Running Bear's January 2025 Coffee Shop

[JimKrol]

Without getting political, the main reason fires can get that close is because all the trees and brush have been allowed to overgrow everything in the name of helping the environment.

That is an over-simplified talking point.

 

[bnsf971]

That is an over-simplified talking point.

And anything less simplified would be 100% political.

 

[troyphoto]

Without getting political, the main reason fires can get that close is because all the trees and brush have been allowed to overgrow everything in the name of helping the environment.

Ummm... if they remove the trees and scrub from those hillside, you would have mudslides every time it rained.

That's a semi-arid climate and everything on those hills is combustable. It's not the underbrush nor deadwood. It's a lot of other factors when everything in the area is dormant and dry fro 9+ months out of the year.

 

[TLOC]

My son lives in Pasadena, in old town. They can see the smoke. They got an AirBNB in another part of town, so that the Pugs could breathe. The fire would have to cross a major freeway to get to their house. I never imagined that there would be fire that near to the urban sprawl.

My sister also lives in Pasadena. She is about 5 miles from the Eaton Canyon Fire but does smell the smoke but cannot see it. She posted at 8 this morning on FB that she is safe but cell service is sporadic.

If I read about one more celebrity who lost their multi million $$$ home I’m going to puke. I can’t imagine the aftermath if this was an earthquake instead of fires. Both tragic but seems like they are unprepared. Running out of water! That needs a criminal investigation.

I texted my 5 clients in LA including the firefighter. He is on standby to be moved from his station at anytime to go help the firefighting. His current station is in a high rent district of LA and in past fires his station mates tell him they’ve never been moved to help out on wild fires. The rest did respond that they are fine and none of them are close to the areas.

Glad your son is doing well

 

[kbkchooch]

Toga - Toga - Toga

Louis Blutarsky??

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I wonder how many model railroaders lost their stuff to the fire.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good evening all.
I have spent the best part of the day asleep.
Off to get some more.

Goodnight.

 

[troyphoto]

And in other news, my Kickstarter to help cover some of the production costs of producing my latest book reached its initial funding goal. Total costs for editing. and an audio book narrator run about $1700.

So, if someone backs the project for $7 or more they get the ebook (at least). Of course, I put up my back catalog of ebooks. As well as arranging to get a "special edition" hardcover or paperback of the book (in the US? I'll sign it before I mail it. Outside the US, I'll have it printed near where you live. Then I'll mail you a "bookplate" (fancy sticker) that I sign.

I set the initial goal at $300, figuring I'd get that in about a week. Got it in less than a day! Whoot. Now, it just keeps cranking on until Jan 30. My goal is to raise enough to cover the audio production (about $1,000 for a real human narrator).

 

[santafewillie]

Willie - forecasters in Houston are saying the Dallas area could see 8 to 12 inches. Us rain.

For our county which is 60 miles north of Dallas, they're only predicting 2"-4", which I hope is correct. I've seen these patterns before that had sleet from Dallas to Austin while we just got a light dusting of snow. I honestly don't think that the NWS really knows what's going to happen with this event. I'm prepared for anything though.

 

[santafewillie]

Willie, I realized I haven't seen if the car accident fiasco ever got resolved.

It hasn't concluded yet. We accepted the $37K check for the car itself, and I received $500 for the bruise on my hand that was gone in 2 days. The car offer was $3K greater than both our insurance company and the car dealership said to expect. They are offering $10K to my wife for pain and suffering. That's being negotiated currently as advised by our insurance company. They said to make a reasonable counter-offer and USAA would probably meet halfway. Grandson told her to ask for 2 million! I don't know whether our insurance or USAA paid for the rental car that we drove home in. Medicare and Blue Cross are billing them for the doctor visits. We're also considering prodding them for the inconvenience. I'm fine but my wife's cracked rib occasionally lets her know that it's still around. Given her age and weight, I don't think that it will ever completely go away, but it is really a rare occasion now.

 

[chadbag]

Ummm... if they remove the trees and scrub from those hillside, you would have mudslides every time it rained.

No one is saying remove trees and underbrush. It's removing the excess and dead stuff.

That's a semi-arid climate and everything on those hills is combustable. It's not the underbrush nor deadwood. It's a lot of other factors when everything in the area is dormant and dry fro 9+ months out of the year.

But it is the underbrush and deadwood. Amongst other things.

 

[chadbag]

I don't know whether our insurance or USAA paid for the rental car that we drove home in.

It will be their insurance in the end. Even if yours paid a claim you filed they will go after the other party to make themselves whole.

 

[troyphoto]

No one is saying remove trees and underbrush. It's removing the excess and dead stuff.



But it is the underbrush and deadwood. Amongst other things.

Here's what the hills around LA and Pacific Palisades look like:

Above is the tram station at the Getty museum that takes patrons up the hill to the complex that is "the Getty". The trees in the foreground are the exception not the rule for this part. When it rains enough, the hillside goes very green. A month later, it's back to bleak.

You might remember back in 2018??? they ran video of people driving through the tunnel of fire on the 405 in LA... It was that fire that threatened the Getty, and a lot of talk was "when are they pulling the artwork out for safety?" (It was safer in the concrete positively pressurized buildings.) It was hillsides like the one here that were burning.

The idea that you could remove the parts that are dead doesn't hold water in areas like this. That's not dead. It's dormant.

Below is a similar hillside from the Culver City Overlook. Closer view of what vegetation there is there. Again, dormant, not dead.

And one from a Santa Barbara vineyard. More trees, but not forested. Its areas like this that burn. Broken power lines, Careless campers. Homeless trying to make a hot meal. It doesn't take much to make this stuff go WHOOOSH!

 

[truckdad]

Here's what the hills around LA and Pacific Palisades look like:

View attachment 208730
Above is the tram station at the Getty museum that takes patrons up the hill to the complex that is "the Getty". The trees in the foreground are the exception not the rule for this part. When it rains enough, the hillside goes very green. A month later, it's back to bleak.

You might remember back in 2018??? they ran video of people driving through the tunnel of fire on the 405 in LA... It was that fire that threatened the Getty, and a lot of talk was "when are they pulling the artwork out for safety?" (It was safer in the concrete positively pressurized buildings.) It was hillsides like the one here that were burning.

The idea that you could remove the parts that are dead doesn't hold water in areas like this. That's not dead. It's dormant.

Below is a similar hillside from the Culver City Overlook. Closer view of what vegetation there is there. Again, dormant, not dead.
View attachment 208732

And one from a Santa Barbara vineyard. More trees, but not forested. Its areas like this that burn. Broken power lines, Careless campers. Homeless trying to make a hot meal. It doesn't take much to make this stuff go WHOOOSH!

View attachment 208731

Troy, is that the Giordani vineyard by any chance?

 

[Boris]

My son lives in Pasadena, in old town. They can see the smoke. They got an AirBNB in another part of town, so that the Pugs could breathe. The fire would have to cross a major freeway to get to their house. I never imagined that there would be fire that near to the urban sprawl.

Those winds do atrocious things in fire situations. It's frightening how ineffective modern firefighting is vs. firestorm winds. Anything in their path is fuel. In my time as a firefighter I was in some ugly situations, but never anything like what happens out in Cali.

 

[traiNscale]

hey all

sorry for making it confusing here hahaha. thnx for all your answers. yes of course this is in N Scale sry bout that, for me its just Minitrix = N Scale but thats maybe because iam from switzerland and used to this manufacturer a bit more than others.

maybe i just have to get the turntable out of the box, and check. i somewhere have some us diesels in N. Maybe i find the time tonight to go down in the layout room and check. and yes my layout thread in this forum is H0 Scale, but iam also building a swiss themed N Scale Layout. and maybe soon a N Scale US themed switching module with roundhouse and stuff who knows.

thnx anyway for all your answers.
will let you know how it goes!

oh and btw. GOOD MORNING!

 

[troyphoto]

Troy, is that the Giordani vineyard by any chance?

I'm not sure, that was 8 years ago, and we were on a bus tour that stopped at four of them.

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 9°F in Tipton.

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang!

16 degrees with winds gusting up to 35 mph so it feels like -1. Daytime high of 28 degrees today. Brrrrrrrrrrr.

BBL

 

[NorthBrit]

Good morning all. I slept until 9.30am. I feel much better and hope my appetite returns.

An easy going day. Youngest grandson visiting after school.

I love little engines

It is coffee time.

Back later