New Scavenger Hunt Question

Thanks to dnyamini, we have an answer to the last two SH questions:

Question 2: Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng, high school history teacher.

Question 3: The commemorative Metro pass will be $10.



Dnyamini, you are currently ahead with 4 points, and Collegestudent 2008 has 2 points.



Ancestral Blessings, thanks for playing the game and your helpful information about getting a pass early (online) to avoid lines if you want to ride the Metro on Inauguration Day. Your answer came in after dnyamini. However, your suggestion for a movie "The Spook Who Sat by the Door" is wonderful. This may show up on the bus!



Now for question 4:



Rev. Joseph Lowery has been selected by the Obama Inauguration team to give the benediction at the swearing in ceremony. He is an eloquent and often humerous speaker whom I had the pleasure of meeting while I lived in the Atlanta area. The question is: What civil rights organization did he help to found in 1957?

Remember, sign up as a follower, click the google ad, then post your answer.

Inauguration Update



The Obama team has a section on their website where you can sign up for information and schedules for the inauguration events going on before, during and after. Be the first to receive information about tickets, service opportunities, and local events:
http://my.barackobama.com/inaugural



Posted on the home page for this site is the following message:



The Presidential Inaugural Committee, at the direction of President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden, will organize an inclusive and accessible inauguration that reflects the new Administration's commitment to leadership that sets aside partisanship and unites the nation around our shared values and ideals.



Key words to me are "inclusive and accessible." Some of you may be discouraged that you do not have tickets to the actual swearing in ceremony. As you know, only 240,000 tickets will be handed out by Congressional offices. That means MILLIONS of us will not have tickets. However, the large screens (jumbotrons) will be set up all along the mall, perhaps as far as to the Lincoln Memorial, and along Pennsylvania Avenue. At least some commentators think that being in the Mall area will be "the best 'seat' in the 'house.'"



The Obama site also has a brief article explaining that "[r]ight now members of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee along with the Department of Defense, and local, state and federal agencies are gathered around a gigantic, floor-sized map, plotting out the details for the Inaugural celebration. They’ll be spending the day coordinating the timing and execution of Inaugural events, from the swearing-in ceremony to the parade that follows."



Also, restaurants will be operating 24-hours a day. The museums along the mall will be open. Stores will no doubt be decorated, open, and looking for customers. Expect vendors of all types to be available. And while the restrooms in the Metro stations will be closed for security purposes, you can just imagine the number of port-a-potties on order.



We are going to DC for this historic inauguration with a spirit of ADVENTURE. Be prepared for the excitement, the crowds, the weather, and the tremendouse feeling of being involved in this democratic experience. This is OUR new government we're installing--of, by, and for the People. Don't be afraid. Be prepared.



Get on the bus!

Washington DC Visitor's Guide

Where to Go in DC and How to Get There

My cousin LH sent a link to a great site for visitors to DC: The Washingtonian Visitor's Guide .

The website is a little busy, but if you click on "Plan a Visit," you can get some good information about places to eat, visit, and shop. Wear comfortable shoes or some boots made for walking.

Thanks LH! Keep the links coming.



THE SCAVENGER HUNT IS STALLED!

So far, no one has answered the second SH question correctly. CollegeStudent2008, your answer was about the "First Sistah" not the "First Sister." Two points still unclaimed!

And now, for the third question:

From the Washingtonian "Guide to the Inauguration" webpage, find the "Metro's Inauguration Page." On that page, find out how much the Obama Commemorative Fare card will cost if you want to ride the Metro anywhere in DC on inauguration day?


Movies Anyone?

CollegeStudent2008 is at the top of the game here as well. She suggested "Get on the Bus" and "Head of State". Anyone else want to play this game? What movie would you like to watch as we head into DC?

Check out the website for the film "Meeting David Wilson." Is this something you would be interested in watching?

Scavenger Hunt, Question 2

The correct answer for the first SH question is: The Man, starring James Earl Jones (1972).

The two-point winner for this question is CollegeStudent2008. (J. Slater was the FIRST to answer, but she's my close friend so she knows she can't win. But thanks for playing, J!)

Congratulations College Student! You're off to a good start. Now for the next question:

Question 2: What is the full name and occupation of the next First Sister?

Remember: Search the web, come to the blog, click on an ad, then submit your answer as a comment. First with the correct answer gets the two points.

Good luck!

Games and Prizes!

If you've ever taken a bus trip, no doubt you've participated in raffles and games played along the road. You might have won a prize. Well, for our Day of Presence trip, you don't have to wait until you board the bus. Let the games begin right now, right here.

The first game is a scavenger hunt. This hunt will be conducted on the web. There will be two winners, one on each bus, and the prizes will be selected specifically for you. You will receive your prize on the bus.

To play:

1. Sign up as a "Follower" of this blog. (not mandatory) Click the link in the right column to get started.
2. Check the blog regularly because each "hunt" question will be posted here for the next two weeks.
3. Every time you visit this blog, you must click on the Google ad displayed in the right column (under Followers). That's it. Just click the ad, go to the ad page, and then click "Back" to return to the blog. You don't need to purchase anything. My counter will record each click by your IP address.
4. Leave a comment using your "Follower" (or another) screen name. Click the "Comments" link at the end of each day's entry. Your comment will be an answer to the question for the day. The first correct answer earns 2 points. There will be at least five questions. The person with the most correct answers, i.e., the most points, wins!

Ready to start searching? Here is the first question:

1. Name the star and movie title of the 1970s film about the first Black U.S. President. (2 points)

Search the web, visit this blog, click an ad, then post your answer in the comments. I'll post the scores and keep a running tally. Good luck!

ALSO:

Please answer the poll question just added (see right column).

To win another prize, submit a comment naming a movie you think we should show on the bus ride. If your movie is selected, you win.

The Smithsonian Museums on the Mall

Before I talk about the Smithsonian Museums, I want to address a question some people (rightly) have about the bus trip to Washington: Where will the buses depart from in Dayton and Columbus?


Likely, our buses will depart from the parking lot of the Meijers on Main Street in Englewood (Dayton) and the Meijers on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard (Columbus). However, those details are still being negotiated. Further, both buses will depart and travel together; there is not one bus for Dayton and one bus for Columbus. I'll stay in touch by email, letter, and this blog so you'll know the departure locations well before our January trip.



The National Museum of American History


This Smithsonian museum recently reopened after a $85 million renovation. NPR covered the reopening on "All Things Considered" (click to listen to the story here). The museum's website provides information on exhibits, educational programs, and events, including ones available on the day of the inauguration. One that interests me is an exhibit and talk about the Greensboro student sit-ins in 1960, which helped spark student protests across the South during the Civil Rights Movement, and therefore helped change this Nation. The talks are scheduled for 12:00 (which is the same time as the swearing-in ceremony) and 3:00 p.m. Note that all programs/times are subject to change.


Among the ongoing exhibits is one about the U.S. Presidency, which I suspect now will have to be updated. Yeah! You can also see Dorothy's ruby slippers and the actual flag that inspired the "Star Spangled Banner."



Like all the Smithsonian museums that line the National Mall, this one offers respite from the cold, a cafe, bathrooms, and areas to sit and relax. And, like all the Smithsonian museums, admission is free.
(The interactive version of this map is
available here)

From now through January, I will feature some of the places and events available to us on our Day of Presence* in Washington. Check back regularly.



*"Day of Presence" is a reference to Douglas Turner Ward's comedy-drama "Day of Absence," in which all the Black people in a Southern town disappear one day and the town descends into chaos. A movie version of this tale, "A Day Without a Mexican," shows what happens when one day Californians wake up and not a single Latino can be found.

Links to News about the Inauguration

Washington DC officials expect millions of people to come to the city for the inauguration festivities. Here are some links to news stories about the events, tickets (and warnings not to purchase them), preparations in DC, etc. Come back often for updates.

Joint Congressional Committee on the Inauguration (Official Site)
http://inaugural.senate.gov/

Inauguration Theme:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/06/obama-inauguration-theme_n_141695.html

Don't Buy Tickets: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/inaugration.tickets/index.html

Washington Expects Crowd:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/17/AR2008111703672_pf.html
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-11-19-voa42.cfm
http://www.thehoya.com/node/17169