The Real Black Swan

Forget Queen Amidala's deep throating of Mila The Kunis -

this is 20,000 Leagues removed from that atrocious waste of celluloid! 

For this has (mercifully) nothing at all to do 

with Natalie Portman 

or her penchant for aqua, too... 

We just shared this on our Twitter 

- it is courtesy of DeeperBlue.com

and our own Vimeo channel, of course!

Absolutely enchanting!

;-)

Maryland = No Marineland

Look! It's a piranha! It's a snake!
No it's... the Fish From Hell! The Snakehead Fish!
It's coming to get you - on land, too!
No more 'fish out of water' jokes - no more!
It'll munch on anything: your toes will do just fine...
And they come much bigger than this one too...
Ahhhhhh!!

What other conclusion could we possibly jump to, here, on aqua musings, as we read this tiny bit news coming out of swamp land there: Maryland offering $200 gift cards for dead snakehead fish

A bounty - a bonafide bounty, for crying out loud - on the head of a poor innocent sea creature that just wants one thing: survive and has the unfortunate (in this case, it is unfortunate - for it) ability to tread on the surface with the rest of us and bite through anything, even steel-caps!

And what do the run-of-the-mill surface-dwellers do?
They want to hunt it down and make it outright disappear!

Poseidon would be offended that I wouldn't blame him one iota - that is, if he existed at all.

The Sideshow's Eric Pfeiffer must have had fun reporting this over at the big Y there - but he failed to ask the essential question: and that is whether we aren't messing with the eco-balance of things here, with the Law of Nature here, by interfering and stepping in as the so-called ''fish from hell'' aka the sneaky but smart snakehead fish takes its next step towards world domination?

Who are we to interfere? Maybe this is the natural cycle of things transpiring here...? Perhaps the snakehead fish is meant to decimate the bass population indeed...?

Sorry, if this sounds insensitive towards all Sea Bass fans out there - I love the Boston Bruins, too, but this is not about Dirty Water here; not this time, no!

This is about the same darn thing we do in all other circumstances: we honor a policy of non-interference with the wild. We pollute it, sure - but that is only in the carrying-on of our daily routines; so it's not supposed to count (?) nor qualify (really disqualify us, rather) as a sin against Gaea... We trash several natural habitats, in hopes of short-term gain - but that's okay, too. That's capitalism. We poach and we hunt at will, depending on the season (but still): that's leisure time activities. We use the seas as an underwater junkyard - but the fish seldom complain. The few times that they do, their version of the ''99%'' protests has them showing up massively on some of the unlikeliest beaches - all dead. We have trimmed down the coral reef to a mere fraction of a fraction of what it used to be and what it should be - but it's not like it can hop on the ground and bite us in the rear end, in retaliation, now is it?

The thing about our snakehead fishie here is that it sure can hop on the ground and bite us just about everywhere it sees fit to.

And that doesn't sit well with most everybody - Sea Bass and Luminous Luciano included. (Not that we hang around Maryland, mind you - but, hey, you never know!)

Plus, as previously mentioned, it is perpetrating a sort of aquatic genocide upon the bass populations there, taking over all of the spawning territory that remains (and man, in its fishing prowess, has made sure there are only limited seats available for that as well - limited and easy of reach for the Sunday morning ''sportsman fisherman'' enthusiast, yes...)

So, we intervene whenever there is a genocide going on among surface-dwellers: likewise, we have to intervene when it is a fishy genocide, wherein a kind of fish that cannot come back at us and bite our fingers off when we bait it and fish it out of the water mercilessly, taunting it cruelly before we throw it back (if it is ever thrown back) is in danger of being completely devastated and, Lord Have Mercy, made unavailable to us for further sports fishing activities and aquamusements on our lazy week-end mornings...!

How convenient.
How American.

And so, now, to further encourage the indirect protection of the bass population, the active hunting down and extermination of the snakehead fish is being encouraged -online, too- by a bounty!

I can see it now! Picture a 'WANTED' poster with the photograph seen at the top of this piece right here magnified on it - and it reads: ''WANTED - for genocide against the bass and threatening our kids' little toes - THE SATANIC SNAKEHEAD FISH!''
Sure: let's demonize the creature that only does what every other creature with the strive to stay alive will do: try and sustain itself, spawn and perpetrate its own kind! So, it's been a little rough on the basstitches - but it isn't like we haven't been rough on them, too!

Good ol'Snakehead is one tough, slippery and sneaky sonovabeach though, you know: it won't be caught easily and it sure won't die easily either! Those interested in the (rather modest) bounty have to SHOOT the things dead in order to get the job done! Pass the ammo, mateys! Yikes...

One word about the bounty that was set: two-hundred bucks is not too much, nor is too small an amount for the trouble it costs here. A bullet per snakehead - it adds up, you know! And that is if you're anything close to a good shot at all! The snakehead fish can get away and is not afraid of much: it could attack your kitty, doggy, bunny, squirrels, skunks, rats - anything that moves! Hopefully the case will be reported of a bunch of snakeheads that ganged up on thy neighbour's python pet: now that would be biblical! But that's just the Hebrew in me talking now...
(Hey - it is Easter, right?)

The Hunger Games - aquatic and very fishy version of them, anyhow - are open!
May the best fishhead win!
;-)


Good Old Sea Bass  now HE would know how to handle  a situation like this!  Alas,
he has other B's to care about these days -
for the hunger games in Maryland are nothing
in comparison to the upcoming
Stanley Cup Playoffs on ice!
He's AQUANEELY though - not ICENEELY! (Meaning: his playing days are long over - snif!) So, we can hope for his intervention... still... maybe...  +++

A.N.N. Again: Aqua Miscellaneous - In The News

Sea Lion Attacks Octopus: An Epic Battle


In the Spencer Gulf, in South Australia, an unexpected predator preys upon an often thought to be more fearsome denizen of the deep - a lesson to us all that nothing is ever as it appears to be, under the sea or back on the surface...

Keep that in mind as you watch on next, as a boxer trains on the shore...


Most Obedient Dog on Earth


And, especially, as a bitch flaunts her assets by the sea as well...!


Style File: Kim Kardashian


+++

Fighting Back Time!

And no, I do not mean by this that we are about to see AQUAMAN fight back from the depths of limbo onto the heights of the DCU hierarchy again... I do not expect to EVER see the fake prince, Namor, ascend to any kind of pole position, and this even if his c-movie would ever get to be made - and released as anything other than a direct-to-DVD release! I think it to be a longer shot still that seeing any of the following ever mounting any sort of comeback from the deepest reaches of the Big Blue either: Captain Nemo, Mike "Sea Hunt" Nelson, Sinbad, Ulysses/Odysseus, Popeye, Jason and the Argonauts... Or even Gilligan & crew, on any island or any planet that it may be... I further cannot fathom to possibly behold sea creatures rise up in revolt against all the sickening pollution occasionated to their realm via sea dumping of many kinds... Much less would I foresee sea coral springing to life to halt the damages being done to it by execrable surface dwellers...

No, the only one that can protest ever so infinitely, remains the jaws of the seas - the shark. And even then the protest is not long enough - nor successful enough.


Shark Bites Foot

The shark isn't going down without a fight. Good thing the guy had shoes on. (This shark is fighting back for all those other animals that can't) (S'adresse à un auditoire averti. Les opinions et commentaires exprimés dans ce vidéo n'engagent pas Sympatico / MSN. Ne pas essayer les acrobaties effectuées.)

I sure am delighted to see others point out the fact that few animals ever do fight back - and then, when they do, they are systematically tracked down and "destroyed" - because no beast shall ever threaten a human and dare challenge the veracity of "man has dominance over beasts"...
The thing is, not every man deserves that privilege - because not every man uses it wisely, fairly and with temperance.

Several animals, in their wildest untamed natural state, are kinder than some humans are. Despite what they'll have you believe...



Aquaman and Tarzan know that well - to name only two who do.


Images owned by other parties - no infringement intended here.

aqua cornucopia

Downtown D.C. Duck, Offspring Get New Home


May 1, 3:35 PM (ET)

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

(AP) After four weeks as Washington's newest tourist attraction in front of the U.S. Treasury building...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The duck stops here. After four weeks as Washington's newest tourist attraction, a mother mallard duck and her - count 'em - 11 ducklings were transported in a motorcade Sunday to a new and far more suitable setting in Rock Creek Park.

The whole group took to the water, well, like ducks, although there was a bit of drama along the way.

The transfer had been mapped out like a military operation for the mother duck, a capital celebrity since taking up residence at the main entrance to the Treasury Department. The building is on Pennsylvania Avenue, the prime thoroughfare that tourists use in walking to the White House, which is right next door.

The Secret Service uniformed division had provided protection for the nesting mother over the past four weeks. Agents had built and then extended metal barricades to keep tourists back from the nest, which the mother had constructed in a mulch pile surrounding a tree.

Even after appearances on national television and in newspapers around the world, the mother - whom some Treasury employees had variously named Duck Cheney, Quacks Reform and T-bill - seemed oblivious to the attention as she stuck to her job of keeping the eggs warm.

The hatching began Saturday afternoon and continued into a stormy night with heavy rain. Wildlife experts who had studied the nest believed there were nine eggs. It turned out there were actually 11 eggs; all hatched.

The mother and her offspring were left on the nest overnight so the ducklings could get oriented.

Early Sunday, in an operation more elaborate than the ducks' move in the children's classic "Make Way for Ducklings," government biologists gently captured the mother duck and her yellow-and-black ducklings and put them in cages for the short ride to their new home.

Once at the park, the ducks were placed in a holding pen to get their bearings. But in only a few seconds, the mother mallard had found an opening and was headed to the nearby creek. Her ducklings scurried behind in a single line.

Duck No. 11 had a little trouble at first, stumbling and landing on its back, its webbed feet fighting the air. It quickly righted itself, only to trip again and tumble down the muddy river bank before landing with a plop in the water.

From there, all 11 ducklings quickly formed a line paddling after their mother and set out to explore their new surroundings.

While they had hatched in the rain, their first journey in their new home took place under a bright sky.

"Ducks are born knowing how to navigate in water," said Laura Illige, chief park ranger at Rock Creek. "We have a healthy duck population here and we are happy to take the new additions under our wings."

---

On the Net:

Rock Creek Park site of National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/rocr

Treasury Department: http://www.treasury.gov

Titanic Items Auction for More Than $150K


May 1, 7:27 PM (ET)


(AP) An 18-carat gold pocket watch, which belonged to a Titanic passenger, Nora Keane, was among the objects auctioned off...

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) - Dozens of Titanic relics auctioned for more than $150,000 Sunday, including a gold pocket watch owned by an Irish immigrant that stopped ticking the day of the sinking when she was rescued in a lifeboat.

The watch, once owned by Nora Keane of County Limerick, Ireland, was sold for $24,675, more than three times its estimated value, said Jon Baddeley, Bonhams & Butterfields auction house's marine collectibles expert.

Keane, who had emigrated to Harrisburg, Pa., was returning to the United States on the luxury liner's maiden voyage after a four-month visit to see her mother. It was damaged by water as she was rescued in lifeboat No. 10.

"It's been stopped ever since," Baddeley said. "We had a lot of interest from Ireland."

On the back of the watch was engraved the message: "To my dearest Nora, your visit to County Limerick warmed my heart. God bless and be with you on your return to Pennsylvania." It's signed: "Loving mother."

The Titanic sank in the North Atlantic on April 14 and 15, 1912, killing about 1,500 people.

The top sale price at the auction was $44,650 for the only known example of a 3rd class menu postcard, dated April 14, 1912. The card has a picture of the Titanic at the top, with the entire day's menu printed on it.

Baddeley said the items had belonged to a British private collector who wished to remain anonymous.

Rescuers Look for Boy Who Fell Off Boat

May 1, 7:44 PM (ET)


CAPE MAY POINT, N.J. (AP) - Rescue teams searched waters along the southern New Jersey coast on Sunday for the body of a boy scout who fell off a whale watching boat.

Rough conditions forced police and Coast Guard boats to suspend the search around midday, but investigators did find a piece of clothing on the propeller that might have belonged to the boy, police said.

The search was expected to continue Monday.

Nicholas Johs, 14, of Staten Island, N.Y., fell Saturday after he and several other troop members were jumping up and down in the front of the boat in time with the waves, witnesses told police.

One of the passengers threw Johs a life preserver but the youth could not reach it. Another passenger dove into the 49-degree water to try and rescue him, but had to turn back. Troop members were not wearing life vests, police said.

Prosecutors Give Arguments in Marine Case

May 1, 4:17 PM (ET)

By WILLIAM L. HOLMES

(AP) U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. llario Pantano leaves the Legal Support Services Courtroom with his wife, Jill...


CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) - A Marine accused of murdering two Iraqi detainees intended to make an example of them by shooting them 60 times and hanging a sign over their bodies, prosecutors said Saturday during closing arguments in a pretrial hearing.

"There's no other reason why this stellar lieutenant would have used such poor judgment," prosecutor Maj. Stephen Keane said. "It is not up to a 2nd lieutenant to violate the law of war and make an example of people he believes are bad."

Prosecutors allege that 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano killed the suspected insurgents in April 2004 after ordering a search of their car. Pantano, a former Wall Street trader who rejoined the Marines after the Sept. 11 attacks, says he acted in self-defense after the men moved toward him.

"Lt. Pantano has told this to virtually every person who asked him," defense attorney Charles Gittins said in his closing statement. "He did exactly what he was required to do under the circumstances."

Pantano declined to make a statement in court after consulting with his lawyers.

The Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury, will determine whether Pantano, 33, will face a court-martial. After his closing argument Keane said he does not believe the crime deserves the death penalty.

The investigating officer has been given at least a week to make his recommendations.

The five-day hearing came to a close Saturday after Pantano's chief accuser returned to the stand following several days of legal wrangling.

Sgt. Daniel Coburn abruptly left the stand Wednesday when he was told he was suspected of violating orders prohibiting him from giving media interviews about the case. He returned to the stand Saturday after being granted immunity from prosecution.

Coburn testified Saturday that he believed the men were going to be brought in for questioning when Pantano ordered the search of their car.

However, Coburn also acknowledged that Pantano had stripped him of his job as squad leader and elevated a lower-ranking Marine to replace him. He said he believed his last evaluation, written by Pantano and reviewed by two higher-ranking officers, was a "career-ender."

Coburn said he hadn't seen the evaluation before he began to question Pantano's actions.

Two Teens Rescued After Six Days at Sea

May 1, 4:07 PM (ET)


SOUTHPORT, N.C. (AP) - Two teenagers lost at sea for six days without food or fresh water were spotted by fishermen more than 100 miles from where they started, clinging to their small sailboat.

The boys quenched their thirst with sea water and slipped into the ocean to cool off, but sharks chased them back onto the boat. At night, they used a single wet suit to keep warm.

"I asked God to take me," 15-year-old Troy Driscoll said as he lay in a hospital emergency room. "You're out there fighting for your life. We didn't want to fight anymore."

Driscoll and his best friend, 18-year-old Josh Long, were spotted Saturday about seven miles off Cape Fear - six days and more than 100 miles from where they had put in off Sullivans Island, S.C., on April 24. The boys were sunburned, dehydrated and exhausted, but otherwise in pretty good shape.

"We were praying for a miracle and we got one," Charleston Coast Guard Cmdr. June Ryan said. "Everybody on the East Coast has been looking for these boys."

Shane Coker said first he would hug his little brother Troy - "then I'm gonna hit him and let him know how much he made us worry."

The teens set out on a 14-foot Sunfish on a blustery day when the National Weather Service warned small boats to stay off the water. The realized they were in trouble almost immediately and tried to swim back to shore, pulling the boat along with them.

Within hours, they were out to sea.

"We lost our tackle the second day," Driscoll told one of his relatives on the phone. "So we couldn't catch any fish."

The boys' hope waned as the week wore on. They stood on their Sunfish every time they saw a boat, waving their paddles and yelling. One night they were awakened by water splashing in their faces and found a large container ship bearing down on them.

"It was like some monster building in the water," Driscoll said.

At one point, the teens thought they had drifted across the Atlantic Ocean and were close to Africa. Instead, they were about 111 miles north - well outside the Coast Guard's search grid - but close enough to spot one more fishing boat.

They got up and made some noise. This time, they were heard.

"What we have is an absolutely miraculous story of survival that's going to be studied for years to come," said Richard Goerling, Long's uncle. "I think those two boys have a book to write."

The Coast Guard wants to review the case to see how the boys took a route so unanticipated by computer models and weather and nautical data.

The boys said they don't remember much about their rescue, but recalled that as they were pulled aboard the fishing boat, their rescuers asked what they wanted to do with the Sunfish.

"We told them we didn't want to see it again," Long said.

...