A selection of events taking place in the Garden State this weekend.
Share on FacebookArchive for November, 2010
Nov
30
2010
Things to do in Jersey – December 3 4 5 2010
Nov
29
2010
Go Check Out Laurelwood Arboretum
Walking trails, acres of space, rare species not usually seen in New Jersey… all things to find at Laurelwood Arboretum. The Arboretum has been in existence since the 1930s but has gone basically unknown until recently.
Photo by Bob Shine, via LaurelwoodArboretum.org
It’s tucked away at 725 Pines Lake Drive West in Wayne which is off the Hamburg Turnpike. Admission is free and open from dawn to dusk.
A few weeks ago, the Passaic County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund gave the Arboretum about $450,000 in grant money along with additional funds from the Wayne Lions Club. Moneys will be used to refurbish the grounds and create a Sensory Garden for blind and handicapped people. A Sensory Garden focuses plantings that have a strong smell or have an unusual texture or taste along with wind chimes, running water features and other things that create sounds, feels and smells to enjoy without using your sight. There will also be raised beds and wheelchair-friendly paths for people with limited-mobility to enjoy the area.
The Lions Club is planning on creating more of these types of gardens all over the country for people who wouldn’t normally be able to enjoy a garden or park-like setting.
Check out the Laurelwood Arboretum’s website here.
via Wayne’s secret garden soon to be discovered – NorthJersey.com.
Share on FacebookNov
28
2010
Christie Budget Cuts Mean Less Teachers, Larger Class Sizes
The gymnasium at Herbert Hoover Middle School in Edison was bouncing with energy one recent morning as 120 seventh-graders, dressed in shorts, T-shirts and sneakers, lined up and began doing calisthenics. Teachers Phil Bouchard and Kim Baldassare walked along the rows, each taking attendance of the 60 students in their classes. Last year, before state aid cuts led Edison to reduce teaching staff, phys ed classes at Herbert Hoover numbered around 40 kids.
“Most of the time is devoted to organization, not instruction,” Bouchard said, pausing as he checked off names. “It’s very difficult.”
Edison eliminated 150 teaching positions, including 6½ at Herbert Hoover, after the school budget was cut by more than $16 million. Herbert Hoover now has math classes of 25 or 26 students, up from last year’s average of 22; foreign language classes of 29 students; and one social studies class with an enrollment of 30.
The school’s dilemma marks a statewide trend as districts say aid cuts have meant staff reductions that in turn have led to larger class sizes. A survey by the New Jersey School Boards Association last summer, conducted after Gov. Chris Christie slashed school aid by $820 million, found 81 percent of responding districts said they intended to reduce teaching staff. Of those, 42 percent expected class size to rise as a result.
While the effect of larger classes on students’ ability to learn has been the subject of some debate, most school administrators, teachers and parents say they believe bigger is not better.
West Orange already has lost $9 million between state aid cuts and its defeated budget, and it eliminated 40 teachers. Some elementary classes rose from 20 to 24 students, and high school classes that once hovered between 20 and 25 students may now have up to 30.
Small classes have long been popular with both parents and educators, because they allow teachers to spend more time with each student.
N.J. schools struggle with increasing class sizes as budgets, teachers are cut | NJ.com.
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27
2010
Guess Where? – Ruins
Can you guess where in New Jersey this picture was taken?
Can you guess where in New Jersey this picture was taken? Click below for answer.
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26
2010
Movie Review – Unstoppable
This movie is based on a true story about a train that is accidentally let out unmanned with multiple cars of explosive chemicals going through populated towns. You can probably guess what happens. This is the 5th time that Director Tony Scott has teamed up with Actor Denzel Washington and the 2nd movie they have done involving a train. This is an enjoyable and exciting, yet manipulative and corny movie. Denzel Washington is the veteran train operator and Chris Pine is the rookie. Their relationship is played out in the standard predictable manner. The characters are given some heavy personal interest stories as well.
Syrupy sweet, this movie is predictable and full of cliches. There is a certain overall lack of suspense for anyone who has common sense. The redeeming factor of the film is the characters and the cast. Every actor here does a great job. I really liked the truck driving guy who plays an important part throughout the movie keeping track of the train. And as in most other Tony Scott movies, the cinematography is spectacular. The story aside, Tony Scott films always look amazing. The use of telephoto lenses, compressed perspective, and shallow depth of field should make photographers in particular just sit back and marvel at the layout of each shot.
Overall Unstoppable is predictable, but really good characters, better than average acting, expert cinematography, and a good sense of pacing go a long way toward making it a decent movie.
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26
2010
Week 12 Giants Preview
The Other Manning
NY Giants Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 1pm New Meadowlands Stadium
The 6-4 Giants take on the 6-4 Jaguars in a game in which both teams are fighting for first place in their own divisions. With a Giants win and an Eagles loss, the Giants will take first place in the NFC East and with a Jaguars win and a Colts loss the Jaguars will take sole possession of first place in the AFC South. So what that means is this damn game means something! Look for both squads to come out on fire and to play with everything they got.
Keys for victory: The Giants need to stop MJD. No, not the beer or the new pop singer, the running back for the Jaguars who is half human and half machine. MJD has heated up recently and is unstoppable right now. On offense, Manning needs to show us fans and the world that he can make any receiver look good. The Giants two top receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith are out this week, making Mario Manningham the number one option. If Manning cannot get the passing game going with the wide receivers they just stole from Montville High School, then look for Eli to hand off to Bradshaw often and for Jacobs to get the ball at the goal line.
Injures: Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith are definitely out for Sunday’s game. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora are questionable.
Share on FacebookNov
25
2010
Week 12 Jets Preview
That Turkey Was Delicious!
NY Jets v. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 pm New Meadowlands Stadium
J-E-T-S play on a short week this week. A real short week. After Sunday’s stunning win in the last seconds against Houston, let’s see if Rex Ryan and that schizophrenic retired Fireman Ed can fire this team up in only a few days and get them ready for a Thanksgiving match-up against the traveling circus of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Keys to victory: First and foremost since this is a late game and we know how much Mark Sanchez likes to eat, the team needs to keep Sanchez away from the food, especially the turkey as Sanchez needs to be well awake for this match-up. With the way the Jets are clicking on offense right now, I do not think they need to worry much against the Bengals untrustworthy defense. The Bengals defense just hasn’t proved much this year and Sanchez and his little friends (Holmes and Edwards) should have no problem figuring them out.
The Jets defense are actually the ones that need to stay away from all turkey until after the game as they will have their hands full with Carson Palmer, TO and OchoCinco. Even though the three have not clicked yet and it is week 12, they are all threats and could put up big games any given Sunday, or Thanksgiving, in this game. With this game on at 8pm prime time, look for Mr. Prime Time Terrell Owens to have a big night. Something is telling me Palmer to Owens all night and Darrell Revis better be ready for it.
Injury’s: Jerricho Cotchery and Dwight Lowery have both been ruled out for week 12. Damien Woody and Nick Mangold are probable as Drew Coleman and Marquice Cole remain game time decisions.
Share on FacebookNov
25
2010
We’re Thankful for Our Readers!
We’ve grown a lot in the our first six months—more than we even imagined we could!
We’d like to take today to thank our readers and Facebook fans.
Nov
24
2010
Things to do in Jersey – November 26 27 28 2010
Nov
24
2010
Is Black Friday a Day to Hibernate or a Day to Hunt for Bargains?
It’s no cliche that New Jersey has a lot of malls. We really are surrounded by them in most of the state.
So, since we live along all these shopping meccas, are we impressed by the Day After Thanksgiving bargains? Or is traffic even that much worse so the smarter New Jersey residents hibernate and continue to digest that huge turkey meal we enjoyed less than 24 hours ago?
What do you think, New Jersey?
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