September 19, 2006, 7:46 PM CT
Harsh Reality of the Mines of Potosi
Cerro Rico - Potosi
Travel to Potosi? This makes interesting reading.
The hole seemed to get smaller as I was forced to drop to my knees in order to advance forward. Wobbling along like a penguin in this crouched position, I wasn't able to get somewhat comfortable again until the area opened back up. All I could see in front of me was what the powerful glare of my halogen headlamp revealed. A jagged rocky interior with pellets of water clinging at each point. Endless clouds of dusts so thick that it felt like you had to choke down each breath.
Our guide turned to us with a grin stretching from one end of his face to the other revealing a couple missing front teeth. "How everyone doing?" he asks in a broken but jovial English accent. He didn't get much of a response. Suffice to say, group moral was a bit low. Our guide reassured us we only have a bit further to go.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
September 19, 2006, 7:41 PM CT
Do Not To Travel To Thailand
Australian authorities have urged their citizens not to travel to Thailand after the army took control of Bangkok last night in a bloodless coup attempt.
The coup leaders dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is in New York for a United Nations meeting, and revoked the constitution, promising a swift return to democracy after political reforms.
Tanks and troops took over Government House in the nation's first coup in 15 years. A coup spokesman said the army and police were in control of the capital and surrounding provinces.
But life in most of Bangkok continued much as usual with traffic moving through the streets and the airport operating normally.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
September 18, 2006, 6:36 PM CT
Fish That Can Walk
In this undated photo released by Conservation International, an epaulette shark (Hemiscyillum freycineti), one of over fifty likely new species discovered
There are a number of more species to be discovered under the sea. Scientists examining the undersea fauna off Indonesia's Papua province said Monday they had discovered dozens of new species, including a shark that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying mantis.
"It's one of the most stunningly beautiful landscapes and seascapes on the planet," said Mark Erdmann, a senior adviser of Conservation International who led two surveys to the area earlier this year.
"Above and below water, it's simply mind blowing," he said.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
September 18, 2006, 6:18 PM CT
First Stop - London
We've'walked 'til we've dropped' for two days in London now. It hardly seems possible that we are here, but here we are! After our first day I asked David, Karsten and Stephanie what words would describe their first impressions of London. The responses:
David: "allergies!" It's been very windy and all of us are suffering some from hayfever, and Karsten is downright miserable! Jetlag plus a dose of Benadryl put him right to sleep for most of the bus and boat tour yesterday. Poor guy!
Read more.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
September 18, 2006, 6:00 PM CT
Traffic Routing from the Comfort of Your Car
Engineers have developed a system for taking anonymous cell-phone location information and turning it into an illuminated traffic map that identifies congestion in real time.The system takes advantage of the steady stream of positioning cues--untraced signals all cell phones produce, whether in use or not, as they seek towers with the strongest signals. It is the first traffic-solution technology that monitors patterns on rural roads and city streets as easily as on highways.
Developed by IntelliOne of Atlanta, Ga., the TrafficAid system could not only help guide drivers around tie-ups, but also tell emergency responders where accidents are or how effectively an evacuation is unfolding by pinpointing clusters of cell phones.
"Unlike sensors and other equipment along major freeways that are expensive and take years to deploy, our system takes advantage of existing cellular networks in which wireless carriers have already invested billions of dollars," said National Science Foundation (NSF) awardee and IntelliOne CEO Ron Herman, a former engineer and computer scientist.
Herman was inspired by a friend's demonstration several years ago of a proof-of-concept Palm Pilot software that used real-time California Department of Transportation travel-time data to route the drivers around traffic snarls."I was completely sold," said Herman. "I believed then the next 'killer app' for mobile would demand live traffic data for every road--not just select highways equipped with speed sensors--and set out to make it happen".........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
September 18, 2006, 5:36 PM CT
Remote Island Provides Clues On Population Growth
The entrance to the Tangarutu rock shelter on the Rapa coast
Halfway between South America and New Zealand, in the remote South Pacific, is Rapa. This horseshoe-shaped, 13.5 square-mile island of volcanic origin, located essentially in the middle of nowhere, is "a microcosm of the world's situation," says a University of Oregon archaeologist.
Until only recently, little was known about the French Polynesian Island, where the current population is less than 500. Archaeological, linguistic and genetic data suggest that the island, like much of East Polynesia, was inhabited in a final pulse of colonization by seafaring travelers who originated from Island Southeast Asia. New research, led by the University of Oregon's Douglas Kennett, has shed fresh new light on Rapa, particularly on what life may have been like for as a number of as 1,500 to 2,000 people who lived there before the arrival of European explorers.
Kennett's team, which included scientists from three institutions, published in the recent issue of the journal Antiquity that Polynesians arrived on the island around A.D. 1200, much later than long assumed. The settlers spread across the island, splintering from a shoreline-based society into competing groups that built and likely defended a growing number of spectacular fortifications carved from mountaintops in the years before English explorer George Vancouver sailed by in 1791, ushering in European contact.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
August 25, 2006, 3:15 PM CT
Trieste
Trieste is a port city located in northeast Italy. This beautiful city features a number of famous landmarks such as the Castle of Miramare and the Castle of San Guisto.
The Castle of Miramare was built during the mid 1800's at the order of Archduke Maxmilian. The Castle is particularly famous for its beautiful gardens, which was created on the orders of the Archduke Maximilian. The gardens are famous for its two ponds, one inhabited by swans and the other by exotic lotus flowers.
The Castle of San Guisto is a magnificent structure, which took more than 2 centuries to build. A number of areas inside the castle are open to the public. It also houses a museum, which displays a number of ancient weapons. During the summer months a number of re-enactments are held in the open air.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
August 20, 2006, 3:11 PM CT
Palm Jumeirah A Man Made Wonder
The Palm Jumeirah has turned into an icon for the city of Dubai. It has been dubbed as the eight wonder of the world. Palm Jumeirah is the first of the trilogy of the Palm Islands, which also includes the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira. Palm Jumeirah is the largest man-made island in the world. This palm shaped island in the Persian Gulf is being constructed by the Al Nakheel Properties in the United Arab Emirates.
The Palms were developed to increase the tourism in the United Arab Emirates. It was designed to counteract the loses the country would face once the emirates oil reserves are depleted. The oil reserves have been estimated to last until the second decade of the twenty-first century. The goal of the country is to diversify the economy and become one of the largest vacation destinations in the world.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink
July 22, 2006, 12:17 AM CT
Jasper, Canada
Jasper is in Jasper National Park in the Rocky Mountains of Canada.
Located in the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, Jasper is the shy cousin to bold, brassy Banff. Approximately 2 hours north of Banff and 4.5 hours west of Edmonton, capital of the province of Alberta. It can be reached by road or train. Highway 16, the Yellowhead Highway, connects Jasper to Edmonton, which has an international airport. Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, connects south through the Rockies to Lake Louise and onto Banff. Drivers will have to pay for a park admission pass as the town of Jasper is located within Jasper National Park. There are bus connections from Edmonton, Banff and Vancouver.
Those driving to the park should be aware that a park fee of $7/adult per night (max $14/carload per night) applies. Annual passes are available for $89.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink Source
July 22, 2006, 12:04 AM CT
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is more than a great chasm carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau. It is more than an awe-inspiring view. It is more than a pleasuring ground for those who explore the roads, hike the trails, or float the currents of the turbulent Colorado River.
This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humble us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives. The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations.
Camera: Canon D60, Not recorded, Lens: Not recorded, Not recorded, Not recorded, ISO Not recorded.........
Posted by: JoAnn Permalink
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