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MySQL AB

MySQL AB

MySQL AB (founded 1995) is dual headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden and Cupertino, California, USA. The company is the creator and owner of MySQL, a relational database management system. With over 200 employees in over 20 countries (figures from August 2005), MySQL AB is one of the largest open source companies worldwide. Other known open source companies are Red Hat and JBoss Group. Together with Linux, Apache and PHP/Perl/Python, MySQL forms one of the building blocks of the LAMP technology stack. The company claims a user base of over 5 million MySQL installations worldwide, and over 10 million product downloads in 2004. MySQL AB representatives are commonly cited as "champions" of what they claim to be a "second generation" of open source companies. The revenues of both first and second generation open source companies usually derive from selling support, consulting services and training for their products. What generally distinguishes this "second generation" consisting of companies like MySQL AB and Trolltech from earlier "open source" business models is dual licensing: while the software may be made available under the provisions of some open source license, the software is in fact owned by the for-profit companies who seek to derive revenues from selling traditional software licenses. For instance, MySQL AB makes MySQL available under the GPL at no charge, but sells it under other "more traditional" licenses to clients who do not find the GPL to be ideal for their purposes (e.g. - inclusion of MySQL AB technology in a closed-source product).

History


- 1995 Company founded by Michael Widenius, David Axmark and Allan Larsson
- 2001 Marten Mickos elected CEO
- 2001 First-round financing by Scandinavian VCs
- 2003 Second-round financing by a group of investors headed by Benchmark Capital
- 2003 Partnership agreement concluded with SAP, acquiring the full commercial rights to MaxDB
- 2005 MySQL Network subscription service launched

External links


- [http://www.mysql.com Company home page]
- [http://www.mysql.com/network/ MySQL Network] Category:Companies of Sweden

Aktiebolag

Aktiebolag is the Swedish term for a corporation, i.e. a company that has stocks. When used in company names it is abbreviated AB in Sweden and Ab in Finland. The German equivalent would be Aktiengesellschaft (AG), which is literally a translation of the Swedish term (or vice versa); the British would be Limited company (Ltd.); the Americans call it corporation (Inc.). Companies that are on the Swedish and Finnish stock markets provide public stock, and their legal name is AB (publ) in Sweden (although the term "publ." is never used in common trading) and Apb in Finland. This to differate them with the companies that do not provide public stock. Even small companies, such as one-man companies, can namely be stock companies. The abbreviation has been so common that it is commonly seen within company names. SAAB is one well known example. Others are Framfab, Abloy etc. Category:Types of companies Category:Economy of Sweden

Uppsala

: If you're searching for the Uppsala of Norse mythology, see Gamla Uppsala. Gamla Uppsala Gamla Uppsala Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a Swedish City in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. It is the fourth largest city in Sweden with its 130,000 inhabitants; including immediate surroundings, Uppsala Municipality amounts to 180,000. Uppsala is the capital of Uppsala County (Uppsala län), and Sweden's ecclesiastical centre, being the seat of Sweden's archbishop since 1164.

History

Uppsala was originally located a few kilometers to the north, at a location now known as Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala). Today's Uppsala was then called Östra Aros. (Old) Uppsala was, according to medieval writer Adam of Bremen, the main heathen centre of Sweden, and the Temple at Uppsala contained magnificent idols of the Æsir gods. After Christianization in the 11th century, the city withstood the Christian forces for an additional 50 years, but eventually the temple was demolished in the 11th century. As a replacement for the heathen gods, Uppsala was made into a strong Christian centre: a bishop was soon consecrated, and in 1164 Uppsala was made into an archdiocese, with the first Archbishop of Uppsala and Sweden was a monk from Alvastra being consecrated Archbishop Stefan. The present-day Uppsala was at that time known as Östra Aros and was a port town of Gamla Uppsala. In 1274, Östra Aros overtook Gamla Uppsala as the main regional center, and when the cathedral of Gamla Uppsala burnt down, the archbishopric was moved to Östra Aros, and the impressive Uppsala cathedral erected. Uppsala is the site of the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. Carolus Linnaeus, one of the renowned scholars of the university, lived in the city for many years, and both his house and garden can still be visited. Uppsala Cathedral is built in the Gothic style and is one of the largest in northern Europe, with towers reaching 118 metres. Uppsala is also the site of a 16th century castle of royal roots. The city was severely damaged by a fire in 1702. Historical and cultural treasures were also lost, as in many Swedish cities, from demolitions during the 1960s and 1970s. Despite the lack of understanding of the value of the older buildings at that time, many historic buildings remain, especially in the western part of the city. The arms with the lion can be traced from 1737. It has been modernized several times since, most recently in 1986. The meaning of the lion is not certain but is likely connected to the royal lion, also depicted on the Coat of Arms of Sweden.

Politics

Historically, Uppsala has been a centre both of conservatism and liberalism, both receiving their ideological nourishment from the University. Today, however, the city is divided between left and right and has since 1994 been governed by a coalition of the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party.

Geography

Situated on the fertile Uppsalaslätten flatlands of muddy soil, the city is featured by the small Fyris River (Fyrisån) flowing through the landscape surrounded by lush vegetation. Parallel to the river runs the glacial ridge of Uppsalaåsen, at an elevation of circa 30 metres the site of Uppsala's castle from which large parts of the town can be seen. The central park Stadsskogen streches from the south far into town, with opportunities for recreation for many residential areas within walking distance. Only some 70 kilometers or 40 minutes by train from the capital, many Uppsala residents tend to work in Stockholm. The train to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport takes only 17 minutes, rending the city easily accessible by air. The commercial centre of Uppsala can best be described as quite compact: While many beautiful buildings remain in the periphery of the central core, especially on the less intensively built western river bank around the cathedral, castle and university, retail commercial activity is geographically focused, if not restricted, to a minor number of blocks around the pedestrianized streets and main square, an area which was subject to large-scale post-World War II metamorphosis during the economically booming years in the 1960s in particular. During recent decades, a significant part of the retail commercial activity has been relocated to shopping malls and stores situated in the outskirts of the city. Alongside with this, the built up areas have expanded in a quite extensive way, and a certain suburbanization has taken place. suburbanization suburbanization

Economy

Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.
- Pfizer (see Pharmacia)
- Fresenius
- Slotts (food manufacturer, including mustard)
- Lindvalls kaffe (coffee manufacturer)

Universities


- Uppsala University
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, main campus)

Sites of interest


- Uppsala Cathedral
- Uppsala University

Notable natives


- Olaus Rudbeckius
- Carolus Linnaeus
- Anders Celsius
- Jöns Jakob Berzelius
- Anders Jonas Ångström
- Dag Hammarskjöld
- Ingmar Bergman
- Arvid Carlsson
- Hans Blix Of these, Celsius, Bergman, Carlsson and Blix were born in Uppsala

See also


- Uppsala Municipality (Kommun)
- Gamla Uppsala Old Uppsala in Norse mythology
- Temple at Uppsala The Temple of Old Uppsala in Norse Mythology
- Upsala Nya Tidning Uppsala newspaper

External links


- [http://www.uppsala.se/ Uppsala] - Official site
- [http://www.unt.se/ Upsala Nya Tidning] - Newspaper
- [http://www.ueb.se The Uppsala English Bookshop] Category:University towns
- Category:Cities in Sweden Uppsala ko:웁살라 ja:ウプサラ

Cupertino

Cupertino is a city located in Santa Clara County, California, USA, on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 50,546. The current mayor (as of 2005) is Patrick Kwok. Notable natives and residents of Cupertino include Primus drummer Brian Mantia, actor Aaron Eckhart, and basketball player Kurt Rambis.

Name origin

Cupertino was named after Arroyo San Giuseppe da Cupertino (now Stevens Creek). The creek had been named by Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza's cartographer, who named the creek after Saint Joseph of Cupertino. The name first became widely used when John T. Doyle, a San Francisco lawyer and historian, named his winery on McClellan Road "Cupertino". After the turn of the twentieth century, Cupertino displaced the former name for the region, which was "West Side".

History

Cupertino in the 1800s was originally a small rural village at the crossroads of the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Stevens Creek Road. Back then, it was known as the West Side and was part of the Fremont Township. The primary economical activity was fruit agriculture. Almost all of the land within Cupertino's present-day boundaries were covered by plum, apricot, and cherry orchards. A winery on Montebello Ridge overlooking the Cupertino valley region was also operating by the late 1800s. Soon, railroads, electric railways, and dirt roads traversed the West Side farmlands. Monta Vista, Cupertino's first housing tact, was developed in the mid-1900s as a result of the electric railway's construction. After World War II, a population and suburban housing boom dramatically shifted the demographics and economy of the Santa Clara Valley as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" was beginning to convert into the "Silicon Valley". In 1954, Cupertino leaders began to drive for incorporation as they were concerned about unplanned development and rising property taxes. In the September 27, 1955 election, voters approved the incorporation of the City of Cupertino. Cupertino officially became Santa Clara County's 13th City on October 10, 1955. A major milestone in Cupertino's development was the creation by some of the city's largest landowners of VALLCO Business and Industrial Park in the early 1960s. Of the 25 property owners, 17 decided to pool their land to form VALLCO Park, 6 sold to Varian Associates (property later sold to Hewlett-Packard), and two opted for transplanting to farms elsewhere. The name VALLCO was derived from the names of the principal developers: Varian Associates and the Leonard, Lester, Craft, and Orlando families. A neighborhood shopping center and, much later, the Vallco Fashion Park were also developed. Apple Computer, Symantec, and Portal Software also built their headquarters in Cupertino. De Anza College soon opened. The college, named for Juan Bautista De Anza, occupies a 112-acre site that was the location of another winery built at the turn of the last century, called Beaulieu by its owners, Charles and Ella Baldwin. Their mansion has now become the California History Center. De Anza College then accumulated a total of 26,000 students and became the hub of activity in the city. Housing developments were rapidly constructed in the following years as developers created many neighborhoods, including Fairgrove, Garden Gate, Monta Vista, and many other developments. Although originally low-cost housing, Silicon Valley's housing prices shot up dramatically as many houses that were formerly priced under $100,000 became million-dollar homes. The high cost of living in Cupertino can be seen in that neighborhoods with a median household income of $90,000 or $100,000 may have small, one-story houses that average 1,000 to 1,500 square feet in living space area.

Demographics

General

Like most West Valley cities, Cupertino was originally developed in the early 20th century. However, since the 1980s, Cupertino's demographics have gradually shifted so that Asian Americans (mostly of Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian descent) now form one of the largest ethnic groups in Cupertino. A major cause of this demographic shift is that many Asian immigrants moving into the Bay Area wish to enroll their children in high-quality public schools, and select the well-known Cupertino Union School District and Fremont Union High School District. One sign of the demographic shift is the rise of Chinese-oriented shopping centers in Cupertino. The largest one is the Cupertino Village complex (which has a 99 Ranch Market as its anchor) north of Vallco Fashion Park, which replaced the unsuccessful Vallco Village project. Another Asian-themed shopping center is located on Stevens Creek Boulevard, with Marina Food Market operating as the anchor. Tin Tin Supermarket and some non-Asian themed large chain stores (Albertsons, Safeway, Nob Hill, Whole Foods, Target, Sears) also operate in Cupertino.

Statistics

As of the census of 2000, there are 50,546 people, 18,204 households, and 13,616 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,783.9/km² (4,620.5/mi²). There are 18,682 housing units at an average density of 659.3/km² (1,707.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 50.14% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 44.44% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. 3.98% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 18,204 households out of which 41.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% are married couples living together, 7.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% are non-families. 19.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.75 and the average family size is 3.19. In the city the population is spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.8 males. The median income for a household in the city is $100,411, and the median income for a family is $109,455. Males have a median income of $91,191 versus $58,375 for females. The per capita income for the city is $44,749. 4.8% of the population and 3.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.6% of those under the age of 18 and 5.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Cupertino was the only city with both a population over 50,000 and a median household income in excess of $100,000 in 2000. The crime rate for Cupertino is low compared to average suburban cities, with just two homicides between 1997 and 2002.

Geography

2002Cupertino is located at 37°19'3" North, 122°2'31" West (37.317492, −122.041949)¹ at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. The eastern part of the city, located in the Santa Clara Valley is flat while the western part of the city slopes into the Santa Cruz Mountains. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.3 km² (10.9 mi²). 28.3 km² (10.9 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water. Cupertino has mild weather with wet winters and dry summers. Oak and redwood forests cover the hills overlooking the Cupertino lowlands. Averages in July (at Santa Clara University)
- Maximum - 82.0 °F (27.8 °C)
- Minimum - 54.1 °F (12.3 °C) Averages in January (at Santa Clara University)
- Maximum - 58.2 °F (14.6 °C)
- Minimum - 38.7 °F (3.7 °C) Extremes
- High - 114 °F (45.6 °C) - June 1961
- Low - 16 °F (−8.9 °C) - December 1990

Neighborhoods

Cupertino has two subdivisions, Monta Vista in the west and Rancho Rinconada in the east. Rancho Rinconada is the more affordable side of Cupertino, though the cost of living is still considerably high there. De Anza Boulevard separates the two subdivisions.
- Monta Vista
- Rancho Rinconada

Layout

The Cupertino region is mainly suburban residential and technical-industrial with a relatively high standard of living. De Anza Boulevard separates the city into two neighborhoods, namely Rancho Rinconada, lying east of De Anza Boulevard, and Monta Vista, west of De Anza. Because Cupertino has developed so quickly since the 1960s, it never developed a true downtown or Main Street. The closest equivalent to a Main Street is the six-lane divided thoroughfare known as Stevens Creek Boulevard, which is lined with strip malls, shopping centers, offices and fast food restaurants all the way from the border with San Jose right up to the valley's western edge. The closest equivalent to a downtown is the busy intersection of Stevens Creek and De Anza Boulevards, which is bordered by two open-air shopping centers, two gas stations, and the high-rise Cupertino City Center mixed-use complex at Cali Mill Plaza (with offices, newly built condominiums, Le Boulanger Bakery, Armadillo Willy's Steakhouse, and Cypress Hotel). The goal of developing a true downtown has been regularly debated by the City Council ever since the city was incorporated in 1955. The underlying concern is that a downtown would compete directly against all the other West Valley downtown areas, which have been barely staying alive because of the dominance of large shopping malls in Silicon Valley. Key examples include Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair, Santana Row, and Westgate Mall in San Jose; Cupertino's own Vallco Fashion Park; Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto; and the Pruneyard in Campbell. Large mansions and undeveloped lands occupy the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Major roads in the hills include Foothill Boulevard, Prospect Road, Regnart Road, and Rainbow Drive. The Permanente Cement Plant, founded in the 1930s, is located on the western end of Stevens Creek Boulevard in the foothills.

Economy

1930s Cupertino is sometimes referred to as the "heart" of Silicon Valley, as the worldwide headquarters for Apple is located here (in a modern complex circled by the playfully named Infinite Loop). Other companies headquartered in Cupertino include NetManage, Packeteer, Portal Software, and Symantec. Over 60 high-tech companies have offices here, including Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. Most of these hi-tech companies are located on De Anza Boulvevard, Cali Mill Plaza, and Bubb Road. Though Cupertino headquarters many hi-tech companies, very little actual manufacturing takes place in the city. The primary activities of those corporations' Cupertino branches are management and design. In 2002, Cupertino had a labor force of 25,780 with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. The unemployment rate for the Santa Clara County as a whole was 8.4%.

Law and government

The City of Cupertino, incorporated in 1955, is the city's official government. The city's symbol is a conquistador hat. A sculpture of this hat used to sit in a plaza at the Civic Center, and it is also used as the city logo. Previous versions looked like a stylized snail, although the current version actually looks like a hat. The current statue was a gift to the city from its sister city in Japan. Cupertino's sister cities include Toyokawa, Japan, and Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Transportation

The city is served by an excellent road system. Two freeways intersect in Cupertino, and like any typical middle-class California suburb, it has multi-lane boulevards with landscaped medians and a full set of traffic lights at all major intersections. Streets are in good condition and nearly all have sidewalks. The few exceptions are in unincorporated pockets at the city's edges, which are maintained directly by Santa Clara County. Some of Cupertino's pedestrian crossing buttons, however, are different from those of the other South Bay cities. There is no actual "button" to press on, and the pedestrian simply places his hand on an electronic sensor to activate the system. Gridlock traffic occurs at some main intersections during evening rush hour (5 pm to 7 pm), particularly at De Anza Boulevard and Interstate 280 because of freeway metering lights. Cupertino has bike lanes on its boulevards, but they are frequently ignored by careless or speeding drivers, and bicyclists must exercise extreme caution. There is no commuter rail or light rail service in the city. Caltrain commuter rail runs through the cities to the north and east. Bus service is provided by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The quality of service is poor, although it is trapped by the fact that the population density of the area it serves is too low. Cupertino is landlocked and, like most Bay Area cities, depends on the Port of Oakland for most oceangoing freight. Passenger and cargo air transportation is available at Mineta San Jose International Airport in San Jose. The closest general aviation airport is in Palo Alto.

Education

Primary and secondary

Cupertino is very well known for its high achieving primary and secondary schools. For example, Faria Elementary School is the number one ranked elementary public school in the state of California, per California API test scores. Primary (K-8) public schools are organized into the Cupertino Union School District, while the Fremont Union High School District is responsible for high school students. Cupertino High School is located in the Rancho Rinconada section of Cupertino, while Monta Vista High School and its feeder, Kennedy Middle School, are in the Monta Vista neighborhood in the western half of Cupertino. In addition, Homestead High School is located in the northwestern portion of Cupertino, along the city border with neighboring Sunnyvale.

Colleges and universities

Cupertino is home to De Anza College, one of the two community colleges in the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. De Anza runs a facility called Flint Center, a large enclosed theater which is the primary venue for performing arts in the West Valley. The University of California, Santa Cruz (Extension) and the University of San Francisco (a private Catholic university) have satellite campuses in Cupertino.

The controversy at Stevens Creek Elementary

On November 22, 2004, Stephen Williams filed suit in federal district court against the Cupertino Union School District, alleging violations of his rights under the First Amendment. Williams has taught the fifth grade at Stevens Creek Elementary School for six years and describes himself as an "orthodox Christian." With the assistance of the Alliance Defense Fund, Williams alleged that the school had violated his rights when principal Patricia Vidmar began to screen the handouts that he intended to give to his fifth-grade class during lessons on the history of the United States. Media coverage indicates that this was probably done in response to complaints by Williams's students (and their parents) that he was talking about God all the time. The handouts included quotations from the Declaration of Independence, various state constitutions, George Washington's journal, John Adams's diary, and William Penn's writings. The quotations appear to have been selected to highlight the use of religious references by the Founding Fathers of the United States and other earlier leaders; there were no quotations from Roger Williams, a Colonial-era proponent of the separation of church and state. There was also a handout that included quotations from various U.S. presidents and Jesus Christ on why it is good to read the Bible. Unfortunately for the school district, the Associated Press incorrectly reported that Williams was alleging that he was being prevented from teaching the Declaration of Independence. FOX News, conservative websites, and such commentators as Alan Keyes ([http://www.renewamerica.us/news/041207decatur.htm]) played up the story as a blatant instance of hostility to religion. These interpretations were based on the Alliance Defense Fund press release. As Media Matters for America explained ([http://mediamatters.org/items/200412090002]): :Even the lawsuit ... acknowledged that the school has not imposed an outright prohibition on the mention of God or the discussion of religious beliefs in the classroom. The lawsuit recognized that "other teachers are permitted to show films and distribute handouts containing references to God," and that Williams had been permitted to teach "lessons on the origins of religious holidays" during that school year and had provided handouts relating to religion in the past "without any problems." Despite that acknowledgement, an Alliance Defense Fund press release about the lawsuit was headlined "Declaration of Independence Banned from Classroom". The full text of the Declaration of Independence (like that of the U.S. Constitution) already appears in all California social studies public school textbooks, including the one used at Stevens Creek. Because of the play given to the distorted version of the story, the school, the school district, and Williams were buffeted by a wave of email, faxes, phone calls, and postal mail. Some of the messages received by the school were threatening in nature, so the school's security officer had to patrol the school more aggressively during the month of December 2004. The City of Cupertino also received some messages from out-of-state people who do not understand that California school districts are funded and regulated by the state Department of Education. On December 9, 2004, Fox News's Hannity and Colmes program visited Flint Center and filmed a show there with Williams and his attorney. The Center was packed by a crowd of more than 3,000. In April 2005, Federal Judge James Ware disallowed three of the four claims, allowing the fourth to proceed. A hearing date was set for October. In August 2005 Williams dropped the lawsuit, preferring to settle out of court. Per the settlement, no change was necessary to school policy and no payment required between the parties. Several days later Williams resigned from the school district. Patricia Vidmar, a target in the original suit, continued in her position as Principal of Stevens Creek Elementary.[http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/peninsula/12365727.htm][http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/12403107.htm?source=yahoodist&content=sjm_news]

External links


- [http://www.cupertino.org/ Official site]
- [http://www.cupertinocourier.com/ Cupertino Courier]
- [http://www.cupertino.org/downloads/Pdf/Cupertino_historical_articles.pdf Cupertino's name and history] (PDF) Schools:
- [http://cupertino.ca.campusgrid.net/home Cupertino Union School District]
- [http://www.fuhsd.org/ Fremont Union High School District]
- [http://www.hhs.fuhsd.org/ Homestead High School]
- [http://www.lhs.fuhsd.org/ Lynbrook High School]
- [http://www.chs.fuhsd.org/ Cupertino High School]
- [http://www.mvhs.fuhsd.org/ Monta Vista High School] Category:Cities in California Category:Santa Clara County, California
- ko:쿠퍼티노 ja:クパチーノ (カリフォルニア州)

California

California is a state located on the west coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous state in the U.S., as well as the most physically diverse, with the highest and the lowest points in the lower 48 states located within 150 miles of each other. If California were an independent nation, it would have the sixth largest economy in the world (after the rest of the U.S., Japan, Germany, Britain and France; see economy of California). The state's official nickname is "The Golden State" in reference to California's 1849 Gold Rush. California's U.S. postal abbreviation is CA, and its Associated Press abbreviation is Calif. As one of the most demographically diverse states in the nation, California is a dominant force in American culture as well as the nation's economy. It has some of the nation's largest cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco, and is responsible for many legal and technological innovations. The entire region originally known as California was composed of the Mexican peninsula now known as Baja California and much of the land in the current states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Wyoming, known as Alta California. In these early times, the boundaries of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific coast were only partially explored and California was shown on early maps as an island. The name comes from Las sergas de Esplandián (Adventures of Splandian), a 16th century novel, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, where there is an island paradise called California. (For further discussion, see: Origin of the name California.)

History

:Main articles: History of California, History of California (20th century) The first European to explore parts of the coast was the Portuguese João Rodrigues Cabrilho in 1542. The first to explore the entire coast and claim possession of it was Francis Drake in 1579. Beginning in the late 1700s, Spanish missionaries set up tiny settlements on enormous grants of land in the vast territory north of Baja California. The missions played a dominant role in the decimation of California's indigenous population. Upon Mexican independence from Spain, the chain of missions became the property of the Mexican government, and they were quickly dissolved and abandoned. In 1846, at the outset of the Mexican-American War, the California Republic was founded and the Bear Flag was flown, which featured a golden bear and a star. The Republic came to a sudden end, however, when Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into San Francisco Bay and claimed California for the United States. Following the war, the region was divided between Mexico and the United States. The Mexican portion, Baja (lower) California was later divided into the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. The western part of the U.S. portion, Alta (upper) California, was to become the state of California. In 1848, the Spanish-speaking population of distant upper California numbered around 4,000. But after gold was discovered, the population burgeoned with Americans and a few Europeans in the great California gold rush. In 1850, the state was admitted to the Union of the USA. During the American Civil War, popular support in California was divided 70% for the South and 30% for the North, and although California officially entered on the side of the North, many troops went east to fight for the Confederacy CSA. At first, travel between the far Pacific West to the eastern population centers was time-consuming and dangerous, requiring either long ocean voyages, or difficult transcontinental passages. A more direct connection came in 1869 with the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. After this rail link was established, hundreds of thousands of Americans came west, where new Californians were discovering that land in the state, if irrigated during the dry summer months, was extremely well suited to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Citrus, oranges in particular, was widely grown, and the foundation was laid for the state's prodigious agricultural production of today. During the early 20th century, migration to California accelerated with the completion of major transcontinental highways like the Lincoln Highway and Route 66. In the period from 1900 to 1965 the population grew from fewer than one million to become the most populous state in the Union. From 1965 to the present, the population demographic changed radically and became one of the most diverse in the world. The state is generally liberal-leaning, technologically and culturally savvy, and a world center of engineering businesses, the film and television industry and, as mentioned above, American agricultural production.

Law and government

California is governed as a republic, with three branches of government, the executive branch consisting of the Governor of California and the other independently elected constitutional officers, the legislative branch consisting of the Assembly and Senate, and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by referendum, recall, and ratification. The Governor of California and the other state constitutional officers serve four-year terms and may be re-elected only once. The California State Legislature consists of a 40 member Senate and 80 member Assembly. Senators serve four year terms and Assembly members two. The terms of the Senators are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four, i.e., presidential election years. The Senators from the even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years, in the gubernatorial election cycle. California's legislature is organized in such a way that the party caucus leaders wield great power and can usually speak on behalf of their caucuses. Many important legislative decisions are thus not made on the floor of the legislature but in back-room deals by the "Big Five", which comprises the governor and the Democratic and Republican leaders of each chamber. For the 2005–2006 session, there are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Assembly. In the Senate, there are 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans. The current Governor is the Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose current term lasts through January 2007. Schwarzenegger was only the second person in the history of the United States to be put into office by a recall of a sitting governor (the first was the 1921 recall of North Dakota Governor Lynn J. Frazier). Schwarzenegger replaced Governor Gray Davis (1999–2003), who was removed from office by the October 2003 California recall election. The state's capital is Sacramento. During California's early history under European control, the capital was successively located in Monterey (1775–1849), San Jose (1849–1851), Vallejo (1852–1853), Benicia (1853–1854), and San Francisco (1862). The capital moved to Sacramento temporarily in 1852 when construction on a State House could not be completed in time in Vallejo. The capital's final move to Sacramento was on February 25, 1854 where it has been permanently, except for a four-month temporary move in 1862 to San Francisco, due to severe flooding in Sacramento. California's giant judiciary is the largest in the United States (with a total of 1,600 judges, while the federal system has only about 840). It is supervised by the seven Justices of the Supreme Court of California. Justices of the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal are appointed by the Governor, but are subject to retention by the electorate every 12 years. Judges of the trial courts, the Superior Courts in each county, may be appointed by the Governor or elected directly by the voters, depending on when the vacancy occurs. Superior Court judges serve six-year terms, after which they may run for re-election. Unlike the retention elections for Supreme Court and Court of Appeal justices, Superior Court judges run for re-election in open races, in which other qualified candidates may run as challengers. California's legal system is explicitly based on English common law but carries a few features from Spanish civil law. Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment and the state has the largest "Death Row" population in the country. At the national level, California is represented by two senators and 53 representatives, as of 2005. It has 55 electoral votes in the U.S. Electoral College. (As California is the most populous state in the Union, its counts of Congressmen and Presidential Electors are, of course, also the largest.) The two U.S. Senators from California are Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. 33 Democrats and 20 Republicans represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. While California is among the most Democratic and liberal states in the nation because of the large concentration of voters in populous areas, much of California is politically very conservative, notably the Central Valley, the Inland Empire, Orange and San Diego counties, and most inland, eastern, and rural areas. Democratic bastions are mostly coastal and include the entire San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Salinas, Santa Barbara, and Imperial County. The state has supported Democrats in the last four presidential elections. In 2004, Republican President George W. Bush received a majority of votes in more than half the state's 58 counties, but still lost California's 55 electoral votes to John Kerry, who won 54.3% of the popular vote, by a margin of 10 percentage points. See also: List of California Governors, U.S. Congressional Delegations from California, List of California counties, List of California ballot propositions

Geography

California borders the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and the Mexican state of Baja California. The state has strikingly beautiful natural features, including an expansive central valley, tall mountains, hot deserts, and hundreds of miles of scenic coastline. With an area of 411,000 km² it is the third largest state in the U.S and larger than Germany in size. Most major cities cling to the cool seacoast along the Pacific, notably Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ana/Orange County, and San Diego. However, the capital, Sacramento is in the Central Valley. California has extremely varied geography. In the center of the state lies the Central Valley, a huge, fertile valley bounded by the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the granite Sierra Nevada to the east, the volcanic Cascade Range in the north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. Mountain-fed rivers, dams, and canals provide water to irrigate the Central Valley. With dredging, several of these rivers have become sufficiently large and deep that several inland cities, notably Stockton, California, are seaports. The hot, fertile Central Valley is California's agricultural heartland and grows a large portion of America's food, yet near freezing temperatures are not uncommon during winter which sometimes wipe out portions of crops. The bottom part of the valley, which is part desert, is known as the San Joaquin Valley while the upper half is known as the Sacramento Valley. In the center and east of the state are the Sierra Nevada (meaning Snowy Range in Spanish), containing the highest peak in the contiguous lower 48 states, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4421 m). Also located in the Sierra are the world famous Yosemite National Park and a deep freshwater lake, Lake Tahoe, the largest lake in the state by volume. To the east of the Sierra are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential seabird habitat. To the west is Clear Lake, California's largest freshwater lake by area. The Sierra Nevada receives arctic temperatures in the winter and holds several dozen small glaciers, including the most southern glacier in the United States (Palisade Glacier). California has about 35% of its total surface area covered by forests. California's diversity of pine species is unmatched by any other state. Though other states have a higher percentage of their land area covered by forests, in terms of total area, California contains more forestland than any other state except Alaska. Most of the forest is found in 2 places. First, in the northwestern part of the state and along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. Smaller forests, mainly consisting of oaks, can be found along the coast ranges of California closer to the coast, and also in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Smaller areas of pine forests can be found in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains of Southern California and also in the mountain areas of Central San Diego Country. Deserts in California make up about 25% of the total surface area. In the south lie the Transverse Ranges and a large salt lake, the Salton Sea. The south-central desert is called the Mojave. To the northeast of the Mojave lies Death Valley, which contains the lowest, hottest point in North America. The lowest point of Death Valley and the peak of Mount Whitney are less than 200 miles apart. The hiking trek between the two points has been attempted, several times, most notably by Lee Bergthold. Indeed, almost all of southeastern California is arid, hot desert, with the Coachella Valley routinely experiencing extreme high temperatures during the summer. Finally, along the densely-populated but long California coast lie a number of major metropolitan areas, including San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Climates near the Pacific Ocean are remarkably moderate compared with inland climates. Winter temperatures never reach freezing (snow is unheard of) and summer temperatures rarely reach above the high 80's Fahrenheit (27 °C). California is famous for its earthquakes, due partly to the presence of the San Andreas Fault. While more powerful earthquakes in the United States have occurred in Alaska and along the Mississippi River, California earthquakes are notable in their frequency and location in highly populated areas. Some people believe, eventually, a huge earthquake will result in the splitting of coastal California from the continent, either to sink into the ocean or form a new landmass. The fact that this scenario is completely implausible from a geologic standpoint does not lessen its acceptance in public conventional wisdom, or its exploitation by the producers of science fiction and fantasy media. Notable movies in which the possible destruction of much of California by an earthquake includes the titles Earthquake, A View to a Kill, Escape from L.A. and Superman. California is also home to several volcanoes, some active such as Mammoth Mountain. Other volcanoes include Lassen Peak, which erupted from 1914 and 1921, and Mount Shasta.

Climate

Different regions of California have very different climates, depending on their latitude, elevation, and proximity to the coast. Most of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with rainy winters and dry summers. The influence of the ocean generally moderates temperature extremes, creating warmer winters and substantially cooler summers, and the cold oceanic California Current offshore often creates summer fog near the coast. As one moves away from the coast, the climate becomes more continental, with colder winters and markedly hotter summers. The temperature gradient between immediate coast and low-lying inland valleys in the north is about 7 °F (4 °C) in winter, coast being warmer, and in summer roughly 25 °F (14 °C) but opposite. In the south, the figures are approximately 4 and 23 °F (2 °C and 13 °C), respectively; however 4 °F and 35 °F (2 °C and 20 °C) between Santa Barbara and Death Valley. Westerly winds from the ocean also bring moisture, and the northern parts of the state generally receive higher rainfall than the south. California's mountain ranges influence the climate as well: moisture-laden air from the west cools as it ascends the mountains, dropping moisture; some of the rainiest parts of the state are west-facing mountain slopes. Northwestern California has a temperate climate with rainfall of 15–40 inches (400–1000 mm) per year. The Central Valley has a Mediterranean climate, but with greater temperature extremes than the coastal areas; parts of the valley are often filled with thick fog, similar to that found in the coastal valleys. The high mountains, including the Sierra Nevada, have a mountain climate with snow in winter and mild to moderate heat in summer. On the east side of the mountains is a drier "rain shadow." California's desert climate regions lie east of the high Sierra Nevada and southern California's Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Ranges. The low deserts east of the southern California mountains, including the Imperial and Coachella valleys and the lower Colorado River, are part of the Sonoran Desert, with hot summers and mild winters; the higher elevation deserts of eastern California, including the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and the Modoc Plateau, are part of the Great Basin region, with hot summers and cold winters. Death Valley, in the northern portion of the Mojave Desert on the east side of the state, is the hottest spot on the Western Hemisphere, with high temperatures over 120 °F common in the summer. The highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere, 134 °F (56.6 °C), was recorded in Death Valley on July 10, 1913. Temperatures of 130 °F or higher have been recorded as recently as 2005. The 24-hour average July temperature in Death Valley is 101 °F (38 °C) (1961--1990 standard).

Ecology

Ecologically, California is one of the richest and most diverse parts of the world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities. California's diverse geography, geology, soils and climate have generated a tremendous diversity of plant and animal life. The State of California is part of the Nearctic ecozone, and spans a number of terrestrial ecoregions, and is perhaps the most ecologically diverse state in the United States. California has a rather high percentage of endemic species. California endemics include relict species that have died out elsewhere, including the redwoods and the Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus). Many other endemics originated through differentiation or adaptive radiation, whereby multiple species develop from a common ancestor to take advantage of diverse ecological conditions. California's great abundance of species of California lilac (Ceanothus) is an example of adaptive radiation. Many California endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging, overgrazing, and the introduction of exotic species have encroached on their habitat. Furthermore, California is home to the largest trees in the world, the Giant Sequoias. California's native grasses were perennials, which stayed green year-round in most of the state's subclimates. After European contact, these were generally replaced by invasive species of European annual grasses; and, in modern times, California's hills turn a characteristic golden brown in summer and fall. California's nickname The Golden State is in reference to the California Gold Rush, and not to the golden brown summer hillsides as is sometimes stated.

Economy

California Gold Rush California Gold Rush] California has the fifth largest economy in the world. It is responsible for 14% of the United States' gross domestic product (GDP). The gross state product (GSP) is about $1.5 trillion ($1,500,000,000,000, as of 2004), making it greater than that of every other U.S. state, and most countries in the world (by Purchasing Power Parity). The predominant industry, more than twice as large as the next, is agriculture, (including fruit, vegetables, dairy, and wine). This is followed by aerospace; entertainment, primarily television by dollar volume, although many movies are still made in California; and light manufacturing including computer hardware and software, and the mining of borax. Per capita personal income was $33,403 as of 2003, ranking 12th in the nation. Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. The Central Valley has the most extreme contrasts of income, with migrant farm workers making less than minimum wage. While some coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the U.S., notably San Francisco and Marin County, the non-agricultural central counties have some of the highest poverty rates in the U.S. The high-technology sectors in Northern California, specifically Silicon Valley, in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, are currently emerging from economic downturn caused by the dot.com bust, which caused the loss of over 250,000 jobs in Northern California alone. Recent (Spring 2005) [http://uclaforecast.com economic data] indicates that economic growth has resumed in California, although still slightly below the national annualized forecast of 3.9%. The international boom in housing prices has been most pronounced in California, with the median property price in the state rising to about the half-million dollar mark in April 2005.

Demographics

Population

As of 2004 California had a population of 35,893,799. The state had 9,400,000 foreign-born residents (26.5% of the population), of which an estimated 2,209,000 were illegal aliens (illegal aliens accounted for nearly one-fourth of the foreign-born population and 6.2% of the total state population). California is the most populous state—more than 12 percent of Americans live in the state. California's population is larger than all but 33 countries; more populated than Canada.

Racial and Ancestral Makeup

The Census Bureau considers race and Hispanic origin to be two separate categories. Hispanics must not only select "Hispanic"; they must also select a race such as White or Asian, or, simply "some other race." This makes interpreting Census data difficult. Thus, for the sake of simplicity, the data below does consider Hispanic origin to be its own category. It therefore shows only non-Hispanic members of each group: non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Eskimos, non-Hispanic people of two or more races, etc. For more information on race and the Census, see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_%28U.S._Census%29 here].
2000 Census [http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/tables/SC-EST2003-03/SC-EST2003-03-28.pdf] 2003 Estimate [http://www.census.gov/popest/states/asrh/tables/SC-EST2003-03/SC-EST2003-03-28.pdf]
White 47.4% 45.2%
Hispanic/Latino 32.4% 34.3%
Asian 11.0% 11.4%
Black 6.5% 6.3%
Two or More Races 1.9% 1.9%
Native American and Inuit 0.5% 0.5%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.3% 0.3%
 
California lacks a majority ethnic group. It is the third minority-majority state, after Hawaii and New Mexico. Non-Hispanic Whites are still the largest group, but are no longer a majority of the population due to high levels of immigration in recent years. Hispanics make up over one-third of the population; in order, other groups are Asians, Blacks, and Native Americans. Because of high levels of immigration from Latin America, especially Mexico, and higher birth rates among the Hispanic population, Hispanics are predicted to become a majority in the state around 2040. California has the second-largest Asian population (percentage-wise) of any state, Hawaii having the largest. The largest ancestries in California are Mexican (25%), Filipino, German, Irish, and Asian. Mexicans and Chicanos predominate in Southern California, the Central Valley, Salinas, and parts of the San Francisco Bay area. Irish and German ancestries are dominant in the eastern Sierra Nevada, the far north, and the North Coast. San Francisco has the greatest concentration of Asians in the continental United States, with Chinese numerous in San Francisco, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties and Filipinos particularly numerous in San Mateo county.

Languages

As of 2000, 60.5% of California residents age 5 and older speak English at home and 25.8% speak Spanish. Chinese is the third most spoken language at 2.6%, followed by Tagalog at 2.5% and Vietnamese at 1.3%. The indigenous languages of California number more than one hundred, but most are in danger of language death, despite revitalization efforts. Since 1986, the California Constitution has specified English as the common and official language of the state. The politics of language, particularly concerning language policy regarding the teaching and official use of immigrant languages is a major political issue in the state.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of California:
- Christian – 75%
  - Protestant – 38%
    - Baptist – 8%
    - Presbyterian – 3%
    - Methodist – 2%
    - Lutheran – 2%
    - Other Protestant or general Protestant – 23%
  - Roman Catholic – 34%
  - Other Christian – 3%
- Jewish – 2%
- Other Religions – 3%
- Non-Religious – 20% As with many other western states, the percentage of California's population identifying themselves as "non-religious" is comparatively high in relation to the rest of the U.S.

Important cities and towns

Image:Sacramento from Riverwalk.jpg|Sacramento Image:DowntownLosAngeles.jpg|Los Angeles Image:Sandiego.arp.750pix.jpg|San Diego Image:Lightmatter sanfrancisco.jpg|San Francisco Image:SanJoseDowntownIMG016elf wb.jpg|San Jose Image:Long Beach, CA at night.jpg|Long Beach Image:La2-oakland.jpg|Oakland Image:Anaheimdland.jpg|Anaheim The state of California has 478 cities, the majority of which are within one of the large metropolitan areas. 68% of California's population lives in its two largest metropolitan areas, Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Population greater than 10,000,000 (urbanized area)
  - Los Angeles/Long Beach (Greater Los Angeles)
- Population greater than 5,000,000 (urbanized area)
  - San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose/Santa Rosa (San Francisco Bay Area)
- Population greater than 2,500,000 (urbanized area)
  - San Diego
  - Orange County
  - Inland Empire (Riverside/San Bernardino)
- Population greater than 1,000,000 (urbanized area)
  - Fresno
  - Sacramento
- Population greater than 500,000 (urbanized area)
  - Bakersfield
  - Stockton
  - Oxnard/Ventura (Ventura County)
- Population greater than 250,000 (urbanized area)
  - Visalia/Tulare/Porterville (Tulare County)
  - Modesto
  - Salinas/Monterey (Monterey County)
  - Santa Barbara/Goleta/Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County)
  - Palmdale/Lancaster (Antelope Valley)
  - Indio/Palm Springs (Coachella Valley) For a list of important suburbs within the above areas, see List of urbanized areas in California (by population).

25 wealthiest places in California

Thanks to the state's powerful economy, certain California cities are among the wealthiest on the planet. The following list is ranked by per capita income: 1 Belvedere, California - Marin County - $113,595
2 Rancho Santa Fe, California - San Diego County - $113,132
3 Atherton, California - San Mateo County - $112,408
4 Rolling Hills, California - Los Angeles County - $111,031
5 Woodside, California - San Mateo County - $104,667
6 Portola Valley, California - San Mateo County - $99,621
7 Newport Coast, California - Orange County - $98,770
8 Hillsborough, California - San Mateo County - $98,643
9 Diablo, California - Contra Costa County - $95,419
10 Fairbanks Ranch, California - San Diego County - $94,150
11 Hidden Hills, California - Los Angeles County - $94,096
12 Los Altos Hills, California - Santa Clara County - $92,840
13 Tiburon, California - Marin County - $85,966
14 Sausalito, California - Marin County - $81,040
15 Monte Sereno, California - Santa Clara County - $76,577
16 Indian Wells, California - Riverside County $76,187
17 Malibu, California - Los Angeles County - $74,336
18 Del Monte Forest, California - Monterey County - $70,609
19 Piedmont, California - Alameda County - $70,539
20 Montecito, California - Santa Barbara County - $70,077
21 Palos Verdes Estates, California - Los Angeles County - $69,040
22 Emerald Lake Hills, California - San Mateo County - $68,966
23 Loyola, California - Santa Clara County - $68,730
24 Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, California - Contra Costa County - $66,972
25 Los Altos, California - Santa Clara County - $66,776
Note: Marin County ranks as the wealthiest county in the United States based on per capita personal income.

Education

Image:Berkeley glade afternoon.jpg|UC Berkeley Image:Stanford campus aerial photo.jpg|Stanford Image:USC Bovard Auditorium enh.jpg|USC Image:RHall.JPG|UCLA Image:Tower Hall and MDA.JPG|San Jose State Image:UCSD_lib1024.jpg|UC San Diego Image:Millikan Library.jpg|Caltech Image:Csulb pyramid.jpg|CSU Long Beach California's public educational system is supported by a unique constitutional amendment that requires 40% of state revenues to be spent on education. The preeminent state university is the University of California, which employs more Nobel Prize winners than any other institution in the world and is considered one of the finest public higher-education systems in the country. The nine general UC campuses are in Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Riverside, and Merced. The University of California, San Francisco, teaches only graduate health-sciences students, and the Hastings College of Law, also in San Francisco, is one of UC's four law schools. The UC system is intended to accept students from the top 12.5% of college-bound students, and provide most graduate studies and research. The University of California also administers federal laboratories for the Federal Department of Energy: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The California State University system provides education for teachers, the trades, agriculture and industry. With over 400,000 students, the CSU system is the largest university system in the United States. It is intended to accept most college-bound high-school students, while carrying out some research, especially in applied sciences. Lower-division course credits are frequently transferable to the University of California. The California Community Colleges system provides vocational education, remedial education, and continuing education programs. It awards certificates and associate degrees. It also provides lower division general-education courses, whose credit units are transferable to the CSU and UC systems. It is composed of 109 colleges organized into 72 districts. The system serves a student population of over 2.9 million. Notable private universities include Stanford University, the University of Southern California (USC), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (which administers the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA). California has hundreds more private colleges and universities, including many religious and special-purpose institutions. This leads to many unique entertainment and educational opportunities for residents. For example, Southern California, with one of the highest densities of post-secondary institutions in the world, has a very large base of classically trained vocalists that compete in large choir festivals. Near Los Angeles, there are numerous art and film institutes, including the CalArts Institute. Public secondary education consists of high schools that teach elective courses in trades, languages and liberal arts with tracks for gifted, college-bound and industrial arts students. They accept students from roughly age 14 to 18, with mandatory education ceasing at age 16. In many districts, junior high schools or middle schools teach electives with a strong skills-based curriculum, for ages from 11 to 13. Elementary schools teach pure skills, history and social studies, with optional half-day kindergartens beginning at age 5. Mandatory full-time instruction begins at age 6. The primary schools are of varying effectiveness. The quality of the local schools depends strongly on the local tax base, and the size of the local administration. In some regions, administrative costs divert a significant amount of educational monies from instructional purposes. In poor regions, literacy rates may fall below 70%. One thing they all have in common is a state mandate to teach fourth grade students about the history of California, including the role of the early missions; most schools implement this by requiring students complete a multiple medium project.

Sports

California's large population has helped to make it home to many professional sports teams, including fifteen major professional sports league franchises, far more than any other state. However, since the re-location of the Los Angeles Raiders and Los Angeles Rams in the 1990s, it could be argued that no one city is able to lay claim to a "Grand Slam" (i.e. having a team in each of the four leagues) unless Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose are counted as being in a single metropolitan area.

Major league teams

Major League Baseball
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Oakland Athletics
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants National Basketball Association
- Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Sacramento Kings National Football League
- Oakland Raiders
- San Diego Chargers
- San Francisco 49ers National Hockey League
- Anaheim Mighty Ducks
- Los Angeles Kings
- San Jose Sharks

Other teams

Arena Football League
- San Jose Sabercats
- Los Angeles Avengers Major League Soccer
- Club Deportivo Chivas USA
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- San Jose Earthquakes Women's National Basketball Association
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Sacramento Monarchs

Transportation

Sacramento MonarchsCalifornia's vast terrain is connected by an extensive system of freeways, expressways, and highways, all maintained by Caltrans and patrolled by the California Highway Patrol, except for the numbered expressways in Santa Clara County which were built and maintained by the county itself. Californians typically take to the roads for their commutes, errands, and vacations, giving California's cities a reputation for severe traffic congestion. Almost all California highways are non-toll roads. Notable exceptions are any major bridges. As for air travel, Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are major hubs for trans-Pacific and transcontinental traffic. There are about a dozen important commercial airports and many more general aviation airports throughout the state's 58 counties. California also has several important seaports. The giant seaport complex formed by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach in Southern California is the largest in the country and responsible for handling about a fourth of all container cargo traffic in the United States. The Port of Oakland handles most of the ocean containers passing through Northern California. Port of Oakland ]] Intercity rail travel is provided by Amtrak. Los Angeles and San Francisco both have subway networks, in addition to

MySQL

 MySQL is a multithreaded, multi-user, SQL (Structured Query Language) Database Management System (DBMS) with an estimated six million installations. MySQL AB makes MySQL available as free software under the GNU General Public License (GPL), but they also sell it under traditional commercial licensing arrangements for cases where the intended use is incompatible with use of the GPL. Unlike projects such as Apache, where the software is developed by a public community, and the copyright to the codebase is owned by its individual authors, MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB, which holds the copyright to most of the codebase. The company develops and maintains the system, selling support and service contracts, as well as commercially-licensed copies of MySQL, and employing people all over the world who work together via the Internet. Two Swedes and a Finn founded MySQL AB: David Axmark, Allan Larsson, and Michael "Monty" Widenius.

Programming languages

There are APIs available that allow applications written in numerous programming languages to access MySQL databases, including: C, C++, C#, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Java (with a native Java driver implementation), Lisp, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, REALbasic and Tcl; each of these uses a specific API. An ODBC interface called MyODBC allows additional programming languages that support the ODBC interface to communicate with a MySQL database. MySQL is mostly implemented in ANSI C, and, that being a common "lingua franca" for system libraries, tends to use that as its "native" language.

Uses

MySQL is popular for web applications like MediaWiki and PHP-Nuke and acts as the database component of LAMP. Its popularity as a web application is closely tied to the popularity of PHP, which is often combined with MySQL and nicknamed the Dynamic Duo. It is easy to find many references that combine the two in websites and books (PHP and MySQL for Dummies, PHP and MySQL Bible, Beginning PHP and MySQL, etc.) The claim made in many books is that MySQL is easier to learn and use than many other database applications. An example from the Dummies book is that you can quit MySQL with an obvious command of either exit or quit, although this is true for many other database applications.

Administration

To administer MySQL databases one can use the included command-line tool (commands: mysql and mysqladmin). Also downloadable from the MySQL site are GUI administration tools: [http://mysql.com/products/tools/administrator MySQL Administrator] and [http://mysql.com/products/tools/query-browser MySQL Query Browser]. A widespread and popular alternative, written in PHP, is the free software web application phpMyAdmin.

Program specifications

Platforms

MySQL works on many different platforms—including AIX, BSDi, FreeBSD, HP-UX, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, NetBSD, Novell NetWare, OpenBSD, OS/2 Warp, QNX, SGI IRIX, Solaris, SunOS, SCO OpenServer, SCO UnixWare, Tru64, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP and more recent versions of Windows. A port of MySQL to OpenVMS is available [http://www.pi-net.dyndns.org/anonymous/kits/ here].

The latest production version

As of October 2005, MySQL offers production version 5.0.16. It includes the following features:
- A broad subset of ANSI SQL 99, as well as extensions
- Cross-platform support
- Stored procedures
- Triggers
- Cursors
- updatable Views
- True VARCHAR support
- INFORMATION_SCHEMA
- Strict mode
- X/Open XA distributed transaction processing (DTP) support; two phase commit as part of this, using Oracle's InnoDB engine
- Independent storage engines (MyISAM for read speed, InnoDB for transactions and referential integrity, Archive for storing historical data in little space)
- Transactions with the InnoDB, BDB and Cluster storage engines; savepoints with InnoDB
- SSL support
- Query caching
- Sub-SELECTs (or nested SELECTs)
- Replication with one master per slave, many slaves per master, no automatic support for multiple masters per slave.
- Full-text indexing and searching using MyISAM engine
- Embedded database library
- Full Unicode support
- ACID compliance using the InnoDB, BDB and Cluster engines
- Shared-nothing clustering through MySQL Cluster

Future releases

MySQL 5.1 will most likely contain support for:
- Partitioning
- Online backup for all storage engines
- Foreign key support for all storage engines
- Fail-safe replication
- Column-level constraints

Distinguishing features

The following features are implemented by MySQL but not by some other RDBMSes:
- Multiple storage engines (MyISAM, Merge, InnoDB, BDB, Memory/heap, Cluster, Federated, Archive, CSV, Blackhole and Example in 5.x), letting you choose the one which is most effective for each table in the application.
- Commit grouping, gathering multiple transactions from multiple connections together to increase the number of commits per second.

Source code specifics

MySQL is written in a mixture of C and C++. The SQL parser uses yacc and home-brewed lexer. A document describing some of the internal structures of the code and the coding guidelines is available from the MySQL web site.

Support

Via MySQL Network MySQL AB offers support itself, including 24/7 30 minute response time, with the support team having direct access to the developers as necessary to handle problems. In addition it hosts forums and mailing lists and employees and other users are often available in several IRC channels providing assistance.

Licensing

Both the MySQL server software itself and the client libraries are distributed under a dual-licensing format. Users may choose the GNU General Public License [http://www.mysql.com/products/licensing/opensource-license.html], or they may choose a commercial license. Some users have independently continued to develop an earlier version of the client libraries, which was distributed under the less-restrictive Lesser General Public License. [http://packages.debian.org/testing/libs/libmysqlclient10]

Pronunciation

"MySQL" is officially pronounced as "My Ess Queue Ell" , not "My sequel" [http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/What-is.html#IDX25]. However, the company doesn't mind if others use either the "My sequel" form or other local variations if they are preferred by the speaker. The "My" portion of the name comes from the name of Monty's child, spelled "My" but pronounced in the local language as "Me". The "SQL" portion uses the fully spelled-out pronunciation of the initialisation, S-Q-L, not the "sequel" pronunciation, which conflicts with the earlier IBM database of that name.[http://www.faqs.org/docs/ppbook/c1164.htm] The Swedish (MySQL AB is a Swedish company) word "Myskväll" (cozy evening, or even My's evening, "Mys kväll") is pronounced in a similar way but this might be a coincidence. Nevertheless this pronunciation is quite usual in Sweden.

Criticisms of MySQL

Early versions of MySQL included few standard relational database management system (RDMS) features, and the current production version still lacks many properties found in other SQL RDBMSs. This has led some database experts, such as Chris Date and Fabian Pascal, to criticize MySQL as falling short of being an RDBMS. Many of the early criticisms have been remedied in later versions of the software, including the lack of transactions and relational integrity constraints. These are features necessary to support the "ACID properties" for relational databases, which allow the DBMS to ensure that client applications cannot interfere with one another or insert inconsistent values. [http://www.service-architecture.com/database/articles/acid_properties.html] Other criticisms include MySQL's divergence from the SQL standard on the subject of treatment of NULL values and default values. Its handling of dates allows storing a date with a day beyond the last day of a month with less than 31 days, and arithmetic operations are vulnerable to either integer overflow or floating point truncation ([http://sql-info.de/mysql/gotchas.html]). These values are treated according to the SQL standards in MySQL version 5 through the use of special [http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/server-sql-mode.html SQL Modes]. Earlier versions of the MySQL manual included claims that certain missing features (considered essential for SQL-compliant RDBMSs) were useless or even harmful, and that users were better off without them. One section, entitled "Reasons NOT to use Foreign Keys constraints" (sic), advised users that relational-integrity checking was difficult to use and complicated a database application, and that its only useful purpose was to allow client software to diagram the relationships between database tables. [http://sunsite.univie.ac.at/textbooks/mysql/manual.html#Broken_Foreign_KEY] Another section claimed that a DBMS lacking transactions can provide as reliable of data-integrity assurances as one supporting them—conflating the issue of transactional integrity with that of saving data when the database server loses power. [http://sunsite.univie.ac.at/textbooks/mysql/manual.html#IDX340] Since these claims contradicted basic principles of relational database design, they caused MySQL to be ridiculed by some database experts. Regardless of whether they were right or not, these claims are omitted in more recent versions of the manual. MySQL today allows some support for previously-dismissed features of relational integrity checking and transactions. When the beta version of MySQL 5.0 was released in March 2005, David Axmark, a co-founder of MySQL, said that "People have been criticising MySQL since we started for not having stored procedures, triggers and views," and "We're fixing 10 years of criticism in one release." [http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/applications/0,39020384,39192964,00.htm] MySQL 5.0's 13 October build 5.0.15 was released for production use on 24 October 2005, after more than two million downloads in the 5.0 beta cycle. Critics find MySQL's popularity surprising in the light of the existence of other open source database projects wi