What the heck happened to California??? (San Diego, Vista: rental, condos, townhouses)

[NorCal Dude]

There are places in Ohio which are at least as bad as places in California. And they look considerably worse. I take it you didn't go to the ghettos....

I'm not talking about ghettos, I'm talking about a middle class lifestyle. The ghettos in california are much nicer because it comes out of the middle classes pocket who in turn live a lower quality life style than those in ohio.

This is true of far northern California as well. LA, OC, and Berdoo are not the entire state.

If California had the crappy economy it has now dating back to the late 1970s like Ohio then there would be no "army of illegals" here either. Ohio was a much bigger destination for immigrants in the 19th and in the first half of the 20th century than anywhere in California outside of the Bay Area.

California's economy was pretty bad in the 70's, it was an era of stagflation, areospace bust, and increasing real estate costs. California has a boom-bust economy. Which really has little bearing on the amount of illegals who come here.

Having midwestern roots I agree about this. People in the Great Lakes area are unpretentious and proud of their blue collar identity. There's a bit of what the Aussies call the "tall poppy syndrome" which is exactly the opposite of Southern California's attitude. However there are many things which are normal in California which aren't tolerated so much in most of the Midwest, like vegetarianism and homosexuality (seen as synonomous).

LoL i think most people in the midwest know the difference between a gay and a vegetarian, though they may note the similar political ideologies both demographics often have. Midwesterners simply are a folk who do not think the are better than anyone because of where they are from. You are judged for who you are not, who your dad is like on the east coast or because of what zip code you reside in on the west coast. People are just much more laid back and normal there. No ones concerned about the latest trend of the latest hype, they stick to things of substance and culture there.

I think you'd find what you're looking for in New Hampshire or Vermont much more than in Ohio. Northern New England is the anti-California.

I hate new england, too cold, too homogeneous, too much old money old world way of thinking. I'm from Chicago, I prefer the great lakes/upper midwest region much better.

[NorCal Dude]

Originally Posted by Phil306

Again, so there is NO issues, if YOU want to come and live in California: MORE POWER TOO YOU. However, BEFORE you do so, do your research. It snows here. It rains here. Not everyone can live in a bikini and on the beach. Unemployment is high. Cost of living is high. No, you won't be discovered as the next Brad Pitt.

1/3+ of the people don't speak English and taxes are out of this world. In any city type area, traffic is beyond belief, and crime is worse then that. Your one bedroom apartment you rented in VA, for 500 bucks a month is 1800 a month here; food, etc is just as high. It took you 20 mins to drive to work? Try 2 hrs, IF you can find a job; at Starbucks.

NOW, for the SMALL minority of persons, who companies move them here, buy/rent their homes, and give them a good income? You have come to the right place. No better place in the world.

In ONE day I have:

Gone surfing, gone snow skiing, and went to Disneyland. ALL in the SAMEDAY. NO OTHER state can you say that.

California is GREAT. If you can afford it. MOST people CANNOT. In fact, the VAST MAJORITY of people cannot afford this state. Research issues and you will find other places MORE SUITED to what you want.

Exactly, this is why California is losing all of its natives and transplants from back east to the rest of the country. The only reason the state grows in population is because illegal immigration and high birth rates remain un checked. So the illusion is that california is growing prosperously when the reality of the situation is the under-class grows and grows and grows who demand more and more social programs.

The regulations in this state are out of control. I remember my dad had some issue with his catylactic converter on his car. I forgot what it was but it was really a simple issue that should have only costed a few hundred dollars, and does in most states, cost him nearly 1000 bucks because california the state regulated how this procedure was done that made it more costly. I'll have to call and ask him in the morning. But I remeber after that was when he said, " thats it I'm done, come 2013 when I retire, I'm going back to the United States." It's just not feasable for him pushing retirement and getting older to risk being literally taxed to his death.

But who cares I mean palm trees are so gosh darn awesome now arent they??

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Exactly, this is why California is losing all of its natives and transplants from back east to the rest of the country. The only reason the state grows in population is because illegal immigration and high birth rates remain un checked.

Assuming "natives and transplants" is a euphemism for "white" (it almost always is), did you see the stats posted back in post #75?

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

I remember my dad had some issue with his catylactic converter on his car. I forgot what it was but it was really a simple issue that should have only costed a few hundred dollars, and does in most states, cost him nearly 1000 bucks because california the state regulated how this procedure was done that made it more costly. I'll have to call and ask him in the morning.

I'd be interested in hearing the backstory of that repair. Back in 2005, my car set a hard diagnostic code that translated into "replace the cat converter". The entire job, parts and labor, cost me 225 bucks at an independently owned muffler shop in Capistrano. Just for the hell of it, I got an estimate from the Chevy dealer in Irvine: $700 for the part, $200 for the labor. The only interest the State had in this procedure was "will the car pass the smog tests?", which it has every year since the repair.

I'd be disappointed to learn that your dad got the shaft because he didn't shop around.

[NorCal Dude]

Assuming "natives and transplants" is a euphemism for "white" (it almost always is), did you see the stats posted back in post #75?

No not at all. But even if you add up the blacks that are staying with the whites who are leaving you still get a net result of more native born americans leaving than staying. The asians, is hard to tell if they are staying or not. They could be leaving but we will never know, because Silicon Valley has more people with H1B work visas than anywhere elese, so while some could be leaving, we are still importing more of them

I'd be interested in hearing the backstory of that repair. Back in 2005, my car set a hard diagnostic code that translated into "replace the cat converter". The entire job, parts and labor, cost me 225 bucks at an independently owned muffler shop in Capistrano. Just for the hell of it, I got an estimate from the Chevy dealer in Irvine: $700 for the part, $200 for the labor. The only interest the State had in this procedure was "will the car pass the smog tests?", which it has every year since the repair.

I'd be disappointed to learn that your dad got the shaft because he didn't shop around.

It was something about some sort of specific part. There were ways he could fix the problem, but they were all illegal in california. I think it might have been something like having to replace the precat with the same part. Where as in other states you dont have to do this.

.

[ghostriderjpd]

does california pay more in welfare than any other state?if it does im coming with my 6 kids and illegal wife to live the easy life...where are the sanctuary cities so my maria wont get deported?we are just looking for a free ride.thank you california

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by ghostriderjpd

does california pay more in welfare than any other state?if it does im coming with my 6 kids and illegal wife to live the easy life...where are the sanctuary cities so my maria wont get deported?we are just looking for a free ride.thank you california

Not bad for a guy in Fresno which IS a sanctuary city. Would have been better coming from someone living in another statge!

[Akama13]

To complain about Mexican in CARLSBAD, of all places ! I loved the ethnic diversity in San Diego. Also the Mexican population is not concentrated in Carlsbad.

I know it's hard for some of you but Mexican people have lived in California for many many years. Enough to have a substantial third and fourth generation in California. So what seems like a state overrun by illegals is partly just Americans like you and everyone else. Of Mexican descent. Sorry they're not white

[jeena]

I'm a New Yorker who has visited Carlsbad regularly until two years ago, it seemed to me that Carlsbad is among the best places to live in San Diego, along with places like La Jolla and Rancho Bernardo. I rented a beautiful upscale home with a pool in the hills of Vista, Ca., but less than a five minute drive from the house the neighborhood was not good, and I found out that the biggest cocaine distribution "center" in southern California was located in that area!

The best part of my trips to California were the people I met, they were very friendly and most treated me like a princess, no matter where I went in Ca., including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, LA, etc. They made it hard for me to leave because my New York neighborhood has stuffy residents who don't go out of their way to be friendly. I fell in Universal Studios Hollywood, and three Spanish people picked me up off the ground, they couldn't speak English, but they still helped me.

On the negative side, there is way too much traffic in Ca., I didn't like the Ca. weather either, most days it's too cold and too windy to go swimming, but I haven't been there in the summer months, I usually left in the middle of June. I didn't like renting an upscale Ca. home and finding a crappy neighborhood a few minutes away from the house, in New York you can isolate yourself from the element if you have the bucks to move into a good neighborhood. Additionally, I was always afraid I might get into an auto accident with an illegal in Ca. so it made me nervous to drive my rental car In S.D. and LA, and the "Beware of Rattlesnakes" signs in a few places I visited didn't do anything to help calm my nerves.

All things considered, Ca. is a beautiful state, but I would choose living in NY over Ca., except for the winter months (lol)!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by jeena

in New York you can isolate yourself from the element if you have the bucks to move into a good neighborhood.

Uhhhh.... you can do that here as well.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

California's economy was pretty bad in the 70's, it was an era of stagflation, areospace bust, and increasing real estate costs.

California was the most prosperous state in the US during the 1970s. The nation as a whole had severe economic problems but California did better than any other state. There isn't a person here who would trade the state of California's economy THEN with the state of California's economy NOW. In fact, until the Bush I Recession California did better during bad economic times than any other US state (including the Great Depression) OTOH Ohio, Michigan, etc. really got reamed during the '70s.

I reached working age of 16 in 1979 and had NO problems getting a job nor did anyone I knew. Rents were still pretty reasonable. There was still a middle class in Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica was still middle class majority with the movie stars only in the north. The Valley was - except for Pacoima and a few scattered barrios on one end of the economic spectrum, and except for south of Ventura Blvd. and Toluca Lake on the other end of the economic spectrum - still a working class, lower middle class and middle class bastion. The hedonism that characterized '70s California was still in full swing. Life was still good.

Also, in the 1970s Northern and Southern California were still economically equal. It wasn't until the early '90s recession that NorCal surpassed SoCal.

California has a boom-bust economy.

In the last 20 years - but the "busts" weren't so severe before then.

Which really has little bearing on the amount of illegals who come here.

Illegals are going to go where the jobs are. Just like other people. Too many people here seem to think illegals are a different species and are not human beings.

Ohio was a MAJOR destination for immigrants for much of the 20th century. It is no longer a destination for immigrants. If the old industrial economy was still going somehow it would attract immigrants today just like it used to.

LoL i think most people in the midwest know the difference between a gay and a vegetarian, though they may note the similar political ideologies both demographics often have.

My family's from Chicago/Chicagoland and I wrote this out of direct experience with relatives of mine and other people from the Midwest whom I've known over the years. Obviously not everyone in the Midwest believes the two are synonomous but your average Midwestern male believes that not only both are the same but vegetarianism is only for "California ******s"

Midwesterners simply are a folk who do not think the are better than anyone because of where they are from.

I'd agree with this part.

You are judged for who you are not, who your dad is like on the east coast or because of what zip code you reside in on the west coast.

Funny, no Californian I know CURRENTLY judges people based on their zip code. Nor does anyone regardless of where they're from in Northern California. Some transplants in Southern California proclaim their zip codes as superior to neighboring zip codes (and, contrary to what you'd think, the proudest zip code in L.A. County is not 90210 but 90291) but they never denigrate people themselves living in those zip codes. Now, when I was in high school, it was a different story - but that was a long time ago.

OTOH the racial divisions in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, etc. are FAR more severe than anything in California. Admittedly Chicago's made some progress but the divisions are still there.

People are just much more laid back and normal there. No ones concerned about the latest trend of the latest hype, they stick to things of substance and culture there.

I'll somewhat agree here. The midwest doesn't have much pretension. Blue collar, working class, and proud of it.

I'm from Chicago, I prefer the great lakes/upper midwest region much better.

As if Chicago doesn't have ghettos....including the neighborhood my grandparents were born in on the South Side....