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There were two paintings in my childhood home that felt less like decoration and more like members of the family. One hung above my father’s desk: The Macquarie River near Dubbo, NSW by Colin Parker , painted in the early 1960s. The other watched over my mother’s room: Through Winter Trees  by Colleen Parker , dated 1984, and purchased by my mother after my father’s death. For decades I thought of them simply as Dad’s painting  and Mum’s painting . Two separate choices, two

I was walking along a cobbled street in the heart of Kraków, half tourist and half daydreamer, when the scene unfolded. It was one of those soft afternoons when the light seems to linger on everything. On the stone facades. On the tram wires overhead. On the small clusters of people drifting between cafés and churches. A busker a block away was playing something vaguely familiar on an accordion. The air smelled of coffee, caramel, and city dust. And then I saw them. Four nuns

Twenty years ago, preparing to give a lecture at a conference meant embarking on a logistical expedition. My suitcase was packed not with clothes but with boxes of Kodachrome slides, each one labeled and numbered. Preparing a single slide could take hours. Photographs had to be scanned or re-photographed. Text had to be shot onto diazotype film. Then came the anxious wait for slide processing, hoping the lab didn’t scratch or miscut a frame. There was no margin for error and

Street photography is the making of unstaged photographs of everyday life in public spaces , using observation and timing to reveal a...

In 1963, when I was just 12 years old, my history teacher Mr. Lipscombe asked our class a question that would stay with me for life:  ...

In October 2000, I had the pleasure of traveling to Madrid to deliver a series of eight lectures on neurology. The setting was...

Cat positioned for the first CAT Scan of a Cat The introduction of computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanning, later called computed...

An immigrant to the United States is an individual who relocates from another country with the intention of residing permanently.   Until...

The first time I saw her, she was sitting at the traffic light near my neurosurgery practice in Sydney. A small figure wrapped in layers...

When we think about the safety of our mail, most of us trust the robust systems put in place by the United States Postal Service (USPS) ....

In many Australian rural homes during the 1960s and 70s, the wood burning kitchen stove was more than just a cooking appliance; it was...

In the late 1960s, I found myself behind the wheel of a De Luxe Red Cab, navigating the bustling streets of Sydney. The De Luxe Red Cab...

Imagine stepping back into your hotel room after a stimulating lecture in the heart of Havana, only to find that while you were out...

Ever noticed a cat with “thumbs” or extra toes and wondered what makes them so unique?   These quirky felines, known as polydactyl  or...

Imagine walking through the ancient temples of Chiang Mai with a guide who seems distant, as if you’re just another name on her list....

Imagine flying halfway around the world to deliver a state-of-the-art lecture at a global veterinary congress, only to be jolted awake by...

What if retirement wasn’t the end, but the beginning of something entirely new?   As people live longer, healthier, and more active...

We often measure life by milestones - achievements, possessions, and accolades. But as the years pass, it’s not the trophies on the shelf...

Italy is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, delectable cuisine, and its iconic Vespa motor scooters zipping through picturesque...

To follow is a shortened version (really!) of an article that appeared in the San Jose Mercury News  in May 1999 . I found it interesting...