New Jersey is the third state in the United States of America to join the nation. Most people who dislike NJ are actually thinking of north Jersey, which is really an outcropping of the hideous New York City. The central and southern parts of the state are nice.
Pointless "state" things:
Also, many parts of New Jersey have this cool thing on the roads where you make all your turns from the right hand lane. Even when you're turning left, the right lane loops around. This makes so much sense that I was confused by it (where I'm from, the roads don't make so much sense).
Of course, there are problems, besides ones of the traffic and pollution that everyone knows about. There's a strong sense of home rule and some 500-odd municipalities (there's no unincorporated land like in many US states) which means 500 school districts, police forces, fire departments, etc. For a state this small, it's a bit crazy and is probably part of why our property taxes are some of the highest in the USA.
But hanging out in the Delaware Water Gap or High Point State Park or even the Jersey Shore makes you kind of glad that most people think we're the armpit of the nation and don't often think to vacation here.
Besides, with suburban sprawl and the cancer of SUVs, the whole rest of the country will be like the worst parts of New Jersey in 20 years anyway. Most modern American cities in the South or West are already suffering from endless sprawl, traffic and pollution. At least in New Jersey we have some fine small towns where people can actually live within walking distance from restaurants, shopping and entertainment.
New Jersey adj.
[primarily Stanford/Silicon Valley] Brain-damaged or of poor design. This refers to the allegedly wretched quality of such software as C, C++, and Unix (which originated at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey). "This compiler bites the bag, but what can you expect from a compiler designed in New Jersey?" Compare Berkeley Quality Software. See also Unix conspiracy.
--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.
South Jersey Pine Barrens* Jersey Lightning - can't talk folklore without discussin' the lightnin'! Jersey Devil The Jersey Devil Blue Hole* Ong's Hat* Carranza Monument* (Rocket-in-the-Woods) Quaker Bridge and the White Stag* The Pines Witch Jonas Cattell (the original New Jersey folkhero) Fort Mercer*
North Jersey Big Red Eye
*places you can actually visit
printable version chaos
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