Shark Links: 2011

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Calvin Requin Argues About Balance in the Ocean

We recently got a comment about dolphins and sharks...
I enjoy sharks, they are really neat. Although I would not like to swim with them because they have sharp teeth and can swim faster than I can. I do not want to get eaten by a shark, however if a dolphin came and started to attack me I'd be too mesmerized by it's cuteness to do something about it.
 Like I've said before, sharks are not like dolphins. Sharks and dolphins are different, but apparently people think dolphins are better, or more cute than sharks. Again, I present this metaphor from Office Space: Sharks are like the person getting waited on, and dolphins are like the waiter.



Brian is like a dolphin... unoriginal, boring, and attempts to be cute and funny. Peter is like a shark... thinking realistically, not annoying, and doesn't care what others think about him. It's disgusting to think that just because a species is of a different class that it should be treated so differently from the other. It's using stereotypes actually; it would be like standing at an airport and seeing an Arab and someone of European decent. The person who commented would probably be thinking that the Arab was on there to bomb the plane and would never think differently about the other guy. What I'm saying is that both races are equal, and they are different in some ways, but it does not mean that one would be more likely to be a murderer than the other. If you would make a table of how sharks and dolphins work (according to the type of people who made that comment) this would be that list:

Sharks
Dolphins
Different Different(but better)
Different Different(but better)
Different Different(but better)
Different Different(but better)
Different Different(but better)
Different Different(but better)

If you want to see the comparison more, check out Destiny and Kyle's arguments about balance in Starcraft II:

Part 1
Part 2


---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Situation: Assholes Slaughter Sharks with Shotgun

NEWS! We have some news!

We were informed of a You Tube video containing graphic content that was taken down recently. The video titled "Shark World XXX" has the following description:
Shark man Mike is killing the fuck out of some lucky sharks for science to the gnarly sounds of 'Shark World' by 'The Disapointments' that's 1 'p' motherfuckers.
After some searching, we found no trace of the original videos until we were given a tip of a ZIP file containing not just "Shark World XXX", but other equally disturbing videos. You may be wondering, "What exactly is this video about?" The answer is as fucked up as Charlie Sheen.


These assholes are catching sharks--endangered species of sharks--and shooting them with a shotgun from their boat. Many sharks of multiple species are killed in these three videos. I was also informed that the authorities have been notified of this. As of now we are not sure on the status of the situation. Keep checking in for any updates.

The ZIP files can be downloaded until March 29, 2011 09:55 PST at the link here or: https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D1075268125%2526email%253Dd6ec7dd68fdbe4dedf6cc100546bdade

---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Tsunami Causes Devastation in Kesennuma City, Japan

As you may already know, a 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. The tsunami created by the earthquake completely destroyed coastal cities. Here's the video from Kesennuma City.


Starting at 00:12 you can see something familiar:

The "Kesennuma Rias Shark Museum":

     Remember the articles on Alex Hofford's blog? Japan's Shark Fin Capital, Kesen-numa City from
A quick walk around the town, reveals a parallel universe, where even the most basic concepts of marine conservation do not exist. Just a stone's throw from the dock, is the 'Kesen-numa Rias Shark Museum', which visitors enter through a giant set of shark jaws. Once inside, tourists are first confronted by real copies of faded front pages of tabloid newspapers from around the world that sensationalize shark attacks on swimmers. Make no mistake, sharks are bad, evil, a threat to humanity and they should be eradicated from the face of the earth, the headlines, and so it seems the museum's message screams at us. This despite the fact that humans are statistically far more likely to die from crossing the road, than from an attack by a shark. After passing exhibits relating to the natural history of sharks at the half way mark, visitors leaving the museum pass a glass display box filled with all kinds of products one can make from shark; shark fin soup in a can, shark cartilage pills which are supposedly good for joint pain, and hand-crafted handbags made from shark leather. But not a word about conservation and the critical situation facing global shark stocks due to over-fishing.
Not too far away from that museum sharks were being finned on a massive scale:
     While the devastation caused by the earthquake, tsunami, subsequent fires, and potentially catastrophic nuclear disaster is heartbreaking, "It's almost, kind of an ironic, poetic justice. Like a fuck you from the world's oceans." states a good friend of mine. "...still sad to see the devastation though." I guess the [Oceans] hydropumped it's fucking dick up [Kesennuma City's] ass--as told by Destiny from Starcraft. This is Karma at it's finest. More images of the genocide can be found on our Atrocity Page.

Isn't it time Kesen-numa City, Japan's dirty little shark secret, was shut down too?


---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Oh, Dakuwaqa!

     Here's another nice shark personality. The blog Oh, Dakuwaqa! by Anju Sabu features plenty of awesome drawings and a personality that I would expect a shark to have. Even if the comics are about everyday boring stuff that stuff is pretty hilarious.I am a bit jealous because I cannot draw like that. I am an excellent artist, but somehow I cannot draw people at all. Oh, should I mention that I am glad that I am posting on shark drawings instead of asshole fishermen?

---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---


Saturday, February 26, 2011

2011 State of the Superorder Address


2011 State of the Superorder Address
February 26, 2011
United States Shark Blogger 'Calvin Requin'

CALVIN REQUIN: Members of TGSI, friends, enemies, distinguished guests, and fellow hominids:

      The Constitution of the United States of America declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of the union. The leaders of the United States have fulfilled this duty for more than 220 years. They've done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they've done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle. After hearing great accounts of what is happening globally to the oceans I have decided to speak with you tonight to discuss the state of the superorder Selachimorpha.
      I know that I am not an expert on marine biology or foreign relations. However, every day I read the tens of articles, view the numerous pictures, and feel the state of our oceans and superorder through the attitudes and tones of friends and enemies alike. Every day I see the atrocities that humans bear on our sharks; I also see individuals of the same species as those ignorant beings express their dissatisfaction with the way that others treat sharks. They fight diligently without ever accepting compromise. As we move on into the future I hope that others will join the growing number of thoughtful citizens of this planet against the exploitation of our sharks.
      For every atrocity there is a success in the effort to ensure that these unique animals survive into the next century. There are consistently people like Bucky Dennis, Vic Hislop, Tom Coburn, Leland Yee, and others who do not see sharks in the same light as my friends and I do. More and more sources are stating and sourcing the horrifying prediction that the oceans will be void of edible fish by the middle of the century. Statistics are showing that two thirds of oceanic shark species are threatened with extinction. Shark populations are declining albeit they have been slaughtered to more than ninety percent of their original population. Ecosystems and the delicate balance of the predator-prey relationships in the oceans have been drastically disturbed. The North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is expected to become extinct from overfishing while their breeding grounds were soiled by the BP TransOcean spill in 2010. Our oceans are failing to keep up with our increasing demand for fish. Bycatch is indiscriminately killing tons upon tons of animals. Humans fear sharks more than chairs yet less people are killed by sharks than chairs annually. The public is continually barraged by the media with fear and hatred against sharks.
      I know of the difficulties and struggles and anxieties that the defenders of the oceans face every day. These struggles are not stemmed from everyday citizens, but their actions can exacerbate even the minor details on oceanic dealings. I would not be discussing these struggles with any of you if I was one of the enemies of the ocean. They are the weak ones who are making the troubles for everyone else, although we are all part of the problem and solution to oceanic policies. A colleague of mine once explained to me that every day ninety percent of their work is with the worst ten percent of people; most of those reading this are part of the ninety percent of people who follow rules and do good without incentive. It's when I realize this that I am hopeful about the future of the oceans and our superorder.
      Within this year I hope to make my blog, Shark Links, fully functional giving you up-to-date information, articles, petitions, and objectives on the conservation of our superorder. I will provide resource materials for anyone to use; everybody has the right to be able to preserve the superorder, and we all need to be able to have what is necessary to carry out our thoughts into actions. I will be adding a page on education where anyone can become a 'shark expert' by learning more about our unique, important, misunderstood, and awesome superorder. I will ask the pro-shark community on their views on such things as how to confront restaurants serving shark fin soup, the best way to educate the public, the all-to-familiar Shark Week by the Discovery Channel, the controversial chumming issue, and others so that we all can reach a consensus and become united against the exploitation of sharks. We can be hopeful about the future of sharks, but we must face a reality.
      We cannot continue to think that we are out of this pit that we have been thrown into by the media, traditions, hatred, and bigotry. We have yet to win the battle against misinformation. I know for certain that my brethren are strong. They will fight until either there is nothing left to fight for or for an eternity. We cannot sit on the sidelines waiting for someone else to go into battle to fight and win the war. We will not give up, and we will not quit. As Margaret Mead states, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Even if the people of this blue planet all realized the true power, mind, spirit, and importance of the shark and even fought for their lives, we would still be in a conundrum. Sharks are meant to reproduce slowly. They were meant to live long lives. Humans have slaughtered sharks mercilessly to the point where it will take years, decades, and possibly even centuries for some shark populations to be restored. That is only if we act now. Now is the time to save these awesome creatures! Save them before even they cannot save themselves. To think that we are contemporaries with some of the greatest animals in the world only to be the ones inflicting a great massacre on them is absolutely shameful, horrifying, and rueful.
      We are the human race and we can ensure that these species survive. Not saving sharks is not only self-centered. It's suicide. Humans cannot risk finding out how important these apex predators are. There should be no debate over whether or not to protect a species.
      When I say 'humans' I do not just mean those affected directly by sharks. We the people of this planet own the oceans. Never forget that. We all have the responsibility and willpower to determine their future—our future. We will, we can, and we must do everything we can to save the sharks. It has been demonstrated in many cases from the banning of shark finning in Hawaii to Guam, the increasingly important finding by Sharklet that the properties of shark skin can be replicated to stop the spread of germs, the actions of individuals from TGSI to the Shark Finatics, and the mass organization of individuals to help stop the slaughter of sharks including the Facebook activity of going Red for the Chinese New Year.
      I have seen the power of the human spirit. It is great, overpowering, sacred, and has an attitude that says, “We can do anything we want, but what we want to do is make this the best world possible.” It is because of our people that our future is hopeful. It's when I realize this that I am hopeful about the future of the oceans and our superorder. Let us start this decade fighting harder and more than we ever did before. We must ensure the conservation of our oceans and our superorder. They are our oceans. Fight for them not only because it is right for the continuation of species, but fight for our oceans and sharks because they belong to us. I will not quit fighting for the oceans. We will never quit fighting for them. Even if our race fails to preserve our world, our world will endure. We are not going to save the planet; we are going to save ourselves and preserve the planet.
      The state of the superorder is improving, and it will forever improve if you join me and others in the fight for the conservation of our oceans, our superorder, and our planet. Thank you for reading, may our planet prosper, and may we all do our best to preserve the state of the superorder.


---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

State of the Superorder Address

     As the President of the United States of America gives his annual State of the Union address to millions, I am planning my own address. Starting this year, I will give my 2011 State of the Superorder Address. This speech, although not given orally, will be formatted like the State of the Union speech, and it will be posted sometime after the President's speech. I will address various topics concerning the superorder Selachimorphi(sharks if you have not figured out) and explain how I feel is the state of our near and dear superorder. As written in the constitution:
Section III - State of the Union, Convening Congress
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient...
I know that I have not posted in a while, but bear with me.
FYI, I will be using this as my closing:


---> Calvin Requin <---







---> Calvin Requin <---