Morning Roundup: The “Let’s Ignore Reality” Edition
In all likelihood, we will spend this evening stuck on the Metro, sardined between a sharp umbrella and a musty-smelling parka, so instead, let’s picture ourselves in Waimea Bay—where hot surfers are grappling with 30-50 foot Pacific waves in the epic Quicksilver surf competition. Feel better? I don’t either.
I bet on the north shore of Oahu, bronzed surfers can bike to their favorite fresh fish taco stand without running into a parking enforcement vehicle.
D.C. Councilmember Tommy Wells helped save the H Street NE corridor shuttle this week. While doing so, he tweeted on Monday: “Just spoke with the Mayor re H street shuttle. Very promising.” Can someone please tell me why I am reduced to reading 140 character posts for news? What dimension is this?!
Apparently one in which a former Bethesda honors student decides a good after-graduation plan is to assassinate the president.
And one where the former opinion editor of the Washington Times is suing the paper for—among other reasons—pressure to attend a Unification Church event.
I’m trying to ignore those budding reality TV stars, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, but the 24/7 news cycle keeps vomiting them back up: Apparently they plan to plead the Fifth if subpoenaed.
Okay, reality isn’t always so bad: President Barack Obama is allocating more than $167 million to arts and humanities endowments, there's a rad beer tasting with City Paper's own Beerspotter tomorrow, and there are some great local Indie bands playing at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday. And the escalators at the east entrance of the Columbia Heights metro are working!
Oh wait, no they're not. As of Tuesday, all the escalators are off on both sides. I am in Oahu. I am in Oahu.
Photo of where I'd rather be by Michael Dawes, Creative Commons Attribution License
9:29 am
Mavericks champ Greg Long won the Eddie Aikau at Waimea Bay yesterday. I was there on the North Shore for the big wave contests in the past. The sounds of the big waves are deafening. Only pros are allowed in the water, & each pro has two shore patrol guys with him in case it gets bad.
Dropping in & carving down a 50 foot wave face takes a lot of guts. Even the ten foot waves in Hawaii are incredibly powerful - if you go down, the wave pounds you way, way down.
Mavericks will be coming any day. It's off Santa Cruz, so the water is about 20 degrees colder than the wonderful Hawaiian surf.
Hawaii no ka oi. There's no place like Hawaii.
http://www.huapala.org/Hawaii_No_Ka_Oi.html
Hawai`i No E Ka `Oi - by Harry Na`ope
O Mauna Kea, ku kilakila
Me ka wai hu`i a`o Wai`au
Wai hu`i anu (hu`i konikoni)
Hu`i konikoni (koni i ka `ili)
I ka piko o Mauna Kea
Hawai`i no e ka `oi
E `alawa iho ia Mauna Loa
I ke kahela mai i ka la`i
Kohu moa kea (i ka malie)
Ka waiho mai (la i ka la`i)
I ka poli o Wahinekapu
Hawai`i no e ka `oi
E kilohi a`e `oe i ka nani
O ke kuahiwi `o Hualalai
Ala`i ana (ka makani `Eka)
Ho`ohaehae (i ka naulu)
Me ka uhiwai o ka uka
Hawai`i no e ka `oi
Ha`ina mai ana ka puana
Na kuahiwi nani `ekolu
`O Mauna Kea (ku kilakila)
`O Mauna Loa (kau i ka hano)
`O Hualalai i ka la`i
Hawai`i no e ka `oi
Mauna Kea stands majestic
With the numbing waters of Waiau
Numbing cold water
Making the skin tingle
On the dome of Mauna Kea
Hawai`i is the best
See Mauna Loa for yourself
Spreading peacefully
Like a white hen in the calm
Lying there in the quiet
With the sacred woman (Pele) in its bosom
Hawai`i is the best
Glance at the beauty
Of the mountain Hualala`i
Stirred by the dusty wind
Teased by the sudden showers
And covering mists of the inlands
Hawai`i is the best
The story is told
Of the three beautiful mountains
Mauna Kea standing majestically
Mauna Loa in a position of honor
Hualala`i in the calm
Hawai`i is the best