Los Angeles

The cultural and economic center of the universe.

A city which has grown far too big for its own good. It really needs some cleaning up, some attitude adjustment, and maybe even some breaking up.

Or we could just wait for the big quake to take care of all the riff raff separating out lovely nevada beach front property from the ocean. [This is a myth; the land is continental and won't subside. It will, however, hit Alaska...]

Perhaps the most maligned, misunderstood city in the world? Most people have nothing good to say about it, especially people not living there. As an administrative goverment unit maybe it should be broken up, and probably will. But it has many good points as well:

Home to perhaps the most diverse ethnic collection of humanity in the world?
We have a subway system now. Also some light rail. [This is an inside joke. GeneralMotors? bought and dismantled the rail system, replacing them with buses made by guess who?; our recovery has only recently begun...]

[[The municipalities that brought in GeneralMotors? brought them in with the intention of replacing the streetcars with busses. This was the correct response to the shifting traffic patterns of the 1950's. Moving a bus line is a simple matter of moving some signs, whereas moving/laying new street rail was expensive and disruptive. There is nothing inherently superior about streetcars or busses.]] ItDepends on what you are talking about, (efficiency, pollution, cost of operation, contribution to a stable infrastructure, automation possibility, safety, maintenance, and so on) they are different, and for certain applications each one is superior to the other).

Still relatively affordable places to live (In California terms)
After NYC filled up many 1800s RobberBarons? moved here & built disgustingly ostentatious homes, which are now awesome museums full of things stolen from Europe. (The authorities should sieze and return the stolen things in LosAngeles and the stolen things in Europe to their rightful places) Doesn't that seem the right thing to do?)
Great beaches - when you can find parking.
A world-class symphony orchestra, the LA Phil.
Great museums such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA.

I live in SouthernCalifornia and love it. But I agree that LosAngeles as a city could use some ReFactoring. -- CurtHagenlocher?

Yes, but people who attempt to RefactorMercilessly there seem to wind up dead or in Jail.

JeffGrigg grew up in the Los Angeles basin: Buena Park (LA county) and Brea (Orange county).

LA is a fun place, but I don't think the slightly higher wages make up for the very high housing prices and long commute times. Now living in Saint Louis, Missouri -- a quaint little town, with lots of active computer groups and social clubs.

11-21-2000 4 day L.A. forcast Hi: 74� 66� 72� 72� Low: 50� 46� 46� 48� 4 day St. LouisHi: 35� 49� 42� 48� Low: 25� 26� 32� 39�

Split up L.A.? Far more likey for Northern California to break off to be a separate state. -- JeffGrigg

I visited LA in 1981, and again just recently in 2009, and I must say there has been a vast improvement, especiallly in Hollywood, and the beaches have evolved nicely too! For a state that produces great wine, there are way too many sour grapes! --- MarcelBeaudoin?

And be sure to visit the La Brea Bungee Pits at http://metalab.unc.edu/Dave/ar00068.htm

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