Month: December 2016
the Last Word on New Years Resolutions for 2017
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Its that time again for the New Year’s resolutions, it is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior.So here are our final thoughts on resolutions for 2017.
In a 2009 article for the Wall Street Journal Jonah Lehrer said, Willpower, like a bicep, can only exert itself so long before it gives out; it’s an extremely limited mental resource.Given its limitations, New Year’s resolutions are exactly the wrong way to change our behavior. It makes no sense to try to quit smoking and lose weight at the same time, or to clean the apartment and give up wine in the same month. Instead, we should respect the feebleness of self-control, and spread our resolutions out over the entire year. Human routines are stubborn things, which helps explain why 88% of all resolutions end in failure, according to a 2007 survey of over 3,000 people conducted by the British psychologist Richard Wiseman. Bad habits are hard to break—and they’re impossible to break if we try to break them all at once.
I prefer a more measured approach simple small steps to improve your life, no big grand gestures just those little things that make life incrementally better. I also stay away from giving things up instead, I focus on replacements I dont need to lose weight, just eat better or exercise more.
I also remind myself that what happens on New Year’s Eve often follows you the whole year. So it is never good idea to over do anything like food or alcohol or lose your temper, or become impatient. It’s always best to go into the new year with a pocket full of money, a good cigar a job and little to no unfinished business or unresolved issues. Not an easy task in a complicated world but that’s what resolutions are for after all. Happy New Year to all!
Let Us Resolve to be Good Neighbors in 2017
file photo by ArtChick
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Doug Bunza, a 22-year-old village resident who set up a go fund me page to help when his favorite Pizza place La Bella Pizza when it burned down. Doug’s actions inspired us to call for 2017 to be the year of the neighbor and a return to neighborliness.
While disagreements and passion are sure to remain strong in the Village we hope 2017 will usher in a new found respect to neighborliness. A simple smile and a “good morning” at the train station are all it would take. Ridgewood like most of the USA suffers often from a disease know as “the rules only apply to everyone else” syndrome. This “holier than thou” attitude has brought public discourse to a close. So for 2017 let’s all try to treat people with respect, the same respect we all feel we are entitled too, however you can be sure there are those in town who will continue to feel smug in their own superiorness and for them the Ridgewood blog will be here to remind them that manners are not an option but a necessity in a civilized society.
Almost 46% of Ridgewood Blog Readers Planned to Spend Less for the Holidays this Year
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, while consumer confidence set a 13 high , Ridgewood blog readers remain cautious with their spending.In the latest Ridgewood blog poll only 16.2% of respondents said they would spend more than last year . While 37.8% said they would spend the same and a whopping 45.9% said they would spend more .
Will You Be Spending More of Less Money For the Holidays this year?
More 16.2 %
Less 45.9 %
Same 37.8 %
2016 Year End: the Village of Ridgewood’s Biggest Winners
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the staff of the Ridgewood blog has assembled the biggest winners and the biggest losers in Ridgewood for 2016.Now for the Village winners;
The biggest winner this year was the Village of Ridgewood’s new Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon. After years of constant abuse from the “3 amigos”, the two came out victorious with the sweeping victory of Jeffrey Voigt, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh and Ramon M Hache in the Village Municipal elections. While Jeff Voigt has so far been a bit of a disappointment the new council has full plate attempting to fix the mess of the previous administration.
The other major winner this year were the Village residents who put together the petitions to stop and shut down Garagezilla . The residents mobilized when their voices were ignored and took back the town. As we have learned since motivations for building Garagezilla had little to do with parking for shop owners in the CBD but more for housing development, commuter parking, certain restaurants, schools and of course an “arts center”.
The Ridgewood School system was a big winner with its much pushed for Full-day Kindergarten referendum. While the merits for children remain dubious, it certainly takes a lot of pressure off parents with more convenient hours.
We couldn’t finish the list without this one; Doug Bunza, a 22-year-old village resident who set up a go fund me page to help when his favorite Pizza place La Bella Pizza when it burned down. To the Ridgewood blog thats what Ridgewood is all about ,neighbors stepping up and taking charge. I know this is not the only good deed for the year but this one stuck out in everyone’s minds. It showed us that anyone can make a difference and we all make a difference to someone .
Our final pick this year for the biggest winner is a bit unorthodox, we decided to give it Village employees.Despite turmoil with Village leadership Village employees did a pretty good job at whatever they were doing, I don’t remember the last time no one complained about the police or fire departments for a whole year? We seemed to have no major scandal ie the meter thief and when services were not up to par it was always a management issue.
2016 Year End : the Village of Ridgewood’s Biggest Losers
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, the staff of the Ridgewood blog has assembled the biggest winners and the biggest losers in Ridgewood for 2016.First the Village losers;
Far and away the biggest loser was former Mayor Paul Aronsohn, voters rejected not only his future vision of Ridgewood, voters also rejected everything about it from staffing, political appointments, planning and anyone who supported and promoted him. The only upside was that he united the Village against him and his triad of power mad ill-mannered and deceitful proponents. For many, the Aronsohn Mayorship was a huge step backward and marked the low water point for the entire history of the town. Voters rejected Aronsohn by giving his opponents a landslide victory over his chosen Village council slate.
Garagezilla; according to proponents for 80 years the Village has needed parking, looks like it might be another 80. Garagezilla was the victim of an ill-conceived design, dubious motivations and extremely poor execution. What ever happened to Municipal planning?
Other major losers this year were Valley Hospital for their continued failed vision of expansion. Valley’s self-absorbed blindness has also guaranteed it once again the “poor neighbor award”. Valley may someday get their way but they are also assured to be a victim of own arrogance opening the door for a huge property tax assessment.
Ridgewood developers were also big losers, first and foremost by supporting the failed regime of Paul Aronsohn, secondly, by being so ill informed thinking Ridgewood wanted to become Union City. A misplaced support for the former mayor has left Village developers under a cloud of suspicion, tarnishing their names and reputations and failing in their business endeavors.
And finally, the Village Financial Advisory Committee, formed by former Mayor Aronsohn to help push his pet projects through, sabotage opponents, and create a pool of like-minded power made self-absorbed flunkies. Every single FAC recommendation has gone up in flames and now their new attention is set on attacking the new Mayor Susan Knudsen . The attacks follow the same ill-mannered , innuendo driven , and sexist rants that have and continue to make fools of the all the wannabes on the FAC .
Car Drives Onto Rail Road Tracks on Diamond Bridge Avenue in Hawthorne
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hawthorne NJ, The adult female driver of a 4-door Chevrolet sedan escaped injury after driving her vehicle onto the New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad’s tracks off of Diamond Bridge Avenue in Hawthorne on Friday evening, 12/30. The vehicle was able to be driven away on its own power after being removed from the tracks by a flatbed tow truck. Hawthorne PD responded to the incident.
New Jersey Transit Ads Travel Options of New Years Eve
file photo by Archick
EXTRA SERVICE AND SAVINGS FOR HOLIDAY WEEK, INCLUDING DECEMBER 3
December 30,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is offering extra service for the holiday week, including on New Year’s Eve, to give customers more travel options for ringing in 2017, shopping at the mall or leaving work early.
In addition, NJ TRANSIT is continuing their savings plans through a special extension of the Family SuperSaver Fare, which allows up to two children between the ages of 5 and 11 to travel free with each fare-paying customer. Up to three children age 4 and under can also travel free with a fare-paying customer. Usually limited to weekends, the Family SuperSaver Fare is now in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday, January 3, on all trains, buses and light rail lines.
“This is the time of year when so many special events take place and many visitors are using NJ TRANSIT to get where they need to go,’’ said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Steven H. Santoro. “NJ TRANSIT is pleased to offer the Family SuperSaver Fare, which allows our customers to stretch their holiday budgets just a bit. So leave the car behind and use NJ TRANSIT to go the mall, get into New York City or gather at a loved one’s home without the hassle of driving.’’
For complete schedule and fare information, customers may visit njtransit.com and click on the Holiday Early Getaway Service marquee or call 973-275-5555.
A new, key feature to aid customers this holiday season is “The Commuter Tool Kit – The Tools You Need for a Better Travel Experience,’’ a colorful campaign designed for both the everyday commuter and visitor travelling on NJ TRANSIT’s rail, bus, light rail and Access Link systems. Several features such as the mobile app, trip planner, ticket purchase options, travel information and travel savings are highlighted in the campaign. The brochure is printed in both English and Spanish.
The Commuter Tool Kit is available in brochure form and on the NJ TRANSIT website, in digital displays and delivered through the agency’s social media channels.
Customers can also take advantage of other ways to save money. NJ TRANSIT works with promotional partners throughout the year to offer discounts to many entertainment venues. Customers can go to njtransit.com/deals for special offers on show tickets, admission costs and travel this holiday season.
On Tuesday, December 27, Wednesday, December 28, Thursday, December 29 and Friday, December 30, the trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule with certain morning peak period trains cancelled and additional mid-to-late morning service on each line. Rail customers are encouraged to visit njtransit.com for details and travel before 9 a.m. on these days, if possible, when ridership is lighter. Buses and light rail lines will operate on a weekday schedule. Select PABT bus routes will have more frequent service operating inbound to PABT on some lines during the late morning hours and outbound from PABT during the early and late evening hours. Consult a timetable or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for details.
On New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31, trains will operate on a weekend schedule. In the evening, there will be extra train service to New York. Special printable schedules that cover the period from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s morning are available at njtransit.com.
Buses will operate on a Saturday schedule with extra early evening service inbound and extra outbound from PABT after midnight on select routes. Customers are advised to consult a timetable or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for more details.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Newark Light Rail and River LINE will operate on a Saturday schedule. River LINE and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will both operate some additional trips on a ‘load and go’ capacity after the fireworks displays during the early hours of January 1.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No open containers of alcohol will be permitted on board trains, buses or light rail vehicles or in any NJ TRANSIT facility on New Year’s Eve and after midnight on New Year’s Day. This policy will be strictly enforced.
After midnight (early January 1), additional late-night trains will operate on most rail lines with one-seat ride service available on certain Raritan Valley Line and North Jersey Coast Line trains. Some trains that normally depart New York/Hoboken/Newark between midnight and 1 a.m. are cancelled and will be replaced with later trains. Customers should visit njtransit.com for details, including special printable schedules that cover the period from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s morning. Expanded bus service will be provided from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) until approximately 2 a.m. Some routes will be departing from alternate areas within the PABT. Visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for specific schedule details and departure gate assignments.
On New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1, after 5 a.m., trains will operate on a weekend schedule. In addition, Meadowlands service will operate for the Jets vs. Bills game. Customers should visit njtransit.com for more details. River LINE will operate on a Sunday schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Buses will operate on a Sunday schedule. Customers are advised to visit njtransit.com for details.
On Monday, January 2 (observed), trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines with additional morning and evening peak trains on most lines. Customers should visit njtransit.com for details. Most bus routes will operate on a Saturday schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. River LINE will operate on a Sunday schedule. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Consult njtransit.com for additional details.
Travel tips
Check Schedules in Advance: Plan your trip online to take advantage of extra trains and buses.
Travel Early: On December 27-30, NJ TRANSIT rail lines will operate on a modified weekday schedule. Avoid the crowds by traveling during the traditional peak-period (6-9 a.m.) when ridership is light.
Allow Extra Travel Time: Traffic congestion during the holidays may affect bus travel times to and from New York City, so customers should plan accordingly.
Ticketing: Purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip to speed your return and use the NJ TRANSIT mobile app, which is available for free download on any web-enabled iOS or Android device, to make the purchase even easier. To make a purchase, customers simply install the app and then create an account, which will securely save a customer’s profile information and purchase history for ease of use. Customers can also use ticket vending machines or see a ticket agent, if available, to avoid possible surcharges. Reminder: Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal must purchase tickets before boarding.
Luggage: Travel as light as possible. Passengers with luggage or packages should use the overhead racks or designated luggage spaces. On multilevel trains, customers with large bags should use the mezzanine levels at the ends of each car.
Could your high-tech gadgets send you to jail?
The Amazon Echo hands-free voice-activated speaker could figure in an Arkansas murder investigation — and remind people that their internet-connected gadgets constantly collect information about their private lives. TNS .
BY SCOTT CANON
scanon@kcstar.com
Feel like no one ever really listens to you?
Your gadgets do. That may not always be a good thing.
Most recently, an Arkansas death investigation highlighted how the magic of Amazon’s Echo device — its ability to act on your voice commands — means it might have overheard conversations critical to a murder investigation.
That case could ultimately lasso Amazon’s cloud of remote computer storage into court fights. The results hold implications for the many ways technology’s romp toward ubiquity poses a growing threat to privacy.
It also acts as a reminder that buying a so-called smart speaker such as the Echo — or its chief competitor, Google Home — is like plugging Big Brother into your living room.
Those computerized sound systems are just the latest listeners to the party.
Your smartphone already mines mountains of personalized data (note how many apps seek access to your contacts, location, camera and microphone). The resulting cache of information creates a defining dilemma of the Digital Age.
The more bits about your life you share with your gadgets, the better help you’ll get from Siri, from your Fitbit, from your Google searches.
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/technology/article123652339.html#storylink=cpy
Blue lives under fire: Deadly ambushes of police officers at two-decade high
file photo by Boyd Loving
By Andrea Noble – The Washington Times – Updated: 2:28 p.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2016
The number of ambush-style killings of police officers in the U.S. reached a two-decade high this year, pushing law enforcement fatalities to their highest rate in five years, with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, according to a year-end report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Shootings were the number one cause of death for law enforcement in 2016, claiming the lives of 64 officers — including eight gunned down in two ambush attacks in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in July. The report notes 21 of the officers were shot and killed in ambush-style attacks.
Firearms-related deaths were up 56 percent over the 41 officers killed by gunfire in 2015, but are still far below the all-time high of 156 officers killed by gunfire in 1973.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/29/deadly-police-ambushes-two-decade-high-report/
Driver Hits Tree ,then transported to a local hospital
photo courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook
December 30,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, Paramus PD and EMS responded to a car vs. tree motor vehicle accident at the intersection of East Midland Avenue and Roedel Place on Thursday morning, 12/29. The injured driver was transported by a Paramus EMS ambulance to a local hospital. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Paramus EMTs with the transport. The wrecked vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck.
Sentencing delayed for ex-Assemblyman guilty in fraud case
Updated: DECEMBER 28, 2016 — 3:38 AM EST
by The Associated Press
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) – The sentencing of a former New Jersey lawmaker who admitted to stealing more than $5.3 million from creditors for a business venture has been delayed until mid-January.
NJ.com reports (https://bit.ly/2icVBZ6 ) the sentencing of former Assemblyman Robert Schroeder was initially set for Dec. 22, but state prosecutors confirmed Tuesday that it’s been rescheduled for Jan. 13.
N.J. Legislature tightens rules for Uber, Lyft
Updated: DECEMBER 29, 2016 — 1:08 AM EST
by Andrew Seidman, TRENTON BUREAU @AndrewSeidman
Ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft have been operating in New Jersey for years, but the state doesn’t regulate how they contract with drivers, insure, or provide other protections to consumers.
That could change soon, pending Gov. Christie’s approval.
During a marathon session before the holidays, the Democratic-controlled Legislature voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill that specifies how much insurance ride-hailing companies must maintain, and establishes requirements for conducting background checks on drivers.
So-called transportation network companies would be prohibited from discriminating against riders based on their destination, race, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity, among other things.
Recycling Changes Send Ridgewood Residents into a Frenzy
December 30,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, the recent changes in Village recycling procedures took residents by surprise, Concern centers compliance and enforcement, questioning will the Village be “issuing a summons. Same as leaf collection rules. You issue summons and then people know not to do it again.”
And what about No Deli Containers?
“No DELI CONTAINERS?? Is this for real? They have the recycle symbol. What are we supposed to do with all those clean clear deli plastic containers and lids that potato salad, macaroni salad, chicken salad, crunchy vegetable salad, etc. came in ? Are they to go in with regular household garbage to the landfill – thought that was illegal !!!”
Newspaper vs shiny paper
“Styrofoam, window glass, and other items listed here have never been accepted. This is not an entirely new list. If we can’t rely on the markings on the bottom of a container to know whether to recycle it or not, how is the average person supposed to get it right? And do the plastic boxes now go in the garbage? Or does curbside recycling have different rules from taking things to the recycling center, like the difference between having and not having to separate newspaper from shiny paper (recycling center yes, curbside not any more)?”
