Archive for April, 2007

Keith A. Washington: Shooter and Blog Spammer?

Back at the beginning of April, I wondered Why Did Keith A. Washington Still Have a Gun?! when he threatened a real estate appraiser with a second police-issued gun after shooting two furniture delivery men, killing one, with his first police-issued gun, and trying to cover up the whole thing with a fake robbery call [...]

Philly Parking in Petworth

Photo by DC Metroblogger

Riding home tonight, my third night in my new hood, I noticed a funky fresh parking method in Petworth.
Like in Philly, folks around here park in the middle of the street. Median parking may not be legal but it is efficient.
Everyone likes rock star parking and this way [...]

Get Hands On with DC Schools

This Saturday marks the 14th annual Hands On DC Schools event, where thousands of volunteers descend on DC schools, organized into teams by the Hands on DC group. Since 1994, over 26,000 volunteers have worked to make DC Schools a better place. If you want to help, and you know you do, be [...]

Library of Congress: We Blog!

I can’t, off the top of my head, think of a more peaceful and awesome space than the Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress. Since I picked up my Ultimate Library Card, I’ve only been there just a handful of times, but each time I go, I am absolutely astounded by the [...]

Buy your neighbor’s abandoned stuff

photo courtesy of the State of MD

While running out for lunch today – where I had TacoSoylent Bell for the first time in years and remembered why I don’t eat there – I heard a brief bit on the Kojo Nnamdi show about MD’s abandoned property program. [...]

Ack! Pollen!

With the return of the awesome weather this week, we were also greeted with the return of the tree pollens that make my life an exercise in continual misery. The last few days, I feel as if there’s been a grenade of snot detonated inside my sinuses, and no amount of Zyrtec, Claritin [...]

Is the GW a target for aliens?

So lo and behold, due to a new job, I find myself stuck in the morning traffic along the George Washington Parkway southbound on a regular basis, and while crossing the last Spout Run overpass before diving down below the Key Bridge, I find the odd plastic bag material “X”’s in the grass on the [...]

I, for one, welcome our new Canadian overlords

I wasn’t aware we’d been conquered by Canada, but the Airline Pilot’s Association apparently knows something we don’t. Why else would they fly the flag of another nation above that of our own?
Methinks someone needs to consult the US Flag code.
No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on [...]

Rabbit Attack at Bling Bling Giant?

Photo by DC Metroblogger

Check out the salad section of the Bling Bling Giant in Columbia Heights. Rabbits went “wintry mix” on the pre-made salads.
All my favorites are gone, only derivatives of iceberg lettuce remain.
As much as the selection disappoints, I am glad that my neighbours care enough about their health to [...]

Pershing Park Revisited

There was an owl today in Pershing Park. Majestically perched on a ranger’s arm, as large as a man’s torso, with eyes as big as Sacagaweas, its head swivelling around Exorcist-style…
As part of a joint effort between the Willard, the National Park Service, and Earth Conservation Corp., tables were set up with info [...]

Free Ice Cream!

Photo by DC Metroblogger

What a perfect way to end lunch on a sunny day: free ice cream samples from the Hershey’s Ice Cream store on McPherson Square.
They are passing out sample coupons right now to lucky passerbys like me. I need the coupon too as I miss out on their other [...]

School Takeover Bill Signed

Mayor Fenty’s first bill is now signed, and it’s the School Reform Act, putting the schools under the control of the Mayor’s office, and turning the School Board into an advisory council. The bill heads now to Congress for approval, and the hope is that the bill will be approved there, and changes in [...]

Spring’s Perfect Night

When my instant messenger buzzed me at 2pm on a Sunday, I had my feet up and I was watching the Nationals get clubbed like baby seals. The message said, “It would be a sin if we didn’t drink margaritas today.”
Hmm. Now there’s an idea. It’s just about perfect out [...]

Awakening to be Reawakened

If you plan on visiting “The Awakening” any time soon, you’d best do it sooner rather than later. According to a recent Washington Post article:
“…the outdoor sculpture ‘The Awakening’ will be dug up from Hains Point, its home for the past 27 years, then barged and trucked to an undisclosed location where it will [...]

Seeing Red On Metrorail’s Green Line

Photo by DC Metroblogger

This Green Line WMATA Metrorail train has me seeing red in the morning and not because of the Nats.
I am seeing red because the advertising-free clean lines of the original Metro design are being distorted by crass consumerism.
Yes, WMATA should be looking for alternate revenue sources because the [...]

I guess I’m too old

photo courtesy of sean dreilinger

…cuz it’s too loud. A number of us went to check out the bar at Liberty Tavern last night after having dinner around the corner. It’s a lovely space, or at least the bar is [...]

Capitol Power Plant

I’ve seen those old smokestacks near the Capitol on my walks around the Hill before, but I had no idea what they were; this WaPo article resolves my puzzlement: “Reliance on Coal Sullies ‘Green the Capitol’ Effort.” It’s the Capitol Power Plant, which, despite the “power” in its name, does not actually supply electricity, [...]

Smacks Forehead in Disbelief

Over the years, I’ve often found myself enlightening various tourists and relatives about D.C.’s voting rights issue and the varied arguments over the “last colony” status of the District. It never surprises me that most people from outside the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area have no idea about D.C. residents’ disenfranchisement, and that they usually assume [...]

RendezVous Cafe

When I walked into the RendezVous Cafe on Wilson Boulevard, I didn’t realize how tiny it was. There are, maybe, six tables in the whole place, it’s an intimate location with no table inside that seats more than a pair. We had three, but we managed to grab the two corner tables without [...]

DeMolay Car Wash Fundraiser on Saturday

The Edwin Albert Mroz Chapter of the Order of DeMolay is having a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, April 21st from 8am-12pm. The car wash will be at the Kemper-Macon Ware Masonic Lodge at 411 Little Falls St. in Falls Church.
All donations will be accepted.
I am not sure of the weather forecast for that day [...]