New Jersey new motto + bad review

Hello,

On radio 5 late night show, they were discussing NJ new motto, I cant remember it properly something like : come to New Jersey and be sure......

ANyway the guy doing the report was from USA today paper and slagged NJ bad.... that is smells because of the chemicals and what do you need to be sure of that it does smell and theres not a nice place there !!!!!!!! He also laughed and said that when someone lives in NJ all you ask them is what section do they turn off of on the turnpike, because thats all that can be said.

I thought it was terrible, dont NJers ever fight the journos back ?

Every town/country has is good and bad points but no journo has ever said anything nice about Jersey, it does seem really unfair and down right rude.

Dawn

It is downright rude - but those are the same type of journalists that slag Bon Jovi for hair - 20 years after the fact. They paint such a bad picture that when I post gorgeous pictures of New Jersey here people question me.

Keep in mind - that with all their fame and money Jon and Bruce still live here because they love it - not because they have to. I could add others to that list too but you get the point. I moved back here after many years in California because I never "transplanted" well.

New Jersey has it's bad areas - just as anywhere else does but it also has some absolutely beautiful mountains and beaches that many places don't have.

Kathleen

Just as a followup - in case anyone cares - here is an article from the New York Times reporting on the same slogan issue.

New Jersey Picks a Slogan: Come Read It for Yourself
By RICHARD LEZIN JONES
Published: January 13, 2006
TRENTON, Jan. 12 - When Gov. Richard J. Codey asked for suggestions for a new state slogan, more than 8,000 poured into his office.

"Most of Our Elected Officials Have Not Been Indicted" was eliminated early. "Love at First Sight" was a strong contender.

After inviting residents to vote on five finalists, Mr. Codey announced the winner on Thursday: "New Jersey: Come See for Yourself."
(I am going to insert my own comment here and say that I think it's a good one)

He made the announcement roughly 100 feet from where about a dozen exotic dancers were protesting some unrelated legislation on the State House steps.

"I can't bear it," Mr. Codey said when asked about the coincidence, drawing groans from reporters who had gathered to hear the state's new catchphrase.

Mr. Codey was not nearly so happy with the slogan, "We'll Win You Over," which the state paid an ad agency about $250,000 to develop last fall. He said he believed it was too negative and prone to ridicule. Besides, Mr. Codey said, it reminded him of his own self-deprecating pitch when he asked girls out for dates.

So in October, Mr. Codey scrapped the agency's proposal and asked New Jerseyans to come up with a slogan. Five finalists were selected from the 8,000 entries. More than 11,000 state residents then cast their votes by fax, e-mail and phone.

The new slogan was the brainchild of Jeffrey Antman, 50, of Passaic. One of his duties as an employee of New Jersey Transit is to come up with ad slogans. (He wore a button on his lapel with another of his creations: "The Tunnel - Dig It.")

"It was an epiphany," Mr. Antman said, referring to the new state slogan, which edged out the second-place "New Jersey: The Best Kept Secret" by a few more than 100 votes.

With tourism accounting for 500,000 jobs and $4 billion in tax revenue, Mr. Codey said there were significant stakes behind the new slogan.

"I think that embodies the pride that we have in our state," Mr. Codey said. "We know it's a great state. We're more than just the Turnpike, that's for sure. There's a lot of beauty out there."

He probably meant for tourists to look beyond sights like the demonstrators outside, who were protesting the new ban on smoking in indoor public places that was passed this week by the New Jersey Legislature and which he said he plans to sign into law on Sunday.

Billed as the "100 Stripper March" by a local radio station that promoted it, the protest actually drew about a dozen dancers - clad in nothing more revealing than miniskirts or halter tops - and about 500 mostly male onlookers.

The governor said that he hoped the ban would protect employees like nightclub dancers from second-hand smoke. He also deflected concerns that the ban might mean lost business.

"Where are these quote-unquote gentlemen going to go? New York City?" Mr. Codey said, referring to New York's ban. "It's just a matter of time before you can't go anywhere in a public place and smoke. And I think that's good for all of us."

Kathleen

You know, I was driving around in circles in dowtown Newark once and it's not a place I'd like to visit again, but most of New Jersey that I saw was BEAUTIFUL!!! The roadsides were mostly clean and no annoying billboards. I also liked the way they had rest stations between the opposite lanes of traffic instead of on one side here and then on the other side 20 miles later.

And you know what the sad part about that is Becky? Newark is right on the river and used to be the most beautiful city. My Dad went to school there when I was a little kid and I remember a very different Newark. After the race riots of the 60's, Newark (and Philadelphia too unfortunately) have never been the same. I should add Asbury Park to that list too, and for the same reason

Kathleen

if you like the place then it shouldn't really bother you.

New Jersey = Leeds of America

I loved New Jersey. Just the drive oven Staten Island to the Bayonne Bridge..driving past Bayonne. A little country area before you hit more city..even then it's quieter compared to the immediate reach of NYC. Jersey City, where I worked off Tonnelle had the ugliest industrial areas and some beautiful neighborhoods just blocks away.

I don't get when people slag on Jersey either...I have one friend who already has a bad opinion of it purely because his girlfriend, Staten Island princess, completely slagged it as unworthy of even looking at.

That's like someone focusing on NYC's worst ghettos as the benchmark while ignoring all else to create an image of it.

You know, I lived in Staten Island for awhile and I am not just saying this, it is an absolute shit hole. There is so much garbage everywhere, that you can't even take a nice walk without witnessing all sorts of crap along the side of the road. Plus, the houses are built right on top of one another. My husband saw my backyard in Jersey, as he is from S.I. and couldn't believe how big it was! LOL Of course there are nice sections, but they are in the process of being trashed by all of the building that is allowed to go on there. Go to Staten Island in the heat of the summer and your nostrils will burn due to the lovely aroma of the dump which you can smell for miles. Hehe..don't get me started.

I also lived in Staten Island right after I got married. My backyard was next to an MTA bus barn. One evening someone tried to steal a bus and the cops ran through my backyard firing guns. Scared the shit out of me. Fortunately we were only renting and we were gone by the next month - back to Jersey LOL.

Kathleen