the nutmeg grater

yet ANOTHER bit of in the hood coolness

2012-01-02T08:47:00.002-05:00

great for us and even greater for officer manson

Crime Drama Set In Hartford Coming To TV In 2012

BY HILDA MUÑOZ, hmunoz@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

HARTFORD ——

A fictional television series about gangs and cops in Hartford is scheduled to air in the fall of 2012, according to the show's creator, Hartford Police Officer Mark Manson.

Manson said the show, "The Second District," landed a syndication deal that will bring the series to majors cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and, of course, Hartford............

A Hartford 'Wire?'

By Katie Warchut

Publication: The Day

A cop and a criminal collaborate on a new television series

It's not hard to imagine how Mark Manson, a Hartford police officer, and Felix Soto, a known criminal in the city, felt about each other upon their first meeting.

"I think (he's) like, the scum of the scum," Manson remembers thinking, "and he thinks I'm a jerk 'cause I'm a cop. I never would have thought in my wildest dreams I would associate with him."

But their mutual passion for entertainment, along with a well-connected Groton attorney, Donald L. Williams, led to a project called "The Second District," a television series they are negotiating to get on the air.............

pic: A scene from the trailer of the pilot episode of "The Second District," which creators Groton attorney Donald L. Williams and Hartford police officer Mark Manson are hoping to sell as a television show.

my brain (on math)

2012-01-02T08:47:00.000-05:00

via

yet ANOTHER bit of in the hood coolness

2012-01-02T07:09:00.000-05:00

great for us and even greater for officer manson

Crime Drama Set In Hartford Coming To TV In 2012

BY HILDA MUÑOZ, hmunoz@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

HARTFORD ——

A fictional television series about gangs and cops in Hartford is scheduled to air in the fall of 2012, according to the show's creator, Hartford Police Officer Mark Manson.

A Hartford 'Wire?'

By Katie Warchut

Publication: The Day

A cop and a criminal collaborate on a new television series

It's not hard to imagine how Mark Manson, a Hartford police officer, and Felix Soto, a known criminal in the city, felt about each other upon their first meeting.

"I think (he's) like, the scum of the scum," Manson remembers thinking, "and he thinks I'm a jerk 'cause I'm a cop. I never would have thought in my wildest dreams I would associate with him."

Women's Roller Derby Making A Comeback

2012-01-02T06:59:00.001-05:00

Women's Roller Derby Making A Comeback

i had NO idea we had this coolness in the hood

pic: Hartford Area Roller Derby skates through a drill in practice at Ron-A-Roll in Vernon Monday night. Photo by Brad Horrigan | Hartford Courant. (Brad Horrigan, Hartford Courant / December 27, 2011)

i'm just wondering..............

2011-09-07T07:24:00.000-04:00

if her name was juanita gomez or alia hamid or something like that................WOULD she have gotten the very same slap on the wrist?

you and i both know the answer

Socialite hardly punished for thefts

Greenwich, Conn. (WTNH) - A New York socialite accused of stealing two scarves in Greenwich worth about $12,000 got a slap on the wrist from a Connecticut judge.

o don't know who took the pic but this is where i got it

my pop's house was broken into and robbed yesterday

2011-09-07T07:14:00.000-04:00

no one was home (thank the goddess) but still, it's disquieting

here's a brochure from the west hartford police on how to survive a robbery. this is of course if you are CONFRONTED by a robber (we were not)

speaking of the west hartford police, they did an OUTSTANDING job. a shout out to the officers and detective who came over.

my pops called ME first when he came home and saw the door busted. then he called the police. i was minutes away so i arrived almost at the same time they did. my dad and i both entered the house and were in the front hallway. we were strongly reminded we should have stayed OUTSIDE until AFTER the police went in. that was for our safety. we didn't know if the robber/robbers were still inside. that's a point i want to pass on. if you notice anything amiss at your home, call the police and wait OUTSIDE until they arrive.

all in all, no one was hurt. the door was busted and is being replaced. some items were taken, but like i said, no one was hurt.

pretty cool find in montville!

2011-09-06T08:16:00.000-04:00

Montville officials find historic documents

ADAM BENSON, Norwich Bulletin

MONTVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Sometimes, history just sneaks up on you.

Officials recently discovered a pair of original, centuries-old documents that provide a look into the community's earliest days — Montville's first known audit, from 1823, and meeting minutes from the North Parish Ecclesiastical Society in 1722 — tucked into a nondescript gray filing cabinet in the town's archives.

"It's like an independent comment on local town government," Historical Society President John Geary said.

Town Clerk Lisa Terry said the documents will be sent away for preservation within the next month, and then will be kept under lock for use by residents, scholars and historians..............

robbery on farmington ave WEST HARTFORD

2011-09-06T08:14:00.000-04:00

don't know if there was any follow up and/or if they caught him. i can't find anything else

West Hartford Police Investigating a Street Robbery on Farmington Avenue

By DANIELA ALTIMARI, altimari@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD – Police are investigating a street robbery near 772 Farmington Avenue late Saturday.

A woman told police she was walking home from her waitressing job at a West Hartford Center restaurant 11:20 p.m. when a man approached her and asked if she needed help carrying her bag.

When she said no, he grabbed her from behind and tried to seize her pocketbook, slapping her in the face during the ensuing scuffle, police said.............

i want to go!

2011-09-03T07:28:00.000-04:00

Poquetanuck Cove: Spooky And Beautiful

Preserve Is 234 Acres On Banks Of Thames River In Ledyard

Peter MartekaNature's Path & Way To Go
At first, the description of The Nature Conservancy's Poquetanuck Cove Preserve in Ledyard seems to go a bit overboard. "Go back in time to when Native Americans camped along these shores to harvest oysters, and bald eagles soared overhead."
After a slight chuckle and roll of my eyes, I got out of the car and started my journey along the 1.5-mile trail that travels through the 234-acre preserve on the banks of the Thames River. After passing through a second-growth forest crisscrossed by stone walls with a half-dozen wolf trees seemingly standing guard next to them, the path entered a ravine filled with huge hemlocks. The bright, sparkling day had suddenly been turned into a spooky twilight................

from the dep
poquetanuck cove water access
pic from the dep site linked above

stupid connecticut crimes

2011-09-03T07:23:00.000-04:00

yes, it's been a while, but it was indeed worth the wait!

Man Complains Shelton Police Don't Enforce Parking Laws

Gets His Wish And A Ticket

By DAVID OWENS, dowens@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

SHELTON—

A local man who called police on himself for illegally parking in a handicapped spot, and berated a dispatcher and officers for not enforcing parking laws was arrested early Thursday, and issued a parking ticket.

Michael Andes, 29, of Howe Avenue, called police at about 2 a.m. and told a dispatcher he parked his car in a handicapped parking spot without a permit because police don't enforce parking laws, police said. Andes called police 15 more times over the next several minutes and yelled at the dispatcher about the lack of enforcement.

When officers arrived they found a vehicle in a handicapped spot without a permit, and then Andes approached the officers yelling and screaming about the lack of enforcement, police said.............

my new ink

2011-09-03T07:05:00.000-04:00

by john hinkle at green man

ravenwoman is an original work by john. fellini is an image i got off of the net

they were done last week. i'll take better pictures once they've fully settled down. these were taken with my phone.

my sunflowers at the half door

2011-08-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

one week apart. taken with my phone, so the pictures aren't that great. still NO flowers, but i planted them VERY late

thehalfdoorhfd.com/">the half door

i'm not a fan of jails for animals

2011-08-04T01:32:00.000-04:00

(yes, i know there are some good points to zoos and aquariums but still.........) BUT this video (from mystic aquarium) is pretty damn amazing and wicked cool and special

Connecticut based Mariachi band Los Trovadores de America recently serenaded a Beluga Whale at Mystic Aquariumin Mystic, CT.

via

art after hours at teh wadsworth

2011-08-02T01:12:00.000-04:00

Art After Hours: Cirque du Wadsworth Block Party

WHAT:

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art partners with Cirque du Soleil and the XL Center to create a spectacular fantasy evening at August’s Art After Hours.

WHEN:

Thursday, August 4, 2011

5 – 9 pm

$10; Free for Members

WHERE:

Travelers Plaza

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103

BACKGROUND:

Experience what it’s like to run away with the circus! Immerse yourself amongst street performers as they awe and amuse the crowd. Become part of the show by getting your face painted “Cirque-style” by Amazing Face Art. As you wander through the various spectacles, be sure to keep a look out for Anne Cubberly’s costumes as they parade around the street. Stop by the bar and indulge in some refreshments, then rock out underneath the big top with the sounds of XY Eli Band as they fuse blues, funk and rap. Don’t forget to catch the film Desert Flower at 8 pm in the theater.

Art After Hours takes place the first Thursday of every month. First Thursdays at the Wadsworth Atheneum offer a wide variety of programming - art, live music, cocktails, gallery talks, and films.

MORE INFORMATION:

www.wadsworthatheneum.org

CONTACT:

Sarah A. Ferri

Communications Assistant

sarah.ferri@wadsworthatheneum.org

860.838.4081

any family or friends vietnam war casualties?

2011-07-29T01:10:00.000-04:00

Photos Sought Of Vietnam Casualties

Don Stacom

The state veterans affairs department wants to hear from relatives of soldiers, sailors and Marines killed inVietnam to ensure the deceased veterans are properly honored at a new memorial in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1^s^t District, and state Veterans' Affairs Commissioner Linda Schwartz will start Connecticut's "Call for Photos" initiative on Friday at 10 a.m. at Central Connecticut University's Founders Hall..........

i got the following email from the wadsworth atheneum

2011-07-28T01:53:00.000-04:00

and wanted to share it. by the way, if you've never been, you're missing out. GO GO and GO. it's a fine museum.

Community Engagement Initiative at the Wadsworth Atheneum

Wadsworth Atheneum Seeks Ongoing Feedback from Greater Hartford Community on Its Community Engagement Initiative

HARTFORD, Conn., July 27, 2011 – After the first year of new programming and events launched by the Wadsworth Atheneum’s Community Engagement Initiative, the Museum will hold ChatBacks Part II, and invites the public to participate. During these sessions participants will be updated on the initiative’s progress. Following the update, researchers will seek additional feedback from participants. Please review the Community Engagement Initiative 2010 Annual Report, which will be on our website shortly, at wadsworthatheneum.org.

In order to better serve the community, the Museum invited visitors to a series of ChatBacks, or town-hall style discussion groups in 2008 and 2009. These ChatBacks provided invaluable feedback from the local community about the Wadsworth. For example, information was collected on how well the institution was doing to reach and involve people in the Greater Hartford area, what perceptions of the Museum existed by various constituencies, and how to better engage diverse populations. As a result, the Community Engagement Initiative is the overriding focus of the Wadsworth and the development of responsive programming is an ongoing process.

To accommodate various schedules and constituents, we are holding three ChatBack Part II sessions at the Museum:

1) Thursday, August 4, 4 - 5:30 pm

Participants will receive free admission to First Thursday (members will receive an extra bonus). The August 4 First Thursday is a Cirque du Wadsworth block party from 5 – 9 pm.

Please note: Atheneum Square North will be closed on this date for our block party so please use theMain Street entrance or the entrance in the back of the Museum at Prospect Street.

2) Saturday, August 13, 11 am - 12:30 pm

Join us before or after the session at Second Saturdays for Families from 10 am – 1 pm with fun-filled, hands-on art activities related to the theme of Water!

3) Saturday, September 10, 11 am - 12:30 pm

Participants are invited to partake in the Museum’s Community Day with free admission and art activities all day from 10 am - 5 pm!

Interested participants can RSVP by email, chatback@wadsworthatheneum.org or by phone (860) 838-4058.

Funding from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has provided essential support for this initiative. As a result, the Wadsworth has made great strides in addressing the above issues for our primary target audiences by connecting art and people through establishing an ongoing dialogue with our community. In the words of Wadsworth Atheneum Director Susan L. Talbott, “The whole face of the Museum looks different. The grant from the Hartford Foundation really made that possible.”

In the past year, the Wadsworth has implemented programming in conjunction with more than 60 community partners, such as the Hartford Public Library, the American School for the Deaf, Charter Oak Cultural Center and Mi Casa. A new Artist-in-Residency Program has engaged community members in a meaningful way. Museum on the Move has brought the Museum to Hartford Public School classrooms as part of Hartford Public School’s Hartford Performs initiative. A multi-lingual, cross-cultural marketing strategy was launched and programming was expanded to include free multicultural-themed performances and hands-on art activities. Bilingual promotional materials have also been produced and distributed. To enhance the experience for each visitor to the Museum, a new informational map that improves orientation was developed. In addition, the Connections Gallery was created as a new interpretive space to create relevancy by presenting innovative art installations. Lastly, free and discounted admission has been provided to various partner non-profit organizations in order to make the Museum more affordable and accessible to members of the community.

The Community Engagement Initiative will be the overriding focus of the Wadsworth in the years ahead and program development will be an ongoing process of implementation and evaluation. The Museum invites the community to participate in ChatBacks Part II in order to update them on its CEI progress and to welcomeadditional feedback to further its mission towards greater engagement with the diverse local and regional populations of Greater Hartford.

Contact:

Luiselle Rivera

Community Programs Coordinator

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103

860-838-4058

Luiselle.Rivera@wadsworthatheneum.org

Sarah Ferri

Institutional Advancement & Communications Assistant

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103

860.838.4081

this really is something!

2011-07-27T01:52:00.000-04:00

the mountain lion that got (tragically) killed here a few weeks back, traipsed all the way from SOUTH DAKOTA. that's some hike. i guess he didn't like driving on the highway either

Lion Traveled 1,800 Miles to Connecticut

By LeAnne Gendreau and Debra Bogstie

The mountain lion killed on Route 15 in Milford last month traveled about 1,800 miles to get here.

It came from Black Hills of South Dakota and traveled through Minnesota and Wisconsin before eventually ending up in southern Connecticut. This is the longest journey recorded for a land mammal and nearly double the distance ever recorded for a mountain lion, according to state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

The animal's nickname, the St. Croix Cougar -- a mountain lion and a cougar are the same thing -- a state wildlife official said. Its journey was tracked on a Web site.............

DEEP: Mountain Lion Killed In Milford Was From South Dakota

Said Animal Traveled 1,500 Miles

By KIM VELSEY, kvelsey@courant.comThe Hartford Courant
The mountain lion killed by a car in Milford in June probably traveled 1,500 miles from its birthplace in the Black Hills of South Dakota before dying on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Connecticut, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
This mountain lion's trip was the longest one documented for a mountain lion and quite possibly the longest undertaken by a mammal in North America, said DEEP wildlife biologist Paul Rego.
"It was an incredible journey that ended in a tragic death on our highway here," said Daniel C. Esty, commissioner of the DEEP............

bunch o' steamin' piles o' hipster scenesters

2011-07-21T01:28:00.000-04:00

number one, i didn't know we USED to be able to have open containers in west hartford
number two, i don't give a flying ~~fuck~~ yoo hoo if we can have an open container in black and blue square or west hartford center or not. i will NEVER GO TO BLACK AND BLUE. i just won't. and as far as the center goes, i can't remember the last time i was there. there are some good restaurants there which i'd go to (and several restaurants which simply cater to posers and the like). as i've said MANY times before and will say again, I HATE WHAT MY TOWN HAS BECOME

pic: creative commons from moblog NOT wh but it sure as shite COULD be. effin' hipster scenester posers

this ain't gonna be pretty

2011-07-21T01:10:00.001-04:00

Fox CT Weather: Sunny And Hot; Temps In The 90s

we have offices in both des moines and minneapolis. i have been talking to my collegues there. it's NASTY. really NASTY. with the heat index it's well into the 110s. coming here now.........

and please please please remember to care for your pets in this weather. they suffer as much as we do.

this by NO means is funny

2011-07-12T00:55:00.000-04:00

yet when you read the courant headline, you cannot help but laugh

Lil Wayne Dancers Beat Up Waitress At Westfarms Restaurant, Cops Say

Disagreement With Waitress Over Splitting A Check Escalated

a long long time ago in a galaxy far far far away.........

2011-07-07T02:04:00.000-04:00

i got a dog, baby roo! at the magic pet shop. i distinctly remember going in there and buying her (i told my parents someone gave her to me and we couldn't abandon her). it was SO long ago, it was before the current owners were there

to this day, i still do an impression of the man sitting there talking to his bird (who most likely WAS NOT the bird in the photo) and saying GIVE ME A LITTLE KISS JOE JOE

i miss you baby roo

(i'd NEVER go to a pet store these days. i'd of course rescue a dog or a cat from a center)

Magic Pet Shop Closing After 50 Years, Ziggy The Parrot Jobless

By JANICE PODSADA, jpodsada@courant.comThe Hartford Courant
Ziggy, a raucous tenor who's been serenading customers at the Magic Pet Shop for 20 years, is about to be out of a job.
The shop's owners Edward and Ellie Kinsella are closing the 50-year-old pet store at the end of the month, which means that Ziggy, a yellow-fronted Amazon parrot, will have to practice his wolf whistles and pop tunes including "Rolling in the Deep" elsewhere.
"Everything is for sale," said Edward Kinsella, 66, who put up a dozen handmade signs in Newington and Wethersfield to announce the store's closing.
A combination of the economic downturn and competition from big-box pet stores made the Kinsellas and their daughter Jen Lowy, 30, who works at the shop, decide to close the business.
"If it had only been one of the two, we could have survived," said Lowy. A year ago, in an effort to diversify, Lowy added fresh flower arrangements to the pet store's offerings. But it wasn't enough...........

my personal feeling?

2011-07-05T05:46:00.000-04:00

well i think you know it but i'll articulate it any damn way. it's just this: IF you join this church or follow this EX CON (yes, i believe SOME - NOT ALL people can and do change) you deserve EVERYTHING you get (taken away from you)

Conservative Sect's Leader, Who Served 12 Years In Prison For Larceny, Opens Church In Enfield

By KIM VELSEY, kvelsey@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

ENFIELD ——

Archbishop John P. Walzer's biography, posted on the website of the Catholic Charismatic Church, begins with his consecration in 1990 and ends with his succession to church patriarch in 2009.

Walzer, who operated churches in Branford, West Haven and East Hartford prior to his conviction, and in New Haven afterward, said that the church — which is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church — decided to move to the red clapboard house at 195 N. Maple St. because of the "opportunity to buy an ideal property for a missionary district."...........
The biography omits the 12 years that Walzer — who has just opened a new church in Enfield — served in prison for first-degree larceny. But church officials say that what is in the past is in the past. ...............

because i'm SO with it...........

2011-06-29T01:20:00.000-04:00

i didn't know about this stupid new sales tax until yesterday when a co worker mentioned it.

i don't mind paying taxes, i don't BUT this is getting ridiculous

good luck!

As Friday's Sales Tax Changes Loom, Confusion And Scrambling Continue
By KORKY VANN and JANICE PODSADA, kvann@courant.comThe Hartford Courant
Whoever said there was nothing certain but death and taxes didn't have to figure out the new Connecticut sales tax package that takes effect Friday.
Uncertainty and last-minute scrambling over which goods and services will or won't be taxed is widespread as state agencies are still researching some of the finer points, and merchants are still learning the new law.
"There have been a lot of changes, so there has been some confusion," said Sarah Kaufman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue Services. "We want to be sure that businesses and consumers have the correct information, so we're continuing to update."

Kaufman said the agency has been contacting businesses, retailers and trade organizations to clarify the new tax rules. But some groups, such as yoga instructors, are harder to reach than, say, the owners of package stores.

And speaking of yoga, we know that classes at yoga studios are now taxable — they've long been taxed at fitness centers — but what about training and workshops for instructors?
Paula Scopino, owner of Sacred River Yoga Studio in Glastonbury, says she received a letter from the Department of Revenue Services, but she said the communiqué left her with unanswered questions..................

i didn't forget solstice

2011-06-23T01:34:00.000-04:00

i just didn't get a chance to post my rose

asses

2011-06-21T01:03:00.000-04:00

elizabeth park
is such a wonderful place. i grew up right next to it. i walked there almost every day. in the winter we skated and skated and skated. that's where i learned how to play ice hockey (on figure skates mind you). the boyz let ME, a rose is a rose, the ONLY grrrl play! hmmmmmm is THAT where i got it from???????

hands off of the park you vandals. it's an escape. don't damage it. love it. it's there for YOU just as much as it's there for me

Damaged Tree Expected To Survive, But Some Limbs Could Be Trimmed

By VANESSA DE LA TORRE, vdelatorre@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

HARTFORD ——

The vandalized tree at Elizabeth Park is expected to survive, but will be "somewhat disfigured" after a few of its long, sleepy limbs were severely damaged over the weekend, the park's foreman said Monday.

One thick branch that curves skyward will likely die, Rocco Cianfarani said. It was stripped smooth of its bark sometime during the annual Rose Weekend Festival and carved haphazardly with names, initials, hearts and other signs of juvenile love or boredom.If the limb starts to brown, Cianfarani said, the park will saw it off. Another branch might also die.

"It will be standing, it just won't look as nice as it does," Cianfarani said of the red cedar, believed to be at least a century old and original to Elizabeth Park. "It's a shame."

Police were investigating the vandalism on Monday after the park filed a formal police report in the morning............

pic: Damaged tree limbs at Elizabeth Park in Hartford. (Vanessa de la Torre / Hartford Courant / June 19, 2011)

don't forget this thursday is the faith middleton

2011-06-20T02:17:00.000-04:00

food schmooze martini contest in hartford

come on out and vote for your favorite

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

6PM to 9:30 PM

At The Marquee

960 Main Street

Hartford

(pssssssstt we know who i'll be voting for. ok, i'm NOT going, but if i was going to go, that's who i'd vote for)

he was 20............20

2011-06-16T01:45:00.000-04:00

he never got a chance to live his life. to the family and friends of eric soufrine, i am so very sorry for your loss.

Woodbridge Native, 20, Dies In Afghanistan

A picture of Eric Soufrine hangs in Amity High School. He graduated from the high school in 2009. (RYAN BERNAT, FOX CT)

By HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.comThe Hartford Courant
Woodbridge native Eric D. Soufrine has died while on a tour in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense. He was 20.

Word of Pvt. Soufrine's death spread quickly through his hometown Wednesday night, according to First Selectman Edward Maum Sheehy. He said Soufrine was a 2009 graduate of Amity High School and enlisted in the Army after graduation.

"We are very saddened by his death," Sheehy said. "Something like this points out that freedom isn't free.".................

pretty cool!

2011-06-14T01:20:00.000-04:00

my friend amy is a birder and did a bunch of bird stuff for Audubon last summer. they'd have to go out and count birds and band birds and watch birds. literally FIELD WORK

we have some blue herons at work. they're beautiful to watch fly

pic: An American Anhinga in full plumage is seen at Shark Valley in Everglades National Park, Florida. (Tim Chapman/Miami Herald/MCT)

'Devil Bird' Spotted In Hamden, Believed To Be First Time Photographed In Connecticut

By MATTHEW STURDEVANT, msturdevant@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

HAMDEN—

— Florence McBride of Hamden was scanning Lake Whitney with a telescope early Saturday morning, looking for birds, when she spotted a long-necked specimen similar to a cormorant.

An avid birder, McBride knew it was an anhinga, a large aquatic bird whose name is taken from a Brazilian tribal phrase for "devil bird." Anhingas had never been photographed in Connecticut until last weekend. McBride and fellow birder Nancy Specht were on the Waite Street bridge in Hamden taking part in an annual two-day summer inventory to document the area's bird population when they saw it...........

this my dears is NOT good

2011-06-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

it's not good for consumers AND even worse it's NOT GOOD FOR CONNECTICUT BUSINESS OWNERS. first overstock.com then amazon.com what's next?

Amazon Cancels Connecticut Website Sales Agreements, Citing New State Tax

By DAN HAAR, dhaar@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

Amazon.com sent notices Friday to the owners of Connecticut websites saying the online retailer was ending cooperative sales agreements, effective immediately, because the newly enacted state budget would require the online retailer to collect sales taxes.

Amazon's move follows a similar action by overstock.com. Both online retailers, along with others, have called the tax rule unconstitutional and said they will fight it in court.

The change means hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Connecticut residents who own websites will no longer be eligible to receive sales commissions under the "Amazon Associates Program" if customers make purchases after clicking through to Amazon from ads on the host websites....

wooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooo!!!

2011-06-08T02:21:00.000-04:00

it's about time! believe it or not i don't even smoke (pot that is, unfortunately i DO smoke heaters)

i think pot, any amout of pot SHOULD be legal. period. my view

Connecticut To Lessen Penalty For Half-Ounce Or Less Of Pot

By DANIELA ALTIMARI, altimari@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

HARTFORD ——

First-timers caught with a small amount of pot in Connecticut will soon be treated like traffic scofflaws instead of criminals.

The House of Representatives voted 90-57 Tuesday to decriminalize possession of a half-ounce or less of marijuana, the equivalent of about 30 joints. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy hailed the measure as a fairer — and more fiscally sound — public policy, and intends to sign it once it reaches his desk. The new law will take effect July 1.

Activists pushing for a change in the state's marijuana laws savored their victory. They had argued for years that the state's current drug laws unfairly stigmatize young people, especially minorities, by burdening them with criminal records for relatively minor offenses..............

the.......reformed....... pirate: a-effing-mazing!

2011-06-07T02:20:00.000-04:00

the.......reformed....... pirate: a-effing-mazing!

to the friends and family of army specialist richard charlton emmons iii

2011-06-02T01:30:00.000-04:00

i am so very sorry for your loss. my thoughts are with you.

Army Specialist From Granby Dies In Afghanistan

By HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.com

HARTFORD ——

An army specialist from Granby was killed in action in Afghanistan after his vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Wednesday.

Richard Charlton Emmons III, 22, was the driver on a mounted patrol in Logar Province when his vehicle was hit Tuesday.

The Department of Defense said Emmons died of shrapnel injuries in the attack. He was pronounced dead at a military hospital..............
Connecticut's War Dead

Profiles: Connecticut's War Dead

wow, some horrible news

2011-06-02T01:25:00.000-04:00

and i guess those weather updates i signed up for (on my phone) at foxct weather were real this time. man, i'm so very sorry for those that were hit

Four fatalities confirmed as tornadoes rip through Mass.

Posted by Martin Finucane

At least four people were killed and a number of others were injured in the violent storms that swept across Massachusetts today, which included at least two tornadoes, state officials said today.
Two people were killed in West Springfield, one in Springfield, and one in Brimfield, state officials said.
Governor Deval Patrick said damage had been reported in at least 19 communities, mostly in Central and Western Massachusetts..............

By Martin Finucane, Travis Andersen, Donovan Slack, and Glen Johnson, Globe Staff, and Jenna Duncan, and L. Finch, Globe Correspondents

Four Killed As Storms Carve Path Of Destruction In Massachusetts

'It's Devastation Up Here,' Rescuers Say Of Tornado Damage

By HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.com
At least four people died as a series of storms — including at least one confirmed tornado — tore through several Massachusetts communities Wednesday, carving a path of destruction from Westfield to Sturbridge.

Scott MacLeod, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the deaths Wednesday night but said there were no details about the circumstances. He said two people died in Westfield, one in West Springfield and one in Brimfield.

Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency Wednesday night and said the state had enlisted the help of 1,000 National Guard troops to help residents clean up the rubble left behind after strong winds, hail and thunderstorms hit along the Massachusetts-Connecticut border..............

hey town of west hartford

2011-05-31T02:00:00.000-04:00

OVERNIGHT PARKING SHOULD BE FREE. no, there shouldn't be permits and we sure as shite shouldn't be given PARKING TICKETS. it's ridiculous.

from 2am to 5am? THREE HOURS and one gets a ticket? NO, it's not right, never has been right. just DO THE RIGHT THING and toss the entire NO PARKING 'OVERNIGHT' crap. we'll be happy and believe me, it will save the police a whole lot of work

oh and how would a fee/permit system work anyway? a lot of overnight parking is SPONTANEOUS.

West Hartford Looks To Change Overnight Parking Rules

West Hartford Officials Consider Going To Fee System With Permits

By AMANDA FALCONE, afalcone@courant.com The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD ——

The number of requests for overnight parking privileges has nearly tripled over the last decade, prompting town officials to consider whether they should switch to a fee system requiring parking permits.

Since 1957, the town has prohibited on-street parking from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. Exceptions are granted only if residents ask the police department for permission to park overnight.

This process causes problems, especially for tenants of apartments on Farmington Avenue, said Town Manager Ronald Van Winkle. Some apartments don't have off-street parking, which is inconvenient for residents and their visitors, he said.............

uh oh uh oh uh oh naked man in bridgeport

2011-05-24T01:22:00.000-04:00

naked BLACK man in bridgeport. don't these two (photographer and model) know there is NO art in bridgeport??????

Nude photo shoot on Bridgeport parking garage roof doesn't appeal to cops, residents

Daniel Tepfer, Staff Writer

BRIDGEPORT -- Residents expect to see a lot of unusual things living downtown, but a Saturday incident may have topped the list.

A white man with a camera was chasing a naked black man across the roof of a parking garage, witnesses said.

"Apparently, you have to expect to see a lot of strange things when you live downtown, but after this I don't know what could possibly shock me," said a resident of the City Trust building, who asked not to be identified.

Turns out it was a photo shoot, but that didn't make it right for police...................

lego lego lego!

2011-05-20T03:12:00.000-04:00

well, this time it's about the north american headquarters (which happen to be in connecticut) adding jobs!

LEGO's Headquarters Adding Jobs After Expanding Space

Company Topped $1Billion In Sales For The First Time Last Year

By KIM VELSEY, kvelsey@courant.com

ENFIELD ——

After converting one of its former manufacturing buildings into offices, LEGO Systems Inc. is now hiring new employees to fill the 125,000 square-foot space as sales of the iconic toys continue to soar.
LEGO has hired about 75 new employees at its North American headquarters in the past year, bringing the total to 545 and is continuing to hire, brand relations director Michael McNally said.
Since restructuring in 2003-04, the Danish toy company has experienced U.S. sales gains for six straight years, with dramatic gains during the recession. In 2010, LEGO exceeded $1 billion in U.S. consumer sales for the first time, and saw a 28 percent increase in consumer sales...............

and while we're at it.................

how to make a lego necklace

pic from the tutorial at thelongthread linked above

even the (alleged) crooks in west hartford

2011-05-19T01:38:00.000-04:00

drive mercedes

West Hartford Woman Arrives Home, Finds Burglar Inside House

by HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.com The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD ——

Police arrested a 21-year-old man on burglary charges Wednesday after the homeowner allegedly caught the man inside her Overbrook Road house.
Raymond Richardson Jr. was charged with second-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, breach of peace and two counts of risk of injury to a minor................

...............After the homeowner arrived, a witness in the street in front of the victim's home told police a man had come out from behind the home and gotten into a white Mercedes.............

wadsworth atheneum news

2011-05-19T01:33:00.000-04:00

Hartford Youth Art Renaissance

Exhibition by Hartford Public School Students at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

HARTFORD, Conn., May 16, 2011 – The 38^th annual Hartford Youth Art Renaissance exhibition is now on view through Sunday, May 29, 2011 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The exhibition will also include a second installation of student artworks at the main branch of the Hartford Public Library, located at 500 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103.

Featuring approximately 150 works of art between the Museum and the library, this year’s Hartford Youth Art Renaissance is a true city-wide display of the artistic expression of kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the Hartford Public School District. The Wadsworth Atheneum’s exhibition will show student artworks from seventh through twelfth grade. Artworks were selected by teachers from each school. The exhibition also represents the longtime collaboration between the Museum and the Hartford Public Schools.

On Saturday, May 21, an awards ceremony will take place at the Museum to honor all student participants and their art teachers. One high school student, who has demonstrated exceptional creative talents via their artistic portfolio, will receive a scholarship to attend the Hartford Art School’s Summer High School Visual Program. This month-long experience is designed to further develop students’ portfolios for college admissions through a diverse range of studio course offerings and associated visits to the Museum. The scholarship covers the cost of the entire program, including tuition, materials and transportation. In addition to these covered expenses, the scholarship recipient will also be paid a stipend to participate in the program.

In addition to its collections and exhibitions, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art has always been a resource for the local community and is continuing to find innovative ways to make the Museum more accessible to current and future audiences through new programs. The Hartford Youth Art Renaissance program continues to be at the forefront of this initiative.

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is located at 600 Main St. in Hartford, Connecticut. The Museum is open Wednesdays to Fridays, 11 am – 5 pm and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm. Please visit www.wadsworthatheneum.org for more information.

Contact:

Kimberly Reynolds

Director of Communications

860.838.4055

kimberly.reynolds@wadsworthatheneum.org

Sarah Ferri

Institutional Advancement & Communications Assistant

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103

860.838.4081

ravings of a semi-sane madwoman: because rape is NOT a joke

2011-05-18T00:59:00.000-04:00

ravings of a semi-sane madwoman: because rape is NOT a joke

if you're in the market for a dog

2011-05-06T02:55:00.000-04:00

there is NO reason you need to look any farther than a shelter. now we have a new batch of hounds. they have southern accents, BUT they'd make fine fine fine companions. consider it please

they could also use a lil' bit o' cash. now come on, we can do THAT at least, no?

adoption this weekend. saturday and sunday 12 to 3. just go take a peek. that's all. a peek

CT SPCA Rescues Animals from Tornado Devastation

Needs public's help to raise money for travel, fees

View more videos at: http://nbcconnecticut.com.

The SPCA of Connecticut is hoping people don't forget about the animals affected by the devastating tornadoes in the south.

An SPCA worker was in Alabama for a routine animal rescue when she realized hundreds of amimals are in danger of being euthanized or dying in the streets.

"We had no idea!" said Susan Fernandez. "We were lucky to get these 40 puppies out alive."............

............

You can send a donation marked "Saving Tornado Dogs" to the SPCA of Connecticut, 359 Spring Hill Road, Monroe, CT 06468, or donate online .

The animals will be available for adoptions once they have been examined and have been given a clean bill of health. You can view a slideshow of the dogs and tornado damage here.......................

the ct spca has a GREAT slide show of the hounds!

what the HELL is a 43 year old doing with a 14 year old anyway?

2011-05-05T01:40:00.001-04:00

and don't tell ME you thought she was 19. i'm not buying that one either.

Police: Former New Haven Officer Admits To Having Sex With 14-Year-Old
By HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.com The Hartford Courant

WEST HAVEN ——

A former New Haven police officer was arrested Sunday following allegations he had sex multiple times with a 14-year-old whom he was dating and assaulted her inside his West Haven apartment.

Eddie Rodriguez, 43, of 129 Taft Ave., was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor and third-degree assault. He was held with bail set at $150,000.................

ok, his bail was set at 150,000. he ADMITTED to having sex with a 14 year old

150,000????

what's wrong with that picture?

this man's bail is 250,000........ Plymouth Math Teacher Charged With Possession Of Child Porn

now why is the first man's bail LESS i wonder?

stupid connecticut crime

2011-04-19T01:20:00.000-04:00

c'mon now. if you're GOING to commit a crime, a police department should NOT be your first choice

Man Charged With Trespassing At West Hartford Police Station
By DAVID OWENS, dowens@courant.com

WEST HARTFORD—

A South Windsor man apparently in search of a restroom at the West Hartford police station instead found himself under arrest after he wandered through an unlocked door into a secure area, police said.

Rather than stop when two officers called to him, Matthew Deffley ran. The officers quickly caught him and he was charged with third-degree criminal trespass and interfering with an officer.............

this is one of the most tragic things i have read

2011-04-14T01:12:00.000-04:00

i'm posting it because i have very long hair. i am quite careful but one never knows. 9/10ths of the time, it is in a bun. every once in a while it will be in a braid or a ponytail. we have a revolving door at work that's automatic. it DOES have a reverse switch on it, but i ALWAYS make sure my hair is not flying about. one doesn't think things like this can happen. this story shows us they can

and of course to the family and friends of ms dufault, i am so very sorry for your loss

Yale Student Killed as Hair Gets Caught in Lathe

By LISA W. FODERARO

As a Yale undergraduate majoring in astronomy and physics, Michele Dufault was used to extreme physical environments. She worked on underwater robotic vehicles last summer as a fellow at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. She also traveled to Houston as part of a team of undergraduates chosen by NASA to perform a plasma physics experiment in reduced gravity.But it was a rudimentary machine — a lathe in a campus laboratory — that erased what everyone imagined to be a brilliant future for Ms. Dufault, who also found time to mentor girls interested in science and to play saxophone in Yale’s precision marching band............

please let's get teh decriminalization of marijuana passed!

2011-04-13T01:25:00.000-04:00

and believe it or not, i do NOT smoke it (or use it in any form). i sure do know if i was going through something painful (as in cancer treatments or the like), i WOULD be smoking it. there is absolutely NO reason it should be a crime. i even think it should not be a ticket-able offense

Judiciary Committee OKs Bill To Decriminalize Small Amounts Of Marijuana
By DANIELA ALTIMARI,
ARTFORD— — Lawmakers took a step Tuesday toward decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana.

The legislature's judiciary committee approved a measure that would make the penalty for possession of a half-ounce of marijuana or less akin to receiving a speeding ticket. Those charged would be assessed fines instead of facing criminal penalties.

The committee passed a similar bill in 2009, but it died before the session ended.................

radioactive - planned parenthood of southern new england

2011-04-11T01:08:00.000-04:00

click here to hear the broadcast

my home away from home

2011-04-08T18:27:00.000-04:00

see why i love the half door

why would one family need:

2011-04-08T01:18:00.000-04:00

62 rifles, some shot guns, some machine guns, 10 pistols, a flare gun a grenade launcher, two crossbows and a MASSIVE amount of ammo? WHY? WHY would someone allow an open gun cabinet in the room of a 12 year old who, 3 years ago (accidentally????) shot his father in the neck?there is NOTHING in the entire universe which could justify that cache of weapons in a home with children. NOTHING would YOU want these people as neighbors? HELL, i don't want 'em in our COUNTRY much less our state or my neighborhood.

Police: 12-Year-Old Who 'Recklessly' Fired Gun Is Same Boy Who Shot Father In 2008

By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY, cdempsey@courant.com The Hartford Courant

EAST HAMPTON — —

A 12-year-old seen firing a rifle at his home without supervision, leading to his mother's arrest Wednesday, is the same boy who shot his father in the neck three years ago, police said.

A neighbor saw the boy "recklessly firing a .22-caliber rifle without supervision" on the family's property on Jan. 18, according to police. The allegation led to the arrest of the mother, Alexandria Simonelli, 51, on charges of risk of injury to a minor and first-degree reckless endangerment, police said.

She posted $20,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned April 19 at Superior Court in Middletown............

pic: Police seized 62 rifles, shotguns and machine guns from the Wopowog Road home after Joseph Simonelli Sr. was accidentally shot in the neck, according to the 2008 arrest warrant. (Fox CT)

congratulations are in order!

2011-04-05T02:01:00.000-04:00

UConn Beats Butler, 53-41, Giving Jim Calhoun His Third National Championship

pic: Jeremy Lamb hugs the NCAA trophy at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas after he helped lead the Huskies to the 2011 National Championship Game. (Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant / April 4, 2011)

top dogs

UConn Wins NCAA National Championship

Thousands Cheer On Both Teams In Houston

i too would like to know why the west hartford police department didn't respond

2011-03-31T01:23:00.000-04:00

for at least an hour. hell, i even know what 'to air out' a house means

(i have had NO bad experiences with the wh police. just the opposite. i have found them to be nothing but helpful AND i have also found their response times are beyond excellent. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what went wrong here???)

Woman Called For Police An Hour Before West Hartford Shooting
By VANESSA DE LA TORRE and DAVID OWENS, vdelatorre@courant.com

WEST HARTFORD ——

More than an hour before a man was shot in the neck on Tuesday, allegedly by a 17-year-old Conard High School student, a woman called police and asked that an officer be sent to her Abbotsford Avenue home to deal with a bullying problem.

"The same kids that are messing with my daughter in school are coming around my house, threatening me and my children," Quintina Texidor said during a three-minute phone call that began at 2:57 p.m.

"Someone will be there shortly," the dispatcher told Texidor....................

i'm not a big college basketball fan

2011-03-31T01:00:00.000-04:00

of course i DO have a tinge of pride when uconn WOMEN and men make the final four. it just doesn't mean that much to me though

i did come across this rather unusual article about kemba walker. THIS made me smile

Stapleton: UConn's Kemba Walker uneasy in the NCAA tournament spotlight

By ART STAPLETON

STORRS, Conn. – The mega-ratings reality show starring Kemba Walker is far more compelling than what the television cameras have captured on the basketball court.
There is overwhelming attention paid to the Connecticut junior guard wherever he goes.
Two-dozen reporters gathered around Walker inside Gampel Pavillion, where he spoke Tuesday afternoon for more than an hour on a variety of topics — mostly centered on the thrill of having led UConn to within two victories of its third national championship.
Outside, adoring students serve as paparazzi with honking horns from passing cars.............

and here is yet ANOTHER young (grrrl this time) one being bullied

2011-03-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

a VERY touching video indeed

it seems to me schools do NOT do enough to protect children. then when something really goes wrong, schools start pointing the finger; we were never notified so and so was bullied or we did all we COULD or what the hell ever excuse they come up with. (note: i do NOT know the circumstances about ms pollack's school. i have no idea if they're helping or ignoring or what. i'm hoping the former NOT the later of course)

MY name is Alye Pollack and I am being bullied (VIDEO)

Bullying Video Draws Attention

Mother of Bullied Girl Speaks

ok middletown school district, what the hell is up with this?

2011-03-30T11:09:00.000-04:00

Bullied Student Can't Get Homework

The 7th grader has been out of school to two months.

View more videos at: http://nbcconnecticut.com.

By Doug Greene

The reading comprehension exercises in Monique McClain's workbook leave her frustrated.

For the last two months, she hasn't done much because she has been out of school after she said classmates bullied her.

She was getting homework assignments from teachers at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Middletown, but not anymore. Not even a lawyer and a state marshal could get her the assignments..............

this is west hartford.........we do NOT have shootings here

2011-03-30T11:03:00.000-04:00

at any rate, three are caught, 2 are missing. if tried and FOUND GUILTY (of course they are only alleged attempted MURDERERS as of this moment) the minors should be charged as adults and all of 'em should do the MAXIMUM time. a gun in the hand of a minor in a neighborhood. the (alleged) shooter EATING EFFING POUNDCAKE as he's firing. no. no and no

whoops, UPDATE: ALL FIVE ARE IN CUSTODY NOW

Five Charged In Connection With West Hartford Shooting

By DAVID OWENS and HILLARY FEDERICO, dowens@courant.com The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD—

Five young men remain in custody this morning in connection with a shooting Tuesday afternoon on Abbotsford Avenue that left a man critically injured.

Police said Thursday that a 17-year-old from West Hartford was the shooter. They did not identify him because of his age. He is charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, and possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.

Police charged four others, including another 17-year-old who was not named, with conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. The three who police named are Andre Cooke, 18, of 62 South Quaker Lane, Marcus Stevens, 18, of 91 Red Top Drive, and Justin Reyes, 18, of 156 Dart St., Hartford...............

.........The shooter was apparently eating pound cake when he opened fire, LaSata said............

i've written about the bridge before

2011-03-23T02:20:00.000-04:00

they make THE BEST tofu salad i have ever had. i've tried to duplicate it. i CANNOT

Van Plunges Into Tofu Shop

Tofu production is suspended, according to report.

here's their website the bridge

¡Mira! Hartford: Resident artist Anne Cubberly wants you to know a...

2011-03-23T01:53:00.000-04:00

¡Mira! Hartford:
Resident artist Anne Cubberly wants you to know a...: "Resident artist Anne Cubberly wants you to know about the great free arts events happening around the city so that you can get away with en..."

happy st. patrick's day

2011-03-17T00:50:00.003-04:00

my thoughts go out to the friends and family of Sgt 1st Class Dae Han Park

2011-03-15T01:50:00.000-04:00

Watertown Special Forces Soldier Dies In Afghanistan

WATERTOWN

— A soldier who graduated from Watertown High School has died in Afghanistan, the Army said Monday.

Sgt. 1st Class Dae Han Park, 36, died Saturday near Kajran, in Daykundi province, Afghanistan.

editorial in the nytimes

2011-03-10T01:31:00.002-05:00

so of course i thought i MUST link to it

Connecticut’s Better Budget

In comparison to New York’s $88 billion budget or New Jersey’s of $29 billion, Gov. Dannel Malloy’s budget in Connecticut is a mere $19.7 billion. Yet Governor Malloy has managed to create a better, fairer budget than both of his colleagues. And he is doing it without bombast, without YouTube, without making hard enemies or playing favorites. All three governors face big deficits — Connecticut’s is $3.2 billion in the next fiscal year and $3 billion the year after. Governor Malloy’s budget proposal spreads the pain more evenly. Like Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Mr. Malloy wants to cut government spending: $1 billion from state employees and $758 million in state services. Unlike his neighbors, he recognizes that budgets cannot be balanced fairly in the short term, or at all in the long term, without having new money coming in. Instead of taking $800 million out of the education budget, Mr. Malloy proposes an array of tax increases, including some on those making more than $50,000 a year...................

and this of course from the courant
Poll Shows voters Oppose Malloy's Tax Increases; Approval Rating Only 35%
By CHRISTOPHER KEATING and DANIELA ALTIMARI, ckeating@courant.com
Many voters seem to believe that some tax increases are fine — as long as someone else is paying.
That's one finding from the latest Quinnipiac University Poll, released as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is asking Connecticut residents to pay $1.5 billion in tax increases in the coming fiscal year.
In the university's first Connecticut poll since the gubernatorial election, 66 percent said that Malloy's budget-balancing plan relies on too many tax increases, and 56 percent say the plan is unfair. In addition, 40 percent of those surveyed disapprove of Malloy's job performance in his first two months in office, and 51 percent disapprove of the way he is handling the state's budget crisis.................

TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): Old Leatherman

2011-03-09T02:04:00.000-05:00

TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): Old Leatherman: "BoingBoing this week linked to a story in the New York Times about 'Leather Man' - a vagabond who walked the roads of western Connecticut in..."

yesterday, coli mcenroe's show on npr was absolutely OUTSTANDING

2011-03-03T01:33:00.000-05:00

he had on the state troubadour, chuck costa and the state poet dick allen

give it a read and a listen HERE

here's chuck costa's website i LOVED his music. you can buy his albums there. i also believe they're available on itunes.

please give him a listen. absolutely blown away i tell ya!
pic:

Chuck Costa

Photo:Chion Wolf

some unusual yet not unwelcomed news on chris dodd

2011-03-02T01:37:00.000-05:00

Dodd Takes Job As CEO Of Motion Picture Association Of America
By CHRISTOPHER KEATING, ckeating@courant.com The Hartford Courant

Chris Dodd is going Hollywood.
After months of rumors, the former U.S. senator was named Tuesday as chairman and chief executive officer of the Motion Picture Association of America, which represents the nation's major film studios.
Dodd had remained relatively quiet about exactly what he would be doing after serving in Washington for 36 years, but his interest in the film post had been chronicled in several major newspapers. His name had been floated for multiple jobs, including president of the University of Connecticut and ambassador to any number of countries through a nomination by his friend, President Barack Obama.............

Chris Dodd's leading role

Break out the buttered popcorn! Another front-runner has captured one of Hollywood's golden tickets: Chris Dodd is the new head of the Motion Picture Association of America.
The former senator, 66, has been rumored to get the $1.5 million-a-year job for the past couple of months, and was officially named on Tuesday..............

pic: After a year-long search to replace Dan Glickman, former senator Chris Dodd is named the new head of the MPAA. (Jessica Hill)

Motion Picture Industry Group Names Ex-Senator Dodd as Its New Chief
By BROOKS BARNES and MICHAEL CIEPLY

— Christopher J. Dodd, the former Democratic senator of Connecticut, was named as Hollywood’s top lobbyist on Tuesday, a move that might initially prove tricky because of lobbying restrictions for former members of Congress. The Motion Picture Association of America, which is counting on Mr. Dodd to revive its diminished influence, announced that he would take over on March 17 as its chairman and chief executive. The job, which will pay about $1.5 million a year, will require Mr. Dodd to push a Hollywood agenda in Washington that includes a more aggressive government stance against piracy and an effort to persuade China to lift limits on the distribution of Western movies.............

got this email on RALLY TO SAVE THE AMERICAN DREAM

2011-02-25T00:44:00.001-05:00

i'm going to do EVERYTHING in my power to be at MY state capitol in hartford this saturday. why don't YOU think about it as well. WE must speak out too. WE have the VERY SAME RIGHTS THE TEABAGGING NUTSACKS do. WE must make OUR voices heard like they make THEIRS heard. here is some of the connecticut information: (click the link in the email i posted below to actually sign up)

please think about attending. you can spare a couple of hours this saturday. it's important. it's important to US and our futures. PLEASE

Rally to Save the American Dream

Hartford, CT Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave. (Map)
Hartford, CT 06106
Saturday, February 26th, 12:00 PM

Let's keep the momentum going! Please sign up for this gathering right away!

Message from your host, Pat F.: We will rally in front of the state capitol (southwest entrance/ Capitol Ave. side) in solidarity with Wisconsin workers and in support of the right of all workers to a living wage with decent benefits, including health care, paid vacation, and paid sick leave.

Share this event on Facebook: http:...(more)
HERE'S THE EMAIL I GOT:

This Saturday we're drawing a line in the sand. The entire progressive movement is putting everything we have into one massive display of progressive solidarity nationwide.
We won't let Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker - or any other billionaire-bought TeaParty Governor - break the unions. Unions created America's middle class and if they disappear we'll all end up as corporate slaves.
The entire progressive movement - Netroots, unions, environmentalists, and community groups - will hold solidarity rallies in major cities, including every state capital, this Saturday around noon.
We'll demand an end to the attacks on workers' rights and public services across the country. We'll demand investment to create jobs. And we'll demand that the rich and powerful pay their fair share of taxes.

Will you join us Saturday at noon? Sign up to join your local rally here.
Here in New York City, our new Job Party has already held two solidarity rallies, proudly wearing Wisconsin Cheeseheads and winning smiles and cheers from fellow New Yorkers.
Last Friday, 100 of us held a spirited rally in front of CNN, NBC, and FOX. On Tuesday we grew to 500 at FOX during Glenn Beck's show, and prominent New York unions and politicians joined us.
While Glenn Beck raged helplessly inside his studio, Ed Schultz happily crossed the street to interview us. We also appeared on Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly. Watch our videos.
And with unions, students, and progressives in the Midwest leading the way, we're turning the tide. When an Indiana official urged use of "live ammunition" against unions, he was immediately fired. Then Indiana Republicans dropped their anti-union "right-to-work" bill like a hot potato. Republican Governors in Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida are running as fast as they can from union-busting.
But a few hard-line Republicans are holding out, especially Wisconsin's Scott Walker and Ohio's John Kasich. And several Republican presidential candidates are supporting them, promising to bust unions nationwide if they win in 2012.
So we need to hit the streets to send a message that's loud and crystal-clear: the American people support our unions, and we want jobs!
Sign up to join your local rally here.
Thanks for all you do!
Bob, Charles, Corinne, Diane, Harry, Jonathan, and Justin and the rest of the team
P.S. if you'd like to help us build the Job Party, please visit our new web site:
http://JobParty.us
or "like" us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JobParty
or follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jobparty
p.p.s. Please share your thoughts in our new blog:
http://www.democrats.com/on-saturday-lets-change-america

someone i know

2011-02-15T01:35:00.000-05:00

was getting gas at a station in hartford the other night/morning (in the WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE hours). she works at a bar so that's what she was doing out and about at that hour. two friends were with her but they were inside getting chicken (yeah, it's a gas station/chicken joint. go figure). somehow she had to back her car up a couple of feet because the pump she was at wasn't working. her back window was frosty and someone had pulled in in back of her. she tapped their car. three young men jumped out and went to town on her (yelling only so far but what they were yelling, i won't even print). she calmly explained she had insurance and any damage done to their car would be taken care of. she called her friends on her cell phone and told them to get outside asap because the situation was escalating . the three men from the car assaulted one of her friends. they coldcocked him and knocked him out, then when he was down, they kicked him in the head. the three men left their car there and tore off running. the woman i know called the hartford police. (now, this is all hearsay. i was NOT there, but guess what? i BELIEVE HER). the three men must have called 'the aunt' because 'the aunt' showed up at the gas station and said it was HER car and could the woman claim 'the aunt' was driving. HELL NO said the woman. she was going to press charges. when the hartford police officer (i believe it was only one) got there, he said this happens all the time and either he didn't have time to investigate or he was far too busy to investigate.

they have the license number

they have 'the aunt'

they have three witnesses (the woman i know and her two friends, one of whom had the shite kicked out of him)

they may have video of the attack. i don't know if the gas station/chicken joint has video going (but the cop did NOT check)

well, to the woman i know DO NOT LET THIS GO. CALL pedro segarra call daryl roberts. it is the JOB of the police to not only PREVENT CRIME BUT TO INVESTIGATE CRIME THAT ALREADY HAS BEEN COMMITTED. do NOT NOT NOT let this go at all. this isn't right. this isn't just.

and one wonders why hartford is dying (yes, i do believe it is)

and this in the courant this morning
an interactive map of 2010 hartford crime stats

charles kaman will be missed

2011-02-01T05:30:00.000-05:00

i didn't know him, but i did meet him a couple of times (through events). man, putting the helicopters aside, fidelco AND ovation! you go charlie!

(i drive by kaman on my way to and from work each day. every time i see one of those birds up in the sky, i'll think of him)

Charles H. Kaman, Helicopter Pioneer, Dies At 91
By JANICE PODSADA The Hartford Courant

Charles H. Kaman, the brilliant helicopter pioneer who founded the company that bears his name at age 26 and later launched the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation and developed Ovation guitars, died Monday.

Kaman, a longtime resident of Farmington, died after a long illness at Duncaster in Bloomfield, his home for several years. He was 91. The cause of death was not specified.

Kaman was one of a small group of mid-20th-century inventors, including Igor Sikorsky and H. Joseph Gerber, who shaped Connecticut industry through a combination of technological advancements and business acumen.

The eager engineer who graduated at the top of his class from Catholic University of America in 1940 got his start at United Aircraft's Hamilton Standard division working on propellers, where he rose quickly. There he met and was inspired by Sikorsky, whose business was also part of United Aircraft (now United Technologies Corp.)..............

pic: In this August 27, 1997 file photo, Charles Kaman, founder president and CEO of Kaman Corporation stands beside the latest Kaman helicopter now in prduction, the K-MAX aerial truck. In the background hovers an SH-2 Seasprite. The older, refurbushed Seasprites are now being sold internationally and Kaman hopes the market demand might reopen production lines. (Tony Bacewicz)

i HATE to be the bearer of bad news.............

2011-01-26T01:08:00.000-05:00

but you KNEW this was coming

Up To 10 Inches Of Snow For Wednesday; More Expected Saturday

a shout out to the

2011-01-24T01:11:00.000-05:00

hartford denim company!!!

i heard the following on npr radio the other day and was very happy! i know dave (and i've met marshall, but don't know him very well). dave is a cool dude and i know how very excited he and they were to start this company. i know the pride he shows. i know how hard they all work. i've seen the jeans and touched the jeans and they are VERY well made.

Hartford Blue Jeans, Made By Hand
By Catie Talarski

It's not uncommon to see men in suits walking around downtown Hartford - but the city’s role as the Insurance capital has been slowly fading. So what’s next? A group of young men are hoping Hartford might become the new capital of fashion. As part of our small business project, WNPRs Catie Talarski reports how the men are doing their part. One stitch at a time.

Walking into the workshop of the Hartford Denim Company, three things stand out.
Denim, Leather, and Beards.

Marshall Deming laughs, “I was told I would be out of the club if I didn’t grow a beard”

The impressive amount of unruly facial hair is worn by Marshall Deming, Dave Marcoux, and Luke Davis. They certainly don't look like the typical downtown businessmen...................

pic: chion wolf
here's a link to a TON of photos by chion wolf: Hartford Denim Company

take just one moment to look at these photos

2011-01-23T03:51:00.000-05:00

you won't be sorry. it will start your sunday off JUST right. i promise

for the love of dog
By

Mark Mirko

In photographing people with their pets I have seen relationships between friends, workmates, companions and family members. Dogs and cats seem to dominate the pet landscape but, of course, the range of species people choose to call pets can be as varied as the situations we find ourselves in with these sublime beings. These images are just a small selection from circumstances between people and their pets that I have been fortunate to witness during the past 10-years as a Courant photographer...............

06.01.2010 - West Hartford, CT - With a painting he made of the Buddha behind him, Alan Schiffer comforts his dog Molly after she was barking at people at the door of the West Hartford Art League studio on Raymond Road. Schiffer, a clinical psychologist, said he started coming to the class about three months ago because painting was something he always wanted to try. Art instructor Deb Wadsworth, who teaches Schiffer's class, said she invited him to bring Molly after he left her outside when he first started coming to the class. "They were inseperable," she said, " adding that none of the other students seemed to mind.

The Cool Justice Report: MORE FREE SPEECH VIOLATIONS IN ENFIELD, CT ... USA...

2011-01-23T03:23:00.000-05:00

The Cool Justice Report: MORE FREE SPEECH VIOLATIONS IN ENFIELD, CT ... USA...: "Censorship News Roundup by CT Library Association FACEBOOK Page: Stop the Enfield Leadership From Censoring our Library! NEW CHAPTERS ..."

an open letter to hartford mayor pedro segarra

2011-01-21T05:17:00.002-05:00

this is a coincidence. just yesterday (after days and days and days of headaches driving the streets of hartford), i decided i was going to write to mayor pedro segarra. i have NEVER in my LONG life seen hartford streets such a mess. i'm not just talking side streets here. i'm talking farmington avenue. i personally witnessed traffic in the west end WORSE then i have ever seen it. farmington avenue backed up in BOTH directions at 3:00 pm? no. it's unheard of. sisson aveue? A GIANT mess. it's not plowed properly. hence all sorts of cars that are parked there are jutting out into the road because the sides of the road were NEVER PLOWED. HENCE only one lane of traffic (FOR BOTH DIRECTIONS) can move. when one way moves, the other has to stop. it wouldn't be bad if it was a teeny tiny street, BUT IT'S GOT A MAJOR HIGHWAY EXIT AND ENTRANCE right there. PLUS it's got a fire station. yeah, it's nice for the firefighters when they get a call. mayor, I DEMAND YOU DO SOMETHING. #1, if cars are parked on the road and there is a parking ban TOW THE CARS IMMEDIATELY. then plow. PLOW PLOW AND PLOW. oh please, hartford has a history of the most horrid snow removal in the cosmos. sure, it pre-dated you by tons. i don't care. now YOU have something YOU can do about it. JUST DO IT. oh and while you're at it, have the police ticket (and ticket heavily) EVERYONE who doesn't clear their sidewalks (a LOT of businesses too). there are a LOT of people in the west end with wheelchairs, motorized scooters, sightless, elderly and on and on. i HAVE my eyes and my legs and i can't maneuver around those walks. what are THEY doing to get around one has to wonder.

and to the stupid arse people getting on and off 84 at sission.........................TAKE WEST BOULEVARD or another way. YOU SEE how effed up sisson and then farmington is. TAKE ANOTHER ROUTE. why would i have to tell you this? you can't figure it out yourself?

i WAS going to go out later today but i dare not venture out to the west end. i'm having severe distress just thinking about it. i WILL be out and about tomorrow though. i can only imagine..................

pic: A car maneuvers around a snow bank on Church Street in downtown Hartford Thursday as traffic continues to be snarled around the city from the huge pile-ups of snow, which are blocking whole lanes of traffic and making it difficult to see oncoming cars. (Rick Hartford, Hartford Courant / January 20, 2011)

Snow Buildup In Hartford Causes Headaches For Commuters
By JENNA CARLESSO, jcarlesso@courant.com

HARTFORD — —

Driving to work has become a headache for Jay Hyne.

His usual brisk, 15-minute commute from West Hartford to the city's downtown has more than tripled since last Wednesday's snowstorm as high snow banks narrow key arteries and obscure vision at intersections.

Some streets have only one clear lane, Hyne said, causing bottlenecks that back up traffic for miles."It's very frustrating," said Hyne, who works on Main Street as a law clerk for a federal judge. "No one can make a left turn without holding everyone else up."

More than a week after the storm — and two days after the state was hit with sleet and freezing rain — municipalities were still dealing with the aftermath. Snow-clogged local roads have caused backups that stretch onto interstates during morning and afternoon commutes...........

and here's hartford's snow removal plan for the 21st it's in pdf by the way. but you don't have to open it. it says they're gonna do a bang up job

thank the goddess for some GOOD news

2011-01-19T01:22:00.000-05:00

here da LIEbs, let me get the door for ya!
bye bye

U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman Won't Run For Re-Election, Political Insiders And An Aide Say
By JON LENDER, jlender@courant.com
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman has decided not to seek a fifth term in 2012, after seeing his popularity drop in polls in recent years, political insiders and a Lieberman aide said Tuesday — and those sources say that the Democrat-turned-independent will make it official at a press conference Wednesday in Stamford.

Lieberman's Senate press secretary, Erika Masonhall, would not say Tuesday what Lieberman's decision would be, issuing a statement saying only: "After many thoughtful conversations with family and friends over the last several months, Sen. Lieberman made a decision about his future over the holidays, which he plans to announce on Wednesday."

However, "you can bet the farm" that Lieberman won't run again, said a Democratic insider who is close to the 22-year Senate veteran.
...............

Lieberman will not run in 2012, adviser says

By Dan Balz and Paul Kane

Washington Post Staff Writers
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who won reelection to the Senate in 2006 as an independent, plans to announce Wednesday that he will retire at the end of his term, according to an aide. Once a stalwart member of the Democratic caucus and a leader in the party's centrist wing, Lieberman (Conn.) has spent most of the past four years in partial exile - voting with Democrats on organizational matters and some domestic issues while siding with Republicans on key issues of national security. ............

this is my friend spiro

2011-01-18T03:25:00.000-05:00

unfortunately i just found out he was featured in java in the courant. i didn't even see the print copy!

anyway, i met spiro through the the half door and we did indeed become good friends. i don't see him quite as often any more, BUT i still do see him.

stop in to see him at the firebox on broad street. you won't be sorry. it's a cool place. great atmosphere and great food.

Spiro Koulouris, Firebox's New General Manager
Java: MaryEllen Fillo
Spiro Koulouris is the new general manager at Hartford's popular Firebox restaurant, an eatery that, as part of Broad Street's successful Billings Forge redevelopment complex, is well known for its farm-to-table menu.

Koulouris took over the general manager duties at the Firebox just a couple of months ago, and the transition has been seamless. Recovering from a busy holiday season, Koulouris, who grew up in East Hartford, was able to find a few minutes to "spill the beans" with Java:...................

pic: Spiro Koulouris (MaryEllen Fillo, fillo@courant.com / January 13, 2011)

whhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa??????????

2011-01-14T01:01:00.000-05:00

be still my beating heart!!!

Sunday alcohol sales gets Malloy's support

Ken Dixon, Staff Writer

HARTFORD -- Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says he's prepared to honor a campaign promise and approve Sunday sales of alcohol in retail outlets, finally ending a blue law that is as old as Connecticut.

The chief opponent of the legislation was defeated in the November election, and the millions of dollars of anticipated extra tax revenue are sorely needed. But the bill has to emerge from the House and Senate and get to Malloy's desk......................

photo taken at plan b west hartford

all i know is, i went on my back porch at 12:30 am YESTERDAY

2011-01-13T01:38:00.000-05:00

and shoveled the snow off (ok, i had a butt too). when i went out at 4:00 am, i couldn't even open the porch door, there was that much snow built up. i haven't gone out at ALL yet, but i will be leaving for work shortly. even if the roads are still bad, i don't mind since it's so early and there are very FEW people out there now. pics from my porch yesterday afternoon (01/12/2011)

As Snow Stops, Clean-Up Efforts Continue

By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY and HILDA MUNOZ, cdempsey@courant.com
A fierce, record-breaking Nor'easter that battered the state Wednesday dumped more than 22 inches of snow at Bradley International Airport — making it the biggest 24-hour snowfall on record — and created widespread travel havoc.
The state is just starting to dig out from the snow that sharply limited flights at Bradley International Airport, clogged roadways, shut down schools, and prompted many would-be commuters to stay home.
Many schools, however, made the decision to cancel school for a second day....................

bombogenesis anyone?

2011-01-11T00:59:00.000-05:00

yeah, i didn't know what it meant either. it DID sound like a gypsy kings song though, no?

Fox CT Forecast: Snowstorm Threatens For Tuesday Night
By Rachel Frank Fox CT

We have another major storm on our hands that could rival the "christmas blizzard" in snowfall amounts.

A low pressure system bringing a wintry mess to South Carolina and Virginia tonight will lose steam as it moves up the East Coast. At the same time a pocket of energy moving from the Midwest will join it, creating conditions for what is called a "bombogenesis." Bombogenesis is a sudden and rapid drop in pressure that brings with it an explosion of intense precipitation and wind............

i wonder where the fault lays

2011-01-06T01:04:00.004-05:00

this (ex) catholic priest was livin' it up all over the caribbean. i wonder who's fault it is after being found out to be a pedophile, the catholic church just started transferring him all over from place to place. moving him AGAIN after complaints came in at each of his stops. i wonder how the courant found his hiding place and the catholic church didn't NOR could the fbi i wonder who is at fault here. certainly NOT the pedophile and certainly NOT the catholic church. let's see who the church can blame (because they have that pesky history of blaming EVERYONE and EVERYTHING but THEMSELVES). FUCK THEM. yes, i mean it. there is nothing worse than allowing a child to be hurt. and they did allow it. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN

Pedophile Priest Who Escaped FBI Dies In Martinique
By DAVE ALTIMARI, daltimar@courant.com The Hartford Courant

Former Bridgeport priest Laurence F.X. Brett, one of the most notorious pedophiles to emerge during the priest-abuse scandals of the 1990s, has died on the Caribbean island of Martinique, where he apparently has been living under an alias for the past several years.

While the details surrounding Brett's death are sketchy, a French newspaper confirmed through government officials that Brett died on Christmas day. He was 73.

Brett apparently fell down the stairs in his apartment and hit his head, according to a friend of his who contacted The Courant.

He died at the Hospital Pierre Zobda-Quimann, the main hospital on the island. It is unclear if anyone has claimed his body. He was checked into the hospital under the name James Brett, which was his father's name...........

pic: Suspended Roman Catholic priest Laurence Brett is seen as he walks his dog along the back of the Koolbaai Village apartment complex, where he lives. (ALAN CHANIEWSKI / HARTFORD COURANT / August 28, 2002)

i read this early this morning

2010-12-27T15:48:00.000-05:00

and just did NOT want to believe it. i'm guessing there has to be at least a tiny bit of truth to it if the feds are investigating it. man, if true, i hope EVERYONE who drove others out of the town (based on ethnicity, race, religion or whatever) gets theirs and gets it good.

it's an ap story so click on the link

Citing police abuse, Hispanics leaving East Haven

congratulations grrrls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-12-22T01:14:00.000-05:00

i'm not into sports as a rule (don't chu be talkin' bout my red sox though) but i DO have to give a wicked loud shout out to the uconn women's basketball team and everyone associated with them. an amazing group of people who accomplished an amazing amazing thing!

(and i hope my popi and his special friend had a GREAT time at the game last night)

No. 89: UConn tops UCLA, beats Florida St 93-62
Associated Press

Moore dazzles once again as UConn women take their place in history

Richard Deitsch

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The game wasn't competitive. Coronations rarely are. UConn won its 89th consecutive game on Tuesday night, a 93-62 win over Florida State that morphed from basketball game into a blue and white pep rally in the second half.
The victory tops the 88-game winning streak set by John Wooden's UCLA men's team from 1971-74, and leaves the UConn women at the top of the list among major-college basketball's longest winning streaks. In the game's waning seconds, the crowd at the XL Center held signs in the air with the number "89," serenading the team with the sweet sounds of those digits. Behind the Florida State bench, fans unfurled a large tribute banner to UConn coach Geno Auriemma. It read THE SORCERER OF STORRS...............

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/richard_deitsch/12/22/uconn.women.pass.ucla/index.html#ixzz18ol6vpBo.

Maya Moore added 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal to go along with her career-high points total as the Huskies improved to 11-0.

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

uconn huskies women's basketball

blessed be to you all on this winter solstice

2010-12-21T01:20:00.002-05:00

image: via

image via

blimage via

it's that time of the year again...............

2010-12-19T05:38:00.000-05:00

Funeral details set for Lt Matt Dirrane

2010-12-17T07:23:00.002-05:00

details in the courant

Can't get link to work-doing this from my phone so use this:

http://courant.com/community/hartford/hc-firefighter-funeral-1217-20101216,0,114849.story

my thoughts go out to everyone at company 2 (ladder 5) on sisson avenue

2010-12-13T06:31:00.000-05:00

in the west end and all the other hartford firefighters too. it's a close knit brother and sisterhood. that house is the one i know the best. it's in the hood i hang in. i know many who work at that house. i didn't know matt, but i have seen him. it's a sad week. to his family and friends, i am so very sorry for your loss (and the loss to the city of hartford)

Hartford Firefighter Killed In Costa Rica

By KATHLEEN MEGAN, kathy.megan@courant.com The Hartford Courant

A 16-year veteran Hartford firefighter died Saturday while on vacation in Costa Rica after being hit by a vehicle.

Martin "Matt" Dirrane, 50, who worked at on Ladder 5 at 150 Sisson Avenue was apparently crossing the street when he was struck by the vehicle.............

Hartford Firefighter Killed While On Vacation

Family Friend: Lieutenant Hit By Car, Lost Too Much Blood

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Hartford Firefighters Association says Hartford Lt. Matt Dirrane was killed Saturday in Costa Rica, where he was vacationing.

A source close to the Dirrane family tells Eyewitness News Dirrane died in the hospital. That family friend tells us Dirrane was hit by a car while he was returning a rental bike. The friend says Dirrane was rushed to a Costa Rican hospital where doctors amputated Dirrane's leg and later died. The friend also questions hospital conditions where Dirrane was treated..............

here's a facebook memorial page for matt dirrane

Firefighter Killed While On Vacation

By JEFF SAPERSTONE

Lt. Martin “Matt” Dirrane died after he was struck by a car while he was on a bike.

“He was taken to a small hospital and they tried to stabilize him and ultimately sometime yesterday he succumbed to his injuries,” said District Fire Chief Carol Stiles.

Chief Stiles said Lt. Dirrane was stationed at Company 2 Ladder 5 on Sisson Avenue in Hartford. A black bunting was hanging outside the fire house to remember the 50-year-old.

“So the guys are struggling with it,” said Chief Stiles. “The guys and girls are struggling with it. It's tough. Nobody expected this to happen. We're just trying to get over it, the shock at this point.”.......

lovely lovely lovely

2010-12-11T06:19:00.000-05:00

Rare Bluebird Spotted At Bradley Airport
By KIM VELSEY The Hartford Courant

Birders have been flocking to Bradley International Airport since a mountain bluebird was spotted there on Tuesday.

The mountain bluebird, a denizen of the Western United States, is rarely seen east of the Rocky Mountains, according to Milan Bull, senior director of science and conservation at the Connecticut Audubon Society.

"This is what keeps bird watchers on their toes," said Bull. "You never know what you're going to see."..........

pic: Birders are a-twitter about a mountain bluebird spotted at Bradley Airport on Tuesday. The bird is rarely seen east of the Rockies. (Rollin Tebbetts / Bradley Airport operations manager)

bert jansch at the wadsworth tonight!

2010-12-11T06:16:00.000-05:00

An Evening with Legendary Musician Bert Jansch

Join the Hartford Party Starters Union and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art for an intimate, one evening only performance with legendary folk musician Bert Jansch.

Jansch has recorded at least 25 albums and influenced artists ranging from Paul Simon, Jimmy Page and Neil Young.

Special guests will include Pegi Young and Heirlooms.

Saturday, December 11, doors open at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are almost sold out.
$25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Click here to purchase tickets

Here’s what the Hartford Advocate had to say about this rare performance:

“If one of the world’s legendary guitarists — a man whom Neil Young likened to “Jimi Hendrix on the acoustic guitar” — performed in Hartford and you missed it, you’d feel pretty doggone sheepish, right? Here’s your chance, then, to avoid sheep status. Bert Jansch, an icon of the U.K. folk-rock scene for the past half-century whose influence is admitted by cross-generational acolytes will play a solo acoustic concert at the Wadsworth Atheneum.

It’s a fitting venue for someone whom many would say was a living work of art. Those lucky enough to attend the Wadsworth show — a rare New England appearance for Jansch in an even rarer intimate 284-seat venue — will have many words of praise to pass along to the sheep who stayed away, with the rest of the herd.” – Hartford Advocate, December 8, 2010

Bert Jansch
http://www.bertjansch.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bertjansch

Pegi Young
http://www.pegiyoung.com/
http://www.myspace.com/pegiyoung

Heirlooms [Hartford, Connecticut]
www.HeirloomsMusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/heirloomstheband

the smithsonian may pussy out

2010-12-10T11:30:00.001-05:00

but real art ways ISN'T chicken

now, i've not seen this and i don't know if i will. the POINT being, i just want to be ABLE to see it if i so wish to. i don't want my art censored especially because of batshite 'religious' valued loudmouth asswipes.

Uncut version of David Wojnarowiscz’s censored video ‘A Fire In My Belly’
Posted by Marc Campbell

A Fire in My Belly from ppow_gallery on Vimeo.

perhaps it is a GOOD idea

2010-12-08T02:27:00.000-05:00

he retire from west hartford government

is it me or is this story just downright ODD ODD and ODD?

West Hartford Town Councilman Arrested

By KIM VELSEY and VANESSA DE LA TORRE, kvelsey@courant.com The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD — Police arrested Town Councilman Rob Durbin on Tuesday after he allegedly followed police officers responding to a domestic dispute and then persistently offered free legal aid to the residents involved.

Officers who arrived at 50 Cortland St. around 1:48 p.m. Tuesday said they became aware of a man trying to open the door of the home that police responded to.

The man, identified as Durbin, 35, said that he had noticed the cruisers' lights and sirens and followed police to the house, authorities said. When an officer told Durbin not to enter the home because they were in the middle of an investigation, the councilman responded that he knew the people involved in the dispute and again tried to enter the home as the officer held the door closed, Lt. Jeremy Clark said.
.................

if you've never been to the hill-stead NOW is a good time

2010-12-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

it's a VERY SHORT hop skip and drive (there's even a highway exit VERY close) from hartford. there is NO excuse. get your arse down there.

American Collector's Christmas'

Employees Planning Special Event Sunday To 'Meet' The Pope Riddle Family

By JULIE STAGIS, jstagis@courant.com The Hartford Courant

FARMINGTON — —

At the Hill-Stead Museum on Mountain Road, it is Christmas — in 1921.
Theodate Pope Riddle, a pioneering female architect whose work includes Avon Old Farms School, and her husband, John Riddle, are preparing to go to Argentina, where John will be the U.S. ambassador. But first, they must host holiday visitors at their estate, which Pope Riddle designed for her parents as a retirement home at the turn of the century.................

the hill-stead museum

(pic from the hill-stead website linked above)

shout out to fidelco

2010-12-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

and of course newman's own for providing the funding so Air Force Senior Airman Michael Malarsie can have a guide dog.

Wounded Airman Receives Guide Dog From Fidelco
By JENNIFER BERNSTEIN, jbernstein@ctnow.com FOX CT

fidelco

newman's own

tuesday morning humor

2010-11-30T02:05:00.000-05:00

Fox News ‘is my favorite,’ Sen. Lieberman declares

By David Edwards

Former Dem wishes press would stop reporting on Wikileaks
Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman isn't hiding his love for Rupert Murdoch's media empire.
In a Monday interview on Fox Business News' Imus in the Morning, the senator from Connecticut declared that the Fox Business Network, Fox News and anything Murdoch owned were his "favorite."
Host Don Imus asked Lieberman if thought The New York Times should be prosecuted for reporting on secret State Department cables released by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks............

once again i have to tip my hat to ag richard blumenthal

2010-11-30T01:25:00.000-05:00

he shot down a pre paid credit card (that sucked people dry with all sorts of EXTRA charges) which was sponsored by the kardashians (or had their name on it or whatever). a bunch o' dipshites known for their bodies and certainly NOT their brains OR for that matter their precious ethics (which they say they possess. i LAUGH AND LAUGH over that one). they have 'worked hard' at projecting a positive public personae (if that includes making all sorts of naked sex tapes and having boob jobs, well then they're NOT lying when they have their rep say they've worked long and hard to project a POSITIVE PUBLIC IMAGE). oh, if naked sex tapes isn't a positive public image portrayer, THEN THEY'RE FULL O' SHITE.

honies, dick blumenthal was doing his job and he did it correctly AND ethically. he uncovered some shady practices on a PRODUCT YOU AT THE VERY LEAST ENDORSED

href="http://www.courant.com/business/hc-kardashians-dump-credit-card-20101129,0,4140368.story">Kardashian Sisters End Agreement With Issuer Of 'Kardashian Kard' After Blumenthal Raises ObjectionsBy JANICE PODSADA, jpodsada@courant.com The Hartford Courant

The Kardashian sisters — Kim, Khloe and Kourtney — withdrew their endorsement Monday of the "Kardashian Kard," a prepaid debit card issued Nov. 9 by University National Bank of St. Paul, Minn.

Dennis Roach, attorney for the Kardashians, said Monday the three sisters were terminating their agreement with the card's issuers after Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal launched an investigation Friday into the card's "predatory fees."

The investigation has threatened their "honest" and "ethical" reputation," Roach wrote in a letter to the card's issuers Monday.............

uh oh, some peeps are NOT too happy

2010-11-28T06:58:00.000-05:00

with the festival of lights moving from constitution plaza to bushnell park. uh oh. uh oh. uh oh

Facebook Site Created To Move Festival Back To The Plaza

By

MaryEllen Fillo

There were a lot of disappointed kiddos and annoyed parents who turned out for Friday's Festival of Light at Bushnell Park. The event seemed a bit mismanaged and a little light on light, especially when compared to its longtime, landmark run on Constitution Plaza.
Long story short, a website called "Return the Hartford Festival of Lights Back To Constitution Plaza" has emerged on Facebook, created in the wake Friday night's opening at the new park venue. ..................

the hartford festival of lights starts today

2010-11-26T06:30:00.000-05:00

it's moving to bushnell park this year. i personally think that's a LOT better than constitution plaza. we'll see though

so if you're in the hood at about 5 pm, why don't you join in on the festivities? walk along with the pack from the former home, the plaza, to the new home, bushnell park!

Festival Of Light Starts Friday At Bushnell Park
By JENNA CARLESSO, jcarlesso@courant.com The Hartford Courant

HARTFORD In a new twist on an old tradition, the Festival of Light will open Friday at Constitution Plaza, but will migrate across town to Bushnell Park, where visitors can see the giant Christmas tree and sip free hot chocolate.

Starting at 5 p.m., Mayor Pedro Segarra, cast members of the Hartford Stage Company's "A Christmas Carol," and Sonar, the Wolf Pack's mascot, will lead a procession from Constitution Plaza to Bushnell Park, passing through State House Square on the way.

During the march, they will be joined by Pucky, a mascot for the Connecticut Whale, and Santa, who will be riding a Zamboni ice-grooming machine. The public is invited to walk with the group or cheer them on along the route, which includes Asylum and Trumbull streets...........