Arthur David Olson
LightNews LightNews
dashdashado.bsky.social
Arthur David Olson
@dashdashado.bsky.social
150 followers 360 following 15K posts
ADO about nothing much.

Wan, testy, and reedy.

Takoma Park, MD, USA.

Here it's (mostly) dull live streams of city council meetings and quarterly checks of infrastructure matters. For just the less-dull stuff, see @[email protected].
Posts Replies Media Videos
dashdashado.bsky.social
CBS news then: "And that's the way it is."

CBS news now: Bari the lede.

youtube.com/watch?v=G5td...

www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/bur...
"And that's the way it is": Walter Cronkite's final sign off
YouTube video by CBS Evening News
youtube.com
January 10, 2026 at 5:58 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Victrola today: from 2025, Anouar Brahem, "After The Last Sky."

www.allaboutjazz.com/after-the-la...
Anouar Brahem: After the Last Sky album review @ All About Jazz
Anouar Brahem: After the Last Sky album review by Scott Gudell, published on September 23, 2025. Find thousands jazz reviews at All About Jazz!
www.allaboutjazz.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:20 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
The one @bikeshare.bsky.social station in #TakomaPark and environs with a map (that, blessedly, is up to date): New Hampshire Avenue at East-West Highway.
In Takoma Park, Maryland, a panel at the end of a bikeshare station with a map laveled "NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE & EAST WEST HWY."
January 9, 2026 at 8:11 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @bikeshare.bsky.social check: map missing from bikeshare station at Metrorail's Takoma Station.
Empty display panel of a bikeshare station at Metrorail's Takoma Station. Back-to-back partner of empty display panel of a bikeshare station at Metrorail's Takoma Station, also empty.
January 9, 2026 at 8:07 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New #TakomaPark adjacent check: not just a missing @bikeshare.bsky.social map, a missing map panel at Montgomery College Takoma Park Silver Spring.

www.google.com/maps/place/F...
Just outside Takoma Park, view across Fenton Avenue of Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring. In foreground, a bikeshare station. At left end of station, a brighter-than-elsewhere rectangle of concrete where a display panel once stood.
January 9, 2026 at 8:03 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check mixed news.

Good: all out-of-date maps gone from bikeshare stations in the city. Thanks @bikeshare.bsky.social.

Bad: no up-to-date maps at stations.

Fix: @takomaparkmd.gov cancels the contract.
Mosaic of pairs of images, a top row of two pairs, a middle row of three pairs, and a bottom row of two pairs. Each pair shows the two sides of display panels at Takoma Park, Maryland bikeshare stations. Nine panels are empty; two panels contain bikeshare ads; three panels contain other ads.
January 9, 2026 at 7:54 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Just saw a three year old create a pretend tunnel out of bike racks.
A row of eight brown metal inverted-U bike racks.
January 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Today's Google's Greatest Hits: close to the breast, close to the chest, and close to the vest over time.

Spoilers: chest tops others in the 1940s; breast tops the others before then; vest tops the others now.

books.google.com/ngrams/graph...
Google Books Ngram Viewer
Google Ngrams: close to the breast, close to the chest, close to the vest, 1800-2022
books.google.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:01 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
By @metrorailinfo.bsky.social request, a more detailed new check: Route M60 buses fail to show or announce Fort Totten as a (half-time) transfer station to the Yellow Line.

Best, change-resistant fix: "transfer to Metrorail."

(Video from 1/8/26, 3:52 p.m. bus 6538.)

@wmatagm.bsky.social
January 8, 2026 at 10:21 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: series-7000 Red Line trains fail to announce Fort Totten as a (half-time) transfer station to the Yellow Line.

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic announcer in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
January 8, 2026 at 10:13 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: series-7000 train electronic displays fail to show Fort Totten as a (half-time) transfer station to the Yellow Line.

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic display in the system.
Detail from an electronic display. Under a disc labeled "Fort Totten" representing a rail station, a smaller green disc representing a transfer opportunity. No smaller yellow disc appears.
January 8, 2026 at 8:45 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Renewed @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: displays out at Silver Spring Station north entrance.

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic display in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
At Metrorail's Silver Spring Station north entrance, side-by-side eye-level portrait-orientation electronic displays showing diagnostic messages.
January 8, 2026 at 8:02 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
The distressing side of the quarterly checks: an increase of 81 from 844 to 925 this quarter. :-( At this rate, I'll be switching to twice-a-year checks com 7/1/2026.

The happy side of the quarterly checks: 1,502 closed matters. :-)
January 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: and last and least, still a book store with absolutely minimal inventory (at least according to the name).

peoplesbooktakoma.com
Over a storefront, a sign with the text "People's Book." Extending from the wall, a neon sign with the same text.
January 7, 2026 at 11:42 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still @takomaparkmd.gov "caution curve" signs on Ritchie Avenue, making drivers think they need not use caution elsewhere.

Spoiler: drivers need to use caution everywhere.

Fix: remove the "caution curve" signs (leaving the arrows in place).
In Takoma Park, Maryland, on Ritchie Avenue, a sign pole with two diamond-shaped signs. Top orange sign has an arrow curving left; bottom yellow sign has the text "caution curve." In Takoma Park, Maryland, on Ritchie Avenue, a sign pole with two diamond-shaped signs. Top orange sign has an arrow curving right; bottom yellow sign has the text "caution curve."
January 7, 2026 at 11:40 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still @mdsha.bsky.social "do not block intersection" signs at a few places (in images, on Philadelphia at Boston), making drivers think it's okay to block unsigned intersections.

Spoiler: it's not okay.

Fix: remove all such signs.

@govwesmoore.bsky.social
In Takoma Park, Maryland, view across Philadelphia Avenue from west of Boston Avenue. On both sides of the road, "do not block intersection" signs. Closeup of "do not block intersection" sign. On the back of a "do not block intersection" sign, a black-on-yellow sticker including the text "PROPERTY OF: MD Dept. of Trans. State Highway Administration."
January 7, 2026 at 11:38 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still @mdsha.bsky.social signage showing "south" for a section of 195 that runs west (and a bit north) all the way to the District of Columbia.

Best: remove the signage.
Or: change "south" to "west."

@govwesmoore.bsky.social
In Takoma Park, Maryland, view south along Carroll Avenue north of Laurel Avenue. In foreground at right, a sign pole with black-on-white signs (from top): a rectangle with the word "south;" a rectangle with the the text Maryland and the text "195;" and an arrow pointing up and to the right.In Takoma Park, Maryland, view south along Carroll Avenue north of Laurel Avenue. In background at left, overhead signage with white-on-green "Carroll Ave" above black-on-white text "Maryland," "south," and an arrow pointing to the right.
January 7, 2026 at 11:33 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still no Carroll Avenue block numbers on @takomaparkmd.gov replacement street name signage at Westmoreland Avenue.

documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/h...
In Takoma Park, Maryland, stacked white-on-green street name signs with the text "Carroll Ave" and "Westmoreland Ave 7000 Blk." Second sides of stacked white-on-green street name signs with the text "Carroll Ave" and "Westmoreland Ave 7000 Blk."
January 7, 2026 at 11:31 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still @takomaparkmd.gov parking meters (#108 and #109) outside 7054 Carroll with inconsistent hours. ("SUNDAYS 7 AM to 1 PM; NO CHARGE SUNDAYS OR HOLIDAYS.")

Best: remove the seemingly unmaintainable meters and pole.
Or: correct the signs.
In Takoma Park, Maryland, view from the road of 7054 Carroll Avenue. In foreground, parking meters numbered 109 and 108. View from above of parking meter. A sign inside has the text "HOURS OF OPERATION 7 AM to 7 PM; SUNDAYS 7 AM TO 1 PM; NO CHARGE SUNDAYS OR HOLIDAYS."
January 7, 2026 at 11:29 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still "do not use parking lot as a short cut" sign at...the exit from the Takoma Park Middle School parking lot.

Sign is unstickered; it's an @mcps.twitter.com parking lot.
Sign pole at the exit to a parking lot with school crossing signage, a yield sign, and a black-on-white rectangular sign with the text "N thru traffic do not use parking lot as a short cut." Closeup of sign with the text "N thru traffic do not use parking lot as a short cut." Back of "N thru traffic" sign. No identifying sticker is visible.
January 7, 2026 at 11:26 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still no "except buses" add-ons to @mdsha.bsky.social "right lane must turn right" signs on southbound Piney Branch at Philadelphia. (All buses serving the stop at the corner go straight.) (Northbound side has "except buses" add-on.)

@govwesmoore.bsky.social
In Takoma Park, Maryland, view south along west side of Piney Branch Road north of Philadelphia Avenue. In foreground, a black-on-white rectangular sign with the text "right lane must turn right." A second such sign is visible in the background. Sticker on back of "right lane must turn right" sign, including the text "MD Dept. of Trans. State Highway Administration." Second "right lane must turn right" sign. Sticker on back of second "right lane must turn right" sign, including the text "MD Dept. of Trans. State Highway Administration."
January 7, 2026 at 11:21 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still @mdsha.bsky.social "new" signage for speed limit signs on Philadelphia Avenue. Speed limit was changed in 2021; it is no longer new.

Fix: remove the "new" signage.

@govwesmoore.bsky.social
In Takoma Park, Maryland, view west along north side of Philadelphia Avenue west of Piney Branch Road. In foreground, a sign pole with, from top: an orange flag; an orange rectangle; a black-on-white rectangle with the word "new;" and a white-on-black rectangle with the text "speed limit 25." On the back of the speed limit sign, a sticker including the text "Property of: Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration." Holes are punched in the sticker to indicate a date of January, 2021.
January 7, 2026 at 11:16 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still "unenforceable"
@takomaparkmd.gov no-thru-traffic signs on Piney Branch at Ritchie and Mississippi.

Fix: remove the signs and poles.
In Takoma Park, Maryland, at intersection of Piney Branch Road and Ritchie Avenue, a black-on-white rectangular sign with the text "Notice: No thru traffic to Sligo Creek Parkway 4 - 7 PM Mon - Fri." In Takoma Park, Maryland, intersection of Piney Branch Road and Mississippi Avenue. In foreground at right, a black-on-white rectangular sign with the text "Notice: No thru traffic to Sligo Creek Parkway 4 - 7 PM Mon - Fri."
January 7, 2026 at 11:13 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark (et al.) check: still worng
@rideonmct.bsky.social signs for Route 18 between the Silver Spring and Takoma Metro Stations; some showing "Ltd A.M.-P.M. Svc" when service is now all-day; some lacking a "Mon - Sat Service" qualifier. (Some signs are correct.)
Mosaic of a row of five images each of Ride On bus stop signs, all for stops between Metrorail's Takoma Station and Silver Spring Station. Each sign includes information, sometimes qualified, for Route 18. Stop numbers and Route 18 qualifiers, from top to bottom are below. 16072 Ltd A.M.-P.M. Svc. 21858 Via Mont. College. 22154 Ltd A.M.-P.M. Svc Via Burlington Ave. 26322 None. 26332 None.
January 7, 2026 at 10:45 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly #TakomaPark check: still no replacement for
@takomaparkmd.gov "Public Works/Heffner Park" sign on Ritchie at Oswego.

Fix: rename the park before replacing the sign.

www.google.com/maps/@38.986...
In Takoma Park, Maryland, intersection of Ritchie Avenue and Oswego Avenue. No Heffner Park directional sign is visible.
January 7, 2026 at 10:34 PM