Soon to Be Colossal themail
It's bragging time for DCWatch. Last Monday's Wall Street Journal,
in its special section on personal computers and the Internet, cited DCWatch as a prime
example of how Internet publishing “is already remaking the way news is gathered,
presented and distributed.” Oh, wait a minute — is that supposed to be a good
thing?
Len Sullivan has asked that I present a question to you. The City Council
has three new members and a new session beginning in January. City Council committees and
their chairmanships are going to be realigned. If you could assign councilmembers to chair
committees, which committee would you give to which hero, and which committee would you
strip from which bum? To jog your memories, there's a list of Council Committees and their
current chairs at http://www.dcwatch.com/council/commit.htm
And remember to vote for our city-state motto. The ballot box is open
through Saturday, and the list of contenders is at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/98-11-13.htm
.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Length of themail — Soon to Be Colossal!
Connie Ridgway, kaniru@aol.com
I for one would vote, if we could, to keep themail short enough not to
have to download almost every time. themail's predecessor, dc.story, urged submitters to
keep to two paragraphs. Most issues can be dealt with in two paragraphs at most, and they
undoubtedly would be easier to read. Such guidelines would help those submitters out there
who could benefit from a little editing and proofing before they hit the “send”
button!
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I too was absolutely floored by Congressman Moran's likening the DC
Police's botching of the Wilson Bridge case to a supposed preference we have for
inconvenience. It looks like we have a long way to go, folks.
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That is exactly what most suburbanites believe! For the last year I
commuted out to work next to Dulles Airport. Most of my co-workers lived out there,
sometimes WAAAY out there — my boss commuted from Culpepper, and I had coworkers from
Leesburg and Middleburg. The problems of the District had no human dimensions at all for
them. Their comments were totally based on any inconveniences caused the burbs by DC, such
as how much it was costing them, with the definite implication that anything spent on D.C.
was money wasted. There was a universal feeling that the City “owed” the burbs,
but that there was no concomitant obligation on the part of the burbs. Like the case of
one fellow who chose to commute from Burtonsville to Herndon — well that was his
choice. It's like the people who buy next door to National Airport and complain
incessantly about the noise!
When I lived on Capitol Hill and residential parking permits were
instituted, the reaction of my suburban co-workers (I then walked to work on the Hill) was
that the City “owed” them a free parking place all day long, and if the said
space just happened to be across a resident's driveway or in front of a fireplug, well,
tough toenails! There were mass complaints by suburban constituents to their reps (my best
friend worked for one of them) to squash these impudent D.C.-ers, all on the grounds that
D.C. was “taking” something that rightfully belonged to them..
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Why should we be surprised by anything that Jim Moron does? He is a man of
limitless limitations, constantly doing and saying stupid things and then claiming that he
is standing on principle. Rather than getting worked up, we do have a recourse: when he
runs again in 2000, we can write checks to his opponent, either in the Democratic primary
(he will have a primary opponent after his Clinton bashing) or his Republican opponent in
the general. It means being patient, waiting two years, but hey, that's two more years of
Jim Moron yelling “Jump, jump!” in a crowded theater.
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I am surprised that participants in themail, who so eagerly flog the
splitting of infinitives, seem so indifferent to the severing of arteries. It seems to me
that Chief Ramsey's actions to close the Eastern Seaboard's major north-south artery for
half a working day was a clear example of unacceptable amateurism in the conduct of
regional governance.
DC has an almost infinitesimal responsibility for major regional routes
designed to divert traffic around the inner city. Its interest in this federal bridge
between two states is almost solely to provide DC jobs as bridge operators. Its
jurisdiction does not reach to either shore. But the question is not whether Ramsey's
initial humanitarian reaction was laudable, but whether there was incompetence in the
subsequent failure to quickly find alternative ad hoc solutions in conjunction with
neighboring jurisdictions. There must be scores of ways to isolate the jumper from the
thoroughfare, or at least obscure his aim at passing traffic (I can think of several).
Surely officials accustomed to dealing with large, high density traffic flows should have
been heeded in order to minimize regional disruption.
To me this is a good example of the need to find practical regional
solutions to regional problems, if for no other reason than to avoid the vast
inefficiencies when one local jurisdiction ignores the greater interests and expertise
within its own metro area. Why not establish some sort of quick reaction regional traffic
control response group with the authority to impose ad hoc responses to such clear and
present problems? And leave the bit players in supporting roles.
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Sorry, We're Too Busy Working on Real
Issues
Mike Livingston, livingstonm@earthlink.net
Kurt Vondran joins a list of literally hundreds of people who belong to
neither the Statehood Party nor the Green Party and who advise the Statehood Party and
Green Party to merge. While I'm tempted to limit my reply to a Vicki Linton quote —
“Why don't the Democratic and Republican parties merge?” — I will instead
repeat the answer I gave the media throughout my six-month campaign as the first citywide
Green candidate for local office in this colony:
The Green and Statehood parties work very closely together. The Green
Party, and most individuals active in it, [were] visible and dedicated supporters of the
Gloster and Romanow campaigns, and we collected signatures to help Gail Dixon get on the
ballot. Aside from the daunting legal and technical issues that would burden the
unprecedented process of merging two political parties, what would a merger give us that
we don't already have? We are already firmly united in the causes of social, economic,
environmental and political justice. It does not matter at what level of formality we are
allied; we are allied — that's the bottom line.
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Please add this note to the fray regarding updating/upgrading the Election
Board and polling places. My voting experience in this year's election was delightful but
at a cost. I was able to go to the special balloteer to cast my vote because I recently
moved, thereby bypassing the outrageously long queues. However, I was unable to cast my
votes for the initiatives and my ANC commissioner, also because I recently moved.
I was able to be directed to the proper polling place because of my
address. Can someone tell me why I was unable to get a third voting card (especially since
my move to the new voting place was based on my address)? There couldn't possibly be that
many cards to be produced in order to ensure that those who moved would be able to fully
participate in the vote, could there?
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Cable Late Fees
Jon Desenberg, JonDes@hotm
In the last year, attorney Paul Friedman filed suit against TCI for
excessive cable late fees in DC and Baltimore. He won! A Baltimore judge found that the $5
fee was excessive and ruled TCI should only charge 38 cents, their real cost for late
payments. Sadly, the case is under appeal. Does anyone have an update on this case?
Specifically, will the judgment allow for refunds to customers for fees paid between the
time of the original judgment and the appeal decision? At last, justice from the TCI
monopoly seems just around the corner.
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The Passing of Stokely
Jean Lawrence, JKelLaw@aol.com
I read with recognition and some wistfulness of the death of activist
Stokely Carmichael as he was known in the '60s, when he used to hang out at a then
notorious bar called Tassos at 17th and P Streets. Along with his wife, Miriam Makeba
(then famous and often touring) and his buds Marion Barry and Ivanhoe Donaldson, Stokely
was often holding court between trips to the south. Those were the dashiki days of some
idealism and hope. Who'd a thunk it would have ended up as it has?
Ironically, I just finished helping my teenage daughter write a paper
comparing the '60s to the '90s. When I told her about pepper gas and demos, her eyes
widened. She attended the March for Life a few years back and has never been the same. Me,
too. Never the same.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place seeks a part time
financial manager who has excellent computer skills, knowledge of accounting practices, is
detail oriented and wants to work in a wonderful community of caring staff and volunteers.
20-25 hours / wk. $15+ per hour. E-mail resume to claudiacoo@aol.com or fax to
202-364-8767. Claudia Coonrod tel. 202-363-0663.
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Beginning January, 1999 we are looking for a bright, responsible,
energetic person to look after two girls, ages 5 and 8, from 2:50 to 6:30 p.m., three or
four days a week (exact schedule still not set). Must be a licensed driver, non-smoker,
capable of supervising homework. Other duties include making their dinner, doing their
wash and keeping their rooms straightened up. Relaxed, friendly household. Call Peggy or
Bill at 202-686-9132, or email badler@adlerbooks.com.
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Housesitter Wanted
Joan Eisenstodt, jeisen@aol.com
A colleague is moving to NYC and, in the interim month or so before she
finds a place to live, is looking for a reliable, non-smoking apt. sitter for her great
place near Rock Creek/Adams Morgan. Gig would start end of Dec. and go to early Feb. or a
bit longer. Interested? Know someone who might be? Please e-mail to me and I'll pass
along.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
BMW 2002. Red, stick shift, year 1976. Body, interior good. Servicing and
repair receipts in last 3 years. Engine needs some work. $1900 or best offer. Call: (202)
546-0972; e-mail: biggs@folger.edu.
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CLASSIFIEDS — CHARITIES
Disaster Relief in Adams Morgan
Lynne Mersfelder, ANC Commissioner 1C03, Lmersfelder@ocean.nos.noaa.gov
Nov. 23-25: As part of an Adams Morgan Advisory Neighborhood Commission
effort to assist with the disaster relief efforts post Hurricane Mitch, the coffee shop,
Tryst, on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, has offered to be a drop-off point for food,
medicine and checks/ cash to aid Hurricane Mitch disaster relief efforts. Even more
generously, Constantine Stavropoulos, the owner of Tryst, has offered to donate a portion
of the proceeds from his coffee sales for 3 days just prior to Thanksgiving — Monday
to Wednesday November 23-25.
The collection is supported by the Organization for American States (OAS)
Mission for Honduras, the Spanish Catholic Center and ANC 1C Adams Morgan. Please support
the Hurricane efforts by publicizing this event, stopping in for a coffee or bringing by
much needed medicine, ready to eat canned foods or a check/cash donation. No purchase
necessary!!
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Annual Church Auction
Kim Stark, kstark@erols.com
Do you love a good bargain? Does the idea of bidding on items and services
excite you? Would you like to do some early Christmas shopping and be able to take a tax
write-off at the same time? Then come to the Annual Church Auction on Saturday, November
22 at Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church, 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi,
Maryland. The evening will start at 5:30 p.m. with an Italian dinner (the proceeds from
that dinner will benefit the Religious Education program). Among the items being auctioned
are mystery dinners, vacations, and baby-sitting services. There will be a cash and carry
table where baked goods will be sold. If you have kids, bring them because there will be a
special Kid's Auction just for them. (By the way, there will be Beanie Babies — both
currents and retireds — up for auction.) For directions, see
http://www.pbuuc.org/Directions.html or call (301) 937-3666 or e-mail at pbuuc@pbuuc.org .
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CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
D.C. Chamber's Persona Non Grata: At-large D.C. Councilmember Harold Brazil usually finds
himself the center of attention at gatherings of the local business community. After all,
Brazil, a former PEPCO exec, has built his D.C. Council career catering to developers, law
firms, and the hospitality industry.
But the third-term councilmember became the invisible man at last week's 60th anniversary
dinner of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce. When the several city councilmembers in attendance
were recognized from the dais, Brazil's name was omitted from the list, even though he had
been working the crowd directly in front of the stage just moments before.
Some business leaders suspect the slight may have been intentional.
Read the entire Loose Lips column this Friday at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early
warnings for upcoming events:
FRIDAY, NOV. 20: The Motown Sound: A Symposium, film and panel discussion, 8 p.m. at the
Library of Congress in the Jefferson Building's Coolidge Auditorium, 101 1st St. SE. Free,
but tickets are required.
SUNDAY: The Phantom of the Opera (1925, accompanied by Ray Brubacher on the Wurlitzer pipe
organ and pianist Miss Jamie Olthoff. At 2:30 p.m. at George Mason University's Harris
Theatre, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. $10.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
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