Statue of George Washington
The "G" in every lodge is for Geometry
November272009
1PM
Jesse makes a fine Mason.
Houdini was a Mason
Harold Wissing sounds like a hardass!
Now for something totally non-India related. In October, a couple of friends and I visited the Grand Lodge of the Masons as part of Open House NY. Each room was decorated in a different style - the “Corinthian” room, or the “Colonial America” room, for example.
November252009
Turkeys do exist in Kolkata! Now only if I had a copy of Trains, Planes, and Automobiles.
(photo courtesy of Brandon)
November242009
These houses/buildings used to be a Scottish primary school, but are now being squatted in by a group of migrant laborers who work in the nearby tea-gardens.
8AM
Hydroelectric dam under construction, 100 km from Kalimpong.
November222009
While in town, I tagged along with a gentleman who was house hunting. I was told that this house was once inhabited by the Afghan royal family, living in exile.
6PM
I just arrived back from an amazing weekend in Kalimong, a small city in the north of West Bengal. I was there to attend a workshop on landslides hosted by Save the Hills, a community organization that is trying to make a dent in a very large problem. I also stayed in a hotel that was owned by a rabid Beatles fan. It seems that everyone in Kalimpong plays the guitar and sings classic rock songs. It was heavenly.
November172009
The return of the blog!
Ok, ok, I know I was all like “here’s my blog and I promise to update it,” and then I was all like “….”
I have all kinds of excuses, I really do, but I’ll spare the gory details.
Long story short, I am back in India, moved to Kolkata, am starting my research, and hoping to update this site regularly. Some weeks I will post personal stories or pictures, but mostly I will be writing about my research in West Bengal. Not the most exciting writing in the world, but what can I say? I am a nerd about cities, floods, climate change, urban morphology, slum formation, community based planning movements, development and development criticism, vagera vagera.
And, of course, pictures. Hopefully. If I remember my camera.
I am heading up to Kalimpong on Thursday, to attend a workshop on landslides that is being organized by an group called Save the Hills. Kalimpong and the surrounding areas are experiencing more frequent and deadly landslides, due to increased glacial runoff, changes in precipitation patterns, rapid urbanization and a lack of planning, and a host of other reasons.
Should be a interesting workshop, and you could do worse than the foothills of the Himalayas for a weekend trip.
September52009
Kolkata Bandh - July 2009
September22009
The origins of the Diesel logo. For those who don’t know, I worked for this fine company for a few years back in Portland. I wonder if Renzo, the billionaire founder, owes the rickshaw drivers of India some royalties?
← Older Entries
Page 1 of 2
