A monument is a statue, building, or other edifice created to commemorate a person or important event. They are frequently designed as artistic objects to improve the appearance of a city or location. Cities that are planned such as Washington D.C. and Brasília are often built around monuments. The Washington Monument's location (and vertical geometry, though not physical detail) was conceived to help organize public space in the city before it was ever connected with George Washington. Older cities have monuments placed at locations that are already important or are sometimes redesigned to focus on one. As Shelley suggested in his famous poem "Ozymandias" ("Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"), the purpose of monuments is very often to impress or awe. In English the word "monumental" is often used in reference to something of extraordinary size and power. The word comes from the Latin "monere," which means 'to remind' or 'to warn.'

Functional structures made notable by their age, size or historic significance can also be regarded as monuments. This can happen because of great age and size, as in the case of the Great Wall of China, or because an event of great import occurred there such as the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in France.

Monuments are also often designed to convey historical or political information. They can be used to reinforce the primacy of contemporary political power, such as the column of Trajan or the numerous statues of Lenin in the Soviet Union. More benignly they can be used to educate the populace about important events or figures from the past. Monuments also serve as demarcators of public spaces.

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NYT > N.Y. / Region

A Dead Language That’s Very Much Alive
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:31:14 -0000
The resurgence of a language once rejected as outdated and irrelevant is reflected across the country as Latin is embraced by a new generation of students.
Rooms: Accommodations for the Discreetly Superrich
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:26:04 -0000
One of the quietest, most private rooms around is at the Four Seasons Hotel, which is uncontested as the city’s most expensive temporary rental.
Allies Share Uneasiness in Changing Term Limits
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:25:20 -0000
Ronald S. Lauder’s uneasiness about rewriting the city’s term limits law was echoed in an emotional two-hour meeting of the city’s Democratic City Council members on Monday.

Gotham Gazette: New York City News and Public Policy

Make That Three: Bloomberg's Reelection Bid
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Let's assume Mayor Bloomberg convinces City Council to change the term limits law and wins re-election -- what could he do about the economy anyway?
Economic Fallout
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Poll: Should Bloomberg Seek a Third Term?
Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400


News - rochesterdandc.com

Obama raises 70 percent more funds in Rochester area than McCain
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:53:00 -0500
Barak Obama has outraised John McCain in a wide range of neighborhoods — in virtually every corner of the city of Rochester, but also in more typically Republican locales in the suburbs.
Rochester-area analysts urge not to panic as financial woes spread
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:54:00 -0500
The Dow closed at 9,955.50 Monday, some 9½ years after the stock average first pierced the 10,000 level on the way up.
Webster takes aim at deer growth
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:01:00 -0500
Webster will become the second town in the county to manage its deer population with a controlled bow hunt later this month.

The Buffalo News: Latest Local News

Too early to determine Edwards' status
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:55:29 -0400
Coach Dick Jauron today said it was too early to say quarterback Trent Edwards will be able to play Oct. 19, when the Bills come off their bye week and host the San Diego Chargers.
Two accidents tie up Niagara Thruway
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:52:02 -0400
State police and emergency crews were on the scenes of two motor vehicle crashes that happened minutes and only a couple miles apart around 3 p.m. today on the southbound Niagara Thruway.
Clarence boy makes the cut in 'Sports Kid' competition
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:05:46 -0400
And then there were two.

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