The map of NJ

I think I am in the McMansions region.

Edit: looking closely, is pretty close to Old People and Asians too.

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http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/nj_man_puts_rednecks_hippies_a.html

If you live in the northwestern corner of New Jersey, you're a resident of the "Vast Wilderness Of Rednecks And Retired Hippies." Hail from Atlantic City? Welcome to the land of "Sad Black People And Misguided Tourists."

Think you know where you live? Hah.

Forget about what exit you are off the Garden State Parkway or New Jersey Turnpike. You also can toss out the new redistricting map politicians took months to put together.

In a mere two hours, Joe Steinfeld redrew the map of New Jersey, using many of the state’s stereotypes in his color-coded opus. The map, which the Rutgers graduate posted online Monday, went viral within 24 hours, gathering 800,000 hits as it circulated through blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

Steinfeld’s approach was light-hearted, but with regions like "Pineys ... Pineys Everywhere," "Ghetto In The Woods" and "Sad Black People And Corruption," not everyone looking at the map has been able to locate their funny bone.

"I meant it as a joke. It’s tongue-in-cheek. It’s meant to be silly, meant to be fun," Steinfeld said Wednesday. He filled the map with stereotypes he said he encountered growing up in and traveling New Jersey, labeling a swath of Bergen County "Well-To-Do Conservatives ‘Christie Country’ " and parts of Salem and Cumberland counties "Pretty Much Alabama."

"I didn’t want it to become this," Steinfeld said of all the internet attention the map has garnered.

He first posted the map on the social media page Reddit.com Monday night under a fake name. By Tuesday afternoon he saw friends on Facebook talking about it and acknowledged ownership. Since then, he’s been bombarded with e-mails and phone calls.

Originally from Westfield, aka "Middle-Class Raritan Valley Line Commuters," Steinfeld’s inspiration was similar online dissections he saw for Vancouver and Pittsburgh. A part-time Rutgers environmental science research assistant, he said he saw a lot of New Jersey gathering research as a student.

"I’ve driven to every corner of the state," Steinfeld said. "Stopped at a lot of towns. Stopped at a lot of Wawas and QuickCheks."

Most of the designations are based on ethnicity, socio-economic standings and cultural stereotypes. Then there are some random categories like "Where They Filmed Clerks" (Leonardo, in Monmouth County) and "Swamps And Toxic Waste" (part of Salem and Cumberland counties).

But while Steinfeld said the map is a joke, not everyone who saw it laughed.

I’d ask whoever designed the map to actually travel to these areas to see how vibrant some of the neighborhoods are," said Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage. The city sits on the border of "Poor Minorities" and "Russians, Polacks And Toxic Fumes" on Steinfeld’s map.

"It’s unfortunate that somebody has enough spare time to do something that is just going to inflame some people and point to the worst possible side of things," Bollwage said. "I don’t find humor in it."

In Morris County, or, the land of "Executives Living In Mansions Driving Mercedes-Benzes," the sentiment was a bit different.

"You know, a part of being a lifelong Jerseyite is developing an ability to laugh at yourself, and as long as everyone is laughing together that’s okay by me," Chester Township Mayor William Cogger said from his parked Ford pickup truck. He also said he hopes to swap the truck for a Mercedes as soon as possible.

Maplewood, which highlights its diversity, is perfectly suited for inclusion in "The Melting Pot" region, township Mayor Victor DeLuca said.

"We have a nice mix of races and ethnicities" DeLuca said of the town, where, according to the Census’ American Community Survey, the population is 61 percent white and 30 percent black. He also cited a mix of incomes and of gay and straight residents.

"We are what I think one would think of the United States — a community that welcomes everyone," DeLuca said.

As for Steinfeld, who separated New Jersey’s "Hipsters" from "The Hill People" and "Friendly White Families" from "McMansions!!" well, he thinks the map has enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame.

"I'm pretty sure it's starting to die out now," he said, taking a break from his job in the area of "Drunk Rutgers Students."

Tracy Whitney wrote:I think I am in the McMansions region.

Edit: looking closely, is pretty close to Old People and Asians too.

***********************************

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/nj_man_puts_rednecks_hippies_a.html

If you live in the northwestern corner of New Jersey, you're a resident of the "Vast Wilderness Of Rednecks And Retired Hippies." Hail from Atlantic City? Welcome to the land of "Sad Black People And Misguided Tourists."

Think you know where you live? Hah.

Forget about what exit you are off the Garden State Parkway or New Jersey Turnpike. You also can toss out the new redistricting map politicians took months to put together.

In a mere two hours, Joe Steinfeld redrew the map of New Jersey, using many of the state’s stereotypes in his color-coded opus. The map, which the Rutgers graduate posted online Monday, went viral within 24 hours, gathering 800,000 hits as it circulated through blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

Steinfeld’s approach was light-hearted, but with regions like "Pineys ... Pineys Everywhere," "Ghetto In The Woods" and "Sad Black People And Corruption," not everyone looking at the map has been able to locate their funny bone.

"I meant it as a joke. It’s tongue-in-cheek. It’s meant to be silly, meant to be fun," Steinfeld said Wednesday. He filled the map with stereotypes he said he encountered growing up in and traveling New Jersey, labeling a swath of Bergen County "Well-To-Do Conservatives ‘Christie Country’ " and parts of Salem and Cumberland counties "Pretty Much Alabama."

"I didn’t want it to become this," Steinfeld said of all the internet attention the map has garnered.

He first posted the map on the social media page Reddit.com Monday night under a fake name. By Tuesday afternoon he saw friends on Facebook talking about it and acknowledged ownership. Since then, he’s been bombarded with e-mails and phone calls.

Originally from Westfield, aka "Middle-Class Raritan Valley Line Commuters," Steinfeld’s inspiration was similar online dissections he saw for Vancouver and Pittsburgh. A part-time Rutgers environmental science research assistant, he said he saw a lot of New Jersey gathering research as a student.

"I’ve driven to every corner of the state," Steinfeld said. "Stopped at a lot of towns. Stopped at a lot of Wawas and QuickCheks."

Most of the designations are based on ethnicity, socio-economic standings and cultural stereotypes. Then there are some random categories like "Where They Filmed Clerks" (Leonardo, in Monmouth County) and "Swamps And Toxic Waste" (part of Salem and Cumberland counties).

But while Steinfeld said the map is a joke, not everyone who saw it laughed.

I’d ask whoever designed the map to actually travel to these areas to see how vibrant some of the neighborhoods are," said Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage. The city sits on the border of "Poor Minorities" and "Russians, Polacks And Toxic Fumes" on Steinfeld’s map.

"It’s unfortunate that somebody has enough spare time to do something that is just going to inflame some people and point to the worst possible side of things," Bollwage said. "I don’t find humor in it."

In Morris County, or, the land of "Executives Living In Mansions Driving Mercedes-Benzes," the sentiment was a bit different.

"You know, a part of being a lifelong Jerseyite is developing an ability to laugh at yourself, and as long as everyone is laughing together that’s okay by me," Chester Township Mayor William Cogger said from his parked Ford pickup truck. He also said he hopes to swap the truck for a Mercedes as soon as possible.

Maplewood, which highlights its diversity, is perfectly suited for inclusion in "The Melting Pot" region, township Mayor Victor DeLuca said.

"We have a nice mix of races and ethnicities" DeLuca said of the town, where, according to the Census’ American Community Survey, the population is 61 percent white and 30 percent black. He also cited a mix of incomes and of gay and straight residents.

"We are what I think one would think of the United States — a community that welcomes everyone," DeLuca said.

As for Steinfeld, who separated New Jersey’s "Hipsters" from "The Hill People" and "Friendly White Families" from "McMansions!!" well, he thinks the map has enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame.

"I'm pretty sure it's starting to die out now," he said, taking a break from his job in the area of "Drunk Rutgers Students."

A perfect map....smart guy. Did not know there were smart guys in college these days.