New Internship

When I am not in class this semester I will be working at the David All Group in Washington, D.C.

Mind the Gap

So as a Washington, D.C. college student I consider myself a bit of an authority on public transportation. In my short time in DC I have experienced the good and the bad(see June crash, recent suicides) about the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority. After spending just a few days in London I have some thoughts about the Underground, aka the Tube. Although quite a bit more expensive than my beloved Metro, the Tube is incredibly fast. I think I have only waited a total of ten minutes in about 15 trips. Also the tube does frequent updates regarding the service on each line letting travelers know well in advance if there are any issues.

Something else I enjoyed about the Tube is that each of the stations is incredibly unique. Unlike the D.C. metro system where uniform stations are the norm, British stations are each very different. A reflection of the age of London itself these stations are lined with some of the most effective advertising I have seen in my life. There is barely an empty wall. It makes me wonder why the D.C. metro is so inadequately utilized as far as advertising space is concerned. I have also been blown away by the quality of service from the Underground employees. Each time I have been lost they were quick to help with a smile on their faces. A stark contrast to the horrendous attitude displayed by WMATA employees. Lastly I was shocked to see how clean the cars of the Tube are. Unlike the D.C. metro there are few to no signs warning of penalties resulting from consuming food or drink on the trains.

However, despite the positives I noticed a few less than ideal things as well. Many of the lines on the Tube are undergoing track work during the weekends causing issues for the new traveler like myself. My primary criticism with this impressive transit system is the price though. As I alluded too earlier the Tube is incredibly expensive. With a price of nearly $2 for even the shortest ride "topping up" (adding money too) your oyster card (smarttrip card) can quickly drain your funds. I hope within the next two weeks to pick up a discounted student oyster card to help stave off some of these expenses. The availability of this card, even though it may be tough to get, underscores the need for a student smart trip in the D.C. WMATA system. Not only would this incentives student use of the metro it would also be a means of limited bad behavior on the Metro. If Metro Police can threaten to revoke a Student Smart Trip instead of applying a simple fine they may provide a persistent economic reason for college students to better treat their transit system.

The Hill

Today is my last day in Congresswoman Mary Fallin's Office. Can't believe how fast this internship went. Its pretty cool walking past the Capitol on your way into work each day. More than that however I really lucked out. Having the opportunity to get a first hand look at the operation of the legislative branch of the United States government was incredible. Matching the concepts I was learning in my Congressional Studies course to the practical realities of the House of Representatives was invaluable to my overall understanding of how Congress works. Moreover it is always nice to be able to match faces to nameless terms and job descriptions. Although I am not sure if I will ever work on the Hill after graduation, it is definitely an option I will consider. Essentially a blend of public policy and legislative knowledge staff work on the Hill can be fascinating. However, just like all jobs it can also be slightly monotonous. For me I think I would try to find a candidate to work for and then ultimately serve as staff for their DC office. I can imagine the work becoming a bit tedious if you fail to connect that work with the overall mission of the Congressperson or ideology.

Regardless, I will certainly miss coming to work each Tuesday and Thursday in Longworth 1432 and all the people there. I wish Congresswoman Fallin the best of luck in her gubernatorial bid and thank her for the opportunity.

Pirate Radio

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a special preview screen of Director Richard Curtis' Pirate Radio which is due out on November 13th with my girlfriend. The screening was organized by the District of Columbia Film Society and was held at the Regal Cinemas at Gallery Place. A few weeks prior I has preview for the movie and was pretty excited for it to come out. Essentially the movie tells the tale of the pirate radio stations in the United Kingdom that took the to ocean in the 1960's after the British Broadcasting Network refused to play pop music. In order to keep this music alive and well these renegades played non-stop rock music for modified fishing vessels 24 hours a day. The films story follows the Karl, the Godson of the Radio Rock Boat's owner as he joins the DJ's as a full time inhabitant on the boat as well as the British government's desperate attempt to shut down pop music in the United Kingdom.

One of the first things you realize watching this film is how incredibly well cast it truly is. In addition to the always great Phillip Seymour Hoffman are Curtis' standby's from his other films Love Actually as well as one of the main players in my second favorite zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead. Everyone is believable and more importantly likely as a renegade rock DJ who loves the music above all else.

The use of music in this film to both introduce characters, lighten a mood, and show why the these men (and one lesbian) did what they did was incredible and I can't wait to buy the soundtrack. The greatest irony in the British Government's attempt to shut down pop music in the UK was the fact that the UK at this time was producing some of the world's best music. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, as well as numerous others all were barred from being played on their native airways and may not have been as influential on the development of music. Pirate radio such as the Radio Rock displayed in the film had a listenership of nearly 25 million people, almost half of the United Kingdom.

Today pop music is played around the world on thousands of radio stations each day. The availability of these stations can lead us to take for granted the incredible access we have to music. Oftentimes it takes a period of scarcity in order to remind us of the importance of music to our daily lives.

Ryan in the House

This semester I am working in the House of Representatives for Congresswoman Mary Fallin of the 5th district of Oklahoma. I know it seems like a random state because I am a proud New Englander but the Congresswoman is a solid conservative and a pretty great person to work for. Although I have only been working for a little over a month I have found it to be a really interesting experience, and it definitely provides a nice change of scenery on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the building was the amount of people glued to their Blackberries. Although I too am guilty of sometimes walking and bbming I have never seen a place where this was the norm and not the exception. Walking around Longworth is really an education in dodging staffers who are responding to e-mail.

Something else that surprised me was the average age of the people working in the Members Offices. I could not believe that the vast majority of Rep. Fallin's staff is under twenty-six and even the DC Chief of Staff couldn't be more than thirty-five. As, arguably, the seat of power for the free world the United States Capitol is not on first glance a workplace where young professionals straight out of college would go for a first job. However, the Hill is an attractive option for recent college graduates with an interest in public policy. Where better to gain first hand experience about how the law is made in the United States of America? In addition to the obvious educational and networking benefits the House of Representatives also has an aggressive loan repayment program. The 9-5 work hours also allow for further educational opportunities at night. As a result of the large proportion of young people the House Office Buildings (Longworth, Cannon, Rayburn) are really lively places with people enjoying their time on and off the clock.

So what exactly does an intern do? Well helping the office is the main tast and this often entails running errands, sorting the mail, responding to constituents, and picking up any additional jobs that the staff has. I know it doesn't sound glamourous but working on Capitol Hill seems to elevate even the most mundane tasks (well maybe not all of them), regardless it is undeniable that working in the shadow of the Capitol dome has a rejuvenating effect upon the day-to-day routine. I will admit when I am giving a tour I really step it up if a Congressional power player happens to be passing by(for the record I am working until Dec. let me know if you need a tour!).

One of the most pleasant surprises I have found in my five or so weeks in the Congresswoman's Office is the quality of the food in the cafeterias. Granted it is slightly expensive, but I have yet to have a bad meal in the Longworth Caf. This food court style dining is located in the basement of the Longworth House Office Building along with a bank, a FEDEX, and pretty much every other amenity you could possibly need. The basement of Longworth is connected to both the other House Office Buildings and the US Capitol Visitor Center. The underground network is massive in scope and I have seen most of it while wandering around lost.

I am really looking forward to continuing my work with Rep. Fallin and maybe even imparting some New Media knowledge on them.