Jeez, where does the time go? No, seriously.... It's almost May and this is my second post on the blog this year. So if there's actually anyone left reading this I'll be astonished. Besides the day job, the kids, yadda yadda, blah-blah, my main problem has been a lack of direction, not just on the … Continue reading The Dodo Express
conservation
It’s life Jim, but not as we know it!
Scientists at NASA are getting their test tubes in a twist over reports that water may infrequently flow on Mars. Which inevitably leads to the age old question of whether life could exist on the red planet... which in turn leads to a more pertinent question: How long before we wipe it out? Thanks for … Continue reading It’s life Jim, but not as we know it!
Albatross
There is no summer across the swollen sea, just the cold, distant sun-- an unfathomable loneliness between the sky and waves, a wind-blown expressway for travellers lonely, soaring, clipping currents on giant wings, no reason or rhyme for these mariners of ancient time, soaring with the grace and beauty of a million generations-- voyagers of the endless sea. (c) Darren Hawbrook *** Unfortunately, … Continue reading Albatross
The Fires of Virunga
The sounds of the devil come not long after the thunder, (Out of the craters of Virunga, the fire the rains can’t dampen) new guns to wage war on paradise. His serpent uncoils in verdant Eden, Eyes of amber and heart of darkness, the beast they call the mighty Congo whose black tributaries feed these savage … Continue reading The Fires of Virunga
The Lynx Effect
Okay, this is not a post about male antiperspirant deodorant, so if you read the title and came here expecting pictures of scantily clad women throwing themselves at a guy because he sprayed Lynx deodorant all over himself **other brand deodorants are available** then turn back now... That's not what this is about... Okay...maybe just … Continue reading The Lynx Effect
Invasion of the blob-type floaty thing
No, this is not a fictional piece. And it's not a review of some crappy 50's B-movie creature feature - although it is ultimately more scary. It's about the impending death of our oceans and the rise of the jellyfish, and after reading this you'll think the Creature From the Black Lagoon was about as scary … Continue reading Invasion of the blob-type floaty thing
A Drop in the Ocean…but it’s a start!
With so much depressing news concerning the environment and man's appetite for destruction hogging the headlines we need to grab hold of every scrap of good news we can, shout it from the rooftops, unfurl the banners and run naked through the streets gleefully singing Michael Jackson's "Heal the World." Okay, maybe not that last bit. … Continue reading A Drop in the Ocean…but it’s a start!
I Bought a Rainforest
Watching the first two episodes of BBC2's I bought a rainforest has been difficult viewing. Very difficult . But it's something we should all be watching. It's all too easy to turn a blind eye to the destruction of the natural world and shrug our shoulders apologetically, with the view: "It's not me mate, I've … Continue reading I Bought a Rainforest
The Lion Sleeps (less soundly) Tonight
It feels like I've been neglecting my blog a bit lately, but other things have started to take precedence. That's the problem for me - the creative muscle is stronger than the other components that go into being a writer: new ideas overtake older ones before they are finished. Still, I haven't forgotten what inspired … Continue reading The Lion Sleeps (less soundly) Tonight
Grizzly End for the Grizzly Man
It was nine years ago today that Timothy Treadwell died in the wilds of Alaska, killed by an unbridled passion for the wilderness, and in particular, the animal he had dedicated his life to protect. You may or may not be aware of the story of Timothy Treadwell. Indeed, you may have seen Werner Herzog’s … Continue reading Grizzly End for the Grizzly Man
Blurred Worlds 