My wife had a client many years ago whose parents named her Ghana Ria
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 9:12 AM on July 24, 2008

Yes, Lynsey, we have the Bark Beetle hard at work in SoCal forests.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 4:55 PM on July 9, 2008

We have a few dwarf goats and they're so cool that I wouldn't mind letting them in the house once in awhile if it wasn't for that constant pooping issue.

We have a few Nigerian dwarves also and I agree completely. Ain't they cool? It's like having our own little circus out back.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:07 AM on June 15, 2008

The name of the flick escapes me, but a movie ws filmed at the Grand Canyon site in the late 50s and featured a great fight scene in that tram.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 2:25 PM on June 7, 2008

The movie was Edge of Eternity (1959) and features some breathtaking views
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 2:31 PM on June 7, 2008

Oly was a crappy beer, but they ran a great ad campaign starring Dick Farnsworth in the early 80s.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 7:26 AM on April 23, 2008

I wonder how many orange groves were even left in CA by the mid-50s? And I love the coonskin caps.

There were lots of citrus groves in SoCal at the time. They became scarce in LA and Orange counties during the early 60s but were a major fixture in San Bernardino and Riverside counties thru the 70s and early 80s. My heart breaks every time I drive through Redlands and watch the last large grove (several hundred acres) die a slow death from lack of water... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 9:42 AM on April 20, 2008

MJ's wife, Billy Jean Jackson stopped by the ranch last night:
http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2008/03/11/news/breaking/breaking14.txt
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 7:44 PM on March 11, 2008

The joshua isn't a tree at all. They're giant members of the lily family.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 3:52 AM on February 20, 2008

Great post, not_on_display , I'd kiss you if I didn't have puke on my breath.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:00 AM on February 8, 2008

Colitas = marijuana buds

Anyone who smoked it in the 70s knows that.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:10 AM on November 2, 2007

Count me as another of the huge fans who wore out more than one VHS. Thank you.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 5:27 AM on September 23, 2007

Is there a pagan equivalent to fatwa? Should Matt Groening be worried?
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 5:17 AM on July 18, 2007

We've owned California Desert Tortoises since I was a kid and I still laugh whenever I come across a pair of them making little tortoises.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:06 PM on July 1, 2007

California small claims cases can be appealed in Superior Court by filing this form (pdf).
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 7:40 PM on June 16, 2007

I don't think anyone is saying that, but it seems fucked up that you can be taken to court and not be allowed to use a lawyer, or appeal to a real state.

A losing small claims defendant in California is certainly allowed to appeal the verdict in a higher court where he/she can be represented by an attorney.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:26 PM on June 16, 2007

Salahi is either misinformed or lying. See this info re appeals from the small claims page of the California courts self-help center
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:35 PM on June 16, 2007

I really love the subtle taste of the translucent white part of watermelon rind, the part right before it gets super-sour... it has a cucumber sort of taste to it.

Have you ever tried pickled watermelon rind?
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 1:37 PM on May 24, 2007

The cabazon dinos were built by Claude Bell as a means of attracting more traffic to his Wheel Inn restaurant. My uncle (an ironworker who lived in nearby Cherry Valley at the time) was a friend of Claude and drafted into either helping with or building the entire rebar skeleton of the first dino. It's been a long time and I can't remember all the details but it was fun going out and watching it going up.

Salton Sea was an amazing place back in the late 50s and early 60s... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 12:27 PM on January 30, 2007

Pigs also have corkscrew shaped penii when erect. Here's a pic of a detached (and flacid) pig penis.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 9:31 AM on January 23, 2007

He's become the best Democrat the Republican party ever had!
posted by nofundy

I had my doubts about him during the middle of his first term but voted for him (again) when the election rolled around and caught a lot of grief from my friends over that vote. I'll feel vindicated if he can pull this off as it is desparately needed here. I have too many friends that are uninsured due to pre-existing conditions and/or being unable to afford... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 2:14 PM on January 9, 2007

The folks at Real California Cheese run a series of ads promoting California cheese and some of them are pretty good.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:10 AM on December 17, 2006

C'mon drezdn, how could you not like the blizzard and earthqyake commercials?
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:11 AM on December 17, 2006

No one who has ever driven the length of I-5 can believe the commercials about the "happy cows."

Those are beef cattle in that feedlot, not dairy cows.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 9:03 AM on December 17, 2006

What's the deal with these milk/cheese/eggs/butter ads anyway?

Have you seen the alien ads from the California Milk Council? I enjoyed the Canadian ads and was surprised they were considered offensive enough to be pulled.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:50 AM on December 17, 2006

Great post! Thanks, Astro Zombie.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:27 AM on December 17, 2006

I live in a huge county (50,000 sq kilometers) with a lot of harsh terrain that ranges below sea level desert where the temps often approach 130 degrees to 11,000 foot mountains with ice chutes over a thousand foor long and a lot of rescues are paid for out of my tax dollars every year.

We pick up the tab for everyone that is following the law and sometimes bill those break the law and venture into areas that are closed and posted due to extreme hazards. Those that have... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 6:36 PM on December 16, 2006

Just when you think you're out....they pull you back in.
posted by dflemingdotorg

It's occurrences like this that keep American politics interesting. I just finished reading what the koskids had to say on the subject and am considering checking out the freepers cesspool. Zealots of any stripe are always fun.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2006

12-11-1. Special election to fill congressional vacancy--Time of election of representative. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a senator or representative in the United States Congress it shall be the duty of the Governor within ten days of the occurrence, to issue a proclamation setting the date of and calling for a special election for the purpose of filling such vacancy. If either a primary or general election is to be held within six months, an election to fill a vacancy in the office... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 6:11 PM on December 13, 2006

Everybody that watched it live, raise a hand. Just moi?

I was a big fan of Fridays, but always too stoned to remember much of anything back then. So, yeah, I probably watched it live but (like much of that era), I couldn't say for sure.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:43 AM on November 23, 2006

My wife and I were at that concert and it was one big effin' mess. A lot of fun in the long run, but one big, poorly planned mess. Inadequate traffic control led to a massive backup on the I-10 and many people abandoned their cars on the freeway and walked into Ontario Motor Speedway. All those abandoned cars just added to the backup.

Held in the speedway's infield area (which was basically just a giant field with no improvements, facilities or water system) on a day... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:29 AM on November 13, 2006

The I.E. will be losing one of its more exotic herds soon. Rising property values and new neighbors with finicky noses have all but doomed that area's dairy industry.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:28 PM on November 10, 2006

Oh, you bet there are wild boar in California. Nasty, peevish, destructive critters. There's no stealth in them, they just come along gouging furrows in whatever earth interests them. Pracowity, own a garden or an orchard some time, you'll change your mind.
posted by jet_silver

I lived on my stepfather's cattle ranch near Santa Maria, CA in the 1960s and they were a major menace. Even the bulls were intimidated by the boars. All the hands... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:31 AM on October 30, 2006

I'd rather lose the garden than kill a boar.
posted by pracowity

They're an invasive, destructive species that impact native habitat, compete with native animals for food and are a major contributor to wildfire hazard by altering the balance of fauna to the point that alien grasses such as cheatgrass thrive after they've altered their environment. See here and here.

But they are tasty if you kill them before they... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 12:46 PM on October 30, 2006

California's senior citizens and low income families are covered for hearing aids by Medi-Cal. My grandmother's general practitioner made an appointment for her to see a specialist and she had her hearing aid about 6 weeks after asking the GP for a referral.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 7:09 PM on October 16, 2006

My mom is on Medicare/Medi-cal now, in Central California.
posted by Heywood Mogroot

Medi-Cal coverage varies by county in California but many counties allow you to transfer that coverage to an HMO where you will usually see vastly improved service and benefits. My grandmother is almost 101 years old, has a variety of ailments and we've yet to come across anything her HMO doesn't cover and there is no longer a deductible.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:49 PM on October 16, 2006

yeah, i'm not sure what lockyer is thinking with this one. his term as AG is over. guess maybe he has further political asperations? posted by joeblough

You guessed it. He's about 6 weeks away from the election and his name is one the ballot as candidate for state treasurer.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 12:28 AM on September 21, 2006

It was hard to tell from the small photos, but a couple of those looked more like huge paper wasp nests than yellowjacket nests. Do southeasterners make the same mistake many southwesterners make and confuse the two?

I've come across two huge paper wasp nests on our property and they were intimidating in their own right but I destroyed the nests with soap after donning my grandfather's old beekeeping outfit. I would've hired someone else to do the job if they had been... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 7:54 AM on August 24, 2006

IIf it weren't for my easily spooked neighbors, I'd be happy to have a few paper wasp nests around the house; when I've had them nearby and made sure they knew me, as a regular, they never bothered me. posted by hank

Paper wasps are fun to watch and our nearest neighbors are about 3 miles away, so I like to keep a few of their nests growing under the eaves of the house as long as they don't get too big. Each nest is a complex little society.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:31 AM on August 24, 2006

A tremendous strip in its day with some brilliant satire.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 3:19 PM on August 22, 2006

Speaking as someone who is fed up with both the Republican and Democratic parties, I hope Lieberman wins the general election. Screw party loyalty, I want politicians who are loyal to the people they represent and their own convictions. Either party will sell us down the road if they think it will increase their own power base and I find that damn frightening.

Maybe, just maybe, we'll get lucky and see more politicians from both parties abandon their party and actually... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:46 PM on August 8, 2006

buggzzee23, that's just it---Lieberman has betrayed those who voted for him over and over. He's not at all loyal to the Democrats in CT nor to the people in CT.
posted by amberglow

You're on the money about him not being loyal to the party, amberglow, but the jury is still out (IMO) as to whether he represented the people of CT faithfully. One could assume a victory in the general election by Lieberman would mean a majority of the voters... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:56 PM on August 8, 2006

The people he is supposed to represent, the people of Connecticut, just fucking voted him out of the primary. posted by mr.curmudgeon

No, only one segment (those registered to vote as Democrats) of the CT people voted him out of the primary. The entire group of CT voters will pass judgement iin the general election.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 9:03 PM on August 8, 2006

29) Where is the nearest wilderness? When was the last time a fire burned through it?

This one was just too easy for me. We fled SoCal's Sawtooth Complex fire day before yesterday and are watching the smoke coming from the San Gorgonio Wilderness as I now sit on my sister's veranda. It's an impressive view.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:04 AM on July 13, 2006

So, in my context, let's say I was at a PTA meeting and my neighbor introduced me to the editor of the Big Local Paper, or a publisher, or whatever... We have a good chat, he asks for my card and (since I'm at the PTA meeting, all I have are my mommy cards)........ [crickets chirp]

Being that unprepared would demonstrate a serious lack of professionalism on your part. I retired from full-time employment 7 years ago but work as a consultant in 2 fields... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:47 AM on July 10, 2006

I understand that. I can't help but find it depressing, however.
posted by agregoli

We're all identified by the wheel upon which our cog spins. Welcome to the real world. Now get over it :)
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:53 AM on July 10, 2006

I agree, bitter-girl.com. In that situation, it would be better to not hand them any card at all instead of the cutesie mommy card. We all carry multiple identities with us and are only known by one or two of those identities to those we encounter. Most of the folks at the PTA meeting will remember you as Joey's mom because that is your role as far as they're concerned while the publisher will remember you as that writer person he/she met because that is your role that is important to him/her.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 11:13 AM on July 10, 2006

Let's just get this old horse out of the way: Pepsi... Coke?
posted by loquacious

Mexican Coke in 6.5 oz bottles. It's made with sugar instead of corn syrup and the local carneceria keeps it at just the right temperature so it ices up when you pop the cap in the hot desert sun here.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 2:52 PM on July 5, 2006

While I didn't find any beauty in the link, I did find it very interesting. That may be because my family has been farming in the desert for many generations and I know that blood has been cheaper than water many times in our past. Water law is very complex and it's always interesting to see how it's done elsewhere.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 10:33 PM on June 29, 2006

The San Jacinto Fault is also a big worry for us SoCalians. The good news is we're almost as prepared as one can be for the Big One. We'll definitely see widespread destruction and suffer casualties when it hits, but thanks to strict building codes, advance planning and constant education, we'll do better than most other areas would under similar circumstances.
posted to MetaFilter by buggzzee23 at 8:22 PM on June 23, 2006