The most famous hydraulic empire in fiction is probably described in Frank Herbert‘s Dune universe, which describes a traditional hydraulic empire on the planetArrakis,[5] as well as a galactic empire controlled by the limitation of the spice drug produced on Arrakis.[6] The protagonist in Larry Niven’s 1976 book, A World Out of Time, describes the concept of a water-monopoly empire to the antagonist. This…
I like the title “liquidity – the value of wetlands”. Sort of brings one to the essential nature of wetlands, i.e. water, wetness, liquidity, in-betweeness, amorphousness, amphibiousness, sediments as opposed to the terrestrial, solid land, territoriality, rockiness. Haven’t watched the video so I am going to watch it now to make a better review, or…
“In the late 1976 the well at our home in the Central Valley went dry and our family of six literally had no water for two months. We had to purchase and haul water, take baths in metal garbage cans, and use a rented portable toilet behind our house. There were waiting lists for new, deeper…
Viviend Van Sandt publishes a fine article – “Lake St Lucia regenerating life” (December 27, 2013, iOL Science and Technology) – explaining the consequences on a coastal wetland ecosystem of river diversion from a lake estuary, and eventual efforts to relink both systems through firstly “pushing water” back into the starved system and allowing nature to…
“In Greek mythology, the kingfisher (the halcyon) was believed to tame the wind and calm the seas for seven days either side of the winter solstice.” Floods, excess waters and what various birds and mammals make of them. A page from Claire Stares‘ Country Diary. The Guardian, Monday 13 January 2014.
My fondness for water taps and pure simple water drew me to this picture and protest request. If you wish to sign it and to contribute your voice, click here. The ramifications of Nestlé’s actions are not limited to Pakistan. In so much as such actions constitute part of their policy, they will have replicas in…
The Rio Grande (or “Big River” (Image: Bryan Tyler). Few rivers in the world have spawned so much writing in the past few decades as the Rio Grande. And as struggles over river waters are on the increase global-wise given irreversible increases in world population, the growth of cities and production needs, so too will be…
Looking at the urban landscape in China and criss-crossing the cities and experiencing the rural landscape, leaves one struck by the complexity of a radically altered landscape. I have often and would ever appreciate being born in a small ‘urban town’ town in Africa, but grew up in a countryside that could be said to…
On New Year’s Day we changed plans and decided to visit XiXi National Wetland Park with Geo, one of Karolina’s teaching colleagues at the University. It was a sunny Western New Year’s Day and the wind had blown away the smog for the past few days, so you could clearly see the streets below, from…
Each time I see the title “the meaning of water”and begin tracing how meanings are approached, the examination soon fizzles out into something else or gets too shallow that I scratch my hair and give up. Is there something else whose meaning is is harder to track, define, or examine? I kind of liked the…
Somewhat thinking of the journey of the SS Mendi and the White Cliffs of Dover this morning in Hangzhou. It’s after listening to Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross” which I haven’t heard for such a long time. I used to listen to a bit of him as I grew up, and his tape “The…
I was happy that Real Estate developers had not found Lake Hangzhou a waste of land and space, and that many Chinese people and particularly the citizens of the city hold the heart as a cherished part of their identity. Unlike anywhere I have been, visitors to the Lake seem to sit from late afternoon…
After nine days in China, I am now more than aware of the sensitivity of the Chinese (and expatriates who have established good relations of here) of the overbearing critique of the country by foreigners that come visiting. The history of this critique seems to date long – in short since collective Western efforts to…
Several everyday occasions promote the use of firecrackers and lights in China. 100 days of baby-sitting a kid or its first outing, completing a building, or some considerable task is always celebrated with a fire cracking or firelighting session.
Seeing a six year old kid sleeping behind the dad on a scooter drew my attention, and a discussion followed between Karolina and I on child safety and public transport in China. According to her, not only are seat belts hardly a prescription for children that is reinforced by law, children are frequently left to…
