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We're told that great secrecy and "tons of security" surround Rush Limbaugh's wedding in beautiful Palm Beach, Fla. But a friend on the scene is able to report directly from the exclusive resort -- The Breakers -- where the reception is apparently being held. Friend says the entire Breakers complex is "ringed by security" and that many well-known guests, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani have arrived. The event itself is centered in The Breakers' ballroom and an invite is the hottest ticket in Palm Beach, not to mention the conservative community throughout America, if not the world. Rush is taking a fourth stab at marriage, this time to Kathryn Rogers, an events coordinator 26 years his junior. The childless Limbaugh's first two marriages were over by the time he rose to national prominence. His third wedding, to Marta Fitzgerald in 1994, was officiated by his friend, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. They divorced in 2004. Before beginning his courtship with Rogers in 2007, Limbaugh was romantically linked to then-CNN anchor Daryn Kagan.
It's time to show Helen Thomas the door -- the White House door. And she shouldn't let that door hit her in the ass on the way out. Thomas has been part of the White House scene for the better part of six decades. That's enough. Helen Thomas made a fatal error: she didn't know when it was time to leave. The so-called "Dean" of the White House press corps (or corpse as Obama would pronounce it) could have departed in grand style 10 or 15 0r 20 years ago. But apparently she had no plan and nowhere else to go. Whatever. Now, with herscurrilous comments about Israel and the Jews, she's shown herself to be a complete old fool. Helen Thomas belongs on a farm somewhere with Jimmy Carter. They can sit under a tree together and sip warm milk. I would post the video of her comments here (or a photo) but frankly, I can't stand to look at the old gal. She looks like 50 miles of bad road and sounds even worse. And I'm not even gonna say it's sad because it doesn't even rise to that level. Yes, Thomas issued an apology for saying the Jews in Israel should "get the hell out of Palestine " and they should "go back to Poland, back to Germany." But it's too late and the apology was half-hearted anyway. And yes, we know that Thomas is of Lebanese descent but this is America, get over it! She's old. She's way past her prime. She's wrong. And she's nasty. It all reminds me of a old song*:
I wanted the music to play on forever Have I stayed too long at the fair? I wanted the clown to be constantly clever Have I stayed too long at the fair? I bought me blue ribbons to tie up my hair, But I couldn't find anybody to care; The merry-go-round is beginning to taunt now Have I stayed too long at the fair? The music has stop and the children must go now Have I stayed too long at the fair? Oh, mother dear, I know you're very proud, Your little girl in gingham is so far above the crowd; No, daddy dear, you never could have known That I would be successful, yet so very much alone... I wanted to live in a carnival city, With laughter and love everywhere; I wanted my friends to be thrilling and witty, I wanted somebody to care; I found my blue ribbons all shiny and new But now I discover them no longer blue... The merry-go-round is beginning to taunt me, Have I stayed too long at the fair? There's nothing to win And there's no one to want me Have I stayed too long at the fair?
New Jersey Governor Christie holds a Town Hall Meeting on Cap 2.5, Real Property Tax Reform, with Robbinsville Mayor David Fried, West Windsor Councilman Charles Morgan and Robbinsville resident Betty Alfano in Robbinsville, N.J. on Thursday, June 5, 2010.
The Office of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today ordered the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority and the NJ Turnpike Authority, which runs the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel, to end the practice of making tickets at face value available to state employees and officials. Any “house” seats under control of the Authorities must now be turned over to the box offices and made available to the public. The Governor's Office released two letters signed today by the Governor’s Chief Counsel, Jeffrey S. Chiesa, and sent to the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority and the Turnpike Authority. The Governor’s Press Secretary, Michael Drewniak, provided the following statement: “The public can now be assured of having the same access to those seats, under the same market conditions, as anyone else, no matter who they work for. The prior policy had been in place for many years and set a bad example. And, frankly, it led people to believe that the playing field for tickets was not level. Times have changed, and it was time to end this practice.”
Ford has announced that's it will discontinue production of the Mercury brand. Yeah, I know that Ford has had its share of problems. But I'm still not happy about this. Not one bit. I hated it when they killed off the Sable model. And I hate this even more. I've been driving American cars for a long time. And I'm proud to count four Mercurys in my family right now. Of course, I don't plan to drastically alter my buying patterns. So, I suppose I'll have to switch to Ford since a Lincoln is probably beyond my means. That's what I liked about Mercury -- it was somewhere in between. But Ford is still a good, solid, safe, reliable car produced by an innovative company. To be honest I've never been able to understand the appeal of Japanese and other foreign cars -- even those which carry a "made in America" label. American brand cars are certainly competitively priced and more often than not an American car has more interior room than its comparable Japanese model. Though I'm hardly an expert, I do not notice a huge difference in the way the vehicles ride. And to me Japanese cars in particular are uninspired when it comes to styling. There doesn't seem to be anything distinctive about them. They seem to lack panache. And here's the real stickler: the apparent snob appeal of certain foreign cars. What does it say about a person who is so insecure that he or she needs to be defined by a beefy Lexus or a boxy Camry or a strange, little, overpriced Mini Cooper? I look at some of these people and I want to say: "Get over it. It's only a car!" Not to suggest that cars can't be sexy. But if that's what you want, what's wrong with a new Ford Mustang? They're better looking than ever and pack lots of vrooom. But most of us are happy with a trusty family sedan, minivan or SUV. Which brings me back to my Mercurys. They're still good cars. And Ford will still stand behind my reliable, sporty, spiffy Mercury Milan.
Today, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's Office announced the support of 35 mayors from Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties for Governor Chris Christie’s Cap 2.5 constitutional amendment and Reform Agenda to bring real property tax relief to New Jersey families. Mayors are on the frontline of the property tax crisis, forced to deal with ballooning expenses, unfunded mandates, and cost-drivers which in many cases they have little control over. “Governor Christie’s Cap 2.5 Reform Agenda provides much-needed tools to control costs and deliver real, permanent property tax relief,” said Mannington Township Mayor Ernest Tark. “Solving the property tax crisis in New Jersey is an important step in making our state affordable for families again and a home for economic growth. I’m proud to join the other mayors from around the state who are supporting the Governor’s Reform Agenda and calling for the legislature to act on these reforms immediately.” Legislative committee approval for the Cap 2.5 constitutional amendment is needed before the first week of July in order to meet the deadline for the bill to be moved to the floor and approved for placement on the ballot and consideration by the voters in November. Governor Christie is urging the Assembly and Senate leadership and legislators of both parties to work with him in putting this critical government reform before the voters for approval this November. Today’s announcement brings the running total of mayors statewide supporting the Governor’s reform for real property tax relief to 182, and growing. On May 10th, the Governor outlined a sweeping 33-bill reform package to solve New Jersey’s property tax crisis and control spending at every level of government. The centerpiece of the plan is Cap 2.5, a constitutional amendment creating a 2.5 percent cap on property tax increases. Property taxes have grown an astonishing 70% over the last ten years, resulting in an average annual property tax bill of $7,281 on New Jersey families – the highest rate in the nation. Cap 2.5 will halt the astonishing growth in property taxes while the Christie Reform Agenda will give towns and school boards the tools needed to control spending to make Cap 2.5 both realistic and achievable.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno have joined a group of New Jersey’s leaders to announce the launch of Choose New Jersey, a new non-profit corporation designed to market, promote and facilitate business attraction, expansion and retention in the State. Embracing Governor Christie’s call to action and solidifying the administration’s three-pronged approach to revitalizing the economy, Choose New Jersey is an independent, privately funded and managed organization created to aggressively promote New Jersey as a place in which to invest and do business. Choose New Jersey will advocate the state’s core strengths - strategic access to local and global financial markets, a highly trained workforce and a comprehensive distribution network of world-class sea and airports, state-of-the-art energy and communications infrastructure and elite research universities. Chaired by Dennis M. Bone, President of Verizon New Jersey, Choose New Jersey will also market incentive programs to attract and retain job creators and provide policy recommendations to make New Jersey a home for growth. This public-private partnership effectively maximizes the resources available to make New Jersey a competitive place to do business without increasing the burden on taxpayers. At their first meeting, the board of Choose New Jersey will constitute their organizational structure and launch the search for a permanent CEO to lead Choose New Jersey. Working with various stakeholders, the CEO search will focus on finding an expert in economic growth and business development. “Getting New Jerseyans back to work is our number one priority,” said Governor Christie. “We need to give people, businesses and innovators a reason to Choose New Jersey if we’re going to create meaningful, well-paying jobs and turn around our economy.” “I’d like to thank Dennis Bone for taking on this important task and have full faith in his and the board’s ability to be great ambassadors for the Garden State,” concluded Christie. Choose New Jersey is an integral component of the Christie-Guadagno economic agenda to attract job creators back to the State and rebuild our economy. Under the umbrella of the New Jersey Partnership for Action, Choose New Jersey will complement the incentive programs administered by the state’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) and a team of liaisons to aid businesses in dealing with government agencies. The EDA will continue to act as the State's "bank for business" by providing support to the Partnership for Action with the State's financing and incentive resources to leverage New Jersey's strategic advantages. Reporting directly to Lt. Governor Guadagno, the team of business liaison representatives will bring a customer service approach to coordination and navigation across state and local government agencies for businesses looking to remain, expand or locate in New Jersey. “Together, we are working everyday to make New Jersey a home for growth,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “Cutting the red tape and providing incentives to attract business are critical components of our economic recovery. Just as important is our ability to get that message out, and that’s where Choose New Jersey comes in to play. Working collaboratively with New Jersey’s business and community leaders, we can create jobs and grow our economy.” “Under Governor Christie’s and Lt. Governor Guadagno’s leadership, this administration is dedicated to changing how government does business so that New Jersey can again grow and prosper,” said Dennis Bone, President of Verizon New Jersey and Interim Chairman of Choose New Jersey. “Through Choose New Jersey, we believe there is a role for business to play and a significant opportunity to have a positive impact on the State’s economy as well as the overall quality of life in New Jersey. We are proud to do our part to support these critical efforts.”
Pennsylvania US Senate candidate Pat Toomey has just released this statement on recent events on the Middle East: “Any loss of life is regrettable, but I fully support Israel’s right to defend itself. "Supporters of the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist group clearly would like to find a way to deliver weapons to Hamas in Gaza. Israel has a right to stop ships to prevent this from happening. "Israel offered the ship a port and promised to deliver the humanitarian aid, but militant activists on the ship intentionally provoked a battle instead. Although much of the world community wants to deny it, Israel has a legitimate right to self-defense, and it is exercising that right in the waters near Gaza. "I refuse to join the ‘blame Israel first’ crowd. America must stand by its ally in our mutual fight against international terrorism.”
When we heard the story about Al and Tipper Gore separating, we couldn't help but remember that famous long kiss that Al landed on Tipper at the 2000 Democrat National Convention -- you know, that swooning, swooping, very public back dip kiss that had everybody talking. Talk about a gratuitous PDA! Over the years these two have often spoken about their undying love for one another and they haven't been shy about showing it. In fact, sometimes it seems they went out of their way to demonstrate their great affection for each other. We wish them the best. But we can't help but wonder what's behind the breakup of a couple who never hesitated to proclaim how very much in love they were. We're guessing that the 2000 race took its toll on the couple and that's understandable. It must have been hard to survive garnering more votes but still losing the election. Surely, it was heartbreaking. We can understand that. Politics is a grueling business. And Vice President Gore never seemed to be the same after that 2000 election. He seemed a changed man. Anyway, here's the official word from CNN: Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper said Tuesday that they have decided to separate. “We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate,” the Gores said in an email to friends. “This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration. We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further.” The separation was confirmed to CNN by Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider. The Gores were married in 1970 and have four grown children. Vice President Al Gore served alongside former President Bill Clinton in the White House from 1993 until 2001. Gore lost his own bid for president in 2000. He served in Congress before Clinton picked him to be his running mate in the 1992 race for the White House. In recent years, the former vice president has become a leading voice warning about the dangers of global warming.
We recently enjoyed a lovely evening with Camden County Freeholder candidates Scot DeCristofaro and George Zallie, along with Surrogate Candidate Christine Leone-Zwillinger who were on hand for a fundraiser hosted by the Dilworth Paxson law firm in Philadelphia (see some photos from the event, above).
We were part of a group of more than 75 people from across the Delaware Valley. The reception welcomed people from Camden, Burlington, Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Why would people from other counties (and from another state) be interested in this? Well, for one reason, both George and Scot are business owners who understand the struggles that face small business and regular citizens in Camden County and in New Jersey.
CCGOP Chair Rick DiMichele made this observation: "As the Zallie-DeCristofaro team stood in the high-rise center city building and gazed out toward Camden County they noticed that the tallest building in Camden City is the government building. Camden City hall is symbolic of the Democrats’ growth plan for Camden County - bigger and larger government with no regard to the onerous taxes killing the private sector."
Our point is simple: One-party rule is not good for Camden County. Our county will benefit from a robust two-party rivalry and and healthy two-party government. So long as the minority party presents us with good, solid, intelligent, viable candidates, I'm willing to support them in the interests of balance and fairness. These three candidates are good candidates. They are worthy of our support.
We're told that great secrecy and "tons of security" surround Rush Limbaugh's wedding in beautiful Palm Beach, Fla.
