Just like the famous line that says “All good things must come to an end,” alas this is the final blogumn in this edition of Kicking Back with Jersey Joe.  Fierce and Nerdy will be changing formats, but we have one last chance to catch up! For over three years and 151 +6 blogumns, we’ve gathered each week to take a look at what’s cool, new, retro, and hip in our world.  We all work hard, but the point of this blogumn was to sit back and relax for a bit.  Hopefully, we’ve accomplished that and shared a few laughs.  I know I’ve learned tons writing this each week. It’s been fun sharing all my adventures with you, but I thought we should take a final look back at some of my favorite blogumns.   STAR TREK SLOT MACHINE Blogumn 1 – May 31, 2010 My first blogumn took a look at the brand new prototype Star Trek slot machine that I got to experience at the old Las Vegas Hilton for my 30th birthday.  A large group of my closest friends traveled to Vegas that spring, and we checked out the now closed Star Trek: The Experience. The slot is still one of my favorites, but sadly, it’s not really around as much anymore.  Many casinos have replaced it with Lord of the Rings, but the magic of this machine is still priceless.  It was one of the first slots, where you would earn medals, save them, and unlock new episodes!  The machine contains a zillion classic Star Trek clips and puts you right in an episode in multiple big money bonus rounds. It’s still online and entertaining gamblers at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  I had the pleasure of once again...

Spend a couple of bucks, scratch off the ticket, and win big! That’s the promise of instant lottery ticket games. They advertise big prizes for a few dollars investment. But, can you actually win anything on these? I bought a bunch from two different states to find out. Last year, my good friend Simon and I dropped $20 in a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket machine and ended up scratching off tickets for the better part of an hour. While the biggest amount we hit was only $20, we kept getting free tickets over and over that we kept cashing in. Pennsylvania gave us a lot of play, and our money back, for that $20 investment. But, are other states just as loose with their tickets? The New York Lottery recently installed a flashy, new lottery ticket vending machine at the Herald Square subway station. In addition to dispensing scratch off tickets, players can also purchase regular number games, such as Powerball tickets, from this machine. So yes, you can now legally gamble while riding the subway! I pass this machine every day on my commute to work so I decided that I would give the New York Lottery a try. I dropped $30 into the machine and chose a variety of tickets ranging from $1 to $10, ending up with 11 tickets in all. Several New York commuters cued up behind me to use the machine. Once I arrived home in New Jersey, I stopped in at a local convenience store, purchasing an array of tickets to see what kind of luck the Garden State lottery would give me. I asked for $25 in a variety of tickets. There are no $1 tickets in New Jersey so I had to plop down an additional $1. With that, the clerk handed me 13...

Still racking your brain looking for that perfect holiday gift? Here is my ultimate go-to when you need a present that’s thoughtful, quick and could actually put money back in your pocket!  There’s no need to rack your brain or worry about shipping or standing in long lines. It’s good for just about everyone from family to co-workers. Time is running out for your holiday shopping and my blogumn is here to help! So, as soon as your are done reading this – head on down to your local news stand or grocery store and pick up a pack of instant scratch off lottery tickets! You can be the hero of their holidays if they hit a big cash jackpot! With a simple $10 or $20 you can give a gift that can keep on giving. In a pinch, you can even get a nice holiday card or envelope and stuff a bunch inside. You can give them to your boss, a friend, or your grandmother. (Mine loves getting them!) I’ve done this for years, even giving to co-workers in the past. I was given a stack for my birthday this year and I kept winning over and over. It was a great feeling. I played for a few months by winning free tickets and small cash amounts that I simply cashed in for more. It’s up to the player how they want to spend their winnings, but the odds are pretty good they’ll at least receive a free ticket. Growing up in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Lottery airs this holiday classic commercial, that is simply revised every season (or as of last year, redone shot for shot in high definition.)  The ad agency simply overdubs the new games to match the original jingle. Lotteries have enabled governments to fund all...