Peter's Place

Acer Chromebook Plus C515 I've always said Chromebooks are great for most people, but not for me. I need a machine that can handle serious multi-tasking. Well, enter the Acer Chromebook Plus C515 , stage right. This machine finally handles the workload I require. Unlike Windows, ChromeOS doesn't require huge resources, so the 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD are more than sufficient. I routinely run 25+ tabs and 10 or so apps at once, and this lean, mean multi-tasking machine just keeps up, thanks to the Intel Core i3 "oomph." It even has a quiet fan, so it never gets too hot under a heavy processing load. The "Plus" features are what seal the deal for me. The AI-enhanced 1080p webcam controls are built right into the dock and make me look fabulous. But the real value? It includes a free year of Google's Gemini Advanced program. That's over a $250 value (with tax), which means if you get this on sale, the device practically pays for itself! The hardware is ...

 Why Veterans Day Lost Its Meaning to the Bottom Line By: Peter C. Frank November 11, 2025 Veterans Day , November 11th, has always been special to me. Today, my bank is closed and the post office is silent. Yet, many local businesses are open, college classes are running, and life moves on with barely a pause. What makes this day even more profound for me is that my own father is a veteran. We observe Veterans Day, but we don't seem to observe the service or sacrifice it represents. Why? Because today, a federal holiday no longer holds its original meaning— national day of rest or reflection . It means only that federal employees get the day off . This erosion of observance is a quiet tragedy for which no one weeps. It speaks volumes about what we, as a nation, prioritize: Commerce always wins, especially over solemn reflection. The History: From Armistice to Acquisition Our confusion is rooted in the history of Veterans Day. It began as Armistice Day in 1919, marking the ...

A Documented Pattern of Deliberate Obfuscation Uncovers An Intentional Path to Failure by Peter C. Frank, The Bloomfield Dispatch BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut, November 10, 2025 –  In July 2025, Bloomfield's Town Manager, Alvin D. Schwapp, Jr. was  fined $1,500  by the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC). The reason? " Deliberate Delays " on a public records request that had remained unfulfilled for over a year. And there are other formal, contested cases like  Docket #FIC 2024-0425  also on record. This isn't just incompetence. It is a state-sanctioned judgment. It is a smoking gun proving what many residents have long suspected: Bloomfield's local government operates under a culture of systemic, intentional obfuscation. That culture of opacity is on full display right now. For five days, Bloomfield residents clicking the official "Election Results" banner on the town website (which, incidentally, is neither accessible nor mobile-friendly) ...

Zohran Mamdani's Mandate and the Death of the Old Playbook   As John Lennon sang,  Imagine all the people, livin' life in peace... I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one. This week, the world took a step closer toward living as one as the city serving as the world's stage, New York City, elected a person as mayor with that same vision, albeit half a century later. Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory, powered by a record-breaking turnout of over two million voters, was not just an election--it was a mandate. It was a clear, unambiguous declaration from the people that the "same-old, same-old" isn't working anymore. But before this new future can be fully realized there remain many struggles ahead a little bit of housekeeping to take care of. That housekeeping concerns the "establishment playbook"—a cynical set of tactics that says if you can't win on facts, use fear. It’s a playbook that relies on dirty, underhanded tactic...

Goldie Faye Solomon May 19, 1926 - March 26, 2023 I was just notified that one of the persons responsible for shaping me into the person I am today has passed away. If this seems like a long obituary, it's because Goldie Faye Solomon was the epitome of a community hero. Goldie taught me what it means to be part of a community, to care for the community you live in, to have respect and care for others, and to have pride in your community. Most importantly, she taught me the value of being involved in your community, attending public meetings, going to community events, to school events open to the public, of supporting our young students in their endeavors as she supported me those many years ago. Goldie lived to the ripe age of 96, even at that age she was out there marching with the local   Port Chester High School Marching Band , attending government meetings, going to the high school's dramatic performances, attending the school's athletic events, and cheering our young...

I don't know where to begin, which sometimes happens to journalists and writers. I've lost a dear friend and my emotions are overwhelming, which makes writing difficult. This isn't like when I wrote the first published obituary for Stormé DeLarvarie, someone I'd met once or twice but didn't know very well. It's much more difficult to write about someone who was close to you and whom you will miss a great deal. Ralph Iken APRIL 2, 1987  –  JANUARY 30, 2023 a/k/a " King Ralphy " Known simply as Ralphy to his friends, he was born in New York City's Brooklyn borough. According to multiple posts on Facebook, Ralphy was struck and killed by a car on the New Jersey Turnpike on January 30, 2023, bringing an abrupt and all-too-short end to the life of a fellow activist and dear friend. No further details are available as to the cause of death. Ralphy was a staple of New York City's gay nightlife scene as well as a promoter, party host, rapper , DJ, publ...

I'm sick. I've been sick since Wednesday evening. I think it's my annual bout of bronchitis. Or it could be COVID. But I doubt it. But with all the anxiety over COVID, IDK anymore. I think all the anxiety they have given us over COVID has left us unable to determine when we have a simple cold or the flu, or something like bronchitis, or something worse--like COVID--or some other sort of infection.  More likely than not this either is my annual bronchitis or a URI (upper respiratory infection). But I'm sick and miserable. Oh. I'm being redundant. But I'm sick so I'm allowed a bit of redundancy. I'm certain I'm not the only one who feels this way. That is, that one little sniffle--or in my case, a single cough--sends off alarm bells and trips to CVS buying out every single possible home COVID test there is on the shelves. Because I've already had COVID-19. And not the trimmed-down Delta or Omicron variants but the OG one that first came out, when ...

  Bridgeport Hospital¹ I currently have a few family members and close friends who either have been hospitalized or visited the emergency departments (ED) of hospitals across the State of Connecticut due to suspected COVID-19 infections. The following are a few observations and opinions I'd like to share about these experiences: I understand that Governor Lamont is not doing much of anything to help with the COVID-19 Omicron surge. However, the state of affairs at some of the hospitals in Connecticut is indefensible. Keeping patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the ED waiting room because there isn't enough room in the ED, near other patients, is inexcusable. Not having basic medications in stock, such as to aid with breathing is impermissible. Sending patients home who are too weak to care for themselves must carry some sort of liability. Arguing with patients over their preferred method of care is not supposed to happen. Telling family members that they will be c...

Today marks the completion of the 48th revolution of my corporeal existence on this ball of rock flooded with a substance we call water (chemical composition  H 2 O ) around a gaseous body whose core is a continuous fusion reaction primarily fueled by hydrogen and helium (i.e., our "sun," which we classify as a yellow star). In other words, it's my 48th birthday today. And. I'm. Terrified. . . No. Make that petrified, immobilized by a foreboding sense of impending...change? It's not that I haven't faced change before--I have, on numerous occasions and yet, I'm still here (despite more than a few attempts to the contrary but, I digress). NOTE: If you are having thoughts of not wanting to be here any longer, please--PLEASE--call someone and ask for help. Call your local mobile crisis hotline number, call 911, call your local Suicide Prevention Hotline . Yet this time, something is different. I don't know if it's the times we're living in or the f...

Wow, so it's been a while since I've posted a personal update. Let me fill you in. First of all, to all of you who have given to me in the past, a huge thank you and much gratitude for your generosity and assistance. I could not have gotten through these past few months without your support and kindness.  I know that I've asked for assistance in the past. My GoFundMe page  states I've raised some money but the vast majority of that money was from last year. As explained below, the shelter either "lost" or threw out my summer clothes (and denies all responsibility). As such, I have very little to wear for the coming months. Additionally, I have other needs as I lay out below. Since the last time I've posted an update, I wound up back on the funny farm. That is, my depression sunk to a level that led me to "bad thoughts," i.e., I became despondent and suicidal. Essentially, I went to City Hall in Hartford, CT seeking help with my housing situati...