Sunday, April 04, 2010

to the family and friends of


oh my goddess he was sooo young. well, that doesn't matter. any age is too young to be killed in war
tyler owen griffin, i am so very sorry for your loss.

my thoughts and prayers are with you

Voluntown Marine, 19, Killed In Afghanistan
Tyler Owen Griffin, 19, of Voluntown, Conn. and a 2008 graduate of Griswold High School, was killed overseas.


Hartford Courant

Tyler Owen Griffin, a 19-year-old Marine lance corporal from Voluntown, was recently killed in Afghanistan.

Voluntown First Selectman Ronald Millovitsch said he spoke to Griffin's stepfather, who confirmed that his stepson had been killed. The stepfather told Millovitsch the only thing keeping Griffin's mother going is that her son was pursuing his dream.

"The son had always wanted to be a Marine, and he got to be a Marine," Millovitsch said.

After the death was confirmed, Millovitsch said, he lowered the four public flags in the town of 2,600 to half-staff. "This town will go out of its way to help any way we can," he said.

• Two Facebook pages have been created to memorialize Griffin. To view them click here, and here.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and state flags flown at half-staff until Griffin's burial............

pic: U.S. Marine Tyler Owen Griffin, 19, of Voluntown, Conn. and a 2008 graduate of Griswold High School, was killed in Afghanistan. (Photo Courtesy Of Family / April 3, 2010)

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

i just got home. i was listening to npr

90.5 on your radio dial

they were chatting it up with linda mcmahon. oh yeah! it was my purpose in life (of late) to make sure she does NOT get elected. now, i'm quadrupling that purpose.

i BELIEVE i heard her say (when talking about the recently passed health care bill) she was sort of happy and all that 30,000,000 peeps were going to be covered BUT the poor poor poor medical profession does NOT have enough doctors to do that kind of work (yes, i believe she really DID say that). but to make matters worse she was far less articulate than i am (and that's BAD). she said blah blah woof woof 30,000,000 blah blah woof woof poor doctors will not be able to treat those medical people (and by MEDICAL PEOPLE she meant poor people who needed care by doctors). what a c**t. i got that part right. she called people needing care medical people.

then of course she went on to talk about steroids in the wwe or wwf or whatever the eff it's called. and how women were and are treated and on and on and on. then she talked about how she donated money to rahm emanual because his brother ari asked her too. she didn't even know who he was (and i guess to what party he belonged)

my dear fellow citizens of the great state of connecticut do you really want another dope to be one of our elected lawmakers? i sure as shite don't

i CANNOT (and will NOT) listen to the whole broadcast. it's linked below.. you want to hear the forrest gumpette of connecticut, please DO listen

you MUST hear the part where she said it's ok the wwe had steroid problems and had violence against women and violence in general BECAUSE THEY WERE ON TV LONGER THAN GUNSMOKE AND LASSIE

Tuesday’s Where We Vote: Linda McMahon
.............

Update: Audio of this broadcast available here. Rick Green of the Hartford Courant has already blogged about the show here.

by John Dankosky – After a few re-schedulings, the current poll leader for the Republican Senate nomination joined us on the show Tuesday. .............

hot DAMN i found the exact quote:


"“We are going to add 30-some million people onto health care rolls, which – on the one hand – is admirable. On the other hand, it has the potential of clogging the health care system, because we don’t have enough doctors today who are handling the treatment of medical people.”

i found it at john dankosky's blog

McMahon on Steroids, PG Programming, Health Care, and Emanuel


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Saturday, March 27, 2010

this is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!

for the self-absorbed, suv driving, designer dog owning, giant big fat stupid-head west hartford see and be seen SCENSTER-HIPSTER asswipes! for true

i'm still proud to say i have NEVER EVER been to black and blue square (the time i brought my father to the doctor did NOT count since he needed me to be there with him. i had no choice) and i NEVER EVER WILL

Blue Back Square's Experimental Au Bon Pain Closes; Conveyor-Belt Sushi Place To Open
The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD — - A prototype store of Au Bon Pain that tried a more Panera-like layout failed at Blue Back Square and closed a week ago. Barbara Lerner, project marketing manager, said it was the only one of its kind in the country. "It was not as successful as they would've hoped. We knew they were struggling a little."

But the West Hartford housing and retail center has already found a local restaurant to take half the space. Umi Sushi, which could open by the end of July, will send sushi around and around on a conveyor belt, and diners will pluck what they want as it goes by. They can also put in special orders if they don't see the rolls they have a hankering for............

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

i almost fogot what today is!

from naral


It’s March which can only mean one thing…It’s time to back it up! Today is the 9th annual Back Up Your Birth Control Day of Action. Back Up Your Birth Control is a national campaign to expand access to emergency contraception (EC) by increasing education and raising awareness.

Wednesday would be a great day to remind your readers how to they can prevent pregnancy after sex and highlight all the victories we've seen in EC access in the last year: Over-the-counter access for 17-year-olds; FDA approval of the one-pill form of Plan B and the generic version; and the Pentagon's decision to finally allow EC on military bases worldwide.

You can also urge your readers to sign a petition to the FDA and the White House asking them to end unnecessary age restrictions on EC. Last year, a federal court ruled that the FDA should make EC available to 17-year-olds over-the-counter, and urged the FDA to re-review the evidence for over-the-counter access for all women at risk of unintended pregnancy. A whole year has gone by and it's high time the FDA heeds the court's advice and grants young women timely access to EC!

For more information about EC and the campaign, check out the website. Thanks for your help in making sure all women know how to back up their birth control!

Cheers,

The Back Up Your Birth Control Team


Monday, March 22, 2010

if you're in the bishop's corner hood tomorrow

stop at harry's pizza. a portion of their sales is going to go to a bunch of hall students who are going to new orleans in april (to help rebuild).

it's from 4:30 to 9:00 (i'm guessing that's pm) and the phone is; 860-236-04000

Harry's Bishops Corner Fundraiser For New Orleans Rebuilding Trip

and here's harry's bishop's corner site

Friday, March 19, 2010

Wednesday, March 17, 2010


via suzee que's flickr photostream

this is the ONLY day i won't go to the half door

but if you can handle the crowds, do go. i'm sure you'll have a blast. me? i'll wait for friday (have to say ta ta to brian. his last day bartending. he's going hiking the Appalachian trail)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

hey west hartford town council...

eff you!!!! (twice)

i thought black and blue square was going to bring out taxes down. well I NEVER really thought that, but that's what you said. did you lie? noooooooooooooooo

now you say you have to raise our taxes AGAIN? they're ALREADY effing outrageous. i think you are going to have some mighty mighty angry peeps on your hands. i think if you're not careful you're going to have a LOT of migration AWAY from your precious lil' town. i think you're full of shite and if you didn't waste your money on stupid, unnecessary AND DANGEROUS (i have personally witnessed five accidents) shite like islands on asylum avenue, you'd have SAVED some money.

didn't we as a town lend money (well bonds) to black and blue? wasn't it in the tens of millions? did they pay it back yet? if not, MAKE THEM. it's OUR money

don't cut jobs or services or raise our taxes. DO YOUR JOBS




Proposed West Hartford Budget Cuts School, Town Jobs
The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD - A proposed $219.1 million budget that officials say reflects the anemic reality of recession was given to the town council Tuesday night for review.

If adopted as submitted by Town Manager Ronald Van Winkle, the 2010-11 budget would require a 3.6 percent hike in the tax rate to 38.91 mills, effective July 1. Town officials who put together the proposal said the money sought will allow the town to continue essential services, meet contractual obligations and maintain property, without any new services or programs.

It will be several years until the town sees an end to severe revenue shortages caused by the national recession, which began in late 2007 and probably hit bottom last year, Van Winkle said.

The proposal eliminates 27 school and 5 town government positions to hold down expenses.

What the actual budget will be when adopted in late April is not clear, because the town council and the board of education will be busy in the next six weeks analyzing their portions of the budget, making any changes they deem necessary.

Council members asked a few questions about the proposal, which they received just before the meeting. Mayor Scott Slifka said the council and the school board will be checking the proposals in meetings and will seek public comment in hearings next month................

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Wednesday, March 03, 2010

wow

an 85 year old walks into danbury hospital and starts shooting? well we all know how i feel about guns.

not much known yet. well there is the fact the nurse that ended up getting shot THREW HIS BODY IN FRONT OF SOMEONE ELSE. so we know the nurse is a hero. i also believe even though he was shot 3 times, he will recover


(ps what's with the courant teaming with fox? i'm not even going to call it faux because the LOCAL fox news isn't the same as the national FAUX 'NEWS'.)

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Shooting Inside Danbury Hospital

The Hartford Courant / Fox CT

DANBURY - An 85-year-old hospital patient faces first-degree assault and other charges after opening fire this afternoon at Danbury Hospital and wounding a nurse.

Police are still working to determine why Stanley Lupienski of Brookfield took a gun to the hospital. He apparently shot a nursing supervisor three times in the hospital's eighth floor cardiology department. The nurse was rushed to the emergency room. Hospital officials said he was in stable condition.

"We take care of patients all the time and a lot of times patients are upset with us for one reason or another," said Dr. Aparna Oltikar, a hospitalist at Danbury Hospital. "To think they can just do this, it changes your view of what you do."..................

Sunday, February 28, 2010

a little somethin' somethin' i didn't know about


p.t. barnum


sure he exploited people BUT he didn't base that on color. he exploited EVERYONE equally!

all kidding aside, this is very interesting


Experts: Barnum about more than showbiz


Like most Bridgeporters, Yohuru Williams grew up surrounded by the name P.T. Barnum.

Indeed, the name of the one-time Bridgeport mayor and circus impresario is seemingly everywhere in the city -- Barnum Avenue, the Barnum Museum, P.T. Barnum Apartments, etc. But, given the ubiquity of his moniker, Barnum remained something of a mystery to Williams, who knew him primarily as a slick entertainer and promoter.

"When you think about P.T. Barnum, he still kind of comes off as a slimy showman," said Williams, also vice president for history education at the American Institute for History Education in Swedesboro, N.J. "He has this rogue element about him."

Yet, upon doing research on Barnum for an upcoming book on teaching history, Williams discovered another, seldom discussed aspect to Barnum's personality: that of a passionate advocate for civil rights and against slavery.................

pic: The first image from the Barnum Museum is of Joice Heth, a slave Barnum bought – and emancipated – in 1835. She was purported to be the 161-year-old nursemaid to George Washington. Photo: Contributed Photo / Connecticut Post Contributed

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Friday, February 26, 2010

this MUST stop. it MUST STOP NOW

back in the day, NO ONE and i mean NO one did anything when a woman was beaten by her domestic partner. the police in many cases used to just ignore it or laugh it off....

UNTIL tracey thurman spoke. then laws changed. people listed. police responded (lots of times by arresting BOTH domestic partners, not just the one causing the abuse).

lots of times women won't report domestic violence. they're afraid of what the neighbors will say. what their co workers will say. they're afraid of being fired. they're afraid of being on their own

when they DO report domestic violence and get protective orders, IT DOESN'T WORK. how many women have to be hurt and killed in connecticut....in the united states....in the world before we heal this oozing sore?

Police Investigate Suspected Domestic Homicide In Chester



By DAVID OWENS The Hartford Courant

CHESTER - State police are investigating a suspected domestic homicide on Bailey Road.

Troopers were summoned to the home about 7:15 p.m. by a woman who called 911 to report that her husband was breaking into her home. The woman told police that she had a protective order against her husband. The phone then suddenly went dead.

Troopers responded and found a woman inside the home with multiple stab wounds. She was rushed to Middlesex Hospital in Middletown and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police then broadcast a description of the woman's husband and his car, and he was stopped on Route 9 near Exit 2 in Old Saybrook and taken into custody, police said......

Hot Topic: Domestic Violence
Can the new legislative proposals help domestic violence victims?

By Nick Handler

Earlier this month, a domestic violence task force, convened by Speaker of the House Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) released an 11-page report of legislative suggestions for strengthening laws and giving victims more protection. The report was released just two weeks after a tragic murder-suicide in West Haven, that underscored the need for stronger victim protections.

Why make these recommendations now?

There were several shockingly violent high-profile cases last year that led up to the creation of Donovan's task force in November.

In June 2009 a Vernon woman was killed by her husband, who then killed himself.

Perhaps the most shocking case was that of Nancy Tyler, whose former husband kidnapped her in July and held her hostage for 12 hours while she was handcuffed; he repeatedly threatened to kill her while holding a gun to her temple. She escaped and he then set the house on fire.

In August, a West Hartford man stabbed his wife to death; police had been called to the house twice before on charges of his assaulting her.

Most recently, West Haven resident Selami Ozdemir fatally shot his wife, Shengyl Rasim, on Jan. 17 before turning the gun on himself. Ozdemir killed his wife after he violated a protective order twice in 12 hours..........

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how does a convicted sex offender

with other crimes under his belt (so to speak) GET GUNS AND BODY ARMOR? i'd really like to know that.

at any rate, thanks to all the police officers who risked their lives to catch this subhuman

Police Capture Sex Offender In Newington After Chase



Police have captured a convicted sex offender after a chase that ended near Newington High School.

Police began pursuing David Kawiecki, who was reportedly armed and wearing body armor, around 4 p.m. in the New Britain area, police said. He was driving a red 1992 Toyota Corolla and was spotted on I-84 east, at times driving in the wrong direction, police said. The car left the highway and was later seen in Newington, police said.

He bailed out of the car in the area of Dowd Street and Farmstead Drive, near Newington High School, shortly after 5:30 p.m., police said.

He was wearing body armor and had a handgun when he was captured, a police source said. He said he was "going down in a blaze of glory," the police source said.........

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

i want everyone to watch this and






&take note of this woman. child protective services better NEVER give this woman back her daughter. just because you can BEAR a child, doesn't mean you're a mother.

my favorite part? kasseris STILL doesn't understand why one shouldn't leave an 11 year old alone for DAYS AT A TIME. kasseris said there was no problem. the 11 year old COULD have gone to a neighbor if she needed anything

well, i'm begging the court to punish this woman to the full extent of the law. what she did to her 11 year old daughter is life altering. it appears she may have left the girl alone very often.

AARON FLAUM / NORWICHBULLETIN.COM / June 28, 2008

Michelle Kasseris during her arraignment at Danielson Superior Court on risk of injury and impairing the morals of a minor.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

da liebs, this is WONDERFUL news

and i thank you for it from the bottom of my heart

(oh yeah, i STILL think you're a GIANT weeniehead though)

On 'ask,' Lieberman answers the call: An exclusive chat about Don't Ask, Don't Tell

James Kirchick

WASHINGTON - Just when you thought Joe Lieberman couldn't frustrate and perplex liberals any further, he is going off to become chief sponsor of the most significant piece of socially progressive legislation that Congress will deal with this year.

Next week, the Connecticut senator will announce that he's taking the lead on repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the 1993 law that prohibits gay people from serving openly in the armed forces. Since implementation of the statute nearly 20 years ago, the military has discharged some 14,000 qualified men and women, many of them serving in critical jobs like Arabic and Persian translation.

It's an unconscionable policy, as it forces individuals willing to die for their country to lie to their comrades and lowers the overall quality of our fighting force............


and from joe at america blog

Lieberman to sponsor DADT repeal. Key for success is including it in Def. authorization.


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Saturday, February 20, 2010

i don't understand


how ANYONE could be going close to 100 mph on park street in hartford. ESPECIALLY at 6:30 pm. that street is one of the MOST heavily congested streets i have ever been on (city streets that is, not highways). even at 1 or 2 am the street is jumping. cars AND pedestrians. it's beyond belief more people weren't hurt or killed. my heart goes out to the family and friends of the man who was killed (murdered in my eyes). of course the person who was speeding and caused the death WALKED AWAY (from the accident. he was caught thank the goddess)

Driver Arrested After Fatal, High-Speed Crash In Hartford

The Hartford Courant

HARTFORD - A horrific crash caused by a speeding driver left one man dead and another under arrest tonight.

The crash happened in the Parkville section of the city at about 6:20 p.m., police Sgt. Martin Miller said. The driver of a white Cadillac sped west on Park Street, possibly as fast as 100 mph, and slammed into a tan Toyota Corolla that was making a left turn onto Bartholomew Avenue, MIller said.

The Cadillac hit the Toyota broadside and pushed it about 100 feet, under the railroad bridge to Orange Street. The driver of the Cadillac then crawled out of his overturned car and ran down Orange Street to Capitol Avenue, where he broke into an apartment, a witness told police.

The driver, who Miller said is in his 20s, was charged with burglary. He is under police guard at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Miller said. More charges are expected.......

pic: Police and emergency personnel at the scene of a fatal crash near the intersection of Park Street and Bartholomew Avenue in Hartford on Friday evening. (MICHAEL TOWNSEND / FOX CT / February 19, 2010)


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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

i posted something over at my left nutmeg

Avon Mountain Crash and the After Effects

My friend Mark Robinson was in the horrific Avon Mountain crash. Mark wrote a book and released it this past fall. It's called Smoke, Fire and Angels (smoke fire and angels). 100% of the proceeds go to a fund for the victims and their families. If you go to the above website you'll see a video Mark and his wife made as well as a schedule of all upcoming appearances, links to write-ups on Mark and/or the book as well as a bunch of other information. If you get a chance please DO buy a copy and read it. It will stun you in many ways (least of all is the amount of research he did and the interviews he obtained).

The purpose of this diary is for something else though. It's to post a copy of a letter Mark has written and sent to some Connecticut legislators regarding the lack of response by them to the seriousness of Avon Mountain conditions and the lack of reparations to the victims and/or their families.

It will only take a moment. Please, at the very least read Mark's letter.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to say to Mark, I think you are one of the bravest and most special people I know.

a rose is a rose :: Avon Mountain Crash and the After Effects
(CT legislature letter)
January 11, 2010

To: Gov. M. Jodi Rell Rep. Michelle Cook
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal Rep. Kenneth Green
Sen. Eric Coleman Rep. Annie Hornish
Sen. Andrew Roraback Rep. Tim LeGeyt
Sen. Kevin Witkos Rep. John Rigby
Rep. Roberta Willis

From: Mark Robinson

Re: Request to partially right a terrible wrong regarding Avon Mountain crash:
Please do not continue to compound the error of the 1993 CT Legislature!

Cc: The Bongiovanni family media contacts (to come)
The Edlund family
The Juan family
The Naafi/Stokes family
The Stotler family
The Avon-Canton Rotary Club
The Central CT Chambers of Commerce
The East Hampton Rotary Club
The Farmington Rotary Club
The Hartford Rotary Club
The Rocky Hill-Wethersfield Rotary Club
The Simsbury Rotary Club
The Springfield (MA) Rotary Club
The Torrington Rotary Club
The Winsted Rotary Club
The Windsor/Windsor Locks Rotary Club
Christopher Healy
Sen. Donald Williams
Rep. Beth Bye
Rep. Andrew Fleischmann
Rep. David McCluskey
Rep. Demetrios Giannaros
Rep. Joan Lewis
The Rev. Ellen Tillotson
The Rev. Jon Widing
Avon Police Chief Mark Rinaldo
West Hartford Police Chief James Strilucci (sp?)

Four holiday seasons have come and gone since the Avon Mountain crash, four years during which there were empty chairs at the holiday gatherings of the Bongiovanni, Edlund, Juan, Naafi/Stokes and Stotler families.

This letter is addressed to the elected officials who represent at least one of the families who lost loved ones as a result of the July 29, 2005 Avon Mountain crash. I respectfully ask you to consider whether those chairs would have been empty if the State of Connecticut did not:

• Include an explicit loophole for commercial entities in the 1993 legislation intended to get uninsured motorists off the road - a loophole that author Lary Bloom called "an obvious gift to the trucking industry" in a December 2009 Connecticut magazine article (see enclosed).

• Overlook truck owner David Wilcox's 1,136 safety violations - not only did the State of Connecticut fail to run him out of business, it actually gave him over $1.6 million in state business .

• Act faster to improve Avon Mountain road conditions - Mr. Wilcox's truck was the 7th truck in 21 years to lose its brakes descending Avon Mountain. It wasn't until the 8th truck in 23 years, the one that crashed into Nassau's furniture store in Sept. 2007, that the state began serious road-improvement activity.

I believe Mr. Wilcox is primarily responsible for what happened that tragic day. But I also strongly believe that this tragedy could have been easily avoided if the State of Connecticut had not enabled him, in addition to delaying the road improvements that were so obviously necessary.

The loophole in the 1993 legislation was truly egregious. As a result of that "gift to trucking industry," Mr. Wilcox avoided the scrutiny that likely would have kept his poorly maintained, uninsured Truck #8 off the road. And the fact that the loophole was closed within two months of the crash demonstrates that Connecticut legislators knew their predecessors had made a mistake.

As our elected representatives today, you are in a position to make amends for that mistake. It's tragic enough that five families lost loved ones. Nothing will bring Barbara, Chip, Frank, Maureen and Raheem back. But do not compound the mistake of the 1993 legislature by turning your backs to the victims' families. At the very least, the State of Connecticut should provide them with the money they would have received if that truck was properly insured.

On Aug. 1, 2007, during evening rush hour, a bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. Thirteen people were killed. Within one year, the Minnesota legislature made sure those families were taken care of. Are the people of Minnesota more compassionate and fair-minded than the people of Connecticut?

I urge you to do the right thing and make sure the Bongiovanni, Edlund, Juan, Naafi/Stokes and Stotler families are taken care of. Please do not continue to turn your backs to them and compound the error made by your legislative predecessors.



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Friday, February 12, 2010

on march 12th and 13th


Mission Of Mercy Dental Clinic Approaching

Free Clinic To Be Held March 12, 13


(i HAVE dental insurance and depending upon the work done, i sometimes end up having to pay a great deal. cleanings are 100% covered. i think fillings are 80% but root canals/caps i have to pay 50% and that ends up costing a FORTUNE. i cannot imagine NOT having health insurance or prescription coverage or dental coverage at all)

................The Mission of Mercy dental clinic will open at 8 a.m. on March 12 and 13. Mission of Mercy will be held at the Aetna building on Industrial Park Road in Middletown...............



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