Chris Dodd has at least two million clams left in the campaign account of his U.S. Senate seat for which he’ll not seek reelection.
What to do with it? Give it back to those jolly corporations that plied him with dough through the decades? Nah. Give it to candidates? Possibly. Give it to charity? Could be. Hey, I know loads of organizations in Bridgeport that need that loot. I’ve been waiting for all my Chris Dodd friends to convince me what the heck he’s done for the state’s largest city in 30 years. Still waiting.
But, but, but, here’s Dodd’s chance at redemption. Give it to Bridgeport. What say you?
From Lake Forest neighborhood watchdog Jeff Kohut:
More flooding from Trumbull development — public hearing on 1/20/10
All Lake Forest Area residents, including our neighbors in southern Trumbull near our border, as well as all other Bridgeporters — especially those living along the Trumbull Border — are urged to attend the Trumbull Planning and Zoning meeting/public hearing on Wednesday, 1/20/10, at 7:30 PM, which concerns a proposed zone change for 10 acres of land in Trumbull, directly on the Bridgeport border, to be used for the expansion of the Cooperative Educational Services (CES) facilities between Lindeman Drive and Horseshoe Drive off of Old Town Road. The meeting/public hearing, will held be in Trumbull Town Hall, 5866 Main Street (across the street from Trumbull Stop-and-Shop and adjacent to Trumbull Library), in the Council Chambers… (See Connecticut Post, Friday, 1/15/10, classified section, page D9)
Those Bridgeporters who live on our border with Trumbull have experienced, directly, the absolute disdainful disregard of the Trumbull municipal government for the health, safety, and financial well-being of the people of Bridgeport, as unmistakably manifested in their official municipal development policy of locating their commercial, municipal, industrial, and high-density residential development directly on Bridgeport’s borders in order to parasitically access Bridgeport’s sanitary and transportation infrastructure, while at the same time sparing their own neighborhoods (save a few of the more-modest border neighborhoods) from any of the adverse effects of such development… Indeed, Trumbull’s grand- list is built on the backs of Bridgeport taxpayers. Many once-stable, once-thriving — once enviable — Bridgeport neighborhoods have had to deal with the neighborhood-eroding effects of decades of inappropriate Trumbull border development.
Over the past five decades, stability, overall quality of life/health-and-safety, and property values, in essentially every Bridgeport neighborhood bordering Trumbull, have been severely and permanently negatively impacted at the hands of Trumbull and its developer-driven, elitist, mercenary municipal government –- as part of an all-but-publicly-stated, albeit unofficial, nefarious plan to grow Trumbull’s tax-base and burnish its elitist credentials by hijacking Bridgeport’s infrastructure and effectively isolating its populace from Trumbull’s residential interior by directing all infrastructure-intensive development to the Bridgeport-border areas of town …
Among the many injuries inflicted upon Bridgeport and its neighborhoods by Trumbull, and its border developers, such as Robert Scinto, are the myriad of well-recognized neighborhood-destroying effects of intensive development — such as traffic-safety issues, and noise and air-pollution related to drastic increases in car and truck traffic on main-artery and border-area roads in Bridgeport neighborhoods located proximally to, or on the path with respect to, Trumbull border-area developments of the aforementioned categories …
But perhaps the most threatening and difficult-to-mitigate effect on Bridgeport neighborhoods resulting from Trumbull’s inappropriate and excessive border-development is the deadly threat of catastrophic flooding, which the Bridgeport border-neighborhoods downstream from the modern Trumbull border-developments have had to endure. Indeed, especially over the course of the past 30 years, severe flooding in Bridgeport and extreme-southern Trumbull — directly attributable to upstream watershed loss/development and wetlands obliteration in Trumbull during the course of the aforementioned period — has caused tremendous property damage and has presented an actual risk to human life in these areas.
Additionally, the sanitary sewer/storm-drain system in Bridgeport has been compromised and actual sewage back-up into Bridgeport homes has occurred as a result of the flooding caused by the upstream Trumbull development/watershed-wetlands obliteration and the Trumbull tie-in to the Bridgeport sewer-system …
One of the most frustrating aspects of this affront to the people of Bridgeport by the Town of Trumbull is that most of the problematic development activity has occurred in violation of Connecticut wetlands statutes. It is utterly amazing that any more than a small fraction of the development and wetlands changes made in Trumbull during the course of the past 50 – especially the past 30 – years have gone unchallenged by the DEP and the Attorney General …
In any event, the current move by CES to rezone 10 acres along Old Town Road and obliterate more border-area watershed and wetlands must not be allowed to occur …
All Bridgeporters and their state and municipal elected officials must join their fellow Bridgeporters at the meeting on Wednesday and do everything in their power to prevent the further harm of Bridgeport citizens by the municipal government of Trumbull.
Please call the state and local elected officials listed below, and demand that they attend the meeting and resolve to speak and act to protect the citizens, and municipal integrity, of Bridgeport:
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch – 203-576-7201;
MayorFinch@bridgeportct.gov;
Adam.Wood@bridgeportct.gov;
Shurley.Lazarus@bridgeportct.govAttorney General Richard Blumenthal – 860-808-5318;
attorney.general@po.state.ct.usState Representative Chris Caruso – 860-240-8585; 800-842-8267;
Chris.Caruso@cga.ct.govState Representative Jack Hennessy — 860-240-8585; 800-842-8267;
Jack.Hennessy@cga.ct.govState Senator Ed Gomes (23rd) – 860-240-0558; 800-842-1420;
Gomes@senatedems.ct.govState Senator Anthony Musto (22nd) – 860-240-0558; 800-842-1420;
Musto@senatedems.ct.govCouncilperson Michelle Lyons (134th) – 203-414-7926;
Michelle.Lyons@bridgeportct.govCouncilperson AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia (134th) – 203-610-7620;
AmyMarie.Vizzo-Paniccia@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Warren Blunt (135th) – 203-521-5559;
Warren.Blunt@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Richard Bonney (135th) – 203-374-1302;
Richard.Bonney@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Carlos Silva (136th) – 203-371-7672;
Carlos.Silva@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Angel dePara (136th) – 203-382-1199;
Angel.dePara@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Robert Curwen (138th) – 203-371-1092;
Robert.Curwen@bridgeportct.govCouncilman Richard Paoletto (138th) – 203-373-9694;
Richard.Paoletto@bridgeportct.govBe well. Be safe. Be in touch!
Jeff Kohut, LFBWNP
203-372-2791 (h)
203-394-7678 (c)
JPKOHUT1@aol.com
LFBWNP04@aol.com
No Pat On Head
I’ve not met Ed Patru, Linda McMahon’s Communications Director, but this guy is a killer. Here’s Patru’s latest:
Rob Simmons is getting nervous. The 38-point lead he enjoyed in September has all but evaporated, according to this week’s Quinnipiac Poll. He can’t win on the issues because his voting record is grossly out of step with mainstream Republicans. So he’s resorted to false attacks on Linda.
‘Candidate’ Simmons claims he opposes the positions he took in Congress. So which do we believe? Simmons’ actions while in Congress or his words now as a candidate in a Republican primary? Actions speak louder than words.
As a career politician, Rob built a record of standing with liberal Democrats in Congress to support budget-busting, job-killing legislation. He twice co-sponsored Card Check legislation, a bill that would force workers to sign a union card in public instead of voting by secret ballot. He partnered with liberal California Democrat Henry Waxman in co-sponsoring Cap-and-Trade climate change legislation, a bill that would raise energy costs in Connecticut, even though the state’s energy costs are already among the highest in the nation.
In Congress, Simmons routinely earned ‘C’ and ‘D’ grades from the National Taxpayer Union because he voted for more than 350 bills that increased spending and only 13 bills that cut spending. He twice voted to raise the federal debt ceiling … by more than a Trillion dollars!
It’s no wonder Simmons doesn’t want to talk about issues. Instead he’s been misleading Connecticut voters for months by falsely claiming Linda has only voted twice in her life — even though he knows it isn’t true.
Simmons’ False Campaign Attacks: “[Linda McMahon] voted only twice in her life” and “Because of [Linda’s] failure to vote more than twice in her life … Republicans have reason to question [her] commitment to the Republican Party.”
The Truth: According to the Greenwich Registrar of Voters, Linda “has been a registered voter [in Connecticut] since October 9, 1984 and has voted in the following elections: 11/07/2000, 11/5/2002, 11/2/2004, 11/4/2008 and 11/3/2009.” It’s important to note that Greenwich only keeps voting records going back to 2000.
Linda has been up front with the voters regarding her voting record from the day she announced. She is not running away from her record. Why is Rob Simmons so intent on tearing her down instead of building himself up or discussing HIS record?
Simmons has clearly made a strategic decision to employ an ‘anything goes’ approach, however dishonorable and deplorable the tactics may be. His deceptive attack on Linda’s voting record is patently false, dealing a huge blow to Rob Simmons’ credibility.
Linda believes Connecticut voters deserve the truth, not more of the same kind of slash-and-burn politics we’ve come to expect from career politicians.
She is running for Senate because only an outsider with real conservative values can be trusted to change Washington’s failed economic policies.
Musto Gusto
Prophetess Gerry Claytor runs the food pantry located in the Gary Crooks Community. See her remarks below following help from State Senator Anthony Musto:
Senator Anthony Musto delivers, “PROMISE”!
PT BARNUM FEED THE PEOPLE FOOD PANTRY
On or around September 3, 2009, Prophetess Gerry Claytor Posted on Facebook to her friend, Councilwoman AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia a request for a donation/donor to come forth to donate a commercial freezer and a commercial refrigerator to our PT Barnum, Feed The People Food Pantry. Senator Anthony Musto, a friend of Councilwoman Vizzo-Paniccia saw the post, contacted me and inquired about my request. Several days later he informed me that he would see if he could get some money. He said he was in senate session and could put the request forth. I told him, by faith, I’d already gone to Globe Equipment in Bridgeport and the cost of the refrigerator was approximately $2,700.00 & the freezer $3,700.00. He said he thinks he can get the money. It might take a while, but he feels he can get money channeled into our pantry for my request. He then told me, he appreciates what I’m doing; it’s a great need and a great cause! He’d be in touch and do what he can! He did! Monthly he stayed in touch with me! Hallelujah! Wednesday January 13, at three o’clock, we dedicated the appliances and thank God for Senator Musto for his liberal and strong support! We love him!
Our community is very happy! Now they can have meats, fresh vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, butter, juice and other perishables!
Prophetess Gerry Claytor
Malloy, Oh Boy!
Hey, want to meet and support Dan Malloy for governor? He’ll be in Bridgeport soon at an event hosted by my favorite chiropractor Doc Jennifer Lynne and developer extraordinaire Kim Morque, one of the city’s emerging downtown property owners.
Dr. Jennifer Lynne and Kim Morque invite you to join them in welcoming
Dan Malloy
Former Mayor of Stamford
to a reception in support of his
Exploratory Committee for Governor
Thursday, February 4, 2010
5:30-7:30 pm
at “The Backstroke”
181 State Street, Bridgeport, CT
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Suggested contribution: $50. Maximum allowed: $375
RSVP to Kate at (203) 588-1345 or kate@danmalloy.com
Your personal check, made payable to Dan Malloy for CT
Latest letter from P.T. Barnum Residents Association
PT BARNUM RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
“SHADOW TASK FORCE”
c/o GARY CROOKS COMMUNITY CENTER
301 BOSTWICK AVENUE
BRIDGEPORT, CT 06605JANUARY 13, 2010
DONNA FEWELL, PRESIDENT
JOHN HERNANDEZ, VICE-PRESIDENTBill Finch, Mayor
City of Bridgeport
City Hall Annex
Bridgeport, CT 06604Nicholas Calace, Executive Director
Bridgeport Housing Authority
151 Highland Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604Gentlemen:
On November 20, 2009, following a tragic fire at PT Barnum apartments, a task force on fire safety was established by the Mayor. Since residents were not invited to be a part of this task force, as president of the residents association, on November 24, 2009, I took the initiative and formed a “Shadow Task Force.” This unofficial task force included retired Bridgeport Firefighters, community leaders and residents of the PT Barnum Complex.
After residents and members of the task force discussed the entire situation, we decided to circulate petitions, calling for the installation of smoke/fire detectors in each apartment that would be tied into a 911 central monitoring station that would alert the Bridgeport Fire Department. The Ocean Avenue Fire House is a short distance from the Housing Complex.
On November 30, 2009, we were invited to attend the second meeting of the Mayor’s task force. We accepted the invitation. At that time, we presented the Mayor with the petitions, expressed our concern for speedy and swift action and were told that we would be informed of any future task force meetings. We were also told that the meetings were not open to the public and were on an invitation only basis.
On December 1, 2009, we wrote to the mayor and informed him that the meeting should be opened as required by the Freedom of Information Act. He subsequently relented and agreed that any future meetings would be open to the public and to the press.
To our knowledge no additional meetings of the task force have been called. Indeed, we have not been called nor have any of our letters to the Board of Commissioners of the Bridgeport Housing Authority or to the Mayor been answered.
On December 30, 2009, we learned from Keila Torres of the CT Post that an expert in the field of fire safety had been retained to consult with city officials regarding future action. We were not involved in the selection of the expert and were not consulted in any way before the decision was made. It is obvious, notwithstanding our membership in the Mayor’s Task Force, that our opinions are not being solicited or taken into consideration. Although we do not question, the expertise of the individual that has been engaged, several questions remain unanswered.
1. Will the expert be reviewing the cause, origin and circumstances of the fire, or will his task be confined to making recommendations for future actions.
2. Has there been a written letter of engagement, concerning the scope of his services? If so, we request a copy of said letter of engagement.
3. What is the cost of these services?
4. Will this be paid by City funds or Bridgeport Housing Authority funds?
5. Will the request made by the residents concerning the 911 alarm system be one of the recommendations reviewed by the expert?
6. Will the expert report to the Mayor’s Task Force or directly to the Mayor, the Fire Chief and/or the executive director of the BHA?
7. Will the expert review whether or not the apartments are currently in compliance will all fire and safety codes?
8. Will the expert review and report on whether the apartments were in compliance with all fire and safety codes at the time of the fire?
9. Will the residents be given reasonable notice before the expert, and/or fire officials, seek access to our homes?
Although we are anxious to cooperate with the expert in his endeavors, our primary interest as the individuals most directly affected, is to ensure that this tragedy is not repeated. Our children are still having nightmares over the loss of their little friends and we are, therefore, reminded of this tragedy on a daily basis.
Your immediate attention is requested.
Very truly yours,
Donna Fewell, President
Cc: Board of Commissioners
Bridgeport Housing Authority
To all my MA friends do you want to go backward or forward? Vote Martha Coakley!!! We do not need to sink health care. Props to all my friends at Northeastern who are going to vote on Tue.
This coming in from a MA newspaper, many people who voted for Obama are now fired up from Sunday and are going to vote, read the article.
The importance of Obama
Indeed, for many Massachusetts voters, who voted Obama into office in 2008 by a 26-percentage point margin over Sen. John McCain, just having the president campaign in the state was enough to make an impression.
“It let me know how serious it is,” says Jeremy Smith, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Mr. Smith wasn’t planning to vote before Obama’s visit but says that now, even though he wasn’t able to make it into the rally, he plans to cast a ballot for Coakley on Tuesday.
“Living in a heavily blue [Democratic] state, you can lose sight of the fact that your vote matters,” said Smith, who volunteered for Obama’s presidential campaign. “If it wasn’t serious to Obama’s agenda, he wouldn’t have come.”
Steve Moran works in the health insurance industry and said he was also undecided before Sunday’s rally. “I hadn’t made a clear choice,” he said. But after attending the rally, he said he will likely vote for Coakley.
“It’s important enough to bring the president here,” he explained.
That’s exactly the message Obama hoped to impart.
“If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election,” he said.
donj: It’s a shame that you just don’t refuse to keep an open mind. Coakley is a case in point. You have no idea what she stands for and what she has said. You only know that she is a Democrat. What a shame. Here is one utterance from this out-of-touch Democrat. No American has been killed in Afghanistan. Just so happens that 3 US marines were killed in action on the day she uttered these words.
The lesson to be learned in Massachusetts is not Republican or Democrat it’s that this is one of the few states in the country if not the only one with mandatory health care. What are their concerns about health care and the costs of such a program? What are the people’s feelings as to how their own health care program is affecting them? There is much to be learned from this election other than which party wins. The shame of it is you won’t learn one thing from this election no matter who wins or loses.
The letter by Jeff Kohut mirrors the problems with flooding we are having on the upper East End. Trumbull allowed a developer to build a large apartment complex on Huntington Tpk right on the border. Next to this complex is a retention pond that is on private property. Water from Rt 25/8 traverses this retention pond which is now full of silt. Part of Hawley Lane shopping mall is in Trumbull and we get the runoff from there also. I have lived here when it was a scattering of homes with little or no flooding. There are areas that never had water problems that now flood after every rain. There is no end to what Trumbull does on our borders. What does the city do about it? Nothing. BTW this did not start under Finch, many mayors have come and gone and have not held Trumbull responsible for taxing our resources and destroying our neighborhoods.
Trumbull is not the only town allowing undue construction on our borders. Fairfield and SHU are just as guilty just look at what SHU has done on Park Ave.
We should start standing up to the suburbs and tell them the free ride is over.
1. Limit Trumbull’s access to our sewer treatment facilities.
2. Take them to court when they build on our borders and ignore the flooding and wetlands located in Bridgeport that are unduly affected by these projects.
3. Make sure that our PD effectively enforce the law rather than trying not to upset the leadership of a university.
4. If Trumbull does not want a regional high school on Quarry Rd let’s build a sewage treatment plant there.
So much for regional cooperation.
TC what do you know about Brown? You act like you know everything when you don’t, that is typical Republican behavior. About I don’t know what she stands for so tell me what Brown stands for? She stands for the same values I do and the same beliefs. Unlike you and Brown that would never get my vote. You claim you are a Democrat but just because you are a Democrat I sure as hell would not vote for you. I take the same position just like the people at JFK campus who did not believe in any of your beliefs and your stand on the issues and that is why only 26 people voted for you, do I make my point clear to you now!
donj; You still don’t get it. You can attack me all you want but it will just show what you don’t know. I am a Democrat and have more time working the polls than you have on earth. I have told you in the past I look at the candidates and what they stand for. Do I vote blindly for people because they run on the Democratic ticket? No I don’t. Come on donj you know you would vote for me because I would be on the Democratic line.
Brown’s whole campaign is against the health care plan period. He is ahead in the polls and has a double-digit lead amongst independents. Your earlier post about the person that had not planned to vote reflects what the polls are showing. It also reflects the lack of interest exhibited in the last elections held here in November.
So let me get this straight, you and Coakley believe in the same things? Does that mean that you believe that No troops have been killed in Afghanistan? Does that mean that you think meeting people out on the street corners is a waste of time? Does it mean that you believe that Curt Schilling is a Yankee fan?
You are right I got my ass kicked at JFK but it had nothing to do with values or beliefs. You got to admit I did pretty good at Hooker. Here is one that will kill you, I am still active in the Democratic party.
donj you are a bright young man but you have a closed mind and with a closed mind you will not learn anything new and will not broaden your political intelligence or intelligence in general.
To the P.T. Shadow Task Force: Don’t take it personally. The Finch administration has a policy of exclusion. It is a closed group of small-minded individuals running this city into the ground. Anyone with any smarts is locked out.
In addition to the juvie detention center countdown, we should have a countdown to the 2011 mayoral election. Can’t come soon enough.
Bill Clinton in: “I’m trying to have my own Dream.”
www .youtube.com/watch?v=BpEckWHSvXk
“… to be used for the expansion of the Cooperative Educational Services (CES) facilities between Lindeman Drive and Horseshoe Drive off of Old Town Road.”
Yes, to the CES expansion. I live on Maplewood Avenue at one of the lowest levels where flooding is common. Get a freakin’ pump like we have to do down here. If it’s not that flooded here, I don’t believe crap about what Jeff Kohut calls “flooding.”
*** donj is a perfect example of the Dem. voting mentality here in Bpt. And T/C & smart-ass Bpt. Kid @ times sound like the Republicans here in Bpt. that always seem to have all the questions & answers on anything & everything; leaving everyone else’s opinions as merely disgruntled rumors? *** How about those “JETS”, it’s “1968” déjà vu all over again with the “COLTS” only this time it’s for the AFC Championship, not the Super Bowl. *** The Haiti recovery seems to be getting better with each passing day as more & more road, landing mats & runways are either made or cleared, allowing for much more aid & supplies to come in. Much more needs to be done by other nations in any way possible to help keep the interest going further into the future. From this terrible human tragedy, a complete new government, stronger economy & economic development might be in the makings for this old forgotten Caribbean island that has always been treated as a unwanted stepchild. ***
Mojo great post but I thought I sounded more like a national Republican as the Bridgeport Republicans don’t say squat. Being a Giant fan I found it strange I was rooting for the Jets. Strange.
TC ewww the Jets? I hope they get rocked by the Colts. My Giants sucked towards the end of the year. I’m going for the Saints all the way.
J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! JETS!
donj can you believe it we agree I think the Saints win it all.
*** Saints haven’t beaten the Vikings yet, so don’t be so sure! Besides the Jets are much more local & would be a great accomplishment just to win the AFC title alone. donj seems young & just like his reasoning for voting merely Dem. He’s obviously a bandwagon jumper as well. Regardless of the pigskin outcome, it’s sure to be 2 good games with the Jets & Vikings going to the “BIG GAME”! ***
Damn city going to hell in a hand basket change is needed big time.
Fabrizi screwed up, he could’a been mayor for life here, he never wanted to be governor like that thief Ganim.
Fabrizi needs to get back and build the city again.
BOE going down too.
They say Ramos replacing his custodian puppet George Garcia who lies and bullshits more than anyone in history with some buddy from Stamford.
Good luck to the BOE workers ’cause this Stamford person gonna be another Ramos puppet and Ramos hasn’t done a damn thing but get raises. Fabrizi wouldn’t let this stuff go on he would step in and tell Ramos how bad he makes Bridgeport look to the outsiders, no one would spend a dime here when jokers are in charge.
Why invest in a loser when New Haven is down the road?
Finch has 2 more years to kick some ass and I hope he does ’cause Fabrizi will do it in 2011.
Fabrizi didn’t do anything to Ramos when he was mayor. Cut the crap about how he would do something if he were mayor again.
That’s because he wants to keep dibs on his do-nothing job with the BOE in case he has to go back again.
Come into the daylight janitor and see the fabulous one for what he is. A bunch of hot air. Unless the Night Janitor IS FABRIZI!!!
LOL, Reaper rips another one on the janitor.
Ramos was new when Fabrizi was mayor and Ramos has had enough time in now and hasn’t done shit for the BOE.
They say the BOE was gonna hire Marsilio for the Temp Puppets job but Fabrizi fired Marsilio and would do it again if he were Mayor. Ramos doesn’t want Marsilio he wants a permanent puppet from Stamford to ruin BOE.
Who are you, Reaper? You just sit on this thing and shit on people. You think you can do better than Fabrizi, then run for mayor in 2011 and see if you can do a better job. You talk so much crap then run for mayor yourself. Loser.
“Who are you, Reaper?”
Night Janitor, I don’t think you want to meet the Reaper, especially at night.
*** Heard it through the grapevine that the Mayor was out sometime this weekend walking from store to store on Boston Ave. asking for donations for the Haiti Disaster Fund & a store owner asked him to please leave his store! Apparently the owner felt the city was already getting enough money in taxes, etc. from him? *** Also my old political job has been filled in Weights & Measures by Raymond Larraquente who I believe still sits on the Bpt. Police Commission? Good luck, ’til the next Mayor & everything else that goes with it. Seems Finch is giving out jobs to people he thinks will help him in his next campaign run! *** FORGETABOUTIT ***
Not the same Ramon Larraquente from SADA and ran it into the ground? Say it ain’t so, Mojo, say it ain’t so?
Mojo, Larraquente will be replaced by Tom Lyons on the police commission.
“Night Janitor” which I doubt you are either one, you are one angry guy. The worst type who can only talk trash about people without offering any concrete proof or solution. Sometimes I think you and S.O.B. are joined at the hip. The acting B.O.E. Facilities Director who spreads “lies?” Care to elaborate? So easy to hide behind a keyboard and spread venom. If you are truly a night janitor then I think your blog name says it all. Too bad your ambition isn’t as big as your mouth.
Thank You Lennie! (Go Jets)