Looking Back From Ground Zero

by Erik Olsen on

As we approach (quickly) the fifth anniversary of 9/11, there are lots of things happening in New York to commemorate that horrible tragedy. One of the more noteworthy exhibits happening is in Brooklyn, where a new exhibit opening at the Brooklyn Museum examines the physical history of the actual area where the World Trade Center stood as well as how artists responded in the aftermath.

Called “Looking Back From Ground Zero: Images From the Brooklyn Museum Collection” the exhibit opens Aug. 30 and runs through Jan. 7. The show features a massive photograph of the construction site that is currently ground zero (really just a big hole). And then within the galleries, you get a glimpse of what the history of that area of lower Manhattan has been, and what it was like on that day in 2001. Looks interesting.

A Travel Club for Women

by Erik Olsen on

Chances are if you are a woman and you are heading out into the great yonder with your best friend, images of Thelma and Louise come to mind. Hitting the open road with the top down, your hair a spray of follicles behind you and a .357 at your hip, well, that’s the stuff girls’ dreams are made of. Right? OK, maybe not. But still, let’s say you’re a woman traveler and are looking for a companion who shares your interests…not just in Brad Pitt, but also in seeing the Grand Canyon, or Hawaii.

Then this site, called appropriately enough Themlamandlouise.com, is one you might venture over to. Started in June (and sadly, with a fee if you want to use some of the sites deeper features, the British site has categories like “Single Mom” to help women travelers find each other and put together their dream trips.

It’s a nice idea, and if I were a woman looking for a travel pal, I’d probably give it a look. Interestingly, it seems a lot of women with spouses sign up, as their husbands either don’t travel or can’t due to work, so you shouldn’t think of it as a, well, same sex thing…in the strict sense of the term. Either way, the site is well-designed and intriguing. Probably worth a look.

Red Corner: Polluted Albania

by Neil Woodburn on

Having recently returned from a trip to Albania, I was disappointed to run across a rather frank assessment of the pollution problems which currently plague the developing nation and negatively effect its tourist trade.

Transitions Online, which covers problems faced by nations emerging from communism, reports that some of Albania’s most popular beaches are horribly contaminated and that “pollution in the coastal waters is between two and six times the levels allowed by the World Health Organization.” Even the guidebook I traveled with warned about rashes which afflict swimmers at some of the beaches.

The air isn’t much better. The Albanian Institute of Nuclear Physics discovered that Tirana’s air is laced with toxic metals from the regular burning of trash and solid waste.

It is certainly a sad report to read. I found Albania to be extraordinarily blessed with beautiful beaches and mountains when I visited. Such natural resources, if treated properly, will be the source of a tourist boom one day in the future which will bring with it much needed cash and employment.

In the meantime, rash-causing ocean swims, aren’t really helping the cause.

The International Ecotourism Society Searching for Intern

by Adrienne Wilson on

This could be cool — very cool if you’re on the hunt for unique job experiences, but you’ll need to move quickly and act fast! The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is seeking an Intern to work in their Washington DC office to help organize the 2007 Global Ecotourism Conference, which will be held in Oslo, Norway, from May 14-16, 2007. It mentions nothing as to whether the position is a paid gig or unpaid internship, but it seems worth shooting for. Me, being the dreamer that I am, would imagine being handsomely rewarded with a ticket to the conference in Norway as a token of all my paid or unpaid hard work, but again you’ll have to further inquire to see what’s at the end of the job tunnel.

Some of the duties to be performed include: researching and compiling lists of potential speakers, guests, and partners – preparing invitations – solidify partnerships with other NGO’s. Oh, but there’s more, you’ll just have to go see for yourself. The deadline for application is September 1, 2006

Rising Sea Level, a Humorous Explanation

by Neil Woodburn on

We’ve posted a number of times here at Gadling about the effects of global warming upon our dear planet. The concept seems to have as much controversy as evolution with many people taking very strong sides regardless of what scientific evidence might suggest.

While thumbing through this week’s New Yorker, I came across a hilarious cartoon that finally explains the controversy and sums up the entire problem with a very simple explanation.

Rising Sea Levels – An Alternative Theory is a cartoon well worth a brief hop over to the New Yorker site for a quick laugh. Check it out.