Tag Archives: News

Talkin' Transit
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Talkin’ Transit: News Wrap

Photo courtesy of
‘escalator’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’

August was slow, and September isn’t getting much news on the transit front (lots on other subjects, though). I’m going to take a look back on some Metro news you might have missed this month (but not this, as you’ve all seen it by now).

Summer is almost done, so let’s talk snow, shall we? As you’re probably aware, I’ve got a thing about snow and the amount of money that the Federal government, Metro, and local businesses lost during the storm-plagued winter. Metro tells us that they are still recouping some of the $12.7 million that it cost them to clear the snow (forget about the monies lost while the system was shut down). FEMA has agreed to reimburse Metro another $1.76 on top of the million they’ve already granted them. Only $10 million to go…
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Business and Money, Media, Technology
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The Newspaper Roundup

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

If the doomsayers are to be believed, the above picture is the only way people are going to be experiencing print-based newspapers in the near future: as a museum piece. The future’s not quite that simple, nor is the current situation in the news reporting world as cut and dried as you might think.

You’d have good reason to think it’s pretty simple, even after the massive amount of discussion about it in our town last week. Maybe because of the discussion last week. If you somehow managed to miss it all, we had radio shows and Senate hearings and, of course, the various kibitzing in the print media itself. Somehow, through it all, everyone managed to say things that were mostly true but the picture didn’t add up to what they claim it did.

Let’s do a little walk through what was done and said, supplement it with what’s come from others, and try to apply a slightly critical eye to it all, shall we? Continue reading →

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Fedorov, Hero

Photo courtesy of
‘090127 Fedorov’
courtesy of ‘Dan4th’

Big night for Sergei Fedorov, who put in a beautiful goal with just 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd to sink to the Rangers and send the Caps onward to the 2nd round of the NHL Playoffs for the first time since 1998. I’m not sure what exactly Coach said to the Caps in the 2nd intermission, but I suspect it was the kind of pep talk that involved biting the head off a bat or something.

Looks like we’ll be facing the Pens in the second round. Sorry Ben Rome, your boys are going DOWN!

The Daily Feed
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Newspaper-less? Go paperless.

Max told us about his experience getting his hands on a commerative WaPo edition about Obama’s win, and Tom mentioned yesterday that the Newseum had an assortment of the papers from around the world. So I’ll take a moment to shamelessly mine both posts for my own.

If you couldn’t get a paper, you can console yourself with the fact that the Newseum not only has a rotating collection of today’s front pages from around the world, but they also keep an archive of front pages from earlier significant days. The most recent, of course, is Voters Elect America’s First Black President, so you’ll be able to go back and look at them whenever you like. Including our home town paper’s front page from that day.

I’m sure the WaPo lawyers would say printing this out and framing it violates their copyright. I’m sure there’s also plenty of folk who would insist this falls under fair use. I’m merely saying that from a practical matter, there’s plenty of places where you can do a nice color print that will look the other way or – if they’re like the Kinkos I go to – will studiously ignore you in favor of chatting amongst themselves.

Or just screen grab the sucker and make it your computer wallpaper. Who needs paper anyway?

Alexandria, All Politics is Local, News, People, Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Joe McCain Calls 911 to Complain About Traffic

Strike one: Calling 911 to complain about I-95 traffic. Strike two: Cursing out the operator when he asks why you’re calling 911 to complain about traffic. Strike three: Voice mail greeting saying you’re working on a “very important family political project.” Joe The McCain, you’re out.

News, The Daily Feed
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Ristorante Piccolo Fire

A fire has destroyed Ristorante Piccolo on 31st St NW in Georgetown. The call came in at 5:16 AM and DCFD has extinguished the fire by now, but the report is that the restaurant is totalled, crews are still on scene, and traffic in the area of Wisconsin and M St NW area is a mess.

More from WUSA9, WJLA, NBC4, and FOX5.

Update: Russell has a picture from the scene this morning.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Guy Falls On Metro Tracks

Washington Post reports that an unidentified male has fallen on to the Metro tracks at Friendship Heights Station. WJLA says he is “unresponsive” with “minor injuries,” and that he has been removed from the rails. WMATA Service Disruption alerts still have delays on the Red Line in both directions due to the incident, as well as an earlier switch malfunction problem. WTOP says Metro has turned off power to the third rail at the station and are single-tracking trains between Cleveland Park and Bethesda.

The Daily Feed
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Two “Suspicious Package” Alerts

Two news alerts today of “suspicious packages” at Gallaudet University and Judiciary Square Metro Station this morning.

Ballard North Hall at Gallaudet was evacuated while a bomb squad was called in, and Judiciary Square Station was closed, with trains continuing to travel through it but no stops.

Update: Judiciary Square Station is back open again after the package was deemed safe. Meanwhile at Gallaudet, the word from WJLA News is “suspicious substance” plant fertilizer.

News, The Daily Feed
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Thunderstorm Timelapse

A line of thunderstorms swept over the Metro area around 1PM this afternoon; we got home from church just as the darkening sky let loose its first drops of rain. While it stormed, I ran wget on the ABC 7/News Channel 8 webcam and got this time lapse video. Watch for the two bolts of lightning.

The storms caused a few injuries today, and capsized boats at the Aquapalooza festival on the Potomac.