D.C.’s R-Word

“OF COURSE the team should change the name. Duh. It’s the worst racial slur used as a team name in American sports.” –Robert McCartney, “Drop ‘Redskins’ name? Time to take a stand.” Washington Post

“‘It is the worst name we can be called in the English language…. And it’s in the nation’s capital.’” –”Redskins name change demanded at Smithsonian forum,” Annys Shin, Washington Post

“Discussion at the American Indian Museum: Time to Put Racist Mascots to Bed,” [Storified] Smithsonian Magazine blog

 ”… 90,000 people screaming a racial slur.” ”Time for the Washington Football Team to Change Its Name?” Benjamin R. Freed, DCist

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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RG III and the R-Word

“Before he lay in a hospital bed, convalescing after reconstructive knee surgery, I thought that Robert Griffin III would be the perfect person to take on a problem that’s been plaguing Washington for decades: our football team’s ill-considered, objectionable, offensive, racist, totally unacceptable name.”

– “Only RGIII can make the Redskins change their name. Here’s why he won’t.” Mike Wise, Washington Post

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Newtown’s Gun Lobby in DC

This morning the NRA attempted to defend its insane proposals to put guns in all American schools and keep military-type weapons and magazines on the streets, the gun lobby’s reaction to the horrifying slaughter of 20 small children and 6 educators in Newtown Connecticut. But Newtown itself is home to another gun lobby group, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and its last registered DC office is at 20 F Street NW (above) near the U.S. Senate, where it rents space.

The NSSF represents gun and ammunition manufacturers and dealers, so it’s no surprise that it has lobbied Congress against restrictions on military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. It even claims that the AR-15 is a legitimate hunting firearm.

Puppet Radicals Run Riot in DC!

“The Million Puppet March — a political rally against Mitt Romney’s debate remarks about Big Bird and cutting funding to public television — may not have actually been a million puppets strong, but furry monsters came from far and near in a post-Halloween parade of support for PBS on Saturday.

The march to the Capitol set off from Lincoln Park shortly after 11 a.m., with the participants singing the “Sesame Street” theme song, and the Muppets’ “Mahna Mahna.” They were asked to keep to the sidewalk, but the hundreds of marchers soon spilled into the street, requiring a police escort. They chanted:

‘Power to the puppets! We can save the Muppets!’

‘Whose street? Sesame Street!’

‘What do we want? Cookies! When do we want them? Now!’

‘EL-MO! We won’t go!’

–”The Million Puppet March: Fighting for public broadcasting, with felt and fur,” Maura Judkis, Washington Post

DC Emerges from Frankenstorm

In Washington, it’s time to mop up after Hurricane Sandy with some local links:

“Spared brunt of the storm, D.C. region starts to return to normal,” Debbi Wilgoren, Fredrick Kunkle and Jeremy Borden, Washington Post

“DC Misses the Worst of Sandy,” Tom Bridge, WeLoveDC.com

“Area begins cleanup after Sandy,” WTOP News

“Metro announces limited restoration of rail, bus service,” WMATA press release

The storm did not pass without important  civic consequences, however:

“It’s Final: High Heel Race Pushed Off Until Thursday,” Martin Austermuhle, DCist

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Image (“DC Emerges from Frankenstorm, after John Constable”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Hurricane Sandy Goes to Washington

Hurricane Sandy is storming her way into the Nation’s Capital. Emergency shelters are open, the subway is closed, and taxicab fares have an extra $15 storm surcharge.

The Federal and DC governments, Metro, and area schools were closed Monday and will remain closed Tuesday, but at least some folks in this town have a work ethic and sense of duty. There are still sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and the Annual High Heel Drag Race will clatter down 17th Street on Tuesday as scheduled. Is this a great country, or what?

Update:

“It’s Final: High Heel Race Pushed Off Until Thursday,” Martin Austermuhle, DCist

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Image (“Hurricane Sandy, after Gustave Courbet”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Washington Prepares for Frankenstorm

DC households were alerted to the impending danger of Hurricane Sandy’s imminent arrival by robocalls from Pepco, telling us to buy our own generators, stockpile batteries, and to pray. The District Government had already declared a State of Emergency, so Washingtonians reacted with their customary calm, racing to stores to buy out stocks of toilet paper, batteries, canned goods, flashlights and bottled water before their neighbors could. Here on Capitol Hill, of course, emergency rations must meet more exacting standards (see photo, above).

But what else should we do before the Frankenstorm? Florida is constantly storm-pummeled, so we consulted the Miami Herald‘s hurricane preparedness checklist:

• Remove coconuts and other yard debris.
• Make arrangements to move your boat to safe harbor or secure it.

Um, okay … got it.

Other checklists (from the Red Cross, the Weather Channel, NOAA, The Washington Post, SBA, DC Homeland Security, PEPCO, National Geographic, FEMA) omit these vital pointers:

Hello Kitty for President

Hello Kitty for President
Campaign Party
Saturday, November 3rd
8pm to 12am

LivingSocial
918 F Street, NW

DJ: Biz Markie

Hello Kitty for President

Big Bird for Veep?

More:

“Hello Kitty is Running for President with Biz Markie on the Decks,” Neda Semnani, Roll Call

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Preview: New Metrorail Cars

Metro is previewing the new Model 7000 railcar, and it falls far short of our design concept (above).  It’s a Kawasaki. Let the Good Times Roll! 

Happy Fiscal New Year

May old encumbrance be forgot, and never brought to mind . . . .”
– Singer and retired Federal employee Joe Hickerson.

WASHINGTON, DC, October 1 — Today Federal employees throughout the Washington region and across the country observe their traditional holiday, the Fiscal New Year. Fiscal 2012 ended at midnight last night; today is the start of Fiscal Year 2013 (FY 2013 for short).