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

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

Skip to the loo

Day Two in England and I remain truly a stranger in a strange land. Today I travelled to Winchester…what a prize! First rule of travelling in England: People do NOT talk to strangers on the train, especially in the morning… Such a contrast to life in Montreal where there are bus drivers who spontaneously break… Continue reading Skip to the loo

A sense of accomplishment (my favourite SOB)

I know that I am probably not alone in this – “Why can´t you be more like (Insert name here.)?” – situation. I am certain that there are, or have been, people in your life who seem to shine brighter than those around them. They radiate success, confidence, achievement and accomplishment, and are the envy of… Continue reading A sense of accomplishment (my favourite SOB)

The profundity of profanity

Profanity is defined by Merriam-Webster as  “offensive words or language”. It is also called bad language, strong language, coarse language, foul language, bad words, vulgar language, lewd language, swearing, cursing, cussing, or using expletives, what is generally considered to be very impolite, rude or offensive. It can show a debasement of someone or something, or show… Continue reading The profundity of profanity

Mind the E-Gap

Future shock is too much change in too short a period of time. Modern man feels shock from rapid changes. We have become cities without a history. Urban populations double every 11 years. The overall production of goods and services doubles each 50 years in developed countries. Society experiences an increasing number of changes with an… Continue reading Mind the E-Gap