Egypt’s High Speed Railway Project Takes-off As we often talk about here (until we're blue in the face,) rail travel is the future. In a world of diminishing resources and rising populations, the solutions that modern rail travel can bring for us all are too good to ignore. That's why we're happy to see governments…
Special Interest
Peruvians living in one of the world's driest areas may have a solution to their water crisis - "fog catchers" that catch droplets through thick, swirling blankets of mist. It's a beautiful, but tough environment to live in. But, as always, humans will improvise and improve. And, in this case it doesn't involve complex technology. …
David Lynch may have been here, but we can't be sure. Many people visit the rather awesome Glacier National Park, but did you know that Waterton Lakes is right across from Glacier National Park, and this is why you should visit: two for the price of one. Alberta is utterly stunning and the Canadian Rockies…
In the pursuit of freedom, mankind has created borders. Okaay. But, in some places (such as San Marino, Monaco, Vatican City, Liechtenstein and Canada etc) there is a level of trust that the surrounding countries are friendly and non-threatening. Surprisingly / not surprisingly, Canada and the USA have an arm's length agreement about borders. You…
English wait staff are tiresomely polite. The French are radically rude. They’re the two stereotypes, anyway. What tourists don’t understand about ‘rude’ French waiters... They’re not being ‘rude’ – they’re being real… Is that the case? Or is it that some patrons are annoying? Or all of the above. How should one handle situations…
A book has got smell. A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt. Ray Bradbury But a new Egypt is even better, and it is getting better every day, indeed, especially when it comes to new architecture. Contemporary Egyptian architecture draws from a rich history.…
Art is a most wonderful thing, but it also is very subjective. Obviously, there are masters of all strains of art, and there are some are that simply strain. Have you ever seen performance art and just wondered, “Why is this art?!” You’re not alone, and deciphering performance art is not as difficult or mysterious…
A major European destination just banished Airbnb. Will others follow suit? AirBnB has had a somewhat chequered past when it comes to the neighbours. Most renters are polite and responsible. But it doesn't take too many incidents for the love to sour. A recent crackdown in Barcelona portends stronger laws against short-term rentals across the…
Loo design has barely changed in 150 years – until now. Will people trade their privacy for the chance to find out exactly what is in their waste? For the past 10 years, Sonia Grego has been thinking about toilets – and more specifically what we deposit into them. “We are laser-focused on the analysis…
If you’ve been to New York, you’ve probably visited Central Park. But there’s a part of its story you won't see. Before Central Park was built, a historically black community was destroyed. It’s a story that goes back to the 1820s, when that part of New York was largely open countryside. Soon it became home…
Germany’s green party has proposed an ambitious network of night trains across Europe, which could connect the UK with destinations including Barcelona, Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm. The proposed network would see some 40 sleeper services operating across the continent, with routes extending as far as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Birmingham as well as London. Read more here courtesy of…
Environmental neuroscience is an emerging field devoted to studying the impact of social and physical environments on brain processes and behaviour.
From the various opportunities for social interaction to noise levels and access to green spaces, the characteristics of the urban environment have important implications for neural mechanisms and brain functioning, thus influencing our physical state.
Read…
If you can't fix the problem, fix the blame . . . Doctors, scientists, intelligence agents and government officials have all been trying to find out what causes "Havana syndrome" - a mysterious illness that has struck American diplomats and spies. Some call it an act of war, others wonder if it is some new…
Where would we be without connectivity? Recent generations have come to accept that not only will the Internet work, but it will be fast and it will be cheap. The earth is about 24,901 miles (40,075 km) in circumference with about 7.674 billion people (as of 2019.) That's a lot of bandwidth required. Unbeknownst to…
Golfers are an intrepid bunch, prepared to play in all sorts of testing conditions. It is sometimes to the story of legend, or the butt of endless jokes. Here's just one. “The average golfer walks about 150 km and drinks four litres of alcohol each year. Which means golfers get about 38 km to the…
Waiting at the airport can be soul-crushing sometimes. Especially if your flight is delayed. But not always . . . Take a look at this cool new permanent artwork installed at California’s Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) Installed in the pre-security Arrivals Hall of Terminal B, A million Times (San José), by artists Humans since 1982, is…
“Being like everybody is the same as being nobody.” “
There is nothing in the dark that isn't there when the lights are on.”
Rod Serling
Some of you may remember the ground-breaking Twilight Zone television show, which entranced so many of us (of a certain age) and still resonates to this day. If you loved the…
Yay! Common sense prevails in this day and age! The respective loyalty programs of our affiliate friends, Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com and other brands under the Expedia Group umbrella are to be unified into one service. The company says all brands and products will be in the program, covering flights, hotels, alternative accommodation, car rentals, cruises…
Near the famed Los Angeles intersection of Hollywood and Vine, the highly anticipated Thompson Hollywood is now welcoming guests, as of August 2021, who enter through a greenery-laden walkway, the first sign that this new hotel is something special. Featuring a bar, terrace and views of city, Thompson Hollywood is located 701 m from Capitol Records…
During the Airlines Confidential podcast, former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza told an interesting story about trying to figure out whether a new route would be profitable. In normal times airlines have great data – required and reported by the federal government. But, some looked at telephone data and remittance data to get a sense…