[lainie]

I couldn’t help but notice the parade route showing not-so-elegant parts of town, too. ugly fencing and tired looking buildings everywhere

[lainie]

Hey what’s the latest on K-Byrd and Fat Ted?

[Arizona Carolyn]

I lived in Silver Spring, MD for six months back in the early 70’s’. I think the biggest shock was finding out — even back then — it was not safe to drive into The District from MD, that you had to go around the Beltway to get to the VA side, which is the beautiful side of DC... it is two different worlds. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now. I have been back to DC over the year and the subway there is wonderful, much nicer than the NY Subway (of course it is much newer)... and people can get past all the ugly stuff now via subway. I still think it is a crime, however, that 2/3 of our nations capital is a slum.

[Spunky]

"I couldn’t help but notice the parade route showing not-so-elegant parts of town, too. ugly fencing and tired looking buildings everywhere"

I saw a documentary recently about the mall where all the monuments are. It showed that when we see pictures of it they are pictures that were taken some years back. They showed how it actually looks now. Lawn all blotchy, cement in the sidewalks all broken, etc. I was shocked.