If a tree falls in the forest, does anyone hear? Does your artificial intelligence-driven software even ponder this philosophical paradox? With so much of our world out of whack these days, I mean, you know … you are reading the news. The ice caps are melting. The North Pole is warmer than Bucharest, and famines in […]
You can get thrown in jail in Saudi Arabia for making out on the beach, but with its new leader’s mission to modernize the ultra-conservative Islamic society, Saudi Arabia may become one of the top 10 beach destinations in the world. Maybe even topless? Well, let’s not go that far. But it is located on […]
I worked at McDonalds when I was a kid. I was 14 and there was this part of the job I couldn’t really take seriously: smiling for customers. It always seemed fake or phony if I smiled because the truth is, not very many people inspire me to smile. I do have friends who smile […]
About a third of the food produced for human consumption is estimated to be lost or wasted globally. But the biggest waste, which is not included in that estimate, may be through dietary choices that result in the squandering of environmental resources. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers at the […]
It’s a parent’s fantasy to get away for the winter, no? But not just for a week on a Disney cruise. That kind of holiday actually frightens me. Perhaps because I am a child of the 70s now with children of my own, I was seeking a holiday where I could enjoy myself, and my […]
It was decided. I was going to spend a summer in the bush. I’d come to Canada in the summer as I had every year after moving to the Middle East 18 years ago. I always missed the green. The air without humidity, and dust. The wild. This year was going to be unusual. I […]
Israelis have come into their own in winemaking in recent years. They are winning awards at coveted wine events around the world and are exciting the tastebuds of sommeliers like Joe Gallo, owner of the famous Californian E. & J. Gallo Winery. He told his hosts, when visiting the Golan Heights Winery: “I was not aware that such […]
When you have a scalable idea that might save the planet and make you money, you are talking about building a social business. But like any business you will need money to grow and scale. Saving the planet or a group of people from social catastrophe might be your mission but investors also want to […]
I saw it in green and I knew I had to have one. It started with the striking emerald colour, but then I heard the babaà story and knew I wanted babaà to be my primary wool sweater for the winter. As I write this I am wearing the green sweater and it speaks of […]
Planting trees gives all of us humans a connection to something bigger than ourselves. We also know they suck up greenhouse gases, create habitat for wildlife and other plants and organisms, and simply beautify our world. To counter deforestation and climate change, there has been a trend for social innovation projects and NGOs to offer […]
If you know me you know I love eggplant (see the best eggplant dip recipe in the world). It’s such a versatile veggie and it’s something I discovered first in Turkey, then Syria, tasting my way through Jordan and then Israel. We know you’ve been dying to know when eggplant first arrived to the region. […]
The Kratom powder has been used in the Eastern medicine for centuries, but it continues to remain unknown for many persons. That is mostly because people are not truly aware about its benefic effects. Kratom can reduce your anxiety and depression, relieve pain and even increase your productivity. While it might be difficult to find […]
The kids were lining up to take a crack at jumping on the big black ball. Looks like fun. While I thought it was some plastic refuse rescued from a building site, one of my son’s preschool teachers told me it’s something special and something one of the parent’s found on the street – it’s […]
Despite our slight disdain for the overuse of the words green, eco, environmental and sustainable, we do applaud all the efforts Greenpeace does to educate consumers about greener shopping. Want to know what electronics companies you love such as Apple and Samsung are committed to doing to make their products greener? After the fires in […]
Fifteen years ago the coral reef was still healthy in the Red Sea city of Eilat. I’d swim and snorkel there hand in hand with my love S. There were even wild dolphins swimming freely to their sanctuary around ships passing through the port city connecting Israel’s southernmost city to the Indian Ocean. But local […]
If there is one thing every human being that can travel should do, it’s travel to Morocco. And specifically to the Atlas Mountains. Of course there are many ways to get there: by taxi, donkey or hiking, or a combination of all three. Rural life is all around you but if you want a little […]
It’s hard to believe that in 2017 women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive. Shwaya, shwaya! Saudi Arabia announced this week that it would allow women to drive, ending a long-term approach that’s shown the world how oppressed women can be in the Middle East. We’ve learned from jokers on YouTube about how […]
They were found in a 4000 year old tomb. Begging the question – why a jar of decapitated toads? What strange customs did our ancestors practice? According to archaeologists who uncovered the recent finding, the frogs were part of ancient funeral practices. Researchers say these fascinating findings from an Israel Antiquities Authority excavation near the […]
Honey is a magical elixir. Mystical even. And our love for it goes way back to the earliest signs of advanced civilization. Archeologists have found pots of it in ancient tombs in Egypt placed there as a gift to the gods because it was so loved. Honey experts and beekeepers I’ve met say that honey […]
For anyone who has been following my summer adventures –– this year I spent 6 weeks in the middle of the bush, on 200 acres –– you’ll also know how gnarly the bugs have been this winter. It’s been extra wet, then extra warm. When we had good days the doors and screens stayed shut. […]
Raven Littleone is my new best friend. To some I call her my half-guru (her partner Peter being the other half), or my mentor. She and Peter Steel, also known as Grampa Gnome, live in the middle of the forest, off the grid using solar power, and wood, and somewhere in a remote part of […]
Are you facing a major life event? Are you interested in the many things you can do to keep your finances in order during this time? Are you concerned about the impact that this event could have on your credit score? There are many major life events that have the potential to change your financial […]
You know us. We are dreaming of Mars daily. But for most of us, getting there will only be a dream. But you can live out the fantasy close to where the film The Martian was shot –– by staying in Freedomes owned by the SunCity Camp in Jordan. The site offers one of 20 geodesic domes for […]
A brown leather wrap kit for your bike’s crossbar. An apron that lets every other bartender in the business to take your tips. A weekender bag made from upcycled army tents, weathered by the desert. With a stamp, Made in Tel Aviv. Meet Archie and Denis, brothers in life and in business. They are the […]
It seems like every year there is some sort of garbage crisis in Lebanon, where landfill sites from cities spill into the Mediterranean Sea. A new movement, called #BalaPlastic mains to take aim at plastic, but to help fight against the problem of waste in general. While it seems like baby steps, look to any […]
