For Halloween: How About Some Pizza?

28 CHURCH ROAD, MAPLE SHADE, NJ 08052, 
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Obamacare: Hard To Argue With The Facts

Chris Christie Snags VERY BIG Endorsement

Shaquille O'Neal endorses Governor Christie for reelection.

Halloween Is Now WAY Out Of Control

Pretty soon those pop-up Halloween costume stores will close and we couldn't be happier.
We'll also be glad that we won't have to witness the sight of idiotic grownups dressed for Halloween in ridiculous costumes. Grownups have helped to ruin Halloween.
Did you dress in costume as a child and trick or treat? Fine! That's enough. Okay?
Halloween was never, ever meant to be a schlock fest. 
There is so much Halloween 'junk' for sale in the stores and so much Halloween stuff adorning homes that's the trend is truly scary. When Halloween begins to rival Christmas as a holiday you know we've got a problem. And it is rivaling Christmas.

As we wrote not very long ago in the Philadelphia Daily News:

Halloween is now so big that Americans spend almost as much on this faux-holiday as they do on Christmas. And Halloween is now the third largest party occasion, after New Year's and The Super Bowl. More candy is sold on Halloween than on Valentine's Day and people will actually send each other 28 million Halloween cards.
I don’t know about you but I’m not longing to receive a Halloween card from anyone. And it’s been decades since I’ve been out trick or treating.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for children enjoying the day dressed as ghosts, goblins and super-heroes and I’m happy to greet them. . . .

For children Halloween is a way of gently dealing with fright and fear while having some old-fashioned fun.
But grownups seem to have forgotten this and they’ve now set about stealing Halloween from the kids. Today, huge numbers of adults celebrate Halloween and at least half of them spend more than $100 each doing so. To me there’s nothing more awkward than a grownup trying to trick, astound, frighten or repulse somebody by wearing a Halloween costume. Most costumed adults look just plain dumb. Let’s face it, many of these people don’t need costumes to begin with and some of them are downright frightening no matter what time of the year it is.
But people will find countless ways to make fools of themselves and so the costume stores now start appearing in early August. When I see some costumed lackey trying to wave me into one of those huge, tacky Halloween stores I run in the opposite direction.
Still, I’m starting to feel like I’m the only one not costumed for Halloween. Even dogs have gotten into the act. Where did this dreadful trend start? Who was it that first thought: “Hey, let’s strip our beagle of whatever bit of doggy dignity it may have had by forcing it to wear a tiara and a tutu.” Dogs in costume look totally bewildered, and rightfully so. Dressing them up and parading them around on Halloween is just this side of cruel.
In fact, the whole Halloween situation is out of proportion. Haunted houses are a good example. Isn’t the world frightening enough without paying to visit a haunted house or participating in some other type of contrived horror? Why would you spend your money this way?
And why would you decorate your house in orange lights? When you think of it, orange is a pretty garish color to begin with. It should be used sparingly, if at all. Its time on the scene should be mercifully limited. But now we’re awash in a virtual sea of orange from mid September onward. Ugh!
To me, natural, seasonal adornments are fine. But now driving through suburbia I’m assaulted by Halloween lawn decorations included animated witches, skeletons and ghouls. And the strangest custom of all involves people who put tombstones on their front lawn. Think about it: Why would you turn your front lawn into a cemetery? Why would you welcome death itself to your door?
I pose this question because when you think about it Halloween is all about death. Its ancient origins are said to lie in Celtic traditions observing the night when the Celts believed the dead returned to earth. With the coming of Christianity, this festival was turned into Halloween – the eve of All Saints and All Souls days. But the observance is still rooted in death.
When an observance that celebrates death begins to rival Christmas as one of our biggest holidays we’ve got a problem. My solution: put a few pumpkins out, sip some cider, enjoy the fall foliage and let the dead rest in peace.

Some Recent Dishes We've Enjoyed!

The regular cheese pizza at the legendary Grotto Pizza.

The pulled pork sandwich at the new Whole Hog Cafe in Cherry Hill.

The Asian chicken salad at Grand Luxe Cafe.

The pasta with shrimp and scallops at Toscana. 

The turkey burger at the Grand Luxe Cafe.

The chicken soup (above) and the corned beef sandwich (below) with fries, cole slaw and salad
at the Brooklyn Diner in Manhattan.

The classic oriental chicken salad (with fried chicken) at Applebee's.

The magnificent regular pizza with mushrooms on half at Tutti Toscani. 

So Many Shoutouts, We're Most Grateful!

We've been getting more than our share of shootouts lately and we're most grateful.
First, our thanks to the wonderful Christine Flowers who mentions us in her most recent Philadelphia Daily News column.
Here's part of what Christine had to say in commenting on Governor Chris Christie's most recent decision not to fight gay marriage in the courts any further:

"The liberals who are dancing with joy over Christie's capitulation shouldn't be too quick to adopt him as their mascot. As my good friend and PR sage Dan Cirucci observes: "I think Christie's learned how long and how far a matter can be pursued. I don't think this changes his basic view about gay marriage - a position he's held for quite some time. He simply made a clear-headed, practical decision. Once again, he's shown himself to be a principled pragmatist."
"I'm not as sanguine as Dan about the guy who used to be my favorite governor. But the progressives need to stop gloating and get back to fixing that website."

Thank you, Christine for taking note of our (and Governor Christie's) side of the argument.
And then Christine mentioned us again on television this morning on 6 ABC's Inside Story in Philadelphia. Once again, she took note of our interpretation of Governor Christie's action as we deemed in "principled pragmatism." Thank you, Christine!
The new Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association, Mark Tarasiewicz is also worthy of our thanks and appreciation. In an interview with the Philadelphia Business Journal Mark mentioned us in connection with his many endeavors over the years. We are thrilled that Mark has been such a success and we are always honored to be associated with him. Thanks, Mark!
Yes, it's nice to be the recipient of such kind words.
But nicer still are those who take the time to remember and acknowledge. They're the real champs!

Ten Tips For A Good Flight

Are you worn down by the hassles of flying?
Tired of being treated like cattle?
Well, those problems are not going to disappear anytime soon as air travel seems more stressful than ever and the airlines don't seem to care about you at all.
But there are steps you can take to have a better flight. Here are ten tips, from #10 all the way up to #1:
10. Bring a sleep kit: neck support, ear plugs, eye mask, etc.
9. Keep any carry-on to a minimum: small and light is the key.
8. Check most or all luggage at the gate.
7. Check all TSA and other regulations before you leave. No surprises; know in advance.
6. Pay for inflight WiFi.
5. Drink plenty of water to avoid dryness and dehydration.
4. Bring hand sanitizer. Planes are dirty and full of germs.
3. Pack health snacks.
2. Bring a portable DVD player or similar device.
1. Power down for take off and landing. These are the rules, whether you like them (or understand them) or not.
Click here for more information and tips.

Young People Warned: Avoid Obamacare!

Empower yourself by opting out of Obamacare.
Visit http://optout.org for more information
Good news: you are not required to purchase health insurance through an Obamacare exchange! There are cheaper, better options for young people.

Governor Christie To Barnstorm All 21 NJ Counties

Beginning on Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Christie and Lt. Governor Guadagno embark on a seven-day, 90-stop bus tour of New Jersey, barnstorming every county of the state, meeting with voters, and energizing supporters in the run up to Election Day on November 5th. We'll be there for some of these stops and we'll be reporting back to you as the Governor meets and greets thousands of New Jerseyans from every corner of the Garden State.

But you can come out and be a part of it as well. Join the Governor and Lt. Governor in these last few days as they blitz the state and make stops near you! Below, find a schedule of the first four days of the bus tour with links to RSVP yourself, your family, and your friends!

Sign up now to join Governor Christie and Lt. Governor Guadagno at any of these free events!

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE’S BUS TOUR SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

What: Visit to Ritz Diner (Essex County)
When: 9:30 AM
Where: 72 East Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Stop at Beyond The C Restaurant (Union County)
When: 10:30 AM
Where: 216 North Wood Avenue, Linden, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to Nevada Diner (Essex County)
When: 1:00 PM
Where: 293 North Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Downtown Walk and Visit to Chowpatty Restaurant (Middlesex County)
When: 2:15 PM
Where: 1351 Oak Tree Road, Iselin, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Hunterdon County GOP Headquarters (Hunterdon County)
When: 3:30 PM
Where: 1 Route 12, Flemington, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to JoJo’s Tavern & Restaurant (Mercer County)
When: 7:30 PM
Where: 2677 Nottingham Way, Hamilton, NJ
RSVP Here

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

What: Stop at Ponzio’s Diner (Camden County)
When: 9:30 AM
Where: 7 Route 70, Cherry Hill, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to Gloucester County Victory Center (Gloucester County)
When: 10:30 AM
Where: 228 Egg Harbor Road, Washington Township, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Elmer Diner (Salem County)
When: 11:45 AM
Where: 41 Front Street, Elmer, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Downtown Walk and Visit to Juvante Formal (Cumberland County)
When: 12:30 PM
Where: 735 East Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Cape May County Victory Center (Cape May County)
When: 2:00 PM
Where: 810 Asbury Avenue, Suite 200, Ocean City, NJ
RSVP Here 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

What: Visit to Empire Diner (Morris County)
When: 10:15 AM
Where: 1315 US 46, Parsippany, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Tick Tock Diner (Passaic County)
When: 11:00 AM
Where: 281 Allwood Road, Clifton, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Visit to Glen Ridge Community Center (Essex County)
When: 11:45 AM
Where: 228 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge
RSVP Here

What: Downtown Walk in Rutherford (Bergen County)
When: 1:45 PM
Where: Park Avenue, Rutherford, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to Vreeland Store (Passaic County)
When: 3:00 PM
Where: 1383 Macopin Road, West Milford, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to River Edge Pizza Kitchen (Bergen County)
When: 4:15 PM
Where: 830 Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Bergen County Republican Headquarters (Bergen County)
When: 5:00 PM
Where: 339 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Rally at Harrison Elks Lodge (Hudson County)
When: 6:15 PM
Where: 406 Harrison Avenue, Harrison, NJ
RSVP Here 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

What: Stop at Chris Christie for Governor Headquarters (Somerset County)
When: 8:45 AM
Where: 1065 Route 22, Bridgewater, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to Bridgeway Diner (Middlesex County)
When: 12:00 PM
Where: 3030 US 9, Old Bridge, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Rally in Atlantic County (Atlantic County)
When: 3:15 PM
Where: 500 Bethel Road, Somers Point, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at Formica Brothers Bakery (Atlantic County)
When: 4:00 PM
Where: 2310 Arctic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Rally at Toms River High School Football Field (Ocean County)
When: 5:00 PM
Where: 55 Hyers Street, Toms River, NJ
RSVP Here

LT. GOVERNOR KIM GUADAGNO'S BUS TOUR SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

What: Visit to the Summit Diner (Union County)
When: 10:30 AM
Where: 1 Union Place, Summit, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Stop at the Bergen County Republican Headquarters (Bergen County)
When: 11:30 AM
Where: 339 Main Street, Hackensack
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at the Sussex County Victory Center (Sussex County)
When: 1:00 PM
Where: 58 Trinity Street, Newton, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the Warren County Victory Center (Warren County)
When: 3:15 PM
Where: 404 3rd Street, Belvidere, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at the Wayne County Victory Center (Passaic County)
When: 4:00 PM
Where: 1210 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ
RSVP Here 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

What: Visit to the Hillsborough Star Diner (Somerset County)
When: 10:30 AM
Where: 842 U.S. 206, Hillsborough, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop to the Somerset County Victory Center (Somerset County)
When: 11:20 AM
Where: 1065 Route 22 West, Bridgewater, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the Union County Victory Center (Union County)
When: 12:20 PM
Where: 425 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at the Landmark Diner (Middlesex County)
When: 1:45 PM
Where: 2066 Rt. 27, Edison, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the Middlesex County Victory Center (Middlesex County)
When: 2:30 PM
Where: 1 Kimberly Road, East Brunswick, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the South Plainfield Republican Headquarters (Middlesex County)
When: 3:30 PM
Where: 115 Hamilton Boulevard, South Plainfield, NJ
RSVP Here 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

What: Visit to the Middletown Victory Center (Monmouth County)
When: 10:45 AM
Where: 1715 Highway 35, Middletown, NJ
RSVP Here

What: Visit to the Blue Swan Diner (Monmouth County)
When: 11:45 AM
Where: 2116 Rt. 35, Oakhurst, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Stop at the Ocean County Republican Headquarters (Ocean County)
When: 12:45 PM
Where: 21 Route 37 East, Toms River, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the Atlantic County Victory Center (Atlantic County)
When: 3:30 PM
Where: 6718 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township, NJ
RSVP Here

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
What: Stop at the River Edge Victory Center (Bergen County)
When: 10:45 AM
Where: 850 Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to the Candlewyck Diner (Bergen County)
When: 12:45 PM
Where: 179 Paterson Avenue, East Rutherford, NJ
RSVP Here 

What: Visit to Morris County Victory Center (Morris County)
When: 4:30 PM
Where: 600 Parsippany Road, Parsippany, NJ
RSVP Here

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