Late night open thread

Tonight a highbrow quote on outer space from a time long past. It's also as true today as it was then.

"The eternal silence of these infinite spaces fills me with dread."
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French mathematician, physicist and philosopher

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Now more than ever make sure to follow Johnny on the Twitter

He bought smartphones for interns Zoltron and Kiki and gave them access to Johnny's (and therefore the Jersey City Desk) Twitter account so on the off occasions he can get them off their lazy butts and do some reporting they can do it from around town and at the scene of mayhem wherever it may be. A wombat attacked a pedestrian at 6th and Erie yesterday but if you're not following the tweets you missed how it ended.

The link is on the right hand side, down, further, there you go...

A couple inches of snow coming tonight and tomorrow morning

And that's no foolin'. Do be careful if you're out driving tonight and certainly on your commute tomorrow. We have precious few readers and we'd hate to lose any to an accident.

Late night open thread

A few good minutes before bed with Kids in the Hall and the legend that is Cabbage Head. See where is says 'uncensored', yeah, you've been warned.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NYC 's overpriced drinkslingers at the Darby now charge $2 for ICE

That's right, a $2 upcharge for an on the rocks drink. We get that Manhattan bars charge more for drinks. A Grey Goose vodka at the Darby is $13. We get that. But recently a patron noticed on his bill that an extra $2 was added for a drink on the rocks. Stunning.

Of course Patrick Robertson, general manager at the Darby tried to slough it off in the most horribly arrogant way we can think of. He said everyone does it AND:

"Clearly, this person doesn't go out much and doesn't know how things work," he said.

Ooooooooo, everyone smell Patrick Robertson, he thinks because they claim to give a bigger pour in a rocks drink vs a neat drink, he's Mr. Cool in trying ham handedly to blunt the criticism. So let's check Mr. Robertson's claim that this is the way things work:

*Audrey Saunders, the mixologist behind the Soho cocktail mecca Pegu Club, was simply appalled at the idea of charging for ice. Shame on any other bar/restaurant that actually subscribes to such a practice. Not only would we – NEVER - do such a thing, but NO reputable bar ever would either."

*Joe Santos, a manager at the Tribeca nightlife staple The Odeon said that he'd never heard of charging more for a drink served on the rocks. We charge the same for a drink whether it's served neat or on the rocks," said Santos. "A drink served up, like in a martini, yes, we charge more."

*"We get our ice from Okamoto Studios," Dutch Kills bartender Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin said. "It's crystal clear, no bubbles or impurities. It's hand-cut in a way that doesn't dilute the drink or alter the flavor." Yes, SPECIALTY ICE with NO upcharge.

Oops. Looks like Mr. Patrick Robinson is wrong. Maybe HE needs to get out more often and see how the city REALLY rolls.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Snakes on a train?

Commuters taking the subway up to or from the Bronx might want to make doubly sure who is riding beside them. A venomous and very deadly Egyptian cobra (Hey, it seems ALL Egyptians are yearning to be free) has escaped from and or turned up missing from the Bronx Zoo. Zoo officials say they are confident the snake is somewhere in the reptile exhibit. Johnny is fairly certain it's not or what fun would writing this missive be?

Look, more hysteria:

The brownish cobra, with a uniquely large, broad head, is among the most venomous reptiles on the planet — its poison can kill a person in fewer than 15 minutes.

So check your bags and more importantly if the rider next to you on the 1 train offers you an apple, change seats.

Late night open thread

Mitch Hedberg night:

"I order the club sandwich all the time, but I'm not even a member, man. I don't know how I get away with it."

"I had a parrot. The parrot talked, but it did not say "I'm hungry," so it died."

"By the way, you don't have to be sweaty and holding a basketball to enjoy a Gatorade. You could just be...a thirsty dude! Gatorade forgets about this demographic."

"I don't have a microwave oven, but I do have a clock that occasionally cooks shit."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Free Day today

You kids are on your own until tonight but if Johnny or the interns hear any strange noises we're coming down there with a fresh can of whoop ass...

Late night open thread

Kentucky are kings of the East region out in Newark, taking out North Carolina this evening. Funny a team would shoot so well from behind the three point line in a town with the nickname "Brick City".

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

What a soccer game last night

Team USA did themselves very proud last night in a very cold and windy New Meadowlands in coming back to get a very strong result, 1-1 with Argentina. The Argentina side really came out smoking with top player Lionel Messi weaving many potential scoring runs through the US defenders, luckily he managed just one such run that paid off. As the game wore on it did seem the USA got stronger and their defense started collapsing in and around Messi to limit Argentina's scoring chances. While the defense of DeMerit and Bocanegra and Onyewu tightened up, Coach Bob Bradley's insertion of Juan Agudelo into the attack paid dividends 15 minutes into the second half as Agudelo chipped a loose ball past the Argentinian goalkeeper after a beautiful ball into the area by Landon Donovan (is there anybody better in the world at free kicks and set pieces?) and a sharp header on goal by Bocanegra.

The USA had a few other chances later as their game got better and better. While billed as an international friendly match this had all the electricity (in the crowd to be sure) of a World Cup game. Argentina ranked #4 in the world played their best side and the USA ranked #19 in the world played their top players. On this night the USA was equal. Why does a friendly match in March of 2011 matter to the World Cup seedings in June of 2014? Image and perception are everything. If the USA goes great guns in international friendly matches their ranking goes up as does the general opinion of the USA side it means a better seeding than Mexico when the World Cup pairings come out. For years the USA would beat Mexico in qualifiers but Mexico had built a better reputation so the USA would get dumped into groups of death. This past World Cup the USA was better thought of and lo and behold a good draw in South Africa. THAT is why these games are important even though they seem not to be.

Hey kids, if you want more Johnny follow him on the Twitter

He'll be riffing uncensored (Hey we try to make the Jersey City Desk a place 95% of people can enjoy), with those newfangled tweets. So come by the City Desk for news, infotainment and commentary you can use and jump on over to Twitter for Johnny behaving badly (Hey if Newark Mayor Cory Booker follows Johnny maybe you should too).

You can find ole Johnny on Twitter here.

Late night open thread

Coverage tomorrow of the USA men's soccer team's impressive draw with Argentina tonight over at the New Meadowlands. It was damned cold tonight. Here's one lesson, plug your phone in if you want it to charge so you can take pictures, don't just set it by the charger. That's a tip.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NICK LOWE!

Here's a toe tapper with a little bitta snarl and if you let it, it might just get you outta your seat for some badly needed to-ing and fro-ing.

Power pop demigod Nick Lowe with 'You Got the Look I Like'.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE DOORS!

She's no drag, just watch the way she walks. The Doors with '20th Century Fox'.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOHNNY CASH!

Johnny's been very intrigued by the song that the show Deadliest Catch is using to promo their upcoming season after the deaths of a couple of regulars last season. A very hauntingly shot black and white film tinged with sepia set to the Johnny Cash song 'Ain't No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down)'. Take a listen, you'll wish you were wearing cowboy boots and spurs.

Some pics from the Sweet Sixteen games last night in Newark

Some of the flavor from Brick City last night...

Late night open thread

What a second ballgame tonight at the Rock. Ohio State and Kentucky played a classic. Newark has done such a great job in prepping for the regional finals and it sure was evident all around town tonight and this game did all that work justice. Plenty of helpful people giving directions and advice and general information all the way from Penn Station over to the Prudential Center. Very nice set up out in Championship Plaza as well. Johnny will share the pics of a great evening on the morrow but for now here's the last 46 seconds of the UK vs Buckeyes game without the expressed written consent of anyone other than Johnny.

Warning: Idiot with cell phone


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Holy lucky tickets Batman, Johnny just scored tickets to the Sweet Sixteen in Newark tonight

Good ones too so we'll try to bring you all the flavor and all the fun out at the Prudential Center tonight. Well try to get self-proclaimed superfans from North Carolina, Marquette, Ohio State and Kentucky. Normally Johnny would be cheering for Big Ten brethren to MSU the Ohio State Buckeyes but things in the athletic department in Columbus have become quite effervescent as of late and Johnny hates seeing cheating programs win a title. Kentucky and North Carolina are storied programs but Kentucky has quite the poor history of race relations back when Adolph Rupp ran the UK program and North Carolina committed the sin of beating Michigan State in the 2009 title game.

Hello Marquette, how you doin'?...

So who is headed out to the New Meadowlands tomorrow for the big USA vs Argentina soccer match?

Since international football is taking a couple week break so that their biggest stars can play for their country in friendly matches around the globe that means the top US players as well as the top Argentinian players will be on the pitch tomorrow night. Sure it'll be chilly but you'll get to see USA heroes like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, goalkeeper Tim Howard, midfielder Michael Bradley among others. Of course when you mention the Argentina side you have to mention the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who will also be out there tomorrow night (well actually if you're an autograph hound the Argentina side is staying at the Westin in Jersey City).

Johnny will bring you full coverage of the match with some incredibly bad iPhone shots, the kind you've come to know and cringe over. Let's hear it for Team USA!

One giant goal, one reaction from the stadium in South Africa, the other from a bar in California....Amazingly similar. Tell Johnny again how Americans hate this game.

Late night open thread

On this day in 1379 the Gelderse war ended. CNN was all over that one.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's nice to know Steve Fulop still has our back

City Councilman (Ward F) Steve Fulop came out with full throated outrage over the fact that others on the city council were ready to give (yes give in a no bid kind of way) an additional $50K to Certified Products Inc., a company that performs vehicle maintenance and has a habit of contributing to Mayor Healy and several city council members. Certified Products Inc. was issued a contract last August and this latest sleight of hand to add 50K without much discussion bringing Certified Products' total to $150K in city money was passed on a 5-3-1 vote with Fulop, Nidia Lopez and Viola Richardson voting against with David Donnelly abstaining (Donnelly received $1000 from Certified Products).

Now, back to those donations. Here's where Fulop may have caught the Healy crowd in something untoward. In their required filings, Certified Products claimed they made a $500 donation to Fulop to perhaps try to say "See, he was in on it all along", which really pushed Fulop's buttons:

"An enraged Fulop castigated the council and the Healy administration tonight after he discovered that Certified Products, on the political contribution disclosure form it is forced to submit to the city, listed a $500 donation to “Steve Fulop 2013” on Feb. 9, one week after Fulop successfully derailed the previous proposed contract.

“I am a vocal opponent of Certified Products and all of a sudden they say they’re going to contribute?” Fulop said. “This stinks … this absolutely stinks.”"

Fulop blamed the Healy Administration of trying to dirty his name with the secret donation which seems fairly plausible when you hear the mayor's spokesmodel (and Chief of Staff) Rosemary McFadden's reply to such an accusation:

No comment.

Really? When accused of something so dirty and underhanded and given the chance to deny this kind of chickanery happened in the public forum you have no comment?

Thanks Mayor Healy and Rosemary, we'll now draw our own conclusions, you leave us no choice.

Late night open thread

Under what name is singer Yvette Marie Stevens better known as? Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

What were we saying on Monday about remedial Jersey City criminals?

If this keeps up we're going to get a reputation...

Jersey City's Marissa Mark wanted a woman in California dead. We wish we knew why and we're checking but for now, she just wanted her dead. So, Marissa went to the logical choice in websites when you want somebody croaked, hitmanforehire.com. No, really, Johnny jokes around a lot but really, that's the actual site she went to. She offered to pay the person she contacted on the site $37K to shoot the woman in her noggin. Ms. Marks gave the hit man to be a picture of the woman, her schedule and work phone number and work address.

Marks then paid the first $19K with three stolen credit cards on PAYPAL. Yes, again, PAYPAL. She agreed to pay the other 18 large when the hit was completed.

The plan then fell apart when the hit man told the California target she was just that, a target, and that's when Missy's (can we call you Missy without getting shot up?) plan came unglued.

Take it away Jersey Journal:

PayPal ultimately discovered the $19,000 payment was unauthorized and reversed them, the indictment says. The eight-count indictment also charges Mark with counts related to the credit card use, aiding and abetting interstate travel with the intent to commit murder, aggravated identity theft and other counts related to the credit card use. Mark faces up to 56 years in prison if convicted on the charges.

By the way, the guys who ran the website? Yeah, they were indicted too...

Late night open thread

Why look who is making a triumphant return this summer with all new episodes. Mike Judge has decided to bring the boys back to life.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're taking gripes today, but only in Haiku form

If you good citizen have a complaint or gripe lay it on us. If it be about dear Jersey City, or NYC or FuHo do tell us but keep it in Haiku poem form. You remember the humble haiku, 5 syllables, followed by 7 syllables followed by 5 syllables.

Example:
Jersey City King
Mayor in over his head
We all feel the pain

Ooooooh, now nobody go steal that. Johnny better not see it on haiku.com later.

If you missed Supermoon you still have a chance to check it out

The good people over at Gothamist have posted a NYC viewpoint of Saturday night's Supermoon and some of those shots are pretty darned good. Click that link and go take a look unless you're feeling all werewolfy this morning..

Late night open thread

Sad news from the world of music tonight. Blues legend, the last of the true Mississippi bluesmen, Pinetop Perkins has passed away at age 97. He performed right up until a month or so ago, amazing.

You can read about his wonderful story here.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Movie trivia on a rainy Monday

For the chance to pick a song for this Friday's Music Series, which brand of cigarette tends to appear in Quentin Tarantino movies?

Oh to be a bass ackwards thug in Jersey City...

What's the old internet meme? Crime -- U R doing it wrong.

A man dressed in a gray hoodie and jeans (OK, so far so good, he dressed the part), was riding his bike at Union St. at Sackett when he came upon a Toyota T-150 truck. That's when he got off his bike (huh?) and opened fire into the EMPTY truck. Maybe he recently had a bad experience with a runaway Toyota, we may never know. For whatever reason he fired four shots from a .45 pistol into the truck (Much like Navin Johnson in The Jerk "He hates these cans" only this time it was "He hates this Toyota") and then ran way on FOOT. He had a bike right there with him. We'd think making a getaway after capping up the neighborhood would be faster on a bike than on foot but that's just us.

If you have any information on this remedial thug please call (201) 547-JAIL before he starts in on Camrys.

Late night open thread

Ever have one of those days where you just forget things? Like if you're a professional hockey player and you forget to take your skate guards off?


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's hoping for wins by Syracuse, Ohio State and North Carolina today

Look, Johnny doesn't like any of those teams but if they all win today, coupled with Kentucky's win yesterday the Regional Finals next week out in Newark become MAMMOTH matchups and that's good for business.

Besides, Johnny's brackets were toast about 3 pm on the first day.

Late night open thread

We put the music series on hold this week since we had so many music related posts on Thursday. Johnny constantly warns the interns not to become too one dimensional.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Well Saint Peter's is one and done in the NCAA tournament

And perhaps the most disappointing part was that there was no hint of an upset, the Peacocks weren't able to hang around like say Princeton versus Kentucky or little Oakland University (in Rochester Michigan where Johnny was born) did against Texas. The bigger and better Boilers took it to Saint Peter's and that was that.

We're fairly certain that for the fans disappointment will give way to a sense of pride and accomplishment (After all Saint Peter's is the Pride of Jersey City®). This was a program just a couple years back winning 5 and then 6 games a year total. Now they're marching through the MAAC tournament and knocking off top teams. We think in the next couple years Saint Peter's will be one of those top teams year in and year out.

So, until next year when we're guessing attendance at the Yanitelli Center will be much higher all we can tell the team and the college is thank you for representing Jersey City so well.

Late night open thread

Tonight's Devils game was brought to you by great tasting Sominex. Sure they outshot the Caps a billion to ten but how many of those were shots that Michal Neuvirth (yes, Michal Neuvirth, not Roberto Luongo, not Jimmy Howard, not Tim Thomas but Michal Neuvirth) actually had to work hard to stop? MAYBE 4 all night. In fact the hardest shot he had to stop he didn't as Ilya Kovalchuk swept in off the left wing with 3 minutes to go in the second period and pushed his shot into the post.

Shot numbers are deceiving in that way. Shots from around the perimeter add up but aren't all that dangerous. The Devils have 11 games left to make up 6 points on Buffalo who also have a game in hand on New Jersey. It's gonna be tough but it's still possible.

We'll get to the Saint Peter's ballgame in the morning, god love 'em.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saint Peter's is ready for their shot in the NCAA tournament this evening

And already the Peacocks have caught themselves a break. Purdue's top perimeter defender Kelsey Barlow has been suspended for the tourney by Boilermakers had coach Matt Painter. Will this somehow tip the balance in Saint Peter's favor? No, it won't but if a team is going to spring the upset they need every little bit of help they can get. Who knows, foul trouble could put even more pressure on the Boilers. No pressure on the Peacocks no siree, just a chance to show the world how good they can be.

The 14 seed Peacocks tip off with the 3 seed Boilermakers at 7:40 pm in Chicago. The game will air on TNT.

The radio call when Saint Peter's won the MAAC tourney


The live reaction from the bench and all the fans -- SPC! SPC! SPC!

Late night open thread

One more before bed for St. Patrick's Day 2011. It's Alison Krauss with the Chieftains by request performing the old Irish lament 'Molly Bán'.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Over?! Oh we're not even close to being done lads and lasses

Johnny's fave here, the only clip to make it each and every year's celebration. Here's The Dubliners and The Pogues with 'The Irish Rover'. What a great afternoon pick-me-up.

St. Patrick's Day shifts into high gear

The gorgeous weather, the NCAA tournament just kicked off and of course more St. Patrick's fun here at the Jersey City Desk.

Did you know St. Patrick's real name was Maewyn Succat? It's true. Now in honor of Maewyn Succat here is Gaelic Storm with 'Death Ride to Durango'.

This'll get your morning hopping

Some magnificent Irish fiddles to the Irish standard 'Irish Washerwomen'.

Another St. Patrick's classic from the archives

St. Patrick's Day 2008 outside Conor O' Neill's in Ann Arbor Michigan.

This was about 1 pm as Johnny recalls. These guys are pros, don't try this at home (but if you do please send us the pictures).

Your St. Patrick's Day host Lucky the Leprechaun will kick things off today

"Faith and begorrah, tis another St. Patrick's Day for a lot of Guinness and the wearing of the green. Before we kick off the music today Lucky would like to tell the royal family of England something. Each year a member of the inbred royal family presents a bowl of shamrocks to the palace Irish guard. Lucky thinks after all England has done to the Emerald Isle they should be giving not only shamrocks but several billion British sterling pounds as restitution".

Now to the music! Kicking off St. Patrick's Day 2011 here's Sinead O'Connor & the Chieftains with 'The Foggy Dew'.

Late night open thread

Is everybody ready for some fun tomorrow? Hoo boy it'll be great.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's time for Jersey City's favorite game show -- Jerramiah Healy State of the City BINGO!

That's right Jersey City citizens, Hizzoner Jerramiah Healy will deliver his state of the city address tonight (6 pm 280 Grove St.) and it's time to play State of the City BINGO!

First off, good luck getting into the address as Mayor Healy likes to pack these things with his die hard supporters (aka dead-enders) and there's not a lot of room for John Q. Public. But should you get in, bring your Bingo scorecard and if you win just stand up and yell BINGO!

We're trusting you know the rules of bingo. If Da Mayor says any of the words listed under the corresponding letter, mark your cards.

B
Austerity
Embankment
New York City
Leona Beldini
Budget

I
Mariano Vega
Campaign
Police
Blueprint
Journal Square

N
Fire Department
Property taxes
Hoboken
Blue Ribbon
Jersey City

G
Stable
Abatement(s)
Asset sale
Good News
Retire(ing-ment)

O
Corruption
Spectra Energy (Gas pipeline)
Election
City Council
Crime

OK, if you get BINGO, stand up and yell it. If you manage to get it on video somehow and we can post it to YouTube Johnny will be happy to buy you dinner at the Light Horse Tavern. A dinner at the Light Horse? Now that's a Bingo.

Late night open thread

The new 1 World Trade getting all glassed in. It'll be a welcome gem on the NYC skyline soon enough.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

How you can help our friends in Japan

Whenever a dire situation hits anywhere in the world, the only hope some people have is that somehow, some way the cavalry will come. Now is such a time for the good people of Japan. In all of his years Johnny has never seen such a dire situation as the one going on in Japan. We know a lot of our readers feel the same way and sitting on the couch watching the coverage on teevee or reading about it online can lead to a great deal of frustration. Well Jersey City Desk readers, here's how you can saddle up and join the global cavalry:

ABC News has 7 high tech ways you can help.

CNN Money has a list of the most important things you can give as well as those that while well intentioned might not be the best way to go.

Of course there is always the Red Cross, always on the front lines for helping disaster victims.

The Japanese word for thanks is 'domo arigato' and Johnny thanks you in advance for anything you can do.

Late night open thread

Notable quotables night:

"A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it."
--Alfred Hitchcock

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Governor Christie signs bill allowing motorcycle sales in NJ on Sundays

Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for this one. New Jersey was certainly not living up to it's full potential without Sunday motorcycle sales. It's good to know the recovery can continue.

Why was it illegal to sell motorcycles on Sunday in the first place? On Sundays in the Garden State you can get liquor, cigarettes, casino gambling and go to strip clubs but you couldn't buy a motorcycle. Of course you still can't buy cars on Sunday. Dare to dream.

The motorcycle law does not apply in the 1600's, aka Bergen County, where pretty much everything is still illegal on Sundays.

Late night open thread

The Saint Peter's Peacocks, The Pride of Jersey City®, have drawn a #14 seed and the #3 seeded Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and will play Friday in Chicago. A time for the game has yet to be decided. Take it from Johnny, a Michigan State fan who is very familiar with the Boilers, it's called a zone defense. You must make them shoot from the outside. Purdue is just too big and athletic up front for the Peacocks to play schoolyard basketball. Purdue can be had with tough zone defense and some excellent rebounding.

It won't be easy for Saint Peter's but if you wanna make your mark on the tournament, you gotta crack some tough eggs. Go Peacocks. Keep it here for all your Saint Peter's info in the run up to Friday.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The giant corruption sting was closer to Healy than anyone previously knew

Let us get this out of the way right now -- Recall Mayor Healy, he's nothing but a failed mayor and his closest associates have proven themselves to be on the take. He'll never do the honorable thing and resign, even as his confidants admit to taking money from FBI informant Solomon Dwek.

A book due out Tuesday shows Healy's confidant and 2009 campaign manager Harold "Bud" Demellier took $20k from Dwek and made phone calls on his behalf for the land deals that never were. The book, "The Jersey Sting: A true story of corrupt pols, money laundering rabbis, black market kidneys, and the informant who brought it all down" also shows Demellier also trying to smooth the way for deals in Bayonne.

How close does this mess have to get to Mayor Healy before somebody hauls him in to answer questions under a white hot light? His campaign manager, his deputy mayor and others close to Healy were all taking money from Dwek, and yet Healy walks the streets smiling with "no comment" or avoiding responsibility for his own city government. Oh he'll show up at ribbon cuttings and parades but try and get the bumbling mayor to actually talk about the sad state of his administration and you'll be stonewalled.

Make sure to click the link to this morning's excellent report in the Jersey Journal.

Late night open thread

It's odd they remind you to set your clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time when almost all of them do it themselves.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's uh, gonna be 60º today and sunny

And that sound you're about to hear is the Jersey City Desk staff running out into the glorious day and the door of the Jersey City Desk offices slamming behind them.

Have a great day peeps.

Late night open thread

Movie mistakes night:

In Jaws on the death certificate for Chrissie, the shark's first victim, the date of death is July 1st. But later, on the reward paper posted by Mrs. Kintner, it says that the date of Alex's death (The boy on the raft) was June 29th. Alex died after Chrissie, not before.

Oh continuity.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE B-52'S!

If your internet radio dial is tuned to the Jersey City Desk tonight your internet radio dial is tuned right. We're gonna get your evening rolling tonight with a classic bunch of live performances from that nutty decade known as the 80's. We're gonna start where any good rocking Friday night would start, with the kids from Athens Georgia, The B-52's with 'Dance This Mess Around' from 1983.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JACKSON BROWNE!

Here's a crackin' version of this song which Johnny has always loved. It's one of those songs that kind of defined a time and place in life. Here's Jackson Browne with 'Lawyers in Love'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with Til Tuesday!

Who knew? You can actually see Aimee Mann smiling in this live clip from NYC back in 1985.

Til Tuesday with 'Voices Carry'.

Anybody buying into this Spectra Energy advertising drivel in Jersey City?

Didn't think so.

These Spectra Energy ads trying to hoodwink Jersey City residents about how magnificent this dangerous gas pipeline they want to make money on, by putting YOU at risk, come off as clownish. Jobs Jobs Jobs they promise and yet make NO promise who those jobs will go to. Are a smattering of possibly outsourced jobs worth what happened in California where an entire section of San Bruno was leveled by a 'safe gas pipeline' supplying jobs to locals? People actually had to wake up running away from their homes as the gas pipeline incinerated home after home after home. A fire chief in San Bruno said the neighborhood looked like "a moonscape".

Can Spectra Energy guarantee this won't happen here? No, they can't. They don't even TRY to address it. They just try dangling job carrots from sticks on teevee thinking Jersey City residents are some kind of mule looking to get fed.

Sorry Spectra Energy, we're not buying the danger you're selling.

Video from the San Bruno gas pipeline horror:

Late night open thread

"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."
--Groucho Marx

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

And here's today's weather

With Weather Reporter Kiki

Of news roundups and tidbits

*Hats off to Rutgers head basketball coach Mike Rice for taking the high road yesterday afternoon after sloppy, LAZY and unprofessional referees screwed Rutgers out of a chance to beat St. John's. There are bad calls that happen but indifferent referees (Jim Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton should NEVER be allowed to referee ANY Big East games again such was their epic fail) should not be a part of the NCAA college game. Rice taught his team a valuable lesson in losing with grace yesterday.

*The Jersey City Council last night unanimously approved a $477 million 2011 municipal budget that city officials say will come with no municipal tax hike.

*Both Jersey City and Bayonne are pretty sure they will not have the same drunken and out of control St. Patrick's parades that plague Hoboken yearly.

Late night open thread

Say, have any of you ever considering attending the University of Lincoln? After you watch this recruiting video you may want to enrol now.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We do get letters and this one affects YOUR daily life

You DO have a cell phone don't you? Well then come on along and get learned on an important issue facing our fair state.

Are you for a more open market when it comes to consumer choice in your telecom? The Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act is being readied for a vote (SB-2664). Americans for Tax Reform thinks that the AARP and other groups aren't necessarily playing fair in making wild claims about competition and basic phone services.

Now, Johnny's not one to quickly jump to the side of ATR, he has his differences with their policies BUT in this case they're right. The Federal Government has rules and laws in place to stop companies from overreaching when it comes to such matters. You'll innovate and bring business to the Garden State if you encourage new investment in telecom. Hey, everything wired is booming right now (Though Johnny does think we're sitting on another tech bubble but that's a discussion for another day) and that's where the jobs are gonna come from these days.

If you'd like more information on this please DO click the link to read more on it. If you disagree Johnny has always said this blog is about you the reader so if you have an alternate point of view, let's hear it.

Uh oh, FuHo's gone and done it this time -- Only weekday St. Patrick's fun next year

Hoboken Mayor Dawn O'Zimmer has spoken. She's got half the city congratulating her while the other half swears revenge at the ballot box. Mayor Zimmer has decided after all the arrests, open container summonses and new this year with the sexual assaults, that next year's Hoboken St. Patrick's parade will be on a Wednesday, not the first Saturday of March anymore.

Zimmer cited the sexual assaults, the public urination and attacks on fire department responders as the reasoning:

"Despite our very best efforts, we have a situation that puts... our public safety at risk".

Here's the breakdown of the misbehavior in Fuho (and we'd like to point out not everyone who got a summons or was arrested for peeing in somebody's yard are from the Mile Square City, just most of them):

34 arrests (up from 25 last year)
296 citations (115 for open container, 59 citations for urinating in public)
80 traffic violations
2 sexual assaults
And this:

Fire officials responded to a call at 805 Washington Street about a fire at the back of building, but the fire had already been put out, said Chief Blohm. But fire officials encountered several people on the 4th floor balcony of the building that threw a flower pot, spat and dumped beer onto the responders.

So FuHo, your big parades are over unless of course everyone simply takes that Wednesday off and shows up with a vengeance. We're not saying we wouldn't encourage that kind of thinking, after all we're a salacious blog, duh.

Maybe Hobokenites could take some lessons in manners from us here in Jersey City. Lessons are Tuesday nights at Skinners Loft.

Here is free lesson in manners #1:

Late night open thread

Jersey boys played a matinee over at MSG this afternoon, just not the Broadway kind. The only singing was that of Rutgers fans as they defeated fellow Garden Staters Seton Hall 76-70 in overtime in the first round of the Big East tournament.

Sing RU fans, sing


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Some lunchtime cajun music with the amazing Buckwheat Zydeco

Johnny saw Buckwheat Zydeco at the old Frog Island Jazz and Blues fest back in Ypsilanti a while back. Just an amazing musician so able to keep everyone moving around with his classic touch on songs like this, 'Mon Papa' a proper Cajun waltz.

Another quick cajun classic from The Balfa brothers

If you're a movie buff you may recognize this song from the climatic final scene in the movie 'Southern Comfort'. We'd use the clip from the movie but then you'd have to watch a pig get slaughtered and you'd simply hate that, trust Johnny.

The Balfa Brothers with 'Parlez Nous A Boire'.

Welcome to Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras 2011

Oh we'll have a lot of fun today celebrating the great cajun culture down Louisiana way as we do every Fat Tuesday. Hopefully our N'awlins reporter Ms. Oddzymandias will favor us with pictures, video and fun from her hometown today.

We'll kick it off with the Balfa Brothers and 'Les Veuves de la Coulee'

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Saint Peter's Peacocks are going to the NCAA Tournament!

Saint Peter's has just won the MAAC Tournament with a 62-57 upset victory over the Iona Gaels. Tell ya what, the old addage defense wins championships holds true once more. Saint Peter's was the top defensive team in the MAAC and Iona had the top offense. 57 points in a title game for the top scoring team? Pfffft, that's a Peacock lockdown job.

Jeron Belin led the way with 17, Nick Leon had 15 and Wesley Jenkins had 14. Jenkins was incredibly key shooting lights out 9-9 from the free throw line during white knuckle time. Steven Samuels and Ryan Bacon each had two big blocked shots.

Congratulations to The Pride of Jersey City®, The Saint Peter's Peacocks and head coach John Dunne. This will be the Peacocks third trip to the big dance having also gone in 1991 and 1995.

Here we go Peacocks, Here we go!

Clap Clap

Camden adjusts to life with 163 less police officers

A while back we had written a tongue-in-cheek piece encouraging all the Jersey City criminals to consider Camden, who through budget cuts and no tax money coming in had to lay off almost half their police force. Well now that the new normal has set in down Camden way, one can start assessing the horror of living there via a great piece in the New York Times.

Apparently crooks love the sight of 40 something officer jumping out of police cruisers to give chase rather then their more nimble and much faster 20 something colleagues used to do.

Late night open thread

A few news and notes to wrap up this weekend's sports. Saint Peter's will play the Iona Gaels tomorrow night at 7 on ESPN2. Hopefully the regular season isn't some kind of harbinger as Iona beat the Peacocks in both meetings this year. The Devils crawled back to within in 7 points of a playoff spot with 17 games to play after their 3-2 shootout win on Long Island this afternoon. At one point this year they were 27 points out of the playoffs. It'd be great for Johnny and Devils fans if they could sneak into the playoffs and get a couple do or die games in Newark this spring. The Rangers beat the holy bejeesus out of Philadelphia this afternoon over at MSG 7-0. Ryan Callahan had four goals for the Blueshirts who remain in 7th spot in the east, 10 points up on New Jersey.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saint Peter's CRUSHES top seeded Fairfield, will play for a shot at the NCAA Tournament!

This one goes in the record book. Saint Peter's (The Pride of Jersey City®) absolutely punched Fairfield in the mush from the beginning of the game and ran out to a 40-15 halftime lead. You read that right, 40-15 at the half. Fairfield, the team that came in first during the regular season, and playing on their home floor in front of their home fans, tried to mount some kind of comeback. We don't think it was so much a comeback attempt as it was an attempt to save face. The Peacocks won the game 62-48 and in doing so advance to the MAAC Championship game against either Iona or Rider who are playing now at press time. The Peacocks were led by Jeron Belin with 15, Wesley Jenkins with 14 and Nick Leon with 11. Leon was clutch from the free-throw line going 6-6.

We think Fairfield's fine season just ended in the NIT Tourney, the double edged sword of the smaller conferences. Even at 24-7 we're not sure the tournament committee sees Fairfield as a better tournament team than say a bubble team like perennial power Michigan State. We shall see.

The Peacocks will play the title game tomorrow at 7 pm on ESPN2.

Kudos and Huzzahs to Saint Peter's!

Now here's a topic for lively debate -- Restaurants that don't allow YOU the valued customer certain substitutions

Example. Suppose you're sitting in The Spotted Pig in NYC. Now, suppose you're not a fan of the Roquefort cheese their burgers come with. You can have your burger at The Spotted Pig with Roquefort or without Roquefort but don't even ask for a different cheese. A couple more examples of the customer not always being right:

*Murray's Bagels (A Johnny fave) in the West Village and Soho will not ever toast your bagel. Never. You can get it a million ways but never toasted.

*At French restaurant Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecôte, don't bother asking for medium-rare meat. It doesn't exist in France and therefore you can't get it here.

Have a gander at the article, from places that don't allow ketchup to others that don't put salt and pepper on the tables, it's a fine walk inside certain kitchen across Manhattan that long ago stopped worrying about your special dietary inclinations.

Late night open thread

Saint Peter's (The Pride of Jersey City®) really played a complete tournament game this afternoon eliminating Loyola MD from further participation in the MAAC big show with a thorough 70-60 win. The Peacocks played well offensively and defensively all day long and didn't really have to over exert themselves as they have a quick turnaround before tomorrow's 2 pm matchup with the homestanding Fairfield Stags.

Jeron Belin came off the bench to score 17 points and Ryan Bacon scored 15 to lead the Peacock attack.

Fairfield is a top team no doubt but if Saint Peter's can play like they did today they'll have every chance of advancing.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you dig chili then Jersey City is the place to be tomorrow

The 4th Street Arts group will be holding their second annual chili cook off tomorrow at Parlay Studios from 2-6 pm and is located at 161 2nd St. in the Powerhouse Arts District. For a mere $5 you'll be able to sample all 20 entries. That's a lot of chili value for only $5. That small fee will also allow you to vote on the on your favorites in the People's Choice category.

Music and alcoholic beverages will be made available.

The St. Patrick's parade in Hoboken? Set your phasers to "Party"

It's the annual St. Patrick's Parade and drunken barn dance in FuHo today

WHY run a quote on drinking from Hoboken's own Frank Sinatra on drinking? Now you know why.

Yes police scanner radio fans, Hoboken is having their annual St. Patrick's parade replete with thousands upon thousands of out-of-town revelers, open bars and police drinking checkpoints. If any of you party nuggets are planning on attending this year's festivities please do not forget that FuHo balances their budget handing out open alcohol citations that run upwards of a couple hundred bills. Make sure you're not paying for civic improvements up there for drinking out of a paper bag.

We really think that Hoboken should invite Snooki to be the parade grand mashall/grand hussy. She would set the proper tone for today. If you're looking for something cheap and yet educational, around 8 pm through midnight take the 33rd St. PATH train that stops coming and going in Hoboken. Now just take a look at the people getting on a off. Make sure to take pictures (and send them to Johnny -- he'll publish them) for your memory book, Hoboken St. Patrick's parade day 2011.

Late night open thread

Notable quotes night:

“I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.”
-- Frank Sinatra

Now why would we run a quote on drinking from the Chairman of the Board? See you tomorrow for the answer

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BOB WELCH!

If done correctly, some of these songs can bring some memories flooding back. Johnny is guessing this is one of those songs. Where does this song take you back to? If you can't open up and share a part of your teenage years maybe you can get two bonus points by telling us which former bandmate is backing up Mr. Welch on this song.

Bob Welch with 'Sentimental Lady'.

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

Showing Athens Georgia the love tonight. R.E.M. with 'Driver 8'. A very underrated piece of their catalog.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE CLASH!

Johnny's been in a Clash kind of mood all day. He now gets to cash that chip in. The Clash with 'I'm Not Down'.

A question for Giants and Jets fans...

What are your thoughts on the NFL labor issues? Johnny would guess Jets fans would be a little more upset seeing as how they would be closer to getting to a Super Bowl but of course the Giants franchise has been around forever and the G-Men fans have seen it all.

So, your thoughts?

Late night open thread

State trivia night:

More turkeys are raised in this state than any other. Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Dear jackass 'in charge of' the Jersey City Wikipedia page

Uh, this is a LEGITIMATE link. It covers Jersey City as you can see. It's even got Jersey City in it's name. Do little people like yourself feel important being 'in charge' of a Wiki page? Does it help you get through your sad little life sitting shiva on it?

Apparently so.

Johnny will just keep putting it back up. He's got time and lord knows he's got the patience...

First round of the Big East tournament next week pits Seton Hall against Rutgers

So it'll be a Jersey thang next Tuesday at 2 pm over at Madison Square Garden when the Pirates of Seton Hall square off with their mid-state rivals, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers is 14-15, 5-12 while Seton Hall is 11-17, 5-11.

Johnny has arranged a deal to keep the Peter Stuyvesant statue here in the Jersey City Desk offices

Since nobody can seem to agree on where the statue of Jersey City's founding father, Peter Stuyvesant, Johnny has cut a deal with the Jersey City School District* to hold onto it until the city and citizens agree where it should finally land. It will be delivered this morning in a big old Chevy truck (they had it ready to go in a Toyota but that broke down simply looking at the size of the statue we think).

Johnny and the staff will take good care of it and won't adorn it with silly hats and or sports jerseys (as far as you know) nor will we make it look like Peter is smoking.




*Just go with it

Late night open thread

"I took my girl to dinner, and she laughed so hard at one of my jokes that she dropped her tray."
--Jack Benny

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The 1&9 is closed in Newark -- both directions this morning

The Jersey City Desk traffic copter is reporting that the 1&9 in both directions out in Newark is closed due to an overturned tractor trailer.

News you can use before heading out this morning...

File photo of the Jersey City Desk Traffic Copter when intern Zoltron flew it into some trees by the New Jersey Turnpike

Late night open thread

"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do".
--Galileo

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City is featured in a StreetFilms short on transit oriented development

A very smart and well done short of 3 minutes on Jersey City's smart developments around mass transit which will pay our fair city back in the long run according to the experts.

Click here for the great look at Jersey City's efforts.

It's win or go home for the year now for St. Peter's basketball

In failing to win either of their last two regular season games, the Peacocks finished 4th in the MAAC and will play in the 4 vs. 5 matchup Saturday in Bridgeport Ct. at 2:45 pm against Loyola of Md. in their opening MAAC tournament game.

If the regular season is any indicator expect a close game between St. Peter's and Loyola. St. Peter's won at Loyola by three points while Loyola won at the Yanitelli Center by two points. The rubber game of this series will be played on a neutral court, we'll just see who wants the loose balls more.

It's really a win the conference tournament or go home as it's not looking like St. Peter's, even with two wins in the tournament are going to the NIT with a 19-14 record. Rider, Iona and Fairfield all have 20 wins and only one is likely to go to the NCAA tournament even with this year's expanded field. To even get on teevee you'll recall St. Peter's had to play a game at the Yanitelli Center at 6 am. You can now see how the NCAA and ESPN view the MAAC.

Here's to a long run by St. Peter's, The Pride of Jersey City®!