the comma placement in the title made it read like 'police men' robbed the 14 year old.

In case you were wondering what used to be at the site in Kearny, off Rt. 7, where they are encapsulating the site in clay:


http://images.google.com/hosted/life/3b49dc872c7220f0.html

Before the construction of natural gas pipelines, coking facilities were used to make more than coke. They also manufactured the gas that was used for cooking stoves and for a time, lighting; up until around the early 1960's.

Back then though, the 'gas' was only part methane. A good part of it was carbon monoxide. This is where the idea came of committing suicide by "sticking your head in the oven" came about.


If you scroll through the pics, you can see that you can't see too far into the distance due to the amount of smog. The air is much better today than it was 60+ years ago. It was even worse 100+ years ago when heating was primarily from coal burning fireplaces.

That happened almost 20 years ago at the Newport / Pavonia station. The woman jumped just as I made it down to the platform (I didn't see her go). The train stopped about 1/3 into the station. The engineer had an absolute look of shock his face.

It was a rather ogrish scene.. the police were checking between cars to see where her body was. She was ripped into multiple pieces (she was spread out under two cars).

I can't imagine having to be one of the rescue crew having to clean up that mess....

If I remember correctly the Iowa class battleships and a McDonalds on board (or was it the carriers?). With the removal of loads of 20 and 40 mm anti-air cannon (replaced by the Phalanx Cannon) the Iowa class carried far fewer personnel than during WWII. So you had some extra space on board. The marines were not happy the BB's were taken out of service as they could really deliver a punch via shore bombardment (something the Brits wish they had during the Falkland Island Campaign). I remember listening to an interview of one of the Americans who were taken hostage in Lebanon during the early 80's (forgot his name). He talked about how his captors and Syrian minders kept bitching about 'New Jersey'. It was only later that he realized they were talking about the battleship shelling his captors with 5 inch and 16 inch ordinance and not the state (everyone hates NJ.. even people in Lebanon).

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Arguments like this have been made since 1987 when Florida became a "shall issue" state. It was big because at that time, no state with densely populated urban centers had passed shall issue CCW (CT was still a may issue state.. today it pretty much gives permits to anyone who can pass the background checks). Which means that unless you have a criminal or mental history, you cannot be denied a permit.

"The gun will just be taken from the victim and used in further crimes"

"Minor traffic accidents will turn into gun battles..."

"Innocent people will get shot by the thousands..."

If any of the above was the norm, the expansion of "Shall Issue" would have never made it past Florida. The reality is that arming law abiding people has been a success.

25 years later.....

No mass killing by CCW holders...
Lots of crimes stopped by CCW holders..
Only 9 states restrict or ban CCW for the general public
Millions of CCW permits issued (VT, AK, require no permits)

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Perp pulls knife

Woman pulls gun from concealed holster on her body.

Perp runs away, or like the story from CT, which was a damn close situation to what happened here in J.C., takes two to the chest.

Woman keeps purse.



Situations like this play out all the time, except here because unless you are a retired cop or have political connections, you will not be granted a permit to carry. NJ does have a CCW law.. but it is given to only the chosen few.

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From the news:

NEW HAVEN (AP) -- New Haven police say a would-be mugger pulled a knife, but the intended victim had a gun and shot the suspect twice in the chest.

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Vi ... -464247.php#ixzz1kPuaMSRa


This is unusual only in the fact the mugger got shot. In most cases where a person uses a gun for self defense, no shots are fired. Drawing the firearm is enough to deter the crime.

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The PATH train loses money.

Quote: Until the 1980's, you were required to flee your home if someone broke in. The rules were amended to allow force.. but the caveats are enough to make your hair hurt. Many moons ago, I sat in while a lawyer specializing in NJ firearms laws went over the rules. They are at best described as vague, contradictory, and complicated. Here is a video giving an overview of some of the laws here in NJ (but doesn't deal with issue of self defense): BTW: For those who want to get a firearms purchase permit (you need a separate permit for handguns and shotguns / rifles), Jersey City is professional about getting you through the process. When I lived in Hoboken (1990's), the Chief of Police only signed permits for his friends. It took a threatened lawsuit to get my permits signed.

It may happen. We live in a bit of a bubble here in the NYC to Philly Metro areas: The rest of the country (even in the liberal North East places like CT) allow concealed carry and have a clear Castle Doctrine law (you can use deadly force to protect yourself from home invasion). Other states have gone further to extend Castle Doctrine (Stand Your Ground) to outside the home. Here in NJ, the law is so Byzantine in nature that you will likely face jail time if you use deadly force to protect your home. In addition, NJ likes to send gun owners to jail for say, stopping for gas on your way to the pistol range to practice.

As a law abiding people, we can either take charge of our own defense and protection, or continue to yield our rights to do so to the state. The latter will mean we become like Europe: Cameras everywhere, increasing crime, and a state more interested in enforcing misdemeanors such as failing to recycle than actually reducing crime (hey.. those fines leveled pay for those cameras... hardened criminals cost the state money to lock up).

Who will pay for the upkeep? I think back to the battleship Texas which was never maintained properly. It basically sunk in port.

This is another reason why NJ needs to join the majority of the country and allow CCW (you can only get it in NJ if you have the right political connections). If the law that forces states to honor out of state concealed carry permits (like states do for driver's licenses) makes it out of Congress, I think I will move my residency back to Vermont so I can carry here in Jersey City (and so can my wife).

PATH could be worse.. at least they haven't gone on strike.

speaking of rail transportation in the Heights...

Anyone have access to a map of where the Trollies used to run in JC Heights? I was given a picture of my place back in the late 40's, which showed trolly tracks running down Oakland Ave. The catanery was gone, so I assumed the trollies were already out of service on that line.

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Yes, but the saving grace has been that the USA is like a skinny homely looking girl at a dance full of fat women: Compared to the competition (Europe, Japan, etc.), we look good.


The Fed hasn't done QEIII because recently, the Treasury hasn't had too much trouble selling its debt. Euros, yen, and other currencies are being exchanged for dollars. Then those dollars are being placed into 'safe' places like treasuries or bank deposits. That money is not making it into the economy. Deposits have grown so much that some banks are now charging (big depositors) interest instead of paying interest. So in the short term, the world burning down around us has been good for our spending and debt situation. Long term, the world burning down around us isn't so good.

As a result, inflation has been pretty tepid. However, if the economy starts to grow again (4%+ in GDP) watch out. We could see inflation levels not seen since the late 70's early 80's as all those dollars leave the bank and start flowing through the economy.

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Actually, the Hudson river is almost clean enough to swim now. A lot of pier damage is being done by wood boring worms that used to be killed off by the polluted water. The Hudson river cleaned up significantly when NYC and Hudson Country upgraded their sewerage treatment back in the early 90's.

One of the bigger remaining issue is sewer discharge from sewers that get overloaded during storms. This was discussed in one of the Irene threads back in August.

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Since there are only 2 units, maybe you can qualify for insurance through NJ Manufacturers (it's non-profit)? You or your employer will need to belong to the NJ Business & Industry Association though in order to qualify.

As for flood portion of the insurance, I think the only game in town now is the Federal Govt's program. That program took on huge losses in 2010 thru 2011, which might explain your big increase in rates.

To be fair, per the news story she wasn't due, was having issues with what turned out to be contractions. She and her husband were on there way to the doctor to have her checked out when she went into full labor.

It happens sometimes... looks like it was a happy ending for mom, dad, and the new born.

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Given any thought to just finding a better apartment?

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My wife's job requires her to deal a lot with China. Her employer has moved a lot of its manufacturing out of China (garments & textiles) due to the deteriorating situation there:

1. Inflation: The Chi-Coms have been printing money like mad to keep their economy going. China misallocated the billions in trade they received in order to keep the massive population of poor employed. Through their basically government run banking sector, they have loaned money to:

Build cities that nobody live in.
Build malls that have no stores
Subsidies inefficient state run factories that produce low quality products that nobody wants.
Build high speed rail lines that are not needed and kill their passenger.
Build sky-scrapers with steel that weighs a lot less than steel should (next major earthquake that hits a place like Shanghai will be 'interesting' to say the least).

As trade slows, the Chi-Coms just printed money to keep the whole circus running. As a result, workers wages no longer cover the basics like food. Factory owners are finding out they cannot deliver goods at prices quoted (garments are ordered over a year in advance) because they have to keep raising wages. Often, after holidays, workers simply don't come back to work, causing delays in delivery.

2. Currency Controls: The elite are exchanging Reminbi for dollars, euros, yen, and gold and leaving the country with it (same thing happened in Thailand in 1997 right before the collapse). The government has now instituted currency controls to stem the tide of foreign reserves leaving the country. As a result, the factories can't import the trims and other items they need to complete the orders (they have to pay for them with dollars, yen, euros, etc.). There is no way they can pay for the stuff. A work-around has been to setup shell companies in Hong Kong, where the currency controls don't apply.

3. The place is poisoned: China became a leader in delivering refined silicon (for solar PV panels) by skipping an expensive step... heating up the waste product (silicon tetrachloride) to 1,800 F to recycle it. Instead, it gets dumped around the plants, killing everything (it breaks down into hydrochloric acid). This has been repeated in other areas (mining). China is running out of potable water and arable land. Parts of their agriculture sector is now pollinating trees BY HAND! They managed to kill off every pollinating insect in the area. Without real tort law and property rights, a farmer sees his fields poisoned and he has no recourse.

China is going to have a very hard economic landing...

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The people have to come before the good quality stores show up. The people will come if you can:

1. Offer better quality housing at a lower price than surrounding areas, that is still close to their jobs.
2. Provide public transportation This is the advantage cities have over suburbia.. easy commutes and the ability to live well without a car.
3. Low crime. No matter how wonderful an apartment is, no decent person will move there if they think there is a high probability that they will be mugged, robbed, raped, or murdered.

The other issue that bother me a bit is Jersey City is redeveloping with the focus geared on towards residential and retail (with the exception of the new warehouse just South of the Skyway). People won't live their if the jobs are far from Jersey City.

I would like to see some development going towards manufacturing, tech, and other heavy industry that attracts higher end research, skilled labor, and engineering jobs. IMO, The United States is about to see a Renaissance of sorts in manufacturing (in particular chemical) because energy prices are headed for a crash and overseas labor costs are rising rapidly (China is having serious wage issues). Given that J.C. is surrounded by ports, rail, highways, universities, a skilled work force, and a high density consumer market, it would be nice to leverage these advantages to attract some non-residential redevelopment.

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If the govt. would just get out of the way and let the market work, the housing situation would have fixed itself years ago. It would have involved a price crash, banks going under, lots of foreclosures. It would have been hell.. but well over with by now.

Artificially propping up the market is only going to delay the inevitable. The housing bust was fueled by the mis-allowcation of capital. When prices finally do crater, the misfortune of the current underwater homeowners will be an opportunity to those who sat out the bubble and saved their $$$.

When the market crashed last time, the bottom for this area was reached around 1995 to 1997. At the time, I was saving money like a fiend, living in craptastic apartment in Hoboken (it was cheap) with roommates, and all whilst earning a really low salary.

Prices dropped and nobody was buying. That market allowed me to buy a small 2 family home for $84k (about $124k in today's money). I fixed it up (it was really run down and smelled like stale curry). The rent I collected for one unit exceeded my P&I portion of my monthly payment. That little 2-family home was really good to me for the five years I lived there.

I wasn't the only young guy that took advantage of the market at the time. Now... such an opportunity is denied because the market is still being artificially propped up (TARP, low interest rates, pressuring banks not to foreclose, etc.) Savers who are renters (and don't want to be) are being punished as a result.

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Your first question: If the landlord is supplying heat, per city code, it must be kept at a certain temperature. I think its something like 70 F during the day and 68 F at night. You might want to look it up to make sure what it is (I gave my apartment their own heating units.. so the temperature is whatever the tenant sets it at).

If the landlord doesn't do so, you are entitled to place your rent into an escrow account until the situation is addressed. You cannot simply stop paying rent.

Second Question:Again, its the level of inconvenience.
My M.O. in a broken heat situation where its not something I can fix right away (a boiler always seems to break on a Saturday night where I can't get the part I need until Monday morning):

1. Provide 1 to 3 electric heaters to keep heat going.
2. Give in writing (email) an explanation of what is wrong, what needs to be ordered, and ETA for repairs.
3. Confirm with tenant by phone, text, or email when the repairs are complete.

IMO, if I do that above, I am entitled to rent.

Now to your situation: Since you can't run the electric heaters enough to keep the apartment warm, IMO you would be justified for a reduced rent for this month. Not a free month of rent mind you, since you were still able to use the apartment. The landlord also needs to address the inadequate heat on your floor. If its a single pipe system, he needs to balance the air-bleed valves. If its a two pipe system, he needs fix the shutoff valves (turn off some of the radiators on the lower floors) and adjust the pressure on the boiler.

Or he could (if willing to spend the money) install automatic valves on the radiators tied to a secured thermostat. The radiators on the lower floors would shutoff as the temp reached 70F.

Steam systems are notoriously tricky to balance. Not many heating guys out there that know steam well. If your landlord tries to get the system tuned properly.. I would cut him some slack on the amount of time it takes.

When the heat does come back on:

I am assuming the building uses a single or double pipe steam system. You can improve the heat output of the radiators blowing a fan across them. It will have the effect of making the heat transfer surface more effective, which will in turn draw more steam into the radiator (hence more heat output).

I rigged this up in the office that I work at. 1/2 the radiators don't work due to repairs. Installing a fan on one radiator increased the temp from the low 60's to low 70's. Big improvements.

This is why I am glad that re-wired my properties and insulated them: A couple of space heaters will suffice, even in the dead of winter, to provide emergency heat until repairs can be made.

Generally, your lease will have something about force majeure incidents. As long as the landlord is making best efforts to address the problem, you still must pay rent. Unless the apartment becomes unusable due to the situation. A landlord insurance will typically offer coverage for loss of use (no rent). This would be typically due to fire or severe storm damage (tornado).

Back when I was a tenant, I did ask (and received) for a discount to cover extra heat usage during a wicked cold spell. I had to run my heat extra high to keep the plumbing for the entire building from freezing up.

In the interim, I would strongly recommend you head to the mall and pick up an electric blanket or electric mattress pad. They will at least let you sleep warm while only using a few 100 watts of power.

Wow.. thanks.. I will review it over the weekend. Hopefully I can get rid of this car by Tuesday.

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I don't have 6 people and I don't have a key, so the steering wheel is locked in place. I could take a sawsall to it, cut it up into little pieces, and take it down to the scrap yard.

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Last time I called them (was a few years ago) with an abandoned car (same lot) they wouldn't touch it unless the car was parked on the street. Once it's 100% on private property, they won't deal with it.

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Unfortunately, R-1 zoning changes were driven by a mentality that 'Density causes slums'. Which of course explains why the Upper East Side of Manhattan is such a cesspool while Detroit is a paradise. /sarc

So the idea is to make Jersey City R-1 areas more like a suburb.

Years ago, I bought a lot at tax auction and planned to build on it. Found out it was really hard to make a profitable rental with just two unit. I really needed at least three to be able to offer rents at the level I know would allow me to keep the place occupied.

To make matter worse, the setbacks and height limits really made it difficult to layout the rooms. In the end, I ended up with a floor plan that was pretty much like the craptastic homes built in the R-1 zones.

To build something nice that would be economically viable (rental) I would have had to been allowed to build 4-story town homes. Wasn't worth the fight to get zoning allowances, so I sold the lot to someone who built a craptastic home on it. It was finished at the beginning of the housing bubble, so the builder had no problem selling it.

I have a car from a now evicted tenant that has been abandoned in an off-street parking area at an apartment I own.

Having a bit of trouble finding a towing company willing to tow it (liability reasons cited or they don't have a storage yard). Anyone here recommend a tow company that might be able to help me out.

note: Checked with my lawyer.. it's legal for me to have the car removed from the property.