Vigilance on Seaton Street.

And boy does she have stories to tell. Actually, she doesn’t have any stories, save one about stealing from first class on an airplane. Still, Ms. Samuelson dutifully “sampled” her way through South African media and came home with her favorite: the Star.

Plus: Robert Mugabe, George Will, the Times‘ disappointing Metro section, and the Post’s new, unpronounceable word!

(So why is the Star the size of a Buick? While Craigslist may have made it to Johannesburg, safe to say it hasn’t taken over the market quite yet.)

Today marks Day 2 of the already controversial Bolt Bus era, and Jule’s long-awaited maiden voyage. She called in from the road—the bus has wi-fi; Jule doesn’t have a laptop—with her list:

5. There was a guy standing at 11th and G in a Bolt Bus golf shirt letting passangers know where to wait. This seemed impressive.
4. It’s not sold out.
3. Improved legroom—tall people seem comfortable.
2. Complete lack of pee smell
1. Round trip to New York: $4.50

All it takes is one easy step: stop reporting on water agencies! Eric Alterman’s big “Out of Print” essay may have made it to the Fuego side this week, but imagine how hot it would have been if he’d had that nugget.

Mr. Wemple, still flying solo, attacks the conventional wisdom. Print media is dying? Don’t tell that to the Post, which just unveiled a redesign. The Washington Times becoming more evenhanded? Tell that reporter to check his facts. And, finally, there’s been some talk that the Post has too many editors. Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a hole to fill.

George Mason: So the run was a little shorter this year. Still, did anyone catch Coach Larranaga’s pregame speech last night? Win or lose, you have to be impressed by a guy who can say “magic carpet ride” that many times with a straight face.

It’s chilly today, folks. The Post, el Pregonero, and the Examiner are all under the weather. Black Lips? I’m sure the band’s feeling healthy enough after Saturday’s show at the BLACK CAT.

Got a story you’d like to see discussed on the next Fuego/Frío? Wondering if you’re the only one who didn’t know breakfast was important? (You might be.) Let us know in the comments.

With Ruth Samuelson taking her first vacation in nearly three decades, Erik Wemple must be a little lonely. Good thing he found his comfort zone: Yelling about the weather, of course!

Got a story you’d like to see discussed on the next Fuego/Frío? Wondering how much money we’re spending on glue stick? Let us know in the comments.

The Hotness: The Post’s story on Anthony Williams taking the plunge and buying a condo; the New York Times for its well-rounded Spitzer coverage; and Harper’s for the Tasmanian devil/cancer piece (we’ll let Wemple explain).

The Notness: Sorry, District Chronicles, but cutline cutline just won’t cut it.

Got a story you’d like to see discussed on the next Fuego/Frío? Wondering why Harper’s started printing on index cards? Let us know in the comments.

Elliot Spitzer’s frío as can be, but is the local media hot on the story? Hosts Ruth Samuelson and Erik Wemple are back with Episode #3,457 of Fuego/Frío—you know the drill:

Fuego: Dana Milbank, the Dupont Current, and today’s Post story about Michelle Rhee.
Nope: The Washington Times—who knew Pennsylvania and Ohio were similar?—and Deborah Howell for her take on Charlotte Allen’s stupid piece.

Got a story you’d like to see discussed on the next Fuego/Frío? Let us know in the comments.

Sorry.

Read the rest of this entry »

As we all know, Ruth Samuelson and Erik Wemple have been taking the local media’s temperature on Fuego/Frío for two decades now. But the following episode, in this viewer’s humble opinion, is the all-time best.

Who’s hot? The Post, el Comercio, the Washington Times, and Express, who took home this week’s award for Outstanding Selection of an AP Wire Story.

And who ain’t? Ryan Lizza, Harry Jaffe, the Current and the InTowner’s headline writer.

Got a story you’d like to see discussed on next week’s Fuego/Frío? Think cupcakes are not, in fact, “so over”? Let us know in the comments.

On my first day at the City Paper, I went out to lunch with a few staffers. It took about five minutes for them to start debating the suburb/city divide. Wasn’t much of a debate, actually—three of the four were bashing the suburbs, and the one guy who didn’t live in the District kept that piece of information to himself until the check came.

The divide is new for me: I moved from what is essentially a giant suburb. But since I got here, it’s come up again and again. When I found a place, ex-D.C.ers told me the neighborhood was dangerous. My roommate broke up with a girlfriend because she lived in Virginia. Even the Post can’t seem to bridge the gap.

And now, the Atlantic has weighed in:

[A]s more Americans, particularly affluent Americans, move into urban communities, families may find that some of the suburbs’ other big advantages—better schools and safer communities—have eroded. Schooling and safety are likely to improve in urban areas, as those areas continue to gentrify; they may worsen in many suburbs if the tax base—often highly dependent on house values and new development—deteriorates. Many of the fringe counties in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, for instance, are projecting big budget deficits in 2008. Only Washington itself is expecting a large surplus. Fifteen years ago, this budget situation was reversed.

Christopher B. Leinberger’s story is called “The Next Slum?”—I imagine the anti-suburb contingent will find it dreamy. Until, of course, they have to move into McMansions because they can’t afford rent on that studio any longer.

Photo by dospaz

You might want to rethink that move to Alabama.

Bill Kristol: Not only does he think Clinton should adopt “the politics of fear,” but he’s wondering whether or not Obama is patriotic enough. And he’s not alone.