some comparisons never die

From a Harper's article that m00nglum linked to:

The Mississippi River’s heavily fertilized effluvia has created a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico the size of New Jersey.

Why is everything always compared to New Jersey? It's not just Harper's. A quick Google search pulls up some 14,000 documents, including lines like, "Swaziland, which is about 85% the size of New Jersey [...]", a fairly silly comparison.

'nyway. Going on vacation (and, sorry, not in New Jersey). See y'all later.