Saturday, May 19, 2012
Funnyman Sasha Baron Cohen is at it again, this time as a flashy, offensive Middle Eastern dictator who comes to the U.S.
Editor's Note — A version of this review originally appeared in Roseville Patch. From the guy who brought us Ali G and Borat comes a new character named General Aladeen — a ruthless dictator from a fictional country in North Africa who is part buffoon, horn dog and ruthless bloodthirsty ruler in "The Dictator." Through a ridiculous set of circumstances, from which I will spare you the details because they are so contrived, Aladeen ends up in New York while his even sillier double is in charge of his country. There are plenty of cameo appearances from big stars to keep things interesting. As for the element of political satire, we get a pretty heavy-handed lecture that borders on being a bit corny. "The Dictator," like so many other …
Friday, May 11, 2012
A state legislative committee approved a bill this week that would bar the practice.
Can an employer force you to reveal your Facebook or other social media password as a condition for getting hired or keeping your job? That issue began to get some attention in March after a statistician in New York reported that during an interview with a potential employer, the woman interviewing him had searched for his Facebook and, upon discovering that it was private, asked him for the password. The statistician, Justin Bassett refused and left the interview, according to the Associated Press. But the story brought to light other instances where employers have sought similar access to social media accounts, and have led several states to consider legislation to ban the practice. California's assembly voted Thursday to approve such …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
The blockbuster hit is showing in Westfield, Mountainside, and Union.
The Avengers officially opened on Friday and is showing at the Union Theatre in Union, AMC Loews Mountainside, the Rialto Theatre of Westfield. Find showtimes here. Overall, The Avengers is one film that delivers, blending non-stop action with comedic relief. Expect many of the one-liners to be quoted this summer. This Marvel Film directed by Joss Whedon is great entertainment and not just for comic book fanatics. Take it from someone who easily tires of long action scenes. The superheroes with their unique skills and personalities and the stunning visual effects keep this movie interesting. Seeing all those superheroes in one film, interacting and battling through rivalries is really pretty cool. The superheroes are summoned together …
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Former Mayor Bart Fraenkel objects to Shehady’s version of budget history.
In this month's message from the mayor, Mayor Ziad Shehady mentions the outstanding pension obligation that was deferred in 2009. When the Township Committee decided to defer the pension bill, the idea was to pay it off prior to 2012, since any payments made before that time would not incur interest. In addition, spreading out the payments would significantly reduce a tax increase to the residents. Mr. Shehady was mayor in 2010, the first year a partial payment should have been made. However, despite the fact the township was able to significantly reduce their health insurance costs due to Governor Christie's hard stance regarding health benefits for state employees, no payment was made. The governor's position enabled the township to …
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
An editor's personal journey through autism.
This story is not mine to own. It could belong to you. It could belong to your sister, your friend, your neighbor, the waitress at Jersey Boys, the bank president, the school principal, the police officer directing traffic. In New Jersey, the story belongs to all of us. The findings of a federal study released last week show that one in 49 children, and one in 29 boys, are diagnosed with autism in New Jersey. Nationally, one in 88 children are diagnosed annually. Autism is a disease that gives itself freely and without prejudice. There is no way to protect your child from it; no diet or vaccine that will prevent it. It is, as experts will tell you, pervasive. Autism has been an unwanted guest in my house for 11 years. It has attached …
Monday, March 26, 2012
Some job seekers are now being asked to allow prospective employers to view the content of their social media accounts.
Would you let a prospective employer snoop around in your social media accounts? More and more employers are reportedly asking to do just that. According to Reuters, studies have shown that examining a job seeker's Facebook profile can yield more information than a personality test. However, as social media users become more security-conscious, employers are asking for -- and in some cases getting - access to private information. USA Today reports that a Maryland correctional officer willingly gave his password during an interview because he feared that failure to do so would prevent him from gaining employment. "I needed my job to feed my family. I had to," he recalled, according to the USA Today article. New York statistician Justin …
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Patch editor says the film adaptation was true to the book and satisfies fans.
It's not every week I'd let two of my kids stay up until 3 a.m. to go to a midnight movie on a school night. But the fact we were at Caldwell Cinema Thursday late instead of sleeping is a testament to how much we love Suzanne Collins' series, "The Hunger Games." And, if the packed theater was any indication, the rest of America does too. The movie was filled with fans - some who'd read all three books in the series, some who had only gotten through the first one. There was also one teenaged girl, was hurriedly finishing the pages of the first book, minutes before the lights went out. For book fans, the movie didn't disappoint. The depiction of Panem was just as bleak as described in Collins' trilogy. Prim and Rue were sweet and innocent, …
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Vote in the poll or tell us in the comments.
Note to Jets fans all over Union County: let the Tebowmania begin! The highly praised but heavily scrutinized quarterback will be suiting up in green and white next season after being traded Wednesday to the New York Jets for two draft picks. The announcement Tuesday that former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning had officially signed with the Denver Broncos not only made the Broncos an immediate playoff contender, it also meant media darling Tim Tebow was out of a starting job. No longer the starter, rumors began to fly Tuesday night that Tebow would be traded, with the Jets considered a possible destination. On Wednesday, FOXSports' Jay Glazer broke the news on Twitter that Tebow had in fact been traded to the New York Jets …
Monday, March 19, 2012
Survey praises state's laws on open records, campaign finance disclosures, public integrity.
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Monday, March 19
A new study ranks New Jersey top in the nation for procedures for uncovering corruption. In a report released Monday, the Center for Public Integrity rated all 50 states in terms of their laws for public records access, requiring reports of campaign donations, accountability of all three branches of government, state budget transparency, civil service procedures, purchasing procedures, lobbyist disclosure, audits, pension fund management, ethics bodies, insurance regulation and redistricting. "Keep in mind we're not measuring cases of corruption, but the systems in place to prevent it, and encourage openness and transparency in government," said Gordon Witkin, CPI's managing editor. The report is likely a surprise for many state residents…
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Women approve of Obama more than men.
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Saturday, March 17
The president is feeling the love in New Jersey with a 51 percent approval rating, according to Fairleigh Dickinson University’s latest PublicMind poll. Women in the state are among Obama’s biggest supporters, according to the poll. Read the full release here, and take our poll to tell us what you think of Obama. The president’s approval is up in New Jersey, and the “wrong direction” number is down. According the latest poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind™, 51% of New Jersey voters say they approve of the way the president is handling his job, while 42% percent disapprove, a significant improvement from the president’s lukewarm 46%-45% approval in January. Men, in fact, are more likely to disapprove of the president (49%) …
HobokenOwl
11:45 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
No kidding, B@b. My point was your "Professional" online persona is your linkedin account. Your fun online persona is fb. more ›