The Jaffe Briefing - September 12, 2017
OUR TAKE ON THE NEWS IN NEW JERSEY
PRINCETON - The Earth is remaining on its axis this morning, as U.S. News and World Report has kept Princeton University at the top of its rankings. With those losers at Harvard and Yale nipping at its heels, Princeton was able to fend off all challengers, continuing its reign of supremacy. An interesting fun-fact: 98 percent of first-year students at Princeton continue on to graduate. And where is Rutgers in all this? Ranked 69th in the nation, tied with Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.
TRENTON - Both Gov. Chris Christie and Steve Bannon are known for being bombastic and self-consumed. So no surprise that these two bullies have little affection for one another. First, Bannon claimed Christie lost a Cabinet position for taking the laudable position of not defending Trump for his awful comments about women. In response, Christie lashed back last night on PBS Newshour, saying Bannon is in "his last 15 minutes of fame," no one cares what he has to say and, by the way, our governor was offered several cabinet positions. Of course, no discussion among these two about how they can use their influence to help the United States. Because, how would that help them?
MADISON - This year, parents of Drew University are choking on a published tuition cost of $48,336. But, for next year, the financially-struggling university is rolling back its published costs to its 2010 numbers, when tuition was "only" $38,668. NJ.com notes there is no magic bullet here; rather, the school is no longer publishing its "sticker price," but showing the price the typical Drew student pays when scholarships and financial aid are factored. School officials are right: Many potential applicants are fleeing for the hills when they hear that Drew could cost upwards of $65,000 a year with room and board. Perhaps the marketing departments of other schools will now consider promoting the real price, to the relief of parents who have no clue how to pay for all these leafy towers.
WEEHAWKEN - NJ.com tells an important story about the haves and have-nots of Weekhawken. Because many yuppies can't afford all those million-dollar gleaming high-rises on the waterfront of Manhattan, Hoboken and Jersey City, Weehawken has become the logical next place for a cherished view of the Hudson. But, NJ.com notes, Weehawken had been a small, working-class town. Now, median home prices have ballooned 25 percent in the last year, the highest surge in the state. The town is split in two - the rich, gentrified waterfront, with the cliffs of the Palisades serving as a divide with the traditional working class. Weehawken still has 55 percent of its students on free or reduced lunch. And you can quickly guess which side of the cliff in which they reside.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
NEW YORK - New Yorkers can be a tolerant group - sitting in traffic, waiting for subways, etc. Just never, ever mess with their pizza. City foodies are fuming that a Brooklyn pizza festival on Saturday featured cold, inedible slices. This morning, they are still mad. They are so mad that they've prompted prosecutors to look into the New York City Pizza Festival, promoted as a glorious "celebration of pizza." Instead, it was cold, sample-sized cardboard washed down with warm wine. NBC reports the Attorney General is urging attendees to file complaints, ensuring sham organizers don't get away with defacing such a glorious NYC staple as pizza.
It was this day in 1994 that a moody, alcoholic, financially-struggling unemployed truck driver, facing his third divorce and a drug conviction, stole a Cessna plane and crashed it onto the White House front lawn.
WORD OF THE DAY
Bibelot - [BEE-buh-loh] - noun
Definition: A small household ornament or decorative object
Example: Perhaps Steven Bannon will buy Chris Christie a lovely bibelot for Drumthwacket.
WEATHER IN A WORD
August?