Category Archives: Lyme

Legal News You Can Use: Your Essential Checklist for a Smooth CT Home Purchase

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The thrill of house hunting can quickly turn into a maze of complexities. With the right knowledge and expert guidance, you can confidently navigate the path to homeownership, turning potential pitfalls into stepping stones. Ready to unlock the secrets of a smooth property purchase? Let’s begin your journey to stress-free closing with this essential checklist.

Decode the purchase agreement

Your first crucial step is understanding the purchase agreement. This document outlines the terms and conditions of your property transaction. Pay close attention to contingencies, timelines and obligations. If legal jargon leaves you puzzled, consider seeking professional help to ensure your interests are protected.

Conduct a thorough title search

A clean title is your safeguard against future legal issues. Invest time in a comprehensive title search to uncover any potential problems. Do not forget to explore title insurance options – it is a small price to pay for long-term peace of mind.

Prioritize property inspections

Knowing every detail is crucial when it comes to your future home. Schedule necessary inspections and carefully review the results. Ensure the seller provides all required disclosures. Understanding your property’s condition can save you from costly surprises down the road.

Review financing terms

Securing the right mortgage is critical. Carefully examine your loan documents, understanding interest rates, repayment terms and any potential penalties. If the financial terminology seems overwhelming, do not hesitate to seek clarification from experts.

Prepare for closing day

As the big day approaches, review all closing documents in advance. Verify that all agreed-upon repairs or credits are accounted for. Having a legal professional by your side can provide invaluable peace of mind during this crucial phase.

Follow up post-closing

Your journey does not end at closing. Record all necessary documents and obtain your final title policy. Keep your closing packet in a safe place – you never know when you might need to reference it in the future.

Empowering your homeownership journey

By following this essential checklist, you are well on your way to a smooth Connecticut home purchase. Remember, when in doubt, seeking advice from experienced real estate attorneys can make all the difference in turning your homeownership dreams into reality.

This is a sponsored post by Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law.

Editor’s Notes: i) Suisman Shapiro is located at 75 State Street, New London, CT 06320. Their mailing address is 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591 New London, CT 06320. Visit their website or call 800-499-0145 — lines are open 24 hours a day.

ii) If you are involved purchasing a house, the attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can assist you. Reach an attorney specialized in the matter at the number above .

SECWAC Hosts Talk in Old Lyme Tonight on “US-China Relations: The Storm Ahead?” Pre-Event Reception at 5:30pm

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William J. Holstein will be the speaker at the SECWAC meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30, in Old Lyme.

OLD LYME — On Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6 p.m., the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) hosts author and expert on US-China relations William J. Holstein to speak on U.S.-China Relations: The Storm Ahead? The event will be held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. It will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m.

After years of building tensions, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to rachet up tariffs against China by up to 60 percent. American consumers and American businesses will feel the pain, and the government of Xi Jinping will almost certainly retaliate against American interests.

Xi is a Marxist nationalist, meaning he believes that Western capitalistic democracies must be overcome.

To that end, China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s campaign to encircle Israel shows no sign of abating. China’s cyberwar against America’s Information Technology systems also has reached new heights. It is a kind of confrontation the United States has never before experienced. What is the way forward?

Holstein was dispatched to Hong Kong by United Press International in 1979 and witnessed the first stirrings of China’s economic modernization in southern China. He was promoted to Beijing bureau chief and studied the Chinese language intensively.

He subsequently became World Editor of Business Week magazine and either wrote for or was on staff at U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, The New York Times, and Chief Executive magazine, remaining engaged in the issues surrounding the emergence of East Asia.

He is the author or co-author of 10 books, most recently co-authoring “Battlefield Cyber: How China And Russia Are Undermining Our Democracy and National Security.” (Prometheus, August 2023.) Another title of interest: “The New Art of War: China’s Deep Strategy Inside the United States.” (BrickTower, 2019.)

SECWAC members are free. Non-Member in-person attendance is $20. Non-Member Visit this link to register.

For more information on SECWAC, visit their website.

The Movie Man: ‘A Complete Unknown’ Draws You In, Keeps You There—Overall a Great Movie

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I am generally wary of biopics, as I think they are simply made for Oscar bait.

Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

Your team could definitely catch the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences if you are seeking to re-create an aesthetic of a bygone era (be it costumes, set design, makeup, music, or even using production technology from any particular era to make it resemble films made in that time). This is on top of your actors’ working impressions of iconic public figures, hoping it be deemed more worthy of praise than creating a new character for audiences.

However, this is not the case with A Complete Unknown, which tells the story of the rise of music legend Bob Dylan. The first indication that I was enjoying this movie was that I was emotionally invested in the characters right from the start (a lesson I learned from the shortcomings of Gladiator II).

I never listened to Bob Dylan’s music, simply because I had no interest. But I was aware of his merit and influence on pop culture (after all, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2014). The title is seems appropriate for me, as this movie was the first time I listened to more than one song in one sitting. This was also my introduction to the debate surrounding Dylan’s controversial choice of using electric music at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

A Complete Unknown covers the rise of Dylan from his arrival in New York City in 1961 to said controversial performance. Dylan is depicted as possessing a genius beyond human capacity, which comes with the cost of social skills.

The theme woven throughout this picture is that Dylan is always seeking to be his own authentic self, and is willing to disrespect anyone, friends or business acquaintances alike, in order that he does not become a product of the music industry’s arsenal. Ironically, he will not share details about his background with anybody, even his girlfriend Suze Rotolo (renamed Sylvie Russo, at Dylan’s request, played by Elle Fanning).

While I did not think too much of Timothée Chalamet’s delivery of his lines (seems easy to imitate Bob Dylan’s nasal, high-pitched voice), my opinion changed when I learned he (and every other actor playing a musician in this movie) sang and played the instruments, himself. Upon learning this, my appreciation for his overall performance increased. It is one thing to imitate a historic figure’s speaking characteristics, but it is another to imitate their singing ability.

One particular performance that deserves praise is Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, who seemed to carry a wholesome and folksy vibe with him in every scene that put you at peace, even in the midst of a conflict. Norton’s performance, in my opinion, will be referenced in years to come as a metric for creating a character that is impossible to dislike.

We can also appreciate the little details in this movie (Easter Eggs, as we call them), as they reinforce the themes explored throughout its runtime. One I think of in particular is Dylan’s overgrown fingernails. That, alone, adds more depth to his character than extra dialogue, as it tells us that Dylan is non-traditional to his core.

Overall, this is a great movie worth the reader’s time and money. Compared to other movies I have reviewed, I do not consider it essential to screen it in a theater if there is the ability to stream it, as the reader could enjoy it from the comfort of their own living room if they simply wanted to stay in.

But I will reiterate that the best way to experience a movie is always in the theater. If you can, make screening A Complete Unknown an occasion that is worthy of getting out of the house and meeting up with friends. Doing so will give you more of an experience than just watching it at home.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube).

The Movie Man: ‘Conclave’ is Good … But Don’t Rush to See It

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man’

While Edward Berger’s Conclave brings an iconic cast of beloved actors, who deliver superb performances and offers thought-provoking themes, I do not believe it should be prioritized when asked for recommendations on recently released films. It is certainly worth watching, but not as soon as possible.

So often when we think of the depiction of the Catholic Church in media, it is often portrayed as an ancient institution that most of us do not relate to. Whether it is a historic film set at any point in the last two millennia, or the Church is a backdrop for sequences including a ritual (perhaps the baptism scene in The Godfather), or perhaps culture wars are at the heart of the matter, the Church appears to be irrelevant to the viewer.

Or, if the character is along the lines of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Mother Cabrini, or St. Francis of Assisi, we consider them to be heroes that have achieved a transcendent level of humanity that none of us could imitate. But Conclave reminds us, whether we are practicing Catholics or not, the Church is a human institution, dealing with familiar human matters that any of us will recognize.

One line perfectly encapsulates these themes, which are interwoven throughout the entire film: “We are mortal men. We serve an ideal. We cannot always be ideal.”

Ralph Fiennes leads the star-studded cast (which also includes John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini) as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, Dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with overseeing the papal conclave after the sudden death of the pope. We witness an ancient tradition taking place in buildings constructed during the Renaissance era but accompanied by contemporary technology (which I considered to be an incredible juxtaposition).

Here we witness the politics within the Church as groups with differing interpretations of pastoral care vie for positions of power, and we see the ugliness that leaders stoop to in order to achieve their goals, despite their positions as spiritual leaders. Lawrence perfectly encapsulates a hero we can relate to. He is a protagonist handed an important task that deals with the one thing he does not want: power.

He reminds me of Pope Benedict XVI, who also held Lawrence’s position when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and submitted several letters of resignation from 1981 until he was tasked with overseeing the 2005 conclave. Hoping the new Pope would grant his request to return to Germany for academic purposes, he was ironically chosen to lead. 

I anticipated the film to move in this historic direction but was surprised by the film’s choice for a twist ending. Without revealing any spoilers, it bore relevance to the theme of wrestling with uncertainty, but I cannot help but wonder if there were better options to pursue.

Uncertainty is the overall theme. As we stress over the uncertainty of the future—especially regarding secular matters—the film reminds us that uncertainty is even experienced in an institution that is founded on the hope of the resurrection of the historical Jesus and has spent 2000 years professing dogmas to better understand salvation. Even the most learned scholars and leaders struggle to understand what specifically should be done in this current chapter of history. 

The viewer must contemplate the overall history of the Church as the cardinals squabble about who should take the seat of the successor to St. Peter the Apostle. As the protagonists fret that rigidly dogmatic clerics may end up in charge, they console themselves that, despite the possibility of leadership implementing harmful pastoral care, there have been worse Popes in the past (think of the Borgia Popes during the Renaissance, when the Church was run by the Mafia).

While Conclave certainly had my interest and I consider it a decent movie worth watching, I do not consider it necessary to watch as soon as possible. Perhaps it will be a movie for a rainy day in the future, but it is not a movie that requires a trip to the theater, especially during awards season.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube).

Letter to the Editor: Sen. Needleman Looks Back at ’24 Election, Forward to Opportunities, Challenges Ahead

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To the Editor:

Happy New Year and Happy Legislative Session! On January 8 in Hartford, legislators from around the state including myself were sworn in for our two-year terms in office. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but as I look forward, I’m also looking back, too.

I am grateful to all of the voters of the 33rd Senate District, across 12 different towns, for their participation in the election this past year. It was certainly consequential and will represent significant changes in Connecticut and the United States, but the most important part is how many people turned out to make their voices heard. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all who voted for me, and am also grateful to those who voted against me; your voices matter, and I will not forget your needs.

I’m looking forward to my fourth term in the State Senate and am ready to get down to business as soon as I’m sworn in. I’m focused on the Energy & Technology Committee, which I chair. Last summer’s high heat and expensive power bills reaffirmed that our residents deserve a high-quality, reliable and affordable power grid that’s built for the needs of the present as well as the future. With costs putting a damper on families’ budgets, I know this is an issue we must address, and I will do whatever I can to find short- and long-term solutions accordingly.

I’m also excited, and ready for more work, in my additional committees. As the Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, I am mindful of our state’s housing crunch and will work alongside my colleagues to find new strategies and avenues that can create new housing units and help support our communities, businesses and families. As well, I’ll keep my eye on the Commerce, Finance, Revenue and Bonding and Transportation Committees as a member, making sure our roads, finances and funding remains in order.

There are plenty of additional issues that I will need to weigh in on in the Senate chambers, and my priorities will include supporting the businesses of Connecticut, finding ways to provide financial relief to families across the state and balancing our budget amid financial pressures within our borders and across the country. The new Presidential administration may also lead to changes in how our state operates, and I will be ready to address new approaches that may be necessary in the coming months.

Overall, the new legislative session represents five months of hard work, but it also represents real opportunities to give back to the people of our state and find ways to improve Connecticut now and in the future. I’m ready to do whatever I can to help our communities and our state.

To learn more about what’s going on in Hartford or to contact my office, please visit https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/senator/norm-needleman.

Sincerely,

Norman Needleman,
Essex, CT

Editor’s Note: The author is the State Senator (D) representing Connecticut’s 33rd Senate District, which includes the Town of Lyme, along with the Towns of Chester, Clinton, Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Deep River, Haddam, Portland, Westbrook, and part of Old Saybrook.