Category: Uncategorized

>Zuccoti Park: A right to mooch ?
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog

Just shy of the second month anniversary of the “Occupy Wall Street ” movement “protesters” were awaken from their sleep by New York’s Finest asking them to vacate Zuccotti Park the public park that had become there home.

In a through back to the 1960’s the group initially tapped in to the angst of the economic downturn and the cronyism of the last ten years ,but began to lose traction when it began to appear they were looking to imposes social change through the adaption of you guested it, socialism . The lack of originality and lack of a focused message lead the OWS as it is now called to quickly to devolve to both another  tourist destination and 24/7 tryouts for reality TV.

The group managed to muster frequent disturbances in public places and at public events ,but as time wore on Zuccotti Park seemed to attract more and more crime ,drug dealing ,security threats and lack of proper sanitation.. I mean after all we a government that thinks a 5 years old is a threat to national security and needs to be strip searched at the airport so its hard not to see how authorities would begin to fear the worst of the “protesters” .

Threats as well as random acts of violence and disruptions left the public asking why only the rights of the protesters seemed to count and the rights of businesses and families living in the area were not being protected. The group seemed to be a favorite of the media and politicians looking to evade responsibility for there own failures of judgement.

The “protesters” image was also hurt by by the enormous amount of IPAD’s and IPHONE’s in use leaving the impression that the group was nothing but a mix of spoiled brats and professional “protesters”. This was born out when links to ACORN were discovered as well as ties to the Obama administration were suggested . Left wing celebrity visits as well as the groups ability to raise seemingly large amounts of money effortlessly also began to hurt the groups PR. The slick professionalism of the website and various other support left people out side the movement increasingly skeptical.

Finally the Mayor who up till now had seemed ineffectual called for there removal saying that the first amendment does not support building a tent city on private property. The decision was spurred on when the city realized that the “protest” was costing more that it was bringing in in tourist dollars and other revenue . New York being the place where money is always first finally acted to defend itself and asked the “protesters” to leave.

With over 200 arrested ,the group was forcible removed and left marauding the streets of lower Manhattan .”Protesters” manged to get a TRO against NYC but most legal experts suggest its time to move on.

>Readers debate value of Collaborative teachers

Collaborative teachers means 2 full certified teachers in a classroom. It is like having two managers in a department, tends not to work real well. The only way it does work well is if one steps back and basically acts as a teacher’s aide – in which case just pay for a teacher’s aide.

I have not seen the value added by having a certified teacher in the classroom as opposed to an aid at half the cost and have generally found the aids to be superior in terms of the assistance they give to ALL students. Of course, there are exceptions to this on both sides but, in my experience, two teachers actually results in a less well-run classroom. If we’re cutting the special ed. budget, we should take a hard look at the necessity of the collaborative teachers.

It always seemed that no one was in charge and the quality of instruction was always substandard compared to single instructor classes. Consistently, if one teacher was teaching, the other was not involved with the class at all or any individual students. My child NEVER got added attention in a collaborative class and in fact got less. I did not realize that collaborative classes were there to accomodate special needs kids. They really don’t help at all. What a waste.

My child does worse in a collaborative classroom setting and reports that the collaborative teacher “just kind of hangs out at the front of the classroom and interupts the class ocassionally with comments that make no sense”. They seem to be a detriment to learning (in most instances). I, like you, have complained that they just make no sense; if a spec. ed. child can function intellectually in a mainstream classroom then so be it. If an aid is necessary for other accomodations, such as organization, notetaking, etc. then provide an aid. The collaborative teachers cost 2x as much as an aid and do 1/2 the work.

My problem is that everyone complains about special ed. costing so much. Many special ed. parents, like regular ed parents, have cost-saving ideas that are not considered by the BOE or district personnel. Getting rid of collaborative teachers is high on my list. It seems that all school district use special ed. funding to place extra teachers/aid in classrooms where they aren’t really needed for that cohort of students. If RPS wants teachers helpers, they should NOT try to hide them in the special ed. budget.

 

>Tuberculosis Breaks Out At Occupy Atlanta’s Base

ATLANTA (CBS Atlanta) – The home base for Occupy Atlanta has tested positive for tuberculosis.

The Fulton County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that residents at the homeless shelter where protesters have been occupying have contracted the drug-resistant disease. WGCL reports that a health department spokeswoman said there is a possibility that both Occupy Atlanta protesters and the homeless people in the shelter may still be at risk since tuberculosis is contracted through air contact.

https://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2011/11/10/tuberculosis-breaks-out-at-occupy-atlantas-base/

Future of Occupy Burlington encampment uncertain after police clear City Hall Park to investigate man’s death

The city closed half of City Hall Park and put a halt to all camping at the Occupy Burlington site Thursday night while police investigate a shooting in a tent that cost a 35-year-old man his life. Meanwhile, the movement’s participants mourned a member of their community and planned the future of the encampment.

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20111110/NEWS02/111110019/Breaking-Police-respond-shooting-City-Hall-Park?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|FRONTPAGE

>Trustee Fires 1,066 Workers at MF Global’s Broker DealerWritten By Matt Egan

Just two weeks after MF Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the trustee overseeing the failed futures brokerage disclosed plans on Friday to fire all of its broker dealer employees as it liquidates the business.

In a statement, the court-appointed trustee, James Giddens, said the broker dealer’s 1,066 employees were notified on Friday that their employment has been terminated, effective immediately.

However, the MF Global trustee said the liquidation and terminations don’t apply to the parent company, MF Global Holdings, which listed 2,847 employees as of September.

Read more: https://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/11/11/trustee-fires-1000-workers-at-mf-globals-broker-dealer/#ixzz1dXDwGO8u

>Since Obamacare’s Passage, Millions Have Lost Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
4:42 PM, Nov 11, 2011 • By JEFFREY H. ANDERSON

Throughout the Obamacare debate, President Obama repeatedly promised, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.” Now, Gallup reports that from the first quarter of 2010 (when Obama signed Obamacare into law) to the third quarter of this year, 2 percent of American adults lost their employer sponsored health insurance. In other words, about 4.5 million Americans lost their employer-sponsored insurance over a span of just 18 months.

https://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obamacare-s-passage-millions-have-lost-employer-sponsored-health-insurance_607994.html

>New H Zone Ordinance

The Planning Board has authorized the New H Zone Ordinance to be sent to the Village Council for possible introduction and adoption. Click Here for H Zone Ordinance document : https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2011HospitalZoneOrdPB0406.pdf

>Ridgewood VC: Heed the advice of the ghost of Christmas present….IT”S A CHRISTMAS TREE

Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Charleston (WV) Daily Mail
November 7, 2011 | Don Surber


Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin just ended 25 years of stupidity. The Christmas Tree at the state Capitol will be called a Christmas Tree for the first time since 1985 when an anti-Christian group — the Freedom From Religion Foundation — prevailed upon political cowards to call the Christmas Tree a “holiday tree.”

That’s right I made a sizable donation to the christmas tree fund in Ridgewood last year to bring it back where it belonged after the dopes at VH decided it was a good idea to trash tradition and plant a weed at the park….and the first announcement this year from VH promoted a “Holiday Tree” for the downtown ! absolutely pathetic….IT”S A CHRISTMAS TREE…..man up a call it what it is….if not….my wallet won’t open.

>CBD: The former vibrant downtown, I blame the landlords more than anything else.

Over three decades, I have watched one single owner shop after another disappear because of crazy rent demands. The downtown was vibrant because of these shops that offered something unique and personal to shoppers. Now most of these shops are gone, replaced by mall stores, restaurants and banks, the only ones who can afford to be in Ridgewood thanks to the few greeedy owners of these buildings.

I know of five small business owners with very long established and sucessful shops that had to move or go out of business because of insane rent demands. In one case, the landlord wanted them out, hoping for a bank in place of four shops that he drove away with these tactics. These shops remained vacant for years because of this greed. And who wants to go to mall shops in Ridgewood where parking is limited and you have to feed meters when the malls are only a few minutes away?

I blame the landlords more than anything else.

>Senate bill powers up state online sales taxes
By Patrick Temple-West
WASHINGTON | Tue Nov 8, 2011 7:18pm EST

(Reuters) – State governments would be able to collect online sales taxes under a bill due to be introduced in the Senate on Wednesday, said sources familiar with the bill.

Supporters of the online sales tax collection requirement include Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Target Corp and other “big box” retailers who argue they are at a disadvantage against online-only competitors.

A bipartisan group of up to seven senators will introduce the bill, which is broader than similar legislation introduced in the Senate in July. The new bill will differ from a bill in the House of Representatives by affecting more small businesses under a lower exemption threshold, the sources said.

State and local governments support the upcoming bill even more than earlier measures.

Retailers have been exempted from collecting taxes on sales in states where they do not have a physical presence since a 1992 Supreme Court case — before the advent of e-commerce.

https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/09/us-usa-salestax-idUSTRE7A801H20111109

>Readers sound out on 2008 drowning at Graydon Pool 


Lifeguards train for this type of incident. The victim’s sister was aware that her brother needed help, yet the lifeguards did not see her or the boy. And the first lifeguard who was notified radioed to a senior staff member to find out what to do. The girl was frantic yet they did not seem to know how to proceed.


When a kid goes missing while swimming lifeguards should react quickly. When my kids were young we went to Graydon a few times a week. Many times the lifeguards blew whistles and emptied the pool in search of missing children. The child was usually on the playground or in the bathroom. These children were not lost in the pool but they took the precaution anyway.


I think the judge was absolutely wrong in this case. The family absolutely has some responsibility to watch their own child. Especially in a case where the child is a visitor, speaks little english and isn’t a good swimmer(as has been previously reported). They have to take some responsibility. We all have to watch our children. It’s our job.


Nothing can replace this mother’s loss. As someone who lost a sibling early on, my mother never recovered from that. That being said, this was a child that never should have been swimming in the deep end of the pool. The friends did not report this boy going under until it was way past anyone helping him. They never screamed or yelled out. The mother when told did not yell out either. They walked all the way around the pool to the pool managers office. The village has offered a substantial payment to the family but this is not enough. Nothing will every be enough.


The lifeguards are certified and they do practice drills. Sometimes they even run around the pool. So why do all these drills if they are not going to react in an emergency?When selling guest passes, does the staff explain any rules to the guests? The need for a deep water test should be rule #1.

>New Jersey’s anti-bullying law:This is government way over reaching and is surely unconstitutional

“The legislation enacted last spring — considered by some as the toughest in a slew of anti-bullying laws sweeping the country — requires that districts follow strict protocols to prevent, identify, and address complaints of harassment and bullying both in and outside school.” NJSpotlight.com

And what pray tell does the school have to do with what goes on outside of its confines and hours of operation? This is government way over reaching and is surely unconstitutional. Just another example of the creeping nanny state. If we are not vigilant, we will soon be living in Orwell’s Animal Farm.

>Valley Renewal: I don’t believe the VC is in the position to make a decision about the Valley expansion

I don’t believe the VC is in the position to make a decision about the Valley expansion; there are too many unanswered questions:

1) Long before any public meeting, the Planning Board was told that alternatives to doubling in size in Ridgewood had already been examined and eliminated– because they were deemed not viable. No studies, no numbers, no details were ever presented—and the PB never asked, the just took this at face value. The Council, and the public, still don’t know why Valley won’t consider a split campus, or some alternative that will make everyone happy.***REMEMBER, we can’t really trust Valley’s promises without digging deeper. Looking for precedents, Valley told us early on that it had examined 21 other NJ hospitals that were “similar” to Valley and had expanded. No questions were asked by PB, but CRR did some fact-checking: turned out that of the 22 hospitals, Valley is the only one that is surrounded by homes on 3 sides and a school….

2) Valley keeps saying that plans have changed since the Geo-Technical expert gave his withering presentation. How? What has been changed? How can you make a decision based upon such a silly promise with no details?

3) The traffic expert examined ONLY the traffic on the Valley campus and bordering roads. How can you make a decision based upon this incomplete report? Wouldn’t it be essential to know how construction and expansion might affect traffic elsewhere in town? [it will]

4) Similarly,the geo-technical expert did not examine the soil, rock and infrastructure (waste and water lines, etc.) of land outside of Valley’s purview. How can you make a decision when you don’t know what is going on underneath the HO– USES in Ridgewood and how the construction will affect our land?

5) Why has Valley worked so hard to block the reopening of Pascack? Too many beds, they say.

6) Why then is Valley ADDING beds? The turnover rate for each bed is becoming faster and faster. This means that Valley’s 450+ beds will generating more and more traffic in the future.

7) Valley wants to expand here to “best serve the community”. What community is that? 95% of Valley patients do not live in Ridgewood. Still, at the last meeting, doctors spoke of the importance of getting to the hospital quickly—4 minutes? Four minutes from whose house? The majority of Valley patients don’t live here, so it is actually a LONGER trip for everyone else. Westwood is a part of the “community”, yet Valley wants to deny those residents close, convenient care? “Do No Harm”????

>Giuliani: “Obama Owns Occupy Wall Street”

by Nick Kalman | November 04, 2011

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says responsibility for the Occupy Wall Street movement rests squarely on the shoulders of President Obama.

“This is a very dangerous movement, and it’s ironic it’s happening under a president who promised to unify us,” Giuliani said. “Barack Obama owns the Occupy Wall Street movement, it would not have happened but for his class warfare.”

The Occupy Wall Street protests broke out in cities all over the country shortly after president Obama called for tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans. Some of the protests have turned violent. In Oakland, California, more than 100 people were arrested and eight were seriously injured Thursday, with protesters leaving stores in flames, and streets littered with broken glass and debris. A week earlier a former Marine suffered a fractured skull in a confrontation with Oakland police.

Read more: https://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/11/04/giuliani-obama-owns-occupy-wall-street#ixzz1cpetJjvr

>Valley’s requested changes to the Master Plan are already in effect?

In a recent Ridgewood News article Village Attorney Matt Rogers,implied that the Master Plan or the H-zone has been changed. This process the Village Council is going through is not to confirm those changes, but to enact legislation to implement the changes. The Master Plan has been modified. That’s done.

So, what happens if the Village Council chooses either to (1) do nothing at all, or (2) only write ordinance for a portion of the revised Master Plan? Can the next iteration of our Village Council (e.g. after the next election) decide to revisit this and implement the changes ignored by the current Council?

So now we are told that Valley’s requested changes to the Master Plan are already in effect.

If true, this seems inappropriate and anti-democratic. The contents of the Master Plan should not be subject to change without first being approved of by the Village Council. Particularly when the only reason that changes were being entertained at all was that an entity outside of government proposed them and advocated for them. Federal rules or regulations are typically not put through the final approval process unless and until a governmental body decides it is good and ready to do so. No third party has the right to force the government to amend the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Has Valley exploited a loophole? Or did the VC have a vote at some point in the recent past to prompt the planning board to begin the process of amending the Master Plan at Valley’s request?

I’m also curious to know whether those voting ‘no’ on the VC need to come up with their own personal reasons for voting that way, or if those voting ‘no’ have to agree on a common statement (which will then be attacked by Valley). Village Attorney Matt Rogers, do you know the answer to this question?