Happy New Year!

And Especially Good Wishes to California, where the state employees and state contractors will soon be getting paid with IOUs.
This kind of State Budget Brinksmanship is endemic to the state, so the residents are accustomed, if not inured, to the whole thing. There are those who, when they find themselves paid for services to the state with state-issued IOUs return the favor by paying their taxes with personal IOUs - a fine way to respond, to my mind, even though (or especially though) it causes the governing angencies great anguish. It's also illegal, but then again, it's illegal (as in Unconstitutional) for the State of California to have either no budget, or a budget not in balance. For the most part the California Legislature does not give a fig, since the members of that dysfunctional body spend their days primarily in search of the next job, as they are always about to be Termed Out of their current position. The Voters, having passed a law limiting the terms of all elected officials, including legislators, are now reflecting on the wisdom of the old adage: Be Careful What You Wish For.
But for everyone, not just the indigenes of the mystical state of California, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Let's hope it lasts the full 365 days.