Are There 10 Million Too Many People in Australia
Big corporates and both sides of government are continuing to push the ‘endless growth’ scenario. Those at the top of the financial tree stand to gain and politicians can point to the figures showing increased GDP and claim we’re all benefiting. But are we? Population growth has profound impacts on quality of life, not just […]
My Sister Is a Drunk: The Gutwrenching Story of a Sister’s Burden
Sometimes we and others never realize just how destructive drinking habits can be. One can never pinpoint that transition from social drinking to alcohol dependency. On one side of the spectrum, there are people who simply don’t care if a family member drinks way too much. In some cultures and areas it almost ‘comes with […]
10 Weird Road Rules You Never Knew Existed
There are many bizarre driving laws around the world. If you think getting a speeding ticket for going 1mph over the limit is a bit ‘over the top’, you’re about to discover just how crazy driving legislation can get. While some of the following laws make sense, others seem completely absurd! 10 Weird Road Rules […]
What Don’t You Know about Your Brain?
There can be no questioning that you and your brain are one. If the brain dies, you are nothing. Medical advances now give us liver, lung, kidney and even heart transplant options. Replacing your lungs with a donor’s does not effect the essence of who you are. But a brain transplant – if such a […]
50 Scams Waiting for Unwary Travelers!
Nothing is going to ruin your vacation or business trip faster than a disappearing wallet or purse. Just one notch down is turning around to discover that your luggage has just been carried off into the crowd! And while we all want to believe we’re travel savvy, it pays to remember that there are many […]
Give Me Back My Club… Now!
I took my 12 year old son to his regular Saturday basketball match yesterday. His team lost – against a team that they have previously beaten multiple times. My son played a good game. Both the coach and the team manager praised his effort. In fact, as usually happens, he scored around 30% of the […]
20 Seriously Cheap Countries to Live in (And Why You Wouldn’t)
Update as of August 2023: What a difference six years can make! Obviously, the world has undergone enormous changes since this article was first published. The pressures of every day life in highly developed countries often cause us to ask a simple question – why? Why am I living like this? Why don’t I have […]
The 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live In – 2017
Financial comfort has a whole lot less to do with ‘what you earn’ than it does with what you have left when your living expenses are paid! There are cities where the vast majority of residents are in a constant battle to stay ahead and there are others where most residents are able to live in […]
America is Regressing into a Developing Nation for Most People
Income and wealth inequality is accelerating in all Western nations. It’s certainly not a new phenomenon since wealth – and power – has been concentrated throughout history. But in a brief hiccup in time, the Industrial Revolution lead to a broadening of both the income and asset base of nations. As individual incomes and wealth […]
How to Find Coffee That Does Not Cost the Earth!
Between 1990 and 2010, the total area of land used to grow coffee reduced from 11.1 million hectares to 10.2 million yet total production increased by 36%. This is the result of the intensification of agricultural practices and the development of sun-hardy varieties. Shading forests are now cleared felled and replaced with these new coffee varieties. As […]