Capitol Dawn by andertho
Oh, DC. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways (in no particular order)…
By Max
Category Archives: The District
By Max
By Tom Bridge
Does the House Misunderstand Technology?
The answer’s probably yes. I know, I know, traditionally it’s the Senate that is the home of the whackjobs like Ted Stevens who claim that the Internet is a series of tubes, and not a truck. But, here’s the deal. Representative John Culberson (R-TX) seems to think that the House has it out for Twitter and all of the various video services. Specifically, he’s pointing to a letter written by Chair of the House Franking Committee Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) which suggests that any member of the House who conducts anything related to official business be done only on the House.gov domain.
That means any member of the House who embeds YouTube, Blip.tv, Qik, or any other video on their website is doing so in violation of the regulations of the Committee on House Administration. That also means that microblogging via a service like Twitter (Hey, follow us!) But, the letter that Rep. Capuano has written is actually promoting the changes necessary to allow for such a service to be used, but in exposing the current regulations, he’s putting current House members in jeopardy of disciplinary action for using social networking technologies like YouTube, etc.
Nice work, guys. Nice work.
Dusk on the National Mall originally uploaded by spinfly.
By Tom Bridge
How Can I Stop What Isn’t Going On?!
That’s the gist of what Judge Richard Leon is saying in response to the request from the Partnership for Civil Justice, who want the program that debuted DC’s Trinidad neighborhood from ever being used again. Specifically, he raised the concern that since there’s no current implementation of the “Neighborhood Safety Zones” plan, where exactly would he enjoin the MPD from operating?
Looks like we get to see this one played out only after the MPD tries to put the cordon up around another of DC’s neighborhoods.
By brownpau
Why I Love DC: Paulo
Above: The author poses by the Reflecting Pool shortly after arriving in DC, some years ago. Note the in-line skates.
Before I came to Washington from the Philippines, most of my experience of America had been limited to occasional summer vacations in suburban California, so my general impression of U.S. cities was of vast pockets of sprawl connected by freeways, the isolation broken only by strip malls and Disney theme parks. Go ahead and laugh it up when I say this, but my first day after moving to DC (note how I called 16th St NW an “avenue”), the discovery that a city — any city — could be a livable, walkable, [somewhat] affordable place blew me away after a mostly-sheltered life living in a gated subdivision in Manila.
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By Tom Bridge
Washingtonian “You Be The Critic” Contest
You may have guessed that we love food here at WLDC. Between Carl’s videoblog on Noodles yesterday and our own review of Hell Burger, that’s an impression we’re doing our best to support. However, we recognize that we don’t hold the monopoly on food thoughts. So, we encourage all of you armchair food critics to get in on the Washingtonian’s “You Be The Critic” contest. At stake? A gift certificate for dinner for two (value: $150) at Hooked, in Sterling, of which they thought pretty highly.
Entries should be 75 words, be uniquely descriptive, be irreverent and be amusing. Give it a go!
By Why SHE Loves DC
Slate’s Interviews 50cents feature has a video interview today with a young woman who explains why she loves DC more than California. Bonus points for the random people crossing between the camera and the people being filmed.
By Brittany
Why I Love DC: Brittany
Photo courtesy of cupcakepanda
I love D.C. because it is my home. This city is where I became the person I am and will always be where I come back. Many people think of Washington as a place people move to for a step in their lives – maybe they come to pursue an education or a job, maybe to chase down the grand ideal of “making a difference.” My parents came here for all those reasons and also to raise a child.
The District of my youth was a dirtier place than today though decidedly more punk rock. Nonetheless, my family put down roots here. I grew up assuming Marion Barry actually was Mayor For Life and that every city had the kind of buzzy, intense energy that this one does. Time would prove me wrong on both accounts.
Each Thursday afternoon of high school, my friends would grab a City Paper and congregate by the fountain in Dupont Circle to plan what shows we would go to over the weekend, and would wear our big hand Xs with pride come Monday morning. Each morning of my college years at G.W., I would walk through Foggy Bottom, watching scruffy college kids, business people, politicians and diplomats happily share the sidewalks. Every spring when cherry blossoms turn the world into the sweetest pink-and-white confection, every winter when a blanket of sparkling snow settles over marble, and every night the red eyes of the Washington Monument blink to remind me that I am home, I am stunned by the beauty and how lucky I am to be of this place.
Washington D.C. has spoiled me. Now, after twenty-three years, I am crossing off the days before I move away. I will be packing my bags for California sooner than I would like to admit. In the meantime, expect me to talk about stuff I love about living here and want you to enjoy as well – the music, arts, museums, and culture all around us. This is a vibrant, cool city if you just look past the stodgy clichés. Also, be prepared for a bit of District nostalgia as my days as a resident dwindle in the city I love.
By brownpau
DC Pedestrian Master Plan Meeting
The DC Pedestrian Master Plan is a long-term project to study and actively improve Washington’s state of walkability and pedestrian safety. The final draft of the plan report is up for review, and Ward 6 Councilor Tommy Wells is holding an open meeting with DC DDOT to invite public comment on Tuesday, July 8th, 6:30PM at St. Peter’s Church.
More info: Tommy Wells – Ward 6 Meeting on DC Pedestrian Master Plan.
By Tom Bridge
Why I Love DC: Tom Bridge
This is the first of a series of posts from our authors, designed to give you a peek into who we are, beyond what you’ve read from us in the past. We’ll be featuring two authors a day for the next week in this space, as well as our usual features. We hope you enjoy!
I never intended to fall in love with DC.
Hell, I never intended to stay here so long. I got here in July of 2000, eight years ago this past weekend, after being offered a tech job in Courthouse. I was supposed to be working with a little startup, my own little piece of the dotconomy. Until they went broke. Before I even started. I asked the leasing office what my options were. The secretary snapped her gum, and said, “Well, there are provisions for death or bankruptcy.”
Neither was appealing.
By Tom Bridge
Happy Independence Day. You’re Fired.
That was the message today to 250 DC teachers and 500 teachers’ aides who missed a certification deadline this week. Official termination letters go out on Monday. Chancellor Rhee thinks it won’t be a problem, as these were “expected” terminations, and none of the firees have classrooms assigned. Well, I guess it’s good we knew it was coming?
By brownpau
Fireworks and Storms
As often is the case for the Fourth of July in Washington, the weather has been largely unstable: heat and humidity mixing with occasional showers. We’re now just about a half-hour from the scheduled start of fireworks on the Mall at 9:10 AM, and another wave of showers with some lightning has just finished sweeping the area. Here’s a closeup of our weather radar as of 8:30 PM:
The system that brought us that surprise rain twenty minutes ago is leaving to the northeast, but another system is forming to the west, and seeing that and considering the instability in the local atmosphere, my instinct — coupled with a general disdain for sitting in mud — is to stay indoors rather than go out to join the crowd of fireworks-viewers. But hey, that’s just me. There’s also a chance that system will dissolve into vapor and leave the district dry at 9:10PM, in which case, the show goes on.
Watcha gonna do, DC? If you’re living downtown, you now have under thirty minutes — just enough time to hop on a Metro or dash out to the Mall and maybe make it to a good viewing spot amidst the mass of humanity already there. And hey, if you’re reading this on your mobile device from out on the scene, send us a status report.
Update: Thankfully for those out there, the rain held off! We watched from the safety of a friend’s apartment, and I’ll have a time lapse video ready soon.
By Tom Bridge
Monumental: Farragut Square
In the middle of downtown DC sits a park named for Admiral David Farragut. Two metro stations bear his name, and the square that surrounds the park and his monument is home to many a lunching downtown worker. The statue that stands at the center of the square, of a sailor with spyglass, atop a platform with four mortars. I walked through that square once a day for over a year, each day tipping my hat to the Admiral who shouted, “Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!”
But actually, the full of the quote, at least as it’s attributed by Wikipedia, was: “Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead. Jouett, full speed!” And so they went, into Mobile Bay to capture the last free port in the South in 1864. They overcame the massive barrage from Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, and defeated the Confederate Navy.
By Tom Bridge
Old Thomas Circle Photo
This beautiful Black & White image comes to us via Shorpy and a great search for the Washington DC metroplex. It’s Thomas Circle, circa 1943, when street cars ran up 14th street toward U Street. Worth a reminisce.
By Tom Bridge
All’s Well at World Bank
You might’ve heard about the craziness at World Bank today, what with a guy showing up and claiming he was a terrorist and had a box full of explosives. Turns out the guy wasn’t actually carrying explosives, and was then detained by the DC Police. There’s still a shelter-in-place order in effect at the World Bank, but man, talk about excitement!
Me, though, I’m just wondering when one of these suspicious packages actually contains explosives.
By Amélie
No, it’s NOT really J-Walking…
Dear Ms. D-DOT Employee,
While in our right to be impatient pedestrians, we do appreciate the (hard) work it is to direct traffic that you perform. I realize you’re there to (possibly) protect us from those bad motorists, but we are all adults, and we realize that we can walk on our own accord. It is truly what separates us from the common beasties of this planet we call Earth. So when you threaten a number of people crossing early at the cross walk at 17th and I this morning, do you really think it’d stick? Before you flaunt your power over space, time and that Honda Accord that didn’t stop correctly at the intersection, try to remember your own laws that you’re trying to enforce, and realize it’s “crossing against the signal” and not actually J-Walking. Hey, but we love you anyways!
Signed,
John Q. Pedestrian
P.S. Your braids are no match to the neon pink swirled hairdo sported by a Metro employee at the Glenmont Station this morning. w00t!