Now that the Crescent Parking Deck is up, and parking is free in downtown Montclair through Dec. 31, what are we going to bitch about?

59 replies on “Wanted: A New Whine”

  1. How about the fact that the Town put up temporary permit parking on a number of streets during the construction phase for the new deck. Residents on those blocks were promised that permit parking would be removed once the new deck opened. Well it’s been open for about 10 days and no sign of those permit only signs coming down. No one I talk to is really surprised about that.

  5. How can it be that there is no B&B in this area? Doesn’t someone want to buy a beautiful big house and make a little money renting rooms? Does anyone know of an alternative to the Holiday Inn on 46 or the Residence Inn in West Orange?

  6. In 1976 the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty. Today, the 1,000th person was executed. I am conflicted.
    As a Catholic and regular attendee of Mass (I know that is considered a sign of weakness in the Liberal world), I am intellectually against the death penalty. I don’t believe we have the moral authority to take a life.
    But on the emotional level when I apply the Dershowitz principle I am an advocate: If one of my sister’s was raped and murdered I don’t think I could just forgive the perp and not want to see and eye for an eye revenge.

  7. I don’t think a B&B would be successful in this area. Who would come to Baristaville and spend the night just for fun? There’s not that much original to do here.

  8. Why not advertize a B & B special and a trip to the city to see a show or dinner?
    I think if you are not from the area and are planning a NYC trip, it might be a great alternative to staying “in the city”

  9. What about the Marlboro Inn? They tried to have mystery nights and other special events to draw people in but there wasn’t a lot of interest and they sold the property.

  11. [quote: “But on the emotional level when I apply the Dershowitz principle I am an advocate: If one of my sisters was raped and murdered I don’t think I could just forgive the perp and not want to see and eye for an eye revenge.” end quote]
    I think it’s natural to want revenge, but life in prison might qualify as revenge too… perpetrator has to live with him/herself in crappy circumstances and without a light at the end of the tunnel. Alternately, they “convert” while in prison and actually bring some good to the world. And if the perpetrator turns out not to be the perpetrator, you can’t give them that time in jail back, but at least you can let them go. But I’ve never had to be in that situation, and maybe I’d feel differently if I did. Just seems sad to add more violence and despair to a world that already has so much.

  12. How about increasing tax rateables in town by attracting some commercial development (look what Teaneck built).
    It would provide job opportunities locally and reduce or stabilize the local property tax rate.

  13. [quote: “But on the emotional level when I apply the Dershowitz principle I am an advocate: If one of my sisters was raped and murdered I don’t think I could just forgive the perp and not want to see and eye for an eye revenge.” end quote]
    Very understandable. However, the legal and moral basis for the death penalty in this country has always been as a concept of deterrence not retribution. Most people gravely misunderstand this distinction.
    The Death Penalty as a deterrent is a complete fallacy also, obviously.
    When I think about it with these clear distinctions I line up with those who clearly state it should not be practiced in a civil society.

  14. Can I bitch about NJ Transit trains in Baristavile that only run on “commuter hours?” Heck, the trains from South Orange run on off-peak and weekend schedules. Why can’t I take a train from Bloomfield into Hoboken on the weekend instead of having to take another convoluted route? Harumph.

  16. How about panhandlers in Bloomfield Center? I’ve been working here 5 years, but suddenly in the last 3 months, it seems I get hit up for spare change as much as 3 times in a single day!

  17. One of my complaints is how school is cancelled or delayed when there is something like 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. Come on! It causes so much disruption to schedules and is rarely warranted. I realize that buses have to pick up all those kids and teachers must get to school on time, etc., but with some planning that can actually happen on time, even with some snow. So ok, I’m from Chicago so used to the white stuff, but it still drives me nuts every winter.

  18. Hey guys…down at the Tiki Bar at the Jersey Shore there is a man in the men’s room who’s job is to give us paper towels…and he expects a tip. Is that a necessary service?

  20. Yeah, that there’s no weekend train sucks.
    It’s why I’m moving next month to Downtown Jersey City. The area I’m moving to is beautiful and full of brownstones…yet, the path runs 24/7 and I can be at work in 10 minutes. Can’t beat that!
    My main bitch about Montclair is lack of nightlife… I’m sick of my social life revolving around dining/food.

  21. Ice- a perfect case to sit and ponder-
    the State of NJ vs Thomas Tarentino:
    Trantino brutally murdered two Lodi, New Jersey police officers in 1963. Their names were Peter Voto and Gary Tedesco.
    He didn’t just murder them. He and his partner first disarmed the two officers and then had them strip down to their underwear (there is other speclation on what happened after that). The two lawmen were then then taunted and pistol-whipped presumably for some sick thrill. However, torturing the officers was not enough for these two sadistic animals.
    After toying with their victims, these monsters murdered the two unarmed policemen who both left behind families and a massive wake of anguish. They were both shot, execution style, in the head.
    Initially sentenced to death, Trantino’s life was spared when the United States Supreme Court overturned the death penalty in 1972. He was paroled in 2001.
    A few new and noteworthy Joseph Smith -Allen Cameron-and our handsome Scott Peterson (who by the way sits in jail receiving love letters).
    By the time the appeal process actually sees the case through the sector of society who lived through the outrage has moved on-all except the families who are tragically imprisoned in the void of non-resolution.
    I say perhaps no DEATH, however no right to parol, no contact with family, no communication with outside society, no books. You do the crime and sit in your cell for life your only movement or exercise is to and from the cafeteria. Your lawyers can appeal -JUST in Case your Innocent.
    OR IS THAT SO UNFAIR?

  22. What to whine about? The freaking parking ticket I got today, of course. Bitch must be having a hard time making her quota these days with all the new free parking. OK, I was parked at a yellow curb zone for a couple of minutes while making a delivery, so technically it was a fair cop, but jeez, I had my flashers going. I thought there was a little give & take in these situations. I guess I got the “take” part.
    I just thought that was pretty darn mean-spirited, particularly in this alleged holiday season. Doesn’t exactly make me want to patronize Montclair merchants now.

  23. Thanks for the thoughtful responses to my death penalty post. I hope none of us ever has to face that kind of situation.

  24. “I had my flashers going. I thought there was a little give & take in these situations. I guess I got the “take” part.”
    I was told that by a cop – that if you simply put on your flashers you won’t be ticketd (she was at the time writing me a ticket for parking at the yellow curb for a few min. -sans flashers)

  25. I noticed no small tribute to the NY
    officer fatally shot in the heart yesterday.
    Dillon Stewart, 35, died despite wearing a bulletproof vest. One round entered his left armpit, missing the protective plating “by no more than a quarter of an inch,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
    Stewart, who was married with two children, “showed remarkable tenacity and courage in pursuing his assailant,” Kelly said.
    He was the first officer to die in the line of duty this year in NYC.
    My heart goes out to Dillion’s family.
    And my thanks to all the uniforms out there who take a chance everyday in order to protect us.

  26. Yellow curb equals ticket-I know I got one picking up my child from school. Does it suck yes it does. And what 35 or 40 dollars? I know I paid, I was angry, very angry. But was I was wrong?
    Yellow curb equals ticket.

  27. Appletony:
    Sorry I was vague.
    The township of Teaneck in Bergen County developed “Glenpoint”. It is a complex that includes an office building and major hotel right off of Route 80/95.
    Terrific source of tax revenue and a project advanced by a municipal government with vision.
    Should Montclair be far behind?

  28. Here’s one for you:
    “Wilshire Grand Hotel” (I think that’s the old Town & Campus past Verona Park and near Green Hill and Kessler)
    350 Pleasant Valley Way
    West Orange, NJ 07052
    Hotel Description:
    Located in historic West Orange, New Jersey, the Wilshire Grand Hotel is the newest luxury hotel. The hotel combines old world charm and comfort with the latest technological amenities in order to accommodate the most discriminating guest. The hotel, the adjoining restaurant, catering facility, sit on twelve beautifully landscaped acres within the business district. Enjoy our rolling garden views, relax on the patio or try your swing on our putting green. All of the 89 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites feature dual telephone lines, high speed internet access, in room movies and in room internet access. We offer Jacuzzi suites featuring wet bars, separate living room, granite bathrooms with two person body spray showers and the finest amenities found anywhere. The hotel offers a daily deluxe continental breakfast. Hotel also features 5 luxurious banquet / meeting facilities. From the five star wedding you dreamed of to your next corporate conference, the Wilshire Grand is your home away from home.
    There’s no phone number, however.

  31. As far as clientele for a B&B in Baristaville, I’m hosting my extended family for Xmas, and can’t fit them all in my house. I need one more bedroom. I don’t know about tourist visiting NYC. Until they run trains on the weekends and holidays, that’s not very convenient. But there must be other people around who can’t/don’t want to host a lot of visitors.
    atyourservice: thanks for the lead. I’ll check it out tomorrow.

  32. >> Yellow curb equals ticket-I know I got one picking up my child from school. Does it suck yes it does. And what 35 or 40 dollars? I know I paid, I was angry, very angry. But was I was wrong?
    Yellow curb equals ticket.

  33. My whine of the day:
    To the guy who sat next to me
    on the train home tonight:
    If you insist on eating smelly popcorn
    please don’t lick your fingers
    after.
    each.
    and every.
    bite.

  34. [quote: “But on the emotional level when I apply the Dershowitz principle I am an advocate: If one of my sisters was raped and murdered I don’t think I could just forgive the perp and not want to see and eye for an eye revenge.” end quote]
    And, that’s completely natural! Most people would want the perp to pay for what they did. Most people would feel angry and want revenge.
    But, we shouldn’t make law or policy based solely on emotional responses. If you do that, there’s a fine line between people taking the law into their own hands. And, different things upset different people. Some would be just as angry and want the same revenge if their home was robbed! Or if they were cut off in traffic.

  35. crank-i didn’t mean to be terse-but the “bitch” word.
    I hate it but it is hard not to utter with these particular meter maids.
    Even so not like you-I don’t think.
    Just a momentary lapse I am certain (snicker)-
    It sucks-parking is sparse and the violations are ridiculous and parking offenses are so low on the crime scale yet-don’t pay one and you’ll wind up like me law abiding smuck sitting in
    DMV.
    I’m sorry you had a bad day-i had a week of them last week-I lost my retirement badge and id (including license all my medical info including my soc number -my alsheimer mother went one way -my child another and I was certain it got lost in Shoprites parking lot-
    Then the day after I went to put garbage out and I had a ton and when i left to drive my daughter to school there were no signs it was garbage day so I left to drive her to school.
    Upon my return I saw the garbage guys turning the corner and all the world had empty garbage cans at the curb.
    So I stopped my car asked them to wait-ran down the block with my house and car keys in hand and they took away my garbage.
    Upon returning to my car, I realized the keys to everything got stuck in the garbage-I ran to my house-stole my hubby’s keys and gave chase.
    As they had turned the corner I heard them crush the bags.
    I got out of the car and these guys felt so bad the truck was compacted.
    I pulled over to sob-really- wallet gone keys gone-and then i thought about how angst ridden I had gotten over what? what really in the grand scheme of what can happen on any given day and I decided to start the day over.
    As I turned the corner to head back home my keys were laying in the street-
    -and later that day I found my wallet in the back of my jeep which i had combed through a hundred times–there it was in one of those netting devices to hold the groceries looking right at me.
    Go slow my friend and let it go- it’s nothing in comparison to who you are, what your made of , what you survived and all in all it wasn’t such a bad day really was it:)
    And butch I wish your move to be a smooth one and a good one-many happy tidings. Good luck in your new home.

  36. am I the only one who hopes that Butch does not let the door hit her in the ass on her way out of to
    I hope to have the time to find Jersey City links for her, hopefully with places to post.
    I know Melinda will miss Butch. Maybe we can find a developer who is looking for a tear-down?

  38. Ah, yet another lesson in Civility from the kindly and respectful Mr. Allen.
    Isn’t there a Clifton board you could hang out at? I’m sure they would welcome your biting satire.

  39. Melinda,
    So, just so I understand correctly, if I use the same words you used about Sharky on Montclair Speakeasy, they are uncivil and disrespectful? I assume you meant the same? Although from your posts I gather you think of yourself as a paragon of virtue?
    Someone has to.
    Not me, probably not any of our neighbors who are elected officials.

  40. Good luck in JC, Butch.
    When we were still in Caldwell and family came to visit, we used the Meadowlands Plaza / Comfort Inn hotel on Route 46 in Fairfield – it was very inexpensive (especially around holiday weekends), has an indoor pool (great for grandkids), bar service (great for grandpa), and a very nice Italian restaurant in the lobby. It is about a 10-mile ride to Baristaville via 46 to Grove Street, but the alternative is something in the Meadowlands – which may be a lot more money.

  41. I don’t recall what I said about Sharky on the Speakeasy, Kevin.
    However, both of you have been nasty, rude and condescending, and any unpleasantness on my part has been provoked by both of you. Perhaps I should be the bigger person and not descend to your level. I’m not a “paragon of virtue”, but I do get along with most people, in and out of the cyberworld.
    As far as the elected officials go, I have the right to speak my mind without you jumping in to accuse me of taking “cheap shots from the cheap seats.” I assume the mayor is quite capable of defending himself.

  42. >> crank-i didn’t mean to be terse-but the “bitch” word.
    I hate it but it is hard not to utter with these particular meter maids.
    Even so not like you-I don’t think.
    Just a momentary lapse I am certain (snicker)-

  43. Iceman: I share your sentiments. But, as a Catholic, you must know that “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.”
    I can certainly understand the “eye for an eye” sentiment but as its been proven again and again, death is not a deterrent to a hardened criminal.
    That being said, I DO believe in life imprisonment for certain heinous crimes (such as those described by various posters above). But life should mean LIFE. Not “out in 10-15-20 years.” NO PAROLE. Nada. As a society, we have to fact the reality that some people are just bad apples and cannot be rehabilitated.

  45. As a society, we need to be willing to have pitiful, geriatric prisoners. Seriously — you just know that people will be advocating on behalf of feeble old coots who look harmless and pitiful in their prison jumpsuits. The argument will be that there’s no possible harm to society, it’s expensive, etc. If the deal is life without parole instead of the death penalty, we really have to mean it.

  46. Sorry Crank, but information on parking meters in Montclair is apparently top secret.
    I have heard that parking is free in the lots (but not the streets) on Saturdays, but this contradicts the signs at the entrance to some of the lots. I have heard that it is legal for non-permit holders to use permit spots at certain times, but I have seen no OFFICIAL signs saying this.
    I realize that putting up signs takes time, but in the meantime the town could do the following:
    * Post the rules to the Town Website and/or the Montclair Center Website.
    * Type up a flyer (similar to the unofficial flyer the is posted by the Wellmont) explaining the rules and ask that merchants post it in their store windows.
    * Send a press release to the Montclair Times and/or to Montclair Life and Leisure explaining the rules.

  47. Iceman, he got a stay.
    RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s governor yesterday spared the life of a convicted killer who would have been the 1,000th person executed in the United States since the Supreme Court allowed capital punishment to resume in 1976.

  49. How many innocent people got murdered in the United States since 1976? and didn’t get a “stay” from their executor?
    hmmmmm

  50. “As a society, we have to fact the reality that some people are just bad apples and cannot be rehabilitated. ”
    I totally agree Miss Martta.
    I also agree with Iceman being conflicted on this issue – who are we to say killing is wrong so now we have to kill you as your punishment for killing (very confusing).
    However, I do think that the no cruel and unusal punishment clause in our constitution ties our hands on an alternative between life in prison and death.
    Imagine – with a grain of humor please – the Maryland Sniper – and other murderers like him – all get sent to an island where hunters get to go on vacation and hunt them. If they survive a pre set time frame they get another chance to be part of our society – if they don’t then it was meant to be.

  51. Speaking of parking tickets…
    A few years ago, we got a parking ticket in the mail from Washington DC. Unfortunately, we were never in DC. They had the right state & plate number, but wrong make of car. We called and were told they would drop it, all we had to do was send them an explanation and a copy of the registration showing that our car was not the same make/model and that the person writing the ticket either wrote down the wrong number or state on the ticket. A few months went by and we got a second notice. Re-sent all the information and didn’t hear back at all. We thought it was all taken care of. About a year later we get a collections letter and a notice that there will be a warrant for our arrest if we don’t send them the money for the fine. We had sold the car and no longer had the registration (didn’t think to keep a copy of it). Wound up paying the fine and the extra fees for nothing. We weren’t going to hire a lawyer or drive to DC to fight over $50.00. Talk about being pissed!!!

  52. In the spirit of the upcoming holidays,
    after reflecting on the constant whining and moaning about things hither
    and yon in Montclair–
    I hereby declare my candidacy for Mayor
    in the next election. Yes, Barista now has the exclusive. My campaign platform will be very high, as I am extremely petite. I promise every person who votes for me one (1 )Township Ordinance in their honor. Be it geese or geeks who
    get your knickers in a twist, this
    law’s for you. Once you are bestowed with the ordinance, you may not complain in public or private about me or my administration, or have a psychotic episode at a Town Countil Meeting. Future meetings will feature
    a cappucino bar, as we hold hands and
    sing “Kumbaya.” Channel 34 will turn into a 24- hour shopping network.
    My campaign slogan is: “If you’re always bitching about Montclair, then
    I’m the bitch you’re looking for!”
    Thank you and good night.

  53. And you just got my vote, even though I don’t live in Montclair.
    “Someone’s sleeping, Lord, Kum-bay-ahh…”

  54. Aww, Kevin. STILL threatened by me after all these years? Sad, sad. I guess you’ll have to get drunk and try to “ban” me from Barista!
    Anyway – I’ll still be here sometimes. No worries. I wouldn’t want Melinda to be the only target of your overly nasty and rude comments.

  55. “As a society, we have to fact the reality that some people are just bad apples and cannot be rehabilitated. ”
    I agree – to a certain extent. I think some people cannot be rehabilitated (like pedophiles, etc). But, I think most others could.
    But a main problem is that the prison system really isnt about rehabilitation and it actually makes so many people much worse than they were before they went in.
    Prisons have become just another “industry”, unfortunately. It’s all about big bucks for companies who make prisons, prison gear, etc.

  57. Hey Kevin,
    I went back through all the posts on speakeasy and don’t find anything very uncivil about your sweetie (sharky).
    Yeah, people may have called her snide and overbearing(I’m paraphrasing)- but I’m sure that she can defend herself if she feels she needs to.
    I’m sad to see Butch go- who will event plan Homoween or the like for next year?
    Butch- hope your new place isn’t near the night life..I think you’ll be hittin the books a lot more than partying- even if it is available.

  58. bad_patti – I have a good 7 months til i have to hit the books. Definitely will partake of the nightlife 🙂

  59. Oh- thought you started in January.
    Hey spell it right “badd” after all, it wasn’t me that called you “Butch doggie” (I’m quoting on memory)it was Ed Remsen.
    :>)

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