Category Archives: Asia

Have you or a loved one been affected by persuasive cartography

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Although I am one of those odd people who actually took geography courses at university, Persuasive Cartography is a term I only recently encountered. It usually refers to propaganda art that uses cartography to make a point. An amazing collection … Continue reading →

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Drive Time Radio

Posted on June 16, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Drive and Listen is a terrific mashup of city driving videos with the same city’s local radio stations. Pick a city and cruise the streets to tunes, news and talk that you can’t hear at home. Each time you select … Continue reading →

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A Social Distance

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I found this simple film of everyday people from 30 countries most impacted by COVID-19 who filmed themselves in isolation to be surprisingly moving. This touching three-minute short was directed by Ivan Cash and Jacob Jonas, and it is accompanied … Continue reading →

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Radio Radio

Posted on April 19, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Due to the pesky pandemic, international travel is not on the table right now. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a taste of foreign cultures from around the world, without ever leaving your home. Radio Garden is a … Continue reading →

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a loaf of bread, a glass of wine

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám The First and Fourth Renderings in English Verse by Edward Fitzgerald With Illustrations by Willy Pogány ILLUSTRATED WITH 12 TIPPED-IN COLOR PLATES BY WILLY POGANY AND ADDITIONAL GOLD CHROMOLITHOGRAPHS Publisher: Printed in Great Britain by R.&. … Continue reading →

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A winning combination

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I don’t imagine that any of us will be traveling to China any time soon, however, wouldn’t the new Capsule Hotel & Bookstore in Qinglongwu, Zhejiang province, China, be the ideal getaway.  

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Making Reading a Religious Experience

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

A former Russian Orthodox church in Shanghai, China, built in 1932 and long abandoned, has been restored and retro-fitted as a library. Due to requirements placed on the architects by the local Historic Buildings Protection office, no major changes could … Continue reading →

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Welcome to Nepal

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

As part of  Visit Nepal’s new 2020 tourism campaign, the organization commissioned 108 large yeti statues designed by Ang Tsherin Sherpa to be painted by various artists and placed around the world to build interest in visiting the nation.  It … Continue reading →

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Reading Pavilion

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 Located in the heart of Mumbai, in the gardens of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum, the BookWorm Pavilion was designed as an outdoor reading space and library for both children and adults. The peaceful library is an impressive … Continue reading →

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The Life You Can Save

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

In 2009, philosopher Peter Singer wrote the first edition of The Life You Can Save to demonstrate why we should care about and help those living in global extreme poverty, and how easy it is to improve and even save lives … Continue reading →

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