Weird Geographical Information

[Walks_At_Night]

Thread is looking good!   I've learned new things and that is wonderful.

[albrecht]

The Darvaza Gas Crater (also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell) is located in the middle of the Karakum Desert and 160miles north of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. The diameter of the crater is 226ft with a depth of 98ft.



The site was identified in 1971 by the Soviets as a possible site for an oil field, and a drilling rig and camp was set up to assess the quantity present. Following the discovery of a natural gas pocket, the ground collapsed forming the crater and swallowing the rig and camp. Concerned by the possibility of poisonous gases spreading into nearby towns, the Soviet engineers decided to ignite the gas to burn it off.



Despite estimates of the gas burning out in a few weeks, the crater is still alight decades later. In 2010, the President of Turkmenistan visited the crater and ordered that it be either curtailed or closed to allow for the development of nearby gas fields.

Yeah, I heard of that crazy. I love the Russian engineers solution. Very redneck. "Let's just set it on fire." Reminds me of how many underground fires there are all over the world, some natural and some man-made.
https://gizmodo.com/the-worlds-oldest-underground-fire-has-been-burning-fo-1539049759

[Walks_At_Night]

The Pripet Marshes are among the biggest wetlands in Europe.    They occupy southern Belarus and northwest Ukraine and are huge - covering over 100,000
square miles.   Normally, when I think of Ukraine and Belarus, large swathes of grain fields, popup internet ads of beauties that are waiting to
meet me and wheeling German Panzer armies come to mind.   Bogs, marshes, swamps and flood lands really don't register.

Still the Pripet Marshes are huge - despite efforts to drain them for more farmland.  Of course due to their location, they played an important part in the
strategy during both WWI and WWII. 





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw74htUrkpI

[Taaroa]

Pripyat Marshes

I would think they're a bit contaminated

[albrecht]

I would think they're a bit contaminated

Well, now those marshes will be even MORE strategically important in WWIII that is coming up (if one believes C2C guests... and now the mainstream media!) Heck I could see some "rebels" or ISIS or whatever they are now called just bringing some buckets and taking them on "refugees" for use in dirty bombs (water balloons are a easy to make) and certainly the troops and tanks of the State actors will need to avoid that region in the land campaigns.

ps: I've always liked and intrigued by micro-nations and attempts by people (often cults, crazies, cranks, and sects) to create new countries, micro-nations, kingdoms, autonomous compounds, etc. Apparently the latest, Liberland, is having some issues with actual settlement but they have a Constitution and members...I also suspect the location, a disputed island between Croatia and Serbia, is not the ideal location for a country, especially without a military, laws, or even, at least yet, residents.
https://liberland.org/en/about/

[Walks_At_Night]

Well, now those marshes will be even MORE strategically important in WWIII that is coming up (if one believes C2C guests... and now the mainstream media!) Heck I could see some "rebels" or ISIS or whatever they are now called just bringing some buckets and taking them on "refugees" for use in dirty bombs (water balloons are a easy to make) and certainly the troops and tanks of the State actors will need to avoid that region in the land campaigns.

ps: I've always liked and intrigued by micro-nations and attempts by people (often cults, crazies, cranks, and sects) to create new countries, micro-nations, kingdoms, autonomous compounds, etc. Apparently the latest, Liberland, is having some issues with actual settlement but they have a Constitution and members...I also suspect the location, a disputed island between Croatia and Serbia, is not the ideal location for a country, especially without a military, laws, or even, at least yet, residents.
https://liberland.org/en/about/

Well since that interests you, let's take a peak at Beaver Island, Michigan.  It isn't all that interesting Geographically - it's the biggest island in Lake Michigan at 55 square miles,  it's pretty, it's isolated and has good fishing but nothing odd.   At least until you look at it's history: that is a bit unusual as was once home to a Mormon Pirate King. 


In June, 1844, Joseph Smith the founder of Mormonism was murdered.   This threw the Mormon church into disarray and there was a struggle for control.  Brigham Young came out on top and took most of the Mormons with him to Utah.  Sidney Rigdon whom Smith had decreed a  "Prophet, Seer and Revelator" lead another faction into Pennsylvania.    There was a third leader who joined the Mormon church only in February of 1844 named James Strang.  Strang was a real piece of work. 

He took advantage of Smith's demise in one heck of a hurry. He claimed that an Angel ordained him as Smith's successor at the time Smith was killed and he produced
a Letter of Appointment signed by Smith naming Strang as his legitimate successor.   The Mormon leadership excommunicated Strang as a result but many Mormon's
believed in Strang and eventually he have almost 12,000 followers. 

In 1848 he would take thousands of followers with him to sleepy Beaver Island, Michigan and setup shop there where he founded the town of Saint James - named after himself naturally.   He was originally strongly opposed to Polygamy and it was this stance that garnered him a great deal of support at the time of Smith's death. 
Once on Beaver Island he would change his mind and embrace Polygamy - in a big way.   He would have five wives and father fourteen children in a relatively short time.

In 1850, Strang would proclaim himself King.   He would be coronated in a ceremony that involved a Crown, flowing regal red robe, breast plate, shield, sword and scepter.  From there he would tighten his grip on his subjects.  He was also faced with a sticky economic problem.   How do you support several thousand followers who live on a small, isolated island with limited resources?    The answer was piracy and for several years the pirate Mormon's of Beaver Island unleashed hell upon Northern Michigan.  Lakeside towns were looted and robbed, saw mills destroyed and ships waylaid.     Here are some quotes from a newspaper article written 50 years later

the hull of the boat Eclipse, of which ‘Pirate King’ Strang of Beaver Island was captain half a century ago has been found…  Captain Strang ruled over the island with an iron hand and headed one of the the most desperate bands of pirates that ever infested American waters.

“It was the custom to sail forth upon the great lake and lie in wait for unlucky vessels that passed, capture the craft, and either murder the sailors or make them go tot he island and conform to the peculiar faith of the inhabitants which resembled that of the early day Mormons.  The whole story of the horrors of Beaver Island probably never will be written, but enough as been learned to show the reign of Strang was of almost heartless and treacherous nature……

“The Eclipse was captured by State officials,  after a bloody fight, in 1855 and the vessel was set afire. Nearly all of Strang’s pirates died fighting.

Strang would eventually be brought to trial and somehow came out the victor.   Riding high, he ran for a seat on the Michigan legislature and even won.  He was
even re-elected in 1855 and did some good work in helping to organize northern Michigan into Counties and Townships.   However things were not rosy at home.
As King James he decreed that all women on Beaver Island must wear bloomers.   Two of the island's ladies refused to do so and as punishment Strang had their
husbands flogged.  Having your back striped by 79 lashes is bound to build up some resentment.  Other men also turned against Strang after being whipped.

In June of 1856 the US Navy Gunboat USS Michigan made a port call in Saint James.   As Strang walked up to docked ship, two men walked up and shot and
pistol whipped the King. The men then hopped on the USS Michigan which lost no time in putting to sea.  The USS Michigan docked at Mackinac Island where the
two men stood trial, were given a trial, found guilty and fined $1.25 for their deed.  They were then released to cheering crowds whom hailed them as hero's.

With the King dead, Beaver Island was vulnerable and throngs of locals took revenge upon the pirates.   All 2,600 remaining Mormons were ejected from Beaver
Island and they scattered across the country.  However his branch of Mormonism still persists and there still Strangite's around today.  Although their numbers
are less than 300.


King James Strang


USS Michigan later USS Wolverine



Beaver Island






*Disclaimer.  Many sources on Strang won't mention the piracy or claim that it was simply rumor.  However that is what I was taught in my Michigan History
class in school and I tend to believe it.   Here is a pro-Piracy source

[albrecht]

Well since that interests you, let's take a peak at Beaver Island, Michigan.  It isn't all that interesting Geographically - it's the biggest island in Lake Michigan at 55 square miles,  it's pretty, it's isolated and has good fishing but nothing odd.   At least until you look at it's history: that is a bit unusual as was once home to a Mormon Pirate King. 


In June, 1844, Joseph Smith the founder of Mormonism was murdered.   This threw the Mormon church into disarray and there was a struggle for control.  Brigham Young came out on top and took most of the Mormons with him to Utah.  Sidney Rigdon whom Smith had decreed a  "Prophet, Seer and Revelator" lead another faction into Pennsylvania.    There was a third leader who joined the Mormon church only in February of 1844 named James Strang.  Strang was a real piece of work. 

He took advantage of Smith's demise in one heck of a hurry. He claimed that an Angel ordained him as Smith's successor at the time Smith was killed and he produced
a Letter of Appointment signed by Smith naming Strang as his legitimate successor.   The Mormon leadership excommunicated Strang as a result but many Mormon's
believed in Strang and eventually he have almost 12,000 followers. 

In 1848 he would take thousands of followers with him to sleepy Beaver Island, Michigan and setup shop there where he founded the town of Saint James - named after himself naturally.   He was originally strongly opposed to Polygamy and it was this stance that garnered him a great deal of support at the time of Smith's death. 
Once on Beaver Island he would change his mind and embrace Polygamy - in a big way.   He would have five wives and father fourteen children in a relatively short time.

In 1850, Strang would proclaim himself King.   He would be coronated in a ceremony that involved a Crown, flowing regal red robe, breast plate, shield, sword and scepter.  From there he would tighten his grip on his subjects.  He was also faced with a sticky economic problem.   How do you support several thousand followers who live on a small, isolated island with limited resources?    The answer was piracy and for several years the pirate Mormon's of Beaver Island unleashed hell upon Northern Michigan.  Lakeside towns were looted and robbed, saw mills destroyed and ships waylaid.     Here are some quotes from a newspaper article written 50 years later


Strang would eventually be brought to trial and somehow came out the victor.   Riding high, he ran for a seat on the Michigan legislature and even won.  He was
even re-elected in 1855 and did some good work in helping to organize northern Michigan into Counties and Townships.   However things were not rosy at home.
As King James he decreed that all women on Beaver Island must wear bloomers.   Two of the island's ladies refused to do so and as punishment Strang had their
husbands flogged.  Having your back striped by 79 lashes is bound to build up some resentment.  Other men also turned against Strang after being whipped.

In June of 1856 the US Navy Gunboat USS Michigan made a port call in Saint James.   As Strang walked up to docked ship, two men walked up and shot and
pistol whipped the King. The men then hopped on the USS Michigan which lost no time in putting to sea.  The USS Michigan docked at Mackinac Island where the
two men stood trial, were given a trial, found guilty and fined $1.25 for their deed.  They were then released to cheering crowds whom hailed them as hero's.

With the King dead, Beaver Island was vulnerable and throngs of locals took revenge upon the pirates.   All 2,600 remaining Mormons were ejected from Beaver
Island and they scattered across the country.  However his branch of Mormonism still persists and there still Strangite's around today.  Although their numbers
are less than 300.


King James Strang


USS Michigan later USS Wolverine



Beaver Island

Thanks! That is awesome history I never knew about! Amazing stuff. You know about the (in)famous Jeffs, recently. They used, somewhat, the same tactics. They moved here to Texas to a rural area and built a huge compound and due to the church's set-up and population boom was feared that they would do like they have done in other areas (bilk public assistance systems, take over politics or sheriff due to population size, child abuse, polygamy, etc.) There, I think, is still a lot of legalese, debate, and issues being sorted and problems on all sides (freedom of religion, child abuse, private property, community property, child custody, government(s) reach, and financial/tax stuff being sorted.) And even with the prominence of things like homosexual marriage, and Islamic immigration, etc on why is polygamy (between adults) an issue, etc.

[K_Dubb]

Well since that interests you, let's take a peak at Beaver Island, Michigan.  It isn't all that interesting Geographically - it's the biggest island in Lake Michigan at 55 square miles,  it's pretty, it's isolated and has good fishing but nothing odd.   At least until you look at it's history: that is a bit unusual as was once home to a Mormon Pirate King. 


In June, 1844, Joseph Smith the founder of Mormonism was murdered.   This threw the Mormon church into disarray and there was a struggle for control.  Brigham Young came out on top and took most of the Mormons with him to Utah.  Sidney Rigdon whom Smith had decreed a  "Prophet, Seer and Revelator" lead another faction into Pennsylvania.    There was a third leader who joined the Mormon church only in February of 1844 named James Strang.  Strang was a real piece of work. 

He took advantage of Smith's demise in one heck of a hurry. He claimed that an Angel ordained him as Smith's successor at the time Smith was killed and he produced
a Letter of Appointment signed by Smith naming Strang as his legitimate successor.   The Mormon leadership excommunicated Strang as a result but many Mormon's
believed in Strang and eventually he have almost 12,000 followers. 

In 1848 he would take thousands of followers with him to sleepy Beaver Island, Michigan and setup shop there where he founded the town of Saint James - named after himself naturally.   He was originally strongly opposed to Polygamy and it was this stance that garnered him a great deal of support at the time of Smith's death. 
Once on Beaver Island he would change his mind and embrace Polygamy - in a big way.   He would have five wives and father fourteen children in a relatively short time.

In 1850, Strang would proclaim himself King.   He would be coronated in a ceremony that involved a Crown, flowing regal red robe, breast plate, shield, sword and scepter.  From there he would tighten his grip on his subjects.  He was also faced with a sticky economic problem.   How do you support several thousand followers who live on a small, isolated island with limited resources?    The answer was piracy and for several years the pirate Mormon's of Beaver Island unleashed hell upon Northern Michigan.  Lakeside towns were looted and robbed, saw mills destroyed and ships waylaid.     Here are some quotes from a newspaper article written 50 years later


Strang would eventually be brought to trial and somehow came out the victor.   Riding high, he ran for a seat on the Michigan legislature and even won.  He was
even re-elected in 1855 and did some good work in helping to organize northern Michigan into Counties and Townships.   However things were not rosy at home.
As King James he decreed that all women on Beaver Island must wear bloomers.   Two of the island's ladies refused to do so and as punishment Strang had their
husbands flogged.  Having your back striped by 79 lashes is bound to build up some resentment.  Other men also turned against Strang after being whipped.

In June of 1856 the US Navy Gunboat USS Michigan made a port call in Saint James.   As Strang walked up to docked ship, two men walked up and shot and
pistol whipped the King. The men then hopped on the USS Michigan which lost no time in putting to sea.  The USS Michigan docked at Mackinac Island where the
two men stood trial, were given a trial, found guilty and fined $1.25 for their deed.  They were then released to cheering crowds whom hailed them as hero's.

With the King dead, Beaver Island was vulnerable and throngs of locals took revenge upon the pirates.   All 2,600 remaining Mormons were ejected from Beaver
Island and they scattered across the country.  However his branch of Mormonism still persists and there still Strangite's around today.  Although their numbers
are less than 300.


King James Strang


USS Michigan later USS Wolverine



Beaver Island






*Disclaimer.  Many sources on Strang won't mention the piracy or claim that it was simply rumor.  However that is what I was taught in my Michigan History
class in school and I tend to believe it.   Here is a pro-Piracy source

That is just excellent, Walks!  I've read some about Mormonism and have never encountered it.  I confidently set out to puncture some of the fanciful bits (privately, of course), but learned through my first effort that bloomers indeed came out in 1851.  Much indebted for the local knowledge.

[Walks_At_Night]

That is just excellent, Walks!  I've read some about Mormonism and have never encountered it.  I confidently set out to puncture some of the fanciful bits (privately, of course), but learned through my first effort that bloomers indeed came out in 1851.  Much indebted for the local knowledge.

Hey man - if I screw the pooch no need to bark at me in private.  Feel free to do so for all to see.   I'm here to learn too.   

[albrecht]

One might think that C2C folks and the like are a new phenomena but really our country was often founded, explored, or developed by zealots, crackpots, flim-flam artists, fundamentalists, crazies, drunks, and the like, in addition to the Founders etc (though some of them could be questionable even.) I love it. This stuff is nothing new and I hope it doesn't change (no violence or abuse though.)
Here is an old "Hollow-Earther" who started an "intentional community" (see how I use the more politically-correct term.) And note, like a Texas Compound of more recent repute- the "Koresh" reference. Again, nothing new.
https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Koreshan
http://mwweb.org/koreshan/virtual_exhibit/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Teed

I also enjoyed this book and stuff. I never learned this about Ford in school but there was a time in which some industrialists wanted to created utopian communities (I think actually had this idea not simply for labor forces, like 'factory or mining towns,' but had some desire to benefit society/people and/or dreams of grandeur to create utopian communities by their will and "great" ideas.)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105068620
https://www.amazon.com/Fordlandia-Henry-Fords-Forgotten-Jungle/dp/B006QVX5CW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492050627&sr=8-2&keywords=fordlandia

And one closer to home: Post, Texas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post,_Texas

[Walks_At_Night]

Yeah Henry Ford also setup some towns closer to home than the Amazon.

He founded Alberta, Michigan  to provide wood for Ford Vehicles. 
It was to be a model community with twelve houses and a school.   The Ford Motor Company donated the town to Michigan Tech in the 50's.  The buildings still
stand are used by MTU's School of Forestry.   

[Taaroa]

Piracy on the Great Lakes

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't there a decent amount of that occurring and not just that guy?

I've read some about Mormonism and have never encountered it.  I confidently set out to puncture some of the fanciful bits (privately, of course), but learned through my first effort that bloomers indeed came out in 1851.  Much indebted for the local knowledge.

Their history is certainly interesting especially the whole 'fleeing to the west', conflicts with the US govt, and role they played in the development of the country. There's something aesthetically pleasing about their temple architecture too:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints



I used to do a longish commute every night and would see a lit up gold statue on a white pillar right next to the freeway. Looked into it and was surprised to learn that it was a mormon temple (and this isn't in America).

[Walks_At_Night]

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't there a decent amount of that occurring and not just that guy?

Their history is certainly interesting especially the whole 'fleeing to the west', conflicts with the US govt, and role they played in the development of the country. There's something aesthetically pleasing about their temple architecture too:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints



I used to do a longish commute every night and would see a lit up gold statue on a white pillar right next to the freeway. Looked into it and was surprised to learn that it was a mormon temple (and this isn't in America).

Oh sure there were other Great Lakes Pirates - probably the last one was a guy named Seavey that was active up into the 1920's.
However, a Pirate King is pretty unique.

[Ciardelo]

...I'm here to learn too.

Me too! Thanks for the info on Beaver Island. Any place named beaver can't be all bad. 

[Walks_At_Night]

Write up on Seavy 

Although it describes him as more of a dick with a boat than a pirate.

[Taaroa]

The Republic of Ezo / 蝦夷共和国 / Ezo Kyōwakoku

So first some background info (if the history is getting a bit butchered, it's because I'm just giving the broad strokes).
From 1185 to 1868 Japan was more or less ruled by shoguns, who were military dictators and the Emperor was just a powerless figurehead. The  Tokugawa Shogunate was the last of these, beginning in 1603 and controlling foreign policy, the military, and feudal patronage. Japan's contact with European powers began at the start of this era, and in 1633 Japan enacted a strict policy of isolationism in which contact with foreigners, trading, and western influence was limited to certain countries in certain cities (ie the Dutch in Nagasaki). Following a number of attempts over the centuries to get this situation to change, Matthew C. Perry in 1853 sailed a fleet of modern American battleships into Tokyo Bay to show off Western military and technological superiority and to strong arm the Japanese government into removing their restrictions (this is the classic example of gunboat diplomacy). Powerless to stop him, the Japanese were forced to open the country and foreigners were given special statuses (almost making them above the law).



This change in such a core facet of Japan rocked the country and marked the beginning of the end of Shogun rule. Outrage over perceived appeasement to the foreign powers was a catalyst of the sonnō jōi (Revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) movement and a shift in political power from Tokyo back to the Imperial Court in Kyoto, all of which was aided by the Emperor's opposition to the treaties. This outrage combined with a widespread dissatisfaction amongst lower members of the feudal hierarchy, and the rearmament of many domains (think mini kingdoms ruled by certain groups that were subservient and paid tribute to the Shogun) began to occur. The Shogun tried to improve their own military by incorporating Western technology and ideas with the assistance of the French, and had a number of advisors to this end which included Jules Brunet.



Eventually war broke out between forces loyal to the Emperor and those of the Shogun, with the Shogunate losing in the Boshin War and Imperial rule was restored in the Meiji Restoration.

The Republic of Ezo
Following the defeat of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a portion of the shogun's navy led by Admiral Enomoto Takeaki fled to the island of Ezo (now known as Hokkaido) along with several thousand soldiers and a handful of French military advisors (including their leader Jules Brunet). Enomoto petitioned the Imperial government to be allowed to develop Hokkaido and to maintain the traditions of the samurai, but was denied.
In January 1869, the Republic of Ezo was established with a structure mimicking that of the US, and Enomoto was elected president (the first elections to ever occur in Japan).
Attempts were made to obtain international diplomatic recognition of the fledgling nation.





Defences around the city of Hakodate were strengthened with the star fortresses of Goryōkaku (the home of the government) at the center, and the military forces were placed under a joint Franco-Japanese command. Brunet obtained pledges of loyalty from officers and insisted that French ideas be assimilated, and seemingly played a very large role in many facets of the country.
In April 1869 after consolidating their hold over the rest of Japan, Imperial forces were sent to deal with the Republic of Ezo. They quickly made progress and won the Battle of Hakodate, completely surrounding the Goryōkaku. Enomoto surrendered the star fort to Kuroda Kiyotaka on June 27 1869, bringing an end to the Republic of Ezo. Kuroda was impressed by Enomoto and is regarded as the one who contributed to the sparing of Enomoto from execution.





Enomoto was imprisoned until 1872, following which he held a variety of roles in the Meiji government including ambassador to Russia and Foreign Minister. Brunet and his fellow French advisors were wanted by the Imperial government for their role in the Boshin War and Republic of Ezo, but were evacuated from Hokkaido by a French warship and given protection (they were popular in France, as the Republic of Ezo reminded the public there of the French Revolution). Today the Republic of Ezo is romanticised as the final stand of the samurai.

[Walks_At_Night]

It is Thursday night, I've got stuff to do for work and the Falkie Youtube show comes on in a couple of hours.   That all adds up to Ugly Islands.
I am sure there are some real doozies out there but I submit for your review...Zug Island.

Zug Island.   Ugh.  Even the name sounds ghastly.
If the River Rouge is an industrial large intestine then Zug Island is the bung hole it is attached to. 

The island is named after its former owner, a furniture tycoon named Samuel Zug.   In 1859, he purchased the marshy peninsula where the River Rouge emptied into the Detroit River with an eye for building a home.  However, the area was very wet and Mrs. Zug objected to living in a mosquito filled swamp.  So Zug let the land sit until 1888 when he allowed the River Rouge Improvement Company to cut a canal around the peninsula to improve the flow of the Rouge into the Detroit River.   It accomplished this and also formed Zug Island.

By 1901 the Detroit Iron Works moved in and Zug Island's transformation into a mini-Mordor began.  At the time, the biggest blast furnaces in the world were installed and began churning out pig iron.    They still make pig iron on Zug today.  It is dumped into hot metal train cars and then transported to the nearby Great Lakes works and turned into steel.

As was said in Jurassic Park, life finds a way, even in the pit of Sauron.  As section of the island is pretty much left alone and foxes and peregrine falcons are found there.

Zug also has gained some notoriety as the source of the "Windsor Hum".   Residents of Windsor, Ontario began to complain about an obnoxious humming sound and Zug Island, which looks like it belongs in the depths of hell was blamed as it is right across the river.  Canadian researchers wanted access to Zug to investigate further but were denied. The town of River Rouge where Zug Island sits, is not terribly interested in addressing a problem that does not really effect it's residents and the fact that there is no international treaty on noise means US Steel doesn't much care either.

I'm sure there are uglier/creepier islands in the world - like that abandoned coal mining town/island thing in Japan but Zug is my entry.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPR3kGvMUHk







Sam Zug

[Taaroa]

The Ténéré Tree  / L'Arbre du Ténéré
The Tree of Ténéré was a solitary acacia tree in the Niger part of the Saharan Desert, and was considered to be the most isolated tree in the world (the only one for 250mi). Due to this solitary nature and importance as a landmark, it was marked on maps even at scales where that would not be typical.



The tree was the last of a group that began to grow when the area was less dry. In the 1930s a well was dug nearby and discovered that the roots of the tree reached down to the water table at a depth of over 100ft.
It was considered important to the caravans crossing the desert, who treated it somewhat as a lighthouse and ensured that it wasn't interfered with by any of them or their animals. Despite this, in 1973 a drunk truck driver hit the tree and killed it. The remains were moved to the Niger National Museum in Niamey.

[Walks_At_Night]

The Ténéré Tree  / L'Arbre du Ténéré
The Tree of Ténéré was a solitary acacia tree in the Niger part of the Saharan Desert, and was considered to be the most isolated tree in the world (the only one for 250mi). Due to this solitary nature and importance as a landmark, it was marked on maps even at scales where that would not be typical.



The tree was the last of a group that began to grow when the area was less dry. In the 1930s a well was dug nearby and discovered that the roots of the tree reached down to the water table at a depth of over 100ft.
It was considered important to the caravans crossing the desert, who treated it somewhat as a lighthouse and ensured that it wasn't interfered with by any of them or their animals. Despite this, in 1973 a drunk truck driver hit the tree and killed it. The remains were moved to the Niger National Museum in Niamey.

Good God.   That's terrible.  Interesting post though. 

[Taaroa]

Good God.   That's terrible.  Interesting post though.

You've got to be pretty drunk to manage to hit the only object for hundreds of miles.
There is another isolated tree similar to it which still exists called the Arbre Perdu / The Lost Tree.

[Walks_At_Night]

Another Ugly Island or at least island-like thing is Ball's Pyramid 400 miles off the east coast of Australia.

From certain angles and lighting conditions it looks pretty gnarly - something like the island lair of a super villain extraordinaire.  It is pretty barren but some
Lord Howe Island Tea Trees have been found there and also the only wild population of Lord Howe Island Stick insects left anywhere.    Lord Howe Island is
near Ball's Pyramid and has long been on my bucket list of places to visit, although I'll probably never see it, alas.

Ball's Pyramid


Lord Howe Island Stick Insect


Lord Howe Island

[Robert]

One might think that C2C folks and the like are a new phenomena but really our country was often founded, explored, or developed by zealots, crackpots, flim-flam artists, fundamentalists, crazies, drunks, and the like, in addition to the Founders etc (though some of them could be questionable even.) I love it. This stuff is nothing new and I hope it doesn't change (no violence or abuse though.)

That's why when I get a chance, I should get & read The Rogue Republic.  Maybe should combine it w a trip to today's Dominion of West Fla.  Like when I addressed a post card to my friend Nancy in Mich., "Upper Canada".

But I think I first want to get & read Continental Dash.  I figured the companion music to it should be Brian Eno's "Taking Tiger Mtn. (By Strategy)":

We climbed & we climbed, oh how we climbed, my how we climbed

Up the poles, of course.

Over the stars

Over, in the sense of "north of", the stars as in Stars & Stripes, i.e. north of the USA.

to top Tiger Mtn.

Which exists in Wash. state near the telegraph line.  There is no real Tiger Mtn. in China, although there is a Dragon & Tiger Mtn. there.

forcing the lines thru the snow.

Of course, the telegraph line thru the snow of Russian North America (now Alaska).

[zeebo]

Which country speaks the most languages?  The U.S.?  Nope, we're just 5th on the list.  Try Papua New Guinea!

While the small Pacific nation of PNG has a population of just over seven million, they speak more than twice the number of languages that are used across the whole of Europe.  The country’s dense rainforests and difficult terrain has meant that many groups of people have remained in considerable isolation, preserving their unique languages.

[Taaroa]

Ilha da Queimada Grande



Ilha da Queimada Grande (which translates to Great Burned Island) is a 110acre island 21mi off the coast of Brazil more commonly known as Snake Island. The island gets this name because estimates believe there to be a snake population equivalent to one snake per square meter. These snakes are the endangered and venomous golden lancehead pit viper, who got trapped on the island (their only home) when sea levels rose and cut the island off from the mainland.



The name 'Great Burned Island' came from an attempt to establish a banana plantation by slash and burn methods. In 1909 a lighthouse was constructed and operated by a single family, who were found dead following attacks by snakes which had entered their residence. The Brazilian Navy since then have closed the island off to the public.

[albrecht]

Which country speaks the most languages?  The U.S.?  Nope, we're just 5th on the list.  Try Papua New Guinea!

While the small Pacific nation of PNG has a population of just over seven million, they speak more than twice the number of languages that are used across the whole of Europe.  The country’s dense rainforests and difficult terrain has meant that many groups of people have remained in considerable isolation, preserving their unique languages.

I saw some stat that the extinction of languages was faster than even some of the animals. Sad tale featuring some of the last speakers of various languages and dialects and the race to record them and the language, grammar, stories, etc. 

[Walks_At_Night]

Golden Lancehead Pit Viper?  Cripes that doesn't sound too friendly.

[Taaroa]

The Devil's Kettle is a waterfall on the Brule River in the Judge C. R. Magney State Park in Minnesota. The falls are 1.5mi from the mouth of the river at Lake Superior, and are well known because the river splits in two with half of the river continuing as normal and half disappearing down a hole.



Visitors have reportedly dropped sticks, ping pong balls, and GPS trackers into the Devil's Kettle without seeing them resurface downstream, with one local legend being that a car was pushed down the hole.



Earlier this year Minnesota Department of Natural Resources measured water flow rates above the falls and a few hundred feet below them and found them the same, meaning that they believe the two portions reunite at some hidden point between the measurement sites.

[Walks_At_Night]

North Sentinel Island is a beautiful island in the Andaman Island chain in the Indian Ocean.  It is densely forested and has some wonderful beaches. 

There is also a three mile exclusion zone around the island and it is illegal to visit.  This is because it is inhabited by the isolated Sentinelese people who do not take kindly to outside visitors.  It is thought that they may have lived on the island for as long as 60,000 years.   The Indian government, which controls the Andaman Islands, has made several attempts to visit and contact the islanders.  Visitors are typically met with a hail of rocks and arrows.  Occasionally a ship wreck occurs there and it is thought that the Sentinelese use metal from the wrecks to make weapons.  The last official attempt the make official contact with the  Sentinelese was in 1997. 

After the large Tsunami in 2004, an Indian Coast Guard Helicopter checked on the islanders to see how they fared.  It was met with the usual arrows and stones.
In 2006, two fisherman were killed by the Sentinelese after they got close to the island while engaging in illegal fishing. 

Other nearby Andaman peoples have not fared very well.   The Jangil are extinct and the Onge and Jarawa have seen their population decrease steeply.   There have been "Human Safari's" to observe the Jarawa and there are even reports of their women being sexually exploited in exchange for alcohol and other goods.   With the risk of disease also a major concern the current policy is to leave the Sentinelese alone. 

[Walks_At_Night]

Hashima is an ugly, battleship-looking island located about 10 miles from Nagasaki. 

It was populated in 1887 in order to mine undersea coal.  The islands population reached it's peak in 1959 with a population of around 5,200 which mean a population density of 216,000 people per mile which meant it was the most densely populated place on the planet at the time.  By 1974 most of the coal deposits were extracted and the island was abandoned.   Access to it was prohibited until 2009 and even now access to 95% of the island is prohibited. 

[Taaroa]

Western Sahara "longests"
The longest conveyer belt in the world transports phosphate from mines inland at Boucraa 61mi (98km) to the port of El Ayun on the Atlantic coast. The belt is visible on satellite images from the dust blown off of it by desert winds.



The conveyer belt, mines, and port are all in the disputed territory of Western Sahara which is partially occupied/controlled by Morocco, giving the country control of nearly three quarters of the world's phosphate reserves. No UN members recognise Morocco's sovereignty over the territory and there is an active rebel movement against their control, however the effectiveness of it has decreased due to ceasefires, more reluctant foreign backing, and a series of fortifications created by Morocco.



The fortifications which were mainly constructed in the 1980s are known as the 'Moroccan Wall' - an approximately 1700mi long wall separating Moroccan occupied Western Sahara from the Polisario controlled areas, extending slightly into Mauritania and Morocco proper. The typical height of the wall is 10ft, lying in mostly uninhabited regions and enchanced with fences, bunkers, radar installations, and airfields. The landmine belt running along the barrier is thought to be the longest continuous minefield in the world.



Western Sahara also claims to have one of the longest cargo trains in the world, with 3km long Mauritanian trains passing through the territory while hauling iron ore.