Saturday, November 30, 2013

Goldman Sachs commuter boat slams into J. Owen Grundy Park

Yes this is yesterday's news but one question keeps popping up in Johnny's head; Unless the boat had electrical or steering malfunctions how in the hell do you miss your dock, one you've used many times before, by some 300 yards? Goldman Sachs, would you like to tell us what hapened to your ship piloted by a New York Waterway captain? New York Waterway would you like to tell us what happened to the captain that he missed a dock by 300 yards? Hopefully it wasn't a heart attack or other awful medical condition that caused this. We, like everyone else are here waiting for answers.

We're just glad Goldman Sachs, along with New York Waterway will be rebuilding Jersey City's park and the damage done to it. They'd better.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Late night open thread

"A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing."
 -- Unknown

TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS!

Love does not begin to describe this song for old Johnny. Although this has always been a summer song for Johnny it has worked it's magic once again tonight in the cold winds of November. Hey, when you own the place you can play what you want. Paul McCartney & Wings with 'Junior's Farm' starting things off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LAS RUBIAS DEL NORTE!

Back in Johnnys drinking days often nights with certain friends be done in by amaretto slammers. He'd be drinking beer most of the night and then maybe an hour and thirty from closing the bar someone in the group with more money than sense would start buying "slammers" as we referred to them. Put your napkin over the glass, bash it into the table and you throw back a fizzy delight of candy-sweet delectable alcohol in 40 proof increments. It was just so tasty and warm and lovely, just like listening to Las Rubias del Norte music. It just goes down so easy. You put on an album from them in a playlist and it's all over too soon. Only with this clip of Las Rubias del Norte on Soundcheck you won't have the added experience of hitting the Rams Horn for drunkfast and later pulling off onto Oak Hill Road so Johnny can yack.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with WAR!

Ah the classics. The key to enjoying a good classic over time is to work in in the right spots, and don't overdo it. War makes their Music Series debut with the classic 'Lowrider'

If you're looking for something fun to do over leftovers today, may we suggest...

Head over to Twitter and search the hashtag #walmartfights for sheer horror and joy at the same time. Of course Wal-Mart was out early today on the morning shows claiming their stores are the safest around when it comes to Black Friday shopping. Yeah, wrong. Here's one to get you started. People fistfighting over a teevee they would have walked past last week and not looked twice at.


Wal-Mart, always the lowest common denominator, always!

Late night open thread

What a holiday. A day where we celebrate food stuffed and wrapped inside other food. The next day we do it all again.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers!

From Johnny, Zoltron, Kiki and a cast of thousands, we'd like to wish all our readers (or if you just stopped by) a happy and hearty Thanksgiving.

As our special gift to you today here it is in all its glory (don't worry it'll be over by the time the Lions kickoff), the complete massacree in four part harmony....with feeling:

Late night open thread

The average person (define that how you will) will take in 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. So you better get to bed, you have to start eating as soon as you get up.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Jersey Journal has much more on the fire above Buon Appetito on Grove St.

The Jersey Journal has much more on today's big story of a 4-alarm fire downtown when first one then an adjoining building went up in flames above the Buon Appetito pizza shop on Grove St. near Bay. They have interviews with people who lived above Buon Appetito and said they were denied insurance because nobody will write a policy if you live above a pizza place. Click here for the Jersey Journal story.

Breaking News: Major fire in downtown Jersey City -- UPDATE!

Located near Grove St. and Morgan it can be seen for blocks away. The Jersey City Desk brings you these exclusive pictures:

UPDATE: Firefighters are batting low water pressure and the building in question is the one where pizza place Buon Appetito is located on Grove St.



The mayor isn't fooling with the Port Authority, he just isn't

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop followed up his threat to sue the Port Authority over what he claims are unpaid city taxes, by lashing out at the Port Authority's toll increases set to take effect December 1st:

"The Port Authority dumps a heavy burden on Jersey City taxpayers in three ways - from the costs of municipal services provided to the Port Authority, from the increasing tolls and PATH fares, and from a staggering underpayment by the Port Authority to the City for its property here,"


"The Port Authority is financially strong and could choose to delay this increase," he added.

We're in complete agreement on this mayor. For far too long the Port Authority has acted with practical impunity when it comes to how they deal with other entities, and how they aren't accountable to almost anyone. It's time for Jersey City through Fulop to pull back some of the secrecy via the lawsuit and get Jersey City what is Jersey City's. With the increases we feel the Port Authority is just passing off to the public their cost overruns because of their own stupidity and lack of oversight on the new WTC project. 

We'll also tell you what Fulop won't, the fat cats at the PA don't give a shit if they hurt your family's bottom line one bit.

Late night open thread

Here's one for everyone who has to be outside tonight.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Hudson County is one step closer to an MTA tunnel through Hoboken and Secaucus

Three years after Governor Chris Christie bloviated about cost overruns and canceled a tunnel running the MTA 7 line, approval moved forward for a tunnel from Secaucus (stopping at the Frank Sinatra Memorial Platform in Hoboken) and connecting into the Grand Central Terminal, is a step closer to reality (and watch somebody try and take partial credit when he runs for President):

The Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee pushed through a resolution in support of expanding the New York City Number 7 subway into New Jersey, according to the state legislature's website.

So, good! A study says 128,000 people would take that trip on the 7 from New Jersey to New York City a day. It eases the PATH ridership at rush hour, win. It will create commuter lots so less people run their tailpipes in traffic backups at both current car tunnels, win. It will save commuters money and no doubt the "We're above the law" Port Authority will stand to lose a lot of coin so that's funny if not a win.

The article says the tunnel still faces an uphill battle and it is on us now to rain down emails and phone calls to make sure everyone knows we want this. Well, get calling!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Late night open thread

That's the way we all became the Johnny Bunch...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Don't tell us your mind isn't already on Thanksgiving weekend

It was when you got up this morning and realized you had a three-day workweek. So, are you going anywhere or staying put?

Late night open thread

In the movie Titanic, Jack played by Leo DiCaprio, says at one point he remembered going ice fishing with his father on Lake Wissota as a boy. That'd be kind of hard since in the movie Jack dies on April 15, 1912 and Lake Wissota wasn't even around until the construction of a dam created it in 1917. Oops.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

Sunday, November 24, 2013

No tailgating at the Super Bowl

Because TERROR! Yep, security concerns have caused tailgating before a football game, the supposed biggest game of the year to be 86'd. From the article:

"...because space will be so tight in the parking lot thanks to all the security checkpoints and TV crews, even the lucky ticketed few might be banned from (literally) chilling in the parking lot pre-game."

So no tossing the football around in the parking lot before the game either. So no tailgating, no tossing the ball around the lot, no football-type actions of any kind.

"Children of Sombertown, your playing days are over!!"

Who the hell would want to go to this if your team wasn't playing? There's nothing football about this game. You do realize while you aren't allowed to grill a burger or eat a hot dog outside the stadium walls, inside the muckity-mucks will be enjoying the finest food and yes, some of it grilled on site. Again, you really want to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on this? If so you're not one of the fans sitting in snow and single digit wind-chills in Green Bay, Cleveland, the New Meadowlands, Buffalo, Baltimore and New England today. In essence, if you want to pay all that money for puffery and no real football feel, you're not a football fan Johnny wants at his tailgate.

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Michigan State 30
Northwestern 6
Sparty gets the extreme pleasure of booking rooms in Indianapolis in December with...

Ohio State 42
Indiana 14
...The Buckeyes who will join MSU for the Big Ten title game and hours of shopping in scenic downtown Indy.

Florida State 80
Idaho 14
Pay no attention to the sexual assault charges being laid at our star QB's feet, look, 80 points!

Arizona 42
Oregon 16
When the Ducks flame out man they go all the way.

Oklahoma State 49
Baylor 17
You know that dream that ends where you're falling a great distance? Baylor is about to live that feeling in the polls.

Stanford 63
California 13
Take that you stupid Bears, still think that band play was funny?

Wisconsin 20
Minnesota 7
On one play in this game Johnny saw Wisconsin fumbled and there was a huge pileup to recover the ball. When they unpiled they saw how bad the damage Badgers and Gophers burrowing for something can be and had to stop the game for 30 minutes to fill in a big hole and replace a chunk of turf.

Harvard 34
Yale 7
The Crimson rolled up the newspaper on the Bulldogs for the 7th straight year in clinching the Ivy League's coveted Thurston Howell III Trophy.

Tulane 45
UTEP 3
Well it's getting late in the Scoreboard Show season and Johnny's pretty sure we hadn't had a Tulane sighting yet this year.

Nebraska 23
Penn State 20 OT
OK, these two schools are done being hazed by the more established Big Ten teams when Rutgers and Maryland arrive next year and become the noobs.

Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Georgia Southern 26
Florida 20
Only one thing to say really. This is a BAD loss for Florida. When Michigan lost to Appalachian State the case could be made Appy State was a top tier 1-AA team. Georgia Southern? Yeah, no, they are middling. Know what else? GEORGIA SOUTHERN THREW THREE PASSES ALL DAY, COMPLETED NONE AND STILL WON. They also ran for 429 yards. Har har har, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of probationers.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, November 23, 2013

One Super Bowl matchup has been set - New Jersey vs. New York

The New York Times took a somewhat condescending look at New Jersey in a piece that shows the competition for Super Bowl events and sponsors is already being played between New Jersey and the other state. Well, not so much state at all, just that big city. The Times points out almost looking down their noses at the Garden State events that yes of course all the celebrities and glamour will be in NYC because duh. They even sound a bit like Robert Duvall as Colonel William Kilgore in Apocalypse Now who says of the North Vietnamese when, during the famous helicopter attack scene, spits out incredulously "These people never give up." Sorry we're trying to have a good time with the Super Bowl New York Times, and god forbid we draw someone away from that Broadway football experience complete with Angry Drunken Don't Tickle Me Elmo and a super bowl of gumbo from Bubba Gump's ("Eat where the Saints players refuse to eat"®).

The article mentioned events in New Jersey having difficulty drawing sponsors. But not once did they mention Jersey City which makes Johnny ask our city administration, people are going to be aware that Jersey City has the best access to NYC, brilliant restaurants and a view to die for riiiiight? Riiiiiiight? Maybe a well placed viral ad campaign, maybe a couple well positioned billboards advertising such. So maybe you only grab a few thousand, it all helps. Governor Christie, well we need you to be Governor Christie and make SURE everyone knows where this game is being played. You gotta book a Saturday Night Live spot to get the message out? Do it!

So yes, NYC prepares to take the lion's share of the attention which should give Garden Staters all the more impetus to do what Johnny does and rightly call them the New Jersey Giants and New Jersey Jets.

We're stronger than the advertising storm!

Late night open thread

Only one first lady ever carried a loaded pistol around with her at the White House. Who was she? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE BABYS!

Rocking back to 1978 on this one, the title track to the album Head First (Available at the Brandon High School Hawks Nest school store for the low low price of $3.99) kicking things off tonight. Looking back, Head First was a lot of album for $3.99.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SHERYL CROW!

We haven't played a Sheryl Crow song in quite a while around here. We're gonna go off the well worn playlists and go with this gem, a song so great Johnny Cash covered it for her. Kennett Missouri representing tonight with 'Redemption Day'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SAM COOKE!

Ever wonder what the guys on the chain gang did to get into this predicament in the first place? Sam Cooke's voice is so smooth he makes it seem like fun to sing on the chain gang on the highways and byways. Sam Cooke wrapping up another Music Series with 'Chain Gang'

Friday, November 22, 2013

Hoboken unsure if SantaCon is happening there this year? Pshaw!

Oh it's ON! Just wander through the city in your Santa or Mrs. Claus or elven-kind outfits, grab a brew and go crazy. NYC is wussing out telling bars there to please not serve people dressed as Santa. That's sad because now nobody in NYC will get any presents this year.

So FuHo, you get your SantaCon on, you're supposedly the Valhalla of party towns. They took away your ribald fun for St. Patrick's Day so don't tell us you're not gonna go fight for your right to party in a Santa suit with Ho-Ho-Ho's.

December 7, 2013, be there aloha

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Late night open thread

50 years ago tonight John F. Kennedy was in the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, relaxing before a trip the next day from Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth to Love Field in Dallas on Air Force One.

Forever young.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's never too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving

Especially when a huge nor'easter could be bearing down upon us anytime from late Tuesday of next week to Thanksgiving morning. Will it be rain? Will it be snow? Will it be hail? Will it be toads and frogs? Forecasters don't know yet but they do say if this mess hits us it'll screw everything up from travel to parades (could be too breezy for the cool balloons) to the price of cranberries (Johnny has no idea, it just sounded good).

One meteorologist, Chuck U. Farley from down in Cape May, said this storm might bring about the end times.

So let's hope he's wrong...

Check back for more on this developing storm which the Weather Channel will irresponsibly name as soon as it produces wind.

Late night open thread

A great night at Carnegie Hall watching David Sedaris perform from his many works. Chatting up his sister Amy after the show? Priceless.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The smoking age in NYC is going up to 21 and a quote for the ages

Johnny's gonna shred a guy in a couple minutes so get a cup of coffee and get comfy.

According to a study there are 20,000 New York City high school kids who smoke. Beyond the whole "Let's find out why they started," Johnny asks what can we do right now to make them stop? As a society we have to look out for the younger minds. As someone one said cigarettes are the only product on the market that if used as directed results in death. There are 20,000 kids in NYC shortening their lives. It would be absurd not to do something and the most immediate of these actions was taken by Mayor-for-now-Bloomberg who upped the age for buying ciggybutts (and e-cigs) from 18-21. This goes into effect in 180 days.

ROOOOOAAAARRRR, GRUFF, GRUMBLE, said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores: "What are you really accomplishing? It's not like they are going to quit smoking." ROOOOOAAAARRRR, GRUFF, GRUMBLE went Calvin some more: "...there are so many other places they can buy cigarettes." Then comes the money shot of quotes in the history of quotes:

"Every 18-year-old who walks out of a convenience store is just going to go to the guy in the white van on the corner."

OK, where to start. Mayor Bloomberg, Council president Quinn, incoming Mayor de Blasio PLEASE do something about the scourge of white vans on corners. You'll know them because they will all be near street corners within a couple blocks of convenience stores. They may have names like "Plumbing" or "Flower Delivery" or "Ambulance" on them but ha ha copper the jokes on you. These are fronts for selling cigarettes to high school kids. Send SWAT teams after them would be our advice. Next up Jim, why does it have to be a guy who drives the van? Aren't you down with women's lib? Why couldn't an enterprising young lady make money in a white van on the corner near a bodega? Why do you pigeonhole women Mr. Calvin? Finally Jim, where Johnny grew up (and he's guessing everywhere else) the guy in the white van wasn't selling cigarettes, no, he had other things in that van other than a couple cartons Winstons. Rope, duct tape, a few bottles of Boone's Farm, these sorts of knick-knacks.

Lastly, if you look at Calvin's quote what it's really saying is we don't give a shit if these kids develop complications from smoking because as long as they are coming in to buy cigarettes they'll also buy a Mountain Dew and a snack and that's where our profit margin comes in. Screw NYC if they're gonna cost us money, kids be damned.

No, screw the New York Association of Convenience Stores.

PATH update for tonight

The 9th St. PATH Station will be out of service (read trains will go right by it) starting tonight at 11pm until Thursday at 5am.

Also afflicting PATH riders is a sudden spate of attacks on riders. There was yet another one police are investigating and you can read about it and the other recent attacks right here.

Late night open thread

Did you know Shaggy (voiced by Casey Kasem) from the Scooby Doo cartoon has a real name? Check out comments for the answer.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Human Rights Campaign: Jersey City is the bestest place in NJ for the LGBT community

Jersey City was cited at the best place for a member of the LGBT community to live in New Jersey according to a new study by gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. Cool City topped Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and Lambertville in the study. So how did Jersey City become so darned LGBT friendly? Easy, the city offers transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, openly gay city leaders and active engagement with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

We're gonna give the Jersey City Desk last word to Mayor Steve Fulop:

"We also have one of the largest LGBT communities in the state and I have long advocated for equality for our LGBT community, including marriage equality. It was an honor last month to play a small part of history as we celebrated the first same-sex marriages in our state's history and we will continue to advocate for the equal treatment of all of our citizens."

Monday, November 18, 2013

Late night open thread

Classics Monday!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City official shows how you eat at the trough

Michael Razzoli, Mayor Fulop's Director of Department of Public Works is living high on the hog. We don't normally involve ourselves with how much a person makes, normally it's not our business and we truly hope everyone makes a mint (Wouldn't everyone be happier is everyone made more money?). In this case what Mr. Razzoli makes is important to this story and something Mayor Fulop said was going to be done away with in this town on his watch.

Razzoli makes $117,048 as Director of Public Works. Razzoli also collects $65,085 in his pension as a retired firefighter. He also lives in College Towers, an apartment complex on the West Side that caters to low- and middle-income families. Now, Razzoli is the DIRECTOR of Public Works. An application to College Towers says a resident’s household income must not exceed $60,000.

He says he didn't know. Mmmm hmmmm. Anybody believe him? No? OK, let's continue. Want some more proof he was hiding something? OK, here you go. Do you or ANYONE you know in the history of man have their own name spelled wrong on their mailbox or apartment? It's YOUR name and of course you'd never stand to have it misspelled. Unless you're Razzoli who did indeed have his name misspelled on his own front door. Come on, we all know what was going on there.

Razzoli's answer to all this? Oh he didn't know and maybe he'll just go pretend to live with his brother even though tax records show Razzoli lives in Sayreville. Why go to all this trouble over an address? Mayor Fulop requires his directors and others to live inside Jersey City. Funny it took the Jersey Journal to root out this act of selfishness:

"He has assured us that he is moving into a solo apartment in the next few months as a residency for directors is a rule of this administration,” Morrill said in a statement. “Director Razzoli has a done a good job up until now, but needs to follow this rule."

The Razzoli brothers were big boosters of Fulop during his campaign for mayor this year. Michael Razzoli’s brother, Mark, a city cop, contributed $1,240 to Fulop’s campaign, campaign records show. He is now one of Fulop’s security guards/drivers.

Funny how that happens in the NEW Jersey City that won't tolerate what used to happen under Mayor Healy.

Wait kids, it gets better. The people who see themselves as some kind of ruling class rife with entitlements that happen off the books are using College Towers as their subsidized homes:

A 53-year-old College Drive resident who works for the Jersey City Incinerator Authority – who could be Razzoli’s subordinate if the DPW and JCIA merge – said College Towers is home to numerous public officials who earn too much to live there. That practice is not fair, the resident said.

Case and point Jersey City, Pete Townshend was right; "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." If it's still taking the Jersey Journal to root our this sort of self-entitlement bullshit rather than the city government policing itself, nothing has changed.

Late night open thread

A good pun is its own reword.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Fog Bowl today at 4:25pm

The Jets are in Buffalo. This does not affect them. It could be snowing 15 inches in Buffalo right now, this is about fog.

Let's hope this thick fog hangs around for the 4pm ballgame at the New Meadowlands (When Snoopy wants to pay Johnny he'll call it the other name) and looks all cool on teevee when the Giants clash with the Packers. The Giants are on a winning streak. The Packers are now without Aaron (Dislocated double check) Rodgers. The Packers are always a tough team to beat but maybe, just maybe the Giants can get luck to be a lady in the fog today.

Fearless forecast:

It's not snowing in Buffalo. Wait, that's not it.

New Jersey Giants 27
Green Bay Gorgonzolas 23

Jets 16
Bills 14

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Michigan State 41
Nebraska 28
Sparty moves closer to setting up a playdate with the Buckeyes in the B1G title game. Does anyone else think Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini acts a lot like Homer Simpson as Angry Dad?

Auburn 43
Georgia 38
WOW, what an ending. If you haven't seen it click here. We'll wait here til you come back...

UCF 39
Temple 36
WOW part deux. If you haven't seen the play UCF made to help pull this one out of the fire click here. We'll wait here until you get back...

Cincinnati 52
Rutgers 17
With less than ten seconds to play instead of trying some kind of pass to the end zone the Scarlet Knights kicked a field goal. So helpful. From the top administration to the AD to a few coaches Piscataway is a mess.

SMU 38
Connecticut 21
UConn's season continues to scrape rock bottom like an Italian cruise liner.

Lehigh 31
Colgate 14
Another fine season by Lehigh will be rewarded by another screw job by the 1-AA playoff selection committee.

Bucknell 17
Georgetown 7
Fear the Bison for they are kicking ass and taking names.

Citadel 31
VMI 10
The Citadel moved past VMI with military-like precision.

Wooster 28
Ohio Wesleyan 27
Since no game summary was available we're going to make one up. The entire Wooster team overslept and didn't get to the game until the fourth quarter. Until they arrived a few Wooster cheerleaders, a few band members and some kids selling 50-50 raffle tickets fought bravely but trailed Wesleyan 27-7. Once the Wooster varsity suited up they dropped 21 unannounced and certainly unanswered points to get power up and win 28-27.

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Wisconsin 51
Indiana 3
Indiana is a disgrace. Not that they have an awful team, they're not good but there are a lot worse. However, every time they see Wisconsin show up on their doorstep or have to travel to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison they simply pee themselves and curl up into little goofball hocking punching bags. In 2010 Wisconsin beat IU 83-20. Yikes. In 2011 it was 59-7. Last year was 62-14. Either Indiana was fucking Wisconsin's girlfriend and we don't know about it yet or the Hoosiers should consider taking out a restraining order or simply stay home and play with themselves.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, November 16, 2013

SUNDAY SUNDAY, Nitro racers come to Jersey City! Some go some blow but it's racing (echo racing racing)

You'll pay for the whole seat but you'll only need the edge on Jersey City's newest dragstrip from Second St. on Washington southbound to Steuben with brand spankin' new asphalt all up and down the blocks!!! Smooth as a baby's ass, great for your tires to grab when the lights go from red to green and you burn rubber. The race ends at Steuben so nobody goes careening through Christopher Columbus Dr.

*Racing (echo racing racing) this Sunday!

*Johnny is not responsible for anyone stupid enough to go racing (echo racing racing) down Washington.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SIMON and GARFUNKEL!

Here's one of those songs you weren't bombarded with on radio back in the day which is always a treat, hearing a great song from deep in an artist's catalog you haven't heard a kabillion times. So let's hit the on button and get this musical shindig going!

Simon and Garfunkel with 'Leaves That Are Green'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE HIGH NUMBERS

The High Numbers you ask? Yes. They'd soon change their name to something else and it's our guess you are well aware of them, The Who.

Here's a snappy harmonica-heavy Mod anthem. So, are you a Mod or a Rocker? Careful, the wrong answer could set Sting off. Here's The Wh--er The High Numbers with 'I'm the Face'

Friday, November 15, 2013

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE CARDIGANS!

Now let's be clear. Johnny does not endorse driving like this. He understands it, he just doesn't endorse it. Look if you can take out half of Arizona with an old Caddy and a rock on the gas pedal you're doing something right.

The Cardigans bringing down the curtain on another Music Series with 'My Favourite Game'

This is too darned awesome to not run

Jon Stewart on the Daily Show discussing among other things, pizza and the WTC.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's a great time waster for a Thursday morning for football fans

Or maybe just for football fans. Yes we're running both football as you'd call it by reflex and soccer/football for a really cool website called FootballasFootball. All the NFL teams have had their logos re-imagined as if they were a European Football club and the results are quite amazing. We'll just show you one here and by all means follow that link and go see the rest.

Detroit Lions

Time for a few city officials to come take their medicine

Mayor Fulop, the line forms behind you.

Mayor Steve Fulop, Council President Rolando Lavarro and Ward F councilwoman Diane Coleman all were quite vocal about former Mayor Healy's plan to borrow $9.5 million to pay for city retirement costs. Fulop went as far, according to the Jersey Journal's own Terrence T. McDonald:

"...He even urged gadfly Yvonne Balcer last December to come to the council meeting to “speak against” Healy’s proposed borrowing plan..."

But now that Fulop is Mayor and Lavarro and Coleman are on his ticket suddenly they all support what they were against when Healy was mayor. What's that called again? What is it when you say one thing a lot about how bad it is then when you are in charge you totally change your mind? Oh yes, FLIP FLOPPING. That sound you hear this morning isn't so much a biting November wind as it is the sound of Jerramiah Healy laughing with a hearty "I told you so."

Here's Council President Lavarro showing that unless his side said it, it's not to be trusted:

“The bottom line for me is that I trust this administration more,” he said, laughing. “I trust the numbers being presented to me.”

You may have laughed last night Mr. Council President but it's not funny at all. Being beholden to one side never is. Mayor Fulop, have a napkin and wipe that egg off your face. Councilwoman Coleman, well, sadly we kind of expect this kind of thing from you after the ham-handed way you ran for city council.

So the city borrows $9.5 million to pay retirement costs and hopefully a valuable lesson gets learned by everyone.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Late night open thread

State trivia night.

In 1888, the capital of this state had more millionaires per capita than any city on earth. Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Do not forget about tomorrow's fundraiser for Philippines relief at Porto

Make time. Drop off a check. You've got at least a ten spot of Uncle Sam's best green pocket liner you'd just waste on candy and YooHoo chocolate drink anyway. C'mon Jersey City, people need help now. Not at the end of the month, now. We now pay forward the help we got after Superstorm Sandy.

Porto is located at 286 First St. and Johnny's gonna draw you a map to show how easy it is to drop by between 6-9pm and make a donation. You'd probably trip on people standing in line to get in it's so easy. Mayor Steve Fulop is going to be there (does this guy even sleep?) along with City Council President Rolando Lavarro who has been out in front on aiding the Philippines since Super Typhoon Haiyan hit last week. There will also be a representative from the American Red Cross.

Seriously, so easy

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Late night open thread

How 'bout them Spartans?! They'll be #1 in the land next week!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're from New Jersey and New York, we don't give a frog's fat ass what the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat says

In about a half hour the shadow group and enemy of the Justice League of America, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat will decide if the new WTC is the tallest building in this hemisphere or if it's the Sears Tower in Cubtown.

It's the World Trade Center. Whether or not you decide to include the spire and beacon could interest us here less. It's there, it's up in the air, it counts. Who are you going to believe, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat or your own lying eyes? If there is legal precedent it's the case of Brady vs. Brady or better known as "Everything counts when you're building a house of cards" ruling passed down by Supreme Justice Mike Brady in the early 70's.

NJ Transit and Coach USA -- You can cancel those extra busses on Friday

Friday night there is a big soccer match at the New Meadowlands (Johnny's not getting paid to call it by the corporate name so it's the New Meadowlands) between Ecuador and Argentina. Oh, did we catch your eye there with Argentina? Well here is the bus info:

Between 5 and 9 p.m., a No. 353 NJ Transit shuttle bus is to provide service from Secaucus Junction to Lot C at MetLife Stadium, next to the Meadowlands train station.

Coach USA also is scheduled to operate a No. 351 bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan to the stadium.

Bus service from the stadium is set to continue from 9:30 p.m. until an hour after the match ends.

Now just go ahead and release those busses back to doing other jobs, they won't be needed. Lionel Messi, the greatest player ever and Argentinian talisman is injured and won't play for two months. Nobody is gonna go to this match of two South American teams in mid-November in New Jersey. Not without Leo Messi they're not. So as we Barcelona fans sit back and wait for Messi to get back in form, here's a clip of what you will NOT be seeing Friday.

Tuesday morning's Special Guest Star: Snow

So dear readers, are you ready for winter? Can't be long now...

Monday, November 11, 2013

Late night open thread

A doctor holds a stethoscope up to a man's chest. The man asks, 'Doc, how do I stand?' The doctor says, 'That's what puzzles me!'

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's a way you can help the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Thursday, Porto Lounge, 286 First St., will be holding a fundraiser to help the victims of Haiyan. Some background for our readers, this super typhoon, Haiyan, was the biggest most powerful storm to hit the EARTH since 1979. People need help and they need a lot of it. We also know that Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro has been organizing help so you can also contact his office at (201)-547-5268.

As for Thursday, come by the Porto Lounge and write a check to the American Red Cross, with “Philippines typhoon and flood” written in the memo. An American Red Cross representative will be present. Your help is desperately needed. This storm was far far worse than our own Superstorm Sandy just over a year ago. Imagine Sandy with 200 mph winds for 8 or 9 hours. There you go. People need help, as we Garden Staters needed help. Let's show them what we can do.


Happy Veterans Day!

To all of you who have served, we thank you! You can have some extra bacon from the grill below...

Late night open thread

Get to bed Jersey City or the Bacon Fairy can't come and deliver the morning bounty, or so legend has it.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Who doesn't love a good Twitter fight?

Instead of a back and forth on Twitter, this one is between two NYC eateries named Patsy's. So, who gets the Twitter handle? A judge was tasked with that very issue. To see how it comically/sadly is turning out click that link in the battle of the Patsy's.

Late night open thread

Saturday Night Scoreboard Show

Alabama 38
LSU 17
Nope, the Tide is as good as in the title game.

Pitt 28
Notre Dame 21
The Irish losing just adds a nice tough to any college football Saturday.

Princeton 28
Penn 26
Princeton keep a perfect Ivy record and first place to themselves.

Lehigh 34
Holy Cross 20
Lehigh gets back to winning ways.

Nebraska 17
Michigan 13
Michigan ran for negative yards for the second straight week. Bo Schembechler is rolling in his grave.

Charleston Southern 31
Coastal Carolina 26
Coastal Carolina scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.....and still lost by five.

Vanderbilt 34
Florida 17
Vandy wins in Gainesville for the first time since 1945.

Eastern Michigan 35
Western Michigan 32 OT
EMU gets rid of Ron English (Finally!) and look at that, a win in a rivalry game.

Syracuse 20
Maryland 3
The 'Cuse gets loose in Turtleland.

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
St. Joseph's College 6
Truman St. 3
Kirksville Missouri was the place to be if you like 6-3 games football fans. BMOC Gavin Voss got power up and kicked the winning field goal for the Pumas with less than three minutes to go. If the thought crossed your mind as to why nobody could score, the weather was fine, Truman St. just decided to turn the ball over like Halloween candy. That means the St. Joseph's College offense must be worse than the Giants.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Jersey City awaits it's newest Superhero

Five years is a long wait for a Superhero to arrive in a city the size of Jersey City but the long wait is over. Comic book writer G. Willow Wilson has placed her newest Marvel superhero right here in Jersey City. The crime fighter is named Ms. Marvel (In real life she's mild-mannered Kamala Khan, 16-year-old daughter of Pakistani immigrants whose powers include the ability to change shape) and she's a Muslim. Said Wilson:

“Jersey City was a really appropriate place for a junior superhero who’s figuring out her powers and identity.”

Another reason this comic will rock? They're going to use real streets and real imagery when at all possible:

“Everywhere possible, we’ll be using actual street locations in Jersey City,” Wilson said in an email. “No cop-out generic cities here!”

Awesome. Make sure to follow the link to read some nice things about our fair city and to see a few images of Jersey City's newest shield-maiden of the night.

Late night open thread

Nobody's going to bed without watching Cabbage Head!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday, November 8, 2013

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROD STEWART!

This song (Originally written by Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam) sure hits the nail on the head. When you're a young guy in your first serious relationship and that ends, aye carumba that's the worst. Know what else is the worst? Winning a vital high school football game in Byron one night so the team got to listen to the radio in the bus on the ride home. But get the juniors to sing this song and be off by just a tiny letter and Monday everybody's running wind sprints.

Rod Stewart with 'The First Cut is the Deepest' on the teen memory hour.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PINK FLOYD!

Everytime Johnny hears this song he wants to quit the PR world forever. But since there's good money to be made he doesn't and thus becomes the soulless backslapper and false promoter mocked in this song.

One day he will quit and not feel bad about singing the lines:
Well, I've always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincerely.
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think.
Oh by the way, which one's Pink?

Pink Floyd served with a side of Johnny's soul on 'Have a Cigar'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE JACKSON FIVE!

It just leaves one wondering what the hell happened. You know exactly what Johnny's talking about. The fabulous Jackson Five with 'I Want You Back' wrapping up another Music Series.

The Eye of Sauron will glower down upon Jersey City tonight

OK, yep, Johnny's a geek. That being said tonight is the night many of us geeky photogs have been waiting for. The beacon and spire high atop the WTC will be tested tonight starting at 5pm. Here's the factoids for when you're reading this on your mobile device sounding smart to your friends while looking up tonight:

The 408-foot structure is assembled with 288 50-watt LED modules, which will enable it to be visible up to 50 miles away.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Late night open thread

If today is your birthday you share it with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You want to be part of the new hot foodie scene? Brothers and sisters you're standing in it

Mayor Fulop tweeted out this story from the New York Daily News this morning where they say about Cool City and we quote:

'Jersey City is emerging as the hot new foodie destination in the NYC area'

Damn straight. We don't have much use for the Daily News but they are spot on (if not a few months late) with this story. They concentrate on a new restaurant in a very familiar place. The restaurant will be called Talde, the vision of Dale Talde, best known from Bravo’s “Top Chef” and his well-reviewed eponymous Park Slope eatery, with Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, the stars of HGTV’s “Kitchen Cousins. The site? It's the old JCPD headquarters at 8 Erie (and a sidenote, 8 Erie is being transformed by Jersey City construction magicians Brunelleschi). Gina Pace's fine article also talks up Satis, Marco and Pepe, Barcade, Razza, Taqueria, and Thirty Acres. One thing Gina, you said "Apparently all those years of “sixth borough” jokes have finally rubbed off on Jersey City," in the story. See, we never took/take that Sixth Borough thing as a joke, so the joke's on you. Jersey City, let's also not forget the gems not spoken of in the article, especially India Square where quite a few New Yorkers go to eat on a Saturday night.

So Johnny gets here and almost immediately this city sets about creating the gilded age in Jersey City food. You can't beat that with a stick. So Johnny's culinarilly (it is now) inclined readers, what say you? Have you been to any of the aforementioned restaurants? Care to share a review or two in comments? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Mayor Fulop is out to change the way the city does business...again

What is this guy, trying to clean up the city along with it's image? Well that is what people voted for we suppose, an end to the Healy machine ways.

Mayor Fulop said the city is going to tighten the control of off-duty work for police in Jersey City. No longer will a company, required to hire police "protection" services at construction sites and at businesses for a myriad of reasons, be forced to pay at least four hours worth of work whether the officer was needed that long or not. In fact, so many local businesses had complained about feeling "gouged" Fulop said he had to act:

“We’ve listened to the small business owners and organizations who hire the off-duty officers and what they told us was that not only was this process arbitrary, but that the officers lacked oversight and often the business owners felt like victims of price-gouging.”

As it stands now the police themselves send officers out on these (let's face facts) 'fill the wallet' job sites (and make sure to read the article and just how lucrative these standing around jobs can be -- one cop doubled his salary!). Fulop's plan, to be voted on at next week's city council meeting would take the scheduling away from the police and give it to two civilians who will now make out the schedule. Fulop said his plan cuts down on what businesses pay and also so police protection no longer feels like an unofficial shakedown. Fulop also noted, most importantly that this will get eight policer officers back on the beat during the times they'd normally be standing outside a construction site drinking coffee with the workers.

Of course the JCPD is upset by this and there was much harumphing from their designated talker:

"We are concerned about any proposal which suggests that a civilian employee has the proper expertise to determine what is and is not a public safety issue," Carmine Disbrow, president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association.

Yes Carmine, two and three officers standing at Steuben and Marin watching trucks deliver rebar is clearly a public safety issue that only you could have foreseen. We're pretty sure when it comes to scheduling people to stand somewhere or sit in a car when it rains we don't need policing experts, just logistical folk. The mayor isn't asking for people off the streets to run the 911 system or handle emergency situations Carmine, we're just trying to become a better, more accountable city and for that Mayor Fulop has our full support.

Late night open thread

Johnny would like to send out a long distance dedication tonight before we all turn in. This one goes out to a guy who sometimes like to smoke the crack rock in a "drunken stupor." Yes, of course this one is going out to Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Rob reminded us this week us that while he likes to get blotto on booze and puff, he's no crack addict. That means only some city business is getting done on crack, not all of it. The Assassination of Toronto by the Coward Robert Ford.

Well this one's for you Rob Ford, you conservative icon. We would like to share some irony concerning something said about you when you took office. Famed colorful former NHL coach and current CBC icon on Coaches Corner on Hockey Night in Canada Don Cherry said at your swearing in, insulting liberals who opposed you:

"...that’s why I say he’s going to be the greatest mayor this city has ever seen. As far as I’m concerned you can put that in your pipe you left-wing kooks.”

ORLY Don? How right you were.

Here's the Sex Pistols with 'Pretty Vacant', sent your way Mr. Ford.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Good on you New Jersey for raising the minimum wage

Well done. We'd like to underscore something with this ballot initiative. As Johnny said yesterday one of the best ways to get an economy running is to get money in the pockets of those who have the least of it. This does exactly that. But here is the point that really needed underscoring. As we also mentioned yesterday business groups will lie about the impact of these minimum wage raises across America. They'll say no jobs will be created, that -- well here, listen to one of their acolytes talk about raising the minimum wage:

Laurie Ehlbeck, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business said "We honestly believe there will be a loss of jobs and opportunities," Ehlbeck said. "They are not going to hire someone, they will give an employee fewer hours, they may reduce the benefits. They don’t want to do anything to hurt their employees, but they are working on a very small profit margin."

Now, would you like to hear from someone who actually OWNS a business with 120 employees (You know those small businesses the Chamber of Commerce likes to hide behind on such matters saying they'll all dry up and go away) and will be impacted by this vote:

“A higher minimum wage will actually help business owners by reducing absenteeism and worker turnover, which costs businesses way more than nickel and dime-ing on wages," Mitch Cahn, president of Unionwear, a clothing manufacturer in Newark with 120 employees, said. "Secure workers earning a living wage are productive workers and better consumers. A higher minimum wage just makes fiscal sense."

Game. Set. Match. to Mr. Cahn.

And good on you New Jersey.

The PATH will close the WTC and Exchange Place stations for the next three weekends

One year after Superstorm Sandy the folks who keep the PATH trains running are still trying to remove saltwater damage from the rails and other electronics. So, Nov. 9-10, Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 23-24 the PATH will not stop at Exchange Place or the WTC stations. This allows workers uninterrupted chances to clean things up AND PATH says it will keep the trains running on those lines over the holiday season.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Late night open thread

So Chris Christie was re-elected Governor. He will preside over us until such time as he leaves us all behind to move onto bigger things; in the care of the Scarecrow because of his brain, the Tin Man because of his heart and the Lion because of his courage.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Election day is at our throats again!

Spitballing election day here at the Jersey City Desk.

Are you really voting for Chris Christie today for governor or perhaps his number two? Everyone in the world knows he'll run for President within the next 16 months. The one point nobody has brought up (Even the supposed great writers of politick in this state like Paul Mulshine and others haven't yet mentioned it) is today's race is really between Barbara Buono and lieutenant governor Kim Guadagno if you're taking a long view of things. Christie can't continue to be governor because of the Garden State's tough pay-to-play laws once he's in the presidential race. Kim Guadagno refuses to answer questions pertaining to her job. Maybe she'd have to if anyone took this particular angle on election day. So, Kim Guadagno vs. Barbara Buono should be what some people are talking about, but they're not (except here).

Governor Christie will try to run up the score today to send a message to the remaining centrists and those who don't think compromise is a four letter word in the GOP. The governor wants to show the GOP leprechauns who dole out the money a guy who works across the aisle can win big in a blue state. He wants to show the Tea Party who have a stranglehold on the primaries his is the best way forward. Even if Christie wins by 40 or even 50 points tonight does anyone think the Tea Party is going to listen to reason and pick an electable candidate? No, they want purity and do not care how it is achieved. In fact Johnny is of the mind the Teabaggers would rather just have their candidates look into the camera and tell their public "I am not a witch." We wish the governor all the luck in the world breaking the Tea Party hold on the GOP, they've been nothing but clowns.

Onto the minimum wage increase on the ballot. Of course businesses are against it and so the Chamber of Commerce is against it and all conservative leaning groups will lie and tell you there will be no jobs left to pay minimum wage for. They've been saying this sort of thing forever and they are always wrong. No increase in the minimum wage has ever dropped the nation or a state or a township or a city into a depression or recession. Quite a few economists would tell you in fact the fastest way to pull out of an economic downturn is to get more money into the hands of those who have the least. They will need to spend that money as saving it is probably not an option. That extra money gets put right back into the economy faster than someone who is rich who might invest it or save it. What kind of a heart do you have inside you where you can't vote for those who have the least to have a little bit more?

Oh, and Hoboken, you're doing just fine with Dawn Zimmer. Any other choice would be the wrong one.

Get out there and vote New Jersey. It's your right and your responsibility.

Late night open thread

Some people are like Slinkys … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
 -- Unknown

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Monday, November 4, 2013

Good news for our friends across the river

New York City is on pace to have the lowest number of murders in 60 years! That's good news.

Now comes the consternation over just WHY the murders are down. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly credits the NYPD’s focus on youth gangs and domestic violence, along with "hot-spot policing" and an expanding use of electronic data to identify crime trends.

OK, yes that probably helps. Now comes the consternation part and the egg on the face of Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly:

As of August this year, the NYPD conducted 53 percent fewer street stop-and-frisks—58,088, to be exact— than it did in the same period last year.

Let the debates begin, luckily there will be more live people to have this discussion.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Late night open thread

Academy Awards trivia night. This person has won 26 total Oscars, making them by far and away the biggest winner in Academy Awards history. Can you name this person? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Autumn just pulled it's 1987 Cadillac Cimarron into our Jersey City driveway

And it'll look so good out there until winter comes.

Johnny has long said that you get two seasons from September through mid-November, fall and autumn. Fall is the time for hayrides, cider, football games in t-shirts, farmer's markets and bonfires. Autumn on the other hand is today. That's not a nip on the air -- that's a bite on the air. Football games in autumn weed out the fairweather fans. Has everything that needs doing before the snow flies been done? One more battening down, overcoats, gloves and hats. Autumn found our driveway today.


Late night open thread

It's the Saturday night Scoreboard Show!

Nebraska 27
Northwestern 24
The winning Hail Mary proves the football gods prefer corn to Evanston Illinois.

Northern Illinois 63
Massachusetts 19
Jordan Lynch for Heisman!

UCLA 45
Colorado 23
It's nice to see the Bruins good in football again. LOVE those powder blues.

Kentucky 48
Alabama State 14
Kentucky was finally able to beat something with the name Alabama in it.

Georgia 23
Florida 20
The world's biggest cocktail party finds Gator fans draining boxes of wine in the parking lots after the game in sorrow and shame.

Bucknell 28
Colgate 7
What the hell got into the Bison? Bucknell thrashes yet another foe.

Fordham 32
Holy Cross 30
The Fordham undefeated season continues but kind of whistled past the graveyard for a portion of the afternoon.

Incarnate Word 47
McMurry 43
How little is known of these teams? The ESPN box score on this game lists the stadium as "STADIUM_NAME, NOT KNOWN, USA." Know this, Incarnate Word scored 21 points in the 4th quarter to finish the comeback over McMurry. BTW, the game was played at Wilford Moore Stadium. That's in Abilene.

S. Illinois 34
W. Illinois 28
The coveted meth cooker trophy will go to S. Illinois this year.

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®

Michigan St. 29
Michigan 6
-48 yards running? Michigan had an entire week off before this game and ran for -48 yards? The MSU defense sacked Devin Gardner (the sorest man in American about now) 7 times, picked him off once and in general treated him like a boxing heavy bag all day. Johnny's Spartans have now taken 5 of 6 from the team from the People's Republic of Ann Arbor, and that's a good thing.

Set your clocks back. Yes, even if you've already done it. You'll thank Johnny tomorrow.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday, November 2, 2013

MSU 29 The Great Satan 6

WOW, Johnny was very very invested in this game and his Spartans carried the day in a BIG way.

OK, you can carry on and come back for the scoreboard show later tonight.

Late night open thread

The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 672. Start doing some random dialing and you might get a penguin phone-sex hotline.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE EAGLES!

No, there's no hidden NFL theme with The Eagles and The Lions as bands tonight. Just happy accidents. Johnny rarely prepares any music beforehand unless a certain song really clicked earlier in the week. So, yes, back to the 70's supergroup. Here's a song that while it still got airplay wasn't mercilessly crammed down out gullets during the Hotel California craze. The Eagles with 'Victim of Love' kicking things off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE LIONS!

OK reggae fans, this one is for you. As they used to say at the Flint IMA Auditorium, "Smoke 'em if ya got 'em." 'Ethio-Steppers' is the name of this one. Can we invent a sonic reggae category for these guys? Jazz reggae?

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE TROGGS!

Yes THOSE Troggs and the classic 'Wild Thing' wrapping up another Music Series. So, what's a Trogg anyway?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Dear Spectra Energy

Dear Spectra Energy,

You started pushing the gas through your pipeline this morning through Bayonne, Jersey City, offshore of Hoboken and into NYC. Congratulations, you forced your intentions upon a few million people over their protests and despite proof Spectra isn't exactly the safe company they claim. You'll now collect your $30 million pieces of silver.

Know this, this cram-down works both ways. If there are radon leaks from your pipeline, if worse yet there is an explosion and local people die or are made homeless, there WILL be consequences. We as a society cannot in good conscience have something so dangerous pushed upon us with no way to be made whole other than an "We take this seriously" non-apology apology or watch as you go to court to limit your accountability. Don't think we're going to allow you or your workers or those who appeared in your ads to help shill this mess upon us to go unchallenged or yes, unconfronted if YOUR pipeline goes sideways.

You made your promises about safety which you hope you don't ever have to pay out on. Same here, this promise about your workers (at any level of the company tree) and your advertising partners stands, and Johnny prays we as a region don't ever have to pay out on them.

How about a Saturday night of some excellent music?

Saturday night at NJPAC on the banks of the Passaic River in Newark brings some fine Motown sounds to music lovers lucky enough to have tickets. The Temptations and Four Tops will perform starting at 8pm.

Between them the groups have over 30 Top Ten hits over the past 45 years. Always great songs to sing along to. The very songs you remember from your childhood when AM radio was king. Some of the most recognizable Motown acts to be sure.

Tickets are $79 to $39 and can be purchased at www.njpac.org, by calling 1-888-GO-NJPAC or by visiting the box office at One Center Street in Downtown Newark.

It's not just the same old song, it's a fantastic night in Newark!

(Video does not count against tonight's Music Series 3 songs you lucky dogs!)