Yep, we’re back to “normal” again:

Metro Transit Police bomb technicians X-rayed the box, then safely disrupted it with a water cannon. The box contained paper and cardboard.

— via WMATA site

That’s right folks, paper and cardboard caused a two hour plus delay on the Red Line right before rush hour. We’re getting ridiculously paranoid.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Nearly three years ago an errant cigarette destroyed the Capitol Lounge on Penn Ave in Southeast. This morning’s 2 alarm blaze in which a tarp covering some furniture caught fire has once again gutted the local fixture, as well as its Trover’s Gift Shop neighbor. Local blogger SciWonk captured the whole scene:

I was awakened at 5:45 this morning by the wailing of sirens. Often, I hear a passing siren or two during the night but quickly disregard it and fall fast asleep. However, I heard one rumbling truck engine, sirens blaring, pass by under my window at 4th and Pennsylvania, Southeast. Then I heard another truck, with its sirens. I heard backing up, voices on the street, pressure brakes chirping and whistling.

Read the rest, they do a great job of capturing the early morning scene.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

DC Metro

Originally uploaded by bottlerocket26.

Oh, the suspicious package. How I figured you’d show up today when it’s hotter than balls outside. Record heat at BWI and IAD, and getting close at DCA, and sure enough, the Red Line has three stops closed due to a suspicious package.

Yep, your afternoon commute on the red line just got fucked.

Leave now and catch a cab.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of rambla

…the power company asks a customer to cut back on using the very thing they make money selling.

A little birdie tells me that Pepco asked a local university to cut their load by 1500KW. Assuming the notation in the message I saw wasn’t wrong, here’s an idea of how much that is: a 100 watt lightbulb consumes 0.1 kW, meaning you need to run 10 of them to get that 1kW. 1kW is not the same as 1KW, by the way, it’s 1/1000th of 1KW.

So Pepco has asked them to do the equivalent of turning off 1,500,000 light bulbs.

If you ever wondered what the cost of this kind of day was, there’s a little insight. Because they’re not going to turn off a bunch of things, they’re going to cut hardline power and use their generators. Which you can be sure are more expensive for them than using that Pepco-provided power. So when you smell more exhaust today than usual, this might be why.

This kind of thing is also why you should go get yourself a timer-operated thermostat for your home, or turn up the temp on your AC when you leave for work – reduce that load and the power company doesn’t have to brown out anyone. And of course the fact that you save money ain’t such a bad reason either.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I’ve now encountered this story both on NPR and WTOP: Maryland is running a pilot program for police officers where scanning the barcode on the person’s driver’s license automagically fills out part of the ticket for name and associated information. Automation is great, but I have yet to hear of any sort of project like this where the Powers That Be don’t take the opportunity to remove the discretion of the person being automated.

So I wonder – what’s the process here? Does the officer indicate before or after the swipe why s/he pulled this person over? If before, can they decide after looking at that person’s record that perhaps they deserve a break? I was fortunate enough about a year ago to have an officer look at my clean history and decide that perhaps I was as clueless as I seemed and really had just mis-read the speed limit sign. Would that not be a possibility under this system, either because it won’t allow it or because the officer’s higher-ups will scrutinize, question, and criticize any time a person is let off?

Perhaps that’s for the best anyway if it results in an end to unfair and silly “professional courtesy” where some are more equal than others.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

I just got back from a quick visit to see a client, and I can say with no small degree of irony that I really, really need a shower. It’s foul out there. It’s the kind of feeling that generally occurs when you soak an army blanket in bath water, then wear it as a full-body drape. It’s the kind of feeling that absolutely, positively begs for an ice cream cone. or a chocolate malt. Or a sundae. Seriously, just go out and hit the Dickie’s Frozen Custard on I St. NW, or the local Ben and Jerry’s, or any of the other Ice Cream places in this city. It’s no secret that I advocate ice cream consumption when it gets hot, and today is certainly no exception. Get an ice cream, because when it’s this bad outside, you need to treat your body to something cold.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

My lovely wife is out of town, meeting with colleagues in Albany, so I have been living the high life here as a bachelor. I think. Honestly, I have been married for so long I have forgotten what single guys do. Other than leave the toilet seat up and sit naked on furniture, which I decided not to do after all, I was not sure what I should be doing to embrace and reclaim my freedom and singleness.

So I decided to work. I kept telling myself that I was going to go to The Liberty Tavern and have a pint but I kept setting goals for production. Just one more photo to edit. No, I will finish this whole batch and then go. Before I knew it, it was 11:00 at night and the cat needed to be fed, the sink was full of dishes and I wasn’t going to get a pint anymore than I was going to win the lottery.

Tell me, folks – what do you single people do after work? I have to know so I can line up some things to do so I can feel awkward and out of place next time I am a temporary bachelor. Leaving the seat up is fun, but it gets old pretty quickly.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Wayan’s DC Photos

Last Friday at the Clarendon Metro Station exit, I was accosted by Frontline. No, no the PBS show, nor the flea and tick products, but the McLean Bible Church.

Now ordinarily I would get up all in their grill for proselytizing on WMATA property, no matter the religion, as Metrorail passengers need to have clear egress to and from metro stations, free of fliers from anyone shoved in their faces. But I just felt sorry for these two trying to sell Frontline’s “life-changing love of Jesus Christ”.

First, like today, it was scorching hot – I got sweaty just taking these photos. Then they had slim conversion pickings as the Orange Line chaos had Clarendon empty of passengers. Last but not least, these two were missing out on a Liberty Tavern happy hour.

Maybe Jesus was trying to tell them something.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of TalkofTomatoes

We’re heading into another scorcher of a day, with a heat advisory from 1pm to 8pm. The usual advice applies: try to stay cool. Keep inside, in an air conditioned room if possible, in the shade if not. Drink plenty of fluids and try to avoid doing things that will get you overheated, like too much exertion or thinking about how it was our team that threw the 756th pitch for that chemically enhanced perjuring dirtbag.

Tell it, Jimmy.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Today on my lunch break, I swam through the Reston humidity over to the closest CVS to pick up some Corn Flakes, Q Tips, and light bulbs. As I rounded the first aid isle, I couldn’t believe my eyes: a wine section! How could this be? Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was this some sort of Virginia hillbilly law that’s been around since the civil war? Was this some sort of joke? Had the heat and humidity finally given me slight brain damage?

No, no, no, and no. It was as real as a stripper’s breasts are fake. I decided to take advantage of this oddity so I asked the cashier up front, “Excuse me dear sir. Could I please speak to your sommelier? I’m interested in picking out a fine wine to go with my turkey sandwich.” It turns out that CVS doesn’t employ sommeliers, but the cashier assured me that the 2006 vintage of the Turning Leaf table wine was exquisite. He also recommended the 2007 Yellow Tail Merlot.

Needless to say, I opted for a chilled Hawaiian Punch instead.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of GadgetGirl

If you, like me, are working on a year-long streak of Pentagon Row leisure abstinence then you might consider instead going to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. If the cost and difficulty of getting a beer at either location turns you off then the Millennium stage is for sure what you want – the performances are streamable so you can sit at your desk and never even go outside. Presuming, of course, that Peapod will deliver you some beer.

The real pizzaz starts next week. From the 14th through the 18th we’ll have a whole five days of the World Accordion Championships.

No, I didn’t know there was such a thing either.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of Pentagon Row

My darling girlfriend called it depressing but in the face of this heat I find it a little reassuring. Around this time of year we start to see the signs that summer’s close is around the corner: the early-changing trees’ leaves start to change and the various summer freebie events start to dry up. Just as I managed to go all winter without any ice skating there, I so far have completely failed to go to any of the Pentagon Row concert events this summer. Somewhat shocking, as my darling girlfriend would probably drag us off to North Hades if Gonzo’s Nose was playing there.

The last two of the season are this Thursday, the 9th with The Reflex, another 80s cover band and the 16th with Taylor Carson, who I have never heard of. If you’re going, hope the heat will have broken a bit before Thursday at 7p when the set starts – there’s not much in the way of shade in that plaza.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

We can always count on family, right? Well, just to keep it family-style, my niece did not come here after all. After all that hard work you, our loyal, beautiful fans went through to suggest places I could take her, she didn’t show.

I suspected the plans would change because they always do. We had not heard from my brother-in-law for a couple weeks and he neglected to return calls and emails, so I knew something was up. When we finally tracked him down a couple days ago, he said matter-of-factly that our darling niece was going to Montreal instead of DC.

Thank goodness we somehow got him to pick up the phone. It would have sucked to wait at the airport only to find that we were guestless. But that’s all par for the course with my wife’s family. I suppose my family does stuff that sticks in her craw her too. It’s part of marriage to try to live with the crap so you can enjoy the sweetness, love and tenderness.

What do your relatives and in-laws do that drives you nuts?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Wayan’s DC Photos

While I may dislike Home Depot Line Automation, and CVS sometimes puts up barriers to products, I’m a fan of the automated checkout systems at the 20th and M Street NW store.

These machines are quick to scan, faster to transact, and you don’t have to deal with the sometimes surly staff. But what’s more amazing was my dealings with the pharmacy last night.

Needing a prescription filled, I dropped by the CVS pharmacy in the 20th and M Street store around 5pm, totally expecting that my pills wouldn’t be ready till this morning.

Imagine my shock when the pharmacists whipped out the pills, and had me happily drugged up by 5:05pm! Now that quick, efficient, humanizing service is even better than a automated check out.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

photo courtesy of Speshul Ted

What can I say to that other than “holy hell!” Hunker down, stay in the AC when you can, shade when you can’t. My XM weather report on the drive to work advised wearing light-colored loose-fitting clothing but I don’t know how much payoff you’re going to get from the loose fit – with the current dewpoint at 75 degrees and humidity at 70% I think the chances that you get any real relief from sweat evaporation are slim.

Don’t die, we need the readership.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Wayan’s DC Photos

Have you ever been ID’ed at Fox and Hounds? Maybe because I’m an international lush, they’ve known I’m old enough to consume. But not poor Carl.

The Fox and Hounds hostess tagged him quick for his government issued drinking ID, doing an age check on a man my senior.

Now should Carl take this as a need for a training glass – his booze watered down. Or did they know his hooch brewing background and didn’t want him downgrading the patio party time?

I think its his ever-youthful appearance that warrants an inclusion in the Beautiful DC People contest.

Regardless, fess up if you’ve been tagged for an ID at Fox and Hounds too. There can’t be many…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Yes, for you gluttons of premiere food in DC, Restaurant Week 2007 is upon us. Although the gimmick is getting old, IMHO, here’s a chance to try from “prix-fixe” menus for lunch ($20.07) and dinner ($30.07) from many a “fu-fu shi-shi” dive in DC. I’m not sure I’m up for having twenty dollar lunches, but for the well heeled Capitalista’s now on summer break from Congress, this could be something to bide your time for a week.

Granted, I’m left asking myself, from inspiration from a recent TV show, what is your “Death Row Meal“, and can you find it on their menus?!

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

WaPo ran a follow-up to the man-on-car violence perpetrated last month and I think the vandals “eco-terrorists” are going to have to chalk this up as a total bust. Here’s the money quotes from the article, I’d say.

Groves also heard from members of a Hummer drivers network. They wanted to show support through holding a barbecue on his block.

then later

Christopher and Kristina Benson said they had driven their H1 six hours from North Carolina.

I don’t think trashing that Hummer resulted in the reduction of gas consumption the vandals “eco-terrorists” intended…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

image courtesy of Jonathan Padget

The Blue Lagoon: A Musical exists as a perfect counter-point to the suck-fest what was Carrie Potter and the Half-blood Prom. I feel somewhat guilty talking about the two in the same sentence but I just want to underscore what a difference talent, attitude, talent, effort, and talent can make when creating a fun but light-hearted show. Everything else that Carrie Potter had was also in The Blue Lagoon, only used to positive effect rather than lazily.

Writer Jonathan Padget created this little bit of fun based on the book that the movie was based on (who knew?) and staged it in a little room that seated less than fifty.The few props included a hose, kiddie pool, – the lagoon itself, don’t you know – a few suitcases and the inevitable baby. When Kathleen Mason as Emmeline breaks the fourth wall she does it by singing about how she is stranded with her cousin, her first cousin, and she’s only repeating that because it’s going to be significant. Cousin Richard is played by Matthew McGloin as a wonderfully earnest and horny teenage boy who’s happily keeping Emmeline safe… and providing some ‘swimming lessons’ in the lagoon. The point being made about first cousins is pretty well underscored by the arrival of a baby that seems to have 50% more eyesight than its parents. But hey, that just make the baby extra special. And look – Emmeline isn’t fat anymore! How about another swim, cuz?

Hopefully creator Jonathan Padget will find a way to bring The Blue Lagoon around again so some more people can see it, either in stage or some other format. Personally I think it would make a great multi-part youtube feature.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Yelling out ‘freebird’ in a wildly inappropriate venue was really funny the first thousand times. Unfortunately that was time 823,083,369,743. So STFU.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs