This is a philosophical book about what the future of mankind will bring. The author discusses many of the latest trends in science and technology, and warns of the consequences of misusing and abusing the knowledge we’re acquiring. I appreciated his argument for the better treatment of animals, and his comments on smartphones, antidepressants, and longevity were thought-provoking and compelling,…
In New York City, the big Pride parade occurs on the Sunday of Pride Weekend, traditionally the last Sunday in June. In Amsterdam, however, the parade occurs on Saturday. Rather than march down the street, the floats sail down the Prinsengracht canal. In New York, traffic is a nightmare and trying to get from one side of town to the…
Pride is a fun time of year here in Amsterdam. The city really gets into the spirit, and there’s a great feeling of Pride and activism in the air. Stores get in the spirit as well, selling all sorts of Pride related things. My apartment is on Spuistraat, in the centrum. It’s a very central location, and that is very…
On Wednesday, we decided to check out one of my favorite neighborhoods in Amsterdam: The Pijp. There are charming, quaint streets, lots of adorable cafes, and the famous Albert Cuyp market, where vendors sell clothes, food, and all sorts of other items down a stretch of several blocks. It’s the kind of market where, even if you’re really really really…
Oosterpark, Amsterdam – Photos
A fascinating memoir by Cleve Jones, creator of the AIDS quilt, and lifelong gay rights advocate. This is a very personal, first person account detailing the struggle for gay, lesbian, and transgender rights. Although the story has been told many times, for me, it never gets old. The stories of San Francisco in the 70’s, the wildness of the Castro…
A really wonderful autobiography. She’s so honest, so real, so down-to-earth. I enjoyed hearing about her courtship with Barack, her struggle with trying to find a job that gave her a feeling of purpose, and how she dealt with the transition from being a regular citizen to being a heavily-guarded first lady whose every move was scrutinized. Her passages about…
For Day 2, the itinerary was lighter: A visit to another temple (Wat Suthat), and then a local park, and then finish the day strolling through Bangkok’s extensive Chinatown. First, I chowed down at the hotel’s excellent buffet. I took a tuk-tuk to Wat Suthat, just north of Chinatown. Wat Suthat is one of the city’s most beautiful and biggest…
All good things eventually must come to an end, and that includes this incredible adventure. The vaccinating and caring for the animals goes on all year, but these Mission Rabies volunteer projects are only two weeks long, and the last day had (all too quickly) arrived. We gathered at the reception area in the morning as usual, and rolled out…
The Mission Rabies vaccination drive is exhilarating, but it’s physically taxing work. You wake up early and spend nearly the entire day chasing down dogs, in stifling heat and humidity. Fortunately, the Mission Rabies folks provided us with the opportunity to recharge our batteries after the first week, by arranging a relaxing, meditation retreat for the volunteers. On Saturday morning,…
In my previous post, I described Goa as a city of crazy contrasts and contradictions, and that’s true. There is one thing, however, that remains consistent about Goa, and that is its residents: the kindest, friendliest, and most appreciative people I’ve ever had the honor of meeting. Although I knew that the impetus behind Mission Rabies is to reduce the…
The two weeks of this vaccination drive were amazing. Goa had me totally mesmerized. Rather than blog about the trip chronologically, I’m going to highlight some of the most memorable aspects of the entire mission. I thought I’d start with the scenery and natural beauty. Goa is a state on the western coast of India. The Portuguese first landed there…
I am on the airplane now, composing this blog post on my new Chromebook. I’ve never written a blog post (or anything, for that matter) on an airplane. Pretty neat. Yesterday, I purchased a selfie stick. I went for one with a wire, rather than a bluetooth one. One less device I have to charge. Well, last night I thought…
Yesterday, I spent the day packing. Weather reports show the temperature in Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai to be in the high 80s and possibly low 90s, so I’m just bringing shorts. I’ll have one pair of long pants, and those will be the pants I’ll be wearing on the flight. The Mission Rabies handbook says that I’ll need long pants…
As the date approached, I began receiving occasional e-mails from the Mission Rabies volunteer coordinator detailing the finer aspects of the mission. For example, we were gently reminded that many of Mission Rabies’s projects take place in warm countries, so that we should avoid risks like sunburn, heat stroke, or heat exhaustion. I looked up, on the internet, the average…