Man Stops Traffic at 17th and K to Demand $200 Million
Morning Roundup: Goodbye, Abe Edition
Judge Throws Out WTU Suit Over Teacher Layoffs
Vegetate to Close at the End of the Month
D.C. Police Seek Suspect in Series of Bank Robberies
Good morning, Washington. Sigh. The rain. Good lord, the rain. It's dry right now, of course, but don't count on that lasting. How many days has it been since we had 24 precipitation-free hours? At this point we can't remember. And yesterday the water started coming from not just the sky but the ground, too, as water mains broke. Crews are still working to repair the sinkholes and related damage caused by those breaks — a process that's apparently being slowed by all the rain.
D.C. Swine Flu Case Identified: Sure, this whole swine flu fad's on its way out. And yes, we've already had some confirmed cases of the illness within city limits. But those haven't counted for the official tally, as the infected haven't been District residents. Well, count it: WTOP reports that a case of swine flu has been confirmed in the District by the CDC.
Nickles, Council Continue to Clash Over Fire Truck: Attorney General Peter Nickles has already indicated that he doesn't think there's anything improper about the unusual donation of old District emergency vehicles to a small town in the Dominican Republic. The city council disagrees, and it seems like they and Nickles are destined to butt heads over the issue. Today the Examiner reports the latest example of this: Nickles is barring Deputy Fire Chief Ronald Gill and Robin Booth, a city contracting official, from testifying before a council panel unless the council first provides lawyers to the two witnesses.
Jim Moran Doesn't Want To Hear About Your Long-Lasting Erection: We missed it when WTOP first reported it yesterday, but prurience demands that we note Jim Moran's proposed legislation to place limits on ads for erectile dysfunction medications. The bill would label such ads as indecent, thereby restricting their broadcast to the hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. This isn't the first time Moran has introduced such legislation — he put forward a similar measure in 2005.
Briefly Noted: Standoff between police and apparently suicidal man ends without injury at N.Y. Ave Metro in Northeast... Ray's Hell Burger reports big crowds in wake of Obama/Biden visit... Prince William County testing commuter ferry... There was a tornado watch in effect until 4 a.m. this morning... A headline too great to rewrite: Massage Therapist Fights for Right to Treat Horses...
This Day In DCist: One year ago D.C. was named the year's most improved city for bicycling.
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I like Jim Moran, feeling he has served us well, but...
I don't like the commercials just like I don't like commercials for American-made automobiles, local car dealers (WTF is it with the giant hand molesting the car saleswoman?), those for drug companies who produce medicine with worst side-effects than long-lasting erections, etc.
But, with the remote control in my hand I switch channels. Problem solved.
Erectile disfunction medications are nothing to be trifled with. Overdoses can lead to painful priapism, paralysis, gangrene, and death. My major problem is that they look too much like antihistamines. This one time at band camp I got them mixed up and my peepee wouldn't go down for days. We finally ended up using it to play ring toss and to help construct a treehouse because we lost our toolbox. Just goes to show, whenever God takes a dump, he always opens a window. Or something.
If these commuter ferries catch on, maybe local jurisdictions can be persuaded to build more canals instead of new highways. Require the ferries to be sailboats, too. And in the winter when the canals freeze, replace the sailboats with enormous dogsleds pulled by hundreds of dogs.
I guess there are still some people in PW County with jobs who want to take a ferry. But wouldn't this work better on the MD side of the river? St. Mary's and Charles Counties are full of people who haul into DC/NoVA every day. Indian Head Highway is one choked mess of commuters.
Also, the SW Waterfront Development Corporation should get in on this if they're serious about expanding business. There should be party boat ferries running from Old Town to Georgetown to the Stadium on the weekend. Get the drunks off the road and onto a boat. Hell, it would probably take just as long to ride a boat across town as it would to drive in rush hour traffic.
And finally: frozen canals in DC = CROSSTOWN LUGE CHUTES. Columbia Heights to Federal Triangle in two minutes, twelve seconds.
@Over the River
An eminently reasonable sentiment expressed in a reasonable way, most unusual for DCist. However, allow me to retort.
Commercials for ED drugs are all over pro sports broadcasts; the Masters, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. As a sports fan who occasionally watches with his four year old, I would like to be able to go to the kitchen for a snack during a commercial and not be asked, "What's an erection?" upon my return.
If your four year old is anything like my five year old, they already know and are asking just for laughs
But where do you stop?
What about tampon commercials?
Or the commercial for some new razor/bikini trimmer combo where women walk by topiaries that change to different shapes of potential ways to trim your own topiary. I'm a lady and I still don't like that commercial.
Bring back the Summer's Eve Vinegar and Water Douche commercials! F**k this Massengil's $h!t. When I want to feel fresh, goddammit, I want to feel fresh! And I mean "fish and chips with malt vinegar" fresh!
Massengil? Fuck that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!!
Lazyboy had a good bit about drug ads: check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G33WvuOw2cI
"Mommy, has Daddy ever had a 4 hour erection?"
"Little Cialis, how dare you ask such a question"
Ba dum dum.
Thank you. Looking back at my comment, and remembering there are those of you who share a home with children, simply changing the channel isn't always an option.
Also looking back, I think there is no easy answer or neutral ground between wanting to present information (commercials) and ensuring it only is seen by those who are mature enough to do so.
Moving them to a later time slot is one answer, banning them (like alcoholic beverages commercials) is another.
Because I can turn 180 degrees in the span of two comments, I think the time these commercials can be aired should be discussed further.
As to why sports fans need so much information on ED, that is a question for another day.
Technically, alcohol commercials are not banned. There is a "gentleman's agreement" between booze producers and networks that they won't run ads.
NBC and Smirnoff (Guinness) broke the agreement briefly in 2002.
You are right I was thinking of the ban on showing nipples on TV.
But I see ads for Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Jack Daniels, etc. all the time. Clearly this Gentleman's Agreement is completely dead by now.
Major broadcast networks still adhere to a self-imposed ban on hard-liquor advertising. There are no such restrictions on cable networks. Instead, alcoholic beverage manufacturers use voluntary guidelines restricting liquor ads to programs where no more than 30% of viewers are under 21.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/25/health/webmd/main4208738.shtml
A 4 year old should know what an erection is anyway, give them something to look forward to in a few years (I guess that applies to either gender in one way or another). If the kid is a boy, then a four year old should also know that old men can't get erections anymore, so they better make the most out of their window of opportunity. It's never to early to start raising an overachiever!
tom: that suicidal man was taken into custody near ny ave. and bladensburg. that's nowhere near the ny ave. metro station.
Thanks, IMGoph -- my bleary eyes read over that piece a little too quickly this morning. I've corrected the post.
I am willing to sacrifice accuracy if that means that I get Morning Roundup before 9:30 AM. Ahem, are you listening Sommer?????
Moran is offended by ED ads. OK, fine; America's purported belief that sex is icky has already been enshrined in countless laws.
But where's the outrage for the far more offensive genre of "ask your doctor about this drug that he/she clearly thinks you DON'T need otherwise you'd already have a prescription for it" ads.
And the nonprescription-drugs-of-questionable-effectiveness-that-do-nothing-but-mask-the-symptoms-of-underlying-disease-and-possibly-prolong-illness-not-to-mention-fostering-the-American-pill-popping-culture ads? Yeah, I'd ban those first.
Come on, Congress, show us that you're not Big Pharma's whore. Oh, wait, never mind.
Those pharm ads are great! I love how they segue the classical musica and soft focus slo-mo footage of country fields with the list of painfully embarrassing side effects. "Warning. Bacon factory may explode. Side effects of Fraudulin® may include dizzyness, loss of appetite, combustible diarrhea, and pinecones flying out your a$$. People who have skin or read ads for pharmaceuticals should not use this product. Women who are pregnant or lactaging should show up 'round my place and help me with my diaper. If used on a full stomach, Fraudulin® may induce suborbital flatulence, quantum strings, and rips in the space time continuum. Ask your parole officer if you should use Fraudulin®."
Fraudulin: An ear wax solution you can live with!®
The only thing more effective is regular exercise.
From what I see, both Viagra and Lipitor have the same effect--they will help you dance the Tango better.
What about taking baths in matching outdoor tubs? I always do that.
Did you ever see that one commercial where the elderly couple was holding hands while sitting in a pair of matching bathtubs ON THE BEACH? Then this giant wall of pollen, dressed as Charlotte Corday, STABBED THEM TO DEATH? I think it was for an insomnia medication. Or maybe it was about having your pet spayed. Anyway, it was the best use of the 1812 Overture since that one laxative commercial featuring Claude Akins.
I actually sympathize with Moran on this one.
Most Americans might be surprised to know that there are only 3 or 4 countries in world where it is legal to advertise prescription medications on TV. I believe the three are Indonesia, New Zealand, and the U.S. Showing ads for meds on TV is banned in every other country. People in those countries realize that laypeople should not be self-diagnosing and determining that they have this or that ailment, or that they need this or that medication.
Gotta go now, my Restless Leg Syndrome is acting up.
Oh that's my favorite one... Ever see that commercial for the Restless Leg Syndrome drug with side effects that include "increased desire to GAMBLE"?? So I guess stay away from the Keno, Lotto, Atlantic City, etc.? You'd think they'd be handing this stuff out in front of the casinos.
I think they should start combining all these drugs: like Nasonex anc Cialis could combat the effects of seasonal boners.
What gets me is the guy with high blood pressure and diabetes who complains that he cant get a hard on. We should check with Barry and see if he has this problem. Oh, sorry he can't be contacted. Too busy being moral.
Dear Mr. President. There are too many states. Please eliminate three. P.S. - I am not a crackpot.
"...like Nasonex and Cialis could combat the effects of seasonal boners."
Damn that is funny.
Speaking of seasonal boners, I'd like to remind you of the no-white-condoms-after-Labor-Day rule.
Can't they just ban all pharmaceutical ads (again)? It seems like that's when health care started getting crazy expensive...when all these "lifestyle drugs" started getting advertised.
My favorite is the anti-depressants with "suicidal thoughts/tendancies" as a side effect. Umm...in other words, the drug doesn't work?