Category Archives: Europe

Your Final Exam

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

A poem by Wislawa Szymborska.  

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Travel Stress

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I recently found a fascinating project that examined which rail stations around the world were most stressful. Obviously commuters have different issues with the stations that they need to access on a regular basis than travelers, but there’s always some … Continue reading →

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More Than the Mona Lisa

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

In January, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a significant renovation plan for the Louvre, following concerns from the museum’s director about the building’s deteriorating condition. The project includes the creation of a new grand entrance and broader refurbishments across the historic site. Like most … Continue reading →

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see the horror in the heart of farce

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Ihr aber lernet, wie man sieht statt stiert Und handelt, statt zu reden noch und noch. So was hätt einmal fast die Welt regiert! Die Völker wurden seiner Herr, jedoch Dass keiner uns zu früh da triumphiert — Der Schoß … Continue reading →

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come si dice?

Posted on February 23, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

James Trimble’s European word translator generates maps of Europe showing the word of your choice in the most common languages for each nation. It gets the job done nicely, though it only works for English words. This page was inspired by … Continue reading →

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I will make rhapsodies from grains of sleep.

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Dorothea Tanning, the Surrealist artist and writer, who made it from the small town of Galesburg, Illinois, to the center of New York’s avant-garde art world, lived until she was 101, but she never got the major museum survey she … Continue reading →

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One word of truth outweighs the world

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

To stand up for truth is nothing. For truth, you must sit in jail. You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But … Continue reading →

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Taste of London

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

A team of four highly skilled photographers has created a mesmerizing flow motion timelapse of London, deploying novel techniques to tell the story of the U.K. capital. A Taste of London is the fifth installment of FilmSpektakel’s long-running A Taste of series  … Continue reading →

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How we live now (almost)

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

It’s been more than a year since I read Paul Lynch’s Booker Prize winning novel Prophet Song, but I’ve been thinking more and more about it lately. Prophet Song takes place in an alternate Dublin. Members of the newly formed secret … Continue reading →

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The Trial

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the posthumous publication of Franz Kafka’s chilling novel of the nightmare world of authoritarian repression and merciless bureaucracy. I remember reading the book only after I saw Orson Welles’ chilling film production. Somehow … Continue reading →

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