McCain: Obama Might Be Conducting ‘Massive Cover-Up’ With Libya Attack
October 29, 2012 1:18 PM
WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — Sen. John McCain claims the Obama administration might be conducting a “massive cover-up” with the deadly terror attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
On CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee said President Obama has been incompetent with the way he has been handling the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack.
“I don’t know if it’s either a cover-up or the worst kind of incompetence, which doesn’t qualify the president as commander in chief,” McCain said.
Downed Tree Cleared On Stevens Avenue, Ridgewood
October 29.2012
Boyd A. Loving
4:37 PM
Ridgewood NJ , As of 4:30 PM, the Ridgewood Police Department has already responded to dozens of downed trees in the Village, with the worst of the storm still expected. This tree fell in the 400 block of Stevens Avenue early Monday afternoon. A leaf collection crew, operating nearby with front end loaders, quickly cleared the roadway.
Pictured: Ridgewood Police Department Patrol Officer Shayne James and Ridgewood Streets Department Supervisor David Norcia.
Leaf Pick Up Continues Despite Approaching Storm
October 29,2012
Boyd A. Loving
4:22 PM
Ridgewood NJ,Despite the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy, a Village of Ridgewood Streets Department leaf collection vacuum truck crew was seen hard at work on South Irving Street on Monday morning and early Monday afternoon. And to top it off, these men all had big smiles on their faces, regardless of the drenching rain and high winds. What a great bunch of hard working guys!
Ridgewood parents are satisfied with Skyward service
Teacher communication seemed to be one area where most parents were largely unsatisfied.
MONDAY OCTOBER 29, 2012, 10:57 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Parents who use the Ridgewood school district’s Skyward Family Access System are mostly satisfied with the service that lets them check their child’s grades, assignments or teacher messages, according to the results of a recent district-wide survey.
But the survey also revealed that many parents do not use the new Family Food Service account.
According to the district, about 40 percent of parents and guardians participated in the survey, with the largest percentage (26.3) representing Ridgewood High School (RHS).
The results showed that the majority of respondents used, with satisfaction or indifference, all the system’s services at least once a year. Results from a survey of RHS parent respondents showed that most use the various non-food-related services, such as student grade- and attendance-checking, about once a month and found these services “helpful” or “very helpful.”
Teacher communication seemed to be one area where most parents were largely unsatisfied. Nearly 70 percent of respondents district-wide said they either would like “more consistent” communication with teachers or had received “very little” communication from teachers via Skyward. Among high school parents, this percentage rose to more than 80 percent of respondents.
Hurricane Sandy Information REGIONAL SHELTER OPERATION
At 12:00 PM today (October 29, 2012) a regional shelter will be opened at Bergen Community College (400 Paramus Road, Paramus). The shelter can accommodate special needs and is domestic pet-friendly.
Please remember to bring any clothes, medications for yourself and/or family members.
If you are bringing your pet please bring a carrier case or crate, leash, pet food, any medications, a water bowl, and waste bags.
First Downed Tree of Storm In Ridgewood Grazes House During Fall
October 29,2012
Boyd A. Loving
12:08 PM
Ridgewood NJ, The first reported storm related tree casualty in Ridgewood caused only minor damage to a house in the 500 block of East Saddle River Road when it fell early on Monday morning. Crews from the Village of Ridgewood’s Shade Tree Department blocked off a section of East Saddle River Road as they cut the fallen tree into small sections and fed it into a large chipper shredder. Pictured: Village of Ridgewood Senior Tree Climber Matthew Burgess operating chain saw.
Sanitation and Recycling Collection Cancelled for Monday through Wednesday
Due to storm conditions, Sanitation and Recycling collection has been suspended for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The Recycling Center is open from 8AM to 3PM and can receive household garbage (NO BULK), leaves and recycling material.
Please also remember that in no case will branches be allowed to be placed in the street
Please continue to check the Village website for further updates.
Senior and After School Recreation Programs Cancelled October 29 through November 2
For the public’s safety during this storm event, Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Dept has cancelled Senior and After School Recreation programs for October 29 through November 2.
Regarding travel on the road, please keep these points in mind:
– Don’t go on the roads unless you are essential to the disaster response.
– There is no ban on driving, BUT there are travel restrictions in many counties e.g., Atlantic, Cumberland, Camden. The Parkway is closed from Exit 38 South and there is the possibility of expanding the closure.
– Regardless of current rain conditions, drive slower to avoid losing control when you drive into ponding and standing water that is already on every roadway.
– Never drive through standing water, even if you think your vehicle can clear the depth. Even if you have an SUV. You could stall and block access for emergency workers
– Expect that flash flooding can turn a stream under a roadway into a river, capable of washing vehicles right off the road. This resulted in a tragic death during Irene.
– If you don’t have to be on the road, stay home. This is no time to venture out for sightseeing or taking photographs and videos.
PORT AUTHORITY UPDATE ON CONDITIONS AT TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
October 29, 2012
As landfall of Hurricane Sandy approaches, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reports the following update on conditions at its transportation facilities as of 7 a.m. today:
Airports
The Port Authority’s airports – John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, Stewart International and LaGuardia airports – are open. However, air carriers have ceased operations until further notice, and we are encouraging travelers not to travel to the airports.
Rail service on AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark has been suspended until further notice.
PATH
All PATH service was suspended as of midnight until further notice.
Ports
The Port Authority’s maritime facilities are closed until further notice.
Tunnels and Bridges
The Port Authority’s tunnels and bridges are open. However, Port Authority staff will closely monitor the wind and flooding conditions. Closures will be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on high winds, rainfall and roadway conditions. However, closures are anticipated later today. Motorists are urged reduce speeds when roadways are wet, and pay close attention to posted electronic messages for important information.
Port Authority Bus Terminal
All public and private bus service has been suspended until further notice.
Passengers are reminded to check https://www.panynj.gov/ for updated information about PATH, the airports, the tunnels and bridges, and all other Port Authority facilities. For further information about safety precautions, evacuation routes and best practices for New York State, visit https://www.governor.ny.gov/stormwatch. For New Jersey, visit www.ready.nj.gov.
Reform group’s study finds Garden State teachers unions among most influential
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012
BY LESLIE BRODY
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
New Jersey teacher unions are among the strongest nationwide, a report due for release today by a conservative research group says.
The Fordham Institute in Washington, D.C., aimed to show how teacher unions exert influence through spending, politics and clout at the bargaining table. It rated unions in each state by 37 indicators, such as membership, campaign donations, and the degree that local policies suited union interests. New Jersey ranked No. 7 overall.
With 97 percent of its teachers unionized, the report said, New Jersey’s teacher unions ranked No. 1 in resources. They’re No. 2 in “perceived influence,” judging by surveys of business people, parents, civic groups, advocates and educators. And they fall in the middle of the pack in the rating for political involvement, such as donations to candidates for state office.
The analysis comes after three years of heated battles between Governor Christie and the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teacher union. Both sides claimed victory in last summer’s passage of a new tenure law. The governor touted his leadership in improving a century-old system that often protected weak teachers, while the NJEA boasted the new law still shielded seniority rights during layoffs.
The NJEA, with 198,475 members, has long wielded power, though it suffered a setback when Christie signed a law in 2011 boosting public workers’ contributions to their pensions and health benefits.
For two years the Council, community, and Village Staff have discussed options to increase accessibility to Graydon Pool.
At this point a ramp allowing direct access into the pool is in the design phase. Below are two plans that the Council plans to review at its November 28th Meeting.
Click Here for Plans for Option 1. https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2012OpNo11026.pdf
Click Here for Plans for Option 3. https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2012OpNo31026.pdf
Following the selection of a design the Village Engineer will develop detailed plans to enable bidding the work and construction will begin in late Spring 2013
Washington Policy Wonks need to look no further than recent History of 1990 Japan for answers
Meanwhile In Japan…
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 10/27/2012 18:46 -0400
Two of the saving features that allowed Japan to internalize 30-some years of failed fiscal and monetary policy (and yes, not one, not two, but now 8 failed iterations of quantitative easing) and to offset one relentless deflationary vortex was i) its demographics coupled with an investing culture that favors deposits and bonds over equities, which incentivized its aging population to invest its savings into government bonds, and ii) its trade surplus which led to foreign capital flows to enter the country. Well, as far as i) is concerned, Japan may have reached its demographic limit, since as reported several months ago, Japan’s pension funds are now not only selling JGBs to meet redemption and cash needs, but forced to do truly stupid things like investing in the riskiest of assets to generate a return at any cost. In other words, demographics will no longer be a natural source of demand for deficit funds. As for ii), well… here is what has happened with Japan’s trade surplus status in recent weeks following the collapse in the country’s foreign relationship with China.
Policy experts continue to be stymied by their inability to get the economy moving again .A look at recent history would suggest that both the talking heads and Washington policy wonks should know better and be better served if they took a look at the failings of Japan in the 1990’s.
In the not too distant past Japan was faced with many of the same issues caused by collapsing property and stock markets,leaving Japanese banks upside down on much of the nations collateral. Japan’s once invincible economy ran aground with similar policy missteps that our current policy makers are making .
First Japan embarked on printing money and zero interest rates to accelerate demand ,but this is like pushing on a string. It failed in the 1990’s for Japan and in reality did nothing to effect the supply and demand curve. This priming the pump or inflating your way to prosperity has historically proven to have dangerous consequences such as run away inflation and in the worst case could lead to a currency collapse.
At the same time both Japan in the 90’s and the US government today have engaged in a massive buildup of regulation for both personal and business behavior with the net effect being to suffocate business initiative.
Both countries engaged in wrong headed Government “Stimulus” plans that never work , I repeat NEVER. Most of the stimulus money is wasted or lands in the hands of public unions with little or no job creation. Again Japan in the 1990’s embarked on the same foolishness with a huge capital investment plan for infrastructure .Like the fool hearty promotion of alternative energy in the US today where at the end of the day much of the money was wasted ,taxes have to be raised to cover the debt which further suppresses economic growth.
Japanese banks simple hid there loses and in many cases have yet to recognize the depreciated collateral.The US has similar issues with the destruction of the credit markets, the 2000 stealth stock market crash and the inability for the government to offer any reliable economic statistics. There is a consistent theme of not facing the reality of the current economic situation.
Finally for both countries their constant central and state government tweaking or interference with the economy and its unintended consequences have created so much uncertainty that they have virtually stifled business decision making.
The current period of economic decline will not end until more substantive pro-growth policy’s are enacted ,such as deregulation, shrinking the size and scope of government ,paying down debt and lowering taxes. It is just that simple.
WEATHER ALERT : Secure all Halloween Decorations and Garden Gnomes
October 29,212
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police announce due to the potential severe impact of the impending storm you are hereby advised that solid waste and recycling services will be suspended on Monday, Tuesday and Wednseday of this week.
The recycling center will be open to residents should you need to dispose of solid waste or recyclables that cannot be held. The normal pick up schedule will resume on Thursday.
Please remember that in no case will branches be allowed to be placed in the street. It is also requested that you withhold any reports of property damage normally made to law enforcement staff until after the storm has passed. Please continue to check the Village website for further updates.
The Ridgewood police also remind everyone to secure outdoor furniture and other loose objects .
Alice Gainer from News 12 New Jersey , reminds us , “This may seem obvious….but I’ve still seen em out…bring in your Halloween decorations…. or any lawn decorations for that matter…you know those garden gnomes or whatever people are into. Last thing anyone needs is to be knocked unconscious by a flying gnome while out in a storm. (Also- don’t go out in the storm) “
US Stock Markets Closed on Monday as Storm Hobbles New York
Published: Monday, 29 Oct 2012 | 1:03 AM ET Text Size
By: Reuters
U.S. stock and options markets will be closed on Monday, and possibly Tuesday, as regulators, exchanges and brokers worried about the integrity of markets in the face of Hurricane Sandy.
Market participants and regulators decided to shut the market because the storm will make it difficult to ensure the safety of employees, major exchanges said.
The decision to close stock and options markets came after regulators, exchanges, and dealers discussed the unknowns that would have been tested if the markets opened on Monday, three of the sources said.
