A number of Arlington County residents have complained about an “earthy” smell and taste in their tap water. Fear not, the county says. They are working on getting rid of these issues through cooperation with the Washington Aqueduct Division of the U. S. Corps of Engineers, which is the water supplier, as well as other local stakeholders.

The Aqueduct Division is using powdered charcoal as one effort to remove the odor and taste, which is not completely foul but somewhere between undesirable and unpleasant. Don’t let the taste and odor fool you, though. According to the Corps of Engineers, the water exceeds federal and state safety standards.

I have noticed it myself and simply figured it was from dirt in the water from the source. The water we drink comes from the Potomac River and the reported aesthetic issues are likely from low river levels and high water temperatures.

Read the ACE press release on the issue here.

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.

The City of Falls Church is the bomb diggity when it comes to educating people about how to prevent West Nile Virus (WNV). Here are some handy documents they have on their site to help you get your ducks in a row:

WNV Checklist
Mosquito Tips During Home Construction
West Nile Virus Information for Kids

In addition, the site has a number of links for more information about the disease, both for education and prevention. Go check it out and have a fun, safe, mosquito-minimized summer!

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.

I know my neighbor’s cat never forgets to spray, but that’s not we are talking about. That’s just stinky and unwelcome but will continue until the cat dies. You can’t break old habits when it comes to cats.

DEET is the common name of a chemical that is one of the most effective mosquito repellents ever invented. In fact, DEET has a much longer name but I have decided not to post it because it looked too highfalutin’ for me to include.

What to look for in a good repellent is something like 25% DEET. That will give you several hours of protection under normal circumstances. The lower the concentration, the less time it will be effective. That’s kind of common sense, I guess.

My only concern with DEET was the potential carcinogenic effects from slathering it on. A few years ago I was taking a trip to Thailand to become a Buddhist monk and was concerned about such things as dengue and malaria. Which of these would have the worst side effects, I wondered? I never did find out but I used my 100% DEET death liquid as necessary to keep the stings away.

Whatever product you use, be sure to use something and keep those suckers at bay.

Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #6: Useful at-Home Information.

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.

Wait a second – it’s here to stay? Oh, crap. Then why are we talking about this? Are we doomed to a long life of misery and encephalitis?

We very well could be, but that’s not the point. We have so many more dangerous prospects in our future, ways to die have not even thought of, that we should not get our undies in a bunch over this. However, we should think strategically.

It’s just true that West Nile Virus is not going anywhere, but there are things that we can do to lessen our chances of getting it. These might include wearing long pants and long sleeves (I won’t), using mosquito repellent (I rarely do) and using a bug zapper. The bug zapper goes against my philosophy of not harming others, so I am zero for three.

The Falls Church web site also has a fourth suggestion: ensuring that “windows and screen doors are in good condition and free of holes” I don’t know about you, but my window screens are full of holes. That’s kind of how they were designed.

Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #5: Don’t Forget to Spray.

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.

That’s right – in the fight against mosquitoes and West Nile Virus, you have friends in your city or county’s health department, park maintenance team and even some housing and human services agencies.

However, you are a key player in this fight. When you come across dead birds and standing water, don’t just walk by and assume someone will do something. Call it in to the health department to make sure something gets done.

If you see that pool of water or rotting bird corpse again, call again to let them know that somebody dropped the ball. And if it’s still there the next day, call again and use some colorful language like “jerkwanker” or “fucknut.” These words don’t have to have established meanings; they just have to be spoken in such a way that people understand through context what you are trying to communicate. It’s great fun!

But know that your local city and county officials are working hard and may not be able to address every concern in as timely a manner as you would like. They are on the case, but it is a team effort to get a handle on this problem.

Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #4: West Nile Is Here to Stay.

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I will be discussing them in a six-part series.

According to the Falls Church site, mosquitoes only need two tablespoons of water to breed. Me, I need something like a 40 of malt liquor to make that happen. And two straws.

What this means is that any standing water in your yard is the mosquito equivalent of putting on a Barry White album and bathing in Drakkar Noir. You know some boot-knocking is going down at that point, and mosquitoes don’t “suit up” the way respectable humans on E Street do.

That’s bad, I tell you.

Go look in your yard and see where the water is standing or could stand if this humidity ever turns into a downpour. Me, I will be busy throwing all my old tires in the neighbor’s yard in the middle of the night. Don’t expect me to look well rested tomorrow at work.

Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #3: You Are Not Alone.

Mosquito photo by dhyanji

The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I will be discussing them in a six-part series.

Okay. Here’s the deal, folks. I don’t want to get voted out of the MBDC group for yapping my trap about how West Nile Virus (WNV) is not really a problem. It is an issue, but not as big of one as it is built up to be.

119 people in the US died in 2005 from WNV. That’s a lot, you might say, but not in comparison to the 36,000 people who die each year from influenza, the 559,650 people who are predicted to die from cancer this year or the 2.9 million AIDS-related deaths last year.

So when we hear about WNV on the news and get all up in arms, it’s a little skewed. WNV is not as big a problem as it seems to be, in comparison with other maladies. We have bigger fish to fry when it comes to disease prevention. Sure, we should be taking measures against it and there is a lot that we can do to avoid it, but let’s keep it all in perspective.

Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #2: Take Control.

The City Paper is reporting that:

According to a press release received by City Desk this morning, the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Washington D.C. is now open. About goddamn time!

And we here at Metroblogging DC could not agree more. Right up there with cosmetic surgery and fake boobs, DC needs more women thinking that the surgeon’s knife is the key to happiness. Don’t believe me? Just read the press release:

For many women, the search for a better sexual experience has been a life-long quest. Magic pills, creams and various physical exercises have long touted their sexual enhancement claims to no avail.

“As a woman’s body experiences child birth and the natural aging process, the muscles and ligaments surrounding the vagina can become weakened or relaxed causing decreased sexual gratification,” says Christopher Warner, M.D, FACOG, Founder of the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Washington D.C, ,

“Because sexual gratification for the woman is directly related to the amount of frictional forces generated during intercourse. The LVR procedure restores strength to the vaginal canal that results in more friction and a better sexual experience.”

Yep, that’s right, its all about vaginal friction. No need for romance, foreplay, clitoral stimulation or even an attentive sexual partner – just an Energizer Rabbit pounding away and women of DC can re-achieve the joy of yesteryear.

And to go along with this new unachievable and dubious metric of feminine beauty and sexuality; diet pills, weight loss fads, and anorexia are for sale on insecurity aisle three.

I gave blood today. Take that, all you body-pierced sex tourists who whine about the Red Cross’s standards.

They say you should eat before donating, so I ate (with a fork of course) a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Turtle Soup. Sorry about the cholesterol, blood recipients.

I went to Georgetown University and found the Village C building. I guess they’re waiting for the right donor to give that building a better name. I went in, signed in and waited. The TV had a soap opera on.

They asked if I wanted to do the machine that only takes red blood cells but returns my platelets and plasma. I said sure. They tested my blood and told me my iron was too low for the machine but was still good enough to do a regular donation. I said sure.

They had me sit at a computer and answer a bunch of yes-or-no questions about sex, medication and disease. Then I was good to go. I was given a free shirt (yes!) and sent to the donation area.

I sat back on one of the bed-chairs and kicked my feet up. I had put on excellent argyle socks since I knew my feet would be on display a while. The attendant wrapped the blood pressure monitor around my arm and was inflating it when a commotion broke out.
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photo courtesy of the Red Cross

The supply is critically low and the Red Cross has been smacking their speed-dial button to my number like a monkey lookin for a heroin pellet. So go donate – why should I be the only one to suffer?

The addresses and service times of permanent donation centers can be found here and you can search for drives and other locations here.

And yes Wayan, we know you’re not allowed to donate and that you think it’s stupid. You too, Mik. Thanks in advance.