>
You recently wrote an article entitled, “Local blogs: Free speech forums or battle fields?” In that article, “Sue” (moderator of the “Ridgewood Views” blog) was extensively quoted without The Ridgewood News divulging her or her partner’s (“Andrew”) identity or giving any of their background information. This contrasted sharply with your reporting of James Foytlin and his “The Ridgewood Blog.” Why is that? Hasn’t it always been the policy of The Ridgewood News not to print anonymous statements?
When you compare the following statements made by “Sue” in your article with the comments “Sue” and “Andrew” are allowing to be posted on their blog, you will see that there is plenty of name-calling, nasty names and bashing … hardly a civil debate.
“…So we finally decided we can make our own blog and be fair to everybody. And we don’t have the name-calling because that just got ridiculous.”
“It can be said it was a response to the TERC stuff but I think the TERC stuff really just drove home the fact that this name-calling needed to stop…”
While she admits there are “three sides to every story,” Sue said she and Andrew would like to host an environment where people throw around ideas and not nasty names.
“We’re not trying to bash PJ [Foytlin],” she said. “He may have had the best intentions when he started but it seems to have gone awry. It seems with that blog that there is a lot of whining. Everyone’s got a complaint, but no one has an answer.”
The following mission statement is posted on their “Ridgewood Views” blog:
“In reading the postings on The Ridgewood Blog we came to the conclusion that there needed to be a more civil forum which could provide some balance. Unlike the Ridgewood Blog you will find no advertising here. We are not looking to make money from your participation. Here we encourage a free and open exchange of ideas, questions and opinions based on intelligent discussion and debate. The moderators of this blog will NOT post any comments that, in their opinion, contain personal attacks.”
Under the following heading excerpted from their blog there are eight postings.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
No Clear Answers To The Ridgewood Math Debate
Anonymous said…
Have you seen our friends latest post….he is really insane.
July 22, 2007 1:07 PM
Anonymous said…
it’s obvious he is consumed with the math issue, which is a clear sign of someone who is a fanatic.
July 22, 2007 1:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Why is this guy spending so much time on this issue? does he have a child in one of these programs?
July 22, 2007 4:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Because it gets him and his blog attention and he makes money…its that simple.
The fly Swatter
July 22, 2007 4:50 PM
Anonymous said…
If he is such a good Investment Advisor why is he wasting his time running a blog? I would think he would have better ways to spend his time.
July 22, 2007 5:31 PM
watching the lunatic fringe said…
The Math Moms mean well and have legitimate issues with respect to TERC. They were represented well in the Ridgewood News article by Keith Hamas.
Unfortunately, their side has been hijacked by the Lunatic Fringe, i.e. a small group of people in the village who have starred in such episodes as:
— suing the BOE over a high school survey, claiming that their privacy had been violated,
— getting forcefully removed from Orchard School grounds because they were upset about the school’s building expansion,
— threatening to sue Ridgewood Basketball Association to let a girl play in the boys league
— constantly writing letters to the editor of the Ridgewood News about some perceived outrage or injustice.
There are rational adults on both sides of the math debate in the village…and there are irrational cranks with problems that go way, way beyond mathematics.
July 22, 2007 8:00 PM
Anonymous said…
To watching the lunatic fring
Some people have a problem with everything and everyone in their lives. They go out of their way to make trouble for everyone around them. These people usually are very unhappy and angry at the world.
July 22, 2007 9:27 PM
watching the lunatic fringe said…
9:27 — Agreed. Unfortunately, even though they’re a small part of the population (5%? 2%? 1%?), their actions can cause problems for the rest of us, such as
— wasting taxpayer money & civil servant time by launching frivolous lawsuits
— causing a highly-qualified school leader to change his mind and not become superintendent of our schools
— polluting the public debate about what’s best for our children when it comes to math education
As the old saying goes: just a few rotten apples can spoil a whole barrel.
July 22, 2007 9:48 PM
Keith, would it be possible for you to write a follow-up article on “The Ridgewood Views” blog divulging the names of the moderators and giving their background information? I don’t understand why The Ridgewood News allows “Sue” and “Andrew” to remain anonymous while being extensively quoted in your article. Do you allow them to remain anonymous because they have chosen to remain anonymous? Over the years, there were many times while being interviewed by reporters for The Ridgewood News that I would have preferred to remain anonymous but was not afforded that opportunity. Does The Ridgewood News have a double standard?
By the way, Keith, I have corresponded with both “Andrew” and “Sue” using “Sue’s” e-mail address, roxdjs@hotmail.com. In response to my questions to them, “Sue” e-mailed the following background information:
How old are you? Andrew is 53 and I am 31
Are you married? Both Andrew and I are Married (but not to each
other)Do you have children in the system? Andrew had two
children who graduated
from Ridgewood High School. My son is not old enough to attend
school yet.
Did you go through the school system? Andrew and I both
Graduated from
Ridgewood High School.
> > > > Susan
As you can see from the following heading from an e-mail I received from “Andrew” (for some reason he e-mails me through “Sue’s” e-mail address) he openly cc’d “vbombace.”
—– Original Message —–From Susan Roxbury Date Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:24:57 +0000 To caroleanunn@optonline.net Cc vbombace@hotmail.com Subject Ridgewood Views
When I questioned Andrew as to who “vombace” was he responded that she is a relative of Mark and Maria Bombace. I think Andrew meant to bcc V. Bombace but mistakenly cc’d her. It turns out that V. Bombace is Vicki Bombace who resides on Midwood Road with James Bombace (husband and wife?). Isn’t James Bombace our chief of the fire department? There is a Vicki Bombace, age 31 (same age as Susan) who graduated from RHS in 1994 and resides on Midwood Road. Mother/Daughter?
Why create an anonymous platform? James Foytlin takes ownership of his blog and is very open to the public with who he is, what he does for a living, and even provides a picture of himself. Are “Andrew” and “Sue” hiding behind a group of people in this town (some who hold exalted titles such as fire chief and president of the boe)?
Keith, I think it would be revealing to your readers if you did a follow-up article addressing “Andrew” and “Sue’s” forced anonymity and their relationship with leaders in our town (who already have a public platform for their views) versus the openness of James Foytlin’s Ridgewood Blog.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Carole Nunn
>Sad is the word that comes to mind, get a life PJ! How long do you spend on this? I lost the will to live half way through this post. Why don’t you focus on whats important?
>Hmmm. and Vicki does payroll for the village.
>so people think the Ridgewood news is involved intentionally trying to mislead its readers ?
>Yes PJ the Ridgewood News is once again colluding with the powers that be to try to shut down and undermine the opposition
>Classic posting — I nominate this one for the Lunatic Fringe Hall of Fame! 🙂
Maybe Nunn & Edwards will launch another inane lawsuit to assuage their hurt feelings & protect us from the commie re-education camps. 🙂
>”a perennial critic of the Ridgewood school system” — The Bergen Record’s 1999 description of Carole Nunn
https://www.redorbit.com/news/education/335978/dust_settles_in_school_survey_fight/index.html
“Same as it ever was” — David Byrne, Talking Heads
>I think this was accidental by the Ridgewood News, the reporter is young and probably made a mistake.
That being said, this is an outrage.
These people still remain anomymous and refuse to divulge their identity.
The citizens in Ridgewood have a right to know if they are even residents and taxpayers.
They should not be allowed to continue to operate in this way.
It’s nonsense.
>Well, Plano, Texas Parents sued to remove the Connected Math Program, so lawsuits over bad Math curriculum are not unusual.
>Do the folks at the Ridgewood News know who Sue and Andrew are?
>It seems that the lunatic fringe guy only knows 2 people in ridgewood–frances edwards and carole nunn.
Since he is filled with hatred for anyone not of the left, one wonders why he tortures himself be reading this blog.
It must be like listening to talk radio when you are a marxist.
>What the other blog meant was that you couldn’t comment negatively on them but everyone else is fair game. That has always been the double standard of the left wing.
Take their differing responses to Bill Mahr and Ann Coulter.
Enough said.
>7:25 – Actually, I find posts like yours absolutely hilarious.
In the first sentence, you say that I must know only 2 people in Ridgewood.
In the second sentence, you say that I must hate anyone not of the left.
Are a member of The Psychic Network or something? How did you uncover these undisclosed facts about me? 🙂
p.s. Listening to Rush-Hannity-Levin is equally amusing! 🙂
>Ridgewood Village and Bombace & Company – Perfect together.
Bombace = fire chief
Bombace = boe president
Bombace = village payroll clerk
Bombace = fire captain
Bombace = after military may “join” fire dept. when ready; still thinking about it (from RN article)
Bombace = anonymous originator of “ridgewood views” blog?
>T-shirt sighting:
Welcome to Ridgewood. An upper class town with middle class leadership and lower class politics.
>The reporter does not know the identity of Sue and Andrew. He tried but Sue wouldn’t tell him.
>Funny how the only anonymous people in the RN story about the blogs were “andrew” and “susan.”
Newspapers may grant anonymity, but usually only if they know who the people are and then they make an editorial decision whether such anonymity serves the public interest.
In this case, it appears that the RN didn’t care or may just not have any standards at all.
>Mrs. Nunn’s questions seem reasonable to me. I want to know the answers. According to 7:52 the reporter does not know who he interviewed. That’s just bizzare. I thought all newspapers know their sources. They just sometimes don’t tell you.
>7:44 am
Dear Charlie, chucky, Fringe and sometimes anonymous:
Let us entertain you.
>The Ridgewood News doesn’t have a reporter problem, it has an editor problem.
Double standard.
>TO 4:43 AM (watching the lunatic fringe said…) Go back to bed. No wonder you are so ornery. You are up before the birds.
>8:17 – thank you! I love reading fiction almost as much as I love doing game shows!! 🙂
Sincerely,
Charles Nelson Reilly
https://www.charlesnelsonreilly.com/
>I’ve subscribed to The Ridgewood News for years and find it to be an o.k. rag. I do think the letter writer brings up a good question though. Does The Ridgewood News have a double standard?
I think it is o.k. for those runing blogs to remain anonymous but then they shouldn’t be quoted in the newspaper as much as Sue was and especially now that we know the reporter doesn’t even know who he interviewed.
>Can’t get a hold of the Ridgewood News editor. She’s on vacation.
>I like Keith Hamas articles however his editor should have insisted that he get Sue and Andrews identities. Their statements should not have been published in the paper.
>Charlie, go back to the other blog. They miss you because you’re over here posting on PJ’s blog 🙂
>Charlie, you really ought to get your facts straight before you go off spreading rumor and hear-say.
>Mrs. Nunn asks some good questions.
Will the editor of the Ridgewood News answer them?
We’ll see but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
>Thanks PJ for giving the citizens of this village a voice.
It seems as though there are quite a few people in Ridgewood who wish to remain anonymous while this all plays out. Gee, I wonder why? (Who is V. Bombace?)
It sticks in the craw of folks like Charlie in our town that the Ridgewood News has been supplanted by another source of info. After all, they had grown accustomed to having the paper carry their water and squash any dissent.
This might explain the rabid nature of their comments towards yourself and the others who challenge the status quo.
>After reading the other blog’s mission statment, Sue’s statements to the newspaper and then the sample postings from their site, I can only wonder if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing over there. Can anyone tell me how to get on their site? I want to see if the postings Carole Nunn listed are a fluke or not.
>”It seems as though there are quite a few people in Ridgewood who wish to remain anonymous while this all plays out. Gee, I wonder why? (Who is V. Bombace?)”
This is such a good point…people like Ms. Nunn who are not afraid of anybody are doing this town a huge favor by outing this crew.
>To further my theory that someone with current or past BOE affiliation is behind the “Views,” read this statement that precedes every BOE agenda. Note the sentence about “no personal remarks.”
MEETING REGULATIONS
At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments.? The public comment periods will be scheduled at approximately 7:30 p.m. and approximately 9:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 8:00 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda.? The second opportunity will occur at about 9:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics.
At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times.
Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise and state their name and address.? Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes.? The Board Recorder will note the time.? A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the Presiding Officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds.
Comments shall be limited to issues.? If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop.? No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.
>I suspect that RIDGEWOOD VIEWS is but a PR arm of the BOE.
This blog is quite dishonest and the fact that they will not even reveal their identities to the public only shows that their intent is to be a cheerleader to their connections and not to present the “balanced view they claim to aspire to.
This blog’s “balanced view” is as balanced as TERC.
We can call this “constructivist reality”–constructing reality based on their views, financial and political goals and agendas and not necessarily on truth and honesty.
>I wish I had the guts those two ladies (Frances and Carol) do. They right the wrongs in this town. I withdraw from the good fights because I’m afraid of the town bullies. What does that make me?
>so now Ridgewood has its own Rather gate ….
>No, it’s Mathgate.
>11:18 “I withdraw from the good fights because I’m afraid of the town bullies. What does that make me”
It makes you afraid, that’s all. And it proves that their intimidation works to silence people.
>About the Ridgewood Views:
A similar concept to the “flog” is a sockpuppet.
>I just visited that views blog to find out for myself what’s going on over there. It’s pretty sad to say the least. Hi PJ. I’m back. Thank God you’re here.
>to 7;50 AM — Good job…. like that saying…. agree with you except all politics are low class….
>Ridgewood views is mostly charlie “chucky” reilly and his fringe lunatics posting about us.
I prefer the drunks at Village Hall.
>The town bullies are very easy to spot even on this blog. You can tell from the postings of “watching the lunatic fringe said…” that he is a bully boy. Dr. Phil would have a field day with him.
>to 2:48pm
seems those math moms have thought about people being afraid
https://vormath.info/WordPress1/?p=80
>It doesn’t matter “who” they are. What is important is what they are doing and for whom. They do not follow their own mission statement and, I ask, why? Their identities aren’t important. Their sponsor’s identity is, though.
>The mission statement of the other blog states that they “encourage a free and open exchange of ideas, questions and opinions based on intelligent discussion and debate.” The sample postings listed are intelligent? I don’t see it.
>Ridgewoood news covers up for the BOE gee thats news?
>Boy, was the Ridgewood News ever duped by “Sue”. She had them believing that her blog was going to be cerebral and civil so they allowed her to remain anonymous.
>Interesting how that other blog has not posted any word coming from the latest board meeting.
Conspiracy? If it is a board of education fed blog, then certainly the board of ed would not want to feed over anything from its latest meeting.
– terc 2 into orchard based upon a travell unscientific survey
– the adoption of a reform math book into the high school honors program – calculus for those not good with algebra. Let’s think about this – if your in the honors math program, you should be good with algebra, dont you think?
– Shelia, Mark and Joseph all happy over having your kids just be proficient (jumping over that 50% scoring mark set by the state)
– Shelia making fun of The Star Ledger school performance ranking tool.
>7:58 am
Shelia making fun of The Star Ledger school performance ranking tool.
I saw that, it was over the top, she said it was just a “list”. When Ridgewood keeps moving down, you’ve got to say that.
>Ridgewood View blog not getting many postings from their groupies and no postings from those who have opposing views. #1–They are either censoring their opposition or #2–the opposition refuses to post with them or #3–both.
>Your blog is topnotch PJ. You have loyal followers on both sides of the issues. Your blog is a cut above the rest. I read your comments in the newspaper’s story on blogs and was pleased that you spoke very openly and honestly with the reporter. That says something about your integrity.