Late night open thread

OK kids, Johnny is going to be utterly swamped tomorrow and maybe Tuesday with alternate business, he'll put up an open thread in the morning in which you can talk about anything your hearts desire. Feel free to rant and rave if you want to. Johnny hates to do that to you but there's no alternative.

Oh, and by the way, the Wings beat Pittsburgh tonight again by a 3-1 score going up 2-0 in the best of 7 series meaning if the Penguins want to win the series now they'll have to beat the Wings 4 out of 5 games. Good luck with that.

Justin Abdelkader, come on down, score another goal will ya?


One last time this year, We're halfway there!!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hey Bayonne, Let's get ready to Rumblllllllllle

Goodness, the Hell's Angels are in the midst of a dust up in Bayonne. There was a fight outside of a Hell's Angels bar, or 'biker club' in Bayonne on Friday Afternoon. It seems some of the bikers got out of their office 9-5 suit and tie jobs a little early and hit the Rye Whiskey Bar at Broadway and 12th Street around 5:30 pm.

An outsider Hell's Angels group known at the Eastsiders tried to run down a local Hell's Angels member and a scuffle ensued. Of course the big bad bikers took off once Bayonne police arrived on the scene but police kept an eye on the joint after rumors began to surface that out of town Hell's Angels were on their way to Bayonne to exact a little revenge.

That rumor turned out not to be a rumor at all as around 8 pm a dozen Hell's Angels with New York license plates rolled into Bayonne and up to the bar. Eyewitnesses say the New York bikers went inside the bar for about an hour and then left without incident. No doubt they did a few tequila shots and shot some mini hoops and loaded up on potato skins.

The Hell's Angels pretty much know to stay out of Jersey City, they're simply not tough enough to handle matters themselves here without bringing in some serious backup. Jersey City ain't no Altamont concert that's for sure. We run bikers out on a rail. The ONLY bikers welcome in Jersey City are local police motorcycles in parades and the local chapter of the Satan's Helpers.

Yes, Johnny said the Satan's Helpers.

If you're looking for fun on a gorgeous Sunday, head on over to the Cuban Parade of New Jersey in North Bergen

But if you're gonna go, get there early for the 5 pm parade as hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to attend. The parade starts at 79th Street and Bergenline Ave in North Bergen (Entrance to James Braddock Park) and ends at 43rd street and Bergenline Ave in Union City.

Grand Marshalls of this year's parade are Javier Vasquez and Sonora Matancera.

If somebody's gonna be selling one of life's great pleasures, a Cuban sammich, let the Jersey City Desk know so Johnny can start shoving his way to the front of the line.

Here is an image from last year's parade (we make no claim to ownership, we're just trying to promote the parade and the fun)


There are dozens more of the parade and can be found at the parade site HERE.

Late night open thread

Well the Red Wings held serve tonight and won game 1 vs the Penguins. The Wings for once didn't play a particularly dominating game. This should worry the Pens as the Wings still won by 2 goals. An impressive goal by young Red Wing forward Justin Abdelkader helped put this game away. Not a bad deal to make your first ever playoff goal count for so much but young Mr. Abdelkader is USED to scoring huge goals. He helped Michigan State win the NCAA hockey national title two years ago with a last minute goal vs Boston College.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Woo Hoo, we're #1!

With two more confirmed cases this week, our very own Hudson County is #1 in New Jersey with swine flu illness! Ya see Hudson County, when you put your mind to it, put yourself at greater risk, you really can achieve your goals and come out on top.

However, this is a brief lead, another county could have a good week and pass us. We're going to need to make sure you don't wash your hands, don't cover your mouths to cough or sneeze and my all means, if you feel ill, go for a ride on the PATH train.

Late night open thread

OK, we're gonna sneak one more Detroit hockey themed song in before bed. This gets played many nights at Joe Louis Arena during the playoffs for obvious reasons


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with KISS!

Welcome to our Detroit themed 'Let's Go Red Wings' Friday night music series this week. We'll kick it off with the song the Red Wings will take to the ice to tomorrow night, 'Detroit Rock City' by KISS.

You gotta lose your mind in Detroit, Rock City

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVID BOWIE!

From all the way back in 1973 off of the Aladdin Sane album, here is the Thin White Duke, David Bowie with 'Panic in Detroit', a song he wrote after talking with long time friend Iggy Pop. Iggy told him about some revolutionary type kids he knew and Bowie related that into this song.

If the Wings keep up the pressure on the Penguinos, there wil be no panic in Detroit.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BLONDIE!

Wrapping up our Detroit hockey theme tonight, here's Blondie with a little known song from early in their careers called 'Detroit 442'

The hazmat situation over by Grove Street is merely furniture varnish...

You can all breathe (well rest anyway) easier, the big downtown hazmat situation turned out to be nothing more than an industrial furniture varnish operation.

There is no danger, except to furniture and all is well in downtown Jersey City.

Friday morning open thread

Johnny's swamped and the interns are nowhere to be found this morning so you're on your own this rainy Friday morning...

Late night open thread

So Prince Harry is spending the day in and around New York City tomorrow. Anybody who plugs this self-important spoiled little brat with an egg gets their own column here...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Liberty State Park does not need another 9/11 memorial

At this point, we're quite sure that there are enough 9/11 memorials and things done in the memory of those lost and Liberty State Park does NOT need an 'Empty Skies Memorial' dedicated to those lost. It's always the right thing to remember the contributions of those taken from us so suddenly. We don't need a $700,000 two 30-foot high, 200-foot long steel walls to remind us.

We simply can't building memorial and memorial and expect to ever move beyond the grieving stage. The money may be well intentioned as is the memorial but sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.

Late night open thread

3:58 of the first overtime, Darren Helm (who has never scored a regular season goal and yet now has four career playoff goals--the greatest discrepancy to start an NHL career ever) from Tomas Homstrom and Brett Lebda sends Johnny's (and Trixie and most of the old Ypsi City Desk crew) beloved Red Wings onto the Stanley Cup Final for the 6th time in 14 years. The last four trips their record is 16-3.

Take it away Mr. Helm

Henrik Zetterberg will make a fine captain one day, he's already got the 'just say no' to the Clarence Campbell Bowl down pat.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny was darned near one of the faces of the Ticketmaster/Springsteen mess--NBC Channel 4 contacted him for an interview on the TeeVee about it

First things first, Johnny (warning, namedropping ahead) was contacted today by Lily Norton of NBC's Channel 4 in New York City because she knows Johnny has his keyboard fingers on the pulse of New Jersey. Plus she can check Google's blog search to see Johnny's outraged response to the not yet existent tickets going on sale for the Bruce Springsteen shows later this fall at the Meadowlands being snapped up by ticket brokers. Ms. Norton contacted Johnny who called her back but sadly he was just too darned busy (see the love we have for you citizens, we're putting you before television interviews, YOU come before teeve fame and things of real value) to work in an interview today. Funny how that works, any other day he would have been happy to give a New Jersey angle on the dirtbag business practices of Ticketmaster. Ah well, another time. Johnny's a busy man.

Now, for the important part of this story, New Jersey State Attorney General Anne Milgram has filed lawsuits against three ticket brokers, one from Morris County here in the Garden State, for tickets to the Springsteen shows that they did not physically posses and could not provide at the time of sale yet were selling anyway.

Let's make sure we get the scumbag ticket broker companies the credit they deserve here; Riverdale-based broker Select-A-Ticket.com, along with Chicago-based Orbitz Worldwide and Connecticut-based Ticket Network Inc., were ALL sued for not having the seats as we mentioned AND Orbitz and Ticket Network were sued for selling seats that do not exist at Giants Stadium.

Attorney General Milgram's suit seeks to ban brokers from advertising and selling seats they don't have, pay civil penalties and criminal fines and also seeks to REVOKE Select-A-Tickets license.

Thank you Attorney General Milgram, on behalf of all that is good and decent, we all thank you. Too long ticket brokers (and if they can conduct business like this why do we arrest scalpers?) have ruined going to concerts and sporting events for the masses, along with their partner in crime, Ticketmaster.

If you'd maybe like somebody to sit on an jury at some point against these jagoffs, contact Lily Norton at NBC channel 4, she knows where to find Johnny.

Jersey City's finest....REPRESENTIN!!

So, what do you do if you're a couple of Jersey City cops at the Jersey Shore over the long weekend? How about punch a woman in the head or get liquored up, drive your car into a bread truck, flee the scene until you get pulled over going 89 MPH in a 25 zone.

Sound fun? Well these fun times became a reality for Officer Brian McGovern and Officer Kevin Cieslak this past weekend. McGovern was arrested in Point Pleasant around 2 am Monday for simple assault for supposedly punching a woman and a man in the head. More disturbingly (and if assault isn't bad enough for an officer of the law) Cieslak was arrested in Belmar as he was allegedly involved in a collision with a bread truck and left the scene of the accident, but was pulled over driving 89 miles per hour, all while boozed up. How's this for a nights work? Cieslak was charged with DWI, after refusing to submit to a Breathalyzer test, as well as for reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident, running a red light and driving in the opposing lane. If these charges are true we would hope his sorry ass would be looking for work in another town.

Nice work guys, well done. You really represented our town very well. We're sure the residents of Point Pleasant and Belmar are loving Jersey City and it's police force about now.

Movie trivia Wednesday

This film is from 1986, there's your clue plus a hearty good luck...

Jersey City records it's 14th murder of the year

A Greenville man was shot three times in the back becoming Jersey City's 14th murder already this year.

Mr. Mayor, as Johnny pointed out he did get a chance to talk at length with you about a lot of things before the election. Crime was one of them. You felt it was unfair for people to pin the murders on you and we agreed. You certainly had no hand in committing any of them. You are however in charge of the tenor of this city, you help set the mood on the street for how things like this will be handled. You use the computer aided modeling program to try to cut crime, you run the police force, and you help dictate when and where they will be deployed. We'd here at the JCD say 14 murders before June is a bit high. It may be time to use the police as a battering ram in high crime areas, yes, even more than they have been.

Don't be shy about being tough, real tough in some high crime areas.

Late night open thread

Trampoline, you're doing it wrong.

60,000 trampolines recalled because of fall hazard

Skywalker Holdings recalled 60,000 trampolines today because the enclosure can fail, creating a fall hazard. The company has received at least 250 reports of support straps breaking that connect the top of the enclosure to the poles. No injuries have been reported, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Bears ruin everybody's fun


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Oh look, Ticketmaster is at it again, this time for the Bruce Springsteen shows at the Meadowlands

Loyal Jersey City Desk readers will remember the dust up a while back over the Bruce Springsteen tickets magically being unavailable for his shows at the Izod Center because Ticketmaster was releasing them to their subsidiary TicketsNow before they went on sale to the public. You'll recall that scam drew all kinds of national attention to Ticketmaster's shady business practices. After New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram threatened all kinds of investigations and legal action Ticketmaster said "OK, we'll never do that again and we're sorry."

It looks like Ticketmaster was crossing their fingers behind their backs. It's happening again.

But of course to Ticketmaster it's NOT the same kind of thing because they kinda sorta aw shuckins only really truly promised to not hoard tickets to their subsidiary pertaining to shows ONLY at the Izod Center.

According to the Star-Ledger:

Tickets for the Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and 2 concert at Giants Stadium -- billed as the final concerts before the football stadium is torn down -- go on sale through Ticketmaster on Monday. Ticket prices range from $33 to $98.

But as of last Friday, on-line brokers at eBay, CheapTickets, SelectATicket.com and Abby's Tickets ("Your source for sold out events") have posted hundreds of seats -- many described by section and row -- for the three concerts. A pair in section 125, row 42 for Oct. 3 are going for $2,200, while a general admission ticket (on the floor) for the Sept. 30 show is going for $385.

Amazing, really. It's high time Congress involve themselves. This is an anti-trust issue to say the least. People are getting out and out screwed over for not just concerts but sporting events, and anything else Ticketmaster sells seats to. How is it legal to have a computer model of all seats to all venues in America so all your machine needs to do is read the code and spit out the tickets and STILL charge 7$ for a 'convenience charge'? It costs them pennies to print the tickets and by any account they make a thousand percent on a fee for nothing really.

Go kick their ass Anne Milgram.

Tuesday morning open thread

Speak your peace while Johnny tends to important JCD business.

Late night open thread

It was a mere 32 years ago today (get ready to be dated pretty quickly) that the iconic movie series Star Wars began. May 25th, 1977 the saga began. Now you can sit back and watch it lo these three decades later and say to yourself "These effects aren't very special."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

it looks like African Americans need not show up at the New Continental bar, they're not welcome

Well then we'd HIGHLY advise NOBODY ever go to the new Continental bar at Astor Place. The hell with that. You can serve and fight and die in the US military, serve and protect as a New York City cop, save people caught in burning buildings as a NYC firefighter but don't try going into the New Continental, you give off the wrong "vibe" if you're black.

A blogger named chaossix6 tells his story about being let in, then going outside to make a phone call to give friends directions, then being told he gave off the wrong "vibe" and not being allowed back in, the manager wouldn't even let him go retrieve his belongings by himself.

Look people, if you're ever inclined to go to this place stop and think, is this really the kind of place that deserves your business? If you ask us, the answer is a solid NO.

The Jersey City Desk would like to take time out to pay homage to our Veterans today

The ones who sometimes fight to make sure Johnny can run his mouth. The ones who have laid down their lives in some horrible places on this earth to defend freedom. The vets who are wounded, and yes sometimes disfigured so that tyranny can be defeated in the dark corners of the world. The ones who have suffered frostbite at Valley Forge, the ones who have dealt with malaria carrying mosquitoes in Vietnam, the ones who have fought disease and heat all through the Pacific in World War II.

Today we thank you, we really really thank you.

Late night open thread

Well, what are you doing for Memorial Day?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Construction company official is robbed of $11,000 by a man in a JCPD hat and shirt

First the news, then Johnny's question about something not adding up...

A Newark construction company official from Sky High construction, was met in a colleague's home by a man in a JCPD hat and t-shirt (which are illegal for a civilian to wear) who was brandishing an Uzi assault rifle. He was ordered to the ground, tied up and after an accomplice arrived he was robbed of $11,000--$10K in payroll and almost $1K of his own money.

The man said after he was dragged into a bathroom he was able to cut his bonds with a kitchen knife and saw one of the two robbers outside and said he then chased the robber on foot for a short distance before giving up.

OK, first off, and this is important, Police Director Sam Jefferson is reminds residents they can ask police for identification if they are not sure that they're cops.

Secondly, at least one had an Uzi and you chased one or the other unarmed down the street? Was there no danger of the other guy having a gun? That simply seems odd to Johnny. Wouldn't you call 911 first? And, if you're gonna chase the guy, chase him. In for a penny in for a pound.

Also, it's strange it's illegal to have a JCPD hat or shirt while across the Hudson they sell millions of NYPD and NYFD hats and shirts.

Dear Mets fans, if you're going to jump off a bridge, may Johnny suggest the Queensborough Bridge?

Since thousands of Mets fans are ready to throw themselves into the East River after new closer, new $75 million dollar closer, Francisco Rodriguez was taken to the hospital in Boston last night with back spasms so bad he collapsed in the clubhouse and had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance, Johnny would like to suggest Mets fans use the Queensborough Bridge, as he's planning on walking across the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Late night open thread

Stand up routine night, two drink minimum...

A lady came up to me on the street and pointed at my suede jacket. ‘You know a cow was murdered for that jacket?’ she sneered. I replied in a psychotic tone, ‘I didn’t know there were any witnesses. Now I’ll have to kill you too.
--Jake Johansen

My mom said she learned how to swim when someone took her out in the lake and threw her off the boat. I said, ‘Mom, they weren’t trying to teach you how to swim.’
--Paula Poundstone

In elementary school, in case of fire you have to line up quietly in a single file line from smallest to tallest. What is the logic? Do tall people burn slower?
--Warren Hutcherson

I took my parents back to the airport today. They leave tomorrow.
--Margaret Smith

I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck. But my lawyer thinks he can get me five.
--Steven Wright

I’m not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.
--A. Whitney Brown

I’ve had a wonderful evening - but this wasn’t it.
--Groucho Marx

OK, click here now

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Bears win! Bears win!

Yes baseball fans, the Newark Bears took it to the York Revolution today at Bears and Eagles Stadium in downtown Newark 7-2. The Revolution began their top of the first inning with a leadoff home run by Keoni DeRenne. After that, it was all Bears all the time. While the Bears had no home runs of their own, they did show great skill at the plate going the other way with several key hits. Shawn Chacon leveled his record at 1-1 with six strong innings. No doubt the York ballclub will be awakened by the manager tomorrow to get to the yard at 8 am for fielding practice as the Revolution helped out the Bears attack with THREE errors. The Bears took extra bases twice on wild pitches, twice on errors.

On a side note, what ARE you people waiting for to go see the Bears? Attendance, on an picture perfect Saturday afternoon wasn't all that great. Look, gang, the PATH train runs right out to Newark, you go downstairs and grab the light rail and it drops you off right in front of the stadium. It can't get any easier than that. They have a great between innings show, a beautiful field and some seriously affordable baseball. Maybe you prefer the overpriced Yankee and Mets tickets. If you're a true baseball lover, give the Bears a go, it's a good time and you may still have enough left over for dinner out.

"Times Square is closed, Moose out front should have told you"

Well, ok, parts of Times Square are closing to build a pedestrian mall which we here at the Jersey City Desk are going to call the 'Johnny Action Space Punk Pedestrian Mall and Food Court."

No, really, they are closing Broadway to cars n trucks for five whole blocks Sunday night which they then intend to turn into a pedestrian mall where folks can sit outside and have a coffee from Starbucks® and maybe a sammich from Subway® or McDonalds® and pretend while scarfing down corporate American garbage they are somehow feeling all European.

Broadway is getting another makeover a little further down between 33rd to 35th streets by Herald Square, you know the Macys intersection, where yet another pedestrian mall is being put in. The 33rd-35th one will no doubt instantly become overrun with fake watch and fake handbag vendors as in the shadow of the Empire State Building, fake goods rule the day, and the street corners.

Now, both of these malls are a temporary plan, being tried out until the end of the year. We'll see how it goes but if they're not willing to change the name to Johnny's choice, there is no way we could ever support this kind of traffic clogging plan full time.

To get a look at the conception of the plans you can click these handy dandy links:
Times Square
Herald Square

Late night open thread

The first place Newark Bears are at home tomorrow vs the York Revolution. First pitch is at 4:05. Johnny will be there, you should be too.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE DRAMATICS!

Johnny loves him some real soul music, it's a FACT! So tonight we're gonna have a soul-fest Friday night.

We begin the fun with The Dramatics with their song 'What You See is What You Get'. This clip is taken from in and around the Watts section of Los Angeles in 1972. That was the year Stax Records put on a huge concert in commemoration of the seventh anniversary of the riots. Now, the Dramatics (originally known as The Dynamics) aren't from Los Angeles, nope they're from the hottest music cradle ever, Detroit. This song peaked at #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 back in 1971.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE MAIN INGREDIENT!

Soul-fest Friday rolls on with a wonderfully lip synched song by The Main Ingredient on Soul Train of their standard 'Everybody Plays the Fool'. These guys formed in Harlem NYC in 1964 and were then known at The Poets. Now you know.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE O'JAYS!

Finishing up a soul-fest Friday night, here are Canton Ohio's O'Jays with the classic bass line of the song 'For the Love of Money'

Virtual stupidity time

So, it's the Friday before a long holiday weekend and your head just isn't into the work thing

We hear ya.

We'll get you to 5 pm with an assortment of entertainment. As Butthead used to say, "Groove with me people."

The Charlatans with 'The Only One I Know'

Late night open thread

Another sleep well and have some creepy nightmares edition.

Johnny lived with a ghost in his last house. For 20 years it would occasionally make itself known. He's hunted ghosts from Vermont to Chicago (He even hunted ghosts with his cousin Trixie Action Space Punk). He adores the show on SciFi Network called Ghost Hunters. Tonight's creep you out to your core moment comes from a trip to the Eastern State Penitentiary, a long since closed prison. One of the supernatural occurrences caretakers reported was a shadowy black figure that roams the catwalks.

Bingo


Sleep well

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Too often we discuss stupid Bozo's here, not today citizens, today we celebrate bravery

We're a tad late on this honor (us, on time for something?) but we simply have to point out the incredible bravery of a local resident hero. North Bergen resident Angelica Mercado pulled a truck driver from his burning rig and when she noticed he was on fire, used her coat to put out the flames.

Simply amazing.

Last November 20th (before Johnny even got here) on the New Jersey Turnpike, Mercado witnessed the accident, pulled the driver from the truck, doused the flames AND then drove him to University Hospital in Newark. For her incredible heroism Angelica yesterday was awarded the prestigious 2009 Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference. With the award comes a $50,000 prize, a well earned prize at that.

It's easy sometimes to comment on the blatant stupidity of our more colorful citizens, often we don't take enough time to honor the good ones. Angelica, dinner at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park in NYC is on Johnny, drop him a line.....

Early Thursday morning open thread

We've got some early business to tend to but we'll be back all too soon.

Chit chat about whatever is on your minds...

Late night open thread

Tonight, a few good minutes with Bob Newhart from his old show (The Innkeeper one). Johnny adores Bob Newhart and could post some of his work each and every day.



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So, who's going where for Memorial Day?

Don't forget, we're going to need SIGNED permission slips JCD readers before you go anywhere. You can turn them into Kiki at the front desk.

OK Jersey City police, let's put the computer modeling to work

Johnny had a very nice meeting with Mayor Healy before the election (no, really he did) and they discussed crime in Jersey City and most notably the pack attacks. The Mayor said computer modeling programs they had that help predict crime and help put officers into the bad areas should have an impact. Well we've had another pack attack, this time goons riding bikes attacked a Newark man and put him in critical condition.

Mr. Mayor let's put the street cameras and the computer modeling program to work here. We can't allow trash like this to move around with impunity. Put the squeeze on low level dirt like this, for OUR sake.

Late night open thread

A Czech, to a Fin, to a Swede, now that's international harmony.

"Tic.....Tac....Goal"


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A special video for a special JCD fan....

You know who you are!

Some things never get old....

Take THAT Chicago!

So, there's really a show called "The Real Housewives of New Jersey"? How thrilling

Seriously, "The Real Housewives of New Jersey"? And people watch something like this? It's on Bravo apparently, the home to shows where people somehow feel better about their lives watching other people's train wrecks. Who on this earth would have the slightest bit of interest in other women in New Jersey other than themselves and their friends and their day to day goings on? Johnny sees shows like this get airplay, and other shows with 'Real Housewives' in the name or any reality show for that matter and shakes his head. Is your life THAT devoid of interest you spend time watching other people live their lives?

While Johnny thinks shows like 'Survivor' or 'The Biggest Loser' are sad and pathetic in and of themselves at least they have a contest angle. Just spending time watching other people's lives falls into the things one regrets on a deathbed category.

Late night open thread

Happy Birthday Tina Fey! The Jersey City Desk loves you to pieces!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Union City Flu

Hooo man, sometimes the headlines are as much fun as the tags.

The Robert Waters School in Union City has been confirmed with a case of H1N1 swine flu. In a letter sent home with students, the school district said the school would be closed until May 26th. 12 students are reported to have what are being called 'flu-like' symptoms.

One of these days Johnny is entitled to totally copy a New York Times article and not accredit it

Since the Times is allowing noted columnists to steal bloggers work and publish it as their own, Johnny will repay the favor one of these days.

So you're Pulitzer Prize winner Maureen Dowd and yesterday you publish this as your own:
More and more the timeline is raising the question of why, if the torture was to prevent terrorist attacks, it seemed to happen mainly during the period when the Bush crowd was looking for what was essentially political information to justify the invasion of Iraq.

Trouble is, Josh Marshall from the blog Talking Points Memo publishes this last Thursday:
More and more the timeline is raising the question of why, if the torture was to prevent terrorist attacks, it seemed to happen mainly during the period when we were looking for what was essentially political information to justify the invasion of Iraq.

ZOINKS Shaggy.

So pretty soon we're just gonna cut and paste the Times in here and say Johnny wrote it up. Fair is fair, no?

Stay classy Maureen

Late night open thread

Is today your birthday? You share it with actor Dennis Hopper, he was born in 1936.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Good reading on a dreary Sunday afternoon

John Farmer has an excellent look back at nj.com at Jersey City's history under 'I am the Law' Mayor Frank Hague. It's a pretty telling piece on just how much power Hague really had and how he came to obtain it, then lose it. It's also a marvelous look at political party machines and how they work. So, take a few minutes and get your learn on at this very fine piece of writing.

Late night open thread

An Original Six matchup? Count Johnny in. While both the Red Wings and Blackhawks are Original Six brethren, the quality and class of the Red Wings fans have left their lowbrow cousins from Chicago way behind years ago. Reading some of the pre-series posts online, Blackhawk nation has decided to behave as low class as their reputation would indicate.


Just watch Chicago fans in action, even the players stop to watch these Neanderthals act out. Disgraceful bunch.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

When Snuggies® are outlawed, only outlaws will have Snuggies®

So, citizens, what would YOU wear to a B&E night time burglary? Before you answer, what if we threw in a hoodie sweatshirt to go along with your criminal intent Snuggie®, would you wear it then? How about if we threw in a year's supply of OxyClean®? Would you wear it THEN?

Well, dumb criminal of the year candidate Brandon Ryzner-Meredith, 18, of Newton was pinched by the police for trying to burglarize the Main Street Grocery in Newton while wearing a Snuggie® over his hoodie sweatshirt, like ya do. Apparently when police arrived all the other crooks had fled on foot but, Brandon Ryzner-Meredith apparently couldn't run very fast in his Snuggie®.

Brandon Ryzner-Meredith (and we keep using his full name because nothing will shame someone out of a life of crime faster than forever being associated with burglary in a Snuggie®) was charged with attempted burglary, a third-degree offense, and criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools, both disorderly persons offenses, felony use of a Snuggie® in the commission of a crime, and just in general being dressed like a jackass.

We REALLY await your comments on this case...

Late night open thread

Hey commuters, don't forget that the WTC PATH station will be closed Sunday morning between 6:30 and 11 am for an emergency preparedness drill. You'll just have to head into south Manhattan another way.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LED ZEPPELIN!

Because sometimes kids, you gotta rock and you gotta rock HARD!

Led Zeppelin with 'The Immigrant Song'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SONIC YOUTH!

Kim Gordon rawks, can Johnny get a hallelujah?

Sonic Youth with 'Drunk Butterfly'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with R.E.M.!

How many great bands have come out of Athens Georgia anyway?

Here's R.E.M. with 'Losing My Religion'

Dyrell Boatwright, the worst kind of coward

Dyrell Boatwright of Jersey City hit a motorcycle being ridden by Michael Pennetta of Bayonne yesterday morning on Kennedy Boulevard. Instead of stopping to render some kind of aid or call police, Boatwright ran away. He ran away like a coward does. He wasn't insured, he had a fake license plate on his car, he had a suspended license and now with any luck he'll have vehicular manslaughter charges against him as sadly, Pennetta passed away after the accident.

Boatwright, 20, might have gotten further if not for the bravery and quick thinking of an off duty Jersey City Firefighter, Gregory Melin. Mr. Melin took off on foot after Boatwright and his passenger and hopped a couple fences but realized he wasn't going to catch up to the cowardly pair. Instead of giving up Melin ran back to his car and found the two boarding a bus at Montgomery and West Side avenues. He called the police who stopped the bus and Melin got on and identified the suspects.

We as a community thank you Mr. Melin. YOU did what Boatwright was too chicken to do, stand up and be counted. As for you, Dyrell Boatwright, enjoy prison.

Michael Pennetta was 23 years old and was related to the owners of Pennetta & Sons, a mechanical contracting company on Hoboken Avenue in Jersey City.

Johnny has a question for you long time locals this good Friday morning

One thing is apparent above all others; you people out here in New jersey LOVE your car horns. More than anywhere else Johnny has ever been he notices the car horns. He grew up in the auto capital of the planet and nobody there uses their horns as much as Garden Staters. Here's todays question, is it from anger? Is it impatience? Are there THAT many bad drivers you feel the need to light into them?

What causes the love of the horn out here?

Late night open thread

Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond with the call on FSN Detroit. Ya think this team matters to Detroit?


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wooooo, we're halfway there, Living on a Prayer!!!

After two rounds the music manager at Joe Louis Arena pumps out some New Jersey rock and roll, 8 wins, we're halfway there

Thanks, Mr. Crosby, but we'll take our birthright from YOUR building now

In UR Kitchen Stealing UR Silverz

Hmmmm, Game 7, second round, in Joe Louis Arena? Oh yeah, Johnny remembers one

"Gretzky had it and lost it"

The rest is history

Late night open thread

Tomorrow you're getting nothing but videos that glorify the Red Wings. Game 7 and all. We're hoping for a better result than the Devils game 7 earlier this year.

Not a hockey fan? See ya Friday (Unless the Wings lose and Johnny takes a mental health day).

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here are the Jersey City Council results

Courtesy again of the Hudson County Clerk's office website. It looks like a runoff will be necessary in the Council-at-large race and Wards A and F.

Jersey City Council At Large

- Abdul J. Malik 1,234 1.90%
- Joseph T. Cassidy 5,935 9.16%
- Betty Outlaw 5,890 9.09%
- Lori Serrano 5,775 8.91%
- Marie Day 1,210 1.87%
- Mariano Vega Jr. 11,994 18.51%
- Peter M. Brennan 11,476 17.71%
- Willie L. Flood 11,608 17.91%
- Noemi Velazquez 2,266 3.50%
- Frank Scalcione 1,767 2.73%
- Ronald F. Greco 1,543 2.38%
- Andrew C. Hubsch 2,016 3.11%
- Emilio C. DeLia 2,064 3.18%
Personal Choice 36 0.06%
Total 64,814 100.00%

Jersey City Ward A Council

- Rolando R. Lavarro Jr. 1,260 24.52%
- Andre M. Richardson 1,239 24.11%
- Michael J. Sottolano 2,021 39.33%
- Frances O. Thompson 613 11.93%
Personal Choice 5 0.10%
Total 5,138 100.00%

Jersey City Ward B Council

- Michael J.Manzo 779 23.34%
- Paul Catsandonis 213 6.38%
- Arthur 'Artie' Williams 472 14.14%
- Douglas Salters 174 5.21%
- Philip J. Kenny 1,697 50.84%
Personal Choice 3 0.09%
Total 3,338 100.00%

Jersey City Ward C Council

- James P. 'Jimmy' King 1,323 33.98%
- Craig Bailey 134 3.44%
- Asim Usman 114 2.93%
- Norrice L. Raymaker 208 5.34%
- Nidia R. Lopez 2,028 52.09%
- Adela Rohena 82 2.11%
Personal Choice 4 0.10%
Total 3,893 100.00%

Jersey City Ward D Council

- William 'Bill' Gaughan 1,945 51.69%
- James 'Jim' Carroll 1,415 37.60%
- Christian A. Araujo 399 10.60%
Personal Choice 4 0.11%
Total 3,763 100.00%

Jersey City Ward E Council

- Jaime Vazquez 373 7.51%
- Guy Catrillo 1,120 22.54%
- Azam A. Riaz 73 1.47%
- Joseph J. Tarrazi 259 5.21%
- Steven Fulop 3,142 63.22%
Personal Choice 3 0.06%
Total 4,970 100.00%

Jersey City Ward F Council

- Viola S. Richardson 1,715 39.56%
- Ronnie-Calvin Clark 656 15.13%
- Omar Barbour 461 10.63%
- Calvin E. Hart 577 13.31%
- La Vern Webb-Washington 651 15.02%
- Tyrone L. Ballon 272 6.27%
Personal Choice 3 0.07%
Total 4,335 100.00%

Hoboken mayor's race now a two-way runoff on June 9th

Six candidates entered, two survived to lock into a runoff June 9th in Hoboken. Councilman Peter Cammarano and Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer finished 1 and 2 but neither got 50% of the vote so a runoff it is.

The Hudson County Clerk's office gives us these numbers:
¬Dawn Zimmer: 3,614 votes, 36.19 percent;
-Peter Cammarano: 3,402 votes, 34.07 percent;
-Elizabeth Mason: 2,330 votes, 23.33 percent;
-Thomas Vincent: 248 votes, 2.48 percent;
-Ryn Malberg: 196 votes, 1.96 percent;
-Frank Orsini: 192 votes, 1.92 percent.

Late night open thread

On this day in history in 1847, William Clayton invented the odometer. Two days later somebody invented odometer fraud.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jerramiah Healy will soldier on as Mayor of Jersey City

Early returns show Healy cruising to victory over his four opponents. We'll have full results tomorrow but the one we feel safe calling is that Healy is still the mayor of the big JC with over 50% of the votes.

Well Johnny just voted, he hopes you have or will too

First time voating in New Jersey just a few minutes ago. It felt great. He hovered over the mayor choice for a while before choosing. Torn right up until the very end.

Movie trivia day

Since we're having an election for mayor today, we'll have a movie tie-in.

What fictional movie town was Goldie Wilson the mayor of?

No Googling

Election day in Jersey City dawns

Polls are open from 6 am until 8 pm as Jersey City and other lesser municipalities select mayors and city councils today. The Jersey City Desk Editorial Board have a pretty good idea how the mayor's race will end up but we have been wrong once before (but just the once). However, if enough of you good citizens get out and make your voices heard, anything is possible. Trust us, despite their lip service to the contrary, the last thing politicians want is for everyone to be an educated voting populace and one that always votes. They like it when you simply let them do what they want to do without your input.

Go VOAT today!

Late night open thread

Since it's just after midnight, it's ELECTION DAY here in Jersey City. Make sure you go VOAT....

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Goodness, Jersey City has a burglar with delusions of criminal grandeur

First the facts---A burglar broke into a Jersey City apartment and stole a female residents belongings, sadly including her Yorkshire puppy. The burglar also took $15,000 worth of jewelry and some furs. Her apartment was on Linden St. Aside from the taking of her pet a pretty run of the mill thief, until you hear what this crook left behind, a copy of the book 'Cross Country' by James Patterson. In this book a serial killer breaks into a house and murders a woman and her family. Ominous, no?

OK, Johnny's gonna hip you the public and Mr. Super Criminal wannabe to some things here. Johnny has studied serial killers for decades. The hows, the whys, the psychology behind them and the patterns of serial killers. He knows more about them that 99% of the people not in law enforcement. Mr. Burglar, you are no serial killer. In fact you're not that smart of a burglar but we'll get to that soon enough. So, he wanted to intimidate this woman by leaving a book. Did he think she'd read it before calling police to report the break in? Did HE actually think she'd read it, be threatened and not call the police? Not too smart, what a thimble headed gherkin, this one. Another thing, serial killers don't announce to their victims they're going to kill them. That's how it works see, they don't want somebody checking their surroundings expecting an attack. It kinda works against the serial killer. No, this caveman thought to himself "You know what would be cool? If I left something scary behind to threaten her and this'll make me like some scary and feared burglar, maybe the media will even give me a name".

Here's a nickname--Delusional. You're not scaring anyone. You're a low life, low level crook. You're not a serial killer, you never will be. You took her puppy, you didn't kill it. Johnny's yet to ever run across a serial killer who fenced furs. Oh, and the book you left, it doesn't sell all that well certainly compared to his other books. In fact, by the end of today Johnny could call in some favors from his publisher friends and get a list of how many and where that book has been sold in this area. If Johnny can do that, the cops can do it faster. Don't think they haven't already. Maybe he had that copy for a while, perhaps, so unless he has a never ending supply of books on serial killers to leave at burglary scenes he's gonna need to go shopping. Yeah you can pay cash but stores have cameras.

Ask a real serial killer about stores with cameras, BTK.

Seriously skippy, you're not scaring anyone out here in Jersey City. We've seen and dealt with tougher customers than some yob with delusions and an active imagination. You're certainly not 'The Tiger' as found in Patterson's novel. Far from it little man...

Voting machine glitches a possibility tomorrow in Jersey City and Hoboken.

Johnny doesn't know the ins and outs of the entire voting system here in Jersey City and the way some schematics in voting for office make him feel like the old Saturday Night Live character 'Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer': "Your ways of selecting elected officials and offices are strange and different to me" but this one may have everyone goofed up tomorrow. It appears that the voting machines can't correctly decipher how many voters have voted for at least one at-large council candidate and can skew the results to make it look like they can avoid run offs.

The particulars on this are here, but Johnny will be voting in New Jersey tomorrow for the first time. He'll make his first vote for mayor and city council in his new home. He's very political so this will be an enjoyable thing.

Late night open thread

Tonight a few good minutes with the collective comic genius of Laurel and Hardy from the film 'Hog Wild' released in 1930.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny's got a solution to the Colgate Clock kafuffle, it involves bulldozers

Welcome soap opera fans to the episode where Jersey City tries to get one million dollars for the upkeep of the Colgate Clock down on the waterfront all while the Colgate company says "there's no contract for upkeep, go get bent".

First, the Colgate Clock in question:


It faces Manhattan and lights up at night to tell New Yorkers what time it is in Jersey City, wooooo, what a VALUABLE service it performs. Nobody in New York has clocks ya know, and their cell phones don't have any kind of time function.

Now, instead of spending ANY money on lawyers, Jersey City should simply go take the Colgate sign off of it and replace the Colgate ad with a Pepsodent, or Gleem or Crest sign. We'll see pretty quickly how much Colgate wants to pony up and actually make a claim to the clock for upkeep. The land this 'landmark' sits on it leased to the Colgate-Palmolive company and that's a pretty easy fix. The city could also use an imminent domain law of some kind to steal back the property like the federal government is doing to landowners in Pennsylvania to build a Flight 93 memorial.

If Colgate wants it both ways and demands the clock stay up and that they owe nothing as there is no deal, roll the dozers, seriously, why would we spend a million dollars we don't have in legal fees over a giant light up clock?

Time will tell.....

Late night open thread

Tonight was the uproarious White House Correspondents Dinner when everyone in Washington D.C. lets their hair down a little and pokes fun at the all consuming serious issues they face the other 364 days a year. President Barack Obama was comic gold tonight as he worked his way through his prepared material. Here's one stiletto joke at Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner's expense. This one doubled Johnny and the Jersey City Desk staff over with laughter.

First a fine image of Mr. Boehner:


And then the payoff:


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's the White House flyover image that caused so much hub-bub

And by the way the Statue of Liberty, aka 'The Harbor Wench' is located in Jersey City, NOT New York. Johnny doesn't know how long people around here are going to try to get away with that but as long as he's the head of the Jersey City Desk he's going to point it out.

Again, the Statue of Liberty is located in Jersey City, New Jersey

Late night open thread

If your birthday is Saturday you share it with New Yorker Billy Joel...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NO DOUBT!

That's right, great looking Friday nights were made for rocking out, having fun and jumping around like you have ants in your pants....

Don't waste this great night citizens, Monday will be here all too soon.

To that end, here's No Doubt with "Excuse Me Mister'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with VAN HALEN!

On a Friday afternoon when the sun is out and it's in the mid 70's you better believe we'll give you a dose of music to get you on your way into the Jersey City evening. Whether you're hanging here in the Big JC tonight or heading into Gotham, sometimes, you gotta ROCK!

Van Halen with "Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!

Here's a song that's been hopping through Johnny's head over the last week. Plus it's LIVE from Giants Stadium just a stone's throw from scenic Jersey City.

Bruce with 'Radio Nowhere'

Anybody gonna BBQ this weekend?

Johnny sure is. He's gonna get his grill on for the first time this year. So, what is it that makes YOUR barbeque something special? What is it you barbeque and how is it prepared?

Late night open thread

You Devils fans have NO IDEA how lucky you are. You'll never ever have to stay up until 1:30 in the morning watching your team play a playoff game against the Ducks or Canucks or Kings or whomever in one of those 10:30 starts. God forbid we ever head to overtime, that's at least a 2am bedtime. Johnny remembers very well a triple overtime series winning goal by Brendan Shanahan against the Ducks that ended at like 2:30 in the morning. Be thankful you live in the Eastern Time Zone and play playoff game in the Eastern Time Zone. 4-2 Wings at the end of 2 periods in Anaheim.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop--The truthtellers always draw the ire

Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop has drawn the wrath of the Jersey City Education Association and it's leader Tom Favia for opening his mouth and daring to let the truth spill out. Fulop said that Jersey City's schools "Continue to underachieve." Well that didn't sit well with the JCEA who responded by sending out a letter to more than 3,000 teachers and school staff.

So, which schools OVERachieve anymore? Which schools are doing all they can all the time? Johnny comes from a family of teachers and ya know what, 95% of them ARE underachieving now. Admit it, some of them can't do what they'd like to due to either being grossly underfunded or dealing with parents who think school is a babysitter or parents who think the school had better never ever disagree with their precious children. But to go off when someone lays it on the line and says schools underachieve is simply overreaching.

Late night open thread

Johnny was sad to see Dom DeLuise passed away yesterday. He's always sad when the comics go, they try to bring us happiness and laughs. So tonight, in his honor we're going to play a clip of Dom as Emperor Caesar in History of the World Part 1. When you look back at this clip you realize we've also lost the incomparable Madeline Kahn and Gregory Hines as well. Since it's a Mel Brooks masterpiece be ye warned about off color jokes, bad language and uproarious double entendres.



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It was 72 years ago today New Jersey held the globe's attention and not for anything good....

Dateline Lakehurst New Jersey, May 6, 1937:

"The minorities"?

So Steve and Victoria Hyman who own a company called 415 Brunswick Street, L.L.C., and do not like the way Mayor Healy has fought an building on an embankment are spending $150 large of their company's cash to oust Healy in Tuesday's election and Steve Hyman says he's doing it for "the minorities". Interesting choice of words there Mr. Hyman. Hyman, who is not even a resident of Jersey City is hopping mad Da Mayor won't allow his company to build housing on the Sixth Street Embankment. So, to get back at Healy, Hyman is carpet bombing portions of Jersey City with 'Anyone but Healy' flyers that he is footing the bill for, $150 thousand worth of them in Wards C & F. Hyman is using the flyers to claim the Mayor has been no friend to "the minorities" in allowing Greenville Hospital and the Lafayette Post Office to close and several bus lines in African American neighborhoods to close up shop.

"But I figured as long as we're spending the money, the minorities could be the long-term beneficiaries..."

Wow, talk about a jaded character. We're really sorry your business plan can't get off the ground but to pretend you're doing it for a group it sounds like you'd hold at arms length is not just disingenuous but kind of sad.

We're gonna give the last word on this to Mayor Healy's spokesman Bud Demellier:

"It's very interesting how a person who doesn't live in Jersey City, arguably doesn't live in New Jersey, can put himself in an exalted position and pretend to tell a community how to vote.

Late night open thread

Movie trivia tonight, no prizes or no nuthin, just the satisfaction of being right and having the ability to lord it over everyone in Jersey City Desk land.



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

What's that citizens? You say you have the travel bug something fierce? JCD can help

It's spring and you're itching to get up and get out of Jersey City and stretch your legs and see America, we know the feeling. Here is something called 'Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video'. It's a real enticing look at the city on Lake Erie. No doubt you'll be asking when the next Trailways bus leaves for Cleveland.

Pack your bags bunky and uh, use the headphones for this one, there is one bad word and one questionable one but you'll really get the feel for the Land of Cleve

OK, some people REALLY need to get over themselves

Melissa Skabich of Cedar Grove is going to have a baby. Congratulations. We're very happy for you. But ya know Melissa, LOTS of women have babies. You'd never know this because Melissa wants everyone besides her family and friends who are connected to Twitter to know because she's planning to 'tweet' (when you post something on Twitter you are 'tweeting') all the details of her birth. You read that right, she thinks everyone wants and or needs to know the details of everything that is going on, or that it's simply interesting enough for her to share. It's social media run amok. "Look at me look at me, you're not listening to me, I have things to say 24/7 about my life and you're not paying enough attention to me", is about where we're at with Twitter. When people think you can't live without simple updates as to their lives, or think they're interesting enough that people need to know, it's the height of narcissism.

Is Melissa doing this because she can? She's in PR and no doubt thinks it's a cool and clever experiment in social networking. Perhaps the result of the experiment is people finally say "Who cares" or "Too much information" or "Attention diva".

It's moments like these with social networking tools like Twitter where we see an image from the old social media of television where Fonzie jumped a shark.

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition:

"How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?"
--P. T. Barnum, April 7, 1891

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you could ask Mayor Healy a question, what would it be?

A serious question....

The good, the bad, and the ugly on the Jersey City mayoral race

The New York Times had an interesting article a couple days ago on the wild and wooly Jersey City mayoral race to due be decided May 12. Although they mention Mayor Healy skipping debates they never ask him WHY he's done it. That was a shame. Both that he skipped them and that the NYT never followed up and asked him why that was acceptable behavior by someone who wants another term.

Late night open thread

If your birthday is today, you share it with the late Godfather of Soul, James Brown. He would have been 76 today. Horrible 70's soft rock singer Christopher Cross also shares today's birthday and he's 58. So uh, who should we feature in a video tonight?

Exactly


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A good read for a rainy Sunday

The Star-Ledger's Mark Mueller takes a very interesting look at the new ARC tunnel being constructed from North Bergen under the 1 & 9 to it's ultimate destination at 34th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues in New York City.

When the project finishes in 2017 the ARC will connect commuters to PATH trains, 14 NYC Subway lines and the Long Island Railroad.

The story is a great read on all the hurdles facing the project, tunnel digging machines as long as football fields, and the disagreement between NJ Transit and Amtrak.

Good work Mr. Mueller.

Late night open thread

Hey baseball fans, the Newark Bears topped the Bridgeport Bluefish 8-5 today at Riverfront Stadium. The Bears are home tomorrow at 4:05 pm to face those same Bluefish. One fish, two fish, red fish, bluefish. Hey that's catchy.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

William A. Price who stood for all that is great about America, freedom of speech and freedom of the press, has passed

William A. Price has passed. To many he is probably not that well known if known at all. To people like Johnny he embodied that V for Vendetta spirit. He stood up to the Senate Committee on UnAmerican Activities and invoked his FIRST Amendment rights to not answer what his political affiliations may or may not be. While his colleagues (Otto Albertson, Richard O. Boyer, and Dan Mahoney) used their Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination, Price cited the First Amendment. He frustrated the Senate Committee again and again by daring to stand up to their tyrannical witch hunt. Price argued that in invoking the First Amendment’s protection of free speech and a free press, he told the subcommittee that it did not have jurisdiction to inquire into his political beliefs.

Sadly Mr. Price passed away this week in Manhattan at age 94. He was from Montclair, NJ.

When he invoked those First Amendment rights he was overruled again and again by communist witch hunter Senator James Eastland of Mississippi. Later Price would be sentenced to jail for 3 months and had to pay a $500 fine. Never has $500 defended so much freedom.

In the 1970's Price had his phones wiretapped under FBI director and noted crossdresser J. Edgar Hoover. Price sued the FBI for violating his civil right and won. He was awarded $10,000.

According to the New York Times Price served the United States military in World War II and flew air-rescue operations in the Aleutian Islands, attaining the rank of lieutenant.

We salute your strong spirit Mr. Price. It's easy to talk big on standing up to the government, it's quite another to be as brave as you were and put words to deeds.

Students might want to think twice about enrolling in local medical training center

PC Tech Learning Center has the smell of something not quite on the up and up. Our story begins with one Ralph Georges who is accused of stealing $5,000 from prospective students. He took the money for fees, accreditation certificates and other services he never provided. Two students tried to get the attention of the administration of PC Tech Learning Center who kept blowing them off. Suddenly, once the Jersey Journal started asking questions on behalf of the students, PC Tech Learning Center couldn't call the police and launch their own internal investigation fast enough. When translated this means "Ruh Ro, somebody in the media is onto something, students we can stonewall, the media we can't".

One student took a certification test and found out her certificate was faked and her name spelled wrong on it. She found out her medical certificate was faked during an interview with a doctor earlier this year. Nice.

But back to Ralph Georges, and the fact students felt since he was employed by PC Tech Learning Center they should get a full refund. Not so fast, they didn't want to give money back for his very questionable actions. Suddenly the story changed to "Well he's an independent contractor and uh, you know not really authorized to take money and well um you know..." Students again had a hard time getting reimbursed until the Jersey Journal again started asking questions and amazingly, refunds were then given.

If you're looking for a medical training school of some kind, it sounds to us like you'd do well to steer clear of PC Tech Learning Center, it just doesn't sound like students are their first priority.

Late night open thread

It's often been said that a team's best players have to play their best in big moments. Case and point:


Jump on Devils fans, there's room for the good fans of New Jersey to tag along and watch some quality guys playing an exciting brand of hockey. You don't have to be open about it, you can be all secretive but there's plenty of room on the Hockey Inc. bandwagon. Johnny cheers for the Devils when he's at their games but will always have the Wings #1 in his heart. You can do the same here, until Devils training camp. Give Johnny and Trixie and the old Ypsi City Desk crew here some love. Besides, you don't REALLY want Cindy Crosby winning a cup do you? Or Boston? Or Carolina. Or Ovechkin and his antics? Devils fans are blue collar roll up your sleeves salt of the earth folks much like Wings fans. New Jersey and Detroit are always somebody's punchline. New Jersey and Detroit both make cars. New Jersey has it's Devil and Detroit has it's Nain Rouge. They both also win a lot of Stanley Cups. Ride with us Devils fans, you're not ready for hockey to be over and come on, you're not gonna watch the NBA are you? Of course not, you're hockey fans.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DEVO!

Are we not men? We are DEVO!

We're pinheads all, so here's DEVO with 'Jocko Homo'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER!

Johnny knows who is gonna show up here very soon and be very happy Johnny chose Mary Chapin Carpenter tonight. Why, he and Trixie Action Space Punk went to see her at the Meadowbrook Theater one cool July Sunday night years ago.

If there's educating to be done on her, he'll let Trixie tell you in comments.

Here is Mary Chapin Carpenter covering Lucinda Williams' song 'Passionate Kisses'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HEART!

Sister power! For decades now Johnny has adored Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Not just as sexy sirens but as songwriters, musicians and all around just cool ladies. Johnny's had the extreme good fortune of seeing them twice live, once right up against the stage in the late 70's at the Flint IMA Auditorium. What a terrific show they put on as well. Ann's voice is a force of nature.

Here's Heart from 1976 on the old Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special show with 'Crazy on You'

OK, yes, this guys name alone got him in the Jersey City Desk

A man from Orange NJ got beat up Sunday night in Jersey City. He did not lose gracefully. Instead one Diplow Evans used his cell phone to call someone to bring him a stolen gun. Trouble for Diplow was that plainclothes police heard him make the call and threats to "Set it off" and waited nearby. When the car arrived with Diplow's manly gun, police jumped out of the car, ordered him to the ground, which Diplow resisted, and arrested him for aggravated assault on police officers, possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting arrest and other weapons offenses.

Oh Diplow, that ain't how we roll here in JC, maybe you can get away with curbside handgun delivery in Orange but not here.