Just saw novelist Carl Hiaasen interviewed on 60 Minutes on CBS. I thought that his observations were very amusing but are they true?

What were his observations, since I missed 60 minutes? Generally, he is right on but with a trace of sarcasm laced into his reality. I don't know if he's a native but he was in my grad. class at UF so he's been around awhile. Works at the Miami Herald.

I just read the 60 minutes interview on line. Yes, Florida is just like what Carl Hiaasen says. It is like the old west only in a contemporary setting. There are true to life carpetbaggers here everywhere you go. More insidious are the developers who are destroying the beauty of Florida. Everything here has a price tag. The land is up for sale. Very sad. And the politicians are hand in hand with all the scum, taking kickbacks, going to jail, then getting out and becoming developers themselves.;

We tend to philosophize that the problem is the heat. People do crazy things when they get down here. When you hear about some crazy murder in Florida, you can usually count on the perpetrator being a transplant. Some lonely guy/gal from Ohio, comes to Florida and goes out of his/her mind. As they say, the rules are different here.

He said, among other things, that everything loose in the U.S. tilts to FL. Usually, they say that about my home state, CA. He said that car thieves move there from Detroit as they can continue their careers in a better place. And the 9/11 terrorists were accepted at flight school there. The one who applied at a school in MN. was hauled in by the authorites pronto.

He's one of my favorite authors and I think a pretty neat guy, but it really irritates me when I see these people who were lucky enough to either migrate to or were born in Florida many years ago whining because now others want to have their lifestyle. He didn't make it any less appealing out on the fishing boat showing all the beauty and tranquility he can find in Florida, either. I guess I'll just keep reading his books and try to stay the heck out of the state since tourists evidently are not very welcome anymore.

I love his books and enjoyed hte interview. After all, when asked he said that many of situations he writes about really happened in FL.

Hiassen's fiction is so funny, but he also has several other books as well. Two of his books (one I think is called Paradise Screwed) are collections of his columns from the Miami Herald, and they recount things that actually happened. He also wrote a scathing book about Disney, which I think is called Team Rodent.

If you've ever been to FL, you can see the rampant development (and sit in the massive traffic). In some areas (just like in many places around the rest of the country), it's like a race to pave over every remaining open spot of land. (And unfortunately, the race to build everywhere isn't unique to FL).

We just got back from CA and I have to say most of his observations apply there too..... EXCEPT for the guy who was sleeping with 2 alligators!!!! LOL.

I saw part of the spot last night and thought he was right on. My observation is that when some loser can't handle it up north, they move to Florida and think they have it made because of the weather. They then end up in business there and all hell breaks loose.

Living in the midwest, I have to say I don't know anybody who has actually moved to Florida. I know tons of folks (retired) who buy a second home or a condo there (including my parents) so they can travel there often, but they all keep their homes here as their permanent residence. Not sure how this relates to the story as I didn't see it. I know one of the reasons my parents chose Naples is because so many of their friends have places there as well. They can go down for the month of March and socialize with many of the same people they know here, but they are always happy to return "home."

snowrooster, I can assure you that the number of people who come down here for the winters are rapidly changing their residency to Florida. I have many clients who do just that for good reason. Florida has no state income tax and no inheritance taxes -- two great reasons why many people change their residency to Florida even when they still have a home or two up north. Those I know from Massachusetts with strict tax laws, make sure they "move down for the winter" and stay 6 months plus one day so the idea of their residency here can't be contested.

Many others see no point in doing that, and as a result they pay a lot of taxes they could easily and legally avoid, and their heirs lose hundreds of thousands of dollars due to their "northern residency" inheritance taxes.

Although of course, I realize that doesn't apply to those who just come down for a month or so every year.

I see what you mean. I guess I wasn't thinking technically of where they claim residency, but more of the fact that folks I know aren't giving up their northern/midwestern residencies, but rather expanding to include Florida as an additional residency. In the past when my grandparents retired, I think more people gave up their current residences and moved permanently to Florida. Maybe a sign of the times or just that my parents are better of than their parents were at retirment age. BTW, if I do make it to Naples some day, I'm going to look for your and Lee's names outside the theatre! Congrats! It's nice to be appreciated.