Thursday, October 31, 2013

Late night open thread

A vampire bat flies back into his cave after a big night...he has blood all over his face. Perches himself on the roof to try and get some rest. But before too long the other bats smell the blood, and start to gather around him. They ask feverishly where he got the blood from. Knowing that they will not let up till he tells them "OK, follow me!" He flies out of the cave, across a valley, over a river into a dark forest. Deep in the forest he stops, all the other bats gather round in an excited frenzy. "OK", says the bat, "See that big oak tree over there?" "Yeah, yeah" reply the other bats, drooling in anticipation.

"Well I fucking didn't!"

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

On this Halloween we have a VERY important question to ask our readers...

...ready?

What is the scariest movie of all time (And we'll allow you to pick two and see if we have any duplicates)? Drop of those spooky answers in comments.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Late night open thread

Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey

When I found the skull in the woods, the first thing I did was call the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.

 Time for Jersey City, After Dark

OK PSE&G workers who will be working the Super Bowl, we need an updated next of kin emergency card

Because if the power goes out, so do your lights or so says Governor Chris Christie. Yesterday the Governor was in Moonachie for an event with NFL bigwigs when he told story about himself along with Jets owner Woody Johnson standing next to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last year as the lights went out for a half hour during the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Christie is quoted (in a church no less) as saying:

"The lights were out for a while as you'll recall, and so I was with the commissioner, and it's an awkward time. We were there in the dark and he's on his BlackBerry trying to figure out what's going on," Christie said, via ESPNNewYork's Jane McManus, recounting how he was in attendance for the blackout. "Finally he turns to me and he said to me, 'You know, Gov, when we come to New Jersey next year, the lights aren't going to go out, are they?'"

"And I said, 'Listen, Roger, I can't guarantee the lights aren't going to go out,' I said," he continued. "'But if they do, there will be bodies strewn in the parking lot for the people who are responsible for the lights going out, because that's the way we handle matters in New Jersey.'"

So there you have it PSE&G workers, you will need to update your next of kin on your emergency contact cards and most likely check on the life insurance plan.

Chris Christie, The Governor...

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Late night open thread

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."

-- Harriet Beecher Stowe

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The water in the streets is chest high! There's no power! Everything is flooding!!

Oh wait, that was last year. Nevermind.

We'd like to give Jersey City (just Jersey City this morning people, Johnny needs to talk to just his peeps on this) a HUGE pat on the back for everyone's actions over this past difficult year. A pat on the back to all the residents who had to deal with so much water, so much destruction and so much uncertainty. Police actions because of citizen malfeasance during the storm itself were nominal. There wasn't looting. Very very few took advantage of others (sans a few gas stations). After the storm we helped each other pick one another up. We helped each other rebuild. We helped out our neighbors who needed a hot meal, or to dry off, or maybe needed a place to come over and charge up a phone or watch news coverage as some got power back. Judging from city responses elsewhere in New Jersey, the Jersey City government led by former Mayor Healy did a very good job before, during and after the storm. We'd like to give pats on the back to many city council members who at the time did everything they could to get their residents the help and information they needed. A huge pat on the back as well to all the volunteers and people who helped out and didn't get their names in the paper nor ever expected to. You're all heroes and as we're fond of saying around these parts, Peter Stuyvesant approves!

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." -- John F. Kennedy

Monday, October 28, 2013

Late night open thread

Since nobody famous in the musical world died today we won't be running any kind of video retrospectives. That being said, the great Mitch Hedberg is still dead so how about some of his classic standup.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We have a winner in our 'Biggest Whiner' competition

Yes somebody whines more than even Johnny.

First some background. Johnny lives between SIX large construction projects. He can hear them beginning at 7am until around 4pm. All day. Some Saturdays. The noise is neverending, the stupidity of some of the workers is glaring, the parking has become a problem. It's just an awful time to live in the "borough" Johnny lives in. However, all you hear Johnny discussing is the trash the workers leave behind. No more.

Now to our contest winner. Someone named Julie Klausner is upset there was a Banksy art piece located near her dwelling in NYC (Elizabeth and Houston, a busy intersection to begin with). It was the Banksy that had the skeleton riding around in the bumper car. An accordion player played sometimes while it moved around and the Blue Oyster Cult classic 'Don't Fear the Reaper' played as well. Sure the people hanging around watching and taking pictures might have been an annoyance if you had to fight through them to get inside (Make sure your building moves them back, it's their job you know). Sure there was some noise (and let Johnny cry you a river, you have NO idea about noise ruining a day). But did the Banksy really rise to the level of this Twitter-tantrum by Ms. Klausner? Of course not. It's so far over the top it's comical (or it wouldn't be on here). So follow this link and see for yourself, see why Julie Klausner is a winner in our 'Biggest Whiner' competition.

As the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy arrives there will be many stories looking back

So many of those stories will deal with the human element. How homes and towns are still fighting to recover, how people have have their lives turned upside down and are nowhere near back to normal.

But did you know for one major area Sandy turned out to be a great thing? It's true, something most of us never think about, the watershed for the Meadowlands. According to Bill Sheehan, of the environmental group Hackensack Riverkeeper, the storm helped the Meadowlands which in turn helps protect us for a possible next big storm:

It also swept away accumulations of dead marsh grasses and the kind of human debris that has made the Meadowlands notorious: tires, old oil drums and soda cans tossed from passing cars on the New Jersey Turnpike. In the months after the storm, Sheehan, who captains boat trips out on the Hackensack and its environs, noticed new growth of native cordgrass in places like Saw Mill Creek, where it had never been before.

"Thousands of square feet of former barren mudflats are showing signs of life," he said. Sheehan says even major storms are nothing new for a tidal marsh, and can have a "purging effect" on the landscape.

There is more, so much more to this article on how exactly the water table in the Meadowlands helps keep so many things in nature copacetic round these here parts. We'd encourage you to read the full article and give some thought to the whole region and how things work, not just cities and towns.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Late night open thread

So saddened to hear about the passing of Lou Reed. There's never been a better scooter salesman. His music was brilliant and edgy and raw and very direct. In Lou's memory here's the Velvet Underground with 'Heroin' before bed tonight.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Your Sunday NFL pigskin picks

Johnny was about the only one to pick the Jets upset of New England last week and so let's take another crack at making Las Vegas go broke.

Dallas at Detroit -- The Lions are at home. We said last week that'd be good enough to beat the Bungles. It was not. But the Lions are at home in this coin toss game. So the bet is on how much Ndamukong Suh will be getting fined for splattering Tony Romo.

Giants at Shegals -- The Giants are all hot and stuff with this wacky one game winning streak. The Philadelphia team hasn't been much better. We're going to say the Giants win in Philly today and enjoy the ride home.

Cleveland at Kansas City -- Can the Browns make the '72 Dolphins happy by 4pm today? Nope, the Chiefs go to 8-0 and the '72 Dolphins players can still head off to bed by 6pm.

San Francisco at Jacksonville -- Nice home field Jacksonville, Wembley Stadium in London. What did England ever do to us that we send them Jacksonville to participate in the Prince Wellington Super Cup?

Pittsburgh at Oakland -- Maybe this game would have been good in the 70's. One of these teams is out of the running for the playoffs after today. Sorry Raiders.

Or you could just go outside and play

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday night scoreboard show!

Oregon 42
UCLA 14
The Beavers answer the doubters

S. Carolina 27
Missouri 24 2OT
Mizzou entered the 4th quarter up 17-0. It all went so wrong so fast

Miami 24
Wake Forest 21
A late season hurricane saves Miami

Minnesota 34
Nebraska 23
Minnesota wins a game in this series for the first time since 1960

Michigan St. 42
Illinois 3
Sparty's #1 ranked defense sure looked the part heading into next week's game with Michigan

Bucknell 48
Lehigh 10
The Bison pull one of the big upsets in division 1-AA this year

Shenandoah 36
Hampden-Sydney 35
Congrats Shenandoah on defeating what sounds to be a furniture store chain

Lycoming 20
Albright 17 OT
Tell us where this one was played and win a prize

Toledo 28
Bowling Green 25
Asking the question that if the school is named Bowling Green why the primary color is orange

Houston 49
Rutgers 14
There is no joy in Piscataway tonight

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Princeton 51
Harvard 48 3OT
Princeton QB Quinn Epperly had a game for the ages on Saturday with 321 yards passing and six touchdowns including the winning score in the third OT to Roman Wilson

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Mayor Fulop forgot Johnny's invitation to his Bill Clinton fundraiser

Either His Excellency Mayor Steve Fulop forgot Johnny's $2500 a plate fundraiser invitation for Fulop's 2017 re-election campaign, or more likely it's just lost in the mail.

Yep, former President Bill Clinton will be in Jersey City December 3rd at Liberty House. Unlike former Mayor Healy who supported President Obama from the get go, Fulop was a Hillary man. The Fulop invitation reportedly says that even if you can't attend you can still write Fulop a $10,000 check.

Yeah, right. If the Mayor can't be bothered to send Johnny an invitation to see The Big Dog (and Johnny HAS met with former President Clinton back in his Ypsilanti days) there's no way in hell he can expect a check just because he needs money. Fulop has a lot more to do and a lot more to prove before he can just expect donations to come pouring in. For instance not flip-flopping on borrowing money for city retirement costs would be a good start.

Late night open thread

It appears Minneapolis had a law against walking around town with a barn owl on your head in 1967.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with KATHLEEN EDWARDS!

The Jersey City Desk would like to welcome Kathleen Edwards to the Music Series, her first appearance. We like her and love this song. She's a good Canadian, this one. The album this song was on, Back to Me, scored four bags of milk in the review from the Toronto Globe and Mail in 2005. 'In State' to kick things off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BOZ SCAGGS!

Johnny always thought if Lido were a better manager of his time he wouldn't have missed the boat that day he left the shack.

'Lido Shuffle' by Boz Scaggs. Set the Wayback Machine for 1976. Gentlemen, let's see those giant combs sticking out of your back pockets. Ladies, lip gloss is now a food group.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE FLAMETRICK SUBS!

A little taste of Halloween tonight to whet your undead whistle for next week. Austin's fave-o-right psychobilly band The Flametrick Subs along with their ladyfriends in crime, Satan's Cheerleaders to put the wraps on another Music Series.

A wicked good take on the George Romero classic film Night of the Living Dead, here's 'Creepy Dead Folk'

Friday, October 25, 2013

Join us tonight for the Music Series won't you?

Doctor's appointment ran rather long today. See you back here tonight...

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Late night open thread

Johnny invented a fantastic opening line for all you single guys out there tonight, and boy are you gonna want to use over and over again:

"Hey baby, my sleep number is ten and a half if you know what I mean..."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So Hudson County, are you planning on trying to profit from Super Bowl XLVIII?

Johnny was reading that some of our friends and neighbors are renting out their homes/condos/apartments for some pretty good coin for the weekend of Super Bowl XLVIII. From an asking price of $10,000 for a two-bedroom place in Fuho, to an $8,800 ask in North Bergen for a two bedroom place people are getting interest in these inflated prices.

And why not? If you can make some good money off of people with more money than brains for an outdoor February football game we say go for it! There is really nothing the city powers that be can do to stop such a thing, so it's a free, fair and open market.

So, how much are you going to list your place for?

Late night open thread

What percentage of ice cream sold in the good old US of A is vanilla? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Per our discussion yesterday about construction sites and garbage and so forth...

So Johnny's getting a cup of mud at The Warehouse this morning (The Intelligentsia coffee they use is a fantastic first cup) and sees Sanford and Son being replayed right in front of his disbelieving eyes. Scroll down a story or two and see our thoughts on construction sites and an "I don't care because I don't live there" attitude. Here we see Jimmy the Vest chatting up two guys dumping mounds of trash from a jobsite dumpster onto Provost St., a street that's original cobblestone trying to be protected by PADNA, the Jersey City government, PSE&G and everyone but these geniuses. Just tossing mounds of trash out, some breaking up as it's tossed. What do they care though right? Who cares about the broken plastic pieces and foam from what look to be scads of office chairs when all you want is scrap metal?

And now a guy from the Toll Brothers workaday team has found something entertaining to do on breaks. Lovely.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The construction workers leave at the end of each day but the trash remains

Yesterday we touched on why it took eleven construction workers to watch concrete get poured through a small tube. Today we'll discuss what they're doing when they're not standing around; They're littering. And littering. And littering. Why should they care? They don't ever live in the areas they come to work in. The cars parked haphazardly all around the neighborhood (that you'd be ticketed or towed for) tell you they commute in. They eat and drink on the job like so many Americans do. Can't work on an empty stomach. That being said imagine for one minute if you were allowed to toss your trash around your office or leave your garbage in your front yard like these pigs (no other word for it folks) do on a daily basis. Prescription pill bottles being tossed on the ground, beer bottles (whoooo boy that's one safe workplace when you start seeing the prescription pill and beer bottles lying around), food containers, Red Bull cans, Gatorade bottles etc etc etc. The residents of Jersey City really want to thank you assholes for your cavalier attitudes about where you go to work. Does it ever dawn on you workers that people live around where you're building more places for people to live? Johnny knows a rebranded PADNA, (Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Assn.), where these pictures were taken, has reached out to Councilwoman Candice Osborne. Shortly thereafter trash barrels appeared at construction sites. Fat lot of help that did as you can see in the pictures below.

Do we not fine construction companies for this kind of shit? Is the Jersey City council powerless to hold these clowns to SOME kind of standard? Is there not some kind of code enforcement officer Jersey City employs? Are they asleep at the wheel on this? It would appear the citizens in these construction-happy neighborhoods don't only have to put up with noise and closed roads from time to time but are also having to deal with construction worker garbage on a daily basis.

Boo on this to the lazy construction workers who can't put trash in a can or don't seem to try, and Boo on this to city officials who never seem to deal with an issue on anything more than a glossed-over way when it comes to construction crews.




Now here's a first class time waster

Do you know the history of your home/apartment/condo? Are you suuuuure? Are you going to sit there and tell us that nothing ever happened in your home like say someone dying there? A new website tracks places people have died in, called DiedInHouse.com. You can find out the history of the home you live in now, one you used to live in or one you might be considering buying. Gothamist has more:

It's easy—just enter your address and credit card information (the service costs an eminently reasonable $11.99) and voila—you will be apprised of who has died in your home, when, and more importantly, how they died. It is then up to you and your family to determine who gets the bedroom where the murder/suicide took place, though unfortunately the site does not offer any sort of family mediation service so you're really on your own there.

So, what say you cut the man a check for $12 and report back here and tell us what you've found out. It could explain why the TV remote keeps going missing.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Late night open thread

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."

-- Jean de La Fontaine

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Eleven guys!!

Boy howdy when you pull out a camera the people flee. Here was the scene earlier today, answering for all time why construction costs so much in Jersey City, eleven guys standing next to the tube that pumps concrete down into pilings at the construction site at Marin and Bay St. Eleven. The camera came out and a couple three decided they didn't want to be seen as standing around but most? Yep, they don't care. Just cost of doing business we suppose, at some point these "workers" just figure they're all gonna just stand around and do outdoor the equivalent of watching paint dry.

Either way, what a great reflection of the construction "workforce" we all so often see around town. Make sure to click on the image to make it bigger.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday, October 20, 2013

What a stunning day out there

A better fall day you won't find. Get outside and breathe in the fresh crisp fall air and enjoy the day. Find yourself a Honeycrisp apple for the trip and it's so perfect the ghost of Norman Rockwell may start painting your walk as you go.

Hey there NFL fans, don't turn in your betting slip or hand in your fantasy roster just yet

Not before reading Johnny's NFL pre-game prognosticating.

First off, let's talk fantasy. Don't take any Cleveland Browns again this week, month, season and do take the Lions Calvin Johnson who is more than just a great receiver, he's the Lions fans Xanax. If he doesn't play just watch 'em twitch. Dewey Oxberger was an aggressive gambler, Mr. Vegas, and we just know he'd go all in in Eli Manning on Monday night vs the Norse Marauders from the Land of Mall. Johnny agrees, bet everything.

Ok, enough of that.

How about the real meat and potatoes and Johnny throws out a few predictions for you hardcore gamblers.

Green Bay vs Cleveland
The Packers will grind the Browns bones to make their bread

Detroit vs Cincinnati
The Lions are at home so take Detroit in the battle of large cats in the midwest

NY Giants vs Minnesota
See above. The Giants win a pointless game that will cost them come draft day

NY Jets vs New England
The Patriots always win this game so here's Johnny's "It was only a car" upset pick of the week. The Jets pull the upset or the Jets will give you your money back!

Stoolers vs Modell's shitting birds
If the Browns contending means Johnny has to cheer for the Stoolers some weeks this will be a long year. The Pittsburgh 11 tend to get calls at home. They are at home today *wink* *wink*

Donkeys vs Colts
So much has been written about this game going in. Far, far too much has been written about this game. Nobody cares about the Colts owner or what he has to say. Johnny was going to pick the Colts until Irsay opened his cake hole and inspired the Denver Donkeys. Bet on the Staypuft MarshManning Man

Get out there and get your gamble on!

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show:

Michigan 63
Indiana 47
This game brought to you by Playstation

Missouri 36
Florida 17
Can the Tigers please get a little respect now?

Tennessee 23
South Carolina 21
The BBQ being served in the parking lots before the game was fabulous. You just know it was

Georgia Tech 56
Syracuse 0
Burned Orange

Princeton 39
Brown 17
Ivy fight!!

Lehigh 56
Georgetown 24
South Mountain is a happy place

Furman 27
Appalachian St. 10
If you ever get the chance, do take a tour of the Furman campus, a simply gorgeous place

Central Arkansas 26
Lamar 24
Don't send Western Arkansas to do Central's job

Bloomsburg 52
E Stroudsburg 38
The I-80 war

Bucknell 17
Dartmouth 14
Damn it feels good to be a Bison

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®

Toledo 45
Navy 44 2OT
Navy traveled all the way to the Glass Bowl in Toledo to forget how to make an extra point in overtime. We hear Middies kicker Nick Sloan may have loaded up on one too many Tony Packo's hot dogs the night before. It happens. The sadness of a loss lasts a few days, the satisfaction of a Tony Packo's hot dog lasts forever.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Well would you look at that; gay marriage is legal in NJ and the sun came up this morning

Huh. Well, there you go. Pigs didn't start marrying goats (though that car insurance pig is beyond creepy when he's picking up women), nobody applied to marry their Weimaraner, and in general life went on in the shire as it has this past age. The New Jersey Supreme Court made the exact right call and even Chris Christie got out of it what he wanted; a way out of this issue that lets him run against a liberal court (but one he helped shape) when he runs for president.

Mayor Fulop, let's make Jersey City THE destination for gay marriages in this state. Lots of happy people getting together with expendable income? Tell Asbury Park sorry, we've got a view.

Late night open thread

The average smell weighs 760 nanograms. Yep, you read that right...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LINK WRAY!

Well the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees list is out. Without further delay that list:

KISS
Nirvana
The Zombies
Yes
LL Cool J
Deep Purple
Linda Ronstadt
The Replacements
Hall and Oates
Link Wray
Peter Gabriel
NWA
Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam

We're going to feature three artists on this list tonight Johnny thinks should make it into the Hall. The others you feel free to let us know your opinions.

You've heard of Jimmy Page? Well did you know one of Mr. Page's biggest influences was Link Wray? No Link No Jimmy and no Led Zeppelin goes the reasoning Johnny gets away with once again. C'mon, admit it, you love a great dirty guitar song. Put the headphones on. Throw down a snort of the good bourbon you were saving for just such an occasion.

Johnny's call? You better believe Link and His Wraymen are in like Flynn daddy-o. Link with 'the classic 'Rumble' on the Music Series.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LINDA RONSTADT!

Wait, what? Linda Ronstadt isn't already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You're kidding. Who the hell is in charge of getting people on ballots? Nap time must be over because yes Linda Ronstadt is on the ballot had batter make the Hall. Color us piqued.

Linda Ronstadt with a Johnny fave (and he has an upbeat rockabilly version of this song by Linda and it's tip top! Email for a listen) 'I Guess it Doesn't Matter Anymore'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NIRVANA!

Here's another band up for the Hall for the first year, 25 years on from their first album, Nirvana. They had a career like a meteor streaking through the sky making a fantastic noise and shaking up music and complacency like perhaps only The Sex Pistols and Elvis had done before them. It all ended too soon. Life seemingly always does. Nirvana in your face tonight with 'Heart Shaped Box' on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee night.

Johnny's call? Duh, IN.

Friday, October 18, 2013

If you enjoy baking the gauntlet has just been thrown down in your general direction

That direction is the Iron Monkey at 99 Greene who are hosting their first annual pumpkin pie bake off. If you've ever baked a pumpkin pie from scratch you know yours is the best so head on over and bring your pie before 2pm when the tasting begins and stay for the 3:15pm judging. What makes your pumpkin pie so much better? Secret spices from the old country? Orange anise? Roofies? Share your secrets in comments.

Clear skies today mean a lunar eclipse tonight

There will be a lunar eclipse this evening but it may not look like an eclipse you're used to. It won't be the grand blocking of the sun in an exacting shadow type, rather the moon tonight will be seen in North America in the last stages of the eclipse as the Earth's shadow is cast across the moon. About 7:50pm tonight will be the best view.


Late night open thread

Nuclear launch detected.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Thursday, October 17, 2013

We here at the Jersey City Desk love The Gothamist and we love the artist Banksy...

However,  we  fear  the  two  may  have  merged.

The Gothamist has become The Banksy Times.

Late night open thread

“In autumn, don’t go to jewelers to see gold; go to the parks!”
-- Mehmet Murat ildan

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Election day for the US Senate race dawns

Get out there and choose New Jersey's next US Senator, either Democratic candidate Cory Booker or Tea Party favorite Steve Lonegan. Given all we'e seen from the temper tantrum the Tea Party is throwing in Washington D.C., this choice should be an easy one Garden Staters. Do you want representative government or a guy who says no to everything including funding social security checks to seniors and medical help for vets?

Exactly.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

And thus a nickname was born...

Johnny was walking behind two women this morning who were seen looking at the new DeWitt Tishman 35 story building going up at the corner of Warren and First St. One woman looked at the other and said what a useless "POS" building (she used the more familiar term for POS, we're paraphrasing) it was.

There you go, it sounds good to us. The new building at 110 First shall hereby be known as the POS Building. Lady in the blue blazer and heels, congratulations on the name.

Late night open thread

Despite the outcry for good taste the Jersey City Desk is back on the air. Fall in the upper midwest is a glorious thing. 

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Florida State 63
Maryland 0
Turtle tartar

Notre Dame 37
Arizona State 34
See there ASU, real qualified refs on the scene at the end of the game and you lose

Buffalo 42
Eastern Michigan 14
The Ron English era is all but over in dear old Ypsi

Bowling Green 28
Massachusetts 7
Massachusetts, first in war, first in peace, 5th in the MAC East

Ohio St. 40
Northwestern 30
No love for the purple helmeted warriors

New Mexico 66
New Mexico State 17
At least the sunset was fantastic

Navy 28
Air Force 10
Air Force was suffering from a government shutdown of their offense

Michigan State 26
Iowa 14
Dear Iowa fan always shown on teevee who wears black and yellow striped overalls and mugs for the camera -- yeah, they showed you leaving early

Rutgers 55
SMU 52 3 OT
Ah Rutgers. Twice they gave up 21 point leads but held on to win in 3 OT's. A more resilient bunch would be hard to find

Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Charlotte 53
Gardner-Webb 51

Gardner-Webb led 45-24 at the end of the third quarter. We checked. Charlotte in fact scored 22 points in a 3 minute span late in the fourth quarter to surge ahead. Still Gardner Webb scored a TD with seconds left only to have their 2 point conversion denied. What a great game at the venerable McColl-Richardson Field in Charlotte NC

It's that time again friends, Johnny's off on another upper midwest journey to find out who is still talking to him, to look at leaves in wide open spaces and to go to a Red Wings game at the Cathedral. Back with you early next week.

Health and happiness!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark




Spectra's disaster-in-waiting pipeline is set to open November 1

Johnny's against this, Mayor Fulop is against this, former Mayor Healy fought hard against this, pretty much anyone who has seen pictures of Dresden in 1945 is against this. Spectra Energy's 30 inch high-pressure natural gas pipeline will begin in earnest by November 1st. Let's hear from Spectra first today because Johnny's feeling merciful:

Spectra officials have argued that the pipeline will provide clean and affordable natural gas to the region in critical need of additional energy supply. It will be the safest in North America.

Got that? "to the region"

It's time to play Hudson County's favorite online game show "To the Region!"

When Spectra Energy says this will provide clean and affordable natural gas "To the Region" do they mean:

A) Bayonne
B) Hudson County
C) New York City

If you guessed New York City, well played, of course they get a Tywin Lannister share of the benefit. OK, time for our double point round.

Which area will bear the most risk "To the Region" if something goes wrong and blows up real good:

A) New York City
B) Delaware
c) Jersey City

If you guessed Jersey City you are absolutely correct but we'd also have accepted the Hudson River and area water supply. Alright, time for our final question. IF this goes sideways and explodes or sprays down an area in gas what will Spectra Energy's response "To the Region" be?

A) Spectra Energy immediately begins filing court briefs in friendly courts trying to limit liability.

Congratulations, you've found yourself champion of the internets!

Now, this is how Spectra Energy tests their pipeline. Tell us if you signed on for this (That's a trick question, nobody truly honestly got a chance to stop this project, it was rubberstamped from the get go):

Spectra has indicated to Jersey City officials that natural gas will be released into the atmosphere during the testing phase at three areas: Pacific Avenue near Grand Street; Burma Road near Liberty State Park; and at 17th and Coles streets.

City fire officials will be on standby for each release.

FUN! Let's also make sure we remember all the hard working trade workers who appeared in the Spectra Energy ads who said without these jobs the area would crater. Remember those names and faces friends. They helped bring this to you.

This is what a high pressure gas pipeline explosion looks like. This is NOT a Spectra Energy pipeline. This is merely to show what happens to the immediate area when one goes wrong. Yeah, no problem, we can handle that, no problem. From West Virginia:

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SARAH MCLACHLAN!

Here to start things off tonight is a very blue and very muddy then yellow and wet Sarah McLachlan with 'Into the Fire'. Someone should tell her she really should clean up if she's expecting company.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SUZANNE VEGA!

Every so often Johnny will tell you to not blow off a song and take a close listen. THIS is one of those songs. It's called 'Penitent' from her 2001 album Songs in Red and Gray. We really think you'll enjoy it.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELVIS COSTELLO!

'Dust 2' wrapping up another Music Series. Great sounds from Elvis Costello lately. Really good interesting stuff. His record company once scolded him for not trying to churn out the same 1979 Elvis style on record after record. Elvis told them it was HIS job to make the music and their job to figure out a way to sell it.

Classic.

Friday, October 4, 2013

2013 Jersey City Artists Studio Tour at 150 Bay Street this Saturday and Sunday

150 Bay St., conveniently located just off Marin Blvd. and hey, look at that Bay St., will be hosting some of Jersey City's top artists this Saturday and Sunday (actually they'll be hosting YOU in their Murloc huts). There's gonna be art, there's going to be incredible music (including Detroit's own Eliza Neals) and a good time for everyone. Artists include Paul Jansen, Ashley Pickett, James Fraser, Caroline Thompson Muriel Favaro, Robert Koch, Karen Fuchs, Lynda D’Amico, Chantal Lamour, Robert Kogge, Norman Cahn, Amy Donaldson, Sarah Snodgrass, and Jonathan Wolf.  It starts off your Saturday at noon (sleeping in is a good thing) and runs til 6pm. Make sure not to miss Sunday evening's concert in the 150 Bay St. courtyard.

Be there, aloha!

See Spot Rescued and the Liberty Humane Society are teaming up for a Bark in the Park adoption event!

Dateline Hoboken: See Spot Rescued and the Liberty Humane Society are coming together for an adoption event this Saturday (ie tomorrow) in Church Square Park in Hoboken. This wonderful event with so many wonderful pups looking for their forever families will be held from 12-4. Please come out and hopefully that special pup will catch your eye and you can start the process of taking home one of the best decisions you'll ever make.

Jersey City's own Highline aka "The Johnnyline" is maybe perhaps a possible step closer

Now that the question over whether or not the elevated train line once owned by Conrail is a "spur" or a "rail line" has been decided in the courtroom of federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson. It's a "rail line" which means the City of Jersey City feels that changes the entire ownership of the land.

Here's the kerfuffle in a nutshell:

Jersey City has argued that Conrail should have gone through an abandonment process before it sold the embankment to Hyman and his wife, Victoria. Federal transportation rules require owners of abandoned lines to go through this process before selling, a process that could give the city first crack at purchasing it.

But Conrail had argued that the embankment was a spur, not a line, and so was not subject to the abandonment process. In her Sept. 30 ruling, federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson tossed that argument.

The response from the Hyman's attorney attorney Dan Horgan was expectedly douchey: “It’s one additional step in a process that’s gone on for eight years that’s cost the taxpayers of Jersey City millions of dollars, It won’t resolve itself this year or next year or the year after.”

Dan Horgan everyone with his imitation of the Wicked Witch of the West skywriting "Surrender Fulop" over the Sixth Street Embankment. We think this ruling did get the city somewhere Mr. Horgan. We think this ruling, while it may take a couple more rulings, will be decided in the city's favor. Don't take it from Johnny, oh no, take it from His Excellency Mayor Fulop:

“This is another clear win for the city, and now both momentum and leverage are in the city’s favor. The developer can continue to waste his money and appeal, which we don’t mind at all, but I feel comfortable in the fact that we will eventually have a showcase linear park in Jersey City that the entire city can enjoy.”

Late night open thread

BROWNS!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Thursday, October 3, 2013

We want to quash a nasty rumor

Al Cowlings in a wig was not the person killed in the Capital shooting today. Please stop repeating that. It disrespects wigs.

Now here's a great idea for a Kickstarter campaign...

The Village Halloween parade! First off, what is Kickstarter? It's a crowdfunding idea on the web. Like minded individuals come together to put their money where their loves are and if enough money is raised, success! The people who put on that wonderful halloween parade in the West Village were devastated by Superstorm Sandy last year and they need help. If you are a fan of the parade and you'd like to help out here is the link for you to follow and maybe make a donation.

So now Caribou Barbie wants to involve herself in New Jersey politics

Oh Johnny's been waiting for Caribou Barbie to do something in New Jersey for a while now.

Yes Sarah Palin, the former quitter of a governor in Alaska, endorsed conservative party member Steve Lonegan for Senate over Democrat Cory Booker. We're not really interested in what she had to say about Lonegan, in fact we're really not that interested in listening to her bleating at all. She's a disgraceful individual who actually thinks not knowing things is more cool than getting an education and having facts at the ready. She makes fun of educated people, dismissing the eggheads or bookworms. She denies science fact. She talks about others families while really not holding her own white trash crew to these same high standards.

Go ahead and get behind Lonegan Sarah. Quick question, did you actually come to New Jersey for this big announcement or did you hide behind Twitter or your Facebook page again? We think if you're really behind Lonegan, you should come to New Jersey and tell us. Maybe you could give us another history refresher while you're here. The last one you gave was sheer gold:

"...she described Paul Revere's midnight ride as a warning to "the British that they weren't going to be taking away our arms, by ringing those bells and by making sure that as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free … and we were going to be armed.""

So Steve Lonegan, you really want her endorsement? Tell us about it.

Late night open thread

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Think you're up to painting a mural on a building? Jersey City wants YOU

Johnny would paint a mural on a building but nobody would want to see that. You can't Photoshop on the side of a building.

However, if you are a good artist Jersey City is going to try and paint murals on buildings all over town, making it kind of a living gallery:

So far, three are complete, including a blue-hued image of a Native American woman on the side of an apartment building at Summit Avenue and Grand Street courtesy of artists Shawn "Pawn" Edwards and Emilio Florentine.

City officials call the effort both a city beautification effort as well as a cultural education campaign. Mayor Steve Fulop said he wants to turn the entire city into an "outdoor art gallery."

So, who should you contact if youd like to see if your work can be displayed? Contact Brooke Hansson at the mayor’s office, bhansson@jcnj.org.

Cool stuff!

Late night open thread

"Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead."
 -- Lucille Ball

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Do you ever read the news out of NYC and wonder why so many pedestrians are hit and also killed by vehicles yet nothing gets done?

We have been perplexed by this too. People obviously mess up driving in NYC, whether it be speeding, or not paying attention or perhaps turning against a light and running someone down. In NYC those injured really get no justice. The NYPD's Transportation Bureau Accident Investigation Squad just doesn't do all that much to actually investigate driving malfeasance. The young tourist who had her leg ripped off by the cab driver who was in a fit of road rage? Yeah, the city didn't do anything to him. Nothing. For a really depressing read about a department that is either run by incompetents or just the lazy and disaffected who hate filling out paperwork, check out this Gothamist story. 

Really, it seems like they just don't care about dead or injured people. Almost like they are an inconvenience.

The Jersey City Desk will remain open even in spite of the Republican government shutdown

We're deciding to stay open here rather than kowtow to the conservative party. Besides, your tax money is well spent here. We hardly do anything wrong with the tax money we get.

Late night open thread

"A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station." -- Unknown

Time for Jersey City, After Dark