Human Trafficking Isn’t Funny (or is it?)

So, some guy decided to sell his parents on Craigslist (copycat):

The ad reads as follows: “Perfectly good parents- $155. Got lots of use out of these guys over the past 50 years but it’s time to move on. Excellent overall condition. Still plenty of life left in them….”

The ad goes on, but you get the picture. It’s true, one Connecticut man actually put his sweet parents up for sale on Craigslist.

“I was trying to think of something unique and of great value,” said Michael Amatrudo of Madison.

The thing is, though, unlike the poor kid who tried to sell a 5-year-old online he didn’t get arrested. Last time I checked, human trafficking is illegal…and selling the elderly is just as bad as selling kids (if not worse). Maybe the cops just got bored of responding to these lame (and apparently popular) gag-posts.

Pho Boston…in…Hartford

Down on New Britain Ave in Hartford, there is one of my favorite places in the world. It’s an Asian grocery store the size of a normal American grocery store, filled with everything you could want–full fish, roasted whole ducks, green vegetables I grew up eating but still don’t know what the names of, sauces, spices, durian fruit and strange things Asians like to decorate their houses with. The place bears the unfortunate name of A Dong.

No, really. It’s located in a rundown plaza, complete with parking lot pot-holes big enough to swallow a SUV.

BBQ Gone Wrong?

The age old argument over charcoal grills  vs. propane rages on:

GRISWOLD, Conn. – Two Connecticut men are facing assault charges after allegedly battling with a belt buckle and a spatula in Hopeville Pond State Park in Griswold.

*Laughing*

Frankly, I haven’t found anything this funny since…well…I don’t know when I thought anything was this funny:

A male sex offender was nabbed in the financial section of the Milford Public Library Wednesday, wearing women’s lace panties instead of pants, according to reports.

Several patrons complained to library officials when their wholesome trip was interrupted by the rather disturbing sight, the Connecticut Post reports.

The panties worn by Richard Wedmore, 46, of New Haven, were far too small to conceal his genitals, the Post reports.

Husky Football Forecast!

With the college football season rapidly approaching, fans across the Nutmeg State are wondering “Hey, how the heck is UConn going to do this year?” Well, we’re here to give you an unbiased look at how UConn will fair in the 2009 season. (Just don’t hold me to any of these predictions…I’m pretty much the Miss Cleo of sports writers.)

Q: Will UConn win the Big East title and make a BCS bowl?
A: In short: no. Teams like Cincinnati, Pitt and South Florida are all expected to have very good teams this year and compete for a BCS bowl bid. West Virginia could very well be in the mix as well, if their new quarter back Jarrett Brown is half the player Pat White was. Brian Kelly seems to be waking up the sleeping giant that is Cincinnati. They’re not unwinnabl, but it will be tough.

Gay Guru: For Your Listening Pleasure

A little while back, during a Facebook chat with the Anti-Couric, I learned that The CuT had been personally invited to a press conference by our dear, sweet Colin McEnroe! Anti-Couric was pretty hush-hush about the whole thing—telling me only that there was a press conference and that Colin would be there—because as WNPR put it, there was a “strict press embargo” and the Anti-Couric knows I can’t keep a secret.  

Welcome back, Colin!

I knew this was going to be a good week…

I got to work from home on Monday, drove to work on Tuesday with the windows down and “Kings of Leon” on the radio, and knew that the Gay Guru would be spending Wednesday afternoon over on Asylum Avenue with WNPR and my Radio Boyfriend, Colin McEnroe…hearing all about COLIN’S NEW SHOW!

I Know What You Did This Summer: Anti-Couric

The end of the summer is one of my favorite times of year; partly because autumn is just around the corner, but mostly because it’s my birthday. Since the day of my birth heralds the end of the summer I like to celebrate it in style, and this year that meant four days of eating, boozing, and traveling across New England with my friends. Along the way we picked up a couple of twins, a unicorn, and possibly meningitis.

I kicked off the celebration last Thursday by making M. Jodi proud. I took a stay-cation down to Mystic, CT with my best-friend Al  in her sporty little convertible. I did my best Grace Kelly impression (in other words I covered up my actual features with huge glasses and a headscarf, exposing only my porcelain skin) and we headed off down to one of Connecticut’s premier destinations. And I’ll be damned if we didn’t have the most fun we’ve had in a long time…

Gay Guru: Confused in Coventry

Dear Gay Guru,

I recently reconnected with a guy from my college days. Following some text/chat conversations he asked me to come visit him down in New Jersey. On a whim, I went down one weekend to visit. While in the back of my mind I thought there was a chance we may hook-up I really didn’t expect to. In our chats we had been flirting back and forth, but I am a natural flirt and really thought nothing of it. Well, on my visit we ended up sleeping with each other…multiple times.

After that weekend, I drove back home feeling weird. I am afraid our relationship has changed dramatically. Prior to our weekend romp, we had discussions about his “type of girl” and I definitely do not fit his requirements. Though he has made a few comments to the contrary, I don’t see him being interested in me and have kind of written our hook-up off as a “one time thing”. Besides that, he lives in freaking New Jersey! I haven’t talked to him about it because I am feeling a little awkward about it. What should I do?

-Confused in Coventry

I Know What You Did This Summer: Asian Persuasion

Unlike Ring Nation, I don’t have a movie to show for my summer (unless you count the one I took in Quebec of the free Cirque show…more on that later) but I did have an actual vacation.

For the most part, I was in CT enjoying all the things CT has to offer…picturesque wineries that produce mediocre wine and rocky Long Island Sound beaches filled with delightful rednecks (not to mention litterbugs). Also, I complained a lot about the rain.

Picturesque streets

The “big” vacation of the summer was four days up in Quebec City where they speak French but, unlike Paris, don’t hate you for bothering them with your existence (and I’m fairly certain they shower and shave regularly). One note–if you’re hoping to stay in a charming little B&B in the Old City (aka Vieux Quebec), make your reservations well ahead of time. Despite my nagging, The Boyfriend waited until rather late to try to secure a room. There were, however, good deals in the larger hotels like the Chateau Laurier, right outside of the Old City.

Thoughts from an Insurance Insider

Pop quiz hot-shot: if your arm was bitten off by a shark, what would you do?

a) Go to the hospital
b) Wrap something around it to stop the bleeding
c) Call 911 with your remaining hand
d) Do nothing, and head off to lunch, hoping for the best

All of those are good answers to a serious problem, except for one. If you’re too stupid to figure out which one is the bad answer then you deserve what you get.

Now, let’s look at this in the context of the summer’s hot button issue: health care. What do we do? I work in the health insurance industry and I can safely say our current system is the equivalent of a swimmer pumping blood from the gaping hole where his arm used to be, while being circled by a feeding frenzy of sharks.

Reclaiming the Health Care Debate (or How I Lost My Mind)

Last Friday, 20 or so of my closest friends and I decided to inject some reason and civility into the health care debate. Disgusted with the insane tantrums erupting at town halls across the country, we decided to crash a so-called “tea party” organized by the self-proclaimed tea-baggers and show them what civil-disobedience looks like. We clearly misjudged their brand of crazy…and our capacity for zen-like calm.

I Know What You Did This Summer: Gay Guru

How I came to find myself driving out to Las Vegas is a long story best left for another day. Though I can tell you this, it was a beautiful but long and boring drive, completely devoid of the highway rest stop glory holes and “foot tapping” truck-drivers I so had my heart set on. Where is Larry Craig when you need him?

Poll: Who are the toughest athletes around?

Our last He Said/She Said has led to much debate between Ring Nation and myself–mostly about who is tougher/more in shape, soccer players or football players. So, I’ve been watching You Tube videos of the hardest hits in sports, and cheerleading accidents.

I’ve personally come to the conclusion that rugby players are the manliest men around (if any of you are out there, and still have all your teeth, shoot me an email). Watch the videos, then choose for yourself who the toughest athletes around are. Videos after the jump.

He Said/She Said: Football vs. Cheerleading

The Connecticut Post linked to a story about sports injuries that said:

Six sports accounted for 70 percent of injuries — running, basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, and gymnastics.

But cheerleading was found to be the leading cause of catastrophic injuries – those usually involving spinal cord damage – among high school and college athletes.

The conclusion was that cheer-leading is the most dangerous sport out there, and we here at The CuT thought this was a subject that needed to be “tackled” (pun intended).