So, here goes:

1. Read more books. I read a couple books in 2011, but I really would like to be a bit more diligent about diving into the stack of volumes that are whispering to me, urging me to open their covers and get lost in the pages.

2. Plan another big trip. Iceland was a surreal, magical, wonderful experience – and one that sprite and I planned mostly by happenstance. I’m not sure that this next big trip will happen in 2012, but getting the wheels in motion now wouldn’t be a bad idea.

3. Cook and prepare more things that I would otherwise buy. Often I’m in a rush to leave in the morning and don’t pack lunch. That means having to uy lunch, and the cost adds up. So I’d like to have the foresight to pack more lunches. Also, I’m a sucker for gourmet coffee drinks that I can totally make myself (e.g. espresso, Starbucks’ gingerbread lattés). For Christmas, I received an Aerobee Aeropress, and sprite pointed me to this DIY gingerbread latté recipe, so…. there ‘ya go!

4. Clean a little bit every day. The Burrow is a tiny apartment, and it’s often far from the sanctuary it should be. I’d like to rediscover the space inside by cleaning it a little each day and, like sprite, concentrate on sectors. It may mean that we’ll have guests over more often, and that would be great.

5. Let go of things. This goes hand-in-hand with cleaning, in a sense: I tend to hold onto things, sometimes to the point of obsession. This leads to messes, both literal and figurative, which leads to unnecessary stress. I’ve been working on this for a few years, and it’s a continuing process.

6. Really crush the Death Ride. It’s my big event ride for 2012, and I want to be super-strong in it! So it will involve training smartly, eating well, resting, keeping the bikes in shape and always looking forward.

7. Go hiking in both Rock Creek Park and Shenandoah National Park. One is just blocks from my front door. The other is only 60 miles from my front door. And I really haven’t hiked in either park. I love hiking, so…. let’s do it!

8. Draw more. I have a lovely set of Prismacolor pencils and sketchbooks – I should use ‘em more!

9. Post more on this blog. It’s fallen somewhat by the wayside. This will change in 2012.

10. Say “thank you” far more often. I’m often not grateful enough for the friends and family I have, and the things they do to help me through life.

Do any of you have things you want to do in 2012?

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

ten on tuesday: things to do in 2012

I’m dismayed that the DC Council’s monthly breakfasts tend to be lavish affairs, especially when the Council is dealing with high levels of unemployment, corruption, and whatnot. Yesterday’s breakfast had a rather flashy spread, complete with individual glass bottles of Voss sparkling mineral water. This water isn’t cheap, and it’s very sad to see such wasteful spending, especially when DC Water is promoting reusable bottles filled with DC’s perfectly drinkable tap water.

So I ask: as the monthly breakfast duty rotates amongst Council members, who went to these wasteful lengths? Hey, DC press (I’m looking at you, DeBonis, Sherwood and Suderman): let’s not allow this to simply pass us by.

(As an aside, this kind of over-the-top, lavish catering reminds me of my time on the DC Democratic State Committee, when the committee was planning its trip to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. One of the DCDSC’s national committee liaisons spoke of “wonderful, catered breakfasts with crispy bacon, eggs, all the trimmings,” and the need for an exorbitant budget to pay for all of this opulence – for a group that didn’t really have a purpose for being at the convention, other than to cast a ceremonial nominating vote. Otherwise, the Democratic National Convention is all about networking and trying to land a political appointment – whatever. And these funds were raised through less-than-legal means, in the end – DeBonis’ write-up is a good place to start on said research. Needless to say, I was very happy not to run for reelection to such a corrupt – and, in the end, pointless – organization.)

———

Word is the Lincoln Theatre on U Street is running out of funds, and needs a quick injection of $500,000 (give or take) to continue operation. This historic building is owned and operated by the District, and I’ve seldom seen it actually host events. From what I can tell, this so-called “hybrid community-commercial venue” is mis-managed, in part by its non-communicative board of directors (who apparently haven’t directly asked the Mayor for assistance, or even a meeting to talk), and in part by its insistance on hosting “multi-cultural experiences and programming.”

Here’s the problem with the latter portion: this charter is essentially code for preserving a culture that has long since left the U Street corridor. Yes, it was the “Black Broadway of DC” in its heyday, a magnet for performers like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway. And the majority of programs booked in the Lincoln try to preserve the historic African-American heritage of the U Street corridor, or play to international arts events.

But over the past 15 years, U Street has changed. It is no longer a neighborhood dominated by one culture, but a melting pot of urban renewal. The old guard establishments, like Ben’s Chili Bowl and Bohemian Caverns, has been joined by thriving new ventures, like Marvin, Nellie’s, Busboys and Poets, and numerous other restaurants, bars and shops. International music and theatre is embraced by performance venues like GWU’s Lisner Auditorum, Warner Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s two indoor performance space, as well as other venues in the greater DC area. As people are priced out of the U Street housing market, they often take the culture with them to their new neighborhoods.

A quick study of how many nights the Lincoln is booked for events shows it booked an average of 30-36 days per year – less than ten percent of the time. For any performance venue, this is not an admirable record. And the few times the Lincoln hosted events that were a bit outside of their typical bookings – a LGBT film festval and fringe theatre events, to name but two – there were many obstacles that stood in the way of any perception of success. These obstacles included veiled prejudice with regard to the LGBT festival and mainstream music bookings, as well as negative neighborhood perception on the part of fringe theatre. And those who have worked at the Lincoln have few positive things to say about the management and staff at the facility, ranging from cries of indifference to non-timeliness of essential technical staff.

To put it bluntly: the place is mismanaged on many levels, to its detriment. And DC is now in the midst of renovating the old Howard Theatre, likely embarking on the same path to disrepair.

The solution? The DC government should convert the Lincoln into a stand-alone, non-profit entity. It needs to be weaned from the teat of the DC taxpayers and find its own feet. Such a quality venue, with lovely architecture and a size that’s bigger than many clubs and fringe theatres, yet smaller than places like National Theatre, would be best managed by a firm like IMP (which already does occasional bookings for the facility) or a local guild of theatre companies. This facility needs to be booked more than 65 percent of the year to be relevant or solvent, and it needs management that actually is in tune with the people who now frequent the U Street corridor.

I’m not advocating complete abandonment of the mission of preserving the history of U Street. I’m simply encouraging the Lincoln to embrace the changes, as well: to offer all of Heinz’ 57 varieties of wares, not just things that no longer resonate with the locals.

As far is the Howard is concerned: partner with Howard University and a firm like IMP now, get a game plan in place that is forward thinking in terms of the needs of the city and neighborhood, and don’t step on the toes of your U Street neighbor to the west.

———

The DC government also announced that, unless a little over $300,000 can be found in the budget, it will shutter MLK Library on Sundays, thus closing the only DCPL location that operates on said day. While I grew up in a city where the public library was never, ever open on a Sunday, MLK is a vital “third space” for the DC community.

So where can $300,000 be found? Well, Councilman Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr., wrongly spent approximately $300,000 of city funds on his own, non-constituent expenses. He has promised to pay them back, so why not have him pay them directly to DCPL to keep MLK open? Seems like common sense, and makes lemonade out of lemons.

(And naturally, since this makes sense, the DC Council won’t do it.)

———

And finally: I’d really like to see Tommy Wells get more aggressive within the Council. Sure, the rest of the Council let you down, and in a perfect world it would be wise to sit back and let wounds heal.

But if the culture of corruption and ineptitude that has been the hallmark of the current Mayor and Council is any indication, now is not the time to be quiet, Tommy. Get angry! Get aggressive! Carry that big stick and use it. Your constituents didn’t vote you in to be a soft voice, but to call out the bullshit when you saw it. So….

Just do it!

Hold your colleagues accountable! Point out when things don’t make any sense! Be a champion for sanity in government! Take on the mantel of moving the city into the future, while many of your colleagues want to drag it back into the past!

Seriously, Tommy, you’re one of the few – if not the only – Council member with whom I don’t really have a beef (the same definitely can’t be said of my Ward’s Councilman, Jack Evans). You’ve had plenty of time to lick your wounds and brush off the dirt from being smacked down – now is the time to get back to fighting!

Ahem….

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

random thursday rant

Wells, in his role as Chair of the Transportation Committee on the Council, worked hard to improve transit infrastructure throughout DC. In particular, he worked had via his (now former) position on the board of WMATA to expand Metro commuter services to Wards 7 and 8 on the east side of the Anacostia River.

In other words: he was working to improve the overall livability of these Wards, which often complain of being Balkanized and held in lower esteem by the rest of the city and city government.

And this, to a politician from one of said Wards, is electoral kryptonite.

Why?

Because the politicians who are successful in these Wards – from CMs Alexander (Ward 7) and Barry (Ward 8), to Chairman Brown and, to an extent, Mayor Gray – rose to success by leveraging their Wards’ second-class status. Their continued electoral success hinges on the status quo remaining just that.

And what does Wells do? He looks to change the playing field by improving Metro and DDOT services in these Wards. And while this is a popular move amongst many in said Wards (and likely amongst a majority in the Wards west of the Anacostia River, where improved transit and transportation infrastructure has made these areas desirable places to live and work), it’s seen as an affront to the old-guard political machines of Wards 7 and 8, as well as the old-guard relics who dominate the DC Democratic State Committee.

So, aside from the fact that Wells blew open the SUV buying scandal with Chairman Brown (which eventually steamrolled into a full-tilt federal investigation into campaign finance irregularities with Brown’s recent elections for At-Large Council and Council Chairman), he also was working to destroy the political backbone that brought Kwame Brown, Yvette Alexander, Marion Barry and other Ward 7 and 8 politicians into power.

So what does a threatened animal do? In this case, Brown fought back, but in a way that is the embodiment of petulant playground politics. In the role of school bully, he took Wells’ “toys” (i.e. the Transportation committee and WMATA board position) when Wells threatened to undermine part of the bully’s turf.

Frankly, I hope that this serves as a wake-up call to a new political guard in Wards 7 and 8: a group of open-minded, progressive leaders who truly embrace bringing the east side of the Anacostia out of its Balkanized past and present, instead looking toward a future where there one city isn’t just a political catchphrase, but a comfortable and accepted reality.

(In particular, I’m looking at you, Veronica, to lead in Ward 7!)

I tip my hat to Tommy Wells for keeping his commentary almost exclusively constructive and positive. Having just heard him on Kojo’s show, he was the epitome of class, accepting his new committee chairmanship (of the Libraries, Parks and Recreation, as well as Planning), and reaffirming his “loyalty… to the residents of the District.”

We haven’t heard the last of this – not by a longshot.

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

another angle on the tommy wells demotion

U2. This is a tough one for me, because I really like U2′s music. But I have a tough time getting too excited about their latest releases. I guess that No Line On The Horizon just left me… wanting. Wanting the band to be less ponderous, sounding more fresh. They always release a single that suggests a turn toward something new and different (e.g. “Vertigo” or “Put On Your Boots”), but the rest of the album sounds like the same-’ol, post Achtung Baby U2. They’ve done well by this formula – I really like All That You Can’t Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb – but they seem to be coasting along these days. And the new songs I’ve heard from their current tour don’t suggest anything new coming along anytime soon.

But the real point of my bringing up this post is to discuss something else where my support used to be somewhat strong, but has since waned:

Instant-Runoff Voting. I once was a believer in IRV. I even thought that it had a place within a PAC I helped form here in DC, to be used for endorsement of candidates – though even then, I was a bit skeptical about its merit. My biggest problem with IRV is the false sense of support it can create for the victor. I think that IRV (in a modified form, but still IRV) was suggested for the PAC because, under more traditional voting systems, the group seldom came to enough consensus to endorse candidates and initiatives in local politics. So IRV was a means to bring about endorsement more-or-less for the sake of endorsement, even if the bulk of the membership was divided.

Since IRV became the law of the PAC, endorsements have been handed out in many races. But these endorsements are often hollow. The IRV system can be played via political gamesmanship (e.g. not ranking all candidates, instead ranking just one and selecting “no endorsement” as the other option – a valid tactic, but one that can force a particular outcome). When the system is played, the outcome is seldom one of consensus; rather, it’s one the divides membership, dilutes support for the endorsed candidate, and makes the PAC and the endorsed look weak.

This folly was brought to the fore in my mind today by a post at Greater Greater Washington that suggested that IRV could be a solution to the quandary posed by the upcoming special (and open) election to fill the At-Large Council seat vacated by Kwame Brown. An IRV poll was part of the post, and wouldn’t you know it: supporters of two leading candidates embarked in the same political gamesmanship that makes IRV farcical in endorsement processes. Any “victory” in this flawed poll (it also allowed unlimited casting of votes by individuals, which is a flaw in the polling software used) is a hollow as an IRV victory would be in a real-world election.

Are current election models perfect? No. But IRV is not a great solution, either, and has the likelihood to produce hollow victories for candidates who will enjoy little real-world support.

So IRV, it was an interesting relationship, but I think that the promise of instant results and guaranteed compromise outcomes doesn’t really work in most real-world situations.

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

things i used to love

Please note that this shutdown will also shutter most of the District of Columbia’s city government. We have no control over our own money, so Congress’ petulant bickering will result in trash not getting collected, many social services shutting their doors, streets not being kept up or repaired, and a lot of citizens of DC being furloughed for at least a week. DC is one of the United States’ last colonies: we pay taxes but have no representation for us on Capitol Hill.

So this means that DC’s government has to pick and choose which programs are essential and hope that we have the money to do it. Sure: police, fire and EMS will still be on duty in full force. But other services that many would deem essential in a civil society will be curtailed. An example: hot meals for housebound elderly residents of the District. So senior citizens? You’re not essential. And public libraries? Nope – reading isn’t, it turns out, fundamental. Want to lodge a complaint against the DC Police Department? Sorry – the complaints department isn’t essential.

And it’s at times like these that the stupid riders that Tea Party followers insist on adding to otherwise necessary federal belt tightening measures in the budget make me want to remind these so-called “tea partiers” that the *original* Boston Tea Party existed to help people like the residents of DC, not people who don’t have a clue about what high taxes actually are and who, frankly speaking, aren’t paying nearly enough taxes given the number of Federally-funded entitlements they use each and every day.

Sincerely,

A taxpaying resident of Washington, DC, who is still treated like a colonist by Congress

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

a note regarding the impending federal government shutdown

“Educating people who might be the first in their families to attend college, creating a college based on open access and lifelong learning, a highly regarded low cost law school and creating a community college is taking up the rear? Typical DC Elitist!”

But Tom Sherwood is right: UDC is an institution that has no clear purpose and should be re-evaluated as to its mission and goals.

UDC has three core elements: a traditional four-year undergraduate school, a law school, and a two-year community college. All of these schools are available at low cost to DC residents, which appears to be a benefit to those most in need of financial assistance. They also give a very “state-like” look-and-feel to the District, which longs to be more than “the last colony” in the United States.

Yet to my eye, of all these schools only one should continue: the community college.

Why? Let me explain:

First things first: college education is not a right. Access to the education is a right, but receiving a college education isn’t. College – and in this case I mean an accredited, four-year degree-granting institution – shouldn’t be a given simply because a student has met the minimum requirements of graduation from high school. The sense that college is a right is a byproduct of the so-called “generation of entitlement” – the same movement that always asks “what about me?,” creates grade inflation throughout the educational system, and causes folks to look down on available, if not exciting, jobs because they are “below my station.”

But college is never a given, and not everybody should go into a four-year college – or even any college – if college won’t help them or is too academically challenging.

But for those who are college material, DC isn’t hurting for opportunity, nor are DC residents without affordable options without counting UDC as one of said options.

The District is home to many well-regarded and accredited undergratuate institutions. Within DC’s boundaries, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, American University, Howard University, Catholic University and Trinity University all offer Bachelor’s degrees that are held in high regard. Spread your reach a bit outside of DC and Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore), University of Maryland (College Park), George Mason University (Fairfax), The United States Naval Academy (Annapolis), and Marymount University (Arlington) all provide well-regarded undergraduate education with full accreditation of their programs.

The same can’t be said for UDC. While certain programs receive accreditation, the whole school has had a tenuous relationship with such status over its history. And like much of the District’s public education system, a lot of money is poured into UDC without much in the way of positive results.

As for UDC’s law school, while I admire its affordability, law school degrees often carry more weight and perceived legitimacy depending on the reputation of the school. And in a town where Georgetown, GWU and American University all feature highly-respected law programs, UDC’s program pales by comparison in terms of reputation.

Why talk of reputation? Because in the real, cutthroat world of business, reputation matters. And in DC and the surrounding area, where connections are the secret gold, attending a school with a top-notch reputation makes a big difference. School with good reputations have alumni networks that open doors. Yes, it’s unfair, but it’s a real-world concern in many fields.*

And when it comes to both four-year undergraduate education and law school, UDC’s reputation is anything but stellar. As mentioned earlier, the undergraduate program dodges the accreditation bullet time and again, which hurts the school’s reputation both within the DC area and, especially, in the national and international realm. And the law school, while a bargain and somewhat well regarded in certain legal circles, still doesn’t have the reputation – and thus the connection possibilities – of its fellow DC-area schools, not to mention law schools across the U.S.

But UDC’s supporters continue to beat the drum of affordability, which is a legitimate concern in a city where many college-eligible students are discouraged by soaring tuition and fees.

A fact that a lot of UDC’s boosters fail to mention is that DC residents, with few exceptions, qualify for in-state tuition reciprocity at four-year state colleges and universities throughout the United States. So if affordability is bandied about as an barrier to access, it shouldn’t be: the University of Maryland is one of these reciprocity-granting schools, and it is on Metrorail’s green line, which is about as accessible as can be. And getting in-state tuition at heavy-hitting schools like the University of Illinois, Penn State, University of Massachusetts, Arizona State University and the like is nothing to scoff at!

Furthermore, financial assistance – in the form of scholarships, grants, fellowships, student loans and the like – is available to almost all college students, especially those with the greatest financial burden. Some schools are even “need-blind” in terms of admissions: if accepted to one of these schools, the school will fund the tuition that the student’s family can’t afford without question.

So if DC student does well in high school, earning good grades in tough courses, opportunity is there, even without UDC entering the picture.

And what of UDC’s mission, then? What of the students, as Kinlow mentions, who may be the first in their family to attend college? Or of the students who otherwise couldn’t get access to college because of academic disadvantage?

This is where UDC does have a single, important mission: creating and running an excellent community college. Community colleges are an essential stepping stone for entry into competitive four-year colleges and universities for students who may not have excelled in high school, those who dropped out and then received a GED, or those who aren’t yet ready to commit to the challenge of a four-year program. Community colleges focus on core curricula, and receiving and Associate’s degree (especially one with excellent grades) from an accredited community college usually leads directly to enrollment and, eventually, completion of a four-year program. Most often, the core curriculum represented by the Associate’s degree counts toward the first two years of core curriculum work at four-year institutions. Furthermore, most of the top-tier four-year institutions (including heavyweights like Williams and Amherst Colleges, perennial top-10 schools in the US News rankings) primarily accept transfers from community colleges.

If UDC were to be reorganized into a leading two-year community college, helping elevate students into four-year degree programs, providing vocational education for those who need a leg up to get into certain fields, and offering DC’s students the chance to become competitive in the world of higher education, they would realize this core part of their mission in ways more far-reaching than now:

“[to] prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce, the next level of education, specialized employment opportunities and life-long learning.

A District of Columbia Community College that is truly a leader in two-year colleges would serve as an ideal model for other cities: providing its students the tools and knowledge to excel throughout life, whether its looking toward a more advanced level of education or simply building a solid academic base upon which to build a better life. Having a highly-regarded, solidly accredited two-year college trumps the current, under-performing reality that is today’s UDC.

So jettison the four-year undergraduate program and reconsider the law school, instead focusing DC’s tax dollars on a top-notch community college. That is the gateway to opportunity for the people of DC. And for DC residents who want a four-year education off the bat: take advantage of the financial resources available, throw yourself into the application, reach for the stars.

But if the current UDC model is perpetuated, the District’s land-grant university will remain, as Sherwood suggests, at the bottom of a very deep stack of institutions of higher education. It’s not typical DC elitism, Eugene – it’s the hard truth.

* – I attended a school – Connecticut College – that is very often confused with a larger state university that is well known for its championship basketball teams, and while many people recognize the quality of the college I attended, just as many disregard it when they learn that it isn’t the more widely known state school. Reputation does count, and it can open doors on its own, unfair as that may seem. The real world isn’t always fair.

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

why dc doesn’t need udc

Here’s how they describe themselves:

“The Committee of 100 advocates responsible planning and land use in Washington, D.C. Our work is guided by the values inherited from the L’Enfant Plan and McMillan Commission, which give Washington its historic distinction and natural beauty, while responding to the special challenges of 21st century development. We pursue these goals through public education, research and civic action, and we celebrate the city’s unique role as both the home of the District’s citizens and the capital of our nation.”

The thing is, both the L’Enfant Plan and McMillan Commission failed to predict how DC would develop in the post-WWII era – in other words, they’re still married to the “car is king, damn the cyclists and pedestrians” and “big box stores and strip malls are the best thing for retail” schools of thought.

And just yesterday, they asked Vince Gray, the Mayor-Elect of DC, to fire Gabe Klein and Harriet Tregoning, two of the best assets from the outgoing administration of Adrian Fenty. They argue that moves made by Klein and Tregoning were made unilaterally, without community input and without a vision for sustainability.

While I appreciate their right to express an opinion on these matters, they are wrong and what they suggest would not benefit the District or its citizens.

In particular, they single out Klein’s multi-modal approach toward running the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Klein is the first DDOT head to think beyond the single-occupant car, and he has made the District a safer place for those who use mass transit, bicycles and their feet to get around their neighborhoods and the city. In a world where petroleum prices continue to rise (and one where the supply of crude oil is declining at an ever increasing rate), Klein’s philosophy is somewhat self-sustaining: safe and reliable mass transit, protected bike lanes and safe parking for bicycles, and well-paved and properly-lit sidewalks and multi-use paths allow the citizens of the District to minimize their use of private automobiles for day-to-day transportation. Sure, there are parts of the city where the idea hasn’t quite caught on, but cultural change takes time.

But the Committee of 100 thinks that such change is irrelevant, even dangerous. They seem to move forward by looking squarely in a rear-view mirror. And what else would you expect from an organization whose membership is comprised entirely of old-time DC political cronies who relish having one of their own taking over as Mayor? Give a little bit of relevance, a little bit of power, and watch DC’s government become increasingly out-of-touch with reality.

So, in trying to be honest about their goals, their mission should read:

“The Committee of 100 advocates reactionary and irrelevant land misuse in Washington, D.C. Our work is guided by outdated values inherited from the L’Enfant Plan, McMillan Commission and the 1980s, and seeks to keep Washington mired in 20th century design philosophies, while responding to outcries from citizens who still think that Marion Barry was the best Mayor the District has ever had. We pursue these goals through public misinformation, rhetoric and public shouting matches, and we celebrate the city’s unique ability to be both the dysfunctional home of the District’s citizens and the crumbling capital of our nation.”

Frankly, the best place for the Committee of 100 is on a barge, floating somewhere in the Atlantic where they can’t insert spanners in the gears of progress.

And if you’re reading this, Mr. Gray, I hope that you have a fair enough mind to ignore the Committee of 100′s suggestions about Klein and Tregoning. If we lose their intelligence and vision, the future of DC, both short-term and long, is far, far less bright.

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

can we just send the committee of 100 out to sea?

I’d just dropped off sprite an an hour too early for either of us. Our car bears only one bumper sticker: a circa 2004 “Dean for America” badge.

And one recently-arrived member of Glenn Beck’s idiot zombie army noticed the sticker and yelled the first thing that came to mind.

“Socialist!”

Amazingly coherent at the time, I turned to this guy and replied in kind:

“…and proud of it!”

This caused the idiot zombie to recoil for a few seconds, the pepper me with accusations that:

1. I must not understand the U.S. Constitution; and

2. I must not value freedom or being taxed without representation.

I addressed these in reverse order. Firstly, I asked him if he knew the full context of the Boston Tea Party, and whether he grasped that I, as a DC resident, was truly taxed without representation.

Again, he recoiled.

And then I told him that I respect his Constitutional right to express his beliefs and assemble peacefully with like-minded individuals. I also mentioned that he should respect my right to disagree.

(Did I mention that this was an 80-second light?)

And again, the idiot zombie recoiled in anger.

I then added, as the light was only seconds from turning green:

“Welcome to the District of Columbia. Enjoy our city, and please leave your money here.”

The final response?

“Socialist!”

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

“Socialist!”

This weekend I’m taking on the “Diabolical Double” at the Garrett County Gran Fondo. It’s a tough course: 125 miles with almost 16,000 feet of climbing, most of it in short burts of 12-16% grade. It’s insane, and should be a great challenge.

- – – – -

This hot and sweltering weather is not a lot of fun for me, but I’m making do. Our garden is flourishing, and we’re trying a new crop this year: peanuts! We may have a crop come fall – yum!

- – – – -

The DC political season is in full swing, and a PAC that I helped found, DC for Democracy, just held its endorsement vote for various offices’ primary elections. The meeting to vote was orderly and had great discussion – totally impressive, and the results of the vote showed a measured and thought-filled process of voting. Kudos, DC4D, you’ve grown up nicely.

- – – – -

I’m loving the FIFA World Cup! The competition has been compelling and a lot of fun to watch. It’s great to see Team USA perform beyond expectations, and the same goes for Japan. Personally, I’m rooting for Germany, and have a soft spot for The Netherlands, my fatherland.

And how can you not like the drone of the vuvuzelas? My friend, David, isn’t fond of them (at least when it comes to his podcast, The FredCast), but I think he’s missing out on a goldmine. Listen to the possibility! (This is an AAC file that works in iTunes, FYI.)

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

getting diabolical (and other thoughts)

DC is still not a town that likes snow. It has a great deal of influence from the southern states, where frozen, fluffy precipitation is more of an abhorrent anomaly than a regular visitor. So many DC residents are ill-equipped for the stuff.

They own nary a shoe that can withstand deep, cold layers of slush on the ground.

They use umbrellas during snowfall, which makes those of use who grew up in snow country giggle as they pass.

They tend to think that monster-size four-wheel-drive vehicles are invincible. (Wait – that’s common everywhere.)

And their snowplow drivers tend to have a tough time remembering how to operate the large blade that’s attached to the front of their vehicles.

I have to admit, the current administration here in DC is dealing with the snow far better than its predecessor. When we moved to DC, it was immediately after the “Blizzard of 2003,” and our street went unplowed for over a week, as DC plow drivers routinely were intimidated by the snowpack. Eventually, plows from New Jersey were hired to finish the job (which they did in a matter of two days).

This time ’round (as was also the case with December’s “Snowpocalypse” storm), the local plows have done a decent job of clearing the roads. The same can’t be said about many homeowners clearing their sidewalks (it’s now been 43 hours since the snowfall stopped, and owners technically have 8 hours from the cessation of snowfall to clear their walks), but DC’s usual strategy is to “let it melt.”

Have I mentioned that it’s not cleared freezing since the storm, save for in sunny areas, and that the overnight hours have refrozen everything? Heh.

As far as sprite and I are concerned, we’ve done well. We had plenty of food and entertainment on hand, shoveled the walks throughout the course of the storm, and are very thankful that most of DC has its utility supply lines underground – thus no loss of electricity or phone, unlike our suburban neighbors who have lost power and cable TV during the storm.

Today I’ll take my mountain bike out onto the snow-covered streets to enjoy my snow day – should be fun, if slow.

This is a post from randomduck.com. Copyright © 2012 R.D. Riet. Covered under Creative Commons.

surviving snowmageddon