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A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from Washington City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com.

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Happy sweltering Wednesday. You know it’s hot when Metro lifts the no-water rule.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • D.C. cab drivers think they’re being pushed out. [Post]
  • Washington area could lose 450,000 jobs in federal cost-cuts. [Examiner]
  • Redskins quarterback RGIII finally signs his contract. [Examiner]

RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

Photo of the Day: Man With Umbrella.

Orange Under Audit: Councilmember Vincent Orange said yesterday that the audit into his campaign finances is over and he was cleared. It’d be a ray of light in D.C.’s scandalous times, but it’s not true.

Mandalay Yay: Burmese restaurant Mandalay is opening a second location in Shaw in the fall. The D.C. restaurant will have slightly higher prices and a faster menu turn-over than its Silver Spring cousin.

Bat Rave: The new Batman movie is fun, but it’s not perfect, writes Tricia Olszewski, taking her chances against the Internet’s dorky masses. The chief culprit: villainous Bane, whose motivations are never explained.

LINKDUMP BELOW!

LOOSE LIPS DAILY POLITICS LINKS, by LL columnist Alan Suderman (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Cabbies have it rough. [Post]
  • EHN’s money ties to Jeff Thompson [Times]
  • Gray supporter: “The prosecutorial targeting of Gray and other top D.C. officials also picks at the scab of colonialism.” [Huffpo]
  • Tony Williams says sorry, Vince Gray doesn’t. [Post]
  • Lobbyists talked to councilmembers. [Examiner]
  • Tom Sherwood: Remember, feds says official Gray campaign officials coordinated with shadow campaign. [NBC4]
  • Harry Jaffe to pro-Gray ministers: Don’t play the race card. [Examiner]

ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • In response to our post about Brian Miller‘s brilliant Minor Treat ice-cream truck, Travis Morrison from Dismemberment Plan solicits Plan-themed food ideas. Dismemberment Flan, anyone? [Facebook]
  • Village Voice interviews local experimentalists Janel and Anthony—and Janel gives us a shout-out. [Village Voice]
  • The Style blog attempts to unfurl the overarching themes of this year’s Capital Fringe festival. [Post]
  • DCist couldn’t get Christian Bale to talk Batman, so they interviewed a local Batman instead. [DCist]

FOOD LINKS, by Young & Hungry editor Jessica Sidman. (tips? hungry@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Rumors floating that Shake Shack will take over Spy Museum Cafe space. [PoP]
  • Quench in Rockville lets go of chef Richard Gunter, loses the corned beef tongue. [Washingtonian]
  • Beau Thai opening another location in Mount Pleasant. [Eater]
  • Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and their daughter Willow lunch at Charlie Palmer Steak. [Reliable Source]
  • Spike Mendelsohn signs lease for steak frites restaurant called Bernaise on Capitol Hill. [WBJ]
  • What it’s like being a legally blind contestant on MasterChef. [NPR]
  • A-Town Bar & Grill coming to Ballston Aug. 1. [ARLnow]
  • Metro relaxes prohibition of bottled water on trains and buses. [DCist]