WORDS

raw water

raw water: "natural water" – water that is unfiltered, untreated, and unsterilized; companies market and sell it to consumers in branded bottles or through home collection systems for homeowners.  *** TROVELOG *** The sale of "raw water" – water gathered from streams, rivers, lakes and other natural sources that is not subject to any filtering or sterilization [...]

invisible disability

invisible disability: any mental, physical or neurological condition where a person's impairment is not readily noticeable to others; aka "hidden disability." *** TROVELOG *** For 50 years, the now ubiquitous wheelchair graphic has signaled that there is a place – whether that is a restroom, an elevator, an entrance, an exit, a seating area, a parking spot [...]

black swan

black swan: the occurrence (or non-occurrence) of an event that: lies outside of the range of normal expectations; has an extreme impact; and only seems explainable and predictable in hindsight. #blackswan @nntaleb @journofletcher @jonsindreu A term coined by NYU professor, Nassim Nicholas Taleb. The reference is to the discovery of the first black swan after the [...]

slum tourism

slum tourism: the practice of local or visiting sightseers who pay for tours of sections of urban areas where there is extreme poverty, especially in cities in the developing world.  *** TROVELOG *** Manila is starkly representative of a global problem. According to the United Nations, about a quarter of the world’s urban population lives in slums—and this [...]

thick data

thick data: qualitative information and insights gathered from contextual observations of behavior and preferences (e.g., routines, emotions, stories, habits, aspirations, and motivations). *** TROVELOG *** Thick data Residents [of the Barcelona neighbourhood of Gràcia] were learning that data is rarely neutral. The kinds of data gathered, the methods used, how it gets interpreted, what gets overlooked, the [...]

bliss molecule

bliss molecule: a popular name for the chemical compound anandamide, the neurotransmitter that transmits blissful messages within the human brain; also found in cannabis. *** TROVELOG *** So far, research from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has shown that patients with PTSD have lower levels of anandamide, also known as the body's "bliss molecule," an [...]

nodel

nodel: from "non-model" or "not a model; a "real-girl" model; a nonprofessional, nontraditional fashion model (e.g., a person who is plus-size, a celebrity, disabled, a friend of the designer, or invited from the street). *** TROVELOG *** A few days before Fashion Week began, the avant-garde label Eckhaus Latta held a casting call in a Chinatown basement [...]

vanlife/ van life

vanlife/ van life: an on-the-road lifestyle choice for travelers who find living out of a van to be a carefree, affordable option for visiting sites around the country; first referenced in a 2011 social media hashtag. *** TROVELOG *** Weaving through the stars of endless continents, exploring off-grid forests, rejecting working for a wage. No doubt, living life [...]

whisper network

whisper network: informal sharing of essential communal information, including warnings of egregious or illegal behavior (e.g., sexual harassment or assault). *** TROVELOG *** They called themselves the Glass Ceiling Club. A group of young and ambitious women in the 1990s from the investment bank Bear Stearns would gather at local restaurants every couple of months to discuss [...]

service animal

service animal: an animal trained to perform specific tasks for a disabled person; not an "emotional support animal" (ESA), which is a pet that provides comfort or emotional support to the owner and may not be trained. *** TROVELOG *** It is estimated that service dogs have existed since around 13,000 B.C., for many purposes — performing [...]

Go to Top