Construction Maison

The 11th-hour deal that put the United Nations on a midtown site long covered by East River slums and slaughter-houses came in a frantic rush on Tuesday the 10th of December 1946, just the day before the General Assembly 's deadline for decision. All at once, John D. Rockefeller Jr. had offered to buy the land from developer William Zeckendorf and donate it to the UN. "If this property can be useful to you in meeting the great responsibilities entrusted to you by the people of the world," the old philanthropist told the delegates, "it will be a source of infinite satisfaction to me and my family." As it happened, the good deed would not only please the famously generous family , it would eliminate a potential rival to Rockefeller Center: Zeckendorf had announced plans to fill the site with a center of his own, with apartments, offices and a new Metropolitan Opera House . As it also happened, there was some question whether Zeckendorf had suffic...

'); } else { $(".fotorama-caption").addClass("remove_caption"); } }) .fotorama(); Today is the 237th day of 2017. There are 128 days left in the year. TODAY'S HIGHLIGHT 2000: The Zimbabwe Government names another 509 white-owned farms it plans to confiscate for redistribution to landless blacks, bringing to 1,542 the number it has targeted under a hastened land seizure programme . OTHER EVENTS 1580: Spain invades Portugal and, in a matter of weeks, conquers it and keeps it for more than 80 years. 1718: Hundreds of French colonists arrive in Louisiana with some settling in present-day New Orleans. 1825: Uruguay declares independence from Brazil. 1860: British and French troops take Tianjin in war with China. 1875: Matthew Webb, British professional swimmer , becomes the first person to swim across the English Channel, travelling from Dover, England, to Calais, France, in 22 hours. 1883: France obtains protectorate over Annam and Tonkin in Indochina. 19...

There’s been a lot happening this month.  I don’t have any great plans of action as to the way forward, but I have some knowledge of the background, in terms of how we got here, that seem worth sharing.  Basically I just need to process, and thought I’d do that out loud.  So here are a few reflections on the events of August, 2017, that may be intimately related to one another. Note:  any links that appear below will take you to songs on the subject, mostly written in the past few weeks… *     *     * The Spanish Civil War has been discussed in the media more in the past few weeks than I can remember in my lifetime.  The media has said more nice things about anarchists in the past few weeks than ever in my lifetime as well, and I’m pretty sure they have covered protests more lately than at any time since 1970 or so. At the beginning of the month I wrote a song, “Rojava,” after getting encrypted messages from the front lines of the war against Islamic State in Syria, sent by an anarchi...

Why is this Polynesian paradise the least visited place in the world? Tucked away in the South Pacific, Tuvalu is a picture-perfect collection of nine islands, sitting about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. But according to a new report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Tuvalu was the least visited place on the planet in 2016. It welcomed 2,000 tourists over 12 months, despite having a warm tropical climate and low crime. Its nearest neighbour Kiribati had more than double the visitors in 2016, totalling 5,000. What Tuvalu lacks in architectural splendour, it makes up for in empty, palm tree-fringed beaches. The islands are not built up and the population of 10,000 is thinly spread. But there is a strong traditional local culture , kept alive by the people of Tuvalu. You can watch traditional dancing , basket weaving and woodcarving by local people. The main island is Funafuti, and on its western side you can find the Funafuti Conservation Area , which h...

This beautiful all inclusive gated community is carefully carved into Kiambu country’s cool countryside landscape to enhance your living experience. This is the way a home is meant to make you feel where a community of families meet on the front yard of tree lined streets , relax on the roof top garden terraces and where laughter fills playground . Willow Park Homes will bring together the natural landscape and the finest in new home design to maximize living spaces . The term behind the dream at willow Park Homes understands your need to live well and each home has been created as a heaven for you and your family. This is a decision you will be proud you made. You can access willow park homes through various routes; Limuru road, the northern by-pass or the upcoming waiyaki way link road next to ABC place. Willow park homes is 25 minutes’ drive from the CBD and only 10 minutes’ drive to village market the united nations headquarters as well as the us embassy. Its proximity to t...

Welcome to the New York City neighborhood of Midtown East ! Located at the cross of Second and Third Avenue , on the 5th floor of a 1957 building, you will find a charming studio apartment . The building is equipped with an elevator . The fully furnished studio apartment for rent has hardwood floors. The living area has a coffee table and a television; there is a double sized bed as well. The kitchen is separate and well equipped with a microwave, a stove and an oven, a fridge and a toaster. The bathroom has a bathtub, a sink and a toilet. Located in Midtown East , Manhattan , you will be a few blocks away from the East River (0.5mi/805m) and the United Nations Headquarters , Grand Central Station (0.5mi/805m), Times Square (0.8mi/1.28km). In other words, you will be walking distance from many NYC landmarks . You will also be able to see the Pepsi Cola sign in Long Island City (1.8mi/2.4km), or even go on top of the Rock (0.7mi/1.12km). If you are in the mood for some stea...

Aug 16, 2017 The first time Captain Noorullah Aminyar traveled to the United States, in 2012, he felt calm and peaceful in a way he never had before. Back home in Afghanistan, he had slept fully clothed , boots on, hand on his rifle. The Taliban attacked every night, and he had to be ready. "But when I come to America," he told me, "I have no stress in America. I sleep good. I tell you, I have no stress. It was really easy. It was a good thing. You feel safe. I was born in the war. I grew up in the war. Always, your life is in danger. You find a little safe time, for sure you'll be happy." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Advertisement - Continue Reading Below For Aminyar, then twenty-eight, coming to America was an honor and an achievement. He attended the prestigious Defense Language Institute in San Antonio, the culmination of more than a decade of studying English, followed by a basic infantry officer 's course at Fort Benning, Georgia, with Ame...