Ridgewood is a Village, not a shopping mecca. Access to our downtown is through residential areas, on roads ill-equiped to handle a great deal of traffic without significantly devaluing the housing on those roads.
So, in terms of vision, we need to make a choice between remaining a Village where people live, or becomming the next local mall.
Big box chain stores rely on heavy foot traffic. That’s is why they are all located in a central location such as the Mall.
Why would any large chain store come to Ridgewood and pay the kind of rent that the landlords are asking.
This plan is only going to help a certain few with all the residents pay for the bill.
Gov. Chris Christie paid a visit to the high school here – one of the ten districts in the state’s teacher evaluation pilot program – to highlight the ongoing education initiatives of his administration.
He pointed out that Haddonfield is an example of what he is trying to accomplish statewide. (Mooney, State Street Wire)
Agenda 21 : Angry critics call New Jersey’ blueprint for growth too radical
The Christie administration’s draft strategic investment plan is touted by officials as a blueprint for spurring economic development in New Jersey, a goal seemingly embraced by many.
But critics say it represents a much more radical plan, and a very unlikely GOP agenda at that. It’s a proposal they say redistributes wealth, usurps individual property rights, and reflects a decade-old United Nations resolution that aims to promote so-called sustainable environmental growth around the globe.
In the seventh public hearing on the draft plan in Toms River yesterday, more than 50 people showed up, mostly to denounce the proposal. Often they shouted down a Christie administration official who sought to answer questions, loudly applauded those who criticized the proposal, and frequently interrupted the official when he sought to address those concerns. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
The week that could make or break the eurozone Looming decisions could put the single currency back on track – or speed its ruin
TONY PATERSON
Europe stands on the threshold of a series of dramatic make-or-break decisions this week that will determine whether the eurozone can finally move towards resolving its long-running economic crisis or shift alarmingly towards the abyss of European disintegration.
Tomorrow judges at Germany’s constitutional court will decide if a hotly contested permanent rescue fund can be set up to help bail out ailing eurozone countries. A No verdict or even restrictive conditions could cause chaos on the markets and signal the beginning of a possible demise of the euro.
Their ruling will be followed by a general election in the Netherlands. The result could hand power to the Eurosceptic Labour party of Emile Roemer, which is riding on a wave of popular frustration over Europe. Such an outcome could sow disarray within Europe and seriously undermine the EU’s strategy for helping ailing eurozone countries.
Cairo protesters scale U.S. Embassy wall, remove flag
Egyptian demonstrators climbed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo today and pulled down the American flag to protest a film they say is insulting to the prophet Mohammad.
Update at 2:07 p.m. ET: CNN reports that U.S. security guards fired a volley of warning shots as the crowd gathered outside the embassy walls.
CNN adds that the embassy had been expecting a demonstration and cleared all diplomatic personnel earlier from the facility.
Original post: The Associated Press reports that embassy officials say there was no staff inside at the time.
Reuters reports that protesters tried to raise a black flag carrying the slogan: “There is no god but Allah and Mohammad is his messenger.”
The news agency says about 2,000 protesters have gathered outside the embassy and about 20 have scaled the walls.
The AP says the protesters were largely ultra-conservative Islamists.
Moody’s expects to cut US rating without deal to lower debt/GDP ratio
By Market News International || September 11, 2012 at 13:00 GMT
WASHINGTON (MNI) – The following is the text of a statement Tuesday
by rating agency Moody’s:
Budget negotiations during the 2013 Congressional legislative session will likely determine the direction of the US government’s Aaa rating and negative outlook, says Moody’s Investors Service in the report “Update of the Outlook for the US Government Debt Rating.”
If those negotiations lead to specific policies that produce a stabilization and then downward trend in the ratio of federal debt to GDP over the medium term, the rating will likely be affirmed and the outlook returned to stable, says Moody’s.
If those negotiations fail to produce such policies, however, Moody’s would expect to lower the rating, probably to Aa1.
Moody’s views the maintenance of the Aaa with a negative outlookinto 2014 as unlikely. The only scenario that would likely lead to itstemporary maintenance would be if the method adopted to achieve debt stabilization involved a large, immediate fiscal shocksuch as would occur if the so-called “fiscal cliff” actually materialized which could lead to instability. Moody’s would then need evidence that the economy could rebound from the shock before it would consider returning to a stable outlook.
Moody’s notes that it is difficult to predict when during 2013 Congress will conclude negotiations that result in a budget package. The Aaa rating, with its negative outlook, is likely to be maintained until the outcome of those negotiations becomes clear.
The rating outlook also assumes a relatively orderly process for the increase in the statutory debt limit, says Moody’s. The debt limit will likely be reached around the end of this year, and the government’s ability to meet interest and other expenses out of available resources
would likely be exhausted within a few months after the limit is reached.
Under these circumstances, the government’s rating would likely be placed under review after the debt limit is reached but several weeks before the exhaustion of the Treasury’s resources. Moody’s took a similar action during the summer of 2011.
Eleven years ago today, terrorists shattered America’s sense of safety. Generations who did not remember Pearl Harbor suddenly knew the shock of an attack on U.S. soil.
Brothers, fathers, cousins, wives, and daughters were lost. And more sisters, mothers, husbands and sons would give their lives in the years that followed as they fearlessly joined the fight against terrorism around the world.
Because of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform—and the hours put in scanning intelligence documents and patrolling the streets by our servants here at home—America has thus far avoided another 9/11. Since that day, at least 51 terrorist plots against the country (that we know of) have been foiled. Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has been eliminated.
But as the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, the world is not becoming a safer place.
Pakistan continues to serve as a safe haven for terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Taliban, and the Haqqani network, threatening to jeopardize everything the U.S. has fought for in Afghanistan since 9/11.
In a new Issue Brief taking stock of the war on terrorism, Heritage security experts Michaela Bendikova, Lisa Curtis, and Jessica Zuckerman warn:
[T]he U.S. counter-terrorism strategy remains flawed. The U.S. needs to name its enemies, maintain the nation’s commitments abroad, fully fund the military, reach out to allies, and truly defend the home front.
The campaign has certainly seen its share of successes in addition to the bin Laden mission. Drone strikes have helped to disrupt al-Qaeda operations and planning. But the U.S. must concentrate simultaneously on “uprooting extremist ideologies that support terrorism, collecting information from captured terrorists, and convincing the Pakistanis to conduct joint operations that deal with the threat,” the authors write. Continued terrorist sanctuaries inside Pakistan’s borders remain a threat.
At home, we cannot combat terrorism under “a law enforcement paradigm that focuses on reactive policies and prosecuting terrorists rather than proactive efforts to enhance intelligence tools and thwart terrorist attempts long before the public is in danger,” they write. This strategy fails to recognize the true nature of the threat posed by terrorist groups (such as al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab) and state-sponsored terrorism, while thwarting terrorist travel and financing remain the most effective ways to protect the homeland.
Unfortunately, the reality is that terrorism—without the face of a particular nation—is not the only threat America faces. Iran and North Korea continue to invest in capabilities designed to kill Americans and our allies. Syria is wracked by civil war and has the potential to destabilize the entire Middle East.
If we are to meet this volatile world with a determination to protect U.S. citizens, our priorities must shift. The defense budget has already absorbed about half of all spending cuts even though it represents less than a fifth of the federal budget. If U.S. forces are weakened further, the country will be unable to maintain its superpower status.
Today, we remember those we have lost. Tomorrow, we must honor their memory by strengthening our defenses for those who do not yet know the horror of an attack at home—so that they never will.
911 – WE SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER
NJ Tea Party Coalition
No words can suffice, no words will ever be said that can take the pain and sadness away from many who lost or suffered on 911 and since. We shall always remember and never be deterred from ensuring liberty and freedom in these United States no matter the attempts or actions taken by those who wish to change or intimidate us.
It is and shall always remain “We the People” for our nation is truly unique made up of the many different and diverse people weaving the tapestry of America.
Why is Obama skipping more than half of his daily intelligence meetings?
By Marc A. Thiessen, Published: September 10
President Obama is touting his foreign policy experience on the campaign trail, but startling new statistics suggest that national security has not necessarily been the personal priority the president makes it out to be. It turns out that more than half the time, the commander in chief does not attend his daily intelligence meeting.
The Government Accountability Institute, a new conservative investigative research organization, examined President Obama’s schedule from the day he took office until mid-June 2012, to see how often he attended his Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) — the meeting at which he is briefed on the most critical intelligence threats to the country. During his first 1,225 days in office, Obama attended his PDB just 536 times — or 43.8 percent of the time. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, his attendance became even less frequent — falling to just over 38 percent. By contrast, Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting.
GOP report on 9/11 anniversary eve: Make TSA ‘smarter, leaner’
By Keith Laing – 09/10/12 04:05 PM ET
Republicans are suggesting ways the Transportation Security Administration can be “rebuilt” into a “smarter, leaner organization” ahead of a hearing on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The House Homeland Security Committee’s Transportation Security subcommittee released a report Monday finding that TSA could be more effective by reducing its number of employees. The report also suggest TSA should consider “enlisting the private sector to modernize and, to the extent possible, automate the passenger screening process to reduce pat-downs, implementing privacy software on all [Advanced Imaging Technology] machines, and sponsoring an independent analysis of the potential health impacts of AIT machines.”
The committee will hold a hearing on the report on on Tuesday, which will mark the 11th anniversary of the hijacking of four U.S. airliners by terrorists.
Vision for Ridgewood’s downtown viewed as key to future
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2012, 12:34 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
In the past three weeks, The Ridgewood News has analyzed several obstacles facing businesses trying to open, survive and thrive in the Central Business District (CBD).
Business owners say adjustments to certain aspects of the Village Code may help improve the Central Business District.
Partially because of an outdated Village Code, problems can begin for a business owner long before they set up shop in the village. Then, for some business owners already working in the CBD, the village’s operations can make business in an already tough economy more stressful.
However, perhaps most pressing of all is Ridgewood’s need to develop its “vision” for the future, according to members of the business community and village officials.
Besides the oft-cited concerns of parking and high rents, business owners hoping to do business in the village are often faced with a lengthy permit process during which they can lose money before even opening. Muscle Maker Grill owner Paul McManaman is still working to make up capital he lost while waiting to open.
Some village business owners have claimed that fines they received for non-compliance with ordinances have left them feeling the village is unwilling to work with them. And a large number of restaurants in the CBD has some retailers wondering whether Ridgewood, unlike some other municipalities, lacks a firm concept of its identity and aspirations.
Ridgewood will honor the memory of the 12 lost at the World Trade Center in 2001 with the Portrait Exhibit displayed at the Ridgewood Public Library for the month of September.
This exhibit provides a special place to reflect and remember.
Mt. Carmel Catholic Church will hold a Mass at 7:30PM on September 11th. The Mayor will participate by reading a Proclamation from the Village Council.
It has been eleven years since the fateful Tuesday morning that changed the lives of every American forever. This September 11th, our country will once again join together to mourn that tragic day, comfort survivors, support friends and family and remember how fortunate we are to live in a free country.
The wounds we endured that day, both physical and mental, will never fully heal. The images of airplanes hitting the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 crashing in Pennsylvania are now woven into the tapestry of American life. Here in New Jersey, we can all tell personal stories of loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbors who never made it home. Everything changed that day, but our spirit survived.
Firefighters, police officers and EMTs and every day citizens jumped into action, motivated by the spirit to serve and protect their fellow man. With their own lives on the line, they ran into the buildings, toward the fire and flames. Many of them paid the ultimate sacrifice for their bravery and we are eternally grateful to them.
In the days, weeks and months after the attacks, our men and women in the armed forces embarked on a campaign to eliminate terrorist forces and bring our enemies to justice. Eleven years later, after taking down the mastermind of the operation and many of his cohorts, American troops continue to fight for our way of life.
As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” The forces of evil that tried to fill our hearts with vulnerability and fear underestimated our resiliency. Americans are free people and as free people we will live and prosper.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those who mourn the loss of loved ones on September 11th. May God bless their memory and may God bless the United States of America. Sincerely,
GM’s Volt: The ugly math of low sales, high costs
By Bernie Woodall and Paul Lienert and Ben Klayman
Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:14pm EDT
(Reuters) – General Motors Co sold a record number of Chevrolet Volt sedans in August — but that probably isn’t a good thing for the automaker’s bottom line.
Nearly two years after the introduction of the path-breaking plug-in hybrid, GM is still losing as much as $49,000 on each Volt it builds, according to estimates provided to Reuters by industry analysts and manufacturing experts. GM on Monday issued a statement disputing the estimates.
Cheap Volt lease offers meant to drive more customers to Chevy showrooms this summer may have pushed that loss even higher. There are some Americans paying just $5,050 to drive around for two years in a vehicle that cost as much as $89,000 to produce.
And while the loss per vehicle will shrink as more are built and sold, GM is still years away from making money on the Volt, which will soon face new competitors from Ford, Honda and others.
GM’s basic problem is that “the Volt is over-engineered and over-priced,” said Dennis Virag, president of the Michigan-based Automotive Consulting Group.
Movies suffer worst box-office slump in a decade
By Lisa Richwine and Jill Serjeant
LOS ANGELES | Sun Sep 9, 2012 6:58pm EDT
(Reuters) – The North American box office hit a slump at the weekend, with top earner “The Possession” taking in less than $10 million and what could be the gloomiest overall haul since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.
With only a couple of new releases to tempt movie fans, horror movie “The Possession” pulled in an estimated $9.5 million in the United States and Canada.
That’s the first time since 2008 that no film took $10 million or more at the domestic box office.
Early September is historically sluggish. After blockbuster releases over the summer, Hollywood studios reserve their big films for the November and December holidays.
But revenues for the three-day movie-going weekend were particularly low, with the total gross for all films expected to be $65-$68 million.
If the numbers hold when final figures come in on Monday, it could make the weekend the worst since September 21-23 2001 – two weekends after 9/11 – when revenue topped out at $59.7 million.
“It is pretty scary when the top movie comes in at only $9.5 million,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at Hollywood.com.
“This is one of the worst-grossing weekends of the last 10 years. In the summer, single movies had opening weekends bigger than this entire weekend gross,” he added.
