It seems you are unable to distinguish between the merits of high-speed rail and the present failure in its execution. California needs a new high-speed, high-capacity, low-carbon ground transportation backbone good for the next 100 years (which may not even involve any "rail" when all is said and done) and the bumbling start so far does not change that. Hourly flights between Burbank and SF are not going to last when carbon is taxed at the appropriate rate, and we will need something to replace them sooner than you might think.

"incompetently planned, incompetently managed, costly, bloated, gold plated CAHSRA fiasco"

Yes, justified criticism. And doesn't make the need for HSR go away. Someday we'll end up with something reasonably efficient, most likely via Tejon and Altamont. That day will come sooner if you refrain from defecating on the very idea of HSR.