I am celebrating the launching of the USS Constitution on October 21, 1979. The ship was built in Edmund Hartt’s shipyard in Boston for a cost of $302,718.
On October 17, the ship was underway for her last trip around Boston Harbor until 2108. U.S.S. Constitution will be open for limited viewing until entering dry dock in March, 2015 for a three-year long restoration project that is estimated to cost between $12 and $15 million.
During the restoration, workers are expected to re-copper the ship’s hull, replace worn riggings, change out old planks on the gun and berth decks and make general repairs to the stern, bow and captain’s cabin. The ship is expected to be back in the water by 2017. By spring or summer 2018 it should return to its familiar spot on Pier 1 at the Navy Yard. Ref. Fox News.
U.S.S. Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned naval ship afloat.
Constitution ’s stated mission today is to promote understanding of the Navy’s role in war and peace through educational outreach, historic demonstration, and active participation in public events. As a fully commissioned US Navy ship, her crew of 60 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs, and special events while keeping the ship open to visitors year round and providing free tours. The officers and crew are all active-duty US Navy personnel and the assignment is considered special duty in the Navy. Traditionally, command of the vessel is assigned to a Navy Commander. Constitution is berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard, at one end of Boston’s Freedom Trail. Ref. Wikipedia
The tradition (my tradition, anyway) is to try to catch 12 leaves before they reach the ground. This will give you good luck in the coming 12 months.
But it is not as easy as it sounds.
It helps to find a big tree with a lot of big leaves that are just ready to let go. It also helps if it is a windy day. It helps most of all if you are really agile!
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio produced this video demonstrating how the earths tides ebb and flow around the world. It doesn’t include narration or annotation because, they explain, ‘The goal was to use ocean flow data to create a simple, visceral experience’.
The visualization shows ocean surface currents around the world during the period from June 2005 through December 2007 – these figures are plotted into a computer that takes in shed loads of data and outputs pretty things like this – I love when computers do that. The computational model is called Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Phase II (ECCO2 for short).
It can calculate ocean flow at all depths but this particular video shows only surface flows. NASA describe it as a ‘high resolution model of the global ocean and sea-ice. ECCO2 attempts to model the oceans and sea ice to increasingly accurate resolutions that begin to resolve ocean eddies and other narrow-current systems which transport heat and carbon in the oceans’.
The dark areas under the ocean show the the undersea bathymetry (basically the opposite of topography). The bathymetry and land topography are exaggerated to enhance the contrast – bathymetry by 20 times and topography by 40 times.
In her series ‘Landscapes’ – Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes has mastered the art of camouflage and by using body paint is able to disappear into her surroundings. With the help of her assistants, she paints herself into the background of floral wallpapers. Her dark hair and the whites of the eyes are often the only thing that shows there’s a person hiding.
However, her series called “Landscapes” doesn’t just create a disappearance illusion, it also shows Paredes’ quest for belonging.
“The theme behind all is re-location after displacement and migration and how one has to adjust in order to belong. Tough it is, but it has to be done, without forgetting our origin. The theme behind all is re-location after displacement and migration and how one has to adjust in order to belong. Tough it is, but it has to be done, without forgetting our origin.”
I am celebrating the launching of the USS Constitution on October 21, 1979. The ship was built in Edmund Hartt’s shipyard in Boston for a cost of $302,718.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 