ON THE AIRWAVES - In true Chris Christie form, a major announcement must be coupled with some major media interviews and a "Jersey Comeback" town hall forum. In today's case, the Governor appeared on Good Morning America at 7:07 a.m. to hit some softballs from George Stephanopoulos before heading to Palisades Park High School for what he hopes will be akin to a pep rally. Why is he pulling out this tried-and-true PR formula? To promote his proposed $32.1 billion state budget, unveiled yesterday.

TRENTON - While there are billions and billions to spend in fiscal 2013, Democrats are focusing on one line item: $183 million in proposed spending that's part of Christie's plan to phase in a 10 percent income tax cut for all New Jerseyans. Democrats paint this as the Governor's latest scheme to reward the martini-sipping Biff and Muffy crowd in Mendham and the other wealthy elite with a tax cut. Christie, on the other hand, wants to talk about how he is our benevolent leader, cutting taxes for all. He is also quick to mention his proposed 5 percent increase in a tax credit for the working poor.

TRENTON - And, speaking of the proposed state budget, let's break it down. The Governor wants to spend 3.7 percent more than last year, but the budget is still about $1 billion less than what the state spent in 2007. State bean counters have an extremely rosy outlook on the amount of taxes and fees to be collected, anticipating a 7 percent increase over this fiscal year. Hit hardest, like usual, will be New Jersey corporations. The Governor is also expecting today to dole out nearly $9 billion in school aid, a considerable chunk headed to the urban schools. Municipal aid is pretty much flat, but with a 2 percent spending cap for municipalities, how do towns pay for rising costs?

TRENTON - One apparent winner in the fiscal 2013 budget is Rowan University, which is most likely already erecting "Christie Hall" in Camden in honor of the Governor. First, Christie is coordinating Rowan's takeover of Rutgers-Camden. Now, he plans to boost Rowan's state aid by a generous 13 percent, to $10.2 million, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Rutgers would get almost a 6 percent increase in aid. Nice, but no surprise it is considerably less than Rowan.

PATERSON - This may end up being the best $1,000 a political consultant ever spent. A judge has fined the hired gun that amount for coordinating a sleazy, yet clever, robocall campaign in 2009, in which he made it seem as if calls were coming from the chief of staff of his opponent, Assemblyman Scott Rumana. About 12,000 voters received calls slamming Rumana and his running mate, David Russo, from the chief of staff's cell phone. An unethical move? You bet. But we're sure there are many candidates quietly lining up to hire such a consultant, with his "whatever it takes" strategy. The news coverage is well worth the $1,000 fine.

BERGEN COUNTY - Giants great Harry Carson has decided not to play ball in Jersey politics, declining to compete against arch-conservative, five-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the redrawn 5th Congressional District. Carson, who North Jersey Democrats saw as their one, real, bonafide Hall of Fame candidate, told county officials he doesn't have "the passion for it," the Record reports.

JERSEY CITY TO ELIZABETH - Immigrant rights supporters are marking Ash Wednesday this morning by trekking about 10 miles from Liberty State Park to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, highlighting what they consider to be inhumane treatment of detainees at the hands of bureaucrats focused on money, not people.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

The Apple empire celebrated a key milestone on this day in 2006, selling its billionth song on iTunes. But it was just the beginning...

TRENTON - The rubber hits the road at 2 p.m. today when Gov. Chris Christie delivers his annual budget to the state Legislature. No surprise, but Christie is already talking about how it will be an extremely tight $30 billion budget. But he'll still find cash in the kitty to deliver on the first phase of his 10 percent income tax cut for all residents, draining about $150 million or so from state coffers. There were published reports Christie wants to attack the court-mandated formula for education aid, as he joins the legions of New Jerseyans wondering why awful city public schools get so much state cash, yet fail their students year after year.

STATEWIDE - With the price of gas expected to soar over $4 a gallon - and the minimum wage in New Jersey stuck at $7.25 an hour before taxes - something is out of whack. The Assembly Labor Committee is expected this week to consider a bump in the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour. Pro-business groups are howling, saying such a move would curtail job growth at the lowest end of the spectrum. True, but isn't the collective goal for all New Jerseyans to earn a good wage - or at least enough to have a car and afford to drive to work?

NEW BRUNSWICK - Muslim college students are likely texting "WTF" and other choice expletives in class today, with word they could be under surveillance by the New York Police Department. Muslim student associations at Rutgers University and other colleges in the Northeast want New York's Attorney General to investigate all this. NYPD brass calmly explain that many terrorists have been connected to Muslim student associations, justifying this investigation. Curious where New Jersey authorities stand on all this, as it seems the NYPD can't be hunting for terrorists here without perhaps a courtesy call or two.

CAMDEN - City officials are looking forward this spring to building bicycle and pedestrian trails in the downtown and the Delaware River waterfront, as part of a plan to connect to Philadelphia, the Courier Post reports. It is an aggressive and much-needed $6.8 million plan for lighting, signs, paths, etc. But until the city invests in the level of cops it needs, expect to see plenty of jittery bicyclists not stopping for a water break until they hit Philly.

WESTFIELD - Was there any chance Whitney Houston's grave wouldn't become an instant tourist destination? Intrepid Morning Briefing correspondents did a drive-by yesterday and found plenty of cars crawling through what had been a sleepy cemetery. The Star-Ledger reports police started restricting access to Fairview Cemetery yesterday afternoon, allowing only family members of the deceased to enter. Even the most ardent Whitney fan from Westfield must be wondering why her final resting place had to be in a residential neighborhood.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - Yet another new national poll is being released this morning - and the findings are actually unexpected. One would assume that Republicans nationally, internationally and galaxy-wide have been pushing Christie for VP on the national ticket. But a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll shows Christie has some stiff competition from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Christie comes in third behind these two guys, but the poll numbers are very tight. Shockingly, Sarah Palin came in at fourth and, equally shocking, Newt Gingrich follows in fifth. Who did these pollsters interview? Alabama-based car mechanics?

NEW YORK - The lowly soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets beat the Knicks last night. Where are we on the bell curve on Linsanity?

MEDIA MOVES

TRENTON -- Politickernj.com's Timothy Carroll, a well-known face in New Jersey political circles, has gone from covering the news to making it. Carroll, who joined the online publication in July 2010 from the Hoboken Reporter, has signed up with state Sen. Barbara Buono as she gears up for a gubernatorial run. Who knows? One day reporters may be calling on Carroll to comment on some misstep by Gov. Buono. Politickernj says it plans to announce two new hires shortly.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Brutal to be back at work after a glorious three-day weekend? No milk left for your coffee? Is the office plant dying again? Reach for that Alka Seltzer, introduced this day in 1931.

NEW YORK - Game 6; the Mets are down to their last out in the 1986 World Series when Gary Carter steps to the plate. No one on base, New York trailing Boston 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th. Carter hits a clean single, then Kevin Mitchell and Ray Knight hit singles. Carter scampers home. Moments later, Mookie Wilson hits a grounder through Bill Buckner's legs. Mets win! Mets win! No Mets fan will ever forget that moment, and no Mets fan will ever forget Gary "The Kid" Carter, dead at 57 from brain cancer.

CHESTER - Is the Highlands a protected area or not? Depends on who is asking. While the Highlands are supposed to be preserved for all time, the Highlands Council is allowing a company to construct a 7.6-mile pipeline right through it, as part of a $400 million expansion. There's no question the area needs more natural gas, as the population swells, but there seems to be mixed messages about the extent we go to preserve environmentally sensitive parkland.

SPRINGFIELD - In the classic example of news that is not news, Gov. Chris Christie officially endorsed his buddy Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) in his bid for U.S. Senate during a press conference yesterday among good, hard-working folk at a diner in Springfield. Since many political pundits assume Christie is dragging Kyrillos into the fight against entrenched Sen. Bob Menendez, an endorsement from the Governor seems, well....unnecessary?

TRENTON - Speaking of no drama, is there any surprise that the Governor's pick for Secretary of Higher Education, Rochelle R. Hendricks, thinks Christie's plan to abolish Rutgers-Camden is a swell idea? She is calling the Governor's sweeping restructuring of the state university system "bold and transformative." OK, we didn't expect anything else, but it is hoped Hendricks is an independent thinker when it comes to demanding more state aid for tuition help, overcrowding and crumbling infrastructure among the public colleges and universities. And maybe a Slushee machine in every dining hall.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - Rutgers-Eagleton has struck again with some new poll findings. Now it looks like one of President Obama's strongest areas of support is New Jersey, with 60 percent of registered voters thinking he is doing A-OK. For a politician, hitting the magic "60" gives him the cover he needs to campaign elsewhere, where pollsters may find his approval numbers in the 40s. A visit from a sitting President - as well as some concentrated ad buys - always has a powerful effect on regional polls.

NEWARK - A nice honor today for YouthBuild Newark founder Robert Clark, who is receiving a visit from First Lady Mary Pat Christie to officially name him February's "New Jersey Hero." Clark is the over-worked, over-scheduled leader of an organization focused on giving troubled kids a second chance. His Newark-based program is quickly expanding across New Jersey.

TRENTON - There's one person who thinks the Governor's order to put flags at half-staff in New Jersey for Whitney Houston is a good idea. That man is Rush Limbaugh, who has had a man-crush on our Governor since his election. Here is what he said Thursday: "If she did not have in her life a problem with drug abuse and alcohol ... we don't yet know what the cause of death was, but let's assume that alcohol and drugs had nothing to do with it. Take that out of it. How many of you would be upset that the flag was lowered to half staff?" Limbaugh said. Our question is this: If a Democrat made that order - rather than Christie - what would Rush have said?

NEWARK - It seems like every celebrity who lives on the Earth - and maybe some from a parallel universe - is descending on the New Hope Baptist Church on Sussex Avenue, bidding farewell to Houston tomorrow. The total worth of the funeral attendees - including Oprah and Beyonce - is probably more than the federal budget. Maybe some good can come from this, with some overly generous donations handed to the church for neighborhood preservation. Together, let's all say it was what Houston would have wanted.

A little-known wedding anniversary is today. It was this day in 1933 that Blondie Boopadoop married Dagwood Bumstead in the comic strip "Blondie." Seems like you can have plenty of fun with someone named "Blondie Boopadoop," but it usually requires a fistful of singles and a dark VIP room.

WESTFIELD - Local elected officials hate it when residents are successful at appealing their property taxes; it drains money from town coffers and forces town officials to find the money elsewhere. Yet a Westfield councilman - who also happens to be a tax attorney - is holding a seminar tonight in town to teach local residents how to "understand their options" when it comes to filing appeals. The councilman/attorney, who even has a newspaper ad in this week's local weekly about the seminar, will be dispensing advice tonight at Weichert Realtors from 7-8 p.m. Oddly, the invite doesn't mention the guest speaker serves on the Westfield council. Is this a conflict? Naaah.

NEWARK - Gov. Chris Christie continues to be hammered for his decision to order flags at half-staff to honor Whitney Houston. Federal guidelines say the flag should only be at half-staff "upon the death of principal figures of the U.S. Government." There appears to be no mention in the code concerning an individual who earned millions by singing "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

EAST RUTHERFORD - The next classic smack-down is coming to New Jersey, and it has nothing to do with the Governor. But Christie will be at the grand announcement at 11 a.m. today, when state sports authority officials discuss "WrestleMania," coming to the Meadowlands next year. Last year's fake wrestling event in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta drew a crowd of 71,617 and generated millions in revenue for the region, NJBiz reported.

UNION - The Kean University teacher's union is breathing fire this morning, after the school's governing body voted to support embattled University President Dawood Farahi. While the union has been complaining about what they consider Farahi's fascist dictatorship over the years, the teachers thought they finally nailed him - it was discovered his credentials were falsified on some documents. But, the Star-Ledger reports, the board thought these findings were immaterial to Farahi's success as president. Case closed.

SCOTCH PLAINS & FANWOOD - The towns have shared the same school district for years, now they are taking the state-mandated steps to examine the benefits of a full merger. Petition-gathering residents from both towns are the first in the state to use 2006 legislation that allows regular folks to call for a municipal consolidation study - without requiring the blessing of local politicians. This is a game-changer in towns where entrenched mayors and councils have fought to protect their fiefdoms for years.

TRENTON - The Governor has big plans to construct 20 schools in some of the poorest communities in New Jersey, through the School Development Authority. Just eight of those schools, he said, would cost a whopping $675 million. There is no question these schools are needed, but one is quick to remember the debacle in the early 2000s when an aggressive school construction plan was launched, millions were wasted on consultants, political cronies and land acquisition, and there was not much to show for it.

TRENTON - It seems Christie won't be following in the footsteps of Washington State Gov. Chris Gregoire, who signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage on Monday. New Jersey's state Assembly is scheduled to vote on the marriage bill today, which will likely go nowhere because Democrats don't have a supermajority in either house to override the Governor.

CAMDEN - Hopefully, acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf is armed with a bottle of Advil, as he meets this morning in Trenton with Mayor Dana Redd to "discuss deficiencies" in the city's struggling school district, where 88 percent of the schools are among the lowest performing in New Jersey. The Courier Post suspects a major talking point will be the mayor's lack of support for the schools superintendent, Bessie LeFra Young. The school board is expected to call for a "no confidence" vote on Young at its meeting Tuesday.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Die-hard Devils fans are celebrating this morning, yet no one knows why. Here is the reason: It was this day, in 1985, that the Devils scored the fastest hat trick in NHL history - in an unimaginable 42 seconds.

WESTFIELD - There were rampant reports that a memorial service would be held for the late Whitney Houston on Friday at the Prudential Center. That's not happening. Now, there's buzz the singer will be buried in Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, where her father, John Russell Houston, was buried in 2003, the Independent Press reports. Is that true? We have no clue.

NEWARK - As hundreds - if not thousands - of mourners prepare to bid farewell to Houston at her funeral Saturday at the New Hope Baptist Church and the streets surrounding Sussex Avenue, one must ask: who is paying for all this? The city's police force - which laid off 160 cops in November - is stretched thin. And Houston's own financial problems over the years - including two foreclosed homes - have been well documented among the celebrity media. If no one comes forward, it looks like Newark taxpayers will be hit with the cost of saying goodbye to Whitney.

CAMDEN - One thing is for certain: New Jersey voters don't like the idea of Rowan University taking over Rutgers-Camden to create a mega-research university in South Jersey. There is a Rutgers-Eagleton poll out this morning that shows 57 percent of respondents think it is a terrible idea. Meanwhile, 22 percent think it is swell - we assume these respondents live in and around Glassboro. Again, it only matters what one New Jerseyan thinks - and Gov. Chris Christie is the man behind the plan.

TRENTON - The state Assembly is expected to approve the gay marriage bill tomorrow, a process the Governor dismisses as "theater." He will immediately veto it and feels confident that the Democrats will not be able to sway enough Republican votes in the state Legislature to override him. The conservative Governor wants voters to decide the future of same-sex nuptials. That way, he's not forced to turn his back on a state that trends toward the Democrat way of thinking. Now that's leadership.

STAFFORD - Seems the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is drinking deeply from the same punch bowl as the Governor. Tom Bracken, president of the chamber, was in southern Ocean County yesterday, the Asbury Park Press reports, saying Jersey is in the midst of a "comeback," adding "you can see that the administration is fighting for you." Bracken took a swipe at former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, saying his tenure was the "most devastating" for business, adding when Republican Gov. Christie Whitman was running things, New Jersey was a Top 10 state for business.

MONTGOMERY - If it is good enough for the DMV, then it should be good enough for the state Legislature. That's the Governor's reasoning why state lawmakers should accept that Acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf is now a proud resident of Montgomery, as opposed to Montclair. Christie says Cerf has rented a place in Montgomery, supposedly to be closer to work, and has updated his driver's license and voter registration to the new address. Yet his family still lives in Montclair. Still, the Governor figures, Cerf is no longer in Sen. Ron "no dice" Rice's district and should no longer be blocked from his confirmation as commissioner.

ATLANTIC CITY - No more horsing around at the Steel Pier. There was talk about bringing the famous - yet perennially controversial - diving horse act back to the amusement park, the Star-Ledger reports. But things have changed drastically from the 1920s. Live horse diving was ideal at a time before YouTube. Now, you can just type in a few search words to watch horses be dropped 40 feet into a 12-foot pool of water. And watch it over and over.

On this day in 1933, President-elect Franklin Roosevelt survived a little-known assassination attempt in Miami, where Giuseppe Zangara fired six bullets at Roosevelt's open touring car during a speech. The crowd wanted to tear Zangara apart, but the President-elect thought he deserved a new deal.

BAYONNE - This Valentine's Day, spend some quality time with mom - just don't take her on a major drug buy. A Bayonne man didn't take that bit of advice, the Jersey Journal reports; he was nabbed in his car with 59 bags of heroin, $200 in cash and his 89-year-old mother. Police say she appeared disorientated, or maybe just very, very disappointed in her son.

NEWARK - The city is gearing up for a massive tribute to the late Whitney Houston with a star-studded funeral at the Prudential Center on Friday. Such a send-off would also be appropriate for local soldiers who sacrificed their lives and other unsung heroes - who managed to make significant accomplishments, all while living drug-free.

TRENTON - An auditor for the state Division of Taxation is not only charged with soliciting a bribe from a convenience store owner, apparently he can't hold firm on his price. State officials say the 33-year-old Mays Landing man ordered the convenience store owner to pay $1,000 or be audited. Somehow, the store owner whittled the price down to $900, before authorities nabbed the state employee - who now faces 10 years in state prison. Hopefully, he is better at negotiating for cigarettes.

PRINCETON - A local company has designed a global game-changer - a solar-powered device that desalinates, pumps and purifies water. The device is ideal in developing countries, during emergencies and for use by the military. Federal and state officials will be touring WorldWater & Solar Technologies today to see how it all works.

CALDWELL - With the upcoming voter-driven merger of the Princetons, it looks like Gov. Chris Christie is jumping on the bandwagon. He had been tepid in supporting the merger of towns, often a controversial, hot topic. But at his latest "Jersey Comeback" tour stop, he talked about how the duplication of municipal services is a key to high property tax bills. He touted how the state will pick up the transition costs for the first year for towns willing to merge. "If you wonder why your property taxes are so high," he said, in The Star-Ledger, "the next culprit after school funding is this proliferation of repetition, everybody having a CFO, everybody having a business administrator."

SANDY HOOK - The big loser in President Obama's $3.8 trillion spending plan appears to be the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook, a key fisheries lab that studies the effects of climate change. The lab also studies how people damage the marine populations on the Jersey Shore - perhaps by flicking their garbage into the water. The 50-year-old lab, Gannett reports, is to be closed. It seems if you are spending trillions of dollars, there has to be some change under the cushions for such a lab.

TRENTON - Perhaps Chris Cerf will spend his entire stint in the Governor's cabinet as the "acting" education commissioner. Apparently, Cerf did something to seriously offend Sen. Ronald Rice, who has been abusing senatorial courtesy to block the commissioner's confirmation. So, Cerf moved to Somerset County, far away from Rice. But Senate Democrats apparently refuse to consider Cerf as a resident of anyplace other than Rice's district, keeping him in this ridiculous limbo. The Senate was going to have a hearing on Thursday about Cerf, but now postponed it, PolitickerNJ reports. Rice isn't budging, perhaps to underscore his tremendous relevancy.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Valentine's Day, like Halloween, is rooted in pagan partying. The lovers' holiday traces its roots to raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility. All this, before the invention of the keg.

Editor's note: After we reported that yesterday marked the anniversary of Spanky's first day on "The Little Rascals" in 1932, our favorite South Jersey politician wrote in to note that "Petey the Dog" from the show is buried in his hometown of Linwood. Another great boon for the Linwood tourism industry.

TRENTON - Today is a fabulous day for the gay community - the state Senate is set to vote on a bill to recognize gay marriage. Insiders say the bill will pass the Senate, as well as the Assembly, this week. But the bill will wilt in the hands of the Governor, who wants voters - not himself - to decide if gay marriage will be allowed. Still, the vote in the Legislature is a great victory for proponents - who have managed to nudge the issue this far. The next step would be to get enough votes in the Legislature to override the Governor's veto. Or wait for a Democrat to get elected.

TRENTON - As with any big issue working through the Legislature, expect a press conference from the opponents voicing utter outrage. Today we have some group called the "Garden State Parents for Moral Values" outside the State House Annex, blasting gay marriage through a flutter of press releases. Should make for good news copy, especially if they engage supporters.

NOT IN TRENTON - It seems whenever there is something controversial in Trenton, the Governor schedules one of his "Jersey Comeback" road shows. Today, Gov. Chris Christie is safely 65.40 miles away (Thank you, Mapquest) at the Caldwell Community Center. Will the media follow him to ask about gay marriage? Yes, they will. And will he have his prepared talking points ready, noting a measure calling for the ballot referendum was introduced in the state Senate last week? Yes, he will.

TRENTON - The Governor is set to deliver his third budget to the state Legislature next Wednesday, so let's start talking about it. The ongoing quandary is that he is required to submit a balanced budget, yet is saddled with rising costs from a crumbling infrastructure and public employee pensions. And not to mention never-ending debt from 1997, when Gov. Christie Whitman recklessly cut income taxes. On top of this, Christie is pushing for his own 10 percent income tax cut for all New Jerseyans. With all this, how will he balance the budget? Should be an interesting ride. Someone's gotta pay.

SOUTH ORANGE - Seton Hall University will hold its inaugural screening this afternoon of the 2011 documentary "After the Fire," chronicling the aftermath of the January 2000 dorm fire that killed three students. During the event, former Star-Ledger reporter Robin Gaby Fisher and film director Guido Verweyen will join Alvaro Llanos and Shawn Simons, who were burned in the fire, and E. Hani Mansour, medical director of Saint Barnabas Medical Center's Burn Center, for a panel discussion with town leaders.

NEWARK - "Occupy Newark" is still occupying Newark even though the city wanted them out 9 p.m. Thursday. Your move, City Hall.

PATERSON - One child with a genetic blood disorder sees "Make-a-Wish" as "Donate-a-Wish," as the charity announced the 7-year-old Morris County boy has decided to use his wish to help other sick children whose families can't afford medical care. Make-A-Wish will donate $2,500 in the boy's name to start a fund at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson. Great story.

TRENTON - It seems the Democratic Party leadership was doing some speed dating with lobbyists yesterday at the Trenton Marriott. PolitickerNJ reports Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald were doing 20-minute sessions with West State Street lobbyists, making friends, taking business cards and, who knows, maybe setting up some future dates.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Here is a fact that not one media organization in the entire world will report: the late "Spanky" McFarland joined "The Little Rascals" on this day in 1932. But you read it here.

NEWARK - There were plenty of plot lines in the groundbreaking of Teacher's Village in Newark, where plenty of corporate honchos mingled yesterday with Gov. Chris Christie and other big-time politicians. But the surprise attendee was Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, sitting quietly in the front row with a pleasant smile. Was there to be a big announcement? Maybe a $100 million donation to the schools? No, not a peep. The Wall Street Journal reported Schmidt was hanging on Halsey Street as a guest of Nicolas Berggruen, a big-time investor in the project. Schmidt serves on Berggruen's think tank. But is that enough of a connection for the Google exec to attend a local groundbreaking? Hmmm. Nothing on Google about this.

ATLANTIC CITY - It's always a nail-biting time for casino owners when the state Division of Gaming Enforcement releases the monthly revenue numbers. Today we learn if the warm January was able to encourage more gamblers to throw their nest eggs into slot machines. The 11 casinos were thrilled with last month's numbers, which showed that finally, after nearly four years of a steady bleed, the casinos finally saw an uptick in revenue. Will it continue?

PASSAIC - No more free parking for people with disabilities. City officials figure those plum parking spaces can no longer just be given away - introducing an ordinance that would charge the city's 237 disabled residents $50 apiece each year to keep their treasured spots on the street, the Record reports. For an extra $50, the city will even personalize the signs. (No idea on a cost for rust-proofing or a coat of UV protection) City officials say they aren't picking on people with disabilities, noting the fee equates to about a buck a week in a city with a major parking crunch. Also, they say, every resident needs to pitch in to help control taxes.

ELIZABETH - City school officials have paid a law firm more than $500,000 to prove The Star-Ledger was wrong in reporting the district is a rampant patronage pit. The law firm released data yesterday that showed - no surprise here - that the newspaper mischaracterized the city schools. In fact, the lawyers say, it is not a patronage pit. One must question what the findings of the report would have been if the law firm was representing the newspaper, which had the taxpayer-funded resources to shell out $500,000 for a so-called independent investigation. What a waste of money. And no charge for that discovery.

NEWARK - As of late last night, "Occupy Newark" was still occupying Military Park - hours after the city's deadline for the protesters to evict the premises. Word around camp is that they have until Saturday to pack it in. But if they are still there on Monday morning, perhaps the city will release the hounds.

STATEWIDE - Maybe it is a sign the economy could finally be rebounding: State officials think the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund could be back in the black by the end of last year. In recent years, state lawmakers have annually pillaged the unemployment fund to balance the state budget, ultimately requiring a $2.1 billion bail-out by the feds. Other reasons the fund could be replenished: rules to collect have gotten stricter, employers are kicking in more dough and many people have exhausted their benefits, yet are still without a job.

STATEWIDE - Lots of chatter this morning about the estimated $838 million flowing into New Jersey as part of a $26 billion national settlement with five major mortgage companies. The largest chunk of cash to the state would be a projected $660 million for homeowners trying to stave off foreclosure by one of these banks. But with more than 250,000 loans in New Jersey in dire arrears, will this cash make a real difference? And, for desperate people living paycheck to paycheck, when, exactly, will they see some relief?

PASCRELL v. ROTHMAN - Not much these guys agree on - unless it involves congratulating the Giants. Pascrell did agree to sign on as a co-sponsor of a Rothman resolution in Congress, commending the Super Bowl victors. But, as the Record reports, Congress is no longer wasting its time by voting on such fluffy measures. So, the resolution will stay in committee, without the entire House having to hear a resolution about how the Giants play in East Rutherford, are great community partners in northern New Jersey, yada, yada.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

The 100th episode of "Miami Vice" - and likely the 100th reiteration of parachute pants - aired on this day, in 1989.

JERSEY CITY - Jersey City is often considered the stepsister of cool and trendy Hoboken. So, when Hoboken rejected a pitch from the classless "Jersey Shore" reality show for a spin-off there, Snooki and crew quickly found a home in neighboring Jersey City. The city issued a six-week permit for the show to shoot at a home at Grove and Mercer streets, a former firehouse, Fox News reports. Expect plenty of footage of the cast driving over to Hoboken for the nightlife.

STATEWIDE - What is worse for a politician: Having low approval numbers or having four out of five people not knowing who the heck you are? An early poll for this year's Senate race shows Sen. Bob Menendez and his likely GOP competitor have a lot of work ahead to earn the love and adoration of New Jersey voters. Only 21 percent reached by the Monmouth University/NJ Press Media Poll think Menendez should be re-elected. But the poll also shows 80 percent of respondents have no clue about his likely opponent, State Sen. Joe Kyrillos.

NEWARK - The long-awaited "Teacher's Village" planned for Halsey Street takes a step forward this morning, when Gov. Chris Christie, Goldman Sachs CEO & Chairman Lloyd Blankfein and others break ground. Teacher's Village has been hailed as a hallmark redevelopment project, to be home to three charter schools, plenty of retail space and 200 apartments serving Newark teachers. A key attendee will be Richard Meier, an internationally known architect born in Newark, who designed the plan.

NEWARK - City officials are done with "Occupy Newark," the gaggle of tent dwellers residing in Military Park since November. The protesters have been told they need to pack up and go by 9 p.m. tonight, NJ.com reports. Some of the Occupy Newarkers were bonafide protesters - demonstrating their opposition to something or another - while the rest were homeless. In booting Occupy Newark, the City Council told the group "it was a pleasure to work with your organization." A quick peek at the snow-covered tents this morning shows no one is in a rush to leave.

ONLINE - News stories are popping up all over the web about a reported plan for Amazon.com to set up two warehouses in New Jersey. But to make the deal happen, apparently Amazon doesn't want to collect and pay sales tax to New Jersey for 22 months. Seems this deal isn't fully baked yet, but Assemblyman Lou Greenwald is the quoted source, taking the lead. Expect Christie - who enjoys making the grand announcements - to be ticked-off.

LAWRENCEVILLE - What does Princeton University and Rider University have in common? Not a damn thing - except for the outbreak of norovirus. The gastrointestinal illness broke out at Princeton about a week ago and somehow headed six miles south to Rider, where 40 students got sick last night, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. To combat norovirus, cleaning crews at Rider are spending some extra time in the bathrooms in the college dorms - which could always use an extra once-over.

Music that goes Thump. Thump. Thump. hit the New York airwaves on this day in 1996, when WKTU was launched, playing club music 24 hours a day. WKTU has been blowing our car speakers ever since, spinning the same three songs every 10 minutes.

WESTFIELD - Expect the Governor to receive the welcome of a conquering hero for the sixth appearance of his "Jersey Comeback" tour. Westfield is the cozy home to some of Chris Christie's closest confidants, including campaign adviser Mike DuHaime; former Chief of Staff Rich Bagger; longtime confidant Bill Palatucci; Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. To make it to Westfield, Christie is ditching the New Jersey State League of Municipalities' 20th Annual Mayors' Legislative Day, in which 150 local officials are heading to the Statehouse and would love to say "hi."

BRIDGES & TUNNELS - Is there any surprise that an auditor's report shows the Port Authority is spending money like crazy? This independent review was made, after the Port Authority hiked bridge and tunnel tolls, again, last year. Auditors are calling for a "top-to-bottom overhaul of its management structure" and blamed the agency for billions of billions in cost overruns. Auditors were particularly aghast with the World Trade Center redevelopment costs - running $3.8 billion more than the estimate in 2008. Meanwhile, shut up and pay your tolls.

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - A bill introduced yesterday to finally curtail public employees from banking gobs of sick leave has the perfect poster boy: an assistant to the police chief in Little Egg Harbor - due $121,000. The Asbury Park Press says the assistant, who rose up the ranks from a police dispatcher in 1973, quietly accumulated $95,756 in unused sick time, $12,783 in unused vacation time, $11,841 in comp time and $1,009 in unused personal time. (Personal time?) The small town plans to shell out the cash over time, rather than be stuck with one huge payment

CAPE MAY - There is this huge misconception that tourists will flee in droves unless they are allowed to smoke on the beach. Cape May officials are caving in to what is apparently a strong local business lobby, ensuring anyone who wants to ingest hot smoke on a 90-degree day has the opportunity - no matter how annoying it is for other families and couples eager for the clean, ocean breezes. Town officials plan to reconsider a smoking ban next year, so now is the time to bring your carton of Marlboros to Cape May and disgust people.

PHILADELPHIA - Many believe the Norcross empire controls pretty much everything in South Jersey, so why not the media? PolitickerNJ reports political powerhouse George Norcross is part of a team making a play to purchase the Philadelphia Inquirer. Other investors would be former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and parking czar Lewis Katz. Owning a newspaper is widely considered one of the lousiest investments one can make - unless you have money to burn and want to seize editorial control of the largest daily newspaper covering your many diverse interests.

PASCRELL v. ROTHMAN - Four years ago - when the Giants won the Super Bowl - Rep. Steve Rothman was quick to honor the team in the Congressional Record. Pascrell was not going to be beat this time, jumping out immediately with a statement for the record honoring wide receiver Victor Cruz, a Paterson native, calling his signature touchdown dance the "Silk City Salsa," after Paterson. Rothman is likely wracking his brains to find an even better name for the dance. But the "Ninth Congressional District Shuffle" just doesn't have the same pizzazz.

NORTH AND WEST - Nah, could it be? Really? Some possible snow on the ride home from work today? Maybe an inch? Wow. Fire up those snow throwers.

One of the lasting images of this country - more recognizable than George Washington or Abraham Lincoln - came to life this day in 1926, when Walt Disney opened his studio. America - and a mouse - are now forever linked.

ATLANTIC CITY - A new generation of gamblers doesn't really have the time to sit at tables, roll dice, hold cards or pull a lever. In a world where instant gratification takes too damn long, state legislation is moving forward that would allow casino dwellers to make bets on hand-held devices. So, they can tweet, text, post and lose $100 - all within five seconds.

TRENTON - New Jersey's long honeymoon period with Gov. Chris Christie continues - with plenty of roses and chocolate. A new Monmouth University/NJ Press Media Poll being released today shows his job approval is at 52 percent among residents. But nearly half of those polled think Christie is more interested in the White House than Drumthwacket. Still, plenty of kisses to go around.

MADISON - Quick question: Is there really a God? Perhaps that nagging age-old issue will finally be put to bed tomorrow night, when St. Paul Inside the Walls holds a mock trial. Some of the state's top judges and attorneys will play out the roles, arguing theist and atheist perspectives. At last count, an estimated 500 people were expected to watch what could be a very controversial three-hour event.

CAMDEN - South Jersey powerbroker George E. Norcross III is voicing his support - no surprise - for the Rowan University take-over of Rutgers-Camden. It's interesting to see how he frames the proposal, calling the new school "Rowan Rutgers University." He calls the plan "a partnership," not a take-over, saying Rutgers-Camden would likely triple in size, with millions of dollars being poured into it and thousands of jobs created. Very rosy. But Rutgers students protesting the plan at the Statehouse yesterday had one question: Why does the state's flagship university need Rowan to make all this happen?

TRENTON - Rutgers President Richard McCormick is sending out mixed messages, like usual, as the Governor makes plans to strip Rutgers-Camden from him. McCormick appeared before a Senate committee yesterday to state the obvious: Rutgers-Camden doesn't support the plan. But maybe McCormick is OK with selling out his South Jersey undergraduates if Rutgers gets the three Central Jersey arms of the University of Medicine and Dentistry, whose restructuring is also in play. Who knows?

RUTHERFORD - As the Nets prepare to flee the state for Brooklyn next year, expect a barrage of PR gimmicks to help the team shore up a Jersey fan base. Today, for example, as New Jersey celebrates the glorious Super Bowl win of the Giants, Nets players Keith Bogans and Johan Petro will be at a karate clinic in Rutherford with 30 children involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Great; but we still aren't going to Brooklyn to see the Nets play.

EAST RUTHERFORD - It's never easy to be in the shadow of Manhattan. After the Giants take a triumphant trip down the Canyon of Heroes this morning, amid the pageantry of a ticker-tape parade, they make a quick stopover at MetLife Stadium, where there will be a 30-minute "rally" for New Jersey fans, featuring Gov. Chris Christie. Parking lots F and G will be open early and concession stands will be available. That's lovely. But, you know, it's just not the same thing.

On this day, Feb. 7, 2008, Congress overwhelmingly passed a $168 billion economic stimulus package designed to kick start the anemic economy. President George W. Bush told Americans to take their stimulus checks and spend, spend, spend. Was the $168 billion well spent? You decide.

EAST RUTHERFORD - For most of us, today is a typical Monday. For Giants fans, today is the respite between two parties. Fans get to wash the beer off their Manning jerseys before heading to tomorrow's ticker-tape parade. It all begins at Battery Place and Washington Street at 11 a.m. There will be a ceremony at City Hall Plaza, in which Mayor Bloomberg will present the Giants with the Keys to the City. Funny; when the Giants have awful seasons, New York disregards them as that Jersey team in the swamp. But when they win, NYC acts like they play at the Garden.

STATEWIDE - A much-anticipated bill is to be introduced in the state Senate to end the lifetime job security for teachers who obtain tenure. Gannett reports the bill would strip job protections, while making it easier for school districts to fire lousy teachers. It seems there is some bi-partisan support for the bill, being introduced by a Democrat, Sen. Teresa Ruiz. Gov. Chris Christie has praised her efforts - a positive sign this bill will have legs. While the bill looks strong out of the gate, keep a close eye on how much the NJEA is able to water it down before it reaches the floor.

TRENTON - Bad news for future gas station attendants. The state Senate is considering a law that would force teens to stay in school until they are 18 years of age. Currently, uninspired students have to show up until they are 16 - before they can devote their full-time efforts to smoking behind the 7-11 and talking about the new Slushee machine. The bill is to be heard today before the Senate Education Committee.

TRENTON - Gov. Chris Christie is talking up his plan for Rowan University to take over Rutgers-Camden. Rutgers University students and faculty are all up in arms. Now, the state Senate's Higher Education Committee is entering the fray - holding a hearing today about the Governor's plan. While this will be a media-friendly forum to air grievances, Christie still hasn't explained how, exactly, he will undertake his plan. But he still considers it a done deal.

INDIANAPOLIS - If we needed another reason to hate the Patriots, here's one: Just hours before the big game, the classless Pats cut a former Rutgers wide receiver, Tiquan Underwood, from their roster. Underwood was replaced on the roster by another Rutgers standout, defensive end Alex Silvestro. But try to ignore that small fact when expressing your outrage about the treatment of Underwood.

PARSIPPANY - It looks like the ongoing, never-ending issue of the school superintendent's salary may be headed to the courts. The state wants Schools Superintendent Lee Seitz to refund $38,000 in salary overpayments. But he isn't budging. The Daily Record reports local school officials have no option other than to sue their superintendent and generate a heap of legal costs. State officials say Seitz's pay exceeded the Governor's imposed salary cap. School officials apparently ignored the state's wishes, prompting all sides to dig in their heels.

TRENTON - Lots of talk these days about tax relief in Trenton. The Governor keeps hyping his 10 percent income tax cut for all New Jerseyans, while the Democrats are demanding their prime constituents - the middle class - get some tax relief. But the Bergen Record reports it could all be hot air, as the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services is worried if the state has the cash to balance the budget - as it is required to do. Total tax revenues were about $325 million, or 3 percent, short of projections through the first six months of the budget year, the newspaper reported. Not the best timing for politicians to be hyping tax cuts.

A former paperboy at the Jersey Observer gets his first big crack at radio on Feb. 6, 1943. Frank Sinatra debuts on "Your Hit Parade."

CAMDEN - Looks like there's at least one Rutgers administrator willing to fight the Governor's plan to hand the university to Rowan University. Rutgers-Camden chancellor Wendell E. Pritchett is vowing to do his part to ensure Rutgers remains the state's flagship university with a strong South Jersey presence. And now there are even some faint whispers underneath the couch in the office of University President Richard McCormick, who has been shaking in the fetal position since the Governor decided to take Rutgers-Camden from him. After Pritchett had the guts to speak out, McCormick's office dispatched a written statement, saying he "shares many of his concerns" and "will carefully consider all the options." OUCH! Take that, Christie!

CAMDEN - Meanwhile, it looks like the stars are quickly aligning for the full Rowan University take-over of Rutgers-Camden. There's now an $8.2 million study in the works for a proposed 18-mile train link from Rowan's main campus in Glassboro to Camden. NJ Transit would run the line, which could cost $1.6 billion, creating a tremendous, permanent link between the university and the city. With that line in place, they might as well just rename it the City of Rowan. 

NEWARK - No worries Newark, the decision of Facebook to go public will have no affect on Mark Zuckerberg's pledge of $100 million over five years to help improve city schools. In fact, with a stock offering that could jack the value of the company to $100 billion, maybe this is the ideal time for Facebook to throw the city another pile of cash from the underground vault. The Wall Street Journal reports the Foundation for Newark's Future, which controls the Zuckerberg cash, has so far pulled in $48 million in an ongoing effort to match the Facebook donation.

NEWARK - Is Newark the perfect college town? Not according to the Princeton Review, which rates the Brick City among one of the absolute worst college towns in the country. But there are big dreams in Newark, evident in an op-ed in today's Star-Ledger that talks about what can be if city officials are finally willing to create a viable college center. Read the op-ed here. If Newark officials don't act fast there could very well be a rail line built from Glassboro to Broad Street. 

HACKENSACK - A man who apparently has a penchant for killing business partners is back behind bars, after admitting to cops that, yes, he had actually had another one bumped off...in 1973. The 82-year-old man, recently paroled after serving nearly 29 years for killing one business partner, admitted that he promised a hit man a job in a nightclub if he would shoot another partner. He now faces another 30 years in the slammer, the Record reports. It's expected he will get credit for time served when he is sentenced March 9. But even at his age, there's no reason the courts should let this guy see daylight again.

HOBOKEN - Sen. Frank Lautenberg will mix with other lively and trendy New Jerseyans in Hoboken today, visiting Carlo's Bakery on Washington Street to get publicity for his Super Bowl bet with Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. We don't know the details of the wager, but somehow assume it involves a cake.

NEWARK - As the city struggles to become a hip, exciting urban center, a City Council move shows there's still much work to do. While Hoboken and Jersey City have become vibrant, 24/7 places, the Newark City Council wants to close restaurants in high-crime areas by 10 p.m. weeknights and 11 p.m. on Saturdays. Lots of logic here, but the message is that city officials believe bulletproof glass is not the only way to ensure residents' safety. And that hinders the Newark renaissance everyone is waiting for.

PASCRELL v. ROTHMAN - After these two bloody each other to a pulp - spending a king's fortune to smear each other until the last vote is cast on primary day - the battered and broke victor will pull his sword from the smoldering corpse and prepare for yet another battle. Three Republicans have thrown their hats in the ring for the party's nod, hoping the electorate will be so sick of Pascrell v. Rothman that they may consider voting for, gulp, a Republican in the 9th Congressional District on Election Day in November.

TRENTON - There is a power play in the works for control of the patronage pit known as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo run the show, but Democrats in the New Jersey Legislature are ramming through bills to weaken the governors' control. One bill, for example, would give the state Legislature the power to veto the bi-state agency's minutes. Expect Christie to laugh maniacally as he vetoes each and every one of these bills.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On Feb. 3, 1973, President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act - just one year before he became an endangered species.

SEASIDE - One may surmise the yellowed newspaper that the Jersey Shore's Snooki was sleeping under must've been dated from last year. How else can you explain her sudden tweet yesterday announcing she will not be voting for Gov. Chris Christie for President? Explaining to Politico that "someone just told me he's running for president," Snooki knocked Christie for "calling us names when he's never met us." Using that logic, there's probably not one politician in the U.S. she could vote for.

DENVILLE - While an Assembly committee holds its first hearing on legalizing gay marriage in Trenton, Christie thinks it's a good day to work from home. He won't be straying far from Mendham, holding his fifth "Jersey Comeback" forum at the Morris County School of Technology in Denville. Expect him to be asked to further apologize for his now-infamous gaffe, in which he said "people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South."

NEW BRUNSWICK - With the departure of Greg Schiano and the frenzy to replace him as the Rutgers football coach, it's the perfect timing for the university's faculty to kick the program in the face. Hundreds of professors submitted a resolution calling for Rutgers to slash the amount of subsidies for the athletic department, which overspent by about $26.8 million in 2010. The cash to balance the books was covered through student fees and pulling from the general fund. That money, professors say, is supposed to support academics, not all these professional-grade productions at Rutgers Stadium.

BALTIMORE - There is plenty of anticipation this morning in Baltimore, where Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expected to announce a major step in developing wind energy off the shore of New Jersey, as well as other Mid-Atlantic states. Apparently, the feds have completed all of their "environmental impact assessments" just in time for the Presidential election and are ready to push forward a plan. Expect it all to be a prime Obama talking point this summer and early fall.

PLAINFIELD - Some residents say the city's utilities authority is flushing more than water down the drain, circulating a petition to fight against a $1 million payment to two former employees who resigned June 30. Ticked-off residents allege the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority has approved $725,000 on top of the $275,000 already paid to the former employees. Residents told us they want the Governor to intervene, highlighting all the waste in Plainfield's 110-mile sewer system. Eager to hear the authority's take on all this.

ON THE AIR - When you are ahead, sometimes it's better to just keep quiet. Expect any competitor of Mitt Romney to rejoice over this on-air quote on CNN: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there." The somewhat stunned reporter, Soledad O'Brien, thought she must have wax in her ears and asked him to clarify. "Well, you had to finish the sentence, Soledad," Romney responded. "I said, I'm not concerned about the very poor that have a safety net, but if it has holes in it, then I will repair it." Looks like Newt is reborn .... again.

TRENTON - Charter school advocates will be at the Assembly Education Committee hearing today fighting senseless legislation which would impede the creation of innovative schools in both urban and suburban communities. The bills call for a voter referendum and automatically enroll children in charter schools. This legislation would turn the charter approval process into a political campaign, diverting scarce resources intended for children.

PASCRELL v. ROTHMAN - Score one for Rep. Steve Rothman, after the Bergen County Democratic chair slapped Rep Bill Pascrell for "baseless personal attacks," PolitickerNJ reports. Pascrell has been calling Rothman a wimp for avoiding a contest against entrenched Republican Rep. Scott Garrett, whose reconfigured district includes Rothman's hometown of Fair Lawn. Pascrell says Rothman is taking on a fellow incumbent Democrat to avoid one of the most conservative Republicans in the country. Meanwhile, Bergen's Democratic chair, Lou Stellato, says no one fights harder for Democratic values than Steve Rothman. Expect this all to get uglier and uglier.

LATE BREAKING NEWS: Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow for the 100th time this morning, indicating six more weeks of winter. Sixteen times there has been no shadow, meaning an early spring. Today is the 126th-annual day in which Punxsutawney Phil has made his prediction. The legend was invented by the editor of a local newspaper who called Phil the only weather prognosticating groundhog. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is missing the other 10 years of these critically-important records. We recommend they just make it up.

LINCROFT - State Republicans owe a debt of gratitude to State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos. At 11 a.m. today in Lincroft, he will launch an uphill battle to unseat the well-financed Sen. Robert Menendez who's running on a ticket with the President at the top. Expect Gov. Chris Christie to play the role of rabid attack dog in the Kyrillos campaign, slamming Menendez at every opportunity. The first objective for Kyrillos is to win the GOP primary, which should be a slam dunk with the Governor's strong backing.

ATLANTIC CITY - In a never-ending cycle of redevelopment, the latest effort is expected to be approved today, when the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority announces a plan to recharge the nation's second-largest gambling mecca. Any proposed plan needs to focus on visitor safety, especially in the Atlantic and Pacific avenue commercial districts where pawn shops, check cashing joints and blinking "Sell Your Gold Here" signs aren't exactly enticing tourists.

ON THE ROADS - State Police to New Jersey drivers: Get drunk at home. In gearing up for Sunday's Super Bowl, in what will be akin to a second Christmas for Giants fans in North Jersey, Troopers will be out in full force on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, the Record reports. Police - likely annoyed they are stuck working during the big game - will be taking out their anger on drunken drivers, speeders, texters and belligerent Patriots fans.

FLORIDA - Looks like Mitt Romney is taking a page out of Chris Christie's playbook...and it's working. Shaking his comatose image as "the nice guy," Romney lunged for the throat of Newt Gingrich in easily winning Florida's Republican primary. Expect Romney to continue attacking Gingrich for many of his misdeeds on TV ads and debate stages, while Romney supporters boo and hiss at all of Gingrich's campaign stops. Welcome to the campaign, Mitt.

STATEWIDE - The slow economy has been absolutely brutal for New Jersey's historic sites, which have aged rapidly without the funding for upkeep. State officials are trying to figure out the damage, launching the first survey in 22 years to ascertain the enormous costs for proper repair and restoration at hundreds of sites. The results will be frightening. Just imagine the damage of one perennial leak - in a 250-year-old home.

TRENTON - The state certainly has a rosy picture on the returns of state investment funds. PolitickerNJ reports the state is factoring in a 8.25 percent return on investments in its pension fund. (Are we investing in a Ponzi scheme?) If those lofty returns are not met - which is likely - the state's pension deficit of $41.8 billion will continue to grow.

NEW YORK - Today may be the day when we can all finally "like" Facebook stock. The social network is expected to file to go public - creating a trading floor buzz that will rival the one that Google stirred up in 2004, when it did the same thing. If all goes according to plan, this filing will set Facebook's worth at nearly $100 billion (give or take a billion). And just imagine if Facebook could reap the same 8.25 percent return that New Jersey is sure it's getting?

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

The very first movie studio opened this day in 1893. In Hollywood? No. In New York? Nope. In West Orange, at the bustling laboratory of Thomas Edison.