The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Opinion
State
Unnecessary upgrade
Conn. jobless rate declines to 7.6 percent
By Andrea Melone Special to The Citizen
One of latest societal trends is the what I call the “electronic upgrade.” While people have always coveted the latest gadget, the frequency with which modern consumers upgrade to the newest model as soon as it’s released has skyrocketed to an almost absurd level (Example: People camping out in front of stores). Yes, most of us want the best of the best of the best, and many of us can afford it. So, whenever the next generation of the iPhone comes out, or the latest Dell laptop is released, many of us want it. Meanwhile, what happens to the fully-functional devices that are suddenly slightly outdated? I’m waiting for Pixar’s next film, featuring hand-held anthropomorphized gadgets, feeling like the
characters in “Toy Story” when they’re neglected for the newer products. I can see the sad face on the original iPod Nano’s screen, mournfully watching from a shelf as its owner excitedly peels the clear plastic film off the newest model, the new one wearing a smug smirk. Smirking, that is, until it joins the other Nano on the shelf a few months later. When a Blackberry croaks, when the iPod’s screen is accidentally shattered, when the phone will no longer make calls, when the laptop can’t charge, yes, then it’s a fair time to purchase a new model. But if you’re pouring coffee on your computer’s keyboard or grinding your cell phone in a blender just to get the upgrade to the newest advancement, that’s a problem. See Upgrade / Page 16
Diagnosis: Movies
How writing left me hungry for Hunger Games By Tanya Feke M.D. Special to The Citizen
This is a wonderful time of year to reflect upon all that we have been blessed. Truly, I have so much to be thankful for in my life. My family, my friends, my health, and turkey with leftovers upon leftovers top the list though there was one key ingredient missing for the month of November. Movies. I placed myself on a movie fast over the month of November. Instead of indulging in my love of cinema, I pursued my second love, writing. In 30 short days, I completed a 50,0 0 0 -plus word novel for Na NoWr i Mo ( Nat ion a l Nove l Writing Month). I am hopeful you will all see this novel on book shelves one day, a medical thriller, but I will admit the going was rough at times. Dedicating every waking moment to my novel left me without a leg to stand on because my bottom was planted in a chair morning, noon, and night. While that level of intensity may be unhealthy long-term for someone raising two children and working a
full time job, the NaNoWriMo challenge re-ignited a passion in me that had long been dormant. Whether I am published in the future or not, I now consider myself a real writer. But that level of intensity comes with a price, and that is withdrawal. When I submitted my word count on Nov. 30, there was an instant satisfaction and pride that I had accomplished a goal long on my bucket list back, but the first thing I wanted to do was buy a ticket. I was hungry for the movies. I was hungry for “The Hunger Games”. I hit the theater with the ferocity of a film addict. The smell of buttered popcorn, the twinkle of floor lights guiding me up the aisle, the chill of excessive air conditioning, they all brought me home. Even the lackluster previews could not deter my excitement of what was to come – transportation to another time and place. I was not disappointed. “The Hunger Ga mes: Catching Fire” picked up where the original left See Movies / Page 16
HARTFORD (A P) — Connecticut’s unemployment rate has fallen to 7.6 percent, the third straight monthly decline, state labor officials said Dec. 19. The state’s private sector drove the gains with a total of 4,200 jobs added in November. “November’s strong job growth offset some declines in the third quarter returning us to the positive, though modest growth path we have seen throughout 2013,” said Andy Condon, director of the Labor Department’s research office. “A third straight month of unemployment rate declines is certainly good news, though these declines are still occurring on a shrinking labor force.” Gains were posted in sectors including utilities, education and construction and mining, but losses were experienced by others includ-
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ing manufacturing, business services, and hospitality. The previously announced national unemployment rate dipped to a five-year low of 7 percent in November. The state’s jobless rate, which stood at 7.9 percent in October, had held steady for most of the year before the recent declines. “While a decrease in the unemployment rate and the addition of more than 4,000 private sector jobs in a month is clearly a step in the right direction, we still have much work to do,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said. As the gradual recovery from the economic downturn continues, state officials say Connecticut has now recovered slightly more than half of the 121,200 jobs that were lost during the recession between March 2008 and February 2010.
Lawmakers concerned about Metro-North woes By Susan Haigh Associated Press
H A RT FO R D (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers Dec. 18 expressed anger and concern about recent accidents on the MetroNorth commuter rail line, with some suggesting the state should investigate whether another vendor might better operate the railroad. “It might be a very good process to vet other vendors, to get a lot of these issues out, to bring out the contract that we have with MetroNorth to see where the problems lie,” Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, told Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker, who appeared before the General A s s e m b ly ’s Tra n s p o r t a t i o n Committee to answer questions about Metro-North and rail-related matters. Boucher said she believes Metro-North, which operates the New Haven Line under a contract with the DOT, has a “credibility issue” following a recent spate
of problems. Earlier this month, there was a deadly derailment on a Metro-North line in New York. In May, a derailment in Bridgeport injured 76 people and a track foreman was struck and killed in a separate incident. Boucher, who has served in the General Assembly since 1997, said she is now receiving calls from constituents who say they don’t feel safe riding the trains. “I’ve never heard that before,” she said. Redeker said he appreciates the anxiety but said he’s confident the condition of the railroad “is in better shape than ever” and that Metro-North is focusing on safety and currently conducting a “deep review” of the recent incidents to ultimately improve practices. Other investigations of the railroad are also being conducted in the wake of the accidents. “I’m more confident than ever in the railroad,” he said. While there are other rail operSee Metro-North / Page 19