New (to me — just stumbled across it) word for the day; supposedly obsolete, but it deserves to be revived: gruccild

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I can’t imagine why it ever fell into disuse, but if there were ever a time to bring it back ……

Gruccild (noun): A woman who complains; a complainer or grumbler

According to Grok….

Etymology:

It originated in the early 13th century and comes from the word “grutch” (meaning “to murmur, complain, find fault with, be angry”) combined with a suffix of unkown origin. “Grutch” itself comes from the Old French.

Pronounced (possibly — very few 13th century Englishmen still around to help out here) as “Gru-child (with the u” as in “gruff or grumble” and “ch” as in “chair”.

Buh-bye

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Top [well, HR office] Trump official calls US airstrikes on Iran ‘pointless,’ suggests ‘deep state’ swayed prez

WASHINGTON — A top staffer in the federal agency overseeing personnel for the Trump administration has denounced the US strikes on Iran as “pointless” and suggested the decision was made by members of DC’s “deep state.”

Andrew Kloster, who serves as general counsel at the Office of Personnel Management, tweeted — and then deleted — a string of posts ripping the US for having sent “handouts” to Israel in the past and for previously downplaying the threat of Tehran getting a nuclear weapon.

Within a half-hour of President Trump announcing successful US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities Saturday night, Kloster wrote on X, “I apologize and will never again doubt the power of the deep state.”

In a response to an X user saying that “Iran’s nuclear sites being crushed seems a long-term benefit for the US,” Kloster wrote, “I think it was just kind of pointless.”

He also boosted a post from Vish Burra, disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos’ ex-director of operations, that referred to Israel’s conflict with Iran as a “tribal squabble” after Tehran broke a cease-fire Trump secured Monday night.

The posts — still visible as of Tuesday morning — have since been deleted.

As no doubt Mr. Kloster himself will be by the close of business today. I assume he received an offer of a better job before posting this.

On the other hand, although I liked this house, readers (looking at you, EOS, and you, 06830) didn't. And I certainly wouldn't have waited from November until now to take a 3.5% price cut

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Heck, I might even have used that time to take an updated, summer photo.

52 Carriglea, cut from $14.250 million to $13.750. The readers weren’t as enthusiastic about this house as I was back in November, and they’ve proved prescient.

  • EOS 8 months ago

    I was prepared to say wow, I’ll take it but I’m quite underwhelmed. I don’t care for the architecture style and the interior is definitely still 2005. But the location will surely make this home fly off the shelf.

  • 06830 8 months ago

    The questions buyer's agents will be getting are "What's the land worth?" and "how much will it cost to build new?" My question is what sane person would choose this over 88 Cedar Cliff, which is sitting unwanted at the same price but is (despite its flaws) a light-years better house (no way this cost $4m to build in 03/04), in a superior location, with much better views (the photos here are carefully staged to avoid the reality that you are looking into a neighbor's backyard and the RYC parking lot). A mudflat dock is not making up that difference unless you really, really love paddleboarding.

    Also - there are yachts at RYC?

6/25/25: 06830, 88 Cedar Cliff Road, which you and I both like, is still on the market after 1,146 days (April 22 2022) and is now asking $13.995; that’ll happen when you start at a preposterous price like $25.5 million.

And yes, there are some very substantial yachts kept at RYC, although many of them are permanently moored atop Hens and Chickens, just outside Cos Cob Harbor.)

“Free to a good home”

Another price cut on this fantastic house, and I don't get it

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Now $6,995,000

118 John Street was listed at $8.250 million on April 14th and that struck me as a reasonable price. You can read my and readers’ reaction to the house here, along with some of its and its late owner’s history (he established the Seven Bridges Foundation, next door).

But my enthusiasm has not been met, so far, by buyers shopping in this range, and today the price was cut a second time, to $6.995. The vagaries of the market place continue to surprise me, occasionally, and this is one of those times.

So, I dunno — too masculine (and how could that possibly apply to me?); too informal? Too Adirondacky? Regardless, someone’s going to pick this up at what I consider to be a good price.

Depending on how much over ask it gets, this one I understand

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108 Orchard Street, Cos Cob, listed at $1.975 million 12 days ago, and reports fully-executed contracts today. Given what I’m seeing houses trading for in this market, this price doesn’t shock me. Quite a difference since these owners paid $831,000 for a then-1,108 sq. ft. home in 2016, kept the foundation, and built a new, 2,802 house. Nice place, and if the owners are making a tidy profit, well, more power to them.

Open insurrection

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Will he remember this?: "Donald Trump is not free to bulldoze his way through the rule of law. He is an executive, not a monarch. He swore an oath faithfully to execute the duties of his office. When the courts speak, Donald Trump must accept their judgements and honor the Constitution."

Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled against U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy and stayed his order barring the deportation of certain illegal aliens; he’s farted in their general direction and says that the highest court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and thus he has no obligation to obey their order. That’s not how our judicial system works, as I hope this arrogant, woke pipsqueak is about to learn; forcefully.

We Had Another Judicial Coup Incident Against Trump Last Night

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump's deportations to third-world countries can continue without limited notice, blocking an injunction by a little judge who sought to wrest immigration policy away from the executive. The high court slapped down Judge Brian Murphy’s order, but like James Boasberg, another disgrace to the bench, he’s ignoring the ruling.  

These are the people who want to run the country, and millions of their fellow college graduates are all in. And reminder: the man who may well by NYC’s next Mayor is one of them

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Ignore, if you can, the Maine branch’s discontent, and see what the parent organization Democratic Socialists of America is still up to. The bright side, I suppose, is that these people still trust Big Pharma, making them unique among Americans. Such faith in corporate America! Heartwarming!

Also fun, in its own way, is the “facts” these people believe that simply aren’t true. Contrary what these piddle-soakers contend,

  • Masks don’t prevent the transmission of Covid

  • Social distancing doesn’t either

  • Nor do any of the notreallyvaccine vaccines

  • Bird flu is not transmitted from human-to-human, or even chicken to human — it’s a bird disease, as its name suggests.

The Democratic Socialists of Maine criticized their national parent organization in an Instagram post on Sunday after the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) resolved that, from this point forward, masks will be strongly encouraged rather than required for their 2025 national convention.

“The National Political Committee’s decision to make masking optional, despite years of advocacy from DSA’s Disability Working Group puts members at risk, and has already had an impact on our delegation,” said the Maine DSA.

“COVID is still a threat to the working class in 2025, and to deny this would be a grave mistake. Additionally, bird flu cases continue to rise, which disproportionally harm our immigrant neighbors. Our access to evidence-based data on public health emergencies is being gatekept from us on purpose. The Trump Regime continues to try and take proper PPE from the National Nurses Union, and America’s fascist government is ramping up its restrictions on vaccine access,” they added.

The Maine DSA chapter became gravely concerned after learning that the national convention, set for August 8-10 in Chicago, slightly relaxed its extremely strict COVID policies. The convention’s 2025 health requirements only “strongly encourage” masking and do not require it during meals or when speaking at microphones.

According to its informational materials, the DSA national convention even provides to-go food containers for socialist activists afraid to eat inside around unmasked diners. They also urge attendees to maintain six-foot social distancing when an unmasked person is speaking.

Their national convention also requires attendees to attest to COVID vaccination, with at least one booster taken within 12 months of the convention. Attendees must also submit a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the convention’s start. Additionally, anyone with any symptoms whatsoever is instructed not to attend the convention.

These health protocols, though extremely strict compared with most events across the U.S. in 2025, did not satisfy the Maine DSA, who claimed that the lack of a strict mask mandate is failing “our future selves.”

“Masking should be required for all attendees, as airborne viral particles can still spread regardless of social distancing. We wish for fellow DSA members across the country to understand that by not upholding the highest standards possible for ourselves now, we are failing our future selves,” said the Maine DSA.

…. The Maine DSA also argued that masks are an “accessibility tool” for disabled socialists.

“We hope all our comrades mask up during their travels, and keep disability justice at the forefront of their minds! The unfortunate truth is that ableism, and excuses for it, are only on the rise as fascism ramps up! We must do everything in our power to combat it,” they said.

Joining National Donut Day; Cook for Your Cat, and Barber Recognition Days

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Our legislature and governor have had a busy year, what with cooking the books to hide budget deficits, assaulting home rule, and approving another round of utility rate hikes, but they still found time to address the most consequential issues such as adding new holidays to the state calendar. How much do we pay these guys, anyway?

Connecticut becomes second US state to recognize Hindu holiday Diwali

Connecticut now recognizes Diwali as a state holiday, becoming the second U.S. state to recognize the Hindu holiday under state statute.

Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill to observe Diwali  –  marking the Hindu Festival of Lights – into law this month.

Some Connecticut towns and school districts already celebrate and observe Diwali, although it has not been cemented into state statute until now. The legislation, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, says that suitable exercises may be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the governor designates for the observance of the day.

While many states have issued resolutions and proclamations acknowledging Diwali, including the holiday into law will make it easier for Connecticut’s Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains who observe Diwali to receive religious accommodations in the workplace and schools so that they may celebrate Diwali with their families and local communities," according to a June news release by the nonprofit Hindu American Foundation. The holiday is observed by more than 30,000 Hindus in Connecticut, according to the release.

Here’s a partial list of the new holidays that our Hartford Yahoos created this year; understand that each of these items required careful drafting by state employees, conferences, and, no doubt, lengthy discussion in the after-hours bars and saloons surrounding the Capitol.

(118) February 8th: Scouting America Day,

(119) February 14th: Neurofibromatosis Awareness Day

(120) (all of)April: Connecticut Native Plant Month

(124) First Wednesday in May Local Journalism Appreciation Day

(125) May 5th: Red Dress Day, to commemorate missing and murdered indigenous women and children

(127) May 19th Face Equity Week

(128) June 1st: Barber Recognition Day

June 27th (130) Connecticut Microbiome Day

(131) July Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month

(136) November Epilepsy Awareness Month

(137) “The Month of Kartik”: The Governor shall proclaim the fifteenth day of the month of Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar of each year as Diwali, to celebrate this festival of lights. Suitable exercises may be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the day.

Governor's Action: Approved June 10, 2025