THE WEISS CHRONICLES

I got what is probably my last $6 haircut today from a sole proprietor barber shop on 9th Street SE. Our office is at 4th Street SE and I found this fellow once when the Navy Yard barber shop (at 6th St SE) was off limit.

I think I am one of very few white customers (I've never seen another white guy there). Today, the barber started a story by saying,

"One of your friends popped his head in here the other day".

"I have friends." I said, "Who knew?"

It turned out the phrase "your friends" meant another white guy.

Some people say we are in a food crises (corn used for ethanol raising the cost of corn). However, they had a sale at the local Giantfood with 12 ears for $1.99 and it was pretty good quality at that.

I presume this was from a local supplier and also that the local harvest must be pretty good because I don't recall prices that good for some time.

UPDATE: Still that price as of Sept 1

An Odd Dream

I had a dream that I was in the Seven-eleven near where we take our pets for exams. I really like the coffee at 7-11. I like the pricing scheme which has 8oz for $0.89, 12oz for $0.99 up to 32 oz for $1.39. I also like the fact that you can choose the additives, say some irish creme, some hazelnut and also you can put the additives in first so it mixes well. Actually most I like saying the words, "Seven-Eleven Gourmet Additives".

Anyway, in the dream I was having coffee when in walks former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater (also former FHWA Administrator and a Clintonista and a fellow who, while addressing a large group of people at the Delta Region conference in 2006, devoted a number of words to praising me - I didn't hear this live - it was reported to me).

So, in the dream Mr. Slater is not wearing his business suit but instead is wearing a leather flight jacket and has a 'been there done that' type hat.

"Isn't that jacket a bit out of character for a bigtime Democratic Politician", I ask.

"I'm no longer a Democrat." said, Slater, I'm now a Libertarian.

"I guess that explains the coffee choice", I said.

A Truly Awful Commute

I boarded at Grosvenor and the train got as far as Cleveland Park. Then the audio came on in the rail cars and a voice said,

"Due to some smoke being reported at MetroCenter, we will be waiting at this station."

a few minutes later,

"We will be single tracking trains to get around some repairs at MetroCenter, this train should be moving shortly."

that same message was repeated every two minutes for about the next 35 minutes. The total time on the Red line was something like 70 minutes.

I was reporting this to my family at supper.

George (who parks free right near his job in Rockville) said, "Hmmm, a bad commute. I wonder what that is like."

Nationals Sweep a Doubleheader

August 6 was a rainy one in Denver (image on left is from the Oct 27 2007 World Series game (game 3) in which Denver represented the National League and Todd Helton scored a run). It was so rainy Aug 6 that they postponed the baseball game and had a doubleheader on August 7.

Shockingly, the Nationals won both 6-3. This was the first doubleheader victory since the franchise moved to DC (from Montreal - the Expos swept two doubleheaders in 2004 according to the baseball almanac website - at KC on June 10 and Sept 15 at Florida during a 67-95 season). It marked a 4 game sweep of a team they hadn't beaten in Denver between the summer of 2005 and the summer of 2008.

The previous doubleheader win by a Washington MLB team (same site different page) was August 20 1971 at KC (during a 63-96 season).

No We Owe You Money

An interesting problem with the IRS. Like many people, I sometimes lose the 2nd or 3rd revisions of the 1099s that the brokerages send me.

Well the IRS noticed and audited my 2006 return. I got a first notice in late March 2008.

I provided information then the IRS told me I needed to provide more information. I provided the second batch of information and informally calculated that I owed the IRS about $80.

This week, the IRS sent me a response. They calculated that the IRS owed me about $380. I have a theory that explains this.

More will follow. Someday.