By Wayan
This is the scene from my Petworth street tonight at 11pm: fireworks illuminating the night.
The Mall be damned because DC represents on July 4th fireworks. Whole neighborhoods erupt in patriotic outbursts of light and sound.
After a morning Freeing Our Streets in Silver Spring, I contributed to my neighborhood’s festivities with sparklers and Miller High Life, the champagne of beers.
How did you show your love for America?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
Trying to make fun of my hat by calling me Indiana Jones isn’t going to improve your odds of getting a handout. Plus, you ain’t exactly a fashion model yourself.
Besides, Indy was cool.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Storm’s coming and it looks pretty big, with areas of heavy rain and high winds. We’re in the middle of a Tornado Watch until 10pm tonight, and the cell that’s approaching the District looks to be a bad one. As a precaution, Park Police are evacuating the Mall until the storm is passed, asking people to take shelter in the museums along the Mall or beyond the space. The storm does appear to moving quickly, so you should be alright before too long.
Update: word from the Mall is that it is remaining closed for a little while longer to prevent lightning strikes from
Turning tourists into smoking craters. Apparently the tourists in the Lincoln Memorial have been told that unless the winds calm down soon the fireworks may end up getting scrapped.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Happy Independence day everyone. 231 years ago we declared ourselves from tyranny of dictatorship and declared all men equal, none more valuable than another. Among the inalienable rights granted to all are the rights of life and liberty and pursuit of happiness.
This revolution lead to the creation of the Constitution, and the enumeration of other rights, including the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of expression in the public venue.
These rights are inalienable and granted to us by our Creator. Today we celebrate those rights, those who have sacrificed to secure them, and all who believe in them.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Today we celebrated a declaration of photographic freedom in Downtown Silver Spring.
A horde of cameras swarmed down Ellsworth Drive and their owners exercised First Amendment rights including assembly, petition, and speech.
On July 4th, we did Free Our Streets. Now the question is, what will happen on July 5th?
Update:Here are the DTSS Photo Walk photos.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By brownpau
Happy Fourth of July, Washington! Tourists and visitors, welcome to DC!
Fireworks on the National Mall are tonight from 9:10 to 9:30 PM, launched from a platform along the Reflecting Pool between Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial. That area will be off-limits, and the entire Mall will be encircled by a tight and annoying security perimeter with entry checkpoints. Expect lines and bag checks, and bring no alcohol, glass bottles, grills, and for George’s sake don’t try and bring your own fireworks.
Best places for viewing will be near the Reflecting Pool, around Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, East/West Potomac Park, and Constitution Gardens. From personal experience I don’t recommend the area near the Capitol, as the crowd tends to be thick and unfriendly, with a somewhat higher lummox:local ratio than usual for the Mall during summer holidays. My wife and I will be aiming for a spot around here, which has given us good Independence Day fireworks viewing experiences in the past.
More info from:
– DC.gov’s Resident Resource Center: Independence Day section
– NPS’s National Mall Fireworks page
– WaPo’s Guide to “A Capital Fourth”
– ReadExpress’s “Beyond the Mall” Guide
The comments are open for your fireworks viewing tips, both in the District and for alternatives outside of it.
(Animated GIF of photos above was from when I spent Independence Day 2005 up on the roof deck of the Department of Labor, thanks to free tickets from a friend, which is how I got this uber-awesome panorama.)
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Free Our Streets is going on TV!
Chip Py is being interviewed for Channel 8 and the crowd is starting to form.
We are about to have a declaration of photographic freedom, right here on Ellsworth Drive in Downtown Silver Spring!
Update:Here are the DTSS Photo Walk photos.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Its 11am and Downtown Silver Spring is still lacking what the Peterson Company promised when they changed their photography policy: a “Photographers Welcome” sign.
That is the most public sign that their policy change was, as Marc Fisher of the WashPost put it, an empty gesture.
Peterson, the DTSS developer, is not about to allow photography on Ellsworth Drive consistent with First Amendment rights on any other public street.
And the very reason you should be on your way to the Green Turf in Silver Spring right now, to Free Our Streets!
Update:Here are the DTSS Photo Walk photos.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Carl Weaver
Today is the prime picnic day of the year, and likely you are rushing around with a cold, baked chicken, maybe some nice salads, a football, a softball bat and maybe even horseshoes. But likely you don’t have lawn darts. Remember when America was just a little more free and we could play lawn darts until the cows came home or else someone was rushed to the emergency room, gushing blood from somewhere? Ah, those were the days, and that’s what Independence Day means to me.
My grandfather had Jarts in his basement and I remember playing with them with my brother and our cousins when I was about ten years old. Throwing them at targets quickly grew old so we tried to see how close we could get to hitting each other, then it turned into playing chicken and eventually became a test of bravery to see who would run first when the darts were thrown straight into the air.
Boy, those were the good old days, all right. Nowadays Jarts are outlawed, but likely made in basements and available if you know the right people, like Absinthe or crystal meth. You can thank dumbass kids like my brother and me for ruining the fun for everyone.
Although we never had an injury in our Jart play, I am sure it was simply because we all lived too far away from each other to do this sort of thing very often. In other words, I have strained relationships and the breakdown of family values to thank for my survival thus far, at least when it comes to not being buried with Jarts in my skull.
So remember this little moral tale as you have picnics today. Don’t be too friendly with anyone, and if you have lawn darts, be sure to have lots of beer. Alcohol breaks down the moral fiber of our families and, as explained earlier, that keeps people from getting killed by lawn darts.
After all, Dubya has them at his cookouts. And if we are too afraid to play lawn darts, the terrorists have already won.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
Wayan, Carl, Tom, Tiff, myself and others will be on Ellsworth Drive in about four hours celebrating Independence Day in one of the best ways I can think of – by exercising our freedoms and making a statement, as our founding fathers did two hundred and thirty one years ago. I’m excited by it and looking forward to seeing all of you who choose to come out and join us.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Carl Weaver
Come on, folks. How many local people will the Post report as having blown off a finger this Fourth of July? Don’t be a dumbass. Don’t hold explosives and wait for them to go off. Don’t put that cherry bomb in your mouth. Don’t put something explosive into something that shatters easily. You dumbass.
Arlington County has posted a good list of guidelines to follow when dealing with fireworks, adopted from FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration. The coolest thing is that you can play a variant of the ever-popular fortune cookie game. At the end of each line, add, “Unless you are a dumbass.” Read on:
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Carl Weaver
Folks, if I had to guess, I would think that traffic would be a nightmare anyway tomorrow but to top it off, the Arlington County Police Department is closing a whole mess of streets to better deal with everything. While it’s cool that they are dealing with everything effectively, it could make those last-minute picnic pickups a nightmare. Here’s where you will not be able to drive on July 4th in Arlington:
From 6:00 a.m. to midnight:
• Memorial Bridge/Memorial Circle and the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial
From 3:00 p.m. to midnight:
• Eastbound Washington Blvd. between I-395 (exit 8B) and Memorial Bridge
• N. Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Route 50
• Marshall Drive from Route 110 to N. Meade Street
• Eastbound N. Fairfax Drive from N. Pierce Street to N. Fort Myer Drive
• Exit ramp from westbound Route 50 to N. Lynn Street (Rosslyn exit)
• Exit ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N. Meade Street (Rosslyn exit)
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
By now, I’m sure, you’ve heard all about the commutation of the sentence of Scooter Libby by President Bush. Instead of two and a half years in the pokey for obstructing a Justice Department investigation, he’s getting off without jailtime, just a quarter million in fines, as well as a significant legal bill, both of which likely will be paid by friends of Libby and political allies. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has come out to suggest that history will judge President Bush harshly for his abuse of power, and I suspect over the coming days, the words will only get harsher. I’m sure by week’s end, we’ll be hearing all about how this decision is a violation of lady Justice with a baseball bat.
But it’s all just Washington Justice. Reagan pardoned Weinberger pre-emptively. Clinton pardoned Mark Rich in his last weeks of office. Nixon was pardoned by Ford. It’s Washington Justice.
Pardon those who sin in office, for the American Public cannot abide a politician in jail.
Unless he’s Jim Traficant.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
“Road closed” – that is what the sign in the photograph of Ellsworth Drive says and that’s what PFA Silver Spring, LC, the developers of Downtown Silver Spring, said to photographers for years who thought about snapping a picture on this once fully public street. Until last month.
That’s when Chip Py started questioning the policy after he was harassed for photography. And when Metroblogging DC decided to organize a photo walk to visualize his concerns through Free Our Streets.
Now the developer has changed their policy, a first step in the right direction. But a policy statement subject to change at any time is not the answer. Welcoming photography, videography, and other filming on Ellsworth Drive, consistent with First Amendment rights as they would apply on any other public street is.
Or as Marc Fisher says:
Chip Py’s run-in with the picture policeof downtown Silver Spring has morphed into a good old American fight for the right to express oneself…
…The Peterson Companies, the developer that took advantage of $100 million in generous taxpayer support to get their lovely downtown retail strip going, is apparently running scared, and has offered what it terms a compromise.
But it’s an empty offer. Peterson will put up a “Welcome Photographers” banner, but the reality is that the company is in no way conceding that the street it controls is open to the public in any meaningful way.
So its time for you to join our good old American fight for the right to express oneself. Its time for you to Free Our Streets with a Downtown Silver Spring Photo Walk on the perfect day for a declaration of photographic freedom – July 4th!
Downtown Silver Spring Photo Walk
a declaration of photographic freedom
Wednesday, July 4, 2007, 12:00pm – Noon
At the Green Turf, the corner of Ellsworth and Fenton Streets
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Yesterday my Butterbean (aka Clock Stopping Hottie) tried out the new iPhone courtesy of Tom’s techno-lust.
She loved the damn cool interface and the video resolution rocked her world. I swear she even watched the “Dick in a Box” video a little too closely and a few times too often.
But here is why I know I am a lucky guy. After playing with another man’s gadget, she said, “I really want it, but we need a new fridge more.”
Of course that could just be Carl’s damn good hooch wine talking.
Regardless, Butterbean is still all excited, especially now that Mayor Fenty returned his ill-gotten bounty: three 8 Gig iPhones he returned today.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
What pain, what anguish, what overcoming sadness we all feel this morning after last nights Metroblogging DC 3rd Anniversary Barbecue. Last night, a childhood hero died.
Elmo fell to the pinata Jedi skills of MBDC’s very own WebJedi: David.
But David was not the first to swing at Emlo with death in their eye. First was Chip Py, the spiritual leader of Free Our Streets to strike the Sesame Street star. Then is was a lady’s turn to tackle, not tickle dear Elmo.
And then David ended the reign of Elmo.
Not to worry, Elmo did not feel pain, being decapitated quickly, and his remains were treated with respect and dignity worthy of his status.
And so were the MBDC Y3 BBQ attendees. With bacon-wrapped shrimp starters and burgers & dogs main course, everyone left happy, even philosophical, especially after fondling Tom’s iPhone.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Carl Weaver
The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.
The City of Falls Church is the bomb diggity when it comes to educating people about how to prevent West Nile Virus (WNV). Here are some handy documents they have on their site to help you get your ducks in a row:
WNV Checklist
Mosquito Tips During Home Construction
West Nile Virus Information for Kids
In addition, the site has a number of links for more information about the disease, both for education and prevention. Go check it out and have a fun, safe, mosquito-minimized summer!
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By brownpau
There’s a gigantic Oreo cakester standing in front of Union Station right now, with sparkly birthday candles sticking out of it to celebrate Oreo’s 95th year. In its shadow, Oreo Guy is giving out high-fives. Please do not try to eat either of these.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
With the Simpsons’ Movie coming out in just a short 26 days, the DC area is getting their very own Kwik-E-Mart in Bladensburg, just off Kenilworth Ave. No word yet whether or not we’ll be able to get a Squishie there or not. Has anyone seen the redone 7-11?
* actual facility is in Maryland, but inside the beltway.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
It really bothers me we moviemakers use standin cities in their movies, and this weekend’s Live Free or Die Hard in an absolute travesty. DC Is represented by a number of cities that are nothing like DC with giant buildings, a DC where 14th street is an alley, where no quadrants are used, where FBI HQ is actually attractive.
It really amazes me when you go to a flick where the milieu is so important and yet so abjectly broken.
Damn if I don’t hate the movies sometimes.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
