* Ben’s Chili Bowl turns 50, remains more delicious than my parents.

* Liz, the new hater over at why.i.hate.dc, hits on a topic even trolling commenters can agree on: the meter system’s bad cabbie fallout.

* Daily Campello Art News introduces you to D.C. artist Chawky Frenn’s still life with animal carcass.

* Forget Phelps. BYT gives big ups to the foreigners in Speedos.

* This time in local writer Holly Jones‘ monthly McSweeney’s column, Dispatches from the Anacostia: Gemini gets a new tooth.

* Upset the Setup gets upset about D.C. voting rights.

* Pick up a paper: Our Education Issue gives you the scoops and scandals from six local college rags.

Photo by wfyurasko

* Upset the Setup gets upset at the hip-hop scene over at Chief Ike’s.

* In Shaw gives D.C. a housing pop quiz: Can you tell what year this report on D.C.’s housing problems was written?

* All Our Noise marks the album birthday of The Ramones‘ Adios Amigos. The record is now 13. Is this really cause for celebration? Whatever … at least there are sombrero dinos.

* Listen up, John McCain: Mr. T in D.C. tells you how to know when you’re officially old. The incontrovertible evidence:

For decades, I’ve consistently disliked dried fruit: raisins, craisins, prunes, you name it … All of a sudden, I’ve discovered a newfound taste for dried fruit … I’m snacking on raisins as we speak! I keep a box in my desk for when I get hungry, and at home I’ve been experimenting with those more upscale, resealable packs of dried fruit. I’ve tried out a couple of different kinds of raisins, dried mango, pineapple, dates, and have a bag of dried blueberries I’m dying to open … I may even try the ultimate in geezer confirmation fruit: prunes.

* Slate’s Christopher Beam imagines alternate scenarios that would explain John Edwards‘ alleged late-night visit to his alleged lover and their alleged love-child. My favorite:

Edwards had come to return Hunter’s sari, which she had left the time he came to return her bomber jacket, which she had left the time he came to return her charm bracelet, which she had left the time he came to return her first edition of Pulp’s His and HersDifferent Classes, which she had left on the campaign bus in Reno.

Photo by NCinDC