Author: James

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Oil Drillers ‘Going to Die’ in 2Q on Crude Price Swoon

Oil Boom Shifts The Landscape Of Rural North Dakota

Oil Boom Shifts The Landscape Of Rural North Dakota

Oil Drillers ‘Going to Die’ in 2Q on Crude Price Swoon

By Joe Carroll Jan 22, 2015 11:38 AM ET

A floor hand waits to line up pipe while drilling for oil in the Bakken shale formation… Read More

Oil drillers will begin collapsing under the weight of lower crude prices during the second quarter and energy explorers who employ them will shortly follow, according to Conway Mackenzie Inc., the largest U.S. restructuring firm.

Companies that drill wells and manage fields on behalf of oil producers will be the first to fall after the benchmark American crude, West Texas Intermediate, lost 55 percent of its value in seven months, said John T. Young, whose firm led the city of Detroit through its 2013 bankruptcy.

Oil companies have slashed thousands of jobs, delayed billions of dollars in projects and dropped or scaled back expansion plans in response to the prolonged rout in crude prices. For oilfield service providers that test wells and line the holes with steel and cement, the impact of price reductions forced upon them by explorers will start to pinch hard during the second quarter, Young said Thursday.

“The second quarter is going to be devastating for the service companies,” Young said in a telephone interview from Houston. “There are certainly companies that are going to die.”

Oilfield-service providers are facing a “double-whammy,” he said. Even as oil companies are demanding 20 percent to 30 percent price reductions, they’re also extending wait times before paying their bills, enlarging cash-flow gaps for the drilling and equipment firms, he said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-22/oil-drillers-going-to-die-in-2q-on-crude-price-swoon.html

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Patriots’ Brady, Belichick Deny Having Knowledge Of Underinflated Balls

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Patriots’ Brady, Belichick Deny Having Knowledge Of Underinflated Balls

WFAN Host Mike Francesa Not Buying Any Of It: ‘It’s A Disaster For The NFL’ January 22, 2015 5:38 PM

FOXBORO, Mass. (CBSNewYork/AP) – The two men most responsible for delivering wins for the New England Patriots both said Thursday they have no explanation for how footballs used to reach the Super Bowl were underinflated by 2 pounds per square inch.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he has not been contacted by the NFL, even as league officials investigate whether the team cheated against the Indianapolis Colts.

“I don’t know what happened,” Brady said, answering questions from reporters hours after Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he almost never thinks about football pressure and doesn’t know what happened, either.

Unlike Belichick, who briefly answered questions after a long opening remark by repeatedly saying “I’ve told you everything I know” and “I don’t have an explanation,” Brady answered many questions and said he doesn’t think about football conditions during games.

“I get the snap, I drop back, I throw the ball,” Brady said. “I don’t sit there and try to squeeze it and determine that.”

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/01/22/bill-belichick-no-explanation-for-patriots-deflated-footballs/

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Village of Ridgewood 2013 Audit Released

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Rum Truck

file photo Boyd Loving

Village of Ridgewood 2013 Audit Released 

Click Here https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2013Audit.pdf

for the Village of Ridgewood 2013 Financial Audit

Meet the Manager – Saturday, January 24th 9:00am to 12 Noon

Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Saturday, January 24th between the hours of 9:00am to 12 Noon. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and provide input to Roberta. These sessions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals and will be held in the Council Chambers on the 4th Floor of Ridgewood Village Hall. Please contact Beth Spinato at 201-670-5500, ext. 203 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome but should realize that the schedule may already be booked. We will announce the schedule for these meetings on a monthly basis.

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Scott Walker, Chris Christie heading to U.K next month

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Scott Walker, Chris Christie heading to U.K next month

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced Wednesday he will be leading a trade mission to London next month — one day after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s office offered details about Mr. Christie’s own trip to the U.K. in the coming weeks. (Sherfinski/The Washington Times)

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/21/scott-walker-chris-christie-heading-to-uk-next-mon/#ixzz3PYNLdZoM

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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/DIRECTOR OF PARKING UTILITY

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quarters_collection-process4_theridgewoodblog.net_

file photo Boyd Loving

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/DIRECTOR OF PARKING UTILITY

Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County is searching for a position of Chief Financial Officer/Director of Parking Utility. The successful candidate shall have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as a New Jersey municipal CFO, a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance from an accredited college and must possess a valid certification as a Chief Municipal Financial Officer issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. In addition, in overseeing the Parking Utility, will be responsible for strategic planning; cost/revenue optimization and working with a changing paradigm of parking in the Village, resulting in improved controls and increased resident, business, and visitor satisfaction. Send cover letter detailing experience and qualifications, resume and salary history to: Sharyn Matthews, Senior Human Resources Professional, Village of Ridgewood, 131 North Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07451; or email to [email protected].

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Ex-US ambassador ‘serious’ about run for New Jersey governor

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Ex-US ambassador ‘serious’ about run for New Jersey governor

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) – President Barack Obama’s former ambassador to Germany said Wednesdaythat he’s serious about running for New Jersey governor in 2017.

Philip Murphy said after a policy summit at Rutgers that he hasn’t made a final decision about running but is traveling the state to build support and discuss policies. (Catalini/Associated Press)

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/21/potential-candidate-for-new-jersey-governor-holds-/#ixzz3PYPylqih

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New Jersey governor to hire emergency manager for Atlantic City

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New Jersey governor to hire emergency manager for Atlantic City

(Reuters) – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will install an emergency manager in Atlantic City to assume control of the struggling gambling hub, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The Journal, citing an unnamed senior administration official, reported that Christie is expected to announce hiring corporate restructuring attorney Kevin Lavin to handle the city’s strained finances and daily operations on Thursday.

The Journal also said Christie would bring in Kevyn Orr, the restructuring lawyer who led Detroit through itsbankruptcy as the city’s emergency manager, as a part-time consultant to the recovery effort. (Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/22/us-usa-atlantic-city-emergency-idUSKBN0KV0J820150122

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FBI: NY Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver arrested, to appear in court later

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FBI: NY Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver arrested, to appear in court later

JANUARY 22, 2015, 8:56 AM    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015, 8:57 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has been one of the most powerful men in Albany for more than two decades, was arrested Thursday.

FBI spokesman Peter Donald confirmed the 70-year-old Silver was taken into custody around 8 a.m. at FBI headquarters in New York City, but he declined to discuss the charges. Silver was expected to make a court appearance later Thursday, and the U.S. attorney’s office was expected to hold a news conference to discuss the case.

Silver’s spokesman Michael Whyland declined to comment before the arrest.
The arrest sent shock waves through New York’s Capitol as a new legislative session has begun, and it came just a day after Silver shared the stage with Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his State of the State address.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara took over the files of New York’s Moreland anti-corruption commission after Cuomo closed it in April. He said in October that investigations into Albany’s pay-to-play politics are continuing.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/fbi-ny-assembly-speaker-sheldon-silver-arrested-to-appear-in-court-later-1.1233146

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“If You Question Authority, You Are Mentally Ill”, Report Finds

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Forward-2-3-550x492

“If You Question Authority, You Are Mentally Ill”, Report Finds

ZeroHedge.com  | 21 January, 2015

This post is about an issue that is by now a bit dated (though the topic as such certainly isn’t), but we have only just become aware of it and it seemed to us worth rescuing it from the memory hole. In late 2013, the then newest issue of the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM for short) defined a new mental illness, the so-called “oppositional defiant disorder” or ODD.

As TheMindUnleashed.org informs us, the definition of this new mental illness essentially amounts to declaring any non-conformity and questioning of authority as a form of insanity. According to the manual, ODD is defined as:

[…] an “ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior,” symptoms include questioning authority, negativity, defiance, argumentativeness, and being easily annoyed.

In short, as Natural News put it: According to US psychiatrists, only the sheeple are sane.

Every time a new issue of the DSM appears, the number of mental disorders grows – and this growth is exponential. A century ago there were essentially 7 disorders, 80 years ago there were 59, 50 years ago there were 130, and by 2010 there were 374 (77 of which were “found” in just seven years). A prominent critic of this over-diagnosing (and the associated over-medication trend) is psychologist Dr. Paula Caplan.

(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com …

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Reader asks Is nothing sacred? is everything for sale? Is there no decency left in the Village?

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West_-Side-_Presbyterian_-Church_theridgewoodblognet

Reader asks  Is nothing sacred? is everything for sale? Is there no decency left in the Village?

Reader suggests, That’s a stunning site….it would be sacrilege to install an antenna anywhere near that church. And I’m not even Presbyterian.

Others say ,”If the argument against installation is based upon aspects of sacrilege, then this is only something that this church and its congregants have to reconcile. Outsiders using this argument have no voice in it, and I suspect are using this feigned outrage due to some degree of liberal anti-business bias, or possibly some interest in a competing company.”

Others say , “how would you possibly notice a 2 foot extension on top of a cross which is 65 feet from the ground? Seems like it would be pretty hard to see, much less to have it interfere with your enjoyment of the site.”

But this reader seems to sum it up ,”I am not a member of this congregation but I find this idea deeply offensive. It is hard to believe that the members of this church support this plan. It would be preferable to remove the cross, then put as many antenae as they want up there and worship at the altar of Verizon. It matters little to me if it is visible or not, the idea is obscene. Is nothing sacred? is everything for sale? Is there no decency left in the Village?”

Coffee.clubshow?id=mjvuF8ceKoQ&bids=363195

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Two suspended Glen Rock police officers accused of deleting two photos from department server

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Two suspended Glen Rock police officers accused of deleting two photos from department server

JANUARY 21, 2015, 6:38 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015, 7:21 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

GLEN ROCK — Two borough police officers — suspended without pay pending a departmental hearing — are accused of deleting two photos from the police department’s server, their attorneys said in a statement on Wednesday.

The photos were shot during a retirement party at police headquarters in 2005, said attorneys John McAusland and Merick Limsky, who called the charges levied against their clients “specious.” The statement does not describe what the photographs depicted in any detail.

“Many members of the Glen Rock Police Department, including many of the present leadership of the department, witnessed what was depicted in these photographs when that event actually occurred,” the statement reads. “No charges were brought in 2005 and no charges should have been brought now.”

Officers Christopher McInerney and Bryan Scott were both suspended by Police Chief Fred Stahman late last month without pay or benefits. The statement does not include information on the specific charges filed against McInerney and Scott by the borough, which also has not made the charges public.

Hundreds of residents and area police officers turned out for Glen Rock council’s meeting Jan. 14 to support both men, and insist they be reinstated. Since that meeting, a crowd-funding campaign for the officers has raised more than $8,000 in donations.

The chief, mayor and council did not reveal at the time what led to the suspensions.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/two-suspended-glen-rock-police-officers-accused-of-deleting-two-photos-from-department-server-1.1231254

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Massive fire at Edgewater’s Avalon apartments; hundreds evacuated

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Massive fire at Edgewater’s Avalon apartments; hundreds evacuated

JANUARY 21, 2015, 5:51 PM    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015, 2:08 AM
BY ABBOTT KOLOFF AND JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD

Firefighters battled a five-alarm blaze at an Edgewater apartment complex Wednesday evening, but the advancing flames defied their efforts and destroyed the larger building of the four-story Avalon at Edgewater complex.

There were no deaths or serious injuries in the blaze at 102 Russell Ave., authorities said, but nearly 1,000 people were displaced from their homes.

Photos: Firefighters battle 5-alarm blaze in Edgewater

Police Chief William Skidmore said some people had fallen and suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, and a firefighter had cut a finger.

By 11 p.m., when Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland announced that the fire was “more or less under control,” the main building in the two-structure complex was completely destroyed, with flames still licking at parts of the skeletal remains and the collapsed debris. When he was asked what he meant, he said the fire was “contained” and that it was no longer spreading.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/massive-fire-at-edgewater-s-avalon-apartments-hundreds-evacuated-1.1231207

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Governor’s student testing commission sets up three public forums

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Governor’s student testing commission sets up three public forums

JANUARY 21, 2015    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015, 1:20 AM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

The governor’s study commission on student testing will hold three forums next week to get public feedback about the use and impact of high-stakes tests in the classroom.

The nine-member commission, established by Governor Christie in November, will review and make recommendations about the quality and efficiency of testing. It will look at the volume, frequency and impact of tests, including those given for college admissions, for college credit and for student knowledge of academic standards.

The commission also will make recommendations about the use of the academic standards known as Common Core, which New Jersey adopted in 2010. The standards have been taken up by dozens of states and are widely viewed as more rigorous than what New Jersey had in place.

Many parents and educators say they support the standards but criticize the new tests that go along with them. They argue that the tests, to be given online starting in the spring, are too long and stressful.

The public is invited to provide comment at these sessions:

* Camden County College, 200 College Drive, Gloucester Township, 10 a.m. Tuesday.

* Franklin Williams Middle School (School 7) auditorium, 222 Laidlaw Ave., Jersey City, 4 p.m. Jan. 28.

* At Jackson Liberty High School Auditorium, 125 N. Hope Chapel Road, Jackson Township, 6 p.m. Jan. 29

Anyone interested in testifying must register by calling 609-984-6024 or online at state.nj.us/education/studycommission.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/state-sets-up-public-forums-on-classroom-testing-plans-1.1229637

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Obama’s New State Of The Union Tax Hike On Middle Class 529 College Savers

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529_college_savings_plan

Obama’s New State Of The Union Tax Hike On Middle Class 529 College Savers

Hoping to dominate the narrative on a holiday weekend and on the eve of the annual “State of the Union” speech, the Obama White House late Saturday night leaked some of the new tax ideas in their upcoming budget.

Thankfully, those of us with several kids and no life were home at the time, so I penned Americans for Tax Reform’s analysis of the major tax hikes in the leak before the stroke of midnight. If the intention was to have an unchallenged narrative, mission not accomplished.

One tax hike in particular was very odd, since it’s aimed almost exclusively at middle class families with kids–the exact demographic the goodies in the tax plan is targeting.

The levy in question would increase taxes on college savings accounts known as “529 plans” (after their section in the Internal Revenue Code). By definition, these accounts are really only used by middle class families. Poorer households don’t have the extra income to save (and even if they have a little, there are much higher priorities like retirement or saving for a home). Very wealthy families might use 529 plans, but it’s far more likely that they have complex trust arrangements set up for their children.

According to the Investment Company Institute (the trade association for the mutual fund industry), there was $245 billion accumulated in 529 plans in 2014. With just south of 12 million accounts open, that means there’s an average balance of about $21,000 in these plans. This is not a mechanism for rich Democrats like the Kennedys or the Gates to shelter wealth.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanellis/2015/01/19/obamas-new-state-of-the-union-tax-hike-on-middle-class-529-college-savers/

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90 RHS Students qualify for the next round of competition at NJ DECA State Conference held in Cherry Hill in February

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90 RHS Students qualify for the next round of competition at NJ DECA State Conference held in Cherry Hill in February

On January 7, 196 RHS students competed in the NJ DECA Regional Competition at Ramapo College; about 90 of these students qualified for the next round of competition by placing in the top 18 of all students competing in their event.

Some outstanding First Place overall performances included Abigail McKenna, for Apparel & Accessories Marketing Series; Elisabeth O’Neill, for Buying and Merchandising Management Team Decision Making; Rebecca Tomilchik andSamantha Constant, for Financial Services Team Decision Making; Madeleine Phillips and Shea Darienzo, for Marketing Communications Team Decision Making; and Grace McCormick, for Principles of Marketing. These students, along with the others who placed, will move on to the State Conference held in Cherry Hill in February.