In all seriousness, though it’s been actually quite nice with the generator connected to only the pinball circuits and using them for lights!
(Topic ID: 253208)
Salem, OR
Quoted from Dent00:The trees also drop all kinds of debris on my vehicles, which I also have to constantly clean off. Twice in the past 10 years or so, I have had tree limbs or entire trees fall on my roof and cause damage. They are a major pain and I just wish I could remove them all and plant nice small trees that look presentable, probably slow growing oak trees. However, the homeowner's association in my neighborhood will not allow any large trees to be removed without permission in writing (and I have asked). So, I am stuck with all these huge trees that I hate. The pine trees in my yard are the tallest in the general area, so they are also like a target for lightning. They are gigantic and several have been struck in recent years.
I had a somewhat similar dilemma with a 90ft fir tree next to our bedroom,
a beautiful tree but was making a mess on the roof and driveway, wife was afraid in a storm it would topple and kill us in our bed.
We did not need permission to cut it down, and so this is what it turned into, a tribute to our cats.
pasted_image (resized).png
Funniest part is earlier the news said they were starting to restore power to several areas. Now, here come the winds.
Quoted from Dent00:So, I am stuck with all these huge trees that I hate.
I’m sure the HOA would have no problem approving the removal of dead trees.
All day long it was the talking point at my work. No one was happy, whether they had power interruptions or not.
The company should have had smart
Enough individuals to prevent a situation like this
Quoted from pinwiztom:All Californians will eventually end up in Oregon or Washington.
I thought when i moved to OR, my water bill would go down,
as it rains all the time in the NW (~50"/yr) and water should be plentiful.
Was I surprized when i got my first water bill.
During the winter it averages about $80 a month
and during the summer when I actually water my lawn, its about $180/mo.
When I lived in Bakersfield CA ( where average rainfall is about 6in /yr)
my water bill in winter was about $30/mo and during the summer when i had to water everyday
otherwize my lawn would burn up due to 90-100'F weather for 6 months
my water bill might top out at $80/mo.
Turns out in Oregon water is controlled by the cities
and its their indirect way of taxing its citizens,
thats another reason why so many lawns are brown.
Good ! Water should never be too cheap, it's a precious resource.
Quoted from PiperPinball:SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Selling appointments at the California DMV is now against the law.
Governor Gavin Newscum signed Assembly Bill 317 Monday, making it an infraction for companies to sell appointments to people.
Another great law passed by our CA government. lol
Any Twosome Newsome.....
Quoted from mcluvin:I’m sure the HOA would have no problem approving the removal of dead trees.
You are correct. However, all of mine are alive and well, dropping crap all over the place.
During Katrina, one fell across the street near my house and no one could get in or out of my subdivision.
The city came with some machinery and moved it so the road was opened again.
Another one fell across another street and took 2 dormer windows off a neighbor's 2 story house.
Just sheered them right off...
Another time, one broke off about 20 feet up and punched a hole in my roof that you could drive a car through.
I hate trees...
Quoted from Rarehero:Opinions of racist propagandist “entertainers” are not facts or truth.
Bill Marr? Sarah Silverman?
Some quick points:
- Concerned about electric? Solar panels are free in California and for the price of a pin you can get a Tesla power wall. This dual setup is not doable in most states but totally works here because of our endless sunshine, saves you a ton of money, gets you a tax credit, and no more concerns about power outages.
- Concerned about gas prices? Go electric on car, this combined with the above saves a small fortune, is easily doable in California, gets you a tax credit and gas prices will never concern you again.
- Concerned about water? Our great year round weather here allows drought tolerant plants to survive that would die in most states, and some counties like LA County will pay you to landscape your property with them. Turns your water bill to almost nothing, gets you a tax credit, and water prices will never concern you again.
- Concerned about taxes? Do some research, California is not the most taxed state, not by a longshot. Even some of the typical states that people parrot as being better for taxes are not.
- Concerned about fires and earthquakes? Try living through tornadoes and hurricanes. With fire you drive away and they only affect remote areas, with an earthquake you walk outside and it's over, and unlike what tv news shows most buildings aren't affected. With a tornado? Good luck, they are by far the most terrifying thing we've ever lived through, and we've lived through multiple fires and earthquakes. Hurricanes? Sure you can evacuate but they take out large swathes of properties. Heck winter is more dangerous to live in than all the previous ones combined.
- Concerned about homeless? Every big city has them around the world, no exceptions. Warmer cities can have more because it's easier to live outside year round. Plus currently "California" + "Homeless" will get websites more hits, so it's the smart thing to talk about to generate website traffic. Also do some research, yeah some other places people parrot as not having homeless issues have rampant issues with drugs like meth, etc, especially in rural areas.
- If you're gonna compare housing prices compare like to like. People always seem to compare home costs in Los Angeles beach cities to home prices in Nacogdoches.
- TV personalities are what they are because that's what makes them money. Ann Coulter is Ann Coulter because it makes her money. Bill Marr is Bill Marr because it makes him money. These people, on either side of the political fence, don't give a damn about you, you are profit to them, a mind to be molded. They deceive people that watch only one news source because they are easy prey. It really pays to watch as many sources of information as you can and make up your own mind.
Lot's opinions from people in these types of threads but I have to ask, how many places have y'all lived? And I don't mean vacationed in or driven through, I mean actually lived in? Multiple states and countries for us so lots of hands on experience. Learn about where you live and take advantage of what they have to offer and you may find like us that it's actually cheaper in many respects to live in California than even so called "cheap tax" states. Or you can believe what tv personalities tell you as they sell their next book. Your call.
Quoted from FlippinJimmy:PSA-
If you frequently lose power or know you are going to lose power then put a cup of water in the freezer. Once frozen stick a quarter on top of the ice. Leave it in the freezer.
If you ever lose power and the quarter is at the bottom of the cup don't eat the food. It's evidence that the freezer temp dropped.
Don't you mean risen?
Quoted from girloveswaffles:Don't you mean risen?
No. In a power outage the ice melts. Quarter drops to the bottom. If power is restored the ice refreezes with the quarter at the bottom of the cup. Good indicator you have lost power for a long enough period that your food has thawed.
Quoted from Dent00:It's really strange how different parts of the USA have a different perspective. I have lots of huge pine trees in my yard that dump pine straw and cones all over my yard, almost all the time. So, I am constantly cleaning up pine straw and cones so my grass will grow and my yard will look presentable, like my neighbors. The trees also drop all kinds of debris on my vehicles, which I also have to constantly clean off. Twice in the past 10 years or so, I have had tree limbs or entire trees fall on my roof and cause damage. They are a major pain and I just wish I could remove them all and plant nice small trees that look presentable, probably slow growing oak trees. However, the homeowner's association in my neighborhood will not allow any large trees to be removed without permission in writing (and I have asked). So, I am stuck with all these huge trees that I hate. The pine trees in my yard are the tallest in the general area, so they are also like a target for lightning. They are gigantic and several have been struck in recent years. I do have a riding lawnmower with a bagging attachment that makes cleaning up the pine straw a little easier, but it is a constant struggle. Having said all that, there is no way that I would want to live in a forest. My yard would never be clean, assuming I had a yard.
There are ways to surreptitiously kill a tree with some time. Kill it. Then make it disappear.
Quoted from DRDAVE:Bill Marr? Sarah Silverman?
Sarah Silverman lol. Is her 15 minutes over? I don’t like potty mouth women like her
Quoted from Reality_Studio:Some quick points:
- Concerned about electric? Solar panels are free in California and for the price of a pin you can get a Tesla power wall. This dual setup is not doable in most states but totally works here because of our endless sunshine, saves you a ton of money, gets you a tax credit, and no more concerns about power outages.
- Concerned about gas prices? Go electric on car, this combined with the above saves a small fortune, is easily doable in California, gets you a tax credit and gas prices will never concern you again.
Free!?!?!???? Please do tell. I bought solar and after rebate it came to about $8k and I knew the owner of the company. I got it cheaper than anyone I know. This is utter bs. You can't even get it free on a lease and they keep your overage. My buddy installing now. Please tell were these free gibs for the masses are.
Oh, and pertaining to your tax comment.
Screenshot_20191011-072033_Chrome (resized).jpg
Quoted from adol75:Good ! Water should never be too cheap, it's a precious resource.
Isnt the earth a closed system? Water gets used, evaporates, goes back into the atmosphere, falls as rain, gets used again....we cant run out of water, where would it go?
Quoted from cosmokramer:Isnt the earth a closed system? Water gets used, evaporates, goes back into the atmosphere, falls as rain, gets used again....we cant run out of water, where would it go?
We certainly can run out of fresh water!
Quoted from pinwiztom:I had a somewhat similar dilemma with a 90ft fir tree next to our bedroom,
a beautiful tree but was making a mess on the roof and driveway, wife was afraid in a storm it would topple and kill us in our bed.
We did not need permission to cut it down, and so this is what it turned into, a tribute to our cats.
[quoted image]
That is a very beautiful use of a tree stump. Very artistic... I had one about the same size and I dug around it for several days, then chopped on it with an axe for about a week. Got out my electric saw and sawed what was left into the ground about a foot. After that, I filled the hole with dirt and planted grass over it. I also put used kitty litter in the hole, just for spite. You can't even tell it was ever there now and I am exceedingly pleased that it is removed and no traces are left. I would never have thought to use it for art. I was so upset that it crashed through my roof that I just wanted it gone and so did my neighbors. I also cut up the trunk that fell into pieces about 2-3 feet long with my chain saw, so I could roll the pieces to the curb and there were about 20 pieces or so. Took the city about a week to pick up the pieces. Another tree of similar size in my yard fell into a neighbor's yard across my fence. He began to clean up the debris and I came over to help out. He indicated that that was not required since it was in his yard, but I told him that I felt responsible, since the tree was originally in my yard. So, we both cleaned up the pieces together. We were friends after that...
Quoted from cottonm4:That looks like the wind is blowing. Is this the Santa Ana winds of which you speak? Or is this just a gentle breeze?
Right now it's medium. Dust is blowing around. Like I said NimblePin called last night as said it was like a tornado hit his house.
It varies from place to place. It's not any where near as strong as it can get. Yet. They can go on for a week at a time.
These winds are dry. No moisture at all.
Quoted from Multiballmaniac1:Sarah Silverman lol. Is her 15 minutes over? I don’t like potty mouth women like her
Bill Mahr is a joke
Quoted from chad:Notice the fires seem to start at night only. Not all of them.
It’s planned that way.
Quoted from o-din:This thread is a joke. California is on fire again.
Are you taking request to change your avatar? Somehow your old one seemed friendlier. New one doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps we start a thread of recommended avatars for O-din?
New Stern pin just announced. Theme is California. Music by LL Cool J.
Upon completion of all modes the pin catches fire.
Quoted from FlippinJimmy:Are you taking request to change your avatar? Somehow your old one seemed friendlier. New one doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps we start a thread of recommended avatars for O-din?
The new one is Lee Marvin from Twilight Zone where he got in the ring to fight a robot. You don't think it fits?
If my recall is correct, while the governor and others hit on PG&E for years of mismanagement, wasn’t the Camp Fire from last year a treetop fire and what was on the ground was not much of a factor?
And now I am reading one one the fire that is burning now was started by a trash truck.
Other than cutting down every last tree, how is the topography supposed to be managed?
I wonder if the trash truck company is going to get sued for millions of dollars.
Quoted from cottonm4:Other than cutting down every last tree, how is the topography supposed to be managed?
There is no managing once the winds start.
The hot summer has dried everything out. The hot dry winds this time of year do the rest.
Shutting down power is only one step they can take.
I've got tall palm trees at work bent over pointing sideways, and the wind hasn't really picked up steam yet.
Quoted from o-din:There is no managing once the winds start.
The hot summer has dried everything out. The hot dry winds this time of year do the rest.
Shutting down power is only one step they can take.
I've got tall palm trees at work bent over pointing sideways, and the wind hasn't really picked up steam yet.
I always loved the Santa Ana winds. They seemed to electrify the air. Never realized when I was young how devastating they can be when fire breaks out.
Quoted from o-din:One clown said if there's a fire just drive away.
and go back, rinse & repeat:
It's lighting up all over Ca. now. People's houses are getting destroyed. Where are they supposed to drive away to?
Ive been to Cali many many times over the last 10 years. All over, LA, San Diego, San Fran, Anaheim, I just havent been too far up north yet.
Ive been witness to the INSANE amount of homeless people in San Fran. It was nuts. I work in downtown Chicago on a regular basis. I was downtown at 4am the other day and I couldnt find a single homeless person on the street. When I was in San Fran the week before there were tent cities on every block. Aggressive homeless in your face who were obviously severely mentally ill. What a contrast. The homeless in the cities are not a lie. Im sure they dont stray far from the downtown area though.
That being said. You guys live in the most beautiful and most dangerous part of the country. You are at constant threat of flash flood, mud slides, wild fires, and earth quakes. Are you really upset that they are making an effort to stop a natural disaster from happening?
Yes, electricity is needed in this day and age. Its also pretty simple to generate it yourself. We should all be doing this already. We should not rely on giant companies to distribute something we can all make and use ourselves. ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA.
Quoted from Chitownpinball:You guys live in the most beautiful and most dangerous part of the country. You are at constant threat of flash flood, mud slides, wild fires, and earth quakes. Are you really upset that they are making an effort to stop a natural disaster from happening?
Not at all.
It's easy for armchair critics in other parts of the country and world or even here to say they should or shouldn't do this or that and then bring up the politics of the thing. But when you are on the front lines or near the thing, it is reality that mother nature is going to have her way no matter what.
Anything man can do to reduce the risk, is doing the best they can.
Quoted from Chitownpinball:Yes, electricity is needed in this day and age. Its also pretty simple to generate it yourself. We should all be doing this already. We should not rely on giant companies to distribute something we can all make and use ourselves. ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA.
So, how are you living? Do you have a generator in the back yard? Solar panels on your roof? Let us see some pictures of your abode and show us how it is done. If is is simple to generate for ourselves then surely you can show us how you are making your own electricity, yes?
I'm all for anything that will save me money and make me self-reliant. I'll listen intently to any suggestions you would be willing to provide and pictures, as you know, are worth thousands of words. I check Pinside regularly.
Quoted from cottonm4:So, how are you living? Do you have a generator in the back yard? Solar panels on your roof? Let us see some pictures of your abode and show us how it is done. If is is simple to generate for ourselves then surely you can show us how you are making your own electricity, yes?
I'm all for anything that will save me money and make me self-reliant. I'll listen intently to any suggestions you would be willing to provide and pictures, as you know, are worth thousands of words. I check Pinside regularly.
Yeah, I'm calling BS on the "simple to generate it yourself" claim. Are we talking solar?
Quoted from cottonm4:Do you have a generator in the back yard? Solar panels on your roof? Let us see some pictures of your abode and show us how it is done. If is is simple to generate for ourselves then surely you can show us how you are making your own electricity, yes?
I don't have any but solar panels are popping up all over the place. On days like today there is plenty of sunshine to run them. Year round there is plenty. My electric bill is so low I don't need them. I can do without power for some time if need be.
In the fire areas a backup generator is all that is really needed or a wind driven generator in these conditions makes pretty good sense.
Quoted from o-din:There is no managing once the winds start.
The hot summer has dried everything out. The hot dry winds this time of year do the rest.
Shutting down power is only one step they can take.
I've got tall palm trees at work bent over pointing sideways, and the wind hasn't really picked up steam yet.
Pretty much this. We are trying to fight a natural occurrence. I'm not saying the fight isn't worth it, but fires are natural for the habitat here. I remember taking a tour in the redwoods and the guide mentioned they didn't understand how the seeds wouldn't drop from the trees. They learned that fire causes the seeds to drop so they scorch the bottom of the trees (something like that).
One has to remember how vast and large CA is. So various areas have various natural issues (flooding, mud slides, fires, earthquakes, temperature). You could honestly break this state up into multiple states it is so large (I wish they would but will never happen for political reasons).
I'm from WI, and although I don't agree with the politics out here, it would be hard to move back because I would rather deal with all those other natural issues than winter. Again, I'm in San Diego, which is THE best climate mainland (if you prefer 65-75 degrees and sunny year round). I live by the coast. Moving inland 15 miles will change that climate by 15 degrees in either direction. If I had to live anywhere else in CA I would move. It wouldn't be worth it. I firmly believe if it wasn't for the weather no one would live here. You pay the sunshine tax for a reason. No one would pay what they pay out here to live in the Midwest. This is a large reason why people of all political leanings tolerate what they do out here. It's basically the laffer curve theory. The government squeezes you just to the point of revolt (moving). They never say it, but that has been monarch/government philosophy since the beginning of time.
Quoted from o-din:I don't have any but solar panels are popping up all over the place. On days like today there is plenty of sunshine to run them. Year round there is plenty. My electric bill is so low I don't need them. I can do without power for some time if need be.
In the fire areas a backup generator is all that is really needed or a wind driven generator in these conditions makes pretty good sense.
My electric bills are low enough that the payout for solar panels and wind generators would be years out.
My grandpa had a wind generator on his farm. In 1946, he got electrified and never looked back. Piped in electric was more reliable. I found his original contract papers from the Rural Electric Company. It is a hoot to read: Dear Mr. Day, welcome blah blah blah and just remember the more electricity you use the cheaper it gets. 
Out in some of the rural areas a lot of ranchers still use these windmill/generators to water up their live stock tanks.
I sure am sorry to hear about another fire...
Seems like an ongoing story that just won't go away.
I hope that this was not arson, but if it was, I hope that the perpetrator can be identified and dealt with swiftly.
This person or persons should be liable for any property damage or loss of life accordingly, as with any other criminal.
Arson on this scale will be a major offense.
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
