Leaving home at 21, I hitch-hiked and slept rough around Europe and the Middle East between 1987-88, working in Greece and Israel along the way. I then spent three years in Australia and the Far East, working in Oz, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and travelled home on the trans-Siberian. I was home for a couple of years before spending a year travelling in the Americas during 1993 and 1994. In 1998 I spent two months travelling in Kenya and Uganda. I have run marathons in Edinburgh (2004) and Tromso (200
My series of ten ekphrastic Folding Mirror poems interpreting and describing paintings by John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, William Blake, Thomas Girtin and J.M.W. Turner have been completed on the fmpoetry site.
I hope they have been interesting and informative, as well as inspiring new interest in the great artists and paintings.
I certainly enjoyed viewing and analysing the paintings, and reading about the artists who created them. Read Full Story
Hi, it’s the Greenygrey here.
I’ve just taken some time out from supporting my ol’ pals in Yellowstone and the North Rockies to spend some relaxing time in a town that truly appreciates the wonders of wolves.
Yes, it has been fun revisiting Manitoba, which was of course a part of my first acronym on my epic virtual journey across North America: BASMOQ.
The Thompson Spirit Way is of course a welcome addition to the province and region, and let’s hope more places in the... Read Full Story
Thanks to the BBC’s Sky at Night for producing a clear and detailed programme about our nearest neighbouring galaxy, Andromeda.
As well as being a good addition to the ongoing development of Ant Theory on this blog it is a great introduction to galaxies and our close neighbours in the big space we are a part of (allegedly!).
It also provides good ideas on viewing the Milky Way galaxy that we are a part of, and that is visible in clear night skies.
The programme is viewable here at the m... Read Full Story
One of the claims of media critics in the UK is that the national bias of the media helps the Government and security forces.
However, this can also be counter-productive, as my research and recent news events highlight.
Kosovo Conflict
While I researched the Kosovo Conflict I found that the media coverage of British and Nato forces was mostly positive, but when they caused civilian casualties they were covered and analysed much more than similar Serb ‘collateral damage’.
John Ch... Read Full Story
Gordon Brown is supposed to have been threatening retribution against any Labour MPs that try and oust him.
Chomsky and Media Hegemony
Chomsky et al argue(d) there is a ‘conspiracy’ between the media and politicians in the US (west).
In my research on this I found that the relationship was not as close as Chomsky made out; that was for the British media anyway.
Telegraph and Media Show Democratic Spirit
The Telegraph exposure of the politicians’ inflated expenses seems to s... Read Full Story
A few years ago I stated a simple explanation for the differences in society, theorising that we are still naturally divided into warriors and clerics; two of the main groups that existed in Mediaevel society.
While it may seem better for society to become clerical, and live in peace, this might result in a loss of some of the better characteristics usually acquainted with traditional warriors, such as honour, sacrifice, duty and chivalry.
Bankers and Politicians
The recent scandals involving... Read Full Story
And then there were five. After an early start we met two others in Threlkeld, a quaint village on the edge of Keswick and at the foot of Blencathra.
Climbing Blencathra
We had a sumptious brekkie at the Horse and Farrier pub before setting off up Blencathra.
After the cloud had cleared the previous afternoon it was a glorious morning, and there were views for miles around: including Skiddaw mountain, Keswick and lake/reservoirs Thirlmere and Derwent Water.
Scrambling Sharp-Edge
After walki... Read Full Story
Then there were three. And we would that day walk through wild rugged terrain to the Nine Standards Rigg.
Nine Standards Rigg Walk
At lunchtime we set forth, across boggy ground that soon made our poor walking vessels fill with water; if they had been ships I’m sure we’d have capsized!
The day was very greenygrey, with miles of green moorland stretching to the grey horizon, which changed with the movement of the low cloud shrouding distant mountains.
A curlew cried incessantly as... Read Full Story
Here is the full story of the road trip last week; well the first part of it anyway.
Heading north out of Leeds we stopped off in Bedale, which is a nice market town; much like Leyburn, which we reached next.
Then we headed into wilder country, and travelled over an isolated pass with great views of the dales (dal from Viking). We could see Reeth for a while before heading down the valley into the picturesque village. We then headed up to Bolton Castle, and had a look around the well preser... Read Full Story
I’ve put some new videos on YouTube from my time AWOL last week at: http://www.youtube.com/greenygrey3
Explanations tomorrow, as running a bit late!
Well, at least I turned up. Improvement on last week anyway!!
Cheers Read Full Story
