Monthly Archives: September 2016

WHY GO? Hailed as West Africa’s golden child, Ghana deserves its place in the sun. One of Africa’s great success stories, the country is reaping the benefits of a stable democracy in the form of fast-paced development. And it shows: … Continue reading →

A hopeful Aga saga. In the poorest bit of the former Soviet Union they look to a leader of yore Aug 20th 2016 Economist The region of Badakhshan, which covers most of the eastern half of Tajikistan but hosts barely … Continue reading →

From Russia with love. Remittances are a good thing, except when they stop Jan 16th 2016 Economist Debt crises, capital flight and corruption are all familiar problems for poor countries trying to finance their development. A bulwark, say some, is … Continue reading →

Desert wines. How to grow grapes where the ground is a griddle May 14th 2016 Economist Daniel Kish once speared fish for a living. Now he makes wine in Israel’s Negev desert. Sipping on Shoshanna, a spicy blend of petite … Continue reading →

After the movie Jaws came out in the 1970s, it was a big joke that no diver wanted to see a shark underwater. Today it’s just the opposite. Sharks are vital to the health of the oceans and are also … Continue reading →

BY Erik Vance July 2016 National Geographic Why Great White Sharks Are Still a Mystery to Us The Realm of the Great White The great white is one of six shark species that are endothermic, which means they can raise … Continue reading →

By Glenn Hodges June 2016 National Geographic America loved Jaws, and became paranoid about sharks. There is always with the vague fear that teeth will tug on your leg at any moment when swimming in the ocean. Never mind that … Continue reading →

August 2016 National Geographic by Glenn Hughes Oceanic whitetips, famous for attacking shipwrecked sailors, once ruled the seas. Now they’re nearly gone. They’ve been decimated as bycatch in longline commercial fishing as they travel mostly in the top of the … Continue reading →

BAY ISLANDS OF HONDURAS I bussed back down to Placentia and caught the ferry to Porto Ordaz, Honduras and then shared a taxi with 3 others through San Pedro Sula to La Ceiba, an unsavory city on the Caribbean coast. … Continue reading →

Belize February 2011 BELIZE CITY Belize City (pop 70,800), the capital, is a shabby, run down place with a large black population. I hitched a ride into town with an American living there doing research on coral. Hurricanes had recently … Continue reading →