Late night open thread

What say we run through the streets in Jersey City and do this July 4th?


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday open thread

And on the 7th day, Johnny rested....

Late night open thread

Did you know the average haul from a bank robbery is $2500? Now you do.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny declares tonight Hockey Night in Jersey

It's hockey day in Canada, it's hockey day in Michigan so Johnny proclaims tonight Hockey Night in Jersey!

Pull your sweater on and turn on a game and enjoy these clips

The Devils win the 2000 Stanley Cup in overtime vs. Dallas


The brawl that launched the Red Wings dynasty, March 26, 1997


And STILL the most important goal ever scored in any league or tournament at any time. God bless Mike Eruzione.

Blockbuster tapes surface--Healy KNEW about campaign cash from Solomon Dwek

In explosive tapes played in the trial of disgraced and suspended Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, Mayor Jerramiah Healy thanks Dwek for his 10K (with another 10K promised) contribution and says:

"We like to smooth the path for people that are going to invest in our city."

Funny the mayor didn't say anything like "We like to help people do business in jersey City legally" or "Contact the appropriate people to check on building permits and zoning laws."

So both Healy and Beldini are on record with Dwek saying they can help make his phony condo development plans run much smoother once money is discussed. Now in Hudson County (and New Jersey in general) Johnny has learned that graft and kickbacks are the way politcos do business as sad as that is. This does not have to be the case and we can start with a recall--since it's apparent Healy won't do the right and honorable thing and resign--of our tainted mayor.

According to Healy's own words at the same money is discussed he told Dwek about moving him from the bottom of the pile to the top. If that's not corruption, what is?

Late night open thread

"I bet on a great horse yesterday. It took seven horses to beat him."
--Henny Youngman

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with QUEEN!

What a powerhouse band this was. Kids, if you're tuning in and you don't have any Queen in your music catalog or you ONLY have 'Bohemian Rhapsody', do yourselves a favor and GET SOME MORE MUSIC BY QUEEN. Goodness gracious, one of the most theatrical and envelope pushing bands ever and with a lead singer in Freddie Mercury who, and lets face facts, was born to be the frontman of Queen. This is good stuff.

Queen with 'Somebody to Love'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE STOOGES!

Yes kids from Ann Arbor Michigan and recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Granted, Iggy Pop grew up in Ypsilanti Township (And Johnny and his friend Colonel Will did some serious research to prove to those in the People's Republic of Ann Arbor Iggy was an Ypsi boy) but The Stooges are the most famousest band ever out of A2 and we couldn't be happier to see this awesome band get it's due at the Hall in Cleveland. it's a crying shame they'll have to be inducted without guitarist Ron Asheton who sadly passed away just over a year ago.

All hail The Stooges. All hail The Stooges because they are having 'No Fun'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE ROLLING STONES!

When Johnny was a young impressionable teenager he heard the song 'Dance part 1' by the Rolling Stones off of the Emotional Rescue album, yes, album. He was always just fascinated with the line "Hey what am I doing standing here on the corner of West 8th Street and 6th Avenue?" Johnny thought if Mick Jagger was hanging out there that place had to be the coolest spot on earth. For years and years if he was thinking of the song he'd sing that line and pretend he was cool hanging in NYC. Now, my how things have changed. He's a 12 minute train ride from the 9th St. PATH station and a 30 second walk to West 8th Street and 6th Avenue and he has made that trek many many times to go eat, hang out, go to the Lafayette Bakery for cherry turnovers or just passing through. He'll also readily admit to standing on that corner with his iPod and playing 'Dance, part 1'. If you ever see a guy in a Red Wings jersey standing at W 8th and 6th Ave with an iPod and a big smile, come over and say hi.

The noose draws tighter around Leona Beldini's neck and by association, Mayor Healy

You will never convince Johnny that Kwame Healy did not know of his Deputy Mayor's actions especially since his reelection cash was being run by Beldini.

In court today a tape of Beldini, sting runner Solomon Dwek and Edward Cheatam and Jack Shaw at the Brownstone Diner (and goddammit if you're gonna be hustling illegal money do it somewhere other than Johnny's favorite breakfast place in Jersey City) slyly answering Dwek's questions about helping him navigate city roadblocks and offering to help him get what he wants. Then comes the kicker:

“What we’re trying to do is put money into different funds so when we need it we can funnel it back to the mayor, which everyone does."

No, everyone does not funnel illegal cash into the mayor's coffer Ms. Beldini. Maybe YOU and the Mayor do it that way, but the rest of us don't.

And don't let Johnny catch you in the Brownstone again, you or the Mayor, your Brownstone rights have been revoked.

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition:

"I'm bored with it all."
--Winston Churchill before slipping into a coma in 1965

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Cut our friends in Newport some slack, they're cranky and smelly; they can't shower due to water main break

And what a big water main it was, a 35 incher. The site of the break is 18th street but for all intents and purposes it's everywhere around there, meaning quite a few high rise condo and apartment buildings could be without water for 24 hours.

We'll cut you all a break on the smell, but only for 24 hours.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday open thread

Johnny's bi-annual migraine is upon him. Jibber jabber on your own.

Late night open thread

A German man was arrested as he tried to leave New Zealand and will spend the next 14 weeks in jail for smuggling.

Lizards.

Hans Kurt Kubus was caught by officials at Christchurch International Airport on South Island in December, about to board an overseas flight with 44 geckos and skinks in a hand-sewn package concealed in his underwear.

Hans had 44 lizards in his underpants. How BAD do you need lizards in Germany? Is Germany skinkless? Gecko free? The old skink in the underpants routine rides again.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper and tire irons beat skateboards

Yes, in a good old fashioned dust up between cab drivers, the tire iron will almost always beat the skateboard as an implement of destruction.

Two North Bergen cab drivers had at last night and both were arrested for assault. One had a tire iron, the other brought a skateboard tothe fight and if you follow THIS link, we think you'll be able to judge the winner and loser. Our scorecards have Eddie Ayende over Sam Cabrera on a TKO.

What's that old saying?? Never bring a knife to a gunfight?

The NYPD has no idea, nor will they comment on why they're on a subway seat ticket binge

Yeah, we here in reality would say an unexplained rise of 17% on taking up two seats (whether the train was full or mostly empty) qualifies as a binge. The 17% increase when broken down is a full 1300 more tickets than they handed out the previous year. NYPD would neither discuss it or speculate as to the reason. We have one, greedy city fingers on your money. The MTA is running terrible deficits and suddenly they up the amount of 'nuisance tickets'? Come on, we'd have hoped the NYPD could cipher things better than that. It's clearly a money grab. Just admit it.

Unless of course honesty isn't the best policy as practiced by the NYPD.

Late night open thread

If your birthday is tomorrow (Jan. 26) you share it with musicians Lucinda Williams and Eddie Van Halen.

Rock on.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny's in negotiations to BUY the Chrysler Building and may move the Jersey City Desk offices there

Now, these negotiations can be tricky things, especially when we are dealing in thousands of dollars but here is the story, it now can be told.

Tishman Speyer Properties owns (or did) the Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, a slice of middle class life on Manhattan island. Well a while back, Tishman Speyer Properties bought Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village at a record price when the real estate market was HIGH. Then as we all know the markets tanked, the real estate industry went belly up and the Tishman Speyer Properties plan to raise rents in the property units ran into NYC rent control laws. Try as they might, Tishman Speyer couldn't come up with the do-re-mi and had to return the Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village to creditors.

This is where Johnny smells an opportunity. Since Tishman Speyer Properties is having money woes, AND they own the iconic Chrysler Building, Johnny is going to try to help Tishman Speyer Properties with their cash flow. Johnny has tendered an offer for the Chrysler Building for $2500.00 US dollars, that's right, twenty five hundred dollars. Now the attorneys have to do their thing but if it all works out, Johnny will own the Chrysler Building and trust him when he says this, there's gonna be one helluva party the day he gets the keys.

No Starvin' Marvin that's Johnny's Chrysler Building

Flood warning for Hudson County today

In case you live in a cave and even if you do you might have noticed the high winds and torrential rains this morning. Well it's about to get worse and the entire Jersey City Desk viewing area is under a flood watch until late today.

From Wunderground:
Flash Flood Watch in effect through this evening...
Wind Advisory in effect from 9 am this morning to 6 PM EST this evening...

Isolated thunderstorms. Rain and periods of drizzle this morning...then rain this afternoon. Rain may be heavy at times this afternoon. Windy with highs in the upper 50s. South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Late night open thread

Well the Jets just didn't get it done today but it was fun while it lasted. As for your tomorrow; it'll be in the mid 50's but we'll be getting high winds and biblical rains. Enjoy your Monday.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

J-E-T-S- JETS JETS JETS!!

Jets in the AFC Championship game edition. The Jetropolitans are but 60 minutes and a hard fought gutsy effort from allowing Johnny to write about the Super Bowl for two weeks. That in and of itself is the reason Johnny is a Jets fan today. Seeing the Empire State Building green and white from Johnny's rooftop and around town, priceless.

Talk all the Jets you want to here today, Saints V Vikings as well. Johnny's calling a big GEAUX Saints on that one.

Also Jets fans, don't miss the story on Super Bowl III hero Matt Snell who still hangs 'round here in Jersey City. Looking at the stats it was Snell who should have been MVP that day, not Namath.

Jets 23
Dolts 21

Late night open thread

Tonight before bed a few good minutes with Chelsea Handler. Now if you know anything about Chelsea Handler you know it's time to shoo the kids or put the headphones on.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday open thread

Johnny was looking everywhere for a decent story to run this morning. There wasn't a whole lot to talk about that you couldn't think of yourself. So in the spirit of self-entertainment, tell us what's on your mind. Answer the candy question below should you feel the desire.

Late night open thread

What's your favorite candy?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TALKING HEADS!

One of the oddest and yet most rewarding moments in Johnny's life was when his dad came to him with a music question. Dad was a big movie fan and knew ALL the Hollywood stories and gossip. He was an encyclopedia of moviedom. He was frantic one afternoon, he'd just gotten back from going to see 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' with Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss. He HAD to know what the song at the beginning was. To him is was the most awesome song he'd heard in forever. As Johnny had seen the movie too and knew the song he meant was Talking Heads 'Once in a Lifetime'. Johnny's dad was a Talking Heads fan at that point. I played a couple of their songs for him. This was still his favorite. Today would have been his 81st birthday.

We do wonder if the Jersey City Desk is available in heaven.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with POE!

Don't say we don't follow up for you, the JCD music fan. Some of you I know only drop by for music and that's good to go.

Back in September Johnny was looking for this song by Poe called 'Could've Gone Mad' and nobody had it on the YouTubes. Now someone has put up the tune. Put this on your best song of the year list even in January.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PETER TOSH!

Johnny was lucky enough to meet the late Mr. Tosh way back when you had to dodge velociraptors walking to work when he lived on an island in Florida. Just a quick handshake and a polite "Hi how are you" but he did buy a round of drinks for us. Man that was cool.

Wanna know what else is cool? Peter Tosh's cover of the Chuck Berry standard 'Johnny B. Goode'.

If you have a few extra bucks lying around, the plane that landed in the Hudson River is for sale

Yes, by know you know the legend of the 'Miracle on the Hudson' US Airways jetliner but now you can own a lot or a little of the plane, which is being stored in Kearny on Bergen Ave. The engines have been taken off (no doubt to keep amateur jet pilots from buzzing the Manhattan skyline) but the landing gear, wheels, wings, along with the fuselage are all up for auction.

Be the first in your neighborhood to put an old jet up on blocks in your front yard. It'd make a great playhouse for the kids. You could host parties on it. You could pretend to give flying lessons. Just think of all the possibilities.

Late night open thread

Johnny's a little under the weather tonight so he's gonna pack it in early.

We dedicate tonight's open thread to Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson who is Director of the Hayden Planetarium and one of the guys we have to thank for Pluto being demoted to dwarf planet status. Says them. Johnny didn't sign off on that. It's got a moon (Charon), they have a situation like Earth where the moon revolves around the planet meeting 95% of planet status. Mercury and Venus can't even afford moons so this whole idea Pluto got demoted seems silly. Pluto is a planet, it's has been a planet in good standing with it's taxes paid and a Disney sponsorship to boot. Johnny doesn't know of any Disney characters named Mercury.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a three-fer of not guilty pleas by Jersey City officials

And if we have three city officials pleading not guilty on the same day it's time to buy a lottery ticket. Actually, for as sad as this whole graft situation is for people here in Jersey City, this does go a long way to cleaning up the bums running the show. Leading off is former Jersey City council President Mariano Vega who keeps insisting he's innocent (Note to Mariano, you cannot be found innocent as you keep proclaiming, you can only be found not guilty), Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority commissioner Joseph Cardwell pled not guilty as did Jersey City Housing Department employee John Guarini. It really is stunning to see how far the Solomon Dwek dollars trickled into the machinations of the JC government.

All these individuals are saying they are not guilty but as we pointed out, oh, yesterday, nobody arrested in the July graft cases has been let go or found not guilty. All have been sent to trial or been sentenced after plea deals.

Late night open thread

Ya know what looks good? The Wolfman due out in mid February with Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving. Old school frights. Wanna see a preview? Click here, you can handle a scare before bed can't you?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Out to Ocean County we go where a company was just pinched for a ton of steel

Yug, jeeze Johnny, for a second there we thought you said a TON of steel.

It was citizens, a ton of steel has been stolen from an unnamed company in Ocean County. According to police there:

Peters said the cut steel, weighing more than 2,000 pounds, was stolen sometime over the weekend. The steel, in loose pieces, was in a secure fenced storage area behind the undisclosed business. The thieves apparently forced open the gate and loaded the steel into a large vehicle, possibly a pick-up truck, he said.

"Hey Kenny let's go lift a ton of steel off of some poor guy tonight. I know where there's a ton of steel left unattended." You just wonder how that thought process begins.

Former Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini is going to court today to have her charges thrown out

Good luck with that. We're gonna go out on a limb and say there is a 99.99% chances the charges will stick. Beldini as you'll recall was netted with the other bad fish last summer for taking graft cash. Her attorney says due process wasn't followed. He also says the charges are not supported by the evidence. Well see, Mr. Attorney, that's why we have trials, so the evidence in the case can be addressed. Everyone else in this case has professed innocence only to cop a plea deal or be sentenced outright. Not one has has charges dropped.

Ms. Beldini, get ready to face justice.

Late night open thread

Who wants a treat before bed?


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

When to pull the emergency brake on the PATH/Subway and when NOT to pull it

A very helpful refresher course in the NY Times on when you should and shouldn't pull the emergency brake. Pull it at the right time and the person hanging on for dear life between cars or stuck in the door may live through it. Pull it at the wrong time and you could be sitting in a car with a murderer. No, really.

Late night open thread

Johnny has to hurry and go put three red roses and a half empty bottle of Martel cognac on Edgar Allan Poe's grave as he does every year in Baltimore. Back by morning.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

The rest here

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

MLK Day open thread

Johnny gave the staff the day off then turned around and went home himself. Any thoughts to share on Dr. King and his dream or any thoughts on how it may have changed had he seen Barack Obama elected President?

Late night open thread

So the Jetropolitans did good. A long time ago the heavily favored Colts went up against a brash young group of Jets. Too bad the Jets can't use Matt Snell.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So they wanna put Hoboken on the show 'Parking Wars', we think it's a great idea

What could be better than watching Hoboken residents bursting a vein in their forehead as they get a ticket in the ticket capital of the Jersey City Desk reading area. Nobody tickets more or faster than the Mile Square City and we think delving into the true psychies of Hoboken drivers will be far more interesting than say Elvira Hobbit Snooki on 'Jersey Shore'.

But soon Weehawken we're gonna need a show out of you, Bayonne are you listening? Jersey City has 'Mercy' filmed here, Hoboken has 'Cake Boss' and soon 'Parking Wars', New York City gets teevee shows filmed there from time to time as well we've heard and seen tell. If you don't have a teevee show in your town around here, are you really a good town? We eagerly await 'Weehawken Criminal Intent' or 'CSI Bayonne'.

Late night open thread

As expected Eddie Izzard at MSG was fantastic. What a mind that guy has. Exceptional show. Now how could you put frosting on that? Drop in to Cafe Habana at 17 Prince St. in Nolita and have best damned Cuban sammich on this planet or any other. Cafe Habana, you will be seeing Johnny perhaps at least monthly for one of those. And the grilled corn Mexican style, yeah, he's gonna be needing some of that too.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you were one of the lucky few not to be murdered here in Hudson County in 2009...

Here is a Jersey Journal pushpin homicide finder. What would we do without this every January? Reliving murders can be fun for the whole paper reading family. Incidentally for those scoring at home, Jersey City accounted for 31 of the 36 murders in Hudson County in 2009.

When we said big fun tomorrow night we meant for Johnny, not here

This could get easily confused. Yeah Johnny's off to see Eddie Izzard at MSG tonight then off to a dinner in the city that'll kill.

Late night open thread

Big doings tomorrow night, yessiree, big doings

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with OINGO BOINGO!

Intern Kiki was sitting around not doing to much in the bullpen when Johnny was asking for possible bands to run tonight when she suggested Oingo Boingo. Intern Kiki you may use the executive washroom next week.

How much cool musical shit would we not have without Danny Elfman? A lot and looking at that list how sad it would have been if he'd missed his true calling, incredible soundtracks, one could say he's done for the soundtrack what Johnny does for hot dog sales at the Prudential Center. Then there's that Simpson's theme he wrote...

Oingo Boingo now with 'Dead Man's Party'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LEN BARRY!

You'd wanna know the Len Barry story eventually. Now, when you listen to this song, '1-2-3' you may not hear the old Supremes song 'Ask Any Girl' but legendary 'Ask Any Girl' writers, Holland Dozier Holland sure heard it and told the writers of this song, Barry and Dave White it was time to come clean. Holland Dozier Holland had yet another hit on their hands out of Philadelphia where Len Barry was from. A big hit for Barry by way of Philly via Motown and back to Philly.

Len Barry with '1-2-3'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE ENGLISH BEAT!

Johnny can't hear this song and not see poor John Cusak as Martin Blank in Grosse Pointe Blank fight Felix La Poubelle played by Benny Urquidez to the bitter end.

Here's The English Beat with 'Mirror in the Bathroom'

Since we're getting a new governor next week we're gonna need a snarky nickname

And with Chris Christie we has some obvious fodder for snark. We were wondering if you'd perhaps like to suggest some cool nickname we might use when his name comes up in discussion.

Late night open thread

Awwww, apparently there are now support forums for fans of the movie Avatar for people who get so wrapped up in this new land, AT THE MOVIES, that they are shocked at the horrible lives they return to after seeing the movie. The movie, it makes their current real lives all the more rotten.

They have support groups.

Any of you Avatar fans who may wander by surfing through the infinite internet who want to share your feelings with the group please do so. That would make great reading over coffee.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We don't get out to North Bergen nearly enough it seems, it's the home for nervous looking guys with machetes

Not JUST nervous looking guys, but nervous looking guys with 17 inch machetes.

Wait wait, let's try again, North Bergen is the home of nervous looking guys with 17 inch machetes with 12 bags of weed. Now, there, that looks better. What's that beer ad, real men of genius? Well we certainly have a candidate here.

Leissam Trujillo, next time you're wandering nervously and police ask you if you're OK, don't pat your hip indicating a weapon, that's just bad selling form. You've got to be on top of your game man. You start pointing out where weapons may or not may be, the weed is gonna be found.

Again, we gotta get out of this shoebox with holes we live in and go join the fun in sunny North Bergen more often.

Late night open thread

If you can do anything to help those in Haiti, you can click HERE for a list of trusted charities.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Put the MetroCards away Jersey City, if you're looking for 'rat-infested firetraps', no need to go to New York City, we've got 'em here!

But maybe not for too long so act now!

Jersey City is now serving up some 'rat infested firetrap' food trucks on this side of the Hudson River. JC's city health inspector, H. James Boor, said the 'Banana Leaf' food truck won't be serving meals to people around Exchange Place anytime soon if he has his way. Boor, can now legally become President of the "Bring your lunch from home program" for his overbearing propensity to do his job and save us from bad men like Shaik Mohamed Manzoor who ran the Banana Leaf.

Because Boor wants to be a killjoy and make Jersey City residents get on the PATH to visit other rat infested firetraps look at what YOU the strolling food customer miss out on:

Rat Droppings
Mouse feces
Rotten food

In fact, task force member and fellow killjoy Mark Redfield told the Jersey Journal "We had food taken out of there was contaminated, there was food kept in the cellar, a dirty, wet moldy cellar. Eggs were un-refrigerated."

See what happens when Jersey City public officials actually do their jobs instead of selling out their sworn offices? Rat infested firetraps have to go away.

Late night open thread

Johnny wants to give a shout out to the Buckeyes of Ohio State on their fine win over Purdue tonight which should be helping MSU's repeat attempt. Johnny flipped by midway in the second half and Purdue was still whipping them. "They have no chance" said Johnny outloud of the Buckeye Five, but good on them. 70-66. To quote Beavis, "I'll be damned".

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Oh look, another open thread

Sometimes real life intrudes ya know. Talk Jets smack if you wanna

Late night open thread

Today was a lot of fun wasn't it? More of the same tomorrow.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Monday open thread

It's up to you today

Late night open thread

Johnny's gonna be scarce here the next couple days as he sets up his atomic death ray atop Mt. Evil north of NYC. Getting that up online is a bigger project than the City Desk the next couple days.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a free and wide open Sunday thread

Talk local news business or weather, talk NFL playoffs if you want (Whom would you rather see the Jets play next weekend?) or anything else that's eating at you.

Late night open thread

Why if there is a God in heaven can the NHL, the local networks and turn on the 'game in HD' button for Johnny's beloved NHL Center Ice package? If we can put a man on the moon we can make all Wings games in HD.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LISA STANSFIELD!

It's dedication night here at the Jersey City Desk where we take time to answer important questions, and answer a littler viewer mail.

Our first dedication is from Johnny tonight to New York City. After being out here for just over a year, you have won him over. Sure the word cesspool still exists by your name up in the header but let's bygones be bygones. Johnny is honestly just too lazy to change the code. He's a HUGE fan and is really digging the whole Gotham lifestyle. Some people are jaded about the Big Appletini, maybe that comes in time but for right now, New York is the cat's pajamas. Johnny somehow cosmically won the evening view sweepstakes in life for some reason unknown to him as to why but he does have a dedication nonetheless. Using the imagery available to him and a good camera and tripod, he'd like to dedicate this picture you can click up and blow up and use as a backdrop (Or open it in another tab) while you watch the sultry Lisa Stansfield absolutely nail and thereby make it her own, the old Cole Porter song 'Down in the Depths'.

After a year out here from the heart of the Midwest I think our people can peacefully co-exist.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BLONDIE!

We get letters from all over, it's what dedication night is all about for you the fans. Johnny reached deep in the the JCD mail sack and pulled this one out, all the way from France:

"Cher Johnny, nous aimons votre spectacle ici à Paris France. Blondie a fait une chanson il y a longtemps où Debbie Harry a chanté un vers ou deux en français, vous pouvez trouver que pour nous ? L'amour, Fifi"

Ha ha, you bet Fifi, here's Blondie with 1979's Sunday Girl


Fifi continues:
"Aussi, mes amies veulent savoir si vous paraissez plus chaud dans la vraie vie que dans cette image négligée vous usage de vous ?"

Better Fifi, MUCH better

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with Material Issue!

Looking in the Jersey City Desk mail sack we get lot of mail, maybe too much, mail from stalkers and guys and gals who wanna be stalkers.

NH writes in from Marinette Wisconsin and says "Dear Johnny, we love your show up here in Wisconsin. I have a girlfriend named Valerie who is named Valerie cuz that's her name. At least I know we're a couple, she's denied it now for several months and threatened to involve the Marinette Police Department. I know she listens to your show. Would you please play the old Material Issue song "Valerie loves Me"? Thanks, NH P.S. I'm not going back to jail."

Hey NH, how could we NOT play that song after such an emotional appeal. Valerie is lucky to have you. Note 16 year old Dennis Miller at the beginning of your clip

FLASH: There is no good news in the news

And nothing makes us always report on things you just wanna forget about. Today will be miserable with a feeling of coolness tonight.

Here's the Lions with 'Sweet Soul Music" and as an added extra bonus, this one's free, it doesn't count towards tonite's three extra special clips on dedication night.

Late night open thread

We're doing the music series tomorrow night. Johnny has his reasons, good ones, ones only he needs to know about.

In the meantime enjoy the website College Humor's complete collection of Epic Fail in 2009

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Shame on the New Jersey Senate

This nonsense that panders to the religious right that marriage can ONLY be between a man and a woman is disgraceful. If ONE person can show Johnny how one woman marrying another woman and getting the declared legal rights as such, and the same thing as a man marrying another man, if you you can show his this negatively negatively amortizes YOUR personal marriage Johnny would love to hear it. Just saying a marriage is only between a man and a woman isn't enough, that just doesn't hold water, you have to PROVE this cheapens or somehow adversely affects your own marriage.

Sounds like the only time the New Jersey Senate and certain small minded New Jersians want to have 'rights' is April 15th.

Late night open thread

Hey, New York and New Jersey, have you heard? Hockey is Canada's game and theirs alone. They work harder, they're better people it's why they have won the last 5 World Junior Hockey Titles. Last night they went for #6 in their house (where they always play big games at), they also force other countries teams to use second class rinks with shit ice for practice and to use second class equipment. After all, it's their game. Title number six in a row was theirs to simply show up and throw their sweaters on the ice and take home the silver. Just listen:


And then something happened the ring did not intend (With apologies to JRR Tolkien)

Somehow the title game went to overtime. Sit back and enjoy shutting Canada's poutine holes America. America is in UR kitchen stealing UR silver


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Well the Mets need pitching and this guy has some free time

So as part of his sentence let's send him to spring training and see what he's got. Bayonne's own Timothy Rolek was arrested for throwing snowballs at a fire engine and later an ambulance making emergency runs on New Year's Day. Rolek was spotted by a Bayonne fire captain around 10 pm throwing snowballs at a fire engine as it headed north on Avenue C at 33rd Street.

The Mets DO need bulllpen help and chances are Rolek would come cheap is our guess...

Late night open thread

Johnny is gonna make one more, and perhaps his last foray, over to the old Ypsi City Desk in the next couple days that many of you good folks in Jersey City and New York may well enjoy reading about. Johnny's been wondering whether or not to even write it but has indeed decided to to tell the story of the bona-fide haunted house he lived in for over 20 years. He's going to tell real stories about real paranormal events that happened not just to Johnny but to other people who lived there. Yes, you'll get the address and some very creepy stories. Johnny is an expert ghost hunter and researcher in his own rite and thinks these stories will certainly interest you.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark.

Johnny doesn't normally do personal messages to people he likes and admires (Yes except for Neko Case but we already know this)

But Johnny just found out a guy who gave him the opportunity to work for a first rate company with first rate minds and more importantly first rate people some 5 years ago is not going to lead us anymore. This fine feller, 'J' is moving on and Johnny for one will miss him. He was always a step ahead in the new media and social media game. While Johnny was telling people blogs were the new pet rocks, "j" was all over them and creating ones that won corporate PR awards aplenty. The very fact there IS a Jersey City Desk can be traced to him. So we're gonna play a going away song for "J" as we wish him the best in his new world he'll certainly conquer. (The email telling of his departure mentioned the song 'Freebird' but Johnny doesn't like that song so we're gonna go off the board here for our tribute.

Maybe Corndaddy can one day cover this but that lazy drummer is gonna have to wise up and be more Charlie Watts and less Keith Moon.

Late night open thread

Could have some more snow on the way Friday, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The United States of Panic

Look, Johnny doesn't fly so either you can call him a hypocrite or the fact he doesn't fly makes him the perfect arbiter on this topic.Newark's C Terminal was shut down for most of the day yesterday because one person somehow walked past someone he shouldn't have without being checked out or given the once over. This caused everyone in charge to lose their ever loving minds. Of course they didn't lose those minds until a full TWO HOURS later when that's was when they decided to empty the terminal and have a do over over access to the terminal, even those already on their planes.

It's simple people, put in subway type entrances and exists to make sure those who have passed the turnstiles have either cleared security or they haven't. Once you walk out of the turnstile you must then pass through security again. Also, flying public, get over your fear of these body scanners. So what, it's not really a privacy issue, your doctor takes your body x-rays and you don't complain then, get over yourselves and don't be prudes and maybe, just maybe things can start running a little smoother at the old aeropuerto.

Late night open thread

Pointless fact evening:

More money is spent on gardening than on any other hobby

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If it's a four hour drive or less, why put up with this crap?

Do ahead and read the entire article on what happens to thousands or travelers if one person can't get it together and go through the right door or screening line. Go ahead and read it and then ask yourselves if driving from New York to DC or Boston to Philadelphia might not just be quicker and less aggravating.

Late night open thread

If your birthday is tomorrow, January 4th you share it with quite a few dignitaries:

Don Shula
Jane Wyman
Michael Stipe
Doris Kearns-Goowin
Dave Foley
Patty Loveless
Ann Magnuson

A happy birthday to all.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

See how it works Jersey City--Secaucus and Hoboken get stuck with crooked mayors and they REPLACE THEM.

Its funny that Kwame Healy still hangs on, bringing our good names down, making Jersey City a toxic pace to do business while two local other communities, Hoboken and now Secaucus toss their crooked mayors out on their ears and start anew. Michael Gonnelli was sworn in as the mayor of Secaucus yesterday after crooked former mayor Dennis Elwell took a powder.

See how this works Jersey City, we the people just aren't trying hard enough to get rid of our political stain in the mayor's office. Let's make that our New Years resolution, no more Kwame Healy as mayor by the end of the year by whatever means necessary. Recalls, pressure on council members threatening their very jobs, all kinds of legal challenges or whatever works.

Late night open thread

The Seton Hall women's basketball lost to #1 ranked UConn today. OK, nothing horrible about that, the #1 team should beat Seton Hall. The problem was the score the Seton Hall gals lost to UConn. 91-24. That's right, 91-24. This tells us either the Seton Hall gals are simply packing it in early and giving in or the head coach of Seton Hall, Phyllis Mangina simply does not have her team ready to scrap for 40 minutes or sounds all too ready to throw in the towel at the opening tip off. 91-24 should never ever happen again no matter how good UConn is. It's called pride.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Ya know, this whole drilling a gas pipeline through Jersey City and Bayonne to help supply New York City with gas doesn't pass the smell test

So follow this logic, A company calling itself Williams is applying to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to extend its pipeline in Essex County through Bayonne. Also, Houston-based Spectra Energy, has approached Jersey City City Council members whose wards would be impacted by the proposed gas pipeline.

So we here in Jersey City and Bayonne take all the risks while Williams and Spectra Energy get rich selling natural gas hookups to New York City. As usual, Jersey City's champion Steve Fulop is demanding answers and wants to know who will be on the hook should something go wrong (as we all know when things go boom companies tend to go missing and hire armies of lawyers).

You can read the entire sordid skeevy plan to make the rich richer you put you at risk all here.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DONOVAN!

There has been a lot of internet buzz over the Simpsons using this song as the closing credits recently with Lisa Simpson skating over a non-descript river as the Donovan classic 'Season of the Witch' plays in the background. Note, if you want to be let in on this most hilarious gag do rent the movie 'To Die For' with A phenomenal Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Dillion, IIlleana Douglas, Wayne Knight and Buck Henry. It's a screamingly funny very dark comedy.

Ad yes, at the end you'll more than get the Lisa Simpson skating joke.

Donovan with 'Season of the Witch'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NEKO CASE!

Neko from Amsterdam with a a song she doesn't always play live anymore, the heartbreaking 'Train From Kansas City.'' Johnny would use the stunningly brilliant version of 'Prison Girls' from the Elvis Costello show Spectacle if it ever became available.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE TING TINGS!

That's right, Friday night trickeration, you thought we'd but the blog to bed with the the late night oprn thread but foolish mortal, we've still got some music for you.

The Ting Tings with 'Shut up and Let Me Go'

Late night open thread

Sometimes kids, it pays to do a little research about the kind of new years eve party you're going to or some kind of background check of the guests who have RSVP'd. A local Jersey City man found out the hard way as the party he was at right before midnight featured im being stabbed several times. One moment you're chatting up the ladies with a smart cocktail in your hand and the next you're the victim of several knife wounds.

After being stabbed the gentleman fled the scene and spent the rest of his New Year's Eve at the Jersey City Medical Center getting stitched up. Jersey City police are now seeking the party guest with the bad manners, and here's to catching this asshat.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark.

It just wouldn't be New Year's Eve without some brainiac jumping into the Hudson River after his coat

But crime blotter fans that's exactly what happened as a Jersey City man did just that on the New York side of the river last night. He dropped his coat in the river and proceeded to jump into the 45 degree water after it nearly drowning. New York police said the man could barely tell them what had happened through his chattering teeth after spending 5 minutes in the Hudson getting his jacket back. Captain Funtime is listed in stable condition this morning.

Late night open thread

So, who ya got got in all the bowl games tomorrow? Seems pretty pointless to watch bowl games on after January 1st as it's all just a play for filthy lucre at that point. Embrace the New Years day bowls, scorn upon the rest (and yes Johnny knows this means his MSU Spartans get derision for a january 2nd bowl date). Also, don't forget the Winter Classic hockey games on teevee tomorrow, good watchin' to be had there.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy New Year to the entire Jersey City Desk reading area

Wishing you all the best in 2010 and the hope you can leave whatever bugged you behind you in 2009. Best wishes and may your find fortune and great fun!