Saturday a week ago was Last Night of the Proms, capping off another fine summer of string, brass, woodwind and percussion. The annual classical concert season was its usual lavish musical overdose, eight brimming weeks of daily orchestras, chamber music and outdoor park events. Of the many things to admire about the Proms, my pick … Continue reading Empty as a pocket
Bhutan’s forests, nearly three quarters of its total land area, have propelled it into an eco-warrior league of its own; Bhutan is the only carbon neutral country in the world. Actually, that’s not quite accurate, said its Prime Minister at a TED talk, Bhutan is carbon negative. The carbon dioxide generated is offset three times … Continue reading The last Shangri-La
Maximón is a chain smoker, an alcoholic, a philanderer and a general scoundrel, but his followers don’t seem to mind. They visit him from near and far, pray for their wishes to come true, and leave him offerings of tobacco, moonshine and cash. Maximón, a blend of Mayan folk tradition and Spanish Catholicism, is a … Continue reading Worry dolls
It doesn’t feel like a normal week when someone isn’t accused of cultural appropriation. This time, it was Jamie Oliver’s turn. His supermarket creation, Ready to Eat Punchy Jerk Rice, was denounced by an MP for its usage of the work jerk. Her criticism – jerk is meat seasoning, there is no such thing as … Continue reading I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I just saw a small Loch Ness monster, Daughter said, pointing at the water. By the time I looked, it was gone. I didn’t have to wait long before the next sighting. A black, slender neck emerged from the surface, paused and went back in. It must be a water snake or a bird looking … Continue reading Independent Republic of Vevčani
What do the happiest people in the world eat? From 2012, the UN started an annual publication called the World Happiness Report. The report ranked all countries from most happy to least happy on a set of human development metrics. Every year, the Scandinavian countries have had a near monopoly of the winner’s podium, Denmark … Continue reading Cold Hawaii
The much-polarised topic of cryptocurrencies got a small boost earlier this year, when Marshall Islands announced it would issue the Sovereign. What was different about the offering, and a first, was unlike other cryptos like Bitcoin, the Sovereign would be circulated and used as proper money. Reaction to the announcement was mixed. Some applauded it … Continue reading Nuclear Sharks
