Stop Your School from Being CLOSED by Paying Close Attention!

ALI 4/6 class flyer

ALI 4/6 class flyerWhen the district hands down the list of schools to be closed each year, most of the reactions from parents, staff and students come after the fact. As a result, many of the planned school closings occur and the people most impacted feel voiceless. Join us for a session that will teach you how to ask questions, examine data, and make sure the school has all it needs, which will both improve student outcomes and take your school off the “closing block”. Protests and Speaking are not enough to keep schools from being closed. Early preparation will work!   read more

How old people get help from the police

Garden shed at night

Garden shed at nightGreat story shared by my Uncle Robert Pitts.

George Phillips, an elderly man from Tampa, Florida, was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things. He phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?”

George replied “No, but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me.” read more

What is ALEC and how is it tied to the GOP?

ALEC for Dummies

ALEC for DummiesTo understand what the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is, you have to look at what this organization does. Since ALEC is becoming bolder by the New York Minute, it’s easier to see exactly what their agenda is.

Common Cause answers the question, “What is the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)?

For almost 40 years now, up to 300 of the largest US corporations—including Koch Industries, Verizon, Bank of America and Exxon—have used ALEC to push model legislation, which is beneficial to their corporate interests, into law in the states. ALEC boasts that a third of all state legislators in the US are members, introducing around 1,000 ALEC bills every year. By using ALEC to pursue their agenda, they are able to hide their fingerprints, avoid lobbying disclosure, and evade the kind of increased scrutiny that comes when citizens know it’s actually corporationsthat draftedsome of their most important laws. Recent ALEC bills have rolled back voting rights, reduced environmental protections and stripped away collective bargaining rights for workers around the country. read more

Stop telemarketers with 6 words

National Do Not Call RegistryDo telemarketers bug you? Can’t get them off the phone? They’re not deterred by you hanging up, politely asking them not to call you anymore, and they don’t seem to care when you tell them your baby’s crying or your dinner is burning and you have to go.

There’s an answer to your woes so simple, you won’t believe it works until you try it out and see for yourself. I did it again just now and the results are always gratifying. This is what you do: next time a telemarketer calls, interrupt them with this phrase, “Take me off your call list.” read more

Cycler proves NYC bike lanes not always safe

NYC cop gives cycler ticket for leaving the bike lane. But there are dangers in the bike lane . .

The cycler is Casey Neistat and this great footage proves his case brilliantly. I’m convinced that NYC should give him back his $50 fine.

Paterson Board of Ed will investigate secret state charter school approval

Wei Tiger

Mother Crusader shares reactions from Paterson’s Board of Ed members to the news that Christie’s Education Commissioner, Chris Cerf, approved two more charter schools for Paterson without the Board’s consent or knowledge, or knowledge of other city residents. The State is legally required to solicit community feedback regarding new charter applications but as Mother Crusader points out, “from what I heard at that meeting, nothing about this administration’s charter agenda in Paterson was shared with the good people of that community.” read more

Go to jail for unlocking your phone? Yep, you might.

unlock phone

unlock phoneFirst things first. You know that 1) if you buy a phone you should be able to hook it up with whatever service you want to use and 2) nobody should send you to jail or fine you up to half a million dollars just because you unlock your phone. What if you want to switch to the ATT network because you’re fed up with Verizon, or because you move out of Verizon’s service area? The Library of Congress says, “Tough luck.” If you unlock your phone after January 26 without a carrier’s permission, you could get in a lot of trouble and end up paying heavy fines – even jail time. So sign the White House petition asking Obama to add his voice to The People’s and ask the Library of Congress to make phone unlocking legal again. The petition is pretty close to getting the 100,000 signatures it needs to get an official White House response. read more

Verizon pushes court to rule that “free speech” equals suppression

Verizon’s stunning challenge to the FCC rule that dictates that the internet should be open, is that its (Verizon’s) “free speech” rights will be violated if it is not allowed to,

“…suppress someone else’s ability to transmit or receive information.

…Here’s the twist: Verizon clearly knows better. Its joint statement with Google about the prospect of open-Internet rules in early 2010 stated: “The minute that anyone, whether from the government or the private sector, starts to control how people access and use the Internet would be the beginning of the end of the ‘net as we know it.” read more

Immigrant children stolen & families shattered

DREAMERS display sign, "We Are America".

DREAMERS display sign, "We Are America".There are so many forms of racism and social oppression being carried out in America, it just boggles the mind. This morning, I posted on Facebook a link to an article that details sad facts about a practice I first learned about from a Nightline TV news show report “Stolen Babies”, a court-sanctioned family destruction that has been going on for way too many years. I linked to a Colorlines story on families being shattered when immigration officials detain or deport parents who work hard and abide laws, except that they lack legal United States residency status – a holy grail that is impossible for so many immigrants to obtain. Colorlines tells us, read more

Extension on registrations, inspections & licenses for NJ drivers

MVC Chairman and Chief Administrator Raymond P. Martinez issued Administrative Order 2012-03 authorizing a 30-day extension for all driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and inspections due to expire on Oct. 31. Martinez also authorized Administrative Order 2012-04, which waives International Registration Plan (IRP) and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) requirements during a state of emergency declared by the Governor of New Jersey. This temporary waiver will aid commercial motor carriers in delivering essential services and emergency relief supplies in a timely matter to areas that may be affected by Hurricane Sandy. read more

2012 fixed voter machines and intimidation

All hell has broken loose in conservative political camps this week. The stronger President Obama’s position has become, the more determined GOP extremists have become to defeat him at all costs – including the sacrifice of a favoured son, and just about all of whatever formerly passed for these people’s morality. God save them. At some Pennsylvania polls, voters were being told they had to have IDs and were turned away if they didn’t

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 12:10 p.m. EST: Report: Pennsylvania voters illegally turned away: Civil rights group the Advancement Project tells The Root that it’s investigating and addressing what seems to be a pattern in Pennsylvania of poll workers turning away voters if they don’t have voter ID, which violates a recent court order stipulating that voters do not need ID for this election. “It’s not surprising, because despite the judge’s ruling, the state continued to run ads telling voters to get ID,” an Advancement Project representative says. read more

Election 2012 voting FAQ

FAQ: Questions about election/voting procedures

  • Q: I didn’t get my Voter ID card after registering to vote. Can I still vote?
    A: Yes. If you’re a registered voter who appears on the voter rolls (see below for how to check if you’re registered), you can vote. If you submitted a registration form but don’t appear on the voter’s roster at your polling place, you have two options:

    Q: How can I find out if I’m registered to vote? A: Visit canivote.org To check if you’re registered to vote and to find your polling place Q: Can I vote electronically, by email or fax? A: Yes! New Jersey voters that are, “displaced voters” can cast ballots by fax or email. What’s more, I learned at 6:10pm from the Assistant Bergen County Clerk that due to overwhelming demand, Governor Christie has just authorized the County Clerk’s offices around New Jersey to continue processing ballot requests through Friday Nov 9 for Vote By Mail applications that were received electronically by the submission deadline of 5pm on Election Day, Nov 6.. The Clerks’ staff need this extra time to finish checking and entering Vote By Mail applications received, and to generate and send out ballots by fax or email in accordance with the preference each voter has indicated). Although thousands of ballots have been processed in Bergen County, many still remain. The vote of each and every registered voter who returns an electronic ballot by Friday will be counted for the 2012 General Election :).

    The deadline for submitting a request for an electronic ballot ended at 5pm Tuesday, Nov 6, 2012. No new procedure was established to make this process possible for New Jersey voters displaced by Hurricane Sandy; the procedure already existed for military personnel and United States residents living abroad. Permission to vote by electronic means expires at the end of the 2012 general election. These are the instructions that were provided.

    You will need to fax or email a Vote By Mail application to your County Clerk by 5pm on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 6 2012. They will send you back a form you must sign waiving your right to having your vote be anonymous (because entering your vote will see it), and a ballot. After filling out the ballot, you return it by fax or email as indicated on the ballot.

  • Q: How does a provisional ballot work?
    A: You can vote provisionally from any polling location or by visiting your county’s (see list) Board of Elections or County Clerks Offices – they’ll steer you to the right location. When the provisional ballot is reviewed, they Board of Elections should approve it based on what are a common entry errors (Street vs. Avenue, etc.).
  • Q: Why didn’t I get a sample ballot?
    Sample ballots came out very late. Some people received them on Nov 5 and some people did not receive them at all.
  • Q: What do I need to bring with me to vote at the polls?
    A: Here’s a list of what’s required in each state. In New Jersey, people who have already voted don’t need to bring any form of ID, but first time voters may be asked for identification.

Información en Español

Visite Ya Es Hora – ¡Ve y Vota! ó llamar al 888-839-3682 (888-VE-Y-VOTA) read more

Report on voter woes in Bergen County NJ

Hundreds wait to vote in person at Bergen County Clerk Nov 4 2012

Here are details of the report I sent in about voting issues here in Bergen County, NJ to Our Vote Live, set up by Craig Newmark (of Craig’s List) and other civic rights advocates to protect voter’s rights and make sure the conservatives don’t get away with suppressing people’s voting rights in this pivotal election. If you become aware of any voting issues, please make your own report.

Hundreds wait to vote in person at Bergen County Clerk Nov 4 2012
Hundreds wait to vote in person at Bergen County Clerk Nov 4 2012
The Bergen County Clerk this afternoon remarked that State issued a new and confusing Directive just yesterday (Saturday). Apparently, County Clerks all over the state asked all week for a Directive to be issued. read more

Sandy recovery – get & give help

General government-based assistance

  • Legal hotline for NJ residents needing legal assistance after #Sandy.
    1-888-541-1900 or probono_public_service/ls_pb_hurricane_sandy_fema_new_jersey.authcheckdam.pdf
  • A special Federal Government website is set up to process Sandy requests http://www.disasterassistance.gov. It consolidates the application process across several Federal agencies, including FEMA and the Small Business Administration and reduces the number of forms applicants will need to fill out and you can check the progress of your applications online. You can also apply at
    • 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) or fema.gov
    • via smartphone at m.fema.gov
    • Speech disability or hearing loss
      TTY 1-800-462-7585
      711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) 1-800-621-3362

    Financial assistance and grants

    Look into applying for a Lion Clubs International direct grant or see what your local club has to offer. FEMA assistance and how to apply

    5. Operation Hope
    Financial dignity nonprofit Operation HOPE offers financial triage, financial recovery and free consultation services for individuals and small business owners impacted by Hurricane Sandy. More information here

  • 6. Disaster SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Information (aka Foodstamps)
    SNAP Handbook Guide
    b. D-SNAP Toolkit: SNAP Guidance Toolkit.pdf

Health issues

The New Jersey Department of Health has public health experts available through the state’s 2-1-1 system to answer questions about food and water safety and mold removal. To reach public health experts, call 211 or 1-866-234-0964, or visit them online at nj211.org. Experts are available 8am-8pm weekdays and 10am-5pm weekends. More than 800 New Jersey residents have called the Department of Health hotline seeking help with food and drinking water safety, mold removal and prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning. The 211 number is open for general enquiries 24/7. read more

New Jersey County Clerks

A more extensive list containing both County Clerk and Board of Election contact information, including fax numbers, is available here.

Atlantic County Clerk
5901 Main Street
CN 2005
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
609-641-7867
Bergen County Clerk
One Bergen County Plaza
Hackensack, NJ 07601
201-336-7000
Burlington County Clerk
49 Rancocas Road
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
609-265-5122
Camden County Clerk
2015 The Mall at Voorhees Town Center, 2nd Floor
Voorhees, NJ 08043
856-566-2920
Cape May County Clerk
7 North Main Street
DN 109
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210-3096
609-465-1010
Cumberland County Clerk
Court House Building
60 West Broad Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
856-453-4860
Essex County Clerk
Hall of Records
465 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Newark, NJ 07102
973-621-4920
Gloucester County Clerk
Court House
P.O. Box 129
Woodbury, NJ 08096
856-853-3237
Hudson County Clerk
257 Cornelison Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07302
201-369-3470
Hunterdon County Clerk
Hall of Records
71 Main Street
Flemington, NJ 08822
908-788-1221
Mercer County Clerk
100 Court House Annex
209 South Broad Street, P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650
609-989-6477
Middlesex County Clerk
P.O. Box 1110
New Brunswick, NJ08903-1110
732-745-3827
Monmouth County Clerk
33 Mechanic Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
732-431-7324
Morris County Clerk
Administration & Records Building
P.O. Box 315
Morristown, NJ 07963-0315
973-285-6125
Ocean County Clerk
P.O. Box 2191
Toms River, NJ 08754
732-929-2110
Passaic County Clerk
401 Grand Street, Room 130
Paterson, NJ 07505
973-225-3632
Salem County Clerk
P.O. Box 18
92 Market Street
Salem, NJ 08079
856-935-7510
Somerset County Clerk
P.O. Box 3000
20 Grove Street
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-231-7006
Sussex County Clerk
Sussex County Clerk’s Office
83 Spring Street, Suite 304
Newton, NJ 07860
973-579-0900
Union County Clerk
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
908-527-4787
Warren County Clerk
413 Second Street
Belvidere, NJ 07823
908-475-6211