Overpopulation

After having watched the documentary "The End of The Line" on Monday evening I feel we have been presented with yet another tale of resource depletion which fails to mention one of the main issues surrounding all forms of resource depletion; population.

Yes, almost everyone who campaigns in some shape or form on behalf of the planet avoids the mention of overpopulation for fear of the F-word - and I'm not talking Gordon Ramsay here!

Overpopulation is a problem that just won't go away. The human race has engineered an exponential growth in human population through technological advance without considering the impact of this growth on people and the planet. We are seeing those effects now.

Take a single argument;
If, at current levels of fishing, it is predicted that most fish stocks will be virtually gone by 2050, and by the same time the global population is expected to grow by around 3billion people, then does that not mean that the next 40 years of fishing will NOT continue at current levels, but will in fact increase massively to compensate for all these extra mouths? Does this then not equate to fish stocks disappearing much earlier than 2050? The same could be said for almost any resource.

Technological advance has increased our ability to use resources giving us a false perception of how many people the planet can actually sustain. We may be able to improve our technology, but if there is no basic product to make more productive then it will prove rather difficult; i.e. we can't be more productive at fishing if there are no fish.

Where do we begin to tackle the overpopulation issue?

Poverty is proven to promote population growth as well as increase environmental degradation. The Global North needs to get serious in tackling poverty - even if in their own interests given the anti-immigration stance of the majority of Western states - a more prosperous Global South would reduce migration to the Global North. How many migrants would actually want to leave their homeland given a decent choice?

Religion has a lot to answer for in their stance regarding contraception. For the Catholic Church to remain basically on the fence regarding contraception is, I think, a moral outrage, especially in countries in the Global South where educational and medical facilities are in desperate need of massive investment.

I don't profess to have all the answers, if any, but I am extremely tired that the debate on this critical issue being constantly kept away form the political agenda for fear of the F-word. This is probably even more pertinent given last week's results at the ballot boxes, but if we are going to get serious on tackling the growing environmental crisis this can no longer be kept off the agenda.

© Ryan Scott 2009

The Whole of the Moon

I saw the whole of the Moon
But only a part of it shone

Revealing just enough of its grandeur
Still so much more to be discovered

Its simple beauty shone out bright
The complex parts shaded from the light

All encased in a beautiful sphere
I wanted to hold it and bring it near

I stared until my eyes grew heavy
No longer could I focus steady

But I knew the Moon was there
Because it was fixed into my stare

And in that Moon was you
And behind my eyelids you came too.

© Ryan Scott 2009

What About Me?

I’m sitting in the car
Don’t know where we are
A packet of sweets are my treat
You made me complicit without my consent

I’m standing in the phone box
Looking down at my socks
A promise of ice cream to forget this dream
I was complicit, wanted to be innocent

I’m in the kitchen talking
What are these things I’m saying?
Can’t rock the boat, needs to stay afloat
I had to be complicit, show no dissent

I’m standing on the stair
I know you are in there
On the phone, you think you’re alone
I was complicit, too young to prevent

You called me to say he’d died
If I’d said sorry I’d have lied
My nightmare didn’t end there
Coz my memory’s still here

I was complicit, who noticed my descent?


© Ryan Scott

The Gift

Your sweet voice in the shower
Was only a small part
The tip of the iceberg
This was only the start

I heard you there
I began to care

I starved for two whole days
My body and soul growing weak
Scraping the barrel of despair
No voice for me to speak

You guided me there
I was unprepared

I almost vanished in the street
I almost wish I had
I was almost crushed under the weight
Never knew happy could be so sad

You led me there
I was scared

I crossed a bridge, paid the toll
There’s no way I can return
I didn’t look down, only ahead
This is a bridge I have to burn

You took me there
I was unaware

Living in the present with my past
Trying to not let it show
A crown of thorns around my heart
Clinging on, not letting go

I was already there
I wanted to be spared

Making the same mistakes again
It’s filling me with pain
My umbrella is too small
To keep us from this acid rain

I brought you here
I held you dear

The sky is starting to clear
I see what must be done
You gave me a gift
My journey has begun

You brought me here
I believe you care

You gave me a gift
I feel the darkness begin to lift
On things that’s taken years to shift
You gave me a gift

© Ryan Scott 2009

Philippa Forrester Stole My Crown

I never warmed up, I never trained
I acted cool and calm, but this was feigned
Lack of sleep after too much skanking
Top athletes don’t win after too much drinking

But I’ll persevere, I’ll overcome
I just need to get over my dodgy tum
Never mind Ryzo, come on my son,
We’ll get down there and show them how it’s done.

A leisurely cycle failed to hide
The competitive streak I had hidden inside,
Twitchy fingers on the brakes, as we cycled down past Radley Lakes
But more than I had a spark in their eye, and I could tell that today, sparks would fly.

The countryside shone in Spring-like bliss,
This was an event I just couldn’t miss,
The daffodils, the birds, the wind in my hair,
They couldn’t disguise, there was tension in the air.

When we arrived at The World Pooh Sticks Championship,
I checked out the competition…
Winning this would be a snip!

To keep costs down, we got a four person round and acted as a family,
But little did they know where my allegiances lie,
Today it’s all about me!

I take my time, framing my mind
And get into the Pooh Stick zone,
But out my eye, coming over the bridge I spy,
Philippa Forrester from BBC1!

I’m transported off to a wonderland of flowers and fairy cakes,
Philippa and I are dancing in the sky and floating on some chocolate lakes.

Oh my God! What’s happening to me?
My stomach’s tightening and my knees have gone to jelly!
My steely stare melted there, when I saw her flowing locks,
Can I keep my nerve and live my dream, in the World Championships at Day’s Lock?

I’ve got to try to put her aside, but she’s only three feet away,
Too distracted to remember my technique,
“Philippa, please go away!”

I spring to my feet, to the sound of a silent beat,
And get myself up to the start,
I queue up deep in thought, focusing my mind,
And I take my piece of bark.

But I’m too distracted, all I can see
Are little birds flying round my head?
That TV presenter who rescued an otter,
Has turned my preparation on its head!

Stay focused Ryzo, bond with the stick…
Think of John Craven, that should do the trick!

Okay, it’s time, I’m walking to the line, got to claim my rightful place,
The next time you see me, I’ll be on TV, with a winning smile on my face.

I’m standing on the bridge, it’s now or never,
Just me, my stick and a little stretch of river.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I’m waiting for the ref,
He steps right up, “1-2-3 Drop”, and in the river they plop.

My technique looks good, I’ve started well,
We run to the other side…
I’m not winning, “What the hell!”

“Come on green stick, you really must win,
Coz if you don’t my world reputation is in the bin.”

“Go on my son, that’s the one,
You’re catching up good and proper,
But that crooked golden stick just won’t slow down,
Even though it oughta”

We’re getting close to the line, but there isn’t much time and I’m still three centimetres behind!

“Move yer arse you stupid stick, I’m gona have to give you a kick,
If you don’t win, I’m jumping in and chasing you downstream,
I’ll catch you up and fish you out and smash you into smithereens!”

“I’ve got to win, can’t you see, you’re denying me of my destiny,
All that training and preparation, today the World Champion must be me!”

I look at the judge, his eyes along the line,
“Tell me the light’s deceiving me, say its green this time.”

“Yellow” he shouts out, I can’t believe my ears,
I no longer see the river, as my eyes fill up with tears.

I just can’t take it in, I was supposed to win,
I can’t believe I lost this round,
I’m sinking to my knees, defeat ringing in my ears,
How am I to win my crown?

I don’t understand what put me off,
Something must’ve gone wrong
Oh hang on a minute, I’ve just realised…
It was Forrester all along!

The penny drops, I stand up straight,
It’s clear what I must do,
Stand aside, clear the way,
“Forrester, I’m coming for you!”

I barge through the crowd,
Like a man on a mission,
Coming through like a convoy,
I don’t need no permission.

I get to the place, where I set eyes on her face,
And this time it’s personal,
I go to confront her, like the Crocodile Hunter,
But she looks so sensational.

Enough is enough, it’s time to get rough,
I’m gona read her the Riot Act,
So I square up to her face and tell her my disgrace ,
At the tactics she employed to distract.

“How dare you come here to play and to cheer,
When I’m here to claim my crown,
You should have gone elsewhere, or at least over there,
So to serious business I could have got down!

“You knew all along, how to make it go wrong,
So that your husband could win,
Well I won’t accept it, you’re going to regret it,
Forrester, you’re going for a swim!”

She proves difficult to shift, in a Fireman’s Lift,
As I stagger to the bank,
My task is made much harder, as her husband’s getting madder,
And comes in for the attack,

I swing Philippa around and her husband makes a squawking sound,
As he falls down on the grass,
The riverbank is near and I feel Forrester’s fear,
But “Argh”, her dog just bit me on the ass!

I throw Forrester over my head and she hits the riverbed,
As her dog closes in on me,
There’s only one escape without a magic cape,
I’ve got to jump into the stream!

I’m none too impressed, by this soggy mess,
But I quickly realise,
That amidst all the kerfuffle and the feathers I have ruffled,
There might still be a prize!

I adopt a streamlined position, and focus on my new mission,
I’m gona beat her to the line,
In this whole new game, “Pooh Humans” is its name,
All the glory will be mine!

As she’s flapping and flailing, past her I am sailing,
While the crowd look on aghast,
Under the line I go, in the quickest part of the flow,
Wow! I’m moving really fast!

The crowd make not a sound, as I turn to look around,
At my glorious victory,
They stare with mouths wide open; it’s not the response I was hoping
For when the World Champion is me.

But I realise they're struck with shock, as I'm transported through the lock
And end up nearly drowned,
I think I’ve learned my lesson, from all this river messing;
I’d have been better off not crowned!

From Here I Diverge

They may have stopped the bombs going off
But that didn’t stop the explosion

In the gridlocked streets
I had time on my side
Cars nose to tail
Gave me somewhere to hide

The phone conversation
When I got to Hyde Park
I’d made up my mind
It’s over this time

I’d arrived without leaving
Strong in myself
I’m going back to Victoria
Going back on the shelf

The rain started to fall
Streaking my view
Like a scene from a movie
I thought about you

The stifling air
Of central London
Suffocating my senses
Accentuating my conundrum

Like a thick blanket
Filling the air
Penetrating the window
Soaking up through my hair

I was at a cross-roads
On a one-way street
I wanted to run
But I was dead on my feet

Trying to hide
I’ve been incognito
I’ve been doing this
For a year or more

To everyone else
I looked just the same
What I saw in the mirror
Was a boy full of pain

I re-traced my steps
Back through the rain
Got to get home
Away from this pain

The rain came down harder
Tried to wash me away
Rising up through my shoes
It all turned on its head today

Two hours to wait
Till I can go home
I push out of my mind
Thoughts of you being alone

If it wasn’t for the terror
There wouldn’t have been a tremor
I’d be free-flowing through London
On my way back to you

But this time round
It’s not meant to be
In the distance ahead
I see a new path for me

Like a new butterfly
I began to emerge
The chrysalis broken
From here I diverge

Love is...

Love is something invisible
Love is something strong
Love is almost invincible
Love is never wrong
Bu if one forgets justice
In a flash it will be gone