Nottingham, England, 1811 They move about in bands at night, masked and sworn to secrecy, smashing up the new machinery which is taking over the textile industry. Their leader is a mysterious man named Ned Ludd of Sherwood Forest, who has been likened to the legendary Robin Hood as a friend of the poor and… Continue reading When the last Luddites walk away…
Category: Literature
Shakespeare in the original Klingon
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 20 June 2016 “All the world´s a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7) “You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the… Continue reading Shakespeare in the original Klingon
Shame denied
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 16 June 2016 “You can judge a nation by the way it treats its most vulnerable members.” (Aristotle) “…the best test of a nation´s righteousness is how it treats the poorest and most vulnerable in its midst.” (Jim Wallis) In St. Gallen stands a man, a beggar named Bruno, who hangs around outside… Continue reading Shame denied
Once upon a time, once upon an Alp
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 14 June 2016 “Once upon a time, high upon a Swiss Alp… It is a placid existence, this Alpine life. There are no neuroses, no anxiety, just flowers and sunshine. Most people know that there are a lot of mountains in Switzerland. In point of fact, there is at least one peak for each… Continue reading Once upon a time, once upon an Alp
Riding the Rails
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 19 May 2016 The problem with travelling is that you begin to compare things. For example, the way things are done at home as compared to the way things are done in the other place(s). Of course, with most of us, home things are considered superior to foreign things as we know and… Continue reading Riding the Rails
Canada Slim and the Poor Man of Toggenburg
Whitmonday 2016, Landschlacht, Switzerland Night has fallen and yet so much to write, yet so little time before I must face another work week… In my last post I wrote of comparing this past weekend´s travels with my wife with solo adventures and discoveries unmentioned between March and May… Easter Monday 2016, Mogelsberg, Switzerland: It… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Poor Man of Toggenburg
Following the baby Sitter
Whitmonday 2016, Landschlacht, Switzerland As I sit at my desk at home and consider how much I haven´t written about from March to May and how much I wish to write about… As I look out my window at a grey sky, enjoying a day off from work, I truly appreciate that religion allows people… Continue reading Following the baby Sitter
The Silence Between
Landschlacht, Switzerland: 9 May 2016 An email from an old friend, Sumit, asks: “Not writing blogs anymore?…I have not seen any new blogs in the last few weeks.” A daily journal, bought at a local grocery chain, has a leather cover that intimidates: “You don´t write because you want to say something. You write because… Continue reading The Silence Between
Canada Slim in the Capital
Bern, Switzerland: 11 February 2016 13,000 people move to Bern, Switzerland´s capital, annually. Some tens of thousands commute to the city every day. Approximately 17, 000 students are enrolled at the University. Above: The main building of the University of Bern The Bern Tourist Office registered 686,967 overnight stays in 2012. Hundreds more tourists come for… Continue reading Canada Slim in the Capital
Eternal Bliss and the Edge of Madness: Gaga over Dada
Zürich, 8 February 2016 “When the going gets tough, the great ones party.” (Bill Murray, Garfield 2) Granted this is an unusual source for a quote to try and sum up the phenomenon that was born in Zürich, spread around the world, inspired future cultural movements and is once again commemorated obsessively this year back… Continue reading Eternal Bliss and the Edge of Madness: Gaga over Dada