7/28/2010

Fished to the Edge of Extinction

A new article in the New Yorker magazine is worth a read if you care at all about the health of ocean fisheries. LINK

As we have fished so many ocean species to the edge of extinction, we have to ask ourselves, is there a hopeful ending to this story? Are fisheries exhaustible? That was the question posed at the Great International Fisheries Exhibition in 1883. The answer then was, no. Even today, the answer still seems to be know despite all the evidence to the contrary. Cod, wolffish, halibut, haddock, swordfish, marlin, skate and the might bluefin tuna populations have been decimated. By any reasonable calculation, the stocks of large predatory fish have declined 90% since the 1950's. That is indeed a remarkable accomplishment. And to think, we have some of the most sophisticated technology to measure fish stocks and total catch, but still nothing is done. We have an organization in ICCAT, who is charged with managing the catch of bluefin tuna. "In 2008, ICCAT scientists recommended that the bluefin catch in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean be limited to between eighty-five hundred and fifteen thousand tons. ICCAT instead adopted a quota of twenty-two thousand tons. That same year, a panel of independent reviewers, hired by the commission to assess its performance, observed that ICCAT “is widely regarded as an international disgrace.” Carl Safina, the noted marine conservationist, has nicknamed the group the International Conspiracy to Catch All the Tunas.

Where does the madness end? In 1964, the annual global catch was 50 million tons. In 1967, the U.S. Interior Dept. estimated the catch could be increased to 2 billion tons. That is a 40 fold increase. The total world catch topped out at 85 million tons in the 80's. What planet do those charged with managing ocean species live on? In the past 20 years, we have seen global catch decline year after year. Estimates indicate we appear to be loosing 500,000 tons a year as less fish are caught. One day, your children will tell stories to their children about the stories you used to tell them about great fish being caught at sea. Now, you are probably thinking, BS, don't be so alarmist. The facts speak for themselves. Ask yourself this question, do you care or do you see it as someone else's problem? Be responsible fishermen and take a stand. We need to start now to rebuild fish stocks, so we can continue to enjoy the sport we all love so much. 


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

7/21/2010

Your Social Business Card - Poken

I am usually do not get real excited about the latest tech gadgets, but this super cool little device is worth a look. No more business cards or the need to gather cards or scribble contact info on scraps of paper. I am going to buy a few of these and pass them around to my friends. This is a brilliant idea. You just have to love ingenuity!

Your Social Business Card - Poken

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

7/20/2010

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beach goers!

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers - Yahoo! Singapore News

You just have to shake your head in amazement. It never ceases to amaze me how little creativity there is in the advertising world. Seriously, how does something like this even get past the first round of laughs in the conference room? If someone pitched this idea to me, you can be damn sure I would not waste another moment with their silly proposal. With that said, someone was pitched this idea and said, "Yes, what a brilliant concept. How much will it cost me?" To think someone paid for this. Sad, truly sad!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

7/09/2010

Super Speedway

The art of high impact story telling is a craft Stephen Low has mastered. His films are some of the most intense real time journeys you have ever seen. You can really feel like you are in the moment. If you are in the business of film making or video production and have not had the chance to experience his work, please take the time. It will be so worth it. This trailer for the film "Super Speedway" is amazing. Although the film came out a while back, it is nonetheless stunning visually. The audio grit just draws you in. All of my auto enthusiasts friends were stunned by the camera work. Of course this a large format film shot with very expensive equipment. The footage that you really want to key in on is that of racing legend Mario Andretti and his son Michael as they race with cameras mounted on their cars. The raw speed and intensity of screaming down the track at well over 200 mph is gripping. This is a one off production that auto enthusiasts will not tire of watching. These are two different trailers. Both are equally brilliant. Watch the first one in 720p, amazing!





Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne