A trip ‘back home’ provides reminders of what makes America special
By Dan FranchJanuary 27, 2025 Time flies when you’re having fun. Just the same, all good things must come to an end. That perfectly sums up my experience in the U.S. last year, when I returned for a visit from early August to late December. It was the longest stretch of time I’d spent in […]
America Not Ready
By Dan FranchNovember 10, 2024
Art on the fly: artists display their works at Tallinn Airport
By Dan FranchAugust 25, 2017 Travellers can get away from the regular airport buzz at Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport and enjoy artworks in a quiet gallery.Tucked up on the second floor of Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport is a small area known as the Gallery. An elevator ride takes visitors to the small, cosy and quiet […]
A paradigm shift on gun control debate
By Dan FranchStraight From The Source 4/21/2021 Another day, another shooting in America. Mass murder, random individual — it doesn’t matter. To quote The Clash, “somebody, got murdered, somebody’s dead forever.” Fear not; this isn’t another rant about gun control. That’s a rabbit-hole discussion with two sides digging in their heels and the discourse going […]
‘The reality is, this is their new home’: Ukrainian Independence Day far from happy for refugees
By Dan FranchStraight From The Source 8/24/2022 Wednesday is Ukraine’s Independence Day in commemoration of the country’s Declaration of Independence in 1991. As with most former Soviet countries, it’s Ukraine’s second independence, the first coming in 1918. That said, it’s tough to wish the Ukrainians I know a “Happy Independence Day.” From the start of […]
Living in true dictatorships
Bigger is not always better
Straight from the Source: An uneasy, but so far calm, life in another former Soviet republic
By Dan FranchStraight From The Source 3/25/2022 The sun is back and the days are getting longer here in Estonia. However, a new darkness has descended in this part of the world. Of course, I am talking about Ukraine. The bleak times there awaken memories and reflections here, which, like Ukraine, was also part of […]
Another ‘perc’ in Luxembourg
In this edition of Table Manners, the Luxembourg legend of the Melusina mermaid is the subject but, with a modern twist, has an unexpected outcome.
Rank Kings
Nevin and his dad take a tour of Luxembourg’s top and only university in the latest instalment of Table Manners.