Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie.

A not so busy busiest time

We have entered what is supposed to be the retailer's busiest time, but Quaker Bridge Mall is not nearly as busy as I remember it being in past years. There were plenty of spots, even up close and, while bustling with people, I wouldn't call it packed.

Quaker Bridge, I'm assuming, is no different than any mall anywhere else, which does not bode well for retailers or the economy as a whole.

I'll be curious to see the numbers on sales when they become available, but I wouldn't be too optimistic.

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The false promise of falling gas prices

The Valero station at the Cranbury circle on Route 130 is selling unleaded regular for $1.71 a gallon cash — a figure that is shockingly low compared to the sometimes $3-plus a gallon we were paying in central New Jersey over the summer. And the other stations on Route 130 appear to be in the same $1.70-$1.75 range.

That is creating a false sense of security, an assumption that fuel efficiency is not an important consideration when looking for a new car.

I learned this on Friday, talking to my brother-in-law about my leased Nissan Murano. The lease runs out in February and Annie and I already are thinking about what we need to do. Both of us have come to the realization — something we should have understood three years ago — that fuel efficiency has to be a part of our discussion. We can’t afford a hybrid, nor are we prepared to go with a car small enough to get us 30-plus mpg, but we have to improve on the ridiculous 18 mpg we get now.

I told my brother-in-law this, saying we weren’t sure what we wanted to replace the Murano with.

“Why,” he said. “Gas prices are down.”

True enough. But for how long? The reality is that anything below $2 is artificially low (even $2.50 is optimistic) and when the economy stabilizes gas prices will start climbing again.

So, the best course of action is to understand this and rethink our response. It is no longer good enough to say gas prices are too high. We have to find ways to lessen our use, and the only way to do this is to cut down on our driving and to boost fuel-efficiency standards.

As a driver, I have to consider this when I buy (or lease) my next car. It is irresponsible — both economically and environmentally — not to.

Happy turkey and stuffing day!

Ted turkey, who hangs around my front door, has been issued a Thanksgiving Day reprieve by the governor — mostly because he's stuffed with inedible foam.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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A jingle jangle turkey day

Here is our Thanksgiving dinner bell, courtesy of my nephew Daniel. Gobble, gobble, as they say.

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Sacrificial lambs

The Knicks made what I think were a pair of good trades last week, unloading salary (Zach Randolph and Jamaal Crawford) for shorter term salary(Al Harrington, Cuttino Mobely and Tim Thomas). But that means that a team with limited prospects — figure 30-35 wins — will probably struggled to get to 30.

There are going to be a lot of long nights like tonight, when inconsistent shooting meshes with pourous defense to create a blowout. The Pistons, while not the team they were a few years ago, remain one of the better clubs in the league and continue to play solid D.

There are going to be a lot of losses over the next two years as the team tries to put itself in position to go after two members of what looks like the greatest free-agent class in league history.