The Daily Spurgeon Praying on hallowed ground - Lot is called a righteous man; and he was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. He frowned at the men of Sodom, and expostulated with them, a...
Rock Star Diary My year in pictures - Here's my 2008 year in pictures: There you have it! What a year. Hope 2009 is even better! XOXO, Jocelyn...
The Blonde Excuse Moving - So Brent and I are officially moved in! Well, mostly at least. We've spent the last two nights in our awesome new apartment, but are still working on getting...
Scott Freidheim: Former chief administrative officer, Lehman Bros.
Location: Greenwich, CT
Asking price: $13.75 million.
Listing: Sotheby's
Notes: Freidheim and his wife purchased this home a year ago for $12.4 million. Freidheim has since taken a job as executive vice president of operation at Sears ...
Britain’s financial regulator is investigating the involvement of so-called feeder funds in Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50 billion fraud, according to two people with knowledge of the case.
The Financial Services Authority is looking at how U.K. regulated firms were involved in what Madoff allegedly said was a “giant Ponzi scheme,” the people said on condition of anonymity because the subject of the probe isn’t public. The FSA is also reviewing the role of custodian banks, the people said.
Feeder funds took money from investors and placed it with Madoff’s Bernard L. Madoff InvestmentSecurities LLC. The U.K. Serious Fraud Office said last week it’s investigating Madoff’s U.K. operations, which managed his family’s personal funds.
“The FSA’s task is to look after its own backyard but also to help with the Americans’ backyard,” said Tony Woodcock, a regulatory lawyer at London-based Stephenson Harwood. “While the FSA will probably be looking at civil proceedings, ultimately if a U.S. offense has been committed on British soil, there could be an extradition.”
Other European nations have also begun probes into Madoff’s alleged fraud. Paris prosecutors said last week that they were reviewing whether French investors who lost money were victims of a crime. The FSA will be looking into whether fund strategies were deliberately misrepresented, said Woodcock.
‘Investor Protection’
“The FSA is going to be more interested in investor protection and whether compensation should be paid to investors,” said Andrew Shrimpton, a London-based hedge-fund adviser from Kinetic Partners who used to head the FSA’s alternative investment team. “The SFO will be more directly interested in the employees of the Madoff firm in London.”
Stephen Raven, the head of Madoff Securities International Ltd., the London-based proprietary trading firm that invested Madoff’s family money, said in an interview that he “knew nothing” about the alleged crime, and that he is cooperating with the FSA and the SFO.
The investigations are at an early stage and the people with knowledge of them didn’t mention firms by name. The FSA has said it expects companies that it regulates to comprehend the strategy of funds they invest in.
Dan Waters, the FSA’s director of retail policy and conduct risk, said the regulator had started “examining the issues as they relate to us.”
Custodians
FIM Advisers LLP, a London-based investment firm run by Carlo Grosso and Federico Ceretti, is a consultant to Bermuda- based Kingate Management Ltd., which manages the Kingate funds that invested with Madoff. A call to FIM’s London offices today wasn’t answered.
Fairfield Greenwich Group, Walter Noel’s hedge-fund firmthat had $7.5 billion with Madoff, was sued this week for at least the third time by investors in the U.S. over claims it failed to protect their assets. It has 18 employees in London who are licensed by the FSA, according to the regulator’s Web site.
“Fairfield Greenwich intends to cooperate with all regulatory procedures,” said Thomas Mulligan, a New-York based spokesman for the firm.
The FSA is also looking at whether financial custodians’ duties were breached, the people said. Custodians are typically banks charged with oversight of funds’ cash inflows and payments to investors........
New York-based Fairfield Greenwich Group’s Fairfield Sentry fund, which invested exclusively with Madoff, reported an average annual return of 11 percent ...
.... class action was filed against hedge fund Fairfield Greenwich Group in Manhattan Supreme Court, Anwar v. Fairfield Greenwich, 08-603769, with investors ...
Fairfield Greenwich, the investment firm run by Madoff chum Walter Noel, lost $7.5bn in the fraud while womenswear magnate and Madoff mentor Carl Shapiro ...
It has been reported that the Fairfield Greenwich hedge-fund investment group, which was co-founded by Jeffrey Tucker, a New York breeder, lost $7.5 billion ...
This week, Noel's hedge fund, Fairfield Greenwich, was sued for a third time in as many weeks. The plaintiffs in the most recent suit include several ...
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North Mianus School Principal Bonnie Butera is visited by third grader Kara Bittman, who shares her readers response journal with Butera. The readers response effort employed by Butera was key to raising the students CMT scores this year. (Anne W. Semmes / for the Greenwich Citizen)
... response effort employed by Butera was key to raising the students CMT scores this year. Bonnie Butera, 35-year Greenwich educator and four-year principal of North Mianus School, is retiring on July 1. ...
A room full of educators, town leaders and elected officials at Greenwich High School were privy on Wednesday morning to a call to action and accountability by the powerful oratory of Joel Klein, chancellor of ...
It's just a rumor that one needs a Philadelphia lawyer - the BEST, according to legend - to navigate the ins, outs, ups, downs, circles in the 2009 Town of Greenwich Beach Policy adopted recently by the Board ...
... This is the third installment of Dr. John de Csepel's Uganda Diary. The Greenwich-raised and-educated physician is volunteering with the organization, Mission Doctors Association. He had undertaken medical ...
Tony Mullen, 48, special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, is among four finalists for the nation's top teaching honor -National Teacher of the Year.
... to an abrupt end at 15 years old when he broke his leg in an All-Star game against 17-18 year olds. Atkinson, a Greenwich native and former Avon Old Farms prep school hockey star, wouldn't accept the prognosis. He had a vision - going to play ...
Cam Atkinson had the privilege of growing up in Greenwich. Later, he had the further privilege of attending and playing his chosen sport - ice hockey - at Avon Old Farms prep school.
... little bit of pressure can bring out the best in people. Pressure can also make you better. It's no wonder why the Greenwich High boys swim team is chasing its 17th straight Class LL state title. Big Red, the defending FCIAC champion, has also won ...
Greenwich High School senior Christian Parrotta, 17, demonstrates his talent during a solo art exhibit in the school's media center Thursday. (Keelin Daly/Greenwich Time Photo)
Surrounded by onlookers Thursday afternoon inside the Greenwich High School Media Center, Christian Parrotta approached his easel with the furious calm that has become his signature.
Multi-colored, oil pastel ovals filled the black paper canvas until it was nearly covered, and the 17-year-old artist decided he was done.
"He's very uninhibited," said Julie Nixon, Parrotta's drawing teacher for the last two years. "I think it's impressive that he's so focused and so very deliberate in his work."
Christian is autistic. The nearly non-verbal Greenwich High School senior, a lifelong Byram resident, enjoys word and math puzzles, animals, traveling, going to the beach and -- recently --art. Nixon said she recognized Christian's drive last year and began saving his artwork in the hope that he could one day show his pieces, mostly colorful abstract drawings in line and shape, as well as some watercolors.
That day came Thursday, when Christian opened a show of approximately 20 pieces, including two in clay, at Greenwich High School. Both of his parents were in attendance, as wells as his teachers and many classmates.
Christian's mother, Lorraine Parrotta, 52, said she's enjoyed discovering his interest in art. "Art's his main thing," she said, "this year and last. This Christmas we bought him an easel and pastels."
Christian's father, Michael Parrotta, 61, said his son loved being challenged by word and math puzzles, as well as art......
Greenwich gets money on the cheap It could be a deal for the record books. The town issued $72 million in short-term bonds Thursday to pay for construction projects and infrastructure repairs, borrowing the money from Morgan Stanley at the microscopic interest rate of .
Group tracks complaints from Metro-North riders In an annual report released Thursday, a state-appointed watchdog group highlighted overcrowding, looming service cuts and possible fare hikes as major issues for Metro-North Railroad commuters.
M. Jodi Rell announced Saturday that she has appointed Linda McMahon of Greenwich, the WWE’s chief executive officer, to the 11-member Board of Education. ...
Norwalk man survives Hudson River plane crash Norwalk man survives to tell his tale NORWALK -- Jeffrey Kolodjay, 31, a newly married city resident, was among the 155 passengers and crew who survived the US Airways crash-landing in the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
Boating column: Cold air, cold water, hot racers Call them crazy, but frostbite sailors just love to get out on the water -- cold water that is. At Indian Harbor Yacht Club, they do it 22 times a winter, 26 if you count special regattas.
Local artisans find the Internet is one of their best tools Crafting a community Before she began making artwork and selling it online, Katie D'Angelo was a big fan of buying handmade goods and supporting the artists who made them.
"It's such a one-on-one experience," she says. "You can really connect with the artist."
These days, the 29-year-old Greenwich resident is experiencing what it is like to see a hobby blossom into a fledging business. About six months ago, she opened an online shop, Duskblue Arts, on Etsy, a Web site for buyers and sellers of handmade products, crafting supplies and vintage items. It is not the only such online marketplace, but it is one of the largest, having steadily grown since it was launched in 2005.
The site has more than 1.75 million members and 3 million items for sale. Since it was launched, sales have increased from $166,000 to an estimated $87 million last year, according to the company. Overall, the fine crafts market is estimated to be a $13.8 billion industry, according to a recent survey......
Outlook shaky at chamber luncheon People often ask him when this recession will be over, said Nicholas Perna, an economic adviser for Webster Bank.
"It all depends on what you mean by when and over," he said Thursday at the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Economic Outlook luncheon at the Continental Manor in Norwalk.
The event, which was sponsored by Webster Bank, was attended by about 175 business owners, bankers and other professionals......
It's like "Alice In Wonderland"! Up is down; left is right.
So who is to blame for the present Gaza situation? There are vocal demonstrators insisting Israel is to blame. Let's look at the situation realistically.
Who broke the cease fire? Hamas. Who uses its mosques and universities as shields?
Hamas. Who fires its rockets from civilian positions? Hamas. Who is ignoring the best interests of its population by persistently breaking the cease fire? Hamas. Who insists Israel has no right to exist? Hamas. Who insists the only "solution" is for Israel to be driven into the sea? Hamas. In fact, who forcefully usurped legitimate authority in Gaza from Palestine's duly elected government? Hamas.
So, then, why so many vociferous demonstrations against Israel and not against Hamas?
Because it is known that Israel at least listens to world opinion. Hamas completely ignores world opinion and its responsibility for its Gaza population.
Palestinian sympathizers: If you really care about Gaza civilians, direct your pleas to (and accusations at) Hamas.
Ric Wolf Greenwich
COMMENT:
Dear Ric Wolf,
Being Of Jewish Decent, Like You And Most Of The World ...... I Hate Hamas. They are War Criminals And Terrorists.
Rick I Am Not Israeli. I Am A Levite. My Ancestors Did Not Get Land....
...."because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their possession"
But Rick, I Am Now A Christian
I Converted To Christianity Almost Six Months Ago At Harvest Time Church Up On King Street Here In Greenwich.
Since My Conversion I Have Spent A Great Deal Of Time Reading The Four Gosspels About Jesus.
It was not very pretty, the world into which Jesus was born.
The Palestine of Jesus' day was a world of grinding poverty for the masses, hard labor, punishment. In those states where the penitentiary system has been adopted, convicts who are to be imprisoned, as part of their punishment, are sentenced to perform hard labor.and brutal military occupiers whose preferred method of crowd control was crucifixion for all who dared to rise up and resist.
Nor was the town of Jesus' birth especially peaceful. The Bethlehem into which Jesus was born would soon know the terrifying clank of military steel, the blood-curdling shrieks of children slashed to death by Roman soldiers "just doing their job," and the heart-rending cries of anguished, inconsolable mothers.
Today the picture looks strangely similar. Palestine suffers massive unemployment and poverty. And Bethlehem knows too well the sounds and scenes of war: the menacing drone of helicopter gunships operated by soldiers "just doing their duty"; the horrifying boom of tanks that send shells smashing through ordinary houses, fill children's beds with glass shards, and turn civilians into refugees without homes; the screams of children; the anguish of Palestinian parents incapable of protecting their little ones from the ongoing terror.
This is the land of Jesus Emmanuel--God with us
When Jesus waled in this troubled land he reached out to goyim.
When Jesus was in Palestine he went and comforted those who mourn, claims peacemakers as children of God, and grants inheritance in the kingdom of heaven to those who hunger and thirst for justice.
The Slaughter Of The Innocents:
Palestine And A Just War Theory
In the fifth century, Augustine articulated what we call the Just War Theory, describing the circumstances that could justify the reluctant and limited use of force. And Christians have embraced this doctrine for 1,500 years.
The Just War Theory requires the protection of noncombatants.
But Israel has failed miserably here
Dropping a bomb on an innocent person is murder,
And killing someone "on accident" when it's your fault is murder is some cases. Accidentally run over some little kid cause you didn't see him..... Accident.
Dropping a bomb on a city knowing hundreds of people will die, and most likely be an innocent victim in there...... Murder
While there are a few passages where God sanctions violence for the sake of obtaining land or maintaining a distinctive identity for Israel, this is really a minor theme in the Hebrew Scriptures. By far the greater accent is on the ways the people of God are to welcome the stranger and care for the widow and the poor....
Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.
Exodus 20:13 - You shall not murder.
Deuteronomy 27:25a - Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.
Proverbs 6:16-19 - There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood...
According to the Bible, God knew and loved those Innocent Palestinian Mothers and Children before were born in Gaza.
Psalm 139:13-16. For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
Jeremiah. 1:5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.
I support Israel's right to defend herself, but I will never support killing of children and their mothers. Over 300 children have died in this military campaign.
The ratio of Palestinians to Israelis killed last year was the most unbalanced ever, at 40:1, up from 30:1 in 2006 and 4:1 from 2000-2005.
The facts are the facts: 1,013 people have died in the conflict which started 19 days ago. More than 300 of the dead are said to be children, 76 are women and more than 4,500 people have been injured, of whom 1,600 are children and 678 are women.
Thirteen Israelis have been killed, including three civilians and one soldier from rockets fired from Gaza and nine soldiers killed in fighting in Gaza
No one wants anyone to die, Israeli or Palestinian, but this ratio is alarming. It is unacceptable to justify such large-scale killings under the pretext of security.
Yehezkel Lein, research director for the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, expressed his own concerns, "We are worried about the number of Palestinian civilians who continue to be killed."
"B'Tselem has filed a petition before the Israeli Supreme Court requesting that every Palestinian civilian killed by the Israeli Defense Forces be automatically investigated by the state, something which doesn't occur, as Israel defines the current situation as an armed conflict in which 'collateral damage' occurs."
Prior to the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000, every civilian death was automatically investigated by the Jewish state, as the conflict in the Palestinian territories was regarded as a policing matter.
There is no doubt that Israel faces serious security threats, and is entitled and even obligated to do its utmost to protect its population." But too often Israel fails to balance legitimate security needs with protecting innocent Palestinian children.
Most Godless act of all:
killing innocent children
The Bible says, “He who sheds innocent blood, his blood shall be shed.”
It also says, “Anyone who harms these little ones, it is better that a millstone be around their neck.”
There is a big difference in people who call themselves Christians and people who truly are born-again Christians. The Sixth Commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill.” I guess some people do not include innocent Palestinian Mothers and Children in this.
If you read this blog, you will clearly see that there are a lot of things that I need to learn as A Christian, and how I should react to others. For example, my fellow Christian's at Harvest Time Church are always praying for our town leaders and their families, as they lead us.
They pray that God will help these elected officials and appointees to make the right decisions for everyone and that their families and homes will be protected as they serve us.
I go along with the prayer, but deep down inside I want to get rid of a couple of dozen failed leaders. While this prayer is going on I am thinking Board Of Education and Building Committees. I Don't Want To Pray That These Failed School Officials Will Make Wise Decisions. I Want To Fire Them All And Get New Leaders.
But Pastor Glen And His Associate Pastors Just Want To Encourage Everyone In Our Church To Pray For Our Local Leaders, As Well As Our Leaders On All Levels.
Where I See Incompetent Political Buffoons Screwing Up The Town ........ They See Men Of Goodwill And Want To Pray A Great Blessing For Their Willingness To Serve The Town.
So, I Freely Admit That I Don't Understand Or Yet Practice All Of The Mitzvahs Or Religious Precepts Of Christianity.
But I Do Know That.....
...we should remember Ezekiel 18:20, which prohibits executing a child for the crime of his/her father. This means that even the tragic cases of political terrorism is no justification for killing the innocent child.
The Killing Of Over 300 Innocent Children
In 19 Days Is Demonic
Jesus said of the devil....
“He was a murder from the beginning… When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
It is no accident that Jesus speaks about Satan’s murders and lies in the same breath. Lies are the wheels that turn every holocaust. to pull of his murders, Satan tells us lies. He is so eloquent, so persuasive in his lies, and we are so gullible, that we fall for his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), calling right wrong, making us think—as many prochoicers do—that they are taking the moral high ground even as the defend something unspeakably immoral.
If some of the prochoice arguments momentarily cloud and eclipse what you know to be right, realize it is simply because the devil is behind the persuasive rhetoric of the prochoice movement. He is fluent in the language of lies and uses the prevailing assumptions of culture, education, and media to draw us away from God’s thoughts about the killing of innocent children and toward his.
The Devil Is Enjoying Every Minute Of This Isreali / Palestinian Conflict, Because He Orchrastrated It In The Background.
How Else Could A Good Man Like Rick Wolf Sit Comfortable In Greenwich And Watch Innocent Palestinan Children And Mothers Die Daily?
How Else Could A Good Man Like RicK Wolf Turn A Blind Eye To Pain And Deep Suffering Of 1,600 Innocent Children Being Injured In 19 Days?
Why Else Would Rich Wolf Sit At His Desk In Greenwich And Write A Letter To The Editor That Basically Says That It Is Their Own Damn Fault?
What Would Jesus Say And Do About Over 300 Palestinian Children Being Killed In 19 Days?
Satan Would Say, "It Is Their Own Damn Fault They Should Have Got Out Of The Way? Those Children Had An Obligation To Make Hamas Stop Firing Those Rockets"
Maybe We Should Stand Up Against Evil
And Stop Showing Sympathy for the Devil That Urges Us To Support The Killing Of Innocent Little Children.
Mark 10:13-25 (King James Version)
13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
17And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Do Not Sit At Home Watching 300 Children Get Killed On That Big Flat Screen TV You Got For Christmas,
Don't Foolishly Think That The Creator Of Those Dead Innoccent Palestinian Children Is Happy With What He Sees.
Only The Enemy Of Mankind, And Those He Has Decieved Is Pleased With These Innocent Deaths Of Palestinian Children.
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STAYING LATE MEANS PAY'S GREAT !!!! GREENWICH'S OT QUEENS AND KINGS
Deputy Superintendent Of Schools Kathleen Greider Was The Second Highest Paid Town Greenwich Employee At $196,471. Her Boss, Betty Sternberg, Was The Town's Highest Paid Employee.
First Selectman Peter Tesei, paid $110,000 annually, did not even make the top 100 list highest paid town employees ALL OF THE TOWN'S TOP 100 EMPLOYEES EARNED SIX FIGURES
For the second year in a row, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Betty Sternberg is the queen bee on the Town's paycheck honeycomb.
At $287,288, the superintendent of schools made more in 2008 than U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings - $192,300....
....Greenwich's widely awaited annual list of 100 top wage earners was distributed Tuesday by Human Resources Director Maureen Kast. At $143,241, Kast is No. 24.
A former head of human resources for the New York City Police Department, Kast noted that while top educators dominate the 2008 Greenwich list as they did in 2007, there is a strong presence from the Greenwich Police Department. In an interview she attributed this to cops putting in much overtime ....
....Accident Car Patrolman Joseph Rondini, at $156,760, is 10th on the earnings list; Lt. Mark Kordick, at $148,307, is 18th on the list, while Police Chief David Ridberg, at $145,243, checks in at No. 21.....
.....Mario Gonzalez, who resigned as head of Greenwich Library at the end of the year, No. 3 at $180,880; and William O. Kowalewski, executive director of The Nathaniel Witherell, No. 4, at $169,283.
Kowalewski runs the Town-owned 202-bed skilled nursing home......
....Spots 99 and 100 on the list are pinned down, respectively, by police Lt. James Heavey, at $118,503, and North Street School Assistant Principal Karen Vitti at $117,953.
First Selectman Peter Tesei, paid $110,000 annually, did not make the top 100 list.....
.....For the complete list of the Town of Greenwich's top 100 wager earners and their annual salaries, please see our print edition.
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I have recently heard that many stores will be closing on the Ave. including Baccarat (no surprise there) Tiffany, J. Crew and Saks - I doubt that one.Have you heard those rumors?
What do I know from Greenwich Avenue, except to speed across it in my Hummer? Anyone know anything about the health of these stores?
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The girlfriend of Stamford hedge fund swindler Samuel Israel III, already accused of helping him try to avoid a prison sentence, attempted to send him $300 in jail, officials said Wednesday.
The cash was "secreted in the pages of a magazine" that had been mailed to Israel last month at the Westchester County jail, county police spokesman Kieran O'Leary said. He did not know the name of the magazine.
The money was discovered during routine screening and did not reach Israel, O'Leary added. Prisoners are not permitted to receive cash.
The magazine was traced to the girlfriend, 45-year-old Debra Ryan of Armonk, N.Y., and she was arrested on Friday, O'Leary said. She is due in local court later this month.
Ryan is a decorator who rented a house on Highland Avenue in Greenwich. Israel founded the hedge fund Bayou Group in Stamford in 1996.
The arrest was first disclosed in federal court after Ryan pleaded not guilty to the charge she helped Israel go on the lam rather than begin his 20-year prison sentence last June.
Israel surrendered a month later and was recently transferred to a federal medical prison in Massachusetts for physical and psychological tests ordered by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas. The judge is unsure that Israel, who has been addicted to painkillers, is competent to plead guilty to the charge of failing to report to prison.
Ryan's lawyer, Richard Strassberg, declined comment on the contraband charge, which is a misdemeanor with a maximum one-year sentence upon conviction. She could face as much as 10 years in prison if convicted on the original charge.
The judge warned Ryan to have "no contact of any kind" with Israel in the future and added that to the conditions of her $75,000 bail.
"Ms. Ryan, please don't tempt fate," he added
Though Ryan pleaded not guilty to the charge of aiding and abetting Israel's failure to report to prison, negotiations on a plea bargain are under way. Prosecutor Nicholas McQuade told the judge lawyers were in talks "likely to result in a disposition of the case."
The judge set Feb. 10 for the next court session.
Ryan's original arrest came in June, 10 days after Israel faked his suicide on the Bear Mountain Bridge and fled the day he was supposed to begin the sentence he received for swindling investors in his Bayou hedge funds. Prosecutors said at the time that Ryan admitted helping Israel pack up the RV that he used to flee.
Ryan's statement was the first big break announced in the case after Israel's SUV was found abandoned on a Hudson River bridge with the ominous words "Suicide is Painless" etched in dust on the hood.
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Spain yesterday became the third euro zone country within a week to be warned by rating agency Standard & Poor's that its credit rating (currently the highest - AAA) is under threat from the deterioration.......
Santander Under Investigation
....Well, as we say in English, it never rains but it pours (sempre plou sobre mullat) - and if only to confirm the validity of the old adage I simply can't end this post without mentioning that we have learnt today that Spanish prosecutors are currently investigating Banco Santander's loss of more than 2.3 billion euros of its clients' money by investing with alleged swindler Bernard Madoff. Just what Spain and its badly mauled banking system needed at this moment in time - a crisis of confidence in the professional judgement of Emilio Botin.
According to the Wall Street Journal yesterday Spain's anticorruption prosecutor is set to examine the relationship between Santander, Fairfield Greenwich Group, and the Madoff funds. Fairfield Greenwich Group is an investment fund, whose clients stand to lose $7.5 billion in the alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme.
According to the Journal, investigators are looking into why Santander Chairman Emilio Botin sent his head of risk management operations to visit Madoff weeks before the scheme fell apart. Investigators are also reported to be looking into whether several people who managed money at Santander funds were aware of problems at the Madoff funds.
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The Connecticut Development Authority suffered a net asset loss of $9.4 million in the 2008 fiscal year after losing $10.3 million on its lending and economic development investments, according to its latest available audited financial statements.
The loss is the fourth in as many years for the quasi-public agency, which also experienced net losses of $7.3 million in fiscal 2007, $2.07 million in fiscal 2006, and $2.9 million in fiscal 2005.
CDA officials told their outside auditors that the latest drop in the agency’s net assets was primarily due to its investment losses, including $10.1 million of real-estate-backed investments.
But they also said that the losses were “alleviated” in part by “core lending and economic development operating income” of $430,537 and by another $528,279 in net operating income at the XL Center.
The auditors, meanwhile, reported that the CDA had made a total of $47.4 million in loans, including $9.4 million they characterized as “current” and $38 million as “non-current.”
They said the agency had a recorded balance of “impaired loans” of $16.2 million in the last fiscal year, an increase from the $15.3 million in fiscal 2007.
A loan is “impaired,” according to the auditors, when based on current circumstances and events a creditor expects to be unable to collect all amounts contractually due in accordance with the terms of the loan agreement.
Similarly, the auditors reported that as of June 30, 2008, the CDA had “non-performing loans” — which include loans over 61 days past due — with a “carrying value” of $1.1 million and a “fair value” of $557,131.
They also reported that the agency in the last fiscal year had paid $353,978 in guarantees — payments for which it was responsible when the company primarily liable for the debt failed to perform.That marked a nearly threefold increase over the previous fiscal year, when the CDA paid $90,291 in guarantees.
The CDA’s losses on its investments have been controversial, and agency officials told lawmakers several years ago that while it never “forgives” loans, it only recovers about 10 percent of the failed loans and guarantees it charges off.
Those comments came as the authority, as well as Gov. M. Jodi Rell, caught political flak over its bad loans and some lawmakers criticized the CDA as one of the state’s “candy store” economic development agencies, adding that they suspected politics had played a role in its decisions.
Rell last month named a Haddam resident, Laura Grondin, as the new chairwoman of the CDA. Grondin, president of Rocky Hill-based Virginia Industries, succeeded L. Scott Frantz, a Republican from Greenwich who was elected to the state Senate in November......
Peter Leone of Lionshare's first win at WEF EquestiranMag ... and credited his crew for their organization and attention to detail. Leone's Lionshare Farm, located in Greenwich, Connecticut, prides itself on creating an atmosphere that exemplifies the standard of excellence to which all show barns aspire ...
Norwalk Man Held On Child Pornography WSTC-AM Norwalk Greenwich Police Lieutenant Dan Allen said authorities originally began investigating Brown for threatening a former girlfriend, but the probe uncovered pornography on his computer.
Stocks nose-dive with retail, banking worries Washington Times ... lead the sell-off, and they're down 5 percent today," Steven Goldman, chief market strategist for Weeden & Co. of Greenwich, Conn., told The Washington Times. "It makes it difficult to have a sustained rally. The retail sales report didn't help, ...
Local historian recounts Rochambeau's march through Connecticut Westport Minuteman ... might not well have been a United States of America." As a historian, Savage knows of what he speaks. The Old Greenwich resident taught at both the University of Connecticut and Fairfield University, and for years was a professional filmmaker for ...
a Lasting Debt to Schools New York Post ... bonds because it's cheaper than borrowing from banks and there is demand from investors, said Laurence Allen, the Greenwich, Conn.-based managing member of Nyppex Holdings LLC, a firm that trades stakes in private- equity funds and often works with ...
Exclusive: Piven Defends Play Departure ABC News - Brian Ross and the Investigative Team ... condition. "This is a situation of mercury toxicity," Colker, the medical director of Peak Wellness of Greenwich, Conn., told ABCNews.com. "His level [of mercury] was quite high, almost six times the normal limit. a In this case, it's either because ...
Tax season launches Friday Connecticut Post ... jointly is around $22,000. A clear sign that the need is out there is that "It's [the average AGI is] lower in Greenwich" than in some of the other county towns, Pfann said. This, he added, might be due to a number of servants or service people who ...
Revolution Tour Hits Transworld Motocross ... Brennen Swanson (Stillwater, MN) and Ross Baker (Squaw Valley, CA) as well as Chris Mahaney (Greenwich, CT) who was fourth at Junior World Championships in 2008, and Kim Krahulec (Silverthorne, CO). "I can't wait to see what tricks ...
Nymex Gas Falls as U.S. Retail Sales Report Signals Further Drop in Demand Bloomberg ... are extremely concerned about the drop-off in demand,a said Tom Orr , research director at Weeden & Co. in Greenwich, Connecticut. a oeWe were anticipating a 3 percent decline in gas use in 2009.a Natural gas for February delivery fell 21.4 cents, ...
Lucille Albee Newton Daily News ... Park Rapids. Lu was born and raised in Latimer. She and her family lived in Wayzata, Minn., Kansas City, Kan., Old Greenwich, Conn., and Deephaven, Minn. After a successful career as a teacher, realtor, church and community volunteer and housewife, ...
Today marks what would have been the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 80th birthday. The civil rights leader, who was assassinated in 1968, months before his 40th birthday, will be honored around town today and Monday, its national day of observance.
Celebrating with scholarship awards and an art show reception, the YWCA of Greenwich will host Richard “Cookie” Thomas, who will speak today at 5:30 p.m. about his meeting Mr. King. He will also help present the YWCA Racial Justice Scholarship Awards to high school seniors Elizabeth Huebner and Asia Sanders.
The art exhibit, “Living and Dreaming: Original Art Work Inspired by the Life and Times of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” features works by Kwame Henry Jones and Donna Hargrove. The program is free and open to the public.
Those interested in attending the reception may RSVP to 869-6501, ext. 104, or e-mail p.dileo@ywcagreenwich.org.
On Monday, the Bruce Museum will open its doors with the theme “Celebrating a Life of Love.” The annual celebration of Mr. King’s life will feature performances by the Messiah Baptist Gospel Choir from Bridgeport at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Kids of all ages and abilities will have the opportunity to make “I have a dream …” buttons and add their self-portraits to the Circle of Friends mural. The events are free with museum admission.
Young volunteers at the museum will help with the activities commemorating the holiday, as a part of the national King Day of Service initiated by the United States Congress in 1994. Those interested in volunteering should contact Volunteer Program Manager Mary Ann Lendenmann at mlendenmann@brucemuseum.org.
At the schools
The town’s private schools are also gearing up to celebrate Mr. King and his message of equality and kindness.
On Friday, the 775 girls of Convent of the Sacred Heart will participate in an all-school prayer service with their teachers and school administrators. The theme of the event is Langston Hughes’ poem “A Dream Deferred.”.....
Charging that the defense was not properly provided evidence during his 2002 trial, attorneys for Michael Skakel have filed a new appeal of his murder conviction and asked that a bail hearing be held.
The critical work seen as the last remaining obstacle to getting students in the new Hamilton Avenue School is underway and could be complete soon, provided there’s cooperation from an unpredictable factor... the weather.
A Jan. 28 date has been set to determine whether the transcript of Greenwich Probate Judge David Hopper’s May hearing upholding Jennifer Hagel Smith’s $1-million settlement with Royal Caribbean International may be made public. The Post asked Judge Hopper this week to unseal the transcript, taken during a hearing closed to the press and public.
Approved in the 2008-09 budget as a $1.56-million project, the redevelopment of the administration building and pro shop at the Griffith E. Harris Golf Course is looking to add more of a safety net to its plan.
State Representatives Livvy R. Floren, (R-149), Lile R. Gibbons, (R-150), and Fred Camillo, (R-151), have been selected to serve on key committee positions in the House Republican caucus for the 2009-10 legislative sessions by House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., (R-142).
Roderick Boyd, 40, of 54 Sinoway Road, Cos Cob was arrested Jan. 9 and charged with second degree failure to appear. Boyd reportedly turned himself in on an outstanding warrant after he allegedly failed to answer charges in court. He had been arrested on Feb. 16, 2006 and charged with driving while under suspension, not having insurance and failure to obey a traffic control signal. Boyd was released on a $500 cash bond and is due in court Jan. 16.
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Larcenio Brown, 37, of Norwalk was arrested Jan. 10 and charged with three counts of first degree possession of child pornography. Brown was arrested as part of an unrelated investigation when it was allegedly determined he had numerous images of child pornography on three computers. Brown was being held in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond and is due in court Jan. 20.
APPEAR
Atigio Sierralta, 37, of Port Chester, N.Y. was arrested Jan. 12 and charged with second degree failure to appear. Police reportedly saw Sierralta traveling 50 mph in a posted 35 mph zone on West Putnam Avenue and when he was pulled over, officers discovered there was a warrant for his arrest. Sierralta had allegedly failed to appear in court to respond to an Aug. 17, 2001 arrest for traveling fast, misuse of plates, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and not having insurance. Sierralta was released on a $500 cash bond and is due in court Jan. 21.
BREACH OF PEACE
A 17-year-old Riverside boy was arrested Jan. 13 and charged with breach of peace. The boy reportedly turned himself in to police custody on an active warrant. He had allegedly punched another student at Greenwich High School on Oct. 22. The boy was released on a $1,000 cash bond and is due in court Jan. 21.
=============================================================== Please send your comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com or click on the comments link at the end of this post.
The only realistic way to close the achievement gap between poor students and wealthier ones is to set higher standards for teachers and offer pay incentives for good performance, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein told town educators Wednesday.
Tesei seeks cuts in Greenwich work force First Selectman Peter Tesei will seek to cut as many as 70 jobs from the town's non-school work force of 1,020 employees -- some through layoffs and others by attrition -- to make up for declining revenues.
A special-education teacher at the town's alternative high school has been named one of four national finalists for the federal education department's 2009 "Teacher of the Year Award.
In Town Briefs: Former Ms. America to discuss health Ex-Ms. America discusses health Susan Jeske, former Ms. America, will speak at a morning coffee event, hosted by the WGCH radio show "The Health Secret," at 10 a.m.
Greenwich police closed a nearly two-mile stretch of King Street on Wednesday night for about three hours after a one-car accident near the state line.
Bonding returns to front-burner Long taboo in Greenwich because of the unwanted burden of interest payments, the practice of bonding for projects made a comeback Wednesday during a public hearing on the town's watered-down capital spending program. Full Story
HARTFORD -- The General Assembly convened Wednesday to ostensibly further whittle down the current fiscal year's deficit, which some estimate is approaching $1 billion.
Sabbath Services CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF GREENWICH: 75 Mason St. Tel. 629-9059. Web site: www.chabadgreenwich.org. Traditional prayer services.
Landlord defends Cos Cob bank Dave Sottini doesn't understand what's wrong with a bank. "Banks don't even have an outside Dumpster," said Sottini, a Cos Cob native who said he is surprised by the recent neighborhood protest against Chase Bank's pending move to the property his family has owned for decades at 371 E.
RYE BROOK, N.Y. - Robert Funicello watched the new electric-powered baggage cart pull onto the tarmac at Westchester County Airport yesterday, another step toward lessening the 703-acre facility's impact on the environment
Greenwich High School upends Darien in boys swimming DARIEN -- One of the reasons why the Greenwich High School boys swimming team regained the FCIAC championship and once again contended for the State Open title last year was the performance of its fabulous freshmen.
Guitar master Al DiMeola brings flavor of tango to Fairfield After spending last year with reunited fusion pioneers Return to Forever, guitarist Al DiMeola is already back on the road with his World Sinfonia band, supporting an album recorded live in Italy.
Harman expands into India, Dubai Continuing its push to develop operations overseas, Stamford-based Harman International Industries Inc.
This is in response to the unfortunate citizens of Greenwich who suffer from an irrational fear of unleashed dogs on town property, and who feel the need to "protect" the rest of us.
Dogs are friendly and intelligent creatures, often cleaner and better-behaved than the average human toddlers that are so coveted. When dogs are loose on the beach, they are far more interested in romping around with their fellow canines than they are randomly mauling joggers. In fact, I've never seen any instance of the latter.
In addition, for those who complain about dogs defecating on the beach: Clean-up is the owner's responsibility, not the dog's, as they are not potty-trainable. And personally, I find it far more disgusting and offensive when a human family leaves their food garbage all over the beach than coming across a stray pile of poo.
"You Go, Curls"
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By Jerry Zezima
When it comes to the care of my hair, which is getting a little spare, I
stick my tongue in a light socket to give it a certain flair.
T...
It Really Was Twenty Years Ago Today
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Not quite how it turned out
It was a Thursday.
August 17, 2006.
"London Bridge" by Fergie was the top song in the land (yikes). Snakes on a
Plane wa...
Interest Rates Up – Sales Fall – Market Stays Tight
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We have 217 listings on the market which is a record low for this week. We
only have one listing under $700,000 which is 0.5% of the market. Under $1
milli...
WordPress Toolkit – Backup and Restore WordPress
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What is WordPress Toolkit? Packed full of features and an easy to use
control panel, manage your WordPress websites with ease. WordPress Toolkit
is every...
TOWN OF GREENWICH SHOULD DENY HIGBIE A PLATFORM
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Carl Higbie has made numerous racist, anti-gay, anti-Muslim, misogynist,
and anti-migrant statements, even calling for shooting people who cross our
southe...
Or the other way around
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Legal pot is making the poor lazy and shiftless, claims the NYPost. Isn’t
it just as likely; more likely, that lazy, shiftless people tend to be poor
and u...
Drop - In Spanish Storytime with Miss Myriam
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*When:* Tuesday, April 26, 2016 9:30 AM
*Where:* Cos Cob Library
You're invited to Drop-in Spanish Storytime with Myriam. Sessions take
place weekly. Bring...
Pre-School Storytime & Craft with Allison
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*When:* Tuesday, April 26, 2016 11:00 AM
*Where:* Byram Shubert Library
A program of simple songs, read alouds and a craft. Program is geared to
children a...
Tales for Tots 2s and 3s
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*When:* Tuesday, April 19, 2016 10:30 AM
*Where:* Greenwich Library at Rear of Children's Room
Drop-in program for 2 and 3 year-old children with a parent/c...
Cara Mendaftar di Agen Bola Online
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*CARA DAFTAR SBOBET Indonesia - Buat mendaftar SBOBET CASINO itu tak lah
sulit alias sangant gampang & enteng sekali. Sebelum mulai sejak mendaftar
sediki...
Rejoice And Be Exceedingly Glad!
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He died a real death, but now he lives a real life, he did lie in the tomb,
and it was no fiction that the breath had departed from hi...
Appeals Court Refuses to Void Madoff Settlements
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The decision leaves intact a $410 million settlement with J. Ezra Merkin, a
Wall Street hedge fund manager, and an $80 million settlement with
Fairfield Gr...
Trucks on the Merritt
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Once again we have to put up with trucks on the Merritt Parkway crashing
into bridges. In the Greenwich Time article (here) there is mention of a
bill pro...
Michael Mason Midwives MISA
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The hugely-important issue of the projected Music Instructional
Space/Auditorium, aka MISA, came up for one final vote in the RTM
(Representative Town Mee...
Guilty Plea Expected in Trautwein Murder
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STAMFORD -- A former New Haven mechanic whose conviction for murdering
North Stamford resident Joanne Trautwein in 2005 was overturned by the
state Supre...
Grandma Joyce's Apple Cake
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Since we have had an unnaturally warm winter this year, it feels like we
are a month ahead of schedule. The crocuses and daffodils are already
stretching...
Transitioning Into Fall
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Fall is just around the corner, with last night’s cool temperatures in
Greenwich being a cruel reminder for those of us who are in denial that
summer is ...
Redistricting
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OK, I get the knee-jerk reaction to change offered by someone partisan is
often going to be rejection. But the reaction to the proposed redistricting
rolle...
Meet the Rev. Halley Low!
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The Rev. Halley Low was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island. He
holds a B.A. in history from Stony Brook University and a Master of
Divinity, Magna...
Reverse Mortgages
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If you are a home owner or getting ready to be a home owner and you know
that money is tight especially with the economy the way it is, it is
important t...
Different vision of America? No argument here.
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In his opening speech at the recent Tea Party Convention held in Nashville,
former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo claimed that Obama would never
have ...
I've joined the FCC National Broadband Plan team
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Yesterday at blogband.gov it was announced that I've joined the FCC's
National Broadband Plan Task Force. I'm delighted to be helping Blair Levin
and his t...
05/02/09 The Latest Greenwich Police Reports
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*This Just In ....*
*Greenwich, officers agree to settle over military lawsuit*
Greenwich Time
By Debra Friedman
*Two years after five Greenwich police ...
2009 Women's Retreat Afternoon Session
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Ladies, use the top right hand button of the embedded document to view it
in full screen mode, or click the iPaper button to print your own copy of
the not...
New address for our blog!
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We are in the process of combining this blog and our main site into one new
site: to read future and many older posts, from now on please visit:
http://www...
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*Statistics*
The third quarter sales statistics are out and they provide some
interesting reading (if you lead a very dull life, that is). Sales are down
(...
