When The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch was released in 2006 it was a massive hit. Not only did it become a bestseller, but it is also considered something of a modern classic. It won high praise and Lynch was counted among the most promising writers in the fantasy field, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss and Joe Abercrombie. This was an amazing achievement for a first novel, so expectations were high for the rest of the series. Did we have a new classic before us? Yet, the follow-up books were something of a disappointment. Instead of soaring high, the rest of the series went downhill. Complaints began to pile up about … Continue reading “What Went Wrong With The Gentlemen Bastard Series?”
What Are The Main Esperanto Magazines?
One of the best way to use and learn Esperanto is by reading magazines. You get to practice using the language while seeing the views and opinions of Esperantists from all over the world. There are loads of Esperanto magazines, covering a wide range of topics, so there’s certainly going to be something to interest you. There are hundreds of magazines in total as most countries and interest groups have their own review. I won’t be able to discuss all of them in this post, so I’ll just focus on the main international journals. Esperanto magazines do not have one flat subscription rate, instead the price varies by country, with poorer countries paying less and richer countries paying more. (This … Continue reading “What Are The Main Esperanto Magazines?”
5 Ways Esperanto Is Easier Than English
When people ask me why I speak Esperanto, my answer is simple; it’s really easy. I’ve always had difficulties learning languages and Esperanto is the only language I’ve ever succeeded in learning. The arbitrary pronunciation, random grammar rules, infuriating irregularities, endless exceptions that had to be memorised, silent letters, obscure tenses and half a dozen other rules in every language, drove me mad. I spent countless frustrating hours trying to decipher these Byzantine codes, usually without success. I would complain to my teacher (and anyone who would listen) about how these rules were unnecessary and added nothing to the language, couldn’t someone just remove the irregularities? Well, it turned out that someone did. Esperanto is like a language designed by … Continue reading “5 Ways Esperanto Is Easier Than English”
How Fascism Takes Over
Have you ever watched a historical documentary or perhaps a Second World War movie and wondered how the fascists ever took over? How did they convince people to follow them? How did they reshape a nation in their mould? How could anyone support that kind of hatred? Why weren’t they stopped, why did more people not stand up to them? Have you ever wondered what you would have done if you were in that situation? Surely you would have stood up to them, right? Surely they would have no appeal to people like you? A lot of people don’t see the relevance of Fascism today and view comparisons with modern day as exaggeration, if not hysteria. To them, Fascism is … Continue reading “How Fascism Takes Over”
Why Don’t The Irish Speak Irish?
The Danes have Danish, the French speak French, the Slovakians talk in Slovak yet the Irish don’t speak Irish, but rather English. Almost all nations and people have their own language yet the Irish are one of the few nations who have a language that very few of its people can speak. Ireland is one of the only countries in Europe whose primary language is that of a foreign country. In fact, more people in Ireland speak Polish on a daily basis than Irish (and French is close behind). When I’m abroad I’m often asked if there even is an Irish language or if anyone still speaks it. Someone who only spoke Irish would have a very difficult time getting … Continue reading “Why Don’t The Irish Speak Irish?”
How To Debunk Most Conspiracy Theories
If there’s one thing that the internet loves (apart from porn, arguing and cats), it’s a good conspiracy. Wander away from the main path and you’ll quickly find yourself in a world where secret agencies are assassinating Presidents, who are Muslim, which is taking over Europe thanks to the EU, which is controlled by the Freemasons, who faked 9/11 so that the Illuminati (who were born in Kenya) could move into Area 51, which is covering up the New Alien World Order (at the bequest of the CIA) in order that the United Nations can take your guns away because they’ve uncovered a secret that will destroy big business. Also the Jews are in there somewhere. They always are. As … Continue reading “How To Debunk Most Conspiracy Theories”