Baltimore Comic-Con Part 3: Groot, Deadpool and Magneto

Aquaman, Groot and family

In Part 3 of my adventures at the Baltimore Comic-Con dressed as Aquaman, I got to meet Groot, Deadpool and Magneto. If you don't know who they are, you will by the end of this blog. All of them are Marvel Comics characters.

WHO IS GROOT? - If you saw last summer's superhero movie called "Guardians of the Galaxy" you'll remember Groot to look like a talking tree.  The tree-like creature known as Groot was captured by the Kree and put on a team with Star-Lord, Bug, Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon. A tree of few words, Groot formed a bond with the creature known as Rocket Raccoon. Forming the Guardians of the Galaxy, Groot and his best friend Rocket travel through space getting into trouble wherever they go.

Aquaman, Deadpool and Magneto

 WHO IS DEADPOOL? - This is a Marvel Comics character that seems to be very popular, but I had no idea about him. Then, I got a pic with him and looked him up.
   Deadpool is a disfigured and mentally unstable mercenary with the superhuman ability of an accelerated healing factor. He is known as the "Merc with a Mouth" because of his talkative nature and tendency to break the fourth wall, which is used by writers to create humorous effect.

WHO IS MAGNETO? - An the archenemy of the X-Men. The character is a powerful "mutant", one of a fictional subspecies of humanity born with superhuman abilities, who has the ability to generate and control magnetic fields. Magneto desires mutants to dominate the human race as he views humans as an outdated species that no longer deserves its continual domination over the world. 

NEXT: A HUNKY GI JOE AND CAPTAIN AMERICA

Baltimore Comic-Con Part 2: Female Bat-Family and Snow White

Aquaman and Snow White

I (Rob) made my annual journey to the Baltimore Comic-Con  as Aquaman and ran into a Bat-family of women and Snow White!

SNOW WHITE- As we were walking the Comic-con we ran into Snow White!   
DID YOU KNOW? "Snow White" is a German fairy tale known across much of Europe and is today one of the most famous fairy tales worldwide. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection Grimms' Fairy Tales. 
The Grimms completed their final revision of the story in 1854. The fairy tale features such elements as the magic mirror, the poisoned apple, the glass coffin, and the characters of the evil queen/stepmother and the seven dwarfs. The seven dwarfs were first given individual names in the Broadway play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1912) and then given different names in Walt Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 


THE BATFAMILY- There are a lot of characters associated with Batman, and one group of young girls decided that they would become many of them (even if the

Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Riddler, Joker, Nightwing

roles are really males). So, I ran into "Batgirl,"Harley Quinn," "The Riddler," The Joker," and Nightwing."
  All of those characters are well known with the exception of Harley Quinn and Nightwing. 
WHO IS  HARLEY QUINN - Former psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel who counseled the Joker, and she went made. She became a super-villain, carrying gag-themed weaponry, and murdering countless civilians—all just to put a smile on the Joker's face (with whom she fell in love).
WHO IS NIGHTWING? - Nightwing is the former Robin, Dick Grayson, all grown up and in a new costume and identity. 

NEXT: MEET GROOT, DEADPOOL AND MAGNETO

Baltimore Comic-Con Photos Part 1: Robin, Blackhawk, Aquaman, Tom

Aquaman and Robin

I (Rob) made my annual journey to the Baltimore Comic-Con and was joined by  our friend Tom R. while my Tom stayed at home with the dogs.  This year, since I have a beard and moustache, I decided to go as Aquaman, king of the seven seas. Sometimes Aquaman had a beard, sometimes he didn't. Regardless, it was so much fun walking around in costume, meeting other costumed heroes and villains, and getting pictures together. 
   I was the ONLY one at the Comic-con dressed as Aquaman!

MEETING ROBIN - Batman's protege, Robin the boy wonder has always been a favorite character of mine, and I met a little guy who was dressed as him, so we had to stop for a picture. 

Aquaman and Blackhawk

BLACKHAWK - This was the first time I've ever seen anyone dressed up as the 1940s comic book character Blackhawk and what an outstanding job this guy did on his costume.
WHO IS BLACKHAWK? - a fictional character and the title of a long-running comic book series published first by Quality Comics and later by DC Comics. Primarily created by Chuck Cuidera with input from both Bob Powell and Will Eisner,^[1] the Blackhawk characters first appeared in Military Comics #1 (August 1941).
Led by a mysterious man known as Blackhawk, the Blackhawks (or more formally, the Blackhawk Squadron) are a small team of World War II-era ace pilots of varied nationalities, each typically known under a single name, either their given name or their surname. Though the membership roster has undergone changes over the years, the team has been portrayed most consistently as having seven core members.

Rob and Tom R. enjoying Comic-con

In their most well-known incarnation, the Blackhawks operate from a hidden base known only as Blackhawk Island, fly Grumman XF5F Skyrocket planes, and shout their battle cry of "Hawk-a-a-a!" as they descend from the skies to fight tyranny and oppression. Clad in matching blue and black uniforms (with Blackhawk himself boasting a hawk insignia on his chest), early stories

pitted the team against the Axis powers, but they would also come to battle recurring foes such as King Condor and Killer Shark, as well as encounter an array of gorgeous and deadly femme fatales. They also frequently squared off against fantastical war machines ranging from amphibious "shark planes" and flying tanks, to the aptly-named War Wheel, a gigantic rolling behemoth adorned with spikes and machine guns.



NEXT: Bat-Family Women and Snow White

Tyler's New FLASH Collar and Leash

Tyler's Flash leash

Good morning! Hope you're dressed and ready to start your Monday as Tyler is with his new Flash (superhero) collar and leash from yesterday's comic-con.

Tyler's Flash collar

Rob worked Explore@NASAGoddard 2015

R2D2 and Rob

Gates opened to the public Sept. 26, 2015, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the first time in four years in celebration of Hubble's 25th anniversary. Event organizers at Goddard said some 20,000 attended today’s Explore@NASAGoddard event, an exclusive look at the center’s work.
  I worked 6 hours of the event with the DSCOVR scientists (and helped get them set up to talk to the crowds), helped out my friends Rebecca and Dee who were managing the info desk for the Earth Sciences building we were in, and took some reporters around. 
  The crowd was overwhelming at times. The tours of the Operations area where engineers control and manage satellites was packed.

Rebecca and Dee

People waited up to an hour to take the 15 minute tour. 

Star Wars Characters were there!

DSCOVR Satellite scientists

GOES Satellite table

Dann at the GOES-R Table

  Every 4 of 5 years, NASA has an open house, and the last one had about 9,000 to 11,000 people. This one had MORE than 15,000 and they kept coming. In fact, there were three metro station lots that were at capacity, and people couldn't find parking to come to NASA. Incredible.

Large bus lines!

   Here are some pictures I took during the event! - Rob 

Huge crowds around the Greenland Ice Core

MORE ABOUT THE DAY: 
    Visitors participated in more than 130 science, engineering and technology activities; heard from Goddard’s brightest minds, including Nobel laureate John Mather; and even interacted with astronauts like Hubble servicing mission veteran John Grunsfeld.

     More than 10 buildings on Goddard’s campus were opened to visitors, including tours of the spacecraft integration and test facility, where satellites are put together and tested to withstand the rigors of space.
Attendees also had a chance to see Goddard’s High Bay Clean Room. In this, the largest facility of its kind in the world, engineers are currently constructing the James Webb Space Telescope, successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Hundreds of the center’s staff were on hand to explain their work to attendees.
    "It's totally amazing," said Nancy Curran, visiting from Indianapolis, Indiana. "It's wonderful to see so many families here. The social media tent was cool because kids could wear astronaut helmets and take pictures with inflatable planets."
    "I loved getting to see the NASCOM operations center," said Aresa Harewood, of Lanham, Maryland. NASCOM (short for NASA Communications) is where Goddard monitors communications with orbiting missions. "We got to see all the numbers going across the screen and the data coming in."
     Other highlights included a look at robots used to develop new satellite servicing technology, a visualization of Earth science data gathered in the last few hours, a live production by Goddard thespians, exhibits by companies like Tesla and LEGO, and more than 15 food trucks with diverse offerings. 
Writer; Ashley Morrow, NASA Goddard
 SEE WHAT YOU MISSED!! http://www.nasa.gov/explorenasagoddard-2015

Fascinating Book: My Son and the Afterlife by Elisha Medhus

I just finished reading a fascinating Book: My Son and the Afterlife by Elisha Medhus and Highly recommend it. The book is about the amazing and detailed communications from a Doctor's teenage son who took his own life. He is channeled through a medium who provides amazing detail about the afterlife and how it works.
-Several interesting things I've learned (that I thought may have been the case) that will change your life.
Most importantly, is that "god" or the source of all light is in EVERY living thing- Animals, humans, insects, plant life. All of them have a consciousness (of course it may be somewhat difficult to imagine plants with a consciousness, but scientific studies revealed that plants emit a faintly audible 'scream' when being cut or snapped). Regardless, all living things have a "SOUL." Period. Animals, like humans all have memories, emotions, knowledge, language (of their own) and personalities. - Darker personalities are just lesser levels of light.
-    If you've lost someone you'll want to read this as it really gives a great idea of the other side (and there are no "streets of gold" or any of that which you'll find in some religions). In fact, a person's religious beliefs here on Earth often prevent them from reaching higher levels of perfection on the other side. Makes sense. If people are so fixed in a belief, they shut themselves off from learning. Often times on Earth, that's exactly what happens to the religious fanatics - they can't see beyond their beliefs to see reality.
***ONE IMPORTANT THING- If you DON'T have an open mind, and think that your religion knows what the other side is, don't read this. NO religion really knows anything about the other side. It's people who died and communicate with the living that know what lies there. 
   As someone who has received messages from people and animals that have passed, I recommend this book.
  The book has really amazing dialogue between Erik (the son who passed) and his mom, Dr. Medhus. You'll WANT to read it.  Just read it with an open mind.- Rob

BOOK SUMMARY: LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES—NOT EVEN DEATH
Dr. Elisa Medhus never believed in life after death. As an accomplished physi­cian, she placed her faith in science. All of that changed after her son Erik took his own life and then reached out from the other side.
Intimate, heartbreaking, and illuminating, go on an incredible journey from grief and skepticism to healing and belief. Based on Medhus’s wildly popular blog, Channeling Erik, My Son and the Afterlife provides answers to the most universal questions of being human.
At once tragic and uplifting, Erik speaks from the other side with candor, wisdom, and depth as he describes his own experiences and provides new answers about the nature of souls, death, and the afterlife—answers that have the potential to change our lives forever.
BUY IT ON LINE AT AMAZON.COM: http://www.amazon.com

Good News Story: Pilot Diverts Flight To Save Dog From Freezing To Death

I read the following article in the Huffington Post on Sept. 17 and had to share this Pilot's awesome actions.

Pilot Diverts Flight To Save Dog From Freezing To Death

Carly Ledbetter Associate Lifestyle Editor, The Huffington Post

An Air Canada pilot became one dog's hero on Sunday when he diverted a flight to save the dog's life.

Flight AC085 was carrying 232 passengers from Tel Aviv to Toronto when the pilot noticed one of the cargo hold heaters was malfunctioning, said Peter Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for Air Canada. The unnamed pilot realized that Simba, a seven-year-old French bulldog traveling in the cargo hold on his first flight, was in possible danger of dying.

"The temperature was falling, as it is very cold at the high altitude where our planes fly," said Fitzgerald. "While a heater is not normally a critical component, on this particular flight there was a live animal in the hold. With the altitude it can become very uncomfortable, and possibly the situation could have been life threatening if the flight had continued." 

Fitzgerald said the Air Canada pilot chose to divert the flight to Frankfurt, Germany, where Simba and his owner, German Kontorovich, could hop on another flight. The pilot chose Frankfurt because a lot of Air Canada flights and partner flights pass through the airport there, which meant the plane could get off the ground again quickly. 

"While we recognize this was an inconvenience for our customers, the overall reaction was positive, particularly once people understood the dog was in potential danger but safe as a result of the diversion," said Fitzgerald. "The flight arrived in Toronto about 75 minutes late, so most customers were not greatly impacted and we were able to [reassign] those who did miss connections on other flights." 

“It’s my dog, it’s like my child. It’s everything to me,” Kontorovich told Canda's City News.

 SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pilot-diverts-flight-to-save-dog-from-freezing_55f98ba2e4b0b48f67017919?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003

Family Photo Fun - Doug's Primary Night!

Rob, Brian, Doug, Scotty, Sue

When I (Rob) was up in Massachusetts for the New England Pet Expo, I stopped  by my brother Doug's house and visited with him, his wife Sue and my nephews Brian and Scotty. We took a couple of pictures and then I walked around with Doug as he knocked on doors for his campaign for Mayor of our hometown. I am so proud of him, and tonight is the MAYORAL PRIMARY... so we'll know if he's one of the 2 of 4 candidates that move onto the November election.   
If you live in Quincy - go out and vote for him!! NOW! :) please...

Goofing with Brian

Great pictures from the New England Pet Expo! (Pets and the Afterlife appearance)

Had a great time at the New England Pet Expo this past weekend meeting people and talking about my book "Pets and the Afterlife" - as well as hearing some amazing stories from folks!!
I was joined by my good friend and amazing medium Ruthie Larkin aka the Beantown Medium (www.beantownmedium.com) who is also featured in the book, and she gave an amazing reading at the end of the event through a grey cat to a woman named Eileen. Ruthie even identified that the cat had a hip problem and the exact leg that the cat had issues with (and a lot more).
Here are some pictures from some of the great folks Ruthie and I met!  - Rob Gutro
(LINK: https://picasaweb.google.com/100134473933031789796/NewEnglandPetExpoSept182015PetsAndTheAfterlife?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Photos and Video: Rob's interview on Great Day Washington (WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, Washington, DC)

L to R: Chris, Jill, Rob, Markette

I had the good fortune to talk about NASA's upcoming Open House, "EXPLORE AT NASA Goddard" with Jill McGuire (also of NASA Goddard Space Center) to  tell Chris Leary and Markette Sheppard of the Morning news-magazine TV show "Great Day Washington" on WUSA-TV, Channel 9 (Washington, DC) all about the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Hubble Telescope. 

 Great Day Washington is a morning news magazine show on WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, Washington, DC 

7 MINUTE VIDEO: http://www.wusa9.com/videos/entertainment/television/programs/Great-Day-Washington%20/2015/09/21/nasa-goddard-family-day-/72564316/

Website for EXPLORE@NASA Goddard event on Sat. Sept. 26th>http://www.nasa.gov/explorenasagoddar

Rob at the TV Studio table

Also in the show were wedding gowns, a wedding planner, a hair stylist, an entertainment writer/columnist, the CEO for Honest Tea (who gave us a free bottle- thank you!), and a chef. We were well-entertained. 

 

 

Jill at the TV Studio Table

TV Tech walks past the show hosts

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Article: What Kinds of Pets Get Adopted?

As dog rescuers of Dachshunds and Weimaraners, we found this article interesting, as we think you will.  Our senior foster dog, Max is still waiting for a forever home... Rob and Tom

 What Kinds of Pets Get Adopted?

Sep 8, 2015 ·  SOURCE: PRICEONOMICS

The United States is a pet loving nation. No country in the world houses more cats and dogs. Currently, over 60% of American households contain one pet, and pet ownership is on the rise. The country is full of deluxe pet boutiques and home to a wildly popular Internet Cat Video Festival.

American pets are often “rescues”. Twenty percent of the approximately eighty million dogs owned in this country were adopted from pet shelters, as were a quarter of the one hundred million cats. 

Yet many of the approximately 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 cats that enter animal shelters every year will never be adopted. In fact, more of these animals will be euthanized than taken in to a new home.

Given the stark contrast in outcomes for pets in shelters, we were curious about the factors make dogs and cats more likely to get adopted. In order to understand this, we analyzed the adoption rates of over 80,000 pets listed on the internet adoption site Petfinder. We found that for both dogs and cats, age, size and breed were highly correlated to outcomes. The future is much bleaker for a big, old, terrier, than it is for a young, small schnauzer.

 

 Previous research indicates that prospective adopters care about factors such as an animal’s appearance, friendliness, health, age and breed type. There is also evidence that the color of an animal’s fur impacts adoption likelihood.

Our study focuses on physical characteristics that can be assessed before meeting the dog in person. The findings are unusual because they are based on such a large sample of animals.

According to our analysis, cats that are black and white are less likely to be adopted.

Petfinder is the internet’s largest adoption site listing nearly 400,000 adoptable pets from over 13,000 shelters across every region of the United States. The company claims to have arranged well over 17 million adoptions. The vast majority of animals listed on the site are for cats and dogs, but you can also find birds, rabbits, mice, snakes and iguanas.

Each potential pet has its own listing page that contains a variety of information. This information includes the animal’s name, breed, age group (baby, young, adult, senior), sex, size, shelter name, and location. The Petfinder page for the labrador retriever mix Cooper, who is still up for adoption at the Safe Hands Animal Rescue, is shown below.

Cooper’s page on Petfinder.

In order to understand which characteristics are correlated with higher adoption rates, we analyzed the adoption results of over 83,000 animals whose Petfinder page was created in 2015 between June 1st and June 25th. 

If the animal was adopted, Petfinder tags that animal as “Adopted.” 77% of the animals in our sample have been adopted as of September 5th. This is much higher than the rate at which animals typically get adopted, which is closer to 35%. This difference is likely attributable to a selection of bias in terms of which animals are listed on Petfinder, and the fact that certain animals are removed from the website by shelters for reasons that are often unknown to Petfinder (perhaps because they were euthanized).

Which Kinds of Dogs Get Adopted?

Humans developed dog breeds to exhibit different personal and physical traits. Apparently, certain traits are significantly more or less appealing to adopters as there is substantial variation in adoption rates by breed type. Schnauzers and shih tzus seem to be particularly desirable, and bulldogs and terriers much less so. 

The following table displays all breeds with over 500 dogs in the dataset along with their adoption rates.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is the least likely breed to be adopted. The chances are even worse for Staffordshire Terrier’s who are not babies, as they get adopted at a rate of less than 50%. Chihuahuas and pit bull terriers are the two most common breeds available, and also among the least likely to be adopted. This follows previous research that suggests highly overrepresented breed types are less likely to get adopted.

Age is also an important characteristic in determining the likelihood of adopted. Previous research has suggested that older dogs are less likely to get adopted, and our research bears this out. In fact, this is the most important factor we found. Unpredictable as they may be, people love puppies.

Though the effect is weaker than age, size also seems to have an important impact on the adoption decision. The following table shows that the smaller the dog, the more likely to be adopted. Bad news for Clifford if he ever ends up at a shelter.

Though much has been written about the impact of color on dog adoption rates (specifically the “black dog syndrome”) and there is some strong evidence that a discrimination exists, we don’t find a strong bias against certain color dogs our analysis of dogs. The next table shows the adoption rates for dogs with different color descriptions (to be included on the list, there must have been at least 500 dogs with this color description).

We also checked the relationship between the sex of the dog and adoption rates. This seemed to have very little impact on the dog adoption decision. 82% of females were adopted and 81% of males.

Philadelphia's First and Historic Animal Shelter!

Recently our friends Steve and Jane were exploring Philadelphia and stumbled upon the first animal shelter in
Philadelphia that still operates today.

THE MISSION: The Morris Animal Refuge is a 501(c)(3) open admission shelter dedicated to helping the homeless, abandoned and unwanted pets of the Philadelphia region.  Founded in 1874 by Elizabeth Morris, we were the first organization dedicated to sheltering and rehoming pets, and continue that legacy today by providing adoptions, a low-cost spay/neuter program, fostering, humane education and more.


HISTORY: In more than 135 years, no animal has ever been turned away from our door. The Refuge, the first in the United States to care for cats, was founded by Elizabeth Morris, one of our nation's pioneers in animal welfare, in 1874.  The Refuge continues to operate today in Center City Philadelphia at its home at 1242 Lombard Street. The Refuge is run by a small and dedicated staff whose primary responsibilities include animal care, adoptions and humane education. Our volunteers provide many hours of additional support with all phases of animal care and fund raising.

LOCATED: It's located at 1242 Lombard St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Phone: (215) 735-9570

WEBSITE:  http://www.morrisanimalrefuge.org/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/morrisanimalrefuge

COVERS SEVERAL STATES: The Morris Animal Refuge adoption services cover the Greater Philadelphia Pennsylvania Region only; consisting of an area in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

LOTS OF USEFUL LINKS:

Quick Links Useful Info & Resources

• Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
• Our Programs
• Foster
• Volunteer
• Job Opportunities
• About Us
• Events
• Animal Surrender
• Report Animal Abuse
• Morris News
• Subscribe to Newsletter

Enjoyable Book: Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau

I (Rob) recently finished an Enjoyable Book: Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams. It brought

together these two classic characters from different authors for a great new Sherlock Holmes story. I've always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes and H.G. Wells' classic "The Island of Dr. Moreau." The author does a great job capturing the essence of Holmes and Watson, and ties them in nicely to the Dr. Moreau legacy. Well-worth the read!- Rob


BOOK SUMMARY: Following the trail of several corpses seemingly killed by wild animals, Holmes and Watson stumble upon the experiments of Doctor Moreau.
   Moreau, through vivisection and crude genetic engineering is creating animal hybrids, determined to prove the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin. In his laboratory, hidden among the opium dens of Rotherhithe, Moreau is building an army of 'beast men'. Tired of having his work ignored -- or reviled -- by the British scientific community, Moreau is willing to make the world pay attention using his creatures as a force to gain control of the government.

An Unusual Wash DC Area Attraction: The George Washington Masonic National Memorial

Huge statue of George Washington, first floor

Recently we went to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. We've seen it from the Washington DC beltway for the last 10 years and kept saying we wanted to go - well, we finally did and it was interesting!  So, come take a tour with us and learn about Freemasons and this pretty incredible structure that honors George Washington, and has spectacular views of northern Virginia and Washington, DC! 

WHAT IS A FREEMASON? - a member of an international order established for mutual help and fellowship, which holds elaborate secret ceremonies.

9 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT FREEMASONRY (from CBS News)

Rob and Tom at one of the exhibits

(CBS News) "Sunday Morning" looks at the rumors, fears and conspiracy theories sparked by the Freemasons' fraternal order, its secrets and rituals.
1. When meeting, Masons do not discuss religion or politics. 
2. Freemasonry is not a religion.
3. The Catholic Church condemns Freemasonry. 
4. Atheists are not welcome. 
5. Most of the Founding Fathers were NOT Freemasons. 
6. There are NO secret Masonic symbols on the U.S. dollar bill. 
7. The Shriners are Freemasons. 
8. The secret Masonic password originated as a job tool      
9. There is no hidden Masonic code on Rolling Rock beer bottles. 
 

Inside the first floor great hallway

WHAT IS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL? 
It is a colossal memorial and museum. It is a tourist attraction and destination; research center and library; community center; performing arts center and concert hall; banquet and celebration site; and meeting site for local and countless visiting Masonic lodges and organizations. However, first and foremost, it is a memorial to honor and perpetuate the memory, character and virtues of the man who best exemplifies what Freemasons are and ought to be, Brother George Washington.

George's clock

RECENTLY - The George Washington Masonic National Memorial was  added to the United States government’s official list of National Historic Landmarks.





WHERE IS IT?

Located in Northern Virginia- just inside the Beltway!   It's located at 101 Callahan Drive · Alexandria, Virginia 22301,  Tel. 703-683-2007 ·
Tours Daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Guided tours take about one hour and include rooms on the second floor and floors in the tower, including the observation deck. Tour Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. http://www.gwmemorial.org/ 

View of the Washington Monument from the top (9th) floor

View of Northern Virginia

HISTORY... MANY DECADES TO BUILD:   Charles H. Callahan, who in 1909, while Senior Warden of Alexandria-Washington Lodge, purchased several lots on Shuters Hill, which he gave to the Lodge for the site of a fire proof Lodge Hall. It was the very spot once proposed by Thomas Jefferson as the ideal site for the nation's Capitol. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on June 5, 1922. On May 12, 1932, the bicentennial year of George Washington's birth, the dedication of the Memorial took place with President Herbert Hoover participating. After World War II, work on the Memorial's interior began in earnest. By 1970, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial was completed.

14 Of The Most Dangerous Foods For Your Dog (Huffington Post)

FYI- 14 Of The Most Dangerous Foods For Your Dog

Kate Bratskeir Food and Health Editor, The Huffington Post
SOURCE: website below. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/most-dangerous-food-for-dogs_55d72d88e4b00d8137edf014?kvcommref=mostpopular&ncid=newsltushpmg00000003