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Short answer: NO.

My friendly neighborhood East Siver Spring Community Association (ESSCA) listserv had en email announcing next month’s meeting for March 16. Evidently, Preservation Maryland has been invited to speak about the “pros, cons and process for being designated an historic district.”

My initial reaction: You’ve got to be frakking kidding me, right?

Read on, and the email says, “This is one of several ideas we would like to explore in order [to] be  proactive in protecting our homes from future attempts to rezone or tear them down.”

My next reaction: Over my dead body.

I’ve heard some pretty stupid ideas in the neighborhood, but this one is one of the best in recent memory. No way am I going to be accountable to some neighborhood board before I add on to my house, tear down a tree, or put up a basketball goal in my driveway. It seems that the people who want this sort of action fear change more than the radiation they claim comes from the downtown WiFi signal. And yes, that *has* been mentioned on the listserv in the past. I understand their sentiment, but there is no way I’m going to let this happen.

It reminds me of a great X-Files episode called “Arcadia,” where Mulder and Scully move into a community where the rules include:

• No front lawn decorations
• No one to be outside after 6:00pm
• No pets that weigh more than 16 lbs.
• No basketball hoops

The penalty? Death. My first reaction (and Mulder’s)? Install a basketball hoop.

I’ve found out that in order to run for office in ESSCA, you have to live in the area, attend at least half the meetings over the past year, and paid your dues. Right now I’m one for three. But elections are in May, and you can be damned sure that in May 2010, I’m going to push for a slate of candidates that represent the REAL East Silver Spring - not a bunch of preservationsists that speak as the vocal minority in this community. And I know I have a LOT of people in the neighborhood on my side.

Get ready to step aside, old-timers. You’re in for one helluva ride. And in the meantime, I’m going to come to as many meetings as possible and make for some entertaining dialogue.

Did I hear that number correctly on the radio yesterday? I know times are tough and cuts need to be made, but I’m going to quote a fictional character with an overture that I couldn’t agree with more:

Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don’t need little changes. We need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That’s my position. I just haven’t figured out how to do it yet.

I’d be willing to drive on crappy roads and take a hit or two on economic development offers to pull some of this money back. I hope it gets back in when all is said and done and our current economic crisis is subsiding. And I hope and pray Nancy Navarro wins the District 4 seat on the Council.

In other news…

The Murray Horowitz Era is Over
Reports are out that Murray, one my my favorite locals, was let go as COO of AFI Silver Theatre late last week. My wife was one of his biggest fans. I hope that when we finally get TATV (Thayer Avenue Television) on Public Access, Murray will still be able to join us for one of our highly-anticipated programs, “Mondays with Murray.”

I still haven’t heard details of what happened and where he’s going, so please send them along if you have them.

Dangerous Steps Ahead
I know the ICE enforcements announced by our boneheaded venerable County Executive are much less than in some nearby counties, but I think it’s a bad idea and sends the wrong message for where the county should position itself in terms of immigration reform.