i never imagined a few americans and europeans were captured and enslaved in africa. i'll bet this would be a fascinating read (and it's going to be a tv movie on the history channel tonight)
Connecticut Yankees To Sahara Slaves
October 28, 2006 By ROGER CATLIN, Courant TV Critic
A nearly forgotten story about a 19th-century Connecticut ship whose mates were forced into slavery on the scorching Sahara Desert is getting a new day in the sun. James Riley's remarkable best-seller, "Suffering in Africa: An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce, Wrecked in the Western Coast of Africa in the Month of August, 1815," was one of the best-known books of its day........
...........Writer Dean King came across a dusty copy at the New York Yacht Club in the 1990s and was fascinated by the ordeal of the captain and crew, who survived their months in slavery in one of the world's most unforgiving climates. King wrote his own book, "Skeletons of the Zahara," following the ancient spelling of the desert, in 2004.It has now been turned into a History Channel special tonight, "Skeletons on the Sahara," that features extensive re-enactments of the ordeal on location in the Sahara............
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
dudleytown
another story! cool
(here's my: original posting)
A Village Of Curses? Supernatural Stories Lure Curious To Colonial Site
By ADRIAN BRUNE, SPECIAL TO THE COURANT
In the far upper corner of northwestern Connecticut, not far from the historic town of Cornwall in the shadow of three mountains, lies a place where only the bravest of hearts tread.Once a colonial village called Dudleytown, it is said to be the site of mysterious deaths of residents in the 1700s and 1800s, unexplained madness in the 20th century and tales of strange noises and wraiths in the past 50 years. Through word of mouth and the reach of the Internet, Dudleytown has become something akin to Connecticut's "Blair Witch" forest.
The story has all the makings of a really great horror story: historical figures, mysterious happenings, ghosts, a curse," wrote author Gary P. Dudley in his 2001 book "The Legend of Dudleytown."Still, these days, about the only thing any supernatural investigator or curious teenager will encounter is a burly state trooper and road barriers, meant to prevent people from entering the private property. The residents of the Dark Entry Forest - near the Dudleytown site - are tired of paranormal investigators, writers, hikers and people interested in the supernatural trespassing on their property..............
photo: prsne.com
connecticut stop of the day
the witch's dungeon
Museum pays homage to actors and artists behind movie monsters
By Shelley K. Wong, Associated Press Writer
BRISTOL, Conn. --A visit to any party store can outfit a haunted house, and it only takes a tractor to make a hay ride, but it takes a particularly ghoulish personality to create Frankenstein's monster, bring the creature out of the Black Lagoon or put the Phantom of the Opera on stage.
The souls who brought the world's most famous movie monsters to life are the focus of a museum in Bristol. Here, in a residential neighborhood 20 miles southwest of Hartford, the creator of the Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum pays homage to the actors and makeup artists behind the ghoulish characters that have haunted childhood memories.........
(by the way, not only have i never been here, i've never even knew it existed. i'm going to make a stop that's for sure)
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
i voted AGAINST blue back TWICE
but that is NOT an excuse for vandalism. it's a shame people are such idiots. no, i don't want it in my town. i don't want the extra taxes (even though the town has said they will be lowered, NO ONE has seen THAT yet. and guess what, WE AIN'T GONNA EITHER), i don't want the extra traffic (did you ever get off at the trout brook exit of 84? imagine that times 10. not pretty is is?)
BUT no one has the right to destroy or deface property that isn't theirs.
Vandalism at Blue Back Square
West Hartford-WTNH, Oct. 23, 2006 11:00 PM) _ Police are investigating acts of vandalism in downtown West Hartford.
The Blue Back Square project that was targeted has been a lightning rod in the community.
by News Channel 8's Bob Wilson
"I was mad. I was really angry. This not a responsible action by a civic minded person," says Kelly Kennedy, West Hartford.
Blue paint tattooed on the side walks and buildings declaring bad progress for Blue Back Square. Last year in a controversial vote, the people of West Hartford voted for the commercial, residential and retail development in the center of town. After a year of building, the graffiti started showing up.
"It's pretty much a juvenile thing and it is what it is."
Anybody who does something like that, the law should look at them and they should punish them severely," says Bob LaPerla, West Hartford merchant.
BUT no one has the right to destroy or deface property that isn't theirs.
Vandalism at Blue Back Square
West Hartford-WTNH, Oct. 23, 2006 11:00 PM) _ Police are investigating acts of vandalism in downtown West Hartford.
The Blue Back Square project that was targeted has been a lightning rod in the community.
by News Channel 8's Bob Wilson
"I was mad. I was really angry. This not a responsible action by a civic minded person," says Kelly Kennedy, West Hartford.
Blue paint tattooed on the side walks and buildings declaring bad progress for Blue Back Square. Last year in a controversial vote, the people of West Hartford voted for the commercial, residential and retail development in the center of town. After a year of building, the graffiti started showing up.
"It's pretty much a juvenile thing and it is what it is."
Anybody who does something like that, the law should look at them and they should punish them severely," says Bob LaPerla, West Hartford merchant.
the vote is in (although this one doesn't count)
at least wtnh channel 8 viewers thought ned lamont WON the debate
i didn't watch it, so i cannot say. of course MY mind is already made up
NED LAMONT
i didn't watch it, so i cannot say. of course MY mind is already made up
NED LAMONT
connecticut stop of the day
hill-stead museum
Hill-Stead has been a hub of activity since the Pope family first occupied their newly built country estate in Farmington, Connecticut. Here, from 1901 to 1946, in succession, Alfred and Ada Pope and their daughter Theodate, with her career-diplomat husband John Wallace Riddle, entertained many illustrious individuals—authors, artists, poets, academics and presidents. The Popes and Riddles also extended their hospitality to town folk and employed dozens of workers, among them Earnest Bohlen, butler to the family for nearly 60 years. Today, Hill-Stead is a 152-acre, 10-building museum and a National Historic Landmark.
lovely little museum in farmington - up on a little hill, right off of farmington avenue (route 4 i believe). the grounds are lovely as well. many activities throughout the year including poetry readings in the warmer months. check the newspapers and their website for upcoming events. it's worth a visit.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
my mr bento with today's breakfast, lunch and snack
mccanns quick cooking irish oatmeal cooked with vanilla silk soymilk. i added just a whisp of maple syrup and a few peanut butter puffins cereal bits
silk soy vanilla yogurt with some pinapple chunks
tofu pups with some vegan gourmet cheese monterey jack flavor,
relish, chopped tomato and a dab of tofutti sour supreme
brown rice udon noodles, peas and a slammin' peanut/cashew sauce
sauce was made from stuff i had around: a few teaspoons cashew butter, a few teaspoons peanut butter, soy or tamari or shoyu, a couple of teaspoons of hoisin, a couple of teaspoons of some balsamic vinegar i had boiled down/reduced with some natural sugar, some chili flakes and water to thin it all down
connecticut stop of the day
the crypt center church new haven
Some Historical highlights of the Center Church Crypt
The area of the upper Green contains between 5,000 and 10,000 unidentified remains of many of the settlers of this colony of New Haven.
Center Church was built over a portion of this early colonial cemetary, with construction beginning in 1812 and finishing in 1814.
Beneath the church, The Crypt contains the identified remains of about 137 people, and the likely remains of over 1,000 that are unidentified.
Buried in The Crypt are the remains of Margaret Arnold; the first wife of Benedict Arnold.
Also in The Crypt: Sarah Rutherford Trowbridge, who has the oldest dated stone in The Crypt, dating back to 1687.
President Rutherford B. Hayes visited Center Church in 1880 and viewed the burial site of his grandmother and aunt, who are buried in The Crypt..........
connecticut site of the day
the hilltop brigade
What is the Hilltop Brigade?The Hilltop Brigade is an email list of friends and friends of friends who are interested in national and international affairs and deeply concerned that the country is going in the wrong direction under President Bush and the Republicans. We want to return the House of Representatives to Democratic control.The ConceptThe Hilltop Brigade recruits volunteers in "safe" Democratic congressional districts and puts them to work in "battleground" congressional districts. In Connecticut this means recruiting volunteers in the First Congressional District (held by Democrat John Larson) and in the Third Congressional District (held by Democrat Rosa DeLauro) and putting them to work for:
Joe Courtney in the Second Congressional District (running against Republican incumbent Rob Simmons);
Diane Farrell in the Fourth Congressional District (running against Republican incumbent Chris Shays); and
Chris Murphy (running against Republican incumbent Nancy Johnson)..
election day is almost upon us. we MUST do something. please check out this website and volunteer if you're able
What is the Hilltop Brigade?The Hilltop Brigade is an email list of friends and friends of friends who are interested in national and international affairs and deeply concerned that the country is going in the wrong direction under President Bush and the Republicans. We want to return the House of Representatives to Democratic control.The ConceptThe Hilltop Brigade recruits volunteers in "safe" Democratic congressional districts and puts them to work in "battleground" congressional districts. In Connecticut this means recruiting volunteers in the First Congressional District (held by Democrat John Larson) and in the Third Congressional District (held by Democrat Rosa DeLauro) and putting them to work for:
Joe Courtney in the Second Congressional District (running against Republican incumbent Rob Simmons);
Diane Farrell in the Fourth Congressional District (running against Republican incumbent Chris Shays); and
Chris Murphy (running against Republican incumbent Nancy Johnson)..
election day is almost upon us. we MUST do something. please check out this website and volunteer if you're able
Monday, October 23, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
more on mary sanford and connecticut 'witches'
i understand wanting to clear your family name. i personally don't mind being identified as a witch but then again i also know what some, yes, even in 2006, think of witches
no, they don't worship satan (most don't even believe in satan). no, they don't sacrifice babies in the basement and yes, most celebrate thanksgiving (i remember a few years back someone at work said to me, 'i don't mean to offend you, but do you observe thanksgiving?'. odd, huh?)
at any rate
to be accused then murdered for having a drink on the town green? no no and no. mary sandford's name must be cleared
A Descendant's Duty Mary Sanford Was Hanged As A Witch, And Her Granddaughter (8 Generations Removed) Wants Her Exonerated
By WILLIAM WEIR Courant Staff Writer October 22 2006
For the last few weeks, Debra Avery's dining room home has become the unofficial center for exonerating the women of Connecticut executed as witches.Her 13-year-old daughter, Addie, pores over documents and occasionally corrects her mother on certain dates and names. Nearby is a short pile of books with such titles as "Damned Women" and "Entertaining Satan." Their e-mail and fax machines have been buzzing with correspondence from other descendants of those accused of witchcraft in the 17th century.For the past year Debra and Addie have, with increasing intensity, taken on a project to clear the name of their ancestor, Mary Sanford - one of four Hartford women accused of witchcraft and executed by hanging in 1662.But this was more than 350 years ago, people tell her, and most people already take it for granted that these women were subjected to injustice. Why go to all this effort for an official apology?Avery always knew that Mary was in her family tree somewhere. She just didn't realize that she was a direct descendant - she's Avery's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother ("That's eight `greats' for me, and nine for Addie," Avery says). It was then that Avery felt an urge to right a wrong."Mary Sanford is our grandmother - it doesn't matter if she's eight generations back," she says."We're trying to fix a mistake," Addie chimes in.Like investigators at the outset of a case, they've considered a number of motives for why someone would charge her ancestor with "familiarity of Satan." Among other suspicious behavior, Sanford's accusers noted that she had partaken in "a bottle of sack" (liquor) on the Hartford town green. Avery guesses that perhaps such behavior ruffled the stodgy community.Chimney rage is another possibility. Mary's husband, Andrew Sanford, held the post of "chimney viewer" - one who makes sure everyone's chimneys are clean and in good condition. One could have made plenty of enemies with such a job.After Rebecca Greensmith (who would also be hanged) confessed to witchcraft and implicated Mary Sanford, the indictment against the Averys' ancestor listed her crimes as "not haueing the feare of God before thyne eyes" and for "knowing of secrets in a preternaturall way beyond the ordinary course of nature."Sanford's husband was also accused but eventually acquitted. That should be expected. Walter Woodward, the state historian, says women in Connecticut were four times more likely to be accused of witchcraft than men.................
no, they don't worship satan (most don't even believe in satan). no, they don't sacrifice babies in the basement and yes, most celebrate thanksgiving (i remember a few years back someone at work said to me, 'i don't mean to offend you, but do you observe thanksgiving?'. odd, huh?)
at any rate
to be accused then murdered for having a drink on the town green? no no and no. mary sandford's name must be cleared
A Descendant's Duty Mary Sanford Was Hanged As A Witch, And Her Granddaughter (8 Generations Removed) Wants Her Exonerated
By WILLIAM WEIR Courant Staff Writer October 22 2006
For the last few weeks, Debra Avery's dining room home has become the unofficial center for exonerating the women of Connecticut executed as witches.Her 13-year-old daughter, Addie, pores over documents and occasionally corrects her mother on certain dates and names. Nearby is a short pile of books with such titles as "Damned Women" and "Entertaining Satan." Their e-mail and fax machines have been buzzing with correspondence from other descendants of those accused of witchcraft in the 17th century.For the past year Debra and Addie have, with increasing intensity, taken on a project to clear the name of their ancestor, Mary Sanford - one of four Hartford women accused of witchcraft and executed by hanging in 1662.But this was more than 350 years ago, people tell her, and most people already take it for granted that these women were subjected to injustice. Why go to all this effort for an official apology?Avery always knew that Mary was in her family tree somewhere. She just didn't realize that she was a direct descendant - she's Avery's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother ("That's eight `greats' for me, and nine for Addie," Avery says). It was then that Avery felt an urge to right a wrong."Mary Sanford is our grandmother - it doesn't matter if she's eight generations back," she says."We're trying to fix a mistake," Addie chimes in.Like investigators at the outset of a case, they've considered a number of motives for why someone would charge her ancestor with "familiarity of Satan." Among other suspicious behavior, Sanford's accusers noted that she had partaken in "a bottle of sack" (liquor) on the Hartford town green. Avery guesses that perhaps such behavior ruffled the stodgy community.Chimney rage is another possibility. Mary's husband, Andrew Sanford, held the post of "chimney viewer" - one who makes sure everyone's chimneys are clean and in good condition. One could have made plenty of enemies with such a job.After Rebecca Greensmith (who would also be hanged) confessed to witchcraft and implicated Mary Sanford, the indictment against the Averys' ancestor listed her crimes as "not haueing the feare of God before thyne eyes" and for "knowing of secrets in a preternaturall way beyond the ordinary course of nature."Sanford's husband was also accused but eventually acquitted. That should be expected. Walter Woodward, the state historian, says women in Connecticut were four times more likely to be accused of witchcraft than men.................
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