Half the Sky: half humanitarian heroics, half celebrity ego trip

Newsflash: being a woman is surreal. Last night I was supposed to be at the gym. So I could look slimmer and prettier or something. But I had a headache. So I stayed on the couch, stumbled across human dolls on Facebook (seriously?!), and tuned in to the much-trumpeted nationwide premier of Half the Sky. […]
Oct 2, 2012

Obamacare upheld! Now can I buy into the Japanese health system instead?

They do it better in Japan. They do it better in Costa Rica, in Andorra, and even in Slovenia. No, I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about living itself. Americans just don’t live that long. We come in a shabby 34th in global life expectancy rankings. The average Japanese citizen lives to 83.5 years old, five […]
Jun 28, 2012

Nepali anti-human trafficking activist offers inspiration to Pacific Northwest

Portland and Kathmandu share a reputation for chilly weather and overcast skies. They also share notoriety for human trafficking. Hearing that chills me, even in the heated conference where I’m listening to Anuradha Koirala deliver this year’s keynote address at the 4th Annual Northwest Conference Against Trafficking. Koirala founded Maiti Nepal, an organization dedicated to […]
Jan 17, 2012