The way further south into the rest of America was through an ice-free corridor between the Rocky Mountains on the Pacific side, and the vast continental ice-sheet covering Canada on the other.

Keeping 20 cars free of scratches and dents when steered by drivers unfamiliar with New York City traffic isn't easy either, but no sheet metal was harmed.

It is still a formidable power but has lately been challenged by a feisty new free-sheet, Yisrael Hayom, published by a Jewish-American billionaire, Sheldon Adelson.