The Jaffe Briefing - March 6, 2017
ROCHELLE PARK – Public libraries rarely whip up controversy. But not so here. Officials are firing off a lawsuit to block their library from being kicked out of Bergen County’s network of 77 public libraries over a money dispute. If bounced, Rochelle Park library patrons could no longer access scores of books or high-tech services with libraries across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. They’ll be left on their own. And frankly, there are only so many times local patrons can reread the yellowed copy of Ladies Home Journal in their own Passaic Street library.
EAST RUTHERFORD – First went the circus elephants. Now it could be racing pigs. A Maywood man, bent on ending pig races at this summer’s New Jersey State Fair, has garnered more than 13,000 petition signatures to halt the 30-year tradition. After seeing pigs running with “fright in their eyes,” Peter Gargiulo says it’s “cruel and inhumane.” But, perennial pig racer Pamela Rosaire tells The Record she pampers her pigs, treats them “like family,” and only uses rewards like Oreo cookies to get them running. Between shows she says the pigs sleep in air conditioned pens and happily wallow in muck. Like Breitbart News writers.
JERSEY CITY – You know you’ve spent too much time in dad’s pizzeria when you can toss dough like no other. Check out 12-year-old Nicholas and 10-year-old Michael playing toss with some spinning rubber dough at dad’s business, Carmine's Pizza Factory in Jersey City. The video, posted on Facebook in February, now somehow has more than 14 million views just in the past two weeks. View the dizzying video and you’ll see why these kids have a future – perhaps entertaining bored patrons of the Rochelle Park library.
NEW BRUNSWICK – There’s an unbelievable story about a Yorkshire terrier named Bruno, who ran away from its Edison home two years ago. The family thought he was lost forever. But, as TAPInto New Brunswick reports, the Yorkie was miraculously found, hanging around Commercial Avenue in New Brunswick. The “jittery, wagging little ball of energy” and his family had a tearful reunion at City Hall, courtesy of the animal control office. But it all begs this question: What the heck has Bruno being doing for two years?
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Joe Piscopo was a Democrat, then an Independent and now, says New York magazine, he is the one shimmering hope of the Republicans to somehow keep the governor’s office. A battle between frontrunner Phil Murphy and Piscopo would make for terrific ratings, with two political newcomers slugging it out for the entertainment of us all. And it could be an actual race, as opposed to what would certainly a sleeper of a campaign with Murphy easily trouncing Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, like the Christie v. Buono “contest” of 2013. Read the article here.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
PARIS – We all know President Obama isn’t a French citizen. (Isn’t he a Muslim from Kenya or something?) But that is not stopping a petition, calling for Obama to run for President of France. The slogan on posters dotting Paris streets are calling for "Oui on peut!" (Yes We Can), and the organizers have somehow gotten more than 45,000 signatures in 10 days, with hopes of getting one million signatures by March 15. It all began with a $1,592 investment in posters, and now you can buy mugs and T-shirts calling for “Obama for President.” Obama is likely not interested in renouncing his American, or maybe, Kenyan, citizenship. But we all know Hillary is eagerly looking for work.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1922 that Babe Ruth signed with the Yankees for an astounding $52,000 a year, for a three-year deal. Actually, it’s not all that much for professional baseball, equal to about $725,000 in today’s dollars.
WORD OF THE DAY
Nugatory – [NOO-guh-tor-ee] - adjective
Definition: Of little or no consequence
Example: Gov. Chris Christie’s personal agenda for 2017 will likely be nugatory in the upcoming gubernatorial campaign.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Warming