Newtown, Conn. School District Had Recently Installed New Safety Protocols
In Letter To Parents Strict Guidelines Were Outlined For 4 Elementary Schools
December 14, 2012 7:05 PM
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — In the wake of the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that left more than two dozen people dead, including 20 children, CBS 2 has learned the school district had just installed a new safety policy designed to prevent situations such as what happened on Friday.
Photos: Newtown School Massacre
At approximately 9:41 a.m. a gunman opened fire inside Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Earlier reports indicated one child and the gunman were killed, but later the horror of what actually took place started to come to the surface, that in fact scores of children were among the dead, as was the gunman’s mother, Nancy Lanza, whose body was found in her home in Newtown.
CBS News has confirmed that sources have identified the gunman as 20-year-old Adam Lanza. He was found dead inside the building from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, sources told CBS 2.
The gunman was initially identified as 24-year-old Ryan Lanza, Adam’s older brother. Ryan Lanza, of Hoboken, N.J., was questioned by police on Friday evening, but officials said he was not believed to have had any involvement in the rampage.
‘Still Out of Work?’ How to Handle Holiday Small Talk
By SUE SHELLENBARGER
Holiday gatherings can be anything but festive for people who are out of work. Even an innocuous “How’s it going?” can feel like a tender topic—especially for the legions of long-term unemployed Americans whose ranks have swelled since the last recession.
Frustrated job seekers may find it awkward to explain what is going on, or not going on, in their lives. (Especially dreaded: the new-acquaintance query “What do you do?”)
On the other hand, hosts and partygoers trying to catch up with an out-of-work friend or relative may find themselves unexpectedly in a conversational minefield, since research links long-term job loss to other problems such as depression and declining health.
Some partygoers shy away as if unemployment were contagious or tiptoe around work-related topics for fear of hurting feelings or being asked for help. Many people feel like, “I’m busy trying to hang onto my own job. I don’t even want to enter into that conversation,” says Frederick Hairston, a training specialist with National Able Network, Chicago, a nonprofit that works with job-seeking adults.
20 Children Among 28 Dead In Newtown, Conn. Elementary School Massacre Law Enforcement Working To Piece ‘Puzzle’ To ‘Truly Understand What Occurred’
December 14, 2012 11:59 PM
NEWTOWN, Conn. (CBSNewYork) – A heartbreaking and unforgettable tragedy beset the town of Newtown on Friday morning as 28 people, including 20 children, were killed at an elementary school by a lone gunman.
“Evil visited this community today and it’s too early to speak of recovery,” Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy said. “Each parent, each sibling, each member of the family has to understand Connecticut — we’re all in this together.”
While the families of victims were notified, authorities on Friday night were still in the process of positively identifying those killed.
Officials had been briefing the public on the situation throughout the day, while local officials were still looking at various angles as they continued their “massive investigation” in coordination with the FBI and ATF.
While authorities have still not officially identified the gunman who opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School, law enforcement sources have named him as 20-year-old Adam Lanza.
The Friends of the Hermitage will host a festive Champagne and Candlelight evening to welcome the holiday season and celebrate the Friends’ 40th year of stewardship of the Hermitage Museum. The evening begins with a champagne reception inside the historic Victorian home, decorated by the Ho-Ho-Kus Garden Club in the “Christmas Tea” theme.
After viewing the decorations in The Hermitage, guests will walk to Jaqua Hall to enjoy the melodic guitar of musician Jim Campanella, with wine and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets for this rare opportunity to see the museum sparkle during the evening are available by advance reservation with the Museum Office at (201) 445-8311, ext. 36. Tickets are $60 per person. Proceeds benefit the museum’s education programs for children.
Following the reception, guests will enjoy light fare and seasonal music
in Jaqua Hall, Hermitage Education & Conference Center, 335 N. Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus.
“Christmas Tea”: Holiday Decorations at The Hermitage
Wednesday, November 14, 2012, through Sunday, January 20, 2013
For the sixth year in a row, the Ho-Ho-Kus Garden Club will decorate The Hermitage for the holiday season. This year’s theme is “Christmas Tea.” The decorations also feature period costumes from the Hermitage Collection. The decorated house is open for viewing through the holiday season during regular museum hours (Wednesday through Sunday, 1- 4 pm), depending on availability of volunteer docents. (We recommend calling the Museum Office on weekdays to ensure that the house is open for tours.)
Viewing of the holiday decorations is included with regular admission to the museum: $7 for adults; $5 for seniors; and $4 for children age 6-12. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted free of charge. The decorations will remain on display through Sunday, January 20, 2013. Special group tours are also available by contacting the Hermitage Education Department at (201) 445-8311, ext. 33.
The Museum is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
335 North Franklin Turnpike Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423
(201) 445-8311
WASHINGTON Students in the U.S. perform better than the global average, but still lag behind many of their peers in Asia and Europe, an international study found.
Fourth-graders have improved their scores in reading and math over the past four years, according to a study released Tuesday. But progress seems to fall off by eighth grade, where math and science scores are stagnant.
Meanwhile, kids in countries such as Finland and Singapore are outperforming American fourth-graders in science and reading. By eighth grade, American students have fallen behind their Russian, Japanese and Taiwanese counterparts in math, and trail students from Hong Kong, Slovenia and South Korea in science.
“These 2011 international assessments provide both encouraging news about our students’ progress and some sobering cautionary notes,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who applauded gains among fourth-graders but warned those gains aren’t being sustained in later grades. “That is unacceptable if our schools are to live up to the American promise of giving all children a world-class education.”
The results of the study, conducted every four years in nations around the world, show mixed prospects for delivering on that promise. A nation that once took pride in being at the top of its game can no longer credibly call itself the global leader in student performance. Wringing their hands about what that reality portends for broader U.S. influence, policymakers worry it could have ripple effects on the economy down the line, with Americans increasingly at a competitive disadvantage in the international marketplace.
Elevating the skills needed to compete with emerging countries has been a priority for President Obama, who has pledged to train 100,000 new math and science teachers over the next decade. “Think about the America within our reach: a country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs,” he said this year in his State of the Union address.
19 Rules for Meaningful Conversations With Physicians
Written by Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA, Principal, Barlow/McCarthy | December 07, 2012
Physicians need to do a better job of communicating with their patients. Could the same be said for how executives communicate with physicians?
Healthcare executives recognize the need to have meaningful conversations with physicians about quality, safety and patient care. They also understand the need to have consequential dialogue about referrals, partnerships and shared visions for the future. While it’s easy to fall back on conventional agendas, it’s far more valuable to take the time to understand the multi-dimensional problems at hand and craft a multi-dimensional solution. In short, executives need to take the time to “read” the situation, understand the dynamics and carefully craft a message that resonates with physicians.
Many executives pride themselves on being great communicators, but in the heat of the moment, they sometimes fail to draw on their best skills. What sets the world’s greatest communicators apart is that they go into every conversation with a clear objective, yet they’re astute enough to go with the flow, create an interesting segue and adapt their message without missing a beat.
RHS LEARNING COMMONS COMMITTEE HOLDS PARENT MEETING ON DECEMBER 11
Ridgewood NJ, The RHS Learning Commons Committee will hold a parent meeting on Tuesday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. to solicit feedback and share ideas about the design of the new facility. All parents and guardians in the school district are invited to attend. For more information, please e-mailLori Weil at [email protected].
Fundraiser: On Friday, January 11, 2013 from 7-11 p.m., the 07450 Schools Committee will host a fundraiser to benefit the Ridgewood High School Learning Commons project, a plan to renovate the current high school library, which is almost 50 years old, and create a modern library for generations of students to come.Click here for the invitation.
General Information: Volunteers are seeking community-wide support for the proposed new Learning Commons at Ridgewood High School. Click here to learn more.
More information can be found on the Ridgewood High School Learning Commons website: www.RHSLearningCommons.com.
Something different, I know this is a bit off the beaten track for this blog but we though readers may enjoy the insights in this article. Chryssoula Katsikoudi is Middle East Analyst, education and human rights activist .
The Two Faces of Qatar
December 6,2012
Chryssoula Katsikoudi
Geostrategic Forecasting Corporation
Smaller than the state of Connecticut, with a native population of less than 300,000 and occupying a small peninsula on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, this small Persian Gulf State called Qatar has been a significant international player in the recent years. Currently ranking amongst the highest in oil and gas reserves, as well as the country’s GDP ($150,6bill) and GDP/Capita ($179,000), this small Arab emirate has experienced one of the worst economic times as well as becoming the world’s richest country. As far as their involvement with other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Qatar has played a leading role in shaping the events in the Libya and Syrian, as well as Emir Sheikh’s visit to the Gaza Strip last month; one of the most fascinating and intriguing visits the Hamas territory has ever experienced. This art of “shuttle diplomacy”1 as Michael Stephens calls it in one of his articles, essentially legitimized Hamas, who has been in control of the Gaza Strip since 2007. Qatar’s favoritism on pursuing the Palestinian cause by supporting Hamas and the values of the Muslim Brotherhood means that they are also engaged in promoting Islamist movements. It is not out of charity the emir of Qatar pledged $400 million to invest in schools, housing, and construction because he suddenly felt like a philanthropist. It is because Qatar is seeking to achieve an Arab unity by playing the “rich man of the Middle East” only to gain the dominance in Arab politics, which could eventually be beneficiary to U.S.Foreign Policy concerning the Middle East; especially now that President Barack Obama has been re-elected for a second term in the White House. From Ottoman rule to its independence from Great Britain; from a devastation following World War II to become one of the richest and most influential countries in the world, one would think that this tiny country in the Middle East must also be one of the most developed ones then it comes to the uniqueness of the Qataris.
However, the only unique thing about the Qataris that they are the minority in their own homeland. With a population of approximately 885,000 and only 25% being from Qatar, there is no denying that ethics, religion, and patriotism are highly and strictly valued in the Qatari society. As an absolute Monarchy, the government is responsible with providing employment and housing for every family, and sole focus on the importance of religion, morals, and values. One would assume that life in Qatar would be much easier than in any other country in the Middle East – well, maybe for men. As a rich and growing country, Qatar is also very backwards concerning gender equality and has been criticized by many women’s rights activists. Despite its influential role in diplomacy between the West and Iran, Qatar is culturally very conservative, second in following Saudi Arabia’s cultural oppression against women. Women have to be covered from head to toe, and the image of the “hidden face of eve,” as Nawal el Saadawi labels in her book, has become a sinking sadness with a complete lack of identity as to what it is to be called a woman. Although Qatar favors and endorses the education of women, they are still separated from men, and are not allowed – or rather not advised – to speak or interact with men in any sort of way while on university grounds. Sound familiar? In Saudi Arabia, a rival neighbor to Qatar, women are not allowed to walk down the streets without being accompanied by a man; they are not allowed to drive cars, or chew gum, or even watch television if a man is not present. This extremeness hardly applies to Qatari culture that much, but the patriarchal system of dominance is still very much embedded into society; an example, for the most part, marriages are still arranged, and women are “passed over” to a stranger they will see for the first time after the wedding ceremony; a similar Chinese culture. Interestingly enough, although the abaya is not as penalized for not wearing it in public, many women do so anyway. This is an indication that although religious culture is taken very seriously in Qatar, modernity and liberalization still linger in the air like microscopic dust particles; you can’t see them but they definitely affect you in some way.
Ever since the rise to power of the current emir of Qatar, women have hoped for a revolutionary change, comparing their role in society with Qatar’s position in the Middle East. There have been municipal elections for women and men, however, it is an approach taken like the slogan used in Bahrain, where “women run, women vote, and women lose.” Yes, women are allowed to vote since 1999, however, political parties are banned in Qatar, therefore it gives limited political and electoral activity. The emir’s wife, Sheika Mozah, has served as an influential role for women’s independence in Qatar; but to what extent this independence is understood is another issue. The only formal independence Sheika Mozah has successfully achieved is enforcing education for women, which in most parts of the Middle East are not even allowed discussing. It is true, Qatari women are allowed to vote, drive a car, and pursue career opportunities, but the restrictions they face in their culture are stronger than anything else, and all those rights they posses which seem to the Western world as a progress in modernization, fade away because women still believe that gender equality does not categorize them. It is a very common psychological approach Muslim women who live under strict patriarchal laws tend to take. Instead, they express their individualism by the way they present themselves in public. For example, even though they are covered completely, with only their eyes and hands showing, they replace the cultural, black abaya with more colorful ones using excessive accessories. And since the only parts which are not covered are the eyes, hands, and feet, shoes – believe it or not – have become an important part of their “dress code.”
Many Qatari women claim that they have a choice and can do as they please, but the extent of how accurate that statement is varies. How can a country so devoted to their religion, so conservative, be so liberal at the same time and allow women to do what they want as if they were “equal to men?” Or is that just a statement for the West to believe? Then again, as a conservative Islamic nation, Qatar did send Noor Hussain Al-Malki, the first Qatari woman ever, to compete in the London’s Summer Olympics. However, culturally conservative Qatar was visible as Al-Malki was wearing a head scarf, long sleeves, and leggings. Afghanistan was also amongst those who send women to compete at the Olympics for the first time. Is this really a step in the right directions or was this mainly an “act” for the sake of the Olympic Games, and to send a message to the West?
Despite all the major reforms Qatar has enacted since 1995 and the several steps taken to promote more equality amongst women, the fight against cultural discrimination can only be won if equality is achieved in both law and practice. Providing women with education can be used as a great tool to educate them about their rights, especially when they are outnumbered by men two to one. This influences women’s participation economically and as well as in all aspects of Qatari society. In 2006, Qatar enacted the country’s first family law, which meant that instead of judges deciding the fate of women regarding marriage, divorce, and inheritance based on their interpretations of the sharia law, this new law gave women an improvement compared to the older system. However the new system may benefit them, women still remain underrepresented in the workforce as well as in the government. Qatar’s constitution, Article 35, does say “All people are equal before the law,” and that “there shall be no discrimination on account of sex, origin, language or religion,”2 providing all citizens with equal rights, and although women can complain to the police if they have been victims of gender based discrimination, most of the time their complaints are being over-looked because the courts still operate on the principles of the sharia law. It is not surprising that the emir of Qatar favors the principles and values of the Muslim Brotherhood, hence Qatar’s investment in tourism and industry projects along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
Ultimately, Qatar remains a patriarchal society and although the government has recognized that violence and discrimination against women is an issue, their laws have not specifically outlawed it. As previously mention, Qataris are in their own unique way the minority in their own country, and while foreign women are allowed to obtain a driver’s license, Qatari women still need to ask permission of their husbands to do so. When it comes to domestic violence, in 2007 there were a reported 107 cases of women being victims of domestic abuse.3 Furthermore, Qatari women also tend to be much more educated then men, with 66.6%of female citizens holding degrees.4 Despite this, they remain underrepresented in the workforce. Could it be that women have become a threat in the eyes of the patriarchate system? When it comes to women and their reproductive rights, abortion in Qatar is permitted in the first trimester if a licensed physician can determine that the mother’s life is in danger or if there is a serious abnormality with the fetus. Ironically, it is impossible to determine the abnormality of the fetus in the first trimester, and whether the child will be born with a mentally disabled; so technically, that assumption can be easily refuted.
To conclude, there is no doubt that Qatar remains one of the richest countries in the Middle East, and while the government has taken steps toward improving the lives of women, many of those reforms still remain uncertain. Providing women with a government based education is far better than not educating women at all.
1 https://www.opendemocracy.net/michael-stephens/shuttle-diplomacy-qatar-playing-politics-in-palestine
2 Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa, ed. Sanja Kelly and Julia Breslin, (New York:
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2010), pp. 399.
3 Ibid. pp. 408
4 pp. 411
Ultimately, it is through the knowledge they acquire that they will be able to expand culturally, challenging the social norms which keep the trapped; one step away from emancipation. Unless these reforms are firmly institutionalized, they will be of limited consequences.
10 things real-estate listing sites won’t say
By AnnaMaria Andriotis
1. “The homes you’re looking at have already sold.”
Once upon a time, house hunting meant perusing local newspapers and being led through properties by a real-estate agent. Nowadays, most home buyers head straight to their computers: A record 90% searched online this year, up from 65% a decade ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. Trouble is, homes listed for sale online aren’t always actually available.
More than a third of home listings that are labeled as “active” on third-party listing sites Trulia and Zillow are no longer for sale, according to a 2012 study by consulting firm WAV Group that was sponsored by online brokerage Redfin (which also lists properties for sale). For their part, Trulia and Zillow say such outdated posts can be the result of real-estate agents inputting information incorrectly or forgetting to make updates. Walter Molony, a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors, says both parties — the sites and the agents — are sometimes responsible for outdated listings. Either way, some buyers are wasting their time reviewing homes that have already sold.
In some cases, agents intentionally leave listings up after they’ve sold, in an effort to generate future leads, says Leonard Baron, principal of real-estate consulting firm LPB Services and a lecturer at San Diego State University. Buyers who are interested in the property will reach out to the listing agent, and the agent will tell them the home has sold but that they have other properties with similar features, he says. Of course, the other properties may not meet the buyer’s criteria, says Baron, calling the strategy a “bait and switch.”
Gifts for Gi’s is a group of everyday people; students, clubs, corporate donors .No one takes a salary from Gifts for GIs and 100% of donations are used to make up & ship the “care packages”.
Gifts for GIs is an organization dedicated to generating community interest, support and participation in events that demonstrate support for our deployed service men, women & their families in an effort to let our troops know that they are not forgotten and that their sacrifice is appreciated.
In 2006 an ordinary exchange between a bartender & a customer marked the starting point for what has become an active not for profit charity. Dan Greco, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was tending bar when a patron spoke to him about his feelings of sadness and concern for his child. The man’s young son, a marine, had recently been deployed to Iraq and with the holidays approaching the man’s feelings just grew worse. Dan was so moved by their discussion that he felt he had to do something. It was this conversation that gave him the inspiration for “Gift’s for GIs”.
He called on family & friends asking for items that could be shipped to this man’s son. When all was said & done, seventeen cartons were shipped in time to arrive for the holidays. What resulted, although no one realized it at the time, was the very first “Gifts for GIs” event.
Gifts for GIs is an organization dedicated to generating community interest, support and participation in events that demonstrate support for our deployed service men, women & their families. This is done in an effort to let our troops know that they are not forgotten and that their sacrifice is appreciated
As time went on, and more holiday events followed, the core volunteer group believed that American troops needed to know that they were thought of more then once a year. “Our troops receive a lot of attention and packages during the holiday season; however we often forget to say thank you during the rest of the year. Hopefully these events, though they may be small, will show our troops we appreciate them all year long.”, Dan is quoted as saying. In 2011, the board for “Gifts for GIs” voted unanimously to expand their effort to assure our troops that they are not forgotten and that their service and sacrifice is acknowledged and appreciated. To that end, the organization now holds additional drives to coincide with every patriotic holiday providing year round support for our military.
These events are supported by volunteers; everyday men, women and children, organizations and clubs (corporate & civic) who realize that the freedom we enjoy as Americans does not come with out a price. For example, local schools and Girl Scout troops have participated using these events to satisfy their community service requirements.
Since that long ago exchange, “Gifts for GIs” has grown into a fully recognized 501c, non profit organization. Each event exceeded the previous one both in the number of soldiers who received gifts as well as the numbers of boxes shipped. More then one hundred and thirty boxes were shipped to twenty one service men & woman during the 2010 holidays. Memorial Day 2011 marks the first in what will be a series of shipments throughout the year. Any donors who wish to see first hand the benefit of their efforts may visit the organization’s face book page. All letters, emails and pictures received from the troops are posted & available for all to see and in an effort to generate additional support.
“A NATION IN TRANSITION “
December 5,2012
Sue Tovey
It’s the season of christmas trees and sugar plum fairies and all should be right with the world.
However, that is not where things stand in parts of suburban America today, despite streets lined with sparkling new automoblies filled with busy occupants racing to and from the stores, children’s athletic events and other destinations of import.
There is a strange pall over this image of oppulence and purpose. Where is the ready smile that goes with the holidays? Is there a preoccupation present within this scene of American holiday spirit as we have always known it? I dare say for many, there is a subliminal feeling of change, a lack of certainty and a schooled apprehension in the air.
Of course, the economic situation, natural disasters and the all pervasive hand of governmental uncertainty is in the air now, and for the year to come. No one is sure of what lies ahead with a lack of jobs, increased demands on the individual tax payer, inflation, and the increasing cost of Obamacare on the horizon, along with a fragmennted foreign policy hitched to a diminishing military and a budgetless Congress, just for starters. This reminds me of being at the wheel of an automobile with half your brakes gone, and a steering mechanism which is no longer responding to the touch. OOPS! This spells an accident going some place to happen!
How did this all come about?
Surely a slippage of this magnitude could not happen in America!
Well, Sally, take a breath, it has!
Where did we, the citizens, lose control of our own destiny?
Where is that ” American dream” we hear talked about all the time?
The picture is multi faceted. A case and point could be made from a number of different areas of our society. However, there is no doubt that the horse is running away with the wagon ,and the road is a bumpy one ahead. We have even been sited recently by Pravda, the Russian newspaper, as marching rapidly toward Marxism under Obama. The socialist manipultaion of our cuklture has been robust in recent years, along with the gradual bypassing of the US Constitution by the Congress and the Executive branch of government.
In the meantime, many are still recovering from the election. I would venture to say that very few are even aware of the numerous voting irregularities that are now being investigated throughout the country today.
What has happened to our two party system? Hiow could we have a 16 trillion dollar debt with a so called representative government? What has happened to fiscal responsibility in Congress?
It is past time for all of us to ask these questions, regardless of party.
There is a truism here which many have forgotten or perhaps have never known and that is:
“GOVERNMENT HAS NOTHING THAT IT HAS NOT TAKEN FROM YOU!”
If the American people have reached the point where they want to surrender their freedom to a central government, which was established to protect our rights, not take them away, and to allow them to walk away from their primary constitutional objective in defending this nation, then,’ HAPPY NEW YEAR” everybody. You have just surrendered to the unrelenting hand of a government that has total control of you and yours in mind, using your money to turn the trick!
Are we ready to surrender everything our forefathers have fought and died for?
I think not. How about you?
Monday, December 10th UP3 – 2013 Unlimited Parking Permits will be on sale at Village Hall. Annual fee is $650 for unlimited parking in all Ridgewood Lots 6 – days a week.
2013 UP3 Permits can be used starting December 17, 2012…2 weeks of free parking for new customers!
Village Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM.
Helping Victims from Hurricane Sandy: Proceeds go to American Red Cross
Thursday, January 10 from 5-8 p.m. in the RHS Cafeteria
All tickets $5 (pre-sale raffle incentive) go on sale the week of December 17
Donations from AM Rotary, Stop & Shop, Daily Treat
For more information contact Nancy Reilly or Lynne Feeney at RHS: [email protected], [email protected]
“Fiscal cliff” talks frozen, Obama lobbies big business
By Lucy Madison /CBS News/ December 5, 2012, 1:33 PM
With talks between the White House and Congress over a deal to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff” all but frozen, President Obama today turned his focus to the business community, urging attendees at the quarterly meeting of the Business Roundtable to help him lobby Congress for a “balanced” deal that includes tax hikes for the nation’s wealthiest earners.
Mr. Obama, who has recently redoubled his efforts to rebuild a strong relationship with the business world after years of tension, is currently locked in a stalemate with House Republican leaders over averting the so-called “cliff,” a series of tax hikes and spending cuts set to go into effect next year. The president insists he will not sign off on a proposal that does not increase tax rates for households earning $250,000 or more per year, while Republicans have repeatedly reiterated their refusal to raise tax rates.
So far, there’s little reason to believe a deal is in the works: The White House and House Speaker John Boehner each offered up plans reflective of their party’s ideologies, both of which were swiftly rejected by the other side. Moreover, as CBS News’ Major Garrett reported this morning, there were no substantive conversations yesterday at any level at all between the White House and Boehner on the framework for a deal.
