Here's to 2008!

Happy New Year from the Center of NJ

Laughing into the New Year

It was a year that strode boldly into the stall of human events and took a wide stance astride the porcelain bowl of history.

It was year in which roughly 17,000 leading presidential contenders, plus of course Dennis Kucinich, held roughly 63,000 debates, during which they spewed out roughly 153 trillion words; and yet the only truly memorable phrase emitted in any political context was "Don't tase me, Bro!''

It was a year filled with bizarre, insane, destructive behavior, an alarming amount of which involved astronauts.

Dave Barry's 2007 Year in Review.

Let Heaven and Nature Sing

Happy Holidays from the Center of NJ.

My media-verse for December

Books:

I love The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. It's not what I'd call a page-turner, in that I've put it down for days several times. (Had to return it to the library, even, and wait until I reached the top of the waiting list again.) Every single page has something fascinating on it; a great, great book. I've been laughing myself silly over Dave Barry's The Shepherd, the Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog and The Onion's Our Dumb World. You must read Our Dumb World's description of New Jersey- but preferably not out loud when someone's twelve year old nephew is in the room.

Graphic Novels:

Not having had a chance to go see Beowulf yet, I loved reading the Gareth Hinds version to tide me over until the DVD comes out. Hopefully over the holidays I'll have a chance to read the Preacher books I've borrowed.

Movies:

Finally saw 300 the other day, and maybe I had too high expectations for it. It was ok. a delightfully bloody and overacted comic book of a movie, but not interesting enough. We watched Elf for the first time this holiday season and it was truly "fun for the whole family." (Meet the Robinsons, however, wasn't. The kids didn't even appreciate that one. ) Sticking with Will Farrell for a moment, Stranger than Fiction is a very well-written and put-together story; an English teacher friend of mine recommended it, and it's not hard to see why. If you haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet, go get it immediately and watch it. At least twice. Scrooge may not be the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol, but singing "I Like Life" and "Thank You Very Much" always gets me in the spirit.

Television:

30 Rock is still the funniest thing on TV- and you can watch episodes online if you missed them. Please, for the sake of all of us who survived the 80s, can we get rid of Christian The One-Trick Pony on Project Runway? (Not to diminish the auffing of Steven, though- what he did to that wedding dress was a shame.)

Music:

My kids are in love with my new Foo Fighters disc Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. I'm so proud, but I'm starting to wish we didn't have to play it twice a day every day. Ah, but it's time to haul out the Christmas music, and where would be be without Eddie G?

So, what haunts your media-verse these days?

MOM funding boost

Two of my least favorite New Jersey politicians did something pretty good recently:

Nearly $1 million in federal funding for the proposed Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex (MOM) Passenger Rail Line was approved by the House of Representatives last night, according to a news release from U.S. Reps. Chris Smith, R-Hamilton, and Jim Saxton, R-Mount Holly.
The funding for the MOM Alternatives Analysis was included in the U.S. Department of Transportation budget -- which last night passed in the House by a vote of 272-142 -- after Smith and Saxton made a request earlier this year to the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.

Rail service is essential in helping the growing Mon-Oc area relieve congestion. Any additional funding is good news.

Why Iowa should vote for Mike Huckabee

Not a crook, a weirdo or a Mormon. Let's leave it at that, OK?

(More of Lee Stranahan's campaign parody videos.)

I get searches- not that kind of blog edition

Among the usual searches I get for Princeton Hospital, Carla Katz photo and Raging Rudolph, three terms which brought people to this blog in the last 24 hours caught my eye:

• New Jersey milfs
• nj bongs
• shrooms nj

I'm sorry folks, it's just not that kind of blog.

It's official

Our Fair State is officially out of the death business.

Blue Jersey has a list of reaction from across the country and the world. The Colosseum in Rome will be lit in honor of our abolition of the death penalty:

Death penalty opponents hailed the new law as a historic victory against capital punishment. Officials in Rome planned to light the Colosseum in support. Once the arena for deadly gladiator combat and executions, the Colosseum has become a symbol of the fight against the death penalty.

Although the death penalty hasn't been used in the state since its reinstatement, it's good to know that it never will.

UPDATE: The Colosseum, bathed in light.

Looking for Raging Rudolph?

If you type "Raging Rudolph" into Google, this post comes up as the seventh result, so we've had a lot of visitors coming by looking for the Space Bass holiday adult classic. Welcome!

Space Bass has put several of his holiday films, including Raging Rudolph and The Reinfather, onto DVD and is offering them up on his web site. Looking for a last minute gift? Here ya go.

Go vote tomorrow!

I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not kidding. Deptford, Elk, Franklin, Hamilton, Cheserfield, Monroe, Toms River, Westwood, Hampton, Gread Meadows regional district, Milltown, and Voorhees are among those who have important issues on the ballot tomorrow; issues which will impact both our property taxes and the education of our children.

If you got a sample ballot in the mail, then there is a vote going on in your town. Whether it's about new construction, breaking up a district or other funding issues, you owe it to yourself to find out about it, make an informed decision and GO VOTE.

"Did you really just do that?"

I had to do some shopping yesterday, just a quick stop and a very small purchase. After ringing up the sale, the cashier put my items in a bag and asked for the money. I paid her and, saying I didn't need a bag, put my handful of stuff in my handbag. The cashier promptly crumpled up the fresh plastic bag and threw it out.

I stood there for a split second, then said incredulously,

"Did you really just do that? Did you really just throw away that perfectly good bag?"

She stammered, "Oh, um, did I?" and proceeded to make up some cockamamie story about how some customers won't take previously used bags. At this point, the cashier at the next register joined in and asked just as incredulously, "Seriously? Someone wouldn't take a used bag?" At this point, now committed to her hastily made-up defense, the first cashier stood firm that yes, some people won't take a used bag. The second cashier looked at her like she was plainly crazy.

Instead of pointing out that the bag had hardly been used, I just left. I know she was embarrassed and that pressing the point would only have made her feel worse.

Hopefully, she'll think twice next time about tossing away plastic bags. At least, in front of the customers, that is.

A happy hound and adopter

I've always thought that the most famous retired racing greyhound is Santa's Little Helper, the dog who was thrown out of the track and became a Simpson in the very first episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire. "He's a loser! He's pathetic!... He's a Simpson."

However, I think it's now safe to say that Bart Simpson is no longer the most famous retired racer adopter:

"Something magic happened in our kennels a few days ago. A very nice lady booked an appointment with us with a view to adopting a female Greyhound, to go with her male Jack Russell terrier Butch. We asked her all the usual questions including how long the dog would be left alone and she told us that she worked from home. Her husband and her lovely family and Butch were there. They finally found a little blue girl who got on great with Butch and it was love at first sight. One could see that they were a very kind family and their body language with the dog was marvellous. The family all agreed upon the little girl Sapphire and the lady completed the adoption form, signing her name, JK ROWLING. A very private but wonderful lady. We asked her if she would send us a picture for our website. She kindly agreed and here are some photos of a very happy Sapphire."

Welcome to the adopter's club, Ms. Rowling. I know Saphire is thrilled to have you and to be in her forever home.

Post-script to Santa

From Oldest's letter to Santa (Oldest is fully aware of the true status of Santa, but wrote a letter because Youngest was writing one):

"P.S. Why elves? Why not dwarves? They're skilled workers. Or robots?"

Love that kid. Time to let Oldest roll up a D&D character, methinks.

Somebody's birthday is coming up...

... and I think we all wish him a Happy one!





Happy 20th, Happy.