Blog
Why 'Not all who wander are lost' Doesn't Mean What You Think it Means.
If there's anything that one could say about J.R.R. Tolkien it might be that he represents one of the 20th century's most notable iconoclasts. A British WWI Veteran who found his way into the philological world in linguistics, Tolkien's legacy on the world as it currently is cannot be estimated. He paved the way not only for the creation of modern high fantasy and the deep worlds that they create but also for the potential for modern myth-making. Only time will tell how his works may be read in future generations and cultures and what significance they may carry in...
Coffee School 101: The Coffee Tree
The coffee tree is a wonderful plant -- one that, I imagine, is really the tree of life talked about in the Bible (those that are sent to Purgatory have to partake from the Robusta tree though). But it is a complex tree. There is no simple harvest. There are no quick fruits of labor. There are massive risks involved. It is important for those of us who enjoy a morning (or afternoon...or evening...) cup to learn more about what is involved in bringing it to us from the initial seed.
Six Resources for Better Understanding Global Refugee Problem
On the eve of our event The Refugee in which Medine Keener and Jacob Guot will be joining us for a conversation and talkback on the global refugee problem, we wanted to highlight some resources that we recommend for better understanding what is going on internationally and nationally (in the case of the United States) as it relates to the refugee problem. 1) UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR (or USA for The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) is a non-profit organization formed in 1950 that envisions a world without refugees. This takes on a lot of meaning...
Coffee School 101: A Tale of Two Coffees
When somebody comes into the Drinklings coffee shop and orders a cup of coffee, there’s usually a general exchange that takes place: Me: “How can I help you?” Customer: “I’d like a coffee please.” Me: “Sure! What kind?” Customer: *Blank stare* This is not everybody but, yes, it happens...A LOT! And unfortunately, most people think by kind we mean light, medium, or dark. Now that I’ve given you that impression that I’m that coffee snob that you hate, let me try and win you back around. I’m really not that snobbery. :) But just like a good pipe tobacco, a...
Immigration and a Window on the World
Forget the concept of “fake news” for a moment. Our country and our world has a problem with false perception. It is true that media and headlines often create narratives which feed into the way that we perceive the world around us, but it is equally true that our perceptions feed into the way the media works. A Basic Marketing 101 lesson is this: you can’t market what people won’t buy. It would be an understatement to say that immigration is a hot topic right now. For many, it single-handedly drove their votes in both the 2016 and 2018 election,...