Sorry, guys, work and family precluded an original story in this slot, but I did want to relate the true story of what a former coworker of mine in Tallahassee called “The Redneck Bar Mitzvah”.
Just south of Tallahassee lies one of the largest by volume natural springs in the United States – Wakulla Springs has a flow rate of 200-300 million gallons per day. It has played the backdrop to several Tarzan films, Gene Hackman’s Night Moves, and the great creature feature Creature from the Black Lagoon.
In the swimming area around the springs, which are pretty deep (over 100 feet in some places), there is a diving tower, the high platform being 22 feet above the surface. When a North Florida Boy is ready to signal his journey to manhood has started, he gathers his courage and makes the leap – hopefully not belly-flopping – in front of all his friends and family.
After this, the young man is, of course, expected to begin doing extremely stupid things on ATVs, boats, and other motorized craft. He may or may not begin to make poor decisions in his interaction with local law enforcement. Each young man’s journey is different, but they start here.
whaddup doh’
TEDs’ PLAYED A HIT
I always play good music.
No biggie, now I have time to write pt 2
There are the quarries near Bloomington, IN, where folk do the same. It’s apparently quite popular, but it never came up among my crew so I’ve never been. IIRC, some of ’em are 20-50 feet deep, and likely several deeper. [looks it up] Well. I was technically correct. So, go me!
“Limestone quarries in the Bloomington, Indiana area commonly reach depths of 90 feet or more below the surface, as the Salem Limestone formation extends to significant depths.”
Fun fact I remember, the Washington and Lincoln Memorials are built from Indiana limestone.
Think about it.
Not seen Breaking Away?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078902
+1 cutters
That’s such a great movie that’s never on cable for some reason.
I *have* seen it cable and not too long ago*. I don’t remember which channel.
I wasn’t even following it closely but I do want to catch it again – looks good.
*The definition of this is more flexible than it used to be. Could by anywhere in the last 2 years, or 12.
Never seen it, but I certainly know of it and the Little 500. Never went to that either, and oddly, wasn’t hyped up much in town.
Refund?!! Refund?!!
I didn’t know where that film was located.
That town was also the location of a fellow I met “online” back when that meant “relay chat”.
We spoke for eight hours on the telephone later but it didn’t go anywhere after I expressed further “interest”. lol oh well
I think the kids call that “ghosting” now. So brat.
Huh. It won the Best Screenplay Academy Award, slightly more meaningful then. Didn’t expect that. But led me to Kramer v Kramer, which I’ve also never seen: “Kramer vs. Kramer explores the psychology and fallout of divorce, and touches on emerging and prevailing social issues such as gender roles, fathers’ rights, work-life balance, and single parents.”
Yeah. I’ll get right on watching that.
Yeah, KvK has never in the least piqued my interest.
Oh fuck me I just remembered that my buddy who introduced me to “chat” at the school he attended in Buffalo (different from the school I attended in Buffalo) met a fella of his own whom he actually visited. Some dude at a school in… I have no idea where. Upper midwest I believe. MN, or a Dakota.
@rhy: There are many Bloomingtons. (Ten, I learn. IL, MN and IN, the biggest.)
I assumed Springfield would be in the Top 3 of most common ‘towns,’ and it quickly became more complicated: “There are varying counts for the number of places named Springfield in the U.S., ranging from roughly 33 to over 90, depending on whether the source counts only incorporated cities or includes townships, populated places, and unincorporated communities. Popularly considered one of the most common town names, there is at least one “Springfield” in 35 different states. ”
Springfield’s ‘accepted’ as #2, Washington #1 with 88. (Go Capitals? I respect Ovetchkin, but no.)
Also many Chinas. (TW: new age)
I think it was Indiana because he described a large campus (“online” was pretty much a campus experience back then).
I was wondering the same about “Newark”. Coworker mentioned a Newark, Ohio. I grew up near Newark, New York. I guess there is one in New Jersey too.
+ “-ini foods”
Breaking Away = Slapshot
Change my mind.
We used to go swimming at a quarry in NC. Huge cliff to dive off of. Supposedly 300 feet deep. Divers train there.
The cliff is 3 Mississippi high. As in you jump and swing your arms around for balance. One…. two… three-brace. Maybe 2 plus a little Mississippi. In any event, dangerously high.
Great fun. Pretty stupid too.
“The cliff is 3 Mississippi high.” I stopped for far too long to think of how you were comparing them to giraffe, whale or bananas in height or size. Confused, I got. Then reality slapped me. Like the other day when I couldn’t figure out how to padlock the dumpster area shut. (Boss ‘caught’ me in that dumbery.)
Me very learned sometimes. Whoops. *Leared.
Who counts units of time in mississippis? I thought that was a myth.
I went to a quarry in Pennsylvania near my brother’s school (East Stroudsberg U) with that sort of height.
You had to wear sneakers and ensure your arms were straight up or down, otherwise you’d get some nice bruises.
Wakulla Springs is mentioned in the niche market book Roadside Geology of Tennessee by Mountain Press.
Great series. I think they do all fifty states.
I guess Rhode Island is a tri-fold handout and Alaska’s looks like an encyclopedia.
Rhode Island is a small County with two senators.
Rhode Island is still bigger than these countries.
Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, Malta, Luxembourg, and Cyprus
Yes they do, great resource the the amateur geologist
dbleagle:
Rhode Island and Connecticut were combined in one issue. Unfortunately I believe currently out of print. New Hampshire and Vermont were similarly combined. My wife and I have been getting them for years. It’s amazing how both the knowledge and especially the graphics have changed over the years.
I have HI, AZ, WY, WA, and MT. They are a great resource.
I would rather RI be an independent ration than have two senators vote to lock up more land in Idaho.
Swimming in the spring is amazing. Where the water comes in it is crystal clear. There are springs and rivers all over north Florida like that. It is so clear it looks like the bottom is right there, even if it is 30+ feet deep. Amazing.
I have a vivid memory from about a thousand years ago of something like that – a swimming hole in one of the gorges that feed the Finger Lakes. Watkins Glen, I think.
My mom’s boyfriend in those years was an asshole but to his credit he did like to travel.
Kramer vs Kramer is fantastic. Prepare to cry.
Breaking Away is also fantastic. Kelly Leak from bad news bears is great in this too. (Jackie Earl Haley) Maybe better known to the younger folk as Rorschach from the Watchmen
“Prepare to cry.” That’s not sellin’ it. Why would people go to see a sad flick? Movies can *be* sad, sure, but (to use an easy one) Schindler’s List had a bigger story to show and share. I’m not seeing the bigger story behind a nasty divorce. And I’ve never been married! Why the hell would a couple go to see that?! Is the outing a therapy sesh? Is the director trying to warn ya, or show ya ‘what’s right?’ Or is it a solo flick? *rips hair out*
Cursory search of “best sad films” and Schindler’s the only one I’ve seen, and have no desire to see the others. I’m sure there are many sad movies I enjoy. Depending on how we’re defining it, natch. The Never-Ending Story *does,* for instance.
The best sad movies start out as fantastic comedies. Beaches. Steel Magnolias. And maybe the greatest: Terms of Endearment.
Miracle Mile for me. Starts with rom-com, ends with apocalypse.
I honestly plead ignorance of all three, though I’ve heard of ’em.
Huh. Young Mayim Bialik’s in Beaches. She was Blossom?! Never seen that, either.
“Each young man’s journey is different, but they start here.”
Each person’s journey is different but we all end in the same place. A lot of of crooked roads, a few good turns hopefully. We persevere and then it’s over.
Even Ol’ Yogi knew that…
We’re (OK, I’m) just as stupid into middle age! https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/971923380
If he really wanted to be irresponsible he’d learn how to dive in the caves, which go much deeper than 100’.
https://www.gue.com/exploration-history-wkp
We met one of those divers who gave a presentation to our university SCUBA club (FIU) in 98 or 99. He had all sorts of video. Dude needed a dump truck to haul around his ball sack.
That explains his penetration record.
/sensible chuckle
Seriously. That sounds awesome. And like all of the nope in the world.
I was never able to get cave certified, though I wanted to real bad, but I’ve spent a lot of time in caverns that are all over north Florida. Fun stuff.
As God as my witness, I thought turkeys couldn’t sink.
Yet another US nobody playing “elite” in Munich.
It’s supremely enjoyable watching (some of) Europe wipe the floor with our retarded has-beens and their insane ramblings and non-sequiturs.
Trump completely broke their reality. They used to speak in well-rehearsed sound bites. Now, they spew undiluted partisan hatred in every circumstance, for evey question. All of the establishment has come unglued. Left and right. Even Fetterman gives them this reaction these days.
There is a spot on the Lester River in Duloot called “The Deeps”. The kids jump jump from the surrounding cliffs into “The Deeps”. Every other year somebody bounces of the cliff rather than hitting the water.
off of
Ouch.
Did any of them survive?
A few.
natural selection
Now that everyone carries a camera there will be some interesting videos of those that almost made it.
“The WKPP duo of Rick Sankey and Brent Scarabin set a world penetration record ….”
Once in NYC I think I saw World Penetration Record was being filmed at MONSTER in the village.
STEVE SMITH ONLY MONSTER HOLD WORLD PENETRATION RECORD.
“The Monster’s interior consists of a multi-level gay haven with a mix of vintage Lalique chandeliers and the famous mirrored staircase. ”
I’d take my lines like a man in the restroom over such inclusionary steps.
lol I may have been to that piano bar.
I have a buddy of the heterosexual persuasion who can recall the location of every nite club, dance club, goth club, dive bar we’ve ever visited.
I have little to no memory of any of them unless reminded.
Site not showing which posts are new on refresh.
Looks good though.