Building Implosions

On Monday I posted a couple videos of a building at my place of employment that was demolished with such precision that only a few fragments were sent flying and broke a couple of nearby windows.  All that remains is a pile of rubble in a small, confined place, and I mean literally just a few feet from the building I work at.  Here are couple images courtesy of Zachary Magnuson (a Facebook friend and fellow employee at MD Anderson Cancer Center), of the building's remains.

So......  since we are on the topic of implosions, I wanted to post the following video.  It is from the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE) conference that was held in Las Vegas in January of 2003.  The video highlights the implosions from the previous year. Unfortunately, the ISEE eventually alienated the structural blasting component of the society, so these highlight videos were discontinued.  According to their YouTube description,  "Implosionworld's footage is now mostly seen on Discovery Channel and National Geographic documentaries, etc."

The difference between explosions and implosions is that one tends to go outward, and the latter inward.  And regardless of how fascinating these images are, the amount of technique and precision that goes into this job is extremely vital.  When engineers are hired to implode a structure, "the technique involves the firing of precisely placed demolition charges in specific timed intervals that use gravity to cause the center of the building to fall vertically while simultaneously pulling the sides inward, a process often erroneously described as an implosion." [source]

It's a pretty cool video, so check it out.  You'll see huge structures coming down, from bridges and sport stadiums to office buildings and Hotels.

And A Building Comes Tumbling Down... [video]

You may remember my post from yesterday in regards to a building being demolished in The Texas Medical Center.

Well, yesterday Ryan and I were able to watch it through a live feed streaming at home, and today several videos were posted on You Tube.  I was surprised to find so many people actually taping this from buildings in close proximity to the demolition, but it was quite fascinating.

The explosions were quite loud, so I can just imagine how it sounded for the people who were nearby.  Feel free to read more about this building from yesterday's blog.  

Videos and Images courtesy of MDanderson.org.

Here is the official video from MD Anderson's website.

and another amateur video after the jump.

MD Anderson Cancer Center's HMB Will Meet It's End...

Wow, a part of history will be going down in Houston this morning.  

At 11:15 AM, the implosion of the Houston Main Building in the Medical Center area will be taking place.  A building I visited several times over the past 4 years.

The building formerly known as the Prudential building before the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center purchased it in 1972 was the first high-rise in Houston outside of Downtown.  It was built in 1952, and has meant a great deal to many Houstonions.  I've only lived here 10 years, but I can tell by reading some of the stories online, how much the building meant to them.  

Looking at its rich history, the building at once had beautiful landscaped courtyards, swimming pools, tennis courts, and the building itself was made of limestone and steel.  Many people opposed the demolition, more-so the preservationists, but it would have been too costly to repair the already sinking building, and MD Anderson decided in 2002 to demolish it.

How the building affects me?  Well, I work in the Dan L. Duncan building, previously called CPB (Cancer Prevention Building).  The building is a few feet from the HMB, and was only two years old when I started working at MD Anderson.  I had the honor of taking classes in the HMB building, and completed my database training in there as well.  It was a lovely building, and it was even more lovely, because you could feel the history when you walked in that building.  This morning will be bittersweet, because a building I literally walk by every day will be gone tomorrow morning when I head into work. [source]
  
From the MD Anderson Website:

MD Anderson's Houston Main Building (HMB) was opened by Prudential Insurance Co. in 1952 as its southwest regional office. At the time, the 20-story office building was Houston's tallest building outside downtown.

In 1974, MD Anderson purchased the 500,000-square-foot facility, which included 22.4 acres of land and a surface lot containing hundreds of parking spaces. The University of Texas officially named the building the Houston Main Building in 1980.

The acquisition of the building allowed executive and other administrative offices to move from the hospital to HMB to accommodate the expansion of clinical space.

Over the years, MD Anderson updated and renovated some floors to support specific functions, and the expansive parking area was used for new construction.

The last employees moved out of HMB March 2010; the building was officially closed April 1, 2010. After its closure, contractors began the interior demolition and abatement of the building.

The master plan calls for the site to serve as the home of a new clinical building that would connect the Dan L. Duncan Building and the Lowry and Peggy Mays Clinic.

Existing terraces on Floor 2 of these buildings will extend to the new facility, forming a courtyard above five floors of underground parking.

If you click on this link, you'll be able to watch the demolition live, 15 minutes before the event.

Time to Share: I Have The Most Wonderful News!!!!

I received some great news today and would absolutely love to share it with you.  I use my blog to record important events like this, because as I mentioned when I started this blog; We go about our daily lives "Facebooking," not realizing that our lives are being shared daily with our friends and family. There are times we wish to reflect on the past, especially the good times, and before you know it, it's gone. We share things with people we don't know in the physical sense, yet they are there to listen. We share things with the people we love, yet they seem to forget.

Countless times I have attempted to remember what I've posted on Facebook and what I've told the people I love or the great discussions we've had. And it's difficult to go back and reflect on all the good that's happened in our lives, or all the drama that's made us laugh. In order for me to go back I have to keep clicking that "older posts" link, without a date, without a tag, without no way of searching for that special moment I wanted to remember forever.

Well... the awesome news I want to share with you is....

I'm receiving a promotion, with a 15% increase in pay and I'm absolutely ecstatic about it.  This is such great news at a time when I was worrying about our staffing issues at work.  People seem to be dropping like flies around here.  Yes, some leave because they are over-worked, really stressed-out, asked to do jobs they were not hired to do, but others leave because they're able to find greater jobs here at MD Anderson, so they make lateral moves.  But being that I have worked in Breast Oncology for such a long time (9 years to be exact), I have stood my ground for the past four years, exceeded in areas I never thought I could achieve, and have proven to be a leader in our department.  This holiday season will be mine and Ryan's greatest holiday to date, and I am so grateful he has stood by my side for the past 6-1/2 years and will continue to enlighten me every moment of every day.  I couldn't have done this without him.  I couldn't.

I know I rant on my blog on a daily basis, but it's more than just ranting.  I like sharing.  I like sharing my opinions with happiness, my happiness with heart, but most importantly, my heart with all of you.

Thank you for reading my blog and enjoy your holidays this season.

Peter aka Blade 7184

#1 in The Nation for The 5th Year in a Row...

In 8 out of the last 10 years, the institution I work for has ranked No.1 in the U.S. News & World Report's annual Best Hospitals survey.  And I'm proud to say that for the 5th year in a row, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has retained it's #1 ranking. 

On Monday, our President, John Mendelsohn, M.D. had this to say to each, and everyone of us...

"This recognition is acknowledgement of the outstanding work that you, our 18,000 dedicated employees, do here every day to care for our patients, carry out our research, and to advance our mission in all areas. Credit also belongs to our many volunteers, whether in the hospital or in the community, who actively support our work and, most importantly, to thousands of patients who place their trust in us."

This October I will have been here four years, and to this day I've had no regrets. I had applied for a position here several times before, and was never contacted due to the hundreds of applications our HR department receive on a daily basis... 

Luckily for me, I didn't burn any bridges with former employers or co-workers, that someone I used to work with at U.S. Oncology referred me to their supervisor.  I was granted an interview and eventually got hired.

To know that I am part of a team that is striving everyday to find a cure for this terrible disease, makes it all worthwhile.  It is an honor to work for the best cancer hospital in the nation.

Sue Ellen Ewing - Beautiful at 70

At 70, Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) looked absolutely fabulous in NYC Wednesday night.  According to The Daily Mail she walked the runway along with many other celebrities at the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show. 

For those who don't know much about it, Heart Disease kills a woman nearly every minute in this country and this show was meant to raise awareness for that reason; heart health. MD Anderson Cancer Center (where I work) also plan events and hand out Red Dress pins in support of this cause. Breast Cancer comes in 2nd to heart disease as the number one killer in women.





Linda Gray is preparing to make her big return to television, alongside Larry Hagman (JR Ewing) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing) in the new Dallas series.  It is not a remake, the new series will follow the lives of JR and Bobby's sons, John Ross and Christopher Ewing.

Super hottie Josh Henderson will be playing the role of John Ross Ewing while Jessie Metcalfe will be playing the role Christopher Ewing.  The beautiful Jordana Brewster, Ghost Whisperer Jennifer Love-Hewitt, and Lost actor Josh Holloway are all expected to join the cast as well. I truly cannot wait!

John Ross Ewing

Christopher Ewing