John Kelly's Washington Live

Post columnist John Kelly (The Washington Post)

In his debut column, new Washington Post columnist John Kelly described himself thusly: "When I've tried explaining my new job to people these last few weeks ... I've found it easier to just sigh and say, 'I'm the new Bob Levey.' That people get. But let me say this about that: I know Bob Levey. Bob Levey is a friend of mine. I'm no Bob Levey. What I am, for better or worse, is a John Kelly. And what exactly a John Kelly is I hope you'll come to learn over the coming weeks and months."

To further the cause of discovering the real John Kelly, he'll be online Fridays at 1 p.m. ET to take your questions on his recent columns, life in the D.C. area and more.

Kelly has been at The Post for 15 years, serving previously and variously as editor of the Weekend section, founder of KidsPost and general assignment reporter in the Metro section.

This week's columns:
Baring His Heart in an Ad, (Post, April 30)

Trying Not Go Buggy Over the Cicadas, (Post, April 29)

Putting the Cart Before the Volvo, (Post, April 28)

The Paper Trail and Other Great Rides, (Post, April 27)

Answerman: A Walk on the Round Side, (Post, April 26)

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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John Kelly: Hello again. Why it seems like only last week that we were here, gathered around cathode-ray tubes, or, for the lucky amongst us, our plasma screens.

I had one of those mornings where you arrive at work feeling like you've already put in a full day. This was because of various child-related complications: one kid going camping with the Girl Scouts, the other going to a friend's, much packing of vans and driving of cars necessary. Whew.

This week's columns were on Delaware's weird round northern border; readers' Metro moments; the 100th anniversary of one of Washington's oldest car dealerships; people who are afraid of cicadas; and a man who paid $1,700 to take out a full page ad in the City Paper to find a woman whom he spotted once.

This leads me to ask you about your own experiences with cicadas and paramours. What are your cicada memories? Do you believe in love at first sight? And what do those two things have in common?

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Washington D.C.: Hello John -- Now that the warmer weather is back I hope you'll help me in alerting the public to one of the most pathetic sights foisted upon unsuspecting Washingtonians and visitors alike every summer. I'm talking about the ghastly sight of middle-aged, overweight men jogging shirtless on the Mall. Please gentlemen, I implore you. Help beautify Washington. Keep your shirts on!! Especially at mid-day. Some of us are trying to eat you know.

John Kelly: Consider it done. There's a guy who jogs in my neighborhood who NEVER has a shirt on. It can be 30 degrees out and he's bare-chested. He looks in pretty good shape, but it's icky somehow. Sorta narcissistic. I think he thinks he looks cut and buff and he wants to show off.

Now allow me to make my own request: I never thought I'd say this, but I have officially reached the point where I'm tired of seeing ladies' midriffs (midrives?). It's not just young women anymore, it's practically all women. And it isn't just the fit and trim. Half the women on the Metro look as if they have a Coho salman wrapped around their waist, between their low-riser jeans and their belly shirt. I'm like, "Oh, so THAT'S what your stomach looks like. Thanks for sharing." Ladies, a little mystery, please.

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Oscar Taylor's -- a steak house?: No no no.

Oscar Taylor's was a "meet market" -- not a steak house. Back in the mid-80s, it was one of the most popular Friday night happy hours around.

John Kelly: Ah, yes. We also solved the mystery over exactly what restaurant a reader had eaten at 20 years ago. Here are some other memories of Oscar Taylor's:

Reader Pat McKinney said "They had a huge salad called "Garbage Salad" that I would split with a friend and then eat my own piece of their wonderful carrot cake."

I note that Pat is a registered dietitian.

Neil Gimon, who moved from Kensington to Charlotte, N.C., used to work at Oscar Taylor's. Here's his report:
"It actually was a small chain of restaurants, from the west. A local restaurant owner bought into the concept, and created the Rockville restaurant. It changed hands a couple of times, until it was bought by the owners of the old Pat and Mikes restaurant, in Gaithersburg, just across the street from the National Standards Facility off of 270.

"Oscar Taylors had one of the best Friday Happy hours in the DC area in the late 80's and very early 90's. Because of the size of the bar, it could accommodate a large number of people.

"Oscar Taylors also had a fantastic bakery, producing some of the best cheesecakes and carrot cakes in the DC area.

"Sadly, the owners of Pat and Mikes changed Oscar Taylors to become a second Pat and Mikes. Both restaurants closed soon after that. The restaurant business in the DC area is very tricky!"

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Washington, D.C.: For "Answer Man": from where does the term "peanuts" come in regards to people who participate in online chats? I originally saw it on a Hax chat, but it is used often on other chats.

Thanks, and I am really liking the new column!! Keep up the good work!

John Kelly: Hmmm. I can't says as I know how it came to be connected with chats, but I'll venture that it's related to the "peanut gallery," which older Americans remember as the audience members of the Howdy Doody TV show. According to this Web site, it has an older derivation. So maybe that's it. Last week someone ask about "goobers." I wonder if that's related...

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washingtonpost.com: World Wide Words

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Washington, D.C.: Can you or someone else out there explain to me why there is a stoplight in the middle of the block at no intersection on Porter Street in Cleveland Park? I would understand, perhaps, if it were even in a place that was heavily trafficked by pedestrians, but that doesn't even seem to be the case. I'm sure some well-connected somebody lobbied for it to slow down traffic, but it seems to be an expensive solution, and a nuisance to those who travel that way regularly.

washingtonpost.com: "The Vengeance Signal" on Porter Street, (Post, October 15)

John Kelly: A man by the name of Bob Levey wrote about the signal last year. Here's his column. The short explanation is this: It's a traffic light that's tripped by motorists speeding down Porter Street. The residents love it. Drivers, I imagine, are less enthused. How often do you trip it?

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Oakland, Calif.: I just want to tell you how thrilled I was to be driving in Oakland the other day and see the new D.C. tags with "No taxation without representation" on them. Having lived in D.C. for 20 years with that frustration, anything that attempts to change it is exciting. Living in a state is different in that I know my vote goes somewhere up the line to lawmakers. Living in D.C. felt like being an elementary school child eternally, with parents calling the shots.

John Kelly: It's sad that a license plate slogan is what passes for political discourse these days. But no sadder than the fact that DC residents don't have true representation. (I love explaining that to my foreign friends.) I confess I like the idea of retrocession to Maryland: DC gets its own representative, influences the Senate race and makes things hard on Ehrlich. I know true Statehood for DC people wouldn't be crazy about that, but I'm just being realistic. The biggest impediment to statehood has nothing to do with politics. It's the unspoken fact that people would think there was something weird about a flag with 51 stars on it.

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Porter St. Light: I hate that light!; Even when we are going way below the speed limit--15 mph--that light seems to trip. Since it was installed, I've never once gotten a green.

John Kelly: Do you think maybe it's just you?

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Washington, D.C.: I wasn't here for 1987; however, I remember the 1970 Cicadas quite fondly. I was in third grade and we were allowed to go out at recess one afternoon (near the end of the school year) and play with the bugs. I think we were encouraged to "collect" them, as I recall coming home with baggies full of cicadas, much to my mother's despair (as if we didn't have enough at home!).

John Kelly: Outdoor weddings will be interesting. A reader wrote in to say that 17 years ago when a buddy got married, he and some of his friends "decorated" the inside of the happy couple's cars with 100 cicadas. They wanted them to be surprised when they opened the door to drive off. Unfortunately a hot car with the windows rolled up became a cicada death chamber.

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Reston, Va.: John, I so agree with you about the whole midriff thing! I'm a 30 year old woman and knew I had reached old-ladyhood when I went to the mall one Saturday and spent the next 3 days talking about how horrified I was at how all the young women of all sizes were dressed.

I also am very, very ready for the flip-flop trend to end. Flip-flops are for the beach, not for walking around yucky city streets or for the office - even a casual one!!!

John Kelly: Just as the of maturity has come down, with 12-year-olds acting like 17-year-olds, so the age of fuddy-duddiness has come down. You can now officially be a curmudgeon at age 30, as this lady proves. Now, what about white shoes before Memorial Day?

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The Vengeance Signal: There is a similar light in Arlington on Wilson Blvd near Livingston St. My problem is its timing -- some yahoo will speed by me and through the light, which will then turn red just in time for me (who was driving the posted speed of 30 MPH)to be stopped. Sigh.

John Kelly: That doesn't seem fair. Well maybe that guy will get caught in the speed trap, allowing you to scoot past.

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Falls Church, Va.: John,

Not sure if this is something you'd be interested in, but last summer I was driving down I66 in Arlington and saw a woman or kid's hands stick up from the grate in the median and start waving around before disappearing. I called the police but never found out what was going on.

any thoughts?

John Kelly: Whoa. That's creepy. I imagine that if a person or a body had been found we would have heard about it. So I can only suppose it was an example of how crazy the real estate market has gotten around here. What did the police say when you called?

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Arlington, Va.: I remember during the bad old days of the Cold War the U.S. made a big deal over the fact that the Soviet Union went to great lengths to prevent any publicity about coffins being returned from Afghanistan.

So what is the big difference between the Soviet Big Brother circa 1985 and his American counterpart in 2004?

John Kelly: Well hopefully the USA in 2004 is a "better" country than the USSR of 1985, but I see what you're getting at. I'm reading a book right now that gives me a real feeling of "the more things change the more they stay the same." It's Tom Holland's "Rubicon," about the final years of the Roman Republic. Rome was not yet officially an empire, run in a dynastic fashion, but you could see the signs: a powerful country throwing its weight around. My favorite odd detail is about how "war elephants," of the sort Hanibal used to cross the Alps, were the SCUD missiles of their day. The first things the Romans did when they conquered a foe was forbid them from using elephants. If they didn't, the elephants would be hobbled.

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Anonymous: Metro fares going up? So what? How else can we retain Metro's efficient and motivated management? And they do spend money on important things, such as changing the fare signs in all stations from "Rush Hour" and "Regular" fares, to "Regular" and "Reduced" fares ("Rush Hour" is now called "Regular," and what was "Regular" is now called "Reduced"). It certainly changed my perspective on fares.

John Kelly: There's something Orwellian about that name change. Soon trains won't be experiencing a "delay" on the Red Line but an "extended reading break."

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Reston, Va.: RE: Midriffs. In defense of the bare midriffs, have you been shopping for ladies' clothes recently? It's darn near impossible to find stylish outfits that cover everything without making you look 50 years old. I have noticed that some of my work clothes (marketed as work clothes, bought to be worn to work) bare my midriff or back when I stretch or bend over. It's tough out there.

John Kelly: I'm not going to answer whether I've been shopping for ladies' clothes recently.

However, I don't mind clothes that gap when stretching. It's more the stuff that is designed to be trashy. I would never wear something like that if I wore women's clothes. Which I don't. Ever.

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Washington, D.C.: I think a more important factor in terms of the weather getting warmer is to put out a simple reminder that deodorant & bathing are a must. There is nothing worse than a crowded metro train full of stinky arm pits!

John Kelly: Breathe through your mouth? That doesn't help, does it? I once did a story about a company named Valley Proteins. They're the guys who pick up grease from behind restaurants and render it down into all sorts of useful stuff. They also dispose of dead farm animals. I gotta tell you, that job stinks. When I was at the plant looking very green the guy I was hanging with said, "Just breathe through your mouth." The thought of taking the molecules that form the smell of decaying Holstein past my taste buds made me retch even more.

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I have the flag figured out: 51 stars would be easy: 3 rows - 9=27, 3 rows-8=24, 27+24=51. And anyway, when Canada finally breaks up, we will have to find room for 9 or 10 more stars anyway (I forget with their provinces and territories and stuff). Maybe the flag can then be all stars with a nice striped border... but I digress.

John Kelly: As long as they don't get the guys who designed the new Iraqi flag.

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washingtonpost.com: Iraqis Say Council-Approved National Flag Won't Fly, (Post, April 27)

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20011: I bet that the reason the previous person keeps getting caught by the Porter St. light is the same reason that I keep getting caught by it. It can be tripped by both eastbound and westbound cars, and it can be tripped by someone in front of you or behind you.

I hate that light.

You know, oh uptight CP residents, you could divert a LOT of traffic off of Porter St by allowing the city to re-open Klingle Rd. That would mean less speeding traffic and you'd be able to pretend better that you really do live in the burbs rather than a city full of other people and their cars and busses.

John Kelly: Is there stealth technology you can employ? Special paint that makes your car invisible?

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Cicadas, Everywhere: chhhiiiirrrppppp. Chiiirrrriiiiiirrrrrrpppppp. Chhiirrrrriiiiippppp.

John Kelly: My 10-year-old knew they were coming but didn't think they were going to be any big deal. I said, "Beatrice, there will literally be billions of them, infesting every surface, bouncing off you wherever you go and driving you insane with their ceaseless chatter." She said "Unh-uh." We'll see who's right.

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Arlington, Va.: No question; I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your column! You have a wonderful sense of community that comes through.

John Kelly: Thanks so much. You can be a "peanut" in this chat anytime.

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Washington, D.C.: I wonder what the punishment would be for a student in the Alexandria school system caught drinking/drunk at school? I realize this isn't what the superintendent did, but what kind of message does it send to students to let her off without any real consequences?

John Kelly: Marc Fisher had a good column this week on the dilemma school officials have put themselves in. When you have set up a zero-tolerance world--as school systems have--do you allow yourself to fudge? That's what they've done in Alexandria. The problem is that most public schools today don't acknowledge that we live in world of gray. You make decisions based on weighing many different factors. The kid who brings a switchblade to school should be treated differently from the one who had to clip his dog's nails and forgot that he'd put the little clippers in his backpack. Zero-tolerance frees teachers and principals from having to make complex decisions. But shouldn't they be "modeling" (to use a word I hate) that behavior for their young charges, showing kids that life is complicated and seldom comes in black and white? There may be lots of reasons to keep the Alexandria super, and in a better world those reasons would be communicated to kids. Instead kids will likely remember that one rule applies to them and another to grown-ups. I wonder if she'll ease off on the policy now.

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washingtonpost.com: Zero Tolerance -- For Mistakes or Second Chances , (Post, April 29)

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Bethesda, Md.: Dear John (or answer man),

I saw in the Post today the photos of service people who have died in Iraq since March 13. It was very sad to see all these young faces. I do have a questions though. I see by rank some are Spec. I believe this stands for specialist, but do you know where this rank comes from? I always thought, with some minor differences, it went: Private, PFC, Corporal (some have a Lance Corporal) and then the various Sargeant ranks for enlisted. Could you (or answer man) know the answer to this?

John Kelly: I confess I don't know. Any military chatters out there who can answer this?

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Charlotte, N.C.: I lived in Annapolis during the 1987 cicada fest and remember my brother scaring me half to death as he put one on each finger and waved them in my face. He also brought a couple into the car and my mother nearly wrecked when he let them loose. I live in Charlotte now. Do you know if we will see this same swarm? It's not getting any of the press that the DC area is getting.

John Kelly: Aren't brothers wonderful? These cicadas aren't going to be down your way, according to the link that will soon be posted. If you like, we can maybe send you some.

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washingtonpost.com: Cicada Fiestas: Top Places to Bug Out, (National Geographic, April 24)

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Actually, Oakland ...: The license plate says "taxation without representation" -- which is a huge pet peeve of mine! It sounds like the plate is PROMOTING taxation without representation. Wouldn't it make more sense if it did say "NO taxation without representation"?

John Kelly: Perhaps it's a bit of reverse psychology. Please, tax us without representing us! Really! We mean it! (Heh heh.)

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Fairfax, Va.: AAIIEEE!!! We are under attack! Snakefish have landed and the cicadas are only days away! It's the beginning of the end! Should we rush out and buy up all of the bottled water? Should we tape our windows? Do you think 48 AA batteries are enough? Will the cicadas interfere with the radio waves; will we be able to hear the emergency announcements? What to do? Answer Man, please help us!!

John Kelly: Look, I'm worried. I've been to that Wheaton lake before. It's not too far from where I live. How long before I lift the toilet seat and there's a toothy grin staring back at me? We'll need lead in our water just to kill the snakefish in our pipes. And note that so far they've found only one fish, a pregnant female. Where's Dad?

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Maryland blue crabs are BLUE: The Kids Post page, which lately seems to be making more small mistakes, recently included an item about some contest where people can name crayon colors that are associated with their states. The Kids Post suggested something like "Maryland Crabby Red." Well, several of us would just like to know that Maryland blue crabs are, uh, BLUE! The natural coloring of the Maryland blue crab is not red. If you pull them from the bay or a tributary, they will be mostly a blue tint. Maryland blue crabs only become red when you boil them in hot water for eating -- then they lose the blue coloring. So the suggested crayon color should have been "Maryland Blue Crab." Thanks!

John Kelly: A fair point. Soon we may not have very many Maryland crabs of any color to look at.

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Alexandria, Va. (also home of mystery traffic lights): So are you the Answer Man, or (in the manner of the Style Invitational) are you simply familiar with sources who may be knowledgeable of individuals who are close to him?

Or maybe it's that guy who takes pictures of your picture ...

John Kelly: I see Answer Man every day. I know him fairly well. He usually does as I tell him. Sometimes he disappoints me.

And by the way, I received two more communiques from the Racketeer. We haven't had time to work the digital magic that would allow me to post them. But it's dawning on me that I may know who he is. If you are out there, Mr. Racketeer, answer me two questions: Have I ever written about you? Do you know what the word "eusocial" means?

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Speeding in the city: Oy!; Nothing drives me more nuts than people complaining about not being able to speed in the city (re: the Porter St. complainers).

Remember people, unless otherwise posted, the speed limit in the District is 25 mph.

John Kelly: What I can't stand are motorists who speed up to get ahead of pedestrians at a cross walk. A car can quickly make up for a few seconds of "lost" time, while a pedestrian has to break into a jog.

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Today's column: I just loved it!; I used to read the ads like that in the personals wondering if they ever worked (I'm a hopeless romantic). Can you put out a call to readers to see if they ever do work? (I met the love of my life on a blind date during the blizzard of '03)

John Kelly: Thanks. Anybody out there meet The One through an ad of the sort Michael took out? The odds seem so slim.

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Silver Spring, Md.: "Taxation Without Representation" states the facts/situation as it exists.

You could tell how much President Bush supports DC statehood from the beginning, when one of the first things he had done upon being sworn in was have the tags/plates on the limo replaced.

President Clinton, in a sign of support of Statehood had a set of TWR tags/plates put on the limo.

John Kelly: I can just imagine him out there with a flathead screwdriver, scraping the offending line off his Lincoln.

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Tysons Corner, Va.: No question, just a comment.

This...

"We'll need lead in our water just to kill the snakefish in our pipes."

... is bar none the funniest thing I've ever read in a Post chat. EVER. If I could make a T-shirt emblazoned with it, I would.

John Kelly: What I meant to say was:
"We'll need lead in our water just to kill the snakefish in our pipes" [(C)John F. Kelly Ltd., REG. US. PAT. OFF.]

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Cicada Country: I am not looking forward to the arrival of Brood X. Not because of fear -- I actually like the little bugs and want to try eating them this year. No, I don't like them because I ride a motorcycle and Big Bug + 60 mph = PAIN. Even with a thick jacket, full-face helmet and windshield, I guarantee at least a half-dozen or so will find a way to a vulnerable spot. Maybe I'll just put the bike up for a month. It's prime riding season, though.

John Kelly: Keep your mouth closed. Hey, send me an e-mail (kellyj@washpost.com). I might want to do a column about cicada dilemmas.

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New York, N.Y.: According to Vogue, white or white-themed outfits are acceptable year-round now. But according to the hipsterati, white shoes (at any time) are OUT. Go for caramel-colored mules, to match your tanned legs.

John Kelly: Okay, but mules hurt my hammer toes.

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military ranks: For the army, it goes (from the bottom) private, PV2, private first class, specialist (or corporal), sergeant, staff sergeant, sergeant first class, master sergeant, sergeant major.

John Kelly: Thanks. At ease.

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College Park, Md.: Calling people "Peanuts" probably comes from the old Howdy Doodie Show on early TV. The "live" audience was called the Peanut Gallery ... yes, I am that old. I remember wanting to be among the gallery, but I had the mumps when my class was invited.

John Kelly: I'm thinking we should have a live audience for this weekly chat. Alex and I probably have room for five or six people in our compound without things getting too uncomfortable.

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Washington, D.C.: As a DC resident who still has out of state plates, I have to say I'm reluctant to get DC plates exactly for the No Taxation without Representation slogan. I'm not in the habit of putting political statements on my car (the only sticker we have is of our alma mater), and I feel that the district should offer a free alternative to this plate (or do they already)? It's not that I disagree with this statement, I just don't wish to use my car as a political advertisement.

John Kelly: Thanks for weighing in.

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Arlington, Va.: Cicada memory -- This will be my second time here with the cicadas. My fondest memory of the last cycle was the day the Post Food Section had a front page article (and recipes, I think) for various cicada delicacies.

John Kelly: Cameron "Cicada Beat" Barr had a similar story recently. There are some things they don't teach you in journalism school.

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washingtonpost.com: Cicada: The Other, Other White Meat, (Post, April 16)

Cicadas: Good Enough to Eat? , (washingtonpost.com, April 16)

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New York, N.Y.: I give the guy credit for taking a risk like that, but he needs to know that HUGE amount of effort and cost ($1700 for a full page ad? Dropping his ad off at embassies?) would scare most women away. He sounds sort of desperate, and he knows NOTHING about this woman. He's in love with love, not her, and most women want a guy to find THEM compelling.

John Kelly: I think he's aware of that risk but it just strikes him as the "right" thing to do. And, in a way, it makes it clear what sort of guy he is. He's the kind of guy who would take out an ad like that.

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The Ghost of Charles Schulz: You owe me $75.46 for using the word "Peanuts" 7 times.
Get Met.

John Kelly: I am right now humming the "Peanuts" theme song and dancing with my arms at my sides.

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Baltimore, Md.: Re cicadas of 1970: My graduation from American University came at the height of the cicada madness of that year. Add to that the fact that it was outside, in the blazing sun, and that huge "grim reaper" figures on stilts stalked through the crowd while the graduation speaker, the Post's own Nicholas von Hoffman, assailed the attending parents for Vietnam and the other sins of their generation and you get something that ain't likely to be repeated. The never ending eerie hum of the cicadas (AU was much less developed then) was the icing on the cake for those who had paid years of tuition.

John Kelly: I love it! The opposite of boring. I didn't even go to my college graduation. Maybe if there'd been stilts and cicadas.

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Arlington light: I've lived for many years by that Livingston light on Wilson, and I can tell you it's not for speeders, it's to allow pedestrians to cross. It helps people get to the parks on the other side and also to the local pool. I've never once seen it turn red because of speeders. Take a look next time -- there's probably someone who is crossing or has just crossed (if they had a break before the light turned).

John Kelly: As an occasional pedestrian, I'd like to see more of those sorts of lights.

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Re: clothes that gap when stretching: Absolutely, John. It's the shirts that expose a gap to begin with I have a problem with ("I" being a 28-year-old woman). Why? Because when a woman stretches wearing one of THOSE shirts, heck, she shows off a LOT more than I'd care to see!;

John Kelly: I'm constantly amazed at the twists and turns these chats take.

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DC Plate: You can request plates without the Taxation slogan on them ... In the meantime, you're breaking the law and committing insurance fraud ... register your car!

John Kelly: Busted!

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Up Late: Jay Leno had a couple funny examples of those kinds of ads during his Headlines segment the other night -- sounded like they were placed by Charles Manson-type stalkers.

John Kelly: And yet amazingly Charles Manson did very well with the ladies. He had a Family and everything.

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Washington, D.C.: I liked your piece about the Delaware border. We actually talked about that border in a geography class I was in a few years ago. Delaware has an interesting border on the water side too, with each possible kind of border in the Delaware River: part of it is an approximation of the middle of the Delaware River, part of it follows the channel (navigable part) of the river, and part hugs the coast of New Jersey.

John Kelly: And let me tell you, these Delawareans horde that water. They even own parts of islands that you would think would be New Jersey's.

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Love at First Sight in Chicago: Greetings,
I saw the woman who would become my wife when I was in college. I was a sophomore and she was visiting a friend's brother in our dorm.

It took me four years, including a year of teaching English in China before our paths crossed again.

I dated one young woman for awhile, but I knew that she wasn't The One and broke off the relationship.

I had just started my professional career after a stint in grad school when I looked up in church and saw her again.

We dated for several months, got engaged, and got married. We have 3 kids and we are coming up on our 12th anniversary.

Love at first sight? Your call.

John Kelly: Love at first sight, delayed.

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Washington, D.C.: The Craigslist "Missed Connections" are lots of fun too. Seems like lots of people on the Orange Line are checking each other out ...

John Kelly: ...while they're waiting for the train ahead of them to be towed away.

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Bawlmer: PLEASE don't boil the crabs...steam them!;

John Kelly: That works for cicadas, too, right?

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The Rack-eteer:
The good folks at Google led me to a site that says aphids and thrips are eusocial. You should start a band, John Kelly and the Fabulous Thrips.

John Kelly: Okay, now I definitely know who this is. (He said, bluffing.)

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DC Agreement: I agree with DC about the plate issue. Anyone that works on the Hill can claim reciprocity as a resident of the state they moved here from if the wish. That way they can keep their home state license plate. I have no desire to use my car as a billboard for a cause I frankly don't care about.

John Kelly: How can someone who works on the Hill not care about the issue?

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Porter St. Light: I'm grateful to know that I can run that light with impunity!; Bwahahahaha. Now, that's service journalism.

John Kelly: YEs, but...

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Stoplight Camera?: I noticed at the end of Bob's article on the stoplight that he mentioned there was no camera attached. Do you think anyone in DC Public Works noticed and added one? Gotta admit, the temptation to just run through it does become overwhelming at times!;

John Kelly: See, they could getcha.

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Hands on 66: I think the police thought I was crazy or seeing things, but they said they'd send someone to check it out. I called back the next day and asked around but nobody knew what I was talking about.

John Kelly: Another story brought to an unsatisfying conclusion.

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John Kelly: Just like this chat. Hey, it was great today. Thanks for stopping by. Keep an eye out for cicada nymphs, cover that midriff and drive carefully. See ya Monday.

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