>NJ Transit sets bill for rail tunnel at $600M with just 3 percent of the project total spent on actual construction
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2011 BY JEFF PILLETS STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
The trans-Hudson rail tunnel killed by Governor Christie will end up costing roughly $600 million even with a big refund from insurers, according to officials who released a “bottom line” breakdown on the aborted project.
Data tabulated by NJ Transit and released on Friday show that a net of $591.4 million was spent on the project from its formal inception in the summer of 2006 through Aug. 31.
The breakdown confirms predictions by critics that the $8.7 billion ARC project, short for Access to the Region’s Core, would prove to be a bonanza for lawyers, engineers and other expensive consultants. More than $265 million was spent on “design” and “preliminary engineering.” Another $188.2 million was spent on real estate expenses, including eminent domain lawsuits and attorneys’ negotiations with property owners.
Only $22.8 million — or about 3 percent of the project total — was spent on actual construction, NJ Transit said.
Protests take to road, it’s Occupy Trenton : Maybe they figured out what the real problem is?
About 50 protesters staged a rally across the street from the Statehouse in support of the three-week-old Occupy Wall Street demonstration, one of many across the country Thursday.
In downtown Jersey City, about 75 people linked arms in front of the Goldman Sachs building as workers in suits and ties peered down at protesters who were chanting; “This is what democracy looks like!’’ and “Hey-hey, ho-ho, Goldman Sachs has got to go!” (Jordan, Gannett)
>Cain: Move ‘Occupy Wall Street’ to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue By Elizabeth Harrington
(CNSNews.com) – Republican presidential nominee candidate Herman Cain called for the Occupy Wall Street protestors to relocate to the White House, in remarks he made Friday at the Family Research Council’s annual Values Voter Summit, in Washington, D.C.
“When a reporter asked me the other day, well, what do you think about those demonstrations up on Wall Street, I said, first of all, Wall Street didn’t write these failed economic policies — the White House did,” said Cain.
He then added, “Why don’t you move the demonstrations to the White House?”
Well folks, I’m at it again. Realizing that the “revolutionaries” occupying Wall Street had no common goals and no apparent organization, by listening to multiple interviewers elicit an olio of answers from them, I sat back and waited. Now, with muddied, muddled, waters clearing, I’m prepared to share my thoughts.
Susan Jones, in a post disseminated by CNSNews.com, writes that Occupy Wall St. protesters say they are “using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic” to achieve their goals, which vary from protester to protester, but generally include calls to tax the rich and spread the wealth. Following every interview with the protesters that I can, I understand why Ms. Jones claims their goals vary from protester to protester. These people, generally college students, are clueless idiots, being led by a very few Socialist and Communist organizers. If they believe they are following the Arab Spring tactics, they are even more clueless, since the revolutionaries in the Arab Spring knew exactly what their goals were, and these people don’t.
I listened as a newsman asked a protester what his goal was.
ans. – Our goal is to destroy Capitalism. ques – Okay, and what will you replace it with? ans. – A blank stare, a few seconds of stuttering, and silence.
Either he didn’t get around to thinking about that, yet, or the organizers forgot to tell him what to think.
On his radio program, Sean Hannity asked a young protester what she wanted.
ans. – To tax the rich more. ques – Why? ans. – They should pay their fair share.
Hannity went on to explain that the rich already pay the most taxes – by far – and half the people paid no income taxes at all. He then asked how much the rich should pay, as their fair share. She couldn’t figure out how much, but insisted they should pay “more”. This particular young lady was so clueless that Hannity kept her on for about 20 minutes, her answers showing how disorganized the whole Occupy Wall St. movement is – at least up to this point. I hear countless examples of these protesters giving lip service to cliched buzzwords and sound bites, and making senseless demands. When asked what they would do to make things better, what their ultimate goals are, or how the protests would improve the lot of the poor or create jobs, their Arab Spring becomes a Silent Spring.
The fact is that it wasn’t their idea in the first place. They were given a general idea of what to do, without specific goals, so people would dismiss them as harmless, and most folks have. But the hand of George Soros is in this, and nothing he orchestrates is harmless.
Now, the occupyers’ numbers are being bolstered by the addition of Union goons, and other professional organizers (SEIU is one of the original organizers, along with organizations controlled by George Soros, including the newly re-named ACORN groups). The original, clueless, kids that were coaxed to start the occupations around the Nation will be organized, and be given specific, uniform, goals to mouth. They will consider themselves brilliant thinkers and Patriots – because that is what the new organizers will tell them they are. What they really are is expendable fodder, for the real revolutionaries to use and throw away.
Having used the original protesters to show the movement is harmless and benign – so most people won’t worry – the Union heavies, and Socialist and Communist organizers will take over, and the real goal of these occupations will become manifest. It’s too soon to prove, but I believe it will be to riot and create chaos, so Obama will have an excuse to delay or cancel the elections and/or declare martial law. Socialist takeover complete, except for the fact that America has plenty of Patriots who will fight it.
Remember: It’s soap box, ballot box, jury box, ammo box, in that order.
>Garrett Chairs Hearing to Review Legislative Proposals to Promote Small Business Capital Formation
WASHINGTON, DC, September 21, 2011 – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, delivered the following opening statement today at a hearing to review legislation to promote small business capital formation:
“Welcome to our witnesses. I look forward to your testimony today on a number of proposals that will encourage capital formation and job creation at small companies all across the country.
“A couple weeks ago, as part of his jobs plan that he outlined in a speech to a joint session of Congress, the President included some ideas that, in the case of Congressman Schweikert’s bill on Reg A, we have passed out of this committee already, and in some other cases are similar to proposals that we are considering here today.
“So I am pleased that we have some bipartisan momentum behind efforts to tap into the potential of American entrepreneurs to build companies and create jobs.
“Many of the existing rules and regulations in the area of capital formation were well-intentioned at the time they were first established, but have sometimes been in place for decades and overdue for review.
“And while the President did not end up including any capital formation proposals in the actual legislative language he sent up to Capitol Hill, we have five specific bills that we will be considering at today’s hearing that can help jump-start our economy.
“H.R. 2167, the Private Company Flexibility and Growth Act, introduced by my Vice-Chairman David Schweikert, would raise the threshold for mandatory registration with the SEC from 500 shareholders to 1,000, and if signed into law, would be the first time the shareholder threshold has been adjusted since it was adopted in 1964.
“We will also consider a similar proposal today from Congressman Himes that pertains to smaller banks.
“Congressman Patrick McHenry has a proposal under consideration today, the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act, which enhances the President’s proposal on encouraging so-called ‘crowdfunding,’ an innovative phenomenon that can tap into social networking tools where many investors are able to pool smaller investments together without having to grapple with SEC registration costs and constraints.
“Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s “Access to Capital for Job Creators Act” will also be on the docket today. A former small business owner, himself, Mr. McCarthy is no stranger to the challenges they face. His legislation would provide more flexibility in soliciting accredited investors for private offerings.
“And finally, the newest member of this Committee, Mr. Fincher, has a draft proposal for consideration today that I am particularly fond of. During the consideration of the Dodd-Frank Act, I worked closely on a bipartisan basis with my late colleague and friend, John Adler, on a proposal that was ultimately included in the final bill to permanently exempt smaller public companies from having to comply with the costly burdens imposed under section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
“Mr. Fincher’s proposal would raise the market capitalization threshold for companies fully exempt from 404(b) compliance from $75 million to $500 million and provides further flexibility in 404(b) compliance for companies in the $500 million to $1 billion range.
“All of these proposals are common-sense efforts to remove unnecessary regulatory burdens from the shoulders of America’s small businesses while unleashing American entrepreneurs to do what they do best – create jobs and grow our economy. And as I mentioned earlier, it is my hope and belief that most, if not all, of these bills will receive strong bipartisan support.”
>Democrats Seek to Oust Key Housing Regulator continue to push for relaxed credit standards
BY ALAN ZIBEL
House Democrats called on President Barack Obama to replace a key housing regulator, saying the official isn’t taking bold enough steps to turn around the real-estate crisis.
The regulator, Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, met with 17 House lawmakers Thursday, in what was described as a tense meeting about a coming expansion of the mortgage-refinancing program.
>Plan to dissolve Teterboro Would Kill 3,700 Jobs Just to Reward Their Political Allies By Mel Fabrikant Thursday, October 06, 2011, 01:04 PM EDT
Driscoll/Goldberg/Alonso Call on Opponents to Withdraw Their Bill that Would Kill Private-Sector Jobs to Help Their Political Allies
Bergen Record’s Al Doblin: “Equivalent of Petty Thugs Pillaging a Community”
The 38th District Republican legislative candidates called on their opponents to withdraw their land grab legislation that could erase a $225 million economic development project, along with thousands of new jobs in Bergen County.
Republican Senate candidate John Driscoll and his Assembly running mates Richard Goldberg and Fernando Alonso, called on Bob Gordon and Connie Wagner to officially terminate their plan to dissolve Teterboro, a successful jobs haven in North Jersey. The Bergen Record called their backroom deal lunacy because it jeopardized thousands of new jobs and would impose higher taxes on existing businesses.
“This plan is a microcosm of the dangerous economic policies that Trenton politicians like Bob Gordon have supported. Their plan punishes success to reward political allies and that costs us jobs,” Driscoll, the Bergen County Freeholder Chairman, said. “Last year common sense prevailed and stopped this plan that would have killed a $225 million economic development project, along with 2,500 permanent jobs and 1,200 construction jobs.
The choice is simple…continue down the Obama & Co path toward a “welfare state” with increased government size and control over most aspects of our daily lives or return to an economy/society that incentivizes and rewards innovation, hard work and a desire to improve one’s standard of living.
If you want a preview of where a massive government size and control will take us, look no further than Greece, France and other European countries today. It is unfortunate that many of our elected officials are so blinded by the dogma of their well-intentioned, but flawed, socioeconomic theories that they cannot see/accept the reality staring them in the face. Big government, organized labor contracts, higher taxes and a welfare approach do not create jobs or a thriving economy. They only serve as a drag that stymies growth and prosperity and, ultimately, drives society toward the lowest common denominator.
What’s worse is that so many people are sucked in by the hollow promises of left-leaning policy makers and are too ignorant of the factors that drive our economy to see these promises for what they are…a steep downhill slide to economic and social disaster, from which we can never recover.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2011 BY RICHARD R. PARDI THE RECORD
ABOUT five years ago, New Jersey, in response to a cycle of flooding and drought, instituted an ambitious plan of watershed management.
Since every resident in the state lives in a watershed, it was a matter of dividing the state into manageable areas. There are 20 delineated watershed areas. Some watershed areas, such as the Passaic River, are so large they are divided into three areas.
The Department of Environmental Protection was to have a representative in each of the watersheds (one DEP representative may cover more than one area), a utility (sewerage authority, water authority, gas and electric company), health departments, environmental commissions, academic institutions, community parks groups and public interest citizens. Management of each watershed had four components: public advisory, open space, technical advisory and education and outreach. It was one of the best ideas put forward by our state.
The Bergen County Improvement Authority is considering selling Bergen Regional Medical Center, the 1,000-bed behemoth, because it treats too many patients from outside the county and could need $13.2 million in upgrades this year, the authority’s executive director said this week.
Robert S. Garrison requested a litany of financial and operational information from the for-profit company that manages the Paramus hospital to determine if the county should continue to own the hospital, established to serve as the safety net hospital for the county’s neediest residents. Bergen Regional provides acute services, behavioral health care and has the largest nursing home in the state. (Layton and Ensslin, The Record)
As president of Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, Inc. I wanted to share with readers some background on our use of the Paramus Park Mall as a comparison to the Valley Hospital’s Renewal. The supporters of the hospital’s expansion have said this comparison is unfair and that you can’t compare a mall to a hospital. The decision the Village Council must make is whether Renewal makes sense from a land-use perspective. We think the comparison to Paramus Park is fair.
Renewal is more than twice the size of the existing hospital, and most of us can’t envision what it would be like to have this much building on this 15-acre property. Paramus Park, at just over 1.0 million square feet, gives people a sense of what we’re talking about, and it’s a reference that most in Ridgewood can relate to, even though Renewal is at least 10 percent larger than the mall in square footage. At 94 feet above-ground, and two stories below ground, Renewal is significantly taller than Paramus Park’s 30-foot atrium.
>Go Occupy Yourselves, My Darlings By Ben Stein Wednesday
So… today rain came down in sheets here in Los Angeles. As I walked down Camden Drive in Beverly Hills after a righteous lunch at Mister Chow, the wind was forcing the rain at me horizontally. I got soaked. Earlier, my wife had slipped and fallen on the wet, slippery floor of a parking garage. No one in the garage made a move to help her. I, of course, picked her up and said to the parking attendant, “You’re pretty stupid. That woman who fell is the only woman in Beverly Hills who wouldn’t sue you for that slip. You might at least thank her and help her.”
He shrugged and said something in Spanish.
Anyway, it was that kind of day and when I got to Malibu, the sky was overcast and dreary and I was in traffic. Then the sun came out in a dazzling way.
On the radio, they played a story about the demonstrators on Wall Street demonstrating—literally—against human nature – greed and stupidity. Literally. Many of them were—so we were told—recent college graduates who could not get employment.
Various leftists came on and said how cruel Wall Street was and how they should be blamed for those poor unemployed college kids’ problems.
Then came Herman Cain. He said, very simply, “If you are a college graduate and you can’t get a job, you shouldn’t blame Wall Street. You shouldn’t blame the banks. You should blame yourself.”
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011 BY EILEEN LA FORGIA STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Art of the Self-Portrait Show 2011 features members of the Ridgewood Art Institute.
Rebecca Leer and Laura Paray, both instructors at the “Barn,” are co-chairing the show which will run through the end of the month. They conducted a very successful self-portrait workshop during the summer concentrating on traditional methods of rendering light effect, form, color harmony and likeness.
Leer said, “Kids did self-portraits some with instruction and many adults worked privately.”
“It’s exhilarating, though in self-portraiture you are vulnerable,” said Leer. “Self-portrait requires courage – one needs encouragement – ‘You can do it.’ In painting one’s self, the artist is transformed into a different environment. Do you paint, ‘Who I am’ or ‘What I want to be?’ Then, of course, there is the skill of the artist and the desire for a good painting.”
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