Thoughtful Stereotyping

Several months ago, I wrote about stereotyping and why it is helpful for personal safety. Stereotyping has always bothered me in that so many people stereotype stereotypes as being horrible, mean, nasty ideas that should be banished from existence. Today I want to repeat my belief in the benefits of stereotyping, particularly when approached thoughtfully.
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Day of Reflection

Yesterday was Nyepi, or Lunar New Year. Nyepi is a distinctly Balinese Hindu tradition, in which no “fires” (lights) are to be used, no one is to be outside houses, and everyone is to spend time meditating or reflecting. I spent my day reading the last 400 pages of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath,
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Travel Discrimination: Might Save Your Life!

Have you ever walked down a street, changing directions when you saw someone that gave you a bad feeling? Afterward, did you realize what you did is arguably sexist, racist, ageist, or some kind of cultural discrimination? In Central and Southeast Asia, I have had many such situations and am convinced that demographic discrimination (profiling)
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Talk Radio Makes Driving Safer

Have you ever been on a long road trip and nearly been killed because of fatigue? I have. Among many longer-than-safe roadtrips, including a 24-hour marathon drive, I’ve fallen asleep at the wheel, driven through stoplights I didn’t see, almost hit other vehicles, and almost driven completely off the road. On my most recent cross
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Travel Safety Ponderings

Let’s face it: there are some very scary places on this planet. Aside from watching violence as entertainment and news, we don’t allow ourselves to think twice about violent crimes ever happening to us. Now that I am faced with planning details of my journey, and am quickly approaching the first leg of travel, the
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