Steve Fulop says he's open to casino gambling here in Jersey City, what about you?

What do you think taxpayer? Would you like more tax abatements handed out after the city pretends to talk tough on them then give them out anyway? Would you like some more of your money to go to a casino? You know how this works. You help pay for it and get nothing in return. Let's look at Atlantic City. Low wages for the few "full time" jobs. Questionable people who tend to show up around casinos doing business on their behalf. How many casinos there really make money? Not with subsidies but really make their own money? Taxpayers help subsidize Atlantic City and what do they get back? Told the casinos aren't making money and can't contribute what was promised back to taxpayers.

Know who is making money? Wal Mart style casinos in Pennsylvania, is THAT what Mayor Fulop has in mind? He'd better clarify and clarify fast. In fact we'd love to hear the specifics of this pie in the sky idea he's latched onto to drop casinos in Jersey City. Whatever economic benefit he'll claim, yeah...

It's a Friday news roundup so put your cat clothes on!

News Roundups, you'll pay for the whole seat but you'll only need the edge!

* Ice monsters attacked people at the WTC PATH station this morning forcing them underground. The ice shard monsters jumped off the WTC onto unsuspecting citizens below.

* The unemployment rate fell to 6.6% according to the numbers people. Stupid Obama.

* Steve Sweeney is proposing casinos for places like Camden, Newark and Jersey City. Johnny cant speak for Newark or Camden (officially) but he can speak for pretty much everyone in Jersey City when he tells Mr. Sweeney to get bent if he thinks he's bringing casinos to our fair city.

Speaking of casinos and gambling is anyone else just sick and tired of this massive advertising overload trying to get everyone in New Jersey to gamble online? If someone came to New Jersey and turned on the teevee and spent any time looking at ads you'd think gambling is to NJ as cars are to Michigan. OK back to the news roundup.

* Jersey City Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne wrote an open letter to the boobs at the Port Authority who decided to give an entire eight days notice that the Exchange Place to WTC PATH route is no more on weekends for almost a year.

* Ms. Marvel, the story of a 16 year old Muslim teen girl living in Jersey City who just happens to become a superhero was released by Marvel Comics and is now on sale.

See ya back here tonight for the Music Series.

Late night open thread

Why is 'abbreviation' such a long word?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Exchange Place to WTC on the PATH is no more on weekends for a long long time

We guess it matters how you think about Chris Christie and his lackeys at the Port Authority as to how you read this one.

The Port Authority has announced:

The shutdowns—between the Exchange Place station in Jersey City and the World Trade Center—are scheduled to begin Feb. 14 and continue on most weekends during 2014. 

So is this well-timed payback towards Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop or is the PA actually trying to fix the tunnels? They are claiming the need to get this Exchange Place to WTC line power-washed and brought in line with something called "positive train control" which is mandated by January of 2015. The Wall Street Journal has more:

The new signal system will be similar to the technology called "communications based train control," which is installed on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's L subway line. The system provides both protection against collision and the ability to run trains closer together, enabling operators to squeeze more capacity out of overburdened transit lines.

But the new system couldn't have been installed in time for the Dec. 31, 2015 deadline to install the federally mandated anticrash system. Many intercity railroads, which are subject to the mandate, have said they can't meet the deadline, including Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road.

So is the timing of this really a signal modernization and cleaning or is this a stick in Jersey City's eye? Before you answer remember that the new national WTC Memorial opens this year and the easiest way to get there from Jersey City and Hoboken was just cut off on weekends.

So there you have it and friends it will be up to you as to how you interpret it.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Feel free to share your ice storm pics and stories

Email Johnny and we'll get those up for you.

Why the Port Authority didn't extend PATH out to Newark Airport before is puzzling

So NOW the Port Authority, flush with a $27.6 billion plan, is planning to extend the PATH line out to Newark Liberty Aeropuerto. First off this is FANTASTIC. Johnny is gonna go do a happy dance for a second, he'll be right back.....

...OK, Johnny has made his last damned airport run once this is built!! Walk with people or drive them with their suitcases, should they need, to an existing PATH station near his house instead of driving out to Newark? Yes please! Moar of that!! You can read the AP article via NJ.com and see if this idea isn't a good one whose time was 10 years ago.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

By now you know it's going to snow again tonight

Some predictions have us under another 10" of white stuff by tomorrow morning. Some say it'll just be 5-8" (some consolation). By now you've made plans for it and are ready for round two.

But have you heard about Saturday? Yeah for once it might merit a trip to the store. You know those computer models they have for storms? They seemingly all vary this far out but you might just want to listen to this anyway even if you don't ever trust the weatherman.

29.3 inches of snow in NYC.

Got your attention? The Rapid Precision Mesoscale, or RPM model, shows a hellish storm:

There are two other models of note. The GFS model (made right here in the USofA) says just a couple inches. You doubters have a good snork while the modeling system acknowledged as being the most accurate, European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting, says 12-15" of new snow.

Bring those laptops home Friday night buckaroos because Monday could look a mess. We're gonna go ahead and call the Saturday storm #WinterStormNelsonMuntzHaHa

Late night open thread

Hang in there baby, March is coming...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark