Kalkbreath Philippine Fund

[John_Brandt]

With regard to the use of the acronym MILF, in the context of the Philippines it stands for Moro International Liberation Front. There is also a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF or just MLF), the New Peoples Army (NPA), and the Abbu Sayiff (the last ones have been linked to Al Queda).

Peter Rubec

Peter, close but no cigar. It's Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and Abu Sayyaf. And it's Al Qaeda.

Seamaiden, like any good mom you know how to liven up a thread.

Vitz, which recent bombing?! Though bombings in the southern Philippines have been linked to these rebel groups, none of them take any responsibility (admission) for criminal activity.

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/s ... ines.bomb/

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Police in the Philippines are hunting members of a militant Islamic secessionist group who they say are responsible for the airport bomb that killed 21 people.

Officers say the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was responsible for the bombing at Davao City International Airport in the south of the country and have ordered the arrests of senior MILF figures.

Those being targeted by police include chairman Hashim Salamat, spokesman Eid Kabalu and Ghazali Jaafar and Al Haj Murad, the group's political and military chiefs.

The MILF has denied any role in Tuesday's blast on Mindanao island, 609 miles (980 km) south of Manila.

The office of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is supervising the investigation, told CNN the arrests were prompted by "the increased lawlessness and violence and intensified terrorist activity [in Mindanao]."

The arrests would represent a major shift in official policy towards the MILF, the largest of the four groups fighting for an Islamic state in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country.

Until now the group has been officially regarded as a political organization and not a criminal or terrorist group.

Police on Thursday said it was possible the bomber, among those killed in the blast, had accidentally set off the device earlier than intended.

The bomb was reportedly planted in a backpack and exploded in the airport's waiting area where about 80 people had gathered to greet passengers.

Defense Department spokesman Lt Col. Danilo Servando told CNN the bomber was an MILF member but said there was no evidence of a deliberate suicide bombing.

The Philippines is on high alert following Tuesday's blasts, the second of which was a smaller bomb that hit Tagum, north of Davao, shortly after the airport explosion. Two people were slightly injured.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited the bombed-out airport on Wednesday, leaving a wreath for those killed, as police reported two other bombings hit the country, this time without loss of life.

Despite the upsurge of violence in recent days, Arroyo says U.S. troops will not go into combat against Philippine rebels.

U.S. Special Forces are already training local troops in the southern Philippines.

Muslim insurgents and guerilla groups, including the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF, have been waging a bloody battle against the government for decades, mainly in the country's south.

Fighting has escalated since the Philippine military attacked a key MILF stronghold three weeks ago.

Since then, the military has blamed a series of bombings and raids on the MILF, including an attack on power transmission towers which triggered a massive power failure in the southern Philippines last week.

 

[John_Brandt]

Yes, Vitz I'm quite familiar with that one. The reason I asked which bombing, is because there have been numerous ones lately. I have been following the situation very closely in Mindanao, since MAC seeks to have collection areas there certified.

 

[JennM]

How about posting one of these ever so elusive images of cyanide killed reefs?In twenty years I have yet to see one.......big foot or cyanide killed reef...........but people have been talking like both exist even though there is soooo little evidence?

Kalk,

You refuse to believe it even if you do see it.
Tell me again why anyone should take you, the cyanide apologist, seriously?

Regards.
Mike Kirda

Oh and Mike you already went to PI looking and came up short........so thanks for the support :wink:

Hey Jeff, hasn't Mark the "Coral Man" ever paid you a visit at the shop? He's got a whole truckload of dead coral skeletons, which he imports from PI (under CITES, no less!) and he sells them for use in FO systems. He'll bring the evidence right to your door for you.

I was sick when I saw them -- I know that coral skeletons are used for this, have even used them myself, but he's got HUGE tables of Acropora, and all kinds of things -- makes me sad to think of what the colonies looked like when they were alive... I don't know if they are dead because of "other causes" and are collected for curious, but I would think that they would be worth a whole lot more alive than dead...

I don't buy his corals. I've got a few that were given to me by people who bought them "before they knew better" (their words...), but I order resin replicas for people who want "dead coral" in their FO tanks. I did buy a net to use for a "wrapper" for a small tank and accessories I donated to a school gift basket, but I indicated that I preferred my corals to be living and he hasn't been back to see me since. I think I freaked him out with my disgust at the death and destruction in the back of his truck!

I too, don't need to visit Auschwitz to know what happened there.

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

I've run him off twice.

Told him I only sold live corals.
He assured me that they were alive.
I said if they're in the back of your truck they aren't alive.

I honestly think that he would have told me they were live corals if he thought that's what it would take for me to buy them.

8O

 

[Kalkbreath]

How about posting one of these ever so elusive images of cyanide killed reefs?In twenty years I have yet to see one.......big foot or cyanide killed reef...........but people have been talking like both exist even though there is soooo little evidence?

Kalk,

You refuse to believe it even if you do see it.
Tell me again why anyone should take you, the cyanide apologist, seriously?

Regards.
Mike Kirda

Oh and Mike you already went to PI looking and came up short........so thanks for the support :wink:

Hey Jeff, hasn't Mark the "Coral Man" ever paid you a visit at the shop? He's got a whole truckload of dead coral skeletons, which he imports from PI (under CITES, no less!) and he sells them for use in FO systems. He'll bring the evidence right to your door for you.

I was sick when I saw them -- I know that coral skeletons are used for this, have even used them myself, but he's got HUGE tables of Acropora, and all kinds of things -- makes me sad to think of what the colonies looked like when they were alive... I don't know if they are dead because of "other causes" and are collected for curious, but I would think that they would be worth a whole lot more alive than dead...

I don't buy his corals. I've got a few that were given to me by people who bought them "before they knew better" (their words...), but I order resin replicas for people who want "dead coral" in their FO tanks. I did buy a net to use for a "wrapper" for a small tank and accessories I donated to a school gift basket, but I indicated that I preferred my corals to be living and he hasn't been back to see me since. I think I freaked him out with my disgust at the death and destruction in the back of his truck!

I too, don't need to visit Auschwitz to know what happened there.

Jenn

.................Yes he has come by..............I dont like dead corals because they are green algae magnets and scratch tanks............These curio trade corals are taken alive from the reef......most dead corals are chomped down by parrot fish .....And less then one 100th of one percent of dead corals are killed by our hobby collectors...........of the dead reefs today ......99.8% are from bleachings..warm water in the Pacific...and disease in the Carribean......only .2 percent are from fishing of any type...........90% of that is seafood fishermen......and if we exclude the country of PI..................then that would remove 80% of all hobby damage. worldwide.......{Anyone like to challange my numbers?}

 

[PeterIMA]

Jenn, I somehow doubt that MAC the Coral Man (MAC??) has CITES permits for corals (dead or alive) imported from the Philippines. The US Fish and Wildlife prosecuted one importer from Tarpon Springs here in Florida last year. He was tried and convicted for illegally importing corals from the Philippines. The Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) where I work had our coral scientists involved with identication of the corals. The skeletons of the seized corals were given away to children through the public schools.

A lot of the dried corals sold in pet stores and curio shops in the USA are illegally smuggled out of the Philippines. If more stores sold artificial coral skeletons (made out of epoxy resins) there would be less demand for illegally traded corals. Both are about the same retail price (per coral piece).

 

[PeterIMA]

Correction, In my last message I meant to say Mark the "Coral Man". Somehow, I keep making spelling mistakes as John Brandt has noted.
Sorry about that,
Peter Rubec

 

[Kalkbreath]

Peter, You dont want to tangle with me on my dead reefs statistics? Does that mean you dont disagree with the numbers?

 

[Anonymous]

<sigh>

No, Kalk. It means that he understands that he'd be WASTING HIS TIME. :roll:

 

[Kalkbreath]

:wink: Yes,........ the truth is a powerful force:wink: How bout you? do you realize that far less then one percent of dead or dying reefs worldwide is caused by fishing any kind......even the food fish industry.........? We as humans, like to concentrate on those meaningless endeavors .....as opposed to tackling the greater problems.........kind of like saving a deathrow inmate from cancer..........only to carry out his sentence and put him to death the next year....... Ps.....I have been doing my part to save the reefs, I have been pooping in a can ...as opposed to dumping it in the river {like the general public} I have been collecting quite a few cans as of late..............Perhaps that guy in the ducky ring and flippers{MW} can use them in one of his reef products? Hows" Kalkweisser" sound? Weekly Kalkweiss supplement additions to your reef tank will give your tank that Fla Keys look.......

 

[clarionreef]

Kalk,
Let me be the first to congratulate you on your best post yet!
The furloughed Iraqi Info Minister will no longer be missed. His spirit is alive and well in Atlanta!
Excellent, exellent post

 

[Kalkbreath]

Thankyou.....but with the minister, they actually challanged his position with return questions.........I have found very little in the way of conflicting data being presented here..........?wonder why?

 

[dizzy]

Kalk,
:lol: good one kalk :lol: Maybe you can get a patent and sell it to some unsuspecting NGOs. :wink:

PS Be sure to trademark the name. If the product flops you can sell it to a beer company.

 

[mkirda]

wonder why?

They realize the futility?

Just a guess.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[clarionreef]

No guys!
As the ultimate spokesman for explaining away environmental impacts from any industry that can pay. The aquarium trade is small potatos. I suggest a jump over to the seafood thread and try and peddle him to the Marine Stewardship Council.
Also, The Hong Kong live fish trade needs better representation and spin. They are not good at it at all. Kalk will illuminate the terrain for them, explain how cyanide fish don't exist, they're harmless if they did and they have minimal impact on the reefs anyway. Thats all they want to hear! Why give it away Kalk if you can sell it? [good thing you're not a girl!]
Steve
PS Both George Carlin and Rush Limbaugh share the same thread on this. They hold that ultimately mans impacts, whatever they are [ never as serious as the Yucatan comet that wiped out the dinosaurs] will be absorbed and life will evolve on.

 

[Kalkbreath]

The point is that......even if a section of reef in a MAC collection area is safe from harm with regard to our hobby..........It will most likely be killed by one of the many other threats.......example...... ten minutes after MAC net divers leave an area .....seafood fishermen arrive and juice the whole reef to get to the wrasses and grouper............Or better yet the refinery that makes those Styrofoam boxes MAC certified fish are shipped in .........dumps so much toxic sewage into the ocean that the coral saved from cyanide dies from pollution.......Which is what 98 percent of all coral decline world wide can be attributed to ..............What percent of worldwide reef distruction would you attribute to this hobby Steve? If one considers that the total square kilometers of warm water bleaching in Fiji and the Maldives ...........alone is 100 times that of bleached reefs in PI.......how can you disregard the greater polyp destroyer? Rather then waste time reforming PI.......we should be focusing all our attention at keeping the remaining 50 islands and countries in the South Pacific from following the Philippines foot steps.........By supporting and guiding those emerging industries that manage the natural resources in a sustainable manor we will be controlling what threats emerge in Fiji Tonga Marshalls.etc. It makes more sense to support those "virgin" reefs then to try to reform an old ****{EDITED to"THE DIRECT AND COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF VIRGIN"} like PI...........While we are focusing on rebuilding the reputation of PI .........The unspoiled virgins like Tonga and Fiji are left on their own and unguided......will those islands make the same mistakes as PI..........Supporting these unspoiled islands NOW before its too late .....is a better use of resources then supporting a lost cause like PI.....

 

[mkirda]

It makes more sense to support those "virgin" reefs then to try to reform an old slut like PI...........While we are focusing on rebuilding the reputation of PI .........The unspoiled virgins like Tonga and Fiji are left on their own and unguided......will those islands make the same mistakes as PI..........Supporting these unspoiled islands NOW before its too late .....is a better use of resources then supporting a lost cause like PI.....

Kalkbreath,

To be honest, I am quite offended by this language.

Curiously, my wife, who is Filipina, was not. Her response, when I pointed out the thread:

"no, i am not offended.

if he thinks so little of the philippines, then i would say that he shouldn't be purchasing anything that comes out of there.

but i bet you he does. so, a better response to his post would be to say:

if he thinks the philippines is such a lost cause, then he should:
1) refrain on commenting on anything related to it,
2) it would be beneficial for the rest of the folks on reefs.org to see
what he has done to further the trade in those other places, i.e. fiji, etc,
3) to "prove" that he doesn't purchase anything out of the philippines,
which would seem to be highly unlikely, since what consumers want do come out of there, right which brings it back to the "lost cause" - you can
always point out that he's obviously part of the problem since he continues to plunder the philippines on his customers' behalf

this is way too much time for me to be spending on this guy....that's enough, don't email me about this dope anymore..."

BTW, I did have her permission to post it...

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[clarionreef]

Kalk,
Take some de-caf Gunga Din!
The cake [Philippine fish supply and variety] holds up the icing [ small variety and supply from So. Pacific] and as such keeps the bakery in business.
Although many ohh and ahh at the icing sometimes, it is in fact the cake that provides the forum...and anchors our industry.
Steve

Ignoring the cake? Interesting concept. A purely reef based, invertebrate oriented store perhaps but then again thats another subject.

 

[Anonymous]

Indeed, Kalk has, in his fervor to disseminate very poor information (yeah, I can pop off with plenty of numbers, too, but back 'em up? Ball's in your court now), crossed the line. Who's next on your list?

I know this much about the people of the Philippines, learned it readin' a BOOK (you should try 'em yourself, they can be pretty good), called "Ghost Soldiers", about the men who rescued the POW's from the Japanese camp in Bataan. What the Filipino people endured can hardly be described (I won't even try), and what WE Americans owe them for this is hardly repaid.

Bite your tongue, Kalk, bite it hard, make it bleed. You're downright offensive. You were funny, but this isn't.