not only the webocean’s knowledge pool, but many other sites (such as wordpress!) are planning on contributing to a webocean blackout in protest against the SOPA and PIPA acts. these acts, as the mermaid understands, sport a variety of unfriendly elements such as the threat to freedom of expression. swim out there and take a look!

the mermaid has not managed to work out the wordpress blackout tool (can’t find plugins folder!), but consider these waters as joining the protest!

the mermaid has just heard from her companion that there has been an oil spill in the southern hemisphere & that landfolk skills are needed to make garments for affected penguins so they don’t pick at their toxin-laced feathers. check on this site about measurements & whether help is still needed.

the mermaid had to be explained this image. what she found out: apparently landfolk are being governed by unwise elders, so they are increasingly unhappy. in order to make the elders see their mistakes, they are summoning each other to gather in spaces where the elders will hear them. as the picture indicates, they wish that merfolk support them, too, so the mermaid is heading down to a gathering place near her to deliver a message of wisdom to the unenlightened elders. possibly with octopus in tow!

The mermaid’s whereabouts approximately:
Area around London Stock Exchange
From 12pm

the mermaid just heard about an event at the royal society on marine protected areas. it takes place on the 17 october at 6pm. those wishing to attend have to register and bring an invitation and ID. the mermaid had to be explained what ‘VIP’ and ‘ID’ was and is now wondering whether merfolk is allowed to join, too!

the mermaid has been very busy lately researching with landfolk sages. the mermaid’s dictionary tells her that they call themselves ‘earth scribes’. through them, the mermaid has heard of a petition that landfolk can sign to stop other landfolk from scraping clear the oceanfloor for the purpose of fishing. there are some practices that are acceptable to merfolk for feeding oneself, but such large-scale exploitation is certainly not.

here is a link to the petition: 48 HOURS TO END OCEAN CLEAR-CUTS

world ocean’s day is approaching fast! the mermaid is busy as usual preparing for it (she has already recorded a song!). however, this year, she is not able to put on an event on the 8 june. instead, she will join a bunch of ghost mermaids on the 11 june for a joint shamanic ritual. participants with or without musical instruments welcome!

here are the event details:

rusalka night (danger- water demons!) – a night-long music and dance ritual to appease the water spirits

11 june, 7:30 – 11:30 pm
@ the wilmington arms
69 Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell
London, United Kingdom

a friend of the mermaid has arranged a screening of a recorded story at the school of oriental and african studies (university of london). the story in question is called pearls on the ocean floor. as the mermaid has been told, it is about female artists from a country called iran. here is more information:

pearls on the ocean floor screening
7 march 2011
7-9pm
school of oriental and african studies
russel square
khalili lecture theatre
£2 on the door

just a quick note from the mermaid to belatedly tell you about an exhibition that will be closing soon. it is called ‘london’s water – 400 years of the new river’. it is on at the guildhall art gallery between moorgate & st pauls station until 31 march 2011 (monday – saturday 10:00 – 17:00. sunday 12:00 – 16:00).