Cool weekend activity

Great miniture golf course at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Some interesting holes. Below is the Ice Fishing House hole. More at

sheldon

Ice Fishing House Hole at Walker Art Center Miniture Golf

Real Conservatives Conserve

Republican President Teddy Roosevelt (1901 to 1903) understood that "to conserve" was fundamental to "conservative." During his presidency, Roosevelt protected approximately 230,000,000 acres as National Parks, National Forests, preserves and other protection programs. (More information available at Theodore Roosevelt Association)

Since Teddy Roosevelt, every American President (Republicans and Democrats) has increased the lands protected. That is until now. During the current administration, protections have been removed from 234,000,000 acres. In four years, the Bush administration has removed protection from more land than Teddy Roosevelt protected in 8 years. (For more information click here.)

sheldon

More Security scam/scare

An interesting scene at the Republican Convention. Eleven protesters got through security with valid passes to stage a protest right in front of the podium. This in spite of the huge show of security around the convention site.

CNN reported that yesterday a lone protestor, with a valid pass, started climbing into the Vice President's space at the convention.

In the same story, the CNN reporter noted that when she set off a magnetometer, no one checked her.

Is this another indication that the show of security has nothing to do with real security. Is it just to scare Americans?

sheldon

Weird Security

When I was in DC earlier this month, the security was very weird. You could walk within about 100 feet of the Capitol building without being stopped (see picture below). You can drive within a block. At the World Bank, you can actually drive a car under the front of one of the buildings (there are security guards but no concrete barriers). At the White House, you can not even walk within three blocks of the White House (see picture below). At various US department buildings (things under the control of the Bush Administration, security was very visible but on Sunday, there were no security guards around. (see picture below).

So why the difference? It appears the whole thing is not really about security. It is about creating paranoia among the general US population.

This is as close as you can get to the White House--about three blocks away

This is from about 300 feet from the Capital--less than one block away