Wah Hooooo!!!
Gary Pignato's plea deal fell through. He will got to trial, sometime in March 2010 [I think].
That sound you hear is snickering.
On another, equally distressing matter: the picture on the front page of the sports section in Wednesday's D&C. For those of you unfamiliar with Rochester, the Democrat & Chronicle is our only newspaper. The article, written by a fairly young looking reporter, John Boccaccino, featured a basketball game between two local high school teams. The accompanying photograph showed one of the players with his fingers in the eye of an opponent, as in attempting to gouge out the eye to prevent the shot.
Appalling does not come close to describing how I felt. Disgust ranks right up there.
Instead of sitting around bitching and moaning, I emailed the reporter to express my opinion, then emailed the offender's school district.
The response I received was a huge bunch of bullshit, excusing the player's behavior, assurances the coach does not encourage this type of violence, and [after the fact] everyone involved acted responsibly in that the offending player apologized and the coach monitored the opponent for injury.
Gee. I bet that made the injured kid's parents feel a whole lot better.
Several months ago a college soccer game made the news, including ESPN sports talk shows, because of some offensive behaviors on the part of one female player. Clothes-lining her opponents, yanking on pony tails with enough force to bring the player to the ground, that kind of thing. Another instance of appalling behavior. In this case the offending player was pilloried at the national level for unsportsmanlike conduct. After the fact, her apology rang about as honest and sincere as the response I received from the Fairport principal.
I have no thoughts about appropriate consequences for either the soccer player or the high school hoops player. Perhaps something along the line of the Golden Rule.
I'm just very glad my children never played like this--they knew better.
Siochain
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Hazards of the Workplace
One of my "heroes" is about to come up for trial--again--in a few weeks.
Gary Pignato, late of the Greece PD, formerly of the Rochester PD, considered it acceptable behavior while on the job to BOLO for victims, usually women violating the law in some manner, then tell them he'd make the transgressions "go away" if they would engage in sexual congress with him.
I love that term, sexual congress, a fanciful term for banging like bunnies.
Not that I hold the women blameless; all admit they shouldn't have been doing what they were doing.
That does not excuse Pignato's behavior. If he witnessed a crime, or found evidence of same, his duty as a police officer was to make an arrest, not make arrangements to get his ashes hauled once he was off duty.
His second trial for yet another accusation is scheduled soon. Rumor has it he may take a plea.
That's a bummer.
Gary Pignato, late of the Greece PD, formerly of the Rochester PD, considered it acceptable behavior while on the job to BOLO for victims, usually women violating the law in some manner, then tell them he'd make the transgressions "go away" if they would engage in sexual congress with him.
I love that term, sexual congress, a fanciful term for banging like bunnies.
Not that I hold the women blameless; all admit they shouldn't have been doing what they were doing.
That does not excuse Pignato's behavior. If he witnessed a crime, or found evidence of same, his duty as a police officer was to make an arrest, not make arrangements to get his ashes hauled once he was off duty.
His second trial for yet another accusation is scheduled soon. Rumor has it he may take a plea.
That's a bummer.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
A moment of magic
Yesterday began with the promise of being one of those magical times a woman can tuck in the back of her heart and cherish for the rest of her life. My grand-daughter Meredith woke with a smile, asking the usual, "What day is today, Nana?" There are only two responses for this question; either will broaden her smile. "Today is Monday, a stay at home day" or "Today is Tuesday [or Thursday] a go to school day."
Once out of bed, she discovered Mother Nature had dropped several inches of snow, the heavy packing kind--suitable for making snow men or snowballs. The expression on her face was pure magic. Eyes wide with surprise and delight, a beautiful smile on her face, wonder in her voice. The usual questions ensued, as they always do: Who What Where When Why.
Such a joy this child.
Siochain
Once out of bed, she discovered Mother Nature had dropped several inches of snow, the heavy packing kind--suitable for making snow men or snowballs. The expression on her face was pure magic. Eyes wide with surprise and delight, a beautiful smile on her face, wonder in her voice. The usual questions ensued, as they always do: Who What Where When Why.
Such a joy this child.
Siochain
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
My day, November 17, 2009
Learning the Buffalo Bills finally fired their head coach turned a reasonably horrendous day a smidge brighter. Now if they could find a quarterback with an arm, and an eye for receivers, who is also equipped with a set of body parts which normally reside south of the umbilicus to slap a gag on Team Obliterator, er, Terrell Owens.
My day did not start out horrendous. Getting the kids up, dressed and fed, then off to pre-school went better than usual. No joke. In fact, it went very well. Meredith even brushed her teeth without the usual dramatic hissy fit. Even Owen was amused--and tried to cop the brush for his own. Gotta keep an eye on that one. He has the makings of a premiere pickpocket.
Okay, Owie and I had a good 2 hours together. He laughed, emptied cupboards, spilled juice all over the hard wood floors--not unusual for Owen the Explorer. A great morning in fact.
Until in the process of running out the door to pick up Meredith at pre-school, I locked the door behind me THEN realized I'd left my keys and cell phone on the kitchen table.
Without getting into the very gory details I carried my 20+ pound grandson who was too tired to walk on his own in a brisk wind with no hat or mittens on to the nearest neighbor [maybe a half mile, maybe it only seemed that far since I was close to a cardiac arrest by the time we stumbled into the driveway]. The neighbor took one look at me and asked, "What can I do?"
Everything worked out fine, once I walked back home, instructions in hand on how to break into the garage [my daughter is always prepared] to get into the house. The other Grandma, who lives nearby, pulled into the driveway just as I was starting the ignition. Apparently my daughter was concerned about my voice when i called her in a panic. Other Granny insisted on riding with me to the pre-school, bless her heart, until my respirations settled down.
Being fat and old is for the birds!!!
Have I hit my personal bottom with regard to my morbid obesity? I think so.
For the moment, I need to take a nap.
brighter. Now if they could only find a quarterback with an arm, an eye, and certain body parts residing below the navel to stand up to Team
My day did not start out horrendous. Getting the kids up, dressed and fed, then off to pre-school went better than usual. No joke. In fact, it went very well. Meredith even brushed her teeth without the usual dramatic hissy fit. Even Owen was amused--and tried to cop the brush for his own. Gotta keep an eye on that one. He has the makings of a premiere pickpocket.
Okay, Owie and I had a good 2 hours together. He laughed, emptied cupboards, spilled juice all over the hard wood floors--not unusual for Owen the Explorer. A great morning in fact.
Until in the process of running out the door to pick up Meredith at pre-school, I locked the door behind me THEN realized I'd left my keys and cell phone on the kitchen table.
Without getting into the very gory details I carried my 20+ pound grandson who was too tired to walk on his own in a brisk wind with no hat or mittens on to the nearest neighbor [maybe a half mile, maybe it only seemed that far since I was close to a cardiac arrest by the time we stumbled into the driveway]. The neighbor took one look at me and asked, "What can I do?"
Everything worked out fine, once I walked back home, instructions in hand on how to break into the garage [my daughter is always prepared] to get into the house. The other Grandma, who lives nearby, pulled into the driveway just as I was starting the ignition. Apparently my daughter was concerned about my voice when i called her in a panic. Other Granny insisted on riding with me to the pre-school, bless her heart, until my respirations settled down.
Being fat and old is for the birds!!!
Have I hit my personal bottom with regard to my morbid obesity? I think so.
For the moment, I need to take a nap.
brighter. Now if they could only find a quarterback with an arm, an eye, and certain body parts residing below the navel to stand up to Team
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Hoping to Steal a Laptop
I took this off the Internet this evening:
In October 2008, a TV anchor-person was discovered in her Little Ark, Arkansas home, with facial fractures so severe she was unrecognizable. It took her 5 days to die; she never regained consciousness.
A man arrested in the case told police he'd hoped to steal a laptop.
Uh huh.
Stealing an easily transportable piece of electronics from someone's home is one thing. Beating the home owner so severely she cannot be recognized is something else.
Experts know sexual assaults are often a crime of opportunity. The laptop may have been his primary goal; once he was inside, the goal took an alternate direction.
Today, he was convicted today of burglary, rape, and capital murder [murder committed during the course of a second felony].
The jury is currently deliberating his punishment: the death penalty or life without parole.
What do you consider an appropriate penalty?
Siochain
In October 2008, a TV anchor-person was discovered in her Little Ark, Arkansas home, with facial fractures so severe she was unrecognizable. It took her 5 days to die; she never regained consciousness.
A man arrested in the case told police he'd hoped to steal a laptop.
Uh huh.
Stealing an easily transportable piece of electronics from someone's home is one thing. Beating the home owner so severely she cannot be recognized is something else.
Experts know sexual assaults are often a crime of opportunity. The laptop may have been his primary goal; once he was inside, the goal took an alternate direction.
Today, he was convicted today of burglary, rape, and capital murder [murder committed during the course of a second felony].
The jury is currently deliberating his punishment: the death penalty or life without parole.
What do you consider an appropriate penalty?
Siochain
Friday, November 6, 2009
Signs of the times
So here I am this morning, sitting in an exam room, waiting for my physician to poke her head in the door, armed with her quarterly lecture on weight, blood pressure, cholesterol numbers and, unless she needs to address any acute symptoms, blood glucose levels. All of the previous, except acute symptoms, are high. Too high. Extraordinarily high.
Boring.
Four times a year, same bat time, same bat channel.
As I ponder life in general, things could be worse. Five years ago she frowned every time I mentioned the issue of smoking cessation did not make my Top 10 List of Things to Do While I Still Breathed.
Thankfully, as of Halloween I am four years clean from coffin nails.
The big deal, as it was thrust home today is: on November 14th I will become eligible for Social Security.
Big huge ICK.
I really don't know how this event came to be. It was only ten minutes ago that I turned 40, wasn't it?
Bigger, huger ICK.
Adding insult to injury, I was informed at the quarterly dental cleaning appointment [I have a nasty history of gum problems, all related to laziness] that as we age our risk for tooth loss increases.
Just what I needed to hear. Not only am I old, fat and hypertensive with clogging arteries, degenerating joints, and courting diabetes, MY FRICKIN' TEETH ARE ABOUT TO FALL OUT!!!
The "Golden Years" are neither gold, nor are they years.
bah humbug
Boring.
Four times a year, same bat time, same bat channel.
As I ponder life in general, things could be worse. Five years ago she frowned every time I mentioned the issue of smoking cessation did not make my Top 10 List of Things to Do While I Still Breathed.
Thankfully, as of Halloween I am four years clean from coffin nails.
The big deal, as it was thrust home today is: on November 14th I will become eligible for Social Security.
Big huge ICK.
I really don't know how this event came to be. It was only ten minutes ago that I turned 40, wasn't it?
Bigger, huger ICK.
Adding insult to injury, I was informed at the quarterly dental cleaning appointment [I have a nasty history of gum problems, all related to laziness] that as we age our risk for tooth loss increases.
Just what I needed to hear. Not only am I old, fat and hypertensive with clogging arteries, degenerating joints, and courting diabetes, MY FRICKIN' TEETH ARE ABOUT TO FALL OUT!!!
The "Golden Years" are neither gold, nor are they years.
bah humbug
Saturday, October 17, 2009
lessons in curiosity
While surfing the net for new and interesting quotations for my blogs as well as signatures for my email addresses, I came across the delightful quote which, according to the site I found on-line, is attributed to one of my favorite people, Dorothy Parker: curiosity is the cure for boredom [but] there is no cure for curiosity.
How very true. I believe writers, like good nurses and [some] physicians, are curious. About things, people, events either real or imagined. The old "what if" scenario: what if this were to happen; what if it weren't. Who would be interested in the profession of _____, and why? How do they think and why? How and why do they react the way they do?
It's what keeps pens to paper, fingers to keyboards, imaginations running amok.
As I write this blog entry, a 50 year old movie a"The Time Machine", based on a short story by HG Wells, and starring Rod somebody, Yvette Mimieux, and Sebastian Cabot is playing on the Turner Classic Movie station.
HG Wells. Now there was a man who used his imagination!
Would that I could have 1/10 his energy.
Siochain,
Kat
How very true. I believe writers, like good nurses and [some] physicians, are curious. About things, people, events either real or imagined. The old "what if" scenario: what if this were to happen; what if it weren't. Who would be interested in the profession of _____, and why? How do they think and why? How and why do they react the way they do?
It's what keeps pens to paper, fingers to keyboards, imaginations running amok.
As I write this blog entry, a 50 year old movie a"The Time Machine", based on a short story by HG Wells, and starring Rod somebody, Yvette Mimieux, and Sebastian Cabot is playing on the Turner Classic Movie station.
HG Wells. Now there was a man who used his imagination!
Would that I could have 1/10 his energy.
Siochain,
Kat
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