Category Archives: USA

A Travel Guru To Follow

Posted on April 23, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

For more than three decades North American travelers have been getting advice on European tourism from a folksy, easy-going travel writer named Rick Steves. Over the years, Rick’s best-selling guidebooks and popular Public Television travelogues have encouraged millions of Americans … Continue reading →

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Every Library Is A Winner

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Every year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) jointly recognize exceptional design in new library construction or renovation. Here are some of the marvelous winners of the 2017 Library Building Awards:

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National Poetry Month Is Here

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

LETTER TO SOMEONE LIVING FIFTY YEARS FROM NOW Matthew Olzmann Most likely, you think we hated the elephant, the golden toad, the thylacine and all variations of whale harpooned or hacked into extinction. It must seem like we sought to … Continue reading →

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Of course 4/20 is opening day

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

On 4/20/17, a former Lutheran church in Denver, Colorado will officially open as The International Church of Cannabis. The 113-year-old church building, which was decorated by renowned Spanish “ecclesiastical” street artist Okuda San Miguel and Kenny Scharf, is the new … Continue reading →

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Pop Up Museum

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the country’s finest museums. Since we live nearby, I get to visit often. When I stopped by to see the current special exhibition and to see the model for Frank Gehry’s $150 … Continue reading →

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Words Have Power

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Each year, the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom calculates the Top Ten Most Challenged Books. Here’s the just released list for 2016: This One Summer written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki This young adult graphic novel, … Continue reading →

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Don’t Get Bumped ( Unless You Want To)

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Unless you’ve been on a digital detox for the last 48 hours, you’ve seen the horrible images of a United Airlines passenger being brutally removed from a flight after refusing to be bumped. It should be shocking that a major … Continue reading →

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Do Not Obey In Advance

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

It may be just a marketing ploy by Penguin Random House, but the publisher has printed the text of Timothy Synders’ chilling book On Tyranny onto a series of large posters and put them up  in east London. The powerful posters, which … Continue reading →

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You Too Can Be An Intellectual

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I have been reading the Paris Review for as long as I can remember. Although it hasn’t cemented my credentials as an intellectual, I can honestly say that the publication has helped me to become more widely read. Every issue … Continue reading →

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Revolutionary Philadelphia

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Set to open on April 19, 2017, the new Museum of the American Revolution promises to be a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s collection of exceptional museums and historical attraction. Covering 118,000 square feet, the museum will offer an impressive collection … Continue reading →

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