Bad Taste
Dear Tasters:
I regret to inform you that the most popular topic in this issue of
themail is peanut butter on a cinnamon-raisin bagel, and that the great
majority of respondents not only tolerate that combination, but actively
support it. That doesn't begin to plumb the depths of depravity
displayed below. One writer goes so far as to advocate the combination
of peanut butter and tomatoes. Now, I understand that there is a great
American tradition of peanut butter and anything. Elvis was noted for
his affection for peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and more than
once I saw Maria Muldaur eat peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, grilled
in the bacon grease (good, and so good for you, too), at Tommy's Lunch,
which was just down the street from the Lampoon Castle off Harvard
Square.
Of course, you have to remember Maria Muldaur. She used to be Maria
D'Amato, before she married Geoff Muldaur. Her big hit was “Midnight
at the Oasis.” Well, if you don't remember that, surely you remember
the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, in which she sang with Geoff. You must
remember them; they played at Club 47 more often than Dylan, Baez, or
even Mose Allison. Still doesn't ring any bells? How old are you,
anyway? Well then, if you're that young, or pretending to be that young,
just imagine Britney Spears as a dark-haired hippie, only with a
singing voice.
Did I wander off the point? Anyway, I was saying that some people
think peanut butter goes with anything, but I'm standing firm. Peanut
butter on a cinnamon bagel may not actually reveal a major character
defect, but it doesn't display the good taste and soundness of character
that cream cheese on a poppy seed or sesame seed bagel shows.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Why Are DC Residents Being Kept in the Dark?
Pete Petropoulos, ppetropoulos@tandbergusa.com
Here's a link to Norway's web site that states the decision to close
Norway's Embassy was “taken after the US health authorities had
recommended that an inspection be carried out of all institutions that
receive their mail from the distribution center where anthrax bacteria
has been detected”: http://www.norway.org/newsofnorway/news.cfm?id=321.
I contacted DC's communication office and they stated that no similar
announcement has been made to the residents of DC. My city councilman's
office does not have any answers. The CDC will be getting back to me.
DC's public information office for the Department of Health did not
answer. I left a voice mail.
What is going on? Why are embassies clear across town being inspected
while we are being kept in the dark? We need answers now!
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Forwarded from V.A. MacAlister, author of The Mosquito War:
“A deadly plague is released over Washington. A thousand people may be
infected, but half a million were exposed and there is no way to know
who is sick until symptoms appear five to ten days later. The city must
be quarantined, interfering with transpiration on the entire east coast.
The initial symptoms are 'flu-like,' so hospitals are overwhelmed.
Diagnosis requires scrutinizing a blood sample, so labs quickly become
gridlocked. Surrounding the epicenter of disaster is a ripple effect of
unanticipated calamity. There are race riots and phony insurance scams.
Blood bank supplies dry up since no new donations can be taken from
potentially infected donors.
“If this sounds like a 'war-games' scenario that our government
uses to develop plans for a bioterrorist attack, it should.
Unfortunately it is actually the plot from a newly published thriller, The
Mosquito War. This is, to put it mildly, a rotten time to have just
come out with a book featuring biological warfare in the nation's
capital. But as the government's anthrax response plan continues to
fumble along and focus is shifting to more lethal scenarios such as
smallpox, I grow more distressed over the failure of our leaders to have
anticipated all the contingencies of a biological attack.
“The governmental response to both the September 11 attacks and the
current anthrax situation has been basically, ooops, sorry, we just
never thought of that. Well why haven't they? Dozens of novelists have
been coming up with terrorist plans for years. If I, with some bit of
creativity but certainly no genius, could come up with a credible and
easily executed plan to wage biological warfare, why has our government
been so slow in anticipation and planning? We have been caught with our
collective pants down, and it isn't just to get vaccinated there
either.”
[From themail, then called dc.story, on July 18, 1998, a message from
Lois Kirkpatrick: “. . . a fascinating yet frightening article in this
month's George magazine . . . reported that fire, rescue and
police in the 120 largest U.S. cities are being trained to respond to
bio-chemical terrorism by the military, which expects an attack within
the next five years. The police in the 120 main cities are expected to
in turn train police in their surrounding jurisdictions. Does this mean
Fairfax County police have to depend on DCPD for this critical training,
or was it included in the primary go-round?” This was just after the
phony anthrax package was delivered to B'nai Brith. Does anyone know if
the training actually occurred, or was it forgotten, along with the
prediction of a biochemical attack? — Gary Imhoff]
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Mail in Limbo — What Are Others Doing?
Joan Eisenstodt, jeisen@aol.com
Found out today that all checks or other mail to Riggs Banks in the
District are being held indefinitely. For we who have small businesses
and who sent deposits in, this is a nightmare. Riggs was no help, saying
that if the checks don't clear “soon” that I should call the branch
and discuss what to do about the account. How are others in the District
handling this? I fear it's gonna get worse!
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Marathon Permit without Neighborhood and ANC
Notification
Pete Ross, peteross@prodigy.net
Several marathon races have been routed through the Foxhall and
Georgetown communities over the last few years. Because of the
disruption caused by these races, the Foxhall Community Citizens
Association (FCCA), the Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG), the
Burleith Citizens Association (BCA), and ANC-2E all passed resolutions
opposed to the routing of these and future races through our community.
Mr. Peter LaPorte, the Director of the Office of Emergency Management
(OEM) assured us that no future races would be permitted to go through
our neighborhood (or any other DC neighborhood) without the express
approval of the affected ANC's and neighborhood associations.
A 26 mile marathon sponsored by a private group, http://www.washingtondcmarathon.com,
is scheduled for March 24, 2002. This marathon will go through many
residential neighborhoods in our city. The route map is posted on their
web site. I called the telephone number listed on the web site and was
told that 3,000 runners have registered and that their goal is to have
20,000 participants. They claim that they have received a permit for the
race for the route shown on their web site. This marathon will greatly
affect neighborhoods such as Logan Circle, DuPont Circle, Foggy Bottom,
as well as parts of Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.
I spoke to several neighborhood association officers and ANC
commissioners in the affected neighborhoods and none of them was aware
of this race. This came as a major surprise to me, because Mr. LaPorte
had explicitly stated that races will not be routed through
neighborhoods without neighborhood association and ANC approval. I sent
an e-mail to Mr. LaPorte on 30 October asking him for any information
that he may have about neighborhood approval for the route of this
marathon. So far, I have not received a reply from Mr. LaPorte. Good
Luck to the residents of the affected neighborhoods. I hope that the
affected residents are prepared to curl up in your homes and read a good
book because 20,000 marathon runners will close your streets for the
better part of the day.
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In days of yore one had until the end of the month your inspection
sticker expired to have your vehicle reinspected in dear old DC. That
is, if your sticker expired, say on October 21, 2001, you had until
October 31, 2001, to reinspect or face the Grim Reaper. Actually, I
don't recall any penalty for late arrivals other than a tsk, tsk, you're
late admonition.
Be warned, DC auto owner, we are in a new age. If you arrive one day
after the expiration day on your sticker you now incur a penalty of $15.
And it's $15 for each month you're late thereafter. And they take credit
cards or personal checks; no cash.
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I've always been amazed that when it comes to parking for Sunday
services so many people blatantly ignore the charitable teachings they
presumably hear in church, i.e., how one treats his/her neighbor. But,
then, who can blame them? The police have given a green light to this
practice for so long that it's near impossible for residents to
effectively address it without being perceived as anti-religious or
worse. In the good old days, churches and synagogues tended to be
neighborhood institutions, where walking to services was the norm. But
with suburban flight the past few decades, many worshipers live nowhere
near the church or synagogue they attend. Consequently, once a week, or
more often in some cases, droves of the faithful from Maryland and
Virginia descend on various communities in DC and create the parking
problems cited in themail.
As with parking in general, most folks are unwilling to walk more
than a few feet to reach their destination. In my neighborhood, illegal
parking abounds near some churches even though legal spaces are
available one block farther away. Since gentle persuasion seems not to
work, maybe political pressure is the only way to go.
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This is in response to David Pansegrouw's letter. Church parking is a
citywide problem and often ends in the race card being played. In my
neighborhood there is a black church. Nearly the entire congregation has
moved to Maryland and I believe eventually the church will eventually
move there too. In the meantime, they park so near the stop sign, you
don't see it. They double park. They take up neighboring parking spots.
Under pressure from our neighborhood (which is mixed racially), the
police have issued tickets. Unfortunately, church members complain to
the PSA's lieutenant and he bawls out the officers for doing their jobs.
At one point, community residents met with the church members and the
police. Almost immediately, black church members told the white
neighbors in the audience that it wasn't their neighborhood -- the
neighborhood belonged to the church members (who had moved). Next, the
church members implied the whites were being racist. At that point a
black woman who is a neighbor of mine got up. She said that the church
was trying to inject race into the issue and it wasn't a matter of race.
It was a matter of obeying the law. The parking problem has not been
resolved and it never will be.
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Crossing the Border
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
There is some confusion, in my mind at least, about where the real
border is between American University Park and Spring Valley. This is
not a big problem since this is a very friendly and open community
border. It has been said that those who live on the Spring Valley side
of the border tend to be a bit snobbish about their location, which
clearly has a cachet when it comes time to selling a home (or at least
did prior to the discovery of the WW I munitions dumping in that
community). People from AU Park cross this border daily with no
restrictions to shop at Crate and Barrel, Chicken Out, and the newly
opened Bagel City. Similarly, folks from Spring Valley cross over to the
East side of Massachusetts Avenue to shop at Wagshalls and CVS, et al.
It is said that some people from Spring Valley even go to the upscale
A&P, Super Fresh, behind the shopping center, now that Sutton Place
Gourmet has pulled up stakes from Mass. Ave.
It is that shopping center that causes the confusion in my mind. The
shopping center is located on the east side of Massachusetts Avenue, yet
is called the Spring Valley Shopping Center. It leads me to wonder if
there is a real defined border between these two communities, which
would most logically be Mass. Ave. I should note that the homes located
on the east side of Mass. Ave. are generally a bit larger and different
from the typical AU houses, which were built right at the beginning of
W.W.II. The typical AU houses were all built just prior to WW II in the
1939-19421 years to house those folks, and their families, who were
working in Naval Intelligence at American University. 'Tis a puzzlement.
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Dorothy Brizill wrote: “The Fire Department's counsel finally
admitted that the law didn't allow the Department to charge a 'filing
fee,' but asked if we couldn't reach a compromise in which I'd pay the
fee anyway.” That is so ridiculous it's funny. You should have
proposed an alternate agreement where they would have paid you a fee.
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Bagels and Bill Rice
Jon Desenberg, Adams Morgan, JonDes@hotmail.com
Two things caught my eye in the last issue of themail. 1) Bagels. Am
I the only one still missing the Whatsa Bagel on Connecticut and M
Street? Even the mediocre Chesapeake Bagels in Dupont and Capitol Hill
have vanished, leaving us with countless Fuddruckers, Xando Cosis, and
Starbucks, but no decent bagels. Why? 2) Bill Rice. Is anyone else
laughing at the irony of bike riding, citizen activist Bill Rice now
stonewalling on behalf of the administration and city hall? It would be
really funny if it wasn't so pathetic.
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If you wouldn't put lox on it, it's not a bagel.
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Bagel Vote
E. James Lieberman, ejl@gwu.edu
Peanut butter on cinnamon-raisin bagel. Good! If you haven't tried
it, don't knock it. One vote here for the Mayor.
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Peanut Butter on a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel
Pat Yates, Mount Pleasant, PatEdCats@aol.com
Peanut butter on a top-class cinnamon raisin bagel is not only a
delicious combination of flavors, but also a wonderful way to get a
healthy shot of protein that doesn't involve killing an animal or adding
to one's cholesterol level. Ditto peanut butter and raisins in hot
cereal, and peanut butter sandwiches with tomato or banana. Really. I'm
not kidding.
Hold Mr. Williams to the line on improving government services, but
don't chide him for healthy and humane eating.
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Peanut Butter and Mayo on a Rye Bagel?
Art Spitzer, ArtSpitzer@aol.com
In [the October 28 issue of themail, Gary Imhoff] wrote: “I seem to
recall that political commentators, during one of Richard Nixon's
campaigns for the presidency, said that Mr. Nixon had lost any chance of
winning the votes of New York City residents by ordering his pastrami on
rye with mayonnaise instead of mustard. Surely that is not as offensive
to voters with sensitive palates as peanut butter on a cinnamon raisin
bagel, so I sense political difficulty ahead for Mayor Williams should
this story become widely known.”
To the contrary — speaking as a native New Yorker — pastrami on
rye with mayonnaise is far more offensive than peanut butter on a
cinnamon raisin bagel.
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Quirky Bagel Eater — Count Me In, Mr. Mayor!
Ron Eberhardt, rge1022@aol.com
At first I thought, is contributor Josh Gibson serious? Then I knew
two things. First, that he was not entirely serious, and second, that he
has never tasted a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter
lathered on! You gotta try it! And, by the way, I have an uncle, who for
as long as I can remember, loves mayonnaise sandwiches! That's it, bread
and mayo! I suppose we are all a little quirky in our own ways! Finally,
something lighthearted to talk about.
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I have to say, a cinnamon raisin bagel, toasted, with peanut butter,
is one of life's nicest breakfasts. If you think it sounds strange or
inappropriate, I encourage you to give it a try. Sadly, not many bagel
joints or delis around here seem to stock peanut butter. I'm always on
the hunt.
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Bagel Biking Theory
Rob Pegoraro, robp@~typo~speakeasy.org
The reports of Mayor Williams being a cyclist must be true. Bagels
with peanut butter (the jelly is optional even when it's offered) are a
staple at rest stops on any long bike tour. The combination lets you max
out on carbohydrates while minimizing the time spent actually eating --
a good thing if you're trying to snack at 20 mph.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Vigil in Brookland for Postal Workers
Suzanne Griffith, suzanne.griffith@zzapp.org
Join us in an outdoor candlelight ceremony honoring Washington, DC,
postal workers on Friday, November 2, at 6:30 p.m., in front of the
Brookland Post Office (12th Street, NE, between Lawrence and Monroe, two
blocks from the Brookland/Catholic University Metro station on the Red
Line). The Brookland Community expresses its gratitude for the bravery
and heroism of our city's Postal Workers through music, messages, art,
and gifts. Bring family, friends, and neighbors. Bring your own candle,
flashlight or pen light. Send your personal E-mail message of support to
Brooklandmpostalmessages@yahoo.com.
For further information, call 529-0003. Sponsored by the Brookland
Neighbors Committee.
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Fair Budget Coalition Meetings
Susie Cambria, scambria@dckids.org
Join others who are concerned with the budget as it impacts poor and
vulnerable residents of the District at the next Fair Budget Coalition
meeting, Wednesday, November 7, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the Washington
Legal Clinic for the Homeless, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, 6th floor.
Everyone is encouraged to attend. For more information about the
Coalition, its activities or the meeting, contact Patty Mullahy Fugere,
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, 872-8958.
This citywide forum sponsored by the Fair Budget Coalition will
address the issue of “Meeting Human Needs in DC: Providing Stability
in Times of Uncertainty.” The forum is being held on Thursday,
November 15, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m., registration; 7:00 p.m.,
event begins promptly) at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law,
Building 41, Room A03, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW. We will hear from
experts and numerous sectors of the community. The panel will be
followed by a question and answer session. R.S.V.P. to Youth Advocate
Programs, Inc., 722-8640 by close of business on November 13. Metro
Rail: Red Line (Van Ness/UDC station); limited parking; directions
on-line at http://www.udc.edu/directions.html.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
1996 Ford Ranger XLT pickup, regular cab, 75K miles, 5-speed manual,
AC, bed liner, sliding rear window, alarm, new tires this past summer,
perfectly maintained since I bought it new. Great little truck -- only
selling because I need a car more than a truck now. Come see it in Logan
Circle evenings/weekends. Asking $5500. E-mail me: john@logancircle.net.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Seamstress
Lois Kirkpatrick,
Seamstress wanted who can sew prototype costumes quickly, without
having a pattern. Preferably in the Fairfax/Centreville area. Contract
Lois Kirkpatrick, [telephone and E-mail address removed at the request
of the poster].
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CLASSIFIEDS — SERVICES
Tired of spending time and energy looking for help with Odd Jobs?
SilentFrog (http://www.silentfrog.com)
is a new online service that makes it faster and easier for you to find
local, low-cost help for your Odd Job needs. See a recent article about
SilentFrog in the Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2033-2001Sep9.html.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS AND
NOMINATIONS
The Association for Women in Computing, Washington, DC, Chapter will
be hosting a board meeting for the parent organization in June 2002.
We're starting to plan now. We will have about twenty people attending,
mostly board members from all over the country. As an all-volunteer,
nonprofit organization, most people will be paying for the whole trip
out of pocket, so we would like to keep costs down. We'd also like to
show off our city! If you have suggestions, please let me know. If you'd
like to learn more about our group, our website is http://www.awcdc.org.
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I' m looking for a contractor able to build a wooden retaining wall
in our backyard slope. A while ago someone suggested a name for a highly
recommended person but I'm not able to find it in my agenda.
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2002 Champions for Children Awards Program
Susie Cambria, scambria@dckids.org
The HSC Foundation announces the 2002 Champions for Children Awards
Program. The purpose of the awards program is to recognize, promote, and
award dedicated individuals and community-based nonprofit organizations
in the District of Columbia that are effectively working to positively
impact the lives of children with special needs and their families. To
accomplish this, HSC seeks your help. If you know of an individual who
is an “unsung hero,” someone who has gone above and beyond the
typical expectation of his or her role as a parent/caregiver, employee,
advocate, or volunteer, or if you know of a nonprofit, grassroots
organization that has achieved a difficult goal in obtaining or
providing services for children with special needs or an organization
that, with limited resources, has implemented creative ideas that
provide long-term results in improving the lives of children with
special needs — nominate them for a 2002 Champions for Children Award.
For a nomination packet, including eligibility criteria, contact Son
Park at (202) 454-1248 or E-mail your name and address to spark@cscn.org.
The nomination packet is also available on our website, http://www.hscfoundation.org.
The deadline for nominations is December 20.
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