Ukraine Video Mash-up!

The link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgFZ7RhwOtg

Here it is - all the live, in-person antics of 4 days in Ukraine. Enjoy!

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Kyle Taylor

I Went To Chernobyl. No, Seriously. I Did.

Probably the first thought on your mind is: “People can go to Chernobyl? Didn’t a nuclear reactor blow up there?” The answer to the latter is yes and while you might think that would make the former a big “no,” you’d be wrong. People can - and do - visit the site of the worst nuclear disaster in world history. The Atomic Energy Commission says it’s totally fine in low doses and hey, who doesn’t want to glow in the dark?

In all honesty, the radiation levels are no higher than you’d expect flying a Trans-Atlantic flight from Europe to North America (yes, you are exposed to radiation while flying) except for the brief moments when you’re standing 100 meters from the reactor. Oh yeah, I stood 100 meters from the reactor.

The whole experience was incredibly surreal. My travel buddy had mentioned the idea in passing and I sort-of thought, “hey, who goes to Chernobyl? Sure, I’m in.” Little did I know it would involve a tram to a bus to a plane to a taxi to a bus to a bus to a subway to a bus to a flight to a bus to a tram to get there and back! We fortunately managed to find a smaller tour company, which meant are group was just eight-strong comprised of Frenchmen, Italians and Americans (that’s us!) not to mention our Ukrainian driver and tour guide (who was the most amazing person I have ever met. I would follow this guy to the ends of the earth if he asked me to, he was just that good).



The ride from Kiev to the exclusion zone took just under two hours. Now 23 miles from the reactor, we had to present our passports and be checked off a list. From there it was another 10 miles to “Chernobyl Town” (how original, no?) where we picked up our guide and signed away our rights on the back side of a flimsy piece of paper. Yuri our yellow-goggled guide hopped in the van and away we went. Five more miles and we reached the inner exclusion zone, where there was another passport check before they lifted the road block for us to pass. I felt slightly important and slightly terrified all at once. Approaching the reactor was otherworldy, especially because the other reactors were active - yes ACTIVE - until 2000. That’s right, even after one of them blew up and spilled radiation all over Europe they allowed the other three to plug along.



While it looked rather drab and harmless in its now cracking sarcophagus, the blaring “beep beep beep” of the Geiger counter reminded us of just how dangerous this site once was (and still is if you’re, you know, climbing around on top of it, which we saw people doing). After visiting the reactor we headed to Pripyat, the town that once housed all the workers and their families that was designed as “the model Soviet city” to be shown off around the world as a perfect example of what Communism brings. Oops?








This is the part of the tour that was somewhat shocking because while some people stayed in the town for years afterward working on clean-up, nearly 99% of the 60,000 left within days, leaving everything exactly as it was. The local athletics center was littered with flat basketballs and broken tiles in a now abandoned pool. The town’s amusement park - set to open the very next day - is now a perfect set piece for a horror film. Perhaps the eeriest of all was the school, where lessons were half-written on the chalkboards, papers were scattered across desks and library books had been worn and tussled by the weather.









We closed with a non-radioactive meal that had been imported from outside the exclusion zone then a run through the contamination reader to make sure we were “all clear” before heading back to Kiev amid a light glow of neon green. As we drove out of the exclusion zone I noticed that the old sidewalks had been completely overgrown by grass, trees and other elements of nature. It appeared that the planet was actively “retaking” this charred earth perhaps in an attempt to return it back to how it once was. In just 23 years of removing humans from the equation our creations and our “modernizations” were slipping away, soon to be gone without a trace. It appears that instead of trying to be a part of nature we have perhaps been trying to fight it. How might we alter that mode of thinking? How might we once again try and be part of our planet instead of destroy it? I’m not entirely sure but I do know that zucchini are not supposed to be four feet long and as far as I can remember, human beings don’t have three nipples or eleven fingers. Oops...

Video of the day's happenings here:



The video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNsWoy-tlKE

More photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyletaylor/sets/72157622687491084/


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Kyle Taylor

Baltics Video Mash-Up

The link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Iygkb7cNBM

The Baltics in video!

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Kyle Taylor

Russia Video Mash-Up 2009

A few of the wildest moments in Russia that fit into three nice themes: riding the train, eating the food and swimming in the frigid lake! It's all set to music by Becca pants and Clarkie-poo. Enjoy!

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Kyle Taylor

Mongolia Video Mash-up!

Here's a few video clips from Mongolia! Enjoy!

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Kyle Taylor

China Video Mash-Up!

Here's a few clips from my time in China filmed all on my Flip! Enjoy!

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Kyle Taylor

The Story Of Stuff

In the morning I usually have some strawberry yogurt poured over some delectable British strawberries (buy local! woo!). While I eat, I head over to Huffington Post or CNN to watch any recent, pertinent videos. This keeps my brain occupied for the 8 minutes it usually takes me to devour said strawberries and yogurt.

Well, a few mornings ago I came across this AMAZING 20-minute short documentary about where "stuff" comes from. That is, how everything you own came to be, and what happens to it when you're done with it. The creator spent TEN YEARS researching everything from raw material extraction right through to landfill dumping. Now, I knew it wasn't the most pleasant tale, but I had no idea just how bad it is - from destroying the Earth to building products that are MADE to break so you have to buy a new one to incinerating trash and poisoning the air.

Before you call me a conspiracy theory cynic take the time to watch and see the truth in it all. More importantly, note that not a single person/company/government official has come forward to attack her research claims. In fact, most of her facts and figures come from Right-Wing or Government sources. All I can say is: STOP SHOPPING SO MUCH! WE'RE KILLING THE EARTH, & WE ONLY GET ONE!

More Shivering


Since the last one was so wildly successful, I decided to do another. This is just after my 82-minute swim last weekend. I’m totally delirious. So funny!

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Kyle Taylor

MOVIE: Shivering Like Crazy

So just after my first swim of the day on Saturday John (Rotary Dad extraordinaire) whipped out the video camera and decided to film we shivering like mad. Basically, following an hour in the water (or any length of time, I'm starting to think) my body shakes violently for a solid 40 minutes as it tries to naturally warm itself up. The first 10 minutes are awful - I just can't wait for it to be over. Then I get used to it and just embrace how ridiculous the whole thing is. Enjoy, and if you can, please donate by clicking here:

Prop 8: The Musical

I thought this star-studded take on Prop 8 was just too perfect. Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Margaret Cho, Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph and more! Enjoy.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Moms Are The Best!

In a Pre-Thanksgiving thank you, I wanted to share this fantastic clip sent me to me by my Nana about Moms. They're pretty great. Enjoy!


The Mom Song- LIVE from Northland Video on Vimeo.

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Kyle Taylor

NEW VIDEO & PICS - North Country Recap

Here it is, the moving pictures from our time in North Country. Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and some incredible Venture teams in Minnesota. Enjoy!

Road Trip America - North Country Recap

Add to My Profile | More Videos

The link, in case it doesn't embed: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29395738


Here are the pictures from Minnesota as well:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyletaylor/sets/72157604022534951/

New Video - Random Collection From World Tour

I put this together for another organization who wants me to potentially "host" something for them. It's bits and bobs of me "hosting" while traveling. I only left one clip out - the morning of doom in India, when I had slept for 45 minutes. Maybe in a bout of insanity you'll get lucky and I'll accidentally post it...

South Africa Video Up!

Alright, here it is, the South Africa short! Thanks to ease of use in terms of translations, I was able to include some first-hand interviews that are totally wonderful! South Africa is a fascinating place and I loved every minute. I hope you enjoy this sneak-peek into my time there! More blogs coming about South Africa too! Also, a big shout out to Erin Gordon for helping with the editing and production. Enjoy...



The link, in case it doesn't work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKdiNwHyu2s