Wolfie and Bono

by Erik Olsen on

Bush’s nomination of Paul Wolfowitz to lead the World Bank has attracted a lot of criticism from people who don’t
believe the architect of the Iraq War has the chops or compassion to lead the global institution. But according to
Reuters, Wolfy,
playing diplomat, has apparently checked in with U2 lead singer Bono to win the rock star-cum-global-activist’s
blessings…or perhaps just to have him sign his copy of Joshua Tree.

Welcome to the Hitler Hotel

by Erik Olsen on

The opening of
a luxury hotel on the site of Adolf
Hitler’s Alpine retreat in southern Germany is aimed at boosting tourism, but it has also sparked new debate about the
country’s Nazi past.

The five-star Intercontinental Resort Berchtesgaden opened last week in the rarified Bavarian air 1000 metres above
sea level where Hitler wrote part of his manifesto “Mein Kampf”.

Personally, I really don’t see the problem. It’s not like the hotel is shaped like a Swastika…although in early
designs it was shaped like an “H”. Not that any of the horror there should be forgotten, but the effort seems like a
good one to improve German tourism, and to help the area get over it’s dubious past.

Helping the Coffee Growers through Starbucks and Earthwatch

by Nino Marchetti on

Want to get your hands dirty doing conservation work in Costa Rica and have someone else pay for it?
Starbucks and the Earthwatch Institute
have teamed to provide 20 lucky people the chance to do so. By entering
this drawing by April 12, the chosen will fly, all
expenses paid, to Costa Rica to help a field research team with hands-on assistance and the collection of scientific
data. The project focuses on helping a local coffee grower cooperative transition to more sustainable coffee production
methods. The winners will be expected to live and eat with other team members.

Rafting the Salmon and Learning

by Erik Olsen on


When I lived in Colorado way back when (and worked one summer as a junior rafting guide) the Salmon River in Idaho
was considered one of those great rafting trips you simply HAD to do. There are lots of outfitters out there that offer
trips, but

this one by Road Scholar has a particular allure for me because the company does a nice job focussing on the
natural history of an area. Rather than getting some clueless, pot-smoking guide, their guides tend to be pretty
knowledgable. This trip down the Salmon offers the opportunity to discuss wolf and grizzly re-introduction, fisheries
management, and conservation ethics with naturalists.

A nice to way mix adventure with learning.