Apple’s $1 Billion Verdict May Lead To Samsung Sales Ban
By Joel Rosenblatt – Aug 26, 2012 2:03 AM ET
Apple Inc. (AAPL) won more than $1 billion after a jury found Samsung Electronics Co. infringed six of seven patents for its mobile devices in a verdict that may lead to a ban on U.S. sales of handheld electronics a judge deems to violate Apple’s rights.
Apple won less than half of what it sought in damages in the first lawsuit to go before a U.S. jury in the fight to dominate the global smartphone market, though U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh may later triple the damages against Samsung under federal law. Samsung avoided a finding of damages for antitrust law violations or breach of contract.
Another Victory for Voter ID
Elizabeth GarveyAugust 15, 2012 at 1:15 pm
This morning, in a victory for election integrity, a Pennsylvania district court judge denied a preliminary injunction to stop Pennsylvania’s new voter ID law from going into effect.
The law, passed in March 2012, minimally changes Pennsylvania’s election code to require citizens voting in person on Election Day to present photo identification. Acceptable forms of photo identification include IDs issued by the federal or state government, such as municipalities, accredited public or private schools, and care facilities. Citizens who cannot produce an approved form of ID may still cast a provisional ballot provided that the person delivers proof of identification within six days after the election. The law imposes a similar ID requirement for absentee ballots.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation is charged with issuing free identification cards. For those who cannot afford the minimal cost of supporting documentation, such as a birth certificate, their votes will still count if they sign an affirmation that they can’t afford the cost.
The challengers claimed that many citizens will be disenfranchised or severely burdened by the photo ID requirement. At a trial in July, the challengers put forth testimony regarding the number of registered voters supposedly without certain types of photo ID (e.g., drivers licenses) as of June 2012, but others have noted that most of these voters have other approved IDs that they use to pass through airport security or get into government buildings.
Judge Robert Simpson flatly rejected the challengers’ attempt to “inflate the numbers” of disenfranchised voters—which he estimated were “somewhat more than 1% and significantly less than 9%,” as claimed by the petitioners. He also found that the testimony of the petitioners’ expert was “not credible” and demonstrated bias.
This outcome is similar to those in the unsuccessful lawsuits against the voter ID laws of Georgia and Indiana. In all three states, the courts threw out the opinions of the alleged experts hired by the plaintiffs as “not credible.”
In a motion for a preliminary injunction, the challengers must demonstrate their likely success on the merits. The challengers failed to convince the judge that Pennsylvania’s law is facially unconstitutional (rather than as applied, which means that the law is unconstitutional only in its application to a particular person under particular circumstances). The challengers provided “speculation about hypothetical or imaginary cases,” which Judge Simpson correctly observed has “no place in a facial challenge.”
Fraud in elections is a legitimate problem, and states from Colorado to Rhode Island have addressed it by passing laws that require identification at the polls. Voter ID laws strengthen enfranchisement of registered voters and ensure the integrity of elections, and now Pennsylvania joins the ranks of other states with common-sense voter ID laws that have withstood judicial scrutiny, such as Indiana, Arizona, and Georgia.
Back to School: School Choice program eyes expansion
The state Education Department has proposed changes to the popular Interdistrict School Choice Program, including allowing more public schools to participate.
It would also accept “non-public school students.” Such students, according to the proposal, could “enroll in choice schools if the choice school district chooses to admit the student and seats are available after all eligible public school students have been admitted.” (Hassan, State Street Wire)
Governor Christie to sign bill today expanding Rutgers University
Governor Christie is expected to sign a bill later today that will give Rutgers University coveted medical and dental schools, substantially increasing the size and stature of the state university.
The bill, which passed the Legislature earlier this summer, will merge most of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey into Rutgers. The medical university’s campuses in Newark and New Brunswick/Piscataway will be taken over by Rutgers by July 2013.
The governor and other proponents of the move say it will shore up the struggling medical university and elevate Rutgers – enabling the state to attract more medical research dollars. (Alex, The Record)
Americans Having Fewer Babies Crimping Consumer Spending
By Steve Matthews – Aug 21, 2012 4:11 PM ET
Debra Mollen, 41, a psychology professor in Denton, Texas, said she and her husband don’t plan to have children as they strive to pay down their mortgage and save for retirement.
“Children are really expensive,” Mollen said, and the 2008 financial crisis shows the importance of building a nest egg. “Retirement is not an option for a lot of folks.”
Mollen isn’t alone, as Americans have had fewer babies each year since the 2008 financial meltdown, with births falling to a 12-year low in 2011, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The low birth rate and reduced immigration resulted in the smallest gain in population since World War II, which may hurt spending on everything from Huggies diapers to pregnancy kits, child care and education.
“Consumption bumps up when families have children,” said Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist at Barclays Plc in New York, who worked at the Federal Reserve from 1995 to 2000, and researched household finances. “The fact we are seeing fewer births is something of a drag on consumer spending. To the extent this turns out to be a persistent trend, it is something to be worried about.”
The population increased by 0.92 percent, or 2.8 million people, to 311.6 million from the end of the decennial population count on April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011, the slowest rate over a similar period since the mid-1940s, the Census Bureau said.
Attorney says Ridgewood is required to make Graydon Park accessible
TUESDAY AUGUST 21, 2012, 10:07 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The village is legally responsible to ensure that the entire facility at Graydon Park conforms to all regulations set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when Ridgewood’s governing body proceeds with plans to improve accessibility into the pool, legal officials confirmed last week.
Members of the Village Council last month discussed the possibility of modifying preliminary plans for a new ADA ramp leading into the water, but the topic was left open for future dialogue following a debate over the municipality’s legal accessibility obligations.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn picked up the conversation last week and verified that accessibility compliance regulations differ for public and private entities.
“Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, private businesses and private homes only have a legal obligation to make accessibility changes if they’re undertaking a major renovation. The question is: We’re not making major renovations with Graydon, do we still have a legal obligation?” Aronsohn said during last week’s work session.
Village Attorney Matt Rogers detailed the ADA and explained how it will impact Ridgewood’s plans to improve accessibility at the pool.
An extremely important movie out currently and is in a few states right now – – It is called simply “2016”. Author is Dinesh D’Souza, college president in New York and author of many New York Times best sellers. The movie is from Gerald R. Molen, producer of Academy Award winning Schindler’s List, Jurrasic Park , Brave Heart.
It explains in plain language who Barack Obama really is, what he stands for, and the dangers of him being reelected for another four years.
Movie – “2016 Obama’s America” – will be shown at AMC Theater in Paramus. September 6 – We believe the show time will be 7:00 pm, but you will have to call the theatre to confirm and try to get your tickets ahead of schedule – Mark your calendars, especially those of you who are not on the internet. This is a joint effort with various Tp groups in the area. Teaming up with local TP’s in this effort Tickets will be $12.50 per person – try brining a friend to spread the word .
Private Tea Party Showing , 2016 Obama’s America, AMC Garden State Plaza , 7 pm Thursday, September 6, Tickets $12.50 each .Tickets not available from the box office .Consult your local Tea Party or contact [email protected].
or Phone 201 891-5918.
Back to School: Race to the Top for School Districts: More Federal Education Intervention
Lindsey Burke
August 17, 2012 at 4:04 pm
The Obama Administration’s new Race to the Top District (RTT-D) competition, a competitive grant program on top of the more than 100 programs the Department of Education (DOE) already operates, entices cash-strapped school districts with another $400 million to implement the Obama education agenda.
For the past half-century, federal education funding and control have been growing at the expense of state educational autonomy. The last thing our struggling education system needs is for local school districts to become dependent on Washington for education funding, further centralizing school-level policies in the hands of federal bureaucrats.
RTT-D is an offshoot of the original Race to the Top (RTT), the Obama Administration’s $4.35 billion competitive grant program to states carved out of the “stimulus.” The DOE says the new district-level program will “help schools become engines of innovation”:
Race to the Top, launched in 2009, has inspired dramatic education reform nationwide, leading 45 states and the District of Columbia to pursue higher college- and career-ready standards, data-driven decision making, greater support for teachers and leaders, and turnaround interventions in low performing schools. The next phase proposes to build on those principles at the classroom level to support bold, locally directed improvements in learning and teaching that will directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness.
Concern about the Administration’s push to nationalize the content taught in schools across America through the Common Core State Standards led some states to pass on the original RTT competition. States like Alaska, Texas, and North Dakota have never applied for RTT grants. Under the new district-level competition, the feds will appeal directly to school districts, offering up millions in exchange for adoption of the White House’s preferred policies.
56 % of Swing-State Voters Say not better off than they were four years ago
Divided as to whether they would be better off in four years under Obama or Romney
by Jeffrey M. Jones
PRINCETON, NJ — A majority of voters in key 2012 election swing states say they are not better off than they were four years ago; 40% say they are better off. Swing-state voters’ assessments of their situation compared with 2008 have varied little since last fall.
Activists to take on Capitol Hill: Lay off our milk, lemonade
Milk and lemonade may seem like the staples of youthful innocence, but on Saturday a group of activists hope to turn them into the tools of protests when they take to the Capitol to demand the government stop interfering in sales of fresh milk and stop shutting down kids’ lemonade stands.
The Raw Milk freedom Riders and Lemonade Freedom Day, two separate groups that each want the government out of their transactions, are unifying their voices, saying that together they can drive home a message that the government should butt out.
“This issue is not just about raw milk and it’s not just about lemonade. It’s about every individual’s right to consume the food of their choice,” said Robert Fernandes, founder of Lemonade Freedom Day.
The food freedom movement has grown dramatically in recent years, spurred by consumers looking for alternatives to supermarkets and big-brand items — and has faced pressure from local authorities, in the case of lemonade stands, and from federal authorities in the case of milk.
The Food and Drug Administration has deemed unpasteurized milk harmful and, while it cannot interfere with sales in the 30 or so states that allow them, it can prevent farmers, stores and coops from selling across lines to states where fresh milk is illegal.
America’s first black governor Douglas Wilder tells Joe Biden: ‘Slavery is nothing to joke about.’
America’s first black governor in modern times has become the most senior Democrat to break ranks over Joe Biden’s ‘y’all in chains’ comments, telling the Vice President: ‘Slavery is nothing to joke about.’
Douglas Wilder, who was governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994 and the first black governor since Reconstruction, told CNN that ‘without question’ Biden’s remarks in Danville, Virginia (though the veep seemed to think he was in North Carolina) ‘were appeals to race’.
He continued: ‘The important thing I got out of this was Biden separated himself from what he accused the people of doing. As a matter of fact, what he said is they are going to do something to y’all, not to me. Not us. So he was still involved with that separate American.
‘As far as I am concerned, the President would not associate himself with those remarks. And I expect as the days go forward there will be more clarity associated with what the president feels about what Joe Biden said.
50 N.J. patients registering for medical marijuana
Advocates for medical marijuana say they are not surprised by a slow start for the registry of patients eligible to access the drug legally in the state.
The state Department of Health said Wednesday that since the registry opened on Aug. 9, 21 patients have begun the process of signing up for permission to use the drug, which is otherwise illegal.
Under New Jersey’s procedures, a patient can submit an application only after a physician has declared he or she meets the qualifications. The state says 50 patients have been declared eligible by doctors so far.
Earlier Wednesday, the health department said 18 people had applied and 44 had been identified by doctors as eligible. (Associated Press)
‘Black box’ standards coming for cars
By Pete Kasperowicz – 08/14/12 09:13 AM ET
New federal standards for “black boxes” that record information leading up to auto accidents will will take effect Sept. 1, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ruled on Tuesday.
The decision means the new standards for the devices will not be delayed by one year, as automakers had requested.
The federal standards will apply only to cars that are voluntarily outfitted with event data recorders (EDRs), also known as black boxes. But while the government does not yet require all cars to have black boxes installed, NHTSA is still thought to be considering a federal mandate as a next step, possibly this year.
NHTSA standards for black boxes were proposed in 2006, but have been delayed since then. In 2009, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers suggested a delay to Sept. 1, 2013, arguing that this would give auto companies more time to work with original equipment manufacturers to ensure the standard can be met.
Many Factors at Play as the Council tries to remake Ridgewood
August 15,2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , Not since the renovation of the Village Hall has the Village Council embarked on such an ambitious project .As long term resident and readers know the Village Hall renovation or “fiasco” as it is known was marred with lengthy delays and massive cost over runs . In the end the project failed to produce the results promised and some observers would say made the flooding problem in the Village is worse..
While no one was prosecuted to many the Jane Reilly “Taj” Hall marked the begging on the decline of the Village of Ridgewood. So now when a new Mayor Paul Aronsohn and his supporters pursue Paul’s “Xanadu” garage project for Ridgewood , the red flags are once again raised.
Has Ridgewood really learned anything form the Village Hall fiasco ? We are not so sure : Construction over runs are part of life , especially given the rule of giving the “lowest bidder” the job, which is immediately followed by revision after revision in cost estimates once the project is awarded. The recent $400,000 golden toilet episode at Vets field is a stark reminder as to the reality of the lowest bid system at work.
Next is the problem with congestion , can current Village merchants really sustain another couple of years of constant construction ? Was not the Train station project enough of a problem ? Some suggest these type of projects contribute to so many stores staying vacant,
Then there is the wisdom of the project it self . The main promoters of this project is the Village Chamber of Commerce which seems to have a rather checkered past with promoting the Village . These are the same guys after all who came up with the idea of banning banks ifrom downtown Ridgewood , thinking it would leave room for other merchants .
And as resident on Grove street keep pointing out ,what about the Villages seemly inability to ever finish a job, What ever happened to the landscaping on the island on Grove Street?
Finally there is the “Ed Sullivan ‘ factoror Urbanization noting against Ed but do residents really want Ridgewood to be like Hoboken or some might suggest Irvington .
‘Texting Thumb’ A Growing Health Condition
August 13, 2012 11:47 AM
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – If you’re an active cell phone user, you may be developing a growing health condition: texting thumb.
According to Jefferson University Hospital, texting thumb—a form of tendinitis in the thumbs—is one of the most common ailments seen by hand specialists today.
Dr. Eon Shin, a Jefferson orthopedic surgeon, says the increasing use of cell phones and computers have led to the overuse of our hands and wrists, leading to a rise in “techno-injuries,” especially among gen-Xers.
Fortunately, texting thumb can be treated fairly simply.
According to Dr. Shin, most people with texting thumb can treat it with simple rest or physical therapy..
