Monday, August 18, 2008
08/18/08 Jay Cooke Offers Serenity in Greenwich
A NICELY UPDATED TOWNHOUSE WITH WALKOUT LOWER LEVEL.
4 LEVELS OF GREAT SPACE & LIGHT THAT FEELS LIKE YOUR OWN PLACE IN "THE VILLAGE".
THIS CONDO FEATURES HARDWOOD FLOORS, A PICTURESQUE BRICK WALL, FIREPLACE, PATIO & BALCONY.
THE MASTER HAS MULTIPLE CLOSETS, SOARING CEILINGS & A LOFT OFFICE. VERY SPECIAL AT EVERY TURN.
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08/18/08 There Are Not Going To Be Any Big Fat Bonus Checks At Sage Crest This Christmas
"Santa Is Going To Be Broke This Year"Hedge fund SageCrest files for bankruptcy
NEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Hedge fund SageCrest FinanceLLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The Greenwich, Connecticut-based fund, managed by WindmillManagement LLC, describes itself as a “credit opportunity fund”that provided short-term debt to companies, according to its website.
In its bankruptcy petition filed on Sunday in U.S.bankruptcy court in Connecticut, the fund listed assets of $50million to $100 million and debt in the range of $1 million to$10 million.
(Reporting by Emily Chasan)
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08/18/08 What's an ugly Greenwich woman to do?
A Couple Of Ugly WomenGreenwich Blog For What It's Worth Reports:
What's an ugly Greenwich woman to do?
By Chris Fountain
What's an ugly Greenwich woman to do?
By Chris Fountain
Assuming there is one, she can move to Australia.
No such invitation for me. alas.
Here are some reports from a few very pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, so very pretty Greenwich Women:
Had a small BBQ on Saturday night. Debbie made plum cake and then Phelps made history. Yum! All I remember is that there was brown sugar, cinnamon and yum, p...
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Congratulations to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi! The two tied the knot Saturday night at their home in LA. In May of this year with a ruling of 4...
================================================ As you may have noticed, I just added a "Currently Reading" section to the right-hand column of my blog, and I did it all by myself! I played around with the...
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08/18/08 Stop Wasting The Courts Time: Judge John Kavanewsky Jr Must Sit Through Another Day Of The Greenwich Police Departments Poorly Prepared Case
When Is Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Valdez Going To Bring His Slow Train Wreak Of A Case To An End
HEADLINE:
A Disparate Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Valdez With No Solid Evidence Tried To Enter A Movie Script Into The Court Record By Falsely Claiming It Contained Incriminating Admissions
QUOTE:
"What we have is hearsay, double hearsay and a manuscript which is equal to a book, TV or movie proposal," Public defender Howard Ehring argued.
THE STORY:
Movie script barred in Dinnertime trial
By Martin Cassidy/ Greenwich Time Crime Reporter
Article Launched: 08/18/2008 01:25:39 PM
Please Read All Five Sentences Of The Full Greenwich Time Story
PLEASE ALSO SEE:
08/18/08 Joseph Valdez Will Not Have A Perry Mason Moment: The Greenwich Time Realizes We Were Right From The Begining About The "Dinertime Bandit" Case
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08/18/08 Her Job Interviews Didn't Work Out, and so... She's baaaack!!!!
Greenwich's own avatar of The Terminator is once more "on the job," according to the local rag, Yellowwich Time.
Aren't we the lucky ones?
She was given a paid two-month leave of absence, ostensibly for health reasons, so that she could start looking for another job. But, alas, her frantic interviews didn’t pan out (is anyone surprised?), and now she’s back in our midst, continuing to make more trouble for us all. How Betty Sternberg can have the effrontery to show up again and continue to collect her obscene paycheck day after day is a total and utter mystery to your scribe. It seems as though some people have absoutely no principles, let alone sense of shame. Lie to the taxpayers, lie to the RTM, lie to the school parents, lie to the hapless students themselves, over and over and over again, watch the test scores of a once-great school system implode, and continue to cash your unutterably, grossly indecent, imcomprehensibly inflated paychecks. Only in Greenwich, dear reader.
And since none of her job search efforts during her “sick leave” have panned out, here she is, back again, suppressing the results of the June 6th Harris poll, and continuing to milk us for all we’re worth. Aren’t you proud, dear readers, to be such lucky taxpayers in this wonderful Town of Greenwich? Never a reality test. Never an accountability hearing. Screw up, screw up, screw up, lie, lie, lie, and spend, spend, spend--that’s the motto of Betty Sternberg and our loverly Board of “Education”.
And so Betty is continuing to bilk us, and milk us, and bill us, day by day by day, with the tacit consent of our so-called Board of “Education”. When, dear readers, do you think we will have been “educated” enough to learn our lesson? Has anyone ever heard of the phrase “taxpayer revolt”?
More From Greenwich Gossip
- "...Don't Mess Around With Bill"
- Gentleman Jim 1,079, Loopy Lee 74
- The Local Rag Hits a New Low...
- Bastille Day and Other News...
- More Thoughts on Tom Tewell
- Tom Tewell Lands on His Feet
- Does She or Doesn't She?
- Gary Kriss Gets Caught
- When is a Cupcake Not a Cupcake?
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08/18/08 "We expect that more hospitals will be joining Charter Oak in the coming weeks," said Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
Yale-New Haven Bolsters Charter Oak Hospital Roster
Following a slow start for the controversial program to offer coverage to the state's uninsured, the state's Charter Oak Health Plan has signed on five new hospitals and logged more than 7,000 applications.Yale-New Haven Hospital announced on August 9 that it would take part in the program along with Greenwich and Bridgeport hospitals, Hartford's Saint FrancisCare and Farmington's UConn Health Center/John Dempsey Hospital.
"It is gratifying to see these outstanding hospitals become our partners in bringing health care coverage to the thousands who need it," said Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
The five signed on a week after it was disclosed that the only a single hospital in the state had agreed to take part as of the program's official enrollment kickoff date, New Haven's Hospital of Saint Raphael. Other hospitals had held off amid worries about billing procedures and low reimbursement rates, raising concerns that Charter Oak would not be able to provide doctors and services to enrollees.
Managed-care firms Aetna Better Health, Community Health Network of Connecticut, and United Healthcare's AmeriChoice are coordinating the program, designed for residents who earn too much to qualify for state or federal subsidized health care but can't afford their own coverage. Workers for small businesses that don't offer health insurance are urged to apply.....
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08/18/08 EASING THE $QUEEZE Nick Paumgarten examines the impact of the subprime-mortgage fiasco on Greenwich, a place he calls "more prime than sub."
Nick Paumgarten, of The New Yorker, examines the impact of the subprime-mortgage fiasco on Greenwich, Conn., a place he calls
"more prime than sub."
Nick Paugmgarten's piece considers the effects of the foreclosure crisis on Greenwich, Conn., as the town tries "to maintain, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, that they are immune, more or less, to the ravages of the credit crisis." Given the economic downturn, Greenwich real-estate developers who "made a great deal of money buying up empty lots or teardowns and building enormous speculative ready-to-occupy mansions" cannot find buyers for the luxury houses.
Here Is A Sneak Peak
New Yorker Abstract
Nick Paumgarten, And Local Correspondents,
"A Greenwich of the Mind,"
The New Yorker, August 25, 2008
"more prime than sub."
Nick Paugmgarten's piece considers the effects of the foreclosure crisis on Greenwich, Conn., as the town tries "to maintain, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, that they are immune, more or less, to the ravages of the credit crisis." Given the economic downturn, Greenwich real-estate developers who "made a great deal of money buying up empty lots or teardowns and building enormous speculative ready-to-occupy mansions" cannot find buyers for the luxury houses.
Here Is A Sneak Peak
New Yorker Abstract
Nick Paumgarten, And Local Correspondents,
"A Greenwich of the Mind,"
The New Yorker, August 25, 2008
OUR LOCAL CORRESPONDENTS about Antares Investment Partners and the high-end real estate market in Greenwich, Connecticut. Writer notes that it is illegal for a real-estate agent to post a “For Sale” sign in front of a house or tract of land in Greenwich. The absence of such signage has been a blessing in recent months, as the town’s brokers have sought to maintain that they are immune, more or less, to the ravages of the credit crisis. Tells about a thirty-five thousand square foot spec house called Lake Carrington Estate developed by a local real-estate firm called Antares Investment Partners. It is one of eight houses Antares had planned to build in the Greenwich backcountry. Tells about Jim Cabrera and Joe Beninati, the founders of Antares, who live next door to Lake Carrington. The house went on the market in April, 2007, listed at twenty-eight million dollars. A year later, it had yet to sell. Describes how the influx of wealth from hedge-fund managers has changed Greenwich during the last fifteen years. The town experienced a frenzy of buying, selling, subdividing. The town’s vestigial claim to dignity and discretion is at odds with its feverish wealth. Discusses Greenwich’s history as a town where the wealthy settled. Mentions that President Bush, in effect, renounced his Greenwich provenance. Greenwich is a much more ephemeral place than it would appear. Its proximity to New York has made it a way station for transient businessmen, which has been good for the real estate business. Tells about the founding of Antares in 1996. By the summer of 2007, Cabrera and Beninati were managing a portfolio of real estate that they valued at six billion dollars. They positioned themselves as hedge fund Pied Pipers. In 2004, Cabrera and Beninati bought twenty-six backcountry acres and began building houses on them under the aegis of Antares Mansions. The company raised $12.9 million from investors and borrowed twenty-seven million from two banks. Writer has lunch with Charles Mallory, an owner of the Delamar hotel in Greenwich. Mallory says that Greenwich is now a “more diverse and fascinating community than it was.” Writer visits Beninati at Antares’s office in Stamford. Discusses the troubled Putnam Green apartment development venture. Writer meets spec-house developer Mark Mariani, who doesn’t feel much remorse for the houses he knocks down. Unlike Antares, Mariani says he finances his own projects. Tells about Antares Mansions entering default on loans for their mansions project. Describes the foreclosure auction for a property on Round Hill Road. In August, the writer went on a “windshield tour” of Antares’s projects with Beninati. Tells about some of the developments, including an office building that will, Beninati says, house three hedge funds. Beninati has optimism about the market in Greenwich.
Source URL:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/08/25/080825fa_fact_paumgarten
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08/18/08 PRESS RELEASE: Philip M. Skidmore Becomes Board Member of the OPEB Trust Fund of Greenwich, CT
Some of the powers of the OPEB Board include: recommending and, with approval, directing the investment and reinvestment of the Trust Fund; developing and recommending an investment policy to the Board of Estimate and Taxation; selecting and recommending a custodian, investment manager(s) and consultants; and monitoring and reviewing the investment performance of the Trust Fund.
The OPEB Board consists of three members who are appointed by the Board of Estimate and Taxation. They must meet the qualifications of being a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, have a minimum of 10 years' relevant investment experience and be prepared to participate in meetings at least four times per year.
The OPEB Trust Fund provides for certain post-employment benefits other than pension benefits for certain groups of employees and retirees of the Town and the Board of Education.
Philip M. Skidmore is Chairman and Chief Economist at Belray Asset Management. He is 40 year veteran of Wall Street. His career began at Kuhn, Loeb & Company where he sold equity, debt, and private placements to institutions such as banks, endowments and pensions plans.
In 1977, Lehman Brothers bought Kuhn, Loeb & Co. As Senior Vice President of the Syndicate Department, he helped build Lehman Brothers Capital Markets Group. He was involved in developing investment banking relationships with major utility and phone companies. In 1982, he became the Syndicate Manager of Advest, a regional broker dealer. Running Equity Capital Markets as a Senior Managing Director, he worked closely with Advest's Investment Banking Group in Mergers and Acquisitions, IPO's, and Secondary Offerings.
Mr. Skidmore graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology and received a BS in Industrial Management in 1964. He also attended NYU Business School from 1968 to 1969 where he graduated with an MBA in finance.
Belray Asset Management is a Registered Investment Advisor based in Greenwich, CT.
We believe in protecting the everyday person from the sales machine also known as 'Wall Street.'
By researching how to reduce conflicts of interest we are freed to focus on lowering fees, reducing risk and improving returns. Utilizing the advanced investment techniques pioneered by universities allows us to fulfill our commitment to serving our clients' best interests.
This press release is issued by Belray Asset Management LLC to members of the financial press and media and the information contained herein should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Belray Asset Management, 125 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.
Media Contact:
Belray Asset Management
Carroll McCallum
203-629-3300
Comment:
While we have no reason to doubt that Philip Skidmore of Belray Management will endeavor to provide the town and school's retired employees trust fund with the best possible advice and counsel.
We do question the wisdom of the Board of Estimate and Taxation decision to use local and politically active residents to be put in charge of certain post-employment benefits other than pension benefits for certain groups of employees and retirees of the Town and the Board of Education.
We fear a local political politically active member of the OPEB Trust Fund of Greenwich might think twice about dissenting about proposed investments with town retirees benefits. All to often there is a "Go Along To Get Along" mentality on local Greenwich boards.
Why wasn't there any disent on the Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee that produced a financil disaster.
Town retiree benefits are far too important to place in the hands of local politically active families. A highly rated reputable-independent-third party investment manager that is free of local political influence should be in charge of town and school retiree benefits.
This is too important an issue to trust to a local Greenwich Committee.
Unfortunately, far to many Greenwich Committees have been fiscally irresponsible in the past.
MORE INFORMATION:
Gregory Skidmore worked for his father at Advest, Inc and later for his dad at Belray Asset Management
Greg is politically involved and is a member of the Representative Town Meeting of Greenwich, CT. Mr. Skidmore also hosts a weekly radio show that his fathers firm supports.
The WGCH radio program is called Greenwich Entrepreneurs.
Greg's radio show is all about what entrepreneurs did right, what entrepreneurs did wrong and how entrepreneurs finally succeeded.
The young Greg Skidmore does a decent job of hosting the show even though he has never been a real entrepreneur out on his own.
However, we hear that Greg is an expert with sailboats. He was a member of the US Sailing Team
Too bad WGCH doesn't let Greg do a boating show.
You can listen to Greenwich Entrepreneurs here.
| 08/08/08 | 08/01/08 | 07/2508 | 07/18/08 |
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08/18/08 Greenwich Time News Links For Monday
Breyer collecting makes Shuras a model family
By Meredith Blake
Staff Writer
Sophie Shura, 9, was only three weeks old when she attended her first plastic model horse show. Her mother, Greenwich resident Renata Adamowicz-Shura, 37, has been collecting Breyer model horses for 20 years and showing them competitively since 1998.
Her mother, Greenwich resident Renata Adamowicz-Shura, 37, has been collecting Breyer model horses for 20 years and showing them competitively since 1998.
The plastic horses that replicate real horses in type, color and breed, are a popular collectible. Thousands of people across the country trade, sell and show these toys at shows - winning ribbons and awards for the horse's unique and flawless presentation.
"It's a addictive," Shura said...
...The collection began to multiply. Shura and her family now have more than 500, which are on display in the basement of their home.Both of their children Sophie and Billy, 11, also participate, collecting and helping to maintain the horses, Shura said...
....The Shuras have a variety of test-run models, the most coveted because they are one of kind and can go for thousands of dollars.
"The hope is to find something that nobody else has," said Renata Shura.
But they are not in it for the money.
"It's just so much fun," said Shura, "The trick is to find something to collect that you love."
Please Read The Full Greenwich Time Story
Please See A Far Better Use For All Of That Time And Money That This Model Family Spends:- 08/18/08 - Campbellton Tribune, Canada - George Piers has seen his share of parents walk into the Fredericton Community Kitchen with their children in tow.
It's a sight that breaks his heart.
"I have real mixed emotions on it. I hate to see small children here," Piers said. "Still, I'm glad we're here for them."
It's a sign of the way poverty hits children in the community....
- 08/18/08 - Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL - Halifax Urban Ministries (HUM): For hungry, homeless, low-income people in emergency need of food, baby food/formula, diapers, financial assistance or cold weather shelter. 386-252-0156
- Joe’s Crab Shack Joins Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out Initiative To End Childhood Hunger In America
Business Wire (press release)
... sure no kid in America grows up hungry. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger, ...
For the first time in Greenwich's history, a woman has been named public works commissioner and assumes responsibility for a gamut of messy jobs, from sewer upkeep to trash disposal.
Amy Siebert, who was previously deputy commisioner of DPW, was promoted to the top job Thursday during a meeting of the Board of Selectmen. Previously, she was in charge of operations at the town's Grass Island wastewater treatment plant...
...A Greenwich High School graduate who was raised in town and lives in Ridgefield with her husband, Siebert will earn $155,615 annually as commissioner and take the reins of the town's largest non-school department, which has a yearly budget of $21 million and 170 full-time employees. Efforts to reach Siebert, who did not speak at Thursday's meeting, were unsuccessful.
Siebert, who has a bachelor's degree in environmental technology from Cornell University, a master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in public affairs from the same school, put out a statement thanking the town for the opportunity....
...Siebert inherits a number of key projects, including the completion of the Hamilton Avenue School renovation and town public safety construction; the start of the Glenville School renovation, development of the former Cos Cob Power Plant site into a waterfront park and the adoption of a comprehensive flood control plan.
Please Read The Full Greenwich Time Story
Please Also See:08/16/08 Home Much Did The Single Family Homeowners Pay Walters Odani To Recruit The Deputy Commissioner To Be The Commissioner Of Public Works?
Saying the name of her daughter Millicent, 4, and the word kindergarten in the same sentence gives Jeanine Getz of Greenwich "a big pit in my stomach.
It's not that Millicent is not ready for the transition from preschool to kindergarten. "She is more than ready, she's excited," says her mother. "We both are."
Still, the prospect of sending her daughter to the "big school, with the big kids," makes Getz wince a bit. "She's my only child. So it's a big change for the both of us. I'm thinking a year or two from now I'll have cooties. And then it's off to college. It's the beginning of her really growing up."....
An Out Of Town Member Of The Well Oiled Republican Machine Invites Us To "Compare And Contrast"
To the Greenwich Time editor:
President of the United States is not an entry level position. Surprisingly, our choice is now between an inexperienced, admittedly liberal, well spoken celebrity, and a vastly experienced, moderately conservative, straight talking war hero. Now that the Hollywood fanfare is done, a comparison of the candidates' leadership and character-building experiences is both useful and telling:
1967: McCain, a Navy pilot, survives aircraft carrier explosion; later shot down in combat and becomes a POW. Obama begins grade school in Indonesia.
1973: McCain released from "Hanoi Hilton" and returns to duty after length recovery; given command of Navy's largest aviation squadron; later attends the National War College. Obama attends sixth grade.
1978: McCain serving as Senate Navy liaison. Obama a Hawaiian high school senior and basketball player.
1982: McCain elected to Congress. Obama transfers colleges.
1986-87: McCain becomes senator for Arizona. Obama becomes a Chicago social worker.
1988-89: McCain co-sponsors the Missile & Proliferation Control Act with Al Gore. Obama goes to law school.
1991: McCain co-sponsors High Medicare Hospital Relief Act. Obama becomes a lawyer and lecturer.
1996-97: McCain named one of America's 25 Most Influential People by Time. Obama writes his biography and runs for state office.
2000: McCain co-sponsors the Airport Security Improvement Act a year before 9/11. Obama runs for Congress and loses.
2003-04: McCain proposes nation's first comprehensive legislation to limit greenhouse gases with Joe Lieberman. Obama runs for Senate; gives speech at Democratic convention.
Simply put, McCain's profound service, knowledge and instincts are unmatched. His vast experience allows him to make the right call - e.g. Russian threat, domestic energy production, Iraq surge - even when unpopular. Our country faces complex domestic challenges and serious international threats. Thus, glitz and hollow oratory must yield to substance and battle-hardened experience.
John T. Shaban
30 Miles Away In "Redding"Now Here Is A ....
Retort From Greenwich Roundup:
John T. Shaban of Reading Letter Begs The Question....
Is McCain fit to lead America?
John Shaban did not really ask or answer the question.
Shaban's assumption seems to be that McCain's years of experience in the military and in Congress of course give him the background and tools he'd need in the White House.
As Britney might say, "Duh! For sure he's qualified!!! He's Mac!!!"
As Britney might say, "Duh! For sure he's qualified!!! He's Mac!!!"
But is that true? Does McCain have the right stuff?
However, if John Shaban were to take careful look at McCain's biography.
Mr. Shaban would soon see that McCain isn't prepared for the job.
Let's educate Shaban on just on the ""real" McCain resume, that is much thinner than most Greenwich residents think.
Here are some reasons why McCain would at best be a mediocre president.Mr. Shaban would soon see that McCain isn't prepared for the job.
Let's educate Shaban on just on the ""real" McCain resume, that is much thinner than most Greenwich residents think.
First Lets point out to John Shaban John McCain's Lack of accomplishments.
Like the medicore current occupant of the White House, John McCain got his first career breaks from the insider connections and inherited money of his family, not from good-old-honest-hard work.
Surely John Shaban is aware that, John McCain was the son and grandson of Navy admirals,
Almost everyone including, John Shaban, knows that John McCain attended Annapolis where he did poorly.
Nevertheless, John McCain jumped ahead of more qualified navy candidates and was commissioned as a pilot, where he performed poorly, crashing three planes before he failed to evade a North Vietnamese missile that destroyed his plane.
Because of America's technical superiority only a very few small percentage of pilots were shot down.
As Britney would say, "Oppps, I Did It Again!!!"
John Shaban, points out, John McCain spent more than five years in a North Vietnamese prison camp.
Almost everyone including, John Shaban, knows that John McCain attended Annapolis where he did poorly.
Nevertheless, John McCain jumped ahead of more qualified navy candidates and was commissioned as a pilot, where he performed poorly, crashing three planes before he failed to evade a North Vietnamese missile that destroyed his plane.
Because of America's technical superiority only a very few small percentage of pilots were shot down.
As Britney would say, "Oppps, I Did It Again!!!"
John Shaban, points out, John McCain spent more than five years in a North Vietnamese prison camp.
But Shaban conveniently forgets to mention that after his release, McCain knew his weak military record meant he'd never make admiral, so he turned his sights to a career in politics.
Mr. Shaban also forgets to tell us about John McCain's new "sugar daddies and mommy" helped him move on up.
Yes, with the help of his new wife's wealth, his new father-in-law's business connections and some powerful friends had made as a lobbyist for the Navy, he was elected in 1982 to a Congress in a district that he didn't reside in until the day the seat opened up.
Then john Shaban informes us about how a few years later, John McCain succeeded Barry Goldwater as a senator.
Mr. Shaban also forgets to tell us about John McCain's new "sugar daddies and mommy" helped him move on up.
Yes, with the help of his new wife's wealth, his new father-in-law's business connections and some powerful friends had made as a lobbyist for the Navy, he was elected in 1982 to a Congress in a district that he didn't reside in until the day the seat opened up.
Then john Shaban informes us about how a few years later, John McCain succeeded Barry Goldwater as a senator.
McCain hasn't accomplished much in the Senate. Even John Shaban doesn't want to trumpet John McCain's real successes.
Probably John Shaban convienantly skips over these sucesses, because the few victories MCain has had still rankle the true blue Greenwich Republicans and Redding Republicans.
Probably John Shaban convienantly skips over these sucesses, because the few victories MCain has had still rankle the true blue Greenwich Republicans and Redding Republicans.
- John Shaban forgot to tell us that John McCain's campaign finance law failed to significantly reduce the role of money in politics.
- John Shaban forgot to tell us that John McCain failed to get a big tobacco bill through the Senate.
- John Shaban forgot to tell us that John McCain failed to change the way Congress spends money; his bill to give the president a line-item veto was declared unconstitutional, and the system of pork and earmarks continues unabated.
- John Shaban forgot to tell us that John McCain failed to reform the immigration system.
Every senator who runs for president misses votes back in Washington, so it's no surprise that McCain and all the others who ran in the primaries have missed a lot of votes in the past year.
But John Shaban fails to inform Greenwich Time readers that between the beginning of 2005 and mid-2007, no senator missed more roll-call votes than McCain did, except Tim Johnson, who was recovering from a near-fatal brain aneurysm.
But John Shaban fails to inform Greenwich Time readers that between the beginning of 2005 and mid-2007, no senator missed more roll-call votes than McCain did, except Tim Johnson, who was recovering from a near-fatal brain aneurysm.
Is John Shaban afraid to tell Greenwich and Redding republicans just how shallow John Mcain is.
- Mr. Shaban won't tell Greenwich Time readers that McCain has demonstrated that he doesn't understand the workings of Social Security, or the political history of the Middle East.
- Mr. Shaban won't tell Greenwich Time readers that McCain doesn't know who our enemies are.
- Mr. Shaban won't tell Greenwich Time readers that McCain says he wants to reduce global warming, but then proposes ideas that would stimulate -- not reduce -- demand for fossil fuels.
McCain has done one thing well -- self promotion.
- Instead of working on legislation or boning up on the issues, he's been on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" more than any other guest.
- He's been on the Sunday talk shows more than any other guest in the past 10 years.
- He's hosted "Saturday Night Live"
- McCain even announced his candidacy in 2007 on "The Late Show with David Letterman."
- And now John Shaban of Redding is sending a letter to The Greenwich Time that resembles a recent John McCain Campgain piece I recived at my home in Greenwich.
McCain has not articulated any lofty goals. So far, his campaign theme has mostly been "McCain: He's None of the Above."
In the primaries, John McCain campaigned on....
In the general election, John McCain has John Shaban of Redding writting letters to the Greenwich Time that emphasize that McCain is not that treasonous dreamer.
- "Hey, at least I'm not that robotic businessman,
- "Hey, at least I'm not that sanctimonious hick"
- "Hey, at least, I'm not that crazy libertarian"
- "Hey, at least, I'm not that washed-up actor"
- "Hey, at least, I'm not that delusional 9/11 guy"
In the general election, John McCain has John Shaban of Redding writting letters to the Greenwich Time that emphasize that McCain is not that treasonous dreamer.
Why won't John Sabban tell Greenwich and Redding republicans that John McCain has no leadership abilities?
Mr. Saban fails to report that John McCain has frequently taken on near-impossible missions that go against the grain of the Republican party.
Mr Shaban wants Greenwich Republicans to buy into the myth that John McCain is a maverick !!!!!
Mr Shaban wants Greenwich Republicans to buy into the myth that John McCain is a maverick !!!!!
- Mr Shaban fails to mention that McCain has never been able to bring more than a handful of Republicans along with him on issues such as campaign finance reform or immigration.
- Democrats on the Hill have accepted McCain's help on some issues, but except for a few exceptions (John Kerry and Joe Lieberman), they've never warmed to him.
John Shaban fails to tell Greenwich Time Readers that to achieve anything as president, McCain would have to win over two hostile parties: The Democrats and the Republicans.
The Facts Are The Facts: John Shaban Of Redding And John McCain of Arizona Are Living In The Sixties
Like Christopher Shays John McCain is still fighting the Vietnam War.
But Christopher Shay's and John McCain are not fighting the "real" historic war, which taught us the folly of injecting ourselves into a civil war that was none of our damn business.
Christopher Shays and John McCain did not learn that, in a world where even peasants have guns, explosives and radios, a determined and popular guerrilla force can defeat a modern army equipped with the mightiest technology if that army has no vital national interest to protect.
But Christopher Shay's and John McCain are not fighting the "real" historic war, which taught us the folly of injecting ourselves into a civil war that was none of our damn business.
Christopher Shays and John McCain did not learn that, in a world where even peasants have guns, explosives and radios, a determined and popular guerrilla force can defeat a modern army equipped with the mightiest technology if that army has no vital national interest to protect.
Instead, Christopher Shays And John McCain are fighting an imaginary Vietnam War, where a sure victory could have been achieved with just a little more bombing, just a little more "pacification," just a little more will to win at home.
These fantasies cloud Christopher Shays And John McCain's judgment on foreign policy.
These fantasies cloud Christopher Shays And John McCain's judgment on foreign policy.
Most of the other high-profile politicians who fought in Vietnam -- Colin Powell, Chuck Hegel, John Kerry, and Jim Webb -- aren't stuck in the past, and they don't view the Iraq War as a chance to get Vietnam right.
It's Time For John Shaban Of Redding To Wake Up And Tell Greenwich Republicans That John McCain Has No principles.
After years of honing a reputation as a "Maverick" who'll say the truth regardless of the political consequences, John McCain has crashed the Straight Talk Express right in front of every Greenwich republican's eyes.
John Sabban knows that on almost every issue where McCain went on television and took a "principled stand" against the die hard Republican line -- taxes, immigration, oil drilling, the Religious Right -- John McCain has changed his views.
John Sabban knows that on almost every issue where McCain went on television and took a "principled stand" against the die hard Republican line -- taxes, immigration, oil drilling, the Religious Right -- John McCain has changed his views.
Greenwich and Redding voters like politicians who change their mind when the facts change; it shows maturity, judgment and flexibility.
But Greenwich and Redding voters know that politicians who change their mind to suit the prevailing winds show the exact opposite.
But Greenwich and Redding voters know that politicians who change their mind to suit the prevailing winds show the exact opposite.
Here Is The bottom Line For Those Confused John McCainiacs Like John Shaban
Successful presidents come from two molds: visionaries, or mechanics.
The visionaries -- think Reagan or FDR -- see what others can't and say 'Why not?" to inspire the country.
The mechanics -- think LBJ or Eisenhower -- know the ins and outs of government and are able to harness the power of millions of humans to accomplish great things, or at least keep the wheels from coming off.
The visionaries -- think Reagan or FDR -- see what others can't and say 'Why not?" to inspire the country.
The mechanics -- think LBJ or Eisenhower -- know the ins and outs of government and are able to harness the power of millions of humans to accomplish great things, or at least keep the wheels from coming off.
John McCain, like George Bush, fits neither style. He's neither a dreamer, nor a detail guy.
My youngest son has just completed a United States Army commitment that sent him to Iraq and earned him eleven commendations.
This young man just voluntarily signed another United States Army contract, which most likely see him being deployed to Afghanistan.
My son Gero has always been a hero was willing to give and volunteer. On 9/11 he left Greenwich High School to go down to the American Red Cross's old headquarters to donate blood for those unfortunate victims.
My son like most of the other volunteers in the military have said in surveys that will be voting for Barack Obama on election day.
In fact, it was recently reported that the young volunteers in military are contributing more to the Obama campaign than to the McCain campaign.
The majority of the young people who are putting their lives on the line for your family and for my family are donating from their meager pay checks in hopes that Obama will become their next Commander and Chief.
I say that if the majority of volunteer patriots who are having to
wipe blood off their High School rings want, Barack Obama....
then I say support these young men and women
the Comander and Chief that THEY want.
Let's Support The Troops Who Are Putting Their Lives On The Line To Protect Our Freedom.
My youngest son has just completed a United States Army commitment that sent him to Iraq and earned him eleven commendations.
This young man just voluntarily signed another United States Army contract, which most likely see him being deployed to Afghanistan.
My son Gero has always been a hero was willing to give and volunteer. On 9/11 he left Greenwich High School to go down to the American Red Cross's old headquarters to donate blood for those unfortunate victims.
My son like most of the other volunteers in the military have said in surveys that will be voting for Barack Obama on election day.
In fact, it was recently reported that the young volunteers in military are contributing more to the Obama campaign than to the McCain campaign.
The majority of the young people who are putting their lives on the line for your family and for my family are donating from their meager pay checks in hopes that Obama will become their next Commander and Chief.
I say that if the majority of volunteer patriots who are having to
wipe blood off their High School rings want, Barack Obama....
then I say support these young men and women
the Comander and Chief that THEY want.
All John Shaban of Redding has told us is that
John McCain's major accomplishment,
in Vietnam and in the Senate,
has been merely to survive.
John McCain's major accomplishment,
in Vietnam and in the Senate,
has been merely to survive.
Just surviving doesn't make you're a war hero,
or the best possible candidate for president.
or the best possible candidate for president.
America needs to do more than survive
the next four years.
the next four years.
=================================================
Please send your comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com
08/18/08 Greenwich Post News Links For Monday
Researchers name Shays No. 1 moderate
| Fourth District U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays is the No. 1 moderate Republican in Congress, according to new research published by Congressional Quarterly. Congressional Quarterly found that Mr. Shays, the only House Republican from New England, voted with George W. Bush 52% of the time over the course of his presidency, and with Congressional Republicans 70% of the time during that period. “I’m not afraid to stand with my party when it’s right and to stand against it when it’s wrong,” Mr. Shays said. “I’ve been effective working across the aisle to implement campaign finance reform, congressional accountability, and the 9/11 commission recommendations. The bottom line is bipartisanship will be fundamental to the success of the next administration, and I look forward to working with the next president to address the challenges facing our district, state and nation.” Congressional Quarterly ranked 27 Democrats and Republicans based upon their roll call votes from January 20, 2001 through July 18, 2008. Presidential support was based upon 432 roll call votes where Mr. Bush had a clear position..... Please Read The Full Greenwich Post Story Old Greenwich stop sign staysBy Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter (kborsuk@greenwich-post.com)After months of discussion, the Board of Selectmen approved at its Aug. 14 meeting making permanent an all-way stop sign at the intersection of Sound Beach Avenue and Shore Road. The stop signs were installed in May for a three-month test of their impact on traffic and pedestrian safety during the peak season at Greenwich Point, which can be accessed only via that intersection. The signs were first suggested through the Safe Routes to Schools program to improve pedestrian safety for children walking to the beach and nearby Old Greenwich School. The selectmen’s pedestrian safety committee previously endorsed the plan, which had been making its way through town government for years before being implemented in spring. The project had a fair degree of controversy as some residents spoke out in strong favor of it and others had concerns about the impact on traffic in the area. Debate stretched on at the meeting for close to an hour, but ultimately the selectmen believed the stop signs were working and should be made permanent. Several people spoke at the meeting urging the selectmen to keep the signs so children could walk under safer conditions.... Road to close this monthBy Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter (kborsuk@greenwich-post.com)At the Aug. 14 meeting, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved closing Havemeyer Place from Greenwich Avenue to Mason Street for westbound traffic from Aug. 18 to Sept. 1 for work by Connecticut Light and Power.... Mosquitoes with West Nile Virus raise concernThe State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program notified Greenwich health officials earlier this week that pools of mosquitoes trapped in Greenwich in the beginning of August have tested positive for West Nile Virus. These mosquitoes are in addition to the first positive mosquitoes identified by the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station in Greenwich in mid-July, and come from two other testing locations. In addition to Greenwich, four new towns in the state — New Canaan, Shelton, Westport and Wilton — have been added to the list of municipalities that have positive mosquitoes for West Nile Virus. The State Mosquito Management Program traps and tests mosquitoes at three site locations in Greenwich (Old Greenwich, Riverside and central Greenwich) as part of its program, which maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state. Including the new locations, positive mosquitoes have been identified in 20 towns — Bridgeport, Darien, East Haven, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Shelton, Stamford, Stonington, Stratford, West Haven, Westport, Wethersfield and Wilton. A resident of Sherman who became ill in June is the only human case thus far to test positive for West Nile Virus infection. “The expanding number of towns with positive mosquitoes along with infected mosquitoes being collected from multiple trapping sites within the community is beginning to concern me,” said Caroline Calderone Baisley, director of health. “When the virus appeared much earlier than usual we realized that this could be a long season; however, the summer is not over yet. We will continue to have warm weather in the upcoming weeks with a chance of significant rainfall events. Historically, at least over the last few years, the fall has been warm, with the first frost coming sometime in November. “As it stands right now, the potential for virus transmission to the general public is increasing rapidly, but could become more severe if adult mosquito populations explode with infection. At this time it is important for all residents to know about West Nile Virus and for the town to continue larviciding; however, if the problem escalates, other measures to protect human health will need to be considered.”..... ================================================= Please send your comments and news tips to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com |
08/18/08 Joseph Valdez Will Not Have A Perry Mason Moment: The Greenwich Time Realizes We Right From The Begining About The "Dinnertime Bandit" Case
HEADLINES:
We Hate To Say We Told You So But...
Greenwich Police Department's Investigation Of The Dinnertime Bandit Investigation Was Not Ready For Prime Time.
Without fingerprints, DNA, or other physical evidence, or a rock solid eyewitness identification Assistant State Attorney Joseph Valdes is presenting a weak circumstantial case that should have never seen the light of day.
Judge John Kavanewsky Jr is going to have to instruct the jury that if they have a doubt they have to let the Dinnertime bandit go, even if they think he is guilty
QUOTES:
"Because they don't have footprint or fingerprint proof, they produce a witness who alleges he sold a lot of jewelry for the guy at the time," said Stephan Seeger A Stamford criminal defense attorney , who is not involved in the case. "It all goes to credibility of the witness and when a like this takes the stand it undermines the state's case."
"The trial will not be decided based on his past or all the information and background known about him," said Todd Fernow, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law. "From what I hear there seems to be reasonable doubt everywhere and the state has a very tough row to hoe in this case."
"People assume he is the bandit because he has done it before, but I don't think a jury will convict him simply upon their past if the evidence in the immediate case is not there," said Mickey Sherman, a Stamford-based criminal defense attorney.
THE STORY:
Golder case not open and shut
The questionable credibility of a prosecution witness and the lack of eyewitness identification could lead to the acquittal of Alan Golder of charges that he was the Dinnertime Bandit who stole jewels from town mansions a decade ago, according to Stephan Seeger, a Stamford criminal attorney.We Hate To Say We Told You So But...
Greenwich Police Department's Investigation Of The Dinnertime Bandit Investigation Was Not Ready For Prime Time.
Without fingerprints, DNA, or other physical evidence, or a rock solid eyewitness identification Assistant State Attorney Joseph Valdes is presenting a weak circumstantial case that should have never seen the light of day.
Judge John Kavanewsky Jr is going to have to instruct the jury that if they have a doubt they have to let the Dinnertime bandit go, even if they think he is guilty
QUOTES:
"Because they don't have footprint or fingerprint proof, they produce a witness who alleges he sold a lot of jewelry for the guy at the time," said Stephan Seeger A Stamford criminal defense attorney , who is not involved in the case. "It all goes to credibility of the witness and when a like this takes the stand it undermines the state's case."
"The trial will not be decided based on his past or all the information and background known about him," said Todd Fernow, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law. "From what I hear there seems to be reasonable doubt everywhere and the state has a very tough row to hoe in this case."
"People assume he is the bandit because he has done it before, but I don't think a jury will convict him simply upon their past if the evidence in the immediate case is not there," said Mickey Sherman, a Stamford-based criminal defense attorney.
THE STORY:
Golder case not open and shut
Prosecution witness Robert Liebman testified last week that he drove Golder to Greenwich for burglaries and helped sell jewelry stolen from town homes.
He also admitted he lied to police for two years to protect the man who actually purchased the jewelry - a Manhattan jeweler who dated Liebman's sister....
...Also troubling for the prosecution is Judge John Kavanewsky Jr.'s ruling that evidence about Golder's past crimes as a prolific cat burglar who swiped millions of jewels from wealthy estates from 1975 to 1980 is inadmissible and prejudicial...
...Prosecutors also lack a firm identification of Golder. In court last week, a woman who was eight at the time of a 1996 burglary said she had picked out a profile photo of Golder shortly after a 1996 burglary of her home, telling police that his nose was similar to the burglar's.
But Kavanewsky warned the jurors that picking out a similar facial feature was not a positive ID of the suspect....
...Last week, Assistant State Attorney Joseph Valdes argued that a similar technique in all four burglaries points to a single perpetrator, noting the burglaries were committed in the early evening hours.
But Cornell Abruzzini, the retired Greenwich detective who investigated the case and obtained warrants for Golder, acknowledged that a shoe print found on a cellar door at the scene of one of the burglaries was never linked to shoes that Golder wore.
A partial fingerprint also could not provide identification, Abruzzini said.
Abruzzini declined comment Friday....
Please Read The Full Greenwich Time Story:
PLEASE SEE:
Please See How Incomplete Martin Cassidy's "Dinner Time Bandit" Story Was August 12th:
08/12/08 The states attorney contends that Alan Golder still has the agility of a cat, the cunning of a spy and the eye of a jeweler
Please See:
- Disparate And Lazy Prosecutor Joseph Valde Wants The Associated Press To Save The Poorly Investigated Greenwich Police Department Case.
- ”If people knew that every time they talked to a reporter they'd be talking to a state prosecutor, they'd stop talking to reporters,” New York attorney David Schulz said. “The state is trying to get the benefit of a reporter doing his job covering this case. That's exactly what the shield law does not allow.”
- “It's a fishing expedition.”said Howard Ehring, Golder's public defender.
PLEASE ALSO SEE:
08/01/08 Judge John Kavanewsky Jr Would Be A Fool To Try And Weaken Connecticut 2006 Reporter Shield Law
- Judge John Kavanewsky Jr had better tell the Connecticut States Attorney to have the Greenwich Police Department to hit the bricks and uncover another states witness. Otherwise Judge Kavanewsky is going to find his overturned decission in featured in law school text books.
Please also read:
07/17/08 When asked if anyone in the court room appeared to be the person that she described to police she said no.
- Howard Ehring Says Greenwich Detective's Police Work Does Not Meet Judicial Standards
- Patricia Solari identified Alan Golder a decade ago from an array of eight photos as the intruder who robbed her home in 1997. She said she only saw him for a few seconds and that he wore a ski mask and gloves.
- "We have a photo array here that really does not meet the standard," said Howard Ehring, a public defender representing Golder.
- Ehring said Golder's photo had a background distinctive from the other seven photos and that police presented Solari with all the photos at once, alloing her to quickly eliminate all but two based on eye color. Ehring also said the lead investigator should not have shown her the photos because of the potential for bias.
- Solari only saw the intruder for a few seconds and was not certain of his eye color, Ehring said. He also said she felt badgered to make an identification.
- Solari said last week she eliminated six of the eight photos quickly because their eye color was not blue or green.
- Asked if anyone in the court room appeared to be the person she described to police, she said no. Golder, who has blond hair and blue eyes, was in court.
Please Also See How A Greenwich Resident Sent An Email To A California Newspaper, Because The Greenwich Time's So-Called News Web Site Is Not Covering The Local Angle Of The "Fake Rockefeller" Case:
08/12/08 READER FORWARDED EMAIL ABOUT THE ROCKEFELLER CASE: Which minister's son, what church? FW: Episcopal Church In Greenwich?