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Man on Earth by Lew Toulmin |
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Lectures and talks are 20-45 minutes long, and can be shortened or lengthened. Lew has a laptop, PowerPoint slides, an LCD projector, a portable screen (3x2 feet) and some great, entertaining stories to tell. Here are his standard talks:
Cool Lectures Lew Can Give Based on the Book
The Most Traveled Man on Earth
Who is the most traveled man? Woman? What are the “rules”? What travel wisdom and tips do the most travel people have that will help us in our travels? What adventures has the author had in chasing the most traveled men? Includes details on the search for the real “Bali Hai,” the Great Race (classic cars across America), and the real Knights Templar.  After the end of the movie and the burning of HMS Bounty, (the most famous mutiny in history) everyone lived happily ever after on Pitcairn Island, right? Wrong! This talk describes the other mutinies, the murders, the coups d’etat, the drunken falling off of cliffs, and the recent sex scandal that almost destroyed the tiny South Pacific island—and could have made it into the world’s newest and smallest country. Brian Boru was King of Ireland in the year 1000, and is often called the greatest Irishman of all time. Yet he is little known in the US. Lew goes on a quest to find Brian’s amazing story (how he ejected the Vikings from Ireland, almost united the country, began the first surnames, etc) and what traces of him remain in Ireland today. The Shannon in Ireland is one of the prettiest rivers in the world – rural, quiet and flowing through the fabulous “forty shades of green.” Lew and Susan hire a self-drive motorboat, and manage to cruise the river for a week without sinking the vessel. Along the way they visit a 1000-year-old abbey, meet St. Brendan the Navigator, negotiate some unfamiliar locks, run aground, and recover in some river-side pubs. 100 classic cars ranging in age from 1910 to 1968 rally 4000 miles across the US. Lew and Susan Toulmin drive their 1968 “Bullitt” Mustang through 100 degree heat (and with no air-conditioning) through 14 states in a time-speed-distance rally (not breaking the speed limit) in a quest for a $60,000 prize, or at least an “Ace” sticker for a perfect leg. Lots of pics of incredibly beautiful classic cars. The greatest disasters to have affected humanity are outlined, and compared to recent events such as Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami, etc. The top disaster myths are also discussed, including: “Governments will rescue the stranded,” “All fast disaster relief is good relief,” “Cordons are useful,” and “Natural disasters cause suffering on a random basis.” The world’s worst crimes in this area are reviewed, including: falsification of millions of family records in Burma, destruction of Southern courthouses by General Sherman and by the CSA, who destroyed the Great Royal Library at Alexandria, Egypt, how the IRA blew up the genealogy of Ireland, and who the worst genealogical criminal of all time was.
Other Neat Lectures Lew Can Give
The Search for Steve Fossett
Adventurer and flier Steve Fossett disappeared in a light plane in Nevada, and this resulted in the biggest aerial search in US history. Steve was a Fellow of the Explorers Club, and Lew and other Club members launched an expedition to find him. This talk reveals details of the disappearance never before discussed in the press, describes how Lew’s team helped close the case, and provides insights into the state of search and rescue in this country. A briefing for emergency management personnel, search and rescue volunteers, aerial searchers, and family searchers. Shows pictures of actual light airplane crashes, so that such personnel will know what to look for. Describes typical scenarios for crashes. Can be expanded to include findings and how-to-do-it explanations from Lew’s manuscript, A Manual on Finding Missing Light Aircraft. Lew and Susan drive down Route 66, one of the most famous roads in the world, in their classic 1968 “Bullitt” Mustang. Along the way they re-discover the Fabulous Fifties, dodge freaked-out Finns, meet Superman, and eat the Bobcat Bite Burger -- the best burger in the West. Lew uses a “treasure map” left by his dad to try to find the lost ghost town and grave of Judge Harry Toulmin (1766-1823), one of the founders of Alabama. With the help of archaeologists and ground penetration radar from the University of South Alabama, and carrying the Flag of the Explorers Club, he finds the town but not the grave. Still looking for that one! In 1869, Lew’s great-great grand uncle, a famous judge, fell head over heels in love with the lovely Molly Henshaw. The Judge and ex-Confederate Colonel was 34 and she was just 19. Despite their age differences, it was a match made in heaven, as shown by their preserved original love letters. Lew gives the highlights of their star-crossed romance with excerpts from the letters, which also give a good picture of life in the deep South just after “the Wawah” – a life not as bleak as portrayed by most historians. Gives a fascinating description of an American family and its genealogy from the Revolution to the present. Of interest to Duggars or Duggers, and also to persons who want to see what can be done to enliven and create a colorful Powerpoint briefing about their family history and genealogy. This lecture focuses on improving telecoms performance via privatization, increasing competition, and setting up well-organized telecom regulatory bodies in less developed countries. The advantages and disadvantages of privatization are discussed. This section is followed by a four step process for ensuring that national telecom goals are met by the privatization and sector reform. |