Ha, the fountains at the White House flowing green!

[Equipoise]

White House Fountains Dyed Green For First Time At Michelle Obama’s Request (picture at link)

The White House is going green for St. Patrick’s Day.

The water in the fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House has been dyed green to mark the national holiday of Ireland.

First Lady Michelle Obama came up with the idea for the festive touch, said spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld. She was inspired by the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in her hometown of Chicago, where the city marks the holiday by dyeing the river green.

“It’s a little piece of home for our new home,” said Lelyveld, who is also from Chicago.

Lelyveld said it’s the first time the water in the White House fountains has been dyed. The green hue will stay until the dye runs outs.

I love it! It’s nice to have fun people in the White House.

[gotpasswords]

First a swingset, now they dye the fountain green, what next? Will they throw open the gates on Halloween and welcome trick-or-treaters?

I agree - it is nice to see a touch of humanity at that address.

[Robot_Arm]

Descended from the Galway O’Bamas, is he?

[rocking_chair]

the moneygall kearneys.

[Ferret_Herder]

It’s awfully nice of Mrs. Obama to maintain the cover story that they have to dye the Chicago River.

[pravnik]

Two long years I spent on campaign,
Two long years doing nothing at all
Two long years I spent on campaign,
Learnin’ to dance for the Inaugural Ball!
I stepped out and Joe stepped in it again
Joe stepped out and I stepped in again
I fist-bumped, Michelle fist-bumped again
Learnin’ to dance for the Inaugural Ball!

(with apologies to Lanigan’s Ball)

[An_Gadai]

Again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk

[Equipoise]

@Ferret_Herder

It’s awfully nice of Mrs. Obama to maintain the cover story that they have to dye the Chicago River.

laugh We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a lighter green on St. Paddy’s Day.

[An_Gadai]

I thought they dyed it blue the other 364.

[Ferret_Herder]

@An_Gadai

I thought they dyed it blue the other 364.

They’re claiming it’s “improving water quality” that’s done the trick. (Still shouldn’t eat the fish, last I read, but it is at least a heck of a lot better looking than in the bad old days. It’s good enough to have kayak rentals and such on the river.)

[Grrr]

I’m patiently waiting for tomorow’s cover story to come out that the green dye stained the bottom of the fountain. Now tax payers have to spend a 100K to fix it.

Thanks Mrs. Obama…(Kidding of course)

[gaffa]

@Ferret_Herder

They’re claiming it’s “improving water quality” that’s done the trick. (Still shouldn’t eat the fish, last I read, but it is at least a heck of a lot better looking than in the bad old days. It’s good enough to have kayak rentals and such on the river.)

In the river’s defense, it never caught fire.

[Equipoise]

@gaffa

In the river’s defense, it never caught fire.

There are no pictures of the river on fire there. That’s disappointing. Here’s one.

[Robot_Arm]

@Equipoise

laugh We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a lighter green on St. Paddy’s Day.

You might be similarly disappointed if you ever see the Danube.

[Ichini_Sanshigo]

@Equipoise

There are no pictures of the river on fire there. That’s disappointing. Here’s one.

From your link:

Firefighters battle a fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River in 1952. The 1969 blaze, one of nine on the river since 1868, came at a time of increasing environmental awareness and symbolized years of environmental neglect.

There were nine fires burning on the river for 99 years?! :eek:

[cochrane]

@An_Gadai

Again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk

Gee, I was coming in to post this one.

[madmonk28]

I like it, too. You just know someone’s gonna have a problem with it and go on the talk shows.

[Broomstick]

@Equipoise

laugh We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a lighter green on St. Paddy’s Day.

I’d describe it more as a brighter, more intense green. Vividly green, as opposed to the usual muddy green.

Oddly enough, before they put the dye in the water the dye is orange.

[rocking_chair]

@Ichini_Sanshigo

From your link:
There were nine fires burning on the river for 99 years?! :eek:

here’s a fun fact. when oil was first refined into usable products in western pa, they would pour the then considered unusable gasoline into the rivers. there were lots of river fires in western pa and ohio from this.

[rocking_chair]

@Broomstick

I’d describe it more as a brighter, more intense green. Vividly green, as opposed to the usual muddy green.

Oddly enough, before they put the dye in the water the dye is orange.

there is a scene in the harrison ford movie fugitive that shows the intensely green river. it is almost lime green.