I love AlertDC. The idea is so simple: send you text messages when something’s up.

Today’s something is six major water mains (8″ to 16″ in diameter) in Southeast DC being broken. Yeah. Five. Check out the map that shows where they are. Thanks to WASA for the service call information for each that’s in the google maps locations. Five of the Six are listed as “High” impact, which probably means there’s a lot of places that don’t have water right now.

Meanwhile, the other link on their front page? An 8.5% Rate Increased Proposed for Next Year. Looks like they might need one…

[Update] WASA is having a press conference at 12:30pm at 14th & B Sts SE. Sadly I can’t get there (damn you, work!) but I should hopefully have another update by 1:30 or 2pm.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

The Washington Post has indicated that the Tarpon Springs authorities have ruled her death a suicide and released her suicide note. The Smoking Gun has included actual images of her suicide notes, and they’re heartbreaking. Particularly sad is a part WaPo didn’t comment on, a paragraph in the letter to her mother that says “There is a little surprise waiting for you in the BOA account. Please use the monies for final arrangement & various account settlement.” Before some cursory Googling I’d have wagered good money that there’s no way the people who prosecuted her for racketeering and money laundering will fail to seize those assets. Over at Justice League, however, blogger SP Biloxi has posted that the defense and has already filed motions to abate and the prosecution had no objection. After all that’s gone on, including the death of Brandy Britton, everything has just been wiped away like it never happened.

Unless you’re Randall L. Tobias, former AIDS czar, Senator David Vitter or think-tank guru Harlan K. Ullman, named as clients. Or Lt. Commander Rebecca C. Dickinson, identified as an employee of Palfrey’s and compelled to testify… and suspended by the Navy, despite the immunity the prosecution granted all the women called to the stand, preventing them from exercising their 5th amendment rights and staying silent. Or Rhona Reiss, 63, also publicly identified as a former escort. Or any of the other 11 women called to testify by the prosecution. The other 119 women identified in Palfrey’s records may be safe, since the judge ordered those portions of the records sealed, and thankfully we all know that information mandated as private never leaks out.

What a waste of money and life, all to prosecute a woman who paid all her taxes on the money she made connecting two consenting adults with each other.

If she’d been running a ItsJustLunch franchise and collecting thousands of dollars from both parties she was connecting up, she’d still be alive and doing business.

If she’d been Craigslist, connecting people who want to have sex. then the shitbags at rightwingpundits.com, who I will not dignify with a link and the search engine credibility that conveys, wouldn’t have a page up about one of the case’s identified escorts, along with a picture of her and details about her academic history and family life. Oh, and a swipe at how attractive she is.

But hey, she had it all coming and nobody to blame but herself, right? After all, if it’s illegal then it must be wrong, right Mrs. Loving?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Below is an event I’m organizing tomorrow night. It’s the second one so far, and should be great. We got a great response from performers and have a really interesting lineup of talented dancers and other artists.

The Dinner Party: An evening of experimental dance, music and performance art

Tuesday, May 6, 8pm
The Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th St., NW
$5

In an effort to expand DC’s venues for in-progress, experimental, and new work, The Dinner Party is a new series of monthly open showings that will take place on Tuesday nights in the Warehouse Theater downtown. The evening will end with a short facilitated audience discussion.

We look forward to seeing you there!

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

The Capital Weather Gang (rarely wrong, always fun to read) have put up their insanely optimistic forecast for the early part of the week, calling for sunshine, low humidity and the kind of perfect days that exist only in the collective imagination of the poets.

So, here’s what you do after work today. Don’t head straight home, take a walk. Getting on the metro at McPherson Square? Walk to Metro Center or Farragut West. Walk through Dupont Circle down to Farragut North. Walk to Gallery Place or Archives.

Give yourself a taste of this awesome weather instead of taking the subterranean route home. Taking the bus? Walk a few blocks and catch it at the next stop up the route.

Or, blow off dinner at the house, and pack it up and head for the park for a picnic. Better yet? Take your camera and snap some shots for the Flickr group!

From my walk — Originally uploaded by tbridge

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

A parking enforcement vehicle parked in front of a fire plug. Does that seem fishy to anyone else? If a week goes by without me seeing a Montgomery County parking enforcement vehicle parked illegally, it’s because I haven’t spent many days up here in Bethesda.

Photo: Parking Enforcement Parking Illegally Originally uploaded by carlweaver

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

We got some email this weekend that left me utterly appalled with the Redskins Management. Suffice it to say that, if this is true, the Redskins have some real work to do with regard to fan-support and fan-management. It’s bad enough that Tickets are so expensive, but to both charge a $100 name-change fee AND strike ticket-accounts while a family’s in crisis?

Wow. That’s pretty low.

My father, who recently passed, has been a season ticket holder since 1961; 12 tickets used by family and friends (one of whom in a high DC postion). Since his passing I’ve managed the account. This year’s payment was received by the Redskins 3 weeks late. I was just notified that they have REVOKED OUR TICKETS!

I spoke with Jason Friedman who claimed “letters, emails and postcards” were sent home. NOTHING WAS SENT! I plan on fighting this but I really don’t know how– the Redskins claim all rights to do anything they want.

Our account’s address is still my father’s and his name is still on the account. As his son, I can take over but the Redskins charge a non-refundable $100 per ticket transfer of name fee. That’s $1200 that I don’t have lying around.

With the economy the way it is, the ticket holders didn’t get the money to me as quickly as normal– I expected maybe a late fee or some penalty but never this…This seems like new big business running out the old, working RFK middle class fan base that Snyder profits from.

Maybe others are feeling this too but it’s not like they never received payment. It’s a $14,000 account. Three weeks late and out??

Just ludicrous.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

You can see the full designs via the Washington Post, but they feature Frederick Douglas, Benjamin Banneker and Duke Ellington, each in turn. They also feature the more pedestrian DC motto, “Justice for All” instead of the more appropriate “Taxation Without Representation.”

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

We broke for lunch late, and headed over to The Overwood in Alexandria. I do their website in exchange for the occasional free lunch, and I hadn’t seen them in a while. So we went over and sat at the bar for a late lunch. Rami, the chef, came out and said hey, and took our order. He also asked how we liked grits, and wanted to know if he could try something out on us. Generally, when chefs experiment, it’s best to be there. They start thinking outside the box, and then they deliver big.

Rami brought out this delight, which my camera fails to adequately capture. It’s a grits cake, in lobster sauce with veggies, crawfish and shrimp. And it was heaven on earth. The grits were perfectly textured and subtly flavored, the lobster sauce creamy, and the crawfish and shrimp moist and perfectly done.

Sometimes it’s good to know the chef. I understand this is on the menu all weekend, DC-folks.

Overwood
220 North Lee St
Alexandria VA
703.535.3340

Yummy — Originally uploaded by tbridge

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Phew, another week in DC! Things never seem to get boring around here do they?

• We’ve got the Wizards pulling off a stunner against Cleveland to survive one more day in the NBA playoffs. Good luck tonight fellas. Let’s hope that Queen James doesn’t decide to open up a can of whoopass and dunk on your heads. Here are some tips for winning: play some aggressive D, drive to the hole, make your foul shots, and rebound for Rodman’s sake!
• Deborah Jeanne Palfrey, the ‘DC Madam’, hung herself with some rope in a shed down in Florida. While suicide is not exactly the best way to solve your problems, I don’t feel sad for Deborah like a lot of people do. She got herself into her mess and then came up with a way to get herself out of it. Now if somehow we find out that there was foul play involved…that’s entirely different.
• Taxis started installing meters. And by ‘taxis’, I mean about six of them. Cabbies are dragging their feet when it comes to installing them, claiming their income will be drastically reduced. And that’s my problem how? I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to trick the system, like taking the long way around town or by choosing streets that are known for traffic jams.
• People lined up like starving wolves for free ice cream cones at Ben & Jerry’s. Baskin Robbins tried to follow that up by selling $0.31 scoops, but don’t they understand that nothing is better than free, and that people don’t want four pennies in change?
• There was a shootout at a school in NE DC. None of the victims died thankfully, but did this make the national news? It’s shame that people are so immune to hearing about shootings in DC. If this had happened in some place like, I dunno, Taos, CNN would have been on the scene faster than Wolf Blitzer’s beard grows.

What did I miss? You know, when some of us move out of DC to some place like, I dunno, Taos…life is going to be pretty boring in comparison. I can’t wait to see what happens next week! Hopefully less shooting and more free ice cream.

Photo by rsplatpc

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

It seems like we just got past Easter and now we are heading into the next big commercial season – Mother’s Day. I was greeted by this chalk reminder in front of a florist’s shop in Bethesda this morning.

Are flowers the thing Mom wants? I don’t know. What I do know is that they slowly wilt and die, which is not a good expression of the love we tend to feel for our parents, or the love that florists and card stores tell us we should feel.

This year Mom gets no flowers. I will give her the same thing I always give her – a gift certificate to her favorite bookstore. Mom, if you are reading this, sorry to give away the surprise, but remember that knowledge is the best of companions and books the best of friends.

What are you getting your mother this year? Flowers? Candy? Anybody going for the ever-popular Bacon of the Month Club?

Photo: Remember Mom with Flowers Originally uploaded by carlweaver

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

…but this is a little ridiculous. Spotted at the Shirlington Harris Teeter. I wonder how long this will be there until someone points it out to staff?

I know food prices are going up, but this is ridiculous

Originally uploaded by tiffany bridge

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

To my surprise, DC has an extant, long lasting infoshop!

That may not ring any bells among those of you who didn’t go to college with a bunch of radical anarchists who shouted “fuck the police!” and “smash the state!” Frankly, it’s not part of my world anymore either–once I left college, I slowly drifted away from punks and DIYers who created their own zines and would wheat-paste fliers on walls around town after dark.

I’m not sure what an infoshop is technically meant to be, but the one I hung around in Berkeley, CA was a place where you could stay all day, reading books about ending speciesism or acting up against the military-industrial complex, and then have a meal of second-hand brown bread and vegan soup. And where the shelves were packed with homemade zines about folks’ adventures and thoughts. Kinda like paper blogs. No, make that just like paper blogs.

I’m not making fun of these places. It’s the greatest thing when people’s ideals push them to actually do something rather than just talk about it. It’s just such a walk down memory lane for me, though, that I have to laugh.

So DC’s infoshop is exactly like the one in Berkelely, only smaller. And the people are friendlier! And there are signs on the wall urging support for activists who are now in jail. I don’t remember that from my college years.

Technically this infoshop is called the Brian Mackenzie Infoshop, after a local activist who died while trying to make the place a reality.

Go check it out; smile and the folks there will smile back. It’s in the middle of nowhere, 1426 9th st NW (by P, I think) and it’s generally open noon-9pm Weds-Sun. Call at 202-986-0681 if you want to be sure they’re there before you come.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Why I Hate DC picked up on the new Nationals song that I was trying to explain away this weekend as the result of an auditory hallucination. Here’s the song. I use that term VERY loosely here. And thanks much to the first commenter at WIHDC, who summed it up perfectly:

OMG, it’s like a third-rate glee club and the 1920’s and a marching band’s percussion section had a very slow love child. WTF?

Yes. What the Fuck, Nationals? What the Effing Eff were you on when you decided this was a good idea? I mean, the O’s just got rid of Orioles Magic, and it seems to have gotten them off to a pretty good start? I mean you hired the team that brought us the iconic Monday Night Football Theme. Shouldn’t you have gotten something that resembled that? It’s not too late, Get Your Money Back!

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

In case you missed it Tuesday, the NHL nominated Ovechkin and two other guys for the Hart Trophy. The Capitals’ captain and centerman is up against Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and Calgary’s Jarome Iginla.

Honestly, I’m pretty sure they only added Malkin and Iginla because they had to have three nominees.

Yes, yes, I’m solidly in favor of Ovechkin snagging this trophy, despite being a solid Penguins supporter. But I also acknowledge talent; Ovechkin personifies the essence of the Hart and he deservedly should win it.

It’s indeed fortunate that Washington made it to the playoffs – I highly doubt Ovie would’ve been nominated otherwise, though that travesty would’ve been unforgivable, I think.

We’ll find out for sure on June 12 in Toronto, when the 2008 NHL awards are doled out. And if you didn’t know, Nicklas Backstrom is up for the Calder Trophy for top rookie, too – but he’s going to lose that to Chicago’s Jonathan Toews.

Another Capitals member is an awards finalist – Bruce Boudreau was tagged today as a Jack Adams finalist, which goes to the coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success.” Boudreau replaced Glen Hanlon in late November last year, where the Caps lay belly-up in the Southeast cellar at 6-14-1. Since then, he led the Caps to a 37-17-7 regular season mark (with seven straight wins at the end of the season) and three hard-fought playoff wins before succumbing to the Flyers in Game Seven. He was also the fastest coach to 20 victories (34 games) in Caps history.

Ovie’s already snapped up the titles for most goals (65) and points (112) on the season. The sole reason the Caps even made it into the playoffs by a hair was because Ovechkin carried them on his back. If Ovie wasn’t playing, the Caps would deservedly be in the dregs of the league along with Tampa and L.A.

Ignila makes sense as a nominee – second career 50+ goal season, 98 points total, and spearheading the Flames’ own run into the playoffs. But he didn’t electrify his team or the home crowds like Ovechkin did.

The sole player at a shot of sneaking away with the Hart is the Penguins’ Malkin. And really, despite locking in 106 points with 47 goals – 46 points and 20 goals during a 28 game stretch that kept the Penguins on playoff afterburners when Crosby went down – the only real reason he could skate away with it is if the Penguins win the Cup.

But even I don’t think that’s likely to happen. I foresee quite the Caps ‘sweep’ of the awards in June.

So my heartfelt congratulations to Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Caps for an electrifying season. I truly hope you all keep that fire lit for next year; it’ll make some awesome match ups for me and my Penguin friends to look forward to.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

If you love Pearl Jam, and were going to buy tickets for their DC show on June 22nd at Verizon Center, you might consider getting them for a donation to Steve Novick’s campaign for US Senate, instead.

Of course, I know squat about Novick’s politics, but this way you get to meet Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, and hang out with him before the show. Of course, maybe this is the best way to get influence in the Senate, as DC’s currently boned on the whole representation deal. Maybe this is a great way to make known the struggle of all District residents when it comes to representation in Congress. You can let Steve Novick just what you think about the royal screwjob that DC residents get.

Or, it’s just a way to get a cool set of tickets to Pearl Jam. $250 for a pair, though, that’s kinda ouchie to my wallet.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Barely a year after she forced a Deputy Secretary of State out of his job by selling her phone records to the media, authorities believe the DC Madam, Deborah Jeanne Palfrey, has committed suicide at her mother’s Florida home.

As DC Metblog alumnus brownpau points out, Palfrey’s Wikipedia page is already seeing a spike in edits.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

We got to head out to the dump in Fairfax County a week or so ago to bid final adieu to a couch that had far outlasted its meager existence. It was just $5 to drop the couch on the cement slab and watch as the awesome garbage hauler equipment just smashed up all manner of trash and shove it down into was appeared to be an endless pit of forgotten furniture, and various other bulk trash.

They’re very meticulous about how you get to dispose of things, there’s a man at the booth where you pay who makes sure it’s the right kind of thing to go to the dump, or whether or not it’s household hazard waste and belongs in the special part of the dump where they store those fluorescent tubes and bulbs, or if it’s a dead refrigerator, what they do with the coolant tanks.

I caught this sign and started to wonder…what sort of citizens can you dispose of at the West Ox Road Facility? Do they have to be Fairfax County citizens? Can I pay extra to drop off Arlington County citizens for proper disposal? Do out of state citizens cost extra?

Citizens Disposal?! — Originally uploaded by tbridge

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Kemper Macon Ware Lodge in Falls Church will be hosting a blood drive for the Red Cross this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Yep, it’s a Masonic Lodge but you don’t have to be a Mason to come save a life by giving of your own. Come on down and make a difference. The Lodge is located at 411 Little Falls Street in Falls Church.

Not sure about this whole blood donation thing? You can learn more about the process here and get a lot of your questions answered. Saving a life is a great reason to get up and out that early on a Saturday morning. Why not join me?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

One of the most fantastic things about the internet is the way it hooks us up with information and people. Want to know how to build your rain barrel? Instructables has several different articles. Trying to figure out something in Burnout: Paradise City? Watch one of the almost 3,000 videos on YouTube.

Or you can use it to connect a lot of people who want to teach others in person. That’s what the people behing Learnapalooza are doing. There’s currently over thirty sessions scheduled to happen on May 10th which will cover everything from geeky stuff like writing a Facebook application to more granola things like how and why to eat local food. If you wish you weren’t writing facebook apps you can learn some hip-hop dance or more general skills for dancing at a party. The schedule lists 31 events at the moment, all in donated locations.

I agree with their central idea – everyone has something to teach others – and think this is just a great idea. Get out and learn something!

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

The view from the window at Windows Cafe

–How did Ledroit Park (or Bloomingdale, as some seem to call it) wind up developing? It’s compressed into a small area around 4th and T NW and is very isolated from other developments around town; I rode through there on my bike and thought I was in California for a second–and then whoosh, it was gone.

–What’s up with Ethiopian cafe owners? Seems like all the newish cafes in town are owned by Ethiopians: Cafe Sureia in Brookland, Windows Cafe on 1st and Rhode Island NW, Azi’s on 9th NW, Sidamo Coffee and Tea on H St NE, and I think I saw a new cafe on Georgia around Irving. Oh, and Columbia Heights Coffee was bought by an Ethiopian couple about a year ago. Not complaining, that’s for sure–just curious and impressed.

–What’s going on at the corner of V and 14th street, catty corner from Busboys and Poets? There’s often a big crowd there–mostly black folks, but not the glamorous hipster crowd that hangs out at B&P. I’ve seen that crowd many times but there’s no sign indicating anything interesting there.

–Does Metro have express trains now? And if so, why does the red line express skip the Bethesda station, of all places?

–Why do train operators tell passengers, while the train’s in motion, how many cars the train has (as in, “This is an 8 car train”), when it’s illegal to move between trains?

–Is owning a home really so much better than renting, when you add everything up? If the only affordable houses are so far off in the suburbs that riding metro–post-fare hike–costs up to $10/day, and driving and parking cost double that and climbing, can you really argue it’s so worth it?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs