Whaling may resume

In a disgusting abuse of a quasi-democratic body, Japan bought votes for it's position in the international whaling commission. Japan has had a terrible record of environmental activities at sea, and those that relate to whaling are the most egregious. Norway is even worse. Countries and citizens that are opposed to whaling should make their opinions known in writing to both their own representatives as well as representatives of economic interests in Japan and/or Norway. There no my plans to purchase a Nintendo Wii for my son, I guess we'll look at an Xbox instead. For more details see http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/102640.php or visit the activist web site for Sea Shepherd/ (generally more radical than GreenPeace).

  

Rabies vaccine is not much fun

In preparation for a trip to Brazil, I got a slew of vaccinations in the last couple of weeks. Now discovered a bat flying around our cottage in the middle of the night. Apparantly, if you are asleep in a room with a bat, they consider that a "serious exposure" to a potentially rabid animal. We didn't know that and let the bat escape, we we are being treated in t he same way as if we have been bitten (apparently bats may be able to infect you without leaving any visible marks). Great, now we are human pin cushions.

The implications of being treated for rabies are needles: plently of needles.