We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:49:12 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place... ********************************* Being in virtual isolation here has caused me to become rather disconnected from things, as my posting of late indicates, due to a lack of ability to research and stay plugged in. Things such as the full impact of the fires in California - something I handled clumsily yesterday mixing empathy and self-indulgent humor. At... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:50:28 -0600 We have an infestation in our neighborhood as well. I would second the enviros on that as being horrid to weed out. Kudzu aint pretty. Not as pretty as ivy. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65936 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65936 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:11:49 -0600 Yes it is and Clemson University is constantly looking for ways to control it (they've given up on eradication). The latest I heard was to get goat herders to travel around with their herds to kudzu infestation sites (similar to bee-keepers with their bees). The goats seem to do well on kudzu forage... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65904 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65904 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:18:13 -0600 Being currently in Dixie - kudzu is a noxious weed, no doubt. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65898 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65898 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:17:06 -0600 Dixie. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65895 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65895 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:21:33 -0600 There's a type of ground hugging vine that tended to do well in chapparal conditions(was a biotch to rip out too), but the enviros might not like it since it's 'an invasive non-native species'. But would be a good intermediate in my opinion. Have to ask Ma what it was that I spent my entire summer at age 12 rooting out. I hear you sH. We gotta remind people that this isn't a once off problem and that it is a persistent one. I know they don't want to hear that now, but the sooner it gets moved on the better the outcome. loadr, contractor you may have been, but you're only stinky after 18 hour days(at least that's what Mrs. loadr says). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65885 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65885 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:13:54 -0600 As for burned slopes, it wouldn't be a bad idea to cast out grass seed and the like, in addition to any trees or shrubs. Retardant from air tankers at least used to include grass and weed seeds in the mud; that's what binds a lot of topsoil from erosion, and they hoped to give it a head start. I grew up in L.A. county, and can't recall when mudslides didn't follow big fires. That's assuming it ever rains again down there. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65881 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65881 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:15:44 -0600 You'd be surprised, Fuzzy. Even a little bit liquifies. If it was me, I'd get together with a bunch of the neighbors and plant some trees or something to act as a stiffener to the burnt areas. What sayeth Unka Bill on the situation, oh Gardner King of Joisey? Either way, watch the tufted tushie, Fuzzy. For-warned is for-armed. YOu can still stock pile on essentials like water, butane camp stove, non-perishable food, kitty litter(oh yes indeedy), meds(if'n you or Momma Fuzzy have any prescriptions) and ways to keep warm when/if the power and gas lines get cut. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65880 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65880 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:25:02 -0600 BTW - In case anybody thinks I was being offensive; I was once a "stinking contractor" in Iraq... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65874 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65874 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:32:27 -0600 Cricket - Members of Congress usually get active duty escorts; at least they did when I was at CV. It gives them an opportunity to play the politician with the soldiers. Nobody cares what a stinking contractor thinks... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65868 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65868 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:50:00 -0600 No worries, John. I saw that post in a mindless scroll through the Castle, but didn't have the unoccupied brain cells to comprehend it, much less be offended. What little part of me that registered it knew you were disconnected and busy. :) And you're right of course, Ry. Another way in which my mother and I are lucky is that we are on a hill that only burned in pockets. The fire hopscotched around up the hill from us and at the base of it (houses burned), but there are no wide swathes of empty hillside. So any mud-slides would likely be no more than an inconvenience for us (blocking access for awhile, utilities, etc). Lex should be okay, too: I think he lives on a mesa and the fires didn't come any closer than a couple of miles to him. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65866 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65866 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:22:11 -0600 Uhhh, when Shrillary and Nancy PLOsi went gallivanting off to the ME, who provided their security? Blackwater or the Secret Service? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65865 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65865 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:05:08 -0600 Good points, Ry. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65864 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65864 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:17:27 -0600 Sounds like valid points to me, Loadr. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65860 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65860 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:05:24 -0600 so far. What this has meant in practical terms is the other PSCs have had limitations placed on their firepower and Blackwater hasn't. When I left the AOR last year, our project had been turned down, for the 3rd time by CENTCOM, in our request to have M-60/M-240s (7.62mm) for our lead and trail vehicles. The most bang we were allowed was M-249s (5.56mm). And don't even ask for anything with HE. The only grenades we were allowed were colored smoke for LZ marking. Conversely, Blackwater was allowed M-2s and chain guns. CENTCOM’s view was that you don't need heavy crew served weapons for, what is supposed to be, a purely defensive mission. Another point: I argued (unsuccessfully, of course) that the PSCs were hiring from the wrong gene pool to start with. A mission of pure defense and protection of assets would be better suited to former MPs, not former special ops operatives. But, hey, what do I know, I’m just an old bomb loader who’s convoyed from Mosul to Basra, that’s all. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65859 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/10/hi_fires_25_oct.html#comment-65859 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:03:50 -0600