Amazing how your values change as you age!
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Posted:Oct 22, 2010 4:41 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 4:40 pm 13545 Views
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Amazing how your values change as you age!
An elderly lady was standing at the railing of the cruise ship
holding her hat tight so that it would not blow away in the wind.
A gentleman approached her and said,
"Pardon me, madam..
I do not intend to be forward but did you know that your dress
is blowing up in this high wind?"
"Yes, I know," said the lady.
"I need both my hands
to hold onto this hat."
"But madam, you must know that you are not wearing any panties
and your privates are exposed!" said the gentleman in earnest.
The woman looked down, then back up at the man
and replied,
"Sir, anything you see down there is 75 years old.
I just bought
this hat yesterday!"
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drawing dots....
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Posted:Oct 21, 2010 5:41 pm
Last Updated:Oct 22, 2010 3:55 am 13462 Views
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These races impact people all over the world, in their respective living environments, but people don't really say much, but it equally so many well show why the voter turn out is always so much less than the Population of voter age people.
Some are more wrapped up in their romance seeking, until they ignore the political climate that involves other areas of their life, as well as it impacts their claim of tunnel focus on romance.
People just as well pay attention to the political ideology as well as their mate, as well as they think they should pay attention to whom their mate looks at, or whom their mate smiles at.  it just might matter, more how their mate see's the climate of environment they live within.
It's funny  but the people who claim to be unselfish, become very much selfish when they claim to love someone, suddenly, they want to control whom the other person looks at, and then they want to control whom the other person talk to or smile with. Not many want to own up to that, but they engage it with a vengeful reserve, if the person they claim to love, even looks at someone else.
Is it vanity of insecurity? is it vanity, insecurity or blindness by neglect, that many ignore their political acknowledgment of how their community is impacted by what issues are promoted, and who is the voice speaking for the people.
The drama in the political arena impacts much, as well as the drama in individuals, of what each create, when they obsess to want to control the one they claim to love.. and we wonder why there is such 'disparity within the general climate of society.
Funny things, many claim to be good at engaging the duty within love, but more and more run from love, because of the fears of the duty, they claim they are competent to handle.
Many flee claiming they want to be free, but then whine about how much they want love, but they are not willing to love to get loving.
Some run from the fixed role play, but they won't craft the roles and share the crafting and modeling of roles, to fit two people.
Odd as it is, many women, take the stand to think they are the dictator of how a relationship should and will work, and they trip themselves up more and more trying to regulate and control it with tantrums, and on and off attitudes of every sort imaginable, yet they will claim they are such warm and loving beings. Yet, many find that is only their script, if the man says yes to give her everything she thinks she want to ask for, or imply that she thinks he should give her. and when he does not, she is ready to flee quicker than a ice cube melting in a furnace.
women only talk about 'financial equality" if they already have money, but if she has none, then she is not so quick to claim that financial equality is a must before she will get in a relationship. but she is very quick to think that the man with money should see her without concern about financial equality.. 'does anyone see the delusion in that madness".
political ideology, impacts that as well, policies made, shipped away jobs, and cut income levels, greed sold away what it could not use to dominate, and swindles were engaged because political folly, lost the sense to enforce regulator controls, and greed robbed a nation.
Now the casualty of this process, none want to factor, is the casualty to relationships, yet, people think political punditry does not impact their lives and romance pursuits.
drawing dots....
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views in a day
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Posted:Oct 21, 2010 5:22 pm
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 4:40 pm 13549 Views
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Well, yesterday, while driving home, one sight that was a delight, Yep, she stood on the corner, waiting for the light to change. the first view was from behind, nice slender rear and legs that matched well with her body build, dressed in thin stripe pinstriped pants, heels that looked good, but I think her feet were hurting. When she turned she had a nice face, and well groomed hair,it has a sheen as if she takes good care to groom it well, not much make up, and she managed to share a smile. then the light changed, she got her signal to walk, and I got mine to make a turn, she walked on her way, I made my turn, and on to the freeway... Some views in the day, seem to be simply refreshing.. 
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RACE'S
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Posted:Oct 19, 2010 7:11 pm
Last Updated:Oct 23, 2010 11:36 am 14162 Views
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We have so many "political races" taking places, and the spin of negative drama does nothing but, keep the nation in a tail spin. As if, it is being blown around by a giant drama making machine.
It matters if people pay attention not only to their surrounding but their own lives and what of policy we are faced with.
The bitter making mentality does no good, We are a nation in turmoil and our demeanor as a nation impacts the world community, because we have lost hope, and lost the patience to work through our problems and face our challenges with resilience and determination of effort.
We let any pundit come on and blind us from the progress we make, we let the drama spin of back biting negative spinners, send us into a frenzy about nothing.
We are not blind and hopefully we are not stupid enough to try and ignore what the crash cost this nation and the world, and we'd be a fool to expect it to be fixed in a flash.
We can't even fix our own individuals lives in a flash when we meet with economic calamity of massive sorts, yet, we are fools, to expect it to be fixed in a flash, without some extensive cost being involved.
Our cultural mentality of expecting something for next to nothing, is why we are in this mess, and its why we have not patience and no resilience of hope to get out of it. We sit and watch a party mess, where one party wants to deny and defeat anything that benefits a people, who have been ripped, demoralized and watched every industry in the nation nearly collapse. Yet, we are ignorant enough to follow those who crashed us, trying to hide the fact they did so.
Not once have they taken responsibility for their actions nor acknowledged their folly. yet, they blame it on everything but the policies that took down a nation, when it was being made by the party that supports greed, and pushes to deplete the people by any means it could, and this took place for 8 yrs, living on a sham, and being fed terror talk, and we watched the markets swindle and the industry rob the people, and loot a nation.
We've been remarkable to have survived this mess, by the policies of the past two years, pushing to give life to a nation that was on the brink of being breathless. but we listen to the mad men and fools, who have played the "Party of No", games since they were exposed for the shams and smoke screens they built, and they expect us to forget it, and then claim we should have fixed what they destroy over a nearly a decade, they want it fixed in record time.
then they want to play, "Let's forget games", that's why the banks want to go back to their same old ploys, and the markets are as over inflated and with false value that is supported by nothing but the drama of brokers, trying to drum up a trade, while they devastate even more industry in the process. But the smoke screen builds, want no regulatory controls, and they want banking to continue to gouges us, and fight reform, and they have become so inhumane, they detest health care for the people of the nation. when they know, the cost are out of control, but they don't care, they only care that their investments spike, at the expense of the people of this nation.
Races, yes, people may well need to look at the base reality of a nation that desperately needs regulatory governance and to invest in itself... to rebuild itself, but to do so, for all Americans, not just those who claim wealth.
It's insidious for there to be more and more billionaires, while the mass of the population is saturated with poverty.
When greed is far from the minds of man, then mankind learns to build for all people of its nation.
These political races, should awaken people to know the difference in drama fest and the actual needs of growth that is a desperate reality in our lands.
when we learn to support our progress, other nations gain confidence and that reverberates back into our lands. If we don't become fools of sorts, to buy into the drama of defeatism, and the cycle of obstinacy about what is needed to support and promote the people of the nation.
Like it or not, a nation grows by the unity it builds, not by the greed that some seek at the expense of other.
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The effects are many - when relation and communication is colluded..
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Posted:Oct 17, 2010 6:24 am
Last Updated:Oct 17, 2010 4:00 pm 13318 Views
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did anyone see the segment by the doctor on a recent television show, discussing 'thinning walls" ..
{yes, you can use your imagination to figure out what he was talking about }
He did however make an interesting statement, as he said, the old adage applies " IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU LOOSE IT"..
Well this may well tell many something to think about.
It may well tell many," the imposed role playing cycles, invoke ways in how many create and engage to make their games, indulge in gambit cycles, and conjure conditions and criteria; all of which take a different kind of toll on them as individuals.
The continually unfolding realism of these tolls, leave many totally unaware of what toll is being taken within their lives.
Yet, while many are in effort to deny interactions, by every conditional gambit pursuit and, make collusion of every sort to avoid connecting without the drama of a challenge. What often results is, a cycle and role playing of every kind of coy game, while pretending to be so no sexually motivated and, above the simplicity of open communications.
Ultimately, many individuals, bodies eventually create a situations where they actually are and become non sexually motivated. So, they may ultimately get what they seek, but remain unaware they seek it, by the methods they engage about making difficulty in the basic human function of copulating. this entails mental trips, esteem damaging drama, including and up to organ dysfunctions of every type, as described by medical professionals. then comes the massive marketing of every kind of cream and any kind of pill, to give people the simple functioning ability, to re-learn how to copulate.
there is a natural cycle to the healthy engagement of sexual activity, and there is a natural inclination of frequency within the make up of the individual being, but society has for centuries upon ages, crafted every means to curtail and contain natural desire, by attitudes, judgments, criteria, and containment philosophy. Until, people are filled with fear, reluctance and apprehensions about the simplicity of sharing in the acts that become inclusive copulation.
The hormones, and endorphins, and the chemical invigoration within the individualized selves, which is inherent in the copulating experiences with mutual parity, is as much a life giving invigoration, as it equally has the capability to create new life.
The lack, denial, aversion and avoidance as well as the conditional-ism of vanity based neglects to being expressively engaging, has equally so an impact on the males as well as females. Because of lack of consistency in copulating and health, we find many males with a contrasting condition, called E.D. and females with things from thinning walls to inability to naturally engage.
The oddity is, both of these conditions may not exist,to such a degree, if people did not make psychological games upon and against each other about the simplicity of relations and copulations.
It starts early, we have young people with every kind of esteem issue, and much of it is connected to some media hype about 'the allure factor", and trying to fit some image based on the multitude of commercials, and movies and then comes the individual illusion of trying to fit these models of imagery. this pursuit becomes more important than, being a considerate, kind and sharing individuals, it become more important than the quality of character in what and how they share, and it is amplified by the lack of sharing, based on many status and vanity constraints, that regulate and deny the human interactions of male and female.
The paradox's, within living has many implication of influence, upon the whole of the individuals, and yet.. we explore not the truth, nor do we care to discover the realities, but we give all to the measure and self measurement by standards of vanity, and status claims of any and every sort... but the toll upon the whole of individuals, continues to mount.
We have today, drug junkies from any and every substance one can find to intoxicate, trying to dope up reality, to avoid facing the challenges within interactions, we have those who try to drown out reality, and hope they can engage vanity while in a stupor, and think there is no side and residual effect.
And violence of every sort ensues, with the rage and contempt that remains within many across the globe... yet, many cry for love, but destroy the same love they claim to want, with their own vanity and expectations, which morph into vengeful actions when they are not catered to, based on their expectations.
What can and will become the learning pointers, for the value of human interactions, between male and female ?
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Tech expectations and other things...
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Posted:Oct 17, 2010 6:01 am
Last Updated:Oct 17, 2010 7:15 pm 13912 Views
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A world, of many things... and much of madness, expanding in how it becomes maddening.
What an oddity of expectations, or is it status, to have the first, or is it function that benefits in some level to improve functional living ?
Maybe its all of it, maybe its less of it than the media likes to hype things to be>
When things like twitter, becomes the rage, even up to the political arena. does it feed drama making, or does it really transfer information for making an informed society?
Advertising pushes its profits, and tid bits, and sound bits, build people up, and crash peoples lives. Will an Ipad, make anyone more productive, or simply give them a bigger unit, to indulge in entertainment promotions. When Cell Phones now can be bought with full option unlimited plans for less than $50 a month, why would anyone pay the limits use plans, with the high dollar value, just to have the latest commercialized and publicized products. how much of a benefit does it truly prove to be ? what happen to the human voice to communicate, where now the rage is to text it, rather than to say it.
Today is a funny world, no matter where we go, someone is there, with a phone in hand, clicking in text, or scrolling apps, hoping someone will call them, We have people killing each other on the streets, talking and texting rather than paying attention to driving, we go shopping, and the line is full of people having conversations on the cell, while the cashier has a line snaking through the store, and the person on the cell is oblivious to the reality of their situation.
People claim to want to shield young people from porn, but cell web can view what it wants, and they can transfer naked pictures to each other, as if they were sending another text. young people giving their number to older people, and then after they get a fancy for someone else, they cry foul, because they are part of the supermarket wired mate swap cycles, and want to extract vengeance, behind what they did last week, because they want to do something with someone different this week.
it's simply an amazing thing, the world of tech, and the nature of the human being.
We have a population of females today, who plug up a electric motor driven piece of plastic, or a battery operated portable vibrating unit, and suddenly, they become not only anti-social, but many become addicted to the pulsations, until they loose the ability and capability to share experiences with the opposite sex.
We go from fake breast, to modified noses, injected lips, and poison to numb and deaden the face, trying to hide life wrinkles, we have skin pulls, that try to reverse the call of gravity upon the body, and fat suction has replaced exercise and managed dietary intake of foods.
We eat microwave processed food, that is stored on the shelf, as if the meat won't spoil, and the vegetables, will last forever, and yet, the increase in digestive disorders, rages still.
We have people who don't share communication, and void of the ability to share love, and claim depressed, and the shelf in the bathrooms, simply fills up with more and more pills, and the shrinks collect a fortunes to claim everyone is depressed.
People not happy with living, sharing, working, sharing, loving, sharing, and having the basic of food water and shelter, they want opulence, or they claim despair, they won't share because expectations won't let them live fair.
Many want not the simplicity of love, they want to be worshiped, and every sacrifice made for them, or their vanity overtakes them, and they go into vengeful mode, with an assault mentality, ready to kill something.
killing , adults killing each other, for money or vanity needs, and mass assault of even adults, attacking helpless on their school yard.
Today, we have a world with increasing number of billionaires, while the mass of people work for poverty wages, and we see nothing wrong with this picture.
We see single individuals persons, building 27 story homes, and becoming self indulged beyond excess, while they pay the people who do the work, pennies and leave them with impoverished conditions, and we see nothing wrong with this, in our awe struck minds as we gloat with the illusion we may get such extravagance.
The world is many things, all across the expanse, tyrants, and dictators, abusers and encroaches, religious fanatics, and and people using anything, that can trip the psyche of people for the sake of power, greed and,gluttony. as they on the vanity train for a ride, of haughtiness of selfish consumption and fools pride.
And so on and so on, and the world keeps spinning.
catch a cliche, pursue a clique, as times finds many come to learn, it's only themselves they trick.
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business is business, the world over..
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Posted:Oct 14, 2010 4:26 pm
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 4:40 pm 13339 Views
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Taiwan's government plans to allow sex workers to set up small businesses in the latest change to laws that had once forced the huge industry underground, the interior ministry said.
In a statement on its website, the ministry said it would consider brothels of three to five staff away from areas frequented by . It will put plans to a cabinet committee by the end of the year.
The ministry ruled out earlier proposals to set up red-light districts or allow larger businesses due to concerns among members of its committee set up to study the issue that such measures would turn the sex trade into a regular industry.
was legal only in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, until 1997 when the city authorities made it a criminal offense to be a though not to patronize one.
The government began debating new laws two years ago after pressure from groups over the unfairness of the law. In 2009 it stopped punishing sex workers.
Bars and night clubs in older parts of Taipei still teem with sex workers. Estimates from activists put the number of people involved in sex-related jobs in Taiwan at 600,000.
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abolish censorship
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Posted:Oct 14, 2010 4:37 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 4:40 pm 13221 Views
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By Barbara Demick,
Reporting from Beijing —
A former secretary to Mao Tse-tung as well as an ex-publisher of the People's Daily are among retired Communist Party heavyweights who have published a toughly worded open letter calling on the Chinese government to abolish censorship.
The letter began circulating Oct. 1, but the campaign has gained traction since Friday, when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to dissident writer Liu Xiaobo, imprisoned for his role in drafting a similar pro-democracy letter called Charter 08 two years ago.
This latest call for freedom will not be so easily suppressed because of the Communist Party bona fides of the people who signed.
"These are important people who signed the letter with their names, titles and locations, requesting freedom of expression," Li Datong, a former editor at the China Youth Daily who is friends with the organizers, said this week. "Clearly, they are not afraid. The trend cannot be stopped."
Sort of a cross between a chain letter and a petition, this latest missive has been popping up — and then disappearing as it is removed by censors — on various Chinese bulletin boards and blogs over the last few days.
It calls for the uncensored circulation of books, newspapers and magazines and the lifting of restrictions on the Internet. It demands the dismantling of the Central Propaganda Department, the powerful body that reports directly to the Politburo and which the letter's drafters refer to as an "invisible black hand."
"When our country was founded in 1949, our people cried out that they had been liberated, that they were now their own masters," the letter states. "But even today, 61 years after the founding of our nation, after 30 years of opening and reform, we have not yet attained the freedom of speech and press to the degree enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong under colonial rule."
The letter notes that Chinese state news media have not even reported on a recent series of remarks made by Premier Wen Jiabao calling for political reforms. ("Without the protection afforded by political reforms, the gains we have made from economic reforms will be lost," Wen said in a speech in August in Shenzhen, across from Hong Kong. The remarks subsequently were repeated in various interviews during a trip last month to attend the United Nations General Assembly.)
"Not only the average citizen, but even the most senior leaders of the Communist Party have no freedom of speech," the letter complains.
The original 23 signatories include Li Rui, now 93, a former secretary to Mao who was later imprisoned for criticizing his excesses, as well as former top officials of the People's Daily and the China Daily and other heavyweight retirees, such as the former curator of the Forbidden City and a onetime deputy political director of the military command in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou.
More than 400 others have since added their signatures, according to Li Datong, who said, "The numbers would have been in the thousands except that these people are old and not very good at sending the letter over the Internet."
The Chinese government, meanwhile, continued to lash out in fury over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to literature professor and essayist Liu, calling it a plot to weaken China.
"If Mr. Nobel has a soul in heaven, this is definitely not what he wants to see," the Global Times, a newspaper with close ties to the Communist Party, said in an editorial Wednesday.
Liu's wife, fellow activist Liu Xia, has said that, if she is allowed to leave China, she will accept the Nobel prize Dec. 10 in Oslo on behalf of her husband. At the moment, Liu Xia is under house arrest at the couple's home in Beijing.
"I can't get out of the door of my own apartment, let alone the door of the country," Liu said in an interview published Wednesday in the Times of London.
European diplomats who attempted to visit Liu Xia on Tuesday were not permitted through the gates of her apartment compound. Half a dozen Chinese activists, including some of the couple's friends, have been arrested, confined to their homes or harassed since Friday.
Although Chinese authorities have shown no signs of releasing the 54-year-old Liu Xiaobo from his 11-year prison sentence, his wife reported that his food has improved and that authorities are now serving him individually prepared hot meals.
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'the goon machine"
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Posted:Oct 13, 2010 4:47 am
Last Updated:Oct 17, 2010 7:12 am 14016 Views
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The goon machine is at it again..
"Apple Inc.'s stock flirted with $300 Tuesday as investors high on the iPad's promise pushed shares to a record peak. Analysts see few reasons to believe shares will stop there. "
If Apple is Smart, they will IGNORE the Stock price and continue doing business, and not build anything extra based on these inflated escalations. China and Japan will clone this unit in no time, and dilute any of these illusionist projections, and the only winner will be the people who get their money and run first, and the stock brokers and stock traders. Brokers have learned they can suck people in by any means, and when the sucking sound come, the only winner will be those at the top of this pyramid game, and the stock brokers, who extract a commission by the frenzy they created. This is today, a get in grab a gain and run kind of stock market, it is no what the market was designed for, and if it did what it was originally designed to do, stocks would not rise with this type of speed in ascension.
People may soon learn that stock brokers push anything, if they an make a commission, we have a flat economy, this unit is not produced on American soil, and the % gain for the general America public, is nothing more than a sales clerk commission for standing behind a counter in a low wage job, to sell this to a population that has limits within the income earning capacity. There's only so many 'paper pushing jobs", and the hoopla of bank profits, does not make the whole of the economy healthy, it only represents how much money is out of circulation to the average person, as this money is on a fast track into banking hands. But we don't see Industry created, nor do we see any new economic modeling sprang up..
Unemployment is still high, and foreclosures are still breaking records, and cities are still cutting employees, and reducing salaries.
How long will American people continue to be duped and played like a uninformed , behind stock brokers games.
There has not been a refrigerator, stove, computer, or major clothing produced on America soil in possibly 30 yrs. if we use it, it is more than likely 'Imported', and produces nothing more than a sales clerk job, when it reaches the soil of this nation.
The delusion will eventually have to face its facts... when a nation tries to live based on the games stock brokers play, to extract commissions.
when gold rise because nations are hedging, other raise the cost of stock with a illusionist concept they can play it across the board, when reality factor is, "goal hoarding", is representative of nations, seeking protections for their currency, and their capital.
but, until the America people get ripped again, they won't be happy... and they will rally around allowing stock traders to continue to play havoc with any commodity, they can dupe the people to follow.
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7 Cities About to Sink
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Posted:Oct 10, 2010 5:26 pm
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 4:40 pm 13833 Views
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7 Cities About to Sink
By Miriam B. Weiner
Many of us take for granted the notion that all of our beloved cities will be around for centuries to come. However, cities around the world seem to be vying for the title of "The Next Atlantis." Shaky foundations and encroaching seas are posing significant threats to some of the world's largest and most beloved cities. When planning your next vacation, keep in mind that some of the world's favorite destinations have a bit of a ticking clock on them. Here are seven major cities that are preparing to take the plunge.
#7: Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand’s capital is sinking — and sinking fast. However, unlike other cities on our list, a shoddy foundation isn’t necessarily to blame. Resting on the Chao Phraya River — which flows into the Bay of Bangkok about 30 miles south of the city center — this colossal settlement is more likely to drown than sink. Experts now say that this mouthwatering foodie destination — along with the dozens of beautiful temples found here — may be under water in as little as seven years.
According to Thai scientist Dr. Ajong Chumsai na Ayudhya, the fate of Bangkok can best be explained by global warming. Asia News Network reports that “Ajong said humans were mainly to blame for such disasters because they were using up natural resources, chopping down forests and kept emitting greenhouse gases with no regard for the future.” Ajong also says that changes in the earth’s overall climate will lead to more severe tsunamis in the Gulf of Thailand that will have extremely negative effects on the southern portion of the country. With less than a decade to spare, time might be running out for a trip to Thailand’s most popular tourist getaway.
Skyline of New York City
If you've never seen the Statue of Liberty or been dazzled by the lights of Times Square, now's the time. Much like its Thai comrade, America’s most densely populated city is doomed to suffer the effects of global warming. Sitting at the mouth of the Hudson River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, this concrete jungle will soon be at a much higher risk of damage from rising sea levels and imposing tropical storms. And unlike the ones bobbing around in a barrel on Halloween, this Big Apple will not float.
Science Daily reports that the sea levels in the New York City area are expected to rise about twice as quickly as sea levels around the world, meaning that Gotham will take the plunge well before the rest of the United States. However, Science Daily says that flooding is just one of the symptoms New York will suffer: "The submersion of low-lying land, erosion of beaches, conversion of wetlands to open water and increase in the salinity of estuaries all can affect ecosystems and damage existing coastal development." Not only will the Empire City be transformed into a wading pool, but it will slowly be washed out to sea.
Drilling for oil near Houston
Many of us take for granted the notion that all of our beloved cities will be around for centuries to come. However, cities around the world seem to be vying for the title of "The Next Atlantis." Shaky foundations and encroaching seas are posing significant threats to some of the world's largest and most beloved cities. When planning your next vacation, keep in mind that some of the world's favorite destinations have a bit of a ticking clock on them. Here are seven major cities that are preparing to take the plunge.
#7: Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand’s capital is sinking — and sinking fast. However, unlike other cities on our list, a shoddy foundation isn’t necessarily to blame. Resting on the Chao Phraya River — which flows into the Bay of Bangkok about 30 miles south of the city center — this colossal settlement is more likely to drown than sink. Experts now say that this mouthwatering foodie destination — along with the dozens of beautiful temples found here — may be under water in as little as seven years.
According to Thai scientist Dr. Ajong Chumsai na Ayudhya, the fate of Bangkok can best be explained by global warming. Asia News Network reports that “Ajong said humans were mainly to blame for such disasters because they were using up natural resources, chopping down forests and kept emitting greenhouse gases with no regard for the future.” Ajong also says that changes in the earth’s overall climate will lead to more severe tsunamis in the Gulf of Thailand that will have extremely negative effects on the southern portion of the country. With less than a decade to spare, time might be running out for a trip to Thailand’s most popular tourist getaway.
#6: New York City, New York
If you've never seen the Statue of Liberty or been dazzled by the lights of Times Square, now's the time. Much like its Thai comrade, America’s most densely populated city is doomed to suffer the effects of global warming. Sitting at the mouth of the Hudson River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, this concrete jungle will soon be at a much higher risk of damage from rising sea levels and imposing tropical storms. And unlike the ones bobbing around in a barrel on Halloween, this Big Apple will not float.
Science Daily reports that the sea levels in the New York City area are expected to rise about twice as quickly as sea levels around the world, meaning that Gotham will take the plunge well before the rest of the United States. However, Science Daily says that flooding is just one of the symptoms New York will suffer: "The submersion of low-lying land, erosion of beaches, conversion of wetlands to open water and increase in the salinity of estuaries all can affect ecosystems and damage existing coastal development." Not only will the Empire City be transformed into a wading pool, but it will slowly be washed out to sea.
#5: Houston, Texas
Houston, we really do have a problem — soon, NASA's Visitor's Center won't only be stuck on Earth, but in it as well. The city that Fodor's deems is arguably Texas’ most cosmopolitan is struggling to stay above ground. Built on a gold mine of natural resources and the determination to flourish, Space City has become a major energy hub and the taking-off point for U.S. space exploration. However, America’s fourth-largest city was built on a foundation of sand. Literally.
Houston sits on the loosely packed banks of four major bayous that empty into the Gulf of Mexico. For years, residents of Houston relied on groundwater to fulfill their needs, but the mass amounts of extraction needed to supply the ever-expanding city weakened Houston’s foothold. Oil extraction was also damaging to the foundation, as was continuous sprawl, not to mention the 300 or so active fault lines that run beneath Houston’s streets and skyscrapers. Now, many parts of this metropolis — specifically Jersey Village to the northwest — are sinking by as much as two inches per year, according to Science Daily. Experts note that while sinking has slowed significantly in areas that have stopped extracting ground water, a permanent solution to Houston’s problem has yet to be found. If Houston is on your list of cities to see, you best prepare soon for take-off.
#4: Shanghai, China
Things aren't looking good for Shanghai, either. Located on China's coast, this sprawling city was built on swamplands surrounding the mouth of the Yangze River. Originally a small fishing village, Shanghai began to draw more and more residents in the mid-19th century. Modest homes were replaced by breathtaking skyscrapers (not to mention some of the best shopping venues in Asia), and Shanghai soon became the most densely populated city in the world, housing over 20 million people by 2001. The city was handling rapid expansion just fine until the early 20th century, when wells became a major source of water and the underlying sediment deposit was disturbed. According to PBS, Shanghai sank roughly eight feet between 1921 and 1965, which equals about two inches per year. The city still continues to drop at a rate of about half an inch per year.
According to experts, not much can be done to keep Shanghai above ground — the city is simply too heavy for its foundation. However, in an effort to slow the sinking process, all new high-rise buildings must be built with deep concrete piles to help support their weight. If you have any interest in seeing the architecture for which Shanghai is both famous and floundering, don't wait too long.
#3: New Orleans, Louisiana
When colonists chose New Orleans as the capital of French Louisiana, they did so because of its inland locale. However, any land protection the city had has been washed away, making America's favorite place to celebrate (approximately half of which sits at or below sea level) even more prone to tropical storms.
It wasn't until after Hurricane Katrina that experts really took note of New Orleans' downhill situation. In 2006, National Geographic reported that the city sank about a quarter of an inch per year in the years leading up to Hurricane Katrina, while the levees designed to protect the city from the Gulf sank at four or five times that rate, exacerbating the long-term effects of the storm. Experts say that not much can be done to save the Big Easy. According to a report issued in 2009 by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council, "Levees and floodwalls surrounding New Orleans … cannot provide absolute protection against overtopping or failure in extreme events. … If relocation is not feasible, an alternative would be to elevate the first floor of buildings to at least the 100-year flood level." Just goes to show that there's never a time like the present to don your Mardi Gras mask and head south to Bourbon Street.
#2: Venice, Italy
It's been several hundred years since the Venetians decided to construct the towering St. Mark's Basilica and sprawling Piazza San Marco atop submerged wooden planks and forgo roads in favor of canals. Back in the day, the city's geography made sense: Direct access to the sea was necessary in order for Venitians to maintain control of commerce on the Mediterranean Sea. But the dig for fresh water proved to have a negative impact on this fish-shaped city: According to The Christian Science Monitor, Venice has sunk almost a foot over the past 100 years. To make things worse, water levels in the Mediterranean Sea are also rising. Although acqua alta (high water) has plagued this ornate tourist hotspot for centuries, flooding frequency has increased dramatically in recent years. Justin Demetri of LifeInItaly.com notes that Venice now experiences over 60 bouts of acqua alta each year.
Preserving Venice has been a priority of the Italian Government for about 30 years. Several billion euros have been dedicated to a flood defense system, the MOSE Project, which is expected to be completed in 2011 or 2012. However, some experts claim that the only way to save the city is to move it altogether. Either way, if you've always dreamed of a gondola ride through the Bride of the Sea, you had better do so soon with galoshes in tow.
#1: Mexico City, Mexico
Resting on a fickle lake bed in the Valley of Mexico, Mexico City has been facing the possibility of going under for centuries. However, according to geologists, there are parts of this massive metropolis that are sinking by as much as eight inches per year. Because of a lack of sufficient drainage, the city was heavily prone to flooding from groundwater flowing down from the surrounding mountains, leading to the construction of a vast underground drainage system. But over-extraction of groundwater from the Texcoco lake bed during the 20th century has caused the city's clay foundation to crumble, forcing the metropolis to sink deeper into the ground. And as the city sinks, so does the drainage system, forcing waste water to reverse its course and head back into the city. According to LifeInItaly.com Mexico City's drainage capacity has decreased by 30 percent since 1975.
There are several projects underway to keep this sinking city afloat, including a 23-foot-wide ($1.1 billion) Eastern Drainage Tunnel that will deposit waste water about 40 miles north of the city. The tunnel should be completed by 2012. Work is also being done to help save the architectural gems — like the popular Metropolitan Cathedral — found in the Historic District, which are one of the city's major tourist draws. But despite best efforts, engineers say that there is no way to keep Mexico City from sinking.
Houston,
we really do have a problem — soon, NASA's Visitor's Center won't only be stuck on Earth, but in it as well. The city that Fodor's deems is arguably Texas’ most cosmopolitan is struggling to stay above ground. Built on a gold mine of natural resources and the determination to flourish, Space City has become a major energy hub and the taking-off point for U.S. space exploration. However, America’s fourth-largest city was built on a foundation of sand. Literally.
Houston sits on the loosely packed banks of four major bayous that empty into the Gulf of Mexico. For years, residents of Houston relied on groundwater to fulfill their needs, but the mass amounts of extraction needed to supply the ever-expanding city weakened Houston’s foothold. Oil extraction was also damaging to the foundation, as was continuous sprawl, not to mention the 300 or so active fault lines that run beneath Houston’s streets and skyscrapers. Now, many parts of this metropolis — specifically Jersey Village to the northwest — are sinking by as much as two inches per year, according to Science Daily. Experts note that while sinking has slowed significantly in areas that have stopped extracting ground water, a permanent solution to Houston’s problem has yet to be found. If Houston is on your list of cities to see, you best prepare soon for take-off.
#4: Shanghai, China
Things aren't looking good for Shanghai, either. Located on China's coast, this sprawling city was built on swamplands surrounding the mouth of the Yangze River. Originally a small fishing village, Shanghai began to draw more and more residents in the mid-19th century. Modest homes were replaced by breathtaking skyscrapers (not to mention some of the best shopping venues in Asia), and Shanghai soon became the most densely populated city in the world, housing over 20 million people by 2001. The city was handling rapid expansion just fine until the early 20th century, when wells became a major source of water and the underlying sediment deposit was disturbed. According to PBS, Shanghai sank roughly eight feet between 1921 and 1965, which equals about two inches per year. The city still continues to drop at a rate of about half an inch per year.
According to experts, not much can be done to keep Shanghai above ground — the city is simply too heavy for its foundation. However, in an effort to slow the sinking process, all new high-rise buildings must be built with deep concrete piles to help support their weight. If you have any interest in seeing the architecture for which Shanghai is both famous and floundering, don't wait too long.
#3: New Orleans, Louisiana
When colonists chose New Orleans as the capital of French Louisiana, they did so because of its inland locale. However, any land protection the city had has been washed away, making America's favorite place to celebrate (approximately half of which sits at or below sea level) even more prone to tropical storms.
It wasn't until after Hurricane Katrina that experts really took note of New Orleans' downhill situation. In 2006, National Geographic reported that the city sank about a quarter of an inch per year in the years leading up to Hurricane Katrina, while the levees designed to protect the city from the Gulf sank at four or five times that rate, exacerbating the long-term effects of the storm. Experts say that not much can be done to save the Big Easy. According to a report issued in 2009 by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council, "Levees and floodwalls surrounding New Orleans … cannot provide absolute protection against overtopping or failure in extreme events. … If relocation is not feasible, an alternative would be to elevate the first floor of buildings to at least the 100-year flood level." Just goes to show that there's never a time like the present to don your Mardi Gras mask and head south to Bourbon Street.
#2: Venice, Italy
It's been several hundred years since the Venetians decided to construct the towering St. Mark's Basilica and sprawling Piazza San Marco atop submerged wooden planks and forgo roads in favor of canals. Back in the day, the city's geography made sense: Direct access to the sea was necessary in order for Venitians to maintain control of commerce on the Mediterranean Sea. But the dig for fresh water proved to have a negative impact on this fish-shaped city: According to The Christian Science Monitor, Venice has sunk almost a foot over the past 100 years. To make things worse, water levels in the Mediterranean Sea are also rising. Although acqua alta (high water) has plagued this ornate tourist hotspot for centuries, flooding frequency has increased dramatically in recent years. Justin Demetri of LifeInItaly.com notes that Venice now experiences over 60 bouts of acqua alta each year.
Preserving Venice has been a priority of the Italian Government for about 30 years. Several billion euros have been dedicated to a flood defense system, the MOSE Project, which is expected to be completed in 2011 or 2012. However, some experts claim that the only way to save the city is to move it altogether. Either way, if you've always dreamed of a gondola ride through the Bride of the Sea, you had better do so soon with galoshes in tow.
#1: Mexico City, Mexico
Resting on a fickle lake bed in the Valley of Mexico, Mexico City has been facing the possibility of going under for centuries. However, according to geologists, there are parts of this massive metropolis that are sinking by as much as eight inches per year. Because of a lack of sufficient drainage, the city was heavily prone to flooding from groundwater flowing down from the surrounding mountains, leading to the construction of a vast underground drainage system. But over-extraction of groundwater from the Texcoco lake bed during the 20th century has caused the city's clay foundation to crumble, forcing the metropolis to sink deeper into the ground. And as the city sinks, so does the drainage system, forcing waste water to reverse its course and head back into the city. According to LifeInItaly.com Mexico City's drainage capacity has decreased by 30 percent since 1975.
There are several projects underway to keep this sinking city afloat, including a 23-foot-wide ($1.1 billion) Eastern Drainage Tunnel that will deposit waste water about 40 miles north of the city. The tunnel should be completed by 2012. Work is also being done to help save the architectural gems — like the popular Metropolitan Cathedral — found in the Historic District, which are one of the city's major tourist draws. But despite best efforts, engineers say that there is no way to keep Mexico City from sinking.
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