You are hereArchive - Jan 2009
Archive - Jan 2009
Art, space, but no benefactors? U.S. museums look inward for their own bailouts
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As the art world waited breathlessly for word on whether the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles would survive or go bust, a white knight, the billionaire art collector Eli Broad, rode to the rescue with a $30 million bailout plan. Some people cheered; others sneered. Few thought to point out that more venerable and vulnerable institutions across the U.S. are also struggling, but with no bailouts in sight.
Major art museums in Detroit, Newark and Brooklyn are prime examples. Forged a century ago or more from idealism and dollars, they are American classics, monuments to Yankee can-do. As latecomers to the culture game, American museums had to buy art fast and big, and they did. But times and fortunes - we all know the story - changed. Depression, recession and politics brought powerful cities to their knees. Populations shifted.
In the fields of observation chance favors only those minds which are prepared. - Louis Pasteur
In the fields of observation chance favors only those minds which are prepared.
Around the world in 1460 days: Mike Horn navigates sustainable sailboat Pangaea on 4-year 7-continent eco-voyage
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For South African-born explorer Mike Horn, 42, navigating in sub-zero temperatures requires basic tools: chocolate for energy and mucus for wind-block. Horn has circumnavigated the Arctic Circle solo, circled the globe along the equator without motorized transport and completed the first-ever night expedition to the North Pole, without dogs and frequently swimming along the way.
Back in 2002, Horn's expedition around the Arctic Circle involved skiing, sailing, kayaking and trekking in temperatures as low as -76 F (-60 C). This year, Horn embarks on his most ambitious expedition to date - Pangaea. read more »
World's tallest buildings (part ii): Washington Monument, Eiffel Tower, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building..
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The Washington Monument, U.S.A., completed in 1884 (555 ft - 169.29 m)
The Washington Monument took the title as the world's tallest building in 1884 and is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet - 169.29 m in height, and is made of marble, granite, and sandstone. The Monument held the title for just 3 years.
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, completed in 1887 (1,063 ft - 324 m)
The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1887 took the title of the world's highest building not with just a few extra feet in height - it is twice the height of it's predecessor, The Washington Monument. The Eiffel Tower was to retain the world's tallest building title for another 43 years.
The Chrysler Building, New York, USA, finished in 1930 (1046 ft - 319 m)
Completed in 1930, the Chrysler Building had just 1 year of glory as the world's tallest building. You will note from it's height that it appears to be shorter than the Eiffel Tower, however this is because a new antenna was located on the Eiffel Tower in the year 2000 - before this the Eiffel Tower was some 79 ft - 24 m shorter than The Chrysler Building. read more »
The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice. - George Eliot
The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice.
Peru, one of poorest countries with 30% population living <$2, 10% <$1 a day, to plant 40 million trees by Feb '20
To mitigate climate change, Peru, one of the poorest countries with 30% population living under $2, 10% under $1 a day, is planting 512,820 trees daily to capture more than 570,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Who’s next?
Astounding poverty
Peru is one of the poorest countries in the world with 30.6% of its population living under 2 dollars a day, 10.5% under $1 dollar a day;
Astounding goal
Peru has launched a nationwide tree-planting project to plant 40 million trees by Feb. 2020 to capture more than 570,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
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In an attempt to mitigate climate change, the Ministry of Agriculture of Peru has launched a nationwide tree-planting project with the astounding goal to plant 40 million trees by Feb. 20 to capture more than 570,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, El Comercio reported Friday.
Mastery of Winter. Onto ice are skaters, swan, crabapple tree, children & sculptures at International Ice & Snow Show
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People visit ice sculptures for the 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China on December 23, 2008.
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in Harbin, China, opened on Jan. 5, 2009. The festival lasts for one month, and features large ice and snow sculptures, ice lanterns, swimming in the icy Songhua River and more. The northern hemisphere is a hospitable place for ice festivals these days, so in that spirit, here is a collection of recent photographs of all things frozen, and some of the ways we live and play with ice.
A swan attempts to land on a frozen lake near Castleford northern England Monday Jan. 5, 2009. Freezing temperatures and snow have struck large areas of Britain.
Visitors slide on tracks at an ice sculpture during a preview for the 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival at a park in Harbin, China on December 23, 2008. read more »
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