A Texas woman on her way to Christmas festivites on the west coast will be staying in the Lone Star state this season, all due to a disagreement with the security officers at Austin-Bergstrom International airport. After opting out of security screening at the checkpoint this past week, Claire Hirschkind was pulled aside and prepared for a thorough pat down. She agreed to the procedure but only if the agents didn’t pat down her breasts — and that’s when things got out of hand.
Apparently one thing led to another and Ms. Hirschkind ended up on the floor in handcuffs then subsequently arrested.
While this KVUE story has a few more details on the affair it’s still not clear what led to Ms. Hirschkind’s arrest. A simple pat-down refusal shouldn’t land someone in handcuffs, so it’s possible that a misunderstanding or some heated words led to this disastrous result. Either way, this story provides more reason to tread lightly when going through the checkpoint this season.
In a week where most young folks are hitting the road to visit loved ones or relatives all over the country it’s fun to compare tactics that friends and family use to solicit visits. You know you’ve been there before: you’re only in town for two nights and your hometown friends are calling from the bar — only it’s pudding night at the Martin residence and gee howdy, you can’t miss pudding night for the third year in a row.
Babelgum puts a hilarious spin on the whole situation in the short video below. Beware: it might strike closer to home than you think it will.
Ever wanted to make a movie about your travels? Perhaps you already have? The Nomading Film Festival wants to talk to you. From now through April 2011, this new travel-focused film festival, based in Brooklyn, NY, is accepting submissions from aspiring travel-focused filmmakers everywhere.
The idea behind the Nomading Film Festival is simple. The fest’s creators “believe that stories caught on film, while traveling, are some of the most entertaining, educating, beautiful, and authentic. These are stories which should be shared, acknowledged, and awarded.” Their film festival is the embodiment of this ideal, and they’re striving to get everyone and anyone who likes travel to submit their own entry. Think you lack the movie-making skills to enter? Think again. The philosophy of the Nomading Film Fest is that we are travelers first and filmmakers second. Anyone with a simple point-and-shoot digital camera, Flip or iPhone, a love for travel and some basic editing software is encouraged to enter.
If you’ve ever dreamed of turning that vacation video or backpacking documentary into a reality, here’s your chance. Upload your 15 minutes-or-less video here (along with a nominal entry fee). Selections will be finalized by May next year and the festival will be held June 17th and 18th of 2011 in New York City. Get those cameras rolling!
The US Army Corps of Engineers says old Navy munitions found under Seattle’s cruise ship terminal are not a major threat and cleanup is underway. Still, that the old shells and weapons were initially uncovered by cruise ship thrusters and that has experts talking.
“Wherever munitions have been handled in the past, they have rolled off the pier, they’ve been dropped out of cargo net. It’s perfectly normal, it’s expected. What is unexpected is that there is a cruise ship terminal built directly above where some of these munitions are.” Jim Barton, an expert in underwater munitions, told Seattle’s King5.com back in October.
Divers started spotting the munitions in April as part of routine security sweeps required by the Coast Guard. Apparently the bombs were dropped in the water between the 1930s and 1970 when the U.S. Navy used the the facility. Initially it was empty shell casings found by divers but later searches revealed live ammunition capable of being exploded under where cruise ships travel.
“These are munitions, designed to kill people. Barton said adding “They’re pretty safe to be around unless you disturb them”
When the munitions were first discovered, Seattle’s cruise ship season was still in operation. Records indicate that at least two times in September, live ammunition was brought to the surface with cruise ships nearby.
This week the Corps of Engineers announced that it is leading a $10 million cleanup project with the Port of Seattle, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency. Check this initial report about it all below:
The zoo in Valencia, Spain, known as Bioparc Valencia, is full of wonderful animals in deluxe, non-depressing enclosures. You’ll find it on the western border of the city, easily reachable by bus or subway (you’ll have to walk about 15-20 minutes if you take the subway).
Bioparc Valencia is a new zoo which opened in March 2008, and its philosophies include sustainable design, scientifically-created habitats to ensure the well-being of the animals, specialized animal care provided by teams of both biologists and veterinarians and a concept called zoo-immersion for guests. Zoo-immersion means that when you enter an area of the zoo, which is divided into geographical ecosystems (currently only the African savannah is open, but Southeast Asia and the Neotropics are next), you will be surrounded by vegetation and landscaping appropriate to the animals you’re viewing, and in some cases, like with the ring-tailed lemurs, you’ll be inside an enclosure with the animals. The lemurs run all around their habitat, jumping over your head and crossing your path like cats.
And that brings us to #1 of our Top Ten Cutest Residents of the Valencia Bioparc: lemurs in trees (above and below)!
Cutest residents #1 through #4 are included in the video above. Here are the rest:
5. Blue butt monkey
So you like a cute blue-footed booby. How do you feel about a blue butt monkey? I feel pretty good about him.
6. Kirk’s dik-dik
This little antelope is only about knee-high. I’m so jealous of whoever Kirk is. (Kidding.)
7. Ostrich
I get the feeling this ostrich thinks he blends in. He doesn’t. He stood very still and tried as hard as he could to make me think he was a tree, but I totally knew he was an ostrich. All. Along.
8. Rhino (I know)
You may point out, and you’d be right, that an animal like a rhinoceros is not normally called “cute,” but this guy’s wrinkly muzzle and his graceful, tri-clump feet are adorable. No? Agree to disagree.
9. Aardvarks in a heart-shape
I spotted these two aardvark lovers sleeping together in the dark, curled around each other into the perfect shape of a heart. My guide told me that some visitors think aardvarks are ugly, but I think they’re tremendous.