Monthly archives: February 2009

 

 

Honorable Mention

  • By: Cindy

If you are reading this post, then you must notice something different about Undergroundtownhall-Yes, I have changed the masthead AGAIN!!

I originally wanted a masthead that morphed into different colors. My original design consisted of “Underground Town Hall” with little dots in the background that changed colors.

Well, that idea never came to fruition for some reason or another. So, my son and I designed a “moving masthead” that you were seeing for the past several months,

I originally wanted the “Underground Town Hall” part to twinkle, something like a theater marquis, but my son misunderstood what I wanted and had the words flash right as they were coming together.

So, now I sort of have the best of both worlds. I like the changing colors for now. This blog is always a work in progress. So stay tuned.

Now I am still hearing from many of you regarding the police in car camera issue. I know it is legal for the police to tape a person when you are being pulled over-but I still don’t like this random taping without a persons knowledge.

So, for arguments sake, whenever you go out in public, assume you are under surveillance!! Pretty sad.

You know, in car police cameras are OK if used the correct way-when the lightbar and siren are activated by the police officer and a motorist is pulled over or a citizen is stopped, the person usually knows they are being taped and/or recorded. The police camera used in this fashion protects the officer and protects the person being detained.

And if you think I am way out in left field with my beliefs about these cameras-check out this article from a Maryland Police Departments UNION WHO COMPLAINED THAT IN-CAR CAMERAS VIOLATE STATE LAW!!

Click here for story

While I am on the police subject-I know many of you down there at the CPD including the Police Chief, think I am totally against radar and ticketing speeders–WRONG!!

There is a time and a place-and now apparently, without giving away this family members location, the CPD have been running radar on this particular street every day around 9 a.m. and again at 5 p.m.

My mother in law who lives on this street-which is a main road between Southington and Cheshire, has been complaining for YEARS about people using this part of the road as if it were the Indianapolis 500.

Many times she has called to tell myself and my spouse that vehicles were traveling so fast down the street that she didn’t DARE try to cross to the other side of the road to get her mail.

There are no sidewalks where she resides, so even when the Postal Service moved her mailbox in front of her home, she still had to wait until 7 or 8 p.m. to get her mail without fear of being hit by a speeding driver.

I remember her telling us that even when she tries to back out of her driveway and it happens to be the evening rush hour, she would get the “bird” from other drivers who became agitated because she DARE TRY TO BACK OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY ONTO THE ROAD!!

Now she calls and tells us about the cops parked in the driveway across from hers, and how she sees them going after the speeders and pulling them over. She also says that it is really strange that when the cop has a vehicle pulled over, the other cars on the road don’t even bother trying to slow down-they just keep their speed figuring they won’t get caught because someone else already has. This is what I mean-all these pullovers, all the tickets, the court appearances-the fines-apparently is having LITTLE OR NO EFFECT on driver behavior, at least in Connecticut.

But maybe it might sink in eventually and my mother-in-law who is in her mid eighties MIGHT be able to back out of her driveway without getting sworn at or flipped off or even better, not have to call us to come by and get her mail out of her mailbox!!

While we are on the subject of peoples rights, another debatable issue that has cropped up over the past few years is–wood stoves. Believe it or not, some cities and towns want to BAN the sale of wood stoves and fireplaces because of the smoke and the pollution it gives off.

With so many people trying to cut down on oil usage, burning wood has become all the rage. Well, some people and some municipalities are taking a closer look at the possible health hazards the smoke from a fire causes.

A few towns in Connecticut want to label smoke from burning wood-a public nuisance!!

Read the full story here.

In fact, Montreal wants to ban ALL wood burning appliances.

Click here

And last but not least-this Honorable Mention:

click here


 

Affirming States Rights

  • By: Cindy

With all these so-called mandates and Government programs floating around, the latest including this approximate $700 billion stimulus package-the proverbial shite is hitting the fan with some states who are starting to balk over all these Governmental programs being forced down their throats.

One of these states is New Hampshire-which has started flexing its states rights in accordance to Jeffersonian Principals.

It’s weird, because every time I hear the phrase Jeffersonian Principles I think of none other than Fidel Castro-dictator of Cuba.

You see, back in the late 50′s when Batista was run out of office-and Fidel took over, he was not a Communist despite what some U.S. historians may lead you to believe-Fidel was a Jeffersonian-he actually traveled to D.C. to meet with President Eisenhower-who abruptly gave him the cold shoulder-so whom do you think Fidel turned to after that?
You guessed it–The Soviet Union-Nice One Eisenhower!!!

Well now back to the States Rights and Jeffersonian Principles. To break it down-the State of New Hampshire is practically telling the U.S. to shove it-that we (New Hampshire) are getting tired of your mandates and dictates.

YEAH, OK New Hampshire-well I am tired of your state talking out of two sides of your mouth.

“Oh we are for peoples rights, liberties, live free or die”

Sounds GREAT doesn’t it?? There is just ONE PROBLEM.

Don’t travel one mile OVER the speed limit in that state or your GOOSE IS COOKED!! I have already written about the TREK the state of New Hampshire Live Free or Die made my son go through for a speeding ticket!

He HAD three choices: pay the fine, take a defensive driving class ON A SUNDAY, or do community service. My son took the defensive driving course-completed it-got the certificate and mailed it into the court right?? WRONG!!

The state wouldn’t let my son mail in the course completion certificate. He had to go back to New Hampshire from Connecticut, a THREE HOUR DRIVE EACH WAY and hand it into the court IN PERSON!! Talk about a MANDATE!! GIVE IT UP!!

There was a man in his class FROM CALIFORNIA!! HE HAD TO RETURN TO NEW HAMPSHIRE TO HAND IN THE CERTIFICATE IN PERSON!!

Worrying about states rights New Hampshire?? How about a PERSONS RIGHT??

Well anyway, I STILL LOVE NEW HAMPSHIRE-I ALWAYS WILL. There is just something about crossing over the state line and seeing the sign “Welcome to New Hampshire” that really gets to me. It is SO BEAUTIFUL, it makes you forget about their anal motor vehicle regulations. And believe it or not, when they enforce the law in New Hampshire-they are FAIR and treat you with respect and dignity. Going to traffic court there, is ALMOST a pleasant experience believe it or not!!

I respect the State of New Hampshire for this and I obey their speed limit laws.

If you click on the link below, it will connect you to the article: New Hampshire-Affirming States Rights

Click here

IN OTHER NEWS:

I did want to get back to the resident that approached me in Stop and Shop  a few weeks ago concerned about the traffic signal on Marion and Waterbury Roads. This resident stated that when the roads became slippery, the resident had a hard time stopping at the traffic light. She said she would sometimes just slide through and wondered if the light could be put on flashing to avoid this problem.

I did relay this residents concern to the Cheshire Police Chief who responded in timely manner. The Chief told me the Police Department does indeed put the lights on Marion and Waterbury Roads on flashing when there is a snow storm and they have been doing this for many years.

Maybe the Police Department could get the State of Connecticut to put up a sign saying: “Caution: Slippery Conditions Ahead” and have the sign surrounded by those yellow flashing lights.

Now that I think of it, with these budget cutbacks, this might be too much to ask at this time, but it is worth a try.

I did want to pass along this article I received from a local resident. It talks about how Japan tried a stimulus package similar to what the U.S. is now doing.

Click here for Japan

I also wanted to relay a linki to a video which did appear on Youtube a while back. It is a Saturday Nigh Live skit that parodied the Bailout program. Apparently, SOMEONE got very upset and the video, which was seen only a few times on SNL and Youtube, suddenly”disappeared.”

Here is the link to this:

THE FORBIDDEN ” SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE” SKIT

http://msunderestimated.com/SNLBailoutSkit.wmv

SNL did a ” Bailout” skit, which created some incredible problems for NBC because it exposed people in Congress who made FannieMae & FreddieMac their own personal piggy banks, then pointed their fingers at others. Now, NBC has tried to pull the video, almost successfully, because the video has all but disappeared from YouTube (Google-owned) off the internet. It was up on multiple sites and virtually all the copies are gone now. There are a few new “highly edited” copies on the net. How much power would you have to have to pull something from the entire internet?

This is the ONLY unedited copy still on the Net. Pass it on. Let the whole world see what’s happening in this country & who’s responsible for this financial crisis. If clowns & writers for SNL know what’s up, anybody is privvy to the information!

Finally, I received a VERY GRAINY video tape, (it looks as if it were taken with a cell phone) of what looks like an Officer on the CPD performing a motor vehicle stop. I really can’t make it out and even if I could I AM NOT STARTING THIS CRAP.

I DON’T FOLLOW PEOPLE AROUND-I DON’T SNEAK AROUND-I SAY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN!! I DON’T WANT TO BE FOLLOWED AROUND AND TAPED AND I AM SURE OUR OFFICERS DON’T WANT TO BE EITHER.

It is up to our Town Manager, and Town Council to keep this police in-car camera issue under scrutiny and under control and I FOR ONE WILL MAKE SURE THEY DO!!

Some people who are in authority, let it go to their heads. When you are a police officer-you are sworn to PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND SERVE THE PUBLIC. MOST OF THE OFFICERS DO. There are bad apples in every bunch-they need to be weeded out. I don’t personally believe in sitting around with a video camera waiting for something to happen. If something IS OCCURRING that is different-I WILL RUN THAT TAPE. But some blurry image of a police officer doing their job and being videotaped IS STALKING-I DON’T EXPECT THIS TO BE DONE TO MY SELF OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE LAW OFFICERS.

The police have very powerful duties and responsibilities-it is up to the powers that be AND CITIZENS to make sure they stay within their guidelines AND it is up to the individual officer to act responsibly and professionally. WHEN THEY DON’T IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

 

Ghost Towns of Connecticut

  • By: Cindy

I went to the Cheshire Connecticut Public Library  on Feb. 14th and borrowed that Kill-A-Watt meter that measures how much wattage small appliances use in your home. Hello DON’T try to plug in your Central AIr Conditioner Unit or Clothes Dryer!!

I posted the video on my Youtube Channel and it is now under “Featured Video”

Again, to see a larger screen version, double click on the video and you will be directed to my Youtube Channel.

OK, BEFORE I get into the main topic, Ghost Towns of Connecticut, I know a few of you on UTH For Members Only, were asking if I would comment on this Trash Hauling bid waiver.

You know Cheshire-there IS a world outside your window. Other towns are and have gone through this dilemma. I for one, DO NOT LIKE bid waivers, BUT, there ARE EXCEPTIONS-and I have to respectfully disagree with some people who are involved in Town Government on this one.

This town has cried fire in the theater for so long allowing bid waiver after bid waiver after bid waiver, that the TRUE MEANING AND INTENT of a bid waiver HAS BECOME LOST IN THE SAUCE!!

I believe in this case, using  our present trash hauler is the best bet. They are reliable, and have a proven track record. If some people in town government or specifically the Town Council think that Cheshire is the only municipality dealing with this issue, I want to present to you a similar situation that took place in 2004 in the town of Shelton.

I am going to link you to their Board of Alderman meeting where a discussion of a bid waiver involving a tree service that the town had done business with for many years, was being tossed around.

You have to scroll half way down the page, but you will find it. Read how Shelton Mayor Lauretti handles this situation and the insight he offers into WHY AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, A BID WAIVER WAS ALLOWABLE!!

Click here for Shelton Board of Alderman meeting

Actually, Councilman Altieri was spot on in his explanation of why a bid waiver should be allowed IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE!!

Now that doesn’t mean we continue to stifle competition, NO!! BUT there are situations where this “exemption” should be allowed.  A bid waiver, is akin to Monopoly’s “Get out of jail free card” USE IT SPARINGLY AND WISELY!!

NOW ONTO THE FEATURED TOPIC: GHOST TOWNS OF CONNECTICUT.

I have lived a good portion of my life in Connecticut. I have lived all over the state and for the life of me, I could not believe it when I came across the following article.

We have all heard of abandoned towns-ghost towns-but that usually brings up visions of the old West-towns that once thrived, let’s say, during the Gold Rush or during the Homesteading Act in the mid 1800′s. After the claims were all taken and the gold ran out-so did the people, leaving that town a mere shell.

Well, apparently, there are SEVERAL ghost towns in our own state. I know of one of them: Dudleytown-because I actually went there when I was a kid. It WAS CREEPY. This is just another part of the history of Connecticut that I hope to include in my book: “Connecticut: 169 Towns” HOPEFULLY, it will be completed this year!!

Click below for a link to “some ghost towns in Connecticut.

One of the featured Ghost Towns, if you can call it a “town” is  Dudleytown and Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport. I can’t ever watch the video they have posted or photos of Pleasure Beach  AGAIN!! It is so damn sad.

Here is Connecticut’s ONLY NATURAL BEACHFRONT that rots away because NO ONE CARES-There is NO MONEY!!

Boy I bet the people who tried to save Pleasure Beach several years ago, could have used a $300,000 gift account!!!

Dudleytown

Pleasure Beach

Cuties Island

Bara-Hack

Gay City (now a state park)

More Ghost Towns of Connecticut

 

Be Careful What You Wish For

  • By: Cindy

UPDATE TO MERIDEN MALL EVACUATION: The “bomb” allegedly seen in a food court trash can Thursday afternoon-turned out to be an ankle weight!!

ALSO: My Blog is now featured on the Meriden Record Journal’s Community Blog Page. So you can log onto MyRecordJournal.com and scroll halfway down and click on “Community Blogs”

First off-I wonder how many more “deadlocked” votes the Town Council will have.  But then, on the other hand, maybe this Town Council will learn to WORK TOGETHER for once and start compromising. END THE TRASH HAULING FIASCO BY IMPLEMENTING PAY AS YOU THROW!! THANK YOU!!

Now I did receive correspondence from several people who read my blog about the Police in-car cameras, then happened to see the story in the Cheshire Herald. These people stated they were concerned about the fact that the cameras could be “manually turned on.”

Click below for ACLU articles on Police and Government Surveillance.

“Defending the Right to Privacy”

“The Growth of American Surveillance Society”

“Big Brother in the Wires”

When I did research into these police in car cameras several years ago, I ALSO did not realize the cameras could be turned on manually-in other words, you-the motorist-or you-the citizen can be recorded by the police without your knowledge!!

The cameras I had done research on, only recorded when the Police Officer turned on the lightbar. Well apparently, unless I am mis-reading, the camera can also record without the light bar. I am very deeply troubled by this information, as are many of my readers who are commenting left and right about this subject on UTH For Members Only.

I had one person comment that this is nothing but plain out stalking.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be videotaped constantly or even think every time I go out in my car or walk down the street that Big Brother MIGHT BE NOT ONLY WATCHING BUT VIDEOTAPING MY EVERY MOVE!!

Now I regret pushing for these cameras. I didn’t understand that they could tape without a persons knowledge.  I do agree with many of you that this is INVASION OF PRIVACY.  It might even border on Voyuerism!!

More and more of our rights are being taken away under the guise of “safety and security” OH BULLSH*T!!!

I don’t remember what website I was reading, but there was a comment that made a lot of sense. This person basically stated that it used to be that you could get by in the world by just going out and minding your own business–not true anymore. Oh, I remember where I read it-it was on Topix and the issue was AGAIN–CAMERAS ON THE HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES TO MONITOR YOUR DRIVING!!

It is really sad what our society has come to-and what is even sadder is that people DON’T CARE!! They will put up with just about anything to avoid having to leave their homes. “Oh I am tired from work or school.” WHAT AN EXCUSE

If it DOESN’T PERSONALLY AFFECT THEM, THEN THE AVERAGE PERSON COULD CARE LESS!! AND THAT IS THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT WANTS IT!! SIDETRACK YOU WITH ISSUES LIKE JOB LOSS, THE HIGH ENERGY PRICES, WHILE THEY STEALTHILY STEAL YOUR RIGHTS AWAY!!

Our Founding Fathers could never envision video cameras-but the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution still rings clear: It is too bad our Government has made a mockery of it. I know it says “searches and seizures” but to me, videotaping without your knowledge is an illegal search and invasion of your privacy. This videotaping without a persons knowledge is wrong-your actions can be left open to interpretation by a member of the law enforcement community.

“What is he or she doing”?

“Why is he or she walking that way?”

“Let’s tape it from our car cameras”

These are just some of the issues that may arise from taping without a persons knowledge-the cops don’t like it when the tables have been turned on them-there have been many stories published about the Police arresting citizens who tried to tape THEIR ACTIONS without the police knowing about it. The police call it “entrapment” and a violation of civil rights. So why when it is the other way around-is it OK?

Man Faces 7 Year Sentence for Videotaping Police!!

Someone to claim us, someone to follow
Someone to shame us, some brave Apollo
Someone to fool us, someone like you

We Want You Big Brother-Big Brother

David Bowie-”Big Brother”

NEXT TOPIC: BEYOND BALLS!!

Now the next issue burning my a** is this flyer I and I am sure everyone else in Cheshire, Ct. received in the mail this week from of all places ELIM PARK!!

Why did you and I get a flyer from Elim Park–THEY ARE ASKING FOR A DONATION?? WHY?? JUST GET A LOAD OF THE FOLLOWING FIGURES, THEN MAYBE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CLUE YOURSELF IN AS TO WHY!!

This is from the “Life is Vibrant” Elim Park 2008 Annual Report:

My spouse who is a REVENUE EXAMINER, broke it down to the bottom line:

Elim Park Baptist Home:
2007-Revenues: $24, 313, 632.

2007-Expenses: $22,674, 080.

SURPLUS: $1, 639, 552.

2008-Revenues: $20, 783, 772.

Expenses: $23, 288, 149.

DEFICIT: $2, 504, 377.

Total Capital Campaign & other Contributions:

2007-$832, 931

2008-$379, 916.

HELLO!! Did you notice the last figure? I did.

Elim Park received $379.916 in Capital campaign and other contributions.

And this past Tuesday, the Cheshire Town Council unanimously accepted a contribution from Elim Park to be put towards the Police and Fire Department Gift Accounts totaling $330,000!!!

Now they have a nerve to ask for donations??? What about the residents?? Don’t THEY deserve this money??

Look how much the contributions have fallen in one year.  And you know the state is cutting way back on Nursing Home funding-WAY BACK.

With this in mind,  WHY would they even think about giving any money away??

Elim Park financially is alright this year, but what about next year and the year after?

It is not personal, not at all, I like Elim Park. I like Ron Dischinger-he is the sweetest man on this earth!! But come on–like I have stated in an earlier post-in the words of that famous forensic scientist-SOMETING WRONG!!!

 

A Close Call

  • By: Cindy

BREAKING NEWS: MERIDEN MALL EVACUATED AROUND 4:30 p.m. Thursday-BOMB SQUAD CALLED

click here for details

I never talk on my cell phone in the car-WHEN a call comes through, I either let it go on my voicemail or I drive to a parking lot. Pulling over on the road still technically counts as driving with a cell phone so that is no good.

Well on Wednesday night around 6:30 p.m. I was running an errand. I had my cell phone and up to a few days ago, I had an earbud headset so I could talk handsfree if I REALLY had to take a call-like from one of my kids, three of whom are away at college, one, out of the country, or if a serious job related issue came up.

Unfortunately, a few days ago, the cell phone with the handsfree just stopped working-I don’t even want to tell you what the young people call something breaking down-well, I will tell you-they call it -Sh-tting the Bed.

Well, OK, my cell phone Sh**t the Bed in plain English, so I was really up Sh**ts Creek!! I had planned on getting a new phone the end of February when I was eligible for an upgrade and a new free phone. So I WAS going to wait and in the meantime, try to get away with using my youngest sons old Go Phone. This is a bare bones phone, it won’t take a headset or Bluetooth, it constantly drops calls and the sound quality of the speaker leaves a lot to be desired.

So anyway, on my way back home from my errand, THE PHONE RANG!! I wasn’t going to answer it because I was on Rt. 10. But, when I noticed the number, I HAD TO ANSWER–I knew it was from a very close friend who is very ill. Well, I picked up the phone and was telling the person to hold the line for a second while I turned into the Rite-Aid parking lot to talk.

Well, just as I put the phone up to my ear for one second-out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black and white pulling out of the CVS parking lot and turning left onto Rt. 10. I thought “oh no-that cop just saw me pick up the phone.”

I pulled into the parking lot and parked near what looked like a gray unmarked state police vehicle. That was probably why the CPD cop was pulling out of that lot, he probably was talking to the State Cop, I don’t know just a guess.

So anyway, I was in a DEEP conversation with my friend, mind you I WAS STATIONERY in A PRIVATE PARKING LOT, when all of a sudden I see these headlights.

The cop car pulled up in front of my car quickly. The cop rolled down his window and told me he saw me talking on the phone. I said I had pulled into the lot to talk and was TALKING ON THE PHONE IN THE LOT. I asked if I was getting a ticket-he said no, just a warning.

I want to tell you-I got the crap scared out of me when he pulled up to my car-The police make me nervous anyway, this just added to it.

That reminds of me of the time my son parked his car in an overflow lot near his apartment because someone had parked in his space. I had mentioned my son’s parking lot in an earlier post. His apartment complex is nice, but there is just enough parking for the tenants. There is absolutely no visitor parking!!

I remember my son telling me he had walked into the lot and gotten into his car to get his cell phone, when he suddenly saw bright lights in his face. It was a police officer asking him what he was doing there!!  I mean the cop called for BACKUP-SET UP A PERIMETER-THE SWAT UNIT WAS STANDING BY. FOR WHAT? THE KID FORGOT HIS CELL PHONE IN HIS CAR!! GROW UP WILL YOU AND ARREST REAL CRIMINALS!!

You know, Hawaii 5-0, not EVERYONE IS UP TO SOMETHING!! OK?? GIVE IT UP!!  My son told me he wanted to get his flashlight out and shine it in his eyes!! I told him-NOT A GOOD IDEA!!

I told my son he should get a stun gun and when THESE PEOPLE SURPRISE HIM-give them a shock in their dinger!!  I don’t think guys wear a protective vest down there!! Can you approach normally? NOT ZOOOM!!! DAMN, I almost ended up in  the hospital bed next to my friend for God’s sake.  BTW, I am such a role model mother, don’t you think?

So, I ended up going to the phone store and getting a new phone, luckily my cell phone provider gave me a discount because I have multiple cell phone lines with them and have been a customer for many many years, and I GOT MY NEW HANDSFREE HEADSET!! OK????  PHEW!!

Now, I did want to bring up an issue regarding a certain traffic signal-specifically the one on the corner of Waterbury and Marion Roads. I was approached in Stop and Shop this past weekend by one of my adoring fans, who told me she wished that light on Waterbury and Marion Roads would be put on flashing during a winter storm.

I didn’t realize it, but I guess there is a safety issue here-when it snows, and a driver is coming down that hill from the I-84 area, it is hard to stop when the light turns red. My fan told me she has slid right through the red light-oh I am surprised Officer Andretti didn’t ZOOM up on her for going through the light!!!

I don’t know if the Town of Cheshire can put this light on blinking or flashing during a winter storm or if it is up to the Connecticut Dept of Transportation. I will try to contact CtDOT to find out and let you know.

I know it is not November, but for many years, I have been researching the assasination of Pres. Kennedy in 1963. There have been so many theories, so many rumors. All I know is if you ask any person who was alive that day, who killed Pres. Kennedy-umm like they don’t believe it was Lee Harvey Oswald!!
Click here for bio on Oswald
If you really think about it, Oswald in 1963 was a two-bit drifter. How he managed to purchase a Carcano Rifle, it IS CARCANO, not Mannlicher Carcano, with the measley pittance he made as an employee of the Texas Book Depository, should make you wonder. On top of that, a person purchasing a Carcano rifle with Full Metal Jacket bullets, should have aroused suspicion in itself.
This truly is an assassins bullet because it causes severe tissue damage.
Full Metal Jacket Bullets
I am going to run a few videos on the Kennedy assasination by people who have done a lot of research in this area.  The entire Warren Commission findings will NOT BE RELEASED until 2029!!
WHY!! WHAT IS OUR GOVERNMENT HIDING??