Rayshard Brooks, Virtual Helicopter 360 Everest Trek, Angela Davis, Robin D.G. Kelley, at Sunset TV!

Virtual 360 Everest Trek Part 01 - Helicopter Ride to Lukla, Nepal

Join our virtual trek to the south side of Mount Everest to the top of Kala Patthar, in immersive 360 VR video, in this limited series from Jon Miller and The Rest of Everest! Part 01 - Kathmandu to Lukla

In the Fall of 2019, I returned to Everest with my dear friend and guide, Dawa Sherpa. We had last trekked to Everest Base Camp in 2014 and a lot has changed in the region since the 2015 Nepal Earthquakes. Our goal was to visit with friends and family at new and rebuilt lodges in the Solukhumbu as well as to explore helicopter transportation options to leverage on a future project that is in the works.

Joining us from the USA were Dawa’s friends Caroline and Christy who were there to experience Nepal for the first time! All four of us live in Fort Collins, Colorado so it was a wonderful experience for me to meet some new friends.

Assisting Dawa were guides Tshering and Tenjing as well as our excellent porters Khul and Ongchu.

It was absolutely wonderful to be back in Nepal for the first time in 5 years and to see so many treasured friends in my short time there.

As with each trip I take out to the Himalayas, I experiment with new camera technology in my endless efforts to bring the Himalayas to you in a new way. In 2003 I filmed in SD. In 2007 I upgraded to HD. In 2010 I experimented with 3D. In 2014 I was one of the first to fly in the region with drones. For this trip in 2019, I experimented with a 360 camera that let me film in VR. For those that are new to the concept of 360 videos, it allows you to look anywhere you’d like as you watch the episode—not just at what is in “front” of the camera. I’m very excited about this technology and while some people may not like it, old-school Rest of Everest fans will likely be thrilled to see that much more of what a trek to Everest is actually like.

In this first Part 01, we visit the famous Boudhanath Stupa before I visit my old friend Sagir the barber at his new shop in Thamel. Then we fly to Lukla in a helicopter—my first time doing so— before we start the trek proper. The helicopter ride was truly something special and there’s more where that came from in a later episode. This series is comprised mostly of the 360 video but is peppered with “flat” footage where necessary to fill in the story. The camera tools may have changed, but old-time viewers of the show will feel right at home with how it all feels…even if your intrepid host looks much more middle-aged than he feels.

While you can absolutely enjoy this series on a mobile phone or computer, for the most “you are there” immersive experience I HIGHLY recommend viewing the videos using a VR headset. Here are some suggestions that I own and have personally tested. They range in price from just a few bucks to a few hundred dollars. Buying them from these links will support this endeavor!

I Am Cardboard VR Box https://amzn.to/3d3CSu6

This is a fantastic entry-level VR viewer that can be used with the YouTube app on your mobile phone. I found this one to be superior to the less expensive versions that need to be assembled. This one comes ready to use and has a more thoughtful design and better user experience. Worth buying even if you only have a passing interest in VR content.

Pansonite 3D VR Glasses Virtual Reality Headset https://amzn.to/37s06ZJ

A real upgrade from Google Cardboard devices. This is a true headset and is very comfortable to use. Since you actually wear it, the experience is much more immersive yet still uses the YouTube app on your mobile phone for viewing which keeps it inexpensive. It is also far more adjustable than the Cardboard options. I’ve given a Pansonite unit to Dawa’s family for viewing these episodes!

Oculus Go Standalone Virtual Reality Headset - 32GB https://amzn.to/2MVhz3a

Oculus Go Standalone Virtual Reality Headset - 64GB https://amzn.to/2Ba0z6u

This entry-level Oculus is a true VR headset and is completely standalone with no phone needed. It has everything you need to view all kinds of VR content and even play VR games. It is a lot of fun!

Oculus Quest All-in-one VR Gaming Headset – 64GB https://amzn.to/2YE3oF2

Oculus Quest All-in-one VR Gaming Headset – 128GB https://amzn.to/3fnOKbN

The Oculus Quest is the best all-in-one VR headset on the market right now. Using it is like peering into the future. For viewing 360 videos it only beats the Oculus Go in terms of screen quality but if you’re interested in gaming THIS is the headset to purchase. There is NO comparison. I use an Oculus Quest connected to Adobe Premiere while I edit these episodes. Amazing device with a lot of “wow” factor.

Thanks for watching. If you’re new to The Rest of Everest, please consider checking out Episode 000 to see what this series is about and how it all started almost 20 years ago. https://youtu.be/ESyjYeCxxgc

If you’re based in Colorado, consider checking out Dawa’s Fort Collins restaurant, The Himalayan Bistro https://himalayanbistro.com

Jon Miller

June 14, 2020

The Killing of Rayshard Brooks: Atlanta Police Shoot Dead Unarmed Man Who Fell Asleep in His Own Car

Protests have erupted in Atlanta, where the police killing of unarmed African American man Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot has outraged residents. The autopsy revealed that Brooks was shot in the back as he was running away, and the death has been ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner. Brooks’s killing comes as protests against racism and police violence continue across the country. The Atlanta police chief has already resigned, and the officer who shot Brooks has been fired. “What we saw happen to Mr. Brooks is unfortunately something that we continue to see repeated in our communities all across this country,” says Mary Hooks, co-director of Southerners on New Ground, which is part of the National Bail Out collective and the Movement for Black Lives. “What we continue to see is police being called in as first responders to things that they should not be showing up for.”

Mary Hooks: Policing is "inherently rotten" and must be dismantled

Protests have erupted in Atlanta, where residents are outraged at the police killing of unarmed Black man Rayshard Brooks. Brooks’s killing comes as protests against racist police violence continue across the country, with mounting demands for cities to defund and abolish their police forces. Southerners On New Ground co-director Mary Hooks says reform alone is not sufficient. "Officers, no matter their intention, no matter their motive, they are tied and bound to a system that by training, its orders, its beliefs, is inherently rotten." She says the conversation should not be centered around how to keep better tabs on this system, but rather how to "shrink the institution until it is no longer legitimate."

Historian Robin D.G. Kelley: Media focuses on "looting" to dismiss legitimate concerns

The momentum carrying worldwide protests against systemic racism and calls in some cities to defund police can be attributed to decades of organizing by Black women and Black-led collectives, says historian and UCLA professor Robin D.G. Kelley. Still, despite the "enormous work" of movements to underscore the core issues shaping their demands, Kelley says the media is wrongly framing looting as the major problem. He notes that the hyperfocus on looting, which is a common occurrence across history during natural disasters or times of civil disturbance and thus not a new phenomenon in the current protests, is part of a "tendency to treat looting as a way to dismiss legitimate organizing work." The media's coverage of looting also "displaces the history of the United States" and highlights the societal value of wealth and property over Black and Indigenous people's lives. "Is the destruction of property or taking things, taking sneakers or computers, somehow more important than watching someone die on film? Watching 5,000 some-odd people killed by the police over the last few years?" Kelley tells Democracy Now! "We know … that Black bodies were looted. That is how we got here."

Angela Davis on Black liberation and Palestinian solidarity

Last year, legendary Black liberation activist and scholar Angela Davis was awarded the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Shortly after the announcement, the Institute rescinded the award after facing backlash for Davis's support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and advocacy for Palestinian human rights. The decision was again reversed after an uproar from the Black community, and Davis will receive the award later this month in a virtual ceremony. Davis says this is a "teachable moment" speaking to the importance of international solidarity and the crucial links between Black liberation and Palestinian liberation. "There has been this very important connection between the two struggles for many decades," says Davis. "I am hoping that today's young activists recognize how important Palestinian solidarity has been to the Black cause and that they recognize we have a profound responsibility to support Palestinian struggles as well."

Angela Davis: We can't eradicate racism without eradicating racial capitalism

World-renowned activist and professor Angela Davis says that racism is intrinsic to capitalist social relations, and that one will not be abolished without the other. "I am convinced that the ultimate eradication of racism is going to require us to move toward a more socialist organization of our economies," says Davis. "I think we have a long way to go before we can begin to talk about an economic system that is not based on exploitation and on the super-exploitation of Black people, Latinx people and other racialized populations. But I do think that we now have the conceptual means to engage in discussions." Watch the full interview with Angela Davis: https://bit.ly/2AtDFXX

Explore New Jersey, Climate Crisis in K-12 Curriculum, TidesChart, Travel Alerts & COVID-19 Info!

Climate Crisis in K-12 Curriculum

Jersey Shore Beaches To Reopen This Weekend, Raising Questions About Other States’ Beaches

People wearing protective face coverings hike at Shark River Park in Wall Township, N.J., Saturday, May 2, 2020. Below you will find the most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New Jersey. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page. ​ 1 p.m. Gov. Phil Murphy held his daily COVID-19 briefing. Watch live below. State funding assistance

• Murphy implored Congress to provide funding to state and local governments in the next coronavirus stimulus package, warning that New Jersey is weeks away from financial devastation. "A fiscal disaster is not months away – hard decisions will be on our doorstep in just a few weeks," he said.

• Sen. Bob Menendez joined the governor's briefing to discuss his push in Congress for more federal aid for New Jersey.

• The senator is sponsoring legislation with Sen. Bill Cassidy that would provide $500 billion to state and local governments to ensure essential services like law enforcement, education and health care can continue.

• Menendez said he is optimistic about securing funding for "front-line states" as more Republicans are seeing outbreaks in their states and Democrats have continued to support the aid.

• Several Republicans who previously were not supporting state funding are expected this week to cross the aisle and join Democrats' push.

COVID-19 outbreak indicators

• New Jersey reported 59 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 9,310.

• There are 1,453 new positive cases, for a statewide total of 139,945.

• The statewide positivity rate was 26% on May 7: “We’re seeing real progress in declining positivity rates,” Murphy said.

• Of those sick, 4,195 are hospitalized, 1,255 are in ICUs, and 970 are on ventilators. While 179 people were hospitalized on Sunday, an additional 227 were discharged.

• In nursing homes statewide, 26,397residents are positive for coronavirus and 4,890 have died since the outbreak began.

• Murphy said he is "hopeful" to be able to give "hard dates" on the state's reopening plan later this week.

• On Tuesday, more details will be revealed regarding testing and contact tracing, which is key to reopening.

COVID-related syndrome affecting kids

• Since the state issued an alert last week about pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, officials have received eight reports of possible cases.

• The investigations are still in the very early stages and it’s not yet confirmed all eight are pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome or if they are all connected to COVID-19.

Additional announcements

• Federal government will cover 100% of the costs of National Guard orders through June 24.

State parks

• Parks police reported an "inordinate amount of urine and feces being left behind in parks" over the weekend, State Police Superintendent Pat Callahan said.

• There is a "zero tolerance" policy for anyone who is caught in such a situation, Callahan said.

• "We understand restrooms are closed but people should be planning accordingly instead of urinating in bottles and leaving them behind," Callahan said.

• Callahan warned access to state parks could change if this behavior continues.

• Murphy added he’d like to see more face coverings in parks.

Clarity on "Wave Parades"

• Callahan offered some clarity on a letter he sent out over the weekend that warned school officials to cancel or dissuade people from organizing so-called "wave parades" for senior students graduating this spring.

• Police cannot or would not prevent people in vehicles from driving by the home of a graduate and waving from inside their vehicle while the student stands in the yard with his or her family, Callahan said.

• What cannot be permitted is gatherings of students on school grounds, in school stadiums or outside of town group "wave parade," which would violate state executive orders, Callahan said. Latest official numbers: As of Sunday night, New Jersey had 138,532 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with the state's death toll rising to 9,255. ​ For a list of drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites in New Jersey, click here. ​ Tips to protect yourself and others amid coronavirus outbreaks Call New Jersey's coronavirus hotline at 1-800-222-1222.  You can also click here for additional information.

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Reopening State Parks and Golf Courses

Order Restores County Authority to Open or Close County Parks. Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 133, reopening state parks and golf courses, and restoring the authority of county governments to determine whether county parks will be open or closed. The order takes effect at sunrise on Saturday, May 2. 

“We understand that New Jerseyans want to get outside and get some fresh air as the weather warms up,” said Governor Murphy. “However, this should not serve as an open invitation to rush back to normalcy and break the necessary social distancing measures we’ve put in place. This approach will also bring New Jersey in line with our neighboring states, which will discourage residents from needlessly crossing state lines for recreation.”

State Parks and Forests:  The order allows State parks and forests to open to the public for passive recreation, including fishing, hunting, boating, canoeing, hiking, walking, running or jogging, biking, birding, and horseback riding.  Picnic areas, playgrounds, exercise stations and equipment, chartered watercraft services and rentals, swimming, pavilions, restrooms, and other buildings and facilities, such as visitor centers, interpretive centers, and interior historical sites, shall remain closed at this time. To limit physical interaction, the State parks and forests must implement reasonable restrictions that include:

• Limiting parking to 50% of maximum capacity and prohibiting parking in undesignated areas;

• Prohibiting picnics;

• Requiring social distancing to be practiced except with immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners; and

• Banning organized or contact activities or sports; and gatherings of any kind.

The order also recommends that people wear a cloth face covering while in public settings at the parks and forests where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

“More than ever, we know how important it is for the people of New Jersey to take a break from the ongoing self-quarantine and that there are few options for outdoor recreation,” said DEP Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe. “Just as the decision to close parks and forests was not made lightly, the decision to reopen them has also been made with careful thought and consideration for the health and well-being of the public. We urge visitors to only visit their closest parks, keep their distance from others while outdoors, wear masks and follow the guidelines established to protect public health.”

County Parks:  The order opens county parks to the public, except any parks closed by the county prior to Executive Order No. 118 that required all county parks be closed (the county will now have the ability to reopen its parks if it chooses).  This will treat county parks the same way as municipal parks – the locality gets to determine whether they are open or closed.  County and municipal parks that remain open must abide by the restrictions placed on State parks in today's Order.

All recreational campgrounds and transient camp sites at campgrounds shall remain closed to the public. Residential campgrounds, including mobile home parks, condo sites, and existing/renewing 2020 yearly seasonal contract sites may remain open. 

Counties and municipalities can also place restrictions on the ability of residential campgrounds, including mobile home parks, to accept new transient guests or seasonal tenants, as defined by Administrative Order Nos. 2020-08 and 2020-09.

Golf Courses:  The order also opens golf courses so long as they adopt minimum social distancing policies that include:

• Implementing electronic or telephone reservation and payment systems while still providing options for populations that do not have access to internet service or credit cards;

• Extending tee times to sixteen minutes apart;

• Limiting the use of golf carts to one person unless being shared by immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners; 

• Requiring frequent, and after each use, sanitization of high-touch areas such as restroom facilities, range buckets, golf carts, and push carts; 

• Restricting the touching of golf holes and flags;

• Closing golf center buildings, pro shops, and other buildings and amenities; 

• Removing bunker rakes and other furniture-like benches, water coolers, and ball washers from the course;

• Discontinuing club and equipment rentals; 

• Prohibiting the use of caddies; and 

• Limiting tee times to two players unless the foursome consists of immediate family, caretakers, household members or romantic partners.

The golf course may impose additional restrictions as necessary to limit person-to-person interactions. The order also recommends, but does not order, that employees, players, and other individuals on the golf course wear cloth face coverings while on the golf course. Additionally, the order clarifies that miniature golf courses and driving ranges must remain closed. 

Businesses and employers can prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19.

Employers should plan to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of disease transmission in the community and be prepared to refine their business response plans as needed. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), most American workers will likely experience low (caution) or medium exposure risk levels at their job or place of employment.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019)

The New Jersey Department Education is working closely with the New Jersey Department of Health to monitor to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our school community. Resources to help our districts, schools, parents, and students stay prepared, healthy and safe can be found below.

News and Guidance

• New Jersey Cancels Statewide Student Assessments (March 24, 2020) 

• Governor Murphy Announces Aggressive Social Distancing Measures to Mitigate Further Spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey (March 16, 2020)

• Supplemental Guidance Regarding Requirements for Public Health-Related School Closure (March 13, 2020) 

• New Jersey Department of Education Issues Guidance for School Districts on COVID-19 (March 6, 2020) 

• Guidance Regarding Requirements for Public Health-Related School Closure (March 5, 2020)

• Updated 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Child Care and K-12 Schools (March 3, 2020) 

• Governor Murphy Updates the Public on the Status of Coronavirus and Highlights New Jersey's Preparedness Measures (March 2, 2020)

• Updated Guidance and Resources Regarding 2019 Novel Coronavirus (February 3, 2020) 

Resources

• New Jersey Coronavirus Related School Closures (Updated March 17, 2020 at 12 PM)

• Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19 School Closures (March 23, 2020)

• NJDOE Coronavirus County Resource Sheet (March 17, 2020)

• NJDOE Checklist for Emergency Preparedness Plans (March 13, 2020)

The long-awaited American Dream entertainment and retail center in East Rutherford has opened and is loaded with an awe-inspiring mix of family-friendly activities, and indoor attractions! Opening in chapters through Spring of 2020, there will be shopping and entertainment across 3 million square feet of real estate, however there’s plenty to experience now!

Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park—the Western Hemisphere’s largest indoor theme park—opened, boasting more than 35 rides, roller coasters and attractions, including The Shredder, The Shellraiser and Nickelodeon’s Skyline Scream. Simultaneously, The Rink at American Dream also opened, offering an NHL-regulation size ice skating rink with open skating, hockey tournaments, figure skating and more.

DreamWorks Water Park, opening soon, will be North America’s largest indoor water park housed beneath an 8-acre glass dome. Make a splash in the largest indoor wave pool, the longest hydro-magnetic coaster, and the tallest indoor body slide in the world. The park will also feature cabanas with views of Manhattan designed by New Jersey-native Jonathan Adler.

The grand opening in March 2020 will unveil hundreds of retailers, including fast-fashion brands such as H&M, Zara and Uniqlo, as well as a high-end collection of labels such as Hermès and Dolce & Gabbana. Also featuring many carefully curated dining destinations – ranging from casual and cool to memorable experiences from the world’s most celebrated chefs. After you’re done shopping at one of the numerous stores or watching a fashion show on the runway, explore Merlin Entertainments’ SEA LIFE New Jersey Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, CMX Luxury Movie Theater, Kidzania, a 300-foot observation wheel overlooking New York City, two indoor mini-golf courses, and many more. With something for everyone, American Dream truly is a destination for the whole family!

Deadlines This Week!

"Joker," the newest addition to the Batman franchise, has footage shot throughout New Jersey:

Top Dance and Night Clubs in New Jersey.

Dance and night clubs with live bands, DJ's, and entertainment

Northern New Jersey Dance and Night Clubs

46 Lounge 300 Route 46 East Totowa, NJ 07512 Website

The music is Top 40, Hip Hop, Club, Mash-Ups and House. Hot Miami nights comes to 46 Lounge Wednesday through Saturday 7pm till 3am. A -chic lounge with a trendy contemporary ambiance and a Brazilian cherry dance floor, 3 Martini & Wine Bars and a Tropical Outdoor Patio with 2 Tiki Bars.

The Dome Rooftop Bar & Lounge at The Manor 111 Prospect Avenue West Orange, NJ 07052 973.731.2360 Website

An upscale after-hours night club experience.with Old School & New School Dance Tracks. Set above the Manor Restaurant in an all glass enclosed domed rooftop lounge where you can see the stars overhead and dance floor at your feet. Attractive setting with a jade marble bar and tabletops, deep mahogany pillars, and retro leather lounge chairs with a speakeasy swagger from yesteryear

DJ Performances every Friday & Saturday. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. DJ performances from 9:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. Bar Menu available from 6:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.

Mandala 246 3rd St Passaic, NJ 07055 (973) 777-2077 Website

A night club that connects with different types of crowds. Depending on the night, the different themes serves different crowds. They feature Latino music nights on Fridays and Saturdays, with gay nights on Thursdays and Sundays. Their DJ is present every night and entertains with the hottest music to go along with whatever theme or event they have.

QXT's 248 Mulberry Street Newark, NJ (973) 643-3996 Website

New Jersey's longest running alternative dance club. QXT's has given fans of alternative music a place to spend their Friday and Saturday nights, with each night offering a variety of musical genres including Alternative, EDM, New Wave, 80s, 90s, Industrial, Dark Wave, Goth,Punk and Rock. Besides the main dance floor, there are two additional rooms which have been dubbed Area 51 and The Crypt, each with its own bar, diverse musical flare, and a variety of characters and personalities.

Rise Night Club 1 S Main St Lodi, NJ (973) 778-4433 Website The music is Techno, Latin, Tribal, Mashups, Classics, Hip Hop, Top 40. Open Fridays and Saturdays with special Exclusive Latin Fridays and Rise Saturdays

Central New Jersey Dance and Night Clubs

Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten 527 Lake Ave Asbury Park, NJ Website

Enjoy live music, dancing, good food, and beer with European Birgaten ambiance. The venue features a 9,000 square foot outdoor rooftop Biergarten and a 6,000 square foot indoor hall with over 31 premium draft beers and over 60 in the bottle, including American craft selections. Join in at a communal table where friends and strangers mingle and fet energized by a regular schedule of live music.

Avenue Nuit Night Club 23 Ocean Avenue Long Branch 732-759-2900 Website

The Northern Jersey Shore's most upscale, chic night club. In the summer you can celebrate under the stars at the rooftop lounge with an outdoor pool, fireplace and top rated DJق€™s. Year round, their indoor lounge provides oversized bed seating, VIP tables, a vibrant bar and dance floor.

Bar A 703-5 16th Ave Lake Como, NJ (732) 681-7422 Website

This huge indoor-outdoor facility with top entertainers continues to deliver an incredible entertainment, eating, and drinking experience year after year. Open year-round, Bar A' s multifaceted indoors, and tropical themed outdoors, has something for everyone.

Club Karma 401 Boulevard Seaside Heights, NJ Website

A summer seasonal Night Club, opens Memorial Day. An upscale outdoor club with lots of energy, dancing, VIP tables, and top DJ's!

D' Jais at Belmar 1801 Ocean Avenue Belmar, NJ 07719 732-681-5055 Website

D'Jais is well known for it's diverse atmosphere in which different music can be heard seven nights a week. With sounds ranging from live classic rock & roll, reggae bands and the Tri-State's best DJق€™s Spinning the latest dance & club. Plus Special events by top billboard artists & Celebrity guest appearances.

Headliner 1401 State Route 35 S Neptune, NJ 07753 732-775-6200 Website

Non stop entertainment at one of the largest clubs in the Jersey shore, and a wonderful staff,and a Martini Bar that will rock your world!

Jenks Night Club 300 Ocean Avenue Point Pleasant Beach (732) 899-0589 Website

Open year round. Located on the Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk overlooking the ocean, Jenks is a favorite for night life lovers in search of quality bands, a big dance floor, and a friendly crowd. They have several large bars well placed around the dance floor.

Perle Night Club and Lounge 13 Paterson St New Brunswick, NJ 732-261-4044 Website

An upscale nightclub & lounge with DJ & live music

Porta 911 Kingsley Street Asbury Park (732) 776-7661 Website

Porta is a popular Neapolitan pizza restaurant and dance club that becomes an energetic night club with dancing after 9pm. Music covers a varity of genres played by the areas top DJ's. On Fridays and Saturdays, there is dancing in the Abbott Room, off the main dining area, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and in the main dining area after 11 p.m.

During the summer months there is live music in the outdoor area on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Stone Pony 913 Ocean Avenue Asbury Park, NJ 07712 732-502-0600 Website

The Wonder Bar 5th and Ocean Asbury Park, NJ 732-502-8886 Website

A Blues, Rock, and Roots Music venue with a great history. Many of the performers who have appeared at the Stony Pony also have received their start here. "Tillie's Landing" outside deck and bar is a huge draw during the summer months and combined with the indoor venue they have a capacity to hold 2,000 patrons.

Southern New Jersey Dance and Night Clubs

Boogie Nights Tropican Hotel & Casino 2831 Boardwalk Atlantic City, NJ 08401 (800) 843-8767 Website

Features a lighted dance floor around a huge disco ball with the 70's and 80's theme every Friday and Saturday night, and the 90s Night every Thursday, playing all 90s all night! Enjoy the Boogie Nights characters like Mr. Boogie, Roller Girl, Hula Hoop Girl, and Celebrity Impersonators>open s @ Thursday 10 PM and Friday & Saturday 9 PM

Premier Nightclub 1 Borgata Way Atlantic City, NJ Website

An upscale night club featuring an 18,000-square-foot venue with tiered booths focused on the DJ booth, stage, and digital proscenium. Also has a horseshoe-shaped mezzanine for awesome views of the ornate, yet modern energetic scene.

The Pool After Dark Harrah's Hotel & Casino 777 Harrah's Blvd Atlantic City, NJ 08401 609-441-5000 Website

An entertainment complex with a pool and a night club. Join in to dance the night away listening to live entertainment with top DJs and performers.   Once inside, hit up the bar for a drink and make your way to the dance floor to immerse yourself in the sounds of today's top 40, hip-hop & EDM beside the city's most captivating dancers. Take in the atmosphere as the hottest stars in the industry perform live from the new, elevated stage & DJ area, enhanced with eye-catching graphic displays on massive LED walls. Open every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night.

TOP COMEDY CLUBS IN NJ

Due to its close proximity to NYC, New Jersey comedy venues and shows attract top talent who also perform in NYC, or have chosen to live nearby in NJ.

While Comedy venues have not seen a return to their peak days in the eighties, many have been closed because poor business practices and the venues that have survived are well financed and able to attract headliners.

While there has been a substantial paring down of clubs in line with the supply of headliners, today the successful New Jersey comedy venues are well financed and cover the costs of headliners with cover charges.

At one point there were many more New Jersey comedy venues than headliners, and in order to survive, some clubs decided to start headlining people who weren't headliners and that had 50 minutes of time killing material. The audiences were quick to experience this tactic and quit coming to these clubs.

Many of these venues turned to alternative ways of filling their clubs by letting people in for free and making their money off the drinks.

Northern New Jersey Comedy Clubs

Bananas Comedy Club at the Holiday Inn 283 Route 17 South Hasbrouck Heights Website Open since 1988 features performances by up-and-coming and national comedians. Prices are higher for special shows/attractions. They offer a Dinner Package at Verbena Restaurant. Dinner is served 2 hours before Show time Dinner Package guests get priority reserved, up front seating for the show. Finger food is available in the club. Overnight packages featuring dinner, the show, and room are also available. Plenty of free parking

The Comedy Cove @ Scotty's 595 Morris Ave Springfield, NJ Website The Comedy Cove line-up features some of the top comics, many of whom have appeared on network and cable TV programs. Most shows are on Friday & Saturdays at 9 pm. Dinner & Show Packages are available.

'The Comedy Shoppe At multiple New Jersey Locations Website They feature the areas top comedians with open mic nights, special shows and fund-raisers.

Central New Jersey Comedy Clubs

Garden State Comedy Club Flemington-Raritan Diner 324 State Rt 31 Flemington, NJ Website They have scheduled comedy shows, open MIC nights and Improv for stand up comedy.

Stress Factory 90 Church Street New Brunswick, NJ Website Located a few blocks from Rutgers University, features national acts as well as up and coming performers. Vinnie Brand, your host for the evening, is sure to make an appearance and crack a few jokes as well. Food and drinks are available as well as dinner/show packages.

Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club 520 Arnold Ave. Point Pleasant, NJ Website Now one of the popular comedy clubs in Ocean County, Uncle Vinnie's is owned by 2 brothers from Belleville, NJ, They feature the areas top comedians with open Mic nights, special shows and fund-raisers.

Southern New Jersey Comedy Clubs

Atlantic City Comedy Club Tropicana Casino and Resort 2831 Boardwalk, 3rd Fl Atlantic City, NJ Website They feature some of the country's top headliners and rising stars. Located in the Kiss Kiss Nightclub in the Tropicana, comics come from NYC, Philly and all over the country to perform.

Borgata Comedy Club Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa One Borgata Way Atlantic City, NJ Website Features renowned comics – some famous, some soon-to-be. And all up-close and personal

Howie Mandel's Comedy Club Hard Rock Casino 1000 Boardwalk Atlantic City, NJ Website Opened in the summer of 2018, this new comedy venue is off to a successful start as one of the hottest Comedy Club's in Atlantic City with top performers every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday nights.

MORE TO EXPLORE THIS FALL IN NEW JERSEY: September is here and with it, the arrival of fall fairs and festivals. New Jersey offers lots of great events this month, with everything from food festivals to live music and more! We’ve rounded up the top events to attend this month. Read on for the scoop on all these awesome activities and mark your calendar now.

Best Fairs and Festivals for NJ Families

Top Ten Seasonal Attractions, Events, Day Trips, Weekend Getaways, and Vacations

Explore New Jersey Film & TV

Universal Television, Al Pacino, Sopranos, The Plot Against America finish filming in NJ this summer...

George Floyd, Times Square Billboard, Rampant Police Violence, Assault on Voting Right at Sunset TV!

Times Square Billboard Tallies Lives Lost to COVID-19 Inaction

A 56-foot billboard called the Trump Death Clock was unveiled in Times Square in New York City. The tally of lives lost to government inaction was created by filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, who says, “On behalf of all of those who needlessly lost their lives to this failed leadership in a pandemic, we need a symbol, a symbol that cries out not only for accountability, but also for more responsible and responsive stewardship, going forward.” As of the Friday morning broadcast, the death toll count was nearly 47,000 and growing.

Why COVID-19 is a "perfect storm of terribleness" for Black Americans

“COVID-19 Has Been Racialized”: Black Scholar Jill Nelson Arrested for Chalking “Trump = Plague”

Black and Brown communities are being disproportionately targeted and policed in New York City’s response to the spread of COVID-19. We speak with author and activist Jill Nelson, who was herself arrested by NYPD in April for writing “Trump = Plague” in chalk on an abandoned building in her Washington Heights neighborhood. The 67-year-old scholar was handcuffed, taken to the police station and held for five hours. Now she is speaking out. The president is “telling us that as people of color, and older people, we should just die,” says Nelson. “It’s ridiculous.”

Hear heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of animals grieving the loss of their loved ones

Bring young kids over for a read aloud of PETA-approved children’s book, “Our Farm.” Listen along as TeachKind’s Megan and her stepdaughter Lilly read a collection of poems written from the perspective of the resident animals of Farm Sanctuary. PETA's mission statement is that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way: https://www.peta.org/about-peta/

The Protests Made a Huge Difference: All Four Minneapolis Cops Charged in Killing of George Floyd

After more than a week of nationwide protests, all four Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd have been charged with murder or aiding and abetting murder in a case that triggered historic protests across the country. “If you look at the video … the pressure from all three officers on Mr. Floyd’s body contributed to his death,” says activist and civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, former president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP. “They heard the man pleading, saying 'I can't breathe,’ and they had a callous disregard for his life.”

Tamika Mallory: Nationwide Uprising Against State Violence Shows People Have Reached Breaking Point

As Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison files charges against all four Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd, a mass uprising against police brutality continues. “At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera … is no longer acceptable, and we cannot continue to meet and ask and cry and beg for change. People have taken to the streets to demand change,” says Tamika Mallory, former national co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March.

Our System Is Corroded: Carol Anderson on Rampant Police Violence and Assault on Voting Rights

On Thursday, disturbing new details were revealed in the case of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old Black man who was chased, ambushed and shot dead by a group of white men in Georgia in what many have called a modern-day lynching. In a nearly seven-hour hearing, a state judge concluded all three men — Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan — would stand trial for Arbery's murder, after special agent Richard Dial of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation testified Travis McMichael said "f—ing n—" after shooting and killing Arbery. We speak with professor Carol Anderson, author of "White Rage," about Arbery's slaying, the nationwide protests, anti-lynching legislation being debated in the Senate and the upcoming election.

“Essential Labor, Expendable Lives”: Mass Transit Workers Worry About Safety as NYC Begins to Reopen

As New York City begins to partially reopen, we look at what it means for the nation’s largest public transportation system. “It’s a very stressful and dangerous situation,” says Seth Rosenberg, a subway operator, shop steward with the Transport Workers Union Local 100 and a member of a small coalition of transit workers called Local 100 Fightback. “The safety measures are not in place to protect transit workers or riders.”

DACA Recipients “Want to Be in the Streets Building Solidarity” But ICE Arrests 3 at Phoenix Protest

Immigration agents are facing accusations of targeting protesters who are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, arrested community activist Máxima Guerrero as she was leaving a protest on May 30 with a group of legal observers. She was one of three DACA recipients arrested over that weekend in Phoenix. We get an update from Sandra Castro Solis with the Phoenix-based grassroots immigrant justice group Puente Human Rights Movement, who says that despite the risks, “we’re in a moment where people want to be out in the streets building that solidarity.”

Minneapolis City Council Vows to Dismantle Police Dept. After Mass Protests & Grassroots Organizing

After nearly two weeks of historic protests, the Minneapolis City Council has announced it will move to dismantle the city’s police department in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. “We’ve got to create a system of public safety that works for everybody,” says Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison.

Defund the Police: Linda Sarsour & Mychal Denzel Smith on What Meaningful Change Would Look Like

Amid growing calls in New York City for police accountability, Mayor Bill de Blasio has pledged to shift some of the city’s funding for police and reallocate it to social services. We get response from Linda Sarsour, longtime Palestinian American Muslim organizer and co-founder of Until Freedom, which along with others has led the push to institute meaningful change. We also speak with author Mychal Denzel Smith, who notes that “one thing that’s come of this global pandemic of COVID-19 is an understanding of what constitutes essential, what do we actually need. And police have shown that they are inessential.”

Immigration Agents Target People at Police Brutality Protests, Including a U.S. Citizen Military Vet

As protests against police brutality continue nationwide, immigrant rights advocates are sounding the alarm over the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at some of the demonstrations. A viral video showed a group of ICE agents working with the New York City Police Department to detain a protester at a George Floyd rally in New York City last week, and advocates say agents held the man on the ground as they pointed three guns at him and handcuffed and searched him. He was reportedly released after agents found a military veteran’s ID on him, and is a U.S. citizen of Puerto Rican descent. We speak with Mizue Aizeki, deputy director at the Immigrant Defense Project.

Protesters in hundreds of cities across the U.S. are demanding justice for all Black lives and an end to police violence in predominantly peaceful demonstrations, contrary to framings of the actions as violent or marred by looting. The fears around looting and destruction of property distract from the outrage over "bureautic violence" on Black communities that's driving the protests, says Carol Anderson, a professor of African American Studies at Emory University and the author of "White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide." Anderson cites the parallels between Attorney General William Barr's inability to see injustice and Mitchell Palmer, U.S. attorney general in 1919, who discounted widespread anti-Black violence. "We focus so much on the flames that we miss the kindling. And the kindling is that bureaucratic violence that systematically destroys Black communities, that systematically erodes their citizenship," Anderson tells Democracy Now! "It's a false equivalence, that language of looting."

Trump Threatens Protests with Troops, But Police Have Already Been Militarized — with Deadly Results

The American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter announced Thursday they are suing President Trump and Attorney General William Barr for authorizing an "unprovoked and frankly criminal attack" on protesters at Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., where the National Guard and officers dressed in riot gear fired tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs to disperse peaceful protesters on Monday so Trump could have a photo op with a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. We look at the increasing militarization of the police with Stuart Schrader, author of "Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing."

How Russia Became the Next COVID-19 Hot Spot: Infection Rate Soars with 10,000 New Cases Each Day

How Russia Became the Next COVID-19 Hot Spot: Infection Rate Soars with 10,000 New Cases Each Day. We go to Moscow for an update on the pandemic in Russia, where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, with at least 10,000 new cases a day and the second-highest infection rate in the world, and more than 100 medical workers have died fighting the virus, and many have reported lack of personal protective equipment. Meanwhile, three Russian healthcare workers mysteriously fell from hospital windows over the past two weeks. Two died, and the one who is hospitalized had posted a video online to note the lack of medical equipment and said he had to keep working despite testing positive. We speak with Joshua Yaffa, Moscow correspondent for The New Yorker magazine.

How Putin's lack of wide-scale COVID-19 relief is creating "growing economic frustrations" in Russia

How Putin's lack of wide-scale COVID-19 relief is creating "growing economic frustrations" in RussiaThe novel coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Russia, with at least 10,000 new coronavirus cases reported each day and and the second-highest infection rate in the world. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday Russia should not rush to lift coronavirus-related restrictions, but he has generally had a "somewhat absent or not very forceful response" to the pandemic, says Joshua Yaffa, Moscow correspondent for The New Yorker. Putin has announced a series of nonworking holidays and said that no one should lose their job as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, but has not provided wide-scale economic relief to workers or employers in Russia. The downtick in Putin's popularity — now at 59%, the lowest it’s been in 20 years — can be attributed to "the spillover economic effects that aren’t really being dealt with in a coherent, top-down way," Yaffa tells Democracy Now! "It’s a bit of a paradox that the Kremlin hasn’t really resolved."

Lionsrock · Travel with Purpose

Earlier this year, we entered a short film of our LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary into the International Tourism Film Festival Africa 2020 @ITFFA and won 2nd prize in the Tourism & Accommodation category! The film gives insight of a day in the life of a visitor at LIONSROCK, showcases our world-class sanctuary and it’s world-class hospitality. We are incredibly thankful to our supporters who enable us to continue caring for these majestic animals and giving them a new lease on life. If you haven’t been to LIONSROCK yet, this will give you a sneak peak of what you can expect when visiting. Book your visit here: https://www.lionsrock.org/

#ResetTheWorld - Join the movement now!

How about a world where humans treat all animals and the nature with respect? Where they are protected instead of exploited? In the #COVID-19 pandemic, we have to see the impact of humans on the environment, and consequently, the impact this has for humans themselves. It is now time to take the COVID-19 global crisis as a starting point to reset the system! Your support helps us to put pressure on the decision makers. YOU can make a difference! Be part of it and find out more about how together, we can #ResetTheWorld - https://help.four-paws.org/en/reset-t... FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. We advocate for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. We need your help now to get our movement going.

Sun, water, enrichment and good company: the perfect ingredients for lion brothers Masoud and Terez to have a swell time at our FELIDA Big Cat Centre in the Netherlands!

Medical historian Frank Snowden on how disease devastated Indigenous populations in the Americas

Pandemics, like revolution, war and economic crises, are known to be key catalysts of historic change. Medical historian, professor and author of “Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present” Frank Snowden describes one such shift: the spread of scores of infectious diseases with the arrival of European colonizers on the island of Hispaniola, present day Haiti and Dominican Republic. Particularly devastating were smallpox and measles. Professor Snowden explains that when Columbus touched down on the island in 1492, it was populated by millions of Indigenous people, but "15 to 20 years later, there were just a couple thousand left." This "differential mortality" would set in motion a chain of events leading to the disappearance of Indigenous religions, the collapse of the Mayan and Incan empires, and the start of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It was all due to the "tremendous impact" of new, deadly diseases on the continent.

How Will COVID-19 Change the World? Historian Frank Snowden on Epidemics From the Black Death to Now

How Will COVID-19 Change the World? Historian Frank Snowden on Epidemics From the Black Death to NowHow Will COVID-19 Change the World? Historian Frank Snowden on Epidemics From the Black Death to Now

Michael Keaton Condemns Bear-Cub Photo Ops

Oscar nominee Michael Keaton condemns animal-exploiting operations that tear vulnerable bear cubs away from their mothers and force them to participate in cruel photo-ops and public handling. PETA’s ad will air on Michigan stations urging people to stay away from these abusive operations, like Oswald’s Bear Ranch, which has been participating in this cruel practice for years and are responsible for the suffering of countless bear cubs.

U.S. Deports COVID-19 Positive Immigrants to Haiti & Guatemala

The United States continues to deport thousands during the coronavirus pandemic, causing a dangerous spread of COVID-19 to Central America and the Caribbean. We speak with Haitian American novelist Edwidge Danticat, who says “U.S. deportations to Haiti during coronavirus pandemic are 'unconscionable,'” and go to Guatemala City for an update from reporter José Alejandro García Escobar.

Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Global Mental Health Crisis as Millions Feel Alone, Anxious & Depressed

Is the coronavirus pandemic generating a mental illness crisis? Millions face isolation, poverty and anxiety. We speak with psychology professor and author Andrew Solomon, as the United Nations calls on governments to put mental health "front and center" in their response to the crisis.

The pandemic is an "enormous" physical and psychological burden on children

On Wednesday, President Trump criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci over his Congressional testimony, questioning Fauci's assertion that schoolchildren might not be safe returning to classrooms in the fall. Author and clinical psychologist Andrew Solomon says that we're right to be concerned about the health and wellbeing of children during the pandemic. Solomon, who authored the bell-selling book "Far from the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity," says that in addition to the potentially fatal consequences of contracting COVID-19 and long-term health effects that we do not yet know, the immediate psychological impact of the pandemic can be devastating. Children are capable not only of detecting but also internalizing and emulating the emotional turmoil of their parental figures, says Solomon. "They can understand the situation is unnatural and bizarre," he says. "The mental illness of parents bleeds over into the mental illness of children. Even just the stress and distress of parents bleeds over into the condition of children."

As the top infectious disease expert testifies to the Senate that needless death and suffering could result from reopening too quickly, author and journalist Naomi Klein says a “pandemic shock doctrine” is beginning to emerge. The U.S. healthcare industry "sees a potential bonanza" in the coronavirus, she says, which represents "a win for them.” She also details how our lives could be transformed into a “living laboratory for a permanent — and highly profitable — no-touch future" that benefits tech companies providing the so-called solutions to the crisis, including in healthcare, education and surveillance.

Standoff in South Dakota: Cheyenne River Sioux Refuse Governor’s Demand to Remove COVID Checkpoints

There's a standoff brewing in South Dakota, where two Native American Indian tribes are upholding their sovereignty by defying orders by Governor Kristi Noem to remove COVID-19 checkpoints from their territories. The Cheyenne River Sioux and Oglala Sioux tribes say the checkpoints are the best way to protect against the coronavirus entering their communities, which are not equipped to handle an outbreak. The governor says the checkpoints — which are set up on highways on tribal land — are illegal. We speak with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe's Chairman Harold Frazier, who says he is defending his people's "right to live."

Why Native American tribes reject South Dakota's order to remove their COVID-19 checkpoints

Two tribes in Sioux country (located in South Dakota) have set up COVID-19 checkpoints on their territories to screen drivers for the disease. Republican Governor Kristi Noem has issued an order to remove the checkpoints, but the Cheyenne River Sioux and Oglala Sioux tribes say the checkpoints are the best way to protect against the coronavirus entering their communities, which are not equipped to handle an outbreak. "We have eight hospital beds. We don't have no ICU. There are six ventilators," says Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. He also emphasizes that the Sioux are exercising their sovereignty and that he is ultimately responsible to the people who elected him, not the state or federal governments. "The governor is not my boss," he says. "We feel that we have every right to do this. We have a treaty."