Brilliant move time...

The Mon. Dems didn't bother to file a 4th quarter 2005 ELEC return, according to the APP. (By the by, the 1ST QUARTER 2006 should have been filed March 15.)

Their exec. dir. didn't even know about the missing report.

Don't worry R's, if the D's can't even figure out how to submit a piece of paper on time they're certainly not going to be able to take advantage of this little mess you find your party into now.

EDIT: That sounded rather cranky (or snarky, as the hipsters say), didn't it? That wasn't my intention. I shouldn't post at 6 a.m., 10 minutes after rolling out of bed.

I'm exasperated by the state of both political parties in Monmouth, though I think the R's have a much better chance of pulling the club back together by November than the D's do. You guys have a solid infrastructure, built over decades, and the blogger revolution shows your ability to adapt and find unique means of party support. The D's still haven't figured out how to file paperwork on time, and that's unfortunate because there is a palpable feeling amound Dems that "this is the year."

I'm going to de-fry from Monmouth-area shenanigans for awhile, though I can't imagine I'll be able to refrain from throwing in my two-cents as election time heats up.

Non-reporter status means I'm back in private citizen-ville. I think I enjoyed being entitled to my personal opinions a little too much after 20 long months of having to bite my lip.

It's been a helluva ride, but I think I'm going to enjoy being something other than "that Jackie," "that [former] Courier reporter," or "that opportunistic bitch" for awhile.

I'd like to start a new blog soon, some kind of repository of general commentary and news items about blogging in New Jersey.

And maybe this'll become a place where I can write news-y articles about the Bayshore whenever I get nostalgic (with source documents embeded in the post when they are referenced--that could be interesting). I'm not quite sure yet. I'm just getting a tad restless in terms of my blogging "style" as it were and I want to switch things up.

Laughing way too hard

You Republican bloggers, you. Look what one of you guys made:

Fred Laden

Drop(ping) Dead Fred

From today's APP article:

Niemann said he chose the [terrorist] analogy to illustrate what he called the "underground and covert" nature of a faction in the county party that he claims is small, yet subversive.

"These individuals never disclose themselves. They communicate by way of blogs, gossip and rumor," Niemann said. "I know who they are. But I believe in the (Ronald) Reagan commandment: Do not publicly criticize anyone in your party."

Oh you subversive little Republicans you! Be careful, though -- he knows who you are. ...and he's right behind you! RUN!!

Is it me, or is Fred getting a little more of the gestapo in him everyday? Look into my eyes: Thou shalt not critize crooked party leaders. Repeat 50 times or until the whip stops stinging. That's it, now you're a good party follower.

The word I'm hearing is that Fred won't make it till June. I don't know if that's realistic, but the APP is certainly readying the target. Like John Bennett and Ed Stominski before him, Niemann's shaping up to be this year's APP sacrificial Republican.

What's there left to say? Niemann should be glad he was able to make as much money at the county's expense as he has because there doesn't seem to be much more coming down the pike anytime soon.

Internet Fascism

As if to coincide with Sunshine Week, Internet aficionados ride the ebb and flow of attempts to undermine free speech by gestapo politians who skipped one too many American History 101 classes.

(See Bill of Rights, Amendment 1. Those first ten are biggies, like the main principles you're supposed protect. But I understand if you're just too busy keeping NJ affordable and its government clean. Oh, forget it.)

Anywho, The Jersey Journal reports that GetNJ.com has been banned on City Hall computers in Jersey City because posts on the site's forums have been critical of the current administration. (Link via Abe )

And let's not forget the genius move by Assemblyman Peter Biondi, who proposed an Internet civility bill requiring posters to blogs and forums to provide their real names and addresses to site hosts before said posters would be legally allowed to write anything. He got the bright idea after some apparently rude posts appeared on NJ.com's Somerset forum. Thankfully, the woefully ignorant bill has died on the vine.

(Regarding the necessity of anonymity during certain public discourse, I suggest Assemblyman Biondi add the Federalist Papers to his reading list.)

Are people down-right rude in their anonymous postings? Quite frequently.

But, of course, we've tackled all the important issues in New Jersey like obscene property taxes, poorly funded and S-1701-shackled school districts, corrupt politicians and/or their megalomaniacal developer buddies, etc. etc. and now we can turn our attention to regulating the behavior of our fellow man.


All righty folks, I'm off on a commuter test-drive to Jersey City. Let's see exactly how long the traffic will kick my butt for.

Sunshine Week

Jeff Jarvis writes:

Sunshine
It’s Sunshine Week and this is the sunshine medium. I wish every blogger would file a FOIA this week or go to town hall and get the salaries and expense accounts of all their local officials to put up online or go after Congress to finally put themselves under the Freedom of Information Act like the rest of government.

That sounds like a great idea. I've been contemplating posting a "Bond-o-meter" for Middletown's happy-go-lucky bonding spending sprees (also known as Middletown Township Committee meetings). Lord knows that meter would spin.

Boss Blogging

(Potential risk of being too meta...)

My very-soon-to-be-boss writes:

The Jersey Side A Weblog by John Shabe
Thursday, March 09, 2006

I Hired A Blogger

Jackie Corley, The Bayshore Journalista, will be joining NJ.com soon.

We're hiring her because she's smart and talented and will bring a lot to our Web site. But I found her because of her Weblog.

John's being overly kind but the Journalista sure as hell ain't one to turn down a free compliment.

I'll be entering the Internet-savvy halls of NJ.com in the very near future. Today was my last official day at Courier. It was pretty bittersweet for me. I have a lot of good memories there and we certainly received an unexpected burst of good news today, but I'm very much looking forward to what's coming up around the bend. (The cliches, dear God, make her stop with the cliches!)

By the by, NJ.com has a new frontpage design that I think has a really clean and user-friendly look to it. Check it out.

Courier wins two first place NJPA awards

The Courier is very excited to announce that two of our staff members won first place awards in the New Jersey Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.

Robert P. Kelly Award
(for a first-year reporter)
Matthew McGrath, Reporter, The Courier
"Pallone Secures Major Funding," December 29, 2005

Front Page Layout
Jason Silverio, Production Chief, The Courier
"The Trenton Marathon," April 14, 2005
"Broschart Under Fire," September 8, 2005

Infection: The Courier Story

Whatever you do, don't veer your vehicle in the direction of the Evil Clown anytime soon. This bronchial monstrosity has punched almost every employee square in the jaw. If you venture to open the door to our offices you'll be greeted with the percussion of half a dozen coughing minstrels.

I didn't move from my bed Sunday or Monday. Personally, I'm most fond of the little elves with molten lava-soled shoes tap dancing on the backs of my eyes. Quite a way to spend my last few days at the paper.

I'm going to go sleep this thing off another decade or so.

Party Time!

My co-workers are going to give me a proper send-off Saturday night at one of my favorite watering-holes.

I want it to be a fun time for all and, naturally, the more the merrier. Therefore, if you're reading this, you're invited to join all of us and have a most excellent evening.

The basics:

Where: TJK Stadium
260 Beachway
Keansburg

When: Saturday, March 4 @ 7 p.m.

Come one, come all.