These days more and more I realize Jimmy Buffett was right:

[raccoon]

“Through all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.”

“Changes in Latitudes/Changes in Attitudes” by Jimmy Buffett

Of course, the darker truth might be this Jimmy Buffett quote:

“If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane.”

And more and more I think life in contemporary USA is like a Carl Hiaasen novel.

Is it mere coincidence that both of these gentlemen are Floridians? :shrug: Is Florida our canary in the coal mine?

[DarkTirade]

1. Florida is America's wang.

Which explains its occasional smell, everpresent humidity, and its sensitivity to what's going on at the moment.

It also explains why they put the capital of the state back up in the panhandle, behind the wang itself... because that's where the asshole generally goes. :P

[SteppingRazor]

5. What does that make the Florida Keys, exactly? n/t

[DarkTirade]

6. America was born before that whole circumcision craze.

[BarenakedLady]

12. I just choked on my coffee

:spray:

[DarkTirade]

16. Hey, I lived there for 20 years.

I'm just being honest.

[Shell Beau]

2. But do you like your cheeseburgers like he does?

With lettuce and tomato
Hinds 57 and french fried potatoes
And a big kosher pickle and cold draft beer

[BOSSHOG]

3. Good God almighty which way do I steer

[BOSSHOG]

4. And there's that lets get drunk and screw advice

Jimmy Buffett, a Floridian?? Que??

[raccoon]

8. Well, Wikipedia says he was born in MS, but he's owned a restaurant and I believe a house

in FL. I googled for where he lives now, but haven't found it.

Maybe he's a naturalized Floridian. :-)

He SHOULD BE one. Same as CCR SHOULD BE from Louisiana.

[BOSSHOG]

9. I believe Jimmy has several residences

and on occasion one can spy him at his Margaritaville in the quarter as well as others. I count myself as a passive parrothead and when I can't figure out what to crank up on the ole Stereo its a Buffet CD to the head of the line.

[SteppingRazor]

7. Writers, whether novelists or songwriters, are only as good as their inspiration...

and here in Florida, we've got inspiration in spades, whether that means beaches and boat drinks, or evil developers and dumb criminals. I wouldn't call the state a canary in a coal mine so much as America on Speed.

[mitchum]

10. Florida currently drives American culture...

just as Los Angeles once did (and New York City before that)
Don't be expecting any cultural renaissance under that condition.

[Spacemom]

11. I wish I had a pencil thin mustache

The boston blackie kind
A two toned ricky ricardo jacket
And an autographed picture of andy devine.


But only jazz musicians were smokin' marijuana. :smoke:

[trof]

13. Um...Jimmy's a native Alabamian. Mobile born & bred.

His sister has a marina and restaurant down here in Gulf Shores.

[trof]

14. Well, I stand corrected...if wiki is right.

One set of his grandparents lived in Pascagoula, MS so I guess that's how he came to be born there.
He grew up in Mobile.
I know his sister, Lucy Ann (Lulu), and assumed he was born in Mobile.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. That's why I love Florida.

You could never seek much literary or musical inspiration from people living in Nebraska (no offense to the native Nebraskans of the board.)

We're all crazy, and I for one love it.