both white and black floridians used to call june, july & august the 'three brothers of summers', there was little to be had or do during this time of year, despite willis carrier generally getting credit for having invented air conditioning (which, of course, 'made' contemporary florida possible), florida doctor john gorrie's mid-19th century ice-making machine designed to cool down people with yellow fever is actual beginning...
btw: original florida crackers were scots & irish settler in north florida after u.s. bought territory from spain in 1821, some believe they got this nick name because of cracking sound their whips made when herding cattle, others claim that name stems from their pounded or 'cracking' corn to make flour, grits & meal, folks who consider themselves crackers today generally do so to highlight their place among long-standing florida families, number of such folks have actively tried to counter contemporary characterization of crackers as white bigots/racists (and claim made by some that nickname stems from cracking slave-driver bull whips)...
as friend of mine who traces his family's time in florida back a couple of centuries notes, his ancestors were rednecks, working people whose necks burned in the sun from stooping farm work that they did (another version of story has it that folks wore red bandanas around their necks to protect themselves from sun burn)... michael hoover -------------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure.