It was helium that set the United States apart from the rest of the world. They could fly their airships with more safety than others because they did not use hydrogen. The disaster of the Hindenburg is testament to that. The great wonder, in spectacular fashion fell to the ground. Hydrogen lifted the zeppelins quicker, but when mixed with air was extremely flammable. The US refused to sell their supply of helium because of its rarity. With this in mind the spire of the Worlds greatest building was engineered to allow these monstrous air machines an anchor to the site. Those anchor points are still there today. The building, referred among one of the seven great wonders of the world is known as the Empire State Building. It is the tallest in New York City and one of the most legendary on Earth.
April 27th 2006, the 75th anniversary of the opening of the aforementioned wonder, the first shovels broke the dirt on a new tower. The structure will rise to 1776 feet above the ground, a height in remembrance of a certain year. What did happen in 1776? Well one has to wonder what the next edition holds. Lets check.
Firstly, she has wider “emergency” stairs. Every staircase, elevator shaft and riser has at least 90cm thick walls. There is a dedicated set of stairs for firefighters. Included also is filtering for chemical and biological agents in the air ventilation system. She will stay at least 27m away from any other building except on one side. To compensate for this, on the side which is 20m from the other building, specially designed glass will be blast resistant plastic, but will look the same as any other pane on the other sides. From the rooftop, water will be recycled, not for drinking but for other uses like watering the vast array of flowers and plants.
Included at the base a combination of stainless steel and polished titanium and a huge lobby boasting dining areas with 27m ceilings. The base has also been designed to combat a ground level bomb, in which there will be no windows for the first 52 meters. The shape will be a simple one, but as it rises it will appear as an obelisk shape, extending up to a massive spire echoing the raised arm of the Statue of Liberty. Extending upward will be a light beaming up into night sky. The observation deck, open to the public, will sit just above the height of World Trade Tower II and will be the highest public viewing area in America.
Criticism of the building has been high. Many feel that there should be at least 2 buildings like there were before, and higher ones at that. Symbolically it should be noted, terrorism destroyed twin towers and only one has been rebuilt. It sticks in the craw of some. Donald Trump another opponent, called it “the worst pile of crap architecture I have ever seen in my life!” He had submitted his own design but it was rejected. George Pataki, the Governor, allegedly used his influence to get the winning architects bid approved as a personal favour for a friend. The controversy continues even as the building begins. One just has to wonder how many changes to the plans will ensue. Is apathy towards change, in this case, progress?
I could have a hundred questions about the building. However, upon this writing one remains dominant. The Dubai Tower is supposed to surpass any tower ever built, and its completion will be years before this “Freedom Tower” is completed. Will the symbolic height (1776) be discarded and the pride of New York dictate, that this tower will become the tallest ever?
No Zeppelin hooks? Will it become legendary, a wonder? I wonder.
Less than 20 to go…
8 comments:
I will be proud of the United States if they don't bother trying to "symbolically" be the biggest and best in the world. It's time they give up their quest for dominance. It's far too great an indication of a deep-seated insecurity, as well as a reminder of the times they have hypocritically inflicted exactly the same kind of treatment on the citizens of other nations that they claim to be so proud of not inflicting on their own citizens (violation of freedom). This is the same kind of treatment that Britain inflicted on the US that prompted all their propaganda (statue of liberty, July 1, "our greatest nation on Earth" etc) in the first place. They were oppressed and tyrranized by an unfair imperialistic monarchy and then they went on to form confederation in a nation where slavery was legal. Go figure.
As to Newbie's comment ("get off your soapbox Psam"), I don't recommend telling someone to shut up who feels democratic rights are being neglected. With all due respect for your levity (I did actually laugh myself upon reading your comment), this is the first time I've ever seen "de-election" signs on people's front lawns all over a constituency, when there wasn't even an election upcoming. People feel ignored and cheated by their government. They deserve some respect and at least to be told that their indignation is recognized, even if the government is not going to offer them any recourse.
Did Psam actually begin his comment with the words " I will be proud of the United States"?
What is this world coming to.
In another comment "by Psam" he used the words of Bush when Psam said "Make no mistake"
Is this the same Psam I used to know that refused to wear a tee shirt with the United States Flag on it.
....... and now he stoops to:
Hero worship, when he said that Newbie was his hero????!!!!!
Where are your values Psam?
Have you started wearing a tie and have a 9-5 job?
oh man dadost you make me laugh my head off.
not to mention, psam you must have cut your hair and started wearing deodorant.... and threw away the ripped jeans... Psam have you done all that? You are my hero too you know even without the changes.
Can't you have ANY fun. Everything has to turn into some sort of slight against bushie... for goodness sake dude. Its a kewl bldg. Lighten up. A TITANIUM base... how good is THAT.
dadost and chankslee are my heroes.
I had to get all this stuff off my chest, and I hope everybody's patient enough that it doesn't irritate them to see all my thoughts greedily cluttering up available space on this blog.
Stop making fun of me ;)
I love many American people, especially the ones that want to see their military use less bombs.
I still have a pair of ripped jeans, I wore them last week.
My nine to five job right now is learning 32 songs in a week and a half to perform in front of a rather large audience at the BC talent search, which is the BC equivalent of Canadian Idol; predominantly, but not limited to, country music. Appaloosa (my band) is performing with 16 finalists from singing competitions. It will be televised and we just did our first rehearsal with two singers. We have fourteen more to get through this week. It's a lot of work, and a lot of writing out charts and chords.
If Harrison Ford and Henry Ford were related, that might explain why Star Wars movies are so great.
Tuffy likes cheese, and there's lots of cheese in heaven where he's going for walks with Grandpa Cooper. They both take care of those of us still here on Earth who remember them.
Thank you for reading my thoughts, and yes the titanium base is wonderful, and I hope people will feel safe there, and I hope nobody in the world thinks that threatening anybody in that building would accomplish anything good, unless the threat is limited to stopping buying at Walmart, KFC, Nestle, and some other places that have inflicted great harm upon the world. Stopping buying at these places takes away money from the greedy capitalists which is fair and will hopefully teach them something, whereas some other previously perpetrated and unspeakable actions take away their lives, which is not fair and doesn't teach anybody anything.
Wow I just can't get on this blog without spilling my guts out about things in the world that upset me, and I'm sorry for cluttering it up again, but thank you for the opportunity to have a place to say it. Chankslee, making this website was a really kind thing for you to do.
Psam, you are... i am at a loss 4 words.
please tho, tell me how nestle (now you are attacking the swiss) is ruining the world. I loved nestle.
Well I liked Tuffy too. He was my hero.
Well I had a fetish for tuesday
I kind of liked the basketball and the soft football.
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