WILDFIRES ... QUAKES ... AUTOCRACY

This was supposed to be about scrambled eggs but that will have to wait until next week ‘cause we had an earthquake, but first.....

Strong wind gusts have been picking up fanning the fires still raging east and west of where I live in Southern California, Los Angeles County.  Wildfires have expanded into some new areas resulting in more families and animals having to evacuate, homes lost.  

Think of all the wildlife including birds and other living creatures that are able, some much too slow moving,  those living below ground, all fleeing for their lives.  Smoke at higher altitudes cloud level has been moving  east across our entire country.  Lower altitude skies allow the sun’s rays to filter through here with air pollution lessening somewhat now.  

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – Ray Conniff – a calming instrumental version.

Mount Wilson west of where I live sees the continued Bobcat Wildfire ebb and flow as more than 93,000 acres has burned in just the last thirteen days as of Saturday 9/19, fluctuating from 0% to 6%, then back down to 3% for several days and up to only 13% containment as I write this.   Fire moving northeast through the mountains toward new populated areas is causing evacuations, more homes lost. 

Fire has threatened the historic 116 year old astronomical Mount Wilson Observatory noted for the telescopes providing photographic plates Edwin Hubble used to discover the Andromeda Galaxy.  Flames came on two occasions, the last time within 100 feet of that area.  Additionally, Los Angeles broadcast towers for television, radio and government agencies are located on that mountain which are critical for enabling signal transmission throughout So Cal L.A. area including to my house.  

The Eldorado wildfire east of my town rages on, burning over 22,000 acres endangering new areas there, started originally by that gender reveal celebration which has now resulted in a firefighter’s death.  Palm Springs has also had a wildfire emerge causing evacuations. 

As if wildfires aren’t enough, at 11:38 p.m. Friday 9/18 as I was writing part of this, we had a 4.5 earthquake with an epicenter west of my town near El Monte – the first quake I’ve felt in several years.  Newscasters closer in toward L.A. reported feeling two large jolts.  

What I felt at a greater distance east were slight jolts with a slow rolling motion, for about 10 seconds that made me wonder if a truck was going by on my street or Route 66 a block away, but I quickly realized it was an earthquake.  I was given pause to wonder, as usual,  if this was a foreshock with an even bigger quake to come.  

As soon as quake shakes stop I usually immediately turn on the all-news L.A. radio station, KNX.  Tonight since my television was on I found KABC-TV was broadcasting live quake coverage as they continued to do until 1 a.m.   

They interviewed Dr Lucy Jones, Seismologist and public voice for earthquake science and safety in California whose reliable information and commentary is reassuring.  Dr. Jones providing the factual truthful data even with unknown elements, including the possibility of a worsening situation does not incite panic in our cities.  

Our actual non-panic experience contradicts the flimsy excuse our illustrious leader in the White House promotes trying to justify his lies and failure to tell us the truth about the corona virus beginning months ago when our having such knowledge could have allowed action to prevent thousands of deaths.  

There’s a 1 in 20 or 5% chance a foreshock is preceding a bigger quake to come, but with each passing minute the likelihood of that lessens over the following 24 hours.  We did have aftershocks of lower strength, but I didn’t feel any of them.  

ABC newspersons also reported text messages from viewers who described what they felt where they were located.  Because of the pandemic TV staff have had remote capability setup in their homes which allowed live audio/video interviews with many of them.   All of this interaction and sharing of information served to reassure viewers as I, too, experienced.      

We’ve had enough disasters here but consider this quake as a wakeup call reminding us that we do live in earthquake country and to be prepared.  The ABC-TV News helicopter reported fire and police departments established there was no damage noted in immediate surrounding epicenter communities that might be most likely to be at risk for such.  

We learned this quake has been felt all over Southern California as their TV coverage ended.  This quake is pretty much out of our conscious concern now as occurs after most we experience that cause little or no damage --  until the next one.

Given the pressing issues of the day including those associated with ...the U.S. Presidential election, 

...the Supreme Court Associate Judge replacement situation due to the tragic death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 

...the need to save our democracy from what begins to seem like an autocratic capitalistic theocracy of our current leader, 

...corona virus threat, 

...environmental and climate change issues, 

...the reminder of future earthquake potential, 

...concern for my younger dear friend living some distance away who unexpectedly texted me from the ER late Friday night, during all this but before the earthquake she would have felt, as she waited for a hospital bed.  They didn’t have a bed open, probably due to the virus, though her issues were other than covid-19.

All of this is just to name a few matters giving me quite enough to occupy my thoughts, many of which you probably share with me plus adding a few others of your own.   Despite all, my spirits are upbeat and I hope yours are, too.    

I am reminded it's critical to ...V O T E ! ! !

WAKE-UP CALL IN SO CAL -- SHAKIN' -- BLOGGING

There was a loud cracking noise as I waited in the drive-thru for my brunch July 4^th.   I kept looking around, wondering what might have caused that sound.    My car hadn’t moved so I ruled out the SUV behind me having bumped me.   The restaurant structure ahead under which I was to drive appeared normal.   The all news radio station broadcast I had on wasn’t announcing anything unusual.   When I returned home, sat down to eat and turned on my television the stations all were reporting an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude had occurred, so I concluded the noise I heard must have been that quake.    

Eventually, the epicenter was announced to be about 150 miles north of the Los Angeles area in and around the small Mojave desert community of Trona and nearby larger Ridgecrest.   Some mobile homes were red-tagged since they were knocked off their slabs leaving one older couple featured in the news with regrets they hadn’t purchased earthquake insurance, despite the not inexpensive cost Reports say only 10% of Californians do have the insurance.  Homeowners Insurance doesn’t cover earthquake damage.    

The California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) seismologists featured on TV provided the expected explanation that given the quake’s size this was likely the earthquake for which earlier smaller ones we hadn’t felt in the L.A. area had been foreshocks.   Of course, there was a small percentage chance this 6.4 quake could be a foreshock for a larger one, but seemed unlikely.     

That evening as I sat in my recliner I began to feel slight movement I recognized as an earthquake beginning, then a seeming brief pause which I thought was signaling the quake ending as I’ve experienced before.  But then the motion didn’t stop and an easy rolling motion resumed with increasing intensity, finally giving me reason to think I’d better act, but just then the movement abruptly stopped.   Did I “feel it” – yes, I did -- which the U.S. Geological Survey wants to know about.

We’re told to drop under a sturdy table and cover the back of our head.    My table is next to a large dining area window, so any breaking glass could be a problem.  Plus walking during the shaking often causes people to fall so all are cautioned to avoid doing so.  This is especially problematic for those of us in the older population who may already be less secure on our feet, or some not capable of walking at all.  

I have concluded to remain in my chair, then just cover my head with pillows I have within reach – much as I will do if a quake occurs when I’m in bed.   There could be challenge enough after the shaking stops to move as quickly as possible to leave the house if that is judged to be safe and necessary. 

Jerry Lee Lewis and Tom Jones

A Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On

This was a 7.1 earthquake Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones “the earthquakelady” announced on TV and the earlier 6.4 had now become a foreshock.   Fortunately we had no power outage or I would have switched to my battery powered combination light and radio for my L.A. all news radio station KNX 1070.

USGS suggests there is a small percentage chance we could have an even larger quake and the 7.1 is a foreshock.  These odds diminish with every passing hour.   We’re told these quakes have no bearing on the much larger San Andreas Fault (runs near me) which is of concern as one site for a possible “Big One” earthquake for which California is long overdue and could be quite damaging if it occurs in the L. A. area.

Los Angeles Times writers provide a Saturday evening 7/6 update to their account of what some quake epicenter area older residents and their pets experienced.  I feel especially sensitive to what they must encounter as I consider my own situation should a damaging earthquake occur where I live, though I’m in a single family house.     

Once the quake ended I responded to this “wake up call” and reviewed my emergency preparations.  Surprisingly to me was that a couple of my portable lights and radio were dead.  They worked when last I checked them, but I thought the charge was declining so should have addressed the issue sooner.   There are some additional actions I need to take around my house in addition to updating my emergency kit items, plus wanting to add a kit for my car. 

As I physically age accomplishing some of these tasks disappointingly takes me longer than it once did.   I’ve recognized for some time that I’ve gotten behind for a variety of reasons on a number of activities needing my attention.  This “wake up” notice prompts me to decide I need to get busy on these overdue tasks.   What that means is that I will probably blog a bit more erratically, including my visits to others blogs, but please know that I haven’t forgotten you.   

CALIFORNIA NET NEUTRALITY -- EARTHQUAKE

California’s effort to establish Net Neutrality is successfully moving forward.  The legislation has now been passed and awaits our Gov. Brown’s signature. (refer to preceding two posts for specifics).  You might want to see what, if any, actions your state may be taking. 

A coalition of 22 states attorneys general formed the first of the year “... to sue the Federal Communications Commission for axing net neutrality rules...”  ― California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington ― and the District of Columbia” reported here.

* * *

The relatively uneventful life I wrote about occurring the preceding week was short-lived.   Nothing quite like a little 4.4 earthquake with an epicenter in the foothills just down the road to alter that impression.    A sudden sharp jolt shook my house as I was sitting in my recliner viewing the PBS News Hour.   The shaking and creaking sounds lasted a bit longer than I might have preferred but did not result in any visible damage inside.

My emergency battery-powered portable radio did not broadcast any stations though the light which I did not need worked fine.   The radio had worked fine when I last checked it, so I need to resolve that problem.  The electric power remained on so I was able to access my all-news station for pertinent information on my other radios.

Do you need to have emergency preparations for any potential disasters?

CALIF. NEWS - STRAW - WATER - WALL - BROOM HANDLE

We’re edging toward summer here in Southern California, U.S.A.  with temperatures into 90’s F for a day or two, but soon we’ll drop about 20 degrees for another few days.   I enjoy the frequently cloudy mornings, occasional slight, and I do mean slight, moisture that long before noon leaves no traces of having been present during our “May gray” and “June gloom” months. 

California news of interest includes a measure that will appear on our November ballot to divide our state into three states.    Talk of such divisions i.e. to two states has occurred in the past.    I don’t support this separation, but will be interesting to see the voting totals.   Congress might not approve, anyway, since it would allow us more Representatives and Senators.  Given the reputation we wild and crazy Californians have, more of us in government would be risky.     

Network Neutrality may have been scuttled in D.C. but as The Mercury News reports:

“California and other states, including New York, Washington and Montana, have established or are working to establish their own net neutrality rules since the FCC voted to repeal regulations prohibiting traffic discrimination by the companies that control the internet’s pipes.”

Living near California’s San Andreas Fault as I do, this Atlantic magazine report of a recent Nature article has been of interest.   As they note in the article, “The widespread practice of extracting California groundwater to irrigate the state’s agricultural belt could be…the straw that breaks the camel’s back…” causing ‘the big one’ -- massive earthquake we’re purported to be past due for having.  

On a more local level, for several years my city has been trying to wrest back our water rights from a large national commercial corporate entity that has been unwilling to sell them back to us.   Many in our city have been most displeased with the rate schedule, seemingly constant rate increases, and the fact we pay more than those in other communities with whom we’re grouped.   Our California Public Utilities Commission has been of little or no assistance many have thought, so an Eminent Domain law suit was filed, lost and appealed only to lose again.   The final result is we’re in debt up the ying yang along with other bonds already on the books.

When I first wrote here of the water situation, some were amazed to learn water rights were not already owned by the public rather than a profit-making commercial company.   The reality is more than ten years ago I recall print articles, TV documentaries alerting people to the fact water rights all over the world were being quietly bought up by commercial businesses.  The prediction then was we could anticipate water shortages -- subsequent climate changes, droughts many places since haven't helped.  Water was said then to be the next oil market in availability and cost.  Pretty serious matter since water is a life sustaining necessity. 

Recent years we’ve defeated two more bond issues to provide our Police Department badly needed new quarters.   The first proposal was judged by many voters to be excessive in every way, including size and cost.  The most recent proposal required winning by a 2/3 majority of the vote but missed that mark.  I wasn’t surprised, since newer homeowners would be paying much more than long time residents whose assessed property value is considerably lower, partially due to protective legislation passed years ago.   Also, commercial businesses were excluded from paying at all as were our six local colleges consortium -- though the colleges did volunteer what many voters thought was only a token contribution to offset the expense.

We definitely need new headquarters for our law enforcement men and women who have always provided exceptional service in my experience.  We're encouraged to call officers if concerned about any suspicious person or situation for them to investigate rather than ignoring -- better to have a false alarm is the philosophy.  Surely, another bond issue will be forthcoming that will, hopefully, meet with citizens approval.  The interest rate will likely be higher than with the previous two defeated bond issues, but our citizens were aware of that fact.  

Consider the irony -- given the wall U.S./Mexico political issue -- that I’ve been involved with wall issues associated with my property since 2015.    My situation has nothing to do with illegal aliens though.   I won’t go into the details except to note there’s presently no lawsuit, but it does involve a neighbor, possibly one or two commercial entities.   This has been one more matter on which I was focused instead of blogging during my absence discussed in the previous two posts.   The good news is construction replacing a block wall corner at the back of my property was completed the day of this writing.  Whether or not my costs will be shared by any of those others remains to be determined. 

Exercising is on my mind now to build up my leg strength.  The legs usually are the first to go, you know.   For some strange reason this activity came to mind, so thought I’d share it here.   A favored fun exercise I practiced periodically well into my sixties to highlight my limberness we called “Going Through The Broom”.  I quite proudly mastered this feat demonstrated by my then middle-aged mother when I was a young girl.  

Unlike the video below we started out holding the broom behind our back.   Successful completion required we never release our grip on the broom handle with either hand, or allow any part of our body other than our feet to touch the floor.   We might have to balance on one foot and then the other, but we had to keep the rest of our body off the floor.  I’m not sure when or why I stopped performing this gymnastic pretzel, but when I’ve remembered it in recent years I’ve instinctively known I probably would be wise to not undertake it, and certainly shouldn't now.  

Have you ever heard of, or maybe “gone through the broom handle”?  
Do you know of any other contortionist type exercises none of us should probably engage in now? 
We should be talking about the type exercise we can do!

This YouTube video with people unknown to me is reported to be the videographer’s 72 year old brother-in-law as they describe...climbing through a broom stick.  I have to applaud him  -- so what if his knee touches the floor.  But about that other guy..............