Interesting Bridges for the Engineer in All of Us
The original Kintai Bridge was built in 1673 but collapsed due to flooding. The rebuilt bridge survived for more than 200 years until a typhoon destroyed it in 1950. The bridge that stands now over the Nishiki River has five wooden arches displaying an incredible amount of detail and craftsmanship. Interesting fact: no nails or bolts have been used to build the arches, only clamps and wires.
Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge , Brasilia, Brazil
The JK Bridge in Brasilia is a lesson in elegant bridge design. The three huge diagonal arches over the deck of the bridge give the structure an amazing visual fluidity.
Rolling Bridge, London, UK
Thomas Heatherwick's award-winning rolling bridge is an ingenious addition to the grand union canal system in London and is unique. Unlike regular movable canal bridges, the rolling bridge curls up to form an octagon by way of hydraulic jacks to let ships pass.
Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge, Guizhou, China
Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge in Guizhou is an enormous railway bridge that was built as part of the 'Guizhou-Shuibai Railway Project'. Connecting two mountains over a deep ravine, at its highest point the bridge's deck sits 918 feet above the ground. The bridge connects two of the country's poorest areas. Henderson Waves, Southern Ridges, Singapore
'Henderson Waves' is Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge and is at the 'Southern Ridges,' a beautiful 9 km (six miles) stretch of gardens and parks. The deck of the bridge is made from thousands of Balau wood slats, perfectly cut and arranged, and along the length of the deck a snaking, undulating shell forms sheltered seating areas on every upward curve..
Pont Gustave Flaubert, Rouen, France
This incredible vertical lift bridge is in Rouen, France, whose spans weigh 1,200 tons each but can be hoisted 180 ft vertically in an impressive 12 minutes. The angular lift structures at the top of each tower weigh 450 tons each. The huge vertical lift allows even the largest cruise liners to sail through.
Hegigio Gorge Pipeline Bridge, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
This bridge supports two pipelines; one gas, the other oil, across the extremely deep gap in
Papua New Guinea. If this were to be officially recognized as a vehicular or pedestrian bridge it
would rocket to the top of the 'world's highest bridge-span' with the pipelines at an impressive
height of 1,290 ft above the bottom of the gorge. By comparison, the current highest bridge span
belongs to the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, hanging a mere 1,053 ft above ground level.
|
0
comments
|
Great picture story
|
0
comments
|
Warm Weather Threatens Vancouver Olympics
(597 KB)
Watch on posterous
|
0
comments
|
I don't know what I'll wear...
|
0
comments
|
Zeppelin
|
0
comments
|
Great Animation
|
0
comments
|
Emergency CPR Method, No Oral Contact
|
0
comments
|
WW II Camouflage
And After: The person I received this from said she got back an interesting story about someone's mother who worked at Lockheed, and she as a younger child, remembers all this. And to this day, it is the first pictures of it she's seen. Another person who lived in the area talked about as being a boy, watching it all be set up like a movie studio production. They had fake houses, trees, etc., and moved parked cars around so it looked like a residential area from the skies overhead. Dean E. Ewing, BS, MS, DVMLt. Col. USAF (VC), Retired
Patience and Perseverance have a Magical Effect
before which Difficulties disappear, and
Obstacles vanish.
|
0
comments
|
Maxine Originator
Be sure to read the comments on the creator of Maxine that follow the cartoons and to look at the good set that follows the comments.
Where Did Maxine Come From ? Interesting.. I never knew who the creator of Maxine was! After the Maxine jokes there is a summary on how she was created and a photo of her creator. More from the gal everyone loves and admires, and you finally get to meet her creator at the end.
Creator
Of Maxine
John Wagner, Hallmark artist since 1970, says Maxine was inspired by his mother, his maiden aunts and his grandmother, the woman who bought him art lessons when 'fill in the pumpkins' was about the extent of his art classes at St. John's Catholic School in Leonia
N.J.
John remembers doodling as a preschooler and says both his grandmother and his mother encouraged his artistic interests. He eventually attended the Vesper George School of Art in Boston and landed at Hallmark as part of a new artists group. But it was the birth of the humorous Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) in 1986 that added a new dimension to John's professional life. The Shoebox way of seeing the world unleashed his talents and he created Maxine.
'Cartoonists are sensitive to the insanities of the world; we just try to humanize them,' John says. 'If Maxine can get a laugh out of someone who feels lonely or someone who is getting older and hates the thought of another birthday, or if she can make someone chuckle about stressful interpersonal relationships, then I'm happy. Putting a smile on someone's face is what it's all about.'
Those smiles have led to Maxine's becoming a bit of a celebrity. She (and John) have been the subject of media stories, including People, USA Today, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, and Las Vegas Journal-Review, and they have been included in a major Associated Press story. Collector and trade publications have reported fans nationwide are collecting
Maxine items. Letters from consumers and fans to John and Maxine reveal a very personal connection to Maxine.
Many people say they are just like her.
Why the name 'Maxine'? 'People at Shoebox started referring to the character as 'John Wagner's old lady,' and I knew that would get me into trouble with my wife,' John says. The Shoebox team had a contest among themselves to name the character and three of the approximately 30 entries suggested 'Maxine'. John says the name is perfect.
John, who says he's humbled by such acceptance of Maxine, admits he's proud of her.
Now you know the story of how Maxine came to be.
SOME NEW MAXINES !!!!
I haven't seen these before. Good ones.
&NB sp;
|
0
comments
|
