Police DV Bill vote postponed. Who's surprised?

Thanks to those of you who’ve been contacting Councilmembers to urge them to pass the Police Domestic Violence Bill & its four amendments.

The vote’s been postponed for two weeks.

This morning 6 of our 9 council members postponed a vote on the police domestic violence bill & 3 of the 4 amendments. They didn’t include the 4^th amendment, which I think is the most important, (it covers restricting use of firearms & review of cases by the independent CPRB (civilian police review board).

Only council members Koch, Peduto & Shields voted against postponing the vote.

All I can say is shame on Council members Bodack, Carlisle, Deasy, Harris, Motznick, Payne.

Despite months of working, researching & lobbying both council & the mayor’s office, supporters of the bill are again put on hold til after the election. Supporters’ efforts, (going on since July!), to schedule a meeting with the mayor went unanswered. Unanswered until last week when the Mayor told the City Paper that the bill’s supporters were the ones holding up the works.

The mayor & his administration did not want action on this issue until after the election. Today they got their wish. I guess that dragging your feet & refusing to act have their rewards, but not for the people of Pittsburgh.

15 Society Bloggers Generally Lean Left. What About the Rest of Yinz?

Hey, hey, hey. Our very own Ms. Mon and Liz Perry represent in today's PG article about she-bloggers in the burghosphere.

According to journalista MacKenzie Carpenter, we lean left and hang with the TMC crowd. That's not exactly how I put it during our chat, but what can you do?

Actually, I made a comment on our Society email list that I should make a concerted effort to recruit mommy bloggers, intending to be only 75% snarky. To my delight, several members chimed in pointing out their various stages of mommydom which was a smack in the head I really needed.

The article was a nice little piece, but felt a bit more Barbara McCloud than Sally Kalson if you know what I mean. I hope it draws more visitors our way, but I can't wait to see what the man called Potter does when he finally delves into the Society secrets.

HALLOWEEN IDEAS VIA PEOPLE FOR the AMERICAN WAY

REALLY SCARY HALLOWEEN COSTUMES:





FROM PEOPLE FOR the AMERICAN WAY.




http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=24857





i printed the quotes and suggestions. if you go to the site you
can download the masks. while you're there give them a treat and it will be a wonderful trick on the right wing ghouls.







Pat Robertson


"The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

"[Homosexuals] want to come into churches and disrupt church services and throw blood all around and try to give people AIDS and spit in the face of ministers."

"The Antichrist is probably a Jew alive in Israel today."

Suggested Costume Accessories:
DARWIN LIED lapel pin; "Age-defying energy shake" (that will allow you, just like Robertson, to leg press 2,000 pounds!)



Ann Coulter


"It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact."

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."

"We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors."


Suggested Costume Accessories:
Guide to homophobic slurs; guide to anti-Muslim slurs; guide to anti-Semitic slurs; etc.



James C. Dobson


"Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth."

"We ain't dead yet." (Addressing the 2007 Values Voter Summit, refuting reports on the declining status of the Religious Right)

Suggested Costume Accessories:
Strong hand, ready for child discipline; outsized sense of righteous indignation; love letters from Republican presidential candidates.



Rush Limbaugh


"If this Virginia Tech shooter had an ideology, what do you think it was? This guy had to be a liberal … So it's a liberal that committed this act. ... I do believe that it was liberalism that got a hold of this guy and made him hate things, professors and this sort of thing."

"Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?"


Suggested Costume Accessories:
Utter lack of shame; collection of phony tin soldiers; Michael J. Fox punching bag.



Bill O'Reilly


"Secular progressives ... don't want Christmas ... they don't want any message of spirituality or Judeo-Christian tradition because that stands in the way of gay marriage, legalized drugs, euthanasia, all of the greatest hits on the secular progressive play card."

"If Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."


Suggested Costume Accessories:
Air horn to silence unruly guests; multiple (pre-signed!) copies of The O’Reilly Factor for Kids for anyone who will take them off your hands.

STEVE JOBS ATTORNEYS SEND "CEASE AND DESIST" LETTER TO 9-YEAR-OLD

(h/t http://TechBurgh.com)

You have to read this. Unbelievable. I don't even want to hear the word POD for a week.

http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_104012157.html

TRUE PITTSBURGH STORIES: THE SHORT-SHORT SERIES #2

Dear Harry Kloman,

I almost ran you over when you were crossing Bigelow Boulevard at Forbes outside the Cathedral of Learning last Thursday at 5:43 p.m.

It would have been your lucky day, really, if I did -- because it just so happens I was on my way to Shadyside Hospital, and I would have most gleefully given you a lift.

Sincerely,

Ms. Mon

P.S. I love your movie reviews. Any word on when the next Star Trek movie is coming out?

Ask Council & Mayor to support DV bill & amendments

Greetings,

I would like to ask those of you lobbying Council & the Mayor on the proposed Police/Domestic Violence bill, to ask them to support not only Bill # 2007-1797, proposed by Councilman Shields – but also the 4 amendments offered by Councilman Peduto (description of amendments below). Council will hold a preliminary vote on Oct. 31. Sorry for being repetitive, but I am still getting questions & thought to put this out there again.

I intend to fax the Mayor tomorrow a.m. (Fax: 412-255-2687). Here is Council’s email info, you should be able to just cut & paste it into your “To” section:

len.bodack@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, twanda.carlisle@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, daniel.deasy@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, darlene.harris@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, jeffrey.koch@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, james.motznik@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, tonya.payne@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, bill.peduto@city.pittsburgh.pa.us, doug.shields@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

The four amendments would strengthen the pending bill’s language & they are all based on models from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Amendment 1: adds language that recognizes the danger of child abuse and domestic violence against all members of one’s family, not just an intimate partner.

Amendment 2: requires the City to maintain personnel records of Police Bureau employees for ten years post termination.

Amendment 3: requires an officer who is the subject of a Protection From Abuse (PFA) proceeding in any jurisdiction to immediately notify their supervisor.

Amendment 4: requires that any officer that is the subject of a PFA or criminal domestic violence investigation immediately surrender their primary service weapon, and stipulates that they are not eligible for a promotion during the investigation. The amendment also prohibits the admission of anyone with a PFA from being admitted to the training academy. Lastly, the amendment requires that all investigations of domestic abuse involving police officers be completed by the Civilian Police Review Board.

COST OF THIS WAR

just give this site a look, o.k?






http://www.nationalpriorities.org/Cost-of-War/Cost-of-War-3.html

IF ANY OF YOU FINE LADIES WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME COMEDY...

DISCLAIMER: NOT FOR THE EASLIY OFFENDED.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

FOP PRESIDENT JAMES MALLOY: KEEPING THE 'LADIES' HAPPY

Read Melissa Meinzer's story in Pittsburgh City Paper.

And try to contain yourselves.

Peduto proposes amendments to Police DV Bill

In today's P-G:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07296/827710-100.stm

The changes are: "...compel the Police Bureau to refer all allegations of domestic violence by officers to the independent Citizen Police Review Board."

"...bar the hiring or promotion of anyone subject to a PFA or criminal domestic violence investigation. "

"...force officers who are subjects of criminal domestic violence investigations or protection from abuse orders to "surrender all firearms, including their primary service weapon, immediately"

As Peduto states, this is standard practice established by the International Assn. of Police Chiefs & is the policy of the U.S. Military.

PORN FOR WOMEN: PART II

WHO SAYS RICH PEOPLE HAVE THE BEST VIEW?

Dead people have it all over them.

It's hard to make out in the photo, but the U.S. Steel Building is in the middle of the horizon there.

In my quest to justify the purchase of a camera phone, I continue to try to take decent photos with it. I continue to fail marvelously, but you know -- because I fail, I succeed. Blah blah blah. (I have a digital camera with bells and whistles -- or is that the guy I keep in the closet? -- but I never seem to have it on me. The Crown Royal tends to weigh my purse down already.) Note: All of the photos are "unretouched," whatever the hell that means.

This next photo was taken through the lens of my sunglasses. Sorry I couldn't get the dead guy in the front on the left to straighten up a little more for the portrait. At least he didn't fidget.




















The photo below was taken at Station Square, through my beer goggles.

You never know when you're going to run into a post-industrial antihero.

HAPPY 37TH BIRTHDAY SUE!

Stephen Foster died at the age of 37.

XOXO,
Ms. Mon

Council to vote on Police Domestic Violence Bill

Council's preliminary vote will be held on Oct. 31 at 1:30. This means their final vote won't occur until after the election, so we have to put the full-court press on now.

We really need to let our Council reps & the Mayor know that we want them to support this ordinance & that we do not want the addition of amendments that will weaken the bill.

Please note that Councilmembers Doug Shields & Bill Peduto are infavor of this bill, but contact them anyway & thank them.

Please contact them this week:

Mayor

Phone: 412-255-2626

Fax: 412-255-2687

City Council

Len Bodack, Jr. - len.bodack@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2140

Fax: 412-255-2419

Twanda Carlisle - twanda.carlisle@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

TELEPHONE: 412-255-2137

FAX: 412-255-8658

Dan Deasy - dan.deasy@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-8963

Fax: 412-255-2821

Darlene Harris – darlene.harris@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2135

Fax: 412-255-2129

Jeff Koch – jeffrey.koch@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2130

Fax: 412-255-8950

Jim Motznik - james.motznik@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2131

Fax: 412-255-2821

Tonya Payne – tonya.payne@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2134

Fax: 412-255-2821

Bill Peduto - bill.peduto@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Telephone: 412-255-2133

FAX: 412-255-2821

Doug Shields - doug.shields@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Phone: 412-255-8965

Fax: 412-255-2821

The Society's Gab Bonesso Up For An Award!

Hey, hey, hey. Our own talented and lovely Gabrielle Bonesso has been nominated for a 2007 Achievement in Radio award in the category of Best New Talent in the Market! Until recently, Gab was the producer and go to gal for the local John McIntire Show on the now defunct Man Station.

Inside sources tell me that Gab's talent has not gone unnoticed by the powers that be so, hopefully, she will resurface in the local market sometime soon. This will allow her to put out her secret feminist messages in the guise of pop culture love for Justin Timberlake and Jesus.

John himself has been nominated for best Talk Show Host. His program is up against Lynn Cullen (and others) for best daytime talk show.

The awards ceremony is November 8. Tickets are $55 so I think we'll have to cheer Gab on from the Internet. Someone should attend and live blog ... that would be ironic ... liveblogging about radio awards. I should ask for a press pass ...

Yeah for Gab! And John! And Lynn!

PORN FOR WOMEN: PART I

CITY PAPER EDITOR CHRIS POTTER ON DUQ/NPR/PLANNED PARENTHOOD CONTROVERSY

This week's column, Amazing Gracelessness, is a must-read.

Here is an excerpt, complete with an ingenius idea:

So here's what I'm doing. For the first time, I'm contributing a nominal sum to WDUQ, in memory of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger -- just so Duquesne's balance sheet will remain tainted with the blemish of heresy. But I'll contribute double that amount to Planned Parenthood, on behalf of University President Charles Dougherty. (If you want to do the same, make your check out to "PPWP" and send it to 933 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222.) So way to go, Dougherty: You just made it easier for some poor couple to acquire birth control.

Way to go, Potter!

Yet again...

Last February, I wrote a post about the lack of gender diversity at tech conferences. An Apple Developer newsletter's image headers had caught my eye (that e-mail was about their 2007 conference). Today I received the Apple Developer Connection newsletter about their 2008 Conference. Apparently, nothing has changed. This year, they were smart, and blurred out parts of it so that it wouldn't be so glaringly obvious. Check this out:

The above set of pictures are of 48 developers who attended and were interviewed. You can see and read the interviews here.

-Agent Ska-

Unbelievably stupid amendment in the PA House

Here's a quarter, call someone who cares," sincerely, Rep. Grucela

The idea of PA House Bill 288 is very simple:

House Bill 288 requires all Pennsylvania hospitals to provide information and access to emergency contraception medication to rape victims if they request it.

It's so freaking simple and straightforward that some idiots in the Pennsylvania House can't keep their stupid hands off of it. Or rather, it has such widespread public support that the opposition is running scared and will try anything to water it down.

The latest amendment is by Rep. Grucela:

Grucela introduced an amendment which "allows" a victim to call an immediate family member about her assault, who would be expected to bring emergency contraception to the hospital, rather than have it provided by the medical professionals in charge of her care.

I'm sorry, but can you name any other circumstance in which a hospital lets family members give drugs to patients willy-nilly in an emergency room? Can you say LIABILITY?

Do you know of any other class of patients who are expected to have family members treat them in an emergency room?!?

Why is it if she's a victim of rape, she's subjected to a lesser standard of medical care!?

And, what if she's there because she was incested? What "immediate family member" is she supposed to call?

This is un-freaking-real!

Please call your House member and make sure they have the facts straight!

Support House Bill 288 with the Ross amendment.

Oppose the Grucela amendment, and any additional amendments to the bill.

If your legislator happens to be Rep. Grucela, let his office know you are appalled that he would even consider an amendment that puts the burden of care on the victim rather than medical providers.

Please take a moment to call today to get your legislator on record!

You can find your legislator at:
http://www.ppaction.org/planned_pa/leg-lookup/search.html

And then, let Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania Advocates know you called here so they can track the support.
.

City Council Hearing on Pittsburgh Police and Domestic Violence

WHAT: Public Hearing - Bill No. 2007-1797
WHEN: Thursday, October 18, 2007, 9:30 A.M.
WHERE: Pittsburgh City Council Chambers, City-County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (Corner of Grant & Forbes, 5th Floor)

There will be a public hearing tomorrow in Pittsburgh City Council Chambers on Bill No. 2007-1797 introduced by Council President Doug Shields on September 25, 2007.

The bill was created to address the concerns originally caused by the promotion of three police officers with a history of domestic violence allegations on June 18.

The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfjzkfgh_0d5cr7v

Much more on this topic at:
http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com/2007/10/public-hearing-tomorrow-on-pittsburgh.html

Here's a link to our own Gloria's remarks on the bill:
http://pghwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/2007/09/underwhelming-police-deptdomestic.html

.

TRUE PITTSBURGH STORIES: THE SHORT-SHORT SERIES -- THIS POST BROUGHT TO YOU BY JEEP LIBERTY (h/t Bram)

My awesome long time pal Patty Pisula Killi -- one of those people you can call up any time and pick up where you left off -- were walking on the South Side once to her car after we met at Dee's and me, not of the super-cool female band kind, told she, of the super-cool female band kind, that if I had a band, this would be one of the songs I'd cover. (The only change I'd make is more cowbell.)

Keep your eye on the squirrel. He totally steals the show.

THE INTERNET IS OUR GENERATION'S ATOMIC BOMB

And does Al Gore still want to take credit when it goes off?

WOMEN SEEK CASH FOR BREAST IMPLANTS ON WEB SITE.

Ah, the world of social networking/social media. I see our local lifecasting star iJustine has removed the "donate" button from her live feed site, but it's still on her blog (help keep the hair-twirling coming!).

Is it any nobler to solicit a new computer rather than a boob job?

There are still plenty of others on justin.tv who do have the donation button on their feed, and there appears to be a growing number of people who think they are so fascinating that you should give them money for the riveting experience of watching them sleep. One woman wants you to donate toward her birthday gift. Another wants you to help buy her a Wii.

Making Justin essentially a cyber pimp to the newest Internet sensation, the social media whore. (I'm including men.)

Why Pittsburgh Councilor Bill Peduto thinks he needs to associate himself with this wasteland is still beyond me.

Poll Dancing

To the best of my knowledge there hasn't been a recent poll asking Pgh. voters which mayoral candidate will get their vote. Currently we're reading & hearing that 70% or even 80% would vote for Mayor Ravenstahl, but no citations on which entity did the poll and when they did the poll. Looks like they're relying on months old data, gathered when the climate was very different.

My sense is that there haven't been any polls taken since back in March of this year, which was before the Primary & before Peduto dropped out of the race. Peduto commissioned that poll and it did, indeed, show that some 70% of voters planned to vote for Ravenstahl.

Maria asked Jon Delano about this on Lynn's show this morning & Delano agreed that he hadn't heard of any recent polls & he said it's a shame there hasn't been one. He also said they cost money. From campaigns I've worked on I figure a poll that'd give a reliable result would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 - 30,000.

I agree with Jon that polls done by campaigns aren't the most trustworthy, so I ask any of you reporters from the MSM to nudge your bosses into doing a poll now. A newspaper and radio/tv station could go in halfsies, making the cost manageable.

I bet that the numbers would look quite different at this stage of the game.

WDUQ won't air Planned Parenthood Messages

WDUQ is currently running a pledge drive asking for your money, but they've decided they won't accept ours. After allowing Planned Parenthood to underwrite news segments for only two days, the public radio station decided they could no longer tell the listening audience about comprehensive sexuality education, cancer screening, or preventive health care.
According to Scott Hanley, WDUQ's station manager, Duquesne University has instructed WDUQ to refuse underwriting from Planned Parenthood. It seems the University is now dictating who can give money to the flagship NPR station, and what they can air. And apparently that means Planned Parenthood's message of prevention can't see the airwaves.
Planned Parenthood believes in public radio and has long admired WDUQ for its pledge to independence and integrity as a news station. We're also proud of the work we do to ensure strong and healthy families by providing men and women in need with healthcare services and information.

Like WDUQ, Planned Parenthood believes that public radio belongs to the public. Duquesne University shouldn't be able to tell WDUQ not to air our message or accept our donations. We hope you won't let this stand. You can read more about what happened at right, including the messages that won't air. Then please contact WDUQ and Duquesne University to tell them to reverse their decision.

Click on "Take Action" to get contact information for phone numbers and letters. We've provided sample letters, but please change them to reflect your feelings. Letters will go to Scott Hanley, the station manager, and Dr. Charles Dougherty, the president of Duquesne University.

Maria is talking about The Society today

Maria has graciously invited me to join her for a chat about our little Society during the 11 AM hour on the Lynn Cullen show. So now's your fair warning to post something scintillating! :-)

THE OLD GRAY MARE

I have been meaning to respond to Sue's coiffure conundrum but was waiting for some kind of epiphany (you should never, ever wait for those) to inspire me, but my muse (the Polish Prince, Canonsburg's own Bobby Vinton) has failed me.

I've lost my moja droga jacie kocham.

Until I find it in some kielbasa parading as bratwurst while oompa-ing around at an obligatory, ephemeral Oktoberfest, all I can offer is this:

1) There's a big spread in the October Oprah magazine about women who've made the conscious choice to go gray. I noticed that Oprah is not one of them.

2) The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette just ran a feature about going gray. You're supposed to make sure the gray matches your skin tone so you don't look dead. And even though it's a disadvantage for career women to be gray, it's better to be thin and gray than fat and dyed. Nothing about being fat and gray.

3) My 63-year-old Birkenstock-wearing mother proclaimed to me this week that she is never dyeing her hair again, because she thinks it's bad for you. With a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. At first, I thought she said, "I'm never flying U.S. Air again." When I told her that's what I thought she said, she replied, "Yeah, and that too." I think.

odd blog stuff on a monday

My blog is worth $18,629.82.
How much is your blog worth?

i do this on my blog every now and then. most often, then.

just a little fun thing to start a monday with.


this is tpwbs.

townhall meeting

The Townhall meeting went well even though Mara Keisling had to remain in DC to work with other groups to communicate to the House that they should only accept a gender identity inclusive Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Fortunately, Stephen Glassman (Chairperson of the PA Human Relations Commission) stepped in and reported about the Public Hearing for HB 1400 and ENDA.

To summarize:

HB 1400 (State Legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations) is going through public hearings and has a good chance of passing through the State House.

Federal House leadership removed gender identity from ENDA. National LGBT organizations are upset about this and are working to have a gender identity inclusive ENDA as the only version. The only exception is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) who while supports and inclusive ENDA will not stop any representative from voting for the sexual orientation only bill. Donna Rose resigned from HRC because of the lack of support HRC was providing in fighting for an inclusive ENDA.

What to do (in order of effectiveness):

1. Visit your Reps (state and federal).
2. Call your Reps.
3. Send snail mail letters to your reps.

Email is not effective.

To find out who your reps are go to http://www.equalitypa.org/

Contact your Rep about an inclusive ENDA has a time constraint because it will likely come to a committee vote within 2 weeks or less.

Noah (end.speciesism@gmail.com ) is collecting names and emails of people who are interested in doing more political/activist work. Please contact him if your interested.

Maria's sub-hosting for Lynn Cullen

Ladies,

Pull out your Post-Its & please write this down, so you remember to listen:

Our very own blogger extraordinaire, Maria of 2 Political Junkies, will be sub-hosting for Lynn next Friday. If the spirit moves you, call in, (you have 5 days to think up something brilliantly witty to ask).

THE SCOOP:

DATE: Friday, October 12, 2007

TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

STATION: WPTT, 1360 AM radio

CALL IN #: 412-333-1360

Thank you, Channel 4!

This video is unbelievable. Is Pittsburgh trying to cultivate some sort of tough-guy, rogue-cop image, or what? I mean, on camera?

Well, now maybe we'll get to see if the city responds more strongly to police abuse of break-in suspects than it does to domestic abuse.

just watch, please.

if you've got daughters, granddaughters niece, watch, hell watch it for yourself if for no one else.

URGENT! Email Your Rep to Support EC Access for Rape Survivors Now

Emergency Contraception for Rape Victims:

VOTE HAPPENS TODAY!

House Bill 288, the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act, will finally have a vote in the Pennsylvania House TODAY!

House Bill 288 requires all Pennsylvania hospitals to provide information about and access to emergency contraception (EC) medication to rape survivors if they request it - a critical tool to empower survivors by giving them a choice when it comes to preventing a pregnancy as a result of assault.

The opposition is flooding House members with emails, and now the women of Pennsylvania need YOU to stand up and do the same. This vote will be extremely close and adding your voice can make the difference.

You can email your rep via NARAL Pro-Choice Pennsylvania or via Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates, but, you have to do it right NOW.

THANKS!

TRUE PITTSBURGH STORIES: I MET THE MARQUIS DE SADE IN MCGINNIS SISTERS

And He Was Buying Blueberries

So my s/o tells my to wait in line at the small grocer with my bag of Breadworks rolls while he runs back to retrieve an item he forgot. Ah, the old "I forgot something ... " We all know it. And we all hate it.

This is when I know I am going to have another "Everybody Loves Raymond/Seinfeld" experience.

"Go ahead in front of me," I tell an old man with three items. He doesn't say anything; most people who are grocery shopping are zombies. The next time they cast a movie with zombies in Pittsburgh, they should just go to Giant Eagle on Sunday afternoon.

"You might as well cut in front of me, too," I tell the next man. (Since when do men do all this shopping?) I look at the woman in the next checkout lane who is smiling knowingly at me and say, "Yeah, it's just like an episode of 'Everybody Loves Raymond'" -- as I usher a mom pushing two toddlers in two separate carts in front of me. "Are they twins?"

"No, 18 months apart."

At this point, I give up and just tell everyone to go ahead of me and remove myself from the line (it's Sunday before a Steeler game, are you kidding me?), and continue to wait for a man who apparently can't find his salami.

That's when the tall, handsome, middle-aged stranger pulls me aside. "I'll tell you how to fix this." He's dressed like he just left church and smells fresh as holy water. Not that I've ever smelled holy water. But I'm guessing it smells fresh. Maybe he's got something to say. That was an understatement. "People respond to reward and punishment. And if he continues to do this, the punishment should progressively become more severe."

(Meantime, s/o returns with salami and cheese and responds to my eyeroll with, "They were giving out free cookies." Lucky for him I have more patience than that all those people who waited for Godot.)

The stranger lowers his voice. "If I may be frank with you" (of course, by all means!), "I spank her. We've been married 37 years and I'm happy as hell."

End of "The Man Station"

I have to admit I have only listened to The John McIntire Show and a few moments of Scott Paulsen so my perspective on the whole "Manly Men" format is skewed. Not that I don't think of John as a manly man, mind you, just in a lesbian-friendly sort of way. I don't really have an opinion on Scott Paulsen's manliness b/c he was just the guy who used to be with Jim Krenn and followed McIntire.

So, first, ladies of The Society let's all give a shout out to our own blogger, Gab, who just lost her job. She makes us laugh and think --- amazing! Gab, it sucks to lose your job, much less so publicly. Tap into the resiliency and bounce back cause we (at least Ledcat and I) love you.

I am very saddened to see John leave the airwaves (at least for now). He can be immature, naughty and over-the-top, but he's one of the staunchest allies of the LGBTQ community in this region. He talks about issues that other media outlets fail to acknowledge. He understands the issues. He knows the players and really grasps the hatred and fear underlying the "family values" rhetoric.

During his tenure on television and radio, John has done more to normalize being gay than any other public figure in this region with the possible exception of Dan Frankel. John dragged this Lesbian Correspondent from WPTT to KDKA to The Man Station. We laughed, we mocked, we pushed boundaries and made more than a few folks uncomfortable and unhappy. But through it wall, we talked about the homosexual experience on the air and that's unprecedented.

While I'm sorry that my friends lost their jobs (totally sucks, you guys!), I am also very sorry that we are back to one liberal voice on the local airwaves. While I'm not really enamored of the man station label, I wonder why we can't have more balance on the radio here in Pittsburgh?

I won't even go there.

This lesbian is sad to see the Man Station go. Rest in peace.

SEARCH NO MORE, I HAVE FOUND THE ULTIMATE STEELER FAN! AND HE IS DEAD.

File this one under undying loyalty ...

What am I doing walking in a cemetery? Well, let's just say I talk to dead people. Mostly, because they are great listeners. And they don't argue back. Though this one is a little feisty.

(I had a very interesting conversation with Stephen Foster once, but that's more of a Christmastime story.)

When the Mrs. goes -- there's a space reserved for her. Definitely season ticket holders.

(Lousy images taken with camera phone.)