Culture

Last week, I wrote an article about Russia’s longer term demographic issues. Included was some commentary about why the country has got itself into this mess. The article was reasonably well received. A former colleague told me that while he enjoyed the article, he felt it was one-sided, predictable and had no links to the Russian soul or mind. I will be the first person to admit that I’m no expert on either subject but having travelled throughout the country and met its peop

I wrote an article yesterday on global inequality and its consequences for world poverty. I listed global warming as one of the causes and it occurred to me that the subject more than merits an article on its own. Looking at the consequences of recent severe weather patterns on Ireland and elsewhere, it seems to me that it is time we all woke up and did something about it before it’s too late. Unfortunately global warming is no longer a distant scientific theory or a politica

Many articles have been written on global inequality. Why is over 50% of the world’s wealth held by less than one per cent of the population? Contrastingly, why does the bottom 50% of people only own two per cent? There are numerous reasons: Globalization; the rise of super companies; the growth in billionaires; compounding financial systems; Government policies; monopoly power; shareholder primacy over workers’ wages; technological advancements; global supply chains; histori

I’ve recently added a few articles with some humour. The feedback has been positive so I’m continuing in this vein. Yesterday I wrote a fairly pessimistic piece on the future of Russia so it’s time to counter balance it with some amusing tales of life there. I have been fortunate over the years to work closely with some of Ireland’s finest diplomats. Working with a state-owned company which was engaged in joint-ventures with foreign state-owned firms meant we stayed close to

Russia’s ultimate problem will be population imbalance: I have written many articles about Russia over the years and I try to stop myself from writing too much about it. Nonetheless, it is said that you should stick to what you know and having spent a significant part of my life there, I feel I have learned a little about the country and its plight. I still have many good friends and former colleagues there who keep in touch, although sadly, many of the bright young people wi

I don’t think you would describe this as a travel blog, but the reader can be the judge of that. I wrote this article a couple of years ago after travelling extensively in the USA. In the meantime I have been back several times and unfortunately the revisions to it will say that things have gotten worse. America is still the land of opportunity but it is far from a perfect society. The incumbent President’s encouragement of divisiveness over unity is not helping the situation

Brief Encounters: In some ways it may be described as a cliché, but for as long as I can remember, I have loved meeting people; different people, not just different in numbers but different in character, temperament, attitude, culture etc. I tend to talk to people I meet at random; it might be a waiter in a restaurant; a chance encounter in a gym; on a bus or train or a fellow hotel guest. Really, the possibilities are endless. Many people encounter many other people every da

One of the most stressful events that you can put someone through is the job interview. People’s stress levels soar in advance of this process and it is very difficult to know how to advise them in terms of preparation. You can do all the pre-interview techniques and recommendations you like and still have a disastrous session. Hence the very high stress levels that will always seemingly be part of the interview process. Having been through many interviews myself, I always ap

We all have our favourite foods and drinks which we return to again and again. Some people are more adventurous when they encounter the foods (or the cultures) of other nations; others tend to stick with what they know. Hence the old stereotypes of the Irishman looking for his bacon, cabbage and spuds or the Englishman looking for roast beef or fish and chips. Tasty? Depends where you come from I guess. Perceptions are interesting also; I would consider myself reasonably adv

Driving: I love driving; always have; always will. I remember when the famous Kerry football manager, Mick O’Dwyer, was asked was it not very far for him to travel when he took on the role of managing Kildare. Micko replied, ‘not at all, the farther the better, because I love driving.’ I totally identify with that sentiment. In fact, Micko subsequently managed Laois and Wicklow, which are also a long way from Kerry. But I digress; recently I drove to Derry and Donegal in a da

Tunisia – Travel Blog: Tunisia in January might not be everyone’s idea of a nice holiday but it’s probably the ideal time to go there if you want a cheap break with plenty of good weather and no hassle. I spent nine days there and seven of them featured glorious sunshine with great sunrises and sunsets, yet the temperature was only 18C, so ideal for exploring. I did also experience 48 hours of biblical rain but that could happen anywhere, any time. Medina in Tunis First of al

Doha International Airport. I told a story recently and the person to whom I related it was so amused that she told me I should write it down and possibly even publish it. She thought my verbal stories were in complete contrast to my written ones, which were usually written in a serious vein. I’m not sure if the humour generated will transfer to print but I’ll give it a try. Oh, and I dedicate this article to Damian, a good friend, who will know why when he reads the fifth pa

Today’s story is inspired by a former colleague and a good mate, who when reading one of my blogs a few weeks ago, said whatever you do, don’t write about the time we got deported from Belarus. Unbeknownst to us both, I had done it two years ago, but it bears repeating….. Phase 1: It is said that to make a mistake once is forgivable, twice is careless and three times is unforgivable. I am therefore on my last chance in relation to Belarus. I have managed (almost) to get mysel

The Great Terror in Russia and how it influences thinking to this day: I believe that you cannot comment about a country or a society without knowing something about where it has come from. In Russia’s case, not to examine what was perpetrated on the population during the Soviet years would be to ignore the elephant in the room. When I lived there, I did many road trips around the country. Once, I was visiting the towns and cities in the Golden Ring and in a small town called

Brendan in the early days. I saw an item on TV recently about the erection of a statue in a place called Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, in Ireland, to Dr. Brendan O’Regan. Who was he, many would ask — probably one of the greatest Irish innovators of the 20th Century or indeed of any time. The erection of a statue is hugely deserved but it cannot even begin to quantify what this man achieved or do justice to his legacy. I’m not too sure as to what positions Brendan held in Shannon A

Largely because of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and President Putin’s seemingly total disregard for human life and human rights, Russian people in general have gotten a bad press in recent times and have had to keep their heads down. But there is another side to Russia, one which I encountered on a daily basis when I worked there full time. I am still in touch with former colleagues, most of whom abhor what is being done in their name. Back in the day, I wrote a book about Russ

I am not an apologist for Russia or Putin. Far from it; like most of my Russian friends, I abhor what they are doing in Ukraine. But I have spent some time in the country and I have some understanding of their culture and character. This article is an attempt to explain to people where Putin and his ilk come from and why they act as they do but it is under no circumstances justifying the carnage and chaos that has been inflicted on an innocent nation. Firstly, let me relate a

After two weeks on Medium, I think it’s time for some Truth and Plain Speaking: I had a job one time which involved a lot of writing; preparation of briefs; making cases for projects; updating boards of directors and similar. I had a boss at that time who encouraged me to use plain words. It wasn’t his own invention, in fact the original book ‘plain words’ had been written by Sir Ernest Gowers in 1954, apparently in an effort to encourage parts of the British Civil Service to

The Excursion I awake to glorious, blinding sunshine. My jet lag of the previous two days is now banished to memory. A quick look from my seventh floor balcony shows me that the snow has almost disappeared and Spring is finally here. I have been living in Novosibirsk for over four months now and I have seen most of the city on foot. Having recently acquired a car, it is surely time for an excursion further afield; time for me to resume my travels in this seemingly never endin

I have written before about the seeming imbalance of articles on Medium since I started contributing. Ever since I wrote an article on Ukraine, I have been bombarded on a daily basis with articles about the war – in fact, at times, it appears as if there aren’t any other articles on there at all. There are of course but the danger in reading too many cynical accounts is that you risk becoming infected with their rhetoric. The ironic thing about most of them is that it is obvi