Man is not going to change, and the sea is going to be dead
— a quote from The End of The Line
Rupert Murray's documentary The End Of The Line premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, 2009. The film is about the overfishing of the world's oceans, a subject I have covered extensively on DOTE (trailer below).
In the film we see firsthand the effects of our global love affair with fish as food.
It examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation.
Filmed over two years, The End of the Line follows the investigative reporter Charles Clover as he confronts politicians and celebrity restaurateurs, who exhibit little regard for the damage they are doing to the oceans.
I read Charles Clover's book a few years back. That book has undoubtedly influenced my writing. You can now watch the entire documentary at Hulu (1 hour, 22 minutes). I urge you do to so. You'll have to put up with some annoying advertising, but not much. Maybe you've got some free time today.
Why bring this up on the first day of 2012? Well, human destruction of the oceans is ongoing. This is not like that boneheaded "tree in the forest" philosophical conundrum. Just as a falling tree makes a sound even if no one is around to hear it, the overfishing of the oceans continues unabated whether or not anyone is paying attention to it.
As U2 sang many years ago, nothing changes on New Year's Day. I thought I would drive that point home.
Dave,
Thank you for your commitment and hard work this past year -- I do hope you soldier on, your insight and analysis will be even more important going forward.
I do suspect, as you have frequently pointed out, we're in for some heady and wrenching times. Let us all be up to the challenge to embrace the chaos.
Please excuse my off-topic comments and my indulgence in referencing the following two songs. I was unable to find a link for the John Gorka cut Old Future's Gone, although audio clips can be found. The tune is well worth a listen. Below are the lyrics for it and for Slaid Cleaves' tune One Good Year (audio link included):
Old Future's Gone - John Gorka
Fear took down the winged life
The winged life we've led
So kiss the joy as it goes by
Poet William said
Blake the poet said
Cause the old future's gone
The old future's gone
You can't get to there from here
The old future's gone
The old future's dead and gone
Never to return
There's a new way through the hills ahead
This one we'll have to earn
This one we'll have to earn
Hunters in October
Raise their guns in sport
Is war another animal or
A beast of last resort
The beast of last resort
The old future's gone
The old future's gone
All passengers must disembark
The old future's gone
Fear took down the winged life
The winged life we've led
So kiss the joy as it goes by
Poet William said
Blake the poet said
---------------------------------
One Good Year - Slaid Cleaves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mz0fDFRwTs&feature=related
It's New Year's day
Just like the day before
Same old skies of grey
Same empty bottles on the floor
Another year gone by
And I'm thinking once again
How can I take this losing hand
And somehow win
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
I'm burning oil
Engine's running rough
I drive from job to job
But it's never enough
I can't find the will
To just up and get away
Some kind of chains holding me down
To make me stay.
Just give me one good year.....
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
It's a bitter wind
In your face every day
It's the little sins
That wear your soul away
When you start giving in
Where do the promises all go
Will your darkest hour
Write a blank cheque on your soul
Posted by: Unbound | 01/01/2012 at 07:34 PM