Interesting California statistic floating around

[Clarkmeister]

The State of California itself is the 5th largest economy in the world.

Heard that yesterday and it kind of blew me away.

[Wake up CALL]

That is amazing, here is a link. Ca is #5 (http://commerce.ca.gov/ttca/pdfs/link_overview/ersi/CALIFORNIA_ECONOMY_%20FIFTH_LARGEST_IN_THE_WORLD.p df)

[Zeno]

Some things to consider:

California is the 3rd largest state in the US. The US is the largest economy in the world. The land area of California at ~164,000 sq miles is larger than many countries. California has more than 34 million people. California has a great combination of industry and agriculture, a double punch in the economy arena.

How would Texas rank in this list, I wonder.


-Zeno

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]

How would Texas rank in this list, I wonder.


[/ QUOTE ]

Texas Gross State Product Info (http://www.window.state.tx.us/ecodata/fcst03spr/t1a-4.html)

Looks like Texas would slide in between Italy and Canada, 9th on the list after including California.

[Zeno]

Thanks for looking up the stats, Ulysses. The other thing to consider, that I did not mention in my first post, is general commerce. California, like Texas, has a large coastline that promotes shipping, imports/exports, foreign trade etc.

-Zeno

[andyfox]

Good thing we have such competent managers, then, as Gary Coleman and Arnold the Terminator, to try to run things.

BTW, Arnold's not very conservative, apparently: he's in favor of gun control, he's pro-choice, and he was against the Clinton impeachment. If his father hadn't been a Nazi, the conservatives would have nothing to like about him.

/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
Good thing we have such competent managers, then, as Gary Coleman and Arnold the Terminator, to try to run things.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was kind of where I was going at with my initial post. Its rather frightening the level of leadership in such an important area of the world, let alone the country.

[HDPM]

Yeah, but in a way it is kind of good. Eventually if we get wealthy enough and realize how stupid most government is, we just might limit it. When people realize California (and America for that matter, as California goes, so goes the nation says Feinstein et al) is prosperous in spite of the government, not because of it, things will be better.

[Zeno]

Does California have a Governor/lieutenant governor system? If so, it would be great to have Arnold as the governor and Gary Colmen has the Lt. Governor. Sort of like that movie twins. This is what California really needs.

On a serious note, what is the ruckus about? I heard about a recall election so I assumed that the present governor is an idiot. But this is certainly nothing unusual in the political arena, right? There are 34 million people in California, aren’t they all idiots? (with some exceptions of course!)

I’m always behind the curve on the political front. There are so many other things that seem more important or interesting.

Sounds like a great election coming up. Enjoy. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

-Zeno

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
When people realize California (and America for that matter, as California goes, so goes the nation says Feinstein et al) is prosperous in spite of the government, not because of it, things will be better.

[/ QUOTE ]


Agree 100%. Except the part about "....as California goes so goes the nation.....blab blab.'

It is now...as Texas goes so goes the nation. It's the new millennium cowboys and cowgirls - get yur spurs on. Yeeeee-haaaaaa. /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Zeno

[BruceZ]

If his father hadn't been a Nazi, the conservatives would have nothing to like about him.

Fair and balanced as usual I see, comrade.

He has explained that he is economically conservative and moderate on social issues. For Hollywood he is extremely conservative. He, Charleton Heston, Tom Sellek, and Ben Stein are about all it has to offer.

[BruceZ]

This shows something quite different from it being "the 5th largest economy in the world". That may still be true, but I doubt it.

[nicky g]

LOL! If that's the best they can come up with, maybe you conservatives need to reconsider your stance.

[HDPM]

The really hilarious part is that the conservatives are way ahead of the liberal celebs. Baldwin? Sean Penn? There are some whacked out left wing celebs. Arnold is far and away better. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[adios]

Conservatives realize California finances are FUBAR so they don't mind seeing an amateur politician in the spotlight. Gray Davis has impeccable credentials one would think to be governor of California but look where he's at now. One of the problems in California is that state taxes are too progressive IMO. Dr. Kathleen Connell, a Democrat btw, previous controller of California had mentioned this problem many times. Her concern was that wealthy Californians would say screw it and simply move to a state where they didn't have to pay state income tax thus further exacerbating the finnacial crises there.

[Timer]

[ QUOTE ]
If his father hadn't been a Nazi, the conservatives would have nothing to like about him.

/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Very nice cheap shot.

[nicky g]

It's not that I'm really stating an opinion about amateurs vs professionals etc. It's just that I think Tom Selleck is inherently funny. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif Tom Selleck! Quigley Down Under! 3 Men and a Little Lady! Phew. Too much...

Sean Penn can be forgiven anything because of his performance (and above all, his hair) in Carlito's Way.

I don't know much (anything) abuot California politics or Gray Davis, except that, from what I've read, the energy crisis was not of his making. It was because of liberalised energy markets - which I believe he opposed; correct me if I'm wrong - that rewarded the power generating companies for witholding supplies; there was no actual physical shortage. One of my friends once volunteered in an experimental game jointly run by the government and a major power company over a couple of months to see what would happen if such a system were implemented in the UK. The exact same thing occurred in the game; the generators formed unofficial (and also illegal, but very difficult to police) cartels and withheld energy from the distributors until the price had rocketed. My friend and his partner won the weekly competition to see who could earn the most almost every week because they'd become the kings of manipulating the markets this way.

Anyway that's all I know about California and Gray Davis; he may be a total moron as far as I know. And Terminator 3 was pretty good, so go Arnie. Except Andyfox says he's an arse, so booo.

[nicky g]

In fact, I'm wrong. Davis tried to reverse the deregulation to an extent but also bailed out the power companies whe things started going wrong.

Here's an article on the energy crisis by corporate investigative journalist Greg Palast.
Energy crisis (http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=211&row=1)

[nicky g]

In fact , I don't know enough about Davis's role in all this to be commenting. That's enough out of me.

[andyfox]

It was a joke, comrade, courtesy of Bill Maher.

Rush Limbaugh said there's no difference between Bill Clinton and Larry Flynt, they're both just smut peddlers. And he wasn't joking.

[andyfox]

"Andyfox says he's an arse"

Not him, his wife. And she's a Democrat.

[andyfox]

And don't forget the person who's no doubt your favorite, Martin Sheen.

Sheen had a great line about Hollywood last night on Inside the Actors Studio. He said Ghandi was a very popular film and nowhere more so than in Hollywood, because everybody in Hollywood wants to be just like Ghandi: thin, tan, and moral.

[HDPM]

At least Flynt made an honest living in a noble profession. Unlike Clinton.

[MMMMMM]

^ ^
~

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
California has more than 34 million people.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fully half of which can be found on and around I-5 at Santa Nella on Sunday afternoons.

[BruceZ]

LOL! If that's [Tom Selek] the best they can come up with, maybe you conservatives need to reconsider your stance.

Gee, I thought I pretty clearly listed him as one of 4 (four). Are you filling in for Cyrus this week?

I would have included Dennis Miller, but I don't know if he's in Hollywood.

[BruceZ]

It's just that I think Tom Selleck is inherently funny. Tom Selleck! Quigley Down Under! 3 Men and a Little Lady!

I think of Magnum PI, but I guess that was before your time.

[BruceZ]

Rush Limbaugh said there's no difference between Bill Clinton and Larry Flynt, they're both just smut peddlers. And he wasn't joking.

I think there are some differences. Larry is very upfront about what he does; he doesn't lie and try to cover it up. I don't know that he is an adulterer, and I'm fairly sure he didn't rape anybody.

[ripdog]

Delivered by Leno back when Troy Aikman retired: "One more concussion and they'd have appointed him governor". I LMAO over that one. Does that make me a communist?

[Wake up CALL]

[ QUOTE ]
Delivered by Leno back when Troy Aikman retired: "One more concussion and they'd have appointed him governor". I LMAO over that one. Does that make me a communist?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not at all but you missed the true punchline. Leno meant Governor of California!! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[whiskeytown]

I've got a better one...

If you take the top 100 money generating entities, (governments, corporations...) Corporations take up half the list, over the GNP of many, many countries.

RB

[M.B.E.]

[ QUOTE ]
This shows something quite different from it being "the 5th largest economy in the world". That may still be true, but I doubt it.

[/ QUOTE ]

BruceZ, could you please elaborate? The chart on the Government of California's web site (http://commerce.ca.gov/ttca/pdfs/detail/ersi/GSP_Ranking.pdf) says that only four independent countries have a larger economy than California.

If the data are correct, it seems reasonable to describe California as "the fifth largest economy in the world".

[Clarkmeister]

"At least Flynt made an honest living in a noble profession. Unlike Clinton."

Like Clinton, Bush lied to the American people. Unlike Clinton, Bush did it about something important.