Sunset last night at my home

This was the sky last night here in Palm Desert CA.  Some of these photos look like paintings.

Proposed Spaceport for Houston

Houston has always been the country's space capital heretofore.   But now that the space shuttle program has ended and the future of NASA's objectives are uncertain, Houston stands to lose it's pre-immenence in Space development.

Virgin Airlines owner Sir Richard Branson will begin commercial space travel in the next couple of years (assuming no setbacks) via his Virgin Galactic company.

A spaceport has already been constructed:  Spaceport America.  It is located in the White Sands Missile Range, near the cities Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences,  located in Sierra County, New Mexico.  Spaceport America has been constructed.

Houston's bid to build the largest spaceport would help retain it's importance in the future of space exploration.  Should the city's proposal for the port be accepted it would be operational in 2024.    The project has been dubbed "Space City USA".  If built it would be the world's hub for commercial space
travel which is a consumer market that seems to be quite appealing for the 1%-ers of the world (the only percentage of the world's economic demographics that seems to be growing at a disproportionate rate).    Virgin Galactic will begin offering commercial flight for $250,000.    The flight will be about 2.5 hours, but weightlessness will be for only 6 minutes.  See the video below of the space flight:



Personally, I wish I could win a position on the one-way ticket to Mars competition.  I think any other planet would be a better alternative to this fucked up world we live in!  (IMHO)

Here's more photos illustrating Houston's proposed Space City USA.

 See more information at the following locations:

Virgin Galactic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Galactic
http://www.virgingalactic.com

Spaceport America (new Mexico)
http://spaceportamerica.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceport_America

Space City USA (Houston)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2412201/Houston-unveils-plans-America-s-largest-space-port-bid-retain-title-Space-City-USA.html

ME Want! Okay, my name is Mark and I am addicted to shoes

I have never spoken about this personal trait before on the blog.   I'm just wild about shoes, although I'm very particular about what I like.

I recently joined pinterest and I'm finding all sorts of amazing ME WANTS!  Particularly men-fashion-wise.   But I don't really understand how Pinterest works.    When you find something you like you do not have any information about the product or how to buy.  Many of the images refer you to a blogger's page.  Anyone have any ideas or suggestions.

Anyway, here's to men's shoes.   I would love a pair of these if I could find out the designer.  They are exquisite.

When I was in Rome, I visited the Ferragamo store, and saw a similar shoe.  I have always regretted not buying those shoes.   The old adage that you will always regret not buying beautiful things that you love.

Help with Pinterest and with using this to find out where to purchase the shoes.

Check out this blog site: ExquisiteDwellings

Check out the great interior design photos on this blog site.  Quite fun!  

There are only a couple of small imperfections, IMHO, in the design presented in photo below.   What do you think?

http://exquisitedwellings.blogspot.com

Proposed EGG shaped houses

A series of houseboats, floating lodges and beach houses are to be crafted from reclaimed materials from a previous project by designers BMT Asia Pacific (visit their press release on their website at:  http://www.bmtasiapacific.com/news/article/home/75093/one-is-never-un-oeuf).

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2394882/Worth-shelling-The-eco-houses-shaped-like-giant-EGGS.html#ixzz2c4WqX0EU
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New ZAHA HADID Pininterest Pinboard by Dezeen Magazine

Okay.....so I've been a little focused on architecture recently.    Dezeen Magazine, the online publication, has created a new Pininterest Board for my favorite Zaha Hadid Architects.   Check out the article from Dezeen at:  http://www.dezeen.com/2013/08/11/new-pinterest-board-zaha-hadid-architects/.


See my previous blog posting:  http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2013/02/best-new-architecture-in-last-century.html

New TALLEST building in China

Gorgeous, isn't it.   Very elegant and shapely.  Shanghai Tower, eponymously named, just topped out a few days ago in China and now is the tallest building in Asia.

At 2,073ft (632 metre) structure, Shanghai Tower stands in the city’s Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, beside the Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center.   It is the tallest building in Asia and the second-tallest building in the world, after 2,716.5ft-tall Burj Khalifa.

Perhaps even more impressive than the structure’s height will be its form. The semi-transparent building twists as it rises – its spiralling form is meant to reduce wind load by 24 per cent during typhoons. Designers claim the curve is also meant to “symbolise the dynamic emergence of modern China.”

An undulating, curving tower, this will become the tallest of many planned curved or spiraling skyscrapers in the works around the world (see previous blog entries:  http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-want-to-live-in-this-cool-building.html and http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2009/08/those-dubai-dudes-are-really-amazing.html).

Shanghai Tower is the creation of US-based architectural firm Gensler, whose other developments include Houston’s Hess Tower and Farmers Field in Los Angeles. The 121-story building will include offices, numerous entertainment venues, retail units, a conference centre, cultural attractions and a luxury hotel.

The building will be joined by a number of other Chinese record breakers in time. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last year found that nine of the 20 tallest buildings currently under construction worldwide were being built in China. Last month it was announced that construction of what would be the world’s tallest building (see earlier blog:  http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2013/07/chinas-proposed-new-tallest-building-in.html) had begun in Changsha in China’s Hunan province.

Construction on the building was begun in 2008.   That means that the construction of the future tallest building in the world that I discussed a couple of days ago (click here: http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2013/07/chinas-proposed-new-tallest-building-in.html) is all the more remarkable, because, assuming it is built, as proposed, would be completed in just months.   This really interesting photo study of the construction process is fascinating.    Particularly the photo which shows the framework built to create the exterior shape.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ultratravel/the-next-big-thing/10231608/Shanghais-new-landmark-Chinas-tallest-building.html

Architecturally famous house from FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF for sale

Highland Park, Illinois is home to a very special house. Architecture buffs will recognize 370 Beech Street as a steel and glass building designed by notable architects A. James Speyer and David Haid. 370 Beech was also an unforgettable movie where a Ferrari met its dramatic end in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

If you haven't seen the movie, this is a classic.  As is the house.

The house was originally listed with for $2.3 million. Today, the price has been lowered and the "Ferris Bueller house" is now $1.65 million. 

CHINA'S proposed NEW TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD--construction postponed

China is an architectural powerhouse.  The proposed Sky City will knock Burj Khalifa in Dubai to second place in the tallest buildings in the world.  When it is completed remarkably in just months according to construction firm Broad Sustainable Building Technology using pre-fabricated components that slot together to complete construction so rapidly.  This is an astonishing short period of time, considering it took approximately six years to complete the Burj.

Construction had begun until recently when it was stopped construction due to lack of government approval.

Sky City will be located in Changsha in central China.  It will be 2,749ft tall (838 metres) surpassing the Burj Khalif by 27ft in height (2,722 ft, 830).  Once completed the 220-story (the Burj has 163-stories) structure will  include schools, a hospital, office facilities, 17 helipads and apartments for over 30,000 people.  Of the total space available, nearly 83% will be for residential purposes. 5% will be for the hotel housing 1000, while 3% each will be dedicated to schools, hospitals, offices and shops.

Broad has already constructed 20 buildings in China using this new methodology of pre-fabrication.  According to the company, 95% of Sky City will be built in Broad's factory before any excavation takes place at the construction site.

Sources:

http://archinect.com/news/article/78369996/sky-city-world-s-tallest-building-stops-construction-due-to-lack-of-government-approval

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_City

http://www.dezeen.com/2013/07/31/worlds-tallest-building-update/

China is really KNOCKING out some STUNNING architecture these DAYS

http://www.designboom.com/architecture/mad-architects-sheraton-huzhou-hot-spring-resort/

New Sheraton hotel in Huzhou (near Shanghai) China.   This stunning simple design, which reflects the new non-linear, geometric structures that I love in today's contemporary architecture (Gehry, Hadid, etc).

This is elegant.  It is beautiful.  It is proportional.

The 27-story Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort offers 321 spacious guest rooms, including 44 suites and 39 villas(1) on Lake Taihu.   

This stunning design features a horizontal exterior facade that accentuates the horseshoe shape and makes for a stunning piece of sculpture when lit at night or reflected in the lake's waters below.  

The hotel is designed by Beijing-born architect Ma Yanson, MAD Architects. (3)  What an astonishing portfolio of incredible designs and completed structures.   Visit their website for more (MAD Architects).

The interior design in the interior public spaces seems a bit outré?   Very opulent.   But maybe a bit too Vegas-ish.   Or to be kinder, Dubai-ish.

However hotel rooms are quite lovely. 

All rooms have a balcony.  Note the exterior facade.

A suite with balcony which shows the exterior facade.  Note circular design of the room

This is really a beautiful new building.  

The exterior public spaces reflect the beauty of the building, as shown. 

According to Daily News Huzhou is:  "Known as 'The City of Silk', the ancient metropolis is situated on the southern shores of Lake Taihu in the northern part of Zheijang Province. It is hailed as the birthplace of the Far East's famous tea culture." (2) 

The charm of the local city--Huzhou's Water Village.

A beautiful sunset on Lake Taihu

(1)  Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2376911/Sheraton-Huzhou-Hot-Spring-Resort-gigantic-glowing-doughnut-hotel-China.html#ixzz2a1neeCA1 
(2)  Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2376911/Sheraton-Huzhou-Hot-Spring-Resort-gigantic-glowing-doughnut-hotel-China.html#ixzz2a1uiKHiO 
(3)  Credits and Info:
Architect: MAD Architect Co., Ltd.,
Associate Engineers: Shanghai SianDai Architecture Design (Group) Co., Ltd.,
Structural Engineer: China Majesty Steel Structural Design Co., Ltd.,
Façade/Cladding Consultants: Zhejiang Zhongnan Curtain Wall Co., Ltd., Shanghai Timalco Curtain Wall Engineering Co., Ltd.,
Landscape Architect: EDSA – Landscape Design
http://www.arch2o.com/sheraton-huzhou-hot-spring-resort-mad-architects/

I LOVE dolphins....they are so intelligent, beautiful and elegant.

I saw this great article in Daily Mail, titled:  "Dolphins are so intelligent they have individual NAMES and call for each other just like humans."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2373831/Dolphins-intelligent-individual-NAMES-just-like-humans.html#ixzz2Zq6gMAgr
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2373831/Dolphins-intelligent-individual-NAMES-just-like-humans.html

Company ET3 proposes supersonic train which would travel from NYC to LA in 45 minutes

I love this.  Somehow I think that we as a nation have devolved to such a point that we could never see this great idea to fruition.  But maybe United Arab Emirates or China will.   This technology advances our world in such a remarkable way.  We had a SST aircraft and it flew for many years but nothing was developed to replace it and it was retired a few years ago.

This proposal seems logical to the lay mind.  I've worked in businesses that utilized and I've been a customer of banks who used the pneumatic tube systems from the past.  We still haven't figured out how to take a human or living being and translate it into something digital that can be translated electronically.   Until that can be done, this seems like a revolutionary design.  Send we humans in a little tube at very high speeds, just as we did with the pneumatic systems of the not so distant past.  

From wired.com:

[ET3] wants to revolutionize transportation. Again. The serial entrepreneur envisions a future where mag-lev trains in enormous pneumatic tubes whisk us from Los Angeles to New York in 45 minutes. Need to be in Beijing tomorrow? No problem. It’s a two-hour ride away  

Daily Mail

As crazy as it sounds, Musk is merely updating an idea that’s been around since the early 1900s, and at least one company is working on a functional prototype. But according to Wired sources, his involvement won’t be nearly as hands-on as Musk’s other endeavors at Tesla Motors and SpaceX.

The engineering behind the Hyperloop is similar to the old-school pneumatic tube systems used by banks to suck your deposit to the teller at the drive-through. But naturally, it’s more complicated than that.

A massive vacuum tube — mounted either above ground or even under water — would be combined with a magnetic levitation system used on conventional bullet trains. That means no friction, no wind resistance, no chance of collisions, and insanely high speeds:  http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/07/ford-transit-supervan/

The proposed train would travel at 400 mph transcontinentally and 4,000 mph internationally.  Based upon those speeds, ET3 suggests that you could travel between NY-LA in 45 minutes and ultimately New York to Bejing in two-hours.

Elon Musk, the owner of ET3, one of the companies exploring this technology, described this train thusly:  "a cross between a Concorde, a railgun and an air hockey table.

It is interesting.  This technology is based upon proposals in early 20th century for "vactrains" which never reached fruition.  

It also provides a very cost efficient alternative to the best technology we have today.   "The tech entrepreneur claims that his hyperloop super train could be three to four times faster than a Japanese bullet train." (1)

These kind of ideas are so rare in this day age.  We seem to be stuck in 1950 in this country, despite some advances.  But this kind of hyper-liberal thinking is what created the technologically-advanced world that we live in today.   Alas, we haven't advance spiritually.

But this blog is really about celebration.  This is an exciting concept using old technology which was quite successful and moved our civilization forward (if not spiritually).  Sure, we could wait for physicists to finally discover how to break down living beings to the atomic level and then transport them digitally, as we do with documents, photos, etc. 

I love this concept.   Here's more photos and be sure and check out the video below:

Here's more photos

(1)  Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2369993/How-Elon-Musk-s-Hyperloop-actually-work-Experts-guess-plans-LA-San-Francisco-30-minutes-come-fruition.html#ixzz2ZSsaKKJO 

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(2)  http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/16/tech/innovation/elon-musk-tube-transport
(3)  http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/blogs/elon-musks-new-idea-crazy-fast-trains 
(4)  http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/07/elon-musk-hyperloop/

TEAM Trayvon Martin/Rachel Jeantel. And shame on the "cracker" goat-like defense attorney Don West

"Dignity and grace" had she.   That is Rachel Jeantel.  I'm watching Piers Morgan on CNN.  I watched every moment of her astonishing testimony.  I was in awe with her ability to stand up to that arrogant, condescending, repugnant defense attorney Don West.  He made me truly embarrassed to be caucasian.  His behavior represents every stereotype about bigoted white, straight men.

She was a star on Piers Morgan tonight.  She is the smartest fucking person involved in the whole Trayvon Martin distaster.

That goatish, asshole, defense attorney Done West, should apologize publicly to Ms. Jeantel.  He is a shame to his race.

The ice cream photo he posted online was worse than the bad joke on the opening.  It illustrates "cracka-dom" at it's worst.

 I am white.  But I hope all of you bigoted white people start to change their arrogant perception which is about "stupidity."  Like the six non-black ladies who voted George Zimmerman "not guilty".  Their hatred, and Don West's, against non-white people is coming to an end.  White people like me who do not agree with you are fed up.   Our system is fucked.   And your days of abusing our system like this are I hope soon over.

As Rachel said to all you white racists out there:  "your old school....my generation" is different.  Rachel....you're brilliant.

To the Martin family, my sincerest condolences.  Please sign the petition by the ACLU to call for investigation by the justice department.

To the Zimmerman's, I hope George suffers consequences for the rest of his life for having killed that boy.  That's the way the world works in the white "cracka" world.

One upbeat note, Tom Joyner has offered to give this brilliant woman a college degree scholarship http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/rachel-jeantel-scholarship_n_3606038.html.  Rachel wins and the old goat stinks to high heavens.   "Preciousness" triumphs over "goatish-ness".   Beauty triumphs over ugliness.   Rachel Jeantel, you are my hero.

Zach Braff is an adorable, charming DOLL FACE

Zach contributed to a wedding video proposal for a couple in the UK.   Zach is utterly charming.   And so is the video.  I couldn't see the groom very well, but based upon his amazing proposal artwork on camera, I'd marry him in a second (as well as Braff).

Check out this charming video where "Scrubs" actor (and hottie) proposes to the this dude's wife.  I found it on Huntington-Post in an article titled:  "Matt Hulbert Gets 'Scrubs' Star To Help Him Pop The Question".

Hulbert also enlists family and friends to contribute their vote for a "Yes" answer the proposal in video and then compiles it all into the most beautiful and clever representation of love...without being disgusting.  Although, it might be self-serving.   Hulbert's career as a "graphic designer" into a larger trajectory as a result of this.

There are so MANY vignettes in this short video.  Somehow, it's Braff's star power and charm, though, that truly sets the tone.

Personally, I found the two dudes, one who worked for EasyJet Airlines, filmed several "responses" in glorious European cities.

This is really a wonderful show of love.  And evidence of many talented people.

Sorry, Roman Abramowich. Yours isn't the biggest in the world now.

The biggest yacht in the world, that is.

Roman Abramovich, my favorite Russian oligarch (who is also the most attractive, IMHO), who had the world's largest yacht (533 feet), the "Eclipse," has fallen to second place.

A Middle Eastern oligarch has taken the title of "World's Largest Yacht" owner with the recent launch of the 590-foot "Azzam."  Built by Germany's Lürssen Yachts for just $609 million, this ship is not only the largest, but it is also the fastest superyachts in the world.  In its initial first trial tests it achieved 30 knots (34.5mph).

The sleek and elegant exterior design was done by Nauta Yachts.  The interior design was done by French designer Christophe Leoni using a theme of the Empire style.

Read more about this new achievement of pissing contests.   All I can say is she is beautiful, remarkable and elegant at the following links:

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2357795/Worlds-largest-private-yacht-Azzam-takes-sea-400m-construction-project.html

• http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/world-longest-superyacht-azzam-launches-germany-article-1.1310110

• http://www.superyachttimes.com/editorial/17/article/id/10330