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“Three Amigos is a racist term, ” NO, IT IS NOT claims reader

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Boyd Loving the 3 amigos ; Gwen, Paul and Al the absolute low point in Ridgewood History 

“Three Amigos is a racist term, ” you write. NO, IT IS NOT. Here is the origin from Wikipedia:

Three Amigos (marketed as ¡Three Amigos!) is a 1986 American western comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, and Randy Newman. Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short star as the title characters,[4] three silent film stars who are mistaken for real heroes by the suffering people of a small Mexican village and must find a way to live up to their reputation.Critical response
¡Three Amigos! received generally mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 46% of 35 film critics gave the film a positive review, with a rating average of 5.1 out of 10.[10] Film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film one out of four stars and said, “The ideas to make Three Amigos into a good comedy are here, but the madness is missing.”[11] Janet Maslin of The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, writing that it was “likable” but lacked a “distinctive style”, and then certain jokes are crafted with “enjoyable sophistication”.[12] Caroline Wetsbrook of Empire awarded the film three out of five stars and wrote that it was “good-natured enough to sustain its ultimately thin premise”.[13]

Despite this, the film has since been reviewed more favorably and has become a cult classic. Neil McNally of the website Den of Geek noted that the film was “unfairly overlooked” when first released, and praised the performances of Martin, Chase, and Short; the comedic scriptwriting of Landis; and the “sweeping, majestic” score by Bernstein.[14] The film was ranked #79 on Bravo’s list of the “100 Funniest Movies”.[15
I actually took the film out of library and watched it. It is not racist.

What I hate is misinformed people jumping on a politically correct bandwagon, without thinking and using political correctness to the detriment of the issue. The issue here is RACISM. You probably don’t give a damn about racism or you would have taken the time and thought to research the term Three Amigos that has been so frequently used on this blog. Don’t you think , ASSHOLE, (how about that for an expression) that the intelligent , educated and well-informed Ridgewood residents who contribute to this excellent blog would not have already years ago called out the term by now if it was racist since it has been used for about four years or more on this Blog.
Do you think we need an idiot who thinks he is trendy and politically correct to tell us something about racism. I have a suggestion for you: Start reading excellent nonfiction in history and the classics in fiction. Are you even literate?

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Trey Gowdy & Tim Scott will be appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood Monday, April 2nd

unified

March 16,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Trey Gowdy & Tim Scott will be appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood Monday, April 2nd @ 7:00pm.
South Carolina, Congressman Trey Gowdy and Senator Tim Scott, will sign their new book: Unified

In a divided country desperate for unity, two sons of South Carolina show how different races, life experiences, and pathways can lead to a deep friendship–even in a state that was rocked to its core by the 2015 Charleston church shooting.Tim Scott, an African-American US senator, and Trey Gowdy, a white US congressman, won’t allow racial lines to divide them. They work together, eat meals together, campaign together, and make decisions together. Yet in the fall of 2010–as two brand-new members of the US House of Representatives–they did not even know each other. Their story as politicians and friends began the moment they met and is a model for others seeking true reconciliation. In Indivisible, Senator Scott and Congressman Gowdy, through honesty and vulnerability, inspire others to evaluate their own stories, clean the slate, and extend a hand of friendship that can change your churches, communities, and the world.

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.

Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726

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VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING

Village Council of Ridgewood Budget Hearing tonight 5:30pm Village Hal

Village Council Public Budget Meeting
AGENDA
VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING
MARCH 16, 2018
5:30 P.M.

Call to Order

Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meeting ActMAYOR: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”

Roll Call – Village Clerk

Flag Salute and Moment of Silence

Public Comments (Not to exceed 3 minutes per person, 40 minutes in total)
Discussion Itemsa. Review of Departmental Budgets and Capital Budgets

Municipal Court
Health Department
Tax Assessor
Emergency Services
Emergency Management
Library
Village Manager
Village Council
Village Attorney11. Village Clerkb. Wrap-up and Next Steps8. Adjournment
7. Public Comments (Not to exceed 5 minutes per person)
12. Elections
10. Planning

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Ridgewood Parks Department and Streets Department will perform a curbside branch and limb collection beginning March 19, 2018

Village of Ridgewood's Water Pollution Control and Signal Bureau facilities Blocked by Fallen Tree

file photo by Boyd Loving

March 16,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, as per the Village Hall, Due to the March 7th snow and wind storm and the resultant extensive damage to trees in the public right-of-way, the Ridgewood Parks Department and Streets Department will perform a curbside branch and limb collection beginning March 19, 2018.

Effective Monday, March 19th, the Parks and Street Departments will conduct ONE town-wide collection of tree limbs and branches, in the order of the leaf collection routes, beginning in Section A, as follows:
Monday, March 19th – Section A
Tuesday, March 20th – Section B
Wednesday, March 21st – Section C
Thursday, March 22nd – Section D
and limited to the following storm damaged items:
Branches and limbs, must be cut no longer than 3 feet in length, from all trees located in the public right of way
Branches and limbs from other storm damaged trees on your property not exceeding 5 inches in diameter.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
Place the branches (no larger than 5 inches in diameter and no longer than 3 feet in length) at the edge of your property, but not in the roadway or blocking the sidewalk. The Parks and Street Departments will not collect tree limbs and branches off of residents’ properties and also will not collect tree trunks, logs, or firewood.
If you are able, please assist in the cleanup by bringing your branches to the Graydon Pool parking lot, and placing them in the barricaded area.
Trees on private property remain the responsibility of the homeowner, and as such, damaged trees are the homeowner’s responsibility.

Once this pickup has taken place, there will be no additional pickups for these tree limbs and branches.

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Sexual Harassment Charges Out Village Employee

village-hall-theridgewoodblog

March 16,2018

by the staff of The Ridgewood Blog

Ridgewood NJ, A management employee in the Village’s Department of Public Works reportedly resigned yesterday amid allegations of sexual harassment made by a female employee of a company that supplies goods/services to the Village.

Some credence to the unofficial report was provided when the following appeared as a Closed Session item on last night’s Village Council Public Meeting agenda: “Personnel Matter – Department of Public Works.”

Thankfully, the me too movement continues to weed out bad apples.

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Rescheduled date for Ridgewood Tech Night is March 21

edison_theridgewoodblog

March 15,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Tech Night series is designed to help parents and guardians deal with children’s tech use. The final program of the school year will be a student panel discussion on their personal use of technology. It will be held on Wednesday, March 21 at George Washington Middle School from 7-9 p.m.

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Reader says Time to Sell the Water Company

RidgewoodWaterLogo_061912_rn_tif_

Wouldn’t it be so much better if an evil corporation with shareholders and customer service metrics were in charge of this? Then we could be truly outraged by poor service, higher rates and water restrictions. Now we have to take the blame ourselves because we elect people that can’t run a utility, because, well, they have never run a utility and we’re all left feeling a little ashamed of ourselves because this water company is us. Not to mention the communal joy of being sued by every town around us when we try to get paid fair value for the water we provide them. We should all back any candidate that promises to sell the water company no matter what else they support. It would be the single greatest improvement in the village’s finances we could make with the stroke of a pen, it would eliminate untold patronage and waste and then we could demand better service. If we do it before any of the shovels go in the ground we can even complain about the increased demand cause by new apartment dwellers.

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Mayor Swears in New Ridgewood Firefighter

Mayor Swears in New Ridgewood Firefighter

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

March 15,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen administered the oath of office to the following members of Ridgewood Fire Department during a Ridgewood Village Council meeting held on Wednesday evening, 03/14: Firefighter Ryan Romero (new hire), Fire Lieutenant Joseph Ferraro (promotion), Fire Lieutenant Jason Kane (promotion), Fire Lieutenant Vincent Krug (promotion), Fire Captain Brendan Corcoran (promotion).

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Rescheduled date: Coffee & Conversation with the Ridgewood School Board

Dan Fishbein 10

March 15,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Members of the Ridgewood Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on Wednesday, March 26 from 7-8:30 p.m. Please join them at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. Residents are welcome to drop in and share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns.

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Rewriting history and white-washing reality, Principal Gorman is no longer referring to the just-concluded event as a “walkout”, but is now confusedly describing it as to an “assembly”, “civil disobedience”, “democracy”, and “civil debates”

Birmingham

Rewriting history and white-washing reality, Principal Gorman is no longer referring to the just-concluded event as a “walkout”, but is now confusedly describing it as to an “assembly”, “civil disobedience”, “democracy”, and “civil debates”. Does he get paid by the word?:
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March 14, 2018
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Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), Students, Faculty, and Staff:
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Today I write to you both as a father and a principal. In recent years, our schools and country have faced too much violence and too many innocent lives have been taken from us.
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On the one-month anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, we stand with our brothers and sisters in all schools to say “enough.” We mourn the victims and send our support to the Parkland community and all the others who have suffered similar tragedies.
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At 10:00 A.M., many Ridgewood High School students joined tens of thousands of teachers and students in solidarity. Students Demand Action, a newly formed club at RHS, led an assembly on the front lawn of the high school with speeches and a moment of silence. The students paid tribute to the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and expressed their desire for safer schools. After 17 minutes, they returned to the building to resume class.
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Simultaneously, another newly formed student-led group assembled in the Campus Center to advocate for safer schools and Second Amendment rights. They also engaged in speeches and a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims.
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Students who did not wish to participate in either assembly, remained in class with the teacher or, if on a free period, in the building with designated faculty members.
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The students of Ridgewood High School are passionate about their various causes. Today was no different. Having two differing student-led groups peacefully assemble at the school advocating for their causes was civil disobedience and democracy in action. What makes America and RHS so great is that we can have civil debates on sensitive subjects.
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Students, know that your cause does not end today. Your strength and purpose happens in what you do in the 18th minute and beyond. Your teachers have taught you how to debate issues, research subjects, and advocate for your causes. You have the skills and the power to make a difference. Many of you are eligible to vote and the rest will be of age within one to three years. I encourage you to listen to your heart and decide what you wish to do.
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Today’s solemn anniversary gives us a chance to pause and reflect upon what is truly important in life. So I offer these thoughts:
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I pray for all the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, First Baptist Church, Pulse Night Club, and The Harvest Music Festival to name few of the most recent massacres. May the families and communities heal and find peace in their lives.
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I implore the lawmakers of this land to hear our plea and find the courage to create sensible gun laws to help prevent the 35,000 gun deaths and 100,000 gun wounds annually.
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I hope that all the victims of violence find peace. Too many innocent lives that have so much potential and so much to offer have been lost. There is no place in our society for sexual, racial, physical, or school violence. We owe it to all people, adults and children alike, to provide them with safety and security.
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I wish for the students and adults who need mental health support and related services to receive the care they deserve. More attention and services need to be allocated to these issues.
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And, I dream that all the teachers and students of Ridgewood High School reach their full potential, be safe and secure in this wonderful learning environment, and that upon graduation the students will take what they have learned and make a positive impact upon the world.
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Last, I want to assure you that over the past several years, Ridgewood High School has taken many steps to make the school safer and more secure. However, the best way to prevent a tragedy is to address it before it occurs. Students, if you see something, say something. It is the responsibility of all of us – teachers, staff, parents, and students – to speak up. If you are concerned about inappropriate social media postings, notify your parents, the police, or a faculty member. And if you know of a friend who is in need of some assistance, we have counselors, grade advisors, administrators, and teachers to help.
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Ridgewood High School is known for its tradition of excellence. But I want us to go beyond that motto. I want Ridgewood High School and all its students to cultivate a culture of kindness, gratitude, and love. We cannot control everything but we can control how we treat each other. Every teacher, administrator, and staff member loves you and is here for you whenever you need us. By working together, we will continue to keep RHS a safe and nurturing place.
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Sincerely,
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Thomas A. Gorman, Ed.D.
Principal

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Sanctioned Walkout : We’ve been incredibly lucky because we’ve had the support of the administration on our side. Without their support, it would not have been possible to make the walkout as successful, organized, or safe.

RHS

The following was posted yesterday at https://www.tipsfromtown.com/why-and-how-rhs-students-are-joining-the-walkout/:
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After the Parkland shooting, a number of students approached Dr. Thomas Gorman (Principal of Ridgewood High School) with the intent of taking action against gun violence. I had spoken to my parents about how I really wanted to be involved with making change, so I was one of the students who spoke to Dr. Gorman. There was a large meeting where we all voiced our opinions and ideas for how victims of gun violence should be honored while still pushing for change. A few days prior, I had gotten in contact with other students … we formed a club called Students Demand Action We spoke to Mr. Michael Yannone about being our faculty advisor, and he agreed.
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We had two meetings a week, where we decided on our message for the walkout. While we are passionate about gun violence and creating change, we were still mindful this is an event that would happen during school. We made a conscious effort to steer away from a strict political standpoint, so we could include as many people as possible. At the meetings, we talked about how feeling safe in schools should not be a privilege — it should be a right. We also talked about how although we are anti-gun violence, we are not anti-guns. We want school to be a place where we should be able learn and grow without worrying about whether our safety is at risk. Once we decided on our message, we divided into groups. The groups ranged from communicating via social media, hanging flyers up around school, and working with teachers to get student photographers to cover the walkout. We’ve been incredibly lucky because we’ve had the support of the administration on our side. Without their support, it would not have been possible to make the walkout as successful, organized, or safe.
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Students Demand Action acknowledges and respects the students who do not wish to participate.
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Tomorrow, we walk. At 10 am, students will gather together on the front lawn of Ridgewood High School. Student speakers will present their speeches about how they have been affected and their demands for school safety. After 17 minutes, there will be a moment of silence for victims of gun violence, this number symbolic of the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting. Although it is strictly a school event, it will be streamed via Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for the other Ridgewood schools and the Ridgewood community to watch.

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Due to the excess of snow closings, Ridgewood schools will be OPEN on Friday, April 13

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Public info: Due to the excess of snow closings, schools will be OPEN on Friday, April 13. Read Dr. Fishbein’s letter: https://tinyurl.com/DFletter31218
March 12, 2018
Dear Ridgewood Public Schools Community,
Today I am writing to inform you that based on the number of emergency closing days we have used so far this year, students will have a regular school day on Friday April 13, 2018. Any additional emergency closing days will be further taken from Spring Recess week, starting with Thursday, April 12 and working backwards.
By way of explanation, we have exceeded the two emergency closing days that the Ridgewood Board of Education builds into the school calendar. To date, we have had three weather-related closings. Please take a look at the 2017/2018 calendar adopted by the Ridgewood Board of Education on March 7, 2016 for the proviso stating that additional weather-related closings will be made up using Spring Recess.
As we know from the recent storm, winter is not yet over. The good news is that spring is just around the corner. I can see the tulips pushing through, and the days are getting longer with a hint of warmer weather in the air.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools

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A wonderful group of Ridgewood High School students….

ridgewood walk out

March 14,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen meet with a group of students after school on Friday. The mayor called them an “extraordinary and thoughtful group of RHS students came to Village Hall (with a chaperone) to discuss the logistics of having a smaller March 24 “March for Our Lives” type event in Ridgewood. Village Manager Heather Mailander, Police Chief Luthcke and I met with the students to better understand the best venue to accommodate RHS students who wanted to hold a more local event within our the Village community. Additionally, the students wanted to remain focused on preventing school violence without being political. ”

While they had an idea to hold an event at either a Village park or BFMS, money remained an obstacle. Significant funds are required to pay for insurance, police costs, permits, etc. Working diligently to get organized they quickly setup a GoFundMe page. My understanding is if they don’t raise the needed funds by the deadline for a 3/24 event they’ll simply regroup and reschedule. I hope they do. If not, perhaps they’ll donate to a good cause or use for future programming. Either way, they will have my full support.

The mayor said, “These young people deserve our thanks and encouragement; they were poised, respectful, polite, caring and honest! Please consider helping by donating now and sharing my post forward!”

https://www.gofundme.com/walkout-movement-funds

Nice to see the kids are looking out for the taxpayers ,but are we the only one who finds this who thing very disingenuous? Or are helicopter parent funded protests the norm now? There is simple no such thing as a “Government Sanctioned Protests ” . lets see its sanctioned by the schools, , the mayor , the teachers union , and the Democrat party . Does not sound like much of a protest to me .

Real protests are not clean and neat and get out of control very fast , is there no concern the some parents may be unwittingly putting their children in danger ? This is not a protest this is promoting an agenda .


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Village Council Explores the Idea of Using Ridgewood Open Space funds to restore and repair Maple Turf Field

maple+field1-300x19911

March 14,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Village council has decided to take a look at using Ridgewood Open Space funds to restore and repair Maple Turf Field. The Council debated on funding to fix the field , the $600,000 of open space funds have been sitting for some time , and the Village manager pushed the idea of raiding the unused open space funds then bonding afterward. Councilmen Hache said there were some grant options and councilwomen Walsh focused on the shared responsibility to maintain the field.

The council will look to sports groups for regular maintenance funds and to enforce rules that extend the life of the fields.

While the Ridgewood blog and others warned about the fiscal dangers of installing a turf field in a flood plain , the fact is the field is there ,it can not be currently used in its present condition and the money is available . Sorry its a little late to cry over open space funds for turf fields and it would be better for the Village to deal with the reality we presently have than fantasizing about what could or would have been.

Once again this is a learning experience on how voters are stuck with the long term consequences of their actions. Like the high density housing the Turf Field is part of the Village and must be maintained as such and again you can not blame the present council for the mess that others created.

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Ridgewood Water Looks to Raise Rates for the First Time In Three years

water meter theridgewoodblog.net

March 14,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water told the council that they need to raise water rates. The utility has not raised rates in over 3 years . The utility used the Woods study which concluded that Ridgewood Water charges were low and the distribution of the charges were inefficient. Fixed charges for 5/8 meters, the meters most common in Ridgewood Households should bring in 20% of utility expenses and currently they were bringing in 16% .The increase to about 18,000 or so customers effected will be about $7.41 per quarter increase .

As many readers know in July of 2017 Superior Court Judge Perez Friscia ordered Ridgewood’s water-rate ordinance invalid and that the matter be remanded to the village so the rates could be recalculated. The ruling came after Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park, sued the utility, claiming in a class action lawsuit that Ridgewood Water inflated its costs, by comingling Village expenses and unlawfully raised its rates.

Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park sued Ridgewood Water over a 31-percent rate increase from 2010 to 2012.The suit, filed on behalf of ratepayers in 2011 . Ridgewood representatives claimed the increase was necessary for the utility to stay solvent.

In a court-ordered report that the utility had a revenue shortfall of more than $400,000 from 2010 to 2012.The report concluded that the rate charged by the village’s water utility undercharged ratepayers for 2010 and 2011.

While the report was called ridiculous and self serving .The ruling left the plaintiffs to pay their massive legal fees .