On another slow-news day, calling all morons

On Friday morning, this bicyclist and a friend made better progress along narrow, antiquated Passaic Street in Hackensack and Maywood than did many drivers, who are slowed by traffic backing up at intersections without turn lanes.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Burned-out reporter John Cichowski long ago ran out of ideas for his commuting column in The Record, and he's too lazy to cover mass transit.

So, in desperation, he sent e-mails to loyal readers, seeking comment on the plan to shift Route 17 exits from the left side of the Garden State Parkway to the right in a bid to end long backups and a high number of crashes.

Inevitably, as today's Page 1 Road Warrior column shows, the morons came out in droves with inane alternatives, including one man who wants a pothole near his home repaired (A-1). 

Most of Cichowski's readers are interested only in seeing their names in print, and they've been playing him like the fool he is for more than a decade.

Well, at least two of his readers are aware of a huge problem Cichowski has ignored: 

Declining state police enforcement of speeding and aggressive driving.

"The problem is ... a lack of police ticketing seeders," said Peter Peirano (A-6).

"The state should set up speed cameras," Steve Gigante of Hackensack said, to which I say, "Amen."

More wasted space

Virginia Rohan, another columnist who ran out of ideas, revives the finale of "The Sopranos" nearly seven years ago, and asks creator David Chase whether Tony Soprano died in the final episode (Better Living front).

Who the f--- cares? What a waste of space.

Playing catch-up

Since the George Washington Bridge scandal exploded in January, The Record has reluctantly reported that Governor Christie's first term was pretty much a disaster and that so far, his second term hasn't been any great shakes (A-1, A-3, A-4 and A-7).

On Page 1, Staff Writer Hugh R. Morley reports "New Jersey ... has lagged behind the nation in job creation."

On A-4, Staff Writer Melissa Hayes, one of Christie's chief boosters, says, "New Jersey is struggling to create jobs, maintain its credit rating and balance its budget."

In the continuation of Morley's story, the reporter says, "While the nation has added on average 215,000 jobs a month this year, New Jersey has yet to gain jobs in 2014" (A-7).

What the Woodland Park daily doesn't attempt to explain -- in view of Christie's dismal record on the economy and other areas -- is how he managed to win a second term last November.

Or why nearly every editor, reporter and columnist at The Record has spent so much time promoting Christie's presidential ambitions.

A Honda CR-V seen on Cedar Lane in Teaneck on Friday carries a license plate I haven't seen since I left The Record in 2008. "BER" stands for Bergen Evening Record.

Big Hackensack news?

On the Local front today, there is big news for Hackensack residents, I guess.

Stephen A. Borg, the Silver Spoon publisher of The Record, says a deal to develop the 19.7 acres that served as the daily's home for decades is off, but another developer is waiting in the wings (L-1).

Apartment developer Fred Daibes is out and a mysterious national firm is in, a city spokesman said.

One of the few new things in the story is the $23.44 million value of the land along River Street in Hackensack, according to state taxation officials.

Of course, the story contains a major error.

Staff Writer Christopher Maag claims the property is "one block east of Main Street," when it is, in fact, two short blocks away from the city's depressed shopping district.

The parking lot of the old Record headquarters -- part of a notorious flood zone -- is being used for the cars of visitors, attorneys and jurors who were displaced by construction of a new building next to the Bergen County Courthouse.

Read More

Editors don't I.D. crime victim as NJMG developer

On River Street in Hackensack, customers actually line up and wait for a seat at White Manna, where they pay for the privilege of eating mystery meat and other unhealthy food.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

Is the deal off between North Jersey Media Group and multimillionaire Fred Daibes for development of 20 acres in Hackensack where The Record prospered for more than 110 years?

A story on the sale of Daibes' luxury St. Moritz high-rise in Edgewater appeared in Friday's Local section (L-3), but there was no mention of whether he still plans to build apartments on the River Street property.

Despite all his wealth, Daibes apparently cut corners on security at the St. Moritz, and was a victim of a home invasion last November.

Four suspects yanked him from bed, broke his ribs and shoulder blade, and made off with nearly $2 million in cash, gold bars and other valuables, according to county prosecutors.

Daibes' luxury and exotic car collection was photographed for Bergen.com in the driveway of the St. Moritz.

The rental building, at 100 Daibes Court, boasts of hotel-like amenities, but its Web site doesn't mention security.

Today's paper

In today's edition of The Record, front-page stories speculating about the whereabouts of a missing jet and the fate of 239 people on board have been replaced by a story on the Jets (A-1).

Would four people killed by fire in a shore motel that was a refuge for Sandy survivors still be alive, if Governor Christie hadn't bungled the distribution of federal aid (A-1)?

Christie's mismanagement of state finances gets gentle treatment in another Page 1 story, which avoids discussing his inflexible stance against taxing the wealthy or raising the low gasoline tax to revive the bankrupt Transportation Trust Fund (A-1).

Local yokels

Today's Local section is heavy on Law & Order news, including a dramatic photo of a Norwood DPW garage fire that injured no one and whose cause eludes the talented local staff (L-6).

The Better Living editors waste their cover today on a half-dozen Jersey bimbos. A seventh bimbo wrote the piece (BL-1).

Read More

Editors miss big story about legal system

This pothole on Euclid Avenue in Hackensack was photographed on Feb. 23, but still hasn't been repaired. I called the Department of Public Works and was told crews are filling holes, but permanent repairs can't be made until warmer weather arrives.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

A Page 1 photo in The Record today shows a man in rumpled clothing who could stand in for tens of thousands of litigants who have been made poorer by high legal fees.

Although the editors say Governor Christie is paying $650 an hour to his Bridgegate lawyer, the paper has never explored a system with no apparent ceiling on legal fees paid by ordinary people who face age, race or employment bias or who file other civil suits.

And those high fees deny access to the courts for thousands of people with legitimate grievances.

Rewarding lawyers

Today, a front-page story discusses all of the judicial vacancies Christie has left unfilled, including 21 in Essex County, causing case backlogs (A-1).

But the story doesn't explain those backlogs delay the cases of plaintiffs who then have to shell out even more money in legal fees, playing into the hands of lawyers like Christie.

Screwing up the legal system is the latest accomplishment of the GOP bully, the worst governor New Jersey has ever had.

High legal fees

Staff Writer Kibret Markos, who covers the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, has ignored high legal fees in just about every story he's written about lawsuits.

And Markos never tells readers that plaintiffs only collect part of those huge multi-million dollar  jury awards that make headlines, with a significant portion going to the lawyers.

None of this is surprising, given the propensity of the Borg family, which publishes The Record, to sue people for alleged copyright infringement, forcing them to spend many thousands of dollars to defend themselves.

North Jersey Media Group also regularly employs lawyers from firms in New Jersey and New York, paying them hundreds of dollars an hour to file suits to enforce open-records laws and for other purposes.

Maybe the Borgs get a discount when they run favorable publicity about Pashman Stein, the Hackensack law firm they employ frequently.

Media negativity

Staff Writer Virginia Rohan panned Ellen DeGeneres' performance as host of the Oscars on Sunday night, but today, the paper reports the broadcast drew the most watchers since 2004 and that a "selfie" by actor Bradley Cooper crashed Twitter (A-4).

Was Rohan merely indulging in the kind of negativity the media seem to love, finding fault with nearly everything and often failing to report anything  positive?

Editors' favorites

Of course, the editors do have favorites, including Christie and Rep. Scott Garrett, the conservative crackpot who represents the 5th District in Congress, including the liberal bastions of Hackensack, Fair Lawn and part of Teaneck.

Today, an Opinion piece by Garrett appears on A-9, where he decries "government intrusion" in food choices and other consumer issues. 

Hey, give me a break. Garrett, you may remember, initially opposed President Obama's offer of billions of dollars to help Sandy victims in New Jersey.

I keep misspelling his last name as "Garret," as in the mountain near the Woodland Park newsroom, and that's likely because every word out of his mouth adds to a mountain of mean-spirited bullshit.

More headlines

On L-6 today, two local obituaries appear, retelling the lives of a Lodi High School coach and a state police veteran who got plenty of headlines when they were alive (L-7).

What about the unknown, unsung people who led interesting lives? Don't they deserve some special attention?

More bad reporting

Rohan is back today with way too much information about "the evolution" of Matthew McConaughey, who won the best actor Oscar on Sunday night (BL-1).

What a waste of space. I would like to have seen second thoughts on her harsh assessment of DeGeneres in Monday's paper.

I especially found curious the reporter professed to be puzzled -- she wrote, "Huh?" -- when the daytime talk show host told the audience they would be considered racists, if "12 Years a Slave" didn't win the Oscar for best picture.

Obviously, that was a reference to academy members rejecting a film with a black director, a black screenwriter and a largely black cast that is a clear condemnation of slavery, which enriched whites and drove the country into civil war. 

Hilarious pizza bit

And I can't fathom Rohan's claim that there was no payoff after DeGeneres ordered pizzas, said she didn't have any money and asked Hollywood bigs to fork over some cash.

Harvey Weinstein, the homeliest studio head in Hollywood, handed her a couple of big bills, and actor Brad Pitt also contributed to the pot.

Instead of wasting space on the "evolution" of an actor, The Record's editor, Marty Gottlieb, should run a long piece on the "devolution" of Christie, and explain why he deserved reelection last year.

And let's hope that if Gottlieb assigns such a story, he picks someone who isn't as dim-witted as Rohan.

Read More

Editors, reporters get lost in La La Land

As further evidence of haphazard snow removal in Hackensack, high school hurdlers may use a blockaded crosswalk across the street from City Hall on State Street for their workouts, above. At the post office, below, there is only one opening to the sidewalk for drivers parked at the four meters.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

Today's paper carries better coverage of the Oscars than many local stories.

The Record's big Page 1 photo shows a beaming Lupita Nyong'o, a Kenyan, accepting the award for best supporting actress on Sunday night.

More photos from the Los Angeles ceremonies appear on the front of Better Living, which includes a surprisingly harsh assessment of host Ellen DeGeneres' performance (B-3).

Does anybody but Staff Writer Virginia Rohan feel sorry for the hideous Liza Minnelli or klutzy actress Jennifer Lawrence, who were the targets of DeGeneres' "mean" jokes?

All of this coverage overlooked one thing:

Nyong'o ("12 Years a Slave") is probably the first actress without breast augmentation to win an award in a couple of decades.

Snow jobs

I'm still waiting for The Record's editors to send out reporters to speak to ordinary residents about how their lives were disrupted in small and big ways by a seemingly endless series of snowstorms this winter.

On Sunday, the Business front carried a story on how the storms affected the bottom line, but the human element has been missing from much the coverage since early January.

Today, residents of Bergen County awoke to barely a dusting from the latest storm.

But in Hackensack and other towns, haphazard snow removal has left obstacles that continue to block crosswalks, bus stops and the view of oncoming traffic on streets and highways.

And drivers still have to dodge potholes that haven't been repaired in the past few weeks.

What are officials waiting for? Are they really blameless, as Sunday's lame editorial claims?

Read More

More evidence against the worst N.J. governor ever

At 10 Wednesday morning, Prospect Avenue was blocked by a wall of snow at Euclid Avenue, reflecting the Hackensack DPW's half-assed job of clearing streets. If I thought this was bad, Englewood's DPW showed even more incompetency, leaving main roads covered with snow and ice or with only one clear lane.

Euclid and Grand avenues in Hackensack.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor 

One of the worst public-transit systems in the world. Hundreds of Sandy victims wrongly denied federal aid. And deliberate sabotage of the Affordable Care Act. 

The Record today contains three more counts in an indictment of Governor Christie's performance since he took office in January 2010 (A-1 and A-3).

Even without a clear picture of his role in the closure of George Washington Bridge local access lanes in Democratic Fort Lee (A-1), the GOP bully has cemented his reputation as the worst New Jersey governor ever.

The big question is when Editor Marty Gottlieb, Editorial Page Editor Alfred P. Doblin and such adoring staffers as Charles Stile and Melissa Hayes are going to give up the charade of pretending this mean-spirited conservative is presidential material.

Short memory

Congratulations to Columnist Virginia Rohan for exposing media exaggeration of winter weather (A-1), but why did she omit The Record's own nearly hysterical predictions on Jan. 2?

That's when Staff Writer Shawn Boburg tried to paralyze readers by predicting "near-blizzard conditions" and "a double-headed monster of a storm."

And Rohan is wrong that "you probably don't remember any individual snow day of your youth." 

I clearly remember walking down the middle of Bay Parkway in Brooklyn in the late 1950s or early 1960s after a huge snowstorm that literally stopped traffic and bus service.

Bad editing

Whoever wrote the photo caption for Rohan's story failed Copy Editing 101. 

If you run a huge photo showing Eddie Harrison clearing sidewalks with a snowblower, you don't have to tell readers Harrison is "using a snowblower."

Tell them something they can't see, like how much snow fell in Paterson.

I also was looking at Rohan's column photo, thinking sexism is at work in the recent update. The editors continue to use a dated, unflattering photo of Columnist Mike Kelly, complete with shit-eating grin.

Salt in our wounds

On Tuesday, The Record reported Bergen County and Englewood had run out of road salt, but the paper didn't do a follow today, even though snow clearing in that small city was another big joke on residents and visitors.

I left Hackensack a little after 10 in the morning for Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, where I volunteer on Wednesdays, and had to drive about 15 mph over snow- and ice-covered streets in Englewood, including East Forest Avenue, Lafayette Place and Englewood Avenue.

On Wednesday night, only one lane of Englewood Avenue past Mackay Park was clear, reminding Jamaican-American residents of their native island -- where the roads are some of the worst and most dangerous in the Caribbean.

Euclid Avenue and Clarendon Place in Hackensack.

When I drove home around 4 Wednesday afternoon, Euclid Avenue looked pretty much the way it did at 10 in the morning, when I had placed an expletive-filled call to Councilman Leo Battaglia.

Battaglia said the plows were set to return to Euclid after 4, and they did, blocking the entrance to our cleared driveway for the second time that day.

On Main Street, near Sears, my car was pounded by the ice-packed roadway on Wednesday morning, and on the way home, I noticed no one had cleared the sidewalk in front of the store's large parking lot.

I spoke to a woman who left Ramsey at 6:30 on Wednesday morning and drove to Englewood, a trip that took an hour, partly because of unplowed entrance and exit ramps on Routes 17 and 4 -- said to be the responsibility of municipalities.

Lazy reporting

I don't see anything about the lousy job of snow clearing in Hackensack, Englewood or anywhere else in today's Local news section, put out by Deputy Assignment Editor Dan Sforza, one of the laziest in the newsroom.

The Record's crack reporting staff continues to chip away at a murder-suicide that left two men dead early Monday morning in a Cupsaw Drive home in Ringwood (A-1).

Now, three days after the bodies were found, the Woodland Park daily reports that Seth Gunar, the homeowner and a gun collector, shot Christopher Coogan after an argument over missing guns.

Seems like poetic justice that a man who collected guns died from a self-inflicted gunshot.

Opposite the continuation page of the murder-suicide story, a deceptive half-page ad predicting the "end of obesity by 2018" shows Editor Tim Nostrand during a warm-weather tailgate party (A-11).

Another bad head

Today's paper carries another inappropriate headline -- a silly play on words that sends the wrong message -- this one on the Better Living cover over a story on people who have to work outside in wintry weather (BL-1).

Part of the blame rests on the page designer, who called for a banger head of only two words in oversized type.

Still, that's no excuse to call cold-weather work "SNOW JOBS," which cheapens it and suggests something fraudulent.

Read More

Editors sell out to NFL's publicity juggernaut

Snow began falling during the night, transforming Hackensack into a winter wonderland.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

As a pro football game, it was almost as boring as The Record's Sunday paper.

Still, Editor Marty Gottlieb completely transforms today's edition into what reads like a National Football League house organ.

Virtually all of Page 1, the Local front and the Better Living cover are filled with stories about Sunday's Super Bowl, the parties and the hype readers have had to endure for two years.

Bridgegate

The latest developments in the Bridgegate scandal were demoted to A-3 and addressed in an editorial (A-13).

Governor Christie was booed at a Super Bowl event in the city on Saturday, and one of his aides, Christina Genovese Renna, resigned on Friday "before she was to deliver documents" to investigators (A-3).

A surprisingly large number of last-minute shoppers showed up at Whole Foods Market in Paramus on Sunday afternoon, about 6 hours before the Super Bowl began.

Bellyaching

Commuters' complaints about NJ Transit service have fallen on the deaf ears of the Road Warrior and the lazy assignment editors for more than a decade.

But today's Local front leads with "rail backups" and long lines experienced by 33,000 fans who took mass transit to the Meadowlands, not the 28,000 I mentioned earlier (L-1).

Story loses fizz

On the Better Living front, Staff Writer Virginia Rohan's appraisal of Super Bowl TV ads contains a glaring omission:

No mention of actress Scarlett Johansson, spokeswoman for Soda Stream, a home seltzer maker, or censorship of the words that ended the spot, "Sorry Coke and Pepsi," two sponsors of the sports farce. 

Johansson says the homemade seltzer is "better for you," made with less sugar and saves bottles.

NPR scoop

Today, New Jersey Public Radio (WNYC-FM) is reporting 10 companies that received Superstorm Sandy relief contracts contributed to the Republican Governors Association, which Christie heads.

Read More

Why are 12 more gun deaths front-page news?

An accident on Route 4 east in Teaneck this morning backed up traffic in Paramus, above, and beyond. Despite high tolls and expensive gasoline, most of the cars and SUVs carry lone drivers, a testament to the sorry state of public transit under Governor Christie.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

I'm pretty certain more than 12 people have been killed by gun violence in both Newark and Paterson this year, two cities that had to lay off police officers because of Governor Christie's mean-spirited cuts in state aid.

Have you seen that story on Page 1 of The Record?

The deaths of 13 on Monday at the Washington Navy Yard, including the gunman, is all over the front-page of the Woodland Park daily today (A-1 and A-6).

It's the kind of sensational story newspaper editors like Marty Gottlieb love, but readers are just shaking their heads.

Politicians to blame

What should be on the front page is how Christie and politicians in Washington and other states have caved into the National Rifle Association and its deep pockets, refusing to tighten gun control -- despite one mass shooting after another.

The Navy Yard massacre may accomplish one thing: Drawing attention to bloated government payrolls. An astounding 18,000 people work there (A-6).

What statement?

Another front-page story is written in a sky-is-falling tone.

Staff Writer Melissa Hayes, one of the reporters who is firmly in Christie's corner, says state Sen. Barbara Buono did not submit "her story" to voters.

Hayes is referring to an optional candidate's statement on sample ballots for the Nov. 5 gubernatorial election that are sent to nearly 5.5 million registered voters in the state (A-1).

I vote in every election, and my reaction is, What statement?

Anti-Buono stance

The reason Hayes and the editors think this is such a big deal is that they long ago dismissed Buono's campaign, and have taken every opportunity to tell readers how poorly she is doing in the polls.

Her campaign message never appears on the front page, which seems to be reserved for Christie and the shore's recovery from Superstorm Sandy. 

They've also ignored the issues and what a poor job the GOP bully is doing as governor -- on gun control, mass transit, exorbitant tolls, women's health, local property taxes and job creation.

Christie idolatry

Christie is clearly the worst New Jersey governor ever, and I'm not the only one who thinks so:

In a letter to the editor today (A-8), Paul Fraser of Fair Lawn says, "Can journalists like Editorial Page Editor Alfred P. Doblin stop fawning over this governor, who really hasn't accomplished very much?"

"We continue to see very depressing economic news in New Jersey, and Governor Christie is clueless as to help those without a job. We see him going against the will of the people on issues like same-sex marriage and the medical marijuana program ....

"What is the appeal of this man," Fraser asks.

New photo

Did you notice the updated photo of Staff Writer Virginia Rohan, one of the most talented writers in the newsroom (A-1)?

OK. Rohan has devoted too much time and space to those slutty New Jersey housewives, but she was probably under orders from her editor.

Now, Gottlieb should update the photos of Columnist Mike Kelly, he of the shit-eating grin; of Jill Schensul, the haggard, jet-lagged Travel section editor; and of the befuddled, error-prone John Cichowski, aka the Road Warrior. 

Living dead

In Local today, Staff Writer Jay Levin has two expanded obituaries of prominent North Jersey residents (L-1 and L-6).

Of course, the Rev. Eugene Palumbo, 91, a Paterson native; and Dr. Robert McCabe, 88, formerly of Englewood, made plenty of headlines when they were alive.

Readers might ask where are the obituaries of their neighbors, whose accomplishments the paper routinely ignores, and why aren't there more African-American life stories published?

Shameful

If you've ever doubted the vast majority of people are morons, racists and worse -- or the media's role in making them that way -- see the story on the front of Better Living.

I'm shocked at the reaction to an Indian-American woman winning the Miss America contest (BL-1).

Now, that's Page 1 news.

Related articles

• Christie's 'Jersey Comeback' goes belly up
• 12 more gun deaths won't matter
• Editors ditch their objectivity

Read More

Long, involved stories that excite only the editors

A Juneteenth celebration on Saturday in the Ridgefield Park section of the new Overpeck Park, above, included a lot of great food, such as this fried whole red snapper prepared by the Church of God of Prophecy in Englewood, below.

Call them retrospectives or process stories, the three takeouts that start on Page 1 of The Record today excite only the editors and reporters who worked on them, and put the rest of us to sleep.

How can Staff Writer John Brennan go on and on about "equity," "tax abatements," "tax breaks" and "private financing," but never tell readers when that monstrosity called American Dreams Meadowlands is going to be repainted (A-1 and A-7)?

The ugly hulk visible to every driver on the turnpike has turned into a long-running Jersey joke.

One-track mind

Meanwhile, Staff Writer Karen Rouse continues to obsess over a safe haven for NJ Transit railcars and locomotives, ignoring the screams from rush-hour commuters who have to stand in the aisles (A-1 and A-6).

Check out the dated black-and-white photos and stale news in the Jersey mob story, which is linked to the death on Wednesday of actor James Gandolfini, who portrayed the boss in "The Sopranos," a TV fiction that ended 6 long years ago (A-1, A-6, L-1 and BL-1).

Those old photos remind readers of the dated thumbnails that run with columns by aging Staff Writers Mike Kelly and Virginia Rohan, and Travel Editor Jill Schensul.

Refreshing news

The only bright spot on the front page is the upbeat story on retiring Teaneck teacher Rosanne Ponchick, who used tea-bag tags as a teaching tool (A-1 and A-5).

More road error

On the Local front, Road Warrior John Cichowski continues to ignore North Jersey's nightmarish traffic jams and related commuting issues to go on and on about driving and cellphones (L-1).

His last column was far from accurate, according to an e-mail to management from a concerned reader:

"The Road Warrior returns in his June 21 column [Friday] to one of his many fiascoes and piles on even more of his confusing mistakes and advice about when to call 911 or #77 while driving. He contradicts state laws, police guidelines and Web sites.

"He advises and reports that drivers should call 911, when they should call #77, and vice versa. He advises and reports that drivers can also call local police, which is impractical since most people do not have police numbers for every town they drive in.

"The Road Warrior continues to repeatedly quote officials, who make false statements, which also contradict state laws or guidelines, without any fact-checking or counterpoints.

 "How does The Record management allow dissemination to its readers of such grossly unsafe, mistaken reporting and confusing advice, which does not comply with state  statutes and guidelines, and then not insist the Road Warrior make needed corrections?"

The full e-mail appears on the Facebook page for Road Warrior Bloopers:

Road Warrior is who ya not gonna call

Noisy bikers

Another driving-related issue Cichowski won't dare touch are all of those municipal anti-noise ordinances routinely violated by owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Those bikers modify their Harleys to make as much noise as possible, then thumb their noses at all of the people they disturb with their piggish behavior.

These menaces hoodwink The Record and other media with charity runs, such as the one reported today on L-1.

Read More