The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[JenniferS]

Wow, now Cheap Trick becomes the 4th band to pull out of Bands, Brew and BBQ. What a PR nightmare this is for SeaWorld. The thing that irks me is that the only people these bands are really hurting is there own fans. So what are you gonna come play the House of Blues or the Hard Rock and charge people $50-100 to see you and not come close to selling out or offer Groupon's to fill the place up. I would love to know in these online petitions how many people from the Central Florida area signed them. And don't get me started on the hypocrisy of the fact that many of these groups have played SW or Busch before and had no problem taking the money then. Who new that the way Blackfish would really hurt SeaWorld would be artists cancelling concerts which really helps the animals. What a bunch of hypocrites.

Sometimes it hurts financially to stand up for your convictions.
I am not a radical animal lover, not a member of PETA, think most members of GreenPeace deserve the charges they get, am a meat eater (even eat veal if it's served to me), but I have never been comfortable with the killer whale shows. For that reason, I have never been to SeaWorld. Nor do I visit our local MarineLand anymore. There is no purpose served by keeping these mammoth creatures in tiny tanks, forcing them to perform demeaning tricks for my entertainment.
And those were my feelings BEFORE I saw Blackfish.
If I were a scheduled performer at BB&B, I too would have pulled out. Check that - I would never have signed up in the first place. Financial consequences be damned. I would hope that my fans would understand, knowing full well that some (perhaps many) would not.

 

[ScoutN]

Wow, now Cheap Trick becomes the 4th band to pull out of Bands, Brew and BBQ. What a PR nightmare this is for SeaWorld. The thing that irks me is that the only people these bands are really hurting is there own fans. So what are you gonna come play the House of Blues or the Hard Rock and charge people $50-100 to see you and not come close to selling out or offer Groupon's to fill the place up. I would love to know in these online petitions how many people from the Central Florida area signed them. And don't get me started on the hypocrisy of the fact that many of these groups have played SW or Busch before and had no problem taking the money then. Who new that the way Blackfish would really hurt SeaWorld would be artists cancelling concerts which really helps the animals. What a bunch of hypocrites.

One-sided, heavily biased documentary preaching to a nation full of people that will believe anything if it looks well put together is the issue. Nothing more than that.

 

[JenniferS]

One-sided, heavily biased documentary preaching to a nation full of people that will believe anything if it looks well put together is the issue. Nothing more than that.

Most documentaries are heavily biased and one-sided in order to promote a specific agenda. Have you seen "An Inconvenient Truth" or just about any Michael Moore film?

The fact remains that 4 - 8 ton creatures should not be kept in bath tub sized tanks, serving no other purpose than to entertain folks with deep pockets. And for that reason alone, I'm out.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

One-sided, heavily biased documentary preaching to a nation full of people that will believe anything if it looks well put together is the issue. Nothing more than that.

Reminds me of "Waiting for Superman" which is another story entirely that I will not get into here.

@HTF and the guys on the OU podcast discussed "Blackfish" and brought up that there are marine parks/aquariums across the country that have far worse living standards for their large sea mammals, but instead we focus on SW. While SW could further improve the quality of life for its orcas, a legislative push to bankrupt and prosecute the bottom feeders and enforce a higher standard for everyone seems to be the best option.

 

[ScoutN]

Most documentaries are heavily biased and one-sided in order to promote a specific agenda. Have you seen "An Inconvenient Truth" or just about any Michael Moore film?

The fact remains that 4 - 8 ton creatures should not be kept in bath tub sized tanks, serving no other purpose than to entertain folks with deep pockets. And for that reason alone, I'm out.

The ratio is hardly comparable to me sitting in a bathtub. But if you want to discuss I will be more than happy to in the thread where someone is already pedaling pretty bad to convince people SW is bad.

 

[Cesar R M]

When the people have been here as long as they have, they know. I do sometimes feel bad for some of the new people who get killed around here. We assume they are all people with an agenda, but we were all new at some point.

pretty sure most of the new member's agendas are trying to get fun and get more information of Disney.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Gonna plug this CBC documentary again. It's shorter than Blackfish, but talks about a wider variety of Zoo related topics, with more viewpoints and examples from around the world with historical context. A great watch if your IP address is located within Canada.

 

[JenniferS]

The ratio is hardly comparable to me sitting in a bathtub. But if you want to discuss I will be more than happy to in the thread where someone is already pedaling pretty bad to convince people SW is bad.

No debate necessary.

I'm not likely to change my mind. Nor am I interested in changing anyone else's opinion.

I've said my piece and am moving on. As my son says, Peace out.

 

[wm49rs]

I wouldn't mind a 74 coup at this point. I agree with him more than disagree. It is his tactics that I find counter productive. But maybe he knows what he is doing. Should I give him the benefit of the doubt?

You could also visit WDW, and see for yourself the issues about which '74 is discussing.


But we both know that won't happen....

 

[raymusiccity]

Adjusted for inflation that would be $20.19 today.



That would be $2.88 today.

I don't know why Disney gets such a bad rap on their ticket prices. It seems that Universal and SeaWorld are in lockstep with them when ever there's an increase.

 

[alissafalco]

reminds me of people who really claim "if you dont like, dont watch".
how the hell would I know If I will like it or not without having to watch it first?

He's read plenty to know if he will or not.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't know why Disney gets such a bad rap on their ticket prices. It seems that Universal and SeaWorld are in lockstep with them when ever there's an increase.

Because Disney was the one setting the trend.

And they continue to raise them while offering less...

 

[alissafalco]

This is the pathology that enables dictators.

Oh stop....
You showed up right when spirit left. Hmmm coincidence?

 

[Cesar R M]

let's not get into another fight please.

Its been like 3 in a row on this week alone!

 

[asianway]

One-sided, heavily biased documentary preaching to a nation full of people that will believe anything if it looks well put together is the issue. Nothing more than that.

Can we get the Blackfish people to do a similar trashing of the decline of the WDW experience?

 

[fosse76]

One-sided, heavily biased documentary preaching to a nation full of people that will believe anything if it looks well put together is the issue. Nothing more than that.

It's only "biased" becuase it's contrary to your viewpoint, correct?

Personally, I didn't think much of Sea World when I went last year for the first time. I went to see the Shamu show and thought it was pointless other than to soak the audience with water. They don't tell audiences anything about orcas. Nothing they demonstrate by orcas occurs in nature, so the only educational aspect to having the orcas is for guests to see them in-person (and no, I don't have a problem with that).

However, after watching Blackfish, I will not visit Sea World again (I was already disinclined to visit it again anyway). But I didn't just blindly accept all the film's arguments. Yes, it exxagerated some aspects (most notably the lifespan of wild orcas...but the film is correct in that they live longer in the wild than in captivity), but the research I did (though it wasn't exhaustive) pretty much verified all the scientific information presented in the film (dorsal fin collapse is rare in the wild, as is teeth scraping against the skin). Sea World, on the otherhand, uses the "captivity" data and presents it as if it's the same as the "wild" data. I have a problem with that.

Now I don't believe that Sea World physically abuses these creatures, but they do emotionally harm them. Orcas are highly intelligent and self-aware. They are forced to perform tricks that they would otherwise not perform. If you remove them from their families, they react the same way you might, and Sea World doesn't seem to care. And it seems to me that no one who actually works at Sea World with these animals has any real education in the sciences other than what Sea World tells them.

Like I said above, I don't really have a problem with Sea World's actual purpose, but I think they need to reassess their handling of orcas and just own-up to the fact that keeping animals in captivity does alter them in some respects, whether it be behavior or lifespan, and explain why it is necessary to have these animals in captivity (other than to douse spectators with water).

 

[ScoutN]

Can we get the Blackfish people to do a similar trashing of the decline of the WDW experience?

One is fact. One is spin.

 

[ScoutN]

Like I said above, I don't really have a problem with Sea World's actual purpose, but I think they need to reassess their handling of orcas and just own-up to the fact that keeping animals in captivity does alter them in some respects, whether it be behavior or lifespan, and explain why it is necessary to have these animals in captivity (other than to douse spectators with water).

By that statement.... free the elephants, birds, tigers, and lions at AK.

 

[flynnibus]

By that statement.... free the elephants, birds, tigers, and lions at AK.

Or more significantly... free the cats and dogs in everyone's homes because they are forced to do tricks and be locked in houses in fences

 

[ScoutN]

Or more significantly... free the cats and dogs in everyone's homes because they are forced to do tricks and be locked in houses in fences

Why I like your posts, we are head to head one certain things. Same side on others. Grudge free.