23 November 2004
Dolphins protect swimmers from shark
by Charles Hugo, Tue 23 Nov 2004 11:31 pm » World
This story shows just how special dolphins are. At Whangarei, New Zealand, a pod of dolphins circled for 40 minutes around a group of lifeguards swimming in the ocean to protect them from a marauding 3 meter great white shark.
The full story is on the New Zealand Herald. There was also a short BBC News story.
This is not the first time dolphins have prevented a shark attack, but previous cases have often been poorly documented.
American as apple pie - European helicopters
by Charles Hugo, Tue 23 Nov 2004 2:47 pm » World
This ad made me smile. EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) is one of the largest European defence contractors. Perhaps the company's French and German roots didn't help sales in the US market, so they came up with this ad. What could be more American (Texan even) than European helicopters?
22 November 2004
Eye boggle
by Charles Hugo, Mon 22 Nov 2004 4:39 pm » Me
Stare at this eye-boggling picture for a while.
17 November 2004
Kill dophins to prevent shark attacks?
The shark attack near Cape Town on Monday has shocked local residents and tourists alike. A huge great white shark bit local resident Tyna Webb in half during her daily morning swim.Unfortunately it has led to renewed calls to place shark nets at Cape beaches. While shark nets have been shown to reduce the (already small) chance of swimmers being attacked by sharks, they have a dirty little secret: they kill dolphins.
Around 60 dolphins a year get caught in the shark nets off the main beaches of Kwazulu-Natal on South Africa's east coast. Dolphins drown if they cannot reach the surface for air.
The shark nets were originally placed at Kwazulu-Natal beaches after "black December" in 1957 when a series of horrific shark attacks killed 5 people near Margate. Although it is now generally recognized that this was a freak incident, possibly related to the discharge of blood into the sea from whaling stations along the coast.
Humans are irrational about risks. Only 6 people are killed in shark attacks a year world-wide. Compare that to the number of victims of traffic accidents (10,000 a year in South Africa alone). There seems to be something terrifying to the human mind about a wild creature or uncontrolled nature.
Of course, the real force behind calls to install shark nets will come from the tourist industry claiming lost income and opportunities. Capitalism can be incredibly selfish, stupid and short-sighted. I hope that true lovers of the ocean will be able to counter this inevitable pressure.
Isabelle Spies, one of Tyna's daughters, said that "a revenge attack would be the last thing that my mom, who was such a gentle person, would want".
"She said that she respected the shark's dominion, that when she went swimming she knew she was entering their domain. My mom's wishes should be respected. She was the person who was attacked, after all."
"A fatal attack is such a rare thing. More important than killing the shark, there should be a look at why there have been more attacks recently."
Geremy Cliff, head of research for the Natal Sharks Board, said it cost R1-million annually to maintain the shark nets at Amanzimtoti. The nets caught around 60 dolphins, 60 turtles, 200 rays and 600 sharks each year. Most of these animals died before they could be freed.
Cape Times, November 17 2004
See also:
National Geographic article about shark net debate
Shark net dilemma for whales in Australia
16 November 2004
Why is Firefox showing Dave Winer in Chinese?
by Charles Hugo, Tue 16 Nov 2004 1:32 pm » Bits & bytes, Internet

Can someone tell me why FireFox is displaying scripting.com in Chinese characters?
I downloaded Mozilla FireFox on the first day version 1.0 was released. I was impressed and glad. I could finally switch from Internet Explorer to another browser.

However, two days ago things started going wrong. First FireFox started showing little black diamonds on this site.
Yesterday I was reading Dave Winer's daily newsletter in Outlook and clicked on a link to his site. I got the above result - all Chinese characters. It also doesn't matter how I open the site either. Rebooting doesn't help. I've tried changing fonts and default character encoding but that doesn't seem to make any difference.
I've changed back and have made IE my default browser again. It's a bummer...
2 November - Death of a filmmaker
by Charles Hugo, Tue 16 Nov 2004 2:04 am » News
It could have been a scene from one of the filmmaker’s own movies.It was 8:45 am on an autumn Tuesday morning in East Amsterdam. A pleasant, “multicultural” part of town. Amsterdammers are making their way to work and school like they do on any other Tuesday morning.
But on this particular Tuesday morning a man is waiting. His name is Mohammed Bouyeri. His heart is cold and filled with hate. He expects to die this pale November morning. For this occasion, he is dressed in a traditional Moroccan djelaba. He has chosen to die as a Moroccan, not as a Dutchman, although he was born and has spent his entire life in Amsterdam. Actually, he would rather be waiting for the Somali woman Ayaan Hirsi Ali, member of the Dutch parliament and blasphemer against the prophet (may peace be upon Him). But the police are hiding her in a safe house somewhere, so he is waiting for her filmmaker instead. Pretty girls and children cycle by, but he has no eye for them. He is intent on death.
The filmmaker himself is cycling along the bicycle path on the side of the broad Linaeusstraat. He is heading from his home in Watergraafsmeer into the center of Amsterdam. He has no reason to expect this Tuesday to be any different from any other Tuesday. Amsterdam is his city and home. A big, friendly, tolerant village, where you can get anywhere by bicycle.
In movies, murders are usually committed for human failings such as greed or jealousy, sometimes for sheer perversity. Killing to protect oneself or others is not murder. In movies, the death of the evil one is usually cause for celebration – allowing us to sleep safely because the human beast has been killed once again. This morning, reality doesn’t fit neatly into 90 minute movie formats. The motive is more complicated, part of a bigger whole the filmmaker has unknowingly become a part of. He has no connection with the attacker waiting for him.
The cyclist has almost reached the Oosterpark, just opposite the Borough Council offices when he encounters the other protagonist in this scene. As if stepping out of another world of stony mountains and desert sands, a land where his people walked with pride, the man in the Moroccan robe steps forward. He draws an automatic pistol and fires several times at the cyclist. He is not a good shot. The cyclist is wounded but manages to cross the street, perhaps trying to reach the safety of the official building. Passers by and other cyclists, some of them with small children scatter and seek refuge in the side streets. The attacker follows his victim and fires more shots. The filmmaker falls on the pavement, wounded or dying. More shots into the prostrate figure. Perhaps the attacker wants to make sure his victim is dead before he proceeds with the next step in his plan. He draws a large knife from his robe and slits the filmmaker’s throat. Then he takes a smaller knife and, implanting it in the chest, uses it to pin a letter to the now lifeless body. He walks calmly away from the scene.
Theo van Gogh lies dead on the side of the street. The filmmaker is dead.
The police soon arrive from the nearby police station. Mohammed Bouyeri is followed into the nearby park and after a brief exchange of gunfire is wounded in his leg and apprehended.
Mohammed Bouyeri is still alive. He is not a martyr as he had planned, he will spend his life in prison instead.
The police find a suicide note in his pocket. It reads:
BAPTIZED IN BLOOD
So these are my last words…
riddled with bullets…
baptized in blood…
as I had hoped.
I am leaving a message…
for you… the fighter…
the Tawheed tree is waiting…
yearning for your blood…
enter the bargain…
and Allah opens the way…
He gives you a garden…
instead of the Earthly rubble.
To the enemy I say…
You will surely die…
Wherever in the world you go…
Death is waiting for you…
Chased by the knights of DEATH…
who paint the streets with Red.
For the hypocrites I have one final word…
Wish DEATH or hold your tongue… and sit.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, my end is nigh…
But this does not end the story.
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