The scene is grand opening of a hydroelectric, cash register dam.(1) A speaker announces accomplishment of power finally being brought to the Valley. It could be beginning of a text or film on any number of U.S. work projects based in river basin accounting. Then initiator of plan leans over, covers microphone, and whispers in speaker's ear, didn't say bring light to Valley; I said Bud' Light. The dumfounded speaker responds, No wonder we're over budget! This 1988 television advertisement for Anheuser Busch appeals to one of nation's greatest mythical icons: dam and its accompanying effort to make natural resources fulfill human needs. The dam is merely one in a long line of mythic symbols that embody American desire to tame and subdue natural forces. In fact, because these dams are such a symbol of their builders' vision, one could even accuse Anheuser-Busch of infringement for trying to use these behemoths to sell another product. Similar to television public viewing Bud commercial, American president in early 1930s, one Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also was guilty of giddy excitement at thought of potential contained in U.S. natural resources. To FDR, these resources were more crucial in 1930 than ever before. They became a major plank in a national effort to cut waste.(2) Nature not being used to help human society was largely classified in category of waste. This is a view of natural resources that is based in conservation. However, this viewpoint also validates historian Warren Susman's assessment of 1930s culture, when he writes: ...there was in discovery of idea of culture and its wide-scale application a critical tool that could shape a critical ideal, especially as it was directed repeatedly against failures and meaningless of an urban-industrial civilization. Yet often it was developed in such ways as to provide significant devices for conserving much of existing structure. (164) During 1930s, FDR realized utility of popular media in spreading ideas and information, many of which dealt with conservation of natural resources. This led to a cultural discourse that encompassed a great deal of popular media and introduced many Americans to ideas of conserving natural resources. During 1930s, river valleys became a popular method of selling ideas and establishing governmental authority. However, it remains relatively unclear why FDR and others believed that river basins offered most logical units for economic planning. One of most respected early voices regarding use of natural resources, George Perkins Marsh had foreseen this extension of humans' impact on landscape when he wrote in 1864 that: The extension of agricultural and pastoral industry involves an enlargement of sphere of man's domain, by encroachment upon forests which once covered greater part of earth's surface otherwise adapted to his occupation. ... Thus man is compelled to extend over unstable waters empire he had already founded upon solid land. (iv) In spite of Marsh's early allusions, government planners knew of other methods for creating jobs, electricity, and other benefits that would be generated by these dams. Therefore, it becomes evident that main impetus behind these water projects may have been iconic appeal of act of stopping a river and spanning it with a dam. By showing that government planners could administer authority over such natural power, government could hope that Americans would entrust it to do same with them. A time of little hope could quickly change if Americans witnessed such exhibitions of power and authority. In order for Americans to buy into New Deal's vision of national progress, government needed to first establish symbolic authority in other realms. Rivers offered this opportunity; however, it would only be effective if word of these accomplishments reached American public. …