By Scott St. Clair | The Save Jersey Blog
From the Pew Charitable Trust, this is interesting: a map of the U.S. showing what it says is “the most unique job in each state.”
Now, to start, something is either unique, or it’s not – it’s one of a kind, or it’s like the others – there is no in between. You can’t say it’s “most unique” because there is no such thing. You can, however, say “a unique job in each state,” which would be correct. While that’s not the point here, it’s a grammatical pet peeve of mine.
Off the soap box.
Look at the map, hover over it with your curser and you’ll see the one job that stands out in each state:
That Kansas has 5.4 times the number of agricultural equipment operators than the national average is neither surprising nor shocking. There are a lot of farms in Kansas. Ditto that Indiana has 6.4 times more boilermakers – it’s the home of Purdue University, after all.
But wouldn’t you know that New Jersey’s unique job is an indictment on how awful it can be to live in the Garden State? With 4,170 of them, there are 5.0 times the number of marriage and family therapists than you’d expect based upon the national average. Shrinks as far as the eye can see – 4,170 couches stretched end-to-end is a lot of couches.
In other words, people in Jersey are freakin’ nuts. So tell us something we don’t already know? You’ve got to be crazy to live here and living here is an excellent way to bust up a marriage or send your kid to an asylum.
Because there are lies, damn lies and statistics, don’t believe those devious stories in The New York Times that claim Jersey has the lowest divorce rate in the country. Pressure from the divorce-loathing Catholic Church – 40.2 percent of the state is Catholic, seventh in the nation – and the state’s “stock and pillory” convoluted alimony laws that keep couples together who would, in any other state, split the blanket. Even post-reform, Jersey’s rules are a pain in the wallet worse than the always hated community property laws in many Western states.
Since there is no such things as a coincidence, it’s not surprising that a movement is afoot in the Legislature to create a new, lower-cost liquor license for small restaurants that will allow them to sell booze – most are now BYOB, if at all. We’re told with a straight face that the measure is designed to give mom and pop eateries an opportunity to compete with larger establishments that can afford New Jersey’s outrageous, rip-off liquor license fees.
Sure – and raising our already most-expensive-in –the-nation road taxes will be a boon for our economy.
The real reason – it MUST be the reason – is that we’re going bonkers so badly and in such large numbers that we need a drink or three to make it through the day. And since the state has a history of watering holes that literally offer watered-down adult bevies, don’t you think a guy should have more options when it comes to getting an honest drink in this town?
So, when you go to your favorite bar only to see your marriage and family therapist knocking back straight shots of whiskey faster than you can count, join her – after all, she’s probably spending your money, and the both of you need several.
Shows that we are a “service” industry stae as opposed to an industrial one.
No chance to start out in NJ unless ma n pa pay the freight
New Jersey has the best government that money can buy!