It's not softening. A home also implies a sense of community, which they may or may not have. Unhoused focuses on the fact that they need housing.

There are a number of sound isolating panels that do help. I live next to a rail corridor and this has been helpful reducing the train noise.

Is it? The number of unsheltered people in DC is apparently 690 people according to the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness. That's an apartment building's worth of people. Yes some of these people need additional support, such as Domestic Violence, addiction, mental health, job training, etc. but finding places for people to live is a problem with policy, not possibility.

It's interesting to note that the homeless population in DC is at it's lowest point in several years, mostly due to a decrease in homeless families. According to the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, there are only 690 people living on the street in a given night (with more in emergency shelters). That's roughly the amount of people who could fit into a single apartment building. For all the amount of time, money, and energy devoted to this issue, the problem doesn't appear that insurmountable.

https://community-partnership.org/homelessness-in-dc/

Unhoused people don't suddenly not become unhoused after we clear out the encampments. Does removing people from one spot actually help anything? You just get tents setup elsewhere.

When was this? Violent crime rates in general are down year over year. It's way safer than the late 80's/early 90s. Crime dropped in almost every ward in 2022. It's more likely that you are primed for observing danger and spot it even if it doesn't exist.

• https://www.wusa9.com/article/features/producers-picks/crime-down-in-dc-but-murder-rate-going-up/65-a10c33c6-f763-4aa9-b2f8-7f6bc11e5f3b

• https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/01/05/violent-crime-stats-dc-2022

I checked, and you can't touch the animals at encounters anymore in the Pittsburgh zoo. Most mammals can get COVID and don't always have effective vaccines, so distance is probably sticking around for a while.

Why does someone who's retired still need to put 20% into savings?? These metrics make little sense. Also, social security doesn't seem to be factored into the number.

At the same time, it's the type of work. There aren't nearly as many jobs here that require high levels of physical exertion. It makes sense for a lumberjack to retire early, but a lot of jobs here both require a lot of training and, at the same time, have limited demands. If you have a job that requires a doctorate, you enter your field at around 30, while a blue collar job you can enter around 18.

>Establishing Quiet Zones:

The final rule also provides an opportunity for localities nationwide to mitigate the effects of train horn noise by establishing “new quiet zones.” “No horn” restriction which may have existed prior to the establishment of the rule may be qualified to be “pre-rule quiet zones”. In a quiet zone, railroads have been directed to cease the routine sounding their horns when approaching public highway-rail grade crossings. Train horns may still be used in emergency situations or to comply with other Federal regulations or railroad operating rules. Localities desiring to establish a quiet zone are first required to mitigate the increased risk caused by the absence of a horn.

This is an option too. I like trains and all but should the entire northeast have to hear loud blasts at 2 AM if there are other options? Clearly we don't want to jeopardize safety, but shouldn't some allowance be made for quiet hours.

Also, is there some reason that trains have to blow their horn at 2 AM? In virtually all parts of the district, you can't get on the railroad tracks accidently, because it's surrounded by fencing. It's not like rural areas where people regularly cross the tracks, it's grade separated everywhere. The idea that we need to give a warning signal seems silly. The only people on those tracks are railroad workers and passengers, who clearly know about trains coming; and trespassers, where it's their own fault.

And you deserve better 24/7 transit to be able to do so. There are always edge cases that require cars, but even those can be reduced substantially. You wouldn't likely need to drive everywhere if you lived in NYC where the subway runs 24/7.

Yes. We need to have the police pull those people over, not just mail a ticket.

Driving at a higher speed than a road is designed to travel safely is putting other people at risk. Risky drivers are the ones killing people. We need to hold them accountable.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fatal-car-crash-increase-risky-driving-rcna43969

She didn't sign the bill that approved it, but it was approved unanimously by the council.

But that's exactly what I was arguing...

Most of those firearm deaths are between people who have extensive criminal records, rather than against the general public. While the statistics writ large might look that way, I'd argue that the risks to the general public are higher from cars. There aren't that many 'civilian' deaths. However, most areas that have high car risk also have high gun risk, namely the part east of the Anacostia River.

Only about a third of DC residents drive on a daily basis, so to argue that you need a car is rather silly. It's not car dependent, you just want to drive one and damn the consequences.

https://ggwash.org/view/86455/how-much-does-dc-drive

• Car owners are looked down upon because they kill people. In this city, you're more likely to get killed by a driver than a bullet, particularly if you aren't in a gang. Reckless drivers are hardly ever brought to justice. A careless truck driver ran over and killed a 5-year old kid in Brookland and the city blamed the 5-year old for it.
• As for accessibility, we have some of the most accessible public transit in the country. For trips that can't be made through a transit route, there's even paratransit. Many disabled people can't drive at all, and benefit greatly from having effective public transit.
• The places that people look down on car drivers have efficient public transit. You can always take a highway to a metro station and go from there.
• Food delivery in many parts of this area can be accomplished through the use of bicycles, electrified or not. It is in many other cities, and to a limited extent, is here as well. Virtually everywhere in this city, it's faster to use a bicycle than drive unless going an extensive distance.

Gross indifference is also murder. If you perform ultrahazardous activities without regard for the people that can be harmed, that can also be considered murder.

I live in NoMa, and there are 5 grocery stores within a 10-minute bike ride. Most of the near part of NE isn't a food desert.

That place looks nice, though.

Thanks! Will check them out!

Given that any attacking country will likely go after many sites in the DC region, it's higly likely we have anti-air batteries somewhere, but it's not made public.

Yes. If you are going max distance like DC to Shady Grove or Ashburn, you'll pay $6 during rush hour, $3.85 outside rush hour, and $2 after 9:30 or on weekends. Traveling within DC a couple stops, it's basically $2.25 during rush and $2 outside of it, which isn't as noticeable.