The Flip Side: Volume 14
Dirty Kanza Ditches Cummins
Life Time Fitness—the umbrella company over the Dirty Kanza race—recently parted ways with founder Jim Cummins after he posted an extremely insensitive statement regarding the shooting of Rayshard Brooks. This move comes after the organization was called out for the racial epithet in their name this Spring—at which time it worked with the Kaw Nation to build a relationship “built on mutual respect”. [Velonews]
Diversity Required for Eagles
…Thrifty, brave, clean, reverent, AND diverse. For years the Boy Scouts of America have been striving to find balance between their traditional values and the changing character of the country. The organization has taken steps, such as lifting their ban on openly gay scouts, including girls into the program, a pending name change to Scounts, and now adding an Eagle-required diversity badge, to rekindle their dwindling participation base. [NBC]
Hope for the Honey Bees
*Photo credit Christopher Gezon
After a rough past two years, honey bees are making a rebound. Last winter, beekeepers reported a 20% loss in their colonies which is way up from a record-breaking 40% loss from the 2018-19 winter before. In what seems to be a cyclical trend, bee colony populations bounce back just about every other year. The 20% loss is the second-lowest in 14 years, which is buzzing news! [AP]
Old Faithful or Old Fearsome?
*Photo credit David Restivo
The supervolcano lurking under Yellowstone National Park has always been a risk for a super eruption, but scientists are now putting those fears to bed—this hot spot is losing strength. What does that mean for the park’s popular geysers, boiling mud, and prismatic pools that rely on the volcanic power? It may take another million years to know for sure. [New York Times]
Bus or Bust
Thinking of making Chris McCandless’s pilgrimage to Bus 142? You can still go, but the bus won’t be there. The Alaskan National Guard deployed a helicopter to remove the Into the Wild bus from Alaska’s backcountry after too many fatalities and costly rescues added up. [Business Insider]