Bueno Festa! Photos from St. Sebastian's Feast

Dozens of faithful took part in the Nuri at noon on Sunday on the streets surrounding St. Sebastian's Church. Participants wore white clothes with red sashes, carried flowers and shouted "Primo Diu Sebastiano!" A larger crowd watched the procession which went up Washington Street into the parish. Infants as young as 18 months old took part being carried in their parents arms. In the sister city of Melilli, Sicily the same celebration took place today.

Tea Party Patriots Around CT Protest the IRS May 21

Below is a press release reposted as a courtesy for our readers, the views of which do not necessarily reflect those of the Insider Staff. 

A press release from Palin Smith: 

TEA PARTY PATRIOTS PROTEST THE IRS MAY 21

On behalf of Tea Party, Patriot groups, 9/12, liberty activists, and the American people, we are calling for anyone and everyone to protest the IRS’ complete abuse of power on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at noon local time.

IRS ProtestsThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is out of control and we need to stand up and let them know that we will not take their intimidation tactics! 

COTTER FB IRS OFFICE

135 HIGH STREET

HARTFORD, CT 06103

GIAIMO FB IRS OFFICE

150 COURT STREET

NEW HAVEN, CT 06510

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/irs-protests/

WE WILL BE IN NEW HAVEN

If you can't make it to Stamford tomorrow, perhaps you can make it to New Haven on Tuesday. Bring your own disguise if you are afraid....let's make it big! We can start something or we can cower like scaredy cats. WHAT ARE YOU?

Guestblog: Greetings Patriots A Conservative Round up from Palin Smith

Below is a roundup of Conservative events being held this week. Complied and submitted by Palin Smith. Opinions are that of Palin Smith and do not necessarily reflect that of Insider Staff. 
GREETINGS PATRIOTS

Last night at the brand new Greene-Hills School (K-8) in Bristol, a place that smells like a new car, a sparse crowd came out to hear Governor Malloy. Three patriots stood up to oppose bully Dannel. The link - a work in progress: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5wsVsNCEygq-65KwKyPidLWiVdRODtPb

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRESCOTT BUSH DINNER Monday May 20.

For months there has been much discussion all across Connecticut, within the ranks of gun enthusiasts, Tea Party patriots, other liberty groups and especially Republican town committees, about what to do, if anything, at the Prescott Bush Dinner next Monday in Stamford. The discussion ended abruptly by news yesterday that demands a determined response.

We have learned that at least eight bus-loads of union stooges will be dropped off at the Stamford Hilton to stage a Scott Walker protest rally. Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker, was a target of a hateful recall election last year after his successful policies of making Wisconsin a “right to work” state and repealing collective bargaining brought on the wrath of the entire political left wing. Walker won a stunning victory after he brought together Republicans and Tea Party Patriots in a marvelous display of serious cooperation. We pray that Connecticut Republicans would follow Walker’s lead.

Wisconsin was once where Connecticut is now. Walker showed that strong conservative leadership can pay off. And that’s in stark contrast to what the Republican Party in Connecticut has become - little more than a franchise of the Democrat Party, at least among the leadership. Having Governor Walker visit Connecticut might be a first step in educating the CT GOP, if it listens.

So here’s what we have planned:

1. If you are a 2A activist or gun enthusiast and despise how the Republican leadership trampled on the Constitution April 4, 2013http://youtu.be/dhpdn2WHFvY this will be your opportunity to protest Sen. John McKinney, who is slated to receive an award at the dinner. There will be scores of newly minted “John McKinney Must Go” yard signs for loan. Pick one up to hold and return it at the end of the rally. The yard signs were offered by an anonymous donor. Traveling the distance might be out of your comfort zone, but let me tell you from years of experience; attending this rally will inspire you.

2. If you are a solid Republican and/or RTC member and were initially planning to boycott the function, which is the biggest GOP fund raiser of the year, you now have an opportunity to show your support for a principled Republican, the Honorable Scott Walker. There will be 50 “Win With Walker” yard signs for loan. Rather than paying $250 to hear Walker’s speech and having to endure McKinney’s award ceremony, you can now be an assertive Republican and enthusiastically support Walker as you oppose the union goons bused in from who knows where. We do not intend to harm the Republican Party, but we do intend to show it the error of its ways, and hopefully help to alter the self-destructive course to which it has veered.

3. If you identify yourself with the Tea Party or other Liberty group, please join us to fill the ranks. National news coverage from Connecticut and New York will be prevalent. All the media agencies have been notified. This event will be big news in Wisconsin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Stamford Police have always been very helpful at our rallies in their city. We are in contact with the SPD and have received assurances that they will be on the job.

Our rally will begin at 4:30-5:00, but you can join it after work or at your convenience.
The formal Republican event starts with a cocktail hour at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner at 7:00 PM. Governor Walker will speak last. The show should wrap up around 9:00 PM.

The Stamford Hilton is at 1st Stamford Place.

You may arrive by train. The Stamford station is close by. By the way it’s called the “Stewart McKinney Transportation Center”. Here’s a video from almost four years ago produced as a recon tool a week before President Obama came to a Chris Dodd fund raiser at the same place. http://youtu.be/hQxEW8OImZU

And a video showing the location from different angles. http://youtu.be/T8ElkH43IS4

The union people usually stay for 90 minutes and then re-board the buses. Those of us who stay late may have the opportunity to meet with Governor Walker before he departs. We will attempt to get at least one “Win With Walker” sign into Walker’s hands along with a request for a group picture outside the Hilton Hotel. Let’s be vocal and intense, but at all times non-violent. If we are successful getting our point across we will win the day.

If we have any chance of restoring Connecticut to an engine of growth and a land of opportunity we must work together. At this event we can begin to function as a more cohesive coalition of patriots. http://ct-rc.org/ Take the time to make new friends and enjoy the company of strangers who are on the same side of history - the right side of history.

If you can drive or need a ride, we will do what we can in a short time to help get you connected. Watch for a final briefing Sundaynight.

-------------------------------------------------

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.(Samuel Adams)

Pass the matches or get out of the way…….

Palin Smith

Wayne Winsley: Brave Enough to Fail

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Shelton CONN – May 17, 2013:

Solving the World’s Water Problems through Technology

Brave Enough to Fail comes to Harding High

May 21st & May 22nd 9:00AM

Wayne Winsley, Motivational Speaker, 2012 U.S. Congressional candidate, (CT-03) continues his ambitious campaign to help inspire and motivate Connecticut students.

Winsley will be presenting his signature “Brave Enough to Fail” program to the over twelve hundred students of Bridgeport’s Harding High School on May 21st and May 22nd. Both presentations kick off at 9:00AM.

The audience on May 21st will consist of over 850 students, sophomore thru senior.

The audience on May 22nd will consist of over 350 members of the freshman class.

Brave Enough to Fail is a motivational program geared toward inspiring students with the courage to go after their dreams and goals and to see their education as a way to get there.

The presentation has gotten rave revues from this year from both students and administrators at Prince Tech in Hartford and Hillhouse High in New Haven.

The program is operated through the Water Innovations Foundation, a 501( c )(3) non-profit located in Shelton and funded exclusively by charitable donations.

To speak directly with Wayne Winsley, schedule a media interview, or to schedule a visit with your group, organization or association, contact him directly by phone at 203-417-8288 or via email wayne@winsley.com

Water Innovations Alliance Foundation 4 Research Drive, Suite 402, Shelton, CT 06484

Guestblog: GOOD, EVIL – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

All opinions of guest bloggers are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Insider staff. Below is an opinion piece by guestblogger Veronica Hamel Kivela.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPINION PIECE October 3, 2012

Submitted by: Veronica Hamel Kivela

Resubmitted on 5/18/13

GOOD, EVIL – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

As a young girl, I attended a Presbyterian Church. Our minister was quite clear in his belief that both good and evil exist in this world that God has made.  His duty, as he saw it, was to explain the differences to his congregation educate us in the ways of judging each and detail the good life that could be ours if we followed the rules laid out by the church, our parents and our teachers. He also cautioned us regarding the pitfalls and pain that could befall us if we strayed too far from “the path”. America accepted it.

In my early ‘20’s, America experienced the 1960’s in all their glory.  Many people were shocked at the rapid national acceptance of music glamorizing drugs and sex.  They were also confused as to the ramifications and unsure what to do to stop what they believed to be the erosion of morality.  However, it was not clearly defined so how could it be stopped?

Woodstock rocked the country and the senses, with thousands of our young people completely destroying a privately owned farm, trampling the fields and using the land as a bathroom. The rampant use of drugs and “free” sex along with the anti-establishment rhetoric reverberated through college campuses across America. Students were being convinced by their liberal professors to believe they were no longer students but elevated by passion to the position of teacher.  Armed “hippie” rebels who took over the campus at Cornell University were not arrested, but praised by its president. The message they spread was that everything about America was wrong and only the young could turn things around, aided by LSD to help them see reality clearly and guns to convince opponents of the justness of their cause, just what impressionable college age young people wanted to hear. They appointed  themselves therapists/pastors/saviors of us all.

America veered down a strange and unfamiliar path, twisting the reality we had always known out of shape until it was no longer discernible by most average Americans; all this to satisfy mob agendas that are accorded legitimacy even today. Hippies were portrayed as peace-loving, docile lovers of all mankind.  They claimed only to abolish all war, redistribute someone else’s wealth so that everyone had an equal amount of everything.  They insisted, because they truly believed, there would be no victims, no consequences, even unintended ones.  The problem was they were willing to destroy other people’s property in order to force their peace onto mankind.  Hence the guns. So much for promoting peace.  America accepted it.

This new (or not so new) philosophy pervaded the education system, the music and entertainment worlds, the clothing industry, the churches and even politics. We gradually saw an increase in the creation of feel-good agencies such the EPA that only wanted to save plants and animals, again with no negative impact on mankind.  We saw a rise in television shows portraying fathers as bumbling indecisive fools lucky the rest of the family lets them live there.  This was the new entertainment.

When President John Kennedy was assassinated, America grieved while in a state of shock.  How could this happen?  Where did we go wrong?  Rather than delve too deeply into what was happening to our culture, we settled for being told who fired the shot?  Lee Harvey Oswald – THERE’S the only culprit!  

The Viet Nam War raged on while we offered up our sons to be killed in a war our government had no intention of winning. On this issue I can agree with the “peaceniks”. It was still the age of believing what we saw on television, what we read in the newspapers and what our politicians told us was true.  America accepted it all while consuming large quantities of antacids.

Just when it appeared the sludge covering us by the shifting sands of reality born in the 1960’s was over, along came the 1970’s.  We had glittering discos, tight pants, short skirts and more sexual freedom than most of us could handle, thanks to “the pill” and the no-fault divorce.  The National Organization of Women came galloping over the hill burning their bras, demanding equal pay for equal work, a noble goal indeed.  It served to further convince women everywhere they had been mistreated and if they turned to the wisdom of NOW leaders, there was still time to redirect and improve their empty lives. NOW ignored the power they already had to begin a movement that needed no beginning.  Women have always had power.  They give life and are the heart of the home.  The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.  Did they not know that? Oh wait.  Maybe they did.

We were offered no fault divorce to justify breaking up families so that Mom could fulfill her dreams to “have it all”.   Unfortunately, this seldom worked as promised. With so many unhappy mothers, children were not thriving at home or at school.  Divorced women were overworked and stressed beyond their ability to cope.  Happiness, mysteriously, remained beyond their reach.  They did NOT have it all.  Frankly, they only had parts of most of it all.  National Organization of Women told them to work harder.  In other words, any failure was theirs not the theory NOW promoted. Women simply weren’t trying hard enough. America accepted it.

The eighties brought us Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey, explaining away all this unhappiness through guests whose dismal lives made us all feel better.  The more bizarre the human being, the more likely it was you would see him or her on Donahue.  The thrust of these shows was that if we were all more understanding, more caring, more sympathetic and willing to “get past this”, the closer we would all become. Just more.  It was an unspoken and undefined given that intolerance, bigotry or any other difference of opinion must be eliminated from our national conversation and replaced with acceptable words and phrases.  All we had to do was abandon independent thinking and reason.  Ah, the beginning of censorship.  Worse yet, the tipping point had been reached.  Feelings were now superior to principles.  Oprah declared it so and  it was good.  America accepted it.

“If it feels good do it” became the mantra.  “I’m OK You’re OK” was selling like hotcakes.  Now we were finding the right answers, guided by talk show hosts and thousands of counselors and therapists. Just embrace your feelings.  Forget about all that thinking stuff.  Besides, making a judgment would certainly be unfair to SOMEONE. Right?

Guestblog: Palin Smith Highlites from CCDL Meeting Guest Martha Dean

Rumblings From Around the Nation

Rumble One  

"The Thrill is Gone" - Chris Matthews, he of the up the leg thrill, has soured on Obama saying; "he doesn't like selling to the press. He doesn't like giving orders or giving somebody the power to give orders. He doesn't seem to like being an executive.” Matthews also described Barack Obama as "a ship with the engine off". Read more..

Rumble Two

"An Unhealthy Love" - "...former Newsweek journalist Jonathan Alter dismissed the support team the President has in the White House saying; "A lot of them are young. Some of them are very smart and talented. But they're all in awe of the president. They have an unhealthy love for him."

Want more?

Rumble Three

"Kill the IRS" - Mark Levin says; "it's time to politically kill the IRS, that it has been a corrupt agency since its founding. We need to fight the expansion of the IRS, especially with what's to come with Obamacare."Levin is in favor of a flat tax or The Fair Tax.

Rumble Four

"Reerecting the Weiner" - The disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner thinks enough time has passed for him to emerge from his cave and seek public office again. This time he wants to be New York City mayor.  

Run Down on Middletown's Common Council Budget Vote

Taxes go up & and Democrats vote to give Mayor Drew  a Raise. The mayor's salary of just over $78,000 will get a raise of $6,667 annually.

At tonight's Special Common Council meeting the budget for the City for fiscal year 2013-2014 was passed which increases the mill rate from 26.9 mills to 27.7 mills.  The final budget approved was reduction of 0.1 mills from the Mayor's proposed budget and was approved by a vote of 6 to 5.  The nay votes came from the four Republican Council members (Philip Pessina,  Joseph Bibisi, Deborah Kleckowski, Linda Salafia) and Democrat Todd Berch.  The approved budget changes from the Mayor's budget were submitted by most of the Democratic caucus with the exception of Councilwoman Mary Bartolotta and Councilman Todd Berch.  Councilman Grady Faulkner was a signatory of the amendment but was absent from the meeting.

A summary of the changes to the Mayor's budget included a raise for the Mayor; a shift of the proposed position of grant writer to a contractural services consultant; a small decrease in the Treasurer's salary; a reduction in the line item for electricity; the funding for the second Deputy City Attorney was removed; court costs were reduced; an increase in the stipend for the Council; increase in funding for parttime Library salaries; conferences in Finance increased; added position for Manager of Senior Center; funding for the   Economic Specialist put back in until his expected retirement; addition to professional development in Personnel for training; funding for Assistant Building Official; funding for hepatitis shots for Emergency Mgt; increase for holiday tree lighting; additional for tree services in public works; increase in tree planting and replacement, urban forestry; funds for the Old Burying Grounds; professional memberships were reduced; funds were moved around for youth services work student work programs from the Chamber of Commerce back to the City's budget; reductions were made to the health insurance benefit funds, property casualty funds, workers compensation funds; and a reduction to the line item for streetlights to reflect a change in how the street lights are acquired and maintained. 

For the education portion of the budget:  this year the BOE is returning to the General Fund $224,000; of this $124,000 is being returned to the BOE.  The Mayor's proposed budget had allocated to the BOE $75,550,000, the adopted budget reduced that amount by $1,168,086.  Per the following statement read by the submitting parties:

Reason:  It has come to the City's attention that the Board of Education's (BOE) Educational Alliance Grant will increase by the amount shown.  These funds will not be credited to the City's General Fund but go directly to the BOE.  This reduction and a corresponding reduction in the revenue line (see Revenues) will properly account for the new funding increase.  Should the amount increase when the legislature passes its budget later this year the corresponding amount will also to to the BOE.  The BOE is still receiving $3,920,639 between the City's allocation and Alliance Grant.  The City's portion is $1,955,914 which is an increase over last year's allocation of $1.9 million."

On the revenue side of the budget, revenue was reduced by the amount of the Alliance Grant that will be going directly to the BOE; Park and Recreation fees for activities and sports will be increased; the amount expected to be realized from building permit fees was increased; the amount expected to be realized from police private duty was increases and the contribution from the General Fund was increased by the contribution from the return of funds by the BOE.

The budgets for the Middletown Fire District, Sanitation Collection District, Water Pollution Control Authority Budget for the Water Department and the Special Business District all passed on votes of 11 to 0.

BOE Boogey: A Brief Summary of the Meeting

Brief summary of last night's Board of Education regular meeting.

 There was a presentation regarding reducing the number of special education students who are out placed. The gentlemen said that the average across the state is 5% whereas in Middletown the average number of special education students of the total special education population is 12%.  There was discussion of goals; the BOE would to send a consistent message throughout the system with a unified set of goals in 4 key areas.  These goals will appear in every classroom, the website and correspondence and presented at the teacher orientation in August.  

An item on the agenda caused a bit of discussion and that was the Memorandum of Understanding between the BOE/City and the Teamsters' Union.  There was confusion about how this MOU came about with Dt. Nocera first saying it was a result of the global settlement agreement between the City and the Teamsters; however, Dr. Charles did correct that and say it was result of negotiations with the Teamsters regarding their loss of a position by the outsourcing of the cafeteria services.  Dr. Charles stated that this MOU which basically trades the Director of Transportation position for the Manager of Food Services position (the Director of Transportation position has been vacant for several years and the previous administration had claimed that it was no longer necessary with the duties given to the Director of Facilities.  The Director of Facilities has retired and the duties now are being handled by BOE Administrators).  The thought is that by hiring a new director it will free up the administrators to do more education related duties.Board members Ryan Kennedy and Ted Razcka both disagreed with this saying that now was not the time to hire another person at that level of pay, may be with benefits 6 figures, when they are laying off teachers.  Kennedy expressed concern that the contract with the outside company for cafe services may not work out and be terminated in a year or so but once you hire a director you'll have them conceivably for 25 years or so.  The Administrators now handling the transportation duties stated that it was no longer working well, they were being taken from truly educational duties; that by dividing the duties all over the place was not a good plan, not a safe plan.  BOE member Sheila Daniels stated that being able to go forward with the hiring of the outside company for cafe services would enable them to hire a company with nutritional background so that now the children with have " healthy" meals.

At the end of the meeting, Board member Ed McKeon made a statement directed to the Common Council members regarding the upcoming vote on the city's budget.  He stated that no one can call themselves a supporter of education if they make those kinds of cuts that he is hearing.  He said that the BOE has worked diligently to get out of the hole; worked hard to give the city has asked for.  Even though they had done what was asked of them they don't seem to be getting anything from the other side.  He stated that we are on the brink of very hard times.  Layoff could be as many as 25 or 30; these are not scare tactics but the budget proposed by the BOE was cut to the bone already.  He felt that it would be unconscionable and unfair it the BOE funding is cut.

After that, the meeting was to move onto communications but it appeared that the recording got stuck and meeting must have ended soon after.

Ride in Honor of Iwo Jima Vets May 19

Vote on Middletown Budget Tonight

Tonight the Common Council votes on $137.85 million proposed budget at city hall at 7 pm. Open to the public. The Council can choose to adopt amendments. Property taxes would increase 3.3 percent under Mayor Dan Drew's proposed spending package who raise property taxes 3.3 percent . The proposed budget also would fund the school board at $75.55 million, an additional $3 million over last year.

Last year the Republican minority presented an alternative budget which was defeated 10-2. Republican Council Minority leader Phil Pessina has already made statements to the media  at the Mayor's presentation of the budget, endorsing the Mayor's budget as proposed.

Also in Common Council news, last week the council voted to accept Mayor Drew's nomination of Democrat Carl Chisem to replace Democrat Michael Johnson on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Johnson is leaving the board because he is moving out of Middletown. Chisem had served on the commission in the past.

Feast of St. Sebastian & Procession of the Nuri this weekend

photo via St. Sebastian website

photo via St. Sebastian website

One of the oldest cultural traditions of Middletown is the feast of St. Sebastian at St. Sebastian's Church on Washington Street.. The celebration is that young men and women dressed in white with red sashes, run barefooted  into the church to pay respect to the  patron saint. The statue of the saint is taken into the streets of Middletown in procession called the Nuri. This year marks the 92nd Annual Feast celebration in Middletown. Accompanying celebrations include a carnival, vendors, raffles, music, a homemade wine competition, and food taking place on the grounds outside St. Sebastians during the three day celebrations. Thousands come home to Middletown to take part- Catholics and non Catholics alike join in the massive celebration.

http://www.stsebastianmiddletown.org/

Video via the youtube channel of Father Thaikoottathil of St. Sebastian's Church

Guest Blog: Greetings Patriots by Palin Smith Conservative Roundup

 Below is a roundup of Conservative events being held this week. Complied and submitted by Palin Smith. Opinions are that of Palin Smith and do not necessarily reflect that of Insider Staff.  

GREETINGS PATRIOTS

As the secrets about the Obama Administration start to unravel, our worst trepidations are being verified. Democrat incumbents are retiring because of Obamacare. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/348039/grassley-baucus-retiring-because-hes-fed-obamacare  National Defense, as under all Democratic presidents since John F. Kennedy, is being quickly  denuded. Obama’s jokes about the IRS targeting the Tea Party are not jokes. As most Americans still slumber to that sick soft lullaby of “ignorance is bliss“, the Patriots are on the move.

“First they came…” is a famous statement and provocative poem attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the sloth of German intellectuals following the Nazis' rise to power and the subsequent purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

I’ve employed artistic license with this famous poem making it more contemporary by applying recent developments in Connecticut and in America.

First they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Catholic.
Then they came for the Tea Party Patriots,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Tea Party Patriot.
Then they came for the Gun Owners,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Gun Owner.
Then they came for Me,
and there was no one left to speak for Me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will History repeat? Only if we do nothing.

There will be a rally protesting the IRS targeting of Patriot groups next Saturday, May 18 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA from 8 AM to 10 AM. Symphony Hall is just 30 minutes north of Hartford. Bob MacGuffie’s advisory gives more details:

Greetings From Right Principles:

Patriot groups on Long Island have developed the following initiative:
Lois Lerner, the head of the IRS Division that targeted Tea Party and conservative Patriot groups with intimidating reviews and audits (all admitted yesterday in the press), will be the commencement speaker at Western New England University's Law School commencement. She is a graduate of that school.

The commencement will be held at the Symphony Hall in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, NOT on the University campus - and the front is a public plaza and sidewalk from which to hand out flyers. The location is a couple blocks off Route 91.
The commencement is on Saturday, May 18th at 9:30am, but the doors open at 8:30.
We'd probably want to be there at 7:30-8:00am. Flyers with a synopsis of her participation in stamping on Freedom of Speech and violation of ethics rules could be handed out to every attendee. btw - She is the past president of the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws. She needs to be reminded that her IRS position requires ethics and adherence to the law.
Let me know with a quick return e-mail if you'd be interested in traveling just north of the CT border to Springfield, MA next Saturdaymorning.

A Veteran's Story Vi: Semper Fi

In honor of Memorial Day at the end of the month the Insider Staff is putting out the call for veterans and those with military background  to submit essay's. We put out the call in a previously published article with some ideas and plans for this project. http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/05/wanted-guest-blogs-from-veterans.html.

We would be honored to hear from you.The Middletown Insider staff thanks you for your sacrifice! 

Below is a submission from resident Edward Dypa who has been very involved with the senior center construction at Eckersley Hall and with both local senior and veteran groups. The original author of this submission sent in by Dypa is unknown.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEMPER FI

Subject: Our Military... Did Anyone Know This????

A chaplain, who happened to be assigned to the Pentagon, told of an incident that happened right after Flight 77 hit the Pentagon on 9/11.

A daycare facility inside the Pentagon had many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. The daycare supervisor, looking at all the children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over what they could do. There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as the infants that would need to be taken out with the cribs.

There was no time to try to bundle them into carriers and strollers. Just then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they needed. After hearing what the center director wastrying to do, he ran back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, "Well, here we are, on our own."

About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow. Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up toddlers. The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of the center and down toward the park near the Potomac.

A Case of Big Brother or Personal Safety? Middletown Gets Cameras

Middletown's municipal parking lots will be getting surveillance cameras in stalled in addition to the already automated parking ticketing booths. 

An article on the website of WTNH weighs in on the impact; Director of Parking Gene Thazhampallah comments: "I always say, and I tell my city council, I want people to know that we have cameras in place."

 According to the article, a $600,000 grant is paying for the installation of 100 cameras.

Private surveillance footage helped to locate Boston Marathon bombers. Readers: How do you feel about the new cameras? A Case of Big Brother or Personal Safety?

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/middlesex_cty/middletown-gets-cameras-for-parking-lots#.UZJYFKJORic

CCDL Monthly Meeting May 14, 2013

PRESS RELEASE Opinions are that of CCDL and do not necessarily reflect that of Insider Staff,  published as a courtesty as with all press releases:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminder: CCDL holds its monthly general membership meeting at  on the 2nd of each month at the Elks Lodge in Middletown, CT.  All CCDL members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Meeting Agenda
Dean Attorney Martha Dean will present an update to our members on pending legal action

We sell CCDL merchandise at the meeting, buy it there and save on shipping.  Also, we collect canned goods/non-perishables at all our meetings to be donated to local charities.

Middletown Elks
44 Maynard St
Middletown, CT 06457
March 12, 2013 7:00pm-9:00pm
Please park in the event lot to the left of the building (looking at it from Maynard St) and enter the upstairs banquet hall at the front of the building.

http://ccdl.us/blog/2013/05/13/membership-meeting-5142013/

CT Tax Freedom Day!

map via taxfoundation.org

"What is Tax Freedom Day?

Tax Freedom Day is the day when the nation as a whole has earned enough money to pay its total tax bill for the year. A vivid, calendar based illustration of the cost of government, Tax Freedom Day divides all federal, state, and local taxes by the nation’s income. In 2013, Americans will pay $2.76 trillion in federal taxes and $1.45 trillion in state taxes, for a total tax bill of $4.22 trillion, or 29.4 percent of income. April 18 is 29.4 percent, or 108 days, into the year.
When is my state's Tax Freedom Day?

The total tax burden borne by residents of different states varies considerably, due to differing state tax policies and because of the steep progressivity of the federal tax system. This means higher income states celebrate Tax Freedom Day later: Connecticut (May 13), New York (May 6), and New Jersey (May 4). Residents of Mississippi will bear the lowest average tax burden in 2013, with Tax Freedom Day arriving for them on March 29. Also early are Louisiana (March 29) and Tennessee (April 2)."

http://taxfoundation.org/article/tax-freedom-day-2013-april-18-five-days-later-last-year

Last years tax calculation by the Connecticut Conference on Municipalities
 http://advocacy.ccm-ct.org/Plugs/ccm-state-local-news.asp

A Veteran's Story V: James Starowicz

In honor of Memorial Day at the end of the month the Insider Staff is putting out the call for veterans and those with military background  to submit essay's. We put out the call in a previously published article with some ideas and plans for this project. http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/05/wanted-guest-blogs-from-veterans.html.
 
Below is an excerpt from the blog of military veteran James Starowicz, USN All Shore '67-'71 GMG3 Vietnam In Country '70-'71 from North Carolina. We wrote to Starowicz, but have not as of yet, have received an answer. We have chosen to include a sample of his blog below as it seems Starowicz has single handily created some what of an online digital library of resources for veterans via dozens of relevant news articles from the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom until now linked somewhere on his pages.  He also provides  a variety commentary, statistical information, and book recommendations on the subject of veterans.

Who is Starowicz and how did we find him? Starowicz's blog came to our attention because he commented on a story about Sen. Murphy  posted on a local media site.  Although only a name on a screen to us, we gain incite into his person via his online presence. Starowicz is a veteran who  is one of  thousands of vets who are using the internet and social networking phenomenon to tell his or her story.The internet is allowing incite into veteran's worlds, an area previously only available through published accounts,  autobiographies, and films. With the playing field a little more level because of the internet, every soldier theoretically can  have a soap box if they so choose, will those in charge be listening?

How are veteran bloggers changing societies views about war, policy and the way we view veteran's historically? Starowicz is a Vietnam vet, long home, but, how do soldiers blogging from the front lines play a role on our perception of war? Historians gain knowledge of wartime from soldiers via salvaged diaries and letters home, and the futures's historians will read online accounts, skpe videos, and emails to loved ones it seems. With veterans of WWII  now well into their 80's and 90's, time is of the essence to preserve their first hand accounts digitally.

Has the internet changed with way in which returning veteran's cope? Is it "easier" to assimilate back into civilian life as veteran today than it was 20 years ago because of the changes in communication? Or did we as a society provide better treatment of returning vets prior to the internet age?  

Perhaps some of our readers who are veterans can chime in.

Starowicz also addresses  the serious issues of soldier suicide and homelessness, both important issues that everyone should remember this Memorial Day.
His blogs are : http://honoringthefallenoifoef.blogspot.com/, http://imagineaworldof.blogspot.com/

We would be honored to hear from more veterans to add to our month long project.The Middletown Insider staff thanks you for your sacrifice! 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“We are dealing with veterans, not procedures—with their problems, not ours.” —General Omar Bradley, First Administrator of the Veterans Administration

"If military action is worth our troops’ blood, it should be worth our treasure, too — not just in the abstract, but in the form of a specific ante by every American." -Andrew Rosenthal 10 Feb. 2013

“Why in 2009 were we still using paper?” VA Assistant Secretary Tommy Sowers “When we came in, there was no plan to change that; we’ve been operating on a six month wait for over a decade.” 27 March 2013

WHY? GOOD QUESTION THOSE SERVED SHOULD ANSWER!

Prior too this present Executive and Veterans Administrations and just touching on the problems:

Army Times Oct. 16, 2008 - VA claims found in piles to be shredded

CNN iReport October 25, 2008 - House Vets' Committee To Probe VA Shredder Scandal

Tampa Bay Times Oct 27, 2008 - Hundreds of VA documents improperly shredded, review finds {Tampa Bay Times search page and series of articles}

CBS News February 11, 2009 - Veterans' Claims Found in Shredder Bins

And more disturbing in relation to even before and through the early years of the Afghanistan, quickly abandoned missions of, and Iraq occupations, this: ProPublica and The Seattle Times Nov. 9, 2012 - Lost to History: Missing War Records Complicate Benefit Claims by Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans
"DeLara's case is part of a much larger problem that has plagued the U.S. military since the 1990 Gulf War: a failure to create and maintain the types of field records that have documented American conflicts since the Revolutionary War."

Add in the issues of finally recognizing in War Theater and more Veterans, by this Veterans Administration and the Executive Administrations Cabinet, what the Country choose to ignore from our previous decades and wars of: The devastating effects on Test Vets and from PTS, Agent Orange, Homelessness, more recent the Desert Storm troops Gulf War Illnesses, Gulf War Exposures with the very recent affects from In-Theater Burn Pits and oh so so much more! Tens of Thousands of Veterans' that have been long ignored and maligned by previous VA's and the whole Country and through their representatives!

How does a Country HONOR It's Fallen, by Their Own 'Sacrifice' in Taking Care of the Brothers and Sisters They Served With!!

These present wars have yet to be paid for, rubber stamping and rapid deficits rising started before 9/11 and continued with same for the wars. But especially in the early some six years of extremely little was added to the Veterans Administration budgets by those Congresses, and since obstructed by same war rubber stampers, as to the long term results of War, DeJa-Vu all over again. Keeping the VA under budgeted causes problems and of many grow worse, which costs more to correct much more, which is the goal of those seeking to privatize Government Agencies as they attack the people of and which was created by their own incompetence and ideologies, but doing those served will!

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." - Abraham Lincoln

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan" - President Lincoln
James Starowicz
USN All Shore '67-'71 GMG3 Vietnam In Country '70-'71