Tag: Politics
Al Franken Draws a Map of America
by Eva Holland | 09.09.09 | 1:12 PM ET
From memory. Apparently the good Senator’s been pulling out this party trick for years, but his latest display—presumably, his first since taking office—is drawing a lot of online attention. Here it is, from the Minnesota State Fair:
Hey, wouldn’t it be nifty if an excellent grasp of the country’s geography was a prerequisite for federal office, rather than a viral video-worthy feat?
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Yahoo! BuzzBook Bannings in America, Mapped
by Eva Holland | 09.01.09 | 1:25 PM ET
Banned Books Week has a mashup of all the book bans (and resulting challenges) in the Lower 48 over the last two years. Anyone expecting a certain, er, geographical censorship concentration might be in for a surprise: Brooklyn and the Bay Area, for instance, are represented right alongside the more stereotypical suspects. (Via The Book Bench)
The Virtue of European Tolerance
by Rick Steves | 09.01.09 | 10:23 AM ET
Exploring Europe, exploring travel as a political act
If it’s August, it Must Be ‘Les Vacances’
by Eva Holland | 08.28.09 | 3:17 PM ET
We’ve all been there: wandering in a medieval town emptied of locals, or reading the note in our guidebook about business closures for the month of August—those pesky paid vacation days again. Global Post’s Teri Schultz takes a look at government-mandated vacation time over in Europe, and the lack thereof back in the States.
Photo We Love: Obama on Holiday
by World Hum | 08.28.09 | 10:59 AM ET
REUTERS/Jason Reed President Obama, who clearly didn’t read Tom Swick’s open letter about his vacation plans, cycles on Martha’s Vineyard.
Immigrants, Treasure Your Heritage—and Melt
by Rick Steves | 08.26.09 | 11:43 AM ET
Exploring Europe, exploring travel as a political act
Chiapas: An Economist Correspondent’s Diary
by Michael Yessis | 08.26.09 | 11:36 AM ET
Its focus is Zapatistas and coffee. Mostly coffee.
NPR on Cuba’s Tourism ‘Allure’
by Eva Holland | 08.20.09 | 2:14 PM ET
With a possible end to the travel ban in the works, Jason Beaubien takes a look at Cuba from the potential American tourist’s perspective. One tour guide he spoke to acknowledged that, infrastructure-wise, Cuba may not be ready for an American influx. “But,” he added, “if you ask me about the will of the Cuban people, I would say, yes, we are ready. We would like to have more exchange with the American people coming from the U.S. to Cuba.”
An Aging Continent Grapples With Immigration
by Rick Steves | 08.20.09 | 10:56 AM ET
Exploring Europe, exploring travel as a political act
Arthur Frommer Is Steering Clear of Arizona
by Eva Holland | 08.19.09 | 2:39 PM ET
He isn’t quite calling for a full travel boycott—yet—but in his latest blog post, Frommer expresses his concerns over the recent appearances by gun-toting citizens at a Phoenix political event, and makes it clear that he won’t visit the state anytime soon.
The Great Israeli Road Sign Debate
by Michael Yessis | 08.14.09 | 3:21 PM ET
Israel’s transportation minister has proposed switching the country from a trilingual system—road signs are currently in Hebrew, Arabic and English—to one where the signs are presented exclusively “with transliterations of the Hebrew names.”
The World reports that street signs in Israel have long long been ideological battlegrounds. Reporter Daniel Estrin follows around one couple who travels the country trying to restore defaced street signs. Here are a few photos.
World Leaders on Vacation
by Michael Yessis | 08.14.09 | 1:54 PM ET
President Obama isn’t the only one taking a break this month. This Newsweek story looks at where other world leaders are going or have gone, including Russian macho man/Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Check out the spectacular photo accompanying the piece.
What do Presidential Vacations Say About a President?
by Michael Yessis | 08.13.09 | 4:07 PM ET
Tom Swick has weighed in. Today, so does the Washington Post. One scholar says of presidents on vacation: “You have to show the country that you are getting respite from the job, but also that you are still ever at the ready. It’s a delicate balance.”
Interview with Nick Bonner: Touring North Korea
by Cullen Thomas | 08.13.09 | 10:30 AM ET
Cullen Thomas talks to the founder of Koryo Tours about his fascination with North Korea and providing tours to the land of Kim Jong Il
The End of Cuba’s ‘Tourism Apartheid’?
by Eva Holland | 08.11.09 | 4:25 PM ET
It’s been more than a year since Raul Castro rescinded the ban on Cubans in local hotels and resorts, but the shift is only now seeing tangible results. Writes Nick Miroff of Global Post: “Given that the average wage on the island is less than $20 a month, the change was largely considered a symbolic one at the time. But this summer, something unusual has been happening up and down the beach at Varadero. The hotels are filling with cash-wielding locals.” Apparently, the influx is largely a result of steep discounts in a recession-hit off season. I never thought I’d say it, but this might be one “staycation” I can get behind.
Lights Out in Pyongyang
by Michael Yessis | 08.10.09 | 12:00 PM ET
Journalist Sarah Wang recently spent four days in North Korea, traveling incognito with a group of “potential investors.” Her story in Slate adds some vivid details to what we know about life in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Here’s one scene:
The men in the streets usually wore black or dark blue uniforms that looked like Mao suits, and the women wore cheap white or gray blouses with black or dark blue skirts. The most popular shoes were made of dark blue cloth, with white shoelaces and white plastic soles. The blue color ran and stained the laces when it rained.
Look for more North Korea coverage on World Hum in the coming days.
Freed U.S. Journalists Return Home From North Korea
by Eva Holland | 08.05.09 | 11:15 AM ET
Laura Ling and Euna Lee arrived in Los Angeles this morning after months of imprisonment. In the Daily Beast, World Hum contributor (and resident expert on Korean prisons) Cullen Thomas sheds some light on how the happy ending came to be.
In Defense of Martha’s Vineyard
by Eva Holland | 08.03.09 | 12:08 PM ET
Tom Swick may think President Obama could have done better for a vacation spot, but Lonely Planet’s Robert Reid begs to differ. Here’s his compelling list of 22 reasons why Obama was right to pick Martha.
Incidentally, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. would probably agree. Gates told Travel + Leisure in 2007 that the Vineyard was his favorite place.
Can Professor Gates Blame Jet Lag?
by Eric Weiner | 07.30.09 | 5:02 PM ET
iStockPhoto Eric Weiner says altered circadian rhythms may explain how a minor confrontation escalated into a national brouhaha
Slate Explains Why Congress Gets so Much Vacation
by Michael Yessis | 07.30.09 | 11:35 AM ET
Members of congress get a lot of time off each year, and it’s not entirely unjustified. I live in the D.C. area, and I applaud anyone who can manage to escape the oppressive weather by disappearing for August.