Pictured above is Brian, a driver that will get you home in a unique way–inside your vehicle. The idea is simple: you call a number (877-No DUI NC) and one of Zingo’s four drivers arrives on a bike that can fold up and fit inside your vehicle. The Zingo driver takes you home in your car, and rides away in the fold-up scooter. Zingo is a company started in Atlanta four years ago, and has been spreading to various cities across the U.S. ever since. The drivers on scooters first arrived on the scene in Raleigh last August. They primarily serve the downtown area, but are capable of taking you to locations further away, including outside the beltline.

The folding scooter is small enough to fit in trunk space of most vehicles (it was originally designed to fit in boats and private aircraft), but the outfit in Raleigh also has a “chase car team”, where two drivers operate a Toyota Prius donated by Massey Toyota of Kinston. If the distance required is too far for a scooter, or weather is unsafe for scooter driving, the chase car team works by having one driver follow the other one driving your car. They both ride away, and your car sits in your driveway (and you minus a DUI or other unfortunate circumstance). The officers of the RPD are well aware of bar locations, and checkpoints along various corridors of downtown Raleigh are not uncommon. It doesn’t take very many beverages to put you on the wrong side of the law when operating a motor vehicle, so please consider this or other methods of getting home if you don’t have a designated driver. Rates are $10 for pickup, plus $3 per mile thereafter (and you don’t have to retrieve your car later). Zingotriangle.com (warning: music) 877 NO DUI NC (663-8462)

The winner of last year's Raleigh Wars tournament, Matt Huffman, showing off the the winning trophy Raleigh Wars is an urban assassin tournament involving the use of water weapons. Initially started by a group of friends bound by a common geographical area three years ago, it has since evolved into a regional game moderated by custom built web-based software. The new game starts this Friday at midnight.

Above is Walden going in for the kill during a performance by Lake Inferior during the Assassin's Ball To participate, you simply sign up online and supply some personal information. You are later provided with two targets chosen at random, and supplied with enough information to locate a complete stranger and “assassinate” them via a device with a self-contained water supply (such as a squirt gun). The game has rules that each participant must abide by, and the game has a committee available via email to settle disputes.

The game is based off of the common Assassin game that takes place across several college campuses across the country. The idea is that you find someone outside of their residence, workplace, or any other location they may be and get them wet via a water gun or other approved method. The game lasts for three weeks. At the end of the allotted time, all of the participants of the game are invited to the Assassin’s Ball. It’s an event held at The Manor, an historic house overlooking the Raleigh Little Theatre and Rose Garden. There are live performances by Acroentertainment (previously covered on several occasions) and by the great local band Lake Inferior. Additionally, micro brewed beer and food are provided. Last year saw a German Wheat beer and undisclosed cheap keg beer, garden pasta, beer and black bean chili, and cheesy burritos with a number of side items and snacks.

Above is a video of a “hit” taking place. I participated in the first tournament of Raleigh Wars a few years ago, and was assassinated in perhaps the most elaborate way (an event still talked about today). The person chosen to assassinate me was assisted by housemates and lied waiting in my attic. After being convinced that I should open the attic door (I’m still unsure of how this happened) I was immediately hit with a supersoaker, and thus, out of the game. The rules, as listed on the web site, are as follows:

You must reside and work in Raleigh to play. No damaging personal property or using physical force. No breaking the law. This means no breaking and entering. However, if you are granted access to the house then feel free to open fire. No hits on a target when they are at a location that requires their presence. This means no hits inside work, school, church, or jury duty. No hits on a target when they are in their bedroom or bathroom and the door is closed. Wait it out if you like but these are personal spaces and thus off-limits. Weapons must have a self-contained water supply. Examples of unacceptable weapons include (but are not limited to) snowballs, hoses, fire extinguishers, icicles, and sprinklers.

The software that runs the game was developed by those administering the game, and provides email notifications upon events (game start, new target, change of game mode, etc.). Since the first game, it has grown in size to include people from all over Raleigh; however, in order to keep the game playable it is limited by area–it’s only open to those inside the beltline. The entry fee is $10. Considering the fact it includes three weeks of fun and entry to party with live music, entertainment, food and alcohol afterward, it’s a great deal for the price. Find out more information.

Urban chickens will be under the spotlight this weekend. Saturday marks the now-annual “Henside The Beltline Tour D’Coop” in Raleigh. It’s a chance to tour 24 chicken coops at homes inside the beltline. Believe it or not, raising your own chickens is growing in popularity. This may be why:

This past year, we went through several changes to make our lives a little more sustainable. Yes, even when you live in a tiny 300 sq ft apartment it is possible to make a difference. In addition to everything we’ve been doing on the land in Georgia to prepare for our future as organic farmers and sustainable living pioneers, we did the following things right here in our current home of Raleigh, N.C. We… Built a flower, herb, and veggie box on our balcony. It not only looked good, but provided fresh herbs and salad greens, too! [picture 1][picture 2] Installed a shut-off valve on our shower. Saves water when shaving/washing. [picture] Made a worm bin and started vermicomposting. It recycles vegetable scraps into nutrient-rich worm poop. Supported local farmers by joining a CSA. We switched to a different one in 2009. Called the city and had recycling bins installed at our entire apartment complex. And they are being used! A lot! Ben wrote a series of vegetarian cooking articles for Accidental Hedonist. Helping other people learn to cook veggies is always a good thing. Learned how to make mushroom logs. Yes, we hose them down in our bathtub. [our article about making mushroom logs] Became members of Georgia Organics. Supporting our future as farmers is important. Said goodbye to paper towels, toilet paper, and kleenex. Cloth is so much better. [our article on making cloth toilet paper] Bought a Toyota Prius. Unfortunately, driving is a necessity, though neither of us has a daily commute. Cooked most of our own food from scratch. Going out to eat is expensive and unhealthy; cooking is fun. Started this website, Our Farm Adventure. It’s our way of documenting everything we’re doing, but it’s also important to serve as an inspiration and resource library for other people. We hope to show everyone — ourselves, our family, YOU — that being more sustainable is possible. We have no idea what we’re doing, but we know what we want, and we’re gonna figure out how to get there. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

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