Air and Space Museum

Today I was fortunate enough to visit The Air and Space Museum, which was pretty great. The stark reality of the war exhibits brings into perspective the horror that war entails and is often overlooked in history books. I've read about wars, various destructive bombs, war casualties, etc. and while I respected what war entailed, it remained something discussed in books. However, at the museum today, while looking at the life-size fighter planes and the real bombs that were used in WWII, and reading all the excerpts, I got a morose feeling of how devastating war must be...and I do not even try to understand how horrific it truly is for all those involved as I feel that would be extremely ignorant of me to assume I could understand something I have not experienced. Having visited the National Holocaust Museum in the past and WWII museums in England, when I combined the imagery from all the exhibits together, I was given a sick feeling of the devastation that occurred, and all I could do was observe it from the outside and still not achieve any sense of what it must have been like to live in such an environment.
The new exhibit, Beyond, in the "space" portion of the museum was amazing as well. The "artist" had taken a variety of pictures and data of the planets and solar system and compiled them into awe-inspiring pictures that are visually fascinating and intriguing. The other exhibits were entertaining as well....although not as much as when I was younger. I regret that I've apparently reached that level of adult-hood where I can no longer be intrigued by displays and huge amounts of information. It is a pretty great museum though and I would like to go back before I leave.

C Caldwell

Washington D.C.

I used to live in Maryland and often came into D.C. with my mom and sister to explore what the city had to offer, but being only about nine at the time I didn't comprehend the amazing array of possibilities that this city has to offer. Being 22 and being here alone I have an entirely whole new appreciation for this city. Every night I walk around the capital and surrounding area reveling in the majesty and beauty of the city...if you have not traveled outside at night to look at the monuments, they are like nothing else. There is definitely something to say about the fantastic culmination of history and politics that is combined in every inch of this city and manifests itself in so many different forms, and me being the super dork I am cannot get enough of it :) Every weekend I've taken part in one of the numerous activities that is offered here and cannot wait to further explore. I love Eastern Market...and the reasonably inexpensive products compared to that of the grocery store. The Smithsonian museums speak for themselves and I cannot wait to go to each one. The amount of outdoor activity possible here is great as well...without it I would not be able to fit into my clothes. The one thing that I do not like though is how expensive fresh food is...and for someone who eats a lot it has taken some major adjustment, but I'm learning. I cannot wait to explore this city further!

C Caldwell

This Week In Washington

This week I worked Monday through Thursday at the Library of Congress and was able to see documents from Franklin Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, the NAACP, Babe Ruth, JFK, Andrew Jackson, and George Washington! The first couple of weeks at the Library I have been simply working the reference desk, but this week I get to start answering reference questions and conducting research on requested documents. Oh, and also this week I was part of a search for the oldest call card in the manuscript reading room's possession. The oldest I was able to locate was September 15, 1910! And, here I am, sorting through all

of them! Anyways, this weekend has been fun and filled with lots of things. Saturday morning began with a stop by the botanical gardens. This was somewhere I had never been in D.C. and enjoyed walking through the various stages from Jungle to Desert, etc. Next, we were off to the natural history museum. Here, I found the Hope diamond to be as mesmerizing as ever, but upon an extended search of the gems room I think I found a new favorite item or two. After the natural history museum it was off to the Washington Monument and then the White House. As a side note, for nearly the entire time we were on the mall we were in the midst of a large rally! This made walking from place to place a little more difficult than usual. Anyways, after the White House it was time for a nice meal at Pentagon City. Then with Sunday morning, came more touring! Sunday began at Arlington Cemetery. After walking in

near silence past all of the white headstones we arrived at the Kennedy gravesite. From the Kennedy's we walked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and witnessed The Changing of the Guard. After Arlington, we were off to the Korean memorial, Lincoln memorial, Vietnam Wall, and World War II memorial. This concluded our weekend of touring and we headed up to "We, The Pizza" and were let down when we found out about it's closure on Sundays. Anyways, we settled in at Co Si, just a restaurant away and brought week number two in D.C. to a close.

B. Hutchison

This past week was really busy at my internship in Congressman Boehner's office since Congress wrapped up session. I was able to give a few tours to constituents. One tour was with an older couple from western Ohio - they have been my favorite so far! The husband was a dairy farmer his entire life and always dreamed of visiting the Capitol building. They were a very patriotic couple and the man actually became emotional once we stepped into the Rotunda. It was a blessing to be able to show him around the place he waited his whole life to visit.Another group I had the pleasure of giving a tour was four Vietnam veterans from Ohio. They were in D.C. visiting a soldier at Walter Reed who was severely injured in Afghanistan. The honor and patriotism these men showed was incredible. They were willing to drive ten hours to visit a

wounded soldier, whom they had never met before, for a short hour or so in order

to show their thanks and offer the young man support. Meeting these men was a wonderful experience and reminds you of the importance of public service and doing good for others.

This week at my internship should be interesting - especially because I will be going to a Supreme Court argument! Looking forward to it!!

My weekend was fantastic as well! We spent Saturday and all of today (Sunday) acting like tourists and visiting memorials.

Saturday we practically walked the entire city and saw the sights. Our walk included the Botanical Gardens, a quick browse through the Natural History Smithsonian, the Washington Monument, White House, and the WWI monument.

Sunday we started the day out with a metro trip to Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington and the World War II monument are the two places I feel the most patriotic at. I sometimes become a little shaken up by t

he emotion felt while standing in both the middle of the WWII monument and trekking my way across Arlington. My grandfather served in WWII and passed earlier this year so I definitely feel close to him at both of the memorials. Walking along the cemetery, I find it most interesting to read the names on the tombs as I walk along the path and try to imagine what each soldier was like and all the things they must have experienced. Sometimes you see a soldier's tomb and look at the date only to realize they were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. These hit home as well because they are from my generation.

The changing of the guard is an emotional experience as well. The feelings of pride and honor you receive from watching the ceremony is priceless.

After Arlington, we made our way (on foot) to the Lincoln Memorial as well as the Vietnam, WII, and Korean War

Memorials.

L.Wilson

I am beginning this blog post before Chandra and I head out to the Air and Space Museum. I have taken two quarters worth of introductory astronomy during my college career at Ohio State, and I greatly dislike all things about outer space. I am willing to give the museum a try, however, because I hear good things. I am curious to see when I get to the museum if anything I see or read pertains to what I have learned in class. My prediction is no. I will be back in a few hours to complete this post.

After visiting the Air and Space Museum, I was happy to find that a majority of the museum is focused more on air than space. Even the space parts weren’t all bad. My favorite part of the whole museum was probably the exhibit Beyond Earth, which had amazing photographs of earth, planets, and other planets’ moon in outer space. Additionally, seeing John Glenn’s name and items in the museum inspired a little pride in being an Ohioan and part of this program. It was funny to hear people around us comment on his accomplishments and wrongly characterize him as a current U.S. Senator. Overall, it was a good trip to the museum and I recommend others should check it out as well.

T.Brenner

So far Washington D.C. has proved to be an interesting and sometimes unusual place. My internship in Senator Brown's Office has definately been alot more educational and enjoyable than I expected. On Wednesday, Senator Brown was nice enough to take the other interns and I to the gallery of the Senate Chamber and tell us some interesting stories about the history of the Senate. We arrived just in time to hear Harry Reid say a few words before the opening prayer. Afterward, we all went back to the office where Senator Brown allowed us all to pick his brain for a few minutes. With so many interns and only one Senator I definately anticipated that it would be hard to get a word in edge wise. But luckily everyone was pretty hesitant about speaking and so I was able to get a few questions in. I asked him if he could point to one moment that compelled him to purse a career in public service and although he couldn't point to one point in time, his story about how he entered politics was quite entertaining. Apparently, when he first ran for office as a state representative he lived with his parents and basically got elected by going door to door and talking with as many people as he could. He also said that he had no idea what he was gonna do with a degree in Russian Studies and so he might aswell seize the opportunity to run. Finally, I asked him what he thinks about the level of islamaphobia that our nation is currently experiencing. He said that he believes there will always be a minority of individuals in the United States who seek to suppress diversity out of fear. Unfortunately, he left before I got to ask him, "Browns or Bengals?" but I was definately satisfied with the fact that I got to ask a Senator a few questions. In addition, the staff has been kind enough to provide me with some opportunities to research legislation and draft some letters to constituents. I would definately reccomend interning in Senator Brown's Office to future Glenn Fellows. The environment has been really cool and the staff seems to go out of their way to make sure the interns get alot out of the experience.

A bug is going around my office. Expectedly, I contracted it. I've been popping Vitamin C tablets every day and going to bed at 7PM whenever possible, but it hasn't seemed to remedy the illness and I'm a walking zombie most of the time. How pleasant.

One would think that the best thing about Saturday mornings is having the glorious opportunity to sleep in after a long and strenuous workweek, especially when one is sick. That's not usually the case in Washington; even though the days are getting markedly shorter, weekends are still when the city opens up like a spring flower. Once every seven days, DC's busiest inhabitants (like the John Glenn Fellows) finally get a chance to explore what surrounds them and really take in what the capital has to offer.

The biggest reason for me to wake up on Saturday, I've discovered, is to make my way down to Eastern Market. I go for the grocery shopping (the produce is mostly local and seasonal); I go for the atmosphere; I go for the interesting art. But mostly I go because it's a great excuse to pick up a delicious, piping hot crepe. Mitch, who runs "Crepes at the Market", the ultimate food cart, toils away all morning and afternoon over three hot griddles, folding sweet and savory crepes like a true culinary artist. Being first in line for this Parisian treat is [almost] the perfect reason to wake up early on a Saturday morning.

And so I ventured out yesterday, not planning on letting a mere virus stand in the way of realizing my WAIP experience to its fullest. I threw open my blinds, gargled some antiseptic, closed my laptop, and walked eastward to the market. I went straight to the crepe tent and ordered the first scrumptious option on the list du jour. I waited patiently in the bright sunlight, casually noticing a kit of five or six pigeons eating out of a dog food bowl (though this may have been a fever dream, induced by illness combined with the heat of the nearby stove). I was eventually handed a beautiful newspaper-wrapped, walnut-raspberry-chocolate stuffed pancake. Two bites into it I realized, sadly, that Mitch's creativity was no match for the common cold: despite the usual transcendent flavor of these crepes, I simply could not taste mine. At least, I hoped, they possessed the power to cure all disease - never underestimate Crepes at the Market. I still made sure to pick up a half dozen oranges on my way out, just for good measure.

JCanfil

First weekend

This weekend I checked out The National Book Festival - which had been on my agenda for a few weeks now. I recently purchased Laura Bush's memoir, Spoken from the Heart, and was very excited to read online that she would be at the festival. While she did not offer signatures like I was hoping for, she did give an incredible speech (which was more memorable than a signature)! Mrs. Bush explained her role in organizing the first festival ten years ago and then gave a reading from her book. The section of her book which she read from described her every emotion, action, and thought experienced on September 11, 2001. The manner in which Mrs. Bush read her story brought out emotion in every person in the crowd and still gives me

goosebumps when I reflect on her reading and the day in general.

In addition to The National Book Festival, I stopped by the Eastern Market and thoroughly enjoyed the experience! The booths filled with arts and crafts and the smells of local businesses cooking up some of your favorite "down-home" meals offered for a fun afternoon. It also made me feel like I was back in small town, Ohio at a county fair or community event :) All in all, it was a fantastic first weekend in D.C.!

This week at my internship things have been slowing down for the most part since the House is taking recess at the end of the week (supposedly) and heading back to their districts to campaign. Today, I sat in my second House committee hearing. Both hearings I have attended so far have been for the House Committee on Financial Services. The first hearing was last week and involved members asking Secretary Geithner their various financial reform questions. Today was a subcommittee hearing on the trends of terrorism financing.

Oh, and I gave my first tour of the Capitol this week to a group of Vietnam veterans, which was a fun time!

L. Wilson

My first week in DC!

I have traveled to Washington, D.C. once before. On that trip, I was the ultimate tourist doing such things as fumbling on the Metro and stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to stare at the grand buildings. On this trip to D.C., knowing that I will be living here for ten weeks, I have really been trying to fit in and be a local. My first week at my internship in Congressman Steve Driehaus’ office has gone well, and I have begun to unlock the maze of the city streets on my way to work each morning. Later, I did something as common as taking the Metro to Target without getting lost. This morning I visited Eastern Market and got to take my fresh produce back to my temporary home. It is almost like I live here – oh wait, I do!

T.Brenner

Muskies Go To Washington, Swimming In a Sea of Buckeyes

As we were the first institute of higher education John Glenn attended, we thought we should claim the first blog post of the fall quarter [laughter].
This week two muskies (students of Muskingum University) embarked on a new voyage in our nation's capital. Originating from a small campus, in a town where Circle K is the "happening" place on a Friday evening, our first experiences as proud Glenn fellows in D.C. were definitely memorable ones.

I (Brock) began my first day of work this morning at the Library of Congress in the manuscript department. Nearly ready to throw up or pass out or a combination of the two I entered the large marble building known as the James Madison Building. In all my nerves, I forgot to take off my belt and, of course, set off the metal detector. With my first set back behind me, I walked confidently up to a map of the building and tried to find the location of the room I needed to be. After five minutes of confusion I asked a security guard who pointed directly to my right and there was the room. So, with my first two setbacks behind me I walked confidently into the manuscript reading room and met the staff. Everyone was extremely friendly, especially, the very kind security guard in our division who was quick to complement my suit. Anyways, the day went fairly smoothly from there on out, I was presented with some very interesting work throughout the day, and even managed to avoid any shrapnel from the Chinese food, which I foolishly purchased at lunch.

I (Lindsey) started my day with a joyful hello to all "passerbys" (this we call the Muskie Hello on campus), but many were more focused on their Blackberrys and walking as fast as possible to their morning destinations. <- just a small example of the contrast between New Concord, Ohio and Washington D.C.
Today I began my internship in Congressman John Boehner's office. I am very excited for this opportunity and the experience I will receive working for a leader in Congress. I was given several responsibilities and tasks as an intern, of which I will not bore you with - just know that I am quickly becoming an excellent tour guide!
One important piece of advice for future Glenn fellows, refrain from wearing new shoes your first day - I promise it's not worth it!

View a web cast of the Glenn School event with Thomas Mann, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, on the WAIP facebook page.

Here are links to the articles mentioned by Mr. Mann:

1.”Just How Broken is the Senate?” G. Packer: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/09/100809fa_fact_packer?printable=true

2. “Washington, We Have a Problem”: http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/09/broken-washington-201009

3. Obama speech to UM graduates, May 2010: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/01/obama-michigan-graduation_n_559688.html

African American Civil War Memorial and Museum

"Without the military help of the black freedmen, the war against the south could not have been won." President Abraham Lincoln, 1865.

The Emancipation Proclamation promised African-Americans freedom but in order to obtain their freedom they would need to help the Union win the war over the Confederacy. On May 22, 1863, the Bureau of US Colored Troops (USCT) was created to recruit, train, and deploy African American soldiers.

The African American Civil War memorial is a moving testament of the courage of African American Troops during the Civil War. The statue, Spirit of Freedom shows black soldiers in uniform and one single sailor. Around the sculpture is the Wall of Honor. This wall gives a listing of 209,145 names from the USCT who served our country during the Civil War.

The permanent exhibition of the museum is “Slavery to Freedom: Civil War to Civil Rights.” This exhibit shows the great struggle for freedom in the United States during that era. The museum has on display a bill of sale for an enslaved girl who sold for $600, it is an example of how slavery was such an economic force that could not have ended without the war.

By visiting the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, one is able to learn a vitial segment of American history.

The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum is located on 1200 U Street, accessible by the green line.

-OI

The Apollo Exhibit

About a week ago I visited the American History Museum. It definitely took me by surprise, and is probably now my favorite museum in D.C. I spent at least an hour on each floor and loved every exhibit. However, my favorite part of this museum would have to be the exhibit on the Apollo Theatre. In this exhibit there was a video chronicling how it had shaped entertainment in general and most specifically African American entertainment. This video showed some of the most famous comedians performing at the Apollo and even how many of these people got their start during the famous "Amateur Night." Amateur night performers were given a chance to showcase what they've got in the historical theatre. But , this was no easy task since the audience was encouraged to quickly and loudly voice their opinions of each performance . Great performances were met with loud applause and those deemed not so great, well, met with an equally vocal unhappy response! The exhibit also featured many outfits that famous performers had worn at the Apollo. My favorite part of the exhibit was the display that had Sammy Davis' tap shoes from when he was younger and had first performed at the Apollo. The exhibit also went into detail as to how some of our favorite performers today got their big start at the Apollo's Amateur night. Some of these stars include, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and James Brown. What a great way to showcase a very important part of American entertainment history.

-M.T.

Coffee at the White House

After procuring White House tickets from Senator Brown, clearing my absence from work with my boss at KHA, and handing over all of my personal identity information to Sen. Brown's staffer, I ventured to the White House Visitor Center last Friday afternoon.

And, after completing a maze of security inspection, Haley and I were finally able to set foot in the White House. Only to our surprise, we were welcomed with a warm greeting from First Lady Michelle Obama and the family dog, Bo.

Mrs. Obama offered us coffee, which we took graciously, and cookies which we had to decline due to my promise to return back to the office promptly for an important business meeting (and Haley's rather strict all juice diet).

We were, however, able to walk through the East Room, Green Room (my favorite), Blue Room, Red Room, and the State Dining Room. After a brief stay and some small talk with Michelle and the working secret servicemen, we exited through the hall where Princess Di and John Travolta were once photographed sharing a dance.

I'd highly recommend requesting tickets MONTHS in advance, unless of course you have a personal connection with the Pres.
Most tours are self led, so I doubt you'll be as lucky as Haley & I were to run into a few of its actual residents. Of course, it's worth a shot!

Unfortunately, no cameras are allowed. So, you'll have to take my word for it.

LT & HC

Here's some entertaining political commentary on the ground zero mosque:
There are always different ways to look at a situation.

Politicians Discuss the Same Current Events We Do in Class

During one of our class sessions we discussed the new Islamic center project in lower Manhattan while the building was being reviewed for landmark status. The plans for the center have already been reviewed and approved, but now the focus of the center is apparent "public opinion" that disapproves having a mosque in this particular location.

This morning during CNN’s State of the Union, New York congressmen Jerrold Nadler (D) and Peter King (R) also discussed the Islamic Center.



King argued that, while he respects Muslims’ “right” to build a new center, “they should listen to public opinion” and “should voluntarily move the mosque away from Ground Zero.” This argument worries me because I get the impression of an attitude that puts guilt on all Muslims for the terrorist acts of 9/11. I am personally not against the center because the Rule of Law and our freedoms from the Bill of Rights should be equally distributed to all Americans, and clearly the people who are going to build and use this center are using their First Amendment rights. Yes, 9/11 was a tragedy for America, but as Nadler said, you can not "regard Islam as the culprit, as opposed to Al Qaida as the culprit. We were not attacked by all Muslims."

Letting this center be built willingly is such an American thing we as a nation can do because it celebrates the freedoms our founding fathers ensured we as a nation could have.


-H.H.



By the way, here is a map for the center's location in regards to Gound Zero.

Salutation Nation

One of my favorite experiences in DC was yoga on the White House Ellipse.

August, 7th Lululemon sponsored an event they called Salutation Nation, to connect people mind and body all across North America. Helene, Kelly, and I went together to practice yoga with people from all over the DC metropolitan area. For an hour, I practiced yoga and actually I felt like part of the DC community.

-LT

The Star-Spangled Banner Correction

Hey Everyone,

I went to the American HIstory Museum as well and also stopped at this exhibit.

Just a few major corrections that I didn't want to overlook:

(1) This is NOT the first American flag!!! This flag was sewn in 1813 and is the flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key and is hence known as the Star Spangled Banner. The first official flag following the Flag Act of 1777 is the "Betsy Ross" Flag. The first flag used during the Revolution is actually thirteen stripes with the Union Jack in the corner.

(2) The flag was commissioned to one woman, Mary Pickersgill, but was sown by her, her family, and some of her servants.

That said, this was a really good exhibit with lots of memorabilia from the Battle of Baltimore including British rockets. shells, and bombs. It also has pieces related to the writing of the poem/song and the preservation of the flag. I also encourage you all to go see the exhibit

-Sean F

The Star-Spangled Banner

Last weekend, my mom and I went to go visit the National Museum of American History. The museum is packed with plenty of exhibits about almost anything and everything you can think of related to American history.

While making our way from one wing of the building to the other side, one exhibit located in between the two wings had a line wrapped around the corner of people waiting to see what was inside. Having no idea what we were waiting to see, we figured it must be something spectacular if there was a line. Upon entering, we saw that it was an exhibit all about the inspiration for The Star-Spangled Banner. The exhibit was a single file line that started out with a few brief photos and descriptions about how the idea for the flag was conceived. Making our way through the line, in silence, and in the dark we had no idea what we would see just around the corner.

It was a truly breathtaking view of the nation’s first 15-star flag which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem named for the flag, The Star Spangled Banner. The almost 200-year old, 30-by 34-foot flag is displayed in a special environmentally controlled chamber. Taking a closer look, you can see how difficult it must have been for one woman to sew the entire piece. Next to the actual flag is an interactive table with a tactile image that allows visitors to investigate key details of the flag and how it was made.

If you have a chance during the next week to visit, this exhibit is definitely worth it.

-M.A.

The Secrets of the Mona Lisa Painting

One morning before work, I went to visit the National Geographic Museum. Since I didn’t have to be at the office until 12pm that day, I wanted to find something within walking distance that I haven’t had the chance to visit yet. As mentioned in previous posts, the museum has two displays: Design for the other 90% exhibit and the Da Vinci exhibit.

The Da Vinci exhibit was my favorite of the two. It showed a variety of objects ranging from a depiction of Da Vinci’s “ideal city” and a 360-degree mirror. But my favorite part of the exhibit was the section on the Mona Lisa painting.



The exhibit outlines the “Secrets of Mona Lisa” by pointing out the not so obvious features of the painting such as the fact that she has no eyebrows, there are three levels of nature in the background, and that she is actually wearing a veil.

I found this exhibit particularly interesting because I’ve seen the Mona Lisa painting (housed in the Louvre in Paris) twice and both times I never recognized the things that they pointed out. Since the original painting is actually quite small, the exhibits uses a blown up black and white version of the portrait to point out the details. Without this feature, I might have never known about the “secrets” of the Mona Lisa portrait.

-M.A.

A Weekend in Georgetown

So this past weekend, my family came to town and I spent the weekend in Georgetown. This was my first sojourn to Georgetown this summer and I did a little more exploring than I have the past couple times I've been in DC. So here are a few highlights of the area…

The Georgetown Inn - the only hotel in the heart of Georgetown. This place has had a lot of famous guests over the years. Its first visitors were the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. A nice place but probably could use a little updating the TVs were older than I am.

The Old Stone House - The oldest residence in DC is in Georgetown. Its gone through several changes in its lifetime and now is a museum. Next door are some nice gardens that go along with the house, probably the only unused space on the main drag.

C&O Canal - the remnants of the canal system that used to go all through DC (mentioned by Len Shapiro all the way back in week1). It was full of algae but their were some nice restaurants and a walking/running path.

Washington Harbor - This was a great waterfront development project that is still going on. I remember years ago when I first came to DC and took a tour boat out of this area. Now, their are bunches of great restaurants and nightlife and a waterfront boardwalk. This is a great spot for views and food and just chilling.

Martin's Tavern - This was probably my favorite place that I went to. It has a lot of history to it. This is the place that JFK proposed to Jackie O (there is a plaque in the booth) and many famous politicians go/went on a regular basis including Nixon, Truman, and Madeline Albright (all with plaques in their booths too). It was a neat place owned and operated by 4 generations of Billy Martins.

Of course other great places in Georgetown to check out: Georgetown Cupcakes, Thomas Sweets, shopping, the university, etc…

All in all a fun weekend, I would recommend to anyone who hasnt made it over there yet to try and do so before the end of our brief time left here.

-Sean F

Rains, Floods, & Forest Fires... OH MY!

Our very own DC flash floods reminded me to post the Russia forest fire links.

First- some amateur video....

Next- Google Earth tracking each instance of fire...

Last- we have some photos... here

-Drew

"The Empty Chamber"

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/09/100809fa_fact_packer?currentPage=all

This link is to an article that was sent to Shawn and I through Senator Voinovich's office. It's titled "The Empty Chamber: Just how broken is the Senate?". The article is definitely worth reading, especially before our meeting with Thomas Mann next week. It gives real life examples of senators letting their partisanship getting in the way of accomplishing any real work in the Senate. It even illustrates how bi-partisan dinners have become a thing of the past and how senators have lost touch with the friendship aspect of their interactions with each other. Also mentioned is some senator's frustration with the outdated rules of the Senate and how issues have to take a backseat because they are incapable of being addressed. It's a great article that gives an inside look in the inefficient way that business is handled in modern-day Congress.

-Haley & Shawn O.

A History of Violence

Acting upon the recommendation of a roommate, the two of us ventured to the Far East (Chinatown) this evening to check out the Crime and Punishment Museum. The facilities and exhibit were rather impressive. The expectations were quite high as per the 4 3/4 Stars rating the gallery received on Yelp, the points of interest reviewer application for my cell phone. Expectations were met and exceeded.

The exhibits in the museum were a macabre display of the two sides that have made up the endless battle between criminals and authority figure. The chronicle of punishment began in a dim-lit dungeon with shackles and inquisition tools of torture and ended in a modern forensic laboratory with gadgets from the 21st century. Across the centuries we saw weapons, crime scene photos (often very graphic), prisons, guns, more guns and even the set of America's Most Wanted.

The most compelling and disturbing display was the room dedicated to capital punishment and execution. The lethal injection Droid that was designed to completely remove human accountability and blame from the equation. The robot hypodermic needle scorpion, something straight out of T2 (Terminator 2), looked more like science fiction than a cog in the penal system. This battlebot has actually been tossed around the table as another way to remove any moral responsibility for taking the life of another. As the saying goes, if you can't pay the time, don't do the crime.

Andy & Zach

The Basilica--National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Basilica is the largest Roman Catholic Church in the U.S and North America and one of the ten largest churches in the world.

The construction of The Basilica started almost 100 years and took years to complete and was done in many stages ---because World War II and the Great Depression disrupted the building work.

Compared to the other large Cathedral in Washington D.C - the National Shrine which has a Gothic style it's a typical Catholic architecture. It's Romanesque in style with not overly elaborate design details.

Although simple in design, The Basilica is still breathtaking in its own unique way in terms of architecture and details. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the various stained glass and mosaic artwork and the numerous chapels which each had a distinct identity and trademark.

It's a bit of a trip out to visit (near the Catholic University) but it's near the Brooklyn-CUA Metro station (red line) and definitely worthwhile.

-OI