Posted on 06/11/2021 11:51:04 AM PDT by Red Badger
At 563 carats, the Star of India is the world’s largest gem-quality blue star sapphire, and is approximately 2 billion years old. (Image credit: D. Finnin/Copyright AMNH)
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What does the legendary Star of India — a 563-carat star sapphire the size of a golf ball — have in common with a 35-million-year-old petrified redwood slab; a massive cluster of sword-like crystals that looks like it came from "Game of Thrones;" and a 5-ton (4.5-metric ton) stone pillar that can "sing?"
You can see all of them, along with 5,000 other amazing stones, in the newly renovated Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, which is reopening after a four-year closure on Saturday (June 12). There, one-of-a-kind precious gems appear alongside odd-looking rocks — some of which date to billions of years ago — that have been uniquely warped and twisted by extreme temperatures and pressures.
Individually and together, these objects tell a story of the diverse geologic processes that shape minerals on Earth's surface and deep inside our planet, beginning when the world was young and continuing to this day, museum representatives told Live Science.
Related: 13 mysterious and cursed gemstones
The Star of India, which formed about a billion years ago, was discovered in Sri Lanka in the 18th century. It is one of the best-known gems in the world, in part because it was famously and brazenly stolen from AMNH in 1964, along with several more of the museum's prized stones, by a pair of thieves named Jack "Murf the Surf" Murphy and Allan Kuhn, Smithsonian reported in 2014, on the heist's 50th anniversary. (The one-of-a-kind sapphire was recovered and went back on display in 1965).
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
I guess it depends on whether you’re from the right coast, the left coast or between the Rockies and the Sierras. ;o]
Phew!
I’m glad that got handled!
Well, HAPPY BUREAUCRATIC MONDAY to one and all!
My daughter’s Pediatrician has, for some time, had on his “To Do List” a reminder to Approve my daughter’s Medical Exemption Request.
Asked about the status of that activity he indicated some difficulty with the website. Bear in mind, this physician isn’t oppositional to the Request; he wrote her a Letter for her Grade School file, so he’s sympatico. The State of CA, though, once you enter 7th Grade, erases your medical past as if you’ve never existed, before, and demands a NEW Exemption — oh, and BTW, because it’s CA — the old method is no longer available; you need to use our gee-whiz website to log your Request, and then your Doctor can log in separately and Approve it.
I invested quite awhile last week figuring out exactly what he needed to do, and wrote it out in email to him so he could jump right in and handle it this morning.
I phoned the office to follow-up, and — come to find out — the Medical Group he’s a part of — John Muir Health — BLOCKS ACCESS to that website internally! And it’s a website run by the California Department of Public Health!
IOW, JMH Physicians, who have the license to practice in CA, who’s task it is to Review and Approve or Deny their pediatric patient’s immunization Exemption Requests CANNOT perform those functions from their offices; John Muir IT does not permit them to visit the webpage, log in, and fulfill their legally-delegated role.
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
*face palm*
*cuss words*
I was in such a panic I couldn’t even think straight! I can’t do that kind of thing too often. It’s not healthy!
I had to pull up some older emails to get the confirmation number because I couldn’t recall my password.
Deep breaths. You handled it!
Yes, but it’s always bad when panic attacks come out of nowhere. Like the mood swings that broadside me when I’m looking the other way. Hard to deal with.
Now, I’m taking my silly self to bed because it’s been an emotional day.
Have a good night!
In my experience, a panic attack with an obvious trigger is better than one that you can’t figure out why this is happening. I hope you have a great night!
Unreal
Not to sound grumpy, but what did you expect? Just to be able to ignore the advice of your betters and do what you think is right without hassle?
Not in 21st century Amerika.
Which reminds me, when did that prophetic mini-series air? The 1980s?
Don’t remember.
But yeah, prophetic.
Morning floof is more ready for the day than I am.
Good morning.
I hope you slept well.
I have to get off my duff and get ready for Walmart. I’ve got to put some gas in the truck today, and once I get back from Walmart, I won’t want to go anywhere. So maybe I’ll wait for tomorrow to do the gas thing! ;o]
Good morning. Happy Twosday!
So far I’ve managed to avoid being infected with liberalism, which is really rampant in NYC.
Oh, and no COVID symptoms, either. But that’s much less destructive.
Good morning. Are you staying in NYC during the week, now?
How long is your commute? (Time is better than miles, but either will work.)
What’s the latest on the puppy?
(My curiosity often borders on rudeness so you have my permission to ignore any question I ask, and no explanations necessary.)
;o]
Tiwsday to youse!
It’s raining here. I have a meeting at 9:30 at the library, and between now and 9:15, I need to organize two weeks’ worth of musics.
I’m out of here for now. Be back in a little over an hour.
During the week I’m staying in NYC. Today it’s about a 10 min walk to the hotel. Next time it will be a more serious commute.
The puppy is doing well. I’m praying there are no seizures while I’m away as that would really put a stress on Mrs. ArGee.
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