All Stories

man on airboat
Profiles

Law Enforcement on Airboats: Patrol, Pursuit, and Rescue

The widespread use of airboats is nothing new for the Florida Everglades. But their 20th century applications have grown beyond pleasure boaters seeking access to these remote areas, subsistence fishermen or hunters, and commercial tour operators. The airboat in the 21st century has become a widespread tool of law enforcement to combat illegal activity, ranging from drug smuggling, illegal dumping, animal cruelty, and illegal border crossings.

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3 Min
arctic explorers
Signature Materials

The Origins of the Anorak

What we know of the anorak can be traced back generations with the peoples of the Arctic, from the Iglulik who inhabited Melville Peninsula and northwestern Baffin Island, those Inuit spread across the central Arctic to Greenland, to the Inupiat of Alaska and Western Canada. Another commonly held name for this outer garment was the Russian term, the “parka” and made as a one-piece jacket that was pulled over the head, and generally included a large hood. These anoraks utilized a variety of materials in their construction, such as animal fur, skin, bone, and ivory, with the style depending on whether the wearer was male or female, and for what season (summer or winter) it was being worn in.

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5 Min
rugby scrum
Profiles

Joining The Tribe Called Rugby

As one of the most popular sports in the world, rugby has struggled to gain a foothold in the United States, even though it has been played here for over a century. But that is changing. The Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cup will occur here in 2031 and 2033, respectively, and interest in the sport is at an all-time high. There are now over 3,000 rugby clubs with over 800,000 registered players who grind it out on the pitch across the USA.

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5 Min
cowboys
Profiles

The Unlikely Chronicler of the American West: Dani Vergés

There is purity and freshness to Dani Vergés’ artwork. His images of life in the American West seem to draw you in and transport you into the scene they portray. You can almost hear the swish of the horse’s tail, the rumble of a cattle herd, or the swaying prairie grasses.

Yet, you would be mistaken to assume that Vergés grew up in the cowboy country he loves to portray. In fact, they are the work of a Spaniard who lives just outside Barcelona in a small village nestled between the Catalan Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. 

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5 Min
mountains and clouds
Field Notes

National Forest Elemental Series: The Breath of a Nation

The very air we breathe stems from the trees and forests across the American continent. These are the “lungs” of our nation, giving life-sustaining oxygen to all of us. Our national forests have become reservoirs of clean, pristine air, enjoyed by those who come from near and far to escape the urban stench of carbon by-products and fossil fuels consumption. They remain a bulwark against air pollution, long recognized as an environmental necessity and resource that extends well beyond the beautiful vistas the forests offer to the eye.

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5 Min