Thank you! I intend to visit. Hawaii is too expensive for retirement. I am certain you have enough folks already. New Orleans would be a greater but pooer place without our beloved tourists.

LOL you said "There is little ecological diversity." There is more ecological diversity than almost every state in the union.

I guess you really did not look around much or see much of the state.

Yes you did see the big valley, which is farm land, from Bakersfield to Redding, There is the upper and lower desert, death valley (lowest place on earth). there is also the giant saquoias and the red woods, you only find them in California, from the date palms in Indio where 99% of all the worlds dates are grown, to the wine country where the worlds best wines are from. I have not really talked about the other crops that California has, and is the number one producer of said product

Riverwind (imported) wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2004 9:00 am . San Francisco is one of the top ten cities in the world.

You have not lived until you walk down Hollywood Blvd. There is more to see and do in California than any state.

Now if you want to talk about states with little ecological diversity, you could put in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, much of missouri, Illoinis.

I am from california, LA born and raised, lived the next 30 years in northern calif. I think of morro bay, pismo beach, the WWII ships that are tied up in Stockton, in the middle of the state, the delta which covers most of the norther part of the state north of Sacramento. then you have the mountians. Yosemite. need I say more

River

Softee,

I think everyone finds places that give them "energy" and those places are not the same for all people.

There are people who swear that Las Vegas is a great city, but I find it totally depressing. New Orleans is depressing to me too. But I agree with you that San Francisco is overrated -- not a bad city but not a great city either. Los Angeles doesn't appeal to me at all.

You are wrong about the ecological diversity though -- California has a lot of zones some of which are unique: desert, beach, hills, mountains, redwoods to palm trees.

But just accept that the places that appeal to other people don't necessarily have to appeal to you ... it takes different strokes!

I think that what I said what that I can spend a week on the California Coast and name every plant and animal where I camp within a week.I could spend months or years in the Everglades and not name all the plants and animals surrounding your camp.

Obviously, California is a big place with many regions. For example, all but one of the soil type groups exists in the Central Valley. That intrigued me. That the Central Valley is older than the mountains all around it also intrigued (and delighted) me.

About San Francisco, Mark Twaine said that every man needed two cities--San Francisco and his own city. That is about right. I loved San Francisco. It was my favorite city in my youth.

Of course, I also loved La Jolla. The La Valencia is my favorite hotel in all the world. I enjoyed many fine meals there. Yes, I also love dates!

I enjoyed living New Orleans. I lived there 12 years. Of course, I was in love with my wife, who would not move. I was happy to move when I finally did move. I worked for the city. That pay was low and the government corrupt. The constant threat of flooding bothered me. I don't know whether the city was depressing because I was already depressed.

California was a good place to enjoy 40 years ago. My friend who lived in Manhattan for many years moved to LA. She finds it a good place to do her art.

Central California reminds me of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Oklahoma. There is not much difference. That is positive and negative. One of my cousins, a weathy and successful man, moved from Rancho Santa Fe to Dallas. He could not stand California. Now, I don't think that I would enjoy Dallas, but who knows. :kittygray :kittygray

There is a time and place. Young love is a good thing, though probably not for an old man. I am glad to be the equivalent of a eunuch in old age, but I enjoyed young love (in its time). I suspose that California was part of young love.

All this from Scott whomever his name is. I would hate to be on jury duty for five months, though my brother in Georgia served on a jury where the trial lasted a few months. That would depress me. :-\ :-\

Some folks believe that Washington State wines are better than California wines. I cannot drink--I do not know.

Softee,

It seems that the way you experience places has a lot to do with emotional attachments etc. you might have to the place.

If you want to read about some ecological inspiration from Northern California, read "The Klamath Knot". I have a house in Siskiyou County.

So,

Should Scott Peterson be given the death sentence?

NAW!

I say that we send him to San Quenton and the put him "in the barrell" every Friday night.

However, I think that any good-looking blonde females married to NUT CASES or even divorced from NUT CASES in CALIFORNIA should be given "endangered species" status, eg. Pam Anderson, so forth and so on...

A-1

SplitDik (imported) wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2004 12:56 am Softee,

It seems that the way you experience places has a lot to do with emotional attachments etc. you might have to the place.

If you want to read about some ecological inspiration from Northern California, read "The Klamath Knot". I have a house in Siskiyou County.

Beautiful country.

Scott Peterson, he had something to do with California, huh?

Softee,

I am just trying to get the thread back on track, please forgive me.

Ahem,... Yes,

Peterson is, well, trying to DICK UP what's left of the reputation of California. As if Hollywood(y) left you poor folks with anything to work with.

In Las Vegas you get acquitted if you polish off you lover\spouse and then get caught trying to dig up his silver in the desert. (Fornicating fools on a dead man's chest? Maybe we can have a movie called Pirates of the Mojave Desert next.)

Honestly, this shit gets worse and worse, doesn't it?

A-1

A-1 (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2004 10:03 am Softee,

I am just trying to get the thread back on track, please forgive me.

I just ran out of comments to make about Mr. Peterson.Thinking of comments to make about him is even more difficult than talking about Paris Hilton or Jessica Simpson.

Would Scott Peterson have murdered Paris Hilton or Jessica Simpson if had married one of them? Heavy question.