Just rec’d an email with convoluted parking instructions for various locations throughout town; spaces marked by special symbols for various uses – shoppers, commuters, employees…. Do they really expect us to remember all of these rules and symbols? I’m sure it looks like a perfect solution for the bureaucrat that designed it but to us regular folks it’s ridiculous and too complicated to be effective. We should have built the garage and voters only have themselves to blame. I went into town the other night at 4:30 for the first time probably all year, had to drive around half a dozen times to find a parking space, traffic was backed up, cars double parked, it was a mess. It will be another year before I return.
This pedestrian vs. motorist argument is tiresome
Really?
Sounds like someone so used to not taking personal responsibility they don’t even realize when this attitude puts their life in physical danger.
All of the “technology” and supports are useless… what about those orange flags… they were hailed as a cure… now all I see are dirty empty plastic eyesores (boxes) nailed to telephone poles at crosswalks.
At the end of the day it is up to the pedestrian to keep himself safe, but you can try to “fix” this via laws and crutches, but you will ultimately fail.
I will agree with the OP, however… the drivers are also at fault (and no one said they are deliberately targeting pedestrians – get off the ledge there) … unfortunately for the pedestrians the drivers will fell bad after an accident, but the pedestrian will just “feel” dead…
We cannot expect all pedestrians to wear bright clothing… however those who want to live will voluntarily wear it if they venture into a dangerous situation… just look to cyclists… they make themselves visible.
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Life is risks… It is up to the individual to assess how much risk they wish to take and take as many precautions as they see fit.
The questions still remains who gave the Mayor the false information which lead the Mayor to make her statement. Will the person or persons be revealed by the Mayor at the next public meeting? Will this person if an employee be disciplined for lying to the Mayor and the public? If not and employee will this committed member be removed? How much did these studies cost and who authorized the payment. Well this information be reveled at a public meeting or will citizens have to opera this information. Who the hell is running this town?
Late on Friday, with the US population embracing the upcoming holidays and oblivious of most news emerging from the administration, Obama quietly signed into law the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which authorizes $611 billion for the military in 2017.
In a statement, Obama said that:
Today, I have signed into law S. 2943, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.” This Act authorizes fiscal year 2017 appropriations principally for the Department of Defense and for Department of Energy national security programs, provides vital benefits for military personnel and their families, and includes authorities to facilitate ongoing operations around the globe. It continues many critical authorizations necessary to ensure that we are able to sustain our momentum in countering the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and to reassure our European allies, as well as many new authorizations that, among other things, provide the Departments of Defense and Energy more flexibility in countering cyber-attacks and our adversaries’ use of unmanned aerial vehicles.”
Much of the balance of Obama’s statement blamed the GOP for Guantanamo’s continued operation and warned that “unless the Congress changes course, it will be judged harshly by history,” Obama said. Obama also said Congress failed to use the bill to reduce wasteful overhead (like perhaps massive F-35 cost overruns?) or modernize military health care, which he said would exacerbate budget pressures facing the military in the years ahead.
Virtual Reality Allows the Most Detailed, Intimate Digital Surveillance Yet
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was on stage wearing a virtual reality headset, feigning surprise at an expressive cartoon simulacrum that seemed to perfectly follow his every gesture.
The audience laughed. Zuckerberg was in the middle of what he described as the first live demo inside VR, manipulating his digital avatar to show off the new social features of the Rift headset from Facebook subsidiary Oculus. The venue was an Oculus developer conference convened earlier this fall in San Jose. Moments later, Zuckerberg and two Oculus employees were transported to his glass-enclosed office at Facebook, and then to his infamously sequestered home in Palo Alto. Using the Rift and its newly revealed Touch hand controllers, their avatars gestured and emoted in real time, waving to Zuckerberg’s Puli sheepdog, dynamically changing facial expressions to match their owner’s voice, and taking photos with a virtual selfie stick — to post on Facebook, of course.
Ridgewood NJ, Earlier this month, the Breakers Swim Team competed at the Nassau County Aquatic Center with great results. Leading the way were Justin Song (500 Free and 200 Fly) and Ali Kolenovic (200 Back), each achieving new Y National qualifying times, and Jessica Chau with a new team record in the 15-18 Girls 200 IM.
The Breakers also had several high point winners: Nichole Koltsov placed 3rd in the 10 & Under Girls, Jack Casavant placed 3rd in the 11 & 12 Boys, James Don placed 1st and Steven Cheng placed 3rd in the 13 & 14 Boys, and Jessica Chau placed 3rd in the 15-18 Girls.
Finally, our age groups did a great job by scoring among the top 3 in their respective age groups: Boys 10 & Under (3rd place), Boys 11 & 12 (3rd place), 13 & 14 Boys (1st place), 15 & Up Girls (3rd place) and 15 & Up Boys (3rd place)
Ridgewood NJ, Representatives from the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association recently accompanied Santa Claus to The Valley Hospital Pediatric Unit and Pediatric Emergency Room to give holiday gifts to hospitalized children. Pictured here are (standing back row, from left to right): Aleyamma Varghese, R.N., Bergenfield; Heather Evers, APN, Ocean Grove; Chief Frank Regino, Westwood; Lori Check, Fair Lawn; Chief Daniel Maye, Bogota; Christine Trent, Kinnelon; Chief William Skidmore, Edgewater; Retired Chief Fred Stahman, Glen Rock; Janine Cook, Saddle Brook; Tom Hauck, FBI; and Chief Michael Cioffi, Englewood Cliffs. Front row (from left to right): Nadine Morton, Waldwick; Santa; and Kristin Harmon, R.N.
Yesterday in 1776, General George Washington makes a harrowing trip across the Delaware River, in the dead of night!
You’ll remember from previous posts that Washington and his army had just endured a series of crushing defeats: The British had won important battles in New York and had chased the Americans across New Jersey. Early in December, a defeated American army had narrowly escaped across the Delaware River. The river provided a barrier from further British attacks, at least for the moment, because Washington had ensured the destruction of every boat for miles around.
It was then that British General William Howe made a decision with serious ramifications for the British war effort. The weather had become much worse, and Howe decided to retire to winter quarters in New York City. He left behind a series of outposts in New Jersey to protect the ground that he’d won.
Washington did not realize that Howe was gone (or he may have thought that it was all a trick). He had roughly 6,000 men fit for duty, but many of those enlistments would end on New Year’s Day. He needed to recruit new soldiers or inspire the old ones to stay. The year had gone badly, and he needed to end it on a high note. On Christmas Eve, he met with his officers, and they finalized the details of a surprise attack. The army would go back across the Delaware in three different locations. The men would march to Trenton during the early morning hours, and they would attack before sunrise.
Washington’s army began its crossing on Christmas night. One of the American officers, Henry Knox, later described the “almost infinite difficulty” created by the icy conditions in the Delaware River. Making matters worse, a northeaster sprang up during the night. The bad news was that it made the crossing more difficult; the good news was that it covered up any noise created by the Americans.
Amazingly, the army managed to cross—even getting horses and cannon across the river. Yet the conditions were so difficult that the army completed its crossing 3 hours later than planned. Washington knew that the element of surprise might be difficult to achieve if his troops arrived after sunrise, but he determined to push on anyway. They had come too far to turn back now.
Washington could not know that the officers in charge of the other two crossings along the Delaware had called off their own troops, deeming the crossing too difficult. Washington’s planned three-pronged attack was down to only one.
The army pushed on relentlessly, through snow and ice. Knox would later write that the march was made “with the most profound silence.” Another lieutenant later wrote that Washington rode among the men, repeatedly telling them: “For God’s sake keep with your officers.” The weather was so severe that two men literally froze to death during the course of the night.
The army reached its destination, outside Trenton, at about 8 a.m. on December 26, three hours later than planned and one full hour after sunrise. Could the element of surprise be maintained?
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Ho Ho Kus NJ, Train traffic on NJ Transit’s Main and Bergen Lines was halted in both directions through Ho-Ho-Kus on Sunday evening, 12/25 after the adult female driver of a 4-door Acura sedan became disoriented and drove her vehicle onto the tracks just north of the Ho-Ho-Kus train station platform. The vehicle was removed from the tracks by a flatbed tow truck. There was no damage to the tracks and following removal, the vehicle was able to be driven away on its own power. Ho-Ho-Kus PD, Ridgewood PD, and NJ Transit PD officers responded to the incident.
Ridgewood NJ, A pedestrian was struck and seriously injured at the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue and Oak Street, Ridgewood on Sunday evening, 12/25. The victim was transported by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance to a local trauma center. Ridgewood PD, FD, and EMS members, along with a paramedic team from St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, all responded to aid the victim. The adult female driver of the vehicle involved stayed at the scene and was cooperating with police officers. The vehicle, a 4-door Volkswagen, had visible damage on the front left fender and bumper, and the front windshield was shattered. It was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Police at the scene would not say if the victim was in a crosswalk when hit, nor whether any summonses were issued in connection with the incident.
Ridgewood NJ, A rollover crash on Lincoln Avenue near Godwin Avenue in Ridgewood on Saturday afternoon, 12/24, resulted in personnel from Ridgewood PD, FD, and EMS being dispatched to the crash location. The adult male driver of a Ford Explorer was trapped in his vehicle until he was freed by Ridgewood FD personnel, and then transported by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance to a hospital for treatment of a hand injury. The flipped vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Glen Rock PD units provided traffic control during the incident. The driver apparently lost control of his vehicle, which mounted a curb, and then rolled over after hitting a utility pole guy wire.
French woman Lilly is in a relationship with a robot she 3D-printed herself She and the robot have been living together for a year and are now ‘engaged’ Lilly describes herself as a ‘proud robosexual’ and says they will marry
By Khaleda Rahman For Daily Mail Australia
A French woman has revealed she is in love with a robot and determined to marry it.
Lilly’s partner is a robot called InMoovator, who she 3D-printed herself and has been living with for a year.
On her Twitter page, where she goes by ‘Lilly InMoovator,’ she says: ‘I’m a proud robosexual, we don’t hurt anybody, we are just happy.’
Now, Lilly is reportedly engaged to the robot and says they will marry when human-robot marriage is legalised in France.
Ancient cave art in the Egyptian Sahara desert depicts two parents, a baby and a star in the east.
Marco Morelli
Italian researchers have discovered what might be the oldest nativity scene ever found — 5,000-year-old rock art that depicts a star in the east, a newborn between parents and two animals.
The scene, painted in reddish-brown ochre, was found on the ceiling of a small cavity in the Egyptian Sahara desert, during an expedition to sites between the Nile valley and the Gilf Kebir Plateau.
“It’s a very evocative scene which indeed resembles the Christmas nativity. But it predates it by some 3,000 years,” geologist Marco Morelli, director of the Museum of Planetary Sciences in Prato, near Florence, Italy, told Seeker.
Morelli found the cave drawing in 2005, but only now his team has decided to reveal the amazing find.
“The discovery has several implications as it raises new questions on the iconography of one of the more powerful Christian symbols,” Morelli said.
Ridgewood NJ, Hanukkah begins tonight on Christmas eve. The Jewish winter holiday, which is also spelled Chanukah, begins this year on Dec. 24 and lasts eight days until Jan. 1, 2017. It is celebrated, in part, by the lighting of a menorah each night. Doing so represents the eight nights a small supply of oil miraculously lasted for a small group of Jewish people in 165 B.C. fighting to defeat the Greek army.
Hanukkah, the annual Jewish Festival of Lights, overlaps with Christmas this year for the first time since 1978 and won’t take place again until 2027
Celebrants also often mark the occasion by eating fried foods like latkes, playing children’s games, including the dreidel, and exchanging gifts.
They operate in the middle of the day, when many residents are at work and the delivery vans are making their rounds.
They tend to follow FedEx, UPS and U.S. mail workers down streets, on the lookout for packages they can nab. Some even dress in uniforms to avoid suspicion.
As Internet retailers make big gains against shopping malls this holiday season, “porch pirates” have been out in force stealing their piece of the pie.
Customers are increasingly using Amazon, EBay and other retailers to buy goods they previously purchased in stores — especially around Christmas, when UPS delivers more than 30 million packages per day in the week before the holiday.
