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I hope people are able to distingush the forest from the trees here.
California's economy alone has the economic output greater than a G7 country (Canada). It's output on a world level is between Italy and Spain, at #8 in the world. NY state is not in the same class, its output was even passed by Texas long ago. And the gap is widening.
California: The State so fine it could turn the G8 into the G9.
LOL.
Seriously though. It's going to increase because of our foothold in green technology, electric automobiles (we could end up being the "next Michigan" in the future because of Tesla, Fisker and BetterPlace) and even marijuana (once we make it legal). It's not so much the marijuana as it is the hemp. Once we get ahold of the hemp we can do a billion things with it and that would increase our output by much more.
California: The State so fine it could turn the G8 into the G9.
LOL.
Seriously though. It's going to increase because of our foothold in green technology, electric automobiles (we could end up being the "next Michigan" in the future because of Tesla, Fisker and BetterPlace) and even marijuana (once we make it legal). It's not so much the marijuana as it is the hemp. Once we get ahold of the hemp we can do a billion things with it.
LOL. That's freaking creative.
Exactly, CA should have a its own seat at the table as it has a larger output than two countries in the G8, Canada and Russia.
Green is the next big thing, and CA is the tip of the cutting edge.
I voted for California, but that's not to say I don't like New York State. I've lived in both and like them both for different reasons. I don't think its so much that New Yorkers underrate California's amenities and influence, I actually think its the other way around. New York State arguably has the most diverse landscape out of the Northeastern states, and is one of the prettiest states I have ever been do. Can't beat Niagara Falls or the charm of Ithaca Many Californians..well, don't leave the West very often. Kind of leads to skewed views.
That being said, I prefer California on a more personal level because its been my home for most of my life and I have little to no complaints about the place. I absolutely detest snow, especially when little kids start throwing snowballs or shooting water guns at you when you're cleaning your parent's car!
It's hard to compete with a state that arguably beats most of the countries on this planet economically and culturally, except for a few. I just feel like California is the sum total of the American experience (don't get mad at me, historian Kenneth Starr said it). From LA to the Bay to SD to Sac and even to the Central Valley, I love it all!
This isn't a fair comparison. Of course CA is going to win this, it's the West Coast mega-state. The East Coast states, by comparison, are much smaller, and encompass far less geographical/economic diversity. Seriously, I love all of the West Coast states, but when they drew the boundaries of California, it seems that they were more than a little biased. It seems that damn near everything that is pretty or amazing got thrown into California, and the surrounding states got the left overs. I imagine that the conversations went something like this: "Redwoods, the tallest living things in the world? That has to be in California. The Sierras? The only mountain range in the lower 48 that compete with the Rockies for sheer grandeur? California. Mt. Shasta? One of only two fourteeners in the Cascade range? California. Bristlecone pines? The oldest living things on the planet? California, of course. Death Valley? The lowest place in North America, and the hottest in the world? California makes sense." etc. etc. Keep in mind, if California were on the East Coast, it would be three, or even four or five different states. Although, if you were to take a swath of the East Coast the size of California, and call it a state, it still wouldn't encompass the superlatives that California does. Only out West.
Even though California has LA, SF, San Diego, and Sacramento, New York still trumps them all quite easily with NYC. Apart from cities though, California wins for its great climates, amazing beaches, decent mountains, the deserts, and all of its other great geographical attributes.
Ocean water temperature? You might want to check that out:
The Battery, N.Y. 48F [and that was the warmest w/ ocean temps in high 30's in New Jersey: US NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide
The Atlantic Ocean does have a short summer season w/ ocean temps in the 70's & even 80's at times due to the gulf stream. But that lasts only a few months & the ocean temps drop to arctic levels by autumn.
The Pacific ocean has an opposite situation w/ the Alaska current sending cold water south. Even San Francisco barely get warmer water than 60F during summer but the ocean stays in the 50's all winter. In SoCal it is warmer, naturally but summer time ocean temps don't get much above 75F & high 60's is not uncommon. During winter ocean temp run around 60F. There is hardly more than 10 degrees between the warmest & coldest ocean temps. In New York the difference is over 40 degrees.
No one is really expected to be swimming in the Winter. No one swims off of Battery Park. Even then there are raging blizzards on the east coast and the water is still 50 degrees.
The Atlantic (gulf stream) current flows north from the south. There have been times that I was swimming in Long Island Sound of Christmas Day, and as early as April, if the air temperature was warm enough. Not exactly arctic levels. East coast water also seems to warm up quicker.
The Pacific Current flows south from Alaska. Between December and Late May the only people you see swimming off Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are surfers in wetsuits and tourists. The water off the CA coast is really only comfortable for swimming from July to September. If the "June Gloom" isn't severe, you may get some comfortable water late june.
And so this doesn't turn into a p!$$!ng contest, I have lived on both coasts and I am active sailor and water sports enthusiast. I can just tell you from personal experience that the The Atlantic ocean of Long Island is generally warmer that the Pacific off of California.
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Many Californians..well, don't leave the West very often. Kind of leads to skewed views.
