[Kerrigan]

Florida was considered a fashionable place to visit in the 70s (or so I'm told, I was not alive then). As the 80s passed, Florida became increasingly passé, and by the 90s, it's reputation as a budget paradise for pensioners seemed to be set in stone. Lately though, I think that Florida has begun to shed its subtropical geriatric ward stereotype, and it is now known for its insane residents who are in the news every week for perpetrating bizarre acts of violence. Quite simply, Florida is now where all of the crazy people live.

First came the "XBox Slayings", a series of brutal murders, sparked by an argument over a games console. A year later came the "Kill Bill", a bill (now a law) which allows Floridians to shoot anyone whom they see as threatening. A short time, a horrendous paedophile raped and burried a 9-year-old girl alive, prompting the governor to sign another bizarre law that will make it easier to execute child abusers. The cherry to top it all off is this lovely story:

INVERNESS - An Inverness [Florida] man was arrested Saturday after breaking into his neighbors' house and threatening them, shocking himself by sticking his fingers into a lamp socket, threatening a deputy with a metal rod, running naked through his yard and chewing through a cable in a patrol car, authorities said.

I realise that the mass media often exaggerate stories, and selectively report those incidents which will attract the most attention, but I think that it is safe to say now that Florida's residents have earned the reputation as being the most freaky people in the US.

[Millennium]

There's a reason that Fark ended up giving Florida-based stories their own category.

[MacNStein]

It's the humidity. It's enough to make anyone batty.

[effgee]

Living in a swamp is not good for you - nothing new about that.

[videian28]

it's the bugs that drive me crazy


and the heat....and the humidity

[ghporter]

I think it's more because media people (not reporters so much as their handlers) figure they have a motherlode of "human interest" stories in Florida. They certainly don't have a monopoly on weird! But national media chains get into a rut and keep the rest of us informed about what's up down South.

[Garage81]

move down here, and you too can be normal by comparison

[budster101]

They are all moving from California, the land of "Fruits and Nuts".

[DeathToWindows]

Cody Dawg, paging Cody Dawg, please report to the Lounge. Thank you.

[Adolf W. Bush]

I always thought it was Sacramento that had the greatest congregation of crazies.

[SVass]

The Bush brothers attract certain types. sam

[IceEnclosure]

this place is crazy. and most people anywhere are insane.

oh, yeah, it was about 85 deg. F today, with crazy humidity. rained all day too. sweet.

[MindFad]

I make Florida hip.

[nredman]

Originally Posted by MindFad

I make Florida hip.

cue mindfad with bag on head pic

[ManOfSteal]

Originally Posted by MindFad

I make Florida hip.

Awesome post.®

[MindFad]

Originally Posted by nredman

cue mindfad with bag on head pic

This thread is now on course for fast-track success.

[Zimphire]

Originally Posted by Millennium

There's a reason that Fark ended up giving Florida-based stories their own category.

[TailsToo]

I loved living in FL - everyday was an adventure!

[brapper]

I was just there. I saw a guy get tazered. It was great.

[ManOfSteal]

I cannot wait to visit from June 8th-15th, sounds interesting to say the least!

[maxintosh]

That state is a bunch of wackos. I went apartment hunting with my brother in Daytona Beach *shudders*

I have also never seen so many wrecked cars on the sides of the highways in my life! Every mile there it seems somebody has totaled 2-3 cars.

[budster101]

Apartment Hunting in Florida:

The only state where guns are allowed.

[nredman]

Originally Posted by MindFad

This thread is now on course for fast-track success.

indeed

[wdlove]

Florida just happens to get the publicity.

Massachusetts has many crazy things occur also.

[turtle777]

I am just amazed that Cody has nothing to post about this...

-t