Monday, March 28, 2011
President Obama's Speech tonight
President Obama's speech tonight was a good speech on Libya. He was very concise for most of his speech except for how WE achieve the US policy of Ghadafi's removal under the umbrella of NATO's and coalition partners and the UN's mandate. It is still unclear how we achieve that mission under the current mandate. What do we do if the pro Ghadifu forces give weapons to civilians to fight against the rebels? Who do we provide air support to or do we just stay on the sidelines. President Obama's speech answered several questions, but also left so many questions unanswered.
Monday, March 21, 2011
NFL labor and NBA labor deals and the lack thereof
The NFL is fighting the players association stating that the decertification is a hoax and is asking a judge to keep the lockout in place. I wish that the NFL and the players association would quit the arguing and come to an agreement before any games are missed. The sticking point is how to divide up $9 billion/year. Take a look at the link below.
ESPN article about the NFL
The NBA is in a slightly different situation. There agreement with the union ends after this season, but based on the article below, I have a feeling that the NBA is going down the same path as the NFL. The NBA and it's players are fighting over how to divide $4 billion. The owners claim that most of the teams are losing money and players are saying that only a handful of teams are losing money.
ESPN article about the NBA
While I have not been much of a big fan of the NBA since the days of Jordan and Bird, I don't want either of these leagues to miss any games because it affects not just the players, but the front office staff, workers at the arenas and stadiums and potentially numerous other businesses around the arenas and stadiums. So many of the newer stadiums are built with the idea of making it an entertainment or shopping area so that people will come to the area on days other than game days. Those jobs could be unintended casualty of these labor disputes.
ESPN article about the NFL
The NBA is in a slightly different situation. There agreement with the union ends after this season, but based on the article below, I have a feeling that the NBA is going down the same path as the NFL. The NBA and it's players are fighting over how to divide $4 billion. The owners claim that most of the teams are losing money and players are saying that only a handful of teams are losing money.
ESPN article about the NBA
While I have not been much of a big fan of the NBA since the days of Jordan and Bird, I don't want either of these leagues to miss any games because it affects not just the players, but the front office staff, workers at the arenas and stadiums and potentially numerous other businesses around the arenas and stadiums. So many of the newer stadiums are built with the idea of making it an entertainment or shopping area so that people will come to the area on days other than game days. Those jobs could be unintended casualty of these labor disputes.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Washington DC part 3
I spent Sunday going to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, where my sister had a baby shower. I came along and went to a pizza bar/restaurant across the street from the baby shower with the father and grandfather to be. It was a lot of fun. We drank beer, had pizza and talked, mostly about sports. After that Louise and I went to the Torpedo Factory Art Center to kill some time before the Wisconsin @ Ohio State game and since it was raining, we decided to do something inside. The art center was really nice. There are three levels of art galleries/studios for artists that paint, sculpture, take pictures and frame them them and many more things.
Torpedo Factory Art Center
Louise and I then went to Union Street Pub in Old Town to watch the Wisconsin @ Ohio State game and to have dinner with two friends from high school, Doug and Emma Houghton. It was good to see them. We had tried to get together over the holidays when they were in Iowa, but our schedules didn't work out. The Union Street Pub was a good laid back place to have dinner. I had the fish and chips, which was really good. Below is the link to the Pub in case you are ever in Old Town Alexandria.
Union Street Pub
On Monday, March 7, I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in the morning while Louise was at work. I had not been to the Air and Space Museum since I went to DC as a kid. For those of you who didn't know, there is another Smithsonian Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport that I have never been to. Most people don't know about that museum because it opened within the last 10 years. The Air and Space Museum was everything I remember it to be like when I went there as a kid. So many things have changed with air flight over the years, it has been amazing. One thing that kind of saddened me walking thru the museum is that the next generation of US space flight won't be ready for years to come because after this summer they are retiring the shuttle fleet and we will be dependent on the Russians for space flight while we build the next space machine to send us to planets far far away. It seemed as though the commercial and military space flight areas hadn't changed very much since I had been there as a kid. Once they retire the shuttle fleet, one shuttle will be sent to Air and Space Museum, and I would like to go to go back to the museum to see that exhibit.
After going to the Air and Space Museum, I met Louise at the US Capital to go to the House and Senate galleries. I had gone to the galleries a couple of years ago. On Monday the galleries were open, but there was no business or speeches while we were there and so we left after a few minutes.
Monday night, Louise and I went to Dino, an Italian restaurant. I did the the course meal for $39. I had a salad, Lasagnette al Ragu, and Torta di Cioccolato e Espresso “Nessun Dorma” for dessert. I also had a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.Below is a link to the restaurant's website.
Dino
On Tuesday, March 8, I decided to go to the World War II, Vietnam, Korean and Lincoln Memorials while Louise was at work in the morning. I had been to these memorials before, but I always like going to these. The Parks Service is doing a major renovation on the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
I came back to Louise's apartment around noon, had lunch, and then Louise and I walked to the National Cathedral, which took about 20 minutes to walk. The National Cathedral is a very nice cathedral and reminded me of the ones I have seen in Europe, which is not surprising. Louise and I walked back to her apartment and I finished getting my stuff ready and then took the metro to National Airport. As expected, the metro was busy during rush hour. The flight home was uneventful, though I was happy that it was a direct flight. When I got home it had started to snow and it was the wet and heavy snow that most people don't like.
It was a very good trip. I had fun with Louise, Elisha, Josh, and Michal, and all of Louise's friends that I had seen before or met for the first time on this trip. I'm looking forward to my next trip to DC!!
Torpedo Factory Art Center
Louise and I then went to Union Street Pub in Old Town to watch the Wisconsin @ Ohio State game and to have dinner with two friends from high school, Doug and Emma Houghton. It was good to see them. We had tried to get together over the holidays when they were in Iowa, but our schedules didn't work out. The Union Street Pub was a good laid back place to have dinner. I had the fish and chips, which was really good. Below is the link to the Pub in case you are ever in Old Town Alexandria.
Union Street Pub
On Monday, March 7, I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in the morning while Louise was at work. I had not been to the Air and Space Museum since I went to DC as a kid. For those of you who didn't know, there is another Smithsonian Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport that I have never been to. Most people don't know about that museum because it opened within the last 10 years. The Air and Space Museum was everything I remember it to be like when I went there as a kid. So many things have changed with air flight over the years, it has been amazing. One thing that kind of saddened me walking thru the museum is that the next generation of US space flight won't be ready for years to come because after this summer they are retiring the shuttle fleet and we will be dependent on the Russians for space flight while we build the next space machine to send us to planets far far away. It seemed as though the commercial and military space flight areas hadn't changed very much since I had been there as a kid. Once they retire the shuttle fleet, one shuttle will be sent to Air and Space Museum, and I would like to go to go back to the museum to see that exhibit.
After going to the Air and Space Museum, I met Louise at the US Capital to go to the House and Senate galleries. I had gone to the galleries a couple of years ago. On Monday the galleries were open, but there was no business or speeches while we were there and so we left after a few minutes.
Monday night, Louise and I went to Dino, an Italian restaurant. I did the the course meal for $39. I had a salad, Lasagnette al Ragu, and Torta di Cioccolato e Espresso “Nessun Dorma” for dessert. I also had a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.Below is a link to the restaurant's website.
Dino
On Tuesday, March 8, I decided to go to the World War II, Vietnam, Korean and Lincoln Memorials while Louise was at work in the morning. I had been to these memorials before, but I always like going to these. The Parks Service is doing a major renovation on the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
I came back to Louise's apartment around noon, had lunch, and then Louise and I walked to the National Cathedral, which took about 20 minutes to walk. The National Cathedral is a very nice cathedral and reminded me of the ones I have seen in Europe, which is not surprising. Louise and I walked back to her apartment and I finished getting my stuff ready and then took the metro to National Airport. As expected, the metro was busy during rush hour. The flight home was uneventful, though I was happy that it was a direct flight. When I got home it had started to snow and it was the wet and heavy snow that most people don't like.
It was a very good trip. I had fun with Louise, Elisha, Josh, and Michal, and all of Louise's friends that I had seen before or met for the first time on this trip. I'm looking forward to my next trip to DC!!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Washington DC part 2 - The White House
On Saturday, Louise and I got a West Wing Tour of the White House that was conducted by her friend from grad school John, who works at the Office of Management and Budget. First, let me tell you that this is very unique tour. They need your SS# ahead of time like the other tour. They check your ID 2 different times and you pass thru a magnetometer.
As you walk in the White House, you are told there won't be any photography allowed. Along the walls in the West Wing are pictures of the president during memorable moments. They replace the pictures every 2-3 weeks. You are able to stand outside the actual Situation Room, look inside the Roosevelt Room, the Cabinet Room, and the Oval Office. You are also able to walk out and look at the Rose Garden and see Sasha and Malia's playground. Normally you would also be able to go into the press briefing room, but it was closed so that they could do work on it. Had it been open, I would have been able to get my picture taken inside if it. Below is the only picture I have from my day at the White House. I do have other pictures of the White House that were taken from the Washington Monument and other places.
We then went back to Louise's apartment to hang out before going to a South American Restaurant a couple of blocks from her called Sabores with Berg, a friend of Louise's. After that we joined some of Louise's friends on a bar crawl for a couple of stops and then went to another bar a few blocks away to meet up with some more of Louise's friends.
As you walk in the White House, you are told there won't be any photography allowed. Along the walls in the West Wing are pictures of the president during memorable moments. They replace the pictures every 2-3 weeks. You are able to stand outside the actual Situation Room, look inside the Roosevelt Room, the Cabinet Room, and the Oval Office. You are also able to walk out and look at the Rose Garden and see Sasha and Malia's playground. Normally you would also be able to go into the press briefing room, but it was closed so that they could do work on it. Had it been open, I would have been able to get my picture taken inside if it. Below is the only picture I have from my day at the White House. I do have other pictures of the White House that were taken from the Washington Monument and other places.
We then went back to Louise's apartment to hang out before going to a South American Restaurant a couple of blocks from her called Sabores with Berg, a friend of Louise's. After that we joined some of Louise's friends on a bar crawl for a couple of stops and then went to another bar a few blocks away to meet up with some more of Louise's friends.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Washington DC part 1
I have been visiting my sister, Louise in Washington DC since Thursday. On Thursday after I arrived, I took the metro to the my sister's apartment and waited for her to come home from work. When she came home from work, we went to a Alero, a Mexican restaurant for lunch a couple of blocks away. After lunch, we walked to the National Zoo which was about a half a mile away. We saw some lions, tigers, cheetahs, apes, pandas, zebras and turtles. Sadly, we didn't see any of the baby lions, but we might go back to the zoo before I go home on Tuesday.
Thursday night, Louise, and I went to the Owl bar in Baltimore to hang out with some of her friends, most of which I had met before. It was a nice and relaxing time.
Friday, we went to the Washington Monument, which is 550 feet high. It has some if the best views of the city. It takes a few minutes to ride the elevator. On the way down from the top, they stop and show you some of the interior commemorative stones that cities, states and other groups sent to be included in the building of the monument. After we left the Washington Monument, Louise and I went to the Native American Museum for lunch. If you're ever in DC and on the Mall, I would highly recommend going to the Native American Museum for lunch. Everyone that has gone there that I know has loved it. There have different kinds of Native American food that I'm sure anyone could find something to eat.
After we went to the Native American Museum, Louise and I walked to Capital Hill and the Hart Senate Building to get gallery tickets for the House and Senate. We then walked to the capital. Unfortunately, the Senate had adjourned for the day and no business was going on in the House. So Louise and I decided to walk to the Library of Congress and took their tour. The Library of Congress is a very beautiful building and I would recommend going on the tour. Louise and I might go back there before I leave to go back home on Tuesday.
After the Library of Congress, Louise and I went home for a little bit before going to our cousin's Elisha and Josh's house in Germantown for Shabbatt dinner. I finally got to meet their 6 month old daughter Michal. Michal is a very cute baby and it was good to see my cousin.
More to come on my trip soon!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Introduction
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Danny and I like sports, to travel, and politics. I'll be blogging current sports stories, politics and the places that I have been to, are currently visiting, or would like to go to someday.
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