President Christie Rumors Continue

image from sodahead.com

According to mediaite.com, Governor Christie is taking a break from Hurricane Irene relief work by spending his time at the Jersey shore. Gov. Christie was encouraging people to come and spend money at New Jersey beaches. During a press conference Gov. Christie said “People ask me all the time about running for President of the United States. You know what I tell them? Why the hell would I ever leave Jersey, are you kidding?”

The Governor continues to say he has no interest in running for the oval office in 2012, however rumors and speculations paint a different picture. Amanda Carey of the dailycaller.com reported in late August that former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty’s campaign staff and endorsers are in discussion with Governor Christie about running. Governor Christie’s advisor Michael DuHaime admitted that Tim Pawlenty did have a conversation with Governor Christie.

Additionally, John Avlon of The Daily Beast reported that on July 19th Governor Christie attended an event at the New York City Racquet and Tennis Club along with business leaders and potential campaign donors. According to The Daily Beast, Governor Christie was encouraged to run by such people as Charles Schwab, Henry Kissinger, and the libertarian billionaire David Koch.  Stubbornly, the Governor said he was 100% sure he is not running for president.

Its hard to believe that Governor Christie, a charismatic man who can handle the media and like all politicians lives for attention, is not tempted for the presidency. Considered a leader by conservatives and positive press by the media has portrayed Governor Christie as a republican icon at a time when the party needs a figure head.

If he isn’t running why is the media continuing to pressure him? Take a look at this opinion piece by The Washington Post’s George Will.

The Jersey Shore Erosion

According to the NJDEP Office of Science Environmental Trends Report, the future of New Jersey beaches is bleak. The report states that beach erosion will worsen as storms become more powerful and ocean waters rise.

The report estimates that $700 million dollars was spend on beach replenishment from 1998 through 2007.  The money was spend to move 50 million cubic yards of sand to fill New Jersey beaches. Between 1988 to 1997 the total costs of beach replenishment was roughly over $200 million, during this time span an estimate of 40 million cubic yards of sand was used. The complete report can be seen here.

Funding for beach replenishment in New Jersey varies. The federal government covers much of the costs, about 65%, with the rest of the money coming from the state treasury and local municipalities. However, according to the NJDEP the federal government hasn’t allocated sufficient funding in 2009 forcing the state and municipal governments to cover the costs. The breakdown of the beach replenishment funding can be found on the NJDEP Coastal Engineering website.

Rising costs of beach replenishment and predictions of worsening conditions along the coast due to climate change foretell tough times for the Jersey shore. The situation becomes more challenging as the federal and state government cuts spending in order to get their debt under control.

Can I Get a Cup of Cawfee Over Here!

Recently I met someone from L.A. that would laugh at my north Jersey accent. I say north Jersey because I’ve noticed that south Jerseyans have a much different sound than people in Hudson County. The same can be said about Jerseyans in Sussex County.

New Jersey truly is a microcosm of accents. With New York on one side, the Amish on the other, and a diverse population of immigrants in the middle New Jersey is the American version of the Tower of Babel. As it turns out there is an extensive study that has been conducted to figure out what  exactly is a New Jersey accent. Professor Dale Coye of Thomas Edison State College has discovered that there is a boundary that separate Jerseyans when it comes to their accents. Ledger Live take their cameras to various parts of the state to try to get an idea of how Jerseyan accents differ in our small state. As it turns out, not all New Jerseyans have the stereotypical accent. Their video and findings can be seen here.

image from NJ.com

Public Enemy #1: Housewives of New Jersey

The Housewives of New Jersey supposedly went buck wild in the Dominican Republic. Charges have been filed against the show’s cast and Bravo network for various assault charges, according to Chicago Breaking News. Like most Jersey reality shows that base their ratings on producing scenes of idiotic violence, this situation ( no pun intended) is serious. The three victims that have filed suit suffered cuts, bruising, and broken bones. One of the persons that was assaulted was a Chicago police officer.

This isn’t the first time a Jersey reality show celebrity has been suited for violent and lewd behavior. Previously, Jersey Shore cast members Ronnie, Snooki, and JWOW were charged with assault for incidents that happened while taping. The assault charges against Ronnie were serious as the man assaulted was knocked unconscious.

New Jersey reality tv shows wouldn’t be what they are if it wasn’t for violence. Snooki taking a hook to the noggin and Teresa flipping out at the dinner table boosted each shows rating to record highs. The networks loved it, they cashed in. Now reality clowns are doing it all over the place. Its true that audiences can’t get enough violence and sex on tv but typically those types of scenes take place between actors on set with a written script. If a reality show celebrity assumes to have the privilege to assault somebody on the street because he or she may have the support of the shows producers and legal team, they’re dangerously mistaken. For instance, if for some strange reason a Jersey Shore cast member got violent at a Jersey City bar in Hudson County, the film crew’s camera would end up in that cast member’s anal cavity and MTV would resemble more of the Discovery Health Network. It would be the Jersey Shore’s most educational episode, it would be a lesson in hospitality and anatomy.

New Jersey reality shows have hit a new low with today’s story of the “thrilla in Punta Cana.” Its sad and its a shame, but expect ratings for the Housewives to go up. ABC News did a great piece on reality tv violence, how its on the rise and how tv networks profit. 

Finally, is it just me or are New Jersey reality shows beginning to resemble Dave Chappelle’s Mad Real World Hoboken?

– Ralphie

image from trendrabbit.com?

Who are we – the Real Housewives or Sopranos?

What do we know about New Jersey from TV-shows? Does The Real Housewives of New Jersey show the real life of Jerseyians? Does the series Jersey Shore describe the styles, qualities, and values of the life-style of the common Jersey youth? How about The Sopranos? Do we really live in a highly corrupted “Soprano State”? Rachel Maddow in her show made a joke that the number of arrested NJ public officials during 2001-2009 is as long as “a way of life.” She told viewers that if corruption is something incredible  for American politics, for New Jersey politics it’s …???[she couldn’t find the word to describe the level of corruption in New Jersey] and called New Jersey “a state of culture of corruption.” What associations come to mind when you think of the Garden State? Who are New Jerseyians?

– Lana