*I'm scared.*
*Why are you scared? It's so cool up here.*
*We are 4,000 feet above the ground!*
*Get me off of here!*
--------------------------------------
Walking gingerly across the translucent surface, visitors hear the glass layers creak. Far below, directly underfoot, they see the Colorado River as a pea-green ribbon.
"It felt wonderful; not exactly like floating on air," said former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who once walked on the surface of the moon and on Tuesday became one of the first to stroll onto the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a massive glass-bottom observation deck perched 4,000 feet above the canyon's floor.
The deck, which juts 70 feet beyond the canyon's edge, will accommodate up to 200 guests at a time, and offer a bone-chilling vantage point more than twice as high as the world's tallest buildings!
The Hualapai Indian tribe invited Buzz Aldrin, fellow former astronaut John Herrington, and others to the unveiling of the horseshoe-shaped deck last Tuesday for an advance showing of the Skywalk, which opened on March 28th.
The Hualapai (pronounced WALL-uh-pie) allowed Las Vegas developer David Jin to build the Skywalk, which took two years to construct. Mr. Jin provided the money to build the $30 million structure, and will give it to the Hualapai in exchange for a cut of the profits, the tribe said.
"To me, I believe this is going to help us. We don't get any help from the outside, so, why not?" said Dallas Quasula Sr., 74, a tribal elder. "This is going to be our bread and butter."
The Skywalk has sparked debate on and off the reservation. Many Hualapai worry about disturbing nearby burial sites, and environmentalists have blamed the tribe for transforming the majestic canyon into a tourist trap.
Tribal elder Dolores Honga, 71, said she remembers riding horses in the area when it was a remote patch of grassland. Her grandparents once herded cattle here.
"I still don't agree with what's going on here," she said. "There's so many memories here. This was my playground."
Here is the official website.
http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/
and here is a news page with more about the Skwalk, including pricing, and information about accomodations. It's also very well written, I think.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20070329/ap_tr_ge/travel_trip_grand_canyon_skywalk;_ylt=AnJ_MN2iVUc2enrs7RsMRhQ8sM0F
If you go...
PRICE: Visitors must pay anywhere from $74.95 to $199 to walk on the Skywalk, depending on what other activities they do. (The tribe advertises a $49.95 rate on its Web site, but that just lets you "view" the Skywalk, not walk on it.)
The Hualapai also offer Hummer tours and helicopter trips, a museum of Indian houses and a cowboy town. You also can take a ride to another part of the canyon called Guano Point, where a hiking path will take you over a thin strip of land with cliffs on either side. Details at http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/inclusive.html or 877-716-9378.
LOCATION: The Skywalk is far from the canyon's South Rim, where most visitors go to visit the national park. The Hualapai live on the remote western edge of the canyon, about five hours by car from the South Rim and four hours by car from Flagstaff.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Macedonia: a gem undiscovered
Macedonia is a landlocked country in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Serbia to the north, and Bulgaria to the east. The capital city is Skopje, with over 700,000 people. Macedonia declared it's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Famous Macedonians include Alexander the Great, and his father Philip II, and Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa. The Egyptian queen, Cleopatra has also been credited as being born in Macedonia.
Macedonia is home to scenic mountains and lakes. Macedonian cities, Skopje and Bitola especially, are home to some of the world's most beautiful buildings, mostly old churches and towers.
Skopje is the largest city in Macedonia, and it is also the administrative and political center of Macedonia. Skopje plays a vital part in the cultural and academic life of the country. It is home to the Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts, many universities, the National Library, and many of the country's Drama, Opera, and Ballet companies. The Philharmonic Orchestra of Macedonia, and the Museums of Macedonia (archaeological, historical, ethnological) are also located in Skopje.
The academic achievements of the Maceonians are very impressive. Macedonia is in the 25th place out of 38 countries in the international achievements of mathematics and science.
Skopje was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1963 that killed thousands of people, as the country is very seismically active.
As to the political side of things, there it isn't so strong.
While Macedonia has strong ties with Turkey and Bulgaria, it's gotten into skirmishes with Albania, and that has ravaged the economy, leaving the government very weak. Macedonia is a member of the UN, and is seeking to join NATO and the European Union. I love the flag!
The Macedonian Orthodox Church is center of religion, meaning that most of the people are Christians.
If you want more information about Macedonia, visit these websites.
http://www.mymacedonia.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Macedonia
Famous Macedonians include Alexander the Great, and his father Philip II, and Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa. The Egyptian queen, Cleopatra has also been credited as being born in Macedonia.
Macedonia is home to scenic mountains and lakes. Macedonian cities, Skopje and Bitola especially, are home to some of the world's most beautiful buildings, mostly old churches and towers.
Skopje is the largest city in Macedonia, and it is also the administrative and political center of Macedonia. Skopje plays a vital part in the cultural and academic life of the country. It is home to the Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts, many universities, the National Library, and many of the country's Drama, Opera, and Ballet companies. The Philharmonic Orchestra of Macedonia, and the Museums of Macedonia (archaeological, historical, ethnological) are also located in Skopje.
The academic achievements of the Maceonians are very impressive. Macedonia is in the 25th place out of 38 countries in the international achievements of mathematics and science.
Skopje was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1963 that killed thousands of people, as the country is very seismically active.
As to the political side of things, there it isn't so strong.
While Macedonia has strong ties with Turkey and Bulgaria, it's gotten into skirmishes with Albania, and that has ravaged the economy, leaving the government very weak. Macedonia is a member of the UN, and is seeking to join NATO and the European Union. I love the flag!
The Macedonian Orthodox Church is center of religion, meaning that most of the people are Christians.
If you want more information about Macedonia, visit these websites.
http://www.mymacedonia.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Macedonia
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Here is a poem I wrote about our dog, Owen.
Owen is the family dog, he is so cute!
He makes us laugh, he is a hoot!
When he wants to play,
sometimes we say, "go away!"
When he wants to eat,
he comes and whimpers at our feet.
when he goes to the door,
get the leash, he knows what it's for!
So when in doubt,
take him out!
He's hyper and merry,
and sometimes he's scary!
We're lucky to have him,
the little ball of fire,
Let's just hope that soon he will tire!
Owen is the family dog, he is so cute!
He makes us laugh, he is a hoot!
When he wants to play,
sometimes we say, "go away!"
When he wants to eat,
he comes and whimpers at our feet.
when he goes to the door,
get the leash, he knows what it's for!
So when in doubt,
take him out!
He's hyper and merry,
and sometimes he's scary!
We're lucky to have him,
the little ball of fire,
Let's just hope that soon he will tire!
Friday, March 23, 2007
An act of generosity
Dorie-Ann Kahale and her five daughters moved from a homeless shelter to a mansion Thursday, courtesy of a real estate mogul who is handing over eight of his multi-million dollar mansions to low-income Native Hawaiian families.
Billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto, who hails from Japan says that he plans to open eight of his tewnty-two mansions in Kahala, Hawaii to benefit needy Hawaiian families. They will be able to stay in the houses for up to ten years. He also gave each family $1,000 to help them move in. For Dorie-Ann Kahale, this is a godsend! Many tears of thankfulness spilled down Ms. Kahale's cheeks as the key to her new home were handed to her personally by Mr. Kawamoto.
Ms. Kahale became homeless two years ago when her landlord raised her rent, putting it out of reach with her current salary.
"What we need to do is appreciate," Ms. Kahale said after getting the keys to her new house. "As fast as we got it, it could disappear." She was one of over three thousand low income Native Hawaiian families picked by Mr. Kawamoto to move into his mansions. She certainly was grateful! "I'm shocked. I'm overwhelmed," She said. "From the little box we had to what we have today."
Her house is worth over five million dollars! Although that amount must seem like pocket money to Mr. Kawamoto.
Mr. Kawamoto faced criticism after evicting tenants in his rental homes so he could sell the property, as in 2002, when he gave California renters 30 days to leave. He has done this three more times since then. So whether he is doing this out of the goodness of his heart, or just to improve his image, I don't know. I should hope it is the former! However it is, some of his neighbors are accusing him of doing this just to drive down real estate values and snap up more homes. Mr. Kawamoto countered that "The people who don't want to live near Hawaiians should move." His arguments seem genuine, but I do hope this isn't for publicity or anything. Not that he really needs it...
Mr. Kawamoto owns many offices in Tokyo, Japan, and has been buying and selling real estate in Hawaii and California since the 1980s. Ms. Lyn Worley, who moved into another Kawamoto house said, "We prayed so hard and cried so much for God to drop something from the skies, and he did." "He did, he really, really did."
Billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto, who hails from Japan says that he plans to open eight of his tewnty-two mansions in Kahala, Hawaii to benefit needy Hawaiian families. They will be able to stay in the houses for up to ten years. He also gave each family $1,000 to help them move in. For Dorie-Ann Kahale, this is a godsend! Many tears of thankfulness spilled down Ms. Kahale's cheeks as the key to her new home were handed to her personally by Mr. Kawamoto.
Ms. Kahale became homeless two years ago when her landlord raised her rent, putting it out of reach with her current salary.
"What we need to do is appreciate," Ms. Kahale said after getting the keys to her new house. "As fast as we got it, it could disappear." She was one of over three thousand low income Native Hawaiian families picked by Mr. Kawamoto to move into his mansions. She certainly was grateful! "I'm shocked. I'm overwhelmed," She said. "From the little box we had to what we have today."
Her house is worth over five million dollars! Although that amount must seem like pocket money to Mr. Kawamoto.
Mr. Kawamoto faced criticism after evicting tenants in his rental homes so he could sell the property, as in 2002, when he gave California renters 30 days to leave. He has done this three more times since then. So whether he is doing this out of the goodness of his heart, or just to improve his image, I don't know. I should hope it is the former! However it is, some of his neighbors are accusing him of doing this just to drive down real estate values and snap up more homes. Mr. Kawamoto countered that "The people who don't want to live near Hawaiians should move." His arguments seem genuine, but I do hope this isn't for publicity or anything. Not that he really needs it...
Mr. Kawamoto owns many offices in Tokyo, Japan, and has been buying and selling real estate in Hawaii and California since the 1980s. Ms. Lyn Worley, who moved into another Kawamoto house said, "We prayed so hard and cried so much for God to drop something from the skies, and he did." "He did, he really, really did."
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
My Reading List
What's on your reading list right now?
At the moment, I've just finished "Bridge to Terabithia," because I want to go see the movie.
I hear it's gotten good reviews.
I'm reading, "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn," and "Tribulation Force," the second book in the "Left Behind Series."
Next up on my reading list is "Call Of The Wild." (my dad suggested it)
I also like the "Elsie Dinsmore Series". They're kind of old,
and sometimes they use Old English language! (Thee, Thy, Thou, etc.) not very often though...
But, they're really good, and the main character is a Christian.
And, call me weird, but, I like reading Consumer Reports! Ha Ha!
At the moment, I've just finished "Bridge to Terabithia," because I want to go see the movie.
I hear it's gotten good reviews.
I'm reading, "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn," and "Tribulation Force," the second book in the "Left Behind Series."
Next up on my reading list is "Call Of The Wild." (my dad suggested it)
I also like the "Elsie Dinsmore Series". They're kind of old,
and sometimes they use Old English language! (Thee, Thy, Thou, etc.) not very often though...
But, they're really good, and the main character is a Christian.
And, call me weird, but, I like reading Consumer Reports! Ha Ha!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Find of a Lifetime
*What is this thing?!*
*It's huge!*
*I think it's mica.*
*Me too.*
*Walks over to a park official*
*Excuse me, what is this? We think it's mica.*
*Uh boys, that's not mica...OH MY GOSH!!! IT'S A DIAMOND!!!!*
*It's a diamond?!?*
-----------------------------------------------------
A pair of eight year old twin boys have made an amazing discovery!
The Duncans were at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, located in Arkansas for a weekend vacation.
Little did they know that there, they would make the discovery of a lifetime!
The Duncan twins found a 2.50 carat raw diamond!
At first, the twins thought it was a piece of mica; but when they found out it was a diamond,
"There were many 'woo hoos and high fives exchanged," said Rachel Engrecht of Crater of Diamonds State Park.
Another park official said that the stone could be worth several thousand dollars. (Or more!)
He described the stone as, "having a metallic sparkling look, and almost heart shaped."
The diamond has been named, "The Duncan Twins," after the boys who found it.
*It's huge!*
*I think it's mica.*
*Me too.*
*Walks over to a park official*
*Excuse me, what is this? We think it's mica.*
*Uh boys, that's not mica...OH MY GOSH!!! IT'S A DIAMOND!!!!*
*It's a diamond?!?*
-----------------------------------------------------
A pair of eight year old twin boys have made an amazing discovery!
The Duncans were at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, located in Arkansas for a weekend vacation.
Little did they know that there, they would make the discovery of a lifetime!
The Duncan twins found a 2.50 carat raw diamond!
At first, the twins thought it was a piece of mica; but when they found out it was a diamond,
"There were many 'woo hoos and high fives exchanged," said Rachel Engrecht of Crater of Diamonds State Park.
Another park official said that the stone could be worth several thousand dollars. (Or more!)
He described the stone as, "having a metallic sparkling look, and almost heart shaped."
The diamond has been named, "The Duncan Twins," after the boys who found it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A Living Nightmare
*AHHH!!! We're about to crash!*
*Huh? What?!*
*Rubs eyes*
*CRASH*
*I gotta get out of here!*
*I can't move!...I'm losing conciousness...*
-----------------------------------
Kyle King, a survivor of the bus crash that killed four of his Bluffton University teammates,
remembers everything about the crash, including the scream that woke him just before impact.
The bus driver's wife's scream penetrated his headphones.
Then came the sound of tires screeching, and the impact,
as the bus slammed into the concrete barrier on an overpass and plummeted to the ground below.
The bus driver, his wife, and four students died, and others were seriously injured.
Kyle made it out of the bus through the shattered windshield before collapsing completely on Interstate 75.
Once he was out, he found stopped cars all around him. "I felt like a deer in the headlight" he said later.
He then fell into unconciousness.
Kyle said later that he honestly thought he had died.
Kyle recalls the entire scene later in front of reporters.
"I woke up to the driver's wife screaming, and it was all slow motion,"
he said, with tears rolling down his face. "She said something like, 'This isn't the exit ramp'
and then I remember the bus driver saying something, and I actually heard the tires squeal in front of him, trying to get it back under control. And then I felt the bus turn into the guard."
Kyle made it out alive, but with a broken back. It required over six hours of surgery to correct.
With therapy, he is expected to walk again.
several of Kyle's teammates remain in critical or fair condition at a couple of hospitals scattered around Atlanta, Georgia.
The rest of the students escaped with bruises or broken bones, and returned home to Ohio last weekend.
I can't imagine what Kyle has gone through. Imagine a little trip to go play baseball turning into what sounds like a living nightmare!
*Huh? What?!*
*Rubs eyes*
*CRASH*
*I gotta get out of here!*
*I can't move!...I'm losing conciousness...*
-----------------------------------
Kyle King, a survivor of the bus crash that killed four of his Bluffton University teammates,
remembers everything about the crash, including the scream that woke him just before impact.
The bus driver's wife's scream penetrated his headphones.
Then came the sound of tires screeching, and the impact,
as the bus slammed into the concrete barrier on an overpass and plummeted to the ground below.
The bus driver, his wife, and four students died, and others were seriously injured.
Kyle made it out of the bus through the shattered windshield before collapsing completely on Interstate 75.
Once he was out, he found stopped cars all around him. "I felt like a deer in the headlight" he said later.
He then fell into unconciousness.
Kyle said later that he honestly thought he had died.
Kyle recalls the entire scene later in front of reporters.
"I woke up to the driver's wife screaming, and it was all slow motion,"
he said, with tears rolling down his face. "She said something like, 'This isn't the exit ramp'
and then I remember the bus driver saying something, and I actually heard the tires squeal in front of him, trying to get it back under control. And then I felt the bus turn into the guard."
Kyle made it out alive, but with a broken back. It required over six hours of surgery to correct.
With therapy, he is expected to walk again.
several of Kyle's teammates remain in critical or fair condition at a couple of hospitals scattered around Atlanta, Georgia.
The rest of the students escaped with bruises or broken bones, and returned home to Ohio last weekend.
I can't imagine what Kyle has gone through. Imagine a little trip to go play baseball turning into what sounds like a living nightmare!
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
School on the world wide web
"What school do you go to? I go to school on the computer."
Imagine your grade-schooler going to school on the computer!
Parents will now have another option when choosing a school for their children, a new public virtual school.
Teachers, students, and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis board members showcased the new program on Tuesday morning. (At the Children's Museum) A similar program is already in use in Ohio. Textbooks and workbooks are part of the program. (Blah!) They are shipped to the student at no cost. The program is web-based.
Imagine your grade-schooler going to school on the computer!
Parents will now have another option when choosing a school for their children, a new public virtual school.
Teachers, students, and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis board members showcased the new program on Tuesday morning. (At the Children's Museum) A similar program is already in use in Ohio. Textbooks and workbooks are part of the program. (Blah!) They are shipped to the student at no cost. The program is web-based.
Friday, March 2, 2007
G*A*S*P!!!!
The sky is falling!!!
No, not really.
The moon will turn shades of amber and crimson, in the first total lunar eclipse in three years.
The eclipse will be at least partly visible from Asia to the Americas, although residents of Africa, Europe,
and the Middle East will have the best view.
Lunar eclipses happen when the earth passes between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's light.
This is rare, because the moon spends most of it's time either above or below the plane of the earth's orbit.
Although it will pass completely under the Earth's shadow, light from the sun will still reach the moon after being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere, giving it an eerie dark-reddish tinge.
eastern Australia and New Zealand will miss the show all together.
The next total lunar eclipse will occur on August 28th.
If you would like more info, visit these sites.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070302/ap_on_sc/lunar_eclipse;_ylt=AqY2Eby3PO.F46V9fiW8jzlxieAA
or,
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html
The sky is falling!!!
No, not really.
The moon will turn shades of amber and crimson, in the first total lunar eclipse in three years.
The eclipse will be at least partly visible from Asia to the Americas, although residents of Africa, Europe,
and the Middle East will have the best view.
Lunar eclipses happen when the earth passes between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's light.
This is rare, because the moon spends most of it's time either above or below the plane of the earth's orbit.
Although it will pass completely under the Earth's shadow, light from the sun will still reach the moon after being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere, giving it an eerie dark-reddish tinge.
eastern Australia and New Zealand will miss the show all together.
The next total lunar eclipse will occur on August 28th.
If you would like more info, visit these sites.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070302/ap_on_sc/lunar_eclipse;_ylt=AqY2Eby3PO.F46V9fiW8jzlxieAA
or,
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html
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