Bird Paradise

Yesterday it was announced that the Dutch Government is investing 30.000.000 Euro in a plan to create a new Island in the Markermeer. The island will become an "unequalled bird paradise!".

Check the animated impression of the island below. A shame that they forgot to ask sir. David Attenborough for the voiceover... (or, in line with my last post, use Elbow's - "the birds" as the soundtrack)



What will be the next step? An island that serves as an "unequalled paradise" for humans?

Scholar-Songpop?

How nice to once in a while find nice references to (pop)songs in academic literature. Makes you think scientists might be human after all. Today I started reading a paper on the role of future scenarios which started like this:

“Unlike many environmental scientists (and Fleetwood Mac), most social scientists do not think yesterday has gone and do not much want to think about tomorrow—at least not in their work”

Pulver and VanDeveer 2009 in Global Environmental Political.

Another one that I really like was a bit more hidden. Anna Wesselink et al in their “Dutch Dealings with the Delta” (2007, Nature and Culture) sneaked in Paul Simons:

“I have squandered my resistance for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises”.

Does anybody know any other examples?