Frankfurt Airport Layover Adventure: Run an 18-mile Marathon Training Route Through the German Countryside


Starting my 18-mile adventure

On my flight to Jordan, I purposely scheduled an 11-hour layover at the Frankfurt (FRA) Airport. Why? So I could do an 18-mile marathon training run through the German countryside. And like my LAX layover done right, it was one of my best airport layover adventures yet.

First, I spent time on Google Maps, planning my run by looking at the Frankfurt airport and surrounding area at maximum magnification. I saw that Germany has a long network of bicycle and walking trails I could follow from the airport to the Rhine River, and along the river to Frankfurt itself and to s-Bhan stations that could take me back to the airport.

Read More

Google AdSense: Stop Teasing Me with YouTube Revenue Sharing


What a tease!

So my Belly Button Window videos of my worldwide travels, One Laptop Per Child, and my daughter Hanalei, have found quite a following on YouTube. I have several videos with over 5,000 views:

Each time a new video crosses the multi-thousand viewership, YouTube sends me an email like this:

Read More

Introducing Archer Sophia Vota

Hanalei’s little sister has arrived! Please welcome Archer Sophia Vota, the newest edition to the Vota family. She came into this world this evening as her mom was laughing, and now she can’t stop crying. Yet her parents and her family are overjoyed by this new bundle of love. Archer…

Read More

Apple iPhone Boarding Pass: United Airlines Innovation


Swipe your phone, board the plane

It’s not often that you can use the words “innovation” and “United Airlines” in the same sentence, without a “lack of” first – but with the new iPhone boarding pass, you can, and you will!

Last week, I was headed to Inveneo’s offices in San Francisco for my bi-monthly check-in with the team. Before I ran out the door, I skipped one step that we’re all familiar with – the boarding pass printing.

Read More

On the Inequity of Wealth in South Africa


A sign of fear

I am no stranger to wealth inequality. I’ve lived it personally when I was growing up poor, and I see it daily in Washington DC. Often wealth inequality is about class as much as race, yet in South Africa I found race to be the defining characteristic.

Class divide in cars

In every country I’ve visited in Africa, black Africans are the most populous people driving cars. Now there are some white people behind the wheel – be they natives and expats, but by in large, the driving population ethnicity mimics the overall population.

But not in South Africa. I was shocked to see only whites driving in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Black Africans were in shared minibus taxis or walking. Now I did see one or two black Africans driving, but they were in the extreme minority.

Read More