Right on time for the 5th year in a row

The best version of the best song ever to give 2013 a big sendoff and welcome 2014. Our New Year's Eve tradition continues for the 5th year in a row as the best slot just before midnight is held by the Rolling Stones and 'Gimme Shelter'

We'll see you on the other side.

You can never have too much music

Or too much lip syncing. But it's a great song by the Babys, 'Isn't it Time' here in the 11 o' clock hour.


We're only gonna play one more song after this before midnight. If you know what that's going to be raise your hands.

Getting excited yet? Here's some U2 to help

The board is set, the pieces are moving...

...for a huge New Year's Eve party! Some dinnertime rock with The Clash and 'I'm Not Down'

The Jersey City Desk New Year's Rockin' Eve rolls on with Green Day!

We interrupt your New Year's Eve Music Series to announce a snowstorm!

8-12" from Thursday morning through Friday morning.

The Jersey City Desk Action Weather Team is naming this storm #WinterStormOgie

Nick Lowe will get you through the lunch hour

And 'So it Goes'...

Know who sounds good on New Year's Eve? Little Richard

How about some Culture Club for your mid-morning muffin and coffee

Some Culture Club to keep the fun rolling. Culture Club (with Helen Terry who sang the backup vocal on Church of the Poison Mind) and 'Miss Me Blind'

Is it live or is it Memorex?

The Jersey City Desk New Year's Rockin' Eve is on the air

So here we are again friends and dear readers, New Year's Eve. For those who have been around here for a while you know we're about to commence with an all day assault on your musical senses in celebration of 2014 arriving and 2013 exiting, stage left.

We'll start this year with a musician we lost this year, Jersey City's Richie Havens. Havens as many of you know was the first performer to play Woodstock. He went on stage as rumor has it because so many other acts were late to the show. So Richie played, and played and played and in doing so became one of the iconic acts at Woodstock.

Richie Havens with 'Freedom' kicking things off this year...

Late night open thread

Don't forget party cats and kittens, Johnny's got tomorrow covered with our special all day Music Series to get you ready for midnight. Til' then...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Got $375 burning a hole in your pocket? Great you can afford the worst New Year's Eve ever!

Sorry for the late start today kids, try and take one Gmail account off the list of accounts that can post something here and you almost lose your entire site. Thanks Google.

OK, back to New Year's Eve. If you are lucky enough to have $375 in your pocket and still haven't made plans for New Year's Eve, how about taking all that hard earned do-re-mi to Applebee's in Times Square?

Yes, Applebee's.

What's that? $375 for Applebee's seem like a bit steep? Well friends Johnny has some sage advice; T.G.I Friday’s has a NYE package for $225. Ruby Tuesday's is throwing a party for $275 so there are options. Albeit bad ones.

OK, Johnny's being a snob (but if you're a regular you know the good food side of him comes to the fore sometimes). Here's Zane Tankel, owner of all 38 Applebee's in the New York City area:

“You wouldn’t know you were at an Applebee’s for that one night.”

Except for the decor and the giant Applebee's sign out front. 

Now the T.G.I. Friday's deal includes a ticket to an afterparty at the BB King Blues Club so they're at least trying harder. However at Ruby Tuesday's you don't even get a dinner. Just stacks of snacks. Look we're sure the people who work at these restaurants are going to work really hard at making it not look like where you're at. They'll try extra hard to help you have a good time. But you and a date dropping at least $500 on tickets to a chain restaurant with all the charms of Times Square without a view of the ball dropping and in one place no dinner well, um, really? 

Psssst. You want to spend that money in Jersey City. Yes you do. If you have that same $500 you can eat like a Joffrey and drink like Dean Martin. There are some great places after a great meal to sing and dance and make Merry (if your gal's name is Merry) right here in Cool City. Don't make a tradition out of partying in Jersey City because Johnny says so. Do it because goodness gracious there's a lot of great fun to be had in JC. Explore your city on New Year's Eve. Walk around downtown. You can even kiss your sweetie looking at the light glare from Times Square down on the riverfront. 

Let's make this New Year's Eve a celebration of Jersey City, kind of a big "shop local" but for a New Year's Eve to remember. And then let's do it next year and the year after. Unless of course you really like Cowboy Burgers.

Like one Jersey Journal commenter at the link above said about this idea: "I'd rather spend $375 at White Castle than Applebee's." Jersey City has one friend, 2995 John F Kennedy Blvd. at the corner of Newark Ave. Mmmmm onion chips.

Late night open thread

A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.
 -- Robert Frost

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here comes the rain again

Some heavy rain is moving into our area today and should be in full-on downpour by this afternoon. If you're still traveling for the holidays or have to do some personal errands be careful, there will be flooded roads. DO be careful out there. Rain will be measured in inches today.

Late night open thread

If the University of Michigan football were a President they'd be Abraham Stinkin'.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Whoa Nellie -- It's Rutgers vs Notre Dame today at Yankee Stadium in the Pinstripe Bowl!

The Scarlet Knights take a break from playing teams like UCF, Eastern Michigan, and Temple and step up (in name anyways) to play Notre Dame today at noon in the Pinstripe Bowl over at Yankee Stadium.

Rutgers won't be favored certainly, not after the way they lost five of seven to end the season. The #25 ranked Irish will be favored today but that doesn't mean the Scarlet Knights are doomed. First off Chas Dodd can't throw interceptions against the ND secondary. Can't do it. A) Rutgers will need every scoring chance they can get to pull the upset and B) Notre Dame isn't an offensive power and so they like to play a lot of field position football. Give them turnovers and they'll do just that all day. The Scarlet Knights are either going to need to run or throw the ball well. Doesn't HAVE to be both but one of those offensive spigots needs to remain on for Rutgers. They need a lead or to stay within seven points of Notre Dame through the third quarter to give themselves a chance.

Johnny knows this bowl game to RU fans can seem as kind of a "Let's just get this over and get into the B1G Conference next year where the big boys play," which we suppose is a natural feeling but beating ND in a bowl game would be something the Rutgers players would remember (and enjoy) for a lifetime. After all, everyone hates Notre Dame and loves to see them lose. Case and point:


Made you smile didn't it?

Fearless Forecast
Notre Dame 31
Rutgers 20

Bring on the Big Ten!

Late night open thread

Tonight a picture from an old friend to the Jersey City Desk from the west side of Michigan close to Lake Michigan. A tad different than here. Now that's winter.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELTON JOHN!

Johnny's gonna post this video and he's gonna go make some hot cocoa with mini marshmallows. That'll take about 5 minutes. He's going to open his window. He'll be really disappointed if many of his neighbors don't have theirs open while they sing this song loudly. You know the words. You've all sung them before.

Again, 5 minutes and Johnny wants to hear you. Elton John with 'Tiny Dancer'.

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

Anyone ever tried making love under a strobe light? Johnny's been to parties with them and after a few beers a strobe light is a really bad idea. The whole messed up time/space ratio in a room full of inebriated revelers can lead to some amazing looking falls however.

The B-52's with 'Strobe Light'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOHN LEE HOOKER!

Wrapping up another Music Series with blues legend John Lee Hooker with 'Shake it Baby'. Make sure to come on back Tuesday for our New Year's Eve all day music fest leading up to the big event at midnight.

That Jersey City PD "Eye in the Sky" tower at Journal Square really gives the place a certain ambience

It says "prison yard." Yes the 25 foot tall 'eye in the sky' complete with floodlights and cameras sitting at JFK and Bergen Ave. has a certain futuristic Robo Cop feel to it. It does bring questions. Is there a reason that particular corner is being watched? A threat? A bad guy seen in that area? To keep the holiday shopper in that area under control? 

When you're done losing money on it sitting in JSQ, how about you bring it to Johnny's neighborhood and write tickets for public urination to the many construction workers too lazy and disgusting to use one of the many porta-potties provided for them? A guaranteed money maker!

A valuable piece of antiquity found lying on a Jersey City street...

A piece of American history was found by Johnny discarded on Warren Street in downtown Jersey City. We're not sure which museum would like to have this timeless piece of Americana. Dear readers if you know of anyplace this historical artifact could help educate kids or help take the oldsters to a beloved time long ago, send him an email.

Historical pieces now just discarded. How sad.

Late night open thread

One pound of lemons contains more sugar than one pound of strawberries.

It's a fact!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Newark Liberty Airport is up to the task of catching a man dressed as a woman wandering around the runways

Well, they were after he walked up to Terminal C and tried to get inside where he was met by a United Airlines employee who alerted police. Siyah Bryant was arrested, checked against the Joint Terrorism Task Force and FBI watch list, issued a summons and released.

Yes, yes, the part you clicked on the story for. Why was he dressed as a woman? Well the story itself isn't totally clear on when he decided to switch clothes but it started with Bryant on a date and he ran out of gas on the Turnpike. His date said she'd phone a friend to bring some gas but for whatever reason Bryant decided he'd be better off climbing fences and running across runways. You can get the whole crazy story here.

Late night open thread

Johnny cannot begin to tell you how rewarding it was today to realize he was paying for three channels doing nothing more than showing a video of a burning yule log set to Christmas music. And cable wonders why its subscriber numbers are dropping.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Please allow Johnny to drop the gift of music upon you

With HIS favorite Christmas-time song. Johnny would love to outlaw the rest and just leave this one. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Jersey City!

Of course we wish a Merry Christmas to all our friends and neighbors all around Jersey City as well but here's to a peaceful, happy and wonderful Christmas. May all your shitters be empty.

Late night open thread

According to the NORAD Santa Tracker, Santa is in Philly right now no doubt dumping coal everywhere. Get to bed Jersey City, or you'll get no nothing.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Twas Christmas Eve in Jersey City...

...all the trees are up. The stockings and wreaths are hung with care. All the good boys and girls await their bounty in the morning. The only thing missing is a little snow to set the mood off perfectly. Christmas Eve has always been one of Johnny's favorite days of the year. All that anticipation. Almost everyone is in an extra good mood it seems. Traditions come to the fore. Enjoy the day and the evening and all that comes with it!

Late night open thread

When I saw a sign on the freeway that said, "Los Angeles 445 miles," I said
to myself, "I've got to get out of this lane."
-- Franklyn Ajaye

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're taking nominees for the best and worst gifts you ever got

C'mon, you can be completely anonymous. Spill. What were your best Christmas gifts and/or your worst?

Late night open thread

On this day in history in 1864, during the Civil War Union General William T. Sherman sent a message to President Lincoln from Georgia saying, “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.” Wonder how long it took Lincoln to unwrap Savannah.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

December 22nd and Jersey City Desk Action Weather says it's 70º in Hamilton Park

Pass the tanning butter! Get out there and enjoy this wonderfully quirky weather day because by Christmas Eve this warmth will have left us in its rear view mirror.

One thing Johnny would like to say to certain online posters who, on a freezing cold day like to laugh at the "theory" of climate change. Yet we get three straight 60º days with one topping out at 70º in late December they're nowhere to be found. Perhaps off opening fire hydrants to play in.

It's tropical out there today. Like the song says we're, "where the palm trees sway." It's certainly Christmas season so here's Bing Crosby (a singer so great there's an entire needless search engine named after him) and the Andrews Sisters with 'Mele Kalikimaka.'

Late night open thread

"Did you ever notice that life seems to follow certain patterns? Like I noticed that every year around this time, I hear Christmas music."
 -- Tom Sims

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

When Johnny moved to Jersey City this was one event that really impressed him

An event that really touched Johnny shortly after he moved here was the dignified yearly event where the homeless who passed away over the last year are remembered and a food and clothing drive takes place. For a large city to take time and spend time remembering those are our most vulnerable citizens showed compassion and a worldview beyond the usual lip service paid to such matters. It is heartfelt and lifts us as a city.

Roughly 100 people gathered at Old Bergen Church in Jersey City for the fifth annual Hudson County Observance of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. Listening to the stories of those who used to be homeless and who were helped by the local shelters and food and clothing drives had both uplifting and frightening stories to tell. Take some time today and read this article. Guaranteed it will move you. Please do what you can to help out the other 364 days, people may be homeless but it doesn't change the fact they are human beings like us and they too have hopes and dreams and wish for the dignity of a place to live.

Late night open thread

Happy Equinox. Enjoy the shortest day of the year Saturday.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE PRETENDERS!

It's that time again thrillseekers, time to unwrap our yearly Christmas song packages from under the tree. We'll start with this one, a wonderfully stripped down sounding Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders on their Christmas song, '2000 Miles'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVE EDMUNDS!

Dave Edmunds ripping through 'Run Rudolph Run' as only Dave Edmunds can. Push play and get up with your alcohol-infused egg nog and get your swerve on. That's it. Santa don't care if you wanna trip the light fantastic next to the Christmas tree.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JON BON JOVI!

Riddle Johnny this. Here we see Jon singing a song to someone close to him, *ahem* his wife, about coming home for Christmas. BUT he's all making out real hot-like with Cindy Crawford. If his wife comes home for Christmas, his ass is busted. Granted, we're balancing that against the fact if you gotta burn for something Cindy Crawford is a good reason to burn.

Jon Bon Jovi getting all steamy and sweaty with Cindy Crawford like you do at Christmas, with 'Please Come Home for Christmas' wrapping up a ho-ho-holiday Music Series.

A PATH switiching issue has almost the entire system shut down

Congratulations Port Authority, when you're not intentionally screwing up commuters in Fort Lee at the GW Bridge, you're telling commuters, well for a while you weren't telling them anything and that is part of the problem. Due to switching problems almost the entire PATH system came to a standstill. Commuters were left on platforms after turnstiles had been blocked and were told nothing. No trains were coming, nobody was getting in or out, but the Port Authority, according to witnesses gave no updates or mentioned difficulties. The only line operating currently is the Hoboken to 33rd St. If you'd like to read some of the more colorful comments towards the Port Authority, by all means click here and read their Twitter feed. Angry angry people.

Late night open thread

Any Christmas special that has the moral "Keep your f•§ç†∆∂ mouth shut" can't be all bad can it? Here it is, the MAD-TV parody of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Raging Rudolph.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The FIFTH water main break in two days has really started to piss some people off

And by people we mean the mayor and most likely anyone else living in Jersey City. He's just saying what we're all thinking. In a pointed tweet this morning, Mayor Fulop said, and we tweetquote:

"A city our size needs service and care and #respect from service/utility providers. @UnitedWaterNJ #JerseyCity"

Yes United Water, we the people would also like to know how as a city we manage five breaks in two days, and we're talking large breaks. How much of your precious time and energy are put into pressure testing because it would seem when one goes another upstream isn't far behind. We'd suggest a thorough testing before a pipe bursts near a PATH station or another intersection starts looking like Niagara Falls. Capice?

Household tips with councilwoman Candice Osborne

Downtown councilwoman Candice Osborne, who's ward yesterday was home to four water main breaks, is advising people to KEEP boiling your water used for food-related things for one minute before using.

Osborne also mentioned that westbound Grand St. will be closed today between 9-3.

Late night open thread

Zorak, Brak AND Moltar? Sweeeet.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jayson Burg night at the city council meeting

Johnny really doesn't know what to make of this guy. Was he trolling Council President Rolando Lavarro with his snappy reply:

Lavarro: "Do you drive?"
Burg "I drive people crazy."

The audience then started filing out, no doubt breaking the two drink minimum rule at Jersey City Council meetings. What is he? Exasperating. Smarmy. Witty. We think any of these might describe him. Lavarro had to shut him up as people filed out. Burg came back and apologized then began saying something about Richard Nixon, Johnny didn't catch enough of it to tell what Nixon did this time.

It takes all kinds.

Johnny had to leave early (he gets up at 4am, cut him some slack) to grab dinner and saw Council did vote on the ambulance kerfuffle and Jersey City Medical Center can keep providing ambulance service for the city on a month by month basis.

Precious. Lifegiving. Water.

Downtown Jersey City remains without water this morning due to a water main break that United Water is trying to find for lack of a better word. Mayor Fulop tweeted that water pressure seems to be really low near Grand and Warren so this is where United Water is centering their search. Nine Jersey City schools will be let out at 12:45 because of the water main break, and the city has issued a boil water advisory for what trickle you may have or will hopefully soon be getting back.

A boil water advisory means boil your water for one minute before using unless it is for say washing clothes, taking a shower or washing dishes.

So downtown, cutoff from the rest of the civilized world yet so close to the teeming skyline of New York City, slides closer to chaos, rioting, and dogs and cats living together unless Batman can get the water main fixed. We're setting the over/under on the time it gets fixed at 2:30pm.

Late night open thread

Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.
 -- Bill Watterson

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So they had the big safe opening at City Hall just now

Johnny's been reading Terrence T. McDonald of the Jersey Journal on Twitter who was watching them be opened to much Steve Fulop fanfare. Other than a couple boxes with not much in them they did recover a historical treasure that should go on display immediately -- an extension cord.

Go on, say it, you're thinking the exact same thing Johnny, Zoltron, Kiki and everyone else in Jersey City is thinking.

Geraldo Fulop.

Word on the street says BNY Mellon is looking for new home, quite possibly Jersey City

Word around the financial houses has made it's way to Bloomberg News who are reporting the former Bank of New York, founded by Alexander Hamilton, is looking to sell their Manhattan HQ and are looking for around 400K sq. ft. of office space in Manhattan or Jersey City to relocate.

Why won't this happen?

"Any attempt to move probably will spark competition among New York landlords, and test New York Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s pledge to cut tax breaks and subsidies to big companies, the news service notes."

Why might this happen?

"...A move to Jersey City not only would put it in the company of other financial firms that have relocated major parts of their operations to the so-called Wall Street West, but it also would put it closer to its corporate family. Pershing, a unit of BNY Mellon, has its headquarters right in the heart of downtown Jersey City, at 1 Pershing Plaza.

We here in Jersey City aren't that worried about any deal the incoming NY Mayor may offer, after all this is Jersey City and it's hot hot hot for real estate right now. Jersey City is the logical choice as Wall St. West grows and grows. Bill deBlasio is a poor man's Steve Fulop. There, we said it.

If it helps the Jersey City Desk would like to welcome BNY Mellon to our fair city. You're just in time, Taqueria is going to start delivery.

Late night open thread

Time for that long winter's nap we've long heard tell of.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

5:32 action news time means Jersey City Desk Action Traffic and Weather

The Jersey City Desk Action Weather Copter is drifting above the GW Bridge and Zoltron aboard the Copter says things are pretty ganked up. He says the upper level heading into New Jersey is dropping bits and pieces on cars below. He said either that or it's Chris Christie mischief again. The sass is strong with that one. The Cross Bronx Expressway, West Side Highway, Major Deegan and other highways across the river have serious serious delays. Fortunately tomorrow morning's commute will only be snowy.

Traffic and weather on the 2's or whenever the mood strikes...

Good news -- CNN: NSA phone surveillance program unconstitutional

No shit. Now you know why the Bush and Obama administrations fought so tirelessly over the years desperately trying to keep the question about the NSA with their fish net strategy of all communications everywhere on earth out of court when faced with the question, is this snooping constitutional?

More and more this Edward Snowden is proving to be not a villain but a patriot who has never changed his story while the snoops and spooks and government spies change theirs weekly. Funny the guys accusing Snowden of breaking the law do the same things themselves.

(CNN) -- The government's once-secret program of collecting domestic telephone communication records of Americans was ruled unconstitutional Monday by a federal court.

"I cannot imagine a more 'indiscriminate' and 'arbitrary invasion' than this systematic and high-tech collection and retention of personal data on virtually every citizen for purposes of querying and analyzing it without prior judicial approval," said the judge, an appointee of President George W. Bush. "Surely, such a program infringes on 'that degree of privacy' that the Founders enshrined in the Fourth Amendment."

Much more from CNN.

Winter Storm Marzipan will arrive around dawn tomorrow

And when Winter Storm Marzipan arrives she will be bringing 2-4" of fresh powder for Jersey City and the surround. The snow should be gone for the afternoon rush hour. Buck up though, later this week into the weekend brings temps in the upper 40's to near 50 by Friday.

Late night open thread

Great news tonight, Mickey the lost dog has been found safe.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

That's Right! St. Peter's takes down Seton Hall in OT

The Pride of Jersey City®, the St. Peter's Peacocks beat Seton Hall at the Prudential Center yesterday 83-80. The win by the Peacocks breaks a 17 year drought against The Hall.

Desi Washington had an incredible game, going off for 34 points including the winning 3 point basket in overtime. The only thing putting a damper on this wonderful win for St. Peter's (3-6) was Jamel Fields of SPU picking up a knee injury. Marvin Dominique also impressed for St. Peter's with 23 of his 25 points coming in the second half.

St. Peter's is at Hartford next Sunday the 22nd before coming home to the Yanitelli Center for a 2pm tip on Saturday December 28. Let's fill that place!

We've got a Jersey City APB on Mickey, a missing dog

Help if you can. If you're out walking around and you see Mickey come back to this website on your mobile device and get Craig's phone number. Let's help our neighbors when we can!

Tell us your Winter Storm Bozo survival stories

We'll just bet you have some great stories Jersey City about how you survived yesterday's big snow. Now Johnny's gotta come up with a name for the next big powder dump. Maybe he'll name it after a food.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Winter Storm Bozo has begun, get ready to get your fun on

Hey hey, everyone loves some snow on a Saturday when you don't have to be anywhere so settle in and get ready for #WinterStormBozo and the roughly six inches of snow it'll bring by tonight. After midnight we'll start getting the ice and rain portion of the storm.

#WinterStormBozo, take that Weather Channel.

Late night open thread

Hey kids look, it's The Burger King's ill-conceived first sidekick Cholester Owl.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BLONDIE!

When you're the boss you can darn well pick what you want to hear and share with everyone. Here's a Blondie song you may never have heard before. If so you're really missing out. Nobody writes songs like this anymore. Real classic storytelling songs. As always Debbie Harry's voice captures perfectly the character or muse she's describing. Heck, you'll find that out for yourself. Blondie with a gold nugget of a song, 'Susie and Jeffrey' kicking things off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PORTISHEAD!

OK music trivia buffs here's your chance to win cash and prizes. This Portishead song, 'Sour Times', came out in what year?

A) 1994
B) 1996
C) 1997

The answer will be posted in comments. If you chose correctly congratulations. Johnny has fistfuls of Borders Books and Music stock for you.

Portishead getting their mope on with Sour Times'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BANANARAMA!

It's short, sweet and the harmonies are knockouts. It makes you want to learn bongos. You get to look at Siobhan Fahey who back when gave Johnny that special feeling like when you climbed the rope in gym class. Bananarama with 'Really Saying Something' putting the wraps on another Music Series.

Bayonne High School students are building a viking ship which they hope to sail in Newark Bay

May we say what a great project and great idea by Bayonne High School carpentry teacher Greg Cea. There are six students working on the ship during 90-minute class sessions throughout the school week. Said Cea, "“By the end of May the ship should be completed, We’re all using conventional carpentry tools to build the ship. All the remnants of the wood used are from recycled materials.”

Isn't that fantastic? Inspired teaching leads to inspired students which you'll read about when you follow this link. We wish Mr. Cea and his class well. We'd also like to point out if you put enough guys on the boat you could most likely sail over and sack Newark. Probably get some extra credit for that Johnny thinks.

Late night open thread

Ah autocorrect.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Looking for more reasons not to go to a Yankees or Mets game this year?

OK, how about this. If a runner is trying to score a run, charging hard from third base and the catcher is about to get the ball on a throw from the outfield already blocking the baseline you know what's coming.....nothing. No big plays at he plate anymore. The runner coming from third base MUST now slide. He cannot impact the catcher even if the catcher is blocking his way. He HAS to slide.

Disgraceful. Simply disgraceful. Oh we know there will be the nannies who tell us Pete Rose did Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game and Fosse's career was never the same blah blah blah. Too bad. A collision IS part of the game. Catchers grow up knowing this. If the catcher has the ball and you have no other path to the plate, you knock him over. Johnny was excellent at this in Little League, Pony League, and High School baseball.  Just not in the Major Leagues anymore. Players have to slide and try to find away around the catcher. Woooo, how unexciting. Yet one more reason baseball has become quite unwatchable gets worse.

Tell us MLB, were pitcher instructed to never throw inside again? That to us would seem far more dangerous and hit batsmen (beanballs) happen far more frequently than home plate collisions, but THAT seems to be part of the game according to the wussies at Major League Baseball. Colliding with the catcher isn't anymore. What about breaking up double plays? Guys with a hard slide certainly hurt more infielders than any runner hitting a catcher every year. For once in his life Pete Rose is right:

"You're not allowed to pitch inside. The hitters wear more armor than the Humvees in Afghanistan. Now you're not allowed to try to be safe at home plate?" Rose said. "What's the game coming to? Evidently the guys making all these rules never played the game of baseball."

So if you're sick of stooges like A-Rod and Ryan Braun being celebrated, if you can't stand the fact you still subsidize the Mets and Yankees stadiums, if the on-field product has become almost unwatchable, now baseball goes and takes out even more excitement.

Anyone from MLB that wants to show up and have this debate here Johnny would love nothing more. He just won't be doing it from Debits Field in Queens or Billion Dollar House that Taxpayers Built in the Bronx.

Oh, and the games are going to be awash in instant replays next year. See you at the shore!

Late night open thread

If your birthday is today you share it with former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia who was born in 1882. We're guessing you weren't.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A one minute timeout for something fun

Just for no other reason than everyone needs a minute for stupid fun.

This Super Bowl thing must be a big deal, we get a Vignelli transit map out of it

Since the New Meadowlands (pay up Snoopy) is going to act as the fourth branch of government on Super Bowl Sunday and nobody will be tailgating or even driving to the game, you better get a look at the official transit map for the big event if you're planning on going. This isn't just any transit map, no Vignelli Associates was tasked with creating this one. They make the most famousest of transit line maps. You can hit up Gothamist for more on the story and map or check out the .pdf by clicking here. Those with tickets should keep in mind Governor Christie allegedly likes to slow down cross-border traffic on a giant scale if he is angered. He's stronger than the storm. Try and keep him happy until February 3.

Sports!

Late night open thread

Q) What's brown and sticky?
A) A stick

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Jersey City Parking Authority is letting "the privileged" have boots taken off their cars for free

Hope you're ready for some strong opinions here Jersey City because even on Winter Storm Snow Elf Day Johnny's heated up.

So, once again Terrence T. McDonald with the Jersey Journal does some excellent work and begins to ferret out what are called “boot void sheets,” which Parking Authority workers must fill out when taking a parking boot off of a car as a favor. So just who is getting favors? You know, a friend of a Parking Authority worker, maybe a family member, or someone like Jerry Walker (we like Jerry Walker and are just using his name here so you can see the kinds of people, unlike you, who don't have to pay the full boot fee or pay to have their car towed).

Johnny, when you say "the privileged" could you elaborate? We'll let the article take that one on:

More than two dozen boots were removed as JCPA employee courtesies, nine supposedly for family members of agency workers. At least 21 “employee courtesies” were given to people whose names don’t show up on city or JCPA payroll records, including someone associated with a tavern in the Heights that’s popular with local pols. Paretti said that person is a family member of a JCPA worker, though the boot void sheet identifies her as an agency employee.

Despite Parking Authority Director Mary Paretti's insistence anyone can have their case heard and get a boot taken off for free, that's not what her employees say:

But a JCPA employee, who asked not to be identified criticizing high-level agency officials, said that’s not true. Someone like Rivera can call and have a boot removed for a friend, but if you don’t know someone powerful, you’re probably out of luck, the employee said.

"That is select enforcement to the fullest," the employee said. "That's where the injustice lies.

OK, first thing. Mary Paretti needs to go. Fired. Bounced. Gone. Listen no further than this: In the article Paretti said now that the Jersey Journal is doing an investigation she's going to get on these free unbootings. Did you hear her? Now that someone is paying attention she'll do something. Not because it's the right thing to do. Not because it helps cut graft but because someone is now asking questions. WRONG. Fired!

If you think Paretti's deer-in-headlights answer was bad we'd like to introduce you to a complete jackass named Aurelio Vincitore, JCPA attorney. Get the reason as to why he doesn't think the Parking Authority should have to come clean to taxpayers over the free boots:

"Vincitore denied the newspaper's request, saying that releasing the sheets substantially interfere with the state or federal government's ability to protect and defend its citizens against acts of sabotage or terrorism if disclosed.”

Terrorism? You idiot. That's a complete douchey fallback answer to everything right now. No, the United States war on terror would NOT be harmed by giving out the sheets of people who had their cars unbooted for free in Jersey City pro bono. Are you a complete moron Mr. Vincitore? Are you completely mental with reasoning like that? You too should not only be fired but tied to a train and have it sent to the next town down and they can decide if they want you. If you're going to hide behind terrorism over parking boots you are simply not up to the task you've been given.

Mayor Fulop, City Council, it is time for a hard rain to fall at the Parking Authority. Rolling it into another department might not get rid of dead weight like Paretti and Vincitore. Eradicate the whole thing, be like the Romans at Carthage and salt the very ground the Parking Authority stands on so people like those who run that department leave Jersey City and never come back.

Winter Storm Snow Elf will drop 3-5" of powder on us today

As Johnny mentioned on the Twitter yesterday, if The Weather Channel thinks it's OK to make up storm names the NOAA doesn't recognize so can he. Today's #WinterStormSnowElf arrived earlier than predicted so tack on a another couple inches through late this afternoon. Was 1-3" now it's 3-5".

Get out there and have some fun!

Late night open thread

Johnny doubled over and came awfully close to falling on the floor laughing at The Simpsons on Sunday night. For those who didn't see it Krusty is broke as usual and Lisa advises him to franchise out the rights to his show internationally. Here's one result:


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Navigate the sloppy morning rush hour ok today? Good...

Because the drive home tomorrow could be worse, much worse. Tuesday afternoon looks to bring Hudson County and the surround 1-3" of snow. The snow will begin in the late morning and go through mid-afternoon. Do plan accordingly and welcome to your work weeks.

Late night open thread

These once in a generation party events are brutal as the generations go by. Two days of Sparty Party and suddenly Monday becomes an off day.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Yeah. it's pretty much a free day

The party from last night continues today. We'll see you back here tonight.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Oklahoma State kicker kicked a field goal today during a 4.5 magnitude earthquake

No kidding. Never been done before. During the Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma Big 12 championship game OSU kicker Ben Grogan kicked a 41 yard field goal during a 4.5 magnitude earthquake.

Ben Grogan is now the kicker with the best story ever to tell the grandkids in his sunset years.

It has been 25 years since Johnny has felt like this

When you grow up a Big Ten football fan in the midwest Valhalla is Pasadena California. All that is good and glorious and life's rich reward is your team in the Rose Bowl and your band playing your fight song in the Rose Bowl parade. Seeing your team's name painted in the end zone. This is all that matters to B1G football fans. It has been twenty five long agonizing years since Johnny's Michigan State Spartans have had a chance to go back to Pasadena. Today is that day. Sparty sits on the precipice of the Rose Bowl again tonight.

Call it voting with your heart if you will. Ohio St. feels they have to win with style points and by a lot to stay ahead of Auburn in BCS points. The worst kind of concentration breaker, having to win pretty. That leads to bad turnovers against the best defense in America. You heard it here first:

Michigan St. 31
Ohio St. 27

Late night open thread

"Unvisited tombstones, unread diaries, and erased video game high-score rankings are three of the most potent symbols of mankind's pathetic and fruitless attempts at immortality."
 -- Sarah Silverman

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with 10cc!

Kids these days, they don't remember the fun of the old AM radio days. You could wile away the hours listening to pointless love songs that served no purpose other than to extoll the purported virtues of love. Like this one! 10cc with the AM radio standard 'The Things We Do for Love'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with FASTBALL!

Johnny will admit to loving to sing. Everybody has songs they enjoy singing and often times do when they come on. Now Johnny used to have a horrid off key and rather flat singing voice. People would ask, is some poor animal in distress or is someone singing terribly? But years of practice, voice lessons, a special tonic of honey and lemon in his tea and a deal with Satan has helped Johnny sound better and better.

He loves singing along to this one. 'The Way' by Fastball about some old people who just up and wondered off one day after their car broke down. They should have got them some of that AAA before they left. Now they're just a song.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE CARS!

Something in the night, just don't sit right, looks like I'm gonna be up all night....The Cars with a wonderful and under-appreciated song off of Candy-O, 'Since I Held You'

OK kids, who wants to skate with Santa?

Well then you're gonna have that chance a week from tomorrow at the Charlie Heger Ice Skating Rink at 807 Summit! FREE pictures with Santa and a fun day skating, what could be better? Oh yes, that this event is Steve Fulop approved!

Late night open thread

"My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle."
-- Henny Youngman

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NYC Mayor-elect Bill De Blasio chooses his new police commissioner

It what may be considered a surprise move de Blasio will announce later today that former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton will retake the job. Bratton, who served under "noun-verb-9/11" Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was a surprise choice after de Blasio didn't say very nice things about Giuliani during his debates with Joe Lhota.

The Gothamist has more on the choice (we'd send you to the NYT for this but why waste one of your monthly articles on it?).

Sounds like the Super Bowl expectation of every room being rented in NYC is falling rather short

Now we understand the NFL is never above telling everyone that everything is going smoothly and that everyone is more interested in their product that they were ten minutes ago. So why have only 27% of the available rooms in NYC been booked for Super Bowl weekend? Look, we already know the NFL is giving New Jersey the back of their hands, instead trying for the glitz and glamor of NYC.  Roger Goodell and his merry band of assholes are putting on very very little in the way of Super Bowl events in the Garden State and are giving NJ the short shrift, with practically everything in Gotham.

So, if people could give a shit and NOT rent rooms in NYC, where is all this Super Bowl excitement? We hear the NFL is want for volunteers as well to help shuttle people and do things for those big spenders coming from all points. That's not a very good formula for success at such an event. In fact at this point, after watching and listening to the NFL marketing over the supposed NJ/NY Super Bowl we'd invite anyone from New Jersey to NOT volunteer and let the New Yorkers step up to the plate. Screw the NFL. If they don't care about the very state their biggest game is being held, why would Garden Staters want to volunteer to help them marginalize New Jersey? Do it yourself NFL.

But don't count on those hotels in NYC to fill up JUST for the Super Bowl. 27% two months out? Yeah NFL, we're just not that excited about your game on either side of the Hudson. In fact, here's a troubling stat for the NFL:

Some New York City hotels have reportedly either slashed their rates or reduced the minimum number of nights for which guests will be required to pay.

If this lack of interest in the Super Bowl here continues on (despite what the marketing machine from the NFL will tell you) it couldn't happen to a nicer group, the NFL bigwigs and their acolytes.

Now all we need is a crippling snowstorm. And if you think Johnnys being petty about the snow, former Green Back Packer and NFL Hall of Famer Paul Hornung said he hoped on Feb. 2 in East Rutherford "It snows like a bitch."

Late night open thread

Animated gifs two nights in a row? What's the world coming to?


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Chris Christie's Sandy Relief fund is fast becoming New Jersey's answer to Obamacare

Sandycare, how about we call Chris Christie flailing Sandy relief fund Sandycare. The Governor likes to trash the rollout of Obamacare as people try to get signed up. BUT as the Star-Ledger points out, Christie's rollout of Sandycare, getting the necessary help and processing the necessary forms for New Jersey storm victims has been just as abysmal as the initial rollout of Obamacare.

Of course Christie, who likes to bathe in the post-Sandy adulation of his initial efforts is so clearly dropping thew ball here and leaving helpless Garden Staters to fend for themselves. He doesn't want to hear about his failures either:

When a reporter tried to ask Gov. Chris Christie about this at a news conference Monday, the governor called Fair Share Housing a “hack group,” and said he wouldn’t respond to any questions about it — cutting off a follow-up inquiry.

“Just so it’s general notice to all of you, don’t ask me any questions about Fair Share Housing,” said Christie, declaring its team of lawyers not worth “my time or my breath.”

Never mind that this so-called “hack” group has been advocating for fair housing in New Jersey for almost 40 years, and just won three major court victories over the administration, this year alone.

Yep, the typical Christie, "talk bigger than you are and try and silence those who challenge you" attitude was on display. That attitude was great when you were fighting for New Jersey residents after the storm Guv, but now it comes off as crass stonewalling of your own people. Try standing up and being a man and dealing with the fact YOUR OFFICES have failed these storm victims WORSE than Obamacare's online startup hurt those looking for health care.

The Sandy follow-up from Chris Christie has become his "Sandycare moment.

Late night open thread

"Now is time on Sprockets when we dance!"


Time on Jersey City, After Dark

Light Rail hits a car in downtown Jersey City

And Johnny put the action in his name by going to get exclusive pictures this morning. The accident occurred on the Light Rail line between Harsiumus Cove and the Financial Center at Second St. near Washington. The little VW GTI looks like it needs to learn a lesson in size ratio:

(x + 1)(x – 3) = 0  x + 1 = 0  or  x – 3 = 0  x = –1  or  x º 3 = Light Rail Trains > VW GTIs.

Now to the pics:

Late night open thread

Johnny can't tell who Honda hired for their Christmas-themed car ads, Michael Bolton or Snow Miser.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Q & A with Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop

No, he didn't sit down with Johnny. No city officials will ever sit down with Johnny for a no-holds barred interview we fear. But the Jersey Journal did have a fine Q&A with Fulop and we wanted to post a link here for you so you can hear the mayor discuss the Port Authority lawsuits, city business and the bugaboo question as to whether or not Fulop has his sights set on Trenton.

Good reading on a Monday morning.

Late night open thread

Welcome to December.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

In New Jersey it would seem bail bond companies can overrule a judge

A baddie goes before a judge who decides yep, this guy's a baddie and wants to keep him locked up leading up to trial. The judge sets a bond of $350,000. There, that oughta do it. Except the defendant can walk across the street and get -- are you sitting down? -- a $0 money down bail bond with the promise of say a payment plan of $75 a week. Suuuuure, you bet the baddie will sign that. He's now free. No money down and a small installment plan (which, let's face facts he's not going to pay on, surprise he just wanted out) gets a complete walkaround from the judge's intentions. Got your attention?

Thomas Zambito with the Star-Ledger pulls back the curtain on this shameful trend in the bail bond industry that is putting the legitimate bondsmen out of business. You know that 0% down bond the baddie got? The judges and prosecutors aren't often told baddie is out walking the street. Out walking the street and say murdering a two-year old Newark boy like Wakir Bryant, the beneficiary of three payment plans. Court workers are more than frustrated:

"You’re lowering the defendant’s bail without the judge’s consent or approval," said Assistant Prosecutor Roger Imhof, the deputy chief of the trial section for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. "A judge of the Superior Court is saying the bail should be $200,000, and a bail bond company is saying he’s ROR (released on his own recognizance)."

Grab a drink and read this one friends, and then contact the powers that be when you're done.

Isn't good journalism a great thing?

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show

Auburn 34
Alabama 28
Amazing. Here's Rod Bramblett on the Auburn Radio Network with the call.

Ohio St. 42
Michigan 41
The Luckeyes survive a late 2 point conversion attempt by Michigan to hang on and move to 12-0.

Michigan St. 14
Minnesota 3
Amazing stat: MSU won all 8 B1G games by double digits, first time that has been done in the conference since 1946.

UCLA 35
USC 14
The Bruins have won the last two and it's looking like the pendulum is swinging back their way in this rivalry.

Connecticut 28
Rutgers 17
The Scarlet Knights most odious loss yet. They should sign on Febreze as a sponsor.

Furman 30
South Carolina St. 20
The Division 1-AA playoffs have begun. The Paladins get power up and win the game.

New Hampshire 45
Lafayette 7
For some 1-AA teams the playoffs ended the minute they got off the bus.

Fordham 37
Sacred Heart 27
How 'bout them Fordham Rams?!

Syracuse 34
Boston College 31
The Orange can now hope for a bowl bid. Note the word hope does not mean guarantee.

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Southern Mississippi 62
UAB 27
Johnny does not know what was said in the Southern Miss locker room at halftime. He does know coming into the game Southern Miss was 0-11. They were 0-12 last year. They were trailing UAB at halftime 21-13. Even 2-win UAB it looked was going to best the Golden Eagles. Then something happened. Something in the water supply. Perhaps somebody passed around the spinach can. Maybe they just got so sick of losing they simply went off on UAB and outscored them 49-6 the rest of the way. Any way you slice it congrats on your victory Southern Miss!

TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

Goldman Sachs commuter boat slams into J. Owen Grundy Park

Yes this is yesterday's news but one question keeps popping up in Johnny's head; Unless the boat had electrical or steering malfunctions how in the hell do you miss your dock, one you've used many times before, by some 300 yards? Goldman Sachs, would you like to tell us what hapened to your ship piloted by a New York Waterway captain? New York Waterway would you like to tell us what happened to the captain that he missed a dock by 300 yards? Hopefully it wasn't a heart attack or other awful medical condition that caused this. We, like everyone else are here waiting for answers.

We're just glad Goldman Sachs, along with New York Waterway will be rebuilding Jersey City's park and the damage done to it. They'd better.

Late night open thread

"A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing."
 -- Unknown

TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS!

Love does not begin to describe this song for old Johnny. Although this has always been a summer song for Johnny it has worked it's magic once again tonight in the cold winds of November. Hey, when you own the place you can play what you want. Paul McCartney & Wings with 'Junior's Farm' starting things off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LAS RUBIAS DEL NORTE!

Back in Johnnys drinking days often nights with certain friends be done in by amaretto slammers. He'd be drinking beer most of the night and then maybe an hour and thirty from closing the bar someone in the group with more money than sense would start buying "slammers" as we referred to them. Put your napkin over the glass, bash it into the table and you throw back a fizzy delight of candy-sweet delectable alcohol in 40 proof increments. It was just so tasty and warm and lovely, just like listening to Las Rubias del Norte music. It just goes down so easy. You put on an album from them in a playlist and it's all over too soon. Only with this clip of Las Rubias del Norte on Soundcheck you won't have the added experience of hitting the Rams Horn for drunkfast and later pulling off onto Oak Hill Road so Johnny can yack.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with WAR!

Ah the classics. The key to enjoying a good classic over time is to work in in the right spots, and don't overdo it. War makes their Music Series debut with the classic 'Lowrider'

If you're looking for something fun to do over leftovers today, may we suggest...

Head over to Twitter and search the hashtag #walmartfights for sheer horror and joy at the same time. Of course Wal-Mart was out early today on the morning shows claiming their stores are the safest around when it comes to Black Friday shopping. Yeah, wrong. Here's one to get you started. People fistfighting over a teevee they would have walked past last week and not looked twice at.


Wal-Mart, always the lowest common denominator, always!

Late night open thread

What a holiday. A day where we celebrate food stuffed and wrapped inside other food. The next day we do it all again.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers!

From Johnny, Zoltron, Kiki and a cast of thousands, we'd like to wish all our readers (or if you just stopped by) a happy and hearty Thanksgiving.

As our special gift to you today here it is in all its glory (don't worry it'll be over by the time the Lions kickoff), the complete massacree in four part harmony....with feeling:

Late night open thread

The average person (define that how you will) will take in 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. So you better get to bed, you have to start eating as soon as you get up.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

The Jersey Journal has much more on the fire above Buon Appetito on Grove St.

The Jersey Journal has much more on today's big story of a 4-alarm fire downtown when first one then an adjoining building went up in flames above the Buon Appetito pizza shop on Grove St. near Bay. They have interviews with people who lived above Buon Appetito and said they were denied insurance because nobody will write a policy if you live above a pizza place. Click here for the Jersey Journal story.

Breaking News: Major fire in downtown Jersey City -- UPDATE!

Located near Grove St. and Morgan it can be seen for blocks away. The Jersey City Desk brings you these exclusive pictures:

UPDATE: Firefighters are batting low water pressure and the building in question is the one where pizza place Buon Appetito is located on Grove St.

The mayor isn't fooling with the Port Authority, he just isn't

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop followed up his threat to sue the Port Authority over what he claims are unpaid city taxes, by lashing out at the Port Authority's toll increases set to take effect December 1st:

"The Port Authority dumps a heavy burden on Jersey City taxpayers in three ways - from the costs of municipal services provided to the Port Authority, from the increasing tolls and PATH fares, and from a staggering underpayment by the Port Authority to the City for its property here,"

Fulop wasn't done:

"The Port Authority is financially strong and could choose to delay this increase," he added.

We're in complete agreement on this mayor. For far too long the Port Authority has acted with practical impunity when it comes to how they deal with other entities, and how they aren't accountable to almost anyone. It's time for Jersey City through Fulop to pull back some of the secrecy via the lawsuit and get Jersey City what is Jersey City's. With the increases we feel the Port Authority is just passing off to the public their cost overruns because of their own stupidity and lack of oversight on the new WTC project. 

We'll also tell you what Fulop won't, the fat cats at the PA don't give a shit if they hurt your family's bottom line one bit.

Late night open thread

Here's one for everyone who has to be outside tonight.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hudson County is one step closer to an MTA tunnel through Hoboken and Secaucus

Three years after Governor Chris Christie bloviated about cost overruns and canceled a tunnel running the MTA 7 line, approval moved forward for a tunnel from Secaucus (stopping at the Frank Sinatra Memorial Platform in Hoboken) and connecting into the Grand Central Terminal, is a step closer to reality (and watch somebody try and take partial credit when he runs for President):

The Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee pushed through a resolution in support of expanding the New York City Number 7 subway into New Jersey, according to the state legislature's website.

So, good! A study says 128,000 people would take that trip on the 7 from New Jersey to New York City a day. It eases the PATH ridership at rush hour, win. It will create commuter lots so less people run their tailpipes in traffic backups at both current car tunnels, win. It will save commuters money and no doubt the "We're above the law" Port Authority will stand to lose a lot of coin so that's funny if not a win.

The article says the tunnel still faces an uphill battle and it is on us now to rain down emails and phone calls to make sure everyone knows we want this. Well, get calling!

Late night open thread

That's the way we all became the Johnny Bunch...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Don't tell us your mind isn't already on Thanksgiving weekend

It was when you got up this morning and realized you had a three-day workweek. So, are you going anywhere or staying put?

Late night open thread

In the movie Titanic, Jack played by Leo DiCaprio, says at one point he remembered going ice fishing with his father on Lake Wissota as a boy. That'd be kind of hard since in the movie Jack dies on April 15, 1912 and Lake Wissota wasn't even around until the construction of a dam created it in 1917. Oops.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

No tailgating at the Super Bowl

Because TERROR! Yep, security concerns have caused tailgating before a football game, the supposed biggest game of the year to be 86'd. From the article:

"...because space will be so tight in the parking lot thanks to all the security checkpoints and TV crews, even the lucky ticketed few might be banned from (literally) chilling in the parking lot pre-game."

So no tossing the football around in the parking lot before the game either. So no tailgating, no tossing the ball around the lot, no football-type actions of any kind.

"Children of Sombertown, your playing days are over!!"

Who the hell would want to go to this if your team wasn't playing? There's nothing football about this game. You do realize while you aren't allowed to grill a burger or eat a hot dog outside the stadium walls, inside the muckity-mucks will be enjoying the finest food and yes, some of it grilled on site. Again, you really want to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on this? If so you're not one of the fans sitting in snow and single digit wind-chills in Green Bay, Cleveland, the New Meadowlands, Buffalo, Baltimore and New England today. In essence, if you want to pay all that money for puffery and no real football feel, you're not a football fan Johnny wants at his tailgate.

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Michigan State 30
Northwestern 6
Sparty gets the extreme pleasure of booking rooms in Indianapolis in December with...

Ohio State 42
Indiana 14
...The Buckeyes who will join MSU for the Big Ten title game and hours of shopping in scenic downtown Indy.

Florida State 80
Idaho 14
Pay no attention to the sexual assault charges being laid at our star QB's feet, look, 80 points!

Arizona 42
Oregon 16
When the Ducks flame out man they go all the way.

Oklahoma State 49
Baylor 17
You know that dream that ends where you're falling a great distance? Baylor is about to live that feeling in the polls.

Stanford 63
California 13
Take that you stupid Bears, still think that band play was funny?

Wisconsin 20
Minnesota 7
On one play in this game Johnny saw Wisconsin fumbled and there was a huge pileup to recover the ball. When they unpiled they saw how bad the damage Badgers and Gophers burrowing for something can be and had to stop the game for 30 minutes to fill in a big hole and replace a chunk of turf.

Harvard 34
Yale 7
The Crimson rolled up the newspaper on the Bulldogs for the 7th straight year in clinching the Ivy League's coveted Thurston Howell III Trophy.

Tulane 45
UTEP 3
Well it's getting late in the Scoreboard Show season and Johnny's pretty sure we hadn't had a Tulane sighting yet this year.

Nebraska 23
Penn State 20 OT
OK, these two schools are done being hazed by the more established Big Ten teams when Rutgers and Maryland arrive next year and become the noobs.

Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Georgia Southern 26
Florida 20
Only one thing to say really. This is a BAD loss for Florida. When Michigan lost to Appalachian State the case could be made Appy State was a top tier 1-AA team. Georgia Southern? Yeah, no, they are middling. Know what else? GEORGIA SOUTHERN THREW THREE PASSES ALL DAY, COMPLETED NONE AND STILL WON. They also ran for 429 yards. Har har har, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of probationers.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

One Super Bowl matchup has been set - New Jersey vs. New York

The New York Times took a somewhat condescending look at New Jersey in a piece that shows the competition for Super Bowl events and sponsors is already being played between New Jersey and the other state. Well, not so much state at all, just that big city. The Times points out almost looking down their noses at the Garden State events that yes of course all the celebrities and glamour will be in NYC because duh. They even sound a bit like Robert Duvall as Colonel William Kilgore in Apocalypse Now who says of the North Vietnamese when, during the famous helicopter attack scene, spits out incredulously "These people never give up." Sorry we're trying to have a good time with the Super Bowl New York Times, and god forbid we draw someone away from that Broadway football experience complete with Angry Drunken Don't Tickle Me Elmo and a super bowl of gumbo from Bubba Gump's ("Eat where the Saints players refuse to eat"®).

The article mentioned events in New Jersey having difficulty drawing sponsors. But not once did they mention Jersey City which makes Johnny ask our city administration, people are going to be aware that Jersey City has the best access to NYC, brilliant restaurants and a view to die for riiiiight? Riiiiiiight? Maybe a well placed viral ad campaign, maybe a couple well positioned billboards advertising such. So maybe you only grab a few thousand, it all helps. Governor Christie, well we need you to be Governor Christie and make SURE everyone knows where this game is being played. You gotta book a Saturday Night Live spot to get the message out? Do it!

So yes, NYC prepares to take the lion's share of the attention which should give Garden Staters all the more impetus to do what Johnny does and rightly call them the New Jersey Giants and New Jersey Jets.

We're stronger than the advertising storm!

Late night open thread

Only one first lady ever carried a loaded pistol around with her at the White House. Who was she? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE BABYS!

Rocking back to 1978 on this one, the title track to the album Head First (Available at the Brandon High School Hawks Nest school store for the low low price of $3.99) kicking things off tonight. Looking back, Head First was a lot of album for $3.99.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SHERYL CROW!

We haven't played a Sheryl Crow song in quite a while around here. We're gonna go off the well worn playlists and go with this gem, a song so great Johnny Cash covered it for her. Kennett Missouri representing tonight with 'Redemption Day'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SAM COOKE!

Ever wonder what the guys on the chain gang did to get into this predicament in the first place? Sam Cooke's voice is so smooth he makes it seem like fun to sing on the chain gang on the highways and byways. Sam Cooke wrapping up another Music Series with 'Chain Gang'

Hoboken unsure if SantaCon is happening there this year? Pshaw!

Oh it's ON! Just wander through the city in your Santa or Mrs. Claus or elven-kind outfits, grab a brew and go crazy. NYC is wussing out telling bars there to please not serve people dressed as Santa. That's sad because now nobody in NYC will get any presents this year.

So FuHo, you get your SantaCon on, you're supposedly the Valhalla of party towns. They took away your ribald fun for St. Patrick's Day so don't tell us you're not gonna go fight for your right to party in a Santa suit with Ho-Ho-Ho's.

December 7, 2013, be there aloha

Late night open thread

50 years ago tonight John F. Kennedy was in the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, relaxing before a trip the next day from Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth to Love Field in Dallas on Air Force One.

Forever young.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's never too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving

Especially when a huge nor'easter could be bearing down upon us anytime from late Tuesday of next week to Thanksgiving morning. Will it be rain? Will it be snow? Will it be hail? Will it be toads and frogs? Forecasters don't know yet but they do say if this mess hits us it'll screw everything up from travel to parades (could be too breezy for the cool balloons) to the price of cranberries (Johnny has no idea, it just sounded good).

One meteorologist, Chuck U. Farley from down in Cape May, said this storm might bring about the end times.

So let's hope he's wrong...

Check back for more on this developing storm which the Weather Channel will irresponsibly name as soon as it produces wind.

Late night open thread

A great night at Carnegie Hall watching David Sedaris perform from his many works. Chatting up his sister Amy after the show? Priceless.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The smoking age in NYC is going up to 21 and a quote for the ages

Johnny's gonna shred a guy in a couple minutes so get a cup of coffee and get comfy.

According to a study there are 20,000 New York City high school kids who smoke. Beyond the whole "Let's find out why they started," Johnny asks what can we do right now to make them stop? As a society we have to look out for the younger minds. As someone one said cigarettes are the only product on the market that if used as directed results in death. There are 20,000 kids in NYC shortening their lives. It would be absurd not to do something and the most immediate of these actions was taken by Mayor-for-now-Bloomberg who upped the age for buying ciggybutts (and e-cigs) from 18-21. This goes into effect in 180 days.

ROOOOOAAAARRRR, GRUFF, GRUMBLE, said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores: "What are you really accomplishing? It's not like they are going to quit smoking." ROOOOOAAAARRRR, GRUFF, GRUMBLE went Calvin some more: "...there are so many other places they can buy cigarettes." Then comes the money shot of quotes in the history of quotes:

"Every 18-year-old who walks out of a convenience store is just going to go to the guy in the white van on the corner."

OK, where to start. Mayor Bloomberg, Council president Quinn, incoming Mayor de Blasio PLEASE do something about the scourge of white vans on corners. You'll know them because they will all be near street corners within a couple blocks of convenience stores. They may have names like "Plumbing" or "Flower Delivery" or "Ambulance" on them but ha ha copper the jokes on you. These are fronts for selling cigarettes to high school kids. Send SWAT teams after them would be our advice. Next up Jim, why does it have to be a guy who drives the van? Aren't you down with women's lib? Why couldn't an enterprising young lady make money in a white van on the corner near a bodega? Why do you pigeonhole women Mr. Calvin? Finally Jim, where Johnny grew up (and he's guessing everywhere else) the guy in the white van wasn't selling cigarettes, no, he had other things in that van other than a couple cartons Winstons. Rope, duct tape, a few bottles of Boone's Farm, these sorts of knick-knacks.

Lastly, if you look at Calvin's quote what it's really saying is we don't give a shit if these kids develop complications from smoking because as long as they are coming in to buy cigarettes they'll also buy a Mountain Dew and a snack and that's where our profit margin comes in. Screw NYC if they're gonna cost us money, kids be damned.

No, screw the New York Association of Convenience Stores.