UPDATED: And a balloon, China not likely to escape, unscathed.
The Boom And Bust Of China's Rise.... Recently Liu Chuanzhi, the Chairman of Lenovo and the iconic figure of Chinese manufacturing, faced a serious dilemma while asked why of Lenovo Group’s profit in 2009 60% came from asset investment and only 40% came from manufacturing.....
He said: "When the typhoons come, even a pig can fly in the sky. Everybody is profiteering from this... Why can’t we?"
These are serious challenges Beijing’s now facing and seems to lack adequate policy tools to tackle...Hedge funds and Fed’s QE2 are not all to blame for all these. The Chinese economy already stands close to the edge. [Zerohedge]
NOTE: There's hard failure in that heater string in one auxiliary power unit; resulting in a faulty thermostat… With another heater displaying inconsistencies… The team worked hard, but... This Endeavour should be scrapped... For another today.
-NASA crews inspected Endeavour; no damage (then)... Endeavour had been unveiled from the cocoon-like service gantry for Friday afternoon's blastoff. -Live Stream at: Spaceflight NOW[View]
Update: Final launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour, has been moved from Friday, April 29 at 3:47 p.m. EDT, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla... -Spaceflight NOW[Links]
(w/out sound)
During the 14-day mission, Endeavour and the STS-134 crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre.
To further boost its business, American, which has more than 3,400 daily flights on average, has shifted to other online travel portals, notably Priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) and Kayak.com... -In addition to its own website:[Here]
Denver is the Lucky Airport to Get the First American-British Airways The first joint Admirals Club lounge... 5,000 feet with touches of Colorado-inspired architecture and design.. :D And, we know that Obama Team will leave them alone (after Jan 5th.) [ Joint Lounge]
-American Airlines was Removed From Expedia? [Read] Apparently due to escalating dispute between the two companies... Of course, Companies rising to new challenges; create better services...
Following the suspension of American ticket sales on Expedia.com, the airline also said that fliers who will buy tickets directly from the airline will be offered combined package deals for hotels & flights.
AMR; $7.79...+0.03...+0.39%...AMR Corp EXPE; $25.09...-0.19...-0.75%...Expedia, Inc.
My friends called to say it's a bit treacherous & windy tonight... But with scattered showers tomorrow; it's always a good time for a lovely deep-sea dive.
VIDEO: EC's come a long way: VIDEO :D Cleaner, quieter, and more efficient...Time-line of prod = more rapid.
Caption: This design is suitable for intercontinental flights and larger passenger loads similar to a Boeing 777. It features embedded engines using variable area nozzles with thrust vectoring, noise shielding thanks to the fuselage and other technologies, and advanced onboard vehicle health monitoring systems. This aircraft is designed to fly at Mach 0.83 carrying 354 passengers 7,600 nautical miles. Read...Read Vision at end of post!
Glad to see this design will be put to commercial "friendly" use! :D VIDEO- Old IMAX (EC's come a long way) VIDEO(or below)
Old (2004) defense film, made into IMAX....Operation RED FLAG depicts the challenges and hardships endured by U.S. pilots (and International) from many nations afar...(Old Clip: Test still uses flares)
Of course, a dinosaur film... Before the F-22, F-35, where internal fuel capacity was increased, along with Radar's Electronic Protection Capabilities. Inc. other (2010) upgraded equip for defense of Nation. And invalidation of Iran's "invisible" bomber-tech. :D RED FLAG is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and Eielson Air Force Base Alaska..More. VISION: I saw many of the (see above "friendly" 777 Tech) stacked (nose up) parallel in underground hangars in special protected slips... Passengers boarded from underground elevators, lying down in special chambers... As they launched out of the ground, I could see surface land might have been exploited by cosmic debris...(More later.)
By leaving early from France when I did, looks like I completely missed the potential problem at the airports.... In Paris, they'll be using (aircraft) sounding devices to determine whether the closure of some airports may be warranted... With increased airport delays.
So, as Eyjafjallajokul gains strength, I'm now in the U.S... Posted this before... Feeling tired after the flight; will post more later...
Happy Mother's Day to all... And remember, they are often correct.
NASA: Space shuttle Endeavour lights up the night sky as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems.
Commander George Zamka leads the mission, which will deliver the Tranquility node and a seven-windowed cupola to be used as a control room for robotics...The module was built in Turin, Italy, by Thales Alenia Space for the European Space Agency.
UPDATE: The lovely Italian designed, Cupola...(left) With convenient shutters to protect against meteors... Mission Mgr: Scott Higginbotham!
Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior.
The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects.
STS-130: Spectacular Launch Begins a Complex Mission: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:13:21 AM PST.
"What a beautiful launch we had this morning... the orbiter performed extremely well," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, during the STS-130 postlaunch news conference. "This is a great start to a very complicated mission."
Jean-Jacques Dordain, European Space Agency director general, thanked NASA, the crew and the ground teams for "a very beautiful launch." Dordain said, "It was an important event. Even more important for us because the shuttle was full of European hardware."
Posted earlier....
VIDEO: Opening the port shutter in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) and then switches with time lapse view to Endeavours left window looking at the JEM showing one orbital day pass with solar array motion and shadow motion. The solar panels rotate relative to the ISS so that they track the sun. One image taken every 15 seconds and played back at 5 frames per image...
-VIDEO: US 17 LOOKS AMAZINGLY FAST (and SLEEK!) BIG VIEW.
33rd America's Cup first encounter in Valencia off waters between Defender Alinghi A5 cat and Challenger BMOR USA 17 tri: THE GUYS.
THIS MORNING, RACE 1: No coverage on the Networks in the US... -It will be broadcast on the Internet 4:00 am EST, 1:00 am PST...
-SCHEDULE: View. -Streaming and Coverage Info:View. -Plenty of info at CupInfo:View.
Alinghi YouTube Channel: View. Alinghi welcomed the Valencia authorities to its base in the Dársena this afternoon to watch the Defenders giant catamaran, Alinghi 5, be launched ahead of its first sail in Spanish waters...
BMW Oracle Racing: We Want To Win This Cup...
Have a Wonderful Day... And Think Good Thoughts...
Today's Links...(unrelated) -View Mars from the Living room: View. -Lovely Aurora Borealis over Europe: View.
A ski invite, in Canada next month... Just googled, "Wiegele Helicopter Skiing" in Blue River, BC, Canada; and found this video (below) ...It's great! I can't wait... Their ad: "Elevate your Experience in Wiegele World."
Great video, great snow...
Best to go skiing a couple of times (in U.S) before the trip. One trip down the mountain & it all comes back to you.
My Favorite U.S. location: VIDEO: Heavenly Ski Resort!BIG VIEW! South Shore… Breakfast in Calif, Lunch in Nevada. :) It’s Lovely!
Today's News... UH-OH...All of Britain covered by snow View Amazing satellite photo from NASA: Read. (Maybe time to come to Canada or U.S; for a Ski.)
Holiday travel takes on a curious, "wing it for yourself" attitude this year; as DHS tells us, "The System Worked."... Except, DHS is supposed to be the system!
Image: "Wing-it"
Word has it that the Flight 253 Bomb contained more than enough explosive to bring down the '300 passenger' Northwest jet; had it not been foiled by a faulty detonator. ...And, as brave passengers leapt from their seats...
Government's new rules will force heroic passengers to stay in their seats for the final hour of their flight before landing! (HT/gateway)
And what's the word from our President? NOT A PEEP.
WH: "While on vacation Mr. Obama does not keep a public schedule."
And, leave it to Liberal Media to explain how to detonate
"The System Worked" said Homeland's Napolitano...
Asked by CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union" how that could be possible when the young Nigerian who has been charged with trying to set off the bomb was able to smuggle explosive liquid onto the jet, Napolitano responded: "We're asking the same questions." Read. (HT/ace)
-Posted by D. Worth (US) | for- M. Barbay (France)
A former show, of which I hear, was excellent... AlJazeera reports: "Despite a tough year for the aviation industry, big business is still being done in the world of both civilian and combat aircraft."
From the Dubai Air Show:
Dubai Air Show encourages partnership, compatible hardware: by Chief Master Sgt. Trish Freeland (USAF CentCom) 11/24/2009 - DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFNS) -- More than 150 servicemembers participated in the 11th Dubai Air Show Nov. 15 through 19 here. The Dubai Air Show is currently the third largest air show in the world and the U.S. has participated every year since the first show.
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid, the ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed, the ruler of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff; and Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. Central Command, were among the leaders who attended the opening ceremonies.
"This is a gathering of nations from this region and the world that come together to look at airplanes, talk about airpower and to gel some of their decision-making," said Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command. "I had a chance to meet my counterparts in the gulf, air chiefs and ministers of defense and answer questions about U.S. airpower."
In addition to discussing airpower, one of the primary reasons United States officials participate in the Dubai Air Show is to demonstrate a commitment to regional security in the gulf.
"Participation in this air show benefits our nation's strategic security interests," said Bruce Lemkin, the deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs. Read more.
Today's Links... Edwards AFB Air Show 2009 HighlightsVIDEO.
UPDATE: Our guys brought the plane I would use for a quick destination; with massive "luggage" compartment! ...(of course, instead of bombs.) Maj. David "Zeke" Skalicky demonstrates (see spectators video) View its under-belly!VIDEO: F-22 Raptor Demo
"F-22 Raptor made its first appearance in the Middle East on day one of the Dubai Air Show and delivered an encore performance at the show's close on day five!"
VIDEO: F-22 Raptor Demo: VIEW! Quick destination; holds lots of luggage (instead of bombs)
Photographer of Images writes: Edwards is the main Air Force flight test center for the U.S. with a rich aviation history behind it. One of the more famous exploits there was Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier in the X-1. Edwards is also known for being the alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle... -Images, if you missed:(from above)
-Posted by D. Worth (US) | for- M. Barbay France) US trip!
Maltese Falcon Victory at Perini Navi Cup! Top 5 finishers today were: Maltese Falcon, Felicita West, Antara, Andromeda La Dea, Perseus; held in Porto Cervo from Viareggio shipyard in collaboration w/ Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Image: Superyachttimes et Adèle
While the pursuit start sent the boats on a bit of a parade up to Monaci, once around the reach to the leeward mark saw the fleet compress, making for an exciting leeward mark rounding at Motoriotto. Read.
Live from the sea 06/09/2009SEA WEB (live tracking) (Google Earth Plug Needed) The Perini Navi Cup prizegiving will take place tomorrow "today" at 1800 at YCCS' Piazza Azzura! The Perini Navi Cup and a Rolex GMT-Master II will be awarded to the best overall scored yacht.
American owner, Tom Perkins, was driving alone through the immense three trees to the automation system of the sail plan by Fabio Perini, the new shipping relies on the commander...Story.
Video (below) of Maltese Falcon Last year (US Ca; SF)
Sailing under the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge... Might possibly have cleared by 35 feet! Local Yacht enthusiasts, helicopters, and the like, parade alongside her... (Maltese Falcon sails with an 19 member crew.)
VIEW (2007) VIDEO, as Tom Perkins hoped to come to US:VIEW. For nearly 3 years, Democrats have had Majority control of US financial policy; and continue to chase away businesses! ...Leave us alone!!
UPDATE: Sale is off... Nauticnews reports that there was a buyer; but Tom changed his mind and took the 88-metre superyacht off of the Market. Not a good time to sell; but he now has a partner...
VIDEO: There she sails: Close-up: VIEW. A little history of the Maltese Falcon...Read.
