Some people would argue that humanity’s defining characteristic is our intelligence. Hmm. Given our predilection for constantly endangering the future of our species through war, pollution and excessive exploitation of this our very precious, very small, green planet, I am not so sure about all that intelligence. Others will say it is our communication skills […]
Hands up those that go sort of weepy when they watch John Smith romance Pocahontas in the Disney movie named after the Indian princess. No one? Ha, not quite sure I believe you… Anyway, apart from being a beautiful movie with some great music, Pocahontas as per Disney is also a historical mess. Did Pocahontas
Okay, so I am Swedish. I am a woman privileged enough to live and work in a country that has bent over backwards since the 1960’s to make it possible for women to combine children and professional ambitions, ergo good, state-funded childcare. long parental leaves and a legislation that in general is supportive to parents.
The other day, the Swedish phone company announced that it was going to do away with the remaining 1 200 phone booths that stand dotted through our elongated country. Why? Because no one uses them anymore – well, at least not to make phone calls from. Phone booths can, as I am sure you can
The other day one of my sons called to tell me (in a rather smug tone) that he’d written a computer programme that could calculate pi down to the nth decimal. “And that is good why?” I asked. I mean, I’ve lived most of my life with pi being 3.14, and so far this has proven
We have recently cleared a plot of land of trees. The plot is about 1500 square metres, of a size with a potato patch large enough to feed a family of six over the winter – just. In total, we have taken down 150 odd trees. Okay, we haven’t taken them down. A man with
I spent Christmas away from home – very far away. On Christmas Eve, I lay awake most of the night listening to the hyenas scrabbling at the canvas of our tent. On Christmas Day, I lay just as awake, listening to the two lions that roared in chorus (or maybe they were roaring AT each
Man, mud and jeeps – a reflection on human perseverance Read More »
One of my favourite pastimes is to visit old churches. Not the fancy, huge Cathedrals, but rather the small, dilapidated churches that so generously dot our continent. The gate to the graveyard might squeak (or yet it might not, the hinges kept oiled by some diligent soul), headstones stand in ordered rows that degenerate to
I have a very good friend – my best friend – who alternates between laughing at my lack of technical acumen and making snarky comments about it. Constantly connected to her entire life through her mobile, she does mails, facebook, twitter, maps, weather forecasts, metric conversions, updates on daughters, on man, on friends & family,
Technologically challenged – a modern day affliction Read More »