Monthly Archives: August 2022

Old Swimmers From Old Places

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

River Roads by Carl Sandburg Let the crows go by hawking their caw and caw. They have been swimming in midnights of coal mines somewhere. Let ’em hawk their caw and caw. Let the woodpecker drum and drum on a … Continue reading →

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Forewarned is Forearmed

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Journey Through Swiss Railway History

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

It has been my good fortune to have traveled extensively throughout Switzerland by train. IMHO the Swiss railway network is unparalleled for its engineering and for the beauty of the geography that it covers. So, I was happy to learn … Continue reading →

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Venice Through The Eyes of Monet

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Claude Monet first discovered Venice in 1908 when he was 68 years old. The two months Monet spent there are documented in letters he and his wife Alice sent to friends and family in France. They tell of the highs … Continue reading →

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When Museumgoers Gotta Go

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years I’ve visited hundreds of museums in dozens of countries and I’ve seen my share of museum bathrooms. Many are unmemorable institutional facilities, but many are worthy design destinations. The American Alliance of Museums polled their members on their favorite … Continue reading →

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The Very Definition of Irony

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

  Even if you do not live in North America you are probably aware that the United States has been experiencing a wave of book bannings and attempts by a vocal neo-Fascist Christian Nationalist minority to censor both library books … Continue reading →

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The Drowned Giant

Posted on August 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Complete Short Stories of JG Ballard contains a treasure trove for fans of the English novelist, short story writer, satirist, and essayist known for provocative works of fiction which explore the relationships between human psychology, technology, sex, and mass … Continue reading →

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We trained some birds to steal their wheat

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

After a wonderful but all to brief road trip and light news diet, I spent some time catching up on world events. Sadly, the news of the day reminded me of the powerful Thomas Lux poem “The People of the … Continue reading →

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A Novel Way to Tell Time

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Author Clock by Mechanical Design Labs is a novel digital clock that uses quotes from well known books to tell the time. The clever timepiece lifts passages from hundreds of years of literature to provide quotes that refer to the exact … Continue reading →

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Worst Airline Meal Ever

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Travel writer Miriam Porter recently reported on a very disappointing meal experience while flying Air Canada from Frankfurt to Toronto. Although she had pre-ordered vegan meals for the 10 hour flight a month in advance, when meal time came she … Continue reading →

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