World War II Vets Too Dead To See Unbuilt Memorial

Back in 2000, people in New Jersey decided there really should be a World War II memorial in the state. The reasoning: If there’s any war we don’t really honor the soldiers from, it’s World War II.

Now it’s 2007, and it still hasn’t been built. This is worrying quite a few people because there’s a chance by the time it’s finished there won’t be any more WW II veterans alive to see the memorial.

The Garden State’s been on a bit of a memorial binge recently, with a Vietnam one opening up in 1995 and a Korea one opening in 2001. While the funding for those projects went smoothly — possibly because there are veterans of those wars not in nursing homes — people just don’t feel the need to honor the greatest generation or whatever. (Fun fact: 1,100 World War II veterans die every day in America. Wait, I guess that’s not fun.)

The state has kicked in $3 million for the memorial, but it’s now going to cost about 80 billion dollars to build and they could really use some money. And whose fault is it that the memorial isn’t done? That’s right.

While the state has allocated $3 million for the project, the commission in charge of the memorial has received only about $200,000 in donations from individuals and organizations, and not one cent from any New Jersey corporation, he said. The latter especially angers [Stephen] Abel, who said many of those corporations made windfall profits from wartime profits.

“It’s been a significant disappointment,” he said.

How dare those corporations make wartime profits and then not remember it like 60 years later. Come on, Standard Oil of New Jersey!

Few, if any, WWII vets to see N.J. memorial [Press of Atlantic City]

How’s The Shore? Oh, It’s Great Do-KABOOM!

A mile long stretch of beach in Surf City, N.J., has been closed down by totally uncool regulators trying to stop kids from having fun this summer. Oh, and they also found unexploded munitions.

The bombs date back to World War II and were discovered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in sand that had recently been pumped onto the Ocean County beach. The beach was immediately closed and now the beach might not be re-opened in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Authorities have posted danger signs at the beaches and blocked off the entrances. Security guards patrol the area around the clock.

“It’s like walking into a landmine,” said Sonny Mack, one of the security guards. “We make sure they stay out. If it wasn’t my job, I wouldn’t be out there.”

I think Surf City needs to use this as a marketing tool. You market it as a giant fun park where you’re blown sky high by antique munitions, charge $10 to get in, and the town’ll be rich in no time.

N.J. Beach Closed After Explosives Found [NBC 10]

Just Wait Until ‘Ulysses Grant vs. Predator’ Comes Out

Today, Inquirer video games reporter Rob Watson covers DigitalLife, the Ziff Davis personal electronics and video game showcase.

One of the perks? He got to play Playstation 3 before it comes out, including the new game Resistance, which is the must-get launch title for hte console. Here’s how Doug Beauchamp, 21, of Hoboken, N.J., described the game to Watson:

“While I think they [Sony] have made a lot of mistakes, Sony still has this game,” said Beauchamp, pointing to the screen with Resistance. “I mean, just look at it. Fighting aliens with World War II weapons never looked this good. This is what I came down here for.”

Yeah. Those old games where you controlled World War II soldiers against aliens had shit graphics.

Gamer’s delight [Inquirer]