reCALcitrant

-Restaurant smoking bans
-Public area outdoor smoking bans
-Stem Cell funding
-30% of our power comes from renewable energy
-Massive taxes on cigarettes

A lot of this change came from SF. So yes, we do have to put up with some crazy politics sometimes. But a lot of great changes come from here too.[/QUOTE]


Sounds like a very liberal place.
You are free to do everything except smoke.

Ottopilot

I lived near San Fran 28 years. I don't miss it. Crowded, expensive, liberal, etc. It is a great city and I do love to visit, but I'm glad I don't live there. I don't think my wife would agree with me; she'd move back in a heartbeat.

Back to the military stuff... San Fran has a long and rich history of military. It was a big part of defense of the bay and its bases. I remember the SAM sites along the coast during the cold war. The Presidio was a huge army base at one time. Most of the locals are anti-war and anti-military, which is fine in theory, but the world is not that simple. We must have a strong military and fight wars on occasion. I will not discuss which ones are better than others. As long as two people are alive on earth, there will be fighting. War exist because people exist. Wanting peace is great, but you cannot get the whole world at peace. For example, Muslims and Jews will never have peace. There are many other races and religions that will never get along. They haven't for tens of thousands of years and will not in the future. If we are weak as a country, some one will come along and conquer us. ROTC is needed everywhere. It is a volunteer program like our military. If you don't like the rules, stay out of the military.

Skygirl

Kind of like 2 pilots, eh?

You can't blame your wife for wanting to move back here in a heartbeat. I've lived in a variety of places and this is the least sexist and racist place. People treat each other with far more dignity here than anywhere else I've lived.

Slice

As long as you don't wear 'the uniform'...

Jakob

Yeah, memories are coming back right now. Isn't there a "Mendocino Coffee Company" somewhere by Jenner as well? I think I always ate chocolate-chip cookies there as a kid. I was actually born in Jenner, then moved to SFO and then back to Bodega Bay. Do you know Jenner? It's this tiny town on the hill right next to the Russian River! Right now, I live in Germany! ... Hamburg. I don't really like it that much here (weather is horrible and I mean, in this time of the year it gets dark around 4pm! ) and I plan to move back to the States as soon as I am finished with school here. I think German education is pretty highly respected over in the US (at least I hope it is). We go to school for 13 years! I'm in 11th grade right now so there is still some time to go!
Well, whatever, I'm looking forward on coming back and I hope I will have the opportunity to live in California again! I like the LA area as well, although it is even more expensive there! I'll see what it's all worth and where I'll end up so I guess I'll just have to wait!

Blue skies to all of you, and fly safe!

cheers


Jakob

P.S. Damn! I hate this "smiley-restriction-thing"! I want to use MORE! ;-)

EDIT:On topic: I absolutely do not agree on the ROTC ban! I think the military is very important and a very good oportunity for many people out there! Maybe for me as well, I am thinking about it!

Ottopilot

My mother-in-law, who's still in CA, just sent me this:

You know you're from California if:

1. Your coworker has 8 body piercings and none are visible.

2. You make over $300,000 and still can't afford a house.

3. You take a bus and are shocked at two people carrying on a conversation
in English.

4. Your child's 3rd-grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is named
Flower.

5. You can't remember . . is pot illegal?

6. You've been to a baby shower that has two mothers and a sperm donor.

7. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown,
and you can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.

8. You can't remember . . . is pot illegal?

9. A really great parking space can totally move you to tears.

10. Gas costs $1.00 per gallon more than anywhere else in the U.S.

11. Unlike back home, the guy at 8:30 am at Starbucks wearing a baseball cap
and sunglasses who looks like George Clooney really IS George Clooney.

12. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.

13. You can't remember . . .is pot illegal?

14. It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station:
"STORM WATCH."

15. You pass an elementary school playground and the children are all busy
with their cells or pagers.

16. It's barely sprinkling rain outside, so you leave for work an hour early
to avoid all the weather-related accidents.

17. HEY!!!! Is pot illegal????

18. Both you AND your dog have therapists, psychics, personal trainers and
cosmetic surgeons.

19. The Terminator is your governor.

20. If you drive illegally, they take your driver's license. If you're here
illegally, they want to give you one.

Ottopilot

I've noticed that too. I am glad I grew up there for that reason. Either way my parents (who moved to CA just before I was born) were never sexist or racist, so I would hope I would not have learned to be that way as a kid living anywhere.

As a professional airline pilot, I'll never be able to live in the Bay Area.

Jakob

I remember visiting my mom a few years ago during december and it snowed for five minutes! I came from Germany the day before where there was snow everywhere at that time and I remember our neighbors came out and where totally freaking out. The day after that every newspaper heading was about "Snow In San Francisco"! I think that was about 5-6 years ago.

JMT21

SAN FRANCISCO - What was billed as a pleasing alternative to exhaust fumes at San Francisco bus stops ended after officials Tuesday ordered the removal of advertisements that gave off the scent of baked cookies.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16064119/

First ROTC and now cookie scented ads, wheres the ACLU when you need them?

dingo222

It's funny that a city that is so proud of all of its freedoms is getting rid of those that may someday provide it for them........