[Drazen]

Now the idiot legislatures are trying to kill Uber and Lyft in California.

I signed and sent the following, which I doubt will help.
http://advocacy.lyft.com/612/

A funny sidenote, one of the guys who voted to kill Uber/Lyft was arrested for a DUI a few hours after the vote.

http://pando.com/2014/08/25/ca-senator-v...ets-a-dui/

Quote:

When judges are asked to preside over a case involving family, or any similar conflict of interest, they are expected to recuse themselves. For California state Senators, apparently the same standard doesn’t apply.

Last Thursday, San Diego Democrat Ben Hueso voted in favor of a bill that would make it far more difficult for ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft to operate within the state. The problem? As first reported by the Sacramento Bee, Hueso’s brothers own a cab company: San Diego-based USA Cab. The brothers and USA Cab have collectively contributed nearly $9,000 to his political career, campaign finance records show.

Hueso tells the Bee:

“I worked in the cab industry for 15 years, so I’m an expert. Much like an attorney would carry a bill on law, or a doctor would carry a bill on health care, I thought I would be the perfect.”

While Hueso is right that lawmakers often rely on prior experience to guide their legislative activities, the direct competition between his brothers company and these upstarts, and the immediate benefit his brothers stand to gain from the passage of this law make this situation more unsavory than most. Hueso’s is one of two competing bills in the California Senate. His, CA-AB1234, would increasing insurance requirements for ride-sharing companies. A second, unrelated bill would increase background check requirements, preclude drivers with histories of credit card fraud, and require the companies to participate in a additional DMV programs.

The passage of either of these bills would be a major blow for Uber and Lyft, and a major coup for the badly wounded taxi industry.

But conflict of interst wasn’t Hueso’s only blunder in the last week. Adding insult to injury, the very next day after the above vote, the state Senator was caught drunk driving. California Highway Patrol Officer Julie Powell tells the bee that Hueso was seen going in the wrong direction down a one way street. The Senator was booked into jail at 3:27 a.m, and jail records show his blood alcohol content exceeded the legal limit of 0.08 at that time, although the CHP declined to release the precise figure.

[Feisbook Control]

(08-22-2014 01:45 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 04:34 AM)Feisbook Control Wrote:  

It sounds like inland California is pretty dystopian

"Inland California" produces most of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that feed America.

It's far from "dystopian".

It literally feeds America.

Just saying..

That's not how Hanson tells it.

Quote:

Last week an ancestral rural school near the Kings River had its large bronze bell stolen. I think it dated from 1911.

Quote:

The city of Fresno is now under siege. Hundreds of street lights are out, their copper wire stripped away.

Quote:

Hundreds of bronze commemorative plaques were ripped off my town’s public buildings (and with them all record of our ancestors’ public-spiritedness).

Quote:

The Catholic church was just looted (again) of its bronze and silver icons. Manhole covers are missing (some of the town’s own maintenance staff were arrested for this theft, no less!). The Little League clubhouse was ransacked of its equipment.

Quote:

I just spoke with another group of farmers at a rural fairground. Every single person I talked to has had the copper wire ripped out of his agricultural pumps within the last two years. The conduits taken from my own 15-horsepower and 10-horsepower pumps were worth about $200 at most. The repair bill was $1,500.

On and on it goes. All of that is juxtaposed against the produce you mentioned (mostly corporate owned, the majority of the small time operators like Hanson having left years ago).

[Glaucon]

some amazing pictures about how serious the drought is



http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-25...ia-drought

[kerouac]

(08-26-2014 02:33 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  

some amazing pictures about how serious the drought is

On the bright side, this means more land for property to be built on!

[Giovonny]

I just read the article.

First off, "Forbes" magazine is a very blue pill publication.

They are in the business of sensationalizing and fear mongering.

I'm not trying to discredit everything they say, but as a for profit media enterprise, we certainly must take much of what they say with a "grain of salt".

They need readers and "page views" to stay in business. This is where sensationalist headlines and story lines come into play.

The article states that California is in trouble because of the following:

A) Debt
B) Poverty
C) Immigration
D) Water
E) High Speed Train Project

My response is this...

-Debt -is a national and worldwide problem, hardly unique to California
-Poverty - is a national and worldwide problem, hardly unique to California
-Immigration - is a national and worldwide problem. It is worse in California due to our close proximity to Mexico.
-Water - is an issue in any dry climate. We have faced droughts since the beginning of recorded history. Rain usually comes.
-New Train Project - I don't know enough about it but I like the idea of modernizing our public transportation system.

Presenting these issues as unique to California is just journalistic sensationalism, in my opinion.

Most of the nation and world face similar problems. Some problems are geographical such as immigration and water in our case.

Is there a state that doesn't face similar and comparable issues?

This thread could have been titled "The Slow Death of America" and literally listed the exact same issues -- Debt, poverty, immigration, government mismanagement, etc.

(08-25-2014 09:07 PM)Feisbook Control Wrote:  

That's not how Hanson tells it.

Hanson does not agree that Inland California produces the majority of fruits, vegetables, and nuts that feed America?

I just Googled "how much of americas produce comes from california" and the most of the links are pretty clear that California does in fact produce the majority of these things for American consumers.

Not sure where Hanson is getting his numbers from?

He mentions street crime.

Obviously, much of it is concentrated in the poorer areas.

Just like in New York, Chicago, Miami, London, Moscow, etc., our impoverished areas do have a bit of street crime.

Again, this is not unique to California and it doesn't stop California from being a world leader in agriculture and technology.

Hanson lives in a poor, rural, farming community.

If he lived in a nice condo near the beach, his perspective would be a little different.

*****

150 years ago, Charles Dickens said...

"it was the best of times and it was the worst of times"

I imagine he felt similar to how we feel now.

[RexImperator]

Yeah I think the title of this thread is misleading/exaggerated. But basically, California is the canary in the coal mine for the problems facing the entire United States

The US seems to be moving away from the rest of the developed western world, and transitioning towards a future more like Mexico or Brazil. Greater economic inequality...some very well-off connected people who have it good, and a vast underclass.

[Feisbook Control]

(08-27-2014 12:37 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

I just read the article.

First off, "Forbes" magazine is a very blue pill publication.

They are in the business of sensationalizing and fear mongering.

I'm not trying to discredit everything they say, but as a for profit media enterprise, we certainly must take much of what they say with a "grain of salt".

They need readers and "page views" to stay in business. This is where sensationalist headlines and story lines come into play.

The article states that California is in trouble because of the following:

A) Debt
B) Poverty
C) Immigration
D) Water
E) High Speed Train Project

My response is this...

-Debt -is a national and worldwide problem, hardly unique to California
-Poverty - is a national and worldwide problem, hardly unique to California
-Immigration - is a national and worldwide problem. It is worse in California due to our close proximity to Mexico.
-Water - is an issue in any dry climate. We have faced droughts since the beginning of recorded history. Rain usually comes.
-New Train Project - I don't know enough about it but I like the idea of modernizing our public transportation system.

Presenting these issues as unique to California is just journalistic sensationalism, in my opinion.

Most of the nation and world face similar problems. Some problems are geographical such as immigration and water in our case.

Is there a state that doesn't face similar and comparable issues?

This thread could have been titled "The Slow Death of America" and literally listed the exact same issues -- Debt, poverty, immigration, government mismanagement, etc.

(08-25-2014 09:07 PM)Feisbook Control Wrote:  

That's not how Hanson tells it.

Hanson does not agree that Inland California produces the majority of fruits, vegetables, and nuts that feed America?

I just Googled "how much of americas produce comes from california" and the most of the links are pretty clear that California does in fact produce the majority of these things for American consumers.

Not sure where Hanson is getting his numbers from?

He mentions street crime.

Obviously, much of it is concentrated in the poorer areas.

Just like in New York, Chicago, Miami, London, Moscow, etc., our impoverished areas do have a bit of street crime.

Again, this is not unique to California and it doesn't stop California from being a world leader in agriculture and technology.

Hanson lives in a poor, rural, farming community.

If he lived in a nice condo near the beach, his perspective would be a little different.

*****

150 years ago, Charles Dickens said...

"it was the best of times and it was the worst of times"

I imagine he felt similar to how we feel now.

I think you're being deliberately obtuse. Obviously Hanson recognises the agricultural output of California since he is a farmer and also writes about the buy up of land there and how fertile it is. That wasn't what I was referring to, and you know it. Obviously he'd have a different perspective if he didn't live amongst it. What does such a comment even mean though? Do we say to someone who gets punched in the face that if he were the one throwing the punch he'd have a different perspective? That if I sat to the left of someone, I would be able to see the right side of his face, but if I sat to his right, I would?

I don't think the kind of crime he describes, of civic buildings and infrastructure being stripped of anything valuable exists in functional places. It certainly wouldn't have existed a few decades ago in California, and not on that scale. He also documents the decline in maintenance of infrastructure, which is, again, not something a functional place would have. The funny thing about the provinces being looted by barbarians is that eventually they strip the provinces bare or there are too many of them and then set their eyes on Rome itself.

Hanson provides a juxtaposition of coastal California which is a world away from inland California. In the interior, things are characterised by the corporatisation of huge swathes of the countryside whilst small farmers (many of whose families have been there for generations, as Hanson's family has) struggle against crime, debt saddled and corrupt local governments, rampant illegal immigration and all of the other ills that plague increasing numbers of American communities. Those are the flyover regions of the country though, and I guess Hanson and his ilk should just move to the coast. Out of sight, out of mind; or let them eat cake. That sort of thing.

[DVY]

CA is the land for the poor or the rich. They've done studies that its better cost-of-living to be an unemployed single parent w/2 kids than to work minimal wage job.

My monthly expenses are around 2k (I do still live at home though). If I lived on my own, it'd be closer to 4k/month

I have no idea how people live on 50k/year. Taxes eat 20-25%. 40k/year and you are barely scraping by here.

[iknowexactly]

(08-22-2014 02:02 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

What's up with the real estate and rent prices out there? It seem shit to me is everyone house/apt poor?

Unless you live in Hipster and Tech central,(SF) , or the most snooty sections of LA area, it's not that bad, Sacramento is a nice city with $650 studios, some in old buildings with free water and free how water. Also only two hours from where mountain biking was invented (Marin) and where you can try to kill yourself mountain biking ( Sierras) or skiing.

Right there that kills any flat state for excitement, unless you've got the compensating water fun El Mech has in Florida.

BUYING houses in nice areas is def worse than most of the rest of the country.

"In Broward County the cops are all nuts,
don't get between a cop and his donuts."

[speakeasy]

(08-28-2014 02:51 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 02:02 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

What's up with the real estate and rent prices out there? It seem shit to me is everyone house/apt poor?

Unless you live in Hipster and Tech central,(SF) , or the most snooty sections of LA area, it's not that bad, Sacramento is a nice city with $650 studios, some in old buildings with free water and free how water. Also only two hours from where mountain biking was invented (Marin) and where you can try to kill yourself mountain biking ( Sierras) or skiing.

Right there that kills any flat state for excitement, unless you've got the compensating water fun El Mech has in Florida.

BUYING houses in nice areas is def worse than most of the rest of the country.

"In Broward County the cops are all nuts,
don't get between a cop and his donuts."

I've never been to Sacramento but from what I know, it's pretty flat there and how many people are going to trek 2 hours every weekend to go to the mountains. Hell I know people who live 30 minutes inland from some of the nicest beaches in Socal yet rarely step foot on the sand. I also heard it's ungodly hot in the summer and often overcast with fog most the winter. There's a reason it's cheap.

Btw, anyone ever encounter Tule fog? I've driven through it a few times on the grapevine heading to or from SF and LA. It's some nasty shit. Once drove through it for continuous hours with a solid wall of grey and visibility of 1/8 a mile.

[RexImperator]

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_3...-residents

San Jose Mercury New Wrote:

A growing number of Bay Area residents -- besieged by home prices, worsening traffic, high taxes and a generally more expensive cost of living -- believe life would be better just about anywhere else but here.

During the 12 months ending June 30, the number of people leaving California for another state exceeded by 61,100 the number who moved here from elsewhere in the U.S., according to state Finance Department statistics. The so-called "net outward migration" was the largest since 2011, when 63,300 more people fled California than entered.

"The main factors are housing costs in many parts of the state, including coastal regions of California such as the Bay Area," said Dan Hamilton, director of economics with the Economic Forecasting Center at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

"California has seen negative outward migration to other states for 22 of the last 25 years."

A recent poll revealed that an unsettling sense of yearning has descended on people in the Bay Area: About one-third of those surveyed by the Bay Area Council say they would like to exit the nine-county region sometime soon.

"They are tired of the expense of living here. They are tired of the state of California and the endless taxes here," said Scott McElfresh, a certified moving consultant. "People are getting soaked every time they turn around."

The area's sizzling job market and robust economy have created a domino effect: income spikes for highly trained workers, more people packing the area's roads, red-hot demand for housing.

What's more, the technology boom has unleashed a hiring spree that has intensified the desire for homes anywhere near the job hubs of Santa Clara County, the East Bay and San Francisco. The South Bay job market has hit an all-time high after a 5,800-position surge in May, fueling an overall gain of 3,400 jobs for the Bay Area, according to a state labor report released Friday.

The region's soaring housing prices are a key factor driving dissatisfied residents toward the exit door. Several people who have departed, or soon will leave, say they potentially could have hundreds of thousands of dollars left over even after buying a house in their new locations.

[Truth Tiger]

(06-23-2016 10:14 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_3...-residents

San Jose Mercury New Wrote:

A growing number of Bay Area residents -- besieged by home prices, worsening traffic, high taxes and a generally more expensive cost of living -- believe life would be better just about anywhere else but here.

During the 12 months ending June 30, the number of people leaving California for another state exceeded by 61,100 the number who moved here from elsewhere in the U.S., according to state Finance Department statistics. The so-called "net outward migration" was the largest since 2011, when 63,300 more people fled California than entered.

"The main factors are housing costs in many parts of the state, including coastal regions of California such as the Bay Area," said Dan Hamilton, director of economics with the Economic Forecasting Center at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

"California has seen negative outward migration to other states for 22 of the last 25 years."

A recent poll revealed that an unsettling sense of yearning has descended on people in the Bay Area: About one-third of those surveyed by the Bay Area Council say they would like to exit the nine-county region sometime soon.

"They are tired of the expense of living here. They are tired of the state of California and the endless taxes here," said Scott McElfresh, a certified moving consultant. "People are getting soaked every time they turn around."

The area's sizzling job market and robust economy have created a domino effect: income spikes for highly trained workers, more people packing the area's roads, red-hot demand for housing.

What's more, the technology boom has unleashed a hiring spree that has intensified the desire for homes anywhere near the job hubs of Santa Clara County, the East Bay and San Francisco. The South Bay job market has hit an all-time high after a 5,800-position surge in May, fueling an overall gain of 3,400 jobs for the Bay Area, according to a state labor report released Friday.

The region's soaring housing prices are a key factor driving dissatisfied residents toward the exit door. Several people who have departed, or soon will leave, say they potentially could have hundreds of thousands of dollars left over even after buying a house in their new locations.

Thanks to thread starter, I found this at just the right time. I've seen the Bay Area change and while it'll be great for some people and occupations, I am no longer in love. I'll be happy to visit family who will be based here for a long time to come, and customers / friends.

For relocation, it's going to be a bit challenging but I grew up near the city limits so having trees, fields, hills, and wildlife feels very comfortable and familiar. I have to thank this forum for the many insights.

I have a small (physical product) business and can relocate essentially anywhere (our products are shipped to customers) so I'm pretty location-independent. Can hire local help if needed or manage the orders myself and still have time to travel / relax/ write / build a second business for personal development / coaching. I prefer to be near a moderately big city for activities and also game. I'm darker-skinned (mixed Middle Eastern and Eastern European) and can pass for Latin. I have enjoyed Latinas, southern girls, northern girls, Chinese, Filipinas, and a few from the EE so it's more about a personality fit than physical preference. I can certainly play the game, but would like to be in a place where relationships are not considered an impediment to riding the carousel.

Places I'm considering are:

-Dallas / Fort Worth (need to visit first but a bit concerned about the drought situation there, like stepping from an inferno into a house fire?).

-Oregon, coastal or central. I like visiting Portland but am not interested in living there. Visits planned soon.

-North Carolina (RTP, Charlotte, Greenville), also planning to visit after Dallas. It's felt very appealing for a while and I hope it's a good blend of open-minded and traditional. Obviously the governor has balls and is a traditionalist which counts for me.

-Possibly Dakotos, Wisconsin, or Minnesota but I realize winter is hard and lasts a long time.

-Chicago possibly, cool place and I really love the city. Some good times there so worth checking out again.

-St. Louis / Kansas City, also good though short visits.

[Gustavus Adolphus]

^^^ Dallas (as well as nearly every heavily populated county in the state), has lifted the drought condition labels due to abnormally high precipitation levels over the last couple years.

Not that it won't return, but looking ok for now. It's obviously hot and humid here several months of the year, but the good outweighs the bad for me.

If you'd like to check out or monitor official status, here's a link: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=drought

Good luck wherever you end up.

[chicane]

Maybe you should check out Lubbock, I hear it's the new up and coming place to be.

[Dusty]

(08-26-2014 02:33 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  

some amazing pictures about how serious the drought is



http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-25...ia-drought

Well Oriville got filled up from the wet winter and they had to release water into the ocean to prevent flooding.

[Truth Tiger]

Thanks for the boots-on-ground feedback, really appreciate it. Having dealt with CA water issues since I was a kid, I don't want to move somewhere I feel guilty taking a long shower now and then, or running a bath with epsom salt after getting my tennis or biking on. I had a bath in Poland last year and was in heaven...

I'm pouring through your posts right now. Have been to Houston and Austin a few times, got a sense of the vibe and liked the people I met but Dallas has me intrigued. I'd really like to find a place to get a loft / warehouse situation so I don't need a separate residence from my workshop. Or, buy a home and set up my workshop in the garage or on the premises. Light industrial zoning is what I'd be looking for. That was one plus of the Oregon area I was checking out but it might be pretty shit for game. The tax situation in Texas is also WAY more appealing than Kalifornia.

I just need to plan a trip, like tonight! Don't want to derail the thread, but I guess I'm somewhat on-topic since I'm in CA actively planning to jump ship... in dry dock.

[Truth Tiger]

(09-24-2016 11:30 PM)chicane Wrote:  

Maybe you should check out Lubbock, I hear it's the new up and coming place to be.

Really interesting you mention that. A classmate in university out here went to Lubbock for med school. Took his long-term gf out with him and got married from what I recall. Didn't stay connected but I definitely remember that's where he went. Appreciate the tip and will research it. Are you there, or nearby?

EDIT: keeping location anon I understand so no worries if you prefer a general answer.

[chicane]

I'm actually in Austin, which used to be a nice place to live. So many people have moved in from the liberal hellhole called California that it is rapidly becoming unlivable. I'm in IT and the cost of living here is becoming a bit of a challenge even for me. Taxes are out of control and the City Council is constantly looking for more sources of revenue, the skyrocketing property taxes aren't enough. It is driving many long time Austinites out and I will have to leave when I decide to retire, I can rent an apartment in some small town for less than I pay in property taxes every month.

It's been sort of a long running joke of mine to suggest Lubbock to anyone talking about moving to Austin. Mind you, I am serious about it, Austin was overpopulated 15 years ago and it's just getting worse. We don't have enough water for the current population and we certainly don't have an adequate road system.

[AboveAverageJoe]

Was up in Dallas last weekend, definitely saw lots of talent. Lot's of places to go.
Austin is good for game, unfortunately most of the social life revolves around 6th street which is a shithole. Austin is easy to find an outdoorsy chick daygaming, if you are into that kind of thing. I like to see what women look like in the daylight. Lots of fit chicks and MILF's on the hike and bike trail near Lady Bird Lake.

[Comte De St. Germain]

(09-25-2016 11:54 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

Was up in Dallas last weekend, definitely saw lots of talent. Lot's of places to go.
Austin is good for game, unfortunately most of the social life revolves around 6th street which is a shithole. Austin is easy to find an outdoorsy chick daygaming, if you are into that kind of thing. I like to see what women look like in the daylight. Lots of fit chicks and MILF's on the hike and bike trail near Lady Bird Lake.

6th is what we call a necessary evil. Bootleg, shitty Bourbon Street, but the college girls don't know any different.

[RexImperator]

[url=https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/946654483739578368][/url]

[Mekorig]

That is how you get the seed of a shantytown (villa or favela for south american examples).

[RexImperator]

Daily Signal Wrote:

California was the third deep blue state to experience significant domestic out-migration between July 2016 and July 2017, and it couldn’t blame the outflow on retirees searching for a more agreeable climate. About 138,000 residents left the state during that time period, second only to New York.

However, because California was the top receiving state for international migrants, its net migration was actually 27,000. Add to that number a “natural increase” of 214,000 people, and California’s population grew by about just over 240,000, according to the Census Bureau.

http://dailysignal.com/2017/12/27/nearly...s-in-2017/

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom...omplaining

Tom Blumer Wrote:

No Coincidence: Out-Migration Is Highest in 3 Deep-Blue States Complaining the Most About the Tax Law
California leads the nation in the percentage of its population on traditional welfare (40 percent of all recipients in a state with 12 percent of the nation's population), as well as money spent on illegal immigrant education, health care and other benefits ($25 billion per year, as reported in February). No wonder so many people — and companies — are leaving the state.

Favela is a good word. California is not dying- it's just transforming into a version of Brazil/Mexico.

[Pancho]

(12-30-2017 12:32 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

[url=https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/946654483739578368][/url]

I have been back to California in many Hispanic neigborhoods and they never looked like that. Where is this? Hispanics have lived in Los Angeles ever since the sixties.

Ever heard of East LA? Hence my avatar

^^Cool movie.

[RoastBeefCurtains4Me]

(12-30-2017 10:40 AM)Pancho Wrote:  

(12-30-2017 12:32 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

[url=https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/946654483739578368][/url]

I have been back to California in many Hispanic neigborhoods and they never looked like that. Where is this? Hispanics have lived in Los Angeles ever since the sixties.

Ever heard of East LA? Hence my avatar

^^Cool movie.

At 0:30, you can see it's st 6th st and San Julian, near the Union Rescue Mission. Even Google Strertview shows the shantytown.