Of News and Things

Have I been absent?

No not really. More just not having done anything that anyone (including myself) would find interesting enough to read.
I am in the process of setting up my first aquarium in a long time. Exciting I know. This is the first one for about 13 years, when I was a bit younger I had five going at once, with all types of fish and a turtle and crabs and crayfish.... So I was lucky enough to get one for Christmas! (we did our gift giving early because I'm working through the holiday) which was just perfect, I really needed a hobby so here I go again! we'll see if I get the bug and end up with another 50 or 100 gallon tank...

Other then that, I am thinking about painting the interior of the house, or at least portions of it, though probably not until mid January (I need to find something to do during the Inauguration that will keep me IN the house)

As far as crazy news for today, we have a few points of interest;
The Bethesda flood
Shooting at the Wheaton mall

Other crap

I'm sure if you live in the area you have seen the pictures of cars being washed down the street by a massive flood caused by a 60 inch water main bursting in Bethesda. Crazy! What a mess, that will take a while to clean up!

A gang related shooting at the Wheaton mall (nicely located close to home...). Apparently a group of four or so respectable young gang members decided to dual with another group of four or so highly regarded individuals. As these young ruffians beat each other about the head and whipped out their pistolas an undercover cop got involved and chased one down shooting him (or so I heard). All this occurred right outside (and INSIDE) of Macy's which was subsequently locked down for an hour or two. Gotta love you local gang members during the holiday rush! I love being alerted to things like this by seeing 6 or so helicopters hovering in the sky all facing the same direction, makes one a little nervous....

To keep on the crazy crimes topic, has any else noticed that there have been a lot of bank robberies of late, 6 that I have noticed, one occurred moments before we walked on by a Bank of America on University about 3 months ago. Is this a sign of the economy or just that I live in a bad neighborhood?
I also read a good piece in the Gazette about some hotels in Silver Spring on 13th st that have had multiple arrests for prostitution and drugs and even some bodies found in rooms. I wouldn't mention it but I think my folks stayed there last time they came to town... Won't be staying there again...

Lastly The Post had a wonderful article about an Iraqi spy under Hussein that lived in MD and was arrested and charged recently. That’s also very nice...

Cheers

and lastly they have arrested a