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Juli B.
December 21st, 2004, 11:22 PM
Ercarta--Someone just sent me the following paen to NJ:

If you've ever lived in Jersey...you'll appreciate this!!!



New Jersey is a peninsula.

Highlands, New Jersey has the highest elevation along the entire
eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida.

New Jersey is the only state where all of its counties are classified
as metropolitan areas.

New Jersey has more race horses than Kentucky.

New Jersey has more Cubans in Union City (1 sq mi.) than Havana, Cuba.

New Jersey has the densest system of highways and railroads in the
US.

New Jersey has the highest cost of living.

New Jersey has the highest cost of auto insurance.

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.

New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the "Diner Capital of the World."

New Jersey is home to the original Mystery Pork Parts Club (no, not
Spam): Taylor Ham or Pork Roll.

Home to the less mysterious but the best Italian hot dogs and Italian sausage w/peppers and onions.

North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world, with seven major shopping malls in a 25 square mile radius.

New Jersey is home to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The Passaic River was the site of the first submarine ride by inventor John P. Holland.

New Jersey has 50+ resort cities & towns; some of the nation's most famous: Asbury Park, Wildwood, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Long Branch, Cape May.

New Jersey has the most stringent testing along our coastline for water quality control than any other seaboard state in the entire country.

New Jersey is a leading technology & industrial state and is the
largest chemical producing state in the nation when you include
pharmaceuticals.

Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being the best you can buy.

New Jersey is the world leader in blueberry and cranberry production (and here you thought Massachusetts?)

Here's to New Jersey - the toast of the country! In 1642, the first
brewery in America, opened in Hoboken.

New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah, in 1940.

New Jersey is a major seaport state with the largest seaport in the US, located in Elizabeth. Nearly 80 percent of what our nation imports comes through Elizabeth Seaport first.

New Jersey is home to one of the nation's busiest airports (in Newark), Liberty International.

George Washington slept here. Several important Revolutionary War battles were fought on New Jersey soil, led by General George Washington.

The light bulb, phonograph (record player), and motion picture
projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory.

We also boast the first town ever lit by incandescent bulbs.

The first seaplane was built in Keyport, NJ.

The first airmail (to Chicago) was started from Keyport, NJ.

The first phonograph records were made in Camden, NJ.

New Jersey is home to the Miss America Pageant held in Atlantic City.

The game Monopoly, played all over the world, named the streets on its playing board after the actual streets in Atlantic City.

And, Atlantic City has the longest boardwalk in the world,

Not to mention salt water taffy,

New Jersey has the largest petroleum containment area outside of the Middle East countries.

The first Indian reservation was in New Jersey, in the Watchung
Mountains.

New Jersey has the tallest water-tower in the world. (Union, NJ!!!)

New Jersey had the first medical center, in Jersey City.

The Pulaski SkyWay, from Jersey City to Newark, was the first skyway highway.

NJ built the first tunnel under a river, the Hudson (Holland Tunnel).

The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, which is also the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.

The first intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick in 1889 (Rutgers College played Princeton).

The first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden, NJ, (but they're all gone now!).

New Jersey is home to both of "NEW YORK'S" pro football teams!

The first radio station and broadcast was in Paterson, NJ.

The first FM radio broadcast was made from Alpine, NJ, by Maj. Thomas Armstrong.

All New Jersey natives: Sal Martorano, Jack Nicholson, Bruce
Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jason Alexander, Queen Latifah, Susan Sarandon, Connie Francis, Shaq, Judy Blume, Aaron Burr, Joan Robertson, Ken Kross, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, Budd Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, Marilynn McCoo, Flip Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Whitney Houston, Eddie Money, Linda McElroy, Eileen Donnelly, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Walt Whitman, Jerry Lewis, Tom Cruise, Joyce Kilmer, Bruce Willis, Caesar Romero, Lauryn Hill, Ice-T, Nick Adams, Nathan Lane, Sandra Dee, Danny DeVito, Richard Conti, Joe Pesci, Joe Piscopo, Robert Blake, John Forsythe, Meryl Streep, Loretta Swit, Norman
Lloyd, Paul Simon, Jerry Herman, Gorden McCrae, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta, Phyllis Newman, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Eva Marie Saint, Elisabeth Shue, Zebulon Pike, James Fennimore Cooper, Admiral Wm.Halsey,Jr., Dave Thomas (Wendy's), William Carlos Williams, Ray Liotta, Robert Wuhl, Bob Reyers, Paul Robeson, Ernie
Kovacs, Joseph Macchia and, of course, Francis Albert Sinatra and
"Uncle Floyd" Vivino, Kelly Ripa.


Bob Meade adds: The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the second highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.



You know you're from Jersey when . . .

You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges."

You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags.

A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter.

You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.

You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 A.M.

You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.

At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and
you know the town Jon Bon Jovi is from.

You know what a "jug handle" is.

You know that WaWa is a convenience store.

You know that the state isn't all farmland.

You know that there are no "beaches" in New Jersey--there's the shore--and you don't go "to the shore," you go "down the shore." And when you are there, you're not "at the shore"; you are "down the shore."

You know how to properly negotiate a circle.

You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving.

You know that this is the only "New" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (try . . . Mexico . . . York . . . Hampshire-- doesn't work, does it?).

You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.

You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege

You don't think "What exit?" is very funny.

You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different."

Yes they are!

You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton--that's for out-of-staters.

The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or localbar.

You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.

You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.

Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony.

You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening
credits.


You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall.

You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and
people from Central Jersey go to Belmar, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way.

You weren't raised in New Jersey--you were raised in either North
Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey.

You don't consider Newark or Camden to actually be part of the state.

You remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's, Channel,
Bamberger's and Orbach's.

You also remember Palisades Amusement Park.

You've had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries.

You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.

And finally . . .

You've NEVER, NEVER pumped your own gas.[except for Juli B., who lived in Texas...]

AMEN!!!

ercarta
December 22nd, 2004, 12:32 AM
That "down the shore" line is really funny because it's true. People from New Jersey tend to say that when at the beach. No one says beach, it's the shore. I wonder why? sammlung10

dell1
December 22nd, 2004, 08:43 AM
Thanks Juli' ........great reading! :p

demiking
January 3rd, 2005, 08:41 PM
Juli this is great!!! I am going to pass it along. Too funny. By the way, I really do hate when people say "What exit?" and I hate to pump my own gas.

Juli B.
January 3rd, 2005, 09:23 PM
Kewl. I'm glad the natives are enjoying!

I just gave ithe little homage another quick read, and I think the original writer left out the north Jersey borough phenomenon. I grew up in the borough of Lodi, near the borough of Teterboro (my fave), and the borough of Saddle Brook, and the borough of Hasbrouck Heights, and the borough of Rochelle Park... Out-of-staters drew my attention to this designation.

'Bout the "What exit?" question: never ask unless you're actually getting directions! Has anyone thought of a good comeback? I always just get annoyed.

As for pumping gas, I like doing it myself. Makes me feel like I'm sowing my outdoorsy oats. I miss it. Though I'm glad my 77-year-old mom, with her artificial hip and shoulder, doesn't have to!

LostinLaMancha
January 21st, 2005, 04:14 PM
pretty darn good

BaroqueJim
February 12th, 2005, 08:43 PM
A couple of things. Firstly, I was under the impression the first radio broadcast was in Pittsburgh. Google it! Secondly, I would take issue with New Jersey tomatoes being the best in the world. I have never tasted tomatoes better than the ones I ate in Italy. There is no comparison.

ercarta
February 16th, 2005, 12:26 AM
Senate OK's Hike In Minimum Wage
Would rise to $7.15 in October 2006; bill heads to Assembly
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
By Molly Bloom
Journal staff writer

The state Senate yesterday approved a measure that would raise New Jersey's minimum wage from the federal level of $5.15 an hour to $7.15 an hour.

The measure would increase the state's minimum wage twice over a two-year period, first to $6.15 this October and then to $7.15 in October 2006.

It was approved by a 26-10 vote and now faces a vote in the Assembly. If passed into law, the measure would make the New Jersey minimum wage the second highest in the nation, after Washington's $7.35 an hour rate. New Jersey last raised the minimum wage in 1999, increasing it 10 cents to its current level.

The majority of the estimated 11,800 minimum-wage workers in New Jersey are young women who have not completed high school, according to the state Department of Labor. Most work in service industries like restaurants, hotels and health care.

Rosa Billa, a mother of two who dishes up rice and meat stews at the Sabor Tropical restaurant on Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City, makes $5.50 an hour, 35 cents above the minimum wage.

And although the measure passed yesterday would not require her boss to raise her salary, she would welcome an increase.

"So far it's been good, but I don't know about tomorrow," she said. "There's always more to pay."

The three Hudson County state senators - Senate Majority Leader Bernard Kenny, D-Hoboken; Joseph V. Doria Jr., D-Bayonne, and Nicholas J. Sacco, D-North Bergen - all voted in favor of the bill.

"When you consider that New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the nation, with one of the highest costs of living, you realize it would be inhumane to not approve this increase," Kenny said in a written statement.

The measure passed in spite of objections from business owners that the increase would hamper economic growth and result in layoffs.

Alan J. Steinberg, a regional advocate for the federal Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, said measures such as the earned income tax credit would be a more effective way of helping unskilled, low-wage workers.

"The people who favor minimum wage increases have very good intentions, but often they don't realize that these minimum wage increases are counterproductive," Steinberg said. "The problem is that minimum wage increases can result in people having no income at all."

Jersey City Councilman Mariano Vega, a longtime supporter of a minimum wage increase, said yesterday that Hudson County's economy is robust enough to handle the wage increase without leading to unemployment.

"There's always an initial adjustment period, but I don't expect that there's going to be a big layoff at all," he said.

Doria, who is also the mayor of Bayonne, also defended the increase.

"This increase will help the working people of Hudson County," he said in a written statement. "There are families struggling to provide food, clothing and basic shelter for their children, and they need this increase."

Employees interviewed yesterday who make close to the minimum wage had mixed reactions.

"Extra money is always good," said Twin Donuts employee Sylvia Sarker as she took a break from pulling chocolate-covered donuts from bakery trays at the Journal Square store.

Though Sarker makes $7.50 an hour, $2.35 more than the current minimum wage, she doesn't think a raise is in her future.

"I don't think for this type of job she would pay more," she said, gesturing to her boss standing next to her at the counter.

Supporting a family on the current minimum wage is impossible, said Jared Maldonado, 23, who makes $8 an hour as a salesman at Lee's Sneakers in Jersey City.

"I can't feed my son on $5.15 an hour," he said.

Store owner Won Lee agreed.

"You can't live off minimum wage," he said.

Paying his workers more cuts into his bottom line, but it's worth it, he said.

"I eat a little less, but they have to eat too. It's just part of life," said Lee.

For George Miller, 43, who spent the day panhandling in Journal Square just down the street from McDonald's and Wendy's, the approval was right on the money.

"I can panhandle more money standing here in two hours than I can make working all day at McDonald's for minimum wage," he said.


Copyright 2005 NJ.com. All Rights Reserved.

cornerhound
February 18th, 2005, 11:02 PM
George Miller said: "I can panhandle more money standing here in two hours than I can make working all day at McDonald's for minimum wage."

So when the minimum wage goes up, maybe he'll be motivated to find a job. :D

ercarta
February 19th, 2005, 01:28 PM
That's funny or perhaps not. In any event, it's probably not far from the truth. I always wondered what a pan handler nets in a year.

It's hard to believe people can survive in New Jersey earning minimum wage. At this rate of inflation, within a couple of decades one would have to make 100 grand or better just to sustain the fundamentals - Healthcare, Mortgage, Car Note, & Daycare/Education. :confused:


George Miller said: "I can panhandle more money standing here in two hours than I can make working all day at McDonald's for minimum wage."

So when the minimum wage goes up, maybe he'll be motivated to find a job. :D

JC Guy
March 1st, 2005, 09:57 AM
Julie............
The way you know that someone actually lives Down the Shore is if they say they are going "to the beach". Everyone else goes down the shore. You also know that they are clamdiggers if they refer to everyone else as "Bennies".