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Türkiye

dine-in and takeaway

Merhaba from Istanbul, It’s a mistake to suppose that modern market theory is all new and modern. The Harvard Business School have a vested interest in us all believing that they have a monopoly on business wisdom but the touts here in Istanbul have been adopting pro-active marketing techniques here for centuries; long before the …Read More

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Greece

bells and whistles

Kalimera from Crete, Carnevale in Greece? There’s a strong recommendation to pay a visit to Rethymno for “the second largest Carnevale in Greece”. There’s a feeling of impending festivity in Heraklion but the action is said to be in Rethymno. It’s difficult to know what to expect but that’s just the appeal on this occasion. …Read More

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Türkiye

cats and dogs

Merhaba from Türkiye, The prevalence of stray cats and dogs in the streets of Istanbul can be a bit disconcerting for someone used to such animals on leashes or kept indoors. This is a huge city and the cats and dogs are ubiquitous. These animals appear to be cared for by a great number of …Read More

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The Philippines

notes and coins

Mabuhay from Manila, We humans are obviously herd animals; very gregarious and much more comfortable in the company of lots and lots of others from our own species. Crowded cities are testament to our desire to be with others. But there are some contradictory forces at play in our unconscious decision to live in urban …Read More

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Australia

up close and personal

Rainbow Lorikeets are the most exquisite creatures on Earth. They are native to Magnetic Island and lots of other places on an Australian continent heavily endowed with such marvels. At Horseshoe Bay, someone has instituted a daily feed for the birds and the birds are taking advantage. At 4:15 every afternoon, these beautiful and engaging …Read More

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Australia

flora and fauna

G’day from Old Geehi in the Snowy Mountains, The biodiversity argument is not winning. As perplexing as this is for logical thinkers, there’s a blockage in the transmission. It’s a strong argument, based on evidentiary science, but it’s not winning the argument. What’s happening is that a majority of the population are not buying it. …Read More

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Australia

life and death

G’day from the northern suburbs of Wollongong, Sometimes it takes a near-death experience to crystallise our priorities: between what we value and what we don’t; between life and death even; in short, between what’s important and what’s not. When a group of business owners in the northern Illawarra put profits over community safety, they were …Read More

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Australia

real or imagined

G’day from the Illawarra in New South Wales, Australia, The Illawarra has some of the best beaches in Australia. There’s a story with enduring currency hereabouts that sand from some of these beaches was sold to the Americans and shipped to Hawaii. So, is it true? All Australians know the legendary stories of Les Darcy …Read More

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Viet Nam

the good and the bad

Xin Chào from Hồ Chí Minh City,    Yesterday I had the misfortune of overhearing a tawdry conversation between two American businessmen. It was downstairs in the café, to which the dear reader was partially introduced in the last epistle. It just so happens that I was at that moment reading an autobiography by an …Read More

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Viet Nam

tar and cement

Xin Chào from Hồ Chí Minh City, Who would want to live in a city? This is from Linda, possibly oblivious to the fact that most people do. She’s looking out over the rooftops where the monsoon storm is brewing, lighting up the layered sky, and the neon lights are punctuating the skyline in every …Read More