# A meteor heads towards Washington D.C. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970 "2013-07-19T19:34:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/1 "2013-07-19T19:34:27Z")
We all love a meteor hypothetical here at the Dope - so here’s one more. A small meteor is heading towards Washington D.C. The Feds know about it and having quickly evacuated the city (but have had no time to take anything else out of the capital) wheel in an anti-meteor laser. Blam! The meteor is struck by the laser, but to everyone’s horror it has split into multiple, smaller fragments. The government’s top experts have worked out the trajectory of the smaller fragments - they’re on collision course with the capital’s most treasured landmarks! Unfortunately, there is only enough power to fire the laser one more time - saving one building while letting the fragments destroy the rest. The small fragments are conveniently small enough not to cause local devastation but small enough to destroy whichever building they hit. The fed in charge transfers laser control remotely to you, since you won the last handsome guy/prettiest girl contest. Which building do you save? Like everyone else the President and Congress have been evacuated and are in no danger if you allow the White House or Capitol to be destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/2 "2013-07-19T19:36:44Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Like everyone else the President and Congress have been evacuated and are in no danger if you allow the White House or Capitol to be destroyed. Oh good… where are they? I need to know, because that’s where I’m firing my laser.😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/3 "2013-07-19T19:38:35Z")
The Smithsonian. However much is possible. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/4 "2013-07-19T19:40:37Z")
Gack! I was going with the Library of Congress, but, yeah, the Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/5 "2013-07-19T19:41:54Z")
Username OP combo! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/6 "2013-07-19T19:43:00Z")
The Air and Space Museum. Everything else is replaceable. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/7 "2013-07-19T19:44:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Air and Space Museum. Everything else is replaceable. Perhaps, assuming that Death and the Miser is on a traveling exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/8 "2013-07-19T19:45:07Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The Smithsonian. However much is possible. The Smithsonian is a whole bunch of separate buildings and museums spread over a large area. Which one do you save? I would save the Air & Space museum as well. The National Archives would be my choice for the ones listed in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/9 "2013-07-19T19:49:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Air and Space Museum. Everything else is replaceable. > [@runner pat](#): > > The Smithsonian. However much is possible. Fear not, as The Castle and the Air and Space Museum (which is where we’ll stick our anti-meteor laser for later display) are not in danger. The only Smithsonian building at risk is the National Museum of American History. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/10 "2013-07-19T19:56:07Z")
Archives, because it’s the archives. You know, the place we put the important stuff we want to save. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/11 "2013-07-19T19:58:18Z")
My house. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/12 "2013-07-19T20:01:40Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Fear not, as The Castle and the Air and Space Museum (which is where we’ll stick our anti-meteor laser for later display) are not in danger. The only Smithsonian building at risk is the National Museum of American History. That, then. Same reason, everything else is replaceable, or at least dispensable. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/13 "2013-07-19T20:21:09Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > Archives, because it’s the archives. You know, the place we put the important stuff we want to save. ditto ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/14 "2013-07-19T20:25:47Z")
If there’s any threat to Arlington, then my condo building. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/15 "2013-07-19T20:31:42Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Like everyone else the President and Congress have been evacuated and are in no danger if you allow the White House or Capitol to be destroyed. Oh crap, again I most before reading all of the OP. I voted for the National Archives. And thanks, dammit, another poll where I voted with the majority! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/16 "2013-07-19T20:33:50Z")
Another vote for putting the umbrella up over the archives. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/17 "2013-07-19T20:56:27Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Another vote for putting the umbrella up over the archives. Yeah, but I was cleaning out a lot of old wood until that evacuation stuff. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crocodiles_And_Boulevards)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/18 "2013-07-19T21:34:05Z")
Can I ask why the Air & Space Museum? As cool as it is, do they do research there or have stuff there that is of significant non-sentimental value (genuinely have no idea)? It seems like the National Archives is a more practical choice. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/19 "2013-07-19T22:05:06Z")
> [@Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](#): > > Can I ask why the Air & Space Museum. I just like planes that much plus a lot of the stuff there is irreplaceable too. I think people 500 years from now would still love to have the actual examples of the first planes and spacecraft ever made. All of the Smithsonians are like that in many ways but the Air and Space Space museum has a collection that is even harder than the others to replicate in some form IMO. The White House isn’t a contender IMO. Fairly few people realize that the entire White House was gutted and completely rebuilt from the inside out in the late 1940’s and the modern version is newer than some suburban ranch houses. They even sold the original furniture and fixtures and replaced them with more ‘modern’ versions because that is just the way people rolled back then. It makes you realize that the Lincoln bedroom and every other historical reference is just a fiction. The whole thing could be rebuilt again. The Capitol building could probably use a good rebuilding itself. > **[What the White House Looks Like Completely Gutted](https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/65985/what-white-house-looks-like-completely-gutted/)** > > In the late '40s, the executive mansion was in a condemnable state. To save it, everything had to go. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970/20 "2013-07-19T22:27:32Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Fairly few people realize that the entire White House was gutted and completely rebuilt from the inside out in the late 1940’s and the modern version is newer than some suburban ranch houses. They even sold the original furniture and fixtures and replaced them with more ‘modern’ versions because that is just the way people rolled back then. It makes you realize that the Lincoln bedroom and every other historical reference is just a fiction. They still have George Washington’s hatchet. It has had two new heads and sixteen new handles, but it is George Washington’s hatchet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-meteor-heads-towards-washington-d-c/663970.md?page=2)