Snooki slams Christie in new book

MEREDITH, N.H. — When Gov. Chris Christie mocked the cast of the “Jersey Shore” for being New Yorkers who give New Jersey a bad name and squashed a controversial $420,000 tax credit called the “Snooki subsidy” for the first season of the hit MTV show, he had the support of his New Jersey audience. But it… Read the rest of this entry »

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“Snooki’s Law” Advances In NJ State Senate

A bill inspired by “Snooki’s” 2011 appearance at Rutgers that paid the Realty TV star $32,000 to advise students to “study hard but party harder” was advanced through the Senate Education Committee today.

Sponsored by Sen. Joe Kyrillos, S-703 decreases costs and increases transparency at higher education institutions by requiring colleges to publish an online breakdown of student fees and allow students to decline certain expenses.

“The growing cost of pursuing higher education is staggering, with many New Jersey students struggling to foot the bill and finish their degrees,” said Senator Kyrillos (R-Monmouth). “College students and their families should know exactly what they’re paying for, before their money is taken. By offering them the chance to opt-out, we are giving students the opportunity to create and pay for the college experience they want, instead of forcing them to pay for frivolous events that do not contribute to the quality education that they deserve.”

S-703 requires all higher education institutions to publish a full breakdown of student fees on the web. The fees must be sorted into categories, including “student managed entertainment” and “capitol improvement.” The bill would allow students to affirmatively opt-out of student-managed entertainment fees.

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Snooki on Christie: “He just doesn’t like us” #STTS

Perfect together?

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Snooki Show Banned From Hoboken

Snooki won’t be cavorting along the Jersey shore of the Hudson River anytime soon.

The birthplace of the Chairman of the Board and baseball doesn’t have to worry about Snooki and JWoww filling the vacancy created by Jon Corzine’s departure, thanks to Mayor Dawn Zimmer telling MTV that a spinoff to the show that made Seaside Heights an international destination will not be filmed in her city, according to a report on NJ.com.

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MMM Year in Review – May

Seal Team 6 killed Osama Bin Laden.

Having lost the legislative map battle, Governor Christie made a deal with Senate President Stephen Sweeney over Supreme Court Justice nominees’ confirmation hearing.  In making the deal, six months before the general election, Christie implicitly conceded that the Democrats would retain control of the State Senate and the Sweeney would remain Senate President.

Howard Birdsall resigned as chairman of the Brookdale College board of trustees.

The world did not end.  The Rapture was rescheduled for October.

The State Supreme Court reaffirmed the Abbott decision, assuring that New Jersey’s educational system would remain racially segregated  and funded by the highest property taxes in the nation.

The Neptune Board of Education made a deal with the ACLU that prevented litigation and kept the high school graduation at the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium.

Governor Christie pulled New Jersey out of the RGGI cap and trade scheme.

86 veterans of the Battle of the Bulge and their families attended a Survivors Reunion and Monument Rededication Ceremony at Thorne Middle School in Middletown.

Rutgers paid Snooki $32,000 to bestow her wisdom upon the student body. They paid retiring University president Richard McCormick $550,000 to take a year off and will pay him $335,000 per year to teach history when he returns.

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Will Christie Meet Snooki? That Would Be Quite A Situation!

Mayor Matt Doherty and Governor Chris Christie walk the Belmar boardwalk. Photo Credit: Tim Larson, Governor's Office

By Art Gallagher

Governor Christie had such a good time in Belmar today that he’s going back to the beach tomorrow to promote New Jersey’s clean beaches and water.

Christie will be making a stop in Manasquan at 2PM with remarks to the press and then head to the Boardwalk and Dupont Ave. in Seaside Heights at 3:45PM.

Christie spokesperson Michael Drewniak hasn’t responded to my email asking if there are any plans to meet or avoid the cast of Jersey Shore during the Seaside Heights visit.

You never know what Snooki will do!

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Snooki is cheap

By Art Gallagher

I’m not talking about her lascivious lifestyle—that’s no longer newsworthy and I still don’t get the entertainment allure of the train wreck while there are so many real disasters on TV.

I’m talking about her $32K speaking engagement at Rutgers.

Compared to the largess that Rutgers is bestowing on outgoing president Richard McCormick, Snooki’s $32K is cheap. McCormick with receive a one year paid sabbatical at his salary of $550,000.  After his full year paid vacation he will return to the faculty as a history professor with a $335,000 salary.

I don’t have a major gripe with McCormick personally.  His is just one more example of a golden parachute for a government employee .  I was surprised to read that he is making only $550,000 to lead the 57,000 student university.  That sounds cheap compared to former Brookdale College President Peter Burnham’s salary and perks before Freeholder John Curley tore down that ivory tower.  McCormick’s compensation sounds cheap, given the job, compared to the numerous $200K plus superintendent of school salaries we’ve read about throughout New Jersey before Governor Christie reformed that absurdity.   McCormick’s golden parachute is a bargin compared the almost $800K the former superintendent of the Keansburg schools tried make off with.

McCormick hasn’t been as blantently greedy as some in government. He refused to take raises to his salary from 2002 through 2008 and he hasn’t taken another raise since the 4.75% bump he got in 2008.  Also, in 2008 he donated the $100K performance bonus that the Board of Trustees awarded him back to the university to fund financial aid to students based on need and performance.  It’s tough to make a case that McCormick’s a bad guy.

But the system that the government class designed for themselves and continues to exploit is increasingly tough to take and increasingly difficult to pay for.  It’s tough to write the tax check knowing that too much of it is going to pay high five figure pensions and lifetime health benifits for men and women in their forties and fifties.    McCormick’s case is just the latest reminder of all that is broken in New Jersey.

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The Jersey Shore Is Safer With Snooki In Italy

Paul Mulhshine says that Snooki and her Jersey Shore crew have been an economic boom for Seaside Heights.  Ocean County body shops, as in auto body shops, are missing out on the action this summer as the MTV reality show is shooting in Italy.

Multiple news sources are reporting that Snooki crashed her car into the police cruiser that was assigned to her protection. Co-star Deena was a passenger and had to climb out the window to escape the wreckage.

The police officers involved were treated for whiplash and bruises.  Snooki, who was briefly taken into custody but not charged, and Deena were not hurt.

There was no alcohol involved, according to the reports.

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“She’s Ugly and Orange. I Love Her”

~ my friend’s daughter, a Brookdale student, speaking of Snooki

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Bring Back Snooki

By Art Gallagher

Rutgers must be trying to become Berkeley East.

The State University of New Jersey is following up the $32,000 appearance by Snooki with a speaking engagement by Valerie Jarrett, a Senior White House Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison.

Intergovernmental Relations.  That’s what Frank Pallone’s wife is in charge of for the EPA.

Jarrett also is the Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls. Who knew there was a White House Council on Women and Girls? President Obama created in by Executive Order back in March of 2009.  The mission of the council is to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges faced by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families.

In July of 2009, the NY Time published a 8100 word profile on Jarrett, The Ultimate Insider.  The author said he spent four months researching Jarrett and couldn’t figure out her “ineffable raison d’etre in the Obama White House.”

That makes Jarrett the perfect follow up for Snooki, who’s raison d’etre is equally ineffable.

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