The difference between "vacant" and "vacancy"

There are things one notices while spending a weekend with a group of people who care intently about choosing the correct word for the purpose. Keith Geckeler pointed this sign out to me on the way to lunch on Saturday.

A parking garage would be "vacant" when it is empty. It would have a "vacancy" when it still has a free space for a car. It would be "full" when there is no more room for any cars to park.

Someone may have saved a letter by not spelling out "VACANCY", but this sign saying that no one is parking in the garage might not encourage a customer considering using it. It might be nice to know there is room, but does one want to be the only or very first customer of the day? (Do the locals know something about why no one else is using the garage?)

On the other hand, the "occupied/vacant" distinction on an airplane restroom door makes a lot of sense. I would not be sure what to do if a sign in that setting said "VACANCY", suggesting that there might be room for more people inside.

File under : Minneapolis, literacy, picture, wierd

There's no hypocrisy in cashing a paycheck

Dimitri Vassilaros poses the question on Facebook:

Has anyone else noticed that PittGirl was a shameless hypocrite?

Virginia "PittGirl" Montanez apparently had no problem cashing her paychecks from an organization that is dependent on the support of the VERY people she trashed - anonymously ...- on her blog.

This is all about a news event this week in the Pittsburgh area. For a number of years Virginia Montanez had blogged under the anonymous pseudonym "Pittgirl" on "The Burgh Blog" and entertained many with her sharp wit. Last fall she abruptly stopped posting "The Burgh Blog" and I am one who missed being able to read what she had to say. During the last week she revealed her true identity and was fired the next day.

I disagree with Dimitri and think that the reasoning in his charge of hypocrisy is flawed.

No one knows the true motivations of the individuals and organizations that support the Negro Educational Emergency Drive. A charitable view would be that they approved of the good purposes and mission of NEED, and were glad to be able to support its work. A less charitable view would be that they wanted the positive public regard that derived from others knowing that they supported NEED. A totally uncharitable view would be that these supporters couldn't care less about the mission of NEED but wanted their thumbs in every pie in order to gain power. I personally take the charitable view, but whatever the truth is, the supporters got what they paid for.

I don't see any hypocrisy in cashing paychecks that one earned by doing the work assigned by one's employer. Where one's employer gets its funds is irrelevant.

Moreover, a charge of hypocrisy would require some evidence that Virginia Montanez was using her anonymous persona to say things she did not really believe. Where is the evidence? As far as I can tell, she believed what she was saying.

Dimitri's radio show is on 1020 KDKA tonight from 6 to 9, and he plans to talk about his question. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to listen in.

File under : Pittsburgh, blogs, transparency

Do Not Disturb or Annoy the cold cuts

File under : food, picture, sign

When I was ordained

Just some random recollections of myself and the church at the time I was ordained in 1980:

I needed to wear running shoes because during the previous month my youth group had talked me into trying to water ski and I had injured my ankle. (My ankle returned to normal size in a matter of weeks, but it has never been the same.)

The church in which I was ordained was the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

The denominational headquarters was at 475 Riverside Drive in New York City.

The terminology of 'teaching elder' and 'ruling elder' was very much in use and well-understood in the Presbyterian Church.

There was a position called Assistant Pastor. (That was my first position in the first church I served as a teaching elder.)

Assistant Pastors and Associate Pastors were not members of the Session. (Soon after I was ordained the church would vote on changing this rule. At the time, I thought the change was a bad idea. I was wrong.)

The session of the first church I served had recently studied the blue book report on Homosexuality and the Church. But they were uncomfortable even talking about the experience of studying the issue.

The General Assembly (the church's most inclusive governing body) met annually.

The Book of Order was published annually and was an inexpensive paperback with a non-glossy cover.

The Presbyterian alphabet soup of organizations and committees was populated with acronyms I have not seen in a long time, such as COWAC.

The UPCUSA was in conversations with the Presbyterian Church in the United States about reunion. Someone showed me a copy of the PCUS Book of Order and I could tell by the much smaller size of their book that the two churches had markedly different cultures and ways of relating to their constitutions.

There was no Committee on Representation. (I would later chair one of those for a couple years.)

The General Assembly had no Advisory Committee on the Constitution. (As the church considered reunion, I thought the addition of the ACC as part of a second way for the General Assembly to render constitutional interpretations was a bad idea. I was wrong.)

File under : PCUSA, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Steel City Pizza has moved to Tarentum

Tonight I was in Tarentum for a wedding rehearsal, and in addition to the pleasure of working with a wonderful couple and their delightful friends, I discovered that a great pizza spot from Lower Burrell has reopened across the river.

Back in April I had noticed that the lights were out in the building on Leechburg Road where Steel City used to be located. Then the sign in front of the building was changed to say "Building for lease." I wasn't the only one to be discouraged by the apparent closure.

But tonight I learned that Steel City Pizza has moved -- into a restaurant location very familiar to me in Tarentum -- the former location of Lee's Chinese Restaurant, 415 E. 4th Ave.

When I started telling friends that I had discovered where Steel City had moved, I realized what a popular spot it had been for a lot of people. I called the restaurant to get answers to the questions people were asking.

Do they still have those wonderful bread sticks for those who eat in the dining room? Yes.

Do they still deliver to Lower Burrell? Yes, they will deliver to Lower Burrell, New Kensington, and Tarentum. The new phone number for the location in Tarentum is (724) 224-7499.

File under : Lower Burrell, New Kensington, Tarentum, food

Summer preaching schedule starting to fill in

My preaching schedule for the summer is starting to fill in. The dates booked so far are:

• May 17, First Presbyterian Church of Gibsonia
• June 14, Harmony United Presbyterian Church, Belle Vernon
• July 26, Northmont United Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh

I can hear you saying it now; those churches have taken all the good dates. But if you act now, you might still be able to book me for a Sunday this summer at a church near you.

File under : worship

Some events for Presbyterians (and others) in the Valley (and elsewhere)

There are a number of opportunities to participate in some worthwhile events over the next couple of weeks.

Carol Harris Staffing Walk/Run/Ride for Habitat

This year the fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity will take place at the Pittsburgh Mills Mall, with the staging area in the parking lot between J.C.Penney and Sears. Events for people of all ages will begin at various times on Saturday, May 9, 2009 starting at 8:00 AM with the 5k run. The bike ride starts at 9:00 AM.

Tags: Allegheny, fundraiser, Habitat, housing, outdoors_recreation, ride, run, Valley, walk

Pin Me Up

This art show at Artform Tattoo in Lower Burrell on May 9, 2009 benefits the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The show starts at 2:00 PM. There is a $10 cover charge.

Support local artists and finding a cure for breast cancer.

Tags: art, breast, cancer, fundraiser, health, Lower Burrell

God Complex Radio: Is your pastor smart?

This will be the second show of God Complex Radio, an internet radio show featuring Rev. Carol Howard Merritt and Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow. The topic for this program appears to deal with issues of clergy education. You can listen to the show live at godcomplexradio.com on May 11, 2009 at 12:00 noon EDT.The show will also be archived for later listening.

Tags: internet, radio, clergy, education, Presbyterian, religion

Revised Form of Government Presentation & Discussion

There will be a presentation and discussion of the Revised Form of Government for Pittsburgh Presbytery. Elder Carol Hunley, a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Dan Williams, Co-Moderator of the General Assembly's Task Force on the Revised Form of Government will give the presentation and assist the discussion. There will be two sessions at the Presbytery Center on May 20, 2009. The first session will be from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and the second from 7:00 PM to 9:00.

Tags: PCUSA, Pittsburgh, polity, Presbyterian, rFOG