DC’s fog advice: “add_protective_actions_here.”

On Monday I poked a little fun at a direct message I received from Boston Police via Twitter. Not to be outdone, DC’s emergency information network AlertDC sent the following warning via email today:

I’m not sure how bad the fog is in DC (apparently it merits a “WARNING”), but I’ll be sure to take_appropriate_actions_vis_à_vis_this_fog_situation when I head out today.

Not Gonna Give You That Satisfaction

Some of you will find this hillarious, and some of you will have no idea what this is about.

DC getting “tough” on snow

(Rock Creek, last Tuesday, from Flickr user Daquella manera)

After getting a trash talking from the 44th President, DC has decided to take substantial steps toward a cohesive snow removal policy. It came not a minute too soon, as we actually had a dusting here today. Combined with last weeks 2 inches of snow, that’s almost 3 inches on record this winter. How are we still alive?

But help is on the way: DCist reports, off a story from DC Wire, that the D.C. Council unanimously approved emergency legislation that requires drivers to remove snow and ice from their vehicles.

Three things strike me about this:

1. The Council removed the $50 fine that used to go with this sort of action. So, the worst thing that can happen is a DC cop will talk real angry at you.
2. This is apparently the first time DC has put together such a bill. What did they do before this if people had snow on their cars?
3. I have to confess, the only criminal citation I have ever received was a citation for “failure to clear snow off window” in 2003. This hits close to home for me. (I think my fine was $25.)

I think my favorite part of this was the concern expressed by Councilor Mendelson (DC at large) – “It seems very, very…subjective on the part of a police officer… If a police officer doesn’t like me, I’ll get a ticket.”

I’ll admit my perspective on these things is far different than many down here. But buddy, it has to snow enough to stick on cars before you can start to worry about arbitrary enforcement.

Don’t you dare remix the Colbert/Lessig interview

Stephen Colbert asked me to pass this along to my readers*:

So, no matter what you do, don’t even think of remixing the interview or adding in recordings from I Am America, And So Can You audiobook. And don’t you dare – dare - upload them onto the Colbert Nation website.

Oh, to have the free time to take this challenge on.

* – he didn’t

“Chad Blue knows how I shoot”

File this one under hysterically foolish, from WJBF:

In September 2006, one Chad Blue was shot twice amidst a chase in Dublin, GA. He had reported the incident to police, but the police were unable to conclusively finger a culprit.

That was, of course, until Rico Todriquez Wright confessed to the crime in a song “Hitting Licks for a Living.” The incriminating line, depending on who you ask, was either “Chad Blue knows how I shoot” or “Ask Chad Blue – he knows I can shoot.” Blue heard the song, and naturally reported Wright to the police.

Now Mr. Wright is doing 20 years for two counts of aggravated assault. Just goes to show what a little airplay can do for one’s career.

The Star Wars Holiday Special Turns 30

“If I had time and a hammer, I’d track down every bootleg copy and smash it.”

~ George Lucas, on the Star Wars Holiday Special

On November 17, 1978 George Lucas decided to lease out the entire Star Wars universe for a two-hour holiday special on CBS. The Star Wars Holiday Special included appearances by all of the major cast players, and with the exception a Muppet Show episode in 1980 would be the only time the group got together outside of the original trilogy of movies.

The plot surrounds Chewbacca’s celebration of “Life Day,” a holiday which seems eerily like Christmas. But naturally, since this happened a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away it couldn’t possibly be the Christian holiday we know and love. If you think that’s convoluted, wait until you see the rest of the plot. Here’s a sample:

This special also holds the strange honor of being the very first time the world meets Boba Fett, a character who plays more prominently in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi movies, which would follow in ‘81 and ‘83. Strangely, Lucas decides to introduce this menace and villain of the later movies via a very silly and painfully 70s cartoon:

I imagine some out there might be asking, “Why haven’t I heard of this? I’m a big Star Wars fan. How did this never get released as a bonus feature on one of the copious releases Lucas has put out to date?”

Well, the answer’s quite simple: this movie is terrible. Not bad in a charming way; This isn’t a Santa Claus Conquers the Martians sort of holiday movie. This is straight up, flat out bad. And worst of all, it’s two hours long. So it’s not like a charming little holiday special which is over before you can say Hallmark. We have to wait two whole hours before the crew of the Millennium Falcon learn the true meaning of Christmas…or rather, Life-Day.

Longtime compadre Oscar actually owns a copy of this movie, and late one night last year we gathered our apartment together to watch it. After being distracted for nearly an hour by the Kenner Star Wars Action figure ads also on his bootleg DVD we finally got around to putting on the feature. When we started there were probably about 8 or 9 of us in the room – several of us had friends over. By the time the movie was over only two of us remained – and I, regrettably, was not one, as I had work in the morning and couldn’t stand to watch another frame of my sacred, dearly loved Star Wars characters foreshadowing the great commercialization of the brand which haunts it to this day.

And it’s too bad I didn’t stick around for the whole thing, as I missed Princess Leia singing the Life Day song:

I think when I get back to Boston on my winter break I’ll try and round up the gang again to try and finish the movie. Until then, Happy Life Day, all you nerds out there. And if you are fortunate enough to have a copy, be sure to put aside some of your Monday night to watch on its 30th birthday.

If Tobias Were A Lawyer

He’d probably argue like this.

Via one of my new favorite websites, Lowering the Bar.

(I’m not sure if the photo above is awesome or creepy, but it’s from Flickr user Mez Love)

That One

(Ryan, Colin, McMay, half of the freakin’ world, etc)

Out of Control

My thoughts exactly:

TPM:

TPM Reader RW:

The media keep talking about how McCain’s slide in the polls is “out of his control” because of the economic collapse (see Dana Milbank today for one example). That’s silly, and sets people up to somehow feel sorry for poor, poor John McCain. His position in the polls is completely within his control, just as it is for Obama. If McCain actually had a plan on the economy outside of cutting taxes and FURTHER deregulation, if he focused on how to fix it every day, rather than on Bill Ayers and terrorists and Rev. Wright, if he talked about the issues that matter to most Americans, the polls might be trending in his favor.

I think RW is right – McCain’s fall is certainly “out of control” and “profoundly gratifying,” but it isn’t “out of his control.” He chose the company he keeps, and now he pays for it.

Enjoy the debate tonight! It should be almost as fun as watching the Sox/Rays later this week.

Same Idea, More Snark

This post should be coupled with the one I wrote late last night.

Kottke:

While following the market yesterday, I updated my Twitter account after a particularly precipitous mid-afternoon drop in the DJIA:

The DJIA trend line just kinda disappeared off the bottom of the chart there into Here Be Monsters territory about 30 minutes ago.

I meant “here be dragons” but you get the idea. Anyway, a reader sent in this chart that captures what many were feeling after the market closed.