Well it looks like there maybe a Virginia rap battle brewing, local comedian Chris Culosi released today his own Fairfax response to the Arlington Rap.

Culosi raps that, Arlington isn’t the only place that, “has douchebags going to Starbucks to use the free Wi-Fi.” Culosi should note that Starbucks usually charges for their Wi-Fi, in Arlington we go to Panera and Cosi for the free Wi-Fi.

The production values aren’t as crisp as Remy’s original rap, Culosi manages to drop some beats at some more notable places in Fairfax like the Fair Oaks Mall and Fairfax Corner. However I think trying to tie Tyson’s Corner into it’s jurisdiction is a stretch.

I did enjoy the swipe he takes on Fairfax County’s stringent (or lack there of) adherence to the legal drinking age, and the fact Fairfax does have GMU while we have to toil with Marymount (does anybody go there?)

Culosi ends the piece not by visiting all the Starbucks, but by visiting all the Korean restaurants (bulgogi anyone?)

While the video has some funny moments, is it good enough to truly spark a Virginia Rap Battle of Narnia like proportions? I’ll you guys decide:

Props to DrBacchus on flickr

Do you remember your first science fair project?   All that research in the library, carefully printing your experimental procedure, plotting your results, and the nail-biting presentation for the judges — it’s all coming back, isn’t it?   Well, thousands of students are going through that same thing right now in preparation for the 2009 District of Columbia Mathematics, Science & Technology (DC MST) Fair on Saturday, March 14 at the McKinley Technology High School from 8:30 until noon.

One piece of this is still needed, and that’s judges.  For the senior projects that means very knowledgeable folks; trust me, these kids are sharp!  For the junior projects, more a more general background is needed.  And really, it’s not all robots!  Expertise is needed in animal sciences, behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science. earth and planetary science, engineering, environmental sciences, mathematical sciences, medicine and health sciences, microbiology, physics and astronomy, and plant sciences. The two top winners here will go on to compete with students from all over the world at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

To be honest, the DC fair has been pretty dismal in the past, owing primarily to a lack of staff support.  I’ve judged science fairs across the region for several years and I can tell you that the DC fair has come a long way.  It was still worth going to even when you were lucky to get a printed list of projects, let alone the catered breakfast and lunch, packet and clipboard, and staff support that’s provided today (by the very generous and competent Walter Reed Army Institute of Research).  The reason it’s worth it is simple: the kids.  These are the ones who have the drive to make a career in science and technology and a difference in the world.  Many have had little or no exposure to the S&T community, so the 5 or 10 minutes you spend with them is priceless.

The deadline to register in DC is March 2, 2009.  See you there?

And on the theme of fairness, here are links to other 2009 area fairs and the hours they are open for judging: 

Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the Wakefield High School, Saturday, March 7th, 9:30 AM until 1:00 PM

Montgomery Area Science Fair at the Reckord Armory Building at the University of Maryland, Saturday, March 21, 8AM until 5:30 PM

Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the Robinson Secondary School, Saturday, March 28th, 7:30 AM until noon

Prince George’s Area Science Fair at the Howard B. Owens Science Center at the PG Community College, Saturday, March 28th, 7:45AM until 1:00PM.

I actually was thinking about the “We Are One” Inaugural concert kickoff but I previously made plans for lunch out in Tyson’s Corner.

Driving out to Tyson’s from Arlington was surprisingly quiet, I didn’t expect traffic leaving but I thought maybe with all the road closures that there would be traffic heading into the city. But everything looked smooth as Barack Obama.

I arrived at Coastal Flats only to hear that my original plans had fallen through. Well I decided to take the opportunity to enjoy lunch anyways (this time at Gordon Biersch) and walk around the suburbia that is the Tyson’s Corner Mall.

After an excellent burger and garlic fries I was ready to walk off the food coma and make out with girls. The later probably wouldn’t be wise to do after eating some of those delicious fries.

Walking through the mall I passed by a Verizon FiOS kiosk, where several

TV were playing CNN. All of a sudden Denzel Washington came on and I realized the concert had already started. When Obama and Biden walked down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial a crowd quickly formed. It was cool to see how the Inauguration still manages to catch the attention of those busy with their own lives.

After the walk around the mall I headed back to my place to watch the rest of the concert on HBO. While I’m not surprised that a number of celebrities that showed up to speak, I was shocked to see how big the names were. The PIC has a live blog up that pretty much walks through the entire program.

"We Are One" courtesy of the Presidential Inaugural Committee

One comment I do want to make is on the Bald Eagles that were brought out- it was kind of a weird pause if you ask me. I respect and admire the animals but they were brought out then silence, and then when they tried to fly they were tied down so it looked like they were attacking their owners more than flying. For a minute I thought they were going to let them go or something but it just turned out to be an odd display of our national bird.

After the concert I met up with my friend Mike and we enjoyed the Ravens/Steelers game at Bailey’s then it was on to downtown to check out the nightlife scene.

The scene was rather quiet despite the extended hours, then I remembered that Metro was only running til Midnight which could explain the lack of crowds around the area. I did meet a group of “Obama Mamas” on the Orange line. They were from Seattle and attended the  Washington State Society reception over at Sam & Harry’s. The mamas traveled all the way from the West Coast and were surprised with how nice the people have been everywhere they went. From the Inaugural concert to downtown. What can I say, we aren’t New Yorkers here.

Due to ongoing power outages and extreme temperatures, Fairfax County will open two cooling centers on Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cub Run RECenter, 4630 Stonecroft Boulevard, Chantilly, and the Providence RECenter, 7525 Marc Drive, Falls Church.

Residents can lie down, cool down and get cold water at both these centers. However, people visiting the cooling centers will not be able to use the fitness facilities or pools for free. Those who need transportation or more information should call these centers directly. Call the Cub Run RECenter at 703-817-9407, TTY 711; the Providence RECenter at 703-698-1351, TTY 711.

This weekend residents also can get a temporary respite from the heat at one of the county’s library branches, other RECenters and pools, or private facilities, such as a mall. However, residents should call the facility first to verify hours of operation.

Resting for just two hours in air conditioning and drinking water can significantly reduce heat-related illnesses.

Residents who need immediate, life-saving help should call 9-1-1. For other safety help, call the public safety non-emergency phone number at 703-691-2131, TTY 711.

More information on how to stay safe and cool is available online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/.

What are you doing today to keep cool?

We got to head out to the dump in Fairfax County a week or so ago to bid final adieu to a couch that had far outlasted its meager existence. It was just $5 to drop the couch on the cement slab and watch as the awesome garbage hauler equipment just smashed up all manner of trash and shove it down into was appeared to be an endless pit of forgotten furniture, and various other bulk trash.

They’re very meticulous about how you get to dispose of things, there’s a man at the booth where you pay who makes sure it’s the right kind of thing to go to the dump, or whether or not it’s household hazard waste and belongs in the special part of the dump where they store those fluorescent tubes and bulbs, or if it’s a dead refrigerator, what they do with the coolant tanks.

I caught this sign and started to wonder…what sort of citizens can you dispose of at the West Ox Road Facility? Do they have to be Fairfax County citizens? Can I pay extra to drop off Arlington County citizens for proper disposal? Do out of state citizens cost extra?

Citizens Disposal?! — Originally uploaded by tbridge

There are a few outliers as well, including Old Town, Bethesda, and Fairfax, so zoom back if you’re out a bit further so you can get the ice cream love, too. Scooping starts at noon, be prepared to wait in a bit of a line.

(photo by bcostin)

So as previously mentioned, my wife and I had determined now was the right time for us to look for a home in Northern Virginia. (Considering my decades-long “dislike” of Maryland, it was automatically disqualified.)

This past weekend was our first outing with our Realtor to see what the area had to offer. We stuck to Springfield this weekend; no need to rush hither and yon right out of the gate.

We saw about 8 houses over the course of the last two days. Four were flat-out clunkers, two were ‘ok’, and two were outstanding! So much so we were hard-pressed during a late dinner at Mike’s American Restaurant to decide between the two – supposing we would place an offer so quickly from the start.

Needless to say, I’m amazed – and appalled – at the selection, even within a small five mile radius. Certain neighborhoods seemed to have ‘foreclosure’ or ‘for sale’ signs up nearly every other house. Others, you’d have a hard time finding even one.

A couple of the homes we visited were what I call “tired.” Scuffed walls, small holes, beaten appliances. Lived hard, then left vacant. Homes like that, I assign about $20K of additional “fix-up” money in my head – I’m no handyman, I’m gonna pay some guy to do it for me.

One home in particular you could tell was “rooms rented” – every door had a separate key, the carpet was beat to hell, and it LOOKED like a flophouse on the inside. You’d never know on the outside, though. We ‘passed’ on that one.

There was one place we went to that was still occupied, sorta. The house was a disaster; the two lower rooms were being ‘rented’, and it was just a sad testimony to the overeagerness of some people who bought over their heads and couldn’t keep above water.

Though I will pass on advice to this homeowner(s) – if you’re going to try selling your house, it would *probably* help if you, you know, CLEANED IT UP first. I know you’re supposed to look at the house and not the stuff, but geez! Nothing says “no way in hell” like old food along the baseboards, dirty clothes everywhere, and piles of junk “hidden” in the garage.

Bottom line? This first outing I’d give a B+. Two great possibilities, 4 disappointments. Prospects are looking good, though. I am really encouraged regarding the homes available for our projected price range.

Next week: the I-95 corridor (unless plans change).

The Virginia House of Delegates voted 95-2 yesterday to repeal Virginia’s Bad Driver Fees. Smart, boys, smart. Get on it, Virginia Senate!

Supreme Court to Hear Gun Ban Oral Arguments on 18 March

Mark your calendars, in about 8 weeks, the Supreme Court will hear the Oral Arguments in D.C. vs. Heller. It’ll be good to hear Nina Totenberg’s dulcet tones tell us exactly what happens during this particular case.

Students Get in Fight on Metro, Put it on YouTube

Gotta love it when breaking news like this happens on YouTube. How dumb do you really have to be to post a video of your friends beating up a kid on the Metro and not expect to get caught? Really?

Angry Phone Call Takes on New Life

Yeah, this one’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s worth a look. A local student called an administrator at home and asked why school hadn’t been cancelled due to inclement weather. The administrator’s wife responded. It wasn’t pretty. Then the response got posted to the web. Then it got really, really ugly.

The Kena Shrine recently lost some vehicles when someone made off with a couple trailers from the Shrine on Rt. 50 in Fairfax. Likely the offender(s) did not know what they got until they got it home but they sure got something worth a few pretty pennies.

The Model T is one thing, but the other trailer had four Harleys in it. So if your neighbor has a Model T and four Harleys, you might want to drop a dime and let someone know. $1000 reward – not too shabby, although you should do it out of your sense of civic responsibility, not just for the beer money.

Baby Donkey for to good home (sic)

Can you resist this little guy? I wonder how long I could hide him from my lovely wife. I think he would be a fine house pet except for the whole crapping everywhere thing.

Have you ever owned a donkey? How do you care for one? Will he eat my cat?