of course i think ALL guns should be absolutely banned (except for law enforcement and the military) but i'm in the minority. i also read some of the comments on the article. some of them are just nasty lunatic fringe ugly evil spewing sickness comments.
we don't have militias (well, we do but most of THEM are lunatic fringe end of the world white supremacist types) and we do NOT need to bear arms
Machine Gun Ban For Youths Misses Big Picture
If legislators have their way, it will soon be illegal for anyone in Connecticut to hand a machine gun to a child younger than 16. That this even has to be spelled out in the statutes is testament to the pervasive power of our gun culture.
The proposal came out of a tragedy, as many laws do. Christopher K. Bizilj, 8, of Ashford, died last fall after losing control of a 9 mm Micro Uzi at a gun expo in Massachusetts. The boy shot himself in the head during "target practice" on a pumpkin while adults, who should have known better, looked on. What were they thinking when they put a lethal weapon that fires up to 1,700 rounds per minute in the hands of a 43-pound third-grader? This is wrong on so many levels that it boggles the mind.
No one outside the military, and possibly law enforcement, should be permitted to use a machine gun, least of all children. Sen. John Kissel felt compelled to defend his committee vote in favor of the age limit, saying it is "one of the few-and-far-between gun bills that I feel has an awful lot of merit."
You think?..........
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Saturday, April 04, 2009
some west hartford news
psssssssssttttttt - as i've mentioned before WE (the employees of my company) didn't get raises this year either. i'm not liking that, but i like it a whole heck of a lot better than NOT having a job (or my coworkers not having a job)
WEST HARTFORD — - The first of the town's employee unions has tentatively agreed to a wage freeze, a request town leaders have made to all unions to help save money and jobs during a cash-poor time and a projected $6 million revenue shortfall in next year's proposed budget.
The Service Employees International Union, its 187 members making it the largest of the town's municipal unions, will soon vote on a proposal to accept a wage freeze, interim town manager Ronald F. Van Winkle said Friday.
SEIU spokesman Matt O'Connor said Friday that the membership will vote April 15 on a proposal but that he could not provide details......
West Hartford Union Agrees To Wage Freeze
WEST HARTFORD — - The first of the town's employee unions has tentatively agreed to a wage freeze, a request town leaders have made to all unions to help save money and jobs during a cash-poor time and a projected $6 million revenue shortfall in next year's proposed budget.
The Service Employees International Union, its 187 members making it the largest of the town's municipal unions, will soon vote on a proposal to accept a wage freeze, interim town manager Ronald F. Van Winkle said Friday.
SEIU spokesman Matt O'Connor said Friday that the membership will vote April 15 on a proposal but that he could not provide details......
wow, that's some gift
good for yale! (i would have liked it to be a scholarship fund - perhaps earning interest, but whatever.......50 mill is 50 mill)
$50 Million Gift To Create International Studies Institute At Yale
|The Hartford Courant
NEW HAVEN — - Yale University has received an "astonishing" $50 million gift to establish a new international studies institute to encourage students to pursue careers in diplomacy and global affairs.
The gift, announced Friday by university President Richard Levin, was from John W. Jackson, a 1967 Yale graduate, and his wife, Susan. University officials said the donation is one of the single-largest the university has received. They called it an inspiration during a rough economy and said the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs would make Yale even more competitive than it already is.
University officials had been in talks since last summer with Jackson and his wife, who live in New Jersey, but they weren't sure until Wednesday that the gift would become a reality.
"I was thrilled and surprised," Levin said. "And that really speaks to the loyalty and generosity of these donors. That, in times of economic hardship, that they would make an impressive donation. It will be an inspiration to students and faculty."...
$50 Million Gift To Create International Studies Institute At Yale
|The Hartford Courant
NEW HAVEN — - Yale University has received an "astonishing" $50 million gift to establish a new international studies institute to encourage students to pursue careers in diplomacy and global affairs.
The gift, announced Friday by university President Richard Levin, was from John W. Jackson, a 1967 Yale graduate, and his wife, Susan. University officials said the donation is one of the single-largest the university has received. They called it an inspiration during a rough economy and said the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs would make Yale even more competitive than it already is.
University officials had been in talks since last summer with Jackson and his wife, who live in New Jersey, but they weren't sure until Wednesday that the gift would become a reality.
"I was thrilled and surprised," Levin said. "And that really speaks to the loyalty and generosity of these donors. That, in times of economic hardship, that they would make an impressive donation. It will be an inspiration to students and faculty."...
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
i saw what you did
i know you didn't see me. i was standing in the back yard between my dad's house and the house next door. i was smokin' a butt. you were pushing a wheel chair in which a very impaired man sat. walking in front of you (and with great difficulty) were two other people who were also impaired.
i watched you for a few seconds. then i saw what you did. you took your hand and you gently stroked the head of the man in the wheelchair. i couldn't hear if you said anything to him or not. i couldn't see your lips and i couldn't hear you. in my mind you said something soothing to him though.
as you passed and i could no longer see you from my vantage point, i walked up to the front of the yard. guess what? i saw you stroke his head again!
(there IS hope and there IS good)
i watched you for a few seconds. then i saw what you did. you took your hand and you gently stroked the head of the man in the wheelchair. i couldn't hear if you said anything to him or not. i couldn't see your lips and i couldn't hear you. in my mind you said something soothing to him though.
as you passed and i could no longer see you from my vantage point, i walked up to the front of the yard. guess what? i saw you stroke his head again!
(there IS hope and there IS good)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
i'm not exactly sure how they got my email address
the new haven citizens' action network that is BUT i think i rather LIKE this idea:
the email follows:
Press Release Press Release Press Release
From: New Haven Citizens’ Action Network (NHCAN) www.nhcan.org
For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, March 30, 2009
Grassroots Group Stimulates Economy With “Lotto Sales Receipt” Proposal
New Haven, Conn. - Jeffrey Kerekes, a steering committee member of the New Haven Citizens’ Action Network (NHCAN) released a proposal today to help stimulate Connecticut’s economy and increase State revenues to close the deficit and aid large Cities with increased aid from the State. Kerekes’ proposal would turn each sales receipt into a lotto ticket in an effort to not only increase reporting of current sales but to bring shoppers into the State. “We have all seen or suspected instances where sales were not being recorded,” Kerekes reports, “That is lost money to the State.” Kerekes argues that if the State were to sell the register tape to all stores in Connecticut with lotto numbers pre-printed on them, “consumers would demand receipts with each purchase,” he added.
Retailers and restaurants would continue to pay for the register receipt paper rolls, only they would buy them from the State with preprinted lotto numbers on them. The State would then hold a drawing on a monthly or quarterly basis with cash or other prizes for people with winning lotto numbers. Kerekes believes that providing a percentage of the winning ticket to the store that sold it would make the initiative more palpable to store owners. Store owners with a lot of sales would have better odds given the volume of sales – a win-win for everyone. Further variations could include introducing this with a small increase in the sales tax. The State could mail lotto tickets to people who self-report online purchases, bringing in additional dollars. This can stimulate the economy – “shopping could even be a little fun when you have a chance to win big for everyday purchases”. The Sate can win big by bringing in currently unreported sales and enticing shoppers from other states to spend their money in Connecticut.
“This should cost almost nothing to implement,” Kerekes predicts. “The State is already set up to run lotteries so the only new burden would be to print and sell register tapes and sell them to businesses. The cost of doing this could easily be paid for out of increased revenues. While hopefully unnecessary, consumers could even be fined for leaving a store having made a purchase without a receipt if you wanted to enhance reporting and remove incentives to keep transactions off the books.
The New Haven Citizens’ Action Network is a grass roots group concerned with financial sustainability. We believe by assisting the state in its ability to raise revenues, it can lead to better assistance to its Cities. NHCAN believes in an open, transparent government, one that listens to the voice of the citizens it represents. Visit www.nhcan.org for more information.
the email follows:
Press Release Press Release Press Release
From: New Haven Citizens’ Action Network (NHCAN) www.nhcan.org
For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, March 30, 2009
Grassroots Group Stimulates Economy With “Lotto Sales Receipt” Proposal
New Haven, Conn. - Jeffrey Kerekes, a steering committee member of the New Haven Citizens’ Action Network (NHCAN) released a proposal today to help stimulate Connecticut’s economy and increase State revenues to close the deficit and aid large Cities with increased aid from the State. Kerekes’ proposal would turn each sales receipt into a lotto ticket in an effort to not only increase reporting of current sales but to bring shoppers into the State. “We have all seen or suspected instances where sales were not being recorded,” Kerekes reports, “That is lost money to the State.” Kerekes argues that if the State were to sell the register tape to all stores in Connecticut with lotto numbers pre-printed on them, “consumers would demand receipts with each purchase,” he added.
Retailers and restaurants would continue to pay for the register receipt paper rolls, only they would buy them from the State with preprinted lotto numbers on them. The State would then hold a drawing on a monthly or quarterly basis with cash or other prizes for people with winning lotto numbers. Kerekes believes that providing a percentage of the winning ticket to the store that sold it would make the initiative more palpable to store owners. Store owners with a lot of sales would have better odds given the volume of sales – a win-win for everyone. Further variations could include introducing this with a small increase in the sales tax. The State could mail lotto tickets to people who self-report online purchases, bringing in additional dollars. This can stimulate the economy – “shopping could even be a little fun when you have a chance to win big for everyday purchases”. The Sate can win big by bringing in currently unreported sales and enticing shoppers from other states to spend their money in Connecticut.
“This should cost almost nothing to implement,” Kerekes predicts. “The State is already set up to run lotteries so the only new burden would be to print and sell register tapes and sell them to businesses. The cost of doing this could easily be paid for out of increased revenues. While hopefully unnecessary, consumers could even be fined for leaving a store having made a purchase without a receipt if you wanted to enhance reporting and remove incentives to keep transactions off the books.
The New Haven Citizens’ Action Network is a grass roots group concerned with financial sustainability. We believe by assisting the state in its ability to raise revenues, it can lead to better assistance to its Cities. NHCAN believes in an open, transparent government, one that listens to the voice of the citizens it represents. Visit www.nhcan.org for more information.
Friday, March 27, 2009
she's not done yet
but i was so happy with her and i couldn't wait to post a picture (or two) of her until she was completed (the wings and the big yarn ball she's sitting on have to be done). pictures are crappy.. i took them upsidedown and spinned them around.
i really LOVE her. i got her done at liberty tattoo in berlin by pat macdonald (his pops and i go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back)
anyway, if you're in the mood for some ink, stop on by liberty they'll hook you up
and yes, i'll post her when she's DONE as well
in all fairness my knitting fairy is loosely based on a drawing on saw on the internet (i can't find her again or i'd give credit where credit is due). i told pat i wanted her to have a bun and have knitting needles sticking out of it. i wanted her to have wings and i wanted her to be sitting on a big ball of yarn. i wanted a raven in there somewhere and i wanted some purples. HE came up with the drawing which i will say once again I LOVE
Monday, March 23, 2009
i just got the following email:
BurnBrite  | All, My film, Crushing Pennies, will be shown at the Kent Film Festival this Saturday. We will be having another "official premiere" soon in the next few months if you cannot make it to Kent. Thanks, Ryan |
| |
Connecticut Independent film, Crushing Pennies to be Screened at the Kent Film Festival - March 28, 2009
FavoriteMedia and BurnBrite Promotions are proud to announce the debut of the independent film, Crushing Pennies, at the Kent Film Festival in Kent, CT, on Saturday, March 28, 2009.
Crushing Pennies is a 35-minute drama, shot entirely on location in Connecticut with a Connecticut cast and crew. Showcasing the delusional world of married couple, Irene (Leah Dashe) and Gabe (Jesse Murphy), Crushing Pennies explores the subconscious world created by the two main characters' mutually shared delusions. As Irene and Gabe sink deeper into this imaginary world, they find it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. Their quest for help from a professional marriage counselor leads them and the audience to a surprising conclusion to their problems. To view the trailer, visit YouTube here.
Ryan Casey, Director of FavoriteMedia and BurnBrite Promotions is a Connecticut filmmaker who wrote and directed Crushing Pennies.
Crushing Pennies is a 35-minute drama, shot entirely on location in Connecticut with a Connecticut cast and crew. Showcasing the delusional world of married couple, Irene (Leah Dashe) and Gabe (Jesse Murphy), Crushing Pennies explores the subconscious world created by the two main characters' mutually shared delusions. As Irene and Gabe sink deeper into this imaginary world, they find it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. Their quest for help from a professional marriage counselor leads them and the audience to a surprising conclusion to their problems. To view the trailer, visit YouTube here.
Ryan Casey, Director of FavoriteMedia and BurnBrite Promotions is a Connecticut filmmaker who wrote and directed Crushing Pennies.
Casey has his BA in Film Production from Keene State College and is currently attaining his Master's Degree at The University of Hartford. Casey is currently in pre-production of his feature film, Catching Sparks, which will also be shot in Connecticut.
Above: A scene from Crushing Pennies - Joe Medina (Left) watches Leah Dashe (Right) with intrigue.
Cinematography for Crushing Pennies was done by Dave Sikora. Sikora is a graduate of Full Sail University, located in Winter Park, Florida.
Crushing Pennies and Casey will be featured at the Bristol Historical Society's Younger Artists Series in June. Check our blog for that (BurnBrite Blog) - information will be posted soon.
Connecticut-based FavoriteMedia provides turn-key solutions for independent filmmakers and local acting talent to produce quality original films that celebrate Connecticut locations.
BurnBrite Promotions brings these films to targeted audiences through independent film screenings and effective web-based promotional and distribution methods.
The Kent Film Festival screens films created by a richly diverse group of talent - students of film and independent filmmakers screen alongside well-seasoned film professionals. Tickets are available now for presale and web reserve via the festival website at: http://www.kentfilmfestival.
For more information, contact Ryan Casey at: favoritemediamail@yahoo.com.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
a shout out to the police department
who stopped me this morning (for the SECOND time in a month and it's only the 19th). it was of course at 3:00 am. i always feel obliged to shout out (first thing) I'M ON MY WAY TO WORK (not to be confused with I'M EFFING DRUNK - I JUST GOT OUT OF A BAR)
i truly did NOT know my headlight was out. it wasn't yesterday. another shout out to brian. he installed the new one.
(note: no ticket either time but warnings)
i also want to give a shout out to the officer who upon seeing there was NO WAY i was going to be able to retrieve my registration offered to look it up for me (note: officer, I AM going to clean my car out this weekend)
you rock
i truly did NOT know my headlight was out. it wasn't yesterday. another shout out to brian. he installed the new one.
(note: no ticket either time but warnings)
i also want to give a shout out to the officer who upon seeing there was NO WAY i was going to be able to retrieve my registration offered to look it up for me (note: officer, I AM going to clean my car out this weekend)
you rock
i've written about this before
the avon mountain crash AND one of the people i know who was in this horror. my friend mark robinson is writing a book about this day. i have been privileged to read the first six chapters. mark also showed me some of the photographs he's using for the book. oh, the photos i saw were NOT of the crash at all (although i've seen many of those). these photos were new ones. the ones of the survivors AND their angels. stunning portraits. (mark told me this weekend he may be having his portrait taken along with HIS personal angel. i hope that comes to fruition. he was saved by a very young man who just happened to forget his own life was on the line and dug mark out of his twisted wreck of a car smashed by concrete slabs, while a huge bus was either going to soon catch fire OR come lurching at them. oh, this young man was NOT a firefighter or a police officer or an emt. he worked at avon old farms and just happened to run out when the accident occurred). i can tell you with all honesty what i read of the book was astounding. the amount of time and effort and research mark put in was phenomenal. i can also tell you with all my heart and soul, when this book comes out (this summer) every one of us MUST buy a copy of it. buy it you say? oh, did i mention THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES?
mark also doesn't forget to mention david wilcox either. lots of exhaustive research went into that path too. wilcox will be (hopefully) sentenced this summer. mark hopes to have the book ready VERY shortly thereafter. mark has shared many stories with me (although he still doesn't remember the accident itself at all) from the lives saved and the lives lost that day, to what the familes and victims have gone through to meeting up with mr naafi's father last week when they were at the courthouse in hartford being informed wilcox was going to plead (instead of trial).
mark makes me cry a LOT by the way
so again, when this book SMOKE, FIRE & ANGELS comes out, i will be forcing everyone i know to buy a copy
Crash Survivor Hopes His Book Can Help Promote Healing
By SHAWN R. BEALS | The Hartford Courant
The heartbreaking saga of the 2005 Avon Mountain crash drew plenty of attention Monday after David Wilcox, 73, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges.
Behind the scenes, however, the story's human side is getting much more consideration.
The crash is the subject of a book by survivor Mark Robinson, a Canton resident who was severely injured in the crash. The book is called "Smoke, fire & angels," and he's hoping to have it completed in time for the fourth anniversary of the crash in July.
"I just may have a 175-page statement to put on Judge [David P.] Gold's desk in June," Robinson said.
Wilcox is scheduled to be sentenced June 24, and victims will have the opportunity to make a statement in court that day or submit one to the judge.
Robinson was waiting at a traffic light on his way to work in Hartford when the dump truck owned by Wilcox and his company, American Crushing & Recycling, slammed into traffic after its brakes failed as it traveled westbound down the hill......
mark also doesn't forget to mention david wilcox either. lots of exhaustive research went into that path too. wilcox will be (hopefully) sentenced this summer. mark hopes to have the book ready VERY shortly thereafter. mark has shared many stories with me (although he still doesn't remember the accident itself at all) from the lives saved and the lives lost that day, to what the familes and victims have gone through to meeting up with mr naafi's father last week when they were at the courthouse in hartford being informed wilcox was going to plead (instead of trial).
mark makes me cry a LOT by the way
so again, when this book SMOKE, FIRE & ANGELS comes out, i will be forcing everyone i know to buy a copy
Crash Survivor Hopes His Book Can Help Promote Healing
By SHAWN R. BEALS | The Hartford Courant
The heartbreaking saga of the 2005 Avon Mountain crash drew plenty of attention Monday after David Wilcox, 73, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges.
Behind the scenes, however, the story's human side is getting much more consideration.
The crash is the subject of a book by survivor Mark Robinson, a Canton resident who was severely injured in the crash. The book is called "Smoke, fire & angels," and he's hoping to have it completed in time for the fourth anniversary of the crash in July.
"I just may have a 175-page statement to put on Judge [David P.] Gold's desk in June," Robinson said.
Wilcox is scheduled to be sentenced June 24, and victims will have the opportunity to make a statement in court that day or submit one to the judge.
Robinson was waiting at a traffic light on his way to work in Hartford when the dump truck owned by Wilcox and his company, American Crushing & Recycling, slammed into traffic after its brakes failed as it traveled westbound down the hill......
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
funny (and i'm being sarcastic here)
why this appeared on the front page of the wapo (web edition) and yet i didn't see it on the front page of the courant. the MEN are all over the place, but the women weren't to be found (easily that is).
thanks to wapo though. THEY mentioned (in a place easy to find) the unconn women (i'm NOT a college basketball fan, but i'm making a point). congratulations to uconn women (and sure the men as well but MOSTLY the women).
uconn. where men are men and WOMEN ARE CHAMPIONS!!!
U-Conn. Earns No.1 Overall Seed for Women's Tournament
By DOUG FEINBERG
The Associated Press
Connecticut's quest for the fifth perfect season in NCAA history will begin at home.
The undefeated Huskies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA women's basketball tournament Monday night and will open against Vermont at Storrs.
Nine teams have entered the NCAA tournament unbeaten; only four have emerged unscathed. UConn and coach Geno Auriemma were the last in 2002.
Auriemma said he's not worried about the bulls-eye on his team's back.......
thanks to wapo though. THEY mentioned (in a place easy to find) the unconn women (i'm NOT a college basketball fan, but i'm making a point). congratulations to uconn women (and sure the men as well but MOSTLY the women).
uconn. where men are men and WOMEN ARE CHAMPIONS!!!
U-Conn. Earns No.1 Overall Seed for Women's Tournament
By DOUG FEINBERG
The Associated Press
Connecticut's quest for the fifth perfect season in NCAA history will begin at home.
The undefeated Huskies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA women's basketball tournament Monday night and will open against Vermont at Storrs.
Nine teams have entered the NCAA tournament unbeaten; only four have emerged unscathed. UConn and coach Geno Auriemma were the last in 2002.
Auriemma said he's not worried about the bulls-eye on his team's back.......
Friday, March 13, 2009
reminder: tomorrow is the hartford st patrick's day parade
the half door will be open at 8:00 am with a limited brunch menu (full brunch menu commences at their usual weekend brunch open time of 11:00 am). so stop on down BEFORE, AFTER OR DURING the parade!
Monday, March 09, 2009
is this april fool's day?
mmmmmmmmmmm no. not quite yet. well if it's NOT, then wat up wit dis?
ah, could da LIEbs be worried about what's going to happen in two years? hmmmm methinks, yes, he IS worried. tough shite da LIEbs. you're OUT on your bony ass (did anyon think da LIEbs had this many stones? i know i didn't. rather surprising)
Conn. senator Lieberman an Obama supporter
WASHINGTON—Sen. Joe Lieberman has changed his tune on President Barack Obama.
After campaigning across the country for Republican Sen. John McCain in 2008 and attacking Obama as naive, untested and unwilling to take on powerful special interests, Lieberman now showers praise on the popular new Democratic president.
"He's shown real leadership," Lieberman told The Associated Press in an interview. "Bottom line: I think Barack Obama, president of the United States, is off to a very good start."
The Connecticut independent, who faces re-election in 2012 in a state where Obama is popular, is eager to mend fences with Democrats still fuming over his criticism of Obama during the general election campaign.
Lieberman has applauded Obama's national security team. He gushed over Obama's "inspirational and unifying" inaugural. Lieberman even played a key role helping Obama win Senate passage of the economic stimulus plan.........
ah, could da LIEbs be worried about what's going to happen in two years? hmmmm methinks, yes, he IS worried. tough shite da LIEbs. you're OUT on your bony ass (did anyon think da LIEbs had this many stones? i know i didn't. rather surprising)
Conn. senator Lieberman an Obama supporter
WASHINGTON—Sen. Joe Lieberman has changed his tune on President Barack Obama.
After campaigning across the country for Republican Sen. John McCain in 2008 and attacking Obama as naive, untested and unwilling to take on powerful special interests, Lieberman now showers praise on the popular new Democratic president.
"He's shown real leadership," Lieberman told The Associated Press in an interview. "Bottom line: I think Barack Obama, president of the United States, is off to a very good start."
The Connecticut independent, who faces re-election in 2012 in a state where Obama is popular, is eager to mend fences with Democrats still fuming over his criticism of Obama during the general election campaign.
Lieberman has applauded Obama's national security team. He gushed over Obama's "inspirational and unifying" inaugural. Lieberman even played a key role helping Obama win Senate passage of the economic stimulus plan.........
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?
Friday, March 06, 2009
it's been a while
since we've had a stupid connecticut (alleged) criminal posting. well this sure will make up for it!
Conn. man accused of
stealing gum
Fairfield (AP) - Fairfield police have arrested a man on theft charges who they say is apparently obsessed with stealing Orbit gum.
Kenneth McManus, 21, of Stratford, has been charged with stealing hundreds of packs of the chewing gum.
Police say McManus turned himself in Thursday and is facing larceny charges for similar thefts in Bridgeport and Stratford.
McManus is accused of stealing 175 packs of gum worth more than $500 from a Shaw's supermarket in Fairfield in January.............
Conn. man accused of
stealing gum
Fairfield (AP) - Fairfield police have arrested a man on theft charges who they say is apparently obsessed with stealing Orbit gum.
Kenneth McManus, 21, of Stratford, has been charged with stealing hundreds of packs of the chewing gum.
Police say McManus turned himself in Thursday and is facing larceny charges for similar thefts in Bridgeport and Stratford.
McManus is accused of stealing 175 packs of gum worth more than $500 from a Shaw's supermarket in Fairfield in January.............
whole foods at bishops corner
(where i shop by the way. it's far less intrusive and abusive than the west hartford center store. i'm talking CUSTOMERS here. i have no issues with the staff of either store) will be no more
Whole Foods Ordered To Sell West Hartford Store
The Hartford Courant
Whole Foods will have to sell its Bishop's Corner supermarket in West Hartford as part of a federal antitrust settlement announced today.
The store, one of two Whole Foods locations in West Hartford, had been a Wild Oats store until Whole FoodsMarket Inc. bought Wild Oats Markets Inc. in 2007. It is one of 13 stores -- 12 former Wild Oats locations and one that was a Whole Foods before the merger -- that Whole Foods must sell within six months, under the company's settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
Separately, Whole Foods has agreed to sell the Wild Oats trademarks and other non-tangible assets connected with Wild Oats, including the leases of 19 former Wild Oats stores that were closed.................
Whole Foods Ordered To Sell West Hartford Store
The Hartford Courant
Whole Foods will have to sell its Bishop's Corner supermarket in West Hartford as part of a federal antitrust settlement announced today.
The store, one of two Whole Foods locations in West Hartford, had been a Wild Oats store until Whole FoodsMarket Inc. bought Wild Oats Markets Inc. in 2007. It is one of 13 stores -- 12 former Wild Oats locations and one that was a Whole Foods before the merger -- that Whole Foods must sell within six months, under the company's settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
Separately, Whole Foods has agreed to sell the Wild Oats trademarks and other non-tangible assets connected with Wild Oats, including the leases of 19 former Wild Oats stores that were closed.................
Monday, March 02, 2009
please do stop by
andy thibault's blog; the cool justice report for an update on the billy smolinski case. it really IS just getting weirder and weirder. i think of billy's family and my heart goes out to them. NO closure. well, not just that but bungling and ineptness everywhere. let's hope they get answers SOON
More Bizarre Twists & Leads In Smolinski Case
Why Do-Nothing Cops
Must Be Held Accountable
And Ordered To Do Their Jobs,
Especially When They Drop The Ball
On Missing Persons Reports
Some Details Related
To The Trail
Of Dead Bodies
A TIME FOR GOOD COPS TO STAND UP
This Is The Backdrop For CT Legislative Hearing Tuesday
Who Is Standing Up For Missing Persons
And Their Loved Ones Everywhere
By ANDY THIBAULT
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
March 2, 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is available for reprint courtesy of The Cool Justice Report, http://cooljustice.blogspot.com
Billy Smolinski -- the missing man forsaken by management of the Waterbury, CT Police Department and presumed murdered - could have a legacy that will help save the lives of other missing persons.
The level of police ineptitude and callousness in the Smolinski case was so startling that politicians are actually doing something about it........
justice 4 billy
(please click the more bizarre link above for the full story at andy's blog)
Sunday, March 01, 2009
the headline says it ALL
"Jerry Springer" Among Three Talk Shows NBC May Move To Stamford
By ERIC GERSHON | The Hartford Courant
By ERIC GERSHON | The Hartford Courant
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
i guess my head was in the sand once again
i had not heard one PEEP about this until i stopped by the cool justice report. andy had a great posting on it and a ton of links (and how cool is it andy was mentioned in the ny times
here's the start of andy's posting. click the link to read the WHOLE thing. i do think everyone is missing the greatest point here. NO ONE and i mean NO ONE says ANYTHING bad about uconn SACRED basketball (p.s. i don't think it's sacred. ALMOST EVERYONE else in this state sure does. it's not like they're the SOX or anything)
By ANDY THIBAULT
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
Feb. 23, 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is available for reprint courtesy of The Cool Justice Report, http://cooljustice.blogspot.com
First, thanks to Cool Justice readers for all the great tips.
Maybe UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun wasn't thinking straight when he tried to shout down reporter Ken Krayeske and talk about facts at the same time.
Practice what you scream, coach.
It certainly looks like men's basketball brought in only $7.33 million instead of the $12 million Calhoun claimed........
here's the start of andy's posting. click the link to read the WHOLE thing. i do think everyone is missing the greatest point here. NO ONE and i mean NO ONE says ANYTHING bad about uconn SACRED basketball (p.s. i don't think it's sacred. ALMOST EVERYONE else in this state sure does. it's not like they're the SOX or anything)
CALHOUN NUMBERS SHOCKER
Fuzzy Math 101By ANDY THIBAULT
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
Feb. 23, 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is available for reprint courtesy of The Cool Justice Report, http://cooljustice.blogspot.com
First, thanks to Cool Justice readers for all the great tips.
Maybe UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun wasn't thinking straight when he tried to shout down reporter Ken Krayeske and talk about facts at the same time.
Practice what you scream, coach.
It certainly looks like men's basketball brought in only $7.33 million instead of the $12 million Calhoun claimed........
Friday, February 20, 2009
i guess stupid (alleged) west hartford criminals do NOT read my blog
because if they DID, they would have seen THIS AND NOT (allegedly) try to do any drug deals in the kane street area
Three Arrested In West Hartford Drug Bust
Three men were arrested on drug charges Monday after one hit a West Hartford police cruiser that was trying to box in his car.
Acting on a tip, officers on the Community Interaction Team had staked out the parking lot at the Prospect Plaza shopping center. Police said two cars they believed had cocaine in them started to leave the lot at about 4:50 p.m.
Police tried to box in the cars at a red light at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Kane Street, but one of the cars swerved into the oncoming lane, hit a cruiser, ran a red light and headed south on Prospect Avenue.
Police stopped the car a short time later. A total of three people were arrested and more than an ounce of cocaine was recovered, police said.
.................
Three Arrested In West Hartford Drug Bust
Three men were arrested on drug charges Monday after one hit a West Hartford police cruiser that was trying to box in his car.
Acting on a tip, officers on the Community Interaction Team had staked out the parking lot at the Prospect Plaza shopping center. Police said two cars they believed had cocaine in them started to leave the lot at about 4:50 p.m.
Police tried to box in the cars at a red light at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Kane Street, but one of the cars swerved into the oncoming lane, hit a cruiser, ran a red light and headed south on Prospect Avenue.
Police stopped the car a short time later. A total of three people were arrested and more than an ounce of cocaine was recovered, police said.
.................
so let me get this straight,
the town (which is going broke) builds all sorts of 'traffic calming' islands (the ones on the VERY NARROW) asylum are my personal favorites. you can see my previous postings here and here and here. not only were they a GIANT waste of money, they are useless AND DANGEROUS
anyway, i did a posting not too long ago about all of the traffic cameras and new lights i saw going in around town. i tried to find it just now but can't (could it have been a figment of my fertile imagination? perhaps).
we're spending THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON TRAFFIC CAMERAS THAT ONLY SEND OUT WARNING MESSAGES? wtf?????????????? IF and i do mean IF they are going to save lives, FINE. but the corner of boulevard and whiting lane? no effing way. during SOME heavily trafficked times there is a school crossing guard there ANYWAY. i can think of 20 other places in west hartford that need that camera MORE than boulevard and whiting lane. is it because the houses in that area are bigger than the houses in OTHER areas? i sure don't know. but come on. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS and not one legit traffic ticket to offset those cameras?
the following courant article lists some accident data from west hartford AND the particular corner in question. i personally would like to see that data and/or do a bit more investigating on my own. sure boulevard can be a speedway, but isn't that what we have the police for? well one of the reasons.
Camera To Keep An Eye On Speeders In West Hartford
By JOSH KOVNER | The Hartford Courant
WEST HARTFORD — - Speeders beware — you are being watched.
But the speed-detection camera installed this week at Boulevard and Whiting Lane is a kind of compassionate Big Brother that just wants to slow down drivers. Those photographed traveling 45 mph or faster at this 30-mph location will get a photo with a warning letter.
The legislature prohibits using these radar cameras for enforcement purposes, so the joint effort by police, the engineering office and the public works department amounts to a public awareness campaign.
And make no mistake, the public could stand to be more aware. There were 2,626 crashes in town last year, 426 with injuries, and two fatalities.
Assistant Police Chief Robert McCue said excessive speed was a factor in most of the accidents.
The intersection of Boulevard and Whiting Lane — the first in a series of locations for the camera over the next year — has a "moderate" accident history but a high injury rate, said Lt. David Dubiel, head of the traffic division. Eight people were injured in the 11 crashes there in 2008, Dubiel said.........
anyway, i did a posting not too long ago about all of the traffic cameras and new lights i saw going in around town. i tried to find it just now but can't (could it have been a figment of my fertile imagination? perhaps).
we're spending THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON TRAFFIC CAMERAS THAT ONLY SEND OUT WARNING MESSAGES? wtf?????????????? IF and i do mean IF they are going to save lives, FINE. but the corner of boulevard and whiting lane? no effing way. during SOME heavily trafficked times there is a school crossing guard there ANYWAY. i can think of 20 other places in west hartford that need that camera MORE than boulevard and whiting lane. is it because the houses in that area are bigger than the houses in OTHER areas? i sure don't know. but come on. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS and not one legit traffic ticket to offset those cameras?
the following courant article lists some accident data from west hartford AND the particular corner in question. i personally would like to see that data and/or do a bit more investigating on my own. sure boulevard can be a speedway, but isn't that what we have the police for? well one of the reasons.
Camera To Keep An Eye On Speeders In West Hartford
By JOSH KOVNER | The Hartford Courant
WEST HARTFORD — - Speeders beware — you are being watched.
But the speed-detection camera installed this week at Boulevard and Whiting Lane is a kind of compassionate Big Brother that just wants to slow down drivers. Those photographed traveling 45 mph or faster at this 30-mph location will get a photo with a warning letter.
The legislature prohibits using these radar cameras for enforcement purposes, so the joint effort by police, the engineering office and the public works department amounts to a public awareness campaign.
And make no mistake, the public could stand to be more aware. There were 2,626 crashes in town last year, 426 with injuries, and two fatalities.
Assistant Police Chief Robert McCue said excessive speed was a factor in most of the accidents.
The intersection of Boulevard and Whiting Lane — the first in a series of locations for the camera over the next year — has a "moderate" accident history but a high injury rate, said Lt. David Dubiel, head of the traffic division. Eight people were injured in the 11 crashes there in 2008, Dubiel said.........
Sunday, February 15, 2009
i did MY part yesterday
my friends and i doing our part on valentine's day for a consortium of pub-going, loose and forward women
cashy, lk, maria, juan, ty, andy, tim
the facebook group
the pink chaddi campaign blog
of course this was at the half door
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
the headline of this article
makes me feel all warm and toasty inside!
i think da LIEbs knows he doesn';t have a prayer. not in any way, shape or form.
ba-bye
Poll: Lieberman would 'get crushed' by Connecticut AG
Ron Brynaert
A new poll shows that Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, who left the Democratic Party after losing the Senate primary to businessman Ned Lamont in 2006, would "get crushed" if challenged by Connecticut's State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in 2012.
"If Joe Lieberman decides to run for a fifth term in 2012, a new Quinnipiac poll suggests that it may be a lost cause," Eric Kleefeld writes at Talking Points Memo.
According to the Quinnipiac poll, "By a narrow 48 - 45 percent margin, voters disapprove of the job Sen. Joseph Lieberman is doing and give him a negative 43 - 49 percent favorability. Republicans approve 75 - 20 percent. Democrats disapprove 70 - 21 percent and independent voters split 48 - 46 percent."............
i think da LIEbs knows he doesn';t have a prayer. not in any way, shape or form.
ba-bye
Poll: Lieberman would 'get crushed' by Connecticut AG
Ron Brynaert
A new poll shows that Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, who left the Democratic Party after losing the Senate primary to businessman Ned Lamont in 2006, would "get crushed" if challenged by Connecticut's State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in 2012.
"If Joe Lieberman decides to run for a fifth term in 2012, a new Quinnipiac poll suggests that it may be a lost cause," Eric Kleefeld writes at Talking Points Memo.
According to the Quinnipiac poll, "By a narrow 48 - 45 percent margin, voters disapprove of the job Sen. Joseph Lieberman is doing and give him a negative 43 - 49 percent favorability. Republicans approve 75 - 20 percent. Democrats disapprove 70 - 21 percent and independent voters split 48 - 46 percent."............
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
on saturday, valentine's day
i want every women in the state to go to a pub and have a beverage of some sort. the beverage can be a water or a tea or a soda. it doesn't have to be alcoholic. we have to show our support to our sisters in india.
here's my original posting from this morning
and please join the facebook group a consortium of pub-going, loose and forward women (i sure as shite did). why? well BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR INSANE MEN TO BEAT THE SHITE OUT OF WOMEN SIMPLY FOR BEING IN A PUB (or for ANY reason). that's why
i'm also going to be sending in some pink chaddis to oppose the Sri Ram Sena. they won't be there in time for valentine's day, but baby, they'll BE there eventually (the gift that just keeps on giving - those pink chaddis). so please do join me for a drink on saturday. y'all know where i hang
the pink chaddi campaign
a shout out to jumoke academy school
the website for jumoke academy isn't functioning yet. check back soon and see if it's up and running
for now, here's a little blurb
as you know, it's black history month. one of the events at work to celebrate and bring awareness to our 'campus' (i hate using corporate words but hey, that's how it is) was bringing some of the jumoke kids in. they have a flag parade (i believe they said they've had it for 8 years, but i could be mistaken). they also brought one of their choirs who sang two songs. the school is for k-8 and it looked like there was quite a mix of all of those ages. they had several flags from south africa to jamaica to ethiopia to puerto rico to portugal (i think there were 27 flags. somewhere around there). they had one flag bearer per flag and one speaker per flag. the speaker told us what their particular flags (colors and/or symbols usually) stood for. i'll tell you they did a GREAT job. i sure as heck couldn't memorize what those kids did. even the tiny ones kicked some serious butt.
thank you students at jumoke academy! i LOVED it
for now, here's a little blurb
as you know, it's black history month. one of the events at work to celebrate and bring awareness to our 'campus' (i hate using corporate words but hey, that's how it is) was bringing some of the jumoke kids in. they have a flag parade (i believe they said they've had it for 8 years, but i could be mistaken). they also brought one of their choirs who sang two songs. the school is for k-8 and it looked like there was quite a mix of all of those ages. they had several flags from south africa to jamaica to ethiopia to puerto rico to portugal (i think there were 27 flags. somewhere around there). they had one flag bearer per flag and one speaker per flag. the speaker told us what their particular flags (colors and/or symbols usually) stood for. i'll tell you they did a GREAT job. i sure as heck couldn't memorize what those kids did. even the tiny ones kicked some serious butt.
thank you students at jumoke academy! i LOVED it
Monday, February 09, 2009
i hope we get to fry (figuratively) her!
wouldn't that be grand? yup, it sure would be!
she IS one of the vilest most evil hate filled people in the entire universe.
Connecticut now investigating Coulter for voter fraud
Ann Coulter is now the subject of a formal probe by Connecticut’s Elections Enforcement Commission, moving her closer to being charged with fraud.
The commission is now conducting a "thorough investigation" of whether the prolific conservative pundit broke the law earlier this decade by voting in Connecticut while living in New York City, a spokeswoman for the commission told the New York Daily News.
The media-centric publishing powerhouse voted in Connecticut in 2002 and 2004, even though she was living in New York City. In fact, Coulter bought a posh $1.49 million condo on the Upper East Side during that period, according to the Daily News.
......................
she IS one of the vilest most evil hate filled people in the entire universe.
Connecticut now investigating Coulter for voter fraud
Ann Coulter is now the subject of a formal probe by Connecticut’s Elections Enforcement Commission, moving her closer to being charged with fraud.
The commission is now conducting a "thorough investigation" of whether the prolific conservative pundit broke the law earlier this decade by voting in Connecticut while living in New York City, a spokeswoman for the commission told the New York Daily News.
The media-centric publishing powerhouse voted in Connecticut in 2002 and 2004, even though she was living in New York City. In fact, Coulter bought a posh $1.49 million condo on the Upper East Side during that period, according to the Daily News.
......................
Thursday, February 05, 2009
funny thing happened on my way home from work today
i just have a regular old car radio/cd player. i don't subscribe to any satellite music channels. HOWEVER, when i was seeking channels i heard arte lange's voice. i stopped and yup, it was him. i then heard a few other of howard's pals (not howard). all of a sudden, i hear the "f" word left and right. "f" this and "f" that and mother "f" er and on and on. i definitely was receiving sirius radio signals. it lasted about 5 or 10 minutes. then it got all static again. it was around the college channels. around 88 or 89 point something.
well it was just ODD
well it was just ODD
i love crows and ravens
ravens are VERY intelligent. i don't say that lightly either.
i do see them in giant flocks (or murders) especially later in the afternoon, just before the sun goes down. i see them in west hartford and hartford. flying. hanging out in trees. calling out to each other.
Capitol Crows
Abandoning Flatbush For More Regal Roost, Do Black Birds Bode Ill For Budget?
By STEVE GRANT | The Hartford Courant
Those thousands of crows that roost in Hartford's West End trees on winter nights?
They've moved again — almost downtown.
After spending several years roosting near Flatbush Avenue by I-84, a colony of crows that sometimes numbers 15,000 or more birds has moved east, spending some nights in trees on the grounds of the State Capitol and of the Supreme Court and State Library complex across the street.
"They've been bopping around to different locations in Hartford," said Sylvia L. Halkin, a biology professor at Central Connecticut State University. Other nights they have been seen near Trinity College or the Mark Twain House or Putnam Street.
........................
picture: Thousands of crows gather near Riverside Park at dusk in a communal roosting habit. The crows have been gathering in various locations around Hartford during the winter for years. (BOB MACDONNELL / HARTFORD COURANT / January 29, 2009)
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
dick, i'd vote for you
in a hot minute. i'd vote for almost anyone EXCEPT for da liebs as it so happens.
however, i do like many of the things richard blumenthal has done for our fair state (of course i don't like ALL of the things he's done).
i hope da LIEbs is shaking in his shoes
Connecticut attorney general eyes Lieberman challenge
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced Monday he will seek a sixth term, is mulling a challenge against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in 2012.
Multiple Connecticut Democrats, speaking on condition of anonymity, say Blumenthal has begun informing influential members of the state's political class that he will prepare for a run against Lieberman............
however, i do like many of the things richard blumenthal has done for our fair state (of course i don't like ALL of the things he's done).
i hope da LIEbs is shaking in his shoes
Connecticut attorney general eyes Lieberman challenge
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced Monday he will seek a sixth term, is mulling a challenge against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in 2012.
Multiple Connecticut Democrats, speaking on condition of anonymity, say Blumenthal has begun informing influential members of the state's political class that he will prepare for a run against Lieberman............
hey you asses
it's HEAVILY SNOWING OUT. turn your effing headlights on. it's not only a law, IT MAKES SENSE AND IS INFINITELY SAFER (for me and all of the others that can't see you assholes driving down the street)
i met paul a LONGGGGGGGGGGG time ago
and haven't seen him in forever. i used to hang in bushnell park for the 'be ins' and the fiddle contest/festival. i loved the peace train. paul was special to hartford. he will be misse
thank you paul for the good times you gave me and THOUSANDS of others
Fiddle Contest Organizer Paul LeMay Dies
By WILLIAM WEIR | The Hartford Courant
With little more than charisma and force of will, Paul LeMay managed to turn an improbable idea into a Hartford phenomenon, bringing tens of thousands to the city for an annual fiddle contest.
LeMay died Friday of heart failure from complications of other illnesses. He was 65.
He started the New England Fiddle Contest in 1974, the same year he founded the grassroots arts organization, Peace Train Foundation. The first year featured a few dozen amateur fiddlers at Bushnell Park and an audience of about 1,000. Within a few years, the event would attract tens of thousands to the city; at the height of its popularity, 70,000 came for the fiddle contest.
"He really wanted Hartford to be a viable and happy place to be," said Cheryl Daniels, his partner of 30 years. "People would be able to see each other and be with each other and he would bring people together."..........
picture 2)Paul LeMay is photographed at the Riverfront Plaza dock, site of the 2002 New England Fiddle Contest. LeMay is the founder of the Peace Train Foundation and is the integral leader in bringing the fiddle contest to Hartford. (THOMAS CORDY / HARTFORD COURANT / August 13, 2002)
picture 1) Paul LeMay
(COURANT FILE PHOTO / May 13, 1974)
Paul LeMay of South Windsor stands by his renovated bus called "Peacetrain" in 1974.
Friday, January 30, 2009
hey rosa delauro
gets to watch the
Obama hosts bipartisan Super Bowl party
..........
Obama’s list of invited guests is as follows:
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA)
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)..............
andy thibault
at the cool justice report has done numerous postings on avery doninger. more than anyone else (probably more than EVERYONE else put together).
the rulings in that case were insane. they were unjust. they were WRONG
this too is VERY wrong (and i'll tell you this much, if one of those boys was MY son, i'd be out for someone's heart on a stick - and i'm NOT a violent woman. NO ONE, NO ONE in a school, makes a child STRIP for ANY reason, unless it's life and death. oh and one more thing. i don't even like kids that much. i just think kids have rights and protections. oh, if they're assholes and troublemakers sure, punish them BUT DON'T STRIP SEARCH THEM UNLESS YOU ARE ALMOST 100% CERTAIN THEY HAVE A WEAPON ON THEM)
Police: school strip searches not criminal
Compiled from news service reports
Shelton police and state prosecutors say no crime was committed when teachers at the Pine Academy school strip-searched four students. A lawyer for the teens, Robert Berke, says he won’t challenge the findings, but plans to sue, alleging an unreasonable search. Berke says Principal Patricia Nicolari ordered the searches Dec. 2 after a teacher reported $70 missing. He says two male teachers searched the students, making them strip down to their underwear, but the cash wasn’t found. The principal and two teachers were put on administrative leave afterward. It’s unclear if they’re back on the job.
the rulings in that case were insane. they were unjust. they were WRONG
this too is VERY wrong (and i'll tell you this much, if one of those boys was MY son, i'd be out for someone's heart on a stick - and i'm NOT a violent woman. NO ONE, NO ONE in a school, makes a child STRIP for ANY reason, unless it's life and death. oh and one more thing. i don't even like kids that much. i just think kids have rights and protections. oh, if they're assholes and troublemakers sure, punish them BUT DON'T STRIP SEARCH THEM UNLESS YOU ARE ALMOST 100% CERTAIN THEY HAVE A WEAPON ON THEM)
Police: school strip searches not criminal
Compiled from news service reports
Shelton police and state prosecutors say no crime was committed when teachers at the Pine Academy school strip-searched four students. A lawyer for the teens, Robert Berke, says he won’t challenge the findings, but plans to sue, alleging an unreasonable search. Berke says Principal Patricia Nicolari ordered the searches Dec. 2 after a teacher reported $70 missing. He says two male teachers searched the students, making them strip down to their underwear, but the cash wasn’t found. The principal and two teachers were put on administrative leave afterward. It’s unclear if they’re back on the job.
i begged y'all to come breed with me
here
i am known as 'rose bush' so look for me
or breed with me on facebook (same handle)
and i'm still begging you. i DID reach my goal state. i got assigned a NEW goal state now though. some COME BREED WITH ME
via the routes game
here's some info from the site (see it's NOT about sex at all, it's about genetics and dna and the like)
..............
Genetic testing scans DNA for genetic variants related to, eg, disease, ancestry and looks. The decision to be tested is a biggie. Could you take being told you have an above average chance of, say, getting Alzheimer’s or going blind?
It’s thought that Melanoma skin cancer is caused by an inherited faulty gene in only a few cases. But still you’re more likely to contract it if, like Katherine, you have the genetic trait of pale skin that burns easily.
Lupus is an incurable disease where the immune system attacks normal tissue. You’re up to 12% more likely to get it if there’s a family history, so Katherine might carry an inherited ‘Lupus gene’.
Cancer may run in your family if, eg, there are several cancers of the same type or several cases of rare cancers. But don't panic: only 5-10 percent of cancers are thought to be caused by faulty inherited genes.
Genetics Development December 2008: Britain’s first baby screened to be ‘breast cancer gene’-free is due.
Genetics Development June 08: Scientists find evidence of an association between Lupus and certain gene mutations.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
this happened in springfield in november
i didn't hear or read about it until right now. it's VERY disturbing in more ways than one.
the first of course being these men (allegedly) burned a predominantly african american church to the ground INJURING FIREFIGHTERS for good measure
the second is they are out on 100,000 bail. that seems VERYYYYYYYYYYYYY low to me., there was over 2,000,000 in damages done
the third being - the MAXIMUM they could get (if found guilty of course) is 10 years. that's the MAX. it is rare for anyone to get maximum sentences especially if you're a whiteboy
all because they were afraid when barack obama got elected to be OUR president. cowards. they are cowards
Three men indicted for burning black church on election night
Jeremy Gantz
Just hours after Barack Obama was elected president last November, three men set ablaze a predominantly African-American church in Massachusetts to "interfere" with the civil rights of its congregants, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday.
Benjamin Haskell, 22, Michael Jacques, 24, and Thomas Gleason, 21, all of Springfield, Mass., burned Macedonia Church of God in Christ to the ground in the early hours of Nov. 5th as payback for the election of the country’s first African-American president, the department's indictment alleges.
The three men were released Monday on $100,000 bail each, the Springfield Republican reported, after spending 11 days in federal custody..........
the following article IS from november...
Black church in Springfield burns
Fire began hours after vote, prompting fears it was arson
By Milton J. Valencia
Globe Staf
A predominantly black church under construction in Springfield was destroyed by fire early yesterday, just hours after Barack Obama's landmark victory, triggering concerns that the building was purposely set ablaze in a possible hate crime. The blaze started at Macedonia Church of God in Christ at 3:10 and caused an estimated $2 million in damage.
Church officials pledged to rebuild, but the concerns that their building was targeted dampened a mood that had been so uplifted in the night of Obama's historic win to become the nation's first black president-elect.
"This was a special time in our nation's history, but I also know not everybody was happy and celebrating," said Bishop Bryant J. Robinson Jr., head of the church. "After 71 years of being an African-American, you know these things happen."
Located on King Street, the church was moving to the site at 215 Tinkham Road, where the fire occurred..........
pic: Firefighters worked to prevent the blaze in Springfield from spreading to houses. (Mark M. Murray/Springfield Republican)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
stupid west hartford criminals
hint to all the criminals committing (or thinking about committing a crime in west hartford) DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT do it in the kane street or elmwood area. shite, even i know (and i'm not a criminal) the police are ALWAYS busting people in those areas. read the papers, that's where a TON of busts in west hartford occur. mostly drugs. some weapsons too.
i do go to kane street every once in a while when i go to stop and shop and that's the route i take. i love stupid connecticut criminals. they're great!
WEST HARTFORD - In mid-sentence, Sgt. Jeremy Clark swings his unmarked cruiser into the rear lot of the Burger King at Kane Street and Prospect Avenue.
Fifteen seconds earlier, he was talking about what he learns from the people he arrests. Now he's rolling past a nondescript blue Nissan parked a short distance from a smattering of other cars, facing a stockade fence. He taps the license number into the computer, checks the information on the screen and looks back at the Nissan.
A visitor, sitting in the passenger seat of the cruiser, is only just now realizing Clark is keyed in on the Nissan. The visitor has no idea why.
It's late on a December morning. The sun is bright but offers little warmth. In the Elmwood section of West Hartford, a checkerboard of shopping plazas and industrial buildings, traffic is already thick, relentless............
i do go to kane street every once in a while when i go to stop and shop and that's the route i take. i love stupid connecticut criminals. they're great!
West Hartford Police Street Crime Unit Looking For Trouble
|The Hartford CourantWEST HARTFORD - In mid-sentence, Sgt. Jeremy Clark swings his unmarked cruiser into the rear lot of the Burger King at Kane Street and Prospect Avenue.
Fifteen seconds earlier, he was talking about what he learns from the people he arrests. Now he's rolling past a nondescript blue Nissan parked a short distance from a smattering of other cars, facing a stockade fence. He taps the license number into the computer, checks the information on the screen and looks back at the Nissan.
A visitor, sitting in the passenger seat of the cruiser, is only just now realizing Clark is keyed in on the Nissan. The visitor has no idea why.
It's late on a December morning. The sun is bright but offers little warmth. In the Elmwood section of West Hartford, a checkerboard of shopping plazas and industrial buildings, traffic is already thick, relentless............
the cool justice report
hooks us up with some avery doninger video from fox & friends (yeah, i know, of ALL the networks, but it's a start)
andy also has a bunch of other avery links too. check it out, he's done some exhaustive reporting on this
andy also has a bunch of other avery links too. check it out, he's done some exhaustive reporting on this
Friday, January 23, 2009
please come breed with me
via routes game
discover the secrets in YOUR genes
(and i'm telling you breeding is addicting)
my breeder is at the bottom of this web page OR you can befriend me on facebook (i'm actually trying to get MORE friends than stink bomb who is a stuffed animal i might add) where i am known as rose bush (yes, i am)
found via wonderland
here's the press release
Routes is an eight week cross-platform game that debuts online from Channel 4 Education. Routes, produced in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, takes players on an immersive journey into the world of genetics, evolution and the human genome, in a bid to find out what makes us human.
Embedded in the game, award-winning comedian Katherine Ryan explores her own genetic make-up, and tests her DNA to find out whether it is her genes or her environment that define who she is. Can genes make you fat? Do they hide critical information about disease? Can Katherine blame her genetic make-up for the fact that she gets drunk on two beers?
As players delve deeper they are forced to explore these questions by solving puzzles, playing mini games, trading tips and collaborating on challenges, and as the broader game unravels the players will uncover a compelling mystery that lies at the heart of Routes itself. Who owns your genes? What are the pros and cons of exploring your genetic make-up? Do your genes determine who you are, or does our environment play a greater role?
The Routes website goes live in January 2009 at www.routesgame.com
The Routes website goes live in January 2009 at www.routesgame.com
Thursday, January 22, 2009
a shout out to
the goshen volunteer fire department AND dr katherine skiff kane!
Harrowing Horse Rescue
By LAUREN PETTY
Kim Garcia snuggles the horse she used to call Smoky. Now she's nicknamed him Frosty, after a nearly fatal fall through the ice.
"I could just see his nose and eyes," her husband, Bob Garcia said.
It was Bob who found the horse Tuesday night nearly submerged in a pond on their property. The horse had fallen through a beaver hole. "I just ran over and grabbed him and started screaming for my wife," Garcia said.
Kim called 911 and Bob held on until Goshen Volunteer Firefighters arrived and helped pull the horse out of the water.
They put the 450-pound horse on a big red tarp and dragged the horse 150 yards to the barn.
"My wife and firefighters started rubbing him down with dry comforters off the beds in the houses," Garcia said.
picture:
Goshen Fire Department
A six-month-old horse, pictured here, was rescued from an icy pond in Goshen on Tuesday.
A six-month-old horse, pictured here, was rescued from an icy pond in Goshen on Tuesday.
it's blog for choice day
it's also the anniversary of roe v wade.
the topic this year is:
What is your top pro-choice hope for President Obama and/or the new Congress?
i'll tell you what mine is, if you tell me what yours is!
first off, i'm going to start by saying (as i always start off by saying.....) i am NOT pro-abortion. what i AM is; PRO-CHOICE. my body and my sisters' bodies are our own. it's OUR decision.
as we used to say back in the day, KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF OF MY BODY
here we go
my hope for president obama and the congress (and everyone else) is: (and this is THE most important thing regarding choice. when one is WELL informed and WELL education about ALL OF THE CHOICES, one can make THE BEST decision possible)
STOP WASTING MONEY ON ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION. not only does it NOT work (how many times do studies have to prove that i ask you?) it also stops our children and our teens from learning about birth control and safer sex practices. both are absolutely essential for a healthy society and culture. since abstinence does NOT work, would you rather have your sons and daughters practicing birth control and safer sex than getting pregnant and/or contracting stds? i know what my choice is: teach our children well. teach our children thoroughly. teach our children ALL of the options NOT just the ONE THAT DOESN'T WORK.
comprehensive sex education for all (and yes, this includes all the nations we help with this. hiv/aids funding. when we dish out that dough we make ABSTINENCE ONLY preaching a condition. that is RIDICULOUS)
blog for choice 2009
pro choice america
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
wow
i can't IMAGINE sending home a permission slip on this one.
like helen outlines, we used to watch that crappy tv that was rolled into our classroom(s) for important events. space launches, perhaps an important figure coming to america and absolutely FOR SURE A PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. this IS america NO? (this is america YES). what bullshite about some religions don't 'believe' in elections. fine don't vote BUT AS A STUDENT IN AN AMERICAN SCHOOL ONE MUST LEARN ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES. of course i'm NOT buying the religions reason 'excuse' by one bit. i'm also with helen on this one, even if it was ANOTHER bush in the white house, it is IMPERATIVE our children watch the inauguration. period
don't they have civics? hmmmmmmm
do we need permission slips to teach our children american history? wtf??????????????
Schools Don't Need Permission To Let Kids Witness History
Helen Ubiñas
Erin Scafe has signed so many permission slips for her kids it's become almost automatic. Yes, they can go on that field trip. How much? Sure, they're in for a bag lunch.
But the slip she recently got from Windsor's Clover Street School was different.
After some information about Tuesday's bag lunches, there was a question about fourth- and fifth-graders watching the presidential inauguration.
The school offered two options: I give my child permission. I don't.
Scafe was confused. Permission?
Shouldn't children be expected to be interested in American politics?
She scribbled her disappointment on the slip and suggested that it was a horrible mistake and very disturbing. It's not that she thinks it's racially or politically motivated, she later told me. She just can't imagine what the motivation could be. It's not a districtwide policy or anything.
"This is not a choice. This is what I expect from my educators. This is a public school."
Scafe's an unabashed Obama supporter. But, she said, she would have expected her children to watch the inauguration at school even if John McCain had won.
After we spoke, I was equally puzzled. Have we gotten so PC or partisan that we've completely lost our perspective?...........
like helen outlines, we used to watch that crappy tv that was rolled into our classroom(s) for important events. space launches, perhaps an important figure coming to america and absolutely FOR SURE A PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. this IS america NO? (this is america YES). what bullshite about some religions don't 'believe' in elections. fine don't vote BUT AS A STUDENT IN AN AMERICAN SCHOOL ONE MUST LEARN ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES. of course i'm NOT buying the religions reason 'excuse' by one bit. i'm also with helen on this one, even if it was ANOTHER bush in the white house, it is IMPERATIVE our children watch the inauguration. period
don't they have civics? hmmmmmmm
do we need permission slips to teach our children american history? wtf??????????????
Schools Don't Need Permission To Let Kids Witness History
Helen Ubiñas
Erin Scafe has signed so many permission slips for her kids it's become almost automatic. Yes, they can go on that field trip. How much? Sure, they're in for a bag lunch.
But the slip she recently got from Windsor's Clover Street School was different.
After some information about Tuesday's bag lunches, there was a question about fourth- and fifth-graders watching the presidential inauguration.
The school offered two options: I give my child permission. I don't.
Scafe was confused. Permission?
Shouldn't children be expected to be interested in American politics?
She scribbled her disappointment on the slip and suggested that it was a horrible mistake and very disturbing. It's not that she thinks it's racially or politically motivated, she later told me. She just can't imagine what the motivation could be. It's not a districtwide policy or anything.
"This is not a choice. This is what I expect from my educators. This is a public school."
Scafe's an unabashed Obama supporter. But, she said, she would have expected her children to watch the inauguration at school even if John McCain had won.
After we spoke, I was equally puzzled. Have we gotten so PC or partisan that we've completely lost our perspective?...........
i've seen the promised land
I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight because my conscience leaves me no other choice. I join with you in this meeting because I am in deepest agreement with the aims and work of the organization which has brought us together: Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam. The recent statement of your executive committee are the sentiments of my own heart and I found myself in full accord when I read its opening lines: "A time comes when silence is betrayal." That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.
The truth of these words is beyond doubt but the mission to which they call us is a most difficult one. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world. Moreover when the issues at hand seem as perplexed as they often do in the case of this dreadful conflict we are always on the verge of being mesmerized by uncertainty; but we must move on.
Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak. And we must rejoice as well, for surely this is the first time in our nation's history that a significant number of its religious leaders have chosen to move beyond the prophesying of smooth patriotism to the high grounds of a firm dissent based upon the mandates of conscience and the reading of history. Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movement well and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us............
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