Tranquility Pike

Patrick Pogan, ex-NYPD cop, avoids punishment for injuring cyclist

Ex-NYPD cop gets NO jail time for lying in case in which he injured a critical mass cyclist. Why am I not surprised?

Did Bernalillo High School principal refuse to let outstanding Hispanic student walk in graduation?

I guess Albuquerque's Bernalillo High School graduation is over now, since it was scheduled for last night, but if the details I've seen online are true, then I am hopping mad about what the school's principal did to graduating senior, Cynthia Banuelos. According to reports, Principal Janelle Taylor Garcia, said by local Hispanic students to single them out for harassment, was refusing to allow Cynthia to walk across the stage, saying she failed an online math course. It sounds as though Cynthia and her family were planning to attend the ceremony anyway. I'm anxious to know the outcome.

Cynthia's family is said to have a transcript showing an A in the math course, which basically makes sense because Cynthia is reported to be an honor student with a full scholarship to the University of New Mexico. Bigger than the debate over her math grade, however, is the question around the school's supposed policy of not allowing a student with an F to walk across the stage to accept an earned diploma. Is this for real? Or just for the school's Hispanic population? Has it been consistently applied? Way to go, Principal Garcia and school board! In demeaning and alienating this outstanding student, you have hopefully opened yourselves up to one heck of a lawsuit. 

In traveling around the US, I am always amazed and somewhat surprised by local attitudes and customs tucked away in various corners of the country. I had no idea of Latina on Latina harassment until reading the blog post below. Take a look at the comments beneath the post and you will gain some additional insight into this situation.

Let's hope some mighty pressure comes down on the school district as a result. It sounds like a major house cleaning is in order, starting with Garcia. 

More details here. 

UPDATE - And here is the latest regarding last night's graduation ceremony. It only gets worse.

UPDATE #2 - More info about attitudes within the diverse Hispanic community.

Today I Heard There Will Soon Be No Pontiac. Will Remember the GTO

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Shoplifting Dog Nabs Christmas Bone

Bless his little heart, this is one crafty canine. 

History is Being Made Right Now

I am so glad to be alive to see this historic night. There is a lot of hard work ahead, but tonight I'm thinking of all the countless souls who suffered and dreamed of something better for their children. This is their night. The work will get underway tomorrow, but tonight just feels great. People are celebrating in Grant Park and a few are already posting their photos on flickr. Love this view of the city.

Photo via flickr, copyright 2008 by The Talk Radio News Service (flickr member talkradionews). Photo licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

Paul Newman's Greatest Legacy

As a teenager, I first noticed Paul Newman in the 1969 classic, George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. (Ain't no rules in a knife fight.) In 2003, the movie was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." For all his onscreen accomplishments, I'm most amazed by Paul Newman's creativity in establishing the Newman's Own food brand for the benefit of terminally ill children and other progressive causes. Pure genius, at that time, to put his powerful name and image behind a brand that would end up being his legacy well past his time on this earth. There are a number of good actors out there, but few take the time or trouble to think outside the box in using their power for the good of humanity. Indeed, Paul Newman was one of a kind. 

Plane Lands in Front of Our Local Caribou Coffee

How's this for excitement? The neighborhood is buzzing about the plane that landed on Weber Rd. today. Although it careened through the intersection turning cartwheels, no one was seriously hurt according to local news reports. That's a miracle. Weber is a well-traveled road with nearly bumper-to-bumper traffic all day long. 

How would it feel to see a plane swooping in right in front of your car, head-on? Read all about it. 

We like sitting in the hot tub on days when the airport is busy. There's a red and black 2-seater ultra-light that sounds like a lawn mower and some kind of Cessna that appears to involve lessons since the same plane takes off and lands over and over. Small military planes stop here for refueling. And helicopters ... news choppers and one huge and incredibly loud, orange-colored beast, blast off on a regular basis. Glad today's episode ended up OK for all the people involved.

Photo by Bill Ackerman, published in the Argus Press Spectator.

We're Soggy in Chicago

 

Here in our Chicago suburb, we have been getting soaked since Friday. The sump pumps are purring and bumping day and night, working their little motors as best they can to keep the deluge out of the basement. A few streets away, the local ballfield is quickly becoming a pond for a family of ducks.

 

There won't be any picnics here for a while.

 

A few minutes down Weber Rd., the DuPage River is spilling its banks. People are driving up to the barricades to take their kids for a look, just like Jay, Rory and I did years ago at Kellogg and Sutton Rds. when the Ohio River overtook Coney Island.

 

A good day to stay inside. Let's all stay alert for ways to help people in Texas, Louisiana, Chicago and elsewhere who aren't on high ground right now.

Power to the People and Christopher Long, Too!

Due to eyewitness video that ran rampant all over the web, including Tranquility Pike, charges were dropped today against Christopher Long. As you may recall, he's the cyclist who was slammed to the ground by a NY cop during a ride in Times Square. Long was then charged with assault. Go figure. Of course, why should I be surprised? I unfortunately live in Drew Peterson's community where that particular ex-cop's wives keep meeting unfortunate fates. 

But this is a case where justice may be served after all. The police officer, Patrick Pogan, said that Long deliberately hit him with his bike. However, the video showed compelling evidence to the contrary. Officer Pogan is now on desk duty while an investigation into his actions continues. What more is there to investigate? The video speaks for itself. Makes you wonder about all the people in all the communities where there wasn't someone nearby with a video camera to record the truth.

Ocracoke, Hang on Tight Cause Hanna's Coming

Jay has heard me complaining that I'm not getting my Ocracoke fix this year and he knows I'm missing it for sure. For three years during college, Jay's summer job was on the Outer Banks, where he worked with his great friend Steve, below at right, delivering summer supplies such as grills and bikes to the big beach house rentals. For those years, my summer itinerary always included a flight to Norfolk, where Jay picked me up for the jaunt to Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and beyond. 

Twice we drove to Cape Hatteras and took the ferry to Ocracoke Island, supposedly a favorite hideout for the pirate Blackbeard and his crew. Ocracoke's inlet, Silver Lake Harbor, is said to be the spot where Blackbeard lost his head. According to local lore, after his head was chopped off, his body swam around his ship several times before sinking. We've enjoyed staying at the Harborside Motel on Silver Lake and also at a really cool, quaint and comfortable inland hotel called Blackbeard's Lodge.

Why, here is Jay with Blackbeard, himself, over in the lounge at Blackbeard's Lodge. (Pay no attention to that hook in place of Blackbeard's right hand.)

Now that Hurricane Hanna's nearby tonight, the people of Ocracoke are closing up and hunkering down to ride out the storm, something they've done countless times. I'm thinking about strolling beneath the leafy canopy of tree-lined Howard's Street, sipping my morning coffee; spending pleasant evenings at Howard's Pub with shrimp, beer and live music; and enjoying leisurely breakfasts at the Flying Melon Cafe. And I can't forget the Island Ragpicker, overflowing with wind chimes, glass, books, pottery, music and just about everything else imaginable ... our favorite island shop. 

I'm a regular reader of Ocracoke Island Journal and Ocracoke Blog, which are both reporting on the situation. Tonight I'm thinking of Ocracoke and its people and cats. May you all stay safe, warm and dry this evening.

Remembering Katrina

It's been three years since these unbelievable scenes. (Photo below via BBC News.)

And today Hurricane Gustav is bearing down on New Orleans. We're all keeping the people of the Gulf Coastal areas in our thoughts and prayers. And ...

(Thanks to some e cards, via Wil Wheaton)

So Sad that Bernie Mac is Gone

"I'm an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job." -- Bernie Mac. 

What a kind and talented person. We laughed our heads off at The Bernie Mac Show. I especially loved his monologues, where he made his case directly with the viewer. His rants usually involved some hilarious household discretion and actually served to give us some insight into the kind of husband and father he was in real life. Bernie Mac was a good guy and a huge talent. He was a Chicago legend and as evidenced by the tributes pouring into the media, he will be missed in a big way. 

Courage in China: Whatever Happened to "Tank Man?"

The Olympic Games in Beijing are sure to be an eye-opener as we begin to grasp the magnitude and implications of huge economic change in China. However, every time I experience the media hype around these games, I cannot help but wonder what happened to the anonymous young man who planted his feet in front of a tank in Tianamen Square in 1989. Watching TV coverage as this protest unfolded and turned violent, I was struck then by this simple and unflinching act of courage. Did this young man survive? Is he still locked up somewhere? We'll probably never know, but when they talk about courage and spirit and determination during the games, this image is sure to cross my mind.

Hooray for Cell Phone Video!

Just the other day, Rory mentioned something about critical mass bike rides, which are intended to point out how city infrastructures and automobile drivers don't respect the rights (or lives) of bicyclists on the road. Just to be fair, I think he said something about some bicyclists also smacking a few cars with hammers, but we won't go there since it may only be a rumor. 

While surfing the Austin 360 fit city blog, I ran across mention of this video of a smackdown during a NYC critical mass bike ride. Seems like no matter where you are or what you are doing, somebody's there with a video camera these days. Good thing, in this case. 

Watch this cop dart over and push a cyclist off his bike. Problem is, the officer accused the cyclish of hitting HIM. According to Austin 360, "The New York Times reported that the cyclist, 29-year-old Christopher Long, was later charged with attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest." Looks like this cop needs some prosecuting, himself. 

The Nature of News is Changing: Glad You are OK SoCal!

When news is breaking, one of the first places I check is flickr, where locals at the scene are typically posting on-the-spot pics. It's amazing how citizen coverage can differ from the sound bites and shot-for-visual-effect imagery on TV and newspapers, giving the story an entirely different look and feel. Which one is more real? In many cases, the citizen reports -- unpolished and personal -- tell a more complete and accurate story. 

Today's earthquake and subsequent cell phone jams were overcome by hoards of people who turned to the web when their cell phones didn't work. The Twitter crowd shared messages instantaneously and were able to let each other know that they were OK. People were able to zero in on their neighborhoods, their loved ones and their areas of interest in a split second, which you cannot do in a newspaper or on a TV report.

Years ago, I read two newspapers a day, The Cincinnati Post and The Cincinnati Enquirer. Now the Post is gone for good and The Cincinnati Enquirer is as scrawny as a weekly paper, although its web site looks to be thriving. Traditional news coverage coverage continues, but on the receiving end, we're moving faster and faster to new, non-traditional sources. With a Journalism degree, I respect the trained professionals, but am dismayed by the dumbing down of news as we've seen with such once venerable institutions as the CBS news. Regular folks can file reports that are just as timely, just as accurate and just as colorful. That's what we saw today.

Goodbye & We'll Miss You, Hippie Dippie Weatherman

Whoa, I didn't see this one coming. George Carlin's irreverent brand of biting political humor anchored our college years and was a mainstay of my generation's comedy consumption for, well, at least my entire lifetime. Absolutely nobody can replace him. 

Watching the Phoenix Mars Mission: 7 Minutes of Terror

Right now, I'm tuned in to the NASA website for an up-close view of the Phoenix Mars Mission. During the next two hours, we'll hear directly from team members and go to partner sites for the latest on this fascinating event.

The landing will be challenging. Someone just called it "seven minutes of terror" in which a complicated series of maneuvers will hopefully enable the craft to touch down on Mars' surface at around five miles per hour.

"So no matter how we touch Mars, we won't be able to really touch it. See, that'll make us angry. We'll get mad at that and just rip it up. We'll change it to suit ourselves. And ruin it. Just like we've ruined Earth."

-- The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. 

Photos from Bolingbrook: Drew Peterson Arrested!

Just got home from work to find the media up and down the street. Neighbors say Drew Peterson was arrested this afternoon on some sort of gun violation. It's about time! Hopefully the more substantial charges are coming soon, since wife #3 is dead, #4 is missing, and he's running around on national TV making insensitive remarks about both of of them. Pretty uncomfortable living near someone like this. Let's hope they lock him up and throw away the key. 

JetBlue = JetPoo

It never fails. Right before I'm set to fly somewhere a horror story hits the front page. Today it's the JetBlue toilet seat saga, which sounds wrong on so many levels. Read all about one man's can-finement in today's New York Post. Ordered by the pilot to give up his seat to a flight attendant, this passenger was bullied into riding out the flight on the toilet, a gross and disgusting experience to be sure. Who can blame him for lawyering up?

JetBlue has gotten a whole lot of bad press over the years and I seem to recall the company's CEO making the TV rounds on various occasions to try to spin each story. Wonder if JetBlue's crisis management mode has been switched on this time? Tomorrow morning, we'll see if a JetBlue executive is on the Today Show to explain this away. JetBlue probably won't make an appearance, but I'll bet we'll see Mr. Toilet Seat Traveler.

The Derby Blues

Good thing we didn't bet on the Kentucky Derby today. Both our picks lost big time, an annual circumstance to which we have grown accustomed. Big Brown won with a five-length victory but the race was not much fun right afterward when 2nd place horse Eight Belles collapsed at the finish with two broken ankles and had to be euthanized. I wonder about this sport sometimes.

Kentucky Derby Picks

Rory is partying in his pajamas at the Kentucky Derby right now. He and college friend Adam, plus some other brave souls, are enjoying the Infield experience which Rory says is something like Mardi Gras. Throwing caution to the wind, he decided to put on a fancy new set of PJs he recently purchased for a Powers clan pajama party. Upon arrival, Rory reports that he saw others similarly decked out in their PJs, so he does not feel out-of-place in the crowd. He also reports seeing Hugh Hefner and gals riding around in golf carts as well as Lennox Lewis with his bodyguard.

My pick: I forgot its name but it is #8
Chuck's pick: Colonel John

Chuck Has a Big Head

I wonder if that means he has a big brain?

Are big brains smarter? Do big brains mean longer life? Keep in mind that intelligence can come with a tradeoff. Research proves certain "smarter" species have smaller testicles.

What Writers Did During Strike Hiatus

Bless their hearts, those talented professionals over at the Writers Guild of America - West, kept themselves busy during the long work stoppage that recently ended with ratification of a new and more fair contract. In a Los Angeles Times piece chronicling what went on during the strike, well-known writers share details of 20-hour weeks on the picket line and care packages from parents. Jonathan Green and Gabe Miller, whose credits include "Unhitched" and "The Late Show with David Letterman," offered up pitches for pilots, pics and even occasional recipes in their funny What We're Not Writing blog, just to tease the studios with what they were missing.

Looking for Alien Life

Taking into account how humans have behaved while exploring new worlds, I wonder what would happen if we actually looked for life in space and found it? Let's hope the aliens don't treat us the way we have treated each other.

Doesn't Congress Have Anything Better to Do?

A cross between a zoo and a circus. That's what an LA Times article predicts for Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Steroid hearings coming up this week are all over the news as Roger Clemens faces Congress with autograph-hungry staffers there to greet him.

Let me get this straight. We are at war. The situation in Iraq is a mess. Recession is looming if not already upon us. People are losing their homes at an alarming rate. Companies are laying off thousands of employees at a pop.

And our fearless leaders in Congress are hard at work interviewing Roger Clemens, getting to the bottom of such important matters as whether he was at Jose Canseco's 1998 party.

People in this country had better wake up. Soon.

Star Jones Tells It Like It Is

At our house, we are just sick about the death of Heath Ledger. A fine actor, we've enjoyed watching his talent grow and develop as he continually expanded his range with challenging roles. Now he is gone and the inane picking apart of his life, along with the hounding of those close to him, has begun. I felt the same when River Phoenix died. It's a tragedy, same as it is for any family that suffers such sudden, unexpected loss. I am frankly amazed at the fine commentary written by Star Jones today. She is no stranger to media scrutiny herself and whether or not her situation was deserved, she offers extraordinary insight into the current "Reporting on the Dead."

Ghrelin is the Enemy

This tidbit may come in handy since I joined Weight Watchers at Work this week. Reuters is reporting on a story that indicates eating protein helps control hunger pangs by surpressing ghrelin, a hunger hormone. Results of this study will soon show up in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Likewise, a piece in The Washington Post talks about the evil ghrelin and its role in influencing brain areas linked to the desire to overeat.

This Isn't Good

Where is Samuel L. Jackson when you need him?

Write ON!

Writing is a big part of my workday and thus a big contributor to my paycheck. While I'm not exactly toiling over the next season of the supremely clever Dexter, I do appreciate getting a fair amount of $$ for my work.

Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since last November as they seek more equitable compensation, which they absolutely deserve. Today's fallout from the strike includes the Golden Globes, reduced to an hour-long news conference which I think might be kind of interesting anyway. No witty banter, no red carpet, no glitzy gowns. How will they fill the time? By the way, if Michael C. Hall doesn't win a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor, I'll be beyond ticked.

Bad Kiwi Santas

Now this is no way to act at Christmastime.