A photo that makes North Korea look a lot less scary

nice reminder of the wide technological gap between North Korea and its neighbors South Korea and Japan, not to mention the United States. Take the above photo, just released by North Korean state media from leader Kim Jong Un's big trip to visit Unit 1501 of the Korean People's Army, which is reportedly developing new and exciting military technology. Now, it's possible that this computer – encased in a giant metal box, looking very retro – does something amazing. But note some of the environmental details: the dining room chair, the consumer desktop keyboard and Logitech mouse. None of those really scream "advanced military computing technology" so much as they suggest "we should put an old Dell in this metal box to show to Dear Leader." If you've been spending a lot of time reading about North Korea's recent flurry of threats and provocations, apparently edging right up to the line of starting a war, perhaps it will ease your mind a bit to glimpse the technology and leadership behind its million-man army. The Wall Street Journal's Tom Gara tweeted, "North Korea appears to have crossed a dangerous threshold and developed a fully-functioning calculator." The ever-obsessive blog North Korea Leadership Watch of course has notes on the trip. Apparently, this military unit also manufactures playground equipment, such as plastic slides. They also allegedly made this bit of equipment, in the photo below, which looks like it might be some sort of range-finder or infrared sensor, perhaps of the kind meant to use with guided munitions. It's difficult to tell what it's resting on top of: a vehicle of some kind? The hatch suggests it's maybe an armored personnel carrier, although that armor looks awfully thin. It could also possibly be a submarine, given that other photos appear to show a long series of top-side hatches that might be launch tubes. (REUTERS/KCNA) Of course, the point of this photo is less about the maybe-infrared viewfinder and more about having Kim Jong Un leaning jauntily against it, alongside some poor general who looks like he doesn't really understand what pose he's supposed to take. But that's North Korea for you: irreverence in the service of militarism, itself in the service of dictatorship. More on North Korea: Obama’s six options for dealing with North Korea (they’re all terrible) The Cannibals of North Korea Why American video games show up in North Korean propaganda


Crisis of confidence?

Police sergeant leaves keys in cruiser, joyrider pounces (Post, WTOP, WaTimes) “What is Muriel Bowser for?” (GGW) Hizzoner breaks ground on the new Ballou High School today (WTOP) Former council member-turned-lobbyist John Ray and some of his most prominent clients are backing Anita Bonds (Loose Lips) AdMo ANC apologizes for saying “fortunately, I’m not black” (Examiner) Mary Cheh would like to build a cycle track on Connecticut Avenue (WashCycle) Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the first black woman on D.C.’s federal trial bench in a decade (Legal Times) Capital City Care puts the finishing touches on D.C.’s first marijuana dispensary (Capital Business) D.C. speed cameras nab fewer repeat offenders than Maryland cameras (WRC-TV) Albrecht Muth trial pushed back to December (WJLA-TV, Post) Hearing held on bill to create city-run domestic violence hotline (Examiner) How to be an IMBY (UrbanTurf) Southwesterners are not necessarily so keen on KIPP high school plan (Post letter) Erstwhile Columbia Heights flophouse burns (DCist) Michelle Rhee backs Rushern Baker’s proposed schools takeover (WTOP) Prime Petworth retail space remains vacant (PoPville) Cheh’s budget priorities: schools, libraries, bond tax repeal (Mary Cheh) Chuck Brown Park plans are getting redone (RIA Insider) Adorable fifth-grader plays Eleanor Holmes Norton (Reliable Source) Before they were brass (@mattackland) *** Also, some overdue weekend links: Harold Pettigrew ousted as head of D.C. small business agency (Post, Loose Lips, WBJ, Examiner) Annapolis man, 32, charged in Florida Avenue hit-and-run death (Post) The victim, 71-year-old Ruby Whitfield, worked in the Sidwell Friends cafeteria for 44 years (Post) Another youth leaves DYRS custody to do harm again (Post column) Health insurers will have few restrictions on the plans they can sell in the coming D.C. exchange (WBJ) Johns Hopkins and MedStar are locked in battle over cancer treatment (WBJ) Deputy Mayor Victor Hoskins leads nine-day trade mission to China (DCist) Michael Brown sued again over rent (Loose Lips) Before H Street had bars and restaurants, it had community developers (Post op-ed) But did they really help revitalize the neighborhood? (RPUS) Let charters move into closed DCPS schools, says former charter board chair (Post op-ed) SideCar launches in D.C. (Post) And the Taxicab Commission seems okay with it (City Desk) D.C. Council can’t meddle in zoning except when it can (Housing Complex) Should building a corner store require a zoning board to weigh in? (GGW) You will never know exactly who tweets for Marion Barry (City Desk)


6 crazy facts about the rebel leader who just took over the Central African Republic

A January photo shows Seleka rebel coalition chief Michel Djotodia arriving for peace talks in Libreville. (Steve Jordan/AFP/Getty Images) Meet Michel Djotodia. He is the new head of state in the Central African Republic, by virtue of the fact that he led some rebels into the capital, sent the president fleeing, dissolved the government and appointed himself the new leader. Congrats Michel! Let's get to know the latest unelected leader of this long-troubled country. Here are a few facts about Djotodia, drawn from BBC reports and, more significantly, from the scholarship of Louisa Lombard, who specializes in the Central African Republic. 1) He is a civil servant and a "serial rebel," as the BBC puts it. 2) He lived in the Soviet Union for 10 years. 3) He was actually the national defense minister until earlier this month. 4) He's 64 years old, maybe, according to a single report in a Cameroonian newspaper. 5) He is said by Central Africans to hold 10 diplomas from Soviet universities and speaks a number of languages. 6) He is known as "a prolific practitioner of extraversion" and someone with "political aspirations, [which] he pursued fervently," according to Lombard. If you want to understand what's going on in this corner of the world, here are the answers to nine questions about the Central African Republic that you were too embarrassed to ask.


Craft Brewers Conference: Where to drink on Wednesday night

With the Craft Brewers Conference underway, we’re publishing a daily guide to the night’s best tastings, tappings and events. Check out my preview of the week’s events and a full schedule on the conference’s Web site. Wednesday is one of the busiest nights of the week, with numerous events worth your attention. You probably won't make it to all of them, but here are some highlights: The Pietasters, who perform at the Black Cat on Wednesday night, collaborated with DC Brau and Colorado's Ska Brewing to create Tasters Choice, the band's official beer. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) A Night of Extraordinary Ales Beer Hunter: The Movie Masters of the Craft Beer Universe Throwdown in Chinatown: A Craft Beer Bar Crawl Sister bars Penn Social, Rocket Bar and Iron Horse Tap Room are changing all their taps to American craft beers for a night of delicious bar hopping. (No beer will be found at more than one bar.) Pay a $20 cover and you'll get a wristband good for $3 craft brews at all three locations until last call. The Pietasters Baltimore Beer Jam


Weather community at a crossroads: 5 recommendations for improving predictions and their value

It’s a somewhat stormy time for the nation’s weather enterprise. The sequester promises painful cuts at the National Weather Service which has already prompted a hiring freeze and restricted travel. The U.S. main weather forecasting model trails the Europeans in accuracy and computing power. And a gap in weather satellite coverage may compromise weather forecasting in future years unless it’s addressed. As weather enterprise leaders – from both the public and private sector – convene in Washington, D.C. next week for the American Meteorological Society’s Washington Forum (its theme is “The Value and Sustainability of the Weather, Water and Climate Enterprise”.), I propose 5 recommendations for the community to consider. 1) Commit to developing the world’s best weather model The fact that the European Centre for Medium-range Forecasting (ECMWF) runs a superior computer model to the National Weather Service (NWS) is well-known. In a guest post on this blog, University of Washington atmospheric science professor Cliff Mass described U.S. modeling as “second rate” and argued we can and should do better: As a numerical modeler myself I firmly believe that our global model could far exceed the performance of the rather conservative EC[MWF] effort. I believe that … we could produce vastly improved forecasts, far superior to the EC[MWF], NWS director Louis Uccellini told Climate Central that he views improving our modeling a “high priority” and said some computer upgrades are planned by the end of this summer. But I’d suggest going further than this. Uccellini and his colleagues should develop a detailed strategy for developing the world’s best weather forecasting model that includes an aggressive timetable, estimate of costs and an analysis of benefits. It should then present this strategy to both lawmakers and the media to demonstrate its commitment to the cause. Related: 2) Find cost effective solutions to looming satellite coverage gap A possible gap in weather satellite coverage could begin as soon as 2014 and last 17 to 53 months. The satellites feed important data into models for weather forecasting and a gap could degrade forecasts. The situation is serious enough that the Government Accountability Office listed the gap among the biggest threats facing the U.S. government. The looming gap has arisen from mismanagement, massive cost overruns, and technical development challenges in NOAA’s satellite programs. Conventional weather satellites are expensive. USA Today’s Doyle Rice reported Monday that the latest polar-orbiting satellite launched cost $1.5 billion. But


Craft Brewers Conference: Where to drink on Thursday night

With the Craft Brewers Conference underway, we’re publishing a daily guide to the night’s best tastings, tappings and events. Check out my preview of the week’s events and a full schedule on the conference’s Web site. The Black Squirrel will feature . (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Tonight's top picks The California Craft Beer Extravaganza Three Floyds Tap Takeovers Oxbow and the Bruery While the 6 p.m. beer-and-cheese tasting is sold out, no tickets are needed to crash the Oxbow and Bruery tap takeover at Meridian Pint. Nine beers from each brewery will be on tap, and brewery representatives, including Bruery founder Patrick Rue, will be in attendance. (See Meridian Pint's site for the full draft list.) Festival de Cans


Circulator summer hours start Monday

(Robert Thomson/ The Washington Post) The D.C. Circulator will begin running extended summer hours on certain routes next week, keeping buses on the streets for two additional hours on weeknights and resuming Saturday service. Buses between Union Station and Navy Yard and between the Potomac Avenue Metro and Skyland will run from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturdays. When the Washington Nationals play home games, there will be additional service on the Union Station-Navy Yard route. The new service begins April 1 and will run through Sept. 30. During the winter months, defined by Circulator as between Oct. 1 and March 31, both of those routes operate only on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. They are the only two routes that offer different schedules in the summer and winter months.


Capitol police close entrances due to sequester cuts

Longer lines at congressional offices are serving as a regular reminder to lawmakers that they failed to reach an agreement to avoid the sequester. The U.S. Capitol Police closed more than a dozen pedestrian entrances and vehicular-access points on the Hill because of government-wide spending cuts that took effect March 1. (Wikimedia Commons) All told, Capitol police have closed nine pedestrian entrances and four vehicle-access points, in addition to reducing hours for three other entryways at congressional offices, according to spokesman Shennell S. Antrobus. “I can confirm door closures will have an impact on the time it takes for entry into the buildings,” Antrobus said. “However, we are doing our best to redirect staff and visitors to open entrances to minimize inconveniences.” The agency has estimated that the sequester will force it to cut $18 million and $22 million from its budget. Antrobus said the agency has already deferred non-personnel expenses and halted hiring to prepare for the reductions. To learn more about how spending cuts have affected the legislative branch, read these two stories from The Washington Post. The Post has also produced a chart that tracks sequester impacts government-wide. For more federal news, visit The Federal Eye, The Fed Page and Post Politics. To connect with Josh Hicks, follow his Twitter feed, subscribe to his Facebook page or e-mail josh.hicks@washpost.com. E-mail federalworker@washpost.com with news tips and other suggestions.


Set for summer: Fish Taco in Cabin John

The principals behind Food Wine & Co. in Bethesda are expanding to the Cabin John area with a fresh concept: Fish Taco, a 30-seat fast/casual restaurant serving the obvious tacos, but also salads, burritos and rice bowls dressed with a choice of vegetables and other toppings. Chef Michael Harr at Food Wine & Co. restaurant in Bethesda. (Scott Suchman/For the Washington Post) “Simplicity is going to be key,” says Michael Harr, the executive chef at Food Wine & Co and one of the three owners. House-made sauces will run to avocado-tomatillo, charred tomato, habanero-mango and hoisin, the last an opportunity to inform customers this won’t be a straight Mexican kitchen. Platters will cost no more than $13. While Harr and his business partners mulled other ideas, including a burger joint, they settled on the fish and taco theme when they scored the space that used to belong to Lucky Garden at 7945 MacArthur Blvd. “Lots of healthy eaters” in the area, explains the chef, who plans to incorporate mahi-mahi, snapper, cod, bay scallops and “halibut in season,” on his menu. Beef, chicken and pork tacos will also be part of the mix. The owners are aiming for a family-friendly setting: bench seating, wood paneling, some brick, and concrete floors with veins of blue to suggest proximity to the Potomac. Diners can catch Fish Taco in July.


Welcome to a Beer Town

cities in the mid-Atlantic, the Washington area has arrived to the scene. “It used to be that we were very much a little brother to Philly,” said Sam Fitz, the beer director at Meridian Pint. There is an argument that we’ve surpassed them as “one of, if not [the], premier East Coast beer scenes,” he said. “I can’t think of a bar that’s opened in the past two years that hasn’t opened with craft beer.” But what makes a good beer town? It’s not just the beer. Or the breweries. What makes D.C. unique is the melange of tastes and the transcendent interest in craft beer. “What I’m consistently impressed by is how it’s not just the beer geeks that are into the beer anymore,” said Greg Engert, beer director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. “It’s everybody.” D.C. resident Irina King happily enjoyed a New Belgium Rampant Imperial IPA at Smith Commons on Tuesday during its Masters of the Craft Beer Universe event series. “It’s amazing,” she said. “In New York, in Charleston, in the South, it’s nothing like here. People love beer here. And they appreciate the fact that it’s from D.C., it’s homegrown. It’s not a fad.” Dan Kopman, co-founder of Schlafly Beer and a lobbyist for the Brewers Association, summed up why D.C. is a unique beer experience: There is an international community that demands imports and there are people from around the country who are interested in their hometown or regional beers. “You overlay that with new breweries starting up here in the District and it just creates this synergy of international, national, [and] local,” Kopman said on the floor of the trade show Wednesday. “You won’t get that in other cities.” Mr. Beer Goes to Washington Besides the size of the venue, the decision to bring this year’s Craft Brewers Conference to D.C. was also policy-related. On Tuesday, more than 200 brewery owners, CEOs and employees lobbied on Capitol Hill to gain support for new federal excise tax legislation. “The decision to come here first started getting momentum in 2009,” said Bob Pease, chief operating officer of the Brewers Association. “The vision at that time was that we would come here and we would have hundreds of our members engage in some type of advocacy effort [and] that Washington would blossom into a great craft beer community … Much of that has come to fruition.”


Shorthand

* Mark Sanford addressed his fall from grace. * Don Young used a racial slur. * Schumer said a guest worker agreement is close. * Obama went to Miami. * And Rouzer is ready fo ra rematch.


Scathing excerpts from Atlanta indictment in test cheating scandal

sheets were altered, fabricated, and falsely certified. Test scores that were inflated as a result of cheating were purported to be the actual achievement of targets through legitimately obtained improvements in students’ performance when, in fact, the conspirators knew those results had been obtained through cheating and did not reflect students’ actual academic performance. As part of the conspiracy, employees of APS who failed to satisfy targets were terminated or threatened with termination, while others who achieved targets through cheating were publicly praised and financially rewarded. For example, teachers who reported other teachers who cheated were terminated, while teachers who were caught cheating were only suspended. The message from Beverly Hall was clear: there were to be no exceptions and no excuses for failure to meet targets. Beverly Hall placed unreasonable emphasis on achieving targets; protected and rewarded those who achieved targets through cheating; terminated principals who failed to achieve targets; and ignored suspicions CRCT score gains at schools within APS. As a result, cheating became more and more prevalent within APS, until by the time the 2009 CRCT was administered, cheating was taking place in a majority of APS’s 83 elementary and middle schools. This was substantiated by GOSA’s erasure analysis, which identified 43 APS elementary and middle schools with at least one out of four classrooms within those schools having a statistically improbable number of erasures changing wrong answers to right answers. GOSA’s erasure analysis identified an additional 9 APS elementary and middle schools as having at least one out of five classrooms with a statistically improbable number of erasures changing wrong answers to right answers. Confessions by dozens of APS employees subsequently confirmed what GOSA’s statistical analysis indicated; widespread cheating occurred on the 2009 CRCT. It was further a part of the conspiracy and endeavor that targets achieved through cheating were used to obtain financial and other rewards for many of the conspirators. It was further part of the conspiracy and endeavor that targets achieved through cheating were used by Beverly Hall to obtain substantial performance bonuses. It was further part of the conspiracy and endeavor that Beverly Hall and other conspirators would interfere with, suppress and obstruct investigations into cheating using various methods. Conspirators would refuse to investigate reports of cheating; suppress and deny the existence of reports of cheating; fail to act upon APS investigators’ conclusions that cheating was occurring; suppress and deny the APS


The week ahead: Nationals baseball and cherry blossom bloom bring crowds to D.C.

in spring training. Taking Metrorail: Using buses: Driving: Access for people with disabilities: Biking: See more Nationals Park travel tips. South Capitol Street ramp The District Department of Transportation this week is repairing the ramp from southbound South Capitol Street to southbound I-295. The ramp will be closed through Friday. Cherry Blossom Festival This weekend will be a busy one for festival events. On Saturday, the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival will draw crowds throughout the day for free music at venues around Seventh and Water streets SW. The fireworks go off after sunset on the Washington Channel. The nearest Metrorail stations are Waterfront and L’Enfant Plaza. Sunday is the date for the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run and 5K Run-Walk, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., starting and ending on the Washington Monument grounds. The nearest rail stations are Federal Triangle and Smithsonian, but watch out for Smithsonian throughout the festival. It tends to get very crowded. Festival travel tips Here are some basic tips for getting around to Cherry Blossom Festival events. Riding Metrorail: Walking: Biking: Parking: See more travel tips for cherry blossom season. New Circulator hours Starting Monday, opening day for the Washington Nationals’ season, the D.C. Circulator’s Union Station-Navy Yard route and the Potomac Avenue-Skyland route will extend service hours and days through Sept. 30. These bus routes offer a convenient option for fans who don’t want to deal with crowds at the Green Line’s Navy Yard station near Nationals Park. The Union Station-Navy Yard route will run from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Service hours will be extended further for night games, and buses will be added on the route. The Potomac Avenue-Skyland route, operating via Barracks Row, will run from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 am. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Stringfellow Road widening The Virginia Department of Transportation is widening two-lane Stringfellow Road to four lanes along the two crowded miles between Fair Lakes Boulevard and Route 50. Work is scheduled to be done in summer 2015. Utility relocations began in October 2010, and they are scheduled to be done this spring as the road work starts. That will result in overnight lane closings and occasional closings during the day. During the first year of construction, workers will build a northbound detour road parallel to Stringfellow Road between Melville Lane and Point Pleasant Drive. Crews also will


Shorthand

* Caroline Kennedy is going to Japan. * Inflexibility is the GOP's biggest problem, Gallup says. * Matt Salmon explained that he hasn't "evolved" on gay rights. * Bob Casey has. * And a pipeline spill could affect Obama's Keystone decision.


What will the military’s aerial-demonstration teams do with air shows cancelled?

(Bogdan Cristel/Reuters) That order ended the military’s air shows and flyovers for the year while keeping its demonstration teams intact. So what will the Thunderbirds, the Blue Angels, and the Golden Knights do while not performing aerial acrobatics? Members of the Air Force Thunderbirds will recruit at high schools and universities, increase community outreach efforts and continue training for their routines so the team is ready to resume its demonstrations once the air-show restriction is lifted, according to a statement from the group. All told, the Thunderbirds cancelled 60 shows at 38 locations between March and November, the statement said. “Sequestration temporarily limits our ability to travel, but it doesn’t stop us from reaching out within our community to tell the Air Force story,” said Lieutenant Col. Greg Moseley, commander of the Air Force’s demonstration squadron. ““We’ve always had a robust community relations effort. Until this issue is resolved, we’ll continue to engage the public as best we can.” (Gregory Bull/AP) As for the Navy’s Blue Angels, the team nixed all of its shows for April and expects to do the same for remaining performances this year, according to a Navy official who spoke anonymously because the group’s final decisions were still pending. The Navy cancelled its April shows last month, but it postponed taking action on later shows in case lawmakers and the White House agreed to end the sequester or provide additional military funding that would allow the performances to continue, the Navy official said. Congress and President Obama recently approved a short-term funding plan that locked in the sequester for the fiscal year and shifted around funding within certain agencies to lessen the impacts of the automatic cuts. The Navy does not anticipate being able to save its remaining air shows under the new budget, according to the Navy official. The Army’s Golden Knights have cancelled 70 shows for the year, but enthusiasts can still check out the parachuting team during its training sessions at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to Army spokeswoman Donna Dixon. The Golden Knights plan to increase public-outreach efforts while the air-show restriction remains in place. Members will visit schools and hospitals and work with junior ROTC programs, Dixon said. The team will also continue its intensive training, according to Dixon. Military officials said the aerial performers need to maintain their proficiency and credentials. “We have to keep our guys up to


Orioles selling crazy new food items

If you’re headed to the Orioles’ home opener at Camden Yards on Friday, bring the Pepto. The Orioles are taking you on a culinary food tour fit for only the strongest of tummies. The team’s Twitter account has been posting photos of the ballpark’s new food offerings and they’re, well, interesting. For instance, bacon on pulled pork on a hot dog. It’s like a meat totem pole. First up is our Triple Crown Sandwich, a combo of ESSKAY Hot Dog, Bacon on a Stick & Pulled Pork. http://t.co/ERswu9Ja9p Or perhaps some pad thai noodle salad, edamame bao and korean beef or chicken taco with kimchi. Our new stand, TAKO-Korean, offers vegetarian & gluten-free options & is located on 3rd base side of main concourse. http://t.co/Cl3MOq1IKw How about an Old Bay Roma sausage in a pretzel roll topped with house-made Old Bay crab dip, that apparently you need a weapon to cut? The Walk Off isn’t just for the end of the game, get yours anytime at Dempsey’s! http://t.co/adSFyWq2Y1 Even the waffle fries need a cholesterol warning. Baltimore! It wouldn’t be Baltimore without Crab Waffle Fries, crispy waffle fries topped with Old Bay crab dip. http://t.co/M7ceVqO3jg And then you can finish it all off with a cupcake filled with Bailey’s Irish Cream mousse, topped with a Jameson buttercream icing & a side of vanilla ice cream. Craving chocolate? Try our Chocolate Stout Cupcakes at Dempsey's! http://t.co/qOZVL0lxB6 I gained 10 pounds just writing this post.


PostScript: Wehner on re-criminalizing drugs

Marijuana seized in Cali, Colombia, last month. (Jaime Saldarriaga/REUTERS) The Republican Party, writes Peter Wehner today, is looking for a new issue to rally behind, and keeping drugs illegal should be a new priority. For all the reasons we learned in middle school, drugs can mess you up — even the marijuana some states are softening on and some claim don’t have any harmful health effects. There is, Wehner says, a legitimate state interest in keeping people off pot. Overwhelmingly, commenters disagreed. PostScript isn’t sure what PS readers generally expect from commenters on the Post Opinions page, but today’s commenters are particularly good spellers, particularly articulate (many fewer all-caps personal insults) and one big monolith of wanting to legalize marijuana use. And they were almost all talking specifically about marijuana, though Wehner mentioned cocaine as well. It is, to the commenters, an entirely different issue. Tobit A dishonest argument. It’s not drug legalization, it’s marijuana legalization. The arguments have been made many times before. It’s time to stop locking people up for smoking a joint. For one thing, JoeDaWg says, there’s the sheer ubiquity of marijuana use, especially among useful citizens: Can you imagine what the world would be like if Steve Jobs or Bill Gates had been arrested when they were smoking pot in their youth? A world without Apple or Microsoft? Now think about how many businesses, inventions, entrepreneurs we have lost because of our war on drugs. Prohibition has devastated this country. And marijuana, americanitis1 argues, can treat some illnesses without pharmaceutical drugs. Imagine how much cheaper that Medicare drug benefit would be if people could just grow their own pain, depression and anxiety medicine in their own backyards? TheHillman argues that the war on drugs is much more disruptive to people’s lives than actual marijuana use. The author ignores the astonishing cost of incarcerating marijuana users and small time dealers. And the havoc that wreaks on families. But above and beyond actual pot use, making it illegal has other bad effects, readers say. It makes NoVAHockey, quoting a line Wehner wrote in order to argue against it, feel mighty uncomfortable with government power: “The role of the state is to maximize individual liberty and be indifferent to human character.” Damn skippy. Because you’re enforcing what you think that human character should look like with violence [threat of incarceration]. It’ll hamstring the Republican Party where it’s already


Comet Pan-STARRS still pleasing, amazing photo and video

Comet Pan-STARRS made a subtle but scenic appearance in the Washington, D.C. skyline early in March. It has since faded, but can still be seen in the night sky under the right circumstances. Still want to see the comet? EarthSky offers this advice: Use binoculars. Look to the northwest as soon as it gets dark, around 70 to 90 minutes after sunset. Better yet, perhaps, look for this comet in the northeast sky before dawn. Comet PANSTARRS is intrinsically fainter now as it heads back out to the outer solar system, but it now appears against a darker sky background – especially in the morning sky – making it easier to spot. Plus the moon is waning in the morning sky. If you haven’t caught Comet PANSTARRS yet, try now! It turns out Pan-STARRS is currently in the same section of the sky as the Andromeda Galaxy. The pairing made for quite a spectacle in Tänndalen, Sweden Wednesday where amateur astronomer P-M Hedén spied the conjunction. He posted his account on SpaceWeather.com and submitted the photo below. “Wow, what a night almost unreal!,” Hedén wrote. “Such a beautiful Milkyway with comet Pan-Starrs and M31 [the Andromeda Galaxy) beside each other, really easy to see with the naked eye.” Comet Pan-STARRS and the Andromeda Galaxy as seen from Tänndalen, Sweden on April 3. (P-M Hedén via SpaceWeather.com) (Though Hedén’s sighting with the naked eye was possible in relatively light pollution-free Sweden, a timed camera exposure, binoculars or telescope would likely be needed to spot the comet in the Washington, D.C. region.) While Pan-STARRS is presently teamed up with the Andromeda Galaxy, a few weeks ago, it was joined by the northern lights in a spectacular dance over Norway. Here’s the amazing video (the northern lights intercepts the comet between 15 and 20 seconds into the video), shot and produced by veteran astrophotographer Babak Tafreshi (hat tip: National Geographic): Comet and the Northern Lights The above video was recorded March 20. That time period was an active one for auroras. Check out this photo from Capital Weather Gang reader David Policansky taken on March 16 from Fairbanks, Alaska (who lamented not having a tripod to steady the image): Northern lights as seen in Fairbanks, Alaska March 16 (David Policansky)


Legalize it, poll shows

of marijuana for personal use. And 51 percent of registered voters supported legalization in a December Quinnipiac University poll. The rapid change matches an increase in usage - in the new poll, nearly half of Americans report trying marijuana at some point in their lifetime (48 percent), up eight points since 2010 and also a record high. More people who have smoked in the past year say it was "just for fun" than any medical issue (47 vs. 30 percent), while 23 percent say they smoked for both reasons. The overall shift in support is driven by younger Americans who overwhelmingly support legalization, with nearly two-thirds of people born since 1980 (between ages 18 and 32) saying marijuana should be legal (65 percent). Baby Boomers and Generation Xers have become far more supportive than in the early 1990s, with at least half of each now supporting legalization. As public opinion has shifted, the politics of marijuana have become more complicated. Laws legalizing recreational marijuana use passed in Washington State and Colorado last year remain in limbo with the federal government's ban on production, possession and sale of the drug unchanged. Six in 10 Americans say federal laws should not be enforced in states that have decided to allow marijuana use. Enforcement of federal laws has also been drawn into question, with Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) saying in March that people shouldn't go to jail for non-violent drug crimes such as marijuana. Wide majorities of Democrats and Republicans agree that government efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they are worth.Most Republicans remain opposed to legalizing marijuana, while about six in 10 Democrats and independents say it should be legal. Stigma and fear of marijuana have dropped sharply. Far fewer people see marijuana leading to harder drugs today (38 percent) than in the 1970s (60 percent), and only one in three say smoking marijuana is morally wrong (32 percent), down 18 points from 2006. The poll was conducted March 13 to 17 among a random national sample of 1,501 adults ages 18 and over. The margin of error for overall results is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Results for the share of Americans smoking marijuana were based on a separate survey conducted in January. Clement is a pollster with Capital Insight, the independent polling group of Washington Post Media. Capital Insight pollster Peyton M. Craighill contributed to this report.


Where pot is legal — in 1 map

In the wake of new Pew poll numbers that show a majority of Americans now favor the legalization of marijuana, we wondered where the states stood on pot. Enter Pew -- again! The map below lays out the various laws governing the use of marijuana in the states. It's fully legal in only two: Washington State and Colorado -- both of which approved the recreational use of pot in ballot measures last November. (Marijuana is either legal for medicinal purposes, decriminalized or both in 24 states.) Of course, using marijuana is still illegal under federal law. And the Obama Administration is showing no signs of easing that opposition. "The Obama Administration has consistently reiterated its firm opposition to any form of drug legalization," reads a memo on the Office of National Drug Control Policy's website. "Proposals such as legalization that would promote marijuana use are inconsistent with this public health and safety approach."


The weekend and beyond: Blossom Festival events, free ride on Beltway express lanes

No more waiting. This probably will be the peak weekend to see the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. (Matt McClain — The Washington Post) As the cherry blossoms reach full bloom around the Tidal Basin this weekend, the temperature will be springlike and the skies will mix sun and clouds, the Capital Weather Gang says. So watch for crowds throughout downtown. There are several big events scheduled for the Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend, and International Pillow Fight Day is 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday on the Washington Monument grounds. The Wizards play in Verizon Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, and the Capitals are home at 7 p.m. Sunday. Those are just some of the events likely to generate extra traffic and create delays this weekend. But there’s also a free event designed just for drivers: For the 48 hours of Saturday and Sunday, there will be no toll for using the 495 Express Lanes on the west side of the Capital Beltway in Virginia. 5K Fridays in Crystal City Some streets in Crystal City will close each Friday through April 26 from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. for the Crystal Run 5K series: the northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 23rd and 15th streets and between 26th Street and Route 1, the northbound lanes of Potomac Avenue between Crystal Drive and Glebe Road, 33rd Street between Potomac Avenue and Crystal Drive, South Ball Street between 33rd and 35th streets. Access to and from the southbound lanes of Potomac Avenue between Crystal Drive and 33rd Street will be restricted by Arlington County police, who will allow crossing of the race route when they consider it safe. I-95 delays near Quantico Between 2 and 3 a.m. Saturday, the Virginia Department of Transportation plans to close Interstate 95 South at mile marker 147 near the Telegraph Road Bridge in Quantico. Workers will be removing steel girders from the bridge, which will be demolished and rebuilt as part of the 95 Express Lanes project. One lane will close by 9 p.m. Friday, then a second lane will close by 11:30 p.m. During the one-hour full closing, all traffic will be detoured at Exit 148 (Russell Road) to Route 1 South, to Garrisonville Road and back to I-95 South. This is likely to cause driving delays of up to 25 minutes on both I-95 South and Route 1. All the lanes are scheduled to


Washington thinks entitlements are the problem. Maybe they’re the answer.

Washington frets endlessly over the problems that Social Security and Medicare, both of which are projected to exhaust their trust funds in the coming decades, might cause the budget. But two new reports underscore the serious problems they might solve for the country. Take Social Security. For years, pension experts have spoken of the “three-legged stool” of retirement savings: Social Security, employer pensions and private savings. In recent years, however, that stool has begun to wobble, and today, Social Security is basically the only leg holding it up. In 1980, about 40 percent of private-sector workers had a guaranteed pension. By 2006, that had fallen to 15 percent. Today, the 401(k) reigns supreme, with a trajectory that is almost the precise reverse of guaranteed pensions: In 1979, 17 percent of workers had a 401(k). Today, 42 percent do. New America Foundation Those 401(k)s, however, are woefully underfunded. In 2010, 75 percent of workers nearing retirement had less than $30,000 in their 401(k). Sixty percent of low-income households are at risk of being unable to maintain their already modest living standards in retirement. Individual savings don’t look much better. About a third of households don’t have a savings account at all. More than 40 percent don’t have enough to cover basic expenses if they lost their main source of income. In a vicious cycle, the need for savings is so great that many workers are tapping into their 401(k)s early: In 2010, contributions to defined-contribution pensions totaled $176 billion, while early withdrawals — which carry heavy penalties — totaled $60 billion. Today, Social Security provides 37 percent of the income for all Americans over 65, and about 80 percent of the income for seniors in the bottom half of the income distribution. Given the state of private and employer pensions, those numbers will have to rise in the coming years, or else the standard of living for seniors will fall. New America Foundation This is the other, perhaps more pressing, Social Security crisis: It’s not generous enough to counteract the sorry state of retirement savings nationwide. In a report for the New American Foundation, Michael Lind, Steven Hill, Robert Hiltonsmith and Joshua Freedman survey this data and conclude that the ongoing debate over how to cut Social Security is all wrong: We need to make Social Security much more generous. They would keep today’s income-based Social Security program, but add a


Mark Sanford is no exception: Most politicians survive scandals

the most common. Corruption, sex and political scandals each accounted for less than 20 percent. For all the attention to the Bill Clintons, Chris Lees and Anthony Weiners of the world, it might seem surprising that sex scandals aren’t the most frequent type. But it looks like Biggie was right: Mo money, mo problems. So how does scandal affect incumbents’ political fortunes? Basinger finds scandal-tainted incumbents are more likely to retire than other members. They also are more likely to lose in primary elections, as fellow party rivals swoop in to take advantage of an incumbent’s difficulties. About 73 percent of scandal-tainted incumbents make it to the general election. By comparison, 91 percent of scandal-free representatives do. Bad behavior hurts, although it is nothing like a political death sentence. In the general election, a scandal costs incumbents, on average, five percentage points at the ballot box. There are two things to keep in mind, however. First, the incumbents who retire or lose in primaries are probably the most vulnerable. That means these effects – based only on incumbents who manage to reach the general election – are probably underestimating the real cost of a scandal. Second, the five-percentage-point average obscures variation in the effects of different types of scandals. Corruption scandals – those involving allegations of bribery, obstruction of justice, or, say, questionable Caribbean vacations – do the most damage, costing incumbents almost eight percentage points. Financial and sex scandals reduce incumbents’ vote shares by five points. But political scandals – involving campaign finance or disclosure misdeeds – don’t appear to matter at all. It may be that voters simply care less when incumbents break campaign finance rules, and it may also be easier for politicians to explain away such violations as the result of complicated campaign finance regulations. While scandal-tainted incumbents have to work harder to win reelection, 81 percent do. All considered –after resignation, retirement, primary losses and general election losses – Basinger’s data show that 60 percent of scandal-tainted incumbents ultimately find themselves back in Congress. Not all scandals are created equal, of course. They vary in scope and importance, as well as the amount of attention they receive. A widely publicized scandal about clear financial or criminal wrongdoing likely will be more difficult for an incumbent to overcome than an obscure technical violation involving Federal Election Commission paperwork. But the overall patterns suggest that American voters


Why Japan is the most interesting story in global economics right now

wildly different causes, that it isn’t particularly useful to judge what policies the U.S. should take on by what happened the East Asian crisis a decade earlier. But Japan is a different story. It is a large, advanced economy, which has been grinding through the results of its own banking and financial crisis. Its story has been more one of year-after-year of stagnant growth than one of outright depression. It has control over its currency, and its citizens’ demand for government bonds is deep enough that it simultaneously has the highest debt to GDP ratio in the world and the lowest interest rates (which is quite a trick). In effect, Japan is a cautionary tale of what the United States, Britain, and continental Europe could become if the major Western powers can’t jolt ourselves out of a long period of economic stagnation. Shinzo Abe and Haruhiko Kuroda can’t magically make Japan’s corporate giants more competitive on the world stage, such as by making Sony competitive with Samsung in the market for smart phones or bringing back a world where Toyota could make significantly better cars that Hyundai. But their policies to depreciate the yen could give those companies a leg up in the global marketplace in terms of their cost structure that they have not had in ages; the yen has fallen from around 80 to the dollar in the runup to Abe’s Liberal Democratic party winning the elections to scraping 100 to the dollar (the exchange rate was 98.61 on Monday). But it would be wrong to view this effort as riskless. On one hand, the efforts to return inflation could be too successful, increasing borrowing costs for the Japanese government and, in the process, making its huge debt of twice GDP exceptionally hard to maintain. On the other hand, the Bank of Japan’s easing could again prove to be not up to the task. If everything works as planned, Japan’s industrial will return on the back of a weaker yen, an improving economy will improve its deficit picture, and the nation will soon have a goldilocks economy of prices rising about 2 percent a year and debt to GDP levels coming down. If things go awry, we could soon be staring at the mother of all sovereign debt crises. Whatever path the Japanese economy takes, it is one that will have lessons and implications for all of us.


Azur set to sail on Saturday in Penn Quarter

Seafood will star on the menu at Frederik De Pue's Azur. (Juan Carlos Briceno) Frederik De Pue thinks “meat is an easy way out” for chefs, which is one of several reasons why the Belgium native decided to go with a seafood theme for Azur, his soon-to-launch Penn Quarter restaurant at 405 Eighth St. NW. Another reason: Ingredients from the water bring back fond memories of one of his favorite jobs, as a cook at Sea Grill (the recipient of two stars from Michelin) in Brussels. The chef says his latest endeavor, scheduled to soft-open for dinner Saturday (reservations are available starting April 18), will be “a little bit Washington and a little bit Brussels.” The Washington influence will be the amount of space Azur is devoting to its two bars on multiple levels. The Brussels aspect is expected to surface in the European ambiance and design. Picture clean lines, neutral colors, lots of light, dark floors and retro chairs. De Pue, who recently opened Table in Shaw, has hired the former chef de cuisine of Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Robert Rubba, to assume the same position at Azur. Even so, says the boss, “I have every intention of being in both restaurants every night.” (Good thing the two businesses are just a mile apart, and De Pue can use his bike for the commute. Good thing, too, he’s decided to cut back on his other gig, 42 Degrees Catering.) Sustainable seafood will star on the menu, a signature of which will be clams, mussels and lobster presented in a choice of four different flavored broths. A six-seat raw bar on the third floor will feature oysters, caviar and house-cured fish (all available for retail sale, by the way). Diners can also anticipate oyster croquettes, roasted turbot with almond espuma and red mullet, the top chef’s favorite catch, with accents of rhubarb, pink peppercorns and black garlic vinaigrette. The name Azur is meant to signal “blue” and “the ocean,” says De Pue, although customers of his 135-seat restaurant, previously home to Cafe Atlantico, can catch the theme the moment they look up inside the four-level, 6,000-square-foot expanse, dominated by a custom-made chandelier created from over 60 glass balls: giant air bubbles.


The Week Ahead: Cherry blossom traffic, home games for four D.C. teams and more

Southeast D.C. 11th Street SE will close between M and K streets from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The following detours will be in place during the closures: - Northbound 11th Street traffic will be detoured via M Street SE to 8th Street SE, then onto G Street SE and back onto 11th Street north of K Street SE - Southbound 11th Street traffic will be detoured to I Street SE, then to 8th Street SE and M Street SE to get back to 11th Street south of M Street SE. This is part of the 11th Street Bridge Project, and additional closures are coming during the weekends of April 20-22 and May 4-6. I-295 ramp closure The exit ramp from northbound Interstate 295/Anacostia Freeway leading to 11th Street SE and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE will close overnight on Monday and Tuesday evenings so that paving and other work can take place. The ramp will close at 8 p.m. and reopen at 5 a.m. the following day. A detour will redirect drivers to eastbound Pennsylvania Avenue SE, then to Minnesota Avenue SE and Good Hope Road SE, to access Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and the 11th Street local bridge. This closure and the related detour will also occur on April 16 and April 21. Major street closures in D.C. next weekend Several events in the District will lead to major street closures and traffic problems on Saturday and Sunday. If you’re starting to make weekend plans, keep these things in mind. Saturday The Japanese Street Festival - Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 9th and 14th streets NW - 10th Street NW between Constitution Avenue and E Street NW - 11th Street NW between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street NW - 12th Street NW between Constitution Avenue and E Street NW - 13th Street between NW Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street NW. The Cherry Blossom Festival Parade The parade’s assembly/rehearsal area: - 7th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW - Constitution Avenue between 6th and 9th streets NW. The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade road closures will start at 9:30 a.m. with the parade scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to noon. - Constitution Avenue NW will be closed from 7th to 23rd streets NW The parade will head north on 7th Street NW, head west on Constitution Avenue NW and


Report: 243 million Americans affected by weather disasters since 2007

disaster areas in the past six years. - In 2012, the U.S. recorded 11 weather disasters causing economic losses of $1 billion or more, including Hurricane Sandy. - Sandy claimed 72 lives in the Northeast and caused over $70 billion in damages, making it the costliest hurricane ever to hit the East Coast and the costliest weather disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. - 77 million Americans live in counties that experienced federally declared weather-related disasters in 2012 alone. - 19 million Americans live in counties that have averaged one or more such weather-related disasters per year since 2007. While every state but South Carolina has had at least one county declared a federal disaster area, the Plains states are the most disaster-prone. In Oklahoma, for example, five of the state’s counties have each declared 10 or more weather-related disasters in the past six years. Interactive map showing number of weather-related disasters in Washington, D.C. during the 2007-2012 period. (Environment America) By shedding light on these numbers, Environment America hopes to raise public awareness about the the nation’s vulnerability to climate change and the possibility of more frequent extreme weather events in the coming decades. The report reaffirms scientific research that shows the U.S. is already experiencing greater extremes in precipitation and will likely see an increase in the number of heat waves and severe storms as Earth’s climate warms. In 2012, the U.S. experienced its hottest year on record and worst drought in more than 50 years. “Extreme weather is happening, it is causing very serious problems, and global warming increases the likelihood that we’ll see even more extreme weather in the future,” says Nathan Willcox, co-author of the report and global warming program director at Environment America. Willcox is calling upon local, state, and federal leaders to seek further reductions in CO2 emissions and invest in more renewable energy projects to reduce the impact of global-warming induced severe weather events. In particular, the report denounces further development in carbon-rich fuels such as tar sands, and urges the Obama administration to reject construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in the central United States. Meanwhile, Environment America is lauding state-based and regional efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), comprised of nine northeastern states. Two months ago, all nine members pledged steeper cuts in carbon emissions from power plants, which would result in


The evolution of marijuana laws

Pot is getting more popular. As we noted in this space last week, a majority of the American public -- 52 percent -- said marijuana should be legal, the highest mark ever measured in Pew polling. While pot use is still illegal under federal law, two states in November 2012 -- Colorado and Washington -- legalized it for recreational purposes. And, the general direction of state laws regarding marijuana -- whether it's legalizing it, legalizing it for medicinal purposes or decriminalizing it -- is clearly moving in the direction of leniency. The best visualization of that trend that we've seen comes courtesy of the Atlantic Wire's Philip Bump and Elspeth Reeve. Beginning in 1970, the map features the year-by-year progression of marijuana laws across the country.


Chinese army colonel says avian flu is an American plot against China

Health workers take a swab sample from a chicken in Hunan province, China. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images) Colonel Dai Xu of the People's Liberation Army wrote online that the new strain of bird flu hitting China, known as H7N9, is an American "bio-psychological weapon" meant to destabilize China. The rant, posted to Dai's account on the Twitter-like service Weibo, had already been shared by more than 30,000 fellow users by the time that the South China Morning Post reported it on Monday. Dai now has a quarter million followers on Weibo, which is quite a platform. In general, Chinese Web users appear to have rejected Dai's argument. In response to the criticism, though, he's only dug in. "It is common knowledge that a group of people in China have been injected with mental toxin by the U.S.," he wrote at one point. "I will not retreat even half a step." He urged Chinese officials to ignore the virus's apparent spread and argued that the disastrous 2003 SARS outbreak was also an American plot. Dai's conspiracy theory does not appear to be widely held, although fears about the United States and its supposed secret desire to topple the Chinese Communist Party are not uncommon among Chinese officials. He is a lecturer at the National Defence University, giving him a not insignificant platform for his theories and the worldview behind them. China's response to the H7N9 case has prompted concern among public health experts abroad. Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations recently argued that China is doing a much better job than it did with SARS in 2003, when officials long refused to acknowledged the outbreak and thus exacerbated its spread. He noted, though, that the government has been slow in reacting, possibly wary of drawing criticism. Some Chinese officials, The Washington Post's William Wan reports, are telling citizens that a traditional herb made of tree root can prevent the spread of the new avian flu strain, which certainly does not appear to be true. Others have suggested acupuncture. Few if any Chinese officials likely share Dai's somewhat paranoid theory that H7N9 is an American weapon. Still, some do appear to share his desire to downplay the virus, its potential seriousness and the scale of what would likely be required of the government to address it. That echo, however slight, of China's handling of the 2003 SARS outbreak is not a great


A Dozen Weeks of Doughnuts, Week 3: Woodward Takeout Food and Krispy Kreme

We’re eating our way through area bakeries, two at a time, on a quest to find the best doughnut in the Washington area. In our first two weeks we sampled from two old-school bakeries, a hip newcomer and an Asian-fusion mini-chain. In Week 3, we turn our attention to a downtown bakery attached to a restaurant and a national chain known for enticing customers with its “Hot Now” sign. Berliner jelly filled doughnut by Woodward Takeout Food (Photo by Anne Farrar/The Washington Post). Woodward Takeout Food Part deli and part bakery, WTF is the companion piece to Woodward Table, next door. Chef-owner Jeffrey Buben lets pastry chef Beverly Bates show off her considerable skills here, so the counters and cases brim with her deftly executed breads and confections. There’s an emphasis on home-style comfort, so highlights include palm-size cookies, flaky biscuits and a lemon square so soft that we ate it with a spoon. Address: Hours: The lineup: Glazed doughnut by Woodward Takeout Food (Photo by Anne Farrar/The Washington Post). Price: The look: Price per ounce: How do they taste? Best of the bunch: Krispy Kreme Born in Winston-Salem, N.C., in 1937, this chain now has locations across the world. Its premiere product is its glazed doughnut, though there are plenty of other flavors, including limited-edition specials such as the Oreo-themed options we tried. The best time to visit is when the doughnuts are "Hot Now,” so you can be guaranteed to get one of their best-in-show glazed rounds straight off the conveyor belt. Chocolate cake with Oreo doughnut by Krispy Kreme (Photo by Anne Farrar/The Washington Post). Address: Hours: The lineup: Raspberry jelly filled doughnut by Krispy Kreme bakery (Photo by Anne Farrar/The Washington Post). lemon-filled, dulce de leche-filled, glazed raspberry-filled, powdered strawberry-filled, glazed chocolate cake doughnut with Oreo topping, and glazed filled with Oreo cream and topped with chocolate frosting and crumbled Oreos. Price: The look: Price per ounce: How do they taste? Best of the bunch: Worst of the bunch: Chocolate glazed doughnut with sprinkles by Krispy Kreme (Photo by Anne Farrar/The Washington Post). The running totals so far: Overall scores Woodward Takeout Food: 5.4 Zeke’s DC Donutz: 5.1 Heller’s Bakery: 4.1 Shilla Bakery: 3.9 Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe: 3.5 Krispy Kreme: 3.1 Best doughnuts Zeke’s Ferrero Rocher: 6.7 WTF Berliner and WTF glazed (tie): 5.4 Heller’s glazed twist and Heidelberg sugar w/apricot (tie): 4.9 Worst doughnuts Krispy


Missing DCPS cheating memo is revealed

The January 2009 memo, by consultant Faye “Sandy” Sanford, informed DCPS official Erin McGoldrick that erasure patterns suggested widespread cheating. (LearningMatters) In January 2009, high-ranking D.C. Public Schools officials were made perfectly aware that high rates of wrong-to-right erasures indicated a possible epidemic of cheating on the city’s high-stakes standardized tests. We know that now because a memo spelling out those concerns, written by a DCPS consultant, was anonymously leaked recently to former PBS education reporter John Merrow. The memo’s release raises another round of concerns about how seriously former Chancellor Michelle Rhee took the cheating allegations, whether investigations by the D.C. and federal inspectors general were sufficient, and whether high-stakes exams are reliable vehicles of accountability. It comes two weeks after three dozen Atlanta educators were indicted in connection with a cheating scandal rooted in an erasure analysis of similar scope. Said one prosecutor there to Merrow: “There’s not a shred of doubt in my mind that adults cheated in Washington. The big difference is that nobody in D.C. wanted to know the truth.” In other news: The Metro station of the future may feature brighter lights, stainless steel and glass — is it a betrayal of the system’s historic architecture? (Post) New lottery ticket contract, like old lottery ticket contract, allows multinational vendor to avoid local subcontracting law (AP) 911 tape of Chandra Levy neighbor describing “bloodcurdling scream” now at issue in Ingmar Guandique appeal (Post, WTOP) Public housing list closes today — have we “completely forgotten to consider the housing needs of the workers who make this place run”? (Post column) Anita Bonds is “an unrehabilitated racialist” and is “shamelessly playing the race card,” says Jonetta Rose Barras (Examiner) And she’s got Council member Kenyan McDuffie’s endorsement (Post) United Medical Center CEO on alleged $400,000 overtime scheme: “I would have thought this might have materialized a little sooner” (Post) Is Phinis Jones’s Ward 8 CBE haven an “incubator” or a scam? (WaTimes) Inclusion of D.C. budget autonomy legislation in Obama budget is a step forward (Post editorial) ACLU lawsuit: Cop slammed 10-year-old’s head on table in Wilkinson Elementary cafeteria (Post, WaTimes) Arts and Humanities Commission budget goes from $13 million to $7 million under Gray proposal (Examiner) Behold the quiet but resolute activism of D.C.’s immigrant community (TPM) Region’s leaders agree: We all can just get along — except when it comes to FBI relocation (WBJ, WRC-TV)


The weekend and beyond: Prepare for congestion in D.C.

8th Street SE and M Street SE to get back to 11th Street south of M Street SE. This is part of the 11th Street Bridge Project, and additional closures are coming during the weekends of April 20-22 and May 4-6. Japanese Street Festival This event on Saturday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) will close the following streets from 7 p.m. on Friday until 11 p.m. Saturday. - Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 9th and 14th streets NW - 10th Street NW between Constitution Avenue and E Street NW - 11th Street NW between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street NW - 12th Street NW between Constitution Avenue and E Street NW - 13th Street between NW Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street NW. Cherry Blossom Festival Parade The parade’s rehearsal will close the following streets on Saturday beginning at 4:30 a.m. until around 1 p.m.: - 7th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW - Constitution Avenue between 6th and 9th streets NW. The parade itself is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to noon and will close Constitution Ave from 7th Street NW to 23rd Street NW between 9:30 and sometime after the parade ends. The parade will head north on 7th Street NW, go west on Constitution Avenue NW and continue to 17th Street NW, where the participants will disband. Justin’s Cafe Block Party This event will close First Street SE between L and K streets SE on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. (Read more about it here.) If you’re planning on driving to the Nationals game or otherwise traveling in the Navy Yard area, keep this in mind. Race to Stop the Silence 8K This event is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday. The following streets will close at 5 a.m. Sunday and reopen by noon, according to D.C. police: - Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 12th to 14th streets - 13th Street from E Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW The race itself will form on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 12th and 13th streets NW before heading east to Columbus Circle, veering from Northwest to Southwest and back again before ultimately finishing at Pennsylvania Avenue NW at 12th Street NW. Find a full map here. Lane closures in Montgomery County Northbound and southbound MD 355/Rockville Pike North Frederick Road/Hungerford Drive/MD 355 at Mannakee Street Southbound Rockville Pike/MD 355 at Marinelli


Boston Marathon 2013: Viewer’s guide, race times and course

The 2012 Boston Marathon took place in grueling heat. (Charles Krupa / AP) Update: The excessive heat that was a problem for last year’s Boston Marathon won’t be an issue today when the 117th edition of the race begins in Hopkinton, Mass. This year, the weather is expected to be perfect for runners with temperatures in the mid-50s, about 35 degrees lower than last year’s Patriots Day race. “We got a bye,” race director Dave McGillivray said (via the Associated Press). “And that’s good, because we need this year to regroup.” How hot was it last year? Runners who sat out the race were guaranteed automatic entry into this year’s and about 2,300 runners chose to do so. Wesley Korir, a University of Louisville graduate, was the 2012 winner, gutting his way through cramps in 2 hours, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. Sharon Cherop was the winner, edging Jemima Jelagat Sumgong to win by 2 seconds in 2:31:50. 2013 Boston Marathon: Defending Champions Return Both runners, who are from Kenya, are back this year along with two top American women: Olympic 10,000-meter bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher. Celebrities in the field The race, which covers 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston (see Boston.com’s interactive map), begins for elite women at 9:32 a.m.; elite men and the first of three waves of runners follow at 10 a.m., with the last wave of runners off at 10:40. It will be carried live nationally on Universal Sports ( available nationally on Universal Sports (channel 625 on DirecTV, 402 on Dish Network) and streamed live on WBZ.com and UniversalSports.com and BAA.org. And, as is the Patriots Day tradition, the Red Sox will play the Tampa Bay Rays at 11:05 a.m. at Fenway Park. It’s Jackie Robinson Day, which means that all players will be wearing No. 42. Follow @CindyBoren on Twitter and on Facebook.


The week ahead: Emancipation Day rules, road work, Fairfax bus meetings

Avenue NW from Ninth Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, Seventh Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Independence Avenue SW. These streets will be closed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th Street to Third Street NW, all streets crossing Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th to Fourth street between E Street and Constitution Avenue. Street Smart This spring’s Street Smart law enforcement campaign continues through May 13. Across the D.C. region, officers will be paying special attention to traffic law violations. They pay special attention to crosswalk violations by motorists and cyclists, as well as to jaywalking pedestrians. Fines range from $40 to $500, depending on the type of the violation, and drivers can lose points on their licenses. Silver Line lane closings The Dulles Metrorail project has scheduled many day and night lane closings this week along the route of the Silver Line, scheduled to open late this year. Here are a few of the ones that may affect your travels. Interstate 66. Dulles Connector Road (Route 267). Route 7 (Leesburg Pike). Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road). Wisconsin Avenue The District Department of Transportation announced that it has made some changes in the traffic pattern on Wisconsin Avenue NW in Glover Park to deal with safety concerns. Parking is now restricted on the northbound side between Calvert Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Only the D.C. Circulator buses are allowed to make left turns from the northbound side of Wisconsin Avenue at 35th Street. There’s now a deceleration lane for drivers entering the Whole Foods parking garage at 2323 Wisconsin Ave., just south of Calvert Street. D.C. bridge, tunnel inspections The District Department of Transportation has scheduled a series of inspections for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here are the dates and locations, where drivers will encounter lane closings. - Tuesday: M Street SE over South Capitol Street. Watch for alternating right and left lane closings on the northbound side of South Capitol Street. - Wednesday: E Street NW over Interstate 395. Watch for alternating right and left lane closings on the northbound side of the Interstate. - Thursday: 11th Street SE over Interstate 695 (Southeast-Southwest Freeway): Watch for alternating right and left lane closings on the eastbound freeway and a right lane closing on the westbound side. - April 23: I-395 (Mall tunnel exit) to eastbound I-695. Watch for


Boston Marathon 2013: Lelisa Desisa Benti, Rita Jeptoo are the winners

View Photo Gallery —Race day got started with 26 seconds of silence in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14. A little more than two hours later, the lead runners pass the Mile 26 marker, which has been decorated with the Newtown, Conn., seal and dedicated to the memory of those killed there. Lelisa Desisa Benti was the men’s winner of the Boston Marathon this morning, with Rita Jeptoo winning the women’s division for the second time in her career. Benti, who was running just his second marathon (he won earlier this year in Dubai), is a 23-year-old native of Ethiopia who trains with 2009 Boston Marathon champion Deriba Merga. He won in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 22 seconds on an ideal day for runners, with temperatures near 50 at the finish. “The race was just fine for me,’’ he said. “The downhill was easy, but the uphill was very hard.’’ Micah Kogo of Kenya was second in 2:10:27 with Gebregziabher Gebremariam of Ethiopia third in 2:10:28. Wesley Korir, last year’s winner, was third in 2:12:30. Jason Hartmann of the U.S. was fourth in 2:12:12. Jeptoo, a 32-year-old Kenyan mother who last won in 2006, finished in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 25 seconds. Jeptoo fell to her knees after crossing the finish line on Boylston Street and buried her face in her hands in jubilation. Meseret Hailu of Ethiopia was second in 2:26.58 and Sharon Cherop, the Kenyan who won last year, was third in 2:27.01. Shalane Flanagan of Marblehead, Mass., finished fourth. Portugal’s Anna Dulce Felix led for much of the race, but ran out of gas and the worst moment and finished out of contention. Womens first place winner Rita Jeptoo at BOSTON MARATHON at the finish line http://t.co/XGtuePPQsH Tatyana McFadden was the women’s wheelchair winner, Hirouyuki Yamamoto was the men’s wheelchair winner. “It took me almost half the marathon to catch the lead pack,” McFadden, who is headed next to the London Marathon, told WBZ. “The race is not over until you get over the line.” Follow @CindyBoren on Twitter and on Facebook.


Explosions at Boston Marathon finish line

the victims’ 7:07 pm White House: “An act of terror” 7:00 pm Jordan extremist praises Boston attack 6:59 pm Full text of Obama’s remarks and video 6:58 pm Gray: No specific threats against D.C. 6:42 pm No changes for D.C. Emancipation Day parade 6:39 pm JFK Library staff safe, fire out 6:37 pm NBC News: Eight-year-old killed in bombing 6:33 pm Marathon bombing dominates U.K. front pages 6:30 pm Flags at Capitol being lowered to half-staff 6:22 pm Obama: ‘We don’t yet have all the answers’ 6:15 pm Boston athletes react with disbelief 6:14 pm President Obama addresses the nation 6:13 pm Condemnation and dread in Muslim world 6:12 pm Feinstein: Attack constitutes a terrorist attack 6:09 pm The recent history of marathoners and finish times 6:05 pm Verizon and Sprint: No shutdown 6:05 pm For runners in need of Boston housing 6:02 pm Boston police chief: ‘No suspect in custody’ 6:01 pm Police: Crime scene area to remain closed 5:56 pm CNN calling explosions ‘terror attack’ 5:54 pm Image of blast site from above 5:51 pm Naval Academy marathon team reports it’s fine 5:46 pm President Obama to speak at 6:10 p.m. 5:45 pm JFK Library reports all staff, visitors safe 5:44 pm Justice Department investigating explosions 5:40 pm Bloomberg: Six patients critical at Mass. General Hospital 5:35 pm More than 17,000 people crossed the finish line 5:34 pm Boston Police: No arrests made 5:32 pm Boston police ask for videos 5:31 pm Thousands of runners may need housing (updated) 5:31 pm Tip lines for loved ones and information 5:31 pm Photo of President Obama being briefed 5:30 pm Report: More than 100 being treated at hospitals 5:21 pm Cellphone service suspended in Boston, AP reports 5:13 pm Map of explosions 5:12 pm Gov. Cuomo statement on explosions 5:10 pm Mayor Bloomberg: New York has “stepped up security” 5:06 pm Google establishes Person Finder 5:04 pm Flight restrictions over Copley Square 4:59 pm Boston police investigating three incidents [updated] 4:57 pm JFK Library believed to be scene of explosion 4:57 pm Marathon Facebook page refers to “bombs” 4:53 pm Bruins-Senators game tonight postponed 4:52 pm Raw video from Boston Globe 4:50 pm Statement from Deval Patrick 4:50 pm Report: Suspect identified by police 4:45 pm Suspicious package reported at Harvard station 4:41 pm Reuters: ‘One or more bombs’ caused explosions 4:35 pm Photos from the scene 4:33 pm UPDATE:


Explosions and mayhem in Boston

Horrific Two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon have resulted in injuries. Bloody spectators were being carried Monday to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners. Police wove through competitors as they ran back toward the course. The most frightening Tweet thus far, from local reporter Jackie Bruno: I saw people’s legs blown off. Horrific. Two explosions. Runners were coming in and saw unspeakable horror. CNN reports that the area is being treated as a “crime scene.” Folks, please be very careful about what you tweet or retweet on this. I’ll be updating here. Update Update Update Update MGH trauma nurse says people coming in with severed limbs, kids with severe burns & many casualties MGH is Massachusetts General Hospital. Update Update Update Update Update [A] senior United States government official said that the Boston police and the F.B.I. said they had received no reports in recent days about a threat of an attack on the marathon and that there was no warning on Monday. Also, be sure to follow breaking news on our Early Lead liveblog. Update Reports of Marathon Runners that crossed finish line and continued to run to Mass General Hospital to give blood to victims Update Update Boston hospitals report more than 100 being treated after Marathon explosions. Still two dead, according to most outlets. Update Update Update All staff and visitors are safe and accounted for. Thank you. Update Update Update Earlier today I was briefed by my Homeland Security team on the events in Boston. We’re continuing to monitor and respond to the situation as it unfolds. And I’ve directed the full resources of the federal government to help state and local authorities protect our people…The American people will say a prayer for Boston tonight. And Michelle and I send our deepest thoughts, prayers to the families of the victims in the wake of this senseless loss. We don’t yet have all the answers. But we do know that multiple people have been wounded, some gravely, in explosions at the Boston Marathon. I’ve spoken to FBI director Mueller, and Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano, and they’re mobilizing the appropriate resources to investigate and to respond. I’ve updated leaders of Congress in both parties, and we reaffirmed that on days like this, there are no Republicans or Democrats; we are Americans, united in concern for our


‘If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon’

be on television. It was meant to be on the front page of every newspaper, to be the top story of every news broadcast. That way it could hurt even the people who weren't there. It could make everyone in the country feels a bit weaker, a bit more vulnerable, a bit more scared. “If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon," wrote Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. Her story, as recounted by Dave Zirin, is worth thinking about today: Through 1966, women weren’t allowed to run the grueling 26-mile race. But in 1967, a woman by the name of Kathrine Switzer registered as K.V. Switzer and, dressed in loose fitting sweats, took to the course. Five miles into the race, one of the marathon directors actually jumped off a truck to forcibly remove Switzer from the course, yelling: “Get the hell out of my race!” But the men running with her fought him off. For them, Kathrine Switzer had every right to be there. For them, the Boston Marathon wasnʼt about exclusion or proving male supremacy — pitting boys against girls. It was about people running a race. Somehow Kathrine Switzer kept her pace as this mayhem occurred all around her. As she said, “I could feel my anger dissipating as the miles went by — you can't run and stay mad!” When the pictures from the marathon were transmitted across the globe, the world saw two opposing models of masculinity: the violence and paranoia of the marathon director vs. the strength and solidarity of the other male runners. If you are losing faith in human nature today, watch what happens in the aftermath of an attack on the Boston Marathon. The flood of donations crashed the Red Cross's Web site. The organization tweeted that its blood supplies are already full. People are lining up outside of Tufts Medical Center to try and help. Runners are already vowing to be at marathons in the coming weeks and months. This won't be the last time the squeakers run Boston. This won't be the last time we gather at the finish line to marvel how much more we can take than anyone ever thought possible. Further reading: Eight facts about terrorism in the United States. Where the explosions occurred (MAP) Video: Explosions at the finish line Photos of the scene


Teacher: Yes, the testing culture does contribute to cheating

as a host of organizational theories that seek to offer alternatives to bureaucracies). Taking all of this into account, one would understand that key players should remain culpable. However, blame (and punishment) should be administered accordingly and relatively. If Dr. Hall is guilty of fostering such a toxic environment, then she and her leadership team must receive primary blame. Teachers who were pressured into cheating, directly or indirectly, should receive secondary blame. This leads to issues of working condition. Research is pretty unanimous in declaring the importance of a healthy work environment, one that values its organizational members. Dr. Feuer seems to ignore this, along with mounting policies that have only served to erode teachers’ professional identities (such as unfunded mandates, coercive tactics that compel teachers to cheat, and the irresponsible use of tests as a evaluative measure of a teacher’s competency). In the end, proponents of high-stakes tests will find themselves agreeing with Dr. Feuer’s opinions. In doing so, they will accept a simplistic view of the situation in Atlanta and place blame squarely on Dr. Hall, her administration, and her teachers. On the other hand, testing critics will view the scandal through a more complex lens, seeing not just a systematic failure of leadership and process, but also a systemic failure by our local and state governments to safeguard our public schools from arbitrary and inappropriate measures of our children’s achievement. Testing is not bad. It can be useful. Indeed, it is useful and necessary for the development of strong instruction. When used in good faith, tests serve as informative assessments. But the evaluative and high-stakes nature that drives today’s testing obsession has not demonstrated that good faith. Instead, high-stakes tests have been used to terrorize teachers, students, and communities. In that sense, testing is truly as bad as it gets. Because of that, we cannot put on the blinders and simply absolve the testing conundrum from our analyses of Atlanta’s cheating scandal. Here’s another piece of wisdom by Freidson: Administrative statistics and accounts do not merely reflect the activity of those workers; they are created by them with their own purposes in mind. To interpret them wisely, one must know how and why they were created, as well as the broader context of activity from which they were selected. More reliable than inspired guesswork is direct, systematic qualitative study of the everyday settings of work or practice.


Boston Marathon explosion: Day 2

Twin blasts injured dozens and scattered crowds near the finish line of the renowned race. An 8-year-old was among the dead. View Photo Gallery —Twin blasts injured dozens and scattered crowds near the finish line of the renowned race. An 8-year-old was among the dead. Boston woke Tuesday morning to grief and unanswered questions, as investigators searched for whoever detonated two bombs near the finish line of the venerated Boston Marathon, lifting runners off their feet, killing at least three people and injuring more than 170 others. See the latest developments below. [liveblog] #liveevent-toolbar { display: none; } What we know 7:29 pm Before-and-after photos raise questions 7:18 pm Letter with ricin sent to senator’s office 6:42 pm The FBI agent in charge 6:24 pm Ignatius: The limits of intelligence collection 6:10 pm Krystle Campbell’s parents speak out 6:01 pm Boston U says graduate student killed in blast 5:56 pm Injured student searches for ‘Tyler’ 5:43 pm One Fund Boston established to help victims 5:27 pm FBI: Black nylon found at scene 5:23 pm Obama to travel to Boston Thursday 5:23 pm Martin Richard: ‘No more hurting people’ 5:16 pm Scene in Boston 5:10 pm Boston Med Center: 7 patients in critical condition 5:01 pm Two runners married hours after completing marathon 4:17 pm Vigils planned in and around Boston 4:15 pm How to help after the bombings 4:08 pm Details emerge about victim Krystle Campbell 3:48 pm DHS: No evidence bombings tied to wider plot 3:38 pm Yankees will honor victims with ‘Sweet Caroline’ 3:37 pm The marathon course the day after 3:31 pm Raw: Runner's Head Camera Captures Blast 3:21 pm Airlines, hotels waive fees after bombing 3:12 pm Globe: Part possibly used as trigger found 2:50 pm Wide array of photos and videos could offer clues 2:23 pm Reports identify second victim killed in bombing 2:22 pm Runners sadly pick up their things 1:51 pm Signs of the times in Boston 1:47 pm Boston stories of kindness and heroism 1:36 pm More details on Boston bombs 1:28 pm Chalk memorial to Martin Richard 1:19 pm Saudi national a witness, not a suspect 12:50 pm Security to be increased at Verizon Center 12:47 pm Paying respects at home of 8-year-old victim 12:40 pm D.C. Mayor Gray: ‘We are a resilient nation’ 12:39 pm AP: Explosives placed in pressure cookers 12:28 pm Personal view: GW student writes of terror,


China sees the best and worst of America in Boston bombing

A Boston police officer stands near the scene of a twin bombing at the Boston Marathon. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) China's many Web users tend to watch U.S. events closely, so it was no surprise to see the Monday bombings at the Boston Marathon become the top trending topic on Weibo, China's massive social media service. Some of this conversation turned around often-debated questions of the relative merits of the Chinese and American systems. The comments are revealing, both for what they say about how the U.S. and its values are perceived in China and for how Chinese compare the U.S. to their own country. For all the American obsession with security and safety, it's the U.S.'s show of transparency, of coming together in common cause, that seems to be stirring jealously and even reverence in far-away China. Chinese Web users seemed to draw two general conclusions: that China would be more effective at preventing a Boston-style attack, but that the U.S. is better equipped to respond to and cope such an event. They portrayed China as a formidable security state that privileges safety and secrecy, but the U.S. as a place where officials, police and citizens work together in harmony and cooperation. It's a somewhat rosy perspective of the U.S., one discussed jealously, even reverently. Many Chinese commenters seemed to treat this American trade-off – less security for greater transparency – as not only preferable but something from which their own country should learn. "I’m not saying that the US is much better than China," one Weibo user wrote in a comment aggregated by the site Offbeat China. "But in the face of a bombing attack, they have absolute information transparency and absolute freedom of speech. There is no ban on reporting or block of information. All media are allowed to report, which will never happen in our country." Here's another, widely shared Weibo comment that drew a sharp comparison between the U.S. response and China's typical secrecy. Three hours after the Boston bombing, news websites and TV channels are streaming live news – there is no ban on news reporting. Local police held a press conference immediately – quick reaction plus transparent information and thus there is no rumor or panic. Google released Person Finder; the public offered help for those runners who are from outside of Boston or the country; thousands of people left their contact information. In


How out of touch is today’s GOP?

I already touched on today’s new Post poll this morning, but there are a bunch of numbers in here that really deserve their own post. To wit: It finds that only 23 percent of Americans — that would be fewer than one in four — believe the Republican Party is “in touch with the concerns of most people in the United States today,” while 70 percent believe that it is “out of touch.” Among independents, those numbers are 23-70. Among moderates they’re 20-75. By contrast, Americans say by 51-46 that Obama is in touch. Among moderates that’s 56-42 (he fares worse among independents, 44-53, though far better than Republicans). At the same time, the poll finds the public siding with Obama and Democrats on many major issues surveyed. Americans disapprove of the sequester cuts, 57-35 — cuts that Republicans are describing as a “victory” for them. Americans support a path to legality for illegal immigrants by 64-32. In fairness, the poll doesn’t test citizenship specifically, so this finding is somewhat inconclusive, but a new CNN poll finds that 84 percent back a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have a job and pay back taxes. Meanwhile, on guns, the new Post poll finds that Americans support a law requiring background checks on gun sales at gun shows or online by 86-13. A majority, 55 percent, believes it’s possible to make new gun control laws without interfering with gun rights. On guns, there’s an interesting nuance here. While big majorities favor expanded background checks, it’s not a motivator of voting: Americans say by 60-29 that they could vote for a candidate who disagreed with them on gun control. That helps explain why Republicans don’t really fear any public backlash on this issue. But my question is: At what point does failure to support proposals designed to address the problems facing the country — ones backed by majorities — create a serious enough general problem for the GOP, by contributing to an overall sense that the party has simply ceased being capable of compromising on solutions to the major challenges we face? The GOP’s awful “in touch, out of touch” numbers would seem to get at this. This is meant as a real question. We keep hearing that issues such as guns don’t rank high in importance for voters. We keep hearing that the party’s image doesn’t matter too much, because


The other Saudi Arabians at the Boston Marathon

enter because it is a high building. The memories of a previous attack came to them. I entered the hotel. It was full of people. Children in severe panic and tears. Everyone asking about who they are missing of their family and friends. I remembered that Mohammad was on the phone before the call dropped. I called him. He did not pick up!!! He later called and said he was fine. When you are in the scene, you don’t know what will happen. That was clear on the faces of people scared by the two bombings. That was the worst thing. We did not know if it was over. How will it end? Is it going to be alright? When you watch on TV or someone tells you, that’s much easier than being in the middle of explosions. I was praying, realizing that I could die today. Death was before us. The friend he mentioned, a Saudi student in Boston named Mohammad Bokhari, later tweeted: "I'm home, a long & sad day, sincere thanks to everyone, my prays and heart are with the victims of this terrible incident, we're all BOSTON." (Credit to Al Omran, who writes at Riyadh Bureau, for originally reporting much of the material in this post, including Bokhari's tweets.) Fatima Al Banawi, a young Saudi woman studying in Cambridge, announced that she was heading to a local hospital to donate blood for the victims. Now, almost 24 hours after the blasts along the final mile of the marathon route, we still have no real information about who may have carried out the bombings or why. To search for any hint of meaning is a natural human response to tragedy. So is, as details trickle out, an inclination to examine every possible lead. But it's worth noting that the wounded study-abroad student questioned by police was not the only Saudi Arabian citizen touched by Monday's tragedy. His story, like the story of the young Saudi mother who almost lost her leg and the stories of those two Saudi students who stood shell-shocked alongside fellow race-watchers, can still be one about coming together in shared mourning and hopeful recovery. As another Saudi Twitter user who says he once lived in the United States posted: "God save America and its great people, more than 4 years, I did not feel any discrimination or injustice because I am a Muslim."


Video: Marathon explosion captured on runner’s camera

(Stan Honda / AFP Getty Images) Amateur video by runner Jennifer Treacy shows the moment of one of the explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Follow along with our live blog for the latest updates here. Raw: Runner's Head Camera Captures Blast #liveevent-toolbar { display: none; } Martin Richard’s father offers thanks for thoughts, prayers 1:02 pm


PostScript: Responding to the Boston editorial

down too far. But there were many, many commenters willing to suspend the usual bare-knuckle boxing that happens in comments: hitpoints Yes, this is that site. Just being honest, not snarky with you. Though I certainly am guilty of treating these forums as entertaining jousting, I can’t act like that regarding this news. Let’s have some humanity, people. And scolding the minority who are certain, or at least willing to guess, that this is the work of Muslims or militias. Soulstranger If you find yourself WANTING one group or another to be responsible for the bombing in Boston because it would advance your political agenda – you need help. Take a deep breath, step back and wait until the facts comes out before slinging any mud. Commenters are impressed and proud of those runners and spectators who rushed in to help: DownTheMiddle I was glad to see hundreds of volunteers rushing to the aid of those who were injured. I have to admit, the second I saw a bomb explode, I would resort to the knowledge of how Al Qaeda plants additional devices to go off 3 minutes later after 1st responders jump in to help. Appears we were lucky that whomever did this wasn’t particularly astute to the more brutal tactics of AQI, or perhaps they’re a rank amateur like the Times Square bomber. Perhaps the Patriot Act has put in place some monitoring of purchases that allow us to neuter those who want to do real damage, and that’s allowing for the fact that yesterday resulted in real carnage for those involved. criticalobserver Be grateful that you live in the US. The Boston police and the FBI have good chance of finding the culprit(s) without enhanced interrogation, though it might take longer than under a dictator. erinoconnell Having run a marathon, I can say that no other event compares in terms of the camaraderie and solidarity amongst the runners and spectators: people gather on the sidelines [to] cheer on strangers and offer support, especially near the finish line. Those happy, caring supporters were targeted in this attack. It rivals Newtown in the innocence of the victims and the psychological pain the rest of us feel, having our sense of security shattered by violence in a place it is least expected. ScrumMaster1 For those of us who are runners we need to keep on running. Next year in Boston.


Sequestration to force rolling closures of some Smithsonian art galleries

Art lovers and archivists will soon start to feel the bitter sting of sequestration, according to Congressional testimony given today by officials from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives and Records Administration. As soon as May 1, the Smithsonian's art museums, which include the Hirshhorn, Freer and Sackler galleries, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, and National Portrait Gallery, will be forced to temporarily close certain exhibition galleries on a rolling basis; the museums themselves will remain open seven days a week. The Washington and College Park locations of the National Archives, which in the past have offered extended summer hours, will maintain their current hours. • Smithsonian, National Archives adjusting summer hours because of budget cuts According to Smithsonian spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas, the closures will affect only art museums, which had been using an outside contracting firm to supplement their security staffs. Tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the Hope Diamond at the National Museum of Natural History, or the 1903 Wright Flyer at the Air and Space Museum, for instance, will not be affected. The exact start date of the rolling closures -- which will be determined on a day-by-day basis -- is uncertain, St.Thomas said, but it will not occur before May 1.


Marijuana policy groups kick off D.C. legalization campaign with poll

Dr. Bronner’s, said the time has come for city leaders to change District law to reflect popular opinion. “It’s a popular issue, and up until now the council has ignored it,” he said. “Maybe now they’ll realize the citizens want to to decriminalize at the very least.” Officials with the Marijuana Policy Project and Drug Policy Alliance said they will be lobbying the D.C. Council in the coming months to pursue legislative changes. Mason Tvert, MPP’s communications director, said his group “will be talking to community leaders and elected officials about various options for adopting a more sensible marijuana policy in the District.” Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, said decriminalization would be a “no-brainer” but legislators “should do more.” “There is an opportunity to make a clean break from the past and treat drug use as a health issue instead of a criminal justice issue,” Piper said. The new push comes just as the city’s first medical marijuana dispensary is set to open. But city legislators, most notably Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, have been wary of pursuing wide scale decriminalization or legalization — or even a more liberal medical marijuana regime — citing the likelihood that federal marijuana laws will remain in effect and the potential response from the city’s congressional overseers. “There is a good argument for decriminalizing a drug that is widely used and that results in a lot of arrest records and not having an effect on violent crime,” Mendelson said in December, but “I don’t think this is the time for the District to be discussing that.” Eidinger said Tuesday that he is prepared to mount a ballot initiative should the council fail to act. He has founded DCMJ — a skeleton organization consisting, he says, “basically me and a few other people in the city who are interested in advancing the issue.” “The idea is that we need to create a grassroots organization in the city that is going to advance this ballot initiative if we have to do it,” Eidinger said. “Meanwhile, [MPP and DPA] will be accelerating their lobbying. I think it’s unnecessary if the council does their jobs.” Piper, of the Drug Policy Alliance, acknowledged “internal and external discussions about doing a ballot measure” but “our preference is to work with the council on a set of reforms to reduce incarceration, racial disparities, and drug overdoses.”


Beer Madness: Who will emerge victorious in the battle of Crisp vs. Hops?

We've officially entered the final round of the Food section's annual Beer Madness contest, with two of the region's finest brews pitted against each other in the championship round of our first ever all-local competition. Its come down to Crisp vs. Hops, as Legend Brewing's Legend Pilsner, from Richmond, takes on the Double Dog Double Pale Ale from Frederick's Flying Dog Brewery. Devils Backbone's Vienna Lager was one of the most notable controversies. If there had been a top seed in Beer Madness, beer columnist Greg Kitsock said after round three that the Virginia brew would likely have had the honor. "Head brewer Jason Oliver boasts a chestful of hardware, including eight medals alone from last year’s Great American Beer Festival. His Vienna Lager took gold in its category," Kitsock noted. Readers favored the Vienna Lager, giving it a heavy margin all the way to the third round, where they would have pushed it to the final four with a 402 to 122 vote over Legend Pilsner. Though the judges struck it down in favor of Legend Pilsner by a vote of 6 to 3. In the Fruit & Spice category, Port City's Optimal Wit and DC Brau's the Citizen were likewise far ahead in the first round of competition. Optimal Wit racked up 1,484 to 382 votes against Rock Bottom's White Ale, though it failed to pass the judges' test. Similarly, the Citizen scored 1,551 to 430 votes against Gordon Biersch's Belgian Pale Ale, but needed one more vote from the judges in order to move on. The Hops and Roast categories were more evenly divided, though there were a few deviations. Blue Mountain's Dark Hollow beat out District ChopHouse's Bourbon Stout 1,236 to 515, but claimed only one vote from the judges. In the final four, readers selected Dominion's Oak Barrel Stout over Double Dog by a margin of 339 to 194. So which beer should win it all? Vote for your favorite, and make your case in the comments section if your favorite was knocked out too soon. More on Beer Madness: Meet the Beer Madness panel Beer Madness round 4 Understanding beer terms