Record wave height recorded during Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy

The highest wave height ever recorded in the western Atlantic Ocean since records began being kept in 1975 was recorded at 8:50pm the night the storm hit. The wave height picked up by New York Harbor buoy #44065 was 32.5 feet. This exceeded the highest wave during Hurricane Irene the year before by some six feet.

Now you know. The big yellow diamond is where buoy #44065 is located.

Dear Saturn Ion owner whose storm damaged car is parked/abandoned near the corner of Second St. and Provost...

You've left your keys in your car. Certainly this is an oversight on your part for a storm damaged car and not a ploy for someone to actually steal your car for the insurance payout. So, you might want to A) Take the keys out of the ignition near the open rolled down window, and B) Close your windows, the car is wet and nasty enough already.

An important article you the Jersey City resident should read

Augustin Torres, the political insider at the Jersey Journal has some very important information (even if the city isn't giving any) on where Jersey City went wrong in their storm response (which believe it or not continues to this day) and how response times can be vastly improved next time something serious hits our fair city. Also of note and very juicy that maybe, just maybe, Steve Fulop might not be running against Mayor Healy come May. Torres thinks one might just drop out of the running. But you won't get the answer as to whom from Johnny, you'll just have to read it here yourself.

Here's a wonderful story of the help New Jersey is getting from all across America

In our hour/months of need up this way and along the Jersey Shore there is a need for almost every kind of help you can imagine. Logistical people, utility workers, extra police, construction workers etc. There is a wonderful story, sure to warm your hearts New Jersey, of workers coming from Texas, Ohio and Michigan. They've come from New Orleans who never forgot that New Jersey State Police were some of the first to come to their aid after Hurricane Katrina.

After a bruising and vicious election that exposed the differences in our nation, reading stories like this help renew your faith in our great land and great people.

Here's the list of the companies being sued by the State of New Jersey for price gouging during Hurricane Sandy

Now, these are allegations. The lawsuits are an accusation. Nothing is proven. Then again these things rarely seem to ever get prosecuted and it is nice the state is taking action against these alleged vampires. Keep a close eye on this case and make double note of the businesses involved. Oh, and we're not buying a no contest plea where someone agrees to pay X amount of penalty with no admission of guilt. Maybe legally perhaps but we here in the real world know what a plea like that means.

The companies are Kistruga Inc. in Paterson; C.S. George and Sons in Clifton; Alen Service Corp. in Newark; Vinny Fuel Corporation in Bloomfield; Perth Amboy NJPO; S&D LLC in Lyndhurst; Couto and Sons in Newark; and Ratana Hospitality Group (Howard Johnson) in Parsippany.

Here are the seven gas stations and one hotel accused of price gouging, along with the alleged markup amount:
• Lukoil - 253 McBride Ave., Paterson (59 percent)

• George's Gulf - 387 Crocks Ave., Clifton (34 percent)

• Lukoil - 335 McCarter Highway, Newark (31 percent)

• Delta - 141 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield (25 percent)

• BP - 163 Fayette St., Perth Amboy (33 percent)

• Exxon - 555 Riverside Ave., Lyndhurst (21 percent)

• Sunoco - 69 Wilson Ave., Newark (17 percent)

• Howard Johnson Express - 625 Rt. 46 E, Parsippany (32 percent)

Reaching into the Jersey City Desk mailbag this afternoon

Well, into the email bag is more like it. We got an email asking about how the Statue of Liberty was holding up after two hurricanes and two nor'easters in two years. With as bad as Hurricane Sandy was that's a good question. But there is a secret to how the Statue of Liberty rode out the storms most Americans don't know...

NYC is doing the "Gas Ration Rumba" as of 6am tomorrow

Mayor Bloomberg leading the band on this classic; as of 6am tomorrow if your car's license plate ends in an odd number you'll never guess when you can gas up. Go ahead, just try. Odd numbered days is correct. Double down on this one; If your plate ends in an even number which days might you be allowed to buy gas? See, you're getting good at this. OK, for the big money and no whammies; If your plate ends in a letter you fill up on...? 30 seconds.......20 seconds......hint: even or odd.....10 seconds....Your answer? Read the Tweets and see if you're a big winner.

To help cut down gas lines I am issuing an order to alternate the days that drivers can purchase fuel in NYC #SandyNYC #Recovery
Effective at 6 am 11/9: drivers in NYC whose license plates end in an odd number will be able to buy gas only on odd-numbered days
Effective 6 am 11/9: drivers in NYC whose license plates end in an even number or zero will be able to buy gas only on even-numbered days
Drivers in NYC whose license plates end with a letter will be classified as “odd” and may only buy gas on odd-numbered days
Commercial vehicles, emergency vehicles, buses and paratransit vehicles, MD plates & vehicles licensed by the TLC are exempt
NYPD officers will be deployed at gas stations, but we expect that NYers will respect the rule and work together to ensure compliance
This is not a step we take lightly. But given gas shortages and the growing frustrations of NYers, we believe it’s the right step.
For a complete summary of NYC’s new odd-even plate system for gasoline purchases click here: http://bit.ly/PHpq2s  #SandyNYC #Recovery

Also a note from Johnny: Johnny has relaxed the regulations on giving drivers with New York plates gassing up in New Jersey wedgies.

A couple storm pictures we wanted to share with our readers

Since the posting function on NJ.com seems a bit wonky we'll post them here. These two pictures were shot by Johnny himself out walking around town after the storm. These are truly fascinating because of the way the electricity from the downed line fused everything around it and actually burned about 6 inches into the street after power came back on (It had been seen hanging on on the ground the day before power to this neighborhood was restored, obviously when power came back on this became a live wire).

Gas rationing is now the new rule here in New Jersey......for now

And the way it is being done is pretty simple to use. If you have a license plate ending with an EVEN number you can gas up on EVEN numbered days. If you have an ODD number at the end of your license plate you may fill up on ODD numbered days.

But Johnny, I'm confused, my license plate ends in a 0. Well then citizen, while 0 times any other number equals 0, you fill up on EVEN numbered days.

But Johnny, I have a personalized plate, mine reads "JRSYSHR" so what do I do? You friend are to fill up on ODD numbered days (That's not a commentary on your choice of vanity plates).

But Johnny, I just walked up to the station with a couple gas cans to try and run my generator because it's getting nippy out there. When can I fill up? Well if you are a walk-up customer you don't have ANY restrictions. You can simply walk up any time and fill up.

This is an executive order from Governor Christie and you might want to follow orders folks, crossing the Guv would most likely be a very bad idea about now.

The order goes into effect at noon today for 12 counties (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren).

Never before have we seen Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi performing at the same event

But Friday night in a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Sandy the two New Jersey icons will perform. The special will air Friday at 8 pm on NBC, NBC.com, USA Network, SyFy, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, Style Network, G4 and more. It will also be live-streamed on NBC.com. The show is in association with the American Red Cross and Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera, and Sting will also perform.

Here's hoping a few more performers will lend their names to this show and help get the help to where we need it most. To donate, visit RedCross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Halloween 2012 storm edition rolls on

With Bobby "Boris" Pickett with the timeless classic 'Monster Mash'

First off, Happy Halloween!!

We'll have some Halloween fun today for sure but please, if you can help out in your city, be it Jersey City or Hoboken or Bayonne or NYC or wherever, please do. If you have power this morning you have it better than some of your neighbors. Look in on them, invite them over. Showers and a place to charge electronics can really help make a difference.

With that, it's Johnny's favorite Halloween band The Flametrick Subs and the 'Pride O' Texas'!

The Jersey City Desk is back on the air....for now

Power is back on in the offices and we'll be back at it in the morning once the interns get in.

Jersey City announces curfew

Mayor Healy has announced a curfew for most of Jersey City but especially aimed at those who might want to "enjoy" the storm from the riverwalk and or J. Owen Grundy Park beginning at 6pm.

From Huffington Post:
Healy said the city's waterfront district along the Hudson River and the southern portion of the city between the Hudson River and the Hackensack River will be subject to a curfew from 6 p.m. Monday evening to 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Healy said at a Monday afternoon press briefing that a storm surge is expected to flood those areas, including the riverwalk along the Hudson, and a curfew is needed to discourage people who may want to watch the storm from the riverwalk.

He said that while he is confident that buildings will "not crumble, "what’s going to happen to us will be treacherous."

That is all.

So come on out to Lindenhurst, the scuba diving has never been better!

It's like a postcard isn't it friends? Come on out to Lindenhurst and grab a brew and loiter as people scuba dive, like you do, in thigh deep water. We understand the kayak, those are always seen wherever reporter-on-the-scene-in-knee-deep-water stories rear their ugly heads. The scuba diver? Ewwwwwwww. Disgusting. What possible aquatic life are you looking at? The speckled big mouth gym sock?

So thrillseekers, grab a cab and get your fun loving self out to Lindenhurst now before the crowds get there!

Desolation Boulevard

Well, OK, Warren Ave. looking towards the Statue of Liberty.

We realize the storm is in the early stages...

But as of 9:25 DST Newark Mayor Cory Booker has not saved anyone's life....yet.

That is all.

One more slice before the storm, shall we?

Why not make the Jersey City Desk your home for Hurricane Sandy/Frankenstorm

Johnny hustled home from Boston (In 3 hours 20 minutes -- you now have a marker set down Jersey City, top THAT) to pick up his dire wolf from K9dergarten and finish storm prep. He'll be having a hurricane soiree with several friends in the Powerhouse Arts District so they can be close to the action. The Jersey City Desk Action Weather Team will be passing along warnings, updates, and hopefully imagery and some video as the storm picks up speed.

So keep it here citizens, on Jersey City's official Frankenstorm blog.

So, we must prepare now for the storm of the century of the month!

Don't let the snarky headline fool you citizens, just about every weather prognosticator is saying the eastern seaboard is in for a Hurricane Sandy/Perfect Storm kind of thing. The National Weather Service has set this whopper of a storm at hitting New Jersey at 70%.

What's that? You don't watch the weather? You haven't heard about this mess coming our way? Well listen and take copious notes:

*Much of the U.S. East Coast has a good chance of getting blasted by gale-force winds, flooding, heavy rain and maybe even snow early next week by an unusual hybrid of hurricane and winter storm, federal and private forecasters say.

*It is likely to hit during a full moon when tides are near their highest, increasing coastal flooding potential, NOAA forecasts warn. And with some trees still leafy and the potential for snow, power outages could last to Election Day, some meteorologists fear. They say it has all the earmarks of a billion-dollar storm.

*"I don’t like to call a storm historic before it happens, but if this comes together, we’ll be talking about it for a very long time," said Steven DiMartino, owner of Freehold-based NY/NJ/PA Weather, part of Storm Surge LLC.

*"It makes you a bit nervous," DiMartino said. "We’re dealing with something really unique here. This is going to be a hurricane merging and forming into a powerful subtropical storm. It’s something we haven’t seen in quite some time. We can’t jump the gun yet. But we’re talking about a storm with so many potential impacts. Just the coastal flooding threat alone is tremendous."

So there you have it folks, something wicked this way comes. We figure you should probably start buying everything in sight from the grocery stores and home goods places for items such as food and batteries by Saturday. Johnny finds a nice nacho dip while you watch lawnchairs and unsecured children fly by your windows in a blizzard/hurricane can be relaxing. And beer. Yes, beer helps you make better decisions if the storm gets really really bad.