February 27, 2008
Morning Roundup: Reckless Texting Edition
Good morning, Washington. Despite the event posing a dire enough threat to merit extensive coverage by the national media, it appears that most of us have survived yesterday's early Starbucks closing time. Still, this is no time to get complacent.
Committee Rejects Md. Texting-While-Driving Ban: Via WTOP the AP reports that a proposed ban on sending text messages while behind the wheel has died in committee in the Maryland legislature. Lawmakers opposing the ban said that it was redundant since reading or composing SMSes while driving would already violate statutes against reckless driving. However, they still warned that they might have to pass such a ban in the future.
D.C. May Face Budget Shortfall: WTOP is reporting that slumping sales tax revenue has unexpectedly put the District $75M into the red. Declining tax revenues have been a problem for many local governments due to the troubled real estate sector, but D.C. had been expected by many to be largely immune to these effects. Although a deficit was projected for the year, the news of its size and source have both come as a surprise.
Immigration Policy Proves Pricey: One week ago news arrived that Prince William County was emptying its contingency fund to pay for its new anti-illegal immigrant measures. Now NBC4 reports that that money won't be enough. The county's supervisors were presented with a revised budget for the initiative yesterday, and it now comes in at nearly three times the initial estimate. Although a final vote on the matter won't come until April, increases in property taxes are being proposed to balance the county budget, which is suffering both from the new expenditures and the aforementioned housing market downturn.
Briefly Noted: Kaine announces $4.25 million for farm preservation, anti-foreclosure measures... Meningitis case at UMD puts 30 on antibiotics... Metro considers $500k for review by outside consultants... Fairfax gym theft operation broken up, nets five arrests... Sculpture rejected as terrorism memorial... N. Va. Imam may have aided Al-Qaeda...
This Day In DCist: One year ago we expressed solidarity with Puerto Rico and frustration with the fate of our own (doomed) voting rights legislation.
Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user esshots
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frustration with the fate of what???
i can't function until you let me know what i'm supposed to be frustraed with. i can't take the time to click on the link!
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on another note, we need to hurry up and get DCUSA open....add some more sales tax dollars to the district's coffers, keep those dollars from going to MD and VA.
Committee Rejects Md. Texting-While-Driving Ban
finaly thoz nanny stat moronz in anapols realiz u cant legislt bhavior. lets hop they ... [car veers off into embankment, bursts into flames, monkey runs shrieking from wreckage]
Am I the only one who is glad that depressing memorial wasn't foisted upon our city?
It's really tiresome that DC is viewed as the nation's diorama. Maybe we can do sorta like the British and separate the ceremonial head of state from the actual head of state, but with cities. So DC can remain the center of the Government, but then some other city, let's say some economically depressed city like Cleveland, can be the dumping ground of every interest group's memorial/museum/political rally.
I don't see what the big deal is. So what if tax revenues are down? Nothing a little belt-tightening can't fix. DC just needs to do like Prince William County and hike property taxes 28%. That, and cut back on annual tax office embezzlements to a lean $10 million. Problem solved.
And to be fair, it's kinda hard to come up with a non-depressing terrorism memorial. But hey, I'm willing to donate my 2nd Grade Johnny Tremaine diorama if it will help the healing process. I made it all by myself out of toiletpaper tubes and bits of dung!
Yeah but those memorial/museum/political rally’s bring in tourist that bring in tax money, which apparently DC needs more of.
What typical bureaucrat politician toolboxes. "We refuse to pass this because it's redundant legislature... but we may have to pass it in the future so we can have something to do! Lolz!"
In America, you use budget to bust immigrants.
In Soviet Russia, budget for immigrants busts you!
I actually like the proposed monument but I dont feel like it belongs in DC. The part that bothers me is that in the article it states that one of the reasons it was rejected was that people might be offended because of the nudity of the sculptures. The statues are not pornographic or sexual at all. It would be nice if some people could view nudity as symbolism and art rather than perversion.
Don't get why folks in DC are so squeamish about nudity and statues. This is, after all, the town that demanded Winfield Scott's statue be "augmented" from a mare to a stallion. That's some spicy retrofitting!
Nudity makes BABIES.
The sculpture was just plain ugly. And incredibly depressing. Now, I know you can't make a memorial to victims of terrorism that leaves yuou all happy and cheerful on the inside, but the proposed one was incredibly depressing. Plus, I agree with Reid that we don't need to be the depository of all memorials to all things that any interest groups want to build.
The DC shortfall of $75 million is tiny in comparison to the surrounding jurisdictions. But didn't DCPS just discover it had a $100 million shortfall? And don't we spend more than $100 million on a few thousand DCPS special ed kids? And weren't we about to spend a large chunk of change on a new soccer stadium? And didn't the DC Council just give the Verizon Center $50 million for new scoreboards and Council luxury boxes? Seems like some relatively easy budget tightening is in order.
And I am enjoying the financial misery that is befalling Prince William County. Corey Stewart is willing to ruin the county's finances in order to have an anti-illegals platform he hopes will propel him into the Lt. Gov. spot. What a douche.
I'm sorry but that proposed sculpture is terrible. If there has to be something of this nature in DC, or another city, why oh why do they think this is a good memorial? Why does it have to be sad? why can't it represent dignity or grace or even some abstract idea (god forbid). Does everyone need to be told over and over that 9/11 was a sad day?
"It would be nice if some people could view nudity as symbolism and art rather than perversion."
You're forgetting what country you're in. Remember our previous chief law enforcement officer had to cover up statues in the DOJ.
However, I think the reasons given in the articles may just be covers for the real reason, which cannot be spoken in public by an official. In my mind, if you have a memorial for terrorism victims, where do you stop? What about a memorial for non-terrorism murder victims? Or victims of child exploitation, or rape? Etc..
"Johnny Tremaine" in 2nd grade? You must have been in the advanced class. It was part of our 8th-grade English. In 2nd grade, our class made a model of DC. I lucked out and got to make the Pentagon -- boy was that easy.
The whole "depressing" argument was also made when the Vietnam Memorial was unveiled, some going as far as to call it a "black wall of shame." Now it's one of the most visited sites on the Mall.
Sometimes being miserable is the most important part of the healing process. Like when I put on "Love Story" with the sound turned down, crank up The Smiths, and dance naked in the basement with my guest at the bottom of a well where it rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.
Another consultant review? Didn't Metro already bring in a panel of outside experts (from other transit agencies) to recommend improvements? I'll take $250K and can give them my top recommendation: stop paying for consultants.
Eighthman - I taught International Fleet Command everything they know about battling Buggers.
Talented And Gifted chilluns REPRESENT!
Where was this even going to go? I don't think there is any room for it on the National Mall, and if there were, it would stick out like a sore, and very ugly, thumb.
Aw, don't be ashamed of your hand, Johnny Tremain, you still live in exciting times.
Sir, do you know how loud you were reading?
The life of a silversmith's apprentice was not an easy one...
what necessitates the creation of a memorial to the victims of terrorism? it seems like there is this national trend towards hand-wringing and the need of people to co-opt the suffering of others and to out-grief one another. people die. horrible shit happens. do we really need to encapsulate and revisit each of these moments for all eternity? what gave birth to this sob-group mentality?
so that's what follows our. thanks, dcist.
Seems like a lot of folks don't remember 9/11. Or at least that plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
I saw a bumpersticker on some monster Cadillac Apocalypse SUV. The logo had the outline of the World Trade Center twin towers within a silhouette of the Pentagon. Three planes were flying towards the center which read "9/11). Beneath, in big ominous letters it said, "NEVER FORGET." And I kinda got the gas face and said to myself, "Waitaminit...didn't FOUR planes crash on 9/11?"
Never forget indeed.
Monkeyrotica: Don't worry. All it takes is $50 million to make sure people never forget.
In 2nd grade, our class made a model of DC. I lucked out and got to make the Pentagon
And we wonder why tourists get confused when they come to visit DC.
@ Jim: "Officially," as in according to the post office, the Pentagon is part of DC. Having worked there, I learned that although the phone numbers are 703, the P.O. address is Washington, DC 20330. Of course, we all know that it is in Arlington; however, this may be too gray a line for educators assigning diorama subjects.