Stuttgart, and on to Koln

Stayed with friends in Stuttgart for a few days, who offered to take me to the Mercedes Museum. I agreed only after they assured me that it was as much about history as about cars.

My dear friends Matthias and Roger, in front of the Mercedes Museum.

On our way to the museum, Roger turned to me and said, "I guess to you, going here is like visiting Mordor!"

Super-cool Mercedes from the 1930s! (Highest speed ever attained on a public road - to this day:268mph) 

Some of their cars were pretty cool - especially the older models. Though Roger's assessment was actually pretty accurate. The founders of Mercedes were the first to invent the internal combustion engine, it turns out.

Bringing the Marianas to Munich

Just wrapping up at the conference on Transpacific Americas in the unlikely but beautiful city of Munich. Attended by a truly global roster of academics - from Europe, north and South America, Asia, and the Caribbean, though surprisingly no Pacific Islanders! - it's re-immersed me in the world of the Pacific (and the German I studied so long ago in school).

Screening The Insular Empire at the Transpacific Americas conference in Munich

View out my window in Munich

My first meal in Munich: Nuremberger mit bier! (So long gluten free diet...)

At the foot of the Odeonsplatz - which I'm pretty sure was open to cars the last time I was here (15 years ago). Look at all the bikes!

Bringing Climate Reality to GreenTown Los Altos

I had the honor of giving a Climate Reality presentation to GreenTown Los Altos last week - and the Los Altos Patch just wrote a story about it! There were about 40 people packed into the lovely Neutra House (a mid-century modern architectural gem, converted from private residence to community center), who were very receptive and asked a lot of intelligent questions afterwards.

Every time I give a Climate Reality presentation, I try to tailor it to the audience and keep it up-to-date and relevant. I used this presentation as an opportunity to test out a new 8-slide presentation on the Alberta Tar Sands and 350.org's ongoing efforts to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. I also used some of Climate Reality's most recent images addressing feedback loops, to try to bring home the urgency of addressing climate change NOW, while we still have the power to influence the climate.