Patriot Act author: Obama’s intel czar should be prosecuted
By Brendan Sasso
Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr., the original author of the Patriot Act, says Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be prosecuted for lying to Congress.
“Lying to Congress is a federal offense, and Clapper ought to be fired and prosecuted for it,” the Wisconsin Republican said in an interview with The Hill.
He said the Justice Department should prosecute Clapper for giving false testimony during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in March.
During that hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asked Clapper whether the National Security Agency (NSA) collects data on millions of Americans. Clapper insisted that the NSA does not — or at least does “not wittingly” — collect information on Americans in bulk.
After documents leaked by Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA collects records on virtually all U.S. phone calls, Clapper apologized for the misleading comment.
History competition draws nearly 200 New Jersey high school students
Saturday December 7, 2013, 11:43 PM
BY REBECCA BAKER
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — The boys dominated the first round, buzzing in with right and wrong answers, but then 14-year-old Mollie Bakal of Upper Saddle River — got on a roll.
JENNIFER BROWN / SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
Jack Mehr of Metuchen, left, and Ben Bechtold and Thomas Cleary both of Ridgewood, competing in the semifinals of The National History Bee on Saturday at Ridgewood High School.
“Pennsylvania!” Correct.
“James!” Correct again.
Test your knowledge of history
Here are sample questions from Saturday’s Northern New Jersey History Bee and Bowl at Ridgewood High School.
1. Which classic movie starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino depicted a fictional New York mafia family?
2. Who replaced Thurgood Marshall as the second African-American justice of the Supreme Court?
3. Which state was the site of the non-violent border conflict between the U.S. and British Canada known as the Aroostook War?
4. Which tsar of Russia freed the serfs, but was later assassinated in 1881?
5. Just days before his successor took office, this president signed an Indian Appropriations Act into law that caused a land rush in Oklahoma. Due to obstruction of the delivery of mail, this president ordered federal troops to intervene in the Pullman Strike. This president repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in response to the Panic of 1893, which ruined his second term. For 10 points, identify this president whose two terms were interrupted by Benjamin Harrison.
6. The first African winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Albert Luthuli, was a member of this ethnic group. This group won the Battle of Rorke’s Drift in a namesake war against the British. Earlier, they used the iklwa spear and the “buffalo horns” formation to initiate the mfecane or “crushing” after they were united by Dingiswayo. For 10 points, identify this South African ethnic group which enlarged its territory under Shaka.
Answers: 1: The Godfather; 2. Clarence Thomas; 3. Maine; 4. Alexander II; 5. Grover Cleveland; 6. Zulu.
“Penicillin!” Another right answer.
The Bergen County Academies ninth-grader ended the round with a smile and finished strong as one of nearly 200 students who spent much of Saturday at Ridgewood High School testing their knowledge of the recent and ancient past at the Northern New Jersey History Bee and Bowl.
The bee, for individual students, and the bowl, for teams, are part of a national history competition founded by David Madden, a 1999 graduate of Ridgewood High School who went on to Princeton University. Madden knows a thing or two about tournaments: His 19-day winning streak on “Jeopardy!” in 2005 remains the second-longest run on the quiz show.
Why is China targeting the moon — and should NASA as well?
By Jeremy A. Kaplan
Published December 06, 2013
FoxNews.com
Americans from Buzz Aldrin to president Barack Obama say it’s a waste of time to put men back on the moon — so why are foreign countries so eager to take that one small step?
While several private American companies are planning robotic missions to the moon, China launched a man-sized robotic scout to the moon on Monday. The country’s recent manned missions and efforts to build a new space base suggest a future manned mission to the moon, though why is an open question. Speculation has run from the desire to build a military missile base — a Death Star of sorts — to national pride to simple economics.
The answer may be far simpler: The moon is “easy” to get to.
“If you’re still trying to test out your space legs, it’s a great place to do it,” said one NASA engineer familiar with the agency’s plans. NASA’s current space agenda includes a highly challenging project to tow an asteroid back to Earth, as well as transporting men to Mars within two decades — projects of vast technical complexity compared with the moon landings America ended four decades ago.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAEKWONDO ALL IN
These 22 Ridgewood residents, competing for Taekwondo All In, won medals at the New Jersey Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championships. FRONT ROW, from left: Jjongwook Park, Zeno Bang, Kaylin Chung, Joshua Lee, Phillip Bang and Youngho Cho. MIDDLE ROW, from left: Seungjun Bae, Justin Wang, Lucas Wang, Kevin Park, Matthew Lee and Liam Woods. BACK ROW, from left: Myunghyun Kim, Euihyun Choi, Brandon Son, Emily Park, Master Kim, Jiyoung An, Connor Park, Jongyun An, Peter Park and Michelle Chung.
Ridgewood athletes earn 59 medals at Taekwondo Tournament
Friday, December 6, 2013
The Ridgewood News
Twenty-two students from Taekwondo All In of Ridgewood attended the 2013 New Jersey Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championships Nov. 3 at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, where more than 1,000 athletes participated.
The Ridgewood residents made an outstanding showing, earning 10 gold, 17 silver and 32 bronze medals as well as the Best School Award.
Formula One Race in New Jersey in 2014 Delayed Due to Finances
The Formula One race along the Hudson River waterfront in New Jersey tentatively scheduled for June 2014 was postponed for a second consecutive year due to financial difficulties.
Promoter Leo Hindery said in an e-mailed statement yesterday that he’s working toward holding the race in 2015.
“Our entire management team and our supporters in New Jersey, New York and throughout the Formula One community obviously want to see the inaugural Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial take place as soon as possible,” Hindery said. “Bringing a world-class race to the world’s largest media market is a huge undertaking that has required balancing construction of our road course, without tapping any public money, with the sport’s own timing demands.”
F-1 head Bernie Ecclestone said in the release that he had “no doubt” the race would be held in 2015.
“New races can take many years to get started, but there is significant momentum and we are close to realizing a New York City F-1 race,” Ecclestone said.
Plans to reinstate Mexico after a 22-year gap also were scrapped, according to the schedule published on the FIA website, while the Korean and Indian grand prix races were dropped from the calendar. The two additions next season will be races in Sochi, Russia, which is also the venue for next year’s Winter Olympics, and Austria, which hasn’t hosted a Formula One race since 2002.
The New Jersey event was postponed in October 2012 from its original date of June 16, 2013. Hindery said this year that the first postponement also was due to financial difficulties. (Novy-Williams/Bloomberg)
“We celebrate the life of a hero, Nelson Mandela. May you rest in peace and may your legacy live on in the hearts of many “ MUHAMMAD ALI
FROM MUHAMMAD ALI:
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Mandela. His was a life filled with purpose and hope; hope for himself, his country and the world. He inspired others to reach for what appeared to be impossible and moved them to break through the barriers that held them hostage mentally, physically, socially and economically. He made us realize, we are our brother’s keeper and that our brothers come in all colors.
What I will remember most about Mr. Mandela is that he was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge. He taught us forgiveness on a grand scale. His was a spirit born free, destined to soar above the rainbows. Today his spirit is soaring through the heavens.
He is now forever free.
—Muhammad Ali
History of Nelson Mandela
The South African activist and former president Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) helped bring an end to apartheid and has been a global advocate for human rights. A member of the African National Congress party beginning in the 1940s, he was a leader of both peaceful protests and armed resistance against the white minority’s oppressive regime in a racially divided South Africa. His actions landed him in prison for nearly three decades and made him the face of the antiapartheid movement both within his country and internationally. Released in 1990, he participated in the eradication of apartheid and in 1994 became the first black president of South Africa, forming a multiethnic government to oversee the country’s transition. after retiring from politics in 1999, he remained a devoted champion for peace and social justice in his own nation and around the world until his death in 2013 at the age of 95.
Ridgewood falls to Montclair in North 1, Group 5 final
Sunday, December 8, 2013
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
The Record
EAST RUTHERFORD – For a full year Ridgewood has been waiting and anticipating a rematch with Montclair. After a 24-0 playoff semifinal loss in 2012, the Maroons and their 31 seniors wanted another crack. Be careful what you wish for.
The Mounties won last year by being more physical than Ridgewood. They won the North 1, Group 5 final again this year using the same formula. The most surprising aspect of the 33-0 Montclair win Saturday was the zero on the Maroon side of the scoreboard.
Two early turnovers didn’t help the Ridgewood cause, but this was a game that saw Montclair dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. On a handful of occasions, Montclair running back Shaquan Oliver and quarterback Elijah Robinson could be seen moving a pile four and five yards after contact.
“We didn’t play our game,” Maroon quarterback Jamal Locke said. “There’s not much we can do about it now. They took it to us.”
Pocket hookahs proliferate with young marijuana users, sources say
By Nancy Lofholm
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/06/2013 06:31:10 PM MST | Updated: about 11 hours ago
They can look like nondescript writing pens or asthma inhalers. Some resemble lip-gloss sticks and come in the same hot pink or sparkly purple as teenage girls’ smartphone cases.
Others are bullet-like cylinders hanging on fat gold neck chains like gangsta bling. Some come boxed in a rainbow of neon colors looking a lot like marking pens.
Portable pot vaporizers — called “vapes” or “pocket hookahs” by users — are going hand-in-hand with the proliferation of electronic cigarettes and taking the marijuana world by storm. They are so well disguised and can be used so clandestinely that they are setting off alarm bells with those concerned about keeping legalized pot out of the hands of minors.
Spend Christmas at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ridgewood
The members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church invite everyone to spend Christmas at Bethlehem. Please join us for any of the services listed below in our sanctuary located at 155 Linwood Ave. in Ridgewood, NJ. We will be celebrating the blessed birth of Christ and the love of family and friends. What better place than Bethlehem to spend Christmas ! Bethlehem Lutheran Church invites you and your family to join us for Christmas worship.
Our Sunday School will present their Christmas program on December 22nd at 9:30 a.m.
On Christmas Eve–Tuesday, December 24th we will host Happy Birthday Baby Jesus at 4:00 p.m. for pre-school children in our parlor. Bethlehem’s Christmas eve services include a family candlelight worship service at 6:00 p.m. as well as a Christmas candlelight service of festival worship at 8:00 p.m with pre-service music at 7:30.
On Christmas Day–Wednesday, December 25th we will hold a communion worship service at 9:30 a.m.
On Sunday, December 29th – we will have one worship service at 9:30 a.m. Jesus comes to Bethlehem to enlighten the world as the Star of Joy. The great glad tidings he has to tell bring a smile to our faces as we radiate to others his good gifts of forgiveness, freedom from death and everlasting life.
We end the year with New Year’s Eve worship on Tuesday December 31st at 5:30 p.m.
We truly hope to see you and wish everyone a joyous Christmas season and a beautiful finish for 2013. The members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgewood want you to know that God has a plan for you and he loves you. Our faith is in Christ. Our guide is in the Bible. Our love is for all. Come celebrate with us. For our regular worship schedule, we offer 2 Sunday services: Contemporary Praise Service at 8:45am and Traditional Worship at 11am with Sunday School and Bible Class at 10am. Please join us at 155 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood. For your information, please see our website, www.BethlehemChurch.com.
Reader says the proposed plan for the Zabriskie Schedler property does a nice job of balancing open space and recreational space and should be acted upon.
Are we sure the property is actually “assessed” at $2.7 million, or are we just assuming so because that was the purchase price?
If the sole goal was to maximize the property as a rateable for tax/income purposes then we should return the grant money, re-zone the property “commercial” and develop the heck out of the exposure to Rt. 17.
However the property was not purchased with that intent. It was purchased because it was targeted as one of the last large parcels of open space in Ridgewood. And it was purchased to help address the significant lack of open area and field space we have.
The proposed plan does a nice job of balancing open space and recreational space and should be acted upon.
While you can’t change the weather, you can minimize some of winter’s biggest threats to your home.
Heavy snow accumulation can pose a threat to your home or business — both as it builds up and as it melts. The three most important precautions to take:
• Watch for snow accumulation on the leeward (downwind) side of a higher-level roof, where blowing snow will collect. For safe removal that won’t endanger you or damage your roof, consult a roofing contractor for a referral.
• Remove snow from basement stairwells, window wells and all walls. Melting snow can lead to water damage and moisture intrusion.
• Keep your attic well-ventilated to maintain a temperature close to that of the outdoors to minimize the risk of ice dams forming. A warm attic melts snow on the roof, causing water to run down and refreeze at the roof’s edge, where it’s much cooler. If ice builds up and blocks water from draining, water is forced under the roof covering and into your attic or down the inside walls of your house.
Water intrusion and flood damage from melting snow and ice can threaten homes and businesses, but you can take these steps to help minimize the potential damage.
Immediately after the threat of physical danger has passed:
• Make sure the building is structurally safe to enter or reoccupy.
• Turn off electrical power. Do not use electricity until it is safe to do so.
• Ensure that natural gas sources are safely secured.
• Secure the exterior to prevent further water intrusion. This can include boarding up broken windows, making temporary roof repairs, sealing cracks or tacking down plastic sheeting against open gaps in walls or roofs.
When it’s safe to begin cleanup:
• Disconnect all electronics and electrical equipment and move them to a safe, dry location.
• Remove as much standing water as possible from inside the building.
• Begin to remove water-damaged materials immediately.
• Ventilate the home as best you can with fans and/or dehumidifiers.
• Contact a water extraction company, if necessary, for assistance.
By taking immediate action, you will reduce the amount of damage and increase the chance of salvaging usable materials. You’ll also reduce the amount of rust, rot, mold and mildew that may develop, and lower the likelihood that the water will lead to structural problems.
Ice dams are an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof. When interior heat melts the snow, water can run down and refreeze at the roof’s edge, where it’s much cooler. If the ice builds up and blocks water from draining off the roof, water is forced under the roof covering and into your attic or down the inside walls of your house.
To help reduce the risk of ice dams:
• Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and debris.
• Keep the attic well-ventilated so snow doesn’t melt and refreeze on the roof’s edge.
• Make sure the attic floor is well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising through the attic from within the house.
Bursting pipes occur when frozen water causes a pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to extreme cold. To keep water in your pipes from freezing:
• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow heat transfer.
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
• Keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space
$749,000 – 818 E RIDGEWOOD AVE, RIDGEWOOD NJ Ridgewood Open Houses for December 8th
$259,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1341168
27-33 CORSA TER, Unit 2 B, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
1 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath, CONDO
Eleanor Collins, Sales Associate
Terrie O’Connor Realtors/Ridgewood
Open House: 1-4 Sun. 12/8
10
$559,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1321495
340 N MONROE ST, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Filippo Papanicolaou, Sales Associate
Jacques Papanikolaou,
Weichert Realtors Ridgewood
Open House: 12-4 Sun. 12/8
12
$670,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1340237
320 MEADOWBROOK AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Marilyn Nuber, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1-3 Sun. 12/8
20
$749,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1341310
818 E RIDGEWOOD AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Frances Ekblom, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1-430pm Sun. 12/8
23
$881,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1332695
463 VAN EMBURGH AVE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Attilio Adamo, Broker Associate
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty, Harrington Park
Open House: 12-3pm Sun. 12/8
15
$1,295,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1340743
55 BARRINGTON RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 5 Full Bath, COL
Maria Shammas, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00-4:00 Sun. 12/8
21
$1,350,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1338749
1090 HILLCREST RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, B/L
Lawrence Vecchio, Broker Associate
Better Homes Realty-Hazlet
Open House: 1pm-4pm Sun. 12/8
19
$1,695,000 in RIDGEWOOD
MLS # 1339761
184 BEECHWOOD RD, RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, COL
Jennifer Springer, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1-4:30 Sun. 12/8
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.C0Xk1uy5.YXhvKzus.dpuf
Sharpton decries thug culture
Posted: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 1:00 am | Updated: 8:40 pm, Tue Dec 11, 2012.
John Hinton
People must accept God’s help to improve their lives and self-esteem so they can achieve their purpose in life, the Rev. Al Sharpton told more than 2,500 worshippers who gathered last night at Union Baptist Church in Winston-Salem.
“Even if you are not responsible for being down, you are responsible for getting up,” Sharpton said. “Everyone is born to serve some purpose.”
Sharpton, 55, a civil-rights activist, delivered a 50-minute sermon as part of the church’s revival services for September. He is president of the National Action Network and ran as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2004.
Sharpton said that many blacks, who helped elect Barack Obama as the nation’s first black president, don’t have any plans for their lives. Their lack of direction “is crippling our children,” he said.
Too many parents allow their children to be influenced by a culture of rap music, gangs, drugs and decadence, Sharpton said. Too many rap artists use racial slurs about blacks in their music and refer to black women as prostitutes.
Russell Simmons, Rev. Al Sharpton Team to Target ‘Knockout Game’
Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons is teaming up with MSNBC host the Rev. Al Sharpton to declare war on the “knockout game” spreading across the country.
The civil rights leaders want to stop the “knockout game” and the targeting of Jews. Reports of “knockout game” attacks have been reported around the country, and have been concentrated in particular in Brooklyn.
The so-called game, which appears to be racially based, involves attackers striking unsuspecting people in the hopes of knocking them unconscious with one blow.
Former Rep. Allen West scolded Sharpton last week for ignoring the hateful game. Now, Sharpton and other leaders are speaking out.
Vatican survey asks Catholics to weigh in on hot-button social issues
Friday, December 6, 2013 Last updated: Friday December 6, 2013, 11:24 PM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
The Vatican is asking Catholics to participate in a global survey about the modern family that looks at topics such as birth control, divorce and same-sex marriage, but participation in New Jersey depends on where one goes to church.
The survey, which deals with the social challenges the church faces, reflects new leadership under Pope Francis, experts say. Among other questions, the survey asks about acceptance of teachings on family planning; church attitudes toward same-sex unions; sacraments for divorcees who remarry; and the place of family prayer in today’s culture.
![intro[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/intro1.jpg "Formula One Race in New Jersey in 2014 Delayed Due to Finances")
