I’m on “away-cation”

I’ve been in Pennsylvania since last Saturday, driving out of Hartford a few hours before all of the shooting started going down in the North End. I coincidentally checked out Courant.com right around the time that the reports of violence started, then went to WFSB to see if they had more information.

The WFSB site had the most unfortunate ads accompanying the initial news report: CT “Staycation” and Hartford Hospital. I’m not sure when I’m coming back.

It’s Not Us, It’s Hartford

The big news of the day is Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts shirking police responsibility and basically blaming the citizens of Hartford for the never-ending wave of crime we seem to be wading under in the city.

Some of the more sensational incidents among the dozens piling up is the savage beating of former Deputy Mayor Nick Carbone at Capitol Avenue on his way to breakfast on Monday, and the hit and run of Angel Arce Torres last Friday on Park Street while witnesses stood around, gawking and pointing without actually helping the man. No one called 911, and the man is paralyzed. Roberts stated:

“There was a time they would have helped that man across the street. Now they mug and assault him,” he said. “That’s not a police problem. We no longer have a moral compass. Anything goes.”

Colin McEnroe has two excellent pieces expounding the outrage over Roberts’ comments, as well as the ad nauseous “miserable, ass-covering, loutish approach to law enforcement” and politicking of Mayor Eddie Perez.

Update [6/6/08]: Apparently, the first report by the Courant was wrong–people did call 911 and the website has audio clips.

Update [6/8/08]: Link to the video: “Hartford Police Release Video of Hit and Run“

SATC vs. The Hummer

I love the whole idea of wondering what the Sex in the City movie has to offer to men alongside a story worrying about the future of the Hummer. From the front page of the online Hartford Courant this afternoon.