3400 block of Q St.
Ginkgogate 2009 Called Off
After a series of defeats from Dunkirk to Singapore, Churchill could finally tell the House of Commons that “we have a new experience. We have victory – a remarkable and definite victory.”
Alexander and Montgomery turned back Rommel’s forces at El Alamein, thus winning what Churchill called “The Battle of Egypt.” I have never promised anything but blood, tears, toil, and sweat. Now, however,
The bright gleam has caught the helmets of our soldiers, and warmed and cheered all our hearts.
The late M. Venizelos observed that in all her wars England — he should have said Britain, of course — always wins one battle — the last. It would seem to have begun rather earlier this time. General Alexander, with his brilliant comrade and lieutenant, General Montgomery, has gained a glorious and decisive victory in what I think should be called the battle of Egypt. Rommel’s army has been defeated. It has been routed. It has been very largely destroyed as a fighting force.
This battle was not fought for the sake of gaining positions or so many square miles of desert territory. General Alexander and General Montgomery fought it with one single idea. they meant to destroy the armed force of the enemy and to destroy it at the place where the disaster would be most far-reaching and irrecoverable….
Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Henceforth Hitler’s Nazis will meet equally well armed, and perhaps better armed troops. Hence forth they will have to face in many theatres of war that superiority in the air which they have so often used without mercy against other, of which they boasted all round the world, and which they intended to use as an instrument for convincing all other peoples that all resistance to them was hopeless….
We mean to hold our own. I have not become the King’s First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire. For that task, if ever it were prescribed, someone else would have to be found, and, under democracy, I suppose the nation would have to be consulted. I am proud to be a member of that vast commonwealth and society of nations and communities gathered in and around the ancient British monarchy, without which the good cause might well have perished from the face of the earth. Here we are, and here we stand, a veritable rock of salvation in this drifting world….
The British and American affairs continue to prosper in the Mediterranean, and the whole event will be a new bond between the English-speaking peoples and a new hope for the whole world.
I recall to you some lines of Byron, which seem to me to fit the event, the hour, and the theme:
Millions of tongues record thee, and anew
Their children’s lips shall echo them, and say —
“Here, where the sword united nations drew,
Our countrymen were warring on that day!”
And this is much, and all which will not pass away.
While the wretched threat of their putrid load still hangs menacingly over our heads or lies under our feet, GM is now confident that a full-blown Ginkgogate 2009 has been avoided.
This time last year we we’re under a deluge of foul smelling berries. The city had switched to a new concoction to stem the growth of the ginkgo berries. It was a total disaster. We had berries straight through the spring.
This year, however, the city went back to the tried but true spraying method. While he may live to regret it, GM believes that we have gotten through the worst of the ginkgo season without nearly the onslaught we saw last year.
So while we’ll still have smelly shoes for the next several weeks, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible.
Filed under Around Town
The Morning Metropolitan
Georgetown houses by aloucha.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Update on student’s lawsuit against Mr. Smith’s.
- We Love DC writes up great history of Georgetown, interviews boring blogger.
- Jack Evans talks Georgetown and Halloween.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
Chancellor Rhee Speaks to CAG
Last night Chancellor of the D.C. Public Schools Michelle Rhee spoke to the Citizens Association of Georgetown at the Hyde-Addison School. Rhee spoke for about an hour to the packed crowd of mostly supportive listeners.
Before the meeting, however, a set of impressive student ambassadors gave members of the audience personal tours of the Hyde and Addison buildings. GM was particularly impressed with the poise and enthusiasm of his three ambassadors.
Now to the meeting: Rhee started it off with a quick introductory speech. She thanked Hyde principal Dana Nerenberg and congratulated her on being one of DCPS’s exemplary principals. Specifically she cited two of Nerenberg’s accomplishments.
First, Rhee mentioned that Nerenberg had developed a program to improve special education by offering Hyde as a location for more “inclusion kids”. To accommodate the addition children, Nerenberg worked with school building czar Alan Lew to completely renovate the empty Addison school. The school took over the Addison school last spring. Now kindergarten through first grade are in Hyde, while second through fifth grade are in the gleaming Addison building.
Second Rhee mentioned Nerenberg’s work with the principals of Mann and Janney. Â Together they developed a collaborative program for their three schools to help spread their success to six less highly achieving schools. The program enables the struggling schools to learn best practices from the higher achieving schools.
After speaking about Nerenberg, Rhee stated that we are nowhere near being able to say we can provide a good education to all the kids in the school district. But despite telling a journalist last year that she would give herself a failing grade, Rhee stated that there are nonetheless hopeful signs of progress. Specifically she mentioned that the improvements that the fourth graders made in math last year put the District in first place versus all the fifty states in terms year-over-year improvements.
Adorably, shortly after Rhee made this claim a student ambassador raised his hands and wanted to clarify that it was in fact his class-year that had increased its performance so well. The crowd got a kick out of that. Continue reading
Filed under Citizens Association of Georgetown
The Morning Metropolitan
Whitehurst Freeway by Kevin H.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Carol Joynt reminisces about Neames Market.
- Georgetown resident quits six figure office job to become a farmer, sustainably.
- Georgetown Voice digs into the role CAG and the ANC had in the formation of Magis Row.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
Street Closures This Weekend
This Sunday the Marine Corps Marathon will be snaking its way through Georgetown. To accommodate the race, some roads will be closed to traffic. Here’s a map of the affected streets in Georgetown:
The runners will:
- Come across the Key Bridge
- Turn left down Canal Rd.
- Stay on Canal Rd. all the way to Reservoir Rd. (where Fletcher’s is)
- Go up Reservoir Rd. back to MacArthur.
- Take MacArthur back to Canal to M St.
- Stay on M until Wisconsin, where they turn right down towards K.
- Take a left on K, take it over to Rock Creek Parkway
- Continue on to another hellish 15 miles or so as GM sleeps in.
The streets will open up as the racers finish with each section. The Georgetown section is on miles 4 through 10, so the roads should be clear by late morning.
The Morning Metropolitan
Georgetown Cafe by Caroline Treadway.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- A balloon flew over Georgetown yesterday to take photos. No national scandal ensued.
- GU student who’s trying to hire a personal assistant speaks with the Post.
- Reminder: Chancellor Rhee speaks to CAG tonight at the Hyde School.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
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