Wednesday, May 16, 2012
With visions of 1994 dancing in metropolitan fans' heads, who do you think will win?
It isn't always pretty. In fact, it rarely is. When the two top ice hockey squads in the New York-New Jersey metro area lace them up, it's always a spectacle. But it's never more so than when the matchups come in the playoffs. Of course, we're talking about the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers (sorry Islanders fans, but the '80s are behind us). The two NHL teams begin their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series Monday night (8; NBC Sports Network) for the right to head to the Stanley Cup Finals. Of course, most fans remember the last time these two faced each other for that right. It was 1994. For Rangers fans, it was the precursor to a fantastic Stanley Cup championship victory over the Vancouver Canucks and the end of …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
This year Mama wants the things money can’t buy: peace, quiet and a little less nose-picking.
As a mom of three boys, my days are busy, loud and sometimes covered in chocolate and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But after a decade of macaroni necklaces and still-partially-frozen waffles that land syrup-side down on my duvet cover before even roosters are stirring, I’d like to share some other easy-on-the-wallet Mother’s Day gift ideas. Now I’m not crazy, I don’t expect all these things to last year-round but for one day, any of the following “gifts” would be priceless. Here, in an open letter to my fellas, is what I do and don’t want, in no particular order: I do want you to dress yourselves but not like rodeo clowns. I don’t want to hear any senseless arguments or competing such as, “Look, there’s a cat in the window!” “Yeah, …
Friday, May 11, 2012
A state legislative committee approved a bill this week that would bar the practice.
Can an employer force you to reveal your Facebook or other social media password as a condition for getting hired or keeping your job? That issue began to get some attention in March after a statistician in New York reported that during an interview with a potential employer, the woman interviewing him had searched for his Facebook and, upon discovering that it was private, asked him for the password. The statistician, Justin Bassett refused and left the interview, according to the Associated Press. But the story brought to light other instances where employers have sought similar access to social media accounts, and have led several states to consider legislation to ban the practice. California's assembly voted Thursday to approve such …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
The blockbuster hit is showing in Westfield, Mountainside, and Union.
The Avengers officially opened on Friday and is showing at the Union Theatre in Union, AMC Loews Mountainside, the Rialto Theatre of Westfield. Find showtimes here. Overall, The Avengers is one film that delivers, blending non-stop action with comedic relief. Expect many of the one-liners to be quoted this summer. This Marvel Film directed by Joss Whedon is great entertainment and not just for comic book fanatics. Take it from someone who easily tires of long action scenes. The superheroes with their unique skills and personalities and the stunning visual effects keep this movie interesting. Seeing all those superheroes in one film, interacting and battling through rivalries is really pretty cool. The superheroes are summoned together …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Congressman Leonard Lance says to reject President Obama's tax increase.
Tax Day, April 17, reminds us that the current tax system is too complex, too costly and too burdensome. According to the U.S. House Budget Committee to comply with this inefficient tax code, individuals, families, and businesses spend over six billion hours and more than $160 billion per year trying to do their taxes. And the tax code is unfair, as many of the deductions and preferences are available mainly to a relatively small class of taxpayers. It¹s wrong and it¹s why House Republicans have a reform plan that calls for a simpler, flatter and fairer tax system that will restore economic opportunity and prosperity to our Nation¹s economy. Earlier this month the House passed a 2013 budget blueprint. Among the many initiatives to bring …
Friday, April 13, 2012
With a mild winter and dry spring, Alexander Mirabella, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, shares how residents can do their part in preventing forest fires.
As residents of an urban area, we in Union County are used to thinking about fire prevention in terms of our homes and other buildings. However, an extremely mild winter and dry spring have come together to underscore the importance of preventing forest fires in our public parks and nature preserves, too. Last month a small brush fire cropped up in Cranford, an unusual occurrence for Union County. Fire risk warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service and the New Jersey Forest Service, and major blazes have broken out elsewhere in the state, as well as nearby in Staten Island. The situation has added a new layer of complexity to the job faced by our career and volunteer fire fighters. I know they will rise to meet this new …
As Tax Day approaches, Congressional Candidate David Larsen shares his thoughts on taxes and their impact on job creation and economic growth.
Rising gas prices, wasteful government spending, Obama Care, now combined with our President’s rhetoric around raising taxes on investors and job creators, are all threatening to undermine our economic recovery. Rather than raising taxes, we should be lowering all tax rates, resulting in everyone paying into the system. This approach will not only bring fairness and stability to our tax code, but it will stimulate economic growth and job creation for millions of Americans. As we approach Tax Day, I believe there is something inherently unfair about a tax system that picks winners and losers. A core principle of conservatism is the idea that every citizen should be treated equally before the law, without regard to one’s station in society…
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
An editor's personal journey through autism.
This story is not mine to own. It could belong to you. It could belong to your sister, your friend, your neighbor, the waitress at Jersey Boys, the bank president, the school principal, the police officer directing traffic. In New Jersey, the story belongs to all of us. The findings of a federal study released last week show that one in 49 children, and one in 29 boys, are diagnosed with autism in New Jersey. Nationally, one in 88 children are diagnosed annually. Autism is a disease that gives itself freely and without prejudice. There is no way to protect your child from it; no diet or vaccine that will prevent it. It is, as experts will tell you, pervasive. Autism has been an unwanted guest in my house for 11 years. It has attached …
Monday, April 2, 2012
Facing the biggest "wrecking ball" of his life, my brother believes faith will be rewarded. Bruce Springsteen told him so.
“For the ones who had a notion, A notion deep inside, That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive.” I remember a time, when I was a little girl, that my brother Mark was very sick. Mark was my first brother, and at the time the youngest in the family. We were born one-two-three, the tag team of myself and Gina born a year apart, and Mark coming a few years later. So at the time I’m remembering, he was about three or four, and I was in first or second grade. I don’t remember the details, or maybe I never knew them. I just remember getting off the bus from St. Patrick’s and rushing into the house to share my day. My mom, in a sharp voice, told me to hush. My brother was in her bedroom, sick, and Gina and I would have to be quiet that day. I…
Monday, March 26, 2012
Some job seekers are now being asked to allow prospective employers to view the content of their social media accounts.
Would you let a prospective employer snoop around in your social media accounts? More and more employers are reportedly asking to do just that. According to Reuters, studies have shown that examining a job seeker's Facebook profile can yield more information than a personality test. However, as social media users become more security-conscious, employers are asking for -- and in some cases getting - access to private information. USA Today reports that a Maryland correctional officer willingly gave his password during an interview because he feared that failure to do so would prevent him from gaining employment. "I needed my job to feed my family. I had to," he recalled, according to the USA Today article. New York statistician Justin …
Mary Mann
11:04 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Hilarious and touching. Those are four lucky boys (including the husband, whom I hope has never hugged you while holding a fistful of worms)! more ›