The four freedoms

On 6 January 1941, in his State of the Union address, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed four fundamental freedoms that people everywhere in the world ought to enjoy: 1. Freedom of speech and expression 2. Freedom of worship 3. Freedom from want 4. Freedom from fear Is Switzerland enjoying these freedoms? The Swiss media… Continue reading The four freedoms

The desire for an Amish paradise

I like the Amish. The Amish are the Christian sect that separated from the Mennonites in 17th century Europe and began emigrating to North America in search of religious freedom in the 18th century. Now living exclusively in Canada and the United States, the Amish are known for their plain attire and simple living, the… Continue reading The desire for an Amish paradise

Down and out across Switzerland

Zürich Hauptbahnhof, yesterday. Clean-shaven, showered, red backpack from Canada on one shoulder, pulling a new suitcase along on its smoothly running wheels and extendable handle, clean white short sleeved shirt, blue jeans, black leather shoes. Not your image of a homeless man? I approached the station´s Bahnhofshilfe (train station assistance) office and inquired if the lady… Continue reading Down and out across Switzerland

Victims of the Machine

I always enjoy my visits to Freiburg im Breisgau, because it means being reunited with old friends: Gregg: solid, reliable, practical Rolf: deep thinker under a devil-may-care exterior Reggie: compassionate, wise, honest Mark: the only man to be confused with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead both in looks and attitude Jason: wild Peter Pan… Continue reading Victims of the Machine

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)

Canada Slim and the Dickensian Moment

Two days ago my hosts in England and I did a very English thing… We visited the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, at 393 Old Commercial Road, in Portsmouth. “He created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His work enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Dickensian Moment