Nick Brandt, Tony the Tiger, Whales, TEDx

Nick Brandt Ranger with Tusks Amboseli 2011. Courtesy Source Photographica

BRANDT: Nick Brandt’s photographic exhibition concludes in Sydney this Sunday (27 th May) at Shapiro Gallery, Queen Street, Woollahra.  Many beautiful images are online but you will miss the thrill of standing in front of these handsome large format photographs –  majestic close up portraits of those extraordinary and beautiful African animals in often vast landscapes and under dramatic skies.  Nick and many of  the animals seem to know one another – and he has observed them over several years and made a unique connection.  They are remarkably accepting of Nick’s proximity – often only several metres.  What is very sad as this photographic trilogy unfolds over several years  – On This Earth, A Shadow Falls... can extinction really be the end game?  This image of the elephant tusks on the cracked earth is both beautiful and haunting, a reminder of the insatiable trade in ivory, and the elephant extinction vortex.  We are witnessing the tipping point – and on our watch. This photograph, and many of the others taken in 2010 and 2011 and recently released, are darker in both tone and mood.

TONY THE TIGER: Thanks to Dee De Santis for forwarding me this link from the Animal Legal Defence Fund appropriately entitled Making Sense of the Current Status of the Tony the Tiger Cases.

 In essence: The ALDF is involved in three separate lawsuits concerning Tony.

The first lawsuit filed by the ALDF successfully got the permit to cage Tony revoked. This decision is now delayed by an appeal by the owner against the judgement.

The ALDF lost the second case which attempted to force the State Department to enforce the wildlife laws. It is still illegal for the owner to possess and exhibit Tony and the Department has publicly stated that they will enforce Louisiana law once the litigation has concluded.

In the third lawsuit, the owner is attempting to overturn the state ban on private possession of big cats.

On the ALDF site you can ask a question or leave a comment.  Some comments thank the ALDF for their work, other lawyers have commented, and there are suggestions where Tony could be relocated to.

Thanks to the ALDF for their efforts for Tony and their work in general. I appreciate the explanation for the delays, but meanwhile,  day after day, Tony sits in his cage…

WHALES: Help Stop the Japanese Whale Hunt and sign a petition to the Japanese Ambassador to Australia, Mr. Shigekazu Sato. Whale hunting by the Japanese – and others,  is anachronistic, unnecessary, and cruel.  It is now more a case of the Japanese saving face.

TEDx: This weekend I’m looking forward to the TEDxSydney talks, which we can all follow online. I’m especially interested in Jeremy Heimans who co-founded the very effective GetUp.org which introduced effective targeted internet activism in Australia.  The Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) talks began as a one-off in 1984. Devoted to “ideas worth sharing”, speakers now have 18 minutes (or less) to give “the talk of their lives”. Many of these talks help keep one optimistic about human ingenuity.