YEA SPRING BABY!!!

I am so ready for spring this year. The cold days are coming to an end. Its about time!!! Its been an interesting last couple of months.

The news in Japan has been interesting lately. Anyone who has been watching the news has heard about the movie "The Cove" and also the anti-whaling activist on the "Sea Sheaperd". I have been very interested in this.

I saw The Cove a couple of months ago. I was surprised to see this. As documentaries go this was a good one. I added the trailer on my page. As you all know I live in Japan. While I do respect and try to respect all the culture here that is different than my own, I believe there are some things that possibly in today`s world are looked at differently than in a previous time. I agree and support the efforts of those who made this documentary. I believe dolphins being the intelligent animals they are should not be hunted down, ate, or held in small tanks. I enjoy a good dolphin show. But after watching and this documentary and doing some reading on my own I now am not sure I support the whole idea of dolphins in captivity. But if they are born in captivity I am ok with that. Just not catching from open waters and selling them. Then killing the ones that don`t sell for food.

Many Japanese say catching whale or dolphins are no different than killing cows and eating beef. But it is. Very different. Cows are now farmed as food. They are not caught out of the wild and their numbers are not declining. If whales could be farmed I believe its a little different. But they can`t be. We should protect them. I am against whaling. I also favor the tuna ban. Sorry Japan!! Its not in my culture. I have had many debates about this with people but its my feelings vs theirs. Basically whaling is an ancient custom that no longer has a place in todays world. American`s stopped killing buffalo and now farms them if we want to eat them. Its not the same. I believe Japan who go around the whole world hunting and buying fish should do more to preserve and give back to the oceans. But I don`t see where they do. Its just take and take. The balance of the ecosystems in the ocean is becoming very dangerous I feel. But the country doesn`t seem to care. They want their tuna and want to hold on to some ideals that really as I said have no place in todays world with the technology and information we have. Don`t get me wrong. I love sushi and love maguro. But I believe we should protect and scale back the fishing. Again Sorry Japan... I am with the activist on this one.

Well the Olympics are over... I have been watching pretty heavy the last 2 weeks. I like the winter Olympics better than the summer Olympics. So I am kind of sad to seem them go for another 4 years. But there was a lot of excitement this time. The US did really good.... GO USA!!

My favorite was the snowboard half pipe. I am a big Shaun White fan. When I grow up I want to be just like him....hehe. The downhill freestyle moguls were also awesome!! Also speed skating as well. So I guess its Russia next. I remember the Salt Lake Olympics and it seemed just like yesterday.

Well at least spring is in the air. Another few weeks and I think we will have some cherry blossoms!!