right now, BC is crying her eyes out and kicking her wall. why? because BC took the brand new band aids that were coated with neosporin off her toes and hung them from her eyelids. this, of course, was hysterical to her. to me, all i could think of was “oh my g-d! will neosporin make this child go blind?” i told her that this was a bad thing to do because she could be very, very hurt. and little miss sensitive now is bawling her eyes out. argh.

someone needs a nap. and the construction workers will likely start banging around in about 15 minutes. ugh.

in looking at my most recent journal entries, i noticed that i have been perched high atop my soapbox. i have been ignoring things of true import, such as:

countries who met over internet go to war.

not to mention britney and justin's alleged breakup 😉

The Honorable James Moran
8th District of Virginia
5115 B Franconia Road
Alexandria, VA 22310

Dear Representative Moran,

I am writing to ask you to not vote favorably toward any measure for the District of Columbia's self-management. I am asking you to consider this based on my absurd experience with the DC Division of Motor Vehicles and the Mayor's Office as well; and I also ask for your assistance in fixing this situation.

On September 22, 2001, I attended a wedding in Georgetown. I drove a rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car to the wedding. A valet company, Atlantic Services Group, parked the cars. Unbeknownst to me, my car was parked illegally by the valet company, and thus was given a ticket for $20.
I never saw the ticket, as the valet company took it and paid it (I found this information out later when I spoke with the Vice President of the valet company. He indicated that tickets are the cost of doing business for his company when trying to valet park in Georgetown.) In late October, I received a notice from Enterprise Rent-A-Car that indicated that I owed the DMV $40 (please see attached copy of letter and my check to the DMV dated October 20, 2001.) This was the first time I heard about the ticket. I paid the ticket immediately (note the date is October 20) and then called the valet company, where I learned that they had already paid $20 to the DMV. The VP sent me a copy of proof that they had paid and gave me a contact number for someone at DMV to get the money reimbursed.

I contacted the DMV, which is no mean feat, you should know. After you make it through the protracted voice mail, you wait until someone can help you. After myriad messages left on the voice mail of the contact recommended to me by the VP of the valet company (someone named Amy who never returns calls – 202-727-5000 x4020), I went through the main DMV number. Ultimately, on December 12, I found a person named Ms. Harris (202-727-5000 x4031). She told me that the DMV did show two payments for my ticket – a $20 payment from the valet company and my $40 payment as well. I asked her to apply for a full reimbursement for me. I faxed her my information and asked her if I could call in a week or two to find out the status of my reimbursement. I left messages and never received a return call. It was Christmas by this time, though, so in the holiday spirit, I calmed down and tried more in January. No dice.

January came and went with no information available. In February, I called the DMV and conversed with a Ms. Curley. She said that a reimbursement had been processed for me in early February – for $20. I indicated that a $40 refund was due to me, and so I faxed my information AGAIN to her. She said that I could contact a Ms. Tabor for information on my reimbursement. When I finally caught up with Ms. Tabor, she indicated that $20 was issued, and if I had an issue with that to speak with her supervisor. I left a message with her supervisor and did not hear back from anyone until today.

Today, I spoke with Ms. Karen Palmer (202-535-2702.) She indicated that the $20 was paid to Enterprise-Rent-A-Car and not to me. Why did the DMV pay them? I have absolutely no idea on earth. I asked whether I could get my $40. She indicated that she would see if the Treasurer could cut me a check for the remaining $20 and then she would have to see how they could get the other $20 back from Enterprise.

THIS IS INSANE! I have a masters in public policy and have even worked for the federal government for a few years, and yet I still do not understand this, as it goes completely beyond the realm of mismanagement.. If Joseph Heller were alive today, he could write a book about the DC DMV and make it a sequel to his master work “Catch-22.” If this agency is a microcosm of the whole of DC government, then I wonder whether anything works in DC.

Meanwhile, I went to the DC Mayor's web site and asked for assistance in the matter. After writing my letter and sending it to the Mayor's office, I received a page on the site indicating that I would get a case number and that a person would be contacting me shortly. That was late February; I am still waiting to hear from the Mayor's office.

Thus, I have two requests: 1) Please, please help me get my $40 reimbursed. 2) Please do not vote for DC sovereignty until the government gets its act together. I once believed in DC sovereignty wholeheartedly; but this experience is dimming my opinion of the government. I believe in the people of DC. The government? I am not so sure.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from your office soon!

yesterday's new york times had an amazing op-ed piece in it about suicide bombers. anyone who thinks this tactic will stay in the middle east and thus ignores the news should be smacked about the head. read this and think.

i have nearly completed a book that has changed my life: fast food nation. i will no longer eat beef or chicken unless i know how it has been raised. i will no longer eat at fast food restaurants unless i am merely eating a salad. in short, there are some really sad facts that come out of this book by a guy from the atlantic monthly. just a few:

1) fast food companies have spearheaded the movement to advertise to young, young consumers, developing consumer preference for a lifetime. they teach kids to hanker only for fast food grub.

2) the workers at slaughterhouses are usually from the poorest segments of american society, often undocumented aliens, who have great responsibilities and very little pay and even less in the way of job safety and security. they get arms and legs chopped off. sometimes, they end up in being carved or rendered alive. (soylent green IS people.)

3) in short, there is shit in the meat.

4) yes. you read 3) correctly. and the big meat companies don't really care.

5) the meat in the school lunch program is even worse than the meat prepared for the general US public.

6) the USDA is powerless to enforce much in the way of food safety rules.

i have already written to my Member of Congress. one place to start is cspi.org.

and read the book. you won't be eating meat any time soon, either.

and drunk people operating cameras? well, they can be rather sweet, like my beloved pal scally from across the proverbial pond.

what you might not know is that wavey davey is actually from scotland (motto: “if it's not scottish, it's crrrrrap!”); and underneath that lovely t-top, he is wearing a kilt.

(good thing he lives in another country or he would likely come over here and kick me in my american ass for this 😉

all i have to do is move to LA… 😉

seatfiller

madonna stole the whole riff and nuance of “beautiful stranger” from love's “she comes in colors.” and it pisses me off.

maybe it is time to stop cooking. methinks i have spent too much time near the oven.

BC is now complaining that her “blood hurts.”

someone call up JAMA, please… 😉