Scott’s Cape Evans Hut (Photo: Alan Light)
A U.S. research company recently found what it believes to be the wreckage of the ship Terra Nova off the coast of Greenland. The wooden ship sank in 1943 while on a supply mission. But it is best known as the ship that carried Robert Scott and his fellow explorers to Antarctica in 1910-1912 as they attempted to be the first to reach the South Pole. Unfortunately, Scott and his four companions discovered the Norwegian party led by Roald Amundsen had reached the Pole first. All the members of Scott’s party died on the return trek back from South Pole.
It’s rather extraordinary that the wreckage was found now when the world is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Scott’s fateful Terra Nova Expedition.
More about the discovery of the Terra Nova wreckage:
More about Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition:
- Wikipedia’s article on the Terra Nova Expedition>>
- Cool Antarctica’s article on Scott and the Expedition>>
- Cool Antarctica’s article on the Terra Nova ship>>
Tags: Antarctica, history
No, I didn’t take the day off work but I did post a message on the FB walls of a few friends who are diehard Duran Duran fans and added some of my favorite songs into today’s playlist. Whether or not you came of age in the ’80s, you’ve probably at least heard of the British band who released so many popular songs over the years. One of my favorites is “(Reach Up For The) Sunrise” a relatively recent release that always gets me singing and grooving.
I really enjoyed the band’s concert in Hyde Park at the start of the Olympics in London on July 27th (more about that). I hear they’re touring again with the recent release of their A Diamond in the Mind album. Hope all you Duran Duran fans enjoy this special day!
Freakonomics
It’s rather rare for me to see a movie before I read the book but I happened upon the movie Freakonomics on Netflix streaming several months ago and enjoyed the broad connections and thought-provoking discussions. Having finally read the book, I can say that I enjoyed the additional depth offered by the book. I’m a bit of a Sociology buff but no economics expert so while I can appreciate the connections the authors’ made, I certainly am not in a position to refute any of their data or conclusions. That said, by the end of the book, I found myself enjoying the IDEA of the potential connections that I wasn’t as concerned about the validity of the data. Scary, I know. But I thought of it more as an exercise in “What if?”, which is why I love to read science fiction and fantasy novels as well.
I believe that our behavior is in part determined by what motivates us and the incentives available to us, especially in terms of our interactions with others. I can see where a sumo wrestler might cheat a little when the outcome means little to him and more to his opponent, whom he knows quite well. I know it’s not on the same level but haven’t you ever let a little child win at a board game? Or listened for hours to a friend talk about her latest problem even though you’d rather be doing something else entirely? Don’t we often have to weigh our choices based on what’s in it for us and sometimes decide that it’s more important to choose what’s in it for someone we love?
You probably won’t enjoy this book if you aren’t a fan of popular science or know a lot about economics or care deeply about data and statistics. But, if you have an open mind and simply want to enjoy a “What if?” discussion, I recommend spending a few hours with the book or the movie.
Okay, I’ll admit it: one of my greatest joys in life is seeing people doing something they love and using their talents. While hanging out online the other day, I stumbled across this amazing video created by some truly talented teens from Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, TX. The high-energy pop song was written and sung by 15-year old KaitlynK and high-school senior Preston Cox filmed and edited the production. Over 1,000 students appear in the 5-minute LipDub (lip-syncing with audio dubbed) video with a strong Bullying Prevention message. I loved the message, the energy, and the variety of students participating. Amazing!
“When you’re out in the crowd knockin’ little kids down/ Does it make you feel big? Does it make you feel proud? You’ve got all the right stuff when it comes to your clothes/ But your attitude sucks, you need a new one of those”
The song “Who Do U Think U R” is available for download at iTunes and you can read more about the video and its production at The Huffington Post.
Have you ever been present when someone who LOVES something beyond measure does that something for the first time? Like, oh, a 2-year-old who has loved trains since he could grab a toy train and push it across the floor. Who rarely sits still but will sit through an entire episode of Thomas and Friends. Who will spend hours driving a remote-control train around the tracks.
Not so long ago, I had the immense pleasure of being present when this little boy took his first ride on a real train during A Day Out with Thomas at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, WA. The ride was short, the seat was hard, the train car was from the early 1900s, and he could barely see out the window but he didn’t care. And the look on his face as we boarded the train and the train started to move was a priceless moment.
I love mysteries and historical fiction so The Face of a Stranger, the first William Monk novel by Anne Perry, was an excellent read for me. Monk is a police detective in Victorian London who suffers a severe case of amnesia after an accident. He goes back to work, pretending to be fine, and attempts to solve the murder mystery while trying to remember his past. As he discovers more about himself, he realizes that his life and personality left a lot to be desired including compassion and love.
I find Monk to be a fascinating character and enjoy the references to the medical care of the time particularly with mental illness. I also love Hester’s character: her intelligence, wit, interest in medicine and the way she stands up for herself and what she believes. The mystery was interesting and the descriptions of the lifestyle, settings and characters were vivid. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
Khal & Daenerys Crocheted Dolls by Deadcraft.com
I’ve been a Game of Thrones fan for several years now…more a fan of the books than the TV show but I’ve enjoyed seeing the story come to life. Found these wonderfully detailed crocheted dolls of Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen from Deadcraft.com (available for sale, too!). Simply amazing. She’s also designed dolls for Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Jamie Lannister, Cersei Lannister, the Hound, and my fav character Arya Stark.
Tags: crochet