The Ill-Informed Rabble
Dear Fellow Rabblers:
Another long issue with several new topics of discussion raised; I'll be even briefer.
Ed Barron, below, calls opponents of the Mayor's plan to close DC General the
“ill-informed rabble.” Of course we are, Ed. I've been saying that for months.
We're ill-informed because we've been denied basic information that should have been given
to us months ago. If you have that information, don't just call us names — share it
with us and make us the well-informed rabble.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
On Wednesday afternoon, March 14, I had a very odd conversation with someone in
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton's office. I called to ask my representative to get me a
copy of the Capitol police traffic regulations. After first calling the Capitol Hill
office, I was referred to the district office and spoke with a Bonnie Johnson. Ms. Johnson
replied that, before she could help me, I'd have to fill out and return a “privacy
release form.” I explained several times that I didn't want private information; I
wanted legal regulations that apply to everyone. Nevertheless, Ms. Johnson insisted that,
in order to respond to ANY constituent request involving another agency of government
(virtually all constituent requests, I'd guess), Eleanor Homes Norton's office requires
that her constituents fill out and return a form. This was not how we handled it when I
worked in the district office of a member of Congress. But I bet it cuts down on the
number of constituent requests our delegate's office has to handle, especially from DC
residents with either limited funds or limited literacy skills. Is this a representative
of all the people?
###############
Shame! Shame! Shame! to Cosponsors of Bill 14-25
Madelyn Lane, madelynlane@hotmail.com
The following are excerpts from testimony presented on March 12th before the Committee
on Government Operations, in reaction to the Bill 14-25, "Consecutive Term Limitation
Amendment Act of 2001" introduced by Jack Evans on January 23, 2001 (immediately
after he was reelected to his second and final term as Councilman for Ward 2, under the
existing term limitation law). It is interesting to note that Councilman Evans never
campaigned on this issue prior to his reelection, but one of his main arguments in
justifying the need to quickly pass this bill is that he and others were elected to
exercise their best judgment on behalf of their constituents.
“. . . I can only echo the words to this Council of our courageous DC Seven who
were recently acquitted by a D.C. jury for allegedly disrupting the Congress of the United
States when they protested another outrageous action by legislators who were disrespecting
District taxpayers, Shame! Shame! Shame! All of the arguments that I have heard from
Councilmembers who are stretching for some kind of rationale to justify your desire to
remain in office, are without merit. . . . There is not one Councilmember sponsoring this
bill who hasn’t bitterly complained of the way District citizens are treated by the
Congress, yet you have the gall to show your disdain for the voter, while hiding behind an
unbelievable charade that you are doing it for the good of the City. Well, how about
asking us first what we think? I am willing to accept the will of the people, if they
should overturn their own vote. Why aren’t you?
“Most Councilmembers, the mainstream news media, the special interest large
contributors who so actively curry favor with the Council have all gotten together and
decided that our vote is expendable. None of you has come up with a valid reason that
holds water, other than that you don’t believe in term limits for yourselves. Well,
do you believe in the sanctity of the vote? Do you believe in the right of the people to
petition their government? Do you believe in checks and balances? Do you believe in a
level playing field? What happened to our good government people? Some of us may be
philosophically against the idea of limiting terms artificially, but we are also very much
aware of the strong correlation between campaign contributions and their capacity to
corrupt the democratic process. Thus, many of us believe that until campaign finance
reform comes to DC we will be once again burdened with incumbents-for-life.
“Think about how foolish you will look to the Congress if you go through with
this. I can just hear the response from our overseers when you protest the next outrageous
action that they take against the District. I hate to admit it, but it appears that the
Wilson Building and Casey Mansion hold more symbolism for home rule advocates than our
voting rights. . . . We have just come through a very disappointing election that has
shaken our belief in Government. Must you pile on your own brand of chicanery by brazenly
overturning this voter initiative? Have mercy!”
###############
Fact: the citizens of Washington, DC, are not represented in the Federal Government,
which is the entity for which the District was created. That defies the principles of
democracy. Argument: Some want to make it a state. That is not politically palatable to
the rest of America. There is a solution based on historical precedent: give part of the
District back to the state that donated it. History: In 1847, the western third of DC was
retroceded to Virginia. For details, see the History of Arlington County, VA. http://www.co.arlington.va.us/web/history.htm.
Solution: All options keep what most Americans envision as DC: the governmental
institutions (White House, Capital, and Supreme Court), the most popular tourist points
(Mall, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial). Retrocede the rest to
Maryland.
Maps at: http://w-wagen.tripod.com/shrinkdc/.
Option A: Rectangle: K St. North to K St. South to 2nd St. East = Easy Boundaries. Option
B: Diamond: return to the original diamond shape, just shrink it to fit places noted
above. Option C: Mall Plus: shrink to the National Park Service grounds to eliminate
nearly all residences.
###############
At Ray Browne’s Request, Philadelphia City Council Passes
Resolution Supporting DC Voting Rights in Congress
Patrick Pellerin, pellerin@verizon.com
Last week at the request of U.S. Representative Ray Browne, the Philadelphia City
Council passed a resolution that says, “The citizens of the District of Columbia,
like citizens from any state, should have the right to elect representatives in both
houses of the U.S. Congress.” Browne said this resolution is the opening shot in his
efforts to gain support all across the country for the right to voting representation in
Congress for District citizens. Browne said he would be visiting governing bodies, the
media, concerned citizens, the business community and institutes of higher learning to
encourage all Americans to put pressure on the Congress to grant DC citizens what is a
fundamental right of every citizen.
###############
Ambulances
Ralston Cox, Strivers' Section Historic District, ralstoncox@earthlink.net
A comment in the last issue of themail about some folks treating ambulances in the
District as “dial-a-taxi” — and recent trips to Arizona and California
— prompts this message. After sustaining a serious head injury in a bicycle accident
some years ago, the availability of professionally-staffed and -operated D.C. ambulance
may have saved my life. While I remember nothing of the experience, I've been told by
bystanders that the paramedics quickly took charge of a difficult situation and
transported me promptly to the nearest medical facility.
Maybe it is my experience with being a patient, maybe it is my understanding of D.C.
traffic laws, or maybe it's just politeness (gasp! in DC?!!) but I always make it a habit
of pulling over to the curb when I'm driving and an ambulance approaches with lights
/siren flashing/blaring. But others? It's very much the exception, rather than the rule
here in D.C., and I've even had other drivers honk at me for pulling over and stopping.
Sheesh. Recent trips to Arizona and California reminded me, though, that others do
understand the importance of pulling over and giving way to ambulances. In Phoenix, I
witnessed cars pulled over at least a block ahead of the ambulance. Imagine that....
What is it with folks here? Is it the case that many assume that an ambulance is merely
a “dial-a-taxi” and that, therefore, the occupant isn't in distress? Is it just
another example of Washingtonians assuming that our work/errand/whatever must, by
definition, be more important than whatever is happening in the ambulance? Or do we just
not care? Pull over, folks, and give the ambulance some room. The next life they have in
their hands just might be yours.
###############
Back Off, Gary
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
Our host for this forum, Gary Imhoff, has joined with the ill-informed rabble in
shelling the Mayor for his decision to close D.C. General. The rabble have impure and
self-serving motives. The Mayor, on the other hand, intends to provide efficient and
effective health care to all those in the District who need and deserve that care. The
Mayor is making the right decision for the right reasons, albeit quite late. D.C. General
is broken and cannot be fixed (as, I might add, as well, is UDC). The clients of D.C.
General have been underserved and ill served for many years dating back to the Barry bimbo
and bozo era during which our notorious ex-mayor overstaffed and over bureaucratized so
many of the elements of the D.C. Government.
This D.C. General mess will be over shortly and I hope the Mayor will then step back to
find another ill performing element of the D.C. Government and set his aim to convert that
element into one that provides the proper services to our citizens at a fair cost. Huzzah,
Mr. Mayor, for your efforts to make our city a good place to live. This from one of your
harshest critics, and, at the same time, a loyal supporter.
###############
More about Health Care (and DC General)
Richard Layman, NE DC, richlayman@lettera.net
I was at the DC office of the National Civic League today on other issues (check out http://www.ncl.org) and came across some interesting reports
relevant to the DC General issue. Frankly, my position is that something needs to be done,
and that it might not be the end of the world to close DC General, but that a health care
services delivery structure needs to be developed that serves all those who need care,
from prevention services to critical care services. Anyway, they had a couple reports on
display that I found fascinating. The first, “A Guide to a Community-Oriented
Approach to Core Public Health Functions” is based on the American Public Health
Association's guidelines which are (edited by me): 1. Assessment and monitoring the health
of a community and at-risk populations; 2. Policy development to solve identified local
and national health problems and priorities; and 3. Assurance that all populations have
access to appropriate and cost-effective care, including health promotion and disease
prevention services and evaluation of the effectiveness of that care.
A truly “community-oriented” process would take awhile to develop, but the
major problem I have with the process for closing DC General is that here is an
opportunity maybe to build a better system, but that it's being squandered. The other
report is called “Healthy Communities Handbook,” and one of the things that it
covers is collecting community health statistics, communicating this data to the
community, and using it in the development of health services delivery programs and in
evaluating the effectiveness of such programs. Like my recent post about benchmarking city
services, I think we could do a lot better if such data was codified and disseminated more
widely (and not just regarding health care but all types of data relevant to the
quality-of-life in D.C.). The report I actually went to get is called “The Community
Visioning and Strategic Planning Handbook.” The title outlines what the report is
about. But a couple of the steps it outlines seem to be ignored in various initiatives
across the city. It calls for "an environmental scan to identify external forces,
pressures, and trends that are impacting the community from the global, national, and
state levels."
The next stage is the “community scan” where “participants evaluate the
future their community is likely to face if no significant intervention occurs. Weighing
this scenario against the desired future helps to define key areas where change must be
effected. Secondary data and indicators are combined with subjective perceptions to
develop a rough consensus of current circumstances (both positive and negative) in the
community.” The “community vision statement ... describes where committee
members would like the community to be in key quality-of-life areas 10, 20, or 30 years
into the future....” I wasn't able to participate in the community visioning
exercises held under the auspices of the Mayor in 1999 and 2000, so maybe a lot of this
occurred. But from what I hear and read, it seems like whatever visions were developed for
key policy areas such as health care services delivery, K-12 education, economic
development in specific neighborhoods (thinking about the Columbia Heights development
controversy here), public safety, etc., don't seem to be in concert with the kind of ideal
outcomes I'd like to see in the city. Evidently, I am not alone, even if our visions may
disagree.
###############
Property Tax Assessments
Ed Lazere, D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, lazere@cbpp.org
Someone wrote in last week to complain about Jack Evans' proposal to convert from the
current practicing of assessing property values every three years (and phasing in newly
assessed values over those three years) to assessing properties every year. It is true
that this would raise property tax revenues, but it is not in fact a tax increase.
Instead, it is an effort to address an unintended tax cut that property owners have
benefited from in recent years. D.C. switched from annual to triennial assessments in 1998
or 1999. The city was not administering the annual process well, and it was thought that
reducing the workload for assessors would help. This administrative change had the
unintended effect of reducing property taxes, however. When properties are assessed once
every three years and the new assessed values are phased in, every property is always
assessed at below-market values. That was not the intent of the switch to triennial
assessments. Because the city is losing over $50 million a year as a result, Jack Evans is
trying to bring us back to a point where everybody's property is taxed at is actual value,
which necessitates annual assessments. Given that the property tax rate in DC (0.96
percent) is quite low, given that middle and upper income families continue to benefit
from income tax cuts enacted in 1999, and given that the city's financial health is
critical to maintain in the post-control board era, is it really too much to ask to have
properties taxed based on their real value?
###############
The proposition could read something like this “Taxes for existing owner-occupied
households would be allowed to rise only at the official inflation rate. New houses and
those changing ownership would be assessed at the current market value.” This way the
real-estate tax revenue would increase at a much greater rate than the inflation rate. I
cannot see why the DC government, with its bloated and mismanaged bureaucracy, could not
continue to function. The California “disaster” is the typical government
reaction to any funding cut. In general: lets cut where it hurts the most and not the fat.
That way the taxpayers relent and reestablish the funding. You guys need to read a book
called DC by the Numbers. DC per capita collects more taxes than any other city
in the US except Fairbanks, Alaska. But then a gallon of milk in Fairbanks cost $5.00.
Hey gimhoff, lay off the mayor. All I hear is criticism about him. Have we forgot the
“budget wizard,” or is that too long ago? Do you see any of those
semi-socialists on the City Council doing any better? Most of them played a fiddle to
Barry's tune while the DC financial house was burning to the ground. The council members
who were once lap dogs to Barry are now all financial geniuses determined to show the new
mayor who runs this town. The mayor has made tremendous changes in the first two years. At
least Williams is working hard to point the city in the right direction.
###############
The Only Public School in Washington
Elizabeth Starrels, dcnurse@hotmail.com
The auction notice should have read that Hyde is the only public school in Georgetown.
###############
About a month ago I called the mayor's office to report an abandoned vehicle on my
street in Columbia Heights. A very pleasant woman gave me the phone number to report an
abandoned vehicle. I called that number and got another pleasant woman who took all the
necessary information. Within one week the vehicle was gone . . . and I'm a long way from
Georgetown.
###############
A Devil’s Advocate Position about Halfway Houses
Richard Layman, Northeast DC, richlayman@lettera.com
I want to throw out something for people to think about. Where do the incarcerated
people come from that the Department of Corrections wants to put in halfway houses? From
DC. Where are they expected to live after their release from prison? In DC. It would be
interesting to see a breakdown of the Ward residence of prisoners before they were
incarcerated, and track that against the (I need “Ella” the data guru from the
TV show “The District” to collect all the data I'd like to see about the city!)
Like everyone else I suppose, I am leery about having such facilities in my
neighborhood. But, where else are DC residents supposed to be housed? I live around the
corner from Blair House, which is an intermediate term drug rehab facility run by the
Coalition for the Homeless. I don't know all the details, but it is a six-month placement
for the people that are there, and they come to Blair after receiving care in other
facilities. Perhaps it is the endpoint of the program, I don't know.
I do know that the facility, in an old elementary school, other than getting more than
the normal number of 911 calls than the average row house, is pretty low key. From my
perspective, they have been great neighbors, especially compared to the building's
previous use as “Blair Shelter,” a transient shelter for the homeless. On the
other hand, the house next door to me was used for a time as a kind of halfway house for
people on SSI, and it caught fire because someone was smoking and fell asleep. They were
lucky, and so was I, but the damage to that house was extensive. I do recognize that the
issues are tough, but they have to be faced.
###############
Hey Gary, keep up the heat on that mansion for the mayor, you are flushing out all
sorts of royalist vermin! Regarding the mayor's mansion, he gets a paycheck for working.
In fact his check is a lot larger than most of ours. I say let him pay his own bills like
everyone else, or maybe, as a alternative, reduce his pay by the amount that it would take
to rent/lease that property! How do you royalists like that idea?
###############
Another Mayoral House Choice
Ann Loikow, Cleveland Park, john1@erols.com
Mrs. Casey is proposing to donate a house to be the Mayor of Washington, DC's
residence. I would like to propose another house (and one that needs a savior) for the
Mayor's residence — the Ralph Bunche House at 1510 Jackson Street, NE, in Brookland.
It was designed for Mr.. Bunche in 1941 by Hilyard Robinson, a famous African American
architect who designed the Langston Terrace Dwellings on Benning Road NE, which is also a
DC and a national historic landmark, and the Fine Arts Building (containing the Crampton
Auditorium) and Men's Dormitory at Howard University. The current owner of the house is
considering turning it into a group home. Ralph Bunche deserves better and the Mayor
should be proud to follow in his footsteps. (I should note, though, that the house is of
modest size and may not provide the parking and other security features that may be needed
for the Mayor; however, more DC residents should know about this gem of a building in
Brookland and one of DC's most famous citizens.)
Ralph Bunche was born in Detroit in 1904 and grew up to become under secretary of the
United Nations (the highest ranking US official at the UN) and the first African American,
and the youngest, to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in almost single-handedly
negotiating an armistice between Israel and Egypt in 1949. He was a Phi Beta Kappa summa
cum laude graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles and earned his M.A. and
Ph.D. from Harvard. He taught political science at Howard University. In DC, he met his
wife Ruth and they were married in 1930. After spending four years studying on a grant the
status of non European peoples in Africa, he returned to the U.S. to work with Swedish
sociologist Gunnar Myrdal surveying the conditions of Blacks in America. Their surveys led
to the publication of Myrdal's widely acclaimed 1944 book, An American Dilemma.
During the Second World War, Bunche served as a specialist in African and Far Eastern
Affairs for the Office of Strategic Services (the CIA's predecessor), where he helped
prepare for the allied invasion of North Africa. He went to work at the State Department
in 1945, becoming the first African American to hold a country desk job. Because of his
expertise in the field of colonial affairs and trusteeship (the process of setting up
transitional governments for countries moving toward independence), Bunche was chosen in
1947 to direct the Trusteeship Division at the United Nations. He was appointed head of
the UN Palestine Commission, where he drafted the United Nations' Palestine partition plan
which culminated in the creation of the state of Israel. As war broke out between Israelis
and Arabs, Bunche's task was to mediate between the two sides and to set up a peaceful
cease-fire. In 1949, after 81 days of negotiations, Bunche worked out the “Four
Armistice Agreements.” Bunche won worldwide admiration for his role in these delicate
negotiations and was given a hero's welcome on his return to New York, complete with
ticker tape parade. In 1950 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Bunche continued at
the United Nations, serving as undersecretary until illness forced his retirement and led
to his death on Dec. 9, 1971. (Information from http://ralphbunchegl.virtualave.net/drralph.htm)
###############
Defend DC Schools at All Costs
R. Allen, rallen1912@aol.com
Well, well, all of these folks are defending DC public schools — and such great
schools, where the books are left on the desks for the next student because the school
system cannot afford to buy every student one. At the same time, our former school
administrator managed to find $10,000,000 to redecorate his office. Where we spend $10K
per year to educate each high school student while Montgomery County spends $7.5K. Lets
look at the average DC SAT scores of 400 verbal and 400 math while Montgomery County has
an average of around 600 each. A fine background, for a future what? Oh and I forgot the
race card addict; let's make it a race issue, while most of the high school graduates
can't read or write at the eighth grade level. Lets wallow in our suffering rather than
call the schools what they are: a disaster. Did you forget that most of those uneducated
students are minorities that must compete in a future work place? Oh, and by the way, a
friend of mine attended a short management course that happened to have several DC
teachers in attendance, one of whom had a doctorate. He observed that they could not write
a complete paragraph.
###############
A Viable School System
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
A viable school system begins with good teachers and that's what Superintendent Vance
and School Board President Cafritz want most. There's only one way to get really good
teachers to come and teach in District schools and that is to change the current pay
system. The 19 March edition of Business Week has a cover story entitled
“How to Fix America's Schools” that presents seven major ideas that work. The
first and foremost of these ideas that work is to "Pay Teachers for
Performance". That means a complete overhaul of the way teachers are paid today. The
only prerequisite for a high salary in current school systems is to live long and take all
the BS courses you can take along the way regardless of their applicability to what you
are teaching. Capability and effectiveness play no role in how teachers are paid today.
If Superintendent Vance and Peggy Cafritz are to succeed they must come up with a
pay-for-performance system that will attract capable and committed teachers to teach in
District Schools. The pay system must allow for teaches to earn enough to provide for a
reasonable standard of living in this high cost of living area. Like John Arbuckle says
“you get what you pay for.”
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Steel Drums in Mount Pleasant on March 17
Peg Blechman, blechman@access-board.gov
Jennifer Blackman will be presenting a program of pulsating Caribbean rhythms on her
steel drum and keyboards at Mount Pleasant Public Library (16th and Lamont Streets, NW)
this Saturday, March 17, from 2-3 PM. Native Trinidadian Jennifer Blackman teaches music
at Adams Elementary School, directs the Trinidad and Tobago Association choir of
Washington, DC, performs around town in her “Wonz Enuff” one-woman band, and was
former member and musical arranger of the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Orchestra of
Washington, DC.
Ms. Blackman's program is the third in CHIME's monthly series of free family programs
“Music Around the World” to be held on third Saturdays of the month at the
library. April's program will be a multimedia presentation on “What Is Opera”?
and May's will be a program on the Music and Culture of Armenia. For more information
about this program: 232-2731 or info@chime-dc.org.
###############
Adoption Support Group
Linda Clausen, American Adoption Congress, lec9@aol.com
An adoption support group meets once a month. The next meeting is March 25, 2 p.m.,
Cedar Lane Unitarian Church, Bethesda. Adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents and
mental health professionals are invited. We explore issues related to adoption,
relinquishment, search and reunion. Sponsored by Concerned United Birthparents. Search
help available. For further information call 298-1011 (VM) , or E-mail dcmetcub@aol.com
###############
NCPC Hearing
Ann Loikow, Cleveland Park, john1@erols.com
The NCPC is proposing to amend the Federal Environment Element to the Comprehensive
Plan. The revised element covers Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields for the first time.
The proposed element also has new sections on hazardous waste management and environmental
justice. You can view the draft at: http//www.ncpc.gov/planning_init/EnvironmentDraft.pdf
(see pages 16-17, 30-31, and 44 for EMF provisions). ANCs and interested citizens and
organizations should participate in the NCPC's public hearing on the draft element on
Thursday, March 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 401 9th St. NW, suite 500 North. You can send
written comments supporting inclusion of these provisions to James Russell at NCPC, 401
9th St. NW, Suite 500 North, Washington, DC 20576. For more information, contact James
Russell at 202-482-7248. To get on the list to testify, call the NCPC at 202-482-7200.
###############
Antenna Zoning Case
Ann Loikow, john1@erols.com
The Zoning Commission will hold the second session of the public roundtable on antennas
and antenna towers on Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in room 220 at 441 4th St., NW (1
Judiciary Square). The first session was held Monday, March 5.
This case will determine the zoning regulations which will govern where, what kind, and
under what conditions antennas and antenna towers may placed throughout the city. Thus,
this case affects not just the those near the Ward 3 antenna farm at Tenley, but those
near the Peabody Street tower in Ward 4, those near the cell towers in Rock Creek Park,
those in Ward 7 near the proposed cell tower at Penn Branch Shopping Center and everyone,
everywhere in the city who is near antennas or antenna towers. One of the more interesting
pieces of information from the March 5th roundtable was that AT&T Wireless recently
installed a cellular antenna on the flagpole of Garfield Elementary School on Alabama
Avenue in Ward 8. I testified before the Board of Education's Finance and Facilities
Committee last night and they seemed unaware of this development.
I have a brief discussion of origin and development of the antenna zoning case. Please
call me at 363-6658 if I can E-mail it to you or provide you with any additional
information.
###############
TasteDC.com’s March/April 2001 Calendar of Wine and Food
Events
Charlie Adler, wine@tastedc.com
1) March 15, Thursday, “Australian Lamb and Wine Festival — Hot New
Releases,” The Sports Club/LA, 1170 22nd St. at M Street, special validated parking
for $2 for up to three hours for attendees, closest Metro is Foggy Bottom on Orange and
Blue Lines, 7-9 p.m., $35 per person, inclusive. Robert Whale and New World Wines
importers will be specially flying in some of the most current releases of Australian
wines in their portfolio and you will be the first to taste them in the U.S. (Peter
Lehmann Wines and Coriole are in this portfolio)! A retailer will be on site to take your
orders for these highly allocated wines. We'll also taste a variety of Australian lamb
dishes and hors d'oeuvres prepared by the Sports Club/LA's restaurant Celsius (overseen by
Todd Gray, the chef and owner of Equinox restaurant). As an added bonus, The Sports
Club/LA, D.C.'s hottest new health club on the same block with the new Ritz-Carlton, is
offering $50 off the normal initiation fee for attendees at this event. And this event is
only $35! 2) March 20, Tuesday, “Wine Basics 101,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 2121
P St., NW, valet parking, Metro Dupont Circle (Red Line), 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9
p.m. wine tasting, $40 per person. Our most attended event! Part of our “Fundamentals
of Wine Series” (all classes in the Series can be taken individually). Learn how to
order wine in a restaurant, determine basic wine styles and varietals, pair wine and food
and more! 3) March 22, Thursday, “The Components of Wine,” Radisson Barcelo
Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m. wine tasting, $40 per person. Part of our
"Fundamentals of Wine Series." This event is the perfect addition to wine
knowledge gained from our very popular Wine Basics 101 tasting! Join us as we show you how
to recognize the flavor components of wine, understand and taste the different wine
varietals, develop wine preferences based on your palate. 4) April 5, Thursday,
“Embassy of Germany East Meets West: Asian Food and German Wine Event” Embassy
of the Federal Republic of Germany, 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, at the intersection of
Reservoir and Foxhall Roads, street parking available, 7-9:30 p.m., $55 per person. Join
us at the lovely Embassy of Germany for a true "tasting" experience as we pair
German wines with popular Asian dishes catered by Yanyu Catering! Germany produces some of
the world's greatest wines, but you have to taste them with food to really appreciate
them. Asian cuisine focuses on the elements of hot, sour, salty, sweet, and sometimes
bitter flavors as well as the texture of the food on the palate. Combine aromatic off-dry,
low alcohol wines with Asian spices and you get a beautiful marriage of flavors! Various
German wine importers will be opening their wines for this event. 5) April 10, Tuesday,
“Wine Basics 101,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m.
wine tasting, $40 per person. 6) April 12, Thursday, “Wine and Food Pairing,”
Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m. wine and food pairing, $55 per
person. Part of our “Fundamentals of Wine Series.” This event is the perfect
addition to wine knowledge gained from our very popular Wine Basics 101 tasting! Let Ann
Berta, wine columnist for Washingtonian Magazine, show you the basics: good rules
and bad rules, perfect matches and bad combinations, how to order wines for a group event.
Food is provided to taste with the wine. 7) April 17, Tuesday, “A Taste of Brazil at
the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute,” 4103 Connecticut Avenue, NW, closest
Metro is Van Ness (Red Line) 1 block away, Giant Market on Connecticut has paid parking;
7-9:30 p.m., $55 per person. Join us for a celebration of Brazil's wonderful food, drink,
and culture! We'll be tasting Brazil's famous national stew “feijoada,” a
variety of other Latin dishes, caipirinhas made with cachaca (liquor made from sugar
cane), native beers and International wines, and traditional Brazilian desserts. We are
planning to have live music as well, more details soon. 8) April 26, Thursday,
“Introduction to French Wines,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m. reception,
7:30-9 p.m. wine tasting, $40 per person. France produces some of the greatest wines in
the world but their labeling, varietals and subtle differences can be very confusing to
new wine drinkers. Let Ann Berta, wine columnist for Washingtonian Magazine, help
you taste and learn about such regions as Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire and other
viticultural regions. We'll taste 9 wines that showcase France's regional nuances. 9)
April 27, Friday, “Taste of Romania at the Embassy of Romania,” 1607 23rd St.,
NW, on Sheridan Circle, closest Metro is Dupont Circle (Red Line), 7-9:30 p.m., $55 per
person. Enjoy an evening of food and wine at the Embassy of Romania! Sample from a buffet
consisting of traditional Romanian foods such as mamaliga (corn porridge), sarmale
(cabbage rolls), ciorba (spicy and sour soup) and desserts as well as imported Romanian
wines. An embassy official will give a brief introduction on Romanian culture and food.
There will also be Romanian folk music. Reservations: http://labyrinth.dgsys.com/clients/tasteusa.com/order.cgi?X_DC.
2) Phone 333-5588.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — BUSINESS SEMINAR
UrbanGrocery LLC provides a proven system for you to tap into the rapidly expanding
home grocery delivery market. You can now own your own business as a licensee of the
exclusive UrbanGrocery Delivery System. Areas are now available in Arlington and
Alexandria, Virginia. At our FREE seminar you will learn about the purpose and values
behind UrbanGrocery, the growing demand for home grocery delivery, how UrbanGrocery
compares to other business opportunities, startup costs and projected earnings, how the
UrbanGrocery delivery system works, the UrbanGrocery software and what it does.
Saturday, March 17, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., or 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the
Courtyard by Marriott (Crystal City), 2899 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202
(Jefferson Davis Highway/Rt. 1 at 27th Street S.) Hotel Telephone: 703-549-3434.
Registration is required. Call 544-5081, or register at http://www.urbangrocery.net
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS
Music Mentors-CHIME's newest program for bringing music to DC schoolchildren. We are
seeking volunteers to share their love of music with inner-city children (and a parent, if
willing) by taking them to 4-6 musical events a year and any other mentoring activities
mutually desired. We also seek performing partners who will offer free or discounted
tickets to appropriate weekend events, and volunteers to help with an E-newsletter
announcing such events and ticket availability. For information or to volunteer, contact
Dorothy Marschak at 232-2731 or dmarschak@chime-dc.org or Joanna Hanes-Lahr, hlahr@ix.netcom.com.
If you have a piano in good condition you no longer need, CHIME will get it to a school
that needs it — D CPS will pick it up and deliver it there. If you have strings,
woodwinds or other portable instruments in good repair, we will get them directly to a
school. We have just formed a new partnership at Walker-Jones elementary school: there are
teachers dying to teach children to play violin, flute, clarinet and other instruments
after school, but they lack instruments. Contributions are tax-deductible.
CHIME (Community Help In Music Education) is an all-volunteer nonprofit corporation
that mobilizes community resources to promote, provide and support music education for DC
public schoolchildren, during and outside of school. We place instructional volunteers in
school and outside school programs and have an advocacy campaign to incorporate music
education in the required elementary school curriculum as well as our library, instrument
collection and music mentor programs. For more information, to volunteer or to make a
donation contact us at 1789 Lanier Place NW, #3, Washington, DC 20009, by E-mail at info@chime-dc.org, by phone at 232-8764 or visit our
website: http://www.erols.com/chime-dc.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E is looking for a positive, high-energy person to
provide professional services up to 20-25 hours per month. Duties include: producing a
newsletter, drafting minutes, office duties, and public outreach. Excellent paid local
government opportunity. First rate English writing/editing skills a must, Spanish or
Vietnamese a plus. Mt. Pleasant resident preferred. Send resume and letter of interest to anc1ejob@email.com or ANC 1E Professional Services,
c/o 1656 Irving Street NW, 20010. No phone calls please.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Glorious old Mercedes Benz: 1965, four-door, grey-white, red interior, nice old wood
paneling. Engine good. $4,000. Call for more details. Telephone 244-9479, fax: 244-9479.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
For work on a condominium near Logan Circle, I would appreciate your referrals to a
person or people whom you trust who can (1) repair and refinish very old plank hardwood
floors, and (2) do interior painting (including repair of some minor water damage).
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF: There LL was, minding her own business, flipping through the
filings at the D.C. Superior Court Civil Action Division, and wham! Suddenly she was smack
in the middle of the D.C. General Hospital reform opponents' argument about the shaky
financial history of Greater Southeast Community Hospital and its new parent company,
Doctors Community Healthcare Corp.
Unless there is further congressional intervention — which some irate D.C.
councilmembers have privately requested of Rep. Connie Morella, Maryland Republican and
chair of the House Government Reform subcommittee on the District, and Rep. Joe
Knollenberg, Michigan Republican and chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee on the
District — D.C. General, as everyone now knows it, will cease to exist next month.
Still, given what LL discovered, the D.C. financial control board and the city government
had better closely scrutinize the fiscal operations over at Greater Southeast. The
hospital still can't seem to pay its bills — even the small ones.
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 AND SUNDAY: Rosebud Film Festival, at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, 1611 N. Kent
St., Arlington. Saturday March 17, noon-8:45 p.m.; Sunday March 18, noon-9:15 p.m. $8.
MONDAY: Howard Zinn discusses his latest works, Howard Zinn on History and Howard
Zinn on War, at 7 p.m. at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every Wednesday and
Sunday. To subscribe, to change E-mail addresses, or to switch between HTML and plain text
versions of themail, use the subscription form at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/subscribe.htm.
To unsubscribe, send an E-mail message to themail@dcwatch.com
with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Archives of past messages are available
at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail.
All postings should also be submitted to themail@dcwatch.com,
and should be about life, government, or politics in the District of Columbia in one way
or another. All postings must be signed in order to be printed, and messages should be
reasonably short — one or two brief paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many
messages as possible can be put into each mailing.
