August 25, 2008
Morning Roundup: Back to School Edition
Good morning, Washington. So, the Olympic closing ceremony — pretty terrible, right? Slate's Olympic Twitter feed did an able job belittling the proceedings, but missed my favorite part: when the cockney dancer-zombies tried to scale the grass-filled double decker bus to devour David Beckham. What did you folks think?
School's In For Autumn: The District's kids will head back to class today, and the city's classrooms will mostly be ready for them, according to the Washington Times. All 123 buildings will apparently be open, but work may continue on at least four of them after hours. Chancellor Rhee also says that steps have been taken to ensure that there's no repeat of last year's problems related to textbook distribution and parents not knowing that classes have started. Speaking of Michelle Rhee, the Post has a longer piece putting the schools chancellor's first year in context. In short: unapologetically hard-nosed tactics, a tireless work ethic and heavily consolidated power have set Rhee up to be considered a hero or villain, but probably nothing in between.
Barry's Challengers Profiled:The Post takes a look at the folks hoping to take over Marion Barry's Ward 8 council seat. These candidates' critiques of Barry are similar: they say they'd bring energy, fresh ideas and, perhaps most importantly, a clean slate. But there's not much indication that they're likely to unseat the mayor-for-life.
Kaine Responds To Biden Pick: As you've no doubt heard, Tim Kaine is not Barack Obama's chosen running mate. But he doesn't mind, according to the Post. It's an honor just to be nominated! Or, uh, not nominated. You know what we mean. Kaine declined to rule out taking a job with the administration if one was offered, but said he expects to finish his term as Governor of Virginia.
Briefly Noted / Horribly Tragic: D.C. elementary school teacher and security guard dead in apparent murder/suicide... Robbery in Dale City leaves man dead... Man accused of drowning children tries to plead guilty, ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation... Two men killed in Trinidad over the weekend... Twelve year-old girl killed in firearm accident...
This Day In DCist: One year ago Eastern Market reopened. Two years ago Beirut played the Warehouse Next Door and we made Kati rolls.
Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user lolabunee
| 
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
[ report this ]
whee!!! back, and nothing much appears different.
people still getting killed, barry still there (i read dream city on the plane back from europe....everyone should read that book), and the schools are still in the news. anything else really big happen in the last 3 weeks?
(tunisia is beautiful, italy is awesome...and the vatican is small)
[ report this ]
Just think we were this close to seeing Fenty take possession of the Antwerp Flag
See some horribly cheesy DC themed performance
Seeing the RFK site being totally redeveloped with the Olympic Stadium (providing the Redskins the stadium they need for a return to DC), a new aquatic center and more,
Seeing the new stadium for the United being built
Seeing the The Mall get totally upgraded and redeveloped
And the millions more spent on Metro and other transit upgrades.
But nooooo, we have to rake the USOC over the coals for the bribery issue and they gave DC the big FU by not selecting, what most considered, the strongest bid.
[ report this ]
Wait a minute, our Shadow Senator has interns!? Six interns, no less!?
Are you kidding me? What the hell does a Shadow Senator have to fill his day, let alone the days of six other people? I certainly hope those are unpaid interns.
[ report this ]
they say they'd bring energy, fresh ideas and, perhaps most importantly, a clean slate.
That attitude belies a profound misunderstanding of Barry's constituents. Because if those things were important to Ward 8, they probably wouldn't keep electing Marion Barry. Their cars get 40 rods to the hogshead and, gol durn it, that's how they likes it!
[ report this ]
While I doubt we'll see Tim Kaine himself play a role in the next administration, his eyebrows have a lock on a cabinet level position.
I'm thinking Interior; there is some natural resource management on that forehead reminiscent of John Muir.
[ report this ]
When it comes to the Office of DC Shadow Senator, the term "intern" is a fairly broad one, covering both hot-and-cold running fellatrixes and blumpkin providers. The tradition goes back to DC's first Shadow Senator, Lamont Cranston, wealthy man-about-town who journeyed to the mysterious Orient and learned the power to cloud men's minds. You don't think his trusty sidekick Margo Lane could handle all that work and the fax machine?
[ report this ]
I'm thinking Interior; there is some natural resource management on that forehead reminiscent of John Muir.
With the amount of harvesting it takes to keep those fields in shape, I think Secretary of Agriculture is more apropos.
[ report this ]
Look, just because each shadow senator has six interns does not mean we have some Caligula-type situation on our hands. But if we do we can only hope there is a some decent video available. With these tax rates we deserve better than 8 bit audio and star wipes.
[ report this ]
Because if those things were important to Ward 8, they probably wouldn't keep electing Marion Barry
Yeah, Lord Marion has already delivered for his constituents, or have you already forgotten about the utterly corrupt summer jobs program, where kids were even paid to work out at a gym. As long as money is siphoned off for DC's Friends and Family plan, Barry will keep his job.
And if it ever got even close, I wouldn't put it below Barry to make an explicit case that:
A. He needs this damn job for the money, and
B. They owe it to him.
[ report this ]
Look, just because each shadow senator has six interns does not mean we have some Caligula-type situation on our hands.
Unlike the Ward 8 Councilman's office. Granted, Marion Barry didn't marry his sister, but he did try and get his Jaguar, Incitatus, appointed consul.
[ report this ]
Yeah, six interns, one make-believe Senator, one Wilson Bldg basement office.
You do the math.
[ report this ]
"As she has consolidated power, she has weakened the authority of principals and instructional superintendents, administrators who oversee clusters of schools, and diminished school-based decision-making." I love this quote in the Post. These are the same people who've had the "authority" for years and have done nothing with it ... right?
[ report this ]
Are you kidding me? What the hell does a Shadow Senator have to fill his day, let alone the days of six other people? I certainly hope those are unpaid interns.
Based on the stories from interns I knew (who had friends working in Strauss' office), they babysit his kids and run meaningless errands for him.
[ report this ]
the abc7 article on saturday's shooting is ridiculously incorrect - if the first shooting happenened on morris road in se, then it was nowhere near trinidad, unless anacostia is now in ne.
to the folks who get paid to be newspeople: open a f*%king map already.
[ report this ]
Is it just me that feels this sense of deja vu? Why could that be? The continuing cycle of DC polictics. The inevitible cries for justice for the people... or maybe that Monday morning is acutally still Friday night? Oh, that could be because we have the exact same photo up! Cheers!
Welcome back Imgoph!
Did anyone hit the Ben's anniversary?
Oh, and the Beckham zombies were horrible. Did the Brits plan the bus and umbrella thing seperately from Chinese? It was crazy.
[ report this ]
Aren't most of Strauss' interns blond high school girls? Exactly what does a make-believe senator need interns for?
And the closing ceremonies were generally lame, although they did have some pretty neat moments (Jimmy Page and Fiona Lewis, not being among those moments).
[ report this ]
I love this quote in the Post. These are the same people who've had the "authority" for years and have done nothing with it ... right?
They should have called the article "Rhee's War on Administrators".
Of course, like the Post's "War on Drivers" article, they can paint the actions of Rhee as agressive as they want, I'll still take her side. The more she pisses off DC's administrative-industrial-complex, the more proof I have that she's right.
[ report this ]
The best part of that article on Barry:
Two words: DNA Testing.
[ report this ]
Paul Strauss should have as many unpaid interns as he sees fit. They're not costing the tax payers a dime. Good for him for being resourceful. He can get a lot more done with six staff members than he can with one. Paul Strauss has always pursued the District's best interests. I have every faith in him.
[ report this ]
He can get a lot more done with six staff members than he can with one.
So true. Since my prehensile penis augmentation surgery, my multitasking capabilies have increased three-fold. Finally, I can drive, text, surf, write my memoirs, and bust knuckle babies at the same time. Face it, if you only have one set of genitalia, you're at a serious disadvantage in this town. A dedicated public servant like Paul Strauss deserves at least six penises, if not more.