TPN Live

2009-05-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

11:09 p.m. -Ravenstahl reappears. He's speaking with reporters from KDKA TV.

2009-05-19T20:07:00.001-07:00

10:59 p.m. - The mayor appears to have left the building. People gathered in the Hofbrauhaus are singing "Sweet Caroline."

2009-05-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Ravenstahl, who walked in to rock band The Who's "Teenage Wasteland," thanked his family, the worker's in his office, his campaign managers and those who voted for him. He even thanked his opposition, former police sergeant Carmen Robinson."
"I give her a tremendous amount of praise for entering this campaign. She talked about the issues," he said of the Robinson, whom he beat by about 21,000 votes.
He made no mention of the other Democratic candidate, City Councilman Patrick Dowd, who earned 2,337 votes. Ravenstahl told his supporters he was excited to begin work on his 11-step plan for the city "as early as tomorrow morning."
His plan puts an emphasis on strengthening the health care and education industries, continuing development along the riverfront and merging with Allegheny County, among other initiatives
"I can't wait to take this suit coat off and roll up my sleeves as each of you do when you go to work," said Ravenstahl, who joked that he ran for office more times than members of Congress. This was his third round of election in two years.

2009-05-19T19:57:00.001-07:00

10:28 p.m. - Ravenstahl walks in, pumping his fists.

2009-05-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

10:25 p.m. Crowd begins to hustle-and-buslte. Supporters hold up black-and-gold "Ravenstahl: Getting it done signs." "Stand up," organizers scream. "Four more years. Four more years," they scream.

2009-05-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

10:02 p.m. - Mayor Ravenstahl wins the Democratic mayoral primary, beating Dowd 25,422 to 11,879 votes, with 98 percent of precincts reporting.

2009-05-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

9:57 p.m. - City Councilman Patrick Dowd, who is at the Church Brew Works on Liberty Avenue, is conceding the race.

2009-05-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

9:33 p.m. - Rumor has it Ravenstahl, who is leading Councilman Patrick Dowd 15,021 to 7,627 votes, should be arriving at the Hofbrauhause around 10:15 p.m., one hour after the party began.

2009-05-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

9:10 p.m. - Mayor Ravenstahl leads City Councilman Patrick Dowd and former police sergeant Carmen Robinson 8,209 votes to 4,732 and 1,776 votes respectlively, with 36 percent of precincts reporting. Watch www.pittnews.com <http://www.pittnews.com/> for updates every 15 minutes.

2009-05-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

9:00 p.m. - Two men in lederhausen walk on the stage in the Hofrbrauhause. One's holding a guitar, the other an accordian. "Raise your glasses. Toast to friendship," the man with the accordian says before he begins singing.

Live from Mayor Ravenstahl's result-watching party

2009-05-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

8: 46 p.m .- Mayor Luke Ravenstahl plans to gather in the Hofrabrauhaus in the South Side in 15 minutes. Event attendees can eat and drink as they watch the results from today's primaries come in. Right now, the tan-walled restaurant is full mostly of representatives from news organizations like WTAE TV and the Tribune-Review. Check back for more information throughout the night.

Times are a'changing

2009-04-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

We've published our last issue of the school year (pick up a Finals Week edition at any drop on campus for the next two weeks!), and this year's staff has served our tenure.

Here's who's leading the paper from here on out:

The Pitt News Staff for Summer '09

Editorial Board
Drew Singer, Editor in Chief
editor@pittnews.com

Erik Hinton, Managing Editor
manager@pittnews.com

Liz Navratil, News Editor
news@pittnews.com

Keith Gillogly, Opinions Editor
letters@pittnews.com

Kieran Layton, A&E Editor
aande@pittnews.com

Jay Huerbin, Sports Editor
sports@pittnews.com

Molly Green, Copy Chief
copy@pittnews.com

Shannon McCurdy, Layout Editor
layout@pittnews.com

Vaughn Wallace, Photo Editor
photo@pittnews.com

Noah Levinson, Multimedia Editor
multimedia@pittnews.com

Victor Powell, Online Editor
web@pittnews.com

Editorial Staff
Lindsay Carroll, Assistant News Editor
Estelle Tran, Assistant News Editor
Dave Beitzel, Assistant Opinions Editor
Kelsey Shea , Assistant A&E Editor
Adam Littman, Assistant Sports Editor
Julie Percha, Assistant Copy Chief
Jenna Palmer, Assistant Layout Editor
Colleen Garvin, Assistant Photo Editor
Sarah Vinski, Assistant Photo Editor
Sierra Starks, Assistant Online Editor

Board of Managers

Justin Matase, Business Manager
business@pittnews.com

Louis Raven, Sales Manager
sales@pittnews.com

Leah Klaiber, Inside Sales Manager
advertising@pittnews.com

Business Staff
Colton Neff, Account Executive
Steven Kaczynski, Account Executive
Ashlyn Zellenfrow, Inside Sales
Mike Haley, Account Manager
Teni Jenner, Ad Designer

Thousands gather in Oakland to honor fallen officers

2009-04-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

From the top of De Soto Street in Oakland, it was impossible to distinguish exactly how many police cars, trucks and motorcycles were climbing the hill leading to the Petersen Events Center. The silent parade of red and blue lights deliberately ascended the hill as thousands of onlookers watched in silence and awe.

Some were taking pictures, many were crying, but everyone was silent.

The memorial service at the Petersen Events Center today virtually shut down Oakland this morning because of the miles-long procession from the City-County building, where the caskets had been on display yesterday for mourners to pay their respects. The service began at 2:30 this afternoon.

The service is honoring city police officers Paul J. Sciullo II, Eric Kelly and Stephen J. Mayhle, who were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call Saturday in Stanton Heights, near Lawrenceville.

"It was eerie to have so many people and for it to be so quiet, " Pitt student Cathryn Vasunda said. "It's surreal."

City police spokeswoman Diane Richard estimated that 15,000 to 20,000 people are in attendance at the ceremony.

Patty Mandia watched the procession red-eyed as she grasped an American flag.
Mandia's husband is a lieutenant for Zone 5, the same police bureau that lost the three officers honored today.

Mandia left her job at UPMC Presbyterian's Intensive Care Unit to wait in front of the center for hours, so she could get a good view of the procession.

She said it left her speechless.

"It's just very, very sad," she added.

Kim Shuttleworth, who works with Mandia at UPMC, stood with her into the early afternoon. Shuttleworth's husband is also a Zone 5 police officer.

"It's amazing, their brotherhood," she said. "You hope you never have to tell someone what it's like being here."

Police Sgt. David Ellis felt that brotherhood from as far away as his hometown of Lansing, Mi.

"We're members of an honor guard," he said. "We came to pay tribute to others who sacrificed everything for their city."

Ellis arrived in Pittsburgh at about 1 a.m. Thursday.

Richard Poplawski, 22, is charged with three counts of homicide in the shooting deaths of the officers.

-By Drew Singer, News Editor

Preparations for Thursday

2009-04-07T16:15:00.001-07:00

The University and Port Authority are bracing for thousands of mourners visiting Oakland Thursday for the memorial service for three slain city police officers.
The procession from Downtown to Oakland and the 1 p.m. service at the Petersen Events Center will shut down Fifth Avenue beginning at 11 a.m.
The street will be closed between Bellefield Street and Craft avenue until about 4:30 p.m., said the Port Authority.
Outbound buses usually running on Fifth Avenue will use Forbes Avenue. Inbound buses will turn right off Fifth Avenue onto Bellefield Street, then turn down Bayard Street and onto Bigelow Boulevard. Buses will stop for passengers at Bigelow and Fifth by Soldiers & Sailors Memorial.
They then will cross Fifth and Forbes avenues and proceed through Schenley Park, onto the Boulevard of the Allies and into Downtown.
The University will continue to operate normally Thursday, said Renny Clark, Pitt’s vice chancellor of community initiatives.
“We’re asking everyone on campus to be in a spirit of compassion and citizenship and to reach out to the greater community in this time of sorrow,” said Clark.
The Department of Health and Physical Activity has canceled aerobics and fitness classes held at the Petersen before 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The Baierl Recreation Center also will be closed until 6 in the evening that day.
Sodexo, which operates dining services in the Petersen, will not be altering hours of operation, though heavy traffic is expected in the building.
The memorial will honor city police officers Paul J. Sciullo II, Eric Kelly and Stephen J. Mayhle, who were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call Saturday in Stanton Heights, near Lawrenceville.
Richard Poplawski, 22, is charged with three counts of homicide in the shooting deaths of the officers.
More details on street closings, bus routes and restricted parking lots may be found at www.pitt.edu/memorial.

Nordy joins Twitter

2009-03-31T22:35:00.001-07:00

Look what we just found! Remarkable!

http://twitter.com/Nordenburgh

Pitt News gets journalism accolades

2009-03-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

It's awards season for college newspapers, and the results are in for the contests The Pitt News entered this spring.

There's the state-wide Keystone Press Awards, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. To view the full list of winners, click the Collegiate tab under the Student Division listing.

We also enter the Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Circle Awards, which is a national contest.

Both contests asked for submissions from the 2008 calendar year.

Here are our winners in the Keystones:

1st Places
Hayley Grgurich – Feature Story (“Welcome to Iron Mountain”)
Elham Khatami – Column (“Trip to Israel”)
Hannah Pilling – Graphic Illustration (“Election covers”)
Pete Madia – Sports Photo (“March Madness”)

2nd Places
Pat Mitsch – Sports Story (“Successful recruiting takes endless effort”)
Tom VanBuren – Review (“Roscoe redefines waste of time”)
Ben Filio and Victor Powell – Photo story (“Pitt vs. Iowa”)

Honorable Mentions
Justin Jacobs – Personality Profile (“Girl Talk”)

And the Gold Circles:

Certificates of Mention
Holden Slattery – General feature ("K-9 squad sniffs out trouble")
Jake Brett – Editorial cartoon ("The Newest American Addiction")
Jake Brett - Cartoon Portfolio of work ("Jake Brett's Portfolio")
Ben Filio - Single feature photograph color ("Breaking Bread in Tower B")

Braque Hershberger – Single subject news or feature package, two pages, double-truck or special section: Tabloid format color ("You'll need Safe Rider")

LOST "La Fleur" Live Blog

2009-03-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

See TPN Media for a live blog of LOST's "La Fleur" http://tpnmedia.blogspot.com

Name-dropped

2009-02-27T20:15:00.001-08:00

Bryan Murley, the fantastic multimedia adviser at East Illinois and the leader of the Center for College Media Innovation blog detailed the college media organizations using Twitter, and how they're doing so in his post How college media uses Twitter.

The Pitt News got a nice mention about using Twitter for breaking news and sports game coverage (Note: Check out twitter.com/ThePittNews to see our complete tweets covering the pedestrian/bus accident this morning), but there's a lot more we can do to improve. Stay tuned. And follow us!

Twitter's taking over

2009-02-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

As you might have noticed on pittnews.com or on page two of our print edition, The Pitt News has been getting into Twitter lately.

You might have heard about it: Twitter, a free social networking service that links people together through frequent mini-blog posts, is the next big trend online. And we're using it to reach our readers.

We've been building our Twitter page, twitter.com/thepittnews, and we send out breaking news alerts, headlines with links to stories and sports scores through Twitter.

The alerts get sent to our "followers:" other Twitter users who've chosen to be part of our network and receive our alerts. On the flip side, we follow a bunch of Twitterers, including some of the major news outlets -- the New York Times and CNN are just two examples of sending out news updates many times a day.

Typical Twitter users can send out their statuses throughout the day, a la Facebook, or they can respond to other Tweets they see. Many of our staffers, including me, have started their own accounts. Let me just say, if you like Facebook, this is absolutely the way to go.

It's like constantly being plugged in to the people and news you want to know, and being able to get to that information easily or join the conversation.

It takes the best of the Web developments you've grown up with and rolled them into one: chat rooms, instant messaging, text messaging, Facebook newsfeeds, blogs and RSS feeds -- Twitter hearkens back to them all.

The best thing about Twitter is it's versatility -- the trick to Twitter is learning how to use it without going to the actual Twitter Web pages. Instead, users can follow or Tweet through text messaging, widgets downloaded for their PC desktops, plug-ins on cell phones or through a number of other social networking sites.

Because many of Pitt's classrooms -- especially the Nationality Rooms -- aren't conducive to many students bringing laptops and viewing The Pitt News online, we wanted to give students the option to follow us when they don't have a print issue or computer around. Following The Pitt News on Twitter will give you instant access, via Twitter or a text message sent to your phone or any other creative Internet plug-in you find, to breaking news, including instant updates of Pitt basketball game scores.

To get started, just visit Twitter.com. Remember to follow us @ThePittNews.

If you have a cell phone with Internet access, you can get hooked into Twitter using a handy plug-in like TwitterBerry for Blackberries or Twitter for iPhone.

Even though Twitter started as a small site more than three years ago, it's quickly growing and pushing into the mainstream. Seriously, it's the next Facebook.

Here's the Post-Gazette story on Twitter, which ran on their front page today.

Plouffe in Pittsburgh tonight

2009-02-23T09:58:00.001-08:00

If you're one of the few hundred lucky folks seeing Obama campaign genius David Plouffe lecture tonight in the Union, you might want to read up on the him prior to.

Here's a profile of Plouffe that Esquire ran during the post-election, pre-Inauguration glow (h/t JJ Abbott):

The Man who Made Obama

See you at the event tonight, and be sure to read The Pitt News Tuesday for complete PPC/Plouffe coverage!

Sex videos galore!

2009-02-13T14:12:00.001-08:00

We asked, Pitt students answered:

What's the worst thing you can say during bedroom relations?

Man On the Street: Sex Edition from Pitt News Multimedia on Vimeo.

Tess Sanders finds Sex and Candy at a Student Health Event:

Sex and Candy from Pitt News Multimedia on Vimeo.

It's coming

2009-02-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Well, loyal readers, after a four-year hiatus, The Pitt News is ready again to write about sex.

This Friday, Feb. 13, in honor of Valentine's Day, we're bringing you The Sex Issue. Thirty-two pages of pure carnal bliss (plus some stuff on health, love, dating and relationships).

For a good time, look for it on news stands everywhere.

Kickin' it back

2009-02-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

In "one of the most shocking cases of courtroom graft on record," as the AP article put it, two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking more than $2 million in kickbacks from juvenile detention centers for sending minors into their arms.

What's interesting about this is that it could result in the state overturning of hundreds or potentially thousands of cases that these two judges officiated because they can't be sure the verdict was delivered in good faith or simply for the cash.

It also casts doubt on Pa.'s policy of contracting with privately-run juvenile detention centers and paying them to take care of the detainees, usually either a fixed overall fee or funding per child per day. Making the juvenile detention centers into profit-motivated businesses has obvious problems - after all, if you're being paid for taking in more kids, you'd be trying to get your hands on as many of them as you could. I would think that that might be obvious, but then again it could just be me.

Why I love City Council

2009-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

They're always finding productive uses for their time.

SUI: Snowmobiling Under the Influence

2009-02-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Apparently this is a problem in Allegheny county: People snowmobiling drunk. Favorite quote: "Those DUIs -- five out of 49, more than 10 percent -- are pretty alarming," Sheriff Wolfgang said.

The thing that gets me about it is that they're setting up actual DUI checkpoints out in the middle of the forest. And beyond that, they actually arrested several people. But isn't the point of a snowmobile the fact that you can go pretty much wherever you want? Couldn't they just, I don't know, go around or something?

The thing about snowmobiles is that they're absolutely terrifying. They're large machines that you can barely control and that are capable of hitting obscene speeds. You'd almost have to be drunk to be brave enough to get on one in the first place. But hey, at least our tax dollars are going to good use. I personally can't count the number of times I've been concerned about drunken snowmobilers.

-Richard Brown

More on local stations

2009-02-04T21:21:00.001-08:00

KDKA has picked it up too, for their 11 p.m. broadcast. Check it out here.

Local news stations covering Pitt riots and suspensions

2009-02-04T15:28:00.001-08:00

Thanks, WTAE/Channel 4, for linking to us here.

It looks like Nordenberg's calls for suspension of students involved in Sunday's riots is the top story today in Pittsburgh news -- WTAE aired footage of the Pitt News video
that's posted on this site and on pittnews.com in their 6 p.m. broadcast.

Super Bowl Riots/Celebration Photo Slideshow

2009-02-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Nordenberg reprimands students

2009-02-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg issued a statement today reprimanding some of the students involved in Sunday night's Super Bowl riots.

Nordenberg said in the statement that "for large numbers of people to celebrate this very significant win. . .was entirely predictable and might even have become a positive addition to a festive occasion," but that it was inappropriate for students to vandalize property.

He added that the University will "cooperate fully with ongoing efforts to investigate and prosecute those who are charged with crimes, whether or not they are Pitt students. "

He said that some students have already been punished under the school's Student Code of Conduct, and that the University may punish some students, even if the police chose not to.

Parade route announced

2009-02-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

In case your celebratory adrenaline wasn't fully spent last night in Oakland, the city of Pittsburgh is offering Steelers fans one more chance to go crazy over the Super Bowl.

Check out the plans for the Steelers victory parade tomorrow, to take place downtown.

Point Park is canceling classes, but if you're from Pitt, you'll have to cut.

My First Oakland Riot Video

2009-02-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

by Lewis Lehe

Here is a rough cut of footage I took. I'm going to make a longer thing this week.

I hope you like it!

Super Bowl rioters destroy Oakland property

2009-02-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

Even before the Steelers had the chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy, Pitt students stormed the street of Oakland to celebrate the Steelers' sixth Super Bowl victory. The Steelers, who were favored to win by six and a half points, won the game as expected, beating the Cardinals 27-23. And thousands of students rioted, as expected.

The Pitt, city of Pittsburgh and county police weaved through the crowds arresting people climbing traffic poles, destroying street signs, twisting a traffic light, lighting couches on fire, shooting off fireworks and flipping cars. Celebrators flipped a car on Oakland Avenue that had to be towed away. Some students attempted to burn tall cylinders where students staple fliers. At the Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard intersection, students used newspapers to set newspaper boxes ablaze.

County police brought horses blocking South Bouquet Street. Police around the intersection of Forbes Avenue and South Bouquet Street confiscated damaged or burned property, including a Post Gazette box.

Some individuals uprooted street signs and tried to smash parking meters.

People also lit couches and several dumpsters on fire. Fire fighters put out two dumpster fires around the intersection of Atwood Street and Cable Place. Police kept people away from two large dumpster fires on Forbes Avenue as well.

Later on celebrators kicked in windows on the ground level of Hillman Library.

Here are some pictures from the celebrations.

Celebrators gather outside of Hillman Library after the Steelers victory

Police arrest an individual on Bigelow Boulevard who was kicking down a sign from a traffic pole

People climb a traffic pole at the intersection of Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard

Police mounted on horses wait to deploy on South Bouquet Street

An overturned car on Oakland Avenue

A broken window at Bruegger's Bagels

Police stand in line at Caribou Coffee on Forbes Avenue, anticipating a long night

Smoking remnants of a burned couch on Atwood Street

Dumpster on Atwood Street

See the original post and more on Estelle's blog: transforumer.net

Oakland up in flames -- TPN is there

2009-02-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

Follow The Pitt News on Twitter -- we have complete coverage of the post-Super Bowl riots in Oakland.

Check pittnews.com tomorrow for video, audio and more photos from the night of mayhem.

New editor in chief and business manager named

2009-02-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

The Pitt News Advisory Board personnel committee chose the 2009-2010 leadership of The Pitt News this past Friday.

Drew Singer, a junior political science major, was chosen as next year's editor in chief. Justin Matase, a junior finance and marketing major in the College of Business Administration, will serve as business manager.

The full advisory board will vote to confirm the candidates in two weeks.

Current business manager Stephanie Betts and editor in chief Katelyn Polantz will step down April 20, after the spring finals week edition hits newsracks.

Introducing ....

2009-01-29T18:01:00.001-08:00

Introducing Lewis Lehe and Justin Jacobs...

Both Lewis and Justin are senior editors at The Pitt News and columnists.

And they both have blogs now, too.

Justin, the A and E editor, covers music at GravityRidesEverythingBlog.blogspot.com

Lewis, the Multimedia editor, posts his musings -- both funny and serious, particularly when he writes about economics -- at BlogOfTheAllies.blogspot.com

Check 'em out!

Reporters, dead bodies, Detroit, Oh my!

2009-01-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

Here's the Craziest news story of the day/News story most likely to become an instant urban legend.

You know you live in a football town when...

2009-01-29T12:25:00.001-08:00

... the day after the Super Bowl, your area school district gives everyone a free two-hour delay so they can recover from the night before.

Really? The superintendent should have just said, "Look, we know people are going to be hung over, and we'd rather they woke up enough to teach class before they come into work." I guess it makes a certain amount of sense, but it would be nicer if they would just, I don't know, encourage professionals to act like professionals. I mean, people can't get a day off of work for Election day (much less actual weather emergencies) but they can for the Super Bowl? And not even the actual Super Bowl, but the day after. Welcome to Steeler Country, I guess.

-Richard Brown

Snow days a big debate

2009-01-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

It's not just Pitt students doting about the spat of winter weather this week. Pittsburgh's neighbor to the South, Washington, D.C., faced its own snow debacle yesterday.

While students' (and the TPN editorial board's) wishes for a snow day yesterday weren't granted, Barack Obama spent his day complaining that D.C. froze up and shut down.

Check out the Washington Post's editorial in response to him.

Pittbsurgh's day in the sun

2009-01-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

According to a recent article in the Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh is going to be emphasizing alternative energy in an effort to become an alternative-energy powerhouse. The only issue? The alternative energy we're trying to harness is solar power.

Is it just me, or does this seem a bit backward? According to weather data, Pittsburgh is the 19th-cloudiest city in the United States, with an average of 203 cloudy days a year - not including days that are only partly cloudy. And even though the city is one of 25 Solar America Cities, a distinction that makes it available for a $200,000 grant for the development and implementation of solar infrastructure, even the article notes that the city was awarded the title because "the city's enthusiasm shines brightly." Not because we have the best sun, but because our attitude is good. If only solar power was powered by hopes and dreams, we'd be golden.

It's true that direct sun isn't absolutely necessary for solar power, but it still seems like this proposal is a little misdirected. Maybe wind power would be a better choice, given Pittsburgh's high hills and our general lack of most other renewable resources. But if enthusiasm is enough to warrant a government grant, then hey, go for it. Maybe I'll be enthusiastic about solar power and get a grant too.

Obama hates snow days

2009-01-28T16:11:00.000-08:00

According to this Associated Press article, President Obama has a problem with snow days.

According to our president, "...When it comes to weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things." Apparently, in Chicago, children enjoy their recess outside, even if it is 10 below and icier than Beyonce's disgustingly large wedding ring.

All I have to say is Obama better watch himself.

Taking on Republicans or Hillary Clinton is one thing. But the children of America? That's a death wish. And mark my words, they will never forgive him for this.

Hasn't Obama ever seen the Nickelodeon classic, "Snow Day?" Doesn't he realize how much physical abuse an unruly mob of school-wary elementary students can inflict? Lest we forget, children are little monsters. I heard Chris Elliott couldn't show his face for weeks after the release of that movie.

If Obama continues his assault on snow days — which are an American tradition, I might add! — I can only imagine the worst will happen:

One minute he'll wake up, toasty and warm in his White House bed — he doesn't have to brave the harsh, arctic conditions of the bus stop — and the next, the children of Washington will be throwing snowballs in his face and making off with Air Force One.

I can only implore that Obama rescind his comments immediately ... before it's too late!

- Molly Green

University still open

2009-01-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

As of now, Pitt's classes are still on for tonight. A spokesperson from the Chancellor's office added that individual staff members should take their safety into consideration tonight, though.

Professors individually can choose to cancel classes. And many have tonight because of predictions of heavy snowfall and ice. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Western Pennsylvania today until 7 p.m. tonight.

The Chancellor's office would make the decision whether to close or keep open the University in the case of inclement weather.

Two years ago, the University closed because of hazardous winter weather.

Super Bowl riot precautions

2009-01-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Looks like the Pittsburgh police will be shutting down Oakland Sunday, closing intersections from McKee to Bigelow along Forbes and Fifth Avenues near the end of the Super Bowl game.

Check out the complete listing here.

Department reshuffling?

2009-01-27T21:48:00.000-08:00

Pitt's English department, which offers two majors (one in literature, and one in writing where students choose between different "tracks"), held a focus group of students and professors on Monday to discuss possible departmental changes.

All English majors, lit or writing, were invited to attend to the focus group and offer their thoughts on some pressing issues in the department: Whether or not to collapse the Journalism writing track in with the Creative Non-Fiction track for one program of study, or to keep Journalism separate.

Three English majors attended the discussion, plus one non-major (two of the student participants were Pitt Newsers). Dr. David Bartholomae, who is serving in his last year as department chair, led the focus group.

We're not sure where the department stands on the issue after the meeting, and we're still forming our opinions, too.

No matter, it looks like there's going to be some serious consideration on the Fifth Floor of the Cathedral as to what a "Non-fiction writing" program should be, and if it's valuable to keep around a liberal arts-based Journalism course that's neither J-school nor pre-professional development.

We'll have more on the fate of the English department as the story develops ...

Why we love the Internet

2009-01-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

If watching the news last week wasn't enough, relive the Hudson River plane debacle here.

The Pittsburgh Elections and Facebook

2009-01-26T23:28:00.000-08:00

Really interesting stuff From Progress Pittsburgh:

The Race for PGH on Facebook

: Image via Wikipedia

If you are a Facebook user, you know that it was hard to avoid Obamamania on Facebook in the past year. And you certainly can’t avoid Steelers super bowl fever on Facebook - there are hundreds of Steelers fan groups on Facebook.

Can Facebook play a roll in the Primary elections here in Pittsburgh?

Lets look at some of the candidates and rumored candidates for mayor and their Facebook groups:

Mayor

Students for Ravenstahl - 256 members
Young Republicans that Support Luke Ravenstahl - 90 members, doesn’t look like it has been updated since 2007
I Like Luke: Re-elect Luke Ravenstahl, Pittsburgh’s Mayor - 92 members
Is Mayor Luke Ravenstahl stupid, corrupt or both? - 9 members
Patrick Dowd for Mayor of Pittsburgh - 366 members (On Jan 20, the group had 81 members)
Students for Patrick Dowd - 132 members
The UNOFFICIAL Doug Shield for Mayor of Pittsburgh Group - 222 members

City Council

Brendan Schubert - 52 supporters
Recall Tonya Payne from Pittsburgh City Council - 2 members
Bill Peduto - 149 Supporters

Other Races

Hugh McGough - 252 Supporters

Other Elected Officials on Facebook

Don Walko - 17 Supporters
Mike Doyle - 299 Supporters
Bring Back Mike Veon - 7 members

Are there any others that we are missing? Who would you like to see on Facebook? Do you support your favorite candidates by joining their facebook groups?

What do you all think? Anyone supporting anyone yet? Seems a little early to me, but then again I hear they're already starting to poll people about it.

Tell us what you want

2009-01-26T20:50:00.001-08:00

Back by popular demand, "This Day in History" now sits on the left side of this page. Scroll down to check out this popular former-Page Two feature.

If you, the readers, would like to tell us what you think about The Pitt News, please do. I'll be reading comments on this site religiously to see how you feel about our coverage and determine how we can better serve you. Please feel free to comment, or if you'd like to keep it private, drop me a note at editor@pittnews.com

We also might pitch some ideas and upcoming projects here, so stay tuned!

Revamped TPNLive

2009-01-26T20:43:00.000-08:00

Judging by the raging success of our Inauguration coverage, we going to stay plugged into the Blogosphere and keep bringing you news and commentary on this blog!

Check back frequently for updates about Oakland and beyond from our vast array of voices on staff, including your favorite columnists, Molly Green and Lewis Lehe, along with other editors.

In the meantime, browse around Pittnews.com for multimedia packages and stories you might have missed in our print edition.

We're on Twitter, too: Follow us @ThePittNews

Ben Stein is Disconnected from Reality

2009-01-26T04:18:00.000-08:00

In this piece, called "Everybody's Business," Ben Stein showcases how insulated the wealthy can be from the rest of society. Consider the account of his friend:

She lives in a lovely home in a stylish inland enclave. It has an interest-only mortgage of about $2.2 million that requires a payment of $12,000 a month, very roughly. It was last appraised at $2.7 million, but who knows if it’s now worth anything remotely close to that price.
The woman...has no job or other remunerative employment. She has a former husband, an entrepreneur whose business has suffered recently. He pays her $20,000 a month, of which roughly half is alimony and half child support. The alimony is scheduled to stop this summer.
She has a wealthy beau who pays her credit card bills and other incidentals, but she is thinking of telling him she is through with him. She has no savings and has refinanced her home repeatedly, always adding to indebtedness and then putting the money into a shop she owns that has never come close to earning a dime. Now she is up all night worrying about money. “Terrified,” as she put it.

What a typical American tragedy! A modern day Grapes of Wrath, really. Is there no justice?

A grown woman has absolutely no job skills, but runs a shop because that's what she read that's what self-actualized modern women do. She has an "interest only mortgage," and let's be frank: an interest-only mortgage is not a real mortgage, because you don't actually build up any equity in your house. It's a 30-year lease, and it's an amazingly stupid thing to do unless you're desperate. The only reason it exists is an idiotic fluke in the income tax code that lets you deduct mortgage interest payments but not rental payments.

This lady lives mainly off of $20,000 of alimony and child-support from her wealthy ex-husband, but in a shocking turn of events that she knew was going to happen for some time, the alimony is ending. The rest of her income, which is spent on "incidentals," comes from a different rich man in her life, who pays off her credit card every month. However, she does not fancy him so much lately. Also, she has refinanced her house and accumulated a ton of debt.

These are the sobering problems that Americans face each and every day in this wintry economic climate. Across America, alimony is ending and people want to break up with their rich boyfriends. Hundreds of millions of Americans risk losing the basic shelter of a $2 million house in a stylish inland enclave. It's easy to dismiss the plight of the handicapped, the ignorant, the poor, the drug-addicted, but when not even your stylish inland enclave is safe, then it's "Everybody's Business."

Why does the Times let Ben Stein write a column? He writes about economics, generally, but he is not an economist, or a broker, or a businessman, or a personal finance adviser. It's from his perch as speechwriter and novelty actor/endorser, that he gets the authority to doll out profound nuggets of wisdom like:

I have been pondering what advice to give them about money. What I keep coming up with is this: Do not act like typical Americans.

Don't act like typical Americans? Check!

From the Man Who Brought You The One Hundred Trillion Dollar Bill

2009-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a Newsweek interview with the Central Banker (Ben Bernanke/ Alan Greenspan) of Zimbabwe. It is funny.

If you don't know, most countries have "central banks," which are banks that are kind of run by the government. They don't make profits really, but instead have a public mission to control how much money there is flowing around, to manage inflation and investment and employment.

Zimbabwe prints money like crazy and have really bad inflation. They recently started printing a one hundred trillion dollar bill, which is worth about thirty dollars.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the interview:

"I still lay claim that I am the best tea maker in the world."
"I decided God had been on my side and had come to vindicate me."
"those who have studied the history of economies know that we are down, but that the only thing hat can happen is we will move up. That is a certainty."

Inauguration brought big business in cold weather

2009-01-22T19:17:00.000-08:00

The official estimates on retail revenue during the four-day inauguration weekend aren’t in yet, Chris Knudson, the senior vice president of marketing and communications at the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday. But the Chamber of Commerce expects good news from businesses.

It had originally estimated $700 million to $1 billion worth of business taking place during the inauguration festivities, Knudson said.

“Now,” he said, “we think it’ll exceed that.”

Neal Downing, a real estate appraiser from Largo, Md., capitalized on the amount of visitors attending the outdoor ceremonies.

“I’m selling hand warmers trying to keep America warm,” he said at the U St. Metro Station Monday night as he distributed HotHands hand warmer packets he kept in a plastic bag to a group of four women.

(It turned out that they needed them -- the National Weather Service averaged that the temperature Tuesday was 29 degrees and dropped as low as 16.)

Downing said he had ordered 640 pairs of handwarmers from the HeatMax company to sell during inauguration weekend. He said he sold 500 on Monday for $2 each and planned to get more Tuesday morning from a friend.

Kevin Luong, an assistant manager at CVS on 8th Street, four blocks from the Mall, saw similar sales of hand warmers. He said the store stocks gloves, hats, and hand and toe warmers for the winter.

“We sold out on inauguration day in the afternoon,” he said Wednesday, estimating that his store sold a few hundred hand warmers from Monday evening through Tuesday night. “As for gloves and hats, we had just a few left.”

The store charges 99 cents more for a two-pack of hand warmers than Downing’s price. One toe warmer pack sold for $1.99.

“CVS was crowded like a supermarket yesterday, even in the morning,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Knudson said retailers across the city experienced heightened business this week.

“Today [the Chamber’s] president [Barbara Land] was at Macy’s at Metro Center, and the store was practically cleaned out from the weekend,” he added.

He said that many visitors to the city had been unprepared for the cold weather, and businesses had sold large amounts of cold-weather gear like hats, gloves and long johns.

“There were two things people were concerned about -- one was snow, which we fortunately didn’t get, and the other thing was the cold,” he said. Businesses “anticipated that it would be cold and people would be outside for long periods of time.”

-- Katelyn Polantz

The power of the intangible

2009-01-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

Washington D.C.’s metro system is aloof and self-contained, an efficient system of tunnels that connect the district and its outlying areas. In the summer, no one goes above ground unless they have to, the cavernous spaces of the capitol’s transportation system offering refuge from the heat.

However, on the Sunday evening after the Concert at the Lincoln Memorial, where thousands massed to watch renowned artists usher in the President-elect, the D.C. metro offered shelter from a rare cold snap. Revelers packed both sides of the escalators, thwarting the headlong rush of D.C. residents down its left hand side.

Once inside, snatches of conversation proved that talk of the Inaugural took primacy over weather as a conversation starter.

Anna Siegel, a Pitt junior who traveled to the Inaugural, noted that this was not unusual in D.C.

“Everyone talks politics, all the time—it’s not impolite to open a conversation that way.” But this weekend, people of all ages, races, and states asked their neighbors what brought them to D.C., excitement overcoming the usual reticence of city dwellers.
Among the regular commuters checking their Blackberries on the train, two students from University of California Davis, Chris Remy and Mike Hower, struck up a conversation.

Draped carelessly over a seat nearest the door, their limbs and personal effects arranged like a Chagall painting, Remy and Hower had both interned on Capitol Hill this past summer. They flew in for the weekend to visit friends and to partake in the Inaugural hoopla.

“I said in July that if Barack Obama won the election I would come to the Inauguration,” Hower said, “so here I am.” He shrugged. “It’s crazy how it all worked out—especially having worked here for the summer and then gone home to Davis.” I asked why the transition had been a shock.

“D.C. is a traditionally liberal place,” Hower said. “And although people think the West Coast is really liberal, the interior of California is incredibly conservative.”

Remy nodded.

“I canvassed for Obama in California and then in Nevada. They had staffers living in a hotel on the Las Vegas strip for a week, just so we could create a body of student voters,” he said. “I’m so glad we got Obama elected.”

Remy’s sentence struck me: he wasn’t glad that Obama got elected; he was glad because we got Obama elected. The sentence structure was inclusive: the young voters, the next generation of political decision-makers had finally done what the pundits lamented we would never do; we voted. In large numbers. Our involvement, inspired by President Obama’s belief in possibility, had given him the opportunity to realize his platform.

The train rocketed down the blue line, away from the city. Hower dissected the tone of Obama’s concert address in which he cautioned its attendants, and its viewers on HBO, that the road before us would not be an easy one. Hower was unperturbed by the goals Obama has set for the country and his administration.

“Whether or not he changes anything practical, whether he balances the budget or whatever, that’s not the point. For the first time in a long time we have a leader who inspires us, someone that we can believe in. That’s the most important thing.

Without confidence in our ability to make changes in our country, we can’t address the problems, and that’s what Obama has done, helped to restore our confidence. ”

Margaret Krauss

Assorted Moments from the Inauguration For Your Enjoyment

2009-01-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

Below is a story on some of the most interesting folks we met at the inauguration, and Katelyn wrote a rundown of the day's events, but neither tells the whole story. To add to the bunch, here is an assortment of moments that'll stick out in my memory months down the line.

1) Most of the roads in Downtown D.C. were totally closed for the day, blocked off by thousands and thousands of gates, railings and army men. Walking through the streets towards the capitol, with thousands of others rushing by, felt a lot like we were on the set of a movie about the apocalypse (I know, I used that comparison before, but it holds) where people leave their cars and just bolt to safety. I fully expected Will Smith to pop out and yell something like "Get out of the city while you still can!"

2. The consistency of the audience's crowdedness was totally inconsistent. At one point, Heater and I were being pushed through a bottleneck leading into a bigger area by countless impatient people. A tall man stood in the middle of the flow, his arms roped around his two kids, screaming, "There's nowhere else to go! Stop pushing by! Please, God, stop pushing by!" So we promptly pushed by, and not 20 feet later were on the mall with enough room to park a van without bothering anyone.

3. Press passes make for good souvenirs, but, umm, that's about it. While my pass to Sunday's concert got me close enough to smell Bruce Springsteen's manly musk (well, not quite), our passes at the inauguration were about as helpful as we were when people asked us how to get to the (Insert Metro Station name here) Metro Station. We asked volunteers, cops and a beefy army fellow where the press pass granted us access, and the only information we got was "I have no idea" or "There's a press entrance on 12th Street." Now that second one would've been helpful if we'd been less than a mile and a half from 12th Street at the time.

Finally, when we got on the Mall, we asked a young woman working the press pit if we could come in. She looked at our passes and said, "This area is only for standing cameras" (Video cameras on tripods). I asked politely, "So, what exactly does having a press pass mean, then?" To which she said, "Nothing."

4. We situated ourselves close to the makeshift MSNBC soundstage, in which the likes of Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, among others, hosted the Inauguration live on their channel. People went nuts over seeing their favorite pundits, albeit through an elevated glass encasing. Chris Matthews, on the other hand, looked either constipated or just grumpy.

5. If Bush was unaware of the public's dislike of him up to yesterday, he was slapped in the face by it when, upon being introduced at the end of a string of ex-presidents, he was booed. I cannot fathom what it feels like to be booed by two million people. Two million people! I get upset if someone looks at me funny. He must be an incredibly strong, or incredibly (and blissfully) unaware man.

6. When the Inauguration let out and the Mall began to clear, the grass looked like a landfill the day after Fourth of July. Those super-patriotic folk who get upset when someone lets the American flag touch the ground would've had at least three heart attacks at seeing this mess.

7. In the midst of the post-Inauguration madness, we met Pitt News-er and Obama campaign worker Tony Jovenitti. Small world!

8. Along with Tony's friend Jim, the four of us trekked about a mile through the crowded, maddening streets to find some food. Every restaurant within at least 2 miles of the mall was packed. Luckily for us, we found a health food store (imagine a GNC run by hippies) that also sold sandwiches that few other people had discovered. But it also had no place to sit. Sitting on the curb outside, I dropped my last piece of Buffalo Burger on the street and quickly picked it up and ate it gluttonously. Few times in my life have I felt so homeless.

9. Heater and I walked about a mile away from Pennsylvania Ave (where the parade was) before finding a street without a ton of people screaming for cabs. We soon got one, after a delightful walk through some projects, and promptly fell asleep. Luckily, we woke up just before the cab driver would've had to awkwardly tap us at our stop.

10. Having stood in the cold (26 degrees!) from about 6 a.m. until we hopped the cab at 4 p.m., my legs hurt and my lips froze to the point that I'll be on a healthy regiment of Chapstick for the next month. We got home and fell asleep. It was the most rewarding sleep ever.

I'm writing this from my house in Oakland, after sleeping through the entire drive home from DC at 5 a.m. this morning (Sorry Heater and Katelyn). What an amazing, fantastic, words-can't-describe-it experience.

Cheers, and here's to four great years.

- Justin Jacobs

Inauguration Crowd Huge, Varied and Dancing

2009-01-20T19:07:00.000-08:00

People gave up a lot to see the inauguration of Barack Obama — from breathing room to hours at work — but few were willing to give up as much as Johnita Cox.

The 67-year-old African American woman from tiny Jackson, Alabama, her accent thick and voice slow, said with a wink, “Even if my feet got frostbitten, I wouldn’t mind it. But I’m already warm because I’m here to see Obama.”

Johnita Cox

Cox swayed and danced to the orchestral music blaring through the speakers set up throughout the Mall to keep warm. While, for many, it was a time for laughter and light-hearted celebration, the gravity of the event pressed hard on Cox’ shoulders.

“I’m gonna write this down so my future grandchildren know that there grandmother was here, in D.C. to see our first black African American president,” she said, her voice cracking as her eyes watered. “I came two weeks early just to be here. I wouldn’t have missed this for nothing.”

Though dancing was a preferred method of warmth for some as enthusiastic as Cox, many opted for layers and layers of blankets. Even for those from the country’s coldest point.

The Hamerly family, who flew down from Alaska, sat on the ground with a thick fleece blanket wrapping them all together in a cocoon of body warmth. Melinda Hamerly, 42, preferred staying close with her daughters Natalie and Stephanie than being crunched in with hundreds of thousands of strangers closer to the front.

The Hamerly Family

“We were right up at the front of this section being pushed up against everybody. I hear people talk about that but I’ve never been in anything like it,” she said. “More than the entire state of Alaska’s going to out here on the mall today.”

In a crowd estimated by The New York Times to have been between 1.8 and 2 million people, the emotions were both high and varied going into Obama’s inauguration.

Some looked grimly back at the past, some were near speechless at the present and all were upbeat and hopeful towards the future.

“He was very articulate,” said Florida teacher Maggie Cavin of Obama’s inaugural address, during which she jumped and shouted. “He talked about dissent. That really touched me because we’ve been told that dissent is unpatriotic for the last eight years. We’ve had a monkey in office who can’t string a sentence together. Now we’ve got someone who’s gifted and articulate, thoughtful and wise.”

She wasn’t alone in her sentiment. When President Bush and Vice President Cheney were introduced along with former presidents Carter, Bush Sr. and Clinton, widespread booing and chants of goodbye songs could be heard throughout the Mall.

But the negativity was short lived — this day was about Barack Obama. And his hopeful future haircut.

New Jersey barber Antoine Brunson shared a laugh with his childhood friends in the center of the Mall, praising themselves for their good spot.

“My tip for getting a good spot would be to start elbowing. Old ladies, grandmas, anyone,” he joked. “But if I could work on Obama, I’d give him a Mohawk — clean him up around the sides. Something just a little different.”

Reflective of the movement that helped put Obama in office, much of the crowd was made of young people.

Georgetown University senior George Chipev and friend Jeremy Long were ready to party. Armed with a bottle of celebratory champagne, they traded swigs while looking back on the day’s events as the crowd of millions dispersed.

“Our campus gym was open today and I was called in to work,” said Chipev. “I said there was no way in hell I’m coming to guard while old republicans use the pool when I could be here.”

Long spoke with the authority of a man on the edge of ‘young voter’ status.

“I was here four years ago for the inauguration and it was completely different. The environment of Barack has created so much buzz. It hasn’t even materialized — it’s just a buzz,” he said.

And it wasn’t just the champagne.

- Justin Jacobs

-Photos by Michael Heater

Recap of the Inauguration Swearing-in ceremony

2009-01-20T19:03:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON -- Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States five minutes after noon yesterday in Washington, D.C.

He stood before a crowd of millions that filled the three-mile stretch of the National Mall from the Capitol building to the Lincoln Memorial.

To accommodate the crowd, Jumbotron screens and massive speakers lining both sides of the Mall played the scene unfolding on the Capitol steps.

Some bystanders, if not shoulder to shoulder straining to see to Jumbotron and to hear the booming echo of the speakers, sat on the ground and covered themselves with blankets to shield themselves from the wind and the cold. The National Weather Service reported that the high yesterday in Washington was 32 degrees.

The evangelical leader Rick Warren gave the blessing to open the event at 11:30 a.m., then Aretha Franklin sang a soulful rendition of “My Country Tis of Thee.” California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairperson of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, introduced each motion of the event.

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens read the oath of office for Vice President Joseph Robert Biden III first just before noon, then U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. for Obama minutes later.

Between the two leaders’ oaths, a quartet comprised of violin, cello, piano and clarinet played a rendition, arranged by composer John Williams, of the tune “Simple Gifts.”

Obama then placed his hand on the Lincoln Bible, which first lady Michelle Obama held. He recited the oath from Roberts’ cues, some of which jumbled words and required repeating.

To the sound of disjointed cheers and chants from the mass of onlookers, Obama began his inaugural address about 10 minutes after noon.

He thanked now-former President George W. Bush for his service to the country, then called into action the listening Americans. He urged the country to act responsibly and work to overcome the challenges the nation faces.

“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America,” Obama, dressed in a dark red scarf and tie, said. “For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.”

He cited the economic crisis, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, environmental inefficiency and suffering health care and education systems.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real,” he said. “They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.”

Millions of people listened intently to these words, mostly silent during the speech except for a few occasional yells and chants of the new president’s last name. Some said “Amen” to his words, many nodded in approval.

A man tuned an old radio he had into NPR and listened to their commentary in addition to the echoing broadcast from the speakers. Cameras flashed throughout the crowd, and onlookers waved American flags, creating a flickering blanket of red and white over the dark sea of people.

“This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed,” Obama continued. “Why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.”

Obama concluded the speech after about 18 minutes:

“With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.

“Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations,” he said, finishing the speech.

Elizabeth Alexander, a professor at Yale University and a fellow at Harvard University this year, followed Obama by reading a poem she had written, titled “Praise song for the day.”

As many of the crowd members began to disperse, a process that took hours and closed many Metro stations and clogged roadways during the afternoon, the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery offered a benediction prayer to conclude the ceremony.

Bush and First Lady Laura Bush left the Capitol in a helicopter, and the Obamas and 200 guests left the bitter cold outside to attend the Inaugural luncheon in the Capitol building before the Inaugural parade commenced at 3:30 p.m, escorting the Obamas down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol building to their new home, the White House.

“Lord … we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery said, ending the swearing-in ceremony. “That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.”

-Katelyn Polantz

-Photos by Michael Heater

Backtrack to last night

2009-01-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

A snapshot of the scene last night in front of the Capitol (People were already lining up to find their spots for this morning):

Sarah Lloyd, 16-year-old high school junior from Chicago, arrived at the Capitol building with her mother at 6:30 p.m. Monday to wait for the ceremony. They had spread a blanket in the grass that was marked to be a standin-room-only ticketed area directly in front of the Capitol steps.

“We’re going to eat Pringles, sleep,” she said on Monday as she sat with a group of students from George Mason University she had just met. “We’ll stay here until we get kicked out, until the Inauguration if we can make it.”

Their backup plan, if they could not stay where they were, was to find the closest Jumbotron.

“There’s a chance they’ll let us stand out here,” Sarah said, adding that she had volunteered for the campaign and canvassed in Indiana despite her inability to vote. “We believe we’re the people who put Barack in office, so we deserve it.”

Local news tackles D.C.

2009-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

Here's the footage of the KDKA report I was interviewed for, which I metioned in my earlier report.

-Katelyn Polantz

Inauguration Day Photos

2009-01-20T14:07:00.001-08:00

I've posted a slideshow of images from Inauguration Day. It's been an incredibly long and rewarding day!

-Vaughn Wallace

Waiting in line at the Inauguration

2009-01-20T13:59:00.001-08:00

This morning I woke up at 4 a.m. to see the world change. I braved below-freezing temperatures and crowds of millions, and I exercised incredible patience, which has been precious throughout the past week.

I'm traveling on unofficial business with three friends who worked as field organizers on Obama's campaign, including my best friend, Robin, who brought me as her plus-one ticket to the inaugural swearing-in ceremony. I was one of about a quarter million people with tickets. (I know... I owe her, right?)

The metro opened at four this morning, and none of us felt sure about what the crowds would be like. Things seemed relatively normal for Washington -- at first. We left the studio we're sharing north of Dupont Circle and headed toward the metro. People trickled into the station. We slid our farecards through the machines and waited for the train.

Four in the morning, and the first train was completely packed. My group got separated. Robin and I got on the next train. There were no strangers there, we were packed like sardines. Everyone was in good spirits and courteous, asking each other where they were from. Detroit, Atlanta. One middle-aged woman was from Europe.

This is no joke. The European woman asked someone why the train was so crowded. Another passenger informed her that the president was being inaugurated today, and she said, "Oh, the black one?"

At any rate, our group reunited. We got off at the Judiciary Square stop. It was so dark and cold.

There were masses of people, and we were laughing in amazement at how many people got up at least before 4 a.m. to see Barack Obama. People flooded the streets. We found our line for the Purple tickets (the standing section right behind the seated section, on the northwest side of Capitol Hill). The Capitol building was beaming white and beautiful. We chatted with the people around us, who were from Ann Arbor and Las Vegas.

At 5:30 a.m. the Canadians arrived. No, seriously. A group of about 30 people marched from the direction of Union Station metro stop. One guy was carrying a huge Canadian flag. They headed toward the end of the line.

Everything felt surreal, and the cold seeped through all three of my layers as time passed. Most people had a sort of dance that kept them warm. I was marching in place because my toes hurt. A man was doing jumping jacks in line. We later found out his name was Gar (not sure of the spelling), and he would become the hero of the Purple ticket line.

The sun started to rise somewhere around 7 a.m., and everyone started to cheer up. Every so often people would break out in cheers or songs. Eventually there was a tambourine. One man told us that the gates were supposed to open at 7 a.m., but they didn't. There started to be problems because the hordes of people coming in from the metro in waves didn't know where to go, and a mass of people began trying to cut the line. Most of them herded in the middle of the intersection instead of finding the end of the line.

That was where things got interesting for the Purple line. We were standing somewhat near the entrance to the gate, right where the line curved from the Capitol lawn down the street at Constitution and Second. As people started trying to butt in, people on our side of the curve started chanting, "No line cuts!" A group of people left the line to form a human barrier, locking hands to prevent people from butting in line and isolating our section from the crowd of confused people. The chanters switched to "Defense! Defense!" Gar and others started directing people in the opposite direction. Officers with machine guns showed up to help control, but the communication wasn't effective. Finally, a little after 8 a.m., we made our way through the Purple gate. We were lucky. The ticket-holders who weren't in our protected part of the line got caught in the crowd of thousands.

More on my experiences soon -- I'm headed to the Youth Ball.

- Lindsay Carroll

Recounting the Big Day upon returning home

2009-01-20T11:21:00.001-08:00

Well, I made it back, after setting out to get to the Capitol building at 6 a.m. I took the bus to 24th St. and Pennsylvania Avenue, then got on the Metro at Foggy Bottom.

At L'enfant Plaza Metro, I got off and stood in a crowd of hundreds that wasn't moving out of the station and that was increaing in size with each passing train. Ah, so this is what they mean by "crush-level" crowds, I thought. I got back on the next train and took it one more stop, to Federal Center, which was a little less crowded because it had just been reopened after earlier closures.

Not so on the street outside the blue gate entrance -- "crush-level" was a mild description. Four blocks worth of people standing in line shoulder to shoulder 20 across were waiting to enter the Blue ticketed area, which I guessed would hold far less. It was 8 a.m., and I began to wonder about safety and the likelihood of me getting through the gate to my ticketed area. A woman in front of me began to panic because of the enclosing crowd.

I was alone, the sole Pitt News editor with a ticket to be up front, and I pushed my way to the outside to get some air. People farther behind me started aggressively pushing, shouting and banging on a slow-moving passing car. That was it, I was done.

I walked back to the Federal Center station to figure out a plan, and when I asked someone for directions, a man named Jerome offered to walk with me. He also had a ticket to stand on the Capitol lawn up close and had decided to forfeit his chances of being close.

We walked about 10 blocks in a crowd that filled the entire street, and pushed our way to the hill of the Washington Monument (along the way, I ran into a cameraman from KDKA-TV with political reporter John Delano, and since I recognized John and said I was from Pittsburgh, he interviewed me. They weren't the only journalists to make appearances -- always within eyesight someone was shooting professional photos or video or holding a boom microphone). We found a prime spot in the middle of the crowd -- I could see the Capitol straight ahead -- far, far away, but it was good enough. Jumbotron screens and massive speakers played the scene unfolding on the Capitol steps.

Two hours left until the ceremony began, and it was cold and windy. Some bystanders, if not shoulder to shoulder, had sat down on the ground. A man next to me tuned an old radio he had into NPR and listened to their commentary. And nearly everyone had a camera or video camera.

At one point, a crew from ABC News pushed through, and reporter I probably should have recognized interviewed a couple from Holland standing next to us.

"I'm proud of the passport I hold," the woman said. "But it is a great day for America."

[I'll tell you more about the ceremony itself later, but right now there's food to eat and CNN to watch and thoughts to regroup.]

After the ceremony, I trekked across seas of people (seriously, it was unbelivable -- every street, every open space, every block was packed shoulder to shoulder with the unendlessly shuffling crowd) to the Lincoln Memorial, then down to the Potomac riverfront and back to Georgetown. On the way, I saw thousands of bikers and walkers, some playing drums and chanting, some talking on cell phones, some selling hadnwarmers or souveniers. But most were quiet, marching away from this massive gathering to disperse back into the real world.

It's hard to put into words what being in a crowd of millions feels like. It's scary, it's hard to tell what's around you, it's intuitive and blind in the way you walk with the flow. It's surreal and incredibly unpleasant at the same time, especially with freezing temperatures.

It's also hard to put into words what it's like to witness history such as this. Even though I watched Obama take the oath of office from more than a mile away, I feel like he had shared his moment intimately with the citizens who chose him as their leader.

The Big Day: Game Time

2009-01-20T01:18:00.000-08:00

It's game time. 4:18 AM. Already, excited shouts can be heard outside my window as people make the trek down Massachusetts Avenue. My house is exactly 3.1 miles by foot, and the thermometer says 12 degrees out. Time for a brisk stroll downtown now. Yes, at 4:18AM. Metro service started 18 minutes ago--I'm already late. Will post pictures in a few hours.

-Vaughn Wallace

The British are coming! The British are coming!

2009-01-20T00:29:00.001-08:00

The streets of Capitol Hill tonight were not unlike a scene in a movie about the apocalypse or some grand scale natural disaster.

Policemen and security guards roamed around, but barely a soul could be found - only cold air and the occasional paper bag floating down the sidewalk in the brisk wind.

But we couldn't have be the only people crazy enough to try and get close to what would be the scene of the action in only a few hours - the capitol. Or so our logic went.

We were right.

We were able to trek up to the back of the gated area lined with seats (where the big wigs will sit tomorrow) and found quite a few signs of bundled up life there.

Among the more interesting folks (that is, having more to say then "It's cold" or "Wow, there are so many chairs!") were a group of British students.

Guy Burkitt and Byron Thomas (names seldom get more British then that), both 21 and students at the University of Bristol, were both elated and disappointed.

Both are part of the University Presidential Inaugeration Conference, a conference of American and international students who all signed up and paid to take part in a few days of heavyweight speakers and seminars, as well as a chance to experience the swearing in ceremony and following parade.

Silly them - they thought that the Conference, which costs almost 3,000 dollars, would provide them tickets to the Inauguration. The website does say, "The Conference is comprised of exclusive and private inaugural events... as well as public ceremonial events, such as the official swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural parade."

Guess they didn't read the fine print - the frustrated students were empty handed for tickets, but still wide eyed just at the notion of being here, a continent away from home, to celebrate in Obama's Inauguration.

And, apparently, so is the whole of England.

"Bush was constantly vilified by the media and satirists in the U.K. – the Bushisms, the dreadful things he’s done, that he can’t speak English properly. Obama comes off as the antithesis of that – a dignified statesman," said Burkitt. "What he does represent is a change in image. Obama gives a sense that he’s more willing to cooperate with people around the rest of the world."

"No one thinks that within a week you’ll be out of Iraq and Guantanamo Bay will be shut down, but it’s a new dignity and a new approach that goes down better with the rest of the world," he continued.

Thomas agreed, but was also in awe at the sheer fact that politics could draw such a crowd.

"This kind of culture doesn’t exist in the U.K. – an excitement towards politics, the spectacle of it. It’s nice to be around people who are excited about the political system, the change that’s happening," he said.

- Justin Jacobs, blogging from the couch at 3:49 a.m., approx. one hour and 11 minutes before my alarm is set to go off to wake me up for my journey to the Inauguration. I'll sleep when I'm dead.

Rundown of Monday night

2009-01-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

The chronicle of Heater, Justin, Victor and I on Inauguration Eve:

-- Ate at an Ethipiopian restaurant near U St. (Thanks for the recommendation, Harry) at 9 p.m. The restaurant was so packed, our four-top barely fit into a corner near the bar. We left two hours later.

-- On U St., we listened to two rappers hold a makeshift concert in the street outside a stand selling all sorts of Obama paraphenalia, T-shirts, flashing buttons of the first family, you name it

-- Got on the Subway at U-Street/African-American Civil War Memorial and took it to Archives/Navy Memorial

-- I, along with a crowd of others preparing for tomorrow, bought handwarmer packs from a guy in the Metro station for $2. He said he had sold 500 packs that day alone.

-- We stopped outside the Newseum to pay homage to the day's newspaper front pages from each of the 50 states displayed outside. The Huffington Post party was hopping inside, and we watched will.i.am sing through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Apparently, Arianna Huffington, Tom Hanks and our former colleague Marin were inside at the black tie affair.

-- Walked to the Capitol and spoke to the men setting up the barricades for the parade tomorrow. All streets around the mall were closed, and they had taken down many of the stop lights and loaded them for temporary storage onto trucks. For miles, the streets were lined with crowd barriers.

-- Met a few people staking out their spots for tomorrow: two groups of girls, a 16-year-old and her mother from Chicago and three college students from Virginia, shared Pringles and a blanket. They had been there since 7 p.m. and were hoping their zealous camp-out in the cold would win them a right to sit in the ticketed area. They said they weren't that cold, and that they were having fun making friends. I wonder if they'll be saying the same thing after waiting around for another 8 hours.

-- Talked to the men setting up barricades at the blue gate entrance area (where my ticket will grant me access for tomorrow). They said they weren't cold either, but they were worried about having everything set up by 5 a.m.

-- Grabbed a cab on Independence Avenue to go home. Traffic heading east was at a stand still (it was about 12:30 and the parties/balls were letting out), and a cabbie picked us up going the opposite direction. He took us to the Smithsonian Metro stopped near the Washington Monument, threw his hands up in disgust and advised us to get out and take the subway. The roads throughout the Mall were all closed, and it could have taken us hours to get back into NorthWest D.C.

-- Road the Metro, which was packed with young bums like us as well as middle agers in tuxedos and ball gowns, to Dupont Circle. Along the way we met three gentlemen from Atlanta who had attended the Georgia Ball. One, who had a brother from Pittsburgh, said he wouldn't even attempt to come into D.C. tomorrow, he'd rather watch it on TV. Another, a former TV news anchor at Fox 5, seemed happy to speak to a student journalists and took our picture a few times.

-- Grabbed a cab and made it back to Glover Park. We've readied our clothes (in layers, of course, like multiple pairs of socks and gloves) and will be up again in two hours to trek to the Capitol.

-Katelyn Polantz

Photos by Michael Heater

Wouldn't you rather be farther South?

2009-01-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Harry Dest, his wife Ouida and their 7-year-old daughter Hunter are bracing for the worst this Tuesday. They have three standing-room-only tickets to Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration swearing-in ceremony, and it’s going to be cold – a high of 32 degrees, not counting the wind, according to the National Weather Service forecast office.

The Dests are from Fort Mill, S.C., where the temperature stays well above freezing during the winter months.

“We’re trying to do the best we can by buying as much stuff before we came up here,” Harry said.

The family said they spent $300 on cold-weather gear for the Inauguration.

“It’s a jacket for me, boots for her, scarves, gloves, handwarmers,” Ouida said. “We’re freezing, but it’s a moment we wouldn’t trade for anything.

Harry ran through the family’s checklist for the big day: They’ll be up at 3:30 a.m. to catch the orange or blue line Metro from Alexandria by 4:30 or 5.

That means they’ll be standing on the Capitol Lawn from 5:30 a.m. on, until the ceremony commences at 11:30. Music will begin at 10 a.m. to help pass the time.

Ouida said they’ve been researching how to prepare for Tuesday for weeks. She plans on bringing a sleeping bag for Hunter to use to keep warm.

“Bundle up and dress warmly, make sure you have comfortable foot gear, cover your head and neck,” Harry said. “Even though it’s going to be cold, there’s going to be so much energy here, it won’t matter once the day comes.”

-Katelyn Polantz (who will be following the Dest's recommendation and catching a bus at 5 a.m. tomorrow. Don't worry, Dad, I'll wear lots of layers.)

Bracing for the chill

2009-01-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was chilly, as predicted. The weather channel said it was 35 degrees, but there's a wind chill and the sun didn't break through the clouds.

In front of the Capitol building in mid-afternoon yesterday, bundled up visitors milled around taking photos, meeting each other and scoping out the area for the big event Tuesday.

Chris Quigley, who has worked in Washington for two years as a scheduler for Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., was staking out her spot for Tuesday. “Today would be a normal winter day, maybe a little warmer or maybe a little colder," she said.

She said she expects Inauguration Day to be a bit colder than it was today. The Presidential Inaugural Committee, in literature published last month, advised spectators to prepare for 37 degree weather.

Actually, the National Weather Service says it’s going to be a high of 32 degrees – not counting 10 to 15 mile-per-hour winds. Yikes, that’s cold.

-Katelyn Polantz

2009-01-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Look! Heater's photo (posted below on this blog) made it to the New York Times' Readers' album of the Inauguration!

It's the one updated at 11:50am on Monday (a sunset over the Lincoln Memorial)

DC Steelers Nation Photos

2009-01-19T08:27:00.001-08:00

As Katelyn mentioned, we'll have some multimedia from the festivities posted later in the week.
Covering all the events each day is a ton of work. Everyone is on their feet in the freezing weather almost all day getting jostled by the crowds. Free wifi connections are a godsend (Thank you, Cosi!); we've been taking advantage of them to post quick updates throughout the day. Many of us are carrying audio and photo equipment, which makes things exponentially more difficult trying to navigate the crowd-control barricades.

-Vaughn Wallace, staff photographer

We knew we had arrived at a yinzer oasis in the middle of the bureaucratic desert, Capitol Hill!

Several Steelers fans were seen throughout the crowds at the concert. I was surprised to see that most carried Terrible Towels.

Steeler Nation

2009-01-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Yinzers are taking over the country.

After the concert at the Lincoln Memorial (sorry, Donny Iris didn't play), Vaughn and I happened to follow a guy named Matt, who was wearing a Steelers jersey, straight into the displaced heart of Steelers country in D.C.

The Pour-house, a bar a few blocks east of the Capitol, calls itself the Official D.C. home of D.C. Steeler Nation.

Two hours before game time, it was standing room only. Almost every patron, save a guy wearing an Eagles shirt sitting alone, was dressed in black and gold.

The general manager of the Pourhouse, Andre, said the previous owners had been Pittsburghers, and their tradition of keeping it a Steeleers bar had stuck.

We got a warm reception when we said we were from Pitt -- most of the patrons we spoke to hailed from the South Hills or had Pitt connections as alumni or through family.

Most of them were regulars, too, coming hours before the game to get a seat every week during football season -- one guy who called a couch in a corner of the lower level said he had been going there for games for 10 years.

As weird as it was to stumble into home away from home, it was comforting to find this random pocket of Steelers fans amid the thousands swarming the Capital city.

The lack of Iron City on tap (The bartender said it was too expensive to bring in from Pittsburgh distributors, even though patrons requested it often) reminded us where we were -- in the middle of the other form of psycho fandom: Obamania.

[Check back later this week for a soundslide of the Pourhouse on game day]

-Katelyn Polantz

Opening Ceremonies, or, The Wildest Concert Ever

2009-01-18T15:35:00.001-08:00

Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/HBO

Wading through massive crowds and countless vendors at around noon, I knew I was close.

Sliding through the crowds towards the Lincoln Memorial, suddenly I saw a break in the pack and a welcome sign: "Press Entrance."

I broke from the crowded streets and chatted with a Brazilian radio-journalist operating out of D.C. on the way to the security check, where I embarrassingly continued to forget that I still had things in my pockets. It took about three times the norm to get through metal detectors.

To the side of the Memorial, a triangular spot was gated for press - closer to the stage then I'd ever imagined.

The scene was not unlike the end of "Star Wars" when Luke is given a medal in front of rows and rows of onlookers. Ironically, George Lucas was sitting about 200 feet in front of me. Whoa.

The mass of press folk battled a bit for prime real estate within the area; while my lack of a camera made me unfit for the fight to the front, my short stature made it easy to slip through to a fantastic view.

The set up was elaborate - a glass cube sat on stage right to house the Obamas, an orchestra pit towards the front, sliding scenery pillars and countless flags, all leading up the Memorial steps.

After an hour and a half waiting (I had it easy. One photographer cried in relief"I've been waiting for six hours!" as the ceremony began), the sliding pillars parted, revealing a regal set of military trumpeters. The orchestra played "Fanfare for the Common Man." This was the real deal.

Over the course of the next two hours, a collection of the best and brightest in Hollywood and Musicland spoke and performed in some brilliant collaborations.

Bruce Springsteen sang "The Rising" with only an acoustic guitar... and an entire chorus behind him.

Mary J. Blige sang a big band "Lean on Me."

James Taylor and John Legend crooned through "Shower the People."

Sheryl Crow and the everpresent will.i.am sang Bob Marley's "One Love."

And, most surprisingly of all, Garth Brooks downright kicked ass on "American Pie," evoking the most enthusiastic crowd reaction of the whole show. Seriously, Garth Brooks. Weird, but almost soothing; the heart of country-loving Middle America still beats loudly. And wears cowboy hats.

The performances were great, sure, but this wasn't about the music. It was about something bigger than that (and that's saying something. Very little is bigger than music), something that was in the air, in the words of each speaker, in the booming "OBAMA" chants of the massive crowd stretching from the Lincoln Memorial straight back to the Washington Monument.

The speakers, including Steve Carell, Tiger Woods, Tom Hanks, Queen Latifah, Jack Black, Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington, often quoted famous Americans (President Lincoln, FDR and JFK showed up most often) in speeches that both added to the unbelievable nature of the event and grounded everyone in the reality of the present.

U2 played last, fittingly; the band, though Irish, has come to represent, for many Americans, the right for good to exist, and overcome evil. The band rocked "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and "City of Blinding Lights" in proper form.

Then it was time for the biggest rock star of all.

Obama spoke passionately, but realistically.

"I won't pretend that meeting any of these challenges will be easy," he said after listing America's ills.

"But what gives me the greatest hope of all...is you. You belive in what this country can be and you want to help us get there...You proved that people who love this country can change it, and there is no obstacle that can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change."

Well said.

-Justin Jacobs

-Photo by Michael Heater

Quest for the Motorcade 2

2009-01-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

Today the Lincoln Memorial played host to a massive public concert. Starting around 2pm, hundreds of thousands flocked down to the Mall and surrounding areas. I played it solo for the first part of the day and took the Metro to Farragut North (about a mile from the action). I came up the escalator from underground and was immediately inundated with vendors selling EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. I'm sure I could've found Obama branded vegetables if I had looked hard enough.

Anyway, I got super lucky and caught a glimpse of Obama. As I passed the Blair house (where Obama is staying), I noticed that the Secret Service was queuing up and generally looking 'serious'. I pushed to the street and saw three limosines. The middle one contained Barack and Michelle. As I was photographing the motorcade, Barack pressed his face near the window and waved. I've seen Obama in person, but here he was, ten feet away! Right as I was about to take his photo through the glass, he looked in my direction and waved enthusiastically. Stupidly, I waved back instead of taking the picture. Before I recovered from my brush with 'fame', the motorcade had sped up.

Call me stupid, but when the President is really close to you and waves, you're going to wave back!

-Vaughn Wallace, staff photographer

Motorcade sighting #1

2009-01-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

I spent most of the day trying to get from the Western side of D.C. to the Eastern side, meaning from Georgetown to the Capitol building. The bus ride took almost an hour.

As I waited to board the bus outside the Four Seasons Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue around 12:30 p.m., a government motorcade went past. (I'd like to think it was the President-elect and family, but who knows). More than 10 police cars, lights flashing and sirens wailing, flanked a few shiny blak SUVs with tinted windows. They raced through the intersection to Pennsylvania Avenue, stopping traffic.

People on the street, most walking toward the Lincoln Memorial where the opening ceremony was to be held later today, stopped to wave.

I fumbled for my camera, but no luck. In 20 seconds, the swarm of government vehicles were gone, rushing onto the events later in the day.

As brief a moment as it was, my close sighting of a VIP felt like an appropriate kick off for the week. The sirens and comotion screamed the announcement of the new president, that something important was to happen here soon.

-Katelyn Polantz

The Washington Monument

2009-01-18T13:44:00.001-08:00

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

Rush to the mall

2009-01-18T13:43:00.001-08:00

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

Getting Ready

2009-01-18T10:44:00.001-08:00

bad day for that guy...

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

Day One Photo Coverage: Saturday

2009-01-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

Victor and I went down to the Mall today to get a bearing on the events of the next few days. We both took the Metro to the Smithsonian station to check out the crowds and preparations.

Some observations:

-It seems like every single news station in America sent at least one camera crew to DC. The larger networks all had booms (see Victor's blog post from earlier today) twenty feet in the air. If you flip on CNN/MSNBC/ABC/FOX/CBS, you'll probably see a nice panning shot of the Mall taken from one of these booms. It was sort of fun to just sit back and watch all these cameras swooping around in the air. We also saw quite a few (maybe 10?) reporter/cameraman pairs recording spots for their respective stations.

-Lots of Jumbotrons were set out all over the mall. The one directly in front of the Capitol building was tuned into ESPN; sorta cool to watch a basketball game on the lawn of the Capitol.

-I've never seen so many Porta-Johns in my life.

-It started to get dark, so Victor and I got back on the Metro to head home. The crowd waiting for the train rivaled any rush-hour crowd I've experienced on the Metro since I moved to DC last year. An omen of what's to come?

Lastly, I created a short photo presentation of today's events on the main Pitt news Inauguration page. Enjoy!

-Vaughn Wallace, Staff Photographer

American Paparazzi

2009-01-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

The 2 to 5 million visitors predicted for the Inauguration ceremony haven't yet arrived, but it's a different story for journalists. They're here, and they're working hard.

The city is bracing for an overflow of visitors on Tuesday, with a significant portion of those bodies being out-of-town journalists, a la moi. Politico reported in December that four times more journalists than in past inaugurations requested press credentials for the Swearing-in ceremony.

That's a lot of reporting.

---

We hopped on a red-line Metro tonight, fresh from our interview with the pedicab drivers. A lone photographer stood next to us, carrying three times the equipment Heater had around his neck.

Two camera bodies, lens, a backpack and a Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics hat identified this guy as a journalist, so we asked to confirm.

He was, he said, representing the Rocky Mountain News out of Denver.

"I'm on Obama watch," he said. He seemed a little frazzled and preoccupied. (The president-elect, coming into D.C. from the Whistle Stop tour this evening had just made it into town. )

"We thought he'd pop out, something" -- the photographer waved, like he was straining his neck to look out of a car window -- "but nothing."

After one stop, the photographer left the subway and was back on the hunt.

- Katelyn Polantz

Pedicab to the Presidency

2009-01-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

Katelyn, Michael and I hopped on the Metro toward the Washington Convention Center to pick up our press credentials and were greeted with an understandably intense security process.

Check one: Show your ID, name your newspaper.

Check two (several feet later): Show your ID, name your newspaper.

And check three…well, you get the idea.

We made our way into the epicenter of the whole operation to find thousands (read: thousands) of folders filled with press passes, just like ours, filed and boxed in the most organized way possible. I’ve never seen such a large-scale operation carried out in such a mechanically organized manner.

But, then again, I’ve never been a part of such a large-scale operation. Not by a long shot.
With our press passes in hand, we re-hopped the Metro and jetted to Chinatown with authentic (or as authentic Chinese food as one can get in an American city) cuisine on our mind. Keeping in mind the tips of a certain Pitt News-er, we knew what to look for: ducks in the window, largely Asian patronage, chop sticks on the table and Dim Sum on the menu.And luckily, we found our joint only a few blocks away: Full Kee. The food was incredible, but the company was even better.

Sitting next to us was a motley crew of bikers — that much we could tell from the rolled up pant legs and Under Armor — but what we didn’t know was that these fellows had

traveled from Denver, Colo., to work for the weekend …

as veritable rickshaw (they prefer "pedicab") drivers.
Adam De La Pena, one of the drivers, only started familiarizing himself with the city four days ago.
“You can study maps, but until you get out and know where the hills are at, if it’s a steep grate so you can say, ‘Oh, I’m not going there,’ then we don’t really know,” he said between bites of cooked duck, with chop sticks in one hand and a map in the other.

“So we’ve been biking around to figure it out.”

De La Pena and his crew worked at the Democratic National Convention in their hometown last fall, where they often worked up to 15 hours a day.

For the inauguration, De La Pena is looking forward to even higher traffic around a city he’s just beginning to understand. But he’s not too worried.

“This is not a job. It’s tiring, but it’s totally an adventure,” he said.

-Justin Jacobs

-Photo Credit: Michael Heater

(cold) Camera Men

2009-01-17T15:30:00.001-08:00

Camera men, (i think CNN) already preparing for the inauguration. They told me it takes three men to control the entire apparatus.

Mass exodus

2009-01-17T15:18:00.001-08:00

Vaugn and I left Friday at about noon and arrived in DC just in time to witness the mass exodus of the cities residents trying to leave town before the madness unfolds.

The Mood

2009-01-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

On a 40-minute bus ride from the Maryland/District border into central D.C., we heard much talk of next week's events.

A woman on the bus, who said she had been a tour guide in the city for 30 years, told us about the racial climate in the city before Obama's presidency begins.

"Ignorance has been taught to children for years, there are towns and schools out there with no African-Americans," she said. She talked to us for quite a few blocks about how race has divided America and how this Inauguration will bring it into focus nationally.

As we got off the bus, the driver reminded us that there are many people who feel the same as this woman.

Driving to D.C.

2009-01-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

The plan seemed simple enough last night — wake up at 5:30 a.m., be ready to head out of Pittsburgh by 6.

But like the best-laid plans often do, this one fell through the cracks. Due to the severe cold of last night freezing Katelyn’s car doors shut tighter than inauguration security, we finally hit the road by 8 a.m.

Much of the ride was spent debating what angles we planned to take on our respective stories throughout the trip, and a good bit, of course, was spent debating where to stop for lunch.

To land in D.C. from Pittsburgh, the informed driver will take a route through the lovely state of Maryland. And what else could we eat in Maryland but crabs? So upon seeing a sign for The Cracked Claw, we pulled off the highway to Urbana, a subject we’ll return to momentarily.

After much confusion as to where we’d park, and even more confusion about how to actually enter the restaurant, we walked into the cavernous Cracked Claw, a hot spot that we quickly learned was the biggest Off-Track Betting location in the entirety of Maryland, and the first business to earn such a license in the state.

The dozens of TVs showing exclusively horse racing hanging from every wall around our table, as well as the old men who made up the exclusive patronage of the place suddenly made sense. Our combined age of 65 was still younger than most of these old chaps, who sat mostly in silence and swigged from pitchers of beer (this is the life: beer, seafood and betting by noon every Saturday).

Outside the dining room, which itself was fit for a banquet of the scale of the finest Sweet 16 or Bar Mitzvah party, there were several large, open rooms filled with even more hanging TV sets with even more old men scribbling their bets secretively on napkins. Someone was going to win big.

And guess what — it was us! The Po’ Boy Sandwiches and Red Crab Soups were marvelous.

After a nice seafood meal and some great Urbana, MD, trivia from our waitress (it was the sight of the Monocacy battle of the Civil War, but now is more or less a commuter suburb. And, further, The Cracked Claw used to be one of Urbana’s nicest mansions. I guess the more you know…) we were back on the road to the White House.

Passing a giant Sodexo headquarter building reminded us of the pleasures of home (sigh…), but D.C. was quickly approaching.

The dawning of a new day of American politics was so close we could taste it. Or maybe that was still the crab soup.

The Pitt News goes to Washington

2009-01-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

Fellow Pitt students: Welcome to The Pitt News Presidential Inauguration Blog. Before we dive into the official coverage, we’d like to take a moment and thank you for stopping by. We are Katelyn Polantz, Justin Jacobs and Michael Heater, three of your Pitt News editors, and we’ll be updating you for the next four days as we trek from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. to experience what promises to be one of the biggest national events in the country’s history: The Steelers game.

Just kidding, of course — we’ll be weaving through the crowds in downtown D.C. to bring you all the excitement and happenings of the inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama. Stay tuned — the stories of many of the millions of Americans converging on the nation’s capitol will be coming at you soon.