CNN's Planet in Peril: discusses shark issues on December 11th

In early October, I posted information about CNN's Planet in Peril series (Oct. 10 posting). They will be covering several important shark issues, among other important environmental topics. The show will air on December 11 (check your local listings for exact times).

It appears that the show will cover shark finning/shark conservation and shark ecotourism. The video previews available on the shark finning segment cover familiar ground for those of you familiar with shark conservation issues. Hopefully it will enlighten some of the less informed. Of course, the biggest issue in saving sharks is finding effective ways to change the cultural midset regarding shark fin soup and other related products. Much like the criticisms hurled against the ineffectiveness of the "drug wars", we must wrestle with the demand for the product with equal attention and force.


The other shark issue that CNN touches on is shark ecotourism. They look at a South African operation and then touch on whether baiting white sharks is teaching them to attack surfers and swimmers (it makes for an exciting story). It's an argument often used by opponents, but in my experience and from what I have learned from respected scientists who have studied these animals for a lot longer than I have spent filming them, it just doesn't hold water. These sharks are more discriminating than most uninformed people give them credit for. Attracted to fish chum and chasing/biting hangbait consisting of tuna, bonito, or something similiar, does not make a white shark suddenly develop a taste for human flesh and begin seeking out surfers or swimmers as their next prey. Surfers have been and probably will always be subject to mistaken identity for the large pinnipeds (seals, sea lions) that white sharks feed on.


I did find it noteworthy that the South African shark diving operation CNN chose to film had an incredibly small cage that fit the divers in like slices of bread in a toaster (a cameraman could barely fit a decent video housing in there) and they dragged the hangbait right up to the cage, causing the shark to bang up against the cage - dramatic fun for the tourists but potential harm for both the shark and the divers. This is not responsible shark ecotourism.

Final Port of Call for Queen Elizabeth 2

A jumbo Emirates Airlines A380 jet and scores of pleasure craft greeted Queen Elizabeth 2 on Nov. 26, as the ocean liner sailed into Dubai, its final port of call in a four-decade-long career. The QE2, arguably the world’s best-known passenger ship, will be refurbished as a floating hotel and museum moored off the wealthy Mideast emirate.

"slapstick sillies"

For knuckleheads of all ages, the Alex Film Society unleashes the 11th Annual Three Stooges Big Screen Event on Saturday at Glendale's Alex Theatre. Among the slapstick sillies being screened are "Three Little Beers" and "Disorder in the Court." The bonus feature is a rarely seen 1974 interview with Stooge Larry Fine. www.alexfilmsociety.org

ICCAT: Putting Atlantic bluefin tuna conservation in its grave

Just a few days ago, I posted some hopeful information regarding proposed limits or regulations on Atlantic bluefin tuna and several shark species (see posting). A meeting was being held in Morocco by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). It seems by the end of the meeting those hopes were dashed.

The ICCAT has chosen to ignore the advice from their own scientific advisors and agreed to reduce the annual catch from 27,500 tons to 22,000 tons for 2009. The scientific advisors presented data that showed that a catch of 15,000 tons was necessary if the species was to be preserved. Once again it seems short-term economic gain has won out over long-term conservation management. Considering that negative economic impacts on commercial fishing are not something that nature has ever given much of a damn about, there are those who believe that the ICCAT's action could seal the fate of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Xavier Pastor, Executive Director for Oceana in Europe, declared: "ICCAT’s credibility has been destroyed by the negotiating countries who opposed responsible management measures for bluefin tuna. Instead of preserving the bluefin tuna stock from collapse, they gave in to the fishing industry’s short-term economic interests. With this decision, we can only wait for the disappearance of bluefin tuna."

Also under consideration were regulations regarding the taking of several depleted species of sharks. The only regulation to pass was the releasing of bigeye thresher sharks. (Read Oceana press release.)

To modify Starkist's old advertising slogan, "Sorry Charlie", which promoted discriminating tuna quality; it seems the ICCAT wants to say "Sorry Charlie, nice knowing you."

A Scythe for Sore Eyes

The Galpin Auto Sports Scythe brings a lot to the table. "From the handmade composite body and voice-activated on-board computer system to the twin-supercharged 1,005 horsepower engine, this car was built to make a statement."

The Wynn Las Vegas' interiors feel almost cutting-edge

From the outside, there’s nothing Bellagio about Wynn Las Vegas. Architecturally, it is slim and graceful, wrapped in skin-tight bronze. It’s coy compared with his earlier projects.

The Wynn Las Vegas' atrium, with marble floors inlaid with mosaics and decorative swirls in the carpets, lets some natural light flow into the casino itself.

A waterfall at the Wynn, part of a design centerpiece, is the backdrop for a table in a Japanese restaurant.
(Lawrence K. Ho / LAT)

A man pursuing his dream

LONG QUEST: David Spindler on the Great Wall in Jinshanling, China. He has spent more than 830 days exploring the wall on foot. Without formal training or funding, David Spindler has managed to become a leading scholar of the Chinese landmark's history through sheer determination -- and a lot of footwork. Spindler is a Harvard Law School graduate who left his job as a consultant and lived off savings to pursue his grand obsession thousands of miles from his Massachusetts roots. Some day soon, he hopes to publish a book on all he's learned. Spindler has traveled across China and even to Japan to look up arcane, centuries-old texts about the Great Wall. Now he wants to learn Mongolian to study works from the raiders perspective.

Danger shrouded in beauty

Three men enjoying the ocean view at Point Mugu were swept to their deaths Thursday afternoon by a wave that pulled them into the water along with two companions who were able to scramble to safety, authorities said.

The victims -- ages 17, 19 and 21 -- were standing at the water's edge on the landmark Mugu Rock taking photographs of the ocean about 1:50 p.m. when a wave knocked them into the surf, Ventura County sheriff's officials said.

Two of the men managed to haul themselves out of the water and shout for help, and a passerby dived into the choppy ocean to try to save the other men, said Senior Sheriff's Deputy Julie Novak.

Kathryn Barrona said she took off her shoes and jumped into the chilly water when she saw one of the men floating face down. She managed to swim out and haul him back against the current and crashing waves, but he was already dead.

Bonds that are a good investment

Reporting from Hong Kong -- From one Bond to another: job well done.

Roger Moore (above) told reporters Thursday that Daniel Craig was "marvelous" as James Bond because he brought a fresh dimension to the character.

The 81-year-old actor, who starred in seven Bond films in the 1970s and the 1980s, said Craig's performances in Steven Spielberg's 2005 political thriller "Munich" and "Sylvia" in 2003, in which he plays the poet Ted Hughes, helped shape a new Bond.

"All of those parts were very, very different to one's conception of Bond. . . . I thought he was absolutely marvelous," Moore said of Craig's acting in 2006's "Casino Royale."

Fans have criticized the casting of Craig, questioning whether a stage-trained actor with little action experience could pull off the role of Bond.

Devil's Throat, Iguassu Falls, Argentina

Iguazu Falls, Iguassu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls Portuguese: Cataratas do Iguaçu pronounced [kataˈɾatɐz du igwaˈsu]; Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú, [kataˈɾatas del iɣwaˈsu] are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu.

Their name comes from the Guarani or Tupi words y (IPA:[ɨ]) (water) and ûasú (IPA[wa'su]) (big). Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The first European to find the falls was the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541, after whom one of the falls in the Argentine side is named. The falls were rediscovered by Boselli at the end of the nineteenth century, and one of the Argentinian falls is named after him.

Blue Mosque

The sun sets on Istanbul's legendary Blue Mosque, completed in 1616. The stately mosque features six minarets instead of the typical four.

Frankfurt am Main

Frankfurt is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2008 population of 670,000. The urban area had an estimated population of 2.26 million in 2001.[1] The city is at the centre of the larger Frankfurt Rhine Main Region which has a population of 5.3 million and is Germany's second largest metropolitan area. In English, this city's name translate as "Frankfurt on the Main". A large early tribe in the area was the Franks and in German "Furt" means a river crossing. Thus, in medieval times, "Frankfurt" meant the Franks' river crossing.

Situated on the Main River, Frankfurt is the financial and transportation centre of Germany and the largest financial centre in continental Europe.It is the place of residence of the European Central Bank, the German Federal Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Trade Fair, as well as several large commercial banks. Frankfurt International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports, Frankfurt Central Station is one of the largest terminal stations in Europe, and the Frankfurter Kreuz (Autobahn interchange) is the most heavily used interchange in continental Europe.

Grey Glacier, Patagonia, Chile

Grey Glacier is part of Torres del Paine National Park, which also is home to those jagged peaks you see on the Patagonia clothing logo. The whole area is South America's answer to Alaska -- vast spaces, dramatic seasons, looming mountains, exotic creatures, enormous quantities of ice and water.
(Antares Patagonia)

Hyundai’s Electric Mini Minivan

At the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, Hyundai gave us a glimpse at where they are heading, debuting the HED-5 i-Mode concept. HED stands for Hyundai European Design, thus the vehicle is aimed squarely at the European market.
The key attributes of the car? Let me name a few:

Lighter plastics to reduce weight are included, with an emphasis on environmentally friendliness — fewer emissions are required to build each panel.

Self-healing paints, the type you find on the Infiniti G37 coupe will be standard.

Swivel seating along the lines of Chrysler’s Stow and Go minivan seating will be included.

Extensive use of LG electronics to hook up with wireless networks allowing communication between car and house, and between items within the car such as headphones and keyboards.




(Excerpts from a review by AUTO TRENDS -- to visit their website click on the link below:

Kazamai by Mazda

Mazda recently revealed the first official image of a new compact crossover vehicle called KAZAMAI for the first time AT the Moscow International Motor Show. According to Mazda, KAZAMAI means the "revolving crosswinds". The concept has a four-wheel-drive powertrain and constitutes the next generation of direct injection engines along with the development of a new transmission. The spectacular styling of this beauty will catch the eye of all as it passes by.

Exciting and Unsettling

Stephen Higgins and Nina Gilden Seavey's absorbing documentary "The Matador" doesn't avoid airing the protests against bullfighting that have increased in recent years. But the filmmakers never take sides, concentrating instead on their captivating subject, David Fandila, a bullfighter from Granada, who, five years ago, at the age of 21, set out to become only the 13th matador in history to complete 100 corridas in a single season.

Even if one is not a bullfighting aficionado, it is easy to get caught up in his quest. Fandila is as graceful and stylish as a dancer and rarely falters; he does seem to fulfill one observer's remark that the bullfighter is "a hero who confronts death for all of us."

When he arrives at a ring, David blots out protesters chanting, "Torture is not art nor culture." The bull's fate might be cruel, but surely Fandila is an artist and bullfighting has been deeply embedded in Spanish and Mediterranean cultures for centuries.

The filmmakers don't probe why this came to be and what it signifies, and their film would have been stronger had they done so. Still, they do capture the paradox of beauty and cruelty that charges their entire film. "The Matador" is rightly exciting -- and unsettling.

-- Kevin Thomas "The Matador." MPAA rating: Unrated. Running time: 1 hour, 14 minutes. Exclusively at the Laemmle's Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills (310) 274-6869.

To purchase the Art Print above click on the link below:

Saving the Arctic: petitioning the U.S. to step up to the plate

Several leading conservation organizations along with the mayors of San Francisco and Pacific Grove, California; and Juneau, Homer, and Shishmaref, Alaska have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish comprehensive regulations governing greenhouse gases to protect the Arctic regions and, in so doing, North America and the world.

"We're all in the same boat—whether you live in northern Alaska or southern California, we all have a stake in the enormous impacts climate change is already having on the Arctic," said Keith Addis, Chairman of Oceana's Board of Directors. "Quite simply, as goes the Arctic, so goes the planet."

The conservation groups included the Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, and Alaska Conservation Solutions. Trying to undo years of neglect or political intransigence on the part of the EPA, efforts are being made to get the EPA back on track, particularly in light of growing scientific evidence as to the effects of climate change - from melting sea ice and permafrost to encroaching warm climate flora and fauna to changing weather patterns, caused by fossil fuels and/or other man-made activities - by using the Clean Air Act as the vehicle to provide the EPA with the federal authority it requires to protect the public and the environment.

"As the Arctic melts, California feels the heat. The Arctic is where these impacts are seen first, but the effects experienced by Alaska communities are not only crucial to the people who there, they are a wake up call that our economies and communities are at risk everywhere," said Dr. Denny Kelso, Executive Vice-President for Ocean Conservancy.

I had the opportunity to document on film the effects of climate change in the Arctic - including striking footage of the lowest recorded levels of summer sea ice - for the marine research and education organization, InMER. Some of the results and images from that expedition will be available soon as part of a leading internet company's online ocean project, currently under wraps but should debut in the next few weeks.

If change is to come in how the U.S. government operates, as has been touted throughout the recent presidential election, the EPA is one agency that needs to review its original charter and take a leadership role. (Read Ocean Conservancy press release.)

World’s Worst Boxer To Retire

After 256 defeats, the world’s worst boxer has thrown in the towel. At 39 years old, Peter Buckley says his 300th fight will be his last.

Unusual Photo Angle

Michael Phelps (left) wins 8th Olympic gold medal. There is a series of these shots. Click on the link below to view the entire sequence:

Desperately Seeking Snitches

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The Albuquerque Police Department has turned to the want ads for snitches.

An ad this week in the alternative newspaper The Alibi asks "people who hang out with crooks" to do part-time work for the police.

It reads in part: "Make some extra cash! Drug use and criminal record OK."

Capt. Joe Hudson says police received more than 30 responses in two days. He says one tip was a "big one" but wouldn't elaborate.

An informant whose tip helps officers arrest a drug dealer could earn $50. A tip about a murder suspect could bring up to $700.

It's not the first time department has run ads. In a program 10 years ago, police received so many calls they turned the phones off.

Arcosanti

Arcosanti is a real construction site north of Phoenix Arizona. It is the product of Paolo Soleri's architectural and societal theory of Arcology. In his philosophy, architecture is society and visa versa. This is an image from Arcosanti's web page. It is a rendering of the mega-structure where it will be when completed. You can see the existing buildings near the bottom. notice the flowers in the foreground. They are meeting the rising sun in the east. The entire construction site is oriented to face south. In the summer months, the sun's path is high in the sky and the apse's(the mega-structure) curved shape keeps the inside in shade. In the winter months when the sun's path is low in the sky, the apse collects the sun's rays and stores the heat in it's enormous thermal mass. It regulates it's temperature with passive solar design principles and is incredibly aesthetic at the same time.

"Andy Warhol's Factory People"

The three hour film, “Andy Warhol’s FACTORY PEOPLE”, tells the story of the 60’s Silver Factory that Andy founded in 1964 in an abandoned hat factory on East 47th Street in New York City. The Silver Factory lasted until 1968 when Andy gave up the lease and moved to the White Factory on Union Square. Shortly after moving in the Spring of ’68 Andy was shot by Valerie Solanas and this event bookends the period of time covered in “Factory People”.

The idea of the film is to tell the real story of the culture, who was there with Andy, who participated in the work with Andy, and what really happened during this period…all without passing judgement on Andy, his work, his friends, and the people who were there at the time. The film takes and in-depth look at the lives and times of the people who hung out with Andy and “worked” at the Silver Factory during the Sixties, making it all click as a new counter-culture arose and began to exert its influence throughout the arts.

What makes this Warhol documentary, directed by Catherine O'Sullivan Shorr, slightly different from other Warhol documentaries is its avowed bottom-up approach: Warhol as a function of his followers is the idea. ("Factory People" assumes you already know your Andy.) Of course, this is true to some degree of any film about this artist, given the fact that he's no longer around to speak for himself, and even when he was he preferred utterance to explication, and also given the use he made of those around him. But this time the interview subjects get to talk about themselves, and each other, a little more than usual.

There are lots of photos and film clips, both by and of Warhol -- who would have turned 80 this year -- but it's the interviews, most of them new, that that tell the tale. There are Warhol assistant Gerard Malanga, unofficial Factory foreman Billy Name, biographer Victor Bockris (who calls the Factory "the most intelligent art commune in the world"), "superstars" Ultra Violet, Mary Woronov and Holly Woodlawn, actors Allen Midgette and Taylor Mead, and Velvets Reed and Nico.

The documentary is currently being shown on Ovation TV at various times.

Teeth & Tuna: ICCAT and EU consider tuna and shark limits

In past postings I have mentioned the International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). It is the primary organization responsible for setting regulations regarding the taking of Bluefin Tuna in the Atlantic. That population is very close to reaching the classic "tipping point", where declining populations will suddenly plummet as the biological reproductive infrastructure collapses due to over-fishing. Already the population figures are showing staggering declines.

On a positive note, the ICCAT is meeting in Morocco and many of the participants, including representatives from the European Union and the United States, are feeling the heat from conservation organizations armed with not just "tree hugger" rhetoric but solid scientific data. There are several proposals on the table - from reduced catches to complete moratoriums, particularly in Atlanctic breeding grounds. (Read Oceana press release.)

Oceana also has announced that the European Union is seriously considering several regulations regarding the commercial taking of several pelagic shark species, all of which having been adversely impacted either as bycatch from longline fishing for tuna or by being specifically sought after. Included for discussion are thresher, hammerhead, mako, and blue sharks. (Read Oceana press release.)

“The EU plays an important role in shark fisheries in the Atlantic, and I’m glad to see them take this strong and positive stance to lead sustainable fishing for these species. If the rest of the ICCAT parties follow this lead, we will make a huge advancement in securing the future of these vulnerable animals,” declared Ricardo Aguilar, Director of Research for Oceana in Europe.

Since I have started this blog, I have watched Oceana.org grow as an international marine conservation organization with a particularly proactive stance: a growing force to be reckoned with. Let's wish them continued success.

VALKYRIE: Coming in December

At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in order to end the war. The operation was codenamed "Valkyrie", for the emergency plan that was meant to be used in case of a revolt against the Nazi government. This plan had been modified by the conspirators to ensure their success, but for various reasons the plot failed when finally carried out on 20 July 1944. The conspirators of the inner circle were shot after a kangaroo trial or sentenced to death soon after.

The movie opens in December.

The Valkyrie And Her Einherjars

"A valkyrie on her silver steed on a war-torn land. The butterfly she is looking at is the manifestation of a soul of warriors who died on the battlefield. So, this picture has a combo of norse myth (valkyrie), greek myth (pegasus) and japanese myth (spirit butterfly).

To purchase this print, click on the link below:

Letting a wetlands grow wild again

A California brown pelican dives into the water to snare a fish at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. “This place has incredible potential,” said Lennie Arkinstall, groundskeeper of the privately owned land. “Just add a little water and cleanup work and, boom! You’ve got instant thriving ecosystem.”

Swordsman slain at Scientology Celebrity Centre

Police today identified the man who was shot and killed after wielding two samurai swords at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre in Hollywood.

Authorities said they were not sure why Mario Majorski, 48, traveled from Oregon to the center Sunday morning but indicated he had "created problems" for the church in the past, said Det. Wendi Berndt

"From that we believe there is some sort of mental issue," Berndt said.

Majorski allegedly waved two swords in the center's garden about noon Sunday and threatened to kill security guards, she said.

Police said a surveillance tape backed the security guard's claim that he fired his semiautomatic handgun to protect himself and two colleagues.

Deep Sea Observatory: live from downtown Monterey Bay canyon

After six years of design, preparation and installation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has launched a revolutionary research observatory that will serve as a power station and data link for many deep sea projects. At 3,000 feet deep, perched on the edge of the Monterey Bay undersea canyon, the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) provides organizations with properly configured experimental equipment with the ability to efficiently gather critical data on oceanic conditions - whether it be sealife studies or monitoring water quality or climate change effects.

Where research equipment is often hampered by battery or power limitations and researchers must often wait until data is retrieved, the MARS system will act as a round-the-clock "power strip" and "high-speed internet connection." One of the first experiements to utilize MARS will be one that monitors acidity levels. Ocean acidification is a major issue tied in to the ocean's interaction with carbon dioxide levels. (Read MBARI news release.)

Speaking of ocean acidification, the NGO, the Center for Biological Diversity, has notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its intent to file a lawsuit against the EPA, demanding that the U.S. federal agency act more aggressively regarding the issue of ocean acidification due to increasing carbon dioxide absorption. In particular, the suit addresses the need for the EPA to revise its outdated ph standards - set in 1976 - in light of new research regarding acidification. Higher ph levels due to carbon dioxide absorption can have profound negative effects on a variety of marine life and can threaten the overall health of any marine ecosystem. (Read press release.)

“Ocean acidification is global warming’s evil twin,” said Miyoko Sakashita, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity’s oceans program. “The EPA has a duty under the Clean Water Act to protect our nation’s waters from pollution, and today, carbon dioxide is one of the biggest threats to our ocean waters.”

Let's hope that both MARS and the Center for Biologival Diversity can help to enlightened those goverment agencies that we depend on to make important environmental decisions.

The magnetic Tyrone Power

From 1936 through 1958, the incredibly handsome Power was one of Hollywood's favorite leading men. Romance novelist Barbara Cartland once said, "We didn't need sex. We had Tyrone Power."

He excelled in everything, including romantic dramas ("The Razor's Edge"), swashbucklers ("The Mark of Zorro," "The Black Pirate") and comedy ("Love Is News"). Every once in a while, Power got a chance to play against type, as in "Nightmare Alley," in which he costarred as an ambitiously ruthless carnival worker, or in Billy Wilder's 1957 mystery thriller "Witness for the Prosecution," which cast him as a charming murderer.

This weekend, the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre paid tribute to the actor with a three-day retrospective, "Tyrone Power: Everybody's Darling Boy."

"Sunset Boulevard" and Norma Desmond

This movie is absolutely haunting. The dialogue is magnificent. It works as both a moving drama and a semi-black comedy look at the fragility of fame and the lure of the movie industry. Billy Wilder’s direction and screenplay are brilliant. I could watch it over and over again. And I have.

By: Barry Monush

"seven flavors of insufferable"

The All-Ego Sports Team isn't about steely self-confidence. It's about bloated ego, about heads too big for the helmet, and mouths too big for the microphone. It's about the real-life Apollo Creeds. Being merely obnoxious doesn't get you on this list. You have to be seven flavors of insufferable.

Here are a couple from that list: (For the complete list click on the link below)

Barry Bonds, baseball player. He’s the most prolific home run hitter of all time and still can’t get a gig. Why? Maybe it’s because he’s clubhouse poison. Maybe because he may be headed for jail. Was Willie Mays really his godfather? What happened there?

Alex Rodriguez, baseball player. The way he finagled a new contract in 2007 was churlish and an insult to an organization that treated him well. Now he has left his wife to hang out with strippers and movie stars. A-Rod? More like A-Bomb.

Creating Magic

Bob Baker, 84, owner and creator of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater on the corner of 1st and Glendale, has over 3,000 puppets in his collection. The nearly 50-year-old stage just west of downtown, where the owner crafts most of the puppets, is behind on mortgage payments. But he is determined that the show will go on. We wish good luck and prosperity to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

For more information click on the link below:

Red Wing boots, Pendleton plaid shirts, Filson field bags and Carhartt beanies are among the brands that a new generation is discovering.

CLASSIC: Red Wing boots have been a U.S. staple since before the 1930s, when this ad ran.

Amazing Art of Guy Peelleart, 1934-2008

Militants and military brace for a winter of war in Afghanistan

NO WONDERLAND: The snow was deep in Kabul, the Afghan capital, in February. Western strategists say winter weather will hamper militant movements, but the Taliban claims it won’t stop suicide attacks and roadside bombs.

Brits may ban Happy Hour

Britain is considering a ban on happy-hour discounts at bars and restaurants to curb drinking, a spokesman said Saturday, as health advocates warn that a rise in liver-related deaths among young people may signal a future epidemic.

Officials will decide whether to ban happy hours after an independent policy review is released in coming weeks, a health department spokesman said.