Lincolnite

(I apologize for the title. I'm tired and not thinking straight.) You knew it was coming eventually, didn't you? Lincoln Parks and Rec is pondering a smoking ban at parks and along recreational trails. Or perhaps just near playgrounds. Whatever the specifics wind up being, don't be surprised if some sort of smoking restrictions come into play within the next few years. Those of you who remember my opposition to the city-wide restaurant and bar smoking ban might be surprised to learn that I'm actually somewhat in favor of a Parks & Rec smoking ban. Why the difference? Because parks are truly public spaces, whereas restaurants are private spaces generally (but not entirely) open to the public. The fact that a park is public doesn't mean that the public can do whatever they want while they are there. You can't blare music at rock concert volumes at Hazel Abel Park, for example, because of the effects it has on those around you. Smoking in the vicinity of those who wish to avoid second-hand smoke is comparably obnoxious. It is of course permissible to play music at a reasonable volume without harming others. If there were a way to keep the effects of smoking confined to a personal bubble, I should think it would be less of a problem. Unfortunately air currents tend to be tricky little buggers. I spend enough time at parks, trails, and ball fields to feel like I have a good sense for how big of a problem this is. In short: we don't need to rush to solve something that's far from a crisis. Most smokers seem to have enough common sense to stay away from places where kids -- well, other peoples' kids -- are hanging around. There are the annoying exceptions, of course, and as with most calls for "There oughtta be a law!" it's those people who get folks all atwitter. This may be a problem worth solving, but it's not such a problem that we need to rush in and do the job poorly. What do y'all think about smoking in parks and near trails? Is it a problem? Is it enough of a problem that we need new rules (or City ordinances) to solve it?

Have you ever played around with the satellite view on Google Maps or another mapping service? I enjoy zipping around Lincoln every now and then to see if I can find anything unusual. Not long ago I was scrolling along 48th Street when I found this view: It's a large open area between 46th and 48th, Hillside and High. As you drive along 48th Street you would never guess that just to your west are huge backyards, or a large common area, or whatever that is. Similarly, many people even within the neighborhood don't know about this long, north-south common area just south of Zeman Elementary: What other surprises have you found while looking at Lincoln from above? Or alternately, what other "secrets" can best be seen from above that most Lincolnites don't know about?

There's a bruhaha at 24th and Superior over a proposed apartment complex. There's a nice empty lot just begging to be developed. Unfortunately, neighbors aren't happy about the idea of filling the gap with 94 apartments. The complaints may be nimbyism in action, or they may be based on legitimate gripes. Or both. Let's think for a moment about a conflict this exposes in Lincoln's future. Planning documents such as the Comprehensive Plan have, for many years, talked about the virtues of denser development. Denser development helps keep down certain infrastructure costs relative to sparser development, among other benefits. There are costs as well, and that's where this scenario comes in. The area around 24th and Superior already sees a lot of traffic. (Or so I'm told; I don't frequent the area.) The region feels saturated -- there are residences, an elementary school, oodles of businesses, and two major arterials (Superior and 27th) funneling thousands of vehicles into, out of, and through the area. School-related traffic taxes local residential roads in addition to the arterials. So although the lot in question may be zoned for 94 apartments, it's no wonder area residents question the appropriateness of the development given the existing conditions. Whether or not the complaints about this specific project are valid, if Lincoln really is going to support denser infill development in the coming years we're going to be faced with many situations like this where the local transportation network's capacity will be put to scrutiny. And what if the roads can't handle the proposed traffic? Do we abort the denser development and instead transfer our problems to the city's edge? Do we prioritize updating the roads, trails, and mass transit system? Or do we sacrifice transportation convenience and merely put up with more gridlock, longer drive times, lower fuel efficiency, and diminished quality of life? These aren't easy questions so it's tempting to brush them aside. We aren't really under all that much pressure right now to figure out the answers. But it would be a mistake for Lincolnites not to at least begin processing the costs and benefits of various scenarios. Chances are, one of these days you'll find yourself directly affected by this sort of conflict. Have you thought through how it might affect you, or how your reaction might affect the city as a whole?

It's nothing we didn't already know, but the Legislature's Performance Audit Committee has slammed child welfare reform. In short, the Department of Health and Human Services, prodded on by Governor Heineman, moved toward privatization too quickly with too little leadership and too few concrete goals. HHS CEO Kerry Winterer's reaction to the report was no different than it has been all along: Yep, we screwed up royally, but we're gonna get it right this time, we swear! Perhaps one of these days we'll actually see the performance improvements we've been promised all this time. The downside of that, unfortunately, is that yahoos like Winterer and Heineman will then crow about how they were right all along.

Those of you who have given Centennial Mall more than a fleeting glance over the past decade know that the area, which should be a source of community (and state) pride, is an ugly, blighted mess. There's hope. New designs are in the works and they've been given a thumbs-up by the folks in charge of the inside and outside of the Capitol. There's a hitch, naturally: a $9.6 million price tag that will cover the cost of construction and ongoing maintenance. Fundraising begins next year. I wouldn't think fundraising would be too difficult. Heck, I'd buy a brick if the price is right. We'll probably know more about our options come springtime.

I nearly piddled myself in excitement when I saw the South Beltway on a list of "priority" projects for the Department of Roads. Reality soon set in, however. The beltway has made (and disappeared from) similar lists in the past. And its $158 million price tag isn't due to be allocated until 2020-2023. If you actually believe it'll happen then (and at that price), I have some oil-free property in the Sandhills to sell you. But ... this is progress. Being on the list is better than not being on the list. Still, I can't help but gripe about the fact that the final pieces of the East Beltway should be put in place right about now. That we aren't even going to begin the South Beltway for another decade in the best of circumstances is horrible.

Last night I discovered, quite by accident, that Lincoln Racquet Club (around 54th and Old Cheney) is now open on Saturdays. That's a huge policy change, apparently brought about by a change in ownership. Racquet Club's former owners were Seventh Day Adventists who stuck to "no working [out] on the Sabbath". This is great news for me considering how close I live and how I've been pondering the ups and downs of joining a fitness club over the winter. Unfortunately, Racquet Club's website commits one of the worst possible sins a website can commit: it doesn't provide the critical information a consumer needs. Specifically, it doesn't mention membership rates. I refuse to call or schedule an appointment just to find out how much money they want from me each month. And so they won't have my business. It's their loss. That issue aside, it will be interesting to see if being open on Saturdays improves Racquet Club's perception in the community. I can't tell you how many people I've heard say that they would join if it weren't for the Saturday policy. Now that that's out of the way, will they follow through?

County Commissioner Jane Raybould doesn't think the new election districts are fair. Her proposal had five districts each including a chunk of Lincoln, along with a sizable rural area. The new districts -- just approved today -- eliminate Jane Raybould's rural constituents. Instead, her district falls entirely within Lincoln. The other four districts all include chunks of Lincoln along with rural areas. Ms. Raybould's complaint is that the districts are now all but a lock for particular parties. Raybould's district leans heavily Democrat; the others lean heavily Republican. It's one of the rare times you'll ever hear a politician complain that redistricting makes her more likely to get re-elected. Does Ms. Raybould's complaint have merit? As she's phrasing it, no. She seems to be arguing that like-minded people are more accurately being grouped with other like-minded* people. How could that possibly be construed as a bad thing? Since when is it bad that Democrats will be more likely to be represented by a Democrat, and Republicans by a Republican? By Raybould's own admission she is not a good representative for rural Lancaster County residents' wants. Why would she want folks in her district that, based on party affiliation, she's likely to vote against? Ms. Raybould raised some really fun and interesting topics for discussion. I credit her for that. But I haven't yet been able to wrap my head around her argument here. She raised questions that involve fundamental issues of democracy -- and which should, therefore, concern all of us -- but the message folks heard was her complaint that she's too likely to keep her job. *For the purposes of this discussion we're of course making huge generalizations here about the "like-mindedness" of the affected populations; the propensity of an individual to always "vote with her party"; and so forth.

I appreciate the City's approach to handling Occupy Lincoln protesters. Rather than reflexively creating rules or ordinances to deal with the folks while they're camped out, the City will wait until they're gone before updating restrictions on the use of Centennial Mall. The protesters simply aren't a big deal right now. Why stir up trouble? Obviously the rules do need to be changed. As it currently stands, anybody can camp out on Centennial Mall any old time they like. Talk about an invitation for trouble! For that matter, any public right of way is open to camping. I'm not entirely clear on what counts as a "right of way" for these purposes, but isn't the area between the sidewalk and the street generally considered the right of way? Does that mean anybody could camp out just outside my house? That could make for some entertaining methods of protest. Rabble-rousers take note. For now, though, Lincoln is taking the right approach. Sit back, do some research, and as soon as the coast is clear take reasonable action.

Apparently the Journal Star -- or at least Matt Olberding -- doesn't think much about good ol' Lincoln. In an article on top places to retire, Lincoln is summed up as a place with "high taxes, cold winters and hot summers". Gee, sounds dreamy! I don't think the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau will be picking up that slogan any time soon. I'm nowhere near retirement age, but frankly taxes and weather wouldn't (necessarily) scare me off. No, if I wanted to frighten old people away from Lincoln I'd point out all the damn hippie college kids. Now THEY are scary. Their music; their clothing; their bizarre mating rituals; their inability to form a coherent English sentence. Nope, a little snowstorm wouldn't keep me away nearly as effectively as would a pamphlet titled The Perils of Living in a College Town.

I love that Lincoln will have 80% coverage of countdown crosswalks by the end of next year. I'm not sure how much good they do for pedestrians, particularly outside of Downtown, but for drivers the signals are extremely helpful. I use the signals to help time my approach to intersections, which in turn helps me keep my gas mileage up. Now if we could just get Lincoln to implement flashing lights at non-major intersections after, say, 10:30pm. That one will probably never happen, but I'll continue to gripe about it just in case my whining does any good.

My father and I stopped in to Babylon (southwest of 48th and Highway 2 in Briarhurst Center; 402-421-1005) for lunch on Thursday. I could hardly let a new restaurant go unvisited for long when it's located so close to my house. Babylon serves up a variety of Mediterranean cuisine. (Menu exterior [PDF], menu interior [PDF]) Unfortunately for you folks, I know next to nothing about Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods, and I don't have the built-in fondness for those foods that I have for, say, Mexican food. I've eaten a couple gyros in my life and I'm familiar with kebabs. Beyond that ... I'm not worth much. Keep that in mind while reading. Before we get into food, let's talk about the restaurant itself. Babylon sits near 48th and Highway 2 in Briarhurst Center. Situated in the back of the small strip mall, Babylon occupies the location that formerly held Oh Yummy, a Japanese/sushi joint. Some of the previous tenant's decorations remain, but overall the decor is simple and sparse. All seating is at tables -- no booths here. That gives the restaurant plenty of flexibility for larger parties. The down side is that with no booths and no walls in the dining area, there's nothing to break up the space. That's not a huge problem, but if the restaurant stays with us for a while they'll want to think about some minor remodeling to give the dining area more character. Service was fine on our visit. That's pretty easy when there aren't many patrons, but I've seen plenty of restaurants screw up service even when you're the only table in the house. We were greeted warmly and invited to choose our own table. The waiter, a younger, smiling gentleman, was very pleasant and helpful. He passed the test of providing a specific answer when I asked what was his favorite item on the menu (sambusas). He also passed my father's preferred method of ordering at a new restaurant: hand the menu to the waiter and say "You pick something for me". The restaurant does need to work on the timing of food coming out of the kitchen. My father's soup came out first; then my soup and entree; then my father's entree. Of course the soups should have come out, then the entrees after sufficient delay. Other timing issues, such as checking about drink refills, inquiring about the food, and so forth, were all fine. Now the food. I began with the okra soup. I chose it for reasons even I don't fully understand. I've only had okra a couple times in my life, and I had no idea what an okra soup would entail. That being said, what arrived was comparable to a variety of tomato soup with pieces of cut up okra. The overall flavor was tasty, but the broth was oily for my preference. I know oils are important in the region's cuisine, but I'm just not used to it. For my entree I chose the sambusa, since the waiter said it was his favorite. Think egg rolls here. The presentation was nice, with the main dish placed encircling the plate and a simple salad of greens, cucumber, onions, and tomato in the center. It turned out to be a very "safe" meal for somebody who isn't entirely comfortable with the cuisine. There were no scary, foreign flavors; no sneaky ingredients. It was basically seasoned beef inside a fried shell. It would make a good dish for a tentative beginner. My father began with the lentil soup, which the waiter chose because my dad said he likes spicy food. It wasn't actually very spicy, though it did have a subtle twang to it. My father enjoyed the flavor, but the texture -- while not unpleasant -- caught him off-guard. The broth was thick with not-quite-fully-pureed lentils. The texture reminded me a bit of a thick mulligatawny. In any event, the soup bowl was bone dry by the time my father was finished with it. For his entree the waiter selected biryani with beef. Again, this turned out to be a pretty "safe" dish for somebody still getting his feet wet with the regional grub. The rice was "drier" than my father expected or is used to, but it seemed appropriate for the context of the dish. (Again, our ignorance of the cuisine is showing.) He only made it a little past half-way with the entree, but because he was full not because he didn't enjoy it. The rest went home in a box. Overall the restaurant appears to have a good start in every area except support from customers. (I saw three carry-out orders go out while I was there, so maybe that's a segment that will grow over time.) The food is tasty, it is presented very well, and portions are generous. The atmosphere, although it's not going to win any awards for interior design, is sufficient. Service needs some tweaks out of the kitchen, but is friendly, helpful, and speedy. Prices might scare some people away, but they shouldn't. You get what you pay for. Besides, sandwiches can be had for as little as $3.95. Still, Babylon might consider offering a few smaller lunch plates for $7 to avoid the psychological barrier that kicks in when dishes get too close to the $10 mark. In sum, it's a welcome addition to my neighborhood. It joins plenty of other food options within a couple blocks, including two bars, a gourmet grocery store, two bakeries, a bagel shop, a home cookin' joint, and Sonic. A sign indicates that a cupcake shop is about to move in next door. If Babylon can get some momentum going, I look forward to it being part of the neighborhood for years to come.

Babylon Mediterranean Cuisine has opened in Briarhurst Center just southwest of 48th and Highway 2. I haven't checked it out yet, but I do have scans of the menu they gave to The Missus:

• Outside [PDF]
• Inside [PDF]

I was hoping to give it a try today but I'm not sure if that will happen. Let us know if you stop by.