RUNES
Runic inscriptions, “Runes”, from the Viking Age, still turn up in Sweden 1,000 years after they were written. They reveal fascinating stories of love, loss …
BLOUGE
I just read an article in the Economist that was devoted to a new discussion in the wine industry centered on “Blouge” wine, which I …
ABBEY LIBRARY OF ST. GALLEN
The Abbey Library of St. Gallen, In eastern Switzerland, is a Baroque hall of globes, manuscripts and curiosities that has survived, improbably, for 1,300 years. …
AN UNFORTUNATE TRUTH
It is, perhaps, an unfortunate truth that the image of a country is often synonymous with the image of its ruler, at least in the …
BREXIT
I am glad to see that the British public are finally waking up to the stupidity that was, and still is, Brexit. It was born …
HUMAN EMPATHY
I was reminded during this Christmas season of two very special events that demonstrated human empathy at an unexpected level and in two completely different …
VON TRAPP
The last living von Trapp child still helps run the family resort in the mountains of New England – a little piece of Austria, inspired …
HALLOWEEN
It’s hard not to love Halloween, but the origins of Halloween are a little darker. Today, it’s a time for celebration, jack-o’-lanterns, and of course, …
SUNSET CLAUSES
I have written before about the utter stupidity of “Sunset Clauses”, which appear to be the modus operandi these days for legislators who want to …
BRINGING BACK BUTTONS
Bringing back buttons is an idea that is gaining strength in, of all places, the automobile industry. No, it is not just a “retro” movement …