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Suspended for porn: Is George Greanias' METRO punishment too harsh or toolenient?

George Greanias
Photo via Ride Metro
George Greanias

When it comes to having sex and having a job, it's probably best to keep to two as far apart as possible. Just ask Eliot Spitzer. Or Clarence Thomas. Or Bill Clinton. Or METRO CEO George Greanias, who was suspended without pay for one week on Thursday for accessing "adult content" on his personal computer through METRO's Wi-Fi Internet system.

According to METRO's official statement,

METRO's investigation revealed that while on his personal computer, Mr. Greanias accessed more than one dozen adult oriented sites of a sexual nature through the METRO Internet System. The access violations occurred on 14 days from February 9, 2011 to July 1, 2011. Normally, the disciplinary action for such a violation is a verbal reprimand. Any subsequent violation could lead to more severe punishment, including termination. METRO Chairman Gilbert Garcia has concluded that, as president and CEO, Mr. Greanias must be held to a higher standard, and decided instead of a warning Mr. Greanias would receive a more stringent punishment of one week suspension, without pay.

The report does not outline whether Greanias looked at the sites during work hours or on his own time, though Garcia confirmed in a press conference Thursday afternoon that Greanias was at the METRO premises when the violations occurred. If he was looking at sex sites instead of working, the punishment seems appropriate — maybe even lenient.

But if Greanias, who has made large strides in improving METRO's fortunes, was surfing on his own time, on his own computer, I have mixed feelings over whether the use of Wi-Fi equals an abuse of company resources. Would it be equally problematic if he was receiving adult materials via mail, like a former boss of mine who had his Playboy subscription sent to the office? Where do we draw the line?

The bigger question might be potential extracurricular activities suggested by the sites Greanais visited. According to a list published by Houston Press, some were indeed porn (hardcoregaysexxx.com, sharethatboy.com), but several others — maximumescorts.com, hourboy.com, daddysreviews.com and the infamous rentboy.com — are sites for hiring gay prostitutes.

METRO spokesman Jerome Gray said that the discovery occurred during a monthly monitoring of computers accessed by the agency's employees. An investigation by the agency's IT department indicates that no transactions were made on the sites that Greanias accessed. "There were no signs of any criminal activity warranted to take the investigation to the next level," Gray said.

Garcia says that Greanias "has my full support," and that the METRO board of directors "stands behind him." Greanias is expected to return to work on Aug. 8.

Do you think that Greanias did anything wrong? Is the punishment appropriate?

don't get burned

Talented performers fire up new store and training facility in Houston

Supplies for fire performances to open in Houston in 2025.

Photo by Matt Hellman

Kira Bailey performs with fire fingers.

Have you ever wanted to juggle, swallow, or dance with fire? Houston will soon be home for a place that sells the gear and offers lessons in that art.

Chris and Kira Bailey of the Solar Rain Performance Troupe have been firebending for audiences for more than a decade, as well as running their own online store for tools of the trade, TheOddPropShop. In 2025, they plan to open a combination storefront and workshop for Houstonians to enter and practice the fiery arts.

"Having a physical location allows us to connect with our customers on a more personal level that can’t be replicated online — which is especially important for building props that performers must trust with their lives," the Baileys wrote in an email. "Because of that, we’re building this workshop to become a space to create and test products, and invite our customers in when they want custom-made props. We go through a long trial-and-error with each of our new ideas, often using affordable items from Temu to build our prototypes, and then improve our designs until they’re ready to sell."

The space will be located in Kemah and is scheduled to open in the second half of the year. It will be a combination storefront, living space, and workshop area that will serve aspiring fire performers in a variety of ways. The Baileys will sell their signature fire bubblers, fire jump ropes, and sun wheels that are perfect for both professionals and hobbyists.

The brick-and-mortar OddPropShop will serve as a hub for greater Houston's performance community. Interested first timers will be able to take classes, while established performers can try out new routines and equipment. According to the couple, Houston is home to a significant community of fire artists.

"We wanted to be in a city that not only has a great arts scene and supportive creative community, but is also in a location where we could quickly and easily get the materials we needed to build our props," the Baileys wrote. "Houston was the only place that checked all those boxes. We were also personally drawn to Houston because many of our friends and fellow performers live in the city. In many ways, Houston already felt like home."

In addition to the tools of the fire trade, TheOddPropShop will sell costumes and accessories such as leather and stone jewelry. These small pieces of flair help add to the pagan ambience of the overall fire package.

performing-arts shopping fire performers

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