Are you ready to die for your job?

Journalism can be dangerous, and it seems to me that the situation has only gotten worse in my lifetime (50 some odd years and counting). In the United States, journalists are merely harassed, spit upon, assaulted and otherwise disrespected, disdained and treated with contempt. Here in Europe, a whole lot of journalists have been murdered … Continue reading →

Word play

If you have a pretty good level of English, here is a video on the subject of my mother tongue that I think is very funny:   Continue reading →

Only in America…

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/teens-think-they-shouldnt-have-to-speak-in-front-of-the-class/570061/ Only in America would this happen. I’ve got news for these kids, and for you: Everyone should be encouraged to do things that make them uncomfortable (within the bounds of propriety, of course), or even things that scare them witless (within the bounds of reason, of course). This practice leads to personal growth. Try … Continue reading →

Career Opportunities… in Journalism

We all know the employment outlook for journalists these days. It’s not great. Still, opportunities exist, and this week the New York Times announced the creation of what seems to be a dream job for those who dare to aim high: the David Carr Fellowship, in honor of the recently-deceased media columnist. Of course there … Continue reading →

Killing in the name of…

I have no idea whether Officer Darren Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown the first time, or the second through sixth times. Such decisions made under such circumstances are always questionable. Testimony from witnesses and the people involved is unreliable and physical evidence open to interpretation. If truth is the first casualty of war, … Continue reading →

8 Things the French Do Better Than Americans

The Internet may have all but killed newspapers (giving away your product for free proves to be an unsustainable business model), but it has given rise to a whole new literary form: clickbait. What is “clickbait?” As with pornography or fine art, you know it when you see it. It’s lists and quizzes, and otherwise … Continue reading →

A job to die for?

There are very few things worth dying for in this world (ideologies and religions included), and still fewer to justify killing another person. I’d like to think the vast majority of the human race would agree that life is a precious gift. We can imagine sacrificing our own life to spare a loved one, a … Continue reading →