Tim Flannery

Tim Flannery at the Festival of Books Nonfiction: Essential Ecosystems When: 3 p.m. April 30 Where: Annenberg Auditorium at USC For more information on this year's festival April 30 and May 1 at USC, go to events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/

Tim Flannery at the Festival of Books Nonfiction: Essential Ecosystems When: 3 p.m. April 30 Where: Annenberg Auditorium at USC For more information on this year's festival April 30 and May 1 at USC, go to events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/

Near the end, in the quiet of a San Diego hospital room, the old man began to tremble. His muscles contracted with each wave of Alzheimer's-induced spasms. The tight restraints had left bruises up and down his arm, and the morphine machine whirred softly at his bedside. His breathing became heavy and irregular. That's when Tim Flannery began to play to his father for the final time.

Earth could use a biography. Tim Flannery has delivered a provocative one in time for Earth Day. Despite the rising level of greenhouse gases warming the Blue Planet and the failure to unite governments behind efforts to arrest the trend, Flannery is optimistic for Earth's future and that of its most destructive inhabitants: you and me. That's not to say there aren't reasons to fall into a funk while reading "Here on Earth," the latest work...

HAS the controversial author of "The Weather Makers," a hard-hitting international bestseller about global warming, turned away from stark findings to dash off a merry travelogue about his pursuit of those cute and funny Down-Under critters with the storybook name of kangaroo? Has mammalogist Tim Flannery decided to rest on his laurels? Not a chance. Flannery is a scientist of conscience and a man on a mission.

On a warm afternoon three local musicians are rehearsing in the open garage of a home in Encinitas, surrounded by musical instruments, surfboards, and weight-lifting equipment. Looking on are two small children, a couple of adults, and a listless dog. It is a youthful tableau with a time-honored place in American iconography--a scene that is played out in a thousand suburban neighborhoods every day.

Tim Flannery--A list in Tuesday's Times included an incorrect high school alma mater for former major league baseball player Tim Flannery. Flannery attended Anaheim High.

TIM FLANNERY Scientist Global warming seems to elicit two polarized views. One points to portentous signs: the intensity of the hurricane seasons, the Amazon drought, the shrinking polar ice caps. The other sees an alarmist reaction to natural climatic cycles. To Australian scientist Tim Flannery, the time to act is now. If not, he argues in his new book, "The Weather Makers," the planet could face a global tipping point.

"Never knock someone down to help yourself. Have it because you've earned it."--Ragon Flannery So Tim Flannery is not overjoyed. He is the San Diego Padre second baseman by default, because of Alan Wiggins' faults. He hasn't earned it. Naturally, he is glad to be playing, only because he had big dreams once. When he was a minor and a minor leaguer, he had planned to be an all-star, the next Pete Rose. Back then, if he'd go hitless, he'd be obnoxious. Fortunately, he grew out of that.

HAS the controversial author of "The Weather Makers," a hard-hitting international bestseller about global warming, turned away from stark findings to dash off a merry travelogue about his pursuit of those cute and funny Down-Under critters with the storybook name of kangaroo? Has mammalogist Tim Flannery decided to rest on his laurels? Not a chance. Flannery is a scientist of conscience and a man on a mission.

The causes and consequences of global warming are still debated. But few still dispute its existence. According to NASA, 2005 was the warmest year since the late 1800s. The next four warmest were 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1998. The last time the Earth was this warm, by many estimates, was 100,000 years ago. Scientists point to disturbing signs: The melting of glaciers and the polar ice caps. The migration of animals, worldwide, to higher, cooler altitudes.

IN 1998, an American Petroleum Institute memo ambitiously titled "Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan" envisioned a day when promoters of curbs on fossil fuel emissions will be seen as "out of touch with reality." "Victory will be achieved," advised the memo leaked to the New York Times, "when uncertainties in climate science become part of the conventional wisdom for average citizens."

TIM FLANNERY Scientist Global warming seems to elicit two polarized views. One points to portentous signs: the intensity of the hurricane seasons, the Amazon drought, the shrinking polar ice caps. The other sees an alarmist reaction to natural climatic cycles. To Australian scientist Tim Flannery, the time to act is now. If not, he argues in his new book, "The Weather Makers," the planet could face a global tipping point.

Near the end, in the quiet of a San Diego hospital room, the old man began to tremble. His muscles contracted with each wave of Alzheimer's-induced spasms. The tight restraints had left bruises up and down his arm, and the morphine machine whirred softly at his bedside. His breathing became heavy and irregular. That's when Tim Flannery began to play to his father for the final time.

San Diego Padres, who hit a total of three homers in Yuma this spring, hit back-to-back-to-back homers in their first three at-bats here Monday night. No team in major league history had led off a game this way.

Great Expectations. No, not Great Expectations II. We're not talking about a sequel here. This was the Padres' season of Great Expectations. This was the year the fast finish of 1988 and the acquisitions of Jack Clark and Bruce Hurst would make this a team to beat rather than a team to be beaten. Thus far, it has been the opposite. And so what begins this afternoon against Chicago might be called Great Expectations, The Second Half.

Tim Flannery--A list in Tuesday's Times included an incorrect high school alma mater for former major league baseball player Tim Flannery. Flannery attended Anaheim High.

Tim Flannery learned early in his managerial career how best to motivate a team. Of course, this technique takes a unique set of circumstances: First, you have to get yourself ejected from the game during a bench-clearing brawl. Then, your team has to rally from a seven-run deficit to tie the score going into the ninth. Then, while listening to the game on the radio in your office, the team mascot must wander into the clubhouse for a drink of water.