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Rob Pitingolo

@robpitingolo.bsky.social
121 followers 137 following 671 posts

Weekday researcher. Nights and weekend tour guide. Sometimes "that guy from the internet" on the National Mall.

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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 9h
I continue screaming into the void that inbound international tourism to the US is a trade export - a thing we are told is of utmost importance in this era.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Fun surprise to order a year's supply of contacts and find out the price is up another 8% over last year. But also: insurance coverage went up 0% since last year. And: manufacturers rebate is less than half of last year. Functionally a 49% price jump YoY.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Can't wait to find out in a few weeks that the 18th club will be called Columbus City FC 🙄
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I feel like we are only a few more lopsided polls away from "high fuel prices are good, actually" coordinated messaging.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
If you thought ESPN coverage of the US Open was bad wait til you see what they've done to the Spirit vs. Stars game today.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"including demolition" Absolutely absurd thing to have to read.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
People are still surprised when I tell them DC tourism is in a bad place right now. I don't think people realize that this is the experience a DC tourist is getting in 2026.
Lincoln memorial reflecting pool surrounded by fences and caution tape.Lincoln memorial reflecting pool surrounded by fences and caution tape.Lawn next to the Washington monument fenced off and ripped up.Brand new Lincoln Memorial Undercroft exhibit is closed.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I know this is meant as rage bait but from a harm reduction perspective for the people of DC this is probably the least bad scenario.
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Reposted by Rob Pitingolo
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 15/09/2026
The Kennedy Center was a beloved Washington institution, enjoyed by millions of people. It has been destroyed for no real reason. Just vanity, carelessness, indifference. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
Trump’s Kennedy Center Shakedown
The only appropriate response is to refuse to accede to his demands.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The worst part about the Kennedy Center is that ~best case scenario~ they close, renovate and reopen in two years. Realistically, look a half mile down the road at a reflecting pool that was supposed to take only a few weeks to fix up and has been shuttered for months with no clear end in sight.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I continue screaming into the void as I beg anyone covering the Kennedy Center saga to simply point out that the institution was doing JUST FINE in 2024.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I haven't owned a car in nearly 20 years. Compound this number over that amount of time and it's substantial! Basically the reason I will (hopefully) have a decent retirement when many others sadly will not.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Man this is downright infuriating.
washingtonpost.com
Kennedy Center could close as early as Tuesday, warns of bankruptcy, documents show
Officials said the center is facing “certain financial collapse” within weeks, insist that adding President Donald Trump’s name may be the only way to avoid bankruptcy.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
I guess this isn't obvious but the reason business owners love AI (and yes this includes small business owners too) is because they see it as access to free or very cheap labor.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I know everyone gives the NY Times grief for sanewashing the news but IMO national NPR is the worst offender, especially the morning show, and has been for years.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
This is really the only indicator that matters if you want to understand why a growing number of people think the gov is cooking the books every month when new "great" economic numbers come out.
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Reposted by Rob Pitingolo
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 07/09/2026
anyway i think DC statehood is a non negotiable. only way to give DC residents the tools to protect themselves.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Flipping through my timeline and it's like: -Reflecting pool still drained, more $$$ doled out in no bid contracts -Kennedy Center can't sell tickets, roof collapsing -Rush to build an arch nobody asked for
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Staying in a hotel so I don't have access to my regular streaming apps on the TV but man ESPN coverage of the US Open on the regular cable channel is atrocious. Every criticism of it is valid.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Two restaurants in NYC next door to each other. Only one of them has signage that makes me want to spend my money there.
AI slop signage at Bagel Cafe.Signage at a NYC pizza restaurant.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
As someone who loves peo sports and has a vested interest in DC tourism I can't tell you how frustrating this is.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
These AI slop menus are the antithesis of those food prn accounts that existed a decade ago. We've come full circle.
cnn.com
Why restaurants are facing backlash for fake food pictures | CNN
Generative AI is being used to advertise food around the world to the disdain of many beholders. But there are real reasons why consumers are repelled by the sometimes bizarre-looking meals.
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Reposted by Rob Pitingolo
Mr. Beat @iammrbeat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
If I see an AI-generated thumbnail, I don't click on the video. If I think I'm watching AI-generated content, I click/swipe away. If you're "creating" AI-generated content, I'm biased to think you're a lazy person looking for shortcuts with little creative ambition.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I used to half joke with tourists that we are on a path where you would eventually need to go through a metal detector to look at the outside of the White House. Welp. Here we are.
washingtonpost.com
Secret Service is getting the fortified White House that past presidents resisted
President Donald Trump has backed plans including permanently fencing Lafayette Square that were previously rejected to maintain public access to the “People’s House.”
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
There weren't a lot of them but I have vivid memories of tourists who came on my tour in the post-covid era and said they really wanted to see the national monuments in DC now before "they" tore them all down.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
So this section of the National Mall will basically be closed to the public for the entirety of 2026. Unreal.
dcnewsnow.com
Stretch of National Mall closed until January for turf restoration
If you’re headed to the National Mall, you can expect to see some additional closures.
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Reposted by Rob Pitingolo
fakesharrows @fakesharrows.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
the Mall these days is much less like “America’s front yard” than “America’s garage” (half-finished projects, random construction equipment, tired, cinder blocks, odds and ends that you’re not using but haven’t gotten rid of yet)
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
There were so many legitimate (ignored) warnings about this project and at this point I just want the CMs who supported it to admit they got bamboozled.
notus.org
A New Commanders Stadium Is Coming. How Will Anybody Get There?
The question of whether to build a second train station at RFK has divided a neighborhood — and city government.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
People are shocked when I tell them that this summer was a brutal season in DC for tourism because on paper it should have been a once-in-a-lifetime blockbuster windfall. The numbers are starting to back it up. Just infuriating.
ggwash.org
Bikeshare Beat: No fireworks for CaBi in July as ridership slips
Annual ridership on CaBi now totals 3,505,402 trips through July 2026. This is a decrease of 13.1% from this time last year.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Banana Ball took one look at the Nationals Bullpen and confidently signed that contract for Nats Park in October. 🍌 🤡
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I've long said if I ever get the opportunity to produce a feature length documentary that can be screened at a Film Festival it will be on the topic of the absurdity of gasoline station fandom.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Shut it down for multiple years or don't. Demolish it or don't. The sad reality right now is that no matter what happens the reputation and business model of the KC is so badly damaged I don't know how it ever recovers from the past year and a half.
nytimes.com
Trump Lawyers Warn That Kennedy Center Might Need Demolition if Not Fixed
In a court filing about honoring President Trump on the facade, the administration said that without a proper renovation the building might need to be “taken down.”
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
It's easy to blame Ticketmaster for this because everybody hates Ticketmaster, but even if their resale function was turned off it wouldn't solve anything because resellers would just use other websites.
si.com
The Rising Cost of US Open Tickets Has Fans Complaining
As the 2026 US Open approaches, fans planning a trip to Flushing Meadows are running into serious sticker shock.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I know it's just screaming into the void at this point but the Transportation Secretary saying you can buy beer on the National Mall for the first time is just straight up not true. An easily disprovable lie that serves what purpose exactly?
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
When I first went to this food festival in April the vendors had mostly normal signage. Now barely 4 months later and it's almost exclusively AI slop. This is bleak.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
With all the talk of flooding the market with cheap beef before the election I still can't believe they whiffed on the extremely easy and obvious ploy to sell underpriced carnival food at the Fair on the National Mall this summer.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
I have such a vicerally negative reaction to the one on the right and it is truly a shame that small business owners have fully embraced the slop while giant corporations generally haven't (yet).
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Same day as USWNT vs Spain. Gonna be a busy day in the neighborhood.
si.com
Banana Bowl 2026: Everything to Know About Banana Ball’s First Championship Event
The Banana Ball, Banana Bowl announcement! Revealing the date, city and venue of Banana Ball first Championship event.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Lost in the obvious the rage bait is that if they had their way the whole place would be completely shuttered right now.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I've seen about 50 videos now of significant design flaws at the new Highmark Stadium and have no doubt we will eventually find out AI was involved heavily in the design process.
sports.yahoo.com
Bills news: Fan goes viral for post showing awful obstructed seats at new Highmark Stadium
The Bills have a brand new stadium, but new Highmark Stadium might not be as flawless as originally believed.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
This is all so whiny and pathetic.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
This is a fascinating story.
washingtonian.com
Guess What? Tony P Hates You, Too.
Online ridicule helped DC influencer Anthony Polcari go viral—and make money. As his social-media star wanes, he’s looking to jump to television. But can he afford to leave his snarkiest followers beh...
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I miss the days when you could just trust this was some run-of-the-mill HVAC problem and not have to wonder if it's something nefarious.
washingtoncitypaper.com
Seven Smithsonians Are Closed Today
The National Museum of the American Indian and the Hirshhorn are among those currently shuttered due to a mechanical issue.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Lucky that I got to see Eala twice this weekend. She may pull a Coco and never play DC again if her success trajectory continues. Incredible player.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
As a pizza-at-home connoisseur there is nothing more maddening than a YouTube video that purports to show you a great Neapolitan technique and then 10 minutes in is a sponsored ad for some ridiculous thousand dollar outdoor pizza oven.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Lost in all of this, I feel like the most import aspect of this entire saga is that the reflecting pool was ~perfectly fine~ already. There was literally only one person who though that any of this construction needed to happen this year, let alone at all.
nytimes.com
Charges Dropped Against Ex-Olympian David Hearn Accused of Damaging Reflecting Pool
A former Olympian will not face trial after federal prosecutors acknowledged that the Trump administration’s claims of vandalism were false.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Biked 20 miles round trip across town to the DC Open. Weather was good. Vibes were high. Didn't see a single N*tional G*ard. A reminder that DC is great when it's allowed to be.
Svitolina vs Eala at the DC Open 2026.Grounds at the DC Open 2026. Bar at the DC Open 2026.Capitol dome at night.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I have a pretty good handle on the DC tourist experience and I can say with confidence that: 1) Nobody cares about these horse statues 2) Nobody cares about a Christopher Columbus fountain 3) Nobody cares about ballrooms
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Infantino paid basically no price for all kinds of ridiculous shenanigans in the USA this year and probably figured he was invincible.
bbc.com
Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino's investment plans go through
Uefa's 55 member associations vote to boycott the World Cup if Fifa proceeds with its plan to sell stakes in its competitions.
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Rob Pitingolo @robpitingolo.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Four years ago I honestly believed that people would tolerate inflation as long as wages outpaced it and that unemployment was a much greater threat. This proved to be wildly incorrect. It's interesting to see that many people never learned what I did.
abcnews.com
Americans are down on the economy and concerned about costs: Polls
July polls show the depth of Americans’ economic pessimism.
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