November 2011
1 post
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Richmond: Fitter than New York?
With all the restaurants that makes Richmond a foodie heaven, you’d think we’d be packing on the pounds.
Not so, according to a Gallup survey which ranks America’s 31 fittest cities. While Richmond isn’t in the top 20, being No. 21 on the list isn’t that bad. According to the rankings, Richmond resident are more fit than those in Raleigh, New York City and Orlando,...
October 2011
1 post
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More kudos for Richmond
Add the Byrd Theatre to the latest plaudits for Richmond.
USAToday has ranked the venerable theater as one of the 10 great places in the country to see a movie. Other theaters on the list include the Ziegfield in New York and the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.
Here’s what USAToday’s travel website had to say about the Byrd:
This 1,300-seat theater, designated both a state and...
September 2011
1 post
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Ooops, they did it again
Well it looks like Facebook is up to its old tricks — stepping into a steaming pile of user discontent by changing the news feed for what seems to be the 100th time in the last two years.
Gone is a chronological news feed, replaced instead by one that divines which posts its considers most important to you. As Facebook explains in its blog:
But it’s not just the people you hear from...
August 2011
12 posts
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Richmonders react to quake on YouTube
Sure, we all took to Twitter and Facebook when yesterday’s earthquake hit. But some Richmonders also took to YouTube to talk about their experiences. Here are some of their videos.
Virginia earthquake - 8/23/11
A 5.9 earthquake hit Virgina on Tuesday afternoon. It was the strongest quake in Virginia since 1897. It was felt as far away as Canada. Central Va., East Coast recovering from 5.8 quakeBy: STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Published: August 23, 2011 Updated: August 23, 2011 - 7:48 PM One of the most powerful earthquakes in Virginia history rippled from its epicenter in Louisa County throughout the eastern...
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Hey Richmond! We're No. 19
The folks at Bloomberg Businessweek have determined that Richmond is the 19th most-fun, affordable city in the country. (Which means forget such places as New York, Chicago or L.A.)
The plethora of locally owned restaurants, the number of bars and the area’s housing prices helped push the River City into the top 20, above such towns as Hattiesburg, Miss., and Newark, Del.
Speaking of...
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Croaker's Spot earns national kudos
We all know that Richmond’s Croaker’s Spot serves some of the best food in town. But now the entire nation knows it.
The Manchester eatery was named the best place for soul food in this year’s Hoodie Awards, which were presented Saturday night in Las Vegas. The winner was selected via online voting.
The Hoodies were founded in 2001 by radio personality Steve Harvey. The ...
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Beautiful desolation in Richmond
(Photo: Fulton Gas Works, Daily Affair)
Richmond has plenty of abandoned and decaying buildings — and local photographers are flocking to them, preserving many of these neglected sites, such as the Fulton Gas Works in east Richmond.
Several blogs spotlighting these photos have recently appeared, most notably The Daily Affair and Decayed Richmond. Many of these photographs are fascinating...
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The bikes of Oregon Hill
Consider it Richmond’s version of “The Bridges of Madison County.”
A blog post from rivercityweaves captures almost a dozen bicycles in cycle-loving Oregon Hill, ranging from the slightly rusty model above to a racing bike perched on a porch. Here’s what rivercityweaves had to say about the photos:
My dad and I like to make dates with each other to go out on “shoot...
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Richmond eateries win again
Two Richmond eateries are among the latest to be honored as the best.
Country Style Doughnuts — a perennial newsroom favorite — has been named by Garden & Gun magazine as one of the best doughnut shops in the United States.
The only other Virginia doughnut shop to make the list is the White Spot restaurant in Charlottesville.
(What’s Garden & Gun, you ask? As our...
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"Jeopardy!": 22 minutes of fame for Richmonder
Our friends over at Richmond.com have an interview with Amy George, the latest Richmonder to appear on the TV quiz show “Jeopardy!”
George, who is a geographic information systems analyst, is the third Richmonder to appear on the show this year.
Unfortunately George came in third, but she did receive some lovely parting gifts.
The most interesting tidbit from the interview? Host...
Tweet of the day
From the Twitter feed of the Union Hill Civic League, which is taking a bite out of crime in the neighborhood:
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Today's best of the blogs
Why are the folks who live in this home on Allen Avenue so thankful? Byrd Park has the answer.
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Mapping out Civil War-era Richmond
We may not use the names Deep Run Turnpike or Westham Plank Road anymore, but Mechanicsville Turnpike has an enduring ring that has survived the centuries. After all, the name literally states its final destination. (Although shouldn’t it be called Richmond Turnpike when heading back into town?)
This map from the American Memory project at the Library of Congress show the layout of...
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Bon Iver: The show of the summer?
Did you miss the Bon Iver show at the National? So did I, but from all the Twitter traffic it sounds like it was an incredible show.
Our friends over at Richmond.com have a review of the show here.
So for those of you who weren’t there, here are some clips of the show.
Bon Iver performs Minnesota, WI
Bon Iver performs Skinny Love.
July 2011
9 posts
3 tags
Cruising through the RVA
I found this while surfing through YouTube today. The jittery camerawork and soundtrack reminds me of the opening to a ’70s cop show. All you need is squealing tires and Paul Michael Glaser to make it complete.
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Today's best of the local blogs
Here’s some of the most interesting posts on Richmond-area blogs today:
CHURCH HILL PEOPLE’S NEWS: Renovations under way at Richmond Hill
HILLS & HEIGHTS: More apartments on the way at Manchester on the James property?
BYRD PARK: A look at Parkwood’s new community garden
GREATER JACKSON WARD NEWS: Susan Greenbaum to play Library Park
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Gone, but still in the running
A Richmond house that is in the running as America’s ugliest has been torn down.
But that doesn’t mean it still couldn’t win in a contest sponsored by the company behind those gaudy “We Buy Ugly Houses” signs you seem to see just about everywhere in town.
According to our friends at Richmond.com, the house is among four in the area competing for the...
Richmond in 60 seconds
I found this while searching through YouTube today. The person who created it said the images were collected from a webcam, but I’m not sure which one. Any clues?
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TV series gets some Richmond flavor
Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue is in line to get some more national attention, this time on next Tuesday’s episode of the medical drama “HawthoRNe.”
The show stars Jada Pinkett Smith as the chief nurse at a fictional Richmond hospital who is “forced to juggle the roles and subsequent relationships that are demanded of her as a professional, mother, friend and love...
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Google+: Like Facebook, but better?
UPDATE: All the Google+ invitations have been sent. Look for more chances to score one soon.
Have you tried Google+ yet? After a few agonizing weeks, I finally received an invitation over the weekend.
Quick impressions: It’s relatively easy to figure out, the interface is clean and I really like being able to sequester friends, acquaintances and co-workers in their own circles.
Using G+...
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"Whites only" rental sign prompts investigation
Our friends over at Richmond.com are reporting about a sign that has caused quite a stir in the West End.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME) has been investigating a “whites only” for-rent sign that had been posted at the intersection of Gayton and Cambridge roads in Henrico County.
HOME immediately went out a snapped a photo of the sign, which violates fair...
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Flying Squirrels get some national exposure
What’s that on the head of former major-league pitching phenom and well-known drug addict Dwight “Doc” Gooden? Looks like a Richmond Flying Squirrels cap to me.
Gooden was seen wearing the lid over the weekend on an episode of VH1’s reality train wreck “Celebrity Rehab,” in which the formerly famous try to kick their various addictions. This season’s...
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Virginia maps out broadband access
For many Virginians, access to broadband Internet is almost as common as cable TV or cell phones.
However, there still are plenty of areas in the commonwealth that don’t have broadband access. In fact, the U.S. Census says that 22 percent of Virginia households don’t have a broadband connection.
To help address the problem, Virginia has created an interactive map showing the...
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Zuckerberg ready to unleash "something awesome"
UPDATE
TechCrunch is reporting that Facebook’s “something awesome” is in-browser video chat built on Skype.
This isn’t the main project that team is working on, but next week, says a source with knowledge of the partnership, Facebook will launch a new video chat product, powered by Skype, that works in browser. Suddenly those chat icons in the invitation have a lot more...
June 2011
16 posts
5 tags
Happy Social Media Day
Today is the second annual Social Media Day, a celebration of the technology that has allowed us to connect with each other in new and interesting ways.
The “holiday” was started last year by Mashable as a way to bring all of us just a little bit closer by holding meetups in cities around the world. Meetups are planned in 600 cities in 93 countries — including Richmond.
...
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Summer's here
Today is the first official day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, which means it’s also the longest day of the year.
So in honor of the summer solstice, here’s a look at celebrations around the world.
A reveler reaches up to the sky during the summer solstice at Stonehenge, near Salisbury in England, during the 2011 summer solstice celebration. The ancient stone circle of...
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Falcon dies after hitting building
A rare peregrine falcon chick died Monday after crashing into a glassy high-rise in downtown Richmond.
The falcon had been released Thursday from a temporary pen beside its nest on a 21st-story ledge at Riverfront Plaza on Byrd Street.
Click here to read more.
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Smart phones taking up more of our time
Do you spend more time on the web or using the apps on your phone? If you’re like most consumers, your phone is becoming your digital platform of choice.
The average number of minutes spent daily on mobile apps has edged out those on the web, according to a new study by the analytics firm Flurry.
The Flurry report comes on the heels of a recent one that showed sales of smart...
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Gene Cox says so long to TV news
Gene Cox signed off Thursday after 33 years at Richmond’s WWBT, Channel 12. The venerable newsman, who arrived at the station in 1978, has spent more than 40 years working in television.
Cox reflected on his career — and his future — in a bittersweet post on his blog earlier this week.
I have been more fortunate than most. I got to spend a career doing exactly what I wanted...
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Changes afoot after fights at First Fridays
Our friends over at Richmond.com report that a couple of changes are coming to the popular First Fridays Art Walk after a skirmish at the June 3 event.
The altercation began in the 300 block of Broad Street after a crowd of about 200 people, lured by music, gathered outside the Talk of the Town barbershop, blocking the sidewalk and nearly spilling into the street. The barbershop was not...
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RVA gets some lofty publicity
The River City is getting some love from American Airlines this month — Richmond is the cover story of the most recent issue of American Way, the company’s in-flight magazine.
Writer Nathan Thornburgh namechecks a slew of local favorites: Buzz & Ned’s barbecue, Lamplighter Roasting Co., Legend Brewing Co. and Ipanema Cafe all get a mention, as do Republic, Lemaire and the...
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Does Richmond have a digital divide?
Is there a big chasm between those who are wired in Richmond and those who aren’t?
VCU will host a meeting June 30 to discuss what researchers know about the issue in Richmond and what needs to be done to bridge the gap.
The meeting will run from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Richmond Public Library’s downtown location at 101 E. Franklin St. The public is invited, but you’re...
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Local "Jeopardy!" contestant falls short
LuEllen Buhrman of Richmond will be going home with some lovely parting gifts after finishing second on “Jeopardy!” on Tuesday.
Buhrman was the only one of the three contestants who knew the answer to the Final Jeopardy! question, but she didn’t wager any money on it.
Buhrman was competing against eventual winner Nick Condon of Lakewood, Colo., and Jeff Fleischer of Deerfield,...
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Seriously, this is a hoax
Have you seen this photo? It has spread across social media like wildfire, angering Twitter users and causing a nightmare for McDonald’s.
But it’s a hoax.
The photo has been retweeted again and again since it showed up over the weekend. It even generated a “Seriously, McDonald’s” trending topic on Twitter.
According to Yahoo News, the photo is not new. It...
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Google's best doodle yet?
Have you seen Google’s latest doodle? If you haven’t, get over there right now.
For the next 24 hours, Google is marking what would have been the 96th birthday of electric guitar pioneer Les Paul with a doodle you can actually play. Just move your cursor over the strings to strum them. And if you like what you hear, you can even record your noodlings.
According to Endgadget,...
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TOMS reveals new eyewear line in RVA
Our friends over at Richmond.com were at Need Supply Co. in Carytown today for the unveiling of TOMS’ new line of eyewear.
We’re pretty special — Richmond is one of only four cities where you can buy TOMS glasses.
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RVA Comedy Coalition finds new home
The Richmond Comedy Coalition, which bills itself as “Richmond’s premier improvisational comedy theatre and training center,” is moving to Carytown.
The group soon will be rehearsing and conducting improv classes on the second floor of the Millenntum Building at 3324 W. Cary St.
The group will continue to perform its monthly shows at Gallery 5.
Read more about the move...
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RVA inventor catches Quirky's eye
Sometimes the glow from your computer monitor just isn’t enough if you’re typing in a darkened room. Other than turning on the lights (duh), there’s got to be a better way to see the keys, right?
Richmond’s Clinton Fleenor came up with a solution: a task light that clips to your monitor, providing just enough illumination without spoiling the ambiance of a dark room. But...
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Share your password, go to jail?
Allowing your friends to use your login to watch movies on Netflix or stream music via Rhapsody could land you in jail if you live in Tennessee.
A new law, which takes effect July 1, allows download services to press charges if they feel they’ve been ripped off, according to a report by The Tennessean of Nashville.
From the newspaper:
The legislation was aimed at hackers and thieves who...
May 2011
24 posts
4 tags
Calling all space cadets
Want to go behind the scenes for the final space shuttle launch next month?
Beginning at noon Wednesday, you can register for NASA’s two-day Tweetup at Kennedy Space Center. The Tweetup will allow just 150 of @NASA’s followers to tour the space center, view the launch and even talk to astronauts, according to the space agency. You’ll also get to meet NASA’s social media...
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Bonnaroo wristbands: Cool or creepy?
Is this cool or is it too much like Big Brother?
If you’re going to the Bonnaroo music festival this year, your wristband will have an RFID tag in it, allowing you to voluntarily register the bracelet on the festival’s website. Bonnaroo organizers say the primary purpose of the tags is to cut down on counterfeiting, but you also can load your bracelet with your address and phone...
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AMAZING BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF DEVASTATION IN... →
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Tuesday afternoon in Richmond
I shot this video on Tuesday afternoon using the iTimeLapse app on my iPhone. The app is an easy way to make time-lapse films of almost anything.
To get the footage I put my phone on a tripod using a Glif, then pointed it out a Times-Dispatch newsroom window onto East Franklin Street. The app shot a photo every 20 seconds, and it took about 700 photos — or about two hours of...
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Hackers attack Sony --- again
Just weeks after Sony restored its PlayStation Network, the company reports that it has once again been the target of hackers.
According to Mashable, the company revealed Sunday that hackers had targeted the company’s websites in Greece.
Usernames, passwords, email addresses and phone numbers were all stolen in the attack, Sony told Dow Jones Newswires, but no credit card numbers were...
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Happy birthday, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is 70 years old today, if you can believe it. Watch and enjoy.
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Lady Gaga breaks the Internet
Lady Gaga’s latest stunt — allowing fans to download her new album, “Born This Way” from Amazon.com for a paltry 99 cents — has caused major headaches for the online retailer and left many buyers crying foul.
Fans so overwhelmed Amazon’s servers that buyers aren’t able to immediately download the album, Mashable reports. This prompted fans to retaliate...
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Slideshow: Facebook scams you need to know about →