I live in San Diego County and last week we experienced a power outage that lasted from about 3:30pm Thursday, until about 1:30am the Friday morning. As far as 'disasters' or 'emergencies' go, it was lightweight. I mean, it certainly was no Katrina. But the factors around this particular experience...

Nine years ago today, I was in Kampala, Uganda attending an international conference on HIV/AIDS and pregnant women. I remember coming out of a particularly exasperating session, and as I passed my colleague in the hallway of the conference hall, I pointed to the room I'd just come out of...

After my last article on Ubuntu, which I wrote a couple of weeks ago on my experiences in South Africa during the month before and the first half of the World Cup, I was literally blown away at most of the responses I received. I had no idea...

I went on a rant the other day regarding the cost of the 2010 World Cup versus all the critical needs South Africa is facing and whether or not the most vulnerable of this country would gain anything from having the World Cup hosted in their country. At that time,...

As I type this, I am sitting in my hotel room in Pretoria, South Africa. I have been here since early May, evaluating an HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children program that is being implemented throughout the country. Each day since I've arrived, one can feel the level of excitement in...

The Bush Telegraph is a phrase that describes how people quickly pass information to others in a particular region, typically in an African "bush" setting. It conjures up exotic locales in faraway places where mosquito nets are commonplace and transportation is not. And where making a simple local call can...

Meet Mitra, a 31 year old first time voter - I met her last weekend, volunteering at my local Obama campaign office. We've been working together every day since, inputting phone bank data to support the Colorado Obama field offices. Last Sunday, when we first met, Mitra mentioned that...

The state of "democracy" in the US is, in the opinion of this world traveler, under siege. People from outside do not see it as clearly as those of us who live it daily, but even from out here in Uganda, to Africanize a recently overused quote, "you can put...