Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Forgotten Amendment

One of the more prominent features of the Riga city skyline is a tall, horribly ugly, brown building. Upon noticing it, immediately one conjures up images of hammers and sickles - this building is unremarkably and unmistakably Soviet.

The building presently holds the national science academy and you can pay a few bucks to go up to the observation deck on top. After doing a little research, I discovered that this building is not one-of-a-kind. It is identical to many others just like it in other cities of the old Soviet Republics. They were given as gifts to the republics by Stalin himself.

I'm sorry, but this building is so hideous that giving it as a gift would be like taking a piece of dog poo, putting it in a box, wrapping it up, and giving it to your girlfriend for her birthday. "...ummm, thanks Joe...you really shouldn't have..."

It's no wonder nobody outside the Kremlin liked Stalin - he gave out poo as presents.

Thank goodness for freedom of good architecture. That's one of those constitutional rights that we probably never even care to consider. I didn't even know it existed until I came over here and saw with my own eyes this tall piece of poo jutting into the sky. I mean, just look at this thing!

1 comment:

Jake said...

Has somebody been reading "The Fountainhead" recently? Ayn Rand would be proud of your discerning taste in architecture.