jenny cares 

The book, Earth, arrived this morning, and I love it! Within just a few pages I had tears in my eyes.
But I'll let this book reviewer tell you about it...
Reviewer: Kate Arneman
Author: Bob Brown
Title: Earth
G Magazine, click here
.
As you'd expect from Greens Senator Bob Brown, this is a political book, though not in the conventional sense.
 For one thing, it's only 500 words long and its size and layout resemble a gift book, the kind you see stacked up around the counter of the book shop with soothing pictures on the cover and titles invoking serenity or tranquillity.
 In its content, though, Earth is miles away from the sentimentality and cliche of many such publications. In an expression of his holistic political philosophy, Brown offers a series of personal reflections on humanity's place in the universe, our responsibility as guardians of the environment, the need to change our ways if we are to preserve our planet as we know it and why global democracy is essential in achieving this.
 I found reading Earth to be quite a meditative experience. The language is unadorned yet lyrical - "Earth is our miraculous cradle and we are its momentous mind" - and each handful of words appears opposite a full-page photograph of the natural world.
 All the photographs were taken by Brown and all except one were taken in Tasmania. The images display a diversity and wealth of life, from frilly orange lichen to a perfectly formed red-breasted bird, as well as the beauty of the landscape.
 Earth would make a wonderful present, but you might want to have it on your own shelf for personal reflection as well.

Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania spokesman Chris Simcox says at least 35,000 ducks will be killed during Tasmania's 33-day hunt this year. He predicts 400,000 ducks will be killed in Victoria when its 49-day season starts on March 21...

N.B. C2NN has this news article, submitted by Michael, please note it here

Mr Simcox said only a small percentage of ducks were killed outright..."It's very unlikely that a bird will be killed instantly. The estimates are that it takes between six and eight shots to kill a duck with a shotgun. We see birds flailing for many minutes before finally falling to the water where they wait for the shooter to get to it and wring its neck. There is plenty of time for a great deal of suffering to occur - it's an excruciating death."
Mr Simcox said a coalition of animal protection activists, dressed in brightly coloured clothing and armed with whistles and horns, would scare as many ducks as possible away from Tasmania's Moulting Lagoon on Saturday. They plan to set up a duck first-aid station and have veterinarians euthanase fatally injured ducks.

The ACT, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia have banned duck hunting.