Usually on the first day of October, the state of Connecticut decides to enact laws which enrich our well being for the most part. Ahem!!

Well, the Connecticut State Legislature spent a lot of time on motor vehicle issues this past session. One of the laws put many restrictions on 16 and 17 year old drivers.

You see, unfortunately, the state is trying to act like a “parent” because they won’t let the parent act like a “parent.”

We drove our parents cars or our own cars, but we did not dare overdo it or ELSE!!! Because back when I was a kid there was a thing called corporal punishment. Not beating up or maiming, but punishment. Just the threat of knowing what our parents would or might do if we smashed up their car or our car or anyone elses car for that matter, kept us in line. PERIOD!!

Now the Legislature also decided to ban pocket or rocket bikes. These are those small “miniature” motorcycles that kids ride. They go almost just as fast as a regular motorcycle, but they are tiny. I guess after being in the state for several years, and not needing to have a license or registration or anything else to ride these pocket bikes, the state in their infinite wisdom decided these bikes were dangerous,

Unfortunately, when they wrote the law banning these motorized “bikes,” mopeds were originally included in the ban, But luckily hundreds of people, including myself and the moped dealers across the state complained to the Department of Motor Vehicles and that law was re-written.

I know a few people I spoke with online a few days ago were confused about what the state is classifying as a “moped” and what the state is calling a “motorcycle.”

Basically, you have a “moped” if the engine is LESS than 50cc. If your engine is 50cc or over, Connecticut has decided that you have a “motorcycle” and must register this as a motorcycle, get a motorcycle license and take a motorcycle training/driving course. You must also have motorcycle insurance.

A moped, is any engine less than 50cc. I have a title to my moped which I am now carrying with me. The title says my engine is 49cc. Hmm how convenient!! Of course, the Connecticut DMV also states that a true moped, besides being under 50cc must also not go over 30 miles per hour. OK!!!

I have a few links to the new moped or scooter law in Connecticut now in case some of you want to go out and purchase one of these. Some of the ads for “moped/scooters” that boast a  50cc, 150cc or 250cc engine ARE NOT MOPEDS IN CONNECTICUT AS OF OCT 1.

DO NOT DRIVE THEM WITHOUT A MOTORCYCLE LICENSE!! YOU WILL BE FINED AND YOUR SCOOTER TAKEN BY POLICE. I actually have  a plate on the back of my moped that says “CONNECTICUT MOPED” with the state statute written on it that gives me the right to ride it!!  Take note local law enforcement!!!

You would think with the economy collapsing, the banks failing, small businesses now not being able to get loans, Foxwoods laying off 700 employees, etc, etc, that our Legislature would have something better to do than worry about whether you are riding a “moped” or a motorcycle. They should be rewarding people for trying to save gas.

God, Connecticut, stop being so damn anal!! Give people a break will you. The way things are going, riding our moped/scooter may be our only form of entertainment. GIVE IT UP!!

New rules for mopeds/scooters

Mopeds still legal in Connecticut

All these “scooter/mopeds” are now classified as “motorcycles” in Connecticut

In other developments: I am sure we will be hearing more about this Registrar of Voters situation with the eligible voters vs non-registered voters issue. I commend Bob Moran for asking these questions and for having the courage to run for unaffiliated Registrar of Voters. Anytime government is being questioned is a good thing, but I do try to balance things out and give the other side their chance to speak when possible.

I am hoping you will all debate this issue. That is the purpose of Undergroundtownhall. To present issues on a wide variety of topics and especially in Cheshire, to speak about issues not normally spoken about.

And finally, I was going to take a photo of the blocked stop sign on Cornwall and Lanyon Road, but to my surprise, when I went by on Tuesday, the branches that were obscuring the sign were cut away!! GOOD JOB!!

I did go down to the Cheshire Town Hall Registrar of Voters office on Tuesday to ask where they and how they came up with their number of eligible voter figures. Here is the response I received from Aleta Looker, Registrar of Voters (D). I will accept a response from the Republican Registrar of Voters, Betsy Adams, when she returns from her vacation if she so sees fit.

As most of you know by now, Cheshire resident Bob Moran is running for Registrar of Voters as an UNAFFILIATED candidate. Moran used to be a Democrat but has decided to go for it on his own.

Moran, in a recent press release claims the Town of Cheshire Registrar of Voters website cites mis-leading numbers on voter eligibility and turnout

For example: the Cheshire Registrar of Voters website says::

In the Presidential Election of Nov. 2, 2004, 15,064 people voted out of 17,825 eligible. Turnout was 84.5 percent.

Bob Moran claims:

The Cheshire Website should be changed on all the information regarding total eligible voters and turnout for all years posted.   Without using the total eligible but not registered , all numbers and percentages are not accurate.  I challenge the current Democrat and Republican Registrar to update the website. . Numbers and percentages for 2004 should be 15,064 voted out of potentially 20,125 eligible.  Turnout was potentially 74.8% not 84.5%.

In the 2005 Municipal Election, 7,584 people voted out of 17,594 eligible. Turnout was 43.1

percent.

Potential Total Eligible 19,894.   7,584 people voted out of potentially 19,894.  Turnout was really potentially 38% or potentially 2,300 less people were eligible to vote but could not because they were not registered .  All numbers are an embarrassment for Cheshire.

In the general November 7, 2006 election, 12,075 people voted out of 17,496 eligible. Turnout was 69 percent.

Bob Moran claims:

Potential Total eligible 19,796. 12,075 people voted out of potentially 19,796.  Turnout was 61% or potentially 2,300 people were eligible but could not vote because they were not registered.

And as far as the Municipal Elections of Nov. 6, 2007, Moran states:

No information on number of people who voted , eligible or turnout this year? I guess the numbers last time in 2005 for local election were so embarrassing that they did’nt want to put them on the web-site?

The Bottom Line here is were spend 130,000 taxpayers money every year (  84,000 on salaries of the current 6 Democrat and Republican Registrars) and the results are not acceptable. We should leave No Voter Behind and seek 100 percent voter registration and effective civic education.    Cheshire has potentially up to 2,300 citizens not registered to vote but eligible. Once I am elected to Unaffiliated Registrar of Voters in Cheshire this 11/04/2008 , one of my first action steps will be to fight for the following.   I propose we have one Democrat, Republican and Unaffiliated Registrar. Then, take savings to mail out a voter guide (with information on registering to vote, where, how and when to vote, who is running for public office and where they stand on all the issues), to all Cheshire households. This should not be done not just at election time,  a least 4 time a year.

This will make the election season shorter, less expensive ( great campaign finance reform ) and level the playing field for all candidates, who are not the current elected official for the offices up for reelection. The  Democrats and Republicans or any other candidates who are the challengers will have a fair and level playing field and we can reduce the bad effect special interest money has on our national , state and local elections.  This past local election just the Democrat and Republican Parties in cheshire raised and spent 29,000 and 12,000 dollars on the local elections for town council, planning and zoning , board of eduction, etc. That is not counting what the candidates raised and spent on their own .   One Cheshire town council member in 2005 and 2007 local election spent and raised over 18,000 dollars . One plan and zoning member spent over 14,000 dollars. Why?  What for.  One was a democrat and one was a republican.  Follow the money.  ( open secrets .org is a great national website for students to look at ).Some of the most obvious important issues and information are in plain sight, we just need some guidance in life to find them.

I will be contacting the Registrar of Voters on Tuesday to get their side of the story. They do deserve to be heard if they wish and I will make every attempt to make it so.

Someone contacted me about my statements regarding the Confederacy to remind me that yes, our own M. Jodi Rell is originally from Virginia. I knew this. I also knew she attended, not graduated, Western Connecticut State University.

I am not dragging Gov. Rell into my personal beliefs. Despite what I sometimes say or think about Connecticut, I like Gov. Rell. She is always professional and I know puts forth 200 percent in her efforts to keep this state running.

She is not perfect, no one is, but I believe overall she does a good job as Governor. Besides, she is a YANKEE NOW and has been since she moved to Connecticut when she was 21 years old. So she is OK!!

On a final note, I got home around 2:30 this afternoon, and lo and behold, the phone rang, my son answered and yes, it was the CODE RED phone call!!  So at least I know my household was able to be contacted. I hope yours was also.

This bailout failure reminds me a lot of what happens when people play politics. I happened to be at a car dealership today in Watertown, discussing possible business, when I picked up a copy of the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper and started reading the article about how the Charter Revision idea brought up by the Democrats died a natural death. You see, unlike the town council where the Dems only need their 5 member majority to pass any legislation, the Charter Revision requires at least six votes. This means the Dems need one Republican to go along with them.

Did not happen!! The Republicans claim nothing is broken, so it does not need to be fixed!!

That reminds me of that famous Cool Hand Luke Line:

“What we’ve got here:–IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE”!!

By now, most of you know about the $700 billion bailout plan

BREAKING NEWS: BAILOUT PLAN FAILS TO PASS IN HOUSE!!! GOOD!!

Now, I must admit, I am a simpleton when it comes to money. I really just like to spend it. I do save to an extent, but my money is invested in properties NOT BANKS AND NOT 401K plans. I never trusted banks, I don’t now more than ever, and I probably never will.

My husband is so happy the bailout took place because he has investments. I am not happy the bailout took place because it rewards or reinforces negative behavior and just puts more unearned money into the pockets of these greedy CEO’s.

“Oh we had to have the bailout, because what about peoples 401K plans and stocks and everything else” You are a MORON in plain English if you have been trusting our Government and banks with your hard earned money. DO YOU GET THE PICTURE NOW FINALLY??? Case in Point: the CEO of Washington Mutual WAS ON THE JOB 17 DAYS AND RECEIVED A $20 MILLION BONUS. OK???

Take ALL of your money out of the bank NOW!! Let me know when you do and I will give you a safety deposit box number (mine) to put it in. Don’t worry it will be safe (in my hands).

Speaking of banks, apparently Wachovia is next on the  banks over troubled waters list. I am sorry because I know we have bankers as readers of my blog but these banks ALL DESERVE TO GO UNDER. They have been greedy, giving loans to people who could not afford to have loans, preying on peoples misfortunes for years, hitting them with unGodly high late fees, 25, 30 35 percent interest on credit cards. GOOD!! What is the Government going to keep doing, bailing them out again and again, when they RETURN to their old habits?

How can our country function any other way now, this is how we have built up our economy, false credit and high interest rates.  And now I found out that TD Banknorth is taking over Commerce Bank and will soon be known as TD BANK!! This “merger” will now allow TD Banknorth customers to do business not only up and down the East Coast, but all the way to Florida!! Isn’t that nice???

Anyways, I did attend the Camp Obama for a few hours Sunday morning. It was very motivating. I know some of us will be traveling to battleground states, one of them being New Hampshire. I volunteered to go there, because as most of you who know me well, and I am not trying to offend anyone, really I am not, because this is how I deeply feel, I will NOT TRAVEL to a state that was in the Confederacy, unless I am called to do Government work!!

I check the state out before I travel. And guess what, my kids won’t travel to a Confederate State either!!

But, you ask, what about Florida, wasn’t that in the Confederacy? Yep, but Pinellas County where I have my condo–WASN’T.  It was “unincorporated” during the Civil War. Got Cha!! The Disney World part was in the Confederacy, so I don’t go there!!!  I don’t go out of Pinellas County.

Map of Pinellas County, Florida.

I remember years ago, when I traveled to Pennsylvania and decided to go to Gettysburg because I am such a history buff I wanted to see the battleground for myself. Well, my family and I took the tour in our car. We had an audio tape which allowed us to self tour. It was very moving. Of course, I wore red, white and blue.

After about four hours, the kids were screaming. My husband decided that we should stop and eat at this diner. We got out of the car and I looked at the name of the diner and then World War III broke out. I REFUSED to enter the diner. Why?? Because the name of the diner was the ROBERT E. LEE. I told my husband that I would not ever eat in a diner named for a man that was a traitor to the United States of America–END OF DISCUSSION RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

We ended up eating at McDonalds.

Now that eating is on my mind, I want to tell you all of a wonderful meal my family and I had at the Cheshire Grange this past Sunday. The roast beef dinner was out of this world. All of the side dishes. mashed potatoes, carrots and their famous warm cole slaw were lovingly and painstakingly prepared by the many Grange volunteers.

We did go to the Grange Fair on Saturday, but the attendance was sparse in part because of the horrible weather. Too bad. When I went to the Roast Beef dinner I was hoping to see some of our Town Government officials and their representatives in attendance but I did not see any.

The Cheshire Grange and the people who belong to it are the backbone/the foundation of this town, when Cheshire was a simple farming community. Farming and farmers will always be close to my heart–always. I developed a strong feeling for the farming community when I lived in Kansas, and while I attended Kansas State University. (P.S. Kansas was not in the Confederacy).

These are the people that stick it out with this town and commit themselves to this town and community and support it through thick and thin. In fact, my husband was speaking to an old time resident at the Grange Fair and he was saying how he had done a lot of research on Cheshire.

The subject of the Area 51 pool came up and apparently, even unbeknownst to me, where the Community Pool is located was YEARS AND YEARS AGO,  the foot of the Farmington River.

In fact, this person told us, that Cheshire was originally an island!! That is why when the pool was originally constructed, the builders ran into so much ledge.  And according to this person who will remain unnamed, that is why the pool has cracks on the bottom because there is a high release of salt in that area from the ledge.

It is always interesting to speak to the old timers of Cheshire, you learn so much history. Cheshire, and other communities in this state and this nation for that fact, need to go back to the simpler ways and stop wasting money on show off nonsense, this Pool for one, that dog park for another.

I know many of you saw the Waterbury Republican American article on W.S. Development stating they will be submitting their site plan in the late fall, when and whatever that means. I will also be submitting the police logs. I want W/S Development to really think about doing business with this town. Think about it, this is a town that WILL NOT EVEN PUT UP A SIGN TELLING PEOPLE WHERE THE COMMUNITY POOL IS, and they want us to believe that this Lifestyle Center will be successful? Will the Town allow W/s to put up a sign THERE??

Or will we be going to the Area 51 Shoppes at Cheshire??

Lastly, I did e-mail Police Chief Cruess to alert him to a potential accident waiting to happen at the corner of Cornwall Avenue and Lanyon Drive. The stop sign there is COMPLETELY BLOCKED by a hanging tree branch. You literally cannot see this stop sign until you are RIGHT ON TOP OF IT.  But, no one sees this. No one in our pubic safety, no one in town.

Pathetic!!!

I expressed an interest in attending “Camp Obama” which will take place this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven.  I did receive a call on Friday, confirming my attendance.

Camp Obama will prepare people to participate in getting out the vote in battleground states. Camp Obama needs as many participants as possible, so feel free to join in this Sunday.

I want to be honest, well, I usually am, in stating that I am really having doubts about this Presidential election. I really am starting to wonder about this country.

Don’t get me wrong, this is my birth country, and I love it to my death and as many of my close friends know, I have done work for our Government.

But, something really strange happened when I traveled to Italy many years ago for the first time–especially Rome–I fell deeply in love with this city.

You see, I AM Italian. One hundred percent. But, because of my feelings towards my parents, I discarded this and chose to be totally “American.” I denied my heritage for so long.

But then, about 25 years ago, I took a history of immigration course at SCSU. I ended up writing a thesis on immigration and also researching my ancestry which DOES go back to Egypt. My maiden name  is a derivative of the Latin word “Egyptius” meaning “dark skinned” and also from the Sicilian word for slave.

So, as I posted before, my name means “Dark-Skinned Slave.”

When I went to Italy shortly after that for the first time, I DID STAY for a few years. I learned about myself. I felt “attached” I honestly felt that I did not belong in the United States, that I belonged in Italy. I went back with my spouse in 2006 and you know what, I felt as if I had never left. I love Rome, I love Italy. I mean, look, Italy has PROBLEMS. But its people are proud of themselves and of their heritage and they work hard to preserve it.

I never got over that feeling when I left Rome. I don’t think I ever will. There is something to be said about living where you are from. Being close to your heritage. I really didn’t think that was important, but as I get older, I know it is. I will always be on that journey to find out who the real me is: it is a missing piece of the puzzle that I hope I can “solve” before I die.

Now I did want to comment on this “Code Red” program that Cheshire is implementing. The Town is running an informational video with the Town Manager, Fire Chief and Schools Supt. on Channel 14 something like three times a day.

This is a great idea. People who sign up, and you can do this by going to www.Cheshirect.org, the town of Cheshire’s official website, will be notified by telephone with a pre-recorded message in the event of an emergency i.e., natural disaster or school lockdown.

I don’t know if I went into a coma for a while and just woke up, but I honestly CAN’T believe a town like “I know a secret” Cheshire is doing this!! I will always wonder why Cheshire decided to implement this program at this time, because as most UTH readers know, I and you will never get the real answer.

I had questioned whether we had a lockdown or notification system this past June when that Liberty Bank robbery had taken place on Highland Avenue, not far from Highland School which at the time had a summer school program in session . I don’t know if the school was notified when the bank was robbed.

But “We got there right away” was not a good answer for me when I questioned. ” Remember: “We got there right away “at Sorghum Mill Drive too.

Case closed.

I guess the town government had been looking into this notification system for two years.  At least that is what we are being told. Anyways it is a good idea. Cheshire is moving forward and realizing that issues happen that are beyond anyone’s control and it does not make the town look bad if and when they do occur!! It is part of life. Oh I hope the Town Government realizes that when CODE RED is implemented the news media will know about it!!

Peoples property values  Big C, are not going to go down, well, they are going down now because of the economy, because a natural disaster, murder or bank robbery happens!! Get over it!! People in this town have a right to know what is going on!! If it gets on the news, so be it. You WILL LIVE Cheshire!!

To my knowledge, there will be a test notification of the CODE RED system on Sept. 29th. Persons that have signed up will get a call from the 866 number.  So get ready. I am proud of Cheshire for doing this. FOUR STARS FOR CHESHIRE.

THE CODE RED EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

Benefits of CODE RED

And now, under Featured Video, Annie Lennox, formerly of the Eurythmics, singing “Why” in Rome, Italy. if you have been to Rome, you will recognize where she is standing. Enjoy!!

A few weeks ago, I received a call from Bob Moran, Cheshire resident, who is running for Registrar of Voters. That would not seem out of the ordinary, except for this one twist: Bob is running unaffiliated!!!

Apparently State Election laws allow for a third “party” which would be unaffiliated to run for the Registrar of Voters position.

Bob, used to be affiliated with the Cheshire Democratic Town Commitee–but no more!! He is on his own, and told me he sees a need for an unaffiliated  Registrar of Voters in Cheshire, since a majority of the electorate in town is unaffiliated. So it makes sense (doesn’t it)??

I had a problem with the downloads, but to put it in a nutshell, basically the town of Cheshire has 8,532 unaffiliated voters with no representation; 4,252 registered Republicans and 4,436 Democrats WITH representation.

State law mandates that every city and town have a Democrat and Republican Registrar of Voters, so as Bob put it, both major parties automatically  win when they vote for themselves.

However, a voter can only vote for ONE Registrar. So this WILL be interesting!!!

The “unaffiliated” Registrar must come in first or second to “Win” so Bob has his work cut out for him.

What is also interesting is this “third” registrar of voters incurs no additional cost to the town.

In other issues: I am glad Congressman Chris Murphy went over to speak with those residents whose property is disappearing because of sinkholes from the old Baryite mines. I am not making light of this, but if I had a big hole on my property like that, I would fill in the sides with cement and at least make a big ass jacuzzi!!

No, in all seriousness, this is a TOWN ISSUE and the town had better get off its high horse and address the issue now. It is sad, because some of these residents who purchased their property years ago, were not aware of a “report” on the location of the Baryite mines because the report was in some ATTORNEYS office, NOT IN THE TOWN HALL WHERE IT BELONGED!!!

Fortunately, a new report on the mines is located in the Town Clerks office–but like my old friends’ Mama used to say to her sister when she decided to get sterilized after her eighth child was born–TOO LITTLE TOO LATE!!

Speaking of children, boy did this “drop off your child up to age 17 in any Nebraska hospital” backfire big time. Some of you may have read about the parent who ( I am not kidding)!! dropped off their nine children, one of them WAS 17 years old at a hospital in Nebraska saying they could not control the kids anymore.

I guess Nebraska officials are upset because this is not what they intended to have happen. This is beyond sad. I have four children, I have a 15 year old now. Phew!! I keep singing the U of Nebraska fight song to him: “There is no place like Nebraska”!!  Get it.

But in reality, raising children today is really tough. Why, because many parents feel their authority is being upstaged by the state. You even look at little lord Fauntleroy the wrong way and guess what–yep-DCF!!

The damage that a parent does, meaning well or not, by abandoning their children cannot be underscored. I know all too well. I think about it every day. Why Why Why is all I ask myself. We all say things about our kids from time to time, but Oh MY GOD No, you can’t imagine what trauma this is!! I LOVE ALL MY CHILDREN WITH MY HEART ALL OF THEM. And I am sure you do too. It is tough and sometimes it brings you to the breaking point. But that is how it is. We all make mistakes with our parenting. We are human. But at least if you feel this way–get help!! Leave them with a friend for a few days. Take a step back. But not this!! I feel sorry for these people. Really sorry. And the children, I KNOW how they feel. You will NEVER really trust anyone the rest of your life. You will be trapped in that emotional net that you will never really be able to wrangle free from.

Beatle John Lennon was abandoned by his dad when John was five and shortly after that, John’s mother handed him over to be reared by his Aunt Mimi.

When John was 17, his mother, who had just finished visiting him at his Aunt’s home, was  struck and killed  as she crossed the street by an off duty Police Officer who was driving DRUNK!!

John NEVER got over that. NEVER!!  In fact years later, John wrote a song about his parents entitled “Mother.” This is one of the most moving songs about parental abandonment EVER!!  When he screams at the end for his parents to come back, it is too much!! It is in my Featured Video section.

Now, here is the link to this incredible story out of Nebraska