July 20

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A new storm is brewing in the caribbean.  
Oil Spill News
They say the leak has been stopped.

Fire Season 
Red Flag Warning - California

Home

On my way back to California, via Alabama. 

My experience in Venice, Louisiana, was a real eye opener. One "camp" was still being built. They said it's taking so long because it is a "1000 man camp". Which means it is supposed to be capable of housing ... 1000 men (and women). I heard that and thought to myself... Do we not build 5000 man firecamps in a couple of days? What I witnessed was the biggest cluster F#%*!!! of a logistical response I have ever seen. Some folks knew what they were doing, but had no spending authority. Some folks didn't have clue what they were doing. The right hand speaketh not unto the left hand. I don't claim to have the skills or knowledge to do their job, but I am confident I could easily get the right people lined up to get the job done. Lets see.... day 80+.... and a 1000 man camp is still being designed. In 80 days, we have set and dismantled as much as 20 firecamps.

Safety seems to be a very important concept in the camps. I saw guys who did nothing but walk. Yep. Walk. They walked, one in front of a Bobcat Loader, one one the side, and one at the rear. The Bobcat dude would drive (walking speed) to a big pile of gravel and scoop some into his Bobcat Bucket. He would then turn around and head back to where he needed to dump his Bobcat Bucket. The Walker Dudes would... well... they would walk... carrying an orange flag (waving the flag). It looked like a parade of sorts. I found myself watching for a marching band. No such luck. These "walker dudes" would keep the Bobcat Dude to a walkers pace. If the walker dudes were not there, the Bobcat Dude could fill and dump his Bobcat Bucket many, many more times during the day. He could easily quadruple his number of Bobcat Bucket loads. Now... because of the walker pace the Bobcat Dude must adhere to, there was a need for several more Bobcat Dudes. There were three walker dudes to every one Bobcat Dude. There were Front end Loader Dudes...with walkers. There were Roller Dudes... with walkers. Add it all up..... there were a lot of dudes doing next to nothing....except walking.

I will tell you about the Weed Eater Dudes later. It gets even more confusing and complex.

Maverick Says Thanks!!!

ps. Toaka says..... "Oh Boy! Dad's on his way home."