For a wide review of these themes lookout for my latest collection of short stories, Beyond Borders.For some, the notion of borders is that of a hard border, one clearly defined and assertively maintained. Certainly, in the Covid19 era borders reflect this standard, yet borders are by no means constant, or definite, whatever the political … Continue reading Reflections on Borders: Empire, Cold War and Covid19
Tag: geography
#Peatland and forest burning for palm oil production continues, but at what cost?
Harvard and Columbia University researchers have used air pollution readings to calculate exposure to the toxic smoke haze that drifted across Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, last year. Their research suggests 100,000 premature deaths in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, arising from this event.
#Indonesian #peatlands are torched again as the #burning season gets underway
I wasn't expecting things to deteriorate quite as quickly as they have today. Just in case readers aren't familiar with this Air Quality Index scale, readings are based on several factors but the figure 248 refers to parts per million of particles 2.5 microns in size. These have a capacity to enter the lungs … Continue reading #Indonesian #peatlands are torched again as the #burning season gets underway
#BookLaunch of ‘Seen & Unseen: a century of stories from #Asia & the #Pacific’
This is a Chitter Media Production, produced and edited by Adrian Metlenko, camera operators Adrian Metlenko and Evan Darnley-Pentes.
The author on “Seen and Unseen: a century of stories from #Asia and the #Pacific”
Common views of Asia and the Pacific, from the outside, often confer undue prominence to such things as typhoons, tsunami, earthquakes, malaria or even magic. While these can be confronting realities in the Asia-Pacific region beyond such differences even more remains unseen and misunderstood. Frequently unacknowledged are the influences Asian and Pacific cultures exert far beyond their borders. … Continue reading The author on “Seen and Unseen: a century of stories from #Asia and the #Pacific”
Forest Burning and haze in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Living with the haze in Singapore. Thunder, lightning and rain were a blessing through the night. Listening to the gentle tapping of rain drops on the window confirmed I’d been right switching off the airconditioning and air filter last thing. Rain always brings an interlude of clearer atmosphere. This was no exception with the PSI dropping … Continue reading Forest Burning and haze in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Unravelling the Mystery of Lake George: the vanishing lake
After a morning of working in the garden it’s a relief to be out of the wind. Right now it’s blowing at 50 km/h and gusting to 59km/h. These spring wind gusts stir up a lot of fallen flowers and pollens, so all the while I was working outside digging, sweeping and planting I had … Continue reading Unravelling the Mystery of Lake George: the vanishing lake
Sydney Urban Growth and Decline 2011: Student observations updated
Last November I published the first of these wordles, by way of summarising the language used by my students who had written reports on a field study project conducted earlier in the year. My students completed a field study around the Sydney Harbour foreshore from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. This was part of a … Continue reading Sydney Urban Growth and Decline 2011: Student observations updated
Drug resistant #tuberculosis confronting #Australia’s border security
With the emergence of the concept of a Nation State the world moved beyond tribe and clan, entering a new era in which the notion of the state rested on largely imagined and unsustainable historical constructions. Now in Europe we are witnessing the gradual end to such naive notions but in island nations such as … Continue reading Drug resistant #tuberculosis confronting #Australia’s border security
Lead Paint Protest
About 40 people wearing red took staged colorful protests on Terrigal and Avoca Beaches, this weekend. Protesting against the State Government’s planned sinking of the ex-HMAS Adelaide on April 13 they were highlighting the remaIning problem of lead contamination in the on the ship. According to the No Ship at Avoca group there is between … Continue reading Lead Paint Protest