February 6, 2007
Morning Roundup: Ice, Ice Baby Edition
We regret that we must bring you this headline in earnest, D.C. It's not just hype, it's the real deal. Cold weather is up in your grill: literally if you try to start your car this morning and figuratively if you're walking outside without a scarf or mouth guard of some kind. Several wind-chill advisories are out, predicting the coldest temps in three years and real threats of hypothermia and frostbite for those most vulnerable to the elements. So as my mom always said, "check yourself before your wreck yourself, then check out the morning roundup."
You Don't Have To Go Home But You Don't Want To Stay Here: The Examiner reports today that the high turnover rate for MPD Officers is a real concern for Chief Cathy Lanier. The District is planning to add 100 new officers in the next five years, but police officials report that five percent of their officers have left the force in the last two years. The department faces a serious personnel loss to the various federal and county positions which tend to be higher paying and offer better benefits. Some employees leaving Metro Police complain of overwhelming paperwork and stifling internal investigations.
Clubs Could Face Tighter Restrictions: Today the D.C. City Council will meet to discuss Jim Graham's (D-Ward 1) proposal to issue special licenses to establishments that admit anyone under 21. In the wake of the killing of 17-year-old Taleshia Ford, Graham wants clubs, restaurants and bars to detail a security plan in order to renew their license, adding $375 to the current cost of renewal. Owners, patrons and artists are all expected to protest the new regulations.
Briefly Noted: D.C. could get safer for pedestrians (We cross our fingers!)... Rockville astronaut arrested in Florida after bizarre love triangle... Health department launches new HIV/AIDS campaign...
This Day in Dcist: Last year we mourned Betty Friedan and pondered Tim Kaine's Caribbean getaway.
Photo by Flickr user DottieBoBottie.
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Where's that global warming Al Gore promised me? Of course, imagine how cold it would be without global warming.
"but police officials report that five percent of their officers have left the force in the last two years."
Does that count all the police who stay at home and watch Riki Lake and collect full pay because they sprained their ankle on the job two years ago?
Logan... actually, Global Warming centers around climate change, not day-to-day weather.
But on that subject, getting extremely low temperatures for only short periods of time indicate that the climate has shifted already as opposed to a sustained moderately low temperature which is what this town has had historically.
Anyone know offhand the pay structure for starting MPD officer? I had a Lt tell me they make 6 figures. But what about the Sgts and below?
Funny thing about global warming. One of the theories is that it could indeed make it much colder in parts of the northern hemisphere. The idea is that the Atlantic Ocean current would get messed up by the sudden increase in fresh water as the Arctic and/or Greenland ice sheets melt. This has a huge effect on weather patterns and would essentially put places like London, DC and NYC in a bit of a freeze. At least that's the theory.
I've always thought the environmentalists messed up by calling in global warming. Sure that sounds more dramatic, but it oversimplifies the problem.
As for Graham's proposal. Sounds a bit better than his original ideas. But still not quite there yet. I think the Post article raised some legitimate concerns about restaurants and places where a parent/guardian might take a child.
demonfafa,
climate is defined in 30 year periods. ignorant ramblings about climate change only hurt the cause...
PS - of course, any such "freeze" would take many, many years (maybe hundreds) to take hold. Not 24 hours, like some silly Hollywood films.
Ok, how have we missed this one:
That woman was wearing a diaper!!!! What part of your plan involving a check list of trench coat, wig and diaper can you stop yourself and ask "does this qualify as crazy?". yup.
Ok, vented. Yes, it's cold, keep the shelter hotline programed in your cell in case you see someone who needs help.
And personally? Pay the cops more money! Especially the ones on the bottom rung.
Don't they screen the astronauts? In a world where corporations don't hire people unless they fit some kind of android - young fart profile, you'd think they 'd be a bit more discerning.
It was so cold in Virginia this morning, that commuters gas pedal feet were frozen in the 5-mile-per-hour position. At least most people seemed to be driving that way. Especially the idiot who decided to stop in front of me instead of merging into an empty ramp, and almost got slammed into next week!
Aw man, I missed the part about the diaper. I was too amused by the fact she is a Navy officer using a BB gun. I guess astronauts are sort of de facto Navy officers with no actual weapons training?
Yes, I'm dumb. She was a Naval Academy graduate. I'm getting Navy and Air Force mixed up (Air Force handles some space stuff)
I saw from her profile that she's a DC local- Woodward graduate:O It's about time they close that school down...
Wow...
A wig, a trenchcoat, and a diaper. It doesn't get better than that.
The weather extremes that we've been experiencing lately---both hot and cold---could very well be the results of global warming. Many people falsely believe that global warming would turn the mid-Atlantic region into the tropics.