Harvard to Endow Chair in LGBT Studies

From the New York Times:

Harvard University will endow a visiting professorship in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies, a position that, it believes, will be the first endowed, named chair in the subject at an American college.

The visiting professorship was made possible by a gift of $1.5 million from the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus, which will formally announce it at a dinner on Thursday, after Harvard’s commencement exercises. With the gift, Harvard said it would regularly invite “eminent scholars studying issues related to sexuality or sexual minorities” to teach on campus for one semester, according to a draft of a university press release.

The chair is being named for F.O. Matthiessen , a Harvard scholar and literary critic who “stands out as an unusual example of a gay man who lived his sexuality as an ‘open secret’ in the mid-twentieth century,” according to the release.

— Full Story

Funeral Home Scandal

From AP:

Authorities revoked the licenses of a South Carolina funeral home and its director after he admitted one of his employees cut the legs of a 6-foot-7 man without the family's permission so the corpse would fit in a casket.

15 Bean Soup

For the past seven months I have been trying to convince people on POGO (www.pogo.com) and some friends that 15 bean soup exists.

The bean mixture comes in three flavours, as far as I know: Original (ham flavor), Chicken, and Cajun.

I have been enjoying this bean mixture with the added bonus of veggies from my garden, that with harvesting the last of the shallots, has come to an end.

Currently, I have beans soaking, a ham hock thawing and the last of the shallots cleaned and ready (see photo below) to make this hearty soup in my slow cooker.

For all the sceptics out there, go to your grocery store's bean or soup aisle. The bag I have pictured was purchased by my cousin in Virginia and was included in a recent "care package." She has seen the original and Cajun flavours. I have purchased and used the Chicken flavour here in South Florida.