Lunchline: Lottery fever has taken over

If you have difficulty viewing this newsletter, click here to view as a Web page. Click here to view in plain text. Thursday, March 29, 2012 A famous man once said that if you stick a microphone in front of someone for long enough, they're going to say something stupid. Well, Carson Daly finally did. Then he apologized. D.C. has a rather pioneering history when it comes to slavery. Before President Lincoln's famous Emancipation Proclamation, the city had the Compensated Emancipation Act. In short, the law freed more than 3,000 slaves in the city, providing compensation for owners that did so. The 150th anniversary of that date is coming up next month, on April 16, and city officials yesterday announced a host of celebratory events around the date. The Post's Michael E. Ruane reports. Truth be told, I love Dulles Airport. It holds a special place in my heart from my childhood. There are those old terminal shuttles with their industrial smell that would trek across the tarmac, and of course, as the tremendous backdrop to "Die Hard 2," it's always been my favorite American airport. Now, the facility is turning into a full-blown big-boy airfield. They're preparing to take on more wide-body jets, nearly 50 years after the Eero Saarinen-designed building first opened. The Post's Ashley Halsey reports. You know you've played the game: when the lottery jackpot gets above $200 million and you start fantasizing about how great life would be if you could just win it. You try to convince yourself that you wouldn't turn into one of those crazies that blows through the cash or is otherwise affected in some grossly tragic way. All that aside, you're still going to play. And just for you, D.C. is making special commemorative tickets for the historic $476 million jackpot. The Post's Sylvia Carignan reports. Augusta National has a bit of a problem on their hands. The literal old boys club has long shunned women as part of its ranks, including a very famous incident with Martha Burk, in which they decided to go sponsor-free for their golf tournament, The Masters, instead of bowing to her requests for female admission. Now, one of the tourney's three main sponsors, IBM, has a female CEO. Typically, in that position, you get to don a green members jacket while hosting clients. Well, this is awkward. We are at that point in the season when watching the Capitals as a fan is a legit health risk. Between blood pressure spikes and rampant headaches, the team is tough to watch when fighting for their playoff lives. Tonight, they travel to The Bean to take on the division-leading Bruins. And God knows who'll play in the net. At least Nick Backstrom will be there. Oh, wait. The Post's Tarik El-Bashir explains the letdown factor. Extra Bites • I've said it before, I'll say it again: Unarmed black men are shot and killed in this country all the time. Literally. The Root breaks down exactly how dangerous walking while black can be. • If you're a regular drinker of strawberry frappucinos from Starbucks, you might want to read this. Unless you don't like bug juice. • Rest in peace, Earl Scruggs. What an American. Check out my Facebook fan page, my Twitter feed, or e-mail me at clinton.yates@wpost.com. Get The Washington Post, your way. Want to stay on top of the latest news, features, commentary and more? Here's how: Mobile: Alerts: Social Media: Applications Web site E-mail SMS RSS Feeds Facebook Twitter SEND TO A FRIEND UNSUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER CENTER GET HELP Washington Post Digital E-mail Customer Care 1150 15th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20071 ©2012 The Washington Post Privacy Policy