Category Archives: The Daily Feed

News, The Daily Feed
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Good (but Bad) News from the CFO’s office

Photo courtesy of
‘In the good old summertime. [canoe] (LOC)’
courtesy of ‘The Library of Congress’

Good news, everyone. We’re up a creek, but at least we’ve got a paddle.  That was the news from the CFO’s office this afternoon, as Dr. Gandhi released the latest revenue numbers for 2011 predictions, and set a final estimated deficit for the FY2011 budget.  The deficit, which had been rumored to be in the $600M range, is actually closer to its original projection at $322M.  That’s both good and bad news.  The cuts in spending, and the consideration of an increase in income tax, will still have to be examined, but the situation isn’t nearly as dire as it was suspected to be.

The increase in revenues came from four sources: real property (due in large part to the strong commercial real estate market in 2010), sales & excise taxes (4% annual growth!), Individual/Business Income, and Deed-related taxes (due to growth in high-value home sales). The letter also includes some nuggets: the private sector in DC added 15,433 jobs last quarter, but unemployment rolls grew by 2,000 people. Wages were up, at 5.4% growth year-over-year, more than double the national growth rate.

The Daily Feed
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The Winning Ticket (Extra): Middle Brother/Dawes/Deer Tick

Hey DC, ready for a bonus round of The Winning Ticket?

Today we have a pair of tickets to give away for tomorrow night’s Middle Brother, Dawes, Deer Tick super show. Middle Brother is a super-group composed of members of both Deer Tick and Dawes (as well as Matt Vazquez of Delta Spirit). These guys are keeping it all in the family with a night of music featuring rotating sets from Middle Brother and the bands that spawned him.

NOTE: This show is tomorrow night and the music begins promptly at 8pm.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between Noon and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. We will notify the winner by email between 4 and 5 pm. The winner must respond to claim this prize by 10:30AM tomorrow. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Don’t Forget Austin Grill’s Food Truck!

AG

Photo Courtesy Austin Grill

Well, maybe…

The yellow & red Austin Grill truck was trying to hit the streets today, but that’s now changed to “by March 15.” Let us know if you see it out!

The tex-mex chain, which first opened in 1988 in Glover Park, already has six locations in the DC area — so now seven if you count the truck. I must admit that I haven’t been to Austin Grill in years, but there is something interesting about the “trend” of brick and mortars turning to mobile vending. In February, Penn Quarter’s soon-to-be-open District of Pi sent its truck out to give away 36 free pizzas to hungry fans.

Austin Grill’s set of wheels will feature dishes from the restaurant’s regular menu — so burritos, sandwiches, burgers, wings, and more. You can track the AG Truck down by following it on Twitter and Facebook.

The strange thing is that writing this is making me crave District Taco, the fixed-address establishment that actually started as a food truck. Oh, doesn’t this just sound like the perfect time for traditional restaurants and trucks to get along? Yeah, probably not.

Too bad Austin Grill can’t sell its margaritas out of its truck…

The Daily Feed
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Wizards Can’t Find Any Momentum Against Chicago

Photo courtesy of
‘Joakim Noah and JaVale McGee’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

The first five minutes of Monday night’s Wizards game against the Chicago Bulls set the tone for the rest of the night. Chicago rebounded, blocked shots, and knocked Washington up enough to grab the reigns and dominate the game with a 105-77 victory.

“[The Bulls] reached in right from the beginning and took hold of the physicality of the game,” Wizards Coach Flip Saunders said after the game.
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The Daily Feed
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More live Glee at Verizon Center this summer

If you’re a Glee watcher – it’s okay to admit it, I am – then you might be interested to know they’ll be bringing a live stage show around the country. We got a press release from Verizon Center about it, offering us an opportunity to paraphrase it and run a calendar announcement disguised as a story, but I figure I’ll just let it speak for itself.

Washington, D.C. – On the heels of blockbuster ratings for the post-Super Bowl episode, Twentieth Century Fox Television and “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy are pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed “Glee Live! In Concert!,” starring 13 members of the television show’s cast, will return to North American concert stages this spring.

“The cast and I were so moved by the love and enthusiasm of our fans at last year’s concerts that we knew we had to do it again,” said Murphy. “Plus, with the ad market in the tank and everyone with disposable incomes using Hulu or DVRs and skipping commercials we have to face the reality that our days of snorting coke off a stripper’s ass – and all those other shenanigans I used to love to show in NIP/TUCK – might be a thing of the past for us if we don’t find a way to make other money off our television properties.”

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The Daily Feed
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Clinton Portis Released By Redskins

Photo courtesy of
‘Portis on Jumbo Tron’
courtesy of ‘littlerottenrobin’

With the trade deadline for the Caps, not to mention that whole Mike Bibby buy-out, today is apparently all about “players who used to play for DC teams.” One more to add to that list: the Redskins announced that they are releasing running back Clinton Portis. From the team’s announcement:

In his seven seasons (2004-10) with the Redskins, Portis played in 84 games with 83 starts. He ranks second in franchise history in rushing yards (6,824), rushing attempts (1,667) and rushing touchdowns (46).

“Clinton provided excitement from the very first time he touched the ball as a Redskin and we were lucky to witness every ounce of energy, effort and passion he has given ever since,” Redskins Owner [REDACTED] said. “We have been through a lot both on and off of the field and we would like to wish him and his family the very best. He will always be a Redskin and go down as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.”

Portis started all five games he played in 2010, finishing with 227 rushing yards on 54 carries (4.2 avg.) and two rushing touchdowns.

Chris over at Mr. Irrelevant ranked Portis as his favorite Redskin of the [REDACTED] era. Any grievances with that ranking, folks?

The Daily Feed
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Bye Bye Bibby: Wizards Buy Out Mike Bibby’s Contract After 30 Minutes On Team

Photo courtesy of
‘Mike Bibby and Jordan Crawford’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

Well that was quick.

After playing in 14:41 minutes   (correction that was his per game average) 29 minutes 21 seconds over two games for the Wizards, the team has bought out the contract of Mike Bibby, who was recently acquired last week from the Atlanta Hawks in a five player deal including Kurt Hinrich. The news was first reported by Dan Hellie over at NBC Washington.

Exact terms of the buyout are unknown at this time.

Bibby and the team have been in talks about a contract buyout and it was expected that Bibby’s days as a Wiz were numbered. He was surprised to hear about his trade last week and after nine years of playoff appearances, he most likely wanted to end up with a contender again this year. Among the teams interested in acquiring Bibby include Boston, Miami, Portland, and Denver.

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Entertainment, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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An Evening with Fred Armisen @ The Black Cat

The show was sold out.  A packed mainstage concert room  full of hipsters, preppies, middle age couples and the like mixed it up, awaiting Fred Armisen of SNL and more recently, Portlandia, fame to take the stage. Taking place at the Black Cat, and heavily promoted by Brightest Young Things, the show was simply described as “An Evening With Fred Armisen,” and the event details were simply two YouTube clips of Armisen’s sketch work.

Given the billing and the performer, the audience was primed for a comedic show that would likely (and I say likely, because given the vagueness of the event’s details, we were all unsure of the performance’s format) include stand up comedy, skits, impersonations and, with Armisen’s background, some form of comedic musical accompaniment.

Unfortunately, when Armisen took the stage, the vast majority — if not the entirety — of his show was uninspired, lacked creativity and did not live up to his billing.   Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nationals Announce New Radio Partner, Spring Schedule

Photo courtesy of
‘Radio AM/FM/Short Wave, Datsun Cedric’
courtesy of ‘johnrobertshepherd’

The Nationals this morning announced an agreement with WJFK 106.7 “The Fan” to broadcast Nationals Games on the station, as well as on 1500AM, WFED.  The Fan will operate a studio behind (natch) Section 106 during home games, as well as a spot in the Nationals’ Shirley Povich Media Center high atop the Park. The team’s broadcasters, Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler, will be returning to their microphones for the Nationals as the voice of the team. Below the break are the first spring training games and their respective outlets.

The move to add an FM station as flagship will significantly bolster the service radius for the Nationals broadcast, as WFED’s broadcast range isn’t nearly as broad as WJFK’s broadcast range. The spring schedule indicates that they’ll be running daytime games (after the WJFK debut on March 6th) on 1580AM WHFS, which has a slightly different broadcast range.

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capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Caps Making Moves on NHL Trade Deadline

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6434.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

UPDATE 3:00 pm: Looks like Jason Arnott is indeed coming to Washington. Preliminary reports have Arnott coming in, and Dave Steckel going out, along with a 2nd round draft pick. We’ll have a complete rundown of these two trades and what it may mean for the Caps tomorrow.

Today’s NHL Trade Deadline day and as in year’s past, I’m glued to various hockey sources for trade news. Many suspected the Caps to be busy, and it looks like they’ve busted out a trade today. We’ll update as news hits, and look for a feature tomorrow with an in-depth recap of today’s moves.

As of 11:50, Mike Vogel broke the news that Washington has traded with division rival Florida, sending minor leaguer Jake Hauswirth and their 2011 third-round pick in exchange for defenseman Dennis Wideman. The puck-moving d-man has 9 goals and 33 points this season, but also sports a whopping minus-26.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Report: Kwame Brown’s SUV is illegal, along with 41 others

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_4631’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

The Committee on Public Works and Transportation, chaired by Council Member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), has completed the initial investigation into the District’s fleet management practices, launched as a response to the controversy surrounding Council Chair Kwame Brown’s city-provided, “fully loaded” Lincoln Navigator.

In 2002, the District passed a law forbidding the procurement of SUVs or any vehicle rated at less than 22 miles per gallon, unless it’s for emergency, security, rescue, or an armored vehicle. Since that time, the District has obtained 42 such prohibited vehicles, including the two involved in Navigatorgate.

The report, released this morning, also calls for additional investigation into who is driving these vehicles. Under District law, only the Mayor may have an on-staff driver, and any other assignment of District employees to act as chauffeurs must be approved in writing either by the Mayor or by the appropriate agency head, depending on the situation.

I encourage you to read the report for yourself; it’s only a few pages long, and is pretty hair-raising stuff when it gets to the part about how many vehicles remain unaccounted for.

News, The Daily Feed
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Have Pancakes, Fight Cancer

Photo courtesy of
‘iEat iHop’
courtesy of ‘christaki’

Tomorrow is Free Pancake Day at area IHOPs. Well, sorta. IHOP has partnered locally with the Leukemia and Lymphona Society to help raise funds for the organization, and will give out free short stacks of pancakes, with the *wink wink nudge nudge* expectation that you drop some cash in the box for LLS.  Both DC locations (DCUSA & Alabama Ave) will be participating, so drop in for some delicious pancakes, and know that your donations will be used for fighting cancer that affects a broad spectrum of Americans.

Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Tornado Alert Issued For Arlington County

Photo courtesy of
‘206/365: Stormfront’
courtesy of ‘Amber Wilkie Photography’

Effective immediately The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Arlington County lasting until 4:00 pm this afternoon. It’s reported that severe storms have formed west of Arlington and the atmospheric conditions are favorable for tornadic development.

The NWS advises resident to be prepared as tornadoes can form from severe thunderstorms with little or no advanced warning. Know your safe room in your home, at school, and at work.  If driving and a tornado is spotted, leave your car immediately and move to shelter or a low lying area. Do not use highway overpasses as shelters.

The Daily Feed
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Win NatGeoLive Tickets Today!

Courtesy of Carol Black, used with permission by National Geographic

Just a quick reminder: you still have time to register for our ticket giveaway to a March National Geographic Live event! We’ll be closing the entry window at 1 pm today and selecting two winners this afternoon. Winners will receive a pair of tickets to a NatGeoLive event of their choice – so make sure you check out the list of programs and sign up this morning!

The Daily Feed
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Wizards Hold Tight But Can’t Beat Dallas

Photo courtesy of
‘Wizards’
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Saturday night’s NBA match-up at the Verizon Center was never really in Washington’s hands. The odds were stacked against them. The Dallas Mavericks are a good basketball team. They’re quick across the court, powerful in the key, and stonewall-solid on the defensive end. They’re sporting a starting five with Tyson Chandler. They’re record (41-16) eclipses the Wizards’ (15-42).

Long story short: It wasn’t looking good for Washington. Then John Wall took the ball to the bucket 24 times, cutting straight down the paint to the hoop like Speedy Gonzalez. He also picked up five assists, though he did miss some of those free throws. Wall will freely admit that his free throws need work though. He wasn’t ashamed to say so.

“We all stepped up and just played hard and played with confidence. We competed,” Wall said after the game. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Glee Live In Concert Comes To Washington

Photo courtesy of
‘Glee Second Season’
courtesy of ‘John Ashbrook’

D.C. area Gleeks were snubbed the first time Glee decided to do a live tour aka last year. A Gleek’s only hope was once a long-shot chance of scoring an Easter Egg Roll ticket for a trip to the White House. Until this morning, that was the same case for D.C. Gleeks in 2011, unless they scored tickets to the shows in Philadelphia or New York City.

Good news, Gleeks. Glee live in concert is coming to the Verizon Center Thursday, June 9!

The second season main cast including Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn), Amber Riley (Mercedes), Chris Colfer (Kurt), Kevin McHale (Artie), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Mark Salling (Puck), Dianna Agron (Quinn), Naya Rivera (Santana), Heather Morris (Brittany), Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike), Chord Overstreet (Sam) and Darren Criss (Blaine) are scheduled to perform. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Rangers demoralize the Caps … again

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_2006.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

It has been a while since the fans at Verizon Center have seen a good show.

Well, that is if you weren’t at Lady Gaga Thursday night.

More specifically, Capitals fans have not seen a good show at Verizon in quite some time. Before the 6-0 shelling at the hands of the Rangers on Friday, the Capitals had lost their previous two home games by a combined score of 6-1 to the Kings and Sharks. The team then went on the road for much of the month of February, cruising the West Coast, New York and Pennsylvania for five games with varying results before returning home to lay an egg against New York.

The last time the red-clad denizens of Verizon Center got to celebrate a win was against rival Pittsburgh Feb. 6. A home win over the Penguins, because they are so hated in D.C., makes everything all right, doesn’t it?

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The Daily Feed, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Seagull

For a play written over 100 years prior, Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull has elements that could would of made for a great MTV Reality Show. Complicated love triangles, affluent families, and a setting that could be described as Russia’s version of The Hills, the Seagull is a story decades before its time.

I recently attended a production done by The Arlington Players and I could see those elements come to life on the stage. An ensemble of tortured souls, yearning to satisfied their unrequited love. It’s so emo I expected Death Cab for Cutie to chime in between the many acts.  While the Chekhov piece has endured the test of time with a vibrant display of human struggle, there are some aspects of the show I would of been better off without, most notably the four act length of the play. The show lasted well over three hours, something I would have cut down like other modern adaptations of the show. However I do respect to homage to the original work in this case.

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