Front-page stories ask, 'What if ...?'

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One-third of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's
 money is going to pay politically connected consultants.

Life in North Jersey would be hunky dory if:

1. Public-school teachers add on an extra year before they are granted tenure.
2. Businesses finally got grants to help them repair damage from Hurricane Irene.
3. The federal courts or Congress allow the state to legalize sports betting.

At least that's what Editor Francis Scandale of The Record seems to be saying with today's what-if front page.


With the economy tanking and people losing their homes, is sports betting really on the front burner with anyone besides jock-itching Scandale and his clueless reporter, John Brennan?


A correction on A-2 notes a story on Sunday "incorrectly identified Hawthorne's mayor." How embarrassing.


Face the music


On A-4, The Star-Ledger reports about a third of the first $13 million in education grants from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been paid to consultants with ties to Newark Mayor Cory Booker and acting state Education Commissioner Chris Cerf.


Gee, isn't that Page 1 news?


Meanwhile, on A-10, Governor Christie loses another round with the state judiciary, which has blocked his attempt to have judges pay more for pensions and health plans.


Gee, isn't that Page 1 news? It's certainly better than a sports-betting proposal that is going nowhere fast.


Formula writing


An editorial on A-20 opposes Formula One racing in Hudson County, noting incorrectly, "The race is coming to New Jersey, because the cameras can show Manhattan."


No. The race is coming here to tap into one of the world's biggest sports markets, the New York-New Jersey metro area, and fans from all over the world will pack North Jersey hotels, restaurants and malls. 


The race is sure to be sold out, despite ticket prices of up to $360 for a three-day grandstand pass, just as F1 races sell out every year in Belgium, Italy, England, Monte Carlo and many other places.


No news today


On head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes' Local front, Englewood reporter Melissa Hayes reports issues in the 37th Legislative District race -- in an election nobody cares about.


The L-1 story is one in a series that seems to have crowded out any local news. Readers will search in vain today for news from Hackensack, Teaneck, Englewood and many other towns.


On L-3, Columnist Mike Kelly -- the resident mouse -- also blasts the idea of a Grand Prix race in two of the "most densely populated towns in America."


Of course, most of the circuit will be laid out between the Palisades and the Hudson River -- an area that is relatively uncrowded. 


Also on L-3, why didn't The Record name the stupid man who left his $45,000 Mercedes-Benz unlocked at 2:30 in the morning -- with the keys in the ignition -- outside of his restaurant, Trovato's in Elmwood Park, only to find it gone when he returned?


The story also doesn't say why he went to his restaurant at that hour.

Noise from F1 race will be like no other

Image by Whiz Kris via Flickr

Red Bull sponsored two Formula One race teams this year and came out
 on top, beating such well-established factory teams as Ferrari and Renault.

If Hudson County residents rely on The Record to learn what it will be like to host a Formula One race, they are in for the biggest shock of their lives.


The powerful, single-seat cars are incredibly loud. In fact, they are so noisy and potentially damaging that fans are urged to use the earplugs that come with each ticket.


This and other information is missing in today's Page 1 story by Staff Writer John Brennan, a former sports reporter who wouldn't know a Formula One car from an NJ Transit bus.


Blood suckers


The Record's Sports section ignores Formula One and most other automobile racing -- until a driver is killed. So, it's no surprise the paper sent a clueless reporter to cover Governor Christie's news conference on Tuesday.


Brennan doesn't tell you the title of the New Jersey race -- the Formula One Grand Prix of America -- won't use the state's name, unlike every other F1 race, which uses the name of a country or city where it takes place.


And it's likely Verizon or another advertiser willing to fork over millions of dollars will get its name in the race title, as in: "Verizon Formula One Grand Prix of America."


F1 drivers can make more than $10 million a year, but in some cases, drivers have paid that much and more to drive for a season.


Brennan reports fans will pay $360 for a "three-day pass," but doesn't say a grandstand seat is included. General admission tickets are $75, and allow you to fight other fans who watch the race from behind the fence around the circuit.


The cars are loud enough to be heard in Manhattan during practice and qualifying sessions Friday and Saturday, and during the 2-hour race on Sunday. The reaction of people who live near the circuit remains to be seen.


Millions upon millions


The New Jersey race will be held in June 2013, the same month of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, and race teams will fly transporters, cars and hundreds of tons of equipment to North America for the two races.


The race will be a good fit for North Jersey, where Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz have their U.S. headquarters. Both automakers sponsor two-car teams, spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year in pursuit of manufacturer's and driver's championships. 


But would you look at the crappy A-1 map purportedly showing the F1 circuit in West New York and Weehawken. What a joke. No streets are labeled. 


Do readers really need a map showing that those communities are on the Hudson River, with Manhattan across the way? Maybe, if you just moved here from Kansas. Otherwise, it's another waste of space.


Front-page follies


Editor Francis Scandale couldn't find any real New Jersey or North Jersey news to fill up the rest of the front page today.


He produced a grab bag of crime news, earthquake-miracle news and a speculative "coulda, woulda, shoulda" story about federal dollars the state might lose in January if .... Boring, boring, boring.


Readers might wonder why The Record is not covering the paralysis in Congress. 


In an editorial on A-12 today, Editor Alfred P. Doblin refers to "recalcitrant Republicans," then, like the Mouse That Squeaks, adds weakly that "people need help now."


More road kill


In head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes' Local section, you can count on an uninspiring Road Warrior column three times a week, including today (L-1).


Hackensack, Teaneck and Englewood news? Take a raincheck. Three Teaneck stories appeared on Oct. 11 and 14, but none in the previous 25 days. What are the assignment editors doing to earn their pay?


The major element on L-1 today reminds readers The Record never reported the cause of death in Teaneck Police Officer John Abraham's crash a year ago or discussed well-known Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor safety problems.


Heartless editor


In Better Living, Food Editor Susan Leigh Sherrill's weekly recipe serves as an alert to cardiac surgeons across North Jersey.


Besides mystery meat -- an enormous pork loin and breakfast sausage -- the recipe calls for two-thirds cup of heavy cream. It's good to see how in touch she is with healthy eating.