Posted on 10/10/2005 4:48:55 PM PDT by snugs
Over the weekend President George W. Bush expressed offers of sympathy and assistance after Pakistan-India border earthquake in a statement on Saturday and on Sunday met Pakistan's Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Sadiq, Sunday in the Oval Office. The President and the First Lady also attended church on Sunday
Former President George H W Bush visited the Gulf Region over the weekend as part of his Katrina fund raising efforts.
Today the President and the first lady travelled to the Gulf Coast at the start of a 2 day tour to focus on housing the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The President is scheduled to have dinner with state and local officials in New Orleans later tonight to discuss the recovery effort. This is his eighth trip to the region since Katrina struck six weeks ago, leaving an estimated 350,000 families homeless
Today Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she is considering a visit to Pakistan during her scheduled tour of Central Asia in a show of solidarity with victims of the devastating earthquake
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today spoke to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and assured all help for earthquake-affected people in India
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
Happy Columbus Day - which is celebrated in the United States to honor Christopher Columbus's first voyage to America in 1492.
Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451 toDomenico Columbo, a wool weaver. He worked for his Father until he was 22 then set out to follow his own dream to become a sea captain. Many of his fellow Genoese had prospered in Lisbon under the Portuguese flag as Captains of sailing ships and he longed to join their ranks.
It was to this end that Columbus began to educate himself learning to read and speak Portuguese, Castilian and Latin. He read many geography books, and studied the bible and the writings of Marco Polo, gathering all the information he could about the world. He particularly studied, Pierre d' Ailly's "Imago Mundi," or picture of the world. He became a chart maker himself and because of these studies became convinced that the world was spherical, round instead of flat. This belief later became the basis for his quest of finding a shorter route to Asia.
Asia offered many goods Europeans craved but traveling East to get them was difficult and dangerous. However, it was with these countries of the EAST, India, China, Japan, and the East Indies, that Europeans longed to trade in greater volume. It was for this reason that a sea route around the tip of Africa to the EAST Indies and Asia was sought. Columbus was just one of many, explorers and tradesmen trying to find such a route.
Portugal deemed, " The greatest seafaring nation in the world," due in large measure to the discoveries, exploits and sponsorship of it's prince, nicknamed "Henry the Navigator," seemed the most likely nation to support Columbus's dream of finding that shorter route to the EAST. So, it was no surprise that later, he would chose to approach Portugal's King John II for his support of his expedition.
In 1479 Columbus married Dona Felipa Perestrello, whose father had been one of Prince Henry The Navigator's captains. His wife's social rank opened doors for Columbus. And using his Father in laws collection of charts and documents he gained more knowledge of Portuguese discoveries and plans. In 1481 he entered the service of King John II of Portugal and voyaged to the Gold Coast of Africa.
Portugal deemed, " The greatest seafaring nation in the world," due in large measure to the discoveries, exploits and sponsorship of it's prince, nicknamed "Henry the Navigator," seemed the most likely nation to support Columbus's dream of finding that shorter route to the EAST. So, it was no surprise that later, he would chose to approach Portugal's King John II for his support of his expedition.
In 1479 Columbus married Dona Felipa Perestrello, whose father had been one of Prince Henry The Navigator's captains. His wife's social rank opened doors for Columbus. And using his Father in laws collection of charts and documents he gained more knowledge of Portuguese discoveries and plans. In 1481 he entered the service of King John II of Portugal and voyaged to the Gold Coast of Africa.
Columbus wanted to discover the much sought for route to the EAST that would open up a lucrative trade. He believed there was a better way to find it then traveling around the tip of AFRICA. He believed by sailing west 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean that he would come full circle and end up in Asia without having to go south and east. He thought he would sail right into these countries never dreaming he would land on a whole new continent and lay claim to a whole new world.
In 1484 Columbus applied for ships and men from King John II of Portugal. He was refused and then his proposal was reconsidered. However, the final rejection of his proposal came when Bartholomew Diaz discovered the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. He had found an eastern sea route to India. The Portuguese were no longer interested in an unproven western route. Columbus was denied once again and returned to Spain.
He finally convinced the King and Queen of Spain to finance him and at dawn on Aug. 3, 1492, the three ships hoisted anchor from Palos, Spain and set sail.
"On October 11 the Pinta fished up a piece of bamboo, a pole, a board, and a stick that seemed to have been shaped by tools. At 10 PM Columbus himself thought he saw lights. At 2 AM on October 12, Rodrigo de Triana, a seaman aboard the Pinta, cried loudly the first sight of the New World. The voyage from the Canaries had taken 33 days."
He set sail on August 3, 1492 under the Spanish flag from Palos, harbor in Spain with three ships the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. Problems with the Nina and the Pinta necessitated a one month delay in the Canary Islands. He set sail again on September 3, 1492 and thirty-three days later at 2:00 a.m. on October 12, 1492, Rodrigo de Triana, a seaman aboard the Pinta, spotted land.
Columbus actually had landed among the Bahama Islands. He named this land San Salvador, claiming it in the name of Spain. This NEW World would lead to the settlement by Europeans of the continents of North and South America.
QUOTE OF THE DAY – (YESTERDAY)
President Expresses Condolences to Pakistan, Offers Assistance After Earthquake
The Oval Office
THE PRESIDENT: I would like to thank the Pakistan Embassy for coming by to brief me on the tragedy that has taken place in that country. I was just told that this is going to be the worst natural disaster in the nation's history; thousands of people have died; thousands are wounded, and the United States of America wants to help.
I spoke to President Musharraf. I expressed our nation's deepest condolences. And I told him that we want to help in any way we can. To that end, we've already started to send cash money and other equipment and goods that is going to be needed to help the people in Pakistan. Moving eight choppers over; the Chargé told me that one of the biggest concerns for the government of Pakistan is not enough airlift capacity to get to some of these rural areas where people are suffering. So we're moving choppers.
Secretary Rumsfeld is surveying the assets that he may be able to move in the area. We're working with Pakistan at all levels of government. Pakistan is a friend of the United States government and the people of the United States will help as best as we possibly can. So I appreciate you coming by.
Finally, as I told the President -- President Musharraf -- I said there are a lot of Americans who will be asking for the Almighty God's blessings on the people of Pakistan.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush (not shown) arrive in New Orleans at the U.S. Naval Air Station for a two-day visit to hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, Monday, Oct. 10, 2005. Bush confers with Benny Rousselles, right, president of Plaquemine Parish, as they arrive. At right is Lt. Gen. Russ Honore, task force Katrina commander. The president is scheduled to have dinner with state and local officials in New Orleans later tonight to discuss the recovery effort and to focus on housing the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
just me
1st?
First again !!!!
Thank gawd this is up and I can get OFF those other threads!
Dose going up please wait to post photos or graphics until the all clear is given
Close to first?
Good evening!
just missed close runner up though well done
You know the others are bad for your health LOL
What's a matter Howlin??? Tired of dealing with the shrill sky is falling chicken littles????
In the top five if you do not count my posts.
Those people are NUTS.
Hello Sunshine your name always makes me smile
The nutty right is no better then the nutty left, are they?
I'm sure I heard that somewhere............. ;)
Thanks for the DOSE, snugs.
IMO, they're worse.
Thank you for the ping!
Mental illness abounds, Howlin. Ain't it fun?
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