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Very heavy rainfall in Chicago. The Willis Tower (Sears Tower) is 442,14 meters tall (527 meters including the antennas) and can be seen in the background. Strategically located at the hub of Chicago's affluent financial district, Willis Tower is easy to reach - for commuters and for customers. It is accessible by both major commuter rail stations, three major highways, and all forms of public transportation, including 24 CTA bus routes, and the elevated transit system. The building has 110 floors. This skyscraper reached its ultimate height on May 3rd, 1973 (at that time, the tallest building on earth). In 1998, the Petronas Towers became number one. Two very fast elevators (9,15 m/s) can take visitors to the 103rd floor, where they can admire the fantastic view over Chicago (is the weather is fine).

Chicago, as seen from the Sears Tower (103rd floor).

Chicago is a growing, vibrant, 24-hour metropolis. Its diverse and thriving economic base, skilled labor pool, and wide variety of cultural and recreational activities make it one of the most important and influential cities in the world. Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, with more than eight-and-a-half million people living in the metropolitan area. Second only to New York as a home to Fortune 500 companies, Chicago boasts a strong business center, with a diverse, powerhouse economy.It is also a tourism center, with world-renowned shopping, dining, museums, architecture, theater, music and more.

USS Chicago Anchor

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The "United Center", home of the "Chicago Bulls" & the "Chicago Blackhawks", is the largest arena in the United States. Construction began in April 1992, and the building officially opened its doors on Aug. 18, 1994. Since its opening, the United Center has hosted over 200 events each year. Some of the events the United Center has been proud to host include: the 1996 Democratic National Convention, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses, Disney On Ice, the Big Ten Basketball Tournament, the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament and the NBA Finals. The United Center has hosted over thirty-million guests since it opened in 1994. Since 2005, in accordance with the Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, the United Center is a smoke-free facility.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway's "Hall of Fame". The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, located five miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis on the grounds of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is recognized as one of the most highly visible museums in the world devoted to automobiles and auto racing. In 1987, the museum and Speedway grounds were honored with the designation of National Historic Landmark.

Chevrolet Corvette, "Pace-Car" for the 2004 Indianapolis 500.

The 2004 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis on Sunday, May 30, 2004. It was part of the 2004 IndyCar Series season and the ninth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Pole winner Buddy Rice led the most laps and won the race for team owners Bobby Rahal and David Letterman. I was just passing by on May 13th and witnessed a part of the training.

Felipe Giaffone (24), seen here during training, finished 15th in the race (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing).

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The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945, it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 km/h; 870 kn) in 1948. A derivative of this same design, the Bell X-1A, having greater fuel capacity and hence longer rocket burning time, exceeded 1,600 miles per hour (2,600 km/h; 1,400 kn) in 1954.The X-1, piloted by Chuck Yeager, was the first manned airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight and was the first of the X-planes, a series of American experimental rocket planes (and non-rocket planes) designed for testing new technologies. The X-1B was one of a series of rocket-powered experimental airplanes designed to investigate supersonic flight problems. The X-1B’s flight research primarily related to aerodynamic heating and the use of small “reaction” rockets for directional control. The X-1B made its first powered flight in October 1954. A few months later, the U.S. Air Force transferred the X-1B to the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), predecessor to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), which conducted the heating and control tests. The X-1B tests played an important role in developing the control systems for the later X-15. On test missions, the X-1B was carried under a "mother" airplane and released between 25,000-35,000 feet. After release, the rocket engine fired under full throttle for less than five minutes. After all fuel (an alcohol-water mixture) and liquid oxygen had been consumed, the pilot glided the airplane to earth for a landing. The X-1B made its last flight in January 1958, and it was transferred to the museum a year later. TECHNICAL NOTES: Engine: Reaction Motors XLR-11-RM-6 four-chamber rocket engine of 6,000 lbs. thrust Maximum speed: 1,650 mph Maximum altitude: 90,000 feet Landing speed: 170 mph Weight: 16,590 lbs. loaded

Close-up of the front section of a NASA North American X-15A-2 (56-6671 ; cn 240-2), preserved - under the enormous wing of an XB-70 - in the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

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The UH-19B is a USAF version of the Sikorsky S-55, an aircraft used by all U.S. military services in the 1950s and 1960s. It was the first of the Sikorsky helicopters with enough cabin space and lifting ability to allow satisfactory operation in troop transport or rescue roles. The UH-19B on display is painted and marked as an H-19A known as "Hopalong", one of two H-19s to make the first trans-Atlantic helicopter flight, traveling during the summer of 1952 from Westover AFB, Massachusetts to Scotland.

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This Douglas F5D Skylancer was one of four originally constructed and is the only example still in existence. It was flown by Neil A. Armstrong from September 1960 to September 1962 to simulate the flight characteristics of the space vehicle planned for use in Project Dyna-Soar. The Dyna-Soar program called for the launch of a winged craft which could re-enter the atmosphere and glide to a conventional landing following a mission in space. The Douglas F5 Skylancer sits on a pedestal in front of the museum.

The James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, 3535 Forest Road, Lansing, MI 48910, USA

Railroad crossing at East Lansing, Michigan, USA

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