Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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The WMATA Single Point of Failure? Yes, But…

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

This morning’s power failure at Metro’s data center that took their PA system, payment processors, NextBus and other non-critical services offline this morning. Specifically, a power distribution unit (PDU) at their datacenter failed, which took offline a bunch of Metro’s servers. So, what’s that mean? Shouldn’t they have protection against that sort of thing? I asked these questions of Chuck Goolsbee, VP of Technical Operations at Digital Forest in Seattle. Here’s what he said:

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The Daily Feed
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City Paper Interviews Real Worlders

Photo courtesy of
‘The Biggest Looser’
courtesy of ‘: rebecca :’

The City Paper’s Housing Complex blog has a full feature on the eight strangers that visited DC for MTV this summer, in preparation for the debut of the show at the end of next month. There are individual profiles for seven of the people who lived in the Real World house this summer, and yeah, I’m pretty glad that I missed out on meeting most of them in person.

Fun & Games, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Snyder Apologizes for 2-5 Record, Fails to Realize He is Still a Jackass

Photo courtesy of
‘Post-game’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

Yesterday, Dan Snyder apologized for the Redskins abysmal record. He appeared at a press conference after a charity event and stated that the Skins have “let everyone down” this season and that the organization is sorry. Unfortunately, he failed to address his crackdown on “offensive” signs and his pathological need for adulation from fans and the media. My guess is that he figured what Washingtonians are really upset about is the Skins’ losing record, and not that he meddles in the team’s coaching or that his skin is so thin that he can’t handle seeing a “Fire Snyder” t-shirt in his stadium. Dan, if you want people to stop hating you, let the coaches coach and quit being a jackass. Mostly the latter. It’s really that simple.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Making Black Gold

Photo courtesy of
‘autumn mums’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

One way to make your houseplants or garden look healthy and lush like this — and not like mine, all spindly — is to enrich your soil.

And one way to do that is to make compost, known as black gold, from your kitchen scraps and yard clippings. Composting also keeps those potato peels and faded blooms out of landfills, incinerators, and wastewater treatment plants, so it’s good for the planet.

And yes, you can do it even if you don’t have a big backyard. Next Monday at 7 p.m., you can learn the secrets at How to Compost in the City, held in Shaw, by CarbonfreeDC.

Interviews
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She Loves DC: Erin Rooney Doland

EDolandWebPhotounclutter-your-life-cover

I’ve always had too much stuff. And not even stuff, but junk. I never know what to get rid of and what to keep. So Erin Rooney Doland is pretty much a superhero in my world. She’s the editor of Unclutterer, a riotous dinner companion, and the only parent I know whose house was not immediately overrun by baby stuff when the child arrived. She has a book out this week, Unclutter Your Life in One Week, and you guys, here’s how serious she is about this: She gave Tom and me an advance copy of her book, and when we asked her to sign it, she said, “Are you sure? If I sign it, you’re going to feel like you have to keep it after you’re done reading it.” Always thinking about purging stuff, even when “stuff” is her own book.  I thought I’d ask her a few questions about uncluttering and why she loves DC.

WLDC: So, how did uncluttering become a way of life? I mean, how did you decide you were so passionate about the topic that you could make a full-time job out of it?

Erin: My husband and I used to live on R Street between 14th and 15th Streets, NW, in an 850 square-foot condo. At the time, I had so much crap — and I’m being honest, most of it was crap — that we had to walk along a pathway to get from the bedroom to the kitchen. We never had people over and we were stressed out all of the time because the physical stuff weighed on us. One day, my husband reached his breaking point, and he asked me if I would consider getting rid of the clutter. I was overwhelmed by all of it too, and agreed that his idea was a good one. I spent the next six months doing research and purging and streamlining — and the stress just went away. I couldn’t believe how much of a difference it made in every aspect of my life. When I started writing for Unclutterer.com it was with the purpose of sharing with other people about my experiences. I never expected that it would become my career, but I am truly thankful it did. I love my job and the readers of the site and helping as many people as I can to discover the joys of an uncluttered life. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Skins Fans Need Your Help

firesnyder.jpg

Got tickets to the Skins/Broncos game at Fedex? Want to pull a fast one on Dan Snyder? Sure, he’s banned signs and “offensive” clothing, but what if just a red or white shirt could spell out your loathing for Dan Snyder? Check out this brilliant idea for scrambling Dan Snyder’s security guards.

Anatomy of a Scandal
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Anatomy of a Scandal: Parks Department

Photo courtesy of
‘Green. Very Green.’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Hi there, and welcome to the first of an occasional series called Anatomy of a Scandal. There’s always something to fight about when it comes to DC politics, and that’s just the local stuff, not what happens over at the Capitol. Unlike national politics, though, not every local political adventure has a clear set of sides and players. We’re here to help figure some of this stuff out. First up? Department of Parks and Recreation. It’s been sort of a long drawn out cluster of scandals, and you should probably know some of the people involved.

Dramatis Personae
Adrian Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia
Peter Nickles, His Attorney General
Vincent Gray, Chairman of the City Council, rival to Fenty
Kwame Brown, At-Large Councilman
Marion Barry, Hizzoner Emeritus
Ximena Hartsock, Interim/Acting Director of the Department of Parks & Recreation, appointed by Mayor Fenty (twice…)
DC Housing Authority, a quasi-governmental entity
Omar Karim, friend of the Mayor, fraternity brother to Adrian Fenty.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Picks For Best Hot Chocolate In DC

Photo courtesy of
‘”Rita Hayworth” Hot Chocolate’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

This week is the perfect temperature. Chilly and brisk without being completely hunker-down cold. It’s the ideal weather for taking a stroll with a hot drink in hand or sitting in the window of a shop sipping on out of a mug. Which got me to thinking – where can you find some unique hot chocolate in DC? None of that Starbucks generic mix, but some original, interesting mugs of the good stuff. Here are a few of my top suggestions. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Lottery for National Christmas Tree Lighting Opens Tonight

Photo courtesy of
‘National Christmas Tree’
courtesy of ‘Murmurmel’

As you may have heard, there’s no more standing in line for tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting anymore– this year, the lottery is where it’s at. The submission period starts tonight at 12:01 am and runs through Friday, November 6 at midnight, so get those typing fingers limbered up and your four leaf clovers/lucky gym socks/rabbit’s feet ready. Log in here to register tonight, and good luck! I hear it helps to have some good Christmas music queued up, too. They can feel your Christmas spirit through the application.

The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Much Ado About Nothing

Much_Ado_-_Benedick_&_Beatrice

Howard W. Overshown and Rachel Leslie as Beatrice and Benedick in Folger Theatre’s Much Ado About Nothing. Photo Credit: Carol Pratt.

I can’t think of a better antidote to losing the sunshine when you leave work than to head to the Folger to see its vibrant production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Once inside the theater you’ll feel instantly transported back to summer.

Setting Shakespeare’s “Much Ado” during our own DC Caribbean Carnival may at first seem like a random decision, but it’s hardly that. The play’s core theme revolves around masking and unmasking identity. Characters intentionally hide their true selves and motives from others, mistaking the identity of others both figuratively and literally. Perhaps not in such an obvious way as other Shakespeare plays – but “Much Ado” is more mature, tackling the complexities of relationships. Despite plumbing these depths, it also manages to have some hysterical fun.

Former lovers Benedick and Beatrice fight out their mistrust and pain with biting sarcasm and wit. Their knowledge of each other’s faults is stronger at first than of each other’s strengths, and it’s their journey of mutual discovery to love and respect that makes this one of the most loved Shakespearean comedies. Contrast their relationship with the callow puppy love of the younger Claudio, Benedick’s protege, and Hero, Beatrice’s cousin – two lovers whose lack of knowledge about each other’s natures is the catalyst for some dirty dealing by villian Don John. Add in some well-meaning friends and relatives who manage to stir the pot for both good and bad, and you have a journey to teach everyone a little bit about love.

But does the setting work? Absolutely. The minute Claudio came in as a DC bike cop, I was sold.

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The Daily Feed
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Leaf Collection Season is Here

Photo courtesy of
‘Golden Autumn’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

DCDPW was out on Twitter this morning to remind you: Leaf Collection Season is here!. You can check the status of your neighborhood to see if you’ve missed the first pass yet. There’s also a handy PDF of what you need to do to get your leaves ready for collection.

DPW handles annually 8,000-10,000 tons of leaves November through January, which is a mind-bogglingly huge number. They turn much of it into mulched compost that you can request from them from March through October, or pick up from any of the waste stations in the District.

News, The Daily Feed
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A DC District Attorney: Our Very Own Jack McCoy?

Photo courtesy of
‘Sam Waterston’
courtesy of ‘Alan Light’

The best thing I’ve ever heard about Law & Order’s DA Jack McCoy is, “Jack McCoy would eat a baby if that’s what Justice demanded of him.” McCoy would likely also put himself on trial for the eating of the baby, and he’d get the death penalty. It would be an awesome episode.

Today Congresswoman Norton introduced the District of Columbia District Attorney Establishment Act of 2009 to the House, which would provide for an extension of the Home Rule Act that would permit the city’s top prosecutor to be an elected position. In November of 2002, the city put a referendum on the ballot concerning the election of a District Attorney that passed overwhelmingly, however extension of the Home Rule Act is the purview of Congress, and would also require the signature of the President.

Personally, I kinda liked Adam Schiff, but as he’s retired, I think we might just have to find our own Jack McCoy.

News, The Daily Feed
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D.C. United Sacks Soehn

Photo courtesy of
‘Ocean Liner, SS St Paul’
courtesy of ‘George Eastman House’

In a move that surprised just one person, D.C. United “parted ways” with their coach, Tom Soehn, this morning. Officially, Soehn is listed as taking his name out of consideration for coaching duties for the upcoming season, but I think the writing was pretty clearly on the wall that Soehn would not be getting a new contract. The club will search for a new head coach this off-season, hopefully someone who can motivate D.C. United to get beyond their “Draw” problem.

The Daily Feed
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Proposal as Demonstration at the DC Council

Photo courtesy of
‘From Capital Pride Parade’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

In his testimony before the DC City Council Monday on the legalization same-sex marriage in the District, Andrew Hertzberg proposed to his partner Andy Rollman. The hearing itself had to be split across two days so that literally hundreds of witnesses could testify.

Congratulations to Andrew and Andy on their engagement, and for their willingness to essentially put their relationship on display to make a point on behalf of other couples. And here’s to hoping that the act of committing your life to another doesn’t have to be a political statement forever.

The Daily Feed
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Ovechkin “Week-to-Week”

Photo courtesy of
‘Alex Ovechkin’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

It was inevitable and deep down, we all knew it.

Caps star winger Alex Ovechkin is now considered “week to week” with an undisclosed upper-body injury, possibly sustained during a scrum with either Jason Chimera or a tangle-up with Raffi Torres during Sunday’s loss to Columbus. Although Coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters yesterday that Ovie hadn’t had an MRI, the team did reverse that statement in an article today on ESPN.com.

You’ll recall that John Buccigross expressed concern about the Caps offensive capabilities if Ovechkin is hurt. Through Sunday, Ovie led the NHL in goals (14) and points (23) but could lose at least three games this week and possibly more, which will drastically tamp down Washington’s offense. The next closest goal scorer on the team is Alexander Semin, with 7 tallies; Nicklas Backstrom has 18 points but only 4 goals. In order to keep their momentum going, they’re going to have to step up. Fortunately, Tomas Fleischman’s back in the lineup to help.

Ovechkin’s a hard-charging and highly energetic player, having only missed two games to injury prior to this season. Better for the Caps to face their schedule without their top forward now, rather than deep in the season. Hopefully, the team is up to the test.

The Daily Feed
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Cake Wrecks Book Tour Rescheduled

Photo courtesy of
‘CakeWrecks’
courtesy of ‘CathyLovesDC’

If your hopes were lost when Jen Yates had an unexpected turn of events, forcing her to cancel her book tour in Bethesda last month, you can now fulfill your dream. Jen will be at Barnes & Noble in Bethesda Thursday at 7:00 p.m. to sign copies of her new book Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong.

Not feeling inspired yet? Read through the incredibly hysterical post about the “Fireman” cake. It’s just too good to be true… Or the Naked Mohawk-Baby Carrot Jockeys cake always aims to please.

To RSVP (although it’s not necessary), click here for the Evite.

Featured Photo
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Featured Photos


‘Laaaaaaaa!’ by spoffy

While Halloween has come and gone, I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of some the spookiest photos in our pool (which by the way is full of some amazing photos, fellow Flickrites – keep it up!).  I personally don’t get too excited about putting a costume together for the holiday but I love seeing what other people come up with.  Between trick-or-treating, the Dupont High Heel Race,  spiderwebs spun across front yards, and skeletons hanging from doorways, it’s a scary time of the year.  Not quite as scary as the arrival of the summer interns, but nonetheless, scary.  More photos after the jump!

 
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All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed
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Virginians: Time to VOTE!

Photo courtesy of
‘Polling Place Sign’
courtesy of ‘moonShadows7’

Good morning Virginians! The polls all across the commonwealth just opened. It’s voting day. Time to do your civic duty and cast your ballot! While the most talked about contest is definitely the race for governor between Bob McDonnell (R) and Creigh Deeds (D), you also will be casting a vote for lieutenant governor, attorney general and your local state representative in the VA House of Delegates. Depending on your locality, you probably also have a few other local positions to decide on; in Arlington, that would be a seat on the county board and one on the school board. After tomorrow, NO MORE CAMPAIGN ADS!

If you need to know where your polling place is or how to get there, get all the info here or just enter your address in the handy little map below (after the jump)!

Polls are open from 6am to 7pm. VOTE!

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