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What Real-Life City Would You Live In From These Fictional Movies [POLL]?

Bryan Cassidy — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:43:32 +0000

Have you ever watched a fictional movie that involved a real city and thought to yourself, “That would be awesome to live there!” Well, here is your chance to vote!

Johannesburg, South Africa (”District 9″)

An abandoned alien spaceship floats over Johannesburg, South Africa after the ‘prawns’ have been given refugee status within District 9. While the aliens are not welcomed outside of District 9, would you find yourself living in this city with an alien spaceship hovering above you and refugee aliens nearby?

District 9

New York City, USA (”I Am Legend”)

It’s the year 2012 and you are alone…or are you? No people bumping into you, no annoying sirens in the early hours…just you and a dog. Would you enjoy living in New York City without the sounds of everyday city life?

I Am Legend

Chicago, USA (”I, Robot”)

This futuristic movie depicts Chicago (and the world) filled with robots that are tightly integrated with humans during the year 2035. Shouldn’t we all live a life with robots assisting us (minus a revolution of course…)?

I Robot

Port Royal, Jamaica (a.k.a. Kingston) (”Pirates of the Caribbean Series”)

Rum, wenches, more wenches and of course, a lot more rum! Being a swashbuckling pirate back in the day didn’t seem that bad in this movie series. Are you the type that would guzzle down rum at any opportunity in a port town (minus the drug-related violence in Kingston)?

Pirates of the Caribbean

New York City, USA (”The Fifth Element”)

Living in New York City in this movie would fulfill childhood dreams for most of us who grew up watching “The Jetsons” cartoon – flying automobiles! Could you find yourself living in this version of New York City in the year 2264?

The Fifth Element

London, England (”Harry Potter Series”)

These movies show London as a city filled with hidden streets, overlooked stores and ancient pubs that remain invisible to the non-magical citizens. Does this sound a place you would like to be, with or without magic?

Harry Potter

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Bras, Skiing and Beer: The Rise of the American Bra Tree

Bryan Cassidy — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:00:58 +0000

There are many ski myths and folklore that give rise to the Great North American Bra Trees. Some people argue that began as a panty tree and evolved into a bra tree. Other people argue that it began on Chair 4 at Vail Mountain. Those that don’t agree with Vail say it started on the Bell Mountain Chair at Aspen. While all of this is still debated within the skiing community, the important thing you are probably wondering is; Why do these trees exist? and how do undergarments end up on the tree?

Flickr.com (glennharper)

History of the Bra Tree

A ‘bra tree‘ is usually a single tree found at a ski resort with all sorts of colored lace and sport bras. The start of the bra tree is debated between within the skiing community as well as if the panty came before the bra (similar to the chicken or the egg). The most common theory is that the bra (or panty) tree was started as a trophy mantle of sorts for local male skiers to collect a prized undergarment from a ski bunny after some heavy after skiing apres drinking in the 1960s and 1970s. I can’t argue the fact that some – well most – men are pigs as we do brag about our female conquests. So why not have a tree that can collect these so the stories can be told for years to come as we ride on the chairlifts with friends? Makes sense to me! The other somewhat fun way that bras end up on trees is to have daring girls rip their own bras off in-front of their friends to add to the collection. Now how do these bras actually get on the trees so it doesn’t look too awkward? These bra trees ‘grow’ in areas that are accessible by chairlift, meaning that the tree must be directly next to or under a chairlift so;
(a) A girl can easily rip her bra off with ’some privacy’ and slingshot it into the trees; or
(b) A guy can quickly rip out the bra and throw it onto the trees as he laughs at his friends who are weeping in jealously.

Environmental Issues with Bra Trees

While many of skiers and snowboarders might enjoy these bra trees, there are some that don’t. As most ski resorts reside within U.S. National Forests, some park rangers argue that flashy colored bras with shiny objects can keep birds from nesting in trees. Others argue that these bras take away from the natural beauty of the local environs – the snow covered trees, the mountains peaks and the winter animals. I leave it up to you readers to see if you approve or disapprove of these decorated trees.

Flickr.com (Giorgio Constantine)

Ski Resort Bra Tree Locations

For those looking to add to the collection of bras to a nearby bra tree, look no further. I’ve put together a quick list of the locations of each bra tree that I’ve been told about in North America. If I’m wrong or missing any, please feel free to leave a comment below. They are as follows;

Alta, UT – Supreme Lift
Breckenridge, CO – Falcon Lift
Camelback, PA – Stevenson Express
Copper Mountain, CO – American Flyer
Crested Butte, CO – Keystone Quad
Jackson Hole, WY – Apres Vous Chair
Killington, VT – Skye Peak Quad
Mammoth, CO – Chair 5 Triple
Mount Snow, VT – Northface Challenger
Snowbird, UT – Gadzoom Express Chair
Steamboat Springs, CO – Storm Peak Express
Vail, CO – Orient Express Lift (in China Bowl)

Disclaimer: This is for the male readers. Please note that there is nothing attractive with mens underwear so please refrain from throwing your clothing on these trees covered in sexy lingerie. Thank you!

Want to share your theories of the bra tree? Or do you have any hilarious stories relating to the bra tree? Let us hear it!

Gaper Day: The North American Winter Resort Holiday

Bryan Cassidy — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:00:48 +0000

Nauseously bright colors, archaic rear entry boots, straight skis and fabulous one-piece jump suits. Welcome to ‘Gaper Day’, an annual winter holiday celebrated throughout North America ski resorts near the end of the winter season (or on April 1st) by the community of hardcore skiers and snowboarders.

Flickr.com (Marc Perron)

For those not familiar with skiing and snowboarding – the term “gaper” is a derogatory term used to define skiers or snowboarders who are usually found on beginner trails with either; one-piece jump suits, jeans, Starter jackets or any other old equipment that should have been left on the slopes in the 1980s. During “Gaper Day” festivities, you can expect a lot of partying and a bit of drinking with hardcore locals dressed in ridiculously funny gear.

“Gaper Day” is mostly celebrated in the western ski resorts due to a bigger winter sport scene, some serious hard-core powder hounds and the overall vibe of the resort. The eastern North American resorts, from my opinion, celebrate “Gaper Day” every weekend on the ski slopes due to many inexperienced skiers and snowboarders taking short day trips from New York City and Boston.

Throughout the years, these on-mountain parties have got a bit out of hand due to excessive drinking but don’t only the good parties ever get out of hand? The parties can usually be found in the parking lots of the resort, resort bars and of course on the mountain itself even though it’s illegal (if you’re caught) to be drinking on the slopes.

Flickr.com (Andre Charland)

Just like Halloween, you don’t want to have a lame costume so you need to put some time in to prepare an outfit. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for “Gaper Day” at your local mountain;

The local thrift store (e.g., Salvation Army and Goodwill) is your friend. These stores have all sorts of crazy clothing or old ski and snowboard equipment for a real cheap price.
Ask your parents to see if you can raid the basement or attic to find their own rear entry ski boots.
Hit up your local department store for neon spray paint to add some color to really stick out from the crowd.

Have a gaperlicious time out on the slopes during “Gaper Day”!

Helpful Tips for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Bryan Cassidy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:58:47 +0000

My sister has traveled throughout a decent portion of the world by teaching English (TEFL) to native children of Thailand and Costa Rica – as well as attending Semester at Sea. I thought it would be helpful for her to share a few helpful tips surrounding the process of finding a job as well as teaching.

Flickr.com (seetefl)

Show Honest Interest

When looking for a job, be persistent but not aggressive. Many schools have people “interested”, but most of the time it will fall through on the job seekers end. Schools are skeptical of hiring people over the internet who say they want to teach for their school. You can tell them you are interested, but make sure you show them you are willing to make an effort to be there to interview. They won’t hire strictly via internet. They will hire you when they see the whites of your eyes.

Be Committed

When the employer asks about your commitment to the school, most schools want a one year minimum commitment. Most schools, especially in Central and South America, know it doesn’t always work out. The pay isn’t amazing, so the employer does have the understanding that teachers can run out of money, unexpected medical reasons and family situations back home.

Teaching Duration

If you are only interested for teaching for a semester (typically about 5 or 6 months), tell your employer you that you can potentially stay for a year, but you can guarantee them at least 6 months. As long as they have notice of you leaving, they will be able to hire a new teacher before you leave. It’s important that when you guarantee them 6 months, that you stay for those 6 months.

Apply at the Right Time

When looking for a job, make sure you are looking at the right time. Most countries have different school years than the US. Make sure you are catching the schools at the right time for hiring, rather than in the middle of their semester when they aren’t looking for teachers. If you give them your resume in the middle of the school year, they will more than likely lose it and forget about you when it comes hiring time again.

Relate to the Student’s Culture and Hobbies

When you are teaching, make sure the materials in the lessons pertain to the cultural interests, personal interests, ages, levels of English and reason for learning English. For example, if you are teaching a teenage class of boys in a Central American beach town, incorporate surfing, dancing, music and soccer into your lesson plans. It’s all things they are interested in and they will be more apt to grasp the material they are being taught because they can relate to it. Keep the material relative to who you are teaching. If you are teaching Business English for a company, incorporating dancing and sports will most likely result in them losing interest. If they are meant to learn how to speak in a professional meeting, most of their personal interests will be irrelevant and sometimes inappropriate for the lesson. If you keep it relative to the ages and purpose and location of where they are learning, what they are learning, and why they are learning English, the lessons will be fun and successful.

Additional TEFL Resources

TEFL.com – The world’s largest real-time database of English language teaching jobs.
TEFL.net – An independent resource site for teachers of English worldwide containing the world’s largest TEFL course database.

Are you TEFL certified? What were your experiences when teaching overseas? Care to share any of your tips as well?

American Backlash Against Italy from Amanda Knox Verdict

Bryan Cassidy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:32:24 +0000

A few minutes ago the verdict of American student Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty by an Italian jury for the November 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher. The evidence at the crime scene – if given to an American jury – would more than likely not lead to the same verdict which has the possibility of causing backlash against Italy. Is the European culture, especially for Italy, regarding the charging of crimes and slander treated that much different from America?

I feel terrible for the Kercher family for their loss of Meredith Kercher; however, my argument is more on how American’s are going to take this based on our judicial system. The media has labeled her pretty viciously as she was known as “Foxy Knoxy” or “A devil with an angel’s face”. Fair? Probably not but this labeling is almost common now with the media.

In the American court system, we are familiar with “absolute truth” being the only method to give an appropriate verdict. In the Amanda Knox verdict, the judicial system worked on “beyond reasonable doubt” which meant that the jurors just had to be convinced by the logic brought forth by the prosecutors. In my opinion, this will be looked down upon by most Americans which makes me wonder on the backlash Italy might see. Are we going to see less Americans traveling to Italy? Loss faith in the Italian police and judicial systems? If this does happen, will it be a bit cheaper to visit Italy because of the weakened demand from American tourists?

What are your thoughts regarding the verdict and will it have any impact on you traveling to Italy in the short or long term future?

5 Popular Drinks of South America

Bryan Cassidy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:51:11 +0000

To immerse yourself in a culture for a few days or a few months, you should taste the culture by knowing and trying favorite drinks of the locals. These popular drinks and national cocktails are well-known throughout South America and commonly found in neighboring countries. You can’t miss out on trying these drinks from street stands or bars if you find yourself in South America any time soon.

Caipirinha (Brazil)

This cocktail made from cachaça (obtained from sugarcane), sugar and lemon is the national drink of Brazil and has become widely popular outside of the country. The lemon can be substituted with fresh local fruit to give a sweeter taste (fermented sugarcane, sugar, and more sweet flavors!?).

Pisco (Peru and Chile)

Hint: If you are visiting Peru, please do not tell Peruvians that pisco originated from Chile, visa versa. This liquor is distilled from sweet smelling Muscat grapes which are commonly used for table grapes and raisns. The liquor is the main ingredient for a ‘pisco sour’ which also includes lemon juice, syrup, egg whites and bitters.

Mate (Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay)

A caffeinated non-alcoholic drink similar to tea or coffee that is prepared by steeping dried yerba mate leaves in hot water. Traditionally the drink is served from a shared hollowed-out calabash gourd and sipped through a metal straw. Do not complain about the temperature if you are sharing with locals as it can be considered rude.

Aguardiente (Ecuador and Columbia)

Mmmmm. Firewater. The flavors of this alcohol derived from sugarcane varies country to country but in Ecuador it is pretty much flavorless and served as a straight shot. In Columbia, aguardiente has more of liquorice (anise) flavor but is also popularly consumed by shot glass instead of mixed in a cocktail. Bottoms up!

Chicha De Jora (Bolivia)

This milky and sour light alcoholic beverage is necessity if you are attending any festivals in Bolivia. It is often made from yellow maize which helps give it a pale yellow color and a sour aftertaste. The drink can also be made from purple or black maize which is known as Chicha Morada which is commonly boiled with cinnamon and pineapple.

strong>Please share your thoughts on your favorite South American drink!

Celebrating Day of the Dead Festivals

Bryan Cassidy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:12:58 +0000

Since ancient times there have been festivals held by many cultures to respect and honor the dead. Many historians debate that these festivals of the dead were held because of anxiety humans had for their worshiped gods and the souls of the dead. These ancient festivals are still celebrated to this day mostly near or during harvests. It’s important when traveling to a country to understand their cultures, especially when it comes to honoring deceased friends and family.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by ravie13)

Mexico – Dia de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) – November 1st and November 2nd

The celebrations for the dead in Mexico can be tracked back to Aztec, Maya, Zapotec, Olmec, Totonac and other indigenous civilizations. In Aztec mythology, these festivals are watched over by the Queen of the Underworld, Mictecacihuatl, to protect the bones of the deceased. It is believed by many that it is easier for souls to visit the living on Dia de los Muertos.

A common sighting during the festival is the calavera (skull), which celebrants represent in masks and foods such as candy skulls. It is also common for sugar skulls to be given as gifts to the living and the dead. There is also pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread, that is decorated with white icing to imitate skeleton bones. During the two-day period, families usually clean and decorate graves of their loved ones by placing ofrendas (offerings) such as orange marigolds. These flowers are believed to help attract the souls of the dead to the offering on their graves. It’s important to note that Day of the Dead traditions and activities are not universal and often vary from town to town.

Japan – Obon Festival – July 15th and August 15th

This Japanese Buddhist festival of honoring the dead shares some traits with other cultures such as family reunions and offerings on grave sites. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than five centuries traditionally including a dance, known as Bon-Odori, which originates from a Buddhist story. The Bon Dance is a time for ancestors and their sacrifices to be remembered and appreciated. The festivals end with floating paper lanterns that are illuminated and then floated down rivers in symbolic fashion of spirits returning to the world of the dead.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by James Alexander)

Bolivia – Day of the Skulls – November 9th

Traditionally, some Bolivians keep skulls of their close relatives at their homes to help watch over the family throughout the year. The families will typically decorate the skull with garments, flowers and offerings of items that were enjoyed by the deceased in thanks for the year’s protection. On November 9th, the skulls are brought by family members to cemetery churches to be blessed in hopes of bringing good luck in the future.

Philippines – Araw ng mga Patay (“Day of the Dead”) – November 1st

The Day of the Dead is a traditionally important holiday festival by entire families in respect for the deceased. It is usual for families to camp overnight in cemeteries while eating, drinking and dancing. There are also flower offerings and lit candles placed on the graves of loved ones which is typical with other world festivals to honor the dead.

Western Countries – Halloween – October 31st

The ancient Celts believed the realm between the living and the deceased dissolved during Halloween (abbreviated from All Hallows Eve) and the dead became dangerous for the living by causing deadly sickness or damaged crops. As common with most cultures, the Celts believed that a human head contained the spirit, thus they used vegetable heads to ward off superstitions. It is common in America for individuals to wear costumes and masks during Halloween to trick-or-treat. The wearing of these costumes and masks can be traced to Celtic traditions of impersonating evil spirits and demons. I find it interesting in America now that most costumes worn by adults are either humorous or a bit revealing (for the females at least). A bit different from the traditions of the Celts, no?

Flickr.com (Photo taken by John Althouse Cohen)

While not all countries and traditions for honoring the deceased have been covered, it would be great to hear your thoughts on these or other traditions.