A Horrible Case of Driving While Black-Robby Tolan

I was not surprised when I heard this on the morning news. Any more than I was surprised when I heard about he murder of two hispanic men who were hugging to keep warm and beaten to death because the thugs that killed them thought they were gay. 

Watch and weep:

Friday Five-Pancakes

Sophia gives us this Friday Five: "Last week Sally gave us a beautiful, spiritually reflective Friday Five, so it's time for something light and fluffy (literally). It's inspired by the fact that as I write this my dear spouse TechnoGuy, with the assistance of daughter Ladybug, is making a batch of chocolate chip pancakes with two Christmas presents. One is the Knott's Berry Farm mix which came along with jam, boysenberry syrup, and biscuit mix from my aunt (we ended up with two sets, since my parents passed theirs on to avoid sweet and carb-y temptation). The other is the large size Black and Decker electric skillet he was thrilled that I got him online -- our trusty wedding present normal size one still works at going on 20 years, but the Teflon is getting worn, and he wanted more cooking space. So pull up a chair to the kitchen table and tell us all about your pancake preferences."

Point of information. In NYC, a lot, ok most of the diners are run by Greek people, like a lot of green markets are run by Korean people. FYI. The food is regular food, not particularly Greek, although there may be some Spanikopita, or Moussakas on the menu...there is always spaghetti, too! It's just the way the city developed. Like the shoe stores are run by Albanians like Kevin Cole...just kidding!

1. Scratch or mix? Buttermilk or plain?
I usually only let myself have pancakes at Good Stuff, the Greek Diner the the Catholic Lesbians go to after mass, and only during fresh blueberry season. So many calories ( yes I said it!) But I love them, those blueberryed brown and buttery salty sweet with real maple syrup yumminess drippy Pancakes!

2. Pure and simple, or with additions cooked in?
Yup, blueberries.

3. For breakfast or for dinner?
Breakfast or brunch.

4. Preferred syrup or other topping? How about the best side dish?
Maple and Bacon-throw on some more calories and some cholesterol, too.

5. Favorite pancake restaurant?
Could be Good Stuff on 14th St. or it could be Chelsea Square or any of a number of Greek Diners in the City that never sleeps!

She was discriminated against and well then it happened again

Admired Lesbian Fired by Detroit Catholic School
(Bloomfield Hills; 18 October 2006----) A dedicated and much-loved employee of a Detroit-area high school was fired last week following the publication of her book which detailed the harassment she endured for being a lesbian on the Detroit Police force.

Charlene Genther was fired on 13 October from her position of Campus Safety Officer at Marian High School, a position she held since 2001. Genther says the president of the school, Lenore Pochelski, told her that she had to leave because, as an out lesbian, her "lifestyle did not go along with the teachings of the Catholic Church." Marian, a Catholic, college preparatory high school for young women, is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Genther left the Detroit Police Department after nearly 15 years. She was one of the "first 100" female police officers assigned to patrol duty in 1975.

Since her firing last Friday, hundreds of former and current Marian students and families have expressed outrage and sorrow that Genther had been fired. Many students have begun a petition to bring her back.

"Your kind, caring and watchful eye over out daughters for these many years has been greatly appreciated," said the mother of a former student.

"[With Genther gone] it makes me sad to know what future generations of students will be missing" at Marian, said a former student.

Because Michigan law does not protect gays and lesbians from workplace discrimination, Genther has little legal recourse.
"Unfortunately, Charlene is suffering a second round of anti-gay discrimination," said Jeffrey Montgomery, Executive Director of Triangle Foundation. "It's a horrible lesson to be teaching those girls: that being honest will cost you your job. It's also hypocritical, because even the Church says job discrimination against gays and lesbians is wrong. She was a role model and mentor and they cast her out."

"To think they preached about respect for all, we are all children of God and that we not judge people..." said another student. "I personally feel that they are wrong to be teaching something that they are not practicing." She concluded.

In further tribute, another mother of Marian students wrote a note to Genther and said, "There is one very important thing I have never said but mean it very much. Thank you very much for loving my daughters. They are better young women for having you in their life."

"Clearly the Catholic hierarchy continues to get the gay question all wrong," Montgomery said. "In the process they waste and destroy their most precious human resources, whether they are in the pulpits or laypeople. It's a bad habit that must be broken."

Charlene Genther will be reading from her book, "Badge 3483," on Saturday 28 October at St. Andrews Church in Clawson (340 North Main Street), beginning at 1:30pm.

Code and not in the nose

OW

I work for a large government agency which will go unnamed, ok, it's NY State. I'm a Senior Counselor which means middle management and dealing with my staffs problem clients and dealing with my problem staff (actually I have a wonderful staff, and and...)
Yesterday at the end of the day, and my day starts at 7:30, the 4 seniors were called into the Directors office about some computer work that had to be done post haste-by seniors because we're the only ones that have permission to do this particular function. Well I was the first to try the first of about 25-my share. Error message, So, I called Steve, another senior, same problem. Error. We went to the Director. He told me to call the help desk. After some futzing, and calling in the head futzer and computer geek, she said she wrote some bad code. So we all gathered in the Directors office and had a '5 minute meeting-35- to discuss how we would all do the work wrong today, then send it to the state capitol where they would change it before 4:00 today. 

All for a little bad code. Achoo.