tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-222503632011-11-20T11:13:36.391-05:00Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.comBlogger2551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-42406446324092823782007-11-28T13:17:00.000-05:002007-11-28T13:19:26.695-05:00

Another reminder: My blogs and those of my Press colleagues - and now readers, too - are available at the Press' new Web site: http://www.app.com/. See you there.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com109tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-10293115950551653822007-11-26T16:04:00.000-05:002007-11-26T17:29:16.833-05:00

It's time to move on. No, not me, just how to find my blog. The Press has redesigned its Web site and my blog goes with it. So after 2 p.m. Tuesday, you can find me at the new http://www.app.com/. Follow me there.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-29904784586658970752007-11-16T15:16:00.000-05:002007-11-16T15:45:41.235-05:00

That three different baseball players would show up on the news pages on the same mid-November day is too much to ask, even for this baseball 24/7/365 fan.Barry Bonds being indicted for lying about his steroid use should come as no surprise. His statements about the probe over four years have indicated how egotistical and detached from reality he is. If he had come clean, so to speak, about his

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-78449722637795173202007-11-09T14:51:00.000-05:002007-11-10T22:38:17.586-05:00

Lest you think ethical lapses reside only in Trenton, consider the fuzzy thinking of Nancy Nord, acting head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington. She sees nothing wrong with taking trips paid for by the industries her agency regulates. What better way to preview the season's hottest new toys than to attend the American International Toy Fair in New York on the Toy Industry

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-23156056480337120882007-11-06T22:17:00.000-05:002007-11-06T23:59:12.316-05:00

Putting together the election edition for our newspaper with complete results used to depend on machines that worked, election clerks who didn't leave before letting us know who won and the ingenuity of reporters to get it all straight when things didn't go smoothly. No more. The Web sites put up in both Monmouth and Ocean counties bring the results in real time - a real service to their

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-61404728491088144092007-11-02T16:17:00.000-04:002007-11-02T17:20:08.462-04:00

This old political science major is bummed out. I love politics, but ... The amount of money being spent to win hotly contested legislative seats is obscene. And the money too often goes for negative advertising that leads you to wonder what new mailing or TV spot will strike a new low in tastelessness. Why would anyone want to run for public office if all you can look forward to is putting your

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-41108101719439518642007-10-31T13:14:00.000-04:002007-10-31T15:06:14.417-04:00

Barnegat Board of Education members can use a lesson in the First Amendment. They barred a parent, by unanimous vote Monday, from volunteering at school activities because she blogs on her own Web site. Lisa Becker's site focuses on Barnegat's municipal government and school board. It seems the board is afraid the district will be named a defendant in any lawsuit prompted by anything offensive

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-83079693724011564412007-10-29T22:51:00.000-04:002007-10-30T09:01:29.080-04:00

The calendar may read only Oct. 29, but winter started today.Yes, it was the first morning I had to scrape ice from my car windows. Can't say anything good about it. That was followed by maneuvering through my development dealing with sun glare on my mostly defrosted front windshield. (And when I got to work, that sun was still glaring just above my work station.) April, or a return of our

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-92050981845090766292007-10-26T14:57:00.000-04:002007-10-26T15:23:13.498-04:00

Those roadside campaign signs add visual pollution to the landscape this time of year. I can't imagine anyone casts a vote in response. But the candidates obviously think they make a difference. However, when it comes to signs in the hot race for state Senate in the 12th District, there's little to distinguish between Democratic Sen. Ellen Karcher and Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-61548357941144062682007-10-24T15:36:00.000-04:002007-10-24T16:00:00.798-04:00

You've got to wonder what kind of background checks Gov. Corzine's office conducts before making nominations. Case in point: His naming Monday of Gabriella E. Morris to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission, which oversees lobbying and campaign finance. Only problem: Morris is registered with ELEC as a lobbyist for Prudential Insurance.The conflict is clear and is reflected in ELEC's code

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-14360930910257585292007-10-23T17:08:00.000-04:002007-10-23T18:29:15.374-04:00

Isn't anything sacred? Something as benign as the Web address for the Ocean County Library? Yes, http://www.oceancountylibrary.org/ no longer gets Internet users to see the offerings of the county's library. Instead, you get a home page referring to all sorts of online library stuff, including one marked "Meet Sexy Singles.'' Not exactly what the county library folks have in mind.The domain name

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-17515309420428322272007-10-17T15:07:00.000-04:002007-10-17T15:46:53.381-04:00

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is no stranger to headlines. He's an aggressive politician who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor in 2005. But this time, the limelight might be a tad uncomfortable as the stories expose his private actions clashing with his public statements.The public Lonegan wants to see stricter policies on illegal immigration. But that didn't stop the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-18535606657961041062007-10-15T10:12:00.000-04:002007-10-16T08:57:32.615-04:00

There's something about seeing the names of so many cancer victims and survivors on pink papers pinned to the backs of so many walkers that makes a breast cancer awareness walk so compelling. So it was for the thousands at the Komen Walk for the Cure at Great Adventure Sunday morning. But it's a celebration, too, which is obvious from the hugs and cheers and laughter, with nary an agitated voice,

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-53810474175844263752007-10-03T17:49:00.000-04:002007-10-03T18:08:11.859-04:00

Entitlements. It's become a term of derision from those who find Social Security, Medicare or other government programs too expensive.But that feeling of being entitled extends to federal employees. The Government Accountability Office reported Tuesday that 67 percent of the premium-class air travel by executives and their employees was unauthorized or otherwise unjustified. The bill for that

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-13519611799131058452007-10-01T21:51:00.000-04:002007-10-01T22:10:34.774-04:00

As noted in my bio, I'm a baseball fan before all other extracurrics. And the Mets have been my team since before they were formed in '62. So these are sad times after their September swoon? Not really, because as much as I love baseball, it's only a game. I do believe my "Baseball is Life'' T-shirt because the game holds so many life lessons about preparation, discipline, redemption and, thanks

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-9153215522186500402007-08-31T17:10:00.000-04:002007-08-31T18:54:26.446-04:00

New York hotelier Leona Helmsley no longer may be considered the "Queen of Mean'' now that she's bequeathed $12 million for the care of her dog Trouble. (Don't tell that to the two grandchildren she reportedly left out of her will.) But you've got to wonder whether $100,000 or so would be enough for her beloved pet. Think about how many shelters can be sustained with the remaining $11.9

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-55226128017514159952007-08-28T22:33:00.000-04:002007-08-28T23:24:59.353-04:00

Our editorial Monday about the need for more variety in the PNC Bank Arts Center programming noted that the first concert at the Holmdel amphitheater 39 years ago featured the Philadelphia Orchestra. Back in the day, the stage hosted top singers and comics, Broadway-caliber shows, opera, ballet and classical performers. Yes, that was then and this is now, with the schedule dominated by groups who

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-48830246253837025942007-08-22T16:56:00.000-04:002007-08-22T17:37:03.750-04:00

When Brad Abelow, the state treasurer, met with the Press editorial board Tuesday, we expected the type of discussion that yielded the front-page story "Corzine plan for toll hikes still evolving; Abelow: Don't expect to see it before election.''But what we didn't expect was a public official with a gift for one liners:- "It's a game of inches,'' referring to efforts to trim state spending. The

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-54925767032647227902007-08-20T14:52:00.000-04:002007-08-20T16:10:42.252-04:00

I'm turned off by the polls that report Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who is 83, is too old to run for re-election or be re-elected next year. That's like saying Tony Bennett, 81, is too old to cut a CD or that Roger Clemens is too old to play baseball at 45.It's not age but ability that counts. If Bennett couldn't carry a tune anymore, he couldn't get a record label to distribute his songs. If Clemens

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-15452566492436622162007-08-16T13:46:00.000-04:002007-08-16T13:53:57.493-04:00

State Treasurer Bradley Abelow, who next month will become Gov. Corzine's chief of staff, is meeting with Press editorial board Tuesday afternoon. The agenda will include the state of the state's finances, the proposed monetization of assets and his new role as the governor's chief adviser.We would like to bring your questions to the table. Please send them using this space or via e-mail to me at

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-39350321716075987612007-08-14T09:49:00.000-04:002007-08-14T10:09:53.843-04:00

I've become a big believer in E-ZPass, not only for toll roads and bridges but extended to paid parking or other conveniences. I'm no Bible thumper, but my sense of morality means I have no patience for philanderers. But I'm not so sure we should link the two.The Associated Press reported the other day that E-ZPass and other electronic toll collection systems are being used to prove infidelity.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-46444861802236047422007-08-08T17:44:00.000-04:002007-08-09T08:53:12.853-04:00

All news is local, but it doesn't always touch your life. Ordinarily I wouldn't pay much attention to news of a private plane crash in Sitka, Alaska, that killed four people. Sad, but there's so much other sad news. But today I did because it was only two weeks ago that I was visiting the former Russian capital of Alaska as part of my cruise-land tour of Alaska. I walked around the downtown area

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-72789833632400075972007-08-06T20:33:00.000-04:002007-08-06T20:50:30.956-04:00

I'm a big believer in vacations. It's really important to get away - physically,mentally, emotionally - from work to, as the cliche goes, recharge. I can't unwind by just staying at home, so I've got to go somewhere.Somewhere this summer was Alaska, by cruise ship and then by train through Denail National Park. Multi-colored glaciers, lush rainforests, totem pole parks, Alaska Indian villages,

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-71586839313877420002007-07-13T15:45:00.000-04:002007-07-13T18:29:25.701-04:00

The saga of Miss New Jersey's somewhat racy photos and the failed blackmail attempt to have her bounced from the Miss America pageant will fade from the public eye soon enough. Oh, it would be nice to know who thinks so little of Amy Polumbo of Howell to send the telltale photos to pageant officials. But in the long run, it's no big deal.What this episode did expose is the pervasivenss of social

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-40319541888161422522007-07-11T15:39:00.000-04:002007-07-11T16:59:43.549-04:00

How must pain must a widow endure? Bear with us. Elizabeth Bernoskie's husband, a Rahway police officer, was slain on duty in 1958. Four decades later, someone was finally charged with his murder: Robert Zarinsky, in prison for the murder of a 17-year-old Atlantic Highlands girl in 1969. Zarinsky was linked to the Bernoskie murder by his sister, who said Zarinsky and a cousin said they killed a

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-10458646153977478502007-07-10T15:43:00.000-04:002007-07-10T17:42:53.529-04:00

Federal prosecutors trying the Fort Dix 6, the six South Jersey men charged with plotting to kill military personnel on Fort Dix in May, are taking an unusual step: They want to keep the names of the jurors who will consider the charges anonymous. They fear potential jurors will be concerned about their safety and that of their families, especially given the extensive pretrial publicity generated

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-44058118012122166312007-07-09T17:02:00.000-04:002007-07-10T12:11:13.796-04:00

Gov. Corzine does not have a warm and fuzzy relationship with the public the way, say, Senate President and former acting Gov. Richard J. Codey has. Codey portrays himself as a regular guy, which belies his stature as the ultimate Trenton insider. Corzine sees himself as someone extraordinary and uses language that reinforces that image.A recent poll found that the Democratic governor's not

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-91264395459787277922007-06-29T15:11:00.000-04:002007-06-29T16:00:34.190-04:00

So Gov. Corzine did keep his promise to trim the annual "Christmas tree'' list of state budget add-ons inserted by individual legislators for largely parochial purposes. They added $66.8 million to the $33.5 billion budget and the governor used his line-item veto to reduce it by $10 million. Every dollar counts, especially in a debt-ridden state, but that $10 million is only three-hundredths of 1

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-581378904600071832007-06-27T09:24:00.000-04:002007-06-27T09:42:48.332-04:00

You almost could feel sorry for former Gov. Whitman, who was bashed mercilessly at a congressional hearing Monday on her advice as EPA administrator that it was safe to breathe the air at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. Almost. Here, almost six years after the fact, she was asked to defend her actions as the environmental point person for the White House.Oh, it seemed as if Whitman was

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-9076249967046634042007-06-22T16:01:00.000-04:002007-06-23T11:50:14.828-04:00

Here's a pitch for living history or other archival efforts to preserve our past. I was reminded of it while watching a rerun of a PBS special of duets performed by Judy Garland (yes, she of "The Wizard of Oz'') with pop stars of the '60s. It was only black-and-white TV, but it was great to see live performances by long-gone music icons such as Frank Sinatra with Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Count

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-23698300310209358052007-06-21T22:35:00.000-04:002007-06-21T22:55:31.542-04:00

If you're under 21 and want to party with booze at a PNC Bank Arts Center concert, how much would you be willing to pay for the privilege? Probably not $539. But that's the bill for the final six of about 50 defendants after they pleaded guilty in municipal court Wednesday to charges of disorderly conduct and underage consumption of alcohol. They were fined $506 and assessed $33 in court

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-10640125253590005642007-06-20T16:47:00.000-04:002007-06-20T18:42:06.617-04:00

Yet another addition to our "Only in New Jersey'' file. The New Jersey election law overseers ruled Tuesday that it's OK for a candidate for the Linden City Council who hurt herself after tripping on a sidewalk while going door-to-door last year to use unused campaign funds to pay her medical bills. Election law forbids candidates from diverting campaign funds for personal use. But as long as the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-57538727649563677102007-06-19T16:51:00.000-04:002007-06-19T17:11:23.857-04:00

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "congestion pricing'' plan to discourage motor vehicles from Manhattan streets during the day is not just a New York matter. The proposal to charge $8 per car and $21 for trucks to drive in midtown - though far from a done deal - might make New Jersey commuters think twice and switch to mass transit if enacted. But does NJ Transit have the rail cars and buses to

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-30084413590600474192007-06-18T17:43:00.000-04:002007-06-18T22:48:55.342-04:00

I love baseball, even in an American League park. Yankee Stadium is a shrine. It's still a great setting for a game. There was just enough of a breeze to make it a comfortable evening. But the lasting impression of the Sunday night out - other than how superior the Yankees were to the Mets for that game - was how commercialized everything is. Everywhere you look there's an advertisement. And the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-11743366915946757422007-06-15T16:40:00.000-04:002007-06-15T18:36:08.679-04:00

The tabloids have the wayward ways of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. New Jersey newspapers and their metro New York cousins have Jim McGreevey. When will the former governor and estranged wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, go away? Their back-and-forth divorce claims were bad enough, especially when their 5-year-old daughter was the unintended victim. Now, Dina's book sales - or lack thereof - are at

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-55561281596860020572007-06-14T15:30:00.000-04:002007-06-14T16:28:08.097-04:00

How could a man accused of two murders and attempted murder be released by county jail authorities after being held on trespassing and mischief charges? That's something the father whose son was shot to death is wondering, fearful that the suspect will seek out him or witnesses. Mercer County jail officials and the state Parole Board had better find out.The initial explanation involves

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-8754735536753868872007-06-13T16:36:00.000-04:002007-06-13T17:11:33.556-04:00

So it was his mistake to not have included two resolutions on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders agenda at its May 24 meeting, the clerk to the board said this week. If he had, then the public would have had a chance to comment on the appointment of political insider John Tobia to head the public works and engineering department and the decision to terminate the Hall of Records renovations

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-51927525239043135752007-06-12T14:56:00.000-04:002007-06-12T16:49:44.582-04:00

The creativity of the students who enter our monthly Student Voices contest is evident in print and video today with our report on the reception and selection of grand-prize winners for essay writing and cartooning for the past school year. As the editor of the page and one of the judges, I can tell you it's not easy choosing the best. But it's comforting to realize there are no losers, just

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-14080912413383416252007-06-11T13:05:00.000-04:002007-06-11T16:47:29.516-04:00

The most impressive thing about the Belmar Seafood Festival Sunday was the diversity of people: Young and old, families and singles, with all colors represented. There were no agendas, other than lining up to get food, browsing the exhibits of crafts and nonprofits, listening to music and having a good time without succumbing to the increasing heat in a sun that seemed to be missing farther

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-34032374655194239492007-06-08T10:33:00.000-04:002007-06-08T11:18:33.371-04:00

Civility. The lack thereof has been raised in commentary pieces about education, pop culture and constitutional rights. They ask: Why does language have to be so course and so loud? The response: That's the way it is - on the street and on TV and in movies - and stop being such a prig.But does it have to be that way? Lacing every sentence - whether spoken or written - with obscenities doesn't add

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-76618281243950726802007-06-07T11:24:00.000-04:002007-06-07T16:48:22.471-04:00

School property belongs to the public, not just the Board of Education or the school administrators. So the Middletown board shouldn't have had to wait for residents' requests to allow them to use the tracks at the township's two high schools. And it's a shame officials have to install security cameras to record any misuse.The extra precautions stem from a vandalism spree at High School North in

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-5519001118715628442007-06-06T10:11:00.000-04:002007-06-06T10:50:16.012-04:00

Another smaller retail store bites the dust, wiped out by the big chains. News that the Reynolds department stores are closing is sad news for those of us with fond memories of the upscale store in your home town. Growing up in Perth Amboy, that store was Reynolds. It was clearly a step above its competitors on Smith Street in the pre-suburban mall days when you had to go to Newark or New York to

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-86814738584334890252007-06-05T09:44:00.000-04:002007-06-05T10:39:34.695-04:00

The Press celebrated the talents of our Student Voices winners at the annual reception Monday night at Brookdale Community College, sponsor of the contest. As editor of the page, now completing its ninth year, the quality of the writing and art work by youngsters in grades 7-12 never ceases to amaze me. Reading the prize-winning essays - which are the cream of the cream from among 1,663 submitted

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-14767648410917841092007-06-04T16:12:00.000-04:002007-06-04T17:00:35.771-04:00

So it cost the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey more than $450,000 in legal fees to build its case to fire Dr. R. Michael Gallagher, the former dean of its School of Osteopathic Medicine. That's more than the exorbitant $381,000 he was drawing in salary. But the cost, albeit high, was justified by Robert Del Tufo, chairman of the UMDNJ trustees, as necessary to ensure an

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-72950828279894576582007-05-30T22:47:00.000-04:002007-05-30T22:58:59.580-04:00

So the national hotel chains have rediscovered the Freehold area. Where have they been? The Press reported today that the Freehold Gardens has been sold and will be refurbished and become a Radisson. Back in the '80s, it was a Sheraton. The same new owner plans to build a hotel on Route 9 that will bring a Hampton Inn to the region. We must be hitting the big time.This leads to a pet peeve:

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-67798824072017153872007-05-25T16:32:00.000-04:002007-05-25T16:53:52.630-04:00

Forget Jim McGreevey. The politician we can't get enough of these days is Gov. Corzine, though not necessarily to his liking. His near-fatal traffic accident was national news, with his failure to wear a seat belt and the high speed of his SUV making it even juicier news. He's now a radio star with his riveting public service announcement promoting seat belt use that starts: "I'm New Jersey Gov.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-87836325349948626122007-05-22T16:09:00.000-04:002007-05-22T18:29:17.336-04:00

So the other shoe has dropped on the Monmouth Park faithful who had figured the Breeders' Cup races in October would be the highlight of their racing season, if not forever. The admission prices and seating plan are out - and so, alas, are those track regulars. Not at $50 for general admission standing room only and from $100 to $250 a person for seating areas. That's a far cry from the $2

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-89102182181196815972007-05-18T21:09:00.000-04:002007-05-18T21:46:03.370-04:00

You'd think our state legislators would finally learn not to meddle where they don't belong. But the Assembly Higher Education Committee spent precious time Thursday passing a recommendation that the Rutgers University Board of Governors consider changing the school's sports team logo - the one with the scarlet "R" - to more closely identify with New Jersey. The committee chairman, a Middlesex

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-19732178598798851232007-05-16T15:32:00.000-04:002007-05-16T16:18:57.901-04:00

So the folks at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are considering doing away with the toll booths that accept cash at the bridges and tunnels into New York City. Good for them. Seventy percent of the motorists already use E-ZPass. It's about time the convenience ofE-ZPass is forced upon all motorists.Those without E-ZPass will have photos taken of their cars and get billed later. The

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-4142581855311912482007-05-14T16:25:00.000-04:002007-05-14T18:48:59.138-04:00

What a bummer! To learn that the meteorite that fell through the roof of your house is really just, well, space junk. The world learned last week that the rock-like item 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches and weighing about 13 ounces that crashed into Srinivasan Nageswaran's home in Freehold Township Jan. 2 was just one of the millions of man-made items floating in space.The truth was revealed after

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-22851665096574495752007-05-11T15:37:00.000-04:002007-05-11T16:17:22.649-04:00

It is awful to contemplate the potential devastation had the Fort Dix terrorists not been arrested this week before they implemented their plan. But it is good to see that didn't prevent the Senate Judiciary Committee from approving a bill to eliminate the death penalty.The seemingly endless appeals required for death row inmates are a waste of time and money. As some families of victims told the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-56201005235077776902007-05-10T11:11:00.000-04:002007-05-10T11:56:41.068-04:00

Apparently the lawyers for Long Branch defending the use of eminent domain in the city believe that longer is better. They filed a 125-page brief in their court fight to roust 19 property owners to allow for redevelopment. Yes, whatever points they were advocating took 125 pages to explain. The normal maximum is 65 pages and courts can give some leeway for an "overlength brief.'' But almost twice

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-80080573804002128162007-05-08T15:57:00.000-04:002007-05-08T16:35:31.397-04:00

Excuse this diversion from the heavy news of the day, but we have to thank the New York Yankees and Roger Clemens for inspiring baseball fans everywhere. You have to give the team credit for having the "Rocket'' announce his return to the Yankees over the PA system during the seventh-inning stretch Sunday. It was great theater.But Clemens' return restores the Yankees to their rightful place as

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-34622965658417423232007-05-02T17:07:00.000-04:002007-05-02T18:34:51.107-04:00

The dismay of students of the Antrim Elementary School in Point Pleasant Beach and their parents was evident Tuesday night as they protested the Board of Education's decision not to grant tenure to the school's principal, Thomas O'Hara. Even though they should have known the Borough Council can't do anythnig about a school personnel matter, at least 70 parents, teachers and pupils gathered

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-45185114851167642182007-04-30T13:27:00.000-04:002007-04-30T13:54:45.896-04:00

It doesn't happen often enough, but sometimes things are said in courtrooms or from the Governor's Office that make you want to shout, ""Yes!'' Three instances from the front page of Saturday's Press:Former Gov. Jim McGreevey and his estranged wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, are haggling over custody of their 5-year-old daughter Jacqueline. The back-and-forth news conferences and competing tell-all

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1162194004265551962007-04-24T15:52:00.000-04:002007-04-25T22:59:47.446-04:00

It's another in the long line of N.J. news items that earn the "you can't make this up" designation. The latest is about the police chief from a tiny Gloucester County town - and his wife - who stole $150,000 from a charity, the attorney general's office announced Tuesday. Not just any charity, but MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), which complements the public safety work that police do. Why

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-76726259543773544292007-04-23T11:17:00.000-04:002007-04-23T22:59:11.610-04:00

Patrons at the box office of the hit Broadway musical "Jersey Boys'' are greeted with a warning that profanity and "Jersey vocabulary'' are used as special effects in the production. And they definitely are, presumably to add a genuine voice to the story of the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The show would be a crowd-pleaser with or without the naughty words that wouldn't be allowed at the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-63459542844058236142007-04-19T17:09:00.000-04:002007-04-19T18:40:35.271-04:00

You've got to love how some politicians spin the news. Take, for example, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, D-Union, the Democratic State Committee chairman. In response to campaign finance reports Tuesday that showed the Democrats had $4.2 million in cash through the end of March while the Republicans had $1.4 million, Cryan attributed the difference to public approval of the job his party has done

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-72987845278301893092007-04-18T16:56:00.000-04:002007-04-18T17:57:56.979-04:00

The headlines in the aftermath of Gov. Corzine's accident acknowledge that the governor wasn't wearing a seat belt and that his trooper-driver was speeding at 91 mph with the SUV's emergency lights flashing. Which begs the question: Just because the vehicle is transporting the governor, its occupants are immune from common sense?Corzine has a history of not buckling up while a passenger. His

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-31583471394298259082007-04-17T14:10:00.000-04:002007-04-17T14:54:52.636-04:00

The state Department of Transportation finally got something right with its redesign of the Collingwood Circle where routes 33 and 34 meet in Wall. Yes, the same DOT that posted street-name signs that have faded beyond recognition and will cost $6 million to replace. We're no fans of New Jersey's infamous traffic circles. But judicious use of yield signs that clearly give drivers in the circle

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-73154581722567583532007-03-30T10:41:00.000-04:002007-03-30T11:26:27.094-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how when a public official is charged with a crime, his colleagues rush to recount his good deeds. The latest is Assembly Majority Leader Joseph J. Roberts Jr., D-Camden, gushing about Sen. Wayne R. Bryant, D-Camden, after Bryant was charged Thursday with public corruption. After praising Bryant for his welfare reform, urban renewal and other legislative measures,

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-37098177789763314012007-03-27T15:24:00.000-04:002007-03-27T17:52:25.638-04:00

As a Rutgers alum and a New Jersey resident upset about state spending, it's tough being a Scarlet Knights sports fan these days. You never want to see any Rutgers team lose. Last fall, the football team rarely disappointed in rolling to an 11-2 mark and a Texas Bowl victory. This week, the woman's basketball team - a young group of overachievers - is going to the Final Four. Rutgers is on the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-78842814833981716632007-03-23T16:28:00.000-04:002007-03-24T12:16:24.945-04:00

Judges are always subject to second-guessing come sentencing day. But when a judge gets it right, he deserves unqualified praise. And Superior Court Judge James N. Citta got it right Friday in Toms River when he sentenced Michael LaSane of Berkeley to life plus 60 years in prison for the carjack-killing of Middletown teacher Kathleen Stanfield Weinstein 11 years ago. That carries twice as long

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-49268975475097917792007-03-22T09:45:00.000-04:002007-03-22T13:07:42.784-04:00

Chemical plants are particularly vulnerable to causing widespread devastation if targeted by terrorists. So you'd think that allowing states to impose the strictest rules possible for chemical plant security would be a no-brainer in the post-9/11 world. Not for the Bush administration and congressional representatives who are far too close to the chemical industry, which claims its scientists

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-42344822590021310622007-03-21T15:23:00.000-04:002007-03-21T18:12:30.803-04:00

It isn't often that a comic strip is worth blogging about, but Steve Breen's Grand Avenue last Sunday struck a nerve. He depicts 6-year-old Gabby boasting about her expertise with e-mail, instant messaging, posting on Internet bulletin boards or chat rooms and posting comments on a Web site. But when it comes to face-to-face conversation, it's "Uh ... Ima, Ima, Ima, Ima, Ima, uh ... Ima ...''

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-46285317188872221442007-03-19T12:02:00.000-04:002007-03-19T14:25:21.270-04:00

They've done it again, our friends at CBS-TV. Their sports programming on Sunday afternoon runs late, wreaking havoc with the evening viewing schedule. This weekend, it was NCAA basketball. Earlier this year, there was football and golf. Whether you've organized your evening to catch your favorite shows or set your DVR to record them for later viewing, it just doesn't seem fair.Everything was set

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-43497205746422941392007-03-09T15:56:00.000-05:002007-03-19T14:23:14.786-04:00

For those wondering when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will finally hit home for Americans, the published stories and congressional testimony about the shoddy care returning military personnel and veterans receive at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington should strike a chord. But as Congressman Chris Smith, R-N.J., notes in a commentary on the Press op-ed page Sunday, it's not

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-66348585824403548592007-03-07T16:43:00.000-05:002007-03-07T18:18:36.385-05:00

Our legislators have found yet another unnecessary topic to waste precious Assembly time, this one with national implications. Along with a package of bills on veterans' issues up for debate in the Assembly Thursday is a resolution expressing "strong opposition'' to President Bush's surge of troops in Iraq.Yes, New Jersey National Guardsmen have been deployed for too long to Iraq, and families

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-3120876325782199362007-03-05T15:55:00.000-05:002007-03-05T16:51:09.547-05:00

Spelldown 2007, which starts its two-night run at Monmouth University tonight, is more than just a contest. It gives 97 of the region's top spellers - from grades 4 through 8 - a chance to show how well young people can perform under pressure. Standing up on the stage of a college theater before an audience of at least 200 and then spelling a word that's probably not in your daily vocabulary is

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-89325260518918416472007-03-01T11:43:00.000-05:002007-03-01T13:04:24.381-05:00

In an editorial today, the Press calls on proponents of moving up New Jersey's presidential primary to February to find already allocated state money to pay county election boards the $8 million the extra voting will cost. (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/OPINION/703010416/1029). They want to give New Jersey voters a better chance at making a difference in determining the

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-15432298079732816732007-02-26T16:30:00.000-05:002007-02-26T17:03:23.729-05:00

They held a symposium on government ethics the other day in response, in part, to the number of public officials caught, as Attorney General Stuart Rabner put it, "gaming the system'' for personal gain. Rabner told the 70 local and county officials, municipal administrators and law enforcement folks there to use common sense to avoid conflicts of interest and to think about appropriate behavior

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-67172634247563660362007-02-23T15:02:00.000-05:002007-02-23T17:46:58.056-05:00

Surveys that expose the sorry handle on American history and government by U.S. college students these days don't go far enough. They should stop by the state Legislature in Trenton. When Gov. Corzine referred to former United Nations secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold as a hero of his youth near the end of his budget address Thursday, several legislators were left clueless. That's a shame."Who's

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-41731920273816516442007-02-20T16:32:00.000-05:002007-02-20T17:46:44.172-05:00

In the you-can't-make-this-up category of news, there's the guy from upstate New York who is suing IBM for $5 million for improperly firing him for visiting an adult chat room on the Internet at work. You see, he's a long-time sex addict and, more recently, an Internet addict. He visits chat rooms as treatment for the traumatic stress syndrome he developed after seeing an Army buddy killed during

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-65752700734317997232007-02-14T16:11:00.000-05:002007-02-15T23:05:42.426-05:00

It was freezing rain, or was it sleet? Either way, it was cold, it was windy, it was wet. And oh the aching arms and back muscles after scraping the snow off the car and the ice from the car windows. But what should we expect in mid-February? We've been spared the white-knuckle drives to and from work so far this winter. Once safely inside, the ice-laden trees made for a pretty sight. And seeing

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-38072397173264276742007-02-12T15:57:00.000-05:002007-02-12T17:13:35.209-05:00

Here it is more than six years since the 2000 presidential election was decided in the courts because of voting challenges and the nation still hasn't solved the problem. We don't have foolproof machines in place everywhere. Too many of them don't provide a paper trail for use in case of malfunctions or for recounts.And we read today that it's a New Jersey problem. Voter-rights activists are

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-62542503634093482892007-02-09T14:27:00.000-05:002007-02-09T15:29:45.228-05:00

White-collar crimes, especially those pulled by scam artists, are somehow considered less serious than other offenses. Don't tell that to the folks at Ocean County College, the United Way of Ocean County and the Berkeley Little League. Each of these nonprofits was pledged big bucks by an anonymous donor, Edward Devine, who, it turns out, doesn't have the money to give. Is reneging on a pledge a

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-60905120877428399662007-02-08T15:39:00.000-05:002007-02-08T16:04:55.209-05:00

Did Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards think the media wouldn't check it out? His home, or rather his estate, in Orange County, N.C.? He's the candidate railing against "two Americas'' - one for the wealthy and one for the poor. He's the guy who launched his presidential bid from the back yard of a New Orleans woman who lost her home to Hurricane Katrina. The hypocrisy is hard to

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170794273266701552007-02-06T15:13:00.000-05:002007-02-07T12:07:42.518-05:00

State Sen. Sharpe James, D-Essex, should do stand-up comedy. His defense of the Senate bill to ban dual officeholding by public officials Monday was that funny. Or sad. Here we have James, who served as mayor of Newark and also in the Legislature from 1999 through last year, holding himself out as the model for good-government reform."I never wanted to be a dual officeholder,'' James said. If not

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170707271358280872007-02-05T15:27:00.000-05:002007-02-05T18:18:25.163-05:00

Michael LaSane of Berkeley has one last chance to show some decency and spare the family and friends of Kathleen Stanfield Weinstein of Tinton Falls, the teacher he is charged with killing, the pain of reliving her horrifying last moments and death 11 years ago. He is scheduled to stand trial Tuesday in Toms River on charges of felony murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery and carjacking. If

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170445930154916712007-02-02T14:12:00.000-05:002007-02-02T17:31:27.716-05:00

There's nothing funny about the reaction of Bostonians to the discovery Wednesday of numerous blinking electronic signs displaying a boxy-looking cartoon character. Some of the signs had protruding wires. Others resembled pipe bombs. So it's little wonder residents and officials feared their city was under attack. Highways, bridges and river traffic were shut down. Bomb squads were dispatched.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170276225537241792007-01-31T15:43:00.000-05:002007-01-31T16:08:08.980-05:00

Never does "Big Brother'' feel more real than when you allow a computer provider to remotely access your PC. It's like having someone in your room looking over your shoulder, but he or she is most likely half a world away in India, Bangladesh or some other outsourced land. And when your cursor moves around the screen while you're cradling the phone talking to Mr. or Ms. Fix-It, it's so eerie.I'm

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170193942674748212007-01-30T16:52:00.000-05:002007-01-30T16:56:48.246-05:00

It shouldn't have to be that way, but if Americans need incentives to do the right thing, then let's do it. Energy efficiency is a prime example. There's a bill making its way through the Legislature that would exempt from the state sales tax the purchase of any cars that get at least 35 miles per gallon on the open road. Its sponsor, Sen. Thomas H. Kean Jr., R-Union, is right when he said his

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1170100914408906002007-01-29T14:39:00.000-05:002007-01-29T15:34:57.963-05:00

The brouhaha over a bill to remove the requirement that schools teach about Memorial Day and Veterans Day, among other holidays, is almost over. Gov. Corzine on Friday issued a conditional veto of this misguided legislation. Both houses of the Legislature are going to accept his recommendations.Several readers have asked who introduced this proposal (Sen. John Adler, D-Camden and Assemblywoman

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1169580027376263572007-01-23T14:20:00.000-05:002007-01-23T16:37:44.043-05:00

It's little wonder why our political leaders have such a disconnect from the public they represent. Only the rich or those who curry favor with the moneyed class run for office -- and they have little in common with the average American. Yet that trend is likely to escalate as more and more presidential candidates opt to privately fund their campaigns rather than accept the limits that accompany

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1169493526232634392007-01-22T14:16:00.000-05:002007-01-22T14:21:21.593-05:00

How do you prepare to belly dance after dinner? It never crossed my mind until a young woman - with long hair, even longer arms and exposing more skin than is usually seen in a Monmouth County restaurant - slithered into a Turkish eatery to entertain diners Saturday night. It was quite a sight. Two little children, no older than 7, joined in at her first table stop. She serenaded a newly engaged

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1169232271099881092007-01-19T13:44:00.000-05:002007-01-19T14:08:29.673-05:00

Good-government advocates and, yes, Democrats are decrying the removal of several U.S. attorneys nationwide who have shown their independence by aggressively investigating people close to the Bush administration. One of them, Carol Lam of San Diego, pursued the probe that led to the bribery arrest and eventual resignation of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif. The ostensible reason for her

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168987099931659232007-01-16T16:57:00.000-05:002007-01-16T18:23:26.356-05:00

When our January Student Voices topic asked students to consider what they would try if they knew they could not fail, we were overwhelmed by the creativity displayed in the answers. Sure, we received essays about bringing about world peace or curing disease, some with personal touches. Those responses show how seriously students approach what they perceive as really important.But then there were

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168822375067893082007-01-14T19:00:00.000-05:002007-01-15T16:47:23.760-05:00

The performing arts progam of any high school never gets the publicity that a sports team receives, but there's as much or more talent, discipline and teamwork on display on the stage than on the playing field. That was clear Saturday evening when students in the Freehold Performing Arts Center program at Howell High School contributed to a concert in memory of Steven Gosewisch, a music teacher

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168636632851659642007-01-12T16:15:00.000-05:002007-01-12T18:37:32.273-05:00

A letter writer from Jackson wants Gov. Corzine to veto a bill that would no longer require schools to teach about Veterans Day, Memorial Day and four other holidays. She asks whether it's too much to expect schools to devote maybe one hour a year on the significance of each of these holidays. She makes a good point. But a better question is why it has to be mandated in the first place.There's no

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168546660349713332007-01-11T14:50:00.000-05:002007-01-11T16:07:54.876-05:00

With so much heavy news to absorb with the president's new Iraqi troop "surge'' and three high school students among four dead in a Freehold Township motor vehicle accident, it's comforting to move on to lighter fare. But even there, it's not so easy.For a journalist who's an avid baseball fan, it was disappointing to read that two most deserving former players, Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn,

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168376418554750482007-01-09T15:34:00.000-05:002007-01-09T16:16:24.986-05:00

Whew, drivers have been spared seeing the Gecko every time they cross the George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority has backed out of a contract for a $3.2 million advertising campaign by Geico with billboards at the bridge, saying it wasn't worth the grief. Somehow, the Port Authority folks, in the words of a spokesman, "misjudged the negative reaction'' of putting ads on a national

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168282967647424462007-01-08T13:40:00.000-05:002007-01-08T14:02:47.940-05:00

Those of us battling the achy sinuses, sniffles, sneezes, wheezes, coughs or, in my case, the laryngitis of a winter cold probably don't feel any better reading that it's not a cold at all. It's most likely an allergy. The culprits are mold spores that cause allergies. And what's to blame for their increased activity? The warm weather.It seems mold spores outside would die off in the cold weather

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1168030703809957992007-01-05T15:30:00.000-05:002007-01-06T11:34:43.340-05:00

It looks as if state Sen. Wayne R. Bryant, D-Camden - undoubtedly the worst example of a legislator who profits from his public service - may be ready to step out of public life. But not before claiming an annual pension of $83,000, about half of his last three years' worth of salaries from four public-funded jobs. Of course, one of them -- at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1167944101072887542007-01-04T15:29:00.000-05:002007-01-06T11:35:53.020-05:00

I really like E-ZPass for its convenience. But I don't like getting E-ZPass violation notices. Wednesday, I received two of them in the mail. I fully support the E-ZPass folks going after scofflaws. I'm not one of them. But they've entangled me in the telecommunications nightmare of trying to reach a real person to explain why I'm not at fault and therefore won't pay the 70-cent toll plus $25

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1167855744413115742007-01-03T14:57:00.000-05:002007-01-03T15:40:28.390-05:00

Disgraced former Gov. Jim McGreevey made the news again Tuesday with the private unveiling of his official portrait in his former statehouse office. Fortunately, everyone involved - including Gov. Corzine - kept the event low-key. Given McGreevey's legacy of higher taxes and questionable appointments - plus a resignation that cemented New Jersey as a national laughingstock - the ceremony

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1167419485526728882006-12-29T14:11:00.000-05:002006-12-29T14:42:16.993-05:00

State Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri was acting governor Thursday because all four people ahead of him in the line of succession were out of state. How could that be? Well, the first Texas Bowl football game in Houston featured dear old Rutgers, our state university, and all four wound up there. Wonder how they copped tickets? It wasn't from their loyalty as alums. Of the four - Gov.

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1167248664933709722006-12-27T14:43:00.000-05:002006-12-27T14:49:38.430-05:00

For people out there looking for a challenge, the sheriff departments in Monmouth and Ocean counties have a job for you: 911 operator. Each county has five positions open for call takers and dispatchers. Yes, it's a stressful job often dealing with life-threatening situations. And yes, it's undoubtedly undervalued with the starting salary of $30,000 in Monmouth and $27,500 in Ocean. And you even

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1167160519782509362006-12-26T13:54:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:15:20.180-05:00

It never ceases to amaze how public figures curry favor with the media when it suits their fancy, but when the news isn't so good, they make like those some media folk don't exist or, worse yet, attack them for invading their privacy. Some recent examples:Brick Mayor Joseph Scarpelli resigned earlier this month, with no reason given. He's been an accessible figure in local politics for decades,

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1166641800434193082006-12-20T13:43:00.000-05:002006-12-21T08:39:13.113-05:00

So former Democratic power broker John A. Lynch Jr. is going off to prison for mail fraud and income tax evasion. He was sentenced to 39 months Tuesday. But he will get to spend the holidays with his family before reporting to the federal prison system Jan. 15 and, with good behavior, could be freed in 33 months. And he might even serve his time in a federal prison in South Jersey.That all might

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22250363.post-1166544774936927092006-12-19T10:44:00.000-05:002006-12-19T17:11:19.896-05:00

A letter writer from Middletown wondered whether all those houses and lawns bedecked with hundreds, if not thousands, of lights are wasting electrical energy and money. We're all supposed to have caught the spirit of the season the week before Christmas, but he raises an interesting point. All those lights have to boost the homeowner's electricity bill. And are house displays what Christmas is

Larry Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03463172294444407802noreply@blogger.com2