Social Media - The Ruination of the World?

Trying to use my blog to talk more about what's going on, express some observations and solicit some feedback. I know this is usually done through the lens of social media in modern day, and I have Facebook and Twitter and InstaGram (though I couldn't recall my password for some time), but I sometimes question if these platforms - particularly Facebook - is good or bad for society. 

So, here I blog. 

I acknowledge that I am blogging after reviewing my twitter feed (I had a couple minutes while my son was getting his hair cut) and doing some retweets - so I know I am part of this social media beast - but the Facebook society is something I've become more and more uncomfortable with.

Now, because I crave readers and like to stir discussion, it is not out of the realm of possibility that I will post a link to this blog on social media. Social media is not all bad, it has many good and interesting qualities. I criticize it because I'm afraid it's becoming more like the old (or possibly still used) "2nd Life", where people created a new online life, often different from their real one. Now I'm not against escapism and I enjoy the likes of say the Star Wars universe as much as the next guy, but Facebook seems to me to have become, at least for some, a "2nd Life" situation, but not one of escapism or plain fun - one of competition and needing to "keep up with the Jones". 

Some feeds seem to look more like a reality tv show. Do people have to show everyone everything they do every moment of every day? Does this make others, who may not have the means, or the same interesting situation that day or the "you fill in the blank", feel like they need to do more or post more or make up more stuff in order to post more?  Perhaps it's making people lose their minds?

This blog is a ramble and a rant - I'm still forming these opinions. But I know there's something that I don't like about it and I see example after example from people across all walks of life that seem to get as many headaches from Facebook as they do enjoyment. I wonder what this will mean in a decade ....

Veteran's Day

While we should remember to do this everyday, today we give special honor and praise to the US Veterans who have served their Country and allow us the freedoms we enjoy every day as Americans. Thank you.

Hamden Sells Blighted Property to Improve Neighborhood

The following is an article from the NH Register about a blighted property we were successful in acquiring and selling to buyer set to clean-up the land! By Ebony Walmsley, New Haven Register HAMDEN >> After more than a decade, a severely blighted property on Wintergreen Avenue will receive a makeover after the Legislative Council approved its sale early this month. The 831 Wintergreen Ave. property has been an eyesore in its community for several years, but new owner Brack Poitier plans to build a new home, according to town documents. Poitier, who works in construction and serves as chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, was not available for comment Tuesday. Poitier purchased the property from the town for $24,900. He must complete necessary blight improvements within 30 days after the closing of the sale and finish “overall improvements” within six months of the sale closing date. In a letter to the Legislative Council, Mayor Scott Jackson said “there will be great improvements to the physical home, the overall property and the surrounding neighborhood.” James Pascarella, legislative council president, said he’s “pleased the property sold.” “We’re happy someone can proceed and turn the property into a nice home,” Pascarella said. But Helen Demorro, of 810 Wintergreen Ave, was hopeful nobody would purchase the property. Her house sits diagonal across from the sold house. “We have a great view of East Rock Park. I was hoping the town would just let it be,” Demorro said. “Selling this blighted home and getting it cleaned up this season will be a visible benefit to the neighborhood surrounding it. Attacking blighted properties, with the force of law and serious determination, through citations, fines, liens and if needed foreclosure and sale, is something we take seriously and are committed to accomplishing,” said Curt Leng, chief administrative officer, in a prepared statement. Last year, the town initiated a sale to a potential buyer for $20,000, but that fell through because of “circumstances beyond the town’s control,” according to town documents. With a number of maintenance and anti-blight violations, the property is run down and needs a lot of work. Maintenance citations began on the Wintergreen Avenue property as early as 2002, according to Leng. Such violations include a lack of maintenance of the exterior structure, water entering the house, neglect of removal trash and inoperative appliances and lack of pruning of the property’s lawn and hedges. The property was also issued anti-blight violations for, creating substantial interference with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other space within the building or of other premises within the neighborhood, having missing or boarded windows, collapsing or missing walls, and overgrown plants in the front yard, among other things. The town enforced foreclosure actions on the property in 2010. While Pascarella wasn’t clear on why it took the property so long to sell, he did acknowledge its structure deterioration. “I think it might need to be razed and reconstructed,” Pascarella said. According to www.visionapprasial.com, the blighted house and property was appraised at $168,200 last year. Leslie Creane, town planner, said she’s happy to see the property return to the tax rolls. “It’s one more property that’s been remediated,” Creane said.

Mayor's Proposed Budget 2014-2015

HAMDEN >> Mayor Scott Jackson left a proposed $207 million budget in the hands of members of the Legislative Council Tuesday night.

Jackson presented his 2014-15 fiscal budget — a $7 million increase over the current budget — to the council, citing pension, medical and additional employment needs as having an effect on the proposed tax increase. If approved, the tax rate would increase by 1.25 mills, from 38.94 to 40.19 mills.

“This is an active budget,” Jackson said.

Dedicated funds for the town’s retirement benefit could see an increase from $13.5 to $18.8 million. Incorporated into the $18.8 million is an interest-only payment of $3.4 million for the town’s pension obligation bonds.

The pension crisis is a result of the pension fund never having been properly funded, Curt Leng, chief administrative officer, has said.

“My friends, we have caught the tail of this beast and we will tame it,” Jackson said.

Leng said funding the town’s pension is 81 percent of the budget’s increase.

Medical costs could increase from $33.8 to $34.5 million.

With work left to do, Jackson tipped his hat to the town’s financial accomplishments.

“We’ve turned a $9 million deficit in the medical self-insurance fund into a surplus. We’ve established a plan to repair our broken pension fund over time without massive tax increases to what sometimes feels like an endangered species — the middle class taxpayer,” Jackson said.

Added town jobs could include a blight officer, program specialist and a new Department of Information and Technology.

While not a financial change, Jackson also proposed moving the Board of Education into Government Center at 2750 Dixwell Ave.

“I propose to you that the singular job of the Board’s Central Office is to educate children. Nothing else,” Jackson said.

Leng said the conversation of the school board and the town has been discussed for approximately a decade.

“If the town wasn’t addressing the pension crisis with the comprehensive pension reform plan implemented last year, the mayor’s proposed budget inclusive of important small increases to police and fire could have been increased without raising taxes at all,” Leng said.

Legislative Council President James Pascarella said Jackson’s presentation was “well done.”

“Now we have to do our due diligence and review the budget line by line. Some numbers will mature over the next six weeks. Some projections may change, but we will come up with a fair and balanced budget,” Pascarella said.

Call Ebony Walmsley at 203-789-5734. Have questions, feedback or ideas about our news coverage? Connect directly with the editors of the New Haven Register at AskTheRegister.com.