Archive for November, 2005

Tow Company Owner Indicted

Sweet. Excuse me while I laugh myself fucking silly. George King, of Frank’s Towing, got his own ass towed to court this morning for about 20 counts, ranging from failing to register and report business income, and not withholding taxes from employee pay. Hat tip to DCist for pointing this one out, [...]

Barmy, Part Deux

Remember Barmy Wine and Liquor The place with free delivery for when your drunk ass can’t go get it yourself?
Right now there’s a sign in their window that says, “Wines as low as one penny!!!!!”
I don’t think I should drink anything that costs a penny a bottle. It’s not that I’m a wine snob [...]

Do your Christmas Holiday shopping alternative-style

If you’re not game to get your craft on yourself you can always go buy something someone else has made in on of DC’s many outdoor markets. The new upstart in the bunch is the Downtown DC Holiday Market on the site of the old convention center at NW 11th and H St. The first [...]

Tomorrow’s Headlines Today: Blackberries Cease, Withdrawal Causes Massive Crime

Apparently the ubiquitous Blackberry handheld email device may be coming nearer and nearer to a drop dead date:
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (CA:RIM) (RIMM) on Wednesday was pushed closer to a possible shutdown of its U.S. mobile e-mail service after a judge refused to delay a patent infringement case and rejected a disputed settlement [...]

Stadium Politics

Well, we’re about 30 days away from a big day in DC Baseball: Major League Baseball’s deadlines for having a lease on the ballpark and having the site under city control, pursuant to Article VII of the stadium agreement between DC and MLB. We also appear to be nowhere near an agreement about what [...]

Library of Congress Smells Funny

I got the call a few minutes ago from one of my field agents that the Library of Congress had been evacuated due to an “irritating odor”, but by the time I got a free second to check it out, they’re letting workers back into the building. Damn this day job! Damn it [...]

Candy Politics

What says love more than chocolate? And what says fun more than M&M’s? And what says DC more than politics? And what could be better than mixing the three?
Not much in my book, so get your candy on!
You can now make custom M&M’s and ship a four pack to your [...]

Pouring Out There

It’s absolutely pouring out there right now, coming down in buckets and buckets, sounds like drumsticks on my windowpanes. For the first time since Hurricane Isabel in 2003, my satellite service went out. Of course, it wasn’t out for long, but just a cursory 2 minutes outside making sure the dish was aligned [...]

Bubbles & Boom Times

Certain dear readers will be happy to know that signs are supposedly showing of a slowdown in DC’s overheated (some say overvalued) housing market. Though real estate experts (not to mention ol’ Greenspan) have been warning of a bubble in the area for months, October marks a noticeable rise in the inventory level of existing [...]

It’s Dorothy Time!

Like in the Wizard of Oz, cuz DC Alerts says: National weather issued a Tornado Watch for the District Of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions until 1AM. The strongest storms will be capable of producing an inch of rain in an hour along with damaging winds up to 60 MPH.
This post appeared in its original form [...]

Who needs a blog when you’ve got a license plate?

The endless flow of commuters traveling in and out of DC from neighboring Virginia – where a vanity plate only costs an extra $10 – provides for a pretty good amount of reading material on the roads. Sometimes, however, seven little letters just won’t suffice. That’s when you need foot-high letters that communicate your message. [...]

Butterstick Video

This morning, our dear butterstick met the press in his enclosure in the Zoo. Even though they insist his name is Tai Shan, we all know better. His public debut, for which no sexual favors are required, is next Thursday. But if you haven’t gotten a chance to lay eyes [...]

A look at old DC

View from Capitol Westfront 1977 1

Originally uploaded by smata2.

Flickr user smata2 has uploaded a bunch of scans of images of Washington almost 30 years younger than the one we live in now. I love seeing old Washington, when you could climb the Capitol steps. What [...]

Productivity v. Health

I’m sitting at work feeling the beginnings of a cold. Or is it a virus? Or the dreaded flu? Who knows, it’s just annoying. Swollen sore throat, sniffles, starting to feel flushed. Not good no matter what you call it.
Then I begin to notice I’m not the only one. Two co-workers complain of the same [...]

Thanks for the Holiday Love, XM!

Dear XM Satellite Radio,
Thanks so much for adding five holiday music channels to your dial for the holiday season! Though, yes, you did displace Wayan’s favorite channel, I’m rather fond of Christmas music, from the twang of Nashville on 105 to the Novelty stuff on 107 and the Classics on 104. I know [...]

Bring back the music!

Dear XM Satellite Radio,
What are you all thinking? What are you doing? And what is going on in your NY Avenue headquarters that makes you change your play list like this?
I miss my Ngoma Channal 104, I really do. See when I wanna get my groove on, really set the mood, its all [...]

Bill Simmons Returns

Bill Simmons, known to all men as the funniest sports columnist in the world, is coming back to DC for a second signing of his new book Now I Can Die In Peace. He’ll be back at the ESPN Zone on December 6th at 5pm. If you weren’t there the first time, be [...]

Hold ‘Em Hold Up! (*groan*)

Armed robbers forced their way into a home in Fair Oaks that was hosting a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament.
The robbers evidently had access to the invitation to the game, and made off with several thousand dollars.
Judging by the Virginians I know who carry their sidearm while hosting poker tournaments in their [...]

Snow, sea, and pumpkin pie…

After downing all those Belgian beers at Busboys and drowning in Gen X irony, I headed over to meet my husband for the next course in DC nightlife Thanksgiving Eve. The snow had just started to fall and he was standing in front of Stetson?s, peering in forlornly. ?It?s closed,? he sighed, but luckily just [...]

Busboy or Poet?

I wasn?t sure what to expect from Busboys and Poets, the new bookstore/coffeeshop/bar/performance space at 14th and V Streets. I?d heard varied reports labeling it either a symbol of gentrification or a symbol of defiance, either a buppie/yuppie hangout or IMF protesters ground zero. This hearsay incongruity struck me as rather intriguing, so a friend [...]