Good air is finally here!

The San Diego Air Quality Index (AQI) has experienced a vast increase! It's okay to be outdoors without a dust mask. Woo hoo!

San Diego's forecast maximum AQI level for today is currently 23. Here's a good chart to help determine what the number means.

High above California...

It's Halloween and here's my stupid "costume"

JOHN GIBBINS - Tanya Clark, Puerta La Cruz Fire Crew 3, hikes in to cut fire line along the edge of the fire east of Ramona.

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The San Diego County Director of Public Health "asked residents not to use leaf blowers to clean fire residue from their property, and said ash and soot should be washed toward lawns and not down city storm drains," the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting.

What about the air and those of us who are outdoorsie types?

You're forced to stay indoors... if you're risk averse like this blog.

It's about no panting for air, indoors nor outdoors, so say the experts.

Afternoon update

It's 2:00 P.M. and what was the beginning of a sunny afternoon has quickly turned to overcast.

The local NPR radio station, KPBS, is reporting: (1) the fighting is continuing to save the historic mining town of Julian with 150-plus fire trucks; (2) high winds are predicted for the rest of the day and after, and it's not good news for the anti-fire community; (3) San Diego schools will be closed for the rest of the week because air quality is still at unhealthy levels.

Citizens wearing dust masks, based on this blogger's observations, is at 10%. It's unclear if those not wearing dust maks are aware of the unhealthy air or if they just don't care or if they are unable to acquire masks.

Drinking a lot of water and not execising -- indoor nor outdoor -- during this period of unhealthy air are the recommendations of local lung experts.

Observations from the ground

With fresh winds coming inland from the Pacific Ocean, the smoke is being pushed farther east and the skies appear close to normal. It's Blue! The air is fresh again, but for how long it's difficult to determine.


PESOTUM.COM - Bright blue skies are apparent when looking northwest from 3900 block of Home Avenue in San Diego's City Heights neighborhood. (click on image to view larger)


PESOTUM.COM - City Heights sky looking south from Home Avenue, San Diego, Calif. (click on image to view larger)



PESOTUM.COM - Ryan Blanco of San Diego enjoys Wednesday's sunny afternoon. (click on image to view larger)

Julian, The Next Battle Ground
Quaint Mountain Community Fighting For Its Life

Julian, is the latest East County San Diego town under seige from the so-called Cedar Fire.

As of 9:00 A.M. (PST), close to 300 homes have been consumed by fire in the outer portions of the small, historic town best known for its Apple Festivals.

ASSOCIATED PRESS - Nick Christensen, 10, left, comforts his cousin Kristen Brinkley, 10, as they visit their grandparent's charred home in Crest, a rural community east of San Diego, on Tuesday. The home was among those lost in wildfires. (more)

San Diego County News Briefing

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New evacuations and news

The East County mountain communities of Julian and Pine Hills are being evacuated as reported by KPBS.

The fire is a "few miles away from the Pine Hills area," says San Diego County Sheriff.

Possible evacuations are in the works for the Palomar Mountain area.

Over 1000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, over 300,000 acres burned and there are now 12 fatalities (source: Sheriff/County Medical Examiner)

San Diego Air Pollution Control District recommends all people avoid all outdoor activities. There is an emergency situation at this time. Face masks are in short supply all over San Diego. The American Red Cross of San Diego can help with masks, according to a news briefing of county officials. It's important to drink lots of water because it is liquids that flushes out contaminants in the body.

The Padre Municipal Water District issued a drinking water advisory for many parts of San Diego County. Please see web site for more information.

The so-called Cedar Fire has a 45 mile front, as reported by KPBS.

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View a satellite image of San Diego and other multimedia items

Day three of the first wild fire of my life


ASSOCIATED PRESS Burned out homes in the community of Scripps Ranch

Today is the second day in a row that the county has closed all schools. The air quality, with ash dropping like snowflakes, is of major concern to county officials that risking school kids breathing it was too much of an unhealthy danger.

San Diego officials have urged businesses to not require their workers to report to work for the second day. This blogger's employer has other thoughts, however.

Fires continue to rage in the eastern parts of the county and in the mountain community of Julian.

Crews fighting the fires have been under staffed since Saturday night and are feeling the tiring effects of long hours and a potent foe. Reinforcements and equipment from other communities are beginning to arrive to help battle the blazes and relieve some of the workers on the job for the past 72 hours.

Governor Gray Davis toured the devastation of fire-ravaged San Diego yesterday afternoon and sounded extremely empathetic and understanding at the post-tour press briefing. Davis said he spoke with Senators Boxer and Feinstein, President Bush, Andrew Card, FEMA and others in order to get speedy delivery of services and resources to those affected by the fires. Mr. Bush has already signed the necessary documents naming San Diego County as a disaster area, which will begin the process of funneling federal aid into the area.

Fire fighting officials are hoping for a turn of the weather to their favor today. Hot, dry air from the desert and the mountains, the so-called Santa Ana winds, have been fueling the fires and have helped in creating the worst fires in the history of San Diego County. Typical Pacific Ocean winds have been predicted for today and many believe this turn in the weather may help in efforts to contain some of the fires.

Cost of 2003 Wild Fires

Gregory Alan Gross of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that

Estimates of the cost to put out the fires were unavailable Monday, but it could reach into the millions of dollars as local and state governments are struggling with massive budget cuts. San Diego, for example, had to cut services by $25 million to balance its $749 million general fund budget this fiscal year, followed by a $12 million cut in state funding.

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Paul Broadway Fire Interview

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Donations

Donations are coming in from many businesses, mostly of food and water, for those fighting the fires. According to the spokesperson for the El Cajon Fire Department, they are receiving many buckets of fried chicken, sandwiches, bottled water and fruit. Stuff that's easy to eat while being mobile.

Fire Containment Update

The Valley Center fire, the so-called Paradise Fire, is expected to be fully contained on November 1st, according to a spokesperson for CDF. It's currently 18% contained.

Fire Containment

There is absolutely no containment of any of the San Diego wild fires at this time according to CDF.

PESOTUM.COM - Lulu is receiving ash from wild fires in eastern San Diego.



PESOTUM.COM - Lulu is a red convertible Miata. Ash is everywhere on the morning of October 27, 2003.




PESOTUM.COM - The morning sun rising in the east at 6:30 A.M.



PESOTUM.COM - This is outside of my City Heights office at 8:00 A.M.



PESOTUM.COM - There are very few air planes venturing into San Diego's airspace.

Air quality in San Diego is measured by particulate matter in micrograms per cubic meter: Normal is 15. Forty to fifty is considered unhealthy. Current micrograms per cubic meter in San Diego is 90.

LungSanDiego.org will be updated regularly for good information dealing with air quality.

Raging Wild Fire Inferno San Diego

If you're looking to hear the latest on the wild fires in San Diego, tune into NPR affilliate KPBS.

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California's on fire


2003 PESOTUM.COM

Early this morning, wild fires, fueled by warm, dry, gusty Santa Ana winds, have destroyed homes and killed people in areas of San Diego County.

The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that fires are burning in "Ramona, Valley Center, Scripps Ranch and in the Marron Valley area near the Mexican border."

This blogger awoke at 9:30 AM this morning to a very unusual, drab-orange morning light coming through the window blinds. The smoke and embers from wild fires burning in many areas of Southern California have become airborne and are now causing the sky to take on the most unusual of lighting, which to these eyes is disturbingly beautiful.

To the north of San Diego, "In San Bernardino County, the Grand Prix fire burned another 50 homes, for a total of 66 homes, and charred at least 47,000 acres," as reported by the Union-Tribune.

There seems to be an unusual heat outside that feels as if one is sitting near a small campfire.

Guided by Voices perform at Cane's in San Diego October 25, 2003

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GBV get drunk onstage and rock out for two and a half hours.

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Cane's is located on the beach at Mission Beach

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Associated Press

In Washington D.C., thousands of anti-war protesters are rallying today.

Even a fan of Blink-182 took time out of her day to show her support for the anti-war effort.

Another person took time out of her day as a firefighter for the Glendale Fire Dept. to rally support for the troops, end the occupation of Iraq, stop Haliburton from overcharging for fuel and to seek additional aid in fighting wild fires in the West.

Have you done your part today?

Chris Buck / Dreamworks Records

Elliott Smith died today.

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Post Game Six Steve Bartman Options

Steve Bartman, the man made infamous for his attempt to snag a foul ball during the 8th inning of a Cubs' League Championship Series game in Chicago this week, which the Cubs lost, has an opportunity to cash in on his infamy.

As the platitude goes: when life deals you lemons -- make lemonade.



Here are some options for Mr. Bartman:

• Bartman opens a bar on Chicago's South Side next to Sox Park


• Bartman launches his own line of green turtlenecks


• Bartman switches and becomes a White Sox super fan and is the toast of the South Side


• Bartman runs for mayor of Miami


• Steve Bartman little league baseball camp for the athletically challenged


• Bartman launches his own line of portable head phones


• Bartman throw target. A contraption that you can throw beer at, or anything for that matter, when you're pissed-off at something


• Bartman joins the WWF and becomes the new "bad guy"


• Bartman sells movie and book rights


• A Bartman Blog

The list is endless. Now is the time to capitalize, Mr. Bartman. Sieze the moment. Strike when the iron's hot. Just do it, dude!

"Hurry up. Get it done. Scooby-Doo is on."

-- Paul Westerberg on recording with his 5-year old son/producer (more)

Uh huh

What Replacements song are you?

This blogger took the quiz and the results are...


I don't know - You're young, you're confused and
you just don't care.

"One foot in the door, the other foot in the
gutter"


What Replacements Song Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

The poor San Diego Chargers football team, the only team in the NFL without a win


Running back LaDainian Tomlinson:

"Man, this is it. I'm fed up. We're not losing any more games. For me, I'm going to do everything and anything it takes to get a win, even if I've got to cheat."

"I'm telling you, I'm sick and tired of losing. Just looking around the league and checking out some of the other things that are going on, for me, personally, just seeing the Jets win I just couldn't believe that this team, our team, is the only team in the NFL that hasn't won a game. That's all I kept saying this morning, that this team is the only team in the NFL that hasn't won a game. And it doesn't seem right." (more)

How California Counties Voted

click here for kickass statistics on California's recall election

Bill O'Reilly's favorite music is fair and balanced. Mostly on the shit side, however.

Some of his favorites artists include Luther Vandross and Tower of Power.

I visited the polling place today and all I got was this lousy sticker.

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The Last Day

It's the last full day prior to the California recall election and this blogger is unsure of the direction in which to vote. There is clairty, however, as to where to vote -- the Chapel of Happiness on Broadway Street.

Here a group in denial: the so-called "Remarkable Women for Arnold"

The preamble to their online manifesto begins with this: I joined Arnold because ... As a businesswoman and mother, I feel that Arnold is the only one that has addressed what is most troubling to California right now, such as the business climate, and issues that directly affect our children and school systems.

If Arnold has addressed these issues, perhaps he has done so behind closed doors with this group because other than addressing the issues with platitudes and generalizations, I haven't heard or read anything specific as to Arnold's plan.

I have read that he'll appoint commissions to address the issues of education, jobs and the economy. Oh, Arnold will also be repealing the so called car tax.

All California has to do to right its problems, as communicated by Arnold's campaign, is to make it easier for business to make money.

That's indeed remarkable.

And Cubs fans didn't believe in 1998, 1989 or 1945?

C'mon dude, can't you think of something a little more, uhhhh, creative?

The blog bets that all of the "believe" signs, and not the goat, have jinxed the Cubs.