All too often, for the sake of diplomacy, people don’t say what they really mean. Some institutions (i.e. Congress) have turned this into an art form, couching the most egregious of insults in flowery language. Fun to parse, but not very straightforward. Now imagine a world in which everyone comes right out and says what they mean. We here at Overheard would love that because it would give us a lot more material with which…

Diplomacy is the cornerstone of foreign policy. The relationship between countries can be fragile, but diplomatic exchanges foster valuable insight into each other’s cultures, bring to light areas of mutual cooperation to achieve common interests, and forge stronger economic and political ties. However, when two countries cannot reach an agreement on an area of conflict and the stronger country will sometimes jettison diplomacy and pull out their big stick. Quote of the Week Metro: Tourist…

As I left the beer-soaked but immensely enjoyable Brew at the Zoo festivities last night, I saw several police officers waiting at the top of the roadway leading from the zoo parking lot, providing yet another reason to take Metro or to choose a designated driver. But, I suggest, at least you should let the designated driver eat something. Otherwise, some people may be reluctant to volunteer. Quote of the Week Steak-n-Egg, Tenleytown: Waitress (to…

In light of this momentous weekend in movie history, we here at DCist would like to take a brief look back at some of the seminal events in moving pictures. Ever since the dawn of the 20th century, the transmission of images on celluloid has captivated people around the world. Silent films, such as Georges Melies’ Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon), Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin and Charlie Chaplin’s varied oeuvre…

Editor’s Note: Our apologies for being late with some of our regular Friday features — we experienced some technical difficulties which prevented them from being published on the site. Quote of the Week At E Street Cinema: Employee at the concession stand to (seemingly) no one in particular: “There are a lot of celibate porn stars out there…but they just aren’t working right now.” After the jump, weapons of Ancient Rome, our Metro etiquette…

Mother Nature has not been very kind to the capital region this summer. From Deluge ’06 to Scorcher ’06, it seems that all we do is moan and bitch about the weather. However, if had some more respect for Mother Nature, then perhaps she wouldn’t be so eager to take out her wrath on us. Quote of the Week SE Washington: Neighbor yelling at someone across the street: “You hear that thundering, bitch? That’s mother…

Let’s start with the good news this morning: this excessive, unrelenting, soul-sucking heat is expected to come to an end tomorrow, say the guys at Capital Weather. And we say they better not just be leading us on. However, today is yet another day in Scorcher ’06 — and may even be the hottest one yet — with highs once again flirting with triple digits. Heat-related Problems Continue: With near record temperatures, people are…

Some people in the D.C. area pride themselves on their ability to decode the wealth of acronyms that substitute for the English language in our nation’s capital. Others have no tolerance for the labyrinth of words that make the underlying BS of corporate-speak sound sweet. And you know what? We love those people. Quote of the Week Meeting at the Pentagon, during slide number 36 of 51: Presenter: “At the end of the day, Lean…

Being a tourist is all about surprises. The excitement of seeing things you’ve only read about, like historic buildings and imposing monuments. The stimulation of learning about local culture and tradition. The fun of discovering a region’s dining options and watering holes. Perhaps it all comes down to how you define “fun.” Quote of the Week Connecticut Avenue, walking towards Dupont Circle: Elderly Man: “I’m starving.” Elderly Woman: “I’m sure we’ll find someplace to…

A recent issue of apartment industry publication Multi-Housing News discusses a development about to take shape in the Adams Morgan area. The imposing, nearly century-old, neoclassical First Church of Christ, Scientist building at the corner of Euclid and Columbia streets will be reborn as a mixed-use condominium building. The newly monikered Unity Square Condominiums is a $27.5 million redevelopment, headed by the church, in partnership with Chevy Chase-based First Management Group. The church will…