FEAST OR FAMINE

From March 24-28, 2013, the first ever Festival of Science was held at the University of Makerere in Kampala, Uganda (BBC, March 18, 2013). Hosted by the BBC World Service, it showcased examples of significant international scientific research and explored how African science has contributed to the global science agenda. The Festival of Science in Uganda provided a unique opportunity to showcase new innovations in a range of scientific areas, from agriculture to technology. Live daily radio broadcasts facilitated discussions on the changing nature of scientific research in an African context. The daily themes included: (1) Where is science in Africa? (2) Cutting edge science in Africa (3) Health in Africa (4) Agriculture and (5) The future – can Africa become a centre for global excellence in science?    Following on from the Uganda science festival is the upcoming International Scientific Conference: Inauguration of the Advancement of Science in Africa, in P...

Lincoln: A Novel (1984) commences with Abraham Lincoln’s “secret” arrival in Washington DC as President-elect on February 23, 1861 for his move into the Executive Mansion—the White House—before his official inauguration as America’s 16 th president. With support from the North, Lincoln was elected in November 1860. The southern states (the Confederacy) declared their secession from the Union, and it was Lincoln’s goal to defend and reinstate the Union. Vidal’s novel describes Lincoln’s leadership to take control of the border states at the start of the Civil War and to re-unite the North and South, eventually succeeding in 1865 through the efforts of General Ulysses S. Grant.   T he prolific author, Vidal, states in the Afterword that the novel is based on fact, reconstructed from letters, journals, newspapers and diaries. He writes of the lawyer and Republican that he was lean, angular, long-legged, arthritic, who never ate enough and never slept enough. ...

A three metre dinosaur is missing in Canberra. Canberra police are hunting a dinosaur, reported the Canberra Times (March 24, 2013). The missing dinosaur is a fibreglass Utahraptor statue stolen from the National Dinosaur Museum in Gold Creek. It was taken last week, on Thursday evening or Friday morning. The statue (brown with dark stripes) is 3 metres (10 feet) long and 1.6 metres (5 feet) high. The Utahraptor was named after a skeleton was found in Utah, America. It has large, “slashing” hooked claws to strike its prey. Relatives of the Utahraptor were made famous in Steven Spielberg’s film, Jurassic Park. The real dinosaurs were up to 6.5 metres (21 feet) long and 2 metres (6.5 feet) tall, weighing almost a tonne. So the replica stolen dinosaur is almost the same height as the real dinosaur, but only half its length. Anyone finding it is asked to contact local Crimestoppers. Update March 26, 2013: The statue was recovered by police at a Canberra home aft...

The annual World Water Day on March 22 encourages water consciousness with regard to safe drinking water, water resources, and water management. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, an annual water day was declared and commenced in 1993. Each year has a specific theme. The World Water Day theme for 2013 is water cooperation to coincide with the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation (announced by the United Nations in December 2010). Water cooperation implies an understanding and tolerance of global cultural, educational, scientific, religious, ethical, social, political, geographical, legal, institutional, and economic aspects to build peace, reduce conflict associated with water and food security, promote fair distribution and sustainable development. United Nations has the following water facts: 85% of the world’s population live in the driest half of the planet; 780 million people don’t hav...

The Chief Minister’s Canberra Gold Award recognizes the unique contribution made by individuals and groups who have chosen to make a long-term commitment to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the city of Canberra. Through the Gold Awards, the ACT government celebrates four residents who have lived in Canberra for 50 years or more. Four residents and two organizations are celebrated in the Canberra Gold: 50 Years in the ACT  exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery from February 2 to May 19, 2013. The exhibition is part of the Centenary of Canberra activities to mark the capital’s 100 th birthday. Eddie Carnall, Janette James, Dick Redman and Petronella Wensing, the Canberra City Band and the Canberra Mothercraft Society have all contributed to Canberra life for 50 years—and their memorabilia appear in the museum’s exhibit. Edwin Carnall, called Eddie, (1924-present) worked in the Manuka swimming pool in Canberra for his first job. At 18 he enliste...

In The Bridge and the Fruit Tree: John Young – A Survey, the artist presents three bodies of work: (1) Safety Zone, (2) Abstract Paintings, and (3) Cardinal Paintings. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Australia, John Young (1956-present) explores universal themes of history, the human spirit, and culturalism—described as taking on the role of “cultural intermediary.” Safety Zone (2010) is the main feature of the exhibit—for its size, content, and message. It is a component of his recent series, Transcultural Humanitarian Projects, which examines historical episodes within the large-scale catastrophes of revolution and world war. Safety Zone obtains its name from the international safe zone in Nanjing. In 1937 a group of 21 foreigners saved the lives of about 300,000 Chinese citizens during the “Rape of Nanjing” by sheltering them in the international Safety Zone. Young’s work is a tribute to this little-known humanitarian event. Working on the Safety Zone projec...

Three Canberra artists present their work (to 24 March, 2013) at the Canberra Museum and Gallery during the Centenary of Canberra. The exhibit, called Marking Place, showcases the work of GW Bot, Anita McIntyre, and Wendy Teakel. Their pieces are paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. For example, the works of Teakel include Corridor for One (1984 and 2012) created from steel, wool, sticks and pigment; Late Summer Haze (2012) of steel, wool and grass – which is grass bounded by a fence; and my favourite Sand Track – Mungo (2012) which is a Tibetan wool rug woven by a Nepalese artisan. The garden stakes are a common theme—not just in forming a boundary, but also in the spaces between them. Teakel (1957-present) moved to Canberra in 1985 and is currently head of sculpture at the School of Art, Australian National University. G.W. Bot is the professional name of Pakistan-born artist Chrissie Grishin. Bot (1954-present) and her Australian parents moved back to Australia i...

In Canberra, near Hutton Street in the city,  is a reminder of Australia’s significant contribution in the rescue of Chilean miners when the mine collapsed on August 5, 2010.    Capula Fenix 2 (Capsule Phoenix 2) is a replica of the capsule used to rescue 33 trapped miners from the 121-year old San Jose copper-gold mine in the Atacama Desert, 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Copiapo. They were buried 700 metres (2,300 feet) underground and about 5 kilometres (3 miles) from the entrance. The men moved into the emergency cavern, with an area of 50 square metres (540 square feet), but with poor ventilation they moved into a tunnel. They could move around in 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) of tunnels, but with only enough food for 3 days. Eight exploratory boreholes were drilled. Seventeen days after the mine collapsed, the Australian rescue drill team was the first to penetrate the cavern. When the drill bit returned to the surface there was a note in red writin...

Today was the last day of “The Women who made Canberra” exhibition in the Canberra Museum and Gallery. Displayed from 10 November 2012 to 17 March 2013 in the lead up to the Centenary of Canberra, tribute is paid to the achievements of women who lived and shaped the city. Twenty-one women were showcased, including basketball star Lauren Jackson and squash legend Heather McKay. Lauren Jackson (1981-present) moved to Canberra from Albury when she was awarded a scholarship to study at the Australian Institute of Sport at 15 years of age. At 16 she was the youngest player to join the Opals (the Australian Women’s National Basketball team). She represented Australia at four Olympic Games and carried the Australian flag in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Jackson is currently contracted to play with the Canberra Capitals until the end of the 2016 season. Jackson’s basketball uniform is on display. Heather McKay (1941-present), from Queanbeyan, exc...

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).