Swet Columns
December 16, 2002
Bridge-building Books
by Doreen Simmons
“Building bridges between cultures” has been a safe subject for talks and textbooks for many years; how far is an outsider justified in interfering with work in progress? Our pensive old tabby weighs the pros and cons.
Dear Aunt Eva,
I’ve been asked by a publisher friend to give an opinion on a supplementary textbook, the... more
October 29, 2002
Finding a Job vs. Finding Work
by Fred Uleman
Creating You & Co by William Bridges reminds me of the old adage that, “within every fat man is a thin man trying to get out.” There is a slender book in here that is well worth reading, but you will have to cut through a lot of fat to get at it. So let me give you... more
September 17, 2002
“Bill Me for Everything” Change
by Doreen Simmons
When one party to an old relationship of trust suddenly wants to put it entirely on a businesslike footing, what’s really afoot? Well-balanced Aunt Eva, who likes a bit of friendly give-and-take herself, advises treading warily on this one.
Dear Aunt Eva,
I have a niggling little problem and would welcome a second opinion.
I have a... more
March 20, 2002
Translation Software Problems
by Doreen Simmons
Open-minded Aunt Eva is no Luddite, but it has been increasingly coming to her attention that there is an awesome potential for error in the interface between technology and the human beings who are trying to use it. Here, she takes a realistic look at some of the pitfalls in relying too heavily on software that promises the... more
December 15, 2001
Going on Record as Being Right
by Doreen Simmons
Ruminative Aunt Eva has recently been pondering the potential ethical gulf between knowing that you are right and going on record as saying so.
Dear Aunt Eva,
I am beginning to think that I was recently dealt a card from the bottom of the pack by a professor I know. He showed me three English sentences,... more
September 15, 2001
Beginning as We Mean to Go On
by Doreen Simmons
Somnolent Aunt Eva arouses herself to ruminate on a problem of status, real and apparent. How can we avoid projecting the wrong image, especially when even our own preconceptions are working against us?
Dear Aunt Eva,
(Or should that be “Ms Hartupp”? You see, I’ve suddenly become sensitive about handles.) But I’m jumping into the middle... more