why would a 21 year old sailor

steal information off of a military laptop and try to sell it to a foreign government? there IS no sound reason is the answer. something doesn't sit right about this story

Oregon sailor to face court-martial on espionage

By Michael Felberbaum, Associated Press Writer August 26, 2006
RICHMOND, Va. --A sailor accused of taking a Navy laptop loaded with classified information and peddling its contents to a foreign government will face a court-martial, the Navy said Friday.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Ariel J. Weinmann, of Salem, Ore., will face six charges -- including three counts of espionage -- that were approved by Adm. John B. Nathman, commander of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk.
The espionage charges carry a maximum punishment of death, but the Navy will not seek a capital sentence, Navy spokesman Capt. James Taylor said. Weinmann, a fire control technician previously assigned to the USS Albuquerque based at New London, Conn., faces up to life in prison if convicted.
A trial date has not been set.
The Navy has said Weinmann, who is being held at the brig at Norfolk Naval Air Station, gave classified information related to national defense to an undisclosed foreign government before he destroyed the computer.
During a preliminary hearing in July, the Navy disclosed that Weinmann was picked up at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on March 26 after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents found the 21-year-old with $4,000 cash, three CD-ROMs, an external computer storage device and memory cards for storing digital images............

a couple of postings ago i gave you the link to the enigmatic paradox

now star has posted a link to a GREAT song for a GREAT cause. the song is have you had enough (link to the posting which links to the song). one of my all time favorites is singing; ricki lee jones along with tom maxwell and ken mosher from the squirrel nut zippers.

.........................
Have You Had Enough?

Have you had enough of hypocrisy?

Have you had enough of the spending spree?

Have you had enough?

Does it make you want to scream and shout?

Have you had enough of the rubber stamps?

Have you had enough of the wire taps?

If you’ve had enough, then it’s time to throw the rascals out!

We’ve let them take the test too long

They’ve gotten all the answers wrong

No plan, no shame, no oversight

Now’s the time to put it right!

Have you had enough, cause they’re all corrupt?

Have you had enough of being divvied up?

If you’ve had enough, then it’s time to throw the rascals out!

Well, do what’s right and spread the word

It’s time to make our voices heard

You cast your vote it don’t cost a dime

Sittin’ it out will be a crime

I’ve had enough, and it’s time to throw the rascals out................

please check out the posting AND the cause

stop by and say hello to

enigmatic paradox

imagine rx2008

saw this on skippy's site and i knew i had to post it as well

the cine-one-too-effing-many in east hartford is closing

i make a point of AVOIDING those giant theaters. i HATE them. i HATE most of the movies they show.

i'm sorry it's closing though. i am always upset when i hear of something that is going to close. i worry about the loss of jobs.

i prefer to go to cinestudio at trinity or the theater by brainard field (it was called cinema city, but i'm not sure of the name now). i'm more of an independent or foreign movie snob (don't get me wrong, i be lovin' me some animal house). i'm also an avid member of netflix. i LOVE that service. the last time i was in a video rental store, it was to return some dvds i didn't even know i had and the late fees cost me ALMOST as much as it would have cost me to replace the dvds. i tore up my card to that store then and there. (by the way, that had NEVER happened to me before. i am usually VERY reliable. don't know what happened. i just forgot i had those videos)

East Hartford Cinema To Close

BY DAN UHLINGER Courant Staff Writer August 24 2006, 2:26 PM EDT EAST HARTFORD -- Suffering from fewer moviegoers, Showcase Cinema, a town fixture and eyecatcher along I-84 for more than 30 years, will close Sept. 4 after its last showing.Company officials were preparing a press release about the theater after employees said they were told Tuesday about the closing."It wasn't a huge surprise but everyone was pretty sure it was going to stay around for a while," said Chris Devaux, an employee who has worked at the 14-screen theater since 1997.Robert Moch, theater manager, said he could not comment and was told to refer all inquiries to Dedham, Mass.-based National Amusements Inc., the owner of Showcase Cinemas."The word is out there," said Devaux. "Employees have been telling customers as they buy tickets, but I guess the company wants to make a big announcement."Mayor Melody A. Currey said company officials have not notified the town about the closing or returned phone calls to her."I think obviously it was decision they made a while ago and they're moving on," she said. "I'm disappointed they chose not to upgrade the site. The last time was 1995. It's a great location with great visibility."........

who was the last president you knew who LOST A PLANET???

i cannot take credit for that, but bruce and colin CAN!!!

pas de deux approximativement NOTHING

wicked wicked wicked funny dear mr stewart

a shout out to this family - they are our own

they are our neighbors, our friends, our sons and our daughters. they DESERVE to stay safe and not be put in harm's way. i thank the whole family

Big family, big issues
By Ben Rubin , Journal Inquirer

EAST HARTFORD - At first glance, the home at 49 Wells Ave. seems like an unassuming place on an ordinary street. But inside, it is in constant motion.It's where Karen Defond brought up 12 children - eight of whom were adopted and one a daughter of a friend who died.Three of her seven boys - Peter Defond, 23; Timothy Graveline, 20; and Douglas Graveline, 21 - grew up to join the Marines, with one fighting in Iraq, one stationed in Japan, and one back home, injured.

After serving in Iraq for three months, Douglas returned to East Hartford in January after an improvised explosive device blew up the tank he was driving. The incident happened Dec. 20, 2005, in Fallujah.Douglas was nearly killed in the attack, Karen said, and by the time he came back to the U.S., he had a jagged scar across his right arm, a broken jaw, missing teeth, and short-term memory loss."If he didn't get hurt, he said he'd be right back there to help his fellow man and the people who wanted help," Karensaid. "When he started to walk again, he said he wanted to go back."Now recuperating at home, he seemed to heal quickly. Never one to talk to people outside a small core of friends and family, he refused to discuss the incident."I was happy, because he was alive still," Karen said. "He's considered a veteran now, a 21-year-old veteran. You wouldn't think that, would you?"Peter is serving a third tour in Iraq - one he volunteered to do -battling in towns and cities his family sometimes can't remember the names of.As a frontline soldier, Karen bluntly described what Peter does: "He shoots a lot."..........

when i heard this on my car radio yesterday, i was aghast

this dude has STONES fo sho. can you believe this?

Giordano Wants Pay For Unused Sick, Vacation Days

WATERBURY, Conn. -- Waterbury officials said former Mayor Philip Giordano, a prison inmate, isn't entitled to thousands of dollars for unused vacation or sick time.
Giordano, who's serving 37 years on federal child sex charges, claims he's owed tens of thousands of dollars for the vacation and sick days he never took before his arrest.
Sheila O'Malley, Mayor Michael Jarjura's chief of staff, said under the charter they're not obligated to give him sick time and won't even entertain his request.............

tell king george to stay out of EVERYTHING ELSE as well as CONNECTICUT

Bush says he'll stay out of Connecticut Senate race

August 21, 2006
WASHINGTON --President Bush said Monday he'll stay out of the Connecticut Senate race, widely seen as a referendum on the war in Iraq.
Anti-war businessman Ned Lamont beat U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman in an Aug. 8 Democratic primary, largely by criticizing Lieberman's support of the war and accusing him of being too close to Bush and Republicans.
Lieberman is now running as an independent, and national Republicans have declined to back Alan Schlesinger, the Republican candidate in the race. He drew support from 4 percent of likely voters in a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, compared with 53 percent for Lieberman and 41 percent for Lamont.
"I'm going to stay out of Connecticut," Bush said at a news conference Monday.
When a reporter reminded him that he was born in Connecticut, Bush grinned and said, "Shhhhhh."
During the primary campaign, Lamont supporters wore buttons with a picture of Bush appearing to kiss Lieberman's cheek after his 2005 State of the Union address. Top Bush adviser Karl Rove has said he called Lieberman on primary night and wished him well, although he denied offering the senator help in the election's final hours.
Bush said during his news conference Monday that he was troubled that so many U.S. House and Senate candidates were calling for withdrawal U.S. forces from Iraq. Lamont is among those calling for a speedy withdrawal.............

da liebs in rolling stone

who knew he was such a hep happenin' dude? NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT any way, it's a good article. give it a read.

THE LOW POST: Dead Man Coming
Don't hold your breath waiting for Joe Lieberman to go away. MATT TAIBBI

Late at night in Hartford's Goodwin Hotel last Tuesday -- I'm not even sure what time it was -- Joe Lieberman made his way to the podium for his much-anticipated "concession" speech.
I'd been joking with another reporter that en route to his capitulation Joe would leave fingernail tracks in the carpet leading all the way back to his private room upstairs, but surprisingly he did not have to be dragged onstage at all, and his little elfin nails looked unbloodied and intact as he spoke. I was looking over a crowd of reporters and Joe staffers, off to the right and to the rear of the hall, as he announced his determination to press on:
"If the people of Connecticut are good enough to send me back to Washington . . . " he began, "I promise them I will keep fighting for the same progressive new ideas and for stronger national security . . . "
At the words progressive new ideas I couldn't help myself and let out a little laugh, recalling Lieberman's determination to yank funding from public schools that counseled suicidal teens that it was OK to be gay. Was that the kind of progressive idea he was talking about? I really did try to muffle it, but it was too late -- a middle-aged woman with big dangly earrings in a Lieberman T-shirt whipped around and glared at me.
"Yes?" I said.
"Have some respect!" she snapped.
"What?" I shouted.............. ......."You know what?" she said. "You reporters are all alike. You won't admit it, but you're all anti-Semites . . . "
I scratched my head. Anti-Semites? The song rattled on creepily:
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up
I shuddered at this, trying to keep my wits, but Horn-Rimmed Glasses was still whaling away at me. "You people really do have no respect," she went on. "Joe is such a wonderful man . . . "
"Listen," I exploded, interrupting her. "Do you know what this song is about?"
She froze.
"It's about a guy who gets an erection that doesn't go away," I said. "Can you explain to me why this song is playing now? What the hell is wrong with you people?"
Horn-Rimmed frowned and listened. At that exact moment Mick Jagger was wrapping the song up:
You, you make a dead man come . . .
You, you make a dead man come . . .................

don't forget it's tax free week (on shoes and clothing) in connecticut

Brief Tax Break Begins Back-To-School Shoppers Take Advantage
By JODIE MOZDZER Courant Staff Writer August 21 2006
WEST HARTFORD -- While each of their teenage daughters carried a load of clothes to the Gap dressing room Sunday, Donna Michlinand Jackie Meacham prepared for their own heavy lifting."We're here to hold the bags," Meacham said. "And we do the credit card thing."With the girls trying on $100 cashmere sweaters and more at the Westfarms mall store, Michlin and Meacham said they were happy they chose this week - sales tax-free week in Connecticut - to do the bulk of their back-to-school shopping.Sunday was the first day of Connecticut's seventh annual tax-exempt week for clothes and shoes. No tax will be charged on single items priced up to $299.99 through Saturday. Every other week of the year, items under $50 are exempt from the 6 percent sales tax.Connecticut is one of 13 states to have some sort of tax-free shopping incentive. Other states, such Massachusetts, hold a tax holiday for just a weekend.Despite the added allure of an extra 6 percent savings, many stores at Westfarms did not have signs advertising the deal.............

molly (i love her!!!) from texas has the scoop on lamont from connecticut

and why osama bin is so very happy ned won. the terrorists were on the edges of their seats the night of the election i'll have you know!

Molly Ivins: Osama Hearts Lamont

By Molly Ivins
If you listen to Dick Cheney, Bin Laden & Co. were staying up late to hear the Lamont-Lieberman election returns from Darien, Conn.
AUSTIN, Texas—The most cunning refinement yet in the administration’s plot to scare the liver, lights and onions out of us with Tales of Terror Plots is the Department of Homeland Security’s brilliant move to declare Indiana the national center of terrorism, with 8,591 potential targets. Many citizens have questioned the Indiana move—some claiming it is a waste of money trying to stop attacks on the Wabash Cannonball. The Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument might merit a little more attention. This is precisely why it is better to have Michael Chertoff and Karl Rove making these Homeland Security decisions, rather than Osama bin Laden.
The defeat of Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary alerted Veep Dick Cheney to the menace. Ned Lamont, the guy who beat Lieberman, said he was surprised that Cheney claimed his victory would embolden Osama bin, as we call him Texas.
“My God, here we have a terrorist threat against hearth and home, and the very first thing that comes out of their mind is how we can turn this to partisan advantage,” complained Lamont. Lieberman warned that Lamont’s call for a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq would be “taken as a tremendous victory” by the terrorists. Cheney said it would encourage “the Al Qaeda types” who want to “break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task.” .........

i saw let da liebs keep jawin'

the more he says, the angrier he makes his constituants. i am NOT a terrorist, or a supporter of terrorists. i am NOT a kook. i am NOT opening my front door to al queda by voting my heart AND my mind. i'm not willing to sacrifice any more lives of our men and women to a war based on lies and goddess knows what else. da liebs MUST go (as well as the king and his court, but we have to wait a bit more for king george to leave his throne) and we MUST elect ned lamont

Senate Democrats grow angry at Joe Lieberman for campaign tactics

Some Senate Democrats are becoming angry with Senator Joe Lieberman's statements on the campaign trail, today's issue of The Hill is reporting.
Democrats are upset with statements Lieberman made about the Iraq war, implying that the stand of many Democrats to bring the troops home from Iraq by a certain date puts national security at risk. Some senior aides have intimated that Lieberman may lose seniority within the caucus over the imbroglio.
A majority of Senate Democrats, 26 to date, have said they will support Ned Lamont in the November election. Lamont beat Lieberman in the Democratic primary last week.
Excerpts from The Hill article follow............

the worm crawls

a GOOD ending to this story. how ridiculous to try to stop a youngster from selling worms. damn what a bunch o' idjits

Cromwell's Can Of Worms Ends Happily For Teenager

By JODIE MOZDZER Courant Staff Writer August 16 2006 CROMWELL -- The worm turned for 13-year-old Joey Cadieux Tuesday night at a special meeting of the planning and zoning commission.In a unanimous vote, the commission rescinded what some members said was an "unauthorized" July letter sent to Joey that told him to close down his night crawlers business - an action that triggered international outrage against the order and support for the young entrepreneur.The backlash also prompted finger pointing among town officials who blamed each other for the black eye given the town's reputation."I'm excited," Joey said after the meeting. He headed home to put up the 18-by-18-inch sign, "NITE CRAWLERS," that drew town officials' attention to his worm business on Washington Road in the first place.At the commission's June 20 meeting, a general discussion of home businesses and signs led to a discussion of the worm sign and how such signs violated zoning regulations. In the end, commission members asked that the zoning enforcement officer, Fred Curtin, look into it. He did and then issued the order without following up with the commission, according to commission Chairman Peter Hanson.Since the public uproar over the order, other signs have been popping up on Washington Road in support of Joey and his worms, reading, "Hug a worm," "Worms for Rent" and "Live Worm or Die."...............

my friend dottie and i were chatting a bit yesterday

and she said to me she didn't think ned lamont had a chance to be elected in november (not that she doesn't like ned mind you). i of course disagreed with her. i really DO think ned will win. the more da liebs makes commercials and is endorsed by the king and his court jesters and the RADICAL unsympathetic close minded right, the more comfortable i feel

Collins endorses Lieberman in his re-election bid

PORTLAND, Maine --U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman's bid for re-election as an independent received a solid endorsement from the chairwoman of the Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she fully supports Lieberman, ranking Democrat on the committee, who's running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to political newcomer Ned Lamont.
"I very much hope that Sen. Lieberman will be re-elected in the fall. His is an important voice of moderation and experience in the Senate," she said..........

(important voice of MODERATION? what a load of shite. anyone who endorses this unjust war in iraq is NOT moderate. they are in my opinion responsible for the deaths of 2,500 plus of our men and women)

springfield, not so very far away you know

A visitor enjoys himself at the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden. (MARC-YVES REGIS I)

who knew all of these things were in springfield? i knew about the dr seuss memorial but not about the other things. of course i also knew about the basketball hall of fame (go larry bird)

Culture Cluster Springfield's Quadrangle Of Museums Is A Rich Mix

By ANNE FARROW Courant Staff Writer August 15 2006

I saw a Picasso, visited with the Grinch, drank a delicious cappuccino in an Italian cafe, and took a trip back to the world of Currier & Ives, all in one place. For my "daycation," I drove 26 miles on I-91 North to Springfield, then spent the day exploring the city's rich complex of museums, four of which border the long green quadrangle that is home to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.The cover of the visitors' center map says, "Come in and See the World," and it is an apt phrase for the culture cluster known as the Springfield Museums, which includes the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum.I go to museums the way some women shop, so the idea of "all museums, all day" was perfect for me. I began with the science museum's Hall of Dinosaurs, which is dominated by a 20-foot-tall model of tyrannosaurus rex. It may be the effect of those "Jurassic Park" movies, but dinosaurs seem more familiar than scary. This is a museum with a strong emphasis on the education of children, so even the video that plays in the hall is rather comforting. I learned that "many of the herbivores didn't chew their food," and that the dinosaurs "have left us great dental records."I love dioramas, and this museum has a lot of them - from moose of New England, to bison of the Great Plains, all of whom looked small after seeing that tyrannosaur. The highlight of the museum for me was the planetarium show, because I hadn't seen a planetarium show since my dad took me to the Museum of Science in Boston in the 1950s.............

this speaks volumes

and it's downright unusual. and i agree with snow (on this issue at least), the connecticut race IS unique. but for king george not to come out an openly support his republican senatorial candidate is odd odd odd.

White House vague about Bush support for GOP Senate candidate

By Andrew Miga, Associated Press Writer August 14, 2006
WASHINGTON --President Bush isn't exactly eager to lend his support to the Republican nominee in Connecticut's tumultuous Senate race.
The White House was circumspect on Monday when asked whether Bush would support Republican Alan Schlesinger in the three-way fall contest that includes Democratic nominee Ned Lamont and three-term incumbent Sen. Joe Lieberman.
"The president supports the democratic process in the state of Connecticut and wishes them a successful election in November," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
Bush routinely backs Republican candidates in races all across the country.
Lieberman has won praise from the Bush team for his unwavering support of the Iraq war and is seen by some Democrats as too close to the president. He began an independent bid to keep his seat after losing the Democratic primary last week to anti-war challenger and political newcomer Lamont.
Snow was asked whether Bush was balking at supporting Schlesinger because he liked Lieberman -- or wanted to stay out of the contest because Schlesinger was trailing badly in the polls.
"There may be a whole host of reasons the president -- I'm just not going to play," Snow replied.
He suggested the Connecticut race was unique.......................

an update on the story (two stories) below

(well the part that deals with me that is)

the person at work whom i had a discussion with last thursday, said HELLO to me this morning very loudly. i didn't answer him. i was still quite upset (and to tell you the truth a bit hurt). he came over to my desk and asked me what was up. i told him, i was very upset and it was hard for me to deal with some of the things he said to me. i said i wasn't so much upset about what he said about things in general, i was upset he didn't want to deal with me anymore because of MY beliefs (which i normally keep to myself at work. remember HE brought it up. although he did overhear me talking with someone else about my political beliefs). a few other things were said and then he apologized to me and i of course apologized to him (although i didn't do anything that i felt needed an apology. i just wanted to say it to clear the air). i then said i am going to consider the prior discussion forgotten (and i will). end of (this) story

ned lamont

on the nay sayers. and i agree with ned. it IS offensive

AP Interview: Lamont says he's surprised by harshness of attacks from Lieberman, Cheney

By Andrew Miga, Associated Press Writer August 13, 2006
WASHINGTON --Democratic Senate nominee Ned Lamont, the anti-war candidate who toppled Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut primary, says he was surprised by Lieberman and Vice President Dick Cheney's claims that his victory could embolden terrorists.
"My God, here we have a terrorist threat against hearth and home and the very first thing that comes out of their mind is how can we turn this to partisan advantage. I find that offensive," Lamont said in an interview Sunday with The Associated Press.
After British officials disclosed they had thwarted a terrorist airline bombing plot on Thursday, Lieberman warned that Lamont's call for a phased-withdrawal of troops from Iraq would be "taken as a tremendous victory" by terrorists.
Cheney on Wednesday had suggested that Lamont's victory might encourage "the al-Qaida types" who want to "break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."
Lamont said Lieberman's swipe at his candidacy "sounded an awful lot" like Cheney.
"It surprised me," he said. "It seemed almost orchestrated. It's sort of demeaning to the people of Connecticut ... I thought the senator and the vice president were both wrong to use that attack (strategy) on the voters of Connecticut."
The Lieberman camp Sunday brushed aside Lamont's comments.
"All Lieberman did was point out an important difference between his approach to national security and Ned Lamont's, which is what campaigns are all about," said Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein..........