Paul working for you.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

To Your Health. . . BMJ Publishes Study Revealing How Flawed Drug Research Fails a Trusting Public


BMJ Publishes Study Revealing How Flawed Drug Research Fails a Trusting Public


study 329 (2)

BMJ Publishes Study Revealing How Flawed Drug Research Fails a Trusting Public

BAND OF INTREPID RESEARCHERS “SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT” ON GHOSTWRITTEN STUDY

Toronto (September 16, 2015) — Today the BMJ published Restoring Study 329,* a decade-long effort by researchers to uncover the truth about the safety of an antidepressant approved for use by adolescents.

Restoring Study 329 is a reanalysis and rebuttal of the original Study 329, a randomized, controlled trial published in 2001 of the efficacy and harms of paroxetine (known as Paxil in the US) and imipramine in the treatment of adolescent major depression, which concluded that “paroxetine is generally well tolerated and effective for major depression in adolescents.”

Using the same data 14 years later, Restoring Study 329 comes to exactly the opposite conclusion, namely that “Neither paroxetine nor high-dose imipramine demonstrated efficacy for major depression in adolescents, and there was an increase in harms with both drugs.”
Although the FDA has issued several black box warnings about SSRI suicidality in the years following the original study, many thousands of children and adolescents have been harmed, some of them killed, by Paxil and other SSRIs. Global sales of these drugs have increased dramatically, including for pediatric and adolescent patients.

Dr. David Healy, one of the authors of Restoring Study 329, says this effort shows that “in the absence of access to primary data, published conclusions about efficacy and safety should not be read as authoritative. Too much reliance is placed on selectively published clinical trial data and not enough on observation and common sense. This reanalysis illustrates the necessity of having primary trial data available for all drug trials. There are too many drugs being marketed and prescribed which simply do not justify the associated risks.”

Flawed research fails a trusting public

Notionally authored by Dr. Martin Keller, et. al., but actually ghostwritten by Sally Laden, the original Study 329 was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) in July 2001.

Based on this research, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) marketed Paxil as safe and effective for adolescents when company executives were aware that a number of studies (all but Study 329 unpublished) had shown that the drug was no better than placebo and caused thought disturbance and suicidal behavior in some youngsters.

Paxil rose to be GSK’s bestselling drug and became the #1 antidepressant in the United States, with sales of $340 million by the end of 2001. It was one of a number of drugs in the SSRI class, and prescriptions of these drugs to children and adolescents continued to increase throughout the decade.
Almost immediately, a number of journalists and researchers spotted anomalies in Study 329’s data classification and interpretation and raised concerns with the authors, their institutions, and the JAACAP. Despite this, the clinical trial continued to be presented as a “landmark” study demonstrating the drug’s efficacy and safety.

In 2004 New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer filed a consumer fraud action against GSK for mismatches between its marketing claims and the data. This lawsuit was settled for $2.5 million. The terms of the settlement included a requirement for GSK to post study results on its website, including those for Study 329. Access to original trial data was difficult for researchers, however, due to different interpretations of what should be included in “data” and what constitutes “access.”

In 2012 the Department of Justice brought an action against GSK in US District Court for causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The company pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $3 billion — the biggest fine in corporate history.

So glad thats over! WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN




I would think of it this way. Listening to the "WHO" and their demo song!

                                      WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN !


The band "The Who" put the first demo out and was never able to provide a better recording so went to the public as is.
So "Jeff" Good bye We won't be fooled again! Get it "New boss same as the old boss."
Please take Mike, Do, Huff  and  your CREW and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
So i Hope you go to "Face book" again and stay away like you said you would before Mr. Bennett
Good luck and if you ever want us to post a blog here in the future,we can copy it from the TGN articles or Face books.
Or better yet drop it off and ask face to face. Doubt you ever will.
I still thank you and all Vetrans for thier service, You wern't the only one i sent things to while serving overseas. there was never any strings and still are none. Ilusions are in the eyes of the beholder.

Dave  Smart

Templeton Sends Plan For School To State

Templeton Sends Plan For School To State
Costs of new facility detailed
Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  Templeton officials unanimously voted to send the plans for the new elementary school in a final submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

“You can see that a tremendous amount of design has gone into the project,” stated John Winikur the owner’s project manager for the school.

At a joint board meeting on Monday night, the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Elementary School Building Committee and Advisory Board came together to discuss the final plan of the proposed elementary school. Members of each board and committee were able to ask questions before they voted to send the plan through to the MSBA for its review and approval in a few months.

An estimated calculation for the tax impact on the residents of the town was also discussed at Monday night’s meeting. The school would require a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion tax override, which would raise taxes for the length of the bond.

The annual residential tax increase would be about $2 per $1,000 of assessed value every year, over a 28-year loan. The total cost of the project is $48 million which includes the building construction, site work, fees and expenses, furniture, fixtures, equipment and contingencies. Eligible costs will be reimbursed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority – about $22 million, making the final total cost for the town $26 million.

To Your Health. . . Boggling flu hoax: not for prime-time news

Boggling flu hoax: not for prime-time news

by Jon Rappoport
September 29, 2015


(To read about Jon’s mega-collection, The Matrix Revealed, click here.)
“Repeat a lie often enough and people believe it. We all know that. But there are millions of people out there who think a public-health agency like the CDC, a scientific body, would never engage in such tactics. Those millions of people would be wrong. There is a rule: the most holy, sacred, revered, uncontestable organization hides the biggest secrets. It’s a good rule to keep in mind. Major media don’t apply it. But you can.” (The Underground, Jon Rappoport)

There are many propaganda operations surrounding the flu. Here I just want to boil down a few boggling facts.

Dr. Peter Doshi, writing in the online BMJ (British Medical Journal), reveals one monstrosity.

As Doshi states, every year, hundreds of thousands of respiratory samples are taken from flu patients in the US and tested in labs. Here is the kicker: only a small percentage of these samples show the presence of a flu virus.

This means: most of the people in America who are diagnosed by doctors with the flu have no flu virus in their bodies.

So they don’t have the flu.

Therefore, even if you assume the flu vaccine is useful and safe, it couldn’t possibly prevent all those “flu cases” that aren’t flu cases.

The vaccine couldn’t possibly work.

The vaccine isn’t designed to prevent fake flu, unless pigs can fly.

Here’s the exact quote from Peter Doshi’s BMJ review, “Influenza: marketing vaccines by marketing disease” (BMJ 2013; 346:f3037):

“…even the ideal influenza vaccine, matched perfectly to circulating strains of wild influenza and capable of stopping all influenza viruses, can only deal with a small part of the ‘flu’ problem because most ‘flu’ appears to have nothing to do with influenza. Every year, hundreds of thousands of respiratory specimens are tested across the US. Of those tested, on average 16% are found to be influenza positive.
 
“…It’s no wonder so many people feel that ‘flu shots’ don’t work: for most flus, they can’t.”

Because most diagnosed cases of the flu aren’t the flu. 

So even if you’re a true believer in mainstream vaccine theory, you’re on the short end of the stick here. They’re conning your socks off.

In December of 2005, the British Medical Journal (online) published another shocking Peter Doshi report, which created tremors through the halls of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), where “the experts” used to tell the press that 36,000 people in the US die every year from the flu.

Here is a quote from Doshi’s report, “Are US flu death figures more PR than science?” (BMJ 2005; 331:1412):

“[According to CDC statistics], ‘influenza and pneumonia’ took 62,034 lives in 2001—61,777 of which were attributable to pneumonia and 257 to flu, and in only 18 cases was the flu virus positively identified.”

Boom.

You see, the CDC has created one overall category that combines both flu and pneumonia deaths.

Why do they do this? Because they disingenuously assume that the pneumonia deaths are complications stemming from the flu.

Banning Books

Banning Books
Narragansett High studies negative effects of censorship
 

News staff photo by REBECCA LEONARD The banned books that are displayed throughout the library are wrapped with crime scene tape or brown paper with the reasons for their banning on the front.


‘Sometimes the reasons for books being banned can be silly.’ — Maegen Powers, library specialist

Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  The Narragansett Regional High School is celebrating the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, with an eye toward educating students about censorship.

“We’re doing it to create awareness on how censorship can ruin learning environments, especially if kids can only see one side of an opinion,” said Maegen Powers, a library specialist at the school.

According to the American Library Association website, the week is used to highlight the value of free and open access to information and the harm of censorship.

Ms. Powers has pulled 45 or more books off the shelves to display them throughout the library for students and faculty to look through. The covers of the books are wrapped in crime scene tape or are covered with brown paper with explanations about why they were banned written across the front.

So far, Ms. Powers explained, there’s already been a lot of interest from students and some surprise by the books that have been on the banned books list in the past.

“Sometimes the reasons for books being banned can be silly,” expressed Ms. Powers.

Some of the books that have raised questions are “James and the Giant Peach,” “Diary of Anne Frank,” “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See,” and “And Tango Makes Three.”

Even the first book from the illustrated “Where’s Waldo” series made the list of the American Library Association’s Top 100 Banned Books throughout the 1990s for a beach scene where a topless woman was depicted.

According to Ms. Powers, depending on what part of the country you live in, some of the books are still banned from public schools.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Putin: Do you realize what you have done?

Putin: Do you realize what you have done?
Everett Rosenfeld    | @Ev_Rosenfeld


Russian President Vladimir Putin told the U.N. on Monday that those who supported democratic revolutions in the Middle East are to blame for the rise of a globally ambitious Islamic State.

"Instead of the triumph of democracy and progress, we got violence, poverty and social disaster — and nobody cares a bit about human rights, including the right to life," Putin said through a translator. "I cannot help asking those who have forced that situation: Do you realize what you have done?"

 



Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, September 28, 2015.
Mike Segar | Reuters

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, September 28, 2015.
 

The Russian president added that the power vacuum following these revolutions led to the rise of terrorist groups in the region — including the Islamic State group.
 

He told the United Nations General Assembly it would be an "enormous mistake" not to cooperate with the Syrian government to combat the extremist group.

"No one but President (Bashar) Assad's armed forces and Kurdish militia are truly fighting the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria," he said.

In an earlier speech at the U.N., President Barack Obama said it would be a mistake to think that Syria could be stable under Assad.

Acknowledging some of the criticism lobbed at Russia's proposal, Putin said his country is only proposing to help save the world from terrorism.

"I must note that such an honest and frank approach from Russia has been recently used as a pretext to accuse it of its growing ambitions — as if those who say it has no ambitions at all. However, it's not about Russia's ambitions, dear colleagues, but about the recognition of the fact that we can no longer tolerate the current state of affairs in the world," he said.

Future Looks Bright For Solar Power In Hubbardston

Future Looks Bright For Solar Power In Hubbardston
Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

HUBBARDSTON  With three privately owned solar developments already installed in town, another company is looking to put in its own panels.

“They’re a fairly low-impact development for the town. They aren’t a commercial business so they won’t require any extra services like the Fire Department,” said Town Administrator Anita Scheipers.

According to Ms. Scheipers, Borrego Solar, which is well-known across the state, is looking to install two new developments in the northeast quadrant of the town, off of Route 68.

However, the exact location of the developments hasn’t been determined yet.

The town has three solar farms already: one on Pitcherville Road and two on Williamsville Road. The Pitcherville Road development was finished in 2013 and is the town’s largest, with 3.2 megawatts being produced.

From these three solar arrays, the town accrued $77,000 in projected personal property tax revenues, so although the electricity produced from the developments goes straight to the general electricity supply, the town does see money coming back.

The town isn’t responsible for the fees to get the permits for the construction — the companies that own these developments are required to pay permitting process fees

Borrego Solar has installed developments at Harvard University, Assumption College, the Ludlow landfill and many other locations across the state. Landfills are commonly used for developments by Borrego as nothing else could be used on that land.

“They are a good use of acreage,” said Ms. Scheipers.

Potential Weather System

Potential Weather System

Synopsis: Moisture will increase on southerly flow Tue leading to possible showers/isolated thunderstorms. A strong cold front approaches our area Tuesday night, with a wave or waves of low pressure slowing the progression of the front. A soaking rain with locally heavy rainfall is possible late Tuesday night into Wednesday night. Astronomical tides will be very high all week, but will peak Wed. afternoon. Coastal flooding is possible Wed thru Friday this week.

Coastal Flooding: Mainly splashover is possible during high tide cycles thru Tuesday night due to high astronomical tides but winds will be on the light side. However,coastal flooding may occur during multiple tide cycles starting with the Wednesday afternoon high tide, going through the workweek. The main area at risk for coastal flooding is east coastal MA including Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket. The Wednesday afternoon high tide is the astronomically highest of the week...up to 12.18 ft. at Boston. Northeast winds will be increasing during Wednesday, and may persist thru Friday.

Marine Impacts: A Gale Watch and subsequent Gale Warnings may be needed for portions of the waters beginning Wednesday evening and possibly continuing thru the remainder of the workweek. Due to the prolonged fetch of onshore flow, seas will be steadily building...up to 9 to 12 ft by Thursday over the outer waters.

Heavy rainfall: Locally heavy rainfall is possible at times. The most probable time would be late Tuesday night into Wednesday night. During that timeframe, the potential exists for 2-4 inches of rainfall. Locally higher amounts are possible.






 





Monday, September 28, 2015

Meetings the Week of September 28, 2015


Meetings the Week of September 28, 2015

Monday 9/28/15
Adv Board                       NMS Aud.                   6:30 pm
BOS                                 NMS Aud.                   6:30 pm
TESBC                            NMS Aud.                   6:30 pm**
Agri. Com.                      JK Crossroads              7:00 pm


Tuesday 9/29/15
Water         ***                Bridge St                    6:00 pm
Historical                         Boyton PL                 7:00 pm
 
Wednesday 9/30/15
Assessors                          E. Temp                      2:00 pm

Thursday 10/1/15
Sr. Center                         Sr. Drive                     6:30 pm
BOH                                 E. Temp.                    7:00 pm

***************************************
** - Remember - As Pauly used to say, "Get the FACTS, ON PAPER!

***USDA LOAN for over a million dollars. Without Town Meeting or Selectmen Vote? How will this borrowing impact the Town's ability to restore its bond rating?
 

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Making Finances Work In Templeton

Making Finances Work In Templeton
Bond rating should be recovered in time for school project
Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  One question on residents’ minds in Templeton is how the town can intend to borrow $48 million for a new elementary school without a bond rating.

“I’m anticipating our financial records will be finished and audited by the end of the fiscal year,” stated interim Town Administrator Bob Markel.

After the auditing of the town’s records from the last three years, Mr. Markel said, the town will come back with a “respectable” bond rating and possibly $500,000 in free cash (leftover funds) from fiscal 2016.

But how will the town borrow the money? According to Mr. Markel, they intend to use short-term borrowing and bonds that will be issued in 2018.

“We have to be careful with timing on the issuing of the bonds,” said Mr. Markel.

The issuing of the bonds falls around the same time the old bonds for the remodeling of the high school and middle school expire. The town currently pays $480,000 a year for that bond.

According to Mr. Markel, if they time it right, that amount could be rolled over to the new bond, taking $480,000 off of the proposed amount the town would be paying, per year, for the new elementary school.

Mr. Markel explained that it would also help to bring down the overall tax impact for residents.

Board of Selectmen Chairman John Columbus assured that the town is in a good financial state and spring should give the town plenty of time to acquire their bond rating.

“I’m confident with the people we have in place, Mr. Markel and Kelli Pontbriand, we’re going to get everything squared away,” stated Mr. Columbus.

The town’s auditing of financial records has been delayed for several years and when they were brought before auditors this past year, officials were told by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue that they were unable to audit the books for fiscal years 2013, 2014 and 2015 because they were in such disarray. It would also be expensive to have the company put them in order.

Since early March, Ms. Pontbriand, the town’s accountant, has been reconstructing financial records in order to submit them to auditors. The records should be finished by November.

On Thursday, a public forum was held by the Elementary School Building Committee and Symmes Maini & McKee Associates for residents to acquire important information about the school’s design and traffic flow of the surrounding area.

Residents were also encouraged to ask questions regarding the school and several residents were concerned about how the school would fit in to the “19th century town.”

Jon Winikur, the project owner’s manager, explained that at later meetings, they will have actual materials that residents can see that will allow them to understand that the company and committees involved in the school’s planning have taken the look of the town into account.

“This school will be flexible and efficient,” said Mr. Winikur.

Upcoming Forums To Discuss New Templeton School


Upcoming Forums To Discuss New Templeton School




Drawing courtesy of Jones Whitsett Architects The proposed exterior of the new Templeton elementary school is shown.


When and where
Sept. 24: public forum at middle school
Sept. 28: selectman/School Committee joint meeting at high school
Sept. 30: open house with planning firm at the high school
Oct. 7: public forum at the middle school

Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON — With the approach of the fall Town Meeting Nov. 9, where residents will vote for the new elementary school to appear on the ballot, the Elementary School Building Committee, School Committee and interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Hemman are doing what they can to educate residents on the new building.

The first event that residents are invited to attend is a public forum on Thursday, Sept. 24, in the Safka Auditorium in the middle school at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s important for people to come to it because they need to be there to understand the look of the building, the plans, the effect that having this new school will have on the town, and what will happen if they don’t vote for it,” expressed Mr. Hemman.

Members of Symmes Maini & Mckee Associates will give another presentation on the school and its site plan, interior plans and exterior materials. Residents will be able to ask questions pertaining to anything that crosses their mind. However, the final calculations and tax impact of the construction haven’t been finalized yet.

These calculations will be presented at a joint meeting between the Board of Selectmen, Building Committee, School Committee and the Advisory Board on Monday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Kiva at the high school.

After the costs are presented, the boards and committees will vote on the costs of the total project to ensure that the numbers are accurate.

A preliminary estimate, according to Phillip Poinelli and Joel Seeley of Symmes Maini & McKee Associates, puts the total cost of the project at $48 million which includes the building construction, site work, fees and expenses, furniture, fixtures, equipment and contingencies.

Of that cost, about $36 million is considered core costs, and 62 percent of that amount will be reimbursed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority – about $22 million making the final total to the town $26 million.

Would you if there was no need of it ?


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

WOULD YOU IF THERE WAS NO NEED OF IT?

Mr. Bennett QUESTIONS 

What about the excavator?

Was that item suppose to go out to bid or not? Regardless of how it is paid for? 
That  was not addressed. I " wonder"  why that is?
 Like I stated, we will find out where we are in December / January.

The answer would be the in the "middle of winter".

When, if ever, we see certified free cash from fiscal year 2013, we will know.

Jeff Bennett WONDERS AGAIN AND AGAIN.
If like the straw man said if i only had a -----.
JEFF COULD REPLACE HIS FINGERS WITH HIS MOUTH AND ASK.


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Profits are a great thing...Daraprim

Profits are a great thing...Daraprim


A 32-year old hedge fund manager just purchased the rights to an essential medication used by cancer and HIV patients. His first move? Jack the cost from $13.50 per pill to $750 overnight.

Daraprim is a 62-year old drug that treats a parasitic affliction that affects millions worldwide and is common in HIV and cancer patients. With a 5500% increase the drug would cost at least $336,000 for a year's worth of treatment. Martin Shkreli, the new owner of Daraprim, is not a doctor. He is a hedge fund manager intent on making billions.

Under pressure, Shkreli said yesterday he'll roll back "some" of the price increase -- but won't say how much, or commit to return it to the original price. That's just not good enough.

Tell Shkreli to fully reverse the price increase now, and stop exploiting the sick.

This is about more than just one hedge fund manager. This is a worrying new trend -- corporate interests are buying up cheap, old patents and then milking patent monopolies to gouge patients. The lack of price regulation in the US and some other countries means this technically isn't illegal. But it's straight up exploitation of the vulnerable.

Already the massive public backlash has forced another company, Rodelis Therapeutics, to reverse an overnight price increase in an essential tuberculosis medication from $500 to $10,800. And Shkreli is feeling the pressure too, with his pledge to partially reverse the increase.

Speculations or questions you asked Mr. Bennett

To Dave Smart;

Mr. Smart, since you do not like speculation or questions posed here, perhaps you can help me out, 
looking at a recent updated Town of Templeton vender list, I noticed Baldwinville Garage is listed on it.
 So could you tell us who owns it, what services or goods are sold to the Town?

Jeff Bennett

2 comments:

  1. I don't know about the rest of the town but I'm missing my Fluoride Friday. Can't we have more than one horse in this village?
    ReplyDelete
  2. Try this for a change stop in and ask! You may be surprised to find things out that way are better for you and everyone who reads the blogs you write time and time again over and over. Or is that over and over time and time again.
    Whatever way i'm sure the people who read it get it.
    Got it!
  3.    Iguess Mr. Bennett has a problem face to face with questions he requires answers to.
  4. One would think he would want the true and real story from the horses mouth or Marty.
  5. These questions above directed like so many others are feed for the next stories Mr. Bennett would build as his illusions of doings in Templeton. I for one in Templeton ask my own questions for the answers i get and record for clairity later on. Thats a fact and is how you do it Mr. Bennett.
  6. Not second hand or third hand from the Gardner news. By the way how will you ever get them to print things that have no proof like so many others?  That sound expensive to me.
  7. By the way thanks to Baldwinville garage for the waste oil donations and donated time helping out the town mechanic with various specialty issues. One contractor Templeton can count on.
  8. Dave Smart

Junk-Debt Investors Fight for Scraps as U.S. Shale Rout Deepens

Junk-Debt Investors Fight for Scraps as U.S. Shale Rout Deepens


It’s every U.S. shale investor for himself as the worst oil rout in almost 30 years drags down its latest victims.

Investors in $158.2 million of Goodrich Petroleum Corp.’s debt agreed to take 47 cents on the dollar in exchange for stock warrants for some note holders and a lien on Goodrich’s oil acreage, according to a company statement today. That puts them second in line if the Houston-based company liquidates its assets in bankruptcy and pushes the remaining holders of $116.8 million in
original bonds to the back of the pack.


"In the industry it’s called ‘getting primed,’" said Spencer Cutter, a credit analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. "It’s every man for himself. They’re trying to get in and get exchanged, and if you can’t you’re getting left out in the cold."

Wildcatters attracted billions of dollars during the boom after years of near-zero interest rates sent investors hunting for returns in riskier corners of the market. U.S. high-yield debt has more than doubled since 2004 to $1.3 trillion while the amount issued to junk-rated energy companies has grown four-fold to $208 billion, according to Barclays Plc. Most of the companies spent money faster than they made it even when oil was $100 a barrel and are struggling to stay afloat with prices at $45.

‘Bursting’ Bubble

Goodrich didn’t name the bondholders who participated in the swap. The largest holder was Franklin Resources Inc., which owned about 24 percent of the bonds, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Franklin has invested in the debt of other distressed drillers, including Halcon Resources Corp., SandRidge Energy Inc. and Linn Energy LLC.

This was Goodrich’s second exchange this month. Three weeks ago, the company swapped $55 million on convertible notes for bonds worth half as much. To sweeten the deal, it lowered the share price at which investors can turn their notes into stock to $2.

Investors who didn’t participate in Goodrich’s earlier exchange took another hit with today’s swap because it put holders of the new bonds ahead of them in liquidation. Prices fell four cents to 18 cents on the dollar, according to Trace, the bond-price reporting system of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Excavator brings higher productivity to Templeton Highway Department

        




                    Excavator brings higher productivity to Templeton Highway Department.
     


                   Thanks to the great administration Templeton now has working together, things at the highway department are working at peak performance.  A new shift in staff and recent purchase of equipment has made the world of difference.  Once worn out equipment has been replaced with new and now time can be spent on doing the job instead of repairs to machines. No more filling the fluid levels time and time again dripping at every job or more money down the drain.
         There comes a time when the money to keep a piece of equipment or a roadway repaired has a loss factor and should be replaced. In Templeton we have the choice of ways to pay for these things. When we are asked to pay for it at town meeting and ballot votes with higher taxes we almost always say no.
         We don’t get the option to say “we want it” but don’t want to pay for it with higher taxes. The administration has to make the decisions to keep things functioning as best they can with what their options [money] are at the time they decide. Some can only dwell on the negative side of things and only say we said no. So be it!  The ability of our town to function means the tools and employees need to be capable of all the tasks at hand. All departments and town employees have a role to play to have it all come together and function. We have seen how bad the town can get real quickly when the trust of others has not been what we thought it was.  
When you see things put on this blog about this department or that department think for a minute who posted it and what comments get made after.
           The point is we as a town function as one town and will all look good if we all function well. If a department or board falls short and lacks the ability to perform we as a town look poor or even foolish. To not have the tools/equipment needed to run a town by choice would be a multi failure on several levels. Thanks to our leadership and the changes implemented we will see a better town for it.               Things take time and some answers given are not what some want to hear. 
              I thank allemployees in my town and look forward to the day when we all can say 
                                   Templeton knows how to function well.



                                                                     Dave Smart

Narragansett Historical Society Engine Show

Narragansett Historical Society Engine Show

JUST TO SAVE YOU THE TIME MR. BENNETT




     JUST TO SAVE YOU THE TIME MR. BENNETT

The FACTS jeff doesn't include here are the voters turned down a prop 2 1/2 override to pay for it.
The voters didn't want higher taxes.The voters didn't vote on the machine just the tax raise to pay for it.
Just like the loader it was asked to pay for it above and beyond the normal tax rate.
So now that we are back and forth with a person who has a hard time with telling a story with the facts and uses his thoughts as a basis to put down departments this should get interesting day by day. 
When the department i work for gets the mud slug at it i have a good idea what to do about it.
I've been called the highway spokesperson by Mr. Bennett. If time after time i don't respond to the mud do i get the title of candy ass? Will Mr. Bennett find a reason to make things more personal than they are now?
I can only say this Jeff if you keep the use of this Blog as the figment of your imaginary illusions.This Blog will have one fewer administrator that will post.That would be you Jeff. I will post your blogs for you or anyone else that would like them posted. Better yet Julie would be happy to do it for you.
The ignorant way you post blogs have to change or you will force me to make the changes the people deserve.
With limited information again and again you spark the illusions you wish to have found.
It's funny how you at one time were all for the highway and now your all against it. Like the light and water thing just the opposite.
I guess for now it's game on Jeff.
I'm Back!
Just to save you the time I'll Post this as a blog also for you!

Mr. Smart
To Dave Smart;

Mr. Smart, since you do not like speculation or questions posed here, perhaps you can help me out, looking at a recent updated Town of Templeton vender list, I noticed Baldwinville Garage is listed on it. So could you tell us who owns it, what services or goods are sold to the Town?

Jeff Bennett
It is all about who's cornflakes you are peeing in! I bet if I wrote anything on the Templeton Light and Water Department, Dave Smart would be down with that! Write what you will Dave but the law is in writing, the events are in the record and as you like to say, in December or January, the rest of the story, the whole story will be there, perhaps.

Here is how it is folks, Julie Farrell, Dave Smart and Jeff Bennett, have the password to this blog and as far as I know, that is it. Which is why I am able to post without using the comments section. My speculation is I got the password in anticipation I would go after Templeton Light & Water and the School District. I am an unpredictable individual so surprise surprise that Dave Smart does not like anything on the highway department. You know like Dave Smart writing how he was getting some new carolina summer boots and just a bit ago he said he was getting some new "safer" winter boots, on the taxpayer dime. If he does not like ne writing about the highway department on "his blog", change the password. But when Town meeting vote turns down a new excavator, perhaps his boss should not circumvent that vote by going to the selectmen and Town Administrator to buy anyway.

Dave thinks the light & water screws the people over because they raise the rates when ever but what does he think when his boss takes the peoples road money to buy a new toy that is not used much. Should have bought a NEW truck rather than a new excavator and an old truck.

Dave seems to think it is bullshit to point out a pattern of misinformation. I think it is important, just like some think fluoridation is important. So Dave, perhaps you can speculate and post the copy of chapter of the Massachusetts General Law on bidding requirements for purchase made with any public monies?  Changes are coming Dave!

Jeff Bennett

2 comments:

  1. Looks like a larger workforce with a higher overhead which could be a higher rate needed to support it.
    ReplyDelete
  2. Gotta wonder which family member needs a job!
    ReplyDelete

Two comments posted under an apparent ad for a position at Templeton Water department. What is that, facts in charge!

Jeff Bennett

Fluoridation: The Fraud of the Century

Fluoridation: The Fraud of the Century
 by Anita Shattuck
from Weston A. Price Foundation

Fluoridation is not about “children’s teeth,” it is about industry getting rid of its hazardous waste at a profit, instead of having to pay a fortune to dispose of it.

Only calcium fluoride occurs naturally in water; however, that type of fluoride has never been used for fluoridation. Instead what is used over 90 percent of the time are silicofluorides, which are 85 times more toxic than calcium fluoride.

They are non-biodegradable, hazardous waste products that come straight from the pollution scrubbers of big industries. If not dumped in the public water supplies, these silicofluorides would have to be neutralized at the highest rated hazardous waste facility at a cost of $1.40 per gallon (or more depending on how much cadmium, lead, uranium and arsenic are also present). Cities buy these unrefined pollutants and dump them–lead, arsenic and all–into our water systems. Silicofluorides are almost as toxic as arsenic, and more toxic than lead.1, 2

The EPA has recently said it is vitally important that we lower the level of both lead and arsenic in our water supplies, and their official goal is zero parts per million. This being the case, why would anyone recommend adding silicofluorides, which contain both of these heavy metals?3


On July 2, 1997, EPA scientist, J. William Hirzy, PhD, stated, “Our members’ review of the body of evidence over the last eleven years, including animal and human epidemiology studies, indicate a causal link between fluoride/fluoridation and cancer, genetic damage, neurological impairment and bone pathology. Of particular concern are recent epidemiology studies linking fluoride exposure to lowered IQ in children.”4

The largest study of tooth decay in America (by the National Institute of Dental Research in 1987) proved that there was no significant difference in the decay rates of 39,000 fluoridated, partially fluoridated and non-fluoridated children, ages 5 to 17, surveyed in 84 cities. The media has never disclosed these facts. The study cost us, the taxpayers, $3,670,000. Surely, we are entitled to hear the results.5

Newburgh and Kingston, both in the state of New York, were two of the original fluoridation test cities. A recent study by the New York State Department of Health showed that after 50 years of fluoridation, Newburgh’s children have a slightly higher number of cavities than never-fluoridated Kingston.5

The recent California fluoridation study, sponsored by the Dental Health Foundation, showed that California has only about one quarter as much water fluoridation as the nation as a whole, yet 15-year-old California children have less tooth decay than the national average.6

From the day the Public Health Service completed their original 10-year Newburgh and Kingston fluoridation experiment, fluoride promoters have repeatedly claimed that fluoride added to drinking water can reduce tooth decay by as much as 60 to 70 percent.

Adding fluoride to the water has never prevented tooth decay, it merely delays it, by provoking a genetic malfunction that causes teeth to erupt later than normal. This delay makes it possible to read the statistics incorrectly without lying. Proponents count teeth that have not yet erupted as “no decay.” Therefore, they claimed that the fluoridated Newburgh children age 6 had 100 percent less tooth decay; by age 7, 100 percent less; by age 8, 67 percent less; age 9, 50 percent less; and by age 10, 40 percent less.

Grant To Help Spay Pets

Grant To Help Spay Pets
Ahimsa Haven gets $2,500 from state

‘I think this grant boosts the core of our mission statement and increases the amount of animals they we can help.’ — Marjorie Twiraga Sargent, Ahimsa president

Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  Spaying and neutering stray cats and dogs just became a little easier for Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue on Baldwinville Road.

Ahimsa received a grant from the Massachusetts “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Program worth $2,500. The funds will go directly to the spaying and neutering of cats and dogs that come through the shelter.

“We need this grant. This takes financial pressure off of us and enables us to make sure that every animal that comes through here gets spayed and neutered while allowing us to focus on animals with more pressing medical issues,” said Marjorie Twiraga Sargent, president of Ahimsa Haven and a volunteer since 2005.

Ms. Sargent explained that the grant pays for about 50 percent of the costs for spaying the animals that come through the shelter.

According to Ms. Sargent, it costs the shelter up to $140 for a cat to be completely vetted for adoption – this includes the spaying/neutering, shots, deworming and a microchip.

The grant takes some of the cost away. The request for the grant is written up every year by Ms. Sargent and she said that it takes a lot of prep work to get it done. Included in the process is figuring out how many animals at the shelter the grant helps each year and the shelter’s budget from the previous year.

The grant program is organized through the Massachusetts Animal Coalition and it began over 10 years ago.

Anne Lindsay, founder and president of the coalition, explained that when reviewing the applications from each shelter they look for organizations that are recognized as nonprofits by the IRS and are registered by the Department of Agriculture.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

As some who come to my uncles blog may have noticedlately I've been absent.

            As some who come to my uncles blog may have noticed lately I’ve been absent.


With the Jeff Bennett “spin” directed at your highway crew and my fellow workers I felt compelled to respond and set the truth In motion.  Why would anyone have to take what Jeff Bennett blogs here serious.
People in this town are being told such a line of “Bullshit” time and time again. Repeated over and over again, WHY? 
           When you do nothing but attack a hard working crew over boots pay and benefits you need to wonder what makes him tick. Now that he is on the Advisory board with Kate Fulton another reporter for the Templeton masses were so much better off. Pointing out what he thinks he see’s at 7:30 am on a drive by the Templeton Highway Department would make some think he’s onto something. As with many other things you read here from him that’s again, all spin and no facts. 
          This Blog is not a official Templeton town ask and answer forum that the officials of the town use to inform us. That is why for the most part they don’t. If they did it would only be picked apart line for line word for word by the “speculator in chief” Jeff Bennett.  
           I do thank Mr. Markel for the facts he has put up for Templeton’s people to get the official story from him posted on this blog . I’m sure he takes issue as I do over Jeff’s way of Blog use. Jeff has a way of thinking because he put things here on this blog he should be given a answer. He can ask the same questions at the proper time of the officials who he should be asking. Then Blog his heart out with substance and some people would probably comment on it. I guess you could put part of the blame for his practice on this Blog on me as I chose him to be one of the three that now run it. 

Being that as it is he can lay in it as he spreads it.

The part that pushed me to write this Blog was his last 7:30 am drive by of the Templeton Highway Department blog about the New England public works expo yesterday and today. The facts for your knowledge is no Templeton highway employees went. If he asked he would know that. The reason the place looked the way it did was due to the shortage of help. Pam,Bob and Mark were all off yesterday.
At 7:15 the rest of your highway crew were wearing out the boots on our feet all day cutting and chipping trees to create a better roadway for the people we serve day after day. Just so you know the new equipment we now use speeds up the job and we are well on our way to another new roadway in  Templeton. So for me to sit back and not Blog would be a disservice to the union brothers I serve as their steward.
I Thank all who read my uncles Blog and those who leave the comment’s here .



Fact or spin?????



Massachusetts General Law

chapter 44 Section 33B.
 (a) On recommendation of the mayor, the city council may, by majority vote, transfer any amount appropriated for the use of any department to another appropriation for the same department. In addition, the city council may, by majority vote, on recommendation of the mayor, transfer within the last 2 months of any fiscal year, or during the first 15 days of the new fiscal year to apply to the previous fiscal year, an amount appropriated for the use of any department other than a municipal light department or a school department to the appropriation for any other department, but the amount transferred from 1 department to another may not exceed, in the aggregate, 3 per cent of the annual budget of the department from which the transfer is made. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, no transfer shall be made of any amount appropriated for the use of any city department to the appropriation for any other department except by a 2/3 vote of the city council on recommendation of the mayor and with the written approval of the amount of the transfer by the department having control of the appropriation from which the transfer is proposed to be made. No transfer involving a municipal light department or a school department shall be made under the previous sentence without the approval of the amount of the transfer by a vote of the municipal light department board or by a vote of the school committee, respectively.
(b) A town may, by majority vote at any meeting duly held, transfer any amount previously appropriated to any other use authorized by law. Alternatively, the selectmen, with the concurrence of the finance committee or other entity establish under section 16 of chapter 39, may transfer within the last 2 months of any fiscal year, or during the first 15 days of the new fiscal year to apply to the previous fiscal year, any amount appropriated for the use of any department other than a municipal light department or a school department to the appropriation for any other department or within a department, but the amount transferred from 1 department to another or within a department may not exceed, in the aggregate, 3 per cent of the annual budget of the department from or within which the transfer is made or $5,000, whichever is greater.
This information is available to anyone interested in about one minute online, so reassure me again on how the town Administrator and selectmen act on the best information available at the time??  Tell me again why the Town set a special town meeting for July 27, 2015 to do end of the year transfers?  Then why did we have another special Town meeting on July 14, 2015, to do end of the year transfers??  Who is spinning now?The Town will have to pay for tow special town meetings when only one was needed! Tell me again Dave Smart who is spinning?
Jeff Bennett


To the Templeton Town Administrator;

If you want to reassure me and the rest of the Templeton residents, how about giving us an accurate accounting of the original $550,000.00 feasibility money along with the additional $500,000.00 voted. This would be what was the money spent on and how much, if any, is left from those figures.

Looking over the minutes of the select board of February 9, 2015, Bob Markel tells the BOS that the $85,000.00 play ground grant has been cut from the state budget. So is it fact or spin that Templeton had $85,000.00, now we don't? There are other meeting minutes along with dvds that show the discussion of found $300,000.00 then at another meeting, we don't have exactly $300,000.00. The Town is in line for $110,000.00 for snow & Ice spending, no, the Town will only get about $30,000.00 for the one declared state of emergency due to snow. This money comes from FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency. So the Town and the State tried to pile it on but the federal agency said not so fast. So Templeton had $300,000.00 then we don't have quite that much, the Town could have $110,000.00 for snow & Ice, no, the Town will only get $30,000.00. It was no spin, it was facts backed up by minutes and recordings of the meetings. It was also reported in The Gardner News.

Another interesting item reported in The Gardner News, which was discussed at the last meeting of the Advisory Board, was about the Town Administrator, the selectmen and the Advisory Board all agreeing that 1/3 of anticipated certified free cash should be used on the budget. It was pointed out that the Advisory Board never took an official vote on that item. It was pointed out that a general discussion happened and some numbers were talked about but no vote nor no recommendation was sent to the TA. It was also discussed to send a request for clarification on that subject. That is the kind of misinformation that is hurting the chances of any overrides or debt exclusions from passing, in my opinion.

Jeff Bennett