Happy New YearDear Neighbors: Happy New Year. May all the checks you write include the correct year. ****************** Mau-Mauing The Ward Healers If you haven’t read Tom Wolfe’s "Mau-Mauing the Flak-Catchers," please do if you want to understand racial politics in this city. Tuesday, Mayor Barry lit off on Ward 3 Councilmember Kathy Patterson for "trying to close down UDC" for racial reasons. Why attack Patterson when every institution in the city, including the council—all of which have black majorities—agree that UDC ought to live within its slimmed down budget? Because she’s white, she represents the predominantly white ward, and Barry assumes its good politics—which it probably is. Under the time-tested Mau-Mau technique—Barry style—one can expect him to stir the racial pot a little further—especially using surrogates like Rev. Willie Wilson, whose livelihood depends on lucrative city contracts. When the pot starts to boil, he’ll step in as the "only person who bring harmony to this racially divided city." His act is getting boring—which doesn’t mean that his rhetoric isn’t both significant and loathsome. And just so we have the facts straight, UDC is not being shut down. The city is giving less money to UDC and has raised tuition. But a fair amount of the cut comes from prohibiting UDC to pay for current operations out of its endowment, which violated appropriation laws and was a sure way to see the school self-destruct. The sad fact is that cutting UDC—a patronage dumping ground for years—won’t harm education because the school’s own records show that little college-level education occurred at UDC. And you can’t argue that cutting the school’s budget eliminates hope. All you eliminate is false hope. ****************** The Murder Rate The District’s year begins with the heart-freezing news that the murder rate is up and population is down. DC now has as few residents as it did in 1933. Perceptions often lag reality. So city life could be getting better but it might take several years for that fact to show in demographic data. On the other hand, there’s no reason to think that the population exodus has stopped. Common sense says that crime and education are the two key variables in population growth and decline. Right now the District ranks among the worst cities in both categories. People aren’t leaving because they are ill-informed. For years, the murder rate in big cities has dropped precipitously while the District’s gradually climbed from already too lofty peaks. A Baltimore friend five years ago provided an interesting perspective on the reason why the District’s murder rate was higher than Baltimore’s .The difference between murder rates could be almost entirely explained by the effectiveness of the cities’ emergency trauma care. That is, the same rate of people were shot in Baltimore and DC---but in Baltimore far more people survived their wounds. Her expertise came from working at a Baltimore trauma hospital—and her argument was made five years ago—so I’ll do nothing but repeat what she told me. But such a finding would does shake up ones assumptions. If she is right, Baltimore and DC could be equally violent places with completely differently murder rates. That would leave more than a few people scratching their heads. ////\\\\\////\\\\////\\\\\/////\\\\ Free movie passes are available for "The Relic" and "Mother"—only for subscribers of dc.movie. Send an email message to story@intr.net to subscribe. Cheers, '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Control Board and Cronies Although I haven’t participated lately (too busy at work), I thought you might appreciate knowing this bit of information. Last week, Anthony Williams, the D.C. Chief Financial Officer, (hired to reduce D.C. government spending) awarded 20 of his top highly paid staff with Xmas bonuses of up to $1,500 — of your money. Well, you might be thinking "What’s wrong with that?" (then again, you might not...) but from my perspective — I am a D.C. government employee and have been for the last 7 years — this is an outrageious rip-off, not only to the thousands of D.C. government workers who have never received any bonus (not in my seven years anyway) but also to the taxpayers who are being treated like real patsys by the Control Board and the CFO. Williams claims there’s nothing wrong with spending $79,000 of the city’s money for this pupose. Imagine the outrage had the Mayor done the same thing. You can say what you want about D.C. government, you can say what you want about the Mayor, but, you’re all being taken for a big ride by the Control Board and by Williams. They’re using your outrage at Mayor Barry to pull the wool even further over your eyes. Personally for me it’s been a good job and I’’ve put in a lot of hard work. Although this may come as a surprise to most of you, I’m not alone. There are many dedicated, hard-working and creative people working for the city and they’ve been here for years — years before Williams and the Control Board landed. The lack of public outrage about the way the city residents are being ripped off by Brimmer et al. is, I suppose, typical for a city that’s home to the federal bureaucracy. Just remember, the next time you complain about the Mayor, you’re falling right into the grimy little hands of the Control Board and cronies. ------ Nimbyism doesn’t help Although it’s easy to lay the blame for the sorry state of the city at the door of the Mayor (and I fully agree that he fully merits a healthy dose of the reproach) there are other forces at work that have contributed to the current malaise. In the past two years or so several undertakings which would have benefited the city have met with ferocious opposition. The Levine School of Music, the Kennedy-Warren, the Presbyterian Home for the elderly and the Sheraton Hotel have all been the prey of a short-sited NIBYISM. About two year ago, the Levine School of music moved to acquire a new building on Porter(?) Street. The Levine School has contributed substantially to DC’s cultural life for many years. However, the people who live near the vacant structure were terrified that the proposed performance space would attract too many people and lead to parking difficulties. (Never mind that the surrounding houses have copious off-street parking.) More recently, and further down Connecticut Avenue, the Kennedy-Warren apartment building wants to expand by erecting a 180-unit building, presumably intended for housing law-abiding,DC-taxpaying, DC-retail-establishment-patronizing people. At a time when middle class residents are leaving the District faster than Cabinet officers are leaving the Clinton administration, I would think most people would commend anyone risking thousands of dollars on such a venture. But no, already a chorus of objections is heard from people who are afraid it would change the character of the neighborhood, or make parking more difficult or somehow disrupt the predictable tenor of their daily life. Over the summer, the Presbyterian Church on Nebraska Avenue was met with strident opposition to its plans to expand its facilities for the elderly for much the same reasons: more people will make things more crowded. And about a year ago, the Sheraton Hotel on Woodley and Connecticut sought a variance in order to make its facilities more amenable to larger, more upscale conferences. In order to mollify the shrill predictions of those who forecast the irretrievable degradation of the neighborhood, the hotel agreed to build an on-site parking garage, change shift hours to make subway use easier for employees, and to circumscribe the hours when loading docks are used. None of these concessions satisfied the Let Keep Things Just as They Are Guardians, and the project was killed. I suppose its to be expected that whenever such an initiative hits the street, the next-door-neighbors would raise a ruckus, but what’s unfortunate is that the ANC’s, zoning boards and other local reps instantly kow-tow to the squeakiest neighborhood "activists" and hobble any project that would bring people, business, revenue, or even culture to the city. ---------- Federal Prisons Sam Smith appears disgusted that among the Raines proposals is a federal takeover of the city’s prisons, so that local prisoners would be sent to federal prisons around the country, perhaps thousands of miles from their families and friends! Maybe I’m just not "progressive" enough, but that sounds like a great outcome to me. D.C. police will tell you that Lorton, in particular, is regarded as a joke by many convicts, who describe a sentence there as "goin’ downtown" where they can pump up, hang with friends, do some drugs, and get three squares (although the cuisine isn’t highly regarded - an experienced federal convict a few years ago put out a culinary guide to the federal prison system in which he rated numerous institutions as "excellent" - so the local criminals stand to gain at the dinner table). If there was ever a good idea for fighting crime in D.C., sending the bad guys to federal prisons has to be high on the list. ------- Taxi Zones I’m annoyed by the suggestion that we keep this confusing, ripoff-prone taxi zone scheme. My apartment sits on Connecticut Avenue; a zone boundary lies right down the middle of the street, so if I have the taxi go to my building’s door I pay another zone’s fare for the last 20 feet of travel. (Asking drivers to take a shorter, but less "zone-enhanced" route is iffy; I once had a driver refuse to take me after I disputed his directions.) This is not a rational pricing scheme. Nor is it particularly comprehensible, unless you are better than I am at cocking your head at a 45-degree angle to read microscopic type as your taxi barrels over cratered District streets. I’m *sure* that no visitors or D.C. newcomers have ever been ripped off in the process. Sam Smith may very well be on to something in pointing out how the D.C. taxi industry may change. But if D.C. is going to remedy this problem by inconveniencing me and taking money out of my pocket, let it be straightforward about it and stick me with another tax. ------- Taxis Sam Smith is probably right that nothing like DC’s cab system exists in the country. When I moved here I was shocked by the decrepit state of the cabs, and by the confusion caused by the zone system. There’s supposed to be a map explaining the zones in the cab; but in my experience, the map is usually so faded and torn (like the cab) that it’s virtually unreadable, and even for someone who knows the geography of the city pretty well it’s difficult to tell just how many zones a trip actually is. When I used to visit DC before moving here, I was always wondered if the driver was crossing a few zone lines to jack up the fare. I’d never have known; I expect a lot of tourists have the same uneasy feeling riding in a DC cab held together with duct tape and a prayer. And the statement that access is more convenient here is just nuts; cabs are far easier to get in Boston and New York. ------- New Convention Center - No Way The comments that D.C. needs a new and much larger Convention Center are premature. Someday there may be a real need for a large Convention Center but now we need to focus on those things that are really behind the lack of interest in D.C. as a site for holding conventions. The image of this city is lousy. Headlines about the mess the city is in are on the National News every week. Nobody wants to come to Dodge City (except to visit the museums and monuments). When the image of the city as a fine National Capitol is restored, then the conventions and businesses will come. We have to take care of lots of business before that image will change. ----- Queries Several months ago, there was some commentary about H&H Flotation Spa on Wisconsin Ave. by the Fresh Fields. At the time, it was said to have moved to a new location across the street from where it had been. I have always been curious about trying it out, but now that I’m ready, I can’t seem to find it. Does any one know of it’s whereabouts? ********** Virginia Haufler vhaufler@bss2.umd.edu Does anyone know what is going on with the Alban Towers, at the corner of Mass. and Wisconsin? I noticed last month that it was getting awfully dark in there at night, indicating few or no residents. Now, the building is surrounded by fence, the balconies are covered with chicken wire, and big dumpsters sit out back. I think the building is owned by Georgetown U., but I’m not sure. So, is it just a renovation? It’s a great old apartment building, so I hope its character is preserved. ------ Leaf Hoovers Some of us at Chevy Chase Citizens Association haven’t forgotten that the DPW used to vacuum leaves from the streets. We have tried ( unsuccessfully so far) to pressure them to resume it. Not only is it more efficient and environmentally friendly but it’s the only way that will get the streets cleared up. Despite valiant efforts on some people’s parts, the streets in many areas look terrible, are doubly dangerous when wet, have blocked catch basins and make snow clearing even more difficult. They tend to put it well down on the priority scale but it gets worse each year so hopefully more civic organizations and concerned citizens will make this point known to the DPW. ---- Beach Drive I’m afraid that one of our 12/29 posters was not entirely correct about Beach Drive. He’s right that we’ve had test cases in recent years of construction’s effects. But he’s wrong that the closure a few years ago resulted in main arteries’ absorbing the traffic "without noticeable delay." I, for one, noticed delays. And the very reason that this back-and-forth in D.C. Story began was that rush-hour traffic on Rock Creek Parkway has increased because of current construction on Mass. Ave. and elsewhere. So there is indeed something of a zero-sum game going on here. I’d like to think that the reasonable participants in this discussion would agree that hikers, bikers and cars can coexist in the park, possibly with some additional restrictions on driving. In any case, I hope that the National Park Service will base any actions on a thorough study and consultation with officials of D.C. and other affected jurisdictions. ******* R.J. Fox rfox@aarp.org (The opinions expressed here do not represent those of the American Association of Retired Persons.) Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park was never meant to be a commuter route into the city. I have no concern for suburban commuters coming into DC — they’re already getting a "free ride" on DC’s back. However, to hear DC residents supporting the "commute on any road anytime" position is truly sad. It’s extraordinary that we have to debate the commuting abuse of a portion of one tiny park road. What’s left, driving through people’s yards to gain a few minutes? Suggestion: get out of your cars and take public transportation or car pool. There are too many cars commuting on DC streets, and it’s only going to get worse. Beach Drive should stay closed on weekdays like it does on weekends. If that puts a dent into people’s commutes — too bad. Protecting the park is more important. ***** Taylor Simmons TTSimmons@aol.com People are using Beach Drive as a commuter route, and the question is what DC (or the National Park Service) can do about it. A basic law of plumbing: when you close or constrict a route, there will be delays. Crossed the Massachusetts Avenue bridge lately? I share the belief that drivers, even commuting ones, should continue to have the same right to enjoy the parkway as self-propelled travelers, which I try to be as often as is practical. I think the Park Service has already achieved the proper balance in Rock Creek Park with its one-way rush hours and the weekend closure of Beach Drive north of Broad Branch Road (not Pierce Mill) to autos. Often, you can tell the status quo is about right when an equal number of complaints urge a "correction" in one direction as the other. In that spirit, let me facetiously suggest that widening Beach Drive from 2 to 4 lanes would be a wonderful way to ease congestion on 16th Street and Connecticut Avenue, and would enhance economic development while offering the joys of the park to a greater number of drivers. I look forward to the Jersey barriers and orange cones. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.events Abortion Dialogue Workshop The Common Ground Network for Life & Choice brings together activists & other interested persons on both sides of the abortion issue for peaceful dialogue & cooperative action. Common Ground of the Nation’s Capital (CGNC)—the Network’s DC affiliate—was recently featured in stories in the Washington Post (10/27/96) & the Washington Times (10/29/96), as well as on WAMU’s Saturday radio program "Metro Connection (10/26/96). CGNC is sponsoring an all-day dialogue workshop on Saturday, January 25, 1997 at American University. The cost is $10 per person. The workshop will feature ideological balance, require strict confidentiality, discourage inflammatory rhetoric, and stress honesty and mutual respect. For more information or to request a registration form e-mail John Cavanaugh-O’Keefe at 75462.430@ compuserve.com or call (301) 774-3748.David Sobelsohn dsobelso@counsel.com ----- Footlights—A Modern Drama Discussion Group Come join us to discuss plays from the modern theater! On Thursday January 16, 1997 we will discuss the classic "angry young man" play "Look Back in Anger," by English playwright John Osborne. "Look Back in Anger" sparked the rise of the anti-hero in Western drama & inspired a generation of British & American playwrights. Our special guest will be Queens College Professor Susan Einhorn, who will be directing the play @ the Studio Theatre (rehearsals begin January 13). We will meet @ Luna Books, 1633 P St., NW for dinner @ 6:30; our discussion begins @ 7:30. Make your reservations early by return e-mail to dsobelso@counsel.com or by calling Mark Gruenberg (202-338-7013, eve & 202-638-0444, day). For further information call 202-484-8303. David Sobelsohn dsobelso@counsel.com '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' dc.market Part Time Home Based Business Make $600 to $1,200 a week in your spare time. All our products are related to the telecommunications business, currently a $400 Billion industry. Our company represents product lines of MCI, Cable & Wireless and other Fortune 500 companies. Charlie Adler cadler@dgs.dgsys.com (202)333-5588 ------ For Sale Folding bed, on wheels, for sale. Useful for surprise overnight visitors. $25. (202) 686-5465. (Upper northwest DC.) Phil Shapiro pshapiro@his.com ----- In Search of Used VW Van wanted. Preferably from around the 1978 model year. Also, used laptop/notebook computer wanted. Preferably a 486 or Pentium. Jonathan Katz katz@erols.com 202-362-7433 ------------------- Home PC Computer Assistance I’ll help you choose and buy the best model for the lowest price, get your computer up and running, teach you the ins and outs of Windows 95 and applications, show you how to maintain your system, build special applications for you, and get you up and running on the internet. $60/hour. 202.244.4163. Jeffrey Itell Story@intr.net ================= 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. ---------------- For fast, reliable Internet services and cutting edge Websites contact Michael Mann at Internet Interstate mmann@intr.net. Web: http://www.intr.net ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ dc.story—Your Electronic Backfence http://www.dcstory.com Kibitzing by Jeffrey Itell (story@intr.net) Copyright © 1996 by Itell Communications, Inc. All rights reserved |
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