Culture

Construction Crew Destroys Mayan Pyramid in Belize

Gravel © Jake Mates A 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid in northern Belize was discovered this week to have been destroyed by a construction crew building a road. Although all pre-Columbian structures, even those on private property, are protected under federal law in Belize, the builders working on the road used heavy equipment to extract crushed stone [...]

Woody Guthrie Center Opens in Tulsa

Woody Guthrie © Library of Congress The catchy and perennially popular folk song “This Land Is Your Land” has inspired Americans to set out and explore their country since it was written in 1940. With the opening of the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, visitors will now be able to explore the history behind [...]

Interstate Mullet Toss on the Horizon

How’s your training coming along? Are you ready to toss fish across state lines? The 29th Annual Interstate Mullet Toss is happening on April 26th-28th in Perdido Key, Florida, and in case your mullet tossing skills are not quite up to scratch, the organizers have helpfully provided this instructional video: If it strikes you that [...]

Emirati Hotties Deported from Saudi for Excessive Good Looks

This man in Abu Dhabi may be handsome, but not so handsome that his face cannot be shown © Visit Abu Dhabi Handsome men take heed. Apparently you can be ejected from Saudi Arabia for being dangerously good looking. Three men were deported from Saudi Arabia for being so good looking that they pose a [...]

Nazca Lines Being Destroyed

Nazca Lines © Paul Williams An unauthorized limestone quarrying operation in Peru has destroyed a small section of the ancient Nazca Lines geoglyphs and damaged other portions of the famous drawings which are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Serious and irreparable damage has been done to several of the geoglyphs by the limestone [...]

Site of Wounded Knee Massacre to be Sold

Wounded Knee © Jimmy Emerson No one seems to know what should be done with the land in South Dakota where scores of Native Americans were massacred by American Soldiers at Wounded Knee in 1890. The land is currently in private hands, but the 74-year-old owner of the parcel has decided to sell it once [...]

New Orleans Contest Gives Shout Out to Tennessee Williams

© Bill V Listening to people scream at the top of their lungs might not strike you as an enjoyable experience, but the organizers of the annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival beg to differ. The hallmark event of the festival is the Stanley & Stella Shouting Contest, otherwise known as the “Stell-Off.” The contest’s [...]

Nelson’s Uniform Crosses the Channel to France

Statue of Nelson in London’s Trafalgar Square © Fran Garcia Considered a sacred artifact of Britain’s greatest naval victory, the uniform Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was wearing when he was struck down by a sniper during the Battle of Trafalgar is going on display in France for the first time. The coat, which is marred [...]

Visit Every World Heritage Site in One Trip

Uluru, a UNESCO World Heritage Site © hekris There are those of us who have a thing for lists. It’s very satisfying to make a list and cross things off it, whether it is a shopping list, summer reading list, or one’s bucket list. A new tour package taps into that sentiment by offering the [...]

NYC’s MoMA Lets You Watch a Movie Star Sleep

Tilda Swinton © GabboT A new installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City sees actress Tilda Swinton — who has starred in films such as Orlando and Michael Clayton — sleeping in a glass box for hours at a time. The piece is called The Maybe and does not have a [...]

Part of Last Remaining Stretch of Berlin Wall to be Demolished for Condos

One of the murals to be destroyed © Nic Walker A portion of the East Side Gallery, a 1.3km section of the historic Berlin Wall which is emblazoned with famous murals, is slated to be demolished to make way for the construction of a condominium complex. The prospect of losing this piece of cultural heritage [...]

Greeks Volunteer to Fund Tourism Campaign

Flag of Greece © J. Griffin Stewart How many countries do you know of have citizens so proud of their homeland that they donate money to promote tourism? Greece has some of the most patriotic and engaged citizens in the world and some have taken action to fill the tourism promotion void left by austerity [...]

What If the United Nations Were Run By Dachshunds?

© katchooo That profound question is about to be put to the test in piece of performance art at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. The Dachshund UN show is part art installation and part performance, with the set modelled after the former UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. The members of the assembly, however, are represented [...]

Oldest Declaration of Human Rights Makes American Debut

Cyrus Cylinder © Smithsonian Institution An ancient artifact of historic significance is about to be displayed in America for the first time. The Cyrus Cylinder is the oldest declaration of human rights known to exist in the world, and the principles contained within it have inspired many, including Alexander the Great and Thomas Jefferson. The [...]

Heroic Librarians Protect Timbuktu’s Manuscripts

Manuscript from Timbuktu © Robert Goldwater Library Most people naturally focus on survival when faced with an invasion or civil war, nary giving a thought to the preservation of knowledge. Luckily for humankind, librarians have that kind of foresight and many are willing to go to great lengths to protect irreplaceable documents and artifacts when [...]

Hoof It On Over to Nevada for Some Cowboy Poetry

© Paul Everett Put on your spurs and round up family and friends for a ride to Elko, Nevada where the 29th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering kicks off on January 28th. The event is focused on promoting cowboy culture and features poetry, music, dance, and a variety of other performances and activities. This year the [...]

Ireland’s Enduring Culture of Hospitality

I remember returning home to Ireland after almost two years travelling back in 2007. I got as far as Heathrow and joined the check-in queue for an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin. The flight was subsequently delayed and I recall smiling as I noticed the sound level of conversation beginning to steadily rise. Irish people [...]

North Carolina Town Determined to Continue Possum Drop Tradition

Possum © TexasEagle Despite legal action from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and a judge’s ruling, the folks in Brasstown, North Carolina are hell-bent on continuing their New Year’s Eve tradition. Brasstown has staked its claim to fame as the Possum Capital of the World and for many years the centrepiece of [...]

The Secret Behind Singapore’s Latest Craze: Pop-up Restaurants

Singapore is a hotbed for foodies and word is getting around about its latest culinary craze. Pop-up restaurants are, well, popping up all over the place. Supper No. 6 © Lolla’s Secret Suppers You have to play your cards right to gain access to one of these exclusive underground dinners. Most happen only once in [...]