Jimmy Carter is one of a kind, and I’ve become such a fan of him and of his heroic work to battle diseases. He has improved more lives over a longer period than just about anybody in the world today. In this 2007 photo, I’m with him in a remote part of Ethiopia as he strives to eliminate a once common ailment called River Blindness. He was also a far better president than is usually acknowledged. At 98, he is now entering hospice. What a great, great, great man and public servant. Thank you, President Carter, for your life of service.
I took the family to Auschwitz today (we’re in Poland) and it cast a shadow over the day. As it should. It’s such a reminder of the human capacity for calculated evil. I had a great aunt, a member of the Polish resistance, who died here in 1943. I try to fend of the grimness by thinking of the courage of Aunt Izabela and so many others (including my late friend Elie Wiesel) whose humanity shone so brightly here. RIP all those who died in Auschwitz and Birkenau.
I took the family to Auschwitz today (we’re in Poland) and it cast a shadow over the day. As it should. It’s such a reminder of the human capacity for calculated evil. I had a great aunt, a member of the Polish resistance, who died here in 1943. I try to fend of the grimness by thinking of the courage of Aunt Izabela and so many others (including my late friend Elie Wiesel) whose humanity shone so brightly here. RIP all those who died in Auschwitz and Birkenau.
A milestone in the history of accountability.
I’m full of admiration for these Ukrainian war veterans I met at the Superhumans hospital in Lviv, Ukraine. Most were planning to return to the front on artificial limbs. That grit and resilience is why Ukraine is beating Russia. I write about them in my column today in @nytopinion
I’m full of admiration for these Ukrainian war veterans I met at the Superhumans hospital in Lviv, Ukraine. Most were planning to return to the front on artificial limbs. That grit and resilience is why Ukraine is beating Russia. I write about them in my column today in @nytopinion
Somalis are very entrepreneurial, and Mogadishu is bustling. It’s dangerous, and I could visit only with an armored vehicle and an escort of many gunmen, but at some point when the war ends it will be a boomtown benefiting from investments by the Somali diaspora. I wanted to share what the city looks like, and a glimpse of its dynamism.
One of the paradoxes of Somalia is that for all the starvation and war, it’s also quite beautiful. Since I’ve shown photos of its troubles, I also wanted to share photos of its lovely coast, with Mogadishu in the background. Some day, I hope tourists can visit without armored vehicles.
One of the paradoxes of Somalia is that for all the starvation and war, it’s also quite beautiful. Since I’ve shown photos of its troubles, I also wanted to share photos of its lovely coast, with Mogadishu in the background. Some day, I hope tourists can visit without armored vehicles.
Happy Valentine’s Day from this young couple. We took this photo when we were dating, er, seems like just a few years ago. May you too find lasting love!
Really proud of my buddy Eric, who just got a bank account for the first time in several decades. Thanks, @officialumpquabank in Yamhill, for making it work. Before, he had to pay $8 each time he cashed a check. Almost 5 percent of American households are unbanked, and its a huge burden. So bravo, Eric, and may others who are excluded likewise get access to the banking system.
Twenty years after the Iraq War began, I’ve been thinking of covering that war, the lost lives and injuries among Iraqis and Americans alike, the false information and delusions that led to the war, the journalistic failures and my own close calls there. Here’s to hoping that we never do something like that again. This photo was in the early days of the war, near Basra.
In rural Rajasthan in India, I came across this free public preschool. It also serves kids nutritious meals. Apparently this is now common in most Indian states. In the past I’ve seen disastrous government schools in India (rural Bihar!), but there clearly is progress in education, albeit not enough. And I wish the US had free public pre-K and child care like this. If rural India can do it, how is it that America can’t?
Walking the dogs on The Most Beautiful Farm in the World this evening. Oregon does have lovely sunsets, at least when there is a sun. Connie, who is Chief Security Officer at @kristoffarms, is inspecting gopher holes and weighing war strategies against the rodent armies.
We’re snowed in, it’s cold and we may lose power. But on the other hand, is there a more serene place to walk the dogs than @kristoffarms in the snow? This is why I love this farm I grew up on!
We’re snowed in, it’s cold and we may lose power. But on the other hand, is there a more serene place to walk the dogs than @kristoffarms in the snow? This is why I love this farm I grew up on!
We’re snowed in, it’s cold and we may lose power. But on the other hand, is there a more serene place to walk the dogs than @kristoffarms in the snow? This is why I love this farm I grew up on!
We’re snowed in, it’s cold and we may lose power. But on the other hand, is there a more serene place to walk the dogs than @kristoffarms in the snow? This is why I love this farm I grew up on!
We’re snowed in, it’s cold and we may lose power. But on the other hand, is there a more serene place to walk the dogs than @kristoffarms in the snow? This is why I love this farm I grew up on!
I’ve moved up in the world. Two of my previous backdrops for TV interviews were described as “hostage video” sets. Only problem with this background in my home office is that our farm dog, Connie, sometimes barks just outside the window. Anchors don’t like it when she weighs in.
Latvia is a lovely little country, and part of its charm is the odd names for restaurants here. These were just the places I passed on my morning run in Riga. Anybody know of a country that chooses more interesting names for restaurants?
Latvia is a lovely little country, and part of its charm is the odd names for restaurants here. These were just the places I passed on my morning run in Riga. Anybody know of a country that chooses more interesting names for restaurants?
Latvia is a lovely little country, and part of its charm is the odd names for restaurants here. These were just the places I passed on my morning run in Riga. Anybody know of a country that chooses more interesting names for restaurants?
Chatting with Richard Haass about Ukraine, China, Taiwan — and how we must also address threats from within, such as the discord and propensity to misinformation and election violence. He has a terrific new book on this: “The Bill of Obligations.”
