At this week's Park Board meeting, commissioner Lori DeFillippi happened to mention October 4th.
"Sputnik Day," Mayor William Stortz immediately interjected.
"Who's Sputnik?" DeFillippi responded. "I don't know Sputnik."
After Stortz explained that Sputnik was the name of the first satellite, launched in 1957 by the former USSR, DeFillippi remained perplexed.
"I graduated from high school in 1978. How should I know Sputnik?" she asked.
"Who names a ship Sputnik?" DeFillippi asked. "I thought it was Otis Spunkmeier."
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
43 comments:
A wonderful example of the quality and intellect of some people currently serving on our city's boards and commissions.
I was born in 1978 and I know what Sputnik is... I sincerely hope that our two mayoral candidates have a plan for getting the city's best and brightest to serve on these boards, as opposed to the politically connected personnel that now hold most of the seats.
How appropriate that our outgoing mayor was "spaced out" at yet another meeting.
Poster at 12:23pm - You are a wonderful example of the quality and intellect of a person who cannot do anything but complain about those willing to sit on boards and committees. Just because a person can't recall something from history does make him/her unintelligent. I can name 3 commissioners on that Park Board who have accomplished some wonderful things for the parks/Bristol. We can't really say much for you however since you posted anonymous, and hiding behind your computer.
J.J. Cahill
Yes, that's the Park Board braintrust. No wonder we had a different panel handling the actual work in the parks.
How can you graduate from high school in the middle of the Cold War, serve in the military, and not know Sputnik?
Otis Spunkmeier the cookie maker? Ok, I am embarassed for her.
Time out people! My guess is that most of the posters on this threaad berating Mrs. DeFillippi couldn't pass an 8th grade social studies test.
To anonymous westconn student, I find it interesting that you have the "bleeding heart" mentality to fire back anyone with a contra opinion on healthcare and at the same time choose to pile on the venom at a person who served her country as a US Marine and serves her city on a volunteer board. If you learn anything from this Blog, I hope it's that anyone can throw garbage from the cheap seats but it takes intelligent thought for respectful and intelligent debate. You've had some pretty decent posts on prior threads. Don't fall into the cheap shot trap. Especially at a non-political volunteer.
Steve, what is the value of this thread? We are about to have possibly the worst mayoral election in history as it pertains to key issues and this is what is important?
What some of you people are forgetting, or are not aware of, is that Ms. Defellippi has made some harsh personal jabs at other people in the past for no good reason, so she is getting a little payback.
Sounds as if the posters on here are the green-monsters of the Park Revitilization Committee, chaired by Zoppo. Ahhh...no wonder the bashing of a Veteran who sits on a volunteer board.
Ask Ms. Defillippi about any war in history and she will teach all of you a few lessons. I have to agree with disgusted democrat, she served her country while most of you were sitting around at home whining about the war!
Steve - really, I am sure it was all in humor, but you need to realize there are a great number of people who only find bashing people for doing good in this city.
It amazes me how low some people can go, but not surprising me considering the sources posting.
A. Foster
Dear JJ Cahill:
you said "I can name 3 commissioners on that Park Board who have accomplished some wonderful things for the parks/Bristol."
Please do.
How many of you remember Skylab? Viking 1 & 2?
How many of you can remember every
piece in history? I sure can't. I know Mrs. Defillippi, and she is a smart woman. Unlike most of you who find joy in berating her, Mrs. Defillippi finds solutions and makes a difference. Her true calling is American History. Rather then hide behind your computers, try getting out. Talk to her and you will see for yourself.
As far as the poster who remarked about a different panel handling the parks - you couldn't be more wrong. The current park rev. committee has done nothing for the past 2 years. The last park rev. committee got Brackett and Stocks online. The skate park and Rockwell is all the efforts of our park dept. As much as Zoppo and her cronies on that committee would love to puff themselves up - they did squat.
U.S. Army Veteran
Thank you Disgusted Democrat.
I will say though that I was born in '78 also and I can appreciate the humor of the Spaced Out remark.
I agree - time out, regroup, and focus on something more important. Let's open it up to some pertinent issues - not campaign colors, sign placement or conspiracy theories involving non-candidates.
i completely concur with those remarks in relation to Mrs. Defillippi.
Actually this is pertinent. I would hope that our board members would, among others things, have at least a basic knowledge of history, especially recent history. And knowledge of sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the earth, would be something I would expect people to know.
In fairness to Ms. DeFillippi, she might have confused the Soviet sputnik with the American sputnik, the late Sputnik Monroe. He was a professional wrestler in the mid-South who was famous for insisting at a time when segregation was the norm, that his audiences be integrated (i.e., no restrictions where African-American patrons could sit). And I am sure he did not take steroids.
Just fo the record, I thought the exchange was funny.
That's why I posted it.
It is funny, Steve, but God forbid anyone on this blog gets jabbed at in good humor or viciously unless its Ellen Zoppo. I guess in her case its fine to be harsh. And as far as this last Park Revitalization, people are trying to rewrite history again. Rockwell is being done b/c of Revitalization, not Park Board,a nd despite Stortz and others who didn't step up, not in cooperation with them. Let's give credit where credit is due.
Name 3 commissoners: Nelligan, Defillippi & Ragaini.
Try and look past your ignorance to see what they had done. If not, then shut up, please!.
J.J. Cahill
I was at the meeting and the exchange was funny - you had to be there to appreciate it. Right out of the clear blue, as Defillippi was given a report Stortz said; "Sputnik" it was funny the whole thing. It was pure humor and some of you are taking it for real.
Anonymous who posted at 2:49pm - you can't use your name for whatever reason, yet you say payback? I have known Defillippi for years and she will tell you how she feels about someone, but payback, because she speaks her mind and the truth. Zoppo hates defillippi because she is everything Zoppo cannot be. At least defillippi doesn't stab people in the back the way Zoppo does. Defillippi will tell you the way it is and how she feels to your face.
Zoppo is jealous of ANY woman with honesty and integrity.
M. P.
Credit goes to the park board not the Park Rev. Name one thing they did in 2 years.
This committee will be history, as will the Zoppo "yes memebers" (Mills, Cassin, Shur, and Andrea).
Seems like many things got done the past two years.
Stortz let others do things, if they were capable, and Zoppo was one of them.
If he got involved, you would have accused him of micro-managing.
He let Most department heads manage, he initiated some things, but he did it all with out a lot of horn blowing.
He did lay the groundwork for many things to happen in the coming years.
Has anyone ever noticed the program that defillipi has been running on Veterans Day week where students are educated about Memorial Boulevard and the monuments?
Pay attention, get out of your cocoons and watch the growth of a butterfly.
Hmmm, Ellen Zoppo jealous of Lori Defillippi. That is thought provoking. And to JJ Cahill if you are in fact a real name, we are all still waiting to hear about all the fantastic accomplishments Art Ward's little hedgehogs have accomplished on Park Board. Hmmm, the silence is deafening.
Just amazing - someone posts their name along with a comment and they get questioned if their name is real? Yet the person questioning that uses anonymous!
You people need to get your heads out of your A** and get a life.
Apparently, a few of you don't like Ms. Defillippi, why? because she is something you people will never be? - which is kind, caring, thoughtful, and not self-serving.
No Name - really doesn't matter anyway, the Zoppo supporters will ask if my name is "real."
I find Defillippi, funny, right to the point and refreshing, from the rest of the boring politicans we have to deal with. Sure wish she would run for council someday.
Defilippi is fine as long as you kiss her feet and worship the ground she walks on. Yes, she is one of those people. And if you were in the military she will favor you above others for no rational reason.
Just an observation from someone who has been around a long time.
J.B.
J.B. (If that is your real name) you may have been around a long time, but YOU DO NOT know defillippi if you say these things about her. She is nothing to what you are describing. First off she RESPECTS anyone who has served, she does not put them above others.
Sounds to me as if maybe you are degrading her because of YOUR shortcomings.
John Boi (aka J.B.) you obviously don't know Defillippi with that comment! Are you sure you are not describing Zoppo? Sure sounds like her!!
If all of these negative comments were rolled into a ball, they wouldn't have any more weight than a wad of lint - grow up.
yet again....an anonymous poster trashing Ellen....let it go....
What do your comments do to BETTER OUR CITY?
Anonymous said...
John Boi (aka J.B.) you obviously don't know Defillippi with that comment! Are you sure you are not describing Zoppo? Sure sounds like her!!
October 19, 2007 12:52 PM
I am SO disgusted by the bashing of a single woman for the issues of our City or the failing of individual VOLUNTEERS on City Boards.
If "you" want to make a difference why not stand up and VOLUNTEER to be on a Board to make a change in our City?!?!? and for god sake....put your name to your comments
Well said, can we all move on now?
It is curious, to say the least, that every woman mentioned on this blog -- Zoppo, Janelle, DeFillippi -- gets assailed, with the unpublished comments much sicker than the ones I allow.
I think there are some guys out there with real problems.
I agree Steve 100%. Any "guy" who finds pleasure in berating a person, let alone a woman, trying to do good for her city, says much for the so called "Man."
There are "men" out there who never grew out of their child mind-set. For the few men on this site, that love degrading any woman - there are more out there who appreciate the efforts these women who are contributing to Bristol.
Bob, I agree. People wonder why there are not alot of women who are on boards & committees. Who in their right mind would want to sit on a VOLUNTEER panel and be degrading for serving their community? It just amazes me! Defillippi has done wonderful things for the city, one major is educating our youth on veterans and the boulevard. She served her country with honor, and served on many committees and boards in this city - only to be degraded by a few ignorant people. Same with Zoppo & Janelle. You may not like them as a person, but they have contributed to this city. Why can't men look past their ignorance, stop thinking with the "other head" and start looking at the women for their contributions to this city!
God I hope these men are not married - can you imagine how they treat their wives? Let alone if they have daughters, would they want someone talking about their daughter like this?
K. Grant!
Have you noticed that Stortz significantly increased the number of women serving on boards, key boards?
Check it out!
That was just so he can look at their chest during meetings and say sexist remarks, like he always does.
Of course John Boi would hate Deflippi, she serves on the park Board and John Boi taking direction from a woman? No way!
I love Defillippi - she has spunk and never a dull moment when she is around.
Jerry
To Anonymous who suggested that Mr.Mills,Mr. Cassin,Ms.Kapchensky and I are yes members to Ms.Zoppo,I would appreciate the next time you irrationally bash me and my collegues that you would at least take the time to spell my name correctly and do your homework and find out Andrea's last name.Obviously you do not know me at all,but at least you gave my family,friends and collegues a good laugh.I am not a yes person to anyone.As a matter of fact I think I can say the same about all my collegues-Mr. Hines included.You overlooked him in your attack-along with the truth.I accepted the position on Park Revit.with some hesitation,thinking it would be politics as usual.However,I was pleasantly surprised.After 21 months of productive meetings I am proud of the work we helped move along on Rockwell park;but I am just as proud of the manner in which OUR meetings were conducted.At any time throughout our term anyone could have walked into any of our meetings and never have been able to label us Democrat or Republican.Political agendas were never part of our meetings- and that is a testament to Ms. Zoppo for the manner in which she conducted our meetings.Can other committees and boards say the same? Oh,by the way,I AM signing my name-the correct way.If you aren't proud of your words and won't take credit for them,perhaps you should keep them to yourself.Debra Schur(that's SCHUR)
Debbie, well said. Let the female bashing end. I fear that it is due to chauvinism rather than qualifications.
Donald R. Soucy
No offense but if you think the Park Rev. Committee was not political think again. Rockwell was put on the 5 year captial because Zoppo and her committee failed to get it on the state bond committee, that is a fact!
Dave Guidone
Wasn't the Park Revitilization Committee wanting to put fake grass in Muzzy? Yeah, that is something to be proud of. If I am not mistaken Ms. Schur you were the biggest cheerleader on that.
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