Archive for the Virginia category
August 5th, 2008
On a local cycling listserv, someone just asked - why haven’t we heard more about this?
A 13-year-old boy was hit by a car and killed yesterday evening while riding his bicycle in Prince William County, police said.
The boy was identified as Prabhdeep Ranahawa of the 13000 block of Thrift Lane in Dale City [Virginia].
The boy was crossing Hoadly Road near Olivewood Drive, less than half a mile from his home, about 6:45 p.m., when the crash occurred, according to Officer Erika M. Hernandez, a spokeswoman for the county police.
She said the boy was hit by a 2003 BMW driven by a 61-year-old Manassas woman.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, the spokeswoman said.
This happened last Wednesday, and yesterday was the first I’d heard about it. As best I can tell, there were only three brief notices about it (at WashingtonPost.com, WTOP.com, and InsideNova.com), all rewrites of the same few sentences. Why did I hear about Alice Swanson within hours, and Prabhdeep just now? There are many reasons, I’m guessing. Some understandable, some outrageous. I don’t know why we don’t know more about what happened. I’m not sure if we ever will. But I didn’t want to let his death go without mention.
August 3rd, 2008
Vivian Paige has the details of this silly mess.
July 30th, 2008
If so, take a few minutes to respond to the solicitation for feedback from the MDOT Office of Planning and Capital Programs below, please. Thanks.
Dear Friends and Supporters of Trails in Maryland,
I am very excited to let you know that MDOT is leading a strategic planning effort to guide development of a bicycle and pedestrian trail network that connects people to the places in which they live, work, and play. The plan will chart a course for Maryland’s state and local agencies to implement a seamless, multi-use trail system that can be used for transportation by bicyclists, pedestrians, runners and others. MDOT is committed to continue working with our local and state partners in this effort and we want your input in the plan development process to ensure that your plans, perspectives, needs and visions are included.
We have created two easy ways for you to provide input:
First, I invite you to complete a simple online survey. Click on the following link, which will take you to directly to the survey at the SurveyMonkey website. It will take just a few minutes to fill out.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aFsezUukX8MtDQEpOXS3_2fQ_3d_3d
Second, through our project website, we provide an opportunity to use Google Maps to give us geographic information about where trail improvements and linkages are needed. Go to the website using the link below. You will find instructions there and a link to the Maryland Trails Google Map.
http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/trails.html
In addition to completing the survey yourself (and giving us ideas on a map), I want to encourage you to forward this invitation (by email or in newsletters) to your friends, colleagues and fellow members of bicycle, pedestrian or trail interest groups in which you are involved. The survey and map will remain open from now through September 30, 2008.
For more information about the project, I have attached a project announcement flyer that explains this exciting effort. You can also visit our project homepage at http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/index.html.
Sincerely,
Sylvia Ramsey
Manager Community Enhancements Programs
Office of Planning and Capital Programs
Maryland Department of Transportation
Sramsey1@mdot.state.md.us
July 30th, 2008
Atrios directs us over to Pandagon, who does a great job of illustrating the penchant of the “family values” crowd to go nuts when someone clearly describes what they’re trying to do. In this case, CA Attorney General Jerry Brown has revised the Proposition 8 ballot question to read (in part):
Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
Well, okay. That’s exactly what it proposes to do. The CA Supreme Court recognized a state constitutional right to marriage (regardless of sex) and this proposal seeks to eliminate that right. What’s to be mad about?:
This completely obliterates the conservative framing of the issue (”protecting marriage”, “preserving the traditional family,” etc.) and shows that supporters of the ballot initiative want to repeal a civil right that is now in place. And the fundies are hopping mad. [ . . . ]
Jennifer Kerns of the Protect Marriage coalition told the Los Angeles Times the revised wording is “inherently argumentative.” Kerns said the wording had the potential to ”prejudice voters against the initiative.”
I saw this over and over again in the time leading up to the vote where Virginia showed the world what a backwards place it really is, in many respects. The proponents of the anti-same sex marriage provision would spit out some of the most vile and obscene things - the usual stuff - and then go nuts when you called them bigots (and I’ll note that more than a few Dems were complicit, as they didn’t like hearing the bigotry of their parents (or themselves) called out for what it is). My response?
If you don’t like being called a bigot, don’t act like one.
July 29th, 2008
Well, I can’t say that any of the three names being splashed about this morning - Biden, Bayh, and Kaine - are particularly inspiring. Joe Biden, in addition to possessing the auto-disqualification of never knowing when to shut up, can be counted on to introduce or support one bad policy position after another. No thanks. Evan Bayh . . . well, if I wanted a warmonger in the VP slot, I’d probably want one at the head of the ticket. Which then brings us to Tim Kaine. I can’t say that I’ve been particularly enthused by Kaine (I think he’s been a generally competent, though not really a standout, governor). But neither does he elicit a visceral pushback in me the way Biden or Bayh do.
In any event, I’ll be happy to find out that this was just more of the usual campaign misdirection/press overeagerness, and that it hasn’t really been narrowed down to these guys.
July 25th, 2008
Still not done with the project that’s keeping me, but (finally) making substantial progress. So back here soon, I think. In the meantime:
Hey, turns out that there’s lots and lots of oil in the Arctic, and whaddya know, all that troublesome ice that kept us from it before is disappearing. Now, the national lines up there aren’t entirely clear, but really, what’s Greenland going to do about it? Who’s up for a little Arctic Invasion?
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Speaking of madness (and on a much more serious note), Bob Herbert’s column on Jane Mayer’s “The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals”, has convinced me I need to pick up and read this book. In his view:
Americans still have not come to grips with this disastrous stain on the nation’s soul. It’s important that the whole truth eventually come out, and as many of the wrongs as possible be rectified.
Ms. Mayer, as much as anyone, is doing her part to pull back the curtain on the awful reality. “The Dark Side” is essential reading for those who think they can stand the truth.
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On the subject of awful realities, I’ll again urge readers to give a few minutes to Vivian Paige’s (multipart) review of Tom Schaller’s Whistling Past Dixie. Simply offering practical solutions and better governance will not overcome the cultural beliefs and practices of some groups, and it’s time for the Democrats to stop banging their heads up that electoral wall. She’s got some very smart readers who, despite the best efforts of her resident trolls, could put together a very good discussion there. Pop in for a bit.
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And on the topic of important discussions, it sounds like Congress actually took a few minutes to have one. Fifteen years (and how many wars?) has been more than enough time to demonstrate what an asinine policy Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has turned out to be.
July 24th, 2008
Vivian Paige has the second part of her review of Tom Schaller’s Whistling Past Dixie up. There’s lots of stuff to dig into. She’s highlighting some of the interesting facts (the particular focus of Southern Christians) and taking apart some of the myths (Southern black people vote disproporitionately less than other Southerners). Check it out. It’s a conversation I hope to jump in on, a little later.
July 23rd, 2008
From BikeArlington:
What: Join BikeArlington to cheer on the Tour de France at Summers Restaurant!
When: Thursday, July 24th, 5 -7pm
Where: Summers Restaurant, at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Courthouse Road, just one block from the Court House Metro (http://www.summers-restaurant.com/)
Why: To enjoy the camaraderie of fellow cyclists as we watch the pros climb through the hills of the Monts du Forez on their way to Saint-Etienne in the 18th stage of the 21-stage Tour.
We’ll have the TVs tuned to catch the highlights of the day’s 197 kilometers. Summers has happy hour specials in place for us to enjoy, such as $2.50 for selected domestic beers, and $1-off wine and other beers. We’ll order up some appetizers and enjoy the company of other bikers as we take in the Tour.
RSVPs to mesposito@arlingtonva.us are welcome, but not necessary.
On behalf of BikeArlington, we can’t wait to see you there!
Getting there:
Metro’s Orange line to the Court House Metro is one block away;
Metrobus routes 38B, 4BE; ART route 41, 62;
and of course by bike: there is plenty of bike parking at the Court House Metro, at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Uhle Street.
I’m going to do my best to make it. Say hi if you see a guy in a CSC Invitational shirt (or one of these).
July 18th, 2008
Yesterday was the first day you could register a handgun in DC. How many people were in line, clamoring to exercise this new right? Two. And one forgot his gun.
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I was never a fan of comics as a kid, but after being introduced to a few really impressive “graphic novels” as an adult (i.e., Maus, Blankets, and Palestine), I’m a little more open to the artform. So I found myself sucked into the webcomic Yehuda Moon the other day. Not as serious as those graphic novels, but a bit of light - if occasionally pointed - fun. If you’re a cyclist, check it out.
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Perhaps the most entertaining session I attended at the first YearlyKos convention was the one where Dave “Mudcat” Saunders threatened to punch Whistling Past Dixie author Tom Schaller for speaking frankly about some of the uglier sides of the South. As I’ve previously noted, Tom’s probably not the best messenger, but he’s got an important message. Vivian Paige just started posting a multi-part review of the book, and I’m looking forward to her take on it.
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And that post about pettiness, earlier this week? The Washington Post decided to prove that they can be just as petty as the rest of us.
July 15th, 2008
WashCycle has a fantastic post up about the “Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist”:
In fact after Alice Swanson’s death, many comments on the post, DCist and elsewhere mentioned that something like this was bound to happen because of the illegal manner in which most cyclists ride. Despite the fact that there seems to be no indication that she did anything illegal.
Which leads to what I call “The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist”.
Now then, I’m not trying to claim that cyclists don’t break the law. Let me state clearly and upfront, they do. What I’m saying is that there is nothing unique about the frequency with which cyclists as a class break the law when compared with drivers or pedestrians. And even if cyclists broke the law more flagrantly, that would not negate the need to share the road.
And then he goes on to knock down pretty much every piece of the scofflaw myth, fact by fact. Very well done.
