Possumblog

State Visitor Day!

In keeping with my promise of last week, today we wish to salute visitors who come to Possumblog from the place that proudly flies this flag--

That's right! It's--well, hmm.... Let's see, two chicks in nightgowns carrying weaponry looking out a big picture window toward a lake with pretty sailboats, and they're standing on a carpet runner made out of shredded wood.

OH! SILLY ME--it's NEW YORK!

We would like to thank all of our many, many Empire State visitors who come by Possumblog, and ask you to take a moment and tell us all about your wonderful, lovely, pretty state. Why am I being so solicitous? Because I don't want to wind up in the Hudson wearing a cement shoes, that's why!

For the rest of our visitors, a bit of fascinating information about New York:

1. New York was named New York to keep it from being confused with Old York, the nickname of famed British actor Michael York.

2. At one time, New York was owned by the Dutch, who made a good living trading Dutch rubs, Dutch uncles, and Dutch ovens with the various indigenous Indian tribes.

3. New York is actually a very large state, consisting of the Borough of Manhattan, and other place that no one cares about.

4. New York ranks seventh in the nation in manufacturing, with 805,200 employees (as of 2002). The principal industries are printing and publishing, industrial machinery and equipment, electronic equipment, and instruments. The convention and tourist business is also an important source of income.

5. The capital of New York is Albany, which remained hidden in a dense jungle rainforest until it was discovered in 1973 by Belgian anthropologist Renee Gascoingne.

6. More movies are made about New York than any other place, except for Montana.

7. New York farms produce cattle, poultry, corn, vegetables, and fruit, and the state is a leading wine producer. One of the most looked forward to time is the fall harvest celebration in Central Park, where families from both Central Park East AND West gather together with their threshing machines and combines to cut the vast fields of wheat. The women make large picnic baskets of homemade goodies and set them out on the edges of the fields while children scamper about, and at noontime the men come in from the fields and everyone has a wonderful dinner. There are athletic competitions, where the men will see who can heave sheaves of wheat the furthest, or who can lift the heaviest sheaf. After dinner, the men return to the fields and continue the harvest until it is complete, and when the day is well done, everyone dresses up and takes in a Broadway show.

8. The highest point in New York is Mt. Marcy at 5,344 feet.

9. Famous New York natives include Herman Melville; Ethel Merman; Chico, Groucho, Harpo, and Zeppo Marx; Moe, Curly, and Shemp Howard; Phoebe Doty; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Martin Van Buren; Millard Fillmore; Vince Lombardi; and Theodore Roosevelt. And, of course, Scarlett Johansson.

Whew. God bless New York.

10. New York's Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, Westchester County, is the birthplace of the prison musical.

11. The state animal of New York is the beaver, and the state fish is the brook trout.

SO THERE YOU GO! Such a fascinating place.

As we said earlier, if you hale from the ol' En Wye, take a moment and say hello, or at least grace us with a rousing FUGEDDABOUDIT!

Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 23, 2006 12:09 PM