but now i have to start calling him President Brown? And who is manning the borders? And when did the California Republic declare independence, and how the hell did I miss that HUGE NOOZ story?

For the record, the State could actually make it as an independent country. It seems we now are.

for those who inevitably will miss this. Oh and a gripe, with Grizzlies mostly no longer around... can we redesign the flag?

Finding a comfortable chair.

Putting my feet up.

Making some popcorn,

Pouring a beer,

And enjoy watching the biggest fustercluck the world had ever seen!!!!!!!

I'm not letting this baffoon fill my remaining years with angst. Life is too short.

Foreign Investors are helping to jack up the price of housing across the state and even the last big city in California that's both decent and cheap, Sacramento, is having large rent spikes.

Not so much anymore.

That's usually a pretty good indicator of a bay area housing bubble, when a lot of people start commuting to the valley.

We also took a huge hit in the recession because of the state hiring freeze and pay cuts to existing employees. Every business hurt because the customer base was tightening their belts. That's finally resolved but it took a really long time.

But a big part of the problem right now is that the rentals that *are* being built here are luxury apartments in midtown, and honestly the customer base willing to pay 2K/mo to live in a shoebox over a bar is pretty darn small, because most of the people who want that kind of housing (and the amenities to go with it) move an hour and a half west. The remainder of that market is people who work in the capital, lobbyists and hangers-on and that's a stable customer base that the central city already had enough luxury units to house.

Purchase prices for houses here are still roughly half of what they were at their peak. Maybe a bit over or under depending on the trendiness of the neighborhood and such, but half is a pretty good ballpark figure.

True story, coming across the river into Blythe a few months ago, my kid asked me the reason for the inspection stop. Told her the real reason, she commented that seemed dumb, and the I stated, we may need it some day to keep out the crazy assed 'zonie tea baggers.

Have a Gadsen Flag bumper sticker, NRA?, do you support Sheriff Joe? Does trickle down economics work? Answer any incorrectly and it is a U Turn back to Phoenix.

If someone got in my face about Bush or Iraq, I would just say I'm from California and the people who elected George W. Bush would execute me given the opportunity. One French guy who was really getting aggressive calmed right down and said (in "perfect" english) , "Oh yeah!? You're from the land of weed, big tits and pussy my friend." as soon as I said the word California.

I also got a free taxi ride after telling a taxi driver exactly what I thought of George W. Bush.