Heart of Borneo emerges as home of world’s longest insect, lungless frog and “ninja” slug

WWF is carrying this article on newly discovered species in the Heart of Borneo rain forest. I have blogged before about the discovery of new species in rainforests and hence the very real possibility of species becoming extinct before we know about them.  This report is clear that we must get our skates on if we are to prevent this.

Heart of Borneo emerges as home of world’s longest insect, lungless frog and “ninja” slug: "Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: A frog with no lungs, a “ninja” slug firing love darts at its mate, and the world’s longest insect are among new species discovered in the three years since the Heart of Borneo conservation plan was drawn up by the three governments with jurisdiction over the world’s third largest island.
New WWF report Borneo’s New World: Newly Discovered Species in the Heart of Borneo details 123 new species discovered since the February 2007 agreement by Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to conserve 220,000 km2 of irreplaceable tropical rainforest, designated the Heart of Borneo (HoB).
“As the past three years of independent scientific discovery have proven, new forms of life are constantly being discovered in the Heart of Borneo,” said Adam Tomasek, leader of WWF’s HoB Initiative.
Explorers have been visiting the island of Borneo for centuries, but vast tracts of its interior are yet to be biologically explored, he said.
“If this stretch of irreplaceable rainforest can be conserved for our children, the promise of more discoveries must be a tantalising one for the next generation of researchers to contemplate,” he added.
The HoB, an “island within an island” is home to ten species of primate, more than 350 birds, 150 reptiles and amphibians and a staggering 10,000 plants that are found nowhere else in the world, the report says.
The rate of discovery since the foundation of the HoB is more than three new species per month, providing ample justification for the decision to protect the region.
Speaking at the launch of the report during a meeting of the three Heart of Borneo governments, Brunei Darussalam’s Minister of Industry & Primary Resources, the Honourable Pehin Dato Yahya, paid tribute to the dedicated scientists who spent countless hours in challenging conditions to uncover the staggering bio-diversity.
“These amazing new findings highlight the importance of our efforts to implement the HoB Declaration’s bold vision,” he said of the region which also contains the pygmy elephant, orangutan, rhinoceros, and clouded leopard.
With so many new species discovered every month, WWF has made the region a global priority through its Heart of Borneo Initiative. WWF offices in Malaysia and Indonesia support tri-government efforts to conserve and sustainably manage the HoB.
Under the 2007 agreement, the three governments have committed to enhance protected area and trans-boundary management, develop eco-tourism and support sustainable resource management.
“Three years on, the Heart of Borneo Declaration is proving to be an irreplaceable foundation for conservation and sustainable development by establishing a framework for action to protect Borneo’s globally outstanding biodiversity, eco-system services and livelihoods,” WWF’s Tomasek said.
“The discovery of these new species in the Heart of Borneo underlines the incredible diversity of this remarkable area and emphasizes the importance of the commitments already made by Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to protect it,” he added.
The discoveries also highlight the need to increase financial and technical support to ensure their continued survival, he said."

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CV-22 crash not caused by mechanical failure

 Flight International is carrying a report that the recent crash of a USAF Special Operations Command CV-22 Osprey was not due to mechanical failure after having already had enemy action eliminated from the possible causes.

 Source: CV-22 crash not caused by mechanical failure: "The BellBoeing CV-22 crash in Afghanistan on 8 April was not caused by

The revolutionary CV-22 is a very important aircraft for the US and its long development has been punctuated by a number of crashes due to both mechanical failure (its twin tilting rotor system is fiendishly complicated and has taken a long time to perfect) and pilot error (it is rumoured that the conversion from normal helicopters to the CV-22 is difficult).

Could it be as the result of the dreaded "brown out" that so bedevils rotary wing operations in Afghanistan?

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Dennis: 'Veyron is pig ugly'

Last week Ron Dennis expressed his views on the aesthetics of the Veyron, curiously timed to coincide with the unveiling of his own supercar the McLaren MP4-12C

Dennis: 'Veyron is pig ugly': "McLaren Automotive boss Ron Dennis has described the Bugatti Veyron as 'pig ugly'." (posted by Autocar)

Now I am no great fan of the Veyron as you will know but I find Ron's somewhat intemperate language a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

McLaren is not renowned for producing beautiful cars - brilliantly engineered cars yes but beautiful certainly not. The F1 was an automotive tour de force but its looks were the elephant in the room and as for the the new MP4 it's really rather.. er.. derivative. If I had enough money to buy a McLaren I certainly wouldn't.  Far too common.  But I guess most will buy it for its badge.

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South Atlantic becomes more seabird-friendly

Great progress has been made in ensuring the safety and survival of seabirds in the south-east Atlantic.  As BirdLife International reports changes in fishing practices have helped to curb the decline of seabirds such as the Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys:


South Atlantic becomes more seabird-friendly: "BirdLife International and WWF South Africa recently achieved a major conservation success by improving the methods used by commercial fishermen in the south-east Atlantic Ocean to avoid killing seabirds."

These very positive developments auger well for similar ventures in other parts of the world.  Albatrosses are magnificent birds that are in great peril and every step in ensuring their survival is vital.

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The Breadvan

I have blogged about Ferrari GTOs previously but I haven't mentioned the one-off Drogo designed "Breadvan":

This extraordinary GTO looked nothing like any of the others.  It was fast but quite bizarre looking.
Now Ferrari SpA Maranello have attested to the authenticity of the vehicle which still exists:




Ferrari SpA, by Ferrari Classiche, issues Attestation for vehicles of historic interest to “Breadvan”: "Maranello - Ferrari SpA has recently issued an Attestation for vehicles of historic interest by the Ferrari Classiche department to the 250 GT Berlinetta passo corto (chassis 2819) nicknamed the “Breadvan”."


Piero Drogo of Drogo Carrozzeria Sports Cars designed a number of Ferraris between the 50s and 1973 when he was tragically killed driving his Ferrari.  Most of them were distinctive and not to everyone's taste (witness the Breadvan) but his masterpiece, often described as the most beautiful rear-engined car ever built, was the exquisite 1967 330 P4 sports racer: 

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Revealed on www.ferrari.com: the new 599 GTO - The fastest ever road-going Ferrari will be unveiled to the public at the Beijing Motor Show

Well it's finally official after much speculation.  Built around the 599 Fiorano, the new GTO is now the coolest car from the coolest marque on the planet (BBC-speak for "in the world").  Not quite as luscious as the original GTO (particularly in GTO 64 guise) the newbe is nevertheless fantastic.  Now how can I get hold of one?

Revealed on www.ferrari.com: the new 599 GTO - The fastest ever road-going Ferrari will be unveiled to the public at the Beijing Motor Show

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Giant lizard species discovered

The BBC is carrying this story:

Giant lizard species discovered: "A spectacular 2m-long, brightly coloured new species of monitor lizard is found in forests of the Philippines."

Fantastic news!  This is not a small and not easily seen bird but a whopping great 2m coloured lizard!  So how many more undiscovered species await us or will they be gone before we find them?

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Hamid Karzai is making some pretty unpleasant friends

This report from the Telegraph outlines the growing concern within NATO and ISAF about where Hamid Karzai's true allegiances lie.  That he and his regime are corrupt is manifest.  Unable to establish national authority beyond the confines of the Presidential Palace Karzai seems to be becoming a major impediment to our fight against terrorists and extremism (not to mention drugs).

The report is worrying as it hints at new covert alliances between Karzai's Afghanistan and Iran and China, something that the West can well do without.  In the short term such lack of commitment shown by Karzai must make us question whether it is worth the candle to continue the seemingly unwinnable war that is costing us many dead and wounded troops.  Should we not abandon the whole lot to their inevitable destiny?  But in the longer term we may need to remain engaged to deter the rise of another global division like the Cold War.  In either case the prospects are not encouraging.

Hamid Karzai is making some pretty unpleasant friends: "President Karzai's links to Iran and the Taliban are causing increasing concern, writes Con Coughlin."

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Tunisian Odyssey

Just back from a superb trip to Tunisia which packed an enormous amount into 11 days.  From the verdant North, where wheat fields wave and wild flowers bloom, to the sand dunes and salt flats of the South, we saw it all: from ancient Carthaginian harbours to Roman amphitheatres, Arab medinas and  Star Wars sets.

From traditional Berber hospitality to pick pockets on the Tunis Metro, and couscous and traditional briks we soaked up Tunisian hospitality as we toured the land in a Coaster bus, Land Cruisers, camels, horse-drawn Caleches and on foot.

And the Mosques, medinas and people provided plenty to photograph.

The tour was with Explore led by a terrific tour leader, James Connery, who made sure we got the most out of it.  And a great load of new friends were made.

I've put a selection of photos on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/diomedeacoaching/sets/72157623622035469/ .

I hope you enjoy them.

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Earned autonomy and the individual

Earned autonomy and the individual: "
The UK General Election campaign could start as soon as next week, and it is already clear that one of the battlegrounds will be the relationship between the citizen and society. Both parties are keen to demonstrate that they don’t agree with Margaret Thatcher’s adage that “There is no such thing as society”.  Yesterday, the Conservative Party set out their “Big Society” ideas, including a new “neighbourhood army” of 5,000 professional community organisers.


As  Labour puts the finishing touches to its election manifesto, sources familiar with the process say that a new big idea is taking shape. The proposal is to extend the concept of  “earned autonomy” in public services  down to individuals.  Labour plans to put every citizen who has completed full-time education into prison.   Citizens will then be able to earn their way out, by getting a job and using their spare time for voluntary service to the community. When they demonstrate that they are not terrorists, and when they can prove that they do not have any kind of mental illness that predisposes them towards a crime, they will move first to an open prison from which they can get a job, and eventually to their own homes.   People close to Ministers say that they have been impressed with how well this approach has worked with asylum seekers, who start off imprisoned until they can demonstrate their value to society, and think that this approach would be popular in seats where Labour is alarmed by the rising popularity of the British National Party.


Speaking on condition of anonymity, a minister familiar with the details of the manifesto said:

Hard working families will welcome these steps.  Honest, law abiding citizens have nothing to fear. Where individuals demonstrate the capacity and capability to do more we want to work with them to test how greater individual control can deliver more effectively and more efficiently.  We want a new relationship between the citizen and government, one based on a partnership approach to delivery. It is not sufficient to say that citizens should have more control and freedom; this is a partnership and citizens need to be clear as to what they are asking us for, and how changes will benefit everyone.   We are ready to cede control where individuals can demonstrate that they will use those freedoms effectively, but greater control must be balanced with responsibility and accountability.

Owen Barder

1 April, 2010
"

This is from Owen Barder (a prominent development economist working in  Ethiopia) first published on his blog 

All I can say is that having come through LHR last Tuesday, inbound from Tunis and going on to Edinburgh is that it sure feels like it.

Back from Malta

Finally some time to write about our time in Malta and some of its highlights.  We last went to Malta some 30 years ago.  This time it wasn't until we went to Mdina and Valletta that I could remember much of it.  But one thing hadn't changed - the driving.  Drivers fitted one of two categories.  Either they were Nervous Nellies and drove at 15mph, unconcernedly holding up huge queues of traffic, or they drove like Italians on weapons grade coke.  Either way their antics were matched only by the absolutely appalling state of the roads.  Combined with the general run down appearance of the island one could be forgiven in thinking that Malta was a developing country rather than an EU one.

And the Malta buses:  colourful, scary and ancient.  One driver told us that the oldest in the fleet was built in 1944!  But they are British engineering at its best: agricultural, unreliable but able to be fixed by any blacksmith with a hammer and a forge, and probably designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.  We don't build 'em like we used to...thank God.

But if this is negative the counterpoint is the History starting with the temples 1000 years older than the Pyramids.  Veryan kept complaining that they didn't tell you much about them or the people who built them and we soon realised after a visit to The Malta National Museum of Archaeology  that was because no-one has a clue!

Malta has seen waves of invasion and occupation: the Romans, Arabs, Knights of St John, Normans, Turks, French and most recently the British.  The Germans and Italians tried in 1942 but failed.

The oil tanker SS Ohio entering Grand Harbour at the end of the famous Pedestal convoy in 1942, battered but unbowed, and lashed to two destroyers.  The Pedestal convoy helped save Malta.  British ships and men lost in Operation Pedestal were about the same as the Falklands' War but the operation occurred over only five days. This image became one of the iconic images of WW2. 





The heroic defence of Malta resulted in a national George Cross bestowed on Malta by King George VI and is still displayed in the upper hoist of the Maltese flag.  To tell the history of Malta in a blog would be both presumptuous and beyond my capabilities so I won't try.  But it's pretty amazing.

And the Roman Catholic Church is pre-eminent.  Malta is devoutly Catholic although there is an Anglican Cathedral, courtesy of the Brits, in Valletta.  The smallest villages have some of the grandest churches.  Huge they are and of a style that looks like a cross between Italian and Spanish Baroque.

Finally you can't talk about Malta without mentioning Valletta and Grand Harbour.  Truly one of the greatest maritime views in the World.

I took lots of pictures of everything with my new Canon Powershot G11 which handles like a compact and shoots like an SLR.  Its low light performance is truly outstanding.  All the interior shots were hand held without flash.  You can see the pictures by following the hyperlinks or go to Flickr.

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Fusion Salvation?

The BBC is running what might just be the most important story this year, maybe ever.  It is about a giant leap forward towards controllable fusion and limitless energy.  It's typical that the BBC, obsessed with getting their vengeance on Tony Blair, are not running it on the main news page but in Science and Technology.  Maybe they don't understand what its significance is. Call me an optimist but I reckon that this is the beginning of the end of our carbon dependence and so maybe global warming, resource wars, desertification and poverty.  Not there yet but watch this space!

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Featured on the BBC

I recently had a photograph featured on the BBC Photo Blog site.  A great thrill.
It was taken in Lanzarote and I particularly liked the colour contrast between the sand basket and the brilliant green door.  Wish I could do pictures like this all the time.  Sigh!

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Malta Here We Come

Off to Malta to catch some warmth and hopefully sun.  Last went to Malta some 30 years ago so I expect there will be changes.  Loved it last time so I hope I'll love it this time!  Lots of pictures to follow I expect.

The Weather: Who Should We Believe?

Now that the thaw has arrived the recriminations are starting.  Following on from the Met Office's notorious "barbecue summer" quip came , what will surely become equally notorious, the forecast of a Winter of "above average temperatures" for a Winter that was actually the worst and coldest for 30 years.  These amazing predictions have led many to rightly question the viability of the Met Office's longer range forecasts.
But there are other problems as well.  The issue of Severe Weather Warnings has been well and truly overdone with many in our area (Dunblane) proving to be far too pessimistic.  This only serves to reduce people's confidence so that when the real warning comes it will be ignored.  And equally there has been an extraordinary disparity between Met Office and BBC forecasts, both in the nature of the weather expected and the temperatures.  In one case the Met Office and the BBC temperature forecast for Dunblane was different by 6 degrees!  Given that the BBC uses the raw data feed from the Met Office how can this be so?  And who are we supposed to believe?  And why does the BBC have "meteorologists"(rather than just televisual presenters) when the Met Office has them too?  And why do they give different forecasts?  We should be told.

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MoD 'pays more in compensation to chicken farmer than injured soldier'

From the Telegraph.  There could not be a better example of what ministers think of the military than this.  Its crassness beggars belief.  Shame, shame, shame.

MoD 'pays more in compensation to chicken farmer than injured soldier': "The Ministry of Defence has been condemned amid claims it paid less compensation to an injured soldier than to a farmer whose chickens were
disturbed by RAF jets."

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Squirrels

Britain has a native squirrel, the Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris,  which was fairly widespread until the introduction of the American Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis at the turn of the 19th century.  The larger Grey Squirrel outcompeted the more timid Red Squirrel by being more aggressive, more omnivorous and probably more fecund.  So now the Red Squirrel, once widespread is relatively uncommon.  Because this invasion was so dramatic and extensive a number of "Squirrel Myths" have arisen:

1. Grey Squirrels give Red Squirrels the Pox (Squirrel Pox that is!).  Probably true but the science is probably not as conclusive as some might think it is.
2. Grey Squirrels have a terrible effect on indigenous woodland bird populations.  Not so apparently. A new survey by the British Trust for Ornithology concludes  "Grey squirrels do not have a significant impact on the populations of many of England's woodland bird species"
3. Red Squirrels are now extremely rare and secretive, surviving only on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour and in the remote Scottish Highlands.  Not so as the picture below taken from my study window in suburban Dunblane shows.

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The Mighty Mo Returns

The USS Missouri has returned to Pearl Harbor after a three-month refit looking like new.  It is of course an incredibly historic battleship having hosted the signing of the surrender of Japan at the end of WW2 and fought in the  Korean and First Gulf Wars. In 1993 the Missouri was decommissioned and preserved as a museum ship at Pearl Harbor. There are no preserved Royal Navy battleships.  A pity really.

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Birdlife International is carrying an item on a model for wildlife-friendly energy development in Wyoming.  We would do well to study this carefully here in Scotland.  The main direction for future energy production in Scotland is renewables; particularly wind farms which have drawn many objectors owing to the assertion that such installations are detrimental to wildlife, notably birds. The Wyoming situation involves an even more damaging modus operandi - oil and gas production and its impact on near-threatened species such as Sage Grouse.  Let us hope that we can learn from the changes made by the Federal Bureau of Land Management  and not dismiss them, as we so often do, as being NDH (not designed here).

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Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

You may be forgiven in asking what on Earth happened to Aston Martin.  Latest news is that AM could build a hybrid badged as a Lagonda.  So in the last 50 years AM has gone from:

A paragon of sports cars - fast, gorgeous and a race winner

to this:

Lardy, ugly and a vulgar heap of metal that looks like it was penned by Subaru (no insult to Subaru - they make excellent cars but  good looking ones: you cannot be serious!).

Is this the end of Civilisation as we know it?

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Techart Cayenne Needs Even More Power

I blogged about the Techart Cayenne and pointed out that the relationship between drag and speed was a squared one meaning that a Cayenne would need four times as much power to double its speed.  As my clever son pointed out the relationship above 200 mph or so is actually cubed meaning that it would need eight times as much power to do 400 mph or 5440 HP at which point it would spontaneously explode, scattering the Zuffenhausenian elves to the four winds.  For the love of God Techart don't do it!

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