once we remove them.

d. If you are too scared to have your name published online you can remain anonymous to the rest of the world by checking the anonymous check box.

3. If your internet browser is out of date, you may not be able to sign the petition. If that happens to you, please update your browser or download Firefox.

Please help us take a stand against this wanton abuse – once and for all. Please sign our petition today! United we can bring about change, divided we just let people continue to believe their lives and petty vanities are of more value than ours. Act NOW please!

Please note that those who have signed our petition will continue to receive emails like this one until we have completed this project, at which time you will be asked if you wish to continue to be on our mailing list or not.

Best Regards,

Howard Dembovsky

National Chairman - Justice Project South Africa (NPC)

Association Not For Gain | Incorporated as a non-profit company under the Companies Act, 2008 | Registration Number 2010/019972/08

Mobile: +27 (0) 82 418 6210

Fax: +27 (0) 86 647 3293

Website: www.jp-sa.org
Follow JPSA on Twitter
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" – Martin Luther King
JPSA Head Office: Ground Floor, 500 Kyalami Boulevard, Kyalami Office Park, Kyalami, Midrand, 1684 – Click for Map

PDF attachments to this email require Adobe Acrobat 7 or later in order to open them.

This email may be freely redistributed

Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:40:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd's Rosie Kunneke Refuses to 'Look Away' from the Cove
Suite101.com
Cove Guardian Leader Rosie Kunneke, talks about her role in the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), and what it takes to police Taiji's dolphin drive. Nov. 21, 2011. In the first of a three-part interview with Rosie Kunneke of Sea Shepherd, ...
See all stories on this topic »

Suite101.com

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:20:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Captain Paul Watson - Sea Shepherd Brisbane Annual Fundraiser ...
Permission to upload Captain Paul Watson's speech was kindly given to me by Sea Shepherd ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPgLOrPBezA

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:53:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Gojira Discusses Upcoming New Album
Metal Underground
The Brothers Duplantier discussed their new album, signing with Roadrunner, working with producer Josh Wilbur, the long-delayed "Sea Shepherd" EP, and more. Excerpts from the chat follow: MS: Can you tell me anything about the actual music on the new ...
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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd again appeals for NZ help in whaling | Stuffconz
Radical eco-movement Sea Shepherd has appealed again for New Zealand to send a navy ship into the Southern Ocean as they mount what they call their most ...
www.stuff.co.nz/.../Sea-Shepherd-again-appeals-for-NZ-help

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:44:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Japanese coming for whales again
Lismore Northern Star
SEA Shepherd leader Paul Watson thought the 2010/11 anti-whaling campaign in the Southern Ocean would be the last. Following weeks of harassment by the Sea Shepherd fleet, Japanese whalers called off their cull early and left with a fraction of their ...
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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:57:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Stars sign on for whale of a time
Geelong Advertiser
Photo: PETER RISTEVSKI JOKER Dave Hughes showed his serious side when he threw his support behind the ocean's largest creatures at last night's Sea Shepherd fundraiser at The Pier. Widely known as a lovable larrikin, the comedian said the protection ...
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Geelong Advertiser

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:26:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

WANT TO BE A SEA SHEPHERD ONSHORE VOLUNTEER? HERE ...
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society wrote a note titled WANT TO BE A SEA SHEPHERD ONSHORE VOLUNTEER? HERE ARE OUR OFFICIAL US/ CANADA CHAPTERS! Read the ...
www.facebook.com/...to.../10150381191994055?...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:26:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

In the Sea Shepherd Galley with Chef William - YouTube
We hope you enjoy our first cooking segment aboard The Bob Barker with our ships chef ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV7QqxuUCuI

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:40:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Official US/Canada Sea Shepherd Chapters
If you'd like to be an onshore volunteer for any of these chapters, please email them directly and provide the completed application forms (which can be found on ...
www.planetoceanalliance.org/.../17173-Official-US-Canada-Se...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:44:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd Annual fundraiser | Common Ground Byron Bay
Sea Shepherd's Annual Fundraiser! The Great Northern Hotel in Byron will be hosting the Sea Shepherd annual fund-raising event. Next Wednesday the 23 of ...
commongroundaustralia.com/.../sea-shepherd-annual-fundrais...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:49:00 +0000

Web

3 new results for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd Tribute - YouTube
sarah legg's first sea shepherd video. ... A Tribute to Sea Shepherdby Sarahclp93 320 views ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvP4FoF381c

sea shepherd free tour look inside! - YouTube
... Nov 11, 2011. sea shepherd free tour look inside! ... Sea Shepherd Advisory Board member ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfQk5_du58

sea shepherd : protecting, defending & conserving sea life - YouTube
sea shepherd : protecting, defending & conserving sea life.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WjpuK8VBlY

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:19:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Animal Planet Getting Even Cozier With Sea Shepherd | ecorazzicom ...
According to recent bit of news from Captain Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, it looks like 2012 will be a banner year for the ...
www.ecorazzi.com/.../animal-planet-getting-even-cozier-with-...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd Activists Getting Ready to Take on Whale Hunters ...
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society which includes some of the most wellknown activists on the planet is getting ready for its 8th Antarctic expedition to ...
planetsave.com/.../sea-shepherd-activists-getting-ready-to-take...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:09:00 +0000

Web

2 new results for "Sea Shepherd"

Donating to Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace :D - YouTube
I was on a generousity binge, so I gave them both $10 randomly and for no reason at all. Well, no reason except that I hate whaling. This video ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj17seIujEA&feature...

Sea Shepherd new Camouflage on Ship (WW2 Style)
New Paint on Sea Shepherd ship (now Called Steve Irwin?) painted as a WW2 Style camouflage with shark teeth. Ship was black. ...
www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?204433...

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:30:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd opposes call for shark cull
Sydney Morning Herald
Photo: Jessica Hromas Sea Shepherd strongly opposes the West Australian government's call for a shark cull following shark attacks in the state. The organisation's Australia director Jeff Hansen explains why. The West Australian government has ...
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Sydney Morning Herald

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Web

2 new results for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd's "For the Salty Ones" Fundraiser - Melbourne
Captain Paul Watson will be there with his dedicated Melbourne on-shore crew speaking about Marine Conservation and the work of Sea Shepherd. There will ...
www.planetoceanalliance.org/.../17091-Sea-Shepherd-s-quot-...

sea shepherd documentary - YouTube
Sorry for the quality!!! Like, comment and SUBSCRIBE.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymNYwVuGpOY

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:30:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Government letting Aussies down on whaling
Perth Now
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson addresses a ful house at The Astor. Picture Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow FACING his most challenging Antarctic anti-whaling campaign yet, Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson has slammed the Australian Government for ...
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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Web

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Sea Shepherd's Bob Barker | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
[Spanish postings Intermission] Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's anti- whaling ship, Bob Barker, named after American game show host who donated ...
www.flickr.com/photos/8773698@N03/6334405026/

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Google Alert - "Sea Shepherd"

noreply@blogger.com (Jaco Smit) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:50:00 +0000

News

1 new result for "Sea Shepherd"

Michele Hewitson interview: Paul Watson
New Zealand Herald
Photo / Paul Estcourt Goodness, Paul Watson, the founder and captain of Sea Shepherd, is a funny fish. I know I should have resisted (and I did try, for about a minute) but he'd probably take the fish part as a compliment, if he cared about compliments ...
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