Dystopian visions of the future of Washington, D.C.

What ever happened to a sense of idealism and hope in the future? At what point do all the apocalyptic scenarios for the future become self-fulfilling prophecies?

Then again, I don't think there's much to worry about with this particular set of predictions coming true. The Pentagon as a peace institute, for a world where security is achieved through diplomacy and ideas? Six thousand years of human history says that's not going to happen in the next century.

A water Mall to bring life into the city? Like D.C. needs more mosquitoes. There is something poetic to it - the city rose from a swamp, and to a swamp it will return.

Elevated farmland above inner city neighborhoods? I don't think the people in those neighborhoods would take kindly to having their homes essentially buried.

Still, I guess it's not entirely wrong-headed:

"This project starts off by assuming that Washington, D.C., will decline to a certain extent," said Nataly Gattegno, an assistant professor of architecture. "Because of its pollution. Because of its lack of educational infrastructure, lack of actual infrastructure, sewage, water treatment, energy, fuel, coal plants."

Pretty safe projection, considering it's been happening since the 1970's, but the natural response has not been to build gigantic new high-density infrastructure. Instead, people have moved to Virginia and Maryland for lower density living.  ¶ 20:41

  They've found another thing to fret about: "leisure sickness". It seems that people in one study reported getting sick while on vacation.

I think there may be something to it, because I've noticed the same thing. In my case, I think it may have something to do with the large amounts of dust that result from my notoriously poor housekeeping skills.  ¶ 22:02

  Newark, New Jersey, the Garden City in the Garden State, is apparently undergoing some sort of revival. Who knew? I wonder if this means that Anacostia will go the same way.  ¶ 21:45

  2008... another year is upon us already. I hope and pray that maybe, just maybe, we will get a brief respite from the incessant campaigning for a few weeks in December before the next round gears up again.  ¶ 21:38