Interesting (now that I think about it) that websites can live in one's own domain; with all the royal prerogatives that that implies. This may explain my kingly mood in now owning my own domain at http://historynarratives.com/
The immigrant’s love song
2014 He had long, long fingers; suited, I decided, to playing classical piano. They danced a little nervously across his forehead, playing with a long curling tendril… Bah, what was I thinking… Get a grip, Rani Silva. It’s Tuesday 10:15 a.m. and you’re in a modern history tutorial supposedly learning about how changes to migration … Continue reading The immigrant’s love song
Why a steady state economy might be a good thing
Economic growth – doesn’t it sound lovely? But is sustained, continual economic growth really possible? Really, the whole to’ing and fro’ing over budgets needed for economic growth and austerity measures and just who is paying for it all has been about this fundamental question. It underpins all sorts of debates about not only Australia’s contentious 2014 … Continue reading Why a steady state economy might be a good thing
CHARITY: good, bad or just ugly
I have to confess to reaching for the wallet (at least metaphorically) when I heard how bad the devastation caused by cyclone Pam has been in Vanuatu. And then I paused (mid click on the donate now button), as I’ve done any number of times with other disasters and the cries for help from charity … Continue reading CHARITY: good, bad or just ugly
The sun rose in the west
The sun rose in the west and coloured the hills. First they were velvet dark, not quite black, then burnt umber, flaming orange-red, limpid platinum. Light gathered. The hills became distinct, hard dry mounds that the sun reached from, taking hold of the day, making it hard and brittle too. A party of men came … Continue reading The sun rose in the west
Another sorcerers apprentice
Wrote this story for a competition in response to an art work showing a be-suited man with rabbit's head doing something magical with a woman's head in a jar and surrounded by buzzing red sprites... Didn't win but I liked it. So here it is, unleashed... Darkness… coolness… walls… smells. Rubbish? Bins? Hands on head…ooh. … Continue reading Another sorcerers apprentice
Extract from ‘The beguiling sins of industrial capitalism’
Ch 2: A Haves and Have Nots World A much greater hunger In 1800 the world’s population was about 1.36 billion. If we are to believe statistical analysis, most people lived, in income terms, relatively similar lives. According to Gapminder statistical analysis (admittedly conjectural, given that data before 1900 is ‘highly uncertain’) the world’s poorest … Continue reading Extract from ‘The beguiling sins of industrial capitalism’
Little Hatshepsut
Like a miracle, a light rain had drifted in from the sea. The sea was a long, long way off and Ahmes looked at it as if it was strange emissary from Hapy[1]. Rain was rare in her world. Little pock marks on the river below her. It looked pretty but she still thought the … Continue reading Little Hatshepsut
Finding Dan O’Brien
Have just discovered (via the strangest of pathways - researching falconry in medieval Europe) a writer, ecologist, lecturer and thinker named Dan O'Brien. Check out his material at: http://wildideabuffalo.com/about-us/dans-writings/
POPULAR CULTURE: Capital opera (the story)
The story below is to feature in my upcoming book: HiStory 2 (stories for History and English for Years 9 - 10). The camera as all-seeing City location - studio: bird’s eye view. Wide shot. A line of people stretches from the entrance around the block. Silence, other than the wind. And then I lower … Continue reading POPULAR CULTURE: Capital opera (the story)
Inkstained fingers 