Author: James

The IRS Mistakenly Exposed Thousands of Social Security Numbers
By Brian Fung

Updated: July 8, 2013 | 4:01 p.m.
July 8, 2013 | 1:26 p.m.

Another day, another slipup by the Internal Revenue Service.

The incident involves the unwitting exposure of “tens of thousands” of Social Security numbers, according to a recent audit by the independent transparency and public-domain group Public.Resource.org. The identifying numbers were on the Internet for less than 24 hours after being discovered, but the damage was done. And unfortunately, the data-breach concerns some of the most sensitive types of transactions: Those made by nonprofit political groups known as 527s.

Every so often, 527s have to file tax forms to the IRS, which then get added to a database. The database itself is hardly a secret; the IRS has been sending updated records routinely to Public.Resource.org and other public-interest groups, and it’s a favorite among political reporters. But when the IRS told the group’s founder, Carl Malamud, to disregard the Form 990-Ts included in the agency’s January release, he took a closer look at the files in question.

After analyzing the breach, Malamud wrote a letter to the IRS pointing out 10 instances where a social security number was accidentally revealed on the government’s website—just a small sample of the larger breach.

Just the day before, Malamud had filed another letter to the agency describing a problem with the 990-Ts. Of over 3,000 tax returns contained in the January update, 319 contained sensitive data the agency should have scrubbed, Malamud wrote in the July 1 report that he filed to the inspector general’s office. In that mixup, some 2,319 social security numbers—perhaps more—were revealed.

https://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/the-irs-mistakenly-exposed-thousands-of-social-security-numbers-20130708

RFP for Gap lot nearing completion in Ridgewood
Monday July 8, 2013, 9:45 AM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Ridgewood officials are hopeful that the third draft of the request for proposals (RFP) to develop block 3703, lot 12 on East Ridgewood Avenue – better known as The Gap parking lot – is the complete and final version.

When discussed at last week’s Ridgewood Council work session, Village Manager Ken Gabbert indicated that, if the draft was approved, the RFP can be advertised to the public.

A consultant retained in April by the village has been working with Ridgewood’s governing officials and members of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce to complete the RFP. Weeding through the details and scope of the proposed project, however, is proving to be time-consuming, Gabbert said.

According to the village manager, officials have hit road blocks seemingly “every time we think something is nice and simple and worked out.”

“It is complex in terms of making sure the intent of the council is represented and yet is open enough to make sure we get as many bids as possible,” Gabbert added.

Ridgewood is paying Tom Calu Consultant LLC $9,000 to draft the RFP.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/214582571_Road_blocks_slow_proposals_for_parking_garage_in_Ridgewood.html#sthash.YAj5oKQw.d

Finance experts are selected for advisory team in Ridgewood
Monday July 8, 2013, 9:18 AM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Seven village residents were tabbed to fill seats on the new Financial Advisory Committee, which was created by the Ridgewood Council earlier this year with the intention that its members assist the governing body on municipal money matters.

The council appointed Nancy Johansen, Robert Muller and Kevin Shea to fill three-year terms, while Roberta Sonenfeld and Janice Willett were named to serve for two years each. Residents Richard Cundiff and I. Malcolm Highet were also selected, and each will serve for one year on the committee.

Johansen will fill the role of chairperson, while the new members will elect the vice chair during their first meeting.

Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli and Ridgewood Chief Financial Officer Stephen Sanzari were also named to the committee as council and finance department liaisons, respectively.

The requisite for each appointee is a strong background in finance, accounting, business or government.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/214591921_Finance_experts_are_selected_for_advisory_team_in_Ridgewood.html#sthash.F9QAtCsu.dpuf

Ridgewood and Glen Rock discuss shared garage
Monday July 8, 2013, 9:15 AM
BY  RICHARD DE SANTA
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Officials from both municipalities are discussing pros, cons and possible shared service benefits should Ridgewood opt to build a new municipal garage on land it owns in Glen Rock.

Glen Rock Mayor John van Keuren addressed the topic at the June 26 Borough Council meeting, saying he and administrative colleagues “have had some conversations with our counterparts in Ridgewood about their plan, and what the consequences to the borough (Glen Rock) might be. And we explored both the possible opportunities and the possible drawbacks of a plan such as the one they’re contemplating.”

On the same night in Ridgewood, Mayor Paul Aronsohn and Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli briefed their colleagues at the Village Council meeting, with Aronsohn saying that “discussions have been very positive [but] it’s preliminary right now. We’re just kicking around some ideas, but it looks like there is interest on both sides to work together and possibly co-locating together.”

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/214591751_Ridgewood_and_Glen_Rock_discuss_shared_garage.html#sthash.EQVVTqfl.dpuf

Organ donations gave village resident a new chance at life
Friday July 5, 2013, 1:45 PM
The Ridgewood News

Organ donations gave resident new chance at life

To the editor:

Having received a liver transplant in 2008, I was naturally drawn to the recent story (and controversy) of the little girl – Sarah Murnagham – who was in need of a lung transplant. While I don’t wish to debate the controversy surrounding this case, I’m glad Sarah received the transplant and will have a second chance at life.

But the underlying story in Sarah’s case is the desperate need for organ donors. Receiving an organ transplant is something that is foreign to most of us. Most people think it is something that will never happen to them, but if it does, it not only changes your life, but it gives your life new meaning. Not a day goes by where I don’t think how lucky I am and how fortunate I was that someone I have never met gave part of herself so I can live. Not a day goes by that I don’t think and wonder who this person was and how amazing she must have been to give part of herself to someone else.

It is that gift of life that I am so thankful for. Thankful that I will be able to see my three beautiful daughters grow up and lead them into adulthood and to see all the milestones that they will achieve in life.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/214394981_Letter__Organ_donations_gave_village_resident_a_new_chance_at_life.html#sthash.TeAjrrmy.dpuf

Currently, nearly 120,000 men, women and children are awaiting organ transplants in the United States. For specific numbers visit unos.org

65,991 Multicultural Patients*

1,760 Pediatric Patients*

28,052 Organ Transplants Performed in 2012

14,013 Organ Donors in 2012

More than 46,000 corneas were transplanted in 2012

More than 1 million tissue transplants are done each year and the surgical need for tissue has been steadily rising

*as of March 2013

https://donatelife.net/understanding-donation/organ-donation/
https://www.organdonor.gov/index.html
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organ-donation/FL00077

Readers asks What ever happened to the Ridgewood flog ?

Sorry, the blog at ridgewoodblog.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs.

Looks like the Andrew and Sue  had to find better uses for their time  Everyone knows that “Andrew and Sue” is Jim Bombace . he and his wife created the blog as a ruse to support Paul Aronsohn and attack this blog .

I do miss the oddly homosexual sounding rants .

But don’t feel sad for the failed bloggers , they now inhabit the blogesphere with multiple anonymous IP’s  ,attacking Village residents far and wide .

A member of New Jerseys 100K pension club and one of 1,474 retirees receiving $100,000 or more in state pensions the dynamic duo has nothing but time .

Mayor Paul Aronsohn Outside of July 3 Fund Raiser for Chris Christie in Ridgewood by Boyd Loving

State Sen. Dick Code blasts N.J. Democrats

If you’re looking to hear something positive about the Democratic Party in New Jersey, don’t ask former Governor and current State Sen. Dick Codey. 101.5FM.

n a wide-ranging interview on the state of his party and this year’s gubernatorial race, the always candid Codey holds nothing back.

“Obviously, Democrats are endorsing (Gov. Chris) Christie,” says Codey. “I don’t think it’s all that meaningful, but perception-wise it is. People think this Democrat or that Democrat endorsing the Governor has big significance. I don’t agree with it, but in any event it hurts.”

The Democratic Party in the Garden State is in disarray according to Codey. When asked to elaborate on that point, Codey does not mince words.

“Let’s be candid about our party,” says Codey. “Today our party is in a stranglehold of political power bosses who are not members of the legislature and in most cases, not even party officials or elected officials and that’s the bigger problem. The Democrat Party, it’s shallow and it’s hollow and it has no core. It has no core values. It’s lost its heart. It’s lost its way and this party has to be rebuilt.”

https://nj1015.com/sen-codey-blasts-njs-democratic-party-audio/

Congressman: IRS Scandal Will Widen to Leaks

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) said that the next stages of the IRS scandal will likely focus on the tax agency’s alleged abuse of power in areas like politically motivated audits and leaking of personal information.

“I think what we’re going to find out and I think that the deeper part is not so much the Tea Party and the ‘Patriot’ and those people who were targeted, but the information that has been leaked,” Kelly, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee which is conducting one of the congressional investigations into the matter, said in a phone interview.

“The information that the IRS has on file on people goes pretty deep into personal lives. It is being leaked out and given to people for very specific political reasons. I think this is something that should be the most chilling thing for Americans to understand.

“This is a branch of government and it is under the executive branch that can be used for a lot of different intimidation elements. Think of what these people have, think of what they have on everybody. If they leak that out to the right person at the right time in the right movement that’s looking to do something, they can completely destroy individuals.”

Kelly believes the revelation the IRS targeting of various conservative organizations was just the beginning of a larger scandal that will continue unraveling. Kelly sees this burgeoning scandal cutting to the core of the IRS as a whole, and likely tying in more prominent Obama administration officials.

https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/07/07/Congressman-IRS-scandal-will-widen-focus-on-alleged-politically-motivated-IRS-private-info-leaks

https://www.preservegraydon.org/

Swim clubs figure out how to stay afloat
Sunday, July 7, 2013
BY  MONSY ALVARADO
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Story time. Arts and crafts. Bonfires. Music concerts. Disco swim nights.

Town-owned and private swim clubs in North Jersey are not just for cooling off and swimming. Many that saw a decline in membership in recent years are offering more than just a dip in the water to bring in revenue to pay for pool costs and upgrades.

Not only are pool managers offering more social activities, some are also advertising in newspapers, posting notes on websites urging community members to join, and have offered discounts to members who bring new signees.

“There is not one thing that brings people in, you have to try a lot of different things,” said Al Taliaferro, president of the New Jersey Pool Managers Association based in Bergen County and pool manager for the private Teaneck Swim Club.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/recreation/214510971_Swim_clubs_figure_out_how_to_stay_afloat.html?page=all#sthash.P9s45FWX.dpuf