In life, we all have to play with the hand that we have been dealt. Since the turn of the last century, tourism raised its ugly head in southern New Jersey. It soon outgrew farming and fishing as the cornerstone of our economy. Many big-box stores can only afford to stay open year-round because of the profits they produce during the three-month tourist season. A Lower Twp. spouter stated, "Trying to base an economy on a three-month tourism season is dumb," and that may be true, but it is irrevocable. No barrier island homes, motels, bars, etc., no money.