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October 26, 2007 8:20 AM
Non-Random Notes: Turkish Crisis, Schwarzenegger Cabinet, Oil Price Record, New "Cuban Missile Crisis," DiFi Wants $1B For Fires, Thompson Postpones, California Primary Polls, And MoreSenator Hillary Clinton’s not exactly secret weapon, former
The Iraqis had offered to close down PKK offices and restrict the travel of PKK leaders outside Kurdistan in northern Iraq. Which is completely irrelevant to the crisis. Turkey demanded that the Iraqi round up and hand over 150 to 200 PKK leaders that the Turks say are behind numerous terrorist attacks in their country. The Iraqis, who can’t even secure their own capital, have no ability to do that. But the commander of Turkey’s armed forces, in a late-breaking development, said that there will be no major invasion of northern Iraq before his country’s prime minister meets with President Bush in Washington on November 5th. Meanwhile, the Turkish military buildup along the Iraqi border continues, as do artillery and air strikes inside northern Iraq.
During the meeting, Schwarzenegger and his Cabinet and various outside advisors, helped by his Democratic chief of staff, Susan Kennedy, who has helped the governor work the levers of power this week, and state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, came up with a variety of policies to put rebuilding of lives and communities on a fast track. Among the measures Schwarzenegger is putting in place are an easing of payroll tax deadlines for small businesses hit by the emergency, filing extensions for individuals, the waiving of waiting periods for unemployment insurance, direct assistance in the replacement of key individual documents, expedited cleanup and debris removal, and state and federal loans and guarantees for damaged businesses and the creation of 3000 disaster relief jobs, and a promised crackdown by Insurance Commissioner Poizner on scam artists. The customary polished performance by the Schwarzenegger team this week was, however, marred at the end of the event when the webcast cut out while Schwarzenegger was being asked about how timely air assets were brought into play. Some conservative politicians in the hardest hit areas — which coincide with areas having the most laissez faire development patterns and lower than elsewhere investment in firefighting resources — are, perhaps not surprisingly, criticizing the deployment of aircraft early in the crisis. It’s a complex area, which of course is being simplified, and they may have a point or two. Though some of the criticisms are clearly outlandish, as with the “failure” of Schwarzenegger to accept help from Russia. Schwarzenegger had his head of the California National Guard delving into specific questions of how to quickly and safely deploy aircraft and air crews when the webcast went down. Incidentally, the San Diego Chargers will play the Houston Texans Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, as scheduled. Qualcomm served as the biggest evacuation center during the week.
This comes amidst grave concern about the geopolitical situation, which we is reported on regularly here, and with the dollar hitting record lows.
At the summit in Portugal, Russia made more progress toward joining the World Trade Organization.
As Friday morning draws to a close, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s special Cabinet session on the Southern California crisis is underway. The live webcast, reported below, is still scheduled for 12:30 PM. A special legislative session to deal with rebuilding is on tap.
Turkey may have demanded that Iraq apprehend and hand over Kurdish rebel leaders. The Iraqis hoped to dissuade the Turks from launching a major cross-border incursion into northern Iraq to take out safe haven bases there for Kurdish separatist guerillas who have been launching terrorist attacks inside Turkey. Meanwhile, Turkish attacks by jet fighter-bombers, helicopter gunships, and artillery on Kurdish separatist targets inside Iraq have continued for several days.
The meeting begins late this morning. Around 12:30 PM, Schwarzenegger and company will hold a press conference that will be webcast live via this link. A few officials in areas where the local response is being criticized, namely San Diego and Orange Counties, are complaining that bureaucratic hangups prevented fast air support from being employed to fight the fires. Chief among them is Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who complained on Russian television — as you see in the item and link below from yesterday — that Schwarzenegger and federal authorities wouldn’t accept the offer of a massive firefighting aircraft from the Russian government. Rohrabacher, as he explains in the Moscow TV interview linked to below (it’s in English), has advocated for years on behalf of the Ilyushin-76.
On the Republican side, it’s Giuliani 25%, Mitt Romney 13%, John McCain 12%, and Fred Thompson 12%. Giuliani’s down 10 points from the August Field Poll, though he showed no such slippage in last week’s San Jose State Poll. Thompson, as revealed on NWN, has a big California trip next week for the first time since declaring his candidacy here last month on The Tonight Show. On the Democratic side, it’s Clinton 45%, Obama 20%, and Edwards 11%. Bear in mind that all these primary numbers can and frequently do change very rapidly in the actual election year. Clinton and Obama both holds big leads over all the Republicans. It’s Clinton 52%, Giuliani 38%. (Giuliani is the most competitive Republican in California.) Obama 51%, Giuliani 35%. Edwards 46%, Giuliani 40%.
The ARB also adopted standards for qualifying California forests for the burgeoning carbon offsets market. Investing in programs that reduce greenhouse gases is an important path forward. NWN, for example, is carbon balanced. But standards for real offsets have been unclear.
You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti. While it’s foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is quite interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window. Moscow time is 11 hours ahead of Pacific time.
Comments (72)Jonas Blane :Ann :Dana Rohrabacher wants Russian planes fighting the fires here. I love it. lol Hap Hazard :Could it be a trailer to Hillary's impending Sister Souljah moment? Ann :I'm glad Hillary is doing so well. I don't understand why Obama isn't doing better than he is. What's going on? Is she taking his issues away? Capitol Boy :Bill Clinton is a great actor, isn't he? Bill Bradley :He's a very strong and empathetic performer. Notr that he is acting rejecting the 9/11 conspiracy theorists. Bill Bradley :She's coopting the change theme, playing up her status as first woman, and pushing the seasoned theme effectively. BC is key. >Ann : Bill Bradley :I think one is inevitable, at some point. >Hap Hazard : Bill Bradley :He's quite the enthusiast. >Ann : Bill Bradley :What? No love for the other vids? >Jonas Blane : Jack Aubrey :Obama still gives a heckuva speech. He could fire up Democrats and independents as HRC's running mate. carole w :Obama is a great cheerleader but, he doesn't sound like the class president. Hillary is unflappable. It is a beautiful day up here in the mountains today. We have blue skies and cool temperatures. Bill Bradley :No smoke or encroaching flames? Dana :The Producers strongly hinted the possibility at the Comic Con 24 Panel. They realize the show needs to reinvent itself. Either this season sees a rebirth or maybe it will be time to shift gears, end the series and do the long rumored movie... >Bill Bradley : And the return of ... Tony Almeida? Chris M :Really liked the Obama video. Reminded me a little of circa 1988 Jesse Jackson-lite in both content and tone, which is probably a pretty good place to be in the primary. This video certainly contrasts with HRC's message of limited change in collaboration with the Beltway. I agree with your take on HRC's success to-date. But these things can change very rapidly. Ask President Dean. Is Obama's Iowa operation capable of springing a surprise? carole w :There is smoke. The Slide fire is approximately 15% contained and is about 5 miles south west of the Big Bear Lake dam. In my neighborhood, I can see hazy blue skies. carole w :I am willing to bet, the polls will not change for Hillary. I think Americans are leaning towards her moderate policies. carole w :Satellite Radio: John Addison :And Condi Rice doesn't travel to Turkey for almost a week. Brasky :What's with the cut towards the end (-:13) of the Thompson video? Was his answer especially long-winded or was he incapable of answering the question without editing from his handlers? Oh, and since he appears to be the least animate presidential candidate since Gore (not the person, but the candidate), Thompson might want to consider doing some “talk and walks” to add some semblance of activity. wilbur :Carole, you might look into the much more affordable little Sirius portables that have an FM transmitter that can send the signal into your existing car stereo - and can then also be plugged into or FM'd into your home system. e.g this one caveat: I haven't tried them, only know they exist.... carole w :Please keep us updated on the Building issue. This could be devastating. Bill Bradley :Not a bad idea. >Brasky : Bill Bradley :I wonder if she'll go. >John Addison : Bill Bradley :Which? >carole w : Bill Bradley :There are usually ups and downs in presidential campaigns. It's not like Schwarzenegger v. Angelides. >carole w : Bill Bradley :That's terrific! >carole w : Bill Bradley :Obama has a very good Iowa operation. I hear Hillary is shifting a lot of staff to Iowa. >Chris M : Bill Bradley :Tony Almeida is back! I wonder if they'll explain his return like the resurrection of Mr. Spock ... >Dana : Brasky :"AT EUROPEAN UNION/RUSSIA SUMMIT, PUTIN COMPARES U.S. ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD TO CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS." Five months ago, Putin compared us to Nazis. Russian bombers are being met by American and Canadian jets (scrambled by NORAD) outside our airspace. I thought Condi was a Russia expert? During the two years she’s been secretary of state, Russian/American relations have plummeted to Cold War levels. Could someone point to some corner of the globe NOT pissed-off by our bumbling attempts at foreign policy? Brasky :“Tony Almeida is back! Obviously, he’s a clone. “You’re not you, I’m you!” carole w :Wilbur, Mr. Bradley, Ann :Where is Schwarzeneger? Bill Bradley :Still Cabinet meeting. wilbur :From the AP: Feinstein, who used to be a county supervisor and mayor in San Francisco, says the zoning authority that local governments have could limit catastrophic fires by keeping subdivisions out of dry areas prone to Santa Ana winds." This would ostensibly mean no NEW subdivisions approved right in the middle of the matchbox, as distinguished from precluding rebuilding in existing residential zonings. Pretty sensible idea, I think. But since it's apparently a plea to local officials rather than a proposed federal mandate, I doubt it overcomes the allure of developer money and tax revenue growth. Brasky :"keeping subdivisions out of dry areas prone to Santa Ana winds." That's almost everyplace in LA, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties. Malibu burns every 5-10 years or so and no one is going to stop those people re-building. Capitol Boy :She could make it a condition of her extra federal rebuilding aid. carole w :Wilbur, carole w :We lost our lovely blue sky due to a wind change. Brasky :"She could make it a condition of her extra federal rebuilding aid." Let me how that goes over in SoCal... wilbur :Brasky : "She could make it a condition of her extra federal rebuilding aid." Probably about as well as the efforts to stop locals from letting developers build below river level behind creaky, leaky levees.... There's money to be made, dammit! Ann :Where'd Schwarzeneger go? Bill Bradley :My feed cut out, too. I had Russia Today playing on a laptop for three hours this morning without a hitch. Ann :That was terrible. Wait around with his web site saying the webcast is starting. It cuts out when it gets interesting. Bill Bradley :Not a high point. Capitol Boy :That is unimpressive. I am glad I didn't wait around for the Governator again. wilbur :What's this? After doing a pretty decent job with disaster response, FEMA staged a fake press conference with fake reporters? Even when they get it right they can't get it right? Is it the water cooler? Bill Bradley :They just wanted people to KNOW ... :) Actually, the level of questioning at these things is frequently dreadful. But that's another issue. Jonathan Hemlock :I expect the Turks to continue serious attacks inside Iraq all the way through the Bush meeting. They will keep pressuring the feeble Iraqi government, the KRG, and the White House. Jonathan Hemlock :I expect the Turks to continue serious attacks inside Iraq all the way through the Bush meeting. They will keep pressuring the feeble Iraqi government, the KRG, and the White House. Jonathan Hemlock :Sorry for the double -posting. Jonathan Hemlock :Sorry for the double -posting. Brasky :"NEW RECORD OIL PRICE AT CLOSE... and with the dollar hitting record lows." At this height, oil prices should be pulled down of their own accord, but the geopolitical situation keeps kicking them higher and higher. Meanwhile, gas could reach record highs for Thanksgiving (biggest travel day of the year) and folks back East have to take delivery their first batch of home heating oil. Are you better off than 8 years ago? I'm going with a big "NO" on that one. Brasky :Let’s say there were terrorists striking America from inside Canada. President Bush calls the Canadian prime minister and asks the Canadians to get the terrorists. The prime minister says “no.” I bet, in that situation, Marines would be mobilized before the president put the phone back on the receiver. I know the Turkish situation is complicated, but it seems to me they are being very restrained. Bill Bradley :We would have invaded a long time ago. Bill Bradley :Actually, crisis helps Iran economically. But not to worry, because our entire effort in Iraq is funded by oil revenue from Iraq. Well, that was the plan ...
Bill Bradley :I think that's right. >Jonathan Hemlock : Brasky :"We would have invaded a long time ago." And, I would hope, put Celine Dion in Gitmo. Brasky :"Actually, crisis helps Iran economically." Ah yes, The Old “Impose Sanctions on Iran, Oil Prices Go Up, Iran Laughs All the Way to the Centrifuges R’ Us Store” Trick. Clever. carole w :The Good news: The Slide Fire is now 20% contained. The Arnold cabinet meeting: Jonas Blane :It seems like the world situation is getting out of control richard locicero :I found that aside that certain "Conservative" pols who didn't want to spend money on firefighting eqt. or restrict building in dangerous areas are complaining that they didn't get enough aid really amusing. Or too much. Welfare conservatives willing to let others spend! That's where we've gone! Bill Bradley :I'm trying to think of a pithy analogy. Haven't quite come up with it yet. Bill Bradley :Almost. >Jonas Blane : Bill Bradley :And it had a little Magnum reunion, too. But no Higgins! I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds fun. >carole w : Bill Bradley :Not as good as the banana in the tail pipe. >Brasky : NickM :Those new subdivisions make fighting fires much easier - start with having roads. Wildfires in uninhabited areas are much more likely to burn for a prolonged period before any actual fire suppression can be brought to bear on them. Capitol Boy :Are you for real, man? Capitol Boy :What, no crack pot reply?! NickM :Capitol Boy, did you happen to read any of the articles about the Big Bear area fire crews using a bulldozer on the mountain to create paths for the firefighting vehicles? It's a highly dangerous job, and they lost one of their members a few months ago when the dozer flipped over. They do it because you can't get firefighting heavy equipment near a fire otherwise, except for the helicopters and planes. Roads let you go to the fire, instead of waiting until it comes to you. Oh, and guess what is the first thing firefighters do to stop a wildfire? They create a fire break. Read the Slide Fire portion of this article for a description of how. A paved two-lane road is (at least) a 16-foot wide fire break. This one's not a link so it won't trip the monitoring software: carole w :Nick M, NickM :New laws don't do much good when the building inspector is on the take. They'll sign off on violations of those too. We could definitely use some crackdowns on corruption. Maybe a few Public Integrity units should start reviewing tapes of Lakers home games to see who's in the club seats among people required to file Form 700s. Comments have been archived for this page. |
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LOVE the Clinton video!
Oct 26, 2007 08:55 AM