The editor has been jealous for some time of those blogs where they imbed a reference to a YouTube (or other) film clip.
So he tried it and it works. (Actually, the Opera browser has a widget for it, thus avoiding the need to insert HTML code into the text.) The extra advantage, of course, it that while YouTube will not speak to the editor, when he gets there this way, YouTube seems happy.
The editor intends to find a neighborhood related use for this someday.
Update: Apologies for saying "film" above. That should be "video". Anachronisms are to be avoided like split infinitives.
Over the last couple of years the editor has noticed the absence of DC from the top ten list of, besides "professional" football teams, crime.
So he chased back a couple of links and found an interesting compilation here. If you choose the worst to best list, it gives this pdf. This puts us at 18. Which, while certainly not good, is one heckuva lot better than some previous years.
Of course, it's based on an index developed from the annual FBI numbers, and any index is prone to controversy. For example here, where St. Louis says that their number two is really better than Kansas City's 17 as far as tourism is concerned. Or something. You'd think Saint Louis was a convention town.
Many of the arguments and comments at stltoday.com sound very much like DC's.
The editor has noted, at least to himself, that he has a fixation with the street sweeping implementation in DC. While first implemented obviously to clean up the streets, it seems more intrusive, and frequently more useless year by year.
So, it's gone for a few more months, as of November 6. None of the usual fanfare, and seemingly a bit early, since last year it was a few weeks later. What with the onset of Global Warming, one would think the non-street sweeping parts of the year would shrink like the Arctic ice.
Anyway, here is Mike Benardo's annual email, which the editor views as darned nice Christmas Greeting:
Neighbors--
The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) announced on Monday that weekly (signed), residential mechanical street cleaning ended for the season on Friday, November 6, 2009. “No parking/street cleaning” restrictions will be lifted and motorists may park along posted, alternate-side, daytime street sweeping routes without being required to move their cars on street-cleaning days.
Residential street sweeping is suspended for public safety concerns during the winter. Trucks used to clean the streets release a fine spray of water to control the dust as they sweep. When the temperature drops to freezing or below, sweeping is discontinued to prevent freezing and accidents to vehicles and pedestrians.
Overnight sweeping scheduled for the District’s major roadways, which include Pennsylvania, Georgia, Constitution, and Independence Avenues, will take place as usual all winter, weather conditions permitting. Motorists are urged not to park in these areas during the posted overnight sweeping hours.
By suspending the street sweeping program, DPW personnel can focus on leaf collection, which began November 2, and the upcoming snow removal season. Street sweeping will resume in the spring of 2010.
Normally, we buy a large pack of those mini-candy bars for Halloween. And normally, there is enough left over for the editor to finish over the next week or two or whatever. We bought a bigger bag than usual this year. It didn't work.
We had probably triple the number of trick-or-treaters from the previous few years. There have been years with none. All had trailing adults. It was a delight.
So next year, it's double the candy or more. And yes, it's candy, not "good for you" stuff. It should be a fun night.
WIDGETIZE