Beverly Joubert's beautiful photography is available at: art.com
Saturday, November 07, 2009
"endangered animal"
Our endangered animal of the week is the VAQUITA! It sounds like a party animal. Sadly, it’s not. It’s a very very rare porpoise. Its name means ‘Little Cow’ in Spanish. It is a little marine cow!This animal is Mexico’s only endemic marine mammal. It lives in the warm shallow coastal waters in the northern end of the Gulf of California, and is only found there – it has the most limited distribution of any marine cetacean. It is also the world’s smallest and most endangered cetacean. It is the only species of porpoise to live in such warm waters, and can uniquely tolerate large fluctuations in temperature.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Plans for the World Trade Center site
New York Ground Zero is being transformed into a permanent World Trade Center Memorial Site entitled Reflecting Absence, as well as a functional major office and visitor building called the Freedom Tower.The events of September 11, 2001, will never be forgotten by the people of New York City or America as a whole. The nature of the terrorist attacks on that day and the brave response of the heroes of New York City's Police and Fire Departments clearly showed, in one day, the very worst and very best aspects of humanity. If you visit New York City, take a break from the big, brassy tourist attractions that embody the city and visit the World Trade Center site, also commonly known as New York Ground Zero, at the corners of Liberty and Church streets in lower Manhattan.
Visitors can currently find the Tribute Center at 120 Liberty Street, where there is a gallery, information, tours, and a chance to reflect upon the tragedies of 9/11 and the World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993, in which six people were killed and more than 1,000 injured. The Tribute Center forms a temporary Ground Zero Memorial during the construction of the permanent Ground Zero Memorial.
A Real "cliffhanger"
As this Spider-Man tale opens, the audience sees New York City "on fire and in ruins" as "a section of the Brooklyn Bridge ascends with Mary Jane bound and dangling helplessly from the bridge." Soon thereafter, a new villainess called Arachne flies into the picture spinning her own deadly trap, and as Spider-Man battles all kinds of criminals he's swinging right over the audience.It sounds like the 3-D opening for the next "Spider-Man" sequel, and even though this superhero story is filled with Hollywood-style special effects, it is instead a glimpse from a confidential script of a planned "Spider-Man" musical -- the priciest undertaking, and among the most troubled productions, in Broadway history.
Theater producers are always looking for the next movie-inspired musical blockbuster, and the pedigree of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" couldn't be more stellar: Sony's three Peter Parker movies have grossed nearly $2.5 billion worldwide, musical songwriters Bono and the Edge have shipped more than 50 million U2 records domestically, and director Julie Taymor's "The Lion King" has earned $3.6 billion globally.
But rather than develop into a surefire hit, "Spider-Man" the musical instead has turned into a tangled web of production delays, unpaid bills and costly theater renovations that even Peter Parker's alter ego would struggle to escape, according to interviews with half a dozen people close to the show who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the show and its finances. Given its immodest ambition to "reinvent Broadway," the musical's budget has soared to $52 million, counting theater renovations, according to one person familiar with its finances -- more than double the cost of 2006's "Lord of the Rings" musical, one of the most expensive musicals ever.
Like any compelling superhero story, "Spider-Man's" real-life final act is a cliffhanger.
"The Men Who Stare at Goats"
"The Men Who Stare at Goats" sounds like some ethnographic documentary about the bushmen of the Kalahari or the Bakhtiari herders of old Persia. Anyone expecting anything like that, or even a Disney family film like "Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar," is going to be surprised.
Instead, first-time director Grant Heslov has come up with something wackier and more whimsical, a quirky comedic drama about one of the stranger aspects of the modern American Army, a time when certain high-ranking officers felt that the New Age techniques and beliefs of the counterculture could transform military practice as we know it. As the intertitle that begins the film succinctly puts it, "more of this is true than you would believe."
The Army, no surprise, was never able to make that transformation completely happen. Similarly, Heslov, working from a script by Peter Straughan taken from a nonfiction book by Jon Ronson, has been unable to make "Goats" a completely successful film. But it's still worth watching because it provides a showcase for a group of actors who really appreciate this kind of farcical comedy.
George Clooney tops the bill as Lyn Cassady, a soldier who has a special gift for staring at goats so hard bad things happen. To the goats. Clooney and the director worked together in "Good Night, and Good Luck," which Heslov co-wrote and produced, and it was likely the actor's juice that got this eccentric project off the ground.
High-flying Manufacturing
Konyk Architecture designs futuristic, high-tech prefabricated homes. The designs utilize steel "uni-body" frames, structural panels and lots of insulated glass to form super-modern, sleek living spaces. The homes are fabricated and delivered fully equipped with high-end appliances, fixtures and mechanicals.
Zhen Zhen, whose name means "precious" in Chinese
Visitors lined up outside the zoo gates for the first public viewing of the San Diego Zoo's giant panda cub Zhen Zhen.The 7.7kg, black-and-white cub was on display outside the Giant Panda Research Station's "classroom" exhibit for two hours.
"We weren't sure how much interest there'd be, since we have four pandas," zoo spokesman Andrew Circo said. "But a lot of people came out to see her."
Since her birth on August 3, Zhen Zhen, whose name means "precious" in Chinese, has been living in a den out of the public view. The toddler, however, has been visible to the world via the zoo's Web site.
A lot of hot air . . .
Hot air balloons illuminated by their own burners are moored at the Saga International Balloon Fiesta in Saga, Japan. More than 100 balloons from more than a dozen countries take part in the event, one of the biggest in Asia.
(Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images / November 3, 2009)
Hey! Look what's going on at Saas-Fee
Kevin Pearce of the U.S. competes in the men's half-pipe Snowboarding FIS World Cup final event in Saas-Fee, southern Switzerland. He placed 12th.
Japans' Kazuhiro Kokubo won, ahead of France's Mathieu Crepel, second, and Finland's Peetu Piiroinen, third.
(Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images / November 5, 2009)
Moscow Reinactment
Russian soldiers in replica World War II uniforms participate in a military parade rehearsal at Red Square. They reenact the events of Nov. 7, 1941, when troops marched from the Red Square to the front lines to fight invading German troops.
(Dmitry Kostyukov / AFP/Getty Images / November 5, 2009)
Tucanos and Kfirs
Brazilian-made Tucanos surround Israeli-made Kfirs during an aerial exhibition to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Colombia's air force.
(Fernando Vergara / Associated Press / November 5, 2009)
National Parks to offer free admission on Veterans Day, Nov. 11
What better place than the wide-open spaces within a national park or wildlife refuge to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and the sacrifices made by members of the armed services to protect those freedoms?In honor of these heroes, all public recreation land managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation will waive entrance fees for them and the general public on Veterans Day next Wednesday.
(This was reported previously by colleague Jane Engle in the L.A. Times travel blog.)
“The Department of the Interior is honored to offer this fee-free day to thank our nation’s service men and women,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a news release. “The sacrifices and achievements of the brave men and women of our armed forces can never be understated. We invite all of our visitors to enjoy this fee-free day and take time out on this national holiday to remember our service men and women who are currently serving overseas in harms way. ”
Only entrance fees are waived. Fees associated with camping, lodging or other activities will be collected.
-- Pete Thomas
Photo of Yosemite's El Capitan and the Merced River by © Darrell Gulin/CORBIS
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Imagine: L.A. bicyclists in the driver's seat, one day a week
A group called cicLAvia wants to close major L.A. thoroughfares to cars and open them to bicyclists on Sundays. City officials are looking for ways to support the plan, which originated in Colombia.
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Tyrone Powers stars in "Jesse James." 
Jimmy Stewart stars in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." 
Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh in "Gone With the Wind." 
Claire Trevor, left, and John Wayne star in "Stagecoach." 
From left, Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Judy Garland as Dorothy and Jack Haley as the Tinman in " The Wizard of Oz."
"love, betrayal, redemption and death"
Giselle” is nearly perfect, even if the ballet’s composer, Adolphe Adam, was no Tchaikovsky. It’s got love, betrayal, redemption and death, not to mention scenes of painterly dancing. As the style of contemporary ballet grows ever harder-edged, it’s comforting to return to “Giselle,” a retreat of watercolor prettiness and deeply felt emotions. If you’re lucky, the mad scene will provoke a good cry.It’s no wonder then that the American Ballet Theatre has presented “Giselle” since its debut season in 1940. ABT's latest verion is currently at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through Sunday and the current production, staged by artistic director Kevin McKenzie after the Coralli-Perrot-Petipa standard, is certainly picturesque, with storybook sets by Gianni Quaranta and richly appointed costumes by Anna Anni.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
"The Height of Achievement"
The Federation Business Complex: A new star rising in the Moscow skyline, Mirax Construction is erecting the tallest building in Europe: 1470 feet of striking architecture that is not just high art, but all business. Located on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment, the Federation Business Complex is destined to become the centerpiece of the capital’s Moscow City international business hub.An international project launched in early 2008, the Federation Complex involves contributions from such high-rise construction frontrunners as Turner, Thornton Tomasetti, the National Engineering and Construction Corporation of China, and Ant Yapi. Vneshtorgbank, Russia’s premier credit institution, is a partner in the project, and will be the completed property’s largest tenant.
The design was chosen from 40 bids submitted by top architectural studios all over the world. The structure will consist of a multilevel podium with two towers 93 and 62 stories tall, sharing a stylobate.
Of the building’s total floor space of more than 4.5 million sq ft., 2 million will be available for Class ‘A’ offices, 830,000 sq. ft. will be allotted to elite apartments, and another 430,000 sq. ft. will house the new Grand Hyatt Moscow. The business part of the building will also house bank offices, airline offices, fitness centers, cafés, restaurants, shops and convention centers.
Already a world-record holder, the Federation Complex has made it into the Guinness Book of Records. Tower A’s 14,000 cubic-meter base, completed in February 2006, is the world’s largest cast-in-place concrete foundation.
Maidan Nezalezhnosti [Independence Square] in Kiev
"We are a young European country...Our country is amazingly beautiful... We cherish our traditions... We are proud of our history... We are an educated and hard working nation... And we know how to win... We are building our country... We are confident of our future... Our music is a rhythm of our new life...
We are 48 million, we are Ukrainians..."
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
He wasn't looking for candy
CHEVY CHASE, Md. (WUSA) - Police are looking for two suspects in a bank robbery Monday that involved a masked gunman and an accomplice who drove the getaway car.
It happened at about 11:00 am at the SunTrust Bank located at 8510 Connecticut Avenue in chevy Chase.
Police say the suspect, wearing a Halloween mask and armed with a semi-automatic handgun, entered the bank and demanded cash, and fled after receiving an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured. Police say the suspect was seen in a black Mercedes, possibly a 2004 or 2005 model.
The first suspect was wearing a black and white skeleton mask, dark clothing, and was described as being a tall man, of unknown race. The get-away vehicle driver was described as a heavy-set black male.
Anyone who has any information about this bank robbery and/or the suspects involved is asked to call the Robbery Section at 240-773-5100. Callers may remain anonymous
Marvelous drawing of the new USS New York
This is a drawing of the new USS New York, a new LPD-17. The Landing Platform Dock 17, San Antonio Class, is the latest class of amphibious force ship for the United States Navy. The mission of the San Antonio Class is to transport the US Marine Corps "mobility triad" – that is, Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAAVs), air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC) and the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft – to trouble spots around the world.Monday, November 02, 2009
"art or atrocious?"
Steve Lopez finds mixed reactions to the six cast-bronze pieces recently installed outside of the nearly completed LAPD headquarters downtown. Police Chief William J. Bratton said he walked by the installation to see whether "it's as ugly up close as it is when you're driving by." A passerby said, "It's nice, but is this a pig, or what is it?" (Note: this is one of the less atrocious pieces).Presenting the USS New York
"the father of China's space and missile programs"
"a trillionth of a second after the big bang"
A little more than a year after its ill-fated debut, the Large Hadron Collider is getting ready to roll again. The controversial device, including an 18-mile circular tunnel -- bigger than the London Underground's Circle Line -- is housed in the gigantic CERN laboratory in the Jura mountains just outside of Geneva, on the border of France and Switzerland. Using the particle collider, the largest ever built, would allow scientists to re-create conditions that existed a trillionth of a second after the big bang, as well as prove the existence of the spooky "Higgs boson" entity, also called the "God Particle" which give "things" (including living things like you and me) their mass. It is further anticipated to solve the mystery of "dark matter" and shed light on many other quirky physics conundrums."indigenous art, cultures and civilizations"
The Musée du quai Branly, known in English as the Quai Branly Museum, nicknamed MQB, is a museum in Paris, France that features indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The museum is located at 37, quai Branly - portail Debilly, 75007 Paris, France, situated close to the Eiffel Tower. It is named after its location (not after the physicist Édouard Branly).The Big Show at Blanchard Springs, Arkansas
Still a Thriller After All These Years
Who can forget those images -- Cary Grant on a deserted highway being chased by a crop dusting plane? Grant and Eva Marie Saint scampering over the president's noses on Mt. Rushmore as they are pursued by a group of nefarious spies?Then there's the pulsating score by Bernard Herrmann, one of the great screen composer's most evocative works.
In fact, Alfred Hitchcock's romantic thriller "North by Northwest" is so viscerally entertaining, it's hard to believe the classic is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The AFI Fest and Warner Home Video are marking this anniversary with a screening tonight of a newly remastered digital print made from original VistaVision elements at the Mann Chinese Theatre I with stars Saint and Martin Landau on hand. On Tuesday, Warner Home Video is releasing a 50th-anniversary edition of the film on Blu-ray and DVD.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Berlin Memorial to the Cold War
Renewal in Berlin
The modernistic Sony Center is located at Berlin's Potsdamer Platz. Once, the area was part of the no man's land of the Berlin Wall. After the fall of the wall, construction began, and today, the plaza is home to the Sony Center, along with a mall, theaters, restaurants, hotels, offices and apartments.
"neglected relic"
Nursultan Nazarbayev
BIG Architects have unveiled an incredible new library that will serve as a multifunctional cultural center for Astana, Kazakhstan. Named Nursultan Nazarbayev after the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the new library will encompass not just books, but space and time as well. The design comprises 4 archetypes - the circle, the rotunda, the arch and the yurt - which all merge into the form of a Möbius strip. In designing the structure BIG also used high-tech modeling to calculate the thermal exposure of the building envelope and maximize shading.
Venezuela's Canaima National Park and Spectacular Angel Falls
Canaima includes the uplands of the Gran Sabana and the eastern table mountains (tepuis) of the Roraima Range, as well as the sandstone plateau of Chimantá and Auyán-tepui and the north-western Canaima lowlands. It comprises Precambrian rocks which have been subjected to 600 million years of erosion to form a spectacular landscape. There are three disjunct physiographic units: undulating lowlands between 350 and 650m; the flat plateau of the Gran Sabana (800-1500m); and the tepui summits (2000-2700m). The summits reach 1000-2000m above the surrounding plateau and their surfaces are often scarred by gullies, canyons and sinkholes of several hundred metres depth. Water drains from the flat summits forming hundreds of waterfalls. The Río Caroní, with its many tributaries arising within the park, supplies the Guri dam which provides electricity to large areas of the country. There are many waterfalls in the park including Angel Falls, the world's tallest at 1002m."haunting and haunted"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)