Amelia Earhart in 1932 (No, it's not Hilary Swank.) One of the most fascinating women in history -- and one of the most elusive mysteries -- is the story of Amelia Earhart. From her early days as a tomboy in Kansas to her daring aviation adventures, Earhart was always someone who stood out. But in addition to being a pilot, she was also a nurse, a writer, a wife, and a sister, as well as a revolutionary whose life was cut short too soon. Earhart first experienced international life as a nurse in Canada during World War I. After the war, she moved to California, where she took her first airplane ride. Mentored by famed aviatrix Neta Snook, Amelia undertook the lengthy and difficult training being a pilot required. By 1923, she had not only received her pilot's license, but had set the record for the highest elevation reached by a female aviator. Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo transatlantic flight (history's first) led to efforts to find a woman to duplicate the feat, and Earhart was a natural choice. She flew across the Atlantic as part of a team in 1928, becoming an instant celebrity in the U.S., and four years later, flew solo from Newfoundland to Ireland in just under fifteen hours, cementing her place in history. She received numerous international honors, and gained many famous friends, including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She later became the first woman to fly solo across the continental United States, as well. Earhart's success on that voyage led her to seek out more exciting opportunities. Her next goal was to fly around the world. After years of planning, Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan set out from Miami in June, 1937. They made numerous stops, eventually arriving in New Guinea in July. But somewhere between there and their next intended stop on Howland Island on Jully 2, 1937, radio contact between the pilots and the ship docked to meet them was lost. Earhart, Noonan, and their plane were never seen or heard from again, despite a massive and expensive search launched by the U.S. government and later financed by her husband, publishing magnate George Putnam. So what happened to Earhart and Noonan? The most likely (and least exciting) explanation is that the plane simply ran out of fuel or experienced mechanical problems and crashed, either into the Pacific Ocean or on a nearby island. But conspiracy theorists and Hollywood have their own ideas. The 1943 film "Flight for Freedom" depicts a fictionalized version of Earhart spying on the Japanese for the U.S. government (which propagated this myth in popular culture). Another theory posits that Earhart and Noonan landed on an island occupied by the Japanese, who then had the two aviators executed. Even more unlikely stories involve faked deaths and secret identities, castaways on a desert island, and (of course), alien abduction -- thanks, "Star Trek." Whatever the truth is, Earhart's life is certainly as fascinating as her disappearance. And now, with the 62nd anniversary of her disappearance, two award-winning actresses are bringing her to life on the big screen. Already this year, we've seen Amy Adams's fanciful and comedic take in "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian," which earned her rave reviews. And come October, two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank will portray Earhart in "Amelia," which (based on the just-released trailer) looks like more Oscar-bait for Swank and her co-stars. These films will hopefully expose Earhart to a whole new generation, reminding all of us of extraordinary woman who should never be forgotten. Suggested Sites... Museum of Women Pilots - Oklahoma City museum dedicated to the lives of Earhart and other female aviators. In Search of ... Amelia Earhart - 1970s TV program hosted by Leonard Nimoy, focusing on Earhart’s disappearance. Amelia Earhart Papers - large collection of Earhart images and documents at Purdue University. The Earhart Project - organization dedicated to discovering the truth about Earhart's last flight.

Directory categories: Amelia Earhart, Aviation History, Conspiracies, Women's History, Biographic Movies

Archived under: 1930s, Adventure, Amelia Earhart, American History, Anniversaries, Aviation, Biographies, Celebrities, Dead Celebrities, Disappearances, Exploration, Explorers, History, Missing Persons, Movies, Mysteries, Urban Legends, Women

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James T. Kirk in his prime, approx. 250 years from now Two hundred and twenty-four years from now, on March 22, 2233, Starfleet's greatest captain will be born in a small Iowa slice of Americana called Riverside. He will be the only cadet in Starfleet Academy history to beat the undefeatable "Kobayashi Maru" scenario. As the man himself will put it, "I don't believe in the no-win scenario." He will defeat the superhuman augment Khan Nonnien Singh not once, but twice. He will be almost as famous for his seductions of both human and alien females as he will be for his exploits in the captain's chair. However, he will also be the first Starfleet Captain to stand court martial. He will personally travel back and forth through time on several occasions (earning seventeen temporal violations), and he will also steal a Starfleet vessel and violate Starfleet's sacred Prime Directive. This will be Captain James Tiberius Kirk. A man like no other; born to command the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Many aspire to be like him, but none can truly capture the bravado, the out-of-the-box thinking, and the allure of the one and only Kirk. Seventy-eight years ago, on March 22, 1931, an iconic Canadian actor was born in Montreal. This is William Shatner, the man destined to play the role of Captain Kirk. In 1965 he was working on a television series, "For the People," that was (thankfully) cancelled, leaving Shatner free to land the role of James T. Kirk in the new series, "Star Trek." Kirk made Shatner famous (and vice versa), though it wasn't until years after the Original Series ended that he and the show gained any great following. At first he snubbed the rapidly-growing "Star Trek" fan community, but then had a change of heart and embraced it. Shatner is not all about Kirk, though. He played hard-boiled LAPD cop T.J. Hooker, saw something frightening in "The Twilight Zone," and recently portrayed the amusingly-eccentric attorney Denny Crane on "Boston Legal." His talents don't begin and end with acting, either. Shatner has famously covered well-known songs, written several sci-fi novels, directed films and television shows, and he currently hosts his very own celebrity interview show. In May will come a new "Star Trek" movie, and Kirk will be back in action, but for the first time, he won't be played by Shatner. Talk about going "where no man has gone before!" Suggested Sites... Star Trek Movie - official site of the upcoming prequel. Memory-Alpha - Star Trek wiki. CBS Star Trek Original Series - check out Kirk in all his original 60s sci-fi glory with these full-length episodes. Shatnerology - worship at the altar of Shatner.

Directory categories: William Shatner, Captain Kirk, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek, Star Trek (2009)

Archived under: 1960s, 1970s, Actors, Astronauts, Biographies, Birthdays, Celebrities, Entertainment, Exploration, Explorers, Movies, Science Fiction, Small Towns, Space, Star Trek, Superheroes, TV, William Shatner

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Engraved Marco Polo portrait It is the year 1297. In a dingy Genoese prison cell, Marco Polo sits and narrates one of the greatest stories ever told to his fellow prisoner, the famed romance writer Rustichello da Pisa. Prior to his imprisonment in Europe, Polo traveled farther than contemporary Europeans imagined possible. Originally from the Republic of Venice, Polo traversed the Silk Road through Central Asia to trade in luxury goods, eventually reaching Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing), the capital of the great Mongol Empire. From there, Polo performed diplomatic missions for Emperor Kublai Khan -- once escorting a Mongol princess to meet her Persian groom. After returning home years later and being captured during a war between Venice and Genoa, Polo unraveled his tale of awe-inspiring Eastern riches and the unfamiliar customs of non-Christian peoples. Rustichello's manuscript was copied many times over, translated into multiple European languages, and disseminated across Europe and eventually around the world. The Travels of Marco Polo inspired subsequent generations. Christopher Columbus was an avid reader and his own explorations two centuries later were partly motivated by Polo's account of the East. In the nineteenth century, the English romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge based his epic poem, Kubla Khan, on Polo's depiction of the Mongol Emperor and his court. Readers are often impressed by Polo’s detailed and relatively tolerant depictions of the foreign lands and peoples he encountered. Since Polo traveled at a time when Europe was a poor backwater compared to ancient Asian civilizations, Polo's writings do not convey the Eurocentrism of later explorers. China has recently drawn attention as a rising world power and host of the 2008 Olympics. Today, on the 754th anniversary of his birthday, Marco Polo reminds us of an earlier fascination that motivated Europeans to make contact with and learn about their impressive Asian neighbors. Suggested Sites... The Silk Road Foundation - explore the Silk Road with articles, maps, and timelines. Marco Polo's Asia - features an essay on Marco Polo’s view of China. Museum of Hoaxes - Marco Polo - find out why some suspect that Marco Polo never went to China. The Catholic Encyclopedia - Marco Polo - read the Catholic Encyclopedia’s biography of Marco Polo. Medieval Travel - learn about medieval travel and peruse a list of famous explorers.

Directory categories: Travel Writing, Medieval Studies, Marco Polo, Chinese History, Explorers

Archived under: Adventure, Asia, Beijing, Biographies, China, Cultures, Exploration, Explorers, History, Italy, Literature, Marco Polo, Travel

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