Late night TV/computer sessions linked to depression
Published July 24, 2012
Reuters
Sitting in front of a computer or TV screen late into the night or leaving it on when you fall asleep could increase your chances of becoming depressed, according to a study by U.S. scientists.
The study, by a team of neuroscientists at Ohio State University Medical Center partly funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, will give screen-addicted night owls pause for thought.
The researchers – who exposed hamsters to dim light at night and picked up changes in behavior and the brain that bore striking similarities to symptoms in depressed people – said a surge in exposure to artificial light at night in the last 50 years had coincided with rising rates of depression, particularly among women, who are twice as prone as men.
Is Your Neighbor a Democrat? Obama Has an App for That
by Lois Beckett
ProPublica, Aug. 3, 2012, 3:52 p.m.
Curious how many Democrats live on your block? Just download the Obama campaign’s new mobile app.
The app, released last week, includes a Google map for canvassers that recognizes your current location and marks nearby Democratic households with small blue flags.
For each targeted address, the app displays the first name, age and gender of the voter or voters who live there: “Lori C., 58 F, Democrat.”
All this is public information, which campaigns have long given to volunteers. But you no longer have to schedule a visit to a field office and wait for a staffer to hand you a clipboard and a printed-out list of addresses.
With the Obama app, getting a glimpse of your neighbor’s political affiliation can take seconds.
While The New York Times dubbed the app “the science-fiction dream of political operatives,” some of the voters who appear in the app are less enthusiastic about it.
“I do think it’s something useful for them, but it’s also creepy,” said Lori Carena, 58, a long-time Brooklyn resident, when she was shown the app. “My neighbors across the street can know that I’m a Democrat. I’m not sure I like that.”
It’s unclear if the app displays all registered Democrats who live in a certain area, or only a subset of voters President Obama’s campaign is trying to reach.
Ridgewood News editorial: Frequent the downtown
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2012
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
After several years of struggle, downtown Ridgewood is coming alive again. Vacant storefronts are being replaced with new businesses; parking lots are filling up again, especially on weekends. Special events in the Central Business District are bringing in lots of visitors.
Local agent Michael Shetler introduces Home Seller Guarantee.
Aug 2, 2012 Glen Rock
The two biggest concerns homeowners have when it comes time to sell are how much their home is worth and how long it will take to sell.
Michael Shetler of Keller Williams Village Square Realty in Ridgewood addresses both with his new NJ Seller Guarantee (https://NJSellerGuarantee.com). Under the program, he guarantees to sell your home in 2.5 months or less. If he doesn’t get your home into attorney review by then, he gives you the option of terminating the listing agreement.
As for the home’s market value, Shetler prepares an extensive “Evaluated Selling Range” for sellers. His analytical approach balances four different pricing methods to determine the home’s value range. If you list your home within the range, Shetler will offer the guarantee at no additional cost.
“Homes that sell more quickly sell for more money. Homes that sit on the market are perceived by buyers as being damaged goods and receive lower offers”, according to Shetler. He markets the home heavily in the first few weeks rather than spreading out the marketing budget over the typical six month listing term. “Creating a sense of urgency in a lukewarm market is the core of my marketing plan.” He’s developed unique marketing strategies to generate buyer interest.
Shetler has been selling real estate full-time since 2005 and has an MS in Advertising from Northwestern University. He is a recipient of the NJAR® Circle of Excellence Award two of the last three years (2009, 2011). He is a Glen Rock resident and member of The Religious Communities of Glen Rock.
##### For more information contact Michael Shetler at 201-421-0506 cell or 201-445-4300 office
Ridgewood Realtors continue to stack up sales
August 3,2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Donald Trump told CNBC , “There’s amazing opportunity to do things, and one of those opportunities is certain types of real estate, including houses” Trump went on to discuss these opportunities pointing out Miami and certain parts of the New York metro area .
The Ridgewood community continues to attract interest from buyers .Ridgewood Realtor Keller Williams Square Realty saw Sally Ponchak post $4,500,000 in closed sales volume for June , Nena Colligan placed second with sales volume of $3,375,000 and Al Donohue posted sales volume of $2,076,000 .
Keller Williams Square Realty also had 10 agents in total sell $1 million or more in June ; Sally Ponchak, Nena Colligan, Aloysius Donohue, Sheila Quiles, Jennifer Casper, Jeff Adler, Jocelyne Jauregui, Gary Silberstein, Pam Christian and Wendy Silber. And three Tarvin Realtors sold more than $1 million in June Maria Shammas, Melinda Cronk and Frances Hanson Ekblom . (https://www.northjersey.com/realestate/broker_agent_news/164847176_Three_at_Keller_close__10_million_in_sales_in_June_.html )
Single buyers have different needs
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2012
BY VIOLET SNOW
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS
THE RECORD
“It’s been stressful thinking about where I want to live,” says Tara Pshybyshefski, a single woman who closed on a home in Waldwick this month. “I made a list of what was important to me and what I was willing to give up. I’m moving away from family and friends. It’s a lot of anxiety, but I know in the long run it’s worth it. I’m excited.”
Pshybyshefski joins the ranks of single home buyers who have made up a quarter to nearly a third of buyers in the U.S. the past five years, according to the National Association of Realtors. Figures have fluctuated slightly, with single women amounting to a high of 21 percent of buyers in 2008, down to 18 percent in 2011. The NAR attributes the drop to the slow economy, which makes financing more challenging for singles. The percentage for single men has remained largely consistent at 10 percent, with a brief spike up to 12 percent in 2010.
Explaining the Senate’s growing conservative Latino caucus
A Ted Cruz win in November gives the Tea Party five supporters in the Senate
August 4, 2012
By: Achy Obejas
When Ted Cruz, the U.S. senate GOP nominee, wins in November — and it will be a helluva a scandal if he doesn’t — the world’s greatest deliberative body will have three Latino senators. And two of them will be Republican.
Given the Democratic Party’s much “greater civil rights record”(guess the author never herd of Lincoln) and its much more traditionally muscular grassroots efforts, there’s something off about those optics. So how did that happen?
Photo by Boyd Loving Robert Menéndez,swearing on Mayor Paul Aronsohn
Robert Menéndez, the Latino Democratic senator from New Jersey, rose up the old fashioned way, through a close and often controversial mentorship with an older pol, former Union City Mayor William Musto (against whom Menéndez eventually testified). Menéndez worked his way up steadily, from school board member to mayor, to state senator to U.S. congressman to U.S. senator.
Marco Rubio, the incumbent Republican senator from Florida, appeared to be following the same route as Menéndez when he began his political career. He interned for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the powerful South Florida Cuban-American congresswoman, and got close to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Rubio did stints in local government, both as a city commissioner and as a state legislator. From 2007 to 2009, he served as the first Hispanic and the youngest Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Twitter confronts ethics of commercial pressures in wake of Guy Adams ‘mess’
The social media site took a hit to its reputation as a home to free speech as the fight for internet freedom enters new stage
Ed Pilkington New York
In January 2011 Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, together with the site’s “trust and safety” arbiter Alex Macgillivray, posted a paean to freedom of expression under the portentous title: The Tweets Must Flow. They promised they would respect everyone’s human right to unimpeded speech, vowing only to remove tweets that were illegal, spam or in breach of privacy.
Fine words. But this week the tweets stopped flowing for one of Twitter’s users. When Guy Adams, the Independent’s Los Angeles correspondent, went to issue his latest gobbet of wisdom in 140 characters on Monday he found his Twitter stream well and truly dammed.
The suspension of Adams’ account, and its reinstatement on Tuesday, led to a storm of indignation culminating with an apology from Twitter. “We did mess up,” admitted Macgillivray – now Twitter’s general counsel – “and we will actively work to ensure this does not happen again”.
The most toxic aspect of the affair was the whiff of a commercial incentive. Adams was blocked after he posted a succession of tweets heavily critical of NBC for its tape-delayed broadcasts of the Olympics. When it was revealed that Twitter and NBC had entered into a business partnership for the Games, and that Twitter had tipped off the TV network to Adams’s tweets, prompting the complaint that would lead to his suspension, the Twittersphere turned blue with rage.
How the States Would Be Affected by Extension of the Bush Tax Cuts and Other Provisions
August 3,2012
Andrew Lundeen – Tax Foundation
With just five months to go until the largest tax increase since World War II, a.k.a. “Taxmageddon”, some people are getting concerned about the impact on the economy. This week the House will vote on a GOP proposal to extend through 2013 the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch, two of the largest components of Taxmageddon.
The larger of these is actually the AMT patch, which would save middle- and high-income taxpayers about $193 billion, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). Extension of the Bush tax cuts, which are more evenly distributed, would save taxpayers about $179 billion. The bill also extends for one year estate and gift tax provisions, saving taxpayers $31 billion, and small business expensing, worth $581 million.
The total tax relief is estimated at $403 billion, or about 2.7 percent of the economy, and almost all of it would be immediately felt in 2013. As such, it would forestall many of the economy crushing aspects of Taxmageddon, while setting the stage for comprehensive tax reform next year.
All 50 states would benefit from this bill, though some more than others. Table 1 shows our estimates of the tax relief for each state, based on the latest IRS data on the distribution of income, tax credits, and deductions within each state. The first column is total aggregate tax relief in millions of dollars, the next column is tax relief as a share of state income (AGI), and the last column is tax relief per tax filer.
Generally, high-income states would receive the largest tax relief, because they pay the most taxes under our extremely progressive federal income tax code. They are also the states most affected by the AMT. New York, for instance, would save about $50 billion in taxes, or 7.99 percent of income, if these tax cuts were extended, including the AMT patch. That amounts to $5,418 per tax filer. More than half of that (62 percent) is due to the AMT patch. California would save about $71 billion in taxes, or 6.87 percent of income, if all tax cuts were extended. That amounts to $4,229 per tax filer. Again, more than half of that (60 percent) is due to the AMT patch.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi would save about $1.7 billion in taxes, or 3.19 percent of income, if all tax cuts were extended. That is $1,327 per filer. Less than 1/3rd (28 percent) of that is due to the AMT patch. Tennessee would save about $4.4 billion in taxes, which is 3.21 percent of income or $1,533 per tax filer. Only about 1/4th of that is due to the AMT patch.
NJT: Inbound Lanes Approaching Lincoln Tunnel Closed During Overnight Hours – Expect Delays
The Roadway will Remain Open During Peak Hours – Beginning Monday, August 6, 2012
August 02, 2012
Beginning on or about Monday, August 6 and continuing through 2013, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey will begin construction on the Lincoln Tunnel Helix along 495 East. During the first phase, the inbound lanes (to New York) approaching Lincoln Tunnel will be closed during overnight hours for construction work as follows:
Weeknights – 10:30 PM to 5 AM
Saturdays – 12:01 AM to 8 AM
Sundays – 1 AM to 9 AM
The roadways will remain open during peak hours. Buses will be diverted to Pleasant Avenue and Boulevard East in Weehawken for alternate access to the Lincoln Tunnel.
Buses will be delayed both inbound and outbound from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Customers should allow for additional time when traveling or consider mass transit options such as PATH and NJ TRANSIT trains.
Ridgewood Affected bus routes include:163*, 164,
Note: *Denotes this route normally uses a local street from Union City and Weehawken to approach the eastbound Lincoln Tunnel and will encounter detoured traffic from the NJ 495 construction and could encounter a service delay as a result.
NJ TRANSIT customers are advised to review Informational web sites with travel times before travel:
For more information on the project, visit www.panynj.gov/thehelixfix
For real-time traffic information, please call 511 or visit 511nj.org
We regret any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.
BERGEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE DONOVAN ON MEET THE LEADERS
County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan was a guest on yesterday’s Meet the Leaders program. The state of the County, Cost Saving Initiatives and Policing in Bergen County were amongst the topics discussed.
Hosted by Debbie DuHaime, Meet the Leaders is an insightful program that explores the people, policies and issues that direct the future course of the region.
The episode featuring Ms. Donovan will air on Cablevision channels 78 or 118 during the weeks of Sunday, August 5th – Saturday, August 11th and from August 19th – August 25th.
The program airs multiple times a day, at 7:30am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm.
NJ assemblyman Bob Schroeder from Washington Twp accused of writing bad checks
August 3,2012
PJ Blogger
Ridgewood NJ , The state Attorney General’s Office filed charges against NJ assemblyman Robert Schroeder from Washington Twp for knowingly writing bad checks on behalf of his company. Schroeder charged with a second-degree count of passing bad checks.denies the allegations and contends he wrote checks to two suppliers in the assumption that several thousand dollars the U.S. Army owed him for a contract has been wired into the account .
Schroeder was quoted in the Bergen Record , “I made a mistake, I apologize,” he said. “I’m responsible for my actions. It’s a sad day for my family.” ( https://www.northjersey.com/news/recordpolitics/State_police_at_Assemblyman_Shroeders_Washington_Township_home.html )
While Schroeder claims he only bounced checks for $100,000 the Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said at Fridays afternoon news conference that the checks Schroeder bounced were to two investors and totaled just under $400,000.
Those who know Bob would say that he is known more for his personality , sense of humor and his escapades as a firemen than his politics . His political claim to fame is the long battle he waged to change the name of Exit 168 off the Garden State Parkway in Washington Township. Naming the exit correctly speeds up the emergency response time during accidents .
Bob used to say you should always vote for a firemen they run into a fire while others run away .
Bob also made a couple of valiant efforts to run for Governor ,but fell short from getting the nomination .
Rep. Garrett honors the life and sacrifice of Waldwick native Marine Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine on the House floor.
On March 27, 2012, the United States of America and the state of New Jersey lost a great Marine, a beloved son, a loyal brother and dedicated friend when Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine was killed in action in the Helmand province of Afghanistan serving the country he loved. A 2001 Waldwick High School graduate and New Jersey native, Joseph gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom and he will never be forgotten.
To honor the memory of this brave young man, I have introduced legislation to re-name the United States Post Office building located at 1 Walter Hammond Place in Waldwick, NJ the “Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine Post Office Building.” This tribute will act as a reminder to Waldwick residents and visitors alike of the life Joseph led and his legacy as an American hero.
Staff Sergeant D’Augustine was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group out of Camp Lejune and was a specialist trained to dismantle bombs and land mines. His dedication and focus on the job protected and saved the lives of countless men and women in uniform by fearlessly going out before the rest and literally clearing the way. Joseph was on his fourth tour of duty overseas and his second in Afghanistan when he was killed, just two weeks before he was scheduled to return home.
Beyond his professional life, Joseph was a high school athlete, a sports fan and, by all accounts, a person you just wanted to be around. He enjoyed fishing, golfing and other outdoor activities and even helped his father start a youth wrestling program in his home town. There is no greater evidence of how well liked he was than the outpouring of support from friends, family and the thousands of people who lined the streets of Waldwick to remember Joseph and pay their final respects.
Joseph was proud to wear his uniform and fight for his country; he achieved his lifelong dream of joining the United States Marine Corps the very day after he graduated high school. At Joseph’s funeral, fellow soldier Eddie Thompson, who served with D’Augustine in Iraq in 2004, said, “I trusted him with my life.” There is no more honorable thing that can be said about a person.
Words cannot describe the gratitude our community and our country has for Joseph’s commitment to protect his fellow Marines and American freedom. On behalf of New Jersey’s 5th District and the Waldwick community, I will see that the Waldwick post office is re-named to honor this young man and remember his final sacrifice forever. May we never forget Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine’s selflessness in the line of duty and the family and friends he left behind.
Menendez Stalls Wall Street Reform; Puts Politics First
“Families who have suffered the consequences of big bank recklessness must be watching from afar and wondering who would actively block us from simply beginning the work on Wall Street accountability…” Senator Robert Menendez, 4/27/2010
Middletown, August 1… When Senator Menendez asked families to wonder who would block Wall Street accountability he neglected to mention himself. Yesterday, New Jerseyans were shocked to read in the Wall Street Journalthat efforts to regulate the same monetary funds that roiled markets in 2008 were stalled by the self proclaimed “fighter for the middle class” Robert Menendez.
The WSJ reported that lobbying efforts against such regulation included the hiring of Menendez’ former Chief of Staff. The Menendez response: Let’s wait and see. But documents filed with FEC also show that those same interests have given over $22,000.00 in campaign cash to Menendez to defeat Wall Street accountability. It makes one wonder just who Senator Menendez is really fighting for and has earned him the Outrage of the Week.
“Once again Senator Bob Menendez is putting politics ahead of people “ said Kyrillos Campaign Manager Chapin Fay.
“It’s outrageous that Senator Menendez would block the very reform he’s claimed to support and doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that after taking over $8 million in Wall Street and special interest money, Bob Menendez ain’t fighting for the middle class.”
Frugal Habits of the Super Rich
By Andrea N. Browne | Kiplinger – Fri, Jul 27, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
Becoming wealthy and staying that way takes a certain level of discipline. Sure, an occasional splurge won’t put you in the poor house, but frequent frivolous spending on things that aren’t necessities can quickly put a serious dent in your wallet. The frugal habits necessary to achieve financial success and maintain it are often lessons learned early on.
In this article, meet seven entrepreneurs, business leaders and famous faces, including Google’s David Cheriton, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett and Hollywood’s Hilary Swank, whose modest living — from clipping coupons to clipping their own hair — has helped them amass and/or maintain vast fortunes.
As Knight Kiplinger wrote in his classic column The Invisible Rich, “the biggest barrier to becoming rich is living like you’re rich before you are.”
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