I don't even want to think about how bad it is where I am from in California.
State government has a $19 billion hole in the budget, 12% unemployment (that's being generous, it's much higher in some areas) and housing values dropped through the ground (with no banks borrowing to consumers).
Arnold did a great job.
I don't think Arnold did a bad job. The entire country was poised to be fucked up when he took over. California was just dangling further over the edge than most states. I think he did as well with that mess as anyone could have.
Correct. The government in California is an unmanageable mess, the governor has no power whatsoever to change the budget, which is California's main problem right now.
California has legislature by referenda, which means if you can get 150,000 signatures you can get an iniative on a ballot for the people of the state to vote on. There are little (if any restrictions) as to what those iniatives can be, and once voted on they can only be overturned on grounds of consitutionality.
What this has resulted in is a budget that is dictated by tens (if not hundreds) of flawed budgetary set-asides that restrict revenues and regulate expenditure. The initives by themselves may have sounded like great ideas but the cumulative effect is a budget that cannot be substantially altered. It also sets ups a regulatory regime that can in some cases drive away employers to states with more lenient standards of operation.
Initiatives can also be placed on the ballot by the legislature, so they will often "punt" any controversial issue over to the people so it can't be used against them in an ellection.
Nice system eh?
I think you'll find that The Terminator should be able to do whatever the fuck he wants. He's done a shit job is one explanation, but more likely he's behind slowly destroying California in the absence of SkyNet to do it.
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobileThat list is kind of bullshit. Detroit is miserable, though I suppose they've got some sort of city pride there (which I'll never quite understand).
Re: Detroit. Years ago I was watching the Animal Channel and they had one of those Animal COPS-type shows where they look into people abusing animals.
So in this one show they go to this abandoned building in the scariest part of town and find a homeless guy and his dog and they take the dog away and explain to him that keeping a dog in such a place is animal cruelty. So they take the dog away, and guy says, un-ironically, "So whose going to come and take me away?"
I think that's probably the most poignant thing I've ever seen on television.
Then they killed the dog, and off camera beat him to death.
aspro said:Re: Detroit. Years ago I was watching the Animal Channel and they had one of those Animal COPS-type shows where they look into people abusing animals.
So in this one show they go to this abandoned building in the scariest part of town and find a homeless guy and his dog and they take the dog away and explain to him that keeping a dog in such a place is animal cruelty. So they take the dog away, and guy says, un-ironically, "So whose going to come and take me away?"
I think that's probably the most poignant thing I've ever seen on television.
Once whilst waiting on the platform for a tube train there was a homeless guy with a dog asking for change. A suited city-banker type dropped some change on the floor and said to him "It's for the dog"
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Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
That's funny to me.
Humans relationships with animals is a funny thing. So many people would go out of their way to help an animal over a human. I guess 'cause humans talk and make themsleves unsympathetic.
L.A. public health officials are trying to determine the source of an illness that they say struck dozens of conference attendees who attended an event at the Playboy Mansion earlier this month.
A milder form of Legionnaires' disease, legionellosis is caused by a bacterium that grows in warm water and can take root in hot tubs or parts of air-conditioning systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bacteria are not spread from person to person, according to the CDC, but are instead inhaled in water vapor. Some of those who became ill said they suspected a fog machine that was used at the party.
David Castello, 54, who co-founded Castello Cities Internet Network Inc. with his brother Michael, said they attended the conference and fundraiser. Castello told the Los Angeles Times he became ill a day after the event.
"It knocked me off my feet for five days," he said. "I'm over it now, but I'm still feeling fatigue, which is not a good thing."
For the last few days, Castello said, he lay in bed recovering from fever, a dry cough, headaches and back spasms.
Those who got sick were attending the annual DOMAINfest Global conference in Santa Monica.
The conference was based at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, but the Feb. 3 fundraiser was held at Hefner's Holmby Hills mansion.
Aww it was just a fog machine. I thought it was coming from the legendary pool at the mansion, who knows what kind of crap is growing in there.
The ones who are saying it was from the fog machine are married.
aspro said:The ones who are saying it was from the fog machine are married.
Of course. 
aspro said:The ones who are saying it was from the fog machine are married.
OCP raising funds for 7 foot Robocop staute in Detroit:
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobileHow long until it's an unused piece of antiquity?
Sounds like a good time to buy property in California. if i already had a place to stay at I would seriously consider investing in one of those places
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Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu