Hello my friends – here’s the latest episode of “Hard Truth and a Big Hug”. It’s a small part of a book that I haven’t yet got around to publishing – but I thought the big ideas and the final take-away were
And years to get this far – junior officers quarters – Fort York (Top photo) This long weekend in early August is one of the sweetest miniature vacations of the summer – and we have had absolutely lovely weather for it. To
Timing is everything – the yoyoiste – (top photo) I love it when I get a chance to make several points at once, in a way which gives them extra richness in combination. It’s even more fun when I can use materials
Remembering where we came from (click top-photo for high-res pictures) I had an unexpected encounter the other day which boosted my spirits and optimism greatly, and reminded me of an important truth we too often forget – even my curious chums active
DC-3 First practical (reliable, passenger-profitable) airliner – 1936 – 333 KPH cruise – 2575 KM range NACA cowlings/airfoils, retractable gear, feathering props, blind-flying panel (all new, soon standard) At a certain point, one must admit to being a geek. I follow a
Mason’s craft (top photo) (As always – click the top photo, to see the whole series at more eye-friendly scale) ;o) Not long ago I walked Yonge St – from Davisville down to the lake, so I could take the pulse of
I’ve long been an admirer of the brilliant couple Bernd and Hilla Becher – who did pioneering photographic work, starting from when they met, as young photography students in the late fifties. Their initial studies of purpose built structures were sentimentally motivated
Soviet Space Composite (all illustrations by the author) History is strange stuff – and it gets stranger if you pay attention for a few decades, because you begin to realize – “Hey, they’re writing it all down wrong – and then newer
Rain-happy (top photo) HOPE! I don’t mean sweet misty-eyed delusion (the artificial substitute), but the real stuff that you could gather around and use to build serious functional things. Anyone remember how great it truly was? The profound confidence that with patience
Only way to fly (top photo) Why? Simple as heck, folks – we’re all permanently pushed into small-mind panic mode – still emotionally desperate to feel like we are heroes, just the way we are, instead of buckling down with new modesty
Dark knight of vengeance and children’s parties (top photo) Frank Miller is one of the most influential artists of our time – and the most curious thing about this, is that he retains great underground ‘cred’ – even while his refined aesthetic
“Those were more sophisticated times, my friend.” Newton said, with such a sad sweet smile. It’s funny how certain things people say can stick with you. I heard that many years ago, from a dear somewhat older friend, in response to my
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act
Exchange entrancing (top photo) Back in the eighties, my friends and I all thought of ourselves as young social revolutionaries. We could clearly see that militarism, economic predation and the disgusting abuse of the environment were all accelerating, and understood very well
One There are two main things that can be wrong with an argument or idea – one is when the aim itself (or informing understanding) is wrong. We see the other when an idea is put-together badly, and thus makes little or
Aura and Ryerson Chunky – The volume which displaces (top photo) This is a scary time for a lot of people – very confusing also – what happened to all of the old standards? Institutions that we relied upon – especially the
From which to watch – (top photo) I had a little incident this week that got me thinking about old fashioned kinds of humour – and some of the things they expressed about the way the society in which they thrived used
As the pace of change increases, places with old and continuing resonance take on extra meaning. Sometimes they point to sad changes in the way we live and work, sometimes they feel like a comforting point of continuity, and sometimes they give
The extent to which large modern cities have grown to look more and more like one another over the last few decades, is pretty much horrifying – but there are other forces besides money at work in every town – and far
I’m old enough now to have seen several cycles of large scale outrage, where a big group of people who were comfortable and well-adjusted were thrown out of work or similarly hurt, many got upset – and suddenly became, by their own
Cautionary (top photo) Many years ago, a super-intellectual atheist friend of mine quipped, “Christianity would be great, if it wasn’t for the Un-Christian way so many who call themselves Christian, actually behave in the world!” I found that line funny, and told