A Navy SEAL's Guide to Cuba

I’ve always been fascinated by the small island country that’s swimming distance from Key West. Tropical weather, warm water, beautiful women, cigars, Hemingway, and boat drinks — what’s not to like? And, to be honest, I’ve wanted to go for a while. I’ve wanted to visit before the massive invasion of pasty white baby-boomer Midwest-American chubbers ruined the perfect picture of Havana I had built up in my head. Plus, as any warm-blooded male is wont to do, I had visions of rescuing some beautiful mixed Russian-Cuban girl with green eyes and a sexy accent. I would steal her away…

Traveling to Tetiaroa, Obama's Tropical Writing Retreat

Former President Barack Obama has retreated to a resort island near Tahiti for the next month in order to begin work on his next book. In a lengthy story about the former president’s plans for the future, The Washington Post explained Obama has planned an extended stay at Tetiaroa, “a South Pacific Island once owned by Marlon Brando,” where he will “start writing his White House memoir, according to a person familiar with his plans.”MORE: Surfing Tahiti's Surreal Break It’s a good place to write. The president’s book deal does take some priority, even as he begins to calculate his…

Traveling to Tetiaroa, Obama's Tropical Writing Retreat

Former President Barack Obama has retreated to a resort island near Tahiti for the next month in order to begin work on his next book. In a lengthy story about the former president’s plans for the future, The Washington Post explained Obama has planned an extended stay at Tetiaroa, “a South Pacific Island once owned by Marlon Brando,” where he will “start writing his White House memoir, according to a person familiar with his plans.”MORE: Surfing Tahiti's Surreal Break It’s a good place to write. The president’s book deal does take some priority, even as he begins to calculate his…

The World's Best Adventure Cruises

Would-be cruisers more interested in wildlife encounters and exploring abandoned islands than joining Lido deck conga lines or getting dressed for formal nights would do well to look beyond the usual ports of call. Small-boat cruises offer truly luxurious expeditions to far-flung frontiers, providing travelers with perhaps their only chance to explore remote islands and frozen shores. And they don't skimp on luxury either. Here are the most exciting itineraries on Earth — because ocean-going should be about adventure — not drifting....

The World's Best Adventure Cruises

Would-be cruisers more interested in wildlife encounters and exploring abandoned islands than joining Lido deck conga lines or getting dressed for formal nights would do well to look beyond the usual ports of call. Small-boat cruises offer truly luxurious expeditions to far-flung frontiers, providing travelers with perhaps their only chance to explore remote islands and frozen shores. And they don't skimp on luxury either. Here are the most exciting itineraries on Earth — because ocean-going should be about adventure — not drifting....

How to Get Kicked Out Of An Uber Car, According to Uber

Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images More often than not, getting from Point A to Point B in your Uber is a pleasant experience for both rider and driver. “I’ve driven about 6,000 trips, and I’m grateful for every single one of them,” Nathan Fox, a driver in Cleveland, says. “To see the diversity and to interact with all of these different people and share a slice of their story is a privilege.” But even Fox knows it can get ugly. “My advice for other drivers has always been to have tough skin and a soft heart,” he…

Parks and Degradation: Mismanagement and Scandal at the National Park Service

Credit: Photograph by Shana Novak The year 2016 was supposed to be a happy one for the National Park Service. To commemorate its centennial, the agency launched all manner of celebrations: a nationwide Find Your Park campaign to lure tech-obsessed millennials into the great outdoors; elaborate food and music festivals from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Canyon; citizen-naturalization ceremonies on park grounds; and high-profile visits by President Obama, who hiked with his family and delivered speeches about environmental conservation.But by year's end, it was hard to find much to celebrate.Not only had the summer of 2016 seen some…

What You Need to Know About Scott Pruitt, Trump’s Pick to Lead the EPA

Credit: Getty Images Donald Trump has officially tapped Scott Pruitt — Oklahoma Attorney General, a vocal EPA critic, and climate-change skeptic — to lead the Environmental Protection Agency under his administration. With environmental activists already concerned about Trump’s voiced resolution to dismantle Obama’s climate change regulations via the Clean Power Plan and the Paris Accord, the new hire has most people, well, pretty worried. Planetary Politics: What Trump Could do to the Environment Pruitt already has a track record for taking EPA efforts to reduce global warming effects to court: In 2014, he waged a legal fight against Obama’s Clean…

United Airlines Plans to Charge Passengers For Overhead Bin Use

We know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but now you can’t even sit at the proverbial lunch counter without coughing up some cash. United Airlines just announced that they will charging "Basic Economy" customers for overhead-bin use starting in 2017.“Basic Economy” is a new fare tier that offers their lowest prices for passengers who will only be allowed one personal item that must fit under a seat and will not be assigned seats until the day of departure. United anticipates that this fare initiative, combined with better flight connections and revamped pricing algorithms, could add $4.8 billion…

Climate Engineering: A Last-Ditch Plan to Save the Planet

Volcanic eruptions have been proven to block the sun and cool the planet. Could we slow down global warming by doing much of the same? Credit: Getty Images It's been a big news week for global warming: President-elect Donald Trump’s sat down with Al Gore (who characterized the discussion as “interesting”); a new study revealed that global warming and climate change will hit close to home with wetter, more intense storms over the coming years; and sea ice on both poles was found to be at record lows for this time of year. Given the regressive policies that the Trump…
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