A picture tells a thousand words ....

 Longtime Bakersfield photographer John Harte shared with me this wonderful photo that both showcases his talent while telling the sad story of the collapse of California's real estate market. John said he has been dabbling in high dynamic range photography and captured this image of the once proud sign for the now defunct McAllister Ranch in Southwest Bakersfield.

Faces of the recession: snapshots of the economic funk around Bakersfield

It's hard to put a pretty face on this prolonged recession we're all enduring. Even the most optimistic economists don't expect us to begin to recover until late this year, and it could be a full year after that before there is anything that feels like "normal" around here. These photos are not impressive precisely because they have become the norm: the new Target at Valley Plaza Mall that was stopped in mid development, the long stalled McAllister Ranch, deals on new homes and folks trying to discard their toys.