Tue 19 Jun 2007
The one thing I didn’t expect from my small apartment in the West End: the wonders of brick. Oh yes, sweet brick. My apartment hasn’t gone above 75 all year. In my last apartment, with high tech air conditioning, I could only get the temperature down to about 78 in my room, by this time of year. (more…)
Fri 8 Jun 2007
Our state parks suffer from neglect, city kids need something to do this summer. What to do? During the Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps put idle young folks to work in state and national parks. Their work should be carried on by a new generation, as suggested in a letter in today’s Courant: (more…)
Mon 21 May 2007
This morning a bear cub was found in a tree at the intersection of Prospect Ave. and Boulevard. As I biked home I was curious about the helicopter overhead and had to stop and ask because of the sheer number of TV stations. I approached the crowd gathered on the other side of the street, half expecting to hear that a dead body had been found. The crowd grew as Animal Control tranquilized the bear and got it down into the back of a truck.
The entrance to the auto shop was flanked with TV cameras, news reporters, and curious people just like myself. I counted three TV stations each with a lady reporter and five video cameras. I found myself taking more pictures of this spectacle than trying to get a shot of the bear. Animal Control let everyone crowd around the truck to see the bear before leaving. As I made my way in to take a picture I wondered if everyone else was thinking what I was–we sure have f*cked it up for the animal kingdom. These innocents have increasingly less undeveloped space, not to mention the changes that are coming to pass as a result of global warming.
I was also trying to determine what makes this news and is it newsworthy. (more…)
Thu 17 May 2007
United Technologies subsidiary Hamilton Sundstrand Corp will serve a term of probation and pay a light monetary penalty for poisoning the Farmington River with hexavalent chromium and copper during the first years of the Bush administration. (more…)
Fri 4 May 2007
I remember the trolley tracks that ran down most of Greater Hartford’s major thoroughfares. The last of them, on Farmington Avenue in Hartford and on Main Street in East Hartford, were paved over during the 1960’s to make room for more cars. (more…)
Wed 2 May 2007
There are a lot of reasons to celebrate on May Day. For over 100 years it has been known around the world as International Workers Day. Since 2006, the day has become the rallying cry for immigrant rights. But this year, my thoughts turn to thirty years ago at Seabrook, New Hampshire. On May 1, 1977, more than 1400 people were arrested for occupying the Seabrook nuclear power plant construction site, using direct action to defeat a dangerous and expensive technology. (more…)
Tue 24 Apr 2007
Let’s face it. If we don’t get our asses in gear pretty soon, we’re screwed. There’s only so much oil left in the ground and no new dinosaurs rotting into crude sludge. There’s also little political will at the federal level to take any serious pro-environment, pro-future-of-humanity steps to stave off what appears will be a vicious withdrawal process from our oil addiction. Hartford and other municipalities should be more proactive in their own future, and the future of the species. (more…)
Tue 3 Apr 2007
From indymedia supporter and Hartford resident, Greg Field.
3/14/07
To whom it may concern:
This is in followup to conversations between myself and city employee Rita Ballestas on March 13 and 14 2007 with regard to the city of Hartford’s recycling department’s failure to pick up the recycled materials for the Nepaug Street area on Tuesday March 13 as was their responsibility. In spite of no less than three phone conversations on March 13 requesting an explanation, and requests for return phone calls from the Public Works department supervisor no callback from said supervisor was forthcoming. On Wednesday March 14 I checked and found that rather than take my recycled materials city employees instead moved the blue bin away from the shoulder of the street and left it with its contents intact. (more…)
Mon 2 Apr 2007
One thing that I appreciate about the environmental cause is that it’s pretty much non-partisan, save for the die-hard pro-business Republicans who can’t envision much beyond their quarterly bottom line. This is one issue that nearly everyone can act upon together. Saturday April 14th there will be a nation-wide rally to demand that Congress and other elected officals begin to proactively address this mounting global security risk with an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050. Here in Hartford people will be meeting at Bushnell Park at noon for a picnic afternoon of activities, education, and civics. Afterwards the Alchemy Juice Bar will be hosting a global warming movie marathon.
Thu 8 Feb 2007