"Lights Out" turns Christmas lights on for San Diego family

San Diego Charger linebacker Shawne Merriman is known for his "lights out" dance and his terrorism of NFL quarterbacks. Here Merriman plays Santa Claus for one family who lost their home in the San Diego wildfires of 2007:




The San Diego American Red Cross is still accepting donations for fire victims...you can go here to donate.

Jimmie Johnson steps up...

I'm not much of a Nascar fan, but after today's race I am certainly a Jimmie Johnson fan:

Johnson said he and team owner Rick Hendrick will donate their $349,561 in winnings from Sunday's race to the American Red Cross for the wildfire relief effort in his native California, along with matching donations promised by several other NASCAR organizations.

Yeah, I know that might seem like a drop in the bucket to the El Cajon native, but since he negotiated matching donation from some of his sponsors, that could mean millions.

Jimmie Johnson is a class act. If you wish to donate to the cause, click on the picture on the right side-bar.

Randi Rhodes is officially batshit stoopid

Again via Hot Air, this comes from Ian Schwartz:

Randi Rhodes went on an extremely bizarre rant (even for her standards) during her Air America show this afternoon. Rhodes actually thinks Blackwater played a significant role in the wildfires started by arsonists.

Here is the audio.


My take? Screw you, Randi. You have the luxury of sitting in your New York studio and spewing that garbage without worrying about how irresponsible your comments are.


I have a great idea. Why don't you come out to San Diego for a visit and repeat those comments in front of a community that has just lost homes and lives, you gutless hack?


Or why don't you go "walk your dog" again?


Fortunately nobody in San Diego was able to hear her comments live...

From San Diego to Iraq: Thank you!

Via Hot Air, comes this story from Milblog OPFOR:

I received a press release from Baghdad today, which I know the mainstream media will not pass on to you all. Here is an example of Iraqi charity and gratitude which touched my soul. Imagine how incredibly generous these soldiers are. They have little to support their own families. It’s not enough that they are fighting daily to bring peace to their country. They are actually reaching out to help unfortunate Americans.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Members of the Iraqi Army in Besmaya collected a donation for the San Diego, Calif., fire victims Thursday night at the Besmaya Range Complex in a moving ceremony to support Besmaya's San Diego residents.

Iraqi Army Col. Abbass, the commander of the complex, presented a gift of $1,000 to U.S. Army Col. Darel Maxfield, Besmaya Range Complex officer in charge, Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, to send to the fire victims in California.

Read all of the story here. And to the generous Iraqi army...a most heartfealt "thank you!"

"I used to be the one doing the donating..."

That's what a man said to me as he was sifting through donated shoes at the Rancho Bernardo relief center tonight.


It's tough to console someone who has lost their home. The best you can do is encourage them that things will be back to "normal" sooner than they think.

Claire Shipman: Bitch of the week

I lied.

I was not going to blog on the fires again today, but then I caught this over at Hot Air:



I would have had no problem if the Governator had pinched this little bitch's head off. I personally watched the national media come in and look for every little problem in the middle of this huge catastrophe. They were a huge pain in the ass.

Ramona...Grow the hell up!

My stint at Qualcomm Stadium is finished. Now I'm watching the news reports...and everyone in San Diego County has been terrific.

Oh yeah. Except a lot of you folks in Ramona.

Some of you selfishly stayed. And you caused a big problem. Because you stayed behind and used your water supply, those who followed the law are now stuck because there is not enough water to fight a fire again should one break out.

Meanwhile, a bunch of you are on Hwy 67 whining and complaining that you can't get back in. Well, guess what? There are still three fires smoldering in your area and it is still extremely dangerous. But all you are thinking about is "why can't I go home?".

I feel bad for you, I really do. I met hundreds of you at Qualcomm and most of you were patient and understanding. But how about this? There are still people in Jamul, Fallbrook, Julian and Valley Center who can't go home either. None of them are causing problems. And despite no immediate fire danger, folks in Spring Valley and Rancho San Diego are STILL under evacuation orders.

So those of you who are whining...grow the hell up.

Moron of the week

Thanks to Ace of Spades, this week's winner...hands down.

Screw you, Harry. Do you have to freakin' politicize everything? Why don't you politicize this?:

Jerk.

"Can I go home now?"

Day 5, and time to go back to Qualcomm Stadium...hopefully to send everyone else home. People approach with that hopeful look on their faces as I look up their addresses on my laptop and it's heartbreaking when I have to tell them "not yet":

Yesterday a new fire hit Camp Pendleton. Check this out:





This fire threatened Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley...here it is coming over the Mount Miguel:

Finally, here is a touching slideshow tribute to the people of San Diego. This is truly "America's Finest City":

Brief update on the really unimporant stuff...

Looks like the avocado crop is going to be lost due to the fires in Fallbrook...

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Well, maybe I'll lose some weight this football season.

Also, the Chargers might play this Sunday's game in Dallas. Might have to treat myself to a road trip (if the fires die down by then).

Summing up what San Diegans feel:




(from Steve Breen of the UT)

Smoke in my brain?

Last night I dreamed that Scarlett Johansson wanted to marry me, but I kept rejecting her.

Yeah, right:

Most peculiar mama. OK, got to go clean all of these black boogers out of my nose...

Things are getting better...

Thank you ALL who have contacted me with their wishes for us here in San Diego. I have spent the last two days volunteering at Qualcomm Stadium...giving people information about their homes and evacuation areas.

Some of you have asked for the grim news...here it is:

Homes damaged or destroyed in Rancho Bernardo.

Homes damaged or destroyed in Escondido.

Other homes that have been damaged or destroyed in Poway or Rancho Santa Fe.

These lists are not complete or final.

Thank you to Jim and Debbie who brought our team at Qualcomm some hot spaghetti. Most of us hadn't eaten all day...your contribution was a blessing.

And to the firefighters, law enforcement and military who have been protecting us...words cannot express our gratitude.

Not sure if this is totally appropriate right now, but this song is stuck in my head:

Greetings from Hell...(updated)

Please help if you can...

My beautiful city is in ruins and it is a sad day. Yiddish, I hope you are OK...I know you are in the evacuation area...

Hundreds of homes are destroyed.

But this may be one of San Diego's shining moments. With most of the freeways closed, over 300,000 people have been evacuated...all with less than 24 hours notice.

Hey Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco...see what can happen when you get up off your ass and quit pointing fingers!

Today I volunteered at the Qualcomm Stadium evacuation site (had the Governator stroll about 10 feet from me...boy, he is shorter than I thought) and I must say that for a relief effort things went swimmingly. There was more than enough food and there were hundreds of volunteers all chipping in and doing whatever they were asked to do. Clean out a garbage can? Haul water and cots around? Walk a senior citizen to the first aid center? No problem.

I'll be back at the Stadium tomorrow as this could go on all week. Please keep our community in your prayers...

Photos of the fires available here.

Here is the video of Larry Himmel reporting on the loss of his own home:



(Updated) 5:46am: Per a commenter request, here is a partial list of homes that have been destroyed.

5:55am: Awaking this morning, and it hasn't gotten much better. You can get live streaming local coverage here at Channel 10.

Thanks to the Union Tribune, here is a map of the burn areas...the Witch Creek Fire (North County) and the Harris Fire (South County).

6:12am: This fire does not discriminate. Trailers and small homes have burned along with multi-million dollar homes in Rancho Santa Fe and Poway. The Union Tribune reports that ex-major league baseball player David Justice has lost his home. Ex-San Diego Padre Phil Nevin says Poway "looks like Mars." His home looks like it survived:

“I'm safe. My family's safe. That's all I can say – that's all you need,” Nevin said.

“My whole yard, my trees, everything burned – but my house made it,” he said. The fire's passed us. I can't believe ours didn't burn down.”

The two sports faces of this city have also been affected...LaDainian Tomlinson and Tony Gwynn have both evacuated their homes in Poway. Tomlinson's home has been saved, no word yet on Gwynn's home.

Other Padres who have evacuated: Padres manager Bud Black, players Trevor Hoffman and Bud Black and CEO Sandy Alderson. Ex player Brian Lawrence, ex-manager Bruce Bochy and ex-pitching coach Dave Stewart do not know what has happened to their homes.

The San Diego Chargers have also been affected:

“It was pretty somber,” center Nick Hardwick said. “They asked guys to raise their hands if they were affected, and three-quarters of the team, at least, raised their hands. It was pretty unreal.”

By the early evening, the number of members of the organization that lived in areas that had been evacuated was “40 and growing,” according to General Manager A.J. Smith.

LaDainian Tomlinson, Marlon McCree, Shaun Phillips, Shawne Merriman, Stephen Cooper, Jacques Cesaire and Luis Castillo were among those evacuated.

“I've never experienced anything like this,” said McCree, who bought his Poway home in the offseason. “It's scary.”

He was among the players staying at downtown hotels last night.

Phillips, who just finished a home in Rancho Bernardo, had relocated downtown Sunday night.

“I was too nervous to stay (at home),” he said.

Phillips said his brother stayed at the home and awoke early yesterday to a smoke-filled house. Phillips said he knew the development next to his had suffered damage. He knew his pool was filled with ash and his house had at least suffered smoke damage.

Yesterday's first post...

Scott Gulbransen continues his live-blogging of the fires...

Thank you to our good friends at Six Meat Buffet for their thoughts, as well as Michele from Cutting School and 9 from Say Uncle.

Update (from Qualcomm Stadium): 10:31am...Yiddish Steel has checked in...he is evacuated but OK...his home is not yet in the path of the fire.

My City is on Fire...(updated continually today)

Again.

Officials are suggesting that this might be worse than the Cedar Fire from 2003. Ugh:

The fires ravaging San Diego County are expected to get much worse before they get better.

Over the next two days, city and county officials expect the fires will eclipse the damage caused by the 2003 Cedar fire, the worst wildfire on record in California.

“This fire will probably be the worst this county has ever seen – worse than the Cedar fire,” Sheriff Bill Kolender said.

I have at least a half dozen friends who have had to evacuate their homes. My 84-year old grandmother is about to evacuate her home as well.

As happened with the Cedar fire, there isn't any rhyme or reason to which homes get burned down and which stay up. Fires are "hopscotching" neighborhoods...one house burns down, the house next door remains untouched.

Once again, Qualcomm Stadium has gone from a football venue to an evacuation facility.

Michelle Malkin has more, Scott Gulbranson is live blogging the fires as best he can as the fire approaches his home.

I live in Pacific Beach, completely out of the way of any danger. My car is covered in ash and the smoke outside is thick. The sky is orange.

Channel 10 is streaming their fire coverage here. Aircraft support is limited (tanker planes and water-dropping helicopters) because of the smoke (affecting visibility) and high winds.

Isn't it nice that liberals aren't above exploiting the Malibu fires for political gain?:

ABC News' Eloise Harper reports: Rob Reiner sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday, Mrs. President" in honor of Senator Hillary Clinton at his Brentwood, California, home on Sunday evening.

Despite the massive fires miles away in Malibu, guests were greeted by men dressed in head to toe white, with lavender bow ties saying with "Welcome to the Reiner's," as they shuffled up and down the street parking Bentleys, Porsches, and BMWs.

"This is a tough time right now and we need the best woman qualified," Reiner said.

If you live in San Diego and get told to evacuate...do us all a favor and STOP READING THIS BLOG AND GET THE HELL OUT! Police and Fire Departments are reporting that people who are resisting evacuation orders are tying up resources that could keep houses from burning. Don't be selfish...

Yiddish has checked in (see comments)and he is OK so far...packed and ready to evacuate if told to.

San Diego's Channel 8 reports that looters are combing evacuated neighborhoods to...well...loot. Scumbags. There is a special place in hell for cretins like you...

Channel 8 has a list of homes that have been confirmed as destroyed and an evacuation map here.

Sadly, long-time San Diego icon and Channel 8 reporter Larry Himmel was on the scene reporting as he watched his own Rancho Bernardo home burn to the ground.

Last update for a while...I am part of a disaster-relief team affiliated with my church and I just got called in. I'll update when I return...