I have to hand it to Google Earth. As mentioned previously, I planned to do a post on both of the major canals. I decided to take a look and was amazed. So an official plug for this amazing feature called Google Earth. Yer good man. ( or whoa man ) If you have it, check er out. If you don't have this amazing contraption then get it HERE>>>
http://earth.google.com/ Yes it is freeeeeeee! (thanks chanks)
The country of Panama has overwhelmingly approved a plan to expand the existing canal. It is expected to give more prosperity to the people and to help those living in poverty. Five point two billion is the estimated cost, which will be offset by the tolls in which the freighters pay for passage. This undertaking will make it easier for India and China to access the Eastern US and Western Europe. It will also be a benefit to Australia. A couple of interesting facts. It was started by the French and finally completed by the Americans in 1914. The length of it is 77kms. Due to lack of hygene and poor working conditions over 5000 people died during its construction. Who thought of this idea? It is submitted by Wikipedia that the earliest recorded idea of this endeavor was by the Roman Emperor Charles V in 1534. Nice idea. A final fact... his parents were named Philip the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile.
Now the other canal is the most impressive due to its rich history, its location and its length. Sitting at a cool 163 kms long in connects Europe to Asia. It is suggested that in the 12th Dynasty, Pharaoh Senusret III had an east-west connection between the Nile and the Red Sea. Approx 1850 BC. This gorge was also used during the time of Ramesses II. This would have been 13th century BC. Unbelievable, those Egyptians. When they got sick of building Pyramids they built massive sea tributaries eh. The passage then fell into disrepair for a time. I found it interesting that it was rebuilt and completed by Darius who is quoted below.
Saith King Darius: "I am a Persian. Setting out from Persia, I conquered Egypt. I ordered this canal dug from the river called the Nile that flows in Egypt, to
the sea that begins in Persia. When the canal had been dug as I ordered, ships went from Egypt through this canal to Persia, even as I intended."
This is the same Darius we read about in the book of Daniel. The same Daniel who was put in with the Lions. Darius I whose name translates to "He who holds firm the good" used it for a time but alas it fell into disrepair. During the next thousand plus years it was destroyed and rebuilt many times.
And now back to those French and Napoleon, who thought it would be a great idea to build a canal. A decade later and through forced labour, 30 thousand people forged this piece of work once again, but from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It opened officially November 17th, 1869 after much resistance from the British. The Suez Canal allowed the circumnavigation of the world in record time and was hailed as remarkable, and was just that when applied to world trade. Soon after, the Brits decided it was a great idea and bought a minority share of 44%, They later occupied it and controlled it for over 65 years until the Egyptian government demanded it back, nationalized it and sparked the Suez Crisis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_canalToday, the Suez is still an important fulcrum in trade amongst nations. It goes to show that there really nothing new under the sun. Something built thousands of years ago can still be important today.
People have kept the same emotions as evidenced by the timeless value of writings by people like William Shakespeare. We can share in the life of Macbeth just as easily as we follow the trials of the latest lame duck President, Dubya. From what I understand, George Bush can exersise his presidential veto whenever he pleases, so maybe I am wrong about the duck who was lame. What changes? Targo thanx for your question. I think it is a good one. Time will pass and we will know for sure, but I think we will now see some changes. Iraq will be a telling point. I think there will be negotiations with Persia, err I mean Iran to ease tensions there. Heck, could we see a divided nation like we did in Germany with a wall down the middle?
Ok okay... k. I am getting tired, which is why the last part of this BS is getting like watered down you hoo. Just remember that tomorrow is the 137th annivesary of the opening of the above mentioned Suez Canal. Tell it to all your friends. They will look at you rather oddly... which they may already do... and when they ask you how you know that tell em chanks told ja.
Chanks thanks...
