Alan Kotok

Alan Kotok, founder of Technology News and Literature (www.technewslit.com), is a Washington, DC-based reporter and writer on science, technology, business, and public policy, and editor and publisher of Science and Enterprise, an online news service connecting scientific discovery to the marketplace. From 2003 to 2010, Kotok served as managing editor of Science Careers, the online employment, career development, and funding portal of Science Magazine. Kotok is an amateur photographer, co-chair of National Press Club's Photography Committee, and a volunteer event photographer at NPC since 2018.

Electronic images

Street acrobats

New Orleans street acrobats
A troupe of amazing break dancers and acrobats gave a performance on Decatur Street by Jacson Square …

In January 2019, we went to New Orleans to take a break from the winter weather in Washington, and enjoy this unique American city's hospitality, food, and music. We soon discovered the best show in town is right on the streets of the French Quarter and its surroundings, with some incredibly talented people entertaining visitors for tips. One of those groups was a troupe of break dancers and acrobats that set up shop on Decatur Street by Jackson Square.

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Street acrobats

New Orleans street acrobats
and the French Quarter in New Orleans. Some six volunteers crouched over on the sidewalk, while one of …

The troupe was led by a master of ceremonies, the fellow in the yellow and blue jacket in the photos with the microphone, who also provided a steady stream of stand-up political comedy, much like Chris Rock. For the group's grand finale, the emcee asked for volunteers: "five white guys and an Asian" -- don't ask why that ethnic mix was specified -- who lined up on the sidewalk. The jumper took just a few steps and propelled himself in the air, flipping over, and clearing the crouched volunteers with room to spare. The emcee had no trouble separating generous tips from the 100 or so onlookers.

Street acrobats

New Orleans street acrobats
the troupe jumped and flipped over them, and landed on his feet with room to spare. Other than the …

The photos were taken with a Nikon D3400 DSLR, using an 18-55 mm lens, shooting in continuous mode.

Street acrobats

New Orleans street acrobats
Superdome, I could not imagine a location in New Orleans other than the street to pull this off.

Print photos

Red Square selfie

Red Square selfie
Near the GUM department store entrance, opposite from Lenin's mausoleum..

We visited Moscow with a group from Road Scholar in July 2019, to learn about Russian history and culture. For those of us old enough to remember the Cold War, Red Square is synonymous with flickering black-and-white TV images of military parades and news correspondents in heavy coats. This young lady shattered those images.

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Museum photo room

Photography room, Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Moscow's Museum of the Great Patriotic War -- Russia's name for World War II -- has a room with backdrops where you or your kids can be photographed fighting the Nazis.

Our Road Scholar visit to Moscow included a few hours at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Russia's name for World War II. Understanding Russia today means understanding its wartime experiences, which continue to profoundly influence its policies and behavior with the rest of the world.

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