I’m standing in the room where the greatest French 19th Century author scaled the summits of romantic writing and brought us back the book on which was based one of the greatest musicals of the 20th century, Les Miserables. And now there’s fresh acclaim for the author, with the release of the film of the… Continue reading
Solar solution – sunny outlook for charging the iPad
It’s hard to compete with the Chinese in making the current generation of solar panels, with the price of silicon panels dropping fast. There are few if any manufacturers in the UK, and in the US the Tea Party party ridiculed the Obama administration for so conspicuously supporting Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer that went… Continue reading →
Now rural England revolts over solar power
Anybody who proposes a windfarm, or even a single wind turbine, in the countryside these days can expect a tough battle with the locals. Let the proponents advance any of the standard arguments – the need for urgent action to combat global warming, a quick and cost-effective response to the coming energy crisis, the fact… Continue reading →
We shouldn’t let politics darken Belfast’s bright new dawn
At the start of December I enjoyed a meal in good company in one of Belfast’s liveliest new restaurants. Made in Belfast, in the city cenre, was full on our visit. The name summed up the optimism and vigour of a city rebuilding itself, after many dark days. The walls were festooned, floor to ceiling,… Continue reading →
Back to Africa, with Attenborough the master wildlife storyteller
The Attenborough wildlife series is one of the great TV events, all the more to be relished and enjoyed because here is a man of 86, still in full bloom, continuing a body of work that links back to the very early days of television. Now he’s back on prime time BBC One, and it… Continue reading →
German railways guarantee zero-carbon travel
If we don’t count bicycles, electric cars (and only when you know the energy is produced by renewables), and commuting by yacht, zero-carbon travel for business or leisure still remains something of a chimera. So it is promising news that German national rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has become one of the first transport operators in… Continue reading →