This is a whole new kind of insane...
Residents Battle Proposed Private Party Ban
POSTED: 6:57 pm EST January 17, 2007
UPDATED: 6:17 am EST January 18, 2007
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Miami Beach residents and city commissioners are going head to head over a proposed amendment that would make it illegal to have private gatherings at home.
Residents met at the Miami Beach City Hall Wednesday afternoon to discuss the deep repercussions for the residents if the amendment passes.
The proposed amendment would ban all large private gatherings and would discourage private parties for events such as the Super Bowl or MTV awards in the city of Miami Beach.
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It may also limit the current status as a city that welcomes events of national prestige.
Such restrictions are unheard of in other world-class cities both in the United States and Europe, and residents said they just couldn't allow this in Miami Beach.
"So the intent of the ordinance we support," Alex Heckler, an attorney representing some homeowners', said. "However, the way it is written, it actually affects everyday homeowner and resident from having their own private events."
If passed, the amendment would make illegal any private gathering of guests in your home where together guests may bring in excess of $100 of food, wine or contribution to cleaning.
This would mean that 15 guests, each bringing a gift or bottle of wine worth more $7 each, would be considered a commercial event, in violation of the law.
"Any event were your receive over $100 in gifts, goods or services would therefore be illegal and you would be fined," Heckler said.
The party may be shut down immediately and homeowners or renters would be liable for fines that would begin at $1,000 and may exceed $15,000.
The ordinance would preclude, even on private property, such events as Christmas parties, cocktail parties, birthday parties, barbecues if gifts are exchanged or food or drink contributed wherein and the total value of all gifts exceed $100.
The law was originally intended to protect homeowners from the unscrupulous renting of homes for large parties where ticket charges, sale of alcohol, large amounts of traffic, noise, garbage and other such annoyances are causing neighbors discomfort.
"I think as far as the noise issue is concerned, that needs to be modified," concerned resident Karyn Robinson said. "At 2 a.m., I don't want my kids coming downstairs saying they can't get to sleep because of noise."
I can't believe it!!! This make my head explode -- but
It sounds like a fun opprotunity for Civil Disobedience to me --
:bigparty: :bigparty:
:rimshot1:
Quote from: burnthebeautiful on January 19, 2007, 07:18 PM NHFT
"Any event were your receive over $100 in gifts, goods or services would therefore be illegal and you would be fined," Heckler said.
Hell no birthday parties...... They might have to cancel Christmas!
Potluck family reunion!
Little Havana!
Bridal/Baby Showers!
Quote from: Pat McCotter on January 19, 2007, 08:55 PM NHFT
Potluck family reunion!
Little Havana!
Bridal/Baby Showers!
I want them all banned!!!!!!!!!
Those damn kiddy birthday parties, you know how pin the tail on the donkey leads to total chaos!!!
Most states haven't gone so far, but Florida actually thinks it can control what you do in your own private property. Like California, I consider it a lost cause.
Good riddance to FL.
Anyone want to buy my old house there? :P
Have you considered calling an agent down there and having them list it, Ian?
Quote from: error on January 19, 2007, 11:34 PM NHFT
Most states haven't gone so far, but Florida actually thinks it can control what you do in your own private property. Like California, I consider it a lost cause.
For many decades, Florida has been busy earning its nickname of "Where NYC goes to retire".
The political fallout shouldn't be a surprise.
Kevin
Birthday parties!
Ban!
In my opinion Florida is beautiful but a sucky place to live. We lived there for about 6 months and I hated it. The people were unfriendly and I've heard that they like to take people's kids off of them for any little thing. Years ago a cop stopped in front of our house and asked me and my girlfriend why our kids were dirty (they were playing outside, duh!), we told him that and he looked at us real creepy like , okay I'll let you slide this time. Gee, thanks how nice of you, jerk!
My dad and stepmother just moved from a retirement place there, they said they couldn't afford the taxes anymore so now they are living in a Georgia trailer park.
It seems like there is a new law or ban being made every single day in this country, are we really going to win this fight? I'm still in for the fight but sometimes it seems hopeless. :-\
Vacations in florida are always nice, even month-long ones.
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to live there.... maybe have some property to visit in the winter when I'm retired. I think maybe I should graduate and get a job before I think about that though.
My father lives outside of Orlando, Florida, living the semi-retired life from the tender age of... 43, I think? He's been down there for... wow, it's almost been five years now, has it?
I don't have much desire to visit Florida, and that doesn't really sweeten the deal at all.
Maybe Arizona, but who knows what'll happen by the time I'm willing/able to get out there.
I always wanted to go to Canada for a visit and look now I'm about maybe 2 hours away, it's awesome!
One of my dreams has always been to see whales and now I can do that up here, I feel so lucky that I can be a part of the FSP and do somethings I've always wanted to also! :D
Does anyone know if we would need passports to come and go to Canada?
Quote from: raineyrocks on January 22, 2007, 07:41 AM NHFT
Does anyone know if we would need passports to come and go to Canada?
Not yet, not by land anyway, but you will by 2008 or 2009, depending on when the government manages to get its act together.
Tuesday marks the time that you need it if you fly:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/01/20/3413953-cp.html
Thanks Error and Dreepa!
Have you ever been to Canada? That's probraly where I should go whale watching, right?
I'm not sure where the best whale watching is, bu, they do it off of Cape Cod.
I would imagine the best whale watching would be in the middle of the ocean.
Quote from: Lloyd Danforth on January 22, 2007, 08:10 AM NHFT
I'm not sure where the best whale watching is, bu, they do it off of Cape Cod.
Yeah I think my cousin told me that, I'll have to give her a call, thanks! I remember hearing Nova Scotia was a good place too and I think there's a ferry that goes there from Maine. I'm just trying to find the cheapest way.
Quote from: error on January 22, 2007, 08:13 AM NHFT
I would imagine the best whale watching would be in the middle of the ocean.
Error, I hate to say this but, no duh! :) I'd rather not go way out, I'm afraid of boats sinking with me on them of course. I want to kind of stay as close to shore as I can if that's possible, I don't know. We used to have a nice boat back when we could afford that stuff and we would go out about a mile in Florida waters and I saw Sea Tortoises, real cool!
I would tend to think that the closer you can get to whale migration routes, the more luck you'd have in seeing a whale.
As for crossing the Canadian border, it used to be that a driver's license was sufficient to enter Canada, but they gave you a hard time getting back in if you didn't have a birth certificate or passport.
Nowadays, expect to be delayed considerably at the border unless you have your "papers" (and even then, your car may be searched, you'll most likely have to wait in line, etc.). At least, this has been my experience as recent as 2004, and I don't imagine it's improved.
Quote from: eques on January 22, 2007, 08:41 AM NHFT
I would tend to think that the closer you can get to whale migration routes, the more luck you'd have in seeing a whale.
As for crossing the Canadian border, it used to be that a driver's license was sufficient to enter Canada, but they gave you a hard time getting back in if you didn't have a birth certificate or passport.
Nowadays, expect to be delayed considerably at the border unless you have your "papers" (and even then, your car may be searched, you'll most likely have to wait in line, etc.). At least, this has been my experience as recent as 2004, and I don't imagine it's improved.
Thanks this is good to know. Did you like it when you went? I'm wondering if taking the ferry over to Nova Scotia would be easier, what do you think? Are the roads easy to get around on in Canada? Thanks! :)
There is probably less border crap taking the ferry. That area of Canada is beautiful!
Ah, I've only ever driven my car across the border, so I can't vouch for the ferry. :)
My mother was born in Canada and lived for a while when she was a child in Nova Scotia, I think. I should like to visit there someday. :)
The roads in Canada are actually decent, to my best recollection. I think they put down some kind of asphalt mixed with recycled milk jugs to give it more elasticity, but that might just be from one of my Canuck roommates from college trying to pull one over on me. ;) I don't really know about traveling between cities so much as I've only ever really gone to Toronto and Montreal (though I was on a choir tour in the Sarnia/London area in college).
I did like being in Canada when I went. Of course, every time was to visit family or friends, and it was usually summer when the weather was beautiful.
The Bay of Fundy is rumored to have the best whale watching in the world http://bayoffundytourism.com/
And....the highest tides
Quote from: Rosie the Riveter on January 22, 2007, 09:14 AM NHFT
The Bay of Fundy is rumored to have the best whale watching in the world http://bayoffundytourism.com/
You are terrific and have made my day! I'm checking this out and am going to get there somehow! ;D
I lived in New Brunswick for a bit and the roads were just fine. I've been from Windsor to Moncton and the main highways are very good.
You've seen the Bore there then
http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-205423
I think there's a new post-911 law that you need a passport to get in and out of Canada, but I'm not certain. I want to visit Canada some time, too. Nova Scotia seems to have a cool culture with it's Scottish and Irish background, Alberta is apparently one of the free-est economies in the world (free-er than most US states), and British Columbia has the whole weed acceptance thing and apparently even has coffee shops, so that would be fun to check out. The other provinces I can take or leave, but I definitely want to see visit those 3 at some point.
Quote from: eques on January 22, 2007, 08:41 AM NHFT
Nowadays, expect to be delayed considerably at the border unless you have your "papers" (and even then, your car may be searched, you'll most likely have to wait in line, etc.). At least, this has been my experience as recent as 2004, and I don't imagine it's improved.
In 1971 I was searched and had to show rabies vaccination for my dog.
Quote from: CNHT on January 22, 2007, 03:13 PM NHFT
Quote from: eques on January 22, 2007, 08:41 AM NHFT
Nowadays, expect to be delayed considerably at the border unless you have your "papers" (and even then, your car may be searched, you'll most likely have to wait in line, etc.). At least, this has been my experience as recent as 2004, and I don't imagine it's improved.
In 1971 I was searched and had to show rabies vaccination for my dog.
Maybe they were on the lookout for a rabid terrorist.
Quote from: error on January 22, 2007, 08:13 AM NHFT
I would imagine the best whale watching would be in the middle of the ocean.
There was a cove north of LA (zuma beach) and that had great whale watching.
A guy told me (I don't know if it was true or not) that there were some swallows there and the whales would scrape their bellies on it.... they came back every year. It was pretty cool sitting on a cliff and seeing a couple dozens whales.
That reminds me of a story. I used to live in Byron Bay, which is located at the most easterly point of (mainland) Australia. Between May and December you can see the whales swimming north from Antarctica. Some swim close enough that you can see them from the mainland, and there are boats that go out so you can get a closer look.
Anyway, one time a whale was swimming by in the distance and there was an American couple and one of them said "Look, a whale!" and the other one said "That's not a whale, that's a man on a kayak!", and they argued about it for several minutes.
Then there is this "footage" (http://galerie.maville.com/photo/photo/2004/12/658.mpeg) (mpeg video) of a killer whale capsizing a kayak.
Quote from: Dreepa on January 22, 2007, 08:08 PM NHFT
Quote from: error on January 22, 2007, 08:13 AM NHFT
I would imagine the best whale watching would be in the middle of the ocean.
There was a cove north of LA (zuma beach) and that had great whale watching.
A guy told me (I don't know if it was true or not) that there were some swallows there and the whales would scrape their bellies on it.... they came back every year. It was pretty cool sitting on a cliff and seeing a couple dozens whales.
I'm guessing that really pissed off those birds
Quote from: Pat McCotter on January 22, 2007, 09:39 PM NHFT
Then there is this "footage" (http://galerie.maville.com/photo/photo/2004/12/658.mpeg) (mpeg video) of a killer whale capsizing a kayak.
Man that guy really got wailed on!!!
For a minute there with all the Japanese screaming in the background,
I thought Godzilla was going to rise from the water.