> I'm curious as to how ca.us is seen by the rest of the world.

I'll bite.

I have at least three views of California- I've only been once, and
then I was in the LA basin for a few days and in SFC for about
10 hours.

So, San Francisco- relaxed and groovy.  The spirit of Haight-
Ashbury lives, just not at Haight-Ashbury (I was stunned to find
a Gap at that auspicious intersection.).  A town and a people
in touch with a sense of aesthitics, art, design, beauty, and a
true sense of pride in who they are and where they live.  I have
NO trouble seeing why the city has such a reputation as a
haven for GLBT pride- I felt like San Francisco is a city that
has NO problem holding its collective head up and looking
anyone in the eye.

SoCal- in fairness this is based on my trip to LA only, but I'm
going to go ahead and lump it all together.  Feel free to shake
a finger at me and correct me.

I imagine three kinds of people in SoCal- Jameses, genuinely
concerned people with a real notion of self-responsibility,
conservation and freedom of self-determination; Soccer
Moms, who don't care who pays the real cost of their
minivan full of kids, their McMansion which must be
cooled to below 70 degrees F in the hottest part of summer,
and shopping at big-box retailers for cheap, toxic crap from
China; Plastic People who really care more about their
appearance than anything (this is probably what I imagine
LA proper to be stuffed with- think hot girls with too much
plastic surgery wearing skimpy clothes trying to become
actresses).

Third is inlanders in place like Napa- pretentious snobs who
want to believe that their little slice of Earth is as classic and
great as French wine country because it grows nice grapes.
Sort of the "new" Nouveau Riche.

Anyone who read all of this may want to judge me for my
stereotypical views, but I'm from Minnesota, and I have a
pretty good idea what everyone else thinks of Minnesotans
(doncha know?)!

Mike H.
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