Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with Bjork!

Tonight we're gonna go with a theme of one name acts. One name bands or performers. We start with Iceland's Bjork, former lead singer of the Sugarcubes. For all the ridicule Bjork sometimes has been held up to for say swan dresses or beating the living snot out of reporters at airports (When Bjork's attack) she remains a fantastic songwriter. Did you know she co-wrote Madonna's 'Frozen'? It's a fact.

Here is the very surreal yet very eye candy song 'Human Behavior'. Johnny really digs that part near the end of the song when the moth starts flitting around the light bulb. Like a wise man once said, these here bears, they are mindless perfect killing machines.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with INXS!

In keeping with our one name band series tonight, here is the Aussie contingent of, let's just say several band members, INXS. Johnny's gotta say, you could always tell the not so cool people back in the day when they would mispronounce the name of this band. "Have you heard that new song by 'inks'?".

From 1988 here is INXS live with 'Don't Change'

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with GORILLAZ!

We're gonna let Noodle and Shaun Ryder do a little singing tonight with this fresh hypnotic tune. If you're not up dancing and grooving by the end of this, you might wanna check to see if you're still breathing.

Never did no harm, 'It's Dare' by Gorillaz

There are few things as distasteful as a hit and run accident

And few people less honorable than hit and run drivers. Jersey City has two of them and hopefully you can help locate at least one of them.

A Jersey City woman was hit, knocked 140 feet and killed as she crossed Grand Avenue leaving the Jersey City Medical Center yesterday. She was the mother of seven. Now police say they have a good video of the incident in which she was hit by a dark color SUV, possibly a Jeep. She was then either hit by another vehicle, a black van that either hit her but certainly swerved to avoid her body and keep going.

Do you know of somebody who has such a vehicle as the Jeep that suddenly has suspicious front end damage or a neighbor who drives one but it's now suddenly not being used or kept in a garage? Make the call, (201) 547-JAIL.

Late night open thread

First off, we'll get to the music series tomorrow night. Johnny got back from the Devils game later than planned.

Speaking of the Devils, they won their 8th straight game tonight, beating the stinky Penguins 4-3 in overtime. Jamie Langenbrunner scored the tying goal with 31 seconds left and got the winner with exactly one minute left in overtime. The Devils captain also had the OT winner in Boston last night. One of Johnny's old faves Brendan Shanahan had a goal and an assist. Johnny didn't see this mentioned yet on TSN or ESPN but something was wrong with Cindy Crosby. He only saw the ice for MAYBE 15 seconds in overtime. Twice he went out to try a shift and immediately tuned back to the bench. His ovaries must be acting up (in all fairness he has a bad knee, not sure if this was why he couldn't go in OT). Speaking of floaters, good GOD is Evgeni Malkin a whiner and flopper. Twice in the first period he quit skating as the play went the other way up the ice to complain to an official. Twice he flopped on the ice like he was shot from the Book Depository and writhed around only to miraculously recover by the next shift or when a powerplay came Pittsburgh's way. It was nice to go to a non-Red Wings game and have a rooting interest disliking Pittsburgh the way he does (every time he goes there he litters). Many Penguin fans had red and puffy eyes on the way out.

It was good loud crowd having fun on a Friday night. However, the jury is still out on that Cameron Bozo handing out the shirts all night long. Like Pete Townsend once sang, "A Little is Enough".

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

As expected, Dawn Zimmer to run for Mayor of Hoboken

As reported here, Dawn Zimmer has decided to throw the proverbial hat into the ring and run for mayor of Hoboken. Telling the Jersey Journal "I'm nice but I'm tough," Zimmer made it official. She said there would only be three council members running on her ticket but didn't mention who the others would be.

Zimmer said her goals would be implementing green ideas around Hoboken and cutting taxes.

Late night open thread

The Devils beat Boston in overtime tonight in Beantown 4-3. The Devils have won 7 straight heading into tomorrow night's game with Cindy Crosby and the overrated and vastly overhyped Penguins. Johnny will be there in the lower bowl with his Red Wings cap cheering for the Devils to make it 8 in a row. He's gonna try to get a sign down at ice level during warm ups with the message '#87, Gary's Lil Butt Kisser'.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Louie DePalma is alive and well and working near Journal Square

Even after passing new rules regarding taxis in Jersey City, JC residents and officials are still having big problems getting cab drivers to follow them at Journal Square.

Last August City Council passed new laws forbidding such practices as filling up taxis with multiple passengers going to different places. They're still doing it. Cab drivers turn down passengers wanting to go only a few blocks. They're also ripping off senior citizens by not offering the senior discount which they should be doing. There is even a report of a cabbie assaulting a passenger. Nice.

It's gotten so bad at least one resident is calling for a boycott. Jersey City's Director of the Division of Commerce Paul Barna says the problem is not imagined. Barna says since they began enforcing the new rules last year over 400 summonses have been handed out to offending drivers.

Good for you Mr. Barna, crack the whip. Keep the pressure on. There's zero excuse for actions like these drivers are trying to get away with. Sometimes a cab driver is the first impression of a city, especially possible in a spot as busy as Journal Square. We'd like our visitors and residents to see more Alex Riegers and less Louie DePalmas...

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition

"I am mortally wounded . . . I think"
--Stephen Decatur, American naval hero 1820


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A tip of the Jersey City Desk cap to Global Container Terminals

Global Container Terminals CEO John Atkins did a very unselfish thing for the city of Bayonne and the Bayonne Fire Department, he donated $332,237 so the BFD (lol) could get the title and insure a fire truck they had taken delivery of 4 months ago yet could not use.

The new fire truck, called a "specialty pumper" and has a 1,500 gallon a minute pumping capacity will replace a 12-year-old truck that will now become a reserve truck.

In these trying economic times, this is probably the last thing the City of Bayonne or anyone expected. This is beyond nice, this is a great gift by Global Container Terminals. Kudos.

Price of a life in Jersey City now falls to $0.00

Jersey City's second murder thus far in 2009 shows the callous nature of scumbags with guns. The owner of Albert's Grocery, Mr. Kiritkumar Parikh, was shot and killed after he refused to give one of these scumbags with a gun the money he demanded.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio told the Jersey Journal "This was clearly a gratuitous act of gun violence taking the life of the hard-working gentleman". The robber after demanding money then fled without getting a dime. What a class act eh? According to witnesses and neighborhood peeps, Mr. Parikh was a well liked, hard working salt of the earth type of man.

Police say the brain addled suspect is described as an African-American, around 6-feet-tall, of thin build and wearing dark clothing. Anyone with ANY information is asked to call (201) 915-1345. Come on people, let's get this trash and help make Jersey City better using subtraction as addition.

Late night open thread

Um, uh, Giants fans, we need to talk. This should never happen. Johnny's had girlfriends break up with him and handled it better. Jesus, he's had relatives DIE and handled it better. According to the YouTube, this guys name is Rob.

Don't be a Rob.

Bad language and general taunting of a weeping mangina. Not for the kids.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hudson County and surrounding areas are under a winter weather advisory at midnight

Snow, ice, then more snow, then ice, then rain will be making an appearance over the Hudson County area starting later tonight. The area is under a Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow night. We're expecting anywhere from 3-5 inches of snow, and perhaps a tenth of an inch of icing is possible.

Wunderground gives us the rest:
Tonight
Cloudy. A chance of snow in the evening...then snow after midnight. Snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Lows in the mid 20s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80 percent.

Wednesday
Snow in the morning...mixing with freezing rain and sleet early in the afternoon...then changing to rain. Total snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. Ice accumulation of up to a tenth of an inch. Highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. Rain...freezing rain and sleet likely in the evening...tapering off by midnight. Little or no ice accumulation. Breezy with lows in the mid 20s. North winds 15 to 20 mph...becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.

Big music news thrillseekers, Neko Case at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square April 13th, and 14th

Of course Johnny was a weasel and didn't announce this until he got his tickets (for the April 14th show) but really, this tour was announced only yesterday. Neko will be touring for her new 'Middle Cyclone' record (yes, record, we're old school here) which is due out March 3rd. We've heard one track off of it and it's very very good. If you've never heard Neko's music we highly advise a trip to the Nokia Theatre, she's got a voice like no other and her arrangements are tip top music fans. Click here for the link on the tour enjoy an early morning song on Johnny and the staff....

Neko with 'I Wish I Was the Moon' to put you in a ticket buying mood

Late night open thread

Tonight we bring you an image from around our fair city...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A new Harrison PATH train station planned

Good new for those of you on the Newark side of town, a new PATH station is planned for the Harrison stop said Susan Bass Levin, first deputy executive director of the Port Authority. She also said PATH would be adding a new fleet of train cars to upgrade the system and add more passenger space. This is good news, anything that helps the PATH or subway systems (for the most part) is money well spent.

Johnny enjoys going past the Harrison stop on his way to Devils games, that stop is looking pretty run down. A good call by the Port Authority. We're hoping the new train cars will have vending machines, shoe buffers, iPod docking stations, a bar car and hopefully the popcorn guy in Newark can branch out and sell fresh popped corn on the PATH train.

Monday morning open thread

Johnny has meetings all morning and was up all night knocking a giant gorilla off the top of the Empire State Building, talk amongst yourselves...

Late night open thread

On this day in history, in 1533, England's King Henry VIII secretly married his second wife Anne Boleyn. Boleyn as you'll recall looked a lot like super hottie Natalie Portman.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Warm up your best Beavis and Butthead imitations....

Dateline: Crapstone England. Wait, it's gets better than Crapstone. The New York Times hips us to a most unfortunate road sign in Crapstone. By going and reading the article you'll learn that what you're about to see doesn't mean what you're about to see. It won't stop you from snickering however.

Nice to see the incoming administration won't be cowed by terrorists, they seek to reopen the Statue of Liberty's crown to the public

New Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar visited the Statue of Liberty and said a top priority of his, meaning the Obama Administration, was to reopen the crown to the public. You'll recall it was closed after the 9/11 attacks for some apparent reason. The Bushies said it was out of concern to the safety of the public which still to this day sounds like a red herring. Then why not close the viewing deck on the Empire State Building? Secretary Salazar said "This is an American treasure. . I don't think there is a better symbol of the fact that there is one America than this island."

We here at the Jersey City Desk agree. Sure it's a narrow 168 steps. So? No doubt someone has had a heart attack or fallen ill at some point doing it over the decades it's been open. They didn't close the St. Louis arch after 9/11. We need to get over this innate fear of "the terrorists". Sure it's a possibility. It's a possibility geese will bring down your plane in the Hudson River.

Jersey City's Statue of Liberty is THE greatest symbol of America, but how can it be if it's closed because we're afraid of bad guys? We heartily applaud Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and the Obama Administration for this call.

Late night open thread

Johnny got his shop on today in the India Square area of Jersey City today looking for a gift for his mom's birthday. He picked up some gorgeous head scarves in those fabulous Indian fabrics and designs and colors. Yep, he was the only caucasian male (Hell, male period) in the shop and he thinks they got a kick out of a non-traditional shopper in there. Wonderful ladies working there who were very helpful and Johnny'd like to give some online love to Om Saris at 11 Liberty Ave. (Just off of Newark). Good stuff, and if Johnny was in the market to buy a sari, he'd get it there.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Famed Greenwich Village bakery now selling "drunken negro head" cookies

Wow, for a second there Johnny, we thought you said a bakery is selling cookies called "drunken negro heads".

Yep, that's EXACTLY what Johnny said. The owner of the Lafayette French Pastry bakery (featured on Sex in the City) is selling (or was until people were offended and the news media showed up on his doorstep) cookies he's calling "drunken negro heads' or last Tuesday, Inauguration Day they were called "Obama Heads". One patron said he dropped the word "nigger" into the discussion. Others said owner Ted Kefalinos made mention of the fact President Obama was trying to follow in President Lincoln's footsteps and actually said he'd wind up the same way; "He'll get his".

What does a "drunken negro head" cookie look like?

(image from the Gothamist website).

The website Gothamist has the full story, go check it out. We're wondering how some "Black eyed and broken nosed Kefalinos" cookies would look like. We're not advocating violence, we just wonder what they'd look like.

Suspect arrested in bodega murder earlier this week

Jersey City resident David Ashley was arrested and given a 1 million dollar bond for the felony murder of Elisha "Elijah" Benjamin. Police say they are still looking for two other suspect in the murder. The gun has been recovered and detectives also said they were led to Ashley as the suspect from witnesses in the store at the time of the murder.

Again, if you have the whereabouts of the others involved, (201) 915-1345 is the number for you.

Late night open thread

News of the weird night:

Mom guilty of letting boy, 3, smoke
Associated Press
LONDON -- A British woman has pleaded guilty to child cruelty for allowing her 3-year-old to smoke in front of her.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees said video taken by a mobile phone showed the small child popping a cigarette into his mouth, lighting it with a lighter and taking a drag.
Rees told a court in the Welsh town of Merthyr Tydfil that the boy's mother, 24-year-old Kelly Marie Pocock, was sitting next to the boy and talking on the phone at the time.
The film was shot by Pocock's friend, Natasha Dudley, who showed the footage to social workers.
Judge John Curran said Thursday it was clear Pocock's child was a habitual smoker and called the situation appalling.
Pocock was given a 40-week suspended sentence.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SHERYL CROW!

Indeed it's 90's night here at the Jersey City Desk. We're gonna kick it off with one of Johnny's all-time favorite performers and favorite people, Sheryl Crow. There is just something about Sheryl that's just cool. I've never heard a cross word out of her, she doesn't embarrass herself and really all she does is make great music with interesting lyrics and puts on phenomenal live shows. Johnny's has seen her (counting in his own head) FOUR times and was present at the concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills the night she recorded her live DVD 'Rockin' the Globe'. What a show. We're gonna go with a very Rolling Stones inspired tune 'If it Makes You Happy' which as Sheryl will tell you HERE was originally a country song. Yep, it was, go have a listen, it's incredible. Here's Sheryl Crow with 'If it Makes You Happy'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SMASHING PUMPKINS!

We continue tonight on our 90's bender with what Johnny would call the best band of the 90's, Smashing Pumpkins. We know, we know Nirvana this and Nirvana that, but to be considered the best of a decade Johnny thinks you should be around for more than a couple years of said decade. Put out a few albums, have a few hits, make a few pretty cool videos. Johnny met Billy Corgan one night after a show in Ann Arbor where he foretold of the breakup of the band. Johnny mentioned how hard they had rocked that particular night and when faced with an onslaught of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and boy bands galore, he told Billy "Rock seems safe with you guys around", to which Mr. Corgan replied "Yeah, at least for another eight months." A week later he announced after that current tour, the Pumpkins were history. It wasn't surprising, D'Arcy had just been replaced after her interest in crack outweighed her interest in the band, and Corgan had just allowed drummer Jimmy Chamberlain back into the band after his infamous drug case in which touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin (who was the brother of Prince cohort Wendy Melvoin) overdosed on heroin with Chamberlain present.

Here's Johnny's close personal friend, Billy Corgan and Smashing Pumpkins with 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with GARBAGE!

By way of Madison Wisconsin, with a hot and powerful Edinburgh Scotland singer, it's Garbage to finish off the music series tonight. A couple tidbits about the band, Did you know Butch Vig produced the iconic Nirvana Nevermind album? You do now. Shirley Manson once broke into the Edinburgh Zoo, we're not sure why but next time we see her we'll ask. Here they are performing their breakout hit from 1996 with 'Only Happy When it Rains'.

Mr. Mayor, You CAN announce you're running again without the hoopla

These are lean times. Every penny must be pinched. We'd hope you'd understand that. The gala you threw yourself last night to announce Jerramiah Healy is running for mayor again was a bit over the top. Don't try and tell us each and EVERY expense was paid for by private donors. With all the police and fire presence, and lines of limos, it cost us something.

Seriously, we're not saying you're not the best candidate, but the flash and glam, those weren't needed.

Late night open thread

On this day in history, in 1901, Queen Victoria died. She reigned over England for 63 years before dying while surfing in Hawaii.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sadly, Jersey City had it's first murder in 2009 this afternoon

A bodega store worker (and for those of you still checking in from the Ypsi City Desk, a bodega is a convenience store out here) was shot with a rifle and killed near Ocean Avenue and Forrest street this afternoon around 2:30. Two "young adults" entered the store and shot 59 year old Elisha Benjamin and held the rifle on other customers while the second unarmed jackass went through the register. Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said it's possible Mr. Benjamin was the intended victim. We'd agree since no other customers were robbed.

People, look, this kind of senseless crap has to end. It's not gonna stop if "nobody saw anything". It'll continue. How long will we allow ourselves to be victims these animals? Yes, Johnny said animals. Animals prey on weaker animals. These animals can only do this with a big gun, because without it, they're cowards. Let's help put cowards with guns behind bars. Make an anonymous call. Do it. If you have any idea who was involved, make the call. Hell drop Johnny a tip and he'll pass it along. We did that a couple times back in Ypsilanti, it worked. We're not some tool of the police, we'll hold them accountable here just as much, but this is murder and it's come to our town again. Take our town back.

Make a call. (201) 915-1345.

Free to a loving home: bears, rhinos, tigers and giraffes

New York Governor David Paterson’s new budget calls for the elimination of lots of things. Namely zoos. Since we simply can't let these magnificent animals starve, they're going to need homes. Certainly you can find it in your heart to take in a wombat, or a chimpanzee or an elephant or two. Seriously, the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York will be giving them away and think of the love your family could give a large carnivore. The kids would love it and you'd be the talk of your block. Imagine the look on Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's face when he comes over to help you assimilate your 'doggies' who just happen to look an awful lot like hyenas.

Won't you help the animals?

One final thought on last night's game

Cheerleaders? Cheerleaders? Really? At a hockey game? The 'Devils Dancers' cheer team needs to go. Sorry, that's not professional hockey. Well maybe it is in places like Nashville, but it shouldn't be here.

Late night open thread

Well hockey fans, the Devils won their fifth game in a row tonight and jumped back ahead of the Rangers for first in the Atlantic Division with a sloppy 5-2 victory over Les Habitants du Montreal. The Canadiens simply did not want to play a game tonight heading into the all-star break. Johnny has seen oatmeal with more passion than Montreal played with. The Devils got goals from Paul Martin, Travis Zajac, Johnny Oduya, Zach Parise, and Patrik Elias.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tonight Johnny gets to say hello to an old friend, Brendan Shanahan

Since Shanahan recently signed with the Devils, and will hopefully be playing tonight vs Montreal, Johnny will get to say hello to Shanny all over again. Johnny was a regular at Joe Louis Arena (aka The Church) in Detroit for Wings games for years and years. Shanahan as many of you know played in Detroit for many years and won three Stanley Cups. He scored many big goals and beat down many enemy skaters (In Game 4 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals in Detroit, Colorado Nordilanche loser Eric Lacroix reached into a fighting scrum of humanity and managed to pull out one very pissed off Brendan Shanahan as his fight partner. Shanny beat him to the ice like a narc at a biker rally). It'll be good to see him again.

Ya know, when Shanahan used to score goals in Detroit the Joe Louis Arena audio guru would play an Irish jig over the PA. Might not be a bad idea for The Rock to try the same thing.

Man assaults clerk with a butter roll, then the chase is on

Jersey City's own David King said it was his birthday. He went into a grocery store at the corner of Montgomery and Florence streets and told a clerk it was his birthday. In fact, he announced "'It's my birthday, what are you giving me for free?". Apparently the clerk's answer of "nothing" displeased Mr. King. He told the clerk he had a knife and threatened to make with the stabbing. However it must have been a butter knife because Mr. King then picked up a butter roll and threw it at the clerk. The clerk called 911, the police arrived and the foot chase was on. Jersey City police chased Mr. King through the Montgomery Gardens housing complex, caught him, and slapped the cuffs on him. Surprising to no one, Mr. King was found to have a vial of 'suspected' cocaine on his person (mmmmm, cocaine and butter rolls) and was arrested.

No word on if he'll be charged with being light and flaky.

Late night open thread

Here's some strange but true job interview behavior as compiled by HR Directors

1. "... said he was so well-qualified that if he didn't get the job, it would prove that the company's management was incompetent."

2. "... stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application."

3. "... brought her large dog to the interview."

4. "... chewed bubble gum and constantly blew bubbles."

5. "Candidate kept giggling through serious interview."

6. "She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time."

7. "Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece."

8. "Applicant challenged interviewer to arm wrestle."

9. "... asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate."

10. "... announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office."

11. "Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview."

12. "Man wore jogging suit to interview for position as financial vice president."

13. "Stated that, if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm."

14. "Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions."

15. "... wouldn't get out of the chair until I would hire him. I had to call the police."

16. "When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office."

17. "... had a little pinball game and challenged me to play with him."

18. "... bounced up and down on my carpet and told me I must be highly thought of by the company because I was given such a thick carpet."

19. "At the end of the interview, while I stood there dumbstruck, went through my purse, took out a brush, brushed his hair, and left."

20. "... pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him."

21. "Candidate asked me if I would put on a suit jacket to insure that the offer I had made was formal."

22. "Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much."

23. "While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the centerfold."

24. "During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate's brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview."

25. "A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do I start? What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as you'll pay me more." "I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer."

Yikes

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Now that Obama is President, Jersey City Desk will get MORE of your tax dollars

We're spending some of them now on booze, Cuban cigars and sluts....

A big 'ole fight outside a Bayonne restaurant leads to establishment being ticketed

Amici's, at Broadway and Dodge, was the site of at least 20 people involved in an old fashioned donnybrook Sunday night. Police were called to the scene during the fight where at least one 17 year old patron was arrested for swinging on a cop. Police ticketed Amici's for allowing minors to congregate where a bar is present.

Late night open thread

Presidential trivia night...

Who was the first President to ride in a car? Answer HERE

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We celebrate Martin Luther King Day today with his 'I Have a Dream' speech

Given on August 28, 1963 in Washington DC. Amazing to hear this speech today and realize what will happen tomorrow. While Dr. King's dream hasn't been fully realized, great progress has been made. No other western democracy has elected an African-American leader. Once again America has become a leader in the eyes of the world in making such progress.

World's most famous submerged airplane now living right here in Hudson County

The US Air jet that splashed down in the Hudson River last week has been towed across the river to a dock here in Hudson County. See that? When the plane wants publicity it washes up in New York, but when real scientific answers are needed, the plane comes here to New Jersey. That says a lot.

Late night open thread

The end times are upon us. Tomorrow, look for four horsemen riding through the sky, plagues of toads, grasshoppers and floods and things. The Cardinals are in the Super Bowl.

Time for Jersey, After Dark

Sunday open thread

Johnny has some out-of-towners gigging with him this weekend, it'd be rude to run a whole newsroom while they are here. Entertain yourselves. Tell tall tales of the sea iffen you want.

Late night open thread

FYI, Johnny will be making an appearance Wednesday at the Devils game vs. Montreal. He'll be signing autographs and giving photo opportunities, patting kids on the head and giving hockey tips to the fans and if need be, The Devils. He's also waiving his sizeable appearance fee.

See ya there.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday morning cartoons......sort of.....but not really

OK hipsters, if you're anything like Johnny, you love to mock those old 1950's training films they showed kids in school back then to teach children how to be good citizens, good students, they right way to be popular, the wrong way to live your life and of course, help you find the vocation that is right for you. Here is one of those films that tries to make kids taking industrial arts classes not feel so badly about themselves, to not live with the 'shop class stigma' as it were. BUT, the reason we're bring it to you is the hilarious job of commentary the Mystery Science 3000 crew does breaking down the film and the people portrayed in it.

Here now, the 1950's film "Why Study Industrial Arts?"

What is it with Jersey City, idiots, and BB and pellet guns?

As you'll recall, two moron teens tried to use a bb gun earlier this year in a spawled robbery attempt, and now a Jersey City woman, minding her own business was shoveling her walk, like a good citizen does when two asshats started plinking her with a pellet gun.

The 65 year old woman victim (and nice you cowards, shooting a 65 year old female instead of someone like Johnny who would have sauntered over and put you in intensive care) was shoveling near Ocean and Myrtle Avenues Thursday just before 9 pm when two males shot her in the hand, armpit and thigh. She described these losers as:

17 to 20 years old. One was about 5-foot-10 and wearing a green jacket and beige pants while the other was wearing an all blue denim outfit

If you have any info please give the Jersey City police a ring.

Late night open thread

Both engines are missing from the US Air jet that belly flopped so elegantly in the Hudson River on Thursday. If you see 'em laying around, or you fish 'em outta the river, give 'em back, no using them for coffee tables.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SNEAKER PIMPS!

Every band gets their name from somewhere, The Doors got theirs from Aldous Huxley's 1954 book 'The Doors of Perception'. The Rolling Stones got theirs from a Muddy Waters song. Sneaker Pimps got their name after reading an article the Beastie Boys published, about a schlep they hired to track down vintage gym shoes for them.

Sneaker Pimps started in Merry Olde England, Hartlepool to be exact, in 1995. The trip hop band consists (or consisted) of Kelli Dayton, Chris Corner, Liam Howe, Joe Wilson, and David Westlake. Dayton, the lead singer was excused from the band after the band released the album 'Becoming X' in 1996.

The band is still performing and recording today with some fresh electronic tracks.

From the album 'Becoming X' here is the wonderfully slinky and smokey track 'Six Underground'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE POLICE!

Did you know that neither Sting nor Andy Summers or Stewart Copeland had anything to do with the crazily named albums The Police came out with in the late 70's and early 80's? Its true. They had no input over the names Regatta De Blanc, Zenyatta Mondatta or Outlandos D'Amour. It was Miles Copeland, Stewart's brother, and band manager who had creative control of the album names. Do you recognize the name Henry Padovani? He was the fourth member in the 'original' lineup but left before they hit it big or released Outlandos D'Amour. The Police also performed under the names Strontium 90 and The Elevators in those early early days in the mid 70's.

Here is the current lineup we all know and love with 'Walking on the Moon', a song Johnny got his best friend's cool-o daughter hooked on when she was 5.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with WANDA JACKSON!

More than overdue, the Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson this week was voted into the Rock and Roll Hal of Fame in the builders, or early influencer category. A protege of one Elvis Presley, Jackson had hits with not only rockabilly, but also country and western as well as gospel. The Oklahoma tornado still performs today, and lives in Oklahoma City.

The Jersey City Desk would like to congratulate the first lady of rock and roll and an incredible trendsetter on her induction.

Here's Wanda Jackson with 'Hard Headed Woman' from 1958

Take it away this morning

It's your call as to what we discuss. The bitter cold, the plane crash, the weekend, whatever you want...

Late night open thread

Did you ever look at your zipper, or any zipper and see the letters YKK on it? Ever wonder why that is? It stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikigaisha, the world's largest zipper manufacturer.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

US Airways plane crash perpetrators identified

This afternoon's US Airway airbus A-320 crash into the Hudson River in which all passengers are reported safe was caused by Canadian geese, shown here. According to Jersey City Desk sources It was the top one and the last three. Police from New York City, Jersey City and the Port Authority are looking for the perps.

Breaking News--Airbus A-320 ditches into the Hudson River

An Airbus A-320 had an aborted takeoff on it's way to Charlotte North Carolina from New York's Laguardia airport and wound up floating in the Hudson River. Early indications are everyone is OK (which is the important thing here) and the plane may have been hit by a flock of birds which is what caused the aborted takeoff.

Passengers used the emergency exits and waited for rescue on the wings. Passengers kept their heads and should be commended along with the crew.

Johnny sent intern Zoltron down to the Hudson River to get pictures and interview authorities but he said it was too cold and said Johnny should go instead. His exact words were "Go piss up a rope".

No word on if any of the birds were arrested for causing the accident though President George W. Bush has called them 'evildoers'.

There's the Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel and now the 'Johnny Action Space Punk Tunnel'

That's right rail tunnel transportation fans (and who isn't?), the federal gubmint has given the go ahead to a $5.7 billion ($10 billion after requisite cost overruns and delays) new rail tunnel between New Jersey and the Big Appletini, which Johnny is insisting we at the Jersey City Desk refer to as 'The Johnny Tunnel'.

It'll provide jobs, and lots of jobs, upwards of 40,000 to 50,000 jobs by the time it's done in 2017. The new 'Johnny Tunnel' is expected to make the word a greener place eliminating a possible 22,200 car trips between NJ and NY a day. It's expected to double the rail trips at peak commuting hours leading to much less congestion on the PATH trains as well meaning you citizen might get a seat once in a while.

Good news all around here and well done by those who got their names in the paper...

Late night open thread

Give yourselves a few extra minutes in the morning. I'll be snowing with 1-3" expected overnight. Either that or leave at the regular time and skip the cruller stop.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

An actual chance to promote Neko Case's new single from her upcoming album 'Middle Cyclone' AND help kitties and puppies? We're in!

Neko's record label released the first single off her upcoming new disc (or record, we're old school here) and have been told any blog that will carry it, they'll donate $5 to the Best Friends Animal Society. Hell, this place is practically a shrine to Neko anyway, we're very very happy to do so. Neko's new CD will be called 'Middle Cyclone' and will drop March 3rd. Here is the first single called 'People Got A Lotta Nerve' and as expected Johnny really loves it. But what's important is for YOU dear reader to decide. Give it a whirl:

People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case

We'd also like to give some love to the blog we heard about this wonderful promotion at 'Cable and Tweed'. They had an image there we're guessing could be the new album art and we're gonna run with it until we get our hands slapped.

Rock on, Neko!

As always you can use the Links that Don't Stink and go right to Neko's site or find her on MySpace.

Johnny's not the only one who thinks taxpayers are getting bent over when it comes to the new Yankee Stadium

Apparently, the New York City Comptroller, William Thompson, says taxpayers are being hit with "astronomically steeper costs." Thompson is calling on Mayor Mc Big Cheese Michael Bloomberg (who by the way has already ordered the city's luxury boxes and season tickets be given back because this deal was effervescent) to delay a vote on ANOTHER $372 million in taxpayer dollars to the Yankees (remember, all this money, almost a billion in taxpayer giveaways for less than 30 full time permanent jobs) because of "incredible mismanagement."

Almost a billion in taxpayer money. Anybody here think the Yankees are going to give than money back through turnstile revenue? Concession revenue? TeeVee revenue? Hell no.

Late night open thread

How about something new tonight? Before bed, why not try to catch a look at the 'Grey Lady' ghost at the haunted Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana. According to the legend:

"The first reported incident happened sixty years ago to a library employee who trekked through the snowy cold for his nightly duty. Since then, countless other employees and patrons have reported seeing this apparition, each giving an eerily similar description. Is the legend true? We'll leave that for you to decide."

The brave of heart need only click HERE to start ghost hunting. Tell us if you see something. The cameras refresh pretty quickly on their own, no need for you to do so.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Crime in Jersey City is not funny, however this quote was

A local citizens group is up in arms over the blatant and increasing crime in their area. We understand and hope all the police and civic leaders who say they'll address their concerns aren't simply paying lip service. Lafayette area residents have a real problem and it's gotten so bad, to keep hoods, thugs, and idiots from loitering on her porch a local resident has taken to pouring syrup on said porch. Clever, but when it gets to that point, local officials who said they'd do something, namely state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, Freeholder Jeffrey Dublin and Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey had better do something.

Oh, yes, now to the quote that struck us as funny:

"I can't have people shooting each other and then the bodies laying in our parking lot," said Rosalyn Browne, who owns the funeral home outside of which the Jan. 3 shooting took place.

You'd think it'd help business....

This just in, Bret Schundler will NOT be running for Mayor of Jersey City

Claiming the nation's economic downturn has hurt his portfolio and would not allow him to campaign full time, former mayor Bret Schundler has decided not to run. Schundler told NJ.com:

"This will make it impossible for me to run," Schundler wrote in his e-mail. "I had planned to campaign full-time this Spring and to pay my family's mortgage and my children's tuition bills out of investment savings. Instead, I will need to work full-time at an income-earning job to pay those mortgages and tuition bills."

This leaves ONLY This leaves Mayor Jerramiah Healy, former Assemblyman Louis Manzo, ex-City Council President L. Harvey Smith, and Downtown activist Daniel Levin as candidates.

Maybe Johnny should run, he has a vision. He has lots of visions, mostly on Friday and Saturday nights after he takes his medicine.

Late night open thread

Tonight a few good minutes with Franklin Ajaye before bed. Johnny first saw Franklin a way back when in the 70's and howled with laughter. Here he is from an episode of The Midnight Special from 1976.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

New York's loss is Jersey City's gain

Moo hoo ha ha ha, Jersey City will be gaining 300 jobs and will now be leasing 100,00 square feet of office space as the Arch Insurance Group Inc., moves most of it's corporate HQ operations to the good side of the Hudson River in March. Arch will be moving into the Harborside Financial Center. Mark D. Lyons the big cheese (no, really it's his title) said the choice was easy considering the lower lease rates (In Jersey City things lease for $30 a square foot while in Manhattan it's $60 per square foot, you do the math) and an attractive package of incentives. In Jersey we call those tax breaks. No doubt they also wanted to be closer to the blogging capital of New Jersey, it's why the Yankees flirted with building here.

Jersey City welcomes Arch and reminds those who might have a little issue with giving up the Big Appletini for Jersey City, you can't beat the view ya know? Al those years you looked at JC, now you can lovingly look back at a pretty nice skyline.

As promised, here's your Monday Moanin' open thread

Talk Giants, talk weather, talk news, talk anything you wanna....Johnny's gotta say up front as a Cleveland Browns fan, next Sunday's Baltimore vs Pittsburgh AFC title game makes him wanna cheer for the overhead blimp to catch fire and crash onto the field.

Petty? Nah

Late night open thread

Johnny's gonna be very very busy tomorrow with, uh, JCD editorial meetings and, um, important stuff like that there so feel free to talk anything you wanna when we toss up another slapdash open thread....

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday open thread

Johnny and the crew have some other business to tend to today, we'll leave you with the question of the day--

Giants fans, are you worried?

Late night open thread

The legacy of one George W. Bush, as told by David Letterman in a Top Ten list...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Stevens Institute of Technology student admits to starting dorm fires which raises one question...

The Stevens Institute of Technology has dorms?

19 year old Zachary Siebel admitted his deeds and said he was ashamed, well he didn't he had his lawyer admit it (nothing like manning up there Zachary--nothing like letting your lawyer admit how sorry YOU are), of setting fires in a dorm at dear old SIT and actually threatening to blow the place up.

Siebel got three years of probation. No word from his attorney if he was sad.

This is a public service announcement....

We're gonna get about 4-6 inches of snow in the next 24 hours. Clean your sidewalks. Be a good neighbor, handle your responsibilities and shovel and or salt your walks. It's that simple...

We're gonna start listing properties that don't and publicly shame them.

Late night open thread

Snowball throwing contest at Giants Stadium Sunday all afternoon. Contestants will be judged on speed, accuracy and distance. No, we meant inside Giants Stadium, not in the parking lots.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE SUPREMES!

And Supreme they were. Did you know The Supremes had 12 #1 hits? They had 5 #1 hits in a row at one point. They had a #2 and several other top twenty hits. They went head to head with The Beatles and Rolling Stones at the height of the British Invasion and knocked the Brit lads from the top of the charts several times. And, as strange as it sounds, they NEVER won a Grammy. Not ever.

As Motown celebrates it's 50th anniversary Monday with a worldwide celebration, The Jersey City Desk wants to help celebrate a great great American sound. We're gonna kick things off with The Supremes and the timeless classic 'Baby Love' from 1964.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES!

Twenty six top ten hits. They charted hits in doo-wop, soul, R&B, and disco. When Smokey Robinson topped the charts with 'Shop Around' in 1960, Motown had arrived and the series of hits following 'Shop Around' paved the way for the rest of the Detroit sound.

William "Smokey" Robinson actually handled most of the song writing duties early on in Motown's history. Smokey wrote chart toppers for The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, and Mary Wells. Before the Holland-Dozier-Holland brilliance, there was Smokey.

Here are Smokey Robinson and the Miracles with the song that broke Motown to the world, 'Shop Around'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS!

Did you know that Martha Reeves is currently a Detroit City councilwoman? In fact she is. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas help show the great versatility of Motown music. Whereas the Supremes were heavily Doo-Wop influenced, Reeves was a gospel singer early on. Working with the Funk Brothers you can clearly hear the more soulful, gospel influenced sounds the group recorded. Reeves supplied the alto vocals while Vandellas Rosalind Ashford's soprano and Annette Beard's contralto rounded out the sweet sweet harmonies.

It was the Vandellas who were the original break out successes of the Motown girl groups with hits like 'Jimmy Mack', Dancing in the Streets' and 'Quicksand'. As fate would have it, Berry Gordy had his thing for The Supremes and they were then the more heavily promoted group ultimately becoming the face of Motown.

Here's Martha and the Vandellas (their original name) with 'Nowhere to Run' from 1965

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE TEMPTATIONS!

And what would a Motown tribute be without the fabulous Temptations? Not a very good and or complete one for sure...

From 1966 here are the Temptations with 'Get Ready'

Make sure to stop back tonight for a SPECIAL Friday night music series

Motown turns 50 on Monday, and in celebration of some GREAT American music, we'll have a special collection of videos tonight. Well worth coming back for...

Jersey City Desk names Utah as National Champions of college football

Anybody else tired of being forcefed this utter crapola that the BCS decides the national champion? You don't have to ya know. The BCS is about ONE thing and ONE thing only, money. That's it. Propping up the big conferences with millions in ad revenue and big payouts. It's CRAP. Utah won all their games, they went undefeated. They played some pretty darned good teams. But, you see the BCS loses cred if a team from the smallish Mountain West Conference or WAC lays claim to the national championship. By losing cred they lose money and again, that's all this is about. We actually saw yesterday some schlub commissioner from the ACC assured himself the BCS was completely legal and not an anti-trust situation. Thanks there Mannix, thanks for helping perpetuates this sham on the American public.

What the BCS does is suck the life and fun out of college football.

Here now the FINAL Jersey City Desk football rankings

1) Utah
2) USC
3) Florida
4) Oklahoma
5) Boise State

End of discussion.

NO, end of discussion

Journal Square-33rd line PATH Trains back on schedule after equipment delays

They were being delayed by some 30 minutes, inconveniencing many local citizens. Things are back up and running on time now.

We hereby accept your apology, Port Authority.

Late night open thread

3-5" of the white stuff rolling in Saturday afternoon. Depending on the path of the front, it could be more than that.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hudson County jail corrections officer supposedly slid a handcuff key to an inmate on the sly

Anthony Hunter, a Hudson County corrections officer, well not anymore, was indicted Tuesday for actually passing a handcuff key to an inmate. Yep, you read that right. A guard gave an inmate a key. Hunter could face 10 years in the clink (how's that for irony?) if convicted on the charges of official misconduct, attempt to smuggle contraband into a jail and conspiracy.

Thanks for keeping us safe Anthony. Thanks for thinking of the rest of us out here, Anthony. If you're convicted we're thinking the inmates at your new home will have a field day with you once they find out your former career.

What happens in Battery Park, stays in Battery Park

So let's see, gays can't marry because marriage is a 'sacred sacrament' in America, right?

Well, in the race to the bottom of the marriage barrel, New York City wants to turn lower Manhattan into a type of Las Vegas cheap, quick, and schlocky wedding center where you can buy a marrigae license for $25.

"Forget the wedding band? No problem. The new bureau offers an elastic faux-diamond band for $9. No flowers? They are available as well — $4 to $7 for a single stem and $25 to $50 for a bridal bouquet. There is also hairspray ($4), disposable digital cameras ($16.25) and tissues, at $1.75 a pack, for the weepy types."

$4 hairspray? Johnny's getting all choked up.

Sacred.

If you wants you some wedding music, just plug-in the iPod to the docking station and the lucky bride can wander up the aisle to perhaps 'Beth' by KISS, or 'Silly Love Songs' by Wings.

Sacred.

Yep, NYC has even set up an oversize photograph of City Hall to be used as a backdrop for pictures. Awwwwwww. Nothing says love like a fake backdrop. "Look kids, this is where we wish we'd been hitched, isn't it purty?"

New York City will partner with something called 'The Knot' or theknot.com and just listen to the romantic underpinings of The Knot's Carley Roney:

“Weddings are a $72 billion business in this country”. Awwwww, love, you can't beat it.

Sacred.

You stay classy NYC, and we hope soon drunken hoards of cheap and easy marriage seekers are wandering lower Manhattan and taking the Staten Island Ferry for their dream wedding cruise.

Sacred.

Late night open thread

Tonight we'd like to do our part to help pet adoptions across America. Here is an example of a loving kitty named Pinky who is ready for adoption and looking for a good home (if they can find him).


TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

New Yorkers apparently call to complain about a better smelling city

Over 30 callers to NYC's 311 info line called to complain about a sweet smell that was drifting from the Upper West Side, across Central Park and into the Upper East Side. One person called from Queens. New Yorkers described the smell as a mixture of hazelnut and pancake syrup.

This very smell was reported in 2005 and NYC officials 'blamed' it on a possible smell wafting in from a New Jersey food processing plant.

Making New York City smell like syrup and hazelnut? Instead of complaining they should be thanking the Garden State.

Doreen DiDomenico is the new Hudson County Freeholder chairperson

AND, she was elected unanimously. You'll recall on Sunday the Jersey City Desk told you current (now former) chairman Jeff Dublin said he wanted to remain chairman and had four votes lined up in support. So much for that as Bayonne's DiDomenico was chosen by the nine member Freeholder board. Union City's Tilo Rivas is the new vice-chair.

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition:

"This is no time to make new enemies." (When asked on his deathbed to forswear Satan.)
--Voltaire 1778

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Oh THOSE 340 empty crack vials in the stolen car I was driving, yeah, I don't know anything about those

Two Jersey City real party kittens were arrested in Bayonne Saturday night in a stolen Kia (if you're gonna steal a car, American models are WAY up in quality the latest Consumer Reports) outside the scenic Hudson Plaza Motel. Police arrested the driver of the car, Shimeeker Gilmore and found her friend Quene Boyd "slumped in the front passenger seat". The Bayonne po-po said they discovered a vial with suspected cocaine and another 340 empty vials in a shoebox.

Gilmore was arrested on three outstanding warrants and you can address her Happy New Year cards to the Hudson County jail in Kearny. Boyd was released. Both will be charged with receiving stolen property and possession of cocaine. Gilmore was also tagged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hey, Johnny, where can I find free booze in New York City?

Well, glad you asked citizen. Always trying to keep up on the times, Johnny has read about a website that will tell you the wheres and whens (You supply the whys) of getting free liquor all across Appletown (not to be confused with appletini). Iffen ya clicks HERE, you'll be spirited away (d'oh) to MyOpenBar.com, merchants of free alcoholic beverages and where to locate them.

Late night open thread

Which state has the highest percentage of people who walk to work? Answer HERE

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hudson County to install 30 warning sirens for a myriad of horrific possibilities--Johnny thinks he should have done more research before moving here

See back in Ypsilanti, where Johnny came from, warning sirens meant one thing, tornadoes. That was pretty much it. They didn't even turn those on for the foggy haze of smoke that was Hash Bash in Ann Arbor. Now, the Jersey Journal tells us, the county of Hudson will be installing 30 new warning sirens that will alert local residents to possible:

*Toxic chlorine gas begins leaking from a Kearny factory
*A hurricane strikes New York Harbor
*A bomb blast at a Bayonne petrochemical plant ignites a fire and a plume smoke wafts over the region

The article says they hope to have the 70 decibel sirens installed by February 1, to meet a Homeland Security grant deadline.

On second thought, the hurricane might be cool....

Late night open thread

Tonight, a real treat. An image from NASA's Cassini mission to Saturn and Saturn's moons. Click on the image and it'll get big, REAL big. From the NASA site:

Explanation: In the shadow of Saturn, unexpected wonders appear. The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn recently drifted in giant planet's shadow for about 12 hours and looked back toward the eclipsed Sun. Cassini saw a view unlike any other. First, the night side of Saturn is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system. Next, the rings themselves appear dark when silhouetted against Saturn, but quite bright when viewed away from Saturn and slightly scattering sunlight, in the above exaggerated color image. Saturn's rings light up so much that new rings were discovered, although they are hard to see in the above image. Visible in spectacular detail, however, is Saturn's E ring, the ring created by the newly discovered ice-fountains of the moon Enceladus, and the outermost ring visible above. Far in the distance, visible on the image left just above the bright main rings, is the almost ignorable pale blue dot of Earth.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Still think you need to go to the MOMA or P.S. 1 for cutting edge, fresh art?

Silly art fan, you can just drop by the Jersey City Desk from time to time. This original piece, from Johnny's own collection, (of stuff he personally did and has polluted the internets with) we give you "Ghosts Eating Marshmallows in a Snowstorm"

Damn straight you're gonna get your kids immunized, don't like it, homeschool them

New Jersey now requires kids looking to go to preschool and child care centers to get flu vaccines. Many parents think you can't require them to immunize their children 'In America', like it's some socialist plot out of the old Soviet Union. To them we say "HARD CHEESE". You CAN be required to immunize your children. Hell, Johnny had to get shots before he went to school back when the world was still in black and white. It only makes sense to protect others from your child's creeping crud. Johnny doesn't want your kids illness. It passes quite easily from your kids to somebody else's kid who then gives it to a parent who works in an office with Mrs. Action Space Punk who then brings it home to good old Johnny. Kids are germ factories. Duh.

Now some group calling itself New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice is hiding behind some reasoning that flu vaccines (and you'll notice their name isn't just about FLU vaccines, it's all inclusive) can cause autism despite the fact that study after study after study does not prove their point. What's next, these people doesn't want their kids immunized (as New Jersey law requires) by sixth grade for things like meningitis, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis?

Bottom line: Vaccinations are NOT a choice. They should never be a choice. Hell, we'd like to see the HPV virus vaccine mandated for girls to keep them safe from cervical cancer. So many insipid laws are passed under the guise of "oh think of the children", well, here's one that helps actually physically tangibly protect children, and yet some people are fighting it.

It's making Johnny sick it is...

Hudson County Freeholders approve a budget, swear in new Freeholders

The urge to use terms like 'freeloaders' and 'swear at' new members was great but we have business to talk here. The Hudson County Freeholders have sworn in their most recent members and have approved a $116.2 million temporary budget. The official swearing in ceremony, for those of you scoring at home, will be Tuesday night at the Freeholders chamber, 567 Pavonia Ave., Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The Freeholders will also choose a new chairman (sounds so Illuminati, doesn't it?) and oh what a vote this will be. Jeff Dublin is the current Freeholder Chairman. He'd like to keep on keeping on. He says he has four votes in support of him keeping the job. He'll be challenged by Freeholder Doreen DiDomenico who also has four votes. Newest Freeholder Anthony Romano will break the tie and ultimately choose the new chairman.

No pressure Anthony, just make sure you secure lots of road money for Jersey City Heights before you vote, just sayin'...

Late night open thread

Odds and ends night

*Rutgers WR Kenny Britt will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft in April. Vaya Con Dios Kenny, no complaints here, you're ready.

*If you use your bike to get to and from work, apparently you are entitled to a $20 a month tax free stipend from your employer.

*The case against Julian R. Cosma, the guy who faked being a cop to attack, assault, and sexually molest women just got bigger as a third woman has come forward.

*Washington topped the Rangers 2-1 tonight in Landover, Md. The Isles trail San Jose out on the coast tonight 3-1 at the end of 2 periods. Yes, the Wings won in a shootout in Minnesota. Connecticut beat Rutgers in mens hoops tonight by the final score of too much to not enough.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NY Assemblyman wants to postpone vote on taxpayer funding of new Yankee and Met stadiums

Here here. Somehow the Yankees have no problem spending $450 million dollars on THREE players this offseason and still asking, YOU dear reader, to pony up another $259 million in tax-exempt bonds and $111 million in taxable bonds. This would be on TOP of the nearly ONE BILLION dollars taxpayers are already on the hook for. The Mets are begging for another $83 million in addition to the $615 million taxpayers are "helping" the Mets with.

Well one New York State Assemblyman, Richard Brodsky, is asking for a delay in the January 16th vote as he doesn't think there has been enough public input and not nearly enough questions asked about WHY these ballclubs will be taking so much and giving so little back in jobs and revenue to the city, NEED more and more and more taxpayer money.

Fight on Mr. Brodsky, NOW is the time to turn back these arrogant requests. The Yankees and Mets can't threaten to move elsewhere at this point. Make them use actual turnstile revenue to pay this back to themselves.

Late night open thread

It's sounding more and more like Hoboken councilwoman Dawn Zimmer is gonna run for Mayor this year. Smart money says she will.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PETER GABRIEL!

Boy howdy, finding a Peter Gabriel video on YouTube you can actually use is rather difficult. Apparently Universal Music can't stand anything their corporate logo isn't on. God forbid somebody would actually hear a song they like, realize they don't have it and go buy it on iTunes. Not allowing people to share videos on non-commercial sites like this one (we don't even accept Google ads) is short sighted at best.

Now, Peter Gabriel wrote and performed many many great songs. We could spend all day trying to find some to include here, but we're gonna go with this one, 'Games Without Frontiers'. See if you're not trying to whistle along to it later...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LEE MICHAELS!

Now most of you are sitting there saying WTF Johnny, Lee Michaels, I don't have the foggiest idea who Lee Michaels is or what he ever sang (were just guessing at your bad grammar). Well kiddies, sometimes we go off the rails here and go find something obscure that maybe you haven't heard since say, 1971, when this song was recorded, do you know what we mean?

Lee Michaels with the oldie but goodie "Do You Know What I Mean'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with VAN HALEN!

Yeah baby, nothing like a Friday night rocker to send you off on your extended holiday weekend. This'll give you a chance to test out those speakers you got for your computer on Christmas. Eddie f'ing rawks!

Van Halen with 'Runnin with the Devil'


Now, if that were all, that would be a hot Friday night video but since this is the Jersey City Desk, there is MORE to this friends and fellow rockers. We're gonna give you a BONUS cut here, the actual David Lee Roth vocal track from the recording of this song. Just Dave, nuthin else.

2 local teens try an armed robbery with a BB Gun, are easily thwarted

A 39 year old local man fought off two idiot teens who tried to rob him walking on West Side Avenue near Glenwood Avenue Tuesday. One teen told the would-be victim "Give me all you got or I'm gonna shoot you". Then man told them "Go ahead" and it was ON. The would be victim, realizing it was a BB gun, grabbed the 17 year old and dragged him out into the street while the second robber just stood by and watched. The victim dragged the crook into the street so more people would be able to see what was going on. This proved to not to be a bad idea as soon a police unit rolled up and the two idiots were detained, the man with the BB gun was arrested while his 15 year old brother was released. The 17 year old from Newark was charged with robbery, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of weapons and resisting arrest.

A BB gun, remind anybody of anything?

Late night open thread

A fine day of football if you're one for not so close games. On the other hand, that wasn't a problem for Johnny watching the NHL's Winter Classic and the butt whipping his beloved Red Wings put on Chicago.

Here's hoping your New Year's Day was great.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You're on your own today, Johnny's giving the staff the day off

Too much else to watch today, the Rose Parade, the Winter Classic featuring the Detroit Red Wings (woo hoo), the Michigan State bowl game (woo hoo) of course the Rose Bowl.

Happy New Year, we'll be back here tonight.

Late night open thread

A hearty Happy New Year to all our peeps in Jersey City, New York City, the surrounding areas here in New Jersey and all our peeps back in Michigan. We hope 2009 will be a great year on all levels for everyone.

May the fates take a shine to you.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark