“special” my ass

While others may worry about red light cameras, I worry more about the myriad police forces roaming the city with real, live officers thinking they’re important. Case in point is the “Special Police” I photographed yesterday on K Street.

Anyone recognize this “Special Police” force? I see no markings signifying agency or government. No blue lights even, though I did see yellow lights on the dash.

Before you say “rent-a-cop” since when did paid security companies get to use the word “police”. No this makes me think there is anew (and redundant) Sheriff in town.

Any clue with whom or why?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

films on the hill

It is a standard art house crowd here tonight at Films on the Hill. They have to be as the film, Old San Francisco, isn’t one of them new-fangled talkies. No we’re talking a silent film, which was lucky for us. If the film had dialogue we would’ve missed it all thanks to the obscenely noisy bitch seated next to us.

First she slowly and nosily ate two bags of popcorn, loudly looking for the last crumbs in the bottom of the paper bags before crumpling them up and tossing them on my bag. Next she spent 20 minutes looking through her purse for another buck to buy bag 3. Oh, and we’re talking jingling keys and dropping metal bins of change looking in a purse. She even had the audacity to turn on a flashlight mid-search.

Had I been alone, when she paused in her noisemaking for a moment, I would’ve leaned over and said: “Please don’t stop the racket now; I might actually hear the music!”

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Watch your pockets at the sporting events, folks, at least if you’re the helpful type. From the police blotter comes a story of a kind-hearted soul helping someone who tripped and fell in front of him outside RFK on Friday… only to have his wallet lifted by the shill’s accomplice while he was helping him up.

“c1 reports while exiting gate a at rfk stadium, s1 appeared to trip in front of him. c1 went to assist s1 to his feet at that time s2 removed various prop from c1’s pocket.”

You should also be careful of you car if you’re not one of the carfree DC crowd. Smash and grab in the district is up 10% from this time last year. I’d suggest you don’t leave anything in your car you’re not willing to be without. The trunk’s not a bad idea if you have a lockable interior release lever, though a determined thief with a crowbar can get in there too.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Last year, El Jefe himself welcomed baseball back to Washington, this year, Vice President Dick Cheney will do the honors at RFK on Tuesday. No word on if this is because the President was unable to throw a strike on Monday in Cincinnati, or because the Mayor declined the honor, but I’m wondering, will Cheney throw a screwball? Will he file down his spikes Ty Cobb style? Or will he opt for the plain old soft toss? Perhaps the Taft-ian throw the ball from the seats to the pitcher?

We’ll find out next Tuesday.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

$2.85 Million. That’s how much Anne Arundel County raked in off their speed cameras in the last five years.

Sadly, it also increased accidents by 40%. Are red light cameras really the answer if all they do is collect money for local governments? Am I the only one who wonders why the insurance industry doesn’t rise up in the night and come after the local governments for the losses caused by these cameras?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

How about in the middle of the Cheaspeake?

The GSA is auctioning off the Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse and the Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse at the end of the month. Me, I’ve been looking for a new headquarters from whence to plan my world dominance and this sea lair might be just what I am looking for. The lighthouse is just a half mile off Gibson Island in Ann Arundel County, and once upon a time it was the lighthouse keepers’ quarters, so I’m betting that there’s a decent amount of living space.

If you want to bid, you need at least $15,000 in certified funds, and the increments are $5,000 for the lighthouse itself. Minimum bid is a cool thirty grand. If you’re serious, the government has some forms for you to fill out and there’s a bunch of regulatory stuff to handle since the lighthouses are navigation aids and on the National Historic Places Register, so be aware, if you want to make it into your lair, you’re going to have to do it within the rules. Please also be aware, there are no public utilities at the lighthouses, so you’re going to have to handle your own supply.

Hat tip to Doc Searls for this one.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of David et Magalie

DCFoodies reported on Saturday that Ray’s the Steaks has re-opened! As a considerate reporter (and not at all motivated to make sure there was a seat for me) I waited until I could go and verify this myself yesterday. Sure enough, Ray’s is open for business at 6pm every Tuesday through Saturday with a new no-reservation policy. Show up, smile and be seated as soon as there’s a spot.

This was my first Ray’s visit and I was not disappointed.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading →

Yours for $180!

My friend Trisha is organizing her Fourth Annual “Babes for Boobs” Celebrity Dream Date Auction to raise funds for breast cancer, and she needs a few more volunteers.

Ten guys and ten girls are auctioned off to go on a date with the winning bidder. To sweeten the deal, each date is sponsored by local businesses so you get great free stuff like dinner for two at Georgia Browns, two tickets to the Improv or canoe rental for two from Shenandoah River Outfitters.

Its super easy too – Trisha does all the work and all you have to do is show up beautiful. The event itself is fun, outrageous, casual, and just good clean fun. I should know, as last year I went for $180. Yep, a hottie paid to date me. The ego gratification alone should tempt you!

So don’t be shy – send her an email and go for it: trisha_white AT yahoo DOT com

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

For a team that was ranked 14th this season, the Lady Terps looked awful good against Duke tonight. Forcing Overtime in the closing seconds of regulation, the Lady Terps took momentum into the extra time and came home with the national championship over the Blue Devils of Duke. With all the hubbub about George Mason in the mens’ tourney, no one was paying attention to the womens’ tourney and that’s a crying shame as Kristi Toliver showed everyone with her three-pointer to end regulation.

The Lady Terps came back from 13 points down in the second half and forced overtime with just 35 seconds remaining, then steamrolled over Duke in OT. Much credit is to be given to Brenda Frese, the Terps’ coach, for her excellent clock management and incredible work with the Lady Terps this year. Truly, we have champions in DC to be proud of!

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

old exec under remont

Walking by the Old Executive Office Building today I noticed that the west side was borded up. Asking a guard whats up, he said it was being remodelled over the next few years.

Wasn’t it being remodeled over the last few years too? And here I thought it was finished in the 1800’s. Well, besides that “W” key overhall a few years back..

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Did you see the new advertising on the Metro Red Line today? Apparently there are some new ads in the tunnel between Metro Center and Gallery Place and Gallery Place and Judiciary Square that appear like old-school flipbooks. I do want to check these out, but has anyone seen them yet?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Wayan commented on the neat light show mother nature gave us the other day but the Capital Weather folks have some great pictures of it from around the tidal basin. The long-exposure lightning shot over the Jefferson is not to be missed.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

When Independence Air gave up the ghost, I rooted for JetBlue to get the gates that they abandoned. Looks like that’s not going happen. No longer will DC folks be forced to drive up to BWI to catch Southwest’s cheap flights. They’re going to take two gates to begin with and slowly expand their operations from that tiny beachhead. However, this could result in some serious price-fighting between United, Delta and Southwest, and perhaps spark some increased attention from JetBlue and AirTran at Dulles.

Though I’ve come to hate flying due to the invasive security measures that the inept TSA has brought to the public, it’s nice to see further options available to DC travelers.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Step one of the smoking ban in the District starts today. Any restaurant or enclosed public space that isn’t a bar or nightclub no longer is legally permitted to allow smoking. The DC Health Department has said that they won’t be out en masse to enforce the new law, but I would bet that many establishments won’t want to risk being the example.

This puts us one step closer to a no-smoking lamp being lit in the District’s bars and nightclubs as well, which makes my clothes just explode with joy. No more coming home from a night out smelling like an ashtray, thank god!

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There’s a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association’s Tour De Cure tonight at the Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse. The movie starts at 7:15, and tonight it’s the perennial favorite, The Blues Brothers. The cost? A mere $7. It’s not often that you can go to a kickin’ fundraiser in this town without sacrificing your first born or selling your car. $7 is what you’d pay for a bloody matinee at any of the theatres here in town. And you can’t even drink beer at them! So show up tonight, and show up early for the raffles and the social hour. Tell them Metblogs sent you.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

new tech at the post office

Check this out: there is now automated self-serve at the post office. Spotted at the 14th and L streets branch, this little kiosk will weigh your mail and take debit or credit for payment.

Before you get too excited, results are mixed. Several people defected from the shorter kiosk line to the longer normal line claiming that the self-serve line was too slow.

Thats nice to know. What do you know?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

And now it begins

If you were just outside, even for a moment, I hope you have a towel and dry clothes. For those indoors, I hope you were near a window. The rain, wind, and light show from that front passing are quite a sight.

From my apartment window, the clouds rolled through in a wave, the rain came instantly, and now the night is punctuated with flashes of lightening.

Thanks for the fun, Mother Nature.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for the Greater DC area, including much of Virginia and Maryland until Midnight tonight. What’s that mean? Well, it could mean tornadoes, hail, heavy wind (up to 80mph), and some seriously severe weather. Is it a guarantee? No, it is not. Things will get more serious if a funnel shaped cloud forms, which means we switch to a Tornado Warning, which means open the cellar doors and move the kids down.

While there’s no update yet on Capital Weather, they’re usually right on top of things like this, and would be an excellent source of information in the coming hours. The cold front coming through is pretty large, and we’ll probably only be in the 50s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Don’t pack away those sweaters just yet.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Well, it’s all over up at Shea Stadium and the Nats will start the season 0-1. Livan Hernandez pitched very well today, and the Nats hit the ball well, but still managed to lose 3-2. It did not help, of course, to see two terribly made calls in the 8th and 9th innings against Alfonso Soriano and Jose Vidro, both of whom were absolutely robbed. But hey, new season, new players, and one loss isn’t the end of the world in baseball.

The offense today wasn’t explosive, but Jose Vidro went 3 for 5 with an RBI, Soriano was 2 for 3 with a walk, though we’ll have to work on Brandon Watson in the leadoff slot, who went only 1 for 4.

Welcome to the new season! Tomorrow the Nats are off, but they play again Wednesday in New York.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

kobe bryant of boggle

Sunday nights at Wonderland Ballroom always draw an eclectic crew and last night was no exception.

While holding court with my own UNO championships, I met the self-proclaimed “Kobe Bryant of Boggle”. That would be the woman on the right. On the left is her heavy husband. No word on if she had to bribe him to stay on with a $4 mill rock.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs