National Airport's Food Options and Laptop Bar

I flew out of DCA this weekend. I guess most of my travels have taken me through Dulles, but I was pretty pleased and surprised to see the latest food options at DCA. Gordon Biersch, Five Guys, Ranch 1, etc. It made my wait time for my flight not so bad. I was also pleased to see the plug in laptop bars for easy access to check your e-mail and catch up on work. This is what airports across the nation need to implement. The Power Tower concept is so not useful. It is basically just an extension chord turned on its head. Way to go DCA!

Washington 2.0: Citizenship 2.0?

"Over the last two years, the Obama campaign built another "Wikipedia" of citizenship."

This quote is from today's WashingtonPost feature by Danielle Allen.

There is a lot of discussion these days about how the Founding Fathers would feel about the way the country is being run. One thing is for sure...they would probably fit in better with the Obama camp. As Danielle writes: "But the Internet has eradicated barriers of geography, enabling much more effective factional organization than the Founders could have imagined." Did they imagine citizenship would reach this level of participation? Call it Wikipolitics, call it crowd sourcing, sharing, e-shouting, call if whatever you like. One thing is becoming clear, it is not just a passing phase with politicos.

Just the other day I got a note on the progress of the Grassroots Inaugural Ball that is being thrown in DC the night before the inauguration. I have to say I was impressed. It is no small task to raise at least $75K to rent out the Ronald Reagan Building Ballroom, throw a huge party and then head to camp out on the mall at the crack of dawn. These people are dedicated, and I applaud them. The only way we are going to keep this progress going is to stay involved and demand good governance.

As Danielle states, "Now, however, we are at a turning point. We've finally reached something of a left-right equilibrium in the dramatic restructuring of the public sphere that has been underway for the past decade. Against this background, on Nov. 4 the Obama campaign sent an e-mail to supporters from the president-elect signaling aspirations to convert the campaign's success with social networking technologies into a tool not merely for winning but for good governance."

Good governance comes with transparency, lessening the digital divide and rewarding involvement by the everyday citizen. Grassroots is a word that has been revived in our vocabularly. Let's keep it alive and well.

The Language of a Bill

Taken from the Auto Bailout Amendment to the Economic Emergency Stabilization Act.

This is going to be a short post.  Can anyone tell me the definition of "timely and aggressive production?" Not to mention the letter that Congress wrote to the CEOs of the three auto companies making them "promise." Promises? Really? Where is the accountability in that? What is the fallout of breaking a promise? Last I checked it wasn't something that people, not to mention CEOs took very seriously. For all we know these three CEOs break promises everyday. Although we didn't hear it in yesterday's testimony, perhaps they promised someone they would give up a jet or two.  Whoever is working as their public image consultant is probably out of job by now. Maybe they can jump on board this big bailout package too? I bet we would know the definition of timely and aggressive if it called for the compensation check disbursement of these CEOs pay. We demand more specifics. I want to know just how long it will take and how quickly we will see the energy efficient cars. I doubt we will get the answer anytime before these guys see their money. 

They're Leaving on a Jet Plane

To the 3 auto execs who descended upon the Capital with hat in hand...spare me with your lame testimonials...

1. Chrysler is not the quintessential American company - stop trying to tug on the patriotic purse strings of the Capitol.

2. Your are winning car and truck of the year regularly - you are also subsidizing schemes where you encourage Americans to buy SUVs and pay for their overpriced gas. Oh, and the "backseat did not just become the best seat"...it became the home for the homeless who lost to foreclosure.

3. You are NOT equal to or better than Toyota and Honda - that is just false. Mr. Ford would be ashamed of the lies.  

So, let me get this right, you three CEOs flew your own private jets to Washington to not only beg for our tax money but also test out your commercials on our Congress? I guess it seemed to work, because you took a few members down a bunny path where they felt it was important to tell the American people what car or van they drove. As Dana Milbank pointed out, it was like Car Talk came to Congress, only without the humor and Boston accents. 

Oh, and by the way, if you want to see a CEO squirm, ask if he or she is willing to work for $1 a year and fly commercial for the rest of their tenure at the table. 

This testimony was a slap in the face of hard-working Americans...on the plant or at a desk.  So, fly back home, have your turkey next week and think long and hard about about your private jets when you are asked what you are thankful for this year. Then, after you have your pumpkin pie, read this bill, again. Got change?

Washington 2.0 - Should Obama Follow Fenty?

...and keep the Blackberry? According to the NYTimes, he may not have a choice due to national security requirements for the Oval Office. According to Jonathan Alter at Newsweek, President-Elect Obama must stay engaged and wired to a variety of opinions via a smartphone or laptop in his new office. According to the popular argument, no President should have an e-mail account, because it can be hacked. Wait a minute, won't the new Technology Czar/CTO take care of that network security concern? That could be a first pass for CTO candidates - provide a plan whereby President-Elect Obama could keep an e-mail account while in the Oval Office. I guess it is a minor win that he will have a desktop computer in his new office on Pennsylvania Avenue. Any bets on whether or not it is a Mac?

Washington 2.0: CTO or Tech Czar?

There seems to be a lot of buzz about the new position for the federal government - the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The WashingtonPost wrote recently that the CTO would use technology to make the government work better. Having experienced several technology implementations in the public sector, I anticipate this will be somewhat of a challenge for the new CTO.

A top priority should be mitigating the redundancies in the government and expediting the processes that typically take forever - job applications, security clearances, contract awards, etc. Every time I see the Adobe LiveCycle ads on the metro, I can't help but think of how automated work flow and ad hoc routing of common citizen forms would reduce paper and increase turnaround times. There are a lot of ideas being floated out there on what the CTO should pay attention to first. Check out ObamaCTO.org to join in on the buzz.

The Wall Street Journal takes a guess at who is in the running for the Technology Czar job.

I think it would be a mistake to limit the search to those that founded or work in information technology firms. As many comments have stated, other educators, professors, scientists, ambassadors could be great picks as well. The last thing you want is someone at the wheel who suffers from technology somnambulism.

Till next time.

Good Morning Washington

Yesterday, I posted an idea for the transition team on Environment & Energy Policy. Why not submit your own?

Washington 2.0 : Worth a Read

NYTimes: Go East, Young Techie
"...hopes the migration will change so that instead of building Facebook applications, engineers “will go to D.C. and try to make a difference.”

Grow Your Wiki: Is Washington, D.C. the Next Major Technology Mecca?

Do you think so? Let us know your thoughts.

Washington 2.0: Point/Counterpoint

Following my last blog entry, I was sent this article from Slate.com that provides a counterpoint to some of my thoughts on technology, transition and transparency in the new political arena. While I may not agree with the author's views and understanding of tools for transparency, I welcome the discussion. In fact, I welcome your discussions. Where do you stand on the issue of transparency and video versus radio addresses? Before signing off, I will just leave you with another applause-worthy effort at transparency - a series titled "Inside the Transition" brings us to the table where these discussion are taking place. So, Mr. Dickerson, I am not sure what you consider "actual information," as you call out in your article, but I encourage you to watch and listen:

 

Washington 2.0: From Franklin's Fireside to Barack's YouTube

It has been a busy week of developments in Washington 2.0. As more discussions on the Transparent Presidency emerge on the blogosphere and in the mainstream media, a lot of attention is being paid to how President-Elect Obama will bring about the New New Deal. One way he has already trailblazed is by delivering his weekly address to the nation via his YouTube Channel. And this is before he has even taken the oath of office. Yes, we only have one President at a time, but that does not mean we cannot hear the evolving thoughts and plans of the soon to be Commander in Chief. This reassures citizens that the President-Elect has his eye on the ball day-to-day and week-to-week. 

Sure, the idea of sitting down at the end of the day to cozy up to your laptop, warmed by the glow of an LED screen, to listen to the voice of your Commander in Chief may seem a bit of a stretch. But what the Golden Age of Radio did for FDR, the Web 2.0 age of the Internet can do for Obama. What is even more powerful about this model of citizen communication, is that we have the ability to listen on demand. So your office network blocks YouTube, simply download the podcast via iTunes and watch it on your way into work on the metro the next morning. Or better yet, log on to Change.gov to watch the address or read the transcript. And of course, you could always hear it on the radio, for all those talk-radio traditionalists, like me. Till next time. I am off to watch the address again.   

Washington 2.0: Commander in Connectedness?

The discussion around President-Elect Obama's online army of followers/volunteers, now called the information infantry, continues over at DailyBeast. After reading the debate on the big fat story feature, I wonder if people be deployable within hours of receiving an e-call to action from the the 44th President of the United States. I am willing to bet those who have a desire to stay involved and "make a difference" will jump to the occasion. There are new concerns that the President-Elect may choose to hand over the list of 3 plus million names to the DNC or similar political action groups. Will this be viewed as disloyal? I have faith that we are not viewed as a list or a hand off. I for one want to continue hearing the language of a "transparent and connected White House," one that recognizes and uses the power of social networks and collaborative technologies to solve problems. There are several sites popping up that are calling for a change to how we understand, oversee and interact with Congress, like Open Congress and Change Congress. For thoughts on this issue, take a look at the open letter to the President-Elect from the Sunshine Foundation. What are your thoughts on the issue of connectedness to the soon-to-be Commander in Chief?

UPDATE: Read this NYTimes Article that talks about a wirleless (and I don't mean in a good way) White House. Would they seriously prevent the President-Elect from having a blackberry or even a laptop in the Oval Office? I don't see him agreeing to that. If technology got him where he is today, there is no way he is going to go back to Politics 1.0 - right?

Oh, and one last question: Are you still connected? Stay tuned for more updates on how we continue to use my.barackobama.com to pay it forward, even after the election.

Washington 2.0 Series - Can We Revolutionize Governance?

I have been feverishly following the discussions coming out of Washington surrounding President-Elect Obama's desire to use technology to benefit the citizen under his new administration.

We hear talk about making government more transparent and more connected. How will this work exactly? Will it give us a Web 2.0 bulletin board of sorts to convey our thoughts and concerns on governance issues?


The President-Elect stated that he will put government data online and make it available in universal formats. Does that mean .pdf files or open source software?

Will citizens now be invited to the virtual table to discuss dollars spent and programs pending?

One of the concerns surrounding to this idea is accessibility and availability of broadband throughout the nation. With recent discussions and developments around freeing up the spectrum previously occupied by analog TV signals, I wonder if we will see more smart phones introduced as tools to stay in touch. We in Washington benefit from the Dulles Corridor effect not to mention the power of the blackberry on the Hill. Are the days of a staffer sending canned responses in letter form to constituents long gone? Are you required to have a .com to hear back from a .gov? What will this mean for the .org who wants to get their issue in front of a Representative? Will government representatives work to develop iPhone apps tailored to deliver updates directly to their constituents?

We were all amazed at the grassroots movement brought about through the simplicity of Web 2.0 technology, but what does this mean for all those with profiles on my.barackobama.com? Will the White House utilize Change.gov to capture the passion and participation of these netizens? What will become of all the Facebook groups and pages?

I personally think that any social network or communication channel where people can continue the discussion and stay involved is a good thing. Education on issues was my biggest battle cry during this election. I am proud of the participation levels in this city and other states, but I think we could still work on getting people educated on what they are voting on. How many people actually read the propositions in California and all that was behind them? It scares me to think that people went into the ballot box with limited knowledge of local candidates and amendments, propositions and stances. My goal in using Facebook's share feature was to educate my friends and family on issues during this election. Was it persuasive? I may never know. It did however, always keep people involved in the discussion.

The question remains how the President-Elect and his team will harness the energy of millions who utilized the social networks to stay engaged. As Howard Dean stated, "He changed all the rules." What do you do with 10 million names and contacts collected during the campaign? Do these people become your ground troops to propagate your message as you move through your first term? These communication vehicles through Change.gov, MyBo and Facebook can circumvent the media and skip the spin.

This may deflate the No-Spin Zone appeal of cable news personalities who make their living on delivering information in their own way. Sorry Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly, but would that be such a bad thing? When the digital generation receives updates or messages from candidates, they can quickly Google, Wikipedia and Facebook the issues to find out all sides of the story. Then, they will make an educated and informed decision and post their decision on their Facebook status. Viral knowledge sharing is a good thing for governance issues.

So, can we revolutionize governance via Web 2.0? Can we continue to create virtual movements whereby we self-organize from the comfort of our own keyboard? Can our Facebook status messages be used as a collective outcry against policy? Does crowd sourcing and knowledge sharing play a role in the new government? As Ms. Palin would say..."You betcha." I would challenge the government to look to models put forth by companies like IBM, who holds annual "jams" where hundreds of thousands of employees and clients share ideas and thoughts around themes of innovation to solve world problems and close the change gap.

Maybe the President-Elect will work to institute something similar whereby technology allows us all to be actively involved in a government that is once again of the people, by the people and for the people...thank you President Lincoln for those wonderful words. If you could only see us now. YES WE CAN!

A Timely Quote at the End of a Novel...

Today, I finished reading Gregory Maguire's Son of a Witch - part two of the Wicked Trilogy. The novel ends with a great quote by Thomas Jefferson. I found it timely considering this past week' historic events.

"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true spirit, restore their government to its true principles." - Thomas Jefferson, 1798.

I think Thomas would be proud. YES WE CAN.

Welcoming Washington 2.0

"Leadership, tone, and vision...that all starts at the top."

-Valerie Jarrett, Co-Chair, Obama Transition Team

This week has been incredibly busy for Washington. While pundits and media moguls scramble to predict the next line of leadership to waltz into Washington this January, I am anxiously awaiting an overdue upgrade. As the nation came together declaring change in the way we run this country and demonstrating hope is more than a movement, we ushered in what I call Washington 2.0.

Stay tuned to this blog where I will report on the upgrade that is coming to this town. YES WE CAN!

Are We in for a Shakeup?

According to the WashingtonPost today, "the federal government may be headed for a major shakeup, including the reassignment of many middle-managers, a sharp reduction in the number of outside contracts, and new performance standards for workers."

As cited in Barack Obama's plans for Washington, a lot of change is heading our way. A lot of it is for the better. I encourage others to read among the pages of the Blueprint for Change:

• Obama and Biden will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.
  
• Obama will use the power of the presidency to fight for an independent watchdog agency to oversee the investigation of congressional ethics violations so that the public can be assured that ethics complaints will be investigated.
• Sunlight before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving
  the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.
• Obama’s Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.
• No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.
• In an Obama-Biden administration,every official will have to rise to the standard of proven excellence in the agency’s mission.
• Implement Consequences for Success and Failure: Obama will create tools to improve agency performance like sending in performance teams to reform programs; replacing existing management; demanding improvement action plans; and cutting program budgets or eliminating programs entirely.
  Move Workers from Bloated Bureaucracies to the Frontlines: Obama will thin the ranks of Washington middle managers, freeing up resources both for deficit reduction and for increasing the number of frontline workers.
• Google for Government- Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long. That’s why Barack Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “It would enable the public to see where federal money goes and how it is spent. It’s a brilliant idea.”

What are your thoughts on how this will change Washington? Will it dramatically cut jobs or create new ones? Will government contractors be worried for job security? Will a new generation of innovation be brought to the Capital City? Post your comments and thoughts here. Hopefully, we can start on ongoing discussion.

Where Were You When...

I would love to hear from you DC - where were you when you heard the news? Were you one of the hundreds dancing outside the White House? Were you at a party on Capitol Hill? Were you working late in your K Street office? As I heard the cheers and car horns go down Wisconsin Avenue, I couldn't help but wonder - will this be one of those defining moments when we ask each other, "Where were you when you heard Obama won the presidency?" Today is a new day. YES WE CAN!

A Compliment for the Capital City

Today was a historic day in the District. I began my day around 6:00 AM heading out to the polls to cast my vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I was so excited to see a line around the block when I got to the Murch School. I was in line at 6:30 and waited anxiously as they opened the polls at 7:00 AM. I met a single mom in line who moved here from New York City. I enjoyed talking with her about the feeling we both shared - this was a memorable moment in our lives and in our city.

As people rounded the corner to see the long lines they cheered. They never sighed. I heard exclamations of "Wow, this is incredible! How cool is this?" I also saw tons of buttons and stickers for Barack Obama. I snapped a few pictures which I will include in this post at a later date.

As I left the polling station, I stopped and looked back and had to smile. My city, my capital city made me proud this morning - job well done DC! Thank you for turning out in masses and making me wait in line. On any other day this would be a capital complaint, but today - you get a compliment. Bravo!

Dulles Determines Travel-Ready Adults

I am sitting in the United Terminal about to board a plane bound for LAX. Just experienced the Dulles Diamond Checkpoint. Has anyone else heard of this? It is a new service provided to select passengers to expedite the screening process for travel-ready adults. While in line, I heard several people mention they had registered for it. Funny, I had never heard of it. Bottom line, it saved about 20 mins of security lines on a Sunday morning. I am a big fan.

To Change Washington, Move Out?

Not sure where the time has gone these past few months. Oh wait, it has been consumed by economic crisis, debates and election coverage. Living in Washington, I get a lot of friends asking me "What is the problem with Washington? How is this economic rescue plan really going to work? Are these politicians serious?" I assure them, I have no insider information and I am reading the same articles and editorials as the rest of America.

One editorial that stuck out to me was a NYTimes Opinion piece that appeared on September 9th. Simply titled, To Change Washington, Move Out, this piece made some interesting recommendations for "real change" in Washington. The main idea - decentralize the executive branch government. The article discusses how top heavy Washington is, possibly plagued by its own bureaucracy. It also attacks the cost of living for us Washingtonians. Does it really chase away talent from our town?

Don't get me wrong, I do think that the cost of living in the district is pretty high, but I don't know of talented people who when offered the job they want, stop and say, "I just don't think this is going to work out - the cost of living is too high here." Let's be honest, they will happily take the job and move out to the Virginia suburbs to save a buck or two.

The author makes another interesting suggestion - move the IRS to New Orleans and DEA to Michigan. He also offers up Homeland Security and the Department of Veterans Affairs. I wonder if the government would be willing to take on this telecommuting challenge. These agencies might have to finally consider upgrading their information technology, networks and bandwidth capabilities. This move would be a great start in the Government 2.0 movement.

More transparency, less bureaucracy and of course job creation in areas that need it. It would be great if the government entered into a partnership with Cisco or IBM to properly wire towns to host government agencies. Since most work is done now on computers, e-mail and the Web, would it really take that much change? Training could be virtual, performance review meetings can be hosted through telepresence suites, and reporting can be pushed via web portals. Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. Let's see if the next administration takes a bite of the idea. Does anyone else like this idea?

RideTheCity - DC's Biking Score?

For all those bikers in DC, I ask you this one question - Now that the city gave you all bike lanes on most major streets, why are you still biking on the sidewalks? These days I see more runners in the road and more bikers on the sidewalk. Last I checked, a bike was supposed to follow the same traffic laws as vehicles. This is clearly not the case here in Washington as people are biking on the sidewalks and feel that they can run red lights at intersections just because they on a bike. I wonder if the police are going to start ticketing people that use those DCBikeShares. I have yet to see a police officer pull anyone over for reckless biking in this city. Do you know anyone who has been ticketed on a bike in this town?

What's Your WalkScore?

As an avid walker in this capital city, I am constantly assessing the walkability of different neighborhoods in Washington. In fact, walkability will be a major consideration whenever I decide to buy real estate. So, when I stumbled upon this website called Walk Score, I was thrilled. I immediately plugged in my address in Subarubia and awaited the results. I was a little shocked to see a score of a B - (83 out of 100). 

I quickly chose another neighborhood where I hang out - Laptopia - and entered an address. Of course, that one came up with a higher score of an A + (97 out of 100). What shocked me was when I entered an address in Los Angeles, that came up with a higher walk score than where I lived. I concluded, the database must be flawed. How can LA have a high walk score than DC?

Okay, I am off to take a walk before calling it a night.

Screen on the Green (What a Scene!)

So, this is the second time I have been to one of DC's signature summer events - Screen on the Green. I think the first time I went, I attempted to watch the screening of Casablanca, which I had never seen.

This year, I went and the showing was the Oscar winning film The Apartment, another movie I had never seen. Heavily advertised and promoted to tourists while appearing as an annual editors pick in the WashingtonPost, Screen on the Green draws large crowds year after year.

One of my favorite capital-centric blogs, DCist, describes it as "good programming is nice, but it's sort of secondary to the whole experience anyway, lazing away a summer evening on the Mall under the stars with a picnic, a blanket, and an old movie flickering away on a screen with the Capitol dome looming in the distance. The feeling of community bears the distinctive stamp of a sort of Capra-esque Americana, shattered only on unlucky occasions when a group of interns on the blanket behind you decide to be loudly drunk through the whole film."

Nicely put DCist. As a second year attendee I have a few observations of my own on our outdoor gem of summer events.

1. Plan to take at least one hour off of work to get a decent space to park your blanket, chill your wine and layout your crackers and humus. Yes, I said humus.
   
2. Don't be surprised if some yuppy couple parks their lawn chairs in front of you, ultimately obstructing your view of the screen and the Capitol.
3. Don't be surprised if you feel the slightest bit under dressed. The first time I went to SOTG, I thought "function over fashion," and brought a pair of shorts and sneaks to change into. Clearly I didn't get the memo that went out to all Hillterns (Hill Interns) stating the importance of being seen on the green.
4. I would say bring bug spray, but you don't really have to. Since people park themselves so close to you while invading your personal space, you are likely to get a mouth or eye full of OFF if you are not careful. Just be alert and when you see the spray can come out simply jump up and stick your leg or arm into the jetstream of repellent that is bound to come your way.
   
5. Prepare your senses for an assault of sorts as you will encounter a mix of smells throughout the evening - call it Eau de SOTG - a base of repellent, accented with only the best moldy Balducci's cheese, a splash of cheap wine or champagne, topped off with a dollop of sunscreen. And for the ultimate palette cleanser you have a perfect mixture of second hand smoke and Birkenstock stained feet.
6. Don't be alarmed by the strange behaviour that begins once the MC announces the five minute warning and speaks directly the the "HBO Dancers." I was expecting some sort of row of cheerleaders or featured dancers from an upcoming HBO special or show. Instead what I got was a bunch of stirring idiotic interns preparing for what proved to be the weirdest thing I have ever seen on the mall. At the very moment the HBO theme music and logo take over the screen and speakers, the entire crowd gets up and raises their hands to the sky and begins flailing around like victims of some sort of alien abduction. From my viewpoint, where I remained seated, it looked like that scene in Independence Day when the people in LA are on top of the building yelling "Take me with you!" As much as I had wished at that exact moment that some ship would appear and suck all these idiots into the sky, leaving me to watch my movie alone, it did not happen. The music ended and everyone took their seats again. They might as well have been showing or filming an episode of the Twilight Zone.
   
7. Expect to concentrate on listening to the movie while everyone around you has conversations like they are at happy hour. This is one thing I do not understand about this event. Why would you come to sit and watch a movie and then talk the entire way through it. I even saw people handing out business cards during the show. Yes, this is D.C. ever the land of networking, but give it a rest, I am trying to watch a movie.
   
8. Prepare yourself to leave this event in a worse mood than when you arrived. I can assure you that you will be peopled-out, may have a sore back, and may even come home with a few bug bites. Then, inevitably, someone will ask you how the movie was and you will say, "Every third word of each sentence was audible over the chatter of interns and so I guess one third of the movie was pretty good, but I will have to rent it on Netflix."
9. Finally, prepare in advance. If you are going to go see a flick on SOTG, make sure to put the same movie on your Netflix queue at least a week beforehand. This way, you can get home and watch the movie the way it should be viewed - on the comfort of your own couch.

So, after my sophomore attempt at this event, do I dare return for a third year? I guess we will have to wait and see what is on the reel and how early I can get off work.

Oh, that reminds me, I need to finish that letter to HBO suggesting that they pipe the sound for these SOTG films over an unused radio frequency - that way we can listen to the audio on our headphones. Wait, do I even have a radio walkman anymore? Does my iPod have this feature? Man, I am getting old. Forget that idea.

Who's Your City? - My Next Book?

I think I just found my next book. I recently listened to NPR's Talk of the Nation interview with Richard Florida who wrote Who's Your City? I cannot wait to buy this book and see what it has to say about our Capital City.

I think it is interesting how the author calls out personality types. I would qualify myself as the NPR Listener (personality type) - which is a better fit with D.C. apparently - open to experience. Thanks Jason!

I am also excited to listen to Mike Pesca's (Bryant Park Project) interview with Richard. If you get a chance take a listen to these interviews about the creative economy and how you should go about making the most important move of your life.

Washington gets props for being the best location to bring your family. We rank pretty high on the singles category as well. I know I took the Place Finder test and I was not surprised in the least. It recommended I consider San Francisco and Sydney for my next two moves. I guess I will have to read the book and see what it has to say between the words. Has anyone else read this book?

Taking to the Skies!

After a stressful week of public transportation, I am taking to the skies. Yep, I am flying west to LA. No, not in protest, just for pleasure. I am flying Virgin America and I am anxious to see how I like the flight. I will post on that shortly. I promise pictures too.

In other news the Supreme Court just ruled to lift the ban on handguns in the District. Wow, the radio airwaves are buzzing. WAMU is in heaven with e-mails and phone calls coming in. More on that later. For now, I have to get ready to board my flight. Blog you on the other side.

Subalaptiscopalian - My DC 'Hoodprint

I am a big fan of the Washington City Paper. This week's issue is by far one of my favorites as it features a breakout of the District's neighborhoods with borders redrawn according to their reputation, their population and of course, their foundation. After reading a few pages into it, I was in tears laughing. I tried to read it cover to cover, but of course, I was impatient and cheated. I jumped straight to where I live, which according to DC City Paper is referred to as Subarubia.
I laughed out loud, as I knew exactly what they were talking about.

How often have I cursed at the Subaru Outback's with the bike racks driving down Wisconsin Avenue on a Sunday afternoon? We all know them, the "I just biked Rock Creek Park and now I have to fill my mud stained Outback with groceries from Whole Foods." They have priorities after all. Kashi cereal, odwalla juice, organic friendly bags...it is a lifestyle, I get it. Don't always respect it, but I get it. For the record, I own a Honda, which I don't drive...ever. Even before the gas price hikes, I rarely drove my car. Still don't really drive. So I am just as green as you are, if not greener. I am proud of my very small carbon footprint.

But back to the 'hoods...similar to my eclectic tastes, I am not limited to one 'hood. Although I am rooted in Subarubia, I am often in Laptopia (where I am actually writing this blog post - how fitting) and even spend a few nights a week in Episcopalia. So does that make me a Subalaptiscopalian (Play on that annoying AT&T commercial)?

One thing I do love about this city, is with every walk I take, I continue to discover how diverse it is. I explore the Land of the Lofts one weekend and then pick out a house in C-Spanistan the next weekend. I occasionally head down to Fannypackistan to take in the sights, all which remind me why this is one of my favorite cities after all. Just the other day, I discovered the Sixth and I Synagogue. What a beautiful building. I actually saw a concert there. It was a great venue and an amazing show.

Come on, you have to admit, when you drive across the memorial bridge on a clear night and see the Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson illuminated in spotlight, it takes your breath away. That is one of the reasons I always insist on picking up friends from Ronald Reagan National Airport when they arrive at night. Just so we can drive the parkway and cross that bridge and get their reaction as they are welcomed into the Nation's Capital by our sights and sounds. I also give a great night tour of the monuments. It is my signature service for family and friends visiting DC.

I look forward to discovering the additional sections of the city and until then, this issue of the DC City Paper will be my Fodors Guide. I wonder if they make a pocket edition?

Till next time.

Metro Plays Guessing Game with Riders

Taken from the WMATA site:
June 19 is Dump the Pump Day, a great time to try Metro, the affordable alternative to skyrocketing gas prices. We know you'll be on board, but just how many of your fellow commuters will join you? Give us your best guess. If your number is right (or closest), we'll give you a SmarTrip® card loaded with $100 in value. If more than one person has the winning number, we'll draw randomly from the closest ones.
My thoughts: The last thing I need is more people trying Metro. Yes, I agree that metro is the affordable alternative to exorbitant gas prices, but only when trains run on time, don't derail and are not overwhelmed with crowds during rush hour. Okay, so despite my complaining...I took a guess. I think I entered 825,287 passengers on 6/19. Here is to hoping I win. I could use the extra 100 bucks on my SmarTrip card.

My Route to Work Today

I was on my way into work today when I realized I forgot my ID. When I went back to get it the metro was already jam packed. I decided rather than wait it out for three trains I would jump on the bus and take it as far as I can before braving the rails during rush hour again. As a result, I had an adventurous route into work today. Over bridges, under rivers, through a cemetery - all just another commute in the Nation's Capital region. I wonder if my commute home can top it? It might make for a good feature story - different modes of transport to get to work today.

Calling All Buses! Your Retirement is Over

I don't normally read the Examiner, nor the Express, as I feel they are a huge waste of paper and don't like how they are left on the city's buses, metros and streets. This week however, the headline of the paper caught my eye when it featured the rise in passengers on DC's metro.

While reading this article, I laughed to myself as my eyes crossed these words - "Metro officials are considering putting retired buses back in service and adding more eight-car trains if the trend escalates." How exactly does a bus get pulled out of retirement? As a frequent bus passenger, I am very interested in this process. These days, I spend more time on the bus than I do the metro. After a tip from a good friend, I discovered the crosstown bus. The crosstown bus was one of the best moves I made when it comes to my commute. That decision was just confirmed as I read this article.

Apparently, "the railway now is routinely seeing close to or more than 800,000 riders a day, with most of the passengers traveling during rush hour." Great observation Mr. Metro man, but what are you doing about it?

Allow me to provide some more featured quotes from Metro's General Manager interview:
My responses in blue.

• "We still have some room, but it will not be pleasant conditions." - That is an understatement!
• "It’s like highways — there is a point where there’s no additional capacity.” - Like highways?!
• "The system could handle up to 950,000 or even 1 million passengers if more riders traveled during off-peak times." - Oh sure, let me just tell my employer/client to change their hours.
• "You might have to operate those cars without air conditioning. I’m not willing to make that call yet." - Thank goodness you have some sense - the AC is one of the few remaining benefits.

I don't have the ultimate solution, but I do know that years ago I used to enjoy taking the metro and showing it off to all those that visit me in this Capital City. Until we figure out how we can handle the surge of riders (can you blame them with gas being priced at $4.50?) I am going to stick to the crosstown buses and take in more of the city from the above ground view. Plus, at least this way, I always get a seat.

Until next time.

Liberté, égalité, velocity?

Recently, while listening to one of my favorite podcasts - American Public Media's Marketplace, I overheard a story about how French citizens are revolting against speed cameras in Paris. It appears the Armed Revolutionary Nationalist Faction (F'NAR) has decided to launch a revolution against Big Brother. This made me think about the ongoing discussion we in DC have about our red light cameras. We think we have it bad with an occasional flash bulb going off as we inch across that intersection. At least we are provided a map with all their locations. Did you know that you can go online and find out where they all are located? How nice of Mayor Fenty to share this with us so we know where not to block the box.

Apparently, in France the speed cameras have caused quite an uproar. To date over 30,000 citizens have been fined. Instead of making a citizen's arrest on the camera technology or debating in through political vehicles, the French just destroy, revolt and demand change. Are the speed cameras the new Bastille of the Beltway? I know the French are trying to make a statement invoking historical traditions by destroying first, and asking questions later. While breaking the lenses, pouring in gasoline and lighting them on fire may gain attention, I don't think they will prevent the cameras from going up all over France. After all, these cameras make the government quite a bit of money. I can't help but wonder why they don't simply get up and tape a towel over the lens or place paper over the sensors?

MarioKart on Wisconsin Avenue?

I hate people who litter. I am rather proud of how clean our city is when compared to cities like NYC or even Philadelphia. This evening, while walking home on Wisconsin Avenue, I saw something that caught my eye. I was standing next to a car waiting to cross at an intersection when a driver so casually threw a banana peel out the window into the right hand lane of traffic. At first, I laughed out loud, because it made me think of Mario Kart 64 when characters would lay down banana peels to make you wipe out as you rounded the race track. Of course in non-N64 world we know this doesn't happen. It was funny nonetheless. I guess she would have been the princess character. I was always Captain Toady O'Hare when I played the game. But, I digress. Thankfully, banana peels are biodegradable and I didn't have to step into oncoming traffic to pick up your trash Mrs. Virginia Driver - Blue Camry - plate ending in 1522. You know who you are. How about next time you hold your trash until you cross the Key Bridge and then you can pollute Rosslyn all you want. Goodnight. 

A Whiteboard Aboard?

This weekend I was riding the bus in honor of the outrageous price of gas - $3.99 a gallon in my neighborhood! As I got on the 32 bus on Wisconsin Avenue I noticed that behind where the driver sits, there was a whiteboard in the place of where an advertisement poster usually hangs. At first I thought it was one of those creative UPS ads...you know the one with the guy drawing solutions on the whiteboard. But as I looked closer I noticed that it was in fact a whiteboard that the driver has used to write messages to the passengers.

The message of the day said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Cash fare $1.35 / Smartrip Fare $1.25.
Thank You!"

I couldn't make it out really. Was this a way for the driver to communicate with passengers and reiterate to them the benefits of getting a Smartrip card? Tangent warning - I am about to go off here. I know that the bus drivers hate when passengers jam the fare machine with the buckets of coins they carry. Just my opinion, but I think there should be Smartrip-only buses, similar to Smartrip only lanes in the metro. Maybe these could also be the express buses to downtown. "Next stop Farragut Square - no local stops." Sure there is traffic, but those pesky stops along Mass. Ave - you know the one right outside the British Embassy and the Brazilian Embassy - I mean who lives around there anyway? And chances are if they live around there, they can afford these gas prices. Not saying that they should drive just because they can afford it. All in all, I am glad they are taking the public transport.

Anyway, back to what I was saying about the whiteboard on board the bus. I think it is a great idea and could be a very creative way for the bus drivers to interact with the passengers - albeit one way initially, I think it could strike a pleasant tone. It could be the bus-stop version of when metro train conductors stray from their script and talk to their passengers - "Good Morning Red line passengers and welcome to the Red Line to Shady Grove, I hope you are having a wonderful Washington morning. Please make sure to take your belongings with you as you leave the train today, yes including those pesky Express papers. I appreciate your assistance and hope to see you again on metro." I love watching the faces of the passengers when this happens. Some laugh, some scowl, others are completely ignorant of anything but their blaring iPods. Remind me to send a complaint to Steve Jobs about those terrible headphones that emit more sound outside the ears than in the ears.

You all know what I am talking about - when the conductor decides to get creative and change it up a bit. Sometimes they say funny things - I call those the rail riding wannabe comedians. I hope they are working hard to eventually go on at the DC Improv. Then, there are the mean lecture type conductors that yell at you the entire time telling you to not block the doors because it will break their train and ruin our day, blah, blah, blah. I like the ones that tell you the time in between tunnels...it reminds me of the old fashion recording you used to call that would say "When you hear the tone, the time will be seven thirty seven and one quarter...BOING!" Ten points for anyone who can guess that line from a movie - a very old movie, but a classic. I digress again.

So, back to the drawing board, I mean whiteboard. I hope it is a new idea in implementation, because I would look forward to boarding the bus to see the thought of the day scribbled behind where the driver sits. After all they do have some of the hardest jobs in the city. I mean come on, I wouldn't last two seconds dodging those people on bikes in this city. That is why I always thank them when I come off the bus. It is great to see them thanking us as well - whiteboard or no whiteboard.

A Washingtonian's View of the Big Apple

Standing outside Grand Central watching the city go to work

Bryant Park parents and children

Steps in Central Park

Does anyone use pay phones anymore?

New York Public Library

Outside NYPL

Lord & Taylor

Grand Central from inside

The Ice Rink in Central Park

Have a seat and watch the city come alive

Imagine all the people...who have taken this picture

Benches in Central Park

What Happened to DC's Snooze Button?

I recently took a trip to New York City (more on that trip in a forthcoming post - The Washingtonian View of the Big Apple).

It had been a few years since my last trip and this time I really wanted to "get a feel for the city." Among my many questions, I asked the locals, "What time do New Yorkers start their work day? - or - What time of morning is socially acceptable to arrive at the office on any given work day?" I was surprised at the answer - on average between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. Note, I did not conduct a comprehensive study on this, I just asked a few New Yorkers I met, so I am aware it is probably not representative of all of NYC.

Being from D.C. I sometimes feel as if I am in constant competition with NYC. Who has the better museums, who has the higher rents and bar tabs, who is truly the international city in the United States? I think the root of many of my questions, including the one about our wake up calls, was comparative and competitive in nature. I am very proud of my city and I love hearing when New Yorkers come to visit and fall in love with the cleanliness and the carpeted metro and the reflection of the monument on bodies of water. So when I went to NYC this time, I already had a checklist in my head - what makes us different from NYC and them from us. One thing I noticed - NYC sleeps in more!

Let me clarify my statement a little. We all know the famous attribute of New York-the city that never sleeps. Having spent three almost anthropological observation days there, I took note - this is in fact a misnomer. New York does sleep, just not all at once. New York is a city of two shifts - the day and the night. The city suffers rush hour times two - or so it seems. There is a change of shift from day to night and then dusk to dawn. I learned that the NYC Subway is open 24 hours a day! That takes a lot of very hard working people and a at least two shift changes that happen everyday.
One thing I really enjoyed while I was there was trying to decipher when someone was executing a shift change versus simply transiting the city for everyday business. New York City and it streets, stations and subways are all instruments in a great 21st century symphony of sounds and sights. This booming composition acts like a soundtrack on all sides of you and your senses to remind you that the city is humming around the clock. It may sound strange, but I found it soothing to stand in the middle of it all and watch it transpire around me.

But, I digress. My original reason for this post was to highlight my belief that D.C. residents are not allowing themselves the luxury of sleeping in these days. Since my return from NYC I have been watching closely the patterns of population commuting and riding the metro at the earlier hours. There seems to be a growing trend of people getting up earlier to "beat the rush." Unfortunately, it is creating what I like to call "the early rush hour." (See similar topic in article from USA Today about Atlanta commuters).

The other day, I got up early and was standing on the platform at 5:35 am - Red Line. I was shocked to find at least 35 other people on the platform with me. Yes, I actually counted. And what is even more disturbing is the fact that none of them seemed phased to be up this early. They weren't yawning or hiding their coffee from the views of the metro cameras. Simply standing there waiting for the train. That takes training - so they have been at this a while?

Then, when the train came, I was even more shocked at the fact that there were only three seats available in the whole car at that hour. Let me remind you it was 5:40 in the morning at this point. I looked around at the passengers as if I was able to read there faces to tell me where they began their commute. Many of them looked as if they began in the beginning - Shady Grove. I didn't even want to do the math in my head - what time they must have gotten up to get here this early. The thought hurt my eyes, that pain behind the eyeball.

I think it has really ruined what used to be my favorite part of the day - that early morning in DC. When no one else was up and I could smoothly glide on the rails, head against the train window listening to my iPod play melodies by Juliet Simms. PARKER!

So, here is my plea to my fellow Washingtonians - please go back to sleep. Hit that snooze button one more time and allow us early birds to resume our peaceful commute the way it used to be, before you all caught on to our pre-sunrise secret.