A hero or heroine (Ancient Greek: ἥρως, hḗrōs) is a person or character who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, displays courage or self-sacrifice — that is, heroism — for some greater good; a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.… Continue reading Do we need another hero?
Category: Literature
The Quiet Traveller
“A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving.” (Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching) “Learn to relax and find meaning in the experience. When you are forced to let go of the haste of normal life, it teaches you truths about yourself you had no idea you longed to know. A… Continue reading The Quiet Traveller
Through the looking glass
Everyday there are constant reminders of the difference between how we are perceived and how we perceive ouselves, between one´s reputation and one´s self-image. Yesterday I dropped into St. Gallen for a day of “Adam is good to himself today”. Chatted with Starbuck´s colleagues, had a meal and a movie with my good friend Adrian,… Continue reading Through the looking glass
The need to understand
With rare exception almost every Westerner remembers where they were and what they were doing when the planes struck the World Trade Center in New York City on 11 September 2001. I remember being at a teaching colleague´s home near Bad Krozingen discussing work when one of her friends called her up and told us… Continue reading The need to understand
Alex Supertramp and Canada Slim
“What´s in a name? That which we call a rose A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…” (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet) “Each thing is the same with itself and different from another.” (Plato, Theaetetus) “Like the pine trees linin’ the windin’ road I’ve got a name. I’ve got a name. Like… Continue reading Alex Supertramp and Canada Slim
Borderline Obsessive
It seems to be my destiny to be obsessed with borderlines, both geographical as well as psychological. I was raised in Argenteuil County, Quebec, on the border of Ontario´s Prescott-Russell County. Most Canadians live within 100 km of the US border, because the land north of this tends to be unarable (i.e. can´t be farmed… Continue reading Borderline Obsessive
The enemy electronic
Yesterday I wrote a post in this blog asking for feedback, asking for requests as to what should appear in these posts… Hank Broomfield, an old friend from my youth, (Yes, I had one!), wrote he was satisfied but being the visual guy he is he wanted pictures. (When I figure out how…) Sumit Panigrahi,… Continue reading The enemy electronic
No fool like an old fool
Outside our apartment door, hanging on the mantle beside at eye level, is a magnet that reads: “A lovely lady and a grumpy old man live here”. As I type these words, I am reminded of an old TV series I watched as a youth growing up in the isolated village of St. Philippe d’Argenteuil.… Continue reading No fool like an old fool
Sign of the times
Arrived back home in Switzerland late last night, left for Freiburg im Breisgau at 0500 this morning. Am fighting fatigue like a woolen blanket over my head in the desert. To save a spot of cash I am in the Black Forest Backpackers Hostel for the next two nights. In the stairwell between reception and… Continue reading Sign of the times
The price of progress (Oxford and Gatwick)
“I have the greatest respect for Oxford University and its 800 years of tireless intellectual toil, but I must confess that I’m not entirely clear what it’s for… See all these dons and scholars striding past, absorbed in deep discussions about the Leibniz-Clarke controversy or post-Kantian aesthetics and you think: Most impressive, but perhaps a… Continue reading The price of progress (Oxford and Gatwick)