"Southern California" is a 2010 song by the Swedish pop group Ace of Base.
After 17 years of #1 singles, international fame, and countless music industry awards, Ace of Base finally decided to record a song about California.
It's about time.
"Southern California" tells the story of a person, on a "road to nowhere", who hitch-hikes to Southern California. After a lifetime of "searching", the California visitor meets some kind of a guru or cult leader wearing a purple robe.
Inside a strange temple where folks chant in the shadows, the California visitor is greeted by a figure, dressed in silver, who appears out of the smoke --- and speaks about "searching".
Throughout the experience, the Southern California visitor keeps seeing the "light of San Diego"...
Maybe Ace of Base are going for the Eagles' "Hotel California" vibe. In that song, a male visitor is greeted by a spooky chick. In "Southern California", a female visitor is greeted by a spooky dude.
In both songs, the visitor is introduced to a freaky world that gives one the heebie-jeebies. There is no "pink champagne on ice" mentioned in "Southern California", though --- only "smoke".
One of the darker California songs, Ace of Base's "Southern California" is a brand new single, so just click below and enjoy a different kind of SoCal.
The latest Ace of Base album is The Golden Ratio. Visit the official Ace of Base website and see all that the group is up to today.
At 100 years old, Monterey County poll worker Betty Termine has just been honored in a ceremony for her years of dedicated work in Salinas, California.
A proud Californian, Termine has handed out ballots and stickers to thousands of voters at her local polling station through 24 elections.
Born in Italy back in 1910, the centenarian has, herself, faithfully voted in elections since becoming a United States citizen a half century ago.
A passionate volunteer, Betty Termine contributes her time and talents to the Italian Catholic Federation, as well as to other organizations which support her Salinas area community and distribute food to the poor.
Mother Teresa would certainly be as proud of the California woman's compassionate works as many are today.
Betty Termine has now been presented with a commemorative pin and an official commendation by local authorities from Monterey County.
How encouraging it is to witness such active devotion to helping fellow Californians by a Senior Californian who cares deeply about others!
It is a great pleasure for Californiality to feature the heroic, sacrificial efforts of Elizabeth "Betty" Termine for 40-million California citizens to recognize, appreciate, and be inspired by.
"Hotel California" is a 1977 #1 platinum single from the Eagles album, Hotel California. It is one of the most mysterious songs in music history and an enigmatic part of California's folklore.
One of the most successful California songs of all time, "Hotel California" was written by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey. The Grammy award-winning song topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1977 and was certified Platinum for sales.
Decades after the single's original release, millions still wonder what the song is really about.
Songwriter Glenn Frey described the #1 song's origin:
"The song began as a demo tape, an instrumental by Don Felder. He’d been submitting tapes and song ideas to us since he’d joined the band, always instrumentals, since he didn’t sing. But this particular demo, unlike many of the others, had room for singing. It immediately got our attention," said Frey.
Interpretation Of "Hotel California" Lyrics
The song's lyrics describe the Hotel California as an opulent resort where "you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave". The song seems to tell the story of a weary traveler who ends up trapped in a horrifying luxury hotel that seemed inviting and enticing at first.
The most popular view is that "Hotel California" is about self-destructive hedonism in the music industry of Southern California.
Songwriter Don Henley called it "our interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles".
Henley later stated, "It's basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America, which is something we knew a lot about."
Fellow songwriter Don Felder has said that "Hotel California" is a song about Los Angeles.
"You can just see this glow on the horizon of lights, and the images that start running through your head of Hollywood and all the dreams that you have, and so it was kind of about that," stated Felder.
The haunting obscurity of the lyrics to the song "Hotel California" has led generations of listeners to widely varied interpretations over the years.
Many Christians still believe that "Hotel California" refers to a hotel in San Francisco purchased by satanic cult leader Anton LaVey and converted into the Church of Satan. Some say that the words to the song suggest the sinful, decadent life of darkness enjoyed by members of the secretive 'church' of the devil.
A great number of Southern Californians insist that the 'Hotel California' was Camarillo State Hospital, the state psychiatric facility that was shut down in 1997. The state hospital campus, which treated thousands of mental patients over six decades, is now the California State University at Channel Islands.
The photo of a Spanish styled building, which the Eagles used for the cover of "Hotel California", has long been rumored to be the 'actual' Hotel California. Not true. The photo is of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
While you probably won't hear the tune played in any church, synagogue or mosque, "Hotel California" is a legendary song full of mystery, intrigue, and great guitars. A satanic theme song? Probably not, but the legend won't die anytime soon.
Many artists have recorded "Hotel California" in just about every musical style imaginable. After many years, the Eagles still have a monster hit on their hands --- and endless questions to answer.
California has an increasing standard of living and, over the last decade, the economy has grown more quickly per capita than the U.S. national average --- up an impressive 15.1-percent, compared to only 8.9-percent for the U.S.
Our economy in the Golden State has grown faster than such low-tax 'business-friendly' states as New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.
Our supposed 'failing' California economy has even grown three times faster than Texas, the 'other' lone star state --- yeah, our flag has one star too.
From the heights of the dot-com 'crack high' of the late '90s through the depths of the Great Recession, California managed impressive economic growth...
... in spite of a technology sector bust.
... in spite of a housing sector bust.
... in spite of a psy-ops campaign against us.
... in spite of an artificially-induced recession.
During 2010, our Golden State attracted a jaw-dropping 50-percent of all venture capital dollars invested in the United States of America.
Apparently, smart folks still want to make money in California --- so stop the lies. One of the purposes of this blog is to defend our state against those who market destructive lies about us.
California bashers have placed an economic curse on themselves, their companies, and their shareholders. Is it so surprising that they're experiencing tougher times as they persist in their destructive follies?
May those whose coverage of California is honest, fair, and constructive will see their profits quadruple.
California, known universally for its gold, is about to be refined in 2011. The Golden State's impurities must go, so the time has come to head straight into the fire.
World famous for its destructively spectacular wildfires, California must move beyond the limits of the physical blazes and psychological firestorms it has endured and survived.
In a 2009 Californiality post, California's Next Golden Era, "a refiner's fire" was discussed in response to the average Californian's most distressing issue of that period --- the economy.
Since then, most of California's economic factors have stabilized in 2010. Most of the consequent psychological turmoil has subsided. With minds now free to think slightly ahead, the moment has arrived to prepare for the next stage.
The Spiritual Fire of Purification
The Golden State, a longtime focus of world attention and study, has not yet thrived in a pure 24-karat golden state. The world is about to witness the flames of the Spirit at work in every sector of California's society.
As of 2011, nothing will escape the furnace of Truth.
No business interest, governmental agency, house of worship, nor individual soul will be exempt from examination and evaluation.
There is a vast difference between "a refiner's fire" and The Refiner's Fire, spelled out in state capitals.
The last generation of Eden is strong and dynamic, but the time to optimize has arrived. What, and who, will be cast out? We will all find out together when the smoke clears.
California will be stronger, wiser, and devoid of previous spells of lies and misery when the embers fade. We will shine in the unlimited brilliance of purity.
All I can say at this point is that you may not want to be an earthbound goddess sitting next to a bear in 2011. As the flames draw near, you could fall...
California is a different kind of place at night. When the sunset meets the moonrise, dudes in the Golden State transform into heroes and villains.
While the conscious minds of typical California dudes are productive and task-oriented during the daylight hours, the subconscious world comes alive in the darkness of night.
Whether a guy is in the cities, the suburbs, the farms, the forests or the deserts, it's pretty much all the same at nighttime. The imagination takes over, visions have more clarity, and the walls between dimensions become translucent.
Running wild in the night brings out the total 'dudeness' in guys. Animal reflexes, psychic instincts, and spiritual senses become pronounced in the California twilight.
The predator, the hunter, and the prowler come to the surface --- and it feels good. It doesn't matter how cultured, professional, or civilized a man is. The lunar energy of the night reveals a dude.
The absence of heat, sun, sweat, glare and noise allows a dude to tap into the ethereal realm and concentrate. Every shadow occupies the peripheral vision. Every sound that echoes is scanned for direction. Every sense is focused on survival.
Sitting at home watching a chick-flick or shopping at the mall just won't do it. Werewolves, warriors and vampires need action and adventure. It's called testosterone, and most dudes are a little short on estrogen.
"Get your motor running... Get out on the highway... Looking for adventure... and whatever comes our way. Born to be wild."
Those lyrics were written by dudes for dudes about being a dude who does dude stuff. Such words will probably never be sung at a wedding. Just guessing.
Most California dudes know just what I'm saying. Some California girls are still trying to get it, though.
It's just that, at times, some otherwise 'good guys' often picture themselves as something completely different altogether --- a force to be reckoned with in the dark of night.
Life in California is beautiful, but exactly how beautiful? Well, that's all kind of "in the eye of the beholder" as they say. It's all about perspective in the Golden State.
What are YOU beholding as a Californian?
I realize that your every waking moment is probably not filled with stroke-inducing levels of excitement. Surely, though, you must experience moments when you feel lucky to be in California, as most Californians do.
In a land full of an endless variety of climates, scenery, philosophies, ideas, professions and people, there's something for everyone in our Golden State. If you run out of stuff, then invent something new.
Make your own beautiful life in California.
You can live in a tree house, dye your hair purple, start an asparagus cult, do cartwheels on a mountaintop, eat flower petals, talk to butterflies, make clothing out of tree bark, and communicate to other worlds using toenail clippings if you like.
In California, someone else will think your scene is hip and groovy. Nothing's too bizarre around here. Just be who you are. Be beautiful.
Years ago, I knew this lady who felt free enough to scrawl a message in gigantic script on her living room wall which stated:
Be real... gently.
I remember thinking how totally hippied-out she was for doing that, but was it really that weird? Not really. California is where you're allowed to creatively express yourself, so why not?
Other people I've known have actively pursued perfection, wealth, love, freedom, independence, dreams and 'impossible' goals. Everyone is different, but we all want to be happy.
The pursuit of happiness is totally American but, in California, it's always within reach. Those Californians who say "California sucks" are not reaching. Ignore them and, if it's you who says that, ignore your own negativity and start LIVING.
Just open your eyes and look around. Man, this place is beautiful. Everything and everyone is here. People are having fun. Everything you see and desire can be yours too one day. Every success inspires your own success.
Beauty, wealth, splendor, happiness, glamor and abundance surround us all in the Golden State. If one part of California isn't your style, another will be. Do what you want. Be who you feel. Have what you desire.
There are about 7-billion reasons why folks around the planet want to visit California or live here. If you honestly don't understand why, then you need a head change. Get outside and find out how big California really is and how many things there are to enjoy.
It is a total sin to live in California and not experience it in real life. Television, magazines and the internet will only take you so far. Get outdoors, get a breeze in your face, and say hello to somebody.
California is interactive.
There are 40-million Californians to meet, a thousand miles of beach to walk, and countless cultures to taste and experience. You will never run out of people, places and things right here in your own state. It's all a blast!
Once you open up your mind, get out of your shell, and dare yourself to start living large, you'll discover the greatest truth about California:
California or Ireland? The rolling green hills in this photo are not Irish but Californian. The two lands share cultural and economic links as well as mutual respect, regardless of economic cycles.
California has the Silicon Valley while Ireland is called the Tech Republic. The Golden State has the California Institute of Technology, while the Emerald Isle has Dublin Institute of Technology.
A member of the European Union, Ireland's economy was transformed in the 1990s and business links with Silicon Valley have contributed to the island nation's dynamic information technology industry.
Relations between Ireland and California are strong --- through good economic times and bad.
San Jose, California and Dublin, Ireland established a sister city relationship in 1986. The partnership is commemorated annually by both the San Jose Mayor and the Dublin Lord Mayor.
The program, called "twinning" in Ireland, has thrived over a quarter-century and develops cultural, economic, artistic and sporting ties between San Jose/Silicon Valley and Dublin.
"By developing partnerships between Dublin and San Jose, providing opportunities for their city officials and citizens to experience community partnerships, the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program strives to create an atmosphere in which economic and cultural development can be implemented and strengthened." said Nancy Pyle of the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program.
In the Silicon Valley, plans have been announced for the Irish Innovation Centre, which is expected to house as many as 35 cleantech and software communications companies looking to build a presence in California.
The Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco provides information on applying for Irish citizenship, Irish passports and visas, and information on Ireland and the U.S. It operates under the authority of Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs.
There are Irish embassies in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Ireland is a major trade partner with California with very tight relations between the heads of the Irish and Californian governments.
The Irish Cultural Centre of California and the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center are both in San Francisco, while the Irish Center of Southern California is in Glendale.
Irish folks in the Golden State have many other great resources, including the Irish Herald --- California's oldest Irish newspaper.
California and Ireland both share wonderful culture, friendly international relations, and a spirit of mutual assistance.
"The Lunch Truck" is a 2010 YouTube hit song by Los Angeles singer/songwriter, producer and comedienne Lisa Marinacci, aka Sue Slacks.
A humorous parody on California's lunch truck culture, "The Lunch Truck" is one of the funniest music videos on the internet.
Sue Slacks' talented cast members featured in the video are great singers and actors who, in my opinion, should each have their own TV show. Very funny!
Lisa Marinacci (Sue Slacks) as Percy Pantalones
Kris Fitzgerald as Bob Blazer
Gina D'Acciaro as Greta Garter
Patrick Hancock as Gary Gloves
Suzanne Mayes as Babette Blouse
The humorous video for "The Lunch Truck" was directed by Lisa Marinacci and Jeremy Lewit. Marinacci is the songwriter, and the hysterically cheesy animations are by Kris Fitzgerald.
You know, I too have known the thrill of seeing a 'roach coach' roll up as I decide to gamble on my life with a quick bite.
Lunch truck dining is as exciting as experimenting with ghetto drugs or joining a new cult.
"The Lunch Truck" is one of the funniest songs about California and certainly one of the most creative.
Sue Slacks and her rubber-faced friends are freaky and funny. Multiple Personality Disorder never looked and sounded so good.
Lisa Marinacci is right-on in her humorous take on an odd segment of California culture with her song, "The Lunch Truck" by Sue Slacks.
The beautiful green-eyed redhead is excited to wear the crown of California after coming up through the ranks with teen titles under her belt... or sash.
Oh, to be twenty, beautiful, and extremely ambitious. Alyssa Campanella reminds me of my ex-girlfriends in the '80s. The desire for fame and fortune can be so incredibly intoxicating.
One can only hope that the new Miss California USA makes the most of her big break and parlays it into a successful future. At her present age, though, it's all about the fun, the parties, the posing, the playing, and the EXPERIENCE.
While gazing into the full moon over Los Angeles, you might think you see a silhouette moving within the moonbeams.
It's Catwoman.
If you find yourself in Downtown L.A. on some electric night, your peripheral vision may see a shadow flashing back and forth between the skyscrapers.
It's Catwoman.
History's most legendary feline femme fatale dwells in imaginations around the world but, in Los Angeles, she's very real. Don't believe me?
I dare you to walk the streets of Downtown L.A. alone, late at night, under the ethereal full moon.
The electromagnetically charged night sky will have you feeling like you can defy gravity. A force will pull your vision upward into the lighted crown of L.A.'s tallest building.
As the power of the full moon's energy charges your body's cells, you will notice an erratically darting enigma out of the corner of your eye.
A strangely euphoric sensation will begin to take you over. Your eyes will see another dimension.
Is it Catwoman who beckons you into her purring vortex of dark mystery?
An experience awaits those fearless enough to gaze directly into her hypnotic cat-eyes. Beware, though. Don't let Catwoman pull you in too far. You may not ever return --- and you may not want to.
Three accomplished university students from California have been formally named Rhodes Scholars for 2011.
The trio of students from the Golden State awarded the scholarships are Northern Californian Varun Sivaram and Southern Californians John Scotti and Megan Braun.
The prestigious university scholarship provides all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England. The scholarship's value averages $52,000 (US) per year.
Rhodes Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, integrity of character, physical vigor and potential for leadership in the global age.
The Rhodes Scholarships were established in 1902 in the will of Cecil Rhodes, a wealthy British mine operator, explorer and philanthropist who founded the De Beers Group, the world's leading diamond corporation.
Varun Sivaram is an international relations and engineering physics student who hopes to work as an international climate negotiator.
Mr. Sivaram, from Saratoga, California, was also a model, a singer, and a dancer at Stanford University.
John Scotti is a biological chemistry student who hopes to cure disease through chemical synthesis.
Mr. Scotti, from San Diego, California, is also an accomplished jazz pianist, a Latin and Roman history buff, and a real SoCal surfer.
Megan Braun is a war crimes law student who holds a history degree from the University of California at Irvine.
Ms. Braun, from Coronado, California, is also an athlete, student politician, activist and president.
On behalf of all Californians, Californiality extends the most sincere hopes for success at the University of Oxford to all three California students honored with 2011 Rhodes Scholarships.
"Cali, Cali, Cali" is a 2010 pop song about California by singer/songwriter Alyssa Bernal.
Bernal, an acoustic YouTube sensation, recorded "Cali, Cali, Cali" after catching the attention of superstar producer Pharrell Williams and then being signed by Interscope Records in Los Angeles.
Not bad for a teenager from San Antonio, Texas who taught herself how to play guitar.
Alyssa Bernal's catchy California song was featured on the NBC television show Undercovers just days ago, and the video for the single is a smash on YouTube and VEVO.
"Cali, Cali, Cali" is about a Texas girl who visits the Golden State, falls in love with a California boy, returns home to her job as a truck stop waitress, then wants to go back after seeing a California hippiechick and receiving a postcard from her 'beach boy' in Cali.
Alyssa Bernal is being widely compared to Tejano legend Selena, due to her stunning Latina beauty, her youth, her R&B-styled vocals, and her being from San Antonio.
What's more, Bernal's father was a member of a popular Tejano band --- just like Selena's dad was.
One of my favorite California songs, "Cali, Cali, Cali" is an instant classic which will surely be covered by other recording artists in the future. Very cool. Very catchy. I love it! Two points for Alyssa Bernal.
California employers added 39,000 jobs lately and economists across the Golden State are finally starting to order those more expensive latte drinks again.
This is the best employment news of the year.
California's unemployment numbers bottomed out last month, jobs are being created, and it looks like Governor-Elect Jerry Brown will have a bit of a head-start on the state's economy.
Professional and business services added 14,800 new jobs
Manufacturing added 7,100 new jobs
Construction added 2,500 new jobs
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who leaves office in seven weeks, is happy.
"California continues to experience a slow recovery, but I am proud that we passed a budget that held the line on tax increases and pleased that the California voters upheld vital employment incentives on the November ballot," the governor said.
"These actions will help the private sector expand and hire, which will increase revenue and bolster California’s economy."
California's lowest unemployment is in Marin County, at only 8-percent. Encouraging!
It's great that California's employment situation is improving just in time for the holidays. Let's pry those wallets and purses open again and live a little!
"Hollywood" is a 2010 hit song by singer/songwriter Michael Bublé and pianist/songwriter Robert G. Scott.
A snarky ode to the California entertainment mecca of Tinseltown, "Hollywood" is the fifth single from the smash Bublé album, Crazy Love.
Michael Bublé says that the catchy pop single, originally titled "Hollywood Is Dead", is a well-intentioned statement on today's rampant celebrity culture.
"People will do anything for their 15 minutes, and you have to remember who you are and why you wanted it. At the end of the day, you should be careful. You might get what you wish for," states the Canadian pop/jazz superstar.
"Hollywood" was originally planned to be released as a stand-alone single later on because the song did not fit in with the rest of the album's typical Bublé style.
The song is very pop. So pop, in fact, that it sounds like a Lennon/McCartney composition --- which is totally cool with me.
I love this new Bublé sound. The artist's technically-detailed voice goes well with the quick twists and turns of the melody. He sings it like he owns it. Jazz is hip, but I prefer the more pop-tinged Bublé, personally.
The music video for the "Hollywood" single was directed by Rich Lee and, if you ask me, it fashions Michael Bublé into a bit of a sexy Hollywood star himself.
The Battle of Los Angeles was the enemy UFO attack and U.S. military counter-attack in the wee hours of February 25, 1942 over Los Angeles, California.
Known also as The Great Los Angeles Air Raid, the incident occurred 80 days after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.
During the first few minutes, the strange target of the military's bombing was thought to be an attacking Japanese force. Over one million Los Angeles citizens witnessed the battle, and most stated that the object looked like a flying saucer.
The news media immediately published the shocking story along with speculations of a government cover-up. The common theory was that L.A. had been invaded by extraterrestrial aliens. Officials in Washington stated that it was just a weather balloon.
Was it?
Air raid sirens blared throughout Los Angeles County in the middle of the night on February 25, 1942. A total blackout was ordered and thousands of air raid wardens were ordered to man their stations.
In the third hour of the day, the military began firing anti-aircraft shells at the unidentified flying object, and over 1,400 shells were eventually fired over the course of a very long hour.
Six L.A. residents were killed by either anti-aircraft fire or heart attacks from the extreme stress of the terrifying hour-long, all-out urban battle in the City of Angels.
God rest their souls.
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox immediately held a press conference, saying the apocalyptic scenario was a "false alarm".
California media outlets screamed of a cover up. Representative Leland Ford of Santa Monica demanded a Congressional investigation.
Californiality has made two attempts to interview a survivor of the 1942 Battle of Los Angeles but, both times, the elderly gentleman felt like he was about to have a heart attack when recalling the horror of that night.
"I've been in fear my whole life since that night. I'm still afraid of the aliens," said the frail senior who apologized for not making it through either interview attempt. The man was in visible terror.
The now elderly man was a child in 1942, and he had witnessed the entire event from his backyard in Hollywood. Evidently, the incident still haunts him in his advanced years.
Some say it never happened. Some say it did. Some say it was a weather balloon. Some say it was an alien ship from another world. Some say the aliens will be back to finish what they started in 1942...
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are one of the hottest movie couples in Hollywood History. They should have gotten married. I like the name 'Olivia Travolta'.
Certainly, no disrespect is intended toward John Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, nor toward Olivia Newton-John's husband, John Easterling. I just want my fantasy, and I'm positive I'm not alone.
That's what Hollywood is all about, right?
Please don't wake me from my perfectly fake Hollywood romantic fantasy. The world is way too complicated as it is these days. Just let me happily exist in my little bubble. Of course, John Travolta was The Boy in the Plastic Bubble --- don't get us confused.
John may have left New Jersey via New York, and Olivia may have left England via Australia, but the two star-crossed superstars made movie magic together in Hollywood, California --- where else, man?
Tinseltown hasn't been the same since the supersexy fake couple pretended not to 'do it', then pretended to 'do it'. Since then, John has played many shady film characters and Olivia has played a lesbian on TV --- but I overlook all that.
As long as I just stick to Grease and Two Of A Kind, I'm okay. The dream must not die! Nothing can tear Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta apart --- not time, not space, not other spouses, not SAG contracts that end, and certainly not reality.
We're talking Hollywood, here, babe.
Remember when Travolta did all those "Talking" movies with Kirstie Alley? Didn't your heart break for poor Olivia? Mine sure did. I tried to reach out to "Liv" in love, but alas.
I sent letters to Olivia saying things like, "I honestly love you", "Let's get physical", "Let me be there", "You're the one that I want", and "Make a move on me", but I guess my advances were snubbed. I'm trying to move on but it's hard, you know?
Friends say that I should confront Olivia with an ultimatum, like: "If you love me, let me know --- if you don't, then let me go". I just don't know.
Perhaps I'll just go on believing that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are ultimately inseparable. It's like a total FATE thing. Far be it from me to stand in the way of a twist of fate.
You know, even when Olivia had her recording flings with Cliff Richard, Andy Gibb, ELO and the Bee Gees, I know that John forgave her. Well, I don't know --- I may have to take that back. John recently slipped into the studio to record a hit with Miley Cyrus.
What gives, Travolta?
Well, anyway, I'm positive that Liv has already forgiven Johnny for his lapse with "Hannah Montana". He's probably logged too many sky miles as a pilot. It must have been the jet lag. Yeah, that's it.
John and Olivia will be just fine, like they always have been.
After more than three decades together, their artificial bond is forever. The timeless fake love story of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John will never die.
As long as John and Olivia keep kissing, singing and dancing together, we will all be as One and the universe will keep unfolding as it should.
Have you never been mellow? Well, I have --- and I will always believe.
Collies are some of the most beautiful dogs in California. Running along the beach, every collie looks like Lassie the Surfer.
Welcome to Colliefornia!
California's collies are so cool that Arnold Schwarzenegger can't stop mentioning them. Every time the Governator refers to the Golden State, he calls it "Colliefornia". Wow, talk about influence!
If I were the bear on the California state flag, I'd be in constant fear of being replaced by Lassie. The dog has one hell of a Hollywood agent. Before you know it, we'll be renaming California's cities:
Lass Angeles
San Franciscollie
Santa Barkara
Barkersfield
Barkeley
Paw Springs
San Fernandog Valley
Doggywood
Lassadena
Think I'm kidding? Don't underestimate the star-power of LASSIE! This is California's Top Dog, after all, and we don't want those claws to come out --- do we?
If Jerry Brown knows what's good for him, he will have a special bark-line installed at the California State Capitol in Sacramento --- no 'ifs', 'ands', or butt-sniffs.
Veterans' Day is a day to honor U.S. military veterans, past and present. Many have died in uniform all over the world on behalf of American interests abroad.
A huge number of today's military personnel are from California, with many of them serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Californiality receives daily visits from Californians serving overseas, and all are welcomed enthusiastically.
While hundreds of media outlets are celebrating today, Veterans' Day, with tear-jerking stories of bravery and sacrifice (with an overdose of red, white and blue graphics) this blog will simply go straight for the gut.
California Snipers in Iraq and Afghanistan
Some guys had a really hard time finding employment in a crippling California economic recession, so they enlisted. Today, these servicemen find themselves in the Middle East as snipers who do a job that nobody wants to do, nobody relates to, and nobody thanks them for.
Sweat, blood, guts and gore have replaced the 'good life' these guys aspired to in California. There are no Beach Boys songs written for them, and their current daily life is certainly no California Dream.
Dead military brothers, dead targets, and deadened emotions are what these guys have today while Californians sip lattes at Starbucks under the palm trees.
Does California have a real vision for its future?
The Golden State continues to confound the world with seemingly bizarre choices on an unmarked course to an unknown destination.
Some call it the blind vision of California.
Having lived in California since the 1960s, perhaps I can shed some light on what makes the Golden State tick, for those who still do not understand.
California is a different kind of place, so we can't blame the rest of the world for wondering why we do what we do as a society.
'Blind vision' is a fantastic descriptive to use, and most applicable.
We can, in fact, see with our eyes closed. Intuition and feelings have taken California a long way. We sense what's coming, we meditate, we pray, we dream, we envision, and we really SEE the future.
I guess you could say that we Californians live in another dimension. Go ahead and laugh. We don't mind. We're totally cool with it. We already know we're different than everyone else in the world.
We see through an awful lot, though.
We Californians look deeper, stare longer, and experience visions in Technicolor.
We are unafraid to look directly into both Heaven and hell, and we see all of creation through the eyes of the Artist.
If "faith is the evidence of things not seen", then consider California the faith capitol of the world. What begins as faith, however, eventually turns to knowledge.
We know what we know.
Our desire is to transmute such knowledge into Wisdom.
In California, we are everyone. We come from everywhere. We've been around the block, around the world, and around the universe. We are the 'been there done that' society.
We cannot be followers because there's nobody in the world left to follow. We must lead. As descendants of leaders throughout Mankind's history, Californians have it in the blood.
Every actor here wants to eventually direct, after all.
The people we elect, the legislation we pass, and the way we think all seem nonsensical to everyone else, we know. Californians never see the glass as 'half-empty' nor 'half-full'.
In our dimension, all is plentiful, golden, and always full.
Extremely liberal and passionately conservative, we Californians live on a plane where fantasy meets reality.
Is it something in the water or in the air? Why is California weird? It's something in the people.
We accept, respect, appreciate, support and promote liberated minds who see new realities.
California is comprised of tens of millions of physical eyes, spiritual eyes and technological electronic eyes. Together, we are a billion eyes into the future, which is a dimension beyond description.
#1 California Poem on the Internet Exclusively on Californiality.com
"I AM CALIFORNIA"
I am the creative genesis persisting amid chaos; the idea made manifest.
I am the eternal state of "becoming".
Ever changing, morphing and mutating, my essence reflects the mind of my Creator.
Purity, perfection and productivity are my principles.
I am innovation; the perennially new. I am relentless forward momentum.
I am the unity of the spiritual, the mental and the physical. I am symmetry and balance.
I am the created who recreates; the blessed who blesses; the beloved who loves without prejudice.
I am expression; the vision seen; the voice heard; the thought interpreted.
Races, religions and cultures are my colors, hues and shades. Variety is my lifeblood.
I am the portrait of humanity which beckons an impassioned brush stroke from every hand.
I am relationship; always conversing, sharing, belonging, reciprocating, accepting and providing.
I am contrary; an oasis in the desert; order from chaos; beauty from ashes; hope from despair; unity from diversity; light from darkness.
I am information, communication, technology and intelligence always seeking Wisdom.
Ever the student of the Eternal, I instruct willing minds through my failures and successes.
I am the experience; the be-in; the adventure; the journey; the trip. I am interactivity and participation.
I am the ultimate; the zenith; the apex; the extreme; the max. Limitless minds are my companions into the timeless unknown.
I am to be merged with; not to simply be admired from afar. My visions are to be shared; my dreams are to be realized; my desires are to be consummated.
I am the fruit of ambition, effort and achievement. I am the rarest wine to be tasted, savored and thoroughly enjoyed, not merely collected.
Golden, priceless and breathtaking, I am the star-studded dream, the quaking vision, and the imagination on fire.
