i'm williung to shell out $.47 a month

to get my emergency 911 system updated. wow, this would be WONDERFUL if it happened. pictures and text messages and videos. it will not only help the victims but it will better aid the responders

i don't mind paying my taxes (or even an additional charge to a phone company or a town or whatever) for services like THIS or EDUCATION


West Hartford Gets Reports On Plans For 911 Improvements
By BILL LEUKHARDT The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD — - Emergency call centers statewide are close to being able to receive emergency text messages, videos and pictures along with phone calls, the state's public safety commissioner told the town council Tuesday.

John Danaher said state telecommunication experts have been working for several years on plans to switch 911 reporting centers from the copper-wire technology now used in land-line phones to fiber-optic cables, enabling use of Internet-based calls, 911 texting and transmission of videos and pictures.

No state in the nation has this system yet, but Connecticut and California are closest to implementing the cutting-edge change, Danaher said.

He attended the meeting to talk about the state's research after reading a news report that the council would be discussing a proposal by council member Shari Cantor, who is urging the town to explore what's needed to make 911 texting a reality.

Prior to Danaher's talk, Cantor said she raised the issue in part because of the violent death of Alice Morrin, the Vernon woman who was shot to death by her estranged husband, James Morrin, on June 28...........

unseal them, CONFESS, clear your souls

and OPEN YOUR COFFERS.

it's our RIGHT to see the files (i believe the victims names should continue to be redacted however. unless they wish otherwise that is)

(ap article so i'm not going to print any part of it. just click on the link)


Diocese loses bid to keep abuse files sealed

Papers part of 23 suits now settled

By John Christoffersen

Associated Press

the courant does a story on domestic violence

we have a VERY small state. VERY small. here are some figures from 2007. remember THESE ARE ONLY THE ONES THAT WERE ACTUALLY REPORTED

we cannot remain silent. we must speak out. we must protect our sisters (yes, and in some cases our brothers) and our children (and animals). an abuser won't stop with his (or her) partner. they'll go on to the kids or animals if they haven't already. speak out. don't be afraid. if you see something or hear something that isn't right, CALL THE POLICE. don't ignore it. DON'T

'in 2007, slightly more than 20,000 incidents in Connecticut were classified by police as family violence cases — crimes involving a spouse, a former spouse, a relative, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a live-in companion or the mother or father of the victim's child. Included in that number are these:

•22 family violence homicides.

•6,543 assaults.

•107 sexual assaults.

•17 kidnappings.

•149 instances of risk of injury to children.

•6,691 cases of disorderly conduct.

•4,212 breach of peace cases.

•2,013 violations of court orders.

•288 instances of criminal mischief.

Those numbers include scores of women who have been victimized more than once.'


High-Profile Cases Put Spotlight On Domestic Abuse

By JOSH KOVNER And ALAINE GRIFFIN The Hartford Courant

Ken Edwards shakes his head in disbelief when he thinks about his first domestic violence training session as a rookie cop in New London in 1981.

The instructor encouraged the young officers to keep family violence a private matter and told them an arrest "is absolutely your last option," Edwards recalled. "Otherwise, see if you can get the guy to take a walk ... down to the corner bar."

That approach is all but extinct today.

The "Tracey Thurman Law" in 1986 made arrests mandatory if there's evidence of an offense. Law enforcement training now delves into the complexity of family violence, and the attitudes of the police, the public, prosecutors and judges have broadened.

Domestic violence, victim advocates say, is finally being seen for what it is: a crime.........

two things

i never really thought this would happen in connecticut. i thought we were smarter and better than that (i thought wrong)
AND
what the f**k do they think is going to happen to our country if we don't do something NOW about health care (one among a TON of other things king george either IGNORED, SWEPT UNDER THE RUG OR LIED ABOUT)? really we're literally going to hell in a handbasket here. people are suffering and this is only the beginning. where were all these assholes when king george was introducting the country to the devil?

so go ahead. listen to lou and glenn and flush and bill and ann and sean. believe what they say. hide your head in the sand. i'm gonna walk all OVER your sticking up asses in that case

Protesters Disrupt U.S. Representative's Meeting At Simsbury Supermarket
By DANIELA ALTIMARI The Hartford Courant
SIMSBURY— - Chanting "Dump Chris Dodd" and "No national health care," scores of angry constituents confronted U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy at a meet-and-greet outside the Super Stop & Shop Wednesday afternoon.

Murphy, a Democrat who represents the 5th District, routinely holds informal office hours at supermarkets and strip malls, but such gatherings are generally uneventful. This time, many of the 150 or so attendees were so boisterous that Stop & Shop management called the police to ask that the crowd be moved from the store's entrance.

The scene in Simsbury is being replayed throughout the nation this week as congressional Democrats convene town hall forums and other public get-togethers to win support for the Obama administration's plan to overhaul the health care system.

One conservative group critical of the plan has put out a call to members, encouraging them to attend these gatherings and voice their opposition to the member of Congress hosting the event. U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Democrat and a leading architect of the health care overhaul, has become a chief target........

question?

does anyone care less about this shite than i do?

really, i don't care who was boinking who(m). i don't care how much she spends a month and what she spends it on. i don't care what he thinks of her habits.

they BOTH got what they deserved: each other

so connecticut news outlets STOP COVERING THIS SHITE. WE SIMPLY DO NOT CARE

Possible Settlement In David Divorce

this damn well better NOT happen

i wait the WHOLE year for fresh (native REAL) tomatoes. oh no no no. oh no no no. this CANNOT happen

Fungus That Caused Ireland's Potato Famine Now Affecting Gardens In New England
By SHAWN R. BEALS The Hartford Courant
The state and most of New England are teetering on the edge of losing every tomato plant to a fungus that is flourishing in the wet weather the region has endured for weeks, state experts said Thursday.

It's the same fungus — late blight — that decimated the potato crop in Ireland in the mid-19th century. The region's potato crop is also vulnerable, but it's tomatoes that will really get slammed, said Jude Boucher, an extension educator at the University of Connecticut and a state commercial vegetable expert.

"If we don't get some dry weather, we may not have any tomatoes in the state of Connecticut," Boucher said, explaining that the disease multiplies best in a 65- to 70-degree wet environment.

The late blight has already been picking off backyard plants here and there. Boucher said he found the first case on a commercial farm on Wednesday, and on Thursday four out of the 10 farms he visited in the Connecticut River Valley had it.........

you can still take your road soda with you

if you so choose.

i don't. i don't ever have an open container of alcohol in my car but i COULD if i wanted to.

i don't think a lot of people realize you CAN have an open beer in a car in connecticut. a passenger can drink all they want. a driver can even have an open container. they just can't actually be DRINKING it and driving. nor can they be over the limit.

i'm not sure how i feel about all of that. i DO think it's ok to be drinking in a car if it's a hired car or bus with a hired sober driver (a limo for example).

oh one more thing. MOST OF OUR LAWMAKERS HAVE NO BALLS

'Open Container' Bill Dies
By JON LENDER |The Hartford Courant
A bill that would have made it illegal for anyone to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a vehicle on Connecticut roads was killed Tuesday in the state House of Representatives.

The bill, which would have made Connecticut one of about 40 states with open container laws, won approval last week in the Senate, and proponents in the House thought that they had the votes to pass it and send it to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her signature.

But as the House's debate entered its third hour Tuesday, some legislators began hammering on the fact that the bill would make only drivers -- not passengers who were drinking -- subject to tickets beginning at $90 for the first offense and increasing to $500 for the third.

That, the opponents said, would penalize designated drivers who stay sober while others drink in the vehicle...............

crushing pennies

is an independent film written and directed by (LOCAL) ryan casey. i think it's IMPORTANT to support local artists!

here's the facebook page for crushing pennies. why not become a fan?

mazel tov and cin cin!!!

i've said it all before. there is no reason two consenting adults shouldn't be allowed to marry. are the mormons jealous because their men can only have ONE wife (on earth)? tis ok, y'all can have your multiple wives while you're the god of your own planet (they believe that happens when they die. i'm not making it up). focus on the family? shite, a family means many different things to many people. if there is love and caring and respect and understanding, that just about does it for me. i ask over and over and over - why? why the fear of gay marriage? hell, why the fear of gays? thank you connecticut (although i'm not going to marry anyone of either gender)

top pic:

Shana Sureck for The New York Times

Barbara and Robin Levine-Ritterman left New Haven City Hall with the first marriage license issued to a same-sex couple in Connecticut on Wednesday. Robin is holding the license.

bottom pic: Cheering Crowd

(BOB CHILD / AP / October 10, 2008)

The audience cheers at a rally at the State Capitol in Hartford held to celebrate a ruling by the Connecticut Supreme Court to allow same-sex weddings.

Judge Clears Way For Same-Sex Marriages
BY DANIELA ALTIMARI |The Hartford Courant
NEW HAVEN - A 4-year legal battle for same-sex marriage in Connecticut came to an end this morning in a New Haven courtroom when Superior Court Judge Jonathan E. Silbert signed an order paving the way to couples to get their licenses.

Less than 30 minutes later, at West Hartford Town Hall, state Rep. Beth Bye and her partner, Tracey Wilson, became the first legally married same-sex couple in the state. The experience "took my breath away,'' Bye said.

In New Haven, Jennifer Vickery and Peg Oliveira repeated their wedding vows before a bronze statue depicting the leader of the Amistad revolt. With friends watching and their 3-month-old daughter, Willow, tucked in a carriage nearby, they exchanged rings and pledged to share their lives "in good times and in hard."

The state Supreme Court last month, in a 4-3 decision, ruled that preventing gay and lesbian couples from marrying violates the state constitution. Today's brief hearing was a formality that was needed before gay couples could start receiving marriage licenses. Connecticut has now joined the tiny circle of places where gay men and lesbians can legally wed. For national gay rights activists, the state is a bright spot in the wake of stinging, Election Day loses in Arizona, Florida and, especially, California..........

Gay Marriages Begin in Connecticut
By LISA W. FODERARO
NEW HAVEN — Bunches of white balloons and giant sprays of long-stemmed red roses festooned City Hall here Wednesday morning, as one of the eight couples who successfully sued the state to allow same-sex marriage became the first to obtain a marriage license as the law took effect.
The couple, Barbara and Robin Levine-Ritterman, filled out the paperwork and waited about 10 minutes for it to be processed, but they said they would not marry today because they were still working out their wedding plan. “We’re thinking about doing it May,” said Robin Levine-Ritterman, who was holding a bouquet of roses. “We really wanted to be part of this historic first.”.............

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

this is wonderful news. my heart is full of joy. i'm sure there are those that will do everything within their power to overturn this. i never understood it. it's fear of course. the country is NOT going to 'turn' gay if you allow gay people to have the rights they, along with EVERYONE ELSE not only deserve but HAVE by the laws of this nation. you can't EXCLUDE someone if they are gay (it's my belief 99% of people are born with their homosexuality or heterosexuality). you cannot NOT allow gay people to marry. they have partners, they fall in love. they need the legal rights just like all OTHER married couples are afforded. to me, love is love. to me, a family is a family if it involves love, respect and nurturing NO MATTER HOW THAT FAMILY IS MADE UP

State Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

By DANIELA ALTIMARI
The state Supreme Court on Friday delivered gay and lesbian couples the validation they have long been seeking — the right to marry.

In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled that same-sex couples cannot be prevented from marrying — and that civil unions, those marriage-like legal arrangements that Connecticut has offered to gay people since 2005, are not an acceptable substitute.

"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the ... same-sex partner of their choice," Justice Richard Palmer wrote. "To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others."

The 85-page ruling means that thousands of gay couples soon will be able to marry in Connecticut, perhaps as early as next month. It also provides fresh fuel to opponents of same-sex marriage, who are pushing for a mechanism that would permit them to amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex unions..............

Judges: Conn. Nation's Third State To Allow Same-Sex Weddings

Expert: 'It's Another Court Saying That Separate But Equal Is Not OK'

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The idea that civil unions could be a satisfying but less contentious substitute to gay marriage was knocked down Friday by Connecticut's Supreme Court.

---

Read The Decision
Dissent 1
Dissent 2
Dissent 3
There is no substitute, the justices ruled 4-3 as they made the state the nation's third to allow same-sex weddings.
The ruling might not have been as earthshaking as the one in Massachusetts that allowed gay marriage for the first time in the U.S., or the one in California that made it legal on the other side of the country and in the nation's most populous state. But it cut into the view that there is some solid middle ground on an issue that has inflamed passions on both sides."It's another court saying that separate but equal is not OK," said Edward Stein, a professor at the Cardozo School of Law in New York City. "As state courts start to say this ... gradually, over time, there might be a consensus that emerges."Same-sex weddings are expected to begin in Connecticut in less than a month. Out-of-staters will be eligible, but few other states are likely to recognize the unions...............
Reverend willing and able to tie the same sex knot
by News Channel 8's Crystal Haynes

(WTNH) -- Many Connecticut residents are sharply divided on the issue of same sex marriage, but so are the clergy. News Channel 8 talked to a reverend who says she is ready to help any couples in love tie the knot.

There has been outrage and overwhelming joy over the state Supreme Court's decision to allow gay marriage.

Reverend Kathleen McTigue says she agrees with the decision saying, "One of the core values in our religion is the teaching that all human beings are of infinite worth and value and every human life weighs the same."

"Fundamentally it is the truth that they are simply not treated equally. Marriage under the law is a civil right and it has not been granted to them equally," Reverend McTigue said.

As a Unitarian minister, Reverend McTigue stopped signing marriage licenses four years ago because if she couldn't sign for everyone, she wouldn't sign for anyone..................

i'm part of a team presenting a proposal

to allow us (on a regular basis that is) to wfh (work from home) or telecommute at least one day a week. actually, my boss is very flexible on this to begin with. always has been, even prior to this absurdity. i work lots of fridays at home (i AM going in to the office today though). perhaps i'll post my part of the proposal. it's the figures part. a colleague also designed a gas/money savings/earth savings calculator. i'm also taking a picture of the same three gas stations each day to compare prices. i have only been doing this two days. wednesday one station was 4.15, the next was 4.19 and the other was 4.25 (the 4.19 and 4.25 are right across the street from each other. why would someone go to the 4.25 one?????????????). thursday they were, 4.19, 4.25 and 4.32. i haven't gone by them today yet. and of course you realize connecticut has THE highest gas prices out there..

Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline
Andrea HopkinsReuters US Online Report Top News
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - When Ohio's Kent State University offered custodial staff the option of working four days a week instead of five to cut commuting costs, most jumped at the chance, part of a U.S. trend aimed at combating soaring gasoline prices. "We offered it to 94 employees and 78 have taken us up on it," said university spokesman Scott Rainone.
The reason is simple: rising gas prices and a desire to retain good workers. And while so far only the university's custodians are eligible, Rainone hopes the option will be offered to all departments -- including his own.
"In our office, we have people who travel anywhere from five or six miles to a couple who are on the road 45 to 50 minutes," Rainone said. "As the price of gas rises, the level of grumbling rises."
Regular gasoline averages $3.94 a gallon in the United States, up 33 cents in the past month and 88 cents since the beginning of the year, the Energy Information Administration said this week.
The federal government has offered four-day workweeks to eligible employees for years as part of a flexible work program that also includes telecommuting........

i'm going to try to post

pictures of the cost of gas on a daily basis. i'll attempt to get the SAME stations.

here are two examples of what i found yesterday at bishop's corner. i know there are cheaper stations and i'll try to get one of those as well.

connecticut has THE highest gas prices by the way

Connecticut Has Priciest Gas In U.S.

he's an ass

i really never thought i'd say it, but i did and i really think it too. in the past he has done some great things. he has made the us a safer place to live. now he's just pissing me off.

i really do see him as a self-centered, SELF-ABSORBED, look at me - i want attention because everyone else is getting it and i'm being ignored, type. sure, he has a RIGHT to run. but he has NOT a chance, not a prayer to win. why f**k things up? i'm not voting for hillary NO MATTER WHAT. if by some odd chance barack obama does not get the nomination and hillary does, i will NOT vote for any republican currently running for president nor WILL I VOTE FOR RALTH NADER. stop being a baby ralph, you're not doing anyone any good in this manner.
Nader Adamant He's Not The Spoiler (and i'm adamant he IS the spoiler)
By JESSE A. HAMILTON Washington Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON — - Ralph Nader gets the same questions over and over. Why would he want to steal votes from the Democrats? Why does he insist on these third-party stunts? How come he wants to spoil the election?To which the stubborn Connecticut native replies: Why aren't more people doing it?It's become something of a habit for the man from Winsted, now entering his fifth encounter with presidential politics. In an interview Tuesday, still in the first few days of his latest campaign, Nader wields his usual Socratic method, asking as many questions as he answers. "Why are they so keen on denying voters the free choice of their candidates?" Or, if other candidates want him to stay out, "Why don't they pick up these progressive issues?".......

he does have a point though, when he says this:

"The Democrats have got to stop whining, stop scapegoating and look in the mirror and ask how they've continually lost instead of landsliding in election after election against the worst Republican Party in history," Nader said.But he added something about his home state senators: "Dodd's silence on Lieberman is really amazing."Lieberman, who describes himself as an "independent Democrat," has been campaigning for the Republican front-runner, Sen. John McCain. Nader said Dodd is willing to openly criticize him (Dodd also called Nader's announcement "somewhat of a yawn") but not his fellow senator. "Why doesn't he look at Lieberman as imperiling the prospects of the Democratic candidate? It's political bigotry.".......

as i said over on this posting

at ravings of a semi-sane madwoman I SURE DO HOPE BRUCE WILLIS IS AVAILABLE
Conn. towns respond to satellite warning with caution, wary jokes
SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn.—Emergency officials say they're ready for the extremely remote possibility that a disabled U.S. spy satellite could crash in Connecticut.
more stories like this
Federal officials recently sent guidelines to all U.S. municipalities on how to respond, although the Navy hopes to shoot down the dead satellite before it reaches land.
They say the likelihood of the satellite crashing and injuring anyone is extremely remote and that no one should be alarmed.
Emergency officials in several Connecticut towns say they're prepared, just in case........

he won connecticut!

(not all states, unfortunately). i'm so PROUD OF US! (and i'm talking about obama in case you didn't know)

February 5, 2008
Obama, McCain Take Connecticut
One day after drawing 17,000 people to an electrifying rally in downtown Hartford, Barack Obama won an upset victory Tuesday over Hillary Rodham Clinton in Connecticut's earliest and most closely contested Democratic presidential primary.
February 6, 2008
Clinton, Obama Look Ahead
Hillary Rodham Clinton captured needed states Tuesday night even as Barack Obama ate into her traditional base of support on a topsy-turvy night on which a ballot victory was not the only measure of success..............

and here are town by town results

i'm leaving work a bit early on monday

for a dental appointment. i have my fingers crossed i can somehow attend the obama stop (but i don't have my hopes up)
(i just posted rosa delauro endorsed obama, and i knew chris murphy and john larson endorsed him the other day)

At Last, Connecticut Gets A Turn
Clinton And Obama Could Cross Paths As They Bring Battle To State On Monday
By MARK PAZNIOKAS Courant Staff Writer
Over 48 dizzying hours, Connecticut has become a Super Tuesday battleground, with Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama placing new emphasis on a small state once solidly in Clinton's column.The Clinton campaign abruptly announced Thursday that their candidate was returning to Connecticut on Monday, the day before Democrats go to the polls here and the same day Obama is holding a rally in Hartford.Clinton is intent on shoring up support in Connecticut, a state where one poll gave her a 14-percentage point lead two weeks ago, against the buzz of an Obama visit and a late burst of endorsements................
.............Obama was endorsed Thursday by U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, D-1st District, the highest-ranking House Democrat to back a presidential candidate, and freshman Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District...............

is this a possibility?

yes, of course it is. i don't think it has high odds of happening though. but one never knows, do one?

da liebs! i haven't done a posting on his highness (he IS a member of king george's court after all) in a while.

where's the barf bag when you REALLY need it?

Say It Ain't So! Is Lieberman In the Running for Attorney General?

Posted by GottaLaff

This post, written by GottaLaff, originally appeared on Cliff Schecter's Blog
That's what Marjorie Cohn is saying on The Thom Hartmann Show. The talk started a few hours ago, from what they're saying. (not that it didn't occur to any of us earlier, but it's going around now) Per Cohn:
* It would stop the Senate investigations dead in their tracks.
* It would guarantee a Senate confirmation.
* It would change the balance of power in the Senate, in favor of the Republicans.
* And it smells of Karl Rove.
Her advice? Barrage the Senate with calls. Make sure this doesn't happen. It would be an unmitigated disaster.
CLIFF NOTE: On the bright side, if I am correct in my understanding of CT law, if this were to occur the GOP Governor gets to put in a placeholder Republican until 2008. Then there is a special election, and no GOPer is winning in CT with one year as an incumbent (expecially considering their choices).
We will get a real progressive like, I don't know, some guy named Lamont. And the Senate organizing arrangement does not change, so the miscreants do not take over. And Lieberman is then irrelevant forever. Just food for thought. ..........

da liebs da warmonger

hey you piece of steamin' you know what, IRANIANS WOULD NOT BE KILLING AMERICANS IN IRAQ (if in fact they are at all. i'm uncertain of that) IF WE WEREN'T IN IRAQ IN THE FIRST PLACE. we shouldn't be there. iraq never attacked the united states. they were NOT the ones who flew the planes into the pentagon or the world trade center. they were NOT the ones that trained the terrorists. there was and is NO REASON for us to have invaded THEIR country. there was and is NO REASON for us to have displaced tens of thousands of iraqi citizens.

if we bring our troops home, neither iraqis or iranians will be killing OUR men and women. it's simple. BRING THEM HOME NOW

Lieberman says U.S. should prepare to strike Iran

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday the United States should consider a military strike against Iran because of Tehran's involvement in Iraq."I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq," Lieberman said. "And to me, that would include a strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers."
The U.S. accuses Iran of fostering terrorism and Tehran's nuclear ambitions have brought about international reproach.Lieberman, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000 who now represents Connecticut as an independent, spoke of Iranians' role in the continued violence in Iraq...............

perhaps da liebs

can backfill (with the cost coming out of his OWN pockets) connecticut with:
more than two-hundred high-mobility multipurpose vehicles, a Chinook CH-47D cargo helicopter, fifteen-hundred pairs of night-vision goggles and twenty-one large support vehicles such as tankers, wreckers and heavy cargo vehicles.

cause that's what we're missing (due to king george, his court and da liebs insistance to send our men and women into harm's way in an illegal, unjust and immoral war)

Governors worry about depleted National Guard with equipment left in Iraq and Afghanistan

(Hartford-AP)_Some governors are questioning whether they will be able to handle the next hurricane, wildfire or terrorist attack at home. That's because repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are leaving state National Guards without nearly half of their required equipment. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius complained this week that shortages of equipment and well-trained personnel slowed Guard response to the killer tornadoes that ravaged her state. .............

..............The Pentagon acknowledged this week that Army National Guard units had only 56 percent of their required equipment, the lowest levels since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ...............

yet ANOTHER example of stupidity in our fair state

stupidity AND balls - BIG uns

Alleged Car Thief Tried To Trade In Jeep To Dealer

NORWALK, Conn. -- A Bridgeport, Conn., man has been arrested after he tried to trade in a Jeep to a car dealer, a month after allegedly stealing the same Jeep from that same dealer, a police representative said.
Jazrahel King, 29, was arrested Saturday after a sales manager at Wholesalers of America recognized King's 2003 black Jeep Liberty as a vehicle that was reported stolen from his lot in early March.
The sales manager, Diego Coleman, said King brought the sport utility vehicle in, hoping to trade up for a larger vehicle.....................