Johnny has been tailgating all day for his MSU Spartans

Where does the day go when you have a cooler full of beverages and a Weber pot grill and you plant your Spartan flag at a rest area out on I-80. Lots of stares but who cares because it's college football season!

The Spartans will host Boise St. tonight in East Lansing. As we all know anything and everything can happen in a first game. Just ask Kent State and Towson. Watch this, it must have been a loooong summer. It's one thing to pick up what you see as a fumble and run the wrong way but if you're Towson, why would you chase him down and tackle him? Let him go man, it's only two points but they count just the same. From the looks of things you could have used any points you could get.


Anything and everything.

Late night open thread

Are there any great songs about Thursday?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Oh NOES! The Jersey Shore has been cancelled

Yes fans of lowbrow, unintelligent, slovenly television,you'll just need to find another show. MTV has lowered the boom on Snooki, JWOWW, Juicehead, Uncle Gorilla, Cousin It, Larry Daryl and Daryl and the whole cast.

Here now a moment of silence for a retrospective of our favorite Jersey Shore moments:





























Thank you

A sunny scene from Cool City this morning

Goooood morning Jersey City!

Late night open thread

"Adcomsubordcomphibspac" is the longest acronym. It is a Navy term standing for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command. There you go.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NJ Transit trains delayed 30 minutes from NYC

So plan ahead.

Due to a wire problem all NJ Transit trains from NYC are delayed 30 minutes as of now. Midtown direct trains are now heading to Hoboken and PATH is cross honoring tickets. The word from NJ Transit is that they are looking at a wire problem on the Northeast corridor to Newark.

Late night open thread

"A scout troop consists of twelve little kids dressed like schmucks following a big schmuck dressed like a kid."
-- Jack Benny

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

An interesting question put forth today

The Star-Ledger  asked the question, 'Since Governor Christie will try and change outsiders views of New Jersey via his keynote speech at the RNC convention, will he be effective?'

Note we didn't say it was a good question, just an interesting one.

Of course he won't. 89% of Republicans are white people, older, and who aren't open to a huge amount of new ideas. In the meantime, their children, and anyone under 50 who are subjected to on a daily basis "The Jersey Shore", Jerseylicious", "The Housewives of New Jersey", "Snooki and JWOWW Against the World", "Mob Wives" et al are NOT going to change their opinion of the Garden State because the governor gives a speech.

A recent poll would confirm Johnny's suspicions:

The latest Rutgers-Eagleton poll found 46 percent of those surveyed think Christie’s speech will make no difference in how the state is perceived. Nearly a third — 32 percent — think it will enhance the state’s image, while 14 percent think it will hurt.

Now, Johnny has only lived here in Jersey City for four years, but isn't the whole idea about being from New Jersey that you don't give a frog's fat ass what people think of you? Isn't that part of the allure?

Your thoughts?

Late night open thread

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
-- Clarence Darrow

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You all have a free day today

Johnny is trying to plan a vacation and it is not going at all well. This one calls for another pot of coffee. Mind yourselves until tonight.

Late night open thread

Tonight on this internet radio outpost we're tuning into HR-XXL in Frankfurt Germany. Click here and enjoy the music til dawn.

TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

So what if a guy in Queens had 3 million bees in his back yard?

That's not the point. So what if he was cutting the honey he was selling with corn syrup, that's not the point. So what if he had another six unregistered bee hives behind his Astoria sushi restaurant? That's not the point.

Oh, we'll get to the point alright, in a minute.

Yi Gin Chen had built himself quite an apiary in his Queens backyard. 45 hives, that's roughly 3 million bees. His neighbors weren't as enthused as Chen, and neither were some local businesses. Chen is seems had tried to pass off diluted honey to a local bakery:

"He gave them a sample, and it was just fine," Andrew Cote, of the New York City Beekeeper’s Association, tells the Post. "Then they bought the honey from him, and it turned out he had cut it severely with corn syrup. We tasted it, and you could tell right away. It was the old bait and switch."

Chen disagreed about diluting his honey but not about the fact the bees were out of control:

Chen, however, calls that "an absolute baldface lie," but did say of the bees "I don’t have the time or resources to do this."

The point, yes the point, lets get to it. Chen's neighbor, one Ted Kouris said this about the propensity of bees:

"I’ve been bitten three times already. It’s to the point where it’s ridiculous."

You do not get bitten by bees. No one has ever been bitten by a bee. You get stung by bees, not bitten. Mr. Kouris, if you're gonna hate on this guy's honeybees please learn to hate correctly.

Late night open thread

*Attention* *Attention* Would all New York City police officers let your sergeants know in writing by the next roll call when you want to put in your extra 50 hours of target practice on the firing range. That is all.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Saturday morning cartoons

In this episode of Tennessee Tuxedo, a penguin outwits a mouse with the help of Phineas J. Whoopee, the man who knows everything. Tennessee thus gets into space first. It's an age old story, often told in penguin bars and pubs.

Late night open thread

We now have to reset the sign outside Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty "America -- Days without a mass shooting" back to 0.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE SUPREMES!

That Motown sound is just so choice. Did you know that no band knocked The Beatles out of the #1 spot in the charts more than The Supremes? It's true. Here are Mary, Cindy and Diana with 'Love Child'. No excuses, singing is mandatory.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELVIS COSTELLO!

Johnny doesn't remember a lot from the first real party he went to. The beer took care of that. He does remember this song playing a couple three times that night in Dave Teare's basement. 1979 was a good year for music, a good year for the punkish group Johnny ran with, and a good year for drinking waaaaay too many Michelobs. Elvis Costello with 'Accidents Will Happen'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with OINGO BOINGO!

Ah yes, what a perfect song to send you on your way to wherever you're headed with the aptly named song 'Goodbye Goodbye'. Next time you see Fast Times at Ridgemont High this is the song that plays over the closing credits.

Governor Christie says Garden State residents have no interest in pumping their own gas

Well, do you? It's a novel thing, always having someone pump your gas, to Johnny who comes from a complete self-serve state in Michigan. Someone asked the Governor the other night about self-serve gas pumps and Christie said, “There is just no appetite, republicans or democrats in the legislature, to make us a completely self–serve state.” Well, would anyone want or be interested in some self-serve pumps along with another bay of full-serve pumps? Anyone wanna chime in on what you'd like? Status quo? A mix? Free gas that comes with pie?

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple shooting at Empire State Building

Breaking news, a shooter believed to have shot five people at the Empire State Building reportedly has been shot and killed by NYC police. Early reports (and these are most likely never completely accurate) say this MAY have been a workplace dispute. The FBI has CONFIRMED that this is not terror related.

10 people are injured at latest report. You can follow a live report by clicking this link.

Late night open thread

Dear Madridistas; Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Support your local farmers, hit the farmer's markets near you

As we roll towards fall so many wonderful fruits and vegetables are finishing their time growing and are ready for you to dig in to. There is nothing better (or more sustainable) than getting locally grown food fresh, while it still has those valuable vitamins and nutrients, and paying local farmers to grow it for you. Really, who wants fruits and veggies that have been on a truck for days?

Jersey City has several magnificent farmer's markets about town. Follow this link to find out where near you one is located and what hours they operate.

Late night open thread

Tonight it's a top ten list from David Letterman before bed. From the home office in Kalamazoo Michigan:

Top Ten Things We've Learned About Mars
10. Temperature: Minus 67 degrees F; "Feels like" Temperature: Minus 70 degrees F
9. It's completely overrun with cats
8. Orbited by three moons -- Probos, Deimos, and Shemp
7. Everyone leaves for the summer
6. Only half as many Kardashians
5. Red surface is largely paprika
4. Crops doing poorly due to several million year drought
3. With reduced gravity of Mars, Governor Chris Christie would still be morbidly obese
2. All trails are open; all lifts are running
1. Easier to get to than Romeny's tax returns

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Ray Kelly's FAIL over Muslim spying is now complete

By now you are aware that New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly ordered agents to engage in borderline legal (if not outright illegal) spying on the Muslim community after 9/11 in New York, New Jersey, Guam, France, Antarctica, Nome Alaska and Fargo North Dakota (ok some of those were simply tossed in for effect). Kelly said this spying through his "Demographics Unit" (Now known as Zone Assessment Unit) was vital. It was necessary. It was the right thing to do despite the fact New Jersey has it's own police and investigators AND the fact many Muslims were already cooperating with the powers that be (The newest member of the NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT COMES TO MIND!!) that is until Ray's investigators got found out. Yep, not only were they spying, they were sloppy and lazy about how they went about it. A janitor found them out when they left all kind of maps and snapshots of buildings around town and NYPD radios, (you know like ACTUAL terrorists might have in their possession) at a surveillance site here in the Garden State.

So after they were found out the Muslim communities in New Jersey, namely Newark and down Rutgers and Princeton way, weren't too keen on helping someone who had been spying on them. Now here's where Ray Ray's fail becomes complete, he incensed a group we as a community need to work with all for nothing. You read that right. Kelly's spying initiative garnered ZERO leads, and ZERO actionable tips. Know who else thinks Kelly's plan was a loser? The FBI:

Documents obtained by the AP show the unit conducted operations outside its jurisdiction, including in New Jersey. The FBI there said those operations damaged its partnerships with Muslims and jeopardized national security.

Nice job Ray! You and your Zone Assessment Unit were complete failures on this. Why not invite Mayor Mike to the fail party, he was supporting you all through thick and thin. He made wild comments about the powers of your Zone Assessment Unit, it'd be a shame if he couldn't drive over to the fail party, park his car so they can stick an A/C unit in the window, while he lives large with a group that jeopardized national security.

Just resign Ray Kelly, before your reputation is further tarnished.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So head on down to the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, win big, then get sued for it

Yes gambling fans of all ages, you read that right. Go on down to the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, sit yourself down at the baccarat table and start winning. Just know when you are done winning the casino will sue you for your winnings because they are not vigilant.

The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City gets their cards from Gemaco, Inc., a Missouri company. These cards are supposed to come shuffled. First rule in gambling with cards if you're the house, shuffle those cards before dealing. But the cards coming out of the packs weren't shuffled. They were all coming out of the packs in the exact same order the pack before came out in. Before too long serious gamblers are going to notice this. The bets increased. And increased. Soon so did the winnings. So perplexed were the casino big wigs that they sent people down to the floor to investigate how so many people were winning:

The Golden Nugget said it flooded the area with floor persons, managers, supervisors, surveillance and security officers, believing they were watching “a sophisticated swindling and cheating scheme” in progress.

They found none so gamblers playing baccarat kept winning. 14 players racked up $1.5 million in winnings. They broke no laws nor did they cheat. They merely used what was put before them in the Golden Nugget's property. It is the Golden Nugget's job to check the cards, not the gamblers.

But sadly that is not how Golden Nugget sees this, because of Gemaco Inc.'s stupidity they don't feel they should pay out their obligations to the winners. Golden Nugget's position from the AP:

But in a lawsuit filed against the 14 gamblers in July, that is exactly what the casino seeks, citing state gambling regulations requiring all casino games to offer fair odds — to both sides. The casino’s lawsuit asserts the gamblers and the casino both began the game believing it was legal and proper — until the players kept winning over and over again.

So you'd think Golden Nugget had proof they were cheating or certainly they would have paid out by now right? Wrong:

“From the beginning to the end of play, however, plaintiff could not identify any particular act of those players that actually constituted swindling and cheating,”

People, why would anyone go to Atlantic City and gamble at this place? They don't seem to think when you win you are due your winnings. Stop with the platitudes about the cards weren't shuffled so it wasn't a fair game. Who has the responsibility to ensure the games are on the up and up? Who signs the lease knowing they have gaming commission rules to follow? Golden Nugget that's who. We'd simply steer clear of this place until they realize unless you catch someone cheating you pay your debts. The only cheater here was ineptitude.

Late night open thread

A few good minutes with an old favorite, Franklin Ajaye.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The NJ State Police it would seem DO need a policy against stupidity

Because without a written policy troopers could be free to do anything they want to apparently. The New Jersey State Police have instituted a policy wherein NO MORE official state police escort cars can be used for speeding exotic supercars without tough oversight. Official escorts have pretty much gone the way of the dodo if the attorney general's office is to be believed. Just how scattered was the old 'policy'? Here ya go:

The new document, five pages long as opposed to the two-page previous version, states that all requests for escorts must now be approved by three supervisors, including two top commanders, and those requests will be reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Attorney General’s Office.

Under the previous policy, requests were supposed to be approved by one high-ranking officer. But after the newspaper reports, Fuentes said that, in fact, responsibility for approving escorts rested with troopers at the local level.

So just like the guy who sells cars and when you ask him about a deal says he IS the manager, the local troopers were left alone to make their best judgement call. Until of course those judgement calls became an embarrassment. 

"...The policy’s strongest message of all is right on page one: "Public safety is paramount."

Yes. We'll just see about that

Late night open thread

It's a cat party til dawn on this internet outpost.












Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We've all come across people with unfortunate names

Every so often one of those names will make it into the news-of-the-weird columns, isn't that right  Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop? Well now here's a guy with either really really awful parents who we're guessing were reading the Penthouse Letters section rather than the baby name book OR a guy who really knows how to troll the coppers. Ladies and Jellyspoons please meet Jackmeoff Mudd.

Imagine if you will yourself in that poor substitute teacher's spot calling roll in Jackmeoff's classroom.

OR:

The name game!

Shirley!
Shirley, Shirley bo Birley Bonana fanna fo Firley
Fee fy mo Mirley, Shirley!

Lincoln!
Lincoln, Lincoln bo Bincoln Bonana fanna fo Fincoln
Fee fy mo Mincoln, Lincoln!

Jackmeoff! (Any takers?)

So, the Giants mashed the Jets last night 26-3...

...how many craps do you give? Anything great (Giants fans) or miserable (Jets) stick out immediately? Any preseason analysis you want to lay on us feel free.

Late night open thread

Only one state in the USA is without any National Park System units such as national parks, seashores, historic sites, battlefields, memorials, and monuments. Can you name it? Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you see something, say something, just don't expect a response

Hey there JCPD, you have done a magnificent job ignoring ie not responding to a call Johnny himself placed to you over an hour and a half ago about a possible property crime in progress in his neighborhood. Did it not get relayed by the operator? Did the mayor fall down a well and you're ALL on scene there? Or, maybe, just maybe if nobody responds that effectively helps lower the crime rate because no paperwork gets filed.

So citizens, if you see something say something, just do not expect the JCPD to follow up on a Saturday morning while cartoons are still on.

Late night open thread

On this date in history Genghis Khan died in 1227 at a Los Angeles hotel under suspicious circumstances.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE THE!

We'll start the music series this week with an under the radar song that really needs to get more love. Here is The The with 'Uncertain Smile'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SANDY NELSON!

Go get two pencils. Or two chopsticks from the utensil drawer. If you're feeling it get the broom and the plunger. It is time to do a little air drumming. Well since it is Sandy Nelson you'll be doing a lot of air drumming in the next few minutes. C'mon, everybody plays an air instrument sometime. Here are your drums. Sandy Nelson with 'Let There Be Drums'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SPARKS!

Wrapping up the music series for another week with the uh, eclectic band Sparks with this gem from 1982 which was used in the 1983 movie Valley Girl, 'Eaten by the Monster of Love'

Let's have us a swell free Friday today

Whatever you wanna talk about, whatever you wanna share go for it. We'll turn it over to you today.

Late night open thread

Queen is the only band in which every member has composed more that one chart-topping single.

It's a FACT!



Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You can almost set your clock by these pronouncements -- The new high rises at Journal Square are coming!

In a refrain we have heard for years from everyone to the mayor to city council to developers, the big new super duper high rise/office space at Journal Square is back in the news.

Because every four months somebody has to bring it up to make the city seem like it is an imminent project, and shovel ready. It's not. Once again the Jersey Journal is willing to write yet another article filled with quotes from those who one day hope to maybe and perhaps build there. Read the article. Note the many words like "could soon", "hoping to break ground", "hopes to put a shovel in the ground", and "possibly transformative developments." So, in essence, nothing concrete. All STILL just talk.

When you go to read the article just look at the fancy model the KRE Group has built. Isn't that something? Guys, you could build it with matchsticks and enter it into one of those science fairs to see how much weight the structure would hold and it still wouldn't any more near "Shovel in the ground" status than it was five years ago.

Tell ya what KRE Group and Jersey City government, come back and be interviewed for an article on this the day you actually dig something. Until then, please don't bother us with how great this "might" be. In the words of Dieter on SNL's Sprockets:

"Your story has become tiresome."

Late night open thread

What kind of paint do they sell in Australia? Harry Potter brand?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We had no idea MLS was doing so well

Could it be that the New York Red Bulls will have some cross-Hudson rivals in the near future? It would seem so as Major League Soccer is planning to plop a new team in Queens and the move has the support of Governor Cuomo and Mayor Mike. Flushing Meadows in the place they want to build the 25,000 seat stadium. MLS wants to add some land to the haul to build (on their dime) 9 soccer fields in addition to the big stadium (Did MLS do this for the Red Bulls out in Harrison?). We'll see how this plays out but it does raise some interesting questions.

Can the Red Bulls continue to be the New York Red Bulls playing in Harrison New Jersey with a team actually from New York City proper playing nearby? The Jets/Giants case isn't quite comparable as there is no Brooklyn Ogres or such team. Seriously, they may have to become the New Jersey Red Bulls or risk some backlash. And back to a previous question, why NOW and why NYC for the MLS cash drop?

Ah well, all things that'll be worked out in time. We do know this, send us your NYC-proper teams and we'll send them back tenderized.

Late night open thread

Movie trivia night. Name the movie this store appears in.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Either the birds hate this car...

...or this particular permit parking spot is just not worth all this. This was the ONLY car in the line on Warren to get this bird treatment. It might just be time to, you know, move your car while you can still see it...

Terrible accident at the Dunkin Donuts on Central Avenue at Griffith St. -- UPDATED!

Just some terrible news this morning campers, eight people were hurt, five seriously enough to need to be admitted to the trauma unit at Jersey City Medical Center after a car crashed into the establishment last night. A 14 year-old girl was admitted with head trauma and two broken legs. Police spokesman Stan Eason said they were trying to piece together if all the injured were inside the restaurant or were hit outside and possibly knocked inside. Eason also said that the driver was one of the trauma patients but he did not know yet if alcohol played a part int he crash.

Our sincere best get well wishes to those injured.

10:59 am -- We have an UPDATE on this story The driver of the vehicle that caused so much human and property damage is Marco J. Guardiola of Jersey City. Guardiola, who was driving on a suspended license, will be charged with DWI, multiple counts of assault by auto and multiple motor vehicle violations as well as motor vehicle charges including reckless driving, failure to wear a seat belt and failure to exhibit registration, a driver's license and proof of insurance.

Congratulations Mr. Guardiola, just so you know a young girl you hit went through three and half hours of surgery this morning.

JFK's $100 million dollar state-of-the-art security system beaten by man in a life jacket

You know how companies spend millions and millions on how great they are and how forward thinking they are and in some cases what an integral part of a safe America they are. Then, when their false bravado is laid bare they hide, they say nothing.

That's where we come in, to make sure you know THEY messed up.

Daniel Casillo was tooling around Jamaica Bay on his jet ski when it ran out of gas. That put Casillo in a pinch and he needed to get somewhere he wouldn't drown. He swam to Kennedy Airport's runway 4L which sticks out into the bay. After crawling from the water, with his yellow life jacket on he climbed an 8 foot security fence to try and find help. Airport security estimates Casillo walked across two intersecting runways and traveled two MILES around JFK before an airport employee called security.

Yes, back to security and that integral part of keeping America safe. Raytheon, who made the perimeter intrusion detection system at JFK, had no comment to the Associated Press on the fact their system failed to pick up a guy wandering around the runways in a BIG YELLOW LIFEJACKET. See that, no comment. When it comes to chest thumping, they'll lead the way. When someone beats a $100 million security system they had a big role in? *Crickets*

Hey JFK, Port Authority and Raytheon, somebody is calling your failure "catastrophic":

"The catastrophic failure was that nobody sounded the alarm to go to condition red intruder alert," said former New York City Detective Nicholas Casale, who was deputy director of security for counterterrorism at the New York metropolitan area's transit agency. 

"Immediately there should've been an armed response. Heavy weapons, armored cars to the area that the perimeter was breached. The airport should have been locked down."

The Port Authority and the police union have gone back and forth over this security system. The Port Authority says the system works (We here at the Jersey City Desk find when such large sums of money are involved oftentimes the smart way of doing things is discarded and trumped by bureaucrats). The police union says the best way to stop this very thing from happening is to have boots on the ground, ie patrols. After this fiasco which will no doubt put more money in somebody's pocket because nobody will ever just stand behind their product and fix what should have been working in the first place, we're in agreement with the police union. Pay proper men to do a proper job and stop thinking electronics can solve everything.

Let's congratulate the St. Peter's Peacocks as they spread their wings

Our good friends over off Kennedy Blvd. are no longer a college. As of later today St. Peter's becomes St. Peter's UNIVERSITY. They will join Seton Hall and Georgian Court (huh whaaaa?) as the only two Catholic universities in the Garden State. The Star-Ledger has more on ow this came about:

The leap from college to university comes after years of expansion at the 3,000-student school, which began adding graduate programs in the 1990s. Earlier this year, Rochelle Hendricks, the state’s higher education secretary, approved Saint Peter’s application for university status.

It has been a long road. The first discussions about becoming a university began fifteen long years ago and in earnest four years ago. Students? Oh they're fired up:

"University sounds a lot bigger than college," said Amanda Schaffer, 21, a senior graphic design major from Jersey City. "The first thing I plan to do is get a t-shirt that says ‘Saint Peter’s University.’"

Good on you St. Peter's!

Late night open thread

Comedy Central's roast of Roseanne tonight reminded Johnny of the classics, the Dean Martin roasts. An awful lot of big names had some hilarious speeches. Nobody though was a bigger wildcard than Henny Youngman. He was the hand grenade in the room. You never quite knew what you were gonna get. Here Don Rickles is the lucky recipient of the madness.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

FuHo bloggers are sued for supposed "false and defamatory" posts

The gloves are off in Hoboken as a FuHo city couple, Lane Bajardi and his wife, Kimberly Cardinal Bajardi, both described as local activists, are suing the blogs and bloggers the Grafix Avenger and The Hudson Mile Square View.

More from the Jersey Journal:

The suit claims the posts and online comments by Pincus, Roman Brice, who operates and blogs The Hudson Mile Square View, and others have interfered with the Bajardis’ business relationships, inflicted emotional distress and jeopardized Lane Bajardi’s employment with 1010 WINS.

The lawsuit also claims that Nancy Pincus, a Zoning Board member and the blogger also known as Grafix Avenger, emailed Lane Bajardi’s employer in January 2012 stating Bajardi is a “hyper-partisan political operative” who spreads “bigotry and intolerance” in Hoboken.

You really emailed someone's employer because you disagree with them Ms. Pincus? Really? That's classless. In fact if this claim is true we hope some point of this lawsuit succeeds. Who do you think you are taking this action? The liberal morality-keeper of the earth? Again, if true, SHAME on Nancy Pincus.

Hey, we here understand nuisance lawsuits and the big entities who threaten millions in damages merely to intimidate people into not telling what they know. These people are gutless pukes who think threats should trump truth. They do exist.

As for the Roman Brice portion of this story, he has said he was already involved in a physical confrontation at a school board meeting with Lane Bajardi so all bets are off there. This has gone beyond a personal vendetta online and reportedly evolved into the physical. How nice.

Again, if true these charges in the lawsuit are more than troubling to someone like Johnny who doesn't pull punches but doesn't say things like "Mayor Healy's kids would be better off raised by wolves" either. There is professional criticism and then there are personal vendettas. We have a hunch about this one but we'l let it play out and fill in the blanks with facts.

Late night open thread

Fail and a half.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Some nice new renderings of the new High Line section -- The Rail Yards

The High Line blog has some nice new renderings of how the new section NYC just acquired between 30th and 34th streets. It will make a horseshoe around the rail yards below. You can find some of these images here. 

Johnny and the crew loves the High Line and can't wait for Jersey City's equivalent you can learn more about here.

Late night open thread

If today (Sunday the 12th) is your birthday you share it with Suzanne Vega. Oh, and happy birthday.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're not usually ones for gun violence and it's simply pointless for the most part

We're willing to make an exception in this case. A marksman with a handgun has been taking down those annoying red light cameras in Newark. The Star-Ledger tells us more:

Red-light cameras at the intersections of Broad and Murray streets and Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard were given the same treatment as that ill-fated hotel room TV that enraged Elvis.

Shooting guns like this in public is wrong and puts people in harm's way (but if you can keep hitting these things without missing what's a little gunsmoke between friends?). Shame on you for doing this (There are 83 more left in Newark). Nobody should be doing this kind of thing (If you banded together you could get the rest in no time).

We hope we've been crystal clear on this topic.

Late night open thread

Yes, just suspected, let's not jump to any hasty conclusions.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LAS RUBIAS DEL NORTE!

It's old Havana night here at the Orbit Room this evening with our house band Las Rubias del Norte performing 'Canto Indio' to get the music series started this week.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SONIC YOUTH!

Because sometimes you gotta rock out a little feedback. Sonic Youth with 'Kool Thing'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE SEEDS!

What a hook this song has, "Pushin' too hard, You're pushin' too hard on meeeeeee..." Actually it's got a little bit of everything, perhaps that's why it is so endearing and damn hard to get out of your head.

The Seeds with 'Pushin' too Hard'

The humble red plastic party cup: Cop kryptonite in NYC

Sometimes arcane laws still exist from the past which may seem strange in context of present day sensibilities. This one can help you walk around with a beer or cup of wine or a Glenlivet single malt scotch if you're feeling uptown in current day and there's not a 'whole lot' NYC police can do.

Gothamist points out the loophole known as "The Brand Loophole" and here's where it gets nutty (but a good kind of nutty):

"As a general matter, the police must note on the summons the actual brand of alcohol or do a lab test," attorney David Rankin of Rankin & Taylor says. "The reason for this is the statute says the drink must contain more than 0.005 by volume in order to fall under this law.  So, the court must have reason to believe the beverage in question has more than 0.5% or the summons gets tossed."

So if you're out and have your cup half full or half empty (Johnny doesn't judge) and The Law stops and asks the brand name of what you're drinking just repeat after Tyrion Lannister when asked to confess his crimes "Oh I'm very sorry, I don't know anything about all that."

Feel the power of the cup growing. FEEL IT.

So unless they have a brand name they have to send it to the crime lab to get it broken down like Grissom on CSI. That's a great use of the crime lab's time. Verily.

Look at the cup now, it is smirking at the police officer. The cup looks knowingly and says dump me.

The cup has won.

Late night open thread

New Jersey's own Carli Lloyd got power up twice and led the United States Women's National Soccer Team to victory in the gold medal game vs. Japan today at Wembley Stadium. The winning goal below is nothing short of a firecracker. Congratulations to all the women on this great achievement, especially fellow Barcelona fan Alex Morgan.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City overrun with people coming to see where Snooki and JWOWW slept

No not really. Nothing has changed. That entire fiasco raised about zero awareness of our fair city. Despite the PROMISES of the Healy Administration, there aren't, nor were there ever big Snooki-bucks coming here. It was all a mirage by people with not enough vision. Hoboken said no. Yesterday Point Pleasant and Tom's River told them no to season two in their towns. What do they know that Jersey City didn't? They knew how to read the tea leaves friends.

Two things strike us here; 1) How long is MTV going to squeeze this dead-on-the-vine franchise? It's empty. Nobody cares when Snooki can't get drunk and fall down or get punched in the face. 2) Don't let the Healy Administration hold onto the remote control when it comes to the possibility of future shows wanting to set up shop here. They can't be trusted to pick winners. Leave that to the Jersey City Desk group of experts.

What did people learn about Jersey City from watching their show? Dogs in Jersey City love pooping inside. Who knew?

Good morning Jersey City

When it's gonna storm like crazycakes (hat tip DH) later, you gotta walk your new dire wolf a lot in the morning. Johnny was over on Warren Ave. around 6:30 and saw this wonderful scene set up almost like a postcard. Click it for a great wallpaper sized image for your "Best of Jersey City screensaver."

Enjoy, and good morning Jersey City!

Late night open thread

Hey, it's a dumb blonde getting yanked out of a plane (like ya do) and she's wanting to tell you about the 1967 Dodge Dart. It's the car you drew when you drew cars next to stick figures in second grade. 10 lines and two circles. Yes, it's just that bland. Notice the ad doesn't spend much time talking about safety. Or the design. Or the dashboard. Or the ride. No, they just want you to know it's so big it's hard to believe this compact is a compact. That and when you're driving through a forest trying hard not to hit moving trees the engine really wants to please you, or something...

And it comes in hideous brown!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

In Jersey City we take illegal parking seriously!

So Johnny comes out earlier this morning and sees this car blocking a sidewalk and driveway. We can't have that, laws are laws. Johnny saw something, called the tow company and said something. The owner of this car will most certainly remember not to park illegally next time...

Don't fires normally come with smoke?

Johnny's all over the WTC fire on the 88th floor this morning. It's top news everywhere and supposedly  90 firefighters are battling the blaze. Johnny's been looking out his window with the super binoculars but he can't see any smoke. In the words of Officer Barbrady on South Park "Move along people, nothing to see here."

Late night open thread

Movie trivia night:

Ridley Scott had vetoed the idea of Louise kissing Thelma at the end, but Sarandon did it anyway without telling him.  It was the last shot on the last day, and Scott had no choice but to use it.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Don't eat the free purple hot dogs being given away in NYC tomorrow

You'll ah, you'll chip your teeth. Those ain't hot dogs citizens, nope, if they are being given away by Trojan and not Nathan's, them there is vibrators, purple vibrators. From Consumerist via the New York Times:

Street teams will be doling out the goods with lines like "Getcha vibes here!" and "Relish the moment," playing up that hot dog that is not a hot dog idea, reports the New York Times. Customers will get either a Tri-Phoria or the Pulse, costing the company about $350,000 in total to give the toys away.

If you are wondering where the purple-helmeted warriors will be handed out make sure to check Trojan Vibrations' Facebook page.

The waterfall at 101 Hudson was NOT intentional

Johnny saw the water gushing out windows and we're told several floors inside 101 Hudson (The building Johnny calls the LEGO Building because of the top) were flooded when a one inch pipe burst on the 12th floor of the 42 story building.

And here Johnny thought they were testing a real eye-catching water effect to get noticed. Don't play with our heartstrings like that stupid water pipe.

Late night open thread

Alex Morgan, the Fox in the Box, scored deeeeeep into the match with our 51st state Canada in Olympic Women's soccer today and oh what a match it was. 90 minutes couldn't decide it. 29 minutes and 30 seconds of a 30 minute extra period couldn't decide it. Heather O'Reilly lofted finally, with 30 seconds before horrible penalty kicks, a perfect cross into Canada's box and YAHTZEE! The Americans have a date with Japan for gold on Thursday.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Powerball lottery is up to 212 million...

If you take the cash payout it would be $143 million. What would be the FIRST thing you bought with your money if you won?

Late night open thread

Johnny is proud to live in a country that contains NASA/JPL that still allows us to do big things and achieve amazing feats of the mind. Dropping a rover the size of a Fiat 500 with touchdown as soft as a kiss and high def pictures being sent back within five minutes? It must be America.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're adding a few great links this morning; K9dergarten, See Spot Rescued and The Liberty Humane Society

What being a dog owner won't do to you. We're adding our good friends at K9dergarten (for all the best in foods, toys and dog experts) and See Spot Rescued who work together with K9dergarten to adopt out rescue pooches and make families very happy. Of course the great people and great work at the Liberty Humane Society must be held up as an integral part of our city. We welcome all of them with open paws.

Late night open thread

I just honestly don't know what I have in common with those people anymore... or with anyone, really. I mean, they'll all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they'll have made themselves a part of something, and they can talk about what they do. And what am I going to say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How have you been?" -- John Cusack, Grosse Pointe Blank

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's so damned hot -- the no pants statute in Jersey City has been suspended

The Jersey City Office of Trouser Compliance has lifted the statute within the Jersey City limits wherein you need to wear pants in public. Now that's a coooool idea on a hot day.

Please put them back on for church in the morning. The Lord doesn't need to see your junk.

Did anyone really think Spectra Energy gave a crap about Jersey City?

Oh they talked real big about jobs and actually caring about the communities they are located in, you know, the usual PR bullshit that companies like Spectra employ to seem like they are a great part of the community nevermind the dangerous gas pipeline they are preparing to lay under our homes and through our neighborhoods. And if things go south, you wait and see how long it takes Spectra to lawyer up.

Want more proof they really don't care about anything other than money? Liberty Humane Society, located on Jersey City Boulevard outside Liberty State Park, may be forced to move. Yep, because Spectra has filed for eminent domain hearings to seize the property that includes the property for the dog run which Liberty Humane Society needs to remain in compliance.

Nice huh? Did Spectra, you know the company who really cares about the communities they work and profit and endanger residents in, offer to build a new Liberty Humane Society? No. Did they have an alternate plan? No. They just demand the land and the pooches and kitties be damned.

Spectra does not care. If you think otherwise what color is the sky in your world? Yeah, like BP really really cared about the Gulf coast.

We're giving the last word this morning to our mayor, who has been vocal and out front in his opposition to the Spectra pipeline (and we sincerely thank him for this):

“We have been saying for more than two years now how the proposed Spectra pipeline poses a serious public safety and health risk,” Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said. “Now with one of their first site visits in Jersey City, the energy company has proven our point and shown a total lack of concern for our city and the animals living at the Liberty Humane Society.”

Late night open thread

"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."
--Edgar Allan Poe

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TOM JONES!

It's a Tom-themed night here at the Jersey City Desk for this week's music series. We'll kick off the extravaganza the way you properly kick off any extravaganza, with Tom Jones. Johnny's second grade teacher who was very single had the biggest crush on Tom Jones. She even played this very song for us on the last day of school. Always been a favorite since.

Ladies, make sure everyone is in bed before you do the panty thing.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TOM TOM CLUB!

Tom night rolls on with Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Adrian Belew (Late of the Bears) and the rest of this post-Heads band as we favor you with Tom Tom Club's 'Genius of Love'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS!

Wrapping up Tom night here on the music series is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Did you know this song, 'You Got Lucky' spent three weeks on Billboard Top Tracks chart in late 1982? It's a rock and roll fact.

Tom Petty and the boys looking all Road Warrior yet still finding time to reach their inner techie.

Good morning campers -- To start your day off right we have a traffic update

Route 1&9 northbound at (where else) Tonnelle Circle is closed. Moose out front should have told you.

Happy Friday!

Late night open thread

Charles Dickens always faced north while sleeping. Johnny faces east if you were wondering...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you're a developer in Jersey City, get in while the getting is good

Hell, you can EASILY push the city council around. Who cares what deals you have AGREED to. Who cares what you have SIGNED OFF on. Just complain. It seems some of the city council again and again are spineless simps when it comes to standing up to developers. If you're a developer, sign the deal you never intend to honor (almost a carbon copy of Toll Brothers broken promises in the Powerhouse Arts District) and when the time is right show up with 200 building trade brute squad members willing to shout down and intimidate council members and bingo, your signed deal goes out the window and you're free to build however you want to.

Last night the Jersey City Council, on a 7-2 vote capitulated to the sniveling and whining of developer Lloyd Goldman, owner of the property at 110 First St. Goldman had a deal with the city that he would include 25 affordable units. He agreed to it. Suddenly Goldman who may not be much of a salesman it would seem, threw up his hands because HE couldn't get investors for his new building because of the 25 affordable units. TOO GOD DAMN BAD LLOYD. You agreed. Still Lloyd told the city attorneys he was now demanding ZERO affordable units. Zero. He agreed but it inconvenienced him you see.

But, again with the Jersey City Council in a grab your ankles mood (not to mention the city attorneys -- talk about a spineless bunch), 200 of the brute squad showed up at City Hall and jeered the only two council members that actually think a deal is a deal, Steve Fulop and Roland Lavarro (and GOOD on you guys). Councilman Michael J. Sottolano was happy with the settlement of now a mere TEN affordable units because the builder has promised to use union labor. Simply gutless. Hey, Michael, do you think the 200 building trade guys staring you down last night were gonna let that building go up without union labor? Well did you?

It would seem that Steve Fulop and Roland Lavarro are the only ones in Jersey City government who think a deal is a deal and you should stand by your deal. Not developers in Jersey City, they know how to roll the weak-kneed city attorneys and council members which means ANY deal signed by any official in Jersey City is immediately suspect.

Oh, and by the way, if this wasn't enough they gave Lloyd another 4 year tax abatement perhaps because they had upset him so.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NBC has crossed an ethical line now in their Olympic coverage

First off, how long are Americans going to sit by and allow NBC to turn a world event into an NBC event? You know believe it or not citizens you DO own the airwaves they broadcast on.

Last night in an attempt to build NON-EXISTENT drama around the US Women's Gymnastics team (and congratulations to them on a dominating performance, they never bent and certainly never broke -- like the Russians which is why we're here now) ignored, completely did not show Russian gymnast Ksenia Afanasyeva inexplicably fall down to her knees in the middle of her floor routine. Just fell, and stopped, and slowly got back up. A crushing mistake. For all intents and purposes it knocked the Russians out of the race for gold right then. You may have seen the cut aways to the Russian team in shock and tears. It wasn't because the Americans were going great guns. BUT, NBC being NBC didn't show you the reigning world champion in the floor routine simply running and falling down. Instead they showed a clip of American Aly Raisman missing a landing in morning warmups in the floor event. Why would they avoid this shocking development? Easy, to keep you in front of the television and make their advertisers happy. They actually manipulated (or looked the other way at best) the story to sell cars and toilet paper and tampons. The gold medal was decided then unless between events the U.S. gals each ate three bowls of Cocoa Puffs, ran into the third row like an angel of the Jovian Moon claiming they were going to purge the world of sin, and attacked ticketholders.

Would you like to hear NBC's position? Here's NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus: "...we are charged with making smart decisions for our company, for our shareholders and to present the product the way we believe is best.”

See that? Shut up, there are shareholders to please. The Olympics is 'the product". No mention of the games or athletes. He says he simply trusts the programmers with "the product" and that Americans are happy with it after NBC's own audience research.

Sometimes you go to a baseball game and your team wins 10-3. It's really not close but the local network doesn't not put up your team's runs from the 5th inning until the 8th to keep people watching. Tape delay it BUT play it AS IT HAPPENS. Anything else is truly a slap in the face to the American public.

NBC's created a sixth Olympic ring and it is called pablum.

Today we mourn the passing of a great American, Gore Vidal

We've lost a great writer, someone Christopher Hitchens called "A modern day Oscar Wilde." Here is a wonderful article celebrating all he did and all he meant. From voicing himself on the Simpsons to being a foremost man of letters Gore Vidal is a huge loss.

Late night open thread

A cop stopped me for speeding. He said, "Why were you going so fast?" I said, "See this thing my foot is on? It's called an accelerator. When you push down on it, it sends more gas to the engine. The whole car just takes right off. And see this thing? This steers it."
-- Steven Wright

Time for Jersey City, After Dark