Dan Klein's South Jersey Insider Magazine - Starting Points

Starting Points - by Dan Klein

Fall in Southern New Jersey...

October 2007

Sometimes the most precious things are hidden in plain view. This time of the year here at the Jersey Shore, soft summer breezes give way to crisp autumn winds. Nature takes on a brilliant seasonal appearance, which tells a tale of transition as Mother Earth prepares for her own winter survival. The self-preservation quality of Mother Nature, yes, including we humans, is quite remarkable, don't you think?

Think about it, planet earth operates on its own timetable, following, and repeating, a preset cycle year after year since, well, the beginning. In some parts of the world that just means it's not as hot in the winter as summer.

In others, like Southern New Jersey, it results in four perfectly balanced differences in temperature, and four easily defined parts of the year. One of the most often cited reasons Southern New Jerseyans give as explanation for their love affair with their particular part of the geographic world, is the "changing seasons," and the variety each brings to the table of life.

This time, autumn, clearly one of the most relished of the four. Not too hot, not too cold, just rrrright!," as "Baby Bear" would often proclaim. The perfect time for getting out and about and being a part of the action.

There are many fresh Farm Markets on the main and back roads of Southern New Jersey. Farm Fresh never had truer meaning. These fruits and veggies are right from the farm to you. Of course, not only will you be doing something that's good for you, you'll really get a chance to appreciate the beautiful landscape fall delivers at the Jersey Shore. In fact, in many instances, one only has to look out of their own window and breathe in the wonder of the changing season.

Check out Live...

Be sure to check out page 26 of this magazine. There you will find "LIVE," a three month composition of everything that's worth doing in Atlantic and Cape May Counties, including of course, Atlantic City's casinos. Everything needed to fully engage in the activities of fall. Now, if the Eagles could only get back on track, everything would be "Fall right!"

Your Money...

News about the mis-use of public money...

Added Cost of High Hospital Care...

When hospitals look for ways to decrease the cost of providing service to the thousands who sadly need it each day, one can't help but wonder how much money they would save if they didn't collectively spend millions of dollars in newspaper advertising practically each day. If their goal is to capture the highest percentage of those who need medical assistance on any given day, why don't they offer an incentive to visit their particular hospital.

Why not "Stop into AtlanticCare for your flu shot today, and get a breast cancer screening at no charge!"

That'll get the phone lines buzzing.

Not, "Now I can See Thanks to AtlanticCare!" with the requisite image of the satisfied customer. And, while I'm at it, does AtlantiCare, who depends upon the local community for support and its ultimate existence, have to get an ad agency from Pennsylvania to come up with that?

No local agencies capable of such sophisticated advertising techniques?

Traffic lights eat up gas...

As gas continues to fluctuate between $2.55 per gallon and $2.80, depending on where you fill up, it's only a matter of time before gas goes up beyond the $3 mark for good.

That in mind, isn't it about time local municipalities start taking the cost of motoring into consideration, and synchronize their respective traffic lights to allow for optimum traffic flow and less gas consumption by their residents and visitors?

IRS says NJ Rebate Taxable...

New Jersey residents who received property tax rebate checks, courtesy of a disingenuous, and irresponsible legislature, might now have to pay Federal Income tax on the money. Talk about getting it twice. No matter what New Jersey seems to do, it can't get out of the way of paying more money. To further add insult to injury, the state experienced a net loss of over 70,000 New Jersey residents. Those left behind will have to foot an even larger deficit next year. A deficit estimated to be over $3.5 Billion dollars.

Dan Klein is publisher of the South Jersey Insider Magazine, as well as host of the weekly radio show by the same name, heard Saturdays from 1PM to 4PM on LifeRadio 1020 AM - WIBG.