>Forty percent (40%) of voters nationwide give President Obama good or excellent marks for leadership. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 41% rate the president’s leadership as poor.
The current ratings are the lowest yet recorded for Obama. A month ago, 47% gave him good or excellent marks for leadership. A year ago, 56% were positive about his leadership skills.
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N.J. closes loopholes with online diploma mills used by teachers
TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Bill moves to Gov. Christie that provides strict paid-tuition assistance guidelines
Legislation to ensure New Jersey school employees do not abuse school district paid- tuition assistance programs by obtaining bogus degrees was approved 75-0 Thursday by the Assembly.
The bipartisan bill (A-1894/S-826) stems from an episode at the Freehold Regional High School District where three administrators used $8,700 in taxpayer funds to pay for doctoral “degrees” from Alabama-based Breyer State University – an unaccredited online diploma mill. Before the bogus nature of the degrees was uncovered, the district provided each with a $2,500 salary increase, which was commensurate to their being awarded actual doctoral degrees.
The measure is sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) and Sen. Richard J. Codey (D-Essex)
“The use of school money to buy a fraudulent degree from a diploma mill is not only academically and professionally dishonest but slap in the face of taxpayers,” Cryan said. “This kind of sham should never be allowed to happen.”
full story:
https://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/nj-closes-loopholes-with-online-diploma-mills-used-by-teachers
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As many local residents know, this band played many parties and concerts with their renditions of the 70″s rock sound with tunes from the Allman Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, .and others. Remember, Kathie does a great Janis Joplin?
Kathie, making a visit from California invites friends, classmates and rock and roll fans to a free gig at Mac Murphy’s on March 6th.
Music start around 9:30. Be there!!
Dress code: Bell bottoms, long side-burns and tie-dyed shirts welcomed.
Mac Murphy’s
6 Godwin Ave.
201-444-0500
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Speak Your Mind ……………………..
>We have Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor, so our neediest are covered.
No one is denied healthcare in this country. If you are poor, and you need treatment, you will get it.
So where are the Republican health care suggestions? Here are a few that could easily pass congress as separate bills with Republican votes.
No one can be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
Allow the public to buy insurance across state lines.
Allow individuals to deduct health insurance costs, no matter what their income levels.
Reduce government and state mandates on what should be covered. (Why can’t you buy health insurance that doesn’t cover fertility treatments or pregnancy if don’t plan on having children?)
Cap the dollar amount of awards for malpractice cases & create separate courts for malpractice suits.
As to Tea Party folks, of whom I consider myself aligned, they are trying to tell you that Obama and congress is spending, spending, spending and spending and the bills will come due soon.
You can tax every person in the country making 250K and over 100% and it won’t make a dent in the deficit.
So we will never be able to retire because in our highest income earning years leading up to retirement, we will be taxed at an over 50% marginal rate. (Remember, we don’t just pay federal taxes; there are state income, property taxes & sales tax.)
Our children will be taxed at even higher rates since entitlements will grow, and they will never be able to achieve the middle class life style we have had.
How do you not see this?
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PJ,
Thought your readers might want to know where we Irish Eyes disappeared to.
Here is what is going on at our new bigger store at Irish Eyes Imports.
March 13th – Through out the day – Dancing, Pipers, Irish soda bread, and More
March 17th – 6:00pm – Drawing on our Raffle. Win a trip for two to Ireland.
Sláinte,
Tara and Gene Callaghan
Celtic Pride LLC dba Irish Eyes Imports Ltd
*** New Address***
162 Westwood Avenue
Westwood, NJ 07675
201.445.8585 – Phone
[email protected]
www.celticpride.com
>February 22, 2010
For Immediate Release:
Former Ridgewood Councilman Tom Riche has announced that he will seek re-election to the Village Council.
Mr. Riche served on the Village Council from 1998 to 2002 when he chose not to seek reelection to concentrate on his business. Since leaving the Council in 2002, Tom has remained active in Village affairs. Currently, he serves as a member of the Planning Board, the Historic Preservation Commission, Site Plan Exemption Committee and as Communications Officer for the Office of Emergency Management.
“ Since I left the Village Council”, stated Mr. Riche, “I have continued my service to the Village and it’s residents by serving on several boards. Many residents have approached me and expressed a desire for me to serve again on the Council. After considerable thought, I have decided to seek another term. The Village Council will face many challenges in the coming years and I feel that my business acumen as well as the historical perspective that I have will help to contribute towards the future of our Village. I am humbled by the encouragement and support that many of the residents have shown since I first served on the Council.”
Mr. Riche is currently in the process of obtaining the 165-signed petitions required to certify for a ballot position in May. Any registered Ridgewood voter may obtain a petition by sending an email to [email protected]
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I don’t know if snowman building is a good idea. You never know how they might turn out
>Washington (CNN) – A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll.
Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government’s become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens
>Come on, is this a surprise to anyone? This is just one more example of how inefficient and costly Government is. Take a look at the cost of the bandshell bathrooms. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe that a private contractor couldn’t have built those for a fraction of the cost the Village spent?
Government has become a self perpetuating beast; enacting regulations (to protect the people!) which require people to enforce, require extra hours and costs to adhere to them and thus driving up costs for everyone else. The private sector has profit as motivation, government has service as its mandate. Government should not be running businesses that private enterprises can provide cheaper.
Did you see what happened with the school system up in Providence the other day? They fired every single teacher in the system. One of the alternatives they are looking at is hiring a private contracter to provide teachers and manage the school system. Think they can do it cheaper?
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>WEATHER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Posted Thursday at 6:50 p.m.:
THE RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, DUE TO THE WINTER STORM. ALL BEFORE-AND-AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR FRIDAY ARE ALSO CANCELED.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES REGARDING SCHOOL-RELATED
>A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey :
Twenty-five percent of people questioned in the poll say Congress should pass legislation similar to the bills passed by both chambers, with 48 percent saying lawmakers should work on an entirely new bill and a quarter saying Congress should stop all work on health care reform.
>For years, the Village of Ridgewood was offering “free” garbage service to local schools. After getting caught and held accountable, it then solicited bids to collect schools’ garbage and found the town (public sector) losing bid was 2 times more expensive than a private contractor’s winning bid. (town bid $130K vs private bid of $62K)
The town’s operations manager unwittingly explains why his garbage hauling bid lost so badly to the private sector: “I can’t say that we can compete with private industry. We have to account for the equipment, and they can spread it over a whole lot bigger territory.”
No, duh – it’s called efficiency and economies of scale (and in his case, waste, featherbedding and inefficiency). Of course, to fully realize this cost saving, the town gov’t needs to sell equipment and reduce hours (or compensation) for its operations employees, who presumably have less work to do. Let’s hope they do — and pass along that savings on to taxpayers.
Original article:
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Diana K. Gibson- Oil Painting Workshop
Painting Brass and Copper
Sunday, March 14, 2010 10AM to 4PM
Snow date, March 21, 2010
Ridgewood Art Institute
12 East Glen Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
The workshop will take place in the north lit west studio of the RAI. The class will start with a brief discussion about how to approach the north lit subjects. How to use a prismatic palette will be discussed in detail. Students will have their choice of several different brass and copper still life setups to paint from. Study of massing, values, edges, atmosphere, mood and prismatic light effects will be strongly emphasized. A brief demonstration will be offered. Bring your lunch. Kitchen facilities are located on site.
More details:
Learn how to make metal luminous! Working from life, students will be taught to simplify and compose a still life painting through the usage of form, composition, color, perspective, planes, and light. How to use a prismatic palette will be discussed in detail. Study of massing, values, relationships, edges, progression, atmosphere, mood and prismatic light effects will be strongly emphasized. Students will have their choice of several different north-lit brass and copper still life setups to paint from. Beginning and advanced students will benefit from individualized attention. This one day workshop is appropriate for painters of all levels of skill. Those new to oil painting are especially welcome. A supply list is available.
For more information visit the artist’s website: https://www.dianakgibson.com/
