Why California Kicks Ass!!!

[Radar]

Originally Posted by classicman

that explains a lot.

It's a hypothetical. I can't afford that much weed and 8oz would be more than I'd use in a year. It's just nice to know I could.

One of the best things about California is all of the people who hate it so much and who have left. It's much nicer here without them.

[lookout123]

truthfully I don't hate california. I visit quite frequently and always enjoy myself. San Diego beats LA hands down but they each have their points. San Francisco can disappear into the fog if'n you ask me though. but if you're asking if I'd ever consider moving there? hell no. I make the same money here as i would there but the cost of living is stupid there and their ideas on taxation... no thanks.

[Radar]

If I could make the same money but live somewhere cheaper, I'd do it, but my wife was born in Vietnam and there are few places in America hot enough to make her happy. The only place I know she'd move to is Florida.

[classicman]

Relax Radar I was kidding. I like that we can agree to disagree on just about everything - It keeps things interesting.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Radar

If I could make the same money but live somewhere cheaper, I'd do it, but my wife was born in Vietnam and there are few places in America hot enough to make her happy. The only place I know she'd move to is Florida.

It's called Houston. Second biggest Vietnamese population in the world outside of Vietnam itself.

[Radar]

Actually, the 1st largest outside of Vietnam is 20 minutes from where I'm at now. I can't move to Houston though. Too many rednecks for me. I'd rather live in Beirut, Kabul, Karachi, or Bagdad than Houston.

I hate pickup trucks, big belt buckles, country music, people who say "y'all", line dancing, oil companies, rodeo, people who like George W. Bush or his insane war, rednecks, trailer parks, all Texas sports teams, and I especially hate the cowboys...both the team and actual cowboys, and I hate their fans too.

Texas might not work out too well for me.

[BigV]

Dude, you're among friends here. Come on, spill. Tell us how you *really* feel. You'll feel better, I'm sure of it.

[Sundae]

I like line dancing

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Radar

Actually, the 1st largest outside of Vietnam is 20 minutes from where I'm at now. I can't move to Houston though. Too many rednecks for me. I'd rather live in Beirut, Kabul, Karachi, or Bagdad than Houston.

I hate (...snip...) the cowboys...both the team and actual cowboys, and I hate their fans too.

Wow and I thought you and LJ were close - lol.

[Elspode]

Originally Posted by jinx

Homeschooling is working well for us at the moment. I'd like to see financial incentives and community based facilities and equipment that would make home schooling possible for more people.

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by jinx

Homeschooling is working well for us at the moment. I'd like to see financial incentives and community based facilities and equipment that would make home schooling possible for more people.

Originally Posted by Elspode

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

Just in response to this small section; in the deep dark days before we all had schools (public or otherwise) everyone home schooled (as we all know). As communities grew, some parents got together and used what might be described as community facilities to educate their kids which then led to the parents electing perhaps one of the parents to teach all the kids which of course then led to the development of the public education system as we know it today. So what I'm saying is, if you're homeschooling, then you're doing it to stay away from community based facilities such as ultimately lead to schools historically.

I don't really care either way, but I just thought it would be interesting to point out an obvious fact.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

I know it's crazy isn't it - yet at this point it's the women who want a home birth that are considered crazy. My dad and all his siblings were born at home... it wasn't that long ago. Now it costs $20K to have a baby and our infant mortality rates are in the toilet. Progress.

A local school district here spends almost $20K a year per pupil. I can do it for so much less...

[Elspode]

Yes, and those $20k figures are the *only* reason that anyone even bothers to make home birth illegal and why lobbyists are constantly working to get homeschooling outlawed.

None of the people who are against these things give one shit about the parents or children involved. They only care about the dollars. Trust me, if there was more money in letting people die than there was in people continuing to live, killing us all would be the chief pursuit of some corporation.

Sorry if this sounds jaded or bitter, but I've been around for awhile now, and I see this all getting worse and worse with every passing day.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Unfortunately, that seems to be going the other way. The Nanny State doesn't want us doing things that take money away from traditional institutions. Same deal with midwifery, especially here in Missouri. Who'd have ever thought it could be illegal to have a planned birth at home?

But this link says that last month Missouri finally made it legal to have a midwife. It doesn't specify, but seems to imply that it originally became illegal long ago in almost all states, and the trend for many decades has been to legalize it. Sure, Missouri is behind the times, but at least they're moving in the right direction, right?

[jinx]

The trend has been towards making home births illegal. Since lay midwives and hospitals don't mix - that leaves the certified nurse practitioners and other trained medical professionals to play midwife. So yes - there are more and more midwives delivering babies in hospitals as a trend.