Sunshine, Apathy and More

All of a sudden you can feel summer and I could not be happier. I even got a first sunburn of the season on my arms and face while walking the boardwalk on Saturday.

I know some of you dread having heat and humidity back in the forecast and we could all do without the pollen. Well actually not all of us because it’s good for the car wash business.

But the fact is just a couple of weeks after moaning about unseasonably cool temperatures and what seemed like rain every day we have turned the corner and just in time. Memorial Day weekend is coming and while it brings crowds and additional traffic it also means summer at the shore is here and it is the best time of year, at least for some of us.

In what I guess is a sign of the times the future of the student-run newspaper at Rutgers University is up in the air. For the first time since the Daily Targum became independent from the University in 1980 it did not receive enough votes from the student body for financial support.

Had the recent referendum passed each student would have had a refundable $11.25 fee added to their semester bill to fund what is the second oldest college newspaper in the nation, dating back to 1869. The defeat is largely a result of the same voter apathy that we see in general elections as only 30% of the eligible students voted.

As discussions continue to find a solution at Rutgers a GoFundMe drive has raised nearly $14,000 of its $100,000 goal. Many professional journalists got their start at The Daily Targum which is student written and managed and publishes Monday-Friday while classes are in session.

A few quick hitters to wrap up this segment:

• What can be worse than being a fan of the Mets, Jets and Knicks? The answer is not much.
• It’s not going to be nominated for any Academy Awards but if you can check your intelligence at the door and need a laugh then I recommend
• “Long Shot.” It’s a very adult comedy featuring the unlikely pairing of Seth
• Rogen with Charlize Theron and it’s funny if not very good.
• Webster’s Dictionary is considered by many the industry standard and rarely would they ever change the definition of a word. However in the case of the word delusional I would suggest they at least add, “Anyone who thinks it’s a good idea for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to run for President.