There is a plan to make a “Web Log Carnival of the Vanities” (aka blog carnival) for all things arid.
Submissions should have something to do with a desert somewhere in the world. (If you’re not sure whether your work is desert-related, check out this definition at Wikipedia, and if you’re still not sure, send it in anyway.) Submissions can be scientific in nature, or history, or travelog. Images are welcome, photographic or otherwise. Discussions of culture and politics are welcome if they’re desert-related. The one restriction, other than geographical, is that — at least when I’m compiling it — paeans to destroying the desert probably won’t make it. (Developers and ORVers take note.) Paeans to preserving or protecting the desert are fine, as are alerts of current pressing issues.
This is a good idea, though I have one problem with this I want to mention and I’m sure we can deal with it.
Back when the guy who decided what a tropical rain forest is and what a desert is went around and did that stuff, he ignored Africa and based all the numbers on Asia and the New World. As a result, the entire Central African Rain Forest is not a rain forest, and the Kalahari is not a desert. For instance.
So I think we need to have a sufficiently broad definition of desert to include the arid lands that don’t quite make the cut for this absurd arbitrary reason. Kay?
Anyway, READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE!
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Any posts about the Kalahari are welcome at CotA. As are posts about the Gobi, Taklamakan, Sahara, Namib, Atacama, and Antarctic Dry Valleys, in addition to 90 percent of Australia and the N American southwest.
Thanks for the link!
Death Valley has to be considered as an interesting desert for us US snobs. The lizards, mammals, plants, etc. are so appealing that we have lots of things to talk about.
I have have had a lot of fun noosing lizards, trapping small mammals, and exploring back country there.
The Namib and Kalahari trump every other desert on earth.