I went with cousins to check out this place
Despite being clearly under-staffed, service staff graciously answered all our questions promptly which made a good first impression
Accepts credit cards only
Has average prices
Gives children a chance to practice what they are learning and discover magic all around
Place was clean and organized
Customer service was okay
I notice health and safety for all is very important here
Aside from all the cool play stuff, also has Summer Camp, puppet shows and computer science program
Exhibits are 75% accessible for wheelchairs and 100% accessible to children age 2 years old
Does what in business to do
Has age 65+ discount
Is Blue Star Museum so Active Duty Military with ID receive free admission year-round. That gained 'em a review star.
There's NO Veterans Discount as thank you to Veterans to provide resource to ensure Veterans (rare 7% of the population) to participate in American Dream Veterans' sacrifices have made possible for 100% of the population. That lost 'em a review star.
I rate this business 3 stars. According to Yelp ratings' definitions, that's "Ok". That to me is an acceptable rating of something that does day in and day out what it is there to do. It's NOT a negative review because doing day in and day out what it is there to do is NOT an easy thing to accomplish.
February is Black History Month
Son of black Jamaican immigrants, Colin Powell attended City College of New York, joining Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He graduated 1958 at top of his ROTC class with rank Cadet Colonel, highest rank in ROTC. US Army commissioned Powell. During his 35 years in Army, he Served two tours in Viet Nam, was stationed in West Germany and South Korea.
1963, Powell was wounded by a punji-stick booby trap while patrolling Vietnamese Lao border.
He Served a second tour of duty in Viet Nam 1968-69 where he was injured in helicopter crash. Despite his injuries, he managed to rescue his comrades from the burning helicopter.
Powell earned MBA at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., then won a White House Fellowship.
He made history 1 October 1989 as first black American Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest US military position. At age 52, he was youngest officer to Serve in this position. He Served to 30 September 1993.
His service both in military and civilian leadership is certainly worthy of praise. His very public stand against gay people in the military and his pivotal role in the debacle of the Iraq invasion though, cannot and should not be ignored.
Powell was Chairman of Joint Chiefs during the first months of Clinton administration, publicly disagreeing with President Clinton over president's plan to permit gay men and women to Serve in military. US Army Surgeon General's office had issued a circular in 1941 that for the first time classified "homosexual proclivities" as a disqualification for military Service. If it wasn't for openly gay Baron Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian military man hired by George Washington after a recommendation from Ben Franklin to train America's Continental Army during American War for Independence, there would have been no American independence. General von Steuben was renowned and revered by then American Army for his bravery and the discipline, pride and grit he brought to American Army; transforming out-numbered American farmers into a formidable and successful military fighting machine. The drill manual he wrote for the Army is still partially in use today. General von Steuben went on to Serve as Washington's Chief of Staff, after the war received US citizenship and a military pension. Every US soldier is indebted to von Steuben. Powell eventually accepted compromise of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
Powell made history again when he became first black American Secretary of State 20 January 2001.
Powell is most remembered for the act he most regretted, his 5 February 2003 presentation to UN Security Council laying out alleged US evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, which turned out not to exist.
It's reported Powell had serious misgivings about President Bush's subsequent plan to invade Iraq. It was later determined Powell was exploited by the Bush White House for Powell's credibility among the world's diplomats and his reputation for caution, and that Powell was comprehensively misled. Powell was told for example that his UN speech had been prepared by National Security Council under Condoleezza Rice. It was actually written by Vice-President Dick Cheney's office, which had led the charge in browbeating CIA analysts into coming up with evidence and when that failed, going around the CIA altogether.
Out of government, Powell described his UN speech as "a blot" on his career.
"I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world," Powell told ABC News. "It was painful. It's painful now." read more