Archive - Aug 2005
Hurricane Katrina
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 08/31/2005 - 10:32
(Originally posted at the DeStefano for CT blog).
One of the quotes from Mayor DeStefano’s campaign that I have always appreciated is ‘We are at our best when we are working together’. Mayor DeStefano has done a great job in getting people to recognize their common interest and work together.
Yet it isn’t only common self interest that inspires us to work together. We should all also be driven by a desire to work for the common good and help people in their times of great need.
It is in this spirit that I encourage all of you to consider what you can do help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Bristol Press reports that 23 volunteers and workers from Connecticut, including seven from Farmington have already been deployed to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The Day provides this information about getting trained to help:
“The southeastern Connecticut chapter of the Red Cross will conduct training sessions for new volunteers all day Friday and Saturday at its offices at 150 Eugene O'Neill Drive, New London. Teams will leave for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Monday and Tuesday. To register, call 447-3248.”
Whether you can help as a volunteer or a donor, please contact The Red Cross to do what you can to help.
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Rate on NewsTrustAugust 30th
Originally uploaded by Aldon.
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 08/30/2005 - 18:04
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August 29th
Playing with Google Talk
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 08/29/2005 - 11:37
The other day, I downloaded Google Talk. I installed it on my laptop, and on a few computers for my kids. Today, I’ve talked a little bit with them via Google Talk and want to share my impressions.
First, I should note that my primary machine is about a 1996 vintage Compaq file server. It is running Windows NT version 4.0 and doesn’t have much space left on the C drive, so I like to load programs over on my E drive. This presents two problems for Google Talk. The first is that Google Talk won’t work on Windows NT 4.0. The second is that even if you try to install it, you don’t have the ability to have it install on the E drive. It puts things on the C drive without offering a choice.
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August 26th
The Patriot Act and Connecticut Libraries
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Fri, 08/26/2005 - 15:21
In today's New York Times is an article about the F.B.I.'s use of the Patriot Act in Bridgeport, CT and the ACLU suit that has been filed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/politics/26patriot.html
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 - Using its expanded power under the antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act, the F.B.I. is demanding library records from a Connecticut institution as part of an intelligence investigation, the American Civil Liberties Union said Thursday.
The demand is the first confirmed instance in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has used the law in this way, federal officials and the A.C.L.U. said. The government's power to demand access to library borrowing records and other material showing reading habits has been the single most divisive issue in the debate over whether Congress should extend key elements of the act after this year.
In a discussion over at Connecticut Local Politics, there is a discussion about this where one person commented, “What's the big deal about library records?”. I wrote the following in response:
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August 22nd
This Week on the DeStefano Campaign
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 08/22/2005 - 15:18
(Cross posted from DeStefano for Connecticut.)
On Wednesday, from five to six in the evening, Mayor DeStefano will participate in Connecticut's first-ever, candidate-sponsored online Town Hall Forum. I encourage everyone to try and visit the blog at that time, read the comments and add your own comments. If you can’t join us then, please feel free to send the Mayor any questions or comments at john@destefanoforct.com. The Mayor has already received some great questions in the email.
I want to take a moment and wax philosophical about this. Lincoln spoke about a government “of the people, by the people, for the people”. Unfortunately, too often our government isn’t of, by or for the people. Too few people are registered to vote. Too few people actually make it to the polls. Too few people get involved in campaigns as volunteers or donors.
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August 17th
Standing with Cindy
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 08/17/2005 - 22:45
I went to the vigil in Stamford this evening. I saw many close old friends there. Yet what is most interesting to me is looking at how this is playing in the blogosphere. I went to Technorati’s Cindy Sheehan list. There are over 12,000 posts about Cindy Sheehan. There are also a lot of pictures. I clicked on a great set of pictures on Flickr of vigil in Westport.
Following the links around, I saw pictures from Gainesville Florida, Washington Square Park, in New York City, Athens Georgia, Jamaica Plain, MA.
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August 15th
Before the last revolving year is through….
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 08/15/2005 - 21:02
I kiss Fiona on the head and tell her to sleep well and that I love her. I have just finished reading a ‘Tanya’ story to her. Tanya is a young ballerina. I read these stories to my older daughters when they were her age. Back then, I was making a good salary and I could afford to send them to ballet school. The money is tight and Fiona hasn’t had ballet lessons, but she still has her dreams, and I have some dreams left too.
Kim had sent me in to say good night. A daughter needed her father. That is poignant for me tonight. While Fiona was brushing her teeth we got a phone call that her aunt Mary’s father had died. He had been fighting cancer for a while, so there are the standard comments about it being sad, yet a relief. He died six hours short of Mary’s birthday. Kim’s mother died on Kim’s birthday. It seems parents have a way of doing things like that.
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Peace in Banda Aceh
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 08/15/2005 - 09:32
(Originally published at Progressive Blog Alliance Headquarters)
Banda Aceh gained the attention of people around the world when a devastating Tsunami hit last December. People around the world contributed to help with relief efforts, but Banda Aceh has slowly slipped from people’s consciousness. Now, over half a year later, it returns to the news.
Banda Aceh suffered not only from the Tsunami, but from years of armed conflict. The international press is reporting that a new peace treaty has been signed in Banda Aceh. Two years ago, a peace deal was signed, which fell apart, so we shall see what happens with this peace treaty.
The devastation of the Tsunami on top of the devastation of the war has left many orphans. Bata Industries makes flip-flops in its factory in Jakarta. They were designed by orphans of the Tsunami and profits from the sale go to support the Schools for Aceh Foundation.
In North America, you can purchase these flip-flops through No Sweat!. No Sweat! is a company providing 100% union made apparel. If you click on the link, I get a commission on the sales. However, I would also encourage each of you that has a blog to set up a link to promote their products.
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August 14th
Comforting the distressed
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sun, 08/14/2005 - 17:15
I sit on the porch, listen to the thunder and watch the rain. Lying next to me, asleep, is my three-year-old daughter. She has been fighting a horrible fever the past few days, and my life has been thrown out of whack by worrying about her, and not getting enough sleep. She seems to be over the worst of it now, and it was probably just one of those childhood illnesses, but still it hurts to see her suffer and still I worry how bad she has had this fever.
Meanwhile, a friend is sitting by the side of her father. He has been waging a fierce battle against cancer and it appears as if the battle is nearly over. Another friend has traveled out of state to visit her aunt who has just gotten out of the hospital.
I think about my blogging, and how people have told me not to bury the lead. Have I done that here? What is the lead anyways? It is something about these moments being pieces of the patchwork quilts of our lives. It is about when you get right down to it, caring for the people around us is what matters. There is the old saying that all politics is personal. It is these moments that form, or at least should form, our political sensibilities.
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August 3rd
No Sweat
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 08/03/2005 - 20:01
I've justed signed up to be an affliate of No Sweat.
Check them out. More soon.
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