New Jersey: Small State, BIG Attitude

50 Emergency Uses for Your Camera Phone

tdsollog — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:05:29 -0700

50 Emergency Uses for Your Camera Phone by Paul Purcell In an emergency you'll not only need to provide and receive help, but after the event is over, you'll face the prospect of return, repair, and rebuilding. Central to all these activities is communication and documentation. Everything in our society carries a heaping helping of red tape, and disasters are no different. Below are 50 of the many ways one simple tool, in this case the camera phone, can be used in an emergency to help you document, record, and relay some of your more important pieces of information.
Granted, any camera could be used for some of the things listed below, but the phonecam carries a distinct advantage with it. It can immediately transmit the pictures it takes. If you don't have a phonecam, that's okay. Go with what you have, or with what you can afford. Disposable film cameras and digital cameras are acceptable, and microcassette recorders that will let you record information verbally are useful as well. However, the phonecam rules, so let's look at ways yours can be used in an emergency. The following are excerpts from our book "Disaster Prep 101" found at www.disasterprep101 .com.
1. Last minute child ID. Whenever the family might be separated, take a series of last-minute pictures of all family members, especially the kids, and also the pets. You might need this to reunite the family later.
2. Draw a map, shoot it, send it. Trying to send or receive directions to or from a certain location and voice directions just aren't cutting it? Draw a map on paper, take a picture, and send.
3. Injury photos to the doctor. Suppose you're in a situation where you can't get to help and they can't get to you, and someone's sick or injured. If there are visible signs or symptoms, your phonecam can relay these to medical personnel who can walk you through whatever treatment is possible where you are.
4. Damage documentation for insurance. In mass catastrophes, it'll be days or longer before even the first insurance adjusters get there to file claims on your behalf. Photo all the damage you can in case some of it gets repaired or cleaned up before your agent arrives.
5. Report suspicious activity. Are you part of a neighborhood watch group? If you see suspicious activity, you can upload pictures of suspects and the situation to the Police immediately.
6. "Here's the landmark I'm near." In an emergency, gathering with the family at a "rendezvous point" is one of the most critical steps you'll take. If you don't have a fixed meeting place, you can send pictures of where and what you're near so the others can find you. This also works well if you're lost and/or injured in the wilderness and you need to relay pictures of landmarks so Search and Rescue teams can find you.
7. "Meet us at this landmark." If you have a fixed rendezvous point and you want to relay the info to others, send a pic you already have on file, so others will know where to meet. Take these file photos while compiling your family emergency plan.
8. Photo shopping list. If you're about to stock your pantry in anticipation of an emergency, such as if you're planning on sheltering-in- place during a hurricane, take a picture of your pantry as a quick way to list things you need from the store.
9. Driving directions. If you're trying to tell others where a certain location is, such as an emergency shelter, you can send them a picture by picture set of driving directions. This is another good thing to create while putting your family reaction plan together.
10. "Meet this person." Let's say your family had to evacuate, and they know the address they're supposed to head to, but not everyone has met the family emergency contact person. Send them a picture of the person they're supposed to meet, or you can send your contact person some pictures of the people heading their way.
11. Last minute property inventory. Just as you'd photo the family in anticipation of an emergency, you should do the same with your property. If you're about to evacuate, snap some quick shots of your property to include any new purchases not included in your last full home inventory, and to show the current condition of your property in general.
12. "Adventure" journal. Who says every potential disaster situation has to be a total disaster? One way to look at it is as an adventure. Take some pictures to record what you do, the places you go during evacuation, people you meet along the way, etc.
13. Situational severity. In a large-scale emergency, first responders will be spread thin and overworked. They might not have anyone to send to get you out of a partly-flooded neighborhood, or to help put out a tiny grass fire. However, the situation might actually be worse than they understand, and you might need some serious help. Sending a picture of just how bad the situation is might help.
14. Quick text messaging. Time is critical in an emergency and so are communications. You might not have enough time to punch in a text message, and the lines might not be open long enough for a conversation. If that's the case, write a note on paper, take a picture, and send that.
15. Minor traffic mishap documentation. If you have a minor fender-bender while evacuating, and there are no injuries and no one's car needs to be towed, most jurisdictions will tell you to "swap info and move along." If that's the case (always call 911 to ask and make sure), take photos of the vehicular damage, people involved, witnesses at the scene (and their car tag numbers), and if your phone has video, take video of others involved in the accident to show their injuries (or lack thereof).
16. Wallet backup. Just as you'd photograph family members and property, take pictures of your wallet's contents (or important documents) in order to record numbers, and show that cards actually are or were in your possession. Be very careful when storing or transmitting these pictures as the info is very sensitive and can be used for identity theft!
17. Inclement weather reporting. If you're the first one to see the funnel cloud, heavy hail, or a river starting to overflow, sending a picture in to the weather service or proper authorities is undeniable and rapid proof that severe weather or other emergency is occurring.
18. First Responder intel. The more first responders know about the true nature of a collapsed house, an auto accident, a fire in progress, or any other emergency, the more rapid and appropriate a reaction they can make.
19. Missing persons report. Send picture of picture. Let's say a family member goes missing. In addition to the last minute photos you took, you could also send a picture of a photograph you might have in your purse or wallet. This will save a lot of time for you and the authorities.
20. Relay property damage to or from neighbors. Suppose your neighborhood was heavily damaged in a disaster. Whoever goes home first, either you or your neighbors, could photograph neighborhood and home damage and relay the info to the other.
21. Help insurance adjusters find your property. After a devastating incident, street signs will be gone, house numbers won't be visible, etc. Take current pictures of landmarks or any kind of unique damage near or at your property. This will make it easier for your insurance adjuster to find you.
22. Copy the bulletin boards. If you're in an emergency shelter, and there's an info bulletin board, you might need a lot of the info posted, but not have time to write or anything to write with or on. Take a picture!
23. Bus, subway, or city map info. If you're anywhere you're not familiar with and you have any sort of posted map, take a picture of it to refer to later if you get lost.
24. Document your route. When traveling to a new area, and either others will be following later, or you want to be sure you can find your way back, be sure to take pictures along the way of landmarks at turns you make, forks in the road, etc.
25. Record medicines or food brand needs. If you have to relay information about your medications to a doctor, or if you have special dietary needs and need to send information regarding certain product or food brands to an outside person or service, then a picture really is worth a thousand words.
26. Remember parking spot locations. Don't trust your memory, trust a picture. Take a quick pic of where you left your vehicle either in a lot or in a parking deck.
27. Pic of engine problems for mechanic. Should you break down on the road and your vehicle shows outward signs of engine problems such as steam shooting from a certain hose, or liquids dripping from a place on the engine, send a pic to a mechanic who may be able to talk you through a quick fix to get you back on the road.
28. Business or service function and/or hours. Just as you'd photograph a map, you might want to copy posted business hours or listed service functions (and pricing) for later review and recall. This is also a good way to report price gouging on the road.
29. Allowable child custodian. If you can't get to your kids who are at school or some other function, relay a picture of the person who is coming in your stead to pick them up. Send this picture to both the school or function, and to your child (if they have their own phonecam).
30. Relay info on injured or hospitalized people. You might be in a position to send pictures to people looking for loved ones or vice-versa.
31. Remember your hotel room. Whenever you get a hotel room, take a picture so you can find your way back. Photo not only the room number on the door, but the name of the motel and adjacent buildings for reference.
32. ID your evac gear. As with all your belongings, take a picture to prove ownership. One situation where this might come in handy is with petty theft in emergency shelters. It's actually a rare occurrence, but it's best to be ready to prove things are yours.
33. Photo scavenger hunt. If you've settled down a bit, say at your emergency shelter or temporary stopover, you'll need something to entertain the kids. Give them a short list of things they should take a picture of. First one to take all the listed pictures wins!
34. Identify the close-up. Another entertainment idea is to take a really close up picture of something while the kids aren't looking, and have them figure out what it is.
35. Document your whereabouts during civil unrest. Another remote possibility, but since these things do happen, it's best to be ready. Let's say you're in a location where looting is occurring, or rioting about to happen. You can either help the Police by secretively taking pictures of the perpetrators (not really recommended for safety reasons), or you can take pictures as you're leaving the area to document the fact that you weren't part of the trouble.
36. ID the rescue team. If a rescuer is picking up your child or pet, you want to photo the rescuer (and the child or pet) and the vehicle they used. Get their name tag in the picture as well as registration numbers on helicopters, vehicle tags numbers, or names of boats.
37. Document your cleanup efforts. It may be a while before your insurance adjuster can arrive. Take pictures of the damage as you found it, and steps you took during cleanup. Regarding insurance or recovery grants, NOTHING beats documentation!
38. Document your repair or cleanup expenditures. If you buy goods or supplies, rent equipment, or hire a service, in addition to keeping your receipts, be sure to photograph the goods acquired, the equipment being used, or the service being performed (also photo the people involved where possible).
39. Transmit property item pics to retrieval companies. Some scenarios will see you unable to return home. Some companies are trained and equipped to go into these areas to help people gather certain belongings. Having property photos stored on your phone will allow you to send pictures of specific property items you'd like retrieved.
40. Document location / status of fellow evacuees. Authorities will not only want to know who is injured, dead, or missing, but they'll want to know who is okay and where they are. Taking pictures of those you meet along with way whether it's during an evacuation, or of people at your emergency shelter, will help ID the living and well.
41. Bridge the language barrier. A picture is worth a thousand words. Ever try to find the restroom in a foreign country and you didn't know the proper phrase? Imagine how guests in our country would feel in emergency situations where they needed much more than a restroom and didn't know how to ask. Pictures would make that process a hundred times easier, whether you're trying to understand their needs, or relay yours to them.
42. Transmit road conditions. Let's say after a hurricane, you're one of the first families returning to a damaged area, and you're taking back roads. Authorities (or others following you later) might not have had a chance to check every avenue of return. If there's damage that needs to be reported, or no damage at all (which should also be reported), sending a picture can relay tons of information, especially if a roadway has received damage and road crews need to know what kind of damage and its extent.
43. Relay traffic conditions. If family or group members are separated, or heading in different directions, you might need to pass along traffic conditions or the info from traffic warning signs.
44. Crime scene evidence. Many times, people have returned from an evacuation to a home that was undamaged during the event, but later looted. Since the Police might not be able to show up right away, go ahead and take "crime scene" photos (for both Police and insurance) just as you'd photograph your property if it was damaged in the event.
45. Too much info on the screen to copy? Shoot it. Should the TV flash some pertinent information on the screen and you don't have time to write it down, or should you have a lot of text on a computer screen and you can't print it out, take a picture for later review.
46. Positive ID to or from your doctor and/or pharmacy. Medical needs are a very real probability during an emergency. Since you can't get to your doctor in person, and they might be phoning in a prescription to a pharmacy that doesn't know either of you, use your phone to verify your identity to your doctor, and your doctor can relay the picture to the pharmacy so they'll know who's coming to get the meds.
47. Emergency supply information. Suppose a developing emergency has caught you low on goods or gear and you send different people to different locations to help stock up. If supplies are low, these family members may need to send a picture of the types or brands of items available so you can make educated purchase decisions.
48. Picture file of "Last Minute List" items and shutdown. Though everyone should keep a "bugout kit" packed and ready to go, there will be items which cannot duplicated and/or packed in advance. In addition to creating a written "Last Minute List," create a photo file showing all the items you want to take with you (and their location) and things you should do to shut down and secure the house before leaving.
49. Evac atlas. Create your own "evac travel atlas" of emergency assets available along your probable evacuation routes. This might include lodging, ATM locations, hospital emergency rooms, etc. Travel the routes and take photos, or draw your own maps and shoot that.
50. Photo reaction plan for the reading disabled. If a family member suffers from any reading disability, such as Dyslexia, using photos is a must. Create a photo file that will relay your entire emergency plan without using text.
51. Since InfoQuest always does more than expected, here's a bonus idea. Your camera phone can relay pictures of structural damage to a structural engineer who can tell you how to shore up certain walls, where safe spots might be, where hidden dangers might be, etc., as your Search and Rescue team looks through a collapsed building for survivors. These are just some of the many ways a camera phone can be used to help in an emergency. Take a look around at your family and your current threats, needs, and assets and look at ways you can put your phonecam to use. Better yet, look at the things you can do so that your phonecam isn't needed at all! Copyright 2005 - 2007, Paul Purcell. About the author: Paul Purcell is an Atlanta-based security analyst and preparedness consultant with over twenty years risk management and preparedness experience. He's also the author of Disaster Prep 101 found at www.disasterprep101 .com, and he's a partner / advisor to 1-800-PREPARE found at www.1800PREPARE.com.

In a Surprise, Vick Signs With the Eagles

tdsollog — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:41:13 -0700

In a Surprise, Vick Signs With the Eagles

By JUDY BATTISTA
Published: August 13, 2009
NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/sports/football/14vick.html?th&emc=th

Michael Vick, exiled from football for two seasons, finally has a new team, and it is not one anyone expected. The Philadelphia Eagles, who have Donovan McNabb as their starting quarterback, sent a shock wave through the preseason Thursday night by signing Vick. He will give them a versatile backup who can run as well as pass, but who could also eventually compete for McNabb’s job.

Coach Andy Reid benched McNabb briefly last season during a poor performance against the Ravens. McNabb chafed at the move. But he rallied after that and led the Eagles to the National Football Conference championship game, where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals.

The N.F.C. East may be the N.F.L.’s most treacherous division, and the addition of Vick could help the Eagles establish supremacy over the Giants.

“I’m a believer that as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance,” Reid said Thursday night after the Eagles lost to the Patriots, 27-25, in a preseason game.

“You’re talking about one of the top quarterbacks in the league when he was playing,” Reid added. “I talked to Michael and he’s in a good place.”

McNabb, 32, has never enjoyed universal fan support in Philadelphia. If he struggles during the season, there could be calls for Vick, 29, to take over.

Still, Reid dismissed suggestions that the addition of Vick would lead to a quarterback controversy.

“He comes into a good, stable unit here,” Reid said of Vick. “Donovan and Michael are very close.”

McNabb, who was rewarded with a $5.3 million raise after last season and will make $24.5 million over the next two years, will not have to look over his shoulder for a while. Vick, who was reinstated last month after serving 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring, can begin practicing immediately, and he could play in the final two preseason games. But Commissioner Roger Goodell will decide by the sixth week of the season when Vick can play in a regular-season game.

“I pretty much lobbied to get him here,” McNabb said. “I believe in second chances and what better place to get a second chance than here with this group of guys.” McNabb added, “We had the opportunity to add another weapon to our offense."

The Eagles’ decision to sign Vick drew a quick response from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal-rights group.

PETA said in a statement: “What sort of message does this send to young fans who care about animals and don’t want to see them be harmed? PETA certainly hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and feels truly remorseful for his crimes - but since he’s given no public indication that that’s the case, only time will tell.” The Eagles will most likely use Vick as a backup and perhaps in a small package of plays that will take advantage of his ability to keep defenses guessing, perhaps in Wildcat-style formats where he could run or pass.

Reid has traditionally preferred a pass-oriented offense, which could hurt Vick, whose first instinct under pressure is to run with the ball. Vick struggled with his accuracy in 2006, when the Falcons went 7-9 and he completed just 52.6 percent of his passes.

Still, Vick’s scrambling ability is tantalizing, because it makes him so unpredictable. In 2006, he ran for 1,039 yards, and those who have seen Vick since his release from prison say he appears to be in fine physical condition.

Vick is the prototype for the many versatile players teams have drafted in recent years - including Dolphins quarterback Pat White and Vikings receiver Percy Harvin - to run Wildcat-style plays.

Vick agreed to a one-year contract, with a one-year option, making this essentially a tryout and a chance for him to get reacclimated to the N.F.L.

Tony Dungy, the former coach of the Colts, has acted as Vick’s mentor. Dungy has said that he spoke with several coaches about Vick, but that only a small number of teams were a good fit, particularly because owners feared an adverse reaction from fans.

The Eagles provide Vick with a stable organization to insulate him during what is sure to be a tumultuous return. No game may be more dramatic than when the Eagles visit Atlanta on Dec. 6. The Falcons once made Vick the highest-paid player in the N.F.L., but his new contract will pay him $1.6 million in 2009, with an option for $5.2 million, according to FoxSports.com.

New Jersey: Man dies in chocolate; Camden plant may be illegal

tdsollog — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:18:39 -0700

Man dies in chocolate; Camden plant may be illegal
By Matthew Spolar and Matt Katz
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20090709_Man_dies_in_chocolate__...
Inquirer Staff Writers

A 29-year-old man died yesterday morning after he fell into an eight-foot vat of chocolate at a Camden facility that officials think may have been operating illegally.

Vincent Smith II of Camden fell from a nine-foot platform as he was tossing blocks of solid raw chocolate into a 120-degree tank used to mix and melt the chocolate for Hershey's candy, according to Jason Laughlin, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

A coworker slammed on an emergency shutoff switch as two others tried to rescue Smith, Laughlin said, but Smith, a temporary worker, was hit by a paddlelike mechanism that mixes the chocolate. He was dead when firefighters pulled his body out about 10:45 a.m.

The companies involved - Moorestown-based Lyons & Sons and a subcontractor, Cocoa Services - may have been operating illegally in Camden.

Lyons lacks a certificate of occupancy and business license in Camden, said Iraida Afanador, the city's director of code enforcement. There is no record of either company at the 36th Street address in the city's tax records.

"We need to speak to the owner to find out why he's conducting business without a license in the city of Camden, so summons and violations will be issued," Afanador said. "I'm curious now, because a life has been taken, and we want to figure out who is the owner."

Lyons is listed online as an authorized member of Camden's Urban Enterprise Zone. Afanador said she would check paper records today to investigate the history of the property.

Laughlin said the plant, once a Campbell Soup Co. location, has processed chocolate for six or seven years.

A message left for Lyons at its Moorestown office was not returned. Laughlin said he had no information on Cocoa Services; a call to the phone number listed for the company online was answered by a woman as "Lyons & Sons Inc."

The companies are incorporated as affiliates of Transmar Commodity Group Ltd. in Morristown, N.J., according to a Transmar Web site. That company does not own the building, said Mary Johnson, its senior vice president.

"Right now we don't have any details to discuss," she said. "We are in the dark as well."

Laughlin said the investigation so far indicates the death was accidental. The mixing was a daily task, he said.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it also was investigating the incident. Lyons does not have any prior OSHA violations. But Afanador said that because the city Bureau of License and Inspection did not know about the business, it would not have made spot safety checks and referred problems to OSHA.

In July 2002, a 19-year-old worker died when he fell into a vat for mixing and melting chocolate at a plant in Hatfield Township, Montgomery County. An autopsy determined that the man died of asphyxiation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact staff writer Matt Katz at 856-779-3919 or mkatz@phillynews.com.

Southern N.J. prices down, foreclosures up, reports say

tdsollog — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:10:35 -0700

From the Press of Atlantic City:
By KEVIN POST Business Editor, 609-272-7250 | Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/top_three/article_dee1ce7c-3f75-...

Those hoping for a sign that southern New Jersey’s real estate market has bottomed out didn’t find it in Tuesday’s report from the National Association of Realtors, which showed home prices in Atlantic County 21 percent lower than a year ago.

There was no “green shoot” - current economist lingo for a seedling of positive news - in the April RealtyTrac foreclosure report either. Foreclosure filings increased 28 percent in Atlantic County, 15 percent in Cape May County, 12 percent in Cumberland County and 18 percent in Ocean County.

“Our number was brutal,” said Richard Perniciaro, referring to the first-quarter plunge in the median price of existing Atlantic County homes as tracked by the National Association of Realtors. That price - $219,100 - was also down 4.4 percent from the fourth quarter.

The director of business research at Atlantic Cape Community College said the Realtors’ survey method is probably exaggerating the price decline, since it averages all homes sales in the quarter rather than tracking price changes at particular properties. That makes the number of high-end-home sales in the quarter an important factor.

Home sales on the high-priced islands have been very slow, Perniciaro said, while on the mainland there has been a surge in foreclosure liquidations and bank sales. “It’s a really big drop, but the market probably hasn’t been that bad,” he said.

Nationally, first-quarter home prices fell 13.8 percent from a year ago, the Realtors reported, while the number of sales declined 3.2 percent. In the Northeast, prices were down 15.9 percent and sales were off 20.1 percent.

New Jersey was in line with the underperforming region, with sales dropping 18.7 percent in the quarter from the same period last year.

Nonetheless, Diane Dilzell, president of the N.J. Association of Realtors, said she saw positive signs in the report.

“We do see things changing. Because of the $8,000 federal credit, we’re seeing first-time homebuyers out there, buying ahead of the November deadline, and buying now so they’re settled before school starts in September,” Dilzell said.

Indeed, the Realtors reported that half of home purchases nationwide were by first-time buyers. Such buyers also were responding to a record low mortgage interest rate of 5.06 percent for the quarter.

Unfortunately, distressed sales - foreclosed homes and those sold for less than is owed on them - also accounted for about half of all homes sales in the quarter, the Realtors said.

In southern New Jersey, hopes that housing distress was easing were dashed in April by increases in foreclosure filings in each county, according to RealtyTrac, the Irvine, Calif.-based provider of foreclosure market information.

Only Cape May County, where one in 894 houses was in foreclosure in April, had a rate better than the state’s one in 695 homes. In Atlantic County, the rate was one in 522 homes; in Cumberland County, one in 614; and in Ocean County, one in 646.

Atlantic County foreclosures are up 89 percent from a year ago; Cape May County’s down 22 percent; Cumberland County’s down 14 percent; and Ocean County’s up 39 percent.

Nationwide, April foreclosures were up 1 percent from the prior month and 32 percent from a year ago, for a record rate of one in 374 homes in foreclosure.

Dilzell, speaking from the annual convention of the National Association of Realtors in Washington, said the housing recovery already is beginning in the northern and even central parts of the state and eventually will work its way south.

“Northern New Jersey, near New York City, those areas always maintain value and demand because people want to be closer to the city for its job market and mass transportation,” she said. “It’s always a draw, people want to be there. I want to be by the beach, but how often do I get there? Not often because we have to work.”

Perniciaro said he expects the high-end housing on the barrier islands to recover first in the region since it is less dependent on a labor market decimated by job losses.

He said his previous predication of the area housing market bottoming in late July still looks good, “but I’ll take the third quarter. That’s close enough.”

The Realtors’ survey price drop is the second strike for the region in the quarter, following the Zillow.com report earlier this month that showed Atlantic County prices down 14 percent for the year and 2.7 percent for the quarter.

Area home prices will get one more chance to show at least a slower decline later this month when the Federal Housing Finance Agency reports on quarterly prices in Atlantic and Cape May counties, and year-over-year prices for Cumberland County. The FHFA survey tracks price changes at particular homes.

E-mail Kevin Post: KPost@pressofac.com

NJ (and other states): To Save Money, States Turn to Furloughs

tdsollog — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:21:46 -0700

To Save Money, States Turn to Furloughs

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/24furlough.html?th&emc=th

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Published: April 23, 2009
Licenses for same-sex marriages were supposed be issued in Iowa starting this Friday. But because of a crimped state budget, court employees will be on mandatory furlough that day and the courts will be closed. Gay couples cannot start filing for their licenses until Monday.

The Recession’s Impact
Faces, numbers and stories from behind the downturn.
As they try to cope with gaping budget deficits, at least 15 states from every region - like Alabama and Georgia in the South; Arizona, California and Washington in the West; and Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York in the Northeast - are in various stages of considering or carrying out furloughs.

“This may very well be the most widespread use, or consideration of use, at least since the emergence of the post-World War II economic boom,” Robert Bruno, professor of labor relations at the University of Illinois, Chicago, said of furloughs.

But furloughs can be a problem for states in a way they may not be for a private company where demand for a product has dropped. Government services remain in even greater demand in a weak economy. Furloughs often mean fewer workers handling a larger load. For instance, there are already signs of disability claims piling up in seven states.

“The word ‘furlough’ sounds nice and fluffy, like, ‘This isn’t painful, we aren’t doing layoffs,’ ” said Hetty Rosenstein, director of the largest state-worker union in New Jersey. There, an appeals court last week upheld a plan to make state workers take two furlough days by June 30, the end of the fiscal year, and 12 more in the next fiscal year.

“But,” Ms. Rosenstein added, “furloughs are fundamentally a cut in pay. And furloughs are a cut in service. If you don’t have people working, the work isn’t going to magically get done.”

The longest state furloughs so far appear to be 24 days in Alabama, the same number that had been proposed in Minnesota.

Private companies, too, are increasingly turning to furloughs as they try to ride out the recession. A Watson Wyatt survey released this week found that 17 percent of 141 companies surveyed had imposed furloughs in April, up from 11 percent in February.

Furloughs of public employees can affect critical services like police and fire protection, prison guard duty and hospital care. Unions in Minnesota say that proposed furloughs there would have cost more than they would have saved, due in part to lost services.

For the most part, it is too soon to judge the impact of furloughs on the delivery of public services. But there are early signs of a ripple effect.

One stark example is at the Social Security Administration, a program paid for by the federal government but administered by state workers. Officials said this month that in seven states, 2,700 of those workers had been furloughed, further delaying the processing of tens of thousands of disability claims, which already take an average of 488 days to resolve.

Services in several California counties were already curbed because of layoffs before the state instituted furloughs for the first time in its history in February, when it ordered 90 percent of its 238,000 employees to take off two days of unpaid leave per month.

Now, for example, at the Orange County Social Services Agency, Herman Martinez, an eligibility specialist and president of the local unit of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the agency could not keep up with applications for public assistance, which have only grown in the economic downturn. “It’s a whole can of worms for us to try to service the most needy and vulnerable clients,” Mr. Martinez said.

In Iowa, furloughs have delayed the start of same-sex marriages by only one business day but they have also reduced the time that the public has access to the courts. All courts are closed every other Friday through June, which means clerks are falling behind in their caseloads. To help them make up for lost time, their offices are closed to the public early on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“That gives them an opportunity to catch up with paperwork,” said Steve Davis, a spokesman for the state’s Supreme Court, “but it further limits access of the public to the court.”

Furloughs allow companies and agencies to keep valued employees, are easier and faster to start than layoffs and are not as demoralizing, analysts say. Workers often accept them because they are presented as the only alternative to layoffs, and in some cases, they have no choice.

In New Jersey, the state worker unions are angry that they did not have the chance to negotiate the state’s cost-savings package, which was imposed unilaterally, as it was in California. In New York, Gov. David A. Paterson has said that if the state employee unions do not agree to concessions, he will lay off about 9,000 of the state’s 200,000 workers.

“Conditions have gotten so hard that employees who would have been less inclined to accept furloughs have a sense that there’s a permanent economic restructuring going on, something deeper and more lasting, and that means employees have fewer options,” said Mr. Bruno, the labor relations professor. “The power has shifted to the employer, and employees are more desperate.”

While employees often worry that furloughs will not actually prevent layoffs, some have been able to negotiate better job security. State union leaders in Connecticut have tentatively agreed to unpaid furloughs as part of a package that would guarantee no layoffs for two years.

Utah has found an alternative to furloughs, one already used by many city and county governments. Utah’s state workers have been on a mandatory four-day workweek since August in a program started as a way to try to reduce energy costs. Salaries have not been cut because offices are open an hour earlier and close an hour later.

“We’re just repacking how we do the 40 hours,” said Jeff Herring, Utah’s executive director of human resources.

But Mr. Herring said the move had reduced costs in many ways: overtime payments and absenteeism are down, for example, and online services have been expanded, which has cut the waiting time at places like the Division of Motor Vehicles. Employee morale is up, internal surveys say, but the energy savings have not been as great as anticipated.

President Obama’s economic stimulus package could eventually relieve some of the pressure on state budgets. But for now, states are relying more on furloughs, though their long-term value is still being assessed.

“Furloughs can save you money and help you avoid layoffs, at least initially,” said Alan Ehrenhalt, editor of Governing magazine. “But employees do lose income, services are disrupted, and it turns out you can’t really close all the things on Friday you thought you could.

“So the savings aren’t as great. And you’re not solving any long-term problem.”

An earlier version of this article stated incorrectly that Gov. David A. Paterson of New York was considering furloughs as part of the concessions he is seeking from state workers. Furloughs have not been part of the public discussions.

NJ: Milgram says medical marijuana proposal 'workable' but she has enforcement concerns

tdsollog — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:53:45 -0700

Milgram says medical marijuana proposal 'workable' but she has enforcement concerns

TRENTON - New Jersey's Attorney General Anne Milgram said she is concerned about enforcing the proposed state medicinal marijuana laws to ensure only patients can use the drug.

But she said the proposal is "workable" and her office sent recommendation to the governor's office to guard against abuses.

Under the bill, patients would have to register with the state. They would then be allowed to possess as many as six marijuana plants and have an ounce of marijuana in their possession, although they would be banned from smoking in public.

The law would also create "alternative treatment centers" that would provide marijuana to registered patients.

The legislation has passed the state Senate but has not been heard in the Assembly. Gov. Jon S. Corzine has said he would sign the measure.

Milgram testified Tuesday in front of the Assembly's Budget Committee over the Department of Law and Public Safety's budget, which is set to shrink 1 percent, to $1.12 billion.

Cuts mean that the largest department under her, the State Police, would not have funds for a new class or to hire new troopers during the upcoming fiscal year.

Instead, between July 2009 and June 2010, an analysis by the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services shows the State Police would lose about 151 troopers, reducing the force to 2,949, approximately what it was in June 2007.

The budget cuts State Police funding by $11.1 million, to $293 million. Much of that comes from a $7 million reduction in salary expenses.

Milgram testified that the state is hoping a federal grant will help underwrite the cost of a new class.

The OLS analysis said federal funds account for

$239.3 million of the department's budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a 16.7 percent increase from present.

Also in testimony, she said when New Jersey phased out state patrols of nuclear power plants Dec. 31, it was the last to do so. The budget proposes saving $4.53 million by turning over security patrols to the plants.

She also acknowledged she was involved in the recent decision to issue warnings instead of fines for illegal 50-50 raffles at 59 of the state's 73 bowling alleys. For that, she said to laughs, "I did get a bowling ball and pin sent to me."

Earlier in the day the Department of Health and Human Services defended its decision to require AIDS patients to pay co-pays for their medicine, saying it was based on PAAD and Senior Gold copayments.

People with incomes below the federal poverty line would continue to get free prescriptions while people between 101 and 225 percent of the line would pay $6 per prescription, those with incomes between 226 and 320 percent of the line would pay $15 and those with incomes greater than 320 percent of the line would pay $30.

The federal poverty line is $10,830 for one person, with $3,740 for each additional person per household.

The department's overall budget is proposed to shrink by 2.9 percent to 3.7 billion, while relying more on federal funding from the American Economic Recovery and Investment Act to pay for early childhood intervention and federally qualified health centers.

The budget cuts New Jersey funding of the department by 22.4 percent to $1.24 billion, while at the same time, it increases federal funding by 13.5 percent to $2.1 billion.

Lawmakers have to approve the state's $29.8 billion budget by June 30.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

E-mail Derek Harper: DHarper@pressofac.com

New Jersey: Frog incident sparks probe of Dennis Township teacher

tdsollog — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:52:57 -0700

Frog incident sparks probe of Dennis Township teacher
By DIANE D'AMICO

Published: Thursday, March 26, 2009
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/186/story/440513.html

DENNIS TOWNSHIP Robin Grace has two pet fire-bellied toads, Angelo and Jonica, that live in a tank in her bedroom.
“I just find them so interesting,” she said of her fondness for the amphibians.

So when it came time to dissect frogs in her eighth-grade science class at the Dennis Township Middle School School, she was less than enthused.

Her discomfort in class last week, and a teacher’s response to it, has led to an investigation of whether a prank allegedly initiated by the teacher might require disciplinary action.

The animal rights group PETA has also asked that the school change its dissection policy and discipline the teacher.

A state law allows students to refuse to dissect animals. Schools must provide an alternative project, and some schools have replaced dissections with computer-generated models.
Grace said science teacher Tom Parsons told the students they had a choice of dissecting, watching or leaving the room. Grace said she decided to try to stay in class because she was concerned about her grade.

“I told Mrs. (Beth) Champion on the way to class that I didn’t want to do it, that I’d just watch” Grace said Thursday. Champion is a special education teacher who was assisting with the science class.

Even watching the dissections made her really uncomfortable, Grace said, but Champion seemed to think it was funny and even asked other students to show their frog parts to her. Finally, Grace said, Champion realized how disgusted Grace was and told her she could leave the room.

Grace said when she returned, and went to get her purse, she found a latex glove partially in it.

“I thought it was a used glove from class, and I didn’t want to touch it,” she said. “Mrs. Champion said she would get it, then she said she wouldn’t. She asked another student to get it out, and when he picked it up, there was a frog skin inside. I squealed a little bit, and he said sorry and put it in the trash.”

She said other students told her after class that it was Champion who suggested putting the glove in Grace’s purse.

Later in the day Grace had a language arts class with Champion. She said when she arrived Champion asked her to go back to Parson’s room to get a bag for her. When she got there, Parsons gave her a plastic bag with a frog’s head it in.

“I put it on the end of the long wooden pass and carried it back,” Grace said. “I told (Ms. Champion) it was mean to make me do that, and she said she wanted other kids in the class to see what they had missed. One of the kids was wandering around class with the frog, and Mrs. Champion said ‘show it to Robin because she loves that.’ He was touching me with it, and rubbing it on my face and (Champion) and the other kids were just laughing.”

When Grace got home she called a friend to tell her what had happened, and Grace’s mother, Janie, overheard. She reported it to the school principal.

Robin Grace said both Parsons and Champion apologized to her the next day, saying it was just a joke.

“But then (Champion) said if I had told them I loved frogs and had pet frogs, they wouldn’t have done it, and that I had to communicate better,” Robin Grace said. “It was like it was my fault.”

Janie Grace said she has spoken to both Principal James DiCarlo and Superintendent George Papp, and they were responsive. But, she said, while she was told that action would be taken, the investigation is confidential, and she is worried the school won’t take it seriously.

“The school has a no-bullying policy for students, but what about teachers?” Janie Grace said.

The Press left phone and e-mail messages for Parsons and Champion at the school, but they were not returned Thursday.

Papp confirmed the investigation, but would not comment on the specifics, citing personnel confidentiality. He said disciplinary action against a teacher, if warranted, could range from a meeting with their supervisor to possible tenure charges in the most extreme circumstances.

Papp also said students can opt out of dissections, and that the district has a computer-generated program they can do instead.

The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, sent a letter to DiCarlo offering to buy the school a site license for Digital Frog 2.5, a digital dissection program, if they would agree to permanently remove dissection from the curricula.

PETA also asked that Champion be disciplined, saying her actions were discriminatory and harassment.

Justin Goodman, a research supervisor at PETA’s Lab Investigations Department, said requiring dissection is cruel both to animals and students who don’t want to do it. The reported taunting of Grace went a step further, he said, and should be taken seriously.

“It was completely unprofessional and unethical,” he said. “ The school should send a clear message, and the law allowing students to opt out should also be taken more seriously.”

He said even if the incident was just teasing, a teacher should not be teasing students.

“There is research that when females in middle school are exposed to something like this, it just turns them off to science,” he said. “I would be disappointed if all that was done was the apology.”

Robin, who wants to be a marine biologist, said she believes the apologies from the teachers were sincere, but the fact that teachers were involved does make her feel worse.

“If it had been a student I would have taken offense, but not so much,” she said. “Even if it was just a joke, it was one sick, messed-up joke.”

New Jersey 1015's Empty Wallet Convoy Campaign: Taxpayers Unite, Including my son

tdsollog — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:06:46 -0700

New Jersey 1015's Empty Wallet Convoy Campaign: Taxpayers Unite, Including my son

Adam and I went out to NJ1015's http://www.nj1015.com/ "Empty Wallet Convoy" dropoff at the Pomona /Atlantic City rest stop on the NJ Parkway last Friday (3/20). He dropped off a wallet with a protest letter, and dropped in the casket at the collection area. This wallet will be dropped off on 3/31, at Trenton. http://www.nj1015.com/emptywalletconvoy.html

He was so thrilled to be a part of this event. Here's a direct link to his video. If you spot a "crazy redhead", that's me....

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/19edfa27ee047c4d068ea166f3dc3939/vide...

From.... Tiffany (proud mama)

New Jersey: Corzine calls for 'choices we might not otherwise make' in budget address

tdsollog — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:54:00 -0700

Corzine calls for 'choices we might not otherwise make' in budget address
By DEREK HARPER Statehouse Bureau, 609-292-4935

Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2009
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/185/story/425145.html

Gov. Jon S. Corzine proposed a $29.8 billion budget Tuesday that would slash state spending by 9.4 percent but cushion the blow to the state's most vulnerable residents, the governor said.
"Even as we cut the government in unprecedented and historic amounts," Corzine said in his budget address to both houses of the state Legislature, "we are doing so in the right way - the way that sustains our abiding commitment to those core values ... nurturing our children, honoring our seniors and protecting the most vulnerable."

The budget document estimates that without cuts or adjustments, the $32.9 billion budget approved in June would grow to $35.7 billion next year. But at the same time, the state expects to collect just $28.6 billion.

To make up the difference, the election-year budget proposes $3.6 billion in cuts or other spending reductions or deferrals, relies on about $1.1 billion in new taxes or fees, and uses $2.2 billion in federal stimulus spending and about $199 million in surplus funds.

Corzine's budget increases spending for grade-school education and children's health programs, while keeping the state's property-tax rebate programs largely intact for senior residents.

At the same time, it cuts about 850 programs, calls for a one-year, 0.75 percent tax increase on state residents earning more than $500,000 and halves the income eligibility for property-tax rebates for non-senior citizens.
It increases the nation's highest $2.575-per-pack cigarette tax by an additional 12.5 cents per pack, and raises taxes on liquor and wine by 25 percent.

The budget calls for a new tax on all lottery winnings in excess of $10,000 and extends a 4 percent corporate business tax surcharge set to expire this year.

"The unprecedented circumstances of our national economic crisis require choices we might not otherwise make," Corzine said in his address. "Our responsibility requires us to have the courage to meet these challenges, deliberately, honestly, with compassion and good judgment. And that is precisely what we have done in crafting this budget."

State legislators in southern New Jersey said the austere budget was dictated by the times.

"It's a real budget, and it's not a pretty one," said Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland. "We're doing what the public wants. We're spending less money.

"There is no sunshine in this room today," Sweeney added. "None at all."

Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, said he expected worse.

"You can't plug a $7 billion gap - which is what we're looking at - without everyone feeling some pain," Whelan said. "You can do it with smoke and mirrors; that's the way we used to do it. We can't do it that way anymore."

While Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said there was a lot of good in the spending plan, "Currently as it's constructed, I can't support the budget," he said, citing new proposed taxes as well as cuts to tourism and beach replenishment programs.

At the same time, Assemblymen Daniel Van Pelt and Brian Rumpf, both R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, called for reducing the size of government. Van Pelt advocated layoffs.

"The state of New Jersey does not have a revenue problem," he said, adding later that it has "a spending problem."

Others said Corzine missed the mark.

"We're not targeting where we should," said Assemblyman John Amodeo, R-Atlantic. "We should eliminate health care benefits to part-time legislators."

The largest single reduction to the state's base budget is an $895.3 million cut to state pension funding, which apparently includes a $564.7 million reduction to state teacher pension fund contributions.

Also likely to be controversial is a proposal to cut some property-tax programs to save the state an additional $517.1 million.

The budget eliminates property taxes as a state income tax deduction, which the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services said would yield between $500 million and $580 million in savings. An analysis of 2006 returns found eliminating the deduction would affect about 1.6 million filers, costing them an average of $300 each.

Lawmakers were uneasy with this.

"I don't know that we're sold on eliminating that deduction," said Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland. "It may not survive."

Sen. Christopher Connors, R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, said the proposal was startling. "You can't eliminate the property deduction from taxes. That'd be devastating."

Assemblyman Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, echoed Connors.

"It sounds to me like he plans to finance this on the backs of middle-class New Jersey," Polistina said. "So that means it is going to punish every single person in this state that owns property."

The budget also keeps property-tax rebates for seniors citizens earning less than $150,000, while halving that eligibility for everyone else for one year to $75,000.

Budget documents estimated the average senior property-tax rebate check would be $1,200 next year. Checks to non-senior households earning less than $50,000 would average $900, while those earning between $50,000 and $75,000 would average $700.

This is down from this year, when checks averaged $1,115 for homeowners earning as much as $100,000, $665 for those with incomes between and $100,000 and $150,000 and were eliminated for those earning more than $150,000.

Corzine blamed the ongoing economic downturn and called for restoring the rebates when state finances stabilize. The problem, he said, were too many layers of government that must be cut or combined.

"But in the meantime, however, rebates remain the primary tool by which the state can ease the property-tax burden on individual citizens."

Renters' rebates, which averaged $80 last year, remain intact.

While the budget reduced the limits on property-tax rebates, budget documents said that more than two-thirds of people getting them last year would continue to receive them.

Furloughs and salary freezes for state and college employees would save an additional $418.5 million.

Published reports prior to the address said the state could furlough workers one day per month for the next year, or if unions do not agree, lay off several thousands workers. Corzine's address briefly mentioned furloughs but not layoffs, which might suggest the issue had been settled.

Not so, said Bob Master, spokesman for the Communication Workers of America, the state's largest public employee union.

Master said while there had been some "informal exchanges of ideas which were not terribly productive" no negotiations are currently scheduled. As for layoffs, he said, "I don't believe this is a settled question but I think you need to speak to someone on their side."

Corzine spokesman Robert Corrales declined comment, saying state Treasurer David Rousseau would address the question at a news conference today.

Of local interest, state beach replenishment spending will decrease from $25 million to $18.75 million, while tourism funding is budgeted to decrease from $10 million to $7.5 million.

In his speech, Corzine cast it as prioritizing.

"We didn't want to cut funding for tourism advertising and beach replenishment, but we chose to maintain safe neighborhoods, safe highways and homeland security," he said.

Van Drew said the cuts reduce funding below a "poison pill" threshold and would prevent the state from collecting taxes that fund the programs. As such, they would require legislative changes for enactment.

Assemblyman Matt Milam, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said he wondered why the governor targeted this.

"You don't cut a revenue stream," Milam said. "When I'm sitting in my living room and see a commercial about Delaware and Maryland beaches, I want people in Maryland to see commercials about our shore."

E-mail Derek Harper: DHarper@pressofac.com

Surviving Girl Scout Cookie Season: Can you enjoy Girl Scout cookies without blowing your diet?

tdsollog — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:20:44 -0700

Surviving Girl Scout Cookie Season: Can you enjoy Girl Scout cookies without blowing your diet?
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/surviving-girl-scout-cookie-s...

It comes but once a year, that time when a few bucks will buy you a stroll down memory lane. As we speak, girls dressed in green are knocking on doors across America, carrying boxes filled with everyone's favorite treat -- Girl Scout cookies.

Which ones do you look forward to? It's a very subjective thing. While my husband is a Thin Mint kind of guy, my youngest daughter is a Tagalong. I'm all about the "All Abouts," and my oldest daughter enjoys all of the above. (This year, though, I’ll have to find a new favorite because the "All Abouts" are, well ... out.)

And yes, this dietitian and her family do enjoy these not-so-healthy treats. I usually buy a box of everyone’s favorite cookie, we enjoy them, and after about a week or two, we move on. Girl Scout cookies are one of those unique food traditions that mark a certain time of year. And if you are someone who really looks forward to these cookies and would register it as a loss if you didn’t partake, I'd say you should celebrate the cookies -- but with moderation in mind.

What’s New in Girl Scout Cookies?
Two different bakers make Girl Scout cookies, and each of them make their particular rendition of the classics (Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do Si Dos, Samoas, Shortbread). Depending on which baker supplies your particular cookie connection, the names and nutrition information can vary. I might say "Tagalongs" and you say "Peanut Butter Patties;" or you say "Shortbread" and I say "Trefoils." "Thanks-A-Lot" are similar to "All Abouts," and "Peanut Butter Sandwiches" are equivalent to "Do-si-dos." And my "Peanut Butter Sandwiches" might be equivalent to your "Do-si-dos."

Each year, the two chosen bakers try out at least one new cookie option. If the new choices don’t sell well, they aren’t usually back the next year.

"It’s a constant process," says Michelle Thompkins, external communications consultant for Girl Scouts USA. "But there’s always a demand for healthier cookies."

Although Girl Scout cookies can't exactly be considered health food (they are cookies, after all), there are now a couple of more healthful options:

Reduced-Fat Daisy Go Rounds (by ABC/Interbake Foods) come in 100-calorie pouches. These top out at only 2 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, and 8 grams of sugar.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (by Little Brownie Bakers) have 0 grams sugar (plus 7 grams of sugar alcohol that's mostly not digested). Still, they're relatively high in fat (9 grams per serving) and calories (160 per serving).

Rating the Girl Scout Cookies
So which Girl Scout cookies are the most healthy -- or perhaps I should say the least unhealthy?

The most figure-friendly Girl Scout cookies are those with the fewest fat grams and calories per sensible serving. The most heart-friendly cookies, meanwhile, are those lowest in saturated fat -- which often match up with those lowest in total fat and calories.

Below is my ranking, from most figure-friendly to least, of popular Girl Scout Cookie options. The ones with asterisks beside their names were superlative in some category (like lowest in fat or highest in sugar) among those ranked.

1. *Reduced-Fat Daisy Go Rounds (1 pouch)
*Lowest in fat; lowest in saturated fat; lowest in calories
Fat grams: 2
Saturated fat grams: 1
Calories: 100
Sugar grams: 8
Total carbohydrate grams: 19
Fiber grams: less than 1
First 4 ingredients: enriched flour, sugar, palm oil, and high fructose corn syrup

2. *Shortbread (4 cookies; 26 grams)
*Lowest in sugar among the regular cookies
Fat grams: 4.5
Saturated fat grams: 2
Calories: 120
Sugar grams: 4
Total carbohydrate grams: 19
Fiber grams: less than 1
First 3 ingredients: enriched flour, sugar, and palm oil; cookies contain less that 2% of the remaining ingredients

3. Do-si-dos (2 cookies; 24 grams)
Fat grams: 5
Saturated fat grams: 1.5
Calories: 120
Sugar grams: 7
Total carbohydrate grams: 16
Fiber grams: less than 1
First 4 ingredients: enriched flour, sugar, whole grain oats, vegetable oil

4. Lemon Chalet Cremes (2 cookies; 32 grams)
Fat grams: 7
Saturated fat grams: 2.5
Calories: 170
Sugar grams: 13
Total carbohydrate grams: 26
Fiber grams: