Wednesday, March 31, 2010

annals of potholes


These potholes have appeared on the old Arlington Blvd. paralleling Rt. 50, just west of Fort Myer Heights Park. The most historic pothole, is, of course, closest to Rosslyn. Go west, young potholes, and grow with Arlington.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

big crane at the Belvedere

It's changing the air-conditioner on the roof.  Should be gone tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

emergency exercise at Rosslyn metro late Sat. night

An emergency response exercise will begin at Rosslyn metro at 1am on Sunday morning, March 28.  According to Arlington News:
From 11 p.m. [Saturday] to closing, Blue Line trains will share one track between the Foggy Bottom-GWU and Arlington Cemetery Metrorail stations, and Orange Line trains will share one track between the Foggy Bottom-GWU and Court House Metrorail stations. 

Passengers using the Rosslyn Metrorail station and residents in the area should expect to see numerous police, fire and emergency response vehicles, first responders and volunteer “victims” near the station between 11 p.m. Saturday, March 27, and 5 a.m. Sunday, March 28.

This exercise looks a lot like the emergency exercise that was suppose to occur on Feb. 13.

Westmoreland condo fees to rise 11.2%

At the Westmoreland Condo Board meeting on Monday, the Board voted to raise condo fees 11.2%. That averages a $28 per month increase per condo unit. This winter's snowfalls cost the condo association $30,000 in snow removal costs. In addition, the main power board in 1311 had to be replaced at a cost of $13,271. These were unanticipated, extraordinary expenses. In addition, the condo association is engaged in a multi-year program of roof and facade repairs. Westmoreland condo fees remain considerably lower than new condos built in the neighborhood.

Additional notes from the condo board meeting:
  1. Approved spending $3,950 on pruning, including aggressive pruning, of plants on the property.  Aggressive pruning is a long-term care measure that fosters bush density and attractiveness.
  2. Approved bill of $71,123 for roof replacement on 1311.   Property-wide, roof problems have cost $4,000 to $9,000 in repairs per year over the past decade.
  3. The Board is considering delaying facade repair for one year to increase the level of our reserve fund.  Our reserve fund currently contains $275,000.
  4. Repair of the hot water heater in 1301 will require shutting off water for several hours on Thursday.
The Condo Association annual meeting is April 26'th at 7pm in the condo manager's office.  Owners will be receiving in the mail a copy of the condo association accounts and the proposed condo budget for the upcoming new fiscal year.  One seat on the Condo Board will be elected at the annual meeting.  Emil Tabakov, the current Condo Board member serving in that seat, will be running for re-election.

Condo Board members Jose Calvo, Emil Tabakov, Valerie Corda, and Jennifer Hastings, residents Joy B.. and Douglas G., and Property Manager Dennis Freeman attended the meeting.   All those owners who haven't been attending condo board meetings should at least show up for the annual meeting to thank the Condo Board members for their service.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Ron Carlee and Larry Roberts speak in Rosslyn


Amid the spectacular views from the Waterview Conference Center, Ron Carlee and Larry Roberts spoke about leadership in government.  Ron Carlee worked for Arlington County government for 29 years. This past fall, after serving for eight years as the County Manager, Carlee moved to the International City/County Management Association, where he is is executive-in-residence and director, Strategic Domestic Initiatives. He also blogs at the Huffington Post.  Larry Roberts served as Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's chief counsel and became Kaine's senior advisor at the Democratic National Committee.  Both Carlee and Roberts spoke in their own personal capacity, sharing their personal views based on their government leadership experiences.

Carlee and Roberts offered interesting stories and insights into leadership in crises.  Carlee recounted that on Sept. 11, 2001, six months into his term as County Manager, he was doing a presentation on leadership.  The terrorist attacks interrupted his presentation and tested his skills.  He said that who is in charge should depend on the objective.  He recalled that in a meeting on Sept. 12, a General opened the meeting by saying that the Arlington County Fire Chief is in charge, because the objective was to deal with the explosion and fire recovery at the Pentagon.  One under-appreciated challenge Carlee faced was getting National Airport re-opened.  That problem needed to be addressed politically as well as technically.

Roberts spoke about responding to the massacre at Virginia Tech.  He explained that Gov. Kaine was in Tokyo at the time.  Rapidly bringing Gov. Kaine back from Tokyo required working with the White House.   Dealing with the crisis required detailed human interventions, such as working to give parents access to their slain children.  It also required doing the right thing at a policy level: setting up an Independent Review Panel.

Both Roberts and Carlee emphasized the importance of emergency preparation and having relationships already in place to work effectively in a crisis.  To avoid ego clashes, turf battles, and responsibility dodging, Roberts pointed to the importance of basic values, an ethos of public service, and doing the right thing.  

Carlee and Roberts also spoke about differences in governing in a "one-party government" vs. a bitterly divided, highly partisan one.  Carlee noted that when he began working for Arlington in 1980, Republicans had a majority on the County Board.  While all the members of the Arlington County Board currently are Democrats, Carlee joked that it seemed at times like the Board Members were from five different parties.  Board members dealt with their differences without a lot of bickering, and they genuinely sought consensus.   Carlee noted that the County Manager is statutorily prohibited from being involved in party politics and that the Board Members respected his professional status.

Carlee stated that electing Board members in at-large elections made for better County politics.  A ward system would have County Board members elected from sub-regions of the County.  Carlee felt that a ward system would encourage parochialism and divisiveness.

Roberts stated that a system of permanent campaigns has fostered a bitterly partisan environment in Virginia state politics and national politics.  Redistricting, which technology has made more effective, creates safe seats for incumbents and discourages politicians from reaching across party lines.  Politicians who reach across party lines have to fear a primary challenge within their own parties.  Primary voters tend to be more extreme than general election voters.  Without reform to take redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and foster inter-party competitive districts, polarization and paralysis will be a major problem and may lead to the rise of a third party.

Roberts observed that the explosion in information and communications capabilities has positives and negatives.  New media enables new organizing possibilities such as Organizing for America.  On the other hand, now there's no common set of facts and no common framework.  If different sides can't recognize common facts, getting to reasoned agreement is difficult.  In these circumstances, calling a legislature into special session doesn't make sense unless the legislature already has an agreement worked out.

Roberts offered some practical wisdom for political leaders.  His three tips were roughly these:
  • If someone comes into your office and says, "I've got something that will make you look good," don't do it.  Hoping to look good is a poor substitute for doing good things. 
  • If someone tells you here's the right thing to do, but I don't have time to engage with it, it probably isn't worth your time either. 
  • If someone doesn't tell you the pitfalls associated with a proposal, don't think that they don't exist. Everything has risks.  You need to know what the risks and pitfalls are.
These tips seem relevant not just for political leaders, but also for all levels of leaders.  The Ode Street Tribune will heed this wisdom in serving our neighborhood.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

eve of St. Patrick

Patrick sweet, and Patrick fair,
Hither, hither, now repair;
Bonny Patrick, let me see
The lass who is to marry me.
Yesterday night, the eve of St. Patrick's Day, the snowed out Clarendon Mardi Gras parade prevailed as a St. Patrick's eve parade.  The parade was a funky mix of bicycles, Irish green, drag queens, random floats, a mini race-car, and Bolivian folk dancing.  Lots of photos at the new ARLnow.

At the tail end of a bike ride in the beautiful weather, I spotted the Whitlow's on Wilson St. Patrick's Day trailer back out on the street.  The festive crowd in the trailer was throwing beads to bystanders and to cyclists.  On my ride, I seemed to get a lot of green lights.  Traffic lights must be programmed to salute St. Patrick's Day.  So if you're driving somewhere tonight, drive slowly and count on getting green lights.


[video included in post]

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

G-40 becomes collective space

Crystal City has transformed a high-rise office space into G-40: The Summit, an exhibition of New Brow contemporary underground art.  The exhibition, which is open Wednesday through Saturday nights as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons, also includes a schedule of musical and visual performances, lectures, and art demonstrations.  It is free and open to the public.  No tickets are needed.      

The exhibition is much greater than the sum of the contributing artists' works.  If you just look at the individual works, you are sure to find some that you love, and some that don't interest you at all.  The average level of painting skill is quite high, considerably higher than past Artomatic exhibitions.  But viewers looking for masterpieces of art can easily miss the greatness of the collective enterprise across the whole space.

G-40 presents spectacular urban vistas.  The best time to see them is when the space is least crowded and the lights against the darkness outside create colored reflections on the windows.  Walls, pillars, small rooms, halls, all are alive with creative effort.  The geographical distinctions by floors sadly mimic the tribal organization of international politics.  You can see across floors only when you're not really looking. Ignore the distinctions among floors.  Look across the space on each floor, and enjoy movement across the diverse shapes, colors, moods, and styles.

The political thrust of the exhibit seems to be mainly in popular creativity that overflows boundaries and washes away status hierarchies.   Protest and despair in the art resonates with stains on the carpeted floor and the empty office space of a business gone bankrupt.  Take away our jobs, but we will not be unemployed; show no respect for our work, but we will not quit; take away the work of our hands, and we will make more.  Make more!


Aaron Jasinski, Aaron Kraten, Adam Russell, Adrian 'Viajero' Roman, Alan Defibaugh, Aleloop, Alex Chiu, Alex Hornest, Alexa Meade, Andrew Hem, Angie Mason, Angry Woebots, Aniekan Udofia, Anko Christian, Anna Todaro, Annabelle Hartmann, Anthony Dihle, Arabella Proffer-Vendetta, Artistic Sole, Askew One, Aunia Kahn, Bay Truth Seeker, Beautiful Nightmare, Ben Tolman, Billy Mode, Blaine Fontana, Bonnie Durham, Brad Strain, Brandi Read, Brandon Hill, Brandon McLean, Brent Houzenga, Bryan Collins, Bryan Schnelle, Cabezon, Caia Koopman, Casey Weldon, Cern One, Charlie Owens, Chris Bishop, Chris Brett, Chris Granillo, Chris Murray, Chris RWK, Chris Sheridan, Chris Stain, Codak, Cope 2, Craig ‘Skibs’ Barber, Craig Robinson, Cutthroat, Dabs Myla, Damara The Destroyer, Dan May, Dana Ellyn, Daniel Barojas, Daniel Fleres, Darling, Jim and Tina, Daryll Peirce, Dave Chung, Dave Lowell, David Flores, David Foox, Decoy, Dennis Schuster, Dolla, Douglas Alvarez, Downer, Drew Storm Graham, Dust, Dustin Spagnola, E.L.K., edward gross, El Stabo, Emily Greene Liddle, Emma Overman, Ernesto Nasimo, Esho, Eyeone, Francisco Munoz, Frank Gonzales, Gaia, Ganyan, Gary Yong, Ghetto Picasso, gigi, Gosha Levochkin, Graham Franciose, Heather Randell, Herm Life!, Hyein Lee, Indie, Jack Howe, James Walker, Jared Davis, Jazirock, Jeremy Asher Lynch, Jessica Angel, Jessica van Brakle, Jim Mahfood, Jimbot, Joe Iurato, John Collier, John Felix Arnold III, John Koleszar, JoKa, Jophen Stein, Josh Taylor, Joshua Herbolsheimer, Joshua Krause, Julie Steiner, Justin Tolentino, Kareem Rizk, Keith Rosson, Kelly Castillo, Kelly Vivanco, Ken Keirns, Kenn Munk, Kerry Roper, Kevin E. Taylor, Ki Yoon Ko, Kristal Blanco, Lady Glock, Leah Bassett, Lelo, Leonor Morais, Liza Corbett, Luis Diaz, Luz Del Mar Rosado, Mar Hernández, Marc Wöhr, Marie Barr, Mario Wagner, Marka 27, Mary Spring, Matt Sesow, Matt Somma, Matthew Linares, Matthew Parker, Mauricio Murillo, Max Jones, Max Kauffman, MDOK, Mefee, Melanie Pruitt, Michael Owen, Michael Weber, Migdalia Luz Barens Vera, Mikel Glass, Molly Crabapple, Molotov Circus, Morten Andersen, Mr. Ben Venom, Mr. Penfold, Munk One, Nancie Yang, Natalie Shau, Nerosunero, Nick Morris, Nicolas Gracey, Nils Westergard, Nishi, Novie Trump, Ovie, Owen Beckmann, Pablo Crist, Pamela Henderson, PaperMonster, Parskid, Patrick "STAR27" Deignan, Patrick Fatica, Patrick Haemmerlein, Paul Chatem, Paulo Arraiano, Peabe, Peap, Peter Chang, Peter Krsko, Phoneticontrol, Pixel Pancho, Project Detonate, Raudiel Sañudo, Raul "Frame" Gamboa, Remi Mead, Reuben Rude, Richard Alan Haugh, Rick Reese, Ron Zakrin, Ruben Ubiera, Rudy Duboue, Rudy Fig, Saint JAHn, Scott Albrecht, Scott G. Brooks, Seamo One, Sergio Martinez, Shaunna Peterson, Shawn Martinbrough, Soule, Spencer Reynolds, Stuter, Sue Works, Susannah Parnin, Sylvia Ortiz, Tatiana Suarez, Terri Woodward, Terry Plater, The Krah, Thinkmule, Tim Conlon, Tim Phibs, Tim Slayton, TMNK, Tommii Lim, Treva Eldwood, Trevor Young, Truth Among Liars, Truth Among Liars, Twitch, Tyler Oyer, Ultra, Uncle Mildred, Ursula Young, Vacon Sartirani, Vanilla Royal, Veng, Walter Hall, Yulia Graham, Zach Tobias, Zachary Walsh

*  *  *  *  *

Thanks to all the participating artist for sharing their work.  Thanks also to Tab for sharing the soundtrack in the above video.  The soundtrack  is "Mad World" (produced by A.U.R.C),  from Tab's first, mainly self-produced album, Poet in the Dark.

G-40: The Summit is at 223 23rd St. in Crystal City, VA.  The exhibit is open March 1-30, 2010, Wednesdays & Thursdays: 5 – 10pm; Fridays: 5pm – Midnight; Saturdays: 12pm – Midnight; Sundays: 12pm – 6pm.  It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

[video included in post]

Saturday, March 13, 2010

prospects for Westmoreland FiOS look distant

Verizon has decided not to put FiOS in Alexandria and is suspending FiOS franchise expansion nationwide.  Verizon has a FiOS franchise for Arlington and has had a license agreement with Westmoreland since the summer of 2008.  About this time last year, FiOS installation was expected to occur this past fall.  No installation has occurred.  Verizon's decision to abandon Alexandria and suspend franchise expansion isn't a good sign for Westmoreland getting FiOS any time soon.

Some of our neighbors, however, are already getting FiOS.  The new, luxurious Residences at Memorial Overlook, which are just a couple blocks from Westmoreland toward the Iwo Jima, have FiOS.  Those condos are considerably more valuable than Westmoreland condos.  Verizon appears to be prioritizing its deployment on the most lucrative buildings in the neighborhood.

more heroic service from the post office

Two weeks ago, late Sunday evening, exhausted, I paid my bills the old-fashioned way.  For at least one bill, I put the stub in the envelope, the check in, sealed it, and forgot about postage or a return address.  Then the next morning, still in another world, I mailed the bill.

A few days ago I got my payment back, with a stamped message on the envelope, "Return for Postage."  How did it manage to get back to me?  Well, a postal worker apparently opened the envelope, found my address, wrote it on the outside of the envelope, and had it sent back to me.  What incredible, caring, dedicated service!  You don't get that with email.

Whether it's finding a missing return address or working through a blizzard to bring us our mail, the postal service delivers.  Go postal!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

more innovative visitor services

Arlington apparently is seeking new ways to attract and serve visitors.  On Feb. 19, the Arlington Visitors Center at 1301 South Joyce Street closed.  The Arlington Fiscal Year 2011 budget, under the Travel and Tourism Promotion Fund Summary, shows $93,040 for "costs associated with touch screen kiosks and the mobile visitor’s center during FY 2009 closeout."  A Feb. 19 Arlington County press release, titled Arlington Updating Visitor Services, indicates that among planned new visitor services are additional outdoor, touch-screen visitor kiosks like the one in Rosslyn. 

Unfortunately, the visitor information kiosk in Rosslyn isn't innovative or particularly useful.  It provides information and directions to Rosslyn-area dining, shopping, attractions (Iwo Jima, etc.), accommodations, services (parking, etc.), and events.  That might be useful, but now many persons can get better information and directions through their smart phones.

Unlike good Internet sites, the Rosslyn visitor information kiosks seems to be infrequently updated.  Under events, the kiosk is currently showing three events:
Rosslyn is a much more happening place than the Rosslyn visitor information kiosks indicates.

An innovative public tourist kiosk would be connected to the web and continually updated with events, business promotions, and entertainment selected through a public, online process.  It would have a public function that individual smart phones could not provide.  Rosslyn should lead the way in implementing an innovative public tourist kiosk.

Mongolian culture in Rosslyn


The Mongolian School of the National Capital Area, which is located right here in Rosslyn in the Wilson School, produced a fantastic program of Mongolian culture and international culture at its "Mongolian Blue Sky" fundraiser this past Friday night.  Mongolian School students sung and danced traditional Mongolian works as well as well-known songs "You Are My Sunshine" and "We Are The World."  Some students were highly polished performers, and some were still learning.  That's the purpose of a school. 

Some of the performers were apparently professional adults.  O. Luvsandagva, magnificently costumed in Mongolian attire, performed a medley on a horse-head fiddle. He then returned to do some throat-singing.  He seemed almost as good as the throat-singer in my favorite rock band, Yat-kha.   Designer M. Tuya put on an impressive fashion show.  Students at the Art Institute in Rosslyn, who know a lot about fashion, nonetheless probably could learn much from her work.   D. Odbayasakh performed contortionism that probably only a few humans beings on earth ever could do.  J. Bolormaa sang an opera number.  Unfortunately, a bad sound system greatly marred his performance.  Getting sound (and lighting) right is actually quite difficult.  I hope that next year the sound system will be better.

The Mongolian School opened in Rosslyn in October, 2005.  It now has more than 80 students enrolled. It is the largest Mongolian school in the U.S.  We are fortunate to have Mongolians as our neighbors.


Mongolian traditional calligraphy thanks to Erdenesuren Erdenebat.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

eve of St. Patrick's Day parade

Replacing the whited out Clarendon Mardi Gras parade is the first-ever Clarendon eve of St. Patrick Day's parade. The parade will start about 8pm on Tuesday, March 16, near the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Veitch St. close by the Courthouse metro. The parade will travel up Wilson Blvd. to Clarendon.

In other St. Patrick news, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Clarendon will hold a Gaelic mass in honor of St. Patrick on Monday, March 15 at 7:30pm.  The Arlington Chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians is co-sponsoring the event.  A short reception after the mass will feature Irish step dancing, Irish song, Irish baked goods, and tea and coffee.

Do something more interesting for St. Patrick's Day than getting drunk!

fear for height in Rosslyn

Charles Monfort, chair of the Arlington County Planning Commission, was the featured speaker at today's meeting of RAFOM, our civic assocation.   Mr. Monfort explained that almost all development projects, including Central Place and 1821 N. Moore St. projects in Rosslyn, are on hold due to the general economic downturn.  

The Planning Commission's Long Range Planning Committee is studying building heights in Rosslyn.  The general principle for height planning is to have the tallest heights closest to the metro, and then have heights taper down as distance from the metro increases.  Development on the east side of Rosslyn along Rt. 66 raises important long-range planning issues.  Issues include avoiding walls of similar height buildings, planning for height tapering, maintaining an attractive Rosslyn cityscape viewed from DC, and preserving sight lines for the proposed Central Place observation deck. 

A change in zoning law to permit taller buildings in Rosslyn has been offered for consideration.  Under current generally applicable zoning law, the County Board can approve buildings having heights up to 300 feet above average site elevation.   A Feb. 26 letter from the real-estate law firm Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh has proposed a Zoning Ordinanance Amendment that would allow the County Board to approve, on a case-by-case basis, heights greater than 300 feet in Rosslyn.  A case-by-case determination of heights above 300 feet would put greater demands on the community to stay informed about proposed projects.

Other items at the meeting:
  • RAFOM members remembered Charlie Wilson, who was a founder of RAFOM in 1999.  Mr. Wilson served for twelve years in the Texas legislature and for twenty-four years in the U.S. House of Representatives.  He was also an active and much loved member of the Rosslyn community.  He died on Feb. 10, 2010.
  • The neighborhood sign vote has selected the red sign over the gray sign by 20 votes to 18 votes.   The next meeting will discuss the locations for the signs.  Two signs are likely to be placed south of Rt. 50, and two signs north of Rt. 50.
  • A building proposal for 1900 Wilson Blvd. has entered the site plan review committee.  The site was in part the storied location of Dr. Dremo's and Bardo Rodeo. The proposed building is a five-story building with 188 rental units and ground-floor retail on the Wilson Blvd. side. 
  • Report on the RAFOM holiday party 
  • In mid-April, Arlington County will again be providing free trees to residents who request them.  Steve Campbell, a Rosslyn member of the Urban Forestry Commission, will again be the contact person for trees.
The next RAFOM meeting will be Apr. 20.  It will feature Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Arlington County advertises 10.3% property tax increase

The Arlington County Board has advertised a tax rate of 96.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value for fiscal year 2011 (FY 2011).  FY 2011 begins on July 1, 2010.  The advertised tax rate  is 9 cents, or 10.3%, greater than last year's rate of 87.5 cents.  The total proposed budget is about $942 million, 0.5% less than last year's budget.  Generally bad economic conditions have shrunk the County's tax base.  Generally bad economic conditions have also shrunk at least some residents' incomes.   Both these effects contribute to the budget policy challenge.

The adopted tax rate will be no higher than the advertised tax rate.  Public hearings on the budget will occur on March 23, 24, and 25 at 7 pm each day in the County Board Room.   Final budget decisions will occur with the adoption of a FY 2011 budget at the County Board meeting on Apr. 24, 2010. 

Arlington County has excellent online information about its budget.  Keep an eye on your budget!