"Celebrity" Bartender Party

Come out and support the 2005 Union County St. Patrick's Day Parade and enjoy the "Celebrity Bartender's Party" this Sunday, January 30th at the Kenilworth Veterans Center on 21st Street in Kenilworth, NJ. The fun pours from 2pm until 7 in the evening. It’s a grand cause and the craic will be mighty with music by Sullivan's Jack and powerful pipe bands. Tickets are just $5. Hope to see you there. And this "celebrity" bartender pulls a proper pint.

Snow Fun

The poorly plowed local roads in these parts still make for some dodgy driving today but we seem to have dug out of the Blizzard of ’05 rather well. There is still that child-like fun of the season’s first big snow storm. I enjoyed while trekking around with my camera over the weekend; from Warinanco Park near my home to the Elizabeth train station to the scenes of a snow-blasted East 86th Street in Manhattan where the FDNY raced to a call Saturday night and back to downtown Elizabeth reawaking on the sunny Sunday afternoon.

Jim Lowney Photo

Jim Lowney Photo

Jim Lowney Photo

Jim Lowney Photo

Jim Lowney Photo

Photog's Dispatch from Iraq

Old pal Chris Hondros, an excellent photojournalist with Getty Images, tells the story of a U.S. Army foot patrol's encounter on an Iraqi road at dusk that left two civilians dead.

"Stop that car!" someone shouted out, seemingly simultaneously with someone firing what sounded like warning shots -- a staccato, measured burst. The car continued coming. And then perhaps less than a second later a cacophony of fire, shots rattling off in a chaotic overlapping din. The car entered the intersection on its momentum and still shots were penetrating it and slicing it. Finally the shooting stopped, the car drifted listlessly, clearly no longer being steered, and came to a rest on a curb. Soldiers began to approach it warily.

The sound of children crying came from the car. I walked up to the car and a teenage girl with her head covered emerged from the back, wailing and gesturing wildly. After her came a boy, tumbling onto the ground from the seat, already leaving a pool of blood.

Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images

"Deadliest" Year for Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists released its annual report on media deaths stating that 129 journalists and news media employees were killed in 2004 in 34 countries. It is the worst 12-month toll on record. The IFJ also renewed its call for the United States and other governments to take seriously their responsibility to investigate media killings.

Take the Highways West

Old pal Ken Layne has launched a brilliant new web site about trekking around the American West offering inspiration to explore that beautiful part of the county as well as valuable travel information. Go visit Highways West and see what is waiting for you out way out West.

Highways West is a daily online magazine about traveling around the Western United States. This fast-growing Web publication covers road trips, lodging, national parks and other outdoor attractions, airports and airlines, gambling towns, camping and hiking, events both large and small, the history and culture of the region, winter sports, travel gear, weather and road conditions, restaurant reviews, wineries and the latest news on destinations both well-known and off the beaten track. We focus on regional travel because it's how we spend our time.

And if you are heading East or are in the New York neighborhood, don't miss out on all the excellent info at Amy Langfield's NewYorkology: Amy's NYC Travel Tips

Jersey Boy Nominated to Head Homeland Security

Federal Judge Michael Chertoff, a native of Elizabeth, NJ, was nominated by President Bush today to head the Department of Homeland Security. Even though he is a former Ashcroft aide, I can't help but to cheer for the guy since were are from the same city in Joisey. And there was fun of watching Chertoff prosecute Jersey City Mayor Gerry McCann back in the early 1990s. May you do the job, Judge Chertoff. For our sake.

Friedman's Latest on Iraq

Each day we get closer to the Iraqi elections, more voices are suggesting that they be postponed. This is a tough call, but I hope the elections go ahead as scheduled on Jan. 30. We have to have a proper election in Iraq so we can have a proper civil war there.

Posted by Jim at 06:32 PM