The Alexandria commonweath’s attorney, S. Randolph (Randy) Sengel, (who could be up for re-election in 2009, incidentally) has sided with Stowe’s account and decided against criminal charges after a report on the incident. Still undecided is whether Stowe violated police procedure by shooting an unarmed teenager after a $26 tab dispute. I say unarmed because Brown was neither armed, nor the driver of the vehicle, which Stowe claims tried to run him over. Stowe missed the actual driver of the car, Stephen Smith, another teenager. What other course of action officer Stowe could have taken to pursue an unpaid tab, the report does not say.

I don’t want to get into the whole thing, even though it boils my blood. But I have just a few questions:

1. Why does IHOP need an armed security guard?
2. How is it self-defense if one keeps firing into the side of the vehicle (that one has PLACED ONESELF IN FRONT OF) after it has veered away?
3. Why should petty theft EVER be worth this cost?
4. Shouldn’t the PASSENGERS of a hostile vehicle be presumed innocent?
5. How is (badly aimed) shots into a car EVER going to prevent momentum from carrying the car into a police officer?
6. Why are we letting armed police officers serve as security guards off-duty? What ever happened to the proverb that “no servant can serve two masters?” Shouldn’t we be paying these hard-working cops more so they don’t have to play rent-a-cop?

Maybe you have some questions of your own to email to Randy Sengel who is declining to prosecute? Or maybe you prefer paper?

Commonwealth’s Attorney
S. Randolph Sengel
520 King Street,
Room 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-838-4100

If you think I’m way off base, or if you agree, you might consider making a donation to a police charity such as The Alexandria Police Foundation which helps support law enforcement efforts.

I’m not surprised Alexandria failed to charge the officer. Their “protect-their-own” attitude is second only to DC. Just look at the history.

I also understand split-second decisions. Stupid behavior, like dine-and-ditch, can sometimes have very grave consequences.

But mind you, this was suspected Petty Theft. Not assault. Not robbery. Not murder. Petty theft. This is not some suicide bomber running a checkpoint in Iraq. It’s a couple kids ditching a tab.

And I also understand “contempt of cop” and there is a sense of arrogance and entitlement in rotten cops, and you will be damned (or dead) if you ignore them. If my son was killed in this fashion, I would make sure no police officer like that ever served again, and I’d make sure any politician that failed to prosecute never served in public office again. I am an ardent Democrat, but I can’t conscience a decision like this, nor the politicians that support them.

At the same time, I can’t imagine what this officer is feeling. Maybe after 13 years, it doesn’t phase him. I’ve met a lot of great cops, and I’ve also met cops who’ve boasted about hypothetically blazing away into a crowd (that was a DC cop, fyi).

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 27th marks the 2006 Arlington Community Bike Ride held by the Arlington County government’s Bike Arlington initiative.

The Community Bike Ride is a family-friendly opportunity to enjoy Arlington’s excellent network of bike trails. Two routes are available for participants: A 17-Mile Country Tour, and a 9-Mile Family Ride. Registration is free for Children under 13, $15 for adults ($20 day of event), and discounted membership in Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is available with registration.

The event starts and ends in Shirlington, and check-in for riders is from 7AM to 8:30AM tomorrow. The Country Tour kicks off at 8AM, the Family Ride at 8:30AM

If you have children they will love this event. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air with your children, learn bike safety, and teach by example the importance of exercise. Rentals are available for those without bikes.

Photo courtesy of Eric Z. Grey

So you’re going away for the long Memorial Day weekend? So is over 80% of the country. Despite the bitching over $3.00/gallon gas, the majority of us will drive and over 15% of us will drive over 50 miles.

But here are some survival tips from this hardened driver who regularly runs the 6 hour DC to New England gauntlet in his Plastic Mexican Jetta.

1. Leave early: Duh. If you can take Friday off, do it. If you can take Tuesday off, do that as well. Most drivers will leave after Noon on Friday and after 4 on Monday. Don’t be stuck in gridlock on the Bay Bridge, desperately having to pee, because you left work too late or wanted to enjoy a little more grilling. Stay the night, or leave early.

2. Plan your route, keep the radio tuned, and eyes on the road: You’d be amazed what a little forethought and quick thinking can do to save you time. Fill up your car at home rather than on the way (the 15 cents extra per gallon won’t kill you). Check with AAA Live Traffic Information before you leave, and plan your route accordingly. Keep your radio tuned to the traffic network. If you spot a jam ahead, quickly pan and scan for exits to an alternate route and SAFELY go to them. I once avoided a massive road closure because I learned the side roads ahead of time.

3. Bring an EZ Pass or Smart Tag: For the love of God people, use a damn EZ Pass or Smart Tag. They cost little to get, they will save you time, and you won’t have to be stuck behind some asshole begging the attendant to let him through because he forgot to bring cash. Of course, you’ll still have to deal with the lane changers (who block the EZ Pass lane), who in my opinion should suffer death by spooning.

4. Keep Safe and Go with the flow: Don’t let this rollover happen to you. Drive defensively and keep yourself and the others on the road alive. And keep your speed within reason. If you get caught speeding, you WILL be late. Cops on Memorial Day like nothing better than to waste the time of speeders. You think they’re running your plates? Hell, no, they are listening to sports radio and planning where to buy charcoal.

5. Keep the Rug Rats Occupied: If you are cursed blessed with children, keep them occupied, so you don’t kill them. You parents probably already know this, and have yourself freed Barabbas a few times on the holidays. Since it is only a matter of time before baby strollers come with a DVD player built into it with 72 hours of Barney, seize the day. Spend that $35 to buy a new DVD or portable game and enjoy the 2 hour respite.

Extra tips:

A compass and a good, detailed map of the state helps. Seriously. Knowing which direction you are going can help you in case of a backup. If you don’t know the alternate route, take a road following a parallel compas bearing.

Obviously, don’t stop, unless you have to. Getting on and off the highway wastes time and gas.

If you have a Tom Tom or other GPS/Mapping device, use it. I’ve personally used them, and found they are AWESOME for picking impromptu routes to places you want to go. If you mess up the route, they automatically calculate the next possible route for you.

Photo courtesy of Eric Z. Grey

This sign for Free Grinds at Murky Coffee in Clarendon got me thinking: recycling is really catching on, and not just recycling for substances like glass and metal.

You can recycle your old junk now too, with Freecycle. Rather than chucking your stuff in a landfill (or just outside the apartment like lazy puppy-yuppies do at Melrose Place-Arlington where I live), give it to someone who wants it.

And believe me, someone wants it. If you’ve got to get rid of that old VCR, bed frame, or old Baby-Sitters Club paperbacks, someone will take it off your hands.

I’ve personally disposed of a bed, frame and box spring on Freecycle when I couldn’t get a homeless shelter to pick it up. It felt a lot better than chucking it in a landfill to rot. And I’ve received stuff on Freecycle too.

Freecycle groups are popping up everywhere, like DC, Arlington, Bethesda, Alexandria, Silver Spring and Annandale/Falls Church among others. You’re town/hamlet/soulless subdivision probably already has one.

Check ‘em out. I’ve found there is this strange karmic circle with Freecycle. Every time I give something away, rather than throw it away, I receive a check in the mail or something similar.

I’m serious about the karmic circle. I give away my old queen size bed to some Army NCO, and *BAM* I get a check in the mail for some refund. I seriously think that if you waste not, you will want not, and every time some pampered puppy-yuppy at Melrose Place throws out an old shelf or worse yet, working electronic appliances, I feel sick to my stomach. Time was, people would save things, repair them, and count their blessings. Now we’re a disposable society. Disposable utensils, disposable clothes. Don’t get me wrong, some things are just meant to be thrown away. But haven’t we gone overboard?

Bike to Work Day 2006

Friday, May 19th marks the 2006 Bike to Work Day, sponsored by the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) and a whole host of other groups.

WABA is encouraging people to bike to work and rally with their fellow bike commuters at “Pit Stops” set up across the area. WABA is also organizing “commuter convoys,” along the most popular routes, so that novice riders can be guided by experienced bike commuters.

Since the bicycle is probably the cleanest, most efficient form of transportation available to mankind, I figured I would give it a shot commute by bike.

One problem:

While I live in Arlington, I work 27 miles away by car. By some amazing quirk of fate and/or the total stupidity of road design in Virginia, the distance to work by bike is only 25 miles via the Custis Trail and the W&OD. These two trails roughly follow the paths of Route 66 and the Dulles Toll Road, respectively, and take me right to the giant boxes where I work.

I’m estimating this will easily take me over an hour if I bike the entire thing, or 1 hour if I start from some point in Vienna via Mass Transit.

While Metrorail does not allow bikes during the rush hour, Metrobus does, and all 1,450 Washington D.C. region buses are equipped with racks to carry up to 2 bikes per bus. So, should I get lazy, I can always rack my bike and ride part of the way.

Photo courtesy of Eric Z. Grey

Just south of Ocean City on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is Assateague Island, one of my favorite outdoor destinations.

Assateague is a long, narrow barrier island that runs along the eastern shores of Maryland and Virginia. Home to the famous wild ponies popularized by “Misty of Chincoteague,” Assateague offers guarded public beaches amongst pristine natural beauty and wildlife.

If you’re tired of the over-developed, crowded, sleazy, smelly, boardwalk beaches of Maryland’s Eastern shore, Assateague is a wonderful alternative. Here is an overview, with details after the jump.

Destination: Assateague Island

Distance: 2.5 to 3 hour drive from DC, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Scenery and Attractions: Rural, undeveloped ocean beach and scrub forest with wild ponies.

Wimp Factor: Wimps welcome. You can easily see the sites from your car, or hike deep into the non-toileted wilderness.

Activities: Swimming, surfing, sea-canoeing, hiking, camping, fishing, clamming, crabbing, horseback riding, hunting and off-roading. Some activities vary by season and are limited.

Cost: There is a charge for both the state and federal beaches. Passes are available.

Why it’s cool: You can see wild ponies, camp next to the sand dunes, stoke a roaring fire on the beach and enjoy a night sky filled with stars.

Words of Wisdom: Book campsites early as they fill up quickly. Bring insect repellant after June 15th and avoid the Bay Side campsites in the summer altogether– they are infested with mosquitos. Don’t feed the ponies, as they will eat you.

Assateague is part of the same barrier island system that Ocean City and Chincoteague are built on. In 1933, a massive hurricane split the then Assateague peninsula from the mainland, and Assateague Island was created. While Ocean city and Assateague are a short boat ride away from each other they, are world’s apart in atmosphere. On the east (ocean) side Assateague is a barren expanse of grass and dunes, fully exposed to the harsh Atlantic winds and waves. On the west (bay) side, Assateague is a mix of scrub forest and tidal marshlands guarding Sinepuxent bay. The bay side between June and September is bug infested, but other times offers great opportunities for canoeing, fishing and shell fishing. Do not camp on the bay side between June and September unless you love getting bitten by bugs. The ocean side of the island, especially close to the dunes and the spray of the ocean, is less of a bug hazard.

Maryland’s Assateague State Park controls part of the northern tip of the island and offers guarded, public beaches with some limited concessions (snack bar, showers and bathrooms) and a public campground. One drawback to the state park is that fires are not allowed on the ground, even on the beach, unlike the National campground.

Assateague State Park is a great place to spend the day soaking up the sun, swimming in the frigid turbulence of the Atlantic Ocean. A small snack bar and store is available at the beach, which is convenient given the lack of nearby alternatives.

The remainder of the island in Maryland is controlled by the National Park Service as part of
Assateague National Seashore. The Virginia portion of Assateague Island is a preserve maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency.

The national seashore offers an array of activities: sea-canoeing, hiking, camping, fishing, clamming, crabbing, horseback riding, hunting and off-roading. Swimming is at your own risk, as there is no guard. You can camp on either the Bay or Ocean sides

The National Seashore campgrounds on the ocean side are fantastic, tucked right up against the dunes. I typically camp at the Oceanside Walk-In campsites and build a giant bonfire on the beach below the tide line. At nightfall, the sky explodes with stars and strangers offer a seat around their bonfire, share their food and drink and lend you insect repellant if you forgot it. It is literally one of the friendliest places I have ever been.

Assateague National Seashore also offers Backcountry Camping for the tougher folks who want to go to a truly secluded place. No running water, no cell phone service, no screaming kids– just roaring waves, pristine beach, and open sky. The back country Bayside campsites are also reachable by canoe, although again, it isn’t recommended in the summer due to insects. Even for those going to backcountry Oceanside Campsites, insect repellant is a necessity.

Images Here

And here

Thank you for contacting the Verizon eCenter. My name is [name of rep], and I will be handling your request today.

This message is in response to your email dated May 11, 2006. You inquired about your phone records. I will be happy to assist you.

We appreciate that the USA Today article and other reports about the possibility that the NSA is able to analyze local call data records is causing concern. Please be assured that Verizon places the highest value on protecting the privacy of our customers.

Anything to do with the NSA is of course highly classified, so we can not comment on whether or not the news article causing concern is even accurate. But we can say that, to the extent that we cooperate with government authorities, we are confident that we are complying with all applicable statutes. We appreciate the continuing opportunity to provide you with service.

Thank you for using Verizon. We appreciate your business.

Sincerely,
[Name Of Rep]
Verizon eCenter

THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS……………..

They could tell me, but they would have to kill me. Wow that’s cool, I feel like I’m in ALIAS!

Verizon TOTALLY appreciates the USA Today story. They’re PSYCHED at the allegations they made millions of their customers’ phone records government knowledge. I’m sure it will do wonders for their business.

Can we just get on with finding Osama bin Laden, who, incidentally, is not using Verizon? At least, I don’t think they are in Pakistan.

Verizon places such a high value on my privacy that they are willing to violate it without warrant or probable cause when the government asks, and then won’t tell me when it does because that information is private. Irony is dead.

So when I first heard about this story about the NSA tracking the domestic phone records of millions of innocent Americans I was surprised by my outrage.

I knew they were doing it ever since Total Information Awareness and Jet Blue gave your travel records away. This government basically views your personal information as mere variables in their own dubious private statistical experiment, in my humble opinion. And I mean, phone records were really the next logical step, right? And I am not surprised that AT&T, Bell South and Verizon gave away, unwarranted, the phone records of millions of innocent American citizens.

So why the outrage for his humble, numbed-cold, ex-political junkie? Maybe it’s just because, 1. they’re totally going to get away with it, 2. this Congress will never hold them accountable, and 3. some innocent stooge will probably get canned for doing their job?

Or maybe it’s because, when you vomit, really really hard, even then, after 6 years, there’s a little bit of upchuck left at the bottom of your tired, sickened body.

My question to everyone is, how long does it take a person living in DC to be numbed by politics? And I’m talking cross-party here: at what point to you just stop caring?

Photo courtesy of Eric Z. Grey

Spring has sprung and summer is a stone’s throw away! With 70s forecasted for the rest of the week, some of us will head to patio bars. Others, like myself, will enjoy the great outdoors for camping, hiking and fishing, among other pursuits.

I know that some of you uber-urban people want nature to just stay where it is—in the nature place. This is METRO blogs, after all, and the underground ferns in the Metro tunnels are enough nature for some of us.

But like it or not, Greater Washington DC is one of the greenest urban areas in the country. And whether you’re a modern-day Grizzly Adams or a view-it-from-the-car type, this area has excellent natural resources to enjoy. Over the summer, I’ll be sharing my tips and talking about some of my favorite outdoor places. And for those nature-phobes, I’ll be sharing my favorite view-from-in-the-car experiences as well.

One can easily be overwhelmed with choice when picking a good place to enjoy the outdoors around Greater Washington. With resources from five states and the federal government all within driving distance of Greater DC, there are a plethora of parks, preserves, mountains, lakes, rivers and beaches to enjoy.

And since Greater DC is pan-jurisdictional, each of these places has their own set of rules about what you can and cannot do. Some allow fishing. Others do not. Some allow camping with fires, while others don’t. Some offer a high-comfort experience complete with electricity, while others give you the liberty to virtually live off the land like you are Locke in “Lost.”

For simplicity’s sake, I’ll let you benefit from my experience and boil down the situation for you.

From DC, there are really two choices for enjoying the REAL outdoors:

1. go west to the mountains

2. go east to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.

Since the I-95 Corridor runs North-South, most of the lands immediately North and South of DC don’t offer a lot in the way of outdoors activities.

Heading West from Washington along I-66 or the Dulles Toll Road brings you into the foothills and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Shenandoah and Potomac River basins and the surrounding hills provide public and private land for fishing, hiking, canoeing and camping.

Heading East from DC quickly leads you to the rural-ish Chesapeake Bay and over the Bay Bridge to the pastoral Eastern Shore. There are some excellent beachside parks in the Delmarva peninsula that offer a natural experience within a 2 hour drive of DC.

Here are some links to resource providers in the DC area. Over the next few months, I will be sharing my favorites and giving you tips.

Virginia Department of Natural Resources

Virginia Parks Department

West Virginia Department of Natural Resources

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources

National Park Service