Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Iceland's Current Whaling
In 2013, after two years of no fin whaling, Iceland was reported to have killed 134 fin whales and 38 minke whales.
In 2011, Iceland's total whaling of 58 minke whales was down from its 2010 peak of 148 fin whales and 60 minke whales. The collapse of the Japanese market for fin whale meat demonstrated the true commercial nature of Iceland's industrial whaling as no market led to no hunt taking place. With up to 40% of the domestic market being made up of unsuspecting tourists, the real market for whale meat within the Icelandic community continues to decline.
Click here to add your voice to those who oppose whaling in Iceland.
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Do whales hear their dinner?
A research project led by the University of Auckland's Institute of Marine Science hopes to confirm
that large marine creatures such as whales, sharks and dolphins use hearing as a way of locating food.
They will play back recordings of prey in the water and track how whales respond to them.
The world-first study, beginning next year, has the potential to reveal important insights into the relationship between large organisms and their food sources - and whether noise from humans can be a barrier.
See full article here.
Friday, 20 December 2013
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Praise for The Minke Connection
“Your plot is extremely well thought
through and well executed – and the quality of the writing is fine.”
Dr. Cathie Dunsford, Dunsford and Associates
Monday, 16 December 2013
WRITING FROM AN ANIMAL’S POINT OF VIEW
`Do animals think? What happens in their minds if they are attacked?
While I will never
know the answer to these questions, it was an important matter for me when I
was writing the Romantic Action Thriller
– “The Minke Connection”,
In the first chapter
a huge Sperm whale is deep diving to an amazing 1,200 metres to the sea floor
to find food. In answer to my question, “How do I write from an animal’s point
of view?” my writing tutor said, “Treat him as a human and personalise him!”
So that’s what I have
done for the Sperm whale feeding and then being hunted and then being killed by
a Japanese whaler in the Southern Ocean.
Also, I have used the
same approach for the dolphins communicating with each other, the tragic birth
of a deformed baby dolphin and the unbelievably brutal slaying of dolphin and
porpoises by Japanese fishermen who drive the mammals onto the beaches of small
coves where they club them to death.
No wonder
environmentalists are so upset and angry. I found it very difficult to write
these scenes which are spread throughout “The Minke Connection”.
So, if you want to
find out more check go to
Smashwords at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MurrayKibblewhite where you can order the book.
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Review of The Minke Connection by Murray Kibblewhite
Someone
is killing protected sperm whales.
John
Daroux is a New Age intellectual, martial arts exponent and Reki master, a Renaissance
man with an interest in all things Japanese.
Tasked by Greenpeace to investigate the reports, he is sent to Japan
along with Carrie Ardley, a whale researcher dedicated to ending the whaling
industry. They join a Greenpeace ship to
hunt down the factory ship and gain proof they are hunting protected
whales. Boarding the factory ship in mid
ocean, John finds irrefutable evidence, almost loses his life and becomes
Carrie’s lover. While in Tokyo they are followed by the dreaded Yakusa, evade
being poisoned, and survive being frozen alive.
Mark
Stafford is the chief of Greenpeace, competent and urbane. He travels to Tokyo with his beautiful associate,
Petra van de Roer, to find the reason why the giant trading company, Mosaka
Corporation, is killing the protected Sperm whales. While unravelling the
mystery he is confronted by the cut called the League of Blood and learns the
more sinister reason behind the killings.
Will
the persistent efforts of the environmental protectors Greenpeace be enough to
save the whales?
The
Minke Connection is a thriller with plenty of action and romance and a spellbinding saga. While not strong on
characterisation there is development of individual personalities. The main
characters experience a variety of challenging situations which makes
for exciting reading. The author has incorporated interesting and
carefully researched details about whales, dolphins and the Japanese culture
and history to make the story both credible and compelling. It incorporates business versus environmentalism,
big organizations versus small and expectation versus experience. I’m eagerly looking forward to finding out
what happens next.
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Free the Arctic 30!
The Arctic 30 are released on bail, but they're not free.
They had been detained for over 1500 hours, more than 90,000 minutes for defending the Arctic for all of us.
They had been detained for over 1500 hours, more than 90,000 minutes for defending the Arctic for all of us.
They still face years in jail for peacefully standing up against companies like
Gazprom and Shell to protect the Arctic from oil drilling.
Now it's time for us to take a stand for them and demand that all the charges they still face are dropped.
Now it's time for us to take a stand for them and demand that all the charges they still face are dropped.
Keep the pressure up until all charges are dropped. Sign the petition here.
Monday, 2 December 2013
Protective measures for dolphins not enough
The smallest and rarest dolphin in the world, there are 55 Maui dolphins in the world. Found off the coast of
New Zealand, they are being threatened by fishing and
disease.
The NZ government has proposed extending a protection zone to save the tiny, black and white cetaceans.
But researchers say the actions don't go far enough and argue the Maui's could be extinct within 20 years.
See full story here.
The NZ government has proposed extending a protection zone to save the tiny, black and white cetaceans.
But researchers say the actions don't go far enough and argue the Maui's could be extinct within 20 years.
See full story here.
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Review of The Minke Connection by Murray Kibblewhite
Someone is killing protected sperm whales.
John
Daroux is a New Age intellectual, martial arts exponent and Reki master, a Renaissance
man with an interest in all things Japanese.
Tasked by Greenpeace to investigate the reports, he is sent to Japan
along with Carrie Ardley, a whale researcher dedicated to ending the whaling
industry. They join a Greenpeace ship to
hunt down the factory ship and gain proof they are hunting protected
whales. Boarding the factory ship in mid
ocean, John finds irrefutable evidence, almost loses his life and becomes
Carrie’s lover. While in Tokyo they are followed by the dreaded Yakusa, evade
being poisoned, and survive being frozen alive.
Mark
Stafford is the chief of Greenpeace, competent and urbane. He travels to Tokyo with his beautiful associate,
Petra van de Roer, to find the reason why the giant trading company, Mosaka
Corporation, is killing the protected Sperm whales. While unravelling the
mystery he is confronted by the cut called the League of Blood and learns the
more sinister reason behind the killings.
Will
the persistent efforts of the environmental protectors Greenpeace be enough to
save the whales?
The
Minke Connection is a thriller with plenty of action and romance and a spellbinding saga. While not strong on
characterisation there is development of individual personalities. The main
characters experience a variety of challenging situations which makes
for exciting reading. The author has incorporated interesting and
carefully researched details about whales, dolphins and the Japanese culture
and history to make the story both credible and compelling. It incorporates business versus environmentalism,
big organizations versus small and expectation versus experience. I’m eagerly looking forward to finding out
what happens next.
Monday, 18 November 2013
Review of The Minke Connection
“So the focus is right, and your writing is just fine,
and there are some very strong high points in this book. I was impressed by the
descriptions of the whales under the water. The sequence in which the
Greenpeace team invades the whaling ship is superbly told. The personality and
background of the hero is nicely put together and the man has potential to be a
strong focus for you in the future.”
Geoff Walker, Publishing Director, Penguin Books
(N.Z.) Limited
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Upcoming The Minke Connection release
The Minke Connection will be released on 25th
November as an e-book. A Romantic Action
Thriller that has John Daroux, the “Green version of James Bond” working with
Greenpeace, racing to stop a Japanese company killing whales and worse. Pre-order your copy at Smashwords for 99c for
a limited time. The price will be $6.99
after the first month.
Why
are the Japanese killing protected sperm whales???
From the high seas off New Zealand to the intricate demands in the city of Tokyo, The Minke Connection is a spellbinding saga. Matching business versus environmentalism, big organizations versus small and expectation versus experience.
Greenpeace discover that the Japanese research whaling fleet are killing more than the Minke whale. They send American born Canadian John Daroux, lecturer and adventurer, and Carrie Ardley, whale researcher, to investigate. Boarding the factory ship in mid ocean, John finds irrefutable evidence, almost loses his life and becomes Carrie’s lover. Together, John and Carrie go to Tokyo where they evade being poisoned, survive being frozen alive and endure being followed by the dreaded Yakusa. The arrival of Greenpeace chief, Mark Stafford, and his beautiful associate, Petra van de Roer, initiates a counter attack that requires John and Carrie to act as bait. Desperate measures are called for as they endeavour to outwit Takeshi Fujiwara, leader of the cult, League of Blood. John and Carrie are captured and tortured. Time is critical. John Daroux must use all his wits and knowledge to save the Sperm whales and himself. Can they succeed?
John Daroux……New Age intellectual, martial arts exponent and Reki master, he takes on the project unprepared for the tests he will experience. While he can handle the threats and challenges from the Japanese, can he handle the passion aroused by Carrie Ardley?
Carrie Ardley……young, attractive Greenpeace technician, committed to saving whales, takes on this task as an adventure. Fiercely attracted to John Daroux, she suffers torture and finds that he puts the project above her well being. Can she ever forgive him?
Mark Stafford……competent, urbane chief of Greenpeace, he takes on his biggest challenge when he confronts the League of Blood and tries to unravel the reason why the giant trading company, Mosaka Corporation, is killing the protected Sperm whales. Can he overcome the threats?
Takeshi Fujiwara……one of Japan’s most powerful businessmen, and chairman of Mosaka Corporation, he controls the lives of many. He holds a secret that dates back many centuries and the time for action is now. Can he succeed or will the persistent efforts of the foreign controlled environmental “do-gooder” Greenpeace upset his carefully prepared plans?
From the high seas off New Zealand to the intricate demands in the city of Tokyo, The Minke Connection is a spellbinding saga. Matching business versus environmentalism, big organizations versus small and expectation versus experience.
Greenpeace discover that the Japanese research whaling fleet are killing more than the Minke whale. They send American born Canadian John Daroux, lecturer and adventurer, and Carrie Ardley, whale researcher, to investigate. Boarding the factory ship in mid ocean, John finds irrefutable evidence, almost loses his life and becomes Carrie’s lover. Together, John and Carrie go to Tokyo where they evade being poisoned, survive being frozen alive and endure being followed by the dreaded Yakusa. The arrival of Greenpeace chief, Mark Stafford, and his beautiful associate, Petra van de Roer, initiates a counter attack that requires John and Carrie to act as bait. Desperate measures are called for as they endeavour to outwit Takeshi Fujiwara, leader of the cult, League of Blood. John and Carrie are captured and tortured. Time is critical. John Daroux must use all his wits and knowledge to save the Sperm whales and himself. Can they succeed?
John Daroux……New Age intellectual, martial arts exponent and Reki master, he takes on the project unprepared for the tests he will experience. While he can handle the threats and challenges from the Japanese, can he handle the passion aroused by Carrie Ardley?
Carrie Ardley……young, attractive Greenpeace technician, committed to saving whales, takes on this task as an adventure. Fiercely attracted to John Daroux, she suffers torture and finds that he puts the project above her well being. Can she ever forgive him?
Mark Stafford……competent, urbane chief of Greenpeace, he takes on his biggest challenge when he confronts the League of Blood and tries to unravel the reason why the giant trading company, Mosaka Corporation, is killing the protected Sperm whales. Can he overcome the threats?
Takeshi Fujiwara……one of Japan’s most powerful businessmen, and chairman of Mosaka Corporation, he controls the lives of many. He holds a secret that dates back many centuries and the time for action is now. Can he succeed or will the persistent efforts of the foreign controlled environmental “do-gooder” Greenpeace upset his carefully prepared plans?
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