Australia`s best rock song

Australia`s best rock song	9.03.2008

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03/09/2008		Zeta-Jones`s weight-defying acts
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Latest Comments:

The Sea Shepherdseamanship and culpabilityhas all the credibility of an election run by Mugabe.
Posted by: Bruce of Sydney 1:57pm today

Jan - Since we should obviously hunt to maintain ecosystem to achieve sustainable resources for future generations, then maybe we should start hunting people too. We all know over population of the world is a major issue, maybe we should start culling every 3rd newborn that makes it into this world to keep the population boom sustainable.It sounds like a horrific, barbaric and alike load of crap doesn't it? Well, not much different from my opinion of the seal hunt. And honestly, I cannot believe someone - namely sparky of melbourne - would advocate being a seal culler if you are a backpacker going through Canada and Alaska. Umm, how about save some money like the rest of us, then go on your holiday?? There is no need to resort to behaivour like this just to fund a holiday.
Posted by: Disgusted of Sydney 1:27pm today

As a Canadian i am appauled and sickened by my country's barbaric hunt.It's 2008 and here we are killing seals for fur??What do we need fur for?Come on, we aren't living in the 1800's!
Posted by: Emme of Canada 1:15pm today

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Icebreaker, Sea Shepherd boat collide during seal hunt
Each party blames the other, but no one hurt
In pictures: First images from this year`s seal cull

A CANADIAN Coast Guard icebreaker and a ship from the Sea Shepherd conservation group collided overnight in the Gulf of St Lawrence where the annual harp seal hunt is taking place.

A Fisheries and Oceans department spokesman said the Coast Guard vessel Des Groseilliers "twice grazed`` the Farley Mowat owned by the militant Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

There was "no damage done`` nor any injuries reported, he said.

Alex Cornelissen, captain of the Farley Mowat, said his vessel was "twice rammed`` in the port stern after he ignored warnings not to approach sealers on the third day of Canada`s annual hunt.

"They are ramming ships in dangerous ice conditions,`` Mr Cornelissen said.

"This is unbelievable. It`s like the Coast Guard has declared war on seal defenders.``

Provocation

Fisheries and Oceans Minister Loyola Hearn said the allegations were completely untrue and accused the Farley Mowat crew of attempting to provoke a confrontation with the Coast Guard ship.

"The Farley Mowat manoeuvred itself in front of the Coast Guard vessel Des Groseilliers to cause a collision between the two vessels,`` Mr Hearn said.

He said such tactics jeopardised the safety of people involved in the annual seal hunt and he called on the Farley Mowat crew to leave the area and "not attack Coast Guard vessels while they protect our sealers".

The annual harp seal hunt began last Friday with a handful of sealing vessels setting out before dawn from the Magdalen islands to reach the seal herds, and with activists close behind.

Animal rights groups, including the Sea Shepherd, say they document the "cruel`` slaughter and "atrocities on the ice".

Officials accuse them of interfering in the hunt.

Sealers routinely face shifting ice, high winds, freezing temperatures and unpredictable seas during the controversial sea hunt.

One vessel was forced to return to port on Friday after being slammed by huge chunks of ice.

Lives lost

On Saturday, a boat accident left three sealers dead and one missing.

The 12m trawler had steering problems and later capsized while it was being towed back to port by the Coast Guard.

Mr Cornelissen said the Coast Guard`s "incompetence`` cost the lives of the four sealers and now it "has demonstrated extreme recklessness`` by bumping into the Farley Mowat.

"It appears that Canada is prepared to use violence to cover up the truth of this slaughter,`` echoed Sea Shepherd`s head Paul Watson.

"Our duty is to resist their violence and continue to document the truth.``

Fisheries and Oceans Department spokesman Phil Jenkins said: "It`s despicable that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would use the death of Canadian sealers to try and advance its campaign of misinformation against the seal hunt.``

"This is really a new low and it`s extremely distasteful,`` he said.

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Swim star `was bragging`

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