Author: James

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FLASHBACK : Islamic State reveals it has smuggled THOUSANDS of extremists into Europe

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‘Just wait…’ Islamic State reveals it has smuggled THOUSANDS of extremists into Europe

AN OPERATIVE working for Islamic State has revealed the terror group has successfully smuggled thousands of covert jihadists into Europe.

By AARON BROWN
PUBLISHED: 07:27, Thu, Sep 10, 2015 | UPDATED: 12:07, Mon, Sep 14, 2015

The Syrian operative claimed more than 4,000 covert ISIS gunmen had been smuggled into western nations – hidden amongst innocent refugees.

The ISIS smuggler, who is in his thirties and is described as having a trimmed jet-black beard, revealed the ongoing clandestine operation is a complete success.

“Just wait,” he smiled.

The Islamic State operative spoke exclusively to BuzzFeed on the condition of anonymity and is believed to be the first to confirm plans to infiltrate western countries.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/555434/Islamic-State-ISIS-Smuggler-THOUSANDS-Extremists-into-Europe-Refugees

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Advanced Placement courses surge, but so does debate about worth and stress

RHS_theridgewoodblog

NOVEMBER 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY DEENA YELLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Advanced Placement courses are all the rage in New Jersey this school year, with many high schools having added more of the college-level courses to meet surging demand.

Students and advocates of the courses cite their value as college preparation, and parents hope to save on the cost of college credits earned for free in high school.

But critical observers also are pointing to the amplified stress that AP courses put on already high-achieving students with packed schedules.

The courses, which lend cachet to a student’s résumé, have long been a staple across the nation. But now, many North Jersey schools, including those in Northern Valley Regional High School District and in Lodi, Bergenfield, Tenafly, Wayne, Emerson and Glen Rock, have launched additional AP courses.

The most popular have traditionally been AP English Literature and AP U.S. History, said staff of the College Board, which administers the AP tests and trains teachers. But school administrators cite a dramatic increase in the number of AP STEM courses added over the past few years, including at Northern Valley High School, which has launched AP physics, science, and computer science; Emerson, which added AP Physics I and II; and Glen Rock, which is adding AP computer science.

New Jersey students have done particularly well on the AP exams, with more than 72.8 percent scoring a 3 or higher — out of 5 — on AP exams in 2015, compared with the average of 60.5 percent internationally.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/students-load-up-on-tougher-courses-1.1456207

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State Appointed Fact finder will join Ridgewood teacher talks

BOE_theridgewoodblog

NOVEMBER 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 1:20 AM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — A state-appointed fact finder in February will try to settle a 10-month contract dispute between the Board of Education and the Ridgewood Education Association, even as the two sides try to hammer out an agreement on their own.

Although there are several points of contention — including possible salary increases — the fight over how much REA members must contribute to their health insurance premiums has taken center stage since negotiations began last February.

The fact finder has scheduled an informal hearing on Feb. 3, when each side will present what it considers pertinent information, officials said. Two-and-a-half months later, the fact finder will issue a non-binding recommendation on how to settle the dispute.

In Ridgewood, union members pay an average of 26 percent of the cost of their health insurance premiums, a district spokeswoman said Thursday. This, many members say, is simply too much

“I know I have to pay something, but this an unreasonable burden on my family,” Mariann Gelenius said at the Nov. 2 board meeting. Gelenius, a Child Study Team member at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, said she’s paying about 35 percent of the premium cost, and that’s meant less take-home pay — even after previous salary increases.

REA President Michael Yannone, a 19-year veteran of Ridgewood High School, said Friday that the REA would keep meeting with the board’s negotiating team, but an agreement would depend on the board’s willingness to lower insurance contributions.

“That’s the stumbling block,” Yannone said. “We’re willing to negotiate that — we know that’s going to cost us something, and so we’re willing to pay to get that … but right now the board is holding the line on that issue.”

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/fact-finder-will-join-teacher-talks-1.1456157

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Ridgewood CBD : Better planning, more trust needed

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ
photo by Boyd Loving
NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Better planning, more trust needed

To the Editor:

Sept. 30 was a great night for Ridgewood. Hundreds of residents bore witness to our council approving, by 4-1 vote, four important studies required to make a truly informed decision on a high-density housing amendment that could change the character of our village forever. Based on a motion by Councilman Sedon, amended by Councilwoman Knudsen, studies for financial impacts, school impacts, infrastructure and a comprehensive traffic review, were all approved.

For the first time in years, residents felt that their voices were being heard. Rather than the frustratingly expected, rushed approval of the out-of-scale high-density ordinances, we instead heard a vote that began restoring our trust.

Unfortunately, at this Monday’s meeting, our council took a scary turn towards breaking that newfound trust. Residents in attendance witnessed several members — Aronsohn, Hauck and Pucciarelli — offer commentary questioning the council’s commitment to the studies, with an angle seemingly against prompt commissioning. It further came to light that no work has commenced towards planning any of the studies, despite the matter’s urgency.

Further disturbing were statements by several council members indicating that they couldn’t recall what studies they voted for on Sept. 30, despite the vote’s place in public record. Interestingly, all the residents in attendance knew the vote. A review of the Sept. 30 video shows that all council members were fully aware of the motion and were given opportunity for further clarification. By the time the vote occurred, there were no such clarification requests and the “multiple studies” motion was put forth by the village clerk: “Infrastructure Study,” “Financial Study,” “The School Impact Study,” and “a Comprehensive Traffic Study as outlined by Councilwoman Knudsen: CBD, surrounding neighborhoods, entire Village.”

Knudsen, Sedon, Aronsohn and Hauck voted “Yes.” Pucciarelli voted “No.”

These studies are so important because our Planning Board, despite years of deliberation, strategically missed the mark, never “planning” in a comprehensive manner. Their process was too reactionary to the zoning-change applications. Studies used were too site-specific for proper master planning, leaving many questions unanswered in a process akin to spot zoning.

Regarding one study, Councilwoman Knudsen explained: “… there has never been a comprehensive traffic study done of the Central Business District proper, the adjacent communities and/or the village as a whole. It becomes incredibly relevant when we consider that there are four large parcels being considered for high-density development, coupled with the North Walnut Redevelopment Zone with an assisted living facility of … 76 units per acre, upwards of 98 (units). And coupled with the fact that we are pursuing a parking garage that will add over 300 vehicles to an already narrow, difficult, congested corner of Broad Street and Hudson. So when you take all these collectively, it really becomes imperative that we conduct our due diligence and get this right. So, I think that, to the question: What traffic studies have been done? Not enough.”

“Not enough” is not good enough. Ridgewood needs better. Better planning. Better process and a better foundation for trust.

Please promptly commission these incredibly important studies.

Dave Slomin

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-better-planning-more-trust-needed-1.1454595

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Additional studies needed for Ridgewood CBD housing issue

Village Council

photo by Boyd Loving

NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Additional studies needed for CBD housing issue

To the editor:

On Sept. 30, hundreds of residents attended the Village Council meeting to tell our council members we do not want them to approve high-density housing at the 35-unit-per-acre density level and that further studies were needed. A vote was taken and the council passed, by a 4-1 vote, a measure for a “traffic and infrastructure study, financial study and school impact study.” The traffic study was further outlined as “surrounding neighborhoods, the entire Village” as the prior studies had not looked at this area.

At the council meeting on Monday, Nov. 9, the council agreed to move forward and examine finances but Mayor Paul Aronsohn said it is “still inconclusive if we will do additional studies.” It appears they may try and push these ordinances through without ever doing the additional full analysis they are duly bound to do by their 4-1 vote.

Please write them and urge them to keep their word and perform the new studies they committed to in September. Again, those studies are a comprehensive traffic study, school impact study, infrastructure study and financial impact study.

Their email addresses are: Paul Aronsohn – [email protected]; Albert Pucciarelli – [email protected]; Gwenn Hauck – [email protected]; Susan Knudsen – [email protected]; and Michael Sedon – [email protected].

Carrie Giordano

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-additional-studies-needed-for-cbd-housing-issue-1.1454496

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Dissatisfied residents begin to mobilize opposition to the proposed changes in the master plan

Village Council Special Public Meeting

November 16th 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Resident dissatisfaction has been magnified by the Village council majority attempt to renege on the deal reached and voted for on the Speedometer 30th meeting . There was an outpouring of resident sentiment against the high density housing proposal on the evening of September 30th.

Out of the roughly 600 residents who packed the Village Hall only 5 spoke in favor of the proposal and all of them were either developers or friends of the developers.  The council was then forced to put off the predetermined approval vote . Michael and Susan supported the residents of Ridgewood who called for a VOTE NO to the proposal.

There are now serious trust issues being compounded by the failure to act on the Sept 30th vote and move forward with NEW comprehensive traffic, school and infrastructure studies along with a financial study.

Almost everyone who attended the September 30th meeting was satisfied that Paul, Gwenn, Michael and Susan had voted with the best interests of Ridgewood residents. Now however Paul and Gwenn appear to be reneging on their vote.

So residents all over of the Village have been talking , organizing, looking at options  to change the current direction of the Village and stop the urbanization and destruction of everything that makes Ridgewood so special.

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Fiscal impact of Ridgewood High Density Housing must be Considered

parking CBD fullhouse theridgewoodblog.net
NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Consensus can be reached on issue

To the Editor:

I believe wide areas of consensus that currently exist coming out of the Planning Board process for higher density family housing provides hope that we all will be able to do the right thing. Consensus can reach 100 percent if we address the shared fiscal impact which has not yet been considered because, according to our village planner, the Planning Board was precluded from taking it into consideration.

We are all rightfully entitled to develop and invest in private property in Ridgewood. The planning process, while fully transparent to the lawyers involved, was a convoluted community management practice that left out the very simple moral difference between right and wrong. Our free market affords a range of business practices, but one’s profits shouldn’t be realized by increasing the tax burden of every other member of the community they belong to.

We know that every added school-aged resident entering Ridgewood costs more to educate than any family pays in taxes. And, that every town in America has a socialized educational system that distributes the costs of educating some of our residents amongst all. As a parent of three children, I am acutely aware of this since private tuition could easily cost me six times my current tax contribution to the education budget.

We also know that Ridgewood’s ratings on the Internet are the No. 1 reason people move here, but less obvious is that our special education programs, having been labeled “centers of excellence,” draw families to our town as well. The proposed apartments not only appeal to anyone with a child, but they are an ideal environment in which to raise a subset of special needs children for whom living in a detached home is potentially dangerous.

Because of these realities, not “projections,” the negative impact of higher density on our taxes is undeniable. The only question is by how much. It is simply wrong for a select few to leverage our socialized education system to guarantee themselves a business profit on the backs of every one of their tax-paying neighbors. We might easily reach consensus were developers to create an escrow account to reimburse the Board of Education for the cost of educating every new child they bring into town, but I doubt projected profits would allow it.

A simpler way would be for all of us to do the right thing by the one group of our residents who are not being currently accommodated. We can limit apartments to a 55-and-over demographic in order to provide for the current demand for empty-nester housing in town and attract retirees seeking the superior quality of life that our idyllic village setting provides at a stone’s throw from New York City. It’s a no brainer, its fair, and it will bring down taxes for us all.

Martin Walker

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-consensus-can-be-reached-on-issue-1.1454576

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Paris attacks put dagger through heart of liberal Europe

Paris

Attacks threaten viability of Schengen agreement and the vision of tolerant, multi-cultural society that is “essence” of Europe, analysts warn

By Peter Foster, Europe Editor

12:22PM GMT 14 Nov 2015

The Paris attacks that killed at least 128 people on Saturday night will put renewed pressure on Europe Schengen agreement and threaten the “very essence” of the European way of life, as far-right parties seek to capitalise on the attacks, analysts have warned.

With Paris now enduring this second major terror bloodbath in under a year, questions are now being asked about how much longer both Europe’s open border system and vision of a tolerant, multi-cultural society can survive.

“With Paris in lockdown and France closing its borders, we can see all too clearly that what is at stake here is the very essence of our way of life in Europe,” said Davis Lewin, the deputy director of the Henry Jackson Society, a conservative think-tank.

Designed to facilitate the free movement of goods and labour that is the economic life-blood of the continent, the Schengen system has also enabled the easy transfer of both weapons and, potentially jihadist fighters, across those same borders.

Following the attacks, Francois Hollande, the French President also re-imposed border controls in a bid to ensure that none of the Paris terrorists or their support network in France were able to escape, as occurred after the Charlie Hebdo atrocity.

Even before the Paris attacks, Donald Tusk, the EU president, had warned that Europe faced a “race against time” to save the 20-year-old system, which is seen as one of the Union’s most concrete achievements.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11995821/Paris-attacks-have-put-a-dagger-through-the-heart-of-liberal-Europe.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11995821/Paris-attacks-have-put-a-dagger-through-the-heart-of-liberal-Europe.html

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Opposition to NJ Gas Tax Increase Grows

New_Jersey_State_Senator_Stephen_Sweeney

NJ Poll: Voters Tell Legislators To Keep Their Hands Off The Gas Tax

November 14, 2015 11:45 AM By David Madden

HAMDEN, CT (CBS) – With the general election now in the rear view mirror, New Jersey politicians are expected to take up a number of unpopular issues.

Tops on that list is a bid to increase the state’s gasoline tax. A new poll of Garden State voters suggests drivers want that levy left alone.

The Quinnipiac poll back in April found half of those surveyed might support an increase to help pay for road repair and such. That was the first time in eleven years the number got that high, according to pollster Mickey Carroll.

This latest poll, taken after the November Third general election, showed that support was short lived.

“People don’t like it 62 to 35,” Carroll told KYW Newsradio. “But legislators who have to decide what to do with a nearly bankrupt Transportation Trust Fund are said to be going for it.”

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/11/14/nj-poll-voters-tell-legislators-to-keep-their-hands-off-the-gas-tax/

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Paris Attacks a Reminder that we are at War with Radicalized Islam

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November 15,2015
PJ Blogger and the Staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, seeing the images of Friday nights Paris attack were a sad reminder of all the people I knew who were murdered on 9/11 .It is
so long after that day it still astonishes me that I can go to the 9/11 memorial and see all those names of people that I recognize and used to have daily interactions with .

What also has remained the same is the self doubt and blame game ,some would suggest cowardise that our political leadership continues to engage in ,instead of dealing with the threat of Nihilistic Islamic Extremism . While the names may have changed , ISIS, al Quada and so on the ugly reality as demonstrated over and over is that these “people” ,are sworn to destroy western society and all it values of freedom and individualism . They want to kill you ,yes YOU living in Ridgewood and your family ,end of the story and they will do anything to achieve their means.

And NO this dose not mean all Muslims are terrorist , but alas many are . Like World War 2 , all Germans were not Nazi’s we just concentrated on the ones that were.

While western politicians acted more like self indulgent children blaming Bush,western culture, the USA, a CIA conspiracy , an inside job, global warming and a litany of other non causes all the while attempting to placate a philosophy  that like the NAZI’s and Communism ,is dead set on destroying  western society.
These continued wrong headed excuses have amounted to nothing more than pure cowardice and have encouraged our enemy at every step.

So here we are 14 years later and we are still dealing with the same but a much stronger enemy and the same issues despite giving up an significant level of personal freedom .

This weekends Paris attacks have led once again to the media spin machine launching the we deserve it , you asked for it,its your fault “because you eat bacon” campaign all the while looking to again curtail more of our personal freedoms .

Am I the only one to notice that the President seems to utterly clueless about what our enemies are up to but , yet the NSA and IRS as well as local police are spying on virtually every activity an American citizen can undertake ? And the current administration as well as most of the Democrat party along with their media allies are still referring to utterly FAUX climate change as the greatest security threat to our nation? Really , I didn’t see much climate change in Paris on Friday night .

While Americans who question our government’s behavior have become the focus of suspicion , others engaging in irresponsible behavior like “the clock maker” , or banning certain activities because they might to offensive are celebrated ,while all forms of American culture are constantly being denigrated .

If “innocents” are killed on a battle field , the US grovels and apologizes, yet our enemies,  have slaves ,take child brides, think of women as property , decapitate women and children , cook children ,murder gays,  murder all non believers, destroy ancient artifacts  and places of worship  and its all in a days work.

As any parent knows continuing to tolerate bad behavior only invites more of it .Meanwhile has our president ever asked the jihadist in the Mideast to put down their guns and stop clinging to their religion like he told so many Americans ?
Its time to face facts, we are at war with “Radicalized Islam ” and we need to start acting like it.
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Pro Arte Chorale Presents Chansons De France

Pro Arte Chorale Presents Chansons De France
Sun, November 22, 2015
Time: 2:00 PM

Location: Bethlehem Lutheran church, 155 Linwood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Event Description

Ridgewood NJ , Join Pro Arte Chorale for an afternoon of beautiful French choral music featuring the Chansons of both Debussy and Ravel, Poulenc’s legendary Gloria, and Faure’s Madrigal Op. 35. The program will also include a pre-concert lecture about the early twentieth century French masters and their milieu, given by Andrea Covais, soprano, musicologist, and current Doctoral candidate at City University of New York.

Sunday, November 22, 2015 @2pm
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 155 Linwood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ

Buy Tickets at proartechorlae.org

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Cruz: Obama is ‘not interested’ in protecting the U.S.

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November 14, 2015, 05:04 pm
By Devin Henry

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) says he thinks President Obama is “not interested” in protecting the United States from terror attacks.

“I recognize that Barack Obama does not wish to defend this country. He may have been tired of war, but our enemies are not tired of killing us,” Cruz said in a “Fox and Friends” interview.

“They are getting stronger. Every region on Earth has gotten worse under the Obama-Clinton foreign policy.”

Cruz, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, accused the president of ignoring the threats posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in light of a coordinated set of attacks in Paris on Friday.

He said Obama and Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic presidential candidate, are “ideologues” who “don’t recognize that enemies of America want to kill us.”

Cruz’s interview came after an attack in Paris left at least 129 people dead Friday. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/260177-cruz-obama-is-not-interested-in-protecting-the-us

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High Winds Bring Down Tree in Paramus home

Paramus Police
Courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
High Winds Bring Down Tree in Paramus home
November 14,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood bog
Paramus NJ, High winds caused a tree to topple into a home located at 180 Farview Avenue, Paramus shortly before 11 AM on Friday, 11/13. The home was unoccupied at the time and structural damage appeared to be moderate. Paramus FD and Rescue Squad units were dispatched to the scene, but were called back after it was determined there was no life hazard present. A Paramus PD Patrol Officer prepared a property damage report.

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Psychopaths like their coffee black like their souls

ridgewood+coffee

By Caroline Praderio, Eat Clean

November 11, 2015 | 5:25pm

If you drink your coffee black, you’re one healthy badass. You don’t need all that cream-and-sugar BS because you want that toasty bitter flavor in all its undiluted glory. You laugh in the face of PSLs and Coffee Coolattas. You may even be tempted to trycoffee with 40 times more caffeine.

But you also might be psychopath, says a new study published the journal Appetite.

Researchers gathered a sample of about 1,000 adults and asked them to rate preferences for foods with distinct flavor profiles. Then, the participants took a battery of personality tests assessing antisocial personality traits. We’re not talking skip-the-party-and-Netflix antisocial—this is the psychological kind of antisocial, categorized by behaviors that harm or lack consideration for the wellbeing of others.

When they crunched the numbers, the scientists found that a preference for bitter foods (like radishes, celery, beer and, coffee) was linked to these malevolent traits. The strongest link of all was between bitter flavors and “everyday sadism”—essentially, this is when people enjoy inflicting at least moderate levels of pain upon others, à la Regina George.

It seems crazy, but there actually is some existing science on taste preferences and personality. In previous experiments, bitter flavors have elicited hostility and harsh moral judgments from tasters. And, on the flip side, people who have a stronger preference for sweetness show more agreeableness (a hallmark of not being psychopath). (Check out14 ingredients in your coffee grounds that aren’t coffee.)

https://nypost.com/2015/11/11/psychopaths-like-their-coffee-black-like-their-souls/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow

 

 

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Wall Street fears that Americans are dead broke

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By Post Staff Report

November 13, 2015 | 11:52am

The American consumer appears to be tapped out.

Despite cheaper gas and interest-free car loans that stretch six years, auto sales in October posted a surprise decline, the Commerce Department said Friday — while retailers continued to post disappointing sales for the three months ended Oct. 31.

Wall Street, fearful that consumers are running out of cash heading into the crucial Christmas retail season, are selling off retail stocks and everything else sensitive to consumer spending.

The Dow Jones industrial average has fallen over 600 points, or 3.4 percent, over the last eight trading sessions. The S&P 500 is down 3.7 percent over the same span.

Overall, retail sales edged up 0.1 percent last month after being unchanged in September, Commerce reported. Economists had forecast sales increasing 0.3 percent.

Car sales fell 0.5 percent in October after rising 1.4 percent in September, according to Commerce.

“Admittedly, this is a not a great start to the fourth quarter, which is important as we head toward the holiday shopping season,” said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto, told Reuters.

Late Thursday, Nordstrom reported profits and sales for the three months ended Oct. 31 that missed Wall Street forecasts. Its shares on Friday morning got clobbered, falling 17.9 percent, to $52.11. Its shares are down 33 percent this year.

Other chains on Friday morning were tumbling as the entire retail sector is coming under attack. JC Penney is down 16 percent, Kohl’s was down 7.3 percent and Macy’s is off 4.2 percent.

https://nypost.com/2015/11/13/wall-street-fears-that-americans-are-dead-broke/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow