New years roundup

The end of year signifies a clean slate, so it’s time to clean out all the bookmarks I’ve been collecting.

Eddie at My Coral Adventures writes about the effect of the economic downturn on the industry.  One of his favourite distributors closes its doors.  Hopefully the owners can get back on their feet soon.  I love the pictures of the facility.

Eddy has this to say about it:

The Bay Area has three large wholesalers and several small guys. One big player has already folded. And sorry to say that the biggest wholesaler, Aquatic Specialties and Pets, is the next victim of the downturn of the economy. Robert Rodriguez is the owner and a dear friend of mine and I am very sad to see him go. Well, not quite. Robert has decided to forgo his lease on his monster warehouse and downsize his operation.

CNN highlights the effect of the booming Chinese economy on shark-finning.

Over the last decade, the exploding middle class in China has changed the fate of the shark. With an unprecedented number of people making more money than ever, the demand for all things that signal an improvement in status is gargantuan. The ability to serve and consume shark fin soup is among the most revered of activities, because it signifies that one has made it.

Shark fin soup can be expensive. A bowl of imperial shark fin soup can cost upwards of $100. These days, shark fin soup is so fashionable that it’s becoming commonplace. Buffets serve versions of it for as low as $10 a bowl. The irony is that shark fin is flavorless — its cartilage has a chewy consistency. Tens of thousands of sharks are being killed for a gelatinous thing in a soup.

Even though it’s over 10 years old, it’s new to me: the Big Bloop.  Be sure to listen to the sped up version of the Bloop.  From the article:

Scientists have revealed a mysterious recording that they say could be the sound of a giant beast lurking in the depths of the ocean.

Researchers have nicknamed the strange unidentified sound picked up by undersea microphones “Bloop.”

While it bears the varying frequency hallmark of marine animals, it is far more powerful than the calls made by any creature known on Earth, Britain’s New Scientist reported on Thursday.

Speaking of giant cephalopods, XKCD, normally a comic strip for nerds, shows the dangers of killer cephalopods.  It just makes sense.