JerseySmarts.com

When Will Comcast NJ Receive Spike HD?

Joe — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:30:53 +0000

Enough is enough already with waiting… I’ve been asking the folks at Comcast when we’re going to be able to receive Spike HD in the Monmouth/Ocean county area and they keep telling me that it’s coming soon. I’ve been asking for over a year – close to a year and a half, actually. Does anyone out there know when we’re supposed to receive the Spike HD channel in this market?

I wish I knew more about the process of delivering a channel to a specific area. I feel like it probably isn’t much more than coming to an agreement with the channel’s ownership (in this case, Viacom) and then flipping a few switches. Makes you wonder what is taking so long to get this otherwise simple process completed.

One of the reasons that I’m a little bit angered over this delay is because Comcast recently added Spike HD to certain markets in New Jersey. Why couldn’t our market be included in that update?! Anyway, if anyone knows when we’re going to receive the Spike HD channel in the Monmouth/Ocean market, please let me know. Thanks!

CNN, Associated Press, and USA Today All Call New Jersey Election

Joe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:36:17 +0000

CNN, the Associated Press, and USA Today have all called the New Jersey Gubernatorial election for Republican challenger Chris Christie. Here is the report directly from the Associated Press:

The Associated Press and CNN are calling Republican challenger Chris Christie the winner of the New Jersey governor’s race, based on exit polling.

The actual results are still pretty close: Christie’s ahead 49% to 44% with 81% of the precincts reporting. But Christie is doing extremely well in Republican strongholds in Ocean, Monmouth, Morris and Somerset counties, while holding his own against Gov. Jon Cozine in key swing counties, including Bergen and Middlesex counties.

Christie would become the first Republican to win statewide office since Christie Whitman, who also defeated an incumbent Democrat, Jim Florio.

And there you have it. Republican voters in New Jersey have had enough of dealing with the cross-talking and ultra-liberal Jon Corzine and he’s lost his job because of it.

Leaving TD Bank for Central Jersey Bank

Joe — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:30:48 +0000

Like I said at the end of last week, TD Bank has ruined everything that Commerce Bank built its great reputation on. From Commerce Bank’s legendary customer service to its “hassle-free” banking, TD Bank managed to destroy all of that in a matter of few days last week by bungling up what could have been a less onerous project.

If you don’t know already, TD Bank merged the TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank databases last week and it stunted the bank’s ability to post transactions to customers’ online accounts or for those transactions to be viewed at ATMs. Factor in that the folks at TD Bank decided to do this during a time of the month when almost every once of their customers gets paid or receives their government subsidy and, well, you can understand the uproar.

Some TD Bank supporters out there might suggest that technical glitches happen every once in a while and I can appreciate that statement. However, when a bank decides to make such a major switch during a time of the month when people are receiving paychecks and governments subsidies (plus when rent or the mortgage payment is due), that tells me that the bank doesn’t care enough to know about their customers’ daily lives. Something tells me that the move from Cherry Hill to Toronto really destroyed the true relationship that TD Bank had with its customers.

Anyway, I went over to Central Jersey Bank on Friday and opened up a totally free checking account. Central Jersey Bank (although it was just purchased by OceanFirst Bank) is based out of the Monmouth/Ocean county area. Because this bank is based out of the same area where I live, there is a greater likelihood that I’ll be more than just an account number and a deposit at Central Jersey Bank. In fact, after reviewing the offers from Central Jersey Bank, I’ve decided to explore other accounts that I can close at TD Bank (including those related to my fraternity and its alumni association) and move over to Central Jersey Bank.

I’m a big believer that when you go to a restaurant and you receive stellar service, that you leave a stellar tip. On the other hand, I also believe that when you are the customer and you receive horrendous service you vote with your dollars by pulling them from the company giving you the terrible service. TD Bank really screwed up. Between the bungled online transactions, their recent message to all business account owners that they were raising fees, and the continuing fee that I have to pay if my account ever dips below a certain amount (this is for a supposedly “free” checking account, by the way) – I’ve decided to vote with my dollars and leave TD Bank.

I suggest that any former Commerce Bank customers who are disgusted at the level of service offered by TD Bank do the same.

A Beautiful Day at the Jersey Shore

Joe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:40:20 +0000

Come on down! If you’re reading this from somewhere in North Jersey or Central Jersey (not near the Jersey Shore), you should come on over to the Long Branch, Asbury Park, or Ocean Grove beaches. It’s a beautiful day on the Jersey Shore – one of the best that we’ve had all summer!

This morning, I went to the Merrick Farm and picked up my half share of the week’s bounty. I picked up a bunch of interesting looking produce – some of which I know what to do with, some of which I have no idea. I’m going to take some time this morning and make a gigantic salad out of our existing produce from the farm. The new stuff I’m just going to “bank” at the bottom of the fridge in the crisper. Then I’ll be spending a portion of today down in Belmar at a friend’s barbecue.

My goal is to spend this evening relaxing. I’ve had pretty active, hectic weekends for the last few weeks and next weekend I’ll be in Nashville so relaxing will be a nice change of pace!

In the mean time, come on down to the shore!