Feeling a little squeezed in on Metro these days? It’s not just your imagination — there really are more people riding the rails these days, according to the Examiner. High gas prices have pushed more and more people onto Metro, further crowding a transit agency already experiencing record high ridership. While eight-car trains have been tested on various lines in recent weeks and used during busy weekends, the crowd-thinning longer trains won’t be in full service until late next year at the earliest. Until then, the best WMATA has offered is encouraging riders not to ride at peak hours. Has your commute been a little less comfortable recently?

Police Prepare for Protests: Local police have started prepping for a weekend of large anti-war and anti-globalization events, canceling days off and deploying hundreds of extra officers to patrol Saturday’s events, writes the Post. Even so, protestors — which may number upwards of 100,000 — will benefit from a new District law that forces police to visibly display identification, prohibits the dispersal of crowds without prior warning, and allows for small demonstrations without permits. While police officials expect the weekend to run smoothly, a sergeant with U.S. Park Police — appropriately named Scott Fear — stated that undercover officers would be marching alongside anti-war demonstrators and that intelligence officers have begun gathering information on the march’s organizers. And as we have reported in the past, we are sure that the city’s 14 CCTV cameras will be in full use.

Fenty Promises to Keep Key Williams Officials: While Council-member Adrian Fenty (D-Ward 4) has been touting his credentials as a reformer and a leading critic of D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, he has similarly promised to keep some of Williams’ most reliable deputies if he is elected, writes WTOP. Among those he would keep are City Administrator Robert Bobb; District Department of Transportation Director Dan Tangherlini; Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families, and Elders Neil Albert; and Anacostia Waterfront Initiative President Andrew Altman.

Professors Try Podcasting: My, how fast technology moves. First it was blogs burning up the margins of the online world, only to become tools of the trade for political candidates, corporations, and the rich & famous. Now podcasting — the creation of sound files that can be downloaded to an iPod — has moved its way from the fringes into the mainstream, academe to be specific. WTOP reports that at least two area professors have taken to podcasting their lectures, offering students the chance to replay class material and professors the ability to remain hip to the fast-moving world of technology.

Briefly Noted: Some Maryland residents still recovering from 2003’s Hurricane Isabel … Montgomery County search and rescue team returns from New Orleans … Georgetown professor assaults State Department worker … George Washington student bites police officer … Safeway launches online shopping and delivery service … Shooting in Mt. Pleasant leaves man dead.

Picture above snapped by MatthewBradley.