People fight back and eat the locust plague sweeping through the Sudan and Israel. They fry the insects in a tasty coating to make them crunchy and delicious. However, they can never hope to contain the hordes of insects sweeping the land. See the full article here.

The United Nations and worldwide governments are wondering how the Earth's expanding population will feed themselves in the future. In the West, many of us have grown up with cheap, abundant meat. Rising prices mean we are now starting to see the return of meat as a luxury. As a result we are looking for new ways to fill the meat gap.

Food futurologists predict that insects, or mini-livestock as they could become known, could become a staple of our diet.  It's a win-win situation. Insects provide as much nutritional value as ordinary meat and are a great source of protein, according to researchers at a university in the Netherlands. They also cost less to raise, consume less water than cattle or livestock and do not have much of a carbon footprint. Plus, there are an estimated 1,400 species that are edible to man. Insects like crickets and grasshoppers can be ground down to make burgers and sausages resembling their meat counterparts.

A large chunk of the world's population, an estimated 70%, already eats insects as a regular part of their diet. Caterpillars and locusts are popular in Africa, wasps are a delicacy in Japan, and crickets are eaten in Thailand.

A member of the Experimental Food Society predicts that insects will need an image overhaul if they are to become more palatable to the squeamish Europeans and North Americans. However, most people eat insects without even realizing it. There are no figures available, but some estimates put it at about 500g every year. Muesli can inadvertently contain beetle and moth larvae and about 20% of imported dates have a small caterpillar inside.

Field workers in the 1600s and 1700s had little more than gruel when times were hard, and they would have picked up what they found in the fields such as slugs - not big slimy ones, but milk slugs - and beetle larvae.

Could you eat slug soup, boiled cod with snail sauce and gooseberry cream with sawflies? For a lighter alternative, what about moths on toast or a stag beetle larvae sandwich?

In the present time of war, fighting and bombs, a girl from Pakistan has shown true courage and determination to lift her country's morale.

Now a star squash player with a promising international career, Maria Toorpakai Wazir was born in Waziristan, a highly conservative region of Pakistan. In the early days she would come home bruised and bleeding from fights. Supported by her father, she focused that battling spirit on squash. From the tender age of twelve years, she needed to disguise herself as a boy and use a false name because, in her region, girls must follow strict guidelines and many are denied an education. Maria later received ominous threats for playing in shorts.

In her area, girls wear veils, are not even allowed to leave their family homes, and are always accompanied by male family members. When local villagers realized what Maria was doing, they were shocked at the way she brought dishonor to their tribe.

She didn't give up. She locked herself in the squash court and played for hours, from morning to evening. With swollen, bruised and bleeding hands, she kept playing alone, trying to create her own shots and drills. The hard work paid off. She won several national junior championships and turned professional in 2006. The following year she received an award from the Pakistani president.

Every day, for three and a half years, she sent emails to clubs, academies, schools, colleges and universities in the West—wherever she could find squash courts. By the time she was 18, she had sent thousands. Although the Pakistani squash federation provided her with security on an open court, people still attacked her. Eventually, she played squash in her room for three years and sustained many injuries.

One of her emails reached Canadian squash legend Jonathon Power. He took her under his wing. With her talent and determination, he believes she has the drive to become the best player in the world.

See full inspirational article here. I can see this story being turned into a movie which would raise everyone's spirits.
If you like this story, you might also like my novel Still Rock Water, displayed at the bottom of the page.

Why do women shave? Or men for that matter? To keep up with fashion trends is the easy answer. Back in the seventies, long curly hair and a flowing beard were all the rage for young men—as seen in the show, Hair. So who sets the guide-lines for hair fashion, or does it develop over time?

Once, women wore their hair long, twisted into different styles and their personal bodily hair was never seen. I've never read about their removal practices, but I'm guessing they didn't shave underarm or overleg. Long skirts would cover their legs. Tight bodices laced their diaphragm under constricting clothing. In the films, women in costume sometimes wore dresses that exposed their décolletage. However, no flash of underarm hair is seen. This is probably to protect our sensibilities.

Let's face it: hair growth is a natural. The body developed and adapted over time in a certain way. Nothing exists without a purpose.

Now days, most men shave their chins daily. Women remove underarm and leg hair as well. Then, there's the matter of the bikini line. Researchers say women seeking a well-groomed bikini line are at greater risk of infections. Waxing and shaving causes micro trauma to the skin, leaving it vulnerable to pathogens like poxvirus.

Pubic hair removal is becoming increasingly popular among men too. Twenty-four of the 30 patients in the test group were men. Molluscum contagiousum is highly contagious and easily spread through skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected or by touching contaminated objects such as a flannel or towel. It usually clears up on its own and does not cause any symptoms other than raised red spots.

However, this could escalate. A recent finding revealed that bacteria are not responding to penicillin treatment. The World Health Organization warned that the age of medicine could be ending. Operations like a hip replacement could be a thing of the past. Even a scratched knee could lead to death. A global crisis in antibiotics caused by rapidly evolving resistance among microbes is responsible for common infections that threaten to turn them into untreatable diseases.

Shaving, with the risk of cutting or damaging the skin, could be a thing of the past too.

I thought I was past listening to new releases on the pop chart. I like the old music—the classics like Rock and Roll, Glam Rock, Soul and anthems. However, a new surprise waited for me with the release of a new album.

David Bowie's first album in a decade has become the fastest selling of the year, hitting the number one spot in its first week. The Next Day is the 66-year-old's first number one since 1993.

On January 8th, his birthday—and mine, he released a new single, Where Are We Now. I didn't hear about it at the time. When I saw a clip on the news channel, I listened enraptured, then hopped over to Youtube so I could share the single with you.

I've always felt a special affinity to David Bowie and his music. This track doesn't disappoint with the rendition and melody—subtle, sophisticated and haunting. In fact, since listening to it, the tune has invaded my head and plays over and over. The material is strong and beautiful—both classic and innovative. Over the past, he elevated music to what could be called an art form. In the early 70's he released his first song, The Man Who Sold the World, then ventured into Space Oddity and continued on and on.

I won't be buying the new album—finances don't allow such luxury. But I wish David Bowie every success. Long ago, I read about his charitable endeavors and becoming a patron of a London boys' home. Anyone who shares the wealth they make from their God given talent has my admiration.
Sing on, David.

With money short during the present economic slump, retail stores are using new ways to attract buyers.  Some shops have low lighting, or place irresistible items beside the checkout while others make you loop the whole shop before you reach the article you want.

Despite being aware of the old tricks retailers use to sell more goods, the knowledge doesn't stop most buyers. Here are some of the newest tricks.

Instead of constantly tidying items, shop assistants are messing them up to make them appear popular. This works well on the under 21's, who are the most likely to buy on impulse. Hugely influenced by what others are buying and wanting to break free from their parent's influence, the problem for teenagers has a biological as well as social explanation. The part of the brain responsible for impulses doesn't develop until they're over 20 years old.

Unconsciously wary from the constant warnings about the financial situation, people are looking value whilst still want to feel good about what they buy. This has caused problems for supermarkets' value brands because of the stigma attached to them. The stores now blur the variation in quality with different packaging to market the item as a wise choice as well as a cheaper option.

Big data is creating a buzz at the moment. It's the gathering an analysis of data on a huge scale. The information comes from your financial transactions, social media posts, digital photos, mobile phone GPS signals and Google searches to name just a few. Scary.

Certain software programs can gather huge amounts of data about you almost instantly. Age, gender, and what you're looking at. In high-end stores, retail theatre surprises the shoppers with an experience that will make customers will want to return to the store. Digital screens behind display stands are activated when a perfume bottle is picked up. In a matter of seconds, eye-tracking systems fixed into screens gather data so the images can be personalized to a young woman or a middle-aged man for instance, flashing images to seduce them. Thoughts of Big Brother.

I understand that the shop needs to sell its goods, and everyone contributes to the economy by spending their hard-won cash. However, be forewarned before you shop.

Teams of archaeologists have found a mammoth jaw bone and a rare piece of amber deep under London. It's hard to imagine a time when wild animals populated an area once considered the greatest city in the world.

Excavations for London's Crossrail project have unearthed bodies believed to date from the time of the Black Death. A burial ground was known to be in an area outside the City of London, but its exact location remained a mystery. From the remains, they will uncover information about the population and the individuals. In addition, the bodies may contain DNA from the bacteria responsible for the plague, helping modern epidemiologists track the development and spread of differing strains of a pathogen that still exists today.

Archaeologists working for The Museum of London and Crossrail are taking every care with the test sites. The 73-mile high-speed rail link is due to open in 2018. Taken together, the project's 40 sites comprise one of the UK's largest archaeological ventures. They have found artifacts from periods ranging from the very ancient prehistoric right up to a 20th-Century industrial site.

When I first arrived in London from Australia in 1987, a huge culture shock awaited. Instead of the wide, clean streets of Adelaide, history and culture smacked me in the face. Along streets scattered with litter, and crowded with jostling people wearing the colorful costumes of every different nationality, I gazed awe-struck at the ancient architecture. I follow every new discovery into the history of London with the interest of an explorer.

Is it realistic for someone to permanently go without sex? After another sex scandal involving a senior member of the Catholic Church, questions are being raised about celibacy.

There are many unrelated items on the news this morning, yet all are connected on a deeper level.


·         A father accused of setting fire to his home, which killed six of his children, did not wash for twelve weeks and lived with his wife and his mistress.

·         Pregnant Palestine women have admitted smuggling their husband's sperm out of jail.

·         People give their account of living a celibate life.

We are all different. To deny our sexuality would remove a part of being human. Western society dwells on the huge importance of the search for a romantic life partner. Giving up the idea is a huge sacrifice. Modern life is about sex and the individual. People in past centuries were either married, in which case they could have sex, or celibate if they were not. Now the options are more varied.

Certain individuals live a free life, some would say irresponsible, and indulge their sexual drive with whoever takes their eye at any given time. The spread of Aids should have halted the free love explosion which begun in the sixties. Unfortunately, young people still disregard the need for protection.

Still others choose to abstain from sex in their role of devoting their life to God or for personal reasons. See twelve revelations here.

Some choose a partner for life and vow to remain true—often failing. I made a similar choice when I married at nineteen years of age. For twenty-seven years, I remained with my husband until I was forced to leave to save myself. I can keep my vow in my final marriage of over twenty years.

To the purists, celibacy, derived from the Latin for unmarried, means a permanent state of being without sex. Abstinence can be temporary. And it's possible to be abstinent in a relationship. True celibacy means a life without both sex and a spouse or partner. Of course, there are many who give it a looser definition—indicating some sort of commitment to be without sex.

Often, celibacy is thrust upon men via loss of libido. If they're not ready for life's sentence, they try medical aids and counseling to regain their vigor.

Studies show that men are driven by testosterone to want sex. Women are driven to a lesser degree by a mixture of testosterone and estrogen. Given these facts, perhaps celibacy is a totally abnormal state.

Problems need to be addressed about the increase of an aging society. Those of us lucky enough to escape accident or illness are living longer. But to what quality of life?

I don't want to think about this subject—who amongst us does? But at the age of 71, I'm in the perfect position to state the case for my cohabiters in England.

At the moment, ten million people are over 65. Figures from the Office for National Statistics forecast a fifty percent rise in that number and a doubling in over-85s between 2010 and 2030.

A Lords committee on public service and demographic change has found the UK to be woefully underprepared for the social and economic challenges presented by an ageing society. The government's policy is to support people in later life. However, changes need to be made in health care, pensions and employment practices. For instance, the old could care for the very old.

Okay. How does this affect me with difficulty in walking because of faulty hip replacements?

Already, my 74-year-old husband is looking after me. Born and raised during WW2 in London right beside Michael Cain, he ate the healthy diet recommended during the rationing period. Gardens were converted into patches from which fresh vegetables were eaten. Even the hated powdered eggs were excellent for health. People back then had no luxuries—no fast food. Now, the war babies are healthy and strong.

I lived in Australia until the age of 45, when I arrived in England and experienced what some call the nanny state of the National Health. All health care is free, paid for by contributions from every working individual's wage. This probably raises a welcome flag to the constant migrants who flock to the little island's shores. I must stress that I worked for over 20 years and that Australia supplies some of my pension so I'm not a burden to the country's resources.

How long can I expect to remain in my home? Until I'm too ill and my husband isn't by my side, I guess. All conveniences are set up to help us care for ourselves—walk-in shower with seat and handrails, grips on the bedside, a trolley on wheels and walking frame.

How long can I expect to live? That's a difficult question to answer. It could be another twenty years. I'll go on writing novels, blogs, and interacting with my online peers until that time arrives.


With the role models of these actors who have all performed in the James Bond movies to look up to, we should continue to contribute to society well into our latter years.

Will a similar forecast apply to the young of today with their unhealthy style of living?

A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they became extinct because they had larger eyes than our species. The theory is that when they left Africa, their eyes developed to see in the long European deep winter days. This sight required a much larger visual processing area at the back of their brains. There is no suggestion that their higher cognitive abilities suffered as a consequence.

Our ancestors continued to enjoy bright and beautiful days in Africa and so had no need for such an adaption. Instead, Homo sapiens formed large groups. A larger brain is needed to process extra relationships in a community. They evolved their frontal lobes, associated with higher level thinking. This ability enabled our species, Homo Sapiens, to fashion warmer clothes and develop larger social networks, helping them to survive the ice age in Europe before they spread across the globe.

With a better ability to react quickly, to rely on their neighbors to help you survive and to pass on information gave the edge to Homo sapiens over Neanderthals.

Neanderthals may have been more intelligent that was once thought.

First discovered in Germany's Neander Valley in 1856, they are believed to have lived in Europe and parts of Asia. Close examination of the found fossils shows that they shared 99.5 - 99.9% of modern humans' DNA, which makes them our closest relatives. Researchers discovered projectile points, ochre, bone tools, ornaments and possible evidence of fishing and small game hunting. The fact that Neanderthals could adapt to new conditions and innovate shows they should be considered a subspecies of human rather than a different species. Neanderthals split from our evolutionary line some 500,000 years ago, and disappeared off the face of the Earth about 30,000 years ago.

Fragments of a Homo sapiens tooth found in Italy and a jaw found in UK confirm that modern people overlapped in Europe with their evolutionary cousins, the Neanderthals, for between three to five thousand years. Tests on bone fragments make it clear that some species mixing must have occurred. DNA studies prove Neanderthals made a small but significant contribution to the genetics of many modern humans.

So: Sapiens' species survival stems from social skills whereas loner activities in the dark wiped out Neanderthal. Conclusion: Social networking is good.

In China, Communist leaders dye their hair. Beneath a giant hammer and sickle, the elite at the top of the Communist Party assembled for the country's annual parliament session last week. Each leader sits in rows a few feet apart, wears the same uniform, and maintains a strict regime of dying their roots black every ten days. At a distance, they blend in amongst their party members and maintain the appearance of youth and competency. As long as they don't draw attention, they stand less chance of being selected and can dodge blame for the failure of any particular policy. Also, playing down their differences emphasizes the stability of the Communist Party to the public.

Incoming President Xi Jinping is promising to cut down on government expenses. Perhaps the massive hair salon bill will be reduced in the future.

Why does anyone dye their hair? In Western culture, people want to change their appearance for many reasons. Women in their declining years cling to a youthful appearance by not allowing grey hairs to show. But youngsters color their hair too. Rather than maintain a similar appearance like the Chinese leaders, young women yearn to stand out from the crowd. Of course, anyone wishing to escape detection will change their hair color and style.

It seems most people want to look different than their normal appearance. However, in Western culture, we value a mature man with silver hair. Gandalf the Grey typifies the image of wisdom. A growing number of brave and rebellious woman are choosing to allow their hair to go gloriously grey.


I'm with them all the way. I value my healthy silver hair and have no reason to change my appearance. See me for who I am, a mature, wise woman who has earned the wrinkles around smiling eyes and the long grey hair worn in different styles every day. As long as we maintain a clean, stylish appearance, we should face the world with confidence.

See my poem on the home page of this blog.