Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Must See TV: Anthony Weiner Parody Song Is A Hoot!


So many jokes have been made about Anthony Weiner. And let's face it -- both his name and his circumstances are ripe for derision and searing comedic takes.
But now along comes a great parody - a song and a moment that demands to be heard and seen.
Here it is: Kristin Chenoweth adapts "Popular" from Wicked to the Anthony Weiner scandal.

NJ Sen. Chiesa Joins Effort To Defund Obamacare

From our friend and below-blogger Matt Rooney at the Save Jersey blog:

U.S Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is leading a controversial push to defund ObamaCare, Save Jerseyans, and he’s being joined by none other than our own temporary U.S. Senator Jeff Chiesa (R-NJ).

Sen. Lee called into The Rush Limbaugh Show on Wednesday afternoon and announced that roughly 100 House members and a few fellow senators, including Sen. Chiesa, had agreed to sign onto his effort. This news will undoubtedly delight the conservatives who were less-than-thrilled by Chiesa’s support for the Senate’s version of immigration reform.

You can click here to add your own name to the Lee #defundit letter.

Click here to visit our own extensive ObamaCare archives for plenty of reasons to sign on (as if you needed them).- See more at: http://savejersey.com/2013/07/chiesa-backs-defunding-obamacare/#sthash.zqZ7yIcl.dpuf

Hey There - Good Afternoon, Everybody!


Secaucus Mayor Joins Dems, Others To Back Christie

Adding to the broad-based support he has received in his campaign for reelection, Governor Christie today was endorsed by registered Democrat and elected Independent Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, as well as all six members of the Secaucus Town Council, bringing the Governor’s total support from Democrat elected officials to forty-three. The councilmembers include Deputy Mayor John Bueckner, Councilman James Clancy, Councilman Robert Contantino, Councilman Gary Jeffas, Councilman William McKeever, and Councilwoman Susan Pirro (all of the councilmembers are registered Democrats with the exception of Councilman Bueckner).

"Throughout the past three and a half years Governor Christie has demonstrated outstanding leadership working with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to find broad-based solutions to some of our state's most complex issues. The Governor and those in his administration understand our concerns and have worked with us in an effective, bipartisan manner," said Michael Gonnelli. "It is because of the great working relationship the Town of Secaucus has with the Governor and his untiring efforts in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy that I am publicly announcing that I and all the members of the Secaucus Town Council intend to vote to reelect Governor Chris Christie."

Secaucus, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 50 percentage points, was carried by President Obama in 2012 by 23 percentage points and also by former Governor Jon Corzine in 2009 by 16 percentage points. Mayor Gonnelli, along with five of the six members of the Secaucus Town Council, are registered Democrats, and all six were elected to office together on a "Take Back Secaucus" Independent slate.

Governor Christie has received broad support from Democrat elected officials in Hudson County including Harrison Mayor Raymond McDonough, all eight members of the Harrison Town Council, and State Senator Brian Stack.

"I'm grateful to Mayor Gonnelli and the folks on the Secaucus Town Council for their support in this campaign and their partnership in getting real things done for the people who elected us. Today stands as another bright example of the bipartisan approach we've adopted with local officials up and down the state and the progress we have made, particularly here in Hudson County," said Governor Christie. "It takes courage of one's convictions to stand up with someone of the opposite party because you know it's the right thing to do. I thank the Mayor and every one of the councilmembers here for displaying that courage, for their friendship, and for their support today.










To date, forty-three Democrat elected officials have endorsed Governor Christie for reelection, including: State Senator Brian Stack, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider, Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren, Belleville Mayor Ray Kimble, Bloomfield Mayor Ray McCarthy, Glen Ridge Mayor Peter Hughes, Livingston Mayor Rudy Fernandez, Paterson City Council President Anthony Davis, Burlington City Mayor Jim Fazzone, Manville Mayor Angelo Corradino, Chesilhurst Mayor Michael Blunt, Harrison Mayor Ray McDonough, Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long, Harrison City Council members Laurence M. Bennett, Jesus R. Huaranga, James Doran, Victor Villalta, Carol Mandaglio, Michael Dolaghan, Francisco Nascimento, and Anselmo Millan, Garfield Deputy Mayor Tana Raymond, Belleville Town Council members Steve Rovell and Michael Nicosia, Glen Ridge Council President Stuart Patrick and Councilman David Lefkovitz, Point Pleasant Borough Mayor William Schroeder, Spring Lake Mayor Jennifer Naughton, Spring Lake Council President Janice Venables, Spring Lake Council members Bob Drasheff and Priscilla Reilly and Union City Commissioners Tilo Rivas, Lucio Fernandez, Maryury Martinetti, and Celin Valdivia, Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, and Secaucus Town Councilmembers James Clancy, Robert Contantino, Gary Jeffas, William McKeever, and Susan Pirro.

Neon Museum Welcomes Photos 9/5 For Exclusive Session

A special message from the Neon Museum of Las Vegas:

CALLING ALL AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS!


As you may know, Photoshop World is coming to Las Vegas the first week of September and The Neon Museum is offering its own photo tour to coincide with the fun!

On September 5th from 6 to 7 p.m., for a fee of only $75 (or $60 for locals), you can walk around the Neon Boneyard for an hour at your leisure with any kind of equipment you wish to bring.

As you may be aware, regular guided tours allow guests to take photos as long as they stick with the group and do not bring equipment other than a single camera. However, this hour long photo tour allows you to take your time in your chosen areas with your equipment!

These tours are capped at 12 photographers, (we do not allow assistants or models, photos are for personal use only) so there is plenty of room to shoot. These tours sell out fast, so let us know if you’re interested.

Email photoshoots@neonmuseum.org.




Another Lavish Zillion $$$ Obama Vacation On Tap!


The "man of the people" will vacation in tres chic Mahhtha's Vineyahhhd on a swanky $7.6 million, 9.5-acre estate owned by one of Chicago’s wealthiest corporate financiers.
The lavish spread has ample ocean views and includes a pond, infinity pool and (of course) a basketball court. And, Obama & Co. have also booked 75+ rooms nearby (at nightly taxpayer-paid rates of up to $350) for staff. Go ahead, multiply all that out over seven nights and don't forget to include travel per diems and "ancillary" costs like the installation of extra cell phone towers, etc.
All this while the White House remains closed to ordinary visitors like you and I -- but still open to the fat cats and glitterati that the Obamas love to surround themselves with.

Former NBA Players In Summer Remix Tourney 8/29 - 9/1

Former NBA players Penny Hardaway, Sam Cassell, Damon Stoudamire and Nick Van Exel are among several former professional players who will compete to participate in the AND1 Summer Remix Tournament taking place at the Liacouras Center on August 29 through September 1.

Twelve teams will compete in the single-game elimination style tournament.  The teams will be coached by former professional basketball players and notable street ball legends.

Tournament schedule is below:

Session 1: 4 games
Thursday, August 29
2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Session 2: 4 games
Friday, August 30
2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Session 3: 2 games
Saturday, August 31
3 p.m., 5:30 p.m.

Session 4: Championship Game
Sunday, September 1
4 p.m.

Fans will experience the best basketball in the country along with live music, DJ, vendors, and more.

Tickets are available at $15, $25 and $50 and are on sale now exclusively through ComcastTIX, online at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 800-298-4200 or in person at the Liacouras Center Box Office. Discount packages are available and can be found here http://bit.ly/12e8b9h . Groups of 10 or more save 25% on lower level and upper level tickets. Groups of 25 or more save 40% on lower level tickets. For more information or to reserve your seats call 215-389-9543 or email groupsales@comcast-spectacor.com

Video: 22 NJ Korean-American Groups Back Christie


New Jersey Governor Chris Christie In Palisades Park today accepting the endorsement of 22 Korean-American Community Organizations.

Oh, The Things We Learn From Kids' Storybooks!


Income Inequality Actually Rises Faster Under Obama

It's a fact: Income inequality rose faster under Obama than under George W. Bush or Clinton. 
Research by University of California economist Emmanuel Saez shows that since the Obama recovery started in June 2009, the average income of the top 1% grew 11.2% in real terms through 2011. The bottom 99%, in contrast, saw their incomes shrink by 0.4%.
Click here for more on this story.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Christie Announces $14 Million In FEMA Grants

The Christie Administration announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $14 million in Public Assistance grants for Superstorm Sandy recovery, repair and rebuilding. Grants were awarded to the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority, as well as the municipalities of Belmar, Lavallette and Newark.

The Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority will use its funding to repair three sewerage facilities that sustained flood damage as a result of Sandy, including floors, ceilings, and walls, electrical and mechanical pump equipment including controls, motors, meters, valves, and circuits, and the fire alarm systems.

Belmar will use its grant for the use of contractors working on the replacement of the town’s boardwalk destroyed by the Superstorm. Lavallette is utilizing its funding for its use of force account and contracts to repair damaged electrical distribution facilities. Newark will use its grant for Emergency Protective Measures that include search and rescue operations, evacuations and securing temporary facilities for destroyed or damaged facilities.

The recipients, total project costs and FEMA grant amounts are as follows:

· Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority: The total cost of the grant is $1.49 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $1.34 million.

· Belmar (Monmouth County): The total cost of the grant is $10.3 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $9.24 million.

· Lavallette (Ocean County): The total cost of the grant is $2.6 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $2.34 million.

· Newark (Essex County): The total cost of the grant is $1.36 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $1.23 million.

Public Assistance reimburses local and county governments and certain nonprofit organizations for eligible disaster-related costs including emergency protective measures, debris removal and public infrastructure repair or replacement costs.

Are We 'Simplistic' Or Just Being Honest?


Rand Paul: 'I'm Not The One Stirring People Up'


Christie Video: 'My Position On Obamacare Is Clear'


Governor Christie, today: Listen, you know, not for me to judge. I know what I’m going to do here in New Jersey and that is we’ll continue to enforce and comply the law in the way that we think is appropriate for the people of New Jersey. 
So we’ve made the choice to expand the Medicaid program to cover more New Jerseyan’s and get them more healthcare coverage in partnership with the federal government. On the other hand, we’re not going to do state-based exchanges because the federal government won’t tell us what the rules are, won’t put us in control and won’t tell us what the cost is going to be. 
Well, as governor if you’re going to ask me to run a program that I have no control over and I have to pay for, I think it’s pretty bad deal for my taxpayers. So in the times that the government is making the right decision, we’ll work with them and in times when they won’t, they won’t. But as to the games they play down in Washington DC and all the threats and the yelling back and forth, that’s what people are sick and tired of and what they’d really like is to see people get things done in Washington DC. 
So as to the specifics of that stuff that’s for our folks in Washington. You can talk to Senator Menendez or Senator Chiesa, ask them what they think.

'Phony' Scandals? That's What They WANT You To Believe


NJ: Resettlement Checks Ready For Sandy Homeowners

Delivering on his pledge to get recovery funds out the door as quickly as possible, Governor Chris Christie today joined New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III in Little Ferry to announce that storm-affected homeowners have begun receiving $10,000 Homeowner Resettlement checks. These funds are targeted at allowing those impacted by Sandy to stay in or return to their homes and home counties.

“As they rebuild their homes and lives from Sandy, we want people to stay right here in New Jersey, and the Homeowner Resettlement Program is a vital tool in making that happen,” said Governor Christie. “After congressional inaction on the front end that led to delays in getting the relief money out, we’re finally starting to see much-needed funds in the hands of the people who need it most. These $10,000 grants are lifelines to people who have been through so much adversity to encourage them not to give up.”

The Christie Administration began issuing Homeowner Resettlement checks less than three months after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved New Jersey’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Action Plan. The $180 million Homeowner Resettlement Program is aimed at encouraging Sandy-impacted homeowners to remain in the nine most-impacted counties (Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union) in order to help restore home values and stabilize devastated communities. Homeowners must agree to remain in the county of their damaged residence for three consecutive years following the grant award. Sixty percent of the funds are initially reserved in the first period to serve for low-to-moderate-income households.

“Many Sandy-impacted homeowners are facing considerable financial pressures, especially those who were displaced and paying mortgage and taxes on one home while also renting another,” said DCA Commissioner Constable, whose Department is administering the distribution of CDBG Disaster Recovery funds for New Jersey. “These $10,000 Resettlement checks will make increased insurance premiums and costs for other non-construction needs less daunting, thereby giving homeowners an incentive to stay in their primary residences.”

The checks can be used for any non-construction purpose such as flood insurance costs, mortgage payments, utility bills, and replacement furniture that helps the homeowner to remain in or to return to the county in which they lived prior to the storm.

All applicants under the Resettlement Program must have owned and occupied their primary residence in one of the nine most-impacted counties at the time of the storm, must have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and must have sustained at least $8,000 in damages or more than one foot of flooding on the first floor as a result of Sandy.

The initial application period for the Resettlement Program ended on June 30, 2013. All applications received during this period were in the first group processed. Applications were randomly selected and prioritized by income and geography.

Before Resettlement grant recipients can receive their check, they must attend a closing and sign a promissory note. They must agree to use the funds for non-construction purposes and to return and remain for three years in the county in which they lived prior to Sandy. Approximately 10-15 days after the closing, the homeowner receives their resettlement check.

More than 11,000 closing appointments have been scheduled and more than 4,000 closings have been completed. Resettlement checks began being issued in July, and will continue to be issued throughout August and into September.

Applications received after June 30 will be considered after all the applications from the initial application period have been processed, including those that were placed on the wait list. An announcement on future allocations of CDBG Disaster Recovery funding is expected this fall by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Eligible homeowners have until August 1 to apply for a Resettlement grant. After August 1, applications will no longer be accepted. Eligible homeowners can apply for grant assistance online atwww.renewjerseystronger.org, by phone at 1-855-SANDYHM (1-855-726-3946), or in person at any one of the Housing Recovery Centers open in each of the nine counties most affected by Superstorm Sandy.

Video - Special Ops Vets: 'End Benghazi Coverup'

Liberals Welcome All Views -- Especially Their Own


How Pope Reaffirmed Catholic Teaching On Gays

There's been a lot of talk about the comments that Pope Francis made during an impromptu discussion with reporters on the plane on his way back from Rio.

To hear tell from most news reports, you'd think that the Pope had basically redefined the Church's teaching on gay people and gay behavior. But that's not exactly what happened. Not quite.

First, the question posed to the Pope was about a so-called "gay lobby" within the Church. Here is his exact answer:
Then you spoke of the gay lobby. Agh… so much is written about the gay lobby. I have yet to find on a Vatican identity card the word gay. They say there are some gay people here. I think that when we encounter a gay person, we must make the distinction between the fact of a person being gay and the fact of a lobby, because lobbies are not good. They are bad. If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge that person? The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this point beautifully but says, wait a moment, how does it say, it says, these persons must never be marginalized and “they must be integrated into society.”
The problem is not that one has this tendency; no, we must be brothers, this is the first matter. There is another problem, another one: the problem is to form a lobby of those who have this tendency, a lobby of the greedy people, a lobby of politicians, a lobby of Masons, so many lobbies. This is the most serious problem for me. And thank you so much for doing this question. Thank you very much!
A few important points:

1) The Pope makes a distinction between a gay person "who seeks the Lord and has good will" and one who does not. He also makes a distinction between a gay person who is part of a "lobby" (that is, who actively advances or seeks to advance a gay agenda) and one who does not. He is reflecting the traditional Catholic distinction between thought, word and action and between an inclination to act and actually acting.

2) The Pope reaffirms the Catholic belief that no matter who you are or what your orientation, if you honestly come to the Lord -- if, as a sinner, you sincerely seek him with an open heart and good will --you will not be turned away. You will be forgiven and your sins will be forgotten. The Pope said:

But sins, if a person, or secular priest or a nun, has committed a sin and then that person experienced conversion, the Lord forgives and when the Lord forgives, the Lord forgets and this is very important for our lives. When we go to confession and we truly say “I have sinned in this matter,” the Lord forgets and we do not have the right to not forget because we run the risk that the Lord will not forget our sins, eh? This is a danger.

3) The Pope also reaffirms Catholic teaching again when he says: "Who am I to judge?" In the end, God is the final judge -- only God. (See above)

4) Finally -- and perhaps most importantly -- Pope Francis refers back to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and says that the Catechism "explains the point beautifully." The Catechism is the definitive source for Church teaching. Here's what it says:
2358    The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
And, also this:
2359    Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. (2347)
And, this as well:
2357    Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. (2333)
Note that all along the Church makes a clear distinction between gay orientation and actually acting on one's orientation -- between the orientation and the act.

Bottom line: The Pope espouses the dignity of every human being and calls for mutual respect while reaffirming basic Catholic teaching.

Click here for more on this.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Buono's Pick Of 'Millie Who?' - A Monumental Flop!

NJ TV’s Michael Aron: “Buono might have scored more points with this selection if it had been somebody of more stature in state politics. … A mayor … might have moved the meter a little bit more than ‘Milly Who?'” (NJ TV’s “Reporters Roundtable,” 7/27/13)

THE TAKEAWAYS:

  • Milly Silva Is Entirely Unqualified To Be Lieutenant Governor. She has spent her career as a special interest organizer,  has never held elective office, worked in the private sector, nor served in government. Barbara Buono has put her own narrow political interests ahead of picking a qualified running mate.
  • Picking Silva is a sell-out to the entrenched Trenton special interests who have backed Buono’s campaigns and Democratic politics over New Jersey taxpayer interests for years. 
  • Picking Silva signals that Barbara Buono has no interest in supporting New Jersey’s small business, creating private-sector jobs or growing the economy. Her only interest is in catering to the narrow interests that have dominated Trenton for years.
  • Silva will do nothing to grow Barbara Buono’s support in this election as she only doubles-down on Buono’s Corzine-era governing philosophy of higher taxes and more spending. 
  • Silva praised former Governor Jon Corzine as a “true leader” and pledged to be “out in front” in his re-election campaign, but failed to vote in the primary or general election in 2009. 


Picking Silva Was Payback To The SEIU:
The SEIU Has Donated $22,000 To Buono Over The Course Of Her Career. (New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Contributions To Candidates/Committees, Accessed: 7/28/13)
  • In 2011 Alone, The SEIU Donated $17,400 To Buono’s Senate Re-Election Campaign.(New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Contributions To Candidates/Committees, Accessed: 7/28/13)
  • In Total, The SEIU Has Donated $2.5 Million To Democratic Candidates And Committees In New Jersey Since 1997. (New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Contributions To Candidates/Committees, Accessed: 7/28/13)
The 1199 SEIU Was One Of Buono’s First Major Endorsements For Governor, Coming In January Of 2013. (1199 SEIU, “1199SEIU Delegates Endorse NJ State Senator Barbara Buono for Governor,” Press Release, 1/31/13)

A Special Interest Lifer:
Silva Has Spent Nearly Her Entire Professional Career Working For The SEIU.
  • Silva Earns Over $125,000 A Year As A Vice President Of SEIU. (US Department Of Labor, Public Disclosure, Accessed: 7/28/13)
Silva has never held nor run for elective office, nor held any position in government nor the private sector. 
Silva’s Only Previous Employer Was Controversial Organization ACORN. “Silva's mother, Andrea Rodriguez, left Puerto Rico and took a job at a health-care agency in the Bronx to support her four children. She earned $5.25 an hour with no health insurance, said Silva, who in college began advocating for poorer workers through a New York chapter of ACORN.” (Erik Ortiz, “Unions court immigrants,” Herald News, 9/5/05)

Silva Is Hostile To Small Businesses:
The New Jersey Chapter Of The National Federation Of Independent Business“This is an unmistakable message to small business in New Jersey that big labor is going to have the run of the Statehouse …” (Tom Zanki, “Business Groups Wary Of Buono's Expected Running Mate,”
NJBIZ, 7/27/13)
  • “Silva is a longtime union organizer and president of the SEIU Local 1199 — the organization is one of the most ideological political forces within the union movement, and has led fights in every state and in Washington, D.C., for policies that concern small-business owners."
  • “This is [Senator Buono’s] first important decision as a candidate for Governor and it very clearly signals that she has already taken sides in future debates in which small business owners will have an interest … It’s very troubling and I think unfortunate for the business community in New Jersey.” (National Federation of Independent Business, “Small Business Worries about Labor Organizer on Gubernatorial Ticket,” Press Release, 7/29/13)
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce: "We have concerns about the lieutenant governor candidate in tandem with the governor. The track record doesn't leave a positive feeling.” (Tom Zanki, “Business Groups Wary Of Buono's Expected Running Mate,”
NJBIZ, 7/27/13)
New Jersey Business Leaders Were Critical Of Legislative Democrats For Holding Up “The Long-Stalled” Economic Opportunity Act By Not Simply Say[ing] No” To The SEIU And Their Prevailing Wage Amendment. “Summer recess notwithstanding, another week has passed in Trenton without lawmakers putting the finishing touches on the long-stalled Economic Opportunity Act … Still in focus is a provision that would require prevailing wages - effectively meaning union labor - for post-construction building services at projects that receive incentives. A source said business leaders have voiced their disappointment with Democratic leaders who didn't ‘simply say no’ to the Service Employees International Union, which backed the mandate. Opponents to that provision argued that such a requirement would make operating costs unworkable at a new building.”(“Grapevine,” NJBIZ, 7/8/13)

Silva Joined Buono In Praising Jon Corzine:
Silva Praised Jon Corzine As A “True Leader” And Said The SEIU “Will Be Out In Front To Help” His Re-Election. “Governor Jon Corzine has been a true leader and advocate for New Jersey's working families throughout his public service and we are proud to stand with him now as he has so often stood with us in the past … We will be out in front to help voters understand that Governor Corzine is fighting for their families …” (Kate Thomas, “SEIU Members in New Jersey Endorse Governor Corzine,” SEIU.org“SEIU Blog”, 8/28/09)
  • However, Silva Failed To Vote In Either The Primary Or General Election In 2009. (Essex County Clerk’s Office, Election Record Information, Accessed: 7/29/13)
    • Silva Also Failed To Vote In The 2007 & 2011 General Elections. (Essex County Clerk’s Office, Election Record Information, Accessed: 7/29/13)
Buono Called Corzine “Thoughtful And Deliberate On Fiscal Matters.” “I feel fortunate to serve in my position at a time when we have a governor who is thoughtful and deliberate on fiscal matters.Rather than resort to telling the people what he thinks they want to hear, he is refreshingly honest about our fiscal predicament.” (“Statement Of Senate Budget And Appropriations Chair Barbara Buono On The Signing Of The Fy2009 Budget,” Press Release, 6/30/08)
    • “The governor has earned our respect by his willingness to be frank even in the face of criticism that this approach may not be the most politically expedient way of dealing with our fiscal problems.”
    • “The Governor has set the bar high. It is up to the Legislature to meet this challenge …” 

Silva Does Not Think The Governor Should Represent Taxpayers:

Silva Took Issue With Assertion That The Governor Should Be Representing Taxpayer Interests In Negotiations With Unions. “No public employee in New Jersey is represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the union of which I am executive vice president. Furthermore, the notion that the interests of public-sector employees and the interests of taxpayers are somehow at odds is patently wrong-headed. Don't we, as taxpayers, want our public servants -- police, firefighters, teachers -- to be satisfied with their jobs and compensated fairly for the work they do for us and in our name? A governor should be an advocate for good jobs, both private and public. That is responsible, efficient and effective fiscal policy -- benefiting taxpayers and workers alike. Milly Silva, Montclair”
(“Reader Forum,” The Star-Ledger, 7/3/13)

Silva Does Not Help Buono Expand Her Appeal:
Monmouth University Pollster Patrick Murray: "It’s certainly a pick that says, ‘We know it’s a loser’s race, so let’s make sure it’s a study in contrasts ...”  (Jarrett Renshaw & Salvador Rizzo, “Buono picks running mate in battle against Christie, sources say,” The Star-Ledger, 7/25/13)
NJ 101.5’s Kevin McArdle: “I think it doesn’t really help Senator Buono with her own name recognition. She’s struggling a little bit, obviously, so it doesn’t really help her there.” (NJ TV’s “Reporters Roundtable,” 7/27/13)
    • McArdle: "Maybe this is a major voice, that to be honest with you, I don't really know much about ... but maybe behind the scenes is a major voice that can get out that voice ... so that's really the reason I can imagine it was done, beyond that it doesn't really help to tighten the polls in any other way that I can think."
Montclair State University Political Science Professor Brigid Harrison: “But overall, Harrison said, she doesn’t see the nomination as a “game changer,” underscoring the upward battle Buono faces in the polls and in fundraising.” (Jarrett Renshaw, “Buono picks running mate in battle against Christie, sources say,” The Hunterdon Daily Democrat, 7/25/13)
NJ TV’s Michael Aron: “Buono might have scored more points with this selection if it had been somebody of more stature in state politics. … A mayor like Dana Redd or a Chris Bollwage or a Dawn Zimmer might have moved the meter a little bit more than ‘Milly Who’.” (NJ TV’s “Reporters Roundtable,” 7/27/13)

  • McArdle: “Agree. With any of the names that you just mentioned, those mayors, I had heard of all of them.”
    • Aron: "She may have wanted to pick a more liberal member of the legislature ... I don't know if she tried, but's it's tough to imagine a legislator giving up their seat to take a run. And a long-shot at that." (NJ TV’s “Reporters Roundtable,” 7/27/13)
“New School political science professor Jeff Smith, a former Democratic Missouri state senator who now lives in New Jersey, characterized the Silva pick bluntly as Buono's attempt to persuade the labor community to rescue her candidacy.” (John Celock, “Barbara Buono Picks Milly Silva As Running Mate In New Jersey Race,” The Huffington Post, 7/25/13)

  • Smith: "Buono's selection seems to be a last-ditch effort to mobilize the party base behind a candidacy that is struggling to gain traction," Smith told HuffPost. 
    • Smith: "She is clearly hoping that the money and clout of SEIU and allied public sector unions will be a shot in the arm. I doubt it will succeed." 

Glam Prez Plays, Campaigns; Sloughs Off Real Work


Video: Will THIS Be The Future Of New Jersey?

Pope Thanks WYD Volunteers With Hugs, Kisses

On Sunday, 28 July, before the closing ceremony of Word Youth Day, Pope Francis met with a group of young volunteers. In the Congress Centre Pavilion he encountered 15,000 of the 60,000 volunteers who have worked during the two years of preparation for the Brazilian World Youth Day. The young welcomed him with songs and applause, and Pope Francis greeted them warmly with hugs and kisses.

He thanked them for their work and “the countless little ways by which you have made this World Youth Day an unforgettable experience of faith. With your smiles, your acts of kindness and your willingness to serve, you have shown that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive'”.

He compared them to St. John the Baptist, “who prepared the way for Jesus”, he said. “And this is the most beautiful service we can give as missionary disciples: to prepare the way so that all people may know, meet and love the Lord. … May you always be generous with God and with others: one loses nothing thereby, but gains great enrichment in life”.

He continued, “God … has a plan for each of you: to discover that plan and to respond to your vocation is to move toward personal fulfilment. … Some are called to holiness through family life in the sacrament of Marriage”, and he commented that in today's cultural of the ephemeral, many say that marriage is out of fashion. “Many preach the importance of 'enjoying' the moment”, he said; “they say that it is not worth making a life-long commitment, making a definitive decision, for ever, because we do not know what tomorrow will bring”. He urged the young volunteers “to be revolutionaries, to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes that you are incapable of responsibility, that you are incapable of true love. ... Have the courage to be happy”.

The Pope went on to say that the Lord calls some to the priesthood or to the religious life, and shared with the young volunteers his experience at the age of 17 of first hearing God's call. “Do not be afraid of what God asks of you! It is worth saying 'yes' to God. In Him we find joy!”

Finally, he addressed those who “may not yet know what you will do with your lives”, and encouraged them to “ask the Lord, and He will show you the way. … Do not forget what you have experienced here! You can always count on my prayers, and I know I can count on yours”.

Former PA. Governor Bill Scranton Dies


Former Pennsylvania Governor Bill Scranton has died.
Scranton was known as a moderate Republican.
He died at his home in California of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 96. 
Scranton was Pennsylvania's 38th governor, serving one term from 1963 to 1967. He challenged Barry Golwater for the GOP presidential nomination in 1964 and lost.
He was know as an establishment Republican and bridge-builder who proved very popular in his home state.
President Ford later appointed him America's ambassador to the United Nations.

Think Politics Isn't Important? Think Again!


Sunday, July 28, 2013

Nonnan: People Have Stopped Listening To Obama

Boy Tells Pope His Story, Receives Abundant Blessing





















While the papal entourage made its way through the picturesque Quinta de Boa Vista park, a nine year old boy wearing a Seleçao soccer jersey, jumped the hurdles and made his way through to the white jeep, where he was received affectionately by Pope Francis, and whispered in the Pontiff’s ear: “I have a very important message for you...I want to become a priest.”

At this point the Pope, visibly moved, clutched him to his chest and told the boy. “Your dream begins to fulfill today. I will pray for you, but you must pray for me.

With trembling legs and his hands over his face, full of emotion and excitement, the young boy returned to his father, happy and even more proud of his son for this unique moment.

Video: 'Hands On' Pope Reaches Out With Love, Joy



Pope Francis is leading a worldwide revival of the faith with exuberance, the joy of Christ, the boundless love of the Blessed Mother and the evangelical spirit of the Apostles.
Again today he attracted three million to Copacabana Beach in Rio.
We are witnessing history!

US, Israel, Russia Generate Most Visits To Blog

Week of 7/21
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Russia 268

France 140

Germany 84

China 66

Canada 60

Ukraine 53

Sweden 45

Bulgaria 40

Dan Cirucci Blog - Top 10 Stories Of The Week

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Pope: Merciful Church Must Embrace 'Grammar Of Simplicity'

Some words from Pope Francis' final remarks in Rio:

"At times we lose people because they don't understand what we are saying, because we have forgotten the language of simplicity and import an intellectualism foreign to our people . . . Without the grammar of simplicity, the church loses the very conditions which make it possible to fish for God in the deep waters of his mystery."

"Perhaps the church appeared too weak, perhaps too distant from their needs, perhaps too poor to respond to their concerns, perhaps too cold, perhaps too caught up with itself, perhaps a prisoner of its own rigid formulas . . . Perhaps the world seems to have made the church a relic of the past, unfit for new questions. Perhaps the church could speak to people in their infancy but not to those come of age."

"We need a church capable of rediscovering the maternal womb of mercy . . . Without mercy, we have little chance nowadays of becoming part of a world of 'wounded' persons in need of understanding, forgiveness and love."

'Rock Star' Pope Draws Three Million To Beach Mass

Eat your heart out Springsteen, Obama, Lady Gaga, Bieber, Taylor Swift, Chesney, Beyonce and all the rest: News reports say Pope Francis drew a reported 3 million flag-waving, rosary-toting faithful to Rio's Copacabana beach on Saturday for the final evening of World Youth Day. OhhhhhYEAH!

Down 'N Dirty Dems New Recruitment Poster


At Slice It's All For The Love Of Pizza!

We've said it all along.
But it's still worth repeating: A great pizza is all about simplicity.
And the test of a great pizza lies in the basic pie. If the basic pie isn't good (crust, tomato sauce cheese) it doesn't matter what you add to it.
So, we walked into Slice on Sansom between 17th and 18th near Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square and we ordered the basic pie.
We were hungry. Very hungry.
And what we got was a truly great pizza -- fragrant, well-cooked (just the way we asked for it) fresh and scrumptious.
The crust was crispy and crackly. The tomato covering was tasty without being overwhelming. And the cheese was consistent with the whole. It didn't pull or separate from the pie. It was perfect.
And here's the thing: The sauce wasn't immeshed in oil and neither the plate nor the pan sported a residue of grease after we finished our pie.
And you bet we did finish it. All of it!
When you have a pie this good, you don't need toppings - though Slice offers plenty of them if that's what you want.
It's a relatively small place. It's not fancy. But it's clean and bright and cozy.
And it has the pizza that you've been looking for -- at this location and also near the Italian Market in South Philly and in Washington Township in South Jersey.
You're gonna love it!

The actual pizza [almost] as served. We would have shown you the whole pie but we
couldn't wait to start eating it.



Video: O'Reilley's Memo On Race Gains Support

Phily's Beguiling Magic Gardens: A Visual Feast!

We just took a tour of the Magic Gardens on South Street and we are still feeling light and happy and dazzled. We're high on the life-force and creative spirit of Isiah Zagar. In a word: Enthralling!

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (PMG) is a mosaicked visionary art environment, gallery, and community arts center that preserves, interprets, and provides access to Isaiah Zagar's unique mosaic art environment and his public murals. The Magic Gardens site, Zagar's largest artwork, includes a fully tiled indoor space and a massive outdoor mosaic sculpture garden that spans half a block on Philadelphia's famous South Street. Inside, visitors can view folk art statues, bicycle wheels, colorful glass bottles, Zagar's hand-made tiles, and thousands of glittering mirrors. The installation pays tribute to Zagar's artistic influences, along with community and personal experiences.

Open to visitors daily, PMG has become a unique Philadelphia destination, hosting year-round, low-cost public programs within its own distinctive venue and the surrounding community. PMG, a nonprofit organization, inspires creativity and community engagement by educating the public about folk, mosaic, and visionary art.

Here are some photos but we urge you to experience this unique, vibrant environment for yourself. You won't forget it!

Please click here for more information.























All photos copyright 2013 by Dan Cirucci.


Must Watch Video: We Were Warned It Would Happen!

In Rio, Pope Hears Confessions, Dialogues With Youth

On Friday morning the Pope Francis went to the park “Quinta da Boa Vista”, nineteen kilometres from the Sumare residence. The park previously belonged to the Society of Jesus, and is now a municipal park containing the Zoological Garden and National Museum, the first scientific institution in the country and considered to be the finest Museum of natural history and anthropology in Latin America. Throughout the park numerous confessionals have been installed to allow the sacrament of confession to be imparted to the young participants in World Youth Day. One was selected for the Pope to personally hear the confession of five young people in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. Afterwards, he proceeded by car to the meet with the archbishop of Rio in his residence, a building constructed in 1918 as the official residence of the first cardinal archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Joaquim Arcoverde Cavalcanti de Albuquerque. The work of the architect Morales de los Rios, it is characterised by its eclectic style with architectural references to many historical monuments. During the military dictatorship, the then Cardinal Archbishop Eugenio Sales offered asylum to the regime's opponents within the Palace.

At 11.30 a.m. the Pope met briefly with eight young detainees, six boys and two girls, who gave the Pope a giant Rosary made of polystyrene. The Cross bore the words “Calendaria nunca mais” - “Calendaria: never again”, referring to the tragic event of 22 July 1993, when a group of armed men assassinated a group of children and young men at the door of the Church of the Calendaria in Rio de Janeiro. The names of the many young people killed on that day were written on the beads of the Rosary. The Pope prayed with the young people for all those who have died in violent circumstances and repeated the message “Violencia nunca mais! No more violence, only love!”

Immediately afterwards, the Pope moved on to the Chapel to greet the Religious of the Residence. From the central balcony of the Palace, the Pope prayed the Angelus with the faithful gathered in the square below and in the adjacent streets.

“I would be happy if my visit to this city were to renew, in each one of you, your love for Christ and his Church and your joy in being one with him, belonging to the Church and being committed to offering a living witness to the faith”, the Pope began.

He went on to explain the three moments in which the simple prayer of the Angelus prayer is recited, and emphasised that “it reminds us of a luminous event which transformed history: the Incarnation, the moment when the Son of God became man in Jesus of Nazareth”.

He spoke about Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary, and commented that Mary grew up in a home in which love for God was transmitted, expressed in the warmth and love of family life. “How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith!” he exclaimed, recalling that in many countries, as the Church celebrates Saints Joachim and Anne, grandparents' day is also celebrated. “How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family”.

The Pope mentioned that the Aparecida Document states that children and the elderly build the future of peoples: “children because they lead history forward, the elderly because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives. This relationship and this dialogue between generations is a treasure to be preserved and strengthened!”.

After the Angelus, the Pope proceeded to the Salon Redondo on the first floor of the Palace to meet with Archbishop Tempesta and twelve young people of different nationalities, representing each continent. After lunch, the Holy Father returned to the Sumare residence to rest before the beginning of the Via Crucis.