Maybe It's Just Something In The Town's DNA

Here's the way we see it: If the best thing you can say about your town is that nobody likes it and you absolutely love it that way, then you and your town have a real problem.

But the Eagles' Jason Kielce and most Philadelphians seem to thing that's just fine, thank you. They apparently don't recognize (or refuse to acknowledge) the problem that's staring them right in the face.

Kelce stole the show at the Super Bowl victory parade by walking along the parade route dressed as a mummer, mingling with the crowd, drinking beer and then delivering a profanity-laced peroration that seemed to delight the hometown crowd. Kelce lashed out at all who doubted the team and all who allegedly ran them down and then sang new words to "Oh my darling Clementine." The song went something like this: "Nobody likes us; nobody likes us; nobody likes us, we don't care. We're from Philly, f---ing Philly; nobody likes us; we don't care."

With this simple little ditty Kelce added a megaton to the already gargantuan chip weighing on the shoulder of the City of Brotherly love.

Locals call this "Philly being Philly" and it's a chronic ailment that's appears to be fed by resentment, spitefulness and the sort of low self-esteem that's attributed to being stuck between New York and Washington.

Many remember 1980 when the Phillies won the World Series and Pete Rose regaled the celebratory crowd by holding up the team trophy and declaring "Now York, you can take this and shove it!"

And then in 2008 it happened again. A Phillies player sent the victory telecast into panic mode when he shouted on live TV: "World f---ing champions!"

So the bottom line goes something like this: Nobody likes us; we're the champs anyway; we don't care about you; go f--k yourself!

This is not exactly a welcoming message to people from out of town who may be considering a visit. And it's certainly not the best use of a media platform that such an occasion affords.

Which is to say that if you've just won the Super Bowl in a stunner and you've vanquished a dynasty, then that should speak for itself. Be gracious, enjoy the moment, thank the fans and let the triumph stand.

And even if you've prevailed against enormous odds and what you consider to be relentless unwarranted criticism, now your victory is that much more meaningful and that much sweeter. Enjoy the sweetness; don't sour it with surliness.

Plus, if you really don't care what people think of you, then you don't have to go around saying you don't care over and over and over again. 

Finally, if you begin by assuming that no one likes you and you lash out arbitrarily at EVERYONE, then you're not exactly on the road to winning friends and influencing people.

Philadelphia's a great town with a distinctive appeal. It's blessed with many positive assets that make it unquietly attractive.

But there's something in its DNA that seems to blow nearly every opportunity to make the most of this. Or, as a local ad man once said: "Philadelphia isn't as bad as Philadelphians say it is." 

Do We Really Wanna Go Back To THIS?

Does anybody remember this? Anybody?

It took a long time to bring about real change in this country. A long time to to finally rid ourselves of failed policies and begin to make the sort of dramatic changes we need. A long time to chuck an atmosphere of whining, bellyaching and excuses. And it took a lot of hard work by lots of people at the grassroots level. It wasn't easy/
Now, we don't wanna go back to this again, do we?

What Could Be Wrong With It, Anyway?

Quite frankly, we're having a hard time understanding what's wrong with it.

But let's try to go back to the beginning.

It seems the idea originated with the French. Now, liberals have always appeared to like most things European and certainly nearly everything French. After all, the French are wonderfully aware, sophisticated, stylish and learned in the ways of the world, oui?

Well, President Trump saw that the French produced an elaborate parade for their Bastille Day which is their Independence Day or their equivalent to our Fourth of July. And Trump and the new French president have become fast friends and the parade was heavy on military equipment. The French were showing off their materiel and so forth for all the world to see. Indeed, they're proud to be formidable, as they say.

It's impressive.

It's wonderfully choreographed.

It's a grand cavalcade.

And it's French.

What could be wrong with it?

Well, nothing -- it seems.

Until President Trump got the idea to do the same sort of thing here perhaps on our own Independence Day and in our own capital.

Then, for liberals and the media (pretty much one and the same) it became an absolutely horrid idea. It became tyrannical and narcissistic and oppressive and bellicose and disgusting and, well . . . reprehensible!

Except that last we checked, France is a developed nation and a full-fledged western democracy. This is no thuggish, dictator-driven regime.

And America has paraded its military wares before as well. And, in fact, we've even paraded them alongside the French and our other allies. So such a spectacle would not be new for us. Hardly!

You'd better believe that if Barack Obama had sponsored a parade that included some military hardware with bands and hoopla the media would be falling all over themselves delivering hosannas to Dear Leader. And at the very least, they would have simply accepted the tanks and missiles as a grudging thanks to the military.

But Trump?

Nah!

Not now. Not this way. Not with THIS president.

And they're not hesitating to use this to try to play into the most negative image of Trump that they could conjure up. This is what they do. This is what they love.

But this time they're up against the wrong guy.

Because Trump doesn't take his orders from them and he seems determined to go ahead with his plan which, in part is designed to send as strong a message as possible to the demonic leader of North Korea. And here's the bottom line: This may be precisely the kind of rumbling epistle we may want to send to this jerk and the ONLY kind of symbolic salvo North Korea may understand.

Which is to say "Go for it, President Trump!"

A Little-Known, Fascinating Local Gem!

Have you ever visited the Bryn Athyn Cathedral.
We have. And we loved it!
The Bryn Athyn Cathedral is situated on a hill overlooking the picturesque Pennypack Creek Valley in the borough of Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania (near Abington). Since its dedication in 1919, it has been the central place of worship for the Bryn Athyn Church and a gathering place for members of the New Churchthroughout the world. The Church is an incredible edifice and the surrounding grounds are beautiful through every season of the year.
The main construction of the Cathedral took place between the years 1913 and 1928 with work on the stained glass windows and interior decoration continuing into the early 1940s and beyond. The main Cathedral building is Gothic, while the northern and southern buildings are in the early Romanesque style. The symbolic plan is based on the teachings of the New Church.

The New Church says that it is "a new Christianity, [that] teaches that there is one God who we know as the Lord God Jesus Christ." The Church teaches that "God created the universe and everything in it with an ultimately loving purpose and that religion is to be lived, not just believed."
The New Church is based on the teachings of the Bible as illuminated by Emanuel Swedenborg, an eighteenth century theologian and scientist. Swedenborg provided an explanation of the Bible's internal meaning, as well as writing many additional volumes which the Church says "shed light on why we're here and how to develop a functional relationship with God. The teachings of the New Church, according to its followers "are immediately practical and deeply spiritual and provide answers to many questions about God, love and life after death that make sense."

During the 1890s the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania New Church Congregation and its associated school (the Academy of the New Church) made plans to relocate to the countryside. Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania was formally selected as the new location in the spring of 1893. Even before this date, a number of families belonging to the Philadelphia group had been spending their summers in the area.
Industrialist John Pitcairn (1841-1916), a congregation member, had purchased the Knight farm at the beginning of 1889, and Knight's Hill was used as the site of summer church services. Pitcairn eventually purchased enough land to accomodate both the school and a New Church community. In 1895, he built his own home, Cairnwood, nearby. During that same year he also provided funds to build a temporary frame structure in which the community could hold church services, school classes and social events.
Other temporary places of worship followed, and as the community grew, members of the congregation began to contribute to a church building fund. In 1908 John Pitcairn donated a large sum of money to the cause and five years later ground was broken for the Bryn Athyn Cathedral.
Today, the Bryn Athyn church and schools, together with the Academy of the New Church schools, have a growing and thriving church and local community that are blessed with a high quality, Christian values, school system.
Photos copyright 2011 by Dan Cirucci.

Could This Be The Best Journey For YOU?

We are in the middle of a beautiful journey.
A turquoise-colored journey through warm, lush climes. A journey surrounded by water.
We're on one of those wonderful Viking cruises. But it may not be what you think it is. It's not a Viking RIVER cruise. Instead, we're on one of Viking's brand new ocean liners. We're on the Viking Sky but we could be on any of Vikings new ships (they're will eventually be as many as 20 of them) because each of these new ocean vessels is exactly alike.
These ships are smaller than most other oceans liners but bigger tha the pioneering Viking river boats.
With spacious accommodations for 900 people, the Viking Sky seems perfectly-sized to give all passengers a unique cruising experience -- fresh, modern Nordic-inspired surroundings with plenty of room for everyone and lots of opportunities to get to know people.
Viking is literally redefining ocean travel with these ships which feature world-class artwork, an understated atmosphere, an extraordinary level of service and the sort of soothing, muted tones everywhere to set just the right mood for tranquil travel.
If you want lots of splash and flash and you're looking to raise hell and possibly party the night away, then this is probably not the cruise for you. This is not to say that Viking isn't geared up for fun. There's plenty of music, top notch fine dining, nightly shows in a first-class theater, well-stocked bars and lunges, movies, lectures, two pools and plenty of off shore excusrsions. But you won't find a casino on board and forget about wet t-shirt contests and other silly shenanigans as well.
What you will find is highly-attentive, personalized service, a sleek, up-to-the-minute spa and fitness center, a few exclusive shops, initiate surroundings and genteel touches like afternoon tea and a library that's spread throughout the ship. Plus, there's this wonderful added bonus: free internet access on-board through the ship.
We boarded our Viking cruise in Miami after spending a couple of days exploring South Beach and environs and we're journeying to Key West, Belize and Mexico. A perfect February sojourn, yes?

It's been an extraordinary journey so far and we've already made quite a few new friends.

Now, if you're thinking about cruise travel, we have some tips for you:

--Use a knowledgeable travel agent who specializes in cruises to plan and book your trip. We use Completely Cruises in Haddonfield, NJ. The people at the aptly-named Completely Cruises know everything there is to know about cruise travel and they will take care of all of the details for you. ------Even if you've been offered a special deal or discount, you can apply the same offer through a cruise specialist and it will save a lot of time and effort on your part. It's well worth it.

--Check out all of the reputable cruise lines and go with a well-known and respected brand. We like Viking and Holland America because they're more classic lines that caters to our demographic. We've also had good experiences with Royal Caribbean.

--Try not to plan a cruise that stops in a new port every day. Give yourself time between ports to relax and unwind. One of the great joys of cruise travel is sitting on your own veranda or on a comfortable promenade chaise or even in a cocktail lounge and watching the vastness of the ocean glide by. It's an unmatched experience that needs to be savored. Days at sea will provide you with some of your best memories.

--Try a bit of everything on the cruise. Sample each of the eating places and try the different shows and activities that are offered. This is a chance to try something new. Be adventurous.

--Don't eat or drink everything simply because it's there for the taking. Overindulging on a cruise ship can be a prescription for trouble. You're going to be offered a huge array of food and libations. Pick and choose. Pace yourself. Ease into it.
--Make sure you check out the square footage of your stateroom. Go online and view the sort of stateroom you want. You don't need a suite but you don't want to be cramped either. And if you're in warner climes, you're almost certainly gonna want a veranda. All Viking rooms come with this added plus.
--If you have an opportunity to share dinner with other guests, go for it at least once or twice. It's a great opportunity to get to know people from all over the world , share experiences and trade travel stories.
Cruising is sort of like a floating summer camp for adults.
The Viking ships create a small community that comes together to share the better things in life for a limited amount of time. Bigger ships are like floating cities at sea.
Wither way, it's magical!

That Was Then; This Is Now? Whatever . . .

We've been hearing a lot of talk lately that New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney is not totally on board with the high-spending, tax happy policies of his fellow Democrat, Governor Phil Murphy. 
Sweeney's making lots of noice about how we're pricing people out of New Jersey and how the state is simply becoming unaffordable.
But as you listen to Sweeney and read about the ongoing dustup (if that's what it really is) keep in mind a story that we ran right here in 2011 -- seven long years ago:

With United Van Line's annual study of state by state population shifts showing New Jersey tied with Illinois for the highest proportion of residents migrating out of state, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean, Jr. today suggested a strong correlation between New Jersey's increased tax burden over the last decade and the loss of population to other states.

"I agree with the Senate President that the high cost of living in New Jersey is the driving force behind so many people leaving the state," said Kean (R- Union). "So it defies logic that the $8 billion in higher taxes imposed upon the people of this state by an unchecked Democratic legislature have had no impact on that cost of living."

According to 2010 census data, residents who moved out of New Jersey were most likely to end up in Pennsylvania. 20, 231 moved to New Jersey's western neighbor, putting it ahead of Florida's influx of 12, 503 New Jersey residents.

"It simply cannot be coincidence that we're losing a greater percentage of our population than any other state save for Illinois and simultaneously have the highest tax burden," Kean continued. "A huge share of the people leaving our state end up in Pennsylvania, where the top income tax rate is less than half of New Jersey's and corporate and property taxes are far lower, or Florida, with no income tax at all. This is a trend about which Republicans have been sounding the alarm for years."

Kean urged the Majority to work with Republicans to reverse the state's uncompetitive tax and spending climate.

"I'm glad that some in the Democratic leadership are now becoming concerned about the affordability crisis job creators and residents face in New Jersey," he said. "However, making our state competitive with our neighbors will require more than cleverly named half measures and rhetoric. I encourage the Majority to work with legislative Republicans and the Governor in this year's budget to break the state's addiction to spending so that we can reverse the massive tax hikes foisted upon New Jersey residents during the McGreevey and Corzine eras. In order to fix the problem, everyone needs to admit that the Democrats' economic agenda during the last decade took our state in the wrong direction."

NOT The First Time; Not Even Second Or Third!

They say this is the first time.

And that's true. Except that it isn't.

They say this is the only time.

And that's also true. Except that it isn't.

Yes, it's been a long, long time since the Eagles (aka Iggles) have been on top of the world. Some say they've never been there before.

But it all depends on history, your memory and maybe even how old you are. Remember that the Eagles franchise is one of the original American pro football franchises.

So, let's get this straight, OK. The forerunner to the Philadelphia Eagles (the Frankford Yellow Jackets) actually won their very first pro football championship in 1927. But as the Depression arrived, that team went bankrupt.

After more than a year searching for a suitable replacement, the NFL granted an expansion franchise to a syndicate headed by former University of Pennsylvania teammates Lud Wray and Bert Bell. Bell and Wray had previously played football together on the "Union Club" squads, the Union Club of Phoenixville in 1920 and the Union Quakers of Philadelphia in 1921.

In exchange for an entry fee of $2,500, the Bell-Wray group was awarded the assets of the failed Yellow Jackets organization. Drawing inspiration from the insignia of the centerpiece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, specifically the National Recovery Act's "blue eagle," Bell and Wray named the new franchise the Philadelphia Eagles. And that's how the "Iggles" got their name. It was all courtesy of FDR and the New Deal.
The new team played its first game on October 15, 1933, against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds in New York City. They lost the game 56-0. If you think the Eagles recent fortunes (up until Sunday) have been disheartening, you should have been around in the early days. The Eagles struggled over the course of their first decade, never winning more than three games. For the most part, the Eagles' rosters were composed of former Penn, Temple and Villanova players who put in a few years before going on to other things.

In 1935, Bell, by that point the team's General Manager, proposed an annual college draft to equalize talent across the league. This was a watershed and what we now know today as the NFL Draft. The draft was a revolutionary concept in professional sports. Having teams select players in inverse order of their finish in the standings strove to increase fan interest by guaranteeing that even the worst teams would have the opportunity for annual infusions of the best college team players.

Then, World War II brought a bizarre turn of events -- one that today's Iggles fans could hardly imagine. In 1943, when manpower shortages stemming from the war made it impossible to fill the roster, the team temporarily merged with the Steelers to form a team popularly known as the "Steagles." The merger, never intended as a permanent arrangement, was dissolved at the end of the 1943 season. This season saw the team's first winning season in its 11-year history, with a finish of 5-4-1. In 1944, however, the Eagles finally experienced good fortune, as they made their finest draft pick to date: running back Steve Van Buren. At last, the team's fortunes were about to change.

Led by Van Buren and Neale, the Eagles became a serious competitor for the first time. They had their first winning season as a separate team in 1944. After two more second-place finishes (in 1945 and 1946), the Eagles reached the NFL title game for the first time in 1947. Van Buren, end Pete Pihos, and Bosh Pritchard fought valiantly, but the young team fell to the Chicago Cardinals 28-21 at Chicago's Comiskey Park. Undeterred, the young squad rebounded and returned to face the Cardinals once more in the 1948 championship. With home-field advantage (and a blinding snowstorm) on their side, the Eagles won their first official NFL Championship 7-0. So, you see, 2018 was not the first time. However, due to the severity of the weather, few fans were on hand to witness the joyous occasion. That would not be the case the following season, however, when the Eagles returned to the NFL championship game for the third consecutive year and won in dominating fashion in front of a large crowd in Los Angeles, beating the Los Angeles Rams 14-0. That marked the Iggles third championship and their second official NFL championship.

In Thompson's final draft, Chuck Bednarik was selected as the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft. An All-American lineman/linebacker from the University of Pennsylvania, Bednarik would go on to become one of the greatest and most beloved players in Eagles history. The 1949 season also saw the sale of the team by Thompson to a syndicate of 100 buyers, known as the "Happy Hundred", each of whom paid a fee of $3,000 (Can you imagine!) for their share of the team. While the leader of the "Happy Hundred" was noted Philadelphia businessman James P. Clark, one unsung investor was Leonard Tose, a name that would eventually become very familiar -- for better or worse -- to Eagles

The Eagles actually considered trying to purchase Temple Stadium in 1952 when the team was unhappy with their lease at Shibe Park. Temple University claimed the property to have been appraised for $1 million and said they were uninterested in selling. In 1958, however, the franchise took key steps to improve, hiring Buck Shaw as Head Coach and acquiring Norm Van Brocklin in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. That year also saw the team move from Connie Mack Stadium (formerly Shibe Park) to Franklin Field, and attendance doubled. The 1959 squad showed real flashes of talent, and finished in second place in the Eastern Division.

Now, we come upon a year and a time that many of us remember.

1960 remains the most celebrated year in Eagle history. Shaw, Van Brocklin and Chuck Bednarik (each in his last season before retirement) led a team more notable for its grit than its talent (one observer later quipped that the team had "nothing but a championship") to its first division title since 1949. The team was aided by their two Pro Bowl receivers, Tommy McDonald (who would later pen a short autobiography titled "They Pay Me to Catch Footballs") and Pete Retzlaff. On December 26, 1960, one of the coldest days in recorded Philadelphia history, the Eagles faced Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in the NFL title game and dealt the mighty Lombardi the sole championship game loss of his storied career. Bednarik lined up at center on offense and at linebacker on defense. Fittingly, the game ended as Bednarik tackled a struggling Jim Taylor and refused to allow him to stand until the last seconds had ticked away. This was a magnificent year. For me, as a just-turned-teenager, it was a time I will never forget. It was magical.

But you must remember that in the 1960s football was not the game that it is today. Baseball was America's game and America's pastime. People were much more familiar with names like Mays and Mantle and Maris than they were with Retzlaff and McDonald. So the championship came with much less notoriety and celebration than it does today.
Still, flush with excitement from their victory and with the talented Jurgensen poised to take the reins of the offense, the future looked promising for the Iggles. As has often been the case with the team however, that promise proved illusory.

In 1962, the bottom dropped out as the team was decimated by injury, managed only three wins and were embarrassed at home 49-0 by the Packers. Rounds of off-field chaos plagued the Iggles and would continue through 1963, as the remaining 65 shareholders out of the original Happy Hundred sold the team to Jerry Wolman, a 36-year-old millionaire Washington developer who outbid local bidders for the team, paying an unprecedented $5,505,000 for control of the club. In 1964, Wolman hired former Cardinals and Washington Redskins coach Joe Kuharich to a 15-year contract. The Kuharich era was one of the most tumultuous in the history of the team and soon the fans were in full revolt. Chants of “Joe must go” echoed through the increasingly empty bleachers of Franklin Field. Adding insult to injury, the Eagles managed to eke out meaningless wins in two of the last three games of the season, costing the franchise the first pick in the draft. Yes, the Iggles actually had the opportunity to add O. J. Simpson to the roster, but they blew it. Imagine that! (With the second pick, the Eagles chose Leroy Keyes, who played only four years in an Eagles uniform.) The last game of 1968, played on December 15, helped cement the rowdy reputation of Philadelphia fans when some of them booed and threw snowballs at an actor playing Santa Claus. Another sad (some might say despicable) chapter in Eagles history.

On top of all that, by 1969, Wolman had lost most of his fortune and was bankrupt, leaving the franchise under the administration of a federal bankruptcy court. At the end of the bankruptcy proceedings, the Eagles were sold to Leonard Tose, the self-made trucking millionaire and original member of the Happy Hundred. Tose's first official act was to fire Kuharich.

With an earned reputation as a fast-living high-flier, Tose infused the organization with some much-needed panache. Initially, however, he ran the team with more enthusiasm than ability, as was exemplified by his choice to replace Kuharich, the hapless Jerry Williams. Tose also selected former Eagles great Pete Retzlaff as General Manager.

Well, there's more. Much, much more.

But many of you who are still reading this know pretty much everything about all the years that followed -- especially those of you who are ardent fans.

The Iggles went through many many coaches and players and management teams.

The fans became more and more vocal and more and more passionate and, at times even more and more rude and obnoxious.

The Iggles moved to the hapless, poorly-designed Veterans Stadium and then to their very own Lincoln Financial Field (The Linc). And ticket prices went up and up and up and tickets became harder and harder to come by.

But not very much changed. Despite some incredibly high moments, the Eagles continued to flounder. It was not to change until 2018.

But please don't say that the Iggles never did this before.

Please don't call this the first time or the only time.

When you do that, you do a great disservice to those early days -- especially 1960.

Yes, that was a Golden Year -- a special year. Retzlaff to McDonald.

That was a special time. A sweeter time. The time before the music died.

That was a time when football was still football.

An Unbelievable List Of Facts, Firsts . . .

Jersey aficionados probably know a lot of these interesting firsts and facts about New Jersey. But how many of the rest of us do?
Anyway, culled from a variety of sources, here they are:


New Jersey was the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights (Nov. 20,1789)

New Jersey is a peninsula.

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 is said to have more Cubans in Union City (1 sq mi.) than Havana, Cuba.

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

Cartoonist Thomas Nast (of Morristown, NJ) created the popular image of Santa Claus.

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

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.

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

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

Not to mention salt water taffy.

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

The "Trial of the Century" (the Lindberg Baby kidnapping) was held in Flemington.

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

You haven't lived until you have eaten New Jersey sweet corn.

New Jersey is a leader in blueberry and cranberry production.

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. On Christmas Eve 1776 he crossed the Delaware to attack the Hessian troops at Trenton.

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 movies were born in New Jersey The first movie studio was in West Orange.

The first western was filmed by Edison in the hills of West Orange-"The Great Train Robbery."

Highest population density in the US

The transistor was invented by Bell Labs in NJ

The telephone was invented in NJ

Samuel Morse's code machine was built in NJ (Morris Plains)

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 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, (one remains in Vineland...The Delsea Drive In).

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

Who Really Is/Was The Greatest EVER?

When Michael Jackson passed away several years ago, numerous speakers at his memorial service described MJ as "the world's greatest entertainer."
It's quite an accolade.
But so many others have also been exalted as "the greatest."
As long as there have been entertainers people have been trying to identify "the greatest." This has been an especially popular pastime in the modern media age.
Indeed, the 20th century has been replete with "greatest entertainers."
At Jackson's memorial someone sang the song "Smile." You know this song ("although a tear may be ever so near . . . "). But how many people know that the song was written by Charlie Chaplin?
Chaplin was not only a great movie actor but also a comedian, musician, writer, director, mime and acrobat. He started as a music hall performer in England. He surely must be considered one of the greatest entertainers ever and his work has certainly endured. His legacy is secure.
In fact, Chaplin is one of the few entertainers from his era to still be recognized throughout the world. Even today, upon seeing his photo most young people are able to identify him
Many people felt that Al Jolson was the greatest entertainer ever in his time. Jolson was a superstar before there were superstars. He electrified audiences with his live performances. But he's not easily identified today.

Still, there is no doubt that Jolson inspired people like Sammy Davis, Jr. Like Jackson, Davis was a child star. Davis sang, danced, acted and became an accomplished impersonator as well. He conquered the stage, screen, television and the movies long, long before African Americans were accepted in such roles. And, of course he charted new paths for black entertainers. Sadly, Davis died in relative obscurity and virtually broke. He did not receive the sendoff that Michael Jackson received.

One of the people who helped Davis gain a foothold was Frank Sinatra. For longevity alone Sinatra must be considered one of the greatest entertainers ever. And most people instantly recognize his distinctive voice. The "Chairman of the Board" was an entertainment empire all to himself. He produced, directed, sang, danced, acted. Let's not forget that "Ole Blue Eyes" won an Academy Award for his acting and that he starred in numerous movies.
Sinatra, Jolson, Chaplin, Davis -- they mostly created themselves.
Elvis Presley was largely created by Col. Tom Parker, his domineering manger. Parker molded an entertainment sensation - The King of Rock and Roll. Presley's career was well-managed but the control was stifling and many feel it held Elvis back. Certainly, Elvis starred in a string of forgettable flicks and he was tormented by the endless typecasting imposed on him by Parker.
Have we mentioned the great Noel Coward?
The Master, as he was known, was a playwright, director, actor, writer, composer, singer, comedian. There seemed to be nothing he could not do. And, his music is still heard and his plays are still performed today.
So many other great entertainers come to mind: Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minelli remain two of the most sensational live performers ever to grace the stage. Liza eventually won the Oscar that her mother should have won. In fact, Liza achieved the rare distinction of winning the Grammy, Emmy, Oscar and Tony awards.
Those who saw Judy Garland in person never, ever forgot her. And she certainly dominated the movies as one of MGM's most popular stars ever.
Besides Liza, another to achieve the quadruple awards crown was Barbra Streisand. Stresand's talent (especially in her early recordings and performances) can only be described as dazzling.
She defined the word "superstar."
World's greatest entertainer?
Where do you begin?
Who would you pick?
I'm sure I left out more than a few greats.
We could argue over this for ages.
Just remember: This title should not be tossed about indiscriminately.

No Doubt About It, She's A Living Legend!

The Carol Burnett Show ran on CBS-TV from 1967 to 1978.
It was one of the last of the great TV comedy-variety shows.
Each week (for 278 editions) Carol Burnett and her company of players, along with weekly guest stars, presented a full scale hour of comedy, dance and music featuring high-quality production values and some of the greatest names in entertainment.

The team that Carol Burnett assembled for her show was top notch, all the way.

Burnett has written a delightful book of recollections (This Time Together) touching upon important parts of her life, including the 11 years that encompassed The Carol Burnett Show. The book is subtitled "laughter and recollection" and even the sad parts are lightened by Burnett's distinctive comedic take on the human condition.
The book is like a series of short anecdotes that almost take the form of a conversation with Carol. In fact, you can hear Burnett's voice on every page and this is what makes the book so honest and so real. These truly are authentic, irrepressibly human reflections from Carol Burnett herself.
In this book you will find unforgettable about Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Marlon Brando, Walter Matthau, Beverly Sills, Julie Andrews, John Huston, Carol Channing, John Crawford, Garry Moore, Bob Mackie, Laurence Olivier, Mike Nichols, John Steinbeck, Ray Charles, Zero Mostel, Peggy Lee and of course Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner. Through these stories and through her own reminiscences, Carol Burnett tells her own story as well. And it's funny, revealing and poignant at the same time.
Count this one as an absolute must read.
BTW: The title of the book comes from the song that Carol Burnett sang at the end of each one of her shows: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together.