Ballou HS Rocks the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
Photo of the Day: November 27, 2009
Caps Thankful for Varly in 2-0 Win
Thanks to This Week's Advertisers
It's that time of year when the trees are in full bloom, the days get longer and the IMF and World Bank hold their annual meetings. And in good annual fashion, a meeting of the world's top financial official is sure to draw a crowd of protesters, though nowhere as many as in the heyday of anti-globalization activism. WTOP has the details on the protests and demonstrations that might complicate your commute today and over the weekend; WJLA has a list of road closures. We're all for free speech and activism, just as long as it doesn't include anything like 2007's foolish-turned-violent October Rebellion that hit Georgetown.
Metro/Nats Dust-Up Concludes Quickly: Yesterday we wrote of the brewing conflict between Metro, the District and the Nationals. The short: DDOT Director Gabe Klein told the Nats that the city would no longer be fronting the costs for running Metro past its closing time during late games, roughly $27,000 an hour. It didn't take long for Klein's superiors to quickly smack him down, and the Post today quote the new DDOT director taking one for the team, saying, "I'm relatively new, and I'm going to fall on my sword. If the city makes a commitment, we have to make sure to honor that commitment." Metro claimed that they don't have the money to pay for the late-night service, and neither Maryland nor Virginia were willing to pay for a perk that other organizations and teams are forced to pay for themselves. Our take? It is the city's team, so there is an argument to be made for getting people to and from the games. But why does it feel like we got taken by the Nats ownership yet again?
Metro Moves Closer to Dedicated Funding: In more Metro news, WTOP reports that local officials are getting closer to fashioning a plan for dedicated funding for the transit agency so as to gain access to $1.5 billion in federal funds that were appropriated last year for capital improvements. Metro Board Chairman and D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) will introduce legislation in early May that irons out past differences between D.C., Maryland and Virginia on the funding.
NIMBYism Takes Front Stage at Holder Hearing: The D.C. Examiner reports of a hearing on the Hill yesterday where Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) told Attorney General Eric Holder in no uncertain terms that he opposes a plan floated by the Obama administration to move some Guantanamo detainees to a prison in Alexandria for trial. Virginia officials have been angered by the plan, saying that it would pose a danger to the courthouse and the surrounding urban environment, which includes shops and hotels.
Briefly Noted: Legal clinic for homeless kept afloat by donations ... Another reason to be concerned about D.C. EMS service ... Defense lawyers challenge evidence in Levy slaying.
This Day in DCist: On this day in 2008, we visited Cheesetique in Del Ray. In 2007, Butterstick (or Tai Shan, if you like his lame name) was saved from deportation to China.
Picture snapped by Iceman882
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My take? If WMATA can blow $1.7 million on fugly-ass suburban "art" they can cough up a measly $27 grand to stay open a couple hours. Aren't these the same dildos who wouldn't let Google Maps access their data because it would cut into the whopping $68,000 they make off ad revenue? They could generate that much revenue from a single urinal cake advertisement in New Carrolton Station alone! Do these clowns have ANY clue how to f**king manage money? Or are they too busy sitting on piles of cash and cocaine, banging Thai hookers with hundred dollar bills wrapped around their peckers?
Cheeze n' Crackers. Forgot about the WB meetings. Also forgot that I need to make a dinner reservation for 7 people tonight. I'm screwed.
I don't get the whole opposition to the G'tmo detainees. I mean, you got the prison, you got the orange jumpsuits and its not like these guys have a will to live anymore.
The Guantanamo detainees should be relocated to a community that welcomes immigrants and embraces cultural diversity: Prince William County. The place is already a kind of sprawling, imploding cul de sac prison of sorts. And since you're an hour's drive from anything resembling civilization, any sort of terrorist threat would be mitigated by the fact that nobody give's a fat rat's fart about what happens to PW County. Really, if you're going to embrace the sprawling Mcmansion lifestyle, while rounding up suspicious foreigners and harvesting their organs, only to have your local economy implode, you have to take what you can get. I suggest a firesale real estate campaign involving teeshirts with the slogan, "GITMO Home For Your Dollar!"
Thanks Monkey. You made me wet my knickers.
Even better, they should keep them in Maryland. They can all get drivers licenses and drive themselves to trial, saving the taxpayers a lot of money.
Wow, I somehow missed the "October Rebellion." That's a good reminder that the Teabaggers aren't the only idiots out there.
As part of Graham's Metro legislation, he should include a provision in there requiring all Metro board members to actually, you know, ride the Metro.
Dear Constituent,
As part of Metro legislation, we are including a provision requiring all Metro board members to have three extra parking spaces each, to better serve you.
Bests,
Jim Graham
PS: WHARRGARBL.
HCE is dead. Long live NewHCE. For those of you that don't know, "HCE" was an under the wire "guest" account that was used by many folks until I co-opted it not to long ago. Unfortunately, I found a couple of really offensive comments posted under this name from several months back that I am afraid could detract from the supreme logic of my arguments on guns and votes.
Are people really staying at the stadium past 11:00 to watch the Nats lose? Maybe Metro should tie their funding to the Nats' record. The more they win - the more Metro pays.
Actually, the Nats won the most recent game that pushed the limits of Metro's late night hours (this past Monday).
Wow that EMS article needs its own post, its sickening.
The city has about 250 paramedics, and about 175 have been put through the assessment program at a training center in Maryland. The Times obtained test scores for at least 95 of the paramedics. Only three scored in a range to get a passing grade under the national standards for entry-level paramedics.
Only three out of 100 could pass to become an entry level paramedic?!? And none those are necessarily good scores, just passing. And those are probably the guys that are the top level paramedics.
Can we just fire everyone and start from scratch? I don't think the city will be safer even if its months of no service, than under the current service.
"Based on what I saw on those videos, there is no question in my mind," said Paul Werfel, director of New York's Stony Brook University's paramedic program and a clinical assistant professor of health sciences. "To be perfectly honest, I think there's a real threat here. The safety of the people of the District of Columbia is at risk. It's a clear and present danger to them."
He said many of the paramedics displayed a lack of familiarity with the equipment they were using and had difficulty performing basic paramedic tasks, such as intubating a patient. He said that one paramedic put a bag valve mask that assists patients with breathing difficulties on the mannequin upside down, others mismanaged the patients' airways, and others administered medications to cardiac arrest victims when the situation called for electric shocks. Many of the paramedics used obsolete techniques to determine the condition of the patient.
I don't think the city will be safer even if its months of no service, than under the current service.
That should read I think the city will be safer...
Be fair tmoney, the tests were probably given during the summer jobs program. I mean, where did you think all those kids were working?
Seriously, that is frightening.
Agreed, this should get its own post. The fact that all but 3 of the city's paramedics (whose results have been released) failed is utterly shocking and totally unacceptable. The National Registry is the national standard for EMS care, and the fact that the overwhelming majority of the city's medics can't pass it, much less do well, is truly a public health threat. (As a Maryland paramedic I've interacted with DC providers and frankly, I can't say I'm too surprised at these results. The Registry really isn't that difficult if you have even a modicum of proficiency at your job.)
Mental note: When planning to have a heart attack or other medical emergency, make sure to have it in MoCo.
Whenever I'm in downtown DC, I always make sure I have at least one "black capsule" with me. It worked for Hitler and Eva Braun.
Ambulance come. You get in. You dead already.
EMS=Express Mortuary Service
You betta wake up and smell the real flava
'Cause 911 is a fake life saver.
Git up, a git git git down
911 is a joke in yo town.