TresSugar

Front Page: Heat Wave to Hit Fires, Bombing in Kabul Kills 40, Injuries in Running of the Bulls

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:55:19 -0700

Heat Wave to Hit Fires:
Firefighters in California brace for an impending heat wave set to make containing one of the 1,700 fires sparked since June 21, much harder. Cooler, damper weekend temperatures had helped firefighters working to bring the Santa Barbara fires under control are set to end, while 2,600 homes are still evacuated. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said yesterday the fires had burnt over half a million acres and killed one firefighter. Drought conditions combined with human encroachment into forest areas - bringing with them, carelessness, has stretched the fire season from four to six or seven months. Officials are having to prepare for the longer more intense season.

Bombing in Kabul Kills 40:
In what's thought to be the deadliest attack in Kabul yet, a suicide bomber has killed at least 40 people and injured 140 today at the gates of the Indian Embassy in the capital of Afghanistan. The attacker plowed a car into two Indian diplomatic vehicles as they entered the gates of the embassy before detonating. Witness say the blast wrecked several other cars and flung body parts and bloodstained pieces of clothing among the wreckage.
Injuries in Running of the Bulls:
At least nine have been injured and one killed during the running of the bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain. Four of the injured were foreign tourists. The nine-day festival that's been held since 1591, began yesterday and the run itself lasted four minutes. It's thought that 13 people have been killed during the controversial tradition since record keeping began in 1924.

Schwarzenegger Says "No Fireworks" for 4th, Fires Rage On

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:00:22 -0700

With more than 1,400 fires engulfing the forests of California, President George W. Bush has designated areas from Nevada to the Pacific Ocean an official federal disaster area, allowing FEMA to dispatch equipment and financial relief to the counties that have been devastated by the blazes. So far more than 17,000 firefighters from more than 35 states are currently battling the fires with nearly 1,200 fire engines and 85 helicopters.

Given the unprecedented amount of fires raging throughout the state, the air in Northern California has been reduced to an unhealthy smog of ash causing the cancellation of athletic activities and other outdoor events. Some regions are registering the worst air quality on record with smoke from the fires ascending to the ground levels like a fog. Air quality departments are concerned about small-particle pollution in which tiny particles can penetrate the immunity system and burrow deep into the lungs and blood stream. Health officials have reported an increase in eye and throat irritation and have warned that the poor air can cause asthma attacks and bronchitis.

The raging fires are putting a damper on Independence Day celebrations as well. To see how, read more.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bid to help firefighters has requested that residents do not purchase or use fireworks for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. Said the Governor: “I know that the people that are selling all this stuff are going to go crazy now when I say this, but don’t buy fireworks.” This request has sparked its own controversy from groups and charities that rely on sales of fireworks to keep their organizations running. A high school coach said: “We can make $3,000, $4,000, up to $5,000 a year. It’s a huge chunk of change for us.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) foreshadowed a season of blazes saying, "It is hot, and the state is tinder-dry. This will be a long fire season."

Source

Front Page: Fires Rage in Southern California

TresSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:00:32 -0700

A relentless fire in Southern California has claimed the lives of two firemen, along with 18 houses. More than 6,000 homes are under mandatory evacuation orders. - LA Times
Jenna Bush has been hired as a new correspondent for the Today Show. - AP
Colombian president Alvaro Uribe has swine flu. - BBC News
Out-of-town couples are not rushing to Vermont now that same-sex marriage is legal. - AP
Kidnap victim Jaycee Lee Dugard apparently played a key role in her captor's printing business. - San Francisco Chronicle

Sound the Alarm! California's Prisoners Help Fight Wild Fires

LibertySugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:57 -0700

California has called on a plentiful resource - prisoners - to save the state's natural resources from devastating fires. About 2,500 prisoners are fighting the thousands of wild fires engulfing California. The convicted helping hands are not amateurs; California has maintained a prisoner firefighter training program for 60 years.

Serving fellow citizens during an emergency provides an unfamiliar role for former criminals, giving them an opportunity to help society rather than burden it. Taking their jobs seriously, few convicts have escaped during the course of the program. Those driving by pull over to say thank you, and one prisoner said: "Even though I have to wear these colors, I still feel important."

Firefighter training seems like a great way to pass on work skills to inmates, while giving them a tie to the community and a chance for respect - the lack of these things might have caused the crimes in the first place.

View 5 Photos ›

Source

Front Page: Southern California Fires Rage On

LibertySugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Three major fires in Southern California continue to blaze, but the powerful Santa Ana winds have subsided for now. As firefighters battle the massive flames, agencies are helping displaced families. - Los Angeles Times
Citigroup plans to cut about 53,000 jobs soon, in addition to 22,000 already announced. The company will discus the decision, originally posted on the its website, with employees at a company-wide townhall meeting in New York. - AP

The lawsuit brought against CBS by ex anchor Dan Rather has uncovered evidence of GOP influence at the network. Documents suggest that CBS began an investigation of Rather, and his 2004 segment about President Bush's National guard service, was intended to appease Republican critics of the network. - New York Times
A National Health Service Doctor in England has admitted to being a terrorist. The 29-year-old doctor allegedly attempted car bombings in London and at Glasgow Airport. - BBC News

Source

Front Page: 30 Sentenced in Tibet, Wildfires, Economy 0.6 %

CitizenSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:26 -0700

30 Sentenced in Tibet: A Chinese court in Tibet has sentenced 30 people to prison for their roles in the deadly rioting last month. The sentences range from three years to life in prison. Those punished were accused of taking part in the protests, vandalism, and violence that began March 14 in the Tibetan capital. China blames the Dalai Lama for the conflict and the ensuing problems with the Olympic torch relay. A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry says, “We hope the Dalai can cherish this opportunity, recognize the situation and change his position to take concrete measures to stop his criminal acts of violence, stop his sabotage of the Beijing Olympics and his separatist activities, so as to create conditions for the next step of talks.”

Wildfires Rage: Firefighters enter their fourth day battling wildfires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. The fires were 57 percent contained early Tuesday after less than a square mile and most of the more than 1,000 people evacuated from their homes had been allowed to return. Fires outside of Reno are being fanned by up to 68 m.p.h. winds making containment difficult. The blaze has caused a major highway to close, threatened homes, and caused the evacuation of a school.
Economy 0.6 % Growth: The US economy grew 0.6 percent during the first quarter of this year. The growth is equal to the last quarter of 2007. The 0.6 percent statistic doesn't meet the classic definition of a recession, which is a retraction of the economy, though the slim gains show struggle.

Discriminating Carrie Prejean Sues For Religious Discrimination

TresSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Before she infamously said anything about gay (or opposite) marriage, beauty queen Carrie Prejean claims that Miss California pageant officials told her to stop mentioning God. In a move that is keeping her name in the headlines, the dethroned Miss California is now suing pageant officials for religious discrimination.

Carrie claims she was fired as Miss California because she voiced her faith-based opinion that gay marriage should not be legal. Apparently, Carrie sees nothing ironic about using her religious beliefs as rationale for voicing antigay sentiments, and then claiming to be a victim of discrimination herself.

The lawsuit names director Keith Lewis and Shanna Moaklar as defendants, and also claims that the pair improperly revealed that they paid for Carrie's breast implants. Shanna's attorney had some strong things to say about the suit. He countered, "Ms. Prejean's unfortunate and bigoted statements are responsible for any public humiliation or damages to her reputation that she has claimed to have suffered." As for whether she was fired for her religion, officials cite her unwillingness to make appearances as the basis for her dethroning.

Regardless of whether you agree with Carrie, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does prohibit employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring or firing. Do you think Carrie has a case?

Front Page: Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee Arrive Home

TresSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:00:07 -0700

Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee arrived home in California this morning, accompanied by former President Bill Clinton. - CNN
A man who opened fire in a Pennsylvania gym last night, killing four, apparently kept a website chronicling his years of rejection by women. - AP
President Obama has unveiled a $2.4 billion grant program for electric cars. - MSNBC
An Iranian lawmaker said today that the three captured Americans arrested for illegally entering from Iraq are "definitely" spies. -LA Times
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Kenya today spreading a message of free trade and the rule of law. - NY Times

View 5 Photos ›

Front Page: Obama Picks Sonia Sotomayor For Supreme Court

TresSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:00:45 -0700

President Obama has selected federal judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee for Supreme Court. She is the court's first Hispanic nominee. - New York Times
Following the test of a nuclear missile this weekend, North Korea test-fired two more short-range missiles today. - CNN
California's Supreme Court will rule today whether the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Don't expect the battle to end either way. - Wall Street Journal
Mel Gibson has confirmed that his girlfriend Okasana Grigorieva is pregnant with his child. Mel has seven children with his still-wife Robyn. - Fox News
Reality show Jon and Kate Plus 8 premiered last night, but this time the show focused on the couple's marriage troubles. - lilsugar

Source

Hot Scam? Firefighting Helicopter Drops Are a Political Show

CitizenSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:00:58 -0700

When Rep. Duncan Hunter sidestepped the chain of command to get firefighting planes for California, earlier this month he was matter-of-fact: "California was on fire, I got 'em the planes. That's my job." But then there's the matter of this fact: firefighters say they're often pressured to press planes into service even when they won't do any good on major fires - they call the political air shows, "CNN drops."

Precisely because they look good on TV, these aerial aquatic shows are a highly visible way for politicians to look like they're pulling out all the stops to keep constituents safe, even when it's not necessary or useful. The Oregon fire aviation chief says, "A lot of people do a lot of things for publicity and for politics that don't need to be done."

The sentiment is nice, but it's driving up the cost of fighting fires significantly. To see how significantly, read more.

Last year the Forest Service spent $296 on aerial firefighting compared with $171 million in 2004. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: officials use the water show to show they're doing something, and homeowners don't think enough is being done without it. A retired Forest Service commander says, "If there's a fire and there's not an air tanker circling in California, people go, 'Oh my God, we're defenseless,' when in fact we're probably not,"

While aircraft do have a purpose if they're employed early enough to retard the flames until the ground crew arrives, one the inferno is raging en fuego, "aviation doesn't put out a fire." The ground crew does. Besides the cost, sending crews into inappropriate fires is unsafe.

If "dropping 150 gallons at a few hundred feet on a fire is literally a drop in the bucket," shouldn't we can the expectation of seeing them and let firefighters make the call?

Source