i'm not sure why the documentary suggests that the only options are protecting the calf or predatory behaviour. rather, the more obvious explanation is competition over resources. you'd imagine that the orca would be more interested in the seals, and are just trying to scatter the sharks out. if they can get some food out of it, great. but that's not really the point.

it's just more evidence that orcas are evolving to occupy the niche that sharks currently occupy. nor is this shocking - the era of mammal diversification and replacement is the era we're continuing to live through. bye sharks...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay4xnI216iY

i know the topic is generally understood to be l ron hubbard, but i think it's an oversimplification to state as much - i don't think there's a specific target. it's about the martyr archetype, in general. and, i think it's actually very easily applied to a number of targets that aren't generally spoken of - politicians, the military and perhaps the crux of american culture, itself.

the song itself is pretty obvious, but the line that's always struck me as most important in determining it's intended target is this one:

don't you step out of line

that's military language, and evokes the imagery of an officer attacking his superior. it's always led me to the conclusion that this is some kind of an anti-war song - a criticism of american war culture, and this idea of the soldier as martyr.

you know, it's really remarkable. it doesn't matter what the policies are. it doesn't matter what the evidence is. the reality is that obama has deported more immigrants than any other president, and by a large order of magnitude. when he says he's putting more staff at the border to keep the kids out, his record supports that.

the media doesn't care. it's stuck in these reagan-era narratives. to the media, obama is walter mondale.

that's scary for two reasons.

1) it suggests that the narrative is fixed. that is, that the media will not allow the two party system to change. not even when the narrative has nothing to do with reality.
2) because the narrative is fixed, the perspective will never change, regardless of the policies. that gives both parties free hands on certain concerns, that everybody will just flat out ignore.

it's really remarkable. it really is.