gdp's Comments

YourCT.com : FBI Crime Stats For Norwalk

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:31:14 +0000

AndreaLight: According to the FBI definition: Program defines aggravated assault as an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Attempted aggravated assault that involves the display of-or threat to use-a gun, knife, or other weapon is included in this crime category because serious personal injury would likely result if the assault were completed. When aggravated assault and larceny-theft occur together, the offense falls under the category of robbery. Assaults, split about 50/50 on strangers versus people who know each other.

YourCT.com : Blight On The Ordinance Agenda

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:04:11 +0000

Mgeake: Really? I don't see the item on your agenda from last week. And I don't think the City of Norwalk has ever issued an RFP to solicit design, as in information architecture, graphic design, content management or branding of the City of Norwalk web site. Please cite if I'm wrong.

YourCT.com : Health Care Reform, Because The System Is Broken

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:13:18 +0000

Wiltonian: I do not to discuss zoning issues here, but to be fair the zoning commission did not "initiate" anything in the hospital or spy v. spy issues. In a broad abstract way, some communities think there is much confusion in the land, starting with Kelo V. New London on whether economic impact should be a criteria for a bunch of things.

YourCT.com : Health Care Reform, Because The System Is Broken

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 01:46:15 +0000

SecondHandRose: I enjoy discussing issues based on facts, science and/or the law. Three attributes that make any discussion interesting or compelling to continue.

YourCT.com : Labor Day Musings, America's Long Civil War Against Fun

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 01:34:54 +0000

OldTimer11: From the act: “. . . a cigarette or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) shall not contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, or coffee, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke.”

YourCT.com : Health Care Reform, Because The System Is Broken

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 16:57:22 +0000

jillcooks: The insurance markets being opened up is not a bad idea, but more impactful would be a deregulation of medical procedures, as in who can offer procedural services. A short example, Norwalk Hospital was denied the authorization to offer emergency angioplasty and open heart surgery in 2005 because of proximity to Greenwich and Bridgeport. They recently, as in July performed an emergency angioplasty. The fact that the State could deny a hospital what services it can provide is about as anti-competitive as you get. They process is called Certificate of Need, and more on the subject is here.

YourCT.com : Health Care Reform, Because The System Is Broken

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 16:48:00 +0000

SeconhandRose: A repeat of talking points without any reference to facts is what you've done. You can claim you meant something else, but it's transparent to me, and hardly worthy of discussing.

YourCT.com : BOE Spends Money Filing Complaint Against NFT

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 13:47:02 +0000

SteveColarossi: You hit the nail on the head. Nothing about this suit does anything to advance concessions on the contract negotiation, in fact the BOE has decided to punt on that by going arbitration. This is once again wasting money that could otherwise go to the classroom. $400,000 for outside legal services is a large number. The Stamford BOE used $146k in 2008 and requested $230k in 09-10 and was approved for $205k.

YourCT.com : Health Care Reform, Because The System Is Broken

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 13:36:23 +0000

SecondHandRose: You seem to like to parrot out "talking points" from somewhere. People don't sue doctors over diganostic tests, they sue doctors when someone ties or is permantantly injured by some surgical procedure. Think wrong arm being amputated. Here's some facts: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on suits occurring in the 75 largest counties in the US, * 90% of all medical malpractice lawsuits are brought by patients who have suffered permanent injury, or by those representing someone who has died as a result of malpractice. * The Bureau of Justice Statistics also reported that almost half of all medical malpractice lawsuits filed in the US are brought against surgeons. * Nearly 33% of medical malpractice lawsuits are attributed to non surgeons. * The success rate of medical malpractice suits is only nearly a quarter of the total number filed. This is a much lower percentage of success than other tort cases, however the amount of compensation awarded in malpractice cases is significantly higher. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) produced an article highlighting these medical malpractice lawsuit statistics, with regard to patient deaths: * 106,000 patients die each year from the negative effects of medication * 80,000 patients die each year due to complications from infections incurred in hospitals * 20,000 deaths per year occur from other hospital errors * 12,000 people die every year as a result of unnecessary surgery * 7,000 medical malpractice deaths per year are attributed to medication errors in hospitals

YourCT.com : Live Now Festival This Weekend

Sat, 5 Sep 2009 17:17:01 +0000

Awesome!!

YourCT.com : Secret Norwalk

Sat, 5 Sep 2009 16:13:55 +0000

06855: A hint, hrmm. Well it's in the third taxing district. I discovered it when waiting for something around dinner time.

YourCT.com : BOE Claims It Can Find Next Superintendent

Sat, 5 Sep 2009 16:13:32 +0000

SecondhandRose: I have no issue with hiring a search firm. That the BOE thinks it exclusively should be on the search review committee is the problem. It is not transparent, it is not in keeping with the best practices used by school boards throughout the country and is indicative of the fear this BOE has about open government. Ironic for an educational board.

YourCT.com : BOE Claims It Can Find Next Superintendent

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 21:49:01 +0000

YourCT.com : Secret Norwalk

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 21:46:17 +0000

06855: A hint, hrmm. Well it's in the third taxing district. I discovered it when waiting for something around dinner time.

YourCT.com : Latest On State Budget

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 14:52:25 +0000

Long ago, maybe, these legislative meetings might have actually been a place where you could speak to your fellow legislators and sway them to support your view on an issue, make an amendment or whatever. These days, these floor speeches do nothing. They aren't covered by the media, the public doesn't see or hear them and no one cares. How are issues framed and vetted in the real world. Through online discussion groups, chats, blogs, tweets and emails. There's an instant record, there are links to supporting documents. Public policy is failing because the rules of engagement were crafted in the dark ages before instant communication. Cafero would have been more effective blasting a list of recommended cuts to his colleagues on the floor right then, then speaking about it. Yet Cafero admits to Dixon he doesn't even turn on his lap top. "I don't know how to turn my computer on, I am embarrassed to say, and I certainly would not know how to get on a solitaire site is there is such a thing, I don't know." The solitaire players, news surfers, email responders and especially the ones with dark screens, all demonstrate that no effort was being made to tweak this budget. The picture says our legislative body is broken.

YourCT.com : http://www.yourct.com/new/?p=4537

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:09:17 +0000

Great photos Harold!

YourCT.com : BOE: Issues On Assistants And What They're Doing

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:20:39 +0000

hate This: Yeah it's one of the features that if someone replies to you comment you get notified. You can turn it off in your intense debate profile if you don't like it.

YourCT.com : Himes' Political Pickle

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:59:53 +0000

nwlkSpectator: I was curious about that "factoid" and after a quick search I find that lawsuit filings by state let alone city are difficult to find. Most law suit tracking statistics break down between state and federal courts. The statistics on the Bureau of Justice Statistics site cover up through 2005. What's interesting is this: "The total number of civil trials declined by over 50% from 1992 to 2005 in the nation’s 75 most populous counties. Tort cases decreased the least (40%) while real property (77%) and contract (63%) cases registered the largest declines." And according to this report, the largest number of "general civil cases in 2005" was Chicago with 686, followed by Philadelphia with 612. Granted those are lawsuits that made it to trial, but I would think there should be a correlation between trials and lawsuits filed. It's an interesting question though.

YourCT.com : Secret Norwalk

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:52:22 +0000

HateThis: Yes the what is on target. The where is still up for grabs.

YourCT.com : Who To Vote For, Norwalk Candidates Who Really Want To Know You

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:40:39 +0000

Chris Potts: When I click your link it wants me to sign in. If you can make your page public then I will link to it.