To my beloved Canadian friends: I am dismayed. How come the wiseness in you can let that orange virus grow amongst you?
Saturday, February 5, 2022
1235. Shame on Whimsy Billionaires [edited]
The "De Hef" bridge facing the fortune of Jeff Bezos and the masts of his superyacht
In Rotterdam, the "King's Harbour Bridge" may be partly dismantled to let "Y721", the gigantic yacht ordered by the American billionaire to the Oceanco shipyards, pass.
It withstood the terrible German bombings of 1940, it may not withstand the might of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. The Koningshavenbrug ("King's Harbour Bridge"), better known as "De Hef" - short for "hefbrug", "lift bridge" - to all Rotterdammers, may be partly dismantled to let Y721, the gigantic yacht ordered by the American billionaire from the Oceanco shipyards in Alblasserdam, in the south of the Netherlands, pass.
With its 46.5-meter high central structure, De Hef, a listed national monument, is an obstacle in the shipping route of the 127-meter long boat, equipped with three gigantic masts. Y721 is indeed a huge sailing ship - but it should be equipped with emergency diesel engines.
Questioned on Wednesday, February 2, a spokesman for the city hall of the large port city confirmed the information given by a regional television station: yes, the old railway bridge, which found its current shape in 1927, will be dismantled in the summer. Even if it means going back on a promise made to the inhabitants, who are very attached to this symbol of their city: there is no question of ever touching De Hef, they had been told in 2017, after a renovation operation.
Embarrassing case for the city hall
The announcement, also of great symbolic significance, quickly made the rounds and on Thursday, February 3, Ahmed Aboutaleb, the social-democrat mayor of Rotterdam, corrected the situation: he told the daily AD that he had not yet received any official request and that he intended to weigh up the pros and cons. He told the daily AD that he had not yet received any official request and that he would consider the pros and cons: "The economic interest, with the image of our region on the maritime level, and the technical aspect: can we avoid damage? We also want to know if the costs will be assumed by the buyer. It would be, indeed, to quickly rebuild the bridge structure after the passage of the superyacht.
Via:
1230. The Teasing Farmer is Back
And as usual he does not just tease...
Mmm, I think I'd love to raise the brown Swiss with him.
Friday, February 4, 2022
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