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Subscribe to RSSIt's believed that shifting winds may have broken up the ice that confined the killer whales, who survived by taking turns coming up for air in a hole the size of a pickup truck. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
Eleven killer whales that were “locked in” by ice in a Canadian bay, with only a small area of open water for them to surface, are now apparently free, possibly due to a change in current that helped break open a path to the sea, the mayor of a nearby village said Thursday.
Two scouts sent to check on the killer whales around 8 a.m. local time found a passage of water had been created in Hudson Bay all of the way to the open sea – nearly 25 miles away -- and the ice hole that the marine mammals had been trapped in was empty, said Petah Inukpuk, mayor of Inukjuak, a remote Inuit village home to 1,800, in Quebec.
“They are free. They are no longer here. When there is a new moon, the water current is activated. It could have helped … completely trap them, but in this case it caused an open passage out to the open water,” he told NBC News, adding that they probably were freed overnight. “It was mother nature that helped them. ... They are no longer icelocked.”
A hunter had found the killer whales, also known as orcas, on Tuesday morning in the bay in northeastern Canada about one mile from shore. Two of the orcas appeared to be adults; the remaining nine were smaller in size, said Inukpuk, 61. Other reports said there were 12 orcas in the pod.
Canada's fisheries and oceans department said it received confirmation from the community "that winds and tides shifted overnight, opening the ice that had trapped the whales." Two of its scientists were en route to Inukjuak to collect scientific information and work with the community.
A video taken by villager Clement Rousseau on Tuesday revealed a tough situation facing the killer whales: the water opening appeared to be just large enough for a few of them to surface at a time.
“They are in a confined area,” Inukpuk told NBC News on Wednesday, noting then that there was “no more open water.”
“From time to time, they are in a panic state and other times they are gone for a long period of time, probably looking for another open water (space) which they are unable to find," Inukpuk said. "They keep going back to the same spot.”
The villagers held a meeting Wednesday night and crafted a plan similar to a rescue performed in 1988 of two California gray whales that got stuck in ice in Alaska. In Operation Breakthrough, which made international headlines and inspired the 2012 film "Big Miracle," Eskimo whalers cut more than a half mile of holes for the whales to travel through on their way to open sea. Two Soviet icebreakers helped by crushing a critical thick wall of ice that blocked their path and freed the animals after 20 days, according to a story on the rescue by the Los Angeles Times.
Twenty of the Inukjuak villagers were tasked with doing much the same: they were going to remove the broken ice around the area and use chainsaws to enlargen the hole, which was getting increasingly smaller. A neighboring Inuit village had also offered a large chainsaw capable of cutting the ice. The villagers even got offers of help from far afield, including Germany and England.
"We were prepared to endure it, make their breathing hole bigger and create another breathing hole nearby. Enlarge it, going step by step," he said. "We were prepared to do that method because the closest icebreaker was ten days away … without assistance they would not have made it."
Clement Rousseau
Killer whales that were trapped in the ice near Inukjuak, photographed on Jan. 8, 2013.
A Canadian fisheries official told CBC.ca that some icebreakers were being used in the Saint Lawrence River, where three commercial ships got stuck this week.
Geoff Carroll, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game who helped release the two California gray whales, said Operation Breakthrough showed the power of the simpler methods.
“Our experience up here was that it seemed like the local knowledge and the low-tech approaches to working with the whales were the ones that worked best,” Carroll said. “It seemed like there were lots of high-tech efforts made to get those whales out and they kind of failed one after the other. What really worked was when we got local guys with chainsaws cutting one hole after another and we could kind of walk the whales out that way.”
There have been reports of other whales getting caught in ice, but it was an anomaly for killer whales -- technically in the oceanic dolphin family -- which tend to hunt around the ice, said Deborah Giles, a graduate student researcher at the University of California, Davis, who has studied killer whales for eight years.
Giles recalled that one pod of orcas died in 2005 when they were trapped in thick ice, and Paul Wade, a research fisheries biologist at the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle, noted there have been some other similar cases, too.
Wade said he watched videos of the pod near Inukjuak online and thought some were engaging in normal behavior -- such as "spyhopping," when adult males shoot straight up out of the water -- while others appeared agitated. He said it looked like the pod included two adult males, several juveniles and female adults or younger adult males. The group was most likely related, said Giles.
Photoblog: Images of whales that were stuck in ice
Killer whales are highly social and typically travel in pods numbering from two to 15, though there can be larger groups, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are most numerous in colder waters, such as Antarctica, Alaska and Norway, although they can also be found in temperate and tropical waters. Different groupings have distinctive whistles and pulsed calls that are thought to be used by them to communicate.
Inukpuk said killer whales were not spotted in the area every summer, but every second or third one. However, this was the first time that they were "locked in,” he said.
“Why these whales hung around so long is a mystery,” Wade said. But he added: “Even the types of whales that live in the ice a lot or much closer to the ice more frequently than killer whales -- they make mistakes as well.”
The winter was unusual this year in that the bay did not freeze up as it normally does at the end of November or beginning of December. There was open water after Christmas but earlier this week it got "really cold," leaving just an area of water the size of a swimming pool open that was getting smaller, Inukpuk said.
"People here were very much ready to help and it is surprising because the killer whales are (our) competitors for the same species," such as seals, he said. "We were ready to give aid to make sure that they survived until help could come."
He said they were "very pleased" with the outcome and he had a wish for the pod, too: "I hope they find a good meal and they have a hearty feast because they are probably pretty hungry."
Eleven killer whales were trapped for days under thick arctic ice in a remote corner of Quebec, taking turns to breathe through a tiny hole.
More world stories from NBC News:
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If global warming was true (and not a liberal, money scamming myth led by Al Gore), the whales wouldn't be trapped under the ice. /sarcasm
Just beating the conservative, science denying hillbillies to the punch before they say something equally asinine. ;)
yes, if there is a single ice cube on planet earth... then no global warming
Does this mean DREW gets to make the sequel to the Big Miracle?
I hope NOT!!
Too bad the same effort can't be put forward to help the starving children in Kenya.
To all the neanderthals who still after all this time mock global warming and, you know, modern science in general:
You are clearly uninformed. Allow me to correct you because the term global warming is misleading.
1. First of all, you probably shouldn't assume that global warming means there will be no winter or snow or cold ever again. Just saying.
2. Global Warming is real, but a misleading term. The truth is that it really refers to the relatively rapid change in environment made artificially by our society and NOT naturally by our Many experts have actually called it global climate change instead because that is a bit more accurate. However, global warming caught on first and has been the mainstream term ever since. While it is true that just about all scientific evidence suggests the temperature of the Earth as a whole is rising at a relatively rapid rate, that does not mean that we will no longer have winter or that certain areas won't stay the same or become cooler. It just means that the overall temperature average is rising, and as a result weather will change for many areas and in many cases become more extreme. And since it is scientifically proven that we are causing this and NOT nature, we might want to take steps to fix that.
3. Just about any scientist, meteorologist, etc. will tell you this is true and can give you plenty of tested scientific evidence to back it up. It's been repeatedly tested by many very smart, very educated, and highly qualified experts. Rejecting this fact is basically rejecting modern science. And I would like to not go back to the stone age.
Now it's more convenient for certain businesses to not have to spend money on stuff like this. Then they can make more money and it'll be someone else's problem after they die. So if the problem doesn't exist, they don't have to do anything about it. As a result, they tend to prefer not to acknowledge the problem's existence. Since many powerful businessmen are major supporters to the Republican Party, that is probably why the Republicans themselves originally decided it was more politically advantages to deny this. Well, that and our powerful big oil lobbyists. Some people have come around, while others still cling on to denying modern science. Just know why some (not all but some) Republicans still tend to argue against this.
For the record, I'm not Republican or Democratic but an Independent who is NOT a tree hugger but does value nature to a certain extent. However, not enough to sacrifice things like paper books instead of books on glaring screens. I also clearly believe in climate change, but I didn't always. At first, I too was skeptical of the concept global warming. But fairly soon after, I realized I had to accept the overwhelming evidence. And it made more sense once I thought about all the crap we put into the air. Just thought I bring that out there before some "intellectual" hypocrite inaccurately calls me something brilliant like a libtard and ironically dismisses me because I supposedly am too politically biased to be taken seriously or something. You can laugh but it's happened to me on this site before.
4. Given no complications, what would you rather breath: clean air or dirty air? If you said dirty, you are an idiot. Or you smoke or something and have already screwed up your lungs anyways, which probably makes bad air seem less immediate to those people. No offense, but I'm pretty sure most people with fairly healthy lungs would realize it's better to have clean air. Even if there was no global warming/climate change (and there is), our air quality deteriorates when we ruin it by burning tons of filth into the air. This is not only bad for us, but creates health problems. There's a reason why it's not good to breath smoke. Several, actually. But I'm getting off topic again. Anyhow, rejecting the problem of global warming/climate change means feeding the people who to continue to pollute our air and that we continue breath this crap more and more.
I could also talk about water quality and all that other green peace crap, but I think you get the gist of it.
5. With all the crap we put in the air, do you really think it would have no impact? Of couse it has an impact! That's just common sense. Even if global warming/climate change wasn't real (and it is real), you would think all that stuff in the air would have to have some impact on something, right? I mean everything effects something, and I for one can't imagine that something on so large a scale as humanity's collective carbon footprint would have no impact on anything. I mean it's just plain silly to believe that there would be no effect with everything we put into our atmosphere. And it's nonsensical to believe nothing will happen to our climate because of this.
FYI: A major component of whether is how hot and cold air mixes. So if we heat a bunch of air up on a massive scale, what does common sense dictate?
--------------
I'm not saying you have to go out and buy a hybrid or anything like that. But you should at least acknowledge the problem exists. The rest of the world has....
Actually, you are uninformed, God of Fate. How many years have you been recycling your outdated info? The latest reports from the Met Office indicate global temperatures have been flat for 16 years.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2217286/Global-warming-stopped-16-years-ago-reveals-Met-Office-report-quietly-released--chart-prove-it.html
@ Mike,
First of all, try a more legitimate and less obviously skewed source:
I don't know how to make them links, but you can copy and paste.
Second, perhaps you might want to read what I actually said on the term global warming again:
"2. Global Warming is real, but a misleading term. The truth is that it really refers to the relatively rapid change in environment made artificially by our society and NOT naturally by our Many experts have actually called it global climate change instead because that is a bit more accurate. However, global warming caught on first and has been the mainstream term ever since. While it is true that just about all scientific evidence suggests the temperature of the Earth as a whole is rising at a relatively rapid rate, that does not mean that we will no longer have winter or that certain areas won't stay the same or become cooler. It just means that the overall temperature average is rising, and as a result weather will change for many areas and in many cases become more extreme. And since it is scientifically proven that we are causing this and NOT nature, we might want to take steps to fix that."
Even if the 16 years thing was true, and I'm NOT by any means saying it is, The Earth is still in a cycle where the majority of it, or overall average temperature is rising. Even if it had stopped or lessened in the last 16 years, we are still overall trending way upwards. And again, global climate change is a more politically correct term for it as global warming is slightly misleading.
Warming smarming, this has to do with orcas trapped in a frozen bay.
The articlale failed to mention how far from open water the orcas are. So one can only wonder if there is some hope for them or not.
I thought these creatures were supposed to be smart? LMFAO!!
I guess they are dumba_sses like the liberals who believe in global warming. LOLOLOLOLOL!
Who the ** keeps deleting my links?
Oh well, I only cited sources like NASA, so it shouldn't be too accurate, right?
"NASA" LMFAO!!
@ Bobster,
Why don't you go to their site and look up climate change. It's not hard. Or even just Google it.
NASA is loaded up with hippie scientists who will do / say anything to keep their jobs. Global warming is an easy way to get more taxpayer-funded grants.
NASA scientists should stick to shooting rockets into space and not worry about how warm it is in Tonga. LOL!
@ Bobster,
Really? Hippie scientists? Are you serious? Are you really that ignorant?
Anyone at NASA is clearly way smarter than you, and probably smarter than me. You know, NASA has satellites in space orbiting around the Earth that can measure temperatures of anywhere they choose. That alone seems legit enough to legitimize their data. And you are just going to dismiss these very bright, capable, and qualified scientists as hippies and say that all their technology and brain power doesn't count according to you very clearly biased and uninformed views? Legitimate data, that a good portion was gathered during Republican administrations like Bush, and you are just going to dismiss it? Really? That's not people doing anything to keep their jobs. That's legitimate scientists at work. What are you anti-global warming people smoking?
Have fun continuing to reject science and reality.
God of Fate...check with the mods about having your links made workable.
The rest of the world has....
The rest of the world does not seem to be doing much about it.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/07/02/us-co2-emissions-may-drop-to-1990-levels-this-year/
http://www.thenewecologist.com/2009/10/the-worlds-biggest-polluters/
http://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-higher-in-past.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jun/19/china.usnews
http://www.timesnews.net/article/9054658/china-the-worlds-biggest-carbon-dioxide-polluter-us-reduces-emissions
"Bush" LOL! He was the second worst prez of all-time. Now we have the worst.
I own 2 oceanfront homes in South Florida. The water has not risen an inch in the 13 years I have owned either home. My old neighbor loves to bring out his scrapbook of newspaper clippings and magazine articles from the 50's and 60's. It is hilarious and should be required reading for every liberal, hippie, global-warming kook. These articles were all written by Harvard, Stanford, MIT, NOAA, and yes NASA, etc. scientists who said that if we did not stop contributing to global warming that Florida will be underwater by 1980!! LMFAO!!
So were is the animal nut with more money than sense to help these whales??? And global warming...listen all you pin heads with college...it works like this...CO2 causes the planet to heat up...At First ...then as with computer models of what a nuclear war would do..after about 5yrs of warming from the atmosphere being covered with ash.,..things then start to get cold..Nuclear Winter...CO2 is going to heat things up for a time then its gonna get cold..heat cant get out at first..then it will be heat cant get in next....their dip@!$%#s and I checked the box ..some college...
@ Rex,
The rest of the world has....
acknowledged global warming, or global climate change, exists. That's it. The other countries acknowledge it exists. You don't have to go green or solve all our global warming problems. You don't have to buy a hybrid and solar panels. Just acknowledge the problem exists. Simple, right? All I'm saying there is that it is absurd for people to continue to deny this when it is beyond very proven, and that the majority of rest of the world acknowledges this exists. They may not do much or anything about it, but that is entirely different.
@ Bobster,
I'm so glad that your eyeballed water reading on spots along Florida's coast line are more accurate then a bunch of scientists in NASA with technology like temperature reading satellites. Sound legit to measure the entire world to me... NOT!
And for the record, I'm an Independent. I stated that in my first comment in the thread because I knew someone like you would think everyone who doesn't hold the same view point is a liberal and that every single liberal on the planet, including those apparently hippie scientists at NASA, are dumb because they don't share your radical science rejecting view. It would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic. If you spent more time actually reading the arguments instead of trying to imply laughter with acronyms for a laugh, you might know that I was not Democratic at all. You however, sound like a radical Republican sheep. Not all Republicans are radical, but those who reject science and believe everyone who disagrees with them is a liberal and stupid (like you) are very radical.
Correct---justoneguy---, too bad Canada can not help all the starving children in Chicago, Baltimore, DC, NYC and several southern cities, so my family from northern EU would not have to come here and give food and clothing, like they have done several times recently--Wake up USA and look in the mirror will you please?--No we do not see that on FOX News do we?
After being to 2600 food plants and 177 universities a few over 100 times I have seen more of USA than 99.8 % of you and it ain't so pretty after all with our own people, we need to fix that!
And Yes as a scientist who actually has been out a lot, there is global warming currently (you should see Greenland from the air compared to 30-50 years ago)(I do not care about politics, then I would not be a scientist, or are you some of those who have oppinions?) Many strange things can happen in the oceans in the winter that we are not used to seeing the last 1000 years, could be the reason these Mammals have been trapped.
God,
LOL!
Look into the Medieval Holocene Period, in which it was warmer than today for centuries. The Polar Bears were alive then and they survived.
Look into how all the lost Ice is now at Antarctica. Thats right, the first station is now buried 30 feet under snow and ice and the station is built on a platform that raises, allowing for it to not become buried in the ever increasing snow and ice.
Look into natural periods of both warming and cooling.
Look into how Ice scientists need to make sure they can keep their jobs
Most importantly, look into then next ice age. It WILL be much rougher on us all.
What thell has global warming got to do with this story....a pod of whales got caught in the ice, i sen this back in 1974 and 1976 on the arctic ocean off barrow alaska....did we have global warming then? no, then the scientists were calling global cooling....end result with those two whales...the eskimos killed and ate them.
When are we going to put our efforts into saving humanity. It's unfortunate that these whales might die but that's Nature; (notice I didn't say gods will) It's survival of the fittest and extinction for the remainder.
Do you men the Holocene Thermal Maximum - the warmest era of this current glacial/interglacial cycle? That was (slightly) warmer than today, but it ended 5,000 years ago. The planet has been cooling off ever since - until humans began pumping carbon that safely stored underground up into the atmosphere.
We should still be cooling off. Instead, we're warming rapidly.
Absolutely incorrect. Antarctica, like most of the planet, is now losing ice. Earth is losing a total of 500 billion tons every year.
Who do you think discovered those cycles? Climate scientists. Those cycles happen on a timeframe of roughly 100,000 years - not the 200 years we're currently on track to raise Earth's temperature by up to 10F (6C).
All the scientists around the world that work on this are 'lying', and not a single 'honest' scientist can show how they're wrong? That's simple preposterous.
Unless we change our ways (and quickly) most species won't even be around to see the next Ice Age. We're looking at a Great Extinction Event if temperatures rise anywhere near 6C in just a few hundred years.
The last time that happened (the PETM), it took 20,000 years for temperatures to rise that quickly - and many species couldn't adapt quickly enough.
All you've posted are long-debunked denier talking points, DM. It's very clear that you haven't spent much time studying this issue at all. But science isn't based on opinions - it's based on empirical evidence.
And all the evidence points to the fact that climate change is real, it's us, and it's going to be very bad.
@Godofate...... First suggestion on links... delete the http// and voila!... Second your brain is warming not the globe... Global climate change is a FARCE:
1. SCIENTIST say the Globe has been on a warming trend for 20 thousand years.. (or more)
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast20oct_1/
unless your use of NASA is better than mine.
2. The reason the article is so telling is becaause THAT ares IS part of the Arctic Climate system. One of the main indicators of "Global Climate Change" OR Androgenic Climate Change OR Human Caused Global Warming OR any other "buzz word" you want to use have continually pointed to reduction of sea ice which has been increasing since Al Gore made his millions selling carbon credits to the EU.... and that by the way is the climate change advocates fault. "Sea levels are going to rise 3 feet by 2021" (face palm)....
The sea has risen.... ABOUT 3 Cm the last 100 years!!!! Here is a little I core info for you:
http://www.daviesand.com/Choices/Precautionary_Planning/New_Data/
I'm sorry... But the science is rock solid... the verdict really is in... My sources are reputable...
And even IF I agree with you there is one fact that all of the HCGW fail to address on all the forums:
If we USA stop "polluting" it will not stop China, Russia, India, and 3rd world nations from "damaging" the atmosphere.. in other words.. our "reduced carbon foot print" will be a drop in the bucket for global climate.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/05/31/sorry-global-warming-alarmists-the-earth-is-cooling/
Now the last big farce.. Climate change deniers are against the earth. WRONG: WE CARE!! Those (like me) are still for "responsible conservation". I think air quality should be cleaner... the coal industry is not the enemy, nor Nuclear.. If we continually research better fuel economy and disposal/recycle techs... we will help the PEOPLE that live on this planet... the Planet can and will take care of itself IF we take care of eachother... Its not the earth... nor its soil, nor its seas.. we should spend millions educating, eradicating hunger and disease.. not pour money into... thin air.
Dear Canadian Villagers,
Please reconsider your efforts to save these giant terrorists of the open seas.
Signed,
The Penguins and Seals Alliance for Safer Oceans
@ Flame77_7,
Well, you might notice a warming trend that has accelerated more and more since the industrial revolutions gave us the power to release unprecedented levels of crap into the air, and specifically recently. Here is a map on NASA's site explaining this evidence:
Note the levels since 1950. You almost conveniently seemed to miss that. And for the record, 2012 was only the hottest year on record thus far in more than a century of record keeping. But I'm sure that has nothing to do with anything. NOT!
Btw, cause and effect. What do you think happens when we put trillions of tons of CO2 in the air? If you think nothing, you would be sorely mistaking. Any time you change an environment (like our entire planet) on that large a scale, the change will be huge just like the scale. People need to think these things through better before they reject our scientists, or try to discredit or skew their information.
Edit:
It didn't let me keep the picture but the site is: http//climate.nasa.gov/evidence
Culheath, Orcas are no more terrorists of the seas than any other predator. The Seals and Penguins are predators too of smaller sea life.
Signed,
The Alliance for Common Sense.
Physicist Retired:
A new NASA study shows that from 1978 to 2010 the total extent of sea ice surrounding Antarctica in the Southern Ocean grew by roughly 6,600 square miles every year, an area larger than the state of Connecticut. And previous research by the same authors indicates that this rate of increase has recently accelerated, up from an average rate of almost 4,300 square miles per year from 1978 to 2006.
"There's been an overall increase in the sea ice cover in the Antarctic, which is the opposite of what is happening in the Arctic," said lead author Claire Parkinson, a climate scientist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. "However, this growth rate is not nearly as large as the decrease in the Arctic."
Additionally, the Halley Research Station. The first four were buried and crushed by snow buildup.
The Medieval Warm Period (MWP), Medieval Climate Optimum, or Medieval Climatic Anomaly was a time of warm climate in the North Atlantic region that may also have been related to other climate events around the world during that time, including in China and other countries, lasting from about AD 950 to 1250. It was followed by a cooler period in the North Atlantic termed the Little Ice Age. Some refer to the event as the Medieval Climatic Anomaly as this term emphasizes that effects other than temperature were important.
I am not saying we do not polute and I am not saying we do not need to look at Greenhouse Gas emmisions and or what we ared oing wrong on this planet. I am saying there are many false accusations in and by science and scientists all the time. Once the world was thought to be flat by the people who thought they were correct and smart in their reasons.
Lets look at Greenland as it is the most often used in studies. I see a large number of variations in the studies do not warrant anything beyond normal, when you look at and report on data much more than the past 40 years. That's right all of the data presented to the public is only based upon 40 years of data.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greenland_Gisp2_Temperature.svg
@DMcCurry
You clearly never visited the NASA page of evidence for global warming. I can't post links for some reason, but again the site page is:
http//climate.nasa.gov/evidence
All the scientists? You say "All the scientists around the world that work on this are 'lying', and not a single 'honest' scientist can show how they're wrong? That's simple preposterous."
Here is a list for you
Khabibullo Abdusamatov, mathematician and astronomer at Pulkovo Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Sallie Baliunas, astronomer, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Ian Clark, hydrogeologist, professor, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa
Chris de Freitas, associate professor, School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Auckland
David Douglass, solid-state physicist, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester
Don Easterbrook, emeritus professor of geology, Western Washington University
William M. Gray, professor emeritus and head of the Tropical Meteorology Project, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University
William Happer, physicist specializing in optics and spectroscopy, Princeton University
William Kininmonth, meteorologist, former Australian delegate to World Meteorological Organization Commission for Climatology
David Legates, associate professor of geography and director of the Center for Climatic Research, University of Delaware
Tad Murty, oceanographer; adjunct professor, Departments of Civil Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa
Tim Patterson, paleoclimatologist and professor of geology at Carleton University in Canada.
Ian Plimer, professor emeritus of Mining Geology, the University of Adelaide.
Nicola Scafetta, research scientist in the physics department at Duke University
Tom Segalstad, head of the Geology Museum at the University of Oslo
Fred Singer, professor emeritus of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia
Willie Soon, astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Roy Spencer, principal research scientist, University of Alabama in Huntsville
Henrik Svensmark, Danish National Space Center
Jan Veizer, environmental geochemist, professor emeritus from University of Ottawa
Scientists in this section have made comments that no principal cause can be ascribed to the observed rising temperatures, whether man-made or natural. Their views on climate change are usually described in more detail in their biographical articles.
Syun-Ichi Akasofu, retired professor of geophysics and founding director of the International Arctic Research Center of the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Claude Allègre, politician; geochemist, Institute of Geophysics (Paris)
Robert C. Balling, Jr., a professor of geography at Arizona State University
John Christy, professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, contributor to several IPCC
Petr Chylek, space and remote sensing sciences researcher, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Judith Curry, Chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology
David Deming, geology professor at the University of Oklahoma
Antonino Zichichi, emeritus professor of nuclear physics at the University of Bologna and president of the World Federation of Scientists
God of Fate - Here is a NASA Link too
A new NASA study shows that from 1978 to 2010 the total extent of sea ice surrounding Antarctica in the Southern Ocean grew by roughly 6,600 square miles every year, an area larger than the state of Connecticut. And previous research by the same authors indicates that this rate of increase has recently accelerated, up from an average rate of almost 4,300 square miles per year from 1978 to 2006.
"There's been an overall increase in the sea ice cover in the Antarctic, which is the opposite of what is happening in the Arctic," said lead author Claire Parkinson, a climate scientist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. "However, this growth rate is not nearly as large as the decrease in the Arctic."
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/earth20121112.html
Additionally, the Halley Research Station. The first four were buried and crushed by snow buildup.
So, maybe you didn't see the part on the map where the average Co2 since 1950 has been higher than the past 650,000 years.
And later on the same page:
"Global temperature rise
All three major global surface temperature reconstructions show that Earth has warmed since 1880.5 Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years.6 Even though the 2000s witnessed a solar output decline resulting in an unusually deep solar minimum in 2007-2009, surface temperatures continue to increase.7"
The link I gave you, it shows definitive proof from NASA that global warming is happening. CO2 levels, temperature, it has it all and from NASA. I don't know why or how you think your stuff disproves global warming. Fact is it doesn't. The bottom line is we have definitive proof from NASA on the page of the overall rise in temperature and the rise in CO2 levels, which is global warming and the most common greenhouse gas that causes it. Everything else is your bringing up just noise being used to divert attention from this, and unsuccessfully at that.
NASA proves it exists.
Culheath, I heard the whale's feasted on some endangered seals after their release.
(As this was in the Arctic area, I highly suspect no penguins were harmed during the freeing of these whales.)
God of Fate when science become incontrovertible it is no longer science but religion. Climate change, a new term introduced because global warming turned out to be a joke courtesy of Al Gore the manbearpig. Standing there shaking your global warming stick at us after any severe weather should remind you of a time in the past when bible thumpers showed up and did the same. If there is one thing we have complete proof of in the history of this planet is the the climate did and will change. now proving without a doubt with perfect science that my car is causing a change has proven nearly impossible to science without manipulating the data and making up things like carbon credits, special fossil fuel carbon molecules and various other quasi science ideas to avoid the lack of proof.
God of Fate - Most CO2 increases are caused by water vapor. Here is the figures and reasons for it. I do believe CO2 is on the rise. But what are the total reasons why and how do those equate into Global Warming (Excuse me, it is now called Climate Change, because no one can disprove temperatures go up and down and there are stable periods.
.036% of our atmosphere makes up CO2. It is considered that a 35% increase has occurred. That is 0.0126 % Of that, it is considered that .005 is of man-made things like burning fossil fuels, deforestation and animal agriculture (no one, hardly ever, will bring up animal agriculture Cows, Pigs, Sheep and others).
I am most worried about those issues, but more for the reasons of deforestation, animal agriculture and Countries like China that we can do nothing about. No one, not one, mentions how much Greenhouse gases are being increased by the population increase of people on this earth. Have you ever thought about how much gas is given off from us exhaling and exhausting out of our own rear ends. With that you have the biggest causes, that no one is doing or can do anything about.
Many people do not know it, but water vapor is a Greenhouse Gas. But again no one wants to tell us that. People ask about Volcanoes and only consider CO2 emissions from a Volcanoe, because it is less than man-made CO2. They should consider and report on the Water Vapor Emissions from volcanoes. Science leaves out some things in the figures, but why? They can't tax you on Water Vapor can they?
DMccurrry - You present a list of less than 30. With a little effort someone could produce a list of several thousand on the other side.
That said this should not be decided by popular vote, but rather by the data, the preponderance of which strongly indicates that human caused climate change is occurring.
Mother Nature can be a really mean mother! I know this sort of thing happens a lot more than most of us realize but, that doesn't make it any less sad. I really hope they will be able to rescue these beautiful creatures.
Yes Mother Nature can seem to be cruel, but this is how she balances things. Who gets to survive? the Orcas or the baby seals that the orcas eat?
Yep. And it seems these are the dumbest orcas of all time. Let them die and clean up the gene pool.
Get all the towns people together and start farting and breathing on the ice. Get snow mobiles out and rev their engines with the exhaust hitting the ice. Gather the caribou and get them to fart and breath on the ice too. Burn all plant life around the area that will take carbon out of the air.
Once job is done, hire Al Gore to pass out carbon credits. He may not show up though, he is now richer, thus more eviler, than Mitt Romney.
Can't be happening.... climate change has thawed the arctic.......... just ask Al Gore........
Steve, try reading the entire article. The ice was late in forming; not forming in November as it usually would. So these whales were caught off guard. You owe Mr. Gore an apology, young fella!
Of course global warming exists! Even ask NASA at:
climate.nasa.gov/evidence
Shoshiebba184
Do you buy bull@!$%# Shosheibba? If so, you have come to the right blog.
Hasn't this ever happened before? I mean when humans weren't able to intervene? As another post above stated Mother nature can be severe when she cleans house.
If it were my decision I'd suggest we mind our own affairs on this tiny planet - maybe address overpopulation and ridiculous lifestyles which threaten a lot more than a pod of whales. Over-consumption of everything by our species will take down the structure of the environment and those of us 'lucky' enough to survive will witness an environmental crash of unbelievable proportions.
Most people can't see any relationship between their owning six cars and six houses and forty pairs of shoes with the degradation of the environment which we 'share' with orcas and every other plant, animal, bacterial species on this little chunk of dirt we've named earth. Get a clue human race.
What's ice doing in Hudson Bay?
Oh, and for all the posters wanting to save the whales don't you think that Mother Nature should just be left to do her thing? It's almost as if you thought they were people. Ooops, scratch that. You wouldn't care if it were people.
This is so very concerning to me!! I most certainly hope someone can help them and will watch this story closely!! Tragic just tragic.
And I usually dont point out jerks but Bobster your worthy of jerk alert!
Harpoon em. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
Clearly there needs to be a countermeasure to do rapid ice melt.
Suggest using acetone or alcohol as it is both flammable and water soluble. Controlled burn around a safe zone for the whales. Can be done rapidly and by plane deployment. Any expolsion would be catastrophic due to the percussion and its impact.
High heat capacity to induce melting and minimal environmental impact..
Some of you really need to get a clue before you go telling others to themselves. Saying these whales trapped in this area is mother natures way of thinning things out, can go hand in hand with saying it's mother natures way of sorting out the strongest of people by getting rid of those who starve to death or can't fend for themselves, we should not help them because if they can't do it themselves then that's the way things go. It's no different. The only difference is they are animals and we are humans, or most of us, by the looks of some peoples attitudes and really bad attempt at humor I'm not sure. Overpopulation isn't going to be cured by ignoring a pod of whales who need help, how idiotic to not help another living breathing creature if it's possible. This worlds only problem is the people who walk it and feel they are god of all decisions of everything living. Sometimes a total wipe out of the human race it seems would benefit this world more then anything thats going on with it now.
"I think I could turn and live with the animals, they are so placid and self contained;
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition;
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins;
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God;
Not one is dissatisfied-not one is demented with the mania of owning things;
Not one kneels to another, nor his kind that lived thousands of years ago;
Not one is responsible or industrious over the whole earth."
The polar bears come from miles and miles to events like this, the circle of life. Then humans set their meal free, they must really hate us. Aren't polar bears numbers declining?
TexasLaw..."How idiotic to not help other living breathing creatures if it's possible"
what is that verse? "they do not make me sick discusing their duty to god" ?
And then " Sometimes a total wipe out of the human race it seems would benefit this world more then anything that's going on with it now"
Did you ever have a Dr. diagnose you as having a pipolar disorder? There is such a contrast in what you wrote. I would try to get far away from you before you go postal. your family must live in fear of you going crazy and offing them in the night while they are sleeping.
Could explosives be dropped from aircraft making a string of breathing holes to open water? (dropped far enough away from the orcas as not to damage their sonar)
If this pod typically migrates as opposed to being transient, the temperature change due to a late freeze probably threw them off. Unfortunately, migratory species are having more issues because of climate changes interrupting their natural patterns. I hope the collaborative effort to save them ends up being a success.
Well Iamnotyou, nobody lives in fear of anything with me, see I don't have any issue other than I can't stand idiotic people who think they stand above everything in this world and believe we are some superior beings. My main portrayel for that little quote if you will at the end of my comment was more for the ending, allbeit take it as you will. People talk about humanity but where is it? I am not bi-polar in the slightest, I believe in helping everything and everyone, you don't not help just because you think something else is more important, you help because if you can it's the right thing to do. You do good, and maybe good things will happen. You help someone and someone might help you when you need it.
And as far as the planet would be better without humans... ha well if you want to over dramatize it and make it seem all psycho well you go ahead, humans try to control animals and forest and everythign to do with this world claiming to help it, all people do is ruin this world, get rid of people and this world would thrive the way it has for millions and billions of years, much better off than it is now with all the hate, killings and the idea we are the rulers of everything.
They're free! :-D
anbick,
There is. It's called rapid ice freeze.
Do you people read the article??
patrick demarco
The polar bears come from miles and miles to events like this, the circle of life. Then humans set their meal free, they must really hate us. Aren't polar bears numbers declining?
"Humans" didnt set them free! "READ" the article!!!
Hopefully they'll catch whoever was responsible for locking them in the ice. Didn't anybody call the police?
.
whale conversation: Hey Charlie every time I poke my head through this whole I see a lot of food, look for yourself. Yeah I see them but they don't get close enough. Oh well let's swim to the sea.
Our enviornment does not run on a strict schedule so this kind of thing happens and goes unnoticed many other times I'm sure. These kinds of things happen and its crazy for some people to always try to blame humans for every single bad thing that happens. We do need to do what we can to take care of the enviornment but we do have to live! Who is going to give up their freedom and not drive a car? Without all the advancements in the past centuries there are many people that would not be alive today to enjoy this life so stop all the complaining about advancement and technology. We don't really want to live in grass huts and eat grass do we? We have already proven that people don't live long that way!
Happens all the time. Stop making such a circus about nothing. The media and folks here really lost their perspective as to what is important and what is not!
Mother Nature takes care of things as she likes, and it might not be to your liking.
According to NOAA, Orca whale counts in 2011, there are only 240 resident whales (dolphin family) in that region of the world. So 15 Orcas represents about 7% of that areas population. Let us all hope, pray, vision or whatever it takes to save these precious ones. Having seen them many times in the Puget Sound of WA, they are absolutely magnificent, intelligent beings that deserve all of the help from humans they can get. Will the Russian icebreakers come to the rescue again? Let's hope...
Very sad situation and I am with you on this.
"Intelligent"? Huh? They are stuck under ice. Sounds pretty, f_cking dumb to me.
Well hopefully, the Mayor Inukpuk, of the town where they are will succeed with everybody who really cares about these innately intuitive creatures. I definitely see the possibility of helpful people with chainsaws drilling more holes in the thinner ice, to lead the orcas out to open water, in light of lack of icebreakers. No human in their sane mind (if they have such a thing!) would want to stand helplessly as these children of Higher Power succumb to ice. Possibly we will hear great news that they will be released with the help of HUMANS, which is what we are all supposed to be put on EARTH to do anyway: HELP EACH OTHER. (and, neener, neener, neener yourself, crapheads).
No Bobster,
It sounds like something someone with the intelligence of your comments might do regularly if they could swim (alive obviously) for that long in waters that cold.
God,
Liberals. God love em! LOL!
People with humanity, which you seem to know nothing about.
@ Bobster,
Moron, I'm not a Liberal. I'm an Independent. I already said that twice, and once to you specifically. Not that it matters because they all seem smarter than you right now.
How do we know these Orcas are not the Dick Cheney and George Bush of their world? You know, the ones that flip seals in the air for fun once they are full. Maybe you libs should be cheering for their death!
I hate hearing these kinds of stories but I love knowing there are caring humans out there that try their best to save these animals! I hope to God they are all saved and safe!!
addy121
You ate a hamburger last night didnt you...They are so good with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and hypocrisy sauce!
Kornfed-
First off, your response to my post had nothing to do with what I was saying.
Second, let me tell you a little about myself since you claim to know me, which you clearly don't.
I don't eat hamburger meat, or any meat for that matter. So, to answer your question: no, I did not eat a hamburger lastnight.
Do you always speak out of your ass?
OMGosh, do I HAVE to? Do I really have to love someone that is more interested in intervening in nature than opening their eyes to the freedoms of our Constitution that are being lost DAILY?
Pass the barf bag, PLEASE!
Too bad, it is really good and not only that it is important to your overall health.
It's especially sad because animals are suffering because humans are the primary source of climate changes. It's not that these tragedies don't occur naturally from time to time, but we are throwing nature off balance.
These sad stories will continue to increase because humans are in deep denial about their responsibilities to the planet.
Oh my God you can't be serious. You ever heard of a volcano? Do you know the foggiest about the Earth's orbit and axis variations? Have you studied the Sun's energy output? Greenhouses gases, and yes some are man made, do have an effect but get a hold of yourself, you are not that important.
Do not understand you people. This is awful. All of you who think it is okay for an animal to suffer and die feel that a piece of crap human who molest children, rape and murder should be treated with kid gloves. It is or should be the other way around. There are more worthless humans who have rights should have never been born, but an animal who needs help, well, you would rather see them suffer. Humans have or are destroying everything on this planet and don't care. For the intelligence who are suppose to have, most of you do not use it or just don't care.
They are "Free"!! Read the article!! WTF!!
orbeach-
When the article was first posted it was saying the whales were stuck. They recently updated it and are now saying they are free; they kept all the previous comments from the first article and put it on this one for some reason.
Either way, I am so happy they are free!
addy121. You may be the only one who "got it" and wrote about it. Many previous posts indicte the other article about a high percentage of our youth are loaded with ADHD is spot on. Good luck to you.
please someone do something instead of just standing around laughing (in the video) you did it once already for the gray whales do it for the orcas!!!!! PLEASE!!!!
They are not laughing at the whales. I do not understand what the people are saying, but they are clearly in awe of those beautiful mammals and excited about being able to see them so close up. Obviously these individuals are not in a position to help, but that doesn't mean they don't understand the whales are in trouble, or that they shouldn't watch them. Personally, I couldn't watch the entire video (about 1/2 to 3/4) because I found it distressing. I hope someone is able to save them soon.
Please look in the mirror for the person to start doing something positive in the world. Don't count on someone else all the time. I realize you cannot help this particular situation but surely opportunities arise in your life to choose to step up.
^ Says the person with the account named "not my fault"
I don't normally bother with names, and I sort of agree with the basis of what you said. But considering your name your comment was quite ironic.
THE F-ING WHALES ARE "FREE"!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ THE ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD YOU PEOPLE ARE MORONS!!!
Easy orbeach. You're gonna pop a blood vessel. Not that it wouldn't be a funny sight.
Laughing? What video are you watching? And didn't you read the article before posting?
Kasco Marine, Inc. from Minnesota (the de-ice bubble makers shown in the movie Big Miracle) are trying to get up to help. Praying they get their in time to rescue these trapped whales.
What about used control explosibs starting from open area and come close and close to them
Yep controlled explosions spaced 200-500 metres or quarter mile apart creating air pockets like the one they are using leading to open waters.
Baco 78 and Venividivici I like that idea... it is better then anything i have read on this hole page, it is better then bickering back and forth to each other about crap. Controlled explosions sound like a good idea. I would start away from the wales. Then work my way in to them. the closer you get i feel like they would chatch on to what was going on. It would be better then doing nothing!
Not necessarily safe for their "ears". Whale sonar can be damaged by stuff like that.
please!!! someone do something instead of just standing around laughing (in the video )!!! please you pulled together before to save the gray whales please please do the same for the orcas!!!please!
debbiefromutah, you are an idiot! they are free!! read! read! read! the article!!!!
How can we help? Is there anyone we can call?
Explosives would be a very bad idea. The concussion traveling through the water would at the very least disorient the Orcas and very likely drive them away from the air hole. At the worst it kill them out right. bocha2, you are an a__hole.
Maybe just get the Muslims out there kneeling on the prayer rugs to melt the ise.
Coomojoe and bocha2...Your immature, asinine, and disgusting efforts to make jokes out of living intelligent beings in a desperate fight for life and using people of other cultures to be the butt of the jokes shows why some people choose to focus upon saving animals in need as opposed to saving people. Would do you guys a world of good to get on your knees and pray for some much needed guidance for why you are totally lacking in humanity. Maybe a few meditative readings on the life and teachings of St. Francis would be a good place to start.
Terrible to see! Maybe we can call Obama and have him forgo his next 4 million dollar vacation to put the money into saving these wonderful mammals!
I'm flabbergasted that no one here seems to be actually READING the article in it's entirety. THE WHALES ARE FREE. Sheesh! It's absolutely no surprise why American society is on the decline...regular people don't even have the attention span to read a 2000 word article!
MellisaR, as has been explained to may people before you, the original article was created while the whales were trapped. Once someone posts a message, they get alerted to knew messages and brought directly into the comments section. So as far as they know, there is no new info in the article. People like you go into the article later, and have new information coming in. There is no point in knocking others over it, it happens. Look at the times of the posts you are responding to. I'm flabbergasted that you didn't come to that conclusion.
heh, usually if there's a discrepancy between what I read and the posts, I look at time stamps and go back to the article to see if it's been updated. But that's just me.
Mitchell
There might be some newbies that don't realize that NBC edits their stories all the time. Sometimes they read the comments and correct egregious errs and other times they simply update stories whether it was false reporting or simply new info. To sit there and call everyone idiots calls into question your ability to rationalize. Most people commenting are not idiots. They may have diabolically different views but idiots do not comment on news stories. And keep in mind I wrote most people.
It's sad to hear the villagers oohing and aahing like they're at some kind of marine show, as the orcas surface to stay alive. It would seem like the villager would try to do the same thing that was successful with the whale rescue in Alaska by sawing a path of breathing holes in the ice and leading the orcas to the open ocean. My guess is that this village may not be so concerned about saving the orcas as the article states and we'll not see a follow-up article about the villagers saving the orcas. Sad, sad.
These are not people living in new york. They don't even have a supermarket, maybe just maybe they have not seen the movie.
Pray tell, what would YOU have done? It's not everyday you see a KILLER WHALE.
Hollywood is probably already working on a script.
"De-ice Willy" LOL!
Read the article. It's already been done, with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski.
Wonderful video! I'm sure help is on the way. Yes, these people were oohing and aahing and laughing but that's okay. I would do the same thing if I were lucky enough to witness such a display...how amazing!
Where are the mermaids with their spears? They should help the orcas get out to open water, or were they smart enough to leave before everything froze over? /s
Hey Sahimi, posted like a true smartass - well done!
Let's see - Whales trapped in ice, no escape. Perfect, call in the NRA and toothless Buba with a 300 round mag and they might (now remember I said might) be able to hit the vermin but no promises. Whales are scum and if Wingnut does manage to hit one - Remember Jesus can whip another batch in one day. They just make waves in the water And remember folks guns don't kill people -- ice and Buba's sister kill whales.
Makes about as much since as a NRA convention
PS. I hope they escape
Let's see... Whales trapped in the ice with no escape. Perfect. Time for Hollywood to rush in make a movie and makes millions in profits, They can demonize the evil rich business and then turn around and walk away and let the Orcas starve or drown.
I hope they escape also but your post was nothing but trash talk, Of course that is what I would expect from an internet minister.
Read the article again please. The whales are free.
But the climate change folks said there was less ice, things were getting warmer...?
They said the Earth is getting warmer, not that ice went extinct.
Steve
You did not get to the part in the article where it said the whales got trapped because the ice formed later than usual ?
Admit it, you're a headlines only reader :)
They change what they say to fit what is happening so it fits their agenda.
Why do all you far right wingnuts always jump to the furthest extreme on every subject you're trying to disprove? No one said that global warming and climate change has stopped water from freezing. Yes, it still gets cold enough for water to freeze, especially in the Arctic and Antarctic. Notice, though, that the root cause of the whales getting trapped is that the water DIDN'T freeze up like it usually does in Nov. and Dec. Hint, hint.
Also note that this is not the first time that it has frozen late and that it will not be the last time, It was an unusual occurrence but not a rare or never before happened occurrence, Hint, Hint,
Notice I responded without calling you a far left wingnut.
Seems to me that someone in that village should own a chainsaw. They should be working on making sure that single air hole stays open, and also enlarging it until help gets there. I like the idea of creating a string of air holes leading them to the open sea. The article said it was about one mile. It also said there was a small Orca that was nursing, so I've no idea how close the air holes would have to be for the little one. But only 1 mile's worth shouldn't be too many holes to make...
If I had the resources, I'd be on my way to help, but, alas...
Baco 78, #6, mentioned controlled explosives. I think Baco's idea is a good one. But since the concussion from the blast would probably harm the Orcas, it probably should only be used for about half of the needed holes.
Anyway, I'm glad to see someone else offering an idea that may help, instead of inane crap. Thanks, Baco 78!
I sure hope this turns out OK.
They can't use chainsaws on the hole they are using they might hit the whales. But the guys that helped in the incident they made a movie about apparently are trying to secure transport with their heaters to keep the hole open.
Petitions:
#share
Contact the Prime Minister:
Send in an Icebreaker.
This is happening in Hudson Bay. Don't you American newswriters know anything? Look on a map. Do the research. Temps. up there have dropped to -45F (-57C) Even a shallow salt body of water is going to freeze and do so quickly and deeply. The people are standing out there for crying out loud. It's not 6" deep. Try 3ft. There is a shipping lane from Churhill out to the Arctic Ocean, but that's on the other side of the bay; and who knows whether that is still open. I fear these whales are about to become polar bear dinner.
Eat them. Orca burgers are delicious. Make candles with the left overs.
DannoBanano...Another it;s all about me statement from another I could care less about other living beings as long as my gut is full statement from someone who should definitely be left in the icy water with a little air hole should he fall in.
jerseyshoremarie...blah blah blah...don't you ever get tired of riding your soapbox
Hey Danno...Can I get one of those Orca burgers and some of those all natural blubber candles?
All about me, jerseyshoremarie??? There's no way I could eat 1 Orca, nevermind 11 of them. We will all share in the fresh Orca bounty, it's the Eskimo way. LostInThePineBarrens, please be sure to bring the seafood cocktail sauce.
Marie,
Save the Humans!
Humans sadly don't need saving, there is more than enough of us.
Feel free to reduce the amount of humans by opting yourself out.
My guess is that you feel it should be less of other humans and you get to stay.
I'm on my way with my fishin' pole!
could drop explosive charges from a chopper and make a trail of holes for them to follow to the open water. just a thought.
They are free!! yay!
I find it ironically funny that ice traps anything these days. Also how badly nbc website works on this article, In any event it is ironically funny that all ice is melting but something could possibly die from ice. Do you idiots get paid for this or is it like saving the neighbors cat? I think this is the best proof yet of the scam you are exposed to daily by nbc. yet we cant blame the end of the world on nbc but we certainly can blame the start of idiocracy on them.
Ok, so they are clearly liberally biased. It's no secret. And it's no secret that Fox is even more clearly biased propaganda on a higher level. Just know what bias your media sources have ahead of time so you can be prepared for it instead of getting caught like a brainwashed sheep.
And if you had no bias, I suspect you might have mentioned the scam on the other side political aisle. And you did not, implying (not guaranteeing but implying through a one sided complaint) you have bias. And if you have bias, then that would make you a hypocrite as you just complained about the bias of NBC.
When was the last time anyone saw a cat skeleton in a tree?
@Veteran55... good one. We as a race (human) feel we have to save everything or at least everything that makes us feel like we are holding a baby kitten. We are an incredibly arrogant species, couple that with the need to help (when directed at the proper cause is a good thing) we put ourselves out on limbs (pun intended) that seem incredibly wasteful and unnecessary. Love the comment straight and to the point. :)
Hmmm... The link said 12, but the article says 11. Somebody messed that up.
NBC news is the start of Idiocracy. This is truth. This is real no matter how you align yourself politically.
You just made them seem smart...
The Orcas in the sea are like the 2percent in our world! They are the rich, top of their class, they feed on the little or more helpless animals. These 2% ers got greedy and the liberals should be happy. You don't see the comparison
I'm not saying don't save them, just don't tax them to death
Taxes haven't been this low for the Middle Class since 1950 clown.
While Federal income tax rates are at historic lows there are thousands of other taxes that have been added,raised or increased that leave all Americans with less of their incomes than ever before.
Couple that with the loss of value of the American dollar due to the Feds printing of money.
WHAT???
LITPB, you're right. I would add that in the 1950's there were many more allowed deductions so that very few people actually paid at the higher rates. Happy that the Orca's were freed, at least there's one story with a happy ending.
God of Fate...check with the mods about having your links made workable.
The rest of the world has....
The rest of the world does not seem to be doing much about it.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/07/02/us-co2-emissions-may-drop-to-1990-levels-this-year/
http://www.thenewecologist.com/2009/10/the-worlds-biggest-polluters/
http://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-higher-in-past.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jun/19/china.usnews
http://www.timesnews.net/article/9054658/china-the-worlds-biggest-carbon-dioxide-polluter-us-reduces-emissions
I already responded to that.
wow there are some stupid posters on here. To the idiot that said the article doesn't say how far they are from the ocean, READ IT AGAIN. It clearly says that they are 1 mile from the coastline. So they could def. break the ice for a mile to save this pod. To the other idiot that said too bad same effort can't be put to helping starving children in Kenya. There's always some idiot makes a comment like that. It's apples and oranges. There are lots of people helping children around the world, not just in Kenya, but it doesn't mean that you don't ever help anything else or God forbid animals. Idiot. And what effort are they doing that is taking them away from Kenya....ice cutters? No reason to not help whales just because children are starving in Kenya because the reality is you can't cure the world of it's problems and save them all but you can at least try when you have the chance. To know about it and do nothing is a greater sin.
If they are 1 mile from the coastline, and you want to open that one mile of ice, then you lead them to the shore...
How is that going to save them.
But I agree with the rest of your comment.
They article states they are in the Hudson Bay, To get out of the Hudson Bay they must go Northeast to the Hudson Strait and then southeast to the Labrador Sea and then out into the Atlantic Ocean, The article states the whales are 20 miles from the village and 1 mile from the coastline, The coastline being land and not open water, The article does not specifically state exactly how far the whales are from open water.