Your Electronic Backfencedc.story: presented in association with Washington’s News Station WTOP-1500 AM and 94.3 FM***They're both WTOP!
WTOP "Call for Action" volunteers are available to help you with any consumer-related issues—from home or lawn improvement to health club problems. Contact a volunteer from Tuesday through Friday, 11 am to 1 PM, at 301/652-4357 (301/652-HELP).-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^ Dear Neighbors: I will be sending out a special announcement tomorrow (he hopes) about our Fall Fling for dc.story readers. Yes, it’s time once again to meet the faces behind those email addresses. What’s the scoop on the folks signed up with @hopeless.com (he made that up)? Will the aol.com folks buy drinks for the compuserve.com folks? Will the compuserve.com folks treat the aol folks with diffidence or disdain? Will Rob Pegararo verbally disclaimed everything he says. (I’m talking for myself and not my boss?) The date is October 27. Details tomorrow. ***** Driving back from New Jersey today, I encountered an odd occurrence at Chevy Chase circle. A driver in the circle yielded to traffic entering the circle from Connecticut Avenue....causing quite a bit of confusion and near hits. Don’t ask me how I passed my DC driver’s exam but I can’t recall who has the right-of-way. I recall that drivers in England must yield when they are in traffic circles (or circuses as they sometimes prefer) but I can’t remember my local rules. Did I just encounter a befuddled English immigrant or have I been violating the local traffic laws for 17 years? You do know what answer what I would prefer to hear.… -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^ Say Cheese! Fresh Fields’ Cheeze Wiz, Kim Jagodzinski, will present a fun, informative (and delicious) introduction to cheese at the Georgetown Fresh Fields, 2323 Wisconsin Avenue, on Wednesday, October 15th at 7:00 p.m. Cost is $15 per person; paid participants will receive a $10 Fresh Fields gift certificate after the class. Lots of cheeses to sample. For more information, please call 202-333-5393. -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^ In this issue of dc.story, Dan Turner Exposed!, the complete story on nepots, waterworks, vouching for school, and all that jazz. Cheers, '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Car Registration? The real reason to have a car registered in DC despite the tax: DC doesn’t have reciprocity with any other state. As a result, if you get a ticket for a moving violation in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, etc., you get no points on your license in DC. What’s more, your insurance doesn’t know about it. Or, at least, that’s how it was 9 years ago when I got my first ticket, on Connecticut between East-West and the Circle, as well as 5 years when I got my second one on Connecticut between East-West and the Circle. If I got ones after that, I’m not saying (note that both are more than 3 years ago, so even if I did get points they would’ve evaporated by now). According to Maryland’s very confused courts, if I got enough points in Maryland they’d revoke my license in Maryland, effectively barring me from driving there. I thought that was amazingly fair...perhaps other states should consider doing the same thing :) If they ever remove the no-reciprocity rule, I think I’ll move out of DC. According to Maryland, they have reciprocity with DC, so this neat little trick doesn’t work the other way. **** Toughest Seat Belt Law in the Nation? With the DC police department in the sorry state it is evidently in, they will now be ticketing drivers who have their seat belt unbuckled? Does anyone believe that this piece of work is motivated by a concern for the safety of drivers in the District? Of course not, it is conceived as a revenue tool by that ongoing criminal enterprise we know as the DC government. Hey, it’s just my opinion, I could be wrong. ***** Nepots Chief Soulsby is the nephew of Sen. Byrd, (D-VA). Sen. Byrd is the ranking member of the U.S. Senate’s full Appropriations Committee. Sen. Lauch Faricloth’s (R-NC) Subcommittee on DC Appropriations reports to this full Committee. Does this explain to anyone why the Chief isn’t going anywhere? ***** Mugging I was mugged this past Sunday on Mass. Ave. and 9th while riding my bike and the thief took off with my bike. Several people driving by responded to my cries for help and apprehended my bike and made sure that I was safe. I only got one man’s name; he gave me a ride home and I want to make sure that he is recognized. His name is Frederic Duruamaku and he drives Hilltop Cab no. 32. His license number is 70655. This man risked his safety for me. I am hoping that one of you can direct me as to how I can ensure that this man’s heroism is recognized. He not only saved my bike but allowed me to be thankful for something that day. Yes this is DC with all of its crime and mayhem, but this event showed me that there is still some humanity left in the form of all the people that stopped to help me. **** Water Lines I’m really starting to worry about the DC water lines. First, about two weeks ago, on the corner of Military and Utah, there was a water line break that started as four little fountains squirting out of a manhole. It was like that for about a week, with the orange cones around it (indicating that the DC public works people knew about it). Finally, when the whole area was a river, on a Friday afternoon at 4:30, they blocked off traffic and repaired it. There’s a big steel plate over the area, and it’s currently dry. But now there are little fountains coming out of a manhole on Nebraska and 30th Street, and the whole intersection has been wet for days. And also the one on Ellicot and Wisconsin mentioned in another post. So I’m worrying. Will the entire DC water reservoir empty into our streets one fine day? **** Wasted Water My apologies for underformatting my posting Jeff. Water has been pouring out of manholes at Wisconsin Ave. and Ellicott Street, and from 41st. Street and Ellicott Streets. I assume that the DPW has been informed since there are all manor of runes surrounding these sites. Still I say drivers beware if you are driving in the southbound lanes on Wisconsin Avenue. **** Organic Foods/Fresh Fields While I can’t say that I have completely made the conversion to organic foods(in part due to wildly varying costs) I think that Stephanie has missed the point when it comes to the reasons to buy organic products. By purchasing organic foods I am diminishing my body’s exposure as well as the farm workers and environment’s exposure to potential carcinogens. Ideally it should taste better too! **** Prior Barry Administration Michael Bindner seems to long for the time when the prior Barry Administration had a free hand at malfeasance. I agree with Mr. Bindner that extra layers of management impede agencies such as DPW from doing their job. We taxpayers should demand that the first layer to be excised is the bloated "management" ensconced in the Office of the Mayor. **** The Street Striping On Wisconsin Avenue Mark Epstein wrote that city officials implied to him that it was much easier to paint street stripes before heavier city oversight came along. What a surprise. This is bureaucratic guerrilla fighting at its finest: If you oppose new oversight, invent new things to go wrong. Maybe you can "forget" to keep track of paving work because it’s not explicitly spelled out by a contract. Maybe you can follow every directive so rigidly, so specifically, that your new overseers are forced to produce mountains of new paperwork to specify every iota of your duties. But whatever you do, just delay and dawdle and deflect. Eventually, things won’t improve and the public will blame your new overseers, thus giving you a potential opening to cast off your alleged oppressors and revert your world back to the Good Ol’ Days. This is why I believe things in D.C. won’t really get better for many years to come. An entrenched city government with a bunker mentality, led by a mayor whose self-interests always come first, will not be "reformed." It will have to be overtaken, slowly, stubbornly, in a long siege. That siege has started, but it will be many years before major results will be attained, and those will come only if reformers exercise endless, exhausting willpower. **** School Vouchers Yes, opposition to school vouchers for low-income DC students is politically motivated. But how else to respond to an initiative that is so politically driven? The use of the District as a lab for the Republican agenda is so blatantly transparent that it’s laughable. If the issue were simply poor management and low test results, I would expect to see school vouchers proposed for numerous school systems across the country—maybe even in districts with Republican representatives. But it’s easy to impose such measures on the District, no matter how impractical they might be. Oh yeah, I forgot: new private schools will be started to absorb the voucher endowed students. Just what we need, a whole slew of Marcus Garveys to provide the quality education Republicans are so concerned about. And who, pray tell, will administer the voucher program? The generals who can’t shoot straight? The board of education? Or will Congress create even one more bureaucracy that the pols can fill with their friends? ****** Vouchers Mean MORE Money for Public Schools For those who think the school voucher idea drains money from the public education system, let’s try a little math. Suppose we kept the DCPS budget at the current level of roughly $10,000 per student and let students who wanted to get their public education from the school of their choice take with them a $3,000 voucher. That’s means there is now one less student in the broken system and $7,000 more money left behind to fix what’s wrong. If half of the students leave the broken schools there would be nearly two-thirds more money per student left in the system to fix it. Even the teachers union would have difficulty squandering a 70% increase in per student funding. The current proposal is even sweeter, of course, because Congress is giving the DCPS system $7 million outright. It’s a gift. Free money. Let’s watch closely while the "progressive" party sacrifices that grant money — and another generation of poor African-American children in DC — for the sake of their education union paymasters. ***** Voucher Supporters Dk Black, and other voucher supporters, seem to think that private school vouchers are a panacea for the District’s educational problems. Private schools only accept the _best_, easiest to educate, students. What will vouchers do for the second best, the learning disabled, the handicapped, etc.? The answer is _nothing_. Vouchers would make the Public School system an under funded, dumping ground. The District’s children deserve better. ***** Jazz on Cable Radio When WDCU went off the air I started looking for alternatives. I remembered that Giselle Mills of WPFW had told me about Cable Radio. For those of you who already have cable TV it costs $5 extra a month to get the radio hooked up. If you don’t have a TV you pay $12something for the basic monthly cable plus the $5 radio fee. I have found 3 jazz stations on the service. One is big band, another is straight ahead jazz, and the final one is some fusion thing with lots of computer drums. There are no announcers or ads. You have a little gadget that you can press to find out what is playing, who is performing and the name of the CD. I like it. ================= ***For information re advertising, contact Jan Genzer—the dc.story marketing maven—at Oltjan@aol.com or 202/364-0383.*** ================= dc.queries Anyone know of a computer swap meet (where one can find computer parts, software etc) in the area? Evan Roth rothe@washpost.com ****
UDC Finance OfficeApproximately Tuesday the NBC News reported that someone was arrested from the UDC Finance Office. People here are usually quick to jump on any UDC item so I am curious if anyone has further information as to who was involved and what transpired. Harold Goldstein dcbiker@goldray.com '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.events Friends of Cleveland Park Library The Friends of Cleveland Park Library holds its annual fall book sale on Saturday and Sunday, October 18-19, from noon to 4:00 PM in the Cleveland Park Library, Connecticut Avenue and Macomb Street, NW. Stop by for some great bargains on thousands of used books on nearly every subject, plus kids’ books, records, tapes, and CDs. All items for sale have been donated by your neighbors; proceeds are used to help the Library purchase new reference books, duplicate copies of bestsellers, books on tape, magazine subscriptions, kids’ videos, music CDs, furniture, and shelving. For info on joining the Friends and/or volunteering for future sales, e-mail me at the address below. Jill Bogard President, Friends of Cleveland Park Library Jill_Bogard@ace.nche.edu **** Footlights—A Modern Drama Discussion Group Come join us to discuss plays from the modern theater! On Thursday, October 16, at North China Restaurant, 7814 Old Georgetown Rd. in Bethesda, we discuss Sam Shepard’s "Buried Child" (1978)— the 1st play premiering off-Broadway to win the Pulitzer Prize. Set in a shabby midwestern farmhouse, "Buried Child" portrays a young man’s attempt to rediscover his identity in a family gripped by sordid secrets. Shepard scholar Robin Black will lead our discussion & admission to the discussion is free. From 7:45-9:45 p.m. (dinner at 6:30). For reservations or further information call (202) 484-8303 or e-mail dsobelso@capaccess.org. David Sobelsohn dsobelso@capaccess.org ***** D.C. Mayoral Election Issues Forum It’s time to start talking about the issues that are important to you and that will shape the 1998 D.C. Maryoral Election Campaign. Join us Monday, November 3, 1997 from noon to 2pm. at the D.C. Bar to do just that. Councilmembers Harold Brazil, Kevin Chavous, Jack Evans and Carol Schwartz will be speaking along with Tom Sherwood -WRC TV, Channel 4, Mark Plotkin - WAMU, and Karen Gray Houston - Fox, Channel 5. Listen to the views of these elected Officials and the questions of journalists who cover the District of Columbia. Express your views on the issues that should be addressed in the next Mayoral Election and offer your opinions on how the media can assist in keeping focus on these issues. For information, please call the D.C. Bar (District Affairs Section) at (202) 626-3463. Non-lawyers and lawyers are welcome and encouraged to attend! Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Sharon Mayhew mayhew@erols.com ***** Single Volunteers of DC If you’re tired of the trendy, and ready for something genuine, it’s time to try Single Volunteers of DC. SVDC was founded by two single women who got tired of trying to figure out where to meet available, smart, sweet, funny, real people with whom to develop new friendships and relationships. They decided to create an atmosphere where that is possible, and through which they can give something back to the community. If you want more information about SVDC, please jump over to their website: http://www.webreflection.com/svdc
SVDC is also looking for non-profit organizations who are in need of groups of volunteers to help out on an occasional evening or weekend. If you know of such an organization, please tell them to visit http://www.web reflection.com/msdc for more information on how they can get volunteer assistance!Dana Katherine Grassier dressier@web reflection.com ***** Sunday Afternoon Stories This SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, at 3 p.m., Washington Storytellers Theatre inaugurates its newest storytelling series with local storyteller Susan Gordon, in a program called "Ancient Stories, Real Women." This new program, designed to showcase the best regional storytellers, will feature the opportunity to ask questions and engage in an informal discussion. "Ancient Stories, Real Women" will be performed at The Creative Partners Gallery, 4600 East West Highway, in Bethesda, located ½ block from the Bethesda Metro. Tickets are $5. For reservations or information, call (301) 891-1129. http://www.writer.org/Storyteller/default.htm Robert Revere rajai@erols.com **** An Art Auction: An auction is being presented by the Heilmann Fine Arts Gallery on Saturday, November 8th at Temple Mica, 2829 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington DC. The auction is to benefit the National Council of Jewish Women, a non-profit volunteer organization in their efforts to improve the quality of life for women, children and families. Preview time is 7:00-8:00 p.m. Auction at 8:00. All art is guaranteed to be substantially below Gallery prices. There will be a wonderful spread of complimentary Hor D’oeuvre, Desserts and Refreshments. Whether you want to buy art or not, come out for a fun night. Tickets are $10.00/person, $15 for 2. Be a patron and receive 6 tickets. The patron levels are: $36 Patron, $50 Silver, $100 Gold, $250 Platinum. For further information and reservations call (703) 241-7716. Julie A. Pruss Julie@ngs.noaa.gov '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.market For Sale: framed print entitled "Still Life with Cat" original watercolor by Elizabeth Onshore from the Hirschbeck Gallery in NYC. Gallery framed in matt slate gray, 2 ½ by 3 feet. Must see! $175 OBOE. Patty Friedman 202-232-3449 patty@embassy.org **** Looking for one or two recorder players to practice and learn pieces from the Baroque period, although not limited to strictly this. Possible performance in the future is an option with accompanying instruments. Level of players is intermediate to upper intermediate, according to standards of the American Recorder Society. Dawson Truitt (202) 966-8872 Ptruitt851@aol.com *** Rob Pegoraro robp@cais.com '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Also free! dc.movie: Free movie passes, short movie reviews, and movie discussion. Send an email message to story@intr.net to subscribe. -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^ dc.story is a discussion group. The opinions stated are the sole responsibility of the authors. dc.story does not verify information provided by readers. Kibitzing by Jeffrey Itell. Copyright © 1997 All rights reserved. |
Send mail with questions or comments to webmaster@dcwatch.com
Web site copyright ©DCWatch (ISSN 1546-4296)