Californican tax burden is second or third highest in the US nation. But on the other hand, my house appreciated 6% last year according to Redfin, which is consistent with the last several years. That is a nice ROI on a 20% down payment. our air is much cleaner than 8 years ago thanks to progressive State government intervention we are ahead of schedule to achieve 100% independence from non-renewable fuel sources for electrical generation by 2050. right now, April 22, I can drive 2 hours in one direction and be surfing in the Pacific and 2 hours in another direction and be skiing on slopes at 10,000 feet minimum wage went up again last January as a way to get people off of welfare and provide a meaningful living wage. The cost of my haircut went up by a dollar, the cost of my pizza went up 50 cents. our road system and public education infrastructure are in need of much improvement to make them tops in the nation and use taxes are going up to provide for that. Californation has the 5th largest economy in the world today from near bankruptcy 10 years ago under the Arnold. I'm not saying that California is better than any other State, Massachusetts for example. I find many desirable features in every State I have visited (about half of them so far). But you get what you pay for. Heck, I get to pay for things I don't even use!
I have to agree. Cruises are absolutely horrible for the environment. Not judging (I took one myself in February), just saying we all do things that could be improved. The challenge is to not feel superior while seeing someone else doing something different than our choices dictate.
picking nuts - iirc, the only 2 Cali ski resorts above 10K' are Mammoth & Tahoe, & that's only at their summits. Closest beach being Monterey Bay, you'd be looking at 7¼ hours - & that's going to require driving balls-out. Don't forget your catheter .
It's good to hear someone with a positive attitude for a change. All the news I see on TV in negative.
This topic of cruise ships being horrible for the environment keeps resurfacing. I did a @bwilson4web type study on Cruise Critic when the topic came up there about 5 years ago (I doubt I can find it now). My research concluded that a new, modern cruise ship can be relatively environmentally friendly, especially when they are required to use low sulfur fuels like Californation regulations. New hull designs, turbocharged diesel generators powering electric drive motors, and more efficient supporting systems are all steps in the right direction. The new Celebrity Edge is a case in point - moving more passengers and crew with a smaller environmental footprint. So, I agree that things can be improved and will be improved with new technology and stricter regulations. I do not feel superior in any way. For every person who enjoys cruising, I can show you 10 who hate it. I was simply stating that enjoying life can be more important to some people than maximizing return on investment. But in other cases, maximizing return on investment can be the definition of enjoying life.
I was referring to Mammoth and Surf City, USA (Huntington Beach per the Beach Boys). I can make that trip (~300 miles) in 4 hours if traffic cooperates. There are locations much closer if you want to ski at only 7000 feet and surf at less enigmatic spots
Have I cruised in the last 5 years, yes. And to make me look worse, we drove a V6 to the airport, took two flights including one cross ocean or cross country to begin each of the 3 cruises. And I'm contemplating buying a less efficient car than the one I now drive. (By 3% but every bit counts) Comfort, entry ease, safety nannies.
Ocean going fuel is switching to lower sulfur. And it will likely cause price disruptions(increases) for land fuels
