It's happening right now here in nearby Pennsauken, NJ!
Sunday, October 31, 2021
LGB? Here's What It REALLY Means!
Who did this??😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/x5VN0Y3VWQ
— il Donaldo Trumpo (@PapiTrumpo) October 29, 2021
Italian American Heritage Month: Mother Angelica (Rita Antoinette Rizzo)
Mother Angelica
Rita Antoinette Rizzo
Mary Angelica of the Annunciation PCPA was born Rita Antoinette Rizzo in 1923. She was also known simply as Mother Angelica. She was an American Roman Catholic nun of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. But she was best known as a television personality. Mother Angelica was a pioneering visionary and founder of the international broadcast cable television network Eternal Word Television (EWTN) and the radio network WEWN. EWTN became a voice for Catholics worldwide.
In 1981, Angelica started broadcasting religious programs from a converted garage in Birmingham, Alabama. Over the next twenty years, she developed a media network that included radio, TV, and internet channels as well as print media. Angelica hosted shows on EWTN until she had a stroke in 2001. She continued to live in the cloistered monastery in Hanceville, Alabama, until her death at age 92 on March 27, 2016.
Mother Angelica's nightly TV program remained true to the traditional teachings of the Catholic faith while making those teachings understandable to millions through anecdotes, recollections, loving counsel and a homespun style that generated countless devoted followers. In fact, it's safe to say that many who might have become fallen away Catholics remain true to the faith today because of the teachings and testimony of Mother Angelica.
Mother Angelica had a hardscrabble upbringing and through much of her life she endured pain and suffering. She was the only child of John and Mae Helen Rizzo (née Gianfrancesco). Her father, a tailor by trade, abandoned the family when Rizzo was only five, and her parents divorced two years later. On March 10, 1931, her mother was granted custody of the young Rizzo, and her father was ordered to pay five dollars a week in child support. Her mother only received "intermittent child-support payments from the father". While maintaining full custody, her mother struggled with chronic depression and poverty. This was in part because being a divorcée carried a social stigma at the time and the opportunities for a woman to secure income were limited especially in the height of the Great Depression. When her mother's mental condition seemed to worsen, she made arrangements with her grandparents to have her sent to Philadelphia to be with a relative.
As a young woman, Rita Rizzo stopped at a church to pray and felt that God was calling her to be a nun. She sought guidance from a local parish priest who encouraged her to begin visiting convents. Her first visit was to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Buffalo, New York, but the active congregation felt that she was better suited to contemplative life. She also visited Saint Paul's Shrine of Perpetual Adoration, a facility operated by an order of cloistered contemplative nuns, located in Cleveland, Ohio. When visiting this order, she felt as if she were at home. The order accepted her as a postulant, inviting her to enter on August 15, 1944. She was 21 years old.
From there she went on to eventually establish a cloistered community in Alabama that became Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. It grew over the years and, with Mother's tireless energy and guidance, it built the largest Catholic communication network in the world as EWTN grew exponentially with the advent of cable television, satellite radio and the internet.
THIS Will Be Among Jack's Top Priorities!
The consequence of @PhilMurphyNJ’s grossly negligent pandemic policies?
— The RGA (@GOPGovs) October 30, 2021
8,000 nursing home residents lost their lives.@Jack4NJ will never let that happen again and will make sure justice is served. pic.twitter.com/pKXMmtS85R
Saturday, October 30, 2021
THE Most Important Message You'll Hear Right Now!
New Jersey, it's never been more important to get out & vote. Murphy has failed this state. We have the highest property taxes in the nation, an inefficient state govt., and we're the worst state to do business in. We can do better. Jack and I ask for your support, and your vote! pic.twitter.com/9blBUNpfsy
— Senator Diane Allen (@NJDianeAllen) October 30, 2021
Italian American Heritage Month: Peter Gennaro
Peter Gennaro grew up dancing, earning tips in the New Orleans bar and restaurant owned by his Italian immigrant parents. So, it naturally followed that he would make dancing a huge part of his life -- and he did!
Gennaro made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of Make Mine Manhattan in 1948. He followed this with Kiss Me, Kate (1948) and Guys and Dolls (1950). He first drew notice from theatergoers as a member of the trio that danced the Bob Fosse number "Steam Heat" in The Pajama Game (1954), and continued to hold their attention with the "Mu Cha Cha" number with Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing (1956). A year later, he broke out of the chorus line and into choreography when he collaborated with Jerome Robbins on West Side Story, notably choreographing (without credit) a majority of the "America" and "Mambo" dance sequences.
In addition to his theater chores, Gennaro worked steadily in television, appearing in and/or choreographing such shows as Your Hit Parade, The Polly Bergen Show, Judy Garland's CBS variety program, and the Kraft Music Hall. With his dance troupe, he was a guest on Ed Sullivan's CBS Sunday night variety show dozens of times, and he was a member of the regular repertory company on the short-lived CBS variety show The Entertainers (1964–1965), one of the stars having been John Davidson. He also served for many years as choreographer for Radio City Music Hall, staging routines for The Rockettes.
He was inducted, posthumously, into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2002.
His daughter, Liza, is also a dancer and choreographer and Dean of Musical Theatre at Manhattan School of Music, and his son Michael is the Executive Director for Trinity Repertory Companyand has served as executive director of both the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Paper Mill Playhouse. The family lived for a time in Paramus, New Jersey up to 1972. Gennaro died in New York City at the age of 80.
Part of a month long series spotlighting a different accomplished Italian American every day during Italian American Heritage Month.
Don't Miss It - Tomorrow Night!
Halloween Night (Sunday 10/31) from 8-10pm EST:
— Matt Rooney (@MattRooneyNJ) October 30, 2021
'The Matt Rooney Show' on @1210WPHT has an all-star pre-Election 2021 line-up!
- Project Veritas's James O'Keefe
- Republican Lt. Gov. Nominee @dianeallennj
- @NJGOP Chairman @BobHugin
Listen LIVE online: https://t.co/qV6f6j7Aj7 pic.twitter.com/4kghHEJF43
Friday, October 29, 2021
Italian American Heritage Month: Bernard Castro
Some of you who read this may remember the little girl who easily turned a sofa (and in some cases even n ottoman) into a bed. The man who we spotlight today was her dad.
The convertible sofa was invented by Bernard Castro (1904-1991) who came from Italy and opened an upholstery shop in New York in 1931. In 1945, he invented the famous space-saving sofa that” even a child could open”. Born on Aug. 11, 1904, near Palermo, Sicily, Mr. Castro came to the United States with his father in 1919. He never finished high school but went to work as an upholsterer’s apprentice. In 1931 with $400 in capital, he opened his first store, which eventually became a chain he named ’’Castro Convertibles’’. Bernard Castro married Theresa Barabas on Valentine’s Day 1942. Their two children were Bernard, Jr. and Bernadette. Bernadette became famous in the New York area as the company’s official four-year-old spokesperson. Castro was a genius not only at designing a piece of furniture vital to people in space-cramped apartments during the Depression, but at marketing his product.
“By 1948, he discovered this new medium called television,” said his daughter, Bernadette. “There was just one station in New York, Dumont, and he was actually the first person to buy a local-spot commercial. When he called up and said, ‘I want to put a commercial on TV, they said, Go make one and bring it to us. ” At his death in 1991, he had sold over 5 million of his convertible sofas through 48 retail showrooms in 12 states, becoming a multimillionaire in the process.
Castro Convertibles was acquired in 1993 by Krause Furniture, a competitor. Bernadette Castro managed the sale to Krause but retained the large portfolio of commercial real estate her father had acquired in both retail and industrial. Those properties in New York, Florida, Connecticut and Virginia put the family in the real estate business. The Castro Convertible brand was retired until 2010 when Bernadette Castro and her children relaunched the business with one of the most popular original products, the Castro Convertible Ottoman. Rather than sell in retail locations, the new Castro was sold online.
NJ Legislator Blasts Biden 450K Plan
New Jersey State Senator Michael Doherty blasted a reported plan by the Biden administration to pay illegal immigrants $450,000 if they were detained and separated from family members after entering the United States illegally.
Sen. Michael Doherty blasted a reported plan by the Biden administration to pay illegal immigrants $450,000 if they were detained and separated from family members after entering the United States illegally. (Wikimedia Commons)
“These massive payments would create a new incentive for millions of families to try to cross the border illegally,” said Doherty (R-23). “Either they’ll get in or they’ll get rich trying at our expense. It’s an utterly ridiculous plan, even by Democrat standards.”
According to published reports, illegal immigrants could receive payments around $1 million per family from the federal government under President Biden’s plan.
The total cost of the payments could exceed $1 billion.
News of the proposal comes as Democrats in Congress and the President are negotiating multi-trillion-dollar spending bills that would be supported by trillions of dollars of tax increases on Americans and their employers.
“President Biden shouldn’t raise taxes on Americans while making illegal immigrants rich for suffering the grave injustice of being caught while breaking the law,” added Doherty. “No American family should have to pay one penny toward this nonsense.”
The Danger Is Real And It's Happening Now!
If you make or spend an average of $28 a day, Democrats want the IRS to have unlimited access to surveil your bank accounts.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) October 28, 2021
Here's the kicker → taxpayers will have to pay $80 billion for such a privilege. pic.twitter.com/dphpl2AGyP
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Has The Cherry Lost Its Luster?
That's the way Cherry Hill was in its heyday. It audaciously spread its wings from west to east with stores, homes, dining spots and inimitable attractions. It emerged with a swiftness and confidence that said: "Look at me!" And people did more than look. They indulged.
The newly named Cherry Hill celebrated its early years and even weathered its middle years with style and panache. But now, it's well past middle age and the question must be posed: Has the town lost its luster? Is there nothing left that makes it unique, appealing or even distinctive. Take a look around you:
- The town's iconic landmarks are mostly all gone. In their place are strip malls, dreary big box stores and cookie cutter multi-family housing units.
- Mega gas station/convenience store combos abound, often abutting residential neighborhoods and crowding out open space.
- Grafitti is no longer uncommon, now popping up with surprising frequency and appearing on transit shelters, shuttered buildings and at other locations.
- Mature trees are marked for destruction with an apparent abandon that makes you wonder what the streetscape will be like once they are gone.
- A vague sense of baroness is beginning to creep in amidst ill-kept or boarded up houses and abandoned storefronts.
- Urban style, one-party machine rule (increasingly characterized by nepotism) now threatens to cement its hold on the town government, blocking out any chance for meaningful democracy.
- The once heralded school system seems beset by chaos with intense, daily controversies over security, budgetary woes, curriculum and even lunch menus.
- Changes and delays in formerly reliable trash and recycling collection have confused and bewildered residents as the town wrangles with its trash contractor.
When you step back and look at it all, it makes you wonder: where are we headed? Can we somehow regain control of our own town and begin to move forward as a mature community with a reasonable sense of balance and harmony? Or, are we destined to be a "place that used to be" -- a place one simply passes by? We'd better get our act together soon, as it appears that time is running out.
Italian American Heritage Month: Mother Cabrini
The youngest of thirteen children, Frances Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850 in a small village called S’ant Angelo Lodigiano near the city of Milan, Italy. She grew up enthralled by the stories of missionaries and made up her mind to join a religious order. Because of her frail health, she was not permitted to join the Daughters of the Sacred Heart who had been her teachers and under whose guidance she obtained her teaching certificate.
However, in 1880, with seven young women, Frances founded the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was as resourceful as she was prayerful, finding people who would donate what she needed in money, time, labor and support. She and her sisters wanted to be missionaries in China; she visited Rome to obtain an audience with Pope Leo XIII. The Pope told Frances to go “not to the East, but to the West” to New York rather than to China as she had expected. She was to help the thousands of Italian immigrants already in the United States. And this is how Frances became an inimitable part of the story of our own country.
In 1889, New York seemed to be filled with chaos and poverty, and into this new world stepped Mother Frances Cabrini and her sister companions. Cabrini organized catechism and education classes for the Italian immigrants and provided for the needs of the many orphans. She established schools and orphanages despite tremendous odds.
Soon, requests for her to open schools came to Frances Cabrini from all over the world. She traveled to Europe, Central and South America and throughout the United States. She made 23 trans-Atlantic crossings and established 67 institutions: schools, hospitals and orphanages.
Her activity was relentless until her death. On December 22, 1917, in Chicago, she died. In 1946, she was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XII in recognition of her holiness and service to mankind and was named Patroness of Immigrants in 1950.
Today the Missionary Sisters, their lay collaborators and volunteers work as teachers, nurses, social workers, administrators and members of institutional boards of trustees. They can be found on six continents and 17 countries throughout the world – wherever there is a need.
H/T: Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart
Part of a month long series spotlighting a different accomplished Italian American every day during Italian American Heritage Month.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Giveaway To Illegals: Legislator Blasts Murphy
New Jersey State Senator Michael Doherty blasted the Murphy Administration for a program being rolled out today that will give tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds to illegal immigrants in the state.
Senator Michael Doherty blasted the Murphy Administration for a program being rolled out today that will give tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds to illegal immigrants in the state. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Excluded New Jerseyans Fund is a $40 million program that will disburse money by the thousands to “undocumented individuals, residents re-entering from the justice system, and any other individuals otherwise excluded” from federal pandemic relief payments, according to a web page operated by the Office of New Americans under the NJ Department of Human Services.
“This is one more glaring example of Murphy’s misplaced priorities,” said Senator Doherty (R-23). “He is increasing taxes this month on struggling small businesses at the same time he is handing out millions to people who broke the law.
“Hard-working residents who haven’t done anything wrong continue to suffer from the lingering impacts of Governor Murphy’s pandemic policies,” Doherty continued. “They lost jobs, they lost businesses, and they lost their savings and investments. Murphy should be using this money to help all New Jerseyans, not handing it out to illegal immigrants who are violating the law.”
Those who qualify will be eligible for $1,000 payments under the new Murphy administration program, and families can receive $2,000.
Monmouth: Take A Deeper Dive Into The Poll!
Forget about how the poll fared in state races that were never in doubt. It's easy to call the winner in a runaway rout. Instead, remember that in the last really close NJ gubernatorial election (2009) the poll missed the mark. Just before the election, Monmouth released a poll showing Corzine over Christie by two, 43%-41% with independent Daggett at 8%. The actual result? Christie beat Corzine by 3.6 points, 44.9% - 48.5%, with Daggett at 5.8%. Monmouth was off by 5.6% on Corzine/Christie. AND the Monmouth poll got the 2016 presidential election all wrong.
And when examining the Monmouth poll, it's always a good idea to go beyond the headline-grabbing horserace numbers and dive into the details. Consider these tidbits from today's poll:
- Ciattarelli actually has a lead among those who intend to vote on Election Day, ranging anywhere from 5 points (47% to 42%) to 12 points (51% to 39%) depending on the turnout model. And since (as the poll also points out) few New Jerseyans are taking advantage of early voting, the vast majority of votes will be cast on Election Day.
- Ciattarelli has a big advantage over Murphy on being trusted more to handle taxes (39% to 29%) and the poll finds that New Jerseyans clearly identify taxes as the most important issue in deciding their vote.
- There's a big enthusiasm gap in Ciattarelli's favor. 38% of self-identified Republicans say they are very enthusiastic about the election as opposed to only 24% of self-identified Democrats.
- In blue New Jersey, Joe Biden’s job performance rating has dropped into net negative territory – 43% approve and 49% disapprove. This is not good news for Murphy.
- For all his vaulted "success" and apparent advantage in the Monmouth poll, Phill Murphy has not been able to top 50%. Not a good sign for an incumbent.
- Murphy has lost ground among a key group of New Jersey voters -- seniors. And seniors vote in higher numbers than other groups. The senior vote (age 65+), has gone from a big 53% to 37% lead for Murphy in September to a paltry 48% to 43% lead in the current poll. That's significant.
- Also white non-college educated voters (an increasingly important group for the GOP) now back Ciattarelli by a big 20 point margin: 55% Ciattarelli to 35% for Murphy.
- And, the poll shows 9% undecided. That's a large number this late in the game. Remember: The WPIX 11/Emerson poll showed those undecideds leaning strongly to Ciattarelli.
Italian American Heritage Month: Anthony Celebrezze
Anthony J. Celebrezze
Celebrezze was born in 1910 as one of thirteen children to Dorothy (née Marcogiuseppe) and Rocco Cilibrizzi in Anzi, a town in the administrative region of Basilicata, southern Italy.
The family moved to the United States when he was two years old, and the surname was Americanized in spelling to "Celebrezze." After having been a shepherd in Anzi, the father Rocco took an industrial job, becoming a track laborer for the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad in Cleveland.
Like many of his immigrant generation, Anthony Celebrezze took odd jobs as youngster, shining shoes and selling newspapers.
He attended Cleveland Public Schools, graduating from Central High School and Fenn College (later developed as Cleveland State University). He graduated from John Carroll University in 1934. During his college years, he earned his way by working as a railroad laborer and freight truck driver, as well as boxer.
He later attended Ohio Northern University where he received a Bachelor of Laws in 1936 from the Claude W. Pettit College of Law.
In 1938, he passed the bar and returned to Cleveland, where he entered the general practice of law. That same year, he married Anne M. Marco, a graduate of Western Reserve University and a teacher in the Cleveland Public School system. With the onset of World War II, Celebrezze enlisted in the United States Navy. Upon his discharge at the end of the war, he returned to private practice and then embarked on a successful political career, stedily rising from one office to another.
In 1961, after years of denying rumors that he sought a higher public office, Celebrezze was offered a federal judgeship by President John F. Kennedy, which was a lifetime appointment to a federal judgeship. Celebrezze turned it down to run for a record-breaking fifth consecutive term as mayor, which he won by an unprecedented 73.8 percent, sweeping every one of the city's thirty-three wards.
Kennedy appointed him also to serve on the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and the Commission on the Status of Women. In 1962, Celebrezze was selected as the president of the United States Conference of Mayors and then was appointed by Kennedy and confirmed by the US Senate to be Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. He was the first Italian-American to ever hold a cabinet level post. Later Celebrezze was nominated by President Johnson and confirmed as a Judge of the U. S, Court of Appeals.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Doherty To Murphy: I Ain't Buyin'!
Governor Murphy has publicly insisted he had no immediate plans to invoke more restrictive COVID mandates similar to what New York City Major Bill de Blasio has done, but New Jersey State Senator Mike Doherty isn’t buying it.
Sen. Mike Doherty warns that New Jersey residents should not be surprised if Gov. Murphy mandates vaccines in early November. (SenateNJ.com)
“Nobody should be shocked if the Governor implements DeBlasio-style vaccine and vaccine passport mandates two days after the election,” said Doherty (R-23). “He’s not honest enough to tell New Jerseyans the truth, but that’s exactly what he wants to do. Murphy regards state residents as rubes that he can easily fool.”
Doherty’s suspicions were supported Monday when an undercover video was released by Project Veritas that caught two close allies of the Governor asserting that a statewide vaccine mandate was coming after Election Day.
“Throughout the pandemic, Murphy took advantage of every opportunity to limit our liberty, strip away freedoms, and rule like a dictator,” Doherty said. “Vaccine mandates like they have forced on residents in New York City fit right in the Governor’s heavy-handed authoritarian style.”
New York City is requiring all city employees, including policeand fire fighters, to be vaccinated. The new mandate eliminates the testing option for non-vaccinated workers.
Teachers in the city faced a vaccine deadline earlier this month, and for two months, the city has required that people age 12 and older show proof they have had at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose for indoor dining, indoor fitness activities and indoor entertainment, including movie theaters, concert venues, museums and sports arenas.
“This is precisely why the Legislature must act to limit emergency powers and prevent any governor from grabbing unchecked unilateral authority during a crisis,” said Doherty. “This is not the way New Jersey government is supposed to work.”
Doherty sponsor legislation, S-2482, which would prohibit certain emergency executive orders from lasting more than 14 days unless the Legislature approves an extension.
“A governor needs to be able to respond quickly when emergencies happen, but they shouldn’t be able to grant themselves open-ended powers as Governor Murphy has done for 18 months,” said Doherty. “At some point, the public deserves for their elected legislators to have a say on important matters impacting the lives and livelihoods of their constituents.
Pennacchio On Murphy: 'Wake Up, New Jersey!'
Once Again, the Administration’s COVID Policies are Shown to be Based More on Political Science Than Health Sciences
A bombshell video released Monday by Project Veritas uncovered alarming revelations from inside Governor Murphy’s re-election campaign.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio blasted Gov. Murphy’s treatment of New Jersey residents after a bombshell video released by Project Veritas uncovered alarming revelations from inside Governor Murphy’s re-election campaign. (Project Veritas Action/Youtube)
In the recording, two individuals with close ties to the campaign, including a woman identified as a senior advisor for the Governor, explained that Murphy planned to enact vaccine mandates after he sealed up the election.
“Wake up, New Jersey. This is how the Governor treats our residents,” said Senator Joe Pennacchio. “He has every intention of abusing his self-appointed emergency powers to force vaccines on every one of us, but he knows the public won’t stand for it. As the past has indicated, he will issue his rules and edicts with no transparency.”
Project Veritas’ undercover camera caught Murphy advisor Wendy Martinez, speaking Spanish, explaining Murphy’s strategy.
“He’s going to do it [vaccine mandates], but he couldn’t do it before the elections,” Martinez said. “The independents and the undecided would not vote for him if he did the mandates because they’re all into all the sh**. My rights, my sh**.”
“Let’s face it. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Governor has not been forthcoming with the people of New Jersey,” Pennacchio said. “His willingness to beguile residents is disconcerting. He has refused to explain why he opened prison cells while forcing the deadly virus into nursing homes and locking the doors, why he allowed long lines in big box stores but prevented people from standing in line for in-person voting, why he did ignored the words of nursing home administrators when he was told point blank that his policies would lead to people dying, and why he and the Democrats have refused any legislative oversight and investigations into his deadly pandemic policies.
“Forcing vaccine passports on state residents under the cloak of darkness after an election continues this administration’s long history of obfuscation, deflection and insincerity,” Pennacchio continued.
The Project Veritas video also shows a discussion between a reporter and a manager for NJ Forward 2021, a campaign project funded by the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.
“I think the problem is right now because it’s election season … I mean, once you know we have a win, he’s like, all right, guns blazing, like who cares. I’m in it. Let’s do the mandates. Let’s do this,” said the manager identified as Matthew Urquijo.
“This is despicable treatment of New Jerseyans who endured extreme losses and disruptions under this Governor’s heavy-handed rule,” Pennacchio continued. “This is not the way elected officials should treat the people who rely on their truthful leadership. The Governor’s treachery is unforgivable.”
Italian American Heritage Month: Mary Lou Retton
Retton was inspired by her East European idol, Romanian prodigy Nadia Comaneci, and set her mind on becoming a gymnastics champion. Later moved to Houston to train with Bela and Marta Karolyi, Comaneci’s former coaches, and under their strict guidance, the talented youngster rose to national and then international prominence in the early 1980s.After dominating the US Olympic artistic gymnastics trials, Retton damaged her knee while rehearsing a floor routine and had to undergo an urgent operation. Just five weeks remained before the start of Los Angeles 1984, but somehow she managed to recover in time. In front of an enthralled crowd in the University of California’s Pauley Pavilion, Retton locked horns with Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo in the individual all-round competition. Recording perfect 10s on the floor and vault, she pipped her rival to the title by 0.05 points. Not satisfied with this historic triumph, she went on to secure silver in the vault, bronze in the uneven bars and the floor, and another silver in the team event. Having won more medals than any other participant at the 1984 Games, she was named Sportswoman of the Year and Amateur Athlete of the Year by the American press.
Retton enjoyed a victorious swansong, being crowned US champion in 1985. After she retired, a park and a street in her home town were named after her. She went on to work in television, advertised a well-known brand of breakfast cereal, and in 1997 was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Prior to that, almost a decade after her Olympic success, a survey carried out by the Associated Press confirmed Retton as the joint most popular sporting figure in the USA, alongside figure skater Dorothy Hamill, who won a gold medal at the 1976 Games.
Part of a month long series spotlighting a different accomplished Italian American every day during Italian American Heritage Month.
Monday, October 25, 2021
NJ GOP On That Bombshell Murphy Tape
The New Jersey Republican State Committee ("NJGOP") issued the following statement in response to new reporting (detailed below):
"This extremely disturbing video appears to confirm what the Murphy campaign has been hinting at - and the NJGOP has been warning about - throughout the summer: that a second Murphy term will bring about the same type of vaccine passports seen in Bill de Blasio's New York, burdening already suffering businesses and discriminating against minority communities in which immunization rates are lower," said NJGOP Executive Director Tom Szymanski.
He continued: "From the beginning of the pandemic, Phil Murphy has been following political science, as opposed to actual science. Purposefully hiding this life-changing information until after the election is as deceitful as it gets. Phil Murphy must immediately state his intentions on this matter before voting ends next week and disclose whether or not data of thousands of New Jerseyans already entered into the Docket App has been harvested for the purpose of implementing a vaccine passport."
As the New Jersey Republican Party has said over, and over, and over again, expect mandatory vaccine passports if Governor Phil Murphy is re-elected.
Now, new footage allegedly from inside Murphy campaign headquarters appears to show Wendy Martinez confirming that this is the case and even cited a desire to hide this policy from independent and undecided voters, implying such a policy is likely to turn voters against Murphy if revealed before Election Day.
Wendy Martinez is a paid vendor of the Phil Murphy for Governor campaign, with her L.L.C. (Atabey Consulting) having received more than $60,000 dollars in payment from the campaign thus far. She also serves on a subcommittee of the "Restart and Recovery Advisory Council," which advises Murphy on COVID policy.
Dems Move To Limit Access To NJ State House
New Jersey State Senate Republicans are fighting back against an effort by Senate and Assembly Democrats and the Murphy administration to restrict public access to the New Jersey State House and the legislative process.
Senate Republicans are fighting back against an effort by Senate and Assembly Democrats and the Murphy administration to restrict public access to the New Jersey State House and the legislative process. (SenateNJ.com)
The entire caucus signed a letter (click here for PDF) to Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin opposing a plan to impose strict COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements for access to the Capitol Complex that would apply to the public, legislators, and staff.
The letter from Senate Republicans was sent in advance of a hastily scheduled vote on the proposal by the Joint Management Commission (JMC) that is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The full text of the letter follows:
Dear Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Coughlin,
We are writing as a caucus to express our grave concerns with a policy under consideration by the Joint Management Commission (JMC) that would severely limit access to the State Capitol Complex and to the legislative process.
As you are aware, the policy would set strict COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements for access to the State House that would apply to the public, legislators, and staff.
We are deeply concerned that this policy, if enacted, will prevent public participation in the legislative process.
For example, committee agendas often are not issued in a timely manner which could make it impossible for unvaccinated individuals to comply with the testing alternative to enter the State House and testify at public hearings, as is their right.
Further, agendas are frequently modified at the last minute with the addition of important bills that may have a substantial public interest.
These were issues of concern even before the pandemic, but, to the extent that late or revised agendas would impact the ability of the public to participate in the legislative process given lengthy COVID-19 testing timelines, the testing requirement for unvaccinated individuals is exclusionary.
We also have concerns that the policy is intended to apply to legislators who are uniquely and explicitly covered by a constitutional provision that is meant to protect their right to participate unimpeded in legislative proceedings.
If a member declines to comply, the policy states, vaguely, that the presiding officer of the member’s house will be notified of non-compliance and “determine whether to admit the member and under what conditions or accommodations admission will be permitted.”
What criteria will be used in any such determination of admittance or accommodation? Under what authority may the Senate President or Assembly Speaker prevent a duly elected legislator from entering the State House or participating in legislative proceedings on behalf of their constituents? We believe no such authority exists.
Given the composition of the JMC, which includes representatives of the Executive Branch, we believe the imposition of mandates on the Legislature and legislators by the commission is inappropriate and raises serious concerns related to the separation of powers.
With regards to legislative staff in the Senate Republican Office (SRO), this policy would supersede our existing return-to-work policy, which is much more flexible than those adopted by the Office of Legislative Services (OLS) and the other partisan offices for their employees.
By design, our policy provides staff a variety of choices to ensure a safe work environment, including options for vaccination, testing, and accommodations for those with natural immunity due to prior COVID-19 infection or other concerns.
The SRO policy was implemented in coordination with the executive directors of the other partisan offices and OLS with the understanding that the adoption of individual policies by each office would preclude the imposition of a more restrictive State House policy such as that under consideration by the JMC.
We are extremely disappointed that the Senate and Assembly Majority Offices and the Murphy administration are working together to circumvent our existing policy and to impose draconian mandates on Republican staff in the State House, and others.
Finally, we want to emphasize that the testing option for the public, legislators, and staff to enter the State House complex is really no option at all.
Despite having extensive resources at his disposal, Governor Murphy has been unable to implement a workable testing process for the many Executive Branch employees who are unvaccinated, which is why the Murphy administration failed to reopen State government offices by the October 18 deadline the governor set back in August.
Even that failed implementation by the Murphy administration stands in stark contrast with the Legislature, which has made no attempt at all to offer members or staff (or the public) a means to get tested easily.
Without an accessible system for testing, an unvaccinated person who wishes to enter the State House must find testing on their own. According to published reports, COVID-19 testing facilities have long scheduling delays with additional waits for results to be reported.
Quite simply, the policy under consideration will exclude the large segment of New Jersey society that is unvaccinated from the legislative process in a manner that could be perceived as deliberate.
Given these numerous concerns, we strongly urge you to pull the proposed JMC resolution from consideration.
Sincerely,
Thomas Kean
Leader
Joe Pennacchio
Whip
Kristin Corrado
Conference Leader
Kip Bateman
Deputy Whip
Robert Singer
Deputy Leader
Steven Oroho
Budget Officer
Anthony M. Bucco
Senator – District 25
Christopher Connors
Senator – District 9
Michael Doherty
Senator – District 23
James Holzapfel
Senator – District 10
Declan O’Scanlon
Senator – District 13
Holly Schepisi
Senator – District 39
Michael Testa
Senator – District 1
Samuel Thompson
Senator – District 12
VIDEO ALERT: Veritas Report Unearths Murphy Bombshell!
BREAKING: Campaign Senior Advisor Reveals @GovMurphy to Impose State-Wide COVID Vax Mandate AFTER Re-Election
— veritastips@protonmail.com🇺🇸 (@EricSpracklen) October 26, 2021
“He [Murphy] is going to do it [COVID vaccine mandate], but he couldn’t do it before the elections."#MurphyMandates pic.twitter.com/xnFnUSOQS6
A Youthful Zest For Business Success!
Take a dollop of youthful optimism, mix in hardscrabble determination, boundless energy and a breathless commitment to hard work and you have the makings of a inspiring success story right in your own backyard, No, it's not happening in someone's basement or rec room or garage or even in a storefront. It's happening within the closely proscribe confines of one of those aisle carts that you see at your local shopping mall.
That's where I found Donavin Ruggiero and Michael Johnson, two enterprising young guys who will introduce you to Quick Care shoe cleaning products. Quick Care is like a shampoo and conditioner for your footwear -- and that applies to all footwear of any type, material or texture including everything from sneakers to casual footwear to fine leather shoes. And here's the thing: this product cleans your footwear spotlessly and dries instantly. And the best part is that Donavin and his team will demonstrate the product right on the spot for you. So you can get your shoes or sneakers cleaned right there, and, if you like it take home a cleaning kit for yourself. But there's absolutely no obligation!
And, by the way: don't think in terms of mere show polish. This product is way beyond that -- it's actually light years ahead.
If you're in the Cherry Hill Mall area stop by to see these guys. They work hard and are committed to their product and its success. In fact, Donavin tells me he routinely puts in 10 to 12 hour days and works 55 hours a week or more. His stamina and enthusiasm impressed me from the start. And Michael is equally propelled by a strong work ethic. Plus, these two guys are two of the friendliest young people you'll ever meet -- engaging, respectful and happy to be of service. They honestly love their work and their product. Stop by and give it a try!
PS: I'm doing this simply because I'm impressed with these fine young entrepreneurs. They give me hope for the future. I get nothing in return and I want nothing in return.
Vital Information You Need RIGHT NOW In NJ!
HEY, NEW JERSEY:
Early Voting opened Saturday.
Text EARLYVOTING to 21776 to find a polling location near you and vote IN PERSON now through Sunday, OCTOBER 31.
Polls will be closed November 1, and reopen for traditional Election Day.
Make a plan.
Get out and VOTE!
Italian American Heritage Month: Frank Stella
Frank Philip Stella
He's unquestionably one of America's most renowned artists -- and one of its most versatile. And his works of art can be found in just about every major museum throughout the world.He's Frank Stella, a painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist and creative dazzler. He's been a pioneer in abstract expression, minimalism, modernism, geometric art, hard-edged painting and color field painting. And, at 85 he's still going strong.
Frank Stella was born in Malden, Massachusetts, to parents of Italian descent. His father was a gynecologist, and his mother was a housewife and artist who attended fashion school and later took up landscape painting.
Stella earned his degree in history from Princeton University. He moved to New York in 1958, where he developed his artistic talents. He painted with intent to flatten surfaces and often chose square canvases. In the 1970s, Stella created "maximalist" paintings, which were paintings that involved relief and sculptural elements in stark contrast to the "minimalist" paintings of his early career.
Arguably one of the most influential living American artists, Stella’s works utilize the formal properties of shape, color, and composition to explore non-literary narratives. “Abstraction didn't have to be limited to a kind of rectilinear geometry or even a simple curve geometry. It could have a geometry that had a narrative impact. In other words, you could tell a story with the shapes,” he explains.
“It wouldn't be a literal story, but the shapes and the interaction of the shapes and colors would give you a narrative sense. You could have a sense of an abstract piece flowing along and being part of an action or activity.”
Stella was immersed in the heyday of abstract expressionism, but it was the work of Jasper Johns that inspired Stella’s Black Paintings of 1958-1960. These flatly painted, austere works, helped open up the doors to Minimalism. Through the following decades, Stella gained traction in the art world and in 1970 he became the youngest artist ever to be granted a solo exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art.
Part of a month long series spotlighting a different accomplished Italian American every day during Italian American Heritage Month.
Sunday, October 24, 2021
The Perilous Position We Find Ourselves In . . .
October 24, 2021 |
Statement by Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America |
Our Country is being poisoned with the millions of people that are illegally flowing through our Borders, in most cases not even questioned or stopped. Many are criminals from the emptied prisons of other countries, most of these are very dangerous people. Our Country is dying from within and nobody is doing anything to stop it. The first thing that should be done, and it can be done quickly, is FINISH THE WALL. A deal must be made with Mexico, where Mexico serves as a 2,000 mile barrier, not a launching pad for the illegals that are coming in. Also, 97 percent of the people that came in from Afghanistan rushed the planes and should not be here. Those people must be checked very carefully because many of them will turn out to be strongly related to high-level terrorism. How stupid our Country has become, so sad to watch when just 10 months ago we had none of these problems, and none either with bad economy, inflation, fuel prices going through the roof, and so much else. And never forget, because the Fake News will not talk about it any longer, those needlessly killed in Afghanistan and the thousands of people and the $85 Billion worth of Military equipment left behind in the complete and total surrender by the United States of America. We would have been out but we would have been out with dignity and strength. Our Country is now a laughingstock all over the world! |
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