Category Archives: WTF?!

Alexandria, Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, The District, WMATA, WTF?!
By

Metro Closing Three Stations for Labor Day Weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘middle track’
courtesy of ‘katmere’

Metro’s closing three stations this weekend starting Friday night at 9:30 and won’t be re-opening them until Tuesday morning at 5am. Those three stations are National Airport, Pentagon City and Crystal City, which means that a significant branch of the Metro will be traded for buses this weekend while WMATA refurbishes them. They’ll be stripping out 2,000 feet of Rail, 735 ties, and will be working on the concrete platform structures at National amongst other places. It’s a pretty big deal, so service is going to be drastically affected. The line between Pentagon and Braddock Road will not be operated at all. Metro has detailed the shuttle service via their website, and the appropriate section is below, for those who’ll need to transfer around the problems. Continue reading →

Crime & Punishment, News, People, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
By

Return of the Georgetown Cuddler!

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0065’
courtesy of ‘Jessa B.C.’

It seems that the Georgetown Cuddler has struck again. On Sunday, a young woman awoke to find a strange man sitting next to her. “She said she was laying on the couch and all of a sudden someone walked in and sat down next to her and she jumped up and told him to leave and he did right after but it’s been happening a little too often,” recounted a friend of the young woman, who apparently speaks in run-on sentences. The Cuddler, whose modus operandi is to enter unlocked houses and spoon with sleeping women, has been the bane of District police.  No one seems to know who he is, or what he looks like and he has been able to avoid law enforcement, thus far. Georgetown University, in an effort to protect its female students, has ramped up the search for the Cuddler and is keeping the campus informed of any developments.

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Ghost Bike Memorial Removed

Photo courtesy of
‘Alice Swanson Memorial’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

The Ghost Bike memorial to Alice Swanson was removed by the Mayor’s Office over the weekend from its home near Dupont Circle at Connecticut and R, the spot where cyclist Swanson was killed on her commute to work. It’s not clear why the Mayor’s Office removed the memorial without so much as an explanation, and attempts by local outlets to reach the Mayor’s office for comment have gone unanswered. DCist has photos of the replacement memorial put up by community members yesterday.

So, WTF Mayor Fenty? What’s up with removing the ghost bike memorial?

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
By

It’s Like Metro, With Charm

Photo courtesy of
‘BART in San Francico’
courtesy of ‘Nick Bastian Tempe, AZ’

They say that no two subways are alike. Wait, that’s snowflakes, but it’s mostly true for transit systems as well. If you look at the Metro and BART on scaled maps, for comparison, they’re fairly similar in size. More so, due to the concurrent construction dates, they use similar cars and similar farecards and fare structures. But, BART’s got it over WMATA in a few ways: Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Fortune Telling is Illegal in Bethesda?!

Photo courtesy of
‘Waarzegster’
courtesy of ‘Nationaal Archief’

I had no idea that predicting the future for money was illegal in Montgomery County. And yet, here we are, with an economy ripe with the desperation and listlessness necessary to need the presence of palm readers. The case, found by the Post, is that of a local man who tried to get a business license to read palms in Montgomery County, but was denied, based on the aforementioned law, and has already lost at least one lawsuit in 2008 trying to open his fortune teller business. He’s now requested the help of the ACLU, and they’re listing some strong precedent for the story.

Still, not allowed to predict the future for money in MoCo? How are Investor Place, which sell investment advice and services along those lines, allowed to do business here?

Dupont Circle, Food and Drink, People, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Real World Infiltrates WLDC Hangout

 Photo courtesy of
‘Science Club’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

According to @RealWorldDCNewz, our favorite group of “real” co-eds has discovered the host of WLDC staff meetings and happy hours, the Science Club. The Real Worlders stopped in at the establishment for drinks last night, but it is unclear how long they stayed.  The long term effects, mostly “will they be back, and if so, when?” have yet to be seen.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Crazy Marylander Arrested At Town Hall

Photo courtesy of
‘IN: Union Members Protest John McCain in Indianapolis’
courtesy of ‘aflcio2008’

Most healthcare protestors look like this. Their signs might say they opposite, suggesting that Obama’s proposed health plan might not be the way to go, but they’re still pretty sane. They’re not, for example, holding up signs that say Death To Obama, and threatening his family.

Folks, this is the kind of stuff that’s so just plain absolutely positively off the reservation that makes me hate the debate that’s started, just for all the breathless crazies.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
By

STAY SEATED TIL YOUR STOP.

Photo courtesy of
‘Almost Never is Always Good Enough’
courtesy of ‘Bogotron’

You guys. I just can’t hold it in any longer. I know we’ve talked about this before. But ya’ll, YA’LL, I’m going nuts over here. I just CANNOT TAKE IT and need to issue a PSA.

Dear Metro Rider: Here we are, happily co-existing, two lucky seated people on a morning train. I’m reading my Express and doing my best to drown out the world with my ipod. You’re doing your crossword puzzle. We’re two peas in a pod. As we sail from station to station, we’re fine. You’re cool. I’m not thinking anything of you. Until halfway through the journey from our previous station to our next station, you decide it is time to stand up and move towards the door. The tunnel is still dark. The train is still moving. We’re at least a good solid three minutes from the time we’ll even be gliding into the next station, but now! YOUR TIME IS NOW! Something goes “click” inside your bird brain and you just Cannot Sit There Any Longer. So you ask me to move. Now you’ve done it. Here I have to interrupt my happy Express reading, gather my lunchbox, put away my blackberry, stand up, scoot over, make the six people standing next to our seats move, awkwardly grab the pole to keep balanced because I’m not very good at Metro Surfing, drop my lunchbox, pick it back up, apologize to the five people I’ve bumped into, and then at the most inopportune moment the driver slams on the breaks and we all go flying. Then you’re all up on me, stepping on my toes, rubbing your stranger germs on me, and then the Metro driver accelerates and we all fly forward. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS. And we did this whole dance while in motion, in the DARK TUNNEL, FAR AWAY FROM YOUR STOP, just so you can shuffle awkwardly towards the door and hover for the next two minutes.

IF YOU HAD JUST WAITED TIL WE STOPPED ALL OF THIS DRAMZ COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. This? THIS IS MY NEW METRO PET PEEVE. I used to hate Pole Hogs (I still kind of do) but I’ve gotten better about them since I learned some defensive knuckling skills and decided that my new signature style is large cocktail rings (aka weapons of back destruction) and have gotten good at using them. But you? You random-stander-upper-er? I HATE YOU. YOU ARE THE WORST.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Hazmat Northwest

Photo courtesy of
‘PICT0036’
courtesy of ‘tochichi’

Just off the campus of then-tiny American University, in the years leading up to the first World War, open research was conducted on chemical weapons here in DC. The site in the Spring Valley neighborhood, now known as Pit 3, is once again under wraps as yesterday a test dig found a glass flask still containing mustard agent just two feet below ground. Next steps will be a testing of the soil in the area where the glass flask was found, followed potentially by the rebuilding of the decontamination structure on the site just off Glenbrook Road.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Today at Work: A Big Bag of Drugs


Bag of drugs
Originally uploaded by carlweaver

A coworker brought a large trash bag labeled “drugs” into our office and has been calling different pharmacies to see what she can do with them. They are old medications from her boyfriend’s father – prescriptions from over the years that she found in the house she and her boyfriend are moving into.

With all the hullabloo over drugs and other flushed nonsense ending up in our drinking water, it’s certainly a bad idea to just throw these in the trash or flush them down the crapper, but how should she dispose of them? The pharmacy technicians she has spoken with are at a loss as well.

The upside to all this is that she resembled a drug-distributing Santa Claus, the sack over her shoulder making a hunch on her back. It was just like Christmas, except with drugs. There’s nothing “good” in there, mind you, just blood pressure meds and the such, pills, vials, liquids, ointments and gel caps for various ailments we will likely all develop as we get old. All of us except Katie, that is, who is young enough to reference her college’s Wikipedia policy. Damn kids.

Any ideas what to do with this stuff? Bueller?

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
By

Man Hit By Metro Train at West Falls Church

Photo courtesy of
‘tracks’
courtesy of ‘nevermindtheend’

A person on the tracks at the West Falls Church station was hit and injured by a New Carrollton-bound train this morning just after 11am. Service is single-tracking through the area to allow the paramedics access to the scene.

It’s not clear just yet why the person was on the tracks.

Update: Metro is now reporting the man struck by the train has died.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Poor Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)

Photo courtesy of
‘Mark Warner meets Sonia Sotomayor’
courtesy of ‘Senator Mark Warner’

It’s hard to see the tough times we’re in hit someone we know and like as much as Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), but it’s being reported that Warner has found himself in a bit of a spot, and his colleagues in the Senate are obviously very concerned for him.

Keep on keepin’ on, Mr. Warner, and we’ll totally let you use our shower once in a while. Just let us know.

Technology, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

I, For One, Welcome Our New Robot Rap Battle Overlords.

How often do you see a robot challenge a Redskin? Especially one that looks like it really couldn’t take a hit? But, there we are. Via the Redskins Blog, Clicky the Robot has challenged Chris Cooley to a rap battle, apparently because Cooley thought Clicky was Gumby.

Now, Personally? I’d say if you’re a minor-league figure in internet safety, and Cooley called you anything at all? That’s a plus. But Gumby? Gumby’s a hero, man, an out and out cultural cult icon. Take the compliment for what it is and go with it. Hopefully, he’ll respond on his blog, and keep his pants on this time.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
By

The 10 Car Train

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro Train in Motion’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

It seems that drugs are behind WMATA’s latest innovation: the 10 car train.  During rush hour on July 31st, a Green Line train operator was alerted by a passenger that his train was trailing two extra cars.  Metro platforms are only designed to accommodate 8 car trains, so the additional carriages were never made it into the stations and remained unused.  The train made it from Greenbelt to Georgia Ave before being noticed, after which it was taken out of service.  The support personnel responsible for staging the train were subjected to drug tests, and one individual tested positive.  WMATA is still investigating and has yet to take any disciplinary action.  Hooray, Metro!

Music, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Nationals Host Best National Anthem Of All Time

glenndonnelian.png

Anyone who’s ever been to a Nats game with me knows that I have a thing for the National Anthem. I’ve been known to sing along, even audition to use my undergrad degree in Vocal Performance, and I’ve got pretty exacting standards for what it takes. Usually, I’m an anthem purist, but Glenn Donnellan from the National Symphony moved me with his Saturday performance. Donnellan, a violinist, constructed an electric violin out of a baseball bat and brought that out to Nats Park on Saturday and absolutely nailed the National Anthem. Usually I don’t go in for flourishes and extra ornaments, as they tend to be out of character for what is nominally a drinking song set to a poem about war. But Donnellan’s electric performance defies all rules about character and elevates it to something that even Sam the Eagle would find touching.

Bravo, Glenn, and Bravo to the Nationals for hosting him.

Entertainment, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Nine Lives of Marion Barry on HBO Tonight

Photo courtesy of
‘Marion Barry’
courtesy of ‘cliff1066’

Set your TiVos, everyone. The Nine Lives of Marion Barry premieres on HBO tonight at 9pm. The 80 minute documentary covers Barry’s career from his start as a civil rights activist in the 1960s through to current day, through the beginnings of Home Rule in DC, to his crushing conviction for crack possession and use, through his resurgence & re-election to the City Council. The documentary does not cover the latest chapter with his girlfriends who were given city money, but as with all good things in movies: there’s plenty of room for a sequel.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Cyclist Shot In Drive-By

Photo courtesy of
‘Sharing the Road’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

In WTF news, We Love DC just received word that last week a cyclist was shot twice in a drive-by shooting on Mass Ave. near the Embassies. He was shot with a semi-automatic pellet gun, hit once in the leg and once in the side. Five shots were fired at the cyclist.

The shooter was in a car, passing the cyclist going the opposite direction on Mass Ave. The blast took place at the intersection of Mass Ave and California around 2 a.m. He was understandably shaken, but didn’t need to go to the hospital. This isn’t the first time riders have been harassed violently. Please, ya’ll, for the love of DC – SHARE THE ROAD.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

1 in 4 Virginians Believe Obama is Foreign Born

Photo courtesy of
‘St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington, D.C.’
courtesy of ‘benuski’

As if there aren’t enough reasons to make fun of Virginia, here’s a big one: one in four Virginians believe that President Obama isn’t a native-born American citizen. Another one in four “isn’t sure” he’s a native-born American citizen. I’m going to phrase this slightly differently: Half of Virginia isn’t sure Barack Obama can be President. That’s of a state that 53% of voters voted for Obama, and while voting-turnout doesn’t always mirror poll turnout… crikey, there must be some confused people out there, that voted for him, but don’t think he’s eligible. Words defy.

Pictured above is St. E’s, where most of these people belong, were it still in operation.