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More at Zennie62.com | Follow me on Twitter! | Get my widget! | Visit YouTube | Visit UShow.com Is California becoming a "party economy"? Governor Schwarzenegger should talk to Joe Diamos. Diamos says we're in trouble Since our credit crunch of 2008 and the staggering wave of not just job losses but the dramatic drop in overall job creation over the last eight years, I've always believed our American economy was in trouble. Rather than throw out a bunch of statistics, I decided to turn to someone who's in the middle of the economic storm: Joe Diamos of Diamos Funding Group in Redwood City, Ca. Diamos' company is a law firm that specializes in representing you before the bank you have a mortgage with to get that bank to adjust your loan - called "loan modification" - so that you're better able to afford your monthly payments. I asked Mr. Diamos how the economy was doing; I didn't get an enthusiastic answer. "It...

Now, I know what you're saying: that's a weird title.  Well it's borne of my unusual Sunday, March 15th 2009.  In this case I was on the indoor rowing machine and saw Van Jones who's a friend -- not buddy buddy so careful there -- getting out of his car and walking to the gym: Gold's Gym on Grand Avenue . Frankly, I've never seen him in the gym, so I was a bit surprised he was headed in.  I finished my 2000 meters in 11 minutes -- hey, I'm finally back to that rowing pace! -- and went over to talk to Van. "Hey!  I thought you were in DC", I said.  Van explained that he was leaving Sunday night and to a morning White House meeting.  He was excited about the opportunity, sad to leave Oakland, but apparenly humbled over the task ahead "We've got to go and make sure people get jobs" he said.  Unless, you've lived under a rock, you know that Jones has carved a niche as a green energy and sustainable jobs advocate.  His latest boo...

More at Inside Bay Area : “SACRAMENTO — Some California lawmakers haven't let the state's financial calamity keep them from enjoying the good life; they've been using campaign cash for first-class travel abroad, expensive dinners, salon makeovers and visits to luxurious spas. Spending reports filed with the state covering the last three months show: Several lawmakers checked into the Fairmont Hotel on Maui in Hawaii on donors' dimes two days after the start of an emergency session on the budget in November. The lead state senator on budget issues joined colleagues who left the fiscal crisis behind to go to India, where they toured the Taj Mahal and stayed in the Four Seasons and other luxury hotels. The former state Senate leader used campaign donations to pay $2,163 in membership fees to an exclusive Northern California social club.” -- And this explains why our policies seem out of step with the times: the lawmakers don't feel the pain so there's no univers...