The Real Deal #17

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Today we’re going to talk a little bit about the LA fires and delve - very lightly - into some current political rhetoric. The reason I’m straying from my normally apolitical approach today is that there is a uniqueness to the situation. It’s somewhat of a calamitous vortex of anger and destruction.

It’s hard to comprehend.

It doesn’t seem to me like anyone is oblivious to what’s going on California. At least four enormous fires are raging across the hills north of the city, stretching resources far beyond their limits.

I saw on a 60 Minutes story covering the situation on Sunday, that something like 26,000 houses have been destroyed - more than what all of the firetrucks in the entire state could handle.

It’s terrible. And it’s far from over.

There are two things that struck me as I was watching videos of the blazes mow down everything in their paths in Pacific Palisades and other towns up there.

1. The political rhetoric in the face of public officials scrambling to help, and

2. The arguments about whose ‘fault’ it is.

These are conversations for another day.

(Note: If you’re interested, you can see the approximate locations of the fires on Google Maps.)

The reason I’m going to delve - just dip a toe, very lightly - into politics is that I have noticed a pattern that’s disturbing: The politicization of weather disasters.

But first - what’s causing the fires?

Two words: Dryness and wind.

There has been a drought in Southern California since the end of their last rainy season in the spring of 2022. Timber, foliage… it’s all just dry. Pretty much everything on the landscape. I once heard Los Angeles described as a coastal desert. Right now, there couldn’t be a more apt description.

The second impact is the Santa Ana winds. Not to make light of it, but as a going-on-fifteen-years, daily completer of the New York Times Crossword Puzzle, I know a bit about those winds. They are in the crossword in some form at least monthly if not twenty times a year.

From the LA Times in 2019: What makes the Santa Ana winds blow through Southern California?

From there, all it takes is a match. It’s quite frightening.

I do not know anyone personally in the Los Angeles area. It was an interesting place to visit.

That said, there is one person who I do “know,” he’s a comedian who has been doing a podcast since before it was an everyday/anyone “thing.”

Marc Maron lives in the Hollywood Hills - Glendale, to be exact. I have always admired him because he was a semi-famous guy who told jokes, but decided after some personal setbacks to try his hand at podcasting. He’s credited (partially) with starting the podcasting boom.

He resurrected his career with this podcast.

Today, everyone has a podcast. Fifeen years ago, it was a niche medium.

Along with his Monday & Thursday episodes, which he has put out faithfully since 2009, he sends an email. It comes out on Monday and he expounds on personal challenges and observations. It’s a light read.

But this week, it wasn’t so light:

THAT is the reality of the situation in California. Thousands and thousands of homes, leveled. Not even leveled - burned to NOTHING.

And those winds - blowing at 100 miles and hour down from the mountains, feed the fires. Even as I write this, I see a headline saying that weather projections are calling for increased winds again for the next two days.

Meanwhile, the politicians lob grenades at each other while the California governor works the problem.

What I’m trying to say, today, is that I’m not sure what you may be thinking about with the craziness, and human and property loss going on in Florida, North Carolina, and California in the last few months… always remember that being human is being human, and leaders (any leaders - anyone who chooses to lead) know that people need help.

I hope my readers are okay, that your loved ones and friends are okay, and that we all remember each others’ humanity in times like this.

Please remember to be human.

Thanks for reading. While this topic isn’t what I want to be writing about, I fear that it will continue to be. To keep things a little light, take a look at the visitors who showed up this afternoon as I was completing my final edits.

I posted this on my Bluesky account.

I love Bobcats!