Author Archives: Harry Katz
Fascism: A Warning
When she spoke to an adoring, packed house at Seattle’s Paramount Theater on the evening of April, 24, 2018, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stated clearly that she was not accusing President Donald Trump of being a Fascist. But, … Continue reading
All the Light We Cannot See
All the Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr Scribner, New York, 2014 I’m not quite sure what to make of this book. It’s beautifully constructed, like an intricate puzzle box. All the pieces fit together with precision and artistry. … Continue reading
Tom Wolfe: A Tribute
I first encountered Tom Wolfe’s writing, or at least his books, as a young child, when a hardback copy of The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby arrived at our house in Oakville, Ontario, about 25 miles west of Toronto. If I … Continue reading
Factfulness
First things first: if you’ve never seen any of Hans Rosling’s TED Talks, please go and watch this one right now. His talks are way more important than my blog. (But come right back!) * * * Isn’t he fantastic! … Continue reading
Enlightenment Now
We seem to be living in a time of perpetual crisis. It feels like the whole world is going off the rails. Everything decent seems to be under attack. We’re bombarded daily by reports of mass shootings and terrorist bombings. … Continue reading
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Left Hand of Darkness By Ursula K. LeGuin Walker and Company, New York, 1969 I read The Left Hand of Darkness a long time ago, back in my university days I think. It popped back up to the top … Continue reading
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinciby Walter IsaacsonSimon & Schuster, New York, 2017 The first thing you notice about Walter Isaacson’s latest book, Leonardo da Vinci, is its weight. This is a hefty tome. It tips the scales at three pounds even (1360g … Continue reading
Video: What the Future of Energy Means for Canada
A link to this panel discussion cane across my FB feed and I wanted to share it here in a brief post. http://singularityucanadasummit.org/event/debate-future-energy-means-canada/ The context is Canadian but the perspective is definitely global. Really intelligent, though-provoking discussion about the energy … Continue reading
Crosscut Festival
I spent yesterday attending the Crosscut Festival at Seattle University. I’ve gone to so many conferences through work that I can’t seem to break the habit of taking and writing up notes. So here they are. The conference was organized … Continue reading
Unhitching
Yesterday morning we hitched up our much-loved tent trailer for the last time. We drove down to the Fauntleroy Ferry dock, made the short crossing over calm water to Vashon Island, and with mixed feelings delivered the trailer to a … Continue reading
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