Results tagged “columbus”

The Chinese junk ship Princess Taiping, which was on a trip across teh Pacific to show how Asian sailors might have been able to reach North America before Columbus, has come to a tragic end. Just 30 miles off the coast of Taiwan, it's final destination point, the junk was run down and sunk by a 560-foot-long Liberian tanker. The tanker did not stop to help. "In the dark of night, I could see that dark hull. ... I could hear our people screaming, 'No! No!' I just couldn't believe it," The captain of the junk, Nelson Liu, told SF Gate. Luckily, Princess Taiping was equipped with an emergency beacon, and the coast guard swooped in to rescue all 11 crew members. They were shaken, but happy to be alive. No investigation into the matter is currently planned. Source: SF Gate

As most American Football fans know, and ESPECIALLY University of Michigan fans (GO BLUE!) there's a huge game this weekend when #1 ranked Ohio State takes on #2 Michigan in Columbus. Back in Americaland, they're calling it the came of the decade. It's. Gonna. Be. AWESOME.

Or maybe it won't. Either way, it will likely make its owner even richer. In 2001 at a Shanghai store, Liu Gang, founding partner of one of Beijing's largest commercial law firms, bought an ink map on bamboo paper that could be from the 18th century and could be a copy of a world map from 1418 that could offer proof that Chinese admiral Zheng He did in fact beat Christopher Columbus to the "New World" by more than 70 years, as at least one disputed author -- Gavin Menzies, who wrote 1421: The Year China Discovered the World -- has been claiming for a while now. Liu bought the map for US$500 and will unveil it -- well, a copy of it -- tonight in Beijing. We found this bit interesting:

As July 11th approaches, many Shanghai residents are eagerly anticipating the celebration China's newest holiday: Maritime Day. Given the Chinese penchant for celebrating in style, Maritime Day should prove to be a momentous occasion, as 2005 marks the 600-year anniversary of Zheng He's (鄭和) nautical expeditions to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Some even argue Zheng, everyone's favorite eunuch explorer, might have beaten ol' Chris Columbus to the New World.