Warning: there are plenty of spoilers about the Spanish drama Velvet ahead. Fashion Insight: Going through swatch books. Ross and Rachel of the Week: Ana and Alberto Spanish Culture Clue: The terrible treatment of women in this era. Language Point: The dialogue plays off “igual” and “desigual” in several places. Doña Gloria knocks on the door of… [Read More]
Blog
South Africa: Ivory from Paradise
I’m finally at the end of the African book project. It took a lot longer than I thought it would. The last country on the list is also the wealthiest in Africa, the Republic of South Africa. I read Ivory From Paradise, by David Schmahmann. It’s the story of a white family that scatters from… [Read More]
FAQ: What is Bitcoin, anyway?
Yesterday, I received an email from a friend with a plaintive questions: what is Bitcoin? She is hearing about it and is intrigued! Bitcoin makes an appearance in Day Trading For Dummies, I’ve done work on it for some clients, and I even have blog posts on it. The fact that all of a sudden… [Read More]
Swaziland: Without the King
Swaziland is the only absolute monarchy left in the world, and that status does not seem to be serving its subjects well. Mswati III has been king since 1986. GDP per capita is $9,800, and Swaziland has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world. There are allegations that the nation’s wealth, which is also… [Read More]
Recapping Velvet: Season 1, Episode 2, “The Seamstresses”
Warning: there are plenty of spoilers about the Spanish drama Velvet ahead. Fashion Insight: How much people relied on magazines for trends, the way they look at Instagram now. Ross and Rachel of the Week: Pedro and Rita Spanish Culture Clue: So much concern about social class!. Language Point: Spanish vocabulary and grammar would never allow… [Read More]