Aachen... and home again

Claudia took me to Aachen, where I stayed with yet another dear friend, Manfred, and his lovely partner Rita. I hadn't seen him in over 15 years. Manfred had a near-fatal heart attack last year, so I was particularly grateful for the time we got to spend together!

Manfred & Rita in front of their recently-renovated, ultra-efficient house in Aachen.

Aachen cathedral - over a thousand years old.

Buying tea for my mom!

Back on the ICE, heading for the Frankfurt airport. Auf wiedersehen!

Another dear old friend!

Continuing on my tour down Memory Lane... via high-speed Deutsche Bahn ICE... visiting my dear friend Claudia in Gummersbach, near Koln.

Arriving at the Cologne train station.

With Claudia's son and mother, at dinner in Cologne.

With Claudia in front of her flat in Gummersbach.
(That's her black super-efficient BMW. Why can't we get those in the US?)

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.

Little Bikes for Little People!

I am always getting complimented on my bike. Random strangers will say to me - Hey, nice bike! And I always reply, "Thanks! I *love* it." And if they stick around, I'll launch into the litany of reasons why riding my awesome bike is *so* much better than driving. I figure it's one small way for me to help make the world a better place.

My bike is made by a local company called PUBLIC - and one of the reasons I love it so much is that it FITS me. Unlike all other bike manufacturers, Public seems to understand that bikes - like people - should come in at least three sizes. Yesterday they sent out a promo for a sale on their small-sized bikes (like mine). So if you, or someone you know, is petite and looking for a great new bike - here's your chance: eepurl.com/wWoW9.

This is the only picture of my bike I seem to have - it's the bright yellow/green bike with the matching rack & fenders. (That's my friend Rachel standing next to it, holding Nik's bike.)

Stanford Faculty Guide to the Office of Accessible Education

I've been working since last October on a series of videos for Stanford University's Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs, and I'm pleased to report that they're finally finished!

Click here to see all six episodes.

A lot of people worked on this project, including:
Jenni Nelson (associate producer/Queen of Logistics)
Keith Wilson (camera)
Jeremiah Moore (sound)
Summers Henderson and Sara Newens (assistant editors)
Sari Gilman and Maria Fortiz-Morse (editors)
Sylvia Roberts (graphics/titling)
Robert Arnold (online edit/color correction)