Isn't it ironic that National Be Nice to New Jersey week started with several high-level state politicians shutting down the state during a big holiday weekend in the middle of summer?

Maybe our fine elected leaders didn't know this was National Be Nice to New Jersey Week. Heck, I had no idea and chances are you probably didn't, either.

Welcome to New Jersey state road sign
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I can't seem to find the exact dates that we're supposed to be celebrating National Be Nice to New Jersey week, but it seems to always run through the 4th of July, which is obviously this week.

If you are feeling guilty that you didn't know this was our special week -- don't be. Apparently, this week is set aside for people in the other 49 states to be nice to us. There is no indication that the people that live here are supposed to be nice (or nicer) to each other -- nor are we supposed to be nice (or nicer) to out-of-staters... so keep flipping-off the Pennsylvania drivers in the left lane on the Parkway as much as you want. I'm kidding! No I'm not.

How did this national week of commemoration start? According to a 20-year-old article from The New York Times, Lone Star Publications of Humor -- based in Texas -- started it in 1984 because its publisher found that there were more jokes about the Garden State than any other state in the union.

So, Garden Staters, stay close to your cell phones. Someone from a state that you've never been to should be calling you any minute now to tell you how great things are here.

Thanks, but we already know that.

Now get out of the left lane.

 

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