Wednesday, December 19, 2007

HeraldTrib Today: Dec. 19, 2007

This house is on N. Trenton Street. To see a photo of it and just about every other Christmas light in Buckingham, check out the holiday lights map, below. It's awesome!

Christmas is almost here! (I love the holidays.) You must check out the single-most comprehensive site for Christmas lights in all of Buckingham. Check out the map here. (Click a snowflake and you’ll see what I’m saying.) I am sure I’ve missed a few lights out there in Buckingham, but boy am I close to having them all.

From the lights that look like they were just thrown at the windows to the ones that took some effort, you’ll find them here. If yours isn’t here, feel free to email me a photo and a general address, and I’ll post it: Heraldtrib@gmail.com.

The Redskins just before one of their touchdowns.

I went to New York last weekend to see the Redskins play. If you know me, you know how much I like to watch the Redskins lose. They do it with such panache, that I just love to watch it happen. Really, it’s the sick little boy still inside me that loves to watch others get all excited about the ‘Skins only to see their hopes dashed. It’s a weekly dose of Charlie Brown and the football! Every week ‘Skins fans think “This is the week!” and every week something happens.

Well, not this week, of course.

What should have been my ultimate fun, watching from the stands as the ‘Skins lost their last shred of hope for the playoffs turned into a howling cold day! The wind whipped all sorts of stuff around us, my friend Jon (a life-long Giants fan) and me. Paper bags, hot dog wrappers, even a drunken fan who fell two rows into a space a few seats down from us succumbed.

Steve and Jon, a self-portrait. (Click to enlarge the image.)

All to watch the Giants play an even worse game than the Redskins. I have to say, though, that it was so stinking cold, I’m surprised either side could pass the ball, much less catch it (OK, the Giants couldn’t catch). That ball must have felt like a brick.

Of course, it was still a ton of fun. So, congratulations ‘Skins fans, keep that hope alive!

On another note, the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board meets tonight. On the agenda is the redevelopment of the intersection of N. Glebe Road and N. Pershing Drive. Remember, this is the time that you say your piece to the county. Do not go to the County Board meeting and complain, it’s too late then. See you there!


The Week’s Headlines…
As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com--Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

  • House to Be Fitness/Business Center.
  • Police Notes for Buckingham (we had one pretty bad attack, see the story).
    Headline's from Earlier in the Week:
  • BRAVO to Kip Laramie There's a nice comment at the end of that one, too.
  • Christmas Lights of Buckingham!

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    // posted by Steve Thurston @ 12:41 PM 0 comments

    • Thursday, December 13, 2007

    Christmas Lights of Buckingham

    I have edited this posting some to get right to the lights. Over 80 front lawns, bushes, trees, doors and windows are featured here. Simply click the snowflakes and see what your neighbors have done.

    If you know of some good lights that are in (or reasonably close to) Buckingham, email me a photo of them (or tell me the address--some way to find the house--I'll shoot a photo and get it up here).

    I have crazy Christmas spirit going on around here.

    Peace,
    --ST

    heraldtrib@gmail.com

    PS: Click the "plus" sign on the map to get a closer view; scroll in as far as you can, or else you might miss a snowflake or two; when you have 80 or more, they fall one atop the next.


    View Larger Map

    Click on the snowflakes to see a photo and address.

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    // posted by Steve Thurston @ 12:53 PM 2 comments

    Wednesday, December 12, 2007

    Police Notes for Buckingham Dec. 12, 2007

    Police released their annual holiday safety reminder yesterday. Here it is in full (scroll past this for this week's crime log):

    The Arlington County Police Department is reminding residents to keep their guard up during the holiday shopping season. Robberies and thefts often increase around the holidays, and it’s important to take steps to protect yourself and your property.

  • Do not leave valuables in your vehicle. There’s been a recent spike in vehicle break-ins and in many cases the thieves were after GPS devices, iPods and other valuable items.
  • Keep packages and shopping bags hidden from view. If possible, place them in the trunk before you get to where you’re going to park.
  • Park in well lit areas & always lock your car doors.
  • Don’t leave your car running and unattended, even in a driveway.
  • Avoid carrying a large amount of cash. Carry only those credit cards you intend to use.
  • Women should carry purses close to the body, with the opening or flap to the inside. Never leave a purse in a shopping cart.
  • After the holidays, don’t put the boxes of high-dollar gift items out by the trash. That advertises that you’ve got the new items in your home. Break down the boxes, turn them inside out, or discard them in bags or a trash receptacle.
  • Guard against burglaries by securely locking all of your home’s doors and windows. If you have dead-bolt locks, use them.
  • If you are traveling for the holidays, have a friend or neighbor collect your mail and newspapers or have your service suspended while you are away.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Report anything or anyone suspicious that you observe. Over the Thanksgiving holiday vandals damaged dozens of parked cars on Arlington streets, and residents are urged to call 911 immediately if they witness criminal activity. A vehicle description or license plate number could help officers quickly catch the perpetrators.

    Dec. 7: Indecent Exposure, 4400 block N. 4th Rd. Around 11:36 p.m., a 25-year-old woman was in the laundry room in an apartment building when a man knocked on the window and began masturbating. K-9 did a track but the suspect had fled the scene. The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-twenties, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, 170 pounds, with shaggy black hair, wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt. The investigation is ongoing.


    View Larger Map

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    // posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:46 AM 0 comments

    • Thursday, December 06, 2007

    FYI: Just in Time for the Holidays

    Listening to NPR on my iPod this morning, I heard about this site, and I thought the parents out there might care: HealthyToys.org. It lists thousands of toys and what chemical tests revealed about those toys. It also says where the toy is sold and which company distributes it.
    Floating Stars Cooling Teether.

    A "Classic Pooh" teether, the "Floating Stars Cooling Teether," you'll be happy to know, has only medium levels of chlorine/PVC and only two parts per million of arsenic in the "teether star segment", according to their tests. It is made in China (go figure).

    In all fairness, it is a little difficult to tell what they mean by the "teether star segment"--it might be a star encased in the plastic outer ring, something the kid's teeth or gums might never reach. Still, it's a tad disconcerting. At least the tests did not find lead, according to the site.

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    // posted by Steve Thurston @ 1:53 PM 0 comments

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