Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with California

Questions about prison visiting facilities...

dobbs — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:49:35 -0800

Writing a story with a tangential character to be executed in California. I have multiple questions about the visiting facilities for such a prison. Anyone with knowledge able to help? My preference for the story's dynamics is that the visiting room be one with a see-through divider but that does not use the telephone system of talking to the person on the other side. (Because I need the prisoner to be able to say something to the visitor as they're near the exit door.) Or, if a person yelled loud enough in one of those phone visiting rooms, would they be heard or are they otherwise soundproof?

Does such a prison exist? Of course, it would have to be somewhere that someone would be awaiting execution.

If it does not exist, is there such a place in California where the two would meet in an open space with no divider?

If neither of these exists, is there a prison that fits these requirements outside of California?

In case it's important, the person is on death row for a brutal murder of his wife and the visitor is a family member (son).

Thanks.

Food & Fun in Big Sur

rhiannonstone — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:32:52 -0800

My partner and I will be celebrating our anniversary with a weekend in Big Sur, and while the idea is mostly to just enjoy some time to ourselves, we'd also like some suggestions for stuff to do. We're particularly interested in: nice places to eat, gorgeous places to explore, and--is there swimming? Fun places to stop for food or views on the way down would be great, too, especially south of Monterey (we're familiar with the attractions up to there). We'll be staying at the Ragged Point Inn (AskMe favorite Deetjen's was booked, sadly), which on the southern edge of things, and know we'll probably have to drive a bit to get to... well, anything.

Crater Lake, Redwoods and Highway 101

andrewesque — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:07:19 -0800

Help me plan three days between Oregon and San Francisco: in particular, Crater Lake, the Redwood National/State Parks and a route down highway 101 to SF. As part of an extravaganza trip this summer -- I'm off to grad school in the fall! so I'm taking a nearly four-week trip through the West/Pacific Northwest -- I will be driving from Portland to San Francisco. After perusing related questions, I have come up with these three days as part of my trip. This would be midweek in mid-July. I am most likely traveling solo, and don't really have wiggle room on time as I am renting a car for exactly a week and the rate will go up significantly if I add extra days.

Day 1. Drive from Roseburg, Oregon to Crater Lake. Take a boat tour of the lake. Drive around the lake, and then drive to Grants Pass. Spend the night there.
Day 2. Drive from Grants Pass to the Redwood National/State Parks. Spend day in park. Drive to Arcata or Eugene and spend the night.
Day 3. Drive from Arcata/Eugene to SFO, probably via 101, where I have to drop off the rental car by 11 pm.

- Is this feasible/realistic, especially for a solo driver? My rationale for splitting the time this way was to be able to spend more time in nature on days 1 and 2, and have day 3 be more of a straight-out "driving day."

- I could use a little bit of help planning a route on day 2, on which I'd like to see both redwoods and the ocean coast. In terms of redwoods, I am trying to heed the warnings not to hike solo (AKA, hiking alone into the backcountry is probably not on the agenda) so I'd appreciate any advice on which trails/spots will maximize both safety and scenery. I am not a hardcore hiker although I run regularly so medium-level trails should not be a difficulty.

In terms of ocean views, I would love to be able to see views like this (note: I know this is not on the route in day 2) if there are good lookouts/stopping points.

- Finally, on the drive from Arcata to SFO, where would you recommend stopping? I was planning on 101 as it's faster to the Bay and seems less stressful/tiring than southbound highway 1 for a solo driver. I like architecture, history and good food. Not into sports or fine arts.

What is this sign, located in Venice Beach (I think?)

dubold — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:48:15 -0800

In Michael Palin's "Around the World in 80 Days", there's a shot of a building with an interesting sign. It says "EARTH SPACE SCIENCE ART FACT FICTION FANTASY". Originally I read it as "ARE FACT FICTION FANTASY" and was really intrigued. After looking again I realized it's actually "ART". Sign is visible at 4:10 here.

The only search results I found related to the movie. Someone else posted a screenshot here.

Anyone know what this place is? The show aired in 1989, and I think it was filmed in the fall of 1988.

Paid off car, have title. Now what?

Xere — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:57:38 -0800

I paid off my car in December, and haven't been around. I'm now back home with the car in California, and I have the car title from the bank/company. The title says I have to notify the DMV within 10 days or something like that, but I'm obviously wayyy past that time frame now. What do I do? Google searches equally tell me to (a) transfer to my name and my name only, asap, removing the bank/company as lienholder, and (b) don't bother until I sell the car. Argh!! Which one is it? Help me, so I don't have to wait at the DMV ... and be told that I don't need to be there after all!

California road trip details

you're a kitty! — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:37:05 -0800

Please help us arrange some details for our California road trip! Questions about places to camp near Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sonoma, the Redwoods, and more. I'll be traveling with two dear friends (late-twenties, two girls and a guy). We're mostly planning to camp to save money, but if you can suggest REALLY COOL other options we might consider spending more for one night. We'd rather not have to hike in unless there's a truly extraordinary campsite; we have decent equipment and are in pretty good shape, but aren't extraordinarily outdoorsy. Mostly we want to see the beauty of California and build campfires and drink beers and talk in the evenings.

I've seen the related questions on here, but we've got some slightly different requirements. We've already got some days planned out, but the days I'm still trying to arrange look like this:

Day 1: Drive from Sacramento to somewhere in Napa or Sonoma for wine tours. Camp there, or one of us can be designated driver and head up to (broadly speaking) the Mendocino area and camp along the coast. We'd like to do some tidepooling if possible sometime the next day.
• Good campsites in Napa or Sonoma, where we can easily get to vineyards?
OR
• Good campsites along the coast (as close to the cliffs/beaches as possible).

Day 2: Drive up to the Redwoods, and camp there.
• Do we need to go all the way up to Redwoods National Park to get the full Avenue-of-the-Giants effect?
• Good campsites in the area? If we can camp in the proper redwoods that would be ideal.

From there we drive down to the bay area for a few nights, but afterwards:

Day 3: Monterey (aquarium and town).
• Good places to camp near Monterey or Carmel? Someone suggested Limekiln, any opinions?

Day 4: Drive south along the cost, to Morro Bay or farther down to the Santa Barbara area. We'd like to at least get a glimpse of Southern California without descending into the LA madness.
• We're considering the El Capitan Valley tent cabins or the campsites close to the beach; any other suggestions?

Extra questions:
• We would love to actually camp ON the beach at some point (and would go out of our way to do so), but I haven't been able to find any campsites that offer this option. Did I miss something?

Thank you!

Destination request, western/northwestern US; 20th anniversary edition

mosk — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:33:44 -0800

We're celebrating our 20th anniversary this summer (yay!) and we're trying to find a place to stay for a week in the western/northwestern US to celebrate this milestone. The catch is that this destination needs to be some place new to us. A few other particular requirements below the fold. The kids will be with the grandparents, so this trip is just for us. Looking for a little peace and quiet, some quality time with each other, and also some opportunities to fish, hike, and lay around.

We're from Northern California, so we've seen a lot of NorCal, and I think we've visited many/most of the obvious choices. We'd like to try another western state. A preliminary search has given us some promising leads in eastern Oregon and southern Idaho. It looks like there are some cool places in Montana, too, but I think that may be too far to travel. Similarly intrigued by the Ruby Mountains in Nevada, but I don't think we can make it there and back and still have enough time left over to make it worthwhile.

We'll have about 8 days total, including travel time. We're willing to invest a solid day of travel on each end, but no more than that.

Here are our requirements:

1. In the Western US, within a single day's travel from the SF Bay Area. Prefer to drive, but flying is OK if all other requirements are met. If driving, this could be up to 12 hours of travel time.
2. As stated, this must be some place we haven't visited before. Tahoe and environs are out, NorCal wine country is out, central CA coast is out, Ashland and Oregon's Lake of the Woods are out. Yosemite is out. Some parts of Sequoia and Kings Canton Nat'l. Parks are out. We've visited other places, too, but those are the ones that come to mind.
3. Must be near great natural beauty and good hiking possibilities.
4. Must be near good fishing -- I strongly prefer to fish for bass, but trout would be acceptable. I have a small aluminum fishing boat that I'll bring if I can (hence the preference for driving).
5. Accommodations must be nice to very nice, where nice = clean and comfortable, and very nice = a little luxurious. This is our 20th anniversary, so no cheap motels, though a rustic cabin at a resort or lake is OK as long as it's reasonably clean. A hotel or resort with some spa facilities (or something nearby), a nice pool or lake, etc. is what we're looking for.
6. No camping this trip.
7. At least one very good restaurant within a 30-ish minute drive.
8. Off the beaten path would be an added bonus.
9. This will be in early August, so heat is a consideration.

Thanks for what ever suggestions you can pass along!

Where can I live in San Francisco for the summer?

drd — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:16:11 -0800

Does anyone have any information on good deals on apartments in the Mission/Potrero/Soma neighborhoods of San Fran? I need a few months this summer for an internship. Hey guys-

I'm a graphic design student from Florida and I recently got an internship with a company in San Francisco- but compared to finding housing, getting the internship was relatively simple. I've been trying for a few weeks now, already almost been scammed once, a couple more sure-deals dropped out, and I'm just frustrated and I'm not sure where to go next. It doesn't help that I need to figure this out during finals week.

Does anyone live in the area/who is familiar with the area know where to go for decent deals on housing? It's a paid internship thank goodness, but it affords me 1200/month to spend on housing. Food and everything else is another story altogether. so I'm trying to stay below 1400-1500/month.

I've been scouring craigslist, airbnb, etc, but come up short.

Thanks for any and all help.

Calculating California state income tax withholding

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:38:27 -0800

I feel like this should be really easy, but I'm coming up with a non-sensical result. I am considering taking a job that would involve a pay cut (long story, I promise it's worth it). I am trying to calculate what my actual paycheck would be. I'm using the paycheck calculator at Paycheckcity.com to figure this out. But the number it's giving me for California state income tax doesn't seem right. I am currently payed a base salary of about $150k/yr. The new job pays a base of about $125k/yr. I am married filing jointly with no exemptions, and paid biweekly. The calculator on paycheckcity gives me a withholding rate that comes to 8.16% of gross pay on the 150k, but only 6.2% of gross pay on the 125k. I don't see how this could possibly be right. I confirmed that all the filing status, etc. is the same on both. I looked for other paycheck calculators online, but almost all of them end up being "powered by paycheckcity."

I know how to find the actual tax rates, but those need to be calculated against AGI, which is a little bit hard to derive in a paycheck context (lots of other incomes and deductions involved, etc.). What I *want* to find is an official explanation of the formula that is supposed to be used in calculating the withholding, so I can figure out where/if this is going wrong. I can't imagine that the pay difference I'm looking at would bump my tax rate down that much.

California Taxes--what do they want from me??

brenton — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:52:35 -0800

So I am paying my California taxes using CalFile (their free online filing website at webapp.ftp.ca.gov). I get a few questions in, and then I get to the "Payments" section, with these 4 questions that make no sense to me. 1. Total amount of 2012 Estimated Tax Payments you made (Form 540-ES).
2. Total amount of 2012 Extension Payments you made (Form FTB 3519).
3. 2011 California Income Tax Refund Applied to 2012 estimated tax.
4. Excess SDI or VPDI Withheld

I am stuck on #1. I have no idea what they want from me. First off, I can't figure out what a 540-ES form is. I just did my federal taxes using H&R Block, but they didn't include any 540 form.

I did find a 540 form from LAST years California return. But it specifically says 2012, so that can't be it. Where can I find this information?

I need a lot of royalty-free pictures of California. Options?

rileyray3000 — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:51:28 -0800

So basically I need to swap out all the art on several websites with photos of California that we have the rights to use in perpetuity (as well as for print). I realize there's the "buy one at a time from Getty" avenue but I have neither the time or resources for that. What I need is a boatload of pics that I can use for commercial use that are all OF California (as well as some general use pics, graphics and art). A very big collection that I can hand to an intern so they can get swapping. I think in the old days you used to just be able to buy a CD-rom of images. Can you still do that? Are there full collections with hundreds of pics? Or are there any free collections that anyone knows about that are just public use for this purpose? My budget for this is not high (no more than a couple hundred bucks) so I'm open to any options possible.

I want to know the history of the city without a history

Sara C. — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:03:25 -0800

Please recommend some books about the history of Southern California. I'm specifically interested in the evolution of car culture and the L.A. area as a cultural incubator. The backstory: I work out of a house in the San Fernando valley that was built in the 40's. I was sitting around at lunch yesterday, shooting the shit, and started wondering aloud what Southern California was like before the freeways.

If you lived in Van Nuys or Sherman Oaks in the 40's, what was your life like? What did you do for a living, and where would that be located? How did you get there? When were all the suburban developments in that area created, anyway? Is a house built in the 40's the oldest house in the neighborhood? What was it like before the 'burbs?

I want to know all about the history of Southern California, especially during the 20th century. Mainly in the evolution of car culture and SoCal as a sort of archetypal post-war suburban environment, especially in a pop cultural sense. Everything from drag racing in the LA River basin to the Beach Boys to donut shops with giant donuts on the roof.

I know that there are primary sources in the media for this sort of thing. Raymond Chandler, movies like Rebel Without A Cause and Valley Girl, etc. I wouldn't mind recommendations for things like that, but what I really want is non-fiction. Preferably history, but possibly also sociology or anthropology.

Podcasts, documentaries, and other non-fiction media are also fine. I already listen to 99% Invisible, which has fueled my interest in how the suburban car-centric landscape came about and shaped people's lives. The LA Times website has been a pretty good source of information about this sort of thing, but I want to go deeper.

I am less interested in the history of Hollywood, but I'd be into historical writings about the film industry as they relate to Los Angeles as a city. When did the studios move out to the Valley, and what brought about those changes, for example?

I am not really as interested in historical works about 19th century Los Angeles, though if a work spans the Spanish/Mexican period and goes into the 20th century, that would be OK.

I am also not terribly interested in essays and cultural commentary from people who are not historians. I have read a lot of Joan Didion already.

What are the go-to historical writings about 20th century Southern California?

Legal differences between CA and TX?

0x006DB0 — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:09:49 -0800

I'm moving from Berkeley, CA to Houston, TX next week, I'm wondering if there are any significant differences in the legal regime I should be aware of. I don't have any particular concerns, but it occurs to me that some stuff might be illegal there that is legal here, and the burden is on me to know about it. Also, maybe some stuff I'm used to won't be possible there.

Some possible differences off the top of my head:
1.) Can you buy booze on sundays? In grocery stores?
2.) Can you be pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt?
3.) Is there excise tax on vehicles?
4.) Do vehicles need to be inspected every year? Bi-annually?

I mean, obviously I can look up those things, but is there anything I might not be thinking about that's different? Anyone who has made the move, any big legal culture shocks? Anything borderline irresponsible that I'm allowed to do now?

Least traumatic way to spay a dog?

symbebekos — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:38:38 -0800

I recently adopted a rescued terrier mix, about 3.5 years old, and she's a bit of a snowflake - loyal, intelligent and sweet but also previously abused, lived on the street, quick to fear, and absolutely terrified of other dogs. Love, fresh air and positive reinforcement training have been mellowing her out over the few months I've had her, but she needs to be spayed, and I'm worried about the effect it'll have on her. My vet keeps post-op dogs together in a room, and they told me she'd be so zonked on drugs that it wouldn't be a problem. I'm not so sure. Are there vets that have private rooms or areas for dogs after surgery? Does anyone have experience with this kind of situation? I'm in Southern California, and the dog licensing law does require that she gets spayed.

How do I get my car title transfered into my name?

domnit — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:19:23 -0800

What is the process and what taxes must I pay when transferring a car title from my father to me? Interstate snowflakes inside. Due to circumstances when I was trying to buy my car, my father was the one who actually purchased and registered it in New York where he lives. I would like to officially take over the title and register the car in California, where I now live. What is the process?

My dad will be visiting me in California, so he can sign over the title to me in person. I figure this can be done as a gift. Then do I have to pay taxes / file paperwork in New York? I will need a California license, title, and registration. Will my NY inspection (good through August) satisfy the CA smog test or do I have to get the smog test done immediately? Do I get a CA license ahead of time (I still have my NY license), or do I just go to the DMV with my NY title and get everything done at once? What's the process that minimizes time and money spent while keeping my car legally on the road?

Looking for books about the resiliency of the California Economy.

rileyray3000 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:09:07 -0800

I'm trying to prove the historic strength and resiliency of California. From the Gold Rush on. Being the birthplace of aerospace manufacturing, the cradle of film and digital. Basically something that puts into perspective all the slowdowns and eventual recoveries that California has always bounced back from. Ideally from a kosher academic perspective. I'd rather not have this from the tome of an avowed Marxist as an example. Who should I read and what did they write?

California Cycling Sonoma and/or Yosemite?

asok — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:36:59 -0800

Planning a vacation in California in May and was thinking I would like to do some cycling and see a bit of scenery. Sonoma and Yosemite seem attractive options, but where to stay and hire bikes? How many days should I set aside for this? I could be in the San Francisco area for ten days or so. I am on a bit of a budget traveling alone, so the cost of accommodation is going to be a consideration. I have read that some hotels in Sonoma area offer free bike hire, but I imagine they will be out of my price range. Looking at airbnb there seems to be slightly more chance of staying in Santa Rosa than Sonoma, is that a reasonable idea for visiting Sonoma valley vineyards? Yosemite has 12 miles of paved roads for cycling on, which sounds like a lazy day's cycling. How long should I allow for a Yosemite visit?
Sorry, lots of questions!

Newbie-friendly South SF Bay area tattoo shop recommendations?

aecorwin — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:10:30 -0800

OK, so I've been mulling over the notion of getting a tattoo for nearly a decade now, and as of this week I'm finally sure of the design I want. I live in the South San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose/Santa Clara) and am finding myself a bit overwhelmed by all the Yelp reviews, etc., of local tattoo parlors. Specific shop recommendations and/or tips on identifying the most newbie-friendly establishment would be greatly appreciated. I've determined that I'd be quite happy to have this cat graphic I drew (or some minor variation thereof, per artist input) on my upper left arm area pretty much forever. I'm planning on keeping the size no larger than about 1.5" x 2.5" overall, and also on sticking to black ink only (as that way it's unlikely to clash with any of my shirts!).

That aside, I'm 34 and have zero experience even walking into a tattoo parlor, let alone actually having work done there. I have read plenty online already along the lines of "make sure the shop you pick is hygenic" and "make sure you eat an hour before the session so you don't pass out", so really what I'm after is specific local recommendations for good places to go, particularly if you're a raw newbie to this sort of thing.

Especially awesome would be recommendations from folks who've actually been to shops in the general San Jose/Santa Clara/Sunnyvale/etc. locale. The only real dealbreaker I have as far as shop recommendations go (well, other than cleanliness and a lack of blasting noisy music-I-didn't-pick in the background) is that it absolutely must be a SOUTH Bay establishment. In other words, it cannot be something that would entail traveling to San Francisco or Oakland, etc. I just really don't want to deal with being in a vehicle of any kind for possibly an hour-plus following an experience that I have no clue how my body will react to.

Also welcome would be advice on what to look for in an establishment when you have zero experience as a tattoo-ee.

I definitely want to, for instance, be able to bring my own drawing and not have the artist try and re-do the whole thing in 80s-airbrushed style (for instance), but rather be willing to make suggestions and have me approve the final design. And I want to be able to ask questions, etc., during the process without that being considered annoying (though of course I want the artist to be able to concentrate so I'll endeavor to keep the blithering to a minimum). And so on. Which means it'd be good if I had a way to figure out in advance if a given place is likely to be cool with whatever level of (polite) n00bness I may end up displaying, and I am currently not sure what to look for.

Thanks!

Finding a detailed history of the California Penal Code

Tell Me No Lies — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:27:09 -0800

I'm trying to find out how to find out when a particular item was added to the California Penal Code. In this particular case I'm interested in 12028.5, but I'd like to understand how to find such information in the future.

music for a west coast road trip?

idlethink — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:13:51 -0800

I'm driving from LA to SFO with a dear friend of mine. We're going to take two nights in LA, two nights in Big Sur and one night around SF. Please recommend music for our trip! Details after the jump. I will have Spotify Premium, and would love music recommendations in the following badly/unconventionally-defined genres:

(A) music which bursts with happiness and makes you want to throw your head out of the window into the Californian sunshine.
(B) music for languorous evenings and nights under the stars - slow beats, a sense of wide openness, calm and soulful melodies.
(C) funky intricate music which requires some amount of active listening - great lyrics, rocky tunes, to occupy boring stretches of road. in general: good driving songs.

Things I like (but really, I have very eclectic tastes, so don't let these guide you necessarily): Apples in Stereo, Owl City, Album Leaf, Olafur Arnalds, Fleet Foxes, Broken Social Scene, the Shins, Wilco, Mountain Goats, Seedy Seeds, Okkervil River, Death Cab for Cutie, etc...

If you could indicate which category your recommendation falls under, that would be great! Thanks so much in advance!

Looking for ONE up to date contact database on cities and counties in CA

rileyray3000 — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:52:53 -0800

We're doing a project that provides info for business owners on who they should talk to for every city and county in California for local permits and regs. Aside from calling each and every one to get their updated info, is there any OTHER way to do it? Isn't there someone who does this for local government the way that other services do for specific industries? We're willing to pay for it, we just don't know WHO to pay. Thoughts?

How do I collect my small claims judgment from a wage claim?

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:46:55 -0800

My former employer mailed me my last paycheck almost a month after firing me, and after enduring an awkward hearing that included being scolded by her in front of a hearing officer, I ended up winning. How do I collect my money? I live in California. I just received a letter stating that I'm entitled to recover my waiting time penalty wages as my former employer was nearly a month late in mailing me my last paycheck. Towards the end of the hearing last week, the Labor Commissioner stated that each party has 10 days to file an appeal should either one of us disagree with his decision. My former employer (restaurant owner), firmly stated she would "do exactly that," if his decision wasn't in her favor. She was very arrogant during the hearing (i.e., asking me if I "even know the difference between being discharged and quitting," and claiming that I quit when she wasn't present as the GM had fired me, all the while scolding me in front of the officer). I'm not worried if she appeals since I have physical proof (call records from when I contacted the restaurant after discharge + the envelope from the mail of my paycheck with the late postmark), but it now feels like it's gotten personal. It seems like her ego is bruised and she absolutely refuses to admit any wrongdoing. Aside from wasting [more] time, wouldn't it cost her even more money to take me to court?

Exactly how do I collect my winnings? I've interpreted the Labor Dept's letter as them acting as the liaison:
You have been served a copy of the Labor Commissioner's Order, Decision or Award.

If the full amount of the sums set forth in the Order, Decision or Award is received by this office within ten (10) days of the date of the Order, Decision or Award was served upon you, no judgment will be entered in this matter. Payment must be made by certified check, cashier's check or money order made payable to the Plaintiff named in the Order, Decision or Award, and addressed to the Office of the Labor Commissioner at the address shown above.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but is this essentially stating that the Labor Dept acts as a middle man and expects the Defendant to mail my check to them before giving it to me? Several websites say that I have to take action myself, such as placing a lien on my former employer's bank account, for example. I'm feeling pretty lost and would greatly appreciate some guidance and/or sources I could turn to.

Hiking with my dog within 1-2 hours of Lodi this weekend?

DakotaPaul — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:21:25 -0800

Where's a great place to take my dog hiking this weekend that's 1-2 hours from Lodi, Calif.? I've taken my dog to Morgan Territory in the East Bay and Kennedy Meadows in the Sierras. I'm looking for a scenic place that allows dogs where I can get a nice, long hike in. Thanks!

Finding a job in marketing (digital) in CA (SF/Bay Area, San Jose etc)

pakora1 — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:13:11 -0800

What are the best resources/avenues/contract agencies to get hooked up with regarding getting a marketing job (digital/online) within the Bay Area (California). Need some pointers on career sites/resources for finding a marketing (digital) job in California in the Bay Area. The person in question has over 6 years experience with most of it in the online/digital arena with fortune 500 companies. Also he is a US citizen so no issues around visa. Curious what are the best places to look for beside the usual (monster/career builder etc.). Open to direct to hire or contract.

Thank you for all responses.

Can I buy a car out of state (CA) without changing my driver's license?

betsbillabong — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:03:04 -0800

I am a Rhode Island resident. I'm in San Francisco, CA for several months, working. I've decided to buy a car from a friend here, and today I'm going over to give him the money (I've been driving it for a week or two, since he already bought a new car and we trust each other). Today we are going to make it official. My question: is there any way for me to buy the car without switching my driver's license to a California one? It's just about March now, and in late May or June I will be driving back to Rhode Island. My health insurance is dependent upon my Rhode Island residency (I have "group of one" insurance). I don't know if they could ever find out, but I would hate for this transaction to affect it.

Secondly, I think I know what to do, but am I correct that the steps for me are:

(1) Get car's VIN and get insurance for car
(2) Give seller the money and get signed title and bill of sale, as well as smog report
(3) Go to the DMV with the title, bill of sale and smog report, as well as proof of insurance, and pay registration fees and get new plates
(4) Drive away with new plates!

Thanks for any help!