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gibberingtroper
Current Version
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\\\"Thank you for dismissing my entire state as being idiots. For the record, the \\\"giant reptiles\\\" keep away from people. I\\\'ve never seen a live wild gator in my 29 years in Tallahassee. If gators were more common, we would move.\\\"
To add to that, I emphasize the word \\\"wild.\\\" I\\\'ve seen gators in captivity and I know that people who go to the wild areas do sometimes see gators but my point was (as one other troper touched on) that you can go a long long time without seeing one if you stick mostly to the urban areas. I\\\'d have moved a long time ago if large reptiles were a regular part of my life. I even have a lake I like to go to every summer and though I\\\'ve heard it gets the occasional gator, I\\\'ve never seen them.
Florida is some DeepSouth mixed with Disney World, mixed with lots of beach bringing in tourists, retirees (our percentage of persons over 65 is 17.4% compared to 12.8% national average, and older people tend to be more politically active so this has a disproportionate effect on local policy) and Cuban refugees (and yes, even a few normal people). Thats where at least some of the weird comes from, the odd mix of demographics combined <sigh> [[UniversityOfFlorida gators.]]
To add to that, I emphasize the word \\\"wild.\\\" I\\\'ve seen gators in captivity and I know that people who go to the wild areas do sometimes see gators but my point was (as one other troper touched on) that you can go a long long time without seeing one if you stick mostly to the urban areas. I\\\'d have moved a long time ago if large reptiles were a regular part of my life. I even have a lake I like to go to every summer and though I\\\'ve heard it gets the occasional gator, I\\\'ve never seen them.
Florida is some DeepSouth mixed with Disney World, mixed with lots of beach bringing in tourists, retirees (our percentage of persons over 65 is 17.4% compared to 12.8% national average, and older people tend to be more politically active so this has a disproportionate effect on local policy) and Cuban refugees (and yes, even a few normal people). Thats where at least some of the weird comes from, the odd mix of demographics combined <sigh> [[UniversityOfFlorida gators.]]
