Tagged With "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity"
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Re: April 8, 2020: Standley Lake Regional Park, Colorado
Thank you DrFumbleFinger. This whole no travel thing is making me insane, l We've missed two trips already, one because of sickness over Valentines Day and one one because of this irritating virus issue. We also have two more (2+ week road trip through 11 states for our anniversary, and a trip to Atlanta for a convention) before the end of June that will prob not happen. Just so frustrating. I am also worried about a trip to AZ in Sept, NH, VT, and ME in Oct and CA in Nov. Not knowing when...
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Re: Wonders of the Modern World
The Soviets have never been completely transparent about Chernobyl, but this is the story as best as I was able to synthesize it: It seems that the alarm system was malfunctioning (going off all the time) so it was turned off by the tech monitoring the system. He had the fuel rods pulled out of their cooling chambers for maintenance work, was distracted (remember, the alarms are off), then by the time he focused back on the task at hand the rods had begun to melt and couldn't be reinserted...
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Re: Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland. The infamous 'Arbeit macht frei' sign at the entrance
Yes, TravelingCanuck, I sensed the same at Auschwitz. It was somber and oppressive, even when the sun was shining. And it was a place of death. You could even smell lingering scent of ashes, probably human, at Birkenau. I think it's just hard for us to comprehend that "civilized" humans could establish death factories for those they deemed unworthy. That what was once a trusted government could so turn on its people and all people. It is one of the reasons I don't put my trust in any government.
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Re: Belfast: An Uneasy City
I think I have to disagree on comparing human societies to plate tectonics; over the latter we have no control, but I would hate to ever think we've exhausted the possibility of dealing with the former. Examining mass religious conflicts generally reveals other issues beneath. That's certainly true of the long and tortured history between the two islands and the two Irelands. While James was a Catholic and William a Protestant, the real issues behind the conflict that set Ireland's future...
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Re: Belfast: An Uneasy City
Human conflicts always go deeper than face value. To make sense of each case it's necessary to "Follow the Dollar". Religious Freedom motivates the masses. Financing conflicts produces great wealth for the few.
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Re: George Orwell Sights
Its quite scary watching "Animal Farm" How many people do you recognise in the animated film ? Human nature is not that pleasant ! Just repetitive.
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Re: Canadian Museum of History (Civilization): Ottawa (Gatineau), Canada
Originally Posted by Travel Rob: The museum contacted TG and informed us the name has been changed to the Canadian Museum of History. How dare they change human Civilization to "History"! But so noted and post edited accordingly
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
PHeymont, I never try to judge historic figures through the prism of modern values. Remember in the 18th century slavery was a global institution -- absolutely every country in the world had slaves. And being from Virginia, he knew the southern states wouldn't join northern colonies in forming a new country without slavery being allowed, so I don't think he thought it was time to fight that fight. I think he valued the formation of the new country above all else -- risking his life to do so...
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
Regarding his feeling about slavery, I have no doubt, because of the nature of the man as shown by the things he did write, he was conflicted. And while he seems never to have come to a personal solution I don't believe, either, that his lack of action was de facto support for the institution. Sometimes there just isn't time to resolve one's own conflicts and be a father of a new nation too. We may be asking too much of human beings if we expect tidy packages and complete resolutions in 1 ...
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
I visited Monticello as a kid and enjoyed the views. I need to go back now and look at the architecture here and especially at the U of V in more detail. My favorite John Kennedy quote (to his staff at a dinner in the White HOuse) I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quo...#G4wQ5S4SazWSs0dq.99
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
What would seem perhaps most beneficial would be not only to have auto-pilot type systems with human override but also to have auto-pilot functions that remain active while humans "drive," providing a second opinion. "Hey, human: are you sure you don't want to slow down/speed up a little here?"
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
Originally Posted by Bling: Have there been problems with the Google car ? It is interesting technology. As for wanting a human in the aircraft, we can all tell stories of car "accidents" that involved human error, not the mechanics of the machine. Maybe, maybe not. But there's only a couple or so of those on the road for testing. Whole lot different in a sky full of people, don't you think?
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Re: Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Kennedy Space Center
Thanks for the comments, guys! The entire shuttle is actually much longer than I'd thought, maybe 180 ft. What was surprising is how small the living/pilot compartment is where the astronauts spent so much time. It's that space in front of the opened cargo door. The US space program is just a former shadow of itself with the retirement of the Shuttle program and nothing ready to take its place. But I was pleased to hear that NASA is working on the Orion project. It is a rocket based space...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Here's a good quote Paul PORTRAIT OF AN UNHEALTHY CITY - NEW YORK INTHE 1800'S by David Rosner Columbia University When a horse died, its carcass would be left to rot until it had disintegrated enough for someone to pick up the pieces. Children would play with dead horses lying on the streets. In addition to lacking street cleaning, the city also had no sewage system and no flush toilets. Garbage--which included both human and animal waste--was basically thrown out windows and onto city...
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
Yes, Bling, but flying is a three dimensional activity, not a two dimensional one, at at gar greater speeds! And Google is not infallible by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, flying is three dimensional but the dimensions do not change. The ground is the ground, however you get to it. The airport runways do not move right and left. The skies are now virtual highways, with planes flying along set paths. That is data for the computer guidance system. Have there been problems with the...
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
GarryRF makes a great point. Computers are very sophisticated and can do a lot. But they lack "human judgement". Call me old fashioned, but I'm more comfortable with a human pilot flying my aircraft.
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Re: Whom did you say was flying this plane?
Well, of course Bling is right that a completely automated system wouldn't have resulted in that situation...assuming it was functioning properly (note the Westworld reference above). That's why so many systems (cruise control in your car, autopilot on a plane, driverless transit trains) all have a human override built in.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 25, 2014: Fall colors at Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Beautiful and unspoilt - is this part of Canada as big as it looks? Do the city folks come here to get back to nature ? Looks like camping heaven - but does it have any wildlife that likes human blood? Could it be too good to be true ? Great pix - worthy of a Gumbo Calendar Dr.Y !!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? #56
This one baffles me too. In the corner of the first picture, the architecture looks Tibetan. But the rest? No. Looks like the building is crushing human figures or Western civilization. Hell realms. You were in Kathmandu. How far did you travel? Hmm? Bangkok? No. Lhasa? Certainly must have changed since I was last there. OK. I give up. Tell us, please. :-)
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 18th, 2014: Bears
The black bears in Yosemite NP are among the most aggressive and clever in the world. They've been known to pull down a locked closed car door to get at a picnic hamper or cooler in the back seat. They are amazingly strong -- imagine the power needed to peel a locked steel car door off its hinges. And they share this knowledge from generation to generation! Once a bear has eaten human feed, they are "spoiled" forever and often become more aggressive in their hunt for food and may even need...
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Re: GPS: 'Your destination will be...very wet.'
On our recent trip to Sicily, our GPS took us down a farm road that dead-ended, except for a rugged dirt tract that was unsafe to drive in a car (doable in a 4 wheel drive vehicle). The GPS instructed me to continue down the dirt track, but as a human being I declined the machine's advice. Good thing I did, because as we looped back we could see that even the dirt track dead-ended in a mile or so. Somehow we made it to our next destination, although it's easy and expected to get lost a...
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Re: Places where nature has taken over
Walking through wooded areas in rural New England (including in park land), it's not uncommon to come on foundations or other evidence of human occupation, and we're not talking paleolithic! Industrialization, urbanization and westward expansion lowered population levels in rural New England in the later 1800s, and today more of New England is covered in forest than at the time of the American Revolution! Old farmsteads, mills, even villages just disappeared.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#120)
After having a look around, I've come to the conclusion this morning that there are more statues of herself (HRR-self ?) than any other human on the planet. Well, maybe more of the Buddha, but maybe not.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 28, 2015: The Golden Temple In Amritsar, Punjab, India
Again some amazing photos, Gilles! The people interest me as much or perhaps even more than the beautiful temple. Studies of the human face are often difficult to capture in a digital image. but these are great. Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Max Gate - home of British author Thomas Hardy
Applying a bit more thought to my previous statement, I think it's the countryside in relation to the history of people in a place that drives me to walk town to town, in particular in England. Historically, people traveled on foot and the English countryside is crisscrossed with those same ancient footpaths that have been used a thousand years or more and that, even when crossing private land, farms or estates, still belong to the people. The thought of all that human history thrills me...
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Re: Have your World Heritage and eat it, too!
Similar to the status of Champagne. I've tasted some excellent California Champagne. But to be sold here in Europe it has to be from that designated region of France. Same with Palma Ham.
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Re: Getting to know Canada's hidden gems
Yes, there is some evidence of early man in Canada and the northern USA, mostly a few bones found accidentally here and there, some dating back thousands of years. No large human findings, at least not that I'm aware of, but in places with large collections of bison bones at the base of jumps (places they chased a herd over a cliff to harvest meat). Canadian natives were mostly nomadic people living in tents and temporary shelters they constructed, not so much in caves. And of course there...
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Re: Around the World in a Day with Coca-Cola
Thanks Samantha! The Taste It Sampling Bar was by far the highlight for me too. I enjoyed the sodas from Africa the best. The Downtown location of the museum is great. The Georgia Aquarium is across from it, the Civil and Human Rights Museum is behind it and on the other side of the street is Centennial Olympic Park. Not to mention you're only a few blocks away from one of the great hamburger and hot dog drive-in's, 'The Varsity' .
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Re: Most of China's Wall in danger: Can it be saved?
I'm not sure it's even a good idea to rebuild the entire thing, but certainly significant sections should be restored and preserved. I think most of us agree this great human site should survive.
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Re: Jetliner 'winglets' claim huge fuel savings
I heard that these winglets reduce a plane's fuel consumption by about 10%. If so, it reaffirms my awe at human ingenuity. Such a small change can have such a big impact. Win-win-win all the way around!
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Re: Books That Send You Packing...
There are so very many great travel tales. I am partial to non-fiction. I enjoy reading well researched, historical accounts of the human drama that is within the scenery. I enjoy writing that gives a strong sense of place and context to what I see. " The Old Patagonian Express " by Paul Theroux " The Pillars of Hercules " by Paul Theroux " Cut Stones and Crossroads: A Journey to Peru " by Ronald Wright " Basin and Range " by John McPhee " Two Years Before the Mast " by Richard Henry Dana,...
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Re: Books That Send You Packing...
I enjoy a good fiction book as well as non-fiction, especially if the writer is skilled. I really liked "Travels" by the late great Michael Crichton, my favorite of the nonfiction travel books I've read.. "Robinson Crusoe" made me want to visit tropical islands as a boy. "Fantastic Voyage" by Isaac Asimov intrigued me with traveling at a cellular level, within a human body no less (maybe lead to my current day job?) And my all-time favorite, "2001: A Space Odyssey". Made me want to travel to...
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Re: A visit to Great Basin National Park
PHeymont, I don't believe we disagree. I think the problem is that the park system relies on "federal handouts" and when a government is broke, there's less to hand out. As I said, I sort of favor them being self-funded by their user and concession fees. That's a lot of money already (if it was all kept in the parks) and people would be willing to pay more IF they knew the money stayed in the parks and didn't get diverted back into the Washington's general budget. Orphan parks would be...
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Re: Sometimes a Trip is just a Walk in the Park
I don't disagree. Just pointing out the nature of human beings and, like world peace, we can wish for it while not actually expecting everyone to join in. But lessons are learned from war too and how would we feel about every tourist in town flocking to OUR park.
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Re: Can it be ?? smart airlines are upping Economy Class
I agree with the sentiment of Garfield the Cat, who moans to the airline attendant " May I please be upgraded to some sort of class ? !". Surely, things can only improve from the current mindset of treating the human passengers as bulky, troublesome cargo.
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Re: A Visit to the “Spine Garden:”Cactus in Arizona’s Sonora Desert
It may seem a little surprising, but yes…it’s food! I always wonder about things like this: Who was the first human desperate enough to try eating a spiny thistle (the one we call an artichoike!)
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Re: A Visit to Hank Aaron's Childhood Home
Thanks for a great nostalgic look at one of my baseball heroes: a great craftsman on the field, and a solid human with not a lot of "front" and a real commitment to team and to others. Some of today's players should visit!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 14, 2014: Bats, Botswana
Originally Posted by PortMoresby: It makes me wonder if I could relax sufficiently to sleep while hanging on with my toes. Or what would happen if I did. Fascinating. I do not recommend you try this, PM. Bats have a reflex that let's them hang on while sleeping. Our poor stubby human toes don't come with this capability.
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Re: Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, Manitoba, Canada. One of the buildings inside the fort complex
When you know more specifics, I'll be happy to help you with itinerary. Generally speaking interesting things to see: 1) Forks Market. The brand new Canadian Museum of Human Rights might be open when you visit, which is in the Forks area. 2) Legislative Building 3) Winnipeg Art Gallery (largest collection of eskimo/Inuit carvings in the world) 4) Lower Fort Gary... And there are more, time allowing.
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A Home for Caribbean Artists: The Puerto Rico Museum of Art, San Juan
Sometimes, at home or traveling, you miss an obvious place to visit, just because it’s nearby and you can fit it in “any time.” On our last day in Puerto Rico, we finally got to visit the museum around the corner and a few blocks...
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Monterey Bay Aquarium: Oceans Apart
Located directly on the Monterey Bay just south of Santa Cruz is a sprawling complex of nearly 200 exhibits of more than 550 species in a 2 storey building nearly 30 years old: the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). Started in 1978, and open to the...
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National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta (Where Gumbo Was #109)
Exterior Albert Vecerka-Esto & The Freelon Group-HOK We had some good guesses for this week's Where in the World is TravelGumbo, but believe it or not, no one offered the correct guess. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights opened on Monday, June 23rd 2014 in Pemberton Place, adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. This area is in Downtown Atlanta, just north of Centennial Olympic Park. The Center links the American Civil Rights...
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Move over, Siri: Guðmundur has Iceland answers.
What Iceland is billing as "the World's First Human Search Engine" has been launched. Seven Icelanders, each named Guðmundur or Guðmunda, and each expert in his or her home region of Iceland, are taking questions via social media and...
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Catalan nudists ask Euro court for right to bare
Fighting a local anti-nudity ordinance in a town north of Barcelona, the Catalan Naturist Club, having lost its appeals all the way to Spain's highest court, is now appealing to the European Human Rights Court at Strasbourg. The Spanish high...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 12, 2015: King Kamehameha Statue, Kapaau, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
King Kamehameha I (1758 - 1819) conquered the Hawaiian Islands and united them to formally establish the Kingdom of Hawai ʻ i in 1810, thus founding the Kamehameha Dynasty. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha...
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Alhambra's night-owl visitors to have a hoot
Night (human) visitors to Granada's famous palace and gardens will soon be joined by owls.
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Strasbourg: Self-service tour of Alsatian food
PHeymont tries something new: A self-service gourmet food tour, organized by the Strasbourg Office de Tourisme.
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September 14, 2017: Cars Land, Disney California Adventure Park
Inspired by the Disney·Pixar franchise "Cars", Disney brings Radiator Springs to life in "Cars Land" at Disney California Adventure Park.
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Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage (Part 1)
Lisa Day presents the first in a two part series on hiking and experience the Kumano Koda, a pilgrimage trail in Japan.
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Back to Oaxaca: The Textile Museum
Join PortMoresby on a visit to her current favorite museum in Mexico, the Museo Textil de Oaxaca.