Until 1989, the USSR was a dominant world superpower, however their communist system kept tight reigns on what could go in and out of the country. Starting in 1957, the space race between the USA and Russia had the two countries competing for supremacy in space exploration. This competition led both countries to push innovation and science in education. [Read more...]
Very few people can say they have climbed Mt. Everest… even fewer can say they have skydived Mt. Everest. The first successful climb of the world’s highest peak was in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, when famously Sir Hillary insisted that Norgay take the last steps to the summit, so that neither could claim to be the first on their own. Since then, many more have reached the summit — blind people, disabled people and more. It was not until 55 years after the first successful climb that someone decided that skydiving the peak was in order. [Read more...]
We all know Edward Norton for his roles in blockbuster Hollywood films, but in the last couple of years he’s largely been missing from the big screen. So where has he been hiding? 2011 was declared by the UN as the International Year of Forests. It was launched with a film festival in February in partnership with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and has been inspiring many more interesting spin offs. It’s here that Norton has been putting his passions, fighting for the future of one of the worlds most important resources. [Read more...]
With all of the Occupy Wall Street talk about division of wealth and the continued concerns about the world economy, it might seem like a good time to start depositing more money in a savings account… but for many, saving that money for a rainy day is a very difficult challenge. You came here for good news though, right? Recent studies have been revealing parts of the brain that encourage some of us to be better savers than others, and now a new technology might be able to bring out the rational money saver in all of us. [Read more...]
Life in Africa has many challenges: from disease to poverty and war. The continent also has a reputation for extreme difficulties that are fixable, but a lack of resources often prevents the problems from being solved.This is where resourcefulness comes into play: if you don’t have what you need make do with what you already have. A surplus of empty plastic bottles is something that not only affects Africa, but the entire planet. [Read more...]
Everyone does it on some level. Whether it is someone addicted to text messaging, your parents joining Facebook, or any other number of reasons someone is part of the social network, everyone seems to have their social network vices. Here’s a fun collection of 5 charts, illustrations and infographics for a laugh about the follies and truths of the social mediasphere. Maybe with a little help from these charts, we’ll post all the right stuff in the right places! [Read more...]
Have you ever ridden a bike up a tree? The likely answer to that question is no as the vast majority of humans lack the skill to pull off such a feat. Danny Macaskill on the other hand, does it on a regular basis amongst other tricks like front flips off buildings, riding along railings next to huge drop-offs, spins over stairs and much more. He is a humble Scotsman who grew up riding trials bikes in the small village of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. It almost sounds like a fairytale, but growing up in a town of only 2500 people far from everything is a great setting to get a young kid to spend most of his time riding a bike [Read more...]
Every once in a while someone comes up with something so creative or catchy that it becomes the next internet phenomenon. From Tebowing to Planking to the Duck Face Song, every once in a while something really catches on. Today that thing is Moustair. While it has not been officially defined on Wikipedia yet, Moustair may be the best use of Photoshop to date. Without a doubt, Hulk Hogan takes the cake for having the most incredible Moustair so far, but have a look at the rest, because Moustiar may quite possibly redefine the way we look at the internet, and of course the way we once thought that moustaches and hair were two different things. Be careful though, the closer you look the more disturbing these photos become [Read more...]
What’s better than a tour of the Mexican Baja Peninsula? Racing the entire length of it in classic cars at 110 miles per hour off road over a 1000 mile course… of course. The NORRA Mexican 1000 off-road rally is exactly the ticket if you like the idea of high speeds in the middle of nowhere, without support, in cars that are older than many of the competitors. [Read more...]
It is not often that suicidal thoughts can be the source of something positive in someone’s life. When he was growing up Jeb Corliss often had thoughts of suicide and was extremely depressed. For someone that does not care whether they die or not, base jumping and parachuting seem like a perfect fit. Jeb started out as a skydiver and then went on to become a base jumper. His depression went away, but then became an obsession. [Read more...]
