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Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Month: July 2008 Page 3 of 8

Join BikeArlington for Tour de France Highlights (Stage 18)

By

On July 23, 2008

In Cycling, Virginia

From BikeArlington:

What: Join BikeArlington to cheer on the Tour de France at Summers Restaurant!

When: Thursday, July 24th, 5 -7pm

Where: Summers Restaurant, at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Courthouse Road, just one block from the Court House Metro (http://www.summers-restaurant.com/)

Why: To enjoy the camaraderie of fellow cyclists as we watch the pros climb through the hills of the Monts du Forez on their way to Saint-Etienne in the 18th stage of the 21-stage Tour.

We’ll have the TVs tuned to catch the highlights of the day’s 197 kilometers.  Summers has happy hour specials in place for us to enjoy, such as $2.50 for selected domestic beers, and $1-off wine and other beers.  We’ll order up some appetizers and enjoy the company of other bikers as we take in the Tour.

RSVPs to mesposito@arlingtonva.us are welcome, but not necessary.

On behalf of BikeArlington, we can’t wait to see you there!

Getting there:
Metro’s Orange line to the Court House Metro is one block away;
Metrobus routes 38B, 4BE; ART route 41, 62;
and of course by bike: there is plenty of bike parking at the Court House Metro, at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Uhle Street.

I’m going to do my best to make it.  Say hi if you see a guy in a CSC Invitational shirt (or one of these).

Midweek Makeover: Gimme Some Skin, My Friend

By

On July 23, 2008

In Music

I probably don’t have a lot in common with John McCain, but I bet we both dig the Andrews Sisters.  However, I came by that fandom through my grandmother (and mother) while he probably heard this when it was still a hot hit on the radio in 1941:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=kIFN13-a1iA&feature=related[/youtube]

And he probably wouldn’t be as impressed with this brilliant remix:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y4AtSJy0vuY[/youtube]

But still.  Andrews Sisters are good for everybody.

Can we at least take his column away?

By

On July 23, 2008

In Cycling, DC

Why is Robert Novak still driving?

Bono said the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a “Walk” signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and then Novak made a right into the service lane of K Street. “The car is speeding away. What’s going through my mind is, you just can’t hit a pedestrian and drive away,” Bono said.

That right, Robert Novak hit someone who rolled across his windshield, and he didn’t even notice it.  If he’s that unaware of things, why does he still have a national column, nevermind his car keys?

Update: The more I read about this, the more I’m pretty sure that Novak just plain fled the scene:

He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.

Bono said that throughout, Novak “keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go.” He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him.

Finally, Bono said, Novak put his head out the window of his car and motioned him over. Bono said he told him that you can’t hit a pedestrian and just drive away. He quoted Novak as responding: “I didn’t see him there.”

I used to have an office right on that corner (1776 K St.), and while I was glad to get out of there, I sure would have loved to have had it today.  (Also, this Bono fellow is running for the board of the Washington Area Bicycle Association.  I think he just cinched my vote.)

Light Posting

By

On July 22, 2008

In Personal

Sorry for the ease up in content, of late. I’m trying to make progress on another project (which I hope to be sharing here, as soon as I’m done), and that’s taking up quite a bit of time. Also? I managed to rip open a good portion of one of my palms on – of course – a rusty nail. It’s one of those stupid little injuries whose effect on your general disposition is outsized to its actual import.

Back to the regularly scheduled programming soon, I hope.

(Photo of the scaffolding going up on the north side of the National Archives)

Score One for Good

By

On July 22, 2008

In EU, Society

Never expected to see Radovan Karadzic on trial.

Update: Wow. This is the website he kept, advertising his alternative medicine practice. It boggles.

Update II:  That is most probably not a website for him.  The best clue is the registration date.  Ah well.  Count me in as a hot news sucker.  But, at the end of the day, he’s still going to rot for the rest of his life.  And that’s what’s important.  (Thanks to M.E. for the tip off.)

J. Edgar Google: Threatening Your Privacy

By

On July 21, 2008

In Distribution, Law, Policy

Here’s an interesting analysis of Google’s approach to privacy.  The author, Scott Cleland, summarizes his testimony before Congress thusly:

Why Google’s the single biggest threat to Americans’ privacy today.

Case Study: How Google Systematically Threatens Americans’ Privacy:
1. Google’s radical “publicacy” mission is antithetical to privacy.
2. Privacy is not a priority in Google’s culture.
3. Google gives privacy “lip service.”
4. Google threatens the privacy of more people than most any other
entity.
5. Google collects/stores the most potential “blackmail-able”
information.
6. Google’s track record does not inspire trust.

Information is power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts
absolutely. Google’s market power over private information is corrupting
Google, just like former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was corrupted by
his power and mastery of personally-sensitive information. Google’s
unprecedented arbitrage of privacy law combined with its exceptional
lack of accountability is fast creating this era’s privacy-invading,
unaccountable equivalent: “J. Edgar Google.”

More on this from me later, but I wanted to pass it on lest it get lost in the ever growing Draft Posts folder . . .

10:15/Saturday Night: Bounce With Me

By

On July 19, 2008

In Music

This is usually a quieter mix, but I’m feeling a little more energy today.  Enjoying the summer. The first track lays down Run-D.M.C’s lyrics and beats from It’s Tricky over Metallica’s Enter Sandman. Try not to bounce to that. This then segues (quite smoothly) into a nifty mashup between UK hip hop phenom Lady Sovereign and the Eurythmics. Finishes up with something unexpected, laying out Tegan & Sara vocals over a Mylo track. Hope you enjoy the genre-bending.

10:15 Saturday Night

Obama’s Most Important Endorsement

By

On July 19, 2008

In Policy, Politics

Who better to opine on his plan for Iraq than the Iraqi Prime Minister?

(this kinda sweeps away the “general horizon” shellgame that the Bush Administration tried to float, doesn’t it?)

Weekend Music: Édition de L’Tour

By

On July 18, 2008

In Cycling, Music

Okay, we start with an obvious choice, but despite my harping on cycling topics, I’m pretty comfortable in assuming that my audience isn’t the type that would consider leading off with Kraftwerk unforgivable:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=sQz-CZvkY8k[/youtube]

Draft Siouxsie and her Banshees in the flats:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=7C0OOM7gaSk[/youtube]

Climb up the Hautacam with The Ark:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=5oIfWME713c[/youtube]

And get some Bad Religion for the final sprints:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=h-VyWe0sm0I[/youtube]

Big ups to Manxman (!) Mark Cavendish, winner of  four Tour de France stages, and only 24 years old.

Friday Notes: Remember That? Edition

By

On July 18, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Law, Politics, Virginia

Yesterday was the first day you could register a handgun in DC.  How many people were in line, clamoring to exercise this new right?  Two.  And one forgot his gun.

~

I was never a fan of comics as a kid, but after being introduced to a few really impressive “graphic novels” as an adult (i.e., Maus, Blankets, and Palestine), I’m a little more open to the artform.   So I found myself sucked into the webcomic Yehuda Moon the other day.  Not as serious as those graphic novels, but a bit of light – if occasionally pointed – fun.  If you’re a cyclist, check it out.

~

Perhaps the most entertaining session I attended at the first YearlyKos convention was the one where Dave “Mudcat” Saunders threatened to punch Whistling Past Dixie author Tom Schaller for speaking frankly about some of the uglier sides of the South.   As I’ve previously noted, Tom’s probably not the best messenger, but he’s got an important message.  Vivian Paige just started posting a multi-part review of the book, and I’m looking forward to her take on it.

~

And that post about pettiness, earlier this week?  The Washington Post decided to prove that they can be just as petty as the rest of us.

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