September 22, 2010 | 2:15 PM | By Anna
Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
But it would be so hard to resist a six-speed manual...oh, the earth is sad? Well, all right.
Dr. Gridlock on “Car Free Day”:
So to me, Wednesday’s Car Free Day is about raising consciousness concerning choice, not about pushing people out of their cars. So I hope people who usually drive will consider options that could save them money and stress. You don’t have to take a sudden and lasting plunge into a completely different commuting style. But do think through the alternatives of transit, biking, walking or telecommuting — even once in a while. As Nicholas Ramfos of the Commuter Connections program says, “Just try it.”
I am so grateful I get to work from home. I’m more productive in my quiet apartment than I am in our bright, electrifying newsroom. I can run down the street when Go-go legends are hanging out at Ben’s. I can read without being disturbed and make phone calls without disturbing others.
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September 22, 2010 | 1:01 PM | By Anna
Smithsonian's National Zoo
This cub is a half-sibling to the three newest arrivals.
We posted about baby lions three weeks ago– and now there are even more! I can’t wait until “late fall or early winter”; that’s when the cubs go public at our lovely, free zoo.
The birth of three more lion cubs at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo this morning has contributed to the growth of the Zoo’s lion pride over the past three weeks and has brought the total number of cubs to seven so far. The Zoo’s six-year-old lion Nababiep gave birth to the three newest cubs three weeks after her sister, five-year-old Shera, gave birth to four cubs.
This news is extra nice; Nababiep is the lion who gave birth to a cub last May, only to have it die of pneumonia two days later, after a bit of straw lodged in its lung. The Zoo investigated alternative bedding alternatives after the incident. It’s nice to know that the fuzzy baby lion pictured above is sleeping safely– near three new playmates, as of today.
September 22, 2010 | 11:56 AM | By Anna
Stacie Joy for CTTC
Alex Baca, the blogger behind “Good Hope Anacostia” writes: “Latest Courtland Milloy column is ignorant, hypocritical“. It’s worth a read, especially because she includes reading recommendations, but she lost me when she complained that the term “Chocolate City” wasn’t inclusive enough. Maybe she isn’t a fan of P-funk.
I’m not trying to say that things are all warm and fuzzy throughout DC, but identifying problems is not as easy as saying “white people do this” and “black people do this.” Understandably, longtime residents of this city, many of whom (but not all!) are low-income African Americans, feel threatened by gentrification because there is the possibility of displacement. Though I don’t believe that gentrification always needs to equal displacement, it generally has in the past, which has cemented that fear. But, we can’t forget that the idea of a “Chocolate City” is not exactly inclusive of white people…There’s tensions on both sides, but until we get over these identity stereotypes—which are flattering to no one—we’re not going anywhere.
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September 22, 2010 | 9:45 AM | By Anna
The always-edifying Bill Turque has more on last week’s abrupt resignation of D.C.’s State Superintendent of Education, Kerri L. Briggs (for which she gave approximately 24- hours notice):
Even in a post-primary environment where scores of Fenty appointees are likely to be moving on, board members expected at least some advance notice…
“I had no idea this was coming,” said board chairman Ted Trabue (At Large). “At this level of professionalism, it is uncommon for someone to leave without significant notice.”
Briggs said in an e-mail Tuesday that she informed Fenty of her plans in mid-August and offered to stay on until Oct. 1 to ensure a smooth transition. But Fenty, perhaps reluctant to disclose a major resignation before the Sept. 14 primary, kept Briggs’s departure under wraps.
September 22, 2010 | 7:59 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! Enjoy your Bacon Latte with these delicious links. What’s that? You aren’t drinking a Bacon Latte? You’ve never even heard of such a thing? Well, you won’t be able to say that by the end of today’s roundup!
A vile caldron of hatred “”The Adrian Fenty loss is only the latest evidence that while African Americans will happily mouth the expected cliches about wanting good schools for their children; they really do not want to pay the dues. . . . In a way, they are reminiscent of their own dim witted teenage children,” one poster wrote.” (The Washington Post)
Some Bacon in Your Coffee? “Caffeine fanatics generally order their usual when entering a favorite coffeehouse. But those who stop to study the menu at Mid “City Caffe might find some head-scratching flavors…A maple-bacon latte, featuring milk spiked with maple syrup and liquid smoke, will likely return this fall. Pool says he takes gentle ribbing from baristas at other coffeehouses about the wacky flavors. They ask: “So what’s the drink that everyone’s going to come ask us to make this time?”” (ashingtonian.com)
D.C.’s September primary likely to be its last “…because there appears to be some hesitancy to hold the primary in the summer months, the primary seems likely to be moved back to June. That, in this Democratically dominated town, raises the prospect of six-month lame ducks. In other words, it may become a regular occurrence for mayors and council members to serve one-eighth of their terms after the voters have decided that they no longer want them there.” (voices.washingtonpost.com)
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September 21, 2010 | 4:38 PM | By Anna
Wayan Vota
Pedestrians wait to cross in D.C.
One of my favorite things about the city is how easy it is to live here without a car; unfortunately, the constant tension and worry caused by bad behavior from drivers, walkers and bicyclists mean that while it may be possible, it often is not pleasant. Greater Greater Washington has a sobering, somewhat depressing post up about how dangerous it is to be a pedestrian in D.C.
Sharon, a pedestrian who lives in Cleveland Park, recorded her negative experiences with drivers for a week. You can read her log, here. This was her conclusion:
It really does seem that once I strap on my backpack and hit the streets, I become either invisible or a target. Must we double or triple fines for moving violations and use the funds to hire a sufficient number of police to actually enforce the traffic laws? I’m definitely not your classic “law and order” person but that’s the only answer I’ve come up with, since right now drivers clearly think the risks of suffering any consequences for driving recklessly are minimal.
And, finally, while I’m on my soapbox, one last request to all you drivers: Please come to a stop when I have the right of way and am walking in a crosswalk. Rolling, coasting, or inching your way past me is just plain intimidating, and makes me feel like you’re trying to see just how close you can come to scraping my kneecaps without actually doing so.
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September 21, 2010 | 2:31 PM | By Anna
WAMU is doing something neat tonight in Silver Spring, and since so many of you love Kojo Nnamdi, I thought I’d let you know:
Join us for a lively and open dialogue about the issues of the day at one of our six Kojo In Your Community events this year…The live broadcasts are taped on location in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia and aired on WAMU 88.5′s The Kojo Nnamdi Show.
Here’s where to go:
Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza
One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
(On Ellsworth Drive between Fenton and Cedar Streets)
Doors swing open at 5:45 p.m. The event starts at 6:30 and should go for about two hours. They’re going to live blog it, too, if you’d like to follow along, otherwise, tune in to 88.5 FM tomorrow to hear the complete program.
September 21, 2010 | 10:15 AM | By Anna
Jason Pier in DC
Will they suffer if Rhee goes away?
At
Foreign Policy, David Rothkopf thinks that political pundits were remiss to focus on the Tea Party in their post-primary soundbites, when the real tempest was caused by the
American Federation of Teachers, a union so powerful, it got rid of Adrian Fenty, Michelle Rhee, and our ability to do Algebra in the future:
So they poured money into the campaign of Fenty’s opponent, D.C. City Council Chairman Vincent Gray. The spin on the election was that Fenty lost touch with the city’s black voters, but behind the scenes it was another victory for special interests that care more about their job security than they do about America’s economic future. The side that seems dedicated to ensuring that the U.S. continues to fall behind other countries in academic performance — and thus in terms of competitiveness, growth and by extension, national security, scored a big victory … if anything so cynical and counter-productive could actually be called a victory…
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September 21, 2010 | 7:59 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! Ready for some delicious links?
The evolution of the race card in American politics “Last week in Washington, D.C., we saw the culmination of a long and dire campaign to sabotage the reform of the city’s schools. For years now, since the time of the disgraceful Marion Barry, a rumor has been circulated in the black wards of the capital that there is a thing called “The Plan.” This sinister scheme involves the deliberate erosion of black neighborhoods and communities in the interests of a white/Hispanic ascendancy. That would make its supposed leader a Korean-American named Michelle Rhee…” (Slate)
Sherrod Speaks Faith to DC Church “I have helped many, many, many white farmers since 1986 when I went through that transformation,” Sherrod told hundreds gathered at the Metropolitan AME Church in downtown Washington. “All of them won’t stand up and tell you that I helped them. Many of them don’t want to admit to the public that a black woman helped them.” (NBC Washington)
DO drink the water! “D.C. Water has a new focus on increased transparency, sparkling new facilities are starting to open up around town and, according to blind taste tests, the taste of D.C.’s public water actually holds up pretty well against bottled water. D.C. Water took to five locations across the city over the past month or so to conduct said taste tests, and according to D.C. Water spokesperson Alan Heymann, “a little more than half of our participants preferred D.C. tap water over bottled, or had no preference between the two.”" (DCist)
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