Category Archives: politics

random thursday rant

A few random thoughts about recent happenings in DC: I’m dismayed that the DC Council’s monthly breakfasts tend to be lavish affairs, especially when the Council is dealing with high levels of unemployment, corruption, and whatnot. Yesterday’s breakfast had a rather flashy spread, complete with individual glass bottles of Voss sparkling mineral water. This water …

29/09/2011 – 17:30 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, politics, random, washington, dc | Comments Off

ten on tuesday: headlines from the year you were born

I’m not a regular player in the “Ten on Tuesday” game, but this week’s topic is a good one. So, just like Sarah, I plundered the Internet to find some tidbits of intrigue from my birth year. And, just like Sarah said, I don’t remember any of these things actually happening, though many of them …

20/09/2011 – 18:43 | By randomduck | Posted in baseball, music, politics | Tagged | Comments (2)

another angle on the tommy wells demotion

A quick thought about the whole, ill-advised shakeup within the DC Council that found Tommy Wells suddenly on the outs with Chairman Kwame Brown: Wells, in his role as Chair of the Transportation Committee on the Council, worked hard to improve transit infrastructure throughout DC. In particular, he worked had via his (now former) position …

15/07/2011 – 12:02 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, politics, washington, dc | Tagged | Comments Off

things i used to love

A post on NPR’s All Songs Considered blog has me thinking about things I used to love (or, at the very least, like) but don’t anymore. The NPR post speaks specifically of bands, and I’ll start with that. U2. This is a tough one for me, because I really like U2′s music. But I have …

15/04/2011 – 00:43 | By randomduck | Posted in music, politics, washington, dc | Tagged , | Comments Off

why dc doesn’t need udc

On today’s Kojo Nnamdi Show, Tom Sherwood called the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) a “backwater school.” This didn’t go over well with some of DC’s old guard politicos. One of them, Eugene Kinlow, demanded (via Twitter) that Sherwood apologize and then said the following: “Educating people who might be the first in …

11/03/2011 – 18:33 | By randomduck | Posted in politics, washington, dc | Comments Off

can we just send the committee of 100 out to sea?

Seriously, that the Committee of 100 has influence on DC politics is frightening. They wield power over old-school DC politicians in a way that drags the District and its citizens down by the balls, advocating governmental moves that would hurt the city and its potential for future growth and livability. Here’s how they describe themselves: …

18/11/2010 – 09:55 | By randomduck | Posted in government, politics, washington, dc | Comments (2)

“Socialist!”

That’s what was yelled at me as I sat at a traffic light near Union Station last Friday. I’d just dropped off sprite an an hour too early for either of us. Our car bears only one bumper sticker: a circa 2004 “Dean for America” badge. And one recently-arrived member of Glenn Beck’s idiot zombie …

31/08/2010 – 10:45 | By randomduck | Posted in politics, washington, dc | Tagged | Comments (1)

getting diabolical (and other thoughts)

Must be the heart of cycling season, because the insanity is stepping up a notch. This weekend I’m taking on the “Diabolical Double” at the Garrett County Gran Fondo. It’s a tough course: 125 miles with almost 16,000 feet of climbing, most of it in short burts of 12-16% grade. It’s insane, and should be …

25/06/2010 – 13:01 | By randomduck | Posted in cycling, outdoors, politics, random, travel, washington, dc | Comments Off

austerity 101 for dc politicians and voters

Let’s make this really simple: The District of Columbia is in a financial mess. We’re spending like mad, yet not bringing in enough revenue to pay for every commitment we have toward programs large and small. This situation stands to leave the District in a long-term financial hole unless something is done to make ends …

26/05/2010 – 22:54 | By randomduck | Posted in government, politics | Comments (1)

leaving a better world for the future

Reading stories like this one about how a growing number of U.S. citizens question man’s role in global climate change has me worried about not only the future of the world, but also the level of intelligence and education amongst not only the doubters, but also the legislators who seem to be guided by short-sighted …

07/12/2009 – 19:35 | By randomduck | Posted in government, politics, theocons | Tagged , | Comments Off