Month: October 2012

Romney Peacenik
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
https://johnbatchelorshow.com/blog/2012/10/romney-peacenik

Group : Mona Charen, Mary Kissel, Salena Zito, Lara Brown, David Drucker, Brett Arends, Bill Roggio, Arif Rafiq, John Fund, Gordon Chang, Reza Kahlili, Kori Schake, Gene Countrymen

https://johnbatchelorshow.com/blog/2012/10/romney-peacenik

In the final presidential debate the general opinion was the Mr. Romney presented a careful, measured, quiet, pacific demeanor in comparison to Mr. Obama’s strident, accusatory, argumentative, sometimes slashing style.

Why did Mr. Obama choose to go on the offensive? An answer that is repeated elsewhere of weight is that Mr. Obama knows he is trailing in the polls and sinking in the Electoral College, and he knows to make up ground he must rock his opponent.

Neither candidate said anything new tonight; both repeated campaign lines and criticisms they had made of each other before. And yet Mr. Obama aimed at Mr. Romney as if he could knock him from the field with barbs and disdain.

Mr. Romney arrived with a strategy of passive aggression: he aimed to present himself as plausible and peaceable. The mistake he aimed to avoid was to appear or sound warlike in any fashion that would allow Mr. Obama to connect Romney to the Bush administration, 2001-2009. Romney not only achieved his modest aim — Mitt Romney Peacenik — but also he presented pieces of the economic vision for his candidacy — twelve million jobs, reducing deficits to avoid becoming like Greece –that the president has not yet answered with the Obama second term vision.

Foreign policy does not change votes unless you make a foreign policy mistake that undermines credibility or suggests instability. Mr. Romney avoided mistakes and overstatements.

Cleverly, Mr. Romney moved some of the conversation back to the domestic economy where he believes Mr. Obama is losing his mandate; however Mr. Romney chattered about the disappointment of the last four years in a sober, pensive, resigned way, not ever sounding accusatory to the president.

The evening displayed the magic of role reversal. I asked all my guests, “Who is the challenger?” and routinely they answered, “The president.” World turned upside down.

https://johnbatchelorshow.com/blog/2012/10/romney-peacenik

Save the Zabriskie-Schedler House

PLEASE ATTEND THE COUNCIL MEETING THIS WED OCT 24 AT 7:30!!
(131 North Maple Ave, Ridgewood)

As a result of the three meetings held on the Schedler property, the Open Space Committee will make a presentation to the Mayor & Council that will set the stage for the future design of one of the last open spaces in the Village.

Many of you attended the three meetings and voiced your opinions. Some of you talked about safety, the importance of “true” open spaces, balance between sports facilities and park-like settings. Most importantly, nobody spoke against the demolition of the Zabriskie-Schedler house, the 1820’s Dutch wood frame farm house that greets all of us who exit Route 17 and enter West Saddle River Road. The demolition of this home should be prevented because it is one of the last remaining wood structures connected to our past.

We already have a group interested in using the house. Such group, the Bergen Museum of Art & Science is proposing to house some of its antique collections in the Zabriskie-Schedler House. This opportunity will further enhance the Village’s cultural assets.

Save the 190 year old Zabriskie – Schedler House from being demolished. Your help is needed!

A grass roots group has been formed to save the Zabriskie-Schedler House from being torn down. The house is one of the last early 19th century Dutch wood frame houses still standing in Bergen County.

The house was built in 1823 by John A. L. Zabriskie. It is located at 460 West Saddle River Road, about 100 yards from the Old Paramus Reformed Church which was built in 1735.

The Zabriskie-Schedler house is situated on 7 acres of land that was purchased by the Village of Ridgewood in Dec 2009. These 7 acres are the last open-space parcel of land left in the Village and the Council plans to build a multi-purpose sports field there.

Where the house is situated does NOT intefere with the plans for the sports field or parking lot. (Please see proposed design of the sports field above). We support the building of a sports field, but we oppose the unnecessary destruction of this 190 year old house.

The east side of Ridgewood that surrounds the Saddle River is the oldest section of the Village. This area was the “Main Street” before the train station was built and before East Ridgewood Ave existed. This is where the Village of Ridgewood began.

Please join our efforts to save the Zabriskie-Schedler House by liking our page and staying informed of how you can help. To join our email list, please email Chris Peters at multytasker@optonline.net or Isabella Altano at isabalt@aol.com.

 

Ridgewood School District details state HIB report
Monday October 22, 2012, 2:06 PM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Despite a slight increase in harassment, bullying and intimidation (HIB) incidents in district schools, Ridgewood High School Assistant Principal Basil Pizzuto said there doesn’t seem to be any reason for alarm.

Less than one percent of the roughly 6,000 students in Ridgewood schools – 51 students – were involved in the incidents, he said.

About 10 more HIB incidents were recorded in the annual School Violence, Vandalism and Substance Abuse Report than last year, but the rest of the numbers were roughly the same, according to Pizzuto. He mainly attributed this to the increased “focus” on HIB in the past year, as well as a new, broader state definition of what constitutes a HIB incident.

Effective September 2011, the state specified that a single incident of harm can constitute a HIB report. Another change to the definition is the demonstration of a created “hostile educational environment” that interferes with a student’s education or “severely or pervasively caus[es] physical or emotional harm” to him or her.

“These [incidents], in the past, may have just been handled at the school level … Now we do a report,” Pizzuto said. He noted that in past years, an incident of bullying may have been handled by telling a student not to act in that way again, followed by a phone call to a parent.

Each annual report is broken down into two components – July 1 through Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 through June 30.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/175275361_Ridgewood_School_District_details_state_HIB_report.html

Commissioner takes NJ Transit directors to the woodshed

When the boss talks, employees had better listen.

State Transportation Commissioner James Simpson verbally took NJ Transit senior staff to the woodshed last week, for not following up on items he asked for reports on – some of which had been brought up by the public. And he gave them homework assignments.

“A couple of the speakers spoke about the fact that this agency has not gotten back to them or the board … I apologize,” Simpson said. “I guess I’ve been spoiled at the other agencies I chair. Typically, when I ask for something on the record, usually at the next meeting, I get an answer the next month.”

Simpson is chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority board, the South Jersey Transportation Authority and the state Transportation Trust Fund Authority, in his role as transportation commissioner.  (Higgs, Asbury Park Press)

https://www.app.com/article/C0/20121022/NJNEWS/310220011/Commissioner-takes-NJ-Transit-directors-woodshed

The Ridgewood BOE opted not to move elections to November

Move to Nov. has major effect on N.J. school races

New Jersey school board candidates, who typically spend just a few hundred dollars per election, are finding it’s a different world this year.

Instead of being at the top of the ballot in an April school-only election, most now find themselves in obscure corners of ballots that include Mitt Romney and President Obama, a couple of guys spending hundreds of millions of dollars on their campaigns.

One board candidate says the challenge now is not getting people to the polls; it’s getting those who do go to remember their local elections.

And a political consultant says he’s getting inquiries from board candidates asking whether it’s time to make their campaigns a bit more professional, with real fund-raising efforts and ad campaigns.  (Mulvihill, Associated Press)
https://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20121022_Move_to_Nov__has_major_effect_on_N_J__school_races.h

Avo Tasting Event at Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood

A Unique Event is Coming!

Experience AVO cigars like never before:

Join Scott Kolesaire, AVO Brand Manager
at Davidoff of Geneva, in an AVO tasting

Taste 3 unbanded AVO cigars
paired with 3 great wines

Plus great gifts with purchase

Thursday, November 1, 2012
6:30-8:30 PM
$20.00 per person
Limited Space Available
Purchase your ticket now!

~Gary, Barbara and Collin

The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood | 10 Chestnut Street | Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Phone: 201-447-2204 | Email: info@tobaccoshop.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00AM – 5:30PM and Thursday Night 6:30PM – 8:30PM

N.J.’s local tax bills keep spiraling upward

Ted Marvel pays $4,900 in annual property taxes on his 1,000-square-foot home in the heart of Collingswood.

In fact, his monthly tax bill – $407 – is starting to rival what he pays in principal and interest on his mortgage. Said Marvel: “They’re going to meet soon.”

In the new millennium, New Jersey’s property taxes, the highest in the nation, are exploring new heights.

“It’s astronomical,” said Marvel. “It’s crazy.” That, too, his Garden State neighbors affirm.

Even as incomes have dropped (4.4 percent), and overall taxable value has fallen in a third of the towns, an Inquirer analysis showed that from 2000 to 2011, average tax bills in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties rose 44 percent. And that’s adjusted for inflation. The average bill jumped from $3,964, to $5,691.  (Wood, The Philadelphia Inquirer)

https://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20121021_N_J__s_local_tax_bills_keep_spiraling_upward.html

Co-founder of Kiss Peter Criss at Bookends Wednesday, October 24th @ 6:00pm
Co-founding Drummer of KISS, Peter Criss will sign his new book: Makeup to Breakup
Books available Oct.23rd

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to insure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726

Social Security payroll taxes set to go up in 2013 for 163 million workers
Oct 21, 11:31 AM (ET)
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama isn’t talking about it and neither is Mitt Romney. But come January, 163 million workers can expect to feel the pinch of a big tax increase regardless of who wins the election.

A temporary reduction in Social Security payroll taxes is due to expire at the end of the year and hardly anyone in Washington is pushing to extend it. Neither Obama nor Romney has proposed an extension, and it probably wouldn’t get through Congress anyway, with lawmakers in both parties down on the idea.

Even Republicans who have sworn off tax increases have little appetite to prevent one that will cost a typical worker about $1,000 a year, and two-earner family with six-figure incomes as much as $4,500.

Why are so many politicians sour on continuing the payroll tax break?

https://apnews.myway.com/article/20121021/DA221AF00.html

File photo Joe Kyrillos speaking with a Ridgewood voter

Meet Joe Kyrillos, a nice guy trying to unseat powerful U.S. Sen. Menendez

As Joe Kyrillos makes his way through New Jersey shaking hands, making speeches and debating his articulate opponent in the race for U.S. Senate, you often hear voters say they don’t know him — even though he’s been a veteran of Jersey politics for decades.

Well, here’s your chance at the Real Joe.

First off a few basics, taken from having spent weeks covering his campaign, and from interviews with friends and colleagues, opponents and associates.

You could spend the afternoon with Kyrillos and his family and never guess there is a political animal inside him, though his wife says look out, it is there.  (Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/meet_joe_kyrillos_the_nice_guy.html#incart_river