I must admit, I’ve been far more aware of “out there” license plates since Don’s GO IV IT post, but I think this one takes the biscuit. I’m not sure how I managed to miss this plate until I almost slammed into the attached vehicle when the blonde behind the wheel slammed on her breaks as the crosswalk timer hit 02 on M Street and Wisconsin this morning. I sat gawking at the plate with the words “Canateian”, “Canadian”, ‘Can…ate….ian’, ‘wait, who’s Can and why did he eat Ian?’ running through my head.

So fellow DCers, what other crazy plates do you see whilst walking/biking/hopping/running/skating/scootering around the district?

Apparently the key to good turnout isn’t scoring or standing, it’s fleece. Over 27,000 in attendance tonight.

I, on the other hand, may just have to start boycotting games. Not one single win for Teddy Roosevelt? Aside from being a great President the man was probably the most athletic in life of the four contestants in every game’s “President’s Race.” ZERO?

Admittedly I’m a little pissy about this because the man was a great conservationist and the host of my favorite local park, but still…. Not one win? They’d better give him one by Sunday or I’m gonna be seriously cheesed.

Datline NBC continued their “To Catch a Predator” series tonight – this is the show about men who target young teenagers over the Internet – after chatting online about sex and then making a date, these guys show up at an undercover house – when they arrive, they are confronted on video by reporter Chris Hansen. Tonight’s episode is focused on Petaluma, CA – but not too long ago they were here in Washington DC.

Coincidently, I received a story suggestion about a website called “Family Watchdog” a few days ago. The Dateline story prompted me to check it out. You can use the site to locate registered sex offenders in your area by entering your zip code into their interactive map – which overlays datapoints onto google maps. You can click through to see photos (if available), addresses, convictions and other information about the offender. If you like, you can also sign up for monthly alerts (free or $24 annually depending on the features).

A review of my local zip code area showed 430 offenders… creepy.

With apologies to reader “Faux Pas,” who indicated a dislike of the trend in our last installment, leggings are here to stay for the season. On a recent Post chat, Project Runway icon Tim Gunn was asked by a commenter from London about the resurgence (Mik’s mum was right on target – leggings are back across the pond!). He noted:

“Leggings are everywhere, indeed. Personally, I’m not crazy about them, but they can look great with the right look, a tunic, for instance, or a long cardigan. Just don’t try to dress them up!

As with most things in fashion, we recycle. Leggings were big in the 80′s, so 20 years later (A typical recycling period) we revisit them.”

And indeed, there’s another leggings sighting in this week’s edition of What Washington is Wearing (Sorry again, Faux Pas! But rest assured, I am NOT wearing them. Yet.).
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I have four tickets to Saturday’s Nationals vs. NY Mets 7pm game at RFK and this is the next to last game of the season. The tickets are in Section 445 and you can be sitting in them tomorrow for free, enjoying $6.50 Miller Lites. How?

Submit the best caption for the photo below.

Your deadline is Saturday @ Noon and you’ll get points for originality and humor, even more if you can work in a recent Metroblogging DC post. Don’t forget to include an email in your comment submission so we can work out ticket logistics.

Now get your caption comments cap on!

- Insert Your Caption Here -

Look at what I had for lunch today. A nice Paradiso pizza with roasted garlic and pine nuts. Let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious.

Thanks to some sympatric coworkers who decided that I couldn’t forego lunch for a fourth day straight, we were able to get outside to enjoy the sunny autumn weather and venture up M St. for some good eats at Pizza Paradiso. Just don’t do as my coworkers and I did and attempt to walk along the canal down to Dean & Deluca because the pedestrian footbridge is currently closed.

If you work in Georgetown, and like me, tend not to see daylight until 7 p.m., then try venturing out to Pizza Paradiso, and as the url says ‘Eat Your Pizza’. For a late lunch, this is the best place around that won’t have picked-over salad bars, not to mention stale sandwiches late in the day. Although pricier than most lunch time eateries, the menu is jam-packed with fresh baked Italian food.

On behalf of our friends over at Happy Funtime Friend Service don’t forget to say “Hi” to Thor.

If the acidic social commentary of David Thrussell’s Snog isn’t your cup of tea but you still feel like having a rocking Sunday night, you could shoot over to the State Theater in Falls Church to catch the return of the enigmatic Buckethead.

No politics in his music, no lyrics at all – in fact Buckethead’s only platform position is to create a mind-blowingly awesome night of guitar goodness. This guy is the Bruce Lee of guitarists and should be seen at least once in every music fan’s lifetime. I saw him in 2004 and it is killing me that there are two great shows on Sunday night.

Decisions, decisions.

Wake up…eat…work out…commute…work…happy hour…commute…eat…watch tv…pay some bills…sleep…repeat 5 times…weekend…yardwork…Home Depot…watch the latest Movie…social obligation…sleeping pill Sunday night…reset…wake up…eat…work out…commute…work…happy hour…commute…eat…watch tv…pay some bills…sleep…repeat for 40-50 years…die…”He/She lead a full and productive life”…burden children with funeral bills…and death tax…and inherited debts…and unresolved emotional issues…wake up in Hell…eat shit…commute for eternity…

Break the cycle and go catch David Thrussell’s anti-mediocrity, anti-corporate diatribe disguised as a band, Snog, this Sunday at the Rock And Roll Hotel . It’s going to be a real treat.

Photo by DC Metroblogger

This is the self-checkout line at the Rhode Island Avenue Home Depot.

It is either a crowning achievement of modern technology, another small step towards shopping automation, or a marker of the end of civilization in America.

As a technology achievement, its pretty cool. Each station processes your purchase pretty fast, and it takes cash as well as credit/debit, giving change when you’re done.

As automation, its trying to speed up the checkout scene but it wasn’t that fully automated. There still needed to be a sales clerk on hand to sort out its constant errors.

As the death of civilization, it removed one of the last “little connections” we make in a day – the small talk with the sales clerk that can make or break a buy.

In this case, I give the auto-teller a 5 out of 10. Cool, but way too glitchy to be really worth your time or effort.

Silver Spring and Takoma Park residents or anyone who enjoys strolling, jogging and biking the Sligo Creek Parkway may be interested in volunteering for tomorrow’s 5th annual Sweep The Creek. The trash clean-up event is sponsored by the Friends of Sligo Creek and they provide bags, gloves, drinking water and snacks. Participants also receive commemorative National Public Lands Day posters, t-shirts, and more.

If I hadn’t already made plans to go the National Book Festival and the Magical Montgomery arts festival, I would definitely be there to pitch-in. Stay tuned for reviews of those events.