Citrus not ready to go full online

Here’s the deal about this blog business:

Sometimes 9 p.m. rolls around and the blog I’m working on simply doesn’t make sense or strays too far into “do you really want to say that” territory.

For example, this is the first line of a blog I started writing Tuesday night:​

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"Hi there, I’m Mike. I’m a RINO — Republican in Name Only."

We're going to stop right there. The stuff that followed didn’t just stray into both areas — illogical AND would have brought nothing but trouble — it rumbled through, well, like a certain large animal one thinks of when seeing the acronym RINO. Yeah, a giraffe.

After setting it down for a bit and going about some business, I decided to spike that blog and instead open the vast Just Wright Citrus vault of topics for something relevant and entertaining.

Turns out I left that vault in my other pants pocket. Instead you get this story which, I promise, has a point. Eventually.

The Just Wright Citrus World Headquarters on the shores of Big Lake Henderson is literally two blocks from the county courthouse, a hub of activity in Inverness on any given weekday. Yet, internet availability here is somewhat lacking. None of the internet providers will service here. I’m seriously on an island.

I’ve been a Dish customer for many years. I’m also a Tampa Bay Rays fan. Few years ago, Dish and the provider of Rays games had a financial disagreement and Dish stopped carrying the channel. With no streaming potential, I was pretty much out of luck other than games shown on the networks.

The third year of this coincided with the debut of our favorite blog. With horrible internet potential here, even using my phone as a hotspot, I spent the first few weeks working each day in the library for its Wi-Fi. I knew that couldn’t last. I didn’t want to risk being offended by a book display.

So I found the solution. I’m not mentioning the business but it’s a device that gathers signals from cell towers and provides the Wi-Fi I need. And that’s about as technological as I’ll get.

The streaming worked so great, I was able to sever my relationship with Dish and start watching Rays games once again like a normal person.

For about a week.

And thus began a lengthy series of back-and-forth with this company about the streaming issues. I replaced three devices. The one I currently have works OK, except between 2:30 and 3:15 each afternoon (not joking), and streaming is still a challenge. I watch the Rays on my phone and even that’s not so hot.

You may be wondering, what’s your point JWC?

This:

Taking legal notices out of the newspaper and placing them on government websites is an idea well before its time. Asking Citrus County residents to rely on the internet for government notices may have merit one day, but not today.

Simply, Citrus County isn’t ready for it.

I'm near the Courthouse Square and can’t get reliable internet service. Try sending an email on your phone in Citrus Springs or Pine Ridge. There are small and large pockets of cell tower nothingness all through this county where phone service is questionable and online is impossible.

I don’t know how any of this works, but it seems misguided to force citizens online in a county where online is a questionable adventure.

There you have it. Today’s words of wisdom.

Did I mention I’m a RINO?

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