Surfing the net and riding the rails

I love the Metro. Well, ahem, aside from the fact that it closes earlier than any other metro system, costs more than any other metro system, is less comprehensive than any other metro system, and is less well-funded than any other metro system (probably mainly due to the District's colonial status in the U.S.), there's just no other way that you can really get a feel for the city. Unless you'd rather drive around the city and get constantly tail-gated and beeped at by angry WASP lemmings, that is.
But after making the daily trek to and from Takoma Park for a week, I've come to enjoy it. On a ride that long, the people-watching opportunities are endless, and the section of the red line after Union Station goes above ground. Grab a discman and pop in a CD, to give yourself the perfect soundtrack, and see what I mean. Really. So many new things to discover.
Speaking of which, in my days net-surfing at my job, I feel like I just discover so many new factoids or stories every day. In the past few days some of the topics I have read about include: The Paris Commune, the Pakistani massacre in then-East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Hindustani music, and others that I can't even remember. Of course none of this mental energy is ever devoted to work or school, but hey, knowledge is power! ...right?