Thursday, January 13, 2005

Nature's Wrath

I should whine more often. The gods must not like it. The sun has been out since I posted my last entry. I just hope that it stays out for the weekend. I have cabin fever. Sure, I get out during the week for work but when it's raining like it was last weekend, I keep my butt home unless I absolutely have to go out.

Even though it's no longer raining, my commute to work has not improved. The route I normally take to work is still closed. I tried it yesterday because I didn't hear it mentioned as a closure on the morning news. I made it part way and passed a house that is collapsed on itself. I wish I had my camera. It's a wild thing to see. It looks like a giant came and stepped on it. I was going to try that route today to capture a picture but the road that they redirect you to is closed now. According to the news this morning, it is breaking away from the mountain.

First it was the hurricanes in Florida, then the bizarre snow fall in Texas, the Tsunami, and now this. When I talk to my brother Andy, he seems to try to attach it to something like the corruption of the ozone, or maybe something more ominous. But, I personally don't. It's just nature. We have scientists who study the weather and all that other stuff and I think it has made us think that we have control over something we really don't. We are on a living planet. Weather, earthquakes, and other natural disasters might be more predictable but we can't control them. It's these things that occur that change the dynamics of the planet we call home. It's been happening since the beginning of time. I think we should show more respect for what we really don't know but also acknowledge what we do know. For instance, I feel sorry for the people here who have lost their homes but they build them into the sides of mountains in a region that is a desert which is plagued by earthquakes and wild fires. When heavy rains hit, the land will shift. These are million dollar homes that are being wiped out and next year people will go back to the same spot and build again. I feel more sorry for those affected by the Tsunami. A lot of those people aren't on beach front property by choice, it's because the ocean is all they have to eek out a living. They don't have insurance and fat bank accounts to rebuild. They've been displaced and don't know where family members are or where their next meal is coming from, let alone where they'll be living next week, or next year.

I don't hear as much about the Tsunami victims on the news since this mess started out here in California. Let us not forget who really needs our help.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you make a great point. The hills and mountains around LA are basically just big sand dunes and when they get saturated and/or shaken, they turn to pudding. We have a number of folks in AZ who build their houses next to dry washes and then lose everything to a flash flood.  Here's your sign, folks.

Don't worry about the ozone. The earth's magnetic field is in the process of flipping (200,000 years overdue) and the loss of the field will result in massive solar influx, blowing away our atmosphere and drying up our oceans. The good news? We won't be around to see it, having been scorched to a crisp by radiation.

I think I'll have a beer.

Anonymous said...

How did you know cardinals are my favorite bird? :)
I'm sure to the people whose houses are sliding down the hills, their disaster is as real as the one in southeast Asia.  But, you are right, they have insurance, and jobs, and will be rebuilding and back on their feet in no time.  The tsunami victims are wiped out, left with nothing...and beyond the material loss, they now fear a sea they had looked upon as their life blood.  I can't imagine how you get over a thing like that.  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

You are so right when you say the planet is ever changing. People don't realize that it's growing up and growing older and so it has it's life cycle too. We are just along for the ride. Hugs, Lanny

Anonymous said...

I was just saying to the Martian yesterday, "Isn't it weird how 10 people dead in California seem to have totally superseded the thousands dead in the tsunami?" The dead are still dead, and no new video is showing up with floating body parts and tearful reunions of blond Swedish babies with their daddies. Sorry, Asia, but the American news media has a very short attention span.

Glad you got your sunshine, tho. :)

Anonymous said...

Well said, Robbie. You're so learneded!

Anonymous said...

very good entry.... it is indeed a living and breathing planet and hurricanes are good in that they redistribute sand and nutrients along the coasts..... we are merely in the way. This planet is always reshaping itself. judi

Anonymous said...

wow the news isn't even saying how bad it is up here in lake arrowhead....we are stranded unless you want to wait in a 4 hour line to get escorted down the mountain it's so miserable.  lots of landslides and every rode is closed in and out of big bear....it's crazy the kids will miss nine days of school.  fortunately they are letting the stater bros trucks up now and the mail....miserable in lake arrowhead

Anonymous said...

that is true the tsanami victims didnt even get a warning where here in florida they were like ok the huricane will hit approximately on such such a date and at such a such time only the animals and the remote indian tribe knew what was going on makes me wonder if we actually sat down and listen to our inner self sometimes i wonder what is it telling us

Anonymous said...

It is so hard to believe how freaky the weather is.  We (NC) haven't really felt winter yet.  But I know when it comes we are going to be in deep trouble.

Kathy

Anonymous said...

I am with your brother...there just seems to be so MUCH wildness in the weather and other natural disasters. Too much.

Anonymous said...

The weather is just awful all over. Hopefully it will calm down soon!

Gretchen
http://livinginsavannah.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

This has been a humbling few weeks for a lot of us in so many ways. I've been thinking about all you guys out there this week.

As always, you make a great point!

Love -
Mia

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful Picture of Hope.
V

Anonymous said...

I love what you do with these photos.  The bright red of the cardinal against the cool blues and grays...nice!  And very cool mosaic.

Al Martinez had an interesting perspective in the LA Times;
( http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-martinez14jan14,2,446399.story )  His writing always gives me pause.

Anonymous said...

Oops ~ I just checked that link and it didn't work ~ I don't know why.  Sorry! ;P

Anonymous said...

Yes, we must not forget those victims. I hope we keep helping until they can survive on their own again.
Angela

Anonymous said...

I'm sure there have always been strange patterns of weather in the past -- and everyone is always quick to think of doomsday scenarios -- but to be honest, your calling the earth a living planet, while true, doesn't necessarily make me feel any better.  LOL  A living thing can [and usually will] DIE.  And I don't doubt that this planet is fully capable of dying.  If nothing else, it would be prudent, I think, to consider these shifts in weather patterns and re-evaluate what we're doing to the planet, the ozone, eco-system, etc.  It couldn't hurt to consider that our actions COULD affect the number and severity of these natural disasters.  Dunno.. maybe I'm just freaked out.  LOL!!