There is really no upside to calling your insurer. IF your rates are going to go up, I don't think calling them will not bring them down. IF they're not going to go up, why raise a red flag by asking them?

I know there is peace of mind in knowing, BUT is the risk of opening an issue you wish to keep closed worth the peace of mind?

Why no have it detailed? A wash and polish might be all it needs.

Does anyone have an idea what is the overall population of whales? I know it sounds like a dumb question, but years ago I neversaw deer, or wild turkeys or bear in lower Bergen County. Now they're pretty common.

If the whale population is rebounding in the Atlantic, wouldn't it fllow that there are more whalesto die and therefore wash ashore?

The first cannibal asked the other, "Do you think he tastes funny?"

Would commenting "Nice rack" be appropriate here?

OMG, I had that vision in 1985 trying to drive from Greenwich CT to lower Bergen County the Weds before Thanksgiving. That was what almost 40 years ago.

If they ever mandate a mass exodus, I will take my chances at home so I can die peacefully in my bed, rather than risk dying behind the wheel of my car, stuck in traffic, screaming like a maniac.

"Why is this day different than any other day?"

We've been stuck in traffic for ages. People are always escaping somewhere.

Madeline's Petite Paris in Northvale. Family run, great emphasis on quality products. Food A+, ambiance is B+, cost, expensive but you won't feel ripped off. (Fair prices given what you're getting.)

Ask for François when making your reservation and tell him that it's a special occasion.

You may have to add a few bucks if your bar tab is high but the Chart House in Wehauken is great especially if you get there before sunset so you get the daylight/nightlight views of Manhattan.

In Hoboken, Il Tavolo di Palmisano.Tavolo di Palmisano.

Both are favorites of ours.

I'm so old, my first thought was "free."

I remember the gates. Sometimes, if you didn't have money, you could tailgate the car in front of you and slip under the gate before it dropped. That's until the car in front of you had a manual transmission and "bucked" going from 1st to 2nd. It took saving a lot of quarters to pay for a new grill

This is exactly my rationale for occasionally buying a ticket. True, the odds of winning are astronomical, BUT, sooner or later someone has to win, so why not take the chance. Worst case, I spent a few hours at the "Fantasy Island" in my head. My typical fantasies are based on the reality of my finances, so they're pretty mundane.

Harrison, good call. My recommendation...train over the bus. More reliable, less prone to traffic delays.

Get a train map and look at towns one or two stops from the Hoboken station, in no particular order, Lyndhurst, Secaucus, Woodridge, Hackensack come to mind. The train ride might be 20 mins +/-, but you get a helluva lot more bang for your buck. Rush-hour traffic is a bear, so what might be a 20 minute ride one day, can be a 60 minute ride the next.

You will need a car for most places.

As for racism, New Jerseyans support equal opportunity, we hate everyone the same. 🤪 We can be loud and gruff but most of us are fair. If you hear something that sounds racist, make sure you're not mistaking our intolerance of nonsense for true hatred. Most New Jerseyans would give you the shirt off their back to help you, but if you drive too slowly in the left lane or fail to make a "right on red" be ready to hear some very nasty words.

A Polish girl goes home after being gone for 5 years.

Her father says, "Where have you been?" and she replies "I was in the big city working as a prostitute. "

Like this Irish guy, her father goes off the deep end, cursing and berating her. Like the Irish prostitute, she explains herself, but instead of a car, she gives her father $250,000.10

Once the shock wore off, her father asks, "....but who gave you the 10 cents?" to which she replies, "all of them!"