Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Audrey in Oregon on June 17, 2011:

Wow. I am impressed, not just with Mark's thorough analysis and reporting on this year's issues, but also with his writing style, which is very precise. I believe you've mentioned before that you suspect True readers are a bit smarter than average; shall we point to Mark as anecdotal evidence of that?

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Heck: just look at the comments in the blog. The vast majority of the readers here actually have the ability to articulate and reason. Quite a difference from the average online forum! -rc

Posted by Mike from Dallas on June 17, 2011:

I can't help wondering; IS Florida weirder than California, or is California just better at hiding it? Okay, so they don't hide it very well; just better than Florida (which is still quite an accomplishment).

But, to answer my own question, Florida really is just weird. And don't blame the snowbirds for it. Florida natives are more redneck than the good ol' boys in southern Georgia. Even the accent is stronger.

Posted by Brendan Murphy - Illinois on June 17, 2011:

Perhaps Florida is just more intolerant of the weirdos?

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I dunno: I think tolerance is why they flourish. -rc

Posted by Felix, Dutch Flat on June 17, 2011:

Florida even has its own FARK tag, something which nanny state Britain has avoided in spite of cancelling Easter weekend activities (4- and 5-year olds might fall down on the grass), prohibiting firefighters from using stepladders to check smoke alarms (they didn't have training), and numerous other, almost daily, face palmings.

Posted by Michael Birks, New Zealand on June 17, 2011:

At the risk of blowing RC's comments about intelligent commenters, "Woo Hoo!, New Zealand!"

Ahem.

I now return you to regularly scheduled intelligent comments.

Posted by Anthony in China on June 18, 2011:

I see that Australia is high in the international rankings. I have noticed that one of the new guest writers seems to pen quite a few stories from Australia. Could it be that Randy has an Occer on the staff?

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To my recollection, no non-Americans applied as writers. In any case, all three are Americans, and all three live in Ohio or east. -rc

Posted by Franz from Melbourne on June 18, 2011:

Hey Randy and Mark from Florida

Can you run the stats on a per capita basis? I'm sure we'll beat Florida hands down. Giggle.

Franz, Melbourne, Australia
(Not the Florida Melbourne!!)

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It's not my impression that Aussies are particularly weird, not counting your propensity to abbreviate half the words you use in everyday speech. :-) -rc

Posted by Don, Merritt Island, FL on June 18, 2011:

How could anyone not realize Florida is the weirdest state in the union when it is the only state where voters approved a constitutional amendment giving pregnant pigs rights.

What is a FARK tag?

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Fark is a weird news site. Each entry is "tagged" with a category; "Florida" is rather popular. -rc

Posted by Randi, Colorado Springs, CO on June 18, 2011:

As a Californian born in Berkeley, home of the Naked Guy as well as other general oddities, transplanted into the hub of Civilization and New Life Churchiness, I am still amazed that Colorado isn't on your list simply for the fact that it can rain/snow on one side of the street and be sunny on the other!! Maybe I'm jaded but there is not much that really surprises me anymore. Your column and annual Stella Awards renew my faith as well as my belief that the power of stupidity, especially in large groups, can do amazing things.

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Colorado does have pretty weird weather, but that's not the people being weird! -rc

Posted by Dana, Lexington, KY (formerly from LA) on June 20, 2011:

Hello from under-represented Ky, by way of under-represented LA (and I don't mean the one in California!) In my experience, the two states don't make the cut for weird news for two totally different reasons -- Kentuckians just don't know how to be weird enough, and Louisianians are so weird that they don't recognize it in each other and so it doesn't get reported! As evidenced by the campaign slogan during the rip-roaring governor's election between the oft-indicted and finally convicted Edwin "Fast Eddy" Edwards and David Duke, head of the KKK. "Vote for the crook -- it's important!" On the other hand, in Kentucky there was a HUGE scandal when one mayor's wife got a job connected with the city for which she was the absolutely best-qualified candidate for and which she performed better than anyone else in the past. But, you know, wife.... That's Kentucky. And the controversy rages on.