Things are getting bad, really bad

We just paid $2.99 a gallon here in Alexandria. The worst part is, pretty soon we're probably gonna run out of gasoline. It's already started in North Carolina and West Virginia.

This picture was taken yesterday in Georgia. Incredible.

Why they stayed behind

I've heard lots of folks wondering why so many people stayed behind in New Orleans and didn't evacuate. It's because they're poor! Not everyone has a car and money for a hotel room, people. New Orleans isn't all Bourbon St. It's one of the poorest cities in the country.

From today's Washington Post:

Many of the residents left in New Orleans are poor, and while some people have criticized them for failing to heed mandatory evacuation orders, many residents say they were simply unable to get out for financial or medical reasons.
"People are saying that those stuck in New Orleans now are those that wanted to stay, but that's not true," said Danelle Fleming, a New Orleans-based social worker. "They wanted to leave, but they couldn't."

She said that the city's Greyhound station was closing Saturday afternoon -- even as people without cars were trying to leave.

After being rescued from her roof, Moses said she was among those unable to evacuate before the hurricane. "My mother-in-law went out of town, but I didn't have any money, so I couldn't," she said.

Please Help the Victims of Katrina

Give to the Red Cross.

So, let me get this straight...

White people "find food" in grocery stores hit by Katrina. Black people "loot" grocery stores hit by Katrina. That's pretty f***ed up.

Help New Orleans

The Red Cross is taking donations now. Click here to help out.

42 years ago today

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."

More on the Lounge

From the Post...

"Popular Capitol Hill hangout Capitol Lounge was devistated by a fire early
this morning. A jogger called 911 to report smoke coming from the windows of
the bar, located at 231 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, around 6 a.m., and all
residents who live on the upper floors of the building were evacuated
safely. The bar's interior, filled with political memorabilia (Nixon signs,
Kennedy campaign badges, a Marion Barry poster) is completely gutted.

Initial media reports have suggested that a improperly extinguished
cigarette was the source of the fire, but longtime Capitol Lounge bartender
and manager Tony Tomelden said he suspects "faulty wiring" was responsible
for the blaze. "It seems from what firemen and the cops are telling me, it
started in the back, and there's no reason anyone would have been smoking
back there," he said.

D.C. Fire and EMS spokeswoman Catherine Friedman said, "Investigators have
indicated they don't believe it's suspicious, but beyond that, I don't have
anything concrete."

Cheap happy hour food and drink specials (those 25-cent tacos frequently hit
the spot on Wednesday evenings), friendly bartenders and kitschy decor made
the Lounge an after-work favorite of Hill staffers and interns. But it was
also a favorite gathering place for soccer fans -- a collection of scarves
representing foreign teams hung over the bar -- and alumni groups, who
gathered to watch college football over pizzas and pitchers of beer.

It will be missed.
-- Fritz"

Sad Day

One of my favorite watering holes, The Capitol Lounge, has burned down. I started going there 10 years ago when I lived on the Hill. Always a good place for some suds - they poured a nice Guinness. It's the place I 1st bought my little brother a beer. They're also the sponsor of my soccer team, The Capitol Lounge Rovers.

"Investigators determined an improperly discarded cigarette that was tossed into a trashcan by a workman caused the fire." Smoking sucks, people.

Joke of the Day

How many members of the Bush administration does it take to change a light bulb?

Ten.

1. One to deny that a light bulb needs to be changed;

2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the light bulb needs to be changed;

3. One to blame Clinton for burning out the light bulb;

4. One to tell the nations of the world that they are either for changing the light bulb or for eternal darkness;

5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton for the new light bulb;

6. One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a step ladder under the banner 'Bulb Accomplished';

7. One administration insider to resign and in detail reveal how Bush was literally 'in the dark' the whole time;

8. One to viciously smear No. 7;

9. One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had a strong light-bulb-changing policy all along;

10. And finally, one to confuse Americans about the difference between screwing a light bulb and screwing the country.

A little help please?

Can someone tell me what those yellow "Support Our Troops" stickers are for? Do they mean support the war? How do we support our troops? Pressure W to give them body armor? I think the best way to support them would be to bring the home, but Vietnam veteran Gary Knudson, 64, of South Dakota, who attended W's rally in Salt Lake City yesterday, takes issue with with that stance, shared by Cindy Sheehan, of supporting the troops but being against the war. "You can't have it both ways," he said. "I think she's misguided."

I think we should all drive around with this ribbon.

Damn, he makes Nixon look good!

W's latest numbers suck!

His overall job approval ratings have dropped from a month ago even as Americans who approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president are turning more optimistic about their personal financial situations according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Among all Americans, 36% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 58% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 33% approve and 62% disapprove.

Richard Nixon’s approval rating in the summer of 1973 (when the Watergate scandal was in full swing) was 39%.

Don't be surprised if we go to a "Code Red" soon to scare us into loving him again.

I still want to know why those in the 36% range still support him.

I gotta get me some of those!!

So, I'm sitting here watching the EPL Preview show on Fox Soccer Channel - the greatest channel ever, by the way, and they just did a story on a new development from Nike. The Nike Maxsight Contact Lenses. Now, I've been playing soccer since I was about 6 years old and have played goalkeeper for most of that time, and anything that will help my game is great. I can't tell you how many times I've lost the ball because of the sun or because it blends into the grey sky - this is gonna rock!

The Beer is Nasty

But the ads kick ass!! Check 'em out.

On a happier note...

My old roommate Marc finally asked his lady, Siobhan, to marry him last night. And she said yes!!! Congrats, kids. You're both awesome!!

Call your parents

Tell them you love them. Now.

My mother-in-law had a heart attack early this morning and is in surgery now. The FW (fabulous wife) is at the hospital while I keep an eye on things here at home. My mom had a biopsy today of some lesions on her leg. She'll get the results on Thursday.

My parents 40th wedding anniversary is next week, my Dad turns 65 a few days later, my grandmother turns 81 tomorrow. Call your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you. Seriously.

Shocking!!!!!

Rich people are happier than the poor!

August in DC

It's hot - Amazon hot, Congo hot, f'ing hot. I've been playing in my softball tourney this weekend - saved the field yesterday on the Ellipse in 95 degree weather and today it felt even worse. Someone today posed the question "What did people do before A/C?" The FW, correctly, said that they worked and dealt with it. Someone else said maybe, but they surely didn't work too hard. I had to remind them that if you had someone on horseback whippin' your ass, you worked hard.

It's hot.

Inter (fill in the Blank) Marriage and Dating

So, on today's Kojo Nnamdi show, the topic was inter-racial marriage, a topic very near to my heart, right FW? Anyway, a recent study found that the metropolitan Washington D.C. region has the highest rate of interracial marriage in the country. Something I always suspected but was never sure of. Reason #1 why the wife and want to stay in the area to raise our kids.

I was wondering about other inter______ marriages/relationships. I think inter-racial, inter-faith, whatever marriages are cool, obviously. But I don't think I could have ever dated, much less married, the FW if she was Republican. I just think our worldviews would have been so different. Race is just a social construct, as far as I'm concerned. Yes, my wife and I have cultural differences, but she would have had them with anyone she married - she's 1st generation American, the daughter of two immigrants. Our biggest difference is our socio-economic background. Also, despite all outward appearances, most religions, at their most basic, also teach the same lesson - love each other. So that's not really a big issue when you think about it, apart from all the pageantry and symbolism different religions wrap themselves in and the way people interpret them. But political differences, I don't know. That's huge - it encompasses so many different things - your views on race, religion, gender, sexuality, economic policy, poverty... I could go on forever.

If anyone out there is dating someone "other", other religion, race, politics, let me know how it's going.

Priceless

Parking at Municipal Garage in Annapolis - $2.50

Lunch for two at Buddy's Crabs and Ribs - $58.00

Spending a Friday roadtrip with Dad - Priceless

How much vacation time do you have?

W's about to go on a 5 week vacation. Yep, 5 weeks. He's been on the job for 4 1/2 years, and he gets a 5 week vacation? I can see if he'd never taken any time off, but he's already take a total of 319 days for vacations, that's almost a whole year!! Or 20% of his total time in office. Lazy SOB.

How's that Mandate?

From the USAToday:

President Bush's job approval ratings have hit the lowest point of his tenure and the number of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of him has reached 50% for the first time, according to a Gallup poll released Friday....