Depressive chicken, meet chocolate egg

According to this BBC report, chocolate lovers 'are more depressive', say experts. The BBC story is a digest of an article in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Mood Food: Chocolate and Depressive Symptoms in a Cross-sectional Analysis. (You have to be a subscriber to read the full report.)
The abstract of the article tells us:

Conclusion  Higher CES-D depression scores were associated with greater chocolate consumption. Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future prospective study.

It's fun, kinda, to see how the headlines from various media outlets try to parse this correlation, but not necessarily causation result. IMO, the best summary comes from Medscape (free registration required): Mood Food? Depressed People Eat More Chocolate.

• An article in the Daily Mail (UK) promises to explain How the blues make you crave chocolate, when the study clearly doesn't. 
• The headline in Chocolate may cause depression | Psych Central News leads us to a conclusion that isn't quite there.
  And there's this:
  
  
  
• Chocolate a Sweet Pick-Me-Up for the Depressed - BusinessWeek isn't. The study  says that it's drawing no conclusion about whether chocolate relieves the symptoms of depression in any significant way.
  As reported in the Medscape article, "The study," one of the researchers emphasized, "does not address the issue of whether chocolate is beneficial or harmful in terms of mood, as this is an observational and cross-sectional study."
• Depressed? You must like chocolate | Reuters - No, it doesn't say that. The study doesn't conclude that all depressed people eat more chocolate.
  The people in the study, folks who'd not been diagnosed with depression but who scores on a depression screening test indicated that they met the criteria for depression, ate more chocolate. Th study was not a review of chocolate-eating among people with depression.
• Study: Chocolate Can Relieve Depression - cbs4denver.com - This is seriously wrong.  The study makes no such claim and, in fact, suggests the opposite, that chocolate may trigger symptoms of depression.
• And, we mustn't overlook the PG-13 pictures of women eating chocolate in Is chocolate linked to depression? | The Money Times
  The researchers deliberately included more men than women in the study because previous inquiries typically focused on women and their alleged love of chocolate.

There's a lot of bad journalism out there, people who have access to scientific and medical research who then write articles that are cute, clever, and dangerously wrong. 

That wasn't so hard, was it?

The retirement of the venerable 3.5" disk, aka the floppy, reminds me of a story told by a friend. In the late 80s, this friend had a nifty new PC of whatever brand. A young relation, a boy of nine, was visiting, so my friend was showing off the new computer. The kid looked around for a stack of floppies that would signify the presence of games.
My friend said that he had some games, but that he kept them on the hard disk.
The young 'un asked, "Why don't you use the easy disk?"

That wasn't so hard, was it?

The retirement of the venerable 3.5" disk, aka the floppy, reminds me of a story told by a friend. In the late 80s, this friend had a nifty new PC of whatever brand. A young relation, a boy of nine, was visiting, so my friend was showing off the new computer. The kid looked around for a stack of floppies that would signify the presence of games.
My friend said that he had some games, but that he kept them on the hard disk.
The young 'un asked, "Why don't you use the easy disk?"

Public accountability of the private kind

In case you haven't already figured it out, on any given day, we get a lot less done than we've planned, which is a lot less than we want to do, which is either a whole lot more or a whole lot less than what we should do.
This can be problematic for someone such as yours truly who writes in a public venue. I have uncompleted tasks that I do for pay, for no pay, for service, and for the honor of being among wonderful family and friends. Some might wonder, with all of these things still undone, why I spend time writing about not getting stuff done instead of, um, getting stuff done.
You know, I don't know. There are some explanations, but no real excuses.

• The thing that I have to do is more complex and takes more time to get started than I have right now.
• The thing is harder to do than I thought.
• My notes for what I have to do are upstairs/downstairs/in that stack of papers that has another set of mouse traps in it.
• I'm easily distracted.
• I'm not always good at doing the important stuff first. 

It's a fact of life that there's always something more important to do than what you're doing. Think about that too long and you won't even get the time-wasters done.

Public accountability of the private kind

In case you haven't already figured it out, on any given day, we get a lot less done than we've planned, which is a lot less than we want to do, which is either a whole lot more or a whole lot less than what we should do.
This can be problematic for someone such as yours truly who writes in a public venue. I have uncompleted tasks that I do for pay, for no pay, for service, and for the honor of being among wonderful family and friends. Some might wonder, with all of these things still undone, why I spend time writing about not getting stuff done instead of, um, getting stuff done.
You know, I don't know. There are some explanations, but no real excuses.

• The thing that I have to do is more complex and takes more time to get started than I have right now.
• The thing is harder to do than I thought.
• My notes for what I have to do are upstairs/downstairs/in that stack of papers that has another set of mouse traps in it.
• I'm easily distracted.
• I'm not always good at doing the important stuff first. 

It's a fact of life that there's always something more important to do than what you're doing. Think about that too long and you won't even get the time-wasters done.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 19 suspicious items this week.]


Police Notebook

Monday, April 12

6:56 a.m. Caller reports homeless person sleeping at pumping station
8:12 a.m. Caller berating dispatch for officers not being in; upset about being written tickets
1:53 p.m. Meat company solicitors going door-todoor “harassing customers to buy beef,” Rte. 31
3:15 p.m. UPS reports suspicious vehicle, Industrial Dr.
6:25 p.m. Meat sellers on Gail Dr.
6:30 p.m. Caller reports tractor trailer trying to pass vehicle, Bullard St.
7:00 p.m. Fox in back yard refuses to leave, Chapel St.
7:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Princeton St.
9:44 p.m. Suspicious vehicle on Salisbury St.; OK, out of gas

Tuesday, April 13

2:09 a.m. Suspicious person dressed all in black, Reservoir St.
2:53 a.m. Report of alarm in area coming from car, Wachusett St.; homeowner advised
7:12 a.m. Handicapped van driver reports vehicle passed him when red lights were flashing and admonished him for holding up traffic
7:40 a.m. Animal complaint, Bailey Rd.
8:22 a.m. Dogs loose, Reservoir St. 8:57 a.m. DPW notified of vandalism to sign, Thorny Lea
10:41 a.m. Mountview School reports finding note that said fight would be held at 4 p.m. at light dept. building
12:35 p.m. Noise complaint about home where someone beeps daily, Fairchild Dr.
12:39 p.m. Caller with info about skull; advised to call state police
1:07 p.m. Report of phone line flipped up over electrical line
2:43 p.m. Investigating possible fight at light dept. building; checked several times
5:14 p.m. Citizen stopped someone illegally dumping leaves, Salisbury St.
5:30 p.m. Ongoing neighbor dispute
7:50 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Anderson Ave.
10:39 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Mason Rd.
10:52 p.m. 911 Caller reports people throwing things at house; window screen torn and dirt on sill

Wednesday, April 14

12:36 a.m. Suspicious parked vehicle, Mason Rd.
12:48 a.m. Beaver hit, Shrewsbury St.
8:23 a.m. Caller regarding found skull; referred to state police
9:00 a.m. Wachusett/Union Sts. shut down for tree removal
1:29 p.m. Raccoon on Sherwood Hill Dr. entered woods
3:20 p.m. Emergency line caller offered HPD free cruise on Royal Caribbean
3:33 p.m. Dog running around barking, Parker Ave.
3:42 p.m. Party in lobby asking for directions to WalMart
3:51 p.m. Caller asking for advice on how to avoid prank/scam phone calls, received two asking to send check to retrieve Publishers Clearinghouse winnings
4:53 p.m. Report of propane tank dumped in yard
5:35 p.m. Report of middle school-aged female operating unregistered moped on roadway
5:55 p.m. Caller concerned about friend whose phone went dead during conversation
8:52 p.m. Designer purses dumped on Ararat St. in Worcester; Worcester PD advised
9:02 p.m. Emergency call regarding whether HPD would like to lower credit by getting 2 percent interest rate on balance transfers
9:57 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle near mill pond, Village Way

Thursday, April 15

7:08 a.m. Pothole reported, Bullard St.; propane tank and TV on side of road, Wachusett St.
9:57 a.m. Walk-in advising just dropped off documents pertaining to federal lawsuit regarding the abuse of power by HPD for the purpose of terrorism, also for issuing false tickets
1:16 p.m. Report of trespassing youths leaving trash behind residence on Main St.
1:38 p.m. Walk-in to speak with office regarding incident at high school
1:56 p.m. Trash thrown out motor vehicle window, Sunnyside Motors
3:27 p.m. Youths removed from parking area and told to take trash with
them
4:33 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with several youths in business parking lot, Main St.
6:01 p.m. 911 hang up calls from Paugus Rd. residence; kids trying to make calls; adult contacted
6:09 p.m. Suspiciuos female walking up and down the street; says she’s trying to catch people who have been dumping trash on her property
7:11 p.m. Caller caught neighbor dumping debris on her property, Holden St., dispute ensued
7:50 p.m. 911 caller reports problem on Tuesday with teens on Jackson St. starting again
11:10 p.m. Caller needs to access items in locked vehicle

Friday, April 16

10:55 a.m. Box of debris in road in front of business, Main St.; returned to owner
1:20 p.m. Report of hitchhiker
3:28 p.m. Vehicle pulled out of public safety building lot in unsafe manner
4:19 p.m. Caller from Boston Herald regarding skull
4:25 p.m. Norwood Record reporter calling regarding skull
7:19 p.m. 911 hang up; baby playing with phone
8:23 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Chaffins Recreation Area
9:33 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
11:21 p.m. Report of someone ringing doorbell and leaving teddy bear; took
light bulb

Saturday, April 17

5:27 a.m. Check on vehicle with interior lights on
8:12 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout, vehicle running, on Broad St.
10:25 a.m. Caller asking for date of speeding ticket to pay online
12:45 p.m. Young girls on high wall on Main St. advised to move along
1:21 p.m. Police transporting female to River St. residence; bat is attacking her and her children

Sunday, April 18

12:03 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Reservoir St.
1:37 a.m. Juveniles transported
2:21 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Dawson Recreation area
2:48 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle unoccupied at business, Main St.
9:02 a.m. Utility pole leaning on Rte. 31
10:42 a.m. Party asking for pay phone locations
10:46 a.m. Individual parked facing wrong direction, Main St.
12:15 p.m. Several teenagers over last few days knocking and leaving, Jackson St.
2:03 p.m. Cars parked on both sides of Holden St.
3:17 p.m. Caller asking about call received early this morning from police number; said she must have been asleep
3:39 p.m. Caller reporting egregious driver, Mason Rd.
5:14 p.m. Caller’s dog died, not sure what to do
5:15 p.m. Doll carriage with doll in it, Harris St.
6:09 p.m. Dog found, Wachusett St.
6:51 p.m. Ongoing issue with neighbor looking in windows and harassing family, Steele St.
8:58 p.m. John Alden Rd. resident said doorbell rang, no one there; concerned that it happened to friend, then rock thrown through window; advised no breaks
of that kind going on
9:03 p.m. Request for well-being check on girlfriend, Nola Dr.; OK, she is fine

Paxton

Monday, April 12

1:31 p.m. Beaver in yard, female wants it removed, Pleasant St.
4:27 p.m. Caller concerned about wellbeing of female in vehicle, Pleasant St.

Tuesday, April 13

12:14 p.m. Caller’s water meter is leaking, Grove St.

Wednesday, April 14

9:46 a.m. Police respond to call at library, possibly malfunctioning elevator, Richards Ave.
1:30 p.m. Two loose dogs in area, Wilde Wood Dr.
2:03 p.m. Male at business begging for money, Pleasant St.
3:02 p.m. Caller concerned about dog on Wilde Wood Dr. and children coming home soon
4:54 p.m. Loose pitbull on soccer fields, Grove St.

Thursday, April 15

10:53 a.m. Several youths in area of Mower St. giving person a hard time
11:55 a.m. Assist Spencer PD checking area of West St. for pickup truck involved in scrap metal theft in their town
11:17 p.m. Request for assistance with disorderly male, Grove St.

Sunday, April 18

12:38 a.m. Two loose horses walking along Richards Rd.
12:08 p.m. Dead beaver in roadway, West St.
3:05 p.m. Caller reports raccoon on lawn, Grove St.
7:42 p.m. Black husky escaped form fenced-in yard, Camp St.

Princeton

Monday April 12

2:00 p.m. Pregnant, stray cat at house, Calamint Hill Rd. S

Tuesday, April 13

8:57 a.m. Caller reports possible verbal dispute on side of Worcester Rd.

Wednesday, April 14

8:27 a.m. Request for traffic control, Ball Hill Rd.

Thursday, April 15

3:17 a.m. Trash in road, Hickory Dr./Oak Cir.
5:30 a.m. Police conduct radar patrol due to complaints about speeding vehicles, Ball Hill Rd.
9:24 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout. Police gain entry into vehicle, Mountain Rd.
11:39 a.m. Puppy wandering in yard, Worcester Rd. Owner picked up
7:53 p.m. Caller found black, male shepherd mix dog, Hubbardston/Ralph Rds.
8:28 p.m. Loose horse in area, Brooks Station Rd.

Friday, April 16

9:04 a.m. Caller reports driver forced off the road Holden by female driver who was texting. Vehicle headed into Princeton on Rte. 31
1:22 p.m. School official requesting to speak with officer regarding suspicious incident, Sterling Rd.

Saturday, April 17

10:20 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about log skidder parked on her property for a month

Sunday, April 18

10:22 a.m. Police conduct traffic control due to complaints about speeders, Ball Hill Rd.

Rutland

Monday, April 12

8:15 a.m. Bags of crushed cans stored beside building stolen, Barre Paxton Rd.

Tuesday, April 13

12:11 a.m. Assist motorist with possible disabled vehicle, Main St.
9:49 a.m. Male driver sitting in library lot more than an hour, Main St.; OK, waiting for library to open
6:23 p.m. Incident report on previous case requested, Main St.
8:29 p.m. Street light smoking, Barre Paxton Rd.

Wednesday, April 13

12:27 a.m. Loud noise from upstairs apartment, Maple Ave.
7:53 a.m. Person at station to report lock on ball field shed door was broken, Pommogussett Rd.
4:16 p.m. Police off with two males, Memorial Dr.
4:26 p.m. Police services rendered, Sunnyside Ave.
6:05 p.m. Black wire swinging from utility pole near school driveway, Main St.

Thursday, April 15

2:33 a.m. Caller hears footsteps on roof, Maple Ave.
8:00 a.m. Person at station asking for incident report, Main St.
9:02 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about neighborhood issue, Main St.
12:11 p.m. Paxton PD advises to be on lookout for male who stole scrap metal headed in pickup truck toward Paxton
4:31 p.m. Large branch dangling from tree over wires, Barre Paxton Rd.
5:43 p.m. Request for incident number, Barre Paxton Rd.
5:56 p.m. Call about possible rabid skunk, Maple Ave.
6:12 p.m. Police services, Johnson Way
6:25 p.m. Large, confused skunk in yard, Maple Ave.

Friday, April 16

8:05 a.m. Report of two loose dogs in yard, Main St.
8:56 a.m. Caller thinks rabid skunk was in her yard, Maple Ave.
11:45 a.m. Rabid skunk, Prescott St.

Saturday, April 17

11:10 a.m. Report of Jack Russell terrier running down middle of Pleasantdale Rd.
4:34 p.m. Police deliver paperwork, Miles Rd.
5:11 p.m. Suspicious small pickup at end of driveway, Barre Paxton
8:16 p.m. Vehicle parked in front of home, Glenwood Rd.
8:46 p.m. Person walking on road being followed by someone using high beams, Campbell St.

Sunday, April 18

2:20 a.m. Report of someone ringing doorbell, Carlsons Way
7:57 a.m. Hole in roadway, Turkey Hill Rd.
3:03 p.m. Two golden retrievers caught on Pommogussett Rd.

Sterling

Tuesday, April 13

9:19 a.m. Yellow Labrador dog dropped off at vet clinic, Clinton Rd. No collar, no tags. Owner found
3:03 p.m. Missing yellow Labrador, James Rd.
3:29 p.m. Caller requesting animal control officer for bat in chimney, Princeton Rd. Advised to call private pest removal company
6:49 p.m. Loose horses, Rowley Hill Rd.

Wednesday, April 14

12:32 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked for long time, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.
2:50 p.m. Officer flagged down regarding female resting beside road, Maple St./Charles Patten Dr.

Thursday, April 15

7:36 a.m. Disabled vehicle with elderly male, car out of gas, parked near field, Beaman Rd.
10:29 a.m. Possible rabid fisher entering yard, Princeton Rd.
6:38 p.m. Caller reports suspicious male in yard of home, Upper N. Row Rd.

Friday, April 16

9:13 a.m. 911 hang-up, child playing with phone, Beaman Rd.
10:06 a.m. Complaint about barking dogs, Mellow Hollow Rd.

Saturday, April 17

9:32 p.m. Caller reports two males on bikes in and out of traffic, Chocksett Rd.
10:57 p.m. Suspicious vehicle pulling in and out of driveways, Sky Farm Ln. People searching for lost dalmatian
11:21 p.m. Second call regarding suspicious vehicle, people looking for dog, Sky Farm Ln.

Sunday, April 18

11:40 a.m. Assist Environmental Police with ATV stop, Pratts Jct. Rd.
12:58 p.m. Assist Environmental Police with stolen ATV, Legate Hill Rd.
1:51 p.m. Police off with ATVs in pit on Pratts Jct. Rd.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 19 suspicious items this week.]


Police Notebook

Monday, April 12

6:56 a.m. Caller reports homeless person sleeping at pumping station
8:12 a.m. Caller berating dispatch for officers not being in; upset about being written tickets
1:53 p.m. Meat company solicitors going door-todoor “harassing customers to buy beef,” Rte. 31
3:15 p.m. UPS reports suspicious vehicle, Industrial Dr.
6:25 p.m. Meat sellers on Gail Dr.
6:30 p.m. Caller reports tractor trailer trying to pass vehicle, Bullard St.
7:00 p.m. Fox in back yard refuses to leave, Chapel St.
7:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Princeton St.
9:44 p.m. Suspicious vehicle on Salisbury St.; OK, out of gas

Tuesday, April 13

2:09 a.m. Suspicious person dressed all in black, Reservoir St.
2:53 a.m. Report of alarm in area coming from car, Wachusett St.; homeowner advised
7:12 a.m. Handicapped van driver reports vehicle passed him when red lights were flashing and admonished him for holding up traffic
7:40 a.m. Animal complaint, Bailey Rd.
8:22 a.m. Dogs loose, Reservoir St. 8:57 a.m. DPW notified of vandalism to sign, Thorny Lea
10:41 a.m. Mountview School reports finding note that said fight would be held at 4 p.m. at light dept. building
12:35 p.m. Noise complaint about home where someone beeps daily, Fairchild Dr.
12:39 p.m. Caller with info about skull; advised to call state police
1:07 p.m. Report of phone line flipped up over electrical line
2:43 p.m. Investigating possible fight at light dept. building; checked several times
5:14 p.m. Citizen stopped someone illegally dumping leaves, Salisbury St.
5:30 p.m. Ongoing neighbor dispute
7:50 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Anderson Ave.
10:39 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Mason Rd.
10:52 p.m. 911 Caller reports people throwing things at house; window screen torn and dirt on sill

Wednesday, April 14

12:36 a.m. Suspicious parked vehicle, Mason Rd.
12:48 a.m. Beaver hit, Shrewsbury St.
8:23 a.m. Caller regarding found skull; referred to state police
9:00 a.m. Wachusett/Union Sts. shut down for tree removal
1:29 p.m. Raccoon on Sherwood Hill Dr. entered woods
3:20 p.m. Emergency line caller offered HPD free cruise on Royal Caribbean
3:33 p.m. Dog running around barking, Parker Ave.
3:42 p.m. Party in lobby asking for directions to WalMart
3:51 p.m. Caller asking for advice on how to avoid prank/scam phone calls, received two asking to send check to retrieve Publishers Clearinghouse winnings
4:53 p.m. Report of propane tank dumped in yard
5:35 p.m. Report of middle school-aged female operating unregistered moped on roadway
5:55 p.m. Caller concerned about friend whose phone went dead during conversation
8:52 p.m. Designer purses dumped on Ararat St. in Worcester; Worcester PD advised
9:02 p.m. Emergency call regarding whether HPD would like to lower credit by getting 2 percent interest rate on balance transfers
9:57 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle near mill pond, Village Way

Thursday, April 15

7:08 a.m. Pothole reported, Bullard St.; propane tank and TV on side of road, Wachusett St.
9:57 a.m. Walk-in advising just dropped off documents pertaining to federal lawsuit regarding the abuse of power by HPD for the purpose of terrorism, also for issuing false tickets
1:16 p.m. Report of trespassing youths leaving trash behind residence on Main St.
1:38 p.m. Walk-in to speak with office regarding incident at high school
1:56 p.m. Trash thrown out motor vehicle window, Sunnyside Motors
3:27 p.m. Youths removed from parking area and told to take trash with
them
4:33 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with several youths in business parking lot, Main St.
6:01 p.m. 911 hang up calls from Paugus Rd. residence; kids trying to make calls; adult contacted
6:09 p.m. Suspiciuos female walking up and down the street; says she’s trying to catch people who have been dumping trash on her property
7:11 p.m. Caller caught neighbor dumping debris on her property, Holden St., dispute ensued
7:50 p.m. 911 caller reports problem on Tuesday with teens on Jackson St. starting again
11:10 p.m. Caller needs to access items in locked vehicle

Friday, April 16

10:55 a.m. Box of debris in road in front of business, Main St.; returned to owner
1:20 p.m. Report of hitchhiker
3:28 p.m. Vehicle pulled out of public safety building lot in unsafe manner
4:19 p.m. Caller from Boston Herald regarding skull
4:25 p.m. Norwood Record reporter calling regarding skull
7:19 p.m. 911 hang up; baby playing with phone
8:23 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Chaffins Recreation Area
9:33 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
11:21 p.m. Report of someone ringing doorbell and leaving teddy bear; took
light bulb

Saturday, April 17

5:27 a.m. Check on vehicle with interior lights on
8:12 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout, vehicle running, on Broad St.
10:25 a.m. Caller asking for date of speeding ticket to pay online
12:45 p.m. Young girls on high wall on Main St. advised to move along
1:21 p.m. Police transporting female to River St. residence; bat is attacking her and her children

Sunday, April 18

12:03 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Reservoir St.
1:37 a.m. Juveniles transported
2:21 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Dawson Recreation area
2:48 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle unoccupied at business, Main St.
9:02 a.m. Utility pole leaning on Rte. 31
10:42 a.m. Party asking for pay phone locations
10:46 a.m. Individual parked facing wrong direction, Main St.
12:15 p.m. Several teenagers over last few days knocking and leaving, Jackson St.
2:03 p.m. Cars parked on both sides of Holden St.
3:17 p.m. Caller asking about call received early this morning from police number; said she must have been asleep
3:39 p.m. Caller reporting egregious driver, Mason Rd.
5:14 p.m. Caller’s dog died, not sure what to do
5:15 p.m. Doll carriage with doll in it, Harris St.
6:09 p.m. Dog found, Wachusett St.
6:51 p.m. Ongoing issue with neighbor looking in windows and harassing family, Steele St.
8:58 p.m. John Alden Rd. resident said doorbell rang, no one there; concerned that it happened to friend, then rock thrown through window; advised no breaks
of that kind going on
9:03 p.m. Request for well-being check on girlfriend, Nola Dr.; OK, she is fine

Paxton

Monday, April 12

1:31 p.m. Beaver in yard, female wants it removed, Pleasant St.
4:27 p.m. Caller concerned about wellbeing of female in vehicle, Pleasant St.

Tuesday, April 13

12:14 p.m. Caller’s water meter is leaking, Grove St.

Wednesday, April 14

9:46 a.m. Police respond to call at library, possibly malfunctioning elevator, Richards Ave.
1:30 p.m. Two loose dogs in area, Wilde Wood Dr.
2:03 p.m. Male at business begging for money, Pleasant St.
3:02 p.m. Caller concerned about dog on Wilde Wood Dr. and children coming home soon
4:54 p.m. Loose pitbull on soccer fields, Grove St.

Thursday, April 15

10:53 a.m. Several youths in area of Mower St. giving person a hard time
11:55 a.m. Assist Spencer PD checking area of West St. for pickup truck involved in scrap metal theft in their town
11:17 p.m. Request for assistance with disorderly male, Grove St.

Sunday, April 18

12:38 a.m. Two loose horses walking along Richards Rd.
12:08 p.m. Dead beaver in roadway, West St.
3:05 p.m. Caller reports raccoon on lawn, Grove St.
7:42 p.m. Black husky escaped form fenced-in yard, Camp St.

Princeton

Monday April 12

2:00 p.m. Pregnant, stray cat at house, Calamint Hill Rd. S

Tuesday, April 13

8:57 a.m. Caller reports possible verbal dispute on side of Worcester Rd.

Wednesday, April 14

8:27 a.m. Request for traffic control, Ball Hill Rd.

Thursday, April 15

3:17 a.m. Trash in road, Hickory Dr./Oak Cir.
5:30 a.m. Police conduct radar patrol due to complaints about speeding vehicles, Ball Hill Rd.
9:24 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout. Police gain entry into vehicle, Mountain Rd.
11:39 a.m. Puppy wandering in yard, Worcester Rd. Owner picked up
7:53 p.m. Caller found black, male shepherd mix dog, Hubbardston/Ralph Rds.
8:28 p.m. Loose horse in area, Brooks Station Rd.

Friday, April 16

9:04 a.m. Caller reports driver forced off the road Holden by female driver who was texting. Vehicle headed into Princeton on Rte. 31
1:22 p.m. School official requesting to speak with officer regarding suspicious incident, Sterling Rd.

Saturday, April 17

10:20 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about log skidder parked on her property for a month

Sunday, April 18

10:22 a.m. Police conduct traffic control due to complaints about speeders, Ball Hill Rd.

Rutland

Monday, April 12

8:15 a.m. Bags of crushed cans stored beside building stolen, Barre Paxton Rd.

Tuesday, April 13

12:11 a.m. Assist motorist with possible disabled vehicle, Main St.
9:49 a.m. Male driver sitting in library lot more than an hour, Main St.; OK, waiting for library to open
6:23 p.m. Incident report on previous case requested, Main St.
8:29 p.m. Street light smoking, Barre Paxton Rd.

Wednesday, April 13

12:27 a.m. Loud noise from upstairs apartment, Maple Ave.
7:53 a.m. Person at station to report lock on ball field shed door was broken, Pommogussett Rd.
4:16 p.m. Police off with two males, Memorial Dr.
4:26 p.m. Police services rendered, Sunnyside Ave.
6:05 p.m. Black wire swinging from utility pole near school driveway, Main St.

Thursday, April 15

2:33 a.m. Caller hears footsteps on roof, Maple Ave.
8:00 a.m. Person at station asking for incident report, Main St.
9:02 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about neighborhood issue, Main St.
12:11 p.m. Paxton PD advises to be on lookout for male who stole scrap metal headed in pickup truck toward Paxton
4:31 p.m. Large branch dangling from tree over wires, Barre Paxton Rd.
5:43 p.m. Request for incident number, Barre Paxton Rd.
5:56 p.m. Call about possible rabid skunk, Maple Ave.
6:12 p.m. Police services, Johnson Way
6:25 p.m. Large, confused skunk in yard, Maple Ave.

Friday, April 16

8:05 a.m. Report of two loose dogs in yard, Main St.
8:56 a.m. Caller thinks rabid skunk was in her yard, Maple Ave.
11:45 a.m. Rabid skunk, Prescott St.

Saturday, April 17

11:10 a.m. Report of Jack Russell terrier running down middle of Pleasantdale Rd.
4:34 p.m. Police deliver paperwork, Miles Rd.
5:11 p.m. Suspicious small pickup at end of driveway, Barre Paxton
8:16 p.m. Vehicle parked in front of home, Glenwood Rd.
8:46 p.m. Person walking on road being followed by someone using high beams, Campbell St.

Sunday, April 18

2:20 a.m. Report of someone ringing doorbell, Carlsons Way
7:57 a.m. Hole in roadway, Turkey Hill Rd.
3:03 p.m. Two golden retrievers caught on Pommogussett Rd.

Sterling

Tuesday, April 13

9:19 a.m. Yellow Labrador dog dropped off at vet clinic, Clinton Rd. No collar, no tags. Owner found
3:03 p.m. Missing yellow Labrador, James Rd.
3:29 p.m. Caller requesting animal control officer for bat in chimney, Princeton Rd. Advised to call private pest removal company
6:49 p.m. Loose horses, Rowley Hill Rd.

Wednesday, April 14

12:32 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked for long time, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.
2:50 p.m. Officer flagged down regarding female resting beside road, Maple St./Charles Patten Dr.

Thursday, April 15

7:36 a.m. Disabled vehicle with elderly male, car out of gas, parked near field, Beaman Rd.
10:29 a.m. Possible rabid fisher entering yard, Princeton Rd.
6:38 p.m. Caller reports suspicious male in yard of home, Upper N. Row Rd.

Friday, April 16

9:13 a.m. 911 hang-up, child playing with phone, Beaman Rd.
10:06 a.m. Complaint about barking dogs, Mellow Hollow Rd.

Saturday, April 17

9:32 p.m. Caller reports two males on bikes in and out of traffic, Chocksett Rd.
10:57 p.m. Suspicious vehicle pulling in and out of driveways, Sky Farm Ln. People searching for lost dalmatian
11:21 p.m. Second call regarding suspicious vehicle, people looking for dog, Sky Farm Ln.

Sunday, April 18

11:40 a.m. Assist Environmental Police with ATV stop, Pratts Jct. Rd.
12:58 p.m. Assist Environmental Police with stolen ATV, Legate Hill Rd.
1:51 p.m. Police off with ATVs in pit on Pratts Jct. Rd.

First thoughts on the Telegram kinda-sorta paywall

T & G plans paid website

• It would be nice (dreamer that I am) that this increased revenue stream would allow the Telegram to improve local content and not just stem the losses associated with producing the same stuff.
• People will choose to do without the news if the perceived value isn't there. As I've often noted couple of smaller dailies, the Athol Daily News and Gardner News, charge a ridiculously high price for their content. As much as I want to keep up with the goings-on in the north county, $80-100/year is more than I'm willing to pay.  
• In a typical newspaper, the advertising pays for the content and the price at the newsstand or paid for home delivery pays for just that - delivery. It's fair to expect newspapers to be able to recoup production costs on web versions, but web content delivery is an order of magnitude less expensive than print production. (It might be even be less.) As a result, prices for web delivery should be that much less expensive than print versions.
  
• This threshold-payment system is a reasonable compromise for the casual reader, as is the offer of free access for print subscribers. 
• Keeping obituaries and local blogs (ahem) free is a good thing. I suspect that there are a lot of web readers who used to live in the Worcester area or who are part-time residents (snowbirds) who rely on the obits as an important connection to the area.

First thoughts on the Telegram kinda-sorta paywall

T & G plans paid website

• It would be nice (dreamer that I am) that this increased revenue stream would allow the Telegram to improve local content and not just stem the losses associated with producing the same stuff.
• People will choose to do without the news if the perceived value isn't there. As I've often noted couple of smaller dailies, the Athol Daily News and Gardner News, charge a ridiculously high price for their content. As much as I want to keep up with the goings-on in the north county, $80-100/year is more than I'm willing to pay.  
• In a typical newspaper, the advertising pays for the content and the price at the newsstand or paid for home delivery pays for just that - delivery. It's fair to expect newspapers to be able to recoup production costs on web versions, but web content delivery is an order of magnitude less expensive than print production. (It might be even be less.) As a result, prices for web delivery should be that much less expensive than print versions.
  
• This threshold-payment system is a reasonable compromise for the casual reader, as is the offer of free access for print subscribers. 
• Keeping obituaries and local blogs (ahem) free is a good thing. I suspect that there are a lot of web readers who used to live in the Worcester area or who are part-time residents (snowbirds) who rely on the obits as an important connection to the area.