SEATTLE -- Lunch hour in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Workers walk dogs they can take to the office. Lines form in hip restaurants. Something big is going on here, but the only sure sign of a major employer is the many blue ID cards hanging out of jackets.

The corporate master here is Amazon, the world's largest online retailer. Amazon does not put its name on its collection of new buildings in these once-grungy environs, not even the trademark smile logo. The reason for this faux secrecy remains subject to speculation.

Something about California sets conservative teeth on edge. In the Republican manual, liberal spending priorities married to an activist government cohabiting with a hedonistic culture can lead only to failure.

So when the Golden State conspicuously succeeds, California bashers find themselves at a loss. Until recently mired in deep budget deficits, California's general fund is set to end next year in a surplus.