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Thursday, January 1, 2009

01/01/09 Happy New Year To The Best Dam Bloggers In Greenwich


We Salute The Hard Working Citizen Journalists Bloggers Who Are From, Work In Or Used To Live In Greenwich.....


These Workaholics Don't Even Stop For New Years Day


Now That's Dedication !!!!!


The Blonde Excuse
Happy New Year - Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I haven't been around, but as you know from my last entry, I've been really sick. Now that I'm back to my usual self and keepi...

Jane Genova: Speechwriter - Ghostwriter
THE VILLAGE VOICE - Icon Nat Hentoff laid off - Liberal icon Nat Hentoff has been laid off at THE VILLAGE VOICE. His writing was a brand within the THE VILLAGE VOICE bigger branding for provocative, edgy ...

Greenwich Diva
Barkley: All I Really Wanted Was Oral Sex - I guess there is a lot more to the initial reports!!! From TMZ This may be the very best police report of 2008. When Charles Barkley was busted in Arizona ...

Cos Cob Blogger Iggy Makarevich At High Strangeness
Happy New Year! - I wish you all a very special New Year, a year in which all our dreams come true.

Exit 55 By Rob "WGCH" Adams - The Sports Voice Of Greenwich
Hello 2009 - So that's that. Thrilling, wasn't it? Boring. I used to think Guy Lombardo was lame, but pick your poison - Carson Daly or Ryan Seacrest? I'll wait. No ...

Rock Star Diary
Happy New Year 2009 - Happy New Year! Love, Baby Madonna Brooklyn's Finest...


ALSO A BIG FAT HAPPY NEW YEAR TO.....





















And Guess What, I Had Such A Great Time At The Harvest Time Church Party On New Years Eve I Am Going To Even Wish The Ex-Greenwich Time Editor Joe Pisani And The Other Failed Greenwich Time Reporters At "Our Greenwich" A Happy New Year.


Who Says Miracles Can't Happen In This So-Called Modern Age.....




Our Greenwich Should Have Listened A Little More To Successful Blogger Chris Fountain And His Neighbor Who Was An Expert On Optimizing And Monetizing Web Sites .... But We All Must Learn From Our Boneheaded Mistakes.


Speaking Of Chris Fountain And His "For What It's Worth" Blog,


The "I Am Busting My Tail On New Years Day" Award Goes To

Greenwich Blogger Chris Fountain....




I can find no record that he did, but this NYT article from 1995 says that he was convicted of crimes carrying a minimum mandatory 15 month sentence and faced up to 15 years for having his show horse Charisma electrocuted. I find it entirely plausible that the son of a Greenwich billionaire would never see the inside of a jail cell, but if anyone with access to Nexus or any other source of definitive information can confirm how George made it from convicted felon to Miami art patron all without a detour to Ossining, I’d appreciate learning of it.


UPDATE: Here he is being sentenced to three years in January 1996. Did he do the time? We’ll keep looking.


UPDATE II: To my amazement, he seems to have been hit with time, even though he fought his conviction all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. He reported to prison in February 1996 and was still there when he permanently lost his appeal, as we lawyers like to say.


Update III - 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon. Turns out that the father of John Edward’s mistress (she who bore his love child last year), a gentleman from Palm Beach named Druck, was a client of Tommy Burns, the same killer young George hired to electrocute Charisma up here in Conyers Farm. In fact, according to this story, Burns didn’t know how to do the job so Druck demonstrated the proper procedure. Absent that, George might still be a resident of our fair town and Miami would have lost a great benefactor. Isn’t life strange?


Druck doesn’t sound like a nice man. Besides being a crooked lawyer, the horse he electrocuted with Tommy Burns was his own daughter’s.


This Palm Beach newspaper says George served 18 months of his 33 - month sentence. And gave between $10,000-$25,000 to the ACLU to help in their fight to give Florida felons the vote. No doubt he was shocked to learn of his urban brothers’ disenfranchisement.




I heard last night of a $5 million offer made on a newly-constructed house that has been on the market forever (which I define as more than a year). I was first astonished that anyone is bidding $5 million for anything right now, and then further astonished when I learned that the builder’s counter-offer amounted to, in effect, “take a hike”. My personal suspicion is that that builder will be crawling, not hiking, soon, but he obviously is in no financial distress and can afford to wait for his price, or thinks he can.


I have been advising buyers to focus on new construction because builders are so financially vulnerable, but this is a good reminder that not all builders are in bad shape and won’t accept 80% offers......




When developer Building and Land Technology made a “private investment” last November in William Pitt, Pitt’s owners hailed the move as one that would benefit both organizations.....


......Now comes word that Pitt has defaulted on its debt and BL&T has forced out Jones and Breunich. It’s exactly what happened to Antares when they accepted an “investment” from BL&T last summer. Antare’s principal Joe Beninati, Mr. “Rent is as insignificant to hedge funds as the lunch bill” was asked about his new partner by The New Yorker’s Nick Paumgarten:.....


......For all I know, Derek Jeter is still at Harbor Point. Beninati and his partner Jim Cabrera are not, having been shoved off the dock just a few weeks after this interview. And now Casey Jones is gone, too. Perhaps he can start anew by selling off the Antares boys’ twin mansions on Moreland Road, the last vestiges of their fumbled attempt to sell residential real estate in Greenwich.


Congratulations are due to the anonymous realtor who posted the following on December 17, when the BL&T investment in Pitt was announced:....




I bank with Greenwich Bank & Trust and a fine bank it is. But it merged with Westport National Bank four years ago and became Connecticut Community Bank and now that larger entity is being sued by defrauded Madoff investors. It’s Walt Noel and Fairfield Greenwich Group, writ small: Westport Bank took a couple’s money, charged them 4% a year for the privilege of having them watch over it for them and on December 12, the day Bernie was arrested, sent them a letter saying that, gosh, they’d invested the whole thing with Mr. Madoff and would the couple like them to write a letter to Mr. Madoff, asking that he give their money back?


I have great faith in Greenwich Bank & Trust and I trust them to keep my piddling earnings safe but back when I hunted stockbrokers my colleagues and I cheered when banks went into the brokerage business. We were sure that they’d prove incompetent at suggesting wise investments and our subsequent paydays courtesy of arbitration panels proved us right. Never ever trust a bank’s retail “investment advisor’, is my advice. Certainly, don’t count on Westport National Bank to safeguard your money.....


Why Aren't The Corporate Suits At Hearst Newspapers Smart Enough To Fire Two Or Three Greenwich Time And Greenwich Citizen Reporters And Replace Them With Chris Fountain?


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01/01/09 Does The Greenwich Time Webmaster Hate The Greenwich Police Department?

It Is A Mystery Why The Hearst Newspaper Web Master Repeatedly Refuses To Put The Greenwich Police Department's Officer Of The Month On The Greenwich Time Web Site


No Good Cops Allowed Online
At The Green Kitty Litter Liner

Some months ago Greenwich Blogger Chris Fountain said he happened to pull a copy of the Greenwich Time out of a recycle bin and saw that the print edition of the local rag had published the police department press release about the officer of the month, but the story never appeared online.

Since then, month after month the Greenwich Time web master has declined to publish the "Police Officer Of The Month" story online at .greenwichtime.com .

Well just like clockwork on the last day of the month of December, the Greenwich Police Department has released their "Officer Of The Month" press release and Greenwich Time Managing Editor Jim Zorba has buried the story on page 3 just above Area briefs listings.

However, it is a mystery why the Greenwich Time Web Master will publish Area briefs online, but wont publish how Greenwich Police Officer James Smith got an award for a quick pursuit and arrest.

The growing number of online Greenwich news readers, know nothing about how Officer Smith recovered a stolen car and took a weapon off the street after a vehicle pursuit and a foot chase through a wooded area of town.

Later Greenwich Police Officer said that this was the first time that he was forced to chase someone during a motor vehicle stop.

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01/01/09 Greenwich Legislator Says He Is Ready To Hit The Ground Running



Greenwich Citizen

Freshman state Senator-elect Scott Frantz, R-36 (Greenwich and portions of New Canaan and Stamford), expects to tackle the state's shuddering deficit and sinking economy when he reports for duty in the Connecticut General Assembly in Hartford on Jan. 7.

Frantz also has on his mind a crusade to shoo 18-wheelers off I-95 and beef up transportation of freight by rail. Only 3 percent of freight moves by rail in Connecticut - compared to 30-to-40 percent in many other states. The reliance on trucks makes I-95 a nightmare day and night, particularly in Fairfield County.

Energizing Frantz, Greenwich resident and community leader, for those tasks are appointments to crucial committees in the General Assembly announced over the weekend. The appointments made by state Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, were announced by Brett R. Cody of the state Republican Office.

McKinney appointed Frantz ranking member of the legislative body's powerful Commerce Committee. He also selected Frantz for berths on the Appropriations, Program Review and Transportation committees. (Ranking member means Frantz is a member of the Senate minority party in the Democratic-dominated Senate.) Experience on Several Fronts ...

.....In naming Frantz to the various committees, McKinney said:

"As a successful entrepreneur and having just stepped aside as chairman of the Connecticut Development Authority for the last five years and a member of the board for over 14 years, Scott has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to make a business efficient and successful.
"That expertise will be invaluable as the state looks for new and innovative ways to make government more efficient, protect jobs and grow our economy."

In taking on a state senator's role, Frantz has had to step aside from another public service commitment of long duration, the chairmanship of the Board of Directors at Bradley International Airport.

The Transportation Committee Senator-elect Frantz will serve on is wrestling with reaffirming Connecticut's commitment to infrastructure projects and mass transit solutions.

"Connecticut's transportation model is not adequate for the 21st century," Frantz said.
"Transportation gridlock, particularly in lower Fairfield County, is a drag on economic growth. It is polluting our air, and it is a public safety hazard.

"I believe there are ways to stimulate our economy and improve our quality of life by making smart investments and finding immediate, cost-effective solutions in mass transportation, getting trucks off our highways, and moving more goods by rail."

Renowned for his community service in Greenwich, Frantz is idolized by teenagers. He was chief stem-winder in founding the popular Arch Street Teen Center.
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01/01/09 Greenwich Time News Links For Monday




Happy New Year To Our Friends
At The Greenwich Time

Everyday When I Get Up I Thank God For This
Hearst Newspaper That Does Such A Lousy
Job Of Reporting Local News


This Kitty Litter Liner's Incompetence
Has Fueled The Exceptional Growth Of
Greenwich Roundup


Plan aims to keep seniors at home
The state is rolling out a new program that officials say could revolutionize the elder-care industry and save the state millions of dollars in Medicaid expenses.

2008 closes with snow, high wind
Snow and high winds made New Year's Eve a dangerous time for traveling, but many people said the winter weather would not affect their celebrations.

Greenwich Hospital clears the air
Greenwich Hospital workers, patients and visitors looking to take a smoking break will have to find alternate ways of fighting the craving starting today.

Cardinals answer the call
The Greenwich High School boys hockey team was tired. Less than 24 hours after the Cardinals battled New Canaan to a scoreless tie in front of a capacity crowd at the Dorothy Hamill Rink, they returned to the ice to take on visiting Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe in a Tuesday matinee.

Art Openings Jan. 4
Openings Darien Nature Center ArtLink exhibit Works by fourth-graders at Holmes School in Darien and their counterparts in Colombia, Guatemala and Sri Lanka; works selected from a student art exchange hosted by Creative Connections.

Hot for Harmony: Starwood finds green in the sunshine state
An area investment firm is doing its part for the environment, working with Florida State University to build an energy research facility within a development it is creating in

The year just ended will be remembered for many things. On the upside will be a historic election. Much less inspiring will be our national upbraiding for years of unequivocal greed.

If Caroline can be senator, why not me?
Editor's note: Columnist B. Yudain has been traveling a lot to promote his candidacy for the soon-to-be-vacant New York U.S. Senate seat, meanwhile shamelessly tracking rival Caroline Kennedy's quest for the same position. He consented to sit down for an interview.

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01/01/09 You Know It Is New Years Day When You Read The First Greenwich Post Press Release Of 2009 !!!!!!!!!!


Once Again The Town's First Regurgitated And Unedited

Press Release Is Given Birth At The Post




Connecticut VNA's Hospice will be starting a training class this winter for volunteers interested in working with our hospice patients in Fairfield County.


Many people pick up new habits and leave old ones behind in January. Some may find hospice volunteer work a a meaningful new chapter in their lives. Volunteers perform various duties, depending on abilities and interests. Volunteers may: provide companionship to hospice patients and families, perform clerical duties, provide animal assisted therapy, and share gifts of music and expressive arts. With more training, volunteers may assist the VNA bereavement and spiritual care staff.


Topics covered in the basic training include the history and philosophy of hospice, the role of the volunteer, clinical aspects of dying, communication skills, family dynamics, issues of spirituality and religion, and grief and bereavement. Members of the hospice team will share first-hand experiences as they present each topic.


For more information about Connecticut VNA's Hospice or about the volunteer training program, call Paula Bruns, Volunteer Coordinator, at 831-8882.


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01/01/08 Greenwich Roundup Averages 1,221 Unique Visitors Per Day In December !!!!!!!! (Updated)


2008 Was A Great Year
And 2009 Looks Even Better !!!!!!!


December's Web Stas Just Came In At 3 Am This Morning:



48,472 Visits



37,864 Absolute Unique Visitors



72,008 Pageviews

1.49 Pages/Visit


00:05:24 Avg. Time on Site






Traffic Sources Overview:





Search Engines 37,131.00 (76.61%)



Referring Sites 6,941.00 (14.32%)



Direct Traffic 4,393.00 (9.06%)



Other 7 (0.02%)





Greenwich Roundup Got A Big Boost From The Greenwich Time's Failure To Properly Cover Greenwich Resident Walter "Feeder Fund" Noel And His Good Buddy Bernie Madoff.


The Number 1 Search Key Word Was:



"walter noel"



This search keyword brought in 2,543 Unique Visitors



Walter Noel And Bernie Madoff Dominated The Content Detail Report:



The Greenwich Roundup Home Page Was Of Coarce The Most Popular Page With 17,424 Unique Page Visits



Walter Noel And Bernie Madoff Owned The 2nd - 6th Greenwich Roundup Pages



The Seventh most popular page was:



12/10/08 You Wont Read This In The Greenwich Time: GREENWICH PTA"S HAD UP TO $75,000.00 STOLEN FROM THEM !!!!!



This page brought in 1077 Unique Visitors. Other Greenwich Roundup visitors read this story on the Greenwich Roundup Home page from 12/10 - 12/17/08, but were counted as home page viewers.



Walter "Feeder Fund" Noel / Bernnie Madoff Stories Took the 8th - 18th positions



With this Post Comming In At Number 18 With 540 Unique Visitors, but again many Greenwich Roundup visitors read the story on the home page 12/13 - 12/20/08:



12/13/08 Suicide hotlines in town could be lit up today as investors begin to realize how much they've lost in rip-off scheme perpetrated by Madoff



19th Most Popular Page In Greenwich Was:



12/02/08 Murder victim worked as a nanny during the week in Greenwich for a Lake Avenue family



This page brought in 451 Unique Visitors And was viewed by Home Page viewers 12/02 - 12/09/08





Number 20 Was:

12/02/08 No Wonder That Greenwich Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones Didn't Lift A Finger To Help The Glenville Students In The Stop And Shop Parking Lot





This Paul Tudor Jones page brought us 442 Unique Visitors and was also featured on the home page from 12/02 - 12/09/08.





For The Record:

Chris Fountain Was The Greenwich Blogger Who Sent Me The Most Traffic With 1,153 Visitors In December. Or 48 Visitors A Day. This Is A Very Good Number Considering Chris Averages Over 600 Site Visits Per Day.

Now You Know Why I Like The "For What It's Worth Blog" So Much !!!!
Mainly this traffic came from a link in his blog roll and a few mentions here in there in his postings.



COMMENT:




If Anyone Knows When Walter Noel Or Paul Tudor Jone's Birthday Is I Would Love To Send Them A Little Thank You Gift For December's Record Breaking Traffic.




Plus If Anyone Knows Greenwich Time Managing Editor Jim Zorba's Birthday I Really Owe Him A Big Thank You For Doing Such A Poor Job Of Covering Greenwich Resident Walter Noel.




Jim Please Keep Up The Bad Work !!!!!!





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12/31/08 Adam Horawitz Says Walter "Feeder Fund" Noels Buddy Bernnie Madoff Should Not Be Excommunicated (Updated - Picture)



There has been an unusual amount of introspection in the Jewish community this holiday season. Hanukkah was almost overshadowed by the Madoff scandal and the accompanying uproar about his impact on the Jewish community. The frenzy of handwringing and accusation culminated with the call for Madoff's excommunication from Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, of Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut, who stated in a passionate a letter to Malcolm Hoenlein that "never before has one man done such damage to individual Jews, Jewish organizations and Judaism itself." Hammerman was motivated by fears for the future of Judaism: "Our own children are watching us."

The future of Judaism and the moral standing of the US Jewish community are being threatened, but ironically, and tragically, it is happening far from the country clubs of Palm Beach and the mansions of Long Island. It is happening in Gaza. And unfortunately there is far too little handwringing about it in the Jewish leadership.

On the seventh day of Hanukkah, Israel unleashed an aerial assault on the Gaza Strip. This attack was ostensibly in retaliation for Qassam missiles shot from Gaza, but as was also seen in the 2006 war in Lebanon, the barrage was overwhelming and disproportional. At the end of the first three days of fighting over 350 Gazans had been killed and 1,600 injured. These deaths included children coming home from school, women shopping in open-air markets, and people waiting for buses. The indiscriminate nature of the attack combined with the ongoing siege of Gaza, which continues to cut the civilian population off from food, medicine, water, fuel and electricity, constitutes a horrific form of collective punishment....

....I could not celebrate while Gaza was dying - while cities were cut off from electricity, from water, from food. I could not join my community who, if not actively celebrating and promoting this barbaric behavior, were sitting idly by while others are forced to starve and be killed in our name.....

....I do not share Rabbi Hammerman's desire to ex-communicate anyone from the Jewish people, but I do share the Rabbi's concern for the future - for the future of Judaism and the messages we are sending the next generations. The siege and destruction of Gaza is the political, humanitarian, and moral crisis of our time. Where is the moral standing of a community whose leaders promote the slaughter of innocents? And when will we agonize over scandals where lives are lost at Jewish hands, and not just fortunes?

This article has been cross posted at JVoices.com.

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