Hello, My Name is Kevin Schwarm
A free spirit's take on work, life, travel, & consumerism

Is there something wrong with my reading glasses? I just read that Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former Honduran leader. Last year, Hernandez was sentenced to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking and weapons charges. According to prosecutors, Mr. Hernandez was involved in an illegal organization that lasted many years and brought more than 1 million pounds of cocaine into the US.  At the time, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor had called the drug prosecution

Recently, some in the mainstream media have said the situation involving Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump may be referred to as the "Epstein files" controversy. Regarding this controversy, I've included just a brief refresher of the high-level news reports from 2025. A quiz is included to outline the types of questions a critical thinker may have about this controversy. As a reminder, this quiz is presented in a satirical manner. Remember, no one fights so hard to keep someth

This blog post is a compilation of photos I took in Munich, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and then back in Munich in October of 2025. Some commentary is provided. MUNICH Getting ready for Oktoberfest in Munich. The weather is cool and rainy, but nothing is preventing me from wearing this outfit to Oktoberfest. Enjoying Oktoberfest, finally! Large pretzels, shared among friends. As the beer flows in the Oktoberfest tents and facilities, pretzel sales skyrocket. BERLIN Biking west of

Europe The driving age in Germany is 18, but you can drink beer at 16. In Germany, they learn to drink and then drive. In the USA, we learn to drive and then learn to drink. Many Germans will greet you with a “hallo” or “Guten Tag,” but rarely ask how you are doing. That’s too formal and typically done among friends and family. Americans are more friendly but superficial, and usually assume that “how are you?” means you’re just saying hello. Europeans may ask about your trip

You don't get a Peace Prize while turning the National Guard into a political weapon.  You don't get a Peace Prize by waging war on American cities. You don't get a Peace Prize by blowing up boats in the Caribbean. You don't get a Peace Prize by threatening Canada and Greenland with annexation. You don't get a Peace Prize by attacking Iran. You don't get a Peace Prize by having ICE harass US citizens in our city  streets. You don't get a Peace Prize by turning the National Gu

As readers of this article may know, Tom Brady, the winningest QB in NFL history, is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2022,...

This article describes how my musical influences have changed over the years.

Several weeks ago, President Trump ordered approximately 800 National Guard members to Washington, D.C., to combat crime. This is the...

Dysfunctional Government. What will our current occupant do next? A dumpster fire in DC!

Love him or hate him, this satirical Trump quiz provides a fascinating look at Trump and his two administrations. My goal is to provide some humor and information about the man and his governance. It's not meant to be offensive; it's just a humorous way of looking at our controversial US President.