Saving Angkor Wat

by Erik Olsen on

A solid (albeit somewhat dry) piece in the
International Herald Tribune about recent efforts to catalog and photograph the myriad ruins and historical artifacts
at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. An American philanthropist named Shelby White is helping the National Museum update its
inventory and bring the system for understanding the artifacts and ruins into the 21st century (it has kind of been
marinating there in the 18th century or so…everything on paper or not kept track of, etc.)

Anyway, as someone who has visited and deeply admired Angkor Wat, I like to see efforts like this, serious energy put
forward to document a place that has been looted for years and parts of which have fallen into disrepair because of
Cambodia’s economy.

World Championship Outhouse Races

by Erik Olsen on

Now, when many of y’all start thinkin about the West and places like
Virginia City, well, what comes into your noggin are images of them great open spaces. Maybe the Ponderosa and Little
Joe waiting there to greet ya. But I got some news for yer. Virginia City is also home to one of the more unusual
events we’ve heard about lately (‘cept maybe Burning Man, of course).

On October 8, people from all over the place will gather in Virginia City for the
World Championship Outhouse Races. What happens during the WCOR
(pronounced WACK-or)? Well, the folks in Virg City get together, you see, and hand craft themselves an outhouse. Maybe
that sounds easy, but lemme tell you it ain’t. Cause these outhouses, honey-buckets as we used to call them, will be
pushed, pulled, dragged, shoved, carried, or thrown across town, that is until some lucky feller reaches the finish
line. So you see, these outhouses have to be tough!

Anyway, this here event lasts all weekend, and as you might guess there will be lots of vittles. So head on over to
Virginia City thiis weekend if you got some time to spare.

Arctic Refuge (ANWR) Books

by Erik Olsen on

To some the mention of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge conjours up images of battalions of caribou, slowly
making their way across the vast tundra of Alaska. To others, it is part of a complex solution to our country’s energy
woes. Personally, I tend to favor the first notion of ANWR, and believe that it should be kept off-limits to oiil
development. I’ve seen enhough clear-cuts and mine tailing dumps in my lifetime to know that it’s hard to trust
industry to be kind to the environment. No decision has been reached on ANWR’s future, but these days, who knows what’s
going to happen.

In light of this whole debate, there have been several films released lately – documentaries, obviously – about the
refuge. But also there have been some fine articles and books. Among the latter,
here is a link to a
couple of nice reviews for two recent books that more or less (well, more) favor the conservation approach.

The first is calledArctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land, and is written
by Subhankar Banerjee. It’s a volume of photos and essays and it portrays the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as
America’s Serengeti, a claim often made by environmentalists. The second book is called Where Mountains are
Nameless, by Jonathan Waterman, and it too makes the case that ANWR should be protected (the title is
almost too melodramatic, however).

The reviews are mostly favorable, and while they favor one side of the debate, well, maybe that’s your side and you’re
looking for some reading on the subject.

Drive I-95: The Book

by Erik Olsen on

Stan Posner and his wife Sandra want you to stop and smell
the roses. And the bathroom. The one along I-95 near the Cracker Barrel that actually smells like roses. Because, you
see, that is one of the better roadside bathrooms you will ever find along I-95.

Well, I’m not sure if there is actually a rose-smelling bathroom along I-95, but I do know that I found the idea for
a book about many of the little stops along the highway, a new book called Drivei95, to be pretty interesting. The book is loaded with history,
details, maps and advice about the I-95 corridor, a part of the country that to you and me is usually experienced
in a blur. Not so fast. There are all sorts of odd and interesting little places that you should know about. As well as
scores of McDonalds, Burger Kings and Ruby Tuesdays. The book tells you what to stop and check out, and what to
leave behind. Oh, and there are also other helpful details in the book, like where you are most likely to get
nabbed by police for speeding. And where you will find the most pet-friendly lodgings, places that don’t mind
so much if Fido craps on the rug.

It’s a cool concept…looks like a cool book.

Hunting Tom Hanks

by Erik Olsen on

Right now it’s the calm before the storm.

Perhaps you read the Da Vinci Code, perhaps you didn’t and someone just explained it to you. Either way, notions of
the book’s plot are probably growing hazy, and the images in your head of what the characters in the book look like
remain nebulous and differ wildly from person to person. That will soon change. Why? Because very soon all the
paperback reprints of the Da Vinci Code will feature Tom Hanks goofy mug as scohlar Robert Langdon, and the marketing
onslaught to promote Ron Howard mega-million film will commence.

Just as a primer for this, a little taste of what’s to come,
here is an article in the Sunday
Times Scotland about some rather odd subcult of autograph seekers who have been staking out Hanks and Company as
the film moves swiftly through production in Roslin, Scotland.

It’s actually a fine, pretty humorous piece that provides insight into both the film and the weird pods of folks who
travel the globe in search of someone’s hand scribbles.