As those who know me will attest I am far from being a religious fellow. That having been said, attempts were made in the past by others eager to save my soul from myself so some of what was taught still remains with me long after Christian fundamentalist friends and family have abandoned all hope… Continue reading Lost sheep
A union in name only?
“Every person who comes is a human being and has the right to be treated as such.” Angela Merkel, German Chancellor “As throngs of Africans and Arabs turn Italian and Greek islands and eastern European railway stations into refugee camps, the Chancellor has taken a brave stand. She has denounced xenophobes, signaled Germany’s readiness to… Continue reading A union in name only?
And no birds sing
I hardly knew him. He was never in my classes in high school. We never hung around one another. His brother and I, though the same age and level, never really knew each other, except by recognisable face in the hallway or presence in the classroom. Until the high school reunion two decades later, I… Continue reading And no birds sing
Hope for the Hopeless: Electronic Charisma
This particular post is one of the hardest for me to write as it runs counter to many deep set feelings I have towards the modern tendency of increased computerization in so much of our lives. So often I feel that folks focus so much on what is gained by technology without the remotest consideration… Continue reading Hope for the Hopeless: Electronic Charisma
Pedestrian on the Information Highway
There is a powerful short story, referred to in Fahrenheit 451, called The Pedestrian, by the late great sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury. A man regularly goes for a stroll through the empty streets of a big futuristic metropolis to observe and absorb the world outside his door. One night a robotic patrol car stops him… Continue reading Pedestrian on the Information Highway
The Bedroom: A Hostel Environment
Back in Geneva, but this time staying at a hostel instead of in a hotel. As I am sure most of you are aware of, there are four basic types of hostel: – the YM/YWCA type hostel – the Salvation Army type hostel – the IYHA type hostel – the independent/backpackers hostel The differences between… Continue reading The Bedroom: A Hostel Environment
Fury in the Slaughterhouse: Guns in America
“There’s an old lady, Living in an old house Since her husband died She hasn’t been out. She lives in her own world With her own little nightmares And she’s stopped counting the days. She buys a radio station With her husband’s legacy. She does her own show 10 hours a day Plays poems and… Continue reading Fury in the Slaughterhouse: Guns in America
Saying “Davka” to Power
“In Hebrew, “Davka” is a gruff, one-word response to someone in authority. So in Hebrew you might ask an Israeli teenager “Why are you doing that?” and get the answer “Davka” – Because I chose to, because I want to do it this way rather than any other. Just because. Davka is about expressing determination,… Continue reading Saying “Davka” to Power
Hope for the Hopeless: Fighting the Feelings
In one of the last posts I recently wrote I began to discuss job-hunting and quoted extensively from one of my favourite books: Richard N. Bolles’ What Color Is Your Parachute?. (See Hope for the Hopeless: Brave New World of this blog.) I have begun doing this in the hope that what I am experiencing… Continue reading Hope for the Hopeless: Fighting the Feelings
Welcome to Customsland
I have friends who just can’t seem to get a break whenever they try and visit faraway places, because when they try to enter these lands, customs deny them entry. One might ask why, because, after all, they are no obvious threat to anyone, have no criminal background, are not a visible minority and they… Continue reading Welcome to Customsland