California Roundup: House Poor; Dodger Blue; Bad Debts; Kickbacks; and Mystery Theater

* Real estate hyperpocalypse: Bay Area home sales drop 22.5 percent as the home buyer tax credits expires.

* Who owns the Dodgers (other than the people of Brooklyn)? Jamie and Frank McCourt's divorce saga leaves the ownership of the team depending on conflicting agreements between the volatile couple.

* The state's about to start issuing IOUs. So why, asks Joel Fox, does nobody care?

* The California Fair Political Practices Commission begins an investigation of the California Public Employee Retirement System's broad-minded attitude toward kickbacks.

* Ray Bradbury victory lap continues.

Comments

[Greer]

Why do you have to keep pissing on the Golden State?

It's starting to feel like the 89 earthquake- everyone I knew that didn't live here thought the entire Bay Area was in rubble, 90% of the people that lived here went on with their lives as normal the very next day.

There's fucked up governments everywhere, Ca. being like the 7th or whatever economy in the fucking world is at least as fucked up as any other one, but only because it is so big is there enough to bitch about on a daily basis as a "California Roundup". Yes, I'm deciding that I'm lucky to live in a state that is so big and important that it warrants a daily roundup. Fuck you, Nebraska, you don't even get a monthly roundup.

[prolefeed]

He keeps pissing on CA because that's Tim's new schtick, and because the state and local governments are the gift that keeps on "giving" if you write for Reason.

Radley does cop and DA abuse, Mangu-Ward does food, Tim does CA. Get some cop beating on a citizen and shooting their dog in a restaurant in CA, and you'll have all three scrambling to write about it.

[Mad Scientist]

Because "as California goes, so goes the country" as they say. We're not more fucked up than anywhere else, but we make a great fish bowl.

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

Close but not quite.

You're a leading indicator.

Not in economics per se but in culture. And if, as Tim thinks, it's your political culture that is to blame for the states woes (at least partially the case in my opinion), then California's current difficulties presage fun in the rest of "liberal" America. And possibly---all too possibly---for the country as a whole. Isn't that fun?

Mind you, the folks I know from the central valley have been hanging their heads in shame and disgust for decades. Because even California isn't a uniform "liberal" monolith.

'Course, according to what people say about Oregon...

[Mad Scientist]

California is an odd place. When I moved here 10 years ago I expected it to be full of "fruits and nuts." Instead, I discovered the vast bulk of California consists of literal fruit and nut farms. Most people I know here are just like Coloradans or Arizonans or even Ohioans. I'd like to say California is ripe (ha ha) for a libertarian plucking. But somehow we passed Prop 8 and continue to re-elect Boxer and Pelosi.

Now, those fuckers in Oregon on the other hand...

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

I went to school out on the coast. No shortage of human fruit and nuts on campus.

Luckily I met some local blue collar types through my mother's family and started hanging out with a guy from Bakersfield who shared my major.

But the sane people in California are well and truly lost in the twin tidal waves of humanity the comprise the greater LA basin and the bay area.

[Turnkey]

People in Oregon tend to assume Cali is much more liberal. I doubt there is much difference, considering how often people move between the two states.

[Jeffersonian]

Why do you have to keep pissing on the Golden State?

The Golden State keeps pissing on itself, TC just reports it. Kollivornia is the epicenter of so many statist nostrums, so many big-government pieties, that it's the perfect example for demonstrating the superiority of libertarian ideals.

[Corduroy]

I think he cut you a break. AP is reporting that scientists are now saying the Big One is pretty close to swallowing half of SoCal.

Roland Emmerich and Michael Bay are turning out to be fortune tellers.

Disclaimer: I'm a former resident of San Diego.

[Oso Politico]

Does that mean they don't have to worry about AWG now?

disclaimer: Former CA native

[Night Elf Mohawk]

You guys still looking at legislating against black cars and big screen TVs to save energy?

[Cleveland]

Why do you have to keep pissing on the Golden State?

Hello?
[tap tap]
Is this thing on?

[Wind Rider]

Pipe down. Your just the mistake on the lake. California is the mistake beside the whole freakin Pacific Ocean. Get some perspective.

[cynical]

Reason's based out of CA, for one thing.

[?]

They can see the USSR from the roof!

[Datsun Wilder]

Oh wow, sounds like a pretty good lineup dude, I like it.

http://www.privacy-tools.eu.tc

[Magnificent Bastard]

California is the turd in the toilet that someone forgot to flush. Tim is blasting it with piss per Bachelor Frog's advice: http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/i.....1265239833

[Irresponsible Hater]

Any relation?:
http://www.cavanaughrealtors.com/

[phoenix airport transportation]

I like your blog,and also like the article,and thank you for provide me so much information :))

[Jung Hoo]

Dude no way man that is just WAy too cool. I mean seriously.

http://www.privacy-tools.eu.tc

[hurly buehrle]

I'm not sure California is uniquely fucked up in comparison to other states. Failed policies just affect a lot more lives in an environment that offers perfect weather, beautiful women, great food, and great booze.

[merry]

Matt didn't even show up in person? No chance he's going to get hit in the face with a chair. What a gyp.