They could always try the Jersey option

UPDATE - oh, it gets better...  it turns out that huge voting irregularities may be responsible for Greene's victory.  Do read the whole thing.

original post, 6/11/10 - Via Ace of Spades, an interesting snippet from the Washington Post about the recent Democratic primary for the US Senate in South Carolina.

Seems that a fellow named Alvin Greene came from nowhere to take his party's nomination, despite not campaigning a lick and barely affording the filing fee.  Lots of speculation that he's a GOP plant.  (If that were the case, why not actually campaign him and stuff?  How did they possibly expect that filing alone was going to get jack-sprat done?)

Anyway, the WaPo quotes the head of the national Democratic Senate Campaign Committee on the situation... one Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

You know, if Greene winds up quitting for his alleged shenanigans, then South Carolina could always do what New Jersey did when it was their Senate race - cram a new guy into the general election well past the lawful filing deadline.  I wonder if Menendez could advise them in any way about anything like that?

Naaaaaaaah.

Once again, a crime?

Update to this.

The perp is a 16-year-old from Atlantic County. Mind you, if this were my son I'd beat him till my arm fell off. I still do not understand how this is a crime. Keith Olbermann has said much worse and he isn't in jail. Since when is offending with words a crime?

The Bible has some pretty offensive stuff in it. Would reading those portions over a Wal-Mart intercom be a harrassment and bias intimidation crime? This bugs me a little.

A Crime?

A soon-to-be-fired employee of a South Jersey Wal-Mart needs to bone up on his comedic skills:

Wal-Mart officials are looking at security tapes after an announcement was made for "all black people'' to leave a store in South Jersey.

A man used the public-address system at the Route 42 store in Washington Township Sunday night and calmly announced: "Attention Wal-Mart customers: All black people leave the store now.

Now, if I ran this Wal-Mart this guy would be fired seven times over and banned from ever setting foot in the store, even as a customer. That may be over reacting, but not as much as the local cops:

Washington Township police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the incident as a possible bias crime.

This stunt was racist, unfunny, and any other negative term you can think of. But a crime? If broadcasting crude and nasty racial insults were a crime then the entire lineup of MSNBC would be in jail.

Toll Collector Rage in Jersey

In browsing this list, I see that many toll collectors have racial issues.

And they don't appreciate being paid in pennies.

It's my fault, Part 1

Sports and news talk radio are running ads about the Gasparilla Pirate Fest next Saturday. The closest I can compare this to in style and temperment is Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

These ads are reminding attendees that, for the first time, local laws concerning underage drinking and public winoism will be enforced. You see, the parade runs down Bayshore Blvd, where there are many very nice homes owned by folks with the money to buy them. Well, last year there was one too many guys pooping in the front yard bushes, and complaints from homeowners have begotten a renewed effort by cops to crack down.

And it's my fault. It's also my fault that beer sales are cut off after the seventh inning and the fourth quarter of sporting events. Most of you reading this have no problem going to the game, drinking a few beers (not as many as you like- what are they $50 a piece at the ballpark?) and going home. But because of guys like me who couldn't control themselves the rest of you have to be treated like eight year olds.

New Jersey raising the drinking age from 18 to 21 back in the 1980's? I own that one, too.

Okay, maybe I share some responsibility with the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem & Howe, since fear of litigation is probably motivating some of these ballpark rules. ("My client was held down by concession employees and had MGD poured down his throat.")

That's not the only thing that's my fault. But that's for Part 2.

Do the Right Thing in NJ Today.

I just want to ask you guys not to vote for Obama as your next governor. He will wreck your state so badly that all of you will move to Florida. After I got here these folks became a little worried about a major influx of Jerseyans.

BTW, who is that guy behind Obama?

Lost Manatee

In New Jersey?

The wayward male — known as Ilya — has been stuck near a Linden oil refinery, and officials say plunging temperatures and a lack of food were endangering its life. And while the gentle sea cow appears to be in good health, it had been huddling near an outfall pipe at an oil refinery — the only place it could find warm water.

Not only is that poor thing freezing it's flippers off, but tht's probably not the cleanest water. Right now New Jersey too cold for me. How did this thing find it's way to the Garden State?

But how many think their governor is?

Eight percent of New Jersey residents think Obama is the AntiChrist.

After giving a talk about end times prophesy, my pastor was asked if Obama was the "man of lawlessness".

Of course not. The AntiChrist could at least get a health care plan passed.

More Beer and Politicians

Philadelphia Liquors is on Philadelphia Ave, the main drag in Egg Harbor City. Back when Carter was president I had once purchased adult beverages from there. But I never stole any.

Charges were dropped Wednesday against Galloway Township Councilman Bill Ackerman for supposedly stealing a large number beer cans from a local liquor store through two or three daily trips during a five-month period.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

On each trip, he would pay for a can or two and, surveillance cameras later revealed, pocket at least one more before driving about 2 miles home to his house. That sometimes happened two or three times in a day, she said.

This guy is a Republican, but he didn't blame Dems for his troubles. It sounds like he is trying to own it.

Budweiser is $2.39 a can in NJ? In my hood in Tampa you can get a quart of Old English 800 (It's got your number!) for $1.39. No wonder all the street winos are down here.

Don't give Corzine any ideas

Apparently, the state of California has been issuing IOUs to contractors that they do business with because Ahnold has no cash. They are worthless; no bank will honor them.

Small businesses that received $682 million in IOUs from the state say California expects them to pay taxes on the worthless scraps of paper, but refuses to accept its own IOUs to pay debts or taxes. The vendors' federal class action claims the state is trying to balance its budget on their backs.

Lead plaintiff Nancy Baird filled her contract with California to provide embroidered polo shirts to a youth camp run by the National Guard, but never was paid the $27,000 she was owed. She says California "paid" her with an IOU that two banks refused to accept - yet she had to pay California sales tax on the so-called "sale" of the uniforms.

But here's the prize in the Cracker Jack box. California is treating the IOUs as income and is demanding IOU holders to pax state income tax on them. And the state won't take its own IOUs back as payment.

I hope for the sake of you folks in Jersey that your governor isn't reading this blog.

From the State House to the Big House

Come on down! You're the next contestants on the Bribe is Right!

Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria's home and office were raided this morning by federal officials as part of the sweeping FBI and IRS probe that has resulted in the arrests of 30 people, including Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt and two mayors.

Contestants' Row now features the mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus, and the former mayor of Bayonne. According to the news, the investigation involved money laundering from Brooklyn to the Jersey Shore, including several rabbis at the Deal Yeshiva.

Not surprisingly, they mention first Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt (R-Ocean), who is also the mayor of Ocean Township. (What, double-dipping isn't enough, you also have to steal?) But to the credit of the Star-Ledger, they don't shy away from the party affiliations when it's the Dems' turn.

Waiting for their turn at the showcase are Jersey City's own Mariano Vega and Leona Beldini, but since one is a Council President and the other a Deputy Mayor, they have to wait until Van Pelt and the other heavy-hitters see the next item up for bids. And if you get within fifty cigarettes without going over, you win BOTH showcases!

UPDATED, 1:11 PM - holy smokes...

In separate money-laundering complaints, several individuals from Brooklyn and New Jersey were charged with offenses ranging from the trafficking of kidneys from Israeli donors to laundering proceeds from selling fake Gucci and Prada bags. It was not immediately clear how the money-laundering arrests were connected to the corruption arrests.

NBC affiliate WNBC reported that the kidney trafficking involved patients paying middlemen to find willing donors in Israel. Investigators allege that the suspects had donors and patients lie to hospitals by saying that they were related. Hospitals would do the operation unaware that cash payments were part of the deal.

The common thread seems to be that the actual money transfers caught the eye of the investigators, especially in the international cases.

There's a news conference going on right now in Newark trying to explain the whole shebang.

New Jersey and infomercial products

...perfect together.

NEWTON--A Snuggie-wearing thief who allegedly attempted to break into the Main Street Grocery on Friday night was thwarted when witnesses spied him stacking crates to gain access through a window, police said.

You can stay warm while answering the phone! Great for home, camping out, even at the stadium! But not so much while trying to visit a business after-hours.

Police responded to the area at 11:30 p.m. after receiving reports from a nearby home of several people, including a man wearing dark clothing described as a trench coat, who were attempting to burglarize the closed Main Street store.

Grammarian's note - it is the report that had several people in it, not the nearby home. Police responded when someone reported that several people were trying to break into the store. Thank you; carry on.

Brandon Ryzner-Meredith, 18, of Newton, was found in the area, wearing a dark blue "Snuggie" blanket and a hooded sweatshirt, said Detective Lt. Michael Richards. A Snuggie is a blanket with sleeves that is heavily advertised and satirized on TV.

For those of you scoring at home: that's a guy wearing a Snuggie, busted during a smash-and-grab by Cosmo Kramer. You can take things from there.

Ryzner-Meredith was taken into custody and charged with criminal mischief, criminal attempt of burglary, possession of burglar's tools, and appearing in public in a versatile fleece bathrobe, police said. He was released, pending a Superior Court appearance.

Three Newton teens, who allegedly had fled the area due to extreme embarassment, were found by police over the next few days. Police tracked the youths due to their inability to control sputtering gales of laughter. Taken into evidence was a Flip video file of Ryzner-Meredith attempting to explain that the Snuggie was not really his, that some buddy asked him to hold it for a minute. They charged two 15-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy in the attempted burglary, but agreed that the defendant looked like a total doofus, and called the video "key evidence AND comedy gold."

I may have supplied a few key details that were absent from the last two paragraphs.

Escape From New Jersey

In this post from National Review's the Corner, a study from good old RU published in October of 2007 says that an increasing amount of Jerseyites are escaping, and many are joining me:

(Between 2000 and 2005) Seven of the top ten destination states of New Jersey out-migrants were in the South and West: Florida (188,704), California (55,431), North Carolina (50,913), Virginia (48,454), Georgia (38,581), Texas (33,895), and Maryland (31,449). These states accounted for 41 percent of all New Jersey out-migration during the period.

Maybe with the possibility of a new governor this trend may change. Until then, my New Jersey brothers and sisters, look south and come to the light!

Just some NJ Taxpayers....

...trying to get their money back.

ELIZABETH, N.J. (AP) ―
Sen. Raymond Lesniak says he was robbed early Saturday by two young men who broke into his Elizabeth home while he was sleeping.

Lesniak tells The Star-Ledger of Newark that he was woken up by noise and saw two men standing just feet from his bed.

The Union County Democrat tells the newspaper that the men seemed surprised to find anyone at home, and one suggested they shoot him, though Lesniak did not see a gun.

The 62-year-old Lesniak says the men took cash, a cellular phone and the keys to his Lexus hybrid, which they left untouched in his garage.

Police are calling the home invasion "highly unusual" for the normally tranquil are near Kean University. They say the men, who are still at large, broke in through a basement window.

Homegrown success story

When I was taking journo classes back at ol' RU I had a classmate, a big kid named Tim, was a backup tight end on the football team - smart guy, good egg.

Tim is about to be named the Athletic Director at Rutgers University. I, on the other hand, get to be named things I can't repeat on a family blog every time I ref a game. Life's funny that way.

Still, I like my life and I'm grateful for how things are going thus far. Congrats to Tim Pernetti, and good luck.

RU 49, USF 16

Boy was this a fanny-whoopin! And I was there to see it.

When I saw this game on the schedule a month ago, I assumed that Rutgers was going to get clobbered. But as RU was getting better and the Bulls were tanking I thought the Scarlet Knights had a chance at pulling this one out.

Did I think that RU as going to give USFit's worst home loss ever?

The southeast corner of Raymond James Stadium is where all the away team fans sit. It was Christmas a month early for this RU fan. There were a couple thousand of us, a big red wedge in a sea of green and gold. I was doing RU cheers and singing the alma mater for the first time since I was on The Banks of the Old Raritan.

There was suprising little violence in the stands. The USF fans were too humiliated. Gosh it was so much fun!

Raindrops Keep Faling On My Head

Well, maybe not raindrops.

Jersey City councilman Steven Lipski said he "resolved not to touch alcohol again."

The New Jersey councilman who allegedly urinated on a crowd of concertgoers from the balcony of a Washington, D.C. nightclub swore off booze on Sunday -- two days after he was busted for the embarrassing stunt.

Jersey City councilman Steven Lipski has reportedly been arrested for urinating on a crowd of concertgoers from the balcony of a Washington D.C. nightclub.

"I've resolved not to touch alcohol again," two-term Jersey City councilman Steve Lipski told the Fox 5 New York.

He went on to say that the incident was "deeply humiliating, very embarrassing" and troubling," the Daily News reported.

The 44-year-old Democratic councilman refused to admit to the lewd stunt.
"I can't comment on that," he told Fox5 News. "I'm going to continue to do all the good things, and I'm not going to let this overshadow me."

Lipski was in D.C. to see a Grateful Dead tribute band and was spotted relieving himself by one of the club's staffers around 9:50 p.m., club sources told the Daily News. He was charged with simple assault.

Guys, I've done this. But I was a polite drunk. I always made sure that the landing zone was clear.

"I've resolved not to touch alcohol again." Do you know how many times I've said that? Does this guy know what needs to be done? Or, as our Lord would say, is he ready to count the cost?

Malcolm X Shabazz High School

...just lost a home game.

Two suburban high schools refused to play football games tonight in Newark, citing worries about safety after a spate of drive-by shootings in the city Friday left two people dead and another injured.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School and Cranford High School balked at playing games rescheduled from last Friday and Saturday. Newark school Superintendent Clifford Janey had suspended all athletic events districtwide while police were hunting for suspects in the Friday afternoon shootings.

Don't you guys have strict gun control laws in New Jersey? Don't you have all those gun buy back programs? How could something like this happen?

If I were going to write a parody of an inner city predominately black high school I would name it Malcolm X Shabazz High School. To the best of my knowledge, I don't think he ever called himself that. When Malcolm Little joined the Nation of Islam he renounced his slave name and took his X. When he completed the Hajj and became an orthodox Muslim he received the name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

Here in Florida the reason why we are polite to each other is because we all own guns.

Having your high school graduation...

...in a Baptist church?

A Muslim student who sued because his public high school graduation ceremony was held in a Baptist church has received an apology from Newark's school district and assurances that it will not hold future events in houses of worship.

Bilal Shareef said he had to skip his 2006 graduation from West Side High School because his religious beliefs prohibit him from entering buildings containing icons of God.

We Bible thumpers here in Tampa would never dream of holding a high school graduation ceremony in a church. In Tampa, all the high schools use the USF Sundome for that purpose.

The good news is that 50 years ago a Catholic student would have freaked about having to set foot in a Baptist church.

Here's a guy who could replace Fr. Pfleger

Except that the Army owns him for now.



The Rev. James Betz is a bridge between two embattled organizations: the cash-strapped Diocese of Camden and the war-weary U.S. Army.


Last fall, the Army offered to bring the veteran of both Gulf Wars out of retirement for another stint as a chaplain, this time for three years at the Army's European headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. Betz accepted, knowing that his own parish, St. Nicholas Church on St. Louis Avenue, faced the prospect of merging with another.


Betz was to preside over his final St. Nicholas service Saturday, fly to Germany overnight and hold a service Sunday afternoon. The diocese has ordered his now former parishioners to combine with those of Church of the Assumption in Galloway Township, worshipping there in English and here in Spanish.


The 62-year-old priest and lieutenant colonel is anxious about St. Nicholas' fate and uncertain what's needed of him in Europe, where he is replacing a young priest headed for deployment. But Betz is "very content" nonetheless, he said during an hour of conversation on one of his last days in the St. Louis Avenue rectory.



LtCol Betz is over 60. He volunteered for this duty; the Army couldn't activate him against his will. What he is doing is called backfill, replacing a guy who is going to the sandbox. According to the article he has spent time there himself.

If he needs a job when he gets back, there may be an opening in the Chicago area.

When I was in the USAF and the New Jersey and Florida Air Guard, I've found that the chaplains are the greatest guys around. One year at the Air Guard Base in Jacksonville, FL the chaplain's office organized the Black History Month celebration. They shamelessly pushed the Gospel of Christ. Some of my fellow guardsmen formed a black gospel choir and the guests from the cililian community were all believers and made no bones about it. The ACLU must have been asleep at the switch.