October 10, 2007, 6:52 PM CT

Project To Help Design Boston's Future

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in association with State Street Corporation, Distrigas/Suez, Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Boston Foundation, announced Oct. 8 a major project designed to help position Boston at the forefront of world-class cities of the future.

"FutureBOSTON: Creating Competitive Edge in the Global Economy" will address the challenges and opportunities facing Boston in the coming century, and offer participants the chance to propose solutions to issues affecting the life of the city.

FutureBOSTON will kick off with a specially produced WCVB-TV5 "Chronicle" television series that will run each week for four consecutive Tuesdays, starting Oct. 9. Filmed on location in Dublin, Ireland; Vancouver, Canada; Portland, Oregon; and Seoul, Korea, these "case studies" will look at how each city dealt with its own urban challenges and the lessons that Bostonians can learn from their experiences.

The "Chronicle" series will be followed by three online competitions in the spring of 2008 - part of the project's overall vision to enhance the Boston region's competitive edge. These "Interactive Symposia" are designed to harvest solutions to the critical challenges facing Boston in three key areas: health, design and environmental sustainability......... Posted by: Betsy      Read more         Source

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 17:41:19 GMT

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, originally established in 1885 (thirteen years after the establishment of the world's first national park). This photograph illustrates two of the main ecoregions within the park, the nearly vegetation-free alpine and the lower-elevation subalpine.

In comparison with this photograph of a mountain in the park, the tree-line is not as well-defined. The rugged, rocky slope prevents both soil and seedling establishment in many places. It is also safe to say that periodic avalanches curtail the progression of forest cover on the slopes. Posted by: Daniel Mosquin      Read more     Source

September 27, 2007, 9:14 PM CT

Catch-and-release in less than 4 minutes

Recreational fishing that involves catch-and-release may seem like just good fun, and that released fish go on to live happily ever after, but a recent study at the University of Illinois shows that improper handling techniques by anglers can increase the likelihood of released fish being caught by predators.

After the stress of the catch and lack of oxygen from being out of water, the fish is in a weakened state. When it eventually gets released back into the water, if fish havent been handled properly, they are more likely to be caught by a predator.

A study on the effects of catch-and-release angling on bonefish which was conducted by a team led by University of Illinois researcher Cory Suski. The article is available online in the journal Comparative Biochemical and Physiology Part A and will be published in an upcoming issue.

"Whenever a fish is caught and reeled in, it expends a lot of energy so that's one stressor," said Suski. Depending upon the skill of the angler, the catching can last a long time and put additional stress on the fish. When the fish is brought up on the deck or in the boat to measure and take a picture, it faces an additional challenge and cannot obtain enough oxygen, and the fish continues to accumulate physiological disturbances. "Our recommendation to catch-and-release sport anglers is that they minimize the time it takes to actually land the fish and take a picture, and then get it back into the water as soon as possible"......... Posted by: Betsy      Read more         Source

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:56:41 GMT

The Old Stone House

In the midst of Washington, D.C., a city of grand memorials to national leaders and significant events, stands an unassuming building commemorating the daily lives of ordinary Americans who made this city, and this nation, unique. The Old Stone House, one of the oldest known structures remaining in the nation's capital, is a simple 18th century dwelling built and inhabited by common people. 
Ranger led programs at Rock Creek Park
You can join Park Rangers for a variety of natural, historical or recreation programs at various sites throughout the park. Click here, to go to our list of Ranger led progams
    
Write to
3545 Willamsburg Ln., NW
Washington, DC 20008
E-mail

Phone
Visitor Information
(202) 426-6851

Headquarters
(202) 895-6000
Fax
(202) 895-6230

Climate
The climate in Washington D.C. is seasonal. Summers can be very hot and humid with an average temperature of 82. Winters are variable and can be very mild to very cold. The average winter temperature is 35. Clothing should be in accordance with the season. Did You Know?
The original asking price for the lot of the Old Stone House in 1760 was 1 pound and 10 shillings. Posted by: Gracy      Read more     Source

September 1, 2007, 9:25 AM CT

Beyond Beach Travel

As summer rounds the corner into Labor Day, travelers rush to squeeze the last drops of sunshine out of the season. This year, skip the usual barbecue-and-beach getaway for an outdoor excursion that truly does justice to those glorious, warm days of late summer and early fall. Need a little inspiration? IgoUgo members recommend their favorite ways (and favorite places) to get outside and stretch those sunlight hours-without a beach in sight.

Soak up the late-summer sun in America's national parks.

Beat the heat-and get the country's most spectacular landscapes all to yourself-by visiting national parks after the crowds have gone home. IgoUgo members love Utah's Zion National Park for its "luminescent red canyons" and plentiful campgrounds; Rocky Mountain National Park for its variety of hiking trails and dramatic ranges (hint: late summer and fall bring the area's best weather); and Montana's Glacier National Park for its untamed beauty and vast, sparkling lakes. Looking for an easier weekend trip? Don't neglect your nearby state parks, either; South Dakota's Custer State Park, with its scenic drives and "begging burros," won over one traveler who planned a half-day excursion and left wishing for more.

Head back to the Wild West at a dude ranch......... Posted by: Betsy      Read more         Source

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:18:44 GMT

Touch down in Frankfurt, Germany

12 hours in a United/ Lufthansa aircraft and no luggage at the belt for me - too bad.

However nice summerly welcome for me last Sunday here. Frankfurt had the "Main Ufer Fest" on and I had a wonderful time strolling through the stalls there. Some surprisingly good music there too :) Posted by: tj      Read more     Source

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:15:15 GMT

W Hotel Westwood Starts Surfing- Internet Style at the Pool

The first W Hotel on the west coast, the W Hotel Westwood has installed hand held computers poolside to allow guests to order drinks, food and even spa treatments at the in house BLISS SPA.



A guest can ever surf the web for movie or theater show times, tickets and even store and site-seeing locations in the general LA area without having to leave the pool or do much more than flip over to get a more even tan line. (It also means one can check gmail for email and skip the blackberry. Nice touch that!) Posted by: Stevie Wilson      Read more     Source

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:53:13 GMT

Packing Light Is an Easy Trick

These days going through ANY airport can be a nightmare. It's worse than having a physical at some airports - and that applies to your luggage as well as your person! Weight has now become a critical element when you pack and it's important to know if you need to go to a larger bag, remove items or know that you need to take an additional bag just to catch any extra purchases made at your destination.



One way to make it easier is SOLUTIONS by Ricardo Beverly Hills Luggage who have lightweight luggage that includes a digital scale built into it. It prevents the $$$ dings when you run over $50 pounds. The luggage is fairly light weight, has ergonomic handles, wheels and COLORS (black, crushed berry and teal) to keep your luggage from getting lost.

Never again do you have to worry about running overweight and having to pay extra fees for that even a few ounces of excess baggage.
Also look for a new collection of Solutions Lite from Ricardo Beverly Hills this fall that is even "lighter"!!
Available at Macys, Macys.com and Ebags.com, there are some great values ($150-$400) - and potential here- for travelers everywhere.
Ricardo Beverly Hills Luggage Posted by: Stevie Wilson      Read more     Source

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:23:51 GMT

Whatever happened to the Sunday drive?

In the years BT (before television) the Sunday Drive was a popular form of weekend recreation, enjoyed by families, couples, and guys and girls traveling in segregated groups of two to a half-dozen. Often there was no particular destination; more like aimless wandering in which the beauty of the countryside provided sufficient motive. Sometimes a picnic became the highlight, usually in a field under a shade tree or by the side of a stream. If a river or lake was nearby the gang went swimming or perhaps rented a rowboat and tried their hand at fishing. Beaches were mostly accessible to all, though some entrepreneurs purchased land with a small sandy beach and charged admission, offering comfort and changing facilities in return. Entry prices were reasonable and people were happy to pay. It sure beat sitting at home on a hot summer afternoon. As for the drive itself, most would be on roads free of heavy traffic and if you were in a convertible, that was as nice as it got.

I'd be willing to bet that in today's world, very few people wake up on a Sunday morning and say "let's go for a drive in the country." Few people even use the phrase "in the country" for it once represented a demarcation between urban and rural that was free of endless suburbs and ugly strip malls. The city just petered out in a mile or two and the "country" took over. Now you'll spend half your Sunday drive getting away from built-up areas and the other half coming home. Instead of ambling along, taking in the scents and scenes of a passing landscape, you'll be stuck in traffic jams with the windows raised and the air-conditioning on full blast. Of course there are other distractions to amuse yourself with on Sundays, including the ubiquitous television set, while for those with backyards the barbeque has replaced the picnic and the kids seem happy to splash around in one of those oversized tubs jokingly marketed as "pools." Rich kids get real pools. No, the Sunday Drive as we knew it is a thing of the past and I believe the current generation of car owners has missed out on one of life's simple pleasures.

Perhaps the next best thing would be to purchase a vintage auto, join a club of like-minded owners, and participate in the tours such clubs frequently arrange. The pace won't be rushed, a hard-working member or two will have mapped out a scenic, less-trafficked route and who knows, you and your new friends might even enjoy a picnic or a swim along the way. At the very least you'll get a hint of what the Sunday drive used to be, back in the years BT.

[Photo, Niagara River: Philip Powell] Posted by: Philip Powell      Read more     Source

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 01:07:51 GMT

2 Days in Paris.

"Julie Delpy's directorial debut 2 Days in Paris unavoidably invites comparisons to Before Sunset, as it too focuses on a talkative Franco-American couple as they navigate the ups and downs of their relationship during a brief stay in the titular metropolis," concedes Nick Schager at Slant. "But despite the superficial similarities of both films, Delpy's romantic comedy (heavy on the comedy) is a far more prickly piece of chatty cinema, delivering acerbic wit and antagonistic conflict via the 48-hour visit to Paris by Marion (Delpy) and Jack (Adam Goldberg), whose two-year-old coupling has been increasingly on the rocks since their preceding, miserable holiday in Venice."

"The movie suffers terribly of course from the inevitable comparisons to Before Sunrise/Sunset, but in all fairness to Delpy, show me a film that wouldn't," writes Benjamin Strong in the L Magazine.

Updated. Posted by: dwhudson      Read more     Source