Thanks F.C.’s Water Department for Response
Editor,
For a couple of days I had noticed a stream of water running down my neighbor’s driveway. At first I figured it was his sump pump discharge, no worries. On Saturday morning, 13 November while cleaning up around my yard, I noticed that the stream was continuous and that my neighbor was away. I went into his sideyard and found a pool of standing water. I investigated further and asked an adjacent neighbor if they had water in their backyard. We both looked and found none.
I called the FC Water Department and a pleasant young lady immediately answered the phone (impressive). She dispatched a young man who within minutes appeared and professionally, diligently, carefully proceeded to find and check the surrounding neighbors water meters to see where the problem lie. It was determined that the leak was from a 4-inch main.
Within a few more minutes trucks and backhoe appeared, a team of courteous, caring, respectful (I cannot say enough to describe their presence and actions) personnel assembled. Simultaneous with their arrival the homeowner drove up.
They informed the neighbor of what they had found, what actions would be necessary and what remedial efforts would be made to restore the affected area
They, and I mean they all were in the effort together. The team knew each other’s strengths and worked effectively and professionally together to exact the repair. There was camaraderie, respect and even a bit of humor from time to time while wallowing in the mud.
Thank you Falls Church Water Department for all you do and how you do it. Called into service at anytime and in any weather. Thank you and have Happy Thanksgiving.
David Schwind
Falls Church
‘Peak Oil’ News Proclaims Only ‘The End is Near’
Editor,
I’ve got a suggestion for Tom Whipple, author of the News-Press’ seemingly endless series on the “Peak Oil Crisis.” Why doesn’t he give up his column and simply walk up and down Broad St. carrying a sign that reads, “The end is still near.”
After all, that’s pretty much the message of every one of his columns. How long have they been running in the News-Press? Three years? Five years? Ten Years? I can’t tell, because they all say the same thing: oil production is about to start dropping, the industrial age is over, and we face a global disaster if we don’t listen to him.
There have been predictions of oil running out for over a century, and they’ve all turned out to be wrong. Still, it’s possible that Mr. Whipple is right about peak oil. But even so, he’d be wrong about it resulting in a global economic catastrophe. If oil supplies start running out, then oil prices will rise, reducing demand, making other energy sources more competitive, and lengthening the amount of time that oil will still be available. There will certainly be dislocations, but there won’t be a disaster. That may be too bad for Mr. Whipple, since he views our prosperity over the last hundred years as a terrible thing. The rest of us, however, will survive.
But there will be a disaster if politicians start embracing Mr. Whipple’s call for government to act. When government tries to pick new energy technologies, it usually gets it wrong-just look at Carter’s synfuel program, Bush’s hydrogen-powered FreedomCar, and the ethanol fiasco. Unlike private investors, government doesn’t pay for its mistakes; why should we expect it to do a good job at technological forecasting?
For that reason, it’s good that most politicians are not heeding Mr. Whipple’s call to prepare for his “new era”. In fact, it’s one more thing for which we can grateful on this Thanksgiving.
Sam Kazman
Falls Church
Teacher Hails Performances of ‘Les Miserables’
Editor,
As a long time substitute teacher at George Mason High School, my pride in the school swelled exponentially this weekend as I watched the performance of “Les Miserables”. The musicians, singers, actors and special effects were superb, reflecting yet another superior quality of the school. A hearty Well Done to all involved in the production.
Al Kreiser
Via the Internet
Early Plans Underway for ‘Relay for Life’
Editor,
Planning is already under way for the 2011 Falls Church Relay For Life, which will be held the night of Saturday June 4, 2011 on the field at George Mason High School.
This year’s event will mark the 5th annual relay in the City of Falls Church. Last year’s event raised more than $105,000 to support the American Cancer Society’s fight against the disease.
Each year, local residents organize teams, many of them made up of middle school and high school students, to raise funds for the event. It culminates in an overnight event during which cancer survivors are honored, cancer victims and survivors are remembered through a moving luminaria ceremony after dark, and then teams continue to walk through the night to show their support for the cause.
The formal kickoff for this year’s event will be held on Saturday February 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. at George Mason High School. Persons who sign up for a team before December 1 will qualify for an early registration discount, saving themselves the $10 registration fee.
The Falls Church Relay For Life steering committee is also seeking volunteers interested in working on various aspects of this year’s relay. Both long-term and short-term opportunities are available. For more information, contact co-chair Katie Clinton (clintonk@fccps.org) or Terri Rollo (jrollo1@starpower.net.) For more information on the Falls Church Relay, or to start up a team, go to www.fallschurchrelay.org.
Katie Clinton & Terry Rollo
Co-Chairs, Falls Church Relay For Life
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