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Oh, The Irony

Here 'ya go!

Posted on: Friday, January 13, 2006

Greenpeace co-founder praises global warming

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer


Genetically engineered sugarcane grows in a culture at the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center in 'Aiea. Hawai'i is one of the top U.S. sites for genetically modified crop research, attracting much debate,

Global warming and nuclear energy are good and the way to save forests is to use more wood.

That was the message delivered to a biotechnology industry gathering yesterday in Waikiki. However, it wasn't the message that was unconventional, but the messenger — Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore. Moore said he broke with Greenpeace in the 1980s over the rise of what he called "environmental extremism," or stands by environmental groups against issues such as genetic crop research, genetically modified foods and nuclear energy that aren't supported by science or logic.

Hawai'i, which is one of the top locations nationwide for genetically modified crop research, has become a focal point in the debate about the risks and value of such work. Friction between environmentalists and other concerned groups and the biotech industry surfaced most recently in relation to the use of local crops to grow industrial and pharmaceutical compounds. Last year that opposition halted a Big Island project planning to use algae for trial production of pharmaceutical drugs.

Zero-tolerance standards against such research by environmental groups delay developments that could help those with unmet basic needs, Moore said. Instead Moore called for compromise rather than confrontation on the part of the environmentalists.

"There's no getting away from the fact that over 6 billion people wake up each day on this planet with real needs for food, energy and materials," he told those attending a luncheon at a three-day Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy.

The event was sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Sponsors included Dupont, Carghill and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which spent $15,000 to support the conference.

In direct opposition to common environmentalist positions, Moore contended that global warming and the melting of glaciers is positive because it creates more arable land and the use of forest products drives up demand for wood and spurs the planting of more trees. He added that any realistic plan to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and the emission of so-called greenhouse gases should include increased use of nuclear energy.

Among the 300 or so members in the audience yesterday was Henry Curtis, executive director for environmental group Life of the Land. Curtis said he found Moore's comments "interesting."

"He's obviously thought about things," Curtis said. "But I don't buy a lot of his arguments.

"I think the movement dealing with (genetically modified organisms) is very wide. You can't just say everybody that's against it is against it for this reason and they're totally against it.

"Part of what we're doing in the environmental movement is safeguarding the downsides," Curtis added. "We don't want to see a downside that we don't anticipate overwhelming the system."

Reach Sean Hao at [email protected].
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Very long and unwieldy link.

So.. this guy is sort of the 'antichrist' of eco-activists?
 
A modern Mutiny - as an ex-CG myself, I enjoyed this:
COASTGUARD BOSS FORCED TO QUIT


11:00 - 12 January 2006
A modern day mutiny has resulted in Captain Bligh - the head of the Government's Maritime and Coastguard Agency - being forced to relinquish his command.

The Department for Transport has confirmed Captain Stephen Bligh will leave his post at the end of the month after a vote of no confidence by some 1,100 coastguards and marine safety inspectors.

Captain Bligh - who claims descent from his 18th-century namesake whose crew mutinied on HMS Bounty - had become deeply unpopular with frontline officers by announcing plans to streamline the service by closing some coastguard stations and merging others.

An MCA source told the Western Morning News yesterday: "He said we'd got too many coastguards and too many stations and that some of them were going to have to close.

"Whether or not that was the plan nobody really knew but there was a lot of kite flying going on to see how people would react.

"That was completely different to the previous regime. In all honesty, nobody really expected him to survive past the end of his contract in September but it is a shock that he has gone so soon. Having said that nobody is going to miss him."

Early last year, the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents three quarters of the agency's staff, told the House of Commons' Transport Committee that under-staffing was lowering the standard of service.

The committee's subsequent report, published in July, accused the agency of being "entirely complacent" about under-staffing and of failing to "conduct timely research" into a rise in deaths and accidents around Britain's coastline.

MPs also said they were "unconvinced" by assurances from chief executive Captain Bligh that under-staffing was not affecting safety. The union subsequently conducted a ballot of members which showed that a majority no longer had any confidence in Captain Bligh. John Astbury, the chief coastguard, is to take over as caretaker director.

In a last message to staff, Captain Bligh, who was appointed to the MCA from a senior position in the P &O shipping group, recognised that there had been difficulties.

"There has been an element of dissent but I have tried to foster an open, honest and transparent discussion," he said. "But I regret that in some quarters there has been an appetite for alarmist conjecture with little appetite for the changes that I continue to believe are necessary."

The Public and Commercial Services Union claimed proposed mergers and station closures - which could have hit its posts in Brixham and Falmouth - would had led to at least 200 job losses and a decline in the vital service. A spokesman for the union said they were looking forward to the new era.

He said: "We are keen to build up a good, positive relationship with his successor which will ensure that the coastguard cover around the UK continues to be world-class and that it meets the needs of the public and the maritime industry alike."

The MCA has about 1,165 staff based at more than 30 main locations around the UK coast. It is supported by over 3,250 volunteer Auxiliary Coastguards.
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Drug busting dog gets high :

Sniffer dog saved after overdose

Veterinary nurse Hannah Watts tends to Jazz at the surgery
A police sniffer dog came close to death after swallowing heroin during a drugs raid in Leeds.
Springer Spaniel Jazz was rushed to a veterinary surgery when his handler Pc Steve Wilson realised the dog had punctured a package with its teeth.

A veterinary nurse dashed to Bradford Royal Infirmary for an antidote as the dog's health deteriorated rapidly.

Jazz was treated in time and recovered sufficiently to return to duty after the scare earlier this month.

'My heart sank'

Recalling the incident in the Pudsey area of Leeds, Pc Wilson said: "Jazz located a package with a scent similar to that of the class A drug.

"As he picked up the package his teeth pierced the wrapping and some of the substance became attached to his teeth and gums.

"When I saw that Jazz had some of the substance on him, my heart sank as I knew it would make him extremely ill."

As the dog's health deteriorated Pc Wilson decided to take him to The Thornbury Vet Group in nearby Shipley.

"When we arrived at the vets, Jazz was in a really bad way but the team there were amazing," said the officer.

The dog was given a stomach pump, injected with an antidote and put onto a drip overnight.

"Jazz is back to full health and has returned to duty," said Pc Wilson.

"I'd like to pass on my sincere thanks to the veterinary practice for responding so quickly and with such professionalism."

As a result of Jazz's actions a man was arrested and a firearm and a quantity of suspected heroin was recovered
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From the BBC News Website
 
Heart attack after op call

Heart patient Brian Garbett was so shocked after finally being given a date for a life-saving operation that the 67-year-old promptly suffered another attack.

The pensioner is convinced his ninth heart attack was brought on by the surprise telephone call from doctors.

The retired miner, of Stourport, was rushed to hospital an hour after getting a date for a bi-ventricular operation [...]
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express & star
 
RED FACES AS HUNT TOPS ENGLISH ICONS POLL


11:00 - 18 January 2006
There was anger in the Westcountry last night when it was suggested the Government may try to fix the result of its own poll which made foxhunting a top English "icon".

The result of the vote, just over a year after foxhunting was banned, is a political embarrassment for Tony Blair's Government, which allowed Parliamentary time to be used for a vote on the ban.

But there were hints by officials last night that hunting might be "removed" from the officially approved final list of icons.

Guy Morlock, master of the Spooners and West Dartmoor hunt, said: "This is all a bit light-hearted so it seems a bit unnecessary to have hunting whipped off the site if it does appear to be doing so well."

Thanks to a campaign by pro-hunt groups, hunting presently has 92 per cent backing its case to join Stonehenge, the Spitfire and the humble cuppa on the list.

That puts hunting ahead of the countryside, the pub, Big Ben, Morris dancing, the bobby on the beat, cricket, the flag of St George, red telephone boxes and Tower Bridge.

Culture minister David Lammy launched the £1 million project earlier this month saying it was about "the things people care about that make England the place we all love".

Now he is faced with evidence an activity he has consistently voted to outlaw in the Commons may just fit that bill.

A spokeswoman for the project said public votes would be "taken totally into account" when its panel of experts chose which suggestions to include. But she said that as it was such a controversial issue, it was important to allow enough time for a full range of views to be submitted.

She told the Press Association: "This is a debate that rages on and on.

"We will be letting it run and making sure everybody knows they can get their viewpoint and comments on the site.

"At the moment there is a large lobby of people coming in and voting. Lots of other people who have other views have not yet had a say."

She said she could not pre-empt the decision of the experts but suggested consultation would continue "over the year".

New groups of icons - about 25 each time - would be added quarterly but ideas "may take a while" to be adopted even if they were nominated early on, she said.

Alison Hawes, the South West regional director for the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance, said the voting for hunting as an icon demonstrated the passion that still existed for the sport and had clearly taken organisers by surprise.

She said: "This is a debate that rages on and on. We will be letting it run and making sure everybody knows they can get their viewpoint and comments on the site.

"At the moment there is a large lobby of people coming in and voting. Lots of other people who have other views have not yet had a say."

"I bet nobody thought when they started that hunting would be brought up as a subject. They don't like it but that's tough.

"To try and stop it would be censorship. The site gives you the chance to vote against things, as well," she said.

Hunt supporters said that there was nothing to stop anybody else coming up with their version of what should be an icon for England.

League Against Cruel Sports spokesman Ben Harding said that coming up with an icon could be an idea that the organisation would pursue.

The icons website is www.icons.org.uk
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Although, in fairness to the Gub'mint, I think they've been mugged by the Hunting lobby.

You can vote as many times as you like on the Icons website (I've just spent a bit of time ther voting for things other than hunting!), so I reckon someone organised all the huntsmen and supporters to vote several times.

Much as I dislike their 'sport', you have to admire their cheek!


EDIT:
(This is another example of a gub'mint computerisation cock-up!
But you can vote AGAINST Hunting as an icon.)
 
SAILOR RECOVERS AFTER RESCUE ORDEAL IN STORM
Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list

11:00 - 20 January 2006
A cornish sailor was recovering on board a US Navy ship last night after being saved in stormy seas off Mexico by a desperate mobile phone call to a friend in the Westcountry. Sailor and catamaran designer Richard Woods and co-sailor Jetti Mantzke were rescued from the Pacific Ocean 90 miles off the coast of Central America after being forced to batten down the hatches by a Force 10 storm.

The Navy powered into action after Mr Woods called fellow boatbuilder Pat Patterson in Saltash, Cornwall, to tell him they were in trouble.

Mr Patterson called 999, and Falmouth Coastguard began an international rescue effort.

Mr Woods and Ms Mantzke were yesterday said to be safe and well on board the US Navy frigate and on their way to dry land. They are due to arrive in Guatemala today.

Mr Patterson last night told of his shock at the SOS call from his old friend.

"I was sitting in my house when the call came out of the blue," he said "He phoned to say that his catamaran had capsized in Force 10 storms off Mexico.

"He had tried to get help but no one had come out to him. I was very concerned so I called Falmouth coastguard and asked them if there was anything they could do. I felt a bit helpless knowing they were stuck out there. It's just such a relief that he was rescued."

The rescue effort was sparked around 9.30pm on Wednesday, when the boat started getting into trouble as huge waves crashed over it. The weather was as bad as you can get," said watch manager, Andy Catterill, from Falmouth Coastguard, who coordinated the operation.

The catamaran had only a hard dinghy, a hand-held radio and flares.
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The irony is missing from this online version.
But in the printed version, Mr. Woods said "It was 'Perfect Storm' stuff, which was the last book I read." !!! :D
 
Someone getting his comeuppance :

Offender expert on porn charges

Mr Barron appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court
An expert who helped set up a blacklist of violent sex offenders has appeared in court on pornography charges.
Vincent Barron, 48, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court last month and was released on bail to an address in Country Durham.

Mr Barron, a Probation Service worker, was seconded to London to help set up the Violent and Sex Offender Register.

He made no plea or declaration and the case was continued for further examination.

The national computer database ViSOR contains details of sex offenders and violent criminals who may pose a serious risk to the public.

It has emerged that Mr Barron appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on charges of possession of indecent images, and taking or permitting to be taken, or distributing, indecent images.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Office explained that the report to the procurator fiscal had been submitted by Fife Police.

The Home Office confirmed that a member of staff involved in the ViSOR programme has been suspended.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4635576.stm[/b]
 
Sundance: MPAA doc pirated by the MPAA?

Posted Jan 24th 2006 6:32PM by Karina Longworth
Filed under: Documentary, Sundance

In an irony of a kind not seen since yesterday, when I fell asleep in a screening of a film called Who Needs Sleep?, filmmaker Kirby Dick has accused the MPAA of illegally copying This Film is Not Yet Rated, his documentary about the ratings board which premieres here at Sundance tomorrow night. Dick's lawyer has contacted the MPAA demanding that they return all copies of the film in their posession, and explain who authorized the reproductions, and why. The MPAA in turn admits that they made the copies, but insist that their doing so doesn't qualify as illegal piracy. "We made a copy of Kirby's movie because it had implications for our employees," MPAA VP Kori Bernards told the LA Times, before essentially accusing Dick of stalking MPAA workers. "We were concerned about the raters and their families." Dick showed the Times a copy of an email exchange he had with the Board, in which he told the MPAA he would only submit a copy of his film to be rated if they promised not to copy or distribute it. In turn, a board rep told Kirk that "the confidentiality of your film ... is our first priority. Please feel assure (sic) that your film is in good hands."
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www.cinematical.com/2006/01/24/sundance ... -the-mpaa/
 
Texan oilman speaks out aginst oild dependency:
Bush urges end to oil 'addiction'

President George W Bush has warned the US must break its "addiction" to oil, in his State of the Union address.
He said the US was too reliant on oil, often from "unstable" countries, and had to find alternatives.

......

In his televised, prime-time address, Mr Bush described the nation's dependence on imported oil as "a serious problem".

"The best way to break this addiction is through technology," he said, pledging to seek a 22% increase in funding for clean energy research, including nuclear and renewable energy.

He said he was aiming for a 75% cut in US oil imports from the Middle East by 2025.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4665758.stm
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I think it's a good idea to invest in new tech. and enviro. friendly fuels even if it is ironic.
 
Lost wallet returned 39 years on

A US man has praised the "good, honest" people of Utah after a wallet he left behind 39 years ago was returned to him in Pennsylvania.
Doug Schmitt, 57, left his wallet on the counter of a petrol station in Logan, Utah, in the spring of 1967.

The owner put the wallet in a drawer in the hope Mr Schmitt would come back to collect it.

Decades on, his son-in-law found it, tracked Mr Schmitt down on the internet and sent it to him.

Full head of hair

The wallet still contained $5 in cash and 8-cent airmail stamps. An equivalent stamp today costs 39 cents.

It held Mr Schmitt's student identity card from Utah State University.

"I had a real full head of hair back then," said Mr Schmitt.

He also found pictures of his high-school girlfriends and a dry-cleaning ticket in there.

"It makes me wonder if I still got some dry-cleaning out there," he said. "I don't know."

Ted Nyman was clearing out his father-in-law's estate when he came across the wallet and sent it 2,158 miles (3,472 km) across the US.

Wonderful

Mr Schmitt, an antiques dealer, said he was used to looking through people's old relics and letters, but was surprised to find himself looking at his own history.

"I never thought I would be the object of something like this - not at this age, anyway," he said.
:D

"It's wonderful that people will take the time to research that, then return something to someone they don't even know," his wife, Vickie, added.

"It's great to see how he looked when he was a freshman in college."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4674374.stm
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FOUR STUCK IN LIFT AT FAWLTY HOTEL


11:00 - 22 February 2006
Guests staying at the hotel which inspired Fawlty Towers may have felt as though they were starring in the hit comedy after getting trapped in a lift in the building.

Firefighters were called to help the guests out of the lift at the Gleneagles Hotel, Torquay, on Friday night. John Cleese stayed at the hotel in 1971 and came up with the idea of the BBC sitcom after noting its service and standards. This time Basil Fawlty could not be blamed - despite a warning that the lift could only take two people, four guests laden with luggage all bundled in at the same time. The lift was stuck between floors and the firefighters had to force the doors open at about 7.30pm. Sub-officer Dave Crawford said: "The lift's only for two people and although the signs said this, four people wanted to get in with their suitcases.
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Chip litterbug faces double fine

An Essex man who threw chips out of his car window has received fines for littering from two councils because they fell across both districts.
Mathew Buer, 21, of Clacton, was fined £50 by Colchester Borough Council after he was spotted littering on the A133.

Mr Buer had paid the fine and thought the matter was settled until a second demand for payment was posted to him from neighbouring Tendring District.

A council employee who was driving behind him notified both authorities.

Chip after chip

Mike Page, a spokesman for Tendring District Council, said on Wednesday that one of its employees had been driving behind Mr Buer and had reported him after taking offence at seeing him throwing the chips.

"It wasn't just a few chips - this was chip after chip and the wrapping as well," he said.

"It covered a fair distance and the employee who was following him obviously took exception and notified both authorities."

Mr Buer was unavailable for comment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/4741120.stm
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:D

(I once lived near there - must've been along that road a few times!)
 
And now, sport:
US knocked out of World Classic


The US have been knocked out of the inaugural World Baseball Classic after a 2-1 defeat by Mexico in their final pool game in the World Cup-style event.
The Amercians managed only three hits in Anaheim as their claim to be the top baseball nation was undermined.

The US fielded a crop of Major League stars, including veteran pitcher Roger Clemens, who then hinted at retirement.

The hosts' exit means the semi-finals will see Cuba meet the Dominican Republic and Japan play South Korea.

Amercia's defeat was a massive blow to the nation that invented the game, produces most of the world's top players and considers the sport its national pastime.

The formidable line-up of future Hall of Famers and All-Stars never found their form in the 16-nation competition, losing three of their six games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 816000.stm
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Yes, that was sad. That article is partly wrong though. A lot of the major stars come from the carribean,mexico,central and south america and even a bunch from the far east. When I was younger I always wanted to move south, cause we only have decent weather to play about half the year. :sceptic:
 
Recently I've had spam problems. There seemed to be something wrong with my McAfee Spam Killer settings.

I tried their support pages, but these refused to load, which meant I had no contact with McAfee! Eventually I made contact via their press office, but this mainly resulted in loads of automatic emails advising me to use the contact pages. :roll:

Finally I got the addy of a page that would load, and sent an email to the link given there. No reply.

Meanwhile I managed to sort the Spam settings myself.

But peeved that I'd not had my email answered, I sent another email to the other McAfee link I had.

No reply...

until I discovered that McAfee's Spam Killer had blocked the reply!!!! :shock:



(Which, needless to say, was as useless and roboticised as the rest, giving me US phone numbers to ring. You'd have thought the .co.uk in my email addy would have been a clue that I'm not in USA... :evil:

The email also said You may receive a survey asking for your comments about this e-mail response.

Bring it on! :twisted: )
 
Illegals arrested at Home Office

Five illegal immigrants have been arrested after turning up for work to clean a Home Office building.
They were working for a firm contracted by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Becket House in London.

Earlier this week a director at the IND caused a row after saying he did not have the "faintest idea" how many illegal immigrants were in the UK.

A Home Office spokesman said the cleaners were arrested on their first day after standard employment checks.

Home Secretary John Reid, who has come under fire after also admitting he had no idea of how many illegal immigrants were in the UK, said the Home Office would not use the firm until it had better vetting procedures in place.

'Woeful'

He said the additional vigilance of a security guard helped identify them.

The Home Office said: "These individuals were the employees of a firm contracted to provide cleaning services.

"It is policy that all employees and contracted employees working in Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) buildings have security and employment checks carried out, which include checks on their immigration status.

"Of course we will investigate further and appropriate action will be taken as necessary."

Shadow Minister for Immigration, Damian Green MP, said the news sparked "more questions than it answers".

"How long have they been using this firm? Do other Government departments use the firm? How confident is the Home Office that previous cleaners supplied by the firm were not also illegal?" he said.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP said the Home Office appeared "woefully under prepared" in dealing with illegal immigrants.

"If even the Home Office is having trouble identifying illegal immigrants in its own buildings, it is no wonder other businesses are struggling," he said.

Fine system

Earlier this week the IND's director of enforcement and removals, Dave Roberts, caused a row after conceding he did not have the "faintest idea" how many illegal immigrants were in Britain.

He told the Commons home affairs committee those who overstayed their visas were not pursued individually. The strategy was to target larger groups of failed asylum seekers working for the same employer.

Later this year new laws will come into force making companies liable for fines of up £2,000 per employee given work when the employer knew it was against the law.

Mr Roberts told MPs: "We are making huge efforts to remove them but not at the basis of tracing individuals."

Immigration minister Tony McNulty said on Wednesday the best estimate for the number of illegal immigrants was between 310,000 and 570,000. Removals ran to about 25,000 a year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4995764.stm
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He finally dropped off his twig.

The Grauniad

The day Britain's most notorious egg collector climbed his last tree

Birder falls to his death from larch tree while checking out unusual nest

Martin Wainwright
Saturday May 27, 2006
The Guardian

Colin Watson's prey was precious, rare and hidden in dangerous places. And on a windy afternoon this week his risk-taking finally caught up with him.
While a friend watched in horror, Watson, 63, lost his grip on the slender trunk of a 12-metre (40ft) larch tree he had climbed to check out yet another unusual bird's nest. The former power station worker tumbled to the ground in woods in south Yorkshire, a region where collectors have often played hide-and-seek with police. Paramedics arrived soon afterwards but the father-of-three had suffered massive injuries and was declared dead at the scene.

It was the end of a life which saw a schoolboy hobby develop into a passion that made Watson the most notorious collector of wild birds' eggs in Britain for two decades. He was convicted six times under wildlife protection laws, fined thousands of pounds and finally had virtually his entire collection - the largest in Britain - confiscated after a raid on his home by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
"This is a very tragic incident, but Colin Watson's misuse of his great knowledge was also a tragedy," said Grahame Madge of the RSPB yesterday. "He undoubtedly knew more about birds than many of our own people, but his egg collecting put the very species he hunted in danger. It was in the true sense of the word a perversion of expertise and talent."

Watson's family and friends claimed he had given up egg collecting more than 10 years ago, with the advent of tough additions to the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Although disturbing the nest of a protected species is also an offence, south Yorkshire police said there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances at the wood in Campsall, near Doncaster.

But Watson remained on informal lists of some 300 known or suspected egg collectors, whose cars are logged if they go near the nesting sites of rare birds. His many run-ins with the RSPB led to claims he was the vandal who tried to cut down one of the country's best-known sites, the osprey nesting tree in Loch Garten, Scotland, which was vandalised with a chainsaw in 1986.

Kes

Watson's background resembled the novel and film Kes, about a lad from a Yorkshire pit village who found and learned to train a young kestrel. As a boy, Watson was fascinated by the fragile beauty of eggs and the excitement of knowing that rarities such as peregrines and goshawks nested on the nearby moors of the Derbyshire Peak district.

Schoolboy birdnesting at the time was considered a virtuous interest in natural history, with older neighbours in Selby, where Watson settled, skilled in the art of blowing eggs - removing their contents through a tiny hole - and willing to help in building a collection.

Celebrated ornithologists such as Thomas Coward, who published the standard guide to British birds in the 1920s, acknowledged the help of scores of village collectors.

"There was a tradition of collecting in Victorian times which has taken a long time to die out in some parts of the country," Mr Madge said. "The old collectors played their part in natural science, but nowadays we have good, easily accessible cameras and there can be no justification for robbing nests."

The handful of diehards occasionally include hawk breeders, who can get £2,000 on the illegal market for a young peregrine falcon. But most collectors are believed to suffer from obsessional neurosis, a condition identified by a Finnish psychiatrist who examined two British egg thieves who were jailed in Finland 10 years ago. They also come from every type of background.

Watson worked as a maintenance man in the big power stations that line the M62 between Ferrybridge and Drax. In his spare time he scoured the country for rare nests. "It requires a lot of knowledge and skill to find the sites, and Colin must have been one of the most successful collectors," Mr Madge said.

Obsession

The scale of his obsession was revealed in 1985 when the RSPB raided the home he shared with his disabled son near Selby, and found more than 2,000 eggs, including those of golden eagles and ospreys. Watson was fined £1,700 despite claiming the eggs had been collected before the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act outlawed the practice. He later appealed successfully against his conviction for illegal possession, but he was fined £2,800 after subsequent raids.

In the meantime, south Yorkshire became one of several police forces to appoint specialist wildlife officers with time to monitor remote sites. By last year, seven egg collectors had been sent to jail for up to three months. "The message is getting across that the police are taking this seriously and the courts are, too," Mr Madge said. "It is very sad Mr Watson's life should end like this, but it is also a shocking reminder of how dangerous these sorts of activities can be."
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I'd like to believe that he was found with peck-marks all round his head... :lol:
 
Timble2 said:
He finally dropped off his twig.
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Nicely spotted

Was just going to post that article myself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sout ... 017330.stm

I love the bit that says

A spokesman for the RSPB said Mr Watson had at one time been "public enemy number one" in the bird protection world.

He said the society extended its sympathies to Mr Watson's friends and family.
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Now who honestly believes that the RSPB really extends sympathy to the friends and family of a man like that. The only thing that could have made this story better is if he had fallen out of the tree as a teenager rather than as a 63 year old Scumbag.

If the RSPB mention him in their next newsletter I hope they dont restrain themselves. I will keep an eye out for that.
 
Maybe they'll erect a statue of him so the birds can have their revenge.
 
Like it or not, the egg collectors are really the only people who know birds well.
 
:? I don't think that's true. Bill Oddie knows a lot about birds and I bet he doesn't collect eggs.

Never mind Bill Oddie, I know a lot about birds and I'd never even consider touching their eggs.
 
Kondoru said:
Like it or not, the egg collectors are really the only people who know birds well.
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In that case we do not need to know that much.

:?: Mind you does that mean I can find out a lot more about humans by stealing babies straight out of the womb :?:
 
His many run-ins with the RSPB led to claims he was the vandal who tried to cut down one of the country's best-known sites, the osprey nesting tree in Loch Garten, Scotland, which was vandalised with a chainsaw in 1986.
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Chris, have you tried a chainsaw for that? :lol:
 
Ewww!

You know, it wouldn't surprise me if there's some sort of law against that...
 
However, regardless of his obsession, no matter how ill conceived (ahem), a person has died. I trust the many of the above posters will keep such wonderful senses of humour in other situations......
 
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