Just a Joisey goil....

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.

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 its 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.
(very true!)

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 an tion 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 there.  

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

New Jersey  also boasts 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 was 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 inAtlantic City .

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

not to mention salt water taffy. ( Now made in Pennsylvania)..

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.

New Jersey   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, Zack Braff 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, Joe DePasquale, 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.,Norman Schwarzkopf, Dave Thomas (Wendy's),  William Carlos Williams, Ray Liotta, Robert Wuhl, Bob Reyers, Paul Robeson, Ernie Kovacs, Joseph Macchia, Kelly Ripa, and, of course,

Francis Albert Sinatra and

"Uncle Floyd" Vivino.

The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the 2nd 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   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 local bar.

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

You refer to all highways and interstates
(46. 23, 287, 94, 202, 294, 537)
by their numbers.

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

You know the location of every clip show
n 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 NEVER, EVER

pumped your own gas.

I  really LOVE my state - not the politics!

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Today's funny :o)

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Benji and his girls

I was a beautiful sunny day yesterday! (But it's gonna rain for the next couple of days) ((Again))

Let the gang go into the new garden to break up the soil and leave some fertilizer:

Even Benji joined in looking for bugs!

A few more days of scratching and I won't have to rake it!

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In case you've ever wondered how....

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Today's funny :o)

A big H?T to Donna!

A Tourist walked into a Chinese curio shop in San Francisco. While looking around at the exotic merchandise, he noticed a very lifelike, life-sized, bronze statue of a rat. It had no price tag, but was so incredibly striking the tourist decided he must have it He took it to the old shop owner and asked, "How much for the bronze rat ?"

 

"Ahhh, you have chosen wisely! It is $12 for the rat and $100 for the story," said the wise old Chinaman.

The tourist quickly pulled out twelve dollars. "I'll just take the rat, you can keep the story".

As he walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, the tourist noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys and sewers and had begun following him down the street. This was a bit disconcerting so he began walking faster.

A couple blocks later he looked behind him and saw to his horror the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, and they began squealing.

Sweating now, the tourist began to trot toward San Francisco Bay.

Again, after a couple blocks, he looked around only to discover that the rats now numbered in the MILLIONS, and were squealing and coming 

toward him faster and faster.

Terrified, he ran to the edge of the Bay and threw the bronze rat as far as he could into the Bay.

Amazingly, the millions of rats all jumped into the Bay after the bronze rat and were all drowned.

The man walked back to the curio shop in Chinatown.

"Ahhh," said the owner, "You come back for story ?"

"No sir," said the man, "I came back to see if you have a bronze Democrat.

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A foggy day & some critters

Our state bird:

Goldfinches!

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Friday Night Steam

A wonderful old movie sent to me by Pastor Bob!  Grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy this classic educational film from the Norfolk & Western railroad which highlights the construction and operation of the 4-8-4, J-Class locomotives

Lots and lots of good information can be found here:

https://www.american-rails.com/j.html

Thanks again Pastor Bob!

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Q

Today's funny :o)

H/T to BW!!!! 

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Wacky weather

Had snow showers yesterday morning:

Cleared up and Hubby started on putting up the deer fence around the garden:

This should keep the darn  damn deer out!

The gang heading for the fresh dirt:

They might as well enjoy it now because when the plants go in - they won't!

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War Elephants!!!

Send in the cavalry!

 

Cavalry is heavily celebrated and romanticized in western culture. From the knights of Europe, to the charging forces of 19th century America, to the war in Afghanistan, the fascination with the horse as a war animal continues to this day in popular culture. But farther to the east, the war elephant reigned supreme on the front lines in some of the greatest battles in ancient history.
Something of the main battle tank of their day, these huge beasts were often sent charging towards the enemy's lines, and unlike horses, spears and common blades had little impact on them when fighting at full tilt. To increase the survivability and improve the lethality of these creatures in combat, increasingly elaborate sets of armor were built for them, with the one above being the most extensive of its kind still surviving to this day. 

The armor is displayed on a life-size elephant model in the Oriental Gallery at the Royal Armouries National Museum of Arms and Armour in Leeds. This specific set of armor was brought to Britain by the wife of the second lord of Clive, who was the governor of Madras in 1801. It was originally displayed Powis Castle before it was transferred to London Tower in 1949 for conservation. It was acquired by the Royal Armouries in 1962 in lieu of death duties. 

Designed with charging in mind, the elephant's head and much of its trunk is extensively covered by the metal armor. 

The highly embellished metal suit, which includes elaborate depictions of various animals, was designed for an adult Asiatic Elephant in the 16th century. It emanates from Northern India during the Mughal Empire, and is made up of 5,840 individual plates weighing some 260 pounds. Part of the suit is missing, but complete it is estimated that it would be made up of a total of 8,439 metal plates, and would weigh over 350 pounds. Regardless, even in its current form it is the Guinness World Record holder for the largest suit of animal armor. 

You can see the two missing panels from this angle, and how the elephant's neck is fully covered. 

What's not displayed, but also part of this armor set, are a pair of long, crescent shaped tusk swords (also called elephant swords) that would have been mounted on a war elephant's partially sawn-off tusks. During a charge they would have slashed and pierced their way through whatever they came in contact with. Some armies coated these attachments with poison, making them even more lethal and instilling greater fear among the opposing army's ranks.

 

Tusk swords were used for centuries but just a handful exist today. The left goes with the armor suit discussed above, the right is another example, likely from an earlier age. 

The use of war elephants dates back millennia. Their use is mentioned as far back as the 4th century BC, likely originating in India. From there the use of elephants as weapons propagated through the centuries and eventually ranged as far west as the Mediterranean. The tactical employment of elephants on the battlefield played a major role in the conquests of Alexander the Great, who was so fearful of their impact in combat that he eventually commandeered some and employed them in his own ranks.
Hundreds of years later, the Romans put war elephants to use en masse during their own campaigns, including the conquest of Greece. Even as the widespread use of elephants for warfare died off in Europe in the early middle ages, farther east they remained a staple in large standing armies. It wasn't until the introduction of gunpowder that elephants finally began to fade from militaries in Asia, but this was a slow process. In fact, President Lincoln was offered elephants to use against the Confederates during the Civil War by the King of Siam, which was politely turned down.

What seems to be the last major use of elephants on the front lines was in Vietnam in 1885 during the Sino-French War where they were used as mobile firing platforms more than anything else. But long before then, cannon fire made the lumbering beasts increasingly vulnerable during combat, which led to their tactical utility being questioned. As early as the 1500s, elephants began to disappear from major battles in south central Asia. 

Public Domain

Painting of an elephant in battle, made in Kota, Rajasthan, India circa 1750

Traditionally speaking, the war elephant was used to charge enemy lines or to counter an impending enemy charge. They could crash through seemingly impenetrable walls of infantry, breaking a gaping hole in the enemy's formation, with the elephant slashing with its augmented tusks, stampeding over soldiers, and giving archers a near ideal platform to pick off fighters below.
Above all else, they were major psychological warfare elements that would instill terror and the feeling of dream and hopelessness in the enemy. Their thick hides and massive size made traditional edged weapons nearly useless against them. Their unfamiliar stench could send enemy cavalry running in fear as well. They could also work as mobile command and control platforms or even to dump soldiers right into an ongoing skirmish. 

De Agostini Picture Library

War elephants, equipped according to General d'Orgoni's instructions. 

Countermeasures against elephants included targeting their tusks, as cutting them off could send them running mad. The use of special javelins, fire (including igniting screaming pigs covered in oil), and eventually specially built crossbow artillery that would send an iron bolt through their thick hide were also tactics employed over the centuries to stop elephant onslaughts. Still, many of these tactics were opportunistic in nature and adding armor to elephants could help harden them from some known vulnerabilities.
A major factor that kept war elephants around so long is that they could be turned into beasts of burden when not in combat, helping to construct fortifications, bridges, and other installations, or transporting materiel over long distances. Still, they will be remembered most for their crushing impact on the battlefield.
One can only imagine how terrifying it must have been for a soldier to face down such a huge and heavily armored animal on an ancient battlefield, many of which may not have ever seen an elephant before. Not to mention how terrifying the chaos of combat must have been for the elephants themselves, which are incredibly intelligent and social creatures.

 Source: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/17835/this-ancient-suit-of-elephant-armor-holds-the-record-for-the-largest-of-its-kind

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Today's funny :o)

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