SPOILER ALERT: this review assumes you’ve seen the first episode of the Doctor Who series starring Jodie Whittaker, and includes detailed plot and character information from the outset.
The 13th Doctor Who, played by Jodie Whittaker, falls into this story in the middle of the action, crash landing on a train where her new companions are trapped. In case you’ve been hiding on Mars (or Gallifrey), her first appearance is given a pulse of the famous theme music for identification purposes – not that anyone in the massive earthbound audience will need much persuading that Whittaker is the Doctor. She plays an absolute blinder throughout, ranging from quietly amusing moments such as asking to have a police car’s “lights and siren on”, through to smelting her own sonic screwdriver. There’s also some convincing stunt action on show – and a moving account of long-lost family thrown in for good measure. But the classic BBC series’ new showrunner, Chris Chibnall (the writer of smash-hit drama series Broadchurch), is preoccupied with overturning expectations in “The Woman Who Fell To Earth”. The episode begins with 19-year-old warehouse worker Ryan (Tosin Cole) vlogging about the “greatest woman” he’s ever met – but just who is she? Before long, Ryan’s grandmother Grace (Sharon D Clarke), her second husband Graham (Bradley Walsh) and a former schoolmate of Ryan’s, police officer Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill), are united on a train that’s under attack near the city of Sheffield, England. Ryan assumes that an unknown entity moving through the train carriages has killed someone. A classic Doctor Who set-up, you might think, only for the Doctor to counsel that, no, this death was more likely from shock – while linked to the alien incursion, it wasn’t intended or executed by a traditional monster. The expected storyline is quickly overturned.
Later, the Doctor comes up with an “Alien vs Predator”-style explanation of events, only to accept that unusually she too has got things wrong – this isn’t one alien against another, instead it’s a hunt for human trophies. And Chibnall wrong-foots viewers by depicting the character of Karl Wright, another passenger caught up in the train attack, as classic monster fodder – only to make him rather more “randomly” central to the narrative than standard conventions might dictate.
Shock of the new
“New can be scary”, the Doctor cautions her latest friends – while reflecting on the fact that – post-regeneration – she’s temporarily become “a stranger to myself”. And there’s a mission statement of sorts put front-and-centre, as she hails “Tim Shaw” – her name for the alien warrior chasing around Sheffield – with an inspirational account of transformative self-identity: “We’re all capable of the most incredible change. We can evolve, while still staying true to who we are. We can honour who we’ve been and choose who we want to be next.” “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” is preoccupied with gender – but probably not the one you were expecting. It is sometimes less about the Doctor’s newfound femininity (which gets some great one-liners) and more about wayward masculinity, represented by both Karl and “Tim Shaw”. The former is obsessed with inspirational quotes (“I am brave”, “I am confident”, “I am special”) while lacking many of these positive qualities, and the latter is an intergalactic cheat, insecure about his ability to become a leader. There is, also, a stronger sense of male vulnerability in this tale than ever before: we have the story of Ryan’s dyspraxia to follow in coming episodes and it seems unlikely that Graham O'Brien’s cancer remission will be mentioned just this once (Graham is Ryan’s step-grandad as well as Grace’s partner, and is superbly played by Walsh).
Who are you? Grace, Yasmin, the Doctor, Ryan and Graham. (BBC Pictures)Indeed, the decision to include these real-world problems – the energetic Grace having been Graham’s chemo nurse when they first met – strikes me as a genuinely brave move for a family entertainment show, and one to be applauded. This is a grounded, challenging view of Doctor Who – one which displays its humanity not via reassuring neoliberal tales of self-celebration, but instead through a (public service) sense of needing to “work through” difficulties.
However, given recent debates around “fridging” – the trope where a female figure (often a girlfriend) has to be killed in order to motivate a male character’s angst-filled storyline – the demise of courageous Grace feels like a misstep. Her loss leaves a symbolic gap for the Doctor to fill, perhaps – as well as a reason for Ryan and Graham to become time travellers rather than wanting to return to Sheffield, 2018. But she’s the one character who instantly feels as if she should have been a “companion” to this Doctor.
Brave new Who-niverse
“The Woman Who Fell to Earth” is sharply directed by Jamie Childs (His Dark Materials) and benefits from some impressive incidental music from Segun Akinola (Dear Mr Shakespeare: Shakespeare Lives). Whittaker doesn’t put a foot wrong and – with a convincing group of new friends, a brilliant cliffhanger and a showrunner unafraid to incorporate mentions of cancer, chemo and dyspraxia – this looks to be a show in safe hands. Male heroics will no doubt earn an ongoing place in the new “Who-niverse” – if Ryan and Graham can be shaped, inspired and remade by the transformational zest of Whittaker’s Doctor. In time, they will have an opportunity to properly learn the lessons of human rather than Time Lord regeneration, and how “we’re all capable of the most incredible change”. This is a strong opening to a new phase in Doctor Who’s history: it is accessible, bravely grounded and inspiring in its own right. The Doctor is in. About Today's Contributor: Matt Hills, Professor of Media and Film, University of Huddersfield
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
San Francisco City Attorney's Office's official seal. Dennis Herrera, City Attorney. (PRNewsFoto/City Attorney of San Francisco)
City Attorney Dennis Herrera released the following statement in response to today's ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that declared San Francisco's sanctuary ordinances are lawful, and invalidated grant conditions that the Trump administration tried to use to deny law enforcement funding to sanctuary jurisdictions like San Francisco:
"Once again, the rule of law has carried the day. The Trump administration should spend less time villainizing immigrants and more time reading the Constitution. Congress has the power of the purse, not the president. These unconstitutional grant conditions were yet another example of presidential overreach. They were also just a bad idea. The Trump administration attacks immigrants and claims to be fighting crime but then seeks to take away money for police, prosecutors and courts. That makes zero sense. By trying to coerce San Francisco into abandoning sanctuary laws that make our city safer, the Trump administration has been undercutting local law enforcement and endangering our communities by withholding funds for programs that reduce crime. We're pleased the court has recognized that San Francisco's sanctuary laws and policies comply with federal law. Not only that, the court found that the federal law that the Trump administration has been trying to use as a hammer against communities is itself unconstitutional. Here's the bottom line: there is no law requiring state or local governments to participate in immigration enforcement. Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government alone. Federal officials can do their job in San Francisco and anywhere else in the country. San Francisco is not stopping them. San Francisco is not impeding them. But our police, firefighters and nurses are not going to be commandeered and turned into the Trump administration's deportation force. Communities are safer when residents aren't afraid to take their children to the doctor, call the fire department in an emergency, or go to the police if they've been the victim of a crime. We prioritize our limited law enforcement resources to fight actual crime, not break up hardworking families. "
Today's ruling from Judge William H. Orrick found that the conditions the Trump administration was trying to place on certain law enforcement grants are unconstitutional, that San Francisco is in compliance with 8 U.S.C. section 1373, and that 8 U.S.C. section 1373 is itself unconstitutional. The court granted an injunction prohibiting the grant conditions from being applied in San Francisco and California. He also noted that a nationwide injunction was justified in this case, but stayed its application in places outside of the California pending review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Case Background
Herrera filed the lawsuit on Aug. 11, 2017 in a coordinated approach with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. The state of California filed suit shortly after.
Today's ruling covers grant conditions for fiscal year 2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants. Herrera filed a separate case on Aug. 22, 2018 over similar conditions the Trump administration is trying to place on fiscal year 2018 grants.
Impact on San Francisco
San Francisco faced the prospect of losing more than $1.4 million in Byrne JAG funds for fiscal 2017. A similar amount is at stake for fiscal 2018. The federal government has not disbursed San Francisco's 2017 funds yet. San Francisco uses these funds for a variety of important law enforcement purposes, including programs designed to reduce recidivism, provide alternative forms of prosecution and enable treatment for underserved populations.
The cases are: City and County of San Francisco v. Jefferson B. Sessions III, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case No. 3:17-cv-04642, filed Aug. 11, 2017, and City and County of San Francisco v. Jefferson B. Sessions III, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case No. 3:18-cv-05146-JCS, filed Aug. 22, 2018, and additional documentation is available on the City Attorney's website.
From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment: The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Get ready for a laugh in the cult-classic comedy that has captured everyone's hearts when The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Limited Edition debuts for the first time ever on 4K Ultra Combo Pack that also includes Blu-ray and Digital via the digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on October 16, 2018, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Fans can relive the hilariously freewheeling plot of one of the most beloved films of all-time with the twisted crime-comedy starring Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart, True Grit), John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane, Argo), Julianne Moore (The Hours, Still Alice), Steve Buscemi (Fargo, Ghost World), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master, Capote) and John Turturro (Barton Fink, Fading Gigolo).
The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is the perfect gift for any fan and the exclusive set includes a collectible bag, bowling ball pencil holder, polishing cloth and sweater packaging offering an experience like no other to look back on the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the "#1 cult film of all time" (The Boston Globe).
With unforgettable scenes and outrageous humor, The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Edition showcases hours of bonus features including retrospective documentaries, an interactive map, an in-depth look at the phenomenon known as the Lebowski Fest taking audiences deeper than ever before into the upside down world of "The Dude."
From the Academy Award-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude. Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski doesn't want any drama in his life…heck, he can't even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity.
BONUS FEATURES:
The Dude's Life:Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturrotake a look back at their performances and how their delivery of the Coen brothers' dialog became classic movie lines.
The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later: A conversation with the cast about the film's decade-long reign as a cult classic.
Making of The Big Lebowski
The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story: An in-depth look at the annual Lebowski Fest, a celebration of The Dude and his world, attended by thousands each year.
Flying Carpets and Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude: A look at some of the Dude's trippiest fantasies so fans can learn for the first time how these innovative scenes were created.
Interactive Map: Take a tour of the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.
Jeff Bridges Photo Book: For more than 30 years, Jeff Bridges has been snapping pictures on movie sets. The accomplished photographer presents a portfolio of shots taken on the set of The Big Lebowski.
Photo Gallery
And Much More!
From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment: The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
The Big Lebowski 20th Anniversary Edition will be available on 4K Ultra HD combo pack which includes Blu-ray and Digital, and Movies Anywhere.
CAST AND FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro Directed By:Joel Coen Written By:Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Executive Producers:Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner Producer:Ethan Coen Co-Producer:John Cameron Director of Photography:Roger Deakins Production Designer:Rick Heinrichs Edited By:Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tricia Cooke Casting By:John S. Lyons Costume Designer:Mary Zophres Original Music By:Carter Burwell
TECHNICAL INFORMATION – 4K Ultra HD:
Street Date:October 16, 2018 Copyright: 2018 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Selection Numbers: 61198756 Rating: Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence. Layers: BD-66 Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen Sound: English DTS:X Master Audio, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese DTS Digital Surround 5.1 Bonus Feature Disc Sound:English Dolby Digital 2.0 Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese subtitles Running Time: 1 Hr 26 Min
TECHNICAL INFORMATION – Blu-ray
Street Date:October 16, 2018 Copyright: 2018 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Selection Numbers: 61115274 Rating: Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence. Layers: BD-50 Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen Sound: English DTS Master Audio 5.1, French DTS Digital Surround 5.1 Bonus Feature Disc Sound: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Languages/Subtitles:English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles Running Time: 1 Hr 26 Min
Elephants wade through water that floods the Okavango Delta annually after flowing down from the Angolan Highlands. Shot on assignment for a National Geographic magazine story about the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project
Building upon 12 years of collaboration, Google and the National Geographic Society have announced the launch of a major new partnership that will address the myriad threats impacting the Earth at this critical juncture in ways only the two organizations can.
Over the next two years and beyond, Google and the National Geographic Society will work together to leverage the power of Google's technology and National Geographic's world-class science and storytelling, as well as National Geographic Labs' innovations, to build a first-of-its-kind, dynamic, four-dimensional digital representation of the vital signs of Earth's natural ecosystems.
This living rendition of the globe will allow users to monitor the world's species and ecosystems over time, understand threats to the natural world and realize solutions to help achieve a planet in balance.
The two organizations will source and generate new data on ecosystems, biodiversity, urban growth, migrations and extreme environments to inform insights and inspire action by educating consumers and decision-makers about the critical importance of protecting at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030.
National Geographic Society's Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist Dr. Jonathan Baillie and Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Dr. Ya-Ping Zhang highlighted the need to achieve this critical biodiversity target in a recent editorial in the journal Science.
"There is finite space and energy on the planet, and we must decide how much of it we're willing to share," Baillie and Zhang wrote.
Wildlife populations have decreased over 50 percent since the 1970s, while humans' impact on the landscape is becoming more and more visible in satellite imagery.
For decades, decisions about protecting critical ecosystems have been made using very limited data. In 2020, the world's governments will meet in Beijing, China, to set targets that aim to protect current levels of biodiversity and the ecosystems that support food and water security as well as the health of billions of people.
The Google-National Geographic Society partnership will create tools to help this decision-making.
Two initial components of the partnership are launching at the annual Geo for Good Summit in Sunnyvale, Calif. As part of the National Geographic Society's efforts to protect our planet's last wild places, the Society and Google are releasing a new dataset called The Human Impact Map on Google Earth that shows the planet's remaining, relatively untouched landscapes.
Additionally, to showcase one of these iconic landscapes and its importance at a local and regional scale, the announcement also includes the launch of a new Voyager story in Google Earth, "Protecting the Okavango River Basin," focused on southern Africa's Okavango River Basin.
This Voyager story uses the newly visualized Human Impact data and provides on-the-ground data and storytelling from National Geographic's Okavango Wilderness Project expeditions to show how we can better protect the natural resources and wildlife of regions like the Okavango watershed.
"National Geographic is committed to an ambitious conservation vision and is excited to be partnering with Google to articulate why that vision is essential and to help measure our progress in achieving it," said Baillie. "By combining the power of Google's innovative technology with National Geographic's groundbreaking research, storytelling and the National Geographic Labs team, we're dramatically increasing society's understanding of Earth's natural systems and species and providing new insights on how to protect them."
"This is a time of great threat to our natural ecosystems, but there is still time for us to correct our course," said Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth. "Data gives nature a voice, and by harnessing the power of technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and global-scale geospatial analytics, we can gain new insights and perspectives on how life is adapting to our changing planet. We can use those insights to inform people and make better decisions for ourselves and the planet. There are hopeful outcomes when people have access to this information and can use it to protect life on earth."
Looking ahead to 2019 and 2020, Google and National Geographic will collaborate on key Google Earth data layers and stories focused on biodiversity, animal migrations and the impacts of climate change.
They plan to develop engaging user and decision-maker experiences to better demonstrate the need to protect the world's ecosystems.
Leveraging the National Geographic Society's expertise in conservation science with Google's excellence in big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, the organizations will identify and aim to solve the grand challenges that decision-makers are trying to address and help them make better informed decisions to protect the planet.
About the National Geographic Society:
The National Geographic Society is a leading nonprofit that invests in bold people and transformative ideas in the fields of exploration, scientific research, storytelling and education. The Society aspires to create a community of change, advancing key insights about the planet and probing some of the most pressing scientific questions of our time, all while ensuring that the next generation is armed with geographic knowledge and global understanding. Its goal is measurable impact: furthering exploration and educating people around the world to inspire solutions for the greater good.
About Google:
Google's mission is to "Organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Google Earth, Earth Outreach and Earth Engine are part of a broader team dedicated to leveraging and developing Google's infrastructure to address global environmental, health and humanitarian issues. Projects are often in partnership with area experts, focus on data driven approaches and visualizations at scale to bring greater transparency and awareness, create new tools to understand system dynamics and better inform decision making.
#1 bestselling author Mylo Carbia's latest hit novel, 'Violets are Red'
By now you may have heard about the inspiration behind #1 bestselling author Mylo Carbia's latest hit novel, Violets are Red, which tells the story of a Manhattan housewife who captures her husband's young mistress, and quietly keeps her prisoner in the basement of their Upper East Side townhouse.
The modern-day fairy tale –– inspired by Carbia's own surprise divorce –– has taken the literary world by storm, and is a clear choice for avid readers looking for a suspense-filled, dark thriller to celebrate the Halloween season.
In a surprise twist Carbia is known for, the 47-year-old writer shocked fans by abandoning her usual "rock-and-roll-gothic" garb, and instead showcasing a princess-inspired dress and a three-tier rhinestone castle cake in an over-the-top fairy tale wedding to U.S. Navy Retired war hero, Kurt Lund, on September 16, 2018.
The nuptials took place just north of Cancun, Mexico, at the Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort, under tight security given the eccentric guest list comprised of musicians, artists, and actors –– including cast members of The Walking Dead.
Former Collective Soul band members, Ross Childress and Shane Evans, along with lead singer Stephen Wines (now known as 2 Broke Kings), played live at the wedding reception, and sang with the bride during the ceremony.
"It was truly an epic, fairy tale dream wedding come true," said one guest, a friend of Carbia since middle school. "We all love Mylo so much, and hated watching her go through hell in past relationships, so to see her finally meet a kind, honorable, down-to-earth man makes us all now believe that things really dohappen for a reason."
Kurt Lund, 45, spent twenty years in the United States Navy, and earned thirty-five ribbons and medals, including four U.S. Navy and Marine Achievement Medals, for his efforts in Afghanistan and at sea across the globe.
Celebrity Writer, Mylo Carbia, Weds U.S. Navy War Hero, Kurt Lund, in Playa Mujeres, Mexico on September 16, 2018 (Photo Credit: Dawn V. Gilmore)
Ranked 7th in 'The Top 10 Horror Authors Alive Today,' and among 'The 250 Most Influential Authors' by Richtopia.com, Carbia's debut novel The Raping Of Ava DeSantis hit #1 Bestseller in Horror, won the 2016 Silver Falchion Award for Outstanding Achievement in Fiction, and is currently in development to become a major motion picture.
Violets are Red (released by Vanderbilt Publishing) also hit the #1 spot in New Releases and is being touted as "The best horror-thriller novel of the year" by Top10Novels.com.
The newlyweds plan to settle in Palm Beach, Florida, along with the bride's 13-year-old son. Carbia will continue writing novels and screenplays full-time, with plans to release her third novel and first science fiction thriller, Z.O.O., late Summer 2019.
In addition, the couple will be enjoying their honeymoon this weekend, October 4-7, at the Women in Horror Film Festival in Peachtree City, GA where Carbia is one of the celebrity headliners.
"I have a whole new perspective on life after experiencing the wedding of my dreams," she explained. "The only thing we are guaranteed is change, so from now on, I will cherish every moment with those that matter and be grateful for every blessing that comes my way."
'Violets are Red' by Mylo Carbia
More About 'Violets are Red':
Set in New York City's wealthy Upper East Side, Violets are Red, tells the story of an aging Manhattan housewife who captures her husband's young mistress and quietly keeps her prisoner in the basement of their multi-million-dollar townhouse. "Think 'Real Housewives' meets 'Misery' but with a fantastic twist ending you won't see coming," says Mark Miller from Top10Novels.com. "We think it's one of the very best novels of the year so far, but we can understand why women's rights groups may have an issue with two ladies battling one another to win over the affection of a man." The book's female author, Mylo Carbia, makes no apologies for writing a novel advertised as The Ultimate Catfight. In fact, she has met this controversy before. As a Hollywood screenwriter turned novelist, Carbia's debut novel The Raping Of Ava DeSantis hit #1 bestseller and won the Silver Falchion Award for Outstanding Achievement in Fiction, despite having the main character seduce one of her perpetrators 15 years after a brutal sexual assault. At the time, feminists were outraged with the storyline and launched an online campaign to boycott the novel, but with recent news of Harvey Weinstein's systematic abuse and the resulting #MeToo Movement, Carbia's first novel is currently in development into a movie and targeted for release in theaters late next year. "Violets are Red, is a cautionary tale of how being the mistress or wife of a cheating man can literally destroy you," said Carbia recently. "I hope Violets are Red, does for infidelity what War Of The Roses did for divorce––show the most extreme consequences so that people may disengage in a civil fashion if need be." Carbia has been open about her past struggle with a surprise divorce, and resulting thoughts of self-destruction. "It was the worst time of my life," she told reporter Tony Sokol two years ago, amid rumors of her then husband leaving her for a six-month pregnant, younger woman. "Not only was it an emotional crisis, it was a financial crisis, a legal crisis, and an 'immediate need to relocate' crisis all within several days. Writing was the only way I could cope with the pain, and this novel is my gift to women dealing with betrayal trauma everywhere."
The Kingfisher Secret (CNW Group/McClelland and Stewart)
McClelland & Stewart has announced that it will publish the political thriller The Kingfisher Secret by Anonymous.
Ripped from the headlines and inspired by tales, speculation and whispers from within the intelligence community, the highly charged novel of intrigue and deception will be published simultaneously by McClelland & Stewart in Canada and the United States, Heyne in Germany and Century in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2018.
In addition, rights have been sold to Longanesi in Italy and Planeta in Spain who will publish The Kingfisher Secret in 2019.
On the eve of the 2016 American election, journalist Grace Elliott has been working tirelessly on a story involving the controversial and wealthy tycoon who is running for President of the United States and a former porn star who is ready to go public with details of their affair. Yet, for political reasons, the publication that Grace works for decides to bury the story.
She is then sent to Europe to resume her work as a ghostwriter for the candidate's ex-wife, a no-nonsense Czech businesswoman who "writes" a column for the publication. Grace soon stumbles on a shocking story about how the man who is about to be president has made it as far as he has, and the threat his election victory poses to the western world.
"It is a pleasure to publish this provocative book, which manages to be a great deal of fun while also asking important questions about how power and politics are shaping our global future," says Jared Bland, Publisher of McClelland & Stewart. "We hope readers around the world find the story as exhilarating as we do."
The author is a bestselling novelist and respected journalist.
Late last year, the author was introduced to a successful international businessman who became a source for insights into the world of espionage. The author learned that the businessman had worked as an operative for intelligence organizations to infiltrate spy networks. Through his activities within the intelligence community, the businessman heard stories about Donald Trump and his ex-wife, Ivana.
Some had speculated that Ivana might have been part of the "swallow" program; a documented Cold War tactic used to entrap and compromise men of influence and power, not only to gather information but to encourage behaviour that would fit the long-term goals of the Russian government.
With that background, the businessman suggested the following premise for a novel to the author: There's a spy in the White House.
Intrigued by the idea, the author travelled to Prague to visit the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes and other archives to research Ivana Trump and her family, only to learn that many of the files had been stolen or destroyed.
At that point, the author's imagination took over and The Kingfisher Secret came to life.
⏩ In publishing The Kingfisher Secret, the author has decided to remain anonymous in order to protect the source's identity.
A four year old female Jaguar named Curubanda at Las Pumas wildlife sanctuary in the region of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. (Image via World Animal Protection)
The majestic big cats known for their elaborate markings, are being poached and processed to be exported to China. The process involves boiling down their bodies for up to a week until it turns into a glue-like paste, it is then sold on the black market in tubs and until now, has been undocumented.
The product is used in the belief that it can treat arthritis pain, improve sexual performance and enhance health even though there are proven alternatives readily available.
This shocking cruel practice involves jaguars being stalked and shot numerous times, suffering multiple injuries, until eventually they are killed, usually with a final bullet to the head once they are too injured to move. In one instance, it was reported that the jaguar had to be shot seven times until it died, causing prolonged suffering.
Investigators from the international charity also captured interviews with rangers, discussions with poachers and the traders who are putting orders for a jaguar on social media, by phone, or through their personal networks.
The sale of the jaguar paste is a lucrative business with a zealous market – a driving factor given that almost half of the population lives in poverty and a jaguar is considered to some miners to be worth around 20 grams of gold.
In addition, there is evidence of jaguar cubs being taken from the wild and sold – often to wealthy business men keeping them as status symbols and not knowing how to take care of them.
Sources say they live their lives in cages, until they are too big to look after and at times they are killed to eat, as their meat is also consumed among Suriname's Chinese population.
A poached jaguar. (Image credit: World Animal Protection confidential source.)
Nicholas Bruschi, Investigations Advisor at World Animal Protection, said: "This investigation has uncovered a shocking underground trade exploiting an iconic animal of the South American rainforests for unproven traditional Asian medicine. Jaguars already face the challenges of habitat destruction and human animal conflicts. They are now cruelly and needlessly killed, left to die agonizing deaths. It is extremely sad news for these incredible big cats whose numbers are already in decline. And, while jaguar cubs might seem very cute, they are still wild animals and belong in the wild, not in the illegal pet trade."
It's estimated that there are approximately 173,000 jaguars left in the wild, and they are classed as 'near threatened' according to IUCN list. It is also thought that jaguars, like other big cats, are being used as a supplement product for traditional Asian medicine to their relative, the tiger, sparking a worrying trend that could see their numbers plummet.
With more mining and logging resulting in loss of habitat and increased human wildlife conflicts, jaguars are becoming more visible, and are being targeted for taking livestock. Habitat loss also makes it easier for opportunist poachers and organised mafia gangs to source jaguars in the wild.
World Animal Protection works tirelessly to prevent cruelty to animals around the world. Jaguar poaching for traditional Asian medicine is something that has, to date, been relatively under the radar.
To tackle the issue, World Animal Protection will be cooperating with Suriname's rangers and specialist NGOs on tangible solutions and sharing intelligence to prevent poaching.
They are raising awareness of the issue, in the hope that the Suriname government will put greater enforcement within their borders to stop poaching, but also prevent the smuggling of the product out of the country.
Suriname was a former Dutch colony, founded mainly as a plantation economy based on crops of coffee, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton plantations
The jaguar is classified by all countries of the Guianas as being endangered and thus in need of protection. This means that it is illegal to target and hunt the species, whether for export, recreation, the domestic pet trade, or for bushmeat. There are only a few exceptions where special provisions are made for capture and shipment for education, exhibition and research to zoological parks, museums and wildlife reserves
Who are you? Grace, Yasmin, the Doctor, Ryan and Graham. (BBC Pictures)
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