The Hippocratic Oath
Dear Practitioners:
Thursday's inauguration of reelected Councilmembers and the Mayor was
not notable for great or even passable oratory. Mayor Williams's speech
(http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/030102a.htm)
proved only that there's an advantage to not fulfilling your past
political promises -- you can recycle and reuse them, just as this
inaugural speech echoed his first inaugural speech. But one
Councilmember's message consisted of something more than self praise.
Kathy Patterson's speech had a stunningly truthful passage: “There is
a third challenge, though, that I would like to focus on in my few
minutes here today. It is one we don’t talk about; we don’t admit to
ourselves, but one that has been hovering during this holiday season. It
is time — it is well past time — for the District government itself
to take the Hippocratic oath — to say that first, we will do no harm.
Before we balance the books, before we seek to attract new residents, we
will do no harm to those we have. . . . There are program and service
and policy challenges before us — with program and service and policy
solutions. But to get to those solutions, to have a government that
finally stops doing harm, requires that individuals accept personal
responsibility for their actions and the outcomes — starting at the
top of the government. Murders at the DC Jail are not an acceptable part
of government doing business. Period. Placing a runaway in juvenile
detention is not acceptable. Period. And if any one of us, elected to
public office, fails to do everything in our considerable power to at
least assure safety to those whose lives we hold in our hands, then we
violate the trust of the voters who sent us here” (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/030102.htm.).
First, do no harm. It's an ambitious goal, not a modest one; and it's
a worthy goal for all of DC government, not just for the jail and
juvenile detention, but also for the schools and health care facilities.
A friend who is dependent on the DC HealthCare Alliance sent me an
E-mail about his ongoing efforts to get the pathology report for a test
he had undergone: “By experience, I called the day of the appointment
to see if it were still on, and if the Doctor were there. The
appointment was, but the Doctor was not. I finally reached her in the
Greater SE Community Hospital Operating Room facilities by phone. She
said the path report was not ready, but she'd call me. Two weeks later,
still no call. The following week, this last Monday, I had a regular
appointment. There the Doctor filled me in on what was happening. She
said, 'The day we were to meet, I had some issues I was dealing with. I
was thinking of quitting. I have not been paid in three months. I
decided to stay for my patients' sake. I hope to get through this. And I
hope I can save my home; I haven't been able to meet my mortgage.' Then
she began looking through my folder, talking to herself. She said, out
loud, 'Please let the path report be here. Please, please, please,' as
she leafed, again and again, through its entire contents. It wasn't
there. She came back. She said the computers were down, but her own
notes refreshed her memory. From her experience of removing many polyps
she was convinced I had nothing to worry about. They were too small and
not the right color to be cancerous. 'That's good,' I said. 'but I'd
feel better with the path report.' 'Of course you would,' she said. She
was to call with the path reports, and by Friday, apparently there are
still none.”
At the inauguration, after each Councilmember finished the oath of
office and speech, the mayor rose to congratulate him or her. His
welcomes ranged from a perfunctory handshake for frequent critic David
Catania to a warm hug for faithful supporter Jim Graham. But Kathy
Patterson and her unwelcome message of personal responsibility got a
complete snub — no handshake, no acknowledgment. It was the most
telling moment of the day.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Competition for Ownership of Major League
Baseball, Montreal Expos
Mark David Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
There was an interesting article in The New York Times on December
27, 2002, entitled "Number of Bidders for Expos Is Growing."
Competition for the Montreal Expos is apparently among four potential
owners: two in DC, one in Northern VA, and one in Portland, OR. See http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/27/sports/baseball/27SAND.html?tntemail1.
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Yet Another “Comprehensive Plan” for DC
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aoldotcom
A new Comprehensive Plan for DC will be prepared over the next two
years. This new plan will likely join the stack of all the other dust
collecting Comprehensive (read Strategic) Plans that are collecting dust
in the offices of the bloated bureaucrats in DC. Perhaps they make good
paperweights. More likely, they are like time capsules which get
unearthed every few years.
How much more sense it would make to develop some top level missions
for DC and set up real teams to back these missions up with specific,
time-oriented goals. Strategic and Comprehensive Plans are hardly worth
the effort and the cost of preparing them. They merely become historical
artifacts. The old ones from the last century are probably being stored
in some big, high cost facility that will be discovered by Dorothy
Brizill or Tom Sherwood.
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Out-of-State Auto Registrations
Peter O'Toole, pjotoole - at - att dot net
Interesting piece on out-of-state auto registrations in NYC from the New
York Times on January 3: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/03/nyregion/03LICE.html.
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Lift Every Voice and Sing
Mark David Richard, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
Not every elected official lifted their voice to sing for DC freedom
at the inaugural ceremony of the mayor and council, but two officials
received loud applause when they called attention to DC
disenfranchisement. Councilman Phil Mendelson spoke honestly and
directly about DC's lack of voting rights, and Chairman Cropp said that
DC residents want the same rights as other American citizens three times
in her speech. The mayor's silence on the issue was notable — it is
not one of his three top priorities. The mayor did mention the subject
in passing in the context of recognizing DC's nonvoting delegate,
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, whom he and others called “DC's
warrior on the Hill.” One thing is certain: if DC's elected officials
don't make this issue a priority, DC will not make progress.
Ms. Virginia Williams sang “Life Every Voice and Sing,” a song
she frequently sings. Ms. Williams said that the author was a friend of
her late husband. According to http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?prmID=73,
in 1900, Mr. Johnson wrote the song on President Lincoln's birthday. It
became known as the “Negro National Anthem.” Lyrics: http://seemeonline.com/fasr/anthem.html.
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Trash Day
John Whiteside, johnwhiteside at earthlink dot net
There's a solution to Joan Eisenstodt's (and anybody else's) woes
with holiday trash pickup schedules - the DPW web site. I check it when
holidays come around, and so far it's been accurate. At any rate, it's
better than relying on the Post for any kind of DC information
— you have to live in Fairfax for them to bother to get it right, I
think.
The holiday collection schedule can be found at http://dpw.washingtondc.gov/info/holidays/holiday_schedules.shtml.
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Trash/Recycling Pickup “One Day Delayed”
Richard Layman, Northeast DC, rlaymandc@yahoo.com
It's hard for the Post in one line to accurately report what seems to
happen which is, 1) if your trash day falls on a holiday, the trash is
picked up the next day, 2) otherwise your trash pick up is not delayed.
E.g., last week, both Wednesday and Thursday trash pick ups were made on
Thursday.
For recycling, after the holiday, all recycling pickups are delayed
by one day. E.g., this week, Wednesday pickups are made on Thursday,
Thursday pickups on Friday; and Friday pickups on Saturday.
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Unions
Tom Briggs, Social Studies Teacher, Dunbar Senior High
School, briggstf@yahoo.com
Ed Barron wrote about his dislike of unions and about the fact of how
responsible companies are in regard to their employees. I cannot agree
with this position. My father worked for General Electric for 31 years.
I cannot remember any part of my childhood not involving support for
“The Company,” as my dad called it. Everything was General Electric
in my house, from the light bulbs to the appliances. Then, when my dad
reached age 60, this company that has never posted a loss forced him
into retirement, when he had two children still in college. My respect
for big business and their "fairness" to its employees has
never been the same.
I am also a DC public school teacher and am very disappointed with
the mess concerning my union. However, I believe that the collective
bargaining capability of my union is far superior for all of us than
dealing with the DCPS bureaucracy singularly.
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Gary, your overwhelming cynicism is disheartening as evidenced in
your New Year's resolutions. There are some positive signs and
recognizing them might actually encourage them. For those who are
actually trying to improve government they often feel that no matter
what they do they get criticized, so why try. You do a good job of
supporting that mindset.
Maybe your New Year's resolution might be, I will not stereotype all
government officials and public servants and determine that all are bad
or worthless by the actions of some. I will try and support change not
only by criticizing those who deserve it but by recognizing and
affirming those who are trying. Best wishes for the new year.
[So, Bill, if you don't like criticism, why did you waste your
message to themail by criticizing instead of praising a government
employee or program you believe is doing a good job? — Gary Imhoff]
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New Year’s Resolutions 2
Star Lawrence, jkellaw@aol.com
Whew — glad you were joking. I was going to unsubscribe. You give
such good rant!
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
CareFirst Blue Cross Moms March, January 8
Melody Webb, melodywebb@lobbyline.com
Some Virginia and Maryland moms are on their way to Washington. On
January 8, at 10 a.m., in tandem with contract negotiation meetings on
the same day, concerned CareFirst Parents will demonstrate at Children's
Hospital's Michigan Avenue facility to urge Children's and CareFirst to
make a fair deal and to keep CareFirst at Children's. The CareFirst moms
with the chronically ill and disabled children now have a champion in
Congressman Jim Moran, who is on the DC Congressional oversight
committee. With Congressman Moran's support, will these Maryland and
Virginia CareFirst Moms be forced to bypass local DC officials and in
rely on members of the United States Congress to get relief? These
families have very sick children who need care at Washington's
Children's Hospital. CareFirst Blue Cross and Children's are having a
contract dispute that may make this impossible. What has this to do with
the average Washingtonian? If you have CareFirst insurance and children,
you know why this is important. If you are a supporter of home rule, you
should be afraid, very afraid.
On December 19, at an area meeting of these very active CareFirst
parents gathered to discuss the Children's issue, Congressman Moran
vowed to take this issue on, possibly through Congressional oversight
committees for DC. Mr. Moran also blasted DC officials for their
inaction on the Children's BlueCross crisis. Mr. Moran particularly
singled out DC Insurance Commissioner Lawrence Mirel for his
fecklessness and blamed his connections as a former insurance lobbyist
for his failure to stand up on this issue in the way that Maryland
officials have.
What can you do now, activists? Tell a friend if you have not already
done so. Tell your listserv. Continue to urge Larry Mirel and other DC
officials to work to keep CareFirst Blue Cross at Children's. If you
love home rule, stop another incursion -- go to http://www.lobbyline.com
and urge hearings by Sharon Ambrose, the chair of the committee that
legislates on the for-profit conversion issue, and by Sandy Allen, whose
committee is responsible for health care matters. Maybe Mr. Catania, who
sits on both committees, is our best hope. Is it hopeless to count on
Mayor Williams to take some leadership on this issue? Let's hope the
CareFirst moms and their children are not forced to rely on Congress to
do the job.
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CHIME Presents Music of the Arab People,
January 11
Dorothy Marschak, chime-dc@erols.com
CHIME presents the music of the Arab peoples on January 11, at 2:00
p.m., at Francis Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Avenue, SE. For
directions to the library, call Francis Gregory Library at 645-4297.
Discover the fascinating music of the Arab peoples in this free,
interactive presentation for all ages. Music educator Grant Chamberlain
and Seifed-Din S. Abddon, a professional oud player from Jordan, will
introduce you to the rich variety of this music and its cultural
settings. Live music and recorded examples will be used to illustrate
the history of Arab music, and the various musical genres performed in
the Middle East (religious and secular), including taqsim, tahmillah,
sama’I, muwashaah, longa and others. The audience will have the
opportunity to try out some of the instruments, including ‘oud, nai
and darbekka, for themselves. This program will be videotaped for later
airing on DC Public Access TV, thanks to the generous support of the
Jerusalem Fund Cultural Committee, so please arrive on time. There will
be a follow-up free program by Messrs. Chamberlain and Abddon, including
a reception, on February 27 at 6 p.m. at the Jerusalem Fund, 2400
Virginia Avenue, NW. This program will focus more on performance and
less on background than the January 11 program.
Seifed-Din S Abddon has been a teacher, performer, conductor and
director of various musical institutions in his native Jordan, and has
toured internationally as an ‘oud and violin player. Grant Chamberlain
taught for two years in the Palestinian National Conservatory of Music
in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah, where he gained a great
appreciation of Arab music and culture. While living on the West Bank,
he participated in Arab-Israeli music ensembles, and did volunteer
teaching in a refugee camp and other centers. He is a jazz saxophonist
and music educator with an Australian Master of Music degree. Both he
and Mr. Abddon are currently in the graduate program in Ethnomusicology
at the University of Maryland.
This program is the seventh is CHIME’s series of 22 programs at
eleven DC public libraries in 2002-2003. The remaining two programs in
January will be "Songs and Stories for Chinese New Year" with
Cynthia Lin (currently playing in "South Pacific" at the Arena
Stage) on January 18 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at 12 p.m., and
"Raga-time: Music of South Asia" with sitarist Brian Silver
and friends at Petworth Library at 2 p.m. on January 25. This will be
followed by four programs on music with African roots in February and a
series on music with European roots. For a complete schedule of the
remaining 16 programs in the series, with descriptions, or for
information about CHIME, visit CHIME’s web page at http://www.chime-dc.org.
You can also contact us at info@chime-dc.org
or 232-2731.
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How D-I-Y Seduced a Nation, January 9
National Building Museum, nationalbuildingmuseum@nbm.org
On Thursday, January 9, 6:30-8:00 p.m., at the National Building
Museum, 401 F Street, NW (Metro red line, Judiciary Square stop), author
Karal Ann Marling will discuss the Postwar phenomenon where Americans
were obsessed with their homes and the possibility that, through their
own efforts and their embrace of modernity, they could make a builder’s
house into a reflection of their attitudes and aspirations. From
Whirlpool Dream Kitchens shown at European trade fairs to the paint ads
for textured rollers and bold new colors, advertisers answered this
demand for individualism in an era of mass production and merchandising,
where buying became an aesthetic decision and a response to the grinding
uniformity of suburban life. This lecture is held in conjunction with
the exhibition Do It Yourself: Home Improvement in 20th Century America
which will be open for viewing.
$10 museum members; $15 nonmembers. Prepaid registration required.
Register online at http://www.nbm.org
or call 272-2448.
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CLASSIFIEDS — CLASSES
Interested in learning to play folk guitar? Both finger picking and
strumming? Lessons offered in your own home by a musician with 25 years
experience. Sample video at http://storymakers.net/bobdylansdream.mov
(QuickTime 6 required to view video. QuickTime is a free download from http://www.apple.com/quicktime/).
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Electronic Security Equipment
Thomas Smith, smith1965@hotmail.com
Electronic security equipment for sale, perfect/new condition. Call
Smith, 737-8088 or cell 571-436-5739.
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CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED
Does anyone have a copy of Tom Sherwood's book Dream City that they
would sell for a reasonable price? It is years out of print and
difficult to find otherwise, even on Amazon. Please E-mail stenner@mrss.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Two great apartments in a beautiful row house on Sixteenth Street,
NW, between Park and Monroe Streets. One a lovely, enormous, one bedroom
garden apartment with bay window, private patio, roomy closets, built-in
bookshelves, new carpet in living room and dining room, A/C, modern
kitchen, washer and dryer in unit, near metro, pets okay, parking
available, all utilities included except electricity. $1200.
The other a gorgeous one bedroom plus den on upper floor. 1100 sq.
ft., with hardwood floors, bay window, antique decorative fireplace,
large pantry, ceiling fans, small back porch with wooden swing, A/C,
near metro, washer and dryer in unit, pets okay, parking available, all
utilities included except electricity. $1690. Call 986-2745 or E-mail elizabethabuchanan@yahoo.com.
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