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Rick LeCouteur
Inviting young readers to marvel at the wonder of nature's creatures
Rick's Blog
#bunyipsbooksbeyond
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Finding Your Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a purposeful life (#359)
In a world consumed by burnout, productivity hacks, and the relentless pursuit of more , the Japanese concept of Ikigai  offers a...
RIck LeCouteur
12 hours ago5 min read
2 views
0 comments
Cut That Out! The overlooked editing trick (#358)
Growing up in Australia, where “proper English" was prized and verbosity often mistaken for precision, I was slow to appreciate the...
RIck LeCouteur
2 days ago2 min read
6 views
0 comments
The Forgotten Workforce: Caring for those who care (#357)
She holds the weight of others' pain, Their sorrow, sickness, loss, and strain. With steady hands and steady grace, She hides the cracks...
RIck LeCouteur
2 days ago2 min read
46 views
0 comments
Institutional Memory: The wisdom we leave behind (#356)
In an era that celebrates innovation, disruption, and fresh perspectives, it's easy to overlook a quieter, invaluable resource that too...
RIck LeCouteur
4 days ago2 min read
15 views
0 comments
Sten-Erik Olsson: A memorable encounter (#355)
In 1986, I had the privilege of speaking at a distinguished veterinary conference in Lund, Sweden, dedicated to the intricacies of canine...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago3 min read
6 views
0 comments
The Politics of Power: Lady Chu - a familiar story? (#354)
In the annals of Chinese history, where emperors often take center stage, the story of Lady Chu  (also known as Lü Zhi , Empress of the...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago3 min read
15 views
0 comments
Limbic Resonance: The unspoken human/animal bond (#353)
Have you ever sat with someone in silence and somehow felt more at peace? Â Or caught someone's yawn, even though you're not tired? Â ...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago3 min read
4 views
0 comments
The Fragile Fortress: University leaders & corporate entanglements (#352)
At the heart of any great university lies a principle older than rankings, older than endowments, and older than the office of the...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 173 min read
46 views
0 comments
Bangkok’s Great Mystery: The story of Jim Thompson (#351)
The Jim Thompson House Museum In the heart of Bangkok, tucked behind high hedges and shaded by towering trees, lies a house that feels...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 143 min read
17 views
0 comments
Vanishing Acts: The black hole of children’s picture books (#350)
Every year, roughly 4 million new books are published globally. Â That staggering number represents the hopes and dreams of millions of...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 123 min read
5 views
0 comments
When Bureaucracy Fails: What Social Security could learn from a Vet Hospital (#349)
Let’s imagine something absurd.  Your dog is not well. Not just a little off. Something’s wrong. You try to book an appointment at your...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 124 min read
15 views
0 comments
Suspending Belief: Veterinary tools that outrun the evidence (#348)
One of the more intriguing developments in recent years is the Equusir BEST‑BOX , a device marketed to diagnose and treat energetic...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 93 min read
58 views
0 comments
Animals in Childhood Development: What animals teach children (#346)
In the modern Western world, animals play a central role in childhood. Â From the moment a baby is born, animals surround them in...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 84 min read
5 views
0 comments
When the Halls Fall Silent: The rise and fall of veterinary conferences (#345)
There was a time, not long ago, when the annual veterinary conference was the heart and soul of the profession. Â Names like BSAVA , NAVC...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 83 min read
26 views
0 comments
Speaking Truth to Power: A lesson from Cassius and Murrow (#344)
Cassius  (the younger man pointing) and  Brutus  (the older man listening) from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar . In the winter of 1954,...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 72 min read
55 views
0 comments
Speak Up, Even When It’s Risky: Why challenging power matters (#343)
There’s a quiet courage in standing up, not just for yourself, but for what’s right. Especially when the person you’re standing up to has...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 74 min read
56 views
0 comments
The World Is Waiting: Turn the Page (#342)
Saint Augustine , philosopher, theologian, and one of the towering intellects of the early Christian church, left behind many timeless...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 62 min read
7 views
0 comments
For Vets Only: Things we never say out loud (#341)
You know the look. The one you give your nurse across the room when the dog starts crashing. The look that says, “Get the crash cart -...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 52 min read
264 views
1 comment
To Younger Vets: Don’t mistake the growl for bitterness (#340)
A colleague recently challenged me, good-naturedly I think, that I was starting to sound like a grumpy old retired vet , always going on...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 53 min read
208 views
0 comments
Dropping the GRE for Vet School Admissions: Equity Boost or Quality Risk? (#339)
In recent years, many veterinary schools across the United States have dropped the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Â as a requirement...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 43 min read
6 views
0 comments
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