The prominent statue atop the Capitol building is often unnoticed due to the quick pace of the capital city. The architect of the building Thomas Walter held the idea of this statue as a part of his original design for a new cast-iron dome.The crowning feature of the dome stands 19 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs approximately 15,000 pounds.
The bronze statue itself was made by artist Thomas Crawford and was completed in 1863. The Statue of Freedom is a classical female figure with long, flowing hair wearing a helmet with a crest composed of an eagle’s head and feathers. She wears a classical dress secured with a brooch inscribed "U.S." Over it is draped a heavy, flowing, toga-like robe fringed with fur and decorative spheres. Her right hand rests upon the hilt of a sheathed sword wrapped in a scarf; in her left hand she holds a laurel wreath of victory and the shield of the United States with 13 stripes.
The helmet is encircled by nine stars. Ten bronze points tipped with platinum are attached to her headdress, shoulders, and shield for protection from lightning. She stands on a cast-iron pedestal topped with a globe encircled with the motto E Pluribus Unum. (translation: "Out of many, one") The lower part of the pedestal is decorated with fasces (symbols of the authority of government) and wreaths. The pedestal is 18-1/2 feet high and almost doubles the total height. The crest of Freedom’s headdress rises 288 feet above the East Front Plaza.
Need an apple pie recipe that's big enough for a crowd? Apple Slab Pie is just the ticket. You'll be the apple of everyone's eye when you make this slab pie recipe for your next event. Not only is this recipe for apple pie a-peeling to the whole gang, but it's a quick and easy sheet pan dessert, too! (For even more ideas of what to make with apples, check out our 50+ Easy Apple Recipes!)
- 2 (15-ounce) packages refrigerated pie crusts
- 6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Preheat oven to 350º. On a flat surface, roll out 2 pie crusts just enough to hang slightly over the rim of a 10- x 15-inch baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine apples, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; toss until apples are evenly coated, then spoon evenly over crust.
- Roll out remaining crusts and place over apples. Trim and pinch edges together to seal; flute if desired. Using a sharp knife, cut several 1-inch slits in top. Lightly brush top of crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool.
Special Birthday today..... Dennis Howell (LASD ret) is celebrating.
National Inventors’ Day honors inventors of the past, the creators of the present, and encourages the architects of the future. On February 11th, National Inventors’ Day celebrates the genius behind design. It also dives into the history behind some of our most unusual inventions.
What do Ermal Fraze, Thomas Adams, Melitta Bentz, Patricia Beth, and Stephen Perry all have in common? They are recognized annually on February 11th, along with the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, and Elisha Otis.
Thanks to inventors, we can safely ride in an elevator, have a well-lit room at the flip of a switch, speak to someone on the other side of the world or efficiently pump lotion from a bottle. Many inventors go their whole life without recognition for their creations, while others are household names. Nearly everything around us results from someone tinkering in their garage, laboratory, or basement trying to find a solution to a problem.
Some inventions may be happy accidents by an observant person; the microwave oven, penicillin, sticky notes, and bubble wrap may never have made their way into their current use if it were not for sharp or persistent inventors.
The proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention” says a lot about how inventors look at life. They are a progressive, forward-thinking bunch. Where would we be without pacemakers, traffic signals, rubber bands, or coffee filters?
Though there are some inventions that we may be better off without. A DVD re-winder doesn’t quite fit the necessary criteria. Or, they are otherwise too impractical. For example, tugging around a stroller fridge for your watermelon along with the cooler and beach umbrella seems to be a bit of overkill. Still, without inventors, the world would be downright dull and much more challenging.
Inventors should keep track of their ideas, processes, ingredients, and components. Protect your inventions and get your unique creations patented.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Inventors around the country, take a bow. Keep tinkering. Keep seeking a cure, a fix, and improvements to our everyday life. Take time to recognize an inventor and encourage them to keep creating the next great invention. Other inventive ways to celebrate the day include:
- Read about inventors and inventions that changed the way we look at the world today. We recommend Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones, The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner, and Five Notable Inventors by Wade Hudson.
- Learn about the patent process and how to protect your ideas. Put your ideas to work for you!
- Watch documentaries about your favorite inventions. You might find out something about the inventor you never knew!
NATIONAL INVENTORS’ DAY HISTORY
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Inventors’ Day and takes place every year on Thomas Edison’s birthday.
1 comment:
GOOD morning.
Gerald's long-syllabled patent for image flattening is posted in my studio, where his man cave was It is the technology which assists GPS coordinates in being useful to ordinary people.
The apple slab pie makes me fondly reminisce on church potlucks as I sometimes made apple-cranbererry pies in this style.
The freedom statue- what a good read- I hope no one decides because her cloak is trimmed in fur that she must come down.
As my friend Bob' family tree includes Benjamin Franklin, I will mention the hospital connection to the date when we text later.
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