In Case You Didn’t Know, NJ is Corrupt

Posted March 14, 2010 by armpitnj
Categories: politics, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,

In light of all the drama going on with the political landscape in New York, Newsweek recently put together a list of the most corrupt states in the country.  This should be no surprise to anyone, but New Jersey made this elite list of seven states.  Newsweek’s Andrew Romano, who hails from the Armpit of America, wrote a very nice summary of our state’s tendency to put only the most disgraceful politicians in office.

Romano discusses New Jersey’s first colonial governor, Lord Cornbury.  Aside from the funny name, Lord Cornbury was a nepotistic, bribe-taking cross-dresser.  Romano also mentions that gay sex scandal involving former governor Jim McGreevey.  The author then touches on the FBI bust that caught a group of rabbis and state officials trafficking human organs and fake Gucci purses.  Yes, you read that correctly.

I suggest reading the whole article to get an even broader sense of the level of corruption that has always plagued the Armpit of America.  Though the other states in the article (New York, Louisiana, Illinois, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Ohio) may be corrupt, none can top my beloved New Jersey.

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Top 5 Bruce Songs About New Jersey

Posted March 9, 2010 by armpitnj
Categories: Music, Top 5
Tags: , , , , ,
I wish my Jew-fro looked half as good as that...

Are we sure he's not Jewish?

A few weeks ago, I created a list of what I consider the top 5 songs about the Armpit of America. Noticeably absent from that list were songs by Bruce Springsteen. Since the patron saint of New Jersey has written so many songs about the state, it would be impossible to pick just one. So I made this list of the top 5 Bruce Springsteen songs about New Jersey.

1. Born to Run – Perhaps the most famous of all Bruce’s songs, Born to Run takes us into a world of motorcycle-riding punks looking for love and a way to escape from this horrible state. Now you may be wondering why I would include a song that is so obviously about getting the fuck out of New Jersey (especially with lines like “Baby this town rips the bones from your back / It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap / We gotta get out while we’re young / ‘Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run“). But, as anyone who has ever lived in this state knows, wanting to get the hell out of here is part of the whole Jersey experience.

2. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) – In this fun little song, Bruce sings about the trouble a guy has trying to get the girl of his desire to go out with him. Though he pleads and pleads to get her to come out (to meet up with characters like Jack the Rabbit, Weak Knees Willie, and Sloppy Sue) Rosalita refuses, since her parents don’t approve of her rock-n-rolling suitor. Our hero refuses to give up, though, and explains to the girl that a record company just gave him “a big advaaaancceeee!!!” At this point, the narrator forgets about convincing Rosie to hang out with local hooligans and, instead, he’s dead set on getting the fuck out of New Jersey. Especially since someone slashed his tires, rendering his car “a dud, stuck in the mud, somewhere in the swamps of Jersey.” Though we don’t know if he was successful in ever getting Rosalita out of her room, it sure is fun watching him try. Read the rest of this post »

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Book Review: Living on the Edge of the World

Posted March 2, 2010 by armpitnj
Categories: Reviews
Tags: , , , , ,

NJ is the edge of the world? More like center of Hell!

Time for another book review! Last time, I wrote about the bible of the Turnpike, Looking for America on the New Jersey Turnpike. For today, I’m reviewing Living on the Edge of the World, edited by Irina Reyn. This book is a collection of short stories all about life in New Jersey.

There are 19 stories total, including Reyn’s introduction, each by a different author who grew up in the state. Anyone from New Jersey will probably relate in one way or another to these stories. And anyone who isn’t from New Jersey can read this book to get an in-depth look of what our state is really like.

What’s great about the book is that each story can stand alone and still be a wonderful read. Whether the author loves or hates his or her native state, each story is equally passionate. Of course, people from New Jersey aren’t known for their subtlety.

Another cool thing about the book is how each story provides not just the name of the author, but also the town and exit number of where the story takes place. Though Reyn doesn’t point out whether the exit is on the Parkway or Turnpike, she doesn’t have to. Us New Jerseyans know instinctively.

Though each story is good, some stand out a little more than others. Here are just a few of my favorites. If these pique your interest, go read “Living on the Edge of the World” yourself. Read the rest of this post »

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The Best of NJ: Adventure Aquarium

Posted February 24, 2010 by armpitnj
Categories: Armpit Adventures, Best of NJ
Tags: , , ,

New Jersey isn’t really known as a hotspot for marine life. The animals that eke out a living in our polluted waters eventually succumb to our chemical runoff or get scooped out of the water and end up on a plate at the Red Lobster in East Brunswick. However, there is one place in the Armpit of America where our fishy friends can thrive – Adventure Aquarium.

Anyone who has been to New Jersey’s Adventure Aquarium would surely agree that it is one of the best things in the Armpit of America. Ironically, this “best thing” is located in the worst part of the state. You see, this wonderful aquarium is found in Camden. For those who don’t know, Camden is a shithole. Routinely ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the country, you normally don’t want to spend much time there. But, as long as you can dodge a few bullets as you drive through the city before ending up at the revitalized Camden waterfront, the trip will be well worth it.

Though there are bigger and better aquariums relatively close by (like those in Baltimore and Boston), us New Jerseyans should be very proud of this place. It offers a chance to see all kinds of marine life face to face (rather than the usually dead jellyfish and horseshoe crabs that wash up on the Jersey Shore). And, I think we all should be proud that such a bright spot can emerge in an otherwise disgusting city like Camden.

I went to adventure aquarium for the third time about two weeks ago. Though things haven’t changed much in my visits, I still find everything just as amazing. Then again, I have a fish fetish. But enough about me, onto the fish! Read the rest of this post »

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How does the Jersey Shore feel about "Jersey Shore"?

Posted February 19, 2010 by armpitnj
Categories: Jersey Shore, MTV's "Jersey Shore"
Tags: , , , ,

The “Jersey Shore has certainly caused a lot of controversy.  Love it or hate, there are few people in this country who aren’t aware of it.  Hell, even my out-of-touch mother knows all about Snooki and The Situation.

While I admittedly enjoyed the show, it does bring light to the problem of trashy out of staters coming to the Jersey Shore and making the lives of us locals completely miserable.  One of the readers of this blog (by the way, you can sign up at the right to get an e-mail whenever i write a new post!) left a very poignant and well written comment about those trashy guidos and guidettes.  Rather than leaving it buried in the Armpit of America archives, I wanted to post it up front and center so everyone can see it.

Whoever you are, thanks for speaking what all of us true Jerseyans are thinking!

To Armpitofamerica,

I want to set the record straight about the Jersey Shore. Since these MTV people invaded our shores, it has put such a bad light on New Jersey. I am so very sad, as I was born and raised at the Jersey Shore. I can honestly tell you that parts, (that the guidos and tourists know nothing about) are absolutely beautiful and pristeen. There are bays, rivers, streams, camping, canoeing, tubing, and clean beaches which we and our children have beautiful memories from. I will not reveal where these places are as so those “types” won’t trash it like Seaside, or what us locals refer to it as “Sleazside”.

We let our teens work on the boardwalk and saw so much human garbage there, we pulled them out, never letting them work there again. The things we’ve seen, made the quidos and quidettes look like choir singers. Trust me, 90% of the people that spend the summers there are not Jersey Shore residents. First there is no room to breathe, and 2nd, we cannot afford the crappy $5.00 hot dogs  $10.00 drinks and $15.00 a day parking. Who needs it! They come from North Jersey and out of state looking for a good time and not care what or who they hurt to get it. Yeah, lets pee on this guys lawn, ah throw the beer can anywhere we don’t care! Not to mention the rise in crime. We relish mid September to reclaim our beaches again until another dreaded summer comes. Thanks tourists.

I admit,I would never live in the large cities of New Jersey as I said before most of them are transplants and bring their garbage with them making the Garden State the reputation it has. But if you go to some of the small towns with good hard working people who love to fish and crab and boat, canoe, and tend their famous Jersey tomatoes and corn on their day off, and with our hometown parades with flags flying, you would see just how beautiful small town America can be. No it’s not corny, it’s true. And I’m proud of that.

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