Outside Magazine searches for ‘reader of the year’

by Kraig Becker on

Do you, or does someone you know, eat breathe, and sleep outdoor adventure? If so, then you may be able to earn yourself some sweet gear, just by nominating them (or even yourself!) as the Outside Magazine Reader of the Year. The iconic, and popular, publication is looking for a Chief Inspiration Officer for 2011, and your nominee just might fit the description, earning you all kinds of swag, while they go on to fame and fortune in the glossy pages of the magazine.

Nominating someone is very easy. You simply click here and fill out the online form, which includes an essay describing why they are worthy of consideration. If your nominee is selected, they’ll earn the position as CIO for Outside and will be featured in an article. They’ll also be given the opportunity to contribute to the magazine throughout next year, offering up tips, advice, and inspiration that the average Outside reader can relate to. And as the person who nominated them, you’ll also receive a nice reward in the form of $1800 worth of free gear and a three year subscription to the magazine.

Nomination are being accepted through September 1st, with candidates being judged based on how much fun, and adventure, they’ve been able to work into their lives over the past few years. A healthy commitment to changing their life, or the lives of others, doesn’t hurt either, as the Outside editors are looking for someone who exemplifies the philosophy of the magazine. While the selection will obviously be somewhat subjective, they are weighing their decision on the candidates thirst for adventure, their capacity to inspire, and the creativity of the essay that is written on their behalf.

So, there you have it! Head on over to the Reader of the Year page and fill out your nominations. You may make someone a star in the adventure world, and earn your self great gear in the process.

[Photo credit: Outside Magazine]

North Korean art show focuses on the familiar

by Tom Johansmeyer on

A new fine art exhibition kicked off in Pyongyang last week, and according to the Korea Central News Agency, it’s a must-see. If you’re down with the “anti-Japanese struggle,” I suspect you’ll be right at home at the Pyongyang International Cultural Center.

There are “at least 60 fine art works” on display, among them pieces created by Pyongyang-area artists during the “period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle.” At the top of the list are paintings with the catchy titles “Return Blood for Blood and Oppose Arms with Arms” and “Arirang on Jiansanfeng,” They highlight the efforts of the Great Leader, Kim Il-sung, and his first wife, the Dear Leader’s mother, Kim Jong Suk. Both, according to the country’s official view of the past.

And, you won’t want to miss “You Should Conduct Combat Training under the Simulated Condition of Real Battle,” which addresses “the commanding trait of General Secretary Kim Jong Il who has strengthened the Korean People’s Army into the invincible revolutionary armed forces.” No exhibition, of course, would be complete without a Kim Jong-il painting!

The KCNA continues:

Among the works on display are Korean painting “Grievance on the Shore of Lake Pujon”, oil painting “Echo in Ulsa Year (1905)”, woodcut “Sea of Blood in Northern Jiandao” and poster “Brigandish Japanese Imperialists Who Forced Koreans to Change Their Names to Japanese Ones!”, which expose the hair-raising atrocities committed by the Japanese imperialists.

Was the Thursday opening well-attended? This is the best we’ll get: “Officials concerned, artists and working people in the city went round the fine art works on display.”

[photo by yeowatzup via Flickr]

World’s oldest mechanical clock going automatic after 600 years

by Sean McLachlan on


It’s been wound by hand for 600 years, but technology has finally caught up with the world’s oldest mechanical clock.

The duty of winding the clock three times a week, a task that takes an hour, has been performed by the same family for five generations. Before them a series of clock winders have been at the task since the clock was installed in Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England, in the 1380s.

But now Paul Fisher, the current clock winder, is retiring, and his sons are too busy to take over the task. Curators are installing an electric motor to wind it automatically.

It’s the end of a tradition that goes back to a century before Columbus’ voyage to America, and locals aren’t too happy about it. The clock has two dials, one inside and one outside. The inside face, shown above, has a 24-hour dial and shows the phases of the Moon. Interestingly for the time, it shows the Earth at the center of the universe, with the Sun and Moon revolving around it. The outside face has a more standard 12-hour dial, with mechanical knights who ring the bells and joust with one another.


Photo courtesy user Cormullion via Wikimedia Commons.

Eat Cheerios, win a dream trip

by Kraig Becker on

Would you like the chance to do what you love? If so, then Cheerios is here to help. The iconic breakfast cereal, which touts itself as being good for your ticker, has launched their “Do What You Love” sweepstakes, offering us a chance to win one of ten spectacular vacations, and all you have to do is pledge to love your heart.

The ten trips are designed to offer a little something for everyone. For instance, sports fans will have the opportunity to win a trip to a NASCAR event in Florida, including VIP access to racers, cars and other behind the scenes activities. But if stock car races aren’t your thing, then perhaps you’d be more interested in visiting the set of This Old House, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet the show’s star, Roger Cook. The outdoor crowd will be interested in the trip to the Grand Canyon, which includes a $500 shopping spree to your favorite gear shop, not to mention jeep tours, whitewater rafting, and more.

Entering the contest is easy. You simply go to the official site, select the trip that most interests you, take the pledge to love your heart, and fill out the entry form with your contact info. That’s all there is to it, and best of all, you can enter once per day, giving yourself plenty of chances to win or go for multiple trips that appeal to your sense of wanderlust.

To check out all of the available trips, and to enter head over to Cheerios.com/love.

[Photo credit: chensiyuan via WikiMedia]

Czech Republic: From Prague Castle to Česky Krumlov Castle, a land of castles and fairy tales

by Gadling Staff on

For hundreds of years, Czech Republic was the land of knights and castles, royalty and moats, and drawbridges. Though the country boasts hundreds of castles and palaces across its hills and mountains, several impressive castles are close enough to Prague to be seen within one vacation. Still depicting the spirit of their peak days as royal medieval fortresses, these five castles are worth a closer look.

Prague Castle
Founded in the 9th century, the Prague Castle is one of the oldest castles in the region. During its long history, the Castle housed Bohemian Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, and Presidents of Czech Republic. Today, the Prague Castle is said to be the biggest ancient castle, and gleams as the jewel glistening above the Vltava River as the centerpiece of Prague.

What to do: Plan to spend a day to tour the soaring Cathedral, extensive gardens, and regal palaces within the Prague Castle.

Karlštein Castle
Founded in 1348 by Czech King and Roman Emporer Charles IV, this castle sits high on a hill overlooking the sleepy Vltava Moldau River. The town below advances up the hill with quaint shops and Czech-style restaurants, making the trek up toward the Karlštein Castle an experience in itself.

What to do: Plan to take the horse-drawn carriage up the steep grade road, from the only parking at the bottom, and enjoy the old-world feel of the village and castle to the sound of the horses’ clip-clop over cobblestones.

Křivoklát Castle
Approaching Křivoklát Castle from the surrounding hills creates a breathtaking experience, every time. Křivoklát looks like the castles born of fairy tales, built in the 12th century and washed a majestic white. Inside, find a Gothic chapel, an extensive library, and a memorable collection of Gothic-era art.

What to do: Take the tour, and see firsthand the notorious dungeons and prison torture instruments.

Loket Castle
This middle ages castle of the 12th century sits near the Czech-German border, and was once thought to be the key to the kingdom of Bohemia. Perched high above a dramatic promontory overlooking the Ohře River, the Loket Castle is a sight worth beholding, especially notable for its complete reconstruction by the townspeople of the village of Loket after its ruins during Communism.

What to do: Visit the charming town of Loket during one of their Festivals, and participate in the glimpse into medieval life.

Česky Krumlov Castle
One of the best preserved medieval towns in the world, ranked Number Two by the UNESCO World Heritage list, second only to Venice, Italy. Česky Krumlov, near the Czech-Austrian border, is the second largest castle in the Czech Republic, after the Prague Castle.

What to do: Tour the extensive gardens above the Castle, see a theater production hosted in the gardens amphitheater, or raft down the moat-like Vltava River below.

Czech Republic, home to hundreds of castles and palaces, is truly a fairy tale world to discover.

Jennifer Lyn King, a native of Texas, lives in the Czech Republic, where she writes from her home near Prague. She is the author of The One Year Mini for Busy Women. Read her blog on Red Room. All the photos above are copyright Jennifer Lyn King.