Driving from Washington Monunent to Lincoln Memorial.

Driving from Washington Monunent to Lincoln Memorial with a father from Connecticut and his 7th grader who likes world history, I told some of the stories along the way.  Anti-Catholicism and conspiracy theory paranoia kept the Washington Monument 1/3 built for almost twenty years. The golden flaming sword shows the battles of the Second Division over time. Simon Bolivar near the Organization of American States was the George Washington of Venezuela.

Took a picture of father and daughter in front of The White House. When this nice manufacturer of things to hold jet engines said, "If you see Nancy Pelosi, run her over.", I had a chance to speak my own little truth. I told him I would not and that I liked Speaker Pelosi, then turned around and shook his hand saying something like, we may disagree on some things but we both care about America. 

He left me a pretty big tip.

Kennedy Center matinee

Kennedy Center matinee of Beethoven violin concerto and Bruckner symphony was amazing! Live music thanks to Jim E. passing on free tickets. Parked the pedicab and listened joyfully.

Spoke with an FBI agent at intermission on the balcony overlooking the Potomac and Rooselvelt Island tasked to the Counter Terrorism Center.  I asked if he thought social institutions and legislation would evolve to preserve our liberties even though there will most likely be another catastrophic attack on US soil?

His answer was that he was surprised habeas corpus wasn't already rescinded after 9/11 (as Lincoln did during the civil war) and they weren't just rounding people up rather than having to actually investigate and prove guilt.

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  Drove a nice elderly couple from the Kennedy Center to Georgetown. When he asked about my quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles I smelled a medical background. He was a retired cardiologist, glad I was in good cardio shape.

Individual Development Accounts?

Gave a nice long tour to three salts of  the earth Minnesota ladies working on poverty issues.

Squirrels at Lincoln and everywhere...

We are all so fascinated with squirrels and birds! These pix of me sharing a little celery and peanut butter lunch with Mr. Squirrel were kindly taken by Al K. at the Lincoln Memorial.

don't feed the BagMonster!

At the White House yesterday met the BagMonster! Not a mendicant but an environmental activist!
Oh, yeah, I gotta remember to bring my own bags for shopping tonight! This is the only planet we have, so far.

Adams Building of the Library of Congress on the 5th floor, the Jefferson Murals

My young scholar nephew who is here in DC for the Smithsonian Space Camp wanted to see the reading room of the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/loc/legacy/bldgs.html, so we were able to get him a temporary readers card and this fertile mind explored the geneology room,  then the science and business room.

So we wound up on the 5th Floor of the Adams Building, behind the Jefferson Building with the famous reading room of National Treasure fame.  We were sitting reading about naval ships and the history of electronic warfare I saw this quote and had to send it to my wife.



On the left half of the panel of the east wall, Jefferson's view on Freedom:

The ground of Liberty is to be gained by inches. We must be contented to secure what we can get from time to time and eternally press forward for what is yet to get. It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.
Jefferson to Rev. Charles Clay, January 27, 1790

Scott Broo goes to sea....almost.

We had a mini-picnic for Scott Broo, a National pedicabber who is going off today to become commissioned as an Ensign in the Merchant Marines where he will eventually work on a NOAA ship.

"I'll be sworn in as a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, and begin a little more than 4 months of training at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY."

We all wish Scott well in his new career, and we know his pedicab legs will help him in gaining his sea legs!