V.w.verweij

Baby hummingbird recuperating courtesy of citywildlife

From a press release:

For the first time in its history, the nation’s capital has a licensed, professionally staffed veterinary facility dedicated to helping wild animals. City Wildlife expects their new facility at 15 Oglethorpe Street, NW, to handle as many as 1,200 orphaned, injured, and ill wild animals the first year. The center opened on July 1. Among the patients they have already rescued are:

o An Osprey who was struck by a truck on the Frederick Douglass Bridge, treated, and reunited with his family group;
o A sick pregnant squirrel, who gave birth to four babies while in City Wildlife’s care and was cured and released with a nest box for her new family; and
o A juvenile Ruby-Throated Hummingbird who was dying of starvation until the center nursed him back to health and prepares to send him to an environment with abundant nectar-producing flowers.

“It’s ironic that our city, which boasts three animal shelters, a low-cost veterinary hospital, and a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, has never had a facility capable of caring for wild animals,” points out Anne Lewis, City Wildlife’s president. “That’s especially true when you consider that one-quarter of all the calls coming in to the main D.C. animal shelter are about wildlife. We believe we have filled an important — and long neglected — gap in the city’s otherwise exemplary animal welfare services.”

City Wildlife is open every day from nine a.m. to five p.m. and accepts injured, ill, and orphaned wild animals from members of the public as well as from the city’s animal care and control officers. A wildlife rehabilitator and part-time wildlife veterinarian administer physical examinations, fluid therapy, parasite treatments, wound management, fracture stabilization, medications, and other treatments as required. The goal in treating each patient is to return it to the wild.

“As you’d expect, wild animals in Washington frequently come into conflict with the urban environment,” notes City Wildlife’s clinic director Alicia DeMay. “They are hit by cars, attacked by pets, and poisoned. Babies are left helpless when their nests are destroyed or their parents are killed. These injured and orphaned animals need a place to receive care and heal, and the residents who are trying to help them deserve a convenient and professional rehabilitation facility like City Wildlife.”

City Wildlife accepts all manner of wild birds — both species that reside in the city and migrants that pass through — as well as native reptiles, amphibians, and most small mammals, such as chipmunks, rabbits, and squirrels. The center does not currently rehabilitate deer or species prone to carry rabies: raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bats, and skunks.

Those interested in learning more about City Wildlife or contributing towards the rehabilitation center can visit www.citywildlife.org, write to info@citywildife.org, or call 202-882-1000.

Delight in the transition from summer to autumn with this fall-flavored soup. This delicious pear soup is the perfect bridge between the late summer harvest and the need for a warming soup on a cool evening.

What is better than a dog wearing galoshes? Ghost Dog doesn’t plan on getting these anytime soon. But, I think you can see why I had to post it. Oh, and it happens to be the pet dog of President Coolidge’s personal secretary.

Source: Shorpy

The post Peter Pan Wearing Rubber Galoshes (Bizarre) appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

0110:

Here’s a game I made. You may call it “0110”, “Do Not Press the Currently Selected Digit”, or “The Devil’s Bongos”

It’s made in Scirra Construct 2 and based on the Thue-Morse sequence, an obscure binary pattern I have somehow known by heart since I was a child.

I’ve found many other people also know this pattern inherently— it’s just something they’ve always remembered idly tapping out with their feet or fingers.

What does it mean? A mild OCD tic? A message from another dimension? I don’t know. But you can let it infect you too, simply by playing this small game.

It’s has four stages and a timer, if you get good at it. It works best with the keyboard, or tapping the big digits if you’re on a mobile device.

Enjoy, and let me know if you find bugs.

http://www.neilcic.com/0110

3415 11th Street, NW

11th Street is about to get some more outdoor dining options. The Coupe at the corner of 11th and Monroe St, NW is looking to add a 50 sidewalk cafe according to a liquor license amendment. Though The Coupe is open 24 hours a day the sidewalk cafe would only be open:

Sunday through Thursday 10 am – 11 pm and Friday and Saturday 10 am -1 am.

11th Street looking south towards Park Road

One of California's largest fires ever is raging in the Yosemite National Park. It has burned more than 200 square miles of forest and is now threatening some 4,500 buildings, as 3,400 firefighters face "every challenge there can be."

Below are some initial reflections on the work I’ve been doing in Washington DC on the human right to housing. They are not terribly substantive and serve as much as a tribute and thank you to those who hosted me as disquisition on the topic. But I wanted to post the piece for those who might be interested in my broader project, or what’s going on in Washington DC. Enjoy.

In December 2008 Washington DC was declared a human rights city. The DC City Council passed the resolution, pushed for by the American Friends Service Committee. While this is a lovely idea, it leaves one wondering what does it mean to be a human rights city. In particular, what does it mean in a city defined by inequality, where more than 15,000 citizens do not have homes, where 20% of the population lives in poverty, where housing is more unaffordable than anywhere in the United States, and where public and affordable housing is under constant threat. Perhaps the declaration of DC as a human rights city would seem less cynical if the DC City Council or the Federal Government had shown themselves committed to protecting the human rights of residents of the District, particularly the right to housing.

Human rights promise us many things. The right to housing, however, is perhaps the most fundamental. What do our rights mean if we do not have a place to call home? Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights promises that

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

The right to housing is fundamental because it is in our homes that we find the space to rest, to pursue wellness, to find love, to raise families, and build communities, to collect our energy and thoughts so that we can participate in democratic politics, and it is where we find the safety, security and privacy that make a dignified life possible.

I came to Washington DC this August to study what the human right to housing means in the District, in the United States, and globally. My studies brought me here to learn about the struggles for secure, accessible, and decent housing. And those studies have brought me to the One DC office on S Street in the Shaw neighbourhood.

If we look at the actions of politicians, developers, and landlords it is hard to take the claim that DC is a human rights city very seriously. This, however, would be to miss the most important work being done in the District and the best reason to be hopeful that DC might become a model of human rights fulfillment. In my short two weeks at One DC, as I listened and learned from staff, volunteers, members and residents, I saw dedicated and brave individuals struggling to make the District a human rights city worthy of the title.

One DC’s work is not limited to claiming a right to housing, but it was this work that I observed and learned about while I was here. And the work that the organization is doing is difficult and demanding, but absolutely vital.

While at One DC I was privileged to meet the residents and volunteers that ensured the right of return for the families displaced from Kelsey Gardens, who won the right to return to the new Jefferson at Market Place development nearly 10 years after their homes were destroyed. I also learned about the struggle over public land in the District, particularly Parcel 33 and Parcel 42 in the Shaw, which One DC fought for, trying to secure affordable housing for long-time residents. Today Progression Place has dedicated affordable units, and the planned development for Parcel 42 includes affordable units as well.

These are important victories and One DC should be proud of the effect their efforts have had. But the measure of the organization’s dedication to real human rights change in DC is seen in the distance between these victories and the ends that One DC pursues. The organization has a more challenging and profound vision of what a just DC should look like. Most importantly, One DC is working towards empowering residents, empowering the community in the Shaw and the District to know and claim their rights. It is this work that begins to make DC a human rights city, as organizing working-class and low-income communities of color and helping them build the power necessary to claim and protect their own rights is at the core of what human rights mean.

Human rights are not primarily guarantees from governments. They are much more than privileges granted by the powerful. Oppressed communities have always been at the forefront of human rights. It was the enslaved people of Haiti that made the first truly universal declaration of rights, when they defeated the French empire and declared the freedom of all human beings, not just white Christian men who owned property. It was the anti-apartheid activists in South Africa and the United States that secured legal and political equality in those countries. And today it is brave women and men of color in Brazil, India, South Africa and the United States – in cities like Washington DC, Mumbai, Chicago and Cape Town – that are on the front line of the fight for the human right to housing. One DC carries on this tradition, a tradition that understands that human rights are not requests for mercy or sympathy from the powerful, but are demands that build the power of the people and use that power to reconstruct our communities in the image of greater justice.

I was lucky to see this work in progress as One DC worked with the residents of Lincoln Westmoreland II (recently rebranded Heritage at Shaw Station) who are facing uncertainty as the building owner has ceased his participation in HUD’s section 8 program. The residents have a chance to fight the displacement that has changed the neighborhood so dramatically over the past twenty years and improve their community – One DC’s support of that effort is vital. If Washington DC is going to be a human rights city then it needs One DC and its dedicated supporters, as well as more organizations and individuals with a similar commitment to building the power of the residents of the city so that they can realize their human right to housing.

I am grateful for the hospitality extended to me by One DC. To name names, special thanks are owed to Claire Cook, Ka Flewellen, Tim Kumfer, Virgina Lee, and Linette Robinson for agreeing to be interviewed. And thanks are also due to Alison Basile, Reece Chenault, Nkechi Fester, N’ya Finley, Ai’yinah Ford, Rosemary Ndubuizu, and Pat Penny for welcoming me warmly during my visit. Finally, though I suspect he would not want to be singled out, I am grateful to Dominic Moulden for supporting my visit, ensuring that it was productive, stimulating and enjoyable – thank you for allowing me to live, listen and learn from One DC during my all too short visit.

This is an amusing little piece that we dug up in the Baltimore Sun from April 7th, 1906. Ever complain about the speed limits in the city today? Take a look at what they were like over a hundred years ago.

Washington, April 6.–The Senate Committee on the District of Columbia today reported favorably a bill providing for the punishment of violations of the speed laws relating to automobiles. It limits the speed to 12 miles an hour within the city limits of Washington and 20 miles outside the limits.

For the first offense a fine of from $5 to $50 is provided; for the second offense a fine of from $10 to $100, with discretionary imprisonment; for the third offense, within one year, the fine prescribed is from $50 to $250, and it is made mandatory upon the court to sentence the offender to serve from one to six months in the workhouse.

Um … 12 miles per hour! My Capital Bikeshare hits that (going down hill).

The post 1906 Speed Limit Set: 12 Miles Per Hour appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

THE SOUND OF MURDER

JANE FöNDA’S SATAN WORSHIP RECORD

by Alex Balk

"Are You Using the Wrong Knife to Slice Tomatoes?"

3 Comments

The post Slate Ends Summer appeared first on The Awl.

Private First Class Chelsea (formerly Bradley) E. Manning has serious gender issues. Or so goes the story of the moment. In the wake of her statement, the question of identity (and language) has somewhat displaced that of the conviction and sentence. Another dimension in the smearing of whistleblowers, perchance. A way to denigrate and emasculate her still further, and so to reinforce the patriarchal entitlement of that shining city on the hill. Except that Manning’s sexual personhood is more contested than that.[1]

Navy Captain and psychiatrist David Moulton, according to CBC, testified that Manning’s ‘gender disorder’, amongst other things, “caused him to conclude he could change the world by leaking classified information”. But Moulton was a defence witness. Captain Steven Lim, Manning’s brigade commander, also pointed towards gender trouble, and revealed the existence of the now much-seen photo of Manning in a wig to the Fort Meade court. Again, a defence witness. Manning’s lawyers were forbidden from seeing much of the (non-)evidence against him, thanks to techniques of classification, and this surely influenced their strategy. Since they could not openly contest claims of the most traitorous harm (claims that were in the end unsubstantiated), why not try and reduce the sentence with whatever biographical resources were available? Where gender identity sometimes served as justification for the leaks, at others it was made irrelevant (to wit: ”It was never an excuse because that’s not what drove his actions. What drove his actions was a strong moral compass.”). Interviewed today, David Coombs (Manning’s lawyer) again juggled his client’s personhood somewhat unsuccessfully, maintaining both that ”we weren’t offering it as an excuse” but also that Manning’s gender explorations were relevant because they ”happened at the same time [as the leaks and therefore] that provides context”.

Paradoxically enough, it is at times Republicans who have had to point out the shamefulness of this strategy:

Now that he prepares to stand trial, he has shown himself to be willing to sacrifice honorable gay and lesbian servicemembers to avoid responsibility. Lawyers for Manning are claiming that his struggle with his sexual orientation contributed to emotional problems that should have precluded him from working in a classified environment. This shameful defense is an offense to the tens of thousands of gay servicemembers who served honorably under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We all served under the same law, with the same challenges and struggles. We did not commit treason because of it.

Despite the appeal to homonationalism, there is here an actual defence of LGBTQ identity against perpetual fears of a deviance that cannot be trusted with full equality. Fairly obviously, framings of ‘disorder’ put trans* and genderqueer back in the realm of medical pathology from which they have only just begun to escape. And yet this is not a one-sided story of medical bio-politics. Apart from the perhaps pragmatic legal strategy, Chelsea Manning is already become a body over which politics can be fought. As one gay activist apparently put it: “He’s not the poster boy for the campaign they’ve been running for gays in the military”. This utility – Manning as a symbol of anti-militarist LGBTQ politics – goes as much for academics as for social movements and hacktivists. It cannot be long before there is a paper which puts Manning to work as an exemplar in much the same way that Margaret Thatcher and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis were put to work before her. We are, in other words, dealing with appropriation, if not only with appropriation.

That Manning described experiences in the US military in terms of a ‘problem’ doesn’t mean you get to pathologise her, by the way. The issue – as so often – is whether you locate the experience of suffering in the failings of an individual or in the vicious binaries imposed through social norms (oh, and failure might not mean what you want it to either). In Manning’s case, victimisation in the army seems to have been a factor, which isn’t the same as making yourself miserable. It is not hard to see how militaristic masculinist cultures could produce that misery, practically by design. Soldiers have to be made, and usually are made by undermining and then recreating a sense of masculine self. Viewed in this way, it is indeed quite tempting to make an association between the leaking of classified information and Manning’s gender trouble, insofar as the latter renders more visible the obscenity of war. The direct exposure to military realities as a parallel to the discovery of a repressed self. This is part of the Snowden narrative too (the confessions of a disenchanted idealist), but made more forceful in Manning’s case because the transformation is more intimate, and therefore comes off as more total. 

But this is not the only way to read Manning’s act of self-naming. It may instead become important for liberal (or ‘inclusivist’) strands to resist the association and affirm, once again, that homosexual, trans* and genderqueer identities are indeed compatible with the figure of the martial citizen. Consider, then, Kristin (formerly Christopher) Beck, the ex-US Navy Seal who recently went public as transgender. Like Manning, Beck joined the military largely out of a sense that by embodying the most masculine of ideals, strong feelings of gender difference could be made to go away. Unlike Manning, Beck achieved success in this strategy, not just because she ‘passed’, but also because she remains just as attached to the ideology of soldiering as before. Indeed Kristin Beck’s self-portrayal is as nothing less than the Warrior Princess. This is obviously not uncomplicated, and involves a combination of pride in ‘giving true brotherhood’ with the fear that she might be murdered for who she is. But the discursive space is there, and it is surely part of insisting on the autonomy of persons that there can be military trans* identities as well as anti-military ones.[2]

Indeed, Beck just this afternoon posted her thoughts on the ‘Manning Debacle’, depicting Manning not only as a ‘tarnish’ on the dream of Martin Luther King Jnr. (yes, the anti-imperialist MLK), but fully embracing the traitor argument:

This person took an oath to protect American interest and defend the constitution, and took additional oaths due to security clearances to protect information that leaders deem secret. There are legal avenues to whistle blow or bring attention to issues. THIS person is a liar and a thief and a traitor to many people. If Bradley is truly “Chelsea” then “she” is a traitor to ME personally. There is no excuse.

And thus are the boundaries of radicalism and belonging and equality redrawn once again. Bodies cannot subsume politics, cannot safeguard this or that ideological insight. The temptation, especially for those who see a real link between Manning’s gender identity and the exposure of US war crimes, must be to relegate Beck to a minority report, and so to re-inscribe the hierarchy of authenticity, this time with Manning as the actual face of resistance, and Beck the mere puppet of militarism. That desire contains its own dangers, and yet remains. It is, we might argue, absolutely central to what it means to engage in politics.

As Chase Madar suggested some time ago in ‘The Passion of Private Manning’, visibility may not deliver all that it promises, and that goes as much for gender as for diplomatic cables:

Intellectuals have so much invested in the power of information and knowledge, and we nearly almost always overstate the importance of it as an engine-driver of history or motivator of human actions. The just-add-knowledge-and-stir model of political action… But who actually wants to see the truth? Who really wants knowledge? It turns out that ignorance is not just a matter of information supply, but of demand. Ignorance is much more than an absence of knowledge, a pristine vacancy suitable for structures of knowledge to be built through “education.”  In fact, ignorance is more often than not something rock-solid, opaque, and above all, willful.

---

[1] The phrasing of ‘sexual personhood’ is liable to raise some immediate objections. Aren’t we talking about gender identity here, and isn’t the crux of the thing the distinction between sex and gender anyway? Well, yes, but these matters are also rather knotted into the idea of sexuality (is Manning still a ‘gay icon’?) and mixed with all the possible complexities of how sexual orientation (and genitals) are interpreted (personally, socially, discursively) as characteristics of personhood, whether failed, authentic, pretend, or emergent. So take it in that spirit.

[2] I am not implying that all LGBTQ persons with a military background will therefore be anti-Manning. Lieutenant Dan Choi, a prominent gay activist and army translator discharged under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, was in fact thrown out of an early hearing for wearing his uniform, and continues to be a prominent Manning supporter.

1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Thanks to @Greg_Hudson for tweeting us the photo:

“Someone is finally coming into the former Casa Nonna space on Conn Ave, STK”

Back in January we learned STK would be taking over the former Casa Nonna space at Connecticut and N Street, NW.

STK’s website says:

STK artfully blends two concepts into one—the modern steakhouse and a chic lounge. The restaurant’s signature DNA includes plaster cast horns, curvilinear black platform seats and a palette of black gloss and cream. A large central lounge area is furnished with creamy leather banquettes and textured crocodile tiles, and is surrounded by an elevated dining room for more formal dining. Theatrical lights illuminate each table, while smoky mirrors allow patrons to catch a glimpse of the surroundings while a DJ creates an energetic vibe throughout the entire space.

As anticipated, steak is the main attraction. With a female-friendly mindset, STK offers small, medium and large cuts of meat, as well as naturally raised options and market fresh fish entrees. Aside from steak, signature items include Parmesan Truffle Fries; Lil’ BRGs; Shrimp Rice Krispies; Sweet Corn Pudding; and Jump Lump Crab Salad.

@Greg_Hudson also sends this video for STK’s London opening:

1830 14th Street, NW

Big news from the Washington Business Journal:

“The Amsterdam Falafelshop at 1830 14th St. NW will be the first franchise of the original Adams Morgan spot for late-night eats, according to Josh Miller of Pulse Property Group, who represented the tenants in the deal. Amsterdam Falafelshop’s other D.C. location is at 2425 18th St. NW.”

1830 14th Street, NW was formerly home to the Arts@1830 gallery which closed in Dec. 2012 and before that was home to the L and N thrift store.

I think Amsterdam Falafel will do phenomenal here (just a block away from the recently opened Ted’s Bulletin.) WBJ also reports that this location plans on serving Dutch beers too – stay tuned.

Achewood strip for Friday, August 23, 2013

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please shoot me an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 3-4 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit.

“Harry goes duck-hunting at the Newark Street Dog Park.”

“From left to right, Poppet, Widget, and Bailey of Capitol Hill.”

“Here is Truffles watching Ellen on TV. Bloomingdale resident”

The JitterBeast.

View

The Memorial Bridge will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday for the 50th Anniversary March on Washington Realize the Dream March & Rally.

The event, which will commemorate the anniversary of 1963 march and rally that featured Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, will take place Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial.

The National Park Service says it’s taking “every effort… to minimize traffic delays during this event.”

“Variable message boards will be put in place in advance on Memorial Circle and the ramps from the George Washington Memorial Parkway to warn drivers of the [Memorial Bridge] closure,” NPS said in a press release.

Those heading to the rally are encouraged to take Metro to the Arlington National Cemetery station on the Blue Line.

Whatever works for you~

Galaxy Hut in Clarendon (2711 Wilson Blvd) may be small, but it’s getting an even bigger draft beer selection.

Owner Lary Hoffman raised alarm on social media Tuesday morning when he posted on Facebook and Twitter: “Galaxy Hut for sale.” In fact, Hoffman is selling the bar’s old tap system. It’s listed for $1,500 in a Craigslist ad.

Customers panicked that the sale was the precursor to the entire bar being sold, but Hoffman told ARLnow.com that’s not the case. He’s upgrading from a 20-tap system (currently down to 14 due to a broken “kegerator”) to a 28-tap system.

“Just upgrading the beer system, not selling the Hut,” Hoffman wrote in an email. “I tripled the size of our walk in cooler last year, this is the second phase of upgrading to 28 taps all pouring from the keg room.”

Hoffman couldn’t say specifically when the new tap system would be installed and ready for use, but estimated it would be a few weeks. He said no other major improvements to Galaxy Hut are in store.

Our latest Arlington Pet of the Week is Penny, a 9-month-old Border Collie/Mountain Cur mix who was adopted from Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in January.

Her owner, Dylan, had this to say about his rambunctious puppy.

She’s a sneaky puppy with a knack for sensing who has treats (or a weakness for feeding her people food) and who doesn’t, and she will decide whether or not she’d like to perform tricks accordingly.

Penny is a very active and enjoys playing soccer, running and wrestling with other dogs at the park, and jumping on all her neighbors to greet them (sorry, neighbors). When she doesn’t get enough exercise she lets us know by destroying objects around our home. We’re very impressed with her communication skills. Since we can’t take her running with us until she is a year old we are just keeping the throw pillows out of her reach for the time being.

She is currently refining her hunting skills by stalking all the wildlife in Arlington Village. The cardinals, squirrels, rabbits and bees that call this neighborhood home have been put on notice. When she isn’t able to hunt outdoors she makes sure to find a good vantage point inside where she can keep an eye on everything going on through the window. Although she can be easily distracted from guard dog duties with a little belly rubbing and cuddling. She is getting to know her neighborhood by stopping by the farmers market on Sunday and enjoying happy hours that offer outdoor seating.

The Arlington Pet of the Week is sponsored by Dogma Bakery, which has locations at The Village at Shirlington (2772 S. Arlington Mill Drive) and the Lee Harrison Shopping Center (2445 N. Harrison Street).

Want your pet to be considered to be the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email office@arlnow.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and 3-4 photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a $25 Dogma gift card.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find a larger version of this image, but it’s still pretty cool to see.

Source: Rare Vintage Photos of Washington, D.C.

The post Photo of Dupont Circle Metro Under Construction appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

Science Night at The Argonaut:

“The Argonaut
1433 H St NE
August 20, 2013 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Free

Every Tuesday night, come to The Argonaut for challenges based on middle school science experiments and science-themed trivia, plus cheap tacos and awesome beers. You could win up to $50 in addition to the glory of being the smartest nerd in the room.”

Ed. Note: You can see all events here and you can schedule your own event listing here.

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please shoot me an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 3-4 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit.

“Penny the “tightrope” banister hug-er from Shaw.”

“Tallulah (Left – Columbia Heights Resident) & Bird (Right – Mount Pleasant Resident) are 6-7month old Catahoula/Pyrenees sisters who were recently adopted from City Dogs Rescue. They love living so close to each other & enjoy spending quality time together on “Sister Sundays”

“With a little determination, big kitty was able to fit into small basket. Cheers to you, Mao (of Adams Morgan).”

pinQmap is a crowdsourced map of gay bars around the world. The map can be used to find the locations of local gay friendly bars, clubs and cinemas etc.

Like most crowdsourced ventures pinQmap's success will depend on generating a good base of active users. At the moment pinQmap only has really good coverage in a few cities. However users can connect to the map with a Facebook account and add locations to the map, so hopefully the map will continue to develop and grow.


GayCities and The GayMap are two global directories of gay bars and businesses. Both sites allows users to search for gay bars and other businesses by location. In the USA GayBarMaps can help you locate gay bars and events and gay friendly restaurants and lodging.

In Europe German website Patroc has created Google Maps for most of the major European cities to show the location of gay bars and clubs. The individual Gay Maps for each city display the locations of a gay pubs and clubs on a Google Map and list all the venues beneath the map.

Virginia gubernatorial candidates Terry McAuliffe and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will appear at George Mason University’s Arlington campus next week to discuss the future of energy policy in the Commonwealth.

The event, called the Virginia Energy and Opportunity Forum, will be held Thursday, Aug. 29 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Founders Hall (3351 N. Fairfax Drive) and is free and open to the public, as long as audience members reserve a seat. From a press release:

From the debate over offshore drilling, to the future of coal and the opportunities presented by renewable energy, Virginia’s next Governor will have a lot of important decisions to make when it comes to energy policy.

The public is invited to attend Virginia Energy & Opportunity Forum... for the chance to to hear directly from both of their gubernatorial candidates – Ken Cuccinelli (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D) — as they lay out their respective visions for Virginia’s energy future.

This forum is sponsored by Consumer Energy Alliance. Welcome and candidate introduction by David Hart, George Mason University Acting Senior Associate Dean, School of Public Policy.

According to GMU spokeswoman Toni Andrews, the candidates will be taking questions from two different panels and will appear separately.

Thanks to a reader for sending this one from:

“the side of Kuumba Kollectibles on 3rd and FL Ave NW.”

This is a block away from the mural on the former Arthur Treacher’s that was recently removed.

Achewood strip for Thursday, August 15, 2013