Richmond and Los Angeles Have Been Mugged By Reality

Windsor Farms is a beautiful residential neighborhood in Richmond. My great uncle developed it 100 years ago. The streets are laid out in the style of an English village and there are many stately Georgian homes with beautiful gardens.

During the George Floyd “Summer of Love” antifa and Black Lives Matter marched through Windsor Farms, no doubt to protest against “nice stuff,” preferring everyone to live in graffiti ridden squalor as a measurement of social justice fairness.  I wrote at the time that if any of these Georgian mansions were given to any of these neo-Marxist protestors, within 6 months all the windows in the house would be busted out, there would be broken glass and 3-foot-high grass in the front yard, and the mechanical systems would all be trashed.  The same is true with a city. Give these types of people the keys to any city and in short order, the city, just like the free house, will be destroyed. They are incapable of taking care of anything.

Here in Richmond, we just went through nearly 3 days with no municipal water. Now, we have to go through 2-3 days of not being allowed to drink the water coming from our taps.  Several hundred thousand people in a major metropolitan area with hospitals, manufacturing plants, universities, nursing homes, and millions of square feet of office space had no water. It’s third world. Our race hustling, low IQ Marxist mayor hired a DEI candidate to run the Department of Utilities, the first time ever a non-engineer held that post. Her major initiative was hiring other DEI candidates to work for Public Utilities. Incompetent boobs, hire other incompetent boobs and before you know it, there are more boobs than the runway at the Bada-Bing.

Los Angeles is burning down. The government incompetence there is extraordinary. LA has its own DEI problems. Its fire chief was hired because she is an outspoken lesbian. Her initiative has been to hire more women and LGBTQ firefighters. Yep, I want a 99 lb mentally ill woman who thinks she’s man pulling me out of a burning fire! Who wouldn’t?

I’ve been known to be unabashedly blunt, but of course always right. DEI is the process of hiring simple minded knaves at the expense of competent and qualified artisans. Worse, it instills a sense of unearned entitlement in those who “Didn’t Earn It.” It is a cancer metastasizing through the ranks of work forces given grave responsibilities, and it spreads to the point where no one in an organization has the work ethic or skill to change a light bulb.

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How Many Times Have People Been Warned To Leave The State Of California?

Why do so many people insist on living in the state of California?  Today, it has the highest population of any U.S. state by a very wide margin.  Approximately 39 million people live in California, and Texas is number two on the list with a population of about 30 million.  I just don’t get it.  Those that live in California have to deal with relentless crime, the worst traffic in the western world, a historic homelessness epidemic, hordes of drug addicts, endless earthquakes, giant landslides, and insane politicians that do some of the stupidest things imaginable.  On top of everything else, wildfires have been ripping across the state with alarming frequency, and now we are witnessing a “hurricane of fire” that is unlike anything we have seen before.  According to the latest update from Yahoo News, the Palisades Fire is now more than 15,000 acres in size…

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, there are four wildfires currently scorching Los Angeles County: the Palisades Fire, at more than 15,800 acres; the Eaton Fire, at 10,600 acres; the Hurst Fire, about 500 acres; and the Woodley Fire, at 30 acres. Officials said the Olivas Fire was burning in Ventura County. All of the fires were 0% contained.

The Palisades Fire is already being called “the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history”.  At this point, Accuweather is projecting that the total damage from this cluster of wildfires will exceed 50 billion dollars

A preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from the cluster of wildfires ravaging Southern California, according to one report, has been put at $52 to $57 billion.

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What Did $750,000 a Year Deliver for Los Angeles?

The firestorm is still in progress in Los Angeles, priorities first and foremost are saving of lives and property.  The calamity in Los Angeles is still early in the situation, ongoing, and not yet under control, but some basic facts can be established at this point in time.

  • Janisse Quiñones PE (She/Her) is the CEO and Chief Engineer at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
  • Janisse Quiñones was hired with a $750,000 Salary, nearly twice that of her predecessor.
  • LADWP operates ten major active reservoirs and over 107 smaller storage facilities, all of which create operational flexibility to balance water supplies and customer demands.
  • A key reservoir in the Pacific Palisades fire was inoperable.
  • Multiple locations of the service area that Quinones oversees are a raging inferno and short on water for firefighters.

Water for the LADWP Service Area comes from the following sources:

  • 73% is purchased water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) which is both an aqueduct to State Water Projects in upper California and the Colorado River Aqueduct.
  • 15% is water from the Los Angeles Aqueduct which is fed from water close to the Nevada Border.
  • 10% is local groundwater.
  • 2% is recycled water.

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DESPICABLE: Democrats Including Elizabeth Warren Allegedly Caught Raising Money to Boost Scandal-Plagued Dem Fundraising Platform Under Guise of Helping California Fire Victims

Democrats never fail to let a crisis go to waste, even if it means the victims potentially getting shortchanged.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, a massive 3,000-acre wildfire raged out of control and engulfed homes in Pacific Palisades, California, on Tuesday afternoon. Shocking and heartbreaking footage has emerged showing people abandoning their cars and running for their lives.

Tragically, several individuals have lost their homes, entire livelihoods, and even their lives over the past several days as fires have spread all across Southern California and show no signs of abating. Meanwhile, firefighters are having issues with water pressure thanks to politicians.

On Friday evening, the leftist Democrat hosts for the podcast Pod Save America announced on X they were hosting California Governor Gavin Newsom to let him continue to blame everyone but himself for the catastrophic wildfires destroying Southern California. Shortly afterward that post, they posted another one where their followers could supposedly ‘help’ the victims of the wildfires.

The post reads, “If you want to help those impacted by the California wildfires, please donate at http://votesaveamerica.com/relief. ”

During their show with Newsom, they also encouraged donors to pony up to help the victims as well.

Not to be outdone, Democratic politicians, including Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), joined the fray.

While this sounds like a nice gesture at first glance, it turns out to be a mirage once one clicks on the donation link. Viewers are sent to a Democratic political action committee/fundraising platform’s website called ActBlue.

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L.A. Fire Chief: Diversity Push Hasn’t Hurt Our Ability to Respond, First Priority Is Taking Care of Community

During an interview with “CBS Evening News” that took place on Thursday and was released on Friday, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley denied that diversity initiatives have harmed the department’s ability to respond to emergencies like the recent fires and stated, “my number one priority is making sure that we can take care of the community that we took an oath to take care of, and with that is our ability to respond to emergencies.”

Crowley stated, “My top three priorities since day one [have] been this, I want to clearly articulate that: The number one priority from day one is ensuring that the LAFD has the capability to respond to our emergency calls, that we’re able to provide services to the citizens every single day, every single hour. That’s my number one priority.”

She continued, “The number two priority has been and will continue to be focusing on our firefighters’ safety, health, and well-being. My third priority is encouraging a positive work environment, and that has not changed since day one.”

Host Norah O’Donnell then asked, “And has that effort at diversity been over your efforts in order to fight these fires? Because that’s been the criticism. You know it’s out there.”

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Report: Gavin Newsom Cut $100 Million from Fire Prevention Budget in 2024

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) cut $100 million from the state’s fire prevention budget in 2024 before residents in the Los Angeles area were hit by wildfires, Newsweek reported.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) slashed almost $20 million from her city’s budget for fire services for the current fiscal year, Breitbart News reported on Wednesday.

Newsweek‘s article, published on Friday, continued:

The 2024-25 California state budget, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law in June 2024, slashed funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million as part of a series of cutbacks according to an analysis by the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.

However overall, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)’s wildfire protection budget has increased sharply from $1.1 billion in 2014 to $3 billion in 2023, much of which took place after Newsom became governor in 2019.

Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Newsom said that under the governor’s “leadership” the CAL FIRE budget had doubled from $2 billion in 2018-19 to $3.8 billion in 2024-25, whilst the department’s personnel went from 5,829 to 10,741 over the same period.

On Friday, a citizen affected by the California wildfires, which have claimed the lives of 10 people, confronted Newsom and asked him what he was going to do about the disaster, Breitbart News reported.

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Who Is Gloria Lynn Mandich? The Accused Arsonist Behind California’s Freddy Fire

California continues to battle devastating wildfires, with over 130,000 residents displaced and numerous state parks closed. Amid this ongoing crisis, law enforcement has arrested 60-year-old Gloria Lynn Mandich for felony arson. She is accused of starting the Freddy Fire, a brush fire near Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) close to the Ventura County line.

The Freddy Fire broke out on January 8 near Leo Carrillo State Beach, a popular coastal destination. The fire ignited around 12:40 p.m., burning approximately three acres before being brought under control. Firefighters from Los Angeles and Ventura counties collaborated to extinguish the blaze, preventing further spread. Initially, the Freddy Fire was believed to be a spot fire caused by embers from the much larger Palisades Fire. However, investigators soon linked it to Mandich, leading to her arrest by California State Parks officers.

Charges and Legal Proceedings

Mandich faces two serious felony charges filed by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office: arson during a state of emergency and recklessly causing a forest fire. She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment and is currently held in Ventura County’s Todd Road Jail with bail set at $20,000. If released, she will be subject to strict conditions, including a ban on possessing matches, lighters, or cigarettes, and compliance with searches for these items. Her next court appearance is scheduled for January 22.

California’s Wildfire Challenges

Mandich’s arrest is the second related to arson during the current wildfire season. The Palisades Fire, a massive blaze consuming nearly 20,000 acres, has forced widespread evacuations and prompted the closure of key state parks, including Topanga State Park and Malibu Creek State Park. Both the Freddy Fire and the Palisades Fire erupted during a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service. The warning signaled extreme fire danger due to dry vegetation and strong Santa Ana winds. While the winds have since subsided, officials remain cautious, noting that small fires can escalate rapidly under current conditions.

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Humvees, Machine Gun Hardware, Bayonets Stolen From Military Storage Warehouse Near Los Angeles

Suspects broke into a U.S. Army warehouse near Los Angeles this week and made off with Humvees, machine gun hardware, bayonets, and other gear, according to authorities.

The incident unfolded sometime before midnight on Wednesday in Tustin, a city in Orange County.

Suspects managed to gain entry to a warehouse at the Army Reserve Center and raid multiple storage lockers.

They also tried unsuccessfully to access a uniform storage area.

The suspects then cut through fencing and entered a parking lot before driving off in three Humvees, one of which was armored.

The Tustin Police Department (TPD) itemized additional stolen gear as follows:

  • 8 machine gun vehicle mounts
  • 7 free-standing machine gun tripods
  • 40 pairs of binoculars
  • 18 bayonets
  • Medical equipment

“The Army has informed us there is no known loss of weapons or ammunition other than what is listed in the above flyer,” TPD stated in a press release.

“If you see these vehicles, please contact Tustin PD dispatch immediately at 714-573-3225 or your local law enforcement agency.”

It is currently unclear if the brazen burglary is connected to lawlessness and chaos breaking out amid historic fires in the Los Angeles area.

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Can California Afford Its Luxury Beliefs After This? Let’s Look at the Books.

California is undergoing a crisis of competence. Surrounded by ashen heaps of what used to be thousands of homes and businesses, voters finally may realize that luxury beliefs sound nice at cocktail parties and the gym, but somebody should make sure there’s water in the reservoirs and fire hydrants. 

We learn that a crucial reservoir was down for maintenance during Santa Ana season, which left the fire hydrants dry. The latest reservoir was finished in 1979. Planning for the next one started in the 1950s and may break ground sometime allegedly in 2026. Gavin Newsom has taken down dams and patted himself on the back. 

The man Newsom styled his look after, former Lakers Coach Pat Reilly, used to say, “The main thing is the main thing.” The hairstyle stuck, but not the message. L.A. is spending other peoples’ money on stupid things while pretending to do the main thing. 

We’re now up to $150 billion in losses so far in the 36,000-acre blaze that started Tuesday. The multiple fires have flattened Pacific Palisades, houses along the PCH in Malibu, and lovely old homes in Pasadena. 

The LAFD Chief makes more than $439,000 per year for not checking the fire hydrants. A fire captain makes more than $800,000 a year because of overtime, double time, and aggregated time off. 

The person in charge of DEI at the L.A. Fire Department makes $399,000 per year. 

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Where’s the Outrage? Biden Gives SoCal a Blank Check While FEMA Leaves North Carolina Out In the Cold

The nation’s attention continues to be hyperfocused on Southern California as devastating wildfires continue to burn in and around Los Angeles. The fires have displaced thousands of people and destroyed entire towns. There is an overwhelming need for immediate aid, and the recovery from these disastrous fires will take years.

With less than two weeks left in office, President Joe Biden has informed California Governor Gavin Newsom that the federal government will be picking up the tab for California’s recovery for the next six months. Biden has told them to spare no expense.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the residents of Western North Carolina have been all but forgotten. Thousands remain displaced from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Entire neighborhoods were washed away, and many of the buildings that survived the flooding are unlivable because of dangerous mold.

FEMA has been on the ground in North Carolina for months—not that you can tell. Many North Carolinians live in tents because assistance has been scarce, difficult to obtain, or unreachable.

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