Tag: Open Thread
May 07 2010
Charles Ives plays…
May 06 2010
Afternoon Edition
Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread
| From Yahoo News Top Stories |
1 BP ‘dome’ carries hopes of averting oil catastrophe
by M.J. Smith, AFP
Wed May 5, 5:51 pm ET
| PORT FOURCHON, Louisiana (AFP) – BP dispatched Wednesday a giant “dome” on a high-stakes mission to contain the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, knowing failure would leave crude spewing into the sea for months and magnify the risk of an environmental catastrophe.
A crane lowered the 100-ton dome onto the “Joe Griffin” before the barge embarked on the 12-hour journey from Port Fourchon on the Louisiana coast to the epicenter of the disaster some 50 miles (80 kilometers) offshore. A white silo with a dome-shaped top that stands five stories high, it carries with it the hopes of coastal communities from Texas to Florida whose very way of life is under threat from the slick. |
May 06 2010
On This Day in History: May 6
On this day in 1889, The Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris. The tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. It is the tallest structure in Paris at 1,063 ft. and the most visited paid monument in the world. It is locate in the 7th arrondissement on the Champs de mars next to the Seine.
The tower was not without its controversy, a letter of 300 names, including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opéra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger, protested its construction, calling it an “eye sore”. Eiffel had a 20 year permit for the Tower with dismantling schedules for 1909. The Tower reverted to the City of Paris and was decided that because of its value for radio communications it would remain. During World War 1 the Tower became crucial for communications and played a roll in the capture of the infamous spy Mata Hari.
The Eiffel Tower remains today as the symbol of Paris, the City of Light. It is one of the primary tourist attractions of the city. There are stairs and lifts to the upper levels and observation decks and two restaurants. Recently an ice skating rink opens on the first floor in the winter and in the summer at the street level a swimming pool.
May 06 2010
Afternoon Edition
Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread
| From Yahoo News Top Stories |
1 BP seals first oil leak in Gulf of Mexico
by Allen Johnson, AFP
1 hr 31 mins ago
| NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AFP) – BP capped Wednesday one of three leaks hemorraging crude into the Gulf of Mexico, as emergency crews rushed to protect fragile shorelines and islands at risk from the spreading oil slick.
Days of work off the coast of Louisiana with underwater submarines nearly a mile below the surface finally bore fruit as a valve was secured over the smallest of the three leaks and the flow shut off. The feat does not alter the overall amount of crude spilling into the sea and threatening the fragile US Gulf coast, but is significant nonetheless as the focus can now narrow on just two remaining leaks. |
May 05 2010
On This Day in History: May 5
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence day, that’s September 16. It isn’t even a federal holiday in Mexico and is only celebrated regionally in Puebla. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. In 1861, Benito Juarez stopped making interest payments on money it owed and was attacked by France. The battle really only slowed the French down and they continued to march towards Mexico City. One year later, Mexico was occupied by France and installed Maximilion I as Emperor. 5 years after the battle of Puebla, Juarez overthrew Maximilion and executed him.
The reasons that this battle is significant is first 4,000 Mexican soldiers, who were greatly outnumbered defeated the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years. Second, since the battle of Puebla, no country in the Americas has been invaded by an army from another continent.
It is a celebration of Mexican pride and heritage. Although mostly ignored by Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated continuously in California since 1863. Other places outside the US and Mexico that celebrate are in Vancouver, Canada where there is a sky diving event. In the Cayman Islands there is an air guitar festival and in Malta, every one is encouraged to drink Mexican beer.
May 05 2010
Tonight’s Sunset Open Thread
cross-posted at firefly-dreaming.
Today was a very beautiful day in New York City. After a late night I never got out of the apartment and spent the day enjoying beautiful cloud formations and a strong cold breeze. The sky cleared in the late afternoon but the clouds came back for sunset.
The view tonight seemed like a few sunsets, so there are many photos below the fold. I hope you enjoy the show.
May 05 2010
Now the wintertime is coming
May 04 2010
Afternoon Edition
Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread
| From Yahoo News Top Stories |
1 BP deploys giant ‘dome’ to stem oil spill
by Mira Oberman, AFP
46 mins ago
| VENICE, Louisiana (AFP) – BP prepared Tuesday to deploy a 98-ton containment “dome” to try and stem a tide of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and avert an environmental catastrophe.
The operation to place the giant structure over the largest of three oil leaks is unprecedented and, facing depths of almost a mile, remote-controlled submarines will have to guide it into place, hopefully by the weekend. “We are aiming to put in on the ship today and start the process,” BP spokesman John Curry told AFP, adding that containers for the remaining leaks were still being built. |