What Caught My Eye Today - Spain, China, Second Amendment

Spain - The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (English: Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family), is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926).  It is known as one of the most intricate and ornate works of architecture on Earth and, for the first time, it is possible to see what it will look like when it's completed – a full 144 years after construction began in 1882. But that's still 13 years away.  My wife and I were recently talking about how long it was taking our contractor to finish our bathroom remodel, 7 months and counting. And then you read something like this. Just goes to show that everything is a matter of perspective. Still 144 years? What the hell? Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral which must be the seat of a bishop. La Sagrada Familia, the iconic emblem of Barcelona, Spain, and one of Europe's most popular tourist attractions, won't be finished until 2026. The president of the committee in charge of finishing the massive building has declared it will be ready in time for the centenary of Gaudi's death in 1926, when the work was only a quarter finished. Gaudi – known as “God’s architect” – once famously said of the basilica, “my client is in no hurry.” I'm curious if wonder boy was given this moniker by an admiring public or if this was more of a self-proclaimed honor. Though one of the world’s most well-known architectural masterpieces, La Sagrada Familia has not been universally loved through its long construction. George Orwell wrote in his memoir of the Spanish Civil War that the basilica was “one of the most hideous buildings in the world.” Maybe, and I'm just speculating here, but is it possible that Gaudi overcharge Orwell for some work on his summer villa. You have to keep an eye on those architects and contractor. They're a shady lot. 

China - The Beijing Weather Modification Office is tasked with weather control in Beijing and its surrounding areas. Weather control, huh? Is that sort of like brain modification? I wonder how Mother Nature feels about that. The work of the Office is largely aimed at hailstorm prevention or making rain to end droughts. Cloud seeding increased precipitation in Beijing by about one-eighth in 2004. Nationwide, similar efforts added 7.4 trillion cubic feet of rain between 1995 and 2003. The Beijing Weather Modification Office has also induced precipitation for purposes of firefighting or counteracting the effect of severe dust storms.  Laudable results at first glance, still I cannot help but think there is a downside to tinkering with the weather. It was in action to clear the air for China's National Day this week by early afternoon it appeared to have done a great job. The sky was blue and the air was rid of the thick smog that had engulfed the city for several days. I sense a "but" coming on.  Unfortunately, the timing was a bit off. The consensus was that the Weather Modification Office misfired this time forcing Communist Party leaders to brave torrential rain and slosh through puddles at the National Day celebrations in Tiananmen Square. That's probably not a good sign. Apart from the ceremony, presided over by Communist Party leader and President Xi Jinping, the square was almost completely deserted. The manipulators themselves have said nothing, neither confirming or denying they were working. No kidding. Personally, I'd be looking for a way to quietly leave the country to avoid being quietly executed by some pretty pissed off government officials. Other proposed future uses for induced precipitation include lowering temperatures in summer, in hopes of reducing electricity consumption. The Beijing Weather Modification Office boasts of more than 500,000 weather modifications since 2002.

Second Amendment - Here's a rather fascinating perspective on the right to bear arms, courtesy of the British press. Counting suicides, homicides, and accidental shootings, guns kill 32,000 people a year in the United States. If another country were killing its own people at such rates, the U.S. would demand intervention. It's as if gun advocates cannot do simple math. They tolerate no deaths from terrorism, spending $649 billion on homeland security and accepting all kinds of restrictions on personal freedoms. But they reject any curb on guns, which have killed 364,000 Americans since September 11, 2001. Here's an interesting fact. The number of Americans killed in all wars since 1775 is 1.17 million, while the number of Americans killed by firearms ins 1968 is 1.38 million. Only international pressure can jolt the American public into action. The slaughter has reached the point where it has ceased to be a domestic issue. The world cannot stand idly by. On one hand, you kind of get the feeling these guys are poking fun at Americans. Then again, everything they say is pretty darned spot on.