State of the State

Downhill spiral. 'Nuff said.

California Sinking

Was it not too long ago that California was deemed one of the ten largest economies in the world? So large that it could be a nation in itself. Oh how the times have changed... what happened?

California's Economy

We're facing a downturn in the economy, and there's a big budget deficit. Now we hear that a famous clothing designer owes the state $1.7 million in back taxes. How many other high rollers are out there who also owe on taxes? Do we have to appoint them to public office to flush them out?

Sometimes I swear we live in Denmark.

CA State Budget

Deficit. This is the largest budget deficit in California's history, while under an administration headed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. No taxes, no spending cuts... you continue to shell out money without raking any in. Talk about voodoo economics!

Pump It Up!

At the gasoline pumps is where I've enjoyed a pleasant recession; last weekend filling up my Rockster (that's my current main motorcycle) came to under a dozen bucks. We're talking around $2.90 per gallon of regular unleaded here, a far cry from a couple of fill-ups over the summer that exceeded $5.00 per gallon. Now if there were only a way I can store hundreds of gallons of the stuff safely and tap into this supply when prices start climbing again.

So, how low did gas go in your neck of the woods?

Tick Tock

I believe at last count it was 5 minutes to midnight. The war is not over. Temperatures rise as the economy tanks. Hurricanes. Floods. Fire. Much of it is attributable to Mother Nature... much more to the foibles of mankind. Mankind. As its numbers continue to grow, so do many species continue to disappear. Extinction. Oblivion. But why should I care? I am on this earth for only a short while, and I hope to ride out the storm (40 to 50 more years, if I'm lucky) before the clock strikes twelve. If not, courtesy. Sympathy. Taste.

Forecasting a Cure

It is Monday and the Dow has experienced its largest single day drop. Pretty black, I'd say. The next couple of days may be just as rocky while uncertainty prevails amid the whole economic mess... and our favorite uncle isn't there to bail anyone out. Not for the faint of heart. Well, the message from those optimists who see life through rose-colored glasses and believe in silver linings is that we will clear the hurdle in the end, and all will be good again. Have a nice day.

I don't care if Monday's black.

Tuesday, Wednesday - heart attack.

Thursday never looking back.

It's Friday, I'm in love.

- the Cure

The State of CA?

The answer: in dire straits. Governor Schwarzenegger plans on signing an executive order which will reduce the state's employee salaries to the federal minimum wage, well below California's own minimum wage limit. Will this be carried out to fruition? I don't know. You conceivably are taking about 200,000 wage earners' spending dollars out of the economy, an economy that is already in turmoil. Add to that the high fuel prices, and you have people not driving anywhere to spend money they don't have anyway. Of those employees, add the number of their kids receiving allowances, or those having to cut back spending on the spouses' incomes. Merchants will see less business, who in turn as consumers must also curtail their spending. A domino effect, but not dominoes.

For Arnold the Chess Player, it is a chess game and the state workers are the pawns.