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Good morning, Washington. More is known today about yesterday's Capitol Police-involved shooting near the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. Details from the Post: the man who was shot and killed by police had been pulled over for a routine traffic stop, according to Capitol Police, when he fled the scene at a high speed in his white Mercedes, eventually striking a parked car and then crashing into a police cruiser. Two police officers were injured during the chase. Police say the man then produced a weapon, ignored commands to drop it and began firing, at which point officers returned fire, shooting and killing the man.
House Adds Rider that Threatens Needle Exchange in D.C.: Considering the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the District of Columbia, we think it's fair to label this latest maneuver in the House as absolutely despicable. Despite a lot of talk about lifting all the socially conservative restrictions that have been placed on the District through the mechanism of appropriations, the Examiner reports that the Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee appears to be sitting on its hands and just accepting an amendment, offered by Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia (R), that bars the District from distributing clean needles or syringes to drug addicts within 1,000 feet "of a public or private day care center, elementary school, vocational school, secondary school, college, junior college, or university, or any public swimming pool, park, playground, video arcade, or youth center, or an event sponsored by any such entity," - which, we might add, basically means the entire city. Home rule and public health advocates can still hope to remove the language through the Senate or in conference.
Metro Operators Feeling Persecuted: With all the attention being paid to video images captured by riders of inattentive Metrorail and bus operators, WTOP reports the union that represents them is asking people to show a little more respect to the drivers, the majority of whom are following all the rules. What do you think - is the constant surveillance too much for anyone to take?
Briefly Noted: Kaine, Howell oppose Wal-Mart close to Wilderness battlefield ... Puppy rescued after ordeal stuck in pipe ... Space shuttle finally launches after a month-long delay ... National memorial for psychiatric patients at St. Elizabeths ... Prosecutors: Jacks abused daughters.
This Day in DCist: In 2008, memorabilia from The X-Files found its way into the Smithsonian, and in 2007, Mike DeBonis took over the Loose Lips column for the City Paper.
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Respect? Dare I say it but that's more disingenous than anything I've ever heard out of the Teacher's Union in their crusade against Rhee. We have a winnah winnah of a chicken dinnah!
"What do you think - is the constant surveillance too much for anyone to take?"
I'm sure if the cameras were turned on all these wannabe vigilantes, we'd see how little attention they pay to their jobs either. On the other hand, they probably don't shuttle hundreds of people (who are putting their lives into the drivers hands) to and from work everyday. But still, it's refreshing to know that hypocrisy and that good ol' false American outrage is still going on strong.
+1
I know that I don't want some anal, amateur blog reporter wannabe shoving his or her iPhone camera in my face while I work.
"Lookee at what I got!! Driver FAIL!! Metro FAIL!! Me WIN!!"
On the one hand, it must be aggravating to have someone filming your every move on the job. On the other hand, if you're actually doing your job -- a tall order in this city -- (1) you have nothing to worry about, and (B) the person with the camera will probably get bored very quickly and turn his/her attention to that crazy across the aisle with out of control toe fungus.
That guy was the worst.
OK, trying this again because my first comment got eaten due to something called "No entry ID". Whatevs.
Re: the Jacks case, I do not fully understand the strategy her defense is employing here. I was quite certain that some type of inasnity defense would be introduced; instead it seems as if they are straight-up disputing the allegations that she murdered her daughters...this in spite of the fact that she has already basically admitted as much, and that she lived in the very house where her daughter's bodies lay decaying for months.
Is there something I am missing here? This defense seems completely implausible.
We have a winnah winnah of ANOTHA chicken dinnah!
She refused to cop an insanity plea. I don't know anything about law, but apparently her refusal means that the lawyers couldn't even try an approach such as: "Judge, she killed her kids because she's crazy. She's so crazy, she wouldn't even plead to being crazy. That's crazy. We rest our case."
Lessons learned:
1. Don't drive like a crazy person around the Capitol.
2. White Mercedes drivers are either dealers, pimps, crazy, or some combination of the three.
3. When the cop pulls you over for driving like crazy, don't drive off like you're crazy.
4. When you crash your car into a police cruiser like a crazy person, don't do something crazy. Like pull out a gun and point it at the police.
5. If you insist on doing 1-4, make sure your relatives have a good lawyer so they can sue DC for wrongful death. To do otherwise would be crazy.
Item 2 should also include "are from Miami," but the other descriptions you provided are basically coextensive. All is forgiven.
With the new NSFW AA ads showing up the comments section (yeah, yeah adblocker- bite me) it will be a really long time before I click to read more or to comment while at work. Though, my comment reading and commenting will definitely increase at night with very sexy results - in my pants!
The Post link took me to a story about psychiatric patients buried in unmarked graves.
Ah thanks, switched the link out, should be fixed now.
Respect?!? I didn't get any basic respect from the operator who opened his little window and proceeded to catcall and try to talk to me when his train pulled up to Foggy Bottom station. At first I thought there was an emergency and he was motioning me over to help, then closer to the platform I realized what he was saying so I sat back down. That didn't stop his "hey baby, hey baby".
It seems like you need advice from the Wiz on how to handle these types of degenerate menz.
I'm straight up with the guy and tell him it's $250 for the first fifteen minutes...and if he's still conscious, it's $100 for another fifteen.
Back in the pickup Liz.
Conscious, or awake?
You can report stuff like that using a form on Metro's website.
The last union contract allows for 3-15 minute bathroom breaks per shift. It also allows for 2 rude comments (or just 1 if it involves profanity), 4 early door closings and 1 solicitation per hour.
You should be honored this driver chose to use his allotted solicitation on you. The only greater honor would have been if he had try to close the door on you at the same time as he tried to pick you up!
Is there any organizing going on to address the needle exchange amendment? Should I just call members of House Appropriations and tell them where they can stick it?
Molly?
i emailed Kingston and told him he should be ashamed of himself. i probably won't get a response.
Just called Rep. Kingston's office and gave them an earful. I encourage you to do the same:
http://kingston.house.gov/Contact/
I'll show respect for metrobus operators as soon as they stop blocking bike lanes and intentionally trying to run me off the road.
What is the wmata policy on busses and bike lanes anyway?
I like how the puppy rescue story in the Examiner is published under ".../local/crime/..." Damn puppies causing chaos in central Virginia!!!
Also in the Examiner today: Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps
"That has irked D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, who promised her officers would pick up their game to counteract the devices..."
"I think that's the whole point of this program," she told The Examiner. "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."
Nice try, Cathy. The speed traps are specifically designed to generate revenue. If they were designed for safety, the fine for speeding would be $1,000 for every 1 MPH over the speed limit.
AHHHHHHHHMENNNNNNNNN cry all drivers, in unison.
So by pick up their game does that mean they will actually stop using technology to do their real job of catching speeders, red-light runners, and cell phone users? Fat chance.
This is a quote from the police captain in which she refers to a method drivers use to ensure they are traveling at the proper speed, in areas that the police have designated as needing special attention to speed.. cowardly.
I agree! Never look at the iphone alerts, that's cowardly. Also never look at the speedometer either you wuss!
It is a much braver approach to go as fast as possible at all times!
Please cool it with the NSFW ads! I can't read the DCist at work anymore.
I think it's payback for not Mollycoddling.
Bring back Campbell Brown!
To stop those NSFW ads 1-2-3,
Here's a fresh new way that's trouble-free,
It's got Paul Anka's guarantee!
(Guarantee void in Tennessee.)
Just don't look! Just don't look!
Just don't look! Just don't look!
Just don't look! Just don't look!
It's not my eyes I'm worried about...
Yesterday, the driver for the Express S9 smoked outside the bus while the passengers waited inside inhaling his second hand smoke. We all became living ashtrays. When the bus finally moved. A dude on the phone,speaking French, stood at the back door while the Robot Warning System kept repeating several times:"Please do no stand in the rear door!" Yay public transportation.....FOR LIFE.
I am shocked, SHOCKED! I tell you to find out that the car that was being chased had temporary tags.
Literally 9 out of every 10 cars on the streets of DC with temporary tags are involved in some sort of crime. It is an epidemic.
So Metro is allowed to have cameras on its customers, but they want to have complete privacy while doing their job? Hey morons, stop killing your riders and running over pedestrians. Then maybe you'll get some respect, BITCH!
That Hill shooting thing is a bogus story. Everyone knows guns are illegal in Dc.