Road Trip Games…for Kids

by Erik Olsen on

From my college days, I remember two words that still have deep
and resonant meaning: ROOOOOAD TRIIIP!!! Ah yes, the clarion call to arms for the young and mobile…not to mention
without gainful employment.

Well, things have changed a bit for some. Road trips are still cool, but they ain’t what they used to be, especially
when you’ve got kids. But help is on the way. Over at
Bloggingbaby, there is a nice post about road trip games you might play should you be on the road with a noisy
bunch of younguns. Some of the games are the old tried and true ones. You know, the Alphabet game where you have to
make your way through from A to Z reading the letters off signs (Q was always a pain). And then of course, there’s
bizz-buzz (they call it just buzz). Still, if you have kids, perhaps it’s time for a refresher course.

Go to the Land Down Under, Young Man

by Erik Olsen on

I guess I’ve always thought that the United States was considered the Land of Opportunity. Isn’t that what we’ve always been taught? Then what is happening here? Is George Bush’s single-handed effort to besmirch America’s reputation abroad having an effect even on those who are looking for greener pastures for themselves?

Well, maybe. According to a new Pew poll, most young men and women now see Australia as the place to go where the opportunities are best. Who knew?

Only in India did the US register as the most popular country to which to migrate (thank God for the Indians. Prediction: one of our closest allies in the next several decades will be India…mark my words). So, yes. Australia topped the ratings in four countries: Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany. Canada was the most highly regarded destination in the US, France and China. What is up? Well, it does seem W’s policies are the deal-breaker. The poll found that the US’s reputation continuing to suffer around the world because of Iraq and the administration’s stridency.

It should be noted that there was a turnaround in Indonesia due to the American response to the tsunami disaster. Do we need more tragedies to get back in to favor in the world? If so, that’s sad.

Comments?

World Heritage Sites

by Erik Olsen on

I love the World Heritage Sites Web site.
I’ve raved about it before, but you know, you just can’t get enough of a good thing. 

Their list of amazing sites spans the globe from the
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam Afghanistan to the
Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe, and tons in between. For example, take a look
at the list for the United States. There are sites here I’ve
never even heard of (Chaco Culture National Historical Park?).

The number of sites out there is remarkable, and new ones are being added all the time by the good folks at UNESCO.
There is even a magazine put out by the organization called World
Heritage Review. If you are traveling soon, this would be a great place to look for interesting places to
visit. 

New Orleans Hotel Monteleone

by Adrienne Wilson on

Something that has always been of interest to me is history.  It can be the history of anything and
everything ranging from can openers to kimonos to dry ice to whatever.  I’m sure I’ll
find something about the subject to keep my interest. So when a friend of mine mentioned her upcoming trip to New
Orleans and her intended stay at the Hotel Monteleone I
took it upon myself to see what I could find out about it.

Her primary reason for wanting to stay includes a list of some very
popular authors like Tennessee
Williams, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner,and Eudora Welty to name a few, which is already a great platform for the
hotel historical content, but what about the founder, Antonio Monteleone? 
The building? The haunting’s? Yes, I said
haunting’s which if you’re into the paranormal should have you booking your own reservations sooner than
later. But the final point and reason people stay at hotels is due to their reputation whether it be in
service, for it’s amenities, or world class architecture.  So before I continue with any more hubaloo or what have
you check out the Moneteleone’s history in the heart of New Orleans.

And be

Latitudes Magazine – Darfur, Greenland and More

by Erik Olsen on

I really, REALLY like this new magazine
called Latitudes. I’ve blogged about it before, but they have a new issue
out that is equally stunning, if not superior to the first. The problem with the magazine is that the whole thing is in
Flash, so I can really link to any of the stories in it. The site pops of a big window and you have to navigate the
stories by clicking at the bottom of the page. Oh, and make sure you select the English version, unless, of course, you
speak Italian, because the magazine is Italian, though there is an English version.

Anyway, this month’s issue has some truly amazing imagery of Darfur,
Polynesia, Paraguay, Spain and Greenland (the island images are particularly good). The magazine focuses more on photos
than text, so the dyslexic and reading-challenged among us (or just the lazy) will have a very easy time off it. I’d
like to link to all of the stories here, but you should take the time to open the magazine and take a look. And take
note of some of the small surprises in the magazine. Some of the images actually move.