Twenty-eight years ago, the first case of AIDS was diagnosed in Australia. Dr. Basil Donovan, a world expert on sexual health, was on the frontline.
Fireworks, Afghanistan Style
At 21:45 the loudspeakers crackled and announced “Attention on the FOB, Incoming. Take Cover. That is all.” I laugh every time I hear those last words because it reminds me of the absurdity depicted in the TV comedy “M*A*S*H*.”
If Humans Had Tails: Self-Esteem Lessons From Dog Shows
How much different would the lives of humans be if we had tails? Want to feel more confident? Just lift that tail!
Jill Bolte Taylor’s: Stroke Of Insight
Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions – motion, speech, self-awareness – shut down one by one. This is an astonishing story of a remarkable woman! About Jill Bolte Taylor About TED.COM Originally posted at synaptici.com January 29, […]
One Hundred Bucks: The Price of Peace of Mind?
Last Friday I walked up to a total stranger, smiled, and handed him a hundred bucks. Then I walked away.
Harmony Rocket, King Of Guitars
The Harmony Rocket was my dad’s guitar when he played in a band in the 60s. It was the first guitar I’d ever seen or heard up close. My soul didn’t have a chance.
What If We Could Communicate With Dogs?
It was early evening in the spring of 2002 when I found myself 10 feet across the kitchen from a dog with bared teeth and lowered head. He was growling in a low, menacing rumble. As I looked into his fixed, steely eyes, I could hardly believe this was the dog we had raised from […]
The Brothel Project: One Strange Journey
I guess I can consider myself a movie star now, even if The Brothel Project is the only film I ever star in. I don’t know if I’ve ever been as nervous as I was in the moments just before the movie started, having not been allowed to see it before its debut on January 31 at the Victoria Film Festival.
Praying for the Canada Cup
“Who are you going to pray to? Those bearded guys with the towels on their heads?” he sneered … I wanted to punch that kid in the face. “Hey, I can pray to whoever I want!”
Being Broken, Being Human
The book Olive Kitteridge inspires reflections on “what it means to be human”, the power of words, and a broken stained glass window.