I live in Columbia Heights. I end up at DCUSA, or what I call the “vertical strip mall“, almost daily. I was overjoyed that the Target within it expanded their grocery section because I avoid the Giant supermarket near 14th and Park unless it’s an emergency; the last time I was there, it was during a blizzard and the infamously-long lines stretched to the back of the store– and then wrapped around it.
I’ve dined at almost every establishment within a block of the Metro except for the ones that weren’t vegetarian-friendly. I write all of this to say that I know the commercial, congested two-block strip of Columbia Heights between where I live and the historic, Tivoli Theatre, and I know it well. And that is why I am concomitantly happy and annoyed that Prince of Petworth announced the impending arrival of Z Burger, a local chain currently serving Tenleytown and Glover Park. Continue reading →
I will admit, he's my favorite character on "30 Rock".
If you’ve been listening to WAMU 88.5 FM, you know that today is the fourth day of the Fall Membership campaign– in fact, as I type this, The Kojo Nnamdi show is taking a break to ask for your support.
While NPR stars like Scott Simon remind you that your support powers stations like WAMU, you may have also heard Alec Baldwin, star of “3o Rock“, exhort you NOT to pledge to public radio. We’ve been airing Baldwin’s hilarious segments periodically, but if you missed them, you can find them all here. There are a total of five recordings, including a tribute to Glenngarry Glenn Ross (“Coffee is for PLEDGERS”).
You can support WAMU online here, or by calling (202) 885-8850.
I’ve spent part of my morning reading Jason Cherkis’ “Queer and Loathing: Does the Foster Care System Bully Gay Kids?“, in Mother Jones. It’s a difficult, damning examination of one child’s story and it sits at the intersection of so many issues we must resolve, as a society. This twisted my stomach in to knots:
As a gay foster child in Washington, DC, Kenneth spent most of his weekends alone. By the summer of 2009, the isolation had gotten so bad that he’d started calling his cell-phone carrier’s help line with imaginary complaints, just so he could vent to somebody about something. He would even text himself encouraging messages, like “Good job,” or “Damn you so strong.”
You’d think placing Kenneth would be relatively easy. He had decent grades and no criminal record. He spent his weekend nights doing chores, and loved to show off his spotless stove or the 17th redesign of his tiny bedroom. Although he struggled with a mood disorder, he’d learned to keep it in check. But what people saw first were his lipstick, his painted nails—his sexual orientation. “I’m just really worried about where we place you,” the judge said at one hearing. “I don’t know that there’s a perfect place.”
Good morning, DCentric readers! Ready to start your Tuesday with some links?
A Peek Into the DC9 Murder Investigation “But a police source involved in the investigation into Mohammed’s death says those rumors are likely wishful thoughts on the part of DC9 fans…He says it’s unlikely that Mohammed died merely of a tackle, and that he would bet that a least one of the five arrested will face murder charges. He also claims, as do recently filed charging documents, that the first officer on the scene began administering CPR to Mohammed. “That’s not something you do if a guy is conscious,” the source says” (Washington City Paper)
Virginia GOP big is asked to resign after alleged racist e-mail “I went down this morning to sign up my Dog for welfare. At first the lady said, “Dogs are not eligible to draw welfare”. So I explained to her that my Dog is black, unemployed, lazy, can’t speak English and has no frigging clue who his Daddy is. So she looked in her policy book to see what it takes to qualify…My Dog gets his first check Friday. Is this is a great country or what?” (maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com)
Bill would entice D.C. corner stores into fruit-selling business “Two D.C. council members want corner stores to start slinging fruits and vegetables in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, and they’re willing to provide subsidies as part of the District’s battle against bulging waistlines. A bill introduced by at-large Councilman Kwame Brown and Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh is designed to target what are commonly referred to as “food deserts,” areas where it’s easier to buy chips and a soda than an apple.” (Washington Examiner )
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s likes to talk about keeping the city below the 100 annual homicide mark. It’s the chief’s benchmark; a “tipping point” for the city’s safety that she just can’t seem to reach. As of Monday, D.C. police are reporting 103 homicides for the year.
Last year, Lanier boasted much more loudly about keeping the District’s homicides below the 100 mark, but it only lasted until September. The goal lived on for an extra month this year, and the city’s homicides are still down nearly 6 percent when compared to the same time in 2009
Here’s my second post in a row about hair, or more specifically, afros. Kohl’s has spent the last two hours apologizing for carrying this Halloween “Ghetto Fab Wig” over Twitter (latest message: “Corrective measures are being taken internally. We apologize for carrying an offensive item like this.”):
"Ghetto Fab Wig"
Kudos to Kohl’s for “getting it”. Before writing this post, I didn’t know that there are almost ten of the stores within a 20-mile radius of D.C. The wig is not carried in-store. Blogger Afrobella said: Continue reading →
I saw this video on PostBourgie. Then I learned the sweet backstory to it via NPR:
Joey Mazzarino, the head writer of Sesame Street, is also a Muppeteer who wrote the song for his daughter. Mazzarino is Italian. He and his wife adopted their 5-year-old daughter Segi from Ethiopia when she was a year old.
(Jambulapati’s) post is another example of the ongoing villainization of teachers’ unions, which have increasingly become the favorite punching bag of would-be urban school reformers like Rhee. While Teach for America types may position merit pay and increased accountability as the keys to saving America’s inner city youth, my time as both a student and teacher in a failing urban public school has taught me no amount of creativity or passion can be substituted for parents that take an active interest in their parents’ education.
Put simply, America’s schools are not failing because of unions. They are failing because Americans don’t value education. If you need further evidence, just contrast the way teachers and schools are revered in places like India and China with the way many Americans take pride in their anti-elitism and disdain for academics, nerds and other pointy-headed types.
Good morning, DCentric readers! While you were outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine, we were scouring the internet for tasty links. Enjoy!
Black and Latino Single Moms Have Median Wealth of Zero “Researchers from NYU’s Women of Color Policy Network found that single mothers possess 4 percent of the wealth of single dads. Stats on black and Latino single moms are particularly staggering. While white single mothers have a median wealth of $6,000, black and Latino single mothers have a median wealth of zero.” (The Root)
An Army That Looks Like The Country – Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Atlantic “I think, coming from my background, there was a point when a section of African-Americans were really debating whether they were “American” or not. For my money, that debate is settled and I tend to think it was settled at Port Hudson almost 150 years ago.” (The Atlantic)
Let’s Compare This Crazy Anti-Gay AFA Op-Ed With One “Meanwhile, the majority of the United States moves on, not hating gays, dancing with its lesbian friend Ellen DeGeneres, and salivating at that sexy Twilight vampire battling that shirtless Twilight werewolf, unaware that hate speech is still something a national newspaper feels the need to publish alongside its other opinion writers.” (Wonkette)
12TH ST., 5000 block, Oct. 1. Animal control received a call about a turtle that was menacing Chihuahuas in a yard. An animal control officer took the eight-inch box turtle closer to a park.
Well thanks to I.M. Goph, we saw it and now so did you. Happy Friday, everyone!
