The Enduring Allure of an Antihero’s Antics
Florida Man, the antihero of the Sunshine State, has struck again.
patrol car, backing into a police car before engaging officers in a high-speed chase, or trying to take selfies with a squirrel.
Steering his airboat under cover of darkness, a 21-year-old Florida man was arrested recently for killing 13 alligators without a permit. Not only did this poacher lack the necessary state hunting permit, but he also killed more than six times the number of alligators allowed. The evidence against him? Photos and videos on the phones of “friends” who accompanied him on his nighttime forays. The lesson: If you plan to commit a felony, don’t encourage others to record it and share the evidence. Eccentric or illegal behavior by “Florida Man” is an internet meme that has endured in pop culture for over a decade. Just a few months ago, an inebriated Florida Man was arrested for driving his riding lawnmower down U.S. Highway 1. And in 2020, a man with three previous DUIs was also caught riding his lawnmower on a busy highway. Ever helpful, this defendant obligingly told the arresting officer he didn’t have to go to the trouble of administering a field sobriety test because he had just been drinking a moment earlier.
Why does Florida Man endure in internet culture while countless other memes have died a natural death? I have a theory on this phenomenon. One factor is our state’s inherent characteristics. People come from all over the country and all over the world to visit Florida and enjoy our weather, beaches, theme parks, and other attractions. Many love it so much that they return to live, giving rise to extraordinary political and cultural diversity. As a result, anything can happen! According to the authors of a 2021 Florida State University Law Review article about Florida Man, “Media and popular culture portrayed Florida as a unique place long before Florida Man flooded the internet.” Also, Florida has freedom of information laws that afford journalists, bloggers, and others greater access to police reports, arrest records, and even mug shots of the accused, giving them plenty of fodder for stories. Beyond that, Florida Man is just fun to read about and watch.
As you enjoy following these wacky and often hilarious escapades, keep in mind the moral of every story: Don’t be like Florida Man!
Other tales of Florida Man (or Florida Woman) entail heaving an alligator through a restaurant window, dancing on the roof of a police
Cooking With Ashley
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Classic Italian Tiramisu
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Ingredients
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1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
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1/2 cup white sugar
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1/4 tsp kosher salt
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1 cup brewed espresso
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16 oz mascarpone cheese, chilled
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1 tbsp vanilla extract
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1 3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
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5 large egg yolks, cold
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28 hard ladyfinger cookies
1. In a bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, espresso, and vanilla and set aside. 2. In a mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. 3. Add salt and mascarpone cheese, and continue to whip. 4. Add the chilled heavy cream and continue to whip until light and smooth. 5. Dunk each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture to absorb the liquid and line a 7x11-inch oval baking dish with the cookies. 6. Top the first layer of cookies with half the whipped mascarpone mixture and spread it into an even layer. Dust with cocoa powder. 7. Repeat for another layer and then finish by dusting with cocoa powder on top. 8. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Directions
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