The Eye On Manchester site is now archived - I will not be updating it any more.
Eye On Manchester was launched in 2006 and was intended to follow on from my older website Eyewitness in Manchester, which I produced from 1997 to 2005.
Unfortunately there were a number of problems including the duplication of photos across two domains and the inherent shortcomings of WordPress,
From mid-2009 I will run only one website, my aidan.co.uk site. Articles on Manchester and all other subjects will be published on that site.
The aidan.co.uk uses the very simple PHP MySQL publishing system which I designed and commissioned myself from 2003 onwards.
Go to Go to www.aidan.co.uk
I’ve been contacted by Redeye, the North West photography network, about their Capture Manchester photography competition.
There are ten prizes of £500 for nine images chosen by judges and one chosen by a popular vote at CUBE Gallery.
Read more on my aidan.co.uk site
This afternoon I went with 7 year old Adele to see the show presented by Crocodile Joe. Joe and his assistants took over empty shop unit at the Mill Gate shopping centre.
Joe is Manchester’s very own crocodile catcher and a conservationist. Originally from north Manchester, he has spent many years in Australia.
He takes his show, which includes live reptiles, snakes and insects to shopping centres and schools around the country.
Whilst he is talking to the crowds, they are invited to interact with his snakes and lizards, stroking their skin or posing for photographs.
While he was living in Cairns, Australia, there was a series of attacks by one crocodile. The crocodile was caught but died a few weeks later. Joe was angered when the autopsy revealed that its stomach was filled with plastic bags.
Joe has preserved the 14 foot crocodile, which he displays at his show in order to educate people on the misuse of plastic bags, and how animals that have even outlived the dinosaurs are being put at risk.
It was a fantastic show, I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was great to see how the children were captivated by the sight - and touch - of these creatures most of which you won’t get to see anywhere else.
I’m sure the show is of great value in schools. I’m all in favour of bringing this type of real experience into the classroom - I’m sure a visit from Crocodile Joe would be worth many hours of conventional teaching.
To find out more, go to http://www.crocodilejoes.com
