Two decades in officiating have taught Dean Blandino to expect and accept criticism, a staple baked into the profession. Now the NFL’s vice president of officiating, Blandino understands the implicit pact referees make, that even perfection likely will enrage half the participants. He still has not seen anything like the siege NFL officials find themselves under this season.
“I’m not really too worried about getting fined: I thought those refs” stunk, San Francisco offensive lineman Alex Boone declared after the 49ers lost this Sunday to the Cardinals. New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski tweeted his agreement with a reporter who opined officials had targeted Gronkowski for pass interference calls. Screenshots and Vines of missed calls circulate on social media every Monday morning, talking points as much as highlight catches and breakaway runs. Recently, a former NFL head coach called Blandino to tell him, “Hang in there.”
“It’s just indicative of how much interest there is in the NFL, and ultimately that’s a good thing,” Blandino said Wednesday in a phone interview. “I think a lot of it has to do with a couple mistakes in some high-profile games, and we certainly own those and we want to correct those. I think that has led to more intense scrutiny than ever before.”
Obama’s Attorney General stands with advocates for terrorists in support of censoring criticism of Islam
December 4, 2015
Daniel Greenfield
While in San Bernardino children wept for fathers who would never come home after the latest Muslim terror attack, Attorney General Loretta Lynch put on some chic clothes to gab with Muslim Advocates, a Muslim group that had become notorious for its aggressive obstruction of Justice Department investigations into Muslim terrorism.
Muslim Advocates, headed by Farhana Khera, who peppered a smiling Lynch with questions about “anti-Muslim rhetoric”, had played a significant role in crippling DOJ investigations of Islamic terrorism by eliminating training materials about Islamic terrorism.
Khera had vocally opposed the sorts of sting operations that had succeeded in capturing a number of ISIS terror plotters before they were able to act. A similar sting might have stopped the San Bernardino massacre. She had opposed the FBI recruiting informants and supported Muslim leaders linked to terrorism. She had even defended terror charities like the Holy Land Foundation.
And she and another Muslim Advocates figure had urged Muslims not to provide information to the FBI. “Any information you provide to the FBI can be used as the basis for further surveillance and investigation of your community,” a Muslim Advocates lawyer had said. “So you really don’t want to be putting yourself in a situation where you’re providing anybody with information about people in your community that the FBI is now gonna follow up and start investigating those people.”
But instead of showing respect to the American victims of terrorism, Attorney General Lynch went to a pro-terror group and promised to crack down on the real threat. Anti-Muslim rhetoric.
“Obviously the incidents in Paris were a tragedy,” Lynch conceded, but her focus was on Islamophobia.
“Certainly in the wake of Paris, which as a part of Europe has been grappling with anti-Muslim rhetoric for some time now because of smaller incidents, this large one is really their equivalent of 9/11, and certainly as we saw here in the US, an incredibly disturbing rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric,” Lynch said.
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TNT Educational Services is in the business of securing government funding by way of training grants and offering a wide range of training classes targeting an increase of productivity at no cost to the company. Bergen IT LLC (www.bergenit.net) is partnering with TNT Educational Services (www.tntedu.com) in order to become a provider of technology training.
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Councilmen Mike Sendon could not be reached for comment
DECEMBER 4, 2015, 2:48 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 11:38 PM
BY RICHARD COWEN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The expanded black bear hunt that begins on Monday will cover more ground than ever before with a greater focus on rooting out so-called urban bears that feed off trash cans in suburban areas.
But a battle of wills still rages between hunt advocates and opponents who say that nuisance bears can be managed more humanely with stricter enforcement of garbage-can laws and more public education.
This year, the will of the hunters has an edge, as the state Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of allowing the hunt to begin as planned.
Related: Expanded bear hunt to begin next week, include parts of Wayne, Bloomingdale, Pequannock
The new bear hunt rules not only expand the terrain in which hunters can stalk bears, but also allow the state Division of Fish and Wildlife to extend the six-day hunt by four days if hunters don’t reduce the bear population by 20 percent.
The state’s newly adopted black bear management policy expanded the hunting area beyond the traditional boundaries of Route 287 and Route 78, in play since 2003. It opened up more densely populated suburban towns to bear hunting, including the west side of Wayne, Pompton Lakes, Wanaque, Oakland, Pequannock, Lincoln Park and Madison. The bear hunt is spread over eight counties and more than 1,000 square miles, touching as far south as Mercer County.
New Jersey has 3,500 black bears, according to state estimates. Bears have been spotted in all 21 counties.
Just the other day, I was driving home from an outing with my dog when I passed a billboard announcing the annual, pre-Christmas sale at a major, local retailer. I remembered thinking, really? How can this be? Weren’t the holidays just here yesterday? Suddenly, the relaxing day I was having turned into anything but that as I began to go through my annual, mile-long, stress-inducing, pre-holidays mental checklist. The pain on my face must have been obvious because as I checked off item number 7 out of 200, I felt the warm, sticky sensation of my dog’s tongue in my right ear. Reaching behind me, I rubbed his big head and asked, “You’ll help me get through the holidays, won’t you?” The thump, thump, thump of his tail on the back seat was all I needed as an answer. My dog had my back.
For most people, the holidays are a bittersweet occasion in that it’s a time of reuniting with loved ones, endless parties, and the exchanging of gifts; however, it’s also one of massive preparation, excessive spending, and worrying about perfection in everything from what to wear, what to give, and what to serve. It’s truly the season of cheer and fear where nothing is overlooked or left to chance . . . except Fido. Yep, the very dog that has your back is left by himself to deal with a myriad of holiday stressors that range from multiple attacks by your relative’s screaming kids to a fat man in a red suit yelling “Ho, Ho, Ho,” which unfortunately translates to “no, no, no” for your dog who rightfully thinks he’s done nothing wrong! For us humans, it’s easy to understand during the holidays why “misery loves company” but not for your dog. Therefore, here are a few tips that will help Fido get through the holiday season without misery as his constant companion.
1. Give training as an early gift. Dogs are social creatures (minus the scary parts of being social during the holidays, such as the fat man in the red suit with the long, white beard). They would much rather spend their time with us than being locked away in the laundry room when company arrives. Learning behaviors, such as “stay” and “be quiet,” upon command before the holidays could earn your dog the good graces of the laundry room parole board and a coveted spot on a fleece bed next to the Christmas tree. Keeping in mind that some of your guests would rather admire your well-trained dog from a distance, you’ll be giving them an early gift as well.
2. Maintain your dog’s normal routines. I’m not sure about you, but my routines during the holidays are anything but normal. However, our dogs are creatures of habit and any changes, even subtle ones in their established routines, can produce stress. The onset of these stressors can then lead to undesirable behaviors such as destructive chewing, restless pacing or whining, or even an escalation in aggression as your dog attempts to cope with its anxiety. In addition, dogs are extremely temporal and can sense your holiday stress; it’s no wonder you will find most dogs hanging around the spiked eggnog bowl! Keeping your dog’s routines right on target during the holidays is impossible for most of us, but do your best to add Fido to your Day Planner. His stress is one less stressor you’ll have to worry about.
3. Traveling with your dog. The holidays are one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and if it’s off to grandma’s house you go and you’re thinking of taking Fido with you, you may want to plan well in advance. If you will be flying with your dog, check with your airline about its policies and regulations as these vary greatly with each individual carrier. For example, some will fly your dog in a climate-controlled space, and others won’t. Therefore, bad weather could prevent Fido from making the trip. Also, unless Fido is a service dog, he will have to fly in an airline-approved kennel, and the size requirements for your dog’s kennel are not the least bit standard in the airline industry. The best rule of thumb in regard to kennels is go big. I have had dogs rejected because their pointed ears barely touched the top of their kennel while they were standing! If it’s a vehicle you will be traveling in, be sure to treat Fido like any other occupant and restrain him. Time in your lap or your children’s laps can wait until you arrive at your destination. Remember, if Fido isn’t restrained and an accident should occur, Fido will become a projectile. I’m sure the only flying animals you will want to see during the holidays are Santa’s reindeer!
4. Dealing with other dogs. Nearly 90 million American households have at least one dog. If you visit with family or friends during the holidays, your dog is likely to encounter a dog that is not of its pack. Because dogs are dogs and not humans, their perception of the alien dog could be quite different than yours. You may see a nice dog, but your dog may see a threat or an opponent, which could then lead to a fight. Keep a close eye on your dog during the initial meeting, and if either dog appears to be fearful or threatening, immediately separate the dogs and keep them separated until the visit is over. Do this whether your dog is naughty or nice.
5. Dealing with other children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report millions of dog bites each year in the U.S. with most of those occurring to small children. Not recognizing or ignoring the warning signs given by dogs that feel threatened by the direct interaction of small children is one of the leading causes of these bites. During the holidays, children tend to be more excited and animated as they play with new toys or with their relatives or friends. Because Mom and Dad are engaged in food preparation or entertaining, these children are not as closely supervised as they are during other times. Unfortunately, letting little Johnny whack his cousin’s dog with his new Star Wars light saber could end with little Johnny getting a gift he didn’t ask for but really did.
The holidays are a very special time of year, even with the accompanying stressors. However, for Fido, he would rather it not be so special. Treating the holidays like any other time of the year for him will be the best present you can give.
Bryan Bailey is a nationally-recognized, award-winning animal behaviorist, who has shared his expertise with Fox & Friends, SiriusXM, Dog World and more, along with veterinarians, dog owners and celebrities. His first book,Embracing the Wild in Your Dog, is a culmination of his experiences and expertise and, together with his wife, owns ProTrain Memphis and Taming the Wild. Learn more at www.TamingtheWild.com.
By Julian Hattem and Jordan Fabian – 12/05/15 06:00 AM EST
This week’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., is prompting new fears about terror attacks inside the United States, and shows the limits of federal efforts to halt all instances of extremist violence.
The government has devoted massive resources to halting such attacks from Islamic militants in the years since 9/11, but the very nature of “lone wolf” radicals makes them nearly impossible to prevent.
Wednesday’s episode underscored the unpredictability of the threat facing the country, analysts said. A recently married couple with a newborn baby, no history of radicalization and family connections to a decorated U.S. military veteran apparently carried out what is being investigated as the deadliest attack on American soil since 9/11.
The shooting will inflame anxiety about terrorism from groups including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — worries that had already spiked following last month’s attacks in Paris in which 130 people were killed. Yet the government’s ability to respond may be limited.
“The lone wolf problem is so incredibly difficult to predict, because anyone can, again, wake up in the morning and pledge allegiance to ISIS without ever having direct contact with a terrorist, and then go out and commit an act of violence in the name of that group,” said Rick Nelson, a former official with the National Security Council and National Counterterrorism Center who is now a senior non-resident associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
BREAKFAST, TALK, Q &A – BOOK SIGNING
Ron Blomberg, Major League Baseball’s first designated hitter and the “great Jewish hope” of the New York Yankees in the early 1970’s, is an icon of boyhood dreams achieved. Ron will give his inspirational talk about his life and career.
Pre-purchase tickets at Bookends or by phone at 201-445-0726
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
3489 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish AH-2 Zone District
3490 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish B-3-R Zone District
3491 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C-R Zone
3492 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C Zone District
3493 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Amend Various Sections – Multiple Zone Districts and General Affordable Housing Regulation
RESOLUTIONS
15- Approve Village Cash Management Plan
15- Designate Official Newspapers for 2016
15- 2016 Annual Meetings Statement
15- Establish Interest Rate for Non-Payment of Taxes, Assessments or Other Municipal Liens for 2016 and Set Grace Period
15-Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments to the Water Utility for 2016 and Set Grace Period for Payment of Water Utility Bills
15- Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments for Significant Sewer Discharge Bills for 2016
15- Approve Budget Transfers
15- Approve 2016 Temporary Budget
15- Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of Electric Source
15- Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Electric Source
15- Title 59 Approval – Furnishing and Delivering Sludge Dewatering Polymer
15- Award Contract – Furnishing and Delivering Sludge Dewatering Polymer
15- Title 59 Approval – De-Silting and De-Snagging of Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River
15- Award Contract – De-Silting and De-Snagging of
Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River
15- Title 59 Approval – Laboratory Analysis Services – Ridgewood Water
15- Award Contract – Laboratory Analysis Services – Ridgewood Water
15- Title 59 Approval – Dewatered Sewer Sludge Hauling Services
15- Award Contract – Dewatered Sewer Sludge Hauling Services
15- Award Contract – Financial Computer Software
15- Award Contract – Preparation of 2016 Village Council Meeting Minutes
15- Award Contract – Valley Hospital, Department of Community Health – Public Health and Nursing Services
15- Award Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services Contract – Field Investigation Study and Purchase of Replacement Parts for Non-Potable Water System – Water Pollution Control Facility
DECEMBER 5, 2015 LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
New Jersey’s non-profit hospitals may not pay property taxes, but they generate so many jobs, both directly and indirectly, that their economic activity contributes more than $1.4 billion to local and state tax revenues, a report commissioned by the state hospital association said Friday.
The industry is bracing for legislative action that might threaten the current exemption from property taxes in the wake of a precedent-setting Tax Court decision earlier this year involving Morristown Medical Center. State Senate leaders have said they plan to introduce legislation this month to clarify the standards for maintaining a property-tax exemption, to better reflect hospitals’ evolution into complex corporate enterprises since the tax code was written in 1913.
In Bergen and Passaic counties, the value of hospitals’ tax exempt properties is conservatively estimated at more than $700 million.
The report by EY (formerly Ernst & Young), commissioned by the New Jersey Hospital Association, details the economic and community benefits that non-profit hospitals provide. The 63 non-profit hospitals statewide employed 140,000 people, who received $8.3 billion in salaries and paid $674 million in state and local taxes in 2013, the report said. Hospital activities led indirectly to an additional 114,000 jobs statewide, and generated $777 million in additional taxes.
In North Jersey, those hospitals include Hackensack University Medical Center, Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and St. Joseph’s Healthcare System in Passaic County.
Ridgewood NJ , Here’s a question for those so eager to sink millions of taxpayer dollars into the construction of a massive parking garage in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD):
Why not offer any developer who would like to build luxury (not high density) housing in the CBD, an incentive of some sort if public parking is included as a component of their project?
If the need for public parking is as bad as those promoting the construction of a taxpayer funded garage say it is, wouldn’t it make sense to have each developer offer public parking in their respective buildings? Especially any developer(s) who want to build near the train station and/or concentration of restaurants along Oak and Chestnut Streets?
Readers say Record Article Paints and Inaccurate Picture of Hudson Parking Garage Meeting
Ridgewood NJ, the question was asked “Could you say more about what is inaccurate in the article? I wasn’t able to attend the meeting and only saw about 15 minutes of the video stream. I believe of the three public comments I saw, two were in favor of Option C/No Garage, and one was in favor Option A.”Inaccurate –
1. one sentence about public comment at the very end of the article, when the public spoke for hours.
2. indicates that most favor plan A, when many public members spoke about related issues and not about which plan they favor. No discussion of related concerns.
3. completely omitted that Mayor Aronsohn intends to disregard the STATE law and do an end-run around the requirement that FOUR council members must vote for a bond. In the event that two decide not to vote for the bond, Aronsohn will go directly to the county to get them to issue the bond. He has already met with them and already has this in place with them just waiting for his call. This is despicable. Gwenn and Albert are going right along with this. Even though it is LEGAL to do this, it is completely disrespectful to our local government and flies in the face of the spirit of good governance.
Local Bond Law N.J.S.A. 40A:2-1 et seq. November, 2009 Page 1 Local Bond Law N.J.S.A. 40A:2
A bond ordinance shall be finally adopted by the recorded affirmative votes of at least 2/3 of the full membership of the governing body. In a local unit in which the approval of any officer is required to make an ordinance or resolution effective, such bond ordinance shall be so approved, or passed over veto before it shall be published after final adoption.
This law, above, is a state law and requires 2/3 majority to issue a bond. Three out of five is only a 60% majority. Here goes out elected officials all set up to break the law.
The public comments were certainly not “binary”, and the council’s opinion wasn’t really the focus of the time.
Would Ridgewood be “legally on the hook” for any bond the county issued? I agree that seems like a major end-run around the law!
By Susan Jones | December 4, 2015 | 8:44 AM EST
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says economy added 211,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0 percent.
(CNSNews.com) – The number of Americans not in the labor force last month totaled 94,446,000–a slight improvement from the 94,513,000 not in the labor force in October–and the labor force participation rate increased a tenth of a point, with 62.5 percent of the civilian noninstitutional population either holding a job or actively seeking one.
(The labor force participation rate of 62.4 percent in September and October was the lowest in 38 years.)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says economy added 211,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0 percent.
In November, according to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population, consisting of all people 16 or older who were not in the military or an institution, reached 251,747,000. Of those, 157,301,000 participated in the labor force by either holding a job or actively seeking one.
DECEMBER 4, 2015, 11:47 AM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 6:16 PM
BY PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Sobbing as he pleaded for mercy and insisted he did nothing wrong, Joseph A. Ferriero, the once powerful leader of the Bergen County Democratic Party, was sentenced Friday to nearly three years in prison for using his political clout to profit from a kickback scheme involving government contracts.
“I understand the court has to accept the verdict,” Ferriero said, adding, “Not for a nanosecond did I think I was doing anything wrong.”
In retrospect, he said, he should have done things differently, but he insisted he never solicited bribes or accepted kickbacks.
U.S. District Judge Esther B. Salas imposed a 35-month prison term on the 58-year-old Hackensack lawyer during a two-hour hearing in federal court in Newark. She said he can self-surrender to prison authorities within 60 days.
Ferriero, who earlier this week lost a bid to set aside his conviction, is planning an appeal.
San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook
December 04,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Scott Mann, is a former Lt. Col and Green Beret. He is the CEO of Mission America and author of the best selling novel “Game Changers”.
He spent 23 years in the Army Special Forces Career involved in Foreign Internal Defense, Counter-insurgency, and Stability Missions. He served in the Special Operations for over 18 years and has been a Green Beret for over 15 years in combat deployments in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan.
– Experience in targeting Al Quida foreign fighters
– Designed and implemented strategy in Afghanistan that could defeat ISIS now
– Still teaches Green Berets, FBI, and Law Enforcement on ISIS vulnerabilities He is one of the only former Lt. Col’s that is actively still involved in the day-to-day transition of Green Berets from active duty into civilian life.
He has been quoted frequently and seen on MSNBC with Alex Witt, Fox News, Fox News Radio, among other high profile media appearances. As a reminder, he is based in Tampa and can come in via Satellite or Skype.
Statement:
We need a new definition for terrorism in America:
-The politically correct titles “lone-wolf”, “self-radicalized”, and “homegrown terrorism” are outdated terms that are putting Americans at more risk at home.
I have been fighting terrorism my entire adult life. I knew that this shooting in California was Islamist violent extremists within minutes of the attack – I alluded to this in a tweet just minutes after it broke on the wire.
I am not unique here. Anyone who has been fighting this threat knew right away what this was…Islamist violent extremism taking root in America.
According to several wire reports, the female shooter , Tashfeen Malik posted a pledge to Isis leader Baghdadib on Facebook.
But that is not enough to act on these days.
In fact, many leaders and some in the media were quick to say that it was unsure if “ISIS actually ordered the attack.”
Further, law-enforcement officials equivocated the attack by calling it “self radicalization”.
As if somehow these factors make it less impactful and threatening on our country.
When two people are able to massacre 14 people and wound many more – when they leave behind a remote controlled Explosive Device, and engage police with. Assault rifles while rolling in an SUV, – it is just as real and potentially threatening as the Paris attacks – maybe more. Here is why:
The old terror model of foreign fighters trained and mobilized from dark, foreign lairs has gone the way of Osama Bin Laden.
There is a new sheriff in town.
It has been replaced with some Americans and other extremists who are here legally, and radicalized, trained, and resources through a powerful global network that is both virtual and physical.
In fact, this is the new face of strategic terrorism in America. It is how I S I S and Al Qaeda will conduct their hardest hitting and most relevant attacks against us.
ISIS clearly tells us this in their latest Nov 24th English speaking propaganda video.
They brag about “goading us into dropping bombs that cost 250k while they mobilize surrogates to kills us with bullets that cost less than a dollar.”
Meanwhile, our senior leaders and many in the media downplay this by using terms like “Lone Wolf” and “self radicalized.” We point out that ISIS may not have directed the attack.
I can’t help but shutter at what they were building. The improvised explosives they were constructing make them just as threatening to our safety at home as the 19 Hijackers trained in the tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
We should be grateful – I suppose – that for whatever reason these two extremists decided to accelerate their plan and not put into use all of those IEDs that were in their apartment.
When IEDs start going off in our shopping malls, street intersections, and elementary like they did in Fallujah, Iraq in 2006,America will change forever.
I hope we don’t wait until that horrific moment to change our definition of what terrorism in our country has already become.
They are here – we had better get serious about dealing with them.
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