Matador Network's Blog, page 2310

This is the most gruesome ‘Stay in School’ commercial, what was Australia thinking?

This ‘Stay in School’ advertisement is the most gaga film-clip I have ever watched. Has Australia completely lost the plot? Let me please offer you a massive warning before watching this, it is next-level graphic. Don’t press play until you have your area hazard-free — no cups of tea, nor open water bottles, and make sure you have finished your breakfast; or it could end up all over your computer screen. [image error]

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Urban free climbing insanity [pics]

“Free climbing” is an absolutely horrifying extreme sport where urban daredevils climb to the top of skyscrapers or other tall buildings and dangle from them with no harnesses. One of the most prolific (and impressive) of them is the Ukrainian free climber known as Mustang Wanted.

All photos courtesy of Mustang Wanted

Mustang Wanted at one point worked as a legal advisor, but has since decided to pursue a career as a professional stuntman. He says he doesn’t feel any sort of ball-shriveling terror at the stunts he pulls. “Sometimes I think that I am a robot,” he said in an article for The Daily Mail. “I do not feel anything.”

He says, “Death is not the worst thing that can happen. Everyone dies — but not everyone lives the way they want.” While you’d think, “That’s the way a guy who’s gonna be dead soon would think,” Mustang Wanted has been doing this for over a decade, and has yet to be injured.

Before we go any further, we should note quite strenuously that you should not, in any circumstances, do this. Hopefully that doesn’t need to be said, but this is enough of a trend for a documentary to exist about it. So unless you are either a professional (you aren’t) or immune to the effects of gravity (you aren’t), don’t do this.

That said, it makes for some pretty breathtaking photography.

What perhaps makes this more incredible is that not only is he dangling from buildings and spires, he’s orchestrating this photography at the same time.

Incidentally, this is illegal. You know…because of the whole dying thing. But presumably, if you aren’t afraid of death, you aren’t afraid of getting arrested. There are, of course, times when this could feasibly be dangerous to more than just the free climbers, such as when they do stunts on bridges.

Oh right, I forgot — on bridges on fucking bikes.

Aside from the obvious requirement of gigantic brass balls, a few other things are needed to do this. First, crazy finger strength.

Also ankle strength:

Balance:

A tremendous amount of trust in the people you’re climbing with:

And flair:

For those of us lacking those things, we can at least enjoy the fruits of one daredevil’s labor.

Mustang Wanted has also produced a series of videos of his stunts, including this sphincter-clenchingly terrifying compilation. Dude be crazy.

The post Urban free climbing: The new extreme sport you shouldn’t try [pics] appeared first on Matador Network.

10 things you definitely didn’t know about money

I SPEND MONEY every day, but never once have I really stopped to think about what exactly I’m exchanging with the world – not to mention, where it’s been before I touched it. I won’t give away exact details, but from this video, I realized that:

Money is disgusting (0:07)
Donald Trump is a greedy idiot, or has a wicked sense of humor, I’m not quite sure (1:04)

Queen Elizabeth II is way more popular than Benjamin Franklin (1:15)

Some people actually spend money, to buy more money (1:50)


Even people who make money can make mistakes (2:24)

What did you learn?

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Why are some travelers such a$holes?

Photo: Guian Bolisay

The first time I went on an international trip I was 26 and alone. Like most first-time travelers, I was overwhelmed with emotion — everything from anxiety and fear to excitement and disbelief that I was actually embarking on the journey. Three years later, every time I plan a new trip, those similar feelings still wash over me.

With a freelance career in IT and writing, I’ve been lucky enough to live and travel anywhere I want and share my experiences through travel blogging. My goal as a travel writer has always been to help people that want to travel but don’t yet understand that international travel is not only possible but also affordable. I often recommend places throughout Latin America or SE Asia for a first international trip based on my own experiences; yet, travelers who have made traveling their lifestyle will give me shit for talking up, say, Costa Rica or Thailand.

The travel community is and always has been pretty supportive. I love hearing about other people’s trips or adventures. I’m always on the lookout to put a new destination or activity on my bucket list, and I’ve met some truly wonderful people both on the road and through travel forums and blogs. What I don’t understand, though, is the general jadedness or negativity that comes from other travelers at times. It’s like if you talk about your time in Tanzania and how it was a life-changing experience for you, there’s always someone who wants to talk about how Tanzania is becoming too touristy now, and how Chad is where “the real Africa is” — as if you couldn’t experience important reflections on your own life simply because you were traveling a well-worn route.

Here’s the thing — we, as humans, don’t receive medals for achieving certain life accomplishments: getting engaged, having children, or collecting passport stamps to incredibly exotic locations, just to name a few. I understand seasoned travelers are constantly on the hunt for the next unbeaten path — if such a thing really exists anymore — but for new travelers, exploring a place like Costa Rica is an adventure and an experience outside their comfort zone. In America, where less than 40% of our citizens have passports, just having the opportunity to travel abroad once in a lifetime is an accomplishment in itself to many people.

I get annoyed by their pretentiousness over how people should or shouldn’t be while on the road.

Often I’ve been told what “real travelers” do and don’t do: “Real travelers don’t use guidebooks,” “real travelers don’t get overly excited about traveling to a new place,” “real travelers don’t use backpacks…” And the opposite: “Real travelers only use backpacks and never suitcases.” I’ve always thought of travelers as those with a positive and open-minded spirit, but I can’t help get exceedingly annoyed by those who drench their conversations with pretentiousness over how people should or shouldn’t be while on the road.

Maybe it’s naïve of me, but I don’t believe there’s any right way or wrong way to travel. If people are putting themselves out there and are eager to learn and experience other cultures, I think that’s just fine. Call it silly, but yes, I still get excited every time I confirm flights somewhere, or when I’ve left one country and I’m about to head somewhere else. If there’s no genuine rush of excitement over traveling, why even travel to begin with?

And furthermore, why act so jaded towards others, as though our enthusiasm is childish? Isn’t one of the greatest experiences of traveling the fact that it allows us to have a child-like experience in certain ways? I don’t care how many journeys I embark on throughout my life — I will always approach my travels with an open heart and open mind.

If you’ve reached the time in your travels where traveling no longer gives you what it once did, and you find yourself becoming cynical, at what point do you realize that, as hard as it may be to admit, it’s time to go home — wherever that may be — or that you should simply stay put in one place for a while? Don’t be “that guy” that has to one up everyone else at the table with how many passport stamps you’ve collected, then condescend to someone else for being thrilled over traveling somewhere you’ve already been and decided to discard for whatever reason.

There are no rules when it comes to traveling. Let’s let people go wherever they want in whatever way they find comfortable for their life, and let’s continue to find inspiration in foreign lands and different cultures — the whole reason we were driven to travel in the first place. [image error]

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8 facts about Brazil's World Cup

Photo: Ingo Wilges

BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFF might have said the country’s ready “to host the Cup of all Cups,” but not all Brazilians are partaking in the World Cup frenzy. This is what I think every gringo should know before making the trip this summer.

1. Workers have died at World Cup construction sites.

A 55-year-old Portuguese man died earlier this year during the construction of the World Cup stadium in Manaus. He’s not the first: Two men died before him at the same site. There have also been deaths at the future Itaquerão stadium, in São Paulo, when a roof collapsed.

2. There are no express trains / subways from the main airports to city centers.

Yes, there’s a plan to build a train connecting Guarulhos International Airport to São Paulo, but it’s not happening this year. The date’s been pushed to 2015 — just in time for the 2016 Olympics that will be held…in Rio. Great timing, Governor!

3. The stadiums are either unfinished or plagued with problems.

As I’m writing this, only half of the 12 stadiums have been completed. The others have had their opening dates postponed, and one may not get finished at all. Of course, Brazil has demanded more money in order to complete construction. A lot more, in fact: The previously approved budget of $2.8 billion has been raised 285% — which means the 2014 World Cup stadiums alone will cost more than $8 billion.

4. Taxi drivers don’t speak English, or Spanish.

Public transportation is a problem all over the country. Trying to get from point A to B is an everyday problem in most big Brazilian cities. The best way to get around is by taxi, but you’d be surprised how drivers aren’t ready to deal with foreign-language passengers. So learn a few Portuguese sentences and hope for the best — Brazilian people in general are much more honest and eager to help then their governments.

5. Brazil is one of the most expensive countries on Earth.

Really. People are obsessed with making money here.

6. Fireworks turn deadly.

It happened last week and is all over the news: A cameraman was shot in the head by a rocket know as a rojão. It’s not the first and most likely won’t be the last time something similar happens. It’s a dangerous form of entertainment people seem to enjoy. You’ve been warned.

7. Brazilian torcidas are among the most violent in the world.

Heard of the British hooligans? Well, their cousins are in Brazil.

8. Crime rates keep rising.

There’s little an unprepared and ill-equipped police force can do when prisons are already filled beyond capacity. Crime rates in Rio, for instance, just keep going up. And then, as if the situation weren’t dangerous enough, ordinary people are taking up the banner of ‘vigilante justice’ — with tragic results.

The post 8 things you gringos should know about the 2014 World Cup in Brazil appeared first on Matador Network.

Behind the scenes of Into the Mind

LOVE THIS behind the scenes look at Into the Mind, a Sherpas Cinema production. They involve the entire Whistler community, giving people who’d otherwise have no business being in a ski movie a chance to shine.

Skip ahead to 5:49 to see Julian Carr huck a front-flip off the 185-foot Air Jordan. Epic.

Check out the official trailer of Into the Mind here.

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35 surprising facts about sharks

SHARKS ARE FISH that have cartilage instead of bones, a dorsal fin, and toothlike scales. Beyond that, few similarities exist among the 400 species of sharks — except for their common awesomeness — rendering it impossible to stereotype sharks. Let’s clear the water.

The facts on attacks

Photo: Christopher Michel

1. The only sharks — remember there are more than 400 species — that have killed more than one human include the Great White, Tiger, Bull, Requiem, Blue, and Sand Tiger Sharks.

2. Shark bites rarely kill. Sharks bite out of curiosity (they have no arms or antennae so cut them a break). Once they realize you’re not food — and you are not — they usually go away. The rare fatality is usually a result of blood loss from the bite, not from a full-on shark attack.

3. Sharks are stronger than you, faster than you, and are capable of making blood and guts of you in short order. If humans were a food source, all shark attacks would result in fatalities, and there would be many more attacks. But there aren’t.

4. The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) is the only long-term, scientifically documented, global database on all known shark attacks. ISAF coordinators provide regular advice on shark attack issues to governmental agencies, coastal managers, beach safety professionals, the medical community, and the media.

They confirm a certain number of unprovoked attacks per year around the world, but data support the conclusion that attacks are a result of greater numbers of people recreating in shark habitat, rather than an increase of shark viciousness.

5. The US has the most recorded attacks, with 1,022 recorded between 1670 and 2012 — obviously a huge timeframe. Australia comes in second, but has the most reported fatalities (144 as of 2012). Worldwide, 70-100 shark attacks are reported annually, resulting in about 5-15 deaths. Most attacks occur in nearshore waters where sharks feed and can become trapped at low tide, or near steep dropoffs where their prey congregate.

6. Unprovoked shark attacks come in three varieties:

Most common: hit and run attacks. Most common victim: swimmers and surfers. Why: mistaken identity from poor water visibility from breaking surf. Result: small lacerations, often below the knee, seldom life-threatening.
Less common: “Bump and bite” and “sneak” attacks. Most common victim: divers or swimmers in deeper waters. Result: multiple bites, frequently resulting in death. Why: feeding or defending their space against antagonistic behaviors.

7. Shark attacks are a relatively infrequent hazard that must be acknowledged by anyone entering the marine environment. But let’s get some perspective. So many more people are injured and killed while driving to and from the beach than by sharks. More stitches sew up lacerations from seashell cuts on feet than lacerations from shark bites. As in any recreational activity, certain risks are inherent, such as shin splints with jogging, and sprained ankles with tennis. For more risk comparisons, check out the Florida Museum of Natural History site.

8. It’s true there are unprovoked shark attacks. But they are usually the result of mistaken identity in rough waters where surfers like to go. And let’s be honest, we’re going into their habitat, but you still have a much greater risk of dying by sand hole collapse!

Their fascinating biology

Photo: Ryan Espanto

9. Ancestors of modern sharks swam the seas over 400 million years ago, making them older than dinosaurs. Kinda seems like they are meant to be here.

10. Obligate ram ventilators, such as Great Whites, must swim constantly with mouths open for oxygen-rich water to flow through the gills. If they sleep for more than a few moments at a time, they asphyxiate. However, some sharks, such as the Nurse Shark, have spiracles and cheek muscles that force water across their gills — buccal pumping — allowing for stationary rest.

11. Sharks have multiple layers of teeth, and if one breaks, the one behind it moves up to take its place. Sharks can shed thousands of teeth during their life, leaving behind teeth on beaches — a little gift from them to us.

12. Dermal denticles are scales on the skin that point towards the tail and help reduce friction from the water, making them Olympic swimmers. But rub the skin from the tail toward the head and it feels like sandpaper.

13. Contributing to the cryptic nature of sharks is their countershading. The tops of shark are dark, making them difficult to see from above against the dark ocean below. Their undersides are pale as to blend with the backdrop of bright sun-lit water.

14. Darting through the water at up to 20mph, the fastest shark is the Shortfin Mako. It can chase down the fastest of all fishes, including tuna and swordfish.

15. These elegant predators are perfectly designed for life in the ocean and help maintain balance in the marine ecosystem. They have shaped life in the oceans for over 400 million years, and are essential to the survival of the entire planet — including mankind.

Photo: Dylan

16. The manatee of the shark world is the Whale Shark. It is on my bucket list to share space with these gentle giants, and be dwarfed by the largest fish — let alone shark — in the ocean. Busting the myth that sharks are man-eaters, this bus-sized shark peacefully slurps down tiny plankton.

17. The smallest shark is a deepwater dogfish shark, the Dwarf Lanternshark, which, at under 8 inches, can fit in the palm of your hand. Not quite a man-eater.

18. The average lifespan of a shark is 20-30 years. But as I mentioned, there is no average shark — the Spiny Dogfish Shark holds the record for the longest lifespan at 100 years.

19. A shark’s brain is complex. At two feet long, a Great White’s brain is a linear Y-shaped string of millions of neurons that arranges its functions into hind-, mid-, and fore-brain groups (as opposed to a human brain, which is folded into a compact, circular cluster). Almost two-thirds of the shark’s brain is devoted to its olfactory organs, enabling excellence in identifying prey, recognizing territorial markers, and finding mates.

20. Sharks can see color, and their lenses are up to seven times as powerful as a human’s.

On conservation

21. Humans are more dangerous to sharks than sharks are to humans. You can swim with sharks with no cage if you do it responsibly. Humans are the predators that will attack unprovoked with ill intent — not the sharks!

22. Humans kill 100 million sharks every year. Not because of mistaken identity, as with the sharks. But for their body parts. One of the worst examples is shark finning, where sharks are caught and thrown back to their bloody deaths after their fins are sliced off. Unable to swim without their fins, they sink toward the bottom and die. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in Asia and elsewhere. Shockingly, the fins are not used for taste, but to create a gelatinous consistency — something that could be achieved using any number of alternatives.

23. Shark products are sold as a phony remedy to ward off cancer, based on the myth that sharks don’t get cancer. In actuality, there are hundreds of cases of sharks with cancer. The multi-million-dollar cartilage industry has decimated shark populations, as the companies harvest up to 200,000 sharks every month in US waters.

More like this: The 5 biggest crises facing our oceans today(and why you should care)

24. Another cause of death is longlines, which are hooked and baited lines of filament that indiscriminately kill anything that tries to eat the bait, including albatross…and sharks.

25. Although some regions, such as the European Union, have banned shark finning, commercial fisheries for body parts such as fins, meat, liver oil, and cartilage are largely unregulated.

26. Extinction of several shark species is imminent in our lifetime. 6-8% of sharks are killed each year, an unsustainable rate for populations of fish that are slow to grow and reproduce. Sharks can’t keep up with the current rate of exploitation.

27. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international agreement among governments to prevent the unsustainable international trade of wildlife, lists eight species of shark in Appendix II, which is an index of species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but the trade of which is controlled in a manner compatible with their survival.

28. Shark culling (read: killing) regulations have been passed in places like Reunion Island, citing shark attack “crises.” Avoiding surfing in areas with shark warnings can help address this. Why not put more focus on the real shark crisis — the decimation of shark populations from human attacks?

29. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society patrols marine protected areas, exposes shark product industries, and directly intervenes to stop the slaughter of sharks.

30. Sharks are not vicious man-eaters, and any management laws based on that premise could result in ecological imbalance and extinctions. Public opinion and shark management should be informed by science, not by shock journalism or movies like Jaws and Sharknado. We should understand them, conserve them, and ensure their continued existence.

What you can do

Photo: Ibrahim Iujaz

31. Support the work of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

32. Don’t patronize restaurants that sell shark fin soup. Don’t buy shark products, such as phony medical remedies or tourist trinkets like shark jaws or shark-skin wallets, if you don’t know how the products were obtained.

33. Shark tourism can be an act of conservation because it creates an economic incentive to protect sharks rather than kill them. Misunderstanding of sharks leads to weak protection of sharks. The experience of diving with sharks builds awareness, and those divers can become ambassadors for shark species.

34. Help prevent shark encounters. Get educated about reducing the risk of a shark encounter before entering the marine environment. Get educated on what to do if you encounter a shark. Get educated on how to dress in the water.

35. Get a new perspective on sharks. If you made it through this article, you’re off to a good start.

This post is sponsored by Contiki, the world leaders in youth travel. Contiki channels a sizable portion of its energy into supporting the world’s oceans, because protecting oceans has a domino effect on Earth ecosystems that is global in scale. Contiki & Matador are looking for storytellers committed to making a difference in the world. Share with us where you feel closest to nature for a chance at winning one of three spots on a Costa Rica Unplugged adventure.

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On Shirley Temple Black, and the legacy we leave behind

My grandmother introduced me to Shirley Temple. She didn’t have cable in her house, but she had a VCR, and we’d watch Temple’s classic films together. I remember being envious of the energy she exuded on-screen, her perfect, bouncy curls, and the way she could turn even the coldest, meanest, old man’s heart from stone, into mush. “The Good Ship Lollipop” was my go-to audition song for community theater, but how could I choose anything else? If Shirley Temple was a star by age six, I had a lot of catching up to do.

Shirley Temple later played a role in global politics as well. She was appointed to be the US Ambassador for two countries that are very close my heart – Ghana, and the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia). I admire how she always remained true to herself, and was lucky enough not to succumb to drug or alcohol addictions. Her life was by no means easy, and many pity how her childhood was essentially snatched away from her – but then again, I’d probably take acting in film too, over regular life during the Great Depression.

I was surprised to hear about Temple’s passing, at the age of 85, but at the same time, I knew she had lived a wonderful life. It reminded me that there is always a legacy to leave behind. If you suddenly passed away, how would you want to be remembered? The answer to that question reveals so much about ourselves, our values, and what we must change to preserve that legacy. For me, Shirley Temple Black leaves behind a lifetime of talent, achievement, and love (not to mention, a delicious drink made with grenadine).

I hope someone can say the same about me some day.

The post On Shirley Temple Black, and the legacy we leave behind appeared first on Matador Network.

Portraits of the Mazahua and Mixteca

I’VE STARTED TO REALIZE that meeting and photographing different cultures and subjects with diverse belief systems can broaden one’s spiritual and cultural horizons much more rapidly than just studying them from a distance at home. It might be a cliché to say this, but I really feel it’s easy to become jaded when we grow up in a Western culture — and, even worse, not even be aware of it.

The last part of my stay in Mexico really brought this to my attention. One of the many events I shot in Mexico was an indigenous rights conference, held at the Congressional Building. During the proceedings, a short, dark-skinned man wearing traditional tribal clothing approached me. He introduced himself as Lobo Blanco, and as we talked, I learned that he was from an indigenous tribe called the Mazahua. He seemed excited to hear that our tour was concerned with human rights, and he invited us to a private event at what he described as a sacred temple, which I later learned was Templo Mayor.

I was more than happy to accept the invitation, secretly excited about the opportunity to meet the other tribe members.

1

Templo Mayor, Mexico City
The next day we met Lobo Blanco near an old Catholic Church. Lobo mentioned that although he was Mazahua and the Templo Mayor is Aztec, the site is still enormously important to his tribe. His ancestors had stood where he was standing and paid tribute to the most influential and powerful people in Mexico at the time–the Aztecs. He also explained that the Aztecs had built the enormous temple over 400 years ago and that over several centuries they continued to build layer upon layer of it until it reached what it is today: 7 temples, each one built on top of the last. From what I understand, the Spanish didn’t necessarily appreciate the brutal nature of the Aztecs when they arrived, and in their religious crusade they buried the temple and built their church on top of it, profoundly affecting other tribes such as the Mazahua and Mixteca.



And so, the Templo Mayor sat steeping in the Earth, rich in history and waiting to be rediscovered until quite recently, when city electrical workers inadvertently turned up a large stone disc depicting Coyolxauhqui, the Aztec moon goddess. Efforts to uncover it have been underway ever since–and as Lobo showed me around the ancient temple, I could see the immense archaeological construction and scaffolding taking place.





2

Wall of stone skulls, recently excavated from Templo Mayor
After spending three hours with the tribes at the conference in the Templo Mayor, I went looking for Lobo Blanco. I wanted to photograph the man heading the conference. This was Lobo’s chief and the leader of the Mazahua, a man named Abuelo. I found him standing in front of an intimidating wall, one fashioned entirely of stone skulls. Lobo explained that Abuelo felt it is was no coincidence that we were able to be there that day, and that he felt the Gods had blessed our journey.



I let this soak in, and after some time I asked if Lobo thought Abuelo would allow me to photograph him. Lobo nodded lightly. No more than an hour later, the tribal meeting adjourned and the chief showed up outside of Templo Mayor dressed no differently than one of his ancestors, who I would have seen 500 years ago standing in this very place. Despite the sun being past the horizon and darkness approaching, I was thrilled.





3

Francisco and Aaron successfully fashioning a human c-stand
In the process of setting up gear, the bulb on my X1600 Lightning made an unfamiliar pop while test firing and died; upon inspecting it I discovered that the entire bulb had exploded. After quickly rummaged through my pack I found a small SB-700 Speedlight. I enlisted the help of one of the tribe members and my guide Francisco to form a makeshift light stand with the speedlight inside of a heavily used

Unbelievable bottle opening trick

I DON’T drink anymore, but this almost makes me want to get back on the sauce. Apparently you need a pretty strong magnet and have to tap fast with the coin. Go on and test this out. Report your results in the comments.

Post by Keith Jensen.

UPDATE: After viewing another video by this guy where he pours water out of a bottle and it immediately turns to ice cubes, I’m inclined to believe the above video is fake. Nonetheless, it’s an example of some great editing.

***Explore the world party scene with Matador’s own nightlife guide 101 PLACES TO GET F*CKED UP BEFORE YOU DIE.

Part travel guide, part drunken social commentary, 101 Places may have some of the most hilarious scenes and straight-up observations of youth culture of any book you’ve ever read.***

The post Here’s an unbelievable beer bottle opening trick you’ve never seen before appeared first on Matador Network.