News Bullets, psychosexual Wednesday;

So I haven't chimed in on the whole Vincent Gray for mayor dust-up. The Washington Post editorial board wants to see Gray run, so we can at least have some sort of actual mayoral campaign this time around. In an interview, Gray was awfully wishy-washy about running, worrying about his political future should he lose. Honestly, as much as I have complaints about Fenty, Gray just doesn't seemed fired up to run. He's not excited, and he's not running a campaign full of ideas for a city that really really needs some new ideas. Fenty has put some great people in place that have made some impressive strides, but of course all of that means little given his lack of transparency and the whole crony-contracts mess. I wish there was more fresh blood in the DC political arena, but given the harsh reality it's difficult to unseat the presently-installed machine. Would someone like Dan Tangherlini or Clark Ray stand a chance for mayor of DC, ever? Who knows, but it might prove to be at least a little bit different than the same status quo

Water main break destroys ABC7's ability to read. A water main broke near the corner of 18th and Columbia last night, in the heart of Adams Morgan. I saw the hubub around 8:30 last night, and Mixtec appeared to be closed due to the incident. As it turns out, part of the restaurant flooded. Sadly, the McDonalds remained open throughout the incident. Notable was the fact that ABC7, despite being at the scene with video, called the restaurant "Mex Tex." That's barely close to "Mixtec," and is still wrong if you were trying to describe the place as a Tex Mex establishment, which it isn't.

United Medical Center in Southeast may need more taxpayer money to stay open. The only hospital east of the river, the former Greater Southeast Community Hospital, is facing a $20 million operating budget deficit. The hospital was also recently denied a $5 million line of credit. The hospital has made many capital improvements lately and recently the District government had provided $79 million for both capital projects and operations. As is the case with many hospitals operating in impoverished areas, many patients do not have private health insurance. Councilmember David Catania insists the hospital is not in imminent danger of closing, however it is likely it will need more government assistance. Where in the world the money will come from is another question. Poor people don't need universal health care, right? They can just go to the ER? Right? Yes, we can all see how that's working out.

Dr. Ruth enlisted to help DC tourism? Huh? From the Post's Breaking News blog:

Tourism officials are enlisting psychosexual therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer to show off the playful side of the nation's capital and boost the local hospitality business.

Tourism officials say they're taking a cue from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama for their frequent date nights that have shown off D.C.'s restaurant and culture scene.

On Thursday, Dr. Ruth will be sworn in as the city's honorary secretary of the "Department of Love and Relationships." She'll help announce a new "stimulus plan" for the city's tourism business.

Organizers say a monthlong promotion in February is aimed at sparking new romances and relationships in the city.

Yes, folks, this does warrant a post of it's own. I'll see what I can do about that, but really? Honestly, how about we also bring in former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer to talk about the frisky side of DC. Just stay away from those prostitution-free zones, if you plan on giving motor vehicles the old come-hither look. And no, you won't be arrested for carrying 3 condoms. Three pallets of condoms may lead to further searches.

Humor video discusses race in the workplace in DC, but falls short. Saw this video on We Love DC this morning:

A Public Announcement from Black people - watch more funny videos

This is safe for work, but headphones may be a good idea. What's interesting is that this was filmed at one of the most multicultural offices in the city, at an organization dedicated to fostering all sorts of cross-cultural and cross-border relations. It would have been more on the mark, and funnier, had it been filmed outside, say near Metro Center. Then the dollar in the coffee cup gag would have been funnier. Better yet, take a jab at how many office workers become PAINFULLY politically correct around minorities. Cut to a scene in the kitchen with people talking about the Redskins management shakeup. Have a Native American staffer walk by, and suddenly everyone stammers and refers to the team as "the local professional football concern." And then talk about how they all listen to Kanye West as a way to better understand their urban brothers.

Finally, do you have questions for John Catoe? I'll be participating in a roundtable discussion with the Metro General Manager this evening. I don't know how many questions I'll be able to ask, but feel free to leave some suggestions in the comments or via email.

Got a news tip? Something bothering you? Got a beef with the DC government? I'm here to help, or at least get your story told. Email me or find me on Twitter.