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Anna Begins

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A change of news for a change:

 

CALIFORNIA- YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Fresh off their heroic trek up a sheer face of El Capitan, the most famous rock climbers in the country right now— in between showing off their gnarled, burly hands — described their 19 days scaling the Dawn Wall.

 

It was the first time anyone had ever free-climbed the towering 3,000-foot southeast face of the granite monolith in Yosemite Valley, meaning all other climbers on the Dawn Wall had the assistance of ropes anchored on the wall. Caldwell and Jorgeson used only their hands and feet to climb the mostly smooth vertical cliff, with ropes to catch them when they fell.

 

Tommy Caldwell, 36, of Colorado, and Kevin Jorgeson, 30, of Santa Rosa took on the daunting task of explaining to the worldwide media their fears, feelings and justifications for taking on the hardest climb in history.

 

“The whole experience is a moment in my life that I will cherish my whole life,” said Caldwell, whose voice was just a raspy whisper after the constant yelling between the two partners and because he picked up a cold before summiting Wednesday. “Even the suffering is something that makes the experience rich.”

 

Caldwell said such climbing is so technical, so absorbing and requiring of such imagination that it becomes artistic. He compared it to a physical form of painting. Far from being risky, Jorgeson said, free climbing requires a person to become one with the rock, totally in tune with nature.

 

“Throughout the climb, we were overwhelmed by the magnificence and beauty of Yosemite National Park,” Caldwell said.

The climbers acknowledged that they had taken a big risk with the weather in January, but said they had to do it when it was cold because skin doesn’t cut as easily in the cold, rubber on the shoes sticks better and they don’t sweat as much. They said they were, nevertheless, doing surprisingly well after such an ordeal.

 

“Actually, the thing that hurts the most right now is our legs, from hiking down, because we haven’t used them in 19 days,” Jorgeson said.

 

Jorgeson said he was never going to quit during his ordeal on the Pitch 15, the sideways traverse that he fell off of 11 times, but he was definitely getting worried that he was holding up his climbing partner.

 

The two men said they were overwhelmed by all the attention, including a congratulatory tweet from President Obama.

 

“It’s captured the imagination of everyone,” Caldwell said. “We’re just two people who did it in such a way that we got noticed.”

 

To give you an idea of the mountain:

*yes, that is the correct angle*

climb.jpg

climb2.jpg

climb3.jpg

Edited by Anna Begins
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The current news is we had a man attack other people with an axe at a bar in Oulu, on Wednesday evening. He killed two men and then ran and hid. The latest is that he was finally caught, but he didn't go down without a fight. He actually hit a police officer with the axe, but luckily the man wore a helmet and was thus saved :o

 

Wow, that's terrible :(. I'm so glad the police officer was saved!

 

A change of news for a change:

 

CALIFORNIA- YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Fresh off their heroic trek up a sheer face of El Capitan, the most famous rock climbers in the country right now— in between showing off their gnarled, burly hands — described their 19 days scaling the Dawn Wall.

Amazing! Lovely photos, too! I am not good with heights either, like Claire, so you wouldn't see me do anything like that! But it's admirable what those people did :).

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Anna, thanks for posting those pics of the climbers.  We'd followed them somewhat.  What a marvelous and amazing feat!  Bravo to them!!

 

Saw this in the Washington Post this morning....

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/01/18/electrifying-photo-lightning-and-the-gleaming-eye-of-cyclone-bansi-from-the-international-space-station/

 

Eerie, and gorgeous!

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Another one, this one about a Cat Cafe in NYC.....husband found this article in the New York Times.   :D

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/nyregion/cat-cafe-offers-a-place-to-snuggle-with-reservations.html?action=click&contentCollection=Politics&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article&_r=0#

 

the article is wonderfully funny and cat-like.  Must look at the pic slide show!

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That is beautiful!

 

Another one, this one about a Cat Cafe in NYC.....husband found this article in the New York Times.   :D

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/nyregion/cat-cafe-offers-a-place-to-snuggle-with-reservations.html?action=click&contentCollection=Politics&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article&_r=0#

 

the article is wonderfully funny and cat-like.  Must look at the pic slide show!

I love this :D:kiss:!

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Wow, amazing pics of the cyclone!

 

That cat cafe is wonderful! I absolutely love that all of the cats can be adopted. I think that's a brilliant idea! When I adopted my cat from the pound, I only had a few minutes to make my decision, but at a cat cafe, you could go back again and again until you're sure (provided no one else beats you to your chosen kitty before you decide).

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Well, this is local news for New Orleans, but the article is in The Guardian.....LOL

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/23/new-orleans-lower-ninth-ward-condos-gentrification

 

The Ninth Ward is the place where the levee was breached in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 

 

This is the excerpt that really astonished me.  Remember, this is New Orleans, the city that is below sea level already, and we bury our dead above ground, or high anyhow.  IOW, dig 6 feet and you hit water.  Bolding in quote is mine.

The controversy forced Perez APC to downscale their plans from a 13-story building to a seven-story one, then to five with underground parking. The plan nonetheless required the New Orleans city council to approve it, which it did in May by a vote of 5-1.

 

 

I have no words. :o

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Well, this is local news for New Orleans, but the article is in The Guardian.....LOL

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/23/new-orleans-lower-ninth-ward-condos-gentrification

 

The Ninth Ward is the place where the levee was breached in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 

 

This is the excerpt that really astonished me.  Remember, this is New Orleans, the city that is below sea level already, and we bury our dead above ground, or high anyhow.  IOW, dig 6 feet and you hit water.  Bolding in quote is mine.

 

I have no words. :o

Just... wow. That's.. I don't.. *shakes head*.. I don't know what to say to that.

 

Today the Netherlands remembers the Holocaust: link (in Dutch). After recently reading my greatgrandfather's diary (and digitising it) I have to say that I think it's nice these things are remembered and not forgotten. Though I wouldn't want people to bring it up every day (apparently my mum's parents talked about it a lot when she was a child), it's nice to see a memorial day for it (if that's the proper translation).

 

And in other news, a rare black seal is now being taken care of at het Dolfinarium in Pieterburen. I've been there several times in the past. It is a park where you can watch some of the animals, like a zoo for sea animals, but I love that they also take care of wounded ones found at the beach and such, and treat them well. Sometimes they go back in the sea after that.

link (in Dutch)

Edited by Athena
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  • 3 weeks later...

I didn't see the above link before.....what a beautiful little seal!  You're right, it's wonderful that there are at least some people trying to save them.

 

I found this absolutely amazing video this morning.  http://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2015/feb/09/volunteers-first-manned-mission-mars-video

It's only a little over 10 minutes.  So worth watching. 

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I found this absolutely amazing video this morning.  http://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2015/feb/09/volunteers-first-manned-mission-mars-video

It's only a little over 10 minutes.  So worth watching.

It's got some beautiful images! Unfortunately I am so tired right now that I don't have the energy to watch the full video (let alone have the sound on), but I thought the first minute had some beautiful shots :).

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Apparently, it's rumoured that there are a lot of underground tunnels in Cirencester .. linking back to the reformation in the 1500's. There used to be an Abbey here before the Dissolution of the Monasteries and they think that some of the priests and monks used these tunnels to flee from their oppressors. An elderly citizen remembers the tunnels (not from the 1500's of course :D) she fell down one as a child (right by a tree ... like something out of Alice/Harry Potter :D) and several shopkeepers have seen evidence of the tunnels in their cellars etc. Ooh .. I wonder if I could find one in mine? .. and then find treasure :DLink

Equally I hope this doesn't mean that all our houses will one day cave in  :hide: 

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Apparently, it's rumoured that there are a lot of underground tunnels in Cirencester .. linking back to the reformation in the 1500's. There used to be an Abbey here before the Dissolution of the Monasteries and they think that some of the priests and monks used these tunnels to flee from their oppressors. An elderly citizen remembers the tunnels (not from the 1500's of course :D) she fell down one as a child (right by a tree ... like something out of Alice/Harry Potter :D) and several shopkeepers have seen evidence of the tunnels in their cellars etc. Ooh .. I wonder if I could find one in mine? .. and then find treasure :DLink

Equally I hope this doesn't mean that all our houses will one day cave in  :hide: 

Wow, that's pretty interesting, Kay :)!

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Tonight is the Oscars/ Academy Awards and Wolfgang Puck has given out a menu list for the pre- dinner, hosted by California's Governor (as you can imagine, this was a big deal for Arnold).

 

*Lobster Tempura with Vanilla Bean and Pineapple

*Mini Prime Cheeseburgers with Remoulade and Aged Cheddar

*Spicy Tuna Tartare

*Dungeness Crab Cake with Marinated Tomatoes

*Smoked Salmon Pizza with Caviar

*Pizza with White Truffles

and

*Smoked Salmon with Caviar

 

Here’s what will be served up at the Bar Tables

*Marinated Olives with Rosemary, Chili, and Orange

*Homemade Flatbread and Grissini

*Mini Gold Wrapped Baked Potato with Caviar and Cream Fraiche

*Roasted Pumpkin Squash Ravioli with White Truffles

*Potato Gnocchi Gratin with Gorgonzola

*Chicken Salad with Candied Cashews with Honey Sesame Dressing

*Caesar Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

*Chopped Vegetable Salad with Lobster

*Stir Fried Chicken Lettuce Cup

*Glazed Black Cod with Sticky Rice and Cucumbers

and

*Celery Root Apple Soup with Black Truffles

 

Next, the Sushi Station

Some of the selections include Spicy Tuna, Big Eye Tuna, Smoked Salmon, Shrimp,Yellowtail, and Snapper.

Selections at the Seafood Station include…

*Lobster

*Jumbo Prawns

*King Crab Legs

*Oysters

*Farm-raised Mussels

*Little Neck Clams

 

Next up, the Buffet

*Kobe Beef with Bordelaise Sauce

*Wasabi Potato Puree

*Roasted Organic Chicken Breast

*Risotto with Black Truffles

*Lobster with Crispy Spinach

*Striped Bass

*Stir Fried Organic Vegetables

and

*Assorted Organic Breads

 

And finally for Dessert…(It’s called, “Oscar’s Sweet Extravaganza”)

*Meyer Lemon Bars

*Organic Chocolate Fudge

*Hazelnut Marjolaine

*Strawberry Baked Alaska

*Fuji Apple Strudel

and

*Toffee (not coffee) Cake

Edited by Anna Begins
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Ah I had no idea this took place on your area :doh:! That's a lot of food.

I know, right?? Isn't it crazy?

 

This gave me thought and the end made me smile today, I love Stephen Hawking (we share our birthday's)

From Huffington Post via The Daily Mail:

 

Forget doomsday asteroids, global plagues and super volcanoes. British theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking says we're facing a much more immediate threat -- and it's our own behavior.

 

“The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression,” Hawking told contest winner Adaeze Uyanwah, according to the Independent. “It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or a partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all.”

 

Uyanwah, a 24-year-old from California, won the "Guest of Honor" contest from VisitLondon.com. The prize package included a tour of London's Science Museum with Hawking.

 

While being shown around, Uyanwah asked Hawking which human shortcoming he would most like to change, and which trait he'd enhance.

 

Hawking chose aggression and warned that a nuclear war could end civilization and possibly the human race. We need to replace aggression with empathy, which "brings us together in a peaceful loving state,” he said.

 

The subject of "The Theory of Everything" also told her that the future of man lies beyond Earth.

 

"I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be space and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival, as it could prevent the disappearance of humanity by colonizing other planets," Hawking said, according to the Cambridge News.

 

Hawking said putting humans on the moon "changed the future of the human race in ways that we don't yet understand."

"It hasn't solved any of our immediate problems on planet Earth," Hawking said. "But it has given us new perspectives on them and caused us to look both outward and inward."

 

Uyanwah said meeting Hawking will stay with her for the rest of her life.

 

"It's incredible to think that decades from now, when my grandchildren are learning Stephen Hawking's theories in science class, I'll be able to tell them I had a personal meeting with him and heard his views first hand," Uyanwah said, according to The Daily Mail.

 

"It's something I'll never forget."

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That's very interesting! I agree that aggression and wars are a big problem. I'm not sure I agree that the future of the human race is in space (as in, not all on Earth).

Ya I don't think so either, we'd just wreak another planet anyway :roll: But I thought aggression and empathy were good choices.  Lucky girl!  I think I have a crush on Hawking :smile:

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