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Sunday, December 7, 2008

12/08/08 The Raw Greenwich Blog And RSS Feed

This cat has had enough
Bloggers Who Are From, Work In Or Used To Live In Greenwich....


Jane Genova: Speechwriter - Ghostwriter
Choose Your Poison: Necessary creativity, soul-eating affluence - We economically challenged who'vee been bleeding creativity into everything we do have confirmation that necessity, particularly dire financial straits, fuel...

Greenwich Diva
Monika Skrzypkowski killed in a hit-and-run accident - Fifteen-year-old Monika Skrzypkowski was struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident around 11PM Saturday night. Monika and some friends were waiting outs...

Rock Star Diary
Mr Jones - Victoria came into town last week for Christmas shopping, jewelry party and visiting one of her favorite people in the world, ME! Ha! After hosting a small ...

The Blonde Excuse
New York City - If you've been wondering where I've been, once again I'm sick. It might seem impossible that a person could get the flu twice, followed by a bad cold all ove...

Exit 55 By Rob "WGCH" Adams
Check Out the Links - They sit over there on the right...kind of down the page. Admittedly, it's not something I update often, but I threw a few new ones up there today. You kno...

John Ferris Robben - T-shirt Philosophy Page At Our Greenwich
BLU the Cat Found at Tod’s Point Story… - [image: Emma Robertson, Rani Connor, Blu 'the Cat' Connor, Bailey Robben, Mike Henry.] Emma Robertson, Rani Connor, Blu 'the Cat' Connor, Bailey Robben, Mi...


Greenwich Library Today's Events
Baby Lapsit Registration - *When:* Monday December 8th, 2008 - All Day Open enrollment begins December 8 for Baby Lapsit for infants up to 12 months with a caregiver. Five-week Winte...

Greenwich Forum
Doctor in sex sting case out on bond - 12 Comments, last updated on Sunday Dec 7 by Berken is a Criminal

The New And Improved "For What It's Worth" (Wordpress Edition)
What price, recycling? - Prices paid for garbage plunge, jeopardizing municipal recycling programs.



More From Chris Fountain At "For What It's Worth"




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12/07/08 Thomas Ketchum of Greenwich has been named as a new member of Yale-New Haven Hospital's board of trustees.

PRESS RELEASE:

Ketchum is a retired as vice chairman of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., where he held several positions with the firm in the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Belgium. In addition to serving as vice chairman, he served on the firm's executive committee and steered its technology council.

Before that, Ketchum was chief financial and administrative officer of J.P. Morgan before its merger with Chase Manhattan Corp. in 2000.

He has a bachelor's degree from Yale University. He also served as a member of the executive committee of the Yale Capital Campaign, the President's Council on International Activities and the board of the Yale Hockey Association.

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Reports on new businesses, company relocations, awards, job changes and special appointments. Information can be submitted by e-mailed to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com. Photographs are accepted and encouraged.

12/07/08 More Bad News For Hamilton Avenue School: Ham Ave Budget Cuts Get No Input From The Parents.


A Suzuki Graduation Recital
Tax Dollars To Be Wasted On New Age Suzuki Crap
Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”
“When love is deep, much can be accomplished”
“Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill.”
“It is necessary to be concerned about the importance of educating a really beautiful human spirit”
“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart”
“I am mentally preparing myself for the five-year-old mind. I want to come down to their physical limitations and up to their sense of wonder and awe.”
“Tone has the living soul”
“Music exists for the purpose of growing an admirable heart.”
“Wrong education and upbringing produces ugly personalities, whereas a fine upbringing and good education will bring forth superior sense and feeling, as well as nobility and purity of mind.”
“Children learn to smile from their parents.”
“Man is a child of his environment”
“Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.”
- All quotes from Shinichi Suzuki, who never attained any formal education past his high school diploma
You Wont Read What's Happening With The Budget For Hamilton Avenue School For Next Year.


When parents and teachers complained to Hamilton Avenue School Principal Damaris Rau that water was leaking in the modular classrooms she refused to go to a Board Of Education meeting and demand safe and sanitary conditions for the school children and her staff members.

In fact, Ms. Rau, who was the Chief Executive Of Hamilton Avenue School, turned a blind eye to the leaky modular school building costing Greenwich taxpayers millions of dollars.

If Ms. Rau had listened to the Hamilton Avenue School parents and took action Hamilton Avenue School could have avoided many problems.

But Ms. Rau has not learned from her expensive mistakes that has hurt the small children she is entrusted to look out for.

Now Hamilton Avenue School budgetary decisions are being made by Damaris Rau, with no input from the general parent population, but lots of input from the cowed PTA Leadership.

First, Rau is doing away with Spanish for the Kindergarten through Second Grades.

Do you think being bilingual and learning learning a language that uses Latin verbs and nouns might be helpful when these students take the fourth grade CMT tests?


Obviously Hamilton Avenue School Educrat Rau doesn't, she is making Suzuki violin mandatory for all students, K-3.

In a time of limited school funds she wants to take the focus off reading, writing and asthmatic and flush precious tax dollars down the toilet with Suzuki method (スズキ・メソード)

Which is also called Talent Education, mother-tongue method, or Suzuki movement) is an educational philosophy which strives to create "high ability" and "beautiful character" in its students through a nurturing environment. Its primary vehicle for achieving this is music education on a specific instrument (often a violin)

The 'nurture' involved in the movement is modeled on a concept of early childhood education that focuses on factors which violinist Shinichi Suzuki has observed.

Let me tell you about the Suzuki program. This program is not only expensive, but very time consuming for Hamilton Avenue School parents, most of whom work two jobs.

There will be before school parent/child lessons and homework.

This New Age Suzuki Crap was shoved down Hamilton Avenue School parent's throats as a "magnet draw" and no one listened to those that were already there who didn't want it.

Hamilton Avenue School children don't need fancy new age fiddle classes. They need tutoring and remedial help in educational basics so that they can be on par with other children in Greenwich and the rest of the state and nation.

If Principal Rau wants to better integrate Hamilton Avenue School with a so-called "Magnet Draw" then she should set up programs that give struggling students extra help with reading, writing and arithmetic.

The only true magnet draw is higher test scores and smaller classes.

The reality of Suzuki is that maybe one, if any, of our students will go anywhere with it far into their future.

However, Spanish is a life skill these kids need if they wish to be able to succeed in their futures.

If you tell a future employer you are bilingual and you have probably increased your chances of being employed.

Tell a future employer that you have a "beautiful and nurturing character", because you can play twinkle twinkle little star and you will be shown the door.

Damaris Rau has also stopped fighting to cut out real big Magnet Draws "Hamilton Avenue Schools Skating and Swimming programs, which we were promised would remain as a magnet program when the children returned to their finished school (whenever that may be).

Hamilton Avenue parents pretty much all agree and understand that some sacrifices need to be made for the budget and all must make some.

However, Hamilton Avenue School parents believe that Suzuki should go, but want to keep the Spanish skating and swimming programs.

If a choice must be made between skating and swimming, then most Hamilton Avenue School parents think that the swimming program that they currently have is important, because we live in a town that is virtually surrounded by water and dotted with lakes and ponds throughout.

Many of Hamilton Avenue School kids don't have the financial access for private swim lessons, so getting them through our magnet program has been a safety blessing.

If swimming is cut and a Hamilton Avenue School child drowns at Byram beach it will be because Damaris Rau wanted them to learn "Tone has a living soul" by playing twinkle little star, instead of how to swim.

Isn't it bad enough that Damaris Rau has taken the joy out of teaching for Hamilton Avenue School teachers and the joy out of learning for Hamilton Avenue School students?!

The taxpayers of Greenwich in general and the parents Of Hamilton Avenue School in particular should email, call and write to the members of the Greenwich Board Of Education and the Superintendent Betty Sternberg to keep the important programs and do away with a program that will not bring immediate results to Hamilton Avenue School test scores.

Next year Damaris Rau could treat the town's taxpayers to a hundred Hamilton Avenue School children playing twinkle twinkle little star in mass. Or she could proudly announce to the taxpayers that their money was well spent, because her bilingual 4th graders students excelled the CMT tests.

Greenwich Taxpayers Want These Failed School Administrators To Stp Fooling Around And Get Back To Basics. It Is Time To Stop Wasting Money On Rau's "One Fiddle Per Child Program" And Get Test Scores Back Up To Where They Belong.

Instead of taking an expensive fiddle home, wouldn't be better if the Hamilton Avenue School kids took an inexpensive open source laptop home that was loaded with educational software?



Please send your comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

12/07/08 Reader Submitted Comments: NEW EDITOR


Joe "I Ordered An Investigative Report Of The Moxley Murder And Then Refused To Publish It For Over A Decade" Pisani Is Too Much Of A Censor To Ever Be Seriously Considered For An Newspaper Editor Position Again


To the Editor:

I think this news about merging papers became GREENWICH ROUNDUP NEWS months ago when someone brought it up here. This is the place for news...

Lets see who will become the new editor.???


We had some parties that looked like PR HYPE...or MARKETING MANURE. Parties at Deilenschneider's with the Stamford Mayor, owner of the Greenwich Times, and Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport????? And the Blumenthal and the Mayor again, in Greenwich....and all these party details are showing up written by Joe Pisani's highly immature and hysterical gorgeous wanna-be-girlfriends??????


This is very strange!!!!

JOE PISANI???????


Joe "it's all about me, screw you" Pisani??? It would certainly answer the question of why he is obsessed with visibility in a town he doesn't live or work in.

Then again, maybe he is known in his own town but people ignore him.


The more people I run into, the more people I meet who can't stand him or his STUFFY SELF CENTERED COLUMNS. He can't even write one without adding a self-tribute.

This week he praises some well-known literary figure.....but needs to go on about how this man came to his GORGEOUS GREENWICH HYATT PARTY and then about visiting the man in the hospital on his death bed. I almost had tears.....but not quite :)

I suppose everyone wants to be a hero but they keep it private (I wanted to be Speed Racer) BUT JOE'S BUSINESS IS WAY TOO PUBLIC. In fact, he is trying to be the Greenwich AMERICAN IDOL. And that is laughable to most of us.

I guess he could be the new editor of the Greenwich Posters of Poor Publications and fit right in!!!!!!! I won't pay a dime for those papers anyway. They should be free, based on content.

If this happens, Joe Pisani can hire his mindless JOeTOWN piperettes as new staff, who are also EX EMPLOYEES, bc they are, apparently, still out of work waiting for their mentor. Especially his favorite (and mine), Susie,the dishette, Costaregni. Mmmmmm.

Oh boy this will be fun to watch!!!!!!

JC Old Greenwich

COMMENT:


Please Don't Worry To Much About Joe "The Greenwich Time's Circulation And Web Traffic Shot Up 22% After I Was Fired" Pisani Being Hired By A Local Publisher Any Time Soon.

Right now Mr. Pisani is religated to his low traffic blog page and his to working for free with Suzie At The Greenwich Post.

12/07/08 Greenwich Time News Links (updated)




The candy shop on Riverside Avenue that has satisfied the sweet tooth of generations of residents is hanging on by a thread, only months after its beloved owner died.


But despite mounting economic challenges, family and friends are determined to keep Ada's Variety Shop open and the traditions created by its proprietor, Ada Cantavero, alive.


Ada's Variety Shop has remained open since Cantavero, who ran the shop for nearly 60 years, died at the age of 88 in July.


It is now run by her nephew, Riverside resident Kelly Romaniello. Although he works as a self-employed contractor, he wanted to help the family fulfill Cantavero's wish to keep it open, he said.


"That's what she wanted," he said. "We're doing whatever we have to do."
But with fewer customers, oil and heating prices going up and a slumping economy, it has been difficult, he said.....





As auto executives returned to Capitol Hill asking for $34 billion to help bail out the ailing American auto industry, local dealerships said they are taking things one sale at a time and hoping for the best.


"It's so up and down," said Anthony Granchelli, general manager of the Jeep Chrysler Dodge City, located at 631 W. Putnam Ave..


"This has never happened before, so everyone is up in the air." However, despite the uncertainty of the industry, Granchelli said their dealership, which is independently owned, is doing better than one might expect."We are maintaining, we are strong and we are not going anywhere," said Granchelli, who noted that his dealership has been able to pull in more business as surrounding dealerships close.


Granchelli also said being in Greenwich, where many people have good credit, has helped their the dealership, as does having a solid customer base - something which has allowed it to stay afloat in tumultuous times.
Yet, Granchelli admits, things have been better.


"It has not been easy," said Granchelli. "There has been a tremendous decline in sales from six months ago," he said. Earlier this year, Granchelli said the dealership was selling an average of 75 cars a month. Now, the dealership, which has six sales professionals and two managers, averages around 50 cars a month......



Friends of Witherell offer boutique


The Friends of Nathaniel Witherell will hold the second day of its "Holly Days Boutique" from 10 a. m. to 4 p.m. today in the auditorium of The Nathaniel Witherell, 70 Parsonage Road.


Proceeds from the boutique will benefit residents of Nathaniel Witherell, the town-owned nursing home.
For more information, call 618-4227.


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DAR offers colonial Christmas


Putnam Hill Chapter of DAR presents "Knapp's Tavern by Candlelight," a glimpse of colonial Christmas at Putnam Cottage as it was in 1734, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Putnam Cottage, 243 East Putnam Ave.


The event will include hot cider and gingerbread, uniformed Revolutionary soldiers and guided tours by costumed docents.


Suggested donation is $5 per person or $20 per family.


For more information, call Bea Crumbine at 629-1687.


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Preschool book sale to be held at YWCA


The Scholastic Book Fair to support YWCA Preschool programs will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the YWCA, 259 East Putnam Ave.


Books are for children through age 7. Books for adults and gift items for children will also be available.


For more information, call 869-6501, ext. 221 or 222.


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United Way to host legislative breakfast


The United Way of Greenwich Community Planning Council will host its annual Legislative Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the first-floor Cone Room at Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road.


Sign-in is at 7:45 a.m. The breakfast offers an opportunity for those with stakes in human-service issues to raise concerns and ask questions of local legislators.


Registration is required.


For more information or to RSVP, call 869-2221.


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Bush-Holley offers No Strings puppet show


The Snowmaiden Puppet Show, presented by the No Strings Marionette Co., will be held at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday at the Vanderbilt Education Center of the Bush-Holley Historic Site, 39 Strickland Road.


Nineteen handcrafted marionettes will perform a wintry Russian folktale. Seasonal refreshments and family tours of Bush-Holley House and gallery will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person. Reservations must be made in advance.


For more information or tickets, call 869-6899.


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Clover Hill to hold Christmas Bazaar


The Clover Hill School's Christmas Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Ridges Roxbury Methodist Church, 2975 High Ridge Road, Stamford.


The bazaar will feature children's activities, home-made baked goods, handmade toys and gifts and a puppet show.


For more information, visit http://www.thecloverhillschool.org/.


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Pancake breakfast at Boys & Girls Club


The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, 4 Horseneck Lane, will host a pancake breakfast with Santa for children and the Greenwich community from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.


Visiting hours with Santa will run from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Greenwich Academy Singers will perform at 10 a.m.


The cost is $5 per person.


For more information, call the club at 869-3224 or visit http://www.bgcg.org/.


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Westfair Singers presents choral concert


Westfair Singers, a women's chorus, will present its annual Holiday Concert at 3 p.m. Saturday at the First Congregational Church, 108 Sound Beach Ave., Old Greenwich, with reception to follow.


Featured works will be two "Magnificats," by Antonio Vivaldi and Niccola Popora, as well as distinctive seasonal songs. The soloist roles will be performed by Corinne Baker and Maria Failla. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door.


For more information, call Jinny McGinnis at 629-9814.


Town may charge to throw trash

Greenwich is considering implementing a new waste disposal program that officials say could save the town $2 million annually and reduce waste by charging residents for each bag of trash they throw away.


The town Department of Public Works is looking into a pay-as-you-throw program, in which residents would be charged for waste disposal by being required to use special garbage bags that can cost between $2 and $3 each, depending on the size, according to Amy Siebert, the town public works commissioner.


"The overall goal is get people to reduce waste. (Paying for bags) gives people a great incentive to recycle more," she said.


If people purchase the bags, which would be available at grocery stores and municipal locations, they will likely use them more frugally, she said.


"If you go out to buy a special bag, you want to make sure that you pack it full," she said......



By George!: Brunswick hockey defeats Division II rivals in OT
Last season the Brunswick hockey team stunned the then No. 1 St. George's School in overtime. Coming into this years game the question in everyone's mind was could the Bruins do it again?

Full Story

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12/07/08 Greenwich Roundup Exclusive: Local Daily Newspaper Will Lay Off More Staffers And Will Hike Prices


50 Cent Is Being Shown The Door In Greenwich


Inflation Strikes Home: G-Unit (Greenwich Time) Is Going To 75 Cent

Before Being Merged With Other Local Hearst Newspapers


You Won't Read This In The Greenwich Time


Soon the price of a single copy Greenwich Time newspaper will jump 50 percent

to 75 cents from it's current 50 cent price.


Greenwich Residents Will Have To Pay More For The Crappy Reporting In The Local Rag.


Sources Tell Us The Greenwich Time / Stamford Advocate Will Shed Even More Jobs In Response To Deteriorating Local Advertising Market.


It looks like even more fired Greenwich Time reporters could be joining the ranks of Ex-Greenwich Time Editor Joe Pisani's Blog called "Our Greenwich"


Although the two newspapers have been through numerous rounds of cutbacks over the years it just not has been enough to stop the bleeding at the Greenwich Time.


The Greenwich Time had a significant head count reduction in the newsroom when many jobs were chopped, but apparently that was not enough.


As the Greenwich Time and Stamford Advocate begins its 2009 budget process the corporate suits at Hearst Media are expecting a tough year.


Insiders say that Greenwich Time staffers appear shell-shocked.


In addition to another pending head count reduction the paper is cutting back on travel, entertainment and supply budgets.


The Greenwich Time maybe going forward with a considerably smaller news desk. The source says that some soon to be laid off reporters work may still appear in the paper as freelancers.


This is fueling rumors that the Greenwich Time, Norwalk Advocate and Stamford Advocate will be folded into the Connecticut Post sooner rather than later.


Greenwich will no longer have it's own paper, but a Connecticut Post news page supported by a few local advertisers.


The Greenwich Time News Paper Offices Will Become A Connecticut Post News Bureau


The Insider says that the newspapers are planning to hike their newsstand price. The price of a single copy will jump 50 percent to 75 cents from 50 cents.

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12/07/08 THE GREENWICH TIME FINALY TAKES A STAND BUT EDITOR IS AFRAID TO PUT HIS OR HER NAME ON EDITORIAL


Here Is A "Local Hard Hitting Greenwich Time Editorial" From The Hearst Newspaper's Mystery Editor.




Staff Reports
Posted: 12/07/2008 01:00:00 AM EST


We have long supported the concept of a center for the arts in downtown Greenwich. But recurring concerns about the plans for a center in the Havemeyer Building have converged with events to frustrate the sincere efforts of committed backers. Bowing to the inevitable last week, they made the right decision in withdrawing their proposal.


A statement from the Greenwich Center for the Arts directors said in part: "[W]e are tremendously disappointed that this vision, which would have offered opportunities for enrichment to every child, adult and senior in Greenwich, will not become a reality." But the organization's board, donors and other supporters should not abandon their dream, and should be prepared for the time when conditions are more favorable.


The idea of converting the town-owned building, which does not seem too well suited for its current use by the Greenwich Public Schools administration, was creative, attractive and on its face doable. The plan was to create a privately funded $30 million center that would include a children's art center, pottery and arts studios, a cafe and two theaters. The GCA would then have leased the building from the town for $1 per year.


However, persistent concerns about the proposed arrangement undermined the possibility of a consensus for it among both town officials and residents. Those concerns included worries that the town could incur substantial financial liability under the deal, questions about the required relocation of the school administration staff and uncertainty over whether it could be assured that town arts organizations and residents would always get first priority.


A significant number of residents also seemed to feel that a $1-per-year lease would be a financial mistake for the town.


Given the fact that the proposal still had not gained approval after being initiated in 2004, the organization set a deadline of Dec. 31 for a town decision on the building. That move established a "make or break" situation that ultimately turned out to be "break." The Board of Education was not going to move up its plan to consider relocation sometime early next year, while the plunge in the economy put a damper on Greenwich capital spending that would have been needed to make the arts center possible.


Vince DiMarco, a Representative Town Meeting member and a proponent of the center, after the GCA announcement commented:


"I think it was a worthwhile proposal and I would hope that all the work that all those folks did doesn't go to waste. I hope we can build on it in the near future."


Those are our hopes too.


Even though the arduous effort to create a new asset for the town did not come to fruition this time, there are some positives to take away. Arts supporters now should have a clear picture of the concerns they would have to address and how they would need to proceed within the sometimes complicated framework of town government.


Those advocates cannot be blamed for feeling keen disappointment that their campaign fell short this time. But their concept was good and their motives admirable. And they should anticipate a time when they can help create what could be an invaluable addition to the town's cultural life.


signed,


Anonymous Editorial Writer




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