Thanks to whoever left this artful square and smear of melted chocolate and puffed rice on the bulkhead by the system map on a Blue Line train car. It really made my day when I almost leaned right on it without looking before my wife grabbed me. Can we try for a Glenfiddich chocolate liquor cup next time? That would hit the spot.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Whether or not you were among the Independence Day masses panicking and running calmly evacuating in an orderly fashion to shelter during yesterday’s thunderstorm warning and tornado watch, you might be interested to see NOAA’s history of tornadoes in the District.

Northwest and the Downtown and National Mall core have had a fair share of tornado hits, including one in 1814 which killed several British soldiers around the time of The Burning of Washington. An F2 in 1888 touched down in Southwest and went up Maryland Ave, damaging the National Museum (today’s dormant Arts and Industries Building) and the old Botanical Gardens, before the funnel lifted up just short of Capitoll Hill.

Read about more historic DC tornadoes here. (Also, I seem to recall a really bad disaster TV movie a couple of years ago which featured anomalous weather causing a tornado which destroyed the White House. But the name escapes me. It wasn’t The Day After Tomorrow. It was worse.)

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Odds are if you’re a daily commuter on this route you know it already, but if you’re just an occasional driver, be warned: the Frederick Douglass Bridge (which I have always just thought of as South Cap Bridge) is about to be closed for several months as the raised roadway goes the way of the dodo. The wikipedia folk are inclined to some speculation that this is about visual rejuvenation but I think it’s a much more straightforward effort to get people in and make them more likely to stop in the area and spend some money in the Potomac Ave aread, rather than heading straight on to the Mall area.

There’s some good pictures of the transition over here at JDLand. It’ll be interesting to see how this impacts commuters coming in from SE who aren’t looking to stop in the area – how much will this slow down movement? I have the luxury of calling it “interesting” since I don’t have to make the trip myself. Those of you who do, I hope the 11th street bridge doesn’t make your day too much worse…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Rejected…

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

Imagine my shock and horror this morning to pull into my local gas station, running on fumes, and run into this sticker. Apparently, every pump in the station was given a failing rating from the Virginia Department of Agriculture for one reason or another. Perhaps it’s related to the crackdown on gas storage temperatures that’s going on in the greater DC area? Who knows.

I filled up, but because I had to, but I certainly wondered what my station had done to so badly tick off the state.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

FAIL. What the heck kind of message is that? That’s the message I have been given by my parents since I was a kid and exactly what they have expected from me. But that’s not important. This isn’t therapy, after all, but thanks for thinking of my self esteem anyway.

Okay, Arlington Parking folks – let’s get this straight right now. “Fail” is more of a command than a stated condition. It should say FAILED. I understand there are not enough spots on that little display to insert six letters but perhaps you can figure out how to squeeze in a fifth character there and spell BROKE.

After all, to most people in the area, “broke” is the past tense of break. To me and my people, “broke” is an adjective. We have both yankees and southerners here, so this word will work fine with both populations. I might even say damned yankees if I were just a few miles away, in Fairfax County, but yankees rarely seem to catch that reference and it falls completely flat here in Arlington.

Best of all – BROKE won’t drive any of us broke with increased trips to the therapist, the way a command to under perform will. And those therapists are mostly damned yankees anyway.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

We didn’t quite make it to our desired viewing point for fireworks tonight. Owing to a wait for word on whether the weather would clear up, we left home a bit late and were halfway between Farragut North and Constitution Gardens when the first blossoms colored the night sky above. At that point we were just in front of the Red Cross Building, and we found the view from the steps in front was just fine, without having to deal with crowds or security checkpoints. Even with people standing in front of us the angle was such that the fireworks were well over their heads.

Just one problem: fallout. The wind was blowing from the blast zone, so as the show went on, bits of ash and burnt paper started to fall around us, sometimes still smoldering. The smoke smell was fairly strong, too, though nothing too overpowering.

More fireworks photos here.

We opted to avoid Metro and just walk home. The crowd was a formidable crush of people around the Washington Monument, but it thinned block by block, till soon it was no more crowded than an average summer weekday. I’d love to know what Metro was like tonight after the fireworks, though. Anyone got horror stories or photos of the mob?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Photo by DC Metroblogger

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

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

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

Wayan speaks

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

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

Photo by DC Metroblogger

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

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

Photo by DC Metroblogger

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

Photo by DC Metroblogger

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

Thanks to Luke Healey for
this blast from the past picture.

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

photo courtesy of Protoflux

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

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:

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks. Sparklers, considered by many the ideal “safe” firework for the young, burn at very high temperatures and can easily ignite clothing. Children cannot understand the danger involved and cannot act appropriately in case of emergency.
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks. Never shoot a firework at or near another person.
• Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
• Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned. Douse and soak them with water and throw them away.
• Keep a bucket of water handy in case of a malfunction or fire.
• Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.
• Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.
• Store fireworks in a dry, cool place. Check instructions for special storage directions.
• Observe local laws.
• Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework while lighting.
• Don’t experiment with homemade fireworks.

  This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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 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

“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