Follow Nathan Winters on a Bike Ride Across America

I think this is so cool. I read about Nathan Winters on twitter and just had to post about him on my blog: Follow Nathan Winters on a Real Time Interactive Bike Ride Across America to Support the Nature Conservancy! Nathan started his journey from Belfast, Maine on May 10th, 2009 and plans to ride from Maine to Washington State over the course of 4 – 6 months. You can follow Nathan on his blog: Follow Nathan and on Twitter: @follownathan The Nature Conservancy Follow Nathan. org

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef: a reef made of wool to look like natural coral

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is an exhibition showing at the Southbank Centre in London from 11 June 2008 - 17 August 2008. I just read about it in an article in The Times, with the intriguing title, Can knitting save the Great Barrier Reef? It turns out the title isn't quite correct since the craft involved is crochet not knitting but it did get my attention so after reading the article I googled the subject and found out more about the Institute For Figuring which is summed up thus: The Institute For Figuring is an educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of figures and figuring techniques. From the physics of snowflakes and the hyperbolic geometry of sea slugs, to the mathematics of paper folding and graphical models of the human mind, the Institute takes as its purview a complex ecology of figuring. Then I read more and found out that 2008 is the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE REEF This designation, by the International Coral Reef Initiative, has been made in the hope of raising awareness about the plight of reefs around the world. According to a recent scientific meta-study, coral reefs are now disappearing at a rate five times faster than rainforests. If current trends continue there will be no reefs left by the end of this century. About the Crochet Coral Reef The Institute For Figuring is crocheting a coral reef: a woolly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world. A Gallery of the Crocheted Hyperbolic Reef I can knit but I don't know how to crochet (I wish I did) and I must say that I'm in awe of these beautiful creations! If you want to get involved, they invite crocheters everywhere to contribute models to the reef. I really admire the two women, IFF co-directors Margaret and Christine Wertheim - who grew up in Queensland - who have started this project to crochet a woolen reef. What a fantastic idea and such an inspired way to raise awareness of the threat to coral reefs around the world! International Year of the Reef 2008

American blogger's campaign on behalf of a Yemeni journalist

After reading the International Herald Tribune article, A living-room crusade via blogging, about how Jane Novak, an American who has never been to Yemen, fights for a Yemeni journalist on trial for sedition, I was so impressed that I went straight to her blog, Armies of Liberation to read more about this amazing woman and her campaign. Then I signed her letter/petition (via the link from her blog) to Protect Media Freedom in Yemen. Please encourage your friends and family to send letters as well.