The Jaffe Briefing - January 29, 2019
STATEWIDE - We all know health insurance isn't cheap, and it's now one of the biggest line items in many household budgets. New Jersey is one of only two states that require people to buy health insurance, or face fines, thanks to a new law that took effect January 1. What is fair? What is right? And, really, will health insurance premiums ever go down in New Jersey? We dare to dream with David Mordo of BenefitMall - this week's guest on the Jaffe Podcast.
BORDENTOWN - If we spent our days writing about all the stupid things other people write, well, you'd call us "columnists." But, what's really worth writing about is what some couple wrote on the back of their check at Under the Moon Cafe on Thursday night. The appalled cafe owner went on Facebook to share the story of these customers who got served by a multi-lingual waitress, speaking Spanish to other staff. The couple wrote, "DON'T TIP IMMIGRANTS" and, of course, stiffed her. The owner's response is a wish for dumb people not to visit his cafe. He added a P.S.: "Your server, who helped create an excellent experience for you, who you discriminated against with written ignorance and no tip, is not an immigrant. She is of Spanish descent, born in America and is multi-lingual."
TRENTON - New Jersey Republicans now have the fewest state Senate seats since 1981, after Sen. Dawn Addiego climbed over to the Democrats yesterday. A four-term senator from Burlington County, Addiego's big switch gives Senate Democrats an iron-tight 26-14 majority. She made national news after expressing frustration with "gridlock in Washington," telling the New Jersey Globe"the vision of Ronald Reagan no longer exists" and saying the Republican Party "has lost its way." The news site also notes Addiego's move further tightens Senate President Steve Sweeney's control on the Democratic caucus, making for even choppier waters for Gov. Phil Murphy.
ONLINE - You'd think websites like "Tushy" and "Vixen" would be completely legitimate, dedicated to the service of vixens and tushy aficionados. But, alas, no. The website owners, who tout "high-end, artistic" porn on these sites, have a nice business suing viewers who illegally download the content, demanding $150,000 or so in damages, NJ.com reports. There are about 1,000 defendants in New Jersey from just two of these companies. Of course, defendants are urged to settle for a fraction of the cash demanded, maybe $10,000 or so, to avoid all the embarrassing litigation, in what they are claiming is a shakedown scheme by copyright trolls. Those particularly screwed are government workers, teachers and others who would have to report any pending litigation to employers, and are eager to conclude their business with the Vixen and Tushy people.
TRENTON - "Here we are looking to tax rain. What's next? Air?''harrumphed Assemblyman Kevin Rooney yesterday. What had Rooney worked up was the prospect of a new class of utility in New Jersey - a stormwater utility. If given the go-ahead by state lawmakers - something that looks quite likely after years of being stymied by former Gov. Chris Christie - the new utility would allow towns or counties to fix aging stormwater systems that foul the waters and increase flooding. They could fund upgrades by imposing fees on owners of properties with large areas of impervious cover, like parking lots, malls and the like. Critics say it's just another layer of bureaucracy. But supporters point out that the state hasn't exactly been A-1 at protecting people from flooding disasters, not to mention pollution and sewage runoff. Get in the flow at NJ Spotlight.
NEWARK - No blarney: McGovern's Tavern is New Jersey's best bar, at least according to The Daily Meal's 2019 roundup of the Best Bars in America. This is the third straight year the New Street watering hole - a favorite haunt of cops, firefighters, city officials and, at one time, Star-Ledger newshounds - made the list, coming in at 134 out of 150 honorees. The Irish pub, which opened in 1936, is also the only bar on the list that's currently closed for major renovations. But, pints of Guinness, shots of Jameson, and McGovern's signature "Dublin Decker" sandwiches should make a triumphant return just in time for St. Patrick's Day. Let's lift our glasses to that.
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| Jaffe Briefing staff member Jennifer Pagliei gets to the bottom of a pint at McGoverns in June 2018 |
STATEWIDE - Just because we've got a precedent-setting anti-bullying law on our state's books, it doesn't mean it couldn't use some fine tuning. So, Assemblyman Rob Karabinchak is pushing for an 11-member task force to close any loopholes in the law. Karabinchak tells TAPinto he's proud our state was "first in the nation to implement anti-bullying laws" in 2002, but even "first-of-its-kind laws need to be refined." The bill he introduced calls for a panel of members from the legal, educational and psychological professions, plus bullying victims and their families, to "ensure anti-bullying laws are actually working to protect students." Hear that, Biff?
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
YORK HAVEN, Pa. - Depressed? Popping pills, perhaps? Maybe it's timeto finally get yourself an emotional support alligator. A 65-year-old man strongly recommends it, telling Philly.com that his alligator named Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs, despite being a 5-foot-long, cold-blooded reptile. Wally, rescued from outside Orlando at 14 months old, is still growing and could be 16 feet long one day, weighing around 900 pounds. He loves chicken wings, at the moment, and shares an indoor plastic pond with a smaller rescue alligator named Scrappy. Wally "is just like a dog," the man maintains. "He wants to be loved and petted." Just remember - you only have 10 fingers.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1985 that a bunch of 1980s music stars came together to record "We Are the World," raising $66 million to combat hunger. It's also amazing how many of these "USA for Africa" musicians are still performing, easily earning $66 million on each tour.
WORD OF THE DAY
Porphyrophobia - [por-fə-roh-PHOH-bee-əh] - noun
Definition: Fear of the color purple
Example: I hope your pet alligator doesn't like to wear purple. Why? My porphyrophobia.
WIT OF THE DAY
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"Don't find the fault; find the remedy."
- Henry Ford
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WEATHER IN A WORD
Dropping
THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing exclusive
by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun