>Judge strikes down healthcare reform law

By Tom Brown
MIAMI | Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:45pm EST

(Reuters) – A federal judge in Florida struck down President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul as unconstitutional on Monday, in the biggest legal challenge yet to federal authority to enact the law.

U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson, appointed to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, ruled that the reform law’s so-called individual mandate went too far in requiring that Americans start buying health insurance in 2014 or pay a penalty.

“Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire act must be declared void. This has been a difficult decision to reach, and I am aware that it will have indeterminable implications,” Vinson wrote.

Referring to a key provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, he sided with governors and attorneys general from 26 U.S. states, almost all of whom are Republicans, in declaring it unconstitutional.

“Regardless of how laudable its attempts may have been to accomplish these goals in passing the Act, Congress must operate within the bounds established by the Constitution,” the judge ruled.

https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-usa-healthcare-ruling-idUSTRE70U6RY20110131?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

>Nanny State : N.J. Senate committee to consider bill that would require schools to conduct classes about dating violence


-We would suggest a greater focus on reading, writing arithmetic and history –


N.J. Senate committee to consider bill that would require schools to conduct classes about dating violence

Schools in New Jersey might have to conduct classes about dating violence.

The Senate Education Committee today will consider a bill that would create a task force to develop a policy to address dating violence. (The Associated Press)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/nj_senate_committee_to_conside_3.html

>Valley Renewal: Readers Speculate over the accuracy of “renderings”

Ridgewood NJ- I am still trying to digest the level of dishonesty revealed in that mailed brochure of a few weeks ago.

Please—everyone realize that those “renderings” were not only misleading for what they attempted to show, but truly dishonest in what they didn’t show.

Those drawings show the Valley expansion when it is only HALF done—-Phase I only!!!! Of course, this is not made clear in the brochure. Strange—why would Valley fail to show us the finished product? They don’t want us to know what it’s really going to look like!!!!!!

>Christie administration quietly signs controversial ratepayer-subsidy bill

Bury the controversial news late on a Friday.

That is the conventional wisdom, and it apparently held true this past weekend when the Christie administration quietly signed a bill that would give power plant developers a lucrative ratepayer subsidy to build up to 2,000 new megawatts of generating capacity in New Jersey. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0130/2024/

>Teacher contract negotiations: Lean times and hard bargains

As New Jersey’s school leaders begin drafting budgets for next year, lean economic times are continuing to play out at in the one place that matters most: the contract bargaining table. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0130/2244/

>Outrageous teachings by new Ground Zero(aka the Mike Bloomberg) mosque big
By ISABEL VINCENT and MELISSA KLEIN
Last Updated: 1:19 PM, January 30, 2011
Posted: 1:19 AM, January 30, 2011

The new imam at the Ground Zero mosque and cultural center believes people who are gay were probably abused as children and that people who leave Islam and preach a new religion should be jailed.

Abdallah Adhami’s remarks on homosexuals, religious freedom and other topics have brought renewed criticism of the proposed community center and mosque near the World Trade Center site, which purports to be an inclusive organization.

Adhami, in a lecture on the Web site of his nonprofit, Sakeenah, says being gay is a “painful trial” caused by past trauma.

“An enormously overwhelming percentage of people struggle with homosexual feeling because of some form of violent emotional or sexual abuse at some point in their life,” he says. “A small, tiny percentage of people are born with a natural inclination that they cannot explain. You find this in the animal kingdom at some level as well.”

He says gays must fight this “propensity.”

“When a religious leader of his standing opens up his mouth and spews this kind of ignorance and hateful statements, it does put his greater judgment into question,” said Fred Sainz, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay-rights group.

Adhami also notes that if a Muslim leaves the faith and “preaches their views, they’re jailed.”

https://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/gz_imam_gay_flay_K8wAYsyKlADqlz8Et5CuTP

>Valley should be applauded in their endeavor to make it an even better hospital but not at the expense of the Village

Ridgewood NJ- Yes, let’s focus on the issue…Valley Hospital needs to modernize & many residents agree with this, yes, even those with signs on their lawns. But, in 1983 the council was concerned about a 25% increase in lot coverage.Times change but we are still essentially a village of residents.So why NOT be concerned with a 200% plus increase in site coverage today?!?! – in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

This will affect ALL of the Village no matter where you live. Valley should be applauded in their endeavor to make it an even better hospital than it is today, but not at the expense of the Village. The expansion as it is proposed is just too big. Valley is at a crossroads; at this stage there have been too many expansions & it is time for both the Council & Valley to reconsider gains & losses.

>Valley Renewal Ad :Looking for Facts are not Attacks

Ridgewood NJ- I fail to see the personal attacks. The issue is an ad was placed in the newspaper by people who for the most part have a financial interest in valley hospital. uncovering the fact that valley is the employer for many listed is not a personal attack it is only stating the facts that should have been listed along side each persons name on the ad. residents of ridgewood have seen the faces of CRR for many years and know who they are. the people on the ad were not very honest when they did not disclose that valley employs them.

Personally i think the hospital should modernize and i dont know anyone who disagrees . but putting such a massive complex there is just to much. they should revisit the plan on a smaller scale.

No matter what your position i think you should disclose if you are employed by the hospital or have any personal gain.

>

White House quietly exempts pampered politicos from Obamacare

WOLF: Tawdry details of Obamacare

White House quietly exempts pampered politicos

If you would like to know what the White House really thinks of Obamacare, there’s an easy way. Look past its press releases. Ignore its promises. Forget its talking points. Instead, simply witness for yourself the outrageous way the White House protects its best friends from Obamacare.

Last year, we learned that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had granted 111 waivers to protect a lucky few from the onerous regulations of the new national health care overhaul. That number quickly and quietly climbed to 222, and last week we learned that the number of Obamacare privileged escapes has skyrocketed to 733.

Among the fortunate is a who’s who list of unions, businesses and even several cities and four states (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee) but none of the friends of Barack feature as prominently as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

How can you get your own free pass from Obamacare? Maybe you can just donate $27 million to President Obama‘s campaign efforts. That’s what Andy Stern did as president of SEIU in 2008. He has been the most frequent guest at Mr. Obama‘s White House.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/28/tawdry-details-of-obamacare-420960137/

>Do you have a bad case of the winter blues?

Do you have a bad case of the winter blues? It seems when those cold winter days get shorter, colder and darker, many people are over whelmed by a sense of melancholy or depression . If so, you’re not alone and data suggests that Twenty percent of the people in the United States react to the change of seasons with a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short. Symptoms typically arise in the fall and winter months, but those who are not exposed to sunlight during the day may experience SAD all year long.

I have detailed some simple steps to take to alleviate some of the symptoms ,obviously if symptoms persist you should see a doctor.

https://www.manhattanstyle.com/news/do-you-have-a-bad-case-of-the-winter-blues/

>Readers ask Ridgewood Residents for Valley in Friday’s Ridgewood News Ad why hide you affiliation with Valley ? 

Ridgewood NJ- A full page ad running in the Ridgewood News, placed by the group Ridgewood Residents for Valley is outrageous and disingenuous. Don’t be fooled Ridgewood. The vast majority of these people have a financial interest in Valley. They are Valley employees, vista members, workers, etc. Go through the names and let’s start outing them on this blog!

There is a  financial interest for  Dr Wesson or any employee of Valley supporting this cause. Wesson isn’t making his living peddling 100% vegetable oil you know! Medical insurance, referrals, patients, hospital. Obviously Valley employees have an interest in this cause.

The Ridgewood News Ad is comprised of people who represent themselves as Ridgewood residents with no to allegiance to any party in this issue. By not disclosing their employer as Valley, hiding their full names or omitting “Dr.” from their name, they attempt to suggest no Valley affiliation. Simply not true.

Anne Raftery Denyeau. Vice President, Human Resources, Valley Health System

Mr. & Mrs. J. Brennan Mrs. Brennan longtime employee Valley Hospital

Tom & Heidi Ahlborn Dr. Ahlborn I presume? Yes! Tom & Heidi are also Valley Vista members.

Tracy Carbone, MD. OOOPS. VALLEYHEALTH.

Andrea Aluisi. RN, Valley Hospital

DR’s Baddoura (plural)

BARCLAY – let’s not go there again. When you get to the letter “D” remember Detrick is Barclay, too.

Dr. Becker of Valley? Yes it is!

Mr. Bolger, is that you?

E,f ,g h, I , j. Bored with all these Valley Dolls let me skip towards the end of the alphabet maybe something different.

Michael & Michele Wesson yes that would be Dr. Michael Wesson employed by Valley Hospital (Valley Radiation Oncology) and his wife who also has Valley connections.

Oh well. Anyone care to help fill in the blanks please do.These people should really fully identify themselves and their connection to Valley before engaging in this deception.

Remember to donate to the cause www.stopvalley.com

>The ordinance that was adopted by our Village elected officials, Pfund at the helm, was designed exclusively for Valley Hospital to pursue its expansion goals.

The ordinance that was adopted by our Village elected officials, Pfund at the helm, was designed exclusively for Valley Hospital to pursue its expansion goals. An ordinance designed to permit third party changes to the Village Master Plan is discriminatory in nature, adopted just for Valley and as it is cost prohibitive for regular residents. First and foremost, this ordinance must be removed. Also, Valley paid the bills for those third party changes to to be adopted meaning indirectly, employees of the VOR were being compensated by Valley Hospital. How could they possibly be impartial?

HUMC money behind the lawsuit? No. the planning board only think back to a night in June when hundreds of angry residents were locked out of GW while Valley Officials stood on the GW steps directing OUR Village Police officers to let only Valley people in.

This is a tactic, not to find out who is funding since the Planning Board knows that, but rather to calculate how much money CRR might have and how long to drag out before CRR can no longer sustain the suit. Don’t let that happen! PEOPLE: DONATE TODAY!!!!
https://stopvalley.com/Donate.html

>Valley Renewal : The obscenity of the demand for CCR donor information illustrates how far Village “leadership” is removed from our traditional Village values.

There is no need to bother with an organization’s ranks when leaders and mission statements are in plain view. If Attorney Price wanted to see Villagers who support the CCR or oppose the expansion, she might have chosen the outside of the front door at GW as the place to stick her head that night. She would have seen hardworking taxpayers and property owners who don’t want a damn regional hospital built in their back yard.

Perhaps someone on the Village Council might have courage to step up and end this nonsense. Alternatively, does any one on the Planning board have a shred of decency (at long last)?

Pro-renewal or anti-expansion, our collective interest is to toss dithering attorneys from our payroll. One must lack moral fiber or suffer extreme myopia not to see that even if the expansion were a good thing, cheap and minor tactical shots are far outweighed by the pain and further division caused to fellow Villagers. With the Village in financial straits, we don’t need attorneys wasting our effort, time and money on frivolities.

Ultimately, however, Ms. Price reveals herself as little more than a flailing shrill. Real responsibility rests with elected and appointed officials who allowed the process to disemble. Enough already — if its not clear there are a substantial number of Villagers who are against this expansion, put the issue to a vote and let us see what the majority want to do.