Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Our lives really do seem strange and mysterious

Our lives really do seem strange and mysterious when you look back on them. Filled with unbelievably bizarre coincidences and unpredictable, zigzagging developments. While they are unfolding, it’s hard to see anything weird about them, no matter how closely you … Continue reading →

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Does the book end happily ?

 

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tale of the hapless adventurer

This week Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift turned 300. Published on the 28th of October 1726, the tale of the hapless adventurer, Lemuel Gulliver, and his travels among the lands of giants, floating islands, and talking horses have entertained audiences … Continue reading →

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Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

“Up in Illinois, we’ve forgotten what it’s all about. I mean the dead, up in our town, tonight, heck, they’re forgotten. Nobody goes to sit and talk to them. Boy, that’s lonely. That’s really sad. But here– why, shucks. It’s … Continue reading →

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Where Halloween and Hanukah Intersect

You will probably be surprised to discover an unlikely connection between the popular Pagan holiday celebration of Halloween and the ancient Jewish Festival of Hanukah. The improbable link connecting the two holidays stems from a word often associated with Halloween … Continue reading →

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Visit Estonia

Visit Tallinn has given a new spin on Estonian cultural heritage, with a tourism video pairing traditional folk dance with hip-hop to bring the country’s identity to a new audience. Born From Culture features Tallinn University’s folk dance ensemble Soveldaja performing … Continue reading →

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The Starry Night

I have seen Van Gogh’s The Starry Night dozens of times at MOMA in New York City, but never once stopped to question its provenance. Every aspect of the iconic painting has been written about and evaluated for decades. But do we … Continue reading →

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the day is yet one more yellow leaf

 

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Kafka’s Metro

Kafka’s Metro is a real clickbait title since Prague’s Metro, or more precisely Metroskop, wasn’t even opened until 1974, which was 50 years after Franz Kafka’s death. But since you’re reading the post the title worked. If you’ve ever been … Continue reading →

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10 Years, 10 Adventures

For the last ten years, Sandrine and Geoffrey (now accompanied by their son Victor and pet dog) have been documenting their travels and sharing their photos, stories, itineraries, and budgets with the world on their popular travel blog. Now, to … Continue reading →

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