Late night open thread

Jesus Christ a tanker truck just shit a skinny AMC Pacer. First off slow that truck down as you barrel through the gas station. Nobody is going to see your cheap looking can of Spam on wheels if you roast everything in a four block radius. So ah, other than gas mileage did anybody hear anything about the motor or the interior or the tires or the bossanova AM radio? Welcome to the 1979 Datsun 210 Hatchback.

"You'll hate yourself every time you take this fart cart to the mechanic, your friends will point and laugh, but you won't spend a fortune on .90¢ a gallon gas."


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

OK Jersey City, time to play "Where is it?"

Tell us where this old telephone box can be found in our fair city. Should there be a winner they will get to choose a song for tomorrow night's Music Series.

Late night open thread

Every year the sun loses 360 million tons. You didn't think it was gonna last forever did you?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Where are major mayoral candidates falling short in their duty to Jersey City residents? Red light cameras

We already know where Mayor Healy, who brought these thieving abominations to our fair city, stands. The Mayor has drunk the revenue Kool-Aid. He's even got his lackeys out spewing half-truths and downright un-truths.

First off the FACTS about the cameras; they lead to MORE accidents and are often mistimed to trap drivers. Again, FACTS.

Now to hear Healy spokesperson Joshua Henne tell it, you'd think none of the facts Johnny just posted was true:

“Studies show that these safety cameras lower the number of red-light running violations and decrease the most deadly collisions commonly attributed to red-light running..."

Sorry Joshua, you look really bad repeating your crap when Google can quickly show otherwise. But hey, you guys are addicted to the money, yes? Safety's got nothing to do with it. It must be the money. One follow up if we may Joshua, what percentage of the ticket money does American Traffic Solutions take?

OK, so let's listen to the supposed newer and more sensible guy running for mayor. Certainly HE will have an opinion, perhaps different from the guy holding the job he wants.

We're waiting on a call back on that. And waiting.

If Johnny were in charge these things would be gone tomorrow. He'd point out yet again with the use of facts they're never about safety. He'd then have to cover the stupid agreement the city signed to pay a penalty to their American Traffic Solutions paymasters if they end the agreement early. It'd be money well spent. Put police back out on the streets. What's that? We don't have the manpower? Funny, when Occupy Wall Street sent a handful of protesters over to the Goldman Sachs building Jersey City suddenly had hundreds of extra cops, some in boats. It's not money strapping us friends, it's Mayor Healy's priorities.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Remember last week when we said we were pleased with Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez's independence from the mayor?

Well listen to this...

Steve Fulop will have Nidia Lopez as HIS Ward C candidate on his May ticket. This is big big news though many will say they saw it coming. WHY they saw it coming is the big news. Lopez who ran on Mayor Healy's ticket in 2009 and won has changed sides. Said Nidia:

“My decision to join Steve’s ticket was easy,” Lopez said in a statement from Fulop’s campaign. “He’s the only candidate who has forward-thinking plans to fight crime, improve schools, make government more accessible and ensure that Jersey City's growth benefits everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.”

How's that for intrigue Jersey City? It certainly gets Fulop's story and reputation out into the neighborhoods away from the waterfront into Journal Square where Healy said Fulop would run into trouble. This sure helps.

Wait, what? It's good but you want more? Well then, Councilwoman at large Viola Richardson said she is running on Mayor Healy's ticket this very day as his third at-large candidate. Said Viola:

“Just like Mayor Healy, I’m driven to always do what’s best for the residents of Jersey City and those who work here,” Richardson said in a statement from the Healy campaign. “And together, we’ll continue to work hard to make Jersey City a better place for all.”

Mom, is it time for the debates yet?

Hook on the feed bag! It's Hudson County Restaurant Week!

Hey Hudson County and the surround, do you like to eat? Tell us then, do you like to go out to eat and have have somebody else bring you awesome food for a lower than normal price? That's right, you can't beat that with a stick! DO click this link and get the info you need to enjoy one of the over 40 local restaurants participating (Hint, it ain't McDonald's) in the goodness. Johnny will be at one with a friend from NYC tonight to hip her to the impressive Jersey City food scene.

So give the cook the night off and enjoy the great weather with a wonderful Hudson County night out.

Late night open thread

State trivia night. Which is the only state to have two separate designs on either side of their state flag? Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Good news for weekend PATH riders

The PATH will return fully to overnight weekend trips between Newark and the WTC beginning, well, now. The PATH system sustained $300 million in damage after Superstorm Sandy and is just about to fully throw off the storm shackles. The Hoboken Terminal reopened just today and only one more month of closures at the Exchange Place and World Trade Center stations between Fridays at 10 p.m. thru Mondays at 5 a.m. remain. Beginning in March everything should be hunky dory. Just in time for Syracuse fans to smell it back up when they hop from MSG to West Village bars during the Big East Tournament.

The snow is just the first part of the fun today!

Welcome to a very pretty Monday about to become a very slickery Monday. The snow should be tapering off after giving everything a nice white kiss but then Mr. Snow's angry cousin Icy Sleet comes over for a while. When Icy Sleet lays on Mr. Snow for any amount of time, cars go sideways. Luckily Ms. Rain will clean up the mess later though the roads stay dangerous.

Then we get three days in the 50's.

Late night open thread

If you were a poor Indian with no weapons, and a bunch of conquistadors came up to you and asked where the gold was, I don't think it would be a good idea to say, "I swallowed it. So sue me."
-- Jack Handey

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

St. Peter's at home today at 2pm

So get your butts over to Kennedy Boulevard and make your way to the Yanitelli Center for a 2pm tipoff with Fairfield. The Peacocks are having a tough season and since there are no football games for you to use as an excuse bunky, go show the Peacocks some love. The Pride of Jersey City with a win can jump up two places in the standings.

Oh and the guys on Kennedy Boulevard are not "game valets", they are stealing your car.

Union City Screw: Local man accused of selling fake Viagra

Suck on that New York Post.

Yousef Awawda, of Union City, and Abdul Kazan, of Haledon, had 9,602 counterfeit Viagra pills in their possession when they were arrested in North Bergen Wednesday, officials said.

You have to think these two had to keep moving around to sell this garbage because, well, if you buy something like Viagra it is for a purpose and if at the big moment the purpose fails to materialize you're going to backtrack in your head to the guy who sold it to you. Guys tend to like to get laid so again, keep moving. These pills weren't worth a small price either, there's money in them thar boner pills:

The pair are accused of possession and trafficking the counterfeit drug, and officials said the pills they had when arrested had an estimated street value of $130,000.

Actually though we here fail to see where a crime was really committed. We doubt you'll be able to find any "victim" to come forward and say they were ever stiffed by Awawda and Kazan.

Late night open thread

They pretty much stopped being Christmas decorations in February.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So the question at hand is does New Jersey need 'integrity monitors' to help oversee Sandy reconstruction money?

Please watch this short documentary and meet us back afterwards for a short discussion:


OK, so the question again is if 'integrity monitors' should be hired to help oversee the distribution of some $30 billion dollars in Sandy reconstruction money as the Democrats in Trenton suggest. Thus far nobody has been tone deaf enough to say they have not been needed so we won't begin linking to all the state, county and city officials and contractors who have been busted for cheating the system and the law. Let's help our fellow citizens not feel tempted. Sure some will try and some will probably put some ill-gotten coin in their pockets but count us here as a big yes on as much oversight as possible.

Late night open thread

"I took my parents back to the airport today. They leave tomorrow."
-- Margaret Smith

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TALKING HEADS!

It's all muy caliente up in the JCD hizzy tonight. Leading off the Music Series this week the song firemen have to listen to in secret, 'Burning Down the House'. That David Byrne face on the pavement should be a PSA at intersections. You'd know to check the new wave channel on XM radio.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BILLY PRESTON!

The flamboyant Mr. Preston and his magic organ (and in music history that sentence can be interpreted so many ways with Billy) with 'Will it Go Round in Circles'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with URGE OVERKILL!

Yes it's chock full o' Pulp Fiction clips but we didn't choose it for that, we chose it carefully after much thought because it would sound real good tonight for our growing Friday night audience. We especially love the tiny plinky piano sound. Urge Overkill from 1992 with a cover of Neil Diamond's 'Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon'

Peter Genovese with The Star-Ledger loves the Pulaski Skyway

LOVES the Pulaski Skyway, or Skyway as he and others tell it. Take a few minutes this morning by following this here link and read Genovese's ode to a bridge we all use and he can't get enough of. We think you'll enjoy it.

Late night open thread

Did you know on this day in 1972 Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was discovered in Guam, having spent 28 years hiding in the jungle thinking World War II was still going on?

Probably his smartphone battery had died and he couldn't check Twitter for #WWIIUpdates.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

With that windchill out there Jersey City it's 5º whole degrees

So let's sit a spell and warm up shall we?

Late night open thread

"Listerine hurts, man, when I put Listerine in my mouth, I'm angry. Germs do not go quietly."
--Mitch Hedberg

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You know those double takes you do when something just seems odd?

Well here was one this morning:

“I think his inaugural address instead of trying to bring people together was a manifesto for, ‘Hey, it’s my way or the highway,’” Chris Christie said of Obama's Inaugural address.

Chris Christie said "my way or the highway" is a bad way of doing business.

Noted.

Dear Port Authority

Hey since you are still claiming the PATH entrance at Christopher Columbus and Marin Blvd. is closed because of a 'flooring issue' how about you just jump on in and bring that PATH entrance up to code by adding those elevators or ramps (escalators) you were ordered to by Federal Judge Stanley R. Chesler in September 2011? Why not just go ahead and get this little task done while everyone is kept from this entrance anyway. That'd be great.

Thanks from all of us, your customers.

Late night open thread

Pinocchio is Italian for “pine head.” Beloved children's story indeed.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Ground has been broken this morning on 111 First St.

After years and years of haggling and battling, ground was broken and machines are moving at the 111 First. St. site bordered on the east by Washington, to the west by Warren and to the south by Bay St. Last we heard this was approved for a 52 story residential masterpiece (we realize appreciation lies in the eye of the beholder) by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Here is a look at what the the building, proposed to have 1.3 million square feet including 710 condominiums, 120 live/work units, 16,000 square feet of art galleries, and about 52,000 square feet of retail space, is supposed to look like:

Crazy huh? Arty enough though to look really good in the PAD.

Since this is Jersey City we once again wonder if this huge new residential building had any kind of impact report on how it would affect the less than desired road conditions around that particular neighborhood, or how such a huge new residence would impact sewers or say on street parking.

So indeed ground is broken in the Powerhouse Arts District on a plan at least 7 years in the making. Here are a couple shots from this morning:

Late night open thread

Inaugural trivia:
Without a hat, coat, or gloves, William Henry Harrison famously gave the longest inaugural address ever at 10,000 words long in the midst of a snowstorm. He died one month later from pneumonia contracted on Inauguration Day.

Dumbass


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Headline of the year of the week!

Drunk driver didn't know she was naked, Sparta cops say

That's some good partying! Well, except for the alleged drunk driving part. And the crashing into someone's house part. And the subsequent leaving of the scene of an accident part. That's no good. You kids don't do that. Catherine Giaquinto was wearing an unzipped jacket -- HEY! -- Mr. writer man, that's not naked. Who writes your headlines -- when she was caught up with early Friday in Sparta. She made the same case to police, She wasn't completely naked. She was however hauled into the clink and charged with driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to breath testing, leaving the scene of an accident, careless driving and failure to wear a seatbelt.

She told police she neither knew she had hit a house nor where she was going. Kind of the carefree alleged drunk driver eh kids?

An African American President being "sworn in" on MLK Day, now that's something

President Barack Obama will reaffirm his oath of office at noon today, Dr. Martin Luther King Day across America. What a moment for our nation. Who would have thought just even 20 years ago this was possible. While the President is a great orator he will be challenged to meet MLK's soaring words spoken back in 1963.

Here now, a tradition at the Jersey City Desk, the "I Have a Dream" speech delivered on the National Mall August 28, 1963.

Late night open thread

Back to the grind tomorrow...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you need to wash the car or run some errands friends might we suggest today?

Just look at today. "52º rock and roll over degrees!" Detroiters will get that. 52º on January 20 is a pretty good deal, free too. So look at today. In the words of SKY Sports soccer announcer Martin Tyler "Watch it, drink it in." Tomorrow brings nature's ugly fury. An entire INCH of snow will fall tomorrow. You will get a chance to savor that inch of snow as the snow also brings biting cold temps and windchills in the teens and single digits until Roker, the God of Weather, returns us to some kind of normalcy on Friday. That's when the Jersey City Desk Action Weather Team sees a return to the 30's but the chance for 3 inches of fluff. Snow, not the stuff you put on sandwiches with peanut butter. That'd be ridiculous.

And tasty. 

Laye night open thread

A Presidential inauguration and two conference championship football games. What a good day.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A very good read this morning on how Tide detergent became as good as cash for buying drugs

Here's an admission. Way back in the day at Eastern Michigan University Johnny bought a small baggie of mean green from a friend at Abe's Coney Island one night so he'd have some Spring Break buzzables. That was then, 1983 maybe, Johnny paid cash. He didn't pay with laundry detergent. Who does that? You'd be very very surprised. From New York Magazine:

The call that came in from a local Safeway one day in March 2011 was unlike any the Organized Retail Crime Unit of the Prince George’s County Police Department had fielded before. The grocery store, located in suburban Bowie, Maryland, had been robbed repeatedly. But in every incident the only products taken were bottles—many, many bottles—of the liquid laundry detergent Tide. “They were losing $10,000 to $15,000 a month, with people just taking it off the shelves,” recalls Sergeant Aubrey Thompson, who heads the team. When Thompson and his officers arrived to investigate, they stumbled onto another apparent Tide theft in progress and busted two men who’d piled 100 or so of the bright-orange jugs into their Honda. The next day, Thompson returned to the store’s parking lot to tape a television interview about the crimes. A different robber took advantage of the distraction to make off with twenty more bottles.

Yes, drug "money" is now Tide is many places. It really is an amazing read about how a popular bottle of detergent became drug currency.

On certain corners, the detergent has earned a new nickname: “Liquid gold.” The Tide people would never sanction that tag line, of course. But this unlikely black market would not have formed if they weren’t so good at pushing their product.

Spend some time today reading this and feel free to come back and we'll have a discussion on this very odd turn of product placement in the marketplace.

Late night open thread

If today (January 19) is your birthday you share it with country music legend Dolly Parton who is 67 today.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NICK LOWE!

Nick Lowe is so cool he pisses ice cubes. He takes up an awful lot of space in Johnny's iTunes libarry. How cool is he? Well Johnny's gonna hip you. Not many artists could make such a snappy and upbeat tune to this kind of subject matter. The song 'Marie Provost' deals with an old silent picture starlet in Hollywood who couldn't find work once the talking pictures came out. Well Marie died broken hearted at home of something or other. And when Marie died her dog had nothing to eat.

There you go.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE ARLENES!

Johnny reads your emails and one thing you want is a new sound on the Music Series. You want something fresh. A new voice, something that makes you want to go download music.

Johnny thinks he can oblige his roaring cats.

The voice is that of Stephanie Arlene (with Big Steve alongside) and a London band that has clearly captured a slice of Americana. Take it for a no obligation spin and let us know what you think in comments. The Arlenes with 'Lonely Won't Leave Me Alone'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARVIN GAYE!

Side A is for dancin', and side B is for romancin'.

Welcome to side B.

Marvin Gaye with 'Sexual Healing'

Okay, buuuuuut....

...you still haven't told us how the skimmer got involved.

Kutsher's Tribeca got a bad employee. Every place gets one at some point. Jaiquan Ibraheem, who was only waiting tables for two months is accused of using a skimmer after picking up the check from the diners' tables. Police say he helped himself to $126K over that two months. Insert the 'and that was just rent' joke here. Actually Ibraheem went on a 90 large shopping spree which is what got him caught. One of the banks noticing odd purchases being rung up wised up authorities who made the pinch.

Now here is the full statement from Kutsher's Tribeca:

Kutsher's Tribeca has cooperated fully with a police investigation and subsequent arrest of a former employee who allegedly obtained credit card information from guests. Kutsher's Tribeca contacted the authorities as soon as they realized there may be an issue. The employee in question has not worked at Kutsher's Tribeca since April 2012, and Kutsher's Tribeca will continue to work with the NYPD to assist them in this matter.

That's cool. They cooperated from the hop. But what is the Kutsher's Tribeca's policy on how cards are handled? Let's find out together:

"All employees, when closing a check, must go straight to the terminal to run the card, then return straight to the table. The floor manager observes the processing of the card. This has always been the policy. Our credit card handling procedures are consistent with all industry standards and all required security and credit card processing protocols. We have had no subsequent problems once this team member stopped working with us."

Okay, buuuuuut so where in this tight window was the skimmer used? Wouldn't other servers have noticed a guy breaking convention and running cards over by saaaaaaaay the coats? If he's running the card in front of the floor manager only did someone miss the skimmer? Some questions get answered, others pop up...

We do appreciate the New York Post and Gothamist for actually naming the restaurant that was giving the customers wallet indigestion (Woo hoo gratuitous food metaphor!). That doesn't happen on this side of the river some of the time unfortunately. Unless it's national security and our tax dollars are arresting and prosecuting these matters we have a right to know the whos, whats and wheres.

NYC might just be out $450 million if teachers and and city can't make a deal

What is it about the greater NY and NJ areas simply pissing education money away? Governor Christie  and his crew blew $400 million a couple years back (and of course blamed the guy in the White House and his bureaucrats facts be damned) and now it appears that NYC and the teachers union across the river could be losing $450 million over a lacking teacher evaluation plan.

The AP says no help is coming from Albany with Governor Cuomo saying the date is set:

The two sides blamed each other while Gov. Andrew Cuomo insisted a midnight Thursday deadline for a plan — required from each of the state's nearly 700 school districts — was firm.

But there is still hope for a deal and the $450 million right?

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the union "unilaterally walked away" from negotiations early Thursday, while the United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew blamed Bloomberg for the impasse and asserted that "the intransigence of the Bloomberg administration on key issues has made it impossible to reach agreement on a new teacher evaluation system."

So there you go, negotiations. The only thing left to do is bring in Gary Bettman and lock out the kids for the next six months.

Late night open thread

Johnny's got a pretty good bullshit detector and he doesn't think poor Mantei Te'o was a victim of a prank. No, in Johnny's opinion the Notre Dame All-American more than likely knew about this charade. The old Fawn Liebowitz play.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a Jersey City Desk Free Day!

Just too much other stuff going on today friends, so here's a fine picture to hold you over until tonight.

Late night open thread

Television trivia night:

On the 70's television show Laverne & Shirley, what was Laverne's favorite drink? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a news roundup kind of morning

So lets start rounding up these little doggies, er stories...

*Our friends at the Jersey City Independent have a story on the burgeoning business around Exchange Place

*A man who was pooping in between subway cars paid the price for it falling under the #6 train yesterday. Yet another man fell onto tracks and was hurt at a nearby station.

*The school busses. They no run in NYC. No run.

*The U.S. House of Representatives last night passed the Sandy relief bill....finally. SHAME on anyone who voted against this bill, especially those Republicans from Gulf Coast states who couldn't spend government money after Hurricane Katrina fast enough.

*Finally, do you know what the word 'witticaster' means? You can improve your word skills with a quick hop over to 'Twists and Turns'. Come back here and use it in a sentence in comments.

Late night open thread

Did you know it was four years ago to the day the miracle plane landing on the Hudson River occurred? 

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Please sit down class, we have important lessons today

The first lesson is criticism. Suppose you made a critique, a very public critique decades ago. You were set in your opinion and made it. Questions, do you still stand by your criticism? How well does that criticism hold up?

An interesting look at architecture criticism this morning. Pulitzer Prize winning architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable had some pretty strong opinions of certain NYC properties that underwent some big changes way back in 1979. Huxtable passed away last week at the age of 91 and the New York Times had a look back at some of her articles and proclamations of city facades. Just one delicious critique:

“The result is a pitiful compendium of watered-down mannerisms that are supposed to maintain the integrity of the avenue,” she wrote of a building on Fifth Avenue, “but speak more clearly of the inflation of costs and the impoverishment of crafts in our time.”

“It does not help,” she continued of a building nearby, “that the moldings look like sliced-off Tootsie Rolls.”

These two descriptions came from the same article, “The ‘Pathetic Fallacy,’ or Wishful Thinking at Work,” published in The Times in February 1979. In it, Ms. Huxtable appraised two buildings on Fifth Avenue that were new at the time, 800 Fifth Avenue and 1001 Fifth Avenue, and she found them both to be pretty dreadful.

An addendum to this lesson. Was it Huxtable's criticism or just the look over time that keeps the apartments at 1001 Fifth Ave. from appreciating in value as well as the neighboring properties?

“This sort of thing does not age well,” Peter Pennoyer, of Peter Pennoyer Architects, said.

Apparently, buyers agree. Compared with most of the universe, the prices found at 1001 Fifth Avenue are frighteningly expensive. But compared with its Fifth Avenue neighbors, mostly prewar co-ops on one of the most extravagant stretches of the city, 1001 Fifth has not appreciated especially well.

There is more, so much more on this topic and all you need to do to get your considered learn on is to click here.

Late night open thread

An appropriate quote on a rainy Monday night in our fair city we think.

“Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.”
 -- Roger Miller

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The internets are filled with thousands of succulent little treats

Like the faux Google (not associated with Google) ghettoizer or whatever the hell they call it. If you take our humble little home here and run it through this internet treat we think you'll find the results hilarious and much better than the usual fare here. Some of the words that get plugged in aren't of the work computer variety so if you would like to follow the link do wait until you get to your home computer or mobile device.

Jeezy Action Space Punk presents something you never thought you'd see when you woke up this morning.

Johnny would like to make a personal observation if he may...

Of course he may, it's his website.

Eddie Money is a fine man. He made his songs, they got played and now obviously one is being used in a commercial where Mr. Money somewhat parodies his song "Two Tickets to Paradise." Eddie, you're a fine radio DJ with a lot of great stories to relate but man if your face gets any longer in the ads they can pretty much replace your face with the mask from Scream.

That was a Johnny Action Space Punk personal observation.

Late night open thread

Movie trivia night. Who did the voice of E.T. for the movie? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Former Rutgers star WR and current Tennessee Titan Kenny Britt wanted for questioning in his brother's Jersey City stabbing -- UPDATE

Kenny Britt is wanted for questioning about his brother's stabbing last night in Jersey City at a party. Later at this same residence a gunshot was fired at the home on Van Nostrand Avenue between Sterling and West Side avenues in Jersey City at 3:28 a.m. Police say Britt was at the scene of the incident that led to the stabbing. The JCPD told the New York Post:

“We are looking to speak to Mr. Britt in reference to the incident,’’ Jersey City Police Capt. Edgar Martinez said. “We are currently in the process of trying to do that. “They were all involved in an altercation,” Martinez said. “So they all knew each other and what was going on. That’s why we want to talk to him. He was involved in the incident, both incidents. He was there during that time period. So we are looking to speak to him."

Britt has been arrested eight times since he was drafted by the Titans.

UPDATE: It is now being reported the person who was shot was not Britt's brother but a close friend.

Another day of playoff football awaits

Who ya got Jersey City? Will the Falcons finally shed the "playoff loser" mantle bestowed upon them by even the casual fan or will the Seahawks from waaaaay up there in Seattle stay on the hot ride they're on? Will pretty boy Brady be able to keep working his Foxboro in January magic now that a win ensures a rematch of last year's AFC title game with the Ravens? Can Houston gain some advantage in that it'll be in the mid-50's in New England today?

And where's the nacho chips? Are we out?

Late night open thread

St. Peter's needs a win in the worst way tomorrow at Siena. Here's to it Peacocks!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Dense fog advisory in effect from midnight tonight to 10 am EST Sunday...

So get those cameras out and put on a pot of coffee, fog makes every picture better. You should have seen what it did to enhance Johnny's senior picture back in high school.

A Twin Peaks pageant? Count us in!

The 2nd Annual Miss Twin Peaks Pageant is happening on January 26th at Manhattan's Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston St). There will be a burlesque performance from none other than faux Audrey, Shelly, Crazy Nadine and her silent drape pulls and Norma. Johnny will dress up as Leo and go careening around the bar threatening people, ie Leostein.

So be there for the best in coffee and pie and yes, burlesque.

Late night open thread

It's true, Burt Reynolds actually turned down the role of Han Solo in Star Wars. Anyone then think the Millennium Falcon would have been a space Trans-Am?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE MOODY BLUES!

Johnny could hardly believe his eyes when he checked and indeed The Moody Blues have not yet appeared on the Music Series. Very odd because Johnny enjoys their music very much. Here are The Moody Blues with 'The Story in Your Eyes'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE BEATLES!

These are the GODDAMNED BEATLES! Can we get them away from the running of the tanks and out of the cow pasture?

The Beatles with 'The Night Before' with Mr. John Lennon sitting in on Schroeder's piano.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SMASHING PUMPKINS!

Let's go out into this rainy winter night with a typically great Smashing Pumpkins song with a seminal video to go along with it. Billy looking paler than usual in 'Tonight Tonight'. Man this video never gets old.

Near record temperature expected this weekend!

Temps near 60º this weekend will come close to tipping some records. There will be some clouds which meteorologists say is the only reason Saturday and Sunday won't be in the 60's.

So, what at YOU gonna do? Johnny might just get the bike back out and Saturday night might have to go get some NYC skyline snaps. Either way a hearty walk with a stop at a local eatery is on the menu.

Late night open thread

There are an average of 61,000 people airborne over the US at any given hour.

Wave.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A West New York assemblywoman wants you to pass a psych test before buying a gun

West New York Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez wanted everyone to know that she too was wading in, hip deep, in the national gun discussion. She proposed a bill that would require a person purchasing a gun to pass a psych test. And a home visit. And the names of mentally ill relatives.

Assemblywoman, we'll pass that right after the citizen initiative is passed to require the same of elected officials, hey, like you! We wouldn't want people to get elected who would crow about ridiculous shit that can't possibly be legal and doesn't help solve a very big issue, and it seems we as a nation are ready to address before The Big Bang Theory comes on teevee tonight. Your bill isn't helping your cause. By tonight it will be in an NRA fundraising letter. Real ideas are needed. Real debate awaits us.

Please be part of it.

Jersey City in fact could be proud of the far more pragmatic discussion Mayor Jerramiah Healy had on this topic on CNN. No ridiculous arm waving, no home visits, just a resolute point of view he wanted heard. Well done.

After next year's Super Bowl the Pulaski Skyway will close for TWO YEARS!

That years not months and years plural. No official announcement has been made on this, that comes later but NBC 4 New York is saying a 1 billion dollar plan will be announced in Newark later today. A source told NBC4:

The 80-year-old bridge is "massively used, massively worn out," according to one transportation source, who declined to be named because local officials won't be briefed until Thursday morning.

Now if you travel to NYC via the Pulakski Skyway don't sleep on this info, this is the meat of it:

While rebuilding the Pulaski to last another 75 years will take several years, the part impacting New York-bound commuters will last about two years.

During that time, two of the bridge's four lanes will be redecked at a time, but only outbound traffic will be allowed, no matter which lanes are under construction, transportation sources said.

Got all that? After the Super Bowl no Pulaski for you!

Late night open thread

Today would have been Richard Nixon's 100th birthday. Feel old yet?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Starting tonight Newark to 33rd St. on PATH is a 24/7 kind of thing

Baby steps.

Little by little and bit by bit the PATH system is resuming the natural order of things and tonight it'll be an all night kind of affair. The Port Authority said these words:

PATH has operated on a 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. schedule – with the exception of New Year’s Eve – since Superstorm Sandy devastated the system. After saltwater from the storm surge destroyed critical switching and signal equipment, PATH limited operations in order to provide uninterrupted work hours for repairs to major segments of the system.

Starting tonight, service will resume between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. seven days a week from Newark to 33rd Street, via Hoboken. Additional stops will include Harrison, Journal Square, Grove Street, and Newport in New Jersey and Christopher Street, 9th Street, 14th Street, and 23rd Street in Manhattan. This line also will be in operation on weekends, beginning 10 p.m. Friday night until 5 a.m. Monday morning.

Weekday service between 5 a.m. and ten p.m. will be available on three lines, Hoboken to 33rd Street, Journal Square to 33rd Street and Newark to World Trade Center.

Got all that? Good because there will be a quiz.

NJ ferry boat crashes into a dock in NYC, at least 57 hurt

A very tough commute for some New Jersey residents on their way into Manhattan this morning. The Star-Ledger gets us started:

A ferry reportedly hit a mooring and injured dozens of passengers at Pier 11 at Wall Street in Manhattan shortly before 8:45 a.m.

Seastreak, LLC, which runs a route from Atlantic Highlands to Pier 11, said they were dealing with an accident at that location. Some patients were carried away on gurneys to waiting ambulances.

Reports say a large gash was gouged into the ferry boat at the dockside. Other reports say that ferry passengers have been laid out like cord wood and are being checked by NYC emergency responders.

A CNN report now says that one person is in critical condition and is being treated at a nearby hospital, police say. "Several people were thrown into the air and onto the ground," passenger says.

Link with video can be found here.

Mayoral hopeful Steve Fulop fills in the blanks on his ticket but for one

Steve Fulop, mortal arch-enemy of Mayor Jerramiah Healy (If Jersey City was all Justice League), has completed his picks for his ticket this May.

Fulop has called on the following to help him in his quest for the one job:

Rolando Lavarro for Council-At-Large
Daniel Rivera for Council-At-large
Joyce Watterman for Council-At-Large
Frank Gajewski for Ward A Council
Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal for Ward B Council
Sean Connors for Ward D Council
Candice Osborne for Ward E Council
Diane Coleman for Ward F Council

We would be terribly remiss if we didn't mention that Sean Connors originally told Mayor Healy he'd run on his ticket but after some soul searching and perhaps hours of torture (OK it was only waterboarding) he changed and supported Mr. Fulop.

We're kidding about the waterboarding.

So, if you're reading this Nidia Lopez you're probably wondering who Fulop has in mind to challenge your Journal Square seat. Since Sonja Henne isn't running we just don't know. It hasn't been announced but on an editorial note we do appreciate your independent stances with the Mayor. You have grown well into your job. Johnny used to live in Ward C and met with you Nidia when you were running in 2009. He had his concerns you'd be a Healy rubber stamp. You have not.

So on we go to May and the only thing missing are your thoughts dear readers, tell us how YOU see the city elections shaping up.

Late night open thread

Man: "How's the wife?"
Friend: "In bed with laryngitis."
Man: "Damn those Greeks!"

Time for Jersey City, After Dark 

Jersey City Councilman Bill Gaughan is hanging 'em up

Ward D councilman Bill Gaughan will not seek reelection in May. The longest serving city council member has served since 1993. Said Gaughan:

“Throughout this historically long opportunity to serve, I was glad to listen to the concerns of the people of the Heights, and try as best I could to get City Hall working on their side,”

This May makes for a very wide open election with so much at stake. Already the sitting council members in wards A and B are not running for reelection. Intrigue, allegations, insults, debates, half-truths, mmmmmmmmm, Johnny can just smell those stories cooking now.

Google brings free Wi-Fi to Chelsea

May we see your ID card? Very good and here's your password.

Google, who is locally HQ'd in Chelsea, is offering up some of that "goes down easy" read FREE high speed Wi-Fi to Chelsea dwellers. Jordan Newman, a Google spokesman, told Mashable that the new Wi-Fi network is Google's way of "giving back to the community that we've been in for the past six years or so."

Yes we know those first five were touch-and-go, the wolf is at the door, lean start up years on the westsiiiiide. We kid because we love and this here blog is supported by Google. But just where are the boundaries of this "sorry we don't deliver there" internet electronic dog fence?

The network runs between Gansevoort St. and 19 St. from 8th Ave to the West Side Highway and in area public spaces, including the Chelsea Triangle, 14th Street Park and Gansevoort Plaza.

The secured network will also be used by businesses, residents and students in the area, and it will cover the outdoor areas of the Fulton Houses, a housing project owned by the New York City Housing Authority.

Does this mean Google is getting ready to start bringing their Google Fiber (Sounds like a 50's horror monster -- "Look out maw, it's the dad-gummed Google Fiber!") broadband service to the free people of NYC? Well the answer friends is a click on that above link away. It may surprise you.

Poor poor Upper East Siders, crossing warnings for blind people have them all upset

See when you have money there is no end to the douchery you can provide. Some on the Upper East Side are upset that the city of New York has installed, and plan on installing more of the "audible crosswalks" for the blind. First off for context here is such a crosswalk:


OK, so there is the sound helping out those with a disability. That sound has set off CB8 boardmember Michele Birnbaum:

"Whether or not it has merit for some is not necessarily the reason to have them installed. You can prove to me that this would be good on many street corners, but that doesn't mean that the majority of people in the community want it."

PROVE TO YOU?!?! PROVE TO YOU?!?! Sorry, the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't ask for your permission. If the city wants to make the city safe and comfortable for ALL people more power to them. If you and your neighbors don't like that or the sound (and the chirps actually quiet at night because they do respond to ambient sound -- ie the louder the moment the louder the chirp for daytime) too f-ing bad. Johnny's got construction in his neighborhood all day. He can still hear the drone of a huge set of generators powering up a building after the storm. He's not filed any lawsuits. It's just sad the complaint isn't with construction or a noisy business after hours, it's about making life more difficult for those who are blind. That's what's blind here.

Right now there are 48 audible crosswalks in the entire city, with several more to be installed at 72nd, 79th, 86th, and 96th Streets according to Gothamist.

Late night open thread

"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day."
-- Vincent Van Gogh

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Escalator malfunction at Exchange Place PATH stop this morning injures 6

And when you hop on over to NJ.com to watch the clip you can see how people would be hurt. A very full up elevator it looks like suddenly started going down causing quite a pileup down below. But, it's the video you wanna see so here is the link.

We're sure a top man or woman is on the situation but could this backup have been from storm damage? A lot of electronics we're told could go cattywumpus from the saltwater. Exchange Place was certainly flooded. Time will tell friends.

Late night open thread

Movie mistakes night:

In the film Gladiator, during the "Battle of Carthage" fight scene in the Colosseum, one of the chariots is gets flipped over. Once the dust settles around it you can see a very modern gas cylinder in the back of the chariot. Now you know.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The next time NJ Transit cries broke...

Ask them how many people get picked up at the bus stop under the awning of the old Manischewitz Building, now a construction site on Provost, for almost an hour on a Sunday. Johnny was just out walking his pooch and noticed bus #6049 hiding under the awning. OK, he's filling out a report or something. After at least 45 minutes Johnny came back and there sat the NJ Transit bus still (and we did take pics if NJ Transit requires proof, it's our guess they just don't care) idling. So, NJ Transit, is this your new equivalent of the DPW Yard? Did you set up a bus stop overnight?

Or is the driver simply wasting our money? We're used to seeing Hudson Valley Ambulances and the odd mail delivery truck hiding under the awning there late on Friday afternoons but an entire bus? On a Sunday?

If Lucy were NJ Transit she'd have some 'splaining to do.

The NHL is back! Dear Devils, please don't call Johnny

Late last night the NHL players and owners reached an agreement on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement and thus will begin the process of putting in place some sham 48 game season starting later this month. Johnny will no doubt have more analysis on the deal later but it would appear that Gary Bettman finally met his negotiating match in Donald Fehr. Fehr didn't care if the season got cancelled. The players he represented cared but were willing to take a ziggy on a season. The owners, who Bettman no doubt told the players union would fold again, were not willing to waste an entire season. So off we go on a truncated NHL season. And a commissioner who looks worse if possible than he did eight months ago.

Which brings us to the fact the Devils ticket office will now be working overtime to get butts in the seats to not watch Zach Parise play (remember Zach Parise?). While not a season ticket holder Johnny does attend quite a few games out at the Rock as he prefers the building to the one at MSG which is cramped, dark, and people wander around too much during play for Johnny's tastes. The Islanders can't get to Brooklyn fast enough. So, Devils ticket sellers, you're going to call Johnny. The first time he will be polite in telling you that your owner, Jeff Vanderbeek is part of the ownership problem in the NHL and just cost the league half a season and countless goodwill. The ticket agent will be reminded politely that Vanderbeek is a "taker" when it comes to team revenues. Vanderbeek happily accepts money from the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Red Wings and other successful teams, like the Rangers.

All this will be explained in a friendly matter-of-fact way. THE FIRST TIME ONLY. Call back and you'll get the wrath of the scorned NHL fan. Yes, this is a breakup letter with the Devils. No more. 

So the NHL is back yet sadly Gary Bettman still walks the earth. Ah well, you can't get everything you want on one day. 

Late night open thread

"Winter is not a season, it's an occupation."
-- Sinclair Lewis

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Here's a New Year's resolution to help keep that cabin fever at arm's length

Newport Skates, the only outdoor, uncovered ice skating rink in Jersey City is open for business and offers a chance at some fun and most of all fresh air and not in a "It's 16 degrees this morning and I have to walk to the train to go to work." kind of way. Today would be a perfect day to lace 'em up and maybe go make some awesome wipeout videos of your closest friends and family for Facebook and Youtube.

That's love, right there.

Don't take our word on the fun, head on over to the Newport Skates website and check on the particulars. It'll be open til March.

Late night open thread

Here's a partial score on that Lakers vs Clippers game on the left coast tonight:

Clippers 101

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HANK WILLIAMS!

See, Johnny would need to put the Jr. and Sr. connotations in his iTunes libarry if he had any songs by the Jr. Williams but since that would be a sheer waste of hard drive space we can simply say here's Hank Williams on Country night on the Music Series with 'Six More Miles to the Graveyard'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROY ACUFF!

One of the true originators of country music and one of it's biggest stars Roy Acuff almost became a baseball player but an aversion to sunlight (really really) kept him focused on music. Lucky us. Here's Roy with 'Unloved and Unclaimed'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with KITTY WELLS!

We recently lost this country music icon and Johnny didn't want to let Ms. Wells' passing go unnoticed.  We're going to play probably her most famous song, 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels'. Is there a more standard country song than this? R.I.P. Kitty. By the way, if you're ever at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, when you're in the plaque room with all those enshrined, legend has it it is good luck to rub Kitty's nose. Johnny has. If you look you'll also see her nose is shinier than the nose on any other plaque.

...and protect yourself from mayhem like Allstate

It would appear that Allstate had no problem using a customer's destroyed home in New Dorp Staten Island but are trying to short shrift that home's policyholders despite eyewitness accounts. See this is how insurance companies limit damages to their bottom line after storms like this. If you have flood insurance they blame it on wind. If you have a regular homeowners policy they say it was the flood. It happened time after time after Katrina, here's just one.

Sheila and Dominic Traina wisely left before Superstorm Sandy hit and returned to find their home in two pieces. Neighbors (note the s as PLURAL neighbors) said they saw the roof tear off in the storm long before the flooding finished the job. But this is Allstate who once again press the old adage "Who are you going to believe, us or your lying eyes?" To top it off Allstate used the Traina's home in one of those heartwarming we're all in this together sappy bullshit ads they all rush out to show how quickly they respond with an offer of $10,000 for your entire property because again, wind no, water yes.

Read up on companies you insure with before a big storm. Read some of the internet's best places to see what previous policyholders have to say. Sure you'll have a few crankasaurus rex's but if you see Company X has 40 or so claims of non-payment and blaming floods, there you go. It always pays to do your homework.

...and be better protected from mayhem, like Allstate.

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition:

"One never knows the ending. One has to die to know exactly what happens after death, although Catholics have their hopes."
--Alfred Hitchcock

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Shame on you Mayor Healy

Vetoing a pay-to-play law, that in our opinion you REALLY vetoed because it came from Steve Fulop (Why give him a clean city government initiative to run on right?), is inexcusable.

This city needs a pay-to-play law that is strong, like Fulop's, not the half-assed one your people at first proposed, even garnering a change of votes by one of your BFF's Michele Massey who got the hook special election day. You say it just won't stand up to legal challenges. Why Mr. Mayor, we never knew you were not only an accomplished mayor of New Jersey's second largest city (next census maybe you can get us over the top to #1 and New Jersey's automatic BCS bowl berth), but a legal scholar (“serious legal and constitutional questions”) too. How about we TRY tough pay-to-play laws and see if they are tossed out before vetoing any at all? Business as usual is not how things are done anymore.

At least you didn't allegedly hack anyone's email accounts as part of quality time with the family so please accept this critique on the policy level as it is intended.

We're just going to go ahead and leave Governor Christie's words up here today

Boy, it was so refreshing to hear Governor Pitbull eviscerate the Republicans in Congress, especially Crybaby John Boehner for not allowing a vote on Superstorm Sandy relief for New Jersey and New York.

Go get 'em Gov:

Late night open thread

Which one of the following three had a tattoo; A) John Wilkes Booth B) Andrew Carnegie or C) Thomas Edison? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy New Year, time for resolutions

If you are one who makes resolutions or you feel so inspired why not take a second and share what it is you're looking to improve about yourself. We'll see if there are any similar resolutions after you make them and see if that is where 2013 is headed.

Late night open thread

If you're a Michigan State fan there is nothing better than starting off the new year with a great belly laugh at Michigan's expense. Jadeveon Clowney of South Carolina here knocks Michigan's Vincent Smith back into 2012.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Of bowl games and Rose Parades

And nacho dip, lots and lots of nacho dip. We'll be back with you tonight after the staff gathers and partakes of the goodness of New Year's Day.

Oh, and go Northern Illinois!

Late night open thread

“For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.”
-- T.S. Eliot

Time for Jersey City, After Dark