"Final Snow Call"

2-4 Inches on top of what is out there now. This is the 2nd part of the snow storm. It will be hard to tell since we have maybe 3 inches compact on the ground now. So by the time the heavy stuff moves out I doubt we will see anymore than an additonal 4 inches. There is too much sleet mixed in and the storm is moving much quicker than originally thought and is veering North East of here.

"TEST!"

Here my loyal readers I am providing you with a test. This way I know what you think of my blog and if any of my readers are crazy or not. PLease take the following test.

1. I read Tucker's World on a regular basis.

A. Yes
B. No

2. I agree with Bush's Iraq Policy

A. Yes
B. No


3. I use dental floss

A. Yes
B.No

4. I like the power I get when I tell people what to do.

A. Yes
B. No

5. I like to tell people what to do and feel the power that comes with making people do stuff.

A. Yes
B. No

6. I don't not think the NHL isn't in trouble and don't think there will be a lockout next season.

A. Yes
B. No

7. I don't not watch the Simpsons 10 times in a given week.
A. Yes
B. No

8. I think there should be freedom of speech and I also think woman shouldn't vote.
A. Yes
B. No

9 I haven't not ever thought about members of my own sex in not sexual way, however I wouldnt not have sex with members of the same sex.

A. Yes
B. No

10. I buy Trains

A. Yes
B. No

11. I buy ALL trains

A. Yes
B. No

12 I am equally as depressed as Claude Lapointe.

A. Yes
B. No

13 I have no idea who the heck Claude Lapointe is

A. Yes
B. No

14. I not only don't know who Claude Lapointe is I don't care who he is or if he is depressed.

A. Yes
B. No

15. I think it would be wrong for a South Jersey blogger to gather a group of friends to break into Veteran's Stadium before it is torn down.

A. Yes
B. No

16. If asked to join a miltiant group who's objective was to successfully break into Veteran's Stadium walk around and hang out I would join.
A. Yes
B. No

17. If I could travel through time I would find my child counterpart and kick my own ass.

A. Yes
B. No

18 I still check Jenna & Mindless often. In fact I check it more than this blog.
A. Yes
B. No

19. I think the new Superman movie series will actually get off the ground before Ryan sees the child of Lima Beanz and Jenna.

A. Yes
B. No

20. I think the "Sweeps" on this blog last month seemed no different than any other month. I suspect that the blog writer drinks often when writing these articles. I am also gay.

A. Yes
B. No

21. I played Orgeon Trail on the computers in school when I was a kid. I would always use the names of my friends and the girl I liked when playing the game. The girl barely knew who I was.

A. Yes
B. No

22. I often tell people I am the anti-christ.

A. Yes
B. No

23 I think I should decide who lives and dies.
A. Yes
B. NO

24. I don't not think that I don't not have what it doen't not take to not be an unsuccessful salesman.

A. Yes
B. No

25. I know who Tom Servo, Danny Elfman, and Brian Cox are.
A. Yes
B. No

26. I think Danny Boyle the film director and the hockey player are one in the same.
A. Yes
B. No

27. I am prone to fits of rage.
A. Yes
B. No

28. When waiting in a long slow line I often plot and daydream about voliently murding each person in front of me in increasingly creative ways.

A. Yes
B. No

29. I haven't bought Tucker anything for Christmas.
A.Yes
B. No

30. I have seen the John Cusack film Better Of Dead, but I have not seen Citzen Cane.
A. Yes
B. No


Now complete this by emailing your answers to me. If you fail some one with a gaint net will promptly show up on your doorstep.

"A Close One"

Well the winter storm I eluded to earlier this week is shaping up, and is making for a very Difficult call for weathermen because it is hard to tell if the cold air will be in place still when the weather system moves up. The cold air in place is clearly strong and is actually preventing the storm from making it into the area as early as they thought.

It will likely start sometime bettween 7 am- 9 am on Friday morning, but it is going to be mostly wet snow, than sleet than rain. It will be mostly rain during Friday and might even stop for awhile. However that is the lame part of the storm and after that the real stuff kicks up. High winds, and lots of wet stuff.

The snow/rain line is going to be a REALLY tough call and it might embarrass some weathermen who over hype the storm. NBC 10's Hurricane just called for 6-10 inches of the storm Friday night into Saturday which really took me off guard. He was the first to make such a bold statement.

As I stated before I follow this type of stuff and the sites I read are all over the map. However something has poped in the last few hours and they think that the cold air isn't going away on Saturday making for a decent shot of getting some white stuff. Right now I am going to make my predicitions which will likely change before I go to bed tonight.

Friday--- Sleet and wet Snow

Saturday ---- Early Snow..heavy at times. It seems to be similar to last years storm. The winds will be a factor. For Us I am going to say

2- 4 inches. It will struggle to stick on the roads at first though. A big factor is the Ocean Temps which are a few degrees too warm for a HUGE event. You see this storm is hugging the coast and will suck some warm air off the ocean. Again there a few big IFS and the ocean factor is certainly going against the snow here.

Again Tucker Says 2-4 inches. IT will likely change though.

Check Back here later this week for the lastest on the Future of the LIMA BEANZ interview, my take on a possible snow storm the start of next week, a few hockey thoughts,. etc...
"Tucker's BANS!"


I have recently discussed with friends of mine my list of bans. I boycotts many businesses and people for various reasons. Let us start with a list of former bans that were lifted in recent history.

Don Pablo’s --- I went with a large group of friends a few years ago for NJF. The meal took about two hours to get to us, and they weren’t that busy. I got a chicken salad and there was no chicken so I angrily gave me fork away. To make matters worse they had the Dish Network which made it impossible to see an important Flyers game. Luckily the waitress took it off the bill, but I vowed never to step foot in there again. Eventually I did roughly two years later this past summer.

Atlantic City---- I had a ban on the Atlantic City twice once after I got mugged in broad daylight with Ryan, Dan K. and Chris. Another time after a trip down there ended in everyone who lost money to become jerks to one another.

Lima Beanz—a Monopoly game went awry when LB threw punched me after I took his fake money. I wanted to throw his head through a wall. Not long before that the two of us almost got into a fight before the 4th of July. I vowed briefly that I didn’t want any part of crew events that Lima Beanz was apart of. However a few days later I was drinking beer with him. I mean just look at his face I just can’t stay mad at him!

Current Bans

Atco Movie Theater—I know big with larger big screens than this dive. I have banned this place a few times and had to give in order to not be a stick in the mud. I went this past summer and recalled why I banned this place about 3 times. This time I am serious! You stick to the floor, the seats suck, and its far away. BANNED!

excerd drug store------- There are just too many of them popping up. Many of them are too close to one another and well its just a flat out evil corporation.


Applebee’s (Voorhees Location Only)

I had a few dates there that didn’t pan out to anything. I got stood up once by a girl I took there once. I also got awkwardly hooked up by Ryan’s Girlfriend Regan with her friend who was extremely annoying and certainly not my match. I recall making plea via my cell phone for some of my friends to murder me. MAN THAT CHICK WAS ANNOYING.


Dave & Busters

I always spent more money that I should have, and the last time I was there the bouncer was a dickweed to me and Price.


Cucci’s Pizza
I didn’t like the food when the new owners took over. The banned worked and the place went under.

DJ Night at Sharkey or the Wick

Because this small gathering type bars should not have DJs. This ban is in danger of being lifted but I really want to keep it.

Oija Boards----Um. Yeah been there done that.

Tim Burton- This great director went against everything he stood for and what made his movies great when he made one of the worst films ever Legend Of Sleep Hollow. I have a ban on that film and everything he does after that.


There is more I know there is.

ye"BEST OF THE BEST"

My crappy work is hiring. I wish I was making this up but, but here are some of the candidates for open positions.


Candidate # 1
She worked for an entire week, but got canned. She got a customer to give her 100 bucks after making them feel sorry for her apparent financial problems. She also scored a phone number, and told management that she would refuse to answer any ringing phones. To top it all off she nonchalantly used a racial slur when telling a story. She also talked to herself.

Candidate # 2

This dude was applying for a merchandise handling position. Everything was going well for the interview, but when was told he had to go to a drug test he told the interviewer he left something in his car went out the door and never came back.

Candidate # 3

Another dude came in asking about the help wanted sign. At the time he had his Discman on and wore it the whole time. When he starting talking about the position he told of his court battles with his ex-wife. She is apparently a huge liar and filed for bankruptcy. When asked why his license was out of date and from another state he replied he didn’t have the time to get an ID in New Jersey. He said he couldn’t be bothered, but admitted to living in New Jersey for 3 years.

Candidate # 4

This guy didn’t check anything under the “Did You Ever Commit a Crime?” Box. When asked why he shared a touching story about a violent knife fight he was involved in.

Candidate # 5

A weird guy who showed up late for his interview and rambles incoherently about public transportation to anyone that walks past him.

Candidate # 6

A guy, who was fired for missing too much time at work, and accused the head of the store of picking on someone with medical conditions. It was later learned that he was lying about aliments he never had.

Candidate # 7

A former highly disgruntled customer.

Candidate #8

This one made me feel really good. He did public relations for years. Must be lots of money in the field I got a degree in. Pretty sad if you need a part-time job if that is your chosen career.


Do you have what it takes?

"Sinking Echelon"

When I was a mere teenager a trip to the Echelon Mall resulted in a few hours of freedom when my friends and I were dropped off for an afternoon. We would checking out the girls and browsing in the stores. A trip to the Echelon Mall was something to look forward to. It boasted not only dozens of stores but they offered a lot to kids and anyone looking to kill a rainy day. There was a video arcade attached, a movie theater, and hip stores like Flashback. New stores were always showing up.

The Echelon Mall once the place to be has taken a nose dive in the past few years. Just two years after its arrival Sears bounced out leaving an empty anchor store on the mall. This was particular because they build that store specifically for Sears. The mall was able to gloss over their lost for awhile despite other stores like Flashblack disappearing. The movie theater changed hands (mainly cause it was a dump and everyone went to the Ritz or Cinemark)and became a bargain theater given movie goers a final chance to see movies that either had just reached video, were about to reach video, or no one cared about for a cheap price. They were known for their all you can eat and drink popcorn and soda. It didn’t last very long and the building has been vacant ever since. Next went J C Penny’s last winter made it undeniable that the mall was in serious trouble. Leaving Boscovs and Strawbridges as the only anchor stores for the mall, empty anchor stores drive customers away like the plague.

Walking in the mall now it is no longer filled with people all over the place. The food court is the only lively place in the whole mall. The stores around it benefit from them and many of the businesses have relocated closer to the food court to get away from the cancer of emptiness that stems from the empty anchor stores. There is a section upstairs near J C Penny’s where you have to walk quite a distance to reach an actual open place. Just all covered over windows, some filled with ads for places to visit in the mall. They are falling over like dominos and most recently a staple store Allied Hobbies bowed out. Last year just after Christmas many places left like the coffee works for example.

There was a sliver of a hope shining on the ailing mall this past spring when the mall was purchased by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Company (known as PREIT). For years the mall was rumored to be closed and sold to either Rutgers or Rowan. I have no idea where these rumors have started but I never found any truth to them. My friend Rick (who works in the mall) is constantly telling me about secret meetings in which the mall was sold it was agreed to officially close. He has been doing this for about 3 years now and each Armageddon date comes and goes. The latest doomsday is slated for spring time.

PREIT known for buying struggling businesses, and turning it around to a profit. They really have their work cut out for them. I got there on my lunch at work quite often and many of the food court workers that have come to know me seem very depressed. Some of them gripe to me about the rent that is seemingly unfair for a mall that doesn’t get much traffic anymore. One lady got all excited upon seeing my work shirt thinking the Sears store was reopening. It was awkward for me to tell her that it wasn’t the case.

However from what I gather all they have done is drop of signs in the mall that says expect changes and thanks for shopping at this mall (and future shopping) owned by a faceless corporation stationed in another state. Okay maybe behind closed doors they are sweet talking some businesses to fill their vacant anchor stores. Although most successful department stores of the late 90’s such as Target and Wal-Mart are seemingly anti-malls at least in this area. So that leaves what? Maybe a growing retail chain looking to make it into the east coast?

Well that’s a great idea however they have to address a few things first. Take a look at the Echelon Mall side at the corner of the mall. Half of the E is gone and it struggles to light up on most nights. Many of the signs of department stores are half burned out. The logo itself is dated. The sign boasting about sales was originally to list the movies playing there, and so many businesses have used this sign that it is obvious that former logos have been erased and traces of the letters remain under a ghetto attempt to cover them up. So if you have some CEO or bigwig pull up to see if they want to open a retail store where others have left you might want to make the mall look a bit better.

Since this PREIT Company owns many malls one would imagine that it would remain a mall. I thought perhaps they had some master plan. I am starting to wonder though. In September the Courier-Post ran an article which basically said they were still kicking around different ideas including renting empty stores (the mall is almost half empty now) as office space for doctors. Heck there is already an H & R block there. The article had many people from talking about different ideas they might do. Maybe bring some “high end” stores. So basically a mall that everyone is waiting to shut down and avoiding is going to be saved by people who are still “kicking around” ideas almost an entire year after taking over. I don’t know who does their Public Relations but telling the public they are still scratching their heads isn’t going to do much in fact it makes things worse. They just revealed that they were clueless.

How about meeting with the store owners and calming fears of the few business partners you have? How about getting some sort of draw like a string band, local celebrity appearances, or renovating parts of the mall? If they were trying to get it back on its feet that a could be pulled off while others wooed potential businesses for the anchor stores.

People point to the Deptford Mall’s success and most think its because its engulfed in stores like Target, Best Buy, Old Navy, and almost every restaurant under the sun. Meanwhile the mall has apartments and a Sears store that sells broken appliances.

Given the fact that the top level of the mall is like a desert I might actually put some weight into Rick’s prediction this time. I have seen some commercials for the mall to do your holiday shopping there, but its too bad they didn’t solve their real problems yet. An empty Burger King and IHOP sit across the street from the mall now. Some people have told me that crime is on the rise too, which leads one to wonder if Voorhees might become one of those towns with a GOOD and BAD side. A Jewerly store was robbed in the mall earlier this year.

Hopefully Echelon gets their act together causes the traffic in Deptford it too much and I grew up going there and would hate to see it go. Not to mention a lot of people would be out of a job. PERIT has given the mayor of Voorhees their word that they are committed to the project. It would be a huge loss of taxes and cause property taxes to sky rocket if the mall went under. In September it they said that two companies are interested in coming to the anchor spots, but that’s was 3 months ago now I have serious doubts. Without a new anchor store in the next two years it simply can’t survive.