H Is for HubertDear Neighbors: According to Hank Wallace, who "Writes & Speaks Like the News," "H .Rap Brown is Hubert Geroid (yes, Geroid) Brown. I for one will sleep better at night knowing that. Regarding Henry, er Hechingers, a friend suggested I forward our collective postings to Hechingers so they can improve their service, I responded that I didn’t think we’d be providing them anything new. "People have complained about them since I moved to Washington in 1980. I suspect they’ll get bought out soon on the cheap. And they probably deserve it." Today The Post reports that Family Hechinger is weighing a buy-out bid. Remember, future Itell prognostications should not be used for actual cash money wagers. Consult your bookie or a professional for investment advice. ////\\\\\////\\\\////\\\\\/////\\\\ Also free! dc.movie: Free movie passes, short movie reviews, and movie discussion. Send an email message to story@intr.net to subscribe. Cheers, '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' From the Desk of Carl Bergman (cbergman@radix.net) Watergate may be the ultimate Washington story, but it started out pure DC. A dc guard, Frank Wills, called the DC cops, and the whole crew, McCord, etc., wind up in DC superior court. Who breaks the case, but two DC side reporters. In this spirit, Jeff and I would like to know if you have any personal memories of Watergate ether its times or the scandal. Recognizing that some of you weren’t around then, what’s your take? Do you point out landmarks to friends, mention it in passing or even care. I have one - sort of - Bernstein’s owed me a pair of gloves for 28 years, but that’s for later. It’s your turn, move the flower pot over, and tell us about your point in time. Linda Cropp Remembers Linda Cropp (D - At Large), present and presumptive council chair, has done her bit for nostalgia, she’s recycled Nixon’s 72 campaign slogan, "Now more than ever" on her posters. They add "she’s part of the solution," proving no cliché is too shopworn to reuse. Metrobus: One Third of DC Metrobus Routes to Go Private: Evans, Turns DC Service into Metro Lite. One thing that’s barely changed since Judge ‘Maximum John’ Sirica broke the cover-up, Metro’s bus routes. Now, Metro’s planning some big changes in its service. It wants to dump much of its radial, city to suburb, policy for one that connects suburban employment centers with each other. Given the area’s housing and employment patterns, this is pretty inevitable. The main objection has come from the driver’s union which doesn’t like metro’s plan to allow the counties to run more of the service on their own with non union drivers. The dc take on this is simple: One third of DC’s routes will shift to private carriers. Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, (D - One) told the post "What we’re hoping is that Metro could run what I call Metro Lite. Metro could get an agreement with its unions to run smaller buses and serve more neighborhood routes. I think we could compete successfully with anybody. So it takes you a little bit away from the socialism of one entity running all the service, but it makes us a little bit more efficient and competitive." After years of neglect, Metro finally takes aim at DC, and instead of reviewing our outmoded routes and lines, decides that we need is free market competition. I’ll believe a new plan when it puts more buses on consolidated routes that go somewhere. For example, a frequent bus you could take from Ward Circle to DC General Hospital, or one up the full length of North Capitol and Blair. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Jazz 90 Is anyone as upset as I am concerning Jazz 90’s demise? It was the number one pre-set in my car and my house, and its loss is the biggest quality of life setback I’ve seen as a DC resident in my ten years here. Who cares about taxes and potholes when you have a classic, commercial free jazz station playing 24 hours a day. I think none of us will realize how good we had it until its gone. We’re left with a 89.3, which is non-stop leftist talk all day, and 105.9, which seems to think Kenny G. plays Jazz, not Muzak. **** Hechingers For many years the residents of Cleveland Park have wanted a good hardware store. In fact many of us contacted District Hardware, Strosniders, Candys & other to locate at the Park & Shop. Doug Jamal the previous owner of the Park & Shop tried to get us one. Hechingers may not be the best run hardware store in the universe, but they are our local hardware store & we need to support them & not go to the burgs & support the chain stores. I personally have had no trouble at Hechingers. I believe the personnel is really trying. Lets give them positive & negative feedback. And by all means lets give them a chance! ***** Student Neighbors Bob Levine’s comments about Georgetown vs. GW student neighbors seems to be a good observation. We on the Hill contend w/ student renters — most of whom seem to be Georgetown Law students. Some of the worst neighbors I’ve ever experienced here or in other n’hoods in DC. The parties go on late and obnoxiously. The alcohol flows— to the point that the garbage on Monday mornings is horrendous. The students, even after having many of us discuss the n’hoods values and our wish that they would respect not only the home owners but other renters, goes unheeded. And of course absentee owners make it difficult. Can they be disbarred before they are "barred"?? **** Thanks to DC police I had a pleasant surprise last Tuesday night, or rather at 2:30 AM returning from an all night study session. I was nervous about walking the short distance from Quebec to Ordway and 27th at that hour. To my great relief, a passing patrol car made sure I returned safely. It felt good to know that I was being watched over and was pleased yet again to be a resident of DC. **** Capitol Security In response to the security comment about DC Federal Buildings. One of the things my parents first noticed when they visited London earlier this years was guards with machine guns amidst the ceremonial palace guard. This is something I noticed in Paris, too. I think that says something about how we feel about protection. Visitors to DC have commented to me before about how accessible the Capitol and its respective office buildings are, and I think that’s true, to a certain extent. I do remember what it was like to get into the Senate before the bomb in the Capitol, and you just walked by guards sitting at desks. No metal detectors, nuthin. On Saturdays you had to sign in, but other than that, not much security. Now it’s a little more strict, but I’ve pretty easily talked my way into the office buildings without an i.d. after hours. I’m not suggesting that our Federal buildings are unprotected because it’s much more difficult to get into the State department, for instance, but nobodies carries semi-automatic weapons either. ***** Terrorism and Safety Since I moved to Washington from Ireland 3 years ago I’ve been continually astonished at some of what I’ve seen, from trucks parked in the vicinity of federal buildings for great lengths of time without a single cop stopping to investigate to half hearted attempts at protecting the exterior of federal buildings. It is true that a lot of security in this city remains hidden from view, and yes a lot of it is good. But one thing the British Government know better than anyone else is protection against terrorists. While it is generally accepted that there is nothing you can do to prepare against a dedicated terrorist, my argument is to reduce the odds. They won’t hit the White House, why because it reduces the odds of success, they would hit those easy federal buildings that are a stone’s throw away....where there is less security and a greater chance of success, the reality is that this is Washington and it doesn’t matter if it isn’t the White House, the location will draw the worlds media and that is ultimately what terrorists want. The solution is eternal vigilance, ever notice how in the London underground there are no trash cans........that’s because the IRA used to plant bombs in them. **** Designated Taxes Budgeting by having taxpayers indicate which departments they want their taxes to go to is an appealing idea, but it’s a terrible way to run a government. How much do we all know about how much money it takes to keep the Park Service running, and what the trade-offs are of changing its current funding? Are you familiar with every social service program there is? Are you willing to see low-profile but effective programs disappear because no one knew about them? We have representative, rather than direct democracy because citizen just can’t be familiar with the level of detail required to put together a federal budget. We have the government plan a budget because running an annual popularity contest for program dollars is a recipe for disaster. ***** Noise In the Neighborhood Not so noticeable in the hot and cold months (when the windows are closed), there is a loud roar/hum sound coming from an air conditioning exhaust fan at ground level in the Super Fresh parking lot (adjacent to the AU Law School)on 48th St. At night this sound is like a high flying piston engined transport or a distant railroad train. The noise is quite audible in the late evening hours at my bedroom window even at a distance of 150 yards with one house, the Law School and several tall trees between my window and the source of the sound. One can only wonder how this must reverberate in those houses on Warren Street and on 48th Street facing this exhaust vent. Without any real measuring device, other than my own ears, I would estimate the sound level at about ten to fifteen times the level of a normal home air conditioner outdoor unit. I would also estimate that the sound level from this vent system exceeds the allowable steady state noise levels for noise emitting sources located adjacent to residential areas. **** Bethesda: World Record Holder? As an Adams-Morgan resident who doesn’t cook, I thought I had the best choices of eating establishments around. Not even close. I even believe what is happening around the Woodmont / Old Georgetown area in Bethesda. Whole strip malls of yuppie food heaven going up en masse without even a thought about crowding each other out. The Whole Austin Grill / Raku / Rio Grande thing is a little sickening in its corporate slick way, but the food sure is good. Rumor has it that there are very close to 300 restaurants now in Bethesda— more per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Does anyone know of the veracity of this claim? ***** Food problems group now on-line Those folks who responded initially to my call to start a support group for controlling overeating have decided to try to do this on-line. If you would be interested in joining us, please let me know and we will add you to the group. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.queries Hunting for Newt I am looking to buy an Apple Messagepad 120 or 130, but there are virtually no retail stores in my area that carry them. Anyone out there interested in selling one? Anyone know where I could get one without resorting to mail-order? Jeff Lins garath@mindspring.com **** "Garbage pickup? Rubbish!" I’m a new homeowner, and for the first two weeks of trash pickup, we put out 3 or 4 extra bags (mainly yard clippings) in addition to the large green can, and the sanitation workers took everything. However, this past week (after a particularly busy weekend of trimming), I put out *eight* extra bags, plus a pile of (neatly bundled) bamboo. They emptied the trash can, but ignored everything else. So my questions are: 1) What is the actual policy in DC regarding bulk trash pickup? Do they take only a certain amount of excess refuse, or will they only pick it up if the whim strikes them? 2) Does anyone know of an inexpensive hauling service I can hire to remove the extra yard clippings? Bob Kulawiec kulawiecr@guvax.georgetown.edu '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.events Open House at One World Media Center Free tours and free pizza at the One World Media Center, a new nonprofit video training center in Adams Morgan, DC. When? Sunday, June 22, from 10 AM to 7 PM. Where? 2390 Champlain St. NW. (202) 667-9038. Further info at: http://www.his.com/pshapiro/openhouse.html Phil Shapiro pshapiro@his.com **** Library Town Meetings The District of Columbia Public Library will sponsor a series of town meetings, organized under the theme "Libraries and Information, Everybody’s Business," to be held in each quadrant of the city (NE, SE, NW, and SW). The meetings will provide information concerning developments on how our libraries are changing to keep pace with increasing demands for service and utilizing new technologies. All of the town meetings will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., after the libraries chosen to host these meetings have closed, so that the entire facility can be used. These meetings are open to any interested person, not only to the neighborhoods surrounding the library. Each branch is located near public transportation. The town meeting schedule is as follows: June 16 Lamont-Riggs Branch / South Dakota Avenue & Kennedy Street, NE June 18 Anacostia Branch / Good Hope Road & 18 Street, SE June 25 Cleveland Park Branch / Connecticut Avenue & Macomb Street, NW June 26 Southwest Branch / Wesley Place & K Street, SW For more information call 202/727-1186. Jill Bogard Friends of Cleveland Park Library Jill_Bogard@ ace.nche.edu ***** The Last Frog 25 June 1997. 7:30 p.m. Screening and discussion. Education Building. National Zoo. Enter at Connecticut Ave. Park in Lot A. Free, but please RSVP by calling (202) 673-4801 or sending e-mail to nzpem053@sivm.si.edu. What is a summer evening without the peeps and chirps of frogs drifting through the velvet night? In recent years, the evening chorus has lost many voices as the population of frogs has precipitously declined. Learn why at a preview of The Last Frog, a video to be aired on Turner Broadcasting later in June. A panel discussion follows the screening. Participants include Ron Heyer, curator of vertebrate zoology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and member of The Vanishing Amphibian Task Force, and Allison Argo, producer, writer, and director of The Last Frog. And, when you come for the screening, drop by the prairie dog enclosure, at the bottom of the Zoo near Lion/Tiger Hill. We had 29 prairie dogs (pups?) born this spring. They are great fun to watch, rolling over each other, jumping up and giving their alarm call, and chasing each other around the enclosure. Margie Gibson NZPEM053@SIVM.SI.EDU Office of Public Affairs, National Zoo, (202) 673-4866 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.market Lodging Wanted Young, recently arrived, green-carded Macedonian couple + 1 toddles needs moderately priced housing. Are willing to perform housecleaning, maintenance and/or caretaking services. Milisa Petronijevic (703) 895-5002 mipe@loc.gov **** We Have a Situation Here Situation Wanted: Nanny-Share. Seeking well-adjusted child 1 year old or less in search of a Nanny in the Woodley Park area. We have a 3 month old and are arranging a live-out, full-time nanny in our home five days a week and seek a second child so we can split costs. Costs are comparable to other day-care arrangements. We are interviewing the potential Mary Poppins this week. Call Bobby at (301) 519-6664. Bobby Levenson Bobbylev@aol.com **** New sofa for sale I would like to sell my tuxedo-style Storehouse sleep sofa, which I have had for seven months. It’s 7 feet long, 38 inches deep; there is a queen-size bed inside. The upholstery is an off-white 100% cotton with a subtle leaf pattern — very pretty and it’s been treated with fabric sealer and so resists dirt and stains. Also has arm covers. I paid $1700 and will consider all reasonable offers. Call 202-994-6943 for an appointment. Buyers must be able to transport the sofa. Cynthia Harrison harrison@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu **** Mark, Matt, And Jordan’s Excellent Lawn Service Three graduating Wilson seniors will cut your grass, weed your yard, and do other landscaping chores this summer. Reasonable and prompt, experienced and hard-working, these young men work in Chevy Chase, Barnaby Woods, Forest Hills, AU Park, and other northwest neighborhoods. Contact Mark Wellborn at 362-6609; Matt Hill at 686-1559; or Jordan Rider at 362-6252. Stan Wellborn swellborn@brook.edu ***** Mazda for Sale 92 Mazda 323. 2 door, hatchback, AC. 104,000 miles. Good condition, very reliable. Needs minor repairs. $3500 or best offer. Call Terrence - 202.546.7034. Vera Zlidar V.ZLIDAR@tfgi.com **** Computers Buying one shouldn’t be so scary. Setting one up shouldn’t be so scary. Getting on the Internet shouldn’t be so scary. Jeffrey Itell Story@intr.net 202.244.4163 ================= dc.story is a discussion group. The opinions stated are the sole responsibility of the authors. dc.story does not verify the information provided by readers. |
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