I watch the science channel a lot, and watched one of the shows called "Monumental" and it showed how they took part of the DMZ which was pretty large, and like 50 big companies ALL wanted to build a site.

This show, I don't know WHEN this happened, (If anyone here does, let me know, because its very interesting) but they showed those huge tall skyscraper cranes (and I mean like maybe HUNDREDS of these huge cranes building up a brand NEW downtown! It was so awesome, and how they rebuilt the Capitol, and made a glass spiral roof. I'd love to visit and see that!

Also, get this--since if you dig down 5 or 6 feet and hit water, they would have to dig a huge foundation in the ground, let it fill up with water (like a small LAKES worth) and then they have men go under that water, and set up a special type of cement on the walls and bottoms. When this foundation cement sets, they then drain the water, and start building!

I really enjoyed watching that, and would like to know if anyone here knows this area? (The 'center' of the new area had green painted sides).


Also watched the whole story on the London Underground, and how it saved ten's of thousands of people when they went down into the rail car tunnels when Hitler launched his V1's and V2's.

We just got the science channel added to our TV lineup (FINALLY) and I am like STUCK on watching all these fascinating shows. Plus, I love to learn new things [img]smile.gif[/img] it's awesome!!

[ 06-04-2003, 06:30 AM: Message edited by: Ziroc ]

Now if I remember what my grandfather told me correctly, Ziroc - and I'm sure Donut will correct me if I'm wrong since he knows more than the Delphic and Olympian Oracles combined ;) - during the early bombings of the blitz in 1940, the government would not allow the people to use the underground stations to shelter in! They were securely locked up to prevent access. People took the matter into their own hands and cut the chains off the gates so they could get in and shelter from the bombings. Unfortunately this was not 100% safe, and people died when tube stations were hit by bombs.

Mmmmm! Ik weet het niet!

During the Second World War, the East End suffered enormously due to German bombing. East London was a key target for bombs because of its industry and extensive docklands. Many people used underground stations as shelters to escape the raids.

When air raid sirens sounded on 3 March 1943, 1,500 people made their way to the shelter at Bethnal Green tube station. However, as they entered, defence rockets that sounded like bombs started firing in nearby Victoria Park and caused panic.

A woman carrying a baby tripped on the stairs and some people fell on top of her. Other people trying to get into the shelter continued pushing from outside. Within a minute and a half, over 170 people had died of suffocation. The incident was the worst civilian disaster of the war.

Yep! You are right! But the crowds said 'we're going DOWN!' [img]smile.gif[/img] and later, they turned the rail cars into food stations for refreshments!! They showed how they built the tunnels (which was BY HAND at that period in time) which is amazing. wow!

Mmmmm! Ik weet het niet!

During the Second World War, the East End suffered enormously due to German bombing. East London was a key target for bombs because of its industry and extensive docklands. Many people used underground stations as shelters to escape the raids.

When air raid sirens sounded on 3 March 1943, 1,500 people made their way to the shelter at Bethnal Green tube station. However, as they entered, defence rockets that sounded like bombs started firing in nearby Victoria Park and caused panic.

A woman carrying a baby tripped on the stairs and some people fell on top of her. Other people trying to get into the shelter continued pushing from outside. Within a minute and a half, over 170 people had died of suffocation. The incident was the worst civilian disaster of the war. </font>[/QUOTE]Oh god, that, they didn't show. :( Well, I'm sure even though 170 people did die, more people were saved in the end, being in those tunnels.

(When they showed the Germans bombing London, oh god, I was cringing. so sad... the whole damn thing was.)

Oh a lighter note, do you know of that new sector that was built up in Germany?

DMZ= de militarised zone (IIRC) was that not the rebuilding of Berlin by the allies after the war, the rush to rebuild and such must have been amazing, before the iron curtain went up :(


I love those history and science shows, this may be sad but if I won loads of money in a lottery I would pay to go to university and spend the rest of my life studying history, physics and English

Heck yeah! I would too! That and Astrophysics!

BTW, this NEW building site looked recent, not even...10 years old. Anyone?