3.30.2006

UNCLE JOHN PLUNGES INTO NEW JERSEY

UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOOM READER Plunges Into New Jersey


Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.Overall the book is a delightful collection of New Jersey information.

Literally, it's something to read when reading isn't the foremost thing on your mind.

However, I'd like to point a few things they missed about New Jersey.

On Page 21 the book refers to ''Smartswood lakes''.


The correct name is Swartswood as in Big Swartswood and Little Swartswood. Both are in Swartswood State Park.

On Page 306 it says:

Nutley lost nearly 3,000 of its residents in World War II. Their names are listed on the town's World War II memorial.

The memorial refered to lists the names of the nearly 3,000
Nutley residents who SERVED during WWII.

Actually,
Nutley lost 92 in WWII, 17 in WWI, 9 in Korea, 9 in Vietnam, and 9 who died in service during peace.

The authors don't even try to explain the various words behind the acronym BENNY, a derogatory term for people from Bayone, East Newark, New York who go 'down the (Jersey) shore to become SHOOBIES - or people from not-around-here who wear shoes on the beach.


There are plenty of books about New Jersey - the nearly-all-inclusive list is Jack Mount's Books About New Jersey - and if you read them all, you'll probably find some more errors in Uncle John's book.

But if you use Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges In To New Jersey to pique your imagination, then it's a great place to start learning the vast and rich history and culture of our great state.

Then go out and find the rest of the story.

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.26.2006

TONOOSE ON THE LOOSE IN JERSEY CITY


Here's the big news you've all been waiting for.


Uncle Tonoose has decided to post the Jersey City posts separately on
Uncle Tonoose on the Loose in Jersey City which is already in progress.
We're not planning on migrating the 30-plus Jersey City posts that are already here, but there will be a convenient set of links back to them.

This will make it more convenient when someone asks, "any new pictures of Jersey City?"

There you go, Bob's-yer-uncle.
As the nicer weather approaches, you can expect more photos of the shore and the architecture.

And the same can be said for casual observations.

Plus, we'll be picking through the photo archives on the hard drive to put together some before and after series.

Think of the Goldman Sachs building as a vacant lot, a hole in the ground, then a Coke can.

Think of the Hyatt as an empty parking lot, a floor or two and then a hotel.

Frankly, we're quite surprised at the new buildings that have sprouted since we started casually taking pictures in 1999 or so.


But, we're looking forward to sharing them with you, and hope you are, too.


Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.24.2006

Dog-grrrlll

Thursday afternoon I was sitting on the shore of the Hudson River reading Marley & Me, a book about a writer and his dog.

I had gotten to page 249 and stopped to write the author for dispensation from reading the last 50 pages ... but there I was sitting by the river on a beautiful spring day reading along, stopping, reading.

You know what comes at the end of a dog book. I kept trying to put it off.

A woman's voice called out, "That's a great book."

I looked up and there at her feet was a happy shiny chocolate Labrador retriever whose name was Duncan.

We talked about her 65-pound six-month old pup and his diet. She handed him a stray plastic fork and showed me how he would drop it on command.

I petted Duncan and he didn't jump and fein explosion like most Labs would.

A golden retriever came along and frolicked with Duncan. They found something on the sidewalk.

It was a duck head apparently left behind by a hawk. Someone tossed the beak into the river and both dogs stood at the rail trying to figure a way to bring it back.

The dogs and their owners left. I read a little more in the book and then left some for the ride home.


Zamboni's Pages

Dog Books:

Marley & Me life and love with the world's worst dog - John Grogan


Katz on Dogs : A Commonsense Guide to Training and Living with
Dogs - Jon Katz


The New Work of Dogs: Tending to Life, Love, and Family - Jon Katz

Running to the Mountain, A Midlife Adventure - Jon Katz

A Dog Year - Twelve Months, Four Dogs and Me - Jon Katz

Pack of Two - Carolyn Knapp

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.21.2006

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda

In a not too long ago publication from AARP, Garrison Keillor wrote that as we baby boomers cross over into our 60s we should let go of our regrets.

He said we should stop pining for the sweetheart that got away fifty years ago.

Okay. I'm remembering the
article, but you can read it by clicking on the link.

Without shooting myself in the foot, I think that's something I should have written an answer to, so that we boomers don't forget everything that made us what we are.

If I get to be an old man, having already hit that 5-0 milestone, will I regret that I hadn't spent more time at the keyboard?

Okay, all you people who know me wouldn't be surprised by the
PF Fliers post on a test blog.

What you'd all likely be saying is, how could we ever pry him away from that keyboard.

I have several writing* projects going now and they've all gotten deadlines written in the sand.

Despite Keillor's admonition to "Make a pile of your regrets and put a match to them," I have this inner voice telling me to preserve at least the emotions of the memories of "the opportunities that sailed away."

One project simmering is a remembrance of Junior High school. And despite what you may think of the topic, I squarely described Ms. Battleaxe, the woman I had for Social Studies two years in a row. A colleague who I've known since 5th grade actually had chills from my mention of her name.

Then there was the time we were held in in afternoon home room. It turned out that TeenAngel, another friend since 5th grade, had put his hand through the stairwell glass door and blood, apparently, was everywhere.

You've already probably read about Billy Newtner's Bus Rides since that was published so long ago. I wonder now, if that kid went on to become a billionaire somewhere ("Change your destiny, Peggy Sue.") Or a serial killer?

A friend of mine who was already reeling from a couple of heart attacks kept pushing himself to write like there was no tomorrow. He didn't sleep much, but he sure cranked out the copy. He virtually died at his typewriter.

I guess he got to the point where he realized he had so much to say and so little time to say it. He wanted to use every waking moment.

I'm beginning more and more to see where he stood.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh ... Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I," I took a digital photo and blogged about it.

Seize the moment. Seize the day.



Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

Your Life: Tips for Passing 50 by Garrison Keillor

* Buccino has embarked on a return to his lighter-side writing in a new project of remembrance essays, beginning with junior high school. Last Lap to Fifty is expected to be a four-volume series. (This was named Last Lap to Forty and may well end up being Last Lap to Sixty.)

3.17.2006

POW - MIA

(March 27, 1969) Lt. David Dinan III, 25, of Hawthorne Avenue, Nutley, was killed March 17, in Laos, Southeast Asia, after he was forced to bail out of a F105 jet that had been hit by ground fire.

Dinan was a pilot from the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Airbase, Thailand.
During the combat mission, Dinan's aircraft was hit by enemy fire and he ejected. His parachute was shredded when it hit trees, however, and he sustained what were believed to be fatal injuries from falling through the trees and down an embankment. Dinan was declared Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Dinan is among nearly 600 Americans who disappeared in Laos.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-105 Thunderchief pilot over North Vietnam on July 14, 1968.



Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

Nutley Sons - Vietnam

NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Dodge Poetry Festival - Sept. 28 - Oct. 1, 2006

The 2006 and 11th Biennial
GERALDINE R. DODGE POETRY FESTIVAL
is coming home to Waterloo Village, Stanhope, New Jersey.
September 28 – October 1, 2006

To mark its 20th year the Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry event in North America, will return in 2006 to its birthplace ― beautiful Waterloo Village, a National Historic Site in Stanhope, New Jersey.

Nearly 20,000 people are expected to welcome the 11th biennial Dodge Poetry Festival back to Waterloo Village. The Festival will return to a completely new Concert Tent, more spacious satellite performance tents, and expanded free parking facilities in the restored 19th-century canal-lock and riverside village. Join more than 60 poets ― many of international stature including Pulitzer Prize winners and Poets Laureate. Dozens of accomplished musicians and storytellers will also contribute to four days of poetry and music beside the Musconetcong River and among the Village’s lawns, trees, and historic buildings.

Waterloo Village is located one mile from Exit 25 of I-80, easily reached from New York City and points east and Pennsylvania and points west. I-287, the Garden State Parkway, Pennsylvania Turnpike, New Jersey Turnpike, and other major highways connect with I-80, offering easy access from points north and south. Special round trip bus transportation from New York City will be available during the Festival.

Tickets will go on sale in April 2006. Special Dodge Poetry Festival rates are now available and may be reserved at several nearby lodging facilities.


Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

GERALDINE R. DODGE POETRY FESTIVAL

3.16.2006

Writerly Skills

Skills ListHey, I can type.


Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

My Last Words on Ad Click Fraud

The folks at AdSense gave me a chance to plead my cause.

Here's their decision:


Hello,

Thank you for your response.

Please note that we have certain policies in place that we believe will help ensure the effectiveness of Google ads for our publishers as well as our advertisers. We have thoroughly re-reviewed your account data upon receipt of your response and have reconfirmed that invalid clicks were generated on the ads on your site. According to our policy on this matter, we have disabled your account in order to protect our advertisers.

We appreciate your understanding.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

Page views

2006 Page Views

Jan. 3 - 204,471
Jan. 4 - 205,155
Jan. 5 - 205,680
Jan. 8 - 206,830
Jan. 13 - 209,206
Jan. 26 - 215,721
Jan. 31 - 218,115

Feb. 2 - 219,120
Feb. 9 - 222,519
Feb. 15 - 225,936
Feb. 22 - 229,240
Feb. 23 - 230,102

Mar. 16 - 242,364

2005 Page Views

Jan. 3 - 65,352
Feb. 1 - 72,943
March 1 - 81,758
April 1 - 92,158
May 2 - 102,207
June 2 - 113,329
July 1 - 123,575 (Uncle Tonoose Blog Launched)
Aug. 1 - 133,494
Sept. 1 - 145,760
Oct. 2 - 156,732
Nov. 1 - 170,848
Dec. 1 - 188,743
Dec. 22 - 199,814

3.08.2006

Dear Sergey Brin - CEO, Google

Dear Mr. Brin:

Please be advised that I am not a liar or a cheater.

I did not knowingly try to cheat AdSense out of nearly $12.00 by allowing ''invalid clicks'' on my web sites.

Perhaps it seemed that way because I installed your AdSense ads' coding on dozens of web pages including this Uncle Tonoose blog.

Now all that appears to show that AdSense was here are empty white boxes.

Frankly, Sergey, I've had web pages for years and years and never made any money from them before ... and now that AdSense 'disabled' my GoogleAdSense account, I'm sure it will be a long way to that big pay day.

But let's get one thing clear, even though I cannot contact AdSense, I want you, Sergey, to know that I am not a cheater.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

-- UT


Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.07.2006

WFMU Marathon




My former writing partner John B. Narucki was well involved with this radio station -- in fact when he died a few years ago, in lieu of flowers, John's friends were asked to support WFMU.

You can support the WFMU marathon, too.

In fact, in 1978, John had our friend Tom Melchione and me on his Sunday afternoon show to read our poetry. The studio was still at Upsala then. After we read, we fed him songs to play. John's signature piece was Willy The Pimp. Later we went to our apartment where Aunt Tonoose had made lasagna.

What a character, that John. Aunt Tonoose could tell you some stories about him, they went all through Belleville schools together.

John gave me cassettes of Dylan's basement tapes. And that was before we started writing together. (We gave him a Calabash pipe as a thank you.) I still have those tapes somewhere. But as for the tape of the poetry reading show we did, that's long gone. I can still remember the rhythm of Tom's 'Jarhead' poem, and the one about the uncle who was a lumberjack. John read my verse and called me a Romantic writer. He was so kind, he surely could have shredded my verse. That is why I still think kindly of him.


Photos from the glory years.

About John's Liner Notes: "John Narucki wrote the liner notes for "Sleight of Hand" and came up with the phrase ".... a musician's job consists of putting a big heavy black box (called an "amp") in the back of his car, hauling it halfway across town, and trying to coax magic out of it. And one of the the master wizards of New York is Robert Ross." This magical little turn of phrase led us directly to the cd title, "Sleight of Hand." John has always had an uncanny facility with words as well as a deep appreciation for musicians and the music they make. John has been a great pal of mine ever since his days as a deejay with WFMU FM in the late 1970s.

Daily News

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.05.2006

Too Much To Read

Letters, we get letters ...

"I read some of the blog stories, but would have to sit here forever to read everything thru. I keep saying one day I will do just the blog, but I don't know when that day will come. ..."

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.03.2006

You Like Movies? A Whole LOT of Movies?

Just think, you could be like movie critic Roger Ebert who started writing reviews in 1967 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1975.

That's according to Amy Benfer (her real name, not a movie star abbreviation) writing in the
METRO, Weekend, March 3-5, 2006. She was writing about his latest book The Great Movies II.

Ebert says he doesn't mind "sitting through 248 movies a year."

I think I can count on one hand the number of movies I've seen in the theatre this past year.

Also, in that same METRO edition appeared STUDENTS PUNISHED FOR MySpace POSTS. The kids were saying not-nice things about someone. It turns out the students went to TeWinkle Middle School in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Makes me wonder who paid for the naming rights to that school? Teletubbies?

Hey, don't get me wrong. It's probably a great school and it makes me glad I won't have to repeat Junior High except in my memoirs - where THIS time I'll get all the good lines.

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.


3.02.2006

99-cent Store For Sale; Subway For Sale ...

99-Cent Store For Sale- I wonder how much they want for it?

Attractive Tanning SalonMotivate seller, Great Loc.
- No ugly people allowed.

Subway For Sale
- Can we get that to go?

TOP LOCATION
Jersey City - 3 Br Brick House
bsmnt + dble prkg
lot for twenty cars

Grocery Store in WNY
fully equipped with Lotto.

Tired of living paycheck to
paycheck? Need more
money. P/T wrkrs needed

OPEN HOUSE
Nutley-Beau. 3BR, Renov.

27-month Lease
to a new Chevrolet
or the GM Giant
- Tell me if I'm wrong, but don't you register your car for one year at a time? And if you do that, you end up with three months that you either buy the whole year, or turn the car back in before the lease ends.

WATERFRONT TOWNHOUSE
Windsor Pond
- Now I've never been to this place, but a few other things show up when you build your dream house by the water. One - ducks. Two - crappy geese. Three - river rats that treat dog doo like it's fillet mignon.


These are actual advertising headlines from the Waterfront Journal.

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

3.01.2006

What's A Phone Booth?

I swear, I came in from the cold and at the bank of pay phones, a young woman was standing there facing the pay phones. She was talking on her cell phone!

Some habits are very hard to lose, I suppose.



Or, maybe you saw the Pepper ... and Salt drawing in today's Wall Street Journal?(We wanted to post the cartoon, but they said no. So, in order to see the cartoon of the business man standing in a phone booth while talking on his cell phone, you'll have to subscribe to the Journal, or run out and buy one right now. -Or, you can use your imagination.)
Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

Page 28 of the March issue of Reader's Digest The print magazine feature the recent movie version of Superman exiting a phone booth area along side a story about vanishing phone booths. On Feb. 26, the New York Times ran a story on a similar topic.