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#221
July 9th, 2012, 07:36 PM
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He was some kind of gun slinger.
There was no argument on that. 
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#223
July 10th, 2012, 03:40 PM
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Quote:
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA236843 http://www.2ndbn5thmar.com/tank/tirefs/tismartpack.pdf M1A1 Tank-Infantry Modifications: Heat Deflectors: The tank's 900-degree exhaust will burn the skin if the exhaust grate or deflector shield is touched. Heat shields may be constructed from sheet metal and bolted to the exhaust grates to deflect the tank’s heat and exhaust downward, enabling infantry to walk behind the tank. The shield may be mounted to deflect the exhaust upward. However, the exhaust will then interfere with the thermal sight when engaging to the rear. Tankers must warn infantry of 2 Charlie Co, 2nd Tank Bn Comanche Tanks, RCT-1 the extreme exhaust temperature. Infantry must keep in constant communications with the tank crew in case the tank needs to move.
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#224
July 11th, 2012, 08:56 AM
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War Declaration Act Signed Into Law
December 16, 2024 Affiliated Media Washington, DC The War Declaration Act was signed into law today
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#225
July 16th, 2012, 09:42 AM
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POD-set is essentially:
A streak of Enlightenment-Loving Francophone USA leaders finding much in common with a greatly moderated Director Napoleon Bonaparte going wild with the metric system and non-tyrannical revolutionary spirit and hey Bolivar can roll with that and everyone is in one big happy rationalist science-loving liberty-proclaiming metric-calendar-keeping family. The Brits are loathe to dip their stockinged feet in those revolutionary waters, and, doing so while avoiding the mistakes of the North American Secession seems the wise course to take. Taking second place in the international rankings of Area Least Hospitable To Social Mobility is the Iberian Empire under the House of Bourbon who have declared themselves the true heir of classical Greco-Roman glory, very Catholic Latinum fans who nonetheless speak Spanish or French when the cardinals aren't around. (With regards to the Iberian peninsula getting together, the Portuguese went along in exchange for, in part, the relocation of the Pope to Lisbon.) The Byzantine machinations of the venerable Romanov and Chrysanthemum thrones keep their viciously clawed heavy feet on the necks of over a billion unfortunates in the Eurasian-Pacific Alliance. Nordic sensibility and affection for unfettered trade under-gird the Trans-Atlantic Treaty Organization. __________________
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#226
July 16th, 2012, 09:52 AM
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The Franco-American dialogue on The Rational, The Science, The Humanity grew more intense and self-sustaining and robust.
Decimal time... It was five hours and eighty minutes on the clock. This was as good a time for a late lunch as any. China was a fervent convert to the Napoleonic Revolutionary Progress. Indeed, so few knew but many would learn that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_time#China China was an early devotee to cherished decimal time. (Jefferson and Napoleon, Madison) The Franco-American dialogue intellectual discourse Socratic where appropriate educational vigor A single uniting language? Or, all the languages to truly unite Students were taught the metric calendar and decimal time, and, of course, the ways of measuring and keeping time used in other places in the world. They were trained to calculate such almost instantaneously. These children, as adults, were dervishes of perspective, able to argue the electricity out of copper wire. They were formidable travelers and merchants, and their diplomatic corps knew no equal for mental agility and "sympathique"(mis)
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#227
July 17th, 2012, 01:15 AM
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 The Most Serene Republic of Upper and Lower Benswana “We are willing to pretend to be reasonable.” Category: Democratic Socialists Civil Rights: Good Economy: Reasonable Political Freedoms: Excellent Regional Influence: Hermit Location: Mountainous Coastal Freedom Plaza The Most Serene Republic of Upper and Lower Benswana is a huge, genial nation, notable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 312 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt. The large, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 30%, but much higher for the wealthy. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out. Breastfeeding mothers are replacing smokers to loiter outside the workplace, elections have become procedural nightmares due to voters persistently rejecting candidates, children are brainwashed at a young age to accept "Love and peace!" as a way of life, and anti-government political posters adorn every building like wallpaper. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown. Upper and Lower Benswana's national animal is the Flamingo, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Buck. Upper and Lower Benswana is ranked 1st in Mountainous Coastal Freedom Plaza and 36,555th in the world for Lowest Overall Tax Burden, scoring -5 on the Hayek Index .  National Happenings You have 5 unaddressed issues.
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#228
July 17th, 2012, 07:33 PM
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Pro-Influence Peddling, Pro Negligence, Pro Favors
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/17/ny...gewanted=print   July 16, 2012 Finances Plague Company Running Halfway Houses By SAM DOLNICK A company that plays a critical role in New Jersey’s corrections system, running halfway houses as large as prisons, has had such severe financial difficulties over the last four years that it contemplated filing for bankruptcy in 2010, according to newly disclosed documents. Senior executives at the company, Community Education Centers, even feared at the time that they might not have enough money to pay workers, the documents show. Community Education’s senior vice president, William J. Palatucci, is one of Gov. Chris Christie’s closest friends and political advisers, and Mr. Christie has long championed the company. Not long before Mr. Christie took office in January 2010, Community Education defaulted on its debt, the documents show. Since then, the state, while paying the company tens of millions of dollars a year for its services, has not closely examined Community Education’s financial standing or operations, according to the documents, former company executives and state officials. If Community Education were to collapse, that could significantly disrupt New Jersey’s corrections system, and if the company remains financially hobbled, its halfway houses in New Jersey could continue to suffer. The documents also suggest that Community Education’s chief executive, John J. Clancy, highlighted Mr. Palatucci’s ties to Mr. Christie in an effort to impress investors and secure desperately needed financing for the company. The documents were submitted on Friday in federal court in Newark in an employment lawsuit brought against Community Education by a former executive. They portray a company that has been in crisis and trying to fend off creditors, even as it has mounted a robust lobbying and public relations campaign. The New York Times, in a three-part series last month, detailed extensive problems in New Jersey’s halfway houses, including escapes, violence and drug use. The system of halfway houses, which the state has long promoted as a national model, handles thousands of inmates annually who are leaving prison or on parole. Community Education has dominated the system for over a decade, and more than 15 former workers told The Times for its articles last month that the company had kept staffing levels very low in recent years to save money. As a result, the workers said, the company did a poor job delivering counseling and other services intended to help inmates make the transition to society. The company’s financial difficulties have not stemmed from its government contracts in New Jersey, which have steadily grown over the last decade, according to the documents and interviews. Community Education has instead run into trouble after an aggressive expansion foundered in states like Alabama and Texas. The resulting shortfalls have been a factor in staff and other reductions in New Jersey. Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Mr. Christie, declined on Monday to comment on Community Education’s finances, referring questions to the Corrections Department. Asked about Mr. Clancy’s emphasizing the political influence of Mr. Palatucci, Mr. Drewniak said, “We have no way of knowing the veracity of that assertion, but it would be inappropriate for any company to do that.” The Corrections Department, which is part of the Christie administration, said there was nothing about Community Education’s finances that warranted concern. “The company has consistently maintained its services under the terms of its contracts with the Department of Corrections and, like all similar providers, was scrutinized for financial stability prior to any contract award,” the department said in a statement. In a statement, Community Education said it had been hurt by the financial crisis but was proud of the work that it continued to do. “C.E.C. has never had a disruption of a contract in New Jersey or any other state, never missed a payroll, and never had a basis that necessitated disclosure of a nonissue,” the company said. The documents in the lawsuit, including depositions from current and former Community Education executives, show that the company was under threat of bankruptcy in 2010 because it borrowed too heavily for its national expansion and could not make debt payments. The company, which is privately owned, received roughly $300 million annually from government contracts around the country in 2009 and 2010. But one projection by the company in 2009 showed that because of its debt burden, it would soon have only $13,702.02 in cash on hand. “Everybody in that building was aware on a daily basis that we were making choices of who to pay, who not to pay, “ Community Education’s former treasurer, Frank English, said in a deposition, referring to the company’s headquarters in West Caldwell, N.J. “Everybody knew that the company was struggling,” Mr. English added. Asked directly whether the company had contemplated bankruptcy, Mr. English said yes. He added that the company had hoped that it would not come to that and had always found a way to meet its payroll. Nevertheless, another former company executive, Chris Rausch, said in a deposition: “We were short cash. We couldn’t afford any extra head count.” “We were cutting heads,” he added. On the brink of bankruptcy, Community Education received $235 million in financing in December 2010, at interest rates as steep as 15.25 percent. The documents in the lawsuit indicate that the company’s finances have not improved markedly since then. Despite the new financing, the company remained in debt even to its auditors. Several documents about Community Education’s current finances — as well as sections of testimony — were not available for review because they were filed with the court under seal. After the articles about the state’s halfway houses were published in The Times last month, state lawmakers said the system should be regulated more tightly. The Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, approved a measure requiring the Corrections Department to provide more information about halfway-house operations to the Legislature. But Mr. Christie, a Republican, used a line-item veto to weaken the requirements. His aides said the measure was burdensome, but some lawmakers contended that he was trying to protect Mr. Palatucci, the company executive who is his close friend. Since the 1990s, the state has allowed Community Education to obtain its contracts through a nonprofit organization that the company controls, skirting a state law that excludes private companies from this work. Last year, the office of the state comptroller, Matthew Boxer, raised alarms about this arrangement. After conducting an audit that harshly criticized state oversight of the halfway-house system, the office concluded that regulators were kept in the dark about Community Education’s finances. The Christie administration took no action in response to the comptroller’s warning. Mr. Clancy founded Community Education in the 1990s, promoting large-scale halfway houses as a solution for states seeking to scale back their prison systems. Since that time, he has courted politicians of both major parties while obtaining government contracts in New Jersey. Community Education has a total of 1,900 beds in six halfway houses in New Jersey, which 7,700 state inmates and parolees cycled through last year. The company has hundreds more beds for county and federal inmates. The company received about $71 million in the 2011 fiscal year from state and local government agencies in New Jersey, out of total halfway-house spending of roughly $105 million. The court documents show that in an effort to forestall bankruptcy, Community Education has had to give investors without substantial experience in corrections a role in running the company. LLR Partners, a private-equity firm in Philadelphia that invested $53 million in the company with a partner, and other investors have been involved in deciding how to allocate personnel. “That’s done in an interest to maximize their investment?” Kevin J. O’Connor, the plaintiff’s lawyer in the lawsuit, asked at a deposition. “Yes,” answered Mr. Rausch, who was dismissed in 2009 after clashing with Mr. Clancy. The court documents stem from a lawsuit filed against Community Education last year by its former chief financial officer, David N. T. Watson. Mr. Watson contends that Mr. Clancy lied about the company’s financial turmoil when recruiting him and improperly fired him in December 2010. Mr. Watson and his lawyer, Mr. O’Connor, both declined to comment. Last month, responding to questions from The Times about the lawsuit, Community Education vehemently denied that it had experienced financial problems. “The company has never defaulted on any payment of debt,” the company said in a statement. “No financial issues existed that would have required disclosure.” That denial was described in the first article in The Times’s series, published on June 17. In depositions made public on Friday, however, five current and former Community Education executives, including Mr. Clancy, repeatedly acknowledged that the company was in default in 2009 and 2010. “It was in default for a lot of that time,” Mr. Clancy said. “It could have been all of that time.” Asked on Monday about the discrepancy, the company stood by its previous statement and added: “The referenced event concerns compliance with certain financial covenants contained in the company’s loan document. Those issues were subsequently remedied.” The court documents offered new insight into ties between Community Education and Governor Christie. In his deposition, Mr. Clancy said that he was a Democrat who supported Mr. Christie and that he was standing with Mr. Christie on the night he won election in November 2009. “The correct person won, which should make for a better 2010,” Mr. Clancy wrote to Seth J. Lehr, a co-founder of LLR Partners, the company investor. Mr. Lehr responded, “Relationships matter, and that’s a deep one for you and Bill”; that was a reference to Mr. Palatucci. Soon after, Mr. Clancy told another company executive to emphasize Mr. Palatucci’s connections to Mr. Christie in the information the company was sending to banks and potential investors, Mr. Clancy acknowledged in his deposition. At the time, the company was in dire straits and seeking capital. Mr. Clancy wanted the investors to know that Mr. Palatucci was co-chairman of Mr. Christie’s inauguration committee, and Mr. Christie’s former law partner, according to the deposition. Mr. Clancy said in the deposition that he considered Mr. Christie a friend. “ ‘Friend’ does not mean more business,” Mr. Clancy said. “ ‘Friend’ does not mean anything more than we were friends.” The depositions also raise new questions about a $130 million contract that Community Education received in 2011 to house federal immigrant detainees and county inmates in Newark. Immigrant advocacy groups have long asserted that the contract, which was administered by Essex County, was written in a way to ensure that only Community Education could receive it. In depositions, former company executives said Mr. Clancy had been so certain that Community Education would receive the contract that he used it as leverage in negotiations with investors. Community Education, which was the only bidder, received the contract. The company said Monday that it had not had an unfair advantage in the process. Close Share
 More in N.Y. / Region (3 of 31 articles) City Room: 2 Workers Injured After S.U.V. Falls Down Elevator Shaft Read More » Close
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#229
July 17th, 2012, 07:39 PM
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Pro Favoritism, Pro Connections
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/...d-company.html Christie Tied to Troubled Company Community Education Centers, a large New Jersey company that plays a major role in the state’s corrections system, was plagued by financial woes so severe over the past four years that it nearly filed for bankruptcy in 2010, new documents reveal—and it was a cause championed by the famously tight-fisted governor, Chris Christie. The halfway-house operator, which runs facilities as large as prisons in New Jersey, defaulted on its debt soon before Christie took office in January 2010. William J. Palatucci, Community Education’s senior vice president, is one of Christie’s closest friends and advisers, which could explain why Christie championed the company and approved the funneling of tens of millions of dollars into its services even as the company was in crisis and fended off creditors, the documents reveal. Read it at The New York Times July 17, 2012 12:24 AM http://topics.nytimes.com/top/featur...ked/index.html pro cover-ups http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/ny...l?ref=unlocked June 29, 2012 Christie Limits Legislature’s Scrutiny of Halfway Houses By SAM DOLNICK Gov. Chris Christie on Friday curbed an effort by the New Jersey Legislature to improve oversight of the state’s system of large, privately run halfway houses. Mr. Christie, a Republican who has close ties to a company that is the dominant operator of halfway houses in the state, used a line-item veto to reduce new disclosure requirements about halfway houses that the Democratic-controlled Legislature inserted in the state budget approved this week. Lawmakers sought to mandate that the Corrections Department send quarterly reports to the Legislature detailing information about the halfway houses’ operations. Mr. Christie allowed some of the measure to stand, but vetoed the requirement that the reports be issued quarterly, leaving unclear when the department had to make the disclosures. Mr. Christie also vetoed a requirement that the department report actions that the halfway houses had taken to prevent, and protect inmates from, violence. The Democrats do not appear to have enough votes to override the vetoes. In a message to the Legislature, the governor said he issued the vetoes because the reporting requirements were burdensome and threatened the security of the facilities. “The administration recognizes the critical importance of maintaining client safety as well as accountability for the efficient expenditure of state dollars,” the message said, adding, “The administration has retained robust reporting requirements.” In response to articles in The New York Times that detailed widespread violence, gang activity, drug use and escapes plaguing the halfway houses, Mr. Christie ordered the Corrections Department last week to step up their inspections and the Legislature sought to increase their scrutiny. After the governor’s vetoes, Democratic lawmakers on Friday denounced him, saying he was trying to protect Community Education Centers, the dominant halfway house operator, which has long had connections to prominent politicians of both parties. A close friend and political adviser of Mr. Christie’s, William J. Palatucci, is a senior vice president at the company. Mr. Christie was registered as a lobbyist for the company in 2000 and 2001, when he was a private lawyer, and in recent years he has repeatedly visited and praised the company’s facilities. Community Education received roughly $71 million of the $105 million that was spent on halfway houses in New Jersey in the fiscal year ending last June 30. In an interview, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, a Democrat from Union County who is also an undersheriff, said the accusations against the halfway houses were so disturbing that the state should immediately pull inmates from them. Mr. Cryan said he was surprised by the line-item vetoes. “He seems not to care about the obvious conflict of interest with his friend Bill Palatucci,” Mr. Cryan said. The Assembly speaker, Sheila Y. Oliver of Essex County, said in a statement, “This language was placed in there to ensure the public safety of the general public, inmates and employees, and according to recent reports is sorely needed.” State Senator Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat from Bergen County who is the majority leader, said the system clearly needed more regulation. “To take out the word quarterly really decimates the whole idea,” she said. Leaders of both legislative houses said this week that they planned to hold hearings on the system this summer. Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Mr. Christie, said that the governor wanted better oversight, but that the Legislature’s measures “were oddly shoe-horned into the state’s budget, where they simply do not belong.” He said improved security measures needed to be “more carefully thought through, not just flippantly appended to a budget bill, which is now being treated as a political opportunity.” Community Education Centers bought advertisements in New Jersey newspapers this week defending its record. Asked about legislation, the company said in a statement, “C.E.C. has and will continue to welcome any objective review of the facts by the Legislature, as well as any and all agencies.” Meanwhile, United States Senator Frank R. Lautenberg called on the Federal Bureau of Prisons to investigate conditions in the federal system of halfway houses, saying he was “troubled that the implementation of these programs puts residents, staffers and local communities at risk.” New Jersey has sent inmates to halfway houses — many as large as prisons — for more than 15 years. The system houses about 3,500 state inmates and parolees and hundreds of county inmates. The state pays the operators about $60 to $75 per person per day, roughly half what it costs to keep inmates in prison. Inmates are usually sent near the end of their sentences to halfway houses, which are supposed to provide drug treatment, job training and other services to help in their return to society. In addition to the budget measure, the Legislature also approved a bill this week that would require audits of halfway house contracts. Mr. Christie’s aides have not said whether he will sign the bill, which had languished for eight years and was sponsored by State Senator Jeff Van Drew, a Democrat from Cape May County. Close Share
More in N.Y. / Region (1 of 31 articles) City and Federal Officials Will Jointly Manage Jamaica Bay Read More » Close
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#230
July 17th, 2012, 07:41 PM
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<LI class=reprints>Reprints This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. February 21, 2011 For Christie, Ailing Economy at Home May Test His Allure By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA and DAVID M. HALBFINGER In a year as governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has captivated conservatives across the nation, with an in-your-face frankness and nonstop aggressiveness that few have seen from a chief executive. Last week, his swaggering talk — about tackling the really big problems, taming unions and cutting a ballooning deficit without raising taxes — earned him a hero’s welcome in Washington, where journalists pressed him on his presidential aspirations. But while it is clear that Mr. Christie, 48, a Republican, has already upended the status quo, putting powerful interest groups on the defensive, and all but having his way with a Democratic-controlled Legislature, the challenges of the coming year could cinch his reputation as a political superstar — or puncture it. Without question, Mr. Christie, who is proposing his budget on Tuesday, has torn into the financial problems he faced with gusto. He has cut spending, limited taxes, forced government workers to give more and get less, and insisted on legislative reforms that could put the state on a firmer footing. His biggest tests, indeed, are not likely to come from New Jersey’s public-sector unions, which appear almost cowed compared with their counterparts in Wisconsin, where labor protests have brought government skidding to a halt. Mr. Christie, after all, has invested energy in turning public opinion against those public-sector workers. Yet his agenda of balancing the budget, rescuing a pension fund that could go broke within a decade and curtailing rising property taxes — the holy grail of politics in his heavily suburban state — is far from achieved. And he still could face the wrath of voters who discover that the costs of government have merely been shifted onto their local tax bills. “People have heard the tough talk, but they haven’t felt the full effect of what he’s done,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “That may happen in the next year. And voters tell us that if their property taxes don’t go down, they will hold him responsible.” In his first year, Governor Christie closed a yawning budget deficit that he estimated at almost $11 billion, though in part by skipping a $3 billion payment to the pension system. At $29.4 billion, spending is down more than $5 billion from its peak two years earlier. In proposing his budget on Tuesday, the governor is expected to call for more cuts to close another huge deficit. With major union contracts set to expire in June, he is calling for a wage freeze, which polls show the public supports. But the state will still be deeply in debt, and facing a growing shortfall in its pension fund — $54 billion and counting — that helped spur a downgrade of the state’s bonds. Much of the effort to reduce benefits, shore up retiree funds and require workers to contribute more for their benefits began under Gov. Jon S. Corzine, the Democrat whom Mr. Christie ousted in 2009. But comparisons with his predecessors make Mr. Christie look only more formidable. From the moment he took over, Mr. Christie has flexed more of the muscle of New Jersey’s strong governorship, and with greater evident glee, than any recent occupant. The state has a thick layer of unelected authorities, for example, with responsibilities like operating sports arenas and overseeing sewage. Governors can void their actions merely by vetoing the minutes of their meetings, something Mr. Christie did more often in his first four weeks than Mr. Corzine did in four years. “It gained him a high degree of public trust,” said Brigid Harrison, a political science professor at Montclair State University. “People figured, he’s watching our tax dollars.” Mr. Christie’s office also took over contract talks with highway toll collectors, threatening to privatize their jobs, and he capped school superintendents’ salaries, forcing two out of three to take pay cuts. When the teachers’ union resisted his demands for a wage freeze, he persuaded voters to defeat hundreds of school budgets. And he got nearly everything he wanted in the budget negotiations last year, making the deepest cuts in generations. Those cuts included aid to schools, and many districts responded with higher property taxes. But the governor and the Legislature imposed a cap on property tax increases, which will pressure local officials to squeeze unions further, and they capped the salary increases public employees can win in arbitration. Though Democrats control both houses, the Legislature has repeatedly given the governor some version of what he wanted, dismaying allies in organized labor. “He has created a political climate where he’s perceived as being such a winner that nobody wants to defy him,” Ms. Harrison said. In a fortunate bit of timing for Mr. Christie, Stephen M. Sweeney, Democrat of Gloucester County, took over as president of the Senate; his predecessor was both more liberal and more antagonistic toward the governor. Senator Sweeney is a union official himself, but from the construction industry, and he had long advocated rolling back the gains made by government workers, who had not given up as much as their private-sector brethren. Last year, the governor and the Legislature quickly agreed on changes for new public employees: cutting pension benefits, requiring employee contributions to health coverage, excluding part-time workers from the pension system and capping lump-sum payouts of accrued sick leave when workers retire. Now, Mr. Christie and Mr. Sweeney are each calling for similar cutbacks for current workers. In the past, such changes were enacted after being negotiated with the unions. Under Mr. Christie, the approach is the reverse: use the laws to constrain coming contract talks. “What it really amounts to is doing away with collective bargaining,” said Hetty Rosenstein, state director of the Communications Workers, the largest state employee union. “It’s a pretty radical shift to gut public-sector labor unions.” Mr. Christie’s record has not been unblemished. He botched an application for $400 million in federal education money at a time when he was cutting twice that amount. And in December, Mr. Christie was at Disney World during a blizzard that paralyzed the state. He refused to apologize, saying he had kept in touch with the acting governor, Mr. Sweeney — but Mr. Sweeney said they never spoke. Yet such gaffes have not transcended the state’s borders, while Mr. Christie’s YouTube rants against teachers and their union leaders have become widespread. Mr. Christie is less popular in New Jersey than with national Republicans: polls show that only about 50 percent of residents approve of his performance. Where his poll numbers head now may depend on whether Mr. Christie can begin to show success in solving seemingly intractable problems like high property taxes before voters start to hold him responsible. “When you cut billions of dollars from local government, you can’t turn around and say ‘It’s the mayor’s fault’ — you’re the one who did it,” Mr. Sweeney said. “In Chris Christie’s New Jersey, class sizes are going up, and crime is going through the roof in our inner cities. Eventually, people are going to realize, ‘I’m paying a lot more now, and I have a lot less.’ The people have not realized it yet. But he’s the governor, and the music’s going to stop.” More in N.Y. / Region (1 of 31 articles) City and Federal Officials Will Jointly Manage Jamaica Bay Read More » Close http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/ny...gewanted=print
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#231
July 17th, 2012, 07:42 PM
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<LI class=reprints> Reprints This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. October 5, 2011 Evidence of Christie’s Unfinished Business? Visit a New Jersey City By MICHAEL POWELL Trenton New Jersey’s Big Man has peered into the right-wing abyss that is the Republican presidential primary and stepped away. Fair enough. That he will remain a formidable presence is beyond argument. He has rolled unions and won pension givebacks, and his ratings in this blue state sometimes look red state friendly. With his Jersey Guy spiel, he is described as unscripted, which is Lesson 433 in the eternal gullibility of journalists. He writes the script to appear unscripted — and his staff posts evidence of his “spontaneity” on YouTube. It’s all great theater. As the governor acknowledged on Tuesday afternoon, he is left to wrestle with the prosaic reality of governing in a recession. “It just never felt right to me to leave now,” he said. In fact, Mr. Christie has presided over nothing like a New Jersey Miracle. It’s a scripted mirage. Income and jobs in this middle-class state are tumbling downward. Mr. Christie’s chief economist regularly claims to discern rays of sunshine, but private-sector jobs shrank last month, and the unemployment rate is higher than a year ago. Tax receipts are comatose. And New Jersey’s cities remain aggressively forgotten by the governor. In Trenton on Friday, I stepped out of a State House hot with presidential fever, crossed State Street and walked a block north. A gentleman offered to sell me a nickel bag of pot. I apologized that the timing was all wrong, and continued down a tenement block to Calhoun Street. There, seven young black men commanded a corner in their best gang-color strut, with that melancholy adolescent admixture of menace and fear. A mother with a daughter and a tiny woman pushing a laundry cart gave them wide berth. Trenton’s mayor, Tony Mack, recently let go one-third of his police force. He knows this is demented public policy, but state aid cuts have left him with a $27 million hole in his budget. Mr. Mack occupies a City Hall where the white marble is stained green and crumbling. Weeds are conducting hostile takeovers of flower beds. “It’s a pretty dismal picture right now,” he said. The violent crime rate in Trenton is twice that of New York City’s, and the New Jersey city has, per capita, a third fewer police officers. How will that play out? “Well, I mean, I hope it won’t have a drastic effect,” the mayor replied. Is the governor any help? Mr. Mack’s voice falls. “There’s dialogue, but revenue hasn’t followed our conversation,” he said. Does that bother you? “The governor is governing,” he said, “according to his thought processes.” New Jersey’s politics rarely are more dispiriting than when you search for a mayor with outrage to spare. Camden’s mayor all but hides in her office, for fear she will utter a word that displeases her political boss, George E. Norcross III, a Democrat who has cut handsome deals with Mr. Christie. Newark’s mayor, Cory A. Booker, is the Stanford-and-Yale-educated darling of the hedge fund set, and a considerable step up from the wily old crook who preceded him. But his staff’s strangled silence about state cuts is impressive. Newark sits in Essex County, which is run by Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., a Democrat who also plays well with the governor, perhaps a presidential candidate someday. The state is hamstrung by these county political warlords. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat who was governor, cut deals with these fellows, and Mr. Christie might argue that he simply plays the game with more panache. Although, given that Mr. Christie was a United States attorney charged with investigating the generous levels of corruption here, you might hike an eyebrow at his explanation. In 2002, just before the primary election, United States Attorney Christie issued a letter stating that Mr. DiVincenzo, who was a candidate, was not under federal investigation; this highly unusual move reportedly left Mr. DiVincenzo greatly touched. These bosses could perhaps prevail upon Governor Christie to open the spigots and let aid flow into their cities. But help for now remains a dry streambed. Last week in Trenton, thugs shot up a popular restaurant. Another fellow emptied a semiautomatic pistol into parked cars. The police collected 61 bullet shells. You walk Paul Avenue here, and in the shadow of a sycamore, a middle-age fellow wearing shorts swings his 5-iron to laughs from a porch full of gangbangers. Barbara Cameron, a wiry, 30-year resident, peers out her door. “The bangers don’t pull junk on this block, but don’t go around the corner, no, no,” she said. Ask about the governor’s presidential reverie, and she shakes her head. “You could just say we’re forgotten here,” she said, “but don’t we live in New Jersey, too?” E-mail: powellm@nytimes.com Twitter: @powellnyt More in N.Y. / Region (1 of 30 articles) City and Federal Officials Will Jointly Manage Jamaica Bay Read More » Close http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/ny...gewanted=print
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July 17th, 2012, 07:44 PM
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<LI class=reprints>Reprints This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. January 31, 2011 G.O.P. Governors Take Aim at Teacher Tenure By TRIP GABRIEL and SAM DILLON Seizing on a national anxiety over poor student performance, many governors are taking aim at a bedrock tradition of public schools: teacher tenure. The momentum began over a year ago with President Obama’s call to measure and reward effective teaching, a challenge he repeated in last week’s State of the Union address. Now several Republican governors have concluded that removing ineffective teachers requires undoing the century-old protections of tenure. Governors in Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada and New Jersey have called for the elimination or dismantling of tenure. As state legislatures convene this winter, anti-tenure bills are being written in those states and others. Their chances of passing have risen because of crushing state budget deficits that have put teachers’ unions on the defensive. “It’s practically impossible to remove an underperforming teacher under the system we have now,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada, lamenting that his state has the lowest high school graduation rate in the nation. Eliminating tenure, Mr. Sandoval said, would allow school districts to dismiss teachers based on competence, not seniority, in the event of layoffs. Politics also play a role. “These new Republican governors are all trying to outreform one another,” said Michael Petrilli, an education official under President George W. Bush. In New York City, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has campaigned aggressively for the state to end “last in, first out” protections for teachers. Warning that thousands of young educators face layoffs, Mr. Bloomberg is demanding that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo scrap the seniority law if the budget he will unveil Tuesday includes state cuts to education. Teachers’ unions have responded to the assault on the status quo by arguing that all the ire directed at bad teachers distorts the issue. “Why aren’t governors standing up and saying, ‘In our state, we’ll devise a system where nobody will ever get into a classroom who isn’t competent’?” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association. “Instead they are saying, ‘Let’s make it easy to fire teachers.’ That’s the wrong goal.” Tenure laws were originally passed — New Jersey was first in 1909 — to protect teachers from being fired because of race, sex, political views or cronyism. Public-school teachers typically earn tenure after two or three years on probation. Once they receive it, they have a right to due-process hearings before dismissal, which in many districts makes it expensive and time-consuming to fire teachers considered ineffective. Tenure also brings seniority protections in many districts. In recent years, research on the importance of teacher quality has sparked a movement to evaluate teachers on how well students are learning — with implications that undermine tenure. The movement gained momentum with the Obama administration’s Race to the Top grant contest last year. Eleven states enacted laws to link student achievement to teacher evaluations and, in some cases, to pay and job security, according to the American Enterprise Institute. Now some politicians and policy makers have concluded that if teachers owe their jobs to professional performance, then tenure protections are obsolete. The former school chancellor of Washington, D.C., Michelle Rhee, who campaigned against tenure as early as 2007, has made abolishing it a cornerstone of a new advocacy group, Students First, which has advised the governors of Florida, Nevada and New Jersey. All are Republicans, but Ms. Rhee, a Democrat, insisted that the movement was bipartisan. “There’s a willingness to confront these issues that has never before been in play,” she said, noting that some influential Democratic mayors, including Cory A. Booker in Newark and Antonio R. Villaraigosa in Los Angeles, have also called for making it easier to dismiss ineffective teachers. In a speech in December, Mr. Villaraigosa — who once worked as a teachers union organizer — said, “Tenure and seniority must be reformed or we will be left with only one option: eliminating it entirely.” The two national teachers’ unions insist that they, too, favor some degree of reform. The American Federation of Teachers endorsed a sweeping law in Colorado last year that lets administrators remove even tenured teachers who are consistently rated as ineffective. Many teachers who accept linking job security to their effectiveness still want to require administrators to present any evidence against them in a hearing, which critics of tenure like Ms. Rhee say is unnecessary. Ada Beth Cutler, dean of the education college at Montclair State University in New Jersey, said, “One of the fears I hear from teachers is that in these tough budget times, what’s going to stop someone from firing someone at the top of the pay scale?” Mr. Van Roekel of the National Education Association labels tenure laws “fair dismissal laws” that protect from arbitrary firing. “In all my years in education I don’t remember a time when there was this much concerted effort to eliminate fair dismissal laws,” he said. In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie, whose combativeness with the teachers’ union has buoyed his national reputation, appears to have a good chance of getting a bill from the Democratic-controlled Legislature that reshapes tenure. Under a pair of bills moving through the Indiana General Assembly, teachers would have to earn “professional” status based on evaluations tied to student learning, and their collective bargaining would be limited to salary, not seniority rules. “Most of these reforms would have been dead on arrival” last year, said Tony Bennett, the Indiana superintendent of public instruction. Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has said that “teachers should have tenure,” but the bills introduced by his fellow Republicans call for teachers’ traditional protections to be sharply reduced. It is similar in Florida, where lawmakers plan to reprise an anti-tenure bill from last year that provoked such an outpouring from teachers that the moderate Republican governor, Charlie Crist, vetoed it. That is unlikely under the new Republican governor, Rick Scott, who told the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce last month: “Good teachers know they don’t need tenure. There is no reason to have it except to protect those that don’t perform as they should.” And in Idaho, Gov. C. L. Otter, a Republican, presented an education plan last month that said bluntly, “The state will phase out tenure.” Idaho’s schools superintendent, Tom Luna, argued that the plan would not subject teachers to arbitrary dismissal. Mr. Van Roekel of the teachers’ union disagreed. Recounting a story that had the burnish of something told many times, he recalled that around 1980, when he was a union leader in Arizona, he had arranged to have a speech pathologist assess a teacher whom a principal was trying to fire because of a speech impediment. The pathologist determined that the teacher had a New York accent. “She would say ‘ideer,’ instead of ‘idea,’ ” Mr. Van Roekel said. “The principal thought that was a speech impediment. Without a fair dismissal law, that principal could have fired her arbitrarily, without citing any reason.” More in U.S. (1 of 30 articles) New Orleans Celebrates the Life of a Bandleader Read More » Close http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/us...gewanted=print
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July 17th, 2012, 08:04 PM
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his manners would be no problem at all if I agreed with his politics,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1642897.html http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...popular_t.html http://www.northjersey.com/news/1365....html?page=all Two years of progress and pitfalls under Christie - video Tuesday, January 3, 2012 Last updated: Tuesday January 3, 2012, 5:04 PM</SPAN> BY JOHN REITMEYER AND JULIET FLETCHER STATE HOUSE BUREAU The Record Print | E-mail ANALYSIS Buy this photo Gov. Christie Governor Christie has used his first two years in office to control property taxes, cut spending, reinvigorate New Jersey's economy and restore ethics to a state long known for corruption — all while working harmoniously with Democrats. Timeline [IMG]http://media.northjersey.com/images/300*200/0103A_CHRISTIEtimeline3_50p.jpg[/IMG] View highlights from Gov. Christie's first two years in office That's the version promoted by the governor and his supporters that has been widely accepted by many across the country, sparking national media attention and even a push for a presidential run until Christie quashed that himself. But there's another version of the reality of life in New Jersey that is at odds with such a uniformly happy image. Average property tax bills remain at an all-time high even as many towns have laid off public workers and cut services to abide by a new 2 percent cap on overall tax levies. Unemployment is still stuck above 9 percent, while low-income workers have seen the earned income tax credit reduced. And in Trenton, state spending went up this year but steep cuts in property tax relief remain largely in place. New Jersey is also skipping all but a fraction of the pension payment that actuaries recommend this year despite a downgrading of the state's credit in February that was brought on partially by the state's already-huge unfunded pension obligation. New Jersey's weak ethics and campaign-finance laws also remain unaddressed as Democratic lawmakers continue to ignore Christie's calls for reform. Yet Christie — a Republican who promised to turn Trenton "upside down" when he took office in early 2010 — has tackled much in two years, taking on high property tax bills, poor state finances and a sagging economy, among other items that include a historic restructuring of public worker benefits. The self-styled, straight-talking governor has also been unafraid to promote himself, using live-streamed news conferences, YouTube videos, frequent social-media updates, high-profile speeches throughout the country, town-hall-style meetings and with numerous network and cable television appearances to get out his own message. His efforts seem to be working, as recent polls in New Jersey found the Republican governor's approval rating is comfortably above 50 percent as 2012 begins. Nationally, many in the Republican Party were convinced last year that the former U.S. attorney and Morris County freeholder should be the GOP candidate running against President Obama in 2012. Christie has confronted long-standing problems that have stymied governors for decades — and has made progress. However, perceptions of Christie's successes may not always match up with the realities in New Jersey. Here's a closer look at Christie's first two years in office, and how the perception compares with the reality on some key issues. Perception: Property taxes addressed. Reality: Local property tax bills soared by 4 percent to an average of $7,576 statewide and the overall burden on taxpayers grew by a combined $1 billion in 2010. But that was before Christie's general 2 percent cap on levy hikes went into effect on Jan. 1, 2011. Property tax levies still went up by more than 2 percent on average in Bergen and Passaic counties in 2011 because the new cap allows several exceptions, including debt payments and employee pension and health benefit costs. But the increases were among the smallest in the last decade. Perception: Public employee benefit costs controlled. Reality: The state's costs to cover government workers' health care are driven by these factors: the price tag for a health plan and what percentage of that is covered by the state versus how much workers must cover themselves. Christie's push to let workers sign onto new, cheaper plans failed to make significant savings; just 309 of the 397,000 employees elected any of the cheaper coverage this year. Workers start to contribute more toward their health care in July, and by 2014 will, on average, cover 20 percent of the insurance cost, leaving the state carrying the 80 percent margin. Christie's brag of $100 million savings this year turned out to include an unrelated $90 million windfall available through federal health reform — not part of Christie's own policy. Meanwhile, Christie's reforms do not press insurers to keep costs from rising, leaving local governments squeezing other services to pay more of their revenue every year toward insurers' bills. State costs rose $3.5 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, an increase that alone eclipses the predicted 10-year savings of $3.1 billion from the new public-worker health reforms. Perception: Unfunded public pension system on the way to solvency. Reality: While Christie on Dec. 20 said state pension funds would soon be solvent, the best-case scenario under Christie's public-pensions reforms is to bring all the major funds to 88 percent solvency within 30 years. The state, having skipped payments into public pension funds for more than a decade, budgeted $484 million this year, a fraction of the $3.3 billion ideal scheduled payment toward a $54 billion deficit. Lower-than-ideal payments are scheduled for the next six years. If Christie or a future governor refuses to pay as planned, or if state investments don't earn as much as the 8.25 percent expected, pensions will be kept underfunded and eat into the funds' solvency. And that outcome is further endangered by a lawsuit headed to the state Supreme Court, challenging whether judges must follow other public workers and pay increased contributions. Perception: Budget and spending under control. Reality: The state constitution does not allow a budget deficit and Christie has enacted two balanced budgets to meet that obligation. He's done so, in part, by ignoring several laws that seem to require spending, such as on property tax relief, education and the state's pension obligation. But that required spending is trumped by the state budget bill. And though Christie has cut spending on many programs since taking office to reach a balanced budget, overall state spending has grown slightly during his first two years in office as federal stimulus aid has ended. Perception: New Jersey's economy back on track. Reality: New Jersey has gained thousands of private-sector jobs during Christie's first two years in office, but there have been losses in the public sector and the state's unemployment rate still tops 9 percent — higher than the national unemployment rate and unchanged in November even as 30 other states saw improvement. But the governor felt confident enough in his economic policies back in the summer to project more than $1 billion in additional revenue for the new fiscal year that began on July 1, and so far revenue collections are up 5 percent over the same period last year and nearly meeting Christie's projections. Perception: Divided government working in New Jersey. Reality: Christie has been able to persuade the leaders in the Democratic-controlled Legislature to compromise with him on some major issues, including the limit on property tax hikes, public employee benefits cuts and his first state budget. But in most cases, Christie has won only the minimal amount of votes necessary from Democrats to move his initiatives forward, and he's done so by cutting deals with lawmakers tied to the Camden and Essex Democratic machines, organizations that rely heavily on the old-school systems of patronage and pay-to-play that Christie has criticized. Perception: The former U.S. attorney is cleaning up New Jersey government. Reality: Christie built his reputation as a federal prosecutor who took on some of New Jersey's most corrupt politicians. As a gubernatorial candidate, he heavily stressed ethics during the 2009 campaign, devoting 11 of his 88 ways to fix New Jersey to the ethics issue. But he has yet to use the same hardball tactics he employed to win Democratic votes on other initiatives and to convince the Democratic power brokers it's time to ban local pay-to-play, wheeling and the holding of more than one public office or job — which is banned in many other states but is still legal in New Jersey. And though Christie has taken on waste and corruption at New Jersey's many authorities, boards and commissions, the governor has been questioned by those who believe he is not holding recent examples of wasteful spending at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — an agency Christie oversees along with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — to the same standard. Perception: Christie is a straight-talking, blunt governor. Reality: As much a part of Christie's political power as his policies, the governor's public persona allows him to rip his political rivals, host dozens of public town halls and spin policy debates, all at high volume and for maximum exposure. The reality is that he is adept at tailoring answers to each audience, a tactic used by many politicians but which backfired last September when his remarks about working with Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver leaked out of a private fund-raiser in Colorado, endangering his political alliance with Essex County Democrats. And in national interviews, he repeats claims that have been debunked. Trenton watchers have learned to pay more attention to what he will not speak about publicly: His closed-door deliberations with Cabinet members, but also his discussions with high-ranking Democratic allies, whom he may criticize publicly while negotiating with them in private. Email: reitmeyer@northjersey.com and fletcher@northjersey.com http://www.northjersey.com/news/stat....html?page=all Timeline: Highlights from Christie's first two years Tuesday January 3, 2012, 6:23 AM The Record Print | E-mail  ANALYSIS: Two years of progress and pitfalls under Christie Governor Christie has reached the halfway mark of his four-year term in office, a tenure that has brought everything from spending cuts and union fights to talk of a presidential run and an asthma scare.[IMG]http://media.northjersey.com/images/300*200/0103A_CHRISTIEtimeline3_50p.jpg[/IMG] Buy this photo In June 2011, cameras catch Gov. Christie using a taxpayer-funded state police helicopter to shuttle between his son's baseball game in North Jersey and a meeting in Princeton with out-of-state political donors. [IMG]http://media.northjersey.com/images/300*200/0103A_CHRISTIEtimeline6_40p.jpg[/IMG] Buy this photo Gov. Christie votes on Election Day 2011. JANUARY 2010 The Republican governor is sworn into office at the Trenton War Memorial, grabbing the hands of Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, both Democrats, during the ceremony to signify bipartisan unity. Later, he sings Bruce Springsteen tunes on the stage at his inaugural celebration in Newark. FEBRUARY 2010 Christie forces the well-paid leader of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners to resign, saying the agency is an example of wasteful spending at New Jersey's many authorities, boards and commissions. He then trims $2.2 billion in state spending through 375 individual cuts that affect schools, hospitals and NJ Transit, blaming poor revenue collections. MARCH 2010 The focus remains on cutting state spending with the unveiling of Christie's first budget, a plan that proposes cuts in school aid and property tax relief, while leaving the state pension payment unfunded. He also calls for reducing the state workforce and privatizing many services to cut costs, as well as ending blue laws in Bergen County. MAY 2010 The governor targets property taxes by unveiling a package of legislation that he bills the "tool kit" needed to address New Jersey's perennially high property tax bills. It includes a cap on property tax hikes and interest arbitration awards, as well as civil service rules changes and a ban on payouts to public workers for unused sick days. JULY 2010 Christie enacts a $29.4 billion budget after Democrats give him the deciding votes in time for the start of the fiscal year on July 1. He then works with Democratic lawmakers during a special session over the July 4 holiday weekend to pass a 2 percent cap on property tax hikes, excluding costs tied to debt, an emergency and public employee health benefits and pensions. Later, he issues a blueprint to revive the state's gaming industry. AUGUST 2010 The governor deals with his first major public headache, a failed application for $400 million in much-needed federal education grant money thanks to a clerical error on New Jersey's application. After initially blaming Washington bureaucrats, he concedes the mistake was made by his administration and ends up firing his education commissioner before the end of the month as Democrats heap on the criticism. OCTOBER 2010 Saying New Jersey can't afford projected cost overruns for a long-planned Hudson River commuter rail tunnel, Christie halts construction on the $8.7 billion Access to the Region's Core project. The decision is panned by Democrats and federal transportation officials try to reverse Christie, but the governor doesn't relent, earning praise from Republicans as he starts building a national reputation. DECEMBER 2010 The governor persuades Democrats to give him enough votes to cap interest arbitration awards for police and firefighter unions, getting them to help him enact another one of his "tool kit" measures to address property taxes. But he also faces trouble as the federal government presses Christie to return $271 million in federal money that was to go to the canceled tunnel project. JANUARY 2011 Christie spends the beginning of the new year deflecting criticism after leaving the state for a Florida vacation with his family just after Christmas — and just as a major blizzard was hitting New Jersey. The storm dumped several inches of snow across the state, shutting down blanketed highways and causing a state of emergency. The governor defends his decision to leave New Jersey, saying he cherishes time with his family and was in touch with top staff at all times. FEBRUARY 2011 A busy month for the governor includes the introduction of a new state budget calling for major changes to public employee pension and health benefits. New Jersey also sees its credit rating downgraded over concerns about heavy state borrowing and unfunded pension and health benefit obligations. Christie also delivers a speech in Washington, D.C., telling a conservative think tank that changes are needed for Medicare and Social Security. APRIL 2011 Christie involves himself directly in the once-a-decade process of redrawing New Jersey's legislative districts, but a tiebreaker decides against the state GOP and picks the Democrats' new map. The governor also attempts to deflect criticism from a political ally who is collecting a pension for the same job he still holds by urging reporters to "take the bat out" on state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, for doing the same thing. JUNE 2011 The governor — with talk beginning of possible presidential aspirations — steps into a full-fledged conflagration. Cameras catch him using a taxpayer-funded state police helicopter to shuttle between his son's baseball game in North Jersey and a meeting in Princeton with out-of-state political donors. He brushes it off, saying the helicopter pilots need the time in the air for training regardless of whether he's a passenger or not, but also reimburses the state. Later in the month, Christie gets enough Democrat support to pass significant changes to employee pension and health benefits. JULY 2011 A trip to Iowa fuels more presidential speculation, though the governor repeatedly denies he wants to run for president. But by the end of the month, it's Christie's health that grabs the attention of political watchers around the country after an asthma attack forces him to cancel a public event and rush to the hospital for treatment. AUGUST 2011 Hurricane Irene makes a direct hit on New Jersey and Christie is in command from the first serious weather forecast — telling people to "get the hell off the beach" — until the sun returns, urging residents after the storm that it is time to get back to beaches and spend their money. The governor's handling of the disaster and the effort to secure federal aid from a reluctant Congress wins widespread praise. OCTOBER 2011 After a September trip to California to court Republican donors and address a crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Christie ends speculation that he is a presidential contender by announcing at a packed State House news conference that "my job here isn't done." A week later, he endorses Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. That decision begins a whole new round of speculation about Christie as a candidate for vice president or even attorney general. NOVEMBER 2011 After proclaiming his party would "make history" on Election Day, Republicans end up losing a seat in midterm legislative elections. The contests where Christie got involved personally, including the 38th District in North Jersey, all go to the Democrats. The governor blames a badly drawn electoral map for the setback. DECEMBER 2011 In some of his last public interviews of the year on cable television and talk radio, Christie returns to the big themes of public-sector benefits and education reform. He describes New Jersey's pension system as on track to being "solvent" and calls lawmakers' opposition to his public education reforms his "biggest disappointment." — John Reitmeyer and Juliet Fletcher
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July 17th, 2012, 08:09 PM
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July 17th, 2012, 08:16 PM
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http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...4_percent.html
In wake of police layoffs, Newark murder rate soars as violent crime increases Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 8:00 AM Updated: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 2:10 PM  By James Queally/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger Follow 161  Share close Digg Stumble Upon Fark Reddit Share Email Print  Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerNewark police investigate the scene where one person was killed and four others were injured during an explosion of gunfire in the city's West Ward in this 2010 file photo.NEWARK — Three fatal shootings in the last two days pushed Newark’s homicide total to 29 this year, a 71 percent jump in killings compared with the same period in 2010, as violent crime surges following police layoffs.  Between Jan. 1 and April 17, Newark has seen marked increases in homicides, shootings and thefts, while overall crime rose by 21 percent compared with the same time last year, according to Newark’s quarterly crime statistics obtained by The Star-Ledger. Several of the most recent slayings claimed the lives of innocent bystanders, including a 49-year-old man who was shot several times outside of a chicken restaurant in the South Ward late on Easter Sunday, authorities said. The report shows Newark has suffered steady increases in violent crime and property crime since the city laid off 167 police officers in November. Between Jan. 1 and April 17, shootings increased from 56 to 72 and robberies jumped from 418 to 462. Auto thefts saw the sharpest rise, leaping by 39 percent, from 743 in 2010 to 1,035 during the same time this year, according to the report. A spokeswoman for the city administration, Esmeralda Diaz Cameron, said, "Our city has grown too strong in recent years to allow levels of violence to increase to where they were in 2006 and before. … We will continue to employ innovative policing measures to ensure that Newark will not accept anything less than strength, peace and security." Police union leaders, who have frequently criticized the Booker administration since the layoffs, were quick to blame the crime spike on a lack of manpower. "I think it just comes down to the people on the street. The bad guys know we’re not out there, and it has an effect on how they operate," said James Stewart Jr., vice president of Newark’s Fraternal Order of Police. "That’s why the shootings have increased dramatically, that’s why the homicides are up." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: • Two shootings in Newark are ruled homicides • Two shootings in Newark leave one dead, one injured Sunday night • Suspect arrested in last week's Newark shooting • Woman killed, man injured in Newark shooting at Broad, Market streets • Authorities seek Newark man, 23, in connection with downtown fatal shooting • Authorities identify woman killed in double shooting in downtown Newark • Woman killed, man injured in Newark shooting at Broad, Market streets Stewart said the layoffs had made criminals more brazen, saying the lack of police manpower makes gang members and drug dealers more likely to carry weapons and to use them in the open. While crime has increased, police productivity has also continued to slide. The total number of arrests made by city police officers between Jan. 1 and April 17 dipped by 22 percent compared with 2010, according to statistics, while the number of parking summonses and moving violations issued also dipped. City police recorded 7,163 arrests between Jan. 1 and April 17 of this year, compared with 9,161 in 2010. The trend continued a decline that started last year. Arrests and summons totals dropped in the second half of 2010, with some of the largest decreases coinciding with bitter and hostile negotiations between the unions and Booker’s administration. Stewart said the lack of manpower leaves patrol officers on the defensive, responding to calls for help rather than actively trying to make arrests or issue summonses. "Not that we had free time, but now you’re just going job, to job, to job," he said. The latest killing came about 7 p.m. yesterday in the South Ward, police said. In a double shooting at Thorne Street and Evergreen Avenue, an unidentified man was shot in the face and soon died at the scene, while the second victim was expected to survive, police said. In the same ward on Easter Sunday, two men were killed in a four-hour span. Shortly before 7 p.m., 24-year-old James Conn was shot several times in the 400 block of Clinton Avenue, less than a block from the Police Department’s newest precinct, said Thomas Fennelly, Essex County chief assistant prosecutor. A half-mile away, Jamal Hedamy was shot outside of Crown Fried Chicken on Avon Avenue at 10:25 p.m., he said. While a motive remains unclear in Conn’s death, Hedamy "did not appear" to be the target, said Fennelly, who said bystanders have fallen victim to violence several times in recent weeks. The violent opening to 2011 is in stark contrast to last year, when the department enjoyed one of its most successful stretches in recent memory. Crime dropped 13 percent during the first three months of 2010 and Newark police crippled one of the city’s oldest drug havens in a massive raid at Academy Spires apartments. Tomas Dinges contributed to this report. Related topics: newark, newark-police ... exit27 April 26, 2011 at 8:35AM Follow GANGS OF NEWARK LOVE CHRIS CHRISTIE ! Less urban police but more cash for the rich in places like Mendham is our govoners plan. Inappropriate? Alert us. Reply Post new http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2...nd_non-vi.html Jersey City violent and non-violent crime rates fall in 2010 Published: Friday, March 04, 2011, 9:46 PM Updated: Friday, March 04, 2011, 9:46 PM  By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal Follow 10 Share close Digg Stumble Upon Fark Reddit Share Email Print  Jersey Journal File PhotoJersey City violent and non-violent crime rates fell slightly in 2010.Violent and non-violent crime saw a modest overall drop in Jersey City in 2010, continuing the downward trend for a second year, city officials said today. Violent crimes including homicide, rape, robbery and assault fell by 2 percent in 2010 as compared to the previous year, officials said. That continues a trend seen in 2009 when the city had its lowest incidence of violent and non-violent crime in 30 years, including a 30 percent drop in robberies, officials said. "If you want to target any crime from a law enforcement perspective, the top priority has to be the public's safety and their health and welfare, Police Chief Tom Comey said. "While we can't be there to resolve every conflict, we hope that during our many interventions in disputes that people understand that there are alternatives than to react violently." In the non-violent crime category that includes burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, their was an increase of .5 percent in 2010 as compared to 2009, City Spokesman Stan Eason said. But Eason said that overall, crime was down about .5 percent in 2010. The non-violent crimes of motor vehicle theft and theft dropped significantly in 2010, Eason said. There was a 4.9 percent drop in car thefts in 2010 as compared to 2009, Eason said. There was an 11 percent drop in the number of homicides in the city in 2010, during which there were three fewer than the 27 homicides in 2009, Eason said. There were 143 fewer assaults in 2010, a 5 percent drop from the prior year, Eason said. "Whenever a major city realizes a drop in crime it is significant, and we are pleased to see a continued decline in most crime categories," said Mayor Jerramiah Healy. "These results are due to the hard work of the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department and their leadership, who will continue to work even harder to reduce crime further." The mayor also credited community and the block associations for their efforts to have residents work together with police. Related topics: jersey-city http://articles.cnn.com/2011-01-18/u...afety?_s=PM:US Crime-ridden Camden, N.J., cuts police force nearly in half   Share this on:Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn .cnnFBRecBtn { width:295px; float:right; margin:5px 0; clear:both; }.cnnFBRecBtnBot { width:420px; margin:30px 0 15px 186px; }.cnn_strycntntlft {clear:both;}.fb_edge_widget_with_comment { position:relative; }.fb_iframe_widget { display:inline-block; position:relative; }.fb_iframe_widget span { position:relative; } January 18, 2011|By the CNN Wire Staff  The mayor of crime-ridden Camden, New Jersey, has announced layoffs of nearly half of the city's police force and close to a third of its fire department. One hundred sixty-eight police officers and 67 firefighters were laid off Tuesday, as officials struggle to close a $26.5 million budget gap through a series of belt-tightening measures, Mayor Dana Redd told reporters. The layoffs take effect immediately. Redd said she was unable to secure the $8 million in budget concessions that she says she needed to save the jobs of up to 100 police officers and many of the city's firefighters. Advertisement The mayor -- who said she will continue negotiations with police and fire unions -- had been asking the workers to pay more for their health care, freeze or reduce their salaries and take furlough days. The apparent impasse has left administrators of a city with the second-highest crime rate in the nation scrambling to figure out solutions to keep residents safe. Camden is second only to St. Louis, Missouri, in annual rankings of cities based on compilations of FBI crime statistics. Some clerical officers were demoted and reassigned to the streets, the mayor said, pledging that the cuts would not affect public safety. "We're still going to protect our residents," said Robert Corrales, spokesman for Redd. Public safety "will remain our top concern. We'll shift our resources to be more efficient with what we have." But police and firefighter union officials say the layoffs will most certainly have an impact. "It's absolutely, physically impossible to cover the same amount of ground in the same amount of time with less people," said John Williamson, president of the Fraternal Order of Police union in Camden. "Response times will be slower." One local business owner, David Brown, said he does not "understand how you can do more with less." "I don't want to be a pessimist, but I can't be optimistic." Camden resident and sanitation worker Gloria Valentin said she is now fearful that the city does not have enough police protection to keep people safe. "Today is a real sad day in the city of Camden," she said. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-17/u...hires?_s=PM:US After cutting force by half, crime-ridden Camden rehires 50 cops Share this on:Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn .cnnFBRecBtn { width:295px; float:right; margin:5px 0; clear:both; }.cnnFBRecBtnBot { width:420px; margin:30px 0 15px 186px; }.cnn_strycntntlft {clear:both;}.fb_edge_widget_with_comment { position:relative; }.fb_iframe_widget { display:inline-block; position:relative; }.fb_iframe_widget span { position:relative; } March 17, 2011|From Laura Batchelor, CNN After cutting nearly half of its police force in January. the city of Camden, New Jersey, announced Thursday that it is rehiring 50 of the 168 police officers laid off. In an agreement between Camden officials and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the city will have access to $2.5 million from what is known as a "payment in lieu of taxes," or PILOT, state fund. Camden's Mayor Dana Redd will rehire 50 police officers and 15 firefighters. "Public safety is our primary obligation as elected officials," Redd said in a press release. Advertisement The funding will allow Camden to supplement existing patrols through the spring and summer, but a long-term solution is still needed, Redd said. When asked if crime had increased during the two months since the cuts, the mayor's spokesman, Robert Corrales, said only, "Crime, in general, ebbs and flows and to pinpoint it on layoffs is just inconclusive." Redd pledged to keep working with the governor and local officials to find and implement a long-term plan. "In difficult fiscal times like these, we must work harder (and) be more creative and realistic to find the best, most cost-effective ways to meet our public safety obligations," Redd said. In January, 168 police officers and 67 firefighters were laid off due to a $26.5 million budget gap. Camden, a city with the second-highest crime rate in the nation, was left scrambling to figure out solutions to keep residents safe. Camden is second only to St. Louis in annual crime-rate rankings of cities, with the rankings based on compilations of FBI crime statistics. Calls to Camden's Fraternal Order of Police on Thursday were not immediately returned.
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#236
July 17th, 2012, 08:19 PM
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http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-a...w=1024&bih=562
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#237
July 17th, 2012, 08:22 PM
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http://thinkprogress.org/economy/201...ice/?mobile=nc
site is probably biased. Gov. Chris Christie’s Budget Cuts Put 4,000 New Jersey Police Officers Out Of A Job By Tanya Somanader on Oct 25, 2011 at 1:50 pm  In the name of “no taxes,” Republicans have slashed state budgets across the country, forcing schools to sell advertising space, firefighters to lose their jobs to prison labor, and cities to decriminalize domestic violence in order to save money.In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie (R) instituted severe cuts to education funding, public employee benefits, and public sector jobs, while calling his action the “day of reckoning.” Christie cut $3 billion in his first two years, leaving low-income New Jerseyans with half the number of legal aid lawyers, the mentally ill without a home after a hospital had to shut down, and thousands of women without health clinics to visit. Those cuts have also left 4,000 New Jersey police officers without a job and left drug-related crime to flourish: In Newark, police no longer respond to motor vehicle accidents without injuries. In Paterson, the police department’s Narcotics Squad was cut by half.In Little Egg, the police department had to disband its drug unit after 11 of the town’s 49 cops were laid off last year. In the six months that followed the layoffs, “burglaries in the township jumped 61 percent, assaults rose 22 percent, and larceny increased 54 percent.” Christie’s “day of reckoning” has fallen hard on low-income New Jerseyans and public servants. But, thanks to Christie, the reckoning never reached the state’s millionaires. Last year, the state legislature passed a tax on millionaires that would help alleviate Christie’s budget cuts. Christie vetoed it — twice. In under two minutes flat. His argument: A tax increase is a “failed, irresponsible” policy that will “set our economy further back from recovery.” But it’s hard to see how his current policies are doing anything different. Tags: see subheadlines or whatever you call them, not biased at all (haw haw)  House Farm Bill Guts Key Food Safety Protections Why The LIBOR Rate-Rigging Scandal Matters For U.S. Consumers How Public Sector Job Cuts Kill Private Sector Jobs
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#238
July 25th, 2012, 07:34 PM
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Who’s who:
Othello is a prominent military leader in Venice. He is black, a “Moor” from Africa. He is highly respected for his skills. Iago is an officer who serves under Othello. Iago is angry at Othello for not promoting Iago to be Othello’s second in command. Cassio: an officer who serves under Othello. Cassio, despite his youth and lack of experience, is promoted to serve as Othello’s second-in-command. Desdemona is the lovely young woman who has fallen in love with Othello. Desdomona’s father, Brabantio, is a big-shot in Venice. Roderigo is a young fool who has a lot more money than brains. Roderigo lusts after Desdemona, and Roderigo thinks that Iago is able to help Roderigo get Desdemona. Others: Emilia is Iago’s wife Clown is Othello’s house-servant Bianca is a prostitute liked by Cassio Venice is a wealthy and powerful city state of Italy on the Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated between Greece and Turkey. The Turkish Empire, in this story and at other times in history, is an opponent to European ambitions in what is called the Middle East today. Act One At night, in the city of Venice, Iago and Roderigo are walking and talking. Roderigo has a crush on the woman Desdemona. Roderigo is upset that Desdemona is now involved with Othello, something he didn’t expect. (Othello and Desdemona are very discreet and have not told anyone about their being together.) Iago tells Roderigo that he, Iago, does not like Othello. Apparently, Othello passed Iago over for promotion to second-in-command in favor of Cassio, a younger and less experienced person. Iago tells Roderigo that Iago can still get Desdemona for Roderigo. Iago and Roderigo go to Desdomena’s father’s house (rich and influential guy named Brabantio) and, while staying out of sight, shout out insulting things about Desdemona’s being intimate with a black man. Who’s who: Othello is a prominent military leader in Venice. He is black, a “Moor” from Africa. He is highly respected for his skills. Iago is an officer who serves under Othello. Iago is angry at Othello for not promoting Iago to be Othello’s second in command. Cassio: an officer who serves under Othello. Cassio, despite his youth and lack of experience, is promoted to serve as Othello’s second-in-command. Desdemona is the lovely young woman who has fallen in love with Othello. Desdomona’s father, Brabantio, is a big-shot in Venice. Roderigo is a young fool who has a lot more money than brains. Roderigo lusts after Desdemona, and Roderigo thinks that Iago is able to help Roderigo get Desdemona. Others: Emilia is Iago’s wife Clown is Othello’s house-servant Bianca is a prostitute liked by Cassio Venice is a wealthy and powerful city state of Italy on the Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated between Greece and Turkey. The Turkish Empire, in this story and at other times in history, is an opponent to European ambitions in what is called the Middle East today. Act One At night, in the city of Venice, Iago and Roderigo are walking and talking. Roderigo has a crush on the woman Desdemona. Roderigo is upset that Desdemona is now involved with Othello, something he didn’t expect. (Othello and Desdemona are very discreet and have not told anyone about their being together.) Iago tells Roderigo that he, Iago, does not like Othello. Apparently, Othello passed Iago over for promotion to second-in-command in favor of Cassio, a younger and less experienced person. Iago tells Roderigo that Iago can still get Desdemona for Roderigo. Iago and Roderigo go to Desdomena’s father’s house (rich and influential guy named Brabantio) and, while staying out of sight, shout out insulting things about Desdemona’s being intimate with a black man.
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#239
July 31st, 2012, 01:40 PM
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I think I'm a somewhat rational person. Really, I do.
Nonetheless, when I read about China planning a mission to the moon, one of my first reactions is wondering if, on a future mission, a taikonaut will be tempted to knock the American flag over whilst raising the Chinese one. Am I crazy? Is this something anyone should give a millisecond of thought about? Chances are, it won't happen. Not at all. No way. But, what if, what if in the midst of a nationalistic reaction to an American provocation, a taikonaut takes it on her or himself to "supplant" the US flag with the PRC flag? (Remember China's reaction when the United States accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy in former Yugoslavia?)
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#240
July 31st, 2012, 07:04 PM
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http://madamenoire.com/tag/aisha-tyler/
Wayne Brady! All Articles Tagged "aisha tyler" Wayne Brady, Bill Maher and The Problem With What Black Manhood Means to NON-Black People July 12th, 2012 - By Charing Ball    Source: pothole-of-obscurity.blogspot.comComedian Wayne Brady went on a very public tirade about recent comments made by fellow comedian Bill Maher, for making oft-color jokes about his blackness. Brady, probably best known for his role on the comedy sketch show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” blasted the “Real Time” funnyman for referring to President Obama as “your Wayne Brady.” The implication, of course, is that Obama isn’t black enough – at least from Maher’s perspective – just like Wayne Brady. Speaking with Aisha Tyler on her podcast, Brady said, “I’ve had Bill Maher twice now when referencing Obama…he’s like ‘yeah, with your Wayne Brady’…so that means it’s a diss to Obama to be called me because he wants a brother brother.” Brady also took the time to point out that Maher shouldn’t claim to know Black folks as he says, “just because you f–k black hookers.” *side eye* He also added that he would “gladly slap the sh!t out of Bill” to prove just how black he is: “…I’d get sued and lose my house and it’s not worth it for me. But the black man part of me would be so satisfied to slap the sh!t out of him in front of Cocoa and Ebony and Fox, the three ladies of the night that he has hired.” Okay, I’ll say it: Does Wayne Brady have to choke a b***h? I love it when television and reality clash into the perfect meme inducing moment. Anyway, this is serious for Brady. After years of being clowned as the non-threatening black man, he is ready to start swinging, quite literally, on those who question his blackness. From what I gathered from previous stories, Brady has long had to battle the notion that his mild-mannered persona is in contrast to the ideal nature of typical black masculinity. Paul Mooney once joked in his classic Dave Chappelle Show Negrodamus sketch that “White people love Wayne Brady, because he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X.” In an interview, Brady would reveal that while we all thought it was funny, Brady was less than amused, especially when white kids use Mooney’s quote to get his attention via Twitter. It bothered Brady so much that he would confront both Chappelle and Mooney about the skit and that is what eventually led to the whole classic, I’m Wayne Brady, B***h sketch. In the same interview, Brady goes on to say, “I get offended from a bigger level, in the fact of black people, we are one of the only races that I feel, if someone is judged as not being black enough, no matter how well they’re doing, the thought isn’t, “Hey, look how good that brother’s doing, and he represents us, and if he can get in that door, we can get in that door.” People take it to be, “Ugh, look at him. He only got there because white people put him on. Listen to how he talks. He’s not hard, he doesn’t do this, he’s a square.” I get where Brady is coming from. I hear that same sentiment thrown around casually not only in our communities but also among some white folks, like Maher, who usually say it to express their displeasure that a particular black man is not politically aggressive enough. In some folks’ mind, it is a given that any black leader is supposed to be reeking with all sort of menacing yet cool anti-establishment aggression, directed towards white people. Black men are supposed to be cool ladies men (and/or pimps) like Black Dynamite. He is supposed to walk like George Jefferson and have the unapologetic righteous bravado of H. Rap Brown. I’m talking about the kind of black cool which makes old white people cross the street upon fear that they might be on the receiving end of a strong hand just for being white. And those black men, who lack that certain rough and tough exterior, are instantly concluded as non-threatening Negroes. Of course, like every stereotype, there is some truth to the troupe. In fact there are a number of celebrities and political figures, who have completely bought into the same power structure, which seeks to disempower us as a community, in order to ascend into the higher rungs of society. If we are being honest, there are probably a few people that instantly come to your mind. However, not every square can be, or should be, considered a non-threatening black man. When we watch the images of Black men in pop culture, we see clearly how black men have been reduce to a single definition of manhood, which includes how aggressive they are, the size of their balls, and their ability to play cool. In essence, that perception of black manhood has become the alter-ego to non-black folks across the globe, who, on occasion, fantasize about a contrast to their homogenous existence. And there is no better contrast to white than black. Sort of like a young boy’s fascination with Clark Kent/Superman but instead of a white guy in a red cape, they dream of Shaft. Folks like director Quentin Tarantino have long expressed infatuation with black manhood, which can be seen in films like Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and yet again in the soon-to-be released Django Unchained. Even places where the black population probably is mostly reserved to military bases, the mainstream perception of black manhood is very much evident. This too is illustrated in the new Japanese feature film called Afro Tanaka, which is about a Japanese loser with messy hair who only gains respect from his peers after growing a gloriously big Afro and assuming the “traits” of a black man. As I have mentioned before, what we see in the media does influence reality. And unfortunately, there are many black men who willingly play the role of aggressors because it is what they too have been lead to believe are their roles as men. Real men. The irony in Brady’s situation is that in order to prove himself and have his version of black masculinity taken seriously, he too had to embody the aggressive black man stereotype, down to the threats of violence and the disrespect of black women (i.e., the black hooker remark). I would say that without even opening his mouth, Maher has already won this battle. More on Madame Noire!
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