Inside Scoop on D.C. / it's Residents, Washington D.C.

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Surely, Washington, DC, being the capital and the seat of the Federal Government and US Congress is high political activity space which must attract various protesters, lobbyists and political creatures :-). But for a foreign visitor it's not easily seen unless there is a large march or rally in the National Mall. There was none when I was in DC just two weeks before the presidential election day.

Surprisingly there were no signs of incoming voting in downtown exept a few young guys wearing T-shirts with names of one candidate and the T-shirts of both candidates sold on street stalls. In non-touristy suburbs I've seen small banners put on the ground in frontyards and displayed in a few local stores (isn't it a bit risky for business? :-). And that's all!

In Europe I used to see thousands or millions huge banners with smiling (always!) faces of the numerous candidates, sometimes humourosly or rudely "improved" by unknown perpetrators. In DC I haven't seen even one! Well there are only two candidates for US president and they don't waste money for showing off their well-known faces on banners or they don't want to risk creative work of numerous jokers who would love to improve their street images. They prefer to spend money for direct (home-to-home and telephone/e-mail) campaign and for showing off in powerful television. Don't ask me now whether Europeans or Americans are dumb? They are different for sure.

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Washington, DC is surely not a paradise for bird-watchers. I mean watching real birds - creatures with feathers and wings. But if you are a city animal not familiar with many bird species you may surprisingly find some interesting birds both in downtown DC (the Potomac Park) and in neighbourhoods (close to the National Cathedral). I've seen common pigeons, ducks, sparrows, seagulls and starlings and some uknown to me species as well. The last ones hidden among tree branches gave a concert for me in a park adjacent to the National Cathedral.

The Federal Pigeons patrolling the backside of the National Air and Space Museum were brave or hungry enough to be fed with my federal pretzel, not the best one but eatable for human beings as well, no worries.

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I have never expected to see squirrels climbing trees and running like crazy searching for nuts and seeds on lawns right in the heart of the US capital - on the Capitol and the White House grounds and in the West Potomac Park. But I have surprisingly met many of these small, grey, and furry animals that is for me the evidence of clean and safe environment for animals in DC. It's nice and relaxing picture of busy and crowded with visitors downtown typical for many US cities and rare in European cities nowadays. Why do they complain about air (and water) pollution in DC?

Federal squirels surely strictly obeyed law and didn't allow to be fed by any visitor. They ignored those strange law-breakers offering them nuts and run away of them. It worked different in some southern cities I visited later :-).

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I was very surprised when I saw a large box with the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) behind a glass put in an underground corridor at the Washington Dulles International Airport. It was ready to use in case of emergency that is a sudden cardiac arrest of anyone passing by. I have never seen anything like this. In downtown Washington, DC I have seen paramedics ambulance ready for action and parked by the Capitol building.

Well, I wonder if anyone have already used it as 99% people (including even some medical professionals) tend to get into a panic in case of emergency when fast use of AED may save someone's life. Anyway, the idea is worth of popularizing and maybe AED should be available for non-professionals not only in Dulles airport. Well, American Red Cross estimates that in the USA "up to 50,000 of deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency."

Let's me quote them again:
HOW DOES AN AED WORK?
An AED is easy to operate. It uses voice prompts to instruct the rescuer. Once the machine is turned on, the rescuer will be prompted to apply two electrodes provided with the AED to the victim's chest. Once applied, the AED will begin to monitor the victim's heart rhythm. If a "shockable" rhythm is detected, the machine will charge itself and instruct the rescuer to stand clear of the victim and to press the shock button.

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Walking around downtown DC, I have seen the proud writings "No child left behind" on posters and walls of some buildings at least a few times. Once entrances to an ugly office building were re-ordered in a childish style and decorated with this nutshell (see my next pictures). I've never seen something like this anywhere else. Certainly, looking at numerous attractions set up for kids and youths (even in the Holocaust Museum and mostly very boring for kids art galleries!) I very easily realised that the city is very child friendly. Well, I had already learnt that the USA was a kid (and a dog :-) friendly country but Washington was significantly more.

I thought that "the No child left behind" might be a local project of improvement education, preventing crimes against children or commited by them or anything similar to that. Now, I know that the No Child Left Act is the new law, a key part of president's Bush plan of comprehensive education reform already approved by the Congress and signed by the president in January, 2002. The effectiveness and desirability of the Act's measures continue to be a matter of vigorous debate. Well, I have my own opinion on American educational system which is mostly positive, especially referring to high level education (although it's not covered by all tax payers but by particular students) and different than what I can hear from some of my friends who have never been to the USA. It's a great topic for my future USA page haha.

Just one more small observation. The key law acts are titled shortly and very "voter's friendly" not only in the USA. Haha, it's a political trick, legal and honest one, not at all known (yet!) among still not the best experienced politicians in fresh democracy in my country, Poland. Who would be against the idea of "No child left behind"? Would you prefer to support and vote for: "USA Patriot Act" or for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001"?

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All the Free publications are posted in the corner of main streets or metro entrances
for example all these are FREE

If you need info on Rentals get the "Washington Post Apartment Showcase"
If you want to see what is happening that week in the city " the City Paper"
If you need to buy a used car "thrifty nickle"
if you want summary news " Free daily Journal"

I have always admired the street musician, and I have encountered many over the year's durring my travels. There are actually some very good ones out there that should be hitting the big time. Please treat them with respect and dignity, and do tip them...most make their money by entertaining us, and it's fair exchange. In 2004, a Sidewalk Musician's Slam Competition let the public vote via email to decide who was DC's best street musician. The 2004 winner was trumpeter Mario Murray. The winning musician was awarded time in a professional studio at Three Key Music to record a CD that will be launched at a future CD release party.

**http://www.washingtonian.com/inwashington/music_street.html

‘DC’ is short for the District of Columbia, the land that Maryland submitted to direct federal control when the Americans decided to build Washington here (Virginia contributed land as well to make a perfect square, but they later asked for the land back when it looked like Washington wasn't going to get built).

DC has an odd status: it’s more than just the city of Washington, but it’s not a state. The citizens of DC could not vote in a presidential election until 1964! ‘Columbia’ is the feminine version of Columbus, the man who everyone knows supposedly discovered America (although he never set foot on what was to become the USA). Columbia is also a symbol of the country, much like the UK’s ‘Britannia.’

Some of my favourite times were spent walking in the neighbourhoods, such as U Street and just seeing the row houses. I made a friend on one of the trips and went to one of thse row houses to visit her and her children.

Some of my favourite times were spent walking in the neighbourhoods, such as U Street and just seeing the row houses. I made a friend on one of the trips and went to one of thse row houses to visit her and her children.