Ken McAlpine
Ken McAlpine is the author of eight books, a collection of fiction, non-fiction, and essays. His most recent novel, "Juncture," is a cerebral "Jaws"; a suspense-filled thriller, a story of primal love and our changing oceans and, perhaps, a final fork in the road. "West is Eden: Reflections on this Gift Called Life," is a collection of his KCET essays. He lives in Ventura.
How can nature be saved at a time when people need it most? It is a very difficult question, not just in Uganda but around the world.
A friend of mine died the other day in a motorcycle accident. He was far too young to die. Such sadness is beyond words, but this friend deserves words because of the lesson and example he left behind.
Would you want it in your neighborhood? We all know the answer to that. But how might you feel about being abandoned?
It is a place so quiet that when you bend to the tall wind-stroked grasses the sound you hear is like the softest snowfall. It is the loveliest almost-quiet and satisfying beyond words. It is also a reminder.
Held up against Egyptian tumult, airplane crashes, and jury acquittals, this is certainly not global news, but it is just as important.
This independence we stand upon, it is sacrifice beyond scope.
Certain shark species have been reduced by as much as 90 percent. Extinction is forever. Is it worth texture in a bowl of soup?
Life requires some measure of practicality, for there are wages to earn and bills to pay and errands to run. But to also dismiss the miracles around us seems a shame.
With fatherhood there is no telling what might unfold.
One percent for the dinosaurs and all the other creatures scurrying to stay out from underfoot. One percent for seven billion people. And counting.
There is hope. It's a narrow window, but the breeze of possibility blows through it. I like to think our island fox has shown us the way.
Chris Martinez left an indelible trail. This is a fine thing, because there can never be enough smiles.