The Morning Briefing - July 27, 2015
MOUNT HOLLY - A bargain shopper supposedly has nowhere to buy her aquarium-size bottles of Ginkgo biloba after a part-time municipal judge banned her from ever shopping again at any Wal-Mart in the continental U.S. The woman, who admits to shoplifting $78 worth of vitamins from a Mount Olive superstore, tells the N.Y. Daily News she's appealing the judge's ruling, which she already flouted several times without raising anyone's eyebrows. Perhaps this lowly judge overstretched just a bit?
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - It seems the biggest headlines Presidential hopeful Chris Christie have earned have had little to do with his positions on domestic or international issues. Apparently, the media is more interested in the fact he is using campaign music from Jon Bon Jovi as opposed to Bruce Springsteen. The story somehow continues this morning, with NJ Advance Media reporting Bon Jovi got almost 17 percent more listens than Springsteen in New Hampshire over the past two weeks. Could that somehow turn into some actual Christie votes when New Hampshire voters go to the polls Feb. 9... or is he just living on a prayer?
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - It appears Donald Trump can say whatever comes into that flop-haired mind - attacking POWs, Mexican-Americans and elected leaders - and still somehow lead in a nationwide telephone poll. This morning, CNN has him leading the pack of frustrated GOP contenders with 18 percent of supporters. Jeb Bush comes closest at 15 percent, praying sane minds will finally wake up.
BY THE CAMPFIRE - For generations, the Boy Scouts of America has been all about building strong American men, even though the private organization openly discriminated against homosexuals - perhaps worried that all the gayness would rub off and the scout flag would ultimately turn rainbow. Today, the organization is set to vote to end the official ban on "openly avowed gay" scout leaders, pulling the organization into the 21st century and a whole new way of thinking.
LAKEWOOD - It's "Moustache Night" at the Lakewood Blue Claws game, and that can mean only one thing: the arrival of the king of the moustache, Rollie Fingers. The former big leaguer will be there at 7:05 p.m., as the Blue Claws take on those stubborn Kannapolis Intimidators. Fingers will sign autographs, as "Moustache Night" collides with "Manalapan Night" - sure to whip up a crowd.
IN THE MEDIA
Politico has officially arrived in New Jersey with its daily email summary of New Jersey political news - going head to head against PolitickerNJ. The email is called the "New Jersey Playbook," and the media outlet will be ginning up interest at 11 a.m. today, as the website's chief White House correspondent, Mike Allen, Sen. Cory Booker and the daily summary's writer, Matt Friedman, talk Jersey politics at the Newark Club.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was one year ago that discount store Dollar Tree buys rival Family Dollar for $8.5 billion. Wait, we thought everything was a dollar.
WORD OF THE DAY
Cabotage - noun
Definition: The exclusive right of a country to control the air traffic within its borders.
Example: Imagine this scenario: a U.S. registered business aircraft arrives in Toronto. The aircraft is going to spend a few days in Canada, and a local resident wants to charter the aircraft to Montreal. Is this allowed?
No way, that would be cabotage!