What Should I Take To Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro?

In October my wife and I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. A friend is contemplating doing the same climb and asked me for some advice on the type of gear he should use while climbing the Mountain so I am writing this for both him and anyone else interested in the climb. I am a 50+ year old college professor, not a professional climber or guide. This means the below suggestions might not match the route or conditions that you will encounter. We did a six day-five night climb with the African Walking Company up the Rongai Route, which goes up the north side of the mountain. Continue reading

Plain cigarette packaging: healthier citizens, sicker state finances?

Over the last few years, a new idea for improving public health has been slowly spreading across the world: a ban on selling cigarettes in packages with custom brand designs. Instead of selling branded tobacco, all cigarettes are sold in either plain packages or packages with grotesque pictures showing the health consequences of smoking.

The obvious question is: is it effective at reducing smoking rates? The less obvious one: what are the economic consequences of a healthier population? Continue reading