Re: Florida Governor rigging the election, again If Maris is ever banned, I'm out of here. I just went to the privatized liquor store a block away and paid $4 more for a bottle of rum than when it was state-run. I've had my first sips and am settling down for a happy election evening.
Re: Florida Governor rigging the election, again On the contrary, I usually buy my alcohol on base so that sales tax isn't charged. Here in Tampa, the bar across the street from my home has a package store attached that can steeply discount prices b/c they upcharge the bar drinks. So it's substantially (20%, on average) cheaper for me to get the stuff I drink there than on base, which adds up to a lot. I kind of like the ability to shop around for the best price. Sounds like you pay for convenience.
Re: Florida Governor rigging the election, again Too complicated for my present state. I do remember my parents couldn't drink half of the pitcher of beer they bought at the NCO mess so my mother gave it to a couple just arrived and sitting down. It was 1965 and my dad was a colonel but for some reason we were at the enlisted men's place to eat at Hickam.
Re: Florida Governor rigging the election, again My dad was a MSgt, and for Squadron Christmas parties and the like they'd rent out the E-Club b/c it was bigger. Maybe that was it.
I have so many specific memories of military life in the early 60s, it's a pity it will die with me. For a kid, living on a military base is like a socialist commune. I have never had such a good lifestyle, before or since. A base has everything you could ever want.
it was before. I'm on the waiting list to move my family on base while I'm gone, and the amenities aren't nearly as good as they were when I was a kid. The theater's only 2x a week, there aren't an NCO or O-Club anymore, you need to pay $5/pp for the chow hall (which doesn't do every meal anymore), etc. The gyms seem better, and the family housing is way better (though I imagine O-4 housing is much better than E-5 housing). But we didn't lock doors, we knew a bunch of our neighbors, etc.
When I was in the military I really enjoyed base life. 100% employment, lots of good kids, lots of activities...
You have the crafts store (with Rat Fink models, B-58 models, etc.), the thrift store (where you sell your used home stuff), the indoor theater (where you watch the brand new movie Goldfinger for 15 cents under 12, 25 cents over 12), the PX (where you buy your 5 cent candybars and your big 10 cent candybars and your 10 cent comic books), your commissary (where you see the newspaper vending machine with headlines like "Marilyn Monroe commits suicide" or "It's Cassiuus Clay over Liston in TKO" your outdoor theater (with movies like "Lolita” or John Wayne in "Laredo"). Those were the good old days.