Hilary Clinton has made a fashionably late visit to our shores and naturally the press conference followed. It's becoming a bit of a soap opera. Is it just me, or are political speeches becoming a bit commonplace? To some extent that's partly because of modern media coverage. With so many channels and air-time to fill, it seems politicians are rising to the challenge of opportunity. I guess that's politics. If you want to get ahead in that business you need people to hear you.

The subject matter was predictable. The strife sponsored by the Taliban in more than one country has understandably provoked responses, and the current nuclear ambition of Iran is causing serious concern. Everyone is building 'relationships'. Clinton and Millibrand continue to enthuse about the 'Special Relationship'. The countries of Europe aree being pressured to sign up to the next stage of the empire building process. China chases it's cultural ambition with ruthless showmanship. Middle east dictators search for weakness in the west and religious fervour at home. Politcally, things are slowly heading toward another 'Balance of Power', a situation in global politics that offers security on one hand and disastrous conflict on the other.

A couple of times now I've mentioned how things were better in the eighties. It was a period when people were optimistic, when they had money to spend. More than once I've pointed at the current economic situation and my own personal difficulties arising from that. I've just been watching a news documentary about Syria. In one region, rain hasn't fallen for three years. A family that owned a hundred sheep twenty years ago now spends most of its meagre budget buying water to drink. I have no doubt these people are in desperate straits and that circumstances haven't favoured them. Syria isn't alone. The Sahara desert for instance is spreading and the once verdant north african coast is far drier. Of course the world climate is changing. The climate always changes. As the world leaves the last ice age behind it it will no doubt become warmer still, like it's done many times previously throughout the Earths history. Nonetheless, our efforts to survive and provide a better life have backfired in many places around the world.

Not so longer ago I pointed out that there were too many people. That starvation will eventually get the better of us. It seems, unbeknown to me, that we're already getting thirsty. I agree with the presenter - shortages of water, one of our most basic requirements for survival, will be a major weight in the future balance.

Footprints of the Week

Dinosaurs have been in the news again with a set of footprints found in France, near the border with Switzerland, of sauropods weighing in at around thirty tons. The area was a warm shallow sea at the time so it looks as if our Brontosaurs were having a day out at the seaside. They must have been magnificent creatures in their heyday. Sadly, they're gone, and let's hope we don't follow them too soon.