Southwest Introduces Florida Plane

Southwest has introduced an all Florida plane. See a video of the ship at Florida One. More info about the plane:

Date unveiled: April 23, 2010
Process time: 8 days
Number of People: 32 over 3 shifts
Paint colors: 16
Total gallons: Approximately 46
Premask (stencil outline): 15 boxes or approximately 150 different pieces to create the logo

See more at Southwest.com.

Grouper Season Reopens May 1

TALLAHASSEE – The recreational and commercial harvest of shallow-water groupers (including gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper and tiger grouper) will reopen on May 1 in all Atlantic Ocean and Monroe County waters.  The harvest of these groupers has been closed since Jan. 1 to address overfishing of grouper in the Atlantic.

A 3-fish-per-person aggregate daily recreational bag limit applies for all groupers in Atlantic and Monroe County waters, and the captain and crew of for-hire vessels are not allowed to keep any species in the aggregate grouper bag limit.  Anglers may take no more than 1 gag or black grouper (not both) within the aggregate grouper limit in Atlantic and Monroe County waters, and dehooking tools must be aboard commercial and recreational vessels for use as needed to remove hooks from Atlantic reef fish.

More information on grouper bag and size limits, gear restrictions and fishing seasons, including Gulf of Mexico grouper regulations, is available at MyFWC.com/Rules, click on “Fishing – Saltwater.”

Retirees Find Florida Affordable Again

We’ve seen it with our own eyes. The retirees are back.

And this time, they are a bit different than they were five years ago. They are coming to scoop up bargains and foreclosures and short sales, for prices that are a fraction of what they were a few years ago. Very often, a substantial house that was $250,000 or more is now less than $100,000. The best bargains are the houses that were abandoned during foreclosure, and got a little run down.

Read more at CNN.

Sponsor: Florida Timeshares: Florida is home to thousands of gorgeous timeshare suites, popular to individuals looking for inexpensive and comfortable lodging. These prime properties boast many high end amenities such as full gourmet kitchens and multiple bedrooms. Visitors can buy timeshare suites on the resale market for far less than the resort prices, and will still be able to enjoy everything the resort has to offer.

Disney Brings Back 1970s Octagonal Tree Houses

LAKE BUENA VISTA - If customers want it, then bring it back.

That’s the story of the Walt Disney World’s treehouse cabins, which opened in 1975, and were demolished in 2002. They were simple structures, up one story in the trees, and memorable for guests. Read more

Florida Issues Statement on Monkey with Facebook Fans

Monkey Might Well Have Herpes

TALLAHASSEE - The elusive rhesus macaque monkey darting around the Tampa Bay area and cheered on by 60,000 Facebook fans is generating a lot of banter.  However, wildlife officials caution that this monkey is highly stressed and potentially very dangerous, and is itself in danger.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), rhesus macaques are bad-tempered, powerful monkeys that, if cornered, can injure or even kill an adult human.  Of particular concern to wildlife officials is that some area residents are not taking these warnings seriously and are tempting fate by trying to feed or catch this animal with their hands – a very risky and foolish undertaking, according to the FWC.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that roughly 80 percent of rhesus macaques carry the simian herpes-B virus.  If the animal bites, scratches or even spits on you (one of many bad habits this species exhibits), you may become infected.  If infected with this virus, there’s an 80-percent chance you will die from an untreated wound.  Even a treated wound can be fatal.

“Although this marauding monkey makes for humorous reading and anecdotes around the water cooler, people should not lose sight of what’s best for the animal and for public safety,” said Dr. David Murphy, staff veterinarian at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.

According to the FWC, feeding wildlife is the primary factor causing wildlife to destroy property and to attack pets and humans.  Monkeys are no exception.

“Encouraging this animal to approach or remain close to humans for any reason can lead to a defensive attack if the animal feels trapped or otherwise threatened by miscued human body language,” said Capt. John West, who deals with captive wildlife issues for the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement.

Also in doubt is the monkey’s ability to continue to live on its own in a hostile, urban environment.  Rhesus macaques have a highly evolved society where the health and well-being of each individual is largely dependent on the cooperation of other troop members, especially for defense purposes.  A lone rhesus macaque stands little chance for long-term survival outside its troop.  Predation on a lone macaque by urban coyotes, bobcats or neighborhood dogs is a distinct possibility.  Other factors such as high-volume traffic, high-voltage power lines and other urban hazards add to the mix of threats to the creature.

Monkeys in any situation are difficult to capture, even for the most experienced experts, and the challenge is magnified in a highly stressful urban setting.  So far, this animal has managed to avoid capture through sheer athleticism, sharp eyesight, an apparently intuitive understanding of the dangers of crossing the street and a lot of luck.  Such luck, however, is not likely to continue indefinitely.

“We understand the need for comic relief, as well as the compassion people feel for this engaging creature.  Those things, however, are not of primary concern to our agency.  Rather, it’s how people act upon those feelings that can cause serious consequences to those in direct contact with the monkey,” said Gary Morse, spokesman for the FWC.  “This animal’s only real chance for survival is to be caught and then cared for by an accredited facility, where it can interact with other members of its own kind.”

The FWC urges those who see this monkey not to feed, try to capture or interact with it in any way. If you spot this animal, return to the safety of a building or your vehicle and immediately call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, and leave the monkey business to the FWC.