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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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According to the Kaiser Health Foundation, an employee with family health insurance paid an average of $4,000 for their insurance, while their employer paid, roughly $9,700 in 2010. That represents an increase over 2009, when employees paid an average of $3,515 and employers paid $9,860. Average premiums for 2010 and 2009 were $13,770 and $13,375, respectively.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/info_7756791_aver ... urance.html#ixzz2qfhqPpwD

So, Pebble, a teacher paying $900 towards a policy valued at $22K is quite different than the average joe paying $4,000 towards a $14K policy. (And the $900 number I found was from 2011). Advantage, in a big way, to the teachers.

(These are family plans, btw. Not sure of your status, but it sounds like a great deal. Enjoy it, because once the Obamacare corporate mandate arrives you'll be paying a lot more).

Posted on: 2014/1/17 15:57
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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1. Teachers work 180 days a year. Any time they spend 'extra' is matched by the same effort people with private sector jobs outside their 5 days/week. The average middle class person works 49 weeks/year x 5 = 245 days, or the equivalent of 13 more weeks/year.

2. Please provide the overall value of a teachers Cadillac health plan vs the average middle class workers health plan, and the difference in the contributions both make towards those plans. The last I saw the NJ teacher making 60K paid $900/year for his/her health plan worth $22K. That was far less than what I paid. Anyone here paying $20/week for their company sponsored health care? And the teachers plan carries over into retirement, with spousal coverage . . . imagine how much that is worth for someone retiring at 65?

3. No need to comment, if you want to compare salaries, do it weighted with someone working 180 days vs someone working 245 days, not on a 1:1 ratio, lol.

Incorrect assumption 1: Teachers do not work only 180 days per year. This is the number of days spent in a classroom.

Incorrect assumption 2: Teachers have benefits that are better than private companies. Teachers are now required to pay into the plans. The plans they are offered are exactly the same this is offered in the public sector. Their pension plans are now required to be paid into, which now means they have a state backed 401(k).

What you fail to understand is that simple economics dictates that the more you offer salary wise the better candidates you will get. The state cannot offer an adequate salary. They try to make up for it with good benefits. That is called talent recruitment.

Incorrect assumption 3: Extra money worked in the summer is part of a yearly salary for a teacher? So what you are saying is that taking out a second job means you can make more money. Thank you, captain obvious. I was completely unaware that working two jobs and having less spare time would equal more money in my pocket. I am so happy that you were able to shine light on this completely unknown piece of information. Do you have any other words of wisdom, for instance, is water wet? Is the sun hot?

Posted on: 2014/1/17 15:39
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

dtjcview wrote:
Quote:

Monroe wrote:
Quote:

cousin wrote:
I think we all agree the "current system" doesn't work for every student but the problems in education can not be found in the classrooms, they're in the homes across America. Poverty plays a major role. The child poverty rate in America has now reached the highest since the greeat depression: 1 in 4. Why not place the blame where it belongs: on the 1 percenters (bankers mostly) who engineered the economic collapse of this country 5 years ago? Solve the child poverty issues and you'll see an improvement in schools.


The bankers are at fault for the fact that 3/4 of black kids are born to unmarried mothers and are behind the 8 ball from birth because of that? Look at the lowest performing (and the highest subsidized) schools and see where they are located-the inner cities where out of wedlock children are born.

And, taken on average, NJ schools are among the best in the country, usually ranked 3rd out of 50.

Oh, and Pebble-add in the extra money many teachers make in the summer (working only 180 days/year, vs 245 days/year), their lifetime Cadillac health care value-with spouses, pensions, and your calculation about private/public comparisons is far different from what you state.


The unmarried moms "personal responsibility" explanation is easier to digest for conservatives than the alternative - Blacks are more likely to be caught in a poverty trap, fathers are more likely to be convicted and sent to jail, single moms are more likely to turn to raising kids both for personal fulfillment and welfare assistance, the kids are likely to be stuck with a poorer standard of education, get stuck in the ghetto and the cycle continues...



Yes, personal responsibility or lack thereof is a big part of the reason we have such failing inner city schools.

Posted on: 2014/1/17 15:29
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

cousin wrote:
I think we all agree the "current system" doesn't work for every student but the problems in education can not be found in the classrooms, they're in the homes across America. Poverty plays a major role. The child poverty rate in America has now reached the highest since the greeat depression: 1 in 4. Why not place the blame where it belongs: on the 1 percenters (bankers mostly) who engineered the economic collapse of this country 5 years ago? Solve the child poverty issues and you'll see an improvement in schools.


The bankers are at fault for the fact that 3/4 of black kids are born to unmarried mothers and are behind the 8 ball from birth because of that? Look at the lowest performing (and the highest subsidized) schools and see where they are located-the inner cities where out of wedlock children are born.

And, taken on average, NJ schools are among the best in the country, usually ranked 3rd out of 50.

Oh, and Pebble-add in the extra money many teachers make in the summer (working only 180 days/year, vs 245 days/year), their lifetime Cadillac health care value-with spouses, pensions, and your calculation about private/public comparisons is far different from what you state.

Posted on: 2014/1/17 15:13
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

MDM wrote:
Quote:


Great quote from the Economist article

For example, unlike the schools in Finland, which channel more resources to the neediest kids, America funds its schools through property taxes, ensuring the most disadvantaged students are warehoused together in the worst schools.


In NJ, the worst school systems get the most money. Cities like Newark and Asbury Park spend double what the suburbs do.* Property taxes cover only a fraction of the costs. The rest comes from the State.

* Audits found that the reported spending per student by some of these districts was in fact well below what was actually spent.


Double is way exaggerated, no? And 'the rest comes from the state' is a bit misleading, as the suburban schools just get funded by higher local property taxes while NJ income tax money, paid by the higher earners, gets moved to the urban schools for support.

But using Camden as I did earlier (and they're among the worst performing schools in NJ) they spent $23.7K/student. Millburn, generally the top district in the state, spent $17.8K/student. So double is way off.

Posted on: 2014/1/17 15:02
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Finland and South Korea succeed because it's much easier to teach when there isn't a lot of diversity among the students.

I'll bet there aren't a ton of non-Finnish and non-Korean speaking kids needing remedial education.

That said, my point about spending on our schools stands-throwing more money at the problem, with the same methods we now use, solves nothing and increases the tax burden needlessly.

So come up with some ideas, get behind those who do, or step aside.

For those who feel their kids already spend enough time in school, or parents who don't want to be inconvenienced by longer hours, can I assume you're happy with the schools? If not, what would you change?

Posted on: 2014/1/17 14:39
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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Obama said the average family would have better coverage AND save $2,500/year.

Another lie.

If the goal was to give coverage to the 15% who lack it, it will turn out to be cheaper just to have underwritten those people in the end. While maintaining the coverage that 85% of Americans were happy with.


Posted on: 2014/1/17 14:13
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Pebble, again, just because you repeat something inside your head doesn't make it any more real, you're only convincing yourself.

Face facts-the untold billions of dollars thrown at failing schools has proven wasted with the methods we've used for decades. Did you see where only THREE kids in Camden scored as college ready this year in their SAT scores?

And NJ taxpayers paid 88% of the third of a billion dollars for the Camden school system, with 2.7% funded by local taxpayers.

So, the current system isn't working. Now I know you can't force kids to learn, and the schools can't overcome teenaged parents, single parents, children of junkies, yadda yadda.

But why not try something different? Maybe charter schools will work. Maybe longer days and longer years can work.

Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. Advocating for the status quo is stupid AND wastes money.

Don't you want to help the kids? Or you'd rather help the NJEA?

http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/educat ... dist_code0680&maxhits=650

Posted on: 2014/1/17 13:37
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

Pebble wrote:
Quote:

Monroe wrote:
Pebble, I was typing while you posted. Your salary numbers, are they weighed for the fact that teachers work only about 180 days a year?? You know, the ten week summer vacation, the long holiday breaks, and every conceivable individual holiday?

Or did you not figure that into comparing salaries??

I don't know a teacher that is off for 10 weeks in the summer. Maybe the lazy ones that make less money choose to not spend that time with seminars (expenses from their own money). I also don't know a single teacher that doesn't end up working on the weekends during the school year. This is the time they spend lesson planning and grading papers.

Your numbers are entirely off since you refuse to acknowledge the simple fact that a teacher's work time is not retained to the time in the classroom.


So in other words, no-lol. Your salary comparison is bogus without doing so. Who doesn't work weekends for their job, private or public? But just about every teacher I know moonlights during their time off during the summer.

And if the teacher has the good fortune to work in the green leafed suburbs the money they can earn tutoring is incredible-which they do right after school.

But let's circle back to the original point of the thread-what suggestions does anyone have to improve education-Christie has a couple, longer days/year and charter schools for students who want a choice. The hard line education lobby wants neither.

Posted on: 2014/1/16 22:13
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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NJ has the highest starting salary for teachers in the USA, btw.

Posted on: 2014/1/16 21:51
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Pebble, I was typing while you posted. Your salary numbers, are they weighed for the fact that teachers work only about 180 days a year?? You know, the ten week summer vacation, the long holiday breaks, and every conceivable individual holiday?

Or did you not figure that into comparing salaries??

Posted on: 2014/1/16 21:50
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Can you two go back and read, please?

Pebble made the martini comparisons, saying teachers don't get them in the public sector. I just pointed out that the middle class workers who earn the same salaries as teachers earn DON'T get them either. Where did I say teachers take two hour martini lunches?

But those middle class workers don't get the Cadillac health plans for life and cushy pensions and sick day payouts, at current compensation levels.

And again, Pebble, read up. The Sandy 'investigation' isn't an investigation at all. It's a standard audit. Did you know that, or know the difference?

In any case, the Governor has led the way with pension reform, and the beginnings of tenure reform-all to improve both our financial situation and remove ineffective teachers. Both of which will benefit children.




Posted on: 2014/1/16 21:45
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

Pebble wrote:
Quote:

Monroe wrote:
Quote:

cousin wrote:
Yes teachers' unions are against merit pay because researchers, educators and policians still do not agree on how to measure a "successful teacher".

As far as "life time security", teachers are no different from police, firefighters, subway workers etc.. Public servants trade the high salaries, christmas bonuses, and 2 hour martini lunches the corporate folks enjoy for a chance to better society while enduring low pay, poor working conditions, and of course, a few, misinformed people like you who will attack at every opportunity.


Nonsense, the private sector people whose salaries mimic teachers don't get 2 hour martini lunches and fat bonuses, do they? Except their pensions are 401Ks, and they end up on Medicaid and Medicare rather than have a Cadillac lifetime health plan paid by others. And they don't get to cash out on unused sick days, (excessive numbers of course given per year), and have them paid out at their final rate rather than the rate they were paid 20, 30 years past.

Just exactly why do you think Christie won such a convincing victory in a blue state? Because the taxpayers finally are waking up. JC isn't far from Detroit-look what happened to the fat pensions and benefits there . . .

What teach has a 2 hour lunch break!?

Cadillac pensions?!

You?re comical.

Quote:

Monroe wrote:
I've got friends who teach in big cities as well in cushy suburbs. They all tell me what an easy gig it is.

The only people who have it better are the Port Authority retirees, and the first responders who do actually risk their lives for us and deserve much of what they get, especially those who work in inner cities.

Uh huh? that backs up absolutely nothing you wrote about and it just makes you sort of look like an ass. Reminds me of the ?I?m not a racist. I have black friends!?

Teachers have a far harder job than I and make a vastly lower salary. Sure, I?d love their pension. But the difference in salary allows me to invest more and possibly make more.


Time to bone up on reading comprehension, Pebble. I wrote comparing people whose salary is similar to teachers don't get two hour martini fueled lunches or get huge bonuses. You know, the middle class. They have 401Ks, no generous sick time buyouts, and no Cadillac health plans for life with spousal coverage.

You know, the middle class folk who are paying for the public sector benefits.

I'll ignore the talking point, looney left insults as usual, lol. You're nothing if not predictable.

In any case, after decades and decades of giving away the house the pendulum is arcing back towards fiscal sanity, if only because we don't want to become Detroit.

Posted on: 2014/1/16 18:09
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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I've got friends who teach in big cities as well in cushy suburbs. They all tell me what an easy gig it is.

The only people who have it better are the Port Authority retirees, and the first responders who do actually risk their lives for us and deserve much of what they get, especially those who work in inner cities.

Posted on: 2014/1/16 15:56
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

cousin wrote:
Yes teachers' unions are against merit pay because researchers, educators and policians still do not agree on how to measure a "successful teacher".

As far as "life time security", teachers are no different from police, firefighters, subway workers etc.. Public servants trade the high salaries, christmas bonuses, and 2 hour martini lunches the corporate folks enjoy for a chance to better society while enduring low pay, poor working conditions, and of course, a few, misinformed people like you who will attack at every opportunity.


Nonsense, the private sector people whose salaries mimic teachers don't get 2 hour martini lunches and fat bonuses, do they? Except their pensions are 401Ks, and they end up on Medicaid and Medicare rather than have a Cadillac lifetime health plan paid by others. And they don't get to cash out on unused sick days, (excessive numbers of course given per year), and have them paid out at their final rate rather than the rate they were paid 20, 30 years past.

Just exactly why do you think Christie won such a convincing victory in a blue state? Because the taxpayers finally are waking up. JC isn't far from Detroit-look what happened to the fat pensions and benefits there . . .

Posted on: 2014/1/16 15:47
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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OK, I guess Pebble wants to keep the status quo. As far as teachers being stressed-short days, long vacations, endless summers, practically lifetime employment with tiny chances of losing your job after you receive tenure, terrific pension with lifetime health benefits for you and your spouse.

And yes, inner city teachers should be compensated-if they perform. But the teacher union is adamantly against that, aren't they?

But we get a Governor willing to think outside the box (compare to DiBlasio, who wants to eliminate student choice and shutter charters). But DiBlasio is the looney left hero!

It's all about the kids, except when it's about the teachers union.

Posted on: 2014/1/16 15:14
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Re: Obamacare...creating more working poor.
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Quote:

hero69 wrote:
you can't put a price on protecting your health. if the GOP had cooperated, perhaps healthcare reform would have been better. But the GOP proposals were bull!


Untrue-but they were waiting to see the back and forth on CSpan by the most transparent administration in US history but the revolution wasn't televised as Obama promised. They weren't there when, in order to get this turd passed, Obama had to make Chicago style back room deals with Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, North Dakota and South Dakota getting payoffs, and the special interest union groups getting exemptions for their Cadillac healthcare.

And, even with all that, he had to slip it by using a procedural manoeuver. Without a single Republican vote.

And when Obama visited Louisiana, Mary Landrieu, up for election, (er) had another previous engagement so she couldn't attend, lol!

Posted on: 2014/1/16 1:23
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Re: Forbes relocating to JC
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Quote:

07310 wrote:
"In a statement, a Forbes Media spokeswoman said the company plans to move from its headquarters at 60 Fifth Ave., by the end of the year. It already has secured space in the Newport section, and is in "the final stages" of securing offices elsewhere in New York City."

Translation:
Back office workers will be in NJ while executive offices will remain in Manhattan.

I suspect that the 5th Avenue location has appreciated so much they are going to cash in and sell it to a developer.


They sold it a while ago, their lease to stay on ends 12/31, hence the move.

Posted on: 2014/1/15 20:06
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Christie sends his kids to Delbarton because he wants them to have a religious education.

What PS in Washington do Obama's girls attend?

DiBlasio in NY wants preK and full day K for all, and is a liberal darling because he's being progressive.

Christie wants to be progressive re:education in NJ and is called a teacher hater.

Go figure!

Posted on: 2014/1/15 16:26
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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No amount of art or music (or math and science) instruction will achieve bright and well educated children without involved, supportive parents.

That's the biggest obstacle in the inner cities, and one that spending more education money can't achieve. Look back through the link I put up and see how even though the inner cities already spent thousands more per pupil per year yet the achievement rates pale in comparison.


Posted on: 2014/1/15 16:21
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

hero69 wrote:
even if 65% of school cots is borne by the state, how are counties going to make up for that 35%. and where is christie getting all this money?

i don't mind paying taxes, but honestly, this is a sham proposal that's going noplace. maybe christie ought to be focusing on all the school programs that have been cut. Quality over quantity!


School costs are funded by the state of NJ, local taxes, and Federal money. Zero county money is involved. Here's a link to show how every school district is funded, by percentage and dollars. JC taxpayers are hugely subsidized by other NJ taxpayers. And I was wrong, JC taxpayers have an even sweeter deal, it's 76% funded by the state taxpayers. http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/educat ... dist_code2390&maxhits=650

Posted on: 2014/1/15 15:19
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

trambone wrote:
How are you going to increase the school day when you can't even support core programs. We already have art on a cart and music being cut.


Art and music aren't core, like the three R's.

Posted on: 2014/1/15 14:52
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Re: Christie calls on extending school day and school year. In Jersey City
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Quote:

hero69 wrote:
great idea..but how is christie going to pay for all this? it is the counties that pay for schools. just keeping kids in school longer is not going to solve any problems.

christie imo is a fraud or close to it..the emperor has no clothes. idiot democrats will run after any bone that christie tosses them! bi-partisan my bedonkadont
%

You're wrong, especially that 65% of Jersey City schools cost is borne by the State, not local taxpayers. If the longer hours/days ever happens it's likely JC taxpayers will benefit even more from suburban taxpayers than they do now.

Posted on: 2014/1/15 14:12
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Re: Asian Food Market on Route 440
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I do shop there, but you have to be pretty particular about the stuff you buy. Some is fine, some is past it's sell by date.

Posted on: 2014/1/14 2:10
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Re: Asian Food Market on Route 440
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Quote:

corybraiterman wrote:
Quote:

Monroe wrote:
I guess we're in some sort of black hole of asparagus seasonality, because no-one has it now for less than $4/lb.

Asparagus is a spring vegetable, so we're at the exact wrong end of the year to have some or any residuals. Prices will start dropping once it hits season in a couple months.


Of course, but plenty of our winter vegetables come from the Southern Hemisphere, so perhaps it's the end of the season there. I get fresh asparagus in season nearby in Meyersville, next to the Great Swamp preserve at Hilltop Farm. I told a friend about it, was raving about the sticky buds and purplish/green color and she said 'you used to talk about pot like that back in the day'!

Posted on: 2014/1/13 23:53
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Re: Jeep/car dealers on 440
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Isn't one advantage of buying in JC (everything else being the same) the 3.5% sales tax?? One way or another I'd use that as leverage if dealing with an out of area dealer.

Posted on: 2014/1/12 23:08
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Re: Asian Food Market on Route 440
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Quote:

MDM wrote:
One of the places on Central Ave (Heights) as asparagus at $1.29 a bunch. I picked up some yesterday.

Quote:

Monroe wrote:
I guess we're in some sort of black hole of asparagus seasonality, because no-one has it now for less than $4/lb. My New Year's goal has been to eat a green leafy or stalky vegetable every day and I really like asparagus. I was hoping the place we're talking about would have some well priced but I think it was also $4.99 there. Oh well, I guess it's a 'first world' problem.
Edit to add I did get some Chinese broccoli and baby bok choy, so it's all good.


Corrado's has had some, but it's been lousy. What size is a 'bunch'?

Posted on: 2014/1/12 22:52
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Re: Asian Food Market on Route 440
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I guess we're in some sort of black hole of asparagus seasonality, because no-one has it now for less than $4/lb. My New Year's goal has been to eat a green leafy or stalky vegetable every day and I really like asparagus. I was hoping the place we're talking about would have some well priced but I think it was also $4.99 there. Oh well, I guess it's a 'first world' problem.
Edit to add I did get some Chinese broccoli and baby bok choy, so it's all good.

Posted on: 2014/1/12 22:20
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Re: Chris Christie 'Suspiciously Connected' To Revenge Traffic Jam
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A hilarious response. IRSgate? Political dirty tricks not known by the exec-OK! Benghazi-let's roll out Susan Rice to proffer a false narrative, later disowned by the White House (after the election), no problem.

A couple of traffic jams, with no link to the Governor of NJ mentioned, or noted, or reported by facts-string him up!

When we have an almost two hour, unedited, honestly answered press conference by Obama and/or Mrs. Clinton about-please let me know.


Quote:

Br6dR wrote:
Seriously, I always weigh things in my head to ponder if I'm getting this right. Putting up traffic cones on Washington in Jersey City might be forgiven as elbow-in-the-ribs gottcha.

We all know what a nightmare the George Washington Bridge can be when you're on your way home from a vacation. Points.north.and.south. Three Christie appointees shutting that down is MIND FUCKING CRAZY.

Chris Christie is done. (He already had a McCain/Romney - hard core Republicans don't trust him- thing going against him.
Time for Monroe to hunt for another darling.

Quote:

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:
There's two scenarios that I see:

- Christie knew about the Ft. Lee lane closures, therefore, he is immoral

- Christine didn't know about the Ft. Lee lane closures (hard for me to believe), but he hired people who committed immoral acts and was unable to uncover it, therefore, he is an incompetent manager

Pick one.

Posted on: 2014/1/11 3:37
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Re: Chris Christie 'Suspiciously Connected' To Revenge Traffic Jam
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Quote:

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:
There's two scenarios that I see:

- Christie knew about the Ft. Lee lane closures, therefore, he is immoral

- Christine didn't know about the Ft. Lee lane closures (hard for me to believe), but he hired people who committed immoral acts and was unable to uncover it, therefore, he is an incompetent manager

Pick one.


Which pretty much indicts Obama re:Obamacare, and Mrs. Clinton re:Benghazi.

So Obama is an incompetent POTUS, and Hilary has proven she was an incompetent Sec of State. But one difference-who has Obama and Mrs. Clinton fired?

Posted on: 2014/1/11 3:03
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