News Bullets, Armistice Day Wednesday;

Today is Veterans' Day, and we couldn't have more somber weather for the occasion. The Federal government isn't at work today, which means blog readership will be slashed in half. As such, I'm going to 'quarter-ass' this post, since normally it's half-assed.

Metro to allow inspectors on subway tracks. Metro chair Jim "The Teflon Elton John" Graham says he gave General Manager John Catoe a talking to and now the Tri-State Oversight Committee can have inspectors observe Metro safety protocols. This comes only after a front page Washington Post article and threats from Congress to cut off federal funding. Previously Metro safety chief Alexa Dupigny-Samuels had denied requests for safety observations, and instead offered to allow a small group to observe a controlled setting on a weekend, off-peak. If you wondered why it is important that people continue researching Metro's safety, I think this is a great example. It should also be noted, although Graham told the Post inspectors can go in, and WMATA issued a press release, no one has contacted the oversight group with any details. The U.S. Senate may hold hearings about Metro's safety. The House held some hearings this past summer after the 6/22 crash.

The D.C. Sniper 'mastermind' was executed last night in Virginia. I'm curious, how many of you were in the area for the sniper attacks? I remember the whole zig-zagging nonsense as well as the lookout for the white van. I'm rather ambivalent towards the execution. Part of me would have preferred to see someone like that rot in prison. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, declined to stay the execution. John Allen Muhammad was pronounced dead at 9:11pm last night, a little more than 7 years after the sniper attacks.

Washington-area jackasses can't figure out how to be unemployed. Nice piece in the Wall Street Journal about out-of-work executives being stupid with their money. One family, from Chevy Chase, MD is having a rough go of it. The husband was laid off from his corporate executive job, and he discusses how he uses his severance package to make sure no one knows he is out of work. He also has turned down a half-dozen or so job offers, because he didn't like them or thought he could do better. For a bit of reference, he was a banking executive.

After losing his job, Mr. Joegriner expected to land on his feet within six months, he says. In that time, he turned down three job offers to be a chief financial officer, either because he didn't like the salary or the description of duties, and thought he could do better. One was nearby; the others would have required the family to move out of state. All paid somewhat less than he had previously earned.

At the end of the piece, he turns down yet another job. It didn't include a severance package. But it's cool, because we're going to make a quick recovery.

Fenty to replace Ximena Hartsock by December 1. The mayor met with a 5 member envoy from the Council to discuss a ceasefire. It appears that Fenty has agreed to get ousted DPR chief Hartsock out the door by the end of the month. We'll see who replaces her... perhaps one of Fenty's college buddies?

Man killed after being struck by two Secret Service vehicles. Not in the District, but damn. The Secret Service vehicles hit a pedestrian near the intersection of the Suitland Parkway and Naylor Road in Temple Hills, Maryland last night at around 2:30 am.