http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs Fearless. Thoughtful. Witty. Canadian. And Opinionated. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:09:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "We love our King," proclaims Kingal, a Bhutanese man I am chatting with.  I have heard this sentiment throughout Bhutan.  The people here keep pictures of him in their homes, in their businesses; they say prayers for him.  It is as if he is a part of their lives, and ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/11/10/we-love-our-king/ When I was a kid, I sat every day in a concrete block without windows. The prevalent theory at the time was that windows were distracting (this wasn't in the Dark Ages, but the 1980s). I like to think I turned out okay, despite my windowless education. ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/10/29/giving-your-kids-a-green-education/ If several smiling farmers offered you the choice between a drink of "brown rice coffee" or some "bacteria juice," which would you choose? I first tried bacteria juice during an afternoon tea break at Konohana Family, an organic community in Japan near the base of Mt. Fuji.  At Konohana Family, over ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/10/24/can-bacteria-juice-save-the-world/ "Do you feel, you know, some vibrations, under your bed?" This crewman on this ocean liner was clearly trying to seduce me. "Of course, from the engine," I sad. I have been sleeping for the past thirteen days within a great machine. I can feel the mechanical throbbing all night long, ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/10/09/fear-and-loathing-on-the-high-seas/ Flying is becoming socially taboo. The tide of anti-airplane sentiment is still relatively low in North America, compared to in the UK, where nearly half of the citizens are vowing to fly less for environmental reasons, and one in eight teenagers supports the idea of a ban on "travelling ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/09/22/airplanes-good-or-evil/ WASHINGTON D.C.—What happens when corporate leaders and academic experts on energy, climate change, and geopolitics sit down and brief the United States Senate on how the US can "achieve a more secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy future"? Just how does a country go about ending an addiction to oil? Are ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/09/14/thirsting-to-drill-on-capitol-hill-inside-the-senate-energy-summit/