Stories of the Decade

From: Potomac News and Messenger

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - Ten years ago, Bill Clinton was president, words like iPod and Twitter were yet to enter our vocabulary, and everyone was worried about Y2K.

9/11 —The terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa. on Sept. 11, 2001, affected people across the nation. For Prince William County residents, many of whom work at or near the Pentagon or know someone who does, the day was marked with fear. Nineteen residents of the Prince William County area were killed at the Pentagon and three people with ties to the county died at the World Trade Center that day. The Liberty Memorial was built at the McCoart Administration complex to remember those Prince William County residents and all who lost their lives that day.

Housing Market— Early in the 2000s, the area experienced a housing boom. Housing assessments and prices skyrocketed and affordable housing was in short supply. In more recent years, the real estate bubble burst and the county has seen a rise in foreclosures and a dip in housing prices.

Illegal immigration resolution—In 2007, after a highly attended meeting that stretched into the early morning hours, the Board of County Supervisors passed a resolution meant to crack down on illegal immigration. The resolution instructed police to ask about immigration status, if they had probable cause to do so. The resolution sparked massive opposition in the community.

Sniper attacks —In October 2003, the "Beltway Sniper" terrorized the Washington area. John Alan Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were later convicted of the attacks that left 10 people dead. Muhammad was convicted of capital murder in Prince William Circuit Court for killing Dean Harold Meyers at a Sunoco gas station outside of Manassas. He was executed this year.

Virginia Tech shootings—In April 2007, 33 people were killed in a shooting at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. One of the victims, Daniel Perez Cueva, was a Woodbridge resident and C.D. Hylton High School graduate.

In the days and weeks following the shooting, the effect of the tragedy was felt throughout the area as many in the community worked to honor the memory of Perez Cueva and all those killed at Virginia Tech. The shootings also prompted changes in security and emergency procedures at schools and college campuses throughout the area and across the country.

Population growth— The past decade has seen Prince William County's population skyrocket from 280,813 people in 2000 to and estimated 394,370 people this year, according to demographic information reported by the U.S. Census and county officials. The race and ethnicity of the county's population has also changed, as the number of Hispanic residents in the county has grown. In 2000, 9.7 percent of the county's population was Hispanic. This year, an estimated 19.1 percent of the population is Hispanic.

Election of Barack Obama—In 2008, Prince William County drew national attention when candidates from both presidential campaigns came to the area.

Now-President Barack Obama drew tens of thousands to the Prince William County Fairgrounds the night before the presidential election. In that election, Democrats were victorious in Prince William County and Virginia. But in the 2009 elections, Republicans staged strong victories in the state again.

Obama's inauguration in January 2009 also affected area residents, as people from throughout the country flocked to the area to witness it.

Virgina's "TJ" Best High School, Again

U.S. News ranks Virginia's "TJ" as America's Best High School for third consecutive year

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., was named the best High School in America in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best High Schools rankings for 2009. A course load of offerings that include DNA science, neurology, and quantum physics would seem to be more than enough, but students and the faculty felt those classes weren't enough, so they decided to tackle another big question: What are the social responsibilities of educated people?

Over the course of the school year, students are exploring social responsibility through projects of their own design, ranging from getting school supplies for students with cerebral palsy in Shanghai to persuading their classmates to use handkerchiefs to reduce paper waste. The One Question project demonstrates the way "TJ," as it's referred to by students and teachers, encourages the wide-ranging interests of its students.

"None of our students has the same passion," says TJ Principal Evan Glazer. "But having a passion is widely accepted and embraced."

This enthusiasm has placed TJ at the top of the America's Best High Schools ranking for each of the three years that U.S. News has ranked high schools. U.S. News uses a three-step process that analyzes first how schools are educating all of their students, then their minority and disadvantaged students, and finally their collegebound students based on student scores on statewide tests, Advanced Placement tests, and International Baccalaureate tests.

Merry Christmas 2009

Apple Acquires Lala

Apple Inc has acquired digital music service Lala, as the dominant online music retailer explores new models for selling songs. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed by Apple, which confirmed the purchase on Friday.

ITunes is the leading music service in the United States with more than 70 percent of all digital music sales and it is the leading music retailer overall. But newer music streaming services from the likes of News Corp's MySpace Music and Spotify have begun to win over music fans in the last year.

Monday Morning Quarterback

A few thoughts on sports this Monday. First, congratulations to the Maryland Terp Field Hockey team. They had an undefeated season going into the National Championship game, but lost in the last 11 seconds of the game, 3-2 to North Carolina. The Terps still had a great sesaon, finishing 22-1 and setting many records during the year.

The Maryland football team continues to find way to lose and is now 2-9, one of the worst seasons in the past 30 years. I'm not sure a coaching change is what is needed but many do, so it very well could happen after the season is over next Saturday.

The Washington redskins, also, continue to find a way to lose. This past Sunday they lost to the Dallas Coboys, 7-6, when the Cowboys scored the winning touchdown in the last three minutes of the game, making the Redsin 3-7. But, six points is not enough to win in the NFL and the offense is just not putting enough points on the scoreboard. Coaching change here is most likely after the season.

The Wasington Wizzards were expected to be better this season but they are off to a rough start even with a new coach and Gilbert Arenas back. But, it is too early in the long NBA season to write them off - they have the players and a good coach so still hope they will make the playoffs this season.

The Washington Capitals are playing the best of all the area pro teams and have proven they can win even when Ovetchkin is out hurt. Hockey is another long sesaon so anything can happen and injuries can definitely play a part in the final record. But the Caos are real good and I do expect the Caps to be in the playoffs and go far.

Honor Our Veterans Every Day

Happy Halloween

Football Season is Over

2009 Football season is over, at least for me. Done. No more sceduling my weekends around the Maryland Terps games on Saturdays or the Washington Redskins games on Sundays. Time to enjoy some other Fall activites rather than football.

The Maryland Terps lost a pitiful, rain-soaked game to a not very good Virginia team 20-9 on Saturday. This leaves Maryland with a 2-5 record and not much hope of a winning record or bowl appearance this season. Both the offense and defense have looked bad. The team is "young" but we hear that every year, lately and that is no excuse.

The Washington Redskins lost to a team(Kansas City) that was 0-5 before Sunday by a score of 14-6, making the Redskins record 2-4 with the first six games being the easiest part of their schedule. The remarkable thing is that the defense has been playing great. They have not given up more than 28 points in a game for 28 games in a row, which is the best in the NFL. But, the offense can't score more than 20 points a game.

Can't see the Redskins winning more than three more games the rest of the season.The Redskins just look awlful - there is no other way to say it. The team lacks leadership on and off the field and there is not much hope for the future until some major changes are made. And this does not mean just firing Jim Zorn and hiring another coach. Changes need to be made higher than Zorn. Can we fire the owner?

Sharapova Wins 2009 Pan Pacific Open

Former world number one Maria Sharapova won her second Pan Pacific Open title after Jelena Jankovic retired with a wrist injury in Saturday's final.

It was Sharapova's first title since shoulder surgery last October and the 20th of her career. Her last tournament win came at Amelia Island in April 2008.

"It's funny to win trophies again after thinking I might never be able to hit a tennis ball again. But I'm back and I'm hungry. I can be better than before and win more grand slams" said Sharapova, who will now be ranked back in the top 20.

Washington Year in Sports

It has been a bad year for sports in the Washington area. It's still September and it looks like the football season is already over for the Washington Redskins, which are 1-2 and have looked bad while losing. Don't see them making the playoffs this season.

The Maryland Terapins football team is 1-3, and they have also looked bad while losing. Neither fotball team looks promising at all, and it looks like I'm in for a long season of losing by both football teams.

The Washington Nationals baseball team has lost over 100 games for the second straight season and will again finish with the worst record in baseball. Getting the top draft choice this year, Steven Strasburg, and again next year(Bryce Harper?) doesn't seem to help much now. But, unlike the football teams, the Nats seem closer to putting a very good team on the field next year. They need to add a couple more good players in the off season. We will have to wait and see.

The good news is that Hockey and Basketball are about to start and things look much better with these Washington teams. The Capitals should be good playoff team again this year and could go all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.

The Washington Wizzards should definitely be much better than last year when they were just plain bad. They have a new good coach(Al Saunders) and they should be healthy this sesason, especially Gilbert Arenas. They made a couple of good trades and I am expecting the Wizzards to make the playoffs this season. That would take a huge jump in wins, but it does seem very possible.

The Maryland Terps basketball team could be a real surprise this season and land in the Top 20 nationally. They have the veteran players, but college basketball is hard to predict and it is hard to win those ACC games on the road.

The soccer team, DC United just has not looked very good and even if they make the playoffs I don't expect them to do much. The team just has not been as good as they were winning championships earlier in the decade.

The Lost Symbol

From: The New York Times

One of the theories espoused by Dan Brown's new book is that when many people share the same thought, that thought can have physical effects. Let’s test it on Tuesday. Watch what happens to bloggers, booksellers, nitpickers, code crackers, conspiracy theorists, fans and overheated search engines when “The Lost Symbol,” Mr. Brown’s overdue follow-up to “Angels & Demons” (2000) and “The Da Vinci Code” (2003), finally sees the light of day.

Dr. Solomon accompanies Robert Langdon, the rare symbologist who warrants the word dashing as both adjective and verb, through much of this novel, his third rip-snorting adventure. As Browniacs have long predicted, the chase involves the secrets of Freemasonry and is set in Washington, where some of those secrets are built into the architecture and are thus hidden in plain sight. Browniacs also guessed right in supposing that “The Lost Symbol” at one point was called “The Solomon Key.” That’s a much better title than the generic one it got.

She's Back!!!

Maria Sharapova at the 2009 U.S. Tennis Open

Pitcher Strasburg Signs with Nats

From: MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals agreed to terms with right-hander Stephen Strasburg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, less than two minutes before Monday's midnight ET deadline. The deal was for $15.7 million.

Strasburg, 20, went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA in 15 starts this season at San Diego State University en route to being named the Golden Spikes Award winner. He struck out 195 batters and issued just 19 walks in 109 innings.

Acting general manager Mike Rizzo called it an emotional -- and, in the end, an exciting -- day for the organization, which feels strongly that signing Strasburg is an important step toward making the Nationals a contender in the NL East.

"The reason he signed is because he wants to pitch in the big leagues, and he wants to be a Washington National," Rizzo said. "He wants to win a Cy Young Award and championships in D.C.

"We are proud to have him in the organization. We are happy to add him to a growing list of young starting pitchers. It's a big day for the Washington Nationals. It's a big day for the fans of Washington, D.C."

Virginia Schools in Forbes Top 50

Two Virginia schools make Forbes Magazine's 2009 list of top 50 Best Colleges in America. Washington and Lee University in Lexington ranks 34th and William and Mary at number 48.

The list is also broken into groups. Six Virginia schools make the top 50 list of Best Public Colleges: 4. William and Mary 6. University of Virginia(UVA) 10. VMI 13. University of Mary Washington 37. James Madison University(JMU) 47. Virginia Tech.

To read the complete report, go to www.forbes.com.

Maryland is for Crabs???

From: The Washington Post

The classic crab cake is a simple dish: fresh meat, a little seasoning and just enough eggs, mayo and/or bread to hold it together. Yet just one in three restaurants made the cut for our list of Washington's best crab cakes, equal to the number that left us feeling, well, crabby.

The Real Deal

BlackSalt Restaurant and Fish Market Two 4.5-ounce jumbo-lump crab cakes, $28 to $32; available as a dinner entree if the crab cakes are in stock at the market

Sauteed just long enough to create a crisp top and bottom, then finished briefly in the oven, these crab cakes were about the handsomest of our taste test. Bits of jalapeño pepper should have been a deal-breaker ingredient, but they work, as do the aioli and onion. The fish market at the front of the house earns points for being one of the few establishments currently using Maryland crab. The crab cake sold at lunch comes on a rich brioche bun with lemon-caper aioli and a smart house slaw ($16).

4883 MacArthur Blvd. NW, 202-342-9101; http://www.blacksaltrestaurant.com.

DC Coast Two 2.5-ounce jumbo-lump crab cakes, $28

Minimalism is the watchword of this crab cake. The recipe calls for Gulf of Mexico crab with just a pinch of bread crumbs, a little mayonnaise, mustard, egg, lemon and chives, and a dash of Tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper for a tickle of heat. The crab is all jumbo lump, but the cakes hold together thanks to a nice, crisp exterior. These are pricey for the size, but other touches on the plate -- a tangy piquillo pepper sauce, saffron vinaigrette and arugula -- elevate the cakes to the level you'd expect at this genteel power-lunch spot.

1401 K St. NW, 202-216-5988, http://www.dccoast.com.

Jerry's Seafood Jumbo-lump baby "bomb," $26 for six ounces, $34 for 10 ounces

"Home of the Crab Bomb" is the motto of this no-frills family restaurant with three Maryland locations, and for good reason. The snow-white meat from Venezuela is picked on premises. The marble-size chunks are then tossed with a touch of mayonnaise and Old Bay, not a bread crumb in sight. The result is a seemingly impossible but awe-inspiring combination of delicacy and all-American satisfaction.

Multiple locations, http://www.jerrysseafood.com.

Johnny's Half Shell Two 3-ounce jumbo-lump crab cakes, $32.50

Of all the offerings on the menu, a great crab cake is one of the hardest to get right, says chef Ann Cashion. She has pulled it off in the beautifully formed cakes served at her sprawling Capitol Hill grill. Each patty pulls apart to reveal hefty lumps of sweet American crab, seasoned with just enough Old Bay, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Our only complaint: They're just not big enough.

400 North Capitol St. NW, No. 175, 202-737-0400, http://www.johnnyshalfshell.net.

Kinkead's and Hell Point Seafood One 4-ounce jumbo-lump crab cake, $16, appetizer; two for $32

Bob Kinkead knows how to make a crab cake: Never deep-fried, the meat is mixed with mayonnaise and seasoned with celery, tarragon, lemon and just a pinch of bread crumbs to hold it together. Both the formal Washington restaurant and the dockside Annapolis space -- ask for a seat on the patio -- follow the blue crab season from the Gulf up the East Coast for the sweetest meat, shown off by a rich mustard creme fraiche sauce and fresh corn relish.

Kinkead's, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-296-7700, http://www.kinkead.com; Hell Point Seafood, 12 Dock St., Annapolis, 410-990-9888.

PassionFish Two 4-ounce jumbo-lump crab cakes, market price (our visit: $26)

Chef Chris Clime keeps his crab cakes simple: jumbo-lump meat plus a touch of Old Bay, Tabasco and chives for seasoning. Then he lets his customers dress them up. Add two sides such as french fries, mashed potatoes or asparagus, and dip the flaky, snow-white meat in one of four sauces including Thai curry or beurre blanc, though we're partial to the butter pickle tartar that comes standard on the lunchtime sandwich.

11960 Democracy Dr., Reston, 703-230-3474, http://www.passionfishreston.com/.

Read more here.... <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072801044.html?sub=AR>

Ritz Camera May Live

Ritz Camera Centers last week won bankruptcy court approval to sell almost all of its assets to a group led by the chief executive, David Ritz, for $24 million, Bloomberg News reported.

The approval was granted over creditors’ objections. The buyer, RCI Acquisitions, has agreed to keep at least 163 of the 375 stores open.

Ritz was the largest United States camera-store chain when it entered bankruptcy.

Happy 4th of July

Things I Miss About Boston

The Red Sox - Never made it to Fenway Park, but still enjoyed the two World Series wins

Back Bay - Brownstone houses, great gift shops, book stores(Trident) and rstaurants

Newberry Street - All the beautiful people live and meet here

Boston University - The Fine Art shows 

North End - Everything Italian and of course great food

Charles River - Walk along it, float on it, or just watch it roll by

O'Kellys Seafood - Quick, good and inexpensive

Newberry Comics - Best collection of new and used CDs

463 Beacon Street Guest House - Quaint and nice

Faneuil Hall Market - Great place to shop for all things fresh

Charestown- Narrow streets and no parking but quaint

Pizzerina Regina - Best pizza in Boston

Mike's Pastry - Worth the wait in the long lines on Sunday

Revere Beach - Not the best beach but minutes from Boston

The Coop - Best book store at Harvard Square

Squantum - Coolest place south of Boston and I could live there

Rockport - Resort town on the Atlantic an hour north of Boston

Happy Father's Day

WHFS and the Return of Cerphe

HD Radio Ressurection: WHFS Comes Back to Life as 94.7 HD2

Washington, D.C. is getting back something long gone: WHFS - a legendary rock-formatted radio station. But, this time it's on HD Radio.

Beginning June 10, 2009, "94.7 HD2" sparked back to life at 12 noon with a special inaugural debut featuring D.J. Cerphe, an original member of WHFS from the late 1970s.

94.7 HD2 will feature a mix of current and retro alternative music, archival material, live studio performances, artist interviews, and other programming.

In a few weeks the station will also be available online and via mobile streaming at www.hfs2.com.

Listeners with a new HD Radio receiver can find the station by first tuning to 94.7, then tune up one notch to 94.7-2. (An HD radio receiver is required.)

Washington Beekeepers

A Growing Buzz Surrounds the Increasing Number of Capital Beekeepers

Washington Post

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Something unusual is happening on Washington rooftops, a new addition to the satellite dishes, HVAC units and snipers that are the usual fixtures atop the city's buildings.

Urban beekeepers, who prowl their rooftops in full beekeeper regalia, are becoming chic in the nation's capital, and their semi-secret society is less so, given the growing popularity of their peculiar and ancient hobby.

The White House recently added a hive to the South Lawn, and the Fairmont Hotel in the West End started two hives on its rooftop, where the chefs-turned-beekeepers tend their hives and wax poetic about the District honey they will drizzle on cheese and incorporate into their white chocolate mousse dish.

There are several dozen known beekeepers in the city. For years, they have tried to stay beneath the radar, uncertain about whether their neighbors would be pleased knowing several thousand stinging insects are next door.

"You know, there are lots of people in this community who think I'm crazy for talking to you," said Toni Burnham, 45, who is in her fifth summer of beekeeping and has emerged as one of the city's most prominent and vocal beekeepers.

Burnham keeps two hives atop her Washington townhouse. She tends to them on weekdays, when her neighbors are at work, slowly climbing the spiral staircase to her roof in her "bee costume," looking left and right to make sure no one is out gardening or sunbathing when she pries open the hive to check on her "girls."

She wants to keep the location of her home a secret, though she isn't breaking any laws.

Nothing specifically prohibits beekeeping in the District. But that was also the case in New York City, where a city health code banning animals that are "wild, ferocious, fierce, dangerous or naturally inclined to do harm" was applied to beekeepers.

Some apiarists are romantics who enrolled in beekeeping classes after reading "The Secret Life of Bees" and fantasizing about amber jars of honey. ...read article here... ...see movie here...

America's Fittest Cities - DC is Tops

America's Fittest Cities

A new report looks at 30 different measures to determine which cities' residents are healthiest. When it comes to healthy living, Washington, D.C., is seldom mentioned in the same breath as cities like San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Seattle, all of which are known for their active, health-conscious residents. But according to a new report, the city of pomp and politics is the healthiest in the nation. In the second annual American Fitness Index (AFI), a publication released by the American College of Sports Medicine, Washington, D.C., edged out Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., Denver, Boston and San Francisco.

The top 5 fittest cities in America :

Washington, D.C.

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

Denver

Boston

San Francisco

Go to Forbes.com to see where your city ranks

Reality Check

Time to give my analysis of the Reality TV shows I watch. First, Celebrity Apprentice. Annie Dukes should have won. Annie played the best game throughout the show and raised more money for her charity than anyone else, including the winner Joan Rivers. And this includes the $500,000 Joan won on the last task, which was changed so she would stand a chance to win. Donald with the "sympathy" win for the loud-mouthed Joan Rivers and her daughter.

Next was The Amazing Race. For the first time I did not have a clear favorite to win it. All three finalist couples had their good and bad moments. The winners, Tammy and Victor, had a huge advantage in China where a lot of the race took place but everything was even when they left China for the U.S. so can't say it helped them win.

Survivor. Each "season" I say I am not going to watch but end up doing so, because nothing better to watch on TV. JT definitely was the best player and derved the win. Wasn't anyone else even close, including Steven, his "shared brain" with JT. I would like to have seen the "most popular" (and $100,000) go to Taj, or someone other than the $1,000,000 winner, JT.

Dancing With the Stars. Best season. Ever. Anyone of the three could have won without an argument from me. Melissa overcome a last-minute start as a repacement. Gilles danced to perfection. Shawn was a competitor and Inproved the most during the season of the three finalists, so she would be my pick as the winner, so I am glad Shawn won.

American Idol. My favorite of the Reality TV shows. Watch every episode every season. Alos probally the best Top 10 and Fian 4 ever. I was a big Danny Gokey from the beginning an I predicted a Danny and Adam final, after the first couple of weeks of the season. But, Danny ran out of steam, and Chris Allen kept charging the last few weeks and made it to the final two with Adam Lambert. Adam was the most consistent throughout the season and is definitely the most marketable of this season's cast. Adam should win tonight, but don't count Chris out of it. Both are deserving of the title. Both will have singing careers, as will Danny.

Zimmerman Hitting Streak at 30

iPhone on Verizon - Yes!!!

From The USAToday

Verizon and Apple are discussing the possible development of an iPhone for Verizon, with the goal of introducing it next year, people familiar with the situation say.

It would mark the first time Apple has produced a version of the iPhone for a CDMA wireless network, which is different from AT&T's GSM technology. Vodafone, co-owner of Verizon Wireless, already sells the iPhone in Europe.

The New York-based telecom entered into "high-level" discussions with Apple management a few months ago, when CEO Steve Jobs was overseeing day-to-day business, these sources say. They declined to be named because they aren't authorized to speak publicly.

Jobs is on medical leave until June, but the conversations are continuing, they say. Apple declined to comment on the specific question of whether it is talking to Verizon. The company provided USA TODAY with a prepared statement, culled from comments to investors by COO Tim Cook last week: "We're very happy with the relationship that we have (with AT&T) and do not have a plan to change it." Cook added that "CDMA doesn't really have a life to it after a point in time."

Verizon is in the process of upgrading its network to a fourth-generation wireless technology known as "LTE." It is possible to build phones that work on both CDMA and LTE networks.

Let's Go Nats!!!

The Washington Nationals are off to a terrible start. They have only won one game out of the first 11. They just benched one o their best players because he was 5 minutes late. And he was doing charity work for the Nationals(helping kids) that made him late.

In February the team let their General Manager, Jim Bowden "resign" because there was so much controvery over the age of one of the Dominican prospects that was signed a few years ago. Seems the kid was a few years older than the Nationals thought. And there was talk of "money skimming". Haven't heard anymore about this since he resigned.

Then the "Acting GM", Mike Rizzo is afraid to make any moves because he is not given the job but is being "tested" first. This leads to an Opening Day roster that has too many outfielders and not enough quality pitchers. Then the team lets a good pitcher go, because they don't want to pay him an amount which is in the lowest 2% of baseball salaries.

Then our club's President, Stan Kasten, invites all of Philadelhia down to Washington just so the team can have a better attendance for the games. Dosen't matter how "rowdy and rude" the Phillie fans are.

Our manager, Manny Acta, seems not to care what is happening on the field and some of the players seem to follow suit. Some of the game decisions lately have seemed questionable to a lot of fans.

This city deserves better. For too long it went without a baseball team and now we have one. I don't expect a Wrold Series or even Divison championship, but I do expect a good brand of baseball and a win now and then. Come on Nats, let's get it together!!!

More Bye Bye Classic Rock

No more Zeppelin. No more Skynyrd or Tom Petty or Rolling Stones. And not a whole lot more Don Cerphe Colwell, either.

Classic rock and the DJ who brought that music to local radio audiences long before the rock was considered "classic" are both fading from the airwaves. Beginning Monday, Colwell's station, WTGB (94.7 FM, "The Globe"), will switch to playing contemporary pop tunes. With the demise of the region's only classic rock outlet, the music that helped transform FM radio into a cultural force in the 1970s will become just another baby boomer memory.

Colwell -- who has always gone by his middle name, pronounced "surf," on the air -- is arguably the voice of Washington's rock generation. As an undergraduate at American University in the early 1970s, he began working part time at a little FM station in Bethesda called WHFS, where he explored records by such artists as Jimi Hendrix and interviewed such up-and-coming talents as Bruce Springsteen.

Over the decades, Colwell, 57, never left the local airwaves, and never strayed far from rock. He joined WHFS full time in 1973 as it grew from hippie outpost to tastemaking mainstream force. He outlasted changing musical styles and the radio industry's periodic convulsions and eruptions. For years, he was the knowledgeable and smooth-voiced "rock guy" at such stations as DC101, WJFK and the Arrow 94.7, the predecessor of the Globe

Colwell said he didn't ask to become part of the new station, and probably wouldn't have fit in anyway. "Could I do it? Yeah," he said. "I really love radio, and I really love Washington. But I'm really not a Kelly Clarkson kind of guy. I'm more of a Springsteen, U2, Coldplay guy."

Bye Bye Classic Rock

From The Washington Post

"...This time, it's for real. Classic rock will disappear from FM radio in Washington next Monday, to be replaced by a soft pop format designed to win listeners in one of the few places where broadcast radio remains strong--at the office.

The new 94.7 Fresh FM will feature music by the likes of Jason Mraz, Third Eye Blind, Leona Lewis, Coldplay, Gwen Stefani and John Mayer--a mix intended to compete with 97.1 WASH-FM's soft rock sound, capturing a somewhat younger audience than that station by excluding what Fresh's promotional materials call "washed-up old slow songs."

Two years ago, CBS Radio rebranded its classic rock station at 94.7 FM from The Arrow to The Globe. promising an alternative rock sound reminiscent of the legendary 1980s rocker, WHFS. But in short order, 94.7 returned to its classic rock roots, playing the big rock hits of the 60s and 70s with a mix of more recent music of the same ilk. Now, that music will be relegated to a channel on HD radio, the sub-channels that are available only to the very few consumers who have bothered to go out and buy special radios that receive the extra channels hidden on the FM band.

The demise of Classic Rock 94.7 means the end of the FM road for voices that have accompanied Washingtonians to and from work for decades, such as Cerphe Colwell, who has been a mainstay of D.C. radio since he started on the old WHFS in 1972..."

Virginia Festival of the Book

Join us March 18-22, 2009 for the 15th Annual Virginia Festival of the Book! These five days of mostly free literary events are open to the public as we honor book culture and promote reading and literacy.

The Virginia Festival of the Book is in Charlottesville, Virginia. ...read more here...

Huey Been Around a Long Time

It was once the workhorse of the Vietnam War, a helicopter with a distinct thwap, thwap, thwap that for some came to symbolize that conflict.

The Huey, reliable and solid, is being phased out -- though some say it's premature to write its obituary because it is still in use by some units. But the event held yesterday by the D.C. National Guard amounted to a retirement ceremony for its fleet of Hueys, which are being replaced by a more modern and nimble chopper known as the UH-72A Lakota.

Pilots stood around a parking lot near RFK Stadium that served as a temporary landing zone, admiring the old helicopters as if having a hard time saying goodbye. They talked about how the aircraft, some of which date to the late 1960s and early 1970s, were over the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Ike.

For the Vietnam generation, the Huey is an "icon," said Lt. Col. Maureen Bellamy, who has been flying the helicopter for 25 years. And when she goes to aviation shows, Vietnam veterans "come up with tears in their eyes" and recall how, when wounded, the sight of a Huey on the horizon meant safety.

"The Huey is a legend," said Tim Smith, the aircraft maintenance officer for the Army Aviation Museum in Fort Rucker, Ala. "It's been the standard of Army aviation for many, many years." ...read more here...

Sports Update

Well, it's finally March and Spring is right around the corner. It has been a cold winter here in Washington, D.C. and the only measurable snow(8 inches) just happened this week.

Looking forward to baseball and the Washington Nationals this season. The team should be much better this year and can play above .500 for the first time since baseball's return to Washington. I still think Jim Bowden was a good GM and has put together a good team for this year and future years.

The Washington Capitals look like they are ready to make a serious run for the NHL title this year with Alex The Great leading the way.

The Maryland Lady Terps with the 2009 ACC basketball championship already secure they look like good bets to make a run for another NCAA championship. The mens team need some more wins and a little luck just to make the NCAA playoffs. But if they do, they could make a little run(maybe the sweet 16) themselves.

The Rdskins keep signing the wrong people in the off-season(Haynesworth). When will they learn?

The Washington Wizzards?? Georgetown Hoyas?? Not sure which is the more disappointing this season. Both are bad, but the Wizzards just keep changing parts and none seem to work.

UVA Top Business School

BusinessWeek's Top 10 Undergraduate Business Schools

1. University of Virginia (McIntire)

2. Notre Dame (Mendoza)

3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

4. University of Michigan (Ross)

5. Brigham Young University (Marriott)

6. University of California Berkeley (Haas)

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)

8. Cornell University

9. Emory University (Goizueta)

10. University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)

Terps Shock #3 Tar Heels

Greivis Vasquez did something no Maryland player had done since 1987, and the Terrapins pulled off an upset that was almost as remarkable. Vasquez had a career-high 35 points and 11 rebounds and 10 assists - Maryland's first triple-double in 22 years - and the Terrapins rallied from a 16-point deficit to shock No. 3 North Carolina 88-85 in overtime Saturday, ending the Tar Heels' 10-game winning streak. "I just have no words to describe this feeling right now," Vasquez said. ...read more here...

Longest Commutes

Forbes magazine's analysis found four of the 12 longest average commutes in the nation come from this region, including Dale City, Virginia, at #12; Clinton, Maryland, at #11; Fort Washington, Maryland, at #8; and Linton Hills, Virginia, just outside of Bristow, as #1. The commute averages 46.3 minutes. The national average for a commute is 25 minutes.

To some Washington area commuters who spend more than an hour in the car each way, 46 minutes might not seem like a lot. But it's an average that includes people with five- and 10-minute commutes. The 46.3 minute average is longer than commutes in the New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago areas.

What these communities have in common is their distance not only from the District, the region's traditional jobs core, but also from the suburban job centers that have emerged over the past 30 years. It illustrates just how many Washington area workers have embraced the tradeoff between a long commute and affordable suburban living. The crisscrossing across the region from home to work to home again is one of the key reasons why the Washington area has the second-worst traffic congestion in the country, behind Los Angeles.

Red Hot Compilation

Check out this new CD by Red Hot Productions

Circuit City Closes

Earlier this month, Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City, the 567-store electronics retailing giant that filed for bankruptcy protection in November, announced that it was going to liquidate. It's closing all its stores and laying off its 34,000 workers.

Officials of the nation's No. 2 electronics retailer, which had been restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and its creditors agreed to the closing after negotiations with two potential buyers seeking to continue the company as a going concern broke down. The company said that no value will remain for shareholders.

Best Books for 2008

Top 10 Books 2008

1. Hot, Flat and Crowded - Thomas Friedman

2. The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

3. A Mercy - Toni Morrison

4. People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks

5. The Tales of Beedle the Barb - J. K. Rowling

6. Anathem - Neal Stephenson

7. Books: A Mmemoir - Larry McMurty

8. Chagall: A Biography - Jackie Wullschlager

9. Promised Land: 13 Books that Changed America - Jay Parini

10. America: A History in Art - William Scheller

Top 10 Albums 2008

Top 10 Albums 2008

1. Viva La Vida - Coldplay

2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

3. Rockferry - Duffy

4. To Survive - Joan As Policewoman

5. Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket

6. Konk - The Kooks

7. Fearless - Taylor Swift

8. Rook - Shearwater

9. Carried To Dust - Calexico

10. We Sing - Jason Mraz

11. Gossip In The Grain - Ray LaMontage

12. Saturday Night and Sunday Mornings - Counting Crows

UVA Top Value for 2009

January 8, 2009 — The University of Virginia offers students the best education for their money of all the nation's public universities, according to "Best Value Colleges for 2009," a ranking released today by The Princeton Review and USAToday.

Based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private colleges and universities, The Princeton Review measured more than 30 factors in three general areas: academics, cost of attendance and financial aid. It announced its rankings of the top 50 public and private universities in today's edition of USA Today.

“Few schools can match University of Virginia’s potent combination of phenomenal faculty, intelligent students, remarkable intercollegiate sports, and extraordinary academics. Indeed, students are continually impressed by the high caliber of opportunities available to them, both within the classroom and outside it. Notably, unlike other public institutions, there doesn’t seem to be a tendency for UVA students to be lost amid the paperwork and bureaucracy. Professors are accessible and devoted; many go out of their way to ensure that students are comfortable with the material.”

It continued. “UVA exerts a tremendous effort to ensure its undergraduates have access to an affordable education. Between grants, loans, work-study, and numerous scholarships, students are able to find a means of financial support.” ...read full article here...

Happy New Year 2009!!!