American Explorer Todd Carmichael Reaches The South Pole

by Kraig Becker on

American Todd Carmichael reached the South Pole yesterday, becoming the first person from the U.S. to make that journey solo and unsupported.

Carmichael set out on November 12 from Patriot Hills, the traditional drop off point on Antarctica for explorers arriving from Punta Arenas, Chile, the southernmost city of it’s size in the world. His intention was to break the speed record to the South Pole, currently held by Hannah McKeand of the U.K., who made the same 690 mile journey back in 2006, in 39 days, 10 hours, and 33 minutes. At this time, there is no word if he succeeded in breaking the record, but Carmichael also arrived on his 39th day out.

Antarctica traditionally sees a lot of traffic in November of each year. While in the northern hemisphere, the temperatures are falling, and autumn begins to give way to winter, in the southern it’s spring time, and the best opportunity for explorers and adventure travelers to visit the region. Temperatures can still be quite cold however, and Carmichael endured blizzards, sub-zero wind chills, and whiteout conditions on his way to his destination.Making a solo and unsupported journey to the Pole is far from easy. The landscapes are quite desolate and mostly featureless, with dangerous crevasse fields, which has led previous explorers to remark on the lonliness they felt on a solo expedition. The unsupported tag means that the person making the trip will carry everything they need with them as they go, pulling it behind them on a heavy sled as they ski the 700 miles south. That sled weighs hundreds of pounds at the start, although it does lighten up as the supplies are consumed.

In Todd’s case, he faced all kinds of adversity along the trail. Besides the inclidment weather, he also broke the bindings on both of his skis within the first week. Unable to make repairs, he was forced to make the journey on foot, dragging his sled behind him, and yet he still managed to flirt with the new speed record, and may have achieved it. in the past few days he has also been out of communications thanks to the failure of both his primary and back-up satellite phones.

Traditionally, a plane would now be dispatched form Patriot Hills to pick Todd up and return him to Punta Arenas, but a storm has been raging in the area and he is not expected to be picked up for a couple of days. During that time, I’m sure he’ll get lots of sleep, and dream of tropical locals. Congrats Todd!

The Gadling Top 10 Top 10 lineup of 2008

by Scott Carmichael on

Can you believe that the year is almost over? When I saw the first Christmas items pop up at my local Costco back in September, the Holiday season seemed so far away.

But now, with less than 2 weeks left in the year, it is time to slowly start looking back at some of the best Gadling had to offer in 2008.

So, please let me present (in chronological order), the top 10 of top 10’s posted here in 2008:

In January, Neil posted about the 10 most common cities where Americans are arrested. Number 10 is Hong Kong, but you’ll need to visit the top 10 to see where in the world Americans seem to misbehave the most.

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If you like travel and food, then this list by Iva mentions the top 10 foodie destinations. You’ll read where the best food is, and what is on the must eat list when you travel abroad.

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New York City has some of the worlds most impressive architecture, and this list by Anna talks about the top 10 must see building in the Big Apple.

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When you add the best roads in Europe, with motorcycles, then you end up with this list posted by Iva. The list mentions the best 10 roads to enjoy on your bike.

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British band Scouting For Girls had a big hit this year with “I wish I was James Bond“. If you share their wish to be the British Spy for a day, then this list of the 10 best Bond locations is a must-read. It’ll even tell you where you can find the Goldeneye hotel, which is the Jamaican location where Ian Fleming wrote most of his novels.

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Do you still book your trips using a travel agent? Chances are you might not be getting your moneys worth. Back in June, Aaron posted a list of the top 10 signs you have a bad travel agent. Don’t worry though, the list was written by David Letterman, and has some hilarious entries like “Your plane ticket is a post-it note”.

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This top 10 list was one of my favorites of the year – Annie dug up 10 of the most stupid laws you’ll find around the world. Thanks to the list, I learned that I can no longer be drunk in Scotland while in possession of a cow. If her top 10 wasn’t enough to entertain you, she added another 10 to the list in her followup post.

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In October I wrote down my top 10 ways to make cheaper phone calls when you are abroad. In the list, you’ll find tips like using a Blackberry to make free calls, or when to use prepaid mobile phone cards.

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Karen assembled this awesome list of the top 10 things you must pack before you go abroad. It is a must-read if you are leaving the country, and has some great tips, including my favorite – “an open mind”.

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And finally, in December I decided to vent, and list the top 10 things I hate about staying at a hotel. Check out my list, and decide for yourself whether hotels suck, or whether I am just a chronic complainer.

So there you have it. The top 10 top 10’s from 2008. If you have any suggestions for a new top 10 list, feel free to leave a comment below!

National Hanukkah Menorah and where to find other public displays

by Jamie Rhein on

Yesterday the National Hanukkah Menorah in Washington, D.C. was lit to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah the Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrians who had oppressed them. In a miracle, the oil that was only enough to burn for light for one day lasted for eight.

Although the main lighting of the National Hanukkah Menorah festivities happened yesterday, the menorah, located at the Ellipse near the White House grounds, will be lit each night during Hanukkah.

There are many other public menorahs on display around the world. Here’s a link to the page on Chabad.org that features many of them. Last year, when I came across this link, I was impressed by the scope of where these menorahs are located.

For the largest menorah in the world, head to New York City. It’s on 59th St. and 5th Ave. I don’t think you can miss it. It’s a 32 feet-tall candelabra.

SkyMall Monday: Holiday Gift Ideas

by Mike Barish on

Good tidings to you, my SkyMall Maniacs (congratulations, I’ve given you a nickname). We’re doing something a little different here at SkyMall Monday this week. With Hanukkah in full effect and Christmas mere days away, I’m going to do you a solid and give you some last minute gift ideas straight from the greatest catalog on Earth. Forget the hassles of the mall or the big box stores. Sit back, relax, and let SkyMall do all the work for you (with my help, of course).

iWear Vr920 (photo above) – Why just be a nerdy gamer when you could be a nerdy gamer playing in “virtual reality?” Just don your favorite blazer, log into World of Warcraft and have your friends call you “Geordi La Forge.”

Animated Hitch Critters – Because you’re white trash and gosh darn proud of it.

Body Toning System – We just don’t subject ourselves to “electro muscle stimulation” nearly enough. Besides, what does all the research supporting a lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise really mean anyways? Certainly standing around while electrocuting your abs is the real secret to getting that six pack.

Warm Whiskers Neck Wrap (photo at left) – Because the local shelter won’t let you adopt anymore of their precious real cats and the county is threatening to investigate that smell coming from your backyard.

Dermaseptic – Tis the season to manage those herpes outbreaks.

Forest Faces – Forest Faces are the “newest craze in outdoor decor.” Finally, the old craze in outdoor decor, “nature,” has been supplanted by a much more organic way to decorate trees: athletic decorations with stereotypically racist facial features.

Feline Drinking Fountain – This water fountain keeps water moving, “encouraging proper hydration by attracting pets to drink more, thereby reducing the risk of urinary tract infection.” I never knew feline urinary tract infections were such a major concern. Can’t your cat just drink some cranberry juice and have a bad attitude for a few days?

Portable Video Magnifier – Sure, you’re well aware that magnifying glasses have existed for centuries. And yeah, you know that they’re cheap, lightweight and would really help your elderly grandmother read the newspaper, organize coupons and write checks. But you have money to burn and an intense desire to let grandma know that you did amount to something after all. So, drop $789 and get grandma the Portable Video Magnifier. That’ll show her who the real failure is.

Jumpin Jammerz (photo at left) – Are you in an asexual relationship with a partner who respects your complete lack of libido? Does he or she have the bowel control necessary to make it to the bathroom and then completely disrobe before doing the business? Would they love to wake up in a pool of their own sweat every morning? Then yes, you should totally get that person a pair of adult footed pajamas. Glad we had this talk.

Sound Activated Shirt – I just spent 45 minutes trying to come up with a reason why you should buy this. That’s a new SkyMall Monday record.

Of course, if none of these amazing SkyMall gift ideas would appeal to your loved ones, you could always take a look at Gadling’s Holiday Gift Guide. There are tons of great ideas there.

Happy holidays from SkyMall Monday. Be sure to check back next week when we count down some of the best SkyMall Monday reviews from 2008!

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

Product review – Solo CheckFast Netbook instant messenger bag

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review, I’m going to give you a quick look at a new laptop bag. Of course, new laptop bags are introduced by the boatload every week, so you’ll understand that this bag is something special.

The Solo CheckFast Netbook Instant messenger bag does 2 things most other bags can’t do; it is TSA friendly, and it is designed specifically for Netbook computers.

The Solo Netbook instant messenger is the first true Netbook friendly bag I have come across. I’ve previously reviewed a different Netbook protective cover, but it did not offer the same features as the Solo.

As I mentioned earlier, the CheckFast Netbook instant messenger bag is TSA friendly. Being “TSA friendly” means that the bag can be folded open, allowing the airport X-Ray equipment to see the laptop, without having to remove your laptop from its bag.

The bag itself is quite impressive. The laptop portion of the bag is designed for Netbook computers up to 11 inches. In addition to this compartment, you’ll also find 2 other portions, one of which is designed to hold small items like USB flash drives or a portable hard drive.

Opening the bag for inspection at the airport is quite easy, and only takes about 10 seconds. When you arrive at the security checkpoint, you simply unclip the buckle at the front, loosen a piece of Velcro, and fold the entire bag flat on the conveyor.

Other features of the bag include a nicely padded handle and a non-slip shoulder strap.

The best part of this bag? It only costs $35 (when purchased from Amazon). I’ve been carrying the bag around for a few days now, and I absolutely love it. It suddenly dawned on me that it does not make sense to carry a small computer in a large bag, but until now, I did not want to say goodbye to my regular TSA friendly laptop bag.

Of course, with a smaller bag, you’ll have less room to carry stuff, but being forced to travel lighter is something you’ll learn to appreciate. Even if you don’t plan to travel with your Netbook, having a stylish bag to protect it is a wise investment.

The Solo CheckFast Nebook Instant messenger bag is available from Amazon, Ebags or one of the other retailers listed on the product page.