Monthly Archives: September 2009

Talkin' Transit, The Features
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An analysis of NTSB’s findings

Photo courtesy of
‘Negative’
courtesy of ‘lorigoldberg’

NTSB sent out letters yesterday to WMATA,  Alstom Signaling, Inc, Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration. Each letter is slightly different but they all describe what NTSB believes to be the root cause behind the June 22nd Red Line crash.

Alstrom Signaling acquired General Railway Signal, the company that manufactured the WEE-Z bonds used in the metro system and installed in the 1970s at the Ft. Totten section of the red line. These are the devices used to sense and signal the presence of trains on the line and what have been suspected to be the root cause of the June collision.

The letter states “the investigation is ongoing” but confirms that these WEE-Z bonds, and the train sensing signal, continue to be the prime suspect. Immediately after that disclaimer NTSB says the following:

[P]ostaccident testing showed that the track circuit at the accident site lost detection of train 214 when it stopped at the location where the collision occurred. Because the automatic train protection (ATP) system was not detecting train 214’s location, the following train (train 112) did not receive a command to slow or stop in order to maintain train separation.

After that point we get into some pretty hard-core geek speak, but if you’re interested I’ll do a little translation.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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WMATA Gets Recommendations From NTSB

Photo courtesy of
‘New Carrolltn’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

NTSB has recommended 9 fixes for Metro as a result of the June accident that claimed the lives of 9 people. It’s not clear what the recommendations encompass yet, but it’s reported that the NTSB has sent letters to Metro and Alstom Signaling, who makes the parts for the train presence signaling system.

Update, 6:15pm: WTOP has more details of the 9 recommendations, which include six that are marked as Urgent.

Update, 6:18: We’ve found a copy of the letter (PDF) that gives WMATA 30 days to respond to the contents.

Update, 6:23: The letter on the NTSB website is actually only one recommendation to the Alstom Signaling, Inc, the company who acquired General Railway Signal, the original manufacturer of the WEE-Z system used to sense trains on the track and which seems to have been decided as the underlying cause of the June collision. We’ll have some analysis of this later and will continue looking for the WMATA recommendations.

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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Late Night Shots: The TV Show

Photo courtesy of
‘Film: “St Elmo’s Fire”‘
courtesy of ‘dbking’

The 1985 movie St. Elmo’s Fire opens in Roosevelt Hospital, with a drunken Rob Lowe getting arrested by an MPD officer for drunk driving. Judd Nelson plays his friend, a Congressman’s staffer who drops the name of his employer to try to get his friend off. And, of course, they all head right back to the bar. And now? It’s going to be a TV show.

Of course, the movie features Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, so it’s got that much going for it. Perhaps we’ll get lucky and the TV show will at least have interesting people in it?

The Daily Feed
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Baltimore reaffirms its commitment to douche-y cops

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WTOP reports that a Baltimore judge has granted a motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit against Officer Rivieri for assaulting a minor. There’s been a back and forth about whether the suit could be filed; the underlying point of law has a restriction that suit must be filed within six months, which it was not. Whether or not this applied when a juvenile is involved is the issue that the boy and his mother would need to appeal, which their lawyer seems to have some doubt they can afford to do.

Rivieri is back on the beat, presumably continuing his history of delightful behavior. Here’s another one of his efforts to reach out to the youth on the inner harbor.

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Life in the Capital, Media, News, People, The Daily Feed
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…And the Housewives Are?

Photo courtesy of
‘Cosmos Club’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

Carol Joynt of the New York Social Dairy thinks that she may know who the “Real” Housewives of DC will be.  Based on her inside knowledge, she has a list of five socialites that are likely to be on Bravo’s upcoming reality show.  The ladies in question are: Mia Abdo, supposedly one of DC’s best dressed; Mary Amons, founder of “District Sample Sale”; Lynda Erkiletain, owner of DC’s top modeling agency (we have modeling agencies?); Michaela Salahi, a former model and wife of a wealthy vintner; and Lisa Spies, wife of Republican fundraiser Charlie Spies. That fact that I’ve only heard of one of these women is a badge that I wear with honor.  Hopefully, reality TV will leave us alone sooner rather than later.

Entertainment, History, Special Events, The Features, The Great Outdoors, The Mall, We Green DC
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Host a National Park Premiere Party

photo courtesy of pbs.org

photo courtesy of pbs.org

This Sunday evening, September 27 at 8pm, the long awaited Ken Burns documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea premieres on PBS. The documentary stories the inspiring individuals who dedicated themselves to establishing our National Park System and to protecting America’s cultural, natural and historic heritage.  The series will air a new episode every night next week with the concluding episode on Friday, October 2.

To spread the word about this awesome documentary and get park lovers to share their parks stories with friends and family, the DC-based non-profit, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is organizing nation-wide viewing parties for the Sunday premiere, and they’ve made it super easy to host your own get-together with customized evites, your own personalized party page, helpful party tips and innovative ways to share this documentary with people around the country.  “Our goal is to inspire all Americans to dedicate themselves to protecting and preserving our national parks,” says Tom Kiernan, NPCA President, “so that the parks can be enjoyed, explored, and cherished by our children, our grandchildren, and by all future generations.”

Register to host a (private or public) party, and you’ll be entered in a raffle to win 1 of 5 signed copies of award-winning, conservation photographer Ian Shive‘s The National Parks: Our American Landscape.  This new, visually stunning photo journey highlights the beauty and majesty of our national parks from Alaska’s Denali to Florida’s Everglades.  RSVP’ed guests will also be entered in the drawing, and you, as the host, will get a bonus entry for every guest.  Woot! Continue reading →

Where We Live
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When did housing turn into Freddie Kreuger?

Photo courtesy of
‘Foreclosed House 3-21-08 IMG_7996’
courtesy of ‘stevendepolo’

Actually, the housing market may be more Jekyll & Hyde than straight-up slasher villain, given the way it’s seemed to flip between everyone’s financial salvation and the eventual ruin of our economy. Unfortunately the odds are that if I’m writing about it here it’s for frightening reasons, not happy ones. Even more unfortunate, it seems that we’re getting little of this news in the mid-Atlantic region because the big scare lines specify areas far from here. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to impact us, though.

The big scary news hasn’t hit the Washington Post yet, though a lot of west coast papers have been running it. The tip of this iceburg is named “option ARMs” and is about a type of loan that let people pick how much they’d repay. Not surprisingly, many opted to make the smallest possible payment – an amount that, in many cases, didn’t even cover the interest being applied to the loan. The result being that the total amount of the loan grew rather than shrank over time, which would be troubling enough even if home prices rose. Which, as we all know, they didn’t.

Presumably our region is not getting the same amount of coverage on this issue as the west because of the big quote out of the reporting agency, Fitch. “75% percent of Option ARM loans are secured by properties located in California, Florida, Nevada, and Arizona” seems to be the info line that journalists are noticing and using as a reason to write this up, or possibly not. You’ll find fresh entries on option ARMs on SFGate but not in the WaPo.

Which is too bad, because this is going to bite us in the ass too.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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I Don’t Mean To Start Something, But…

Photo courtesy of
‘weenie beenie hdr’
courtesy of ‘christaki’

I almost feel like I have to. This morning as I left my client’s office in Anacostia and drove (yes, I know, Car-Free Day, blah blah blah) back to my roost in Fairlington, I felt the urge to try something new for lunch. I’d heard tell of the Weenie Beenie being home to one of the DC area’s best half-smokes, but I always wrote it off. That little place, across from the Day Labor center? How could that place be any good? It’s a walk-up, for cry-eye.

Oh, how I was wrong.

This statement is controversial, and I feel it may need more basis in evidence, but I have come away thinking that this might just be the best half-smoke in town. I almost feel like there needs to be a side-by-side taste-test with Ben’s to prove it, but I’m thinking that the Weenie Beenie may yet rule the roost.

Who’s with me?

Arlington, Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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Celebrate the Clizzledizzle

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0303’
courtesy of ‘|

Slip on your brown flip flops, because this Saturday is the 12th Annual Clarendon Day, an event celebrating Arlington’s original downtown. The festival, to be held rain or shine on September 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., will feature all kinds of Arlington loving.

There will be magic and puppet shows, a Doggy Splash Pool, skateboard demos, electric cars, art booths and of course, my favorite, food from more than 15 restaurants, including The Liberty Tavern, Willow, Whitlow’s on Wilson, Mexicali Blues, and Tallula/EatBar. You can even catch GoRemy, the Arlington Rapper, emceeing the event, which is probably pretty epic in person.

Just beware of people packing heat and boat shoes.

The Daily Feed
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Free BurgerZ Tonight

Photo courtesy of
‘Z Burger Freeburger Night’
courtesy of KStreetKate.net

Yesterday, K Street Kate shared with us why she loves DC. Today, she shares dinner. All you need is the secret password… (shhh… “K Street Kate”).

Z Burger Tenley Town is giving away free burgers tonight from 5-7 p.m., courtesy of K Street Kate. Check out the HUGE burger invitation. And while you’re there, check out the new speciality “Obama Burger”, and let us know how it is!

Milkshakez (over 80 kindz!), friez, onion ringz, cheesesteakz, hot dogz, BURGERZ… Z Burger is located at 4321 Wisconsin Avenue. Thanks Miz Kate!

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Franconia-Springfield Loses Parking

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If you’re a Blue Liner and take Metro from the Franconia station, get ready to fight for parking at the garage. As many commuters who use the station are aware, the Metro garage is about to undergo a major rehabilitation project. WMATA issued a press release announcing that the first phase of construction will begin on Thursday, October 1. Up to 220 spaces will be “lost” over the next twenty months of repair as concrete deterioration is replaced, treated with sealant, and parking spaces restriped.

Check the press release for a whole list of options to park; most of them are free alternatives but do require some walking.

Music, The Daily Feed
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New Album from Le Loup

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Local band Le Loup‘s second album was released today, called Family. One of the songs off the album was featured on the most recent “All Songs Considered” podcast, with a mention that their live shows were absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen them, but apparently they usually set up right in the middle of the floor to completely get rid of the distinction between band and audience. They are touring for Family starting in October, but won’t loop (heh) around to DC until their last tour date in the beginning of November.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro Gets More Money

Photo courtesy of
‘YIP 228 – Things you don’t want to see in the Metro’
courtesy of ‘(afm)’

The US Senate passed a $122 billion transportation, housing and urban development funding bill recently that has $150 million earmarked for Metro. The Senate bill has language that requires Metro to put safety as its first priority when determining what projects to pursue, including implementing the recommendations of the NTSB. (The NTSB has suggested replacing the oldest rail cars, installing guardrails at curved sections and installing equipment that warns track workers and operators of approaching trains.)

The real question is, will WMATA be so enamored from the infusion of cash that they’ll reason it out to fill their widening budget gap, or will they actually listen this time?

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo


Nathan Kelly by MikaAltskan

Local photographer Mika Altskan appears to have unprecedented access to a gravity defying group of athletes (or super heroes).  Whether they’re pulling an E.T. move on their bike or skating horizontally through the air, he’s there to capture their raw talent with his camera.  Aside from the great stop action in the shot above, the color, the low point of view, and the timeless, carefree emotions that are portrayed make this shot a winner.  The icing on the cake for me is the lens flare, something that is sometimes accidental but adds a unique touch of cinematic beauty to the shot, a photographic snowflake if you will.  This photo makes me want to play hooky so I can practice my own skull cracking stunts in the final days of warm weather, but who am I kidding?  I’m only a daredevil when I’m in or on something motorized, preferably with an airbag.  I’ll leave the bone breaking activities to our youth.

The Daily Feed
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Code of Conduct Coming for Council

Photo courtesy of
‘Law Books’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Council Chair Vincent Gray wants to see the DC City Council adopt a new Code of Conduct, the kind that might prevent this summer’s fracas with Marion Barry’s ex. The bill will be proposed as emergency legislation to get it quickly through the system. I hadn’t realized that the Council rules hadn’t permitted for a censure or reprimand of Councilman Barry, as deserving as he was, simply because there is no reprimand process for members of the council. I suspect that’s on the agenda as well.

I would suggest a rule for the Council to think about:

Any councilperson caught giving no-show grants to people they’re involved with has to do the truffle shuffle in Freedom Plaza with their pants around their ankles while Tom Sherwood and Kojo Nnamdi narrate it for the radio listeners.

The Daily Feed
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Your water rates are going up

Photo courtesy of
‘Falling Water’
courtesy of ‘photo_secessionist (really under the weather)’

If you’re a DC resident you can expect to pay more for your water & sewer soon. Starting October 1 the rate charged for the consumption of 100 cubic feet of water will go up about 9%. Water use will go from $2.30 to $2.51 and sewer – which is billed based on water consumption – will go from $3.31 to $3.61, making the total cost for 100 cubic feet of water use $6.11.

The “impervious surface area charge,” which attempts to figure out how big a share of the storm runoff you should be responsible for, is making a jump of 77% from $1.24 to $2.20 per month per “equivalent residential unit.” You can find your ERU on your bill.

Interviews, The Features
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She Loves DC: Kate Michael

Photo courtesy of
‘Kate Michael, K Street Kate’
courtesy of ‘CathyLovesDC’

Last week I sat down with Kate Michael, also known as K Street Kate and forever known as former Miss DC, at a new, local coffee shop and chatted about why she loves DC. The self-made model, philanthropist, and expert on all things DC (a combination which she perhaps rightfully claims is only possible in the city we all love) hosts or makes appearances at at least three local events and openings a night, where her biggest concern is picking out an outfit that works for all three. Between media appearances, runway fittings, and fundraisers, she wakes up early to blog about her experiences on her website, K Street Kate.

In our chat, the breast cancer and literacy advocate dispelled rumors about DC’s lack of fashion and divulged the fashion brand that DC would be – if it could be one. She told me what name DC should go by – if it could go by any other name, and most interestingly, the limelight-loving, fashionable media queen shared why she picked K Street, aside from the obvious alliteration.

DC hired her once, to represent the city as Miss DC in the Miss America franchise, again to work for the city’s green employment, and she’ll tell us why they should hire her for real as the most qualified pavement-pounding spokesperson around. Continue reading →

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed
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Go Car-Free Tomorrow!

Photo courtesy of
‘SmartBikes have arrived!’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

As a native of the Western United States, I grew up with the belief that roads and cars were not just the way to get around, they were a birth-right not entirely unlike the right to vote. Silly, I know, but when you’re 30 miles from the nearest decent place to get a pair of jeans and Amazon.com hasn’t been invented yet, it’s not hard to figure out why they’re necessary. In much of DC, though, it’s easy to get around by Metrorail (that is when the trains are running) or Metrobus (when they’re not hitting people) so if you only occasionally give up your car for public transit, consider going car-free tomorrow.

There’s going to be a big Car-Free party at 7th & F Street in Penn Quarter, with all kinds of events. In addition, the Fojol Brothers, the Spy Cafe Cart and On-The-Fly will be selling tasty lunch options, and there’s going to be a ton of giveaways. Give it a look.

The Daily Feed
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Election board to discuss anti-gay marriage ballot initiative

Photo courtesy of
‘Capital Pride Parade’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Friday’s DC Register has an announcement about  a scheduled public hearing by the Board of Elections and Ethics. On October 26th they’ll meet and listen to input on a proposed initiative, “Marriage Initiative of 2009.” It’s the usual anti-gay marriage boilerplate: an effort to put in the DC code the text “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia.” The board will have to decide if this is something that actually can go on the ballot as an initiative and if it’s appropriate.

Personally I  think the issue is a simple one: do you think civil rights should be up for popular vote? My vote is no, and I, like a lot of people, would expect that anyone who gets to sit in the front of the bus or at the lunch counter would agree. However that’s not the case and WaPo had an interesting article in this weekend’s edition about the stark difference in opinion on gay marriage when you view answers in the District along racial lines. It’s worth a read.

If you want to speak at the Election board hearing you can find contact information in the public hearings section of the Sep 18th DC register.