2021 was the busiest year yet for NASA in low-Earth orbit, we also made progress preparing for a flight test around the Moon, and had a very active year exploring space, studying Earth, testing technologies for next generation aircraft, and much more. Here’s a look back at those and other things we did this year at NASA. Download Link: https://go.nasa.gov/3yM3so2
Daily Archives: December 21, 2021
Christmas: The Breakers In Newport, Rhode Island
A short tour of The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island in mid-December, 2021. The Breakers, which is owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County, is the “grandest of Newport’s summer ‘cottages,'” as the Preservation Society puts it on their website, and I personally thought it lived up to that.
The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s summer “cottages” and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial pre-eminence in turn-of-the-century America.
Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad, which was a pivotal development in the industrial growth of the nation during the late 19th century. The Commodore’s grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843-1899), became Chairman and President of the New York Central Railroad system in 1885, and purchased a wooden house called The Breakers in Newport during that same year.
Extreme Views: Wingsuit Flying Over The Pyramids
Flying closer to the great pyramids of Giza than any wingsuit pilots than before, Fred Fugen, Vincent Cotte and Mike Swanson used new wingsuit designs to soar past the Egyptian monuments getting close enough to the Pyramid of Khafre that they could almost touch it. It’s a whole new way to look at history.
Classic Cars: ‘Autoworld – History Of Automobiles’ In Brussels, Belgium (Video)
Autoworld, “Treasury of the history of the automobile”
Autoworld is a private museum that rents its buildings from the community. Its passionate and experienced staff are committed to making Autoworld a leading location in both the automobile and events sector, that draws its legitimacy from its rich history.
The Mahy collection Autoworld was built on the extensive and well preserved car collection of the Mahy family, one of the largest in the world. Founder Ghislain Mahy (1907-1999) was a passionate mechanic from a young age and went on to restore dozens of cars throughout his life. Together with his sons Hans and Ivan, he built a collection of about 1000 vehicles, amongst which you can find many Belgian brands such as Minerva, Germain, FN, Imperia, Fondu, Vivinus, Nagant, Belga-Rise and Miesse. When the Autoworld museum was established in 1986, it incorporated 200 automobiles from the Mahy collection. The opening in 1986 While the passion and collection of the Mahy family forms the heart of the museum, it were the dedication and perseverance of late King Albert II, Minister Louis Olivier and Herman De Croo that ensured Autoworld officially came to life in 1986. The majestic esplanade, triumphal arch and colonnades of the Parc du Cinquantenaire proved to be the ideal location for the treasury of the automobile history. The main purpose of Autoworld was and remains to display decades of evolution in technology, comfort, safety and environment.
Cover Previews: Harper’s Magazine – January 2022
Morning News: Leftist Wins Election In Chile, Turkish Lira, Omicron
A.M. Edition for Dec. 21. Gabriel Boric’s landslide win could empower him to embark on a big economic revamp of the market economy and that has unsettled investors. WSJ’s Ryan Dube explains how the former student protest leader plans to raise taxes and dismantle a private pension system in Latin America’s richest nation. Peter Granitz hosts.
Boomers Daily 