Tuesday, April 13, 2010

"The bigger the hoop, the bigger the ho"

You can stifle their fashion but you will not stifle their snark…

Female lawyers get the Project Burka treatment:

“Do not wear your engagement ring if it is large because it may anger your women interviewers and cause jealousy (and perhaps rage)”

“Do not wear dark nail polish (avoid burgundy, cautioned Professor Collins)”

“Do not reveal your form in court because male judges will be distracted and female judges will be resentful.”

“Wear a shirt under your suit that is not too tight, not low-cut, not bright colored, not patterned, not ruffle-y, and not too feminine.”

“In sum, if you are a male lawyer, invest in a well-fitting suit (and be grateful). If you are a female lawyer, invest in a well-fitting male suit and a male who will wear said suit and speak for you, Cyrano style.”

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 5 of 6)

Reason 5: Because the wealthiest county in the U.S. should be able to fund its own "mini-beltway."

Now I have nothing against Loudoun County (indeed, it contains the Leesburg Outlets and Hunters Head Tavern). But I'd rather see the funds for their Route 606 and Route 50 expansions come from somewhere else than Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority when MWAA funding shortfalls are the reason behind our proposed service cuts.

This article explains it better than I could hope to.

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27




You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County)

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 4 of 6)

Reason 4: Because mass transit gets America's ever-broadening *ss out of the car seat.

As this article reports, leaner nations bike, walk, use mass transit.

Every day, you see on TV, in the newspapers, on the Internet panicked alerts about the American Obesity Crisis. OMG trans fats! OMG high-fructose corn syrup! OMG belly fat! If we're so damn concerned, why eliminate something that's part of the solution?

And taking the Connector/Metro is often a workout:
- Climbing the broken escalators
- Sprinting towards the closing doors
- Scrambling for one of the two remaining seats
- Contorting oneself to fit into a space sized for a limber teenage gymnast
- Maintaining balance during a particularly lurchy ride
- Stretching to reach the hand grabbie things
- Refraining from food and drink during the trip (well, openly that is)

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27




You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County)