California (again)

[Buffalo_Gal]

Fires Push Toward CA Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Multimillion Dollar Winery; Property Now Surrounded By Multiple Blazes
 

As California Governor Gavin Newsom toured the wildfire damage in the Deer Park area of Napa County on Thursday a new blaze, dubbed the Campbell Fire, broke out very close to the winery he co-owns with oil heir Gordon Getty. While it was quickly extinguished, the fire highlighted the precarious state of his property.
 

Newsom’s Plumpjack Winery off of Highway 29 near Oakville has been increasingly threatened over the past few days by the Glass Fire, which was ignited September 27 to the north, near Calistoga. The fire has scorched 57,000 acres and now stands at 5% containment.
 

</snip>

[IDBillzFan]

6 hours ago, B-Man said:

 

 

Why I’m Leaving California.

When my family moved to North Hollywood, I was 11. We lived in a safe, clean suburb. Yes, Los Angeles had serious crime and homelessness problems, but those were problems relegated to pockets of the city—problems that, with good governance, we thought could eventually be healed. Instead, the government allowed those problems to metastasize.

 

As of 2011, Los Angeles County counted less than 40,000 homeless; as of 2020, that number had skyrocketed to 66,000. Suburban areas have become the sites of homeless encampments. Nearly every city underpass hosts a tent city; the city, in its kindness, has put out port-a-potties to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 spread.

 

Police are forbidden in most cases from either moving transients or even moving their garbage. Nearly every public space in Los Angeles has become a repository for open waste, needles, and trash. The most beautiful areas of Los Angeles, from Santa Monica beach to my suburb, have become wrecks.

 

My children have personally witnessed drug use, public urination, and public nudity. Looters were allowed free reign in the middle of the city during the Black Lives Matter riots; Rodeo Drive was closed at 1 p.m., and citizens were curfewed at 6 p.m.

 

To combat these trends, local and state governments have gamed the statistics, reclassifying offenses and letting prisoners go free.

 

Meanwhile, the police have become targets for public ire. In July, the city of Los Angeles slashed police funding, cutting the force to its lowest levels in over a decade.

 

 

 

Decay is a choice.

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like BullBuchanan has a new home! No police, rampant homelessness, trash-line streets, daily murders and rapes, and unchecked drug use!

 

What a dream!  

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

6 minutes ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

Sounds like BullBuchanan has a new home! No police, rampant homelessness, trash-line streets, daily murders and rapes, and unchecked drug use!

 

What a dream!  

 

...he almost makes you think he's an ex-cop with a serious axe to grind against law enforcement.....or someone who had a bad encounter with cops and won't let it go.....

[Keukasmallies]

And then there's this from the Land of Fruit and Nuts:  Historic California law establishes path to reparations for Black people, descendants of slaves.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/historic-california-law-establishes-path-reparations-black-people-descendants-slaves-n1241627

 

What about white people who are descendents of slaves?  In any event, I propose that the reparations be in the form of physical labor to more mirror the original misuse of persons.  Monetary payments are simply not comparable to what slaves suffered, and appear to cheapen the concept of amends for a wrong done long ago.
 

[IDBillzFan]

5 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

...he almost makes you think he's an ex-cop with a serious axe to grind against law enforcement.....or someone who had a bad encounter with cops and won't let it go.....

 

He's oppressed by a map, dammit. Don't make light of that.

 

54 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

Fires Push Toward CA Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Multimillion Dollar Winery; Property Now Surrounded By Multiple Blazes

 

I'm sure that fire will get handled immediately. Can't burn down the only winery allowed to remain open in California.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

5 minutes ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

He's oppressed by a map, dammit. Don't make light of that.

 

 

I'm sure that fire will get handled immediately. Can't burn down the only winery allowed to remain open in California.

 

...now Gruesome Newsom passed legislation demanding corporate Boards show racial, ethnic and sexual orientation diversity.....how can the clown dictate to companies as to what their Board composition should be?......as the former and VERY SF Mayor, perhaps one seat should be reserved for a homeless dude......good Lord, MORE earthquakes pronto.....

[Alaska Darin]

Good luck with all those social programs and homeless folks, Comrade Gruesome.  Because you're going to be left with pretty much zero real business within a decade.

 

(Except maybe a Winchell's and Togo's on each corner)

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

6 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Good luck with all those social programs and homeless folks, Comrade Gruesome.  Because you're going to be left with pretty much zero real business within a decade.

 

(Except maybe a Winchell's and Togo's on each corner)

 

 

...how many of the homeless does he have housed in hotels as "Covid-19 protection"  that are literally destroying these properties because of their filth, drug use et al all and Cali taxpayers' expense?....now he wants $60 billion Fed bailout for his fiscal ineptitudes......mirror image of his Blue State Bookend a/k/a NYS and Andy of Mayberry......and the remaining 46 in between are expected to pay the price...NOT..........

[Alaska Darin]

Just now, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

 

...how many of the homeless does he have housed in hotels as "Covid-19 protection"  that are literally destroying these properties because of their filth, drug use et al all and Cali taxpayers' expense?....now he wants $60 billion Fed bailout for his fiscal ineptitudes......mirror image of his Blue State Bookend a/k/a NYS and Andy of Mayberry......and the remaining 46 in between are expected to pay the price...NOT..........

One of the Congress Critters actually put forth legislation to put conditions on possible bailouts, including mandating pension reform and balanced budgets.

 

Let's play a game:

Question 1:  Guess which party's Congress Critter drafted this legislation?

Question 2:  Guess what percentage chance this legislation has of ever seeing a vote?

[KD in CA]

48 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Good luck with all those social programs and homeless folks, Comrade Gruesome.  Because you're going to be left with pretty much zero real business within a decade.

 

(Except maybe a Winchell's and Togo's on each corner)

 

Almost 5% of our SF office has moved away during the shutdown (still employed, just working remotely permanently). 

 

Interestingly, it's happening in our Champaign and Des Moines offices too.  We're seeing a real reshuffling of where people live, and a change in business mindset about the need to all work together in a common office.  I've already put one of our two floors in our downtown office on the sublease market...won't be any takers for a while but want to be ready if we have a short term rush to return before the new reality hits for good.

Edited October 1, 2020 by KD in CA

[Dragoon]

3 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

 

Almost 5% of our SF office has moved away during the shutdown (still employed, just working remotely permanently). 

 

Interestingly, it's happening in our Champaign and Des Moines offices too.  We're seeing a real reshuffling of where people live, and a change in business mindset about the need to all work together in a common office.  I've already put one of our two floors in our downtown office on the sublease market...won't be any takers for a while but want to be ready if we have a short term rush to normal before the new reality hits for good.

I think it’ll be the death blow to the power of the Left and they caused it which is hilarious. 
 

City Dwellers: “Can we go back to work so we can have money please?”

 

Big City Liberals: “No! Because Trump is President...erm, we mean...we mean...because it’s not safe. Yeah! That’s it! It’s not safe to work.”

[Wacka]

47 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Good luck with all those social programs and homeless folks, Comrade Gruesome.  Because you're going to be left with pretty much zero real business within a decade.

 

(Except maybe a Winchell's and Togo's on each corner)

And Starbucks.

[Foxx]

https://twitter.com/JohnBasham/status/1311790284586594312

 

Earthquake Forecast for the Westmorland Swarm beginning Sept. 30, 2020

October 1, 2020

A swarm of earthquakes southeast of the Salton Sea, in the Brawley seismic zone, began on Sept. 30, 2020.  The swarm continues today at a lower rate, with 4 magnitude 3 earthquakes recorded in the first 7 hours of today, compared to 40 magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes recorded in the last 7 hours of Sept. 30th. The largest earthquake that has occurred, as of this release, is a magnitude 4.9 at 5:31 PM PDT on September 30. This earthquake and the associated swarm are located in an area of diffuse seismic activity between the San Andreas fault in the north and the Imperial fault to the south.  This area has also seen swarms in the past –notably the 1981 Westmorland swarm, which included a M5.8 earthquake, and the 2012 Brawley swarm, which included a M5.4 earthquake.  Past swarms have remained active for 1 to 20 days, with an average duration of about a week.  The current swarm is occurring about 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the south of the swarm that occurred near Bombay Beach in August 2020.

In a typical week, there is approximately a 1 in 3000 chance of a magnitude 7+ earthquake in the vicinity of this swarm. During this earthquake swarm, the probability of larger earthquakes in this region is significantly greater than usual – about 1 in 300.  The swarm continues to evolve, and we expect to update this forecast with more specific probability information as we collect more data.

The following three scenarios describe possibilities of what could happen from 1 October to 8 October.

Only one of these scenarios will occur within the next week. These scenarios include the possibility of earthquakes on and off the Imperial and San Andreas Faults.

1. Scenario One (Most likely: 90%):  Earthquakes continue, possibly including earthquakes up to magnitude 5.4.

The most likely scenario is that the rate of earthquakes in the swarm will decrease over the next 7 days. Some additional moderately sized earthquakes (M4.5 to 5.4) may occur, which could cause localized damage, particularly in weak structures.  Smaller magnitude earthquakes (M3.0+) may be felt by people close to the epicenters.

2. Scenario Two (Less likely: 10%): A larger earthquake (magnitude 5.5 to 6.9) could occur within the next 7 days.

A less likely scenario is a somewhat larger earthquake could occur (up to a M6.9). Earthquakes of this size could cause damage around the area close to the earthquakes that have already occurred and would be followed by aftershocks that would increase the number of smaller earthquakes per day. This scenario occurred in a previous swarm in the area – in 1981, when a swarm in this region included a magnitude 5.8 earthquake.

3. Scenario Three (Least Likely: approximately 1 in 300):  A much larger earthquake (magnitude 7 or higher) could occur within the next 7 days.

A much less likely scenario, compared with the previous two scenarios, is that the ongoing swarm could trigger an earthquake significantly larger than the M4.9 that occurred on the 30 September (i.e., M7.0 and above). While this is a very small probability, if such an earthquake were to occur, it would have serious impacts on communities nearby and would be followed by aftershocks that would increase the number of smaller earthquakes per day. ...

[The Frankish Reich]

1 hour ago, Foxx said:

https://twitter.com/JohnBasham/status/1311790284586594312

 

Earthquake Forecast for the Westmorland Swarm beginning Sept. 30, 2020

October 1, 2020

A swarm of earthquakes southeast of the Salton Sea, in the Brawley seismic zone, began on Sept. 30, 2020.  The swarm continues today at a lower rate, with 4 magnitude 3 earthquakes recorded in the first 7 hours of today, compared to 40 magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes recorded in the last 7 hours of Sept. 30th. The largest earthquake that has occurred, as of this release, is a magnitude 4.9 at 5:31 PM PDT on September 30. This earthquake and the associated swarm are located in an area of diffuse seismic activity between the San Andreas fault in the north and the Imperial fault to the south.  This area has also seen swarms in the past –notably the 1981 Westmorland swarm, which included a M5.8 earthquake, and the 2012 Brawley swarm, which included a M5.4 earthquake.  Past swarms have remained active for 1 to 20 days, with an average duration of about a week.  The current swarm is occurring about 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the south of the swarm that occurred near Bombay Beach in August 2020.

In a typical week, there is approximately a 1 in 3000 chance of a magnitude 7+ earthquake in the vicinity of this swarm. During this earthquake swarm, the probability of larger earthquakes in this region is significantly greater than usual – about 1 in 300.  The swarm continues to evolve, and we expect to update this forecast with more specific probability information as we collect more data.

Yikes. I actually lived right there a long time ago. Earthquakes are not an unusual thing. The good thing is it's an irrigated agricultural desert community, so there's not a whole lot (other than single-story structures and pipelines/wires) that can come tumbling down.

There's also no trees to burn so they don't get forest fires. Forest fires or earthquakes? In California, you can't avoid both.

[KD in CA]

22 hours ago, Foxx said:

https://twitter.com/JohnBasham/status/1311790284586594312

 

It's pretty much the only thing missing at this point....

[KD in CA]

Meanwhile in local news, Marin parents are aghast that some local high school students were discovered to be threatening their Jewish classmates online with anti-sematic statements.  Workshops are quickly being scheduled, yet we all wonder how kids could be influenced to think and do such things in this day and age.

 

 

Unrelated, just down the road in the big city, SFSU prepared to welcome convicted Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled with open arms, under the guise of 'academic freedom', until enough objections were raised that they finally had to back down and rescind the invite.  

https://www.jweekly.com/2020/09/21/s-f-state-president-on-why-hijackers-invite-is-protected-by-academic-freedom/

[Alaska Darin]

Yeah...unrelated.

[GG]

2 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

Yeah...unrelated.

The left can't be anti-semitic because their intentions are good.  

[RocCityRoller]

On 10/1/2020 at 11:41 AM, Alaska Darin said:

The last Republican Mayor of LA left office in 2001.  Democrats own all of this.  ALL OF IT.

 

You think that is bad look at Minneapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, St Louis etc etc...

 

It never sinks in...

 

Now NYC

[B-Man]

 

 

California Is a Cautionary Tale for America

Reason, by Steven Greenhut

 

Original Article

 

 

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

On 10/2/2020 at 10:31 PM, RocCityRoller said:

 

You think that is bad look at Minneapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, St Louis etc etc...

 

It never sinks in...

 

Now NYC

 

...anybody have Dinkins on speed dial???....

[B-Man]

 

 

[B-Man]

 

 

SOMEDAY, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS WILL CEASE WRITING BAD LEGISLATION – BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY: 

 

A Not So New California State Department.

With the stroke of his pen, Governor Newsom morphed the Department of Business Oversight (DBO) into the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) with responsibility to enforce all state laws relating to “persons offering or providing consumer financial products or services.” It is an expansion of authority beyond what was vested in DBO. The Governor originally proposed the concept as part of his budget, but the Legislature amended it into AB 1864 (Limon), the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL), when the budgetary process was derailed by periodic legislative shutdowns from COVID-19 quarantine and sanitation requirements.

 

Most of the provisions, but not all, in the CCFPL are from the federal Dodd-Frank Act Title X which currently regulates financial service providers and the banking industry. The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created to protect consumers from discriminatory and unfair practices, assure timely and understandable financial information, provide consistent enforcement and efficient operation of markets for consumer financial products and services while at the same not burden the industry with unwarranted regulations.

 

But it is not clear which companies are covered by a new law that’s more extensive than its predecessor. As the California Chamber of Commerce concludes at the above link, “if a financial service provider is not currently regulated, they probably will be in January 2021 when AB 1864 becomes effective. It is likely that licensees impacted by AB 1864 were not aware of the legislation.”

 

Whether or not you agree with this legislation, AB 1864, like AB5 on independent contractors, is unclear, and as such will cost the citizens of California extra money in litigating that the regulations mean, and rebranding a government agency. But then, as they say, the process is the punishment.

 

 

 

 

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

...Gruesome Newsom strikes again......so now four hours to eat dinner...OR....six if you ordered ribs......SMH......give 'em a raise.............

California governor's office tells diners to wear masks 'in between bites'

Masks have become fierce topic of debate across country

By Adam Shaw | Fox News

 

The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom has told residents in the Golden State that if they go out to eat, they should be wearing a mask “in between bites” to protect themselves from COVID-19.

 

“Going out to eat with members of your household this weekend?” an Oct. 3 tweet from the governor’s office says. “Don't forget to keep your mask on in between bites.”

 

For emphasis, the tweet shows an image of someone at a dining seat wearing a mask, then not wearing a mask while taking a bite, and then putting the mask on again.

 

However, the image then advises people to "minimize the number of times you take your mask off."

 

California has allowed limited indoor dining to resume in a number of counties. San Francisco allowed indoor dining last week at 25% capacity.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-govs-diners-masks

 

 

[Wacka]

CA has recall as part of their state constitution (remember that is how they got the Governator). Why aren't they circulating petitions right now?

Edited October 8, 2020 by Wacka

[B-Man]

 

 On California’s ballot, an invitation to legalize discrimination.

 

 

 

 

[Chef Jim]

On 10/6/2020 at 5:11 PM, Wacka said:

CA has recall as part of their state constitution (remember that is how they got the Governator). Why aren't they circulating petitions right now?

They are. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...Feds should bail them out as a signal to Gruesome Newsom for a "job well done" in governance.....he's a Cali keeper............

 

San Francisco tax revenue plunge points to resident exodus

Sales tax revenues declined by more than 40% this spring

By Brittany De Lea | Fox News

 

San Francisco experienced a 43% year-over-year decline in sales tax revenues during the pandemic, which has been credited to an exodus from the expensive city.

 

San Francisco’s chief economist Ted Egan attributed the drop in revenue that occurred between April and June to a flight of individuals from the city, rather than a decline in activity due to the pandemic.

Egan told Fox News that while areas throughout California experienced a decline in sales tax revenues, other cities saw an uptick in online sales – but San Francisco did not.

“In San Francisco, we saw a big drop in brick-and-mortar sales, and very little increase in online sales,” Egan said. “So it raises the question, where did that spending go?”

 

Other data supports an exodus of residents from San Francisco – as remote work guidelines allow some workers more freedom in choosing where to live.

 

The latest report from United Van Lines shows that outbound moving requests from the city were 128% above the national average at the start of September.

 

Data from Zumper showed a continued yearly decline of 20.3% in median rent prices in San Francisco this month, which was among the largest yearly decline ever recorded – and marked a milestone as prices dropped below $3,000 for a one-bedroom in the pricey metro.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/san-francisco-tax-revenue-plunge-resident-exodus

 

[ComradeKayAdams]

On 9/28/2020 at 1:25 PM, 3rdnlng said:

We used to hear that becoming energy independent was impossible because it would take us 10 years to do so. Today the USA is energy independent because we not only set out to do so but were fortunate to discover and utilize fracking. Fracking has been a Godsend to our country and possibly the world. You are dead set against it but praise renewables that have made very little difference in reducing carbon emissions. In your own words you claim that solutions don't have to be perfect but the least crappy one. Here is an article from Slate that is 8 years old. I searched using the words fracking, reduction and carbon emissions. I quit perusing the different articles after 3 pages but chose one from a notoriously liberal source. 

 

https://slate.com/technology/2012/09/thanks-to-fracking-u-s-carbon-emissions-are-at-the-lowest-levels-in-20-years.html

 

It is my understanding that we here import much of our lumber. I could imagine a government/private industry partnership that would allow logging on federal/state lands along with simultaneously cleaning, thinning our forests and creating fire breaks. Returning to paper bags instead of disposable plastic bags might be a solution for some of the deadfall along with standing timber. We need to daily bitchslap faux environmentalists that protest against trimming tree branches around electrical lines while whole communities burn down. 

 

Our energy independence, along with our ability to export energy products places us in a position to dictate outcomes around the world. The Middle East has given us trouble and blackmailed us for decades because they had the oil. Russia, clearly not our friend, relies on oil and natural gas for their main income. We can use our energy independence to shape outcomes around the world. While many may dislike hearing this and I don't find it a perfect solution to the world's problems I see it as the "least crappy one". 

 

As far as California goes it is an overpopulated irrigated desert without enough water to support its residents. Their efforts would be better spent looking for solutions such as desalination plants rather than bullet trains. The problem though is that they have given away their ability to actually make bold decisions because of their deep seated government pension deficits. They are the perfect example of failed liberal policies. 

 

Sorry 3rdnlng, I’ve been super busy for the past couple weeks and totally forgot to reply. I’m grouping my responses by topic:

 

1. Fracking: Ok, well at least it’s replacing coal power plants! FYI, a majority of Pennsylvanians nowadays consistently poll in opposition to Marcellus Shale fracking. I could theoretically support it, but on three future conditions that are unlikely to be met. The first condition is that it must be viewed not as an end-goal energy source, but rather as a transition-stage energy source toward a renewable energy solution package centered on nuclear and solar. That’s because any long-term greenhouse gas emissions benefits we get from carbon-specific reductions due to fracking are more than offset by the more devastating methane leakage in the short-term. The second condition is that the environmental concerns from underground water supply contaminants, air pollution due to the toxic chemicals released during fracking processes, and induced earthquakes/tremors must all be reassured following years of additional scientific research. The third condition is that the entire U.S. fracking industry must be subjected to WAY stronger regulatory oversight than the ridiculous level it currently enjoys.

 

2. Lumber: I’m surprised and disappointed that the U.S. is a net importer of it. I potentially really like your idea of government forestry service partnerships with private lumber/furniture/paper industries, but I hold the same forest management concerns that I have in the wildfire management topic…namely, how feasible is all this in terms of cost, manpower, and (in the case of the lumber industry) profitability? You can definitely pull me over to your side on this one, but I’d have to see numbers and calculations beforehand. Forest management methods matter as well (hey a neat “FMMM” acronym slogan…though it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like BLM…), so I would also need reasonable forest habitat protection reassurances beforehand.

 

3. Energy independence: This is an admirable goal and sound economic strategy, but multiple paths to it exist. The U.S. has chosen to continue along the reliable fossil fuel status quo route while other countries have put forth successful efforts into alternative routes incorporating renewable energies. Since the 1970’s, the U.S. has never seriously entertained other energy options because the fossil fuel industry is a prominent subset of the corporate oligarchy that owns our country and dictates our public policy. I’m a somewhat reasonable hippie who understands the current transportation technology landscape, some of the environmental concerns related to extant resource mining techniques for renewables, the need for strategic petroleum reserves to prevent energy macroeconomic shocks, etc… These are all windows of opportunity, however, to leave open for certain continued activities like offshore oil/gas drilling, NOT for new plans like creating Athabasca tar sands somewhere else. Those who care only about money and not the environment should want the U.S. to be focused on renewable energy investments ASAP. The lucrative international energy market is rapidly heading in that direction.

 

Let’s now get to the foreign policy component. The U.S. shouldn’t have the mindset where it feels it has the moral authority or the economic imperative to “dictate outcomes around the world,” as you say. A foreign policy doctrine not grounded in the Golden Rule inevitably tarnishes diplomatic and economic relationships everywhere. The Middle East is a textbook example of a region where misguided regime changes, short-sighted organized coups, and cavalier unilateral sanctions/embargos have led to all sorts of terrible unintended consequences that include energy market blackmailing. Even energy-dependent countries can still maintain prosperous economies if they engage in respectful and mutually beneficial relationships with other countries. Also, capitalist democracies can still have healthy trade relations with left-wing socialist/communist countries and right-wing fascist/authoritarian countries.

 

One more thing…and this is super important…energy-independent countries can still exhibit dangerous economic market fragility and still be slaves to their own belligerent/manipulative foreign policy. You brought up Russia in a different context, but that country is a PERFECT example of the false security that a fossil-fuel based energy independence can bring. Russia’s economy is so disproportionately invested in oil and natural gas exports to Europe and to Middle East that it pressures them into aggressive confrontations and trade route disruptions abroad that hurt them in many other ways, including alienation from the U.S. and other potential NATO allies. Russia has enormous renewable energy potential with all the untapped transition metal oxide materials estimated to be within the Ural Mountains and throughout Siberia. Russia, like the United States, would be much better off economically by diversifying their national energy portfolio ASAP toward renewables (including nuclear…especially since they already have the Cold War refinery/enrichment infrastructure in place).

 

4. California habitability: As you know, I’m all about my high-tech solutions driven primarily by the private market and supported heavily by government-funded research whenever/wherever necessary. So I do like the concept of desalination plants…but aren’t their current technological forms too expensive, carbon emissions-intensive, and destructive to marine ecosystems and fisheries? Is that why there aren’t more of them already along the Pacific Coast? I also don’t see water shortage solutions like desalination plants and broader environmental solutions like high-speed rails/bullet trains as mutually exclusive pursuits. Both are inextricably linked together, anyway, through future state planning for energy/financial allocations and urban/suburban layouts. I’m glad that you mentioned bullet trains because re-envisioning public transportation is critical to reversing the problem of suburban sprawl, which I see as fundamental to the Cali wildfire problem (and to other environmental issues). A Sacramento-SF-SJ-Santa Barbara-LA-Riverside-SD high-speed rail “spine” could do wonders for the Cali economy in the same way that it has helped Europe and some of the Far East countries.

 

Now as for Cali’s limited financial ability to make such bold environmental habitability decisions…yes, the neolibs and progressives have made a mess of the state budget, and I agree that more GOP politicians deserve a crack at reining in some of the wasteful spending. Nevertheless, what concerns me is that most conservative politicians don’t even think that many of these bold environmental decisions need to be made in the first place or that unfettered capitalism has played any inimical role. I don’t view California as a failed state, either, in the way that conservatives often portray it to be. California still props up the rest of the U.S. with the fifth largest economy in the world and with almost inarguably the number one collection of high-tech workforce talent on the planet. I maintain hope in them solving their problems!

 

On 9/28/2020 at 6:39 AM, ALF said:

Do state regs apply to fed and private forest land ?

 

Hi, ALF! No, state public forestry/fire protection regulations don’t apply to federal public land and are different in nature from those applied to state private land. However, I’m pretty sure there are mutually agreed-upon regulatory overlaps between the state and the fed. Both, of course, maintain their separate turfs for regulation enforcement and forest land management. The USFS and California DFFP websites, along with the Cali residents here at PPP, would be much more useful if you want the regulatory details. Hope this helped??

 

On 9/28/2020 at 8:24 AM, SoCal Deek said:

California’s wild fires are NOT the result of it being hot outside!  Trees don’t suddenly succumb to spontaneous combustion for goodness sake!!!

 

No one has said anything about spontaneously combusting trees. Or at least I haven’t.

 

On 9/28/2020 at 8:44 AM, SoCal Deek said:

How cool is that?!! 
For those not familiar with the details, of the two Southern California wildfires one was caused by a gender reveal party gone wrong (believe it or not) and the other was started by poorly managed Edison power lines...again. Neither had anything to do with Climate Change! 

 

The main issue at hand isn’t what initiated the fires, but rather what has caused them to become so large and destructive.

 

On 9/28/2020 at 9:47 AM, Wacka said:

And lightning is man-made or Trump's fault?

 

See above reply.

 

On 9/28/2020 at 12:13 AM, Alaska Darin said:

Nope.

 

"ALL of this catastrophizing around Climate Change is just a huge DISTRACTION.  Did climate change happen between last year and this year?"  - Actual accredited person, not some wordy internet liberal assclown.

 

I don’t appreciate being called an “assclown” completely out of nowhere (especially from a PPP Moderator?!), and I REALLY don’t appreciate being categorized as a “liberal.” Act less like a cranky anti-social right-wing internet troll and act more like a mature adult. In case you didn’t know, hackneyed political one-liners and 5-minute YouTube videos from libertarian ideologues do not have value on par with peer-reviewed scientific literature. And BTW, Michael Shellenberger is not an accredited scientist. He’s an ecomodernist author playing the environmentalism heretic role in order to sell books. I already discussed his agenda and his latest book in the Global Warming Hoax thread (page 332, July 7). I agree with some of his ideas and disagree with many others. If you had fully read the second and third paragraphs of my post on page 92, you would have noticed that I can agree with Shellenberger, John Stossel, and Dr. Hugh Safford (presumably…because Dr. Safford only spoke two sentences between 3:50-4:00 in that video which were probably taken out of context) on the importance of forest management and on the fact that there is no definitive causal relationship between ANTHROPOGENIC global warming and the latest West Coast wildfires.

 

On 9/28/2020 at 8:55 AM, BeerLeagueHockey said:

We all know if you'd just stop driving your SUV, the forests would still be there.

 

Now Gavin has to make another edict.

 

I think we need another eight paragraph dissertation on the climate from the REAL Kay Adams right now to straighten us out.  A lot of wrong think here.

 

If you really want another climate change dissertation out of me, you can first start by pointing out specific sentences from my post on page 92 with which you disagree (the third, fourth, and ninth paragraphs contain the climate change stuff…or look over pages 324-334 of the GW Hoax thread). I need details on my alleged “wrong think.” Next, provide about a couple sentences worth of example evidence you would need to see in order to reverse your current stances on MMGW and the Cali wildfires. These instructions apply to all of my haters. Or don’t do any of this…IDGAF either way, really. I’m quickly losing patience with all of the condescension and snark around here.

 

On 9/28/2020 at 1:57 PM, Joe Miner said:

Socialism is her goal.

 

Climate change is the vehicle that will take her there.

 

She will take some time, prostrate herself at the alter of climate change and come back to give you a new sermon that will end with the one true goal of socialism to save us all.

 

This is now the third straight time within the past five months that you have completely avoided the content of anything I posted and made a beeline for the unprovoked personal attack. This is also now the second time you have equated my scientific “faith” with religious faith. FYI, religious faith is a conviction in something that is not subject to the scrutiny of empirical evidence. Scientific “faith” is a high confidence in the scientific method to eventually falsify wrong ideas using a combination of evidence, facts, logic, and reason. Furthermore, I am not at all blindly devoted to the theory of MMGW. If anything, I am inclined toward wanting to “believe” it to be false. But I need to see countervailing material which has been authored by people formally trained in climatology or related earth science subfields. I requested this in the GW Hoax thread and received nothing. Until this happens, I can only assume that the “MMGW = hoax” movement is nothing more than political propaganda funded by fossil fuel industries and motivated by a fanatical hatred of any form of government intervention whatsoever. If social democracy + anthropogenic climate change is my religion, then maybe laissez-faire capitalism + science denialism is yours??

[3rdnlng]

1 hour ago, RealKayAdams said:

 

Sorry 3rdnlng, I’ve been super busy for the past couple weeks and totally forgot to reply. I’m grouping my responses by topic:

 

1. Fracking: Ok, well at least it’s replacing coal power plants! FYI, a majority of Pennsylvanians nowadays consistently poll in opposition to Marcellus Shale fracking. I could theoretically support it, but on three future conditions that are unlikely to be met. The first condition is that it must be viewed not as an end-goal energy source, but rather as a transition-stage energy source toward a renewable energy solution package centered on nuclear and solar. That’s because any long-term greenhouse gas emissions benefits we get from carbon-specific reductions due to fracking are more than offset by the more devastating methane leakage in the short-term. The second condition is that the environmental concerns from underground water supply contaminants, air pollution due to the toxic chemicals released during fracking processes, and induced earthquakes/tremors must all be reassured following years of additional scientific research. The third condition is that the entire U.S. fracking industry must be subjected to WAY stronger regulatory oversight than the ridiculous level it currently enjoys.

 

2. Lumber: I’m surprised and disappointed that the U.S. is a net importer of it. I potentially really like your idea of government forestry service partnerships with private lumber/furniture/paper industries, but I hold the same forest management concerns that I have in the wildfire management topic…namely, how feasible is all this in terms of cost, manpower, and (in the case of the lumber industry) profitability? You can definitely pull me over to your side on this one, but I’d have to see numbers and calculations beforehand. Forest management methods matter as well (hey a neat “FMMM” acronym slogan…though it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like BLM…), so I would also need reasonable forest habitat protection reassurances beforehand.

 

3. Energy independence: This is an admirable goal and sound economic strategy, but multiple paths to it exist. The U.S. has chosen to continue along the reliable fossil fuel status quo route while other countries have put forth successful efforts into alternative routes incorporating renewable energies. Since the 1970’s, the U.S. has never seriously entertained other energy options because the fossil fuel industry is a prominent subset of the corporate oligarchy that owns our country and dictates our public policy. I’m a somewhat reasonable hippie who understands the current transportation technology landscape, some of the environmental concerns related to extant resource mining techniques for renewables, the need for strategic petroleum reserves to prevent energy macroeconomic shocks, etc… These are all windows of opportunity, however, to leave open for certain continued activities like offshore oil/gas drilling, NOT for new plans like creating Athabasca tar sands somewhere else. Those who care only about money and not the environment should want the U.S. to be focused on renewable energy investments ASAP. The lucrative international energy market is rapidly heading in that direction.

 

Let’s now get to the foreign policy component. The U.S. shouldn’t have the mindset where it feels it has the moral authority or the economic imperative to “dictate outcomes around the world,” as you say. A foreign policy doctrine not grounded in the Golden Rule inevitably tarnishes diplomatic and economic relationships everywhere. The Middle East is a textbook example of a region where misguided regime changes, short-sighted organized coups, and cavalier unilateral sanctions/embargos have led to all sorts of terrible unintended consequences that include energy market blackmailing. Even energy-dependent countries can still maintain prosperous economies if they engage in respectful and mutually beneficial relationships with other countries. Also, capitalist democracies can still have healthy trade relations with left-wing socialist/communist countries and right-wing fascist/authoritarian countries.

 

One more thing…and this is super important…energy-independent countries can still exhibit dangerous economic market fragility and still be slaves to their own belligerent/manipulative foreign policy. You brought up Russia in a different context, but that country is a PERFECT example of the false security that a fossil-fuel based energy independence can bring. Russia’s economy is so disproportionately invested in oil and natural gas exports to Europe and to Middle East that it pressures them into aggressive confrontations and trade route disruptions abroad that hurt them in many other ways, including alienation from the U.S. and other potential NATO allies. Russia has enormous renewable energy potential with all the untapped transition metal oxide materials estimated to be within the Ural Mountains and throughout Siberia. Russia, like the United States, would be much better off economically by diversifying their national energy portfolio ASAP toward renewables (including nuclear…especially since they already have the Cold War refinery/enrichment infrastructure in place).

 

4. California habitability: As you know, I’m all about my high-tech solutions driven primarily by the private market and supported heavily by government-funded research whenever/wherever necessary. So I do like the concept of desalination plants…but aren’t their current technological forms too expensive, carbon emissions-intensive, and destructive to marine ecosystems and fisheries? Is that why there aren’t more of them already along the Pacific Coast? I also don’t see water shortage solutions like desalination plants and broader environmental solutions like high-speed rails/bullet trains as mutually exclusive pursuits. Both are inextricably linked together, anyway, through future state planning for energy/financial allocations and urban/suburban layouts. I’m glad that you mentioned bullet trains because re-envisioning public transportation is critical to reversing the problem of suburban sprawl, which I see as fundamental to the Cali wildfire problem (and to other environmental issues). A Sacramento-SF-SJ-Santa Barbara-LA-Riverside-SD high-speed rail “spine” could do wonders for the Cali economy in the same way that it has helped Europe and some of the Far East countries.

 

Now as for Cali’s limited financial ability to make such bold environmental habitability decisions…yes, the neolibs and progressives have made a mess of the state budget, and I agree that more GOP politicians deserve a crack at reining in some of the wasteful spending. Nevertheless, what concerns me is that most conservative politicians don’t even think that many of these bold environmental decisions need to be made in the first place or that unfettered capitalism has played any inimical role. I don’t view California as a failed state, either, in the way that conservatives often portray it to be. California still props up the rest of the U.S. with the fifth largest economy in the world and with almost inarguably the number one collection of high-tech workforce talent on the planet. I maintain hope in them solving their problems!

 

 

 

Thank you for your response. Just a couple thoughts regarding your comments:

 

As far as California habitability goes there are basic barriers for the continued growth of that state. Water has and is in short supply there and needs to be created or found. It has to be priority one. Anything else such as bullet trains is sticking your head in the sand and trying to build your house on quicksand. California progressives and nutjobs work against themselves by promoting and instituting policies that do them no good. During a drought a few years ago they diverted water from the San Joaquin Valley, the most productive farmland in the world, in order to let that water flow to the ocean for the benefit of the migrating Delta Smelt. One would think that common sense should have prevailed and the water could have been sent to the farmlands with still a small portion allowed to flow to the ocean and save the species. California has electrical brownouts. I don't even need to comment further as to the reasons that the fifth largest economy in the world has to shut down their electrical grids so that they can distribute electricity to all at the same time are pushing to get rid of fossil fuels and use more electricity. They lack common sense and go all in on  "hopes". Check out this dated article in the link below but better yet Google "Israel desalination plants" and see all of the articles regarding their salvation with gaining cheap water from desalination. Note that average household cost is $30 a month. 

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/israel-proves-the-desalination-era-is-here/

 

I'm all for renewable sources of energy but only when they become efficient enough to replace what we have now. The U.S. has reduced its carbon emissions by about 20% in the last decade or so. I don't believe that any other country has even remotely come close to that record. We did it by fracking and replacing coal fired electricity with natural gas fired electricity. Common sense and free market principles are what brought about this miracle. It's what will bring about the next advancement in making our lives more full and our environment cleaner. 

 

One more thing, our energy independence has not been accomplished at the expense of our overall economy. Our economy is diverse and deep. Bad actors like Russia who is a one trick pony as it relates to their economy can now be held in check by our ability to flood the market with energy products and bring down the price. Instead of spilling our blood in conflicts we can wave our big stick of energy dominance and coerce these bad actors into less bad actions. Many will question our right to do this while at the same time wailing about uncollaborated charges of Russian bounties on our service people. In a perfect scenario we would be all singing "We Are The World" but in the world we actually live in having a somewhat benevolent government calling our foreign relations policies. As you so clearly stated, sometimes it's best to forego the attempts for a perfect solution but to settle for "the least crappy one". 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...the Left Coast strikes again...SMH...........

 

Compton rolls out largest 2-year guaranteed income program amid racial injustice reckoning

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, voiced her support for the program

By Danielle WallaceFOXBusiness

 

Hundreds of people living in the California city of Compton, including those out of prison and illegal immigrants, will be eligible to receive guaranteed income as part of a new pilot program over the next two years.

 

Compton Mayor Aja Brown announced Monday that The Compton Pledge, a landmark guaranteed income initiative, will distribute recurring, direct cash relief to approximately 800 low-income residents for two years, starting in late 2020.

 

It’s the largest city-led guaranteed income program in the U.S. to date and comes amid a nationwide reckoning on racial injustice and inequality. According to the city, all funds are being raised privately in partnership with the Jain Family Institute, an applied research group, and the Fund for Guaranteed Income, a registered public charity launched to steward guaranteed income as a path to racial justice.

 

Those who were formally incarcerated, as well as illegal immigrants, are eligible for the program and may receive regular cash payments worth at least hundreds of dollars.

 

Patrisse Cullors, an advocate of the Compton Pledge and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, said, “guaranteed income is an urgent and necessary strategy for addressing the economic realities of racial injustice. I’m thrilled Mayor Brown and Compton are leading the way in this growing national movement.”

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/compton-2-year-guaranteed-income-program-racial-injustice

 

 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/lapd-chief-predicts-los-angeles-will-top-300-homicides-in-2020

 

[B-Man]

 

GREEN NEW DEAL SNEAK PREVIEW: 

 

PG&E to cut power to over one million people in California.

 

[All_Pro_Bills]

On 10/19/2020 at 3:43 PM, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...the Left Coast strikes again...SMH...........

 

Compton rolls out largest 2-year guaranteed income program amid racial injustice reckoning

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, voiced her support for the program

By Danielle WallaceFOXBusiness

 

Hundreds of people living in the California city of Compton, including those out of prison and illegal immigrants, will be eligible to receive guaranteed income as part of a new pilot program over the next two years.

 

Compton Mayor Aja Brown announced Monday that The Compton Pledge, a landmark guaranteed income initiative, will distribute recurring, direct cash relief to approximately 800 low-income residents for two years, starting in late 2020.

 

It’s the largest city-led guaranteed income program in the U.S. to date and comes amid a nationwide reckoning on racial injustice and inequality. According to the city, all funds are being raised privately in partnership with the Jain Family Institute, an applied research group, and the Fund for Guaranteed Income, a registered public charity launched to steward guaranteed income as a path to racial justice.

 

Those who were formally incarcerated, as well as illegal immigrants, are eligible for the program and may receive regular cash payments worth at least hundreds of dollars.

 

Patrisse Cullors, an advocate of the Compton Pledge and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, said, “guaranteed income is an urgent and necessary strategy for addressing the economic realities of racial injustice. I’m thrilled Mayor Brown and Compton are leading the way in this growing national movement.”

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/compton-2-year-guaranteed-income-program-racial-injustice

 

 

I think this is a great idea.  The government should give each and every one of us $100,000 a year so none of us has to work  or be wanting for anything. 

[B-Man]

 

 

Why Californians Should Vote Yes on Prop 22

 

 

 

[Chef Jim]

3 hours ago, B-Man said:

 

 

Why Californians Should Vote Yes on Prop 22

 

 

 

Already done!

 

One of the few I voted yes on. 

[B-Man]

 

WHERE BAD IDEAS GO TO ACHIEVE IMMORTALITY: 

 

‘Here’s an idea, let’s bring back racial discrimination!’ –California.

 

 

 

 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

https://www.govtech.com/transportation/California-Bullet-Train-Section-Faces-800M-Overrun-Delays.html

 

[Tiberius]

Ya, look at the map. See where people live longer? 

See where they live shorter lives? 

 

Why is that? 

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/11/here-are-the-states-with-the-longest-and-shortest-life-expectancies-according-to-the-cdc-.html

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, Tiberius said:

Ya, look at the map. See where people live longer? 

See where they live shorter lives? 

 

Why is that? 

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/11/here-are-the-states-with-the-longest-and-shortest-life-expectancies-according-to-the-cdc-.html

Take it from a long time california resident but WNY native. This place is turning to crap...quickly