Who the heck really is Arnold "The Governator" Schwarzenegger?

When Gray Davis was recalled, Arnold was The Terminator. He represented conservative Republican values and fun. He blew up cars and his goal was to Terminate taxes.

But he didnt get anywhere in the California State government using Bush's "unilateral" playbook. Undaunted, he took the fight "to the people" with a huge ballot initiate. And the people spoke - they terminated him. All of his initiatives failed and it was clear that the public was not behind his Republican agenda.

This morning I hear a national news report of a totally different Arnold. Now he is for green power and global warming reforms. He supports healthcare for all state citizens and a higher minimum wage. Suddenly Arnold is a center-left Democrat and his Republican party is moaning about him.

Has Arnold pulled the biggest flip-flop in history? Or was this his plan all along? Push the Republican agenda until the people clearly vote against it so that he could say he tried. Then join hands with the Democratic state congress and move ahead with the issues citizens really cared about? Hmm.

Which all has me thinking about Kalifornia and what a huge place it is.

Maligned as the "land of fruits and nuts", there are many California's.

The way north is rural and mountains and parks and massive marijuana production. The east is agricultural with mountain views. The north is the technology capital of the world and the shining city known everywhere as San Francisco. Southern california is the land of dreams and quintessential car-culture known as Los Angeles. Southern cal is also the gateway to China with the nations largest shipping port as well as San Diego, the largest military and navy presence on the west coast and a doorway to Mexico.

California has everything. The diversity of geographic features is stunning: huge snowy mountains, majestic national parks, timeless redwood trees, sweeping ocean views and beaches, and burning deserts.

The citizens are as diverse as the geography as people from all over the US and the world have flocked there. With the huge number of cultures and foods, there is also a huge diversity of people who struggle to agree on things political. The state is very split between the north and south and agricultural areas as well as between whites and blacks and asians and latinos, between long-time residents and recent immigrants. More than almost any state, California is the American "melting pot."

If it was its own nation, California would have the 6th largest economy in the world. Californians produce or service just about everything. They also lead the nation in political changes like cleaner air and now global warming.

California is an amazing place. I dont always miss it but I am glad to have lived there.