Whats life in California like?

[FRIENDinDEED]

any word about Santa Barbara? the wife and i were thinking about it as a moving destination down the line. we do plan to visit in the near future on a road trip maybe or fly.

 

[megayields]

i often find it funny that no-one ever mentions....the downside of things.....
cost of living is outrageous, crime is thru the roof, TRAFFIC, pollution,crowds, congestion,insane politicians,earthquakes,gangs,everything cost TWICE as much,brokeASS economy,brokeASS state,cracked fault-line and falling into the ocean, and then there's the fact it's WAY to crowded, endless amounts of homeless,Covered in Cement,the phucking SMOG,...... oh and then there's this.....


The following are 22 facts about California that make you wonder why anyone would still want to live in that hellhole of a state....

#1 The California state government is facing a potential state budget deficit of 19 billion dollars this year, and California debt is rapidly approaching junk status. One way or another the taxpayers of California are going to have to pay for this mess somehow.

#2 California Governor Jerry Brown recently unveiled a "draconian" budget plan for 2011 that includes 12 billion dollars more in spending cuts and that maintains 12 billion dollars in recent tax increases.

#3 The state of California currently has the third highest state income tax in the nation: a 9.55% tax bracket at $47,055 and a 10.55% bracket at $1,000,000.

#4 California has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation by far at 8.25%. Indiana has the next highest at 7%.

#5 Residents of California pay the highest gasoline taxes (over 67 cents per gallon) in the United States.

#6 California had more foreclosure filings that any other U.S. state in 2010. The 546,669 total foreclosure filings during the year means that over 4 percent of all the housing units in the state of California received a foreclosure filing at some point during 2010.

#7 Home prices in some areas of California have completely fallen off a cliff. For example, the average home in Merced, California has declined in value by 63 percent over the past four years.

#8 725 new laws (most of them either completely pointless or completely stupid) went into effect in the state of California on January 1st.

#9 20 percent of the residents of Los Angeles County are now receiving public aid of one kind or another.

#10 The number of people unemployed in the state of California is approximately equal to the populations of Nevada, New Hampshire and Vermont combined.

#11 In some areas of California, the level of unemployment is absolutely nightmarish. For example, 24.3 percent of the residents of El Centro, California are now unemployed.

#12 Residents of California pay some of the highest electricity prices in the entire nation.

#13 The state of California ranks dead last out of all 50 states in the number of emergency rooms per million people.

#14 According to one survey, approximately 1 out of every 4 Californians under the age of 65 has absolutely no health insurance.

#15 At one point last year it was reported that in the area around Sacramento, California there was one closed business for every six that were still open.

#16 In the late 70s, California was number one in per-pupil spending on education, but now the state has fallen to 48th place.

#17 In one school district in California, children as young as five years old are being forced to watch propaganda films that tout the benefits of "alternative lifestyles", and parents are being told that no "opting out" will be permitted.

#18 The crime rate in the San Diego school system is escalating out of control. The following is what San Diego School Police Chief Don Braun recently told the press about the current situation....

"Violent crime in schools has risen 31 percent. Property crime has risen 12 percent. Weapons violations (have gone up) almost 8 percent."

#19 Oakland, California Police Chief Anthony Batts announced last year that due to severe budget cuts there are a number of crimes that his department will simply not be able to respond to any longer. The crimes that the Oakland police will no longer be responding to include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism.

#20 Things have gotten so bad in Stockton, California that the police union put up a billboard with the following message: "Welcome to the 2nd most dangerous city in California. Stop laying off cops."

#21 During one recent 23 year period, the state of California built 23 prisons but just one university.

#22 The farther you look into the future, the worse California's financial problems become. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, California's unfunded pension liability is estimated to be somewhere between $120 billion and $500 billion at this point.

ahh reality ,...what a bitch...but I DO love living in Santa Cruz, although my power bill alone could buy a home in most states!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

The following are 22 facts about California that make you wonder why anyone would still want to live in that hellhole of a state....


#19 Oakland, California Police Chief Anthony Batts announced last year that due to severe budget cuts there are a number of crimes that his department will simply not be able to respond to any longer. The crimes that the Oakland police will no longer be responding to include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism.

But they'll bust your grow in a heartbeat.

#20 Things have gotten so bad in Stockton, California that the police union put up a billboard with the following message: "Welcome to the 2nd most dangerous city in California. Stop laying off cops."

I've LIVED in Compton... it's NOT the lack of police. It's the population. They seem to be 'broken'. I never experienced such a huge lack of education and (completely illogical and outright ignorant) reverse prejudice in my life from people. Definitely an "experience".

Never saw so many 25-40 year olds on so many Rx pills and state assistance before... just waiting around to die.

#21 During one recent 23 year period, the state of California built 23 prisons but just one university.

#22 The farther you look into the future, the worse California's financial problems become. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, California's unfunded pension liability is estimated to be somewhere between $120 billion and $500 billion at this point.

The CA Officers and Jailers are the ones with the largest budget, until the money runs out. That should steer you away if nothing else does.

Get rid of the ignorants and the socialist population in CA and the state might be saveable.

Stay SAFE!

 

[huligun]

Since this is a weed site it should be noted that California is the center of the universe in regard to weed and always has been. No place has more, better strain selection or general accepted. California is the first state to go Mmj and broke ground for all the others. It is the safest place by far for a stranger to score. The weed in California is generally better than any place else. The bar is set high there.

 

[stasis]

Clive - look at some other "Hot" threads about this subject... One is "Best Spots in Cali." You will find a lot of info there.
Coming from the UK, the Weather will absolutely Blow You Away..!

CA = Most Amazing place in the USA. Most difficult place in the USA... Most Geographically Diverse. Center of Surfing on Planet Earth. Best (but crowded) City in USA (SF). Although lots of Lo-Grade, there is also the Highest Quality MJ anywhere.

Lots of cool Folks, but also some of the Freakiest, Flakiest, smelliest People possibly in the World..!

There are always Trade-Offs. No Paradise really exists.

Going to look for surf again..!!

Peace.

 

[SeaMaiden]

Right now its dank hot out. But I could easily drive an hour west to the bay for perfect weather. 70s all summer. Or I could drive an hour east and be in the mountains fishing some backwood creeks or lakes with 80 degree weather. I don't think there is a place in the world where u can snow ski and surf all in the same day. People are very tolerant of smoking. Some poles say 60+ percent of people appove or smoke them selves. There are a lot of undercover smokers out here you would never guess there smokers. I'd imagine its closer to 70%. A lot of people can't revile they burn it. Because of state jobs, drug testing whatever it may be.

It's drier in the high country than I've ever seen it, EVER. The route to Lake Margaret used to have a pretty good stream not too far in. Now? It's a wash with boggy areas and MOSQUITOES. Drove me out with a quickness after I decided that was the place to go pee. That was a mistake, we had to get back up onto the rocks to get away from the swarms.

Can you believe the difference? I mean remember last year, all those people who were swept away by Sierra streams, creeks and rivers? Remember the people who went over Vernal Falls!? My dog almost got herself taken away at that stream up at Lake Margaret when she was screwing around jumping in and out. It was pretty damn warm up there, too. We just went like two weeks ago.

its paradise. i smoke weed all day. i walk down the street smoking a j all the time. folks here get more offended if you smoke a ciggie . and the weather is beautifull. my only complaints are , price of electric and gas and insane property tax rates.about 8 years worth of property tax here could buy me a new pad in other states. worth it tho

Not here. Up here almost EVERYONE smokes ciggies. It's a trip coming from SoCal where it's so frowned upon.

I have only lived in Cali, having only visited other states, but it really depends on where you are in the state. We have had good and bad comments toward us, we were in San Fran a cpl of weeks ago, puffin a doob on a pier and a cop rode up to us on a motorcycle and told us we couldnt smoke in public, which really surprised us cuz they usually dont give a crap if you smoke in the city.
Its chill here most of the time, but you still have to be careful, cops will still hassle you for puffin.

San Fran popo are having issues and I think I read a piece in the Chron that they're hurting for funds, and I thought they have a no smoking in public law that garners a ticket or something, good way to drum up $$$. The place to toke up is Oakland, especially west O-town. Just don't get mugged!

spent 6 years there in the early 1970s ... compared to where i came from, it was like being dropped into the 25th century ... i liked it a lot (in my 20s), wouldn't want to live there now (in my 60s). Too many people.

i fucking loved Santa Cruz, redwoods, San Lorenzo river (garden of eden, oh my) ... and there were hippies everywhere.

Did you know that today, as I write this, Alpine County in California is the 4th LEAST populated county in the nation? Including Alaska and Texas.

Yort, California is the 8th largest economy in the World. Bigger than most countries. Yet there is a reason people love living there and it isn't just weed. All the big cities have a baseball team, you have Hollywood, it is absolutely beautiful there and they are trying to get the smog under control. All people have to do is not drive and smog would go away. If you get out of LA you can see the most beautiful deserts, mountains, huge trees, beaches, loads of history, and phenomenal wealth to go along with your poverty. For every bad thing there a many good things. It isn't for everyone but it is for a good many.

Times are tough and money is tight everywhere too. You have to get out and see. The whole west coast is an economic mess these last 3-4 years.

There is a lot of negative to say about our state, but the fact that we are such an economic powerhouse still amazes me. We've dropped in ranking, we used to be something like 5th largest economy in the world and I'm sure we've dropped in part at least to businesses being driven out by our taxation schemes. Also, our initiative system has caused us a LOT of problems, and they're really what's to blame for our fiscal mess. The voters have placed mandatory spending limits that the government is held to. Last time I did any reading on the subject the state government has discretionary fiscal control over something like 7% of the state budget, everything else is mandated by vote.

We should have voted in Tom McClintock instead of the governator, but we're idiots. Hell, we voted out that proposition that would have had us hip-deep in alternative energy R&D and infrastructure development!

Did you know that as one of the five oil-producing states California is the ONLY one that does NOT charge a per-barrel fee for wells that produce above a certain level (usually it's something like 10barrels+/day, IIRC). All the other states charge this fee, but the idea was soundly quelled here by television advertising that had folks believing it was going to raise taxes on finished gasoline.

That was something like 7 or 8 years ago and I still have a fucking fat wiry hair across my ass about it.

100k wont buy a garage in my neighborhood

It'll buy you acreage out here.

 

[chase]

Im out in the reedwoods now , there was a mountain loin by the mailbox the other night , lots of fog , p-silly fungus coming soon , I just like to find them in the wild , & look at them lol.

 

[HempKat]

The intial question for this thread was based on the idea of the OP wanting to relocate to California which would have different requirements then someone coming just for a visit. So let me ask that here seperately. What would you Californians say is the best place for visitors to go and get the best experience of California? Not just for smoking weed either but also for getting a really nice sampling of all the variety California has to offer. I ask because I'll almost certainly never move there but I would love to visit some day.

 

[rives]

HempKat, I think that the first thing that you have to do is narrow down what interests you a bit. There is simply too much of it. Urban, rural, mountains, desert, ocean, hiking, fishing, skiing, surfing..... What scratches your itch? To illustrate: the Hawaiian islands have a total area of 6400 square miles, which is nearly identical to the county that I live in. California has almost 164,000 square miles.

 

[HempKat]

HempKat, I think that the first thing that you have to do is narrow down what interests you a bit. There is simply too much of it. Urban, rural, mountains, desert, ocean, hiking, fishing, skiing, surfing..... What scratches your itch? To illustrate: the Hawaiian islands have a total area of 6400 square miles, which is nearly identical to the county that I live in. California has almost 164,000 square miles.

That's tough because there is so much there I've heard about that would like to see and do. The only thing I can say for certain I'd want to definately see is the Sequoia National Park. I would also love to drive California's Pacific Coast Highway. I wouldn't mind doing Disneyland as that's the original but then again that just seems such a cliche in terms of tourist attractions, same thing for Hollywood.

It's also tough because all I know about is what I hear from time to time when people talk about California but perhaps there are things I haven't heard about that ultimately I'd find more enjoyable then the things I have heard about?

 

[Mrs.Babba]

That's tough because there is so much there I've heard about that would like to see and do. The only thing I can say for certain I'd want to definately see is the Sequoia National Park. I would also love to drive California's Pacific Coast Highway. I wouldn't mind doing Disneyland as that's the original but then again that just seems such a cliche in terms of tourist attractions, same thing for Hollywood.

It's also tough because all I know about is what I hear from time to time when people talk about California but perhaps there are things I haven't heard about that ultimately I'd find more enjoyable then the things I have heard about?

Hempy, the redwoods are really pretty, just have to go when there arent a million ppl around, it can get so crowded. Along the coast is great also, try to get off the beaten track and find some small towns, they have alot of character.
Disneyland is alot of fun, deff should go once in your like. Hollywood and LA sucks, the traffic and smog are nasty and again a million ppl.
Northern Cali is awesome, alot less ppl and beautiful mountains and lots of lakes and trails to hike. In our area there a prob 100's of mountain lakes to explore.

 

[supermanlives]

you can spend a lifetime touring cali. there is just so much

 

[SeaMaiden]

The intial question for this thread was based on the idea of the OP wanting to relocate to California which would have different requirements then someone coming just for a visit. So let me ask that here seperately. What would you Californians say is the best place for visitors to go and get the best experience of California? Not just for smoking weed either but also for getting a really nice sampling of all the variety California has to offer. I ask because I'll almost certainly never move there but I would love to visit some day.

HempKat, you want to learn more about the neat stuff in the state that's *not* 'tourist cliche'? Watch his shows: http://www.calgold.com/calgold/

http://www.calgold.com/missions/
If you're interested in the California Mission Trail then visiting two missions/day would take up at least 10 days. Huell did a show on California's missions, too. San Juan Capistrano is STILL my favorite, I've been going there for decades. In fact, the last time I was there.... a year or two ago I think, there was a chapel open that I have never seen before, decorated in the original style and methods.

Or, you could come *just* to whitewater raft, and that would take you hella days. Or you could come to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Rodeos, oh man people would be blown away to know how many small local rodeos we have in this state. YEE HAW!

If you're going to visit a zoo, make it the San Diego Zoo and NOT that one in SF where the tigers escaped, mkay? LA zoo sucks, too. I haven't been to the wild animal park since I was in 8th grade and that was in the 70s, I'm sure it's changed.

I've recently learned that Napa and Sonoma have ideal TRUFFLE cultivation conditions.

 

[huligun]

you can spend a lifetime touring cali. there is just so much

You know it man. I made a thread on my road trip for harvest last year. I had the time of my life.

 

[supermanlives]

i toured with 8 ounces last trip. had a blast too. anything north of hospital rock is great.

 

[huligun]

I went from Portland Oregon to Ensenada Mexico to Las Cruces New Mexico. Slept in my camper at Big Sur, slept on the floor of a growers house in Monterrey, smoked outdoor golden tiger in San Diego and traded mushrooms for Cherry Pie in San Fran. Seen the sequoia redwoods and Joshua trees. The city, the mountains, the beach and the desert. I want to do it all again.

 

[HempKat]

Thanks all for the suggestions, I don't know when let alone if such a trip will ever happen but it sounds like my focus will likely be to the northern areas. Not to say I would totally exclude the south but perhaps the biggest attractions in California for me would be things of natural beauty. I would also still probably check some of LA and Hollywood out. I have a friend there somewhere near Hollywood who is pretty well established in the stunt double business that I'd love to look up and see how he's doing.

I would also like to check out some cliche things at least for old hippies, like the San Francisco scene and places like Haight-Ashbury. I would also love to scope out the medical scene but not as a perspective patient which might make that problematic but I'm just curious about it. Although with what's been happening with dispensaries there might not be anything to see by the time I ever make it there.

 

[SeaMaiden]

The southern portion of the state also holds some amazing areas of natural beauty.

 

[HempKat]

The southern portion of the state also holds some amazing areas of natural beauty.

Well that's why I said that things of natural beauty would be of most interest after I said I wouldn't totally exclude the south.

 

[analogue]

I've recently learned that Napa and Sonoma have ideal TRUFFLE cultivation conditions.

My mother-in-law's (RIP Rachel) house in Napa has a few acres of oak trees with a small stream in a canyon. I'll have to read up on truffles now. Thank you!

Hempkat: you could spend a week just in San Francisco. There's a B and B in the upper Haight were I used to live. It's a "period" place . You could spend a weekend just in Golden Gate park, maybe schedule it in with one of the music festivals (say Hardly Strictly Bluegrass). Go to City Lights Bookstore in North Beach, hit up the cafes and the parks. Just be discreet walking around with a J is all - don't wave it around . If I had a dime for every time I saw or smelled a J every day I could buy the whole state I think.