Monthly Archives: January 2010
Sadly, The Verve broke up again. I wasn’t a big fan of their newest album. But, Richard Ashcroft has done it again, forming the new band United Nations of Sound. Check out their new song, “Are you Ready?”
The full album comes out in March of this year.
Played golf with Larry at East Potomac today and shot a 47. Not my best, but had a good start with three straight pars and my driver played well (only one bad shot).
Cross posted at TCSGA.org, another site that I administer.
The Gauntlet features bent grass greens set around Curtis Memorial Park
18 Fairway Drive
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406
COURSE REVIEW BY JIM SWIFT, JANUARY 16, 2010
On January 16, CSGA President Omar De La Rosa and I played “The Gauntlet” in Fredericksburg, Virginia. About an hour away from Capitol Hill, this course is an absolute gem. Designed by Pete Dye in 1995, the course is privately operated in conjunction with Stafford County, Virginia.
Starting just days ago, the District of Columbia started taxing paper and plastic bags from places serving food and liquor. From Subway and Harris Teeter to McDonalds, you can expect a 5 cent tax on your next purchase in our nation’s capital.
Aside from disproportionately affecting the District’s poor, I believe this tax is just obscene and won’t do anything to improve the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, which will continue to be polluted. Maybe even more so now that people feel they’re paying for their clean up.
I saw the following at Subway today, and I refused to pay the tax. I’ll continue to do so.
As Americans for Tax Reform astutely points out:
Mayor Fenty and council member Wells boast that it will simultaneously increase usage of reusable bags and tidy the Anacostia River. However, the best way to benefit the environment would actually be to request as many plastic and paper bags as possible at checkout, thereby ensuring the new Anacostia River cleanup fund is flush with cash.
Yes, “skip the bag” like D.C. tells you to do — doing so will ensure that there aren’t much funds for river clean up. What a dumb idea.
For my St. Dominic School friends, check out Peter and Chris Gombeski’s mom’s blog. Ms. Hiestand is teaching in Mongolia.
Pretty cool.
Last night at The Big Hunt in DuPont Circle, Mary and I attended the debut of Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewery to the D.C. market.
Needless to say, I was very excited to attend. I later remarked to some new Cleveland friends that this was like GLBC having an unexpected baby shower in D.C. I didn’t find out about the event until Sunday night.
On tap, they had Dortmunder Gold, Burning River Pale Ale, Commodore Perry IPA, and Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. I had all but the Perry, but I figure there will be time to have more, as GLBC will permeate the market even further. I’m even told that some grocers will carry it!
After my three pints ($6 each was a little pricey, but worth it) I decided that I had to cut myself off before the drive home. We had been promised free food, but let’s face it, everyone came for the beer, and as I was about to leave, GLBC provided some Cleveland style “Hanky Pankys” and corned beef on the same type of hanky panky bruschetta bread. It capped a great night.
For those who missed it, Great Lakes Brewing Co. will also stage tapping events at Birch & Barley on January 12 and at RFD on January 13.
H/T to DC BEER for all of the info.
I saw this ad on Flickr. Hilarious photo aside, when the state and federal government intrude into healthcare, haven’t costs just gotten higher? I don’t believe that Obama or the feds are getting involved in auto insurance (isn’t that pretty much just a state matter?), but this ad didn’t sell me.
More regulation means higher costs, which is why I laughed when I saw this ad. And, as anyone who lives in D.C. will tell you (I live in Virginia), driver’s insurance is not cheap here. Also, D.C. is not a state, it is a district, let’s keep it that way.
UPDATE: Later, I see the bearded man again! This time on DRUDGE, because the President is “asking moms to go to school.” Like he typifies a mom. Maybe this poor marketing firm just can’t afford any good stock photos…
