October 2, 2007
Development Company to Propose Hippie Monument
Thanks to a tipster for forwarding us an invite to a seemingly bizarre press conference to be held this Friday by Jeffrey S. Abramson, part of the Abramson clan who runs The Tower Companies, a relatively major local developer that was responsible for such projects as Washington Square at Farragut North and the Millennium Building at 19th and K. Abramson, it seems, would like to build a new monument. A monument to "Invincibility." From the release:
An award-winning, 60-year-old commercial development firm in Washington, D.C., will present design plans this week for a grand “Tower of Invincibility” to be built in the nation’s capital as a permanent monument celebrating freedom, sovereignty, and peace in America.
Mr. Abramson will hold a news conference to present the plans on Friday, October 5, at 11 a.m. (ET) at the Hay-Adams Hotel, 16th and H streets, NW, in Washington. The event will be webcast live at www.TowerofInvincibilityDC.org.
Mr. Abramson said the people will decide where the Tower of Invincibility will be built. “Everyone is invited to visit the website www.TowerofInvincibilityDC.org. and submit three possible locations in Washington for the Tower of Invincibility in the order of their preference. Invincibility is the domain of every citizen and therefore everyone should have input on where this great testament to national invincibility will be built,” Mr. Abramson said.
Um, what?
The image above is taken directly from TowerofInvincibilityDC.org, and some quick googling reveals that the very same image appears on the web site of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Global Country of World Peace organization. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is the founder of Transcendental Meditation, and became a counter-culture icon in the 1960s and 70s, appearing once on the cover of Time magazine and earning celebrity disciples such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys and film director David Lynch. There is a World Peace Palace branch of the organization in Bethesda, Md.
Abramson has been featured in a number of articles that talk about his adherence to Transcendental Meditation and the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and the Tower Companies' projects incorporate principles of Vedic design, which is similar to Feng Shui but rooted in teachings from ancient Hindu Vedas.
What do you think is the likelihood of Abramson being successful in his quest to get the Tower of Invincibility built here in our nation's capital?
|
The lingham building is quite impressive. Couldn't they have put the fountain on top of it instead of in front of it?
Why sweat the tower's location? It should be able to float around town on the power of Transcendental Meditation.
Looks like a skyscraper disguised as a...hmmm...as a...hmm...oh yes, as a Tower!
I dunno about hippies, but clearly someone's been smoking something. Since when are we invincible?? And, where's the giant vagina hovering over it to complete the imagery??
Anyone else think it looks like a giant, golden dildo? Seriously, I can't be the only one!
the name 'tower of invincibility' has imperial and militaristic connotations, and the last thing america needs at this time. why not celebrate
"freedom, sovereignty, and peace" with a moniker for the building that reflects those values, not war and might?
How about they build it in East St. Louis.
Maybe the Tower of Invincibility can fly over to the Mormon Temple and they can battle for supremacy in the sky!
Video game designers: don’t say I never did anything for you.
How can they build a “Tower of Invincibility” when their website reeks of 1997.
Giant, golden dildo? No. Buttplug? Definitely.
Mr. Abramson said the people will decide where the Tower of Invincibility will be built.
I think we all know where Mr. Abramson should put this. I'll go get the Wesson Oil.
God why don't they just send an embossed invitation to OBL with the message:
Dearest Sir, this building wished to extend to you an its warmest invitation to blow it the shit up. RSVP regrets only.
Your Next Target,
This Weird Ass Looking Building
I'm not sure where the hell they would even find the land to build this building (if they in fact mean to build it in DC-proper). It would be awfully expensive to take that much land for gardens and fountains and only have what doesn't appear to be much in the way of square-footage.
Good thing they are not a publicly held company, that stock value would fall faster than a yoga try to fly through TM.
Invincible Sun, did you just criticize a transcendental pacifist hippy cult/movement for evoking militaristic connotations? Congratulations, you just out hippied the hippies. You win a one way ticket to The Summer of Love.
Perhaps they can also build a Fortress of Solitude while they're at it.
No, no, Reid, you misunderstand. The drawing above is actual size.
Don't worry... it will look better when the reservoir tip is installed.
Suggestion: Rename it "Phallus of Vulnerability"!
Looks like someone took a giant viagra.
No, no, Reid, you misunderstand. The drawing above is actual size.
[15] Posted by: KCinDC | October 2, 2007 1:36 PM
**********
What is this, a Tower of Invincibility FOR ANTS?!!!
This monstrosity looks like the bastard child of the tiered tower at the Basilica of the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception by Catholic University and Hoover Tower at Stanford. What I don't know is whether the resulting design takes on more of the hubris of a church, or the sucking of a hoover.
KCinDC -- It's not the size of the building that's important, it's how you use it.
"No, no, Reid, you misunderstand. The drawing above is actual size."
What is this, a Tower of Invincibility for ants?
This Tower of Invincibility will have to be at least three times bigger than this.
Oh, I get it! It's a hippy memorial, so it's shaped like a bong. See? There's the water right there, and I assume the bowl is in the back. And like all pretty glass bongs, it's sole purpose is to be broken.
I don't understand how people can say the Maharishi is a "hippy." That's like calling L Ron Hubbard a "hippy."
You'd be a fool to call the Beatles, Beach Boys or David Lynch hippies and certainly not Mia Farrow, who was also a follower briefly. So what's the deal? intellectual laziness?
Damn you EdtheRed and your faster trigger!
Wow, talk about national hubris.
I would have no problem with David Lynch designing the monument. Even if it were shaped like Eraserhead and wrapped in plastic, it would be an improvement. And you know you'd be able to get a damn fine cup of coffee in the cafeteria. AND HOT.
My Tower of Invisibility has been up nearly two years now and yet I get no press at all. Why?
BarryS, you'll just have to keep it up longer, I suppose.
Does it have any doors, or is it just windows all the way around? This thing looks like a Drama Club stage flat.
BarryS, maybe it's because this is a tower of Invincibility and yours is, well, invisible.
I think that the problem may have been that there was a Tower of Invincibility on the Mall that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf. Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object.
@Reid: Let's settle this...on the *runway*! ;-)
if they build that thing i'm gonna fly a plane into myself. i mean it'll be made of styrofoam and have a 4 foot wingspan, but i have to work with what i've got. we are not invincible. it was that same ignorance of thinking that we are that probably helped get us attacked last time.
Monkey, don't forget the cherry pie while you're getting that coffee.
i just wrote them an irate [anonymous] letter through their "contact us" section on the website. i suggest you all send [anonymous or not] letters as well, and let them know what a horrible idea this is!
Aren't 540 permanently installed d**ks enough for this town?
the Tower of Invincibility could bring peace to our community if it is built at Poplar Point.
KCinDC - You said it before I could...
Now that's the ugliest damn bong I've ever seen...
It's not the size of the dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog on the day or the night.
Ian Brown for President. Salute King Monkey.
I wouldn't worry about this thing actually getting built. These guys have been talking about building some meditation center back where I grew up for a few years. They bought this strange medieval castle style hotel called the Camelot built in 1965 (Nixon & Elvis both stayed there). Pretty much they've just sat on the property & it's now been condemned and is being demolished.
I like it. Crazy, real crazy. Just what we need around here.
Hi, America. There are some barbarians here at the front door for you. They'd like to come in. What should I tell them? -- Oh, we're Invincible? Right, I'll go tell them.
Abramson is big in green building. i don't know much what this is about but i am gonna cut the guy some slack and watch his news conference...
#42, you from Tulsa as well?
Jeezus... why the slam on Abramson? What, the pentagon is a better looking building with a better mission? Okay let's blow him off and go back to turning America into a police state with trillions of dollars going to weapons and no money for decaying schools and infrastructure... I want more brave, bold souls like Abramson... if he has got something, good, let's hear it. If not, well, he is in good company, cuz no one else is offering much new to chew on...
Not sure about the design, but from what i read on his website, i do like the sentiment...