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       LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
4th Place June 09 Olav wrote us this letter about the library of congress, as a recent visitor, and a Canadian, we think he makes as good a case for it as any text we could write about it: The Library of Congress is the world's largest library. More than 32 million books, 15 million periodicals, movies and 100 million other items add up to hundreds of miles of shelf space and several terabytes of information. What's awesome about that? It is an institution that is open to public use. That's right, not just the use of Congress, not just the use of Americans, but the use of anyone from any part of the globe. The world's largest repository of information is accessible to everyone. Considering the size of the collection, the labrynthine warren of tunnels in which the books are stored and the demands of the public, one would understand if it took the librarians several days to find any particular book. However, just about any book in the collection can be retrieved within an hour. Seriously! One hour! I was there last weekend doing some research and I requested New Computer Methods for Global Optimization an obscure book from 1988 that had a print run of less than 500 copies. They had it in my hands in 15 minutes! That's incredible. I'm going to go so far as to say that The Library of Congress isn't just awesome, it's one of the Wonders of the World. There are many great things about America, but I would list the Library of Congress as the single best. It is all of the greatest achievements of Western Civilization under one roof, at the fingertips of all those who seek knowledge. Seriously. I was awe-struck. I am awe-struck. I'm well-known as someone who is loquacious, and I can't even find the words to express how impressed I was with the Library of Congress.
Nominated by Olav Rokne
Image Credits
Filename: libraryofcongress.jpgSource: wiki commons author: Andreas Praefcke Url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LoC_Main_Reading_Room.jpg 
Filename: libraryofcongress_exterior.jpgSource: Public Domain Url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ThomasJeffersonBuildingLOC.jpg 
Filename: libraryofcongress_building.jpgSource: wiki commons author: Josh from Washington, D.C., USA Url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Library_of_Congress_(1).jpg 
Filename: libraryofcongress_interior.jpgSource: wiki commons author: Diliff Url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Library_of_Congress_Interior_Jan_2006.jpg 
Filename: libraryofcongress_1921.jpgSource: wiki commons author: Josh from Washington, D.C., USA Url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Library_of_Congress_1921.jpg
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Library of Congress was voted MORE AWESOME than:
 Teddy Roosevelt  Moustache Balaclava  Shaved Ball Cap  Giant Nintendo Controller  Little Superstar  Meat Suitcase  Venus Fly Traps  Unibrow  Theo Jansen's Art  General Lee 01  Crop Circles  BigDog Robot  Roller Derby  Freerunning  Dwight K. Schrute  President Obama  The Hamburger Bed  Wingsuit Base Jumping  Bob Ross  Flying Spaghetti Monster  Badass Mountain Men  Beer Maids  Rollerman  Space Invader Invasion  The Brick Testament  Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton  The Man with No Name  The Stig  Queen of the Mist  Deja Vu  Ultra Slow Motion  Troy Hurtubise's Inventions  Gong  Keith Loutit's Little Sydney  Soccer* Hooligans  Reliant Robin Teddy Roosevelt  Choose Your Own Adventure Books  Tiesto  Rasputin  The Disintegrator: Rubber Band Minigun  Death Star  Mermaids  Male Emperor Penguins  Indy's Whip  Literal Video Versions  Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee  Hunter S. Thompson  Extent of the Universe  Mark Twain Library of Congress was voted LESS AWESOME than:  Nikola Tesla  Robocop on a Unicorn  Miracle On Ice  Aurora Borealis  Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator  Captain James T. Kirk Captain James T. Kirk  Johnny Cash Teddy Roosevelt Death Star  James Earl Jones Counts to 10 James Earl Jones Counts to 10  Jesus Riding A Dinosaur  Walking on the Moon
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          SPACE INVADER INVASION
1st Place April 09 Have you ever happened upon a tiled Space Invader on a city street? Most of these creations are the work of one man. He likes to be called "Invader". For the past eight years he has been traveling the planet earth playing his own reality Space Invader game. For every tiled Space Invader he cements in place he gives himself points. He has Invaded 35 cities on five continents. He is documenting his invasion and even offers a collection of maps. If your planning a trip to one of the invaded cities stay alert, bring your laser beam and remember they like to move sideways.
Nominated by Ivana B. Awesome
Image Credits
Filename: spaceinvader_marseille.jpgSource: cudmore on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cudmore/26544105/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_mercer.jpgSource: ianqui on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianqui/2467984/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_turkey.jpgSource: livinghood on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livinghood/52891117/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_paris.jpgSource: yoyolabellut on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yoyolabellut/384120278/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_vienna.jpgSource: watz on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/watz/166374876/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_nepal.jpgSource: 9-lives on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachelhwalker/2974495935/ 
Filename: spaceinvader_london.jpgSource: What What on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatwhat/5699851/ 
Filename: spaceinvader.jpgSource: die_gabel on flickr cc Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/die_gabel/87314974/
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Space Invader Invasion was voted MORE AWESOME than:
 Monster Trucks  The Couch Dress Moustache Balaclava  Japanese Game Shows Venus Fly Traps General Lee 01  Mock Apple Pie  El Chupacabra BigDog Robot Dwight K. Schrute  Mister Rogers doing The Wave Bob Ross Badass Mountain Men  Polio Vaccine  Don Hertzfeldt's Shorts  Luchadores Luchadores Rollerman  Where the Hell is Matt?  Ninja Hauler Listing  UFOs  Double-Necked Guitars  Extreme Shepherding  Rabbit Holes  Smoking Smarties  Cossacks  Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan  Easter Eggs  The Leia Wig  Moon Boots  Nessie  Hammerhead Sharks  Max Raabe  This Super Stars MusiCard Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator Johnny Cash  Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka Space Invader Invasion was voted LESS AWESOME than:  Chewbacca Shaved Ball Cap  Jesus Christ Little Superstar Theo Jansen's Art Nikola Tesla Crop Circles Robocop on a Unicorn Roller Derby The Hamburger Bed Aurora Borealis Flying Spaghetti Monster  Hedgehogs  WAKE n' BACON Rollerman Rollerman Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator The Brick Testament  Banksy Teddy Roosevelt Library of Congress James Earl Jones Counts to 10 Death Star Hunter S. Thompson Extent of the Universe Mark Twain  Emperor Norton Jesus Riding A Dinosaur Walking on the Moon  Les Claypool
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Anyone else notice how some of the "space invaders" look more like Pac-Man ghosts?
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Spooooky . . .
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A) Books are awesome.
B) Large quantities of books are more awesome than lesser quantities. C) Democracy is awesome. D) Freedom of speech is awesome. E) Freedom of information is awesome. F) Thomas Jefferson is awesome. The Library of Congress combines the net awesomeness of that entire list, in an awesome building, with awesome organization, awesome people running it and awesome art on the walls. This should be in the Top 8. I am more in awe of this than the sum of all other nominees, even though all nominees this month are awesome in their own right. reply
Agreed.
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The Great Library of Alexandria was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World...perhaps the Library of Congress should be considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World? THAT would be awesome!
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IMHO, the LoC is all seven wonders of the Modern World.
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Could someone attempt to convince me that this is somehow awesome?
Because I currently just don't see it. reply
Wow, i know. I mean its kinda awesome, but not undefeated awesome. Its like a video game version of Where the Hell is Matt, but without the depth and meaning of it.
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At most it inspires perplexed bemusement... but it doesn't make me feel awe-struck.
Regardless of how neat it may be, SII is simply aweless. reply
Although, I do think it's the most awesome graffiti ever. It takes a lot more thought and time than just using a can of spray paint.
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Banksy is more awesome than Space Invader graphiti. (www.banksy.co.uk)
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I had never seen his work before, but I have to agree with you.
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I'm quite fond of the fact that he installed several of his works at the MOMA, the British Museum and the Tate ... without anyone knowing about it for several weeks.
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Banksy is super-awesome...but I also love the fact that Invader is not only doing guerilla art, he's got his own points system for it. That's so unnecessary as to be awe-tastic!!!
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I must agree, I never would have guessed at the beginning of the month that the final matchup would be these two....
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