Month: August 2008

Go Jim Go

Got this from our great leader Jim Berry. Now, let me say I am very supportive Jim. I considered his leadership fair and quiet. Quiet as in he’s the type who doesn’t need to do a lot of grandstanding and yelling and screaming. Also he believes in serving the people. So even though he’s seeking a post in a party I don’t belong to, I believe he, by bringing his skills and his integrity to the post, do one more thing to make the District better.

Dear Friends and Family Members,

I write to inform you of my decision to pursue an At-Large seat on the DC Democratic State Committee (DCDSC) as well as to actively seek your support for my election. As you know, on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, the DC Democratic Party will hold a local primary election for a candidate to serve as an At-Large member on the Council of the District of Columbia. In that race, Council Member At-Large Kwame Brown is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. In addition, you will have an opportunity to vote for six males who are vying for a seat on the DCDSC to represent Democrats in an At-Large capacity. And, it is to gain one of these six seats on the DC Democratic State Committee that I ask for your vote and, if you are willing, for your help in reaching out to your friends, family members, and neighbors, to do the same.

The District of Columbia State Committee (DCDSC) is the governing body of the DC Democratic Party. As such, the DCDSC develops and implements programs of voter registration and education, charters and works with ward Democratic organizations, and assists in the election of candidates for President and Vice President of the United States as well as candidates for other national and local offices. In this regard, I pledge to do everything within my power to help Senator Barack Obama to become the next President of the United States of America and, perhaps needless to say, I plan to enthusiastically promote his national platform to “Renew America’s Promise” towards the ultimate goal of helping its many elements to become a reality for the citizens of the District of Columbia.
Finally, like the other members of the “Obama for DC” slate, I am personally committed to the goal of forcing the key priorities of the citizens of the District of Columbia, including D.C. voting rights, to the top of the national Democratic policy agenda.

For those who might not be as familiar with my background and the types of involvements that my Democratic Party activism includes as you are, please inform them that I am a native Washingtonian and a member of the Mount Sinai Baptist Church. I am an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Army, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 18, F. &A.M., PHA. I served my
community as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 18 consecutive years and I was a former convener of the citywide ANC Assembly. I am also proud to report that I was a member of Leadership Washington’s Class of 1995. Currently, I am the president of the Bates Area Civic Association, Inc.; I am a member of the Washington, DC Police Foundation’s executive committee; and I also sit on the executive committee of the Council for Court Excellence. As one of the two incumbent Ward Five Committeemen on the DCDSC, I have served as an active member of the Party Functions and Organization Committee. Most recently, I served as a co-chair of the DCDSC’s 2008 Delegate Selection Committee and as chairperson of the Resolutions Committee for the DCDSC’s 2008 Convention. And, I will be in Denver, Colorado at the DNC 2008 National Convention later this month, providing office support to the DCDSC.

In closing, I pray that you will support me in this ambitious undertaking to gain a citywide seat on the DCDSC. With your active support as well as that of your network of friends and family, I am confident that I can and will prevail in this race. If you would like to discuss my candidacy with me or would like to volunteer to help out with my campaign, please contact me at (202) three-eight-seven-8520 or you may email me at jamojam[at]msn.com. I thank you in advance for your vote as well as any and all support that you can extend to me on September 9th!

Best,

“Jim”

JDB

Tomorrow- Library Speak Out

There will be a speakout and read-in in front of the Shaw Giant, this
Saturday from Noon to 2pm (sorry for the late notice). Here’s the 411
>>
http://www.districtdynamos.org/dynamos/shaw/speakout_8_16_08

Here’s what precipitated such >>
http://www.districtdynamos.org/dynamos/shaw/library_evolution

Here’s what the ANC has expressed about the library design process for
the new Shaw library >>
http://www.districtdynamos.org/dynamos/shaw/reports/anc_2c_declaration_july_08

Catch last night’s ghetto bird?

Round about 10:30 last night I heard what sounded like kids setting off a couple of fireworks in the alley. I guess I was wrong because after hearing two sets of “fireworks” or a couple of a couple of loud pops, I hear a helicopter. Then later I hear the neighborhood kids carrying on. When I looked out they were dancing in the spotlight of the circling whirlybird. Kids are weird.
The helicopter made a couple of passes beaming down a strong light on our block. Then it went away. And the only sound left was the kids yakking in the street.

Taking a Break/ Chi-Town Gentrification Tour

I’m probably not going to be posting much for a while. I’ve been assigned to a 3 month detail that has made my commute 3x longer than normal, so I’m not really interacting with the hood that much. And I have to get to bed earlier because the disruption to my normal schedule is screwing with my sleep so that my body is sending me all sorts of nasty signals that I need more rest. It’s a good project, a good detail, and once I get to where I’m supposed to be I really like the work.
Knowing I need some sort of rest, I’ve been planning a late vacation. Normally I avoid going anywhere in the summer. But summer vacation time is nearly over and I’ve been reading a couple books by Sudhir Venkatesh, who wrote Gang Leader for a Day and American Project. I just cracked open Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor and man, I wanna go to Chicago. I want to get a lay of the land that was the Robert Taylor Homes. I also want a pizza. I hear they make good pizza in Chicago.
Two years ago I did the London Gentrification tour, walking around the gentrified Brixton neighborhood. Yet, I had experienced Brixton several times before in 1993 and could sense a change. I’ve never been to Chicago. So I’ll take suggestions of books I should read and places I should eat at.

Fun with the DC Code: Disturbing the Peace

Here’s something to ponder the next time you get to argue with the 911 dispatcher about the guys on the corner (bolds are mine):

Division IV. Criminal Law and Procedure and Prisoners.

Title 22. Criminal Offenses and Penalties. (Refs & Annos)

Subtitle I. Criminal Offenses.
Chapter 13. Disturbances of the Public Peace.
§ 22-1307. Unlawful assembly; profane and indecent language.

It shall not be lawful for any person or persons within the District of Columbia to congregate and assemble in any street, avenue, alley, road, or highway, or in or around any public building or enclosure, or any park or reservation, or at the entrance of any private building or enclosure, and engage in loud and boisterous talking or other disorderly conduct, or to insult or make rude or obscene gestures or comments or observations on persons passing by, or in their hearing, or to crowd, obstruct, or incommode, the free use of any such street, avenue, alley, road, highway, or any of the foot pavements thereof, or the free entrance into any public or private building or enclosure; it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to curse, swear, or make use of any profane language or indecent or obscene words, or engage in any disorderly conduct in any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, public park or enclosure, public building, church, or assembly room, or in any other public place, or in any place where from the same may be heard in any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, public park or enclosure, or other building, or in any premises other than those where the offense was committed, under a penalty of not more than $250 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both for each and every such offense.

CREDIT(S)

(July 29, 1892, 27 Stat. 323, ch. 320, § 6; July 8, 1898, 30 Stat. 723, ch. 638; June 29, 1953, 67 Stat. 97, ch. 159, § 210.)

HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 22-1107; 1973 Ed., § 22-1107.; DC CODE § 22-1307

Okay the problem seems that the language hasn’t been changed since 1892, but hey, it’s the DC Code, use that outmoded lingua to your advantage.
Get more of that funky code here.

East of New Jersey Challenge: Sorbet

I would have here Mango sorbet as the mangoes at the Mexican fruit stand were quite ripe, but the recipe calls for gelatin, and I don’t know where you get that east of New Jersey.
Instead…

Mojito Sorbet

1 cup Sugar (G & S or any quicki-mart)
2 cups Water (WASA)
5 Sprigs of Mint (my front yard/ Bloomingdale Farmer’s Mkt)
1/4 cup lime juice (Mexican Fruit Stand-Capital City Market)
2 Tlb of Rum (Bloomingale Liquors)
Zest of two limes (Mexican Fruit Stand)
2 Tlb of mint cut into very thin strips (front yard)

Take sugar and water in a small pot, heat and stir till sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat. Throw in sprigs. Leave for 10-20 minutes.
Filter out mint (maybe use a strainer) and pour into a bowl. Add lime juice, rum and zest. Chill to 40F.

If you have an ice cream maker- follow manufacturer’s instructions regarding sorbets. Add mint strips when you’re done churning.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker- use a stainless steel cake pan. Pour mixture so that it is no more than an inch deep. Place in freezer and agitate/ stir with fork every hour till frozen. Take batches of frozen concoction and place in blender. Get something slushy, add mint strips. Freeze and eat later.

Next time I’ll try something without booze.

DC Police Districts

DcPoliceDistricts.jpgIf you can make this map out, it is the police districts for the city, circa 1900-1950-ish. I’m betting 1930. This is once again another sad tale of where I copy stuff and completely fail to note where I got it from exactly.
I know this much, I got it from the Census. The image is sitting on my computer in PDF form and the dates and all sorts of wonderful information would be revealed if I could remember what folder on what drive it sits.

Continuing with the Doctor Who Theme

Author as a teen with Peter Davison, the 5th Doctor, at some fan con in Gainesville, Florida in 1985.

Me (aged 14); Peter Davison, the 5th Doctor Who Doctor, and yes, those are a box of Jelly Babies in my hand. I think this was taken at a Sci-Fi convention or just a straight up Dr. Who convention.

I was such a dweeb.