Damn. I thought this was gonna be a thread about headless rats.

Tropical Storm Warnings For Long Island & Jersey Shores

Coastal Residents Hunker Down As Earl Heads Our Way




September 2, 2010 9:06 AM

A very powerful Hurricane Earl is moving up the coast, packing winds of about 145 mph. Since the Storm is forecast to track just offshore forecasters Thursday morning issued a tropical storm warning for Suffolk County.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the Long Island coast and portions of New Jersey.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for sections of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut because of Hurricane Earl.
Officials in shore towns in the Tri-State are expecting 6- to 12-foot waves during the upcoming busy Labor Day weekend beginning Friday. Rip currents have been strong and are expected to intensify as the storm approaches. Beach erosion will likely worsen depending on the strength of the storm.

As hurricane earl approaches, sustained tropical storm force winds are expected to begin early on Friday and they should continue into Friday afternoon.

It would be so awesome if Earl made a left turn at the last minute.

Nooooooooooooo!!!

"The bedbugs are winning this war."

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ ... -with-bedbugs-602778.html

US grapples with bedbugs, misuse of pesticides

By Matt Leingang
The Associated Press
August 30, 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators.

The problem has gotten so bad that the Environmental Protection Agency warned this month against the indoor use of chemicals meant for the outside. The agency also warned of an increase in pest control companies and others making "unrealistic promises of effectiveness or low cost."

Bedbugs, infesting U.S. households on a scale unseen in more than a half-century, have become largely resistant to common pesticides. As a result, some homeowners and exterminators are turning to more hazardous chemicals that can harm the central nervous system, irritate the skin and eyes or even cause cancer.

Ohio authorities, struggling against widespread infestations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and other cities, are pleading with EPA to approve the indoor use of the pesticide propoxur, which the agency considers a probable carcinogen and banned for in-home use in 2007. About 25 other states are supporting Ohio's request for an emergency exemption.

The EPA rejected the request in June but said it would consider new information on it. An agency spokesman, Dale Kemery, said the EPA has pledged to find new, potent chemicals to kill bedbugs, which can cause itchy, red bites that can become infected if scratched.

In the meantime, authorities around the country have blamed house fires on people misusing all sorts of highly flammable garden and lawn chemicals to fight bedbugs. Experts also warn that some hardware products — bug bombs, cedar oil and other natural oils — claim to be lethal but merely cause the bugs to scatter out of sight and hide in cracks in walls and floors.

A pest control company in Newark, N.J., was accused in July of applying chemicals not approved for indoor use throughout 70 homes and apartments units, even spraying mattresses and children's toys. No illnesses were reported.

In Cincinnati, an unlicensed applicator saturated an apartment complex in June with an agricultural pesticide typically used on golf courses. Seven tenants got sick and were treated at the hospital. The property was quarantined, and all tenants were forced to move. Authorities are pursuing criminal charges.

"When you see the anguish that bedbugs cause these people, it's understandable why they might take things into their own hands, and some of it is very dangerous," said Michael Potter, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky and one of the country's leading bedbug experts.

Bedbugs, a common household pest for centuries, all but vanished in the 1940s and '50s with the widespread use of DDT. But DDT was banned in 1972 as too toxic to wildlife, especially birds. Since then, the bugs have developed resistance to chemicals that replaced DDT.

Also, exterminators have fewer weapons in their arsenal than they did just a few years ago because of a 1996 Clinton-era law that requires older pesticides to be re-evaluated based on more stringent health standards. The re-evaluations led to the restrictions on propoxur and other pesticides.

Though propoxur is still used in pet collars, it is banned for use in homes because of the risk of nausea, dizziness and blurred vision in children. Steven Bradbury, director of the EPA's pesticide program, said the problem is that children crawl on the floor and put their fingers in their mouths.

Critics in the pest control industry say that the federal government is overreacting and that professional applicators can work with families to prevent children from being exposed to harmful levels of the chemical, which is more commonly used outside against roaches and crickets.

"It's a knockout pesticide, vastly superior to anything else for bedbugs," said Andrew Christman, president of Ohio Exterminating Co., which is on pace to treat about 3,000 bedbug infestations in 2010, up from an average of two in 2006.

Christman said other in-home pesticides aren't as lethal as propoxur, requiring several treatments that can push extermination costs to $500 or $1,500, depending on the size of a home.

Marion Ehrich, a toxicologist at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, said the EPA is showing appropriate caution. She said other scientists who have studied the bedbug problem are not eager to see propoxur released in homes.

"Propoxur is not a silver bullet, and given time, bedbugs would likely become resistant to it, too," said Lyn Garling, an entomologist at Penn State University.

Experts say it is going to take a comprehensive public health campaign — public-service announcements, travel tips and perhaps even taxpayer-funded extermination programs for public housing — to reduce the bedbug problem.

People can get bedbugs by visiting infested homes or hotels, where the vermin hide in mattresses, pillows and curtains. The bugs are stealth hitchhikers that climb onto bags, clothing and luggage.

After the bugs were discovered this summer in a Times Square movie theater and some upscale clothing stores, New York City began a $500,000 public awareness campaign.

Last week, the pest control company Terminix listed New York, Philadelphia and Detroit as the three most-infested cities, based on call volume to its 350 service centers. Ohio had three cities in the top 10.

For Delores Stewart, 76, bedbugs have been a nightmare, infesting her Columbus home since last year.

"It's awful, it's disheartening and it's a terrible way to live," Stewart, 76, a retired meat factory worker who discovered the vermin crawling in her bed and her living room recliners.

Her house was treated by a reputable exterminator for the fourth time Wednesday. She has warned neighbors and others about the problem and doesn't blame them for staying away.

"I feel isolated," she said.

Darrell Spegal, a property manager in Columbus who oversees four apartment complexes, said he has spent thousands of dollars to exterminate units.

"We have to try something different," Spegal said. "I mean, look around. The bugs are winning this war."

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Like they've browsed JCList.

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It could be better. We could be in China:

http://www.salon.com/technology/how_t ... 0/08/25/china_traffic_jam

New York most bedbug infested U.S. city

(Reuters Life!) - New York has more unwanted nocturnal guests than other urban areas and has been named the most bedbug infested city in the United States.

It surpassed Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati and Chicago, which rounded out the top five cities, according to extermination company Terminix, which compiled the list based on call volume to its offices around the country so far this year.

"In the past, offices might get a couple of calls a month for bedbug eradication," said spokesman Clint Briscoe. "Now, some of them are getting several dozen a week."

The company blamed international travel for the bugs' return 60 years after they were thought to have been eradicated in the U.S. But it said the appearance on its list of smaller cities shows the insects that live in furniture, clothing and luggage, are getting a grip on the U.S. heartland.

"It's the bedbug problems in cities like Dayton and Louisville that prove bedbugs are back and can pop up anywhere," said Paul Curtis, the etymologist for the company, referring No. 8 and No.13 on the list.

Briscoe said over the last three years the company's commercial bedbug business has more than doubled, while calls from householders are significantly higher.

New York City Councilwoman Christine Quinn admitted last month that the Big Apple had been hit hard by the blood-sucking insects after the city announced it would spend $500,000 raising aware about the pests, which don't carry disease but are difficult to eliminate.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has battled an outbreak at his Harlem office, along with lingerie outlet Victoria's Secret, teen clothing store Hollister and countless hotels which have lost thousands of dollars in revenue fighting the bedbug.

Terminix said the bugs tend to hitch a ride from one location to the next, so are particularly fond of hotels, airplanes and cruise ships.

People who suspect they have bedbugs were advised to check mattresses for dark blood spots, and to avoid picking up used mattresses or furniture left out on the street.

Yeah, Reagan tore that wall down with his bare hands, like a bumbling God with lots of strength. None of the previous presidents had anything to do with it.

Yeah, Reagan tore that wall down with his bare hands, like a bumbling God with lots of strength. None of the previous presidents had anything to do with it.

"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do." -- Ronald Reagan, 1981

"A tree is a tree. How many more do you have to look at?" -- Ronald Reagan, 1966, opposing expansion of Redwood National Park as governor of California

Shakespeare in Van Vorst Park is very cool. I'll try to be there.

This way if we see any pale skinned white guys wearing sun glasses we'll know to notify the authorities.

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I'm starting to believe that what I hear about JC cops is true. They're a very unprofessional police force as a whole. I know they people running red lights. I can see that with my own eyes.

That being said, you couldn't be more wrong about your level of skills versus police skills. Your chatting with someone over a latte is little different than dealing with drunk and out of control people on a Saturday night. They say that a domestic dispute is one of the most dangerous calls a cop can respond to. The male and the female can both turn on an officer.

I had lunch there on Saturday. Two Coronas, two glasses of wine and two sandwiches: $15.00 + $4.00 tip. I hope that doesn't change.

Ah, I gotta say: Just put it in park and hit the blinkers. Nobody cares. It's a Jersey City thing.

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That's why I ask questions about things I don't know. Makes perfect sense now.

I gotta say though, that's why women never give us a moment's peace. They think our goal is to drink beer, play air guitar and fertilize :-0

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Did someone say Bill Hicks?

Looking forward to watching this:

AMERICAN: The Bill Hicks Story

www.americanthemovie.com
The true life story of the outlaw comic who tried to save the world, as told by the 10 people who knew him best.

Oh and ah...

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That would support his argument because those coups we're engineered so that the U.S. could profit from those country's resources and cheap labor.

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Holy freakin' cow.

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How does that work?

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Some brain tissue in adults with Alzheimer's and other diseases. Not gonna help a baby in a vegetative state that can't see or hear.

It took 3 sociopaths to kill that child.

I ended up going to Jim's Pet Salon on Broadway in Bayonne. Very happy with them.

I posted that article on Facebook and a friend of mine responded with this:

It would be interesting to know how they measured such a thing, but at first glance it looks like the cities on top have higher concentration of colleges; hives of Windows computer users.

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Jesus H Christ you people are horrible. So glad I'm not a Republican.

No reason to feel guilty. They've turned it into a party pad. You get them thrown out, they find another place to party.

A novel idea.

Josh Fox talks about the toxic materials from hydraulic fracturing that are turning up in people's water supplies.

Donald Trump annoys me.

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They took a television I wanted to get rid of. I thought, if I just put it out there will it magically disappear? Sure enough, the next morning... gone. Yes!

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I don't think you'll find a cop or fireman in the world who has a libertarian problem with seat belt laws. Not because they're all authoritarian maniacs who love bending society to their will. It's because they see the end result of people not wearing seat belts. I would think that after a few horrific accident scenes your opinion on the subject would start to change.

Republicans are like the Borg on Star Trek. They keep coming no matter what happens. Is eight years of a moron president throwing our money down a rat hole in Iraq and almost bringing the world another great depression enough? Of course not. We like being stupid. Lets keep doing it.

One late Saturday night we took the PATH to Hoboken and missed the last light rail train. We then shared a cab to the Heights for $10.00. From there we took a Champion Taxi (which is located on Paterson Plank Rd. and Central Ave.) home. In our drunken state we thought it was pretty clever.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm

Tax Bills in 2009 at Lowest Level Since 1950

By Dennis Cauchon
USA TODAY
May 10, 2010

Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.

Some conservative political movements such as the "Tea Party" have criticized federal spending as being out of control. While spending is up, taxes have fallen to exceptionally low levels.

Federal, state and local taxes — including income, property, sales and other taxes — consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010.

"The idea that taxes are high right now is pretty much nuts," says Michael Ettlinger, head of economic policy at the liberal Center for American Progress. The real problem is spending,counters Adam Brandon of FreedomWorks, which organizes Tea Party groups. "The money we borrow is going to be paid back through taxation in the future," he says.

Individual tax rates vary widely based on how much a taxpayer earns, where the person lives and other factors. On average, though, the tax rate paid by all Americans — rich and poor, combined — has fallen 26% since the recession began in 2007. That means a $3,400 annual tax savings for a household paying the average national rate and earning the average national household income of $102,000.

This tax drop has boosted consumer spending and the economy, which grew at a 3.2% annual rate in the first quarter. It also has contributed to the federal debt growing to $8.4 trillion.

Taxes paid have fallen much faster than income in this recession. Personal income fell 2% last year. Taxes paid dropped 23%. The BEA classifies Social Security taxes as insurance payments and excludes them from the tax calculation.

Why the tax bite has eased:

• Stimulus law. One-third of last year's $862 billion economic stimulus went for tax cuts. Biggest reduction: The Making Work Pay tax credit reduced income taxes $800 for married couples earning up to $150,000.

• Progressive tax rates. Presidents Clinton and Bush pushed through a series of tax changes — credits, lower rates, higher exemptions — that slashed income taxes for poor and middle-class families. A drop in income now can trigger big tax breaks and sharply lower rates, sometimes falling to zero.

• Sales tax. Consumers cut spending sharply in this downturn, thereby paying less in sales taxes.

A Gallup Poll last month found that 48% thought taxes were "too high" and 45% thought they were "about right." Those saying taxes are "too high" remain near a 50-year low.

The lower tax burden should last at least through 2010, says Roberton Williams of the Tax Policy Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C. "Virtually all the stimulus tax cuts expire at the end of the year," he says. "So the key decision is whether to extend them into 2011."

I love that monument. Welcome to Jersey City. Don't f*ck with us.

Hollow-point in the butt. That's gonna leave a mark.

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A right wing gang banger?

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I feel like I'm in a wagon train heading west on the Oregon Trail.

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I hit a pot hole so hard I was sure something would be broke or bent. Never in my life have I driven on roads anywhere near this bad.

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I don't know, not so fun when I'm half asleep and just heading out when it's still dark. It still gets me cause my brain can't rap itself around the concept of hitting something in the middle of the road. Actually, getting hit by the road.

By George I think they're finally going to pave it.

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I hope you're wrong about that. Do you have a link to that info? I thought it would be a 9 hole par 3 and par 4 course.

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"Entitled" because you'd rather not be mowed down?

I can tell you that my toilet was covered with silt this morning. You two feeling okay?

Yielding is No Longer Enough at NJ Crosswalks

By LARRY HIGGS
APP
March 31, 2010

It's no April Fool's joke. Drivers will have to come to a full stop for pedestrians in crosswalks under a new law that takes effect Thursday, April 1.

That means no creeping, no rolling stops and no blasting through the crosswalk after a pedestrian takes two steps away from the car.

Safety officials said the law change is because of increasing pedestrian fatality rates in the state and the desire to create a "safe zone" in crosswalks to discourage jaywalking.

The old law required drivers to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, but safety advocates said many drivers didn't obey the law because of confusion over what "yield" means.

" 'Yield' doesn't mean stop, and that's the problem. If you ask people what 'yield' means, you'll get six different definitions — a rolling stop, slow down and creep through the intersection," said Pam Fischer, state Division of Highway Traffic Safety director. "The new law says it's your responsibility to stop, period."

Fines rise from $100 to $200 for drivers who don't stop. It was signed into law by then Gov. Jon S. Corzine in January.

"Yielding is a much more ambiguous directive than stop," said Zoe Baldwin, Tri-State Transportation Campaign New Jersey coordinator. The campaign has tracked pedestrian fatality increases over the years. "We need to make the community safe for walking."

The goal is to prevent fatal pedestrian accidents, which spiked last year to 157 from declines in 2008 when there were 138 fatalities and 2007 when 138 walkers lost their lives, Fischer said.

So far there have been 28 pedestrian fatalities in 2010, compared with 48 for the same period in 2009, she said.

"People understand 'stop.' You come to a halt," said Ranjit Walia, senior research specialist at Rutgers University's Voorhees Transportation Institute. "The major advantage (for drivers and pedestrians) is you create clear-cut rules."

Data from pedestrian decoy enforcement programs done by police showed that compliance with the "yield" law was low, Walia said.

"We are averaging 150 pedestrian fatalities a year, and there are two to three serious injuries for every fatality, and another 50 hit for everyone seriously injured," he said. "Those are bad numbers."

Pedestrians also have to follow the rules.

"They can't just step out, they have to look at the signs and the signals and at traffic," Fischer said. "If you see a car coming, you shouldn't step out."

The law also requires pedestrians to yield if they are crossing at a place other than at a crosswalk, Fischer said.

New Jersey's law is modeled after similar measures in Oregon and Washington, which along with Hawaii and Georgia require drivers to stop for pedestrians, Walia said.

The law also gives pedestrians some breathing room by requiring drivers to wait until walkers are one lane away before proceeding.

"It puts drivers on notice, if you're driving through downtown Red Bank, you need to pay attention to pedestrians walking," Baldwin said.

A potentially controversial part of the law says that if a driver hits a pedestrian in a crosswalk, the presumption of fault lies with the driver for not taking "due care" for the safety of the pedestrian.

Newark Records First Homicide-Free Month in More Than 40 Years

By James Queally
The Star-Ledger
April 01, 2010

NEWARK — For the first time in more than 40 years, an entire calendar month has come and gone without a homicide in the state’s largest city.

It's been 32 days since a homicide took place in Newark, marking the first time there has been a slay-free calendar month in the city since 1966.

Police Director Garry McCarthy said he hopes to best a 43-day period from March to April of 2008, the longest span of time without a slaying in the city since 1961. Ten homicides have occurred in Newark since Jan. 1, and none have taken place in the South Ward, long believed to be Newark's most dangerous section.

The first-quarter homicide total is the same as last year's, and the second-lowest in Newark since 1941. There were only eight reported shootings in Newark in March, and aggravated assaults, robberies, carjackings and other major crime rates are all down for the first-quarter of 2010 compared to their 2009 totals.

The statistical quarter, which spans the first thirteen weeks of the year, officially ended on March 28th.

Damn them.

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Maybe start with a name change. Sex Drugs Recreation.