Dear natter negnobs of negitivity,
Summer weather has finally arrived and with it comes increasing water usage for irrigating our lawns and gardens. This is a friendly reminder that Stage I irrigation restrictions are now in effect as they are every year between June 1 and August 31. If you have an odd-numbered address, you may irrigate at any time on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you have an even-numbered address, you may irrigate at any time on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Irrigation using a hand held hose is allowed at any time. No irrigation is allowed on Mondays except for the use of a handheld hose. Ridgewood Water is already experiencing heavy demand on the system, even on Mondays, so it is clear that many residents are not following the rules. Fines for violators start at $50 for the first offense.
Many people water their lawns too frequently for healthy, drought resistant turf. Most experts agree that ½ inch of water twice a week will sustain an established lawn. Ridgewood Water technicians can help you reprogram your automatic sprinklers at no charge. Please call our Customer Service Center at201-670-5520 for more information.
Your cooperation with the Stage I restrictions and making sure your watering times are reasonable will help us avoid the need for more severe restrictions. You can always check our website for the current status of restrictions atwater.ridgewoodnj.net.
Ridgewood NJ, Gannett is adding to its stable of New Jersey papers by snapping up The Record , the Ridgewood News and some other weekly papers now owned by the North Jersey Media Group according to Media Ink.
According to insiders at the paper the announcement came as a shock to the Record newsroom and its already beleaguered staffers.
The 121-year-old paper long known as the Bergen Record is the second-largest daily paper in the state behind the Star-Ledger in Newark, which is owned by the Newhouse family. Gannett, the nation’s No. 1 newspaper publisher, also owns the Asbury Park Press and five other New Jersey papers.The Record seemed tired in recent years and after decades of playing a major role in setting the news agenda in New Jersey with its far left pro union slant .
While it bashed Governor Christie and harped on the tedious “Bridgegate” scandal it may have derailed presidential ambitions of New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie but circulation plunged , reporting lagged and the overtly biased coverage drove away advertisers .
The Record was purchased by the Borg family in 1930. Malcolm Borg is chairman, while son Stephen Borg — leader of the fourth generation of the family in control of the paper . Insiders say Stephen’s tenure at the helm has been a disaster.
The financial terms couldn’t be learned, although the properties have remained modestly profitable.
Ridgewood NJ, The New Jersey Choral Society is holding auditions for two youth choruses, treble and SATB, for students in grades 6-12. Auditions will be held Monday, June 20, 2016 and August 29, 2016 from 4-6 pm at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 169 Fairmount Road, Ridgewood, NJ. Treble voices are accepted from grades 6-12 and SATB voices from grades 9-12. Audition requirements, including a memorized solo, and registration details are available on the New Jersey Choral Society website at www.njcs.org under “Upcoming Events”. Interested students, parents and educators can contact Festival Youth Chorus Director, Noelle Dachis, at [email protected] for more information.
This is a unique and exciting opportunity for young choral singers to perform with the New Jersey Choral Society and Maestro Eric Dale Knapp, and a rare experience to include on college applications, especially for students heading into a music study. Students selected for the chorus are expected to attend weekly rehearsals, held at St. Elizabeth’s Church on Monday evenings, and all performances. The NJCS 2016-2017 concert season features Monteverdi’s Magnificat and Vespers of 1610 as well as the music of director-choreographer, Bob Fosse. The Festival Youth Chorus also has an opportunity to perform with Teatro Grattacielo in New York City in October.
Established in 1980, the New Jersey Choral Society is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups, well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs. Under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, NJCS performs three major concerts annually in Bergen and Essex counties. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House and have toured internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, Australia, England, and France.
WASHINGTON, DC — Hillary Clinton received a classified intelligence report stating that the Obama administration was actively supporting Al Qaeda in Iraq, the terrorist group that became the Islamic State.
The memo made clear that Al Qaeda in Iraq was speaking through Muhammad Al Adnani, who is now the senior spokesman for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Western and Gulf states were supporting the terrorist group to try to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad, who was being propped up by the Russians, Iranians, and Chinese.
In August 2012, a “SECRET” classified memo was sent to various top Obama administration officials and agencies, including to the State Department and to Clinton’s office personally.
“The document is an IAR, an intelligence information report,” said Christopher J. Farrell, who serves on the board of directors of Judicial Watch, which obtained the document. “It is produced by somebody within the Defense intelligence agency (DIA). It is reporting from the field by an intelligence agent” who could be a U.S. government agent, a defense attaché, or a source.
“It’s a report from the field back to headquarters with some intelligence that somebody is willing to bet their career on,” Farrell said.
Farrell confirmed that the report was sent to Clinton’s office, based on the recipient marking “RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC.”
The report identifies Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) as being one of the principal elements of the Syrian opposition, which the West was choosing to “support.”
I am not a Christie fan but I will give him credit for trying to reel in the unsustainable pension and medical benefits public employees receive. it has to change. I don’t think it is right that money was diverted from the teacher’s pension fund starting with Christie Whitman and that has to be repaid. For heaven’s sake, it is time to freeze pensions and move onto 401K style plans and keep medical costs in line with what private sector receives. Long gone are the days when public employee salaries were lower than the private sector so delayed remuneration in the form of pensions, etc. made up the difference. As for Ridgewood’s current travesty with the NJEA and our BOE – I’m just sick. I wish all these complaining teachers could be replaced. And, yes, I’m one of those who wears the cloak of anonymity because I have kids in school and I know the teachers retaliate. Many are not as dedicated to their students and the field of education as they profess.
Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) released the following statement in response toreports that Boeing has reached a multibillion-dollar deal to sell commercial passenger planes to Iran. Boeing is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) bank which perpetuates corporate welfare to mega corporations by handing out taxpayer-backed loans.
“This agreement between Boeing and the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is extremely troubling and shows that crony capitalism remains alive and well in Washington. Not only has Boeing lobbied for years to keep the taxpayer-backed Export Import bank alive, it now has also used its powerful position to take advantage of the ill-conceived nuclear deal with Iran. This agreement is bad news, not just for taxpayers but for our national security.”
Boeing was lobbying Congress to keep their Ex-Im bank subsidies at the same time it was seeking carve outs from the Obama Administration to do more business with the dangerous Iranian regime. Garrett has been an outspoken critic of the Ex-Im bank and the Iran nuclear deal.
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Flooding and standing water in your basement or crawlspace is nothing but trouble. If your basement isn’t dry, moisture can damage your foundation, wooden structural elements, and more. It also promotes mold growth, which can compromise your indoor air quality and cause respiratory infections and other health problems.
At A1 Sewer & Drain Services, we provide professional sump pump installation in New Jersey to help homeowners and businesses eliminate standing water in a basement or crawl space. You can call us any time for a free cost estimate and consultation regarding your standing water problem and basement drainage needs, at 201-645-0888.
Preventing Basement Flooding & Repair Costs with Sump Pump Installation in NJ
Obviously, basements are generally partially or completely below ground. This puts them at an increased risk of flooding and standing water. Installing a basement sump pump can go a long way toward protecting your basement from accidental flooding and standing water in the event of a burst pipe, stormwater intrusion, or other emergencies.
If your basement doesn’t already have one, you may want to consider installing a sump pump. The average cost for the unit and basin, plus professional sump pump installation, is far lower than the average cost of extensive repairs after basement flooding– a serious basement flood can cost as much as $50,000 to completely repair!
What Is a Sump Pump?
Sump pumps use an impeller mechanism to forcibly remove water from the sump basin into which it flows, sending it safely away into a discharge line to prevent standing water from accumulating. Sump pumps are strongly recommended by drainage experts for buildings and homes that have a below-ground basement or crawlspace, which is common in New Jersey. Many sump pumps are even equipped with an alarm system, some of which will notify you on your smartphone if water levels are rising.
Many sump pumps rely on a direct connection to a power outlet. In severe weather where stormwater flooding is a serious possibility, power outages could disable the pump when it’s needed. Installing a secondary backup sump pump prevents this. Backup sump pumps have a battery, and are designed to activate when your primary sump pump fails. You can also find combination sump pumps with a backup battery.
Replacing Your Existing Sump Pump in NJ
You don’t want your sump pump to fail when you need it. Sump pumps have a limited service life, just like any other appliance. A good sump pump will last for over a decade, but you’ll eventually need a new one when it wears itself out.
Before it fails completely, an aging sump pump will start showing signs that its time is coming to an end. Some of the telltale signs that you need to replace your sump pump soon include:
Rapid cycling. If your sump pump is turning itself on and off constantly, it might be time to replace it. This problem can also result from maladjusted float switches, or from a sump basin that’s too large for your pump.
Long run times. Sump pumps don’t normally run for more than a minute or so. If it goes on longer, it could be underpowered relative to the amount of water it needs to move. You may want sump pump replacement, with a larger model that can better accommodate the expected flow.
Excessive noise. Old sump pumps with worn-down mechanical parts or a burnt motor bearing will make a lot of noise.
When you’re choosing a new sump pump, you’ll want to make sure you choose a model that’s the right size and power level. Sump pump horsepower can range from ¼ to ⅓, and your needs will depend on how much water your pump needs to handle.
Local Plumbers for Sump Pump Services in NJ
At A1 Sewer & Drain Services, we’re always available for sump pump installation, repair, and replacement throughout north New Jersey. We provide same-day service and 24/hour emergency repairs throughout the area, including:
Ridgewood Nj, New Jersey Assemblymen Tim Eustace continues his over the top grandstanding against Congressmen Scott Garrett. Eustace has been making the rounds protesting Garrett’s “alleged” and I repeat “alleged” remarks and organizing media events like protesting Fidelity investments on Route 17 in Paramus over donations to the Garrett campaign . Unbeknownst to Eustace and much of the New Jersey media a small mutual fund office in Paramus does not control corporate policy for Mutual Fund giant Fidelity’s corporate donation policy .
Assemblyman Tim Eustace told PolitickerNJ that the congressman’s statements “ridiculous.” According to Eustace, one of New Jersey’s only openly gay assemblypeople, Garrett’s stance on the LGBT community (he allegedly made statements last year that he wouldn’t support the Republican Party’s fundraising arm because of support for gay candidates) and his NRA backing make his statements “hypocritical.”
Eustace then jumped the shark by saying ,“I thought it was ridiculous,” Eustace told PolitickerNJ. “Here is a man who doesn’t even believe LGBT people deserve equal citizenship, that we have the right to run for office. Here is somebody who is fully invested by the NRA. These congressmen are the reason assault weapons are on the streets. He comes out in support of them but didn’t actually mention LGBT people at all.”
LGBT people deserve equal citizenship, really Tim ? According to Eustace and people like him Republicans present a far greater threat then Islamic Jihad ? Humm tell that to the people in the WTC on 9/11 or thats right they are dead .
Eustace like many seemed shocked that the terror group ISIS would target the gay community ,apparently Tim has missed the memo that ISIS like all Islamic Jihadist groups are sworn to kill gays and enslave women as well as eliminate all western style freedoms .
To make this clear because so many seem in denial ,Sharia law mandates that homosexuals be killed and is not from ISIS or al-Qaeda. It is from sharia which is based on Muslim scripture.
While other gay groups have quickly learned that they are not safe under the current administration and have begun arming themselves like Pink Pistols or changing there support for Donald Trump who has like many sounded the alarm continuously for years ,Eustace and his band of media hounds continues to misrepresent their cause and place themselves and others in grave danger.
By Stephen Dinan – The Washington Times – Monday, June 13, 2016
While immigrants draw much of the attention, it’s their children who are proving to be the most fruitful recruiting ground for radical jihad in the U.S., accounting for at least half of the deadly attacks over the past decade.
The latest instance of the second-generation terrorist syndrome played out in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend when Omar Mateen, son of immigrants from Afghanistan, went on a jihad-inspired rampage, killing 49 people and wounding 53 others in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.
Authorities said Mateen had flirted with other terrorist groups but declared his allegiance to the Islamic State on Sunday morning as he began his horrific spree.
The Orlando nightclub terrorist who pledged allegiance to ISIS worked almost a decade for a major Department of Homeland Security contractor, raising alarms that ISIS sympathizers and agents have infiltrated the federal agency set up after 9/11 to combat terrorists.
Officials say Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, an Afghan-American who held two firearms licenses and a security officer license, was employed by the security firm G4S Secure Solutions USA Inc. since Sept. 10, 2007. The Jupiter, Fla.-based company merged with the Wackenhut Corp. after 9/11 and assumed federal contracts.
“G4S supports the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CPB), with its operations at the U.S. Mexico border and with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to transport illegal immigrants in selected urban areas,” the company says in a brochure, titled “Providing Manpower Solutions for Government Services.”
The DHS contract with G4S is worth more than $234 million. The contract states that one of the “performance requirements” is helping identify “suspected terrorists” trying to enter the U.S.
The security contractor also provides security guards and other security services for “90 percent of U.S. nuclear facilities.”
G4S uses fortified buses to transport “hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants” from city to city and from cities to the U.S.-Mexican border. But earlier this month, Judicial Watch revealed G4S has been quietly moving and releasing van loads of illegal aliens away from the border to interior American cities.
DONALD J. TRUMP STATEMENT REGARDING TRAGIC TERRORIST ATTACK IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA
June 12,2016
Donald J. Trump
Last night, our nation was attacked by a radical Islamic terrorist. It was the worst terrorist attack on our soil since 9/11, and the second of its kind in 6 months. My deepest sympathy and support goes out to the victims, the wounded, and their families.
In his remarks today, President Obama disgracefully refused to even say the words ‘Radical Islam’. For that reason alone, he should step down. If Hillary Clinton, after this attack, still cannot say the two words ‘Radical Islam’ she should get out of this race for the Presidency.
If we do not get tough and smart real fast, we are not going to have a country anymore. Because our leaders are weak, I said this was going to happen – and it is only going to get worse. I am trying to save lives and prevent the next terrorist attack. We can’t afford to be politically correct anymore.
The terrorist, Omar Mir Saddique Mateen, is the son of an immigrant from Afghanistan who openly published his support for the Afghanistani Taliban and even tried to run for President of Afghanistan. According to Pew, 99% of people in Afghanistan support oppressive Sharia Law.
We admit more than 100,000 lifetime migrants from the Middle East each year. Since 9/11, hundreds of migrants and their children have been implicated in terrorism in the United States.
Hillary Clinton wants to dramatically increase admissions from the Middle East, bringing in many hundreds of thousands during a first term – and we will have no way to screen them, pay for them, or prevent the second generation from radicalizing.
We need to protect all Americans, of all backgrounds and all beliefs, from Radical Islamic Terrorism – which has no place in an open and tolerant society. Radical Islam advocates hate for women, gays, Jews, Christians and all Americans. I am going to be a President for all Americans, and I am going to protect and defend all Americans. We are going to make America safe again and great again for everyone.
When it comes to John McAfee @OfficialMcAfee saying if he couldn’t get into the San Bernardino terrorists iPhone he would ‘eat his shoe’ – many iPhone users thought he was crazy. How could anyone break into a secure, password protected and encrypted iPhone. Well, as I’m going to show you, John would never have to eat his leather shoe and was 100% correct that it could easily be done.
Watch John McAfee on CNBC (used under the fair use provision of US Copyright law) discuss this situation.
Many think the @Apple iOS operating system is one of the most secure in the world for any smartphone or tablet. That may be true as iOS offers full disk encryption with built-in hardened encryption (device KEY, file KEY, Keychain API, Data Protection API, etc). In fact, the iOS currently boots with a low-level boot loader then verifies iBoot. Apple defends well against native code exploits using both address space layout randomization (ASLR) and XN bit (which stands for eXecute Never). The ASLR randomizes memory location of program executable, data, heap and stack every time it is launched. To block cross application memory attacks the XN bit allows the OS to mark segments of a program’s memory such as heap and stack as unexecutable. In addition, Jailbreaking does not allow you to disable the ios sandbox, only to run apps outside of it. Does all this make it impenetrable? Of course not, it makes it more fun to hack because hackers and cyber criminals love two things – 1) a challenge and 2) something well deployed. With nearly 1/2 Billion iOS devices in the market, this is a prime target for hackers.
Early exploits were even able to avoid Jailbreak Detection. Smart malware developers can create jailbreak detection bypasses that fake replies to function calls to make it look like the device is not jailbroken, when it still is. What about the Apple iTunes Review Process? Serious hackers create apps that are Bridging the webkit – so you access native iOS API’s via JavaScript. Some have done Dynamic patching – just look at InstaStock for example by Charlie Miller. What about intentionally exploitable vulnerabilities – write code with a buffer overflow that when triggered causes unseen code to execute – see Jekyll by Georgia Tech. So, yes, there are creative ways to accept the challenge and find ways around the well done system hardening of iOS. Do you remember the Handy Flashlight app? This Flashlight app secretly let users enable iPhone tethering. Handy Light wasn’t actually a flashlight app at all — it was a sneakily disguised tethering utility that let users share their iPhone’s Internet connection with their laptop.
Some have asked if Apple has a secret key or special back door that they just didn’t want to share with the @FBI because Apple is riding the ‘privacy wave’. The latest version of the iPhones and iOS, are using an Elliptical Encryption Key Exchange, augmented by the onboard Cryptography Chip. Therefore, THERE IS NO MASTER KEY. End-user PINs are resolved via the Cryptographic Chip. 10 tries and the iPhone is ‘bricked’. Any changes to this system, would require hardware and software changes, weakening the system and leaving it vulnerable to hackers. However, as Cellebrite of Israel has proven, an external keyboard/usb vulnerability is exploitable in a way that avoids this security feature, ie, infinite password tries could be done without bricking and actually, you only need a few hours of brute force attacks to get in, see: Their exploit tool is called UFED – Universal Forensic Extraction Device and runs less than $700. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgmnYChT48– So if you have possession of the device, you can physically exploit it. I’ve met teenagers working at Radio Shack who claim to have regularly used the device to help customers get back into their iPhone and also to transfer data such as contacts, photos and other media files to another device.
Watch Gary Miliefsky on Hardline Discussing Apple vs FBI Case
What about remote access? It’s all about having background permissions and network access. Apple manages all multi-tasking in specially managed threads. Except Keyboard, Audio Player, Alarm Clock and VPN Client, most processes are not allowed to run in the background. With these four exploit vectors, it’s easy to understand that the free Emoji keyboards and free VPNs are not so free, after all. By placing a network monitor on all egress traffic, you’ll be surprised with what you will find out of these two free apps in particular. Just pick one of the 500+ available on iTunes and you’ll start to understand the gravity of the situation. VPNs have control over all of your network traffic. This is a great exploit to access lots of data passed over the tunnel. In addition, products like Web Watcher are called iPhone Monitoring software (and there are at least a dozen vendors) – once installed, track Text messages, Photos, Call and Web-history.
Nothing like a free Keylogger disguised as your Emoji Keyboard
Alarm Clocks and Audio Players have special permission to run in background
VPN’s manage traffic flow which means they see all your network traffic
In any case, these techniques are just the tip of the iceberg as to why the FBI or any government agency for that matter, doesn’t need to weaken the iPhone encryption to get into an iPhone.
“I’ve argued for years, that weakening encryption and creating “Secret Keys and Backdoors” would be a huge mistake and dangerous to national security.”
Let me name a few breaches and see if you can guess what they all have in common:
• OPM.gov Breach = 22 Million Records Stolen by the Chinese government’s cyber army putting in field agents lives in jeopardy. • Sony Pictures Entertainment = 4 movies leaked, employee records lost, over a terabyte of data stolen by the DPRK’s cyber army. • Anthem.com breach = 80,000,000 records now in the hands of the Chinese Government (along with the OPM records which can be cross correlated). • Whitehouse.gov Breach? State.gov Breach? And many more in the news and found athttps://www.privacyrights.org.
Name any other recent breach over the past 3-5 years. What do these all have in common? There was NO ENCRYPTION setup to protect the data. With STRONG ENCRYPTION, none of these breaches would have happened. Lives are now in jeopardy over the OPM.gov breach so without encryption, yes, lives can be lost. Who has cyber armies drooling over our critical infrastructure, network equipment, iot, airplane, car, computer and smartphone vulnerabilities? China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and many cyber criminals!
Cyber-crime, cyber-espionage and cyber-terrorism all exploit: VULNERABILITIES and WEAK (or no) ENCRYPTION!
What would the legal ramifications be for Apple to be forced to weaken their iPhone encryption and not fix all the vulnerabilities I’ve listed above? Writing (STRONG) Computer Code is a form of FREE SPEECH. 1st Amendment guaranteed right. Apple or any other company coders in the USA have the right to unfettered or manipulated speech.
So, forcing programmers to create a backdoor is a 5th Amendment violation because they have the right to NOT SPEAK which could easily be construed as ‘self-incrimination’ (weakening code) or forced ‘decryption’.
In addition, almost by chance, the US Government passed a very intelligent law called the Cyber Security Information Sharing Act of 2015 (aka CISA 2015). So, if any Federal Agency (FBI or other) finds a VULNERABILITY in any kind of computer or internet equipment (iPhone, for example), they must disclose this hole to the manufacturer (Apple, in this case) so that they may close the hole and HARDEN they SYSTEM against FUTURE EXPLOITATION.
What this says is less VULNERABILITIES and strong ENCRYPTION will make America strong. Encryption is a good thing, it powers the e-tail/retail economy and online banking. Backdooring encryption is a bad thing, it empowers not just ‘trusted’ agencies like NSA and FBI but also any cybercriminal who can find the back door, and they look for them daily. Once criminals know of back doors, they move on to other platforms like silent circle, or video game chat networks or tor – they will always find a way to have a covert conversation. Root cause analysis says find the bad guys at the source, not when it’s too late, so finding them after the fact and hacking their phones is reactive not proactive. Let’s all stand together for VULNERABILITY sharing like the National Vulnerability Database https://nvd.nist.gov which rides off the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures program (see: https://cve.mitre.org) where we all agree that less vulnerabilities is a good thing. Let’s also stand up for strong encryption, see:https://www.savecrypto.org
We could look beyond the iPhone into the vulnerabilities of cars, as exploited for Wired magazine, causing a Jeep to go off the road, or the new Boeing 777 that was launched with vulnerabilities that allow someone in a passenger seat to exploit the avionics. What’s missing in both cases? strong ENCRYPTION. National Security is truly at risk without strong ENCRYPTION. If you are old enough to remember the 1976 Ford Pinto story, you get my point. What ever happened to Made in America with Pride?
One of the less discussed but deeper reasons I believe that Apple is standing up for strong encryption in their devices, is that they are betting on the future of mobile commerce via ApplePay. If they can guarantee to the banks that transactions are safer coming from their devices than our wallets and purses, it will open up an entire ecosphere that thrives off Apple. This could be worth billions in the long haul. One weak security key to ApplePay and cyber criminals will make it painful for retail, which has now made the transition to e-tail, to continue on it’s path to m-tail or ‘mobile commerce’. This is a big bet and a backdoor for the FBI would ruin Apple’s future in this green field.
In the bigger picture, even beyond Apple, less vulnerable products with strong encryption will result in higher taxable GDP in America because we’ll have more quality products to sell internationally, we’ll lose less to cyber theft, leaving more money in our bank accounts to grow our businesses. There will be more international revenues and exports as other countries and international companies will once again trust that Made in America means made well and strong. This will create more jobs in America and there will be less successful Cybercrime against the US. It will dramatically reduce the chance of cyber-terrorism in America and oh by the way to my friend John McAfee and all fellow privacy advocates, as a side effect of being smart about hardened products and strong encryption, yes, the Citizens get the reclaim their privacy, a sovereign right in our great Nation.
To those who will only get this message through visuals, I’ve put these four videos up for your enjoyment:https://tinyurl.com/woes4star
I’m placing my bets on hardened systems, strong encryption and the value of privacy here at SnoopWall as is John McAfee in his new public company, (NYSEMKT: MGT) folding in an array of privacy products and services. Please watch us to see how it pays out.
About the Author
Gary is the CEO of SnoopWall, Inc. and a co-inventor of the company’s innovative breach prevention technologies. He is a cyber-security expert and a frequent invited guest on national and international media commenting on mobile privacy, cyber security, cyber crime and cyber terrorism, also covered in both Forbes and Fortune Magazines. He has been extremely active in the INFOSEC arena, most recently as the Editor of Cyber Defense Magazine. Miliefsky is a Founding Member of the US Department of Homeland Security (https://www.DHS.gov), the National Information Security Group (https://www.NAISG.org) and the OVAL advisory board of MITRE responsible for the CVE Program (https://CVE.mitre.org). He also assisted the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), which operates within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in their development of The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace as well as the Center for the Study of Counter-Terrorism and Cyber Crime at Norwich University. In his earlier career he sold and licensed technology that he invented to Hexis Cyber, a division of KeyW, Intel/McAfee, IBM, Computer Associates and BlackBox Corporation. Gary is a member of ISC2.org and is a CISSP®. Email him at [email protected] and visit him online athttps://www.snoopwall.com.
Ridgewood NJ, Career stability isn’t what it once was.
That’s why many workers frustrated with today’s corporate climate are venturing out on their own, offering their skills and experience to those very same corporations, but on a consulting rather than fulltime basis.
Certainly, there’s a lot to be said for going independent, says Aaron Zwas, a consultant and author of “Transition to Independence” (www.t2iplan.com), a book that serves as a guide to making such a change.
“You have more freedom and a healthier balance between work and family,” Zwas says. “It’s the be-your-own-boss opportunity many people crave.”
But not so fast.
Before you take the plunge, there are drawbacks worth knowing about.
“When I made the transition about 15 years ago, I didn’t have a lot of guidance,” Zwas says. “I didn’t really understand what I was getting into, so there was a bit of trial and error. The good news is that others can learn from my mistakes.”
If you’re considering going it alone, Zwas lists at least four pitfalls you’ll want to avoid:
• Prepare yourself financially. The transition from working for someone else to being independent almost certainly will require you to dip into savings. Take every precaution as you prepare yourself financially. A conversation with an accountant is a good start and so is reviewing your monthly budget to see if you can cut spending. Build up savings – preferably enough to sustain you through one year of expenses – before ending fulltime employment. • Set your social calendar. When you’re independent, you have no co-workers to chat with, bounce ideas off of or play tennis with on the weekend. If you’re not careful, it can be a lonely existence. To compensate, Zwas recommends setting up regular dates with friends and family. You can also take up new interests or hobbies. “Get out of the house and be with other people,” he says. • Stay focused on your expertise. Being a one-person team has its advantages, but it can also be a double-edged sword because many independents get pulled in too many directions by spending time on activities unrelated to their expertise. There’s no problem in admitting you don’t want to take on certain activities, Zwas says. For example, bookkeeping could be a chore you despise or aren’t suited for. You might want to contract out and let someone else handle it. • Spend time on your personal brand. Some independents thrive without any personal branding efforts, but most need to do at least a little branding. A logo, a website, business cards, a presentation template, social-media accounts and a blog can help you create a professional image.
“A little advance preparation can go a long way in helping you become a successful independent,” Zwas says. “The most important lesson I’ve learned is that consulting is more than a job – it’s a lifestyle. Even on my worst days, I’m grateful for the freedom I have.”
About Aaron Zwas
Aaron Zwas, author of “Transition to Independence” (www.t2iplan.com), is a consulting journeyman with 15 years of independent experience as a strategic technology advisor. His T2I Plan (for “Transition to Independence”) provides a step-by-step approach that helps people move from traditional employment to a career as an independent consultant while minimizing the risks.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog with a little help from our friends
Ridgewood NJ, The Elks has been under probation for many years. As with other Elks clubs closing, it is for a lack of memberships. Many are combining.My Elks in Florida has a thriving membership, but as the years went on, it dwindled and was merged with another lodge.Per the bylines of the Elks, they do have the right to take all assets under that Lodge.But, and this is a big but, the leadership in Ridgewood may have the rights to the building. As many know, our town hall was the original Elks. Ridgewood gave the the Elks and one stipulation. I think was that it would not be a private club. I believe the Ridgewood Elks is 1 of only 2 lodges in Jersey that is open for non-members. July 4th was always great there to see the parade.
According to a member, Ridgewood Elks grew membership 43% in the last 3 years and closing the lodge was a “done deal” no matter how well they were doing. The trumped-up charges are being appealed by members in an Elks Grand Forum case and the building ownership is being contested in a Superior Court litigation. The property is owned by a separate Holding Corporation. There is recent legal precedence fighting the Elks Grand Lodge successfully in a similar case – Elks Building Corp. of Norwood vs. BPOE. Austin TX Elks, now “The High Road”, is also successfully suing Grand Lodge for their property.
Ridgewood NJ, Senators Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Steve Oroho (R-Sussex) today announced that they reached a bipartisan agreement funding a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund and a series of wide-ranging tax cuts that are designed to create jobs, strengthen New Jersey’s economy and create tax fairness.
“We are optimistic that our plan for a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund will win the support of business and labor leaders, environmentalists and transportation advocates, and the millions of New Jerseyans who are tired of driving over poor highways and crumbling bridges, jamming into overcrowded buses and trains that break down and get delayed too often,” said Senator Sarlo. “This plan will create jobs, spur economic growth, increasing housing values and make New Jersey competitive for decades to come.”
“The plan we have put together will save hundreds of millions of dollars for New Jersey taxpayers by ensuring that out-of-state drivers who use our roads pay their fair share for their upkeep,” said Senator Oroho. “Just as important, it makes New Jersey’s tax structure more competitive. Our plan eliminates the estate tax, gives senior citizens an exemption on their retirement income, raises the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor, makes charitable contributions to New Jersey social service providers tax-deductible, and provides a gas tax deduction for those who have to drive the most.”
The Sarlo-Oroho plan calls for a 7% Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax, a 10-cent-per-gallon PPGRT tax on motor fuel, and a 3-cent-per-gallon PPGRT diesel surcharge, all imposed at the wholesale level If oil companies passed the full cost of the PPGRT tax on to motorists, the gas tax increase would be 23 cents a gallon. Added to New Jersey’s current 14.5-cent tax on motor fuels, New Jersey’s 37.5-cent per gallon would still be lower than both New York’s 42.4-cent motor fuel tax and Pennsylvania’s 50-cent tax.
All motor fuel taxes will be dedicated solely to the Transportation Trust Fund under a constitutional amendment already scheduled to go on the ballot in November.
Senators Sarlo and Oroho noted that the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax increases and all of the phased-in tax cuts – elimination of the estate tax, an Earned Income Tax Credit rasied to 40% of the federal level, the $100,000 senior retirement income tax exemption, the deduction for charitable contributions, and the gas tax deduction – are included in one tax bill.
“Creating the right tax structure to pay for our road and bridge infrastructure, combined with tax cuts to help make New Jersey more competitive and retain income and capital, will provide tens of billions in tax relief over the next 25 years, ” said Senator Oroho said.
A second bill authorizes a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund to replace the current five-year TTF that expires June 30 and runs out of money for new projects by April.
“This is a robust transportation capital plan that will double county and municipal transportation aid to hold down property taxes, fund the Hudson-Bergen and Camden-Glassboro light rail extensions, and expand rail freight funding to deal with the doubled cargo that the giant Panamax super freighters will be bringing into Port Newark once the Bayonne Bridge is raised,” Senator Sarlo said. “We are calling on all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both houses to support it.”
DRAFT PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND AND TAX CUTS
1. $2 billion a year Transportation Trust Fund authorizing spending of $20 billion over 10 years, with all revenue from motor fuels taxes constitutionally dedicated and unused funding rolled over into TTF Capital Fund surplus
2. TTF Funding: 23 cents in motor fuels taxes added to existing 14.5-cent gas tax
· Existing 10.5-cent per gallon tax on motor fuel,13.5-cent tax on diesel, and 4-cent Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax on motor fuel and non-motor fuel use remain dedicated to payoff of existing debt.
· Existing $200 million in constitutionally dedicated sales tax revenue remains dedicated to payoff of existing debt (but additional $346.2 million in sales tax revenue the Governor used in FY17 budget to plug hole in TTF is shifted back to General Fund to pay for tax cuts)
· New 7% PPGRT tax on motor fuel (equivalent to 12-cent tax hike on regular gas as of May 1 prices), with floor set at price level when new tax goes into effect. Future price increases projected to just about offset future decline in motor fuel consumption over next decade due to fuel efficiency; while PPGRT^ tax rate will go up, consumers will end up paying about the same amount.
· Additional 10-cent per gallon Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax on regular motor fuel and 14-cent PPGRT on diesel fuel.
· New7% PPGRT tax on jet fuel (aviation kerosene) to replace current tax limited to taxiing and takeoffs, and 7% PPGRT tax on non-motor fuel use represents increase from current 2.3% (home heating oil still exempted).
· Pilot Vehicular Mileage Tax on electric, hydrogen-powered and other non-gas powered vehicles to kick in one year after passage based on Oregon-California model, with revenue dedicated to TTF projects that reduce emissions such as mass transit or congestion reduction initiatives. Drivers and businesses can choose straight $150 user fee for individuals or $300 for businesses paid with registration renewal.
3. Increase Earned Income Tax Credit from 30% of federal credit to 35% of federal credit effective for 2016 tax year to offset PPGRT motor fuel tax increase for those earning up to $45,000.
4. Phase out estate tax, starting with increase from $675,000 threshold to exemption on first $1 million effective December 31, 2016, scaling up to full repeal of estate tax effective December 31, 2019, following the schedule set in the original Sarlo-Oroho bill.
5. Increase exemption for retirement income for those earning $100,000 or less from current $20,000 for couples/$10,000 for individuals to $40,000/$20,000 in the 2017 tax year, ramping up to $100,000/$50,000 for the 2020 tax year.
6. Establish income tax deduction for contributions to New Jersey charities limited specifically to charities engaged directly in meeting the social services needs of the most vulnerable, such as food banks, Catholic Charities, ARC, United Way, homeless shelters and Meals on Wheels. Eligible charities would be developed from NJ State Employees Charitable Campaign list, which has been properly vetted since 1985 and has strict standards. Deduction would be phased in over four tax years from 2017 to 2020.
7. Establish income tax deduction of all gas taxes paid by those for whom gas tax exceeds 1% of income. Consumer can save credit card receipts or use standard multiplier based on odometer readings. Mileage reimbursed by employer is not eligible, nor is gas tax paid for commercial vehicles.
8. Tax cuts are offset by $346 million in reallocated sales tax revenue (over and above the $200 million constitutional dedication) that Administration raided to keep TTF solvent in absence of promised PAYGO funding, plus $57 million to $75 million in additional income, sales and payroll tax revenue generated by increased TTF spending and tax cuts. Net to budget is break-even until FY20, 110 million loss in FY21 and $294 million loss in FY22, but that does not include any projection of additional income or sales taxes generated by wealthy taxpayers or seniors deciding to stay in New Jersey because of tax policy changes.
9. Overall, this program dramatically improves the state’s cash-flow position and sharply reduces the amount of short-term borrowing from capital markets that would be needed to make quarterly pension payments. Treasury and TTF regularly borrow back and forth. The $1 billion rolling surplus in the TTF Capital Fund by the end of FY18 will range from $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion from FY20 to FY24. This money will be available to Treasury for short-term borrowing at the beginning of the year (bond payments come due at the end of December and the end of June). In addition, fuel tax revenues come in monthly, while the cost of the EITC, pension and charitable tax cuts do not hit until the end of the fiscal year, effectively improving the state’s cash flow position by $120 million a month during the course of each year. The net result is that the state will be able to make quarterly pension payments without having to borrow more than the usual $2 billion to $2.5 billion that we have traditionally borrowed from credit markets on short-term notes due by June 30 each fiscal year.
