If the U.S. abdicates internet stewardship, the United Nations might take control.
By L. GORDON CROVITZ
Aug. 28, 2016 5:52 p.m. ET
When the Obama administration announced its plan to give up U.S. protection of the internet, it promised the United Nations would never take control. But because of the administration’s naiveté or arrogance, U.N. control is the likely result if the U.S. gives up internet stewardship as planned at midnight on Sept. 30.
On Friday Americans for Limited Government received a response to its Freedom of Information Act request for “all records relating to legal and policy analysis . . . concerning antitrust issues for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers” if the U.S. gives up oversight. The administration replied it had “conducted a thorough search for responsive records within its possession and control and found no records responsive to your request.”
It’s shocking the administration admits it has no plan for how Icann retains its antitrust exemption. The reason Icann can operate the entire World Wide Web root zone is that it has the status of a legal monopolist, stemming from its contract with the Commerce Department that makes Icann an “instrumentality” of government.
Atlantic City NJ, with a state takeover in the air Atlantic City has had its share of bad fortunes lately and this November, when voters in A.C. head to the polls, they’ll not only decide whether to gamble on the state-wide casino gaming referendum but also vote on a pair of city-specific school choice ballot questions.
RESOLUTION TO PLACE NON-BINDING REFERENDUM QUESTIONS REGARDING SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND TAX CREDITS WHEREAS,
The City Council of Atlantic City is empowered with the authority to submit nonbinding referendum questions to the public in order to ascertain the sentiment of legal voters; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Atlantic City hereby submits the following questions to be printed upon the official ballots to be used at the next ensuing General Election as follows: “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City to begin offering vouchers to families with children ages 6-16 so they can select the school they want their children to attend?” “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City of Atlantic City to begin offering property tax credits to families with children ages 6-16 who choose to home school?”
The non binding Atlantic City school resolution was passed unanimously by the Democrat controlled governing body . The resolution is the creation of home schooled freshman GOP Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who is also a teachers union (NJEA) member .
Amazingly if the proposal is enacted, Atlantic City would become the first municipality in New Jersey to provide school vouchers. There is currently no law in New Jersey that would allow the city to give out vouchers to parents.
Kutz told the Atlantic City Impact a local paper ,”The vouchers would be redeemable at both private and public schools, pending space, and could save the city money if more students choose to attend private schools, Kurtz said. Students leaving the Atlantic City School District for private schools would reduce the district’s budget, therefore lowering the city’s budget as council tries to stave off a state takeover”
According to their website the Atlantic City teachers union the Atlantic City Education Association
(ACEA) clearly sees school choice as a threat ,and assures its members it “is vigorously fighting against these proposals.”
The Urban Institute a Washington DC think tank takes a different tact , “Evidence indicates that school choice programs can improve the educational and life outcomes of low-income students, but not all programs are equally effective. Charter schools such as KIPP and the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy have large positive effects on the academic achievement of their (mostly disadvantaged) students.”
The Institute goes on to say , “School choice policy, like most education policy, is largely made at the state and local levels. But the federal government could allow states to enact funding systems where federal, state, and local dollars follow students to the public schools of their choice”.
Atlantic City’s gamble on the future of educational opportunities now rests on residents taking the first step and showing up on election day and making the choice for choice . Success of Atlantic City’s school choice and voucher initiative will be determined by parents , students and local administrators who can then craft educational policy that works best for the students of Atlantic City.
Ridgewood NJ , September is an exciting month at Bookends in Ridgewood .
Tennis Great Rod Laver Tuesday, September 6th @ 7:00pm Tennis Champion, Rob Laver will sign his new book: Rob Laver: An Authobography
Jesse Ventura Thursday, September 8th @ 7:00pm Former Governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura, will sign his new book: Jesse Ventura’s Marijuana Manifesto
Dr. Terry Dubrow & Heather Dubrow Friday, September 9th @ 7:00pm From Botched and Star on The Real Housewives of Orange County will sign their new book: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need to the Best Anti-Aging Treatments
Abby Wambach Thursday, September 15th @ 6:00pm 2 X Olympic Gold Medalitst, Abby Wambach, will be signing her new book: FORWARD
Jamie Lee Curtis Monday, September 19th @ 7:00pm #1 New York Times Bestselling Author & Actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, will sign her new book: This is Me
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change. First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply. 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 ensure 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
Donald Trump is not the only voice sounding the alarm over conflicts of interest surroundingHillary Clinton’s namesake nonprofit.
Government watchdog groups — all of them champions of heightened transparency, campaign finance reform and other Democratic priorities — are also warning of potentially “very serious” conflicts of interest if the Clinton Foundation continues as business as usual with Clinton in the White House.
The transparency advocates are not calling for the foundation to shut its doors, as Trump has done from the campaign trail. But they are urging the adoption of tough new firewalls to eliminate any perception that Clinton Foundation donors could use their wallets to gain undue access to a Hillary Clinton White House.
“The Clinton Foundation has posed a very serious conflict of interest for the entire time that it’s existed,” Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist at Public Citizen, said Thursday. “The conflicts of interest are very real, and that gives Trump some ammunition to throw at it, and we’re going to hear about it [until the campaign ends].”
Holman said Clinton’s recent vow to bar all foreign and corporate donations to the Clinton Foundation if she wins the presidency is “a big, big step in the right direction.” But, he quickly added, that alone is not enough to eliminate the “pay to play” perceptions now dogging the Clinton campaign following revelations that top State Department aides acted on the foundation’s behalf when Clinton headed the agency.
By Caitlyn Stulpin | For NJ.com
on August 27, 2016 at 8:10 AM, updated August 27, 2016 at 9:39 AM
WOODBURY — Downtown Woodbury is better than its been in years, local leaders say, thanks to the efforts of 40 new business owners.
The city has seen several setbacks in recent years, including the loss of grocer Bottom Dollar, Prya Art Gallery and King of Steaks.
The biggest blow came with the announcement that Inspira Health Network will close its Woodbury hospital in a few years and open a new one in Harrison Township. Inspira will keep a presence at the former Underwood Memorial Hospital site, where 500 jobs will remain. The hospital currently employs 1,600.
These teachers supported Obamacare and now they want taxpayers to pay for more of the annual “platinum” health benefit premiums? Maybe the teachers should read today’s WSJ article looking at growth in middle-class families’ share of overall healthcare spending, which is growing larger, and squeezing households already feeling stretched financially. The article notes that by 2014, middle-income households’ healthcare spend was 25% higher than what they were spending before the recession, with these households cutting back sharply on more discretionary categories such as dining out and clothing. It adds that rising out-of-pocket costs combined with slow economic growth and years of tepid wage growth in the private sector pose risks for an economy in which consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of overall output. So why do the teachers expect that taxpayers in Ridgewood will just forever subsidizing more of their health benefits, which are already better than the deal in the private sector?
RIDGEWOOD — The failure of a state-appointed super-conciliator to resolve a 19-month-long labor dispute between the Board of Education and district teachers union has left local officials and union heads considering their next move.
Disagreements over several issues — including salaries, proposed changes in the union insurance plan and how much the Ridgewood Education Association’s 547 members should contribute toward their health insurance premiums — have contributed to a breakdown in the negotiations, which began five months before the last contract expired on June 30, 2015.
Ridgewood NJ, Several readers continue to claim the “Majority” of residents are against all development. Its nice to see that Ridgewood residents have now graduated to a “Majority” from gadfly, loud mouth ,minority status.
Reader says , “I think it is time to look around at all the empty stores in Ridgewood and realize there is a need to revamp the CBD. Soon all the shops will move to malls and replaced by housing; think…..is that what you want? Someone, most likely a shop keeper , is going to come up with ideas to improve the town, what is the problem. Make your own suggestions, welcome those of other residents, and have a discussion rather than complain. Get real people you are losing your central business district!”
Shops moved to malls in the 1970’s , and shopping has moved online since 1994 when Al Gore discovered the internet .
If you are worried about empty stores talk to the landlords not tax payers. The simple fact is that tax payers are not responsible for a companies business plans. What I would suggest is that in this day and age stores need to make themselves destination businesses ie like Bookends and The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood & Davidoff Lounge . Retailers also need to build an online presence , websites, social media , press releases and they need to tell their story ; think why would I want to go here when I have to pay for parking? This is one of the reasons there are so many great restaurants in Ridgewood ,chefs have great stories to tell.
My biggest suggestion for Ridgewood merchants is to be open more hours. No one is home by 5pm. I can not tell you how many businesses have opened and closed that I have never seen open. The fact is most people who can afford to live in Ridgewood need to work a lot or hours , anywhere from 65 -80 hours per week and odd hours early am to late pm. So merchants need to develop strategies ,be it home or Train station delivery or open by appointment what ever it takes that is the new reality.
Destroying Van Nest Square will do nothing to help business and will most likely hurt business as much or more than the so called “traffic easing” ,that now backs traffic up into Midland Park. Making access to the almost CBD impossible from the West side of Town .
Another reader says, “James, you’re ignoring the facts. What is worth preserving of the old car dealers, old Town Garage and its toxic site, etc? What about all the empty shops and gold pawn shops? Why is this worth preserving? The majority rule wants to keep the status quo… which clearly isn’t working.”
First I was only posting comments and turning them into posts , so how exactly is destroying Van Nest square going to get rid of old car dealers,a toxic site, gold pawn shops and empty stores ? This maybe your problem you keep wanting to fix things that are not broken yet you ignore all the things that need fixing ? The solutions have to fit the problems. If the Village wants to clean up a toxic site it needs to take the steps to clean it up, not build a parking lot.
Now in New York City developers who wish to build non-conforming structures can often make a deal with the city by adding to public spaces, fixing subways or adding and maintaining new plantings. In New Jersey we socialize the investment ie taxpayer funded yet we capitalize the profits. So taxpayers pay and developers make the money. Another words Ridgewood taxpayers build a parking garage so developers can reduce the amount of parking they offer and save money. and thus the continued rejection of a parking garage.
Now what you should be asking yourself is how could a bureaucratic organization like NJT fix the train trestle, raise the tracks , and renovate the train station while preserving and improving its historic nature in a relatively short amount of time. How could New Jersey Transit do all that yet Valley Hospital , a handful of developers, and a cadre of council members could not get anything done at all what so ever. NJT was willing to work with the town ,meet objections compromise and get the job done.
TRAFFIC ALERT – MILLING AND PAVING ON VILLAGE ROADS
August 28,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In preparation for road paving, on Monday, August 29th milling and paving will begin on Kenilworth Road, Linwood Avenue (between Oak and Maple) and Robinson Lane (between Walnut and Cottage ). This work could take several days.
Please allow time for potential delays in traveling on or near these roads.
State insurance officials say they are feeling pressure to approve large ObamaCare premium increases to prevent more insurers losing money from dropping out of the market altogether.
Tennessee’s insurance commissioner, Julie Mix McPeak, this week announced the approval of premium hikes of 62 percent, 46 percent and 44 percent, respectively, for the three insurers on the state’s marketplace.
She said her department’s actuaries had found the rate increases to be justified.
“I didn’t feel like I had any choice but to approve those rates when it came back to be actuarially justified,” she said.
Tennessee is unlikely to be alone in authorizing premium hikes, either. In Maryland, officials are expecting a hike.
“There are going to be significant increases in the individual market,” said Al Redmer, the insurance commissioner in Maryland, where the rates are still being reviewed.
It is unclear how many other states may allow large premium hikes.
An early estimate from ObamaCare analyst Charles Gaba finds that for nine states the average approved premium increase for next year is 27.6 percent.
Hillary Clinton made sweeping promises about transparency at her family’s foundation before she was confirmed in 2009 as President Obama’s secretary of State.
At the time, Clinton was under pressure from senators in both parties and even the White House to agree to be transparent given the potential for ethical concerns with the Clinton Foundation, which has accepted donations or entered into charitable partnerships with foreign and corporate interests.
During her confirmation hearing, the Clinton Foundation was mentioned 62 times as senators worried that foreign governments could use donations to the foundation to curry favor with the Clinton State Department.
Clinton said at the hearing that “all contributors will be disclosed,” and pointed to a memorandum of understanding co-signed in December 2008 between the foundation and the transition team of then president-elect Barack Obama that pledged unprecedented transparency into her family’s sprawling organization.
Some of Clinton’s transparency promises ended up not being kept.
The failures were sometimes complicated – in one example a foreign country’s laws hampered the foundation’s ability to reveal names of donors. Nonetheless, these controversies are now returning to haunt Clinton as November’s election draws near.
Here are seven ways in which the foundation fell short on its transparency pledges.
Ridgewood NJ, Following the success of last year’s reorganization and consolidation of services within the Port Authority Bus Terminal, NJ TRANSIT is again partnering with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for Phase Two of improvements to the quality of commute.
Beginning September 3rd, 2016, NJ TRANSIT will have access to an increased number of gates during weekday PM peak hours. To take advantage of the opportunity to further enhance service reliability, reduce congestion on platforms, and improve the overall customer experience, 12 bus routes will have new departure gate assignments, primarily during the afternoon peak. These adjustments will further improve on-time performance and reduce customer queues and wait times within the terminal, especially for weekday PM peak hour departures.
“Since beginning this process last fall of rethinking how we operate at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, we’ve heard a tremendous amount of positive feedback,” said interim NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Dennis Martin. “The bottom line for our customers is that they want a safe, convenient and efficient experience through the terminal. By thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo, I think we are continuing to set the bar higher of what can be achieved with the available resources.”
Like last fall, NJ TRANSIT will have customer service ambassadors at the Port Authority Bus Terminal the weeks of August 29th and September 6thinforming customers of the new departure locations. Ambassadors will be handing out informational flyers detailing the gate changes. Customers on the 12 affected bus routes are urged to familiarize themselves with the new departure location prior to September 3rd. For more information customers can also visit njtransit.com or call NJ TRANSIT Customer Service at (973) 275-5555 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT has announced its support of a joint letter released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) urging safe behaviors in or near railroad tracks, stations and rail yard facilities in light of the popular Pokemon Go game.
Last week, the national railroad organizations sent the letter to John Hanke, chief executive officer for Niantic Labs, Inc., the maker of Pokemon Go. In it, they recommend that the Niantic Labs team consider ways to promote safety, particularly by avoiding the placement of Pokemon and virtual points of interest in the game on or near railroad tracks.
“The public needs to be aware that NJ TRANSIT is an active system, with buses, trains and light rail vehicles moving constantly,’’ said Interim Executive Director Dennis Martin. “With a 24-7 transportation operation, a distracted pedestrian could unintentionally find themselves in harm’s way.’’
There have been no instances of anyone being injured on or near the NJ TRANSIT system as a result of playing this game, but NJ TRANSIT urges all game players to use extreme caution. NJ TRANSIT has been involved in an active campaign to increase the public’s awareness of potential risks while playing on or near the system. Social media tweets urging players to not get lured into danger and an increased safety campaign, such as posters reminding the public to “look up from their phones’’ were put into place soon after the game’s release earlier this summer.
“Safety is the No. 1 priority here at NJ TRANSIT for our customers and personnel,’’ said NJ TRANSIT”s Chief, Office of System Safety Gardner Tabon. “If you are going to play Pokemon Go, we want you to catch them all, but do so safely when around trains and buses.’’
Ridgewood NJ, According to Rep Scott Garrett (NJ CD5) ,”Washington just can’t stop spending your money”. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report this week that confirms our national debt is spiraling out of control even faster than previously thought. This new projection paints a bleak picture of the United States’ finances as the CBO estimates that deficits will grow for the next ten years, starting with an additional $56 billion in 2016 alone.
Rep. Scott Garrett lays the blame for slow economic growth and slipping standards of living that are hurting the middle class on deficits, “Lack of economic growth and ever-growing deficits are yet more indications that Washington-first policies are not working. Every year the government spends more money than it takes in, adding more money to our national debt and increasing the threat of a fiscal crisis. We already feel the effects of a sputtering economy in towns across New Jersey’s Fifth District as families struggle to get ahead and create a better life.”
Democrats argue that we need tax increases to balance the budget. In reality, hardworking Americans shouldn’t shell out another penny while Washington continues to spend with no regard for the future of our country. Garrett reminds us ,”The problem isn’t that Americans don’t send enough money to Washington; the problem is Washington spends too much. ”
Garret goes on , “I support balancing the budget like every family has to. To start paying down the debt, we need to cut wasteful spending and hold the government accountable. As a senior member of the House Budget Committee, one of my biggest priorities in Congress is making sure the government lives within its means. My amendment to the Republican Budget calling for sensible spending reforms was the only amendment to gain the support of the full Budget Committee.”
Rep. Garrett summarized , “Spending more money than we have is dangerously short-sighted and continues to stifle the economic future of our country. I will continue fighting to rein-in Washington’s out-of-control spending so our children and grandchildren can have an opportunity to achieve their own American Dream.”
Ridgewood NJ, a reader reminds us that sprinkler controls can be reset as of midnight next Wednesday (or just after your last “sprinkle” occurs before then): “Stage I will be in effect each year starting on June 1st and will continue through August 31st.”
The September 1 square on this year’s village calendar states that restrictions end that day. (This year’s calendar omitted a start date altogether after getting it wrong for at least a couple of years, stating that it was May 1. “Janet Fricke IS the village calendar.” –R. Sonenfeld at a recent council meeting. Maybe not something to be proud of?)
The reader goes on to say , “Water Dept or Village Manager could conceivably extend the end date, but if so, I believe it would be for the first time in history.”
