California Fires

[rappites]

Bill I hope you are doing well in Orange County. Are you wearing a mask to keep all the smoke out of your lungs.

Thank goodness we no longer live in that hell hole.


Outy's family is doing good in LA. They said smoke is all around them. But, there is no threat of fire to them.

--

[Penfold]

I'm in San Diego. There's quite a bit of smoke and ash in the air, but I'm south of the fire for now.

[rappites]

I'm sorry. I had no idea that you were there Penfold. Glad to hear that you are doing good.

[Nostromo]

Hope all Maniacs in the zone stay safe. N

[rappites]

They have evacuated 250K people in San Diego area. They have also opened up the Football Stadium where the Chargers play for people to evacuate too.

My one of my sister-in-laws said she has never seen it this bad there. She has lived there all of her 50 years of life.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Ugh.

Drought conditions, October Santa Ana winds, = fires everywhere.

It's always like that in Malibu, I don't even know the latest there, but here in OC, Irvine is one city away, and the hills on the other side of it are all burning or burnt, and the Santiago/Silverado Canyon areas, are gone.

I know people in that area and other hilly areas, so naturally one can't help but be concerned.

Skies are brown, dry, sun is red, breathing is hard, it's in the upper 80's, possibly 90's, power went out all over OC today for awhile, I heard evacuation sirens, and why am I still living in this ugly, bankrupt hellhole? :(

[rappites]

Well, You can come stay with us. We have an extra room just for ya.

Seriously though if you need someplace to go if it gets to bad. Let me know.

[Kaeos]

Bill. Dude. Seriously, are you planning on getting the hell out of there?

[Bill_the_Pony]

Eventually.

This place kills the soul. But where I'm at, if I just put up with these current annoyances, I'm still better off than 90% of other people. It's not an annoyance to many many others, and it's something I dealt with 14 years ago when Laguna Beach burned, thanks to some arsonist. Now, THAT was drama.

I still am working towards living on the side of a dormant volcano, 3000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

http://www3.worldisround.com/photos/24/380/39.jpg

If it's not too late, which is a ridiculous thing that plays over and over in me head.

[Al-Dog]

Wild fires

Mud slides

Earth quakes

Gang bangers

Illegal emigrants

Michel Jackson

Paris Hilton

Lindsay Lohan

Britney Spears


Good luck California.

[Kaeos]

All you Cali people need to know we've got lots of wide open spaces with beautiful cheap homes here in NY. We'll be happy to bury you under 4 feet of beautiful white snow every winter, it's quite cozy actually. Snowmobiles are cool.....

[spammityspam]

Texas real estate is always cheap! We've even got an ocean... one that feels like bathwater. 400 miles away.

This is armadillo country. Be skeert.

[chemikillgod]

You know, NOTHING happens in Arizona. Except Hot. Yeah, we have fires too but that's mostly in the back country. No hurricanes or floods, hell, no rain. No tornadoes, some wind. No earthquakes. No gang riots. No.. um, Texans. :p Just a little dry heat in the summer and approx two week somewhat cold winter, and you're good to go.

Although, I have to say that I hate this place because everything is so bland. Maybe we do need a little Hand of God now and again to keep us on our toes.

[mckracken]

you guys got the snowbunnies with the RV's, chemkill. I've been to Arizona in August it was hot.... you have Tombstone and you have a huge crack call the Grand something or rather plus you have Cooper's Town which serves the 12" hotdogs!

[sickness]

You know, NOTHING happens in Arizona. Except Hot. Yeah, we have fires too but that's mostly in the back country. No hurricanes or floods, hell, no rain. No tornadoes, some wind. No earthquakes. No gang riots. No.. um, Texans. :p Just a little dry heat in the summer and approx two week somewhat cold winter, and you're good to go.

Although, I have to say that I hate this place because everything is so bland. Maybe we do need a little Hand of God now and again to keep us on our toes.

You forgot to mention that every last ounce of oil you have is piped in from California and Texas so when a pipeline bursts you are ROYALLY FUCKED IN THE ASS AT THE PUMP.

I'll take the occasional earthquake and cool winters over the best excuse in the world to gouge oil prices.

As for me and Cali, it's a love/hate relationship. I love Northern California but that means I'm invariably associated with Southern California, particularly by foreigners. I won't even vacation in SoCal. Between sucky traffic, insane fire season and a place where everyone is so fake and rebuilt with plastic that even your Black newscasters look Chinese, I've got no need for SoCal. Except San Diego. Maybe. Verdict is still out since I've only been there a couple times. I like the vibe, though.

[Lavoruis]

As I say.........
welcome the to the Hellmouth Los Angeles.
I can't breathe today! the air is awful.

[chemikillgod]

You forgot to mention that every last ounce of oil you have is piped in from California and Texas so when a pipeline bursts you are ROYALLY FUCKED IN THE ASS AT THE PUMP.

Yeah, I don't know if it's accurate about being royally fucked in the ass since, from what I've seen, even when oil prices have skyrocketed, we have never (or very very rarely) had oil prices higher than California so that distinction is still in the west coast. You guys seem to be at like 30 to 50 cents higher than we have. Hell, New Mexico has higher gas prices than we do. There was one or so time a pipeline burst that we were affected at the pumps for two weeks or so. And looking at the national average now, we're actually at the lower rung of gas prices so, whether or not, pipelines will be bursting forth now and again, gas prices is pretty much the least of our worries.

And yeah, snowbirds. Ugh. At least, they stay on the east and western frontiers of the city.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Sickness, not everyone here is a fake, but there's tons of it. I hate Southern California as much as any reasonable person should, and I know others that do, but I have found that I need to watch what I say, because people actually DO get offended, as if this is the best place in the world to live.

I'm here until I can leave, and I hate it so much. SO much.

And here's that pic from the first page of the view from Upcountry Maui, about 6200 feet.

http://hawaii-stuff.com/pictures/new/upcountry_field_800.jpg

[Gentlemen Death]

You know, NOTHING happens in Arizona. Except Hot. Yeah, we have fires too but that's mostly in the back country. No hurricanes or floods, hell, no rain. No tornadoes, some wind. No earthquakes. No gang riots. No.. um, Texans. :p Just a little dry heat in the summer and approx two week somewhat cold winter, and you're good to go.

Although, I have to say that I hate this place because everything is so bland. Maybe we do need a little Hand of God now and again to keep us on our toes.

I used to live in Tucson when I was younger and have been going to AZ since I was born. Love the place. The thing I liked most was the monsoon season. Fucking beautifull!! That and the thunderstorms were just amazing, I have never seen anything like them before.

It is just too damn hot, though! I would love to live there, but I am a cold person and would rather live back in Alaska...

[chemikillgod]

I used to live in Tucson when I was younger and have been going to AZ since I was born. Love the place. The thing I liked most was the monsoon season. Fucking beautifull!! That and the thunderstorms were just amazing, I have never seen anything like them before.

It is just too damn hot, though! I would love to live there, but I am a cold person and would rather live back in Alaska...

I was talking to this random kid at a bar who split his time between Tucson and Alaska actually. I thought that wasn't such a bad arrangement since I would LOVE to move to Alaska too, until I get too tired of the snow, of course, but as of now, it's one of those places on my list. I actually have a friend who lives there so if I actually decided to say fuck it, I'd have someone up there to show me around.

[spammityspam]

I want to move to Canada when I graduate. There is no way I can live my whole life with Texas summers; I will die. I'm most definitely a cold person. Plus, they pay teachers a bunch more up there -- Texas education is, I think, still rated as the worst in the country, and the teacher salaries are among the lowest. (Coincidence? NO WAY.) I would rather shovel snow every day of my life than live with 90-100 degree temperatures for six months out of every year.

[sickness]

Sickness, not everyone here is a fake, but there's tons of it. I hate Southern California as much as any reasonable person should, and I know others that do, but I have found that I need to watch what I say, because people actually DO get offended, as if this is the best place in the world to live.

I'm here until I can leave, and I hate it so much. SO much.

Okay. Everyone is fake in SoCal except Bill.

[Bill_the_Pony]

:upyours:

[kah]

When my kid turns 18, I want to buy a cottage in the Scottish Highlands. Maybe even one of the islands. Rainy, cool, remote. Perfect.

[sickness]

:upyours:
What? I'm trying to give you credit for not being fake in a very fake place.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Sorry. I thought you were beingt sarcastic. Harsh times down here, I have friends who have been evacuated, I know people whose homes are in or very close to the burn areas in OC, I am remembering things I forgot about the Laguna Beach fire that I was caught in, (and all the fighting and tension it caused between everyone, including my ex, who WASN'T my ex (12 years) at the time, I need to get to work.....

Sorry. I took offense, the people I worry about are very real.

[sickness]

No prob. I understand it's stressful. Water under the bridge, my friend. Hope you and everyone you know do alright in this.

[spammityspam]

I'm really glad, for once, that we moved away from Huntington Beach when we did. I remember when the Laguna Beach fire happened -- when we lived in Huntington we lived right next to this couple, Tim and Annette, and Tim was a firefighter. One year the biggest fire Laguna Beach had was a trash can -- they had a t-shirt made to commemorate that one. My dad had one for a while, until the washing machine ate it.

I really wish I knew where they are right now.

[Lavoruis]

What makes you think?
that, Canadians would want you in there country spammy........
I can here them know, another dumb american"
are you ready for the super sales tax in canada.
and the snow that never ends.

[Gentlemen Death]

If I am going anywhere north, it will to Alaska where they pay you a $1,000 a year just to live! That and the surroundings are fucking awesome!

[spammityspam]

Thankfully, I doubt every Canadian will get together and vote against any future visas for which I may apply. I'd be fine with the snow that never ends. The super sales tax would be painful, but so would paying for medical care, so I think it evens out in the end.

[kah]

I'd like someone to tell you what $1K buys you in Alaska. The cost of living is quite a bit higher there. You could put that money towards shipping costs on toilet paper.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Okay, people I know are starting to turn up....estimated one million evacuated at its worst. Winds have died down, so that means the smoke has now become smog. The sun and the moon have been red for days, the sky is thick with smoke, it's even worse, visibility is bad, and ashes are all over everything. But it's cooling down.

ANd my boss at the coffee place was a psycho Jekyll and Hyde bitch this morning and I don't work well under those conditions. The snottiest customer is a pleasure compared to that. Soon. Very soon....... :Mwahaha:

[sickness]

Glad to hear everything's normalizing. I breathed a big sigh of relief for you guys when I heard a low pressure front was about to hit the coast.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Glad to hear everything's normalizing. I breathed a big sigh of relief for you guys when I heard a low pressure front was about to hit the coast.


http://a824.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/55/m_6f9ce70842c564da98daec7b63762aaf.gif








http://a721.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/117/m_f52f1c6ee1b126e03104472341e68d80.gif









http://a621.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/54/m_3ebdf7866e33c354b3b5f25c563336a4.gif









http://a929.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/35/m_cf8b0bcc81744caf5ecf8de866fb7590.gif









Yup. Getting back to normal. :p

[Gentlemen Death]

I'd like someone to tell you what $1K buys you in Alaska. The cost of living is quite a bit higher there. You could put that money towards shipping costs on toilet paper.

I lived in Alaska for 3 1/2 years...It was not THAT expensive, especially when compared with California. Does a $1,000 help....Sure, it is better then not getting anything at all and living in Northen California!

[sickness]

Well, yeah. Because sunshine 300 days a year, 50-60 degree winters, 70-90 degree summers (which are also low humidity) and the worst threat to your property being something you can build it to withstand are such horrible conditions to live in!

[Bill_the_Pony]

Northern California. I would say let's bring it full circle to Southern California, but it's pretty horrendous down here. I am only grateful that I live within a few miles of the ocean, but the infrastrucutre is just not keeping up with the growth.

And I won't go waving my middle finger this time if anyone says likewise. :wink:

Yeah, the ol' piss n vinegar is back, and I....feel....great.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/2/2f/Turnpike_Nutri-grain_ad.jpg

[kah]

When you lived in Alaska, did you pay the bills?

[Gentlemen Death]

When you lived in Alaska, did you pay the bills?

Actually by the time I was 13 I already had a kid to feed, a car loan and chlamydia!!! Thanks for all the good memories!:poke:

[kah]

It's hard to compare how much it costs to live somewhere when you didn't have to pay anything.

All I was really saying by my comments in the first place is that $1K is nothing. It pays for almost nothing, and is therefore not a legitimate reason to move somewhere.

[Bill_the_Pony]

Humidity is back, so now we have smog mixing with haze, and visibility is even worse than yesterday. Less than 2 miles.

ALso had words with the boss this morning. :mad: Basically, she's pissed because I wouldn't cower at her yelling and degrading demeanor. She tried passing it off that I had problems with certain customers. I corrected her and told her that the customers are FINE, what I have a problem with is everything behind the counter.

I should have said something about using people as her personal emotional tampon, but that probably wouldn't have made things better. :rolleyes:

Menopausing alcoholic Xanax popping harpy. :mad:

[Gentlemen Death]

It's hard to compare how much it costs to live somewhere when you didn't have to pay anything.

All I was really saying by my comments in the first place is that $1K is nothing. It pays for almost nothing, and is therefore not a legitimate reason to move somewhere.

You are right, it is not. But it sure does help and I would rather get 1k a year for free then nothing at all, you dig. And you can not compare the costs of Alaska to Northern California...Its crazy...

[Bill_the_Pony]

The US Federal Emergency Management Administration has apologised for having its employees pose as reporters at a hastily arranged news conference. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7064909.stm) :mad:




http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/ht_fema_harvey_071026_ms.jpg

Six questions were posed by the Fema officials and Mr Johnson even used the typical practice of calling for a "last question".

"I'm very happy with Fema's response," Mr Johnson said in reply to one query from an employee.




:shakehead:

[Woodwraith]

I heard about that on the news today before I left for work. I think it is clear that FEMA isn't working the way it should. Perhaps it's time to consider replacing FEMA with a new organization.

[sickness]

Or impeaching an administration that implicitly condones such Soviet-style journalism by offering a seat at White House briefings to someone who doesn't qualify as a journalist in any respect so that the President can get at least one softball question per press conference.

Never have I seen a more fundamental violation of the American spirit by any administration. Someone should be going to jail for this.

[Bill_the_Pony]

International AND domestic.

[sickness]

Yeah. I'm wondering how Bush feels about that part of the Oath of Office right about now, myself.

[rappites]

He thinks?

Someone like him does not think for himself.

[kah]

Compare cost of living (http://www.bestplaces.net/)to places other than California and Alaska, and you will see what I am talking about.

[Gentlemen Death]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Here, places I have lived:

Whichita, Kansas
Eielson, Alaska
Battle Creek, Michigan
Alberquerque, New Mexico
Tucson, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Warner Robins, Georgia
Tacoma, Washington
Salem, Oregon
Santa Rosa, California
Sonoma, California

Granted, I personally have only paid for bills in about 4 of those states, but living in a house where you constantly here your parents bitch about whats cheaper then other places....Well, yea....

[kah]

You have to figure that living in Kansas is roughly 3-4 times cheaper than living in CA, nothwithstanding the income adjustments. You also have to figure in other costs, like what it costs to heat your home all winter in Alaska versus cooling it all year in California. Can you even get cable, and what will it cost? Satellite phone or cell phone? Daily commute? Is it 2 hours in gridlock, or 30 minutes straight open highway? Price of groceries? Taxes? Car registration? You get the picture. There's a lot to take into account.