New App Is Passport To National Parks

by Kraig Becker on

Since being introduced in 1986 the Passport To Your National Parks program has been a popular one with travelers. The program encourages visitors to America’s national parks to collect “cancellation” stamps in a passport book from as many parks as they possibly can. The stamps, which feature photos taken by park employees, are issued on an annual basis and are often viewed as collectors’ items. Now those analog passport books have a digital companion in the form of a new iPhone app.

The Passport to Your National Parks app was released a few weeks back and features some excellent options for fans of the passport program and the parks in general. For instance, it contains a database of every park in the U.S. system, allowing users to search by name, state or region. Once you find the park you’re looking for, a detailed view provides visitor center addresses and phone numbers, maps, entrance fee info and a brief description of the destination. It also lists special events and attractions, provides directions and tells you where to find the park’s passport stamp.

The functionality of the app doesn’t end there, however, as it also provides space for digitally logging your visits to the various parks and allows you to make lists of those you intend to visit in the future. Users can add dates and photos to those logs and even discover which parks are nearby their current location simply by using the iPhone’s built-in GPS chip.

The new app can be downloaded for free from the App Store and will soon be released for other smartphone flavors as well. It should make an excellent companion for those planning on visiting a national park in the months ahead.

Future Of Space Travel Is Here, Next Month Anyway

by Chris Owen on

If all goes according to plan, privately owned, space travel company SpaceX will send an unmanned capsule, launched from its own Falcon rocket, to dock with the International Space Station on April 30. It will be the first time a privately owned spaceship docks with a space station in orbit and it will mark a new era of private, manned space travel.

Under the watchful eye of NASA, the program might quickly get the United States back in space, while being mindful of budgetary concerns.

“NASA‘s International Space Station program, along with our international partners, will take a look at the readiness of both the station and SpaceX for the mission,” NASA officials said, according to an article in Forbes. “If all is go, then SpaceX will be given a green light for an April 30 launch.”

Called the Commercial Crew Development Program, NASA’s goal in a round of grants last year was “to accelerate the availability of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities and reduce the gap in American human spaceflight capability. Through this activity, NASA also may be able to spur economic growth as potential new space markets are created,” the space agency said in a press release at the time.The lion’s share of those grants, $92 million, went to Boeing for development of their front-runner CST-100 spacecraft that uses existing materials and technology that is safe and affordable. The CST-100 is planned to carry up to seven people or a combination of people and cargo and is to be compatible with a variety of existing expendable launch vehicles. That vehicle is slated to fly in 2015, following two test flights earlier that year.

SpaceX began work on that concept too. Their version, called Dragon, is slated to fly next month.

The seven-seat Dragon spaceship will be unmanned for April’s operation, but the next goal for SpaceX is to send a crew to the International Space Station so NASA does not have to rely on Russian technology, currently priced at about $400 million per ride. Dragon costs about $115 million.

“My vision is for a fully reusable rocket transport system between Earth and Mars that is able to re-fuel on Mars – this is very important – so you don’t have to carry the return fuel when you go there,” SpaceX (and PayPal) founder Elon Musk told the BBC.


Flickr photo by mr.skeleton

Icy Antarctica: a hot spot for student travel

by Chris Owen on

Watching whales leap out of the water is one of many opportunities travelers have when visiting Antarctica, as an increasing number of people worldwide are looking to explore the bottom of the earth. Student groups, individuals and families are frequently heading south on an Antarctica adventure that many only dreamed of just a few years ago.

Recently, a group of Michigan State University study abroad students on an expedition in Antarctica found their boat stuck on ice and stranded, but not for too long.

“We just enjoyed the scenery for a while,” sophomore Jennifer Campbell said. “About a half-hour later, I had taken probably 100 videos because about 100 whales were around our ship, teaching their young to hunt.”

The frozen tundra of Antarctica has become a hot spot for ecotourism, too. Thirteen MSU students participated in the expedition in Antarctica program a few months ago.

“Not any two people have the same short list of reasons for going – the love of adventure and (being) off the routine path of MSU are some reasons why,” said Michael Gottfried, an associate professor of geological sciences in a State News article.

But the increasing amount of travelers visiting the continent could have consequences. Students are told to wash their boots and not to take anything because it changes the environment.

“It is untouched; you can tell how things have changed after centuries of human progress,” sophomore Jennifer Campbell said. “If everyone wants a piece of it, it’ll be all gone.”

Although many nations conduct climate and other scientific research in Antarctica, the MSU trip isn’t based solely on science, Gottfried said. Students in dance, journalism, engineering and other majors have taken the trip not just to explore wildlife, but also to learn about the physical and biological aspects of the area.

“People underestimate the pristine quality of this beautiful place,” Campbell said.

Looking to travel to Antarctica? A number of travel companies are offering unique adventures:

  • National Geographic Expeditions does a 14- or 24-day Journey to Antarctica aboard the National Geographic Explorer that hits the Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands and waterways.
  • Journeys International has a 12-day Active Antarctica Adventure that allows those along for the ride to test their endurance with an average of two, off-ship activities each day, including camping, kayaking, mountaineering and cross-country skiing while appreciating the penguins, whales and icy landscapes.
  • Abercrombie and Kent sails the whale-rich waters of the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula’s bleach-white, remote coastlines on a comprehensive expedition cruise that reveals the many faces of the world’s last frontier. This one lets us go behind the scenes of an environmental research station and chat with on-board experts nightly about the day’s discoveries.
  • Students On Ice is an award-winning organization offering expeditions to the Antarctic to provide students, educators and scientists from around the world with inspiring educational opportunities at the ends of the Earth.

This video gives us an idea of what Students On Ice is all about.




Flickr photo by Antarctica Bound

Matsuri Restaurant and Hiro Ballroom give people a chance to own a piece of New York City history

by Jessica Festa on

For those who have enjoyed delicious steak and seafood dishes at Matsuri, or late night dancing in the Hiro Ballroom, there’s sad news. These two popular New York venues in the Maritime Hotel, which have hosted guests like Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Karl Lagerfeld, are set to close their doors for good. Luckily, the owners have decided to give people the chance to take home a piece of the Big Apple’s hospitality history.

A live auction, as well as several previews, will be facilitated by Michael Amodeo & Co. Participants will have the chance to bid on items such as flatware, original artwork, walnut flooring, and giant handmade Japanese lanterns. Even the men’s urinals, which were also handmade in Japan, are being auctioned off. The event dates are as follows:

  • Monday, April 2, 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Preview
  • Tuesday, April 3, 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Preview
  • Wednesday, April 4, 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Preview
  • Wednesday, April 4, 2:00 p.m.- all items sold. Auction

While smaller items can be purchased and brought home the day of the auction, larger items must be brought home by Thursday, April 5. The Maritime Hotel is located at 363 West 16th Street, off 9th Avenue.

American city might sell its historic landmarks

by Kyle Ellison on

According to a recent release from CBS Baltimore, Maryland’s largest city may soon be looking to offload some of its historic landmarks to private owners or foundations.

In a new plan by city officials to bolster the cash-strapped community, 15 historic landmarks across the city — 12 of which are protected by historic landmark designation — may soon be up for grabs, and the decision is causing a ruckus in the Baltimore political and historical community.

So why the hesitancy on the decision?

Before making the announcement final, city officials want to determine how much they could actually pocket for sites such as Shot Tower, a landmark, which was once the tallest building in the nation back in 1828.

Involving more than just potential revenue, however, the city argues that many of the sites lack adequate funding and they have fallen into disrepair. In addition to providing revenue for the city, proponents of the plan argue that this move would ultimately be in the best interest of the historical sites due to the greater likelihood of a private owner being able to offer proper maintenance and care.As can be expected, not all Baltimore citizens are on board with the plan. In statements made by local citizens interviewed on the matter, many feel that these are landmarks, which belong to the city of Baltimore and are part of the city’s lengthy history.

Of course, while the sale of American landmarks is a sad state of affairs, there is an ironic political wrinkle to the tale which is the root of much of the ire:

In preparation of the plan, Baltimore city mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has approached the city spending council asking for $46,000 in public funds towards consulting fees for appraisal of the historic sites.

As a student of American history and a champion of fiscal responsibility, I’ll be blunt and admit that this saddens me.

What do you think? Is this a creative form of raising revenue meant to spruce up the community, or a disappointing reality which addresses a deeper problem?

Regardless of personal opinion, it’s not a concept that is unheard of. The greatest cultural treasure and historic landmark in all of Cambodia, for example, is privately owned by a company based in Vietnam, the same country which militarily invaded and occupied Cambodia for nearly a decade.

Ouch.

{Image via Flickr user James Cridland}