FIRE: The fire near Boulder is almost completely contained, and some people are now allowed back to their homes, if they are fortunate enough to still have one. Last count was 169 destroyed by the fire, but it is likely that number may not yet be 100% accurate. My friends who live in the area have yet to be able to go home, at least as far as I know, and as of Friday did not expect it until some time this week. They have been told that their house is fine, but the fire was close enough to melt their greenhouse and torch their wood pile, both right near the house.
There is a great story in the Boulder Daily Camera (who knew they still employ reporters?) about what made the fire so destructive. It was not a huge wild fire compared to others that have happened here in Colorado in terms of area burned, but the most destructive in terms of homes destroyed. Turns out the mountains right outside Boulder are some of the most densely build forest area in the country. With downtown Boulder situated right at the foot of the mountains, you can live 5 miles up in the woods, and still be only a few minutes from town. Pretty cool, until fire time. Also, of course, a century of fire mitigation has kept forests around the country from burning as nature intended, and they now are more densely treed and full of low lying fuel.
Oh, and today when I went for my bike ride this morning, I saw a plume of smoke from directly north of town. I rode up a hill where I could see the growing smoke was coming from about 20 miles north of Boulder. I hear on the news right now that it has burned 600 acres, and people are being evacuated.
We need rain, and in true wacky Boulder fashion, some folks did a rain dance on the Pearl St. Mall on Friday night.
WHAT AILS AMERICA: If you read this blog often, you know I am a big fan of Thomas Friedman, the NY Times Columnist and author. He is the anti-Glenn Beck. Instead of appealing to emotion and ignorance, he uses logic and real thought to talk about the world. So, while idiots like Beck and Palin are sure that if we just pray and keep saying what a great country we are, everything will be fine, Friedman talks to smart people who are actually analyzing our problems. He'll never get his own talk show, because he is not screaming crazy. But PLEASE READ HIS COLUMN TODAY!. It is brilliant and frightening in its accuracy. His main point: we suffer from a loss of values like hard work and sacrifice, and expect our leaders to give us something for nothing.
Meanwhile, the political season is upon us, and the ignorant just can't understand why Obama hasn't just fixed the economy. As if any President has that short term power.
ROCKIES: On a more fun note, I went to the Rockies game last night. Not a great game, but during the game Kip asked me if Jason
Giambi wasn't once a Yankee, and if that meant I still hate him. I explained he was our guy now, so we will forgive his transgression of signing with the devil. As I am writing this, Giambi just hit a walk-off HR to give the Rox their 10th straight win. I love that guy!
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