Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-MO Calls For Firing Of All Involved In IRS Targeting Scandal
May 17, 2013 4:11 PM
WASHINGTON (KMOX) – Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-MO, issued a video statement Friday in response to reports that the Internal Revenue Service unfairly targeted conservative nonprofit groups.
“I’m mad. It is un-American, it is wrong, and we have to make sure that this gets fixed,” Missouri’s senior senator said. “There’s a reason Lady Justice wears a blindfold in America. That is because in America, we don’t apply the law based on who you are, who you know, or what you believe. We apply the law equally.”
10% of Facebook’s users are not human – including Mark Zuckerberg’s dog Beast who has 1.5 MILLION followers
Facebook currently has more than one billion ‘monthly active users’
At least 100 million of these users are pets, brands and companies
Biggest growth in membership is in India, Brazil, Russia and Middle East
Much slower growth in Western Europe and North America
Half of the population of the UK and the U.S. are Facebook members
Investors fear that young people are losing interest in the site
By Emma Innes
PUBLISHED: 10:13 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 12:03 EST, 18 May 2013
Dogs, cats, horses, toasters: You name it, it has a Facebook page.
Facebook now has one billion users – but ten per cent of them are not human, according to new research.
At least 100 million of Facebook’s ‘monthly active users’ are pets, brands and companies – and even Facebook founder Mark Zuckeberg’s dog Beast has a page.
American Legion Post 53, Ridgewood will conduct a Memorial Day service on Monday, May 27th at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Ridgewood opposite the bus station. The service begins at 11 am. and everyone is invited, please bring a chair or blanket for your convenience. It is a day of remembrance to honor the men and women who gave their lives in order to preserve our freedom. The least we can do is attend and pay homage to them.
Bergen & Essex County – The New Jersey Choral Society concludes its 2012-13 season with “Mass,” a program of reflective and inspirational music on Friday, May 31 at 8:00 pm at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 30 North Fullerton Ave., Montclair. A second performance will be held on Saturday, June 1 at 8:00 pm at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe St., Ridgewood.
The stirring and uplifting program, under the direction of conductor Eric Dale Knapp, features John Rutter’s “Mass of the Children,” a non-liturgical Missa brevis with traditional Latin Mass text interwoven with several English poems. Maurice Duruflé’s Gregorian chant hymn “Ubi Caritas,” “Antiphon” from “Five Mystical Songs” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the haunting “Gabriel’s Oboe” from the film “The Mission” will also be featured. Guest soloists include Megan Knapp (soprano) and Keith Harris (baritone) and a special appearance by the Junior Youth Choir from the North Jersey Home School Association. Linda Sweetman-Waters will accompany the chorus on the organ.
The New Jersey Choral Society is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups. Well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs, NJCS performs three major programs annually in Bergen and Essex Counties, and has performed in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, Australia and England.
Come one hour prior to concert time for The Inside Line, a complimentary lecture that provides an insightful and intimate discussion of the music for all ticket holders.
Tickets are $25.00 for general admission, $22.00 for students, seniors, and patrons with disabilities and $12 for children 12 and under (add $5.00 at the door). Group discounts are also available. For reservations or more information, visit https://www.njcs.org or call the New Jersey Choral Society at (201) 379-7719.
In support of the Center for Food Action, the New Jersey Choral Society will be collecting nonperishable food items at these concerts. The Church of the Immaculate Conception and West Side Presbyterian Church are wheelchair accessible. Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
President of the 2nd Amendment Society Frank Jack Fiamingo will speak at NJTPC Tuesday May 21 at 7 p.m.
NJ2AS (NJ Second Amendment Society)
Frank founded the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) in July of 2010 with nine other concerned individuals and now can boast multiple thousands of members. He will update all attendees on the current status of the bills and recent happenings in NJ. You will have the opportunity to ask questions on who is protecting your rights and who is not!
Our meetings are held at the Bergen County Harley Davidson, 124 Essex Street, Rochelle Park NJ 07662 – Entrance to the Hog Room in the back up the stairs one flight
Be sure to arrive on time so you can get a seat and spend several minutes chatting with members over coffee. Bring a friend and a treat if you can!
No dissenter can ever rest assured he is safe from the arbitrary power of the IRS.
Sheldon Richman | May 19, 2013
The Internal Revenue Service has been caught engaging in political profiling while processing applications for tax-exempt status. In this case it was against organizations with “tea-party” or “patriot ” in their names and other right-wing groups. Next time it could be libertarian or left-wing antiwar and pro-civil-liberties groups. No dissenter can ever rest assured he is safe from the arbitrary power of the IRS.
Nothing will have been learned from this scandal if all that happens is the firing of some IRS administrators and the issuance of new guidelines on 501(c)(4) applications. That is not nearly enough.
Obviously, tax exemptions exist only because individuals and some organizations are subject to income and other forms of taxation. Congress levies a tax on incomes, then in its “wisdom” chooses to exempt certain activities but not others. This is social engineering, with Congress seeking to encourage some kinds of organizations — while not forgoing more revenue than necessary. The IRS then writes rules to carry out the directions of Congress.
Where possible, people will naturally strive to qualify for exemption by pushing the boundaries of the regulations. That incentive will always be strong because a nonprofit organization that is exempt from taxation will have more resources with which to pursue its mission. Since the language of statutes and regulations is inevitably vague, the IRS will have room to interpret when ruling on who qualifies and who doesn’t qualify for exemption. The line between vigilance and harassment is not bright, and the potential for abuse is great.
It should be apparent that this power, which is inherently arbitrary, ill suits a society that sees itself as free.
Historic homes tour offers glimpses of Bergen County’s past
Last updated: Saturday May 18, 2013, 11:45 PM
BY LESLIE BRODY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
A stroll through historic homes in northwest Bergen County on Saturday offered a vivid glimpse into just how laborious, painful and perilous it could be to raise a family before the advent of electricity, antibiotics and other modern blessings.
At the Zabriskie House in Wyckoff, built around 1730, one wall bears portraits of two somber-looking children believed to have lived there around the time of the Civil War. In 1865, Corines Quackenbush died of illness at age 9 within a week of his 7-year-old sister, Catherine Ann.
At The Hermitage, a mid-18th-century stone house in Ho-Ho-Kus, a picture shows Killie Rosencrantz, who died at 35 of tuberculosis, leaving behind four children, including an infant.
And at the Van Allen House in Oakland, a cabinet holds a Civil War-era lancet used to “bleed” patients, in hopes that cutting a vein to let out bad blood would cure them.
The Northwest Bergen History Coalition offers a look inside the lives of local families in the 18th and 19th centuries. For more information, visit their websites:
Bethlehem Lutheran Invites You To Follow the Footsteps of Martin Luther
The members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Ridgewood invite you to join us as we continue our Faith Matters email series. The entire series can be accessed at www.bethlehemchurch.com/faithmatters.
One of our members has been researching the life of Martin Luther and has put together a series that will begin May 20 and continue until July 4. It is titled “In the Footsteps of Martin Luther”and the series will continue with the Bible based quotes of Martin Luther during the years 1510-1530. However, in addition to his religious writings we are including historical events and pictures of the places Luther lived and preached.
This email series was written to help Christians understand the foundations of Luther’s theology and how it is both similar and different from Roman Catholic teachings and the beliefs of other Protestant faiths. In the research for this series, we discovered how God is in control of history and works His divine plan through it. Pastor Robert Kolb (Concordia Seminary Professor Emeritus and Luther historian) provided direction on the research.
The Footsteps message will appear as a daily email and be brief. It will follow a chronological sequence of Luther’s pastoral and professorial life. You may be interested in the Lutherstadts the government of Germany has recently identified as places to visit for the 500 anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017. (www.luther2017.de/en )
The Footstep documents will be archived at www.bethlehemchurch.com/footsteps website.
The members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgewood want you to know that God has a plan for you. Our faith is in Christ, our guide is in the Word of God, and our love is demonstrated in our actions. Come celebrate with us because faith in God is important! For our regular worship schedule, we offer two Sunday services: Contemporary Praise Service at 8:45a.m. and a Traditional Worship at 11a.m. with Sunday School and Bible Class at 10a.m. Our summer worship schedule begins on June 9 with one service at 9:30 a.m. Come to God’s house at 155 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood.
The mission of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church is to trust God and care for
His people by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in our world, community, work,
church, and home. Please visit our website www.bethlehemchurch.com for additional
information.
2nd Annual Bergen County Law Enforcement Blue Mass
Ridgewood NJ , Please join us for the 2nd Annual Bergen County Law Enforcement Blue Mass to honor fallen and deceased law enforcement officers. Sponsored by the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association. Wednesday May 22nd 9:00am. Our Lady of Mt.Carmel Church, One Passaic Street Ridgewood NJ.
Any department wishing to participate please contact Fairview Police Captain Kahan @ [email protected]
Pascack Valley hospital reopening with eye on expansion
Saturday May 18, 2013, 11:06 PM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Bergen County’s first for-profit hospital welcomed guests to tour its operating suites and patient rooms in Westwood on Saturday — a week before it was to admit patients — its executives said they were already thinking about future expansion.
They expect patients will be attracted to the new hospital by the single rooms offered at no extra charge, and physicians by the $80 million investment in renovations and new technology. More than 600 doctors have already applied for admitting privileges.
“If we truly have the volume here and the support we think, within the next three years we’ll be looking to add inpatient rooms,” said Chad Melton, chief executive of the hospital now known as Hackensack University Medical Center at Pascack Valley.
As he surveyed the open space along Old Hook Road from his office window, he said he believed there would be new buildings there, “hopefully sooner rather than later.”
The hospital, a joint venture of LHP Hospital Group and Hackensack University Medical Center, shows how an investor with enormous financial resources can change the competitive landscape. LHP, the majority owner, is capitalized by the Canadian Pension Plan and CCMP Capital Advisors, a former JPMorgan private-equity unit.
Its opening celebrations — complete with fireworks Friday night — come at a time of fierce competition among Bergen County’s hospitals. The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood has been struggling to win local approval for its plan to replace some of its existing buildings with new ones that will have single-patient rooms and more modern operating rooms. Englewood Hospital and Medical Center also is seeking approval to add three stories to one of its buildings, with no change in patient rooms.
Bergen County voters could be asked to decide in November whether to use open-space funds to purchase property in flood-prone area
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Last updated: Wednesday May 15, 2013, 4:33 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Bergen County voters could be asked to decide in November whether to use open-space funds to purchase property in flood-prone areas – and whether to contribute additional money for that purpose – under a proposal being considered by the Board of Freeholders tonight.
The freeholders will consider a pair of possible ballot questions at their 4:30 p.m. work session and 7:30 p.m. meeting.
One would be a binding referendum on whether to expand the use of open-space funds for “blue acres” projects. If voters approved the proposal, the county would acquire and demolish homes in chronic flood zones and restore the land to its natural state or use it for recreation.
Currently, open-space funds go toward preserving farmland and acquiring or improving other land for conservation or recreation, including the upgrading of historic preservation sites.
Report: Average N.J. property tax bills grow to record high
Tuesday May 14, 2013, 2:09 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
Associated Press
New Jersey property tax bills grew last year on average by $126 to a record high of $7,885, according to new data released Tuesday by the state Department of Community Affairs.
The burden is even larger for homeowners in Bergen and Passaic counties, where average property tax bills now total $9,866 and $8,629, respectively.
Property tax bills have emerged as a key early issue in this year’s gubernatorial contest as Governor Christie seeks a second term.
While the average New Jersey property tax bill now sits at a record high, the bills have been growing at a slower rate since Christie took office in early 2010. Bills grew on average by $295 from 2009 to 2010; by $183 from 2010 to 2011; and now $126 from 2011 to 2012.
But the overall net impact property tax bills are having on the average New Jersey homeowner has increased during the Republican governor’s time in office thanks to cuts he made to the state program that funds property tax relief.
President Obama’s proposed cap on the value of the deductions and bite harder in New Jersey than many other states
Sunday May 12, 2013, 11:47 PM
By HERB JACKSON
“NJ/DC” COLUMNIST
Several deductions that help offset the high cost of housing in North Jersey and the property taxes that come with it may be scaled back as the White House and Congress debate ways to overhaul the federal tax code.
Among the 50 states, New Jersey is one of the biggest beneficiaries from the deductions of local property taxes, state income taxes and mortgage interest.
Given how federal policy usually scales back the value of benefits as wealth increases, and targets spending toward lower-income beneficiaries, the deductions represent a rare case where a high-wealth state such as New Jersey comes out near the top from a federal policy.
But economists also see these deductions as an expensive “tax expenditure,” with a national price tag last year of $181 billion that would have otherwise been owed to the federal government, according to the Congressional Research Service. And that high price tag makes them a tempting target for House and Senate tax committees trying to rewrite the code to meet different policy goals without raising rates.
For New Jersey, the three breaks combined were worth an average $9,879 per tax filer in 2011, about 80 percent higher than the national average.
One plan proposed by President Obama would cap the value of the deductions and bite harder in New Jersey than many other states.
A study by Citizens for Tax Justice found that while only 3.6 percent of taxpayers nationwide would pay more under Obama’s plan, the rate would be 6.7 percent — almost double the national average – in New Jersey.
Along with Jews and Tea Party Groups, Conservative Hispanic Groups Targeted In IRS Scandal
By Andrew O’Reilly
Published May 16, 2013
Fox News Latino
The Internal Revenue Service scandal involving the apparently unjustified targeting of Tea Party and other conservative groups has also hit home with the Hispanic community.
George Rodriguez, former president of the San Antonio Tea Party, said that when the organization applied for non-profit status, leaders were intimidated by IRS workers with excessive paperwork and meddling questions.
“They asked us all sorts of things that were out of the norm,” Rodriguez, now head of the conservative South Texas Alliance, told Fox News Latino. “We knew these questions were not the norm and we had our suspicions about them.”
