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Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #3

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We’re back again with the third edition of the Start the Weekend Right link series! A consistent link series usually takes some time to catch fire with people out there on the interwebs. While we work to build an audience around this new feature, I hope that you’re enjoying reading these stories – and that you’re sharing them with your family and friends! Before we get to the links, though, I just want to remind you of what I wrote last week and the week before: If you find that you visit several websites on a daily basis, then I recommend you consider signing up for a free Feedly account. I don’t get anything for promoting Feedly – I just love the service and I think that it’s really a great RSS aggregator! And if you’re using another RSS aggregator, then please consider following JerseySmarts.com at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/ or if you’re already on Feedly, then you can follow us by clicking here.

Now, enjoy the links! If you come across any interesting links, then please share them with us in the comments section below.

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #3
Gamestop Defends Xenoblade Price Tag, Metroid Prime Trilogy Being Restocked, Joystiq
That’s right. I’m starting this week’s Start the Weekend Right link series with a story about a video game. When I was younger I played video games a lot. As I got older the free time that I used to spend playing games vanished. These days if I get 5 hours of video gaming in every year, then that would be a lot. Back to this story: a few years ago a Nintendo subsidiary named Monolith Soft came out with a role-playing game (RPG) called Xenoblade Chronicles. I picked up this game when it was finally released in North America and without question this is the best RPG that I’ve ever played. The game was so good and available in such a limited quantity, that you can only find used copies and they are going for $80 – $100+ online. Pretty impressive for a game that almost didn’t make its way to this part of the world!

How to Know If You’re Working (and Living) With Purpose, Inc.
This is a good article for those of you who might be wondering whether or not you’re living a life of purpose. The author of this article – Shelley Prevost – poses four questions for you to ponder in order to come to an answer. After reading the article, I can honestly say that I have strong, positive answers for each of these questions. In addition, I think these questions provide a good framework to adequately consider whether you are, in fact, living a life of purpose. For me, I know that if I didn’t have a job with community impact or at least have the ability and opportunity to help other people on a daily basis, then I wouldn’t be satisfied. We only have a short time on this planet – why not be happy and try to give others happiness in the process?

How The Heck Do I Get Started!?, Nerd Fitness
If you’ve ever tried to do something – anything! – big in your life, then you’ve stopped to ask yourself this question. Steve Kamb – the guy behind Nerd Fitness – is one of the best, most entertaining fitness writers that I’ve ever come across online. He integrates all of the geeky things that I either was or currently am a fan of and works them into the world of fitness. Trust me here, folks – if you read Steve’s writing you’ll see that he has a gift for making fitness fun. In this entry, he gives some perspective on how you can start doing whatever it is that you want to achieve. Unlike nearly all of the weight loss blogs out there, Nerd Fitness isn’t annoyingly preachy and Steve doesn’t force you to accept his perspective on life (consciously or subconsciously). He’s just a cool, geeky guy who got in great shape and had a lot of fun along the way. Give his blog a read – I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

Time Capsule Found During Renovations at FDU Makes Special Request, Daily Record
I stopped linking to Gannett articles when the media giant went uber greedy and charged for accessing their silly, mostly-shoddily written articles after only a few days of being offered online for free. So I was conflicted on posting this link because who knows how long it will be active. Anyway, I thought that this very short story was entertaining. Apparently, some guys who were remodeling the bathrooms at FDU some 80+ years ago left an unofficial “time capsule” in the wall. The capsule was written during prohibition and asks the finder to have a drink on the renovation team if prohibition had finally ended!

Controlling Emotions, Wall Street Playboys
There is a growing movement in the blogosphere called the manosphere. This group of bloggers are typically young men who are successful at one aspect of their lives or another (or many at one time) and they write a very real-world, practical approach to achieving similar success. Some blogs focus on stories related to that success and others talk about the ideas behind that success. The team at Wall Street Playboys posted an article the other day talking about how and why it is important to be in control of your emotions. If you’re a young man and you’ve found your way to this week’s link series, then I encourage you to read this article.

You Don’t Know Jack… About the Assumption, Busted Halo
This isn’t an article to read, but rather a short video where Father Jack Collins interviews people on the street about whether or not they know the meaning behind yesterday’s holy day of obligation. What holy day of obligation was yesterday you ask? It was the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you’re not sure what that means, then take a few minutes and watch this video so you can find out.

Vivat Jesus!, His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan
One of the blogs that I really enjoy reading is that of His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Cardinal Dolan had a very natural speaking (and writing) voice that boils down complex theological issues in a way that is easy to understand and appreciate. In this entry, he talks about visiting the recent Knights of Columbus national convention. I thought this was a good entry to add to this week’s list of links not just because I enjoy Cardinal Dolan’s writing, but because as a member of the Knights of Columbus, I’m glad to spread commentary about the good work that the fraternity sponsors around the country.

New Residential Construction Planned for Waterfront, Asbury Park Sun
It’s amazing how much new construction is going on in Asbury Park. Granted, we’re not talking about a new developing every week, but it certainly seems close to a new development every month. From the expansion of the Johnny Mac’s area to the Vive residential development that was sold out just about as soon as the units went on sale to the renovations up and down Cookman and the many entrepreneurs and small business owners still rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy – there’s a lot going on in Asbury Park. This article talks about yet another residential development planned for the waterfront area. If you’re interested in development in New Jersey or the revival of Asbury Park, then this article is for you.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?, Men’s Health
Admittedly, this is not a safe article for me to read! There are some nights when I have an absolutely horrible time trying to get to sleep and then there are other nights when I sleep like a log. Unfortunately, there are more nights when I toss and turn and wake up in the middle of the night for one reason or another, but that should improve when I’m off the tremendous amount of medication that I’m currently on. In any event, this article from Men’s Health says that if you get 5 hours of good, quality sleep, then you’re okay. It’s a quick article – only a few paragraphs long. If you have a few minutes, then I suggest giving it a read.

Get your weekend started right by checking out these links, starting a new, free Feedly account, and/or adding the blogs above (and JerseySmarts.com, too) to your existing Feedly or other RSS aggregator account. Enjoy!

Roxbury Board of Education Misses The Point

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Each day I browse around the websites of various newspapers that I would read if I had subscriptions and had the time to sit down in the morning and look over them. These include local newspaper websites like the Asbury Park Press and the Daily Record. This morning I was flipping around the Daily Record’s website and came across an article entitled, “Roxbury student code of conduct now in effect 24/7/365.” I’d link you to the article, but these Gannett-owned newspapers don’t keep their articles online for more than a few days and then you have to pay for them (ha!). However, the point of the article was as follows:

The school board has revised its code of conduct policy to require students be on their best behavior the entire calendar year — even when school is out — or face suspension from extracurricular activities, board member Chris Rogers said Tuesday.

Now as a former student at Roxbury High School and as a former college student who fought this type of nanny-state activity at my university, I hate this decision by the Roxbury school board. And there are any number of reasons to hate it. First of all, the policy seems to single out those students that are involved in extracurricular activity. So little Susie is on the softball team and is found in violation of this vague policy in July (what IS “best behavior?”). Is she to be suspended from the first four or five softball games the following spring? Isn’t that a bit ridiculous?

What about little Bobby who doesn’t have any extracurricular activities. Does he get suspended from school if he does something that doesn’t qualify as “best behavior” in August? And if so, then is he suspended the first two weeks of school in September for an “offense” committed on August 1st? Is this insane or what?

How about Jen – the President of the Student Council. She gets cited for not being on her “best behavior” a few days after school is out in June. Is she then suspended from participating in the Student Council for the month of September?

And is it fair that Billy is suspended from school while Susie and Jen just get to miss out on their extracurricular activities?

And does this policy apply to the school’s faculty? Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that every single teacher or employee of the school district exhibits their “best behavior” all day, every day. And who is to define “best behavior?” What if my family’s best behavior is different than your family’s definition? Do you see how crazy this can get?

These types of theoretical situations can go on and on, which is typical of policies that shouldn’t be enacted in the first place. The school board is overstepping their bounds in this case in an inappropriate manner. This policy should be rescinded immediately.

Corzine Not Doing Great in the Polls

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Thankfully, New Jerseyans seems to be coming to their senses and it would appear that they are preparing to kick Governor Money Bags (aka Governor Corzine) out of office come November. An article in today’s Daily Record cited how an overwhelming majority of New Jersey voters agreed that our state’s budget is in critical condition. This follows a recent poll showing that Corzine is trailing his likely Republican opponent Chris Christie. The Daily Record article states:
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Governor Corzine Just Doesn’t Get It

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Governor Jon Corzine (aka Governor Money Bags) just doesn’t get it when it comes to New Jersey and the struggling families in our state. Yesterday he gave his budget address and it was a disaster for all working families. The total budget that he proposed was $29.8 billion which includes cutting property tax rebates to almost the entire middle class population of New Jersey: any family making more than $75,000 will have their property tax rebate eliminated.

I know that my friends living across the nation are thinking, “Wait – you guys are getting upset over people making more than $75,000 having their property tax rebates cut? Shut up!” Look, I understand that mindset and if this was going on in any other part of the nation, I might agree with you. But New Jersey is the most expensive state in the union! Property taxes in most of the state are between $7,000 and $10,000 each year. Each year! Most New Jerseyans wouldn’t mind paying so much in property taxes if the level of services that were received for the expense matched. However, in New Jersey most property tax revenues are shoveled into Newark and Camden and any other number of these so-called “underserved” Abbott school districts. Let me tell you something. I’ve toured many of the schools in these Abbott districts as well as many of the schools in the regular school districts. Trust me, the kids in the Abbott districts have a much better learning environment than their suburban counterparts. It’s bull.

Some thoughts from a posting on the Daily Record website:

Corzine struck a sober tone in his fourth budget address, saying tough choices are necessary now to ensure New Jersey emerges strong when the global recession lifts. He also reminded the Legislature of reckless spending in the past, saying years of irresponsible spending contributed to the state’s dire fiscal circumstances this year.

“You can’t correct 15 or 20 years of bad decisions in 38 months,” Corzine said. “The steps we’ve taken have put our state’s finances on more solid ground.”

What a sorry SOB this guy is. How out of touch with reality must one man be to say, “Hey, the last 15 years were a disaster,” when he operated the state for 3 of those 15 years!? Come on! When does reality sink in? When do the masses in Essex and Camden county finally stop and say “WAIT! Enough! We’re NOT voting for the New Jersey Democrats any more!”

I’m not advocating for everyone to vote for the Republicans (except for Chris Christie – see below), but damn it – STOP voting for these ridiculous Democrats who have no idea what it’s like to try to survive in this state. Vote for the Libertarians or the Constitution Party – vote for someone other than the Democrats already! They’ve ruined this state and they’re not going to stop.

And Governor Money Bags’ budget gets better… If you make more than $500,000, you could have your taxes raised this year only as a way to raise more funds for the state treasury. So if you were making all of this money, why wouldn’t you find a way to be listed as a Pennsylvania resident for this tax year? What stupid, stupid idea from this idiot governor.

Governor Money Bags also wants to money to hospitals and small towns (which are proven to be operated more efficiently and in a more cost-effective manner than their larger counterparts). Good grief! The next thing you know he’s going to start taxing the shore towns for how much sand is in their jurisdiction! Maybe he can go to an old folks home and tax them for each gray hair they have on their heads, too!

This man needs to be stopped as soon as possible. Chris Christie MUST win the upcoming gubernatorial election or this state is going to continue its out of control spiral towards being an unhealthy place for middle Americans to live, work, and retire.

Getting Polled in the Upcoming Governor’s Election

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A few days ago I was polled by Quinnipiac University regarding the upcoming gubernatorial election in New Jersey. For those of you who are not familiar with the popular candidates in the lovely Garden State we are choosing between the incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine and the prospective Republican candidate Christopher Christie. The poll lasted some twelve minutes and covered a variety of issues including who I voted for in the recent Presidential election and how I identified myself in terms of my politics.

Anyway, I bring this up because I saw the results of the poll on the Daily Record website a few days ago. Here are the results in their entirety as printed in the Daily Record:

TRENTON — U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie hasn’t said whether he’ll run for governor, but he’d start such a race slightly trailing Gov. Jon S. Corzine, according to results of a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

Corzine is favored 42 percent to 36 percent among 2,020 registered voters in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup against Christie. Much of the advantage results from the state’s overwhelming Democratic edge in voter registration, as Christie holds a 38 percent to 32 percent edge among independents.

The two had been tied in polls conducted in August and September. The new poll was done from Nov. 12 to Nov. 17, culminating on the day Christie announced he will resign his post on Dec. 1 — news that sparked talk of a long-anticipated gubernatorial run.

The poll also showed New Jersey disapproves of Corzine’s job performance by a 46 percent to 43 margin and say he doesn’t deserve to be re-elected by a 51 percent to 37 percent margin.

Those numbers are poor but improving, Quinnipiac pollster Clay F. Richards said.

“The long coattails of Barack Obama have reached down into New Jersey and helped Gov. Jon Corzine’s re-election prospects, at least for now,” Richards said.

The poll showed few voters are aware of Christie, despite his nearly seven years as the state’s top federal prosecutor. Seventy percent of respondents said they have not heard enough about Christie to have an opinion about him, compared with 11 percent who aren’t aware enough of the state’s governor.

“That will change as we move along and we get a race,” Richards said.

The poll’s margin of error was 2.2 percent.

I find it interesting that there is no mention of how these votes breakout demographically or geographically. For example, I was asked about my ethnic background as well as what type of area I live in – suburban, rural, or urban. Having studied polling and the ways that pollsters can manipulate the results of such questions, I’m surprised that there is no breakdown of percentage of voters located in urban areas who are pro-Corzine or pro-Christie vs. percentage of voters in suburban or rural areas.

Hmmm…trying to hide the gigantic gap in the number of urban Republicans and suburban and rural Democrats maybe? Everyone in the state knows that Democrats win in New Jersey because the heavily urban areas are so highly populated and are so firmly in the Democratic column that it’s not worth the money to campaign in those areas. I just wish that a respected polling group like Quinnipiac University would sort of put that information out there in the public domain as part of the results of their survey. Why not add a line stating, “As has usually been the case in New Jersey, of the 2,020 registered voters who were polled, 85% of them were located in urban areas. Of these voters, 95% identified as Democratic voters.”

We all know it’s true – just looking for some more truth and full disclosure in the media.