August 12, 2009
You Order, You Pay. La Brea Fire May Usher In New Era Of Interagency Cooperation
The La Brea fire may be offering hints of a new direction in the long standing cooperative agreement between Cal Fire and the Feds. Mike Dubrasich, Executive Director of the Western Institute for Study of the Environment shared with Firefighter Blog readers the following passage in last evening's 209 report.
"At 1200 the fire entered into Unified Command with Cal Fire because the fire threatens state DPA. The threat is from a slop over off Sierra Madre Road into Foothill Road located in Branch Four. There is a cost share agreement with Cal Fire for “you order you pay”. The slop over Sierra Madre Road in Moon Canyon has the potential to go to the valley floor. Evacuation order issued for the 14 threatened residences on Foothill Road and evacuation warning issued via reverse 911 to the 104 residences in Cottonwood Canyon."
Mike opines;
"You order you pay? I think that means the USFS is billing CalFire for any actions that CalFire "orders". Such as the Martin Mars. Who takes responsibility when poorly managed Fed land blows up in a massive fire and threatens private land on the other side of the fence? Evidently CalFire will be billed for suppression actions at the "interface". The old co-op suppression agreements are burning up along with the landscape."
Mike may be right, apparently if Cal Fire orders in equipment they will have to pay the entire cost billed by their contractors, even if sloppy work by the Feds requires a state response. I'm not saying the La Brea incident is mismanaged, not suggesting this at all.
Are we entering an era of a leaner, meaner USFS? Getting budget minded all of a sudden? Ms Pincha-Tulley did not just pull this rabbit out of her hat, no this came from a policy change.
As I understand the current policy if a fire runs into another jurisdiction, that jurisdiction must pay their own freight, nothing new here. What is new is the direct wording. I have never heard that phrase before.
I have a feeling Pincha-Tulley wants the 747 and DC-10 Supertanker, (Tanker 910) on scene but doesn't want to pay. Typically, once aircraft are above a fire air attack keeps track of what drops go where. Say a tanker drops 40 loads, 20 on state land and 20 on Fed land. The drops are billed accordingly.
More often in practice the drops are blurred, whereupon the bill is absorbed by one party or another, or a good guess at a split is attempted. That era may be over. It appears now that if Cal Fire orders equipment they bear the brunt of the costs.
Cal Fire could get tough by calling up the tankers, order drops on their designated area of operation and send them home.
Will we need for an arbitrator at incident bases in the future. The "Incident Legal Office", or ILO would be inexpensive compared to costs of overhead, equipment, personnel, food, lodging and transportation.
Worth keeping an eye on, let's see how this plays out.
"At 1200 the fire entered into Unified Command with Cal Fire because the fire threatens state DPA. The threat is from a slop over off Sierra Madre Road into Foothill Road located in Branch Four. There is a cost share agreement with Cal Fire for “you order you pay”. The slop over Sierra Madre Road in Moon Canyon has the potential to go to the valley floor. Evacuation order issued for the 14 threatened residences on Foothill Road and evacuation warning issued via reverse 911 to the 104 residences in Cottonwood Canyon."
Mike opines;
"You order you pay? I think that means the USFS is billing CalFire for any actions that CalFire "orders". Such as the Martin Mars. Who takes responsibility when poorly managed Fed land blows up in a massive fire and threatens private land on the other side of the fence? Evidently CalFire will be billed for suppression actions at the "interface". The old co-op suppression agreements are burning up along with the landscape."
Mike may be right, apparently if Cal Fire orders in equipment they will have to pay the entire cost billed by their contractors, even if sloppy work by the Feds requires a state response. I'm not saying the La Brea incident is mismanaged, not suggesting this at all.
Are we entering an era of a leaner, meaner USFS? Getting budget minded all of a sudden? Ms Pincha-Tulley did not just pull this rabbit out of her hat, no this came from a policy change.
As I understand the current policy if a fire runs into another jurisdiction, that jurisdiction must pay their own freight, nothing new here. What is new is the direct wording. I have never heard that phrase before.
I have a feeling Pincha-Tulley wants the 747 and DC-10 Supertanker, (Tanker 910) on scene but doesn't want to pay. Typically, once aircraft are above a fire air attack keeps track of what drops go where. Say a tanker drops 40 loads, 20 on state land and 20 on Fed land. The drops are billed accordingly.
More often in practice the drops are blurred, whereupon the bill is absorbed by one party or another, or a good guess at a split is attempted. That era may be over. It appears now that if Cal Fire orders equipment they bear the brunt of the costs.
Cal Fire could get tough by calling up the tankers, order drops on their designated area of operation and send them home.
Will we need for an arbitrator at incident bases in the future. The "Incident Legal Office", or ILO would be inexpensive compared to costs of overhead, equipment, personnel, food, lodging and transportation.
Worth keeping an eye on, let's see how this plays out.
Labels: 2009 Fire Season, 747 Supertanker, Cal Fire, DC-10 Supertanker, politics, USFS
June 28, 2009
No Fires So I Guess I'll Scribble
Thanks to wildland fire professionals in California and the Western US every brush or timber fire that has started over the past month has been stomped out quickly. This is good news. The State deserves a break after last year.
In the meantime I am using the down time trading-researching-positioning my stocks and following world news and current events.
I'm waiting for the California budget to be presented and fully expect to see Cal Fire and other state agencies to get hit hard. Camp and station closings seem to be a given, hiring freezes, if not already in place will be soon.
I feel sorry for all aspiring firefighters, what is already a tough career to break into will now become nearly impossible to enter.
I like to read the writings of Victor Davis Hanson. Dr Hanson's vast experiences allows him to put the problems of California in a proper perspective.
One of Dr Hanson's commenter's came up with a line too good to not repeat. The comment applies to the broad view of the new America.
"Our future consists of ogres and bridge trolls in innumerable well Fed agencies empowered with police powers, not only to rebuke, but conduct inquisitions and punish the sinful."
This is ACORN, a very scary organization with tentacles reaching into dozens of "well fed" agencies all with the intent of serving the new Fed, The Borg.
They are funded now to an extent no one has reported. They will come knocking and when they do watch what you say. Their database will note who has been naughty and who has been nice.
Our only power is the vote and the 2010 mid terms are coming into view as the most important election in our Country's history. If the Dems. maintain control of the House and the Senate can maintain their 60-some seats we are finished.
You can pencil in a second term for this president and his policies if 2010 goes south.
China, who holds more of our debt than any other country is hedging this scenario by cutting deals with Brazil and Australia for oil, minerals and investments. They are also hoarding some precious and rare metals like magnesium because they understand once commodities inflate they want to have the materials necessary for growth on hand. They are also proposing a new world currency that would replace the American dollar as the reserve currency of the world.
At least someone recognizes what a $12 trillion debt will bestow upon us. The Chinese don't want to be holding devalued U.S debt when the crap (inflation or default) finally hits the fan.
My $400 PG&E bill will be going even higher if the Senate goes along with the House and passes the Cap-N-Trade bill.
The line at my various doctor's offices will get longer if the president gets his socialized medicine program.
Doctors are already quitting. If the press was to do their job they would find this out and report it. Under socialized health care you will be screened by a nurse and wait in another line to see a physicians assistant.
Specialists will be seen by only the sickest and in many cases these patients will be too sick to help. One of the arguments the social medicine crowd have made from the start is we try too hard in America to prolong life.
Life is important. Bio tech stocks can double their market cap in a day if they present data that shows their new drugs might possibly add a few months of life of a terminal patient. Why is this?
We honor life in the USA, we reward those that can prolong life. Don't present a new policy that holds as its core reasoning that we try too hard to prolong life!
Ask an Oncologist in the UK, Canada or Cuba if they have access to the most advanced drugs in their arsenal for treatment. Ask him or her if they wish they had access to those drugs.
This may not mean too much to the ACORN kids running around with their clipboards taking notes but it does to me and my friends and relatives that have been around awhile.
In the meantime I am using the down time trading-researching-positioning my stocks and following world news and current events.
I'm waiting for the California budget to be presented and fully expect to see Cal Fire and other state agencies to get hit hard. Camp and station closings seem to be a given, hiring freezes, if not already in place will be soon.
I feel sorry for all aspiring firefighters, what is already a tough career to break into will now become nearly impossible to enter.
I like to read the writings of Victor Davis Hanson. Dr Hanson's vast experiences allows him to put the problems of California in a proper perspective.
One of Dr Hanson's commenter's came up with a line too good to not repeat. The comment applies to the broad view of the new America.
"Our future consists of ogres and bridge trolls in innumerable well Fed agencies empowered with police powers, not only to rebuke, but conduct inquisitions and punish the sinful."
This is ACORN, a very scary organization with tentacles reaching into dozens of "well fed" agencies all with the intent of serving the new Fed, The Borg.
They are funded now to an extent no one has reported. They will come knocking and when they do watch what you say. Their database will note who has been naughty and who has been nice.
Our only power is the vote and the 2010 mid terms are coming into view as the most important election in our Country's history. If the Dems. maintain control of the House and the Senate can maintain their 60-some seats we are finished.
You can pencil in a second term for this president and his policies if 2010 goes south.
China, who holds more of our debt than any other country is hedging this scenario by cutting deals with Brazil and Australia for oil, minerals and investments. They are also hoarding some precious and rare metals like magnesium because they understand once commodities inflate they want to have the materials necessary for growth on hand. They are also proposing a new world currency that would replace the American dollar as the reserve currency of the world.
At least someone recognizes what a $12 trillion debt will bestow upon us. The Chinese don't want to be holding devalued U.S debt when the crap (inflation or default) finally hits the fan.
My $400 PG&E bill will be going even higher if the Senate goes along with the House and passes the Cap-N-Trade bill.
The line at my various doctor's offices will get longer if the president gets his socialized medicine program.
Doctors are already quitting. If the press was to do their job they would find this out and report it. Under socialized health care you will be screened by a nurse and wait in another line to see a physicians assistant.
Specialists will be seen by only the sickest and in many cases these patients will be too sick to help. One of the arguments the social medicine crowd have made from the start is we try too hard in America to prolong life.
Life is important. Bio tech stocks can double their market cap in a day if they present data that shows their new drugs might possibly add a few months of life of a terminal patient. Why is this?
We honor life in the USA, we reward those that can prolong life. Don't present a new policy that holds as its core reasoning that we try too hard to prolong life!
Ask an Oncologist in the UK, Canada or Cuba if they have access to the most advanced drugs in their arsenal for treatment. Ask him or her if they wish they had access to those drugs.
This may not mean too much to the ACORN kids running around with their clipboards taking notes but it does to me and my friends and relatives that have been around awhile.
Labels: politics
May 29, 2009
California Budget Woes, Cal Fire Particulars To come
Reports from various sources hint that Cal Fire stands to lose $17 million from their budget due to the State being broke.
One source quotes the Governor declaring there will be a 5% pay cut across the board for state workers.
Other sources suggest Governor Schwarzenegger wants to eliminate the California Youth Authority, another consideration proposes closing down the state parks.
It seems to me the Cal Fire cuts will be seen in equipment attrition. I drove a 20 year old engine and an even older crew bus in my day so I see no harm in putting off purchases of shiny new model 5's and water tenders. Bulldozers age well generally and their tenders only need to get across the state a few times a year.
Cal Fire equipment is well maintained. I forget the schedules but as I recall we changed the oil on the apparatus every 1,500 miles. Safety equipment is inspected daily. A well maintained fire engine can last for decades so the dream of a new fire engine in the driveway of every station is over.
Where it will hurt is if the cuts begin to claim personnel.
Who is likely to be hurt first? At first no one in my opinion. The hiring has already been done for the 2009 fire season. At least for 2009 I don't see much pain.
2010 will be a different story. I expect some stations and possibly some camps will be closed. I can see the state offering early retirement to guys and gals within reach. I expect many of these positions will not be filled, possibly ever.
I cannot see air attack, fixed wing or rotary aircraft affected at all. Any attempt to save a buck or two by eliminating air support would be a mistake.
If I was the Governor I would draw on help from the President's gargantuan list of service corps or whatever his regime is calling it.
Tens of billions of dollars is appropriated for various volunteer programs funded through the Omnibus or Stimulus/Porkulus Bills, some have to do with conservation projects. Among the myriad of funded programs under the banner of the National Service.gov there has to be funds that can be used for essentials like fire suppression. Here is a list of funded projects for California through Americorps.
If there is money available and able body men and women who want a truly useful and rewarding job I say train them for fire crew assignment or incident base support. This is not unheard of, California Conservation Corps members, covered to some extent by Americorps already help.
The California budget pains cannot be avoided by California's elite firefighting force. The true pain may be deferred until next year but with a little imagination and smart lobbying the cuts can be minimized.
In the meantime a potentially brutal fire season is upon us.
One source quotes the Governor declaring there will be a 5% pay cut across the board for state workers.
Other sources suggest Governor Schwarzenegger wants to eliminate the California Youth Authority, another consideration proposes closing down the state parks.
It seems to me the Cal Fire cuts will be seen in equipment attrition. I drove a 20 year old engine and an even older crew bus in my day so I see no harm in putting off purchases of shiny new model 5's and water tenders. Bulldozers age well generally and their tenders only need to get across the state a few times a year.
Cal Fire equipment is well maintained. I forget the schedules but as I recall we changed the oil on the apparatus every 1,500 miles. Safety equipment is inspected daily. A well maintained fire engine can last for decades so the dream of a new fire engine in the driveway of every station is over.
Where it will hurt is if the cuts begin to claim personnel.
Who is likely to be hurt first? At first no one in my opinion. The hiring has already been done for the 2009 fire season. At least for 2009 I don't see much pain.
2010 will be a different story. I expect some stations and possibly some camps will be closed. I can see the state offering early retirement to guys and gals within reach. I expect many of these positions will not be filled, possibly ever.
I cannot see air attack, fixed wing or rotary aircraft affected at all. Any attempt to save a buck or two by eliminating air support would be a mistake.
If I was the Governor I would draw on help from the President's gargantuan list of service corps or whatever his regime is calling it.
Tens of billions of dollars is appropriated for various volunteer programs funded through the Omnibus or Stimulus/Porkulus Bills, some have to do with conservation projects. Among the myriad of funded programs under the banner of the National Service.gov there has to be funds that can be used for essentials like fire suppression. Here is a list of funded projects for California through Americorps.
If there is money available and able body men and women who want a truly useful and rewarding job I say train them for fire crew assignment or incident base support. This is not unheard of, California Conservation Corps members, covered to some extent by Americorps already help.
The California budget pains cannot be avoided by California's elite firefighting force. The true pain may be deferred until next year but with a little imagination and smart lobbying the cuts can be minimized.
In the meantime a potentially brutal fire season is upon us.
May 19, 2009
Police Services Consolidating, Preview To The Future Of California?
It's happening, from state level to municipalities police services are running out of money. Yesterday the USA Today reported on the phenomenon and cited some examples of affected communities including the Palm Springs area in California.
"In Southern California, Indio and its neighbors Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Beaumont have merged some key functions and also plan to combine dispatch operations to increase efficiency. "It's the legacy of the budget crunch," Indio's Capt. Richard Banasiak says..."
The steps taken in Palm Springs are logical. What is happening in the Coachella Valley can and should be widely instituted elsewhere in California and throughout the country, how can it not?
Today in California voters are set to reject the plate of tax initiatives on the ballet. I voted no and most people I know voted no.
Enough is enough is what voters are saying. Enough tricky schemes to raise our taxes, enough giving politicians more money to pad their pet services. Enough with pure entitlements. Enough with the taxes that are driving my family and friends from their home state.
The challenge is now on the Governor and his buds in Sacramento to actually make cuts.
He shouldn't wait for his share of the stimulus to bail us out. He should go ahead and make some cuts. It's unavoidable anyway. He's too far away from the end of his term, he can't punt, he has to pull out the pen and CUT.
It's now on Governor Schwarzenegger. Maybe he can be the leader we thought we were getting when we voted him in.
"In Southern California, Indio and its neighbors Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Beaumont have merged some key functions and also plan to combine dispatch operations to increase efficiency. "It's the legacy of the budget crunch," Indio's Capt. Richard Banasiak says..."
The steps taken in Palm Springs are logical. What is happening in the Coachella Valley can and should be widely instituted elsewhere in California and throughout the country, how can it not?
Today in California voters are set to reject the plate of tax initiatives on the ballet. I voted no and most people I know voted no.
Enough is enough is what voters are saying. Enough tricky schemes to raise our taxes, enough giving politicians more money to pad their pet services. Enough with pure entitlements. Enough with the taxes that are driving my family and friends from their home state.
The challenge is now on the Governor and his buds in Sacramento to actually make cuts.
He shouldn't wait for his share of the stimulus to bail us out. He should go ahead and make some cuts. It's unavoidable anyway. He's too far away from the end of his term, he can't punt, he has to pull out the pen and CUT.
It's now on Governor Schwarzenegger. Maybe he can be the leader we thought we were getting when we voted him in.
Labels: politics
May 14, 2009
New Threat to California Cuts, San Quentin Prison
Last week California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger threatened to cut firefighters from the state budget in a deliberate attempt to scare voters into accepting his package of initiatives coming to market May 19.That didn't impress anyone so I guess selling San Quentin prison and the L.A. Coliseum and a few other odd holdings like the Cow Palace will?
The Santa Cruz Sentinel has a run down of the properties proposed for sale but not after looking at the list I say sell it all.
I toured San Quentin as part of a class field trip in college and my first thought as we approached the grounds was why do prisoners get to live on beachfront property?
San Quentin is situated on 450 acres on Point Quentin in Marin County. It's on the leeward side of the San Francisco Bay, sporting perfect weather all year long. Not too hot, never too cold.
Sell to developers and hold out for a pretty penny. We have a lot of cheap desert land in California featuring endless views of cactus and Joshua trees for incarcerated convicts.
I do think Arnold will be forced to lay the smack down on Cal Fire but I have a feeling it will not include any direct firings. Positions will likely be lost by attrition. Retirees will not be replaced by new hires. Seasonal firefighters will be affected to the extent that engine crews will sport one or two seasonal firefighters to assist the captain or engineer.
Three engine stations will become two, two engine stations become single engine stations.
Rural counties like Merced could see stations closings. Planada may have to contract with Merced City, Dos Palos with Los Banos. In time Cal Fire might become a seasonal firefighting force. Does California in the condition it's in can support a full time wildland firefighting force? I believe we do but some might argue we don't.
The state is contracted with numerous cities to provide fire service but the writing is on the wall, some of these contracts will have to be renegotiated.
My suggestion to some of these communities is to beef up your volunteer force, be ready to protect yourself.
You have to think a day of reckoning is coming to larger city departments as well. I look for stations to consolidate, head counts to drop. For a number of reasons there are fewer fires, fewer big fires. Cities will be forced to lean on volunteers more in years ahead.
The fire service in California is not a growth industry at the moment. From the looks of it it may not be for some time to come.
May 05, 2009
Cal Gov. Schwarzenegger Threatens To Gut Cal Fire
In an attempt to drum up support for his confusing package of budget initiatives California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to eliminate 1,700 positions from Cal Fire. SFGate.com has the story.
According to the article the Governor wants to:
"...slashing $80.8 million from Cal Fire's spending plan - a 10 percent reduction - by eliminating 602 full-time positions and 1,100 seasonal firefighting positions. The cuts would be part of a series of deep cuts to the state budget.
Cal Fire, the state's fire agency, has about 5,000 full-time firefighters. At the peak of last year's fire season, more than 2,700 wild fires ravaged the state and the agency hired extra help: 3,000 seasonal firefighters.
The plan would also shutter 11 conservation camps and 20 single-engine stations throughout California.
Closing fire stations would affect response times and the agency's ability to make inspections on defensible spaces, according to the document...."
Who is he kidding? This is politics at its lowest. Why always tug at the fears of the electorate by scaring them into voting your way?
I'll be the first to admit there are some stations that could disappear and maybe some of the camps could close or consolidate. I drove a 20 year old engine for a time, we don't need a revamped fleet of Model 5's every 2 years. Surely the department can accommodate cuts here and there and they should expect cuts.
What I can't stand is these politicians plying on the fears of their constituents. It's cheap and ugly.
BTW I am voting NO!
According to the article the Governor wants to:
"...slashing $80.8 million from Cal Fire's spending plan - a 10 percent reduction - by eliminating 602 full-time positions and 1,100 seasonal firefighting positions. The cuts would be part of a series of deep cuts to the state budget.
Cal Fire, the state's fire agency, has about 5,000 full-time firefighters. At the peak of last year's fire season, more than 2,700 wild fires ravaged the state and the agency hired extra help: 3,000 seasonal firefighters.
The plan would also shutter 11 conservation camps and 20 single-engine stations throughout California.
Closing fire stations would affect response times and the agency's ability to make inspections on defensible spaces, according to the document...."
Who is he kidding? This is politics at its lowest. Why always tug at the fears of the electorate by scaring them into voting your way?
I'll be the first to admit there are some stations that could disappear and maybe some of the camps could close or consolidate. I drove a 20 year old engine for a time, we don't need a revamped fleet of Model 5's every 2 years. Surely the department can accommodate cuts here and there and they should expect cuts.
What I can't stand is these politicians plying on the fears of their constituents. It's cheap and ugly.
BTW I am voting NO!
March 21, 2009
Is This A Joke?
If this is real I will not sign and I know very few who will.
UPDATE: Apparently it is not a joke. As a matter of fact the movement is loosely called the "Obama Revolution", something I'm not sure is necessary at all.
Read about the less than stellar response the kids got here.
UPDATE: Apparently it is not a joke. As a matter of fact the movement is loosely called the "Obama Revolution", something I'm not sure is necessary at all.
Read about the less than stellar response the kids got here.
Labels: politics
March 19, 2009
Congressional Contract Busting
Congress threw a tantrum today and sidestepped the Constitution in their zeal to punish TARP recipient AIG.The object of their affections centered on AIG employee retention bonuses.
Executive bonuses for a few top personnel in the company came to light in recent days. Once the issue became front page news the President teleprompted to us his outrage, denounced the bonuses and proclaimed the contractually obligated payouts would not stand.
Just as swiftly the senior U.S. Senator from N.Y. Chuckie Schumer went on the air saying if the bonus recipients did not turn back the money they would be taxed the entire amount.
With record speed the House of Representatives worked up a bill that taxes the employees 93% of the bonus amount. The bill is headed for the Senate tomorrow where there is no scheduled committee hearings, just straight to a vote.
We can argue the competence of some of the bonus recipients but that would dismiss the larger issue, these awards or bonuses were contractual.
It looks like we have a government that has no problem running over contract law.
Even larger than the issue of legislation sponsored contract busting is the witch hunt atmosphere brewing in D.C..
This is state sponsored witch hunting. Watch as this expands to every company that accepted TARP money.
(Bank of America is defending their employees from Government snoops at the moment)
The Democrats have set the stage to review every bonus or reward for service, contractually ordained or not, to be scrutinized by a legislative committee.
The net effect is the best and brightest will avoid working for firms that accept government TARP funds. I think there are more than 250 financial firms that took government money, many actually forced to do so.
Every day in every one of those hundreds of firms bonuses are negotiated, i's dotted and t's crossed by attorneys. The only way to be competitive in business is to reward top talent. Ivy League MBA candidates readying for graduation this May are shaking over this. 200K in tuition and a scholastic lifetime of academic achievement for what?
Who would willingly go to work for a company where their work contract can be held up to public scrutiny, possibly putting them in personal danger AND their bonuses are taxed 90%.
How can B of A, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, or J.P Morgan attract the best and brightest when witch hunting interloping politicians are looking over their shoulder?
I am cynical by nature but I don't want to turn into a conspiratorialist. If I were I would think this is the first shot off the bow towards a full fledged takeover of our financial system and beyond. Numb us now so the pain of nationalized health care will be blunted.
Side note, I was listening to a Columbia University Medical School professor speak on the television the other day saying up to 1/2 of the doctors he knows want to retire, now!
Wonder why? Don't think past the obvious, they see the nightmare of national health care in the distance. Are we ready to wait 8 hours in line for a chest X-ray?
I'll quit ranting in a minute.... Let's agree these AIG bonus recipients don't deserve the money. Setting that aside if I was one of these executives I'm dialing up my lawyer tonight.
If it took my last dime I would litigate this to the U.S. Supreme Court and quick (before that branch of the government is compromised) and fight the fight our Founding Fathers would expect.
Finally, AIG shipped between $23 billion of the TARP money to foreign banks? Where is the outrage? I'm not proud of a government that goes out of its way to hurt American citizens yet overlooks taxpayer money going to French and German bankers.
How much of the money headed off our shores is destined for employee bonuses?
Labels: politics
November 11, 2008
Sorting Things Out Post Election
This site is primarily about blogging fires but it's a blank slate when nothing is burning so I have a few observations.
In my neighborhood there were no lawn signs for Obama or Senator McCain. A neighbor nailed a giant poster their 7 year old son made to a tree trunk. The cardboard poster said "President McCain vote for" and was drawn with crayons. There were signs for Prop. 8 all over the place and a few signs for the mayoral race but few to none for president.
Once the election was over I felt a severe sense of loss for my Country. I have always felt the Country should be led by someone with military experience. Why? Because when you serve in the United States Military you agree to put your life on the line for the country. It doesn't mean you don't love your country any less if you don't serve but for the top office I like someone who ate dirt in boot camp.
This election was so important because we live in a world where so many bullies are waiting to test us and our resolve. This was no time to engage in social experimentation. 52% of the electorate did not agree with my view.
In the election aftermath I vowed to limit social interaction with those who I know voted for Obama. I know maybe four or five people who openly declared their intentions and we don't talk much anyway, they all live in blue states. Most of my immediate family are Republicans but I have a few friends and acquaintances that I've never discussed politics so I did not know where they stood.
Four days after the election I dropped my son off at a friends home and the mother came out to chat. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the election and she admitted she was upset as well.
She comes from Serbia, her husband is from Greece. She said to me "Mike, how stupid could the people be?" That is an abbreviated example of her anger. She has experienced living in a society where the government imposes severe taxation and burdensome regulation. What did you do she said? I'll never forget that statement. When their son enters college they plan to retire to Greece. If she is going to live in a socialist state she prefers Greece where costs and crime is lower.
Another friend, a dear friend, a single mother who lost her husband when their daughter was in fourth grade dropped by on Sunday. We have never talked politics, I assumed she was a democrat but it didn't matter, politics just never came up. My wife told her she won't watch the news now because it's all about the new president. Our friend let loose a floodgate of emotion and she too said what did these {foolish blanks} do?
She was particularly offended by the way the press treated Sarah Palin. The feminists failed Sarah, they betrayed what they originally stood for. Women especially should have applauded Sarah. Obamamania trumped fairness and the press and feminists dutifully fell in line.
So a new era begins. Hollywood is happy, newsroom editors are happy as are constitutional lawyers, community organizers, union organizers anyone disenfranchised, Cuba, Venezuela, Europe, the downtrodden, Generation Y and some Gen. X ers ........ your day is here.
Entrepreneurs, immigrants from socialist nations, proponents of a strong military, defense contractors, 401k owners, gun owners, pro-life supporters, investors and glass half full people, your ship has sailed.
By a 4% margin the nation bought into the "change" rhetoric. Change you may regret voting for.
If you have a strong stomach and a half hour to dedicate read the Obama timeline. Some of the stuff is bunk but if even 25% of it is true we are screwed.
In my neighborhood there were no lawn signs for Obama or Senator McCain. A neighbor nailed a giant poster their 7 year old son made to a tree trunk. The cardboard poster said "President McCain vote for" and was drawn with crayons. There were signs for Prop. 8 all over the place and a few signs for the mayoral race but few to none for president.
Once the election was over I felt a severe sense of loss for my Country. I have always felt the Country should be led by someone with military experience. Why? Because when you serve in the United States Military you agree to put your life on the line for the country. It doesn't mean you don't love your country any less if you don't serve but for the top office I like someone who ate dirt in boot camp.
This election was so important because we live in a world where so many bullies are waiting to test us and our resolve. This was no time to engage in social experimentation. 52% of the electorate did not agree with my view.
In the election aftermath I vowed to limit social interaction with those who I know voted for Obama. I know maybe four or five people who openly declared their intentions and we don't talk much anyway, they all live in blue states. Most of my immediate family are Republicans but I have a few friends and acquaintances that I've never discussed politics so I did not know where they stood.
Four days after the election I dropped my son off at a friends home and the mother came out to chat. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the election and she admitted she was upset as well.
She comes from Serbia, her husband is from Greece. She said to me "Mike, how stupid could the people be?" That is an abbreviated example of her anger. She has experienced living in a society where the government imposes severe taxation and burdensome regulation. What did you do she said? I'll never forget that statement. When their son enters college they plan to retire to Greece. If she is going to live in a socialist state she prefers Greece where costs and crime is lower.
Another friend, a dear friend, a single mother who lost her husband when their daughter was in fourth grade dropped by on Sunday. We have never talked politics, I assumed she was a democrat but it didn't matter, politics just never came up. My wife told her she won't watch the news now because it's all about the new president. Our friend let loose a floodgate of emotion and she too said what did these {foolish blanks} do?
She was particularly offended by the way the press treated Sarah Palin. The feminists failed Sarah, they betrayed what they originally stood for. Women especially should have applauded Sarah. Obamamania trumped fairness and the press and feminists dutifully fell in line.
So a new era begins. Hollywood is happy, newsroom editors are happy as are constitutional lawyers, community organizers, union organizers anyone disenfranchised, Cuba, Venezuela, Europe, the downtrodden, Generation Y and some Gen. X ers ........ your day is here.
Entrepreneurs, immigrants from socialist nations, proponents of a strong military, defense contractors, 401k owners, gun owners, pro-life supporters, investors and glass half full people, your ship has sailed.
By a 4% margin the nation bought into the "change" rhetoric. Change you may regret voting for.
If you have a strong stomach and a half hour to dedicate read the Obama timeline. Some of the stuff is bunk but if even 25% of it is true we are screwed.
Labels: politics
October 30, 2008
Lockdown Society, A Preview
How do you stop the Pentagon from informing the citizenry? You follow the formula the two Congressmen in this article concocted."The FCC has sent letters to some of the nation's most prominent military analysts -- some of them pro-President Bush and pro-war -- suggesting they may have broken the law when they appeared on television stations to comment on and explain the war on terrorism."
Essentially the two Congressmen, Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, (D-Conn.) and Rep. John Dingell, (D-Mich.) requested the FCC summon these retired military men to interrogation over information disseminated in Pentagon briefings.
Here is how retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, a Fox News analyst summarizes the FCC actions;
"We are seeing the dawn of a new era of the current Democratic leadership trying to muzzle free speech and the First Amendment.....It may be the most invasive intrusion that we have seen in our history. There will be more of these tactics to follow."
The article goes on to discuss how this is a prelude to reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine after the elections.
If the three heads of our national government end up under Democrat rule you can be sure the "Fairness Doctrine" will be resurrected but the actions of the FCC at the direction of Dingell and DeLauro is equally troublesome.
This action quiets the Pentagon. With the anticipated cuts to weapons research and appropriations for weapons systems in addition to related budget cuts the new government will want to quell dissenting opinions.
You won't hear Lt. Gen. McInerney or anyone else appearing on TV or anywhere quoting Pentagon sources about how they feel if plans like this one and some mentioned here are abandoned or modified. Joe Biden doesn't hide the fact he hates the F-22 Raptor.
The Pentagon will still be allowed to hold press conferences but the new Defense Secretary will set the tone. The military may not like the changes coming but this FCC/Congress shot across the bow is an indication that information outflow will be tightly monitored.Labels: politics
March 16, 2008
McCain & Firefighters
Firefighters will be better served by McCain. He is from Arizona and maintains a ranch in rural Sedona. No doubt his property has been threatened more than once by wildfire.
He was a pilot and relied on fire crews as he took off and landed from his aircraft carrier. As a young pilot he experienced the power of fire first hand escaping a deck fire on the USS Forrestal.
He shares a natural affinity with air tanker pilots, something his opponent cannot say.
McCain will support firefighters and their needs.
He was a pilot and relied on fire crews as he took off and landed from his aircraft carrier. As a young pilot he experienced the power of fire first hand escaping a deck fire on the USS Forrestal.
He shares a natural affinity with air tanker pilots, something his opponent cannot say.
McCain will support firefighters and their needs.
Labels: politics
August 16, 2007
Bee Columnist Jabs State On DC-10 Supertanker
The Sacramento Bee's veteran political columnist Dan Walters got it all wrong in his recent piece questioning the motivations behind the Cal Fire's contracting of the DC-10 Supertanker. He tries to draw a parallel to contracts for other aircraft made under the Davis administration to the Supertanker contract Governor Schwarzenegger signed earlier this year.
Walters employs old media tactics in his piece citing unknown and unnamed "rank and file firefighters";
"Some rank-and-file firefighters were dubious, as well, that a plane designed for level, high-altitude flight could perform the low-level maneuvers required of firefighting planes and dubbed it "Air Hummer," a jab at Schwarzenegger's favored mode of personal transport."
I doubt that but then again he can write what he likes, true or not. His readership will believe there are some "rank and file firefighters" running around questioning the need for such a tool true or not. Walters writes for the Sac Bee and is read by the hundreds of politicos in the capital city. A fair percentage of state level politicians read his word as fact and form opinion based on those slim facts.
These are the same people who fund Cal Fire.
Had Walters wanted to be fair he would have researched the issues surrounding the current state of firefighter aircraft nationwide. The Feds grounded the C-130 force due to a crash in 2002 and there are simply not enough (3,000 gallon capacity) P-3A/P-3B "Aerostar" Orion's to go around.
The decision by Governor Schwarzenegger and Cal Fire to sign the DC-10 Supertanker was made based on considerable testing and a dose of pragmatism. You can read CDF Director Ruben Grijalva's reasoning here.
The Chief sums up the Tanker 910 issue in his final sentence.
"The public safety, firefighter safety, and pilot safety issues, while not immediately measurable, may also be significant."
Nowhere in Dan Walters column was firefighter safety or any of the environmental (acreage saved) concerns mentioned.
Hopefully if the California Assembly or Senate ever debate this issue they read a little bit further than their favorite local columnist.
Tanker 910 Fact Sheet
Walters employs old media tactics in his piece citing unknown and unnamed "rank and file firefighters";
"Some rank-and-file firefighters were dubious, as well, that a plane designed for level, high-altitude flight could perform the low-level maneuvers required of firefighting planes and dubbed it "Air Hummer," a jab at Schwarzenegger's favored mode of personal transport."
I doubt that but then again he can write what he likes, true or not. His readership will believe there are some "rank and file firefighters" running around questioning the need for such a tool true or not. Walters writes for the Sac Bee and is read by the hundreds of politicos in the capital city. A fair percentage of state level politicians read his word as fact and form opinion based on those slim facts.
These are the same people who fund Cal Fire.
Had Walters wanted to be fair he would have researched the issues surrounding the current state of firefighter aircraft nationwide. The Feds grounded the C-130 force due to a crash in 2002 and there are simply not enough (3,000 gallon capacity) P-3A/P-3B "Aerostar" Orion's to go around.
The decision by Governor Schwarzenegger and Cal Fire to sign the DC-10 Supertanker was made based on considerable testing and a dose of pragmatism. You can read CDF Director Ruben Grijalva's reasoning here.
The Chief sums up the Tanker 910 issue in his final sentence.
"The public safety, firefighter safety, and pilot safety issues, while not immediately measurable, may also be significant."
Nowhere in Dan Walters column was firefighter safety or any of the environmental (acreage saved) concerns mentioned.
Hopefully if the California Assembly or Senate ever debate this issue they read a little bit further than their favorite local columnist.
Tanker 910 Fact Sheet
Labels: 2007 fire season, DC-10 Supertanker, politics, Tanker 910
June 02, 2007
Off Topic: The Speech We'll Never Hear
The following was sent to me via an email chain from a source full of good Americans. I cannot attribute it to anyone as it was signed -- Anonymous!
If anyone knows where it came from originally please leave a comment, thanks.
The speech George W. Bush SHOULD give:
"Normally, I start these things out by saying "My Fellow Americans." Not doing it this time. If the polls are any indication, I don't know who more than half of you are anymore. I do know something terrible has happened, and that you're really not fellow Americans any longer.
I'll cut right to the chase here: I quit. Now before anyone gets all in a lather about me quitting to avoid impeachment, or to avoid prosecution or something, let me assure you: there's been no breaking of laws or impeachable offenses in this office.
The reason I'm quitting is simple. I'm fed up with you people.
I'm fed up because you have no understanding of what's really going on in the world. Or of what's going on in this once-great nation of ours. And the majority of you are too damned lazy to do your homework and figure it out.
Let's start local. You've been sold a bill of goods by politicians and the news media. Polls show that the majority of you think the economy is in the tank. And that's despite record numbers of homeowners including record numbers of MINORITY homeowners. And while we're mentioning minorities, I'll point out that minority business ownership is at an all-time high. Our unemployment rate is as low as it ever was during the Clinton Administration. I've mentioned all those things before, but it doesn't seem to have sunk in.
Despite the shock to our economy of 9/11, the stock market has rebounded to record levels and more Americans than ever are participating in these markets. Meanwhile, all you can do is whine about gas prices, and most of you are too damn stupid to realize that gas prices are high because there's increased demand in other parts of the world, and because a small handful of noisy idiots are more worried about polar bears and beachfront property than your economic security.
We face real threats in the world. Don't give me this "blood for oil" thing. If I was trading blood for oil I would've already seized Iraq's oil fields and let the rest of the country go to hell. And don't give me this 'Bush Lied People Died' crap either. If I was the liar you morons take me for, I could've easily had chemical weapons planted in Iraq so they could be 'discovered.' Instead, I owned up to the fact that the intelligence was faulty. Let me remind you that the rest of the world thought Saddam had the goods, same as me. Let me also remind you that regime change in Iraq was official US policy before I came into office. Some guy named 'Clinton' established that policy. Bet you didn't know that, did you?
You idiots need to understand that we face a unique enemy. Back during the cold war, there were two major competing political and economic models squaring off. We won that war, but we did so because fundamentally, the Communists wanted to survive, just as we do. We were simply able to outspend and out-tech them.
That's not the case this time. The soldiers of our new enemy don't care if they survive. In fact, they want to die. That'd be fine, as long as they weren't also committed to taking as many of you with them as they can. But they are. They want to kill you. And the bastards are all over the globe.
You should be grateful that they haven't gotten any more of us here in the United States since September 11. But you're not. That's because you've got no idea how hard a small number of intelligence, military, law enforcement and homeland security people have worked to make sure of that.
When this whole mess started, I warned you that this would be a long and difficult fight. I'm disappointed how many of you people think a long and difficult fight amounts to a single season of 'Survivor'.
Instead, you've grown impatient. You're incapable of seeing things through the long lens of history, the way our enemies do. You think that wars should last a few months, a few years, tops.
Making matters worse, you actively support those who help the enemy. Every time you buy the New York Times, every time you send a donation to a cut-and-run Democrat's political campaign, well, dammit, you might just as well Fedex a grenade launcher to a Jihadist. It amounts to the same thing.
In this day and age, it's easy enough to find the truth. It's all over the Internet. It just isn't on the pages of the New York Times or on NBC News. But even if it were, I doubt you'd be any smarter. Most of you would rather watch American Idol.
I could say more about your expectations that the government will always be there to bail you out, even if you're too stupid to leave a city that's below sea level and has a hurricane approaching. I could say more about your insane belief that government, not your own wallet, is where the money comes from. But I've come to the conclusion that were I to do so, it would sail right over your heads.
So I quit. I'm going back to Crawford. I've got an energy-efficient house down there (Al Gore could only dream) and the capability to be fully self-sufficient. No one ever heard of Crawford before I got elected, and as soon as I'm done here pretty much no one will ever hear of it again. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to die of old age before the last pillars of America fall.
Oh, and by the way, Cheney's quitting too. That means Pelosi is your new President. You asked for it. Watch what she does carefully, because I still have a glimmer of hope that there're just enough of you remaining who are smart enough to turn this thing around in 2008.
So that's it. God bless what's left of America. Some of you know what I mean."
If anyone knows where it came from originally please leave a comment, thanks.
The speech George W. Bush SHOULD give:
"Normally, I start these things out by saying "My Fellow Americans." Not doing it this time. If the polls are any indication, I don't know who more than half of you are anymore. I do know something terrible has happened, and that you're really not fellow Americans any longer.
I'll cut right to the chase here: I quit. Now before anyone gets all in a lather about me quitting to avoid impeachment, or to avoid prosecution or something, let me assure you: there's been no breaking of laws or impeachable offenses in this office.
The reason I'm quitting is simple. I'm fed up with you people.
I'm fed up because you have no understanding of what's really going on in the world. Or of what's going on in this once-great nation of ours. And the majority of you are too damned lazy to do your homework and figure it out.
Let's start local. You've been sold a bill of goods by politicians and the news media. Polls show that the majority of you think the economy is in the tank. And that's despite record numbers of homeowners including record numbers of MINORITY homeowners. And while we're mentioning minorities, I'll point out that minority business ownership is at an all-time high. Our unemployment rate is as low as it ever was during the Clinton Administration. I've mentioned all those things before, but it doesn't seem to have sunk in.
Despite the shock to our economy of 9/11, the stock market has rebounded to record levels and more Americans than ever are participating in these markets. Meanwhile, all you can do is whine about gas prices, and most of you are too damn stupid to realize that gas prices are high because there's increased demand in other parts of the world, and because a small handful of noisy idiots are more worried about polar bears and beachfront property than your economic security.
We face real threats in the world. Don't give me this "blood for oil" thing. If I was trading blood for oil I would've already seized Iraq's oil fields and let the rest of the country go to hell. And don't give me this 'Bush Lied People Died' crap either. If I was the liar you morons take me for, I could've easily had chemical weapons planted in Iraq so they could be 'discovered.' Instead, I owned up to the fact that the intelligence was faulty. Let me remind you that the rest of the world thought Saddam had the goods, same as me. Let me also remind you that regime change in Iraq was official US policy before I came into office. Some guy named 'Clinton' established that policy. Bet you didn't know that, did you?
You idiots need to understand that we face a unique enemy. Back during the cold war, there were two major competing political and economic models squaring off. We won that war, but we did so because fundamentally, the Communists wanted to survive, just as we do. We were simply able to outspend and out-tech them.
That's not the case this time. The soldiers of our new enemy don't care if they survive. In fact, they want to die. That'd be fine, as long as they weren't also committed to taking as many of you with them as they can. But they are. They want to kill you. And the bastards are all over the globe.
You should be grateful that they haven't gotten any more of us here in the United States since September 11. But you're not. That's because you've got no idea how hard a small number of intelligence, military, law enforcement and homeland security people have worked to make sure of that.
When this whole mess started, I warned you that this would be a long and difficult fight. I'm disappointed how many of you people think a long and difficult fight amounts to a single season of 'Survivor'.
Instead, you've grown impatient. You're incapable of seeing things through the long lens of history, the way our enemies do. You think that wars should last a few months, a few years, tops.
Making matters worse, you actively support those who help the enemy. Every time you buy the New York Times, every time you send a donation to a cut-and-run Democrat's political campaign, well, dammit, you might just as well Fedex a grenade launcher to a Jihadist. It amounts to the same thing.
In this day and age, it's easy enough to find the truth. It's all over the Internet. It just isn't on the pages of the New York Times or on NBC News. But even if it were, I doubt you'd be any smarter. Most of you would rather watch American Idol.
I could say more about your expectations that the government will always be there to bail you out, even if you're too stupid to leave a city that's below sea level and has a hurricane approaching. I could say more about your insane belief that government, not your own wallet, is where the money comes from. But I've come to the conclusion that were I to do so, it would sail right over your heads.
So I quit. I'm going back to Crawford. I've got an energy-efficient house down there (Al Gore could only dream) and the capability to be fully self-sufficient. No one ever heard of Crawford before I got elected, and as soon as I'm done here pretty much no one will ever hear of it again. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to die of old age before the last pillars of America fall.
Oh, and by the way, Cheney's quitting too. That means Pelosi is your new President. You asked for it. Watch what she does carefully, because I still have a glimmer of hope that there're just enough of you remaining who are smart enough to turn this thing around in 2008.
So that's it. God bless what's left of America. Some of you know what I mean."
Labels: politics
March 09, 2007
Giuliani Wrongly Attacked
Bloomberg via Yahoo! News reports,
"The International Association of Fire Fighters union said it wants its 260,000 U.S. members to know the ``real story'' of the former New York mayor, contending that Giuliani sought to curtail search-and-recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001...
...
The union wants ``to make all of our members aware of the egregious acts Mayor Giuliani committed against our members, our fallen on 9/11, and our New York City union officers following that horrific day,'"
Here's the real story. Mayor Giuliani, "America's Mayor" on September 11, 2001 distinguished himself to those of us who did not live in New York and knew little about him. I was impressed by his take charge response, calming manner, leadership and human emotion.
Some now want to play politics years later and they should be ashamed.
This quote from the article is hard to believe,
"He (Guliani) valued the money and gold and wanted the site cleared before he left office at the end of 2001 more than he valued the lives and memories of those lost,'' the letter said."
Who believes that garbage? Mayor Giuliani attended dozens of memorials and funerals of FDNY personnel killed by the terrorists on 9-11. It's safe to say no mayor has attended more firefighter funerals.
What this is is dirty politics, Clinton style politics and it's ugly. I made up my mind the minute Rudy Giuliani announced his intention to run for President I would support him over all others. It's a decision I hope all independent thinking fire personnel and good Americans come to as well.
President Rudy Giuliani, it sounds right!
"The International Association of Fire Fighters union said it wants its 260,000 U.S. members to know the ``real story'' of the former New York mayor, contending that Giuliani sought to curtail search-and-recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001...
...
The union wants ``to make all of our members aware of the egregious acts Mayor Giuliani committed against our members, our fallen on 9/11, and our New York City union officers following that horrific day,'"
Here's the real story. Mayor Giuliani, "America's Mayor" on September 11, 2001 distinguished himself to those of us who did not live in New York and knew little about him. I was impressed by his take charge response, calming manner, leadership and human emotion.
Some now want to play politics years later and they should be ashamed.
This quote from the article is hard to believe,
"He (Guliani) valued the money and gold and wanted the site cleared before he left office at the end of 2001 more than he valued the lives and memories of those lost,'' the letter said."
Who believes that garbage? Mayor Giuliani attended dozens of memorials and funerals of FDNY personnel killed by the terrorists on 9-11. It's safe to say no mayor has attended more firefighter funerals.
What this is is dirty politics, Clinton style politics and it's ugly. I made up my mind the minute Rudy Giuliani announced his intention to run for President I would support him over all others. It's a decision I hope all independent thinking fire personnel and good Americans come to as well.
President Rudy Giuliani, it sounds right!
