Washington politicians are obliged by ritual to be pillars of family values, upholding moral duty.
With their sleek new headquarters, glossy catalogs and aggressive advertising campaigns, Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips appear to be pillars of strength and prosperity.
Thirty-nine-year-olds are supposed to be pillars of their communities, men and women in sensible clothes, with good-sized children and mortgages and the growing capacity to support cultural institutions such as the symphony.
"Oil and gas will continue to be pillars for global energy supply for decades to come," said James Burkhard, a managing director of IHS CERA, an energy consulting firm.
Before the late 90s there were few places catering for the left-field sounds in which Norway now specialises, although trailblazing venues Palace Grill, Last Train, Blitz and So What (now called Garage) continue to be pillars of the Oslo music establishment.
If he happens to be the second African-American to run for New York City mayor on a major-party line, he also doesn't generate the kind of enthusiasm that the first guy could among voters who should be pillars of support.
