James Dean - Cholame and gasoline shortage

September 30 is the anniversary of Jame Dean's encounter with fate at the junction of California Highway 41 and 46 near Cholame, California. Many car clubs honor his memory by having club runs to Cholame on or near the anniversary of his death.

One year, I participated in a run to Cholame with the Southern California Miata Club (SOCALM) and in the then dusty parking lot of a nearby roadhouse were Porsches, Corvettes, and other sport cars competing for space with our little Miatas. There was a small memorial plaque at that time.

SOCALM is having another run to Cholame this September 30, on a Friday, the actual anniversary date of James Dean's accident and death.

I am debating to do the run but am thinking twice after reading of the shortage of gasoline in the Gulf Coast which is spreading North and West. California may be affected by the downed refineries in Texas and Lousiana and the re-allotment of fuel will definately affect gas prices and possible some short-term gas shortages. Not a good time to take a 500 mile run to nowhere (well, Cholame isn't exactly "nowhere", but...).

To go or not to go....my meeting place on Friday is Beach Blvd and the 405 Freeway at 700A Friday. To go or not to go, with the Frog wander again?

Emergency Housing

Am on a roll today, 2 postings!

It seems that the government, both federal and state(s) have no plans for emergency housing (aside from emergency shelters) for a million or more evacuees (note, not refugees, but evacuees). What happens when a massive hurricane hits a populated area like Florida and wipes out the homes of a million or more citizens? Or, if a massive tsunami or earthquake devastates the West Coast of the United States and 5 million or more citizens are homeless?

As a short term solution to this problem, military bases recently closed and pending closure that has housing and billets could be used as temporary quarters for homeless citizens. On many military bases, once closed have homes that are eventually razed or left without maintenance and rots for years until razed. Such homes located at closed bases that are identified as with the infrastructure to temporarily house citizens who lost homes due to disasters could be maintained for a period of time for such housing emergencies.

At Tustin MCAS, in California, once the base was closed the almost new homes (several hundred) were left to rot for 5 years or more until the base was finally turned over to the City of Tustin and sold to developers. Those homes could have been used as temporary homes for evacuees during those 5 years should the need arose. If, that is, the homes were maintained to be ready for occupancy with minimum preparation.

Bases within the interior of the United States have been closed or are scheduled for closure can be identified and housing maintained for disaster housing until such a time when the local authorities take over the property.

The country needs emergency housing for at least a million citizens. Disasters happen and the country needs to be prepared.

Bailing out New Orleans

It is more than water that is being bailed out of New Orleans. The fiscal condition of the city was suspect prior to Katrina and now the city is claiming that it is broke and unable to pay its bills. The education system, in shambles before Katrina has no money to pay its teachers and the city is asking the feds to bail them out.

The mayor of New Orleans stated that he was giving his police officers and family R&R in Las Vegas, although I am not sure if that boondoggle was executed. The question is where did the mayor get the money to pay for this boondoggle? FEMA refused to pay.

The mayor also purchased a home in Texas for his family and moved them there. So is he now a resident of Texas? And the mayor of New Orleans?

Money is pouring into the "Big Easy", I hope there will be accountability for the funds. What may happen is that money used to bail out the city (of water and bills) may make the United Nations Food for Oil scandal look like nickels and dimes.

If the mayor of New Orleans or the governor of Louisiana has access to these funds, or full authority where the money will be spent, an audit of their family accounts should be conducted now, since a few years from now there might be millions added to their accounts.

Late for Coffee, Subj: Cronys and Politics

Am late for my afternoon coffee, as a federal retiree, I need my coffee regardless if I am working or not! Just learned of FEMA Brown's resignation (or be fired). I admire the President for his loyalty to his "friends" and all these political appointments from ambassadors to heads of departments will cost you in the long run. The President isn't doing too badly with his appointments, but this one with Brown of FEMA, well, the President should have known better.

Why put a LAYWYER in charge of a disaster response agency. This was a no-brainer! Lawyers do what lawyers are, which is covering their bases (read: butts) when money is involved. The decision to put FEMA under the DHS was adding another bureaucratic layer to an agency requiring flexibility. Even the military learned that flexibility is the key to successful engagements, among other things.

A retired military general or admiral would have been the right person for the job. Military leaders (I stress Leaders) understand logistics along with space and time requirements. The United States has a heck of a lot of retired military sitting on their butts (on Corporate boards and such making $$) that would be willing to take a few years as Head (read Commander) of FEMA. They would do a heck of a better job than some political crony "lawyer".

The American people deserve and possess a great military organization and, when faced with a disaster, deserve a great response organization.

Gaaah! I need my coffee NOW!

Ranting and Raving

Being that I am a retiree, I should think twice before ranting and raving about "what should be" when it involves worldly events. I keep telling myself that my "tour" is over and it is for others, the new generation, to carry on.

I should concentrate on caring for my dog Sassy, five years old and recently diagonsed with lymphoma and cancer, a death sentence. You think, here is a guy who is concerned about a dog when thousands of people are dying or are dead as a result of a disaster along the Gulf of Mexico!

I care, yes, I could volunteer with some agency and go there to "make a difference" or donate more money, sure! There are many ways to address "doing something". But meantime at home, in my house, my dog has cancer and I have a mini tragedy at home.

I watch the news everyday. I stopped watching the Main Stream Media (CNN, CBS, etc.) since anti-Bush slanted information and questions aren't "news". My opinion is that the liberal news media's attacks on the administration reduce the ability of the administration to respond quickly. The administration has to weigh its options before committing a response to avoid a negative reaction from the MSM, consequently, people die or go wanting longer. I just want "news" reported. Videos are nice too!

There, I began ranting again! While on the rant subject, I might add that the high cost of fuel is limiting my ability to do what I planned for retirement. I cancelled several photography trips due to the cost of gas. I wanted to photograph the Pinnicles National Monument in central California and also visit Bodie State Park near Mono Lake, California. Both interesting photo subjects. Maybe later this year.

I still plan to wander around photographing nature and landscapes. My old 1994 Dodge van still runs well (I am worried about the front wheel bearings, though) and is perfect for wandering around the West, that is if the price of gas drops a bit.

Hurricanes and the Aftermath

It ain't over yet! This is still hurricane season and there is a possibility that another catagory 4 or even a catagory 5 hurricane will this time, hit New Orleans. Don't think the levees will hold up with a direct hit. The below sea level areas of the city should be converted into parks and high rise hotels with the ability to easily evacuate guests not be used as a residential area.

The levees are a problem and probably won't withstand a hit from a Cat 4 or Cat 5 this year. After all, Katrine MISSED New Orleans. The way the mayor is mouthing off, you'd think that President Bush is reponsible for the disaster, anyone but the mayor. Of course the governor wasn't much help, obviously way out of her depth when it came to life and death decisions.

Mississippi and Alabama which suffered catastrophic losses along the coast fared better in regards to looting and crime. Also, most of the people evacuated when advised to do so, unlike New Orleans where the mayor, after a plea from President Bush, ordered total evacuation, but then allowed 20% of the population to remain in "safe havens". So much for the city buses which I understand were unused in this crisis and are now parked underwater.

There is a difference in the way the governors of Mississippi and Alabama protected their citizens and the way Louisiana did not. Who elected the Lousiana governor? Probably the citizens of New Orleans made the difference in the electiion. You get what you pay for.

The Aftermath. Too soon to tell. Search and rescue have to to their work and then the recovery folks go in to pull out the remains of those who perished. Rebuild? Well, do they really want to build homes below sea level and protected by dikes and levees? Depends whose pockets need to be lined there in New Orleans.

The Big Easy! The New Orleans we all knew is now gone, maybe for the better. I'd wait until this hurricane season is over before I breathe a sigh of relief. I sat out a typhoon (in the Far East, hurricanes are called typhoons) more than once. One had winds were over 200 mph with gusts over 220 mph. Our house was severly damaged and lost its roof.

My family had evacuated earlier and were in different quarters so we weren't affected, but for the loss of power and water for about a week. Gotta remember that it takes a minimum of a week before search and rescue can get to you and if you are involved with an earthquake (and survive) it will take at least 2 weeks until relief arrives. Are you prepared?