Defending California

[cassidyta]

Having read many threads with references to California, I figure it is about time to make an attempt to defend my state, at least my part of the state Southern California. I was born in Charleston SC, and then lived in VA from the time I was 6 until I was 20. Needless to say my roots are from Dixie, but I call this my state because I made the choice to live here. Here is my attempt to come up with my own Top 10 reasons I like about here.

10) CHIPS. When I was a kid of the late 70’s there were no two cooler guys on the planet than Ponch and John. They always got the bad guys and the girls.
Bad…The California Highway Patrol is not nearly as nice when they are writing you a ticket.

9) The weather. As I look ahead at the 5 day forecast, we should be in the mid to upper 70’s all week with the coldest night being 54. My family can usually get use out of the pool from April until Mid-November. Our annual rain fall is less than 10 inches a year and it almost all comes between Dec and March
Bad…No one out here can drive in any weather condition other than sun. A light rain brings traffic to a halt. A 30 minute hail storm two years ago closed the city for a day.

8) The women. I can say without bias that the Beach Boys and David Lee Roth were dead on about California girls. I have stood on all 7 continents and will admit that there were beautiful women on 6 of them. (I am excluding Antarctica) The difference here is the over whelming number of beautiful women.
Bad…Most of them know they are beautiful. Additionally, most are materialistic and more hung up on where you work and what you drive than who you are. (Luckily, I am married so this bad does not bother me)

7) Taxes. I am sure that sounds foolish, but the taxes here are better than several other states. Sales tax runs 6.25% but food is exempted. State income taxes range between 1-9%. Property taxes are set at 1% of the homes initial appraised value. Meaning that we do not have county assessors who raise the property tax ever. Additionally, if I leave or sell my house to my kids, they will pay the same property taxes as me.
Bad…Our Gas tax is the highest in the nation. Factor that in with the semi annual smog checks and driving is not cheap.

6) Proximity to everything else. While I may not get to enjoy the seasons from my front porch, I am close to many various climates. If I dive 15 minutes west, I can sit on the beach (note reason 8). An hour east and I am riding three wheelers in the desert. Head north for 2 hours and I can be in the mountains and the snow. 45 minutes south and I am in another country.
Bad… The inhabitants of those same locations descend on San Diego like locust in the late spring and early fall. They add to the traffic, waits at restaurants, etc….

5) . College Assistance for my kids. As a disabled veteran, the state of California will pay the tuition costs of my children to attend any California state school.
Bad…It only cost me a limp for the rest of my life to get that.

4) The Governator: I have to admit that I was a skeptic about the guy when he wanted to run for office, but there is something cool about having Schwarzenegger as the president. Not that he is that good or bad, but there is something about channel surfing and watching your governor destroying the enemy cyborgs.
Bad...I usually have to read the transcripts of his radio messages because I can seldom understand that damn accent.

3) Pacific Time Zone: Monday Night Football comes on during happy hour. I have been called a sports junkie. Even the over time/extra inning games are over by 10:00 pm for me.
Bad….This also means I miss the first half of games when my wife wants me to go to church.

2) Big Bass: On the ESPN Bassmasters list of top 25 LMB ever caught, 21 of them were caught here. Very few of our lakes are big, but almost all of them have 15 lbs bass lurking in them.
Bad…Darned if I can catch one of them big ones.

And the number one reason I live in San Diego.


My wife won’t move!