By Lee Pfeiffer
Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, American television has launched its annual attempt to make citizens even more paranoid than many already are. This is achieved by a time-worn ritual that dates back to the 1975 release of Jaws, namely: scare the living daylights out of beach-goers by running superfluous stories about the "shark menace". Although actual shark attacks on American shores are rare, some do occur each year. In a recent case, a sand shark actually beached itself at a popular New Jersey vacation resort. (Click here to view footage) This was only weeks after New Jersey officials announced that the nation's most densely-populated state was being over-run by bears. As a New Jersey resident, it's beginning to make me think I'm lucky to get safely back from the supermarket without a shotgun and a pith helmet.Here's a way to ensure that these dangerous critters leave our environs: just post the New Jersey state sky-high tax rates for residents along the beaches and in the woods.