In Cologne, Germany, the EL-DE Haus, so-called because of the initials of builder Leopold Damen, serves as a memorial to the victims of Nazi terror. The museum is a centre for documentation and research (http://museenkoeln.de/ns-dok_neu), serving as a facility for educating the public about the horrors of National Socialism. Of particular interest to this writer… Read more »
Babies — nothing can compare. Little baby opossums with their messy hairdos and wiggly snouts. Wee turtles with an unexpected look of reptilian innocence as miniatures of their parents. Young swans as fuzzy as can be and with a hint of silliness that defies their parents’ graceful airs. Even a fish babe, with its slightly… Read more »
Every once in awhile amidst the daily jumble of boring and depressing news stories, there is an article that restores your faith in humanity, a feel good piece that leaves you with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Latest case in point, I learned through the radio news this morning… Read more »
In anticipation of the G8 (Group of Eight) summit in Edinburgh next month, U.K. (United Kingdom) Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) Gordon Brown has revealed his grand plan to eliminate African third world debt. He wants to essentially strike all debts from the record, giving struggling nations a chance to build a strong and… Read more »
Have you ever wondered how many of the social norms prevalent in today’s Canadian society were formed? Have you ever been curious about the extent to which the media has influenced society? If you’ve considered these things, then Athabasca University’s new course, SOCI 378 (Media Construction of Social Movements & Issues), is for you! A… Read more »
They took a running start. As fast as they could, they jumped into the water. Their laughter was followed by a splash. I stood behind them, peering out from between my fingers and shaking my head emphatically no way. They were jumping off a cliff. I was white-water rafting down the Bow River in Alberta…. Read more »
On June 1st, I was appalled and dismayed to read an article in a local weekly newspaper about a man who is paying $375 a month to live in a storage shed attached to the back of a house. As President and CEO of Grasp Ventures Unlimited, a large property development company developing some of… Read more »
Some members of the AU community have speculated on whether a higher proportion of students with mental illness choose the distance learning option. It seems intuitive that individuals with mental illness may have difficulty functioning well in a traditional classroom setting, and would therefore find an online learning format attractive. Certainly it is likely that… Read more »
Dear potential employer, Thank you for taking the time to review my résumé and employment application. As you can see from my past work experience, I have devoted many years of my life to unfulfilling, uninspiring and low-paying jobs, so I should have no difficulty adjusting to the conditions of your workplace. Over the years,… Read more »
A gentleman known as Lao Tzu fathered Taoism, a philosophy from the East. Little is known of Lao Tzu beyond his book of writings entitled Tao Te Ching [Book of the Way and its Power] that he is famous for. According to legend, he was born about 604 B.C.E. (making him a contemporary of Confucius)…. Read more »