Eyes Wide Shut
Dear Watchers:
Computerworld Magazine has a feature named Shark Tank that is
dedicated to telling the stories, humorous and sad and both, about the
woes of poor computer technician pilot fish who are forced to swim in
the shark infested waters of business and government. A couple days ago,
Shark Tank related this story: “Tech pilot fish gets the call when the
payroll department's printer jams halfway through printing payroll
checks. 'When I approached the printer, the payroll clerk jumped in
front of me and told me I couldn't look at the checks,' fish says. 'I
asked her how I was supposed to fix the jam if I couldn't get near the
printer. She told me I would have to keep my eyes closed.'”
You know where I'm going with this. When DC government officials try
to fix jams, more often than not, they do so with their eyes closed.
We're fixing the schools by eliminating 557 school system employees,
including 285 teachers — and by raising the compensation offer for the
next prospective superintendent to $600,000. If that's such a good idea,
why stop at half measures? Why don't we fire another hundred teachers or
so, and raise the superintendent's salary to a million and a half? That
should work even better.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Searching for Employees of the Metropolitan
Branch of the B&O Railroad
Jerry A. McCoy, sshistory@yahoo.com
The Silver Spring Historical Society is looking for conductors,
engineers, porters, or other people who worked on the Metropolitan
Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which ran from Washington,
DC, to Point of Rocks, MD. We desire to interview, for a documentary on
Silver Spring's B&O Railroad Station, employees who remember passing
through Silver Spring, MD (mostly pre-1971), and have memories of the
passenger station there and the personnel who worked in it.
Please contact: Jerry A. McCoy, President, Silver Spring Historical
Society, 301-565-2519, sshistory@yahoo.com.
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Tell the City Council No Cuts to Kids!
Susie Cambria, DC Action for Kids, scambria@dckids.org
On May 11, the City Council voted to make significant cuts to budgets
that affect children, youth and their families. We all need to work on
May 12 and May 13 to reverse the cuts. Your voice will make a
difference! The following Councilmembers voted for the cuts: Ambrose
(Ward 6), Brazil (At-large), Catania (At-large), Evans (Ward 2), Fenty
(Ward 4), Mendelson (At-large), and Patterson (Ward 3). The following
Councilmembers opposed the cuts and voted against them: Allen (Ward 8),
Chavous (Ward 7), Cropp (At-large), Graham (Ward 1), Orange (Ward 5),
and Schwartz (At-large).
What you need to do on May 13: 1) E-mail, fax or call the
councilmembers who voted for the cuts (your member and all at-large
members). Deliver the following messages: Restore funding to the
Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health, the
Department of Health, and Child and Family Services Agency -- children’s
lives are at stake! Insert language in the Budget Support Act to direct
these agencies not to cut services to children and youth. Specifically,
direct the Department of Human Services to spend no less than $65
million on the Child Care Subsidy Program. Direct the Department of
Mental Health to spend no less than on children and youth in FY 2005 as
they are spending in FY 2004. Direct the Department of Health to
maintain funding levels for maternal and child health. 2) E-mail, fax or
call the councilmembers who opposed the cuts and thank them for their
commitment to children. Also, encourage them to talk to their colleagues
who voted for the cuts in an effort to have the members change their
votes. 3) Tell everyone you know to communicate with their elected
officials immediately!
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Smokefree DC Initiative Update
Angela Bradbery, angela@smokefreedc.org
On May 6, DC Superior Court Judge Mary Terrell heard arguments in the
case that the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington has
filed to stop a smokefree workplace initiative from being placed on
November’s ballot. The hearing focused on the association’s tired
old argument about the "devastating" economic impact a
smokefree workplace ordinance would have on the District. Never mind the
numerous studies showing that jobs and sales go up after localities go
smokefree. In fact, although the restaurant association couldn’t
produce a shred of evidence that smokefree workplace laws harm the
economy — save for a badly done, anecdotal Washington Post
story that was written only weeks after Montgomery County’s law took
effect, and baseless predictions from two Councilmembers (again, based
on no facts) -- the judge seemed to buy the association’s arguments.
She intimated that she thinks smokers would stop going to restaurants
if they became smokefree (they won’t, studies show) and even asked
what’s wrong with voluntary smokefree policies (answer: this doesn’t
protect all workers). But the hearing was not supposed to be about
whether a smokefree workplace ordinance is a good idea -- that’s up
for the electorate to decide. The hearing was solely to debate whether
the proposed initiative is proper for the ballot. As a final insult, the
judge abruptly ended the hearing just before 5 p.m., even though the
lawyer arguing for the proposed initiative hadn’t finished his
presentation. Terrell said she would rule the week of May 17.
Note that we must gather 18,000 signatures by July 5 to get the
measure on the November ballot – regardless of when the court case
ends. We cannot get the petitions until this is resolved. We lost two
months just waiting for this hearing; now we must remain petition-less
for another two weeks at least. If you would like to help us make the
District smokefree, please visit http://www.smokefreedc.org.
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While "tailgating, weaving, red light running, passing stopped
school buses, etc." may be the immediate cause of what Harold
Goldstein refers to as “accidents,” they often go hand in hand with
speeding, usually as a direct result of it. To argue that they alone
should be the focus of traffic enforcement while turning a blind eye to
speeding sounds like a classic case of treating the symptoms but
ignoring the disease. Pretending that speeding happens in a vacuum may
be defensible in the wide open spaces of Montana or Wyoming, but not in
an urban area like DC.
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Attitude
John Whiteside, johnwhitesde at earthlink dot net
In response to Lea Adams' scornful comments about me in the last
themail [May 9]: I have reread my original comments and don't see how it
could be called “spewing sour grapes.” Was it when I said, “DC has
so many great things and so much to offer?” Or when I said I'd miss
DC? Ms. Adams, you don't know me, you don't know about my involvement in
my community in DC, you don't know my politics, you don't know how much
time I've spent in this or any place, you don't know the different
cities I've called home throughout my life. You don't know about the
hours I've spent working with my local community association and serving
on its board, or writing and calling DPW when the trash isn't picked up
on my street yet again, nagging DDOT about the dangerous traffic
conditions in Logan Circle, or participating on the Mayor's parking task
force. You don't know about the time I spent writing to members of
Congress about DC voting rights. You don't know about the many, many
trips to Houston I've made before commenting on some things I noticed
last weekend that confirmed things I'd seen long before. You could have
just asked about any of these things, but instead, you read the words
"new home town" and decided you knew enough to fire off some
snotty comments.
By the way, blaming our crappy transportation on Congress is
ludicrous. That one fall squarely on the local governments, most
especially those of northern Virginia, though DC's incompetent
transportation department doesn't help. Especially when Metro was built
with a huge infusion of federal funds. And as for having that train to
Dulles running by the time I start talking to my members of Congress —
well, I'll be a Texas resident and July and plan to let all my federal
representatives know that they should be supporting equal voting rights
for District residents. When does that first train run?
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A Comprehensive Plan, or a Special Interest
Catalogue for the National Capital?
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
The National Capital Planning Commission has circulated for comment a
draft of the new Federal Elements portion of its long-range
Comprehensive Plan for our "capital," a term that can cover
either federal properties, the capital city, or the capital region. Our
lengthy summary of its highlights is at http://www.narpac.org/REXCOMPL.HTM#feintro.
It avers that the capital symbolizes the nation's heart, ideals and
values. It says the federal government should promote the quality of the
region and provide a setting worthy of the nation's capital that
benefits the local community and serves as a model for the country. But
guess what? That statement applies to the region's natural resources,
but not to the city's quality of life. The plan is without fiscal,
spatial, or time constraints; without priorities; and without
projections of future urban trends. It catalogues over 340 "policy
bullets," one for Metro, one for "maglev" commuter
trains, and eight for bicycle facilities. It has 83 "policy
bullets" for parks and open spaces, and none concerning the
negative image of concentrated poverty. Our frustrations show at http://www.narpac.org/REXCOMPL.HTM#fecomgen.
Then for kicks learn about DC's major terrain features, particularly its
influential "topographic bowl" at http://www.narpac.org/REXCOMPL.HTM#fetopbowl.
Check out these offbeat additions to the May update of NARPAC's web site
at http://www.narpac.org/INTHOM.HTM,
You too could be a planner, or at least a cataloguer.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Ward 5 Picnic, May 15
Estell Mathis-Lloyd, elloyd@dc.gov
The annual Ward 5 picnic and plant giveaway will be held Saturday,
May 15, from 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at Langdon Park and Recreation Center,
located at 18th and Franklin Street, NE. Please come out and enjoy a
fun-filled day, with fun for all ages.
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Guy Mason Recreation Center Class
Registration, May 17
Toni Ritzenberg, taritzdc@aol.com
Registration for Summer 2004 classes at the Guy Mason Recreation
Center, 3600 Calvert Street, NW, begins Monday, May 17. Classes will
start the week of June 7, except for pottery on May 13, Yoga on June
16th, Pilates on June 20, and Qi Gong on June 24. This session there is
an evening art class, “Understanding Painting,” which, aside from
learning to paint, presents an overview of art.
The regular classes in China painting, copper enameling, art, and
pottery are back for the summer, as well as the fitness classes in
Dancersize, Qi Gong, Pilates and Yoga. Bridge is continuing and for
children and parents there is Music Together. The language class for the
summer will be French. As always, this is one of the best bargains that
our city has to offer!
For further information, contact Robert Haldeman/Caryl King
(282-2180), visit the Center (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-10 p.m. or Saturdays
9 a.m.-3 p.m.), or check the web site, http://www.guymasonstudioarts.com.
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Saturday, May 15, 11:00 a.m., Washington Highlands Neighborhood
Library, 115 Atlantic Street, SW. Learn about local community
associations and organizations. Public contact: 645-5880.
Saturday, May 15, 10:30 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW. Awards ceremony for the winners of the
Letters About Literature Contest 2004 sponsored locally by the DC Center
for the Book @ DC Public Library. The first place winners are: Level I,
grades 4-6: Sofonias Haile of Lafayette Elementary School wrote to R.L..
Stine, The Nightmare Room; Level II, grades 7-8: Gretchen
Heberling of the British School of Washington wrote to Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl;
and Level III, grades 9-12: William Vasquez of Bell Multicultural High
School wrote to Ben Mikaelsen, Red Midnight. Each first place
winner will receive a Target gift card. In addition, Borders Books &
Music will give each first, second and third prize winners a gift
certificate. Partners for the local contest are Borders Books &
Music and the Junior League of Washington. The contest is sponsored
nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in
partnership with Target Stores. Weekly Reader Corporation, publisher of
children’s classroom periodicals, is a program sponsor. Public
contact: 727-1151.
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Women’s International Religious Fellowship
Dinner, May 21
Vivian Henderson, VHende1886@aol.com
Enjoy good international food, fellowship, and entertainment by
attending the Women's International Religious Fellowship Dinner, Friday,
May 2l, 6:00-8:30 p.m., at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, 4606 16th
Street, NW. For tickets call 291-2333 or 882-5914. The cost is $15.00
per person. No tickets will be sold at the door. This is a two-for-one
evening; you will have great food, live entertainment, enjoyable
fellowship, and you will be helping with children's charities here and
abroad.
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DC Preservation League Annual Meeting, June 9
Rebecca Miller, info@dcpreservation.org
Come to the DC Preservation League's annual meeting on Wednesday,
June 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Tivoli Theater at 14th
Street and Park Road, NW. Fee: members free, non-members: $50.
Reservation required. For more information call 783-5144 or E-mail info@dcpreservation.org.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Employment Training Specialist, ARRIBA Center
Cris Covelli, arribacenter@juno.com
ARRIBA Center is currently seeking applicants for the position of
full-time employment training specialist. Primary responsibilities
include planning and delivering twelve-week training course to clients
with sessions focusing on résumé writing, interview skills,
introduction to computers, among other topics. Also responsible for
maintaining a job bank, fostering contacts with local employers,
securing job interviews for clients and accompanying them from time to
time to the interviews, and putting together a job fair three or four
times a year. Other duties include marketing of employment training
program to the local Hispanic- and English-speaking community in
neighborhoods, media, churches, government agencies, and other
nonprofits; client intake and referral to other agencies; record
keeping; light administrative duties; and other duties as assigned.
Reports to Executive Director. Successful candidate will be fluent in
English and Spanish and able to foster relationships with other
like-minded nonprofits; be committed to working with people with
disabilities; have knowledge of the labor market and issues immigrants
face in this country; have proven problem-solving skills; as well as an
ability to build and maintain trusting relationships. Full benefits
package. Please call (do not E-mail) 667-3990 for further information
between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
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CLASSIFIEDS — DEALS
Does anyone want to split the purchase of the Safeway eleven-piece
outdoor set of outdoor furniture? I hear it's a great deal, $300, and
the stuff sells out quickly. Our family doesn't really need all eleven
pieces, and we're only particularly interested in the two-seat bench.
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