NEW ORLEANS — Good news, men: you may be able to decrease your risk for prostate cancer by ejaculating — frequently, according to research presented here at American Urological Association 2015 Annual Meeting.
The frothy advice is not new but is now backed up by the “strongest evidence to date” on the subject, according to lead author Jennifer Rider, ScD, MPH, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
Suzie Neustadter entertained the Cabaret audience downtown. 9//28/19 Paul Goldfinger photos and videos. Click image to enlarge the scene.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net
For a long while, it seemed that the Chamber of Commerce only had eyes for the blues when it brought the same musical groups downtown for their various festivals.
But this time, seemingly out of the blue, came a wonderful musical program at Main and Pilgrim Pathway, with no street closures, only music of the sort that we have not heard before here: Broadway, Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, jazz, Gershwin, Amy Winehouse, Beatles, and others, and it was so refreshing and professional.
An Ocean Grover, Lou Parisi, brought the program that included well known jazz pianist Art Topolow and a variety of terrific Jersey singers and musicians. We’ll try to get their names.
And this is the sort of programming that we at Blogfinger have been craving: something joyful and personal that could connect with a small crowd of locals and without the parking glut and tourist mob scene that we usually see in the Grove.
I often criticize the Chamber of Commercials, but there was nothing commercial about this 3 hour program which was relaxing and great fun. Even the traffic going by seemed to add a sense of spontaneity to the music, and that is a desirable quality.
I tried to find out from a Chamber member as to what bright light ignited this wonderful surprise, but all he could say was, “We wanted a change.”
I’d like to think that this program reflects a new awareness of our community of residents and its needs.
By Paul Goldfinger, photographer and editor at Blogfinger.net. 10/25/25
The witch travelers love our Ocean Grove porches. They will sneak onto yours during the night and check their phones.. All photos by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net. Click once to enlarge her ghoulishness.
Jersey Joyce greets her guests on Heck Avenue. She casts her spell on her metal roofed porch. Fly-by witches can spot her coven-house from the air.
The coven poses for a portrait. These witches come from all over. The OG assembly is famous. Can you see the Munchkins? All photos by Paul Goldfinger of Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA. Click photos once to enlarge.
Inside the house, evil spirits drink some true blood cocktails.
Count Dracula and his wife The Contessa Dracula were special guests.
Some witches were in disguise. She’s cute—doesn’t look so ghoulish.
This out-of-focus witch cast a spell on my camera. She is out-of-focus to anyone who looks her way.
The wonderful Wizard of Oz came in disguise and brought a date to the party.
“Choir Entrance” at the Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove. Painting by Jack Bredin of OG. September 2021. Ted Aanensen calls our attention to “All singers welcome.”
“TRUMPET VOLUNTARY BY JEREMIAH CLARKE” with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
An Ocean Grove trumpeter named Harry Eichhorn often walked through these doors to create beautiful music.
Another marvelous trumpeter here is Phillip Smith, formerly of the New York Philharmonic. Phil is a music legend.
We have some fine musicians in the Grove, and the classical music in The Great Auditorium is legendary.
Thanks to the late Jack Bredin whose eyes and ears are always tuned into the wonders of Ocean Grove.
This is the first (pre-season) Blogfinger edition of “Girls In Their Summer Clothes.” Perhaps you were expecting short shorts, bikinis, black leggings, thongs, or summer dresses, but these runners were having fun with their colorful campy outfits, just right for running 2.2 miles in public.
REMINDER: THE NJ MARATHON will breeze through Ocean Grove on Sunday morning, April 28.
The race begins in Long Branch at 7:30, and Ocean Pathway/boardwalk will be near the end, so around 9-9:30 am in the Grove.
Love Positano has closed. Shop is being vacated. 10/25/25. Blogfinger.net photos
By Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net. 10/25/25.
We came upon a crew removing the contents of this shop. We have no more information. The building is owned by Sackman, an Asbury Park realtor/investor. We tried to interview the person who was in charge of the clean-out, but mum’s the word.
It’s a shame that this quirky shop is gone. It brought an Italian flavor to our downtown in Ocean Grove. Better than the boring cultural events dumped on us by the Chamber of Commercials.
From Tosca by Puccini. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with the London Philharmonic.
Sunday, August 28, 2016. A remarkable musical event occurred tonight at the Great Auditorium where Elijah, by Felix Mendelssohn, was performed by the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra, the Great Auditorium Choir, Dr. Gordon Turk on the Hope Jones organ, 4 soloists including Monica Ziglar (soprano), Martha Bartz (mezzo soprano), Ronald Naldi (tenor) and Justin Beck (bass-baritone) with Justin Gonzalez (tenor section leader.) The entire ensemble was conducted by Dr. Jason C. Tramm, Director of Music Ministries in Ocean Grove.
The sound of the combined components was spectacular as it all came together resonating off the wooden walls and rafters of the 122 year-old Great Auditorium. Musically it is all very dramatic, and the music soars with beauty and emotion. The oratorio is quite long, but it is considered to be one of the greatest choral musical compositions. It was completed in 1845.
The story of Elijah, of course, is taken from the Old Testament about the life of the prophet as he struggles to deal with the idol worshipping Israelites back in the day. The six page program spelled the composer’s name wrong on the cover and never mentioned his first name. But Mendelssohn, who was born into a prominent German Jewish family and was converted to Christianity at a young age, would probably have been pleased with this remarkable event in Ocean Grove. Unfortunately, he died at age 38; they say he was exhausted from writing this piece.
I was up in the balcony, near the choir, when Jason Tramm began the performance with the bass soloist and the orchestra. After a big opening, things got somewhat quiet, and I was lulled by it. All of a sudden there was a huge roar, and I jumped and then realized that the choir, a sleeping giant, had come to its feet, and its sound was big and dramatic, sufficient to wake up anyone dozing after dinner (the concert began at 7 PM.) All the soloists were wonderful, and none of the participants seemed to need amplification.
After climbing down from the rafters, I wandered outside, trying to figure out the source of a buzzing sound that distracted from the performance.. It quickly became apparent that the loud buzzing was originating in the trees—probably a swarm of insects trying to hum along with the music.
I reentered the GA all the way in the back to try and appreciate the sound of music at that location. The acoustics were successful even there, and quite a few people chose those seats. As Jason Tramm moved the oratorio along (It was divided into two parts) I noticed that there was a nun sitting back there, a local retired music teacher, a few African-Americans, and an infant who would intermittently squawk but not cry. I also noticed that cell phone bright lights, provided by some members of the audience and one choir member, to read the programs, was a source of distraction. But to balance that, Jason Tramm did not allow applause during the performance–only at the end.
By some miracle created by the Camp Meeting, this remarkable event was free. There was an offering requested.
Outside the GA, there were some fans on the lawn seats, and there were no people noises. Sea breezes floated around, and those who walked by seemed amazed by the pageant inside.
Over at Days a small line had formed. One woman berated the guy she was with for daring to suggest that she not get whatever she pleased, like a big hot fudge sundae. A couple with two small red headed children had to leave the line because “Daddy needs to drive home now and we can’t wait on line. We’ll go to our special no-wait place.”
Two guys moved forward and were discussing this family’s bailing out: “There is nothing I would rather wait for than Days ice cream.” It didn’t seem like anyone there was aware that Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah was being performed in the big wooden building across the park. I bet John Phillip Sousa, whose portrait hangs in the museum next to Days, probably woke up to hear that glorious music come wafting in his direction.
PHOTO GALLERY FOR THE MENDELSSOHN EVENT: I recommend that you start the music and then begin the photos. Click on one image and then follow the big arrows. Click on the little X at the left side to return here:
Michael Goldfinger is a graduate of the photojournalism program at Boston University where he was photo editor of the Daily Free Press.
During the 1990’s he was active as a member of the photography staff at the Asbury Park Press. During that time he produced a body of work that was distinguished by strong images that told stories. He also is a photographer for Blogfinger.net .
The images will speak for themselves. Some will have a musical soundtrack, while others will not.
