Too Many Firefighters Have Died
Dear Thunkers:
The Control Board refused to spend the money on the Fire Department
necessary for public safety and the safety of firefighters, and that forced Fire Chief Tom
Tippett to resign. (See his resignation letter at http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/000427.htm.)
Monday, there was a public rally to protest the Control Board's decision and to support
Chief Tippett. The Washington Times reported what Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) said:
“I'm calling on [Control Board Chair] Alice Rivlin to step down. Let her give up her
fat salary and staff and give that money to the D.C. fire department. Too many
firefighters have died.” I know how hard it is for Washingtonians to admit that a
Republican member of Congress can be right about anything to do with the District but
— except for the fact Rivlin isn't paid for her Control Board position — Weldon
is right on target.
Rivlin has always made it clear that she preferred closed door, back room
dealmaking with the influentials to the rough-and-tumble of open, public democracy, and
that she disdained dealing with the unwashed public and having to take citizens' opinion
and interests into account. But over the past several months it has become clear how bad
her decisionmaking has been. It is Rivlin who forced Tippett to resign. It is Rivlin who
has flouted the sunshine laws of the District and virtually ended any public meetings held
by the Control Board. It is Rivlin who forced an incompetent Chief Financial Officer on
DC, and supported her for months after her inability to do the job was evident to everyone
else. It is Rivlin and Control Board member Constance Newman who insisted on the
ridiculous idea of dividing the School Board into an elected and appointed factions, and
who have pushed and guaranteed city funding for the sneak attack special election on the
School Board.
Most of all, it is Rivlin, and only Rivlin, who could have made us
nostalgic for the good old days under Control Board Chair Andrew Brimmer, and make him
look like a champion of democracy. Who woulda thunk it? By the way, speaking of making the
bad old days look good, did everyone see Jack E. White's article on Tony Williams and
Marion Barry in last week's Time Magazine (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,44023,00.html)?
And you folks think I'm hard on Tony; I'm an amateur.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Did anyone pick up on the short story that the Washington Post
buried on May 3, in which Del. Norton declared that D.C. high school graduates may receive
large tuition breaks at any public college or university in the U.S., not just those in
Maryland or Virginia? This is puzzling on many levels. For one thing, the official web
site on the subject, http://www.tuitiongrant.washingtondc.gov,
still limited the money to Maryland and Virginia as of May 9. And every mention I've ever
seen of this, including articles about a press conference attended by Del. Norton earlier,
noted the Maryland-Virginia limitation. If there is confusion on this rather major
program, whose fault is it? The May 3 Post article quoted Norton as blaming the
confusion on “differences between House and Senate bills that were resolved
[later]” Huh? This is routine how-a-bill-becomes-a-law business. Did any students
miss out on money because of this “confusion”?
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A diploma means something. Instead of having different diplomas, the
students who don't pass should get a certificate of attendance (because that's all they
did) and a pointer to the nearest GED night school.
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Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
It should not come as any real surprise that the head of the DCPS, Mrs.
Ackerman, is vying for the same position in San Francisco. I certainly hope she is
successful in getting the job. Ms. Ackerman has been the antitheses of a leader and team
builder in the DCPS. She has, in fact, behaved like a despot in dealing with subordinates.
It's timely to put someone in that position who really cares for the education of our
kids, someone who can inspire good performance by the teachers and principals. Don't let
the door hit you in the rear, Ms. Ackerman.
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Impressed by Speed of City Tax Office
Lonna Shafritz, lshafrit@aed.org
Can't vouch for efficiency of other city services, but I got my city tax
refund within a week of submitting my return. The feds took closer to five weeks!
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Valerie Costelloe
David Conn and Betty Sellers, Tenant Action Network, sellersconn@erols.com
Valerie Costelloe passed away quietly on Wednesday, May 3, 2000. The
tenants of Washington, D.C. honor one of our own. Valerie Costelloe displayed great
energy, enthusiasm, and talent as one of the founders of the tenant movement in
Washington, D.C. Valerie became aware of the lack of a tenant movement in the late 1970's,
when the owner of the Van Ness Apartments, Valerie's home for the last 30 years, tried to
convert the buildings into condominiums. Valerie organized a tenant association, and
against great odds the tenants succeeded in turning away the developer's attempts to take
away people's homes. As a result of Valerie's organizing and selfless efforts on behalf of
tenants, the D.C. Government enacted a law that enables the tenants to vote on apartment
building conversions and gives senior citizens a right to remain in their apartments as
lifetime renters even if the building is converted to condominium and cooperative housing.
This law is the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act, which is better known to as
“tenant's first right of refusal.” Tenants are fighting for its reenactment this
year as we speak.
Energized by the victory at Van Ness, Valerie volunteered all of her spare
time to helping tenants in D.C. with rental problems. She would travel to any part of the
city and speak with any tenant, no matter how poor the tenant or hopeless the situation
seemed. In 1985, Valerie founded TOPAC, a pro-tenant organization, and became one of the
leaders of a city-wide referendum to restore portions of the rent control law [Rental
Housing Act] that the D.C. City Council and Mayor had eliminated that year. With her
typical spirit, intelligence, and perseverance, Valerie and her allies prevailed and
restored some of the harshest cuts in the law in the city-wide referendum. Valerie became
a force to be reckoned with by our city's leaders. She tirelessly continued going building
by building to organize tenant associations that faced large rent increases or other
problems under our city's rent stabilization program. She worked tirelessly for reform at
the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to ensure that the poorest of our
citizens and those who appeared at rent increase hearings pro se, were treated with the
same dignity and respect as everybody else. She would sit through hours of hearings to
make sure that poor, disabled, and unorganized tenants were not hurt in the proceedings.
Ms. Costelloe also served in the neighborhood Advisory Neighborhood Commission
(“ANC”) as a commissioner, where she could protect tenants and residents of her
neighborhood.
In the meantime, she organized TOPAC into a powerful legislative force,
which attempted to modify the weakened rent stabilization program during the late 1980's
and early 1990's. Valerie's drive and spirit won over the majority of the City Council and
the Mayor, and some of the TOPAC reform efforts succeeded in producing some pro-tenant
modifications to the law. Even after TOPAC discontinued in 1995, Valerie continued to
organize tenant associations and work with individual tenants. She succeeded in helping
many tenants who had no hope without her. Valerie was never paid for her good works and
never sought to profit politically. Those of us who try to continue the tenant movement
will suffer severely from her absence. However, with the lessons she taught us, the tenant
movement will remain stronger and more diverse than when she started her lonely quest.
Valerie Costelloe was an independent accountant. She was born in Galway,
Ireland and became a U.S. Citizen in May, 1953. Her works will stay with us forever, and
our city is a better place because of her.
###############
How can you justify honoring the DCPD for their “efforts” during
the A16-17 World Bank protests? What do you propose we honor? The way they arrested more
than 600 people whom they trapped on a city block, for absolutely no reason at all other
then a show of force for the events planned for Sunday? Or how they shut down the
headquarters on “fire code violations,” not allowing protesters access to boxes
of literature and medical supplies? Or maybe we should honor the outright lies told to
those arrested and their mistreatment in the hands of the police and the US marshals? Or
how about honoring the way police used too much force against otherwise peaceful
protesters? What kind of message is this sending to the world? That it's ok to violate
peoples right to free speech and right to assemble if they don't like the message being
spoken? No I don't think so, the police behavior should not be condoned. Any form of
approval of their actions would be a step backwards.
###############
Protesters and Police in the Garden
David Pansegrouw, dpansegrouw@atpco.net
Count me among those deeply offended by the outrageous actions of the MPD
and various Federal law enforcement agencies during the recent protests about the IMF and
the World Bank. I am also offended and outraged by the response of many of the Post's
columnists (Colbert King, Jonathan Yardley and a few others) as well as a previous poster
to this forum that express a view of the protesters as exclusively white spoiled middle
class “kids” (oh, and in the words of Colbert King, “refugees from a
Grateful Dead concert”) and the direct implication that white middle class people
have no right to protest. Never mind the union support for opposition to policies and
actions of the IMF and the World Bank. Also count me among those who are not interested at
all in giving up any of my rights for some “greater goal.” Law enforcement does
not have to infringe on my rights to protect the rights of international bankers.
While I did not participate in the demonstrations downtown, I live not far
(4 blocks) from the 14th and Florida Convergence “headquarters,” or puppet
factory, and saw much police “activity”: in my view the holding hostage of the
neighborhood by an occupying force. I also had contact with “demonstrators” who
helped out in my community as well as members of the MPD, FBI and Secret Service who were
intent on wholesale and indiscriminate intimidation. My family is a member of the
Gethsemane Community Garden on Euclid near 14th Street. Saturday April 15 was the first
garden workday of the spring and welcoming of new members. Different groups of people here
for the demonstration came to the garden as a community service. Some were active in
community gardens in their own areas (they brought young seedlings to plant) and some came
just to help out. I estimate that between 100 to 150 “demonstrators” donated
labor during the day. Their work was invaluable and is greatly appreciated! The garden was
filled with weeds from the fall and early spring, some garden beds still had last season's
plants, now dead, in them. By 2:00 pm the garden was completely cleared of weeds, the
compost piles were massive, and some new garden beds had been dug. Groups of
“demonstrators” then helped to plant flower bulbs in the city neglected park
next to the garden (behind the Amoco station at the corner of Euclid and 14th).
The reaction from the MPD, the FBI and Secret Service was to intimidate
the gardeners, the “demonstrators,” and anyone else in the community who had the
misfortune to be in their way. During a three hour period we were privileged to have three
visits (shows of force) by the above law enforcement agencies, during which a parked
vehicle was searched and the garden was given a de facto search under the guise of a
“social visit” by Secret Service agents. I feel that by their repeated visits
during a three hour time period, the police and their Federal friends went out of their
way to intimidate and harass anyone they could. I see their actions as being devoid of any
respect for the resident community. To the contrary, an attitude that says “if you
have contact with our enemies, you are the enemy” shows total contempt for the rights
of community members. My respect for the MPD and Chief Ramsey as well as his cheerleaders
like Eleanor Holmes Norton and Mayor Williams is steadily eroding.
###############
Some Confidential Notes
Scott McLarty, DC Statehood Green Party, scottmclarty@hotmail.com
CONFIDENTIAL to DC Council members, re the proposal to put “Taxation
Without Representation” on license plates: Representation does not equal democracy.
Citizens of the USSR all enjoyed representation in the Soviet; did that make the USSR a
model of democracy? If we really want democracy and promotion from third-class to first
class citizenship under the Constitution, then self-determination, and freedom from
Congress's veto power over our laws and finances might be a starting point.
The fact that most DC politicians and the mainstream media have ignored
the 20 Citizens (Adams v. Clinton) lawsuit, in favor of the Corporation Council (Daley v.
Alexander) suit that calls only for representation, suggests a fear of true democracy on
the part of local power brokers. Judges ruled against 20 Citizens in March, but they made
no comment on the merits of the case, which is now headed for the Supreme Court. 20
Citizens addresses all aspects of our lack of constitutional rights, of which
representation in Congress is just one part.
CONFIDENTIAL to themail contributor E. James Lieberman, who writes
“if more of us who usually vote Democratic would vote for Bush in November it might
help in two ways: the Gore Democrats might take us less for granted, and the Hill
Republicans might be less scared of giving us a real vote”: Voting for Republicans
shows approval for House Republicans like Bob Barrs and Ernest Istooks who trample on our
rights every chance they get. If you want to register a presidential protest vote,
consider Ralph Nader, who has endorsed DC statehood and self-determination, and who spoke
at a fundraiser for the 20 Citizens lawsuit (jointly with the DC Statehood Green Party) on
March 10.
###############
Taxation Without Representation
Josh Gibson, Adams Morgan, LEDCBID@aol.com
I think the Taxation Without Representation plates are a great idea.
However, this is my concern: anyone who sees one of the new DC tags on a car that is
outside of the DC metro area will say, “Ha ha ha, that's true, we do pay taxes, but
no one in Washington really represents us!” In short, given how ignorant people
outside of the DC area are of our non-voting status, won't people outside the metro area
think that the plates are a commentary on the disconnect between Congress and voters back
in the home district? When they see “Washington, DC” on the plates, they'll
think “home of the federal government,” not “voting deprived
semi-state.” Anyone else agree that this is a concern? (Not necessarily an
over-riding one, of course.)
###############
If You Don’t Like Your Choice, Consider
Running Yourself
Jim McLeod, jmcleod@attglobal.net
Keith Jarrell wants us to take action and elect councilmembers who will do
the will of the public and vote the way we want them to (themail, May 7, 2000, “Kick
Them Out”). It sounds good, but will voters have choices which allow them to elect
such desirable representatives? I invite Mr. Jarrell, if he has not done so, to consider
running for his ward's councilmember seat or an at large seat, if he doesn't like those
running. Four years ago, I ran for my ward's seat (Ward 2) mainly because no one else was
challenging the incumbent, whom I felt was not adequately representing my interests.
Having never run for office before, I got 21 percent of the vote. I spent $1,641.18 on my
campaign, and received 824 of the approximately 4000 votes in the Democratic primary.
It's your democracy. Make it real. If you don't like the person or persons
running, consider running yourself. My opponent made one good point — he said others
complain about me but you “came up to the plate” and ran against me. I don't
enjoy the prospect of having just one box to check for our ward representative this coming
September, but I am not in the position to make the huge investment in time I made in
1996. Having made that investment, I highly recommend you consider running — win or
lose the race, civically you will enrich yourself immeasurably, in addition to ensuring
debates on ward and city issues. Speak to your fellow residents and listen to their
concerns. Ignore suggestions from those who seek to discourage you by saying “you
can't win,” and political commentators who don't officially endorse candidates but
offers unsolicited assessments on your chances of winning without bothering to sponsor a
poll. While the media may not poll them, I found that residents responded well when asked
by a candidate what they would like to see their councilmember do. On May 12th, you can
pick up petitions to get on the ballot. If you don't like your choice, do something about
it (at least once).
###############
Abstinence and Sex Ed
E. James Lieberman, ejl@gwu.edu
Richard Urban says kids do not respond well to mixed messages, and they
don't need information about contraception, and the reduction in teen pregnancy is due to
increasing abstinence. I am all in favor of teens being abstinent. But the fact is that
decreased teen pregnancy has resulted from increased contraceptive use as well as
increased abstinence. Teens know more about contraception than they used to, but are still
perilously ignorant (where are they taught reliable information, Mr. Urban?). Finally,
mixed messages may be a problem, but we have a mixed population, and kids need varied
information. One size does not fit all. Abstinence only is a Procrustean bed. The ones
that don't fit are left hanging all too often.
[With this message, I'm calling a halt to the abstinence debate. The
message thread started with Mr. Urban's DC-related message that federal funds earmarked
for abstinence education in the public schools had been claimed by DCPS, but had not been
spent on such education, and that he couldn't get any information about the status of
these funds. If anyone has more to contribute on that issue, please write in. — Gary
Imhoff]
###############
Complainant about Post Ombudsman
Jim McLeod, jmcleod@attglobal.net
I understood Mr. Goldberg's earlier point as being a suggestion and not a
complaint (themail, May 7, 2000, “Papers Served — Very Confused”) and I
wanted him to know that long before he posted his suggestion about complaining to the Post's
Ombudsman, I did so regarding my concern (lack of Post coverage of DC jury
trial issue). The result: I didn't even get an E-mail or phone call acknowledging my
E-mailed message (or subsequent phone call). I guess the Ombudsman left a more favorable
impression when she went on WAMU.
###############
Complainant About Post Ombudsman
Gabe Goldberg, gabe@acm.org
I corresponded regularly with the previous Ombudsman and always received
answers. I also have written to the current person and not been answered. I wonder who
handles complaints about the Ombudsman.
###############
About the niggling (oops, can I say that?) complaints regarding the City
Paper: is there a better tabloid anywhere that covers the local artistic and
political scene? And for nary a penny. The stalker story alone was a classic. On a more
serious note, my neighbor Matt had his front brick wall sheared off by (I'm guessing now)
a truck that was turning around. There also was damage to a telephone pole support across
the street. I have pinpointed the time between 8:30-10 am last Friday; the place was
Davenport Street just east of Connecticut Avenue. Did anyone see a truck acting funny
around this time? Or just a parked truck would be a good lead.
###############
City Paper has been largely filled with writing from 20's
know-nothings for at least twelve years, predating Carr's arrival on the scene. Bryce is
certainly more intimately connected to what goes in or on at the CP than I;
unlike Bryce I can't generally tell the difference between CP pre-Carr and post.
The reason that Bryce's so-called adults move on is because that is in the nature of
things; there are many better-paying and more rewarding jobs than stringing for a free
weekly, no matter who the boss is. J.R. Barras, Katherine Boo, and many others have moved
onward from their days at CP, and nobody is to blame for that.
###############
I feel compelled to comment re: the City Paper and David Carr's
departure. I should say that I do not know Mr. Carr personally; however, I am personally
familiar with two of the Paper's main staffers. Basically, I have been in the D.C. for
five years; in that time I have been enormously impressed with the quality of the CP's
output. While I do not want to get into the internal politics of the CP (I
don't know much about them, so I'll just say that if Loose Lips retired because he was
"worn down" by Carr that would be unfortunate), I must say that the
characterization of younger CP staff as generally ignorant of the city and
"cynical" is grossly unfair. I know Michael Schaffer (the current CP
interim editor) from a previous journalism job. Mike is actually a lifetime resident of
D.C. who showed tremendous journalism promise when I knew him. He cut his chops as a CP
staff writer and did some superb investigative work about D.C. before climbing the
editorship ladder. All an objective observer would need to do to verify this is look
through the CP archives. Likewise, Elissa Silverman, who is also a CP
staffer, is someone I have known personally. She is an extremely bright young reporter who
has done good work in an unfortunately limited writing capacity; some of her short
articles about the school board and education in D.C. have been excellent. What's more,
her fairly recent essay about the shoddy state of the D.C. Archives (papers lying around
unorganized in boxes strewn around the floor, etc.) was an eye-opener. Finally, while I
don't know music reviewer Taneishi Coates, let me say that he is one of the few brothers
out there who has actually shown me that he has adequate historical knowledge of the music
he is reviewing. I've found little to quarrel with in his essays about rap and hip-hop.
Just my two cents, for what it's worth.
###############
Personal Attacks in themail
Nick Keenan, nbk@gsionline.com, Shaw
The last two issues of themail have featured unwarranted personal attacks
— first on Ed Barron, and then on David Carr. If themail is to maintain a high level
of discourse, it will have to enforce a rule against personal attacks — you can
attack a person's ideas, but not the person. The only exception to consider is for
bona-fide public officials — the mayor, the council, and cabinet-level appointed
officials. (They deserve all the invective we can heap upon them.) Even ANC's should be
off limits. Otherwise it's bound to degenerate into name calling.
###############
Mr. Keenan, I think there is a difference between criticizing the way an
editor runs his newspaper and attacking someone's character. I criticized David Carr's
policy as editor of The Washington City Paper. I don't know anything about his
personality. I think the attacks on Ed Barron fall into personal attacks. Mine do not.
Under David Carr, The City Paper didn't report the news accurately. With the
exception of Ken Cummins, it often handled city officials with kid gloves. This has been
especially true since the election of Anthony Williams. Since last January, The City
Paper has failed to report the lack of improvement in city agencies. By doing this,
it contributes to the illusion that the city is improving, an illusion that city officials
and the control board are trying to promote. I think when a paper and its editor fail to
report the truth, they deserve criticism because the buck stops at the top, with the
editor.
[Nick Keenan and Bryce Suderow exchanged messages and copied themail,
which is how a message and its reply happen to appear in the same issue. While I agree
with Bryce that his message was directed toward editorial policy, I also think that
prominent members of the press are legitimate targets of the same kind of criticism they
give to other public figures. I certainly would not exempt Advisory Neighborhood
Commissioners from criticism (except for myself, of course). And Ed Barron can handle it,
can't you Ed? — Gary Imhoff]
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Restructuring the School Board?
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com
The League of Women Voters of DC, joined by several sponsoring
organizations including DCWatch, will hold a voter information forum on the charter
amendment to restructure the school board that is the subject of the June 27 special
election. The forum will be on May 18, 7:00-9:00 p.m., at the University of the District
of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Building 38, 2nd floor. It will be moderated by
Shelley Broderick, dean of the UDC Law School.
###############
Ask the Superintendent
Michelle Komes Dolge, News Director, WTOP AM/FM, MDolge@aol.com
Your chance to talk to DC School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman —
live! She doesn't do THIS very often! Is she staying or leaving? Have schools improved, or
not? Why does she have such a poor relationship with DC parents? Tuesday, May 16th, 10
am-11 am on WTOP 1500AM/107.7FM and wtopnews.com. Call during the show (895-5063), or
E-mail your questions in advance (on wtopnews.com).
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Need a new best friend? Come to the DC Animal Shelter's Cat Adoption
Outreach at the Tenley-Friendship Branch Library this Saturday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street, NW. Take the Red Line Metro to the Tenlytown
Station. Also, the shelter is looking for temporary foster homes for cats and dogs. Free
up cage space and allow these wonderful animals more time to find their lifelong mates.
Call Heidi at 265-1069 for more details, or stop by the event on Saturday.
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Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch
Leslie Sargent, LeslieSarg@aol.com
It's not too late to make plans for Mother's Day! Mary's Center for
Maternal and Child Care will host a mother's day celebration in honor of all women and
mothers on May 14, 2000 at the Westin Fairfax Hotel. This fundraising event will feature
the Stixx Jazz trio, who will play throughout the brunch, as well as a silent auction.
Proceeds from this event will support Mary's Center's numerous holistic health care
programs that affect the lives of more than 3,240 District families. For tickets and more
information, please contact Marvin Johnson or Adwoa Spencer at (202) 483-8319 x306 or DevelopmentAsst@maryscenter.org.
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Wilson Senior High Book Sale
Geneva Overholser, genevaoh@aol.com
Book lovers! Come to the Wilson Senior High School book sale on Saturday,
May 13, from 10 am to 4 pm. Nebraska and Chesapeake Streets, NW, Tenleytown Metro. Huge
supply of books. Refreshments sold. From noon to 1 PM, there will be student performances
of music and reading. Proceeds to benefit the Wilson Peaceable Schools Initiative.
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DCity Mag Release Party This Thursday
Alan M. Salgado, publisher@dcitymag.com
The May issue is here! It's time for some more fun and socializing, not to
mention camera hogging. Please join us this Thursday at Andalu at 5:30 pm for some food,
music, and Mor Vodka! The first Mor Vodka drink is on Dallas Vipond and Sesto Senso is to
provide some food. Casandra Eckert and I will be there with magazines and some of the
DCity Mag staff. Andalu is located at 1214 18th Street, NW, just one block up Connecticut
from The Mayflower Hotel and one block down from Dupont Circle Metro. There will be a $5
cover charge. Please RSVP to alsal@dcitymag.com
with May Release as the subject.
###############
DC Strokes Rowing Club is holding a fundraising sidewalk sale this
Saturday, May 13, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at 1880 Columbia Road NW. Good assortment of
furniture, books, clothes, housewares, and odds and ends.
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Tasting Society International
Charlie Adler, wine@TASTEDC.COM
May Calendar of Wine and Food Events: 1) May 17th, Wednesday,
“America's Greatest Wines,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 2121 P St., NW. Valet
parking, Metro Dupont Circle (Red Line), 7-9 PM, $45 per person. Did you know that over 48
states in the U.S. make wine? California is far and away the best quality producer, but we
will surprise you with other states (including some on the East Coast) that are making
some real high caliber beauties. Ann Berta, wine columnist for Washingtonian Magazine,
will showcase wines that pair particularly well with food. 2) May 22nd, Monday,
“Sushi-Ko Omakase (Chef's Dinner) and French Wine Event,” 2309 Wisconsin Ave.,
NW. Valet parking, 7-9 PM dinner, $70 per person, tax and tip inclusive. Join the Tasting
Society for a special “Omakase” or “Chef's Dinner,”, the pride of
Japanese haute cuisine. Sushi-Ko's Executive Chef Tessan, Chef Daisuke and Duncan Boyd are
specially designing a gourmet dinner to pair with French wines chosen by Sebastion
Petiteau, a world-class importer of French wine and former wine maker. All wines are
directly imported by Baltimore Vintage House and will be available for order at discounted
prices. This is a seated event limited to the first 60 people. 3) May 25th, Thursday,
“More Wine Basics,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-9 PM, $39 per person. Wine Basics
101 is our most popular event, but what comes next? Join Ann Berta as we explore wine
through our senses: blind tasting. Reservations: http://www.tastedc.com
or call 202-333-5588.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Metal, collapsible, good condition, 28" (h) x 42" (l) x21"
(w). If you can haul it from Capitol Hill near Union Station, we'll give you a good deal.
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Cadillac, 1994 STS
Michael Spevak, mspeva02@georgetown.edu
Cadillac, 1994 STS (Seville Touring Sedan), 90K miles, meticulously
maintained and fully loaded. Asking $15,000. Phone me at 362-9119.
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CLASSIFIEDS — UKRANIAN HOUSING
Furnished Room Needed for Summer
Thomas Behrens, Thomas_Behrens@nps.gov
Our office is sponsoring an international intern from the Ukraine this
summer. I am searching for a furnished room (or efficiency) close to Metro, relatively
inexpensive (they will be living on a small stipend) and preferably in the city or a very
close suburb. The housing would be needed from May 28th until through August 18th. I can
be reached by e-mail at thomas_behrens@nps.gov.
###############
Grad Student Needs Room in Fall
Zhanna Bunina, Kiev, Ukraine, jonbun@hiid.kiev.ua
YF Ukrainian GWU Law Graduate Student is looking for a room in a
house/efficiency/basement apartment (starting August 10.) I am a very neat, responsible,
and calm person. N/S, N/D, drug free, no pets, no wild parties. I love fitness, am a
vegetarian, and love to cook. Although I do have several friends in Washington, DC, I do
not like parties at home, and prefer to go out. I do not expect to spend much time at the
apartment, because I plan to study a lot, and spend a lot of time in the library, etc. I
will be on F1 student visa for two years (starting this July), so I am easily accessible.
I am very tolerable, and would view my roommate(s) as someone who is polite, accurate,
honest, easy-going, and fun to share housing with. Young, well educated, ambitious and
interesting professional in legal occupation, government, politics, or Ph.D. student will
be given a preference. M/F does not really matter. Ideal if he/she will share my interest
in arts, fashion and literature.
I will expect to have a nice sunny furnished apartment / basement
apartment / efficiency, and access to laundry facilities/kitchen. I'd appreciate a place
with commuting time to GWU of 40 minutes max. I am reachable at jonbun@hiid.kiev.ua (account valid through mid
July). Upon request, I will send my more detailed brief, and reference from my present
landlord.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
The Outsider, by a DC Author
Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, NLachenmeyer@aol.com
My book, The Outsider, which takes as its subject my father's
struggle with schizophrenia and homelessness, is the 2000 recipient of The Bell of Hope
award, presented annually by the Mental Health Association of Southern Pennsylvania
(Philadelphia) to honor “significant and far-reaching contributions benefiting those
facing the challenge of mental illness.” It was published by Broadway Books, a
division of Random House, on March 7.
[Attached are rave reviews from Newsday and the Los Angeles Times, and
this quote from the Library Journal Review: “In a style reminiscent of Oliver Sacks,
Lachenmeyer wonderfully evokes the pathetic beauty of his father's attempts to retain his
dignity and hope as he struggled with inner torments and the indifference of others.”
— Gary Imhoff]
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Our lawn mowing machine (a nonpolluting rechargeable electric model) is at
Strohsnider's waiting in a long line to be evaluated for repair, and in the meantime, I'm
looking for a person with machine to mow my Cleveland Park front (small) and back (decent
sized) yards — anyone have a service or individual to recommend?
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Can anyone recommend someone to replace the cane seat on an antique
rocking chair — preferably in Northwest DC or Bethesda?
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CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
GETTING A PIECE OF THE "ACTION" The "Retail Electric Competition and
Consumer Protection Act of 1999" was a pivotal piece of legislation for PEPCO.
Intended to deregulate the local market for electric power, the bill included language
that would allow PEPCO to fulfill its longtime corporate goal of getting out of the
electricity generation business and focusing instead on high-margin activities, like
transmitting and distributing the electricity. The company dispatched its best lobbyists
to the D.C. Council and its most eloquent flacks to local radio stations to explain just
how the legislation would help electricity consumers.
PEPCO also dispatched a more persuasive agent — cash — to the administration of
Mayor Anthony A. Williams. No, the power giant didn't offer the mayor a shady consulting
contract or offer to upgrade the parquet floor in his Foggy Bottom apartment. Instead it
chose a more direct path to the mayor's heart: a $40,000 donation to fund his Nov. 20
“Neighborhood Action” summit, which registered the civic priorities of the 3,000
District residents who showed up for the event.
A couple weeks after the summit, the D.C. Council signed off on the electric bill and
passed it along to Williams, who did likewise. Any day now, Congress will clear away the
legislation's final approval hurdle.
Read the entire Loose Lips column here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early
warnings for upcoming events:
SATURDAY: The Capital Rowing Club, the National Capital Area Women's Paddling Association,
and the Anacostia Watershed Society sponsor a “Learn to Row” paddling clinic.
from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Anacostia Community Rowing Center, 1115 O St. SE. Free.
THURSDAY: The Patchwork Girl of Oz; His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz; & The Magic
Cloak of Oz, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at the Library of Congress' Pickford Theater,
101 Independence Ave. SE. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
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