Good Living 123

July 27, 1776, is when New Jersey became the 3rd state to join the Union. New Jersey’s location was vital during the American Revolutionary War, and it saw more battles than any other state. In that light, the state hosts one of the nation’s largest numbers of historical museums.  Henry Hudson first colonized the area and initially named it New Netherlands. When the British took over, they renamed it after the UK’s Isle of Jersey in the English Channel.

Known as the Garden State, New Jersey is famous for its tomato crop but also boasts blueberries and cranberries. It also has 4 national parks and 130 miles of shoreline. For a few little-known facts, New Jersey hosted the first drive-in movie theater and the world’s first submarine launch.

More cars are stolen in Newark than in any other US city. Princeton is where cheerleading got its start in 1869.  Beemerville, New Jersey is home to a dormant volcano.

The Monopoly game includes actual streets in Atlantic City, home to the world’s longest boardwalk.

Home to the most diners in the nation, it also has the nation’s highest population density, with 1300 people per square mile. 90% of the population lives in an urban area. In fact, all 21 counties are classified as metropolitan areas.

Photo by Christopher Kuzman

Speaking of people, many famous folks were born in New Jersey. Consider astronaut Buzz Aldrin, US General Norman Schwarzkopf, US Supreme Court justice William Brennan, publisher Malcolm Forbes, and editor Steve Forbes. Plus sportscasters Dick Vitale and Chris Wragge, NFL coach Bill Parcells, quarterback Joe Theismann, NBA great Shaquille O’Neal, and boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler. And there is news anchor Bret Baier, film critic Leonard Maltin, author Fran Lebowitz, comedians Lou Costello and Flip Wilson, and illusionist David Copperfield.

Stepping into the music world we find bandleaders Count Basie and Nelson Riddle, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli, Dionne Warwick, Ricky Nelson, Connie Francis, Gloria Gaynor, Sarah Vaughan, Jon Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, and Queen Latifah. New Jersey also rocks the acting world with household names including, John Travolta, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Jerry Lewis, Joe Pesci, Frank Langella, Michael Douglas, Sam Coppola, Bruce Willis, Judith Light, Roy Scheider, Ray Liotta, Nathan Lane, and Danny DeVito.

Way to go, New Jersey!

If we were fortunate as children, we rode a merry go ‘round when a carnival or fair came to town. Delightful memories often get relived as adults.

Surprisingly, the carousel started as a sort of war training. Early merry-go-rounds date back to the 12^th century, when knights used them to test agility and jousting skills as they galloped around the carousel. Children became enamored with the skill games and developed make-believe carousels with wooden horses.

Circles were pulled by humans or horses before steam engines and electricity. Music was also an entertaining addition. While all galloping horses initially, today’s children can ride in various seats, cars, and a full array of critters.

We humans are slow to evolve. While harmony is difficult to achieve, it remains a worthy goal. Recognize progress toward becoming a racially peaceful society, as we continue the long trek toward it… along with dealing with our discrimination based on religion, sex, age, etc., etc., etc.

Celebration of the Horse Day & National I Love Horses Day both fall on July 15^th every year. Horses have long been revered for being gorgeous, but they have also had economic, cultural, and historical impacts on our history.

For example, I had not realized that horses were domesticated in 6000 BC. in the Americas some 8-10,000 years ago, before going extinct. They were then re-introduced to the Western Hemisphere in the late 1400s and to Florida in 1538. Many were released into the wild, and some 33,000 feral horses, known as mustangs, still roam our plains.

The life expectancy of a horse is between 25 and 30 years, but a horse named Old Billy was said to have lived to the age of 62.

Want some more little-known facts about horses? Scientists say horses have the IQ of a 3-year-old child when compared to humans.

Most horses can recognize themselves in the mirror, learn complex orders or tricks, and comprehend human emotions. Horses only breathe through their noses, and they can fall asleep standing up. Horses have an amazing field of vision, reaching almost 360°.

Three of the world’s major rock groups are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Oops! I just know you thought I was going to say the Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Led Zeppelin.

(In an interesting twist, July 13^th is also “World Rock Day” which does celebrate rock music. The date was selected in reference to the request made by Phil Collins at the July 13, 1985, Live Aid concert to raise funds for fighting famine in Ethiopia.)

But International Rock Day is recognizing that the Earth’s outer layer is made of rock. Whether you are talking about quartz, feldspar, or biotite minerals, rocks have been vital to human civilization ever since they became tools during the Stone Age.

Recognize rocks today. Paint a rock. Climb a rock. Or talk to your pet rock. (Okayyyy… please don’t “stone” me for that one.)