If it weren’t for the tools available to us in the digital age that we live in, many forms of art would either be impossible or extremely difficult. It wasn’t long ago that people were forced to use film cameras (gasp!) as there was no alternative. You had to have dark room skills to get your photos to turn out just right, and if you messed up, well, it was all over.

In the modern world we have many software applications available to us to manipulate our digital photos, the most prominent being Photoshop (which is what I use). It’s really amazing what you can do with this piece of software. Straighten your image, bring out the sharpness of the details, blur your subject’s skin, quickly fix imperfections, enhance or change colors, fix lens distortion…it’s downright amazing. And if you mess up? Just undo baby. If only life had an undo button.

Flickr user Pamela Viola appears to be a master of Photoshop, creating images that are half photograph, half painting. My educated guess, based on some of the comments on her photos, is that she achieves this look by layering textures on top of her base images, giving them a weathered, painterly look, almost as if they were painted on canvas hundreds of years ago. I’d love to see how she accomplishes this look.

If you can’t afford Photoshop or CS2, definitely pick up a copy of Photoshop Elements or some other manipulation program. At a bare minimum you should be able to crop your images and adjust the contrast and color. You’ll be amazed at how an ordinary photograph can turn into something spectacular.

The Hoyas once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, beating UNC in the quarterfinals to advance to the Final Four. This is the second year in a row that the greater DC area has had a team in the finals of the big dance, and this weekend’s matchup with the Buckeyes should be one to remember.

One of the things, in watching Sportscenter at lunch today, is that Dick Vitale does not look, well, vital. He’s been the central media figure of March Madness for years and years, and it’s a bit sad to see him look so old and try to pull off his usual fervor.

That said, this weekend’s games in Atlanta are the big deal. Expect this town to go absolutely crazy when the Hoyas win.

Dear Stan Kasten & The Lerners.

This city has sacrificed its finances, its land, its honor and its pride in order to get MLB to have a baseball team here in DC. This city, on behalf of the fans, have done things that even rock-band groupies wouldn’t do. The very least that you can do is get us our fracking tickets in a reasonable fashion. As it stands, opening night is a week hence, and I still don’t have my 20 game ticketbook, and I understand, that I’m not alone.

I remember growing up when the A’s tickets would come in early March. It was a great day. We’d take the packs of tickets out of the envelopes and check all the games. They’d then go in the lefthand drawer of the credenza til we’d get them out before driving into Oakland.

All through Spring Training, we’d know the tickets were in the drawer. It was the best feeling ever. As it is, I know we have our opening day tickets (us 20 game plan folks don’t get them as part of the plan and have to buy them.) but I’ve been waiting to get our ticket books from Adam before going out to Reston to get them. That day just keeps getting later and later and there’s no time to stare at the tickets with rapt joy before the season starts.

As it currently stands, your inattention to detail has gone farther than it ever should. It’s bad enough that our team may only win 50 games this year, but to further alienate your fans in this city is a recipe for disaster that you cannot afford. You need your season ticket holders as much as they need you. Nothing will make that more clear than seeing RFK half-empty on opening day. Don’t take us for granted, Mr. Kasten and Mr. Lerner. That would be unwise.

Regards from the 400 level,

Tom Bridge

The Airbus A380 is visiting Dulles, and will be doing a demo flight today (Monday, March 26). Don’t expect to be able to fly with it, or visit the aircraft to see its luxurious insides, or even get a good chance to view it from the terminals, on the ground or above it. IAD’s A380 update tells us that the plane will generally be out of reach of the thronging masses:

However, the organizers of this event have not made arrangements for the general public to view the aircraft. Public areas of the airport do not offer a good view of the A380 when it is parked on the airfield. Views of the take-off and landing of the demonstration flight from public areas of the airport are also limited due to the configuration of the airfield. Dulles Airport will be operating normally throughout this event. If you come to the airport, please be mindful of passengers who will be traveling those days. Do not park in unauthorized areas, which will be patrolled by Airports Authority Police.

Any planespotters who manage to snap decent — or even indecent — shots of the superjumbo at Dulles, please do let us know in the comments, and add them to the DC Metroblogging Group. This is one planefan who’ll be waiting for those photos with baited breath. (Props go to Vidiot for his photos of the A380 visiting JFK Airport in New York.)

On friday night I got to attend a special PR tour showing of the new movie ‘Hot Fuzz‘ at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse that pretty much kicked ass all around.

First, getting to see the new movie from the ‘Shaun of the Dead’ team a month before everyone else rules in its own right. But the way they presented the movie rocked too.

It was double featured with “Die Hard’ which we all got to enjoy on the big screen as a warm up to ‘Hot Fuzz’.

‘Die Hard’ on the big screen is awesome – from the minute the vault opens to the end of the movie – that segment is still some of the most exciting, nail-biting action ever. I’ve seen ‘Die Hard’ on the big screen about seven times over the years, but seeing it friday was probably the best experience with it since I saw it on opening weekend almost 20 years ago. It reminded me why I love movies all over again.

Then ‘Hot Fuzz’ came on and it was a riot. This movie is absolutely hilarious. It is funnier than ‘Shaun of the Dead’ although not quite as complete of a film. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say this – the comedy in the movie works on about 5 different levels which could make it enjoyable for just about anyone. The more levels of humor you tap into though, the better the movie is. It’s kind of brilliant how they layered it.

(more…)

Why work to create some cool links and content for you when I can link to this Metafilter post and have a beer instead? Virginia has put together a great post there with links about the architect behind the US Capitol, the capitol itself, the art and architecture thereof and more. If you need a little weekend linkage go check it out.

Is it so Good Samaritans like this guy can clean it up? Anyway, why not grab a trash bag and go help out? You’ll make the water a little less toxic and who knows what treasures you’ll find among all the boots, syringes, shredded White House documents and empty bottles of Night Train and Thunderbird?

So I’m out getting coffee this morning, trying to get a head start on the day, and I’m standing in line and this girl walks up behind me. I can tell out of the corner of her eye that she’ s holding something brown and furry. The cashier takes a look at her and says, “Ma’am, you can’t bring your dog in here.” “It’s not a dog,” the girl says in an indignant yet totally serious manner, “it’s a bear.” “Regardless,” the cashier responds in an equally serious manner, “there’s a health code regulation.” Before I could get a good look, the girl turns around and storms out. I looked out the window, but I lost her in the crowd.

Since I didn’t get a chance to see what she was holding, I’m going to spend all day wondering if she really had a baby bear instead of working my take home final, which is what I should be doing. Great.

Anyway, if you happen to live in the Clarendon area, enjoy Starbucks, and own a pet bear, remember to leave it outside, there’s no health code loophole. Although I guess one exception might be when you own a full-size bear. No one is going to argue with you when you’ve got a 500 lb grizzly backing you up. Of course, it’s probably not a good idea to get your 500 lb grizzly hyped up on caffeine, so maybe you should leave it outside regardless.

Photo by DC Metroblogger

I hate early morning flights. I would much rather fly late or overnight and have a full first day wherever I am going.

Seems I am in the minority of those who travel out of National airport on the weekend.

Where my usual 10pm to 12am departures are half empty, this morning’s flight to DFW is packed to the wingtips with passengers.

So my fellow Washingtonians, if you are headed to Austin for the weekend + business to Wednesday do you depart Friday night or Saturday morning?

And would a work-paid hotel from Saturday onwards change your mind?

Woke up this morning and it looks a marathon route is right past my window. Some cop told me it was the marine corps but i have since been enlighted. (see comment). A group of cheerleaders has assembled at the corner of 18th and columbia, screaming affirmations to everyone who straggles by. I would imagine it’s nice to have someone encourage you on when you are about to flop on the grass face first and not move for three days. I got to give it these guys (and women). Seems like such a painful hobby.

Just now i see two black security cars–the kind that gum up traffic when some admninistration bigwig wants to go to lunch– slowly driving next to a group of runners. Perhaps they are famous. Or rich. When they drop over from exhaustion, they can be whisked away quickly to the nearest emergency room. Or to Elizabeth Arden for a massage.

I think this is fairly far in the race, cause they are coming by just a few at a time. As i watch, i make note of the many possible running styles: the shuffle, the high step, the tip toe, the slide, the forward lean, the backward lean, the flat foot back slide, the prance, and my personal favorite, the prance-knee high-on toes-with a wave.

I guess i should get to the gym today.