MBE generation
n.— «English cricket isn’t always in tune with the times, but it seems to have caught the wave of the “me-me” generation pretty sweetly. It even has its own name for it—the MBE generation, an exclusive club whose members are pretty much allowed to call their own shots. If you got a gong for winning the Ashes in 2005, you are in it. It is okay, each MBE (Me Before England) is told. You are a superstar. You beat the Aussies. Tell us when you are fit to play, if indeed you want to play. We know you may be busy drinking at the well of celebrity, writing your next platitudinous book, staging your next benefit function. Just give us a shout when you are ready.» —“Losing their heads” by Simon WIlde Times (London, England) Dec. 31, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...
In The Timbuktu Review, travel writer Wayne Curtis offers excellent advice about how to resist cliches when writing about visiting a new place. This is part of a complete episode.
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