114

114 

AN ARCHITECT'S VIEW OF HIMSELF

THE PUBLIC'S VIEW OF ARCHITECTS

                                                

From my 'Manual of Practice'. 

MAKING FUN OF ARCHITECTS
                Once in a while someone comes up With an idea to make fun of Architects.

The above cartoons are a couple of my favorites, even if I used one of them. (Thanks to Frazetta).

ASK YOURSELF WHY WE USE TOOTHPASTE TO CLEAN OUR TEETH?

  Whatever happened,  it resulted in a multi-million dollar scheme.

SAINT WHO?                      

                Since it seems de regiuer to get drunk at the local pub every time ST. Patrick’s day comes around, I had to do a little research to find the person behind all this hubbub.   First of all, like Jesus, a lot of his story is a myth as he lived before there were journalists, sometime in the 400 AD.  According to the legend, Patrick was captured by Irish Pirates (weren’t they all?) from his home in Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland, looking after animals (sheep?).   After about six years he escaped and returned to his family in Britain.   Later on he became a clerk of some kind and returned to Ireland.  Somehow later on he became a Bishop in the Catholic church, but didn’t become popular until the 7^th century. 

  Patrick was actually a Christian missionary sent from France after studing .

  Don’t forget to get drunk on March 17^th !

WALK IN TUB?

  I have seen these adds for accessible tubs but only recently realized that you have to open the door, walk in, sit down and wait for the hot water to fill the tub. When finished, reverse the process by pulling the plug, let all the water out, then open the door and exit.  I hope there’s a catch on the latcht that precludes you from opening the tub when it is full of water!  I’m afraid to ask how much one coss.

THE ITALIAN BOOK ON MODERN DESIGN

  This wonderful little book ( about 6.5 inches square) is missing from my library. If there I is  anyone out there  who I loaned it to, would you let me know?  I also have one on German Design that I just finished reading again, and it reminded me about the Italian one.

EIFFEL TOWER  REVISITED                      

      REVISIONS TO THE TOWER

To get a better idea of how Gustave came up with the design , it is a fun exercise to take the different sections and give them a dimension .   I have cut up  photo of the tower to show how it would look given he was conracted to build in three different stages or heights.

WHO PUT AMERICA FIRST?

It was first used as a Republican Slogan about 1880.  An early president, Woodrow Wilson used it during World War One , not to reflect  isolationism but to reflect our nuetrality. The Klu Klux Klan claimed to have a copyright on the phrase  but  that was not true. (You mean they lied?)  What does it mean today, with our president trumpeting that we should be first? First in what? It originally meant to be a dream of individual wealth, justice and democracy for the nation. Well, that's all done.

                                                              

LUNCH UNDER LE DOME

  

WANT TO HAVE A GREAT LUNCH IN PARIS?

   I believe one of the finest rooms in Paris is the Barasserie  Printemps in the mens’ section of Le

Galleries Lafayette near the old Opera building.  The entire dining room is under a huge

magnificent glass Dome. If I remember, it was fairly economical (for Paris).or I wouldn't be there. 

COOKS TOURS

The first time we were in Paris we found we needed the Train schedules put out by Cooks Tours. We found a nearby Book-store   across from the Opera and asked for the book. Well, this is a high end bookstore and hey don’t sell rail schedules.   Ooooops!   I don’t know where we finally found one but it wasn’t at Brentanos.

  Cook’s usurped the market when trains became prevelant and even had spiffy Steam River boats up and down the Nile  in Egypt for the ultimate travelor.
  Cooks sold out in 2013 and it is now called 'Continrental travet guide, but I assume it is now on your iphone and always handy. We had to tear out the countries we were not visiting by train as the book was getting pretty bulky. and I traveled light.