Fly-ing

As Fly operatives head to DC to keep an eye on Silicon Valley’s vain and connected, they are noticing that the Obama presidency is already having a positive effect on the economy. To wit:

• Washington, DC bars have gotten the official green light to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. for four days, which should contribute to the city’s tax revenues. San Jose tried this when it was a capital city in 1849 for the Legislature of a Thousand Drinks, said to be one of the most productive legislatures in California history. More recently, the city flirted with the idea of extended alcohol-free closings for downtown bars, but the idea seems to have been forgotten.

• AIrlines and transportation agencies hammered by high fuel prices in 2008 got an unexpected boom, with sold out flights to the East Coast during the normally slow January season.

• The shrinking necktie department at the Stanford Shopping Center’s Neiman Marcus, where $200 ties are sold to Silicon Valley execs who these days walk around with unbuttoned collars or, in the case of Steve Jobs, turtlenecks, experienced a weekend run on any silk nooses with patriotic colors in them. Sales personnel grew experienced at identifying the DC-bound. “Heading to the inauguration?” they’d ask, and the answer was invariably yes. “One right after another,” a saleswoman commented.

• Room rates at the Motel 6 Washington DC were running at $600 a night. You can leave the light off…

• The souvenir industry is experiencing a boom in Obama tsotchkes, from bobbleheads to coloring books. Here are a few of our favorites, photographed at Dulles Airport:

 

The Fly is the valley’s longest running political column, written by Metro Silicon Valley staff, to provide a behind-the-scenes look at local politics. Fly accepts anonymous tips.

2 Comments

  1. The One becomes President tomorrow.
    The media will now begin to put a positive spin on the news.
    Koolaid drinkers across the nation will be instructed that it is now OK to be happy. Like good little socialists they will obediently comply.
    Oh happy day.

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