Got root?

Over the weekend in Hartford, 11 people were shot.

There’s an article in this morning’s Hartford Courant, but interestingly enough they won’t allow any comments on the article. Well, actually it is not interesting, because Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez recently berated the Courant for the negative publicity the city receives. I guess the Courant is buckling under to the “Little Professor.”

The shootings took place in three attacks after the West Indian Pride Parade. The 11 victims included a 7 year old boy and a 17-month old girl.

A follow-up article relates that Perez and the police chief (how does this guy keep his job?) have imposed a 30-day curfew. Anyone under 18 who is out after 9pm without a parent or guardian will be picked up by police and take to a community center where the parents can pick them up.

Wow. Lotta teeth in that, eh? Well, at least they’ll be out of the line of fire. Unless a shooting erupts at the community center.

Things were never this bad when Mayor Mike ran the show.

Technorati Tags: Hartford, Connecticut, violence

In June 2007, Connecticut Superior Court Judge Hillary B. Strackbein set aside the totally bogus conviction of substitute teacher, Julie Amero.

Amero, you may remember, was the substitute teacher accused of 30-odd counts of risk of injury to a minor, alleging that she allowed seventh grade students to view pornography. Ultimately, Judge Strackbein set aside the conviction because it was clear that the Norwich Police Department totally screwed up the investigation. In fact, the Norwich Police Department appeared to be as computer-illiterate as Julie Amero.

The Norwich School District failed to take the simplest precautions to protect their computers from spyware, and instead tried to blame a substitute teacher for the flood of pop-ups that occurred on the computer.

Amazingly enough, this case is still open on the books. The State won’t seek dismissal of charges, probably because they are trying to save face.

Here is a link to the most recent column by Rick Green that describes the current state of this travesty.

In this day and age, where taser-happy police departments routinely trample people’s civil rights, encouraged by a government that things nothing of routinely spying on its own people, the Connecticut State’s Attorney should step up to the plate and get this case off the books by requesting that charges against Amero be dismissed. If nothing else, it might help restore the faith of the people in a small part of their government.

Last Wednesday, my wife and I had the opportunity to go to New York City, to Carnegie Hall, to see my nephew graduate from medical school. As you might expect, it was a day filled with pride, and of nostaligic memories when he was young contrasting with the purposeful stride of the young man introduced as “Doctor” when he walked across the stage to accept his diploma.

One of the things I noticed however, was that three times during the ceremony, people’s cell phones went off.

Now, don’t get me wrong. You all know I’m a techno-geek, and that I wouldn’t be without my cell phone. But, there is a time and place for everything.

My idea of cell phone etiquette in public gatherings/ceremonies is as follows:

• If you do not need your cell phone on (i.e., you are not on-call, you do not have someone calling you in an emergency) then turn it off. That’s what voice mail is for.
• If you need your cell phone on, because work, or your young children, or their babysitter might need to contact you, turn it on vibrate.
• If you do need to take a call, answer it QUIETLY, and either tell them you’ll call them right back, or quietly move to an area where you will not distrub someone.

I think if more people did that, then less people would hate cell phone users.

So, my nephew Marc is now a doctor, and will very shortly begin his surgical residency. I hope for his sake, no one has their cell phone on in the operating room!

Technorati Tags: cellphone, technology, etiquette

So I’m watching the Sox game on Tuesday night, when JD Drew (the Sox $14 million/year right fielder) hits a ground ball, tries to hustle it out, and gets tossed out at first base. Nothing new, although he has been better this year than last.

Next thing you know he’s out of the game. Seems he “slightly strained” his quad. Oh boy, could be a stint on the DL coming up!

In the top of the 9th, with a runner on second, Toronto CF Vernon Wells rips one back up the middle, and Dustin Pedroia saves the game, diving to make the stop and throwing Wells out. (Remember this play — it’s important).

So, they get to the bottom of the ninth in a 0-0 game, and Big Papi ends up on second base after a single and a walk to Manny. But there’s not really anyone to run for him. Why? Because JD Drew is sittin’ on the bench, meaning that Brandon Moss was in the game (and not available to run) and Ellsbury has a groin strain. So, the only one they could have put in was Lowrie. Tito elected to stay with Papi.

Fortunately, Youk hits a single that Wells bobbles and Big Papi hustles home, Red Sox wins 1-0.

Now, to Wednesday night’s game……

It seems that on the dive play the night before, Pedroia jammed his shoulder. But guess who’s leading off the game and playing 2B? Right, Pedroia. Guess who’s not playing? Right, $14 Million Man of Glass Drew.

Late in the game, there was a similar situation — Big Papi on second and only Lowrie to run for him. Well, Lowrie did, and a perfect throw by Vernon Wells and some excellent defense by Toronto’s catcher lead to Lowrie being thrown out.

Manny moved to second and ‘Tek brought him in.

So, what’s interesting to me is this:

JD Drew, $14 million /year, 2nd on the Sox salary list.
Dustin Pedroia, $457,000/hear, 20th on the Sox salary list.

Which one plays his ass off, hurt?

In terms of “worth to the team”, I’d vote that we switch those salaries……

Here’s a novel idea….

Everyone these days is talking about “going green,” looking for ways to help the environment. Actually, it seems pretty much like a media-driven fad to me. We went through one of these periods back in the 1970s, and it didn’t last long, otherwise we wouldn’t be having another “going green” fire drill right now.

But, aside from that, with gas prices pushing $4.00 a gallon, probably nearing $5.00 a gallon by Labor Day, we all need a way to do a little something to lessen the demand for that God-Almighty icon of American life: oil.

Here’s a novel idea. If every major company in this country took a solid look and determined which of their employees could telecommute one day per week, and then (get this) actually let them do it, there’d be a lot less demand for gasoline.

Okay, that’s not going to cure the fact that Big Oil has us by the short hairs right now (with the full complicity of the government), but it will lessen some of the thirst for Jed Clampett’s “Texas Tea.”

Here’s the problem: the bozos that run these big companies, these large conglomerates, have brains about the size of a walnut. They don’t trust themselves, so they certainly are not going to trust their employees to work from home one day a week.

So, that’s pretty much where we stand — the ability to leave the car in the garage for one day out of every five kinda rests on the brain power of someone who probably couldn’t out-think your average T. Rex, never mind those 5th graders on TV.

Still, if you can, try it. It just might help!

I was on the treadmill this morning and I heard on the news that the State Of Connecticut legislature will be taking up a bill that seeks to pass a 6% tax on all deliveries.

At first I thought of Federal Express or UPS type deliveries, but the newscasters informed me that this also included things like pizza delivery and flower deliveries. Let that sink in for just a bit…. Saturday night, you’re watching the game, gettin’ hungry craving some pizza, so you pick up the phone and call. WHAM! Tack on another 6% because they brought it to your door.

Let’s say you order something on-line from a company that has a presence in CT. Further, let’s say it is something that is ONLY available on-line. UPS brings it to your door…. WHACK. The State has just double-dipped you for a whopping 12% of the purchase price. Because the company has a presence in CT, there’s 6% sales tax. Then there’s a 6% delivery tax. Talk about stickin’ it to you.

I can only say I’m flaggergasted. We’ve got an income tax. We’ve got a sales tax that, if you believed the idiots when they passed the income tax, was supposed to go away. Instead, they reduced the 7.5% sales tax back to 6%. Now they want to add on another tax?

The Legislature in this state is like a crack addict — they’ll do anything for more money, more money, more money. They can’t properly spend what they have, and make it last, like any family has to in these tough times. No, they just come up with more ways to tax the crap outta you.

I haven’t even started thinking about the effect this might have on business — especially small business. I’m not sure if this is only a residential tax or if it hits businesses too. The Legislature has already made this State a ghost-town when it comes to any kind of meaningful business……

More info as it becomes available……

On Thursday, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that it was okay for government to take your property by eminent domain for the purposes of economic development.

Now, I’m not going to pretend that I know much of the legalities of this entire situation, but I will tell you that this just plain feels wrong.

I have most often heard of emiment domain being applied it situations where road or other public improvements are needed. I cannot remember any case where it was applied to build a luxury hotel or a parking lot, as is the case in New London, CT.

From what I have read and understand, this basically means that if your local government decides that their economic interests (which are ostensibly “your” economic interests from their point of view), if their economic interests are best served by giving you 50 cents on the dollar for your home, tearing it down and putting up a Ritz Carlton, then you are just plain outta luck.

This should make you very, very afraid. Especially if you didn’t vote for the bozos who are currently running your city or your town.

What to do about this? Not quite sure yet, but I have plenty more research and reading to do on the subject.

Stay tuned, and check out some of the links at: http://www.starkeith.net/coredump/index.php?p=553