What awful awful news to wake up to eh kids?

The Thin White Duke, David Bowie, has passed at age 69 from cancer. Not what you want to wake up and hear, especially with a freezing wind in your face. Johnny's first albums he ever bought both sold for $4 and with tax $4.14. One was Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and the other was one he'd listened to on his friend's 8-track player in his Buick Regal, Changes One Bowie.

We're going to have our own tribute to David Bowie today as his music has had a huge impact on Johnny and some of the staff.

Fittingly, Johnny will start with 'Panic in Detroit'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVID BOWIE!

Johnny and Mrs. Johnny had dinner with her cousin tonight and his wonderful wife and spent the evening strolling the Jersey City waterfront by J. Owen Grundy Park. What a jewel. Also good to get the news from back Michigan way. To that end, David Bowie with 'Panic in Detroit' which might just be apt for those Tigers about now.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVID BOWIE!

This is exactly the kind of cut Johnny would be tossing on the turntable late on a Friday night back in the day if he'd had a DJ gig on the old style FM radio. FM radio, back when the people who put the needle on the record loved music as much as you did. *Sigh*

David Bowie with 'Panic in Detroit'

Get out your Jersey City corruption scorecards, it's time to dog a couple scofflaws this morning

L. Harvey Smith sat down for what they called an interview with The Jersey Journal in Friday's publication. Except, he sat down for his interview with his lawyer at his side which to us doesn't make it ANY kind of real interview, it was image rehab. Anytime you can't sit and openly and honestly answer any and all questions, that's not really an interview now is it? There are beauty pageant contestants answering questions more openly and honestly. L. (can we call you L.?), give up your Assemblyman seat. We the people (remember us?) need representation that isn't tainted. We need representation that isn't accused of taking $15K in bribes.

Here are a couple highlights from L.'s 'interview':

Do you think you're innocent of the charges? "I think so." THINK, he's THINKS he is, yikes.

Of course L. HAD to bring the Lord into the proceedings as all those accused of something do. Does anyone notice how steadfast Jeebus clings to those public officials accused of graft? Not just in Jersey City, in fact with all the corruption that just went on in the City of Detroit a local writer for the Detroit Free Press Bill McGraw made note of it in a fabulous article you can read here. Here's a sidenote to L.'s staged interview, the attorney sitting by his side, one Peter Wills, the one making sure he didn't attempt to answer the wrong questions also represents disgraced Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega. Awesome.

Now, onto the sad case of Florida/Jersey City resident and apparent taxpayer in Florida and Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez. A judge has allowed Ward C candidate Norrice Raymaker to replace chief Lopez litigant and arrested and disgraced former city council candidate Jimmy King (we said get out your scorecard, you can't keep the corrupt folks in Jersey City straight without one) who is dropping out of his suit accusing Lopez of being an actual Florida resident. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli is allowing Raymaker to in effect take over King's lawsuit to see if indeed Lopez has any business being a city council person in Jersey City while claiming Florida as her permanent residence. Imagine that. Lopez's attorney's didn't want Raymaker added to the suit because their client is a Jersey City resident and the case is nonsense, they didn't want her added because she waited too long to petition the court to be added. Nidia, (can we call you Nidia?) you need to go. Not for the same reasons that people like Healy, Vega, L., Leona Beldini and Boy Blunder in Hoboken have to go, but it's a hideous embarrassment to us all nonetheless. You don't even live here most of the time. Johnny is buying a condo here and you're taking tax breaks from and are registered to vote in Florida. Johnny is more qualified to be a city council person and he didn't even run. Go, go now.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVID BOWIE!

From all the way back in 1973 off of the Aladdin Sane album, here is the Thin White Duke, David Bowie with 'Panic in Detroit', a song he wrote after talking with long time friend Iggy Pop. Iggy told him about some revolutionary type kids he knew and Bowie related that into this song.

If the Wings keep up the pressure on the Penguinos, there wil be no panic in Detroit.