SvenSvensonov
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Team USA
- Thread starter VCheng
- Start date
SvenSvensonov
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Memorial Day across the US
SvenSvensonov
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SvenSvensonov
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Memorial Day in and around D.C.
SvenSvensonov
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Hamartia Antidote
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Don't forget the regular people getting flowers on Memorial Day
I did five flower plantings today.
I did five flower plantings today.
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F-22Raptor
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These Are the 5 Reasons Why the U.S. Remains the World’s Only Superpower
Why Washington can still claim global primacy in the 21st century
A ‘superpower’ is a country that wields enough military, political and economic might to convince nations in all parts of the world to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. Pundits have rushed to label China the next superpower—and so have many ordinary Americans—but the rumors of America’s decline have been greatly exaggerated. In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future. These facts show why America is still the world’s only superpower, and why that won’t change anytime soon.
1. Economics
China’s economy is growing at an impressive rate. But it’s not just the size of an economy that matters—it’s also the quality. According to the World Bank, GDP per capita in the US was $53,042 in 2013; in China it was just $6,807. In other words, little of China’s dramatic economic growth is finding its way into the pockets of Chinese consumers—the byproduct of an economy driven by massive state-owned enterprises rather than private industry. China’s headline growth may be higher, but it’s the U.S. economy that’s allowing its citizens to grow along with it.
And crucially, the American economy remains the bedrock of the global financial system. Over 80% of all financial transactions worldwide are conducted in dollars, as are 87% of foreign currency market transactions. As long as the world continues to place such faith in America’s currency and overall economic stability, the U.S. economy remains the one to beat.
2. Military
America’s military superiority remains unrivaled—full stop. The US accounts for 37% of global military spending, and spends more than four times what China, the world’s No. 2 spender, does on its military. The U.S. dominates across land, sea, air and space. America’s Middle East misadventures gave the U.S. military a black eye, but the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan speak more to the changing nature of warfare than declining U.S. military superiority. Terrorists and guerilla fighters give conventional military powers fits by design. The U.S. must ultimately learn to scale down to better meet those challenges. Nevertheless, while conventional military strength might not deter terrorists, it still does a terrific job of deterring hostile nations.
3. Political Influence
Political power comes in many dimensions. For the U.S., foreign aid is an effective way to cement its political clout globally. In 2013, the U.S. doled out $32.7 billion in financial assistance; second was the UK at $19 billion. Turns out that money buys strong political cooperation from countries in need.
But in order to have political power abroad, you must first have stability at home. The U.S. has the oldest working national constitution in the world, as well as strong institutions and rule of law to accompany it. While far from perfect, the governing document created by America’s founding fathers has evolved along with its people. The numbers show the enduring attraction of this system: 45 million people living in the U.S. today were born in a foreign country. That is more than four times higher than the next highest country. For many people around the world, America remains the ideal place to start a new life.
4. Innovation
Of the 9 largest tech companies in the world, 8 are based in the U.S. Give the growing importance of the technology sector, that’s a big deal. For decades America worried about energy dependency, yet today America is the world’s No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas, in large part due to the development of hydraulic fracturing, a product of public research and private energy. America’s research universities and scientific institutions are best in class, allowing the nation to focus its ingenuity where it’s needed most. And America is spending the money to keep its comparative advantage intact: 30% of all research and development dollars are spent in the U.S.
5. Culture/Lifestyle
In 2012, Americans spent $370 million on pet costumes. Earlier this year the Fury 325 opened up in North Carolina, claiming the title of world’s tallest rollercoaster—until 2016, when the next ‘giga’ coaster is scheduled to open in Orlando, Florida. In the most recent Charities Aid Foundation survey, Americans ranked #1 internationally when it came to helping strangers. These stats may seem disconnected, but together they point to the fact that Americans continue to enjoy a quality of life unmatched by the rest of the world. When you combine this with America’s strength across the board in economics, military, political influence and innovation, it is no wonder that the U.S. enjoys its privileged position in the world today. Superpower indeed.
Forget China—the U.S. Is Still the Global Superpower
Why Washington can still claim global primacy in the 21st century
A ‘superpower’ is a country that wields enough military, political and economic might to convince nations in all parts of the world to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. Pundits have rushed to label China the next superpower—and so have many ordinary Americans—but the rumors of America’s decline have been greatly exaggerated. In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future. These facts show why America is still the world’s only superpower, and why that won’t change anytime soon.
1. Economics
China’s economy is growing at an impressive rate. But it’s not just the size of an economy that matters—it’s also the quality. According to the World Bank, GDP per capita in the US was $53,042 in 2013; in China it was just $6,807. In other words, little of China’s dramatic economic growth is finding its way into the pockets of Chinese consumers—the byproduct of an economy driven by massive state-owned enterprises rather than private industry. China’s headline growth may be higher, but it’s the U.S. economy that’s allowing its citizens to grow along with it.
And crucially, the American economy remains the bedrock of the global financial system. Over 80% of all financial transactions worldwide are conducted in dollars, as are 87% of foreign currency market transactions. As long as the world continues to place such faith in America’s currency and overall economic stability, the U.S. economy remains the one to beat.
2. Military
America’s military superiority remains unrivaled—full stop. The US accounts for 37% of global military spending, and spends more than four times what China, the world’s No. 2 spender, does on its military. The U.S. dominates across land, sea, air and space. America’s Middle East misadventures gave the U.S. military a black eye, but the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan speak more to the changing nature of warfare than declining U.S. military superiority. Terrorists and guerilla fighters give conventional military powers fits by design. The U.S. must ultimately learn to scale down to better meet those challenges. Nevertheless, while conventional military strength might not deter terrorists, it still does a terrific job of deterring hostile nations.
3. Political Influence
Political power comes in many dimensions. For the U.S., foreign aid is an effective way to cement its political clout globally. In 2013, the U.S. doled out $32.7 billion in financial assistance; second was the UK at $19 billion. Turns out that money buys strong political cooperation from countries in need.
But in order to have political power abroad, you must first have stability at home. The U.S. has the oldest working national constitution in the world, as well as strong institutions and rule of law to accompany it. While far from perfect, the governing document created by America’s founding fathers has evolved along with its people. The numbers show the enduring attraction of this system: 45 million people living in the U.S. today were born in a foreign country. That is more than four times higher than the next highest country. For many people around the world, America remains the ideal place to start a new life.
4. Innovation
Of the 9 largest tech companies in the world, 8 are based in the U.S. Give the growing importance of the technology sector, that’s a big deal. For decades America worried about energy dependency, yet today America is the world’s No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas, in large part due to the development of hydraulic fracturing, a product of public research and private energy. America’s research universities and scientific institutions are best in class, allowing the nation to focus its ingenuity where it’s needed most. And America is spending the money to keep its comparative advantage intact: 30% of all research and development dollars are spent in the U.S.
5. Culture/Lifestyle
In 2012, Americans spent $370 million on pet costumes. Earlier this year the Fury 325 opened up in North Carolina, claiming the title of world’s tallest rollercoaster—until 2016, when the next ‘giga’ coaster is scheduled to open in Orlando, Florida. In the most recent Charities Aid Foundation survey, Americans ranked #1 internationally when it came to helping strangers. These stats may seem disconnected, but together they point to the fact that Americans continue to enjoy a quality of life unmatched by the rest of the world. When you combine this with America’s strength across the board in economics, military, political influence and innovation, it is no wonder that the U.S. enjoys its privileged position in the world today. Superpower indeed.
Forget China—the U.S. Is Still the Global Superpower
SvenSvensonov
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The 650 Official Colors the US Government Uses
What color are the thousands of USPS mailboxes in your city? What about the millions of stop signs in the US? They’re all the same, but not by chance. In fact, figuring out those colors has been a 70-year process.
This week, the Washington Post published a quiz asking readers to identify the right hue for everything from highway signs to OSHA safety vests. Core77 pointed out that the answers were drawn from something called the Federal Standard 595C, a government-mandated list of 650 colors that dictate the colors of just about every object, building, vehicle, weapon, sign, or piece of infrastructure controlled by the Federal government.
There’s a red for Coast Guard bouys, #11350:
And a grey for NASA, #16473:
The Post office boxes and the Blue Angels share a shade, #15050:
So when did this system emerge? Who created it? And why?
The Colors of War
During World War II, the US government realized it needed to standardize the paint colors it used across both theaters. For example, the color of fighter planes’ insignia became a serious liability: As the Navy changed the colors of its planes, it could be tough to tell an Allied plane from a Japanese one. “the red circle in the US national insignia was even more likely to be taken for the Japanese ‘meatball,’” explains Naval historian Tommy H. Thomason.
Plus, the US military was spread across an entire globe—making sure its equipment matched wasn’t just a safety issue, it was pretty much impossible in far-flung locales. “[The] problem of providing exact color specification to an equipment subcontractor on the other side of the World became manifested itself with obvious clarity,” says ColorServer.
What could be done? The government began to create color chips—each with an assigned number—to help contractors get the colors just right. And when the war ended, that system became law. The newly created General Services Administration created an index that would later become known as the Federal Standard 595C—a library color samples that at first included just a few hundred colors, though today it includes 650.
So how did a project that began in the military get adopted by the entire Federal government? In 2011, the writer Graham T. Beck published a fantastic history of the project in The Morning News. In it, he explained how the post-War era, the development of the highway system and infrastructure necessitated a standard color language. He also describes how the 595C isn’t foolproof:
In October 2001, F.S. No. 33696, a shade of yellow, was the color of the 2,000-calorie plastic-wrapped food-aid packets that American forces dropped on Afghanistan. A very similar shade was used on the soft-drink-sized bomblets that the U.S. military also released from above. [...] “Do not confuse the cylinder-shaped bomb with the rectangular food bag,” an American psy-ops radio broadcast reminded the local population.
It’s interesting to note that Federal Standard 595C was one of many other color systems that sprang up around the same time. Pantone’s own index was developed in the early 1960s, spurred by similar issues but from the commercial printing and production world.
These systems were harbingers of modern globalization: You only needed a color index if you were dealing with producing many objects across many different locations and they all needed to look like the same product. In a weird way, paint has closely followed the progression of human civilization—from the hand-mixed natural pigments of thousands of years ago, to the tightly-regulated chemical compositions that blanket our world today.
What color are the thousands of USPS mailboxes in your city? What about the millions of stop signs in the US? They’re all the same, but not by chance. In fact, figuring out those colors has been a 70-year process.
This week, the Washington Post published a quiz asking readers to identify the right hue for everything from highway signs to OSHA safety vests. Core77 pointed out that the answers were drawn from something called the Federal Standard 595C, a government-mandated list of 650 colors that dictate the colors of just about every object, building, vehicle, weapon, sign, or piece of infrastructure controlled by the Federal government.
There’s a red for Coast Guard bouys, #11350:
And a grey for NASA, #16473:
The Post office boxes and the Blue Angels share a shade, #15050:
So when did this system emerge? Who created it? And why?
The Colors of War
During World War II, the US government realized it needed to standardize the paint colors it used across both theaters. For example, the color of fighter planes’ insignia became a serious liability: As the Navy changed the colors of its planes, it could be tough to tell an Allied plane from a Japanese one. “the red circle in the US national insignia was even more likely to be taken for the Japanese ‘meatball,’” explains Naval historian Tommy H. Thomason.
Plus, the US military was spread across an entire globe—making sure its equipment matched wasn’t just a safety issue, it was pretty much impossible in far-flung locales. “[The] problem of providing exact color specification to an equipment subcontractor on the other side of the World became manifested itself with obvious clarity,” says ColorServer.
What could be done? The government began to create color chips—each with an assigned number—to help contractors get the colors just right. And when the war ended, that system became law. The newly created General Services Administration created an index that would later become known as the Federal Standard 595C—a library color samples that at first included just a few hundred colors, though today it includes 650.
So how did a project that began in the military get adopted by the entire Federal government? In 2011, the writer Graham T. Beck published a fantastic history of the project in The Morning News. In it, he explained how the post-War era, the development of the highway system and infrastructure necessitated a standard color language. He also describes how the 595C isn’t foolproof:
In October 2001, F.S. No. 33696, a shade of yellow, was the color of the 2,000-calorie plastic-wrapped food-aid packets that American forces dropped on Afghanistan. A very similar shade was used on the soft-drink-sized bomblets that the U.S. military also released from above. [...] “Do not confuse the cylinder-shaped bomb with the rectangular food bag,” an American psy-ops radio broadcast reminded the local population.
It’s interesting to note that Federal Standard 595C was one of many other color systems that sprang up around the same time. Pantone’s own index was developed in the early 1960s, spurred by similar issues but from the commercial printing and production world.
These systems were harbingers of modern globalization: You only needed a color index if you were dealing with producing many objects across many different locations and they all needed to look like the same product. In a weird way, paint has closely followed the progression of human civilization—from the hand-mixed natural pigments of thousands of years ago, to the tightly-regulated chemical compositions that blanket our world today.
SvenSvensonov
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Watch How Los Angeles Boomed Over 125 Years With This Gorgeous Map
Contrary to what New Yorkers would like to tell you, Los Angeles is freaking old. Older than the United States of America, in fact. And it’s easy to see just how old the city is with built:LA, an interactive map that color-codes the age of over three million LA buildings.
Each building is assigned a color value for the decade when it was built, from the light blue of anything built in the early 20th century or before, to the orange of 21st century buildings (it only includes new buildings that were finished by 2008). If you roll over a specific property, you’ll get the exact year, however, you can’t search for a property beyond just zooming in and feeling your way around.
The map shows pretty much every building in LA County. Those with greyed-out footprints didn’t have any available data (my home is unfortunately one of those). But you’re still able to get a fairly complete picture of the way any neighborhood was planned.
Here’s downtown Pasadena:
Using the map you can scroll through the decades to watch the city grow, or hit that color wheel-looking thing to watch it animate. I had so much fun moving around the city and highlighting certain decades. Just poking around the map you can tell so much about LA.
The highest concentration of still-intact pre-1909 buildings are southwest of downtown:
Much of the city’s westward growth happened in the 1920s:
People didn’t really start moving into the hills until the 60s and 70s:
According to CityLab, built:LA was made possible thanks to public data. It was developed by the Urban Policy Collective using several open data sets from the LA County GIS Data Portal andLA County Assessor Local Roll. (It’s inspired by a similar map of Portland, Oregon.)
It’s amazing to think how this could be used in conjunction with a new site, HistoricPlacesLA, that catalogs not only the age but architectural style and cultural significance of every property in the city. Time to put together a walking tour of all the pre-1909 buildings in my neighborhood.
Contrary to what New Yorkers would like to tell you, Los Angeles is freaking old. Older than the United States of America, in fact. And it’s easy to see just how old the city is with built:LA, an interactive map that color-codes the age of over three million LA buildings.
Each building is assigned a color value for the decade when it was built, from the light blue of anything built in the early 20th century or before, to the orange of 21st century buildings (it only includes new buildings that were finished by 2008). If you roll over a specific property, you’ll get the exact year, however, you can’t search for a property beyond just zooming in and feeling your way around.
The map shows pretty much every building in LA County. Those with greyed-out footprints didn’t have any available data (my home is unfortunately one of those). But you’re still able to get a fairly complete picture of the way any neighborhood was planned.
Here’s downtown Pasadena:
Using the map you can scroll through the decades to watch the city grow, or hit that color wheel-looking thing to watch it animate. I had so much fun moving around the city and highlighting certain decades. Just poking around the map you can tell so much about LA.
The highest concentration of still-intact pre-1909 buildings are southwest of downtown:
Much of the city’s westward growth happened in the 1920s:
People didn’t really start moving into the hills until the 60s and 70s:
According to CityLab, built:LA was made possible thanks to public data. It was developed by the Urban Policy Collective using several open data sets from the LA County GIS Data Portal andLA County Assessor Local Roll. (It’s inspired by a similar map of Portland, Oregon.)
It’s amazing to think how this could be used in conjunction with a new site, HistoricPlacesLA, that catalogs not only the age but architectural style and cultural significance of every property in the city. Time to put together a walking tour of all the pre-1909 buildings in my neighborhood.
Hamartia Antidote
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Putting your backyard to good use.
Grow some vegetables...it's so easy!
What? You say your soil isn't that great and you don't know where to start?
Get off your butt...this is the USA...it is all a quick car ride away!
Go to the nearest home center and buy some soil...just a few bucks a bag
If you want to go more nutz you can buy lots of stuff to amend that soil
Lobster compost?? Yep! You can buy all sorts of stuff like earthworm, bat guano, etc...
Too lazy to plant seeds? Go to the local garden center and buy some plants.
The selection can be daunting. Like 30 different kinds of tomatoes from the size of a seedling to an almost full sized plant.
Put it in the soil you just bought.
I'm pretty sure you have an outdoor water spigot and a hose! So put it to good use!
All done! How hard was that?
Grow some vegetables...it's so easy!
What? You say your soil isn't that great and you don't know where to start?
Get off your butt...this is the USA...it is all a quick car ride away!
Go to the nearest home center and buy some soil...just a few bucks a bag
If you want to go more nutz you can buy lots of stuff to amend that soil
Lobster compost?? Yep! You can buy all sorts of stuff like earthworm, bat guano, etc...
Too lazy to plant seeds? Go to the local garden center and buy some plants.
The selection can be daunting. Like 30 different kinds of tomatoes from the size of a seedling to an almost full sized plant.
Put it in the soil you just bought.
I'm pretty sure you have an outdoor water spigot and a hose! So put it to good use!
All done! How hard was that?
VCheng
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Hamartia Antidote
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You're ALIVE!!! Welcome back!!!
VCheng
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You're ALIVE!!! Welcome back!!!
I've been "neuralized" by the Men in Black , but it's good to be back nonetheless.
=================================================================
Adecypher
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Every Friday we have Donuts Day at work and today it coincides with National Donut Day
LeveragedBuyout
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Congratulations to American Pharoah, winner of the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.
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