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i spent some time searching around instructables for a cheap laptop stand and realized that this was all i really needed in the short term...maybe next week i will engineer something a little more functional
Mark Weislogel
NASA’s go-to problem solver
Liquids in zero gravity don’t pour, don’t spill and don’t drip. But PSU mechanical and materials engineering professor and former NASA scientist Mark Weislogel found a way to make them behave.
An expert in fluid dynamics, Weislogal has designed numerous experiments performed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. He and his students used complex mathematics to design a coffee cup that allows liquids to be sipped instead of sucked from a tube. That’s great news for coffee-loving astronauts, and the science behind it has implications for space travel that are out of this world.
At Portland State University, we believe knowledge works best when it serves the community.
~ Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something, or getting something from them. That is only valid for information sharing. Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes. ~
I dedicated this picture for Val Spring. Her work is amazing and her personality is beyond beautiful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Val.
The only facts known in relation to British merchant Charles Thompson are the ones he records in his travel account, about which some scholars have hypothesized that it is a fictional narrative. In any case, the work knew huge editorial success; first published in 1744, it was republished in 1752, 1754, 1767, and 1798. From the introduction, one learns that, following his father's death, Thompson inherited a large fortune and, from love of knowledge, in order to appease his sorrow and to satisfy his own natural curiosity, he started out on a long voyage, in the company of a freind who spoke several languages.
The travellers set out from London in March 1730. They crossed over from Dover to Calais, and travelled to Rouen, Paris and Marseille. They went on to Genoa, Milan, Parma, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Pisa and Sienna, to end up in Rome. In October 1731 they visited Naples, and then Ancona, Ravenna, Ferrara and Padua. They sailed to Malta from Venice in May 1732 and reached Chania in early June.
The two travellers left Crete a month later, and, after staying in Milos for a month, they visited Naxos, Paros, Antiparos, Delos, Syros, Kea, Kythnos, and reached Athens. They toured the monuments of the city and several locations in Attica, Boeotia and Phocis (Eleusis, Megara, Corinth, Livadeia, Arachova, Delphi and Thebes). In November 1732 they left for Istanbul, where they stayed for several months. In September 1733, they left the Dardanelles to visit Izmir, Chios, Samos, Patmos, Ephesus, Kos and Rhodes. They ended up in Cyprus in February 1734, from where they crossed over to the lands of the Middle East (Tripolis, Baalbek, Damascus, Beirut, Sidon, Jerusalem). In May 1734 they travelled to Egypt and toured Kairo, Alexandria and Mount Sinai. They returned to England in April 1735.
Thompson includes several details on travelling conditions as well as the history and the monuments of each country in his travel account. However, he is mostly interested in space, modern life, the human factor, social life, economy, production and commerce, and thus achieves to render an comprehensive and to a certain extent objective picture of the lands he visited in the early 18th century.
Written by Ioli Vingopoulou
İngiliz asıllı tüccar Charles Thompson hakkında bildiğimiz şeyler sadece vakayınamesinden aldığımız bilgilerdir. Ancak bu vakayınamenin hayal ürünü bir anlatı olduğu ileri sürülmüştür. Gene de eser büyük başarı görmüş, yayınlandığı 1744 yılından sonra, 1752, 1754, 1767 ve 1798 yıllarında yeniden basılmıştı. Kitabın önsözünde okuduğumuza göre, Thompson, babasının ölümünden sonra büyük bir mirasa sahip olmuş ve "bir yandan bilgilerini çoğaltma arzusu öte yandan baba ölümünün kendisinde yaratmış olduğu üzüntüyü unutmak, son olarak da merağını tatmin etmek için" uzun bir yolculuğa çıkmaya karar verir, yanına ise yoldaş olarak birçok dil bilen bir arkadaşını alır.
1730 yılı Mart ayında Londra'dan yola çıkarlar, Dover'den Calais'ye (okunuş: Kale) geçtikten sonra Rouen, Paris ve Marsilya'yı ziyaret ederler. Yolun devamında Cenova, Milano, Parma, Modena, Bologna, Floransa, Piza ve Sienna'dan geçip Roma'ya varırlar. 1731'in Ekim ayında Napoli'yi ziyaret ederler, arkasından Ancona, Ravenna, Ferrara ve Padova'ya geçerler. 1732 Mayıs ayında Venedik'ten vapura binip Haziran başlarında Hanya'ya varırlar. Bir ay sonra yeniden yola çıkıp Milos adasında bir hafta kaldıktan sonra Naksos, Paros, Antiparos, Dilos, Siros, Kea, Kithnos adalarını ziyaret ederler ve nihayet Atina'ya varırlar. Atina'daki tarihi anıtları, Attika, Viotia (Boeotia), Fokida yörelerini (Eleusis, Megara, Korint, Livadia, Arahova, Delfi, Thiva sitlerini) ziyaret ederler ve 1732 Kasım ayında İstanbul'a gitmek üzere yola çıkarlar. İstanbul'da birkaç ay kalırlar. Yolculuklarının devamında 1733 Eylül ayında Çanakkale'den yola çıkıp İzmir, Hios (Sakız), Samos, Patmos, Efes, Kos (İstanköy) ve Rodos'u ziyaret ederler. 1734 Şubat ayında Kıbrıs'tan geçtikten sonra Orta Doğu'ya devam ederler ve Trablus, Baalbek, Şam (Damascus), Beyrut, Sayda (Sidon), Kudüs'ü ziyaret ederler. 1734 Mayıs ayında Mısır'a seyahat edip Kahire, İskenderiye ve Sina'yı ziyaret ederler. 1735 Nisan ayında ise İngiltere'ye dönerler.
Thompson vakayınamesinde yolculuğun koşulları ve ziyaret ettikleri her yerin tarihi ve anıtları hakkında ayrıntılı bilgiler vermektedir. İlgisinin odaklandığı noktalar doğal mekân, çağdaş yaşam, insan unsuru, toplumsal yaşam, ekonomi, üretim, ticaret gibi konulardır. Thompson bu eseriyle 18. yüzyılın ilk yarısında sözkonusu yerlerle ilgili çok yönlü ve nesnel bir bakış aktarmaktadır.
Yazan: İoli Vingopoulou
Open Knowledge Festival 2014. 15th to 17th of July at Kulturbrauerei in Berlin.
Attribution: Gregor Fischer, www.gfischer-photography.com/ 16.07.2014
"All truth and knowledge is important, but amidst the constant distractions of our daily lives, we must especially pay attention to increasing our gospel knowledge so we can understand how to apply gospel principles to our lives. As our gospel knowledge increases, we will begin to feel confident in our testimonies and be able to state: I know it.'" (Anne M. Dibbs). Model Kelsey Garry. (Photo by Karen Petitt)
Image from title page of "You and Your Union," ILGWU Education Department, 1935.
Blogged at: bughousesquare.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/as-we-grow-older-...
On being a Mormon: "I know it. I live it. I love it." (Anne M. Dibbs). Model Kelsey Garry. (Photo by Karen Petitt)
ILRI was awarded the 2019 International Knowledge Management Award by the Knowledge Management Austria at a ceremony held 25 Sep 2019 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Job Mainye).
This week’s quote is "What we know is not much, what we do not know is immense.", mis-attributed to the learned French philosopher and Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ.
Reportedly the last words of Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace, the great French mathematician and astronomer, were:
"Ce que nous connaissons est peu de chose, ce que nous ignorons est immense."
which translates in English as:
"What we know is not much. What we do not know is immense."
One of these boxes represents what I know, while the other represents what I do not know. I wonder if you will be able to work out which is my intention, and why. (Big clue: I like to be proactive.)
Quote 40 of 40.
Thanks to the people at PSC for organising and running this "40 quotes" project. It's been fun. I trust you enjoyed it, too.
Architectural Photo of UNR's Knowledge Center Library, testing out the CanonTS-E 24mm f/3.5 L II Tilt-Shift Lens.
Scotflights Lochmaddy addition scenery for FSX using Playsims Generation X photo VFR scenery. Aircraft A2A's Piper Cub.
Lochmaddy info. from Wikipedia
To satisfy my thirst for knowledge for ongoing "Odyssey of the Western Isles"
;-)
Lochmaddy (Scottish Gaelic Loch nam Madadh, "Loch of the Hounds") is the administrative centre of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland Na Madaidhean (the wolves/hounds) are rocks in the bay after which the loch, and subsequently the village, are named.
Lochmaddy sits at the end of a sea inlet and, due to the rocky nature, is the only settlement of any size on the east coast — far from the villages in the more populous west of North Uist.
Virtually the first mention anywhere of Lochmaddy is a complaint of "piracie and murder" in a report dated 1616: "Lochmaldie on the coast of Uist is a rendezvous for pirates" it said. The coves and inlets characterising the area around the village were ideal hiding places for raiding ships stocked with fine goods bound for the clan chiefs of the time, and contraband activity persisted until the modern era.
Nowadays the same good harbour makes Lochmaddy the ferry port for the island, with the MV Hebrides plying the route to Skye. The commercial activity of shops and public building has been generated due to the port activity, and today the village has the only bank, courthouse, tourist information office and youth hostel on North Uist. Lochmaddy hospital closed in March 2001. It was replaced by the newly opened Ospadal Uibhist agus Bharraigh (Uist and Barra Hospital) in Balivanich, Benbecula.
Lochmaddy was an important fishing community before the commercial decline of the herring. During the reign of King Charles it was the site of a Royal Fishing Station.
Garrett Brown with a modern Steadicam arm mechanism.
For more on Garrett Brown, see:
» Garrett Brown: Inventing the Future -- And a Few Handy Gadgets
Willie chills in my hand. He gives people the willies. He's likely an Opistophthalmus species, but to my knowledge he's not one commonly seen in captivity (or seen at all), unless he's an unusual color variant.
This photo is also featured in an article which appears to be in French:
thecatwalk.wordpress.com/2007/04/16/la-phrase-qui-tue/
And on this site for All About Pets:
www.pet-lovers-pet-care-resources.com/All-About-Pets.html
And on this somewhat inaccurate, but amusing list of dangerous pets:
www.toptenz.net/10-dangerous-exotic-pets.php
As well as this forum which copied the above list:
© Knowledge Society 2015. Photograph by Rick Stevens
The Knowledge Nation 100 luncheon – on 10 December at Doltone House in Sydney – celebrated the Knowledge Nation 100. The Knowledge Nation 100 are the rock stars of Australia’s new economy – the visionaries, intellects, founders and game changers building the industries and institutions that will underwrite the nation’s future prosperity.
The luncheon was addressed by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP.
A Case of Earworm
Dr. Baughn: Good morning Ms. Feister, what gives me the pleasure?
Ms. Feister: The pleasure is mine Dr. Baughn.
Dr. Baughn: As it is mine, Gloria. What might I do for you?
Ms. Feister: I'm hoping that once gain I may be able to render your services to meet with a patient of ours.
Dr. Baughn: I think that can be arranged but just to be clear Gloria, most of the patients at Knoebel Psychiatric Hospital are beyond treatment.
Ms. Feister: Yes, of course, but this is a very unique case, one that may interest you from an academic standpoint.
Dr. Baughn: I'm all ears.
Ms. Feister: (laugh) It's funny you should say that because our patient suffers from a compulsive earworm disorder.
Dr. Baughn: Hmmm, I'm intrigued could you hum me a few lines?
Ms. Feister: I'll do you one better Johnnie, I'll sing it to you, just so you'll never forget me (chuckle).
Dr. Baughn: I could never forget you Gloria, our little secret, remember.
Ms. Feister: "Tall and tan and young and lovely the girl from Ipanema goes walking and when she passes, I smile, but she doesn't see. She just doesn't see."
Dr. Baughn: Very nice! My ears are craving for more.
Ms. Feister: Just your ears?
Dr. Baughn: You always could make me blush. How long has your patient had this song in his head?
Ms.Feister: Close to a year, he hums or sings it day and night. We've allowed Larry to have a record player in his room and he plays that same 45 over and over.
Dr. Baughn: Very well, count me in. I'll have my secretary set up an appointment with ...
Ms. Feister: Larry, his name is Larry.
................................................................................................................................
Dr. Baughn: Good morning Larry
Larry: (begins to play "The Girl from Impanema on his record player)
Dr. Baughn: A lovely song, one of my favorites.
Larry: (turns the volume up)
Dr. Baughn: (looks around and notices a photo of a beautiful woman on Larry's nightstand) Beautiful woman, friend of yours?
Larry: (begins to replay the record)
Dr. Baughn: Well, I can see that you're busy Larry. I'll stop by again when it's more convenient for both of us.
..................................................................................................................................
Ms. Feister: Any luck with Larry?
Dr. Baughn: None. I did notice a photo on his nightstand of an attractive woman, any idea who that might be?
Ms. Feister: Apparently Larry had a bit of a crush on a woman at a donut shop he frequented. We found numerous photos of her all of which appear to be without her knowledge.
Dr. Baughn: You mean he was stalking her?
Ms. Feister: In a benevolent sort of way you might say.
Dr. Baughn: Did Larry ever muster up the courage to introduce himself to her?
Ms. Feister: I highly doubt it, Larry has a hard time making eye contact with anyone.
Dr. Baughn: I see, she just doesn't see.
Ms. Feister: I'm not following you Johnnie.
Dr. Baughn: It's just a hunch but I think we should contact the donut gal to pay Larry a visit.
Ms. Feister: Do you really think an attractive woman is going to be interested in coming to visit a compulsive, earworm stalker locked away in a mental hospital?
Dr. Baughn: Make her see Gloria! I know you have your ways. (laughs)
.....................................................................................................................................
Dr. Baughn: Good morning Larry! I brought you a visitor, hope you don't mind.
Larry: (glances slightly towards the door)
Donut gal: Hi Larry! I remember seeing you from the donut shop.
Larry: (begins to slowly tremble)
Donut gal: It's OK Larry (as she puts her arm around him)
Larry: Did you bring any donuts?
Donut gal: I sure did! I brought your favorite!
........................................................................................................................................
(As Dr. Baughn begins to leave he enters the elevator and smiles upon hearing the elevator music, how appropriate he muses. He catches Ms Feister walking past, as the door is closing, and smiles again, but Ms Feister, she just doesn't see he's there.)
Safety Awareness Campaign 2014 - Code 20 0 stand down - Ray Rubilotta.
Safety Awareness Week at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center was held the week of April 28th, 2014.
Credit: NASA/Goddard
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Using a laptop or a pc is a far-fetched reality for rural youth even until today. The photo shows that these young people are eager to learn how to use technology.
Use this CC license format for this photo:
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO © UNESCO-UNEVOC/Amitava Chandra
Copyright City of Philadelphia. Photograph by Samantha Madera.
This Mayor's Office photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and for noncommercial personal use. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in advertisements, emails, products, or promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the Mayor or his Administration. Reproduction of this photograph requires attribution of ownership to the City of Philadelphia.
Linda George
Street-level research fights air pollution problem
Linda George’s phone lit up with calls from reporters and government officials when news broke earlier this year about high levels of toxic metals in a Portland neighborhood. Her detailed studies of urban air quality have made the Portland State environmental science professor a go-to source.
Now her expertise is being put to use in for an in-depth study of the city’s air pollution problems.
George is the lead scientist in a new, collaborative effort to test and track air quality at select locations in Portland. It’s a joint project, funded by PSU’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions with matching support from the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
The results could have far-reaching impact, not only on how toxins are regulated in the region but also on overall public health.
"PSU's research will provide the kind of real-time, neighborhood-level analysis that is important for policymakers to consider as we move forward with future decisions," said Steve Novick, a Portland city commissioner. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury called George’s work “vital to our public health agencies.”
George, who received her environmental sciences PhD from PSU in 1991, has found that sweet spot that helps define the university’s mission of serving the community: She focuses on basic research that has direct applications for improving quality of life in Portland and the region.
“She combines experience as a practitioner and as an academician,” says Robert Liberty, director of the Institute for Sustainable Solutions. “She cares a lot about community engagement and health, and that’s not true for a lot of scientists.”
Public attention has focused on Portland’s air quality after reports that high levels of arsenic and cadmium – potentially dangerous toxins – had been discovered in moss, air and soil in an area near a southeast Portland glass plant.
George, who has been working on air quality issues for three decades, says she’s not surprised that tests revealed obvious problems with the city’s air. “We’ve known this has been happening for a long time,” says George, who found high levels of air pollution on the east side of Interstate 5 several years ago. “Oregon has chosen not to do much about it. It was a disaster waiting to be discovered.”
For the new project, George will deploy her students to collect and analyze air samples in six locations around the Portland Metro region. She will be looking for “variables” that offer clues to why some areas of the city are more polluted than others and how metals disperse into the environment.
Wind direction? Topography? Tree cover?
Once you determine the variant, and what produced it, she says, “then you can look at how to mitigate the problem.”
She expects full results within two years. The findings could extend well beyond the six areas studied and prompt even more research on regional air quality, George says.
“Now there’s a lot more interest” in urban air quality, she says. “It’s going to lend itself to all sorts of other collaborations.”
At Portland State University, we believe knowledge works best when it serves the community.
erm... cheesy title. no memory cards were harmed in the making of this picture. the last statment was a completele lie. i might have just erased every picture before by accidentally reformating the memory card D; i should stay away from buttons i don't know. but apart from my lack of knowledge of technology -.-"
today was a rather drama filled day. after freaking out over a phone call that had just been an accident and having a friend have her relationship totally destroyed by an outside bystander by lunch we were wondering why boys didn't really have cooties and memories never disappeared.but it comes down to simple things, like your funny friends, that kiddo you joke around with that makes you smile even if its with a little guilt for fear of rebound (rebound scares us all) but its the little smiles the little poke and the sticking your toungue out when someone pokes your nosie that really makes your day. God gives you friends because theyre the little angles that are really there to make life better.
studying studying studying. economic growth models, geographic politics, and how to take over the world. its all harsh and greedy. happiness can be achieved by other things that the supreme dominance over the global market. i wonder how many of these people are alcoholics who have been divorced have shot some drugs up in their time and spent their money in gold latrines just because there is simply nothing more they can do with it.
i don't envy them.
i'd rather have the friend who says things with me at the same time and laughs synchronized with me, the friend that burst into mamma mia in the middle of a conversation just because it popped into her head, the friend who messes with you and calls you funny things because your short and its actually kinda funny. friends who tell you their life isn't amazing either and they'd rather be cuddled up with a box of chocolate and ice cream. i'd rather have those who rely on the little things to get them through the day no matter how much they want to cry.
I thank God for friends for laughs for those moments that make us feel broken and those who have the tape to fix it.
I LOVE SOUTHALL! ~ Inspiration at the entrance of Southall Library; it seems quite appropriate to step over this threshold, no?
From the autumn 2016 trip to Vietnam:
If ever there were a good way to finish up a trip, this particular Sunday in October would be it. Before arriving in Hanoi, I honestly had exceptionally low expectations. A bit like Saigon, if you are to go online and try to look up a list of places to visit – basically a tourist’s stock photography checklist, as it may be – you don’t find much that’s appealing. Well…I didn’t, anyway, and as a result, I had pretty low expectations for Hanoi.
The charm and beauty of Hanoi, however, isn’t in any one particular place. It’s in the experience of the entire city. (I’d say the same for Saigon, but multiply that a few times for Hanoi.) On this day in the Old Quarter in particular, I kept finding myself thinking, “Oh, my God, I shouldn’t be this lucky as a photographer…” Today ended up being mostly about people, with a little food and historical locations mixed in.
As I mentioned in the last set of posting, today would start off a bit sad with Junebug leaving for China a day before I would. So, we were checked out of our room by 6:00 in the morning or so. The breakfast at the Art Trendy was wonderful. Buffet with a mix of made-to-order omelets mixed in. Strong work, Art Trendy, strong work…
When June left, I really had nothing to do since it was still six in the morning and I was temporarily homeless as I had to switch hotels. So…I sat around the lobby for about two hours (possibly slightly awkward for the poor girls working there, but oh, well; I had to sit somewhere).
Around 8:00, I finally dragged my old bones out of the hotel and walked the five to ten minutes down the street to the Aquarius, where I politely asked them to hold my non-camera bag until I come back around 1:00 in the afternoon to check in.
After that, I was finally off with my cameras to enjoy an early Sunday morning in the bustling Old Quarter. On the street where the hotel is situated are a number of restaurants where locals were jammed in to enjoy noodles, steamed buns, and the like. It was wonderful to be among that crowd (though someone tried to scold me ever so slightly for taking pictures of people eating).
Since this was right next to St. Joseph’s Cathedral – and it was Sunday morning – I found my way back into the church where we crashed the wedding the afternoon before and realized that I almost got locked into Sunday mass while walking around taking pictures. So…I stayed. I prayed. And my prayer was answered when I realized the side doors and even the back door were open. (Ok…I didn’t really think I was locked in a church, but it did feel like it a little bit.)
Upon exiting the church, a handful of frames under my belt, I walked along the lovely streets photographing shops and people. At Caphe, I piggybacked on someone else’s photo shoot – it looked like they were doing a promo for the place, or possibly just a personal shoot for five women, though I have a feeling it was the former. At any rate, I was quite pleased with that little set and am presenting quite a few of those here, even if they’re a little redundant.
My ultimate goal with this wandering was to find my way to the Hanoi Hilton. Now, I’m not taking about the hotel chain, of course, but rather the prison that U.S. prisoners of war sarcastically called the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War. (This is the prison where Senator John McCain was interred while a POW, and there are one or two pictures to that effect here.)
This prison has a particularly interesting history (and morbid since…well…it’s a prison). It’s about a hundred years old and was founded by the French colonialists around the turn of the 20th century. During the first 50 years of its history, the French imprisoned Vietnamese insurgents and those who wanted independence. In the eyes of the French…renegades (hence the imprisonment). In the eyes of the Vietnamese – especially the current government – patriots and national heroes. If they were truly freedom fighters, then I would probably side with the current government on that one.
The French even had a guillotine installed here and overcrowding was a major problem. There were plenty of escape attempts, and more were successful than you may think, which is a little peculiar.
After the battle of Bien Dien Phu and the ejection of the French from the north (and before the U.S. got involved in the south), the prison changed hands and was under control of Ho Chi Minh. During the Vietnam War, it became one of the main prisons for U.S. POWs, as I alluded to above.
The propaganda claims that the Vietcong were absolutely humane and decent with U.S. prisoners, allowing them to observe their religious rites (Christmas celebrations, etc.), allowed prisoners to smoke and enjoy leisure (board games, basketball, etc.), and claimed they were well-fed.
This is certainly how it’s presented in the prison/museum currently. If you were to go online, though, and try to find a contrary report, you would find that this was all coerced and staged to make it appear as if things were on the up and up. (For anyone curious, per my Vietnamese friends, the general education in Vietnam today is how terrible the French and U.S. were for colonizing and torturing the country and keeping it from its independence.)
So, what’s the truth of what really happened? Who knows? Outside of firsthand accounts, it’s impossible to know for certain and even then, memory can be a tricky thing. I tend to like to say the truth is always somewhere between two opposing viewpoints, no matter what the topic may be.
From an impartial and purely photographic point of view, the prison, currently a museum/memorial, is an interesting place to spend an hour or two. Some of the exhibits seem a bit cheesy, but some are quite tasteful and well done. There’s also an informational video. You’ll have to see this with a bit of imagination (the prison, that is), as at least half of it has been leveled for high rise buildings. At least there’s some tangible piece of it left to visit, including the main gate (Maison Centrale).
After about two hours here at the Hanoi Hilton, I walked over towards the Opera House to get a few daytime shots but, really, to get lunch at El Gaucho. I was looking forward to a proper steak. The prices were astronomical (though justifiable based on what I ate), though I just opted for a steak salad. It was so good I contemplated going back for dinner, but had other plans.
With a happy stomach, I went back to finally check in at the Aquarius Hotel and got my workout huffing up six flights of stairs each time I went out. I relaxed here for a few hours until 4:00 when a dear friend of mine came to town to see me.
Ngan and I had an ice cream at Baskin Robbins right in front of St. Joe’s before heading over to the Temple of Literature. This is a temple dedicated to education and, bless my soul, it’s a place where university graduates come for graduation pictures.
On this particular day – a warm, sunny, late Sunday afternoon – it was packed with college students. And it was beautiful to see that many people happy, full of hopes and dreams, and dressed in either cap and gown or traditional Vietnamese clothes. In short…I had a field day shooting for an hour here.
Around 5:00, Ngan had to head back to school, and I went back to my hotel. I had one more meeting. Hoa, who traveled around Thailand & Cambodia with me in May, flew back to see me this evening. She picked me up at 6:00 on her scooter and rode me all around Hanoi by evening.
She started by taking me to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (which I consider a lot more photogenic in its setting than the Great Gangster’s Mausoleum on Tiananmen Square). This one, at least, was in a parklike setting. At evening, it’s well-lit and you can find people relaxing in the grass in front of it. During the day, you can visit and there are quite a few buildings behind the mausoleum that you can also see.
After a few minutes here, Hoa took me by West Lake – the largest lake in Hanoi, as I mentioned yesterday – and just drove me around for over an hour, it seemed. My impressions that Hanoi (even out of the Old Quarter) seemed to be a good place to live – though I’d be concerned about the air pollution – and people here seemed to be happy. Also…Vietnamese really love their coffee.
We finally returned to the Old Quarter for dinner at one of the famous restaurants she recommended and she treated me to a wonderful dinner. I can’t recall what we ate (the Vietnamese names of it, anyway), but it was nice.
After dinner, she drove me over towards the Opera House and then, finally, we stopped by Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the Quarter and walked around the lake. It was getting close to 10:00 by this time, and I wanted to get back to the hotel to get a few hours sleep before waking up for my early flight in the morning. Hoa came to the airport with me to see me off.
If ever there were a great way to finish a great trip, this was it. I absolutely loved Vietnam – honestly, a lot more than I imagined I would, even with every single person I know who’d ever come here saying what a fantastic country this is – and would gladly come back. This seems to be one of the kinds of countries that you would never get tired of or, if you did, it would sure take a long time. With that, I’ll bid goodbye to Vietnam for now with the hopes that I’ll someday return to this land of amazing food, landscapes, and people.
As always, thanks for dropping by and viewing these pictures. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll answer as I have time.
These are part of a series of twenty-five altered books I am working on. It combines a set of encyclopedias with found objects from nature. The work will be displayed in mid-August at the container art show in Vancouver.
a third of my desk is covered in books. the other thirds in laptop and other in printer.
"The Reader" is a really good book. I bought it yesterday and finished in it 3 and a half hours.
2016 Oct 26-27
Zanzibar
With the support of FES-TZA, IDWF conducted a workshop from Oct 26-27 on knowledge base for migrant domestic workers.
There were 37 domestic workers' participants: 7 domestic workers came from Tanzania mainland and 5 migrants domestic workers who are working in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Dubai & Qatar.
Lulu, a part-time domestic worker, was able to present on how they are trying to organise themselves and to make connection with migrant domestic workers in the Gulf countries.
Source & photos: Vicky Kanyoka
Didem Karpuzcu
Powering her way to management
Working with tree-falling power tools wasn’t what Didem Karpuzcu had in mind when she enrolled in the Portland MBA program at PSU.
“In Turkey, where I grew up, most people don’t have that kind of toolbox,” says Karpuzcu, who admits she had never even seen a chainsaw until moving to Oregon. Now, as Global Product Manager at Blount International, it’s her job to develop the next generation of power tool accessories for forestry, agriculture and gardening.
A management job at one of Oregon’s top manufacturing companies represents a rapid rise for Karpuzcu who only began exploring graduate programs a little more than two years ago. East Coast schools recruited her, but she chose Portland State for its dedication to diversity and conscientious approach to business.
“I am a competitive person, but I knew I would not be happy in an aggressive MBA program,” Karpuzcu says. “Portland state values community. It’s not just about getting ahead of others.”
For Karpuzcu, it’s always about the challenge, about navigating new terrain, about personal as well as professional growth. The Portland MBA fit the bill: a new city, a chance to meet people from all backgrounds.
Among her MBA cohort, she worked with students ranging in age from their late 20s to their 60s, including seven or eight nationalities. She took advantage of the opportunity to sharpen her collaboration and negotiation skills while fostering connections in the local business community.
“In the MBA program, you don’t just learn from the curriculum,” she says. “It’s just as much about gaining insight from your peers and from professors with industry experience.”
That experience paid off when she applied for the opening at Blount. The position meant moving into an unfamiliar industry and culture with all the responsibilities that come with upper-level management. And that’s just what she was looking for.
“I could have just stayed at home and not challenge myself in this way,” she says, “but I think it pays off. It gives you perspective and allows you to grow.”
At Portland State University, we believe knowledge works best when it serves the community.