Late night open thread

Movie classics night. This scene needs no introduction...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Flavorful chicken outlet in NYC? No, Flav-aful chicken outlet

Former Public Enemy comic relief/backup singer and current television dating show viking Flavor Flav says he's bringing his fried chicken restaurant to New York City. When asked about opening outlets in Gotham Flav said "Hell yeah, I'm bringing FCC home, I'm doing that sh*t here".

Hopefully you'll be able to order that fine fried chicken, some potato salad and biscuits and get it all inside of 10 minutes at the counter. If only we knew where to find a clock to time it all.

Get up and get get down
Flavor Flav has wings and thighs in your town

Late night open thread

A few days after Christmas, a mother was working in the kitchen listening to her young son playing with his new electric train in the living room. She heard the train stop and her son said, "All of you sons of bitches who want off, get the hell off now, cause this is the last stop! And all of you sons of bitches who are getting on, get your asses in the train, cause we're going down the tracks."

The mother went nuts and told her son, "We don't use that kind of language in this house. Now I want you to go to your room and you are to stay there for TWO HOURS. When you come out, you may play with your train, but I want you to use nice language."

Two hours later, the son comes out of the bedroom and resumes playing with his train. Soon the train stopped and the mother heard her son say, "All passengers who are disembarking from the train, please remember to take all of your belongings with you. We thank you for riding with us today and hope your trip was a pleasant one. We hope you will ride with us again soon." She hears the little boy continue, "For those of you just boarding, we ask you to stow all of your hand luggage under your seat. Remember, there is no smoking on the train. We hope you will have a pleasant and relaxing journey with us today."

As the mother began to smile, the child added, "For those of you who are pissed off about the TWO HOUR delay, please see the bitch in the kitchen."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy Memorial Day

Especially to all the veterans who either give so much of themselves for the rest of us or have paid the ultimate sacrifice helping keep this great Republic safe.

We are in your debt.

Late night open thread

Pretty darned funny. You gotta be able to laugh at yourself once in a while.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

When is Gotham Gotham but not really Gotham unless it's playing Gotham?

When Gotham might be played by the city of Newark in the next Batman movie. Now we all know New York City is sometimes known as Gotham. We know from the DC Comics that Batman lives in Gotham City. So when Newark Mayor Cory Booker this week tweeted that the people behind the Batman film franchise were scouting Newark for places to film the next movie in the series it raised a few eyebrows.

Is the Batcave under the Harrison PATH stop near Red Bulls Stadium? Does the Penguin live under the Newark Bears field in a super secret lab? Does the Riddler run the Ironbound with an iron-bound fist?

Tune in to this website next week, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

Late night open thread

What an utter clinic turned in by FC Barcelona this evening in London's Wembley Arena in the UEFA European Championship match. Barca utterly dominated Man U. You can probably now count on one hand the amount of times the legendary Man U side has been pulled around the pitch by their ears and yet that's exactly what happened today.

Barcelona is truly now one of the greatest club teams ever. They could beat most national teams. Much like in 2002 when the Detroit Red Wings had 11 future Hall-of-Famers on their roster that won the Stanley Cup and played with panache and style and wowed the fans so too does Barcelona. Lionel Messi played brilliantly and showed for all the talk of his passing and dribbling and ball possession skills his shot is like a rifle and he doesn't need much room to pull the trigger. Johnny's favorite Barcelona player, striker David Villa clinched it late for the Catalans.

Johnny thinks if Barcelona was on the soccer game of the week every week more Americans would watch the beautiful game.



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

There seems to be an issue in NYC (and really everywhere) over filming police

A lot of police (We're loosely referencing this case) think they can intimidate you into not filming them in public doing their jobs. You better believe you have that RIGHT. See cops want to control the ENTIRE situation which leads to 'mission creep' and controlling a whole large area when dealing with a professional situation. If you stay back, out of their way and don't interject yourself you have every RIGHT to film what they are doing. Look they film you right? News crews can film you with or without your consent in public. If you aren't on private property and you're not interfering they cannot stop you, they cannot confiscate your camera, still or video.

Johnny can guarantee you that if Los Angeles police knew they were being filmed in the Rodney King beating they would have confiscated/stolen the camera and that clip never would have seen the light of day. It's about time we citizen 'journalists' start making sure police know OUR rights and that we DO have a RIGHT to film freely in public.

End of story.

Late night open thread

Movie quotes night:

"Attention. Here's an update on tonight's dinner. It was veal. I repeat, veal. The winner of tonight's mystery meat contest is Jeffrey Corbin who guessed "some kind of beef."
--Bill Murray as Tripper Harrison in Meatballs

Time for Jersey City After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BLIND MELON!

Here's to a sunny and rain free Memorial Day weekend here in Cool City. So much to do and a lot going on.

Johnny doesn't have much use for hippies in life but this post-modern post-hippie song is one of the good ones and let's face facts, not a lot of videos had a real meaning behind them. This one was a major exception and just kinda sorta made you feel good in the hope that understanding and people who share your wants and needs in life are really out there, even in bee costumes.

The late Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon with 'No Rain'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE WHO!

The Who with the track 5:15 from their masterstoke, Quadrophenia. Johnny can and will make the case Quadrophenia is the best album ever cut. The album and it's message and themes cut very close to Johnny growing up. Pete Townsend's lyrics and music truly is a reflection of parts of Johnny's teen angst years. The star of the movie, Jimmy, was a lot like Johnny growing up trying to find out who he was and how exactly the world would punch you in the nose if you didn't start punching first. Both sought clarity in 'medication' if you can call that clarity and not the escapism it really was.

The Who with the powerful song 5:15

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MELISSA ETHERIDGE!

Melissa Etheridge is just good solid American rock and roll music. Johnny loves artists with passion and Melissa has that passion in every studio album she's turned out and she's an amazing live show. Wrapping up the music series this week is Melissa Etheridge with 'Bring Me Some Water'.

Things are returning to normal in Weehawken this morning

The case of the really bad horrid awful smell has been solved! Residents are no doubt breathing better AND breathing a sigh of relief as the pungent odor that residents and walkers were smelling near Boulevard East and 43rd Street has been found and dealt with by a team of firefighters who had to rappel down an embankment to get to the source of the effervescent issue.

It was a dead chicken.

Yes, all that for a dead chicken in a bag. You'd think local cats and or raccoons would clean that kind of thing up but for that bothersome lack of opposable thumbs.

Carry on Weehawken, and remember, keep those chickens in your yard lest you contribute fowl to foul air.

Late night open thread

Tonight a time lapse image of the Earth at night and the ambient light levels from highly populated cities and countries to no light in other places on the globe. Click the image and watch it grow.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Another murder in Jersey City last night -- UPDATED

Wasn't it just yesterday that Jersey City Chief of Police Tom Comey was saying how the FBI was interpreting Jersey City's violent crime statistics wrong and making us (the city, the police chief, the police and the mayor) look bad? Can't misinterpret this one Chief.

An unidentified person was shot in his SUV where he was sitting with friends last night at Bidwell Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive. A man approached the vehicle to rob the people in it and the victim was then shot in the chest. The victim was taken to Jersey City Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 1:15 am.

When you click the link and read the story one thing you'll notice is that any big crime that happens in Jersey City involving a resident is never commented on by Chief Comey or Mayor Healy. You'll only see Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio make a statement.

If we don't talk about it, it never happened, eh boys?

Maybe the Mayor's Spokesperson Jennifer Morrill will have a comment for us on how well the computerized system of cutting down on crime in Jersey City is working later today along with a cost effectiveness break down.

Don't hold your breath.

UPDATE 4:48 pm: The victim's name is Anthony Adams and he is a U.S. Marine who had served his country in Iraq. What a heinous loss. Police are looking for Earl Austin who is 20 years old and lives on Bartholdi Avenue. If you know where Earl can be found please call police. He is considered armed and dangerous. Of course if citizens were to catch and disarm him and were to say tie him up by his belt loops to a flagpole and play pinata we'd be OK with that outcome too. Corporal Adams leaves behind a mother, sister and pregnant girlfriend.

Looks like more filming today in the Powerhouse Arts District

On a hunch, Johnny drove by the area near Provost and Bay St. this morning after seeing something being filmed or photographed yesterday on his way back from the river for the Fleet Week parade of ships. Happy to report citizens, the film crew is back today. It could be anything, a photospread, a commercial or a TeeVee or movie.

Drop by and see if YOU can get noticed. It's how Johnny started...

Late night open thread

Fleet Week kicked off today with the parade of ships into New York Harbor and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge and then to their dock for the week. Be a pal this week, if you see a sailor in a bar, buy them a cold one. Show 'em the love they so richly deserve.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A morning walk through our fair city

Never know what you'll miss if you don't look down once in a while...

Late night open thread

Saturday night it's the UEFA Champions League title game. Manchester United vs. Barcelona. Wayne Rooney vs. Lionel Messi.

Who ya got?



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Action item: We may have a serial rapist in Jersey City

May have meaning two attacks on women where a similar modus operandi is used and a similar description of the attacker is given.

The first attack happened in late March near the corner of Harrison and Bergen. The attacker asked the victim for money and when she refused he put her in a choke hold, dragged her into an alley and assaulted her. He later pedaled his sorry ass away on a BMX-type bicycle. He was described as a black male, around 30 years of age, physically fit, and about 5' 7" tall.

The second attack, made near Bergen and Fairmount (McGinley Square) on Sunday has eerily similar connections. Black male, thin build, roughly 30 years of age and he too put his victim in a choke hold as the victim was entering her building. A neighbor coming upon the scene scared off the attacker who fled north on Bergen towards Montgomery after taking off his shirt and hat.

If you have ANY information that might lead to the arrest of this jackass, please contact the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit at (201) 915-1234 or Jersey City Police Department at (201) 547-JAIL.

We're gonna throw this one open to our readers -- Topic: The NYC smoking ban

For those not hipped to the news, Sunday began the ban on OUTDOOR smoking in NYC public parks and pedestrian areas. The fine is $50 if you are caught lighting up in say Central Park, Coney Island, Herald Square, Union Square, Madison Square Park et al.

Outdoor smoking banned. Now, there is a growing movement, sly as it may be to pretty much not allow smokers to even smoke in their private residence in NYC. It's true, the Ariel West at Broadway and 99th has banned smoking in private dwellings.

We here at the Jersey City Desk are well aware of the dangers of second hand smoke. We support the smoking bans in offices, public events such as a Giants or Mets or Yankees game, anywhere there is a group of people in some kind of condensed area. But a fine for smoking in Central Park?

What are your thoughts dear readers? Should we simply just outlaw cigarettes (or try) since this seems to be the way society is headed? Should we even bother with trying to fine people who are using a legal product in an open space that doesn't inebriate them?

Tell us your thoughts...

Late night open thread

Rock trivia tidbits night:

When United Artists was preparing to release Electric Light Orchestra's debut album, a company representative tried to place a call to someone connected with the band to find out what the LP should be titled. The caller, having failed to reach the desired party, jotted down the notation "no answer," a phrase which was mistaken for an album title and assigned to the U.S. version of the LP.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Either the Jersey City Construction Board of Appeals Chairman has impeccable taste in cars...

Or Jersey City is waaaaaay overpaying for city vehicles.

Johnny spotted this immaculate Cadillac CTS-V parked near 150 Bay St. and at first it was the finest production car made, the CTS-V that caught his eye. Then he saw the official business placard hanging from the rear view mirror and went "Hmmmmmm".

We're gonna give them the benefit of the doubt until we know otherwise and just say this person knows their cars.

Late night open thread

A man lay spread out over three seats in the second row of a movie theater.

As he lay there breathing heavily, an usher came over and said, "That's very rude of you, sir, taking up three seats. Didn't you learn any manners? Where did you come from?"

The man looked up helplessly and said, "The balcony!"

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Late night open thread

Johnny's gonna skedaddle out of the Jersey City Desk offices until Sunday evening as he has a party of great importance to throw this weekend with old friends from Detroit and Bahstun. The last we saw the interns they were playing waaaay to close to the Hudson River. While we're working on getting a Jersey City Desk river cruiser boat for news and whatnot we don't have one yet so God only knows what they were up to or when they'll be back.

A one song music series this week but man oh man is it a get down get funky stone groove from Billy Preston with his classic Outa-Space. Released in 1971 this song is so far ahead of it's time it's eating Thanksgiving dinner in 2020 right now.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Fallen Jersey City Detective Marc DiNardo honored with school in his name

In a very very nice and worthy gesture, School 23 annex building, formerly known as old School 17 will be named after Detective DiNardo, who gave his life in the line of duty two years ago. Mary DiNardo, DiNardo's widow had been working with the school district to get his name on a school as a lasting memory she felt fitting due to the fact education was such an important part of her husband's life and the fact he was a life-long Jersey City resident.

The renaming ceremony will take place next Wednesday at 10 a.m. at 128 Duncan Ave.

We'll give the Jersey City Desk last word to Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey:

"He gave his life in service to the residents of the city."

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City Desk traffic copter is seeing problems this morning

HUDSON RIVER CROSSINGS: INBOUND GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE DELAYS OVER AN HOUR FROM 80/95...45 MINUTES FROM RT.4 & RT.46....20 - 30 MINUTES FROM THE PALISADES THEN HEAVY ON THE SPAN ++ / OUTBOUND DOING OK.

GRAND CENTRAL PKWY EASTBOUND AT JACKIE ROBINSON PKWY RIGHT LANE BLOCKED . WITH EMERGENCY CONSTRUCTION + DELAYS BACK TO JEWEL AVE // WESTBOUND SLOW FROM 168TH ST TO THE JACKIE ROBINSON PKWY, ALSO SLOW FROM LAGUARDIA AIRPORT TO THE MARINE AIR TERMINAL.

ALSO THIS MORNING AN EASTBOUND LANE ON THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY AT EAST YAPHANK IS CURRENTLY BLOCKED BY AN ALLIGATOR...

The over/under on hitting parked cars while drunk is now 5

And we've got a new record holder who just raised the over/under line on smashing parked cars while allegedly driving all liquored up.

Bayonne's Robert Rydwin turned the trick on Avenue A on Monday night crashing into five parked cars and a house for good measure (the over under on houses/dwellings is still one). NJ.com offers more on the metal on metal (and brick) carnage:

Police responding to the crash found the vehicle on the sidewalk in front of 583 Avenue A, in between the residence and a 2005 white Honda Accord, reports said.

Cops said that Rydwin's vehicle pushed one of cars, a Honda Accord, into the air and pinned it against the driver side door of the Infiniti, reports said.

Mr. Owl, how many drinks does it take to get a Honda Accord into the air? Let's find out: One, Two, Three, CRUNCH.

Three.

Late night open thread

TeeVee trivia night:

The supposed real name of Mrs. Howell on Gilligan's Island is Eunice Wentworth.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

OK, Johnny needs a day off BUT

He just saw this picture by Stefanie Gordon of Hoboken who was flying from LaGuardia to Palm Beach when she saw this amazing image of the space shuttle Endeavour launch and snapped some pics on her iPhone.

Well done Stefanie, 2 gold stars for these! You can follow this link to her shots.

Stefanie, if you do chance by, Johnny is only posting one thumbnail so people don't skip this story and so we can make you as famous as can be...

Johnny needs a day off

And the interns are nowhere to be found again.

Yes, Johnny REALLY needs a day off today to recharge some batteries and prepare for all of his out of town guests this weekend as Red Wing nation invades Jersey City and the Big Appletini.

Til tonight...

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wanted: One ark to loan

Hudson County and the surround including ALL of New Jersey is under a flood watch and it's only going to get worse through Wednesday.

We'll be getting rain and intermittent thunderstorms after the fog clears out this morning while Tuesday and Wednesday we could receive 2" of rain EACH day. So if you own an ark that's just sitting in your acre size garage, today might be a good day to get out there and sell tickets.

Of course if the flooding gets too high make sure to drop by Jersey City Hall and get your canoe which of course is part of Mayor Healy's 'Free canoes when it floods bad program'.

Late night open thread

A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths.
--Steven Wright

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Dear JCPD, Johnny's going to have to insist on a 'No sirens after 3 AM' in Johnny's neighborhood rule

Last night was an issue and woke Johnny up (again). That can't happen. So Johnny will be sending the JCPD a zone around Johnny's abode where sirens are verboten on weekends from 3 am to 7 am. Feel free to join in and complain. They'll get the message if enough of us leave our beefs (yeah right).

Late night open thread

From the website Awkward Family Photos:

This bunny didn’t have time to dispose of the last kid.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Suck on that Brooklyn and Queens, Macy's fireworks on the Hudson River again this year

Sorry those with a view of the East River, the Macy's show will be on the Hudson River for the third year in a row. All the good boys and girls on the New Jersey side, from Jersey City to Weehawken will be getting the best views this July 4th.

Johnny will most likely get out the Jersey City Desk News Raft where he'll be able to drift around the river on the current and take pics and video if the tides aren't dragging him towards the Atlantic Ocean, in which case be a pal and rescue Johnny's dumb ass.

Sad news this morning -- New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard dead at 28 years old

One of the real battleships when it came to fighters protecting the skilled players Boogaard, nicknamed the 'Boogeyman', passed away in his apartment in Minneapolis. 28 years old. So sad. Way too soon for anyone to leave.

He played most of his career with the Minnesota Wild where the 6'8" 255 lb. Boogaard built his fearsome reputation. From the Rangers press release:

“Derek was an extremely kind and caring individual,” said New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather. “He was a very thoughtful person, who will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”

Sad.

Late night open thread

State trivia night.

Which state is the flattest state? Not fattest, think geography and flattest. Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with CHAKA KHAN!

Johnny's willing to bet you haven't heard this gem in quite a while. No you haven't. No. Way. Nuh-uh.

Lawdy Miss Clawdy what a voice on this one. Chaka Khan with 'Ain't Nobody'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with EDDIE FLOYD!

Eddie grew up in Detroit Michigan (But then again all the best singers and musicians seem to do that) and with the Falcons was a trailblazer to the Motown sound of the Temptations and Four Tops. Eddie made his mark down south with Stax Records. Mr. Floyd has worked with some pretty serious talent in his day even writing for Wilson Pickett.

Eddie Floyd with 'Knock on Wood'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with VAN MORRISON!

See if you can't sing AND spell. That's a wrap on the music series this week with the classic 'Gloria' by Van Morrison.

The Jersey City Desk proudly announces we have bought the naming rights to the Cretaceous Period

That's right, Johnny is nothing if not a shrewd businessman so from now on ANYONE mentioning the Cretaceous Period must refer to it as 'The Cretaceous Period presented by the Jersey City Desk®'.

Excellent.....

Well well well, looks like Google got the thingamajig to go into the doohickey part

And now Blogger is allowing us back into our hallowed blogs. Sorry for the delay. Please send all hate mail to Google.

Late night open thread

Notable quotables night

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
--Confucius

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Late night open thread

POLICE FIND ALIBI UN-BEARABLE
Man charged with breaking into Spotsylvania business
Date published: 4/30/2011
BY KEITH EPPS

A man's attempt to blame his fresh wounds on a bear didn't save him from a burglary charge Thursday night.

Spotsylvania sheriff's Lt. Col. Michael Timm said Deputy Patricia Purcell went to The Little Academy in the 4700 block of Plank Road shortly before 10 p.m. in response to an alarm activation.

She immediately noticed a broken door and saw a man walking toward her from the rear of the business and eating a banana.

Purcell asked the man if he knew what had happened, and he motioned toward the front of the building, where a glass door had been smashed.

Asked about a bleeding cut on his forehead, Timm said the man explained that he lives in the woods near State Routes 3 and 20 and was chased by a bear two days ago.

Suspicious of the man's bear story and his level of intoxication, Purcell detained him for further questioning.

Detectives found glass shards in the mud on the bottom of the man's boots, and a police dog tracked a scent from inside the business to where Purcell had seen the man walking, Timm said.

The business owners arrived and told police two laptop computers were missing. The man later said that they might want to look on the roof because "if I took them, that's where I would hide them."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Time to get your affairs in order Jersey City, the rapture is upon us

According to some local religious 'leaders' the end of the world is only 10 days away. You may have seen the billboards or read about this event but we know you have a lot on your minds and wanted to remind you of this brilliant 5 point plan to get the most out of your last remaining time on this pale blue dot we call Earth:

1) Mortgage payments are for suckers at this point
2) Booze it up, God will understand
3) Know that guy/girl you've always wanted to ask out (even if you're married)? What's holding you back NOW citizen?
4) Donuts for breakfast lunch and dinner
5) Give Johnny all your worldly possessions you'll no longer be wanting or needing in the afterlife. His email is listed on this site

Late night open thread

Oh are Johnny and Trixie and Red Wing nation happy tonight. The impossible dream continues.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Yes Virginia, you can walk from the World Trade Center to Jersey City and not get your feet wet

Reymundo Rodriguez is either a very troubled man or a very adventurous soul. Rodriguez was at the the World Trade Center PATH station when he decided the train was just taking too damned long. There had been an accident in Hoboken earlier that day and though trains don't run directly from FuHo to the WTC Rodriguez thought he'd waited long enough.

Off he set on a spelunkers view of the PATH system. He didn't touch the third rail, he didn't get hit by a train. In fact, in all the reports Johnny has read not one PATH train operator mentioned seeing him in the tunnels. It wasn't until he got very close to the Exchange Place exit that a Port Authority contractor noticed him and asked him in essence what the hell he was doing. Rodriguez answered with a blank stare that none other than President Obama told him it would be OK to make the underground trip:

"(President Obama) told me it was safe to walk through the tunnel" he told the contractor. The contractor alerted police.

After Rodriguez emerged at Exchange Place he was arrested and in initial questioning told authorities he planted a bomb in the tunnel somewhere. What an asshole. Of course this meant the Joint Terrorism Task Force had to stop all train traffic and sweep the tunnels looking for a non-existent bomb.

Rodriguez was charged with criminal trespass and went for a mental evaluation and was released.

The Dalai Lama is coming to Newark this Friday

Religious leader and China thorn the Dalai Lama will be visiting Newark this Friday in what is described as a "three-day summit that will advocate for nonviolence in everything from national debate to kitchen table conversations."

While the Dalai Lama is in town for the three days the Newark Museum will put all of it's world-renowned Tibetan collection on display.

You'd better look into this and get tickets to all the events post haste good people:

More than 3,000 people — 1,000 of them children — are expected to visit the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the summit’s primary venue, between Friday and Sunday, organizers said. The event’s 106 speakers range from actors Edward Norton and Goldie Hawn to activists Earl "Street Doctor" Best and Dashaun "Jiwe" Morris.

Make sure to check out link to the Peregrine falcon cam

The chicks have hatched high atop 101 Hudson. Click the link or simply click here.

Late night open thread

"Hell is full of musical amateurs: music is the brandy of the damned."
--George Bernard Shaw

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

PATH is running on time in and out of Hoboken this morning

After yesterday's train/abutment meeting, the FuHo station was closed for around 12 hours but the workers worked all night and the Hoboken PATH line is up and running on time this morning.

Late night open thread

A snail can sleep for three years. Think about that when your alarm clock goes off in the morning.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

BREAKING NEWS: PATH train hit the platform in Hoboken, 70 injured with UPDATES

Johnny is monitoring Hoboken police radio this Sunday morning and the radio is crackling with news of a 70 injuries and calls for a disaster unit and Mayor Dawn Zimmer to be notified. All EMS and police in Hoboken are on alert. It sounds like they are closing down some train activity in Hoboken.

Will update as we get more info

8:58 am We heard a request for Weehawken and Union City ambulances. Sirens in Jersey City are now going nuts

9:00 am Calling for disaster units

9:01 Hudson Place closed at River to set up command unit. This is sounding PATH related

9:06 PATH alert: 5/8/2011 8:50:40 AM
Due to a police investigation, train service into and out of Hoboken is suspended. All other train service is operating

9:08 NJ Transit and Port Authority on scene

9:12 Jersey City Desk is scooping the world here

9:13 Jersey City EMS is on scene and 20 of the 70 injured are 'accounted for'

9:14 This IS PATH related as radio says there are still at least 15-20 victims on the PATH train

9:16 Some victims being 'green tagged', can anyone help us with this terminology?

9:18 Media to be staged at Newark and River

9:19 All victims moved to street level. The PATH platform has been cleared as has the train

9:30 May be getting ready to brief media. The SLOW media who is already some 45 minutes behind the Jersey City Desk Action News team

9:40 A dozen victims left to triage

9:46 "Situation is stabilizing." 15-20 victims sent to hospitals who had been 'green tagged'.

9:51 http://twitter.com/#!/vhernandezcnn is reporting on Twitter that a PATH train did indeed hit the platform in Hoboken. Johnny just retweeted this as this is becoming a very serious story.

10:09 NJ.com gets up from long slumber, files first 4 sentence story (We kid out of love)

2:00 pm we're glad to announce that the number of injured was closer to 35-40 than the originally mentioned 70. We got that 70 number straight from Hoboken police and EMS radio. Jersey City PD radio was going nowhere fast so for an unknown reason Johnny flipped over to the Mile Square City just as the response was unfolding. This is why Hoboken can't have nice things.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

What a beautiful morning here in Cool City

Birds are chirping, helicopters are buzzing along the river, trees are blooming and runners are holding up traffic at Warren and Christopher Columbus.

Ah Spring in Jersey City...

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LIZ PHAIR AND MATERIAL ISSUE!

Hey it's almost time to get hopped up on sugary cereal and start Saturday in a sugar fuzzed cartoon marathon. What time and channel are the Banana Splits on? What? You've never heard of the Saturday morning phenomenon known as the Banana Splits? See, this is why our schools are failing. Liz Phair and the band Material Issue (Valerie Love Me) with the theme to the Banana Splits Show to hip you to the zaniness.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BOW WOW WOW!

Who wants candy? We all want candy. That would be an interesting thread one day. All the rock music songs that make mention of candy of some kind. Here's the candy that's good for you, Bow Wow Wow's 'I Want Candy'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE ROMANTICS!

A big shout out to the magnificent fans in Joe Louis Arena tonight who literally rooted the Red Wings home to victory. That was home ice advantage. In their honor Detroit's own Romantics with Johnny's favorite Romantics song 'Keep in Touch'.

Johnny's got contractors coming and going here all day

In his race to build a death ray on top of his building he's gonna work from home today to make sure the nuclear-fissionator 2000 is installed correctly and operational. We'll be back with you tonight for the music series.

Late night open thread

As you know recently the Jersey City school Superintendent Charles T. Epps Jr. made big waves when he called the young ladies in the school district evil and all kinds of mean nasty names. That set Johnny to thinking. Maybe the curriculum in the JC schools isn't Draconian enough. Maybe we need to get back to basics with our multimedia we show the evil kids.

Here now a Coronet Films (Propaganda never looked so good) movie short at how the utes of Jersey City, female AND male can be better citizens, though it may help to stop feeding Fluffy the dog Cocoa Puffs. Also note the extended uncomfortable silence at 5:53.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Free rabies shots.....for your pets

OK, if grandpa INSISTS on coming along....

Jersey City will be giving away free rabies shots for your pets in May. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Mary Bethune Center Parking Lot, 140 Martin Luther King Drive;
Sunday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pershing Field, behind the ice-skating rink, 201 Central Avenue;
and Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lincoln Park, in the parking lot adjacent to the track;

There is more to the particulars of the program so make sure to read the story for all the necessaries.

“Your pets are part of your family and the best way to protect your own health, and the health of your family and friends, is to avoid exposure to rabies and keep your pets up-to-date on their rabies shots." said Mayor Jerramiah Healy. We couldn't agree more.

PATH to suspend service to WTC around noon

President Obama, the great Osama killer, will be meeting with families of the 9/11 attacks and will lay a wreath at the site of the Twin Towers this afternoon and PATH will be stopping all PATH service into WTC for what they say will be about an hour. If you are headed over expect security to be on full alert and that means it could take a while to get where you're going.

For exact times of the suspension check PATH Alerts.

Late night open thread

Mitch Hedberg night:

I got a business card, cause I wanna win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, Potential Lunch Winner."

I had a paper route when I was a kid, I was a paper boy. I was supposed to go to 2,000 houses... or 2 dumpsters!

Every McDonald's commercial ends the same way, right? "Prices and participation may vary." I wanna open a McDonald's and not participate in anything. I wanna be a stubborn McDonald's owner. Cheeseburgers? Nope. We got spaghetti! And blankets!

My apartment is infested with koala bears... it's the cutest infestation ever! Way better than cockroaches. When I turn on the light, a bunch of koala bears scatter. And I don't want 'em to, you know?

I had a bag of Fritos, they were Texas Grilled Fritos. These Fritos had grill marks on 'em. Hell yeah! Reminds me of summer, when we used to fire up the barbeque, and throw down on some Fritos. I can still see my dad with the apron on... "you better flip that Frito dad, you know how I like it."

I hope the next time I move I get a real easy phone number. Something like 222-2222. I would say sweet. People would say "Mitch, how do I get a hold of you?" I would say, "Just press 2 for a while! And when I answer, you will know that you have pressed 2 enough."

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Who doesn't love a Cinco De Mayo parade and fiesta?!

And such a parade and fiesta will be held tomorrow right here in Jersey City.

The two-block parade, which starts at 4 p.m., will proceed down Grove Street from Grand Street to Montgomery Street and end with a fiesta at Bar Majestic, located at 275 Grove St., which will run from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

There will be food, adult beverages, dancing and music so really, what's not to love? But you have to wait until tomorrow. Besides, today is rainy and awful.

Late night open thread

Tomorrow's school lunch menu is out:

Choose 1
Asian Chicken Bites with Texas Toast
Ravioli with Texas Toast
Bottomless Meat Product Dumplings with Texas Toast
Texas Toast with Texas Toast

Choose 2
Corn niblets
Cheese and Beets with Raisins
Pea Parts
Broccoli con carni
Radish Delite

Choose 1
Cake
Bigger Piece of Cake
The Junior Widowmaker Piece of Cake
Jell-o Shots

Beverage Choice
Milk
Apple juice
Coffee
Remy Martin Cognac

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

PATH trains into the WTC were delayed this morning, no problems found

Port Authority police were on scene this morning investigating a PATH train car, thankfully nothing was wrong.

We'd better get used to an increased police presence for the next little while folks. Killing Osama bin-Laden is sure to push some nutjob hellbent on revenge to do something stupid. Jersey City's fine police force is on a higher alert today as is the New York City PD. The Port Authority is obviously on a heightened alert after last week's Holland Tunnel shootout. We have to trust that everything that can be done IS being done and woe to those that aren't doing everything within the law to keep us all safer.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Just the one more post today, we know you have a lot on your minds

Just one more thing on bin-Laden. How WONDERFUL it was he had to see who was there to take him down. Unlike a predator drone or missile strike that would be equally effective at doing the job, Osama had to look into the eyes of who brought the thunder. He knew at the end the Americans had come to end him and THAT is what's so rewarding.

BREAKING NEWS: Payback's a BITCH isn't it? US Navy Seals kill Osama bin-Laden

Johnny and the team will be heading over to the WTC later this morning for more reaction... In the meantime...

Osama Bin Laden Killed By Navy Seals in Firefight

Late night open thread

Happy 80th birthday to the Empire State Building. It was built in exactly one year and 45 days.

A very real problem with stolen electronics at Starbucks

The New York Times reports (Make sure to burn one of your 20 free articles a month on this one) stolen laptops, phones, purses, bags have become almost as common as a double chi no foam half skim lattes anymore. You sit in Starbucks with your bag or phone nearby under a coat or you get up to use the restroom, you come back and suddenly you're minus some high ticket items. NYC police have said the sheer number of Starbucks make them perfect hunting grounds for such items. From the article:

From Times Square to the Village to Brooklyn Heights, Starbucks pops up again and again on police blotters. Officers have set up stings in the chain’s stores. A commander even asked one branch to put up a sign warning customers; the manager demurred, saying such a sign required corporate approval.

As that clip mentions police are setting up stings in Starbucks and outside in the patio seating but clearly there just aren't enough police who can be put on this kind of detail. “I think it’s great people are so comfortable with New York City,” said Lt. Dan Hollywood, who is on the Grand Larceny Task Force in the Manhattan South precincts. “But we’ve turned it around enough; maybe they’re not quite as raised up as they used to be.”

It's not JUST New York City experiencing these robberies. The story mentions such far away lands as Toronto, Berkeley California, Birmingham Michigan and *gasp* Hoboken.

It's our opinion that you can't blame Starbucks for these thefts, the onus falls on the owner of the equipment to keep it as safe as possible. We sure would like it if Starbucks would ADMIT there is an issue in their stores to help protect their mealtickets electronics but until that day comes (never is our guess) folks will just have to rely on stories like these to get the word out.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark