My thoughts on CA (Torrance, Orange: crime rates, homes, public schools)

[mysticaltyger]

I agree with Quartermass. You are mature compared with most 26 year olds. I don't blame you for leaving.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

To the OP thank you for your post and being brave enough to post your sentiments. I LOVE CA but can't stand the cost to live here. It is a struggle and both my husband and I make plenty of money, we can live off of one person's income but we would not be comfortable.

You point out the obvious to me and it is often times not what people want to hear on these threads. Why not communicate the problem without being deemed anti-California? Why aren't people asking the questions like what are we paying for and are we getting our money's worth? They are very good questions. Forget the weather, culture, beach for a moment, if you have no savings for a rainy day (and from the looks of it we are about to get drenched) because you are spending most of your money just to live here what are you going to do when you loose your job? Will you be able to survive off of unemployment and the sunshine? Will you move in with a bunch of people or your parents to have the CA dream/scarfice?

Times are changing people and you may not be affected right now but you might be sooner or later and the love for the weather and all that stuff will wear off at some point when you can't pay your bills and the government asks you for more money to support bad habits and or ideas.

It makes me really nervous to think that if something happens to both my job and that of my husband's that it will be impossible to live here. Getting a job in today's market may not be very easy and the cost of living makes me very nervous. Thankfully we have saved our money but not too many people have a back up plan because it was impossible to save money in order to keep up with their bills to live in this great state. Too many people I know have lost their jobs, can barely afford their mortgages, and have families. We are heading into scary times and I hope that I am wrong but I take money over sunshine and the beach because at the end of the day I have others that are dependent upon me and I'm not trying to work myself into an early grave. Come on CA let's get it together!

Great post. I wanted to rep you but it wouldn't let me 'cause I've done that too many times.

I do think a lot of Californians are in denial about how bad things have gotten. And if they're not in denial, they're not being honest that we've created a lot of the mess we're in.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Boompa

California is the 8th Largest economy in the world, and if it were it's own country it could solve it's problem by printing money. I'd sooner live in California than about 45 of the other states

Doesn't mean we always will be. We think too highly of ourselves in this state and that's not a good sign for future prosperity because it means we've become lazy/complacent.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by jc76

Seems this California forum has more tension and war than any other forums. I think it's because so many people think too extreme on one side. Conservatives and Liberal crashing again. I don't get it. Your in such a gorgeous state (for the most part) yet so many are so mad (probably political and COL related I'm sure). I'd trade spots with you in a heartbeat, you can have our long cold winters and booooring backwoods thinking, I'll take your sun and mountains (and never own my own home$) any day. Stop fighting, it's like the middle east in here!

Yes, that is the problem in CA and the US in general. People go to extremes and stereotype each other.

All the fighting here is indicative of what is going on in the state and why we're in such a horrible financial mess (lowest credit rating of all 50 states, and recently lowered again).

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by gatorman

To the OP-- Don't let the door hit ya- you know where -on your way out.

Brilliant idea you had.. hmmmm I think I'll post to many long time residents of this area and say "your state sucks... I'm out 'ta here! Here's why. Do you all agree with me!?"

How could you expect a warm response to something like that??

Except that's not what he said. That's how YOU (incorrectly) interpreted what he said.

[Quatermass]

Originally Posted by Boompa

California is the 8th Largest economy in the world, and if it were it's own country it could solve it's problem by printing money. I'd sooner live in California than about 45 of the other states

If California were its own country it would be a case for the World Bank. Sally Struthers would waddle onto American TV screens trying to guilt people into adopting starving children in Victorville.

An independent CA could solve its $42 billion projected deficit by printing money? Seriously? First of all, the state has essentially been issuing its own money with these negotiable IOUs, which are both worthless and unconstitutional. Secondly, Washington is running the printing presses like crazy right now, and within a few years all we're going to have to show for it are thirty-dollar In-N-Out burgers and 35% interest rates. Thirdly, I had a roommate in college with whom I would have discussions on economics and the problem of poverty in America, and he would always tell me "I don't understand why we can't just print more money!" Today he works for the Federal Reserve.

[Melina635]

Hahaha, I like this post although, my ADD prevented me from getting to the end. I also grew up in Fla and moved here on a whim. I spent 16 years in Miami.The cultural diversity in CAli compared to FLa, SUCKS. There are Mexicans and......Mexicans! Don't get me wrong, I love them, they are great, but there is nothing else! We are hispanic, and at first I was annoyed that everyone thought I was Mexican right of the bat when they heard me speaking spanish. I look NOTHING like a *typical* Mexican person. Now I just laugh, I understand, Californians, for the most part, just have Mexican Immigrants. -This is excluding LA! I haven't been there-

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Melina635

There are Mexicans and......Mexicans! ...but there is nothing else!

Californians, for the most part, just have Mexican Immigrants.

Those Mexicans must sure be multilingual.



"According to Professor Vyacheslav Ivanov of UCLA, there are at least 224 identified languages in Los Angeles County."

from

Language Spoken at Home by Los Angeles Communities

"...91 languages spoken in the Los Angeles Unified School District..."

from

WikiAnswers - How many languages are spoken in Los Angeles

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by canibeyou

How is that? By someone posting their opinion and asking for others to do so in return only to have them ripped apart, sentence by sentence and then be told by the OP how idiotic they are for not agreeing with him/ her?


Oh... wait... that's what you just did. Der!

Yup.

Many people only want to rant but not even entertain the notion that many might actually disagree with them.

LOL

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Quatermass

If California were its own country it would be a case for the World Bank.

California would be solvent and probably have a huge surplus if we were not a part of the United States and the tax burdens of other states being shouldered by this state.

An independent CA could solve its $42 billion projected deficit by printing money? Seriously?

The discrepency in spending here by the federal government compared to how much we send them every year would actually cover our deficit and leave $8 Billion in change.

At this point, California needs DC like we need cancer.

Speaking of DC, during the Bush Administration, $55 Billion in federal contracts were taken away from states and all awarded to DC area contractors. California lost the lion's share of that money. Im sure no political motivation was involved*rolls eyes*