Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 12:03PM 
The water tower at what used to be Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary (see Ai Weiwei at Alcatraz); now a public museum operated by the National Park Service. The Indian Occupation of Alcatraz lasted for nineteen months from November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971. There were 400 people living on the island during the peak of the occupation. Peace and Freedom Welcome.
Monday, February 9, 2015 at 1:01PM 
It's been a year now since my dear teacher Tokudo Jion Susan Postal passed from this life (see The Passing of Jion Susan Postal). To honor her memory and express gratitude for all that she did for the Dharma, for the EHZC, and for all her students, a one-year memorial service was held for Susan last Sunday at the Empty Hand Zen Center. I was particularly moved by the eko offered after the incense offering and Heart Sutra:
Today the assembly bows together and observes the annual memorial day of our founder, Great Teacher Tokudo Jion.
Through her vision this Zen temple has come into being.
Through her perseverance and skillfulness the Great Way of all Buddhas and Ancestors has taken root in this ground.
And through actualizing the heart-mind of Dogen Zenji's practice-realization she has transmitted the Buddha Way to her disciples and successors.
Respectufully we have offered flowers, candle, and incense.
This assembly has met to chant the Great Compassionate Mind Dharani and the Heart of Perfection of Wisdom Sutra.
May the merit of this ceremony return the kindness of our great teacher.
May she show her compassion to beings in the six paths of the three realms, remember this declining world, bring forth the spring of the udumbara flower, illuminate the past and present, and may the teaching of this school go on endessly.
Many deep bows to Tokudo Jion. May her teachings indeed go on endlessly.
[NOTE: The eko is the dedication read after recitation of a sutra, to direct the merit gained from the recitation to a certain person or group].
Friday, February 6, 2015 at 1:07PM 
Really like this picture. U Linn Zaw, a villager from Nam Sabi, acted as my assistant/helper during all of the fieldwork setting up the Village Management Area (see Nam Sabi VMA). He carried my pack most of the time, helped me across the streams and up the steep slopes, and generally did whatever needed doing without having to be asked. Which I couldn't have done anyway because he speaks no English. Really a wonderful man and a dear friend. [NOTE: Photo by Sein Day Li (thx)].
Linn Zaw, Myanmar, Nam Sa Bi in Other, Science | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 9:51AM 
Ten years ago today I was drying palm specimens with a charcoal-heated plant drier in the yard of the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary headquarters at Tanai. That's U Myint Maung (see U Myint Maung), the warden of the Wildlife Sanctuary, lifting the cardboard to peek into the drier, and U Tun Shuang (see Group Photo) bending over to check the stoves.
I like the "Ten Years Ago Today" concept and will probably do more of it. And now that I store all of my images in the cloud with Picturelife, and get a link every morning to the pictures that I have taken on that day, it's all pretty easy. A more orderly chronology of the "thus" that "i have seen".
Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey, Tanai in Science | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 3:13PM 
There's a group of kids that follows me around whenever I am in the village of Nam Sabi (see Drawing Histograms). They seem quite happy to have their picture taken. Well, at least three of them. [NOTE: Freezing cold in New York and my thoughts turn to Sagaing Region].
Monday, February 2, 2015 at 9:20AM 
