FVN Forums

Over 5,000 Motorcycles Roar Through the Farmington Valley for Special Olympics

Richard — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:02:00 GMT

On Sunday, August 24, 2008 over 5,000 motorcyclist roared through the Farmington Valley and other locations in a benefit ride for the Special Olympics of Connecticut. The Event is known as the "Dream Ride" and Sunday was the eighth annual ride organized and sponsored by Bozzuto's Inc and IGA Hometown Wheels. Bozzuto's Inc is a Cheshire Connecticut based wholesale distributor of food and household products for retailers throughout New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Other sponsors included Crystal Farms, The Farmington Club, Papa's Chrysler Dodge Jeep, All Waste, Trantolo & Trantolo, Abel Womack, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Carrier Transicold of Southern New England and numerous others. Click here for the complete list of sponsors. Over the previous seven years, the benefit has raised over $740,000. It is estimated that this year, the largest benefit ride to date, will generate over $100,000 for the Special Olympics of Connecticut. The motorcyclists raise money by contributing a minimum donation of $30 per driver and $20 per passenger. Many of the bikes had passengers representing at least $50.00 per bike. I must say the sight was unbelievable. Two dozen police officers volunteered their time to escort the motorcyclists along the 40 mile route. The non-stop procession of motorcycles lasted for over 35 minutes. The sheer mass of bikes was unbelievable. All of the riders seemed to be enjoying themselves and many waved and beeped their horns as they passed impromptu groups of spectators along the way. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut, has officially proclaimed Sunday, August 24, 2008 as “Annual Dream Ride Day.” This years event also included a car show held at the Farmington Club, which was also the start and ending location for the benift ride. Below are some photos from the ride.

See you next year!

What's Your Latitude? (Part 3)

Richard — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:25:00 GMT

I've written a couple of articles (What's Your Latitude? Part 1 & Part 2) about Google Earth and Google Maps. Both applications continue to evolve. This article will focus on Google Maps, the 2D web based map application. Google Maps allows users to choose and customize the data that is presented on the maps. Users can toggle between a standard road map, satellite imagery or topographical representations of the maps. In addition users can turn on "Traffic" to view both "Live traffic" and predicted traffic data. Predicted data is based on past conditions.

Additional data can be presented on the maps by clicking the "more" button. Clicking the "Photos" check box will link geo-tagged photos from the Panoramio website. Panoramio is a photo sharing website owned by Google. Clicking the image will take you to the photo published on the Panoramio website. Similarly, clicking on a Wikipedia placemark will open a window with information and a link to the full article on Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an on-line encyclopedia anyone can edit.

In the previous articles I mentioned a feature in Google Maps called "Street View". Street View gives the user the ability to actually view imagery at the street level. Click on the "Street View" button and the roads with Street View available will be double lined in blue. Click between the double blue lines and the "Street View" image will be displayed in a window. Users can move through the "Street View", zoom images, pan around 360° and tilt the images up and down. Users can also view "Street View" in full screen mode Much of the Farmington Valley is now covered with Street View. Based on the below screen shot, I would say the images of the Farmington Valley were captured late last August or sometime in September.

To View the Google Maps Master Street View Map click here.

The Street View feature has raised some concerns over privacy issues. As a result Google now offers a way for users to report and request removal of inappropriate images. To request an image be removed or blurred click on the "Street View Help" link in the Street View window. At the bottom is a link to "Report inappropriate image". This link will lead users to the request removal form.

In addition to the features mention above, users can further customize the data presented on Google Maps by clicking on the "My Maps" link. A number of additional content layers are available. Google Real Estate Search, Videos from YouTube, Gas Prices from GasBuddy.com, Places of Interest and data from the Weather Channel are some of the available data layers.

Users who have a Google account can further customize data and even create, save and share custom maps.

There are literally hundreds of data layers available once logged in with your Google account Click here for video explanation.

There are other features and tools for developers. I hope you found this article informative and enjoy using Google maps as much as I do. I'm not sure how much better it can get for interactive mapping, but if it can, Google will figure out how to bring it to you.

Richard

Connecticut's No Child Left Inside and the Great Park Pursuit

Richard — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:38:00 GMT

One of the programs included in Governor Rell's special initiative "No Child Left Inside" is the Great Park Pursuit! Coordinated by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, the Great Park Pursuit is a contest designed to promote outside activities and create greater awareness and use of the Connecticut State Park System. The contest is held over a seven week period with registered teams consisting of at least two members, one of which is over the age of 18 and the other under 18. Teams were encouraged to decode hints on the "No Child Left Inside" website to determine which state park the next event was to be held. The state park locations were always revealed prior to the event, just in case your team could not decipher them. A wide range of both guided and self-guided activities were included, determined by the setting of the state park. From canoing and kite making at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, letter-boxing and hiking at Salmon River State Forest in Colchester and or Talcott Mountain State Park in Bloomfield. The seven week event culminated last weekend with an overnight camp out and a bon fire at Peoples' State forest in Barkhamsted. I think this is a great way to get people to explore and enjoy all of the natural beauty and wonderful state parks we have here in Connecticut. Be sure to check out the Connecticut State Park Locator.

Below are some photos from the Finale at Peoples' State Park:

Skype Me! Voice over IP and Video Too!

Richard — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:26:00 GMT

What the heck is Skype? Skype is software you download to your computer that allows you to talk and or video conference with other Skype users for free using the Internet. Essentially the software allows users to make phone calls from their personal computers over the Internet using VoIP (voice over ip) technology.

Skype is totally free to download and use with other Skype users. Skype users can also connect a web cam and experience true video conferencing, enabling users to not only talk with each other but also to see each other over the Internet.

Users can tele/video conference with as many as 9 other Skype users. Skype users also have control of their on-line status.

Skype users are not limited to talking only with other Skype users. Skype has a number of call plans that allow users to call and receive phone calls from cell or traditional land based lines. These rates are extremely low, starting at $0.02.1 per minute within the US. In addition to making phone calls, Skype also has a built in instant messaging client allowing users to type messages to each other as well as several other features to allow user interaction such as games.

The bottom line is Skype is cool and very easy to use. If you have friends or loved ones in far off locations this may be a great way for you to communicate with them. I sure like it. There are other features I have not mentioned, so be sure to check it out for yourself.

Richard

Here Kitty, Kitty Email Hoax

Richard — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:08:00 GMT

There is an email circulating with the title "Here Kitty, Kitty" that claims photos of a mountain lion looking through a glass door were taken recently in Simsbury. It turns out that the photos were taken in 2004 by Dr. Dave Rogers at his home in Wyoming.

Here is a copy of the email.

********************************************************************************

Recent pictures taken in Simsbury

Thank Goodness for the plate glass in the door! Wouldn't this mess up your whole night if you were to take out the trash at the wrong time? These pictures are from Simsbury, CT. The pictures were taken standing in the kitchen facing the patio deck. The critter was watching the kids playing on the kitchen floor!

Images Removed

Robert*******

********************************************************************************

The Courant reported this as a hoax here:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simcat0305_.artmar05,0,5581072.story

Comments from the Courant story here:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/hartford-courant/TU3K1CSVDU6NJRJTJ

This maybe a hoax, but there have been legitimate sightings of mountain lions in the state. I have seen what I believe to be mountain lion tracks in Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted.

Richard

Huckabee's Concession Speech

Richard — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:43:00 GMT

I was not a huge Huckabee fan, but I must say he is an incredible speaker. Talk about a great orator, Huckabee's concession speech to McCain last night was nothing short of magnificent. Speaking from his heart, without a script, this man raises the bar for those who aspire to be this nations next president and personifies the words admirable and gracious. As John McCain said in his acceptance speech, "Mike Huckabee truly is a great American".

Richard

In-State Tuition Rates for Illegal Aliens?

Richard — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:27:00 GMT

Representative Felipe Reinoso, D-Bridgeport, has introduced a bill that would give illegal aliens living in Connecticut the same in-state tuition rate as legal residents. A similar bill has also been introduced by Senator Looney, 11th District, New Haven. Both are presented below.

************************************************************************************************

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/TOB/H/2008HB-05264-R00-HB.htm

Connecticut General Assembly		*Proposed Bill No. 5264*
*February Session, 2008*		LCO No. 1287

Referred to Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement
Introduced by:
REP. REINOSO, 130^th Dist.

AN ACT PROVIDING IN-STATE TUITION TO CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That section 10a-29 of the general statutes be amended to allow the children of immigrants residing in the state to attend the public institutions of higher education as in-state students for tuition purposes.

Statement of Purpose:

To provide in-state tuition to children of immigrants.

************************************************************************************************

Why doesn't the statement of purpose read: To provide in-state tuition to children of Illegal Aliens? That is who he is talking about. Legal immigrants living in Connecticut would already be eligible for in-state tuition rates.

************************************************************************************************

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/TOB/S/2008SB-00264-R00-SB.htm

Connecticut General Assembly		*Proposed Bill No. 264*
*February Session, 2008*		LCO No. 902

Referred to Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement
Introduced by:
SEN. LOONEY, 11^th Dist.

AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESS TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That section 10a-29 of the general statutes be amended to allow the children of undocumented immigrants residing in the state to attend Connecticut community-technical colleges as in-state students for tuition purposes.

Statement of Purpose:

To increase access to post secondary education for the children of undocumented immigrants residing in Connecticut.

************************************************************************************************

Here Looney is using the politically correct term "undocumented immigrants". Last time I checked undocumented meant Illegal. His bill is aimed specifically at community colleges and technical schools. (Trying to get a foot in the door?)

If you are as opposed to these proposed bills as I am, click the following link to find your House Representative and State Senator and contact them to express your opposition to these Bills.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/townlist.asp

Richard

Read Email Without Opening It

Richard — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:58:00 GMT

I get a lot of spam. Sometimes it is difficult to determine weather an email message is from a legitimate sender or if it is actually a phishing scam or virus. I use the following method to safely read the content of any suspicious email I receive. This example uses Outlook Express, but I'm sure similar techniques are available for other email clients.

First you need to configure your email client so that it does not open and display the message automatically. In Outlook Express click "View" and then "Layout" and make sure the "Show Preview Pane" is not checked.

Next, right click (not left) the message in question and click "Properties".

An info window will pop up. Click on Details. Now I can see that this message was not sent by PayPal but by somebody in France. "Received: from smtp2f.orange.fr (smtp2f.orange.fr [80.12.242.152])". I know PayPal is not based in France.

I can now read the message by clicking on "Message Source". They want me to click on a link directed to their website and update my info so they can steal it.

I hope this helps somebody.

Richard

Apple iPhone Review

Richard — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:04:00 GMT

I like it. I mean, I really, really like it. The iPhone is cool. Apple's iPhone marketing doesn't do the product justice. I didn't really get it until I got my hands on one. As soon as a tried my friends iPhone, I had to have one. After bombarding my loving wife with hints for the perfect Christmas gift, she came through and my shiny new iPhone was waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning. I've had a couple of weeks to use the iPhone and I'm so impressed with the product I decided to write a review. This "all in one" device is just that, an "all in one" device including a phone with a great big easy to read touch screen key pad. The touch screen feature is what makes the iPhone so cool. All commands and functions are executed from the touch screen's main menu or one of it's sub menus. To get to the main menu, press the only button on the front of the unit. From the moment I started to interact with the device by sliding a button on the screen to unlock the unit, I liked it. In addition to being able to make a phone call the unit is also an email client, web browser, iPod music player, 2 mega-pixel camera, photo album, text messager and much more. The phone uses the AT&T cellular network, but the unit also has built in Wi-Fi and actively searches for and connects to local wireless networks, like the one you might have in your home already. This gives the iPhone user the ability to surf the web at broadband speeds. Download emails, Google Maps, stock quotes, weather and traffic reports and other widgets quickly.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical about the web browsing abilities at first, but after viewing this very site and others, my attitude quickly changed.

Un-like other mobile devices that access web pages, no special code needs to be provided by the website. The Safari web browser simple reads the web page code as written and then scales it down and displays it for the smaller screen size.

Double tap the screen and the page is magnified to it's original size. Scroll the screen with a flick of your finger. Tap the screen again to zoom back out. It is also possible to have multiple web pages open simultaneously.

All of my bookmarks and email accounts were automatically imported during the initial setup as well as My Music and My Photos. In addition to all of the standard features that come pre-installed on the iPhone, users can download and install hundreds of additional applications and games for the device.

I could go on and on about the iPhone and how easy it is to customize and other features like built in Blue Tooth. The bottom line is that the Apple iPhone is a very cool "All In One" device. Currently the unit will only work on the AT&T network. For those who already have a voice plan with AT&T an additional $20.00 a month gives you unlimited access to the internet.

Richard

Christmas in Riverton

Richard — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:53:00 GMT

Riverton really gets it. My family and I spent a wonderful day in Riverton yesterday at the annual Christmas in Riverton Celebration. For those of you who don't know, Riverton is a small village located in the town of Barkhamsted, Connecticut. The Village of Riverton is perhaps best known for the famous Hitchcock Chair Factory, which unfortunately closed its doors in 2006 after 188 years of producing world class American furniture. The Village has been hit hard by the closure of the factory, yet in some ways I think the people and community have grown closer and stronger. The annual Riverton Fair and yesterday's Christmas Celebration are both examples of how the town continues to move forward.

The cold temperatures and brisk wind didn't dampen the spirits of those who attended. It was a beautiful day with a deep blue sky and fresh clean air. It was the kind of day that makes you feel vibrant and glad to be alive. Everyone was happy and smiling. We arrived about Noon and headed straight for the Riverton Fire House Chili Fest. I love Chili and the volunteer firemen had created a delicious chili, chock full of all kinds of meats and vegetables. Add some home made corn bread and coleslaw and you had a culinary delight. Hotdogs were also available if you preferred your chili with a dog.

After lunch we checked out the Torrington Area Model Railroaders, who had set up a number of model trains of various scales in the Firehouse garage. The main track was a large oval approximately 30 feet in length and had two trains running simultaneously in opposite directions. The model railroaders did a great job and should be commended for their effort.

Next we walked up the street to visit Still River Antiques. Rick Swenson, owner of Still River Antiques is the only authorized restorer in the world of Hitchcock furniture and also has a wide selection of original Hitchcock furniture for sale in his shop. Since the closure of the Hitchcock factory, Rick has hired a number of the long time employees to maintain the high quality of craftsmanship that has always been associated with Hitchcock Furniture. One of these employees was demonstrating the art of rush seat weaving.

After browsing Still River Antiques we headed for famed glass blower, Peter Greenwood's studio. Peter is an amazing artist and glass blower. He has converted the old church into a beautiful glass blowing shop and retail studio. His pieces are exquisite and awe inspiring. His use of color and shape are fused together to create beautiful glass pieces. I would highly recommend a visit to this world class artist's studio.

Speaking of world class artist, nationally acclaimed artist and children's book author Karen Hillard Good opened her studio to the public and was signing copies of her books, including "Scarecrow Pete" and "A Snowgirl Named Just Sue" amongst others.

Next, we headed to the Puppet Show, "From Our Herd to Your Herd". There were two other Puppet shows as well, "Good News" and "Lets Celebrate It's A Boy". The shows were presented by three local churches: Faith Bible Church in Winsted, Open Bible Church in Torrington and the Praise Christian Fellowship located in Barkhamsted. Who doesn't love a good puppet show. The kids sure did love it, they were all dancing and jumping with joy.

After the show we headed for the hay ride, provided by Bob Ellis Coach & Carriage Service from Morris, Ct. Our cart was full as we headed down the street and we all joined in an impromptu version of Jingle Bells! Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh. Hey!

We ended our day in Riverton with a visit to Santa Clause. My son told Santa he wants a Wii Playstation? and Squawkers the parrot that talks. Oh Great!

Although we did not attend, The Riverton Theater & Friends of the Riverton Congressional Church performed the classic Dickens's tale "A Christmas Carol". There were also candle light walks and Christmas Carolling in the evening hours.

As I stated at the beginning of this post, Riverton really does get it. A small town with a strong sense of community. If you missed this festive event this season be sure to make it next year.

Richard

Illegal Immigration, Sanctuary Cities, Border Security and English only

Richard — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:59:00 GMT

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I am not prejudice and believe that peoples from other countries should continue to be allowed to emigrate into the US legally. My problem is with the ones who enter our country illegally, seek government benefits and try to bend our culture to accommodate their foreign ways. The U.S. passed a population milestone last year when our population surpassed 300 million. According to this counter, there are an estimated 34 Million illegal aliens residing in the US. That is over 10% of the population in the US is here illegally. I can't believe that NY Governor Eliot Spitzer wanted to give illegal immigrants drivers licenses. When I was younger, I was always told that "Driving is a privilege not a right". So why would Spitzer want to reward illegal residents with the privilege of driving on our roads. To reward illegals with the privilege of driving is crazy. Thankfully Spitzer has abandoned his effort and withdrew his plans to give illegals drivers licenses.

In a post 911 era, It is hard to believe that a number of cities in the United States are "Sanctuary Cities". Sanctuary Cities as defined on Wikipedia as: "cities that have adopted "sanctuary" ordinances banning city employees and police officers from asking people about their immigration status.

These cities, including Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Detroit, Jersey City, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Baltimore, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, and New Haven, Connecticut. This morning on the news it was reported that Des Moines, Iowa, may be the next city to consider a sanctuary policy. Des Moines, Iowa what are you thinking? Here is the complete list. The leaders of these cities should have their heads examined. Why would any city adopt a policy of not cooperating with federal immigration officials? I don't get it. We are a country of laws. Entering the country without the proper documentation is illegal. These illegal residents are violating existing US law and the sanctuary cities are providing refuge for them. Without the rule of law you have anarchy. I don't know about you, but that's not how I want to live.

Moving on, this morning it was also reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to kill an amendment that would protect employers who require that English be spoken at work, from federal lawsuits . The amendment was put forth by Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander in response to a lawsuit bought by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission against the Salvation Army. A Salvation Army thrift shop in Massachusetts wanted their employees to speak English only on the job. The EOEC contends that is discriminatory. What employer wants their employees speaking a foreign language, unless of course they are a translator. This morning Senator Alexander was interviewed on Fox News and said, "Can an employer say to his employees, I want you to speak our common language on the job. By opposing the amendment what Speaker Pelosi is saying is that you need to hire a lawyer and show some special reason for employees to speak our common language". He continued, " The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was suppose to unify us. We don't make distinctions based on race and we share a common history and language. Since 1906 every new citizen has been required to learn English, not to discriminate but to unify us so we could live and work together".

Illegal immigration is a huge problem. Securing our borders, common language and confronting the problem head on is what we need to do. Not turn a blind eye, pacifying and rewarding those who are here illegally and refuse to adapt and assimilate into our society and culture.

I'm so sick and tired of the hyper sensitive politically correct environment that is so prevalent in American society today. I believe and hope that most American's are still patriotic and "Proud to be an American" and want to protect our identity and culture. Senator Pelosi, doesn't want to offend non-English speaking residents? Who are these non-English speakers? Legal citizens are required by law to learn English.

Welcome immigrants who come to the U.S.legally with open arms. Those who don't should be shown the door. The police, above all, should not be prevented from cooperating with Federal law officials. That is just crazy. That's my opinion.

What's Your Latitude? (Part 2)

Richard — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:21:00 GMT

I wrote an article in August talking about Google Earth and Google Maps. There have been a number of new features added to both products since I wrote that, but first, I would like to write some more about the features in Google Earth. Google Earth does a great job mapping the Earth. Roads, borders, 3D buildings, parks, dining, lodging, shopping and other data are all available. Google Earth uses a feature called layers to display this content as well as content from 3rd party websites. Users can turn on and off layers to reveal placemark links providing various content on the map. For Example if you have the Wikipedia layer turned on you will see icons on the map that link to articles on the wikipedia website.

Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia anyone can edit

Some of the other layers include.

National Geographic links to articles http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/ngm.html

Discovery Network liks to geographic related videos. Categories include National Parks, U.S.Cities, Road Trips, Europe, Africa, Landmarks, Atlas, Sunrise Earth and Planet Earth.

http://www.discovery.com/googleearth/index.html

Panoramio - Panoramio is like a world map for photographers to showcase their work and link the photographs to the place where the photo was taken. Google announce the acquisition of Panoramio, a Spain based photo sharing and geo-locating site, in May http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/pictures-worth-thousand-clicks.html

Gigapxl Project http://gigapxl.org/ - Extremely high resolution photos allow you to zoom in to see the smallest of details Turn on the Gigapxl layer under Featured Content in Google Earth.

One of the new features recently introduced in Google Earth is the ability to link YouTube videos. As you explore the globe with the YouTube Layer on, you will find videos from those locations.

This Google Earth YouTube screen shot shows Times Square with the 3D building layer turned on.

Google has been busy here on Earth, but they have also been quite busy in outer space as well. The newest version of Google Earth includes an "Explore the Sky" button.

Essentially, Google Sky displays the night sky directly overhead using Hubble telescope images. Users can zoom into distant galaxies, turn on and off constellations or explore the planets. Here is a YouTube Video Demonstration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMhGpzyFdhE

Here is another video with astronaut Sally Ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eG5WAJtluQ

In the last article I wrote about a new feature on Google Maps called "Street View". Street View enables users to view street level images in 360 degrees. User's can move through the streets, pan, tilt and zoom the street level images. 6 new cities have recently been added Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia, Tucson, Phoenix, and Pittsburgh. The other cities are: Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Diego, and San Francisco for a total of 15 cities. Street View Map The cities with the camera icon have Street View.

Six New Cities YouTube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsKik2Y5r5k

Google Maps not to be left Earth bound has introduced http://www.google.com/moon/ which map the six Apollo missions to the Moon. The user is presented with placemarks for the six missions. Click on one of the mission placemarks and you zoom in closer and placemarks for that mission are displayed. Click on these and an information window pops up with a description and photo from the location as well as links for additional information. Some of these pop ups are "Street View" like images that can be panned, tilted and zoomed. Very cool and a great way to explore the Moon and learn about the Apollo missions.

Google Earth and Google Maps are both helping to fulfill Google's mission, "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful".

Personal Plug: On a side note, I have just completed a project for Sonoma County Transit mapping over 1,200 bus stops and over twenty bus routes using Google Earth and Google Maps. Click here to see my work. Take a virtual bus ride!

Heublein Tower and Talcott Mountain State Park

Richard — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:39:00 GMT

As residents of the Farmington Valley we are blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, hiking trails, the Farmington River and a number of State Parks. One of the crown jewels has to be Heublein Tower located within Talcott Mountain State Park. The park consist of 557 acres, spanning the towns of Avon, Simsbury and Bloomfield. The main trail head is located off of Rt. 185 in Simsbury. The trail to the tower is approximately 1.25 mile and is part of the much longer, 51 mile, Metacomet trail, which runs through central Connecticut from Berlin, CT. to the Massachusetts border. The hike to the tower begins with a steep hill climb to the ridge of Talcott Mountain.

Once you get to the top, the trail traverses along the ridge of the mountain and is mostly flat. The views of the valley below are breathtaking. On a clear day one can see for miles and can easily identify a number of local landmarks. During the fall the trail is extremely popular and for good reason. The scenery is nothing less than spectacular!

Perched on the highest point of Talcott Mountain sits the 165 foot Heublein Tower. The tower was built in 1914 as a summer home for the success German emigrant and Hartford restaurateur and hotelier, Gilbert F. Heublein.

To read more about the history of Heublein Tower, please visit the Friends of Heublein Tower website. The Friends of Heublein Tower is a nonprofit organization established in 1985 to preserve and restore Heublein Tower and it's surrounding estate. I must say, that the Friends have done a great job! Having grown up in the Farmington Valley I have hiked this trail many times but, have never had an opportunity to tour the tower until just recently. Last month my family and I packed a picnic lunch and headed for the tower. My excitement and anticipation grew with each step along the trail.

Once we arrived and I saw the door at the base of the tower wide open, a huge smile came to my face! Heublein Tower is literally built on the side of the cliff. A stone wall built on the edge of a granite boulder creates a small front yard. Upon entering the tower we were greeted by a Friends of Heublein Tower volunteer, who welcomed us and explained that we were free to tour the tower at our leisure. The living room to the left, a small gift shop to the right and the stair well directly behind the lobby. During the 1970's the State replaced the original Otis elevator with a double fire staircase. Small rooms are located on each level off of the staircase. Once at the top of the tower, the 360 degree view is awe inspiring.

The room itself is beautiful. Each side has 5 windows that span the width of each wall and the walls are wood paneled offering a very warm and stately feeling. On a clear day, you can see for hundreds of miles in each direction. Springfield, MA to the north and Hartford, CT to the east are visible with a slight turn of the head. West Hartford Reservoir lays at your feet to the east and the Farmington Valley and beyond to the west. Truly a must see for all Farmington Valley residents!

Check the photo gallery for additional photos or better yet, pack a picnic lunch and head out for yourself! Heublein Tower is open to the public Thursday thru Sunday starting Memorial Day thru Labor Day and opened daily Labor Day thru October -31 10am - 5pm.

Links:

http://www.friendsofheubleintower.org/

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325272&depNav_GID=1650

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heublein_Tower

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacomet_Trail

Hello Farmington Valley!

sunfleur1 — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:27:00 GMT

I am hoping as this site picks up some, that people will stop by and say hi. I am a Farmington Valley transplant by way Massachusetts. I have lived here for about 2 years now and I am loving the area. It is home to me, much like the Berkshires in which I grew up.

The only difference here is that I haven't tapped into the art scene yet. I was really active in several while living in Massachusetts, but haven't been involved in much for a while.

I plan on using the site to introduce myself to like-minded individuals in the area who like to create. Maybe someone can tell me of and art organization or group that is taking new members, or perhaps we can start one of our own.

I do lots of things. I needlefelt, knit, sew, make jewelry, paint. I love creating things. I have been selling them now on etsy too at my Shop: Sunfleur Productions . Check it out!

Animal Planet Expo Comes to Farmington

Richard — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:47:00 GMT

My family and I love The Nature Channel's Animal Planet. We watch it almost every night. My son's favorite show is Animal Planet's Most Extreme. So, when we heard about the expo being held at the Farmington Polo Grounds, it was a must see for us. Hartford is one of a dozen stops for the Animal Planet Expo. Other stops include Boston, Chester County PA., Prince George County MD., Raleigh NC., Tampa FL., Baton Rouge LA., Houston TX., Twin Cities MN., Denver CO., The Bay Area CA., and Seattle WA.

The Expo's main theme was to promote the organization R.O.A.R. (Reach Out, Act, Respond). Animal Planet has teamed up with a number of animal organizations including, American Humane Association, ASPCA, American Veterinary Medical Association, World Wildlife Fund and others, to form R.O.A.R. The organizations mission is to raise awareness for different animal issues, both wild and domestic and to encourage volunteers to get involved and act by making a R.O.A.R Promise. Members can promise to donate money, volunteer time, foster care or adopt unwanted animals, fund raise or raise awareness for different animal causes. These causes include endangered species and habitats, local conservation, pet health care and well being, shelter adoption, spay and neutering, and others.

The Hartford Animal Planet Expo was co-sponsored by Comcast, ConnectiCare, Hoffman Auto Group and Basement Finishing Systems. The event was great. There were a ton of things for kids of all ages to do. Face Painting, Jump House, Spider Web Tower Climb, Caterpillar Tunnel, Alligator Slide, Endurance Experience and more. There were educational displays such as the bug house and live animal shows, including a great Frisbee dog catching show! Plenty of food vendors, a misting tent, climbing wall, and various games for the kids complete the scene. All in all, a great event. Best of all it was free. Thank you to all of those involved for a great day! Click here for photos from the Hartford event. Photos from other event locations are available here.

What's Your Latitude?

Richard — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:05:00 GMT

Since I was a kid, I've had a fascination with geography and maps. I have a large collection of both road and topographical maps. I use to spend hours looking at and studying my maps, trying to imagine and visualize what distant places looked like. I became fairly adept at reading topographic maps. I could easily see where mountains and valleys, cities, rivers and lakes were all located. No matter how much I studied my maps I still needed to rely on my imagination to visualize the terra. Are there trees or scrub brush, lush vegetation or grasslands? Then along came the Internet and web based maps like MapQuest and Yahoo maps. Great, now I could match photos from websites with geographic areas, which gave me a general idea of what the area was like. I then discovered satellite imaging on sites like Microsoft's Terra Server, Digital Globe, and others. This was really great. Photographs from space that I could now match with my land based maps. I didn't think it could get much better, until I discovered a little program called Keyhole. Keyhole, took mapping to a whole new level. A 3D interface allowing users to navigate around the globe viewing high resolution images of the earth below. For the first time, I could actually see the terrain, the trees and scrub brush. Google purchased Keyhole in 2004 and re-launched the program as Google Earth.

I don't look at my paper maps very much any more. Google Earth is now my map of choice. Google Earth is very cool, not only because you can view high resolution images of the earth in 3D, but also because users can easily find other media and information though the discussion boards. For example, I downloaded a Google Earth file from the discussion board that contains the location of web cams worldwide. Now as I navigate the globe, there are little web cam icons placed on the map. Click on the icon and you have a direct link to the live web cam. I have a similar file for radio stations. Click on a radio station icon and listen to the local stations in real time. Very cool. Google Earth is also linked to a website called the Degree Confluence Project. The goal of the project is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures, and stories about the visits, will then be posted. See a Degree Confluence Point and click on it to view photos and stories from the visitors of that location. There are two confluence points located in Connecticut. One in Hartland (42°N 73°W) and one in Woodstock (42°N 72°W). In addition Google Earth offers features that allow users to view roads, borders, populated places, dining, lodging, transportation, schools, parks, and other content.

Google Earth screen shot of the Farmington Valley.

If Google Earth isn't enough there is also Google Maps. Google Maps is the 2D web based version of Google Earth. It works like traditional web based maps with several enhancements. The same satellite imaging from Google Earth can be toggled on and off in Google Maps. This is nice if you don't want to download Google Earth, but lacks the ability to view in 3D. Google Maps, does offer something Google Earth does not. A new feature in Google Maps is called "Street View" available in selected cities. Street View allows users to view images from street level. Check out San Francisco or New York. You can pan and zoom these street level views. Very cool, talk about visualizing distant place on a map, this is the ultimate. I'm not sure how they do this, but its as if Google mounted a camera or multiple cameras to the top of a van capable of capturing 360° images and then drove up and down every street in the selected cities. In some cases peoples faces are clearly visible. I was able to read license plates and bumper stickers on vehicle crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow, talk about visualization. There is no need to imagine what it looks like any more.

Google Maps "Street View" screen shot.

For those of you already familiar with Google Earth, the image database was updated last week and includes new imaging for Connecticut. More than likely your house is now visible from space. What is your latitude?

Richard

Collinsville Farmers Market

Richard — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:26:00 GMT

A couple of weeks ago I posted some photos I took at the Collinsville Farmers Market. Today, I went back to meet and talk with those involved and to learn more about it. The Collinsville Farmers Market is located in the parking lot on the corner of Main and Front Streets in Collinsville and operates every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. during the summer months.

There are quite a number of farms participating in the market, all producing locally grown produce and goods. The Collinsville Farmers Market was conceived of and brought about by C.A.R.E. (Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion). Sarah Strecker, an employee of Bristol's Farm and board member of the Farmers Market, was instrumental in helping get Live music and chef demonstrations.

Every week a chef from a local restaurant will demonstrate their cooking skills and create savory samples for market goers to taste. Each week also features a different local band which performs on the porch of the Canton Historical Society's building just across from the market. This week’s guest chef was Kei, from Rice Fields in Canton. Kei was preparing some fresh Sushi using the best and freshest ingredients. Kei has a secret sauce that was passed to him by fellow chef, Mr. Wong from New Haven. I must say it was quite tasty.

Bristol's Farm in Canton has the largest booth as well as variety of produce (see photos). Bristol's Farm is USDA Certified Organic Produce and of course Connecticut Grown. For the last 4 years Bristol's Farm has been leased and operated by Wild Carrot Farm LLC, Mark Palladino is the sole proprietor. Some of Bristol's produce includes; Patty Pan Squash, Japanese Cucumbers, New Potatoes, Hot Tomatoes, Savoy Cabbage, Mint, a variety of eggplants and floral bouquets. Everything at Bristol's Farms is hand planted, hand dug, and hand washed. Bristol's also offers fresh baked zucchini bread. The zucchini is grown on the farm and the bread is baked by the Foothills Delery in Pine Meadow.

Maple View Farm is also USDA Certified Organic. The farm is a CSA share operated by Mark and Carole Ganger and is located in Harwinton. CSA stands for Community-Supported Agriculture. Carole explained that customers purchase a share of the farms expected produce at the beginning of the growing season. Then each week they pick up fresh produce from the farm depending on what is ready for harvest. Carole said the customers are guaranteed a 16 week growing season and some years as many as 18 weeks. Mark and Carole have been operating the farm for 18 yrs and say that this year has been particularly good. Their stand offered plenty of squash, numerous varieties of lettuce, cabbage, Asian vegetables, eggplant, Radicchio, and Endive. Maple View Farm can be reached at (860) 485-0815.

MarWin Farm is a brand new farm operated by Joanne and Kenny Dahill and is located in New Hartford. MarWin Farm raises and sells live organically fed ducks and geese. I spoke with Joanne about how important it is for today's children to know and understand where our food comes from. She agreed and added that "if people knew what conditions are like in corporate poultry and meat packing plants, we would all be vegetarians". MarWin Farm also had a nice selection of Flowers, the Zinnias were sold out, and fresh herbs.

Hard Rain Farm is owned and operated by Tom and Carole Roberge and is located in Burlington. The stand offered a wide variety of produce, fruit and honey. The farm produces tomatoes, Rhubarb, Garlic, squash, fig trees, fresh eggs and live rabbits. Hard Rain Farm operates a stand on Spielman Hwy in Burlington and can be reached at (860)-675-3941.

The Canton Creamery is now under new ownership and operates an Ice Cream Stand at the Farmers Market. The Creamery makes their own organic ice cream in an assortment of flavors. Dana Mathies explained that they make 5 gallons at a time. The flavor of the ice cream depends on what fruit is in season, i.e. strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits. The Canton Creamery is located in Canton Center. In addition to ice cream cones, customers may purchase quarts and pints freshly packed. They also make their own waffle cones. They graciously offered me a delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie ice cream sandwich sprinkled with coconut flakes. Yummy!

Fresh Blueberries were also available from Burlington.

It was also great for me to see Dave Bristol, who once operated Bristol's farm. Dave employed me many years ago both on the farm and in his Collisvillle based machine shop.

I'd like to say thank you to all of those who took the time to talk to me today. Thank you. I think the Collinsville Farmers Market is great for more than just all of the wonderful produce and other products. It's the people who make it what it is. A great place to buy healthy locally grown food and meet and interact with others in the community. A nice way to spend a Sunday.

Richard

If you build it, will they come?

Richard — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:20:00 GMT

That is the question I've been asking myself over the last several months. Unlike Keven Costner in Field of Dreams, I was not hearing voices in the middle of the night telling me to build a community website. Instead I've been driven to build this website because I can and also because I want to contribute to the community in a positive and beneficial way. I hope the community will see this site as just that. A genuine gesture to allow the residence of the Farmington Valley and the surrounding area to communicate and interact freely with each other. Yes, I do hope that this site will generate some revenue (classifieds) to cover operating cost, but making money isn't my primary goal here. If I wanted, Goggle ads could be posted all over the place. Even worse, are those annoying pop up/under ads or the Flash animated ads posted on so many sites. I won't be doing that on this website.

Rather it is my hope, that the residence of the Farmington Valley will embrace this website, by contributing content via the Blogs, Forums, and Link Directory. Photo Galleries will also be available to active bloggers upon request. I am also adding a live chat feature for registered users. The live chat feature is already installed and will be available later today. The classifieds section is still under development and I hope to have it up and running within two or three weeks.

Registering on the site is easy. Sign in name (displayed on post), password and email address are all that is required. To request a free blog, see this post. Registration is not required to submit a link to the Link Directory.

This site has only been available to the public for about three weeks now and I have just started to promote it. So, it may be some time before I have an answer to my question. I hope the answer is, "Sometimes when you believe the impossible the incredible comes true" Field of Dreams.

Enjoy the site!

Richard

The Best Forth of July Parade in America

Richard — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:16:00 GMT

"The Best Forth of July Parade in America", Barkhamsted's First selectmen, Michael Fox, proclaimed as he took the microphone following the flag presentation ceremony. Barkhamsted's very own Star Band had just preformed a fabulous rendition of the National Anthem. First Selectman Fox went on to thank all of the volunteers who contribute their time to the numerous organizations that support the town. "This town runs on volunteers" he stated, and graciously thanked those involved.

I must agree with Selectman Fox. Barkhamsted does have the best 4th of July parade in America! Sponsored by the Barkhamsted Lions Club, it's an event the entire town turns out for. I love the small town feel as the residents gather along West River Rd and participants ready for the parade. The parade route is lined with beautiful old homes decorated with flags and banners on one side and the Farmington river on the other. Old friends and neighbors greet each other and pull up their folding chairs, kids are everywhere, and everybody is smiling.

The parade was great once everyone got set. The United States and Connecticut state flags were proudly marched up the center of the West River road. The town dump truck followed with a sign on the front stating that it's the "Town Pool". The truck was in fact towing the town pool on a flat bed trailer. An inflatable kiddies pool filled with water and the towns very own Synchronized Swimming Selectman. The parade continued with the Lions club, Parade Marshall, Star Band (50 members strong), Barkhamsted Historical Society, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Barkhamsted East Fire, Winn Downs, Vote for Winner, Republican party, Democrat Party, Barkhamsted Land Trust, Girls Softball All Star Champions, Boy's Baseball and then there was a pause. I heard some people asking if it was over. I walked to the center of the road to get a better view and then the rest of the procession appeared followed by the Leader of the Pack . A four or five year old boy in a little electric race car was leading the rest of the parade. The crowd chucked at the sight.

Once the rest of the procession arrived, candies were tossed from a cool dune buggy, Riverton Volunteer Fire Dept, Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire, CAT Lawn tractor, various town and state vehicles, Hot rods, Prize Llamas, United Methodist Church, Peoples State Forest with Smoky the Bear, marching Pleasant Valley Volunteers, fire and emergency equipment brought up the rear followed by a Prize Poodle being chauffeured in a convertible. Truly the Best Forth of July Parade in America. Check out more photos here.

I love the Forth of July. It's one of my favorite holidays. After, the parade I felt great. My family and I listened to patriotic music all afternoon and that evening we watched the classic 1972 movie 1776. I would highly recommend it.

Happy Birthday America!

Who am I and what is this website?

Richard — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:27:00 GMT

Hi, Thank you for taking the time to check out FarmingtonValley.Net. My name is Richard English owner and operator of Great-Webs.Com, a web design and development company located in Barkhamsted, Ct. This website is basically a labor of love. This is the second incarnation or web 2.0 enabled version of FarmingtonValley.Net. The first version was launched in May of 2006, offered slightly different features and charged a fee for the different services offered. This version is totally free to join and use. Revenue from this site will hopefully be generated from the classifieds section once it is launched. Advertising will also be available. The idea to develop this site was inspired by my own personal need to have quick and easy access to all things Farmington Valley.

The web is great! You can find any information you could possibly want on the web. But, the web is world wide and sometimes search results are overwhelming and it can take time sorting and finding the correct results. Thus, the idea of a regional link directory for the Farmington Valley was born. The FVN Link Directory allows anyone within the Farmington Valley or surrounding area to submit their own personal or business website to the directory. No fees or other requirements (linking to site in order to be listed) are needed. There are several great regional websites serving the Farmington Valley, but, no one single free resource for all of the towns. It is my hope that this website will grow into that resource. By offering Free Blogs and Forums to the residents of the Farmington Valley and surrounding area I am hoping to generate the much needed traffic for the site to successfully launch the Classifieds section.

If you are involved in local government, business, sports or community events sign up for a free blog and let the rest of us know what's going on in your town. (You can change the look and feel of your blog.)

As this site expands other features will be offered. One of these features will be a live chat, where I hope to host various discussions with community leaders. I am also planning on conducting video interviews. If you are interested in being interviewed please contact me.

Well I hope this explains who I am and what this site is about. Don't be shy! It's Free and it's Easy! Sign up today and start bogging or just participating in the forums. The success of this site will ultimately be determined by you, the residents of the Farmington Valley. Please spread the word!

Richard

Welcome to FarmingtonValley.Net Community Blogs!

farmingtonvalley — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:55:00 GMT

A weblog (blog) is an online journal you can use to share thoughts, ideas, gripes, project status, or anything else you want. Blogs allow you to be a contributor rather than just a bystander.

Postings are arranged chronologically and can be categorized depending upon how the administrator has configured the system. You can view a post by clicking on the title from the home page where all users' posts are collectively shown. Once viewing a blog you can read other posts by that person or provide comments on postings.

Creating new posts is quick and easy. If you have the ability to post you should see a link (usually on the left) on your weblog's home page: new post. Clicking on this link takes you into your blogs administration pages for creating new posts.

If you don't have the ability to post, contact the site administrator and ask for your own blog.

Happy Blogging!