Boycott of the State of Florida

I recently read where many entertainers have removed venues in the state of Florida from their list of appearances.  Stevie Wonder led the charge followed by Madonna, Jay Z and Kanye West.  I guess you could joke about the “blind leading the blind,” but that would be in poor taste.   All of these singers can afford to live anywhere they please, yet they chose the USA and even raise their children here.  Our judicial system may be flawed at times, but it certainly is better than many other countries’ courts.   George Zimmerman was tried by a jury of his peers.  He was acquitted in the same state that Casey Anthony was acquitted of the murder of her daughter, yet we didn’t hear about any entertainers boycotting Florida when she was set free.  I wonder what their fans who were counting on attending their concerts think about them bailing out of their home state?  Not that I’m interested in attending any of their concerts, but if I did live in Florida and heard this, I’d boycott them.   I wouldn’t pay to download any of their songs, buy their CDs or attend any of their concerts outside of Florida, even if they were the half time show of the Super Bowl.  Enough said.

Huffington Post Story

Are We Too Old To Recreate? Or Is It Only For the Young?

While walking in Brielle Park this summer, I saw the overgrown and unused bocce ball courts.  I also noticed the shuffleboard courts with a locked box probably containing the supplies needed to play shuffleboard.  It has been eaten through by a critter of some sort.  Our recreation commission has no problem organizing and running events for the children of our town.  It’s great that they have year round events for them in addition to every other activity they have at their disposal, but what about the rest of us?  Are we too old to recreate?  How about using the neglected areas of Brielle Park and organizing bocce ball and shuffleboard leagues for some of us older folks in town.  The weekly Monday night concerts you used to offer have gone by the wayside, but you can bring them back.  We don’t have to go into New York City on the weekends because many of us are retired.  We can go to a Wednesday matinee.  Why not offer a bus trip to a Broadway play or museum during the week? 

If you Google Brielle, New Jersey, a picture of a sign at the entrance of Brielle on Route 71 (Union Avenue) is clearly visible on the Wikipedia website.  Yuck!  Straighten the sign, remove it or put in a new one.  At the entrance to Brielle on Green Avenue, only a light blue post remains of what once held another sign announcing “Welcome to Brielle.”  Sandy wasn’t the culprit who took it, just like with the other unsightly sign, remove the post or replace the sign.

"Riverview" Drive

How many times in the past have we driven up and down Riverview Drive and never caught a glimpse of the river which is part of the road’s namesake?  Well, it’s not the case anymore.  The Manasquan River Golf Club now offers all of us an unobstructed view of the river.  The view can’t totally be blamed on a hurricane named Sandy, but she did help remove any trees that hadn’t been removed before she struck. 

Rules of the Road

When we were in high school, most of us were concerned about passing our written driving test and then doing everything correctly to get our license.  It seems like many of us forget the rules of the road as soon as we get that slip of paper with our photograph on it.  I’m not even talking about driving while talking on a cell phone or texting at every stoplight.  I’m talking about the basic rules that protect all of us from each other while driving.

Turn Signals.  They’re on every car’s steering column for a reason.  They let other drivers know you are turning and therefore slowing down.  If your insurance premiums aren’t high enough, hit someone in the rear and see how high they can go.  Turn Signals also alert other cars to the fact that you are changing lanes or exiting roadways.   They are for your safety as well as that of other drivers. 

Stop Signs.  They instruct you to come to a complete STOP and look both ways before entering into traffic.   The sign doesn’t mean slow down and pull out in front of an unsuspecting car.  The stop sign means the same thing whether you are driving in a parking lot or on the roadway.  A right turn on red also requires a full stop before proceeding into oncoming traffic.

Speed Limits.  These signs inform you what is a safe rate of speed for traveling on varying roads.  They don’t tell you to drive faster no matter what speed the sign reads.  They don’t instruct you to tailgate anyone traveling the posted speed.  It would be to everyone’s advantage to slow down and obey the speed limit.  Remember the expression: “The life you save may be your own?”

The rules of the road apply to bicycles too.  Bicycles must ride with traffic and obey all traffic signs.  Bicyclists must walk their bicycles on the sidewalk.  Pedestrians should use the sidewalk whenever possible, but where there are none, walk against the traffic flow.  Pedestrians are considered jaywalkers when not in the crosswalks.

One pet peeve of mine is the handicapped hang tag.  It is illegal to ride with them hanging from your rearview mirror just like it is illegal to have a pair of fuzzy dice or your graduation tassels in the same location.  If you are handicapped, the last thing you need is a hangtag blocking your line of sight.  Take it down while driving and put it back up when you park in a designated spot.  If your hangtag has expired, stop cheating and leave the handicapped spaces for those who truly need it.

"Gateway to Brielle"

Did you ever stop to think what greets people at the entrance of Higgins Avenue, our “Gateway to Brielle?”  It’s two liquor stores.

This led me to find these funny sayings:

I saw a liquor store and drank it.

Nothing says “I mean business” like using a cart at the liquor store.

Liver is evil.  It must be punished.

To drink or to drink more that is the question?

I only drink on days that end in “y.”

School’s starting.  Teachers, you can’t hit the kids, but you can hit the bottle.

Holidays mean family.  We sell liquor.

We have enough liquor to make your in-laws tolerable.

Give her wine for Mothers Day because you drove her to it.

 

Got any more?

 

Happy Independence Day!  Drink up!

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

Some of us may remember Pee Wee’s Playhouse, but have any of you seen the playhouse on Brown Street?  At least, I think it's a playhouse.  It’s higher than the house that resides on the same piece of property.  It has a chimney, curtained windows, flower boxes, a slide, and pulley.  These items can be seen from the outside.  Unsure if the chimney is for a fireplace or heating system or what else the interior contains.  It’s worth a drive by, but it might make your kids jealous, so be forewarned.

The Las Vegas Strip of the East

Brielle’s Union Avenue (Route 71) is starting to look like Las Vegas.  Rella’s multi-message sign is an eyesore.  It may just be the first of many to come.  Imagine driving through the borough talking on your hand held phone while trying to read every changing message either hawking weekend entertainment, cost of haircuts, or free air for tires.  Once our town fathers have allowed a single flashing sign, they can’t deny other businesses the same.  Route 71 will soon be the Vegas strip of the East.  Higgins Avenue may have signs touting exercise classes, keg prices, bouquets, or early bird specials similar to the one already in existence.  Once you open the door, it can’t be closed.

 

There's a Yoga Studio in the Brielle Public Library. Oh, My!

There is a yoga studio now permanently housed in the Brielle Library.   Here’s the link to the website: http://www.gerijannarone.com/74756.html   If you wondered why the library parking lot is full of cars even before or after the library is open to the public, now you know.  It is being used for yoga classes.  Are Brielle taxpayers getting a fair price for use of their public space including utilities?  Is the cost for renting the library space competitive to the cost for renting other commercial spaces in the borough?  The Brielle Public Library does not pay property taxes to the borough.  Occupied or vacant commercial spaces in town do pay property taxes to the borough.  The businesses housed in them also pay for a yearly mercantile license and are subject to various inspections.   What’s next at the library?  An art studio?  Music lessons?

Brielle, NJ-June 2013 Republican Primary Election

The primary election has come and gone.  Same old, same old.  The two Republican challengers were relegated to a second column at the Mayor’s behest.  They lost to the Mayor’s handpicked guys Cort and Mike.  Cort has virtually been a no show at council meetings and town wide events.  Mike is executive director of a water reclamation plant where former Freeholder Barham sits on the board.  Is it true that a county chair wants another spot?  Mike, who was skipped over in past years, finally gets his "appointment" barring a strong write-in campaign in November.