Another year over, A new one just begun

Happy New Year from The Center of NJ

10 memorable political moments in NJ

Long time Jersey political blogger Jay Lassiter put this together. Take ten minutes to review the Top 10 for Our Fair State for 2008. Enjoy.

Green eyed lady, lovely lady

Gypsy, in her younger days.

Our oldest cat, Gypsy, left us rather suddenly in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve.

If she loved you, she loved you completely. If she didn't, you thought she was pure evil. Which is the way she wanted it to be. Proud and beautiful was our Gypsy.

She loved us, and we loved her. We will miss you, Green Eyed Lady Lovely Lady.

Me, Here, Now

Rob tagged me for this particular meme. I read his post while at work, but could not take the pic until I got home; so as soon as I got home, I dropped my coat and found the camera.

This is me, here, "now" (actually about 40 minutes ago- I had to read to Oldest before bedtime, so the post is delayed.)

Now for the rules:
1) Take a picture of yourself right NOW!
2) DON'T change your clothes, DON'T fix your hair... Just take a picture.
3) Post that picture with NO editing.
4) Post these instruction with your picture.
5)Tag 10 people to do this..

I don't think I can come up with ten who would both read this and bother to do it. But just in case, here we go: Andrew, VeeganMD, Tami (who has more important things on her mind just now but may find this later), jayananda, SciFi Pie, Greg (Oh!! Wait- Greg already did it. Never mind.) Janet, and the next four people who show up here via Google- please leave me comments so I know you were here.

Some good news

But we can't get complacent.

Donations and emergency aid keeps food banks operating

A heartwarming collection of simple acts of charity coupled with a $45,000 infusion of emergency state funds are making the holiday season more nourishing for residents caught in the unrelenting economic spiral.
And it could not have come at a better time.
The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen reports an 8 percent increase in food demands, but a devastating 60 percent drop in contributions of children's toys, warm coats, gloves and hats for the wintry season.

So, in other words, we're stepping up- but we have to keep going.

We Can't Let This Bank Fail

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey needs our help this holiday season. Everyone's help.

Some facts about the Community Food Bank of NJ: It annually assists charities serving approximately 500,000 people in need in 18 of Our Fair State's 21 counties. CFBNJ has distributed more than 300 million pounds of food and groceries valued at more than half-a-billion dollars. Today, the FoodBank distributes over 21 million pounds of food and groceries a year, ultimately serving nearly 1,700 non-profits including 436 programs served by its Partner Distribution Organizations (PDOs). If you don't know where the food pantries are in your part of the state, the Statewide Emergency Food and Anti-Hunger Network has helpfully provided a list by county.

At the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), requests for food have gone up 30 percent, but donations are down by 25 percent. Warehouse shelves that are typically stocked with food are bare and supplies have gotten so low that, for the first time in its 25 year history, the food bank is developing a rationing mechanism.

Did you get that? They have to ration out food. That's how low the stocks are. That's a horrible situation.

Check with your local food pantry as to their needs. Also, I bet your library/workplace/school/house of worship/fire department/municipality/scout troop/etc. is having a food drive right now- give generously. I will, too.

I've said it before- Our Fair State is a collection of the wealthiest, best educated people ever assembled in the history of the planet. In this great place, in this level of prosperity, no kid should ever have to go to bed hungry.

We can help. We must help. This bank simply can't fail.

The 100 participating blogs in Our Fair State:

JerseyBites.com
RedBankGreen.com
Jersey Girl Cooks
Simply Sable
John and Lisa are eating in South Jersey
Padma's Kitchen
Chefdruck
Life Lightly Salted
My Italian Grandmother
Cook Appeal
Crotchety Old Man Yells at Cars
Mommy Vents
This Full House
Paper Bridges
Motherhood Avenue
The Kamienski Chronicles
Down the Shore with Jen
Fits and Giggles
House Hubbies Home Cooking
Nourish Ourselves
Partybluprints.com
Tommyeats.com
Off the broiler
Mrs. Mo’s New Jersey Baby
IamNotaChef.com
SimplyBeer.com
HistoryGeek.com
Savy Source Newark
Momlogic New Jersey
SurvivingNJ.com/blog
SurvivingNJ.blogspot.com
JerseyGirlGuide.com
Best of Roxy
Citizen Mom.net
Lynetteradio.com
Jersey Beat
Pop Vulture Phil
JerseySmarts.com
LongBeachIslandSummers.com
WildwoodSummers.com
Mike Halfacres Blog
Somerset08873
Family, Friends and Food
KateSpot.com
NewJerseyMomsBlog.com
JCRigister.com
New Jersey Real Estate Report
Riverviewobserver.com
More Monmouth Musings
Man of Infirmity
Another Delco Guy in South Jersey
SweetNicks.com
Average Noone
Cleary’s Notebook
Welcome to my Planet
The Center of New Jersey Life
Sharon’s Food Blog
Morristown, Chatham, Summit, and Madison NJ Real Estate
Midtown Direct Real Estate News
New Jersey Real Estate
BlowUpRadio.com
LazlosDen.com
The Ridgewood Blog
Book a Week with Jen
Banannie
Cartoongoddess.com
Matawan Advocate
Take Back the Kitchen
The Joy of Toast
Route 55
Montclair Kids.com
SaveJersey
Stompbox
Joe the Blogger
Environmental Republican
Stacey Snacks
Subversive Garden
New Jersey Pathfinder
Cooking With Friends Blog
Triple Venti
Read All About It
Rich Lee on Media
Likelihood of Success
Cape Cuisine
The Business At Hand
NewJerseyTaxRevolution
Figmentations
MiddletownMike
Caviar and Codfish
A Day in the Life
Mack’s Journey Through Life
Alice’s Restaurant
Tiger Hawk
Politics Patrol, The Bob Ingle Blog
The Food Chain
Henson’s Hell
Cranbury Conservative
Baristanet
New Jersey: Politics Unusual
Jersey Shore Blog

Blogging Out Hunger

Tomorrow is the big start date for the Blogging Out Hunger campaign!

More important than reading about it, however, is doing something about it. Get some food ready for donation, and get some time set aside to help out.

People need help this winter. Right now.

Prop 8: The Musical

Marc Shaiman's all-star musical tribute to hate rearing its ugly head in California.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die