‘Unity in Diversity’?

Editor’s note: John Boucher is a retired Seattle teacher from England. In this space he dispenses ideas, anecdotes and the occasional rant based on his background in philosophy, science, literature and history. A reflection on separatist movements in Canada and around the world. By John Boucher The narrow “no” vote
Read More...The Omnivorous Reader: Beyond 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 and the Great Data Grab
What is our favourite search engine doing with all our personal information anyway? By John Boucher Editor’s note: John Boucher is a retired Seattle teacher from England. In this space he dispenses ideas, anecdotes and the occasional rant based on his background in philosophy, science, literature and history. Author’s note: This
Read More...The Omnivorous Reader: Who Predicted This Dystopic Future Anyway?
Many blame Orwell, but it could have been Huxley. The debate rages on. By John Boucher [Editor’s note: John Boucher is a retired Seattle teacher from England. In this space he dispenses ideas, anecdotes and the occasional rant based on his background in philosophy, science, literature and history.] As the old
Read More...10 Amazing Facts You Never Knew about Headlines!
Or: what is lost when you take away negative feedback? By John Boucher [Editor’s note: John Boucher is a retired Seattle teacher from England. In this space he dispenses ideas, anecdotes and the occasional rant based on his background in philosophy, science and history.] 1. The Best Way to Get Your
Read More...Time flies like an arrow
By John Boucher If you saw a video of an arrow flying, or more accurately falling, through the air, you can tell if the video is running forwards or backwards, because, if going backwards, the point and the feathers would be reversed. How about a slow-motion video of a flying bullet? A fast
Read More...Words, Words, Words
The first step toward a brighter future in Canada By John Boucher A hearty welcome to all of you who are learning English. As a 67 year old Englishman who is still trying to master the intricacies of this most verbose of languages, I hope I can sympathize with your struggle. ‘Most verbose’
Read More...Any Career Plans? (Think at least twice)-John Boucher Column
By John Boucher I’m sure that many of you are already committed to some kind of career path and are steadily building up your credits towards its fulfillment. I wish you all the luck in the world, but this article is an attempt to warn you about some possible minefields in your future
Read More...Science and Superstition
Guidebook columnist John Boucher tells a true story of a father and son. By John Boucher Once upon a time in the North of England, there lived a fifty-year-old chemical process worker (ie. a semi-skilled, goggles-, gloves-, and overall-wearing operative in a chemical factory. The year is 1965, or thereabouts. Starting
Read More...A Heartbeat Hypothesis
Guidebook columnist John Boucher investigates a curious ‘downside’ to working out. By John Boucher It seems that everyone is at the gym these days, getting lean, buff, ripped, jagged, craggy, awesomely unsqueezable or, at least, hopefully, just a little less wobbly. Yes, I have to admit that I have joined the throng—and
Read More...‘Don’t let your schooling interfere with your education’
By John Boucher This famous phrase from Mark Twain has never been more relevant than it is in these driven, dizzy days. I know that you are tired of me writing the following sentence: “I know that you are tired of old people telling you that the world was simpler and much more
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