Monthly Archives: June 2011

Commerce-ial Property

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These photos were taken during our trip to Washington, DC, for the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally last October.  In researching the Department of Commerce building, I was surprised to find that, not only is the National Aquarium housed in the building’s basement, but the building is also home to the White House Visitors Center.  Had we been aware of that, we might have stayed the second day as we had originally planned – as it was, we were both so tired and the streets outside the hotel were so noisy, we left that night.  If we get to visit DC again, we’ll certainly plan our sightseeing better than we did our rally trip.

According to Wikipedia:

“The Department of Commerce was established after President William Howard Taft signed legislation creating the department on his last day in office, March 4, 1913, splitting the former Department of Commerce and Labor into the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor…”

“In 1928, Congress authorized the purchase of land in what is now known as the Federal Triangle for departmental offices. The authorization was part of a wave of government construction; the 1926 Public Buildings Act permitted the government to hire private architects for the design of federal buildings, which led to large-scale construction of public buildings, including the development of the 70-acre (280,000 m2) Federal Triangle site between the Capitol and the White House.  Soon afterward Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon and the Board of Architectural Consultants, composed of leading architects and headed by Edward H. Bennett of the Chicago architectural firm of Bennett, Parsons, and Frost, developed design guidelines for the site.  Under Bennett’s direction, each member of the board designed one of the buildings in the Federal Triangle complex to “provide each government agency or bureau with a building that would address its functional needs, while combining the individual buildings into a harmonious, monumental overall design expressive of the dignity and authority of the federal government…”

“…Construction began on October 4, 1927, when Herbert Hoover was the Secretary of Commerce, and the cornerstone was laid on July 10, 1929, early in Hoover’s presidential term. The building was completed in 1932; at that time, it was the largest office building in the world.  The building was renamed after Hoover in December 1981 by act of Congress. U.S. Representative Arlan Stangeland of Minnesota co-sponsored the bill and asked the House of Representatives to “pay tribute to this great Commerce Secretary,” making no mention to [sic] Hoover’s presidency, which was marked by the beginning of the Great Depression.  Democratic Representative John G. Fary of Illinois, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds brought the bill up for consideration as a favor to Republicans. An aide was quoted as saying, “He was a little concerned what some people might think of him bringing up a bill to honor Herbert Hoover in the midst of a Republican recession.” The building was officially dedicated as the Herbert C. Hoover Building on April 25, 1983…”

Discover more here.

Watering Hole – Monday, June 13, 2011 – While the Gotcha and Gossipy Media

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Was focused on Weiner’s weiner, an important terrorist trial began in Chicago, IL.  David Coleman Headley, a confessed American terrorist and Pakistani spy, was testifying in the trial of Tahawwur Rana.  Headley is the star witness against Rana, his childhood friend.

Besides admitting to being one of the masterminds of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, Headley also worked for the DEA.  So instead of facing the death penalty, Headley is spilling the beans.  Then again, Headley is a known manipulator and liar so the outcome of this trial will be dependent upon whether the jury believes Headley or not.

Here’s some interesting links to this story.  From The Daily Beast.  And from an interview on Here and Now on PRI.

UPDATE:  Since I originally created this post (Thursday afternoon), the trial of Rana Tahawwur has concluded.  Rana was found guilty on two charges and he was found not guilty for the Mumbai charge.  Seems like the jury didn’t believe Headley’s testimony.

This is our Open Thread.  Here’s your chance to Speak Up!  Gotcha and Gossip accepted.

Republicans Who Hate Women

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Today on Meet The Press, presidential hopeful Rick Santorum tried, once again, to prove he’s the furthest one out on the right when it comes to abortion. Ignoring both constitutional precedent as well as common sense logic, Santorum made the claim that human life begins at conception and that any doctor who performs an abortion should face criminal charges. He stated that the woman involved should face no charges, but offered no explanation for this contradiction. And it is a contradiction because no doctor can perform an abortion without a woman being involved. (Unless we’re talking about test tube babies, but that would complicate things beyond the ability of people like Santorum to understand.)

Santorum has a history of getting facts wrong in support of his ill-conceived position on abortion. In a debate with Sen. Bob Casey during his last run for his Senate seat in 2006 (Casey won), Santorum said using the so-called “morning-after pill” is the exact same thing as abortion if it is taken “after the egg has been fertilized.” This is wrong because conception actually takes several days and the morning-after pill won’t work if the woman is already pregnant.

Santorum is also forgetting Justice Clarence Thomas’ famous confirmation hearings in which Sen. Patrick Leahy asked the nominee, “Does a fetus have rights under the Constitution.” After giving it a few seconds’ thought, Thomas correctly answered, “No.” The Constitution applies to persons who are actually born, and no amount of stretching what it says can lead one to believe it applies to people who haven’t been born yet. (For example, of what nation would a person who hasn’t been born yet be a citizen?)

One also has to question how someone can call themselves “pro-life” and still support the use of capital punishment. There is no consistency in this line of thinking, so their constant assault on a woman’s right to choose can only be construed as anti-women.

Cross-posted at Pick Wayne’s Brain.

Sunday Roast: How would the GOP Medicare disaster plan affect you?

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TalkingPointsMemo

Democrats Henry Waxman and Frank Pallone have put together a handy dandy map where you can find out exactly how the GOP voucher plan for Medicare and GOP cuts to Medicaid would affect you — district by Congressional district.  Click here to go to the maps, and simply click on your Congressional district to read a detailed report.  If you can’t pick out your district on the map, you can find your Representative’s name in the lists below the maps.

Reps Waxman and Pallone put it quite succinctly:

“The Republican’s budget would end Medicare as we know it. It also slashes Medicaid programs that cover millions of seniors in nursing homes and provide basic coverage for tens of millions of children,” they write. “These Republican proposals would have a devastating impact on every congressional district in the country for generations to come.”

Life is tough out here for the bottom 98%, and I am sick to death of these Republican assholes doing EVERYTHING they possibly can to make life even harder.

This is our daily open thread — What do you think about the state of this country?

The Watering Hole: June 11 – Edwin Armstrong

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On June 11th in 1935, Edwin Armstrong first publicly demonstrated FM radio.

This man invented virtually all of the technologies used to transmit and receive radio frequency signals used today. From kids walkie talkies to cell phones and everything in between. He did not make any contributions to digital transmission, but he could be excused as he died in 1954.

He was pursued by false claimants and corporations that saw their cash cows in peril. A Supreme Court, totally unenlightened in the nuances of electronics and Maxwell’s Equations ruled against him in cases involving  AM transmission and reception with AT&T.

His invention of FM was challenged by RCA. On losing in court, RCA described the system as inferior to AM. RCA managed to have the FM spectrum moved from the 48-54 MHz band to the present 88-108 MHz. The excuse for doing this was to make room for the newly developed TV frequencies. All of Armstrong’s prior sets became useless artifacts. The 48-54 MHz band was assigned to channel 1 of the TV band. There is no channel 1 on today’s TV sets as the band taken from FM has a broadcast range that is too long to be useful. Channel 1 frequencies were later assigned to an amateur radio band. Armstrong was already a broken man.

AT&T and RCA were his most determined tormentors and their efforts drove him to suicide on January 31, 1954. This was perhaps the worst travesty of justice in the history of patent law. His widow persevered in court and collected damages from this ruthless gang.

This is our Open Thread. Please feel free to present your thoughts on any topic that comes to mind.

Music Night, June 10, 2011

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Unless you are brand new to The Zoo, you’ll know that Friday brings Music Night, our widely-applauded Open Thread celebrating one of our favorite arts. Feel free to jump in. The “featured” video is mostly there to entertain me–no themes apply. Unless you feel like they should.

I remember the late  70s and early 80s as a time of musical bounty. Record companies ran around signing everyone in sight, many of whom were terrific, and anything really good managed to get airplay. The Blasters were among the very best; I’m just sorry I missed seeing them live.

 

The Watering Hole: June 9 – The Fiddle

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First references to the fiddle as a musical instrument arose in the 9th Century CE. The Medieval version of this instrument is first referenced in Europe during the 10th Century CE. The Violin is a refined fiddle and those made by Antonio Stradivari represent the most sought after.

One Roman legend is that the Roman Emperor Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned. That is definitely false because that fire occurred in 64 CE, well before the introduction of the fiddle to the World.

Nero did have a hang-up on June 9th. On that date, the following highlights occurred in his career:

  • 53 CE – Roman Emperor Nero married Claudia Octavia
  • 62 CE – Nero had Claudia Octavia executed.
  • 68 CE – Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide, after quoting Homer’s Iliad.

At least, Claudia Octavia did not complain about what she got for her 9th anniversary.

This is our Open Thread. Please feel free to present your thoughts on any topic that comes to mind.

The Watering Hole: Wednesday, June 8, 2011: Hump Dei

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The reflection in the glass of God;
Half empty,
Half full;

The promise of love,
The promise of delight;
Half empty,
Half fool;

And God took the glass;
And God flung the glass;
Against the earth;
And mixed the shards with the clay
(have empty,
have full)

And God shaped the clay
(half empty,
half full)

And the image
(the reflection)
of God
(in the glass)
(Half empty,
Half fool);
Looked out from the clay,
And saw within,
(the glass,
the image of)
God.

Although I wrote this poem years ago, it still rings true today, with Weiner’s weiner, Palin’s non-campaign “vacation” and revisionist history, candidates who would willingly destroy the working class in this country ranking high in the polls…and the very people who believe we are created in God’s image…that God is Love, preach hatred and intolerance.

You might be able to tell, I was influenced by e.e. cummings. There are multiple messages in this poem, all of which are intended.

Is the glass half empty, or half full? I tell you truly, it is full. Can you see it?

This is our daily open thread. What’s in your glass? Politics? Religion? Flowers? Weather? Or just plain ol’ friendly conversation. All who engage in civil discourse are welcome at the Zoo.