I was away when these ran. This series was inspired by a survey of Americans that showed many were more prepared to believe in things like Bigfoot than in evidence-backed science like climate change.
Yes, I worked this out. I assumed that each person would need at least a metre squared to stand on. 7 billion square metres is the same as 7,000 square kilometres (1000 m x 1000m). I then did a search to find islands bigger than 7000 sq km. I would have dearly loved to use one of the Falkland Islands, but I’m not sure they are as well known as in Margaret Thatcher’s era…So I went for Vancouver Island, instead – a little roomier at over 30,000 sq km.
As this comic strip series was running, I was very glad to hear that the Keystone XL pipeline was denied a permit, but it looks like this is just a stalling measure to take the decision beyond the presidential election. I wish as much money and energy was being put into researching and installing alternative energy systems (wind, solar, wave) instead.
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Although I was sad to see the end of syndication for new Ollie and Quentin comic strips this year, I was glad that Norm Feuti (of Retail fame) picked up the reins with his strip about a dysfunctional family (at least in the world of newspaper comics), Gil. It was cool to add it to my Daily Ink feed and I’ve been enjoying revisiting the characters. Gil was a web comic and it’s great to see that rejigging the comic for a newspaper audience hasn’t diminished it at all.
I just hope that they like it, editors buy it and Gil becomes the success it deserves to be.
This series was inspired by finding that the FBI have been using dolphins and other marine animals in their operations for decades.
This is my fourth year of volunteering with Earthcare to look after the penguins on the breakwater. Last night, I took up the invitation to go out with the research team which goes out every second Sunday to measure the penguins. This involves rock-hopping and trying to grab the penguins as they run for cover. Not easy and I didn’t catch any (frankly, I was happy just to watch and help pass on the caught birds), but the team caught a lot and microchipped all the birds which didn’t have a chip and were big enough (over 650g – fully grown birds are about a kilo) to be injected with one. Just like dogs, the chip is injected into the scruff of the neck.
clambering over the rocks, looking for little penguins
Injecting a microchip into a little penguin
A chipped penguin - look at that sharp beak...
This is what happens to inexperienced handlers (me) who don't know to always point the penguin away...
It's late in the season, but some of the penguins are still breeding and as is usual, this clutch contains two eggs.
When we had finished, at about 11.30pm, I took the opportunity to walk to the end of the breakwater on a beautiful evening in Melbourne
This is a detail from a Sunday I’ve just drawn for Earth Day (22nd April) and there is something about this stupid yellow fish that really appealed to me.
The readers of Arctic Circle online (see link on left to the daily comic) are pretty tough markers and I thought it was interesting that they liked this comic more than most. I’d like to think that the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed is of concern, but it’s more likely that comic readers just love bacon.
We’ve had a couple of days over 30 degrees C and today was predicted to get to 40 (it’s 38 degrees as I write this at 3.26pm). Hot evenings means a busy St Kilda Pier and it is good that we have a lot of guides to look after the penguins this year.
Penguin guides (including me) are in high vis vests.
It’s also a tough time for bees and after noticing that they were drinking from Billie’s rainwater bowl, we topped it up to keep them from drowning. They are coming in to our bee bar in a steady stream, three or four at a time.
The popsicle life raft didn't work, so we just keep this filled to the brim so that the bees don't drown.
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