The Squeaky Wheel Gathers No Moss

Dear Neighbors:

As long as I’m mixing and misusing aphorisms, I have a no-prize contest for you — what’s the best slogan for citizens of the District of Columbia? If our flag carried a motto, instead of just the stars and bars, what classic adage — or corruption of a classic adage — would suit us best? The first thing that comes to my mind is the saying invented by New Yorker writer Brendan Gill: "No good deed goes unpunished." You can undoubtedly think of something more apt.

We have a nice mixture of postings in this issue — let’s get right to them.

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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Maintenance Issue — Dropping Names
Phil Greene, pgreene@doc.gov

You asked for a city maintenance story and I’ve got one. Funny, you quipped about not being able to receive action on a maintenance request unless Camille Barnett lived on your block, well, she doesn’t but her name may have helped. We had a street light out in front of the house, and the street is extremely dark without it. I called Department of Public Works, gave them the info and was told to expect action within 3-4 days. About a week later, no action, so I called again. I got voice mail, and left a semi-angry message about how I’d called last week, had been promised action in 3-4 days, blah, blah, blah. I ended my message with some vague threat about calling Camille Barnett if nothing was done soon. Later that day I received a return call, and the next day the street light was replaced. The squeaky wheel…

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Chain Link Fence
David Hunter, Hunter@usia.gov

Now that we’re back to everyday humdrum issues.… Anyone know why they put up a chain link fence around the soccer field at UDC along Van Ness street? In the last year I have seen a complete re-grading effort and re-seeding of the grass to make a nice field for local teams to practice. Couldn’t believe they put up a chain link fence around the whole thing. Why? Maybe next they’ll resurface the tennis courts.... Can’t they find better uses for the money?

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Rats in North Lincoln Park
Dana Cole, coled@amtrak.com

As I will shortly be a new resident of North Lincoln Park and have cats who enjoy outside jaunts for a spell, how would John Olinger bound "North Lincoln Park." Especially since he cited a pet’s accidental poisoning, it would be good to know where the concentration of the rat infestation is. Thanks.

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Psychiatric Windfall?
E. James Lieberman, M.D., ejl@gwu.edu

As a psychiatrist concerned with public health, I was shocked to see that Dr. Scott Nelson, appointed receiver for DC’s Mental Health system, could receive over $400 K salary based on $195/hour rate. I believe he’s competent and has excellent credentials, and was relieved that he "settled" for half the potential amount, but still earns more than any other DC official.

This has a precedent, in that some state MH commissioners, usually psychiatrists, have earned more than governors, etc. But few psychiatrists charge $195, and even fewer can fill their hours with "full-fare" patients. So charging that rate for a 40 hr. week is preposterous, unless we consider CEOs, baseball players, etc.

Nelson might be worth it. Does anyone have any idea how things are going in the MH system since he came? Should a public servant running a program for mostly poor people make a country-club salary? Were there others in the running for the position, especially anyone with close ties to DC?

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Short Changing Our Kids
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com

As I look back on the remarkably (and unexpectedly) successful Summer School program run in the District involving more than 18000 District Students, it is important to decipher why the program was so successful. The answer is that there was a serious attempt to keep class sizes small. Keeping class sizes small is probably the single most effective way to improve the learning environment in the classrooms. Put a good teacher into a small (and I mean no more than 15 or 16 students) and you have created a pathway to high performance for both the teacher and the students.

A major problem in the District’s schools is the fact that we have a huge number of people on the DCPS payroll with an outlandish number of those who are not teaching in the classrooms. We have coordinators, facilitators, special this and special that, up the gump stump. Let’s solve this problem and get more good teachers in the classroom and out of the administration, and lower the class sizes dramatically. Then just watch what happens to the standardized test scores and the level of participation by the kids in the classes.

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Is Accomplishment Commitment?
Jeffrey Itell, story@intr.net

The current race for mayor is beginning to echo Marion Barry’s rhetoric. In her kickoff speech, Carol Schwartz touts her commitment to our community. She criticized Tony Williams for his lack of roots in the community (true, but relevant?) and his so-called conservative position on social issues. If we elect her mayor, she will lobby "fiercely" for restoration of the annual payment, support the home-rule lawsuit, and care for the poor better. Disregarding Williams’ law and public policy degrees and his community development experience, she labels Williams as merely an able accountant.

Schwartz’s rhetoric highlights a curiosity of DC residents’ voting behavior. Why don’t residents vote in favor of their interests? Barry talked the talk, but city services to the poorest and most vulnerable collapsed under his tenure. Think of how many city court-appointed receivers manage programs. Aren’t the poor served better by a "leader" who actually delivers the kosher salami? Won’t home rule return faster when the receivers are gone, when the finances are straightened out, when the disenfranchised receive public housing and health services?

Carol Schwartz is sincere. I admire and like her. However, she has even failed in mending fences with her fellow congressional Republicans, her main council responsibility. Williams’ accomplishments make it more likely that Schwartz’s campaign issues will be achieved. Tony Williams has his flaws (Smile Tony, it won’t hurt!), but I plan to vote for accomplishment over "commitment."

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Elections
Job Dittberner, dittbj@cnfa.org

In the run-up to the primaries, I had the opportunity to participate in two separate small (more or less) meetings with Chavous and Williams. I found Chavous impressive — intelligent, concerned, well-informed, and articulate. Like many other Washingtonians, I found Williams more impressive (though less articulate) in terms of record of achievement, experience, a sense of where he wants to lead the city, and a sense of the inter-relatedness of issues.

Given my earlier impressions of Chavous, I was disheartened, to say the least, by his ungracious, post-defeat behavior in refusing to congratulate Williams and his blaming loss on the success of the media in leading the electorate by the nose. The latter is a real insult to the electorate. I find it curious and odd that candidates believe they "deserve" some election because they have been around longer than others. Carol Schwartz is beginning to ring the same note. Isn’t it the electorate that decides who "deserves" what? The length of experience is far less important than what one has achieved with the experience, which gives some credibility to ideas about where the local community or communities can/should go under new leadership.

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Topical Tunes
Steph "Metro music critic" Faul, steph@intr.net

Everybody wants to get in on the act: Today the saxophonist at Farragut North was playing "Once I Had a Secret Love."

This was the good saxophonist, with the long gray dreadlocks. There are two others of smaller talent and repertoire. One is pretty good, although he plays "My Favorite Things" a bit too often. The other plays hymns, specifically "How Great Thou Art" and "Blessed Assurance" and not much else. The only religious spirit he arouses in me is devout prayer for him to learn some new tunes; this plea has not thus far been answered.

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Resignation
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com

Although the probability of a Clinton resignation is somewhere between slim and none (Clinton has neither the sense nor the courage to do the right thing) there is an interesting aspect of assuming power by Veep Al Gore and the timing of such a move. I have read, recently, that should Clinton resign before the 16th of Jan ‘99 and All Gore taking over the Presidency before the 16th, that the timing would preclude Al Gore from running for President in the year 2000. If Al Gore became President after the 16th of Jan. and be in office for less than one year, then he could be a Dem candidate for Pres. in the year 2000 election. I wonder if that is in the Constitution.

If one looks at the Constitution today it is mind boggling at how smart the folks were who crafted that beautiful document. What foresight they had.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS AND CLASSES

International Law Seminar
Stephen Roy Goodman, steve@topcolleges.com

Exploring Careers in International Law — a Joint Seminar by The American Society of International Law and Steve Goodman, Graduate Admissions Consultant — Tuesday, October 6, 1998, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Fee: $20 (cash, check, major credit card). Contact steve@topcolleges.com or ASIL at (202) 939-6000.

Topics to be discussed include: Your International Law Career; An Overview of the International Law Community; Assessing the Desirability/Feasibility of a Career in International Law; Useful Academic, Intellectual, and Professional Experiences; Educational Options; Assessing Your Candidacy for Graduate School (Evaluating Past Accomplishments and Determining Your Professional Goals, Exploring Your Graduate/Professional School Needs); Critical Concepts in Admissions Theory (Mutuality, Profiling Applicants: Demographic/Psychographic Characteristics, Creating an Inventory of Your Unique Personal Characteristics); Your Admissions/Internship Search Strategy: Creating A Comprehensive Portfolio; Internship Opportunities in International Law (Think Tanks, NGOs, and Foundations; Corporations and Law Firms; Federal Agencies; Trade and Professional Associations).

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Les Compagnons de la Parole Francaise
Aysegul Acar, ACARA@gunet.georgetown.edu

Les Compagnons de la Parole Francaise is a diverse, social, international group that has been meeting for a happy-hour in French every Thursday from 5:30 until 7 pm in Washington DC since 1967.

After the happy hour the group usually goes to dinner. The ‘Compagnons’ also organize parties, picnics, hiking, camping trips etc. Share with us your ideas for activities etc. The happy hour is held near the GWU campus. For directions and detailed information etc. please contact Aysegul at AysegulA@aol.com. Please note that only French is allowed at the meetings. Au revoir !

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Creating the Work You Love: The Anti-Career Workshop
Patty Friedman 202-232-3449 loveyourwork@hotmail.com

Friday evening, October 9th, 1998, 7-9 pm and Saturday, October 10th, 1998, 10 am-5:30 pm

Feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your career? Are you out there looking for a job or trying to find meaning in your work? Do you wonder how to integrate your work into a community of like-minded people who appreciate and support your creative efforts? Want to make a change but don’t want to fall into another unhappy and frustrating scenario?

If yes, then this workshop is for you. Rick Jarow, Ph.D., author of Creating the Work You Love: Courage, Commitment and Career, developed his popular "anti-career" workshop to show how we can prosper by finding our calling instead of settling for a job. The "Anti-Career" workshop offers an intensive step-by-step process for creating self-sustaining working conditions that resonate with our deepest levels of integrity, passion and purpose through discussion, self-reflective exercises and focusing on our energy centers. Learn how to confront issues that may be blocking your path, develop strategies for finding work that satisfies your inner vision and learn powerful tools to turn your passions into viable projects, products and services. Sessions will meet at: Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC; Dupont Circle Metro Stop, Q Street/North Exit, 2 ½ blocks north on left hand side and street parking

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Events with Brazilian Shaman sponsored by the Dream Change Coalition
Marianne Josem, Mariann924@aol.com

WDC-Based Amazonian shaman, Ipupiara, will be speaking at two upcoming events about shamanism, healing and dream change: October 5th at Fresh Fields in Georgetown at 7:00 (free, reservations suggested - 202-333-5393) and at a 2-day workshop on November 21-22 near Baltimore (for information, e-mail mariann924@aol.com or call 202-265-7594 — cost is $190).

Ipupiara, whose Portuguese name is Bernardo Dias Peixoto, has Ph.D.’s in anthropology and biology and has served as a consultant to the Smithsonian Institute and the National Zoo. He is expertly skilled in the sacred ceremonies and traditional healing practices of several rain forest cultures. With his blood-brother, North American author and environmentalist John Perkins, he was instrumental in creating the Dream Change Coalition, a world- wide, grassroots movement dedicated to using indigenous knowledge to bring about environmental and social balance.

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CLASSIFIEDS — NEW E-MAIL LIST

Multimedia DC — New Mailing List
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com

A new one-way mailing list for individuals interested in receiving multimedia content (RealVideo and QuickTime) about news and events in the DC metro area has formed. Content will be delivered as file attachments to email. (Maximum file size: 5 megabytes.)

To join the list, send a short note to Phil Shapiro. The subject line should read: Join Multimedia DC. The list will send out no more than three files per day. Note: This list is a one-way list. (Not an interactive one.)

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CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED

Used Visa Card Machine
Jon Katz, katz@erols.com

Law firm seeks used machine for reading Visa card magnetic strips. If you know a source, please call me at (301) 495-4300. Thanks.

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