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August 26, 2009

Advances

Dear Social Improvers:

One further thought on the probably invented H.G. Wells quotation about bicycles that I wrote about in the last issue of themail. Wells was quite a futurist, as we all know. One of his lesser-known works, because it is not a novel but instead nonfictional speculations on the advances that Wells believed would occur in the twentieth century is his 1901 book, Anticipations of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought. A copy of the fourth edition, of 1904, is available online at http://ia340931.us.archive.org/1/items/anticipationsofr00welluoft/anticipationsofr00welluoft.pdf. The first chapter is a celebration of what Wells foresaw as the rise of a new form of transportation — individual vehicles, each powered by its own motor, riding on soft tires made of something like rubber on streets that may be hard surfaced with something like asphalt. Some of these vehicles would be large and used for the transportation of goods; some would be motor omnibuses replacing horse omnibuses; and some would be private individual vehicles.

To me, these vehicles sound awfully similar to automobiles. According to Wells, they would create a tremendous improvement over the dirt and noise of current streets, and relieve people of the “quite unendurable inconvenience and danger of urban cycling,” caused by the “omnipresence of mud, filthy mud, churned up by hoofs and wheels under the inclement skies, and perpetually defiled and added to by innumerable hooves.” Even worse for smart-growth planners, in the second chapter, “The Probable Diffusion of Great Cities,” Wells celebrates the spread of the population of large cities made possible by these new modes of transportation, and the resultant relief from the “over-crowded humanity” and “swarming concentrated humanity” that led to such terrible conditions in the major cities of his day.

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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Parking Ticket Writing Blitz
Wendy Blair, wblair@npr.org

I can chime in with another example to go with Ed Barron’s Janney School parking ticketing scam story (themail August 23): the sign in front of the Hine school on Capitol Hill at 8th Street. SE. and Pennsylvania Avenue (Eastern Market) says “No parking on school days.” The tickets issued cite the sign as “in clear evidence.” However, the Hine school has not had any school days since June of 2008. The school has been closed for more than a year. The Hine School side of the street is always fully parked up — and the tickets are given sporadically — necessitating each car owner to contest them.

Ticket contesters must take photos to prove the school is empty on a weekday, find a news clipping announcing the school closing, and copies of notices of subsequent plans to raze the Hine building — and submit these, contesting the ticket. They will then receive a notice from Traffic Adjudication saying, “Your letter has been received and notice of arbitration will be given in due course”. So far (months later) — nothing.

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Lethal Deer Controls in Rock Creek Park
Carol Grunewald, c.l.grunewald@comcast.net

The National Park Service has published a draft white-tailed deer management plan for Rock Creek Park. Alternatives promoted by the Park Service include hiring sharpshooters to kill deer throughout the Park, and capturing deer and euthanizing them.

A meeting to discuss this document will be held Wednesday, September 2, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road, NW. A copy of the report can be obtained from http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rocr, and comments can also be submitted there. I hope our community will show up to promote non-lethal methods of deer control — and protest lethal methods.

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No Rest for the Weary
Clyde Howard, ceohoward@hotmail.com

This past week I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, using the highways of our adjacent neighbor Virginia, only to run into a vast network of highways void of rest stops for the tired and weary drivers traveling long distances. Granted that the government of Virginia is in a budget crunch, but to close rest stops is criminal. From DC to Richmond, VA, is in excess of ninety miles and from Petersburg, VA, to South Hill, is 136 long miles. Closing them will save money on the one hand, yet on the other hand tired and weary drivers have to cover many miles to reach the North Carolina line just to pull in to a rest stop where they can safely take a short power nap or tend to their needs borders on the criminal. Yes, they might be able to pull to the shoulder, but have you seen the shoulders of Virginia highways? They are full of pieces of tires that have wires protruding from them that will puncture your tires. Some shoulders have deep drop-offs if you pull in too far. Also, there is a danger of being hit by inattentive drivers.

Tired and weary drivers are a danger to themselves and to others, and to take away the only means of rest is awful. Yes, they can pull in to service areas as well, but how long will it be before these gas stations and food outlets discover that their water bill has increased before returning to the good old days of having to put a quarter into the slot before you can use the toilet. I have traveled the highways of Virginia on many long trips and appreciate the rest stops greatly, and I am sure the big rig drivers did too. But not to have been proactive as other states have been in manning the rest stops like Pennsylvania, Maryland, and other states have with commercial businesses shows that Virginia was lacking in looking at the problem of expenses of the rest stops and making plans to reduce the drain on their budget.

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Parents Alarmed at Hazardous Conditions at John Burroughs Elementary
Candi Peterson, saveourcounselors@gmail.com 

I received a number of E-mails about the Environmental Protection Agency violations and a notice of asbestos at John Burroughs elementary school. The school is described as being replete with environmental hazards. Burroughs elementary school parents met in June and were quite concerned that the school’s renovation project was too ambitious to be completed by the school’s opening in August. It seems that the parents called this one right, as Burroughs teachers and staff had to face chemical toxins, flying dust, asbestos, and inadequate air quality while preparing for their students’ return last week. According to a notice from the PTA, the guidelines for proper ventilation are not being followed.

The renovation project is under the supervision of Mr. Allan Lew. The name of the construction company is the Centennial Construction Company, which reportedly hires day laborers who may not be aware of the hazards involved in this project and do not have experience in the appropriate disposal of hazardous materials and largely do not speak English. It has been reported that asbestos is in the new wing of John Burroughs, has chipped away and is what is known as friable, and is being covered over by tile. Complaints have been made that dust is all over everything, chemicals from paint and glue fumes stagnate the building as all of the air conditioners are not working in the school and the windows have not been open for the proper ventilation and time frames have not been adhered to for airing out the school. Kindergarten size toilets are being placed where first through sixth graders and middle school students will have to use the bathroom now that the school has expanded.

Here are excerpts from the letter that the PTA sent out to parents, teachers and school staff on August 22: “In observing the work that is being hastily done at Burroughs and remains hugely incomplete, although school starts in less than 48 hours — please be mindful that the EPA states that 72 hours is required to adequately ventilate the building after any construction is complete. From the looks of progress, this will not happen. At 4:10 p.m., Saturday, August 22 dust is wafting through the air in the building, while our teachers are rushing to prepare their classrooms for the children. There is dust everywhere and sawing, hammering, nailing, moving is going on as I type this E-mail — please download the pictures, taken just minutes ago to see a sample of the existing conditions. Please call the EPA’s hot line (800-438-4318) to request that an Indoor Air Quality Test be done on Monday, August 24, prior to school opening, and that the results be made available to all parents, teachers, and staff — so that we know that the air quality levels are safe enough for our children, teachers and staff to inhabit the building.” 

According to the EPA web site: “Some construction activities can release large amounts of VOCs into the school, and if the school is already enclosed with walls, windows, and doors, outdoor air can no longer easily flow through the building and remove the VOCs. In addition to affecting the health of the construction workers, these VOCs can also be adsorbed onto other building materials and be re-released into the air later when the school is occupied by children and staff. During certain construction activities, temporary ventilation systems should be installed to quickly remove the gases.

“Ventilation is generally needed when “wet” building materials are in use, when using materials that give off an odor, or when using materials that carry a manufacturer’s warning regarding the need for ventilation. Odors from building materials are the result of chemicals being released from the materials into the air, so if there is an odor present, it is safest to provide ventilation that will quickly remove those odors from the building. Examples of potentially problematic construction activities include painting (even with no- or low-VOC paints), spreading of floor adhesives, and use of large amounts of caulk, sealants, and cleaning agents. Additionally, the installation of large amounts of building materials, such as carpet or vinyl-based flooring products and composite wood cabinets and shelves, can require extra ventilation if the material has not been carefully selected or aired-out before being unrolled or unpackaged within the school.

“During installation of carpet, paints, furnishings, and other VOC-emitting products, provide supplemental (spot) ventilation for at least 72 hours after work is completed. It is important that an exhaust fan be used to pull the polluted air out of the building, not to push outdoor air into the building. Simply opening windows or doors is not enough to effectively exhaust contaminants in most cases. The fan should be placed in a window or exterior door as close to the work area as possible, and any openings in the window or door around the fan be temporarily sealed with plastic or cardboard. Then open a window or exterior door at the opposite end of the room or building, so that fresher outdoor air will flow across the work area and sweep polluted air out through the exhaust fan. The size of exhaust fan needed will increase as the size of the room increases, and as the amount of gases being released into the air increases. The fan should provide about 5 air changes per hour (5 ACH). Divide the volume of the room in cubic feet by 12 to get the minimum amount of cubic feet per minute (CFM) that the fan must be able to exhaust. For example, a classroom with a volume of 9000 cubic feet (1000 square feet of floor area with 9 foot ceilings) divided by 12 results in a fan of 750 CFM. A 21 inch box fan may be sufficient for a single classroom if the materials are not too strong a source of gases, but would certainly not be sufficient for a wing or a whole school. As a rule of thumb, there may be enough airflow if odors do not spread out of the immediate area where the work is being performed, of if dust or smoke released into the air can be seen to be drawn towards the exhaust fan. As long as the odors or air pollutants are present, the temporary exhaust ventilation must continue to be operated, even during nights and weekends if necessary. Ventilation should continue for a minimum of 24 hours after completion, or until there are no longer any noticeable odors. ”

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Aussies (and Others) Make Up Bogus Facts About DC
Bob Levine, rilevine@cpcug.org 

Also the roads are better maintained in Iraq than DC.

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Marriage Equality in DC
Philip E. Pannell, philippannell@comcast.net 

A referendum or initiative on same-sex marriage in DC would be extremely divisive and would inflict sociopolitical wounds that would take years to heal. However, the proponents of such a vote really do not care about ripping this city apart because the call for a plebiscite on this issue is nothing more than homophobic bigotry wrapped in democratic rhetoric. Homosexuals constitute one of the few remaining minorities in the United States against whom our society sanctions discriminatory policies and actions (i.e., the military policy of don’t ask don’t tell) and the advocates of referenda on this issue throughout the nation have reveled in being able to express their anti-gay prejudices and hate under the guise of protecting the institution of traditional marriage.

I have had proponents of the referendum tell me that they hope that their actions will lead to the dismantling of the DC Human Rights Act and that gays and lesbians will eventually be barred from teaching in our schools and protections for LGBT residents would be removed in the areas of housing and some public accommodations. The advocates for a referendum obviously think that it is impolitic to state publicly what they really want to achieve.

As a gay African American, I find it offensive that community leaders and activists would find it appropriate to put to a vote the effort to make people like me equal citizens. It is heartbreaking to witness so many blacks in this city engage in a campaign of naked hatred against an unpopular minority. In our country most of the human and civil rights advances for African Americans have been the results of legislative and judicial actions enacted after years of struggle and bloodshed. If racial civil rights had been put to referendum, de jure equality for blacks would have been delayed and denied. I hope and pray that those of us who believe in fairness, justice, and equality on the basis of sexual orientation will reject the efforts of the haters to ruin the progressive reputation of our great city.

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Huff and Sputter
Greg Bloom, greg.bloom@gmail.com 

You’re hastening your own irrelevance with this dross.

As amusing as it can be to watch a cranky old man huff and splutter, I have to wonder whether, when you first started this “E-mail newsletter,” you pictured a more dignified sunset than the one you’re driving into here.

Stick to fights worth picking.

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One Cannot Be Selective in a Democracy
Robert “Bob” King, grassrootsdc@gmail.com 

“Selective democracy” is not an option. Voters throughout the United States receive more than the arbitrary, “selective” voter democracy forced upon District residents and that disparity is amplified when it comes to ballot measures. DC at least should be no different on ballot measures, especially as DC Voting Rights Activists move throughout the nation to promote our own quest for statehood/voting rights.

Denying democracy from within our own ranks of leadership and citizenry cannot be an option in the nation’s capital. It is clear that the District of Columbia covets and is pursuing voting rights in Congress and ultimately statehood. The District champions democracy, so it is unenviable to pick and choose what democracy is the flavor of the day. Therefore, do not dishonor the rights of DC voters by challenging their right to have a citizen-driven ballot initiative in 2010. Fortunately, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, civic/community leaders, members of the faith community, and so forth are sending in resolutions to support the journey to a citizens-initiative. The resolution is referred to as the People’s Resolution and is the product of a grassroots movement to put a citizens-driven initiative on the ballot in 2010 when citizens go to the ballot to vote for their candidates.

There are several points from the People’s Resolution which is circulating to call for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and citizens to push for a citizen-driven initiative for the ballot in 2010 on the definition of marriage. Citizens of the District of Columbia have not had an opportunity to address or vet the issue of changing the definition of marriage to include same-sex marriage, and most were not aware it was an issue before the city council. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, who provide great weight on DC issues, policies, and laws, and have a constituency of at least 2000 residents, were not consulted on legislation regarding the definition of marriage, nor were civic groups, community leaders, the faith community, business leaders, or other groups. The council of the District of Columbia, the mayor, and the DC Delegate to Congress support legislation to recognize same-sex marriage; however, there was no public hearing on changing the definition of marriage to gauge the pros and cons or to measure public/taxpayer opinion, and Congress chose not to intervene on this local issue. The DC council is expected to introduce legislation in fall 2009 to change the definition of marriage to permit same-sex marriages to be performed in the District of Columbia, while recent legislation allowed such marriages to be recognized from other jurisdictions. 

The District of Columbia is the nation’s capital, America’s first city, with nearly six hundred thousand residents (more residents than a few states) and is considered the international seat of democracy in the Free World and symbolically DC policies may have far reaching impact and set the tone and direction for jurisdictions to follow. Nothing in the DC Human Rights Act should prevent the people of DC from being heard on this important public policy matter of changing the definition of marriage or other public policy issues.

The District of Columbia and a multitude of states allow for ballot measures in the form of a referendum and/or initiative to create, affirm, or reject legislation. The people of the District of Columbia should decide the critical issue of the definition of marriage and same-sex marriage, not the thirteen members of the DC council, the mayor, and the DC Delegate to Congress. Many citizens support having a citizens’ initiative on the ballot in the 2010 General Election for DC voters to decide whether or not the definition of marriage in the District of Columbia shall include same-sex marriage. District of Columbia registered voters (Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Statehood/Green Party) should be able to vote for or against, “yea” or “nay,” on the ballot measure, thus giving power back to the people in the nation’s capital and taking the matter beyond elected officials to determine once and for all the will of the people.

With democracy comes the right to vote (the will of the people), which separates democracy from communism, socialism, tyranny, and dictatorship. The value of the American democratic vote is so important and so well valued that measures were enacted to protect it. If it were not for the Civil Rights Acts of 1963 and 1965, many Americans would still be denied their constitutional right to vote — a right that the District of Columbia demands as a taxed body of people.

Many citizens in the District feel they are being denied their right to vote by their own elected and appointed public officials. As of June 30, there were 311,528 Democrats, 28,448 Republicans, 4,126 Statehood-Green Party, and 66,078 Independents/No-Party registered voters. There were 411,476 total registered voters in the District of Columbia. They demand the right to vote on what the definition of marriage should be in the nation’s capital, and no excuses will soften, abrogate, or nullify their stance to involve them intimately in this controversial public policy issue. Citizens are determined to go to the ballot box on this issue one way or another. It is imperative that there be an initiative on the ballot in 2010 to relieve impressions of anarchy and self serving interests as well as disrespect and disinterest for the everyday voter and taxpayer. When states decide on a citizens’ initiative, it is because the will of the people must be heard. Why must citizens of the District be held hostage and treated like unintelligent, unsophisticated second-class citizens when other jurisdictions enjoy the liberty to have a citizens’ initiative on the issue of defining marriage? In a democracy, a voter ballot is the most valued voice citizens have to express themselves and to participate in our society. It is the right to vote that matters more than what the outcome of the vote may be. To follow the happenings of the People’s Campaign, please E-mail grassrootsdc@gmail.com to join our mailing list for updates.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

Art Salon, August 27
Lisa Alfred, lalfred@wdchumanities.org 

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities will have its third installment of Art Salon at Solea, a Jair Lynch property, featuring work by DC artists Peter Krsko, Quest Skinner, Rogelio Maxwell, Cory Orbendorfer, and Decoy with rhythms driven by DJ Iwah and Christylez Bacon. Art Salon brings together members of Washington’s creative community that are shaping the next era of art in DC.

Thursday, August 27, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Solea, 1401 Florida Avenue, NW. RSVP: dccahevents@gmail.com.

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Department of Parks and Recreation Events, August 29
John Stokes, john.astokes@dc.gov

August 29 through October 17, 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Anacostia High School, Ballou High School, Cardozo High School, Coolidge High School, McKinley Tech High School, Roosevelt High School, Spingarn High School, Stanton Elementary School. DC Pop Warner Football League Kickoff - Opening Weekend for ages five through fifteen. Join DPR and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington for the opening weekend of the DC Pop Warner Football League season. Regular season football games will be played across the District every weekend until October 17. This year, the DC Pop Warner Football League will have over two thousand youth athletes, aged five to fifteen years old, competing in six Pop Warner Football age/weight divisions. Playoffs Weekend begins October 24 and Championship Weekend begins October 31; teams will play for the DC Pop Warner Football League championship, and the opportunity to represent the DC Pop Warner Football League in the regional playoffs in November, and a shot to compete in the Pop Warner Football Super Bowl in December. For more information, call DC Pop Warner Football League at 673-2032.

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