Search Results for: mcc

Fridays Controversial Jobs data: Happy Days are here again or are they?
October 6,2012
PJ Blogger

Ridgewood Nj, Friday mornings jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is being met with heavy skepticism. The report found that, from August to September, the unemployment rate dropped from just above 8 percent to 7.8 percent. In fact, when Labor Secretary Hilda Solis appeared on pro Obama- CNBC Friday, the first two questions for her were whether the books have been cooked.

As expected the mainstream media on Que ran with the numbers and began singing happy days are hear again. Our first reaction was ,are they now counting food stamp recipients as part time jobs?

The anemic job growth survey showing only 114,000 NFP (non farm payroll) new jobs , left many economist to scratch their heads. Former Chairmen of GE Jack Welch started a fury when he commented on twitter , “Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can’t debate so change numbers”

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former economics adviser to John McCain and the former head the Congressional Budget Office, called the numbers on CNBC “implausible.”https://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jobs-report-met-skepticism_653731.html

But econmist Larry kudlow comments via twitter to my good friend Jack Welch, bulging household and part-time jobs brought unemployment rate down.No conspiracy. Recovery?

Larry was also quick to point out the facts ,”7.8% unemployment from 600k part-time workers and 118K self-employed .873K rise in households No conspiracy. But 114K NFP weak.2% economy ”

This was verified by Zero hedge which does a pretty good job deciphering economic numbers ,”The reason: the biggest reported jump in the number of employed people since January 2003, at +873,000 to 142,974. At least according to the Household data survey, which just happens to be used in the calculation of the unemployment rate. Just little bit off from the Establishment survey of +114,000.” https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-05/nfp-prints-114k-top-expectations-115k-unemployment-rate-tumbles-78-expectations-82

Again According to Zero hedge ,”The reason is that the number of part-time people employed for economic reasons soared by 582,000 to 8,613,000, the most since October 2011, and the largest one month jump since February 2009, when “restoring” confidence in the economy was all the rage… and just before the Fed announced the full blown QE1 in March of 2009.” https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-05/reason-todays-unemployment-rate-plunge-part-time-jobs-economic-reasons-surge-most-qe

Another words part-time Jobs for economic reasons surge most since QE1 announcement. Meanwhile the Labor force participation rate rises from 30 year lows to 63.5%. to 63.6%.,not exactly stunning. The grim facts remain the same in order to get this economy moving along the US still needs to produce 350- 450,000 (NFP) per month ,maybe even more at this point.

Bob Woodruff, Ridgewood war veteran support students’ fundraising initiative

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

“This could be it.”

It’s a simple phrase, but it provides a small insight into what soldiers go through so that others never know war.

“Every time you go out on a mission, you don’t know if you’re coming back or not. It’s getting into that mentality: ‘This could be it,'” said Ridgewood resident and Iraq War veteran Mark Steppe.

Steppe suffered a brain injury from a roadside bomb explosion during his service and later developed post-traumatic stress disorder. It took him two years “just to be normal,” he said. Today, his suffering is far from over. He deals with severe pain due to a mysterious illness that caused lesions to form in his body, potentially linked to his exposure to depleted uranium in Iraq.

Seeing him suffer has been difficult for his family, including his two sons and his wife Amy McCambridge, a Ridgewood High School (RHS) graduate and former Marine.

Last Friday, McCambridge and Steppe briefly shared their story at several Ridgewood schools in a show of support for a student-based effort to raise money for the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a charity established by American journalist Bob Woodruff and his family to help wounded soldiers and their families.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/172772911_Bob_Woodruff__Ridgewood_war_veteran_support_students__fundraising_initiative.html

Romney Urges More Reliance on Free Enterprise to Aid Nations
By John McCormick – Sep 25, 2012 9:43 AM ET

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney today urged more accountability for U.S. aid to other nations and greater reliance on free enterprise to lift the world’s poor toward prosperity.

“The aim of a much larger share of our aid must be the promotion of work and the fostering of free enterprise,” he said in a speech at the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. “Nothing we can do as a nation will change lives and nations more effectively and permanently than sharing the insight that lies at the foundation of America’s own economy– and that is that free people pursuing happiness in their own ways build a strong and prosperous nation.”

The appearance marked a moment of bipartisanship, considering that the event is hosted by former President Bill Clinton, one of the top prosecutors against Romney at the Democratic National Convention and someone aggressively campaigning for President Barack Obama’s re-election.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-25/romney-urges-more-reliance-on-free-enterprise-to-aid-nations.html

 

The case for liberating physicians from the dictates of third-party payers

Of all the people in the healthcare system, none is more central than the physician. As I explain in my book Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis, fundamental reform that lowers costs, raises quality, and improves access to care is almost inconceivable without physicians leading and directing the changes. Yet of all the actors in modern healthcare, none are more trapped than our nation’s doctors. Let’s consider just a few of the ways your doctor is constrained, unlike any other professional.[1]

Sometime in the early part of the last century, all the other professionals in our society—lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers, and so on—discovered the telephone. It’s a handy device. Ideal for communicating with clients. Yet, telephone consultations are not on Medicare’s list of about 7,500 tasks it pays physicians to perform. (At least, it’s not there in a way that makes telephone consultations practical.) Private insurance tends to pay the way Medicare pays. So do most employers.

Sometime toward the end of the last century, all the other professionals discovered email. In some ways, it’s even better than the phone. But reading and responding to emails doesn’t make Medicare’s list in a practical way, either.[2]

At a time when doctors feel that third-party payers are squeezing their fees from every direction, most are going to try to minimize their non-billable time. Because patients cannot conveniently use modern media to consult with physicians, they make unnecessary office visits. The result is more rationing by waiting at the doctor’s office, which imposes disproportionate costs on chronic patients who need more contact with physicians. This might be one reason why so many are not getting what they most need from primary care physicians and what is most likely to prevent more costly problems later on: prescription drugs.[3]

The ability to consult with doctors by phone or email could be a boon to chronic care. Face-to-face meetings with physicians would be less frequent, especially if patients learned how to monitor their own conditions and manage their own care.

https://blog.independent.org/2012/09/06/freeing-the-doctor/

This Old House PBS

The rise of home expansions
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2012
BY DONNA ROLANDO
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS
THE RECORD

It cannot be said that Rich and Bernadette Galli of Washington Township rushed into anything. Even after realizing they needed a house that could grow as their children grew – and a home office with solitude – the Gallis spent roughly two years combing the real-estate market before deciding to stay put.

The architect William J. Martin, above, in new storage space created from his plan for the Gallis, who enjoy the veranda of their recently expanded home in Washington Township.

They chose the same address – on Robinwood Road — but not the status quo, joining a rising number of homeowners who have decided to expand or renovate.

“Last fall we saw things turning around,” said their architect, William J. Martin of Westwood.

Because economies of scale — making bigger projects more cost-effective — it’s common today for renovation work to mean expansion, Martin said.

“I’ve been busier than I’ve ever been,” said one Mahwah builder, Ed McCauley, and it’s renovations – not new construction – that are filling his calendar with work, partly a product of the real estate slump.

“I don’t think people were so quick to take losses [in equity],” he said. “It motivates them to stay put.”

A poll by the American Institute of Architects reflects a nationwide reversal in the six-year trend toward smaller home sizes. While the change is evident in custom and luxury homes, the AIA expects that “the strongest sector will continue to be improvements to existing homes.”

Stephen Melman, director of economic services for the National Association of Builders, said homeowners are starting to go beyond recession-based maintenance and repair, “back to the way things used to be” for renovations.

https://www.northjersey.com/realestate/169074436_The_rise_of_home_expansions.html

Ridgewood Art Institute Artist of the Month for September 2012

Congratulations to Ethel Jamroz and Maggie McCarthey!!

Artist of the Month

 Young Artist of the Month 

Romney Reiterates He Would Replace Bernanke
By Colleen McCain Nelson

Mitt Romney said Thursday that he would replace Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, dismissing the advice of a top adviser who suggested this week that the chairman should be considered for a third term.

The presumptive Republican nominee told the Fox Business Network that as president, he would want to install someone new in the Federal Reserve post. Mr. Bernanke’s term ends in January 2014.

On Tuesday, Glenn Hubbard, a top economic adviser to Mr. Romney, told Reuters TV that Mr. Bernanke should “get every consideration” to stay on at the Federal Reserve, calling the chairman a “model technocrat” and saying that he deserves a pat on the back.

https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/08/23/romney-reiterates-he-would-replace-bernanke/

Less religious states give less to charity: study
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Last Updated: 9:09 AM, August 20, 2012
Posted: 9:08 AM, August 20, 2012

BOSTON — A new study on the generosity of Americans suggests that states with the least religious residents are also the stingiest about giving money to charity.

The study released Monday by the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that residents in states where religious participation is higher than the rest of the nation, particularly in the South, gave the greatest percentage of their discretionary income to charity.

The Northeast, with lower religious participation, was the least generous to charities, with the six New England states filling the last six slots among the 50 states.

The study also found that patterns of charitable giving are colored in political reds and blues.

Of the 10 least generous states, nine voted for Democrat Barack Obama for president in the last election. By contrast, of the 10 most generous states, eight voted for Republican John McCain.

But Peter Panepento, the Chronicle’s assistant managing editor, said that political breakdown likely speaks to a state’s religious makeup, not its prevailing political views. He noted the lowest-ranked Democrat states were also among the least religious, while the top-ranked Republican states were among the more religious.

“I don’t know if I could go out and say it’s a complete Republican-Democrat difference as much as it is different religious attitudes and culture in these states,” he said.

The study was based on Internal Revenue Service records of people who itemized deductions in 2008, the most recent year statistics were available.

Read more: https://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/less_religious_states_give_less_S2otVE4CvMfKFXbpNyB9jO#ixzz245xFFjbd

Congratulations : Ridgewood 9U, 10U, 11U AND 12U – Little League District 4 CHAMPS!!!
Way to go Ridgewood !!!!

Ridgewood 11U

https://www.rbsa.us/

Top Row, from left to right: Coaches Will Seitter, Head Coach Marc Favieri, Craig Frisina, Dave Wang & Brian Lewis Players, from left to right, Brett Thompson, Kevin Seitter, Andrew Olson, Ben Geraghty, Ethan Suh, Trey Lewis, Calvin Wang, Luke Conenello, Alexander Facini & Sam Favieri Not pictured: Tommy McCormack & Michael Thurlow

Ridgewood 9U

https://www.rbsa.us/

Left to right: Michael Bussinelli, George Hadfield, Jack Meyer, Dan Kennedy, Cole Patel, Joseph Bussinelli, Edward Chanod, Reed Darienzo, Donn Patrick Joseph, Brian Chan, Collin Feeney Coaches: Left to Right: Andrew Meyer, Guy Darienzo, Guido Bussinelli

Ridgewood 12U

https://www.rbsa.us/

12U Players (L to R): Chris Symington, Jake Dowson, Michael Dyrhaug, Bobby Sullivan, Timmy Conklin, Drew Granski, Matteo Conn, Charlie Cardew, Jack Neilson, Patrick Cummings, Davis Weil, Parker Scott Coaches (Lto R): Terry Cardew, Head Coach Chip Conklin, Chris Dyrhaug, Bob Sullivan

Ridgewood 10U

https://www.rbsa.us/

Top Row, from left to right: Coaches Will Seitter, Head Coach Marc Favieri, Craig Frisina, Dave Wang & Brian Lewis Players, from left to right, Brett Thompson, Kevin Seitter, Andrew Olson, Ben Geraghty, Ethan Suh, Trey Lewis, Calvin Wang, Luke Conenello, Alexander Facini & Sam Favieri Not pictured: Tommy McCormack & Michael Thurlow

Little League: Ridgewood 10-11 squad reaches State Final Four

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012
BY RON FOX
CORRESPONDENT
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — Adversity wasted no time in testing the Ridgewood Little League 11-year-olds this summer. Fortunately, the boys regrouped and drove all the way to this week’s Final Four in the New Jersey State tournament.

“Our best hitter, our leadoff hitter, Tommy McCormack, broke his finger in the second game of the season and had surgery,” head coach Marc Favieri lamented. “He hasn’t played since, and he’s been sorely missed.”

Yet what remained was 11 of the 11’s, which was more than enough for them to embark on a stellar season. On the way, they also had to handle new logistics, playing on larger fields and under ‘real baseball’ rules that included being allowed to take leads and steal bases. Undaunted, they continued to adjust all the way and won district and sectional titles. After a tough 5-4 first-round setback to Livingston National (Essex County) in the State tournament on Monday, Ridgewood rebounded to defeat Blackwood (Camden County), 7-6, Tuesday to remain in contention for the title in Middletown.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/165690896_Little_League__Ridgewood_10-11_squad_reaches_State_Final_Four_Village_10-11_team_makes_State_Final_Four.html

The Real Poll Numbers
By Dick Morris on August 6, 2012

The media is trying to create a sense of momentum and of inevitability about the Obama candidacy. One benighted Newsweek reporter even speculated about a possible Democratic landslide.

On Friday, I saw the real numbers. These state-by-state polls, taken by an organization I trust (after forty years of polling) show the real story. The tally is based on more than 600 likely voter interviews in each swing state within the past eight days.

The trend line is distinctly pro-Romney. Of the thirteen states studied, he improved or Obama slipped in nine states while the reverse happened in only four. To read the media, one would think that Romney had a terrible month. In fact, the exact reverse is true.

Romney is currently leading in every state McCain carried plus: Indiana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Nevada, North Carolina, and Colorado. If he carries these states, he’ll have 228 electoral votes of the 270 he needs to win.

https://www.dickmorris.com/the-real-poll-numbers/

Pushing on a String: Fed Weighs Cutting Interest On Banks’ Reserves After ECB Move
By Caroline Salas Gage and Liz Capo McCormick – Jul 30, 2012 12:00 AM ET

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke may be taking another look at cutting the interest rate the Fed pays on bank reserves to bring down short-term borrowing costs and spur the slowing U.S. expansion.

Bernanke testified to Congress on July 17 that reducing the rate from its current 0.25 percent is one of several easing steps the Fed might take to reduce unemployment stuck above 8 percent for more than three years. In February, by contrast, the Fed chairman told Congress that lowering the rate might drive away investors from short-term money markets.

“They’re reconsidering it,” said Ward McCarthy, a former Richmond Fed economist. A July 5 decision by the European Central Bank to cut its deposit rate to zero is prompting renewed interest in the strategy, said McCarthy, chief financial economist at Jefferies & Co. McCarthy said it’s unlikely the Fed will reduce the rate at a two-day meeting that starts tomorrow.

Policy makers meeting this week are looking for new monetary tools after the Fed lowered its benchmark interest rate to near zero in December 2008 and purchased $2.3 trillion of securities to spur the economy. A government report on July 27 showed economic growth slowed to a 1.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter as consumers curbed spending.

“They are at the end of their rope and are probably searching for every last option for what they can do,” said Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York and a former economist for the Fed Board in Washington. “You can’t rule anything out because they’re going to flail around and try every last thing they can.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-30/fed-weighs-cutting-interest-on-banks-reserves-after-ecb-move.html

Four Ridgewood graduates will play football in college

FRIDAY JULY 27, 2012, 1:08 PM
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
CORRESPONDENT
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — Four Ridgewood High School football players who graduated this year will be looking forward to the beginning of practice in a few short weeks as they take their skills to the college level.

Anthony Balboa (Susquehanna), Michael Johnson (Amherst), Mike Camporini (Springfield) and Blake Feagles (Avon Old Farm, CT) will carry the Maroon football torch into the fall, with all four hoping to make an instant impact on their respective teams.

“It is a good fit for all four of them,” Ridgewood head football coach Chuck Johnson said. “They all did a great job for us last season, and I know they’ll be contributors on their new teams as well.”

The number might have been higher if not for a few of the Maroons accepting lacrosse scholarships. Most notably in this group are Tripp Telesco (Lehigh) and Peter Reuter (Bowdoin).

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/163975946.html

Obamacare : coverage will not necessarily translate into care:

Doctor Shortage Likely to Worsen With Health Law
By ANNIE LOWREY and ROBERT PEAR
Published: July 28, 2012

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — In the Inland Empire, an economically depressed region in Southern California, President Obama’s health care law is expected to extend insurance coverage to more than 300,000 people by 2014. But coverage will not necessarily translate into care: Local health experts doubt there will be enough doctors to meet the area’s needs. There are not enough now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/health/policy/too-few-doctors-in-many-us-communities.html?_r=2&partner=MYWAY&ei=5065

Ridgewood Schools roll out Five Year Curriculum Plans

At the June 18 Board of Education meeting, Greg McDonald (Technology), Basil Pizzuto (Business) and Chris McCullough (Fine and Applied Arts) presented curriculum review and planning reports for these areas.

Click here to view the Art and Music Five-Year Plan.

https://tinyurl.com/7lve2b8

Click here to view the Business and Marketing Five-Year Plan.

https://tinyurl.com/6tdq8wc

Click here to view the Technology Five-Year Plan.

https://tinyurl.com/8ynkr5a