Suspect in 9-Year-Old's Murder Found Dead in D.C. Jail
Ballou HS Rocks the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
President Obama Pardons the White House Turkey
First Trailer for The Real World DC
Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
Good morning, Washington. Think good thoughts for Tian Tian, the National Zoo's male giant panda and the biological father of Tai Shan/Butterstick. Tian Tian underwent eye surgery yesterday to remove inflamed tissue from one of his third eyelids. He's expected to make a full recovery, but in the meantime he'll have to live with the shame of being the one to expose this whole pandas having third eyelids monstrosity. DCist has always held a firm editorial stand that pandas are adorable, but after learning this fact we may have to convene our board to reconsider.
Tax Scandal Bigger Than Ever: We mentioned it at the end of the day yesterday, but it bears repeating that the House of Representatives took away CFO Natwar Gandhi's $92,400 pay raise on Tuesday. Gandhi has so far declined to comment on the action, and he's got his hands full today as well: an eighth person, Prince George's County real estate agent Alethia Grooms, has been arrested in the property tax fraud case, and federal law enforcement officials said yesterday that the scandal could go all the way back to 1990 -- a full nine years earlier than previously thought, and encompassing all of Gandhi's tenure at the head of the tax office (not to mention dating the embezzlement scheme back to Marion Barry's time as mayor).
Washington Gas Backs Off Rate Hike: Washington Gas has agreed to back away from proposed rate increases for its D.C. consumers. The decision ends a yearlong case between the utility and the D.C. Public Service Commission, and the utility agreed not to seek another rate hike until 2011.
Briefly Noted: Fire truck crashes on way to blaze ... Funds cut for Homeland Security headquarters ...
This Day in DCist: Last year we interviewed Lost star Matthew Fox, and the year before that we argued the merits of the Nationals stadium from both sides.
Photo by miamabanta
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Tony "The Tiger" Williams was the District's CFO from 1995 to 1998. Has he made any comment on this tax scandal that seems to have been going full steam under his watch?
So much for "restoring fiscal accountability."
So if this scandal has been going on all the way back to the Barry era, does that mean no one ever did a full-fledged audit on this agency?
*sigh*
With DC, it's always two steps forward, three steps back.
They may not know what caused the eye problem with Tian Tian but I am sure I do ... the guy wacks-off like a trooper! Isn't there some correlation between wacking-off and blindness???
I am never taking my parents to the Zoo again!
We come together 'cause opposites attract...
Damn you, Cranky, for getting Paula Abdul stuck in my head. DAMN YOU!!! Where is the singing, wheelchair-bound Washington Times salesman when I need him most?!
I just read in an SF Bay Area paper that some employee of a transit agency had embezzled like $180k -- and thought: "That's it? She wouldn't last a day in this town!"
Oh, pandas, your cuteness is only exceeded by your mystery.
i don't know why, but "one of his third eylids" made me a little queasey.
You know, I read that third eyelid piece and thought it was a sly reference to Butterstick's foreskin.
Clearly posting so close to Monkey is infectious.
That panda "third eye" thing kinda bugged me, too. I had no idea the pandas were Buddhists. Either that or they're into trepanning. I really hope the latter because that would be hot.
Cats also have a third eyelid. And chickens:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nictitating_membrane
Two questions:
1) Will I get a larger tax return from DC to make up for all my (illegitimate) tax money that was stolen? HAAAAAAAAAAAA, I know, I know, dream on.
2) Really, they haven't determined if the firetruck or the civilian car was at fault? Ok, mini rant: Drivers in DC are the most selfish a-holes in the country (yes, even worse than in NY). One of a trillion examples: Driving along 16th Street a few nights ago, 5 fire trucks coming from every direction. Being a responsible citizen, I pull over. The car behind me honks at me, and everyone else just keeps driving through the intersection, forcing the firetrucks to stop. What the F is wrong with people here? I hope those same a-holes burn in their beds because a firetruck couldn't make it to the scene of their fire on time.
Phew, I feel better now.
ColHeightsChic's selfish drivers were from Maryland, guaranteed.
What was buried in the DHS article is that DC might get its own quarter!
Yesterday Stamp, today quarter, tomorrow representation and day after tomorrow guns.
"The bill also will establish a quarter with an image representing the District, similar to coins commemorating the 50 states"
Will a crack pipe really be recognizable on such a small scale as would fit on a quarter?
ColHeightsChic - You know what will make you feel really better? Keeping a tire iron under your driver's seat. When the time comes, you'll know what to do. Just let the tire iron do the thinking for the both of you.
Hillman: As long as they include the Martha Stewart Creme Brulee torch along side it, yes.
Moose:
I didn't realize there was such a thing, but it sounds quite lovely, and would make a fine companion piece for the crack pipe. Maybe Martha could show up for its unveiling.
"An image representing the District?" I've always been fond of the cover of Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers' seminal album Bustin Loose. Barring that, I'd like to remember DC by the image of Mister T holding a torn-off DC Cab door. Pretty much says it all.
I got a chuckle out of this line from the Post's tax scandal article:
"Also yesterday, a few blocks from the Capitol, Grooms appeared in federal court, wearing a black athletic jacket with the Harrah's casino insignia. She had been arrested earlier in the day by the FBI at her home in Clinton and was charged with conspiracy, bank fraud and other offenses."
Probably not the best fashion choice for today's events.