Attention femme fatals: if the past few weekends have consisted of daring missions to Bed, Bath and Beyond and seducing the bag boy at the grocery story, maybe it’s time to really indulge in something more exotic. Stiletto Spy School will plan full day adventures for ladies looking to improve their hand-to-hand combat, martini mixing, stunt driving, or tango dancing skills. You can choose from one of their planned itineraries, or create your own assignment. James Bond, meet Jane Bond.

Via Zoomdoggle

For some of us a test of human endurance entails leaving our homes without a scarf when the weather dips ever so slightly below the freezing mark. So imagine the challenge of traveling 1800 miles through the coldest weather imaginable without so much as a ski lodge in site. That’s the task being undertaken by Ben Saunders and Alastair Humphreys on their SOUTH expedition. The two men will be making the first ever return journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back again using their feet as their only transport. The trek, in addition to being a mind and body numbing challenge, aims to focus on creating a long term commitment to environmental stewardship responsibility. Though set to be the longest unsupported polar expedition in history — the the equivalent in length of a staggering 69 consecutive marathons — the participants, along with the Carbon Neutral Company, are doing their best to ensure that the undertaking leaves no carbon footprint. The journey begins in late October of 2009, but you can follow the preparations leading up to it at the expedition’s official blog.

When Corey Rich was 13, a teacher noticed that he had very capable biceps. This happened during a pull-up contest – one of those middle school battles to trick kids into fitness over fatness- and Corey had knocked out 35 to win first place by a stretch. The teacher was a rock climber, and he thought the kid might enjoy tagging along. He did.

There's a feeling that comes with experiences of psychological and physical significance, and it's best understood as a crazy mix of endorphins, wonder, and an honest appreciation of your insignificance in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't have an official name – just call it “the feeling that feels like exclamation points,” — but it's addictive as hell. When Corey was 13, he experienced that feeling, and he decided to try to capture it on camera.

It's been 20 years since Corey Rich first made friends with nature, and nearly the same amount of time since he began capturing it on film. Now one of the most sought after adventure sports photographers in the world, Corey's remarkable shots have landed in the pages of most publications worth mentioning, and in the advertisements for the world's most famous brands. We caught up with a freshly de-planed Corey to chat life, lenses, and what it takes to make them work so well together.

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