The Red Notebook

Best wishes to film-maker, fellow Merseysider, and Friend of Charles Darwin, Graham Hughes, who this month sets off on a frankly bonkers one-year odyssey to visit every member state of the United Nations, with a few other territories thrown in for good measure, bringing the grand total to a nice, round 200. Even more bonkersly, the carrot-topped Scouser is not going to be taking any flights.

It’s all for a very worthy cause, WaterAid, and Graham plans to propose to his girlfriend at the end of his trip. Here is Graham’s video trailer for his Odyssey:

You can follow Graham’s exploits on the Odyssey Expedition website, and on his YouTube Channel. There was also some recent coverage about his trip in the Liverpool Daily Post.

So, it’s finally here: 2009. Darwin Year. The year in which the world will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest men ever to draw breath, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his masterpiece On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.

On thing’s for certain: we’re going to be hearing an awful lot about Charles Darwin over the next twelve months, ranging from the enlightening to the utter bollocks. Whenever there is a cause for celebration, there will always be party-poopers wanting to spoil things with their loud mouths and their Phil Collins collections.

There is an awful lot of nonsense talked and written about Charles Darwin by people with their own agendas. In this special double-anniversary year, I’m going to make one plea to you all: ignore the party-poopers. Don’t gratify them by rising to their bait. Darwin’s monumental achievements stand on their own merit, and nothing the party-poopers can say will take that away. Use Darwin Year to celebrate Charles Darwin and his legacy. There’s an awful lot there to celebrate. So why not enjoy yourselves and party like it’s 2009?

Have a great year. And keep it Darwin.