The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington D.C. has been awarded the esteemed title of the ugliest building in the world worth visiting.
As reported by Reuters, Trippy.com put the eyesore at the top of its list for the World’s Top 10 Ugliest Buildings.
Trippy writes:
“This is reason alone to avoid the 10 Most Wanted list. Situated in the centre of the city, this dreary 1970s behemoth is almost unavoidable. Its days may be numbered as discussions about the department's relocation are rumoured to be swirling around the capital city.
Other notable buildings on the list include Trump Tower in New York City, the Royal National Theatre in London and the Chang Building (Elephant Tower) in Bangkok, Thailand.
In honor of the FBI headquarter’s new recognition, DCist pulled out a 2005 quote from architect Arthur Cotton Moore describing the building.
It creates a void along Pennsylvania Avenue. Given its elephantine size and harshness, it creates a black hole. Its concrete wall, with no windows or life to it, is an urban sin. People should be strolling down America's main street. Nobody strolls in front of the FBI Building.
I've long wanted to put panels for outdoor art onto its blankness, as is done in Paris, to infuse some activity. The FBI long refused, I assume because they suspected somebody would burrow through the wall.
DCist itself, however, questioned Trippy’s decision to place the building at the top of its list.
Still, being at the top of the list may be a bit of a stretch. Sure, it's an eye sore, but at least it's a plainly designed eye sore. These buildings, on the other hand, somehow manage to merge ugliness with head-scratching design.
* Outspoken Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for governor of Virginia, has better name recognition than his main opponents in the race.
According to the latest Washington Post poll, thirty-one percent of Virginians have a favorable impression of Cuccinelli while 31 percent do not.
But at least they know who he is.
His likely opponents in the race, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D), have favorable ratings in the 20s, while more than 50 percent have no opinion of either of them.
“The outspoken attorney general has garnered national attention for suing the federal government over health care, advising colleges that they could not adopt policies protecting gay people and subpoenaing climate change documents from the University of Virginia.”
Another Washington Post poll shows that Gov. Bob McDonnell’s approval rating has dropped over the past year. In May 2011, he had a 62 percent approval rating while his current approval rating hovers around 56 percent.
A highly talked about vice-presidential possibility, Gov. McDonnell is currently traveling the state and running a series of ads touting Virginia’s successes.
He kicked-off the tour Monday, traveling to Danville to celebrate the expansion of EIT—an equipment manufacturing company owned by Virginia State Del. Joe May.
* Maryland animal advocates are asking the governor to introduce legislation in the special session that would overturn a Maryland Court of Appeals decision deeming pit bulls dangerous.
But, according to The Baltimore Sun, Gov. Martin O’Malley said the special session is solely focused on the budget and will not introduce such a bill.
The House gave a similar response.
* In the largest Medicaid fraud case investigated by a state in U.S. history, pharmaceutical giant Abbot Laboratories agreed to pay $1.5 billion to resolve civil and criminal investigations in connection with the nationwide illegal marketing of the seizure drug Depakote, according to The Richmond Times Dispatch.
The Virginia Attorney General’s Office and federal officials made the joint announcement Wednesday.
"This settlement will allow all 50 states and the federal government to recover money fraudulently taken from Medicaid, Medicare and other health programs," Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said.
The $1.5 billion resolution includes a criminal fine and forfeiture totaling $700 million, and civil settlements with the federal government and the states totaling $800 million.
According to The RTD, Virginia was contacted to be involved in the case because of its Medicaid fraud unit’s reputation for successfully investigating national cases.
