May 2009
15 posts
Virginia Bans Smiles →
Naturally, the new software is programmed to reject attempts at exuberance or human warmth. ‘It will send an error message if it detects a non-neutral expression,’ she said.
Driving licenses are apparently nothing to smile about in other states as well.
Maybe I was just ahead of the curve but I never smile for photo ids.
WalkingTown, DC →
Props to GGW for this useful graphical representation of the WalkingTown events.
Dear AT&T Wireless et alia
You all generally suck.
I’ve been with you for like five or six years now, and I haven’t upgraded yet to a “free” phone yet. I haven’t because if I do, you force me to sign a contract for two years. And your service is generally crappy and I like to keep my options open. Also, all that contracted “free”-yet-SIMM-locked phone stuff is anti-consumer and...
Are trains slower now than they were in the 1920s? →
Wait, I had no idea deluxe used to be two words!
Sorry I'm Late →
This reminds me a lot of Science of Sleep, which is in heavy rotation lately in my top five favorite movies of all time.
Streetview for Carless Streets = Awesome →
Please put these Google trikes to work on the shared-use trails state-side pronto!
In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars →
I just spent an hour in traffic. I’m not happy. I spend my hour in traffic thinking why I’m stuck in traffic. There are so many things I’d rather be doing.
I go down a checklist of ways to go about my day week without a car. In Centreville you’re lucky if you can go car free once a week. And I just generally fail. In Reston it was possible to go car free for part of the...
Talk About Overdue Library Books →
I just recently settled my debt with Arlington and am on good terms with those people again for the time being. But Fairfax is about to send Bruno after me. I’ve returned everything, but I’ve a monster balance to settle with them over a book on programming that I misplaced during a move and just recently discovered and returned. Only months, not decades late though.
“VDOT maintains the third largest public road network in the country, covering...”
– So says Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, a pro-highway group that advocates for more roads and less transit. (I’m on their mailing list.) I’m just surprised Lil’ Ginny is in the top five. Who’s first and second? Texas and California? Or is this due to a technical...
WatchWant.
Mega-Regions and High-Speed Rail →
I’m all for connecting D.C. more with New York, Philly, and Boston. Baltimore, honey, you’re already close enough. I just wish this would happen in my lifetime.
I was in Daegu — a city roughly the size of Washington, and similarly situated roughly four hours south of Korea’s NYC, Seoul — when South Korea’s bullet trains (KTX) came online. It was crazy suddenly...
