Marble for Unknowns tomb just sits
Marble for Unknowns tomb just sits - The Denver Post
This is where the government procurement policies and procedures have gone wrong.
The marble of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is failing and needs to be replaced. A retired car dealer, John Haines, has donated a piece of marble from the same quarry and has even lined up donated transportation to get it to Arlington National Cemetery for free.
But Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Army are balking at the free donation. Instead they have estimated it to cost $2.2 million, including $80,000 to just accept bids on the project.
In the article, this is what Thurman Higginbotham, Deputy Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery had say about the donated marble.
“It’s not doable. A citizen can’t just give us any piece of marble and say, ‘This is what we’ll use to replace the tomb,’ “
As a taxpayer and a citizen I think the Army and Arlington National Cemetery need to investigate whether the marble will work for the tomb or not. Not just dismiss it outright.
If it works, great. You have a free piece of marble that will save you the $90,000 you think it will cost to purchase and transport. If it doesn’t, that is fine, but at least look at it.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a special place and means a lot to people. They were doing this out of respect and have found a special piece of marble to serve as the replacement. Arlington National Cemetery should recognize that.
Severe Storms Rush Through Washington, DC
Severe Storms Rush Through Region, Killing One Person - washingtonpost.com
I am in Washington, D.C., for work and the storms have been crazy. When this story came through it got really dark and it started pouring rain. The lightning was right over downtown and the thunder was almost right after it.
Tonight, another line of storms came through and hit just as I was headed to my hotel at 9 PM. I am glad that I had brought my umbrella. It was coming down pretty good and there was lightning all over the place. I was pretty nervous.
I am glad that I didn’t know about the tornado watch. I would have been more concerned than I was.
Flight from Washington, DC, to Denver is a long one
The flight home to Denver is quite a long one, about four hours long.
Flying east, the trip is almost an hour shorter than the return flight.
The anticipation of getting home might play into the length of the
flight even longer.
As you can tell, I am ready to get home. I should be home in time to
surprise the kids and pick them up at school.
It should be a fun weekend, even though I was gone only a couple of
days.
Nats Stadium
I am at the Washington Nationals game and it is a nice stadium. Look for a review later.
A flophouse of bloggers…
When I got out of college, we headed to a ski town, or nearby, and settled with a bunch of similar-minded people and skied all winter long. We had a bunch of parties and worshiped powder days.
But there is a new kind of flophouse and that is in Washington, D.C. where several bloggers have moved in together and now have a flophouse of bloggers.
According to an article in the New York Times, Washington Doesn’t Sleep Here, “The Flophouse bloggers may not be part of the traditional mainstream news media, but they are certainly part of the mainstream blogosphere that is helping drive discourse in the city and the country.” Read more
Stephen Colbert’s Portrait Garnering Great Attention
Well the National Portrait Gallery has garnered great attention lately by placing a photo of Stephen Colbert in the National Portrait Gallery. According to the Smithsonian, Colbert wanted his portrait to hang in the National Portrait Gallery.
After much thought and contemplation, they found an appropriate site to place the portrait, between two bathrooms and above a water fountain. I think it was appropriate.
It is amazing what attention this portrait is garnering. Throughout my stay at the National Portrait Gallery, I walked through most of the exhibition and it was quite enjoyable. All of the artwork is excellent and they have some wonderful exhibits that are there.
But the one portrait that is garnering the most attention is the portrait of Colbert. When I first went up to the second floor I saw this big crowd standing near the portraits of the Presidents. I thought this was a group touring the Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum and I went the other way.
Well, it wasn’t a group. It was a large crowd, that all look like they are in college, waiting to get the photo and look at the portrait of Colbert. It has certainly brought a lot of people to the museum who probably wouldn’t have come to visit. It is bringing in a lot of publicity and I think it was a good call to post the portrait.
So if you are in Washington, D.C., take some time and go enjoy the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. And the portrait of Stephen Colbert.
Christmas Tree in Union Station
Christmas tree in Union Station, originally uploaded by Mile High Soapbox on Flickr.
I was in Union Station for dinner and the Christmas Tree was up and it was all decked out for Christmas. It is pretty cool to see our Nation’s capital all ready for Christmas.
Flickr Photos
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