PetSugar

Nothing Says NYC Like a Doxie...?

Morgan Ashley Parker — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:40:37 PDT

This weekend is the big Meet the Breeds event in New York City! To celebrate, the AKC and CFA polled voters over on Paw Nation to see which dog and cat breed best represent each of the tristates. See the kitties and pups that came out on top, and why, when starting this slideshow!

Source: Thinkstock

House Tour: Mark Twain's Victorian Mansion

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 PDT

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain's death. To celebrate a little portion of the humorist's life, I thought I'd give you a tour of his former home in Hartford, CT. In 1963, it was one of the first 100 properties in the US to be designated a National Historic Landmark. Twain and his wife Livy hired New York architect Edward Tuckerman Potter to design their 19-room Victorian Mansion in 1873, and the family lived there from 1881-1891. Twain wrote, "To us, our house . . . had a heart, and a soul, and eyes to see us with; and approvals and solicitudes and deep sympathies; it was of us, and we were in its confidence and lived in its grace and in the peace of it benediction." The Mark Twain House changed hands several times before becoming a museum, and has since undergone a historic property, bringing it back to its former glory. Dated as it may be, it displays remarkable craftsmanship and stunning architectural bones. Come take a look!

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Connecticut First State to Tackle Counterfeit Olive Oil

YumSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:00:47 PST

Everyone from health experts to Rachael Ray has touted the benefits of olive oil. As demand for expensive, higher-quality olive oil has grown, however, so has the problem of fraud. Last year, Connecticut officials discovered that some of that state's olive oil was a little too slick. As a result, beginning next month, the state will be the first in the country to set quality standards for olive oil. The state's new regulations prohibit additives and define virgin olive oil as "obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means . . . which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtration." California and New York have expressed interest in enacting similar standards because counterfeit olive oil poses a potential health risk to consumers. Some people experience adverse reactions from unscrupulous olive oil, possibly as a result of food allergies to soybeans, tree nuts, and peanuts.

Often, when I'm buying cooking olive oil, I look for bargain prices. Now I'll take more interest in the brands that I choose. Will you do the same? Does this type of criminal activity surprise you?

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Before and After: A Cape Cod Crib in Connecticut

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:00:25 PST

This Old House recently featured the home of a Fairfield, CT, family who drastically transformed their 1953 Cape Cod home after enduring serious renovations, including raising the roof to add four bedrooms and two baths upstairs. Shown here is the former living room, with busy, antiquated wallpaper and worn oak floors that certainly don't help to make the space feel larger. With a little paint, some floor stain, an overhaul of the fireplace, and a lot of DIY demolition, the Kuryluk family transformed the room into an airy, modern space that's up-to-date and stylish. To see the after photo,

Impressive, right? To see more before and after photos of the home and hear about their renovation, check out This Old House.
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Connecticut Court Grants Gay Marriage Rights

LibertySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:03:00 PDT

Same-sex couples now have a right to marry in Connecticut. The state's Supreme Court ruled today that under the equal protection clause of Connecticut's constitution, civil unions discriminate against same-sex couples. Thus, gay couples must have the same rights as straight couples.

In a close 4-3 decision, the majority held:

Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same-sex partner of their choice. To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others.

Essentially arguing that the constitution must stay relevant to the times, the court said Connecticut's "understanding of marriage must yield to a more contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection."

California's Supreme Court came to a similar conclusion this year, but voters will have a chance to amend the constitution to make same-sex marriage explicitly unconstitutional. To find out how religious people from out of state are working to pass the ban,

Elders of the Mormon church went on church broadcasted-TV Wednesday to share a week-by-week plan to pass the California ban on same-sex marriage, including increased efforts to call Californians, and register like-minded voters. The message aired in California, Utah, Hawaii, and Idaho. The outcome of the California initiative may reveal whether the people share these state courts' tendencies toward marriage equality.

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Answer to Crime? Keep People Off the Streets With Curfews?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:00:30 PDT

It's just like being a teenager, except your parents are the police! And instead of grounding, they can put you in jail! Curfews are popping up in tons of places, aimed at controlling crime. With goals similar to the police checkpoints in Washington DC, the newest towns getting an early bedtime: Helena, Arkansas and Hartford, Connecticut.

Sparked by violence, Helena, AR has implemented a 24-hour curfew in a troubled neighborhood, questioning all passers by. The city council voted unanimously to allow police to expand the program to any area of the city, despite ACLU claims that the police action is unconstitutional. The patrols have resulted in 32 arrests since they locked down the 10-block radius. The council acknowledges the hardship of the curfew but says those living in the city want the random and drug-fueled shootings to stop, regardless of what it takes.

To see what's happening in Hartford, and whether it actually works,

Hartford, CT has a youth curfew scheduled to begin today, aimed at stopping gang violence. For one month, all juveniles have to be in by 9 p.m. After a parade Saturday left one dead, a 7-year-old shot in the head, and a 15-month-old shot in the leg, Hartford's mayor says, "we must do this because we cannot and will not tolerate innocent people, especially children, to be victims." The ACLU says the curfew blatantly violates the civil rights of minors.

With similar youth rules in Rochester, NY, and the rule's efficacy being questioned in Philadelphia, PA, (more crime happens right after school) is a curfew a good way to combat crime - or a crime against civil rights?

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Coveted Crib: Barnyard Beauty

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:15:02 PDT

Architecture firm S. Russell Groves gave this picturesque historic barn on an expansive estate in rural Connecticut a top to bottom renovation, including extensive cabinetry and state-of-the-art audio-visual systems. The original, naturally distressed, wood beams and wide-plank flooring, which were restored and then offset with custom and vintage furniture, patina finishes and heavily textured fabrics, are the home's most wonderful treasure. The building's unique high-ceilinged structure creates an unreplicable feeling of openness, and the property's lush greenery and rolling hills make for a pristine, pastoral setting. Check out this slideshow to see the interior.
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Bad Samaritans: Witnesses Stand By as Elderly Man Hit by Car

LibertySugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:56 PDT

A graphic and shocking surveillance video shows a 78-year-old man struck by a hit-and-run driver in Hartford, Connecticut. In the minute and a half that followed, before the police passed by, witnesses refused to come to the man's aid.

The video shows cars passing, and dodging the motionless body. A scooter circles the body, and then drives off. Those on the sidewalk continue about their business, or eventually join a circle of gawkers, standing feet from the man but refusing to do anything but stare. Officials did say that four people called 911.

Other countries, aware that common decency is apparently not enough to help a fellow human in need, impose criminal penalties for failing to reasonably help a person in danger.

How would you react in this situation? Should the United States adopt a duty to rescue, holding uninvolved by-passers liable for not helping a person in danger if they are not at risk themselves? Or do citizens have a right to be a Good Samaritan only if they want to? Does dialing 911 count?

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Out and About: Connecticut's Bushy Point Beach

PetSugar — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 07:00:17 PST

Before we start a new state tomorrow, I couldn't forget to finish up with Connecticut! The rocky Bushy Point Beach is part of Groton's Bluff Point State Park, and was designated a 'Coastal Reserve' in 1975. This special act of the Connecticut legislature established the area "for the purpose of preserving its native ecological associations, unique faunal and floral characteristics, geological features, and scenic qualities in a condition of undisturbed integrity". For visitors, this means you'll get to see over 800 acres of amazing displays of nature... but you'll have to get there without any motorized vehicles.

In addition to the plants and animals you can spot, it's also a great place to walk with your pooch from Sept. 16 to Apr. 14 or to check out the variety of nesting birds (like the piping plovers) during the rest of the year. With a permit, it's possible to ply for clams here in the bordering Poquonnock River so pooches can also watch (or hop in to help) those clammers, too. You'll have to work to make it to this rocky point, though – it's a mile walk out to this beach from the park so grab hiking boots, pooch, and let's go!

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Out and About: Connecticut's Dog Gone Smart Bed

PetSugar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:30:10 PST

Take your pooch to Dog Gone Smart for one of their super-fun classes including agility, water sports, new baby training, therapy workshop, and even acting! This Norwalk-based company also offers the old standards like daycare, boarding, and puppy playtime in their rec area chock full of climbing equipment.

Best yet, these are the same people behind Wilton's Dog Gone Smart Bed Co. While it may look like a standard bed, its materials are far from the norm (think nanotechnology!). It's stitched up using powerful performance fabrics like NanoSphere, which is extremely resistant to liquids, dirt, and oils and ActiveSilver, a permanent antimicrobial that kills bacteria and eliminates odors. Even though this bed stays soooo clean, if you do decide to toss it in the wash, the fabric remains 100 percent functional even after 60 washing cycles (and dries six times faster than traditional fabrics). Even though it's called the Dog Gone Smart Bed, it can be doggone smart for cats, too! The beds are offered in five colors, two shapes, and three sizes – pricing starts at $119.