Zdraviete from Sofia, Bulgaria, The surest way to galvanise a restless people is by creating a martyr. Killing the leader of a popular movement is a guarantee of ultimate failure. Crumbling empires and corrupt regimes often resist what seems in retrospect to be an irresistible force of people power by eliminating the most vocal opponent. …Read More
Kalimera from Cyprus, If a woman asks, “Do you think I’m pretty?” and you answer, ” . . . from certain angles . . .”, would she be satisfied with your response? Probably not. If we perceive beaches as potentially beautiful places – and rank them on their beauty – we might be inviting the …Read More
Kalimera from Nicosia, Cyprus is an island divided. When I vouchsafed to Turkish friends that I was off to Cyprus for a vacation, no fewer than three asked – without the interference of any other small talk – “Do you like gambling?”. The answer is an emphatic “no”. The unsolicited questions about gambling were puzzling …Read More
Merhaba from Istanbul, It’s a mistake to suppose that modern market theory is all new and modern. The Harvard Business School have a vested interest in us all believing that they have a monopoly on business wisdom but the touts here in Istanbul have been adopting pro-active marketing techniques here for centuries; long before the …Read More
Kalimera from Crete, Carnevale in Greece? There’s a strong recommendation to pay a visit to Rethymno for “the second largest Carnevale in Greece”. There’s a feeling of impending festivity in Heraklion but the action is said to be in Rethymno. It’s difficult to know what to expect but that’s just the appeal on this occasion. …Read More
Merhaba from Türkiye, The prevalence of stray cats and dogs in the streets of Istanbul can be a bit disconcerting for someone used to such animals being on leashes or kept indoors. This is a huge city and the cats and dogs are ubiquitous. These animals appear to be cared for by a great number …Read More
Mabuhay from Manila, We humans are obviously herd animals; very gregarious and much more comfortable in the company of lots and lots of others from our own species. Crowded cities are testament to our desire to be with others. But there are some contradictory forces at play in our unconscious decision to live in urban …Read More
Rainbow Lorikeets are the most exquisite creatures on Earth. They are native to Magnetic Island and lots of other places on an Australian continent heavily endowed with such marvels. At Horseshoe Bay, someone has instituted a daily feed for the birds and the birds are taking advantage. At 4:15 every afternoon, these beautiful and engaging …Read More
G’day from Old Geehi in the Snowy Mountains, The biodiversity argument is not winning. As perplexing as this is for logical thinkers, there’s a blockage in the transmission. It’s a strong argument, based on evidentiary science, but it’s not winning the argument. What’s happening is that a majority of the population are not buying it. …Read More
G’day from the northern suburbs of Wollongong, Sometimes it takes a near-death experience to crystallise our priorities: between what we value and what we don’t; between life and death even; in short, between what’s important and what’s not. When a group of business owners in the northern Illawarra put profits over community safety, they were …Read More