Word: whaled
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Among the seven orcas who play Shamu in the famous killer-whale extravaganza at San Diego's SeaWorld, Kasatka is not the one to mess with - whether you're human or cetacean. At a mere 5,000 lb., she isn't the largest whale in the pod (the heaviest is 9,500 lb.), nor, at 30, is she the most senior. But she is what's called the dominant female. And in the matriarchal killer-whale society, that means she's the boss. On Wednesday, she decided to remind her trainer of that...
...occurred amid the setup for the "rocket hop," a stunt in which the whale virtually catapults its trainer into the air from an underwater start, allowing the human to make a spectacular arc through the air before diving into the pool. Kasatka decided instead to drag trainer Ken Peters under by his left foot, first for more than half a minute, and then, after allowing him back up briefly for air, for more than a minute. Only Peters' cool ministrations to Kasatka and his fellow trainers' use of hand signals and underwater sounds prevented tragedy as a large audience watched...
...ease with which trainers and whales appear to interact often leads people to believe orcas can be as tame as household pets. They remain wild animals and, says Scarpuzzi, each trainer has to make a decision for every show whether he or she can get into the water with a specific whale and whether the animal is ready psychologically and physically for a safe performance. Trainers depend on their long and close relationship with each animal to read their moods. Kasatka is likely to undergo a lengthy period of evaluation, with trainers working backward with records from weeks and months...
...Bible-study guides, sample sermons and group-rate screenings. And then there is, of course, the unprecedented Vatican premiere. Whatever the papal equivalent of two thumbs up is (two raised miters?), Nativity clearly has it. There has been one wrinkle along the way. Keisha Castle-Hughes, the star of Whale Rider, now 16, who plays Mary, is pregnant and home in New Zealand rather than out promoting the film...
...stage, No. 2 on film is a richly detailed postcolonial riff, mixing the simplicity of its sentiment (that culture must change to stay the same) with a surprisingly sophisticated cinematic eye. With its scenes relying less on Fraser's dialogue than on the seamless blend of cinematographer Leon (Whale Rider) Narbey's joyful imagery and Don (An Angel at My Table) McGlashan's soulful score, it comes as no surprise to learn that Fraser's cinematic heroes are movie maestros Coppola and Visconti, both lovers of lushness. And Dee, who took out Best Actress at the New Zealand Screen Awards...