November 21st, the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, will be the formal reopening of the American History Museum, which has been closed for renovations since 2006. The museum will reopen with a copy of the Gettysburg Address on display, for a limited time, because it has to be back in the Lincoln bedroom of the White House before the next President takes office (I'm sure it complained vigorously about the curfew).

The museum has been closed for the entire time I've been in DC, so I'm excited to go see it.

9:30 am | Comment (1) | Print | Categories: Washington, DC

This isn't really funny...a man was shot to death as he defended his wife in a dispute over a parking space in Southeast Washington.

Daniel Clark died of his wounds at a local hospital, and was a father of three.

Just sad.

9:13 am | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Crime

7:22 am | Comment (2) | Print | Categories: Law, Washington, DC

The conservative columnist who last week struck a pedestrian has announced that he has a brain tumor. No word on whether the tumor contributed to the accident.

7:17 am | Comment (0) | Print

It's been a busy week here in Washington. Lots going on. First, Restaurant Week has been announced, bringing some of DC's finest dining establishments to the locals at about $20 for lunch or $30 for dinner.

Let's see, what else is going on...

Robert Novak, conservative columnist and best known for committing an unidicted Federal crime of disclosing classified information about Valerie Plame struck a homeless pedestrian and tried to commit another felony of hit-and-run...he was stopped by a biker and cited $50 for violating a crosswalk. [WaPo]

Metro had a fun week, with a signaling problem Monday night that literally shut down the entire system for two hours, followed by Red Line problems that stalled traffic entirely on that line for most of Wednesday afternoon. Loads of fun!

Richard Simmons visited the Capitol and apparently did some sort of a dance routine on the steps (not safe if you're eating): DCist.

Congress is thinking about striking DC's gun ban by barring the District from passing such laws. Apparently they missed the Supreme Court decision on the subject. [DCist]

Flash flooding.

2:24 pm | Comment (1) | Print | Categories: Metro, Washington, DC, Weather

Today marks 1 year since I moved to Washington. One year ago today I drove myself to the airport, boarded a flight, and headed out for the unknown. It's been a long year with many challenges and numerous learning experiences. But all in all it's been a great year.

9:19 am | Comment (2) | Print | Categories: Washington, DC

And you thought the Comcast saga was over.

Ha! Loser.

No, the saga returned in full force last night. It happened when someone sent me an e-mail containing a link that wouldn't open. Perhaps not unusual except I noticed that there was another URL I couldn't open. Coincidence?

So I fired up the VPN (Virtual Private Network for you non-technical types) and connected to the office. My curiosity confirmed what I suspected: for some reason, I couldn't access the sites, but only on Comcast.

I gave Comcast a quick call, only to be rebuffed on a "unfortunately we don't support Macs" note (I'll keep that in mind for the 25% of college students who won't be choosing you then). I tweeted to Frank. He put me in touch with business services, who didn't solve the problem and accidentially hung up on me (I swear they should disable those buttons for the staff). At about 11:30, Frank called and put me together with an upper-level technician named Michael.

At this point I have to give Frank kudos. First, this is a Friday night. Next, I had connectivity to 90% of the internet. Third, this is a guy who called me from home. Frank deserves some kudos at this point.

Duly noted.

Michael poked around, and after a while he returns and says "I have good news...you have a new block of IP addresses and all you have to do is contact the owners of the website so they can put your address in their configuration."

4:12 pm | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Comcast

...and we're back! It was a nice little break and with 20 hours of extra stuff to do this week I was more than a little busy. But, I'm back and blogging again. Some highlights:

• Rebuilding the Server On Wednesday I rebuilt the server that hosts Almost Georgetown. It was in need of some help with regards to virtual hosts. So that's been taken care of.
• Comcast Comcast posted on my blog about my experience with them. Worth a read since it contains information on how to contact them if they treat you badly.
• DC Developers Group I'll be leading the Developer's Group for DC, at least temporarily, in arranging speakers and events.
• War Memorial Movement I'm working with the local preservationists on the DC War Memorial, and we finally have forward movement! Some of them met with a congressional staffer and I've been asked to work on a website. Should be fun!

3:59 pm | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Adventures

The days are long, the weather is warm, and its time for a well-earned hiatus from the blogosphere. I've got a bout of writer's block so I'm goinng to take a week or so to clear my head.

Until then, there's a blogroll and over 300 entries to whet your palate.

See you in about a week!

5:18 pm | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Blog Administration

8:52 am | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Humorous

John McCain and Barack Obama are taking Presidential politics to the next level, playing President and chief diplomat by visiting Columbia and Germany. But I have to ask, what's up with that?

McCain's less publicized trip to Columbia was eclipsed by Obama's flap over the Brandenburg Gate speech, which was apparently started by the Bush administration making a quiet request to German officials to make Barack Obama's trip as hard as possible. But regardless, why are the candidates leaving the country?

They don't vote in Germany. And they don't vote in Columbia. So what's the deal, candidates?

8:49 am | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Election '08

8:24 pm | Comment (5) | Print | Categories: Technology, Washington, DC

4:17 pm | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Apple, Technology

• DC To Fund Metro Cameras The highest crime stations in DC will get cameras under a $225,000 program to install the devices. Annacostia station, in SE Washington, has the highest crime rate (no real surprise there). It has the highest instance of robbery, especially after school via juveniles. [WaPo]
• TenlyLibrary to be Rebuilt The city has selected a development firm to rebuild the Tenley-Friendship library. Not content with a center for, you know, books, they've settled on a multi-use design that will include expensive housing units (and even more expenisve property taxes). Too bad they didn't design the building to look like the Georgetown Library (pictured above). [WaPo]
• John McCain is ineligible to be President The Constitution specifies that one must be a natural-born citizen of the United States. In a technicality, John McCain was granted citizenship shortly after his first birthday. His citizenship was not automatic upon birth, making him constitutionally ineligible to be President. Perhaps if Florida forgets how to count this year we might have success with this one in court. [New York Times]
• DC Test Scores Improve Not that our dismally low scores have improved considerably, but they're up. Some principals credit Rhee for that. [WaPo]

9:04 am | Comment (0) | Print

Alice Swanson, 22, killed by a trash truck in Dupont Circle on Monday.

3:41 pm | Comment (1) | Print | Categories: Accidents

Let me be the first to welcome you here.

Welcome.

Almost Georgetown is now live, right on schedule. There's a redirect from the old location, and the blog has been completely rebranded.

Just for anyone confused (reading this months from now): I've rebranded my personal blog to more accurately reflect my DC culture. This blog will now focus on DC, mostly Northwest, excluding Georgetown (which has plenty of its own blogs). It will also address some personal issues, as well as issues of national importance.

Thank you all for your support. I look forward to having you here.

4:54 pm | Comment (2) | Print

The message is clear: if you own a car, the District of Columbia is not necessarily the place for you.

DC is taking critical steps to reducing congestion and traffic caused by commuters, including installing new parking meters that can be adjusted to charge variable amounts, raising city-owned garage fees, and considering raising the fine for violating a crosswalk from $50 to $500.

Some suburban drivers feel the pinch, and they're not happy. But DC has the worst traffic in the nation, and the highest death rate for pedestrians nationally, while having some of the highest numbers of commuters who do so by foot, bike or mass transit.

AAA accuses DC of an "anti-car" policy. I don't think that's entirely fair, since I think that DC leaders are recognizing that their constituents don't necessarily appreciate the automobiles that clog the streets and make walking impossible in the city. As someone who has considered buying a car, I would still use mass transit to get to certain parts of the city (the Verizon Center, for example), not because it's less expensive but because it's easier. And that's the way it should be.

Drivers Feeling Shunned by D.C. ~ Washington Post, July 6, 2008

11:48 am | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Metro, Traffic, Washington, DC

According to Comcast, the entire internet must not work.

That's because they seem to think that no internet service provider offers something called a static IP address.

A static IP address is an IP address (e.g. 67.207.143.31) that doesn't ever change. In order to run a web server or have permanent connectivity to a system without having to guess at its IP address, it has to have a static IP address.

But Comcast tech support doesn't think that static IP addresses exist. And they told me as much on the phone.

Oh Comcast. It's Comcraptic!

Updated at 7/5/2008 @ 4:09 pm Frank (@comcastcares on Twitter) at Comcast put me in touch with Business Services. I'm supposed to call them Monday.

Updated at 7/7/2008 @ 8:46 am Comcast Business Services require a minimum 1-year commitment and a $99 installation (which is some guy coming over to install a modem). What a joke.

11:37 am | Comment (0) | Print | Categories: Comcraptic

Signing of the Declaration of Independence. John Trumbull, Oil on Canvas.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. - Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. - And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

- John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

11:22 am | Comments Disabled | Print | Categories: Holidays

8:51 am | Comment (4) | Print | Categories: Security, Washington, DC