What is living in California like?

M/P/BR

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It depends on where, and what part of the state. I live in Southern California. It is pretty, great weather, a lot to do, but it is also very expensive and crowded.

TRAFFIC EVERYWHERE!

Very dry. Very very dry.

It fucking sucks. Glad I left and loathe going back for work trips.

WTF is R1 saying?

It's a very large state. Be more specific.

R7, maybe he's saying it's the Program Major/Book Resale Troll.

In the 1950's and prior, it was a great place to live. Now...too many people. LA is a giant freeway and very expensive. SF is even more expensive with its own issues. NO water to support the ag and the people. We moved

Its a beautiful State....the weather, the scenery, the activities, anything you could possibly want at your fingertips. The people on the other hand leave much to be desired...theyre either wealthy, have mommy and daddys credit cards, and judge everyone by what they have or can give you....or need to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. There are decent people there, but theyre hard to find.

Indeed, it is! You have to think about what you're looking for, however, as California is a big state and geographically diverse. The climate in Northern Ca is vastly different than SoCal; the Ocean currents keep San Francisco cool (if not cold) throug the Summer months. But only a few miles inland, the temperatures soar. Contrasted with SoCal, where the weather is fairly consistent day-to-day; usually, sunny and warm.

Politically, the city of SF is very liberal (obviously), as is LA proper. However, the state takes a hard right turn once you leave those metropolitan areas, and the Central Valley and Orange County rival even the reddest states for conservativism. Drive down the 5 from SF to LA, and you'll see the liberal hatred literally posted on roadside signs in these republican districts even though it is the city residents that pay for the country's agricultural way of life. And don't get me started on the craziness that is the far northern part of the state, where they want to secede and for a whole new state.

As a whole, living in CA is more expensive than other states. Real estate is out of sight for most people, gas costs far more, and just the general cost of living is fairly high. However, we have some of the strongest environmental, consumer protection, and labor laws in the country. Democrats control the state government, with near supermajorities in our state Senate and Assembky ( equivalent of House of Representatives). And of course, we had to learn the hard way that republican governors screw everything up and destroy our state economy (thanks to the governator Schwarzennegger) so now we have Jerry Brown, who has brought responsibility and sound governing to the State, and are back to being an economic powerhouse, leading both the country and the world in growth and opportunity.

Don't get me wrong; it's not utopia. We are in the middle of the worst drought in the state's history, industry still has way too much influence, we have an illegal immigration problem that is intractable, our educational system is in collapse, and the 1% are doing their best to split the state into smaller, gerrymandered states in an effort to deliver California's electoral votes to the republicans nationally. But it's still a great place to live with almost unlimited recreational and vocational opportunities.

I think that is exactly what the poster was saying R9. This is a stupid question and it reeks of the Program/Major troll. He is always starting threads like this.

It's a great state to starve and die of thirst in.

Thanks, R9. New troll to me.

[quote]The climate in Northern Ca is vastly different than SoCal; the Ocean currents keep San Francisco cool (if not cold) throug the Summer months. But only a few miles inland, the temperatures soar. Contrasted with SoCal, where the weather is fairly consistent day-to-day; usually, sunny and warm.

There can be 30-degree temperature differences within less than 10 miles in Southern California as well. Just look at Woodland Hills and Santa Monica on a typical August day.

It's a little dry.

Is the SF Bay area under any sort of drought restrictions, or just the southern part of the state?

It's the entire state.

I lived in SF for 11 years and really liked it. I'm back in the midwest; these are my kind of people : )

That drought will end them. You can't manufacture water.

I've always wanted to visit Sausalito. What's it like there?

They named the state after my family.

I'd be missing my pool right about now. Great state; fucked up politics. Beautiful...

R22 Touristy.

If you can speak Spanish its a great state to live in. A lack of a human soul also helps.

Anyone done the AIDS Lifecycle ride? It starts in SF and ends in LA. I imagine biking through the vineyard areas must be beautiful.

[quote]However, the state takes a hard right turn once you leave those metropolitan areas, and the Central Valley and Orange County rival even the reddest states for conservativism.

I'm as Liberal as the best of them, but I'll admit I spent a few days in Orange County (I even toured the Nixon Museum!), and really enjoyed myself.

It has this weird Stepford Wives vibe where Republicans built their version of Paradise back in the 50's and 60's, and enough of it is left that you almost expect to see Barbara Billingsley and her pearl necklace eating at the table next to you. It's assumed you have money or you wouldn't be there, and the fact that you voted for Mitt just goes without saying, but there's also the assumption that whatever your religion you have the manners to keep it to yourself, and everyone has a gay cousin or two, but that doesn't mean we need to discuss it.

4 or 5 days was quite enough, but it's no coincidence that Disneyland is smack dab in the center of it.

Just like this:

I'm visiting a friend right now who lives in Manhattan Beach (right at 13th and Highland) and I am thoroughly besotted. I would move here tomorrow if not for the impracticalities (I live in Boston).

Basically, if you have the money it is great. I grew up in Los Feliz in LA (hills) and lived in Silver Lake (hills). I also went to Berkeley and lived inthe Berkeley hills, which is so liveley.

Bottom line! If you have the money to live in the hills - Hollywood,etc - or by the beach .Santa Cruz, Santa Barbaea, Hermosa, la Jolla - itt is paradise on earth. Otherwise, not so much.

[quote] 4 or 5 days was quite enough, but it's no coincidence that Disneyland is smack dab in the center of it.

Disneyland is probably the gayest place in OC. They still have Gay Day once a year.

I'd say it's drought-like.

Dry.

Almost out of water.

Exactly what r31 said. If you have lots of money and live in the more upscale areas, California is one of the best places to live. If you don't have a ton of money, it can be a real grind and will make you depressed. Same thing for NYC.

[quote]anything you could possibly want at your fingertips.

Except water.

[quote]The climate in Northern Ca is vastly different than SoCal

Yet most of the state is out of water in a year, and that includes Northern Cali.

Loved living close to the ocean. Lots of stuff to do. Never-ending traffic. Tons of night life. Great shopping. Some great people. Many more users, airheads and snobs. Yeah, I'd do it again.

"...Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink."

You have to have money and a lot of it. I am by no means poor and yet, I struggle from paycheck to paycheck. Gas is expensive and you will use a lot of it because most of your time is sitting in traffic. Even on weekends just to drive 20 miles can take you over an hour. On the weekdays, it is worse. Everyone is impatient and yet, there is nothing you can do about the commutes. Parking sucks if you're on the west side of LA...you might even have to valet your car to grocery shop. Rents are outrageous and forget buying a home unless you have a ton of money. Rent for a 1 bedroom will run you from 1500-2500 depending on where you want to live. If you don't mind living in the ghetto, you might find something for 1200. All your neighbors will be Mexican, not that there is anything wrong with that but you should speak some Spanish. The weather is consistent. If you like temps in the 90's for 90% of the year, you will like it. I hate the weather. During the fall it can be nice when it gets down into the 50's or 40's but we basically skipped that this year. It can be mind numbing in its sameness. And every person you meet is working on a screenplay or trying to be an actor. A lot of shallow pot heads who have champagne dreams but little to no talent or motivation to do anything to get there.

Oh and I forgot, yes we have beaches but no one I know actually visits them. The whole trip is an ordeal...from the traffic to get there to finding parking to not being able to find a spot on a beach because they are so crowded...forget it. The only time you can go and not have it be a hassle is in winter and then it's cold so what's the point?

I guess I shouldn't be but I am surprised that no one mentions that Arnold spent 7 years as governor of California, kept saying he was going to do something about the water problem, but never did a fucking thing in the entire time he spent in office. He was shit as a governor.

R41 what is your career?

"I'm a Second Junior Assistant Douchebag on a TV pilot. Jealous, much?"

THAT is basically what you get in California. And the answer is usually "YES!"

After 7 years in LA I'm out of here at the end of the month. Such a grind. Such a rat race. I agree with the other posters - if you have tons of money it can be fabulous; otherwise not so much.

I'm going to get flamed for this, but the third world invasion has had a massive impact on the quality of life. Overcrowded, low-rent, trashy and just very dirty and "peasant." If you're used to a first-world, Anglo-American standard of living, it is a massive culture shock and can make you both uncomfortable and quite sad at the same time. You feel like a stranger in your own country and as if you were transported out of the US into some godforsaken Latin American shithole.

I love visiting Cal, especially SFO, because the weather is cool, not so much LA, I hate driving there. The Cal wind in SFO is lovely, but the inland is beautiful too, dry and sunny. People are nice and relaxed, great places for a vacation. To live there? No, too expensive and way too much highways to sit for hours.

[quote]"...Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink."

Water, water, every where,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

R42, wouldn't renting or buying a place close to the beach make more sense for people who love the beach?

[quote]I'm going to get flamed for this, but the third world invasion has had a massive impact on the quality of life. Overcrowded, low-rent, trashy and just very dirty and "peasant."

No flames, but before the "third world invasion" it was the hippies, before that all the military and the war workers, before that the Okies coming to pick fruit--you go far enough back and it's the gold prospectors and the conestoga wagons.

I think every Golden Age exists only through hindsight.

Give me twenty-million and Santa Monica and I'm a happy guy. I'm sorry CA. is so dry : (

I used to think that living in CA was a waste of money compared to living in states like Texas or Florida, until I had an epiphany one day. Yes, you pay more for real estate, income taxes and basic living costs, but if you can buy a house, it will increase in value enough that the profit you make when you sell it more than offsets the costs of living there.

Do y'all agree with this theory?

r50 you know the answer to your own question. Nice try.

Dear god Mary! at r47. You must have grown up in some Stepford Wives suburbia. Some of us are used to diversity and don't find it a "massive culture shock" that gasp there are some poor minorities around.

I have no idea why this 1960s-era stereotype of Orange County persists. Several of the major cities (Santa Ana, Anaheim) are heavily Hispanic, and there is a HUGE Asian population as well. Southern Orange County, and most of the coastal part, may still be heavily white-Republican, but overall it's changed a LOT.

As I've said in numerous posts here in the past, everything depends on where you live and what you do.

For example-- I've lived in LA County for 27 years and I've never met ANYONE who's working on a screenplay, nor do I know more than a few people connected to "the business." If you don't want to be around those kinds of people, then don't live in the neighborhoods where they generally live.

I live in Studio City. Guess what I do?

R58: since this thread is full of cliches, I will guess you are a waiter

You're a pornographer, r58!

I love California.

I am appalled by the rascist anti-hispanic sentiment. These people came to California for opportunity. They taught themselves English. They do the work that the collective "we" would never do. They are exploited as gardeners, construction workers, factory workers. The US government happily takes their taxes. But they are not entitled to Obama Care.

I lived here all my life. If you go to any city with the attitude that it sucks, and that only rich people like, and that you will always feel like an outsider, then that is what you will find no matter where you visit.

I live in socal, specifically orange county (oh, the horror of it all). There are jobs here and yes there is a drought and water restrictions. Big deal. We can water twice a week between 7pm and 7am. It may be a bit inconvenient; the idea of being non-gluttonous about water appeals to me.

The traffic is not always horrible. You have GPS, know the challenging times to travel. I often take side streets.

You are a stones throw from Santa Monica beach, downtown LA (museums etc). There are gay clubs everywhere.

By the way, when I need to make a lane change in heavy traffic, I look for a hispanic guy in a truck. With one wave, he slows down and let's me in.

R51, you left earth at "They teach themselves English"

Sorry, I meant r61 not r51.

I love California. Santa Barbara is heaven on earth. The San Francisco Bay Area is not what it used to be, not by a long shot, but a lot of Southern California is still wonderful.

Are you a female r61?

Yes I am. R 51: What do you mean?

Orange County is a lot more diverse than people in this thread are making it sound. There are a lot of gays in Laguna Beach, and the art scene there is very fun. The old white dudes with all the money still run the county with a very conservative agenda, but there have been a lot of changes in demographics.

It's still goddamn expensive, similar to LA in terms of rent, gas, groceries. The best thing about living in OC is that parking is free pretty much everywhere except for maybe downtown Santa Ana and around UCI.

As a NY'er, I thought I would HATE L.A.I was told I would. Friends of mine moved to Los Feliz and then ultimately to Long Beach. We visit regularly, and I must say, I think I could live there. We were all prepared to hate it, but in Los Feliz we all ended up meeting an eclectic group of people, some that I now consider friends. There is a lot more to the area than shallow "Real Housewives" types and actors. Lots of interesting creative types not in "the business". Very glad to have had the chance to meet people I would never have otherwise known.

I loathe Californians, r68, but you sound absolutely insufferable.

Without ugly in the world, there would be nothing beautiful. Thanks for your sacrifice, R69.

R69 Anyone who automatically hates 35 million people without having actually met them is the textbook definition of "insufferable." (If not "sociopath".)

The lyrics to the 1969 still applies according me, an East Coast transplant:

It never rains in Southern California, but girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man it pours.

[quote] if you can buy a house, it will increase in value enough that the profit you make when you sell it more than offsets the costs of living there.

But you have to sell your house. And when you do.....where will you live? What can you afford?

I spent $155k on my house in the Hamptons. It was recently assessed for $1M. But if I sell my house, how can I buy another place to live in the area? $1M is a bottom market price. Anything less than $1M would need work, so there goes your profit, unless you are very, very handy. In an expensive area, it costs 5x as much as anywhere else to hire someone to do repairs/upgrading. Even the illegal Central American contractors cost a fortune. I once wanted some minor woodwork done and went to a place owned by white guys who came right out and told me I couldn't afford them.

I wanted to add a room downstairs and a room upstairs and was quoted $350-$425k. Keep in mind that all contractors add roughly 30% onto their initial quote, so I was looking at at least $100k more than the lowest quoted price.

If you want to take your profit and move to someplace FL, where your money goes much further, I guess you could buy a decent house there. But it's FL.

For the past few weeks, it has been very humid -- something unheard of even 20 years ago.

Are you worried about alligators?

r73 you are so right about that. Sure, your home increases in value but if you want to stay in the same area or move to a comparable area you're either going to be spending the total amount of what your home is now worth or you may even have to spend more. They only way to make a profit is to move somewhere cheap like FL or AZ and that's not a very attractive option to many people, which is totally understandable.

r46, I am jealous that you get to leave LA. I want out of here too.

The only reason I want out of the LA area is because of housing prices. I'd like to be able to eventually afford a home. Looks like I will have to move to the Midwest or something to do that, though.

you people are so gullible. You can't see that OP is just some weird man trying to start an I HATE CA thread.?

I'm originally from the Bay Area but have been in SoCal for almost 30 years. I'm retired now and have toyed with the idea of going back north, but it's obviously not the same as it was when I lived there before.

That said, I really find myself frustrated with retirement--while there are a TON of things to do and see, I have trouble motivating myself to do any of them because of the horrible traffic. Twenty years ago you could kind of depend on light traffic after 9AM and before 3PM-- now it seems to be awful all the time. So I'm seriously considering moving -- but where I can I find good weather (no snow, excessive heat or humidity), lots of things to do, and proximity to a major city?

I think it's beautiful, but it's a giant suburbia.

One of the reasons they have floded the area with illegals and other immigrants is that they make a 24/7 California possible. If, r80, you think back to the lighter traffic of twenty years ago, you will also remember that everyone was at work during the day, and except for delivery trucks and such, there wasn't a lot of road traffic.

Now, its three shifts with workers coming and going at all hours, paranoid Moms driving their kids everywhere (something not seen until the late 90s) and many of the "New Economy" people forced to work out of their cars.

[quote]you think back to the lighter traffic of twenty years ago, you will also remember that everyone was at work during the day, and except for delivery trucks and such, there wasn't a lot of road traffic.

It wasn't that long ago that Disneyland was only open 5 days a week. A different world.

R76, you have to live somewhere. One option is to pay rent. The landlord isn't renting to you as a favor, he does so to make money. So, you can choose to pay your landlord's taxes, expenses, and mortgage on his property, plus the his operating profit. Alternately, you can buy your own home. You pay for your own taxes, expenses, and mortgage, and you get a nice tax deduction for property taxes and mortgage interest.

Ideally your property appreciates in value. That doesn't always happen, but it usually does. But even without appreciation, at the end you are left owning a house you can sell. When you rent, all you are left with is a stack of rent receipts.

The only times that renting is better is one of the following:

You have a strange deal. I know two different people who had different senile landlords, and both went a very long time paying almost nothing.

Or, if there is a real estate collapse, which isn't as rare as some people may think. It happens.

Or, if you must sell shortly after you buy, and haven't recovered your buying & selling expenses. You don't always lose money when you flip a house, it is just a possibility,

There is risk involved in buying property, but there are risks in everything. There is a risk that you'll outIive your money, too, if you don't figure out a way to earn & save.

Hot guys with attitude. I love it!

R80, I've got the place for you: ALBUQUERQUE

If you've got your "shit" together, there is no better place in the US. California is exceedingly expensive due to the influx of foreign money. All of the steep home prices and god awful rents are due primarily to the influx of wealthy foreigners and particularly Chinese investment groups. Individual Chinese citizens can not invest independently, but collectively they can buy what ever they wish. Consequently, one really has to give up a lot until one is earning a fairly hefty salary. So if you have enough of a desire, you'll never pick a more wonderful state in which to live. But, do pay attention to those on this very thread who are warning you about how delighted they were to get away from California. It's a personal call. I wouldn't live anywhere else, but I'm old and have quite a bit of money and to be honest, I enjoy waking up feeling I'm on vacation just because I'm on the beach and my surroundings are picture perfect. Most youngsters are waking up in dingy cramped quarters living with people they never really get to know and riding public trans because car insurance can be prohibitively expensive and the cost of parking is through the roof-expensive. In all fairness, this same scenario is happening around the US plus all the advance western countries of Europe.

Good luck

Paragraphs, gurl.

R87 is a perfect example of why Californians are hated

Even during non-drought times SoCal is semi-arid. I like that it keeps down the mosquitos and other bugs—and the heat is drier and more tolerable.

Except for the past couple of weeks.

The humidity is rare for CA but the past few weeks have been brutal. It was 105 one day and when I stepped outside work to go home, it was downpouring. Really weird for CA. The past few years it has become much, much hotter. I remember summers in CA never got above 95...maybe a few days of 100 degrees but now it is 105-107 from mid July through October. One year we hit 113. And then the power outages begin which make it worse. Hell I think it was 90 degrees on Thanksgiving her in LA last November. Really gross. I have lived her all my life and I never remember it being this hot nor do I remember Disneyland ever being closed on the weekends.

[quote]nor do I remember Disneyland ever being closed on the weekends.

They were closed Mondays and Tuesdays except during the peak summer season.

African Americans are moving out of California, hell, the entire West Coast and migrating back to the South. It's too hard to make a living. On the other hand, Asian Americans are heading west. In some cases, west means from the Inland Empire to Santa Monica.

R55 "Diversity". Once, it meant different looking people with different holiday celebrations and household kitsch. Now it means "diversity of laws; some people have to follow them while here, others don't."

It is insanely expensive. There is no water. People are NOT kind or nice to one another (though I lived in Pasadena, a notoriously right wing area ----- more liberal enclaves might be nicer). A lot of people have chips on their shoulders (not having enough money, and living in a culture where celebrity and money define self-worth). Everone seems to revel in sticking it to the other guy.

Hispanics are definitely treated as second class citizens, and the police are insanely powerful. There is no water. THERE IS NO WATER. Water bills are close to $500/month per person now (in Pasadena). It is unbelievably hot for about 10 months of the year. So hot that dogs can't walk on the pavement without burning their footpads. All of the canyons are dry and there are new respiratory ailments popping up that some are claiming is due to fungal spores being released in to the air by the dried up soil.

When I left in February of 2014, gas was almost $5/gallon. Milk was more. The only thing cheaper in California than anywhere else in the country is wine.

On the whole, I am glad not to be there any more.

[quote]African Americans are moving out of California, hell, the entire West Coast and migrating back to the South. It's too hard to make a living.

Yep. Black people, particularly middle class black people, have been continually leaving the cities of the west coast, midwest and northeast and heading to the Southern cities. A lot of southern cities have booming economies and much lower cost of living.

A sharper cultural segregation is just what this country needs...

I know this is going to sound like a stupid question, but what the hell I'm going to ask it anyway. About the water shortage: California is right on the Pacific Ocean. Why can't the seawater be desalinated and used as a water supply for the state?

R96 must work in the entertainment field.

California, and So Cal, has many nice, friendly people.

Stay away from the struggling actresses and it's a wonderful place.

The real snobs are up north in the Bay Area, where their shit don't stink, they are more 'sophisticated' meaning anti-American and anti-white anything, and have lousy physiques.

Never take for granted that in So Cal, for the most part, you can wake up in the morning and not be freezing to death.

R100 Do you think they will float when the Bay Area sinks into the sea?

There is an area on NOCAL that is trying to succeed because THEY HATE THE TAXES. Anyone remember where that is?

R102,

yes, I do, given the lack of muscularity up there.--they are all skinny-fat or fat-fat. Just saggy, flailing arms, and that's just the men.

R97, the economies aren't all booming in the south, but the cost of living is much cheaper, thus the appeal, like Vegas. There are always reports on this trend and the majority say they're unhappy they left mainly because the racism is so much worse than they envisioned, but like everyone else who left, they're now priced out of the market.

R105, blacks are the majority in many southern states so I don't see the persecution angle.

What I do see is the slower pace of life just getting to people, which is why many people prefer to live in Vegas.

It's a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE state to live in. High taxes, limited, over-priced housing, high food prices. Everything is over-priced there. The school system is bad. The state is deep in debt. There's a serious drought there with water shortages. They're raising the rates on water, over-pricing it drastically. The urban big cites are the worst. Laden with crime, illegal aliens, and greedy landlords. Steer clear of San Francisco especially. Though it is a gay city, living there would be a huge mistake. Most of your income will go to housing. Food prices are sky high. And traffic is miserable. Whoever told you it's a great state to live in obviously wants to get rid of you.

Water should never be overpriced, that is a really bad sign in my personal opinion.

OP, I can't speak to LA - only been there once, and just the airport. CAN speak to SF: lived there from 1977-1981; later (NYC in between), from 1988-2008 (YES, I'm old.) Wonderful city in many ways; a bit exception, then as now, being the homeless "problem." Less safe in SF than you might think; there was that terrible random-sounding murder of that woman last week, but I am old enough to remember a few similar ones, one - a young Asian-American student studying in SF State library over Labor Day weekend - STILL unsolved, I believe. But the City is beautiful, gorgeous; people are said to "live there for th weather" and I believe it! (Now, if this has changed vastly since when I left in 2008, I apologize; drought, especially.) I lived with roommates; had cheap rent; took over (UNofficial, ahem) paying the total rent in 2006, on flat I had lived in (Lower Haight) from 1988-2008; even so, when I left - January 2008 - the rent for a 3-bedroom, one of which was "designed" as virtually TWO rooms; anyway, 3-bedroom flat - the rent was $1,400. Total. I don't expect anyone to believe me, but it's TRUE (from 1988 to 2006 my share had gone up from $350 to $600; there were sometimes 3, sometimes, 2, other roommates; SOME of the time I h ad place to myself!) I hate getting old, as everyone does, but I am thrilled I lived there then. Now, I read - and can't believe, but I know is true - average ONE-bedroom rent is c. $3,00)!!!

Enough about ME. The City is(was?) gorgeous; stuff not TOO expensive; some mom-and-pop stores in neighborhoods; people - including me and my friends - bitch(ed) about public transportation but overall is INCREDIBLE; under/above-ground streetcars, umpteen busses; several BART stops in the city. OMG (yes, am way too old to say, "OMG"), miss it SO much.

And the culture (or "culture", from my snotty days in NYC!): Plays, touring musicals, several good medium and small theater companies, films, film festival, museums, opera, ballet, etc.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! NOTHING like that where I am now. Guys: Save your $$$; part of my problem why I'm gone.

(Oh: and did I mention the weather??)

R107, No one recommends San Francisco, or the Bay Area in general, anymore. Leftists have destroyed the place. And San Fran is not gay anything--it's mommy-bloggers and tech nerds.

I do recommend pockets of So Cal that are still affordable in that you will not die from the cold, meet cute bisexuals, and enjoy a middle-priced standard of living.

For all of you hysterics, California has always had droughts, and this one is NOT the worse, contrary to what you are reading.

California will be getting rains soon, the drought is going to end in two years, and the summers will get even cooler.

How can California be in so much debt when it is the 8th largest economy in the world? That's right, the WORLD. I don't understand it.

Bay area works great for dot.commers except you have homeless folks (I'm not bashing homeless folks) living in your yard and pooping in your driveway.

So sad that CA is such a mess of disparities.

Ummm is it legal for them to sleep in your yard?

Try kicking them off, r113

[quote]blacks are the majority in many southern states so I don't see the persecution angle.

Wait, what?! Blacks are not the majority in any state. Did you seriously just say that and believed it was true?

[quote] No one recommends San Francisco, or the Bay Area in general, anymore.

Why do you think the Bay area is so expensive? Because TONS of people want to live there. Though yes, the city has changed, it is the tech people who rule it now. Not as gay anymore.

[quote]the economies aren't all booming in the south, but the cost of living is much cheaper

Of course, but the southern cities they are moving to such as Houston, Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta have had strong economies. I have strongly disagree with the notion those places are more racist than the rest of the country. Racism is everywhere.

It's also expensive because much land has been removed from development for water catchment, while the difficult terrain creates bottlenecks that limit sprawl.

R106, Dear ...

There are no majority black states, even DC maybe under 50% black now. A couple of southern states have large black populations, but the whites vote almost unanimously Republican.

[quote]blacks are the majority in many southern states so I don't see the persecution angle. What I do see is the slower pace of life just getting to people, which is why many people prefer to live in Vegas.

I love the absolute idiotic nonsense presented as fact here on Datalounge. So many of the wonderful people who post here are just completely unplugged from reality.

What is also weird about R105/R106, is not just his ignorance of the demographics of this country he proudly spouts off as if he knew what he was talking about. But also his continued insistence of the appeal of Vegas. Vegas has a terrible economy and the only big industry is the tourism industry. A college educated workforce would not not find it the most appealing city to move too.

R105/106 here,

and I am saying that Las Vegas was good for black people economically until recently.

So compare living in Las Vegas 10 years ago to living in the south ---not a lot to do, except eat, drink and watch sports.

Everyone gains weight when they move to the south, the food is the best, and it's too humid to exercise.

Therefore, if one is already overweight they will fit in better however, they may risk further health problems by getting even BIGGER.

All of us prone to obesity--blacks, whites, native Americans---should think twice about living in humid environments.

I think that a drier climate is better for us so that exercise is not deadly-doo.

I think that obese types should stay above the Mason-Dixie line and get out and "work that body."

Las Vegas, with it's intense summer heat is dry-ish, enough to temper that monster appetite!

Now, springtime in Vegas is good-going for workouts that can work your figure well enough to put you on a stage!

Some buffets offer salads...'lett-uce' pray!

I can't find a decent buffet in California!

When I visit Las Vegas I join the elephant herds and squeeze through and git mine!

In California, all of the buffets are run by Asian immigrants and some are downright frightening!

Oh, how I envy those Las Veg-ians and their dinner choices!

I met some lesbians when I went to Las Vegas and while we were snarfing at the Buffet--this buffet was entitled "The Gorge Across the Universe" I asked them about lesbo sex--I am a straight chick but curious--so they gave me the 911 about it!

They said that because they eat at buffets all of the time they are too fat to scissor., but other lesbos who are obese use a teccnigue they dub the "Allen Wrench," anyone ever heard of it?

Have any of you California lesbos done the "Allen Wrench," and is that the name of it's inventor?

In California, most of the lesbos have tattoos even on their necks...is that a signal that they belong to the "Allen Wrench" society, and are there dues to pay?

R105 here 119 and I never said anything of what you're claiming. African Americans, like many others started relocating to Vegas because it was known as a boom town. You could also get a decent house for maybe a third of what it would cost in LA and everything else is cheaper. If you're from LA, it's also a closer move than say, Memphis. What everyone found out was that the boom went bust and living there was a hell of a lot different than visiting for a weekend. But because they sold their houses, they can't return to LA because it's too expensive and they can't find jobs in Vegas because there aren't any. When you live in Southern California, you sort of trick yourself into thinking the rest of the country is as accepting as LA is. There are tradeoffs, but John Waters correctly said that LA perhaps the only city in the world where you can be whatever you want to be and no one raises an eyebrow. Work VERY, VERY hard and you can do well in LA and it is why so many Asians are relocating here.

R127 in the dark about getting rich in Los Angeles.

Working hard for the wrong bosses guarantee you will just be given more work!

And the rich women you see driving around are all golddiggers who screw ugly rich people for a living.

Some of the most pathetic, stupid, dingbatty, rude and disgusting people are rich in L.A..

Please.

Yeah but I could have sworn that a recent stat stated that 50 percent of the Asian population in LA are struggling and can't really afford to live there ( along with a third of whites, about two thirds of AAs, and a little over three quarters of Hispanics). It sounds more like the city of broken dreams. Also AAs are returning to the south for job and career advancement opportunities, family connections, and quality of life concerns . The majority are already solidly middle class and upper middle class so money issues wouldn't be their primary motivator. The truth is that many people are heading south not just AAs.

Let's just posit that the rent is too damn high wherever you go. Food, too!

R129, I plan to move to the south in the future.

That's if I get in good enough shape, because if I move there fat I have zero hope of ever getting fit--I love southern cuisine!

[quote]blacks are the majority in many southern states so I don't see the persecution angle.

Name ONE state in the south where they're the majority and provide a link to back it up. This is outright bullshit on your part.

If they were the majority, even with the lack of voting, that whole part wouldn't be solidly Republican.

R129, and as I pointed out, some of those same AAs who moved are finding out that life in the South isn't what they thought it would be. Confederate Flag anyone?

Oh my God, R132, I meant to say cities, not states, oh my god get off of my ass!

Jesus Christ lady at R106 et al you are all over this thread posting multiple times in a row with your "insightful opinions" *cough*. You can make your points, if you post, in the same post. Did you really need multiple posts in a row about buffets and lesbians doing the allen wrench?

R47 Are you for real? a few generations back california was part of mexco. those 'immigrants' were probably living there while you rs were crossing the atlantic on a leaky boat.

[quote] a few generations back california was part of mexco.

Yeah, all 10 of them who were living in California when it was part of Mexico. Mexico didn't give two shits about they land they had in California and weren't really all that broken up when the US took it. Flash-foward to the US building California into an economic powerhouse and then all of a sudden Mexicans are like "hey wait a minute, that's our land!"

[quote] Try kicking them off, [R113]

Put up a fence. Rent a pit bull.

[quote] can't find a decent buffet in California!

Wtf?

Buffet is something you have at a catered event. Are you a wedding crasher?

r136 please tell us when you are going to turn over your house and bank accounts to the local Native American tribe that's in your area. You can't turn back time. Land changes hands, always has.

R137 Yup. They cashed the check we gave them for it then, too.

Well.. it's not only California that's running out of water. The entire northwest is struggling right now. It has never been warmer and drier in the region. Even in Canada there's fires everywhere.

My experience: moved here in 1999. I love LA. and to some extent the rest of California. SF is nice but too expensive, nice to visit though. Have not seen much else in the state, except to drive thru. San Diego feels sleepy. I'm not rich but I own a house which when I sell will likely add a considerable amount to my retirement. I bought in the downturn and it's now worth more than double what I paid. LA has tons of undeveloped places just waiting for a gay touch that will bring it to 2015, and with the architecture many of these places are beautiful! While I'd love to live in the hills, that probably won't happen even though in a few years I could likely afford it. I'm a big real estate guy, so my info is to buy along the expo line. In just a few years you will be able to hop on the train and get to the beach. That is something even those in the hills would envy.

this thread should be taken as a memo to the wise; when you find a wonderful place to live, keep your fucking mouth shut. California is a perfect example of a simply spectacular state ruined by all the shit that has migrated here from the OKies and ARKies plus all the garbage reject types from south of the border, Asia and the rest of the world. California is now wonderful for only the wealthy who can live in armed and gated enclaves.

R143, I'm on the Expo Line (well, a few blocks from the Westwood stop) and the prices here have gone up so incredibly, even the realtors are shaking their heads. I'm in Cheviot and the 2700 sf house I bought in 1999 for 499k was just appraised at 2.1 with about 100k in upgrades. I love my neighborhood but people think nothing of buying a house for 1.8, tearing it down and putting up a McMansion.

Says everything.

If we would place an out of country ownership tax, this would go a long way in reducing foreign investors. The State of California could do the same thing. I have a rental property in Maryland, and I have to pay a 100% penalty on my property taxes. Yes, they are double what I would be paying if I lived in that house. There are ways to keep unhealthy money out of an area, but in California's case, so many of the interlopers have now been elected to state government by their fellow reprobate constituents. Poor California needs a "french revolution" of its own to oust the scum.

I lived in Van Nuys for 5 years - all I could afford ,, it was a nice enough condo I was renting an it included a washer and dryer which was rare. The valley is hot. Like 30 degrees hotter than la in the summer. If you know side streets and how to avoid the freeways you can really get around at a good pace. Even though I had a GPS I was told to get a Thomas Guide when i moved there. Knowing the side streets in LA/SFV is a must.

r137 The USA has no ratified treaties with any native nations in California you dumb fuck.

Why do you guys name call? You're too bright CUNT, however is acceptable.

I wish we could have watered CA last night and this morning.

And the reason Cali has no money is a little thing called Prop 13.

Van Nuys is a shit hole!

What's the closest town to San Francisco that is pretty and affordable?

Denver, R153.

San Diego is the Birmingham of California - so intolerant, esp. the LGBT community. Disappointing.

[quote]Water bills are close to $500/month per person now (in Pasadena).

This is just ridiculous. First, NO one bills you for water "per person." Second, I live less than ten miles from Pasadena and my water bill has never been more than $25/mo. Granted I don't have a huge yard or a pool, but unless you're growing some extremely thirsty crops on 20 acres, no way are you paying $500/mo for water.

I live in Minnesota and my water bill is 65-70$ per month.

You are right Van Nuys is a shit hole, but all I could afford - a block off erwin and vesper - right near the courthouse.

[quote]Van Nuys is a shit hole

It wasn't before The Surge.

They should increase taxes in California.

R160, see R151. Property taxes or lack thereof are what got California into the shape it's in.

R99, desalination technology is inefficient and expensive. Or at least that's the skinny. I don't know of any projects underway that will do any good in the projected time frame. Hopefully that will change.

[quote] I heard it's a great state to live in.

From whom? Every California transplant I’ve talked to acts like they escaped the embassy in Saigon by helicopter just in time to evade the Viet Cong.

That's because every California transplant I have ever met is a Trumpiter Repug who cant stand California because it's progressive and more Democratic than Republican. You can always tell because the repeat all the Repug hater talking points you hear on Faux News: It's a nanny state, everyone is moving to Texas, it's not business friendly, taxes are highest in the nation (not true) etc, etc, etc.

The funny thing is, I see these same haters all over FB groups posting about local city or state politics in California. They can't let it go, they are obsessed with a place they say they hated and left. A healthy person who really didn't like where they lived would move and forget about it. Which just goes to show, they are really just jealous bitches who want everything California has to offer if only it were a red state.

R163 is Bitch DeFacto bumping 2015 threads again. GET A HOBBY, TRUMPTARD!

God I hate you so much.

Doesn't DeFuckto live in some Texas trailer park?

R166 - somewhere full of Trumpsters and fuck all to do. Texas doesn't have a strangle hold on that type of living.

If you live in a city it is crazy expensive and there are tons of homeless people just living in tents all over the streets.

It's a lot more expensive to live in NYC than anywhere in California. That's why so many of the creative types not making 10 figures are moving to CA.

More gays in CA that almost any other state.

California has a population of about 40 million people.

5.3% are the estimated to be LGBT

That translate to a population of: 1,859,000 gay people.

We love it!

High cost of living in LA? Try living in Hawaii. I miss SoCal so very much. I used to live near Rancho Park and dreamed of buying a home there. I need my fill of Baja Fresh and Cal Chickem. I even miss the cheapy Yoshinoya! There's just so much to do in LA! I will go to Apple Pan the first thing.

We love it!

The Gays!

Bump