Isn’t Time Relative to Age?: Louis Mascolo

By Louis Mascolo

Congratulations to our local politicians who won their elections last month. Elected to Township Committee were Chuck Chiarello and Theresa Kelly, Freeholder James Curcio and State Representatives Nelson Albano and Matt Milam. We’re proud that all of them contribute to our paper and realize the importance of keeping you informed. Keep up the good work lady and gents. Why is it that our local politicians always do a better job than the Federal legislators? No matter how many people we elect to Congress, it’s always the same bull. Big promises, little results! I guess if corporations started contributing big money to local municipalities, we would experience the same corruption. Lucky for us!

Tough year for everyone, but the Holiday Season and the New Year is upon us and we welcome a little relief from the constant barrage of bad news. 

It seems like such a short time ago that we were worried about Y2K. The turn of the millennium is almost ancient history, yet is seems like it was only yesterday. The booming economy, no 9/11 terrorism, low unemployment—a wonderful joy ride. At the same time, it seems like the bad times have been going on forever. Crazy contradiction. Time flies, pain lingers.

Ten years ain’t what it used to be! And as many of you are completely aware of, the older you get, the faster time moves. Doesn’t Einstein have a theory about that? Relativity of the speed of time to age? Hmmm!  Something to look into. But like an ex-President says, “Bring it on!” Happy to be here to face it!

I was also wondering why the New Year begins on January 1. The New Year actually begins on December 21^st at the winter solstice. It’s then that the shortening of days ends and the beginning of longer days begins. In reality, it’s the beginning of new year. Those Romans screwed up. The calendar needs a 10 day shift so that January 1^st falls the day after the winter solstice. Hmmm! In case you’re wondering, what the heck is he talking about, better to ponder this than the miserable economy, two wars and greedy financiers and bankers.

Everything passes and let’s hope 2010 marks the beginning of a new upswing for us all. Now if we could only get the Chinese to give us back some of those jobs.

Happy Holidays and a Properous New Year!

And it isn’t even my birthday!: Lynn Petrovich

By Lynn Petrovich

Here’s a little known fact about me that you probably could live without: I was conceived in New Jersey but born in LA, which means I toured the nation in the fetal position.

And of course like most products of conception, I started out likeable enough, endearing (and tolerable despite the occasional noxious fumes) but as time passed, grew larger, more demanding, with an insatiable appetite.  Some would say now I’m too big for my britches.

Concepts can be good, like free education, or bad, like Agent Orange.  They develop over years of input, and changes are often gradual; sometimes so obtuse they defy observation.  And, occasionally when the process is complete, the result is a monster (like high property taxes) no one has the (political) courage to tame. 

Except the very few.

Two weeks before the election, in his opinion column entitled “Christie, the man with no plan, blew his big chance”, Jeff Edelstein of The Trentonian, complained that Chris Christie would lose the governor’s race because he didn’t assert himself by explaining how he was going to reduce our property taxes:

“If Christie had done that - and nothing else – he would have cakewalked to victory in less than two weeks.  Instead, this is what Christie has been pretty much saying and I paraphrase: ‘Uh, duh. Blippity blippity duh. Property taxes.”

Despite Mr. Edelstein’s rant, Christie is our next governor, so what better time to reduce “blippity blippity duh” to a plan of action (expecially because I’m sure Mr. Christie has no idea what he got into).  For the past few years, I’ve been researching NJ’s 605 individual school districts, 566 municipalities, hundreds of local Authorities, and 21 County governments as a part my forthcoming book, NJ’s Naked Numbers. 

So, Mr. Christie, listen up, below is my E-Z-Bake-Oven 12-step plan to reduce property taxes.  It’s so easy a child could do it.

I call it: “P.S. 101: Whatever happened to Public Service?”

(1)  FREEZE IT:  Freeze salary increases for school superintendents and municipal finance officers (the highest paid) whose salaries are often $150,000 to $200,000.  Some make as much as $233,500 (Long Branch). 

Annual Savings: $14 million

(2)  PLUG IT.  Immobilize salaries for assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, business managers, assistant business managers, financial officers, assistant finance officers and all other top 15% wage earners.

Annual Savings:  $25 million

(3)  TIE IT.  Tie salaries of the top 15% to no more than 2 times (Supers/CFOs) or 1.65 times (others) the median family income of that municipality.  Carteret’s median family income at $41,994 would translate a maximum superintendent’s salary of $83,988.  (Oh we’re talking big savings here).

Annual Savings: $316 million

(4)  PARK IT.  Eliminate the free cars.  We no longer have to pinch ourselves imagining the highest paid actually using their own vehicles to drive around town. 

Annual Savings: $16 million

(5)  CUT IT.  Reduce vacation days from 25 to 10, which would still leave a very generous package of 14 holidays, 4 personal days, and unlimited “seminar” days. 

Annual Savings: $50 million

(6)  CAP IT.  Cap accrued sick and vacation time at amounts not to exceed a cumulative total of $15,000.

Annual Savings: $231 million in addition to (5) above.

(7)  SHARE IT.  Mandate 15% co-pay for insurance premiums for top 15% wage earners.  Why are the highest compensated exempt from contributing to medical, vision, and dental plans?  That’s regressive.

Annual Savings: $12 million

(8)  MERGE IT.  Any school district with less than 1,000 students should have shared services.  Monmouth Beach has 300 students and is projected to spend over $5 million next year. 

Annual Savings: $315 million

(9)  LEGISLATE IT.  NJ should be at the forefront of insisting that our representatives demand the State’s right to enact Universal Single-Payer Health Care.  Congressman Frank Pallone (Democrat NJ-6^th) said last August “When single-payer comes to the floor, I’ll vote for it.”  Great! 

Annual Savings $2.2 Billion

(10)  ADVOCATE IT.  Get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan.  Return tax dollars to our communities!  We are paying for a war that the majority of Americans do not want.  Advocate for withdrawal from W-A-R. 

Annual Savings for NJ:  $3.4 Billion

(11)  VOTE IT.  Vote for independent candidates.  Give the Republican-Democrat Duopoly a boot.

Annual Savings:  No more paid empty offices.

(12)  SCREW IT.  Any Party boss or election contributor that does not advocate for these twelve very simple steps, we can say:  Screw it, you’re out.

Annual Savings:  Priceless   

Disclaimer/Side Effects

This 12-step plan may lower blood pressure and increase family enjoyment.  It’s not recommended for use by squeamish politicians who make promises they fail to keep (see definition of Republican or Democrat).  It’s safe for use by pregnant women, those who used to be pregnant, are thinking about becoming pregnant, or were the result of someone’s pregnancy.   

Total annual savings for this plan $6.6 Billion per year.

The day I learn Governor-elect Christie has the courage to positively address these ideas, I’ll shake my head and think to myself “And it isn’t even my birthday!”

Lynn M. Petrovich, Copyright 2009

Just Passing Through: Gail Benson

By Gail Benson

Found this ad in the South Jersey Star of 16 Nov 1917. Call, in this context, must mean knock on your front door.

So, how did a piano tuner wind up in rural South Jersey. Piano was the form of entertainment at that time. Folks gathered in the parlor and entertained themselves with the new songs of the day, so there may have been more pianos around than we would believe; certainly more than in the households of today.

In 1918 when it was required for Albert Edward Cotton to register for the draft, he said he was living in Newtonville, New Jersey, was born 13 June 1878, and was working as a carpet weaver for a company in Philadelphia. He probably just hopped the train to get to work. Since he didn’t mention piano tuning, it was probably a secondary occupation. The draft card tells that his wife’s name was Mary Jane, and that he became a citizen of the US by virtue of his father’s naturalization before Albert’s majority. Doesn’t say where he was born.

Going forward, the 1920 census lists Albert and Mary in Philadelphia and learn that both were born in England. He is still a carpet weaver; perhaps the commute got too much for him. He is living on Nicetown Lane, next to the Walter Chamberlain family. Walter is also a carpet weaver. Chamberlain is a known Newtonville family name.

By 1930, Albert and Mary Jane are living in Kirkwood, Voorhees Township, Camden County. They have a nine-year-old adopted son named John who was born in Pennsylvania. Albert is a farmer on a poultry farm. The Walter Chamberlain family is next door. In 1942, we still find the Cotton’s on Pine Avenue in Kirkwood. This time, Albert tells us that he was born in Birmingham, England.
Going backwards, the 1910 census tells us Albert and Mary Jane are both carpet weavers living in Philadelphia. Did they meet at work? They have been married for 8 years, and have had two children who have died. Where is neighbor Walter Chamberlain in 1910? He and his wife Ada are in Buena Vista Township, living next to the family of William Chamberlain on 9th Street. Perhaps the Chamberlain’s are a topic for another story.

In 1900, both Albert and Walter were weavers living in Philadelphia. Both arrived from England in the 1880’s. Simple camaraderie at work? Related in some way? And what would make him follow Walter to Buena Vista Township?

So, our piano tuner did not stay here for very long. Defnitely less than ten years, and perhaps as short as one or two. His ads seem to appear from October 1917 through January 1918. But, even in that short time, his name is permanently connected to Newtonville, New Jersey

If you have any information for us, you can email BuenaHistorical@gmail.com or contact us by regular mail at P. O. Box 114, Buena, NJ 08310

Buena Historical Society meets on the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Township Municipal Building, Route 40, Buena. Please join us. January meeting is our annual business meeting.

BUENA HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO HONOR
TWO “BABES”
Buena Historical Society is holding its annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at 6 p.m. at Buena Tavern. At this event each year the Buena Historical Society honors local residents who have served the communities of Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township. This year’s honorees are

Richard “Babe” Cantoni and Lewis “Babe” Lolli.
Tickets for this event are available at $18 per person for a buffet dinner. They may be obtained by mailing your check to Buena Historical Society, PO Box 114, Buena, NJ 08310. For further information, please call 856-692-5227.

Gail Benson: Unfortunate Endings

UNFORTUNATE ENDINGS
By Gail Benson

A few months ago, I wrote of Dr. Dubler. As usual, I asked if anyone has any additional information about my topic or anything else of interest to the Buena historical community. Thanks to Kathleen Vincents and Kitty Finn’s follow-up research, we find Dr. Dubler in attendance at one of the tragic stories of Buena Vista Township.
An article entitled “Poisonous Toadstools” appeared in the Vineland Evening Journal on July 19, 1905. It reported that mistaking toadstools for mushrooms caused the deaths of two children, ages 2 and 7, and much misery in the family of Joseph Franzoi near Friendship Church, Atlantic County. Alma and Viola Franzoi died, with the baby having eaten only the broth on some bread. Dr. Cunningham had been called to the scene on July18. Father and mother were both seriously ill as well, but he had hopes that the father would survive.
Another article appeared on July 25 – It read “Two More Deaths.” Joseph Franzoi and his wife Albina were dead from eating toadstools. In a rehash of the previous week’s happenings, it mentions that Dr. Dubler of Minatola was called first. When the two children could not be saved, Dr. Cunningham was also called. Father and mother were treated at home until Mr. Franzoi worsened and was sent to the hospital. He died on July 24, and his wife died shortly thereafter.
News of this sad situation was not limited to the Vineland newspapers. On the same day as our first article above, shorter versions of the same information appeared in the Trenton Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer. The only additional information in those articles was that Dr. Cunningham’s first name was George. Guess Vineland folks already knew that.
Philadelphia Inquirer continued with coverage on July 27 noting that the deaths were from muscarine poisoning. Funeral services were conducted in the Landisville Catholic Church, conducted by Rev. Father Gerardo Cristiano. Burial was in Landisville Cemetery. It also mentions two boys, aged 5 and 10 who were the remaining members of the family.
On August 3, 1905, the Inquirer headline read: Real Mushrooms May Have Killed Vineland Family. (See how headlines can be wrong! They lived on Weymouth Road, Buena Vista Township.) It states that since the family was expert in gathering mushrooms, and ate large quantities of them, it is not believed that they mistook toadstools for their fatal meal. The particular fungi that nearly wiped out this entire family grew under a chestnut tree, and also under a locust tree. Dr. Cunningham says that the mushrooms may have been poisoned by the soil in which they grew.
There were two survivors in this family who lived on Weymouth Road. Adolph and Joseph, One of the Inquirer articles above reports the two boys were aged 5 and 10, but later census records and draft registrations would indicate they were more like 6 and 4. Those later records also indicate that both boys were born in Colorado.
From Italy to Colorado to Buena Vista Township, New Jersey. But, that’s another story.

If you have any information for us, you can email buenahistorical@gmail.com or contact us by regular mail at P. O. Box 114, Buena, NJ 08310
Buena Historical Society meets on the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Township Municipal Building, Route 40, Buena. One meeting left for the remainder of 2009 - November 18. Please join us. January meeting is our annual business meeting.

Lynn Petrovich: An Unpopular War, Stockpiling Ammunition

An Unpopular War
Stockpiling Ammunition
(Part 9 in the series on Universal Single Payer Health Care)

“I drove past a school with a sign that said
‘WE’RE DRUG-FREE AND GUN-FREE’.
Later that day I drove past another school that didn’t
have a sign like that. What am I supposed to
infer from this about the second school?”
George Carlin

I’m told that a chicken can easily be led to slaughter if you place its head under one of the wings and twirl it around in circular motions several times. When the bird is placed back on the ground, it is so disoriented that it virtually collapses with its neck lying directly across the chopping block.
The point being: Kill it before it knows what’s happening.
After witnessing the responses to the various health care proposals being bantered about in Congress, it is obvious America’s loudest and most vulgar citizens have experience in chicken farming. I couldn’t believe the nonsense that was being discharged on the airwaves, in newspapers and magazines, and more importantly at so-called citizen forums.
The totally unfounded warnings of impending doom which include (but are not limited to) rationing health care, Marxism, death panels, references to socialism, Nazi philosophy (and don’t forget Hitler!) are nothing more than scare tactics whose only goal is to further disorient citizens on the subject of health care by leading us around in vicious circles until we are ultimately back to where the privately-run insurance conglomerates want us to be: So frightened of change that we’ll continue to be stuck with a broken, stupid, crass, and immoral system that feeds the insatiable appetite of The Beast (Blue Cross/Empire/Aetna/Cigna/Kaiser, to name a few) at the expense of us chickens.
One hundred and sixty years ago Karl Marx was fascinated by the theory that a thing or thought could not be separated from its opposite; for example a slave could not exist without the master, and visa versa. Unity, he said, could only be achieved by equalizing the opposites through a logical, progressive dialect.
Of course there’s no profit in harmony, and that is why we are besieged with the venom from the likes of Limbaugh, FOX, National Review, Glenn Beck, too many to name.
Who stands a better chance of survival, the snake or the chicken?
Therefore, in an effort to promote something called “facts”, I present the following data to my fellow American chickadees. You’d better hold on to your peckers:
First: If you loathe socialized medicine, immediately run to your nearest Representative’s office and demand a change in the benefits we give to our men and women in uniform: The Veteran’s Administration is socialized medicine. It is government-run health care that has attended to the wounds of all of our soldiers (regardless of class, age, race, ability to pay, or gender) for over 60 years.
Second: Medicare is a 44 year old successful public-private partnership (not socialized medicine) between the federal government (at an annual overhead cost that runs 20 to 35% less than The Beast) and the private sector that delivers services (doctors, nurses, hospitals, labs, all independently owned and operated). It is universal coverage (without denial for pre-existing conditions) that is available to any citizen over age 65 who wants to pay as little as $94 per month. Nothing currently being considered by Congress would change Medicare.
Third: If you presently collect health benefits under a government plan (35 million Americans including children, teachers, municipal workers, USPO, state and federal employees), nothing will change. And that’s too bad. Because every taxpaying citizen hands over approximately $400 billion to private health conglomerates to administer these government plans. Why are we wasting as much as 35% of our taxpaying dollars in this manner?
Fourth: Since universal coverage is cheep – sorry, cheap - the savings under a plan like John Conyers’ H.R. 676 – Universal Single Payer Health Care – which would extend Medicare to all citizens, are enormous. There would not be a $1.3 trillion price tag to taxpayers. To the contrary, 95% of taxpayers would actually pay less in both premiums and property taxes.
As an example, under H.R. 676, the County of Gloucester, which in 2008 paid $20,294,026 in health insurance premiums for its 1,343 employees (average cost $15,111), would see a savings of over $16 million (7% reduction in the county portion alone of property taxes). In Monmouth County, Ocean Twp would save $9 million (12.5% reduction in property taxes), Brick Township, located in Ocean County, would see a savings of $32 million (almost 20% reduction in property taxes). The list is endless. The extrapolated savings per year for the State of NJ would exceed $2 billion – and here’s the best part: All without killing grandma.
Now that’s no chicken feed!
Lynn Petrovich, CPA, Copyright 2009

Louis Mascolo: Pub Notes--Who Blogs You, Baby!

From the October 1st edition of the Gazette of Atlantic & Cumberland Counties

     One thing that is always great about a newspaper is its consistency. It arrives regularly and on schedule. We know you like that. Well, we’re bad boys and girls. We are changing the publishing date of the Gazette again. Our publication is back to arriving on the first of the month or quickly thereon. Publishing in the middle of the month was too confusing to us and you. Readers didn’t know when we were out or even if we were out. There were even rumors that we stopped publishing.

     As much work as this is, and as much as I’d like to retire, how would I get my opinion heard? I doubt the Daily Journal, which seems to be hooked on decidedly right wing, conservative opinions and columnists, would publish me. They seem to have bought into the Fox News crowd. Our approach is a little different. We think you can man (woman) up and take some offbeat and alternative viewpoints as well as the mainstream pap.

     It’s true, we have been selfish. We haven’t allowed you to freely comment on our content, but now you can react to our editorials and paper right here on our new blog. That’s right! Blast me if you have the mind to, or praise my twisted mind if you like—or comment on anyone else here. No profanity, indecency, racist or totally stupid comments will be published. It would be nice if you know to read and write and provide some reasoning behind your comments and opinions. Also, I put my name on my stuff. Have some courage and do the same and the town you live in. But have a good time. Your comments will be able to be Googled; you’ll have a presence on the internet, and it is nice to be heard and to see your words and thoughts in print.

             Have fun with the kids on Halloween

Louis Mascolo: "Do you know who I am? My husband works for the government!"

You know who I am? My husband works for the Government!

By Louis Mascolo

     Sometimes I think I live in the dumbest country in the world. Of course, there’s Pakistan, Iran and Somalia to contradict that. The healthcare industry is out of control and have been ripping us a new one since they came up with private health insurance and nobody calls them on it. Obama is getting called a Nazi and a socialist and a tyrant for suggesting that America does what the rest of the civilized world does. Give everyone medical coverage. Of course, he doesn’t have the courage to suggest a public option.

       I see all these gray haired protesters (I’m gray haired but not one of them) screaming, cursing and making a scene about public money being spent, and meantime, they’re collecting social security, they’re on Medicare and Medicaid and probably during their lifetime collected unemployment insurance. Who do they think is paying for that? Not Corporate America. Especially not the health care industry whose executives walk away with tens of millions of dollars in yearly bonuses and laughing all the way to the bank.

      I’d gladly pay an additional four or five thousand dollars a year in taxes to get rid of the $11,000 a year policy that the insurance industry is clipping me for. That’s about the profit margin these guys are working on. An extra seven or eight thousand a year out of everyone who isn’t on the public payroll or covered by an employer. And if you’re on the public payroll, we’re already paying taxes to cover you and your family. What about us suckers who don’t have a government job? It’s okay for you, but not for us?

It reminds me of an episode that happened to me many years ago. I was pulling into a parking spot at a shopping center and this woman saw me turning and hurried to get in before I did. Of course, being young and tough there was no way I was going to let her. I zipped in. She went to the next aisle and found a spot directly in front of me and pretty much banged into my car, got out and started screaming at me. Of course, a shouting match ensued and then she, in a thick Italian accent, delivered a comment I’ve never forgotten. “Do you know who I am? My husband works for the government.”

        There you go. Her husband works for the government. In Europe, Italy, France, et. al. if you have a government job, you’re set for life. Until recently, you couldn’t get fired. You got medical coverage, generous vacation, benefits and a regular paycheck until you died. So people who had government jobs were pretty much envied and given special privilege.

That’s what’s going on here in America now. Probably half the population has a government job. If you’ve got a government job, the government just keeps raising taxes on us private citizens to cover you. I don’t see any massive layoffs of government employees. Even now when there is 13% unemployment in Cumberland County, homes are being foreclosed on and the private sector is struggling just to keep up, government workers yearly pay still goes up, benefits keep accumulating, very few get fired or laid off.

       I see Vineland is raising its municipal tax rate 7 cents this year. Who knows the school tax rate will go up. Why? Mayor Romano doesn’t want to inconvenience public employees by using short worker furloughs to keep the rate from rising. How nice of him. Wouldn’t want to upset the public employees while the rest of us get hammered.

       It’s time for everybody to get a fair deal, not just those who already are receiving government benefits or happened to be a public employee. Stop buying into the healthcare industry propaganda and the politicians who promote their interests. It’s nice that Congressman LoBiondo pays for his own health insurance. From what I understand he’s a millionaire, maybe several times over. He can afford it. We can’t.  Times are tough and the sacrifices and BENEFITS should be shared. Those of you who are receiving the public benefits that are provided at the expense of taxpayers and are against healthcare reform--especially the public option--need to get down off your selfish horses. We contribute to you. How about returning the favor and contribute to us. There should no one shouting, “You know who I am. I work for the government.”

Emily Mascolo: Sites to Waste Time On

Now that I have quit the teaching business and gotten a considerably more boring but much more lucrative desk job, I find myself with an abundance of downtime throughout the course of my day.  And what do I do with that downtime, you might ask?  Well, allow me to tell you.  I spend time looking for ridiculous things on the internet.  And now, dear readers, I will share a few of my favorites with you, so that you too may waste your time in ever more entertaining ways. 

1. www.thereifixedit.com.  This site is a photo blog all about the ingenious ways that people have to fix their broken stuff.  People fix their stuff and then post pictures of the things they did.  My personal favorite is the bed that’s been propped up with a car jack to make it higher off the floor.  As crazy as some of these ideas are, you can’t argue that people can get creative in a pinch.
2. www.textsfromlastnight.com.  On this site people post bits of text conversations they have with each other.  All that you get is an area code and a sentence or two.  The point is that the statements are out of context, which makes them extra hilarious.  This is not all that safe for work, but it really is a can’t miss.
3. www.peopleofwalmart.com.  Human beings have no idea how they appear to others.  And apparently, the people who shop at Wal-Mart are more clueless than most.  This is a photo blog of exactly what you’d think.  The people who shop at Wal-Mart, and occasionally their cars/bikes/various other transportation.  It’s disturbing in the way only rednecks can be.
4.  www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com.  Another photo blog, this time of family portraits gone horribly awry.  Big hair, bad sweaters, and unfortunate poses abound.  It makes me grateful I was never forced to be involved in a family portrait, awkward or otherwise.
5. www.happiestpeopleever.tumblr.com. Pictures of people looking miserable during occasions that are supposed to be wondrous and magical.  The faces on some of these people are beyond funny.
6. www.laserportraits.net.  This site is an homage to that staple of 80’s and early 90’s school portraits…the laser background.  The background itself isn’t really that important, it’s the pictures themselves.  It’s a catalog of all the bad hair and clothes that go with that particular time period.
7. www.cuteoverload.com.  For those days where you just can’t get enough of the warm and fuzzies, this site is full of tiny baby animals and other adorable things to make your heart smile.

I have many, many other sites I love and waste time one, but to list them all would take pages and pages.  I have a lot of time to waste these days.  So go check these out and enjoy the laughs they bring you.  I know I always do.  

Jimmie Hollis: Race, Police, Courtesy and Respect

    Not too long ago racial profiling made headlines again recently when police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. A neighbor reported seeing two men forcing their way into the Gates home.  Gates, arriving back from a trip abroad, had his driver help try to force open a broken door.  Gates' arrest came not from this, but for angrily yelling at the responding officers and suggesting racial bias.

       All this reminded me of my only three brushes with the law.

Early one July evening in 1964, in Little Rock, Arkansas, I was on my way to visit a friend when I was pulled over by the sheriff.  He was white, middle-aged, beer-bellied and very southern. I gave him all the documents he asked for including my military ID Card. If ever there was a time to worry, it was then. I was respectful and courteous to the officer. The sheriff said he stopped me for going the wrong way on a one-way street.  I explained I was a visitor and apologized for my mistake.  With that, he gave me a big grin and asked where I was going. I told him, and he pointed me in the right direction.  He told me to take it easy and watch the street signs. I didn't get a ticket.  

Years later, on a rainy October night in 1976, I was driving out of New York after returning from Germany when I was pulled over by a state trooper.  The trooper noticed my green USAF license plates, and I explained they were issued to military personnel serving in Germany. Again, I was respectful and courteous as I provided the necessary documents including my military ID. The trooper asked me to step out of the car and waved me back to his cruiser.  Once inside, he asked what unit I was in and how long I was abroad.  It turned out he had a son stationed in Germany with the Army not far from where I served. He said he stopped me for speeding, and said the speed limit became 55MPH while I was away. He welcomed me back and told me to slow down. Again, I received no ticket.

Space constraints prevent me from sharing my third stop that did not result in a ticket.

Why did I never get a ticket in any of these three stops?  Was it my military status or my civility?  After all, I was in the wrong each time. As an American of African ancestry, I would like to think it was the latter.  Despite being in the military, I could have gotten belligerent and cried racism.  Military credentials or not, I would have been in trouble - especially in Little Rock in 1964.

Periodically, as with Professor Gates, charges are made about police targeting minorities simply because they are minorities.  That's never happened to me. Saying that, I'm not so naïve to think abuses don't happen to others, I know they do. There are racist and bigoted cops out there, but I think they are the exception rather than the rule. When stopped, citizens rightfully expect police officers to treat them with respect and courtesy but citizens should also be civil, courteous and respectful to police officers.  It surely couldn’t hurt.

David Petrovich: ForeclosureFocusNJ - The Unvarnished Truth

Q&A from the E-mailbag,  by David M. Petrovich Executive Director SPOCH

Q. How many payments can I miss before the lender forecloses?

A.  Re-read the section in your loan documents which describe "default" and you may be surprised that missing a single, monthly payment may trigger default, and foreclosure.  In practice, however, since loan servicers make a lot of money by charging late fees... they do not initiate foreclosure until/unless three or more consecutive payments are missed…. and in some cases 12 or more payments are missed before the lender authorizes its lawyers to foreclose.

Irrespective of what we hear or read about how anxious lenders are to modify delinquent mortgage loans …  they aren’t.  Default servicing is a cash cow bonanza for mortgage loan servicers.

You might think many mortgage loans which are not being paid mean huge losses to the investors who own the debt.  Not so.  Huge numbers of sub-prime mortgages which have been grouped together and pooled into securities carry private, derivative insurance (like bond performance insurance) provided by publicly bailed out companies like AIG. If the mortgage security isn’t performing as expected, the insurance kicks in and pays the investors….  who are made whole whether or not homeowners make their payments, or not.  So, there is no financial incentive for the Investors to work with homeowners to restructure toxic loan terms.

Even though loan servicers, whose job it is to modify loans, are paid by the government to modify at-risk loans…. the loan servicers would lose money. The government incentives are actually less than what servicers earn in late fees and pre-foreclosure costs by keeping the loan in default.

Talk about a conflict of interest!

If mortgage holders and their servicers refuse to grant meaningful loan relief, let's replace them with efficient, nonprofit organizations whose corporate objective is to preserve continued homeownership and work for the best interests of the owners.

How?  Pay 'em off and buy 'em out.  Instead of spending taxpayer dollars to fund executive bonuses, or the purchase of corporate jets or luxurious retreats (never to be repaid) let's put the dollars to work serving the needs of our economy and ensuring that taxpayers continue to believe in the great American dream of homeownership. 

Email your questions to:  info@spoch.org    www.spoch.org

David M. Petrovich is Executive Director of Society for Preservation of  Continued Homeownership, a NJ non-profit organization which provides pre-foreclosure counseling to financially distressed homeowners. His most recent book, An Ethical Approach (to preforeclosure short sales) will be followed by, The Foreclosure.

Gail Benson: Buena Historical Society

BUENA HISTORICAL SOCIETY…….

USING THE ONLINE ATLANTIC COUNTY LIBRARY FOR HISTORY

By Gail Benson

I have used the Special Collections portion of the Atlantic County Library website for ideas for this column.  As I was doing that this morning, I thought I should probably just tell you about this fine online source.

The website is www.atlanticlibrary.org   In the left margin, you can choose Special Collections, which will take you to the digitized collections of the library. On the main page, each topic gives you an overview of the collection. They include: Egg Harbor City German Project.  Funding was used to digitize photos and documents dealing with the history of Egg Harbor City.  Also, from that page, you can click through to the New Jersey Digital Highway. 

Newspapers.  Eleven newspapers are included and they date from the 1860’s to 1923.  By choosing a newspaper, you can see what issues are available to view.

This collection can be searched, although I have had some problems locating the search result in the actual newspaper on occasion.

Immigration Records.  This collection may be searched, but you may also choose a letter to look at all records that begin with that letter.  Collection covers 1850-1930, and you might get some interesting information.  For example, the 1909 Declaration of Intention for William Henry Chamberlain of Newtonville, Buena Vista Township, indicates, by town, where he was born in Worcestershire, England and where he last lived.  Also, his arrival into the Port of Philadelphia in 1904 is documented.

Civil War Era Records links to Civil War era newspapers as well as muster out records for soldiers who served in the Civil War.  The soldier’s name and residence is listed, and, from there, you can look at the information in the log book.  Buena Vista Township didn’t exist in 1865, but that area was known as Buena Vista.  The only soldier for which Buena Vista is listed as a residence is Watson Turpin, although others who lived in this area may have listed Hamilton Township as home.

Wills, Orphans Court, Letters of Administration.  We are told the collection dates from 1837 (when Atlantic County was formed) to 1921.  Again, you can search the collection for a particular name.

Another choice along the left side is Online Rsources.  This takes you to an extensive list of databases that you may access.  Heritage Quest Online is one that is history-oriented.  You will need to enter the number on the back of your Atlantic County Library Card when asked.  Heritage Quest allows searches for people, places, and census records, although 1930 is not complete. 

Enjoy yourself as you browse this collection, and remember, if you have any information for us, you can email buenahistorical@gmail.com or contact us by regular mail at P. O. Box 114, Buena, NJ 08310

Buena Historical Society meets on the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Township Municipal Building, Route 40, Buena.  Meetings for the remainder of this year are September 16, October 21, and November 18.  Please join us.

Dennis Hyer Publishes New Book

Our cartoonist, Dennis Hyer, who appeared monthly in the Gazette has just published his first book.  The first "Inhuman Relations" comic strip collection, featuring the adventures of an easygoing farmer named Fred, his Slavic sweetheart Maureen, and a host of other creatures. 

In this volume, Wilhelmina the WASP gets fed up with her miserable love life and becomes a nun ... for a day; Attorney Solomon K. Rosenberg chases an ambulance (literally); and Fred and Maureen's nuptials entangle them in a nonexistent kidnapping plot involving the Ku Klux Klan. Preview it at: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/inhuman-relation

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