So y’all know quite a bit about us, but we don’t know much about you. This thread is your chance to sit down and introduce yourselves to the rest of the Fry-Off. Last year we did a series of posts laying out our individual conservation philosophies: Southern Fried Scientist – The Data Speak, Bluegrass Blue Crab – Resposibilites to Creatures Great and Small, WhySharksMatter – If you want something done right, do it yourself.
This time, it’s your turn!
- What is your personal conservation philosophy?
- How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
- What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
- What’s your favorite marine critter?
- Sharks, people, deep sea?
~Southern Fried Scientist
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Use copious alcohol.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
I didn’t find it. It found me. And now, no matter how hard I try, I always see it sitting there. On Firefox. Looking at me like a malevolent version of National Geographic. I would escape if I could, but I fear I’m too deep in.
Abandon hope, all ye who enter.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
I want more about Global Draining. You seem to have gone quiet – silenced by BigWater?
4. What’s your favorite marinated critter?
Whale. Or tuna. Actually, the IUCN has a nice list of critters worth eating.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Sounds fun, as long as I can watch from a safe distance.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
It’s the people, stupid! Or, you can’t do effective conservation without getting people who will be directly affected by it onside.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
No idea. I come back as it is one of the better, and more thought provoking marine science blogs I’ve come across. I also want to try the canoe. And coffee maker beer.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
I’m not a fan of the most recent format. Oh, and I wish people would actually look past charismatics and the big media stories when it comes to wildlife and conservation.
4. What’s your favorite marine creature?
Not dolphins. I hate dolphins. Used to sleep under the waterline on an aluminium boat moored in Kavieng harbour. Bloody whistling and clicking kept me up all night.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
In that order.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
I think it’s important to look at the big picture when managing species. No species exists in a vacuum, they’re important to everything that eats them, is eaten by them, is eaten by something that is eaten by them…
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
It was a while ago, but I think I saw this linked off of Deep Sea News. I keep coming back for the offbeat views and opinions on conservation, the Sea Shepherd takedowns, and where else could I learn how to brew beer in a coffee maker?
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
Pretty similar to my conservation philosophy. I think we need to stop thinking about protecting one species at a time and start thinking about protecting entire communities.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
The mighty spiny dogfish!
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Deep sea sharks interacting with people.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Blue, no, Green, damn I am so nervous.
Look at all sides of a conservation issue, try and include as many stake holders as you can. Do smart conservation. If you think it looks like Conservation Kool Aid don’t drink it. Find funding outside the track, you’re only as successful as your funding will allow. Want to change someones conservation mind? Agree with them.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
Read about it on a bathroom stall somewhere in Iowa. The dark voice from under my bed commands me to return.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
Blog. More digging into what’s not working and why, the conservation world needs a smart targeted “blog adjuvant” like this one.
World. Love. More of it.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
Of all time – anything with eight or ten arms and 300 feet long. Barring that sharks.
My name is Mike Martin and I work with the many volunteer who support Touch Tanks for Kids. a grassroots group that promotes education and awareness so that more people will adapt a “personal conservation philosophy.” I found this blog while search for marine science blogs. My favorite marine critter is the horseshoe crab who’s story is told in this blog post:
http://www.touch-tank.com/396/horseshoe-crabs-love-teaching-aquariums/
Warm regards,
Mike
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Everybody has a personal responsibility to ensure conservation worldwide so that future generations will have the ability to experience what we do and to have continued resources in the future. Which means eliminating some current practices.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
Found via FaceBook group (found via my wife); a lot of good information on an area that I’m interested in and studying. Currently in the process of moving to Galveston, TX to study marine ecology and biology, from Northern California. I am a Scientific Diver and the environment is just one of my passions. Your blog and posts are a great way to be informed.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
The more conscientious use of resources and the elimination of peoples attitudes of ‘god given right’ to exploit any and all resources on the planet.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
Growing up in the high desert of Nevada, and not moving to the coastal regions and becoming a diver until my late 30’s, has given me an opportunity to be a child again with my new experiences in the ocean. Picking a ‘favorite’ is a nearly impossible task for me because every time I go out I am amazed, and overwhelmed, with new creatures and scenes; like a three year old who goes to the park. On every dive I can easily pick 10-15 “new” favorites! Therefore my favorite is EVERYTHING!!
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Get shit done
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
Either Andrew or David posted it on their facebook. As for coming back, the science is decent and comments/posts are funny and good to read. It beats reading about cancer all day.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
Cleaner oceans especially less depends on oil. In the rest of the world stop thinking that drugs will cure cancer. They wont. As for the blog, its good, I liked the random stories of what not to do such as “do not forget the plug”
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
After spending the 6 months feeding them, I will have to say Blue Crabs
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Conserve everything. Except bacon and other pork products. Those should be consumed, and recklessly.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
Once you’re in the sciblogosphere long enough, you’ll find your way here, I suppose. I come back because, in a past life, I wished to be a marine biologist. And I like pictures of Charlie.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
More SOUTHERN FRIED.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
Dolphins. They’re just so cute when they’re smiling at you.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Yes, no, yes.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
I’m big into the idea that nature works for us and the best way to serve ourselves is to be good stewards of our natural resources. That’s what will be on my business cards, but I have a poorly hidden giddy-as-a-schoolboy wonder for science and nature.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
It’s informative, appropriately critical and at times biting. It’s very readable and has a good diversity of topics without sacrficing details. You guys stick to what you know but that doesn’t leave you wanting for material, you dredge up some excellent writing.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
More skepticism, more cautious analysis rather than emotional pandering. Basically, I want what you have on your blog in the rest of the world.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
It’s hard to choose, but off the top of my head, I’m a big fan of nudibranchs.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
You know, as much as I have problems with individual people, I like humans a great deal. We have so much potential. I see sharks as essential to maintaining our human quality of life (that and they’re incredible). I don’t know a whole lot about the deep sea, but I’d like to go there someday.
We were bought off by Big Flood Insurance.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Take care of nature and it will take care of you. Or something like that.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
After getting sucked into Miriam’s awesome and hilarious posts on Oyster’s Garter and Deep Sea News, I found a link to SFS and sucked into that too. Plus, after I met WhySharksMatter in Cairns last month I’m interested to hear about how his research is going.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
Okay, I’m going to be monumentally naff here and quote K from ‘Men in Black’ and say “a person is smart, people are stupid’ (I’m sure someone else more eminent said it first though….). The more we can engage individuals on a personal level, the better chance we have of changing attitudes (and hopefully behaviours), especially that nasty 19th century world view that a surprising number of people still hold ie. natural resources are inexhaustable and have no intrinsic value outside of being exploited by humans.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
Any very tiny, easily missed beastie that I’ve somehow managed to spot whilst diving. Very small nudibranchs especially.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Sharks – awesome, complicated, and very much maligned, even today.
People – they’re okay, I spose.
Deep sea – boggles my mind that it is simultaneously the most common and least understood environment on earth.
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Everything has consequences, including management practices. Anybody who tells you something is the perfect solution with no downsides is lying.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
I think I first saw it linked from Terra Sig. I live in NC, though inland, so I like the local connection, and as a freshwater person I like keeping track of what you marine types are up to.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
Your blog is fine. The rest of the world could be more pleasant. Also stopping the oil spill would be nice.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
I’m pretty partial to Echinoderms. They’re one of the most fun phyla to teach, they have an awesome variety of things sticking off of them, and radial symmetry is cool.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Yes.
1. Conservationwise, I try not to hunt sea turtles even though they dig up me treasure. Everyone can make a difference!
2. I may have found it via Deep Sea News…
3. The blue background on yer blog is too blue. Prettify that. I agree with @hydropsyche, stopping the oil spill would be nice.
4. After reading this comic, the Angler Fish is me fav. http://bit.ly/ctqHnx
5. Deep sea, the deeper the better if ye catch my drift.
Them’s fighting words round these parts
Quite so
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
We need to do everything we can to protect and maintain biodiversity. Each species is so vital to it’s niche and we must protect them.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
I believe I found you on twitter by searching for biologists. I am a biology student and I am trying to expand my network and my knowledge.
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
I believe everyone should have access to good education, and more focus needs to be placed on education in this country rather than profit. I would like the US and other countries to break their dependency on oil; and currently, I would like to see the oil to stop leaking. 🙁 Poor Ocean.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter? jellyfish
5. Sharks, people, deep sea? deep sea!
1. What is your personal conservation philosophy?
Think about others and think about the future. I think if we keep these simple principles in mind we will have a healthy lifestyle that sustains the world around us. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Where there is injustice, fight it.
2. How did you find this blog? What keeps you coming back?
I found SFS through a link on Jennifer Kennedy’s Marine Life Blog. I had heard your name several times, so when she provided a link, I followed it. Do I really need to explain why I keep coming back? You guys are awesome!
3. What would you like to see changed (either on this blog or the world)?
I don’t think I would change anything about the blog (the world would take too long to write). I will say that the first thing I look for is which photo will be in the header.
4. What’s your favorite marine critter?
I can’t choose a favorite marine critter. The more I learn, the more I love them all. My love for marine life began with cephalopods, so I’ll use them as an example.
5. Sharks, people, deep sea?
Sharks. While in Monterey, CA, last week, my husband and I stumbled across a stop sign that had a sticker on it that said “shark finning” (so that it read STOP shark finning). I thought of you guys and will send the photo we took some time.
I’d love to see that photo
Let’s not forget Keaney Blue from the University of Rhode Island. Who crushed Virginia Tech and played Carolina to one point last year (and Carolina had to resort to a blatant trip to win that one). Was it the NIT and therefore ignored? Yes. Was it also some fine college basketball? Also yes.