The scorched moonscape of Atacama stretches for hundreds of miles on both sides of the Pan-American Highway, undisturbed by any sign of human activity. About 75km south of the town of Antofagasta, its monotony is shattered by a sight even more alien then the desert itself, and yet undoubtedly human: an 11-meter-tall hand protruding out of the sand.
Mano de Desierto is a work of the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, built in the early 1980s. It was financed by a local booster organization called Corporación Pro Antofagasta.
The motion of hands rising from the ground is an obsession of Irarrázabal's. His other famous works include another over-sized sculpture exploring the same idea: "Monument to the Drowned" is located on Parada 4 at Brava Beach in Punta del Este, a popular resort town in Uruguay. Another large sculpture, "The Awakening," by American artist John Seward Johnson II expresses a similar idea and is located at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Hidden in the Norwegian mountains, Kjeragbolten is a place that looks like something from Middle Earth.
Kjeragbolten is a boulder wedged in a mountain crevasse by the edge of the Kjerag mountain in Lysefjord, near Stavanger. You might have seen it in one of the "Where the Hell is Matt" videos, which feature a man doing a crazy dance in dozens of locations around the world.
The boulder itself is a five-cubic-meter large block of stone suspended above 984-meter deep abyss. Despite its impressive appearance, it is easily accessible on foot without any special equipment. The whole of Kjerag mountain is a popular hiking area, and Kjeragbolten is a favorite photo spot.
Apparently, for some the thrill of standing on a boulder suspended between two cliffs isn't quite enough, as Kjeragbolten has become a very popular spot for base jumpers to use when launching themselves into the air.
The hike up can be somewhat challenging for non-experienced hikers. It is not appropriate for small children. Good hiking shoes/boots are recommended. Also, bring plenty of water and sunscreen, as there are no trees to shelter under on the mountains.
The first work group that the "new" American has attempted to create a single contract for have been the flight attendants. The proposed agreement was industry-leading in many ways.
While the union acknowledged that it wasn't perfect (not that any contract ever will be), they also explained that it's as good as it gets. Here's what they told their members, via Dallas News:
“Eight months ago, our Joint Negotiating Committee came together with the difficult task of blending two contracts, two distinct cultures, and two very different operations. Comprised of seven LAA and seven LUS Flight Attendants, our team forged a strong unity as we worked through our differences. Together, we reached an agreement which will benefit all 24,500 Flight Attendants at the New American Airlines."
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The new Starwood Emirates partnership has just gone live: Your World Rewards Details on the Starwood Emirates Partnership A week ago part of the story leaked early when a Starwood website went up with the information unintentionally. What they’re doing with Emirates is very similar to Starwood’s partnership with Delta, Crossover Rewards (minus the upgrades; […]
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