Fulopyourself

So Fulop promised Hillary Jersey City here, and I love the first post on the article. He officially has a great nick-name now.

Waaa...?

Suffice it to say, Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop does NOT have my vote for Congress.

Taxing Art in Jersey City

(This is what I got when I searched Google Images for "Steve Fulop." Looking like the king of clubs!)

Read the master, Tris McCall, and his take on the meeting last night with Councilman Fulop.

It seems that this confusing ordinance affects anyone that runs afoul of law enforcement, and, as we know - those guys are always right!

Read as he reports about Fulop talking about 'night-club elements' and the horror of hearing 7 decibels' worth of sound outside a venue. The horror!

And the upshot is, the night life we are trying to foster here takes another body blow from the boring suits of the world.

Complain to Steven Fulop | Jersey City Ward "E" Councilman
280 Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Phone: (201) 547-5315
Email: info@stevenfulop.com

Hillary Clinton Comes toJersey City

Hillary Clinton comes to Jersey City next week!

Who: Senator Hillary Clinton

When: Monday, July 30th at 5PM

Where: Newport Town Square (located in front of
South City Grill in Newport)

I met the Clintons and knew Chelsea while at school with her, as I lived in her freshman dorm. She was a great person surrounded by not great women in my estimation.

My thoughts on her mother are that she is strong, ambitious, calculating, and professional.

Many want to skew these as negatives, but they would describe almost every single politician. I find it duplicitous to somehow make these traits an issue in her case because she is a woman.

Yes, she is probably the establishment candidate. And yes, voting for the lesser of two evils is terrible.

But kids, Kucinich ain't winning. I'm sorry, he's just not going to, as much as I like him. Obama or Clinton: I almost don't care. All I want is a candidate that will win, and undo some of BushCo's terrible deeds.

So, come listen to her speak and try to have an open mind. I doubt you'll hear much that will turn you off. She's very intelligent, and wants to reform Health care and get us out if Iraq. Those two things alone make her a good candidate in my mind.

Jersey City Needs a Night Life

If Jersey City wants to be a city and not a suburb of New York City, it needs its own night life. As chaotic and loud as that may be sometimes, it's a need. It will put money in our business' pocketbooks if we have concerts and bars in this city. There is no way to deny the positive impact that cultural activities have on a burgeoning community.

Steven Fulop is attacking our ability to host cultural events. Tris McCall is doing a good job reporting on this, so check out what he's got on the issue.

Unfortunately, this ordinance has been passed. That does not mean that we cannot express our dissatisfaction with all of those involved, and let them know that we will not be voting for them in the future, and we do not appreciate their back-woods provincial attitudes in our cosmopolitan vision for Jersey City.

Here is information that will allow you to contact Steve Fulop and let him know he is making a grave mistake, trying to turn Jersey City into a suburb.

Hey Boys and Girls, we have an opportunity to meet with Steve Fulop on Tuesday night.

City Hall on Tuesday, July 24th at 7pm, he will be answering questions about the new Entertainment and Dance Licenses Ordinance.

Also, here's Fulop's office information for sending a letter or giving a phone call, both of which I will be doing.

Steven Fulop | Jersey City Ward "E" Councilman
280 Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Phone: (201) 547-5315
Email: info@stevenfulop.com

Jersey City Needs New Streets

I can't think of a more blatant way to prove that OUR potholes are the BIGGEST.

State Senate Majority Leader Bernard Kenny fractured his face, leg and pelvis by stepping into a pothole while running this morning. While I certainly hope for a speedy recovery for the 60 year old state senator, I also cannot help but be angry about the state of our roads.


Can we get someone to fix these damn things? Maybe the good senator will do something about it once he recovers from his injuries...

And I don't mean this sort of "handy" form. I mean pave freaking Columbus Avenue for chrissakes. And Newark, too.

Jersey City Warrior Goes Down

Arturo Gatti has hit the deck one last time. Looks like he did it in style.

And, as this article says, it's too bad he had to do it against a no-name 'B' level fighter, but sometimes it takes that kind of loss to really let someone know that it's time to go.

I like boxing despite myself. I went to the Barrow Street Bar to watch the DeLaHoya-Mayweather fight, and the atmosphere was awesome. Everyone was into the fight, and it was a great one, with Mayweather being the tactician and De La Hoya trying to land combos furiously staving off the end of HIS career.

But when it comes to the end of a boxer's career, you really see the ugly side of this sport. Even broken-down offensive linemen from football fare better after their sport then old heavyweights. Ali is only the most visible, but there are plenty of crazy, bad-kneed, early-demented former heavyweights out there.

I am, however, libertarian-leaning. There's no way I'd stop the sport just because it's bad for the participants. These people know what they are doing, and they chose to get into it.

(I'll do my best to keep any of my children from ever playing this sport, though, I'll tell you that.)

Jersey City Moment of Crap

Wow, I missed this one. Steve Fulop wants to turn Jersey City into a quiet little suburb, and has given the Cops the ability to shut down most fun things after 11 on weekdays and MIDNIGHT ON WEEKENDS!!!!

That fucker. I'd like to write a letter or two.

Melissa Surach and Tris McCall are looking out, but I think it's time we organized something.

Jersey City Moment of Zen

In honor of my first full weekend trip to the shore, I give you a Jersey City moment of Zen.

The Old Jersey City Resevoir, by Patrick Marella.

I Hate the Dodgers

Before the Dodgers spurned Brooklyn for LA, and became the hated LA Dodgers, they flirted with Jersey City!

How strange would that have been for me, to move from lovely San Francisco toting my black and orange, and come to the heart of Jersey City Dodger land?

Man, I'm glad this didn't happen.

58 Gallery Opening Thursday in Jersey City

Kayt Hester-Lent has an opening at the 58 Gallery on 58 Coles on Thursday night. Openings there are always fun, and Hester-Lent's art is great.

You may remember her from the front door of the Jersey City Museum, as they featured her unique brand of electrical-tape art recently.

Jersey City is the new Gayborhood

I have it from a good source. Jersey City is the new Gayborhood.


(And I have a new favorite word)

Liberty Science Center Re-Opening

Had a chance to go to the Liberty Science Center gala, celebrating the impeding re-opening July 19th.

The place looks new and improved, and it was nice to see Christine Todd Whitman out and about, as well as many former governors and Jersey luminaries.

I look forward to seeing the new digs when they re-open. They hadn't finished the exhibits, so we didn't get to look around.

Free Concerts in Jersey City

Who knows who is playing, but it's free! Free concerts three times a week in the JC.

Sundays at 5pm, Tuesdays at 7pm in Liberty State Park.

Thursdays from 12 to 2, Jazz for Lunch in front of the Goldman Sachs building.

Can't seem to find any listings for either event, though...

Another Day Another Building in Jersey City

It's Jersey City, baby! And another building with Manhattan-style amenities is coming to Paulus Hook.

The difference? Wall-to-wall glass!!!! oooooh!

Also, a note about a threat to the Goldman Sachs company and their building. A letter included the words "We are inside."

Chilling. You probably couldn't pay me enough to work there right now. But then again, you probably couldn't pay me enough to take that job period, wherever they undergo that 60 hours-per-week torture they call 'work.'

Jersey City's McNair School May Have to Change Its Ways

The most recent decision by the Supreme Court striking down buss-ing and affirmative action-type desegregation techniques by Public Schools is a very complex topic.

It seems that McNair High School in Jersey City (#27 in the nation according to Newsweek), who turns away 5 out 6 applicants, and strives to have a student body made up of a 25% Black / 25% Asian / 25% Hispanic ratio, will have to change its ways.

It might help me even clear up my thoughts on this subject if I try to simplify it.

1) Diversity is great.
The world is a diverse place, and our schools should reflect that diversity so that children can grow up interacting with people of all races. This is a part of the process of educating that should not be ignored.

2) America should be a meritocracy.
One of the founding ideals of this country is that if you try hard, and put your nose to the grindstone, you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Cliches aside, we like to believe that qualified people get ahead.

Of course, the question is if #2 is really true. If it is true, then #1 should happen as a by product of all the racially diverse people that work hard.

But is #2 true anymore? I went to a prepschool, and thank god they were allowed to invite people to their school based on racial and ethnic backgrounds. We had a wonderfully diverse campus with incredibly intelligent people of all race.

However, I also saw the bad side. There were plenty of dunces that were there because of legacy. When going to the next level, plenty of undeserving cats made it to great schools because of their family's recent contributions to the endowments, or grandpa's summa cum laude degree.

Personally, I think our president is in place because of nepotism, and that's the highest reach of power. Really, what merit lies in his political history? What state/organization has he run so well that people would say, "Huh, that guy should be president." That seems to be a question that lies outside of the current partisan political debate, but I understand my leftist leanings probably blind me to the incredible job he did in Texas. How he revamped their schools and all. Sure.

Anyway, things will have to change. And somehow, I'd rather be focusing on #1, and letting the #2 flow from that. Because I'm cynical, and don't believe we currently live in an entirely efficient meritocracy. Am I crazy?

Diversity Educates