My new poem considers last and lost dreams in the context of visualizing the present and future and envisioning a society and a life we might become proud of. Too much to ask for?

The two-week United Nations environmental extravaganza has started in Copenhagen. 192 nations and their retinues will attend. 1,200 limos will be on hand. 140 private planes will arrive. There will be 15,000 participants, 5,000 journalists, countless
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Tiny Switzerland - about half the size of New Brunswick, has just voted in a referendum to ban the building of Islamic-minarets. Why?

Faithful followers of this site, will recall the announcement of my sabbatical. Unfortunately, this has not quite happened - yet, and plans are being revised. In the meantime, it seems appropriate to update the status of my procrastination series.

Art to be art, artists to be artists communicate. But what does it communicate? Is there a story? Or is there a communication disconnect. Interrupting my sabbatical, I asked these questions after looking at images from the recent Royal Academy of the Arts exhibition. Or is it inconvenient art?

Fall is here, winter soon follows, and we are taking a break - a sabbatical. For now, we'll say so long, see you soon with a card from Joci Sirak.

For several months, I have considered, and some would say procrastinated over an article and a dialogue on art, an article spurred on by a cartoon of all things.

The poet, Virginia Gillespie tells us in her introduction, that the 'Taoist Inner Tube Rider' is a "metaphor for the way I write. There is an impulse, I drop into it and trust the flow". Reading the book of poems and songs gave me a sense of flow, of healing water and well-being.

BlueBeary is a book for children but I enjoyed it anyway. What a great book? I remember years ago browsing to find suitable books for my daughters. "Nope. Nope." For one reason or other, I discarded them. However, BlueBeary is one affirming, nourishing and satisfying book.

I am grateful to Peter Emmons for suggesting the 'Put Down That Weapon' and the Paul Hardcastle videos. I have added Buffy Sainte-Marie and the 'Universal Soldier'. This concludes my 3-part series on Remembrance Day 2009.

The phrase "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet" - begins the first and last stanza of Rudyard Kipling's poem The Ballad of East and West. The phrase, widely familia,is often quoted to reflect on an unbridgeable polarity or to justify-rationalize an unsolved conflict.

I'm a war baby, or more appropriate a product of the war - WW II. A bit scary and complicates things, especially when my brother married a German girl.

The weather - yesterday, rain - today, rain - tomorrow and into next week, rain. We need a diversion. Here are nine images.

I have been meaning to write an article about the much maligned issue of procrastination. I still mean to do so. Procrastination has many positive qualities and should be celebrated. More to come...

Many a politician lies mortally wounded on the field of excessive expectations. Barack Obama seems to be either good or lucky (O'Bama?) or both. He has won the Nobel Prize. He's taken charge to revitalize the world's economy. A Billion Dollar Health ...

Here are a few images from Joci Sirak's forthcoming book (Vancouver in Black and White is the 'working title') to which I have added the quatrains - words that garnish...