Japan: An Ongoing Attempt to Save the Bottle Dolphins

In this article, “Japan's Dolphin Hunt: Tradition or Barbary?” Sarah Wolfe talks about an ongoing tradition in Japan, eating dolphin meat but the main controversy that has surfaced in the United States is the ways in which these hunters gather and kill these animals. The majority of discreet coves are located in Taiji, Japan. Hunters would gather a large group of dolphins by making sound barriers to disorient these helpless creatures and lead them to a small cove where hunters wait on boats, carrying riffles and spheres. One by one, each dolphin is either shot in the head or a sphere is thrust into its abdomen and endures a slow and painful death. The hunters gather the dolphin carcasses and send them off meat factories. Many animal activists in America traveled to parts of Taiji to document these in humane acts of animal cruelty. A movie titled The Cove documented a man's journey to stop the killing of dolphins. Over the past forty-five years, the government of Japan has complied and banned the eating of dolphin meat but now news about these animals being slaughtered has surfaced once again. In this article, Wolfe address both sides of the argument; one might say it is inhumane for the slaughtering of bottle dolphins but on the other hand, the killing, packaging and distribution of dolphin meat is a job one needs to support their family. I am less biased and against the slaughtering of these animals. I personally do not agree with this "tradition", although their methods of killing dolphins has changed, I do not condone with eating dolphin meat. The Japanese government has a habit of turning a blind eye to controversies like this, if they already banned the eating and selling of dolphin meat, why do they continue to allow these small businesses to kill these animals and sell the product? In my opinion, the government only complied because of the amount of protest and fuss American Organizations did to bring an end to the slaughter of dolphins. If it is against the law, the companies should not be allowed to kill and distribute dolphin products.

Article Link:

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/japan/140121/the-history-dolphin-hunting-japan

General history of dolphin killing:

http://www.opsociety.org/issues/dolphin-slaughter-in-taiji

Germany Moving Forward

It's great to know that Germany  is making  great strives to improve our Eco-system.  Companies in Germany are generating their own electricity by using grids used to deliver electric power to power  plants and business offices.  Companies like Mercedes Benz   Have used this method  in the hopes of decreasing  the electricity bills and  to also  help  minimize the amount of pollution they have caused to the Environment. In this article , the German Government  proposes a a new fee to companies that have transitioned to generating their own electricity. The main concern is the  amount of money needed to transport equipment used for Germany's solar electricity projects all around the world. Sigmas Gabriel plants to charge companies and individuals who produce their own energy to pay a fee.  The money they charge , will help to invest the renewables initiates plan. If the plan goes through, companies will have to pay the full 6.24 euro cent surcharge.

Ralph Schneider from Priosol Energy Investments  did not find  the governments idea to fees on generating ones own electricity surprising. More and more companies are turning to these efficient  alternatives and thinks its best for the companies finance. I thought that Schneider's argument was interesting. Why is the government of Germany creating offshore wind farms  and making large amount of investments in another country as oppose to their own country that is in fact paying for these investments. I agree with Schneider, if the government wants to improve their lifestyle by creating a mass product of clean electricity, why aren't they creating  these wind farms in their own country.  I also agree with the government to tax companies that are using renewable electricity but I think that the investments made offshore seems a little fishy. If their going to charge Te companies, the money must be put into good use. Or  maybe, these investments take time to fully get the ball rolling a see some changes that not only benefits Germany but also the entire world.


Link: www.dw.de/germany-to-charge-fee-of-grid-electricity/a-17418073

France's Deficit

 In the end of 2013, President Francois Hollande plans to increase the amount of tax takes by an extra 3 billion euros. To meet this goal, Hollande will increase a top income-tax rate of 75% to households that make over one million euros a year. Although there are only 3,000 households with that income, their tax contribution will help Frances deficit. The President keeps his promise to tax the wealthy. Michala Marcussen argues that France must continue with structural reform. To do so, the government must look for ways of decreasing money that are being distributed In companies for example that have more than enough workers. France must make major changes in order to improve. Hollande is moving in the right direction by increasing taxation of the wealthy.


The main concern would be that residents are willing to move to another country due to Frances tax increase. Too much taxation might cause people to leave France and without their contribution, France’s economical issue will tremendously increase. In my opinion, France cannot afford to lose any of their citizens, more importantly, the wealthy ones per say. The tax increase could jeopardize any hope of getting out of economical deficit. By increasing tax rate to 75%, the 3,000 households must contribute three-fourth of their earnings to France. It seems a little too steep to force the wealthy to pay the majority of taxes. In the United States, the rich pay majority of the country’s income tax. In 2012, the top ten percent of taxpayers paid 70% of the total amount collected in federal income tax. In France, the top ten percent is paying over five percent on tax then in the United States.  President Hollande should take a few pointers to help decrease France’s deficit from President Obama. This past year, there has been a decrease in U.S. deficit this past year. Hollande is definitely making baby steps to improving his economy; he just needs to start making leaps in order to get France out of the hole they are in.



Link: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101300969