Wishing you a Fantabulous 2013!

Johnny's got some partying to do and so he's shutting the offices for now. We have a tradition that the last song before midnight is the Rolling Stones playing the best ever version of 'Gimme Shelter'. We are very happy to be able to continue that tradition for another year.

Have fun tonight Jersey City, Hoboken, New York City and everyone else. Here's to a wonderful 2013!

Happy 1966!!

How about a tune for prevening?

Prevening. You know, as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory explained, the time between 4:30 and 6:00pm. Pat Benatar is here to tell you a warning tale of something that comes with a lot of strong drink, bloodshot eyes.

"Your eyes look like a road map, I'm scared to smell your breath
You'd better shut your peepers, before you bleed to death..."

Pat Benatar with 'Bloodshot Eyes'

Keeping the afternoon hopping with the Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Since New Year's Eve can be an expensive night out

Here are the Flying Lizards covering a song that gets right to the root of tonight, Money. Need some good grog to drink? Money. New dress or tux? Money. Tickets to a club or an event? Money. Cab fare? Money. Reading the Jersey City Desk? Yeah, that's free.

The Flying Lizards with 'Money'

While nobody will be walking in L.A. on the streets on NYC tonight...

...It's still a great song. Dale Bozzio, lead singer of Missing Persons did quite a bit of work with Frank Zappa, including her famous turn on the song 'Crew Slut'. No Zappa here though, just Missing Persons with 'Walking in L.A.'

How about a retro rocker before lunch on New Year's Eve 2012?

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will now sing to you about the benefits of 'Crimson and Clover'

The PATH is running all night long tonight

Just a quick note in between the music, for the first time since Superstorm Sandy the PATH will be running all night long:

Today the PATH will run both ways between Newark and the World Trade Center, Journal Square and 33rd Street, and Hoboken and 33rd Street, from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Starting at 10 p.m. tonight through 5 a.m. on New Year's Day, service will run approximately every 10 minutes between Hoboken and 33rd Street, Newark and 33rd Street and Journal Square to 33rd Street. There will be no service between Newark and the World Trade Center during that time.

It's New Year's Eve and around here we have a tradition...

All day and tonight, it's music music, music! We'll keep your day and early evening moving along leading up to tonight's big moment.

We'll kick off this year's festivities with New Jersey's own Bon Jovi from the New Year's 1984 edition!

Late night open thread

If had the Redskins and only the Redskins going to the playoffs from the NFC East please collect your money.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Giants (and the other team) gameday!

Remember when we all snickered last week in our "coverage" of the Jets game because it was pointless? Here's the preview of today's Giants game:


OK, now that that unpleasantness is behind us, wait, what's that you say? The Giants still have an outside squeaker of a chance to make the playoffs. Yes, if the Detroit Lions somehow win in late December in Chicago the Giants could make it.


So cheer for the Giants to sack, harass and smash Mike Vick. He deserves no less. But expect a real gameday thread when the Lions need to win on the shores of Lake Michigan? Pfffffffffft.

Who do the Jets play?

Late night open thread

How 'bout those Spartans? Johnny's MSU squad stuck with the gameplan and fought back from a 13-0 halftime deficit and beat the TCU Horned Frogs late 17-16 in a bowl game having something to do with chicken wings. Sparty on.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sorry, sorry, Johnny was cleaning his laser gun of doom on Mt. Secaucus this afternoon

And it has come to our attention it may have gone off and hit some cars in SoHo and so forth. We're sure sorry and um, uh, serious inquiries will be done and uh, some, um, hard questions will be asked about how the wrong button got pushed. Yes, Johnny is taking this seriously and we'll announce the results of a blue ribbon commission by the end of 2013.

MTA news you can use

A couple of MTA nuggets to pass along this morning. One useful, the other entertaining. First off the MTA is debuting their new "Subway Time" app which will let you know when the next train is coming. Great idea but terrible name. Really, Subway Time? One expects to see Jared smiling down from the top navbar on the app. Johnny will dash off a list of acceptable new names first of the new year. Joe Lhota's replacement, you be sure to look for that. Currently the app only lists certain lines. Gothamist, make sense of all this:

To be sure, the app is still a work-in-progress. As of today, it only shows arrival times for the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 trains and the 42nd Street S shuttle, so that soul-crushing feeling triggered by watching passengers swarm the 14th Street Tunnel of Hell as the L train pulls away below is not quite a thing of the past.

Sorry, iPhone and iPad only for now...

Also this morning how about you enjoy this "Top 10 Unforgettable NYC Subway Videos Of 2012" with your Eggo's and coffee. There's probably bad language in it but that's life on the trains, sometimes you hear swears.

Iffen you're a fan of winter weather advisories today is your day!

Winter weather advisory or if you believe the New York Times, it's a perfect storm today:

The temperature will hover in the mid-30s – just cold enough for the snow to safely stick, but no colder. The breeze will be sufficient to make cheeks rosy, but will not slash at the skin or penetrate down the necks of parkas.

For the better part of the day, the snow will continue – gently, never blinding. By the time it ceases for good shortly before midnight, two to four inches will have fallen – just enough, perhaps, to permit sledding.

So 2-4 inches of wet snow, perfect for making a snowman is on the way. Enjoy your beautiful Saturday.

Late night open thread

Well Rutgers never did get that 10th win this year that helps broadcast a program has arrived. They lost in overtime to Virginia Tech 13-10 in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The 9-4 Scarlet Knights led 10-0 in the fourth quarter before it all went south.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LIZ PHAIR!

Here we go with the last music series of 2012 (Of course we'll have our rolling New Year's Eve musical celebration on Monday) and what better way to kick it off than the ravishing and brilliant Liz Phair and her chart rocket 'Extraordinary'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NEKO CASE!

First rule of video making. If you're gonna use a filter on some old home movies for god's sake get yourself a massive song and or soundtrack to run it with. The filmmaker here gets that part. Johnny's plum run out of superlatives for the tracks on Ms. Case's Middle Cyclone album. So without further delay here is one of Johnny's favorite "ginger ninjas" with "I'm an Animal'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SONNY & CHER!

Closing out the music series in 2012 with a classic from 1965. Sing it loud and sing it proud, Sonny & Cher with 'I Got You Babe'

A very blue skyline

How blue is blue? This blue.

Appealing to our better selves this morning

Johnny was about to write a piece admonishing the horrendous acts of Nouel Alba, who is accused of pretending to be the aunt of one of the children murdered in Connecticut last week and trying to raise money off of it. He was going to ask for your help in apprehending another subway "pusher" who shoved a man to his death on the 7 line yesterday.

Instead he read this article in the New York Times about people coming together to help each other on the subway.

Architectural quirks are all about. The Tower of Pisa leans. The flagpole in centerfield at the old Tiger Stadium was in play. Manhattan's grid gives New Yorkers Manhattanhenge a couple times a year. New York also plays host to the subway quirk at Delancey and Essex Streets where one line is up (F) one set of stairs and one downstairs (M). The NYT explains:

But at Delancey Street, the F is downstairs, a short walk from the M, but hopelessly out of view from the other train’s platform. The M shares a track with downtown J and Z trains.

So the straphangers have come together to relay info up and down the stairway if the train coming is the right train coming:

As with any worthy production, the participants have come to master their roles. On a recent weekday morning, an orderly line formed, stretching from the upstairs M platform, down a flight of stairs to the F, then back up a separate staircase. (Riders say this formation allows word to travel fastest when the proper train arrives.)

Some travelers heard a stirring overhead — an M train, they wondered? No, a young man instructed from the top of the staircase, peering at the platform. Hold your positions.

A breeze wafted up to the turnstiles. An F? Not yet, said a station sage, unmoving. The gust, he said, had not been stiff enough to have come from an F.

Coming together, helping out and making life easier for strangers. Saving people a few valuable minutes on a workday. Isn't that the kind of place we want to live in? Johnny thinks so. 

Come on F train, no whammies!

Late night open thread

Tonight's holiday cheer comes to us from The Light Horse Tavern.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny's on record -- The week between Christmas and New Year's is the best of the year

Everyone seems to be in a better mood, people seem more relaxed. You've seen or touched base with family recently. Many have reduced or no hours at work and can practice sleeping in for one glorious week a year. It starts with family and presents and ends with nacho dip and football.

For Johnny's money it's the best week of the year.

Late night open thread

Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

About the weather

Another top shelf day on tap here in the Tri-state. Let's get right to it New Jersey:

Northwestern parts of the state could see as much as 8 inches of snow, the central and southern parts of the state could get heavy rain causing local flooding, and the coastal areas of Monmouth and Ocean counties should expect to see 50 mph wind gusts and possible coastal flooding, weather watchers are predicting.

Dear Hoboken, get ready for the possibility of bad things. Don't get caught this time. Everyone go to Weehawken.

Dear Port Authority, get ready for the possibility of bad things. This will be fresh water until it isn't if you get our drift.

Dear NJ Transit, Google the phrase 'higher ground'. No, not the Stevie Wonder link, the other one.

Where was this snow two days ago when everyone wanted it? Ah well, happy Boxing Day!

No street sweeping in Jersey City until Jan. 2

So hopefully the city also had the good sense to stop giving out tickets for not moving your cars for street sweepers to come through. The city is also allowing free two hour parking in municipal lots through Jan. 2 as well.

The article we're linking to is priceless. It's two sentences long and while talking about Jersey City street sweeping shows a Hoboken street sweeper in the image. Well done there!

Late night open thread

Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold. Now you know.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Jersey City Desk!

Late night open thread

Better get to bed, 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Elves, they're just so silly...

Tonight friends and dear readers gather around the fire and curl up under a warm blanket. Get a cup of cocoa and sit back and listen to perhaps the funniest story about all things Santa Claus, St, Nicholas, and 6 to 8 Black men. David Sedaris and his brilliant look at Christmas across cultures from his Live at Carnegie Hall CD. It's perfectly safe for the kids to boot.

If you're still looking for a gift for Johnny at this late hour

He loves cooking with light bulbs. Just sayin'....

Lost pup in Jersey City this morning

Let's see if we can't help find this little gal and get her home for Christmas:
LOST DOG IN JC! PLEASE SHARE! Black toy poodle, roughly 5 lbs, microchipped, likely wearing a pink collar. Last seen on 12/23 at pet sitter's house in downtown Jersey City off Wayne St. Please contact Michael if you have any leads call or take her to k9dergarten (173 Newark Ave), there is a reward for her safe return. 609-357-8255 or email Maricol at maricel75@gmail.com. Reward, no questions asked.

Shae

Late night open thread

Football, U R doing it wrong. Note the referee in the background already getting ready to grab and then throw his flag. This offside is so ridiculous it should be a six yard penalty.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy Festivus!!

Airing of grievances at the Festivus pole at 5pm. Feats of strength to follow. Leave your grievances in comments.

Giants football gameday!

You can boil the Giants game today down to this quote from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome:

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... dying time's here!"

The Giants are tied with the Redskins and Cowboys at 8-6 yet trail Washington and Dallass in tie-breakers. If Big Blue doesn't come home from their short hop down to Baltimore today, next week's winnable finale against the Sheagles might not matter. Dying time is today. The Ravens have already clinched the AFC North. They have some banged up guys that they may well be resting as they look pretty well locked into the AFC's #4 seed.

Eli can't throw one of those dunderheaded interceptions that cost the Giants field position. They have to run against the Ravens, no easy task but they need to run. They need to keep Ray Rice off the field. If ever the G-Men have needed to hang their hats on the defense today is that day. The defense must be stout. They have to tackle well, communicate well in the secondary as to make any Ravens drives not a blown coverage 3 play 80 yard drive. Details details details. If the Giants can mind them, they should have a chance.

Fearless forecast:
Giants 23
Ravens 16

As for the Jets game -- oh look, a kitty......

Late night open thread

Ten years gone. It's been ten years today since we lost the musical genius of Joe Strummer. Some things are more unfair than others. Here's Joe with 'Bhindi Bhagee'


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The word which best describes today's weather is ___________

Johnny might start at vile but this is about you dear readers. Do let us know in comments which word you think best describes today.

Late night open thread

Where do they get the seeds to plant seedless watermelons?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA!

It's no winter wonderland out there right now Jersey City but it doesn't mean we can't kick off the Christmas edition of the music series with The Brian Setzer Orchestra and the sassy-n-brassy 'Winter Wonderland' which we'll use as our "snow dance" to try and bring a few flakes our way by Christmas Eve.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE DAVE EDMUNDS BAND!

'Run Rudolph Run' as we've mentioned here before has been re-recorded by just about everyone. For Johnny's holiday money he thinks the Dave Edmunds version might truly be his favorite. Who knew a reindeer with a red nose would inspire so darned much music.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with STING!

Closing out our Christmas edition of the music series this year is the artist formerly known as Sting. Wait, no, he's still Sting, he's not Gordon. Either way he's singing 'Gabriel's Message'

Flash flood warning in Bergen and Passaic counties until 11:45am

Johnny's great 'Listening Station of Doom' device tells him authorities have just issued a flash flood warning for Bergen and Passaic counties until 11:45am from runoff from the overnight rains. 

If you've got a cup of coffee in your hand reading us on your laptop in a basement in Edgewater you might want to stick your head above ground and take a look-see. 

Oh, Orange and Rockland counties in New York, you're under the same warning. 

Try not to be the person who gets stuck in fast moving rising waters in your Fiat 500 and need fire and rescue to save your ill-advised fanny. Most flood deaths happen in cars. 

There is also a high wind warning until noon this morning making the morning commute so darned pleasant. 

Governor Christie thanked President Obama out of reflex at a presser this morning.

Late night open thread

What can we say about the 1963 Ford Galaxie? well, it has an illuminated ashtray. That's a real necessity. That way at the end of the day you can look in your lighted ashtray say "Goddamn, I have a smoking problem." It has those hand crank vent windows that always added that wonderful wind whistle to any long car trip. The real selling point of this Galaxie is Ford's 'swing-away' steering wheel which is so cool how is it legal? Is this so the driver can eat dinner with a plate and proper flatware or look at a map while the passenger drives? Hell with 'swing-away' technology the driver could take a nap (which technically wouldn't make them the driver but....shut up!) and you can still try to make it to your destination.

It also comes with a cat.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

St. Peter's topped NEC champs LIU-Brooklyn last night in an offensive show

St. Peter's hasn't exactly been an offensive machine this season but last night The Pride of Jersey City were en fuego on their way to an 80-67 beat down of LIU-Brooklyn, who won the NEC last year. Desi Washington was really lights out for the Peacocks. He had 28 while Yvon Raymond had a very strong game as well. St. Peter's was a little streaky last night and you can't always count on those nice runs but boy when you get a night when they happen it's frosting on the cake.

St. Peter's is 5-5 (as is LIU-Brooklyn for those keeping score) and play at home again this Saturday against Loyola of Chicago Illinoize who start three players with the last name of Ditka. Come on out to the Yanitelli Center at 2pm and see some great college action. It's not like the Devils are offering you anything.

Mark Twain once said “Golf is a good walk spoiled”

Johnny would agree, besides there just aren't many places for an 18 hole golf course around the Grove St. PATH station let alone windmill golf. But walk Johnny did looking for the goings on this morning around town. A well behaved morning commute.

To the trains, to the trains, and hope the escalator is working and you win the seat lottery played twice daily.

It's a dreadful sound really, the one reminding you the street sweeper is coming and if you don't move civic improvements are on you.

No better place to get the most important meal of the day than The Little Sandwich Shop. Tip Top!

Late night open thread

More people are killed each year by falling coconuts than in shark attacks. See if you can't work that into a conversation tomorrow.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Will you look at that -- Only two days until the world ends

And Johnny and the staff couldn't be more relaxed about this pending doom. They figure they'll just hang out at the Jersey City Desk offices on Friday with friends just in case (We'd of course have to put up a post about how exactly the world is ending so literally a handful of people could read it before we're gone daddy gone). We'll lay in the beer and the sammiches and see what happens.

What about you good readers, do you have plans for your coming end? Going to the bar? To church? To see The Hobbit? Flicking pennies off the Empire State Building? Share your end of days plans with us in comments.

Late night open thread

If today is your birthday you share it with one of Johnny's all-time favorite musicians and someone you swore would never ever see 69, Keith Richards. Happy Birthday Keef! Here's a sidenote to the birthDATE, it is shared, and he's also 69 today, by longtime Rolling Stones contributing sax player Bobby Keyes.

Bobby and Keef before bed tonight on 'Brown Sugar'


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Merry Christmas Hoboken, THE PATH IS BACK!!

That's right, you've suffered on busses, you've splurged on ferry rides and tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 5am you'll have the PATH line from Hoboken to 33rd St. 

When you get done jumping up and down here's the harsh reality -- Hoboken to WTC is still "several weeks" away. Still, Hoboken is open to the rest of the world in a convenient kind of way.

If you wanna give something of real value this holiday season, give blood

And the Jersey City Medical Center at 355 Grand St. is holding a blood drive until 6:30pm today so there is still plenty of time. After you give blood come on back here and read the amazing story of Michael Maggiore and his plea for blood donations.

Plus after you're done "Don't be shy about helping yourselves to punch and cookies."

Join Johnny tomorrow night at the Yanitelli Center for St. Peter's hoops!

Johnny's gonna go help cheer The Pride of Jersey City on to a .500 record vs. LIU Brooklyn. The St. Peter's Peacocks are 4-5 on the young season and finishing up non-conference play before the MAAC season gets here. Why not come on out and support OUR Peacocks Jersey City!

Late night open thread

Yabba Dabba, uh, wait a minute...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

And what an anniversary it is!

Sorry, nothing to do with Jersey City or Hudson County today. But Johnny did hear a nugget dropping off some Christmas packages to ship today. Today is the 1989 anniversary of The Simpsons gracing American teevee.

Without further ado...

Late night open thread

Don't buy roadkill Christmas trees.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is planning for the next snowstorm as have handsome pay packages if you wanna work

Are you a plow driver with a Class B CDL? Can you handle a 6- to 8-ton dump truck with a snowplow? Then the NJ DOT wants to pay you $42.31 an hour if you're chosen to be a backup plow driver when the next winter storm hits.

"We’re worried about having a big event and having drivers working for days without sleep — that could cause an accident," Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson said. "So we said, ‘You know what we need to do? We need to get as many extra people that we can."

So if you enjoy being on the road with little traffic to block your path and wanna make some good coin, here is the contact info:

Applicants can send résumés or letters describing qualifications, along with a copy of their Class B CDL license with air brake endorsement, to: NJDOT, P.O. Box 602, Trenton, N.J., 08625-0602 or NJDOTJOBS@dot.state.nj.us. 

(Since Johnny told you about this if you get the job you have to come plow his street first)

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sorry for the late post, Johnny had to drive out to East Stroudsburg for a Christmas tree

Well not so much buy a tree, he could do that here. Instead he went out to "top" some poor sucker's pine tree is a better description. Since Johnny has scruples he chose not to do this to anyone in New Jersey. East Stroudsburg PA was right there on the border so there you have it.

Mmmm, fresh tree smell...

Late night open thread

Don't forget thrillseekers, it's Santacon tomorrow all across NYC. "Mommy, why is Santa drinking out of a paper bag?"

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE HEAVY!

We'll step off tonight with a little sassy anthemic number which has officially been used in 29% of all advertising this past two years. The Heavy checking in with 'How You Like Me Now?'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE FOUR TOPS!

Some of that tasty Motown sound to keep the party going. The Four Tops with 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE SMITHS!

This band just rocks three ways from Sunday. The ghost of 1987 has brought forth this gem, The Smiths with 'Sheila Take a Bow'

Today's image brought to you by Big and Tall

If you click below on the image you'll get a Big picture Johnny took this morning of a very Tall building.

The engineering is truly dazzling to someone like Johnny.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Question of the day -- Do you prefer shopping at stores or just online?

Christmas is upon us and Christmas shopping season is in full swing. Our question today is do you prefer going out with the people to actual stores and maybe work a lunch in or do you prefer to do your holiday shopping exclusively online?

Do tell us which you prefer and why in comments.

Late night open thread

Did you know in the movie Jaws that Chief Brody is wearing his badge on the wrong side of his chest in every scene? It's a fact!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Mr. Mayor, about the 67% graduation rate for Jersey City high schoolers...

We noticed you haven't addressed this nugget of info. 67% is the graduation rate at Jersey City high schools. When Johnny went to school 67% was barely keeping your head above water with a D-. Now, Jersey City does indeed have a new boss running the schools, Marcia V. Lyles. Mr. Mayor you may be tempted to tell us she needs time to bring these numbers up. You might be tempted to tell us Rome wasn't built in a day. You may be tempted to gloss over these numbers while you run for reelection because new blood is on the job.

Don't be tempted Mayor. The guy mainly responsible for these failing grades is running on YOUR reelection ticket or maybe you didn't notice Charles Epps Jr., the guy who had Ms. Lyles' job for over a decade, is running for the Ward A City Council seat with your backing.

So, once again Mr. Mayor, how about a comment on these horrible graduation rates and what YOU  specifically plan on doing to help schools, we mean other than having your Ward A candidate call Jersey City school girls "our worst enemy."

Late night open thread

Scott FTW!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It is rare we give out free advertising but in the name of charity and great tunes, here ya go

The 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief is gonna be huge. Not just because of the magnificent lineup but because that magnificent lineup will be broadcast live and free in so many spots. Locally you can watch it on public TV stations NJTV, WLIW, THIRTEEN, as well as cable channels HBO, VH1 Classic, MSG and Fuse. If you can't get to a television you can listen on the radio at the following stations: New York radio stations 106.7 Lite FM, 103.5 KTU, Z100, Q104.3 and Power 105.1, along with 103.7 NNJ in Sussex.

Now if you're really into the feeling of a big live show and want to experience it with other fans, try one of these movie theaters who will be letting fans in to watch for FREE:

Clearview's Middlebrook Galleria Cin.10, 1502 Rte 35 South, Ocean
Clearview's Closter Cinema, 130 Closter Plaza, Closter
Clearview's Kinnelon, 25 Kinnelon Rd, Kinnelon
Clearview's Parsippany Cinema 12, 3165 Rte 46, Parsippany
Clearview's South Orange 5, 1 Trenchard Place, South Orange
Clearview's Succasunna Cinema 10, 21 Sunset Strip, Succasunna
Clearview's Warner Quad- Ridgewood, 190 E Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood
Clearview's Wayne Preakness Cinemas, 1220 Hamburg Tpk, Wayne
FrankTheatres Towne Stadium 16, 6733 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Twp.
FrankTheatres South Cove Stadium 12, 191 Lefante Way, Bayonne
Marquee Cinemas, Orchard 10, 1311 Route 37 West, Toms River
National Amusements’ Edgewater Multiplex, 339 River Rd, Edgewater
Paramount Theatre, 1300 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park
Rave Cinemas, Hazlet Multiplex, 2821 State Route 35, Hazlet

Ticket availability will vary between theaters. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., and the concert is expected to run until 11:30 p.m.

So, what kind of acts do you get to watch for free tomorrow night?
Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Roger Waters, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters are performing. Also helping out the cause are Susan Sarandon, Chris Rock, Kristen Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Brian Williams, Jessica Chastain, Chelsea Clinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, Karlie Kloss and Bobby Monyihan.

That's a lot of entertainment....for free.

Give what you can.

You just can't have any fun anymore -- late night opossum hunting is apparently illegal in Jersey City

Seriously, chances are that your neighbors are inside asleep or watching Maury reruns at 3:20 in the AM. So what's the harm in walking down the street in your pajama bottoms and a shirt all set off nicely by your fashionable air rifle? Air rifle, a BB gun air rifle, so you won't even hear the shots....until they hit a opossum or a car window.

Opossums, yes, Ricardo Caban was getting a head start on Fashion Week and late night/early morning opossum hunting on Romaine Avenue Sunday. Somebody complained and yadda yadda police and yadda yadda unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes yadda yadda you just can't have fun in Jersey City anymore.

We'd like to hear the Mayor and Mr. Fulop weigh in on what they would do to return opossum hunting to the wilds of Jersey City.

Brooklyn Hasidic leader, Nechemya Weberman, guilty of sexual abuse

Just a disgusting story, one we wish we didn't have to read and share. Nechemya Weberman, a non-licensed "therapist"and Jewish community leader, was convicted of 59 counts of sexual abuse for his dastardly part in abusing a young girl who was forced to see Weberman at school from the ages of 12-17. The Brooklyn DA proved that Weberman, among other things, would make the underage girl watch pornography and then make her reenact the scene with him. This trial certainly pulled back the curtain on the underside of the Hasidic community in Brooklyn. A world of an unlicensed and predatory "therapist" who had the support (still) of much of his community. In fact,  four men acted out in trying to intimidate this young girl from testifying:

Prosecutors charged Abraham Rubin, 48, of Williamsburg with bribery, witness tampering and coercion. They said that he had been recorded offering the accuser’s boyfriend the money, and he suggested that the young couple could flee to Israel to avoid testifying. He also offered to provide them with a lawyer who could help them avoid cooperating with prosecutors.

Prosecutors also charged three brothers, Jacob, Joseph and Hertzka Berger, with coercion, saying they threatened and then removed the kosher certification of a restaurant run by the accuser’s boyfriend. The brothers are sons of a local rabbi who issues kosher certifications to stores.

When that attempt at intimidation didn't work, knowing they weren't allowed to release her name to the public, four more Weberman supporters actually took cell phone pictures of the girl in court and released them on Twitter.

Yesterday, the already disturbing trial of Nechemya Weberman—a Hasidic counselor who has been accused of sexually abusing a teen girl in Brooklyn for years— took another disturbing turn when four people were taken into custody for photographing the victim in court. Those four men—including one who has been identified as "Lemon Juice"—were arrested and have now been charged with criminal contempt in the second degree; they could serve up to one year in jail. "This is on the Internet now," Supreme Court Justice John Ingram told the four ultra-Orthodox men. "It's probably streamed all over the world."

The four men—who have been identified by prosecutors as Joseph Fried, Yona Weisman, Abraham Zupnick and, seriously, Lemon Juice (you can see his driver's license here)—are accused of taking photos of the now 17-year-old victim while she was testifying in court on Wednesday and Thursday. They were able to email it out before they were caught—you can see one of the photos (with blacked out faces) above. Nine cell phones were confiscated altogether by Judge Ingram.

Despicable isn't it? The lengths some people will go to to protect a predator.

So besides putting away a hideous child predator we also see how business runs in the Hasidic community in Brooklyn. It's just not too attractive is it? Johnny's gonna go wash now.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Just that kind of day

Jersey City to get 54 miles of new bike lanes

Saying he was taking a great idea being used in other locales and inspired by the city's youth movement Mayor Jerramiah Healy late last week said some 54.7 miles of new bike lanes were coming to our fair city.

“There’s a new movement,” he said. “It’s a new goal and we thank a lot of our new people who have come to Jersey City in the last 10 to 15 years and their youth and their energy and their ideas. We know they’ve done it in Newark and it’s being done in Hoboken and we’re going to do it here in Jersey City.”

The 54.7 miles of designated bike paths will include 35.2 miles of bike lanes and 19.5 miles of shared lanes marked with “sharrows” arrows (no doubt where most of the accidents will happen but we digress).

A great idea, we do wonder why it took looking at the success of other cities' bike lanes, but it is more important Jersey City (recently voted a top walking city in the USA) provides to the non-car/truck environmentally responsible commute with those wishing to enjoy a more environmentally friendly commute. Healy also said local businesses would get a break on buying bike racks for their stores.

Everyone seems to be on board thus far with glowing reviews for the idea especially from the State Department of Transportation:

“The bike lane and bike sharrow program is essential, not only for the city but for the state,” said Sheree Davis, of the state Department of Transportation. “We commend Jersey City for actually implementing this and putting their money where their mouth is.”

Late night open thread

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick...even when you're home."
-- Carol Nelson

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jets and Giants football GAMEDAY!

Well pigskin fans, the calendar has turned to December. One New Jersey based team is alive in the playoff race and one, if they lose today, will most likely get the coaching staff broomed and the players purged at season's end.

In the dog game (with apologies to dogs) the Swamplands Jetropolitans travel to scenic Jacksonville to see if they can't somehow get a win against a team with a total of two thus far. The Jets aren't horrible in road results at 2-3 and Jacksonville is 1-5 in ____________ Bank Stadium. Since Mark Sanchez got the hook last week and the Jets won, and both Tebow and McElroy available his leash is short indeed. But let's face facts, sans a great effort against Houston these are toothless Jaguars. We think this game will play out the way the Rams game did a few days back.

Fearless forecast:
Jetropolitans 20
Jacksonville 19

Air Brees rolls into the New Meadowlands and gets ready for takeoff around 4:30pm. This is a dangerous game for the G-Men. Brees normally doesn't suck all day long and is capable as anyone of hanging a 4 TD game on you. Today's insurance policy is the fact Baltimore plays at Washington and not Cleveland. Dallas is in Cincinnati because the league made them go there and will face a very hot Bungles squad. Sure the Giants have a better record than the Saints. Sure they're at home. Sure they should win.

So why is this game scaring the bejeepers out of Giants fans? Johnny has that same sinking feeling. We think it'll be point filled and crazy but we think the Saints make a stand.

Fearless forecast:
New Orleans 35
Jersey Giants 27

Late night open thread

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead 44 minutes at 4am for the start of Johnny Savings Time.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Rolling Stones have just been added to the 12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief show

A big show just got bigger as the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World have said they will play at Wednesday's 12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief at MSG. The big show already had commitments from Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Paul McCartney, The Who, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, and Billy Joel. If you follow this here link to Gothamist whur we'un found this musical news nugget you'll see something cool Mick and Keef are up to this week in town.

Two things; It's a bad idea to go on after The Who as we learned at the Concert for New York City after 9/11 and two, Johnny will use any mention of the Rolling Stones to play a video.

The only thing JFK loved more than Jackie (Or Marilyn) was a bucket of chicken from the Colonel

As seen here in the Powerhouse Arts District, it's JFKFC. Told ya!

So, Jersey City, whadda ya want for Christmas?

Yes yes or Hanukkah or any other December holiday. We're pretty inclusive BUT the saying is "What do you want for Christmas?"

Have you been good? If you've been bad this year we have a lovely three story walk up in the flood zone in Hoboken for you this upcoming year.

Tell Santa Johnny and his elves Zoltron and Kiki what you want in comments...

Late night open thread

Was Linda Ronstadt’s first #1 song: (a) "When Will I Be Loved;" (b) "Blue Bayou;" or (c) "You’re No Good?" Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with QUEEN!

Johnny's absolute favorite Queen song to kick off the music series this week (It's good to be da king), 'Somebody to Love'. Sure, there are at least a dozen great Queen songs but favorite? Yeah, this.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with RED RIDER!

Somewhere one day a record company executive sat down with the band Red Rider in the infancy of the video age and said to them  "Great song, GREAT song, love it to tears guys. Look we want to make one of these here newfangled "music videos" and we only had $12.95 left over in promo budget this month. Can you film it for $11?"

Apparently they could, Red Rider with 'Lunatic Fringe'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BOOTSY COLLINS!

Yabba Dabba Do is right. The mothership has landed and Bootsy is ready to lay down the law for you. Bootsy Collins with 'Bootzilla'

Weekend PATH changes kids, you're not gonna like 'em

Starting tomorrow, and for the next two weekends (weekends only) the PATH will only be running between Newark Penn and the WTC. No 33rd St. line (You know, the big Christmas shopping weekends). The Port Authority said this will allow them 48 hours of uninterrupted work to try and get the Hoboken station back up and running.

Great guys, why did you wait until NOW to do this? You've had a month to take care of this on weekends. Once again, it seems nobody with a brain is in charge at the Port Authority.

Late night open thread

If today is your birthday you share it with comedian Steven Wright. A few samples of his work before bed:

*The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
*OK, so what's the speed of dark?
*How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
*When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
*Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
*You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
*The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

And of course:
*I stayed up all night playing poker with tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Dear Christmas shoppers -- Best Buy INSISTS on only giving your your return credit if you come back into the store

We figured since Best Buy isn't going to trumpet this little known "company policy" this holiday season Johnny would do it for them. Johnny warned Mrs. Johnny about shopping at Best Buy, especially for a large ticket item. Sure enough, the refrigerator was mis-measured for the space it was supposed to fit into so it was sent back before it was even deboxed.

So why can't Johnny get credit over the phone with the credit card used? Well a manager at the Vauxhall locale (Hi Nabilia) said it was company policy not to give credits for items unless you trek back into their store. Nabilia wouldn't give a reason as to why. We have a good guess, so when you go to return something they can grab the appliance/television and video/home electronics "manager" to come upsell you something else. They won't give you your money back (and save us the sad story about not KNOWING who you are over the phone) unless you come in for the Best Buy equivalent of a time-share pitch.

Well Nabilia and Best Buy there is a way Johnny is going to get his refund, it's called a chargeback on his credit card. He'll soon have his money back in his account and you'll still be on the verge of going out of business.

December 6, time to get the boats out

Ok laggards over at Newport, it's December 6th. It's closer to Christmas than Halloween, might be time to get those boats out, no?

Late night open thread

Movie trivia night:

The scene where Rocky Balboa points out a mistake in the giant poster in the arena, that he's a left handed fighter though the poster shows him as a righty, was unscripted; Sylvester Stallone was forced to add the line because the art department made a genuine mistake. Now you know.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

#AreYouSureYouWannaDoThat?

#Jail #ThatWasn'tSmart #Snark

Khalid McClenton is a guy with a Twitter account like millions. However millions didn't hold up illegal weapons themselves for all the world to see on Twitter. #McClenton was booked into Hudson County Jail last week (#HudsonCountyJail) for the sawed-off #shotgun he was showing off. When police arrived at his home they found several prohibited weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, a #handgun and two knives.

#Think people, #think. Cops are on the Twitter as well and if you're known to them or perhaps wanted, you might want to recheck ALL your followers.

Late night open thread

Survey says!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City Education Association endorses Mayor Healy

A strong vote of confidence in Mayor Healy from the 4,000 member strong Jersey City Education Association today with JCEA President Ron Greco saying Healy is “motivated by what’s best for Jersey City.” Bill Murawski, president of AFSCME Local 2262, called the mayor “a man of his word who understands Jersey City’s working families.”

Healy said he was honored by the support:

Everything I do as mayor is motivated by what’s best for Jersey City and the future of all the families who live here,” he said in the statement. “Nothing is more important than looking out for Jersey City’s children."

This announcement certainly hits the ball back into Councilman Steve Fulop's court. It would appear that his influence with those associated with schools may run a mile deep but perhaps only three feet wide even with his spate of backing the winning candidates in recent victories for Board of Education. Time will tell on this but this certainly is a big day for the Healy campaign.

OK back to cartoons.

Dear NY Daily News

Recently in your typical homer-style while discussing the possibility another MLS soccer team could land in Flushing Meadows, Queens you made the following snide editorial comment:

"A professional soccer team is one of the things New York has been missing."

ORLY? We folks over here in New Jersey feel the same way about hockey in New York so let us be clear:

"A professional hockey team is one of the things New York has been missing."

By the way NY Daily News, the football teams with the New York moniker both happily play in New Jersey. Next time get your heads out of your collective asses BEFORE you opine. 

Ain't no party like a Conrail party 'cause a Conrail party don't stop!

With apologies to Kid Rock and the city of Detroit for the headline but it simply fit so well with this story. By now many of you have heard of the train derailment in southern Jersey near Paulsboro. Because the train contents were toxic people had to be evacuated. Conrail set them up in a Motel 6 until conditions in Paulsboro could be made safe.

Police received a call from said Motel 6 last night about a noise complaint. It was then they realized just how good Paulsboro parties can be. Those who were staying on Conrail's dime decided to throw a huge bash and throw a huge bash they did. When police arrived they found 22 people in one room (in a Motel 6 no less) and police arrested 16 adults and six juveniles and charged them with disorderly conduct, said police. But wait, this is a Paulsboro party, there's more!

In the room, one of 14 rented by Conrail until Saturday for Paulsboro residents evacuated because of Friday's train derailment, police allegedly found unspecified amounts of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol, said police. Additional drug charges, as well as charges of maintaining a nuisance and providing alcohol to minors, are pending, police said.

Didn't Governor Christie ask us all to pull together after disasters? Sounds to us like these people were trying to do just that. Mental note to self; Paulsboro for bachelor parties.

Late night open thread

Eggnog, who thought that one up? “I wanna get a little drunk, but I also want some pancakes.”
--Dave Attell

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Music from 1904 extolling the virtues of the subway? You better believe it

Johnny was perusing Gothamist this morning and they had an awesome link to a Library of Congress song from 1904 extolling the virtues of the new underground subway, where, according to one verse:

If married and home is unhappy, you can now hide away from your wife down in the subway.

Sounds all thug-life doesn't it? Just click play below and be prepared for some magical lyrics and the realization that yes, they did make recorded music back in 1904.

Good ideas are being spawned for "harbor locks" of some kind in the wake of Sandy

They are famous in the Netherlands for preventing flooding like this area just saw. They use them in St. Petersburg Russia to prevent the same problems. They are seascape plans to prevent flooding on the scale of Superstorm Sandy from happening again and there are many ways to go about it: 

*A towering structure in the shadow of the Verrazano Bridge, with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop, complete with twin 640-foot gates or "locks".

*80-foot rock barrier rising from the Atlantic Ocean, stretching for 5 miles from Breezy Point, Queens, to Sandy Hook, N.J. — and topped with a new highway.

*A 1,700-foot wall spanning the Arthur Kill, featuring a pedestrian walkway, a bike path, hydroelectric power and a system of locks for passing ships.

Either way the area chose to go about this it is no longer being considered a pier in the sky idea, it is very real and some serious people are serious about making something like this happen. We here at the Jersey City Desk are for making something like this happen. Our plan would be the giant locks idea. It has proven to work in the Netherlands and we'd not need to reinvent the wheel on this one. An expert did however say this idea would require three locks, not just one. Obviously it wouldn't keep all the water out but could greatly minimize the flooding that the tri-state area just suffered through.

What about you? Do you have a workable plan or do you support one of these ideas? Hit us up in comments ye engineering kinds...

Late night open thread

Tonight's internet radio outpost comes from Northwest London and JazzFM. Put a couple fingers of Glenlivet in a glass and click here and enjoy some amazing jazz til dawn.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

Walking your dog? Get some fog for your blog

While out on this thermal inversion kind of Sunday morning, Johnny luckily had his cell phone along while dog walking and captured these foggy visions of Jersey City:

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Statue of Liberty is closed, moose out front should have told you

Jersey City's own Statue of Liberty was left to fend for herself during superstorm Sandy and while she came through like a champ, her downstairs neighbors not so much. Like much of Jersey City both Liberty and Ellis Island spent some time under the salty brines of the Atlantic Ocean. No exhibits were harmed and no records were lost. However both places are going to be closed for months until the usual inspections, electrical replacements, cleanup of the buildings and the islands, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

A nice story complete with pictures of what officials found when they came back after the storm is just a click away.

Late night open thread

As mentioned below, the Loveless Cafe, move heaven and earth to get there.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOHNNY CASH!

Johnny Cash gets things started tonight covering an old Lead Belly song, here's 'Rock Island Line' on Jersey City's home for cool music they don't play anywhere else on your internet dial.



Do you know how many times Johnny has gotten through the Holland Tunnel for free by telling the Port Authority he had livestock in the back seat and not pig iron?

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROBERT PLANT!

Johnny was vacationing in Nashville in the fall of 2006 when Robert Plant was cutting that magnificent album with Alison Krauss called Raising Sand also in Nashville. One morning Johnny and his bride were enjoying the cuisine at the famous Loveless Cafe. Breakfasts so good they make you cry knowing you're going to have to eat a common breakfast at some point. Well there is a gift shop out behind the restaurant where you can get some incredible bone sucking BBQ sauce they smoke on site. Johnny walked into the gift store to grab some sauce and heard the sales clerk calling her friend in a very excited tone. She hung up to wait on Johnny and Mrs. Johnny and leaned forward and said Robert Plant had JUST left the store. By just left she meant a minute. Johnny looked about for Mr. Plant (but like a dog who chases cars wouldn't know what to do with him if he'd caught up with him) but didn't find hide nor big hair. Now you know Johnny's Robert Plant story.

Well not all of it. Johnny had the country ham with red-eye gravy and of course grits. The biscuits at the Loveless Cafe will make you want to feed the Pillsbury Dough Boy to your dog. Johnny got two of those. NOW you know his Robert Plant story.

'Heaven Knows'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE TURTLES!

We'll send you off into this chilly good night with this kicky sing-along from The Turtles. All the way back to early 1967 with 'Happy Together'