Is it ignorance or arrogance that causes these people to build in known fire zones?……..As always, be safe out there Adam.

where i live we havent had a brush fire in nearly 50 years. If my canyon goes up its a straight shoot through malibu.

Dejavue (sp?)…seems like this was when many of us showed up at the Housley House “front door” last October.

Duplicate posting, so as not to lose notice of this with the new thread topic opening:

Comment by LDG
April 28th, 2008 at 10:47 am
@All, including our good host here

There will be another round of the “game” of intellectual exercises Max and Susan and I have been pitching over on the POD-8 thread starting again shortly. All are welcome to join in!

@Adam Housley

’tis a pity, but it seems with so many areas considered desirable now (mostly for weather, or vistas) that a generation before knew full well were hazardous places to live, it might be as necessary to begin requiring “fire zone maps” to go along with “flood zone maps” and such…

…because folks just don’t seem to be as careful about that sort of thing now.

Says something about progress, doesn’t it?

ldg…i assign new addresses (one of the many jobs i have)…all must clear the flood plain ok before building can begin.

@Patty

((nods)) Yes, the presumption was that almost all incorporated areas have some requirement to certify new sites are flood-safe. The idea was to require something similar based on fire history in an area.

Adam and crew, stay safe!

Do insurance companies not have a problem with construction in a known fire hazard area?

My prayers are with those affected, fire are water are the two of the things that really scare me, much too large a force to reckon with.

Terrible…I hope they get it under control soon.

Adam I hope you grabbed the right bag as you headed out the door this time..was that the red, blue, green or black one you are suppose to take to fires.
Be safe y’all.

Patty - regarding your comment on insurance: We have NEVER had damage from a hurricane but boy has our insurance doubled and they are even attempting to drop our rental home. My parents have never had any hurricane damage much less storm damage on their furniture store building in the 34 years of operating but that hasn’t stopped the insurance companies from dropping them and they pay an outrageous amount for what tiny bit they were able to find. I HATE the insurance companies! Seems to me, if you don’t live in an area of possible hurricane damage, you must live in a flood plain or on an earthquake fault line. lol Now, if the insurance companies add possible fire areas what do we have left? ha ha! By the way, it could be said that we live in a fire threat area as well as hurricane because the brush fires have come within 1 mile of our home several years back when FL was on fire.

speaking of weather…
check this hail stone from the storm last week.
http://wibw.mycapture.com/mycapture/photos/FImage.aspx?ImageID=244675&EventID=270426&CategoryID=34912&CollectionID=0&Sort=
i’ve never seen one like it. and hope i never do!!

Patty - Oh Hail! That’s amazing! Ouch that would really hurt!

Pollen………..insurance companies will drop all of our home policies for those that live in areas of high pollen concentrations. And here’s why……….People living in these areas run their airconditioners for longer periods to help cleanse the air of pollen. The pollen can clog the airfilters in our airconditioning systems, thus causing them to overwork. Which in turn causes them to take more moisture out of the air, thus causing more condensation. Which causes the overflow water tank to spill it’s contents, which causes flooding. The extra dry air also increases the risk of global warming, which causes climate change, which causes an increase in the number of hurricanes on an anual basis…………That said, those people with window units installed prior to 1963, or those willing to suffer through these times without a/c are exempt.

*LMAO* your mind is scary john!

they need to allow small fires to go on for a little while to clear the underbrush They also allow need to allow the removal of trees very close to homes, which would minimize the spread and destruction in residential areas.

Max - all that you mentioned above is what they do here in FL. They even say that the control fires help nature. First they bulldoze a barrier so they can control it better then they do a control burn to eliminate a lot of the fuel a natural brush fire has.

Casey Stegal (sp?) just reported on Fox — fire only 23% contained, headed west, winds low, some people may be allowed to go back home.

FYI–There’s a big brush fire in Miami Dade area today too.

**I need to get one of those FoxNews ball caps; and a microphone. lol:

Sunshine: Yeah, live trees will normally survive a small fire, what is burnt away is mostly grass and dead leaves/trees, the ash of which makes a great natural fertilizer. Then when a larger fire comes along there is more difficult for it to spread.
If you keep putting out all the little fires you end up with huge amounts of dry underbrush and a little spark is enough to set it all ablase, and the fire can then be of a high enough intensity to consume even living trees.

Jen: when i was in Atlanta we went to the CNN center, i wished i’d had a fox news cap to wear there.

Yup……controlled burns of underbrush not only limit the spread of wild fires, but are healthy and necessary for the plant life’s survival. Wild fires have been burning across these areas for longer than man has set foot on them. It’s almost criminal that certain governments prevent these controlled burns from happening………..usually to “save” some unheard of before species of owl, or some strange plant who’s name no one can pronounce. What these people don’t understand is that these “endangered” species will flee a fire and rebuild in a different location…….unlike man, animals have a lot more instinctive common sense and are much more adaptive to their environments.Plants have an incredible ability to reproduce in the harshest of locations……so they and animals will survive controlled burns.

Many plant seeds scarify in a burn and it makes them that much healthy.
We control burn here, so many open areas of pasture.

*L* that much healthy? geeeze pattty, pay attention! try again..

…makes them much healthier.

hey here is an insurance company story for you.

My uncle had life insurance, auto insurance and home insurance for 20+ years with the same company.

He was getting great rates because he never filed a claim, no house damage, no car wrecks, no death.

He received a letter stating he would need to find a new carrier because they were dropping him.

The reason for the drop: No claims, they figured he was due.

He ended up having to get all new policies.

I LOVE Insurance companies.

freakin losers

Max & John - the underbrush that burns for days here is referred to as a “muck fire”. I guess it can be nearly a ft deep and just smolder for days. There is one in our county now but it’s far enough away from me that I am not effected but these are fires that also cause problems on the roads because they join with the early morning fog and become like a wall you drive into on the interstate. Suddenly you can’t see 3 ft in front of you and your slamming into the pile of cars ahead of you.

Another note on the control burns and animal life. I went on a field trip 2 weeks ago with my high schooler and saw where they are doing huge land clearings and controlled burns out near the space center all in the name of 1 bird (scrub jay). My question is this: how many people have you heard on Animal Planet refer to an animal as having “adapted” to it’s environment. So, if they say the scrub jay can’t live in brush any higher than 8 ft and they must clear or burn it to keep it so that the scrub jay can survive I scratch my head on wonder “why doesn’t the scrub jay adapt”? things that make you go hmmmm

Gosh, I can’t stand insurance companies either….

AAA raised our home owners insurance by $500 a couple years ago…

JUST BECAUSE…

and I’ve never ever ever filed a claim… in over 20 year.. never one claim…

they say it’s b/c my house is over 25 yrs old… but these houses are built sooo good…
nothing has ever gone wrong…

my friends w/ newer homes have cracks and all kinds of problems…

Derek - maybe that’s why they want to drop one of our properties. they figure it’s due.

Sunshine…….I remember back in the 1980′ or 90’s there was some apparently endangered species of owls in the western US that, it was thought, could only nest in one particular forest in one particular tree. The forest was set for destruction and environmentalists were all up in arms about it. For whatever reason the forest was destroyed anyway………to the amazement of the environmentalists the owls simply moved to a different area, with different types of trees and started nesting. They easily adapted to their different nesting grounds.
As long as you do not destroy their food supplies, animals will adapt to survive. I’m all for protecting nature…..and enjoy a weekend in the wild more so than a weekend in the city, but sometimes we tend to over-protect, which usually makes things worse.

sunshine-

I would not put it past them, insurance companies are the crime of last century, and if we do not real them in, the crime of this century as well.

I have never once in my life had a good experience with them.

I could go on and on, but I really need to work today.

We need to take the big business out of them as well as HMO’s, Insurance can be good, and it is necessary, but it should be about taking care of people and not making people rich.

I am beginning to sound like a socialist, and I am not, but it is ridiculous at all the underhanded things they get away with.

Sunshine: yeah, that’s why they need to let the small fires burn themselves out. The current problem has been that putting them out all the time has allowed such large build ups of underbrush.

Insurance generally doesn’t seem like a good idea, unless something terrible happens you’re losing out. Catastrophic insurance is probably a good idea, i think.

Max & John -click on my name and see a couple pictures of the famous scrub jay (I took these pictures on the field trip)

Max & John - looks a lot like a Blue Jay doesn’t it? hmmm maybe it “adapted” to living in the scrub oaks and therefore became “The Scrub Jay”. lol wouldn’t that be something. .

Off-topic
@Derek and Retread (when he looks in here)

If you have time, glance at the POD-8 thread entries from 28 April 11:15am ~ 3:15pm. Thanks.

Sunshine–

I hope your pet alligator has a license! great blue jay picture!

Patty-

that hail looks like a meteorite!

Adam–

Dang– hope your asthma survives all these fires you have been covering!

Hooray for the Salvation Army!!

JenS: We have the Salvation Army here too. They are always a very efficient charitable orginization.
Pretty diverse in their giving as well.

I just looked up, and of course we have it here, it was founded in london.

Adam…or a few Hail Mary’s are in order!

I posted a new question on the POD-8 thread.

Max - ok, I visited and then got bored because no one is around (thus the stupid answer). lol I’m outta here! Good night John Boy! Good Night Mary Ellen! (yep, I’m bored)

Sunshine: I liked the one about Florida.

Hey Adam–

that was very cool of you to post the video about the Salvation Army– sometimes we don’t realize how many others are helping too! I hope the gentleman gets to see your video and if so -
Thanks to all of you for being there when the help is needed!!!!!

Hello from AZ– And you all are a great organization- as you are all over here in our area as well!

Susan

Derek–

How far are you from the twister? Hope you are safe!

Hi Eric!!!!

Stay safe– !!!

xxx

Wow–

I just read the article on the blog here- most recent articles- about cigarette smuggling/funneling money to the terrorists!

Max–

go check out my answers in the POD– Took me awhile! LOL

Adam–

I don’t know if everyone one here would go with this idea but how about posting a trivia thread when you are too busy to put up a thread?

You could post the first question and then whoever here wants to play could post a question– how this would work, we all take turns- maybe the first one to guess the first question, could follow suit?

what do you think?

go check out the POD and see what kind of questions we have asked– it is fun! and it is constructive- it brings out the creative energy– and builds research skills–

what do you think? @ all?

javascript:vPlayer(’24316359′,’c76bdb1c-3b67-4b2e-baa7-dfbf5418b4d3′)

dang–

the links won’t go through about Syria and North Korea!! about the reactors–

Susan - good morning! I see you were up very late last night and it looks like you were all alone on there as I was.

Neat video the salvation army never gets the credit they deserve. They do all the work and don’t expect the glory. Adam they said 20% contained today, looks like a long day for you today.

Good morning all……..Derek, are you guys OK? Those tornadoes crossed pretty close to you, if I recall your location correctly.

WordPress seems to be up to it’s normal annoying tricks today. If this goes through you’ll ahve to cut and paste and then delete the spaces. I know some of you enjoy his commentary………….

h t t p: //www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/14/beck.taxday/index.html?iref=newssearch

I also got up thinking about Derek and his location.
Hope your safe!!!

‘Morning Adam and All.

This morning, those storms pics break my heart.
Odd, the same week that Greensburg KS is having all of its ceremonies after 1 yr.

Now for some happy news……….

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=71152

Good Morning, Susan was close with her answers, but no cigar. So there is still some work left to do.

Hope everyone is well this morning.

Good morning everyone

We are safe, they touched down, both north and south of us, but missed us completely.

I will be in and out again today, lots of work to do.

Natural disasters always make me busy, just because I am in the disaster recovery side of IT. People get flooded, fired, or blown away and they lose data for their business, then they start thinking about protecting their data, then they call me.

so. my phone is going to ring of the hook today.

Nothing of real news value here, but the author’s name caught my eye…….if you say it a certain way it sounds like, “a lot of sugar”, which kind of contradicts her profession.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=71012

Greetings all-
Good to hear from you Derek…I was thinking of you too — as usual. lol

Good gas story John - times change…those free car washes are a thing of the past now.
and my dark chocolate diet starts today!

Max- I took a look- I was pretty much in line with Susan’s answers - great minds…..
need some Hints! ha.
and what is Adam up to today? It’s Tech Tuesday..

it is tech tuesday!
and i’m buying a new puter for work today

I forgot it was tech Tuesday. While we wait for Adam to wow us with a new gadget, here’s an article regarding what some believe is the very first adding machine……

h t t p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand

You’ll have to delete the spaces in http

John -
Since you’re so smart, could you tell me the answers to Max’s questions?
I think you owe me one. If you don’t, then I’ll owe you one.
Pattypult– lucky you! Maybe your new computer will answer all of Max’s questions.

Jen………assuming you mean Max’s question regarding dragons, the Komodo Dragon, or Monitor Lizard, could be a possble answer. The only real life experience I’ve had with dragons was my fourth grade teacher…………that was also my last year in Catholic School.

Jen…um didn’t see that option when building the puter, guess i can ask when i call! *L*
Hello…do you have an option to search Max’s mind?”
click my name!!

John…catholic school…..my hubby can understand!!! *L*

@John

forgive my lack of firsthand experience with Catholic School, but…

isn’t the usual reference “Penguins”, not “Dragons”? ((grin))

@All

and a fine good ‘morning’ to you all!

I have scars from “Sister You’re Not Sitting up Straight and Your Skirts too Short” too!

I’m glad i managed to get out of Catholic school, all the guys i know who went to them are no longer at all religious.

I have clarified what remains unanswered, so it shouldn’t be too hard answering what’s left.

I’m game for a “QOD” thread!!!

The Salvation Army will be at the Kentucky Derby too…

“More about the tradition… Salvation Army employees provide the early morning snacks especially for media partners as they cover morning workouts. The Salvation Army has been a partner of Churchill Downs for many years now.”

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/blogs/caroline/04/28/salvation-army-backside

Hello all–

Derek– glad you are fine!! truly!

Max– I haven’t checked out the POD– ALL THAT WORK AND I didn’t hit it! NO WAY! I must have read for about three hours! I was so sure I got it!

Adam– how are you today? Last I heard the fires were 20% contained-

And the marines are at it in Afghanistan!

Sunshine– It was lonely there– I loved your Florida answer!

Adam–

looks like some people will play the trivia game on a thread–

I forget now the name of the ex-Congress man who voted against the first Gulf War but you posted that as a question and boy did you have us work on that one–

Patty– what the heck is his name? Adam asked it on one of the political threads– K2 found the answer– He teaches now– Ohhhhhhhh I can’t find his name and I don’t remember his last name!!! dang!!!

I think we guessed Hatfield. ?

re: “More about the tradition… Salvation Army employees provide the early morning snacks especially for media partners as they cover morning workouts….

Adam you must get really tired if your workout deems the Salv. Army!!

Adam: Sure thing, I’m game.

Well as Max mentioned the Salvation Army started in England by the name of William Booth in 1865-
by 1885 he and his ministry migrated to the United States–

here is a background- This is from our division

http://www.phoenixsalvationarmy.com/about.htm

Jen–

LOL– GOOD MEMORY!!! Hatfield–

xxxx