Remember all the money doled out to Israel, Ukraine and more.Maybe "national security" needs to be redefined as a goal with emphasis on the "national". Think what those billions, trillions could do to improve fire, water, weather protections. Not to mention addressing climate heating itself.....
Ah but you have to look on the bright side. Los Angeles has given away lots of money to Israel in order that it can bomb and set Palestinians on light. Just a pity it's come back to burn them.
Guess that's life. You can't burn the world and hope to escape the effects yourself.
LA did not agree to send more money to Israel. Most Demsocrats were against that. The progressive postion was instead to not send money to Israel for offense and have it withrdraw from the Gaza strip and West bank.
And where were you on on sending money to Ukraine? You didn't help on the right side of that war.
Besides that, money is really not the problem. The billionaires who pay no tax, have plenty of money to give back to this country to do what ever we need to do and that is primiarly to stop using fossil fuels. Stop drilling!
I'm not a US citizen and as far as I'm concerned Democrats and Republicans are 2 cheeks of the same arse. Biden is no different from Trump and has supported genocide in Palestine
As for Ukraine this is a NATO proxy war and I wouldn't give Zelensky a dime. He had the option of neutrality but preferred instead to allow NATO into Ukraine. If Russia had sent troops to Mexico and installed its missile there I guess the US might object.
No sympathy for the semi-fascist state of Ukraine.
We need to wage war on neo-liberalism on both sides of the Atlantic but for Los Angeles, a rich city, to have a malfunctioning fire service really does say something
I don't know why you call Ukraine a semi-fascist state. It's true they have been a weak democracy and were too corrupt ( helped by Paul Manafort BTW), but they have tried to improve a lot. Russia INVADED them and already took over Crimea. That's exacetly how Hitler started WWII-- taking over neighborhing countries. I want to suppor NATO and make it stronger to prevent fascist states from taking over Europe then the whole world.
Thank you for all the likes but Los Angeles has to make choices. There isn't money for everyone. What is a few fires in Los Angeles and some burning mansions compared to Israel's burning need to clear the Palestinians out of Gaza, or if they won't go to send them to heaven early?
Ah yes I know that you say that Israel's need to genocide Palestinians isn't as important as Los Angeles citizens need for a decent firefighting force however that is not what made the United States great.
And what would the god that sent down these firebolts say if the Jewish return to the Holy Land is impeded. No really money for Zionism is far, far more important than a few fires which will eventually burn themselves out anyway!
Your book, "Zionism Durning the Holocaust," is sitting right beside me as I write thisI wish you all the best in your battles with the UK government and their Trumped up charges.
Stop sanctioning Iran. Let them supply the world with nuts and shut down central valley big agriculture or watch S.CA turn into a burnt pretzel. CA: get your shit together.
These firefighters need all of their necessary resources to do their jobs, AND to save their lives ON THE JOB. Imagine looking at a fire, hose in hand, and the engine won't start, or runs out of fuel ! How does the gov not see this? Are the gov people lost in BS? Fund these women and men, and save ourselves, "ya think"
About those rich Angelinos whose homes are being destroyed, I recall back in the 1970s-80s the city government tried to propose pesky regulations requiring shake wood roofs to be replaced by something a tad less prone to burning. Damned if those people living in the hills didn't scream bloody murder about the gummint telling them how to run their lives.
Many of these same people voted for Prop 13 which stripped local governments of money to deal with these kinds of issues.
My feeling about this tragedy, and the ones on the East Coast where hurricanes rip communities up - and having lived in areas with each of these hazards, fire is much, much more damaging - is sure pay the residents to relocate but make them sign over all rights to future damage compensation should they choose to rebuild.
As someone who grew up in LA, where I was indoctrinated until age 14 or so, and where I also learned what was really going on this world, it does not make me happy to see this level of incompetence, mismanagement, and, might we say, downright dereliction of duty, on the part of the government, local and otherwise. Those same people, rulers, governments, parties, who would be part of an apparatus that funnels more and more resources to fund and stoke overseas wars and mayhem, should not be surprised when cosmic, or otherwise, blowback "falls upon them naturally," It's always someone else who pays, and they simply don't care.
Sorry, I don't support spending more money on firefighting. It basically is just a bandaid that will come off again as the climate continues to warm up. Unitl LA, or any where, does whatever it can to eliminate its carbon emissions, I'm not going to help you. The technology is here-- you can all get electric cars, electify your buildngs, stop drilling for oil, get rooftop solar.. It might be more expensive, but it is less expensive than fighting more fires over and over again. To get my support , at least TRY to reduce emissions.
Florida gets hit by massive hurricanes every year. I keep reading in the news that climate change supposedly makes them worse each time. But they are managing just fine. Why? They have competent leadership, they are properly prepared, they keep innovating to protect themselves even better next time. California does none of that: they don’t invest in their fire departments, don’t capture rainwater, don’t cut trees around power lines, and don’t do regular controlled burns like the Native Americans did for 1000s of years. So California burns.
Be wary of any politician who blames it on “climate change”. That’s a global problem—China’s emissions dwarf those of the USA (which are trending downward). So if an American politician says “it’s the fault of climate change” what they really mean is “it’s not *my* fault, and I shouldn’t be held accountable.”
You think Florida is managing "just fine"!!??? Is that why insurance companies are pulling out of Florida? Do you think all those Floridians are really going to rebuild? Or, if they do, they're stupid.
I agree climate change is a global problem, but if you are not trying to cut emissions, yo deserve what you get. And the US emissions are increasing, the rate of increase is less, but we are on track to miss all the climate goals set by the state.
Politicians receive too much money from real estate investors and fossil fuel companies…they want that money so they do what they are told to do. They should not be able to build in those areas in the hills that are prone to fires. But people want those beautiful views and are able to pay for their grand homes. There must be regulation. I care more about the mountain lions and non humans that die from the fires…humans don’t need to live there.
Republican-run Florida is hit by major hurricanes every year. And despite a relatively low tax burden, they handle them like a well-oiled machine every time—so well that even Joe Biden praised their performance. When you have competent leaders who are focused on serving their constituents, stuff gets done. There’s enough money to fund the jobs that need doing, because no money is wasted on the jobs nobody asked for. Challenges get overcome, and the city prospers.
But when you have incompetent leaders who focus on representing public-sector unions, who are chosen based on skin color or who they like to have sex with rather than performance and merit—everything becomes expensive, and nothing works. SNCF decides to work with North Africa instead because your governance is so dysfunctional. And the city burns to the ground.
The assertion that leadership failures stem from the backgrounds or identities of elected officials is not only misleading but dangerous. Diversity in leadership enriches our decision-making processes and ensures that all voices are heard. Dismissing individuals based on race or sexual orientation is a step backward, undermining the principles of equity and justice that our society strives for.
In the face of significant challenges, we must demand more than divisive rhetoric. We need leaders who prioritize collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability. Only then can we build resilient communities capable of overcoming any obstacle. Let’s focus on solutions that uplift everyone, rather than perpetuating narratives that divide us.
I don’t care whether LA’s leadership and staffing is black, white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. I don’t care whether they are L, G, B, T, Q, A, C, Þ, whatever. But *they* care about it, more than they care about doing their jobs. That’s the issue.
Sure! I use ChatGPT to help refine my thoughts and structure my response, but the ideas and arguments presented reflect my own perspective. The tool assisted in articulating my points more clearly, but the content is ultimately based on my views and understanding of the topic.
I instantly suspected you were using AI because your rhetoric was so tired and cliché—yes, that’s a problem. If you are using AI properly, then nobody should be able to tell it was used, because all they will see is interesting and original writing.
Cardassian Garak on Deep Space Nine, the tinker/tailor/spy that saw spies everywhere, once said, "I absolutely believe in coincidences. Coincidences happen everyday. I just don't trust coincidences."
Remember all the money doled out to Israel, Ukraine and more.Maybe "national security" needs to be redefined as a goal with emphasis on the "national". Think what those billions, trillions could do to improve fire, water, weather protections. Not to mention addressing climate heating itself.....
Ah but you have to look on the bright side. Los Angeles has given away lots of money to Israel in order that it can bomb and set Palestinians on light. Just a pity it's come back to burn them.
Guess that's life. You can't burn the world and hope to escape the effects yourself.
LA did not agree to send more money to Israel. Most Demsocrats were against that. The progressive postion was instead to not send money to Israel for offense and have it withrdraw from the Gaza strip and West bank.
And where were you on on sending money to Ukraine? You didn't help on the right side of that war.
Besides that, money is really not the problem. The billionaires who pay no tax, have plenty of money to give back to this country to do what ever we need to do and that is primiarly to stop using fossil fuels. Stop drilling!
I'm not a US citizen and as far as I'm concerned Democrats and Republicans are 2 cheeks of the same arse. Biden is no different from Trump and has supported genocide in Palestine
As for Ukraine this is a NATO proxy war and I wouldn't give Zelensky a dime. He had the option of neutrality but preferred instead to allow NATO into Ukraine. If Russia had sent troops to Mexico and installed its missile there I guess the US might object.
No sympathy for the semi-fascist state of Ukraine.
We need to wage war on neo-liberalism on both sides of the Atlantic but for Los Angeles, a rich city, to have a malfunctioning fire service really does say something
I don't know why you call Ukraine a semi-fascist state. It's true they have been a weak democracy and were too corrupt ( helped by Paul Manafort BTW), but they have tried to improve a lot. Russia INVADED them and already took over Crimea. That's exacetly how Hitler started WWII-- taking over neighborhing countries. I want to suppor NATO and make it stronger to prevent fascist states from taking over Europe then the whole world.
Isn't GENOCIDE Biden an elected democrat?
Unlimited money to fund genocide in Gaza, but not enough money to protect ourselves. Who controls our Middle Easter foreign policy? I think I know.
The chickens are coming home to roost... and not just in Los Angeles. Welcome to the Anthropocene. BYOM (bring your own marshmellows).
Thank you for this sobering account. The entre by Ryan and the in depth reporting
by Jessica Burbank are really first class.
Thank you for all the likes but Los Angeles has to make choices. There isn't money for everyone. What is a few fires in Los Angeles and some burning mansions compared to Israel's burning need to clear the Palestinians out of Gaza, or if they won't go to send them to heaven early?
Ah yes I know that you say that Israel's need to genocide Palestinians isn't as important as Los Angeles citizens need for a decent firefighting force however that is not what made the United States great.
And what would the god that sent down these firebolts say if the Jewish return to the Holy Land is impeded. No really money for Zionism is far, far more important than a few fires which will eventually burn themselves out anyway!
Your book, "Zionism Durning the Holocaust," is sitting right beside me as I write thisI wish you all the best in your battles with the UK government and their Trumped up charges.
I want my pistachio munch food.
Let LA burn.
Stop sanctioning Iran. Let them supply the world with nuts and shut down central valley big agriculture or watch S.CA turn into a burnt pretzel. CA: get your shit together.
These firefighters need all of their necessary resources to do their jobs, AND to save their lives ON THE JOB. Imagine looking at a fire, hose in hand, and the engine won't start, or runs out of fuel ! How does the gov not see this? Are the gov people lost in BS? Fund these women and men, and save ourselves, "ya think"
Probably a subtle reflection of the Trump/Musk coming reign -- spend less no matter what , and especailluy on the really important things.
Democratic mayor, Democratic governor, Democratic president—but sure, must be Trump’s fault
About those rich Angelinos whose homes are being destroyed, I recall back in the 1970s-80s the city government tried to propose pesky regulations requiring shake wood roofs to be replaced by something a tad less prone to burning. Damned if those people living in the hills didn't scream bloody murder about the gummint telling them how to run their lives.
Many of these same people voted for Prop 13 which stripped local governments of money to deal with these kinds of issues.
My feeling about this tragedy, and the ones on the East Coast where hurricanes rip communities up - and having lived in areas with each of these hazards, fire is much, much more damaging - is sure pay the residents to relocate but make them sign over all rights to future damage compensation should they choose to rebuild.
As someone who grew up in LA, where I was indoctrinated until age 14 or so, and where I also learned what was really going on this world, it does not make me happy to see this level of incompetence, mismanagement, and, might we say, downright dereliction of duty, on the part of the government, local and otherwise. Those same people, rulers, governments, parties, who would be part of an apparatus that funnels more and more resources to fund and stoke overseas wars and mayhem, should not be surprised when cosmic, or otherwise, blowback "falls upon them naturally," It's always someone else who pays, and they simply don't care.
Sorry, I don't support spending more money on firefighting. It basically is just a bandaid that will come off again as the climate continues to warm up. Unitl LA, or any where, does whatever it can to eliminate its carbon emissions, I'm not going to help you. The technology is here-- you can all get electric cars, electify your buildngs, stop drilling for oil, get rooftop solar.. It might be more expensive, but it is less expensive than fighting more fires over and over again. To get my support , at least TRY to reduce emissions.
Florida gets hit by massive hurricanes every year. I keep reading in the news that climate change supposedly makes them worse each time. But they are managing just fine. Why? They have competent leadership, they are properly prepared, they keep innovating to protect themselves even better next time. California does none of that: they don’t invest in their fire departments, don’t capture rainwater, don’t cut trees around power lines, and don’t do regular controlled burns like the Native Americans did for 1000s of years. So California burns.
Be wary of any politician who blames it on “climate change”. That’s a global problem—China’s emissions dwarf those of the USA (which are trending downward). So if an American politician says “it’s the fault of climate change” what they really mean is “it’s not *my* fault, and I shouldn’t be held accountable.”
You think Florida is managing "just fine"!!??? Is that why insurance companies are pulling out of Florida? Do you think all those Floridians are really going to rebuild? Or, if they do, they're stupid.
I agree climate change is a global problem, but if you are not trying to cut emissions, yo deserve what you get. And the US emissions are increasing, the rate of increase is less, but we are on track to miss all the climate goals set by the state.
Politicians receive too much money from real estate investors and fossil fuel companies…they want that money so they do what they are told to do. They should not be able to build in those areas in the hills that are prone to fires. But people want those beautiful views and are able to pay for their grand homes. There must be regulation. I care more about the mountain lions and non humans that die from the fires…humans don’t need to live there.
Republican-run Florida is hit by major hurricanes every year. And despite a relatively low tax burden, they handle them like a well-oiled machine every time—so well that even Joe Biden praised their performance. When you have competent leaders who are focused on serving their constituents, stuff gets done. There’s enough money to fund the jobs that need doing, because no money is wasted on the jobs nobody asked for. Challenges get overcome, and the city prospers.
But when you have incompetent leaders who focus on representing public-sector unions, who are chosen based on skin color or who they like to have sex with rather than performance and merit—everything becomes expensive, and nothing works. SNCF decides to work with North Africa instead because your governance is so dysfunctional. And the city burns to the ground.
The assertion that leadership failures stem from the backgrounds or identities of elected officials is not only misleading but dangerous. Diversity in leadership enriches our decision-making processes and ensures that all voices are heard. Dismissing individuals based on race or sexual orientation is a step backward, undermining the principles of equity and justice that our society strives for.
In the face of significant challenges, we must demand more than divisive rhetoric. We need leaders who prioritize collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability. Only then can we build resilient communities capable of overcoming any obstacle. Let’s focus on solutions that uplift everyone, rather than perpetuating narratives that divide us.
Did ChatGPT write this boilerplate drivel?
I don’t care whether LA’s leadership and staffing is black, white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. I don’t care whether they are L, G, B, T, Q, A, C, Þ, whatever. But *they* care about it, more than they care about doing their jobs. That’s the issue.
Sure! I use ChatGPT to help refine my thoughts and structure my response, but the ideas and arguments presented reflect my own perspective. The tool assisted in articulating my points more clearly, but the content is ultimately based on my views and understanding of the topic.
Is that a problem?
I instantly suspected you were using AI because your rhetoric was so tired and cliché—yes, that’s a problem. If you are using AI properly, then nobody should be able to tell it was used, because all they will see is interesting and original writing.
I like honesty!
Cardassian Garak on Deep Space Nine, the tinker/tailor/spy that saw spies everywhere, once said, "I absolutely believe in coincidences. Coincidences happen everyday. I just don't trust coincidences."
Shades of Lahaina. :(