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Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #4, Edition #3

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In recognition of Holy Week and the arrival of the Easter season, this week I am posting some links that connect to this week’s religious nature. I hope that you enjoy reading them!

As always, though, before we get to this week’s links I again want to strongly recommend signing up for a free Feedly account. I get absolutely no kickback for promoting Feedly, but I am so appreciative of their product being the best RSS reader on the internet and I encourage everyone to use it. If you are using another RSS aggregator, please consider following JerseySmarts.com at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/. If you are already on Feedly, then you can follow us by clicking here. Thanks!

Your Essential Guide to the Triduum, Busted Halo
You know Holy Thursday, which is when the priest washes the feet of parishioners. And I am sure you know about Good Friday, which is the day that Jesus Christ was crucified and killed on the cross. Then there is Holy Saturday, which is the day of the Easter Vigil leading into Easter Sunday. But did you know that Holy Thursday through Holy Saturday is known as the Easter Triduum? This link from the Busted Halo blog can help you better understand what the Easter Triduum means for the faith.

How to renew your spirit during Holy Week: Q&A with James Martin, Religious News Service
While I understand that this link series is being posted late in Holy Week, there is never a bad time to begin finding ways to reengage with your faith. Father James Martin, SJ is a well-known Catholic priest who specializes in evangelizing a contemporary population (that means everyday people like you and me). This link takes you to a very short interview transcript, but I think that you will be able to take pieces of it and consider how to apply the power of faith in your own life.

Lent/Easter Playlist, The Rabbit Room
Personally, I do not find myself listening to a lot of Christian inspirational music. To that extent, I enjoy listening to Owl City and other more mainstream artists who integrate positive religious themes into their songs. That does not mean that there are not some great Christian music artists out there and the list at this link can introduce you to some great music in this genre.

Bishop Barron on The Sacrament of Baptism, Word on Fire Blog
One of the great parts of the Easter season is the introduction of millions of new Catholic worldwide into the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation (known as the “RCIA program” at most parishes). Many RCIA students go through the entire process on Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil. By this I mean they are baptized, have their first Holy Communion, and are Confirmed during the ceremony. There is a short video at this link where Bishop Robert Barron talks about Baptism.

What’s the Difference Between a Bunny, a Rabbit and a Hare?, Dictionary.com Blog
Why not have a little bit of fun this Easter? While most of us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ this weekend, there are many non-religious who celebrate the season by parading around with the Easter Bunny. Speaking of bunnies, do you know the differences between a rabbit, a bunny, and a hare? If not, then you can find out the differences in this Dictionary.com blog post.

Have you come across any great articles lately? If so, please share those links in the comments below! And one more time before you go – for those of you who love reading online articles, I strongly recommend considering a free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com on Feedly or you can add us to your existing RSS aggregator. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #4, Edition #2

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Last week’s Start the Weekend Right Link Series featured many articles that I bookmarked way back in 2011. This week, I am posting some links to some more recent articles. In fact, most of these articles are from the last month or two. I hope that you enjoy reading them!

As always, though, before we get to this week’s links I again want to strongly recommend signing up for a free Feedly account. I get absolutely no kickback for promoting Feedly, but I am so appreciative of their product being the best RSS reader on the internet and I encourage everyone to use it. If you are using another RSS aggregator, please consider following JerseySmarts.com at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/. If you are already on Feedly, then you can follow us by clicking here. Thanks!

Hulk Hogan v. Gawker (Marc Randazza Legal Analysis), Danger & Play
One of the biggest stories in media right now is Hulk Hogan’s victory in court against Gawker Media. Gawker has several websites – none of which have a shred of journalistic integrity. These websites do all that they can to destroy and damage people just for the sake of clicks and pageviews. They epitomize everything that is wrong with what people think the media is today. Gawker should not be categorized as a media source – they are barely worth mentioning as a tabloid. This link will take you to a great, quick set of bullet points outlining how badly Hogan beat Gawker in court. In addition, there is a video of the author speaking with a free speech lawyer about the verdict.

Is Rice Healthy For Me? Does White vs Brown Rice Matter?, Nerd Fitness
While the end result of this very astute investigation is, “it depends,” I strongly encourage you to read this article if you are a rice eating person like me. For my part, I have always been one of those people who does not automatically default to the brown version of everything (e.g. selecting whole wheat over white versions of products). This article made me realize that given the frequency with which I eat rice, I really should be eating brown rice instead of white rice. There is a lot of great information in this piece and I think you will enjoy reading it.

When You Find Out a Coworker Makes More Money than You Do, Harvard Business Review
There are some realities that most people have to recognize, face, and accept. One of those realities is that if you work for someone else, then you are not the highest paid person in the company. Period. And while my short example accentuates the differences between bosses and employees, this article provides some strategies on how to approach a different situation. Namely, the situation that occurs when you find out that a coworker (someone who you might consider an equal or even a subordinate) is making more money that you at your company. I am a big believer in not worrying about what other people are making and, instead, focusing on achieving your own success. I am also a believer in working outside jobs and starting your own company (or companies, if you have the time and inclination) to augment your salary. Ideally, that outside work will eventually supersede your salary and allow you to break free from working for someone else.

Coleco Pulls Out Of Faltering Chameleon Console (RetroVGS) Project, Retro Collect
I have always been fascinated at the moving and changing of the video game industry. Watching the ebbs and flows of video game companies, their gambles, and their successes has not only been a fun observation for me, but it also helped me make a few bucks off of those companies when I was more actively involved in the stock market. One of the most intriguing observations that I have about the industry today is the influence that retro gaming is having on the current market. There are a lot of people who are actively seeking a way to reject the big gaming companies and return to a time of cartridge-based gaming. To that end, RetroVGS started a crowd-funding campaign to start such a system. That campaign ultimately failed, but then legacy video game company Coleco came in to take up the mantle of the project… until they pulled out of the entire thing earlier this month.

The Beginner’s Guide to Meditation and Why You Need It, Live Limitless
This is not a short article by any means, but it is packed with information that you might find interesting if you are seeking more knowledge about meditation. Learning more about meditation is a non-priority goal that I have for myself. Specifically, I have been looking for a way to marry the peace that I encounter from my religious beliefs with a full body relaxation technique.

Obesity Changes How People View World: Study, Newsmax
According to the research presented in this article, if you are overweight, then you see the world differently. No, the research does not suggest that you only feel different about the way the world views you, but that you literally see objects as farther away. Interesting stuff.

City’s 1st CO-OP Coming to Asbury Fresh Summer Market, Asbury Park Sun
And in some local news – it looks like there will be a co-op option at the Asbury Park Summer Market this year. Several years ago I joined a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm that was about 15 minutes from my home. The promise of the CSA farm was that if you purchased a share (or, in my case, half a share), then you would be able to go to the farm and pick a certain amount of produce each week. That particular CSA farm worked well during the first year that I was a member, but the next two years were abysmal. Since then, I have been looking for a similar, local option.

The Collapse of Oil IS the Economic Boom, Reason
Another very interesting article about how the pending economic boom that everyone is waiting for is actually here. How is it here, you ask? Well, the precipitous drop in oil prices is something that impacts nearly every American adult. Further, while there have been some layoffs because of the price dropping, there are a lot more people who are experiencing more money in their accounts because they are not paying as much for gas as they were just a few months ago.

How To Make Your Own Rain Barrel Watering System, The Good Human
If I owned the type of home that had a big backyard that I could plant a substantial garden in, I would definitely be into putting something like a rain barrel watering system together. There is no question that I would have several of these barrels in my yard specifically for watering my plants and my garden (which would be packed with tomatoes and basil). Unfortunately, I do not think it is feasible to have something like this on my current backyard patio. Oh well!

Shrinking the White Male—and His Culture, Minding the Campus
As I often mention in these and other posts, young white men are being intellectually attacked on college campuses on a daily basis. This very short article is in that vein, but at a different level of the college campus. In this article, the author looks at language that many of you have seen in job postings about your potential employer embracing diversity and not holding any characteristic against you during the hiring process. The author then applies that language to the reality of the individuals that make up the department to which the job posting refers. The result is interesting, but what really stuck with me was the near-aside that ends the article. That is, that college students are new 60% women and 40% male. Where is the outrage about that inequality?

Have you come across any great articles lately? If so, please share those links in the comments below! And one more time before you go – for those of you who love reading online articles, I strongly recommend considering a free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com on Feedly or you can add us to your existing RSS aggregator. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #4, Edition #1

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For the first Start the Weekend Right Link Series of 2016 – and nearly one year since the last edition of this series – I decided to post some of the oldest articles that I have saved in my Feedly reader. The articles below are years old, but they are very good and I highly encourage you to read them.

As always, though, before we get to this week’s links I again want to strongly recommend signing up for a free Feedly account. I get absolutely no kickback for promoting Feedly, but I am so appreciative of their product being the best RSS reader on the internet and I encourage everyone to use it. If you are using another RSS aggregator, please consider following JerseySmarts.com at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/. If you are already on Feedly, then you can follow us by clicking here. Thanks!

Your Chair Is Giving You Cancer, Men’s Health
Admittedly, I am one of those folks who dislikes these types of misleading headlines. No, your chair is not giving you cancer. Yes, sitting in one position and living a sedentary lifestyle can lead to increased risk factors related to catastrophic health concerns like cancer. There are some good, quick tips in this article to get up out of your chair and improve your overall health.

Frugality Advice from Millionaires, Get Rich Slowly
Is there a better source to get information on money from than millionaires? Many of the tips in this article are those that you should already know: avoid debt, do not accumulate lots of stuff, put money away for later, etc. For those of you who are looking for financial independence, you might enjoy reading these tips from people who have achieved your dream.

My Primal Transformation: Discovering the Art of Fit, Mark’s Daily Apply
I really enjoy reading dramatic weight loss stories that have accompanying pictures to show the person’s actual weight loss. This is a story from back in 2011 that tells the story of Frank Sabia, Jr. and how he went from 255 pounds down to 167 pounds. Granted, losing 88 pounds is not what I would typically categorize as a dramatic weight loss (I usually reserve that categorization for 100+ pound weight loss stories). However, I think Sabia has a good story and one that is worth reading.

Outfitting a Manly Kitchen, Danger & Play
One of the most important things that all of us can do to be healthier human beings is eat better. In this short, but potent, men can learn about how to outfit their kitchens to improve their overall health. After re-reading this article, I went out and purchased a vegetable steamer on Amazon.

How to Whistle With Your Fingers, Art of Manliness
Even after reading this article, I still cannot whistle with my fingers. I can whistle loudly and just fine without using my fingers, so I am okay with not being able to use this technique. Maybe you will have better success that I did in trying to whistle with my fingers. Good luck!

The 38 Best Methods of Successful Exercisers, Zen Habits
Everyone on the internet seems to have an opinion on how best to lose weight and get into shape. Good for them and their opinions. This article is less about a single person’s opinion and more about what worked for other people. These are the type of weight loss posts that I like to scan through from time to time just to see what worked for people who have actually lost weight (there are a lot of hucksters out there on the internet).

How to fix Final Fantasy, Engadget
You did not think that we would go through one of these link series without some video game fun, right? Even though this article is more than four years old, I still think that there is a gem of relevance in what the author writes in this piece. And since I did not see a comments section on this article, my addition to the discussion on how to improve the Final Fantasy games is to… (wait for it)… make the games about fantasy again! Too many of the recent incarnations of this series have been focused on creating an ultra realistic approach to the classic fantasy role playing game. Stop it. Give us black mages, warriors, and a guy named Cid and we will be happy with Final Fantasy again!

The Pain of the Daily Commute, New York Times: Well Blog
In the “no big surprise” category, this 2011 entry on the awesome Well blog on the New York Times website notes a study from IBM talking about how commuting is actually painful. The pain that most commuters report is increased stress and anger levels. With the pending transit strike here in New Jersey, I thought now was a good time to bring out this link. If this transit strike actually takes place, then it is going to be a stressful time for New Jersey commuters until a resolution is reached.

How Widespread is Student Indoctrination?, National Association of Scholars
I am a critic of any unfair treatment of any student on any campus in the country. I do not care about the color, gender, age, background, etc. of the student – if they are being treated unfairly, then I want to see that unfair treatment stop. One of the biggest criticisms of higher education is that students are being indoctrinated, but is that really true? The author of this piece suggests that perhaps students are not being indoctrinated because, frankly, students just do not have an opinion on the “controversial” issue being discussed. This article is a quick, interesting take on student indoctrination on college campuses and I think you will enjoy reading it.

The Chilly World of Campus Males, Minding the Campus
We are in an interesting time in higher education. On the one hand you have the media, political extremists, and willfully uninformed campus-based employees promoting the false narrative that there are rapists preying on young college women. While every meaningful study absolutely destroys the false statistics being promoted by those with an agenda, there are other folks – like Dr. Warren Farrell, the author of this article – who are concerned about the anti-male environment that colleges have now created for young men. College men are taught that they are dangerous just because they are male – and that is about as inappropriate and unacceptable as it gets. We certainly would not accept that dictum if it was peddled about young women, gays and lesbians, students of certain ethnicities, etc. Why is such a reductive, biased perspective allowed to be propagated against young men who have done nothing wrong besides enroll in an institute of higher education?

One more time before you go – for those of you who love reading online articles, I strongly recommend considering a free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com on Feedly or you can add us to your existing RSS aggregator. Enjoy!

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

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It has been a long time since I posted one of these Start the Weekend Right Link Series entries. But I have too many posts building up behind the scenes on this blog and in my Feedly reader so I need to start clearing them out and getting them out there for you to consume. Before you check out of work and begin whatever celebrations you’ll be involved with this Easter weekend, take a look at some of these links – I think you might enjoy this content.

Before we get to the links this week I again recommend signing up for a free Feedly account. I get absolutely no kickback for promoting Feedly, but I’m so appreciative of their product being the best RSS reader on the internet that I encourage everyone to use it. If you’re using another RSS aggregator, please consider following JerseySmarts.com at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/. If you’re already on Feedly, then you can follow us by clicking here. Thanks!

No, You Are Not “Running Late,” You Are Rude And Selfish, Vitamin T
The message of this article is, as the title alludes to, that all of those times you or a coworker comes to a meeting late are not driven by outside factors, but rather by the fact that you’re a rude person. And on top of that rudeness, you’re a selfish punk who only cares about themselves. Personally, I agree with the message here, but living in New Jersey drops more than a few grains of salt on this article. When I was in college, I knew a kid who showed up to all of his classes late – and always with a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in his hand. He was a rude, selfish idiot. On the other hand, I’ve seen people arrive to work (and even meetings and appointments) over an hour late because of the completely ridiculous nature of the traffic and road construction in most of this state.

Death By Degrees, n+1
The best preview I can give for this article is this quote that is taken from it: “Like the market for skin care products, the market for credentials is inexhaustible: as the bachelor’s degree becomes democratized, the master’s degree becomes mandatory for advancement. Our elaborate, expensive system of higher education is first and foremost a system of stratification, and only secondly — and very dimly — a system for imparting knowledge.”

Manual Labor, All Night Long: The Reality of Paying for College, The Atlantic
Typically, the commentaries that The Atlantic publishes are too buried in far left talking points (and shoddy ones, no less) that I can’t find the usefulness of their content. This article is a little bit different, though I don’t take the same bleeding heart stance as some of the folks quoted in the article. In short, the article talks about how some students opt to work an overnight shift to get tuition reimbursement for their local college. I believe the writer’s stance is along the lines of how we could allow this type of near-torture for someone who wants to get a higher education. As someone with a deep history in student loans, I don’t often feel bad for others who have to go through difficulty to get a degree. My comment on this topic, though, is that we should be looking at the larger educational system and why we push nearly all high school students to pursue a college degree when many of them should be pushed towards vocational and technical schools instead.

An unusual victory for donor intent at Trinity College, The Pope Center
One of the topics that I love following is how a donor’s intent is followed – or completely ignored – by organizations that are the recipients of the donor’s financial contributions. Martin Morse Wooster details a recent victory for donors that took place at Trinity College. This is really fascinating stuff (or at least I think so). And if you’re an active donor to your church, college, or any other cause, then I encourage you to give this article a read.

Google rethinks Google+, spinning off several successful pieces, Christian Science Monitor
Goodbye, Google+! Several years ago I wrote about how I was shutting down several of my social media accounts (MySpace and LinkedIn) because it was just becoming too much to handle and all I really needed was Facebook. As the years went by and Google tried to shove Google+ down our throats, I had to open up one of their silly accounts and – like the majority of their users, apparently – I almost never used it. Now, hopefully, Google will retreat from social media and I can put that silly, useless Google+ profile to rest!

Homeless man of deep faith given funeral, burial in Vatican City, American Catholic
I just thought this was a touching story and a reminder that there are good people out there who will do good things for people of devotion. I’d like to believe that this homeless man’s soul was received into glory with the same reverence that his body was received by the Vatican.

A New Life for Dead Malls, The Atlantic
Alright, so The Atlantic gets two mentions this week because this story is just awesome. I’ve written on here in the past about how I can go nuts trying to use all of my “stuff” before buying new things. For me, it’s not a matter of frugality, but rather a matter of not generating the need to create additional products and/or waste to give me something that I already have possession of in one form or another. That’s the point of this article – that old, dead malls are actively being repurposed for a wide variety of uses – and it’s pretty cool!

7 Basic Life Hacks Men Shouldn’t Ignore, Return of Kings
Simply put – if you’re a guy and you’re reading this, then you should stop and click over to Return of Kings to read this article. It’s excellent, direct, and gives you good advice on what you should be doing to improve yourself. Some of the advice that the writer offers includes reading daily, working out, eating right, and not watching porn. Each of these “life hacks” have intensely positive outcomes for you as a man and when combined they can lead to a dramatically improved life. Take five minutes and give it a read.

Before you go, I want to recommend one more time that you consider opening a free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com on Feedly or you can add us to your existing RSS aggregator. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #2, Edition #1

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After a nearly 8 month absence, I’ve decided to bring back the Start the Weekend Right Link Series. There’s just too much awesome content that I run across on a daily basis for me not to share these links. On the topic of there being so much great content out there, if you find yourself visiting several websites each day and you’re looking for a better way to stay up to date on all of your favorite websites’ new articles, then I recommend signing up for a free Feedly account. I don’t get any kickback or reimbursement for promoting their product; I just think Feedly is the best RSS reader on the market and that everyone should use it! If you’re using another RSS aggregator, then 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.

Anyway, the link series is back. Enjoy the links below and get your weekend started right!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #2, Edition #1
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before College, Be Great Daily
One of my younger fraternity alumni started a blog focused on personal development, motivation, and inspiration. He wrote an entry that caught my eye because of its timeliness. With colleges across the nation kicking back into session either this past week or this coming week, I thought that now was the perfect time to share this entry. What are the 5 things that you wish you knew before college?

What If?, Danger & Play
Mike at Danger & Play has some of the best content on the web for men of all ages. This particular entry poses the question – what if? In this short, but thought-provoking read, Mike asks a lot of great “what if” questions. My favorite one was, “What if you live your life with a sense of urgency and purpose?” More people need to live life with a better sense of urgency. The time is now, people!

Great Leadership Isn’t About You, Harvard Business Review
This one is a little bit longer, but it really hits home on one of the core characteristics of great leadership. The article suggests that great leadership is about inspiring your followers to “share your enthusiasm for pursuing a shared ideal, objective, cause, or mission.” Amen! As the title of the article states – great leadership is not about YOU!

The English Major Has Lost Its Way, John William Pope Center
Keeping with the earlier theme of “back to school,” this is an entry about how the English major has lost its way in higher education. My undergraduate degree is in English, but I always knew that English couldn’t be the end of the road. In my graduate studies I opted to get a degree in Public Policy along with two different certifications – one in Public Relations and another in Curriculum Studies. You have to be diversified if you’re an English major. The third to last paragraph of the linked commentary gives a concrete suggestion to improve the English major curriculum, and I agree with the writer.

What’s Wrong With Comcast?, The Atlantic
We all remember listening a few months ago as a customer tried to cancel his service with Comcast and the telephone rep for the cable giant refused to let him do so until the bitter end. It was the very definition of a public relations nightmare for Comcast. In the wake of the call being released, some folks began interviewing current and former Comcast employees to try to figure out what the problem is over there. This article sums up their largest problem – a company that is built on a fragmented structure. Not a good situation to be in. Not good at all.

Building a Better Teacher: An Interview with Elizabeth Green, EdWeek
Normally, I’d stay far away from posting links that direct people to articles on education-based websites. The unfortunate truth is that the public education industry is inundated with extremists and ideologues who are intellectually dishonest and blatantly lie to disgrace the people they assume to be their opposition. And most public school teachers are brainwashed by the propaganda organizations that they call “unions” (particularly here in New Jersey) so it makes having an intelligent conversations virtually impossible. This interview, however, is with an author who wrote a book about which teaching methods work in a charter school in Newark. Incidentally, this charter schools is also one of my clients, so I’m extra interested in their success. In fact, I’m so interested that I’m actually going to buy a physical copy of this book (who buys physical books any more?!) to see what the author has to say.

How Anthony the Developer Lost Over 200 Lbs… In One Year, Nerd Fitness
Sometimes, I’ll spend an hour or so reading through different motivational websites focused on realistic approaches to the world. Many years ago, though, I stopped reading blogs focused on the primary writer’s weight loss journey. Those blogs are a dime a dozen out there, but their abundance doesn’t bother me. I’m bothered by the “if I can do it, YOU can do it!” bullshit that accompanies most of these weight loss journeys. No, idiot. Your readers’ lives are different than your lives. They can’t do exactly what you did because they’re NOT you. A few years ago there was a semi-famous blog written by a guy who lost 125 pounds by counting calories and starting to work out. Big surprise he lost weight, right? And then after he stopped counting calories and working out? He gained 70 pounds back. Now he justifies gaining the weight back as being healthy. Amazing. The article linked here is NOT that website nor is it that guy’s story! This article is from a fun fitness website called Nerd Fitness and it talks about a guy who lost 200 pounds. I’m not suggesting you get inspired from what this guy did because he’s not you. However, looking at the pictures is pretty dramatic and eye-opening.

The Necktie, Doghouse Diaries
One thing I hate about working in an office is that I often have to wear a necktie. I liked the comic that I’m linking here so much that I pinned it to my office wall. Stupid neckties…

‘Six Californias’ Plan May Make 2016 Ballot, USA Today
This article may not be as recent as some of the others linked above, but it is certainly relevant. Particularly in our country, where we’re finally beginning to have a national dialogue about whether a two-party system works best for American and what elements are in place that keep the two-headed monster firmly in control of American politics. The map in this article shows how the state of California could (and should) be broken into six different states.

9 Striking Library Posters from the Great Depression, BOOK RIOT
If you made it down this far, then you already know that I was an English major back in college. You may have surmised from that information that I enjoy reading – which would be correct. One of the book-focused websites that I follow is BOOK RIOT, though not all of their content is focused on book reviews. Take, for example, the entry linked here. This is a post listing nine different library posters from the time of the Great Depression. I don’t know why, but I appreciated these posters – they were fun to look at for a few minutes. I hope you enjoy them!

Again, if you don’t already have one, then I recommend opening a free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com on Feedly or you can add us to your existing RSS aggregator. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #6

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As 2013 comes to an end, I wanted to be sure to post a final “Start the Weekend Right” entry. Here are yet another set of links to help you start your weekend the right way and the last set of links that I’ll be posting for 2013. And again – if you find yourself visiting 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 (it’s even better than the old Google Reader). 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 #6
Christmas Songology Winner: The Best Christmas Song Ever is…, Busted Halo
One of the radio shows that I listen to on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM is the Busted Halo Show. The show has a companion website that is much broader and covers a larger cross-section of how pop culture interacts with our Roman Catholic faith. Well, they hosted a “Best Christmas Song Ever” contest and I couldn’t agree more with the song they selected and who they chose as the optimal performer for the song.

Is an MBA Bubble Popping?, The Atlantic
Just like the recent media ]negativity around the glut of young lawyers who can’t find a job, it looks like we might be heading for a glut of MBAs out there who aren’t earning what they once might have earned. After working part-time in higher education for the last 7+ years, I can’t say that I disagree with the point that this author is making.

The Library Designed Like a Bookstore, Book Riot
One of the many new, great blogs that I started following this year is Book Riot. They have a lot of great content for folks who love literature like me. One of the articles from the last few weeks that really piqued my interest was this short photo essay about a library in The Netherlands that was built to look and feel like a bookstore. Check it out – it’s pretty cool!

An Epidemic Of Thirsty Men Is Making It Harder To Get Laid, Roosh V
If there’s one thing that pisses me off about modern man it’s that many of them are systemically weak. In other words, there are guys out there who put their manhood aside and desperately chase any female with a heartbeat in an attempt to create what they think is a sincere feeling of interest and intimacy. They’re wrong on so many levels that it’s hard to write about any one of their ridiculous actions here… luckily, you can read this entry from Roosh V about some of the pathetic moves from these thirsty guys.

7 year-end tax tips to keep Uncle Sam out of your wallet, Get Rich Slowly
With the end of the tax year coming in a few days, we should all be doing what we can to lower our total taxable income. For my part, I’ll be hiring a new accountant and giving him my collected insanity of a tax return to file in April 2014. Should be fun… for him!

Cut the cord: New HD antennas bring your monthly TV bill back to $0, Christian Science Monitor
Admittedly, I haven’t read this article yet, but it’s something that I’m very interested in learning more about. The cost of cable television is outrageous. I have hundreds of channels that I don’t watch and I shouldn’t be forced to pay for them because they’re part of a bundle or a package. A few years ago, Senator John McCain was pushing some legislation to decouple all of these channels and allow consumers to select and choose the channels that they wanted to pay for on their plan. I wonder why we’re not there yet?

The Case for Supporting Other Small Businesses, Inc.com
As the owner of two small businesses, I wholeheartedly agree with the point that Janine Popick makes in this article. Small businesses should be supporting one another and I try to do that as much as possible with my small business purchases. This is a good, quick read – so give it a shot.

10 things we’ve learned about fat, The Week
Like most folks out there I enjoy reading about the latest health studies around the major topics of the day. In this case, The Week has compiled a list of the ten things that we – as a society – have learned about fat. They provide links to the different studies that prove each of the ten points – it’s an interesting read.

Learn Your Target Net Worth Multiples to Guide Your Savings Plan, Lifehacker
This is a great article and the best part about it is the graphic at the top. It’s a quick, easy guide to how much your net worth has to be after a certain number of years in the workforce. It also shows what your net worth should be at different ages. It’s an interesting read, but somewhat technical once you click over to Financial Samurai so give yourself some time to review and re-read.

Can Wii Go On Without U?, Game|Life
This is one of the articles I read that informed my post from a week and a half ago about how to fix the blunder that the Wii U has become. This link leads to a few brief paragraphs and then to a podcast if you’re interested in hearing a discussion about this topic.

Get your weekend started right by checking out these links. And if you don’t have one already, I recommend you open a new, free Feedly account. You can follow JerseySmarts.com with your new account or add it to your existing Feedly or other RSS aggregator account. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #5

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Here are another set of links to help you start your weekend the right way. Again, just a reminder that 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 (even better than the old Google Reader). 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 #5
Monmouth Slated For Four Games on ESPN Family of Networks, Home Schedule Set, The Hawks Nest
After Tony Graham retired from the Asbury Park Press, a host of new writers were tasked with updating his blog following Monmouth University sports. One of those writers is Josh Newman. Josh recently posted an update regarding the upcoming basketball season and when you can see the Hawks in action. If you’re an MU basketball fan, then you’ll want to check out this update.

With Practice Opening Friday, Five Things to Watch at Monmouth, The Hawks Nest
Another update on Monmouth basketball from The Hawks Nest. This update focuses on what to look for now that the practice season is upon us. Check it out – Josh Newman did a good job of what to be aware of heading into the new season especially as it relates to which players to keep an eye on and what positions they are playing this year.

Rutgers-New Brunswick Named Among the Ugliest College Campuses in the Country, Long Branch-Eatontown Patch
As an alumnus of Rutgers University, this one is no surprise. Rutgers University ranked #26 on the list of the ugliest campuses in the nation – and that’s the truth. The New Brunswick campus is a wreck of buildings strewn all over the place in and around downtown New Brunswick and points north. There’s barely a “campus” feel to Rutgers, rather it seems more like you’re trying to navigate between college buildings and random buildings. Of course, it still looks better than Rowan University down in Glassboro… they were ranked as the #10 ugliest campus in the nation!

Kula Cafe Thriving on Springwood, Asbury Park Sun
Some good news coming out of the West Side of Asbury Park: it looks like the new Kula Cafe is doing great things for the residents on the West Side and the Midtown neighborhood of Neptune Township. If you haven’t heard of the Kula Cafe and you live in the area, then you should read the story above and check the place out. I had a business lunch there a few months ago and it was fantastic. The service was great and the food was phenomenal. It was a very enjoyable experience and I would go back again.

Symbols, DoghouseDiaries
This was just a fun little game to play. It’s not so much of a game as it is a memory test. Give it a look – I think you’ll really enjoy it!

The Worst Thing You Do Before Bed, Men’s Health
I’m always trying to learn more about getting better sleep. This short article in Men’s Health talks about the worst thing that we do before we go to bed. And it’s no surprise – the worst thing that we do is engage in electronic forms of entertainment that stimulate our brains when we should really be trying to relax and calm down. Check out this quick article – and get some sleep!

How Hyper-Threading Works (and When You Want It In Your PC), Lifehacker
As you may know, I’m writing this entry on my brand new laptop. One of the things that sold me on buying this laptop was the fact that it had every single bell and whistle that is currently offered on the market (except for a touchscreen, which I didn’t want anyway). Well, I’m aware enough to admit that most of the technology behind these machines has passed me by, but videos like the one linked here help me understand what these bells and whistles actually mean. So if you’re like me in that you used to be the king (or queen) of technology and now you find yourself more like a silent, somewhat knowledgeable observer, then you may want to watch this quick video to learn what hyper-threading means.

Don’t Cheer the Rise of the Adjunct, Minding the Campus
A recent study came out suggesting that tenured professors do a poorer job of educating their students and keeping young students in their disciplines than adjunct professors. As an adjunct professor, this is good news for me because it means that my services should be in higher demand! The results of this study really don’t surprise me because anyone who has ever been to college and run smack into a stodgy old professor who received his/her tenure decades ago knows how incredibly horrible they are at teaching. I can tell you story after story of horrible professors that I had to endure when I was going to college – many of whom are still teaching at the campus! For some of these professors I’ve been told in confidence that certain other administrators and faculty members have complained and tried to get the poor performers fired, but tenure is a pretty hard thing to break. Anyway, this study was interesting – if you like this stuff, then I think you’ll enjoy reading this one.

Revitalizing the Church, His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Recently, Father I. Michael Bellafiore wrote an article in the Washington Post about revitalizing the church. Father Bellafiore writes about ten ways to revitalize the church and those ten ways do not include the things that we normally hear from local reformers. I read the blurb through His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s blog, which is linked above. You can go straight to Father Bellafiore’s article by clicking the link in this blurb.

Update a Vintage Boombox with a Line-In to Play Music from Your Phone, Lifehacker
To end this week’s update, I thought I’d provide a fun link for those of you who are looking for a cool do-it-yourself project. If I had the time and materials, I’d give this a shot. It looks like it could be fun to try to make this contraption!

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!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #4

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Another week goes by and we have another set of links to help you start your weekend the right way. Again, just a reminder that 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 (even better than the old Google Reader). 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 #4
Major Student Loan Announcement: My Student Loans Are Fully Repaid!, JerseySmarts.com
This week we begin right here on JerseySmarts.com. If you’re a consistent reader of this blog, then you know that I’ve been pounding away at my student loans since they kicked out of deferment and into full repayment in July 2006. After paying $149,455.12 to my student loan lenders (including $120,603.31 in consolidated principal and $28,851.81 in interest), this past Monday I made my final student loan payment. And that’s it. No more student loans. It’s finally over!

After All Of These Years, This Is What The Finish Line Looks Like, JerseySmarts.com
Hey – it’s my blog and if I want to take the top two spots on this week’s link series, then guess what I’m going to do? This post was a follow-up to the entry above in that it shows the actual zero balance on the remaining student loan. I have to admit, it feels pretty good to be free of those loans…

When the light at the end of the tunnel finally passes by, Marty’s Malice
One of my long-time internet buddies, Martin Hawrysko, was kind enough to dedicate a page on his blog to my student loan repayment story. He has some kind words about my student loan repayment story and I appreciated every one of them. Martin is a good writer and I always enjoy reading his entries – especially about existing and emerging technologies. If he’s not on your blogroll, then I recommend that you strongly consider adding his blog. I think you’ll enjoy it!

Boxed copies of DuckTales Remastered bounce to retail, Joystiq
Not much discussion on this one. If you’re someone in their late 20s/early 30s and you had a generally normal childhood, then during your video gaming past you probably came across the phenomenal Duck Tales game. Well, like all good things this video game from the past is back. However, this time around it’s cleaned up, polished, buffed, and made for today’s consoles!

And Xavier Makes Three, Minding the Campus
On to some more serious content with this article. There is an epidemic of stupidity in this country and it doesn’t involve the same old, same old story that we’ve been preached for more than two decades on college campuses. That same old, same old story is that men are sexual aggressors and that if there is ever a claim of sexual assault made by a girl against a guy, then the guy is guilty until he can be proven innocent… but can he even be proven innocent in such an anti-male atmosphere? The epidemic that is spreading around the country is one of dumb young girls throwing around the term “rape” left and right when there was no rape involved. Here’s a clue, girls: don’t throw around that claim if it isn’t true! And for you stupid hippies out there reading this let’s make this clear – yes, we understand that there are many levels of rape and that it doesn’t take just one form. However, I challenge you to read the case in this story and the other cases referenced in this story and not come away with a firm understanding that young men are under attack by hateful, spiteful dummies. And these stupid idiots are harming and slowly calling into question whatever progress the sexual rights movement made over the last several decades. But hey, that’s part of America today – some people are just selfish, moron idiots.

Sayings 2.1, Doghouse Diaries
The Doghouse Diaries are an online comic series that I find very entertaining. Sometimes, their comics make me chuckle out loud at the office and other times I read posts like the one linked here and see the funny genius in their work. Sayings 2.1 takes some common phrases are replaces them with modern, techno-based updates. Seriously, if you have a minute and you like the internet and technology, then I think you’ll smile after reading this graphic-based update. Enjoy it!

Beware of Warrior Cops, Reason
Thankfully, after years and years of this problem spinning out of control the issue of “warrior cops” is starting to receive some traction and wider coverage. I experienced warrior cops firsthand when I was going to school at Monmouth University. It wasn’t the university cops that were out of their mind, though one of their officers shrieked at about 20 of my 30+ year old alumni and I last November as we were tailgating. A fellow alumnus and I worked hard to bring those alumni back to campus for the first time in years and it was totally unacceptable to be treated like undergrads and yelled at by an overzealous warrior cop. In fact, that episode pushed us to move our annual reunion tailgate from Monmouth to Rutgers – we’re even considering starting a small scholarship fund at Rutgers (which we were trying to build support for at Monmouth, but that shrieking cop ruined several years of hard work in one overzealous moment). Anyway, when I was an undergrad it was the Ocean Township Police Department that went totally overboard. Not only did they trample every single civil right that you could imagine on a weekly basis at my fraternity house, but they did it in an arrogant way. I distinctly remember sitting in my house at 2am one night watching a movie and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I heard some noise and turned around to see a few warrior cops walking through my living room. I asked them if I could help them and they said no, but that they were told a party was going on and wanted to check it out. I turned my back and kept watching TV, but I did say to them, “Yeah, I’m sure you got that call. There’s obviously no party here tonight.” And they were gone.

Ocean Township Featured in New York Times Real Estate Section on Sunday, Asbury Park Sun
And why anybody would want to move to Ocean Township when they’re overrun with overzealous warrior cops who enjoy destroying the civil rights of college students is beyond me. However, the New York Times seems to think that it’s a good place to live. Then again, how often does the New York Times know what they’re talking about these days?

Will I See My Pets in Heaven?, Busted Halo
An interesting thing about studying the Bible and learning about what it says is that you can come to these weird conclusions that are both supported and contradicted by scripture. For example, if you read the Bible word for word, then you can reasonably argue that we will not see our pets in Heaven. However, if you believe (like I do) that we as humans can’t quite understand what Heaven really is, then it is totally possible and damn near confirmed that our pets will be in Heaven waiting for us when we cross the bridge. I wrote back in January about how one of my family dogs passed away on Christmas Eve last year. Odie brought me and my family an incredible amount of joy and happiness over the years that we had him and I, for one, was genuinely happy to have him as a dog. So if seeing Odie lifted my heart and made me happy while he was alive, then I’m sure that my family and I will see him again if we make it to the Pearly Gates. In fact, I’m very confident that we’ll see him again.

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!

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!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #2

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Here’s hoping that you enjoyed last week’s inaugural edition of the Start the Weekend Right link series. As I noted last week, since Google Reader shut down on July 1st I’ve been using Feedly to read the latest content from my 74 different subscriptions. If you have a bunch of different websites that you check out everyday, then I encourage you to condense your efforts and check out that websites on Feedly. And hey, whether you have a free Feedly account or you use another RSS aggregator I’d be thankful if you would follow our feed at http://www.jerseysmarts.com/feed/ or (via Feedly) by clicking here. Thanks!

This weekend’s links are below for your reading pleasure. If you come across any interesting links, then please share them with us in the comments section below. Enjoy!

Start the Weekend Right Link Series – Volume #1, Edition #2
Old Professors Never Quit, They Just Hang Around, Bloomberg
As an adjunct professor with potential designs to become a full-time professor at some point in the future, I found this article interesting. The author explores the issue of having professors in the classroom that just don’t seem to ever want to retire. One of the interesting points in the article is that the number of active professors over the age of 65 doubled from 2000 to 2011. This discussion begs the question of whether it even matters that there are so many older professors in the classroom. Definitely an interesting read for my fellow education news junkies.

Most Newark Residents Want More Charter Schools, Poll Reveals, Newark Patch
This article could have easily been put in the “obviously – duh!” file. Of course most Newark residents want more charter schools! Not only have charter public schools in Newark (and other urban areas in New Jersey) been proven time and time again (PDF) to absolutely decimate the traditional public schools in terms of academic performance, they do it at a fraction of the cost of the traditional public school sector. Everyone in New Jersey knows that the silly, increasingly irrelevant teachers’ union fights tooth and nail against charter schools because they do a better job at a more efficient cost. And it seems like the folks in Newark want more charters as this article reports 71% of respondents supported an expansion of charters in the city.

Breaking Down Monmouth’s Nonconference Schedule, A Daly Dose of Hoops
If there are any other Monmouth University basketball fans out there reading this series of links, then I encourage you to check out the Daly Dose of Hoops breakdown of the nonconference match-ups that the Hawks will have during the coming season. Also, if you didn’t see the release of the nonconference games for the coming season, then this article will update you on who the Hawks are playing outside of the MAAC in 2013 – 2014. College basketball season is coming soon…

The Sweetness of Time Off, NY Times – The Dealbook
I enjoyed reading this article because I enjoy the idea of taking time off to recharge your batteries. What Dealbook does in this article is discuss how to vacation and what the concept of vacation means in and for today’s workforce. At my job, in addition to 12 holidays each year I get 31 “paid time off” days. We don’t distinguish between sick days and vacation days and we are only allowed to carryover 12 days each year. That means that each year I absolutely must take off 19 days (the equivalent of about 4 weeks of work). Frankly, I find it hard to do this because I rarely get sick and I’m not the type to go off on week-long vacations to exotic or interesting places (that’s not easy to do while you’re battling student loan debt). However, in the spirit of this article I’ve been considering going on a longer vacation by heading to some place other than the Jersey Shore. Who knows?

Neptune Plans Rent Control Measure, The Coaster
For anyone living around my area of Monmouth County and, particularly, in Neptune Township – this article is for you. It appears that there may be a local property management company that is increasing rental rates beyond what one might consider a reasonable annual adjustment. The Township Committee in Neptune is going to combat those large adjustments by instituting a rent control measure. More details in the article.

County Rolls Out New Tax Assessment Program, Asbury Park Sun
No, I’m not some nerd for tax assessment programs or local property taxes. This article caught my eye because I think it’s a great example of new methods being used to eliminate wasteful, inefficient practices from the past. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I get frustrated when working with local governments or workers who are beyond retirement age and can’t function at the speed of now. The new system for adjusting property taxes in Monmouth County is an easy to understand, logical, timely system. Good work by all involved in this program!

Asbury Park Press Among Hardest Hit in Gannett Job Cuts, Asbury Park Sun
At one point, I used to follow local news agencies and the surprising amount of drama that takes place at these institutions. Today, I have a much smaller though still lingering interest in what goes on at the organizations that provide the public with what is considered “news.” So when I saw that the second largest newspaper in New Jersey – the Asbury Park Press – was hit pretty hard with a round of job cuts from Gannett, I thought that this would be an interesting story to share. Which brings me to…

End of An Era at First Energy Park, WOBM
The retirement of Asbury Park Press sports writer Tony Graham leaves a large hole in the coverage of many Monmouth University sports. Tony’s writing was excellent and though I haven’t followed him any longer than I started attending the home basketball games in 2009, I always enjoyed reading his postgame wrap-ups on his wildly popular The Hawks Nest blog. You can read Tony’s announcement regarding his retirement here.

Monmouth University Stadium To Get $5 Million Upgrade, Long Branch-Eatontown Patch
Clearly, this week’s Start the Weekend Right link is heavy on Monmouth University-related news. And rightfully so – we’re just a few weeks away from school being back in session and there is a lot going on in and around the campus right now. This story is about a long-awaited, much needed update to the university’s otherwise weak football “stadium.” One of the areas of the university’s athletic facility offerings that has been a black eye in the shadow of the MAC is the football field. Some of the problems with the field can be fixed as this story shows. However, until the university finds a way to add bleachers to the visitor’s side of the field, it’s going to be tough to sell Kessler Field as a big-time, Division I football field. In any event, the addition of this new four-story building goes a long way in getting Monmouth where it needs to be.

Roxbury’s Tito Santana Enjoys the Quieter Life, Roxbury Register
This is a fun, wholesome story from my hometown’s weekly newspaper. Anyone who is a fan of WWE or, more appropriately, the old World Wrestling Federation, will know the name Tito Santana. A former WWE World Tag Team Champion and WWE Intercontinental Champion, Santana is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame and… he was one of my gym teachers in high school. I’ve written about Santana every once in a while over my various internet properties over the last nearly twenty years. He’s a great man with a beautiful family. I was friends and teammates with his oldest son in high school and from what I see on Facebook, he’s grown into a great young family man himself (no surprise there – he was an awesome kid in high school). This article gets the facts a little bit incorrect on Santana’s career as it says his last professional match was in 1993 against Virgil. That’s not entirely correct as he beat Jeff Jarrett in 2000 on WCW NITRO (but who’s keeping track?). Anyway, Santana is a great part of my hometown and I’m glad that the local paper chose to write a nice article about him.

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