[newbie]

Hmmm...interesting...so this is what went on when I was gone?

OK...well...prepare yourself, this reply is gonna be long. First off, SAE...yeah, you might think that those who are opposing your view are sensitive or whatnot...but let me tell you, Carrot and Bubbles are not even from California, and they are already displeased with your post...so that should tell you something.

OK...so you say that California doesn't have that down-home, friendly atmostphere...let me ask you something....WHERE in Los Angeles have you been?! I'm not from Los Angeles...I was born and raised in lovely San Francisco, CA, but I have dear family in LA whom I visit quite often, and many times I stay there for a long time. For example, last summer I went down to LA and stayed there for a month. Yeah, LA is fast-paced, and people are always on the go. But I have received nothing from respect from Los Angelans (I'm sorry, is that a word? I know that I'm referred to as a San Franciscan, but I don't know what LA people are referred to). All the people in LA, whom I have encountered/seen/observed are all courteous, fun-loving, and friendly. Maybe you mistake the fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyle as rude, but really...you don't think the people in California are nice? As I said, I'm from SF...and there are a lot of tourists who come here. They always refer to California as one of the "nicest spots in the world" with "the nicest people in the world." Also, there have been numerous polls NATIONWIDE asking which people are the nicest nationwide. California has always made the top ten...the Bay Area I think was last mentioned as Number Three...

Originally posted by SAE1955:If you like to slow things down and have a little pride in your state then Texas is your place.

So are you inferring that Californians do not have pride in their state? C'mon...as evident here, we Californians LOVE and BLEED California. Where have you seen evidence that we Californians are not proud of our homestate?

As to what you said about "breathing clean air and seeing stars"...well, it's true that SoCal has a lot of smog and pollution...BUT that's true of almost every big, metropolitan city in the nation. If you were to go into the suburbs, or near the ocean...you would find pristine air. Also, there's nothing more beautiful than staring at ALL the lovely stars on a summer night in California. Yes, that's right...I said in CA. SAE, I have lived in CA all of my life and there's nothing more beautiful than staring at tons of stars at night. It might have to do with the fact that I live near the ocean...which is why the air that i breathe is clean as can be. I think you just haven't looked too hard to find what you are criticizing.

OK...and about your comment about girls all being/wanting to be blonde...now THAT is what I'm pissed off about. Yeah, I'm sensitive...but let me tell you, as a girl born and raised in California...there could be nothing FARTHER from the truth, SAE. If you actually opened your eyes wider(and yes I mean that!), if you actually tried to accept new things, you would see that your comment about tons of blondes is WAY OFF. Again, I have been to so many different parts of Cali...in my own Bay Area, up to Mount Shasta, up to Tahoe, up to Redding, down to the Central Coast, to SoCal...there are, as you said, SO many different ethnicities out here in California. California and Hawaii are known as the greatest melting pots in the whole wide world. I see people of all different looks--from platinum blonde to raven black, to purple, to green, and all shades in between. I see people with black eyes, with blue eyes. I see people from the lightest skins to the darkest skins. And you mean to tell me that the girls in CA all want to be blonde or are blonde? HELLO! Just open your eyes one day. You would see that what you said is the farthest from the truth. Do you actually think that we all want to be blondes??????????!!!!!!!!! Please quit generalizing...most Californians are very proud of their ethnicities and what they were born with. I myself still have the raven black hair I was born with. And if some want to go bottle-blond, well then...more power to them!!! Just don't generalize and say that if you're not already blonde, you wanna be blonde. So...TELL ME...how many ppl do you know wanna be blonde? Actually, as someone else said, Texas is thought to be the state with all the blondes. However, that's probably a stereotype...

And hell yeah that there would be killer real estate costs and traffic! There is a reason for that you know...b/c people in California choose to live with that, in order to be able to live in this amazing state! I have to agree, sometimes I question my family for staying in rocket-high-priced Cali, but I love it that they still do! My heart will always remain in Cali...hopefuly I will never have to leave this state!

Ha...and your post about the TX girls being hotter...what the heck is that? Stop judging, and open your eyes SAE...Cali is known as having the most beautiful girls...but I guess it varies from opinon to opinion. TX girls are ALSO known as having beautiful girls. I know it's yuour right to say this, BUT this thread started by Bubbles was in NO WAY intended to be a debate about Texas vs. California. NOR was it a debate about whether Texas girls were hotter than California girls. You really did not have to voice your opinon about the appearances of Cali women vs. Texas women. bubbles is asking about the state of California, not the appearance of the women there. I'm getting into this b/c I love my state...and I want to prove you wrong. I did not want to say anything about Texas...but I feel like I have the need to address your post.

California is simply beautiful...there's a rolling ocean minutes away, skiing some hours away, valleys, suburbs, crazy/fun urban life, awesome shopping, home of Hollywood, a mixture of every ethnicitiy, tolerant...

I just think it's funny that you decided to post all the great things about Texas in this CALIFORNIA Thread. There is already a thread for that, you know. We weren't takling about TX vs. CA until you and some other person came on here...we wanted to talk about California alone. If you criticize California...that's fine. But no need to mix in intentionally rude comments.

And just to add...we Californians are thought to be one of the most open-minded, tolerant people out there...I don't think defending CA is close-minded, we are defending CA b/c we do not feel that some of your points were necessary! If you were to compare us generally to the South, the Midwest...well, we are very different sometimes. Honestly...if you take a look at the gay, bi, lesbian, and transgender community, for exmaple...not many choose to live in the South, mostly b/c they are more traditional there. And there are good and bad points to being traditional...but many of those community flock to CA b/c of our open-mindedness. How many G, B, L, and T do you know, may I ask? I honestly don't think that you've allowed yourself to enjoy the California expereicne...b/c if you truly DID live in CA for three years...you would see we are one of the most tolerant ppl out there today...

I'm not saying CA is perfect (look at the energy crisis for heaven's sake!), but I have pride in my state and I felt I had the need to address your opinions. What I'm trying to say is, what you criticized about CA in your post...you can almost find all those (friendly, clean air) if you chose to look hard enough.

[This message has been edited by newbie (edited April 27, 2001).]