BEST COAST The Eastern Seaboard of the United States, from the twin forks of Long Island to Washington, DC, is seen in the view from the International Space Station. (Photo via NASA APOD)
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Eleven people are shot in a Washington, D.C. drive-by. The NRA would probably say that the shootings could've been prevented if only those 11 victims were armed with guns.
HITCHED A NASA jumbo jetliner transporting the retired space shuttle Discovery flies over the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. The orbiter will be exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum. (Photo: Twitter user Asianmartin via Business Insider)
WASHINGTON POST: "In other areas around the (Walter E. Washington Convention Center), some drivers got out of their cars and confronted protesters who refused to move. Other motorists stuck in traffic were more receptive, honking their horns in support of the group."
Occupy DC heats up outside Reagan tribute: Hundreds of protesters blocked streets near the Washington DC Convention Center near Mt. Vernon Square tonight, in an attempt to prevent people from leaving the center. Why’s that? Well, it’s currently hosting the Defending the American Dream summit, a Ronald Reagan tribute put together by Americans for Prosperity and featuring the two top presidential hopefuls, Herman Cain and Mitt Romney, amongst many other conservative icons. Here’s the scene from outside, via Washington Post reporter Tim Craig, who is there and writing stories about what’s happening and took the photo, above. Two people have been reported injured thus far — both hit by cars.
YIKES PEAK An engineer began a block-by-block inspection of the exterior of the Washington Monument Tuesday after the National Park Service closed it indefinitely due to damage caused by a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August. (Photo: Win McNamee / Getty Images via the Wall Street Journal)
Yes, Virginia, the earthquake DID cause a crack at the top of the Washington Monument.
Front page, the Washington Times, Wednesday 24 August 2011.
Civilians and military personnel evacuated the Pentagon outside Washington. (Photo: Jason Graham / EPA via the New York Times)
THE WAIT WING White House staff, returning from lunch, waited for the all-clear to re-enter. (Photo: Stephen Crowley / The New York Times)
The highest elevated point of Washington, D.C., the “Gloria in Excelsis” central tower of Washington National Cathedral, sustained significant damage in the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Tuesday afternoon. Mason Foreman Joe Alonso is currently assessing the damage to the Cathedral building with the help of other Cathedral stonemasons and structural engineers.
Three of four pinnacles (corner spires) on the central tower have been damaged. Specifically, three “finials” (capstones shaped like fleurs-de-lys) have fallen from them, with more significant damage to two of the pinnacles. Similar decorative elements on the Cathedral’s exterior also appear to be damaged. Cracks have appeared in the flying buttresses around the apse at the Cathedral’s east end, the first portion of the building to be constructed, but the buttresses supporting the central tower seem to be sound.
No individuals were injured either within the Cathedral or on its grounds. Despite some cracks on upper floors in the interior, no damage to the stained-glass windows has been reported. The building has been closed to visitors until further notice.
“The Cathedral structure was damaged in today’s earthquake,” said Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, “but we are thankful that no injuries have occurred. Our prayers go out now for all those up and down the East Coast who have been similarly affected by this rare event. The National Cathedral cannot be more grateful now for the National Cathedral Association (NCA), the nationwide network of supporters that raised funds to build this edifice beginning in the 1890s. We urge all friends of this spiritual home for the nation to visit our website, www.nationalcathedral.org, to learn more about the damage and upcoming efforts to make repairs.”
(via What Really Happened to the National Cathedral in the Quake - National - The Atlantic Wire)
From this vantage point, it appears at least two spires on Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral were damaged by the quake.
