The Record, Bergen County, NJ

Onstage ; Teacher's Pets

Conjunction junction, what's your function? "Schoolhouse Rock Live!" based on the popular cartoon shorts from the '70s, is coming to William Paterson University. Performed by South Jersey's Surflight Theatre, the show focuses on Tom, a nervous teacher about to face his first class. As he watches TV to relax, various characters jump off the screen and show him how to handle the kids, using imagination and song to teach subjects such as history, grammar and science. Parents may recognize such c...

Pa. Ballet's Balanchine Legacy

WHAT: Pennsylvania Ballet. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 8 p.m. next Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. next Saturday; 2 p.m. Nov. 18.

Gym Class Heroes Suddenly Are the Ones to Watch

WHO: The Young Wild Things Tour featuring Fall Out Boy, with Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T's and Cute Is What We Aim For. WHAT: Rock.

Florida Pals Get Boost Up ; North Teaneck Exec Signs We the Kings

WHO: We the Kings, with Madina Lake, Mayday Parade and Powerspace. WHAT: Pop, punk, rock.

Redford Cameras Focus On Politics ; 'Lions' Shows War From Another Angle

Actor and political activist Robert Redford learned a lifelong lesson when he was a teenager. "At 18, I went to the University of Colorado. I was asked to leave after a year. I went to Europe to study art," Redford says during an interview at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. "I was living a very Bohemian life with a lot of other students. They would talk about politics all the time. And I had nothing to say. That's when I became determined to really read up about my country so I would have an answer f...

Santa's Long-Suffering Sib

** FRED CLAUS

In the Face of Pure Evil ; Drug Money Draws a Heartless Killer

**** NO COUNTRY

'Lions' Roars but Lacks Bite ; Message About War in Iraq Follows a Path to Nowhere Land

** LIONS FOR LAMBS

Coping with the Writers' Strike

If the Writers Guild of America stays on strike long, TV lovers may rent or buy DVDs of their favorite series or, more likely, buzz- heavy series they never got around to watching before. And when they do, writers will get almost nothing in the transaction which is one big reason why they're striking now.

Z100 Jingle Ball Unveils Its Lineup

WHTZ-FM (100.3) has unveiled the lineup for its annual holiday concert, Z100's Jingle Ball 2007, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden. This year's performers include Alicia Keys, Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, Jordin Sparks, Boys Like Girls, Colbie Caillat and Timbaland (with OneRepublic and Keri Hilson).

Kids' Costly Extras Squeeze the Budget

Q. My husband and I have four children and make tremendous sacrifices to send them to a private school and have them involved in extracurricular activities. More and more we are being asked by other parents to contribute a specific amount (like $20) toward teachers gifts, coaches gifts, team sweat shirts, snacks for halftime and after-games, party supplies for school etc. For example, in sports we are easily spending double the sports registration fees.

Widow Had Better Not Depend On Son

DEAR ABBY: Eight years ago, while visiting my son, "Jack," and his wife, "Mary," in a nearby state, I saw a few dishes in the sink waiting to be washed so I washed them. When Mary saw what I had done, she became upset. She said, "I don't keep house the way you do." My reply at the time was that I was only trying to be helpful. That was all the cleaning I did I swear. A few years later, when they visited me, Mary vacuumed, scrubbed floors and cleaned out my refrigerator all without asking m...

Did He Overreact to Her Advances?

Q. I have been friends for two years with a guy I volunteer with in the community. I told him (in a roundabout way) that I wanted to be more than friends. He then avoids me for almost two weeks and says he's more interested in developing himself as a person. When he told me this, I accepted that he just wanted to be friends. But now he seems to avoid me or approach me with kid gloves. Do I let him continue to treat me this way until he sees from my behavior that I'm not devastated by his lack...

Backed by Bracco ; Actress Lends Name to Italian Wines

In 1999, right around the time "The Sopranos" was beginning its trailblazing run on HBO, actress Lorraine Bracco declared bankruptcy after a long and bitter child custody battle. She could have quickly lifted herself out of debt with the stroke of a pen. A makeup company offered her an incredibly lucrative endorsement contract.

Idol Gossip: Keeping Jokes Fresh, Topical

Bob Newhart isn't resting on his laurels. The popular comedian and TV actor ("The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart") is doing only 30 stand-up gigs this year, but he's still writing new material for the act. "Some of the [show] is the classic routines, but I'm always working on new stuff," says Newhart, who plays a one-night stand Saturday at Trump Plaza.

Food & Drink: Ri-Ra Irish Pub at Tropicana

There's a taste and a touch of the old country in Atlantic City. The Ri-Ra Irish Pub in The Quarter at Tropicana is something old and something new. The "old" is the bar, which was dismantled from the Henry Gratton Pub in Ireland, where author James Joyce once held court. It was carefully restored, shipped to Atlantic City and set in place to anchor Ri-Ra's main dining room.

Capsules

Capsules are summaries of restaurants previously reviewed by The Record. * * *

A La Carte

This calendar is part of the Food & Drink subcategory of Recreation events on The Big List. Go to thebiglist.north jersey.com to search listings or to submit your event. Events and news also are published on Second Helpings: northjersey.com/foodblog. Smitty's Smokehouse & BBQ Joint, which opened in August only to close after a fire five days later, has reopened. The menu includes smoked pork, brisket and ribs, as well as salads, sandwiches and seafood.

Inspections

Pic & Pay/Oasis Convenience Store, 650 Palisade Ave., Englewood Cliffs, was fined $1,078 on Nov. 1 for failure to post the unsatisfactory rating placard (red) and offering potentially hazardous foods for sale at improper temperatures. The summons was issued by registered environmental health specialist Ted Wagner. Crystal Palace Restaurant, 150 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, was fined $578 on Nov. 1 for failure to remove roaches from the kitchen and failure to clean and sanitize cutting utens...

Starters: Ribeye Jax's Grill in Butler

Starters is a first look at recently opened restaurants. It is meant to be a descriptive glimpse, not a critical review. * * *