Monthly archives: May 2008

 

 

What IS Freedom of Speech?

  • By: Cindy

Many of you are wondering if I would comment on Saturday’s Record-Journal article on local blogs.

Well, it seems a Town Councilor has questioned the blog as a whole which is this persons right. Blogs are not newspapers, but when words are written, a certain amount of care has to be considered. It is true that most people in power do not like to be questioned. Actually, I could expand on that and venture out and state that most PEOPLE do not like to be questioned. That is a part of human nature.

I believe the original intent of blogs was to be like a diary of daily happenings in one’s life. Then they started to evolve into a semi-formal op-ed page. Now many blogs (not mine, because mine is a WEBSITE), have anonymous comments. I DO NOT ALLOW NOR HAVE I EVER ALLOWED ANONYMOUS COMMENTS!!

That is one exception I am taking with the Record-Journal article. The reporter seems to link me into a blog that allows anonymous comments which is misleading. However, if a town politico does not like certain verbiage, well guess what, I have had to take a lot of hits on the chin myself, and the biggest offender was someone from the TOWN who sent me what I believe they thought was an anonymous e-mail a few years ago. Hey, you people like to dish it out-then you need to take it!!

I mean, there are limits, but you know what-all is fair in love and war and believe me, I will defend myself and I have many times and will continue to.

I try to be careful, but sometimes people in power just do not like things said they don’t agree with. That is the nature of the beast. I don’t allow anonymous comments just so I can get more hits on my site. Believe me, I get more hits than most newspapers–why? Because I try to address ALL ISSUES in this town and others and I lay it on the line, plain and simple!! Not everyone should be writing a blog. Some people think because they are bloggers they are writers or journalists–wrong!!

I believe things in Cheshire have changed because more people are speaking out. If the people on the right don’t like what is going on, too bad!! Go lick your wounds because you won’t be seeing the light of day in this country for a long time!! The PARTY IS OVER!! Get used to it!! You are not the majority anymore!!

So, here are some interesting links to freedom of speech articles. Some are a little complicated, but I am sure you can get through it, especially you FOX NEWS JUNKIES on the RIGHT.

There are three links to three different articles:

Click here for article 1

Click here for article 2

Click here for article 3

Post Script: I received a few calls about the Record-Journal article and about the video I have posted where Michael Badnarik is speaking about First Amendment rights. Let me tell you, I made a living for many years and still do from the First Amendment. The United States Bill of Rights is one of the most sacred documents on this Earth. Millions of people have died defending these words.

Now Michael Badnarik hits it right on the mark when he tells his audience that freedom of speech is freedom of POLITICAL SPEECH!! Not Freedom of Character Assasination speech. Freedom of political speech: here is an example: “President Bush is an ASS”

OTHER EXAMPLES of POLITICAL SPEECH

“I don’t like the United States” (I DO LOVE THE U.S. I AM GIVING AN EXAMPLE). “I can’t stand the Town Manager and the way he governs the town. I think we should get a petition to throw him out”

Stating one’s political opinion against the way the country or your city or town is governed is PROTECTED under the First Amendment.

Speech not protected: Libel, Slander (defaming one’s character, making malicious false statements, etc).

Do you realize in many countries, today, in this year 2008, if I made a statement like I did above about the President, I would be arrested? Yes. That is the First Amendment.

And while we are at it, let us look at the Fourth Amendment which some entities here and in other places have forgotten about.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

GET IT–SOME POLICE DEPARTMENT? The RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, of the people to be secure–SECURE!! in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against UNREASONABLE searches and seizures, SHALL NOT BE VIOLATED!! NOT BE VIOLATED!! NOT NOT NOT!!

This means, you know who P.D., that we DON’T stick our hand through the open passenger side window and reach in and open the glove compartment!!

This means we DON’T stick our heads through the driver side window to SEE IF SOMEONES HIGHBEAMS ARE ON!! SHALL NOT BE VIOLATED!!! NEVER!! And let us remember PROBABLE CAUSE when we go for a warrant!!

When I look at those words, I start getting emotional because this is dying. Our freedoms are dying!! If you try to defend these words today, some people look at you like you are crazy. It is sad.

Ok, enough for now. Remember “Photography by Gordon and Cindy Kleist” photo exhibit UPDATE: IS NOT IN THE MARY BALDWIN ROOM. IT IS IN THE MOSS ROOM UPSTAIRS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THAT TINY ROOM OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE STAIRS. SORRY ABOUT THAT I GUESS THAT IS WHERE THE PHOTO ROOM IS.

I just can’t figure out why PHOTOS OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, was in the Mary Baldwin Room, but now you know the main reason for Undergroundtownhall.

If you wish to purchase a photo, I will donate the money to your favorite charity. (Please, there will be a $20 minimum donation).

 

Titanic Exhibit

  • By: Cindy

I am a big fan of the Titanic. I have always been interested in the story and the people.

Over the years, I actually corresponded with a few of the survivors.

So I was excited to learn that over 300 artifacts will be on exhibit through Sept. 30th at the XL Center in Hartford. I will try to get up there in a few weeks from now. However, I am hearing the ticket prices are also TITANIC–$22 per person.

But, I know it is worth it. So for all you fans of that great ship, click below for an interesting link from the History Channel on the Titanic.

Click here

There are a lot of interesting photos and testimonials about the survivors, the people who lost their lives, the first, second and third class passengers, that idiotic Captain, (boy was that guy out of it or what) and an interesting article about a woman who served as a stewardess on the Titanic and Britannic, both of which sunk!! And she survived both sinkings.

In other news: I happened upon that Topix site where a discussion ensued between a few people who were trying to decide whether they should move to Guilford or Cheshire.

Pretty interesting comments about Cheshire and some were not good!!

Click here

 

A Solution

  • By: Cindy

I ran this information before, but in light of the public hearing on the future of the Cheshire Community Pool, I am re-running the information on the poly carbonate solar panels that is being utilized this very minute by the Milford-Orange YMCA.

This system IS expensive to boot, but will save the town thousands in heating costs. It is to me, the only solution outside of making the pool a one season facility. Too many people rely on our community pool. But I cannot and I know many cannot support any idea if one thing is not done first: PUT UP A SIGN!!. Cheshire is going to have to allow EVERYONE to access this facility. IT IS NOT A PRIVATE POOL, and we will not support a private facility in a PUBLIC community that gets FEDERAL FUNDING.

I am sure the FEDS wouldn’t like the idea either. Remember, the borrower is servant to the lender–CHESHIRE!!

You ask for grants for this and that, then you had better open up this facility to everyone and I mean open up and charge the same price for everyone as the Southington YMCA does, very sucessfully I might add.

Stop this “outsider” nonsense. If some people want the pool to just be “Cheshire residents” then let THEM foot the bill.

Here is the link to Openair

The link to the Milford/Orange YMCA Openair facility

The Milford/Orange link shows the entire facility and how Openair solved their energy problems at the pool after the bubble they had put up reached the end of its life.

These people have already laid the groundwork, Town of Cheshire, follow their lead.

 

More Parking Needed

  • By: Cindy

Alternate Library Parking

Library parking lot

I went over to the Library the other day and while I was there, (it was late afternoon, after 4 p.m.) I noticed there was no parking (again) in the main lot.

Our library gets a LOT of use, which is good. And, more and more programs are being added, like film showings, more concerts and youth activities. It would behoove this town to attempt to acquire more parking. One solution might be to try to make some sort of agreement with the Church Plaza next door to the library. I realize there are businesses there, but I am sure if even 10 or 20 more spaces were set aside just for library parking when the library was open at that Church Plaza (where Cheshire Pizza is located) that both the businesses there and the library could co-exist.

I think I have the solution to this parking problem- A PARKING GARAGE!!! That’s it-a parking garage. Maybe the town can get one of their infamous “grants” to pay for it. I won’t stand in their way.

I hope they solve this parking problem before the first week of June, because when I open my photo exhibit the town may have to shuttle people in!!!

I am not trying to cut into the businesses parking, but I believe there is some sort of solution here. I mean, just look at the photos. I know they are backwards, but I just figured out how to put the photos on the website, so give me a break will you!!!

The bottom photo library parking lot is full, and let’s face it, the top lot, which is the Church Plaza lot is not full.

I know I park in the back of the Christ Community Church and I am sure on Sundays, they may use the library lot, but who cares, the library isn’t open on Sundays most of the year. So one hand washes the other. The Church Plaza lot used to be connected years ago to the main library lot, but then for some reason, a barrier was put up.

In other developments, the Meriden Record Journal called me Wednesday night about the Blog story they are doing. I initially told the reporter I would not speak about my website or blog, but after she told me one of her teachers was one of my old co-workers at the Post, I spoke briefly.

The bottom line is I told her that Cheshire is growing up. It is changing for the better, but they still have bad habits like whitewashing information. But, I told the reporter most of the media is like that too. That is because most of the newspapers and TV is owned by corporations, and all they are interested is a healthy bottom line (advertising).

The reporter told me the Record-Journal is still family owned. That is good, so what is going on? The Record-Journal used to me a lot more hard hitting years ago. You see, to me it doesn’t matter anymore whether the newspapers are a corporation or family owned. The bottom line is, most of the papers are afraid they will “offend” some people in their community and they might not advertise. Believe me, if you put in stories people want to read, the advertisers will advertise based on numbers of readers. The more readers reading the newspaper, the more advertisers will advertise in plain English. It is a matter of numbers.

Sadly, many of my old newspaper colleagues are not in the news business anymore because most of these, not all of the newspapers, are wimpy and are not hitting it hard anymore. TOO BAD!!

To wrap it up, I found an interesting link to OLD LANDMARKS OF CHESHIRE, from the Historical Society website. There are a lot of great old photos, and no, Ruth Podgewaite is not in any of them!! But guess who is? My cutie John White!!

All kidding aside, I LOVE RUTH. She was such an asset to our Board of Education–a real professional-a real educator. She loved education and loved teaching, not like some today who are just in it for the money!!

Click here for the OLD CHESHIRE PHOTOS

 

A Victory

  • By: Cindy

This is a short post tonight because of my eyes that are giving me trouble.

So, in a nutshell, I want to thank all of my close supporters. We WON a very big victory over the big mouths that think they run this town.

Their talking, accusing, finger pointing, putting the blame on everyone else but themselves, putting words in peoples mouths they did not say, resorting to bullying and intimidating. Let me tell you the sweetest word in the English language besides the word LOVE–UNSUBSTANTIATED!!!

Now, instead of blaming others, put the blame on yourselves and YOU know who YOU ARE!!! Stop blaming a CHILD for your negligence!!!

The people that run things in this country and in our society in general need to start looking at WHY things are the way they are, not just play the blame game. But what do you expect from a mindset that thinks the way to solve our problems is by building more prisons, (sweeping the dirt under the rug), and practically incarcerating nearly an entire race of people, instead of trying really trying to solve our problems. Why do things remain the same, BIG MONEY!! Criminal justice is big money. The judges, the prosecutors, the sheriffs, all down the line–BIG MONEY MAKER.

Like my old friend Barbara S. used to say” this is tore up from the floor up”

I am not saying there are career criminals–there are. Some people cannot be reached. But the majority CAN!!

A newspaper wanted to know why I started Undergroundtownhall—the ABOVE is WHY!! The authority tries to intimidate with false accusations that they can’t back up. Well, someone else in power saw through that facade.

To touch on a similar subject, apparently the Government has come up with yet another way to silence anyone that they don’t agree with or anyone’s website or blog they don’t like. I am providing a link from our Boing Boing blog so you all can read this pathetic attempt to control people by threatening to label them as “enemies of the state” just because they don’t like what you say or write.

Apparently the Feds are compiling or have compiled a list of 8 million U.S. citizens that fit this profile. I can assure you I am probably on it and I can guess where they got the info from!!

Here is the link:

In other news: I know the Pool Study Committee or whatever they are calling it, will be meeting I believe on Thursday to mull over the future of this pool. Besides the vast amount of energy it wastes, I heard from several people that their biggest complaint is the locker rooms.

One user told me he thinks there is too much water on the floors in the locker rooms. Albeit, I have seen floor dryers in the women’s locker rooms, I wouldn’t know if these dryers are being utilized in the men’s locker rooms.

A point well made was that many people swim before they go to work and do not appreciate having their clothing get wet. The locker rooms DO need to be fixed. All agreed that the water  in the pool, not on the floor, was nice and clear and warm, but the locker rooms, besides this disgusting bubble, is a detriment and needs attention.

The battle goes on!!!