Skunks out in Fairview are now 65% more frothy

Dateline Middlesex County: Health officials have confirmed rabid skunks roaming Middlesex County unchecked and without valuable skunk immigration papers. A resident's dog in Fairview killed a skunk that tested positive for rabies. The dog has finished their rabies shots and is being looked after. The skunk was buried in a private service out behind the testing facility at the Dumpster Mausoleum.

So Middlesex County, avoid contact with skunks, as if you needed help with that tip. And should you see any skunks acting strangely (like speaking with a French accent and wooing local cats perhaps), please call county health officials at 1-800-NO-SKUNK.

Saturday morning cartoons

It's a "Zorak's Helpful Hints" Saturday...

Late night open thread

A cold rain will continue to fall on Jersey City the rest of tonight. Music til dawn on this internet radio outpost (KLRZ out of Larose Louisiana tonight).

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NANCY SINATRA!

You know the words so sing loud and sing proud. Nancy Sinatra and some effects that aren't very special with 'These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with CYNDI LAUPER!

80's? Did someone say 80's? OK, we can do 80's with the best of 'em...

Cyndi Lauper with 'I Drove all Night', a song originally written for Roy Orbison.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LED ZEPPELIN!

'Ten Years Gone', a song title, a measure of time and tonight just something Johnny wanted to hear.

Um, Mayor Healy, you had your chance to stand with the 99%, you sent the cops instead

In what will most likely be a year-long running soap opera between the two leading candidates for Jersey City Mayor in 2013, incumbent Jerramiah Healy and Jersey City councilman Steven Fulop, Mayor Healy decided to throw a brickbat at Fulop who announced he was taking a leave from his Wall Street duties as a trader to full time run for mayor. Enter the Healy campaign who made a comment about Fulop supposedly representing the “the one percenters on Wall Street.” Healy continued:

“Clearly he lives in a reality far different than the majority of Jersey City residents who cannot afford to take a year off from work."

Mr. Mayor, when Occupy Wall Street showed up in Jersey City last year over by Goldman Sachs, you unleashed the cops on them. Your police chief sent a huge amount of police in riot gear to move #OWS protestors away from the Goldman Sachs building. Sorry mayor you had your chance to really stand up to the 1%, which you intone Fulop is somehow part of, and you blew it. You had your chance to embrace the #OWS movement here in Jersey City and you know what? You made the choice not to.

So mayor, if you wanna point out Steve Fulop has missed X amount of meetings, fair game. If you want to chide Mr. Fulop that he doesn't visit the rest of the Wards around town, go for it. To pretend you somehow represent the 99%, yeah not so fast there Puddintame. That ship sailed last year.

Late night open thread

A bomb went off in Grand Central Station on this day in 1951, part of the Mad Bomber campaign that went on in New York for 15 years in the 40's and 50's. Get your learn on by following this link about yet another part of Gotham's storied history.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Lottery fever, catch it!

Well all the schools will be in the black after Friday when the next Mega Millions drawing comes to pass. As we all know from our teevees and elected leaders, lottery helps pay for all the schools in Schoolland. So, since tomorrow's jackpot it $500 million dollars they'll all be having lunches featuring pizzaburgers and tater tots w/ vegetable medley forever more!

Johnny's accountant, A. Shyster, factored the numbers around and said you'd probably haul around $260-270 million after Uncle Sam and Uncle Christie took their slice of your stack.

$270 million. Do you good citizen have a plan for that? Johnny does.

1) Buy land
2) Raise army
3) Fortify death ray on Mt. Secaucus
4) Break ground on second death ray on Mt. Secaucus
5) Buy Cadillac CTS
6) Buy penthouse in tall building in NYC. Install water balloon launcher...and Bat signal just for laughs

It's good to have a plan and stick to it in such an event as winning the lottery. So many people don't have a plan and wind up wasting their money.

Late night open thread

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.
--Voltaire

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Zoltron just went on a rant through the offices vaguely referencing Iraq and Iran

Now, there's nothing to fear, he's been with the Jersey City Desk since the beginning. Thus far, since nobody had their cellphones out the local news are thankfully not camped outside Zoltron's house. He just ran out of the intern offices babbling and ranting and talking about Iran and Iraq and communal living and said something about Jet Blue Airways before getting to the occupied and locked bathroom door outside the bullpen and trying to kick it in.

Since he works here no charges will be filed and we'll all ask for your understanding. If he was just someone off the street and did that he'd be in jail for a good long while...

Late night open thread

Saw Philip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman at the Barrymore Theater this evening. He's just a gem. His run lasts only a precious few more weeks. Dip into the entertainment budget and catch this show theater lovers.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Snooki and JWOWW have left the building

And off-duty-money-making-cops in Jersey City are sad this cottage industry is ending. Yes trash teevee watchers, the Jersey Shore duo have wrapped up filming for their whatever-it-is show and have left the Mercer Street residence to the fumigators. Before the two left town however they got to really see what real Jersey City residents thought of them and their program (pay attention Mayor Healy, you foisted this on us and it will come up again before the election, so note the residents reaction) as the Hobbit Elvira and the other one knocked on doors to say goodbye to Mercer St. neighbors. Only four doors were opened (one was a plant set-up by show producers) and two of those doors were slammed in Snooki's face. At least no overzealous neighborhood watch self-appointed block captain shot them.

So off into the sunset they go, riding in pink-tinged Cadillacs, with color dyed dogs riding in their laps, and leaving one failed television show experiment behind them.

Late night open thread

If your birthday is today you share it with Martin Short, Teddy Pendergrass, Diana Ross, Leonard Nimoy, Strother Martin, Keira Knightley and one Johnny Action Space Punk.

Some tales of showbiz from Martin Short, one of the all-time great storytellers.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Is St. Peter's College moving on up?

To the world of university stature? It's now possible since St. Peter's has applied to the state to become a university. “We have applied for university status and we are waiting with baited breath,” Eugene J. Cornacchia, President of St. Peter's said.

Were you, like many on staff here wondering about the difference between a college and university? Well here you go seekers of knowledge:

To be considered a university in New Jersey, an educational institution has to offer baccalaureate degrees in a broad range of academic disciplines, and advanced degrees in at least three academic or professional fields, according to the commission guidelines.

We think bestowing university status on St. Peter's College would definitely be a good thing and could raise awareness of the school above what it is now. A decision should be made in the next couple months.

Late night open thread

That must be one fragrant spring onion...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Late night open thread

Johnny's gonna be away the next three days and so you'll have to get that heaping helping of sixth-grade snark elsewhere. Normally mid to late March isn't the optimum time to take a mini vacation but temps in the tri-state look delicious this weekend. We'll be back with you Sunday night.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So, Tim Tebow is a New Jersey Jet

Which gives the Jets two quarterbacks that can't throw. In fact, a case could be made that Johnny might be the most accurate passer in Hudson and Essex counties. Tell us what you think Jetropolitan fans, was Tebow needed? Wanted? Necessary? An asset?

A curious move to say the least, tell us how you think Tebow can best help the Jets.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's the most wonderful day of the year (so far)

Yes readers, nothing but nothing is gonna put Johnny is a bad mood today, you see his Detroit Red Wings are in town to play the Rags at MSG tonight in an old style Original Six dust up. Yes the team of many Stanley Cups will play the team with few. Johnny will be representing so if you see a handsome fellow in a Red Wings sweater later this afternoon on the 33rd St. PATH train, say hi and give the glad hand Devils fans, and we'll all make fun of the Rangers fans together.

The 2002 Red Wings -- Best team ever, best coach ever...

Late night open thread

'Almost' is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Toll Brothers, cratering neighborhoods for fun AND profits

A mere 4 years since they were given the go-ahead to rip apart the old Manischewitz building near Morgan and Marin Blvd., work has begun. The Toll Brothers plans, hated by almost everyone in the Powerhouse Arts District (reading online it's hard to find a lot of people who like Toll Brothers or find them as some kind of community asset), are planning on three tall condo buildings of 30 stories, 35 stories and 40 stories (Just what Jersey City needs, more empty condos) on the site. Here are a few pics from demolition work going on at the site.

It's not often Johnny's gonna be wrong about hockey

But he sure was last night. Johnny figured with the surge of the Penguins toward the Rangers perch in first in the east, and the Devils closing in on the Flyers these animosity-laden clubs might have bigger ideals on their minds last night.

Again, Johnny stands corrected:


The Rangers wound up winning 3-2. These teams won't play again unless they meet in the playoffs which may well empty Johnny's emergency hockey money account if they do.

Late night open thread

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
-- Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Devils and Rangers tonight at MSG

7:30 start time as the Devils try to win the season series from the Rangers. Johnny is thinking this one might not be as angry as the last couple as points are becoming the thing now for playoff seeding and what looked like a great fight a couple weeks ago might have that same player thinking long term.

Late night open thread

GloZell, the 150 kabillion people you speak of are now the ones who have laughed at your utter lack of understanding of cinnamon. You chorking out the big puffs of cinnamon are priceless.

Note from Johnny, skip the ad in this video after 5 seconds and get ready to feel superior.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Where is your favorite place to get a cup of Good Morning America about town?

Coffee is a staple of Sunday morning around the Jersey City Desk offices or if Johnny is just lazing around home. It's a staple other days too but on Sunday one can enjoy and appreciate our friend Cuppy Coffee. So tell us, around these parts where is your favorite cup of Joe made? Tell us your favorite place to pick up the beans and what kind those would be. Heck, if you want to tell us which local place you think serves breakfast and pours the tastiest brew we'd be much obliged.

Late night open thread

Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip.
-–Irish saying

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Since today actually IS St. Patrick's Day

We've got one more for you, a St. Patrick's Day tradition at the City Desk. The Dubliners and The Pogues with 'The Irish Rover'

Happy St. Patrick's Day Jersey City!

Late night open thread

Duke, Michigan and Notre Dame all got plucked like the Rose of Tralee today in the NCAA Tournament. That's just comfort food for the soul.

We'll hold off on the music series tonight since we're been playing music all day but here's a great tuckeriner in the spirit. Ceili Irish Music by The Kilkennys.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Still stuck at the office? This'll help

The High Kings with 'The Rocky Road to Dublin'

Kids love this one...

From behind Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor Michigan on St. Patrick's Day 2007. Around 1 pm in the afternoon these two revelers gave true meaning to handicapped parking spot.

A mid-morning break for some Whiskey in the Jar

And The Dubliners are pouring...

How about a hot jig and reel to wash down those Lucky Charms?

Amazing fiddle player here, a masterful job over a guitar track he had previously laid down.

Lucky the Lucky Charms leprechaun has a right fine song for your morning coffee

And who is to know just what is being put into your coffee? Hey we don't judge, go crazy, it's Friday.

Something morning smooth to kick off the St. Patrick's Day celebration this year, Alison Krauss and the Chieftains with the old Irish lament, Molly Ban.

Late night open thread

A little leprechaun told Johnny tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day here at the Jersey City Desk. By far one of his favorite theme days around these parts.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Finnish ice dancers are ruining Jersey City

This is why we can't have nice fencing around the Powerhouse. Former Finnish ice dancer Juha Valkama was captured going at a high rate of speed down Second St., and tried to take the turn at Washington waaaay to fast and wound up wiping out some fencing at the Powerhouse. Luckily Port Authority police were following Valkama, and after the wreck cuffed the Goldman Sachs employee after he blew more than twice the .08 limit to be considered legally intoxicated.

Hat tip to the videographer, well done. We'd also like to point out if Valkama really wanted to go fast through Jersey City there was a perfectly good Chevy Camaro sitting right on the street in the video.

You may now feel free to make as many Fin and skating puns in comments as you can stand...

Sounds to us this detective didn't do too much detecting

A detective in Mayor Bloomberg's "private army" is under scrutiny for closing a case as well as his very detective work when he declared Brooklyn resident Mathieu Lefevre "at fault" for his death in a biking accident in 2011.

First a good idea would be to go here and watch the video for yourself and come back here...

Let's see what we know and what the detective said in his report. NYPD Accident Investigation Squad, Detective Gerard Sheehan said Lefevre was at fault because "the bicyclist is subjected to the vehicle traffic law when there is no marked bicycle lane and should not have been passing on the right while on the one lane roadway." BUT NYC law says this: Section 1123 expressly allows passing on the right when there is enough unobstructed room in the roadway for two lanes of traffic. So Detective Sheehan, strike one. Strike two would be NOT noting that the truck that was turning right has NO turn signal, something you failed to note. That clearly would have an impact in this case. Also apparently not detected by Sheehan was this: Moreover, the truck driver violated the law not only in failing to signal his turn, but in failing to make the turn as close as practicable to the right-hand curb, as he was required to do under VTL Section 1160(a).

There's more coming but right now the mold of sloppy "get this off my desk" is being set it sure sounds like.

Lefevre's family sued the NYPD to get ALL the documentation from the case, something the NYPD said they did, until they didn't. And what of all these videos that are now contradicting Sheehan's account? Well in New York City there is an answer for that too friends:

According to Vaccaro's filing, the NYPD is still withholding photos of the crash scene. First the family was told the AIS camera was broken, so no photos were obtained, but it turned out that photos of the crash scene were just "misplaced" by Detective Sheehan for months. They were finally provided to the Lefevre family because of the FOIL request, but Vaccaro says there are sequential gaps in the photos' file numbers, which indicates there are additional photos that have been withheld or destroyed.

The NYPD is also withholding the officers' memo books that were used during the investigation. "There were 14 officers involved in the investigation that was conducted," Vaccaro tells us. "And police officers of the rank of sergeant or below are required to keep memo books. We asked for them in November, and they still have not released them."

It's an important read kids, so follow that link above and educate yourself and then start asking YOUR city council and local PD what their thinking on sharing the road with bikers is. Don't be an unfortunate biker like Mathieu Lefevre nor a victim to this ongoing chicanery like his family is going through trying simply to find out if an actual investigation went on or a predetermined decision was conveniently placed in a file.

Late night open thread

Yeah, math AND spelling...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Would you like a New York City penthouse with a view for only $300K?

Johnny can make that happen, provided you can pack all your stuff into a truck and get it back to 1929. Not 1929 Broadway, no, the year 1929 when penthouses were all the rage and for their time, still expensive. Johnny, who reads Modern Mechanix because he's a car guy and loves the retro ads and articles, ran across this old time gem a couple days ago and wanted to share.

So go find Marty McFly and Doc Brown, get the flux capacitor fired up and off you go...

Late night open thread

Oh auto-correct...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You won't mistake this story for serious journalism

On such a beautiful early spring mid-70's kind of day who could be expected to handle a serious vetting of local fare? Instead check out this video shot by Bronx resident "Joey Boots" about a raccoon who has become Mayor of a bus stop there.

Late night open thread

Putting you to bed to night to the sound of The Black Keys over here at MSG. Sleep well Cool City, sleep well...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

*BREAKING NEWS* Johnny has in his hands the final 'Jersey Shore' script

And the big shocker here is that the producers kill off the "The Situation" character on the last show. You're shocked we're sure but indeed it is true, Johnny has the script and would never ruin the end of a show unless he was absolutely certain he could get away with it.

Late night open thread

The NCAA tournament brackets are out and the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds are a #16 seed and will go up against Johnny's Michigan State Spartans, #1 seed in the West region. Seton Hall didn't make it but should expect an NIT invite. More on the tournament as bracket wagering merits...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's a Sunday morning feel good story...

A Jersey City driver was sitting at a stop light at Sip Avenue and Routes 1&9 Thursday night when he saw a thin man with a ski mask and a gun trying to take the car next to him. He didn't grab his phone and dial 911, instead he backed his car up, wheeled around and hit the perp with his car knocking him ass over applecart. The would be carjacker got up and ran into the night. Perchance if you see someone with an automaker's logo embedded on their lower body please call the authorities at (201) 547-JAIL.

Chevy Runs Deep indeed.

Late night open thread

The Devils were less than two minutes away from being shutout 1-0 for the second time in six days out on Long Island. David Clarkson ended that possible nightmare with a goal at 18:21 of the third period to tie the score at 1-1. Just 14 seconds later on a powerplay Marek Zidlicky scored at 18:35 and the Devils snuck back to Newark with the two points. New Jersey is 4-1-1 in the last six games and rounding into playoff form.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Do what the sign says and head over to Holi Hai today

The Indian festival of colors starts today at 11 am and runs til 6 pm in Hamilton Square. There will be food, an open bar, family fun and a lot more. Shake some cold off and head on over friends, a great Saturday event!

Calling all Jets fans...

OK, you have a pretty ineffective QB in Mark Sanchez who throws waaaay too many interceptions and questions remain over his work ethic from last season. So when future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning becomes a possibility in free agency and the Jets double down on Sanchez, signing him to a three-year contract extension we wanna hear your thoughts.

Do you think Sanchez really has what it takes to become say Eli Manning? Do you think a Manning brothers quarterback comparison out at the new Meadowlands would be what is best for Gang Green?

Late night open thread

50 years ago Cheerios were called Cheerioats. If you're sitting down to a bowl of Cheerios tomorrow morning for breakfast you can mull this one over, hippo milk is pink. Enjoy your Cheerios!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SUZANNE VEGA!

Oh what a lovely song. Suzanne Vega with 'Left of Center'. Did you know that Joe Jackson plays piano on the studio version of this tune? You do now.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELMORE JAMES!

"Curtis, you and the Penguin are the the only family we got. And you're the only one that was ever good to us. Singing Elmore James tunes and blowing the harp for us down here."
-- Elwood Blues to Cab Calloway in The Blues Brothers

Elmore James with 'Rollin' and Tumblin'. The best part of this song is from 0:00-2:28.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NO DOUBT!

We send you on your way this evening with a little bounce in your step. Gwen and the boys, No Doubt with 'Just a Girl'

The Port Authority is just not that into oversight

The Port Authority, the same ones who raised bridge and tunnel tolls upwards of 50% and the ones currently overseeing the billions in cost overruns at the new World Trade Center, thinks oversight, the kind where they can be compelled to testify before a state house is a bad idea. Who knew?

Bill Baroni, the agency’s deputy executive director said such legislation is an overreaction to what he called a "scheduling issue." One of the resolution's sponsors, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), disagrees with Baroni:

"They hid information about the toll increase, continue to waste money on overtime, stack their payroll with political cronies, failed to respond to public records requests and now they’re attempting to obfuscate it all by declining our recent hearing invitation."

Wisniewski is right on so many counts here. Look, the Port Authority lives to serve citizens of New Jersey and New York. They'd best understand these billions in cost overruns and a general failure to do anything that doesn't directly benefit the Port Authority screams for more oversight. Sorry if you don't like the idea that you could be legally compelled to show up in Trenton Mr. Baroni, but the PA's actions these last few years make it a necessity.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So where were you 50 years ago today? If you're a Jersey Shore resident, fleeing for your life

50 years ago today (Sorry, Johnny wasn't around for this one or he'd share tales of the sea), one of, if not THE biggest storm to ever hit the Jersey Shore pounded the Garden State.

The storm of 1962, also called the Ash Wednesday Storm, the Five High Storm and the Atlantic Coast Storm was a devastating three-day event in which a nor'easter sat off the coast for days until finally coming ashore and when it did some 45,000 buildings got flattened, according to National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration estimates.

An amazing story today from the good people at the Star-Ledger.

Late night open thread

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Newark 4 New York City 1

Brandon Dubinsky should learn to shut his talk hole. After grousing about the Devils David Clarkson not wanting to fight or blah blah baby noise sound Dubinsky served to fire up the New Jersey Six last night on their way to a 4-1 victory over the Rangers and their parade planning fans. Dubinksy DID fight with the Devils Jeff Carter and that beat down went something like this (Apologies for the ad at the beginning of this clip, just ignore it):


After the Dubinsky the beat down, in which Dubinsky hurt his hand in the fight and did not return, Ilya Kovalchuk got the Devils rolling to a 1-0 lead.

A tie game early in the third period soon gave way to a New Jersey onslaught as the Devils scored two goals, by Clarkson and the aforementioned Carter less than two minutes apart. Martin Brodeur was sharp when he had to be early and out-dueled Rangers netminder Henrik Lundquist.

Hear Johnny now and believe him later, the LAST team the Rangers want to play in the playoffs are the Devils. You can take that to the bank.

A point of order on the "perception of crime" issue

Yes we have talked at length about that residents feel under siege from crime in Jersey City and the Healy Administration and Police Chief Tom Comey say these are just perceptions when you look at FBI crime stats.

OK, we know where everyone stands. Now, about something adding to the perception of crime in Jersey City. The Jersey City Police website USED to have crime statistics from 1990-current (as current as possible but you get the idea). Now, one can get from 1990-2006 and from January 2011 til December 2011 so the question citizens might ask is, where are the crime stats from 2007-2010? Jerramiah Healy was the Mayor during those years. If he is going to hold up certain statistics for his benefit, the other numbers for the missing years MUST be made available for a regular Joe to pick through and compare. To simply not have these numbers in the public realm on a city website is the exact kind of thing that makes citizens wonder aloud if there's not some kind of three card monty going on with crime stats. Again, perception.

Mayor Healy and Chief Comey, it would be a good thing if those crime stats from 2007-2010 were to reappear on the JCPD website.

Late night open thread

When the hell was this ever a good idea? Seriously, Johnny has long wondered what the benefit of Kool-Aid man was. You called him and he didn't save the day, he didn't stop crime, and before you got that refreshing Kool-Aid flavor you had to deal with $15,000 in structural damage to your home or place of business. Sorry kids, roller rink is closed, Kool-Aid man took out a load bearing wall when he heard his name. And what a bargaining chip for a kid "If you don't let me go see Alice Cooper in Berwyn with Snake I'm gonna go in the garage, stand by the wall next to dad's new car, and call Kool-Aid man, I'll do it!" He's a fine looking product mascot but good god he's a nightmare from an insurance standpoint.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Who wants to buy some shares in a last place baseball team?

The New York Metropolitans are looking like a serious threat this year, to dislodge the Washington Nationals from last place in the NL East. After Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz wore the golden sombrero in court yesterday those shares in the Mets might be rapidly dropping in price. Federal Judge Jed Rakoff said that the Mets owners as part of being bilked in the Bernie Madoff scam have to pay at LEAST $83 million dollars to Madoff victims. That's $83 million as a starting point. If they lose the next court case in which they are trying to prove they were "willfully blind" to Madoff's financial chicanery that total could go much higher.

Not being able to keep top talent like Jose Reyes is just one impact of the Madoff Ponzi scheme, having to sell minority shares in the team is another. The Mets are trying to sell 12 shares for $20 million dollars, though after this crushing court loss yesterday that buy-in number should be dropping in 5,4,3,2,1...

So come on out to Debits Field and watch some Metropolitans baseball this season. The first 100 fans entering Debits Field able to throw 80+ on the radar gun could well win a minor league contract!

Late night open thread

On this day in 1958 the Hula Hoop was patented. Who didn't have one of those?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

How cute, our new Deputy Mayor is on the job five minutes and he's tossing out platitudes...UPDATED

That's great. He's young so maybe he'll learn to drop the hogwash and start putting words to truths. In a very very quiet ceremony, neither advertised nor was a media gaggle invited Raj Mukherji was sworn in as a Jersey City Deputy Mayor last Friday. Mukherji, a managing partner in Impact NJ, a lobbying firm said he feels there are economic solutions to be had here in Cool City; “...I think there are creative ways that we think outside the box that we can find solutions.”

However when asked about following up his previous job, where he replaced Lori Serrano at JCHA, and his new Deputy Mayor gig where he replaces Leona Beldini, swept up in the same crime sting as Serrano (Beldini has been found guilty, Serrano has court appearances pending) Mukherji went full platitude on us:

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.”

That's great. Wonderful. How poetic. Johnny thinks he just threw up in his mouth a little.

We wish Mr. Mukharji well in his new job, we just wish he was a little further from Mayor Healy than his $2500 contribution to Healy's campaign for mayor in 2009 would indicate.

UPDATE: 2:32 pm

Johnny got a couple emails that Raj Mukherji took his oath of office before well over 100 people and that just because the press wasn't invited doesn't mean well wishers weren't present. Point taken. Johnny should have followed up on that point better. Actually Johnny is rather glad well wishers were there, it's an important job Raj takes on and this extra support is always welcome.

Late night open thread

As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary.
- Ernest Hemingway

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Another in our long line of 'Sunday Religious Speakers' series

Father Guido Sarducci will now give a social commentary slide show from a very Italian and very Catholic point-of-view.

Late night open thread

Good day of hockey on the morrow. The Rangers can go a long way to wrapping up first place overalll in the eastern conference by beating the visiting Bruins. Boston managed to lose Saturday night at home in the TurD Bank Garden and Lawn Supply Center. Speaking of the Islanders they will be hosting the Devils at 3 pm tomorrow so arrive early because this one could draw literally dozens of fans. 4 pm brings another Original Six matchup in Detroit as the Blackhawks drop in on their old friends.

Get your running around done early and lay in the supplies. That's one bountiful Sunday.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

In Hoboken looking for troublemakers today for Lepre-Con

Lots of cops about here in the Mile-Square City, including some Jersey City cops we saw a while ago. So far so good but some of those house parties may well take on a different attitude later on.

Late night open thread

The Devils got all up in Washington's business tonight winning 5-0. Zach Parise had a hat trick for the Devils who ended a three game losing skid. The Devils are in sixth place in the eastern conference tied with 77 points with Philadelphia who have a game in hand on New Jersey. Sixth could wind up being a pretty advantageous seed as that team would be slotted against Southeast Division winner and weak sister, right now Florida though don't count out Washington or Tampa Bay. Either way sixth will be just ducky for someone.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE POGUES!

Quite simply we dedicate this one to our friends in Hoboken tonight in hopes of good behavior tomorrow at the Lepre-Con Pub Crawl. The Pogues with 'Whiskey You're the Devil'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LIVE!

Here's a great under-the-radar song from days of yore. Johnny remembers hearing this song on the radio when he used to make a hellish commute from Ypsilanti Michigan to Maumee Ohio every day for about three years. At least the music was good...

Live with 'Selling the Drama'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with AEROSMITH!

We wrap up the music series this week with a nice snarling rocker from Aerosmith back when Steven Tyler was cool and hadn't become viking helmet Flavor Flav yet. An old favorite of Johnny's. 'Draw the Line'.

Well mayhem lovers, tomorrow is Hoboken's Lepre-Con Pub Crawl

Oddly enough it'll start in New York City and when bars are allowed to open in Hoboken at 11am it'll move back over to FuHo. We love a good pub crawl born out of sheer rage at the cancellation of a city tradition. We're intrigued that people who have an axe to grid with FuHo Mayor Dawn Zimmer over her decision to cancel said parade are having a pub crawl in response. Funny thing about an axe to grind, one may start out with pure intentions to show her up through upstanding citizenship but when mixed with alcohol, crowds, house parties, more alcohol that axe more often than not gets swung.

Of course we hope for the best for everyone who just wants a good time with an Irish flavor and a Harp Lager or twelve.

The Space Shuttle will be flying into NYC on April 23

...and by flying we mean riding on the back of a NASA shuttle carrier and landing at JFK. As Gothamist points out this particular space shuttle, Enterprise, never flew in actual outer space proper but was visited by the Star Trek crew. That right there is worth $3 of the entry cost when the shuttle goes on display in summer briefly before being moved somewhere else. Yep, that's pretty much what we have. It'll be moving somewhere else but it WILL be going by the Statue of Liberty on its way to the new home. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has "ownership" of the shuttle but don't yet have a permanent home set.

Johnny is a pretty fair Photshopper himself and seeing the graphic over at the Gothamist for this story screams a Sullenberger flys shuttle headline...

Late night open thread

It's another installment of bad car ad night. The 1976 Mercury Bobcat answers the question "Whatever happened to all the leftover parts Ford had when people decided they didn't wanna blow up so they stopped buying Pintos?" Yes car lovers, if you're looking for a Pinto lookalike or wanna be seen driving around town in a wagonette for dullards, head to the sign of the cat...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sounds like Johnny and Chris Christie are of one mind when it comes to Mayor Mike and Spy Chief Kelly in NYC

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie LAMBASTED NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his lap dog Police Commissioner Ray Kelly yesterday over the New York City PD's blatant spying on Muslim communities here in New Jersey. We'll just give you a few of Governor's Christie' more choice comments on NYC's spying:

Christie said he doesn’t know if the actions were "born out of arrogance, or out of paranoia, or out of both."

Neither New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg nor Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has apologized for the department’s actions, further incensing leaders on this side of the Hudson River. "Well, because he’s Ray Kelly, what are you going to do," Christie said sarcastically. "He’s all knowing, all seeing."

"My concern, and I don’t know all the details yet, but my concern is, why can’t you be communicating with law enforcement here in New Jersey?" he asked. "Are we somehow not trustworthy?"

"I had federal jurisdiction, so we could go anywhere," he said of his U.S. attorney job. "This is the New York Police Department. I know they think their jurisdiction is the world. Their jurisdiction is New York City. My concern is this kind of obsession that the NYPD seems to have that they’re the masters of the universe."

Ya got that NYPD? Your jurisdiction ENDS here in the Garden State. Do not let us catch you here without warrants (you'll never get here) again.