Wondering a few things about STX life

you have such a good sense of humor. wait, did you really want answers.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

if you are being serious and actually want an answer:

Chickens--I currently have a chicken in my yard that I feed but he comes and goes as she pleases. I hope no one ever catches her and eats her. A friend of mine has a whole flock--doesn't "own" them, but feeds them and they stick around. I wouldn't eat chickens from the street in town because they probably eat a lot of garbage--but a nice chicken from the rainforest? Possible physiologically...but I would not because it could be someones "pet" chicken (like mine). When I lived in town (Fsted), there were several roosters near my apartment and I was constantly chasing away/yelling at kids trying to catch them for fighting.

Golden Grove--The prison has been under a consent decree from the feds for more than 20 years. Conditions are not that great. However, prisoners do work with construction, grass cutting, picking up trash--doing stuff for public works. Anything the government wants done really cheap, they get the prisoners to do it. They also have an upholstery shop in the prison so if you bring in a sofa for example and the material they can reupholster it for you. They also make the license plates at the workshop in the prison and there is a mechanics shop. There are job training programs but the prison is understaffed and underfunded so the rehab programs are often not consistent. It is not a very encouraging environment, and often up to the inmates own initiative on whether to do something. Hopefully in the future there will be more funding, more staff and more mandated rehab programs so that more of the people who come out of Grove can ease back into society and contribute to it, rather than slip back into criminal activities.

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17634324

Chickens
Rome wild like donkeys used to on the island. They are actually great for keeping your yard bug fee. A wild chicken is definitely eatable but not going to be anywhere as tasty as a grain feed chicken. Heck there are still deer and iguanas on the stx you just see much fewer of them. I heard people say they've seen a wild donkey but I didn't believe the source.

Law Enforcement
They enforce little and you may have to bagger to get anything done. Local pd cant arrest for pirating videos (thats federal) but I'm sure that guy doesn't have a permit or a business license and pd can definitely arrest them for that. The store would have to be pushing about getting the cops to come take him away. But pueblo is dirty.

Road Repairs
Its all about job security and greedy politicians. The poor jobs they do on the roads gives the crews job security and no doubt the money they save on cheap repairs lines someones pockets.

Grocery Stores
There are many stories about pueblo, none of them good, from how they treat their employees, quality of food etc.... Avoid it like the plague.

Growing up here...probably in elementary school I think it was....anyways every Easter in Sunny Isles they gave away chicks. There used to be a bandstand in the middle of the parking lot and for ANYTHING you bought in SI all you had to do was take your receipt and they would give you a chick. The chicks were different colors...reds, greens etc etc. I looked forward to this as a kid every Easter. I would run into the drugstore and buy a chocolate get a receipt and go get a chick....by the end of the day I had chicks galore....Wonder if we contributed to all these chickens running around. Hmmmm

Ah Ha! It's all your fault I get woken up so early everyday Yearasta!

I guess by posing the questions, i was hoping to be enlightened and make a couple of observations. The free ranging fowl do add a certain ambiance to island life. I see them in places that I really don't expect. But I share stxem's admiration for the birds and wouldn't want to be acquainted with dinner. Betty's right about the bird’s diet. These are not the free range chickens that are supposed to be better eating.

Yearasta mentioned the dyed chickens. I do remember getting those on Easter when I was kid. The funny thing is I don't remember what happened to them. I do know that they didn't grow up and die of old age.

As far as police enforcement,. I don't really care about the guy in front of Blockbuster. But there is the "broken window" theory about crime. It says that when we ignore the minor crimes it leads to general lawlessness. Many of the petty crimes are prosecuted here though. My theory is that many police need to justify there positions and it would put them in a lot of peril to pursue more serious offenders. I know it's a bit cynical.

So it's been almost a year here. It wasn't love at first sight but the island is growing on me. It helped when I checked my type A personality and realized that things have a certain rhythm here...which is slow
.

"So it's been almost a year here. It wasn't love at first sight but the island is growing on me."

I have reason to believe that those for whom it was love at first sight don't last long here.

I agree with the Broken Windows theory. You enforce the small things and people get the feeling that there is some order to their society. When police enforcement is based on whim rather than the rule of law, people learn to ignore all laws. I love to listen to the Cop Show and the lectures that the police department give. If they would just get out there and give a few tickets, people would get the idea.

Re: chickens- the St Thomas/Water Island administrator hired a guy to go out and rustle up feral fowl. There has been a big change in my neck of the woods! Thank you, Ms Petersen!