The vitality of thought is in adventure. Ideas won’t keep. Something must be done about them. When the idea is new, its custodians have fervor, live for it, and, if need be die for it. Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) British mathematician and philosopher OK, so I won’t necessarily die for my ideas (I’d make a horrible Vercingetorix or Imre Nagy), but you get the point. Starting DCist nearly a year ago, I had no idea…

Photo by Keith Tagg/Adam Stacey via Flickr We woke up this morning and heard the grim news from London of what appears to be a shocking coordinated attack on the city’s transportation system during the morning rush hour. According to the BBC, there have been explosions near three Underground stations — Edgware Road, Aldgate, and the massive King’s Cross station — and on one double-decker bus near Tavistock Square. The city’s transportation system has…

One of our favorite monuments in this city is the District of Columbia’s World War I Memorial, honoring those from the capital who fought and died in the Great War. This DCist’s late great uncle, who grew up in Foggy Bottom before George Washington University gobbled it all up, was a World War I vet. So we stop by when ever we stroll through West Potomac Park. On our Fourth of July tour of the…

We here at DCist want to send a public congratulatory note to our colleagues in London who are currently celebrating the awarding of the 2012 Olympics to the British capital. In the end it came down to London and Paris. And Londonist couldn’t help injecting some cross-Straits of Dover (or is it Pas de Calais?) jabs into the celebration. From Londonist: “Napoleon, Francois Mitterand, Charles de Gaulle, Eric Cantona, Serge Gainsbourg, Gustave Eiffel, Johnny Halliday!!!…

Depending on your sentimentalities for the agrarian age, today may be a sad day. The last-known operating farm inside the Beltway has been sold off and being prepped for a Giant supermarket and strip mall. Duane Dickerson, who has grown tired of defending his Prince George’s County farm from increasing crime in the county, decided enough was enough and sold it to a North Carolina-based developer, the AP via WTOP reports. But Prince George’s County…

Happy Tuesday. Now it’s time to get back to work. We hope you enjoyed your weekend. Here’s a photo taken by Jeff Simmermon of the official and unoffical fireworks viewed from Columbia Heights. More July Fourth Wrap Up: WMATA reports increased holiday ridership compared to last year … Evacuation routes tested on fireworks crowds … Partisan Squabbles Over Nats Hats: Everyone loves the Washington Nationals. First, their ticket sales are through the roof. But…

Yes, our Nikon pretty much sucks, but we think some of our photos of the D.C. fireworks worked out quite well. Here you can see three major blurred symbols of American democracy — the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial — framing a spectacular fire burst above West Potomac Park. We encourage you do drop in your photos of the fireworks in DCist Photos. Here’s our quick roundup of the July Fourth…

After reopening a month or so ago after many months of rebuilding, the escalators at Union Station leading to the Red Line metrorail station are again out of service. How Now Brown Pau snapped this photo here, posted it in DCist Photos and voiced his frustrations. Wow, WMATA! You’re totally going for that world record for most escalator breakdowns at a single station, aren’t you? Go for it! You can do it! Reach for those…

For those who will be around town this weekend, it’s probably safe to assume that you’ll run into some sort of July Fourth crowd. We used to go down to the Mall, but sitting around for hours to secure a patch of grass in the sun isn’t what we call fun. We’ve mixed up our fireworks-watching spots from year to year and here, we want to start a conversation with our readers as to different…

… Wait, Google already does. Google has now put forth its Google Earth feature. It’s in its beta testing period but here’s what you’ll be able to do: — Fly from space to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in. — Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions. — Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings. — Save and share your searches and favorites….