courtesy of jsprig

It’s the kind of thing only the best people do: without thought of self, they jump into the fray to help stop a theft. That’s what Trusty’s Full Service bartender Matt Boone did this past May, and for his trouble, he was stabbed multiple times, and had to be airlifted to the hospital. Boone returned to work recently, after months of recovery, but faces a long uphill battle to pay the $55,000+ in medical bills related to the assault. 

Tonight at Capitol Lounge, there will be a fundraiser for Boone, or you can paypal him a thank you at mike.boone@yahoo.com.

It’s sad and unfortunate that we live in a world where Boone’s benevolent action is met not with thanks but with a hefty medical bill.  Boone makes DC a better place, DC friends, please give what you can to help him out.

Need for Speed
courtesy of andradeXcobain

Councilman (and 2014 Mayoral Hopeful) Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) has formed a Task Force to look at the fines levied by red light and speed trap cameras and adjust their amounts to make them a safety feature not just a punitive measure and revenue source. I watched recently as a whole line of Maryland out-bound commuters got nailed at the bottom of a hill in my Brookland neighborhood, each flash representing about $100 for the city coffers from cars headed back to the suburbs. Mr. Wells appears to be doing the political calculus on this one, as showing himself to be more car-friendly despite his livable/walkable slogan and reputation as an anti-car crusader, he gains credibility with a large part of the city that still drives and hate the new cameras.

Here’s my memo to all news outlets: Light-hearted euphemisms for assault, particularly sexual assault, are offensive.

“The Georgetown Cuddler” was an insultingly cute way to refer to a man who would break into people’s homes and assault them while they slept. I was willing to grade on a slight curve since this was such an odd sort of crime, but that gets you very little slack.

Here’s one where you get no slack, WaPo: it is not possible in any state in the union for an adult to have a “sexual relationship” with a 13-year-old. A 13-year-old – particularly not one in a student-teacher relationship with a person – cannot give consent to an adult.

If you can’t bring yourself to call rape rape, by all means, fall back on local law terminology and say sexually abused (DC ST § 22-3002). Modern district law, which wasn’t yet passed when this alleged incident would have occurred in the 80s, even tacks on a 1.5x modifier for someone in an authority position – say, a teacher or coach (DC ST § 22-3020).

But it is no more a relationship than I am acquainted with someone who says “hello” to me before stabbing me in an alley.

Ryan Zimmerman Batting
courtesy of Mr. T in DC

Here’s a funny thing about baseball. It is a string of random events that leads to an outcome, because it is a game watched and covered by humans narratives are added. Take for example the feelings that spread through a shell shocked Natstown after a nine run lead was blown Friday night leading to an 11-10 extra innings loss and 4-0 shutout in the first half of a double header. From checking the pulse of the fan base one would think it was 2009 all over again, but this is baseball and things can turn around quickly.

A team is only as good as their next starting pitcher and after John Lannan came out of exile from AAA and pitcher seven innings of two run ball to earn himself and the Nats a win. Ross Detwiler followed that up Sunday by doing the same exact thing and giving the Nats a split in their four game series against the Braves and putting the division standings back the way they were before the weekend began.

Continue reading →

Michael Morse
courtesy of MudflapDC

A game that started out with promise took a turn towards misery as the Nats ended the fifth with a 9-0 lead and entered the ninth with a 9-8 lead. How the Nats got to this point is a story with more twist and turns than a back country dirt road, and after it reached this point it continued to twist and turn before reaching its conclusion. The Braves would take the lead in the top of the ninth against suddenly shaky closer Tyler Clippard before the Nats would come back and tie it in the bottom of the ninth on a Danny Espinosa homer. The Nats would end up winning it in the top of the eleventh on a Dan Uggla infield single in which he advanced to second on Zimmerman’s wild throw and to third on Sandy Leon’s passed ball before scoring on a Paul Janish single.

There is little to be said about a loss this horrific. The Nats have faced adversity time and time again this season. They started the season without Michael Morse before losing Zimmerman for a time and then losing Jayson Werth to a broken wrist and Wilson Ramos to a torn ACL. They suffered a similar loss earlier this season where they had a comfortable lead against the Reds and allowed them to come all the way back and win it on a Joey Votto walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. The Nats have faced adversity this season, but it all pales in comparison to this loss.

Continue reading →

Tiny girl asleep in car seat
courtesy of mattkangas

As some of you are aware, my darling wife and I are in the process of adoption. (NOTE: If you find a spare infant in your couch cushions, call me!) You’d probably be amazed how much time the issue of child car seats occupies when it comes to leaving a hospital with an infant. You’d more likely be amazed at just how many car seats aren’t properly installed & used – the NHSTA puts it as high as 3 out of four being mis-installed or mis-used.

The MPD is making efforts to improve that. There’s always two different locations and ways to get your install inspected. By appointment at MPD and at specific times at the DMV. Tomorrow there will be a special event at MPD between 11a and 3p, though making an appointment is encouraged. Drop in and they’ll make sure you’re installed correctly and offer guidance on making sure you do it correctly in the future.

If you’re outside the DC area you can always search the NHTSA’s finder.

With inches of rain last night, and more inches of rain on the way for today, residents of low-lying areas in the District and elsewhere in the metro area are reeling from their 3rd flood in 9 days and expecting their 4th in 10 days.  As you bail out your basement apartment, and curse the narrow sewers and the lack of a plan to fix the issue before 2020, it’s valuable to look at what resources are available to you.

DC Water has published a guide to preventing sewer backups and basement flooding (in PDF format, link goes straight to the PDF) that has some ideas for you, including the install of back flow preventers on your house sewer output – but recognize that once they’re closed during a flood, you’d best not flush the toilet, or you’re in for a world of hurt. They also have recommendations for sump pumps and increasing your drainage near your home.

It’s a tough thing to be expecting more and more damage to your home while DC Water is saying that we’re looking at an eight-year plan to make anything better. We’re hoping that they’re going to have a more comprehensive plan to handle the limited capacity of the wastewater system in that part of town.

Gio Gonzalez Hurls the Ball
courtesy of Geoff Livingston

It was a day for the polite golf clap at Nationals Park. The golf clap might be the sort of thing that Tiger Woods lives for, but at a baseball game, it’s a mark of crowd frustration, and there was plenty of that today as the Nats dropped the last game of the series 9-5 going into a critical 4-game weekend series against Atlanta. 

After two straight come-from-behind wins, the Nationals were hoping for an easy shut-em-down-early outing from Gio Gonzalez. That’s not what they got. Gonzalez went just 3.1IP, gave up 6 runs (all earned) including two monster home runs by Mets 3B David Wright and one by Ike Davis. After giving up just four home runs all year, to see Gonzalez give up 3 dingers today was definitely out of character for the Nats’ winningest pitcher.

With a big series this weekend against the Braves, after the Mets had done their damage early, the Nats had several of their veterans yanked for fresher arms and bats, and a comeback was mounted, but R.A. Dickey’s 7 1/3 of 3-run ball was too much to overcome. Though the late inning replacements did a stellar job (DeRosa, 2-3; Desmond 1-1, HBP; Moore, 2-2) mistakes were made, and they stranded a dozen on the base paths, including 6 with the bases loaded.

The series against Atlanta is in sharper relief with a Braves win and Nationals loss today, as just 3 1/2 games separate the two juggernauts ahead of a 4-game series. The Nationals will have Ian Desmond back in the saddle, said Davey Johnson after the game today, as well as former opening day starter John Lannan making a brief cameo to start the night game of Saturday’s twin bill.  This will be Lannan’s first outing with the big club since he was optioned to Syracuse at the end of Spring Training, and is courtesy of a new policy in the collective bargaining agreement which allows for a 26th player on the active roster on the day of a doubleheader.

After the game today, manager Davey Johnson wished Rick Ankiel well, as he was designated for assignment by the club this morning to allow for the return of Drew Storen to the active roster after elbow surgery this spring. Johnson spoke well of Ankiel’s time in Washington, but said this was the right move at the right time. This will give the Nationals 8 relievers through the weekend series. Johnson also mentioned Corey Brown in passing (Brown crushed his 21st homer in AAA Syracuse this afternoon) as a possible left-handed bat to add to the roster, though the timing is not clear.

photo by Tom Bridge

The Union Market building on 6th street across from Gallaudet University in NoMa is just about ready to kick things off, and this weekend’s Union Market Picnic is shaping up to be a real nice kickoff for the newly renovated market space.  Running from 12 to 6 on Sunday, there will be some incredible food by local places like Hill Country and Jeff Black (of recent RAMMY fame) and Red Apron and Pitango Gelato. In addition, Christylez Bacon and DJ Tariq will be keeping the tunes flowing at the new space.

Tickets in advance (until tomorrow at noon) are just $5. After that, tickets are $7.

The building will open this fall for good, with anchor tenants including Peregrine Espresso, Red Apron Butchery, Dolcezza, Lyon Bakery and Tricking Springs Creamery, plus the site is the final resting place for the Avoca railcar restaurant that was Capital City Diner. 

Big Bucks no Whammies!
courtesy of bradleyolin

I remember, as a wee little tyke, sneaking out from my bedroom when I was supposed to be napping to watch game shows in the living room. Classics like Password, and Price is Right, and more glitzy glammy ones like Press Your Luck and Hollywood Squares. The games were often just macguffins to put a lot of smart funny people in situations where they could be smart and funny. I didn’t appreciate this at four, but I do now, almost thirty years later.

This Saturday, local podcaster Brandon Wetherbee is putting together a game show with prizes for both contestants and audience members at the Artisphere, with some really smart and funny people, like local comedians Jenn Tisdale and Adam Friedland, and congressional candidate Bruce Majors, as well as a few other local favorites of the You Me Them Everybody podcast crowd.

Tickets are $10, and there’s a solid chance, says Wetherbee, that you’ll walk out with some sweet swag from their sponsors. When we asked Wetherbee why folks should come, he said: “Each guest is talented, charming and probably single. If you’re not single, they’re also not single and in loving relationships. Let’s all be friends. This is how to meet people and turn them into friends. Game shows.”

Thanks for that one, Brandon.