Day: January 22, 2003

I am writing to the Mount Sinai community to inform you about a serious occurrence that took place yesterday. I am director of Reach Out and Read at Mount Sinai, a pediatric literacy program based in the outpatient pediatric clinic that provides books to underprivileged children and promotes literacy in the outpatient department. Every year, thousands of books, purchased with donated funds, are distributed to thousands of children visiting the pediatric clinic.

A number of days ago, a shipment of 28 boxes of new children’s books, with a value of $6200, was delivered to the Mount Sinai mail room. Yesterday morning, every box was opened and emptied and all the contents were taken. Individuals present in the mailroom area at the time said that many different people helped themselves to these books, stating “they were free.” This could not be farther from the truth. These were brand new books that were destined for the hands of underprivileged children whose families could not afford to buy these books themselves. It is possible that people unknowingly took these books, not realizing who they belonged to.

If you were under the false impression that these books were free and took some, we would appreciate it if you could return the books to the Pediatric Clinic, located on the fourth floor of the Annenberg building or leave them in Room 402, Annenberg building. No questions whatsoever will be asked– we would just like to have these books back. Alternatively, you can drop them off at the Security

Office, located on the first floor of KCC. Again, no questions asked. If you took these books by mistake and have already either given them away or sold them, be aware that the average cost of these new books ranged from $2-$5. Donations to cover the costs of the books that you have taken can be deposited in Annenberg Room 402 or left in the mailbox for ROR coordinator Anna Eckhardt in Annenberg 4-303-C. If you have any information about this occurrence, I urge you to either contact security at x45661or me by email or by phone (x45918).

Reach Out and Read has been a wonderful part of the pediatric department for many years, and has provided books and literacy support materials to thousands of families. It would be tragic if thousands of children would be deprived of books because of an unfortunate event such as the one that occurred yesterday.

Thank you–
Leora Mogilner, MD
Director, Reach Out and Read at Mount Sinai

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I, personally, blame the chickenlover. If Officer Briarbrady were on our security force instead of the lamers we have, this would have been an open/close/raped chicken/reopen/reclose case.

[10:08] * space ‘anyone wants waaaaaafles?’
[10:08] * space ‘or.. baconnnn!
[10:08] heh
[10:09] ?
[10:09] mmm waffles
[10:09] MMM BACON
[10:09] mmm waffles and bacon
[10:09] waffles with bacon in them =)
[10:09] * space thinks he’s going out for lunch today
[10:11] heh
[10:11] the birth of the “baffle”
[10:11] this better end up in someone’s LJ =)
[10:11] sorry, the whole baffle thing has had me laughing aloud over here.. =)

Homer’s Space Age(out of this world) Moon Waffles
[9F01] Homer the Heretic

ingredients:
1 package of caramel squares
2 cups waffle batter
1 bottle liqiud smoke
1 stick of butter
instuctions:
place caramel in the waffle iron
pour on waffle batter
add liquid smoke to taste
cook thoroughly
take the stick of butter and wrap the moon waffle around it
place it on a toothpic and serve

makes 1 unfortunate serving