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Talk About Pop Music
Streaming Forward, Powered By The Past – if you love 80s music, new music, Eurovision, cheesy pop and awesome playlists then let's get this pop party started
THE DAILY POPCAST
PLAYLIST UPDATES
STOP! LOOK! PLAYLIST!
WEEKDAY PLAYLISTS
OFFICIAL UK TOP 40
SVERIGE TOPPLISTAN
CHART REWIND 1990
EVERY UK NUMBER ONE SONG
COVER Vs ORIGINAL
MUSOSOUP
SUBMITHUB
MYSPHERA
THE INDIE BIBLE
Posted on November 3, 2019 November 3, 2019 by Christopher Smith
COVER vs ORIGINAL: 'Ain't Nobody'
"Ain't Nobody" was originally recorded by Rufus and Chaka Khan in 1983.
by Christopher Smith
The song "Ain't Nobody" was written by David "Hawk" Wolinski (b.1948), keyboardist with the US funk band Rufus. The six-piece group included singer Chaka Khan (b.1953) and achieved one of their biggest hits with the song when it peaked at No.22 in the US and No.8 in the UK in late 1983. It was also one of their last as Rufus split at the end of the year after eleven years of recording together.
Unsurprisingly, Chaka crafted a successful solo career for herself and in 1989, released as remixed version of "Ain't Nobody" as part of her "Life Is A Dance" project, taking the song even higher in the UK (No.6) and topping the US dance chart!
British singer Jaki Graham covered the track in 1994 and released it as the lead single from her album "Real Life", although she fell short of the UK top 40, her version made it to No.11 on the US dance chart.
The following year US singer Diana King (b.1970) recorded a superb version of "Ain't Nobody" for her debut album "Tougher Than Love". Losing none of the drama or style of the original, Diana released the track as the third single from the album, which peaked at No.3 on the US R&B chart and No.4 on the dance chart as well as reaching No.13 in the UK, and charting high all across Europe.
Rapper LL Cool J recoded a version for the soundtrack to the 1996 film 'Beavis and Butt-Head Do America' which peaked at No.46 in the US and topped the UK singles chart! While other versions of "Ain't Nobody" have included UK band Liberty X in 2003 and Mary J. Blige in 2011 for her album "My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1)".
In 2015 German DJ and producer Felix Jaehn remixed UK singer Jasmine Thompson's 2013 recording of "Ain't Nobody" and released it as a single and took it into the top ten in 35 countries worldwide, in fifteen of those it went to number one, and to date, his version has sold more than three million copies becoming one of the biggest sellers of 2015!
But which version is the best? RUFUS' original, CHAKA KHAN's remix or one of the many other recordings…?
Take a look at some of the other posts in this series and don't forget to follow the playlist.
We get hundreds of emails per day and some slip through the net. Submit your songs to us via SubmitHub, MusoSoup or MySphera to be guaranteed a listen.
Boost your streams, discover new fans and increase sales with the Indie Spotify Bible.
Looking for the perfect gift for a music lover like you – check out My First Record for a poptastic present!
This entry was posted in:Cover Version vs Original Version
Tagged with:Chaka Khan Ain't Nobody, Diana King Ain't Nobody, Felix Jaehn Ain't Nobody, LL Cool J Ain't Nobody, Rufus Ain't Nobody
Written by Christopher Smith
So perhaps you've read an article or two that I've written and wondered "just who is this character?"! Well I thought maybe it would be time to introduce myself and what I'm all about. Well it's all about the music! Having been born in the late 1970's I was heavily influenced by my parent's love of 'popular' music and rock and roll of the 1950's and 60's. My Mother always said she should of married Elvis and my father was, and is still, in love with Sandie Shaw! But while my Dad's tastes stopped in about 1967, my Mum carried on loving music throughout the 70's, 80's and beyond. My first memory was playing on the floor whilst my Mother was ironing one day with the radio on, and hearing ABBA's "Super Trouper" dancing my nappy off to it! Maybe that's where it all went wrong…?! Having been subjected to all and sundry in my infant years, I finally found my feet in the mid-1980's and began 'partying' to the likes of Culture Club, Stevie Wonder(!), Elkie Brooks and Bananarama to name but a few! The year 1987 would have a profound effect on my listening tastes and from thereon in my life would be dominated with buying and listening to music. Any number of outstanding songs were released and listened to that year, most notably "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "La Isla Bonita". That Summer my mind was completely taken over with music and sounds I'd never heard before and I was totally taken in by it all. My father would say "whaaar rubbish you got on naaaaao?" (I'm from Norfolk!) but I was hooked. And it continued so for the rest of the decade and the next. At the beginning of 1988 I 'met' my true love and the singer I've worshipped more than any other artist or group. You may know of her. She's from Australia…! Aside from pop music, my tastes are many and varied and continues to grow and expand as I 'mature' in age. I've always been heavily interested in films and in particular the mechanics of film making and of course film music, so scores and subsequently orchestral music takes up a lot of my tastes and collection. 90's dance and club tunes also takes up much of the space in my head and I'm surprised my brain has stopped shaking from the years of abuse it took being dragged to nightclubs, often three times a week in my 20's! I find with each year that passes I regress back to my youth and of course the 1980's. 80's music dominates and the lust to see as many 80's acts and singers play live now is insatiable. I'm still getting into the groove as much as every breath I take, but I'm never gonna give up listening to my heart and pumping up the volume, simply because I LOVE MUSIC…any kind of music!
Previous PostPLAYLIST: What's New On What The Pop?
Next PostCHARTS: UK Top 40 Singles Chart 5th November 1989


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Local 727 Secures First Five-Year Contract for Laz Meters Employees
teamsters727 | March 3, 2017
Local 727 won a five-year contract for eight Laz Meters street closure monitors, folding it into an existing Laz Meters contract the union secured on behalf of the parking meter company's 40 other employees. This was the first contract of its kind for this group of workers and it took only two weeks of negotiations to reach ratification.
"We're extremely pleased with how smoothly this process went for our new union members," said John Coli Jr., President of Local 727. "Typically, first contracts take about a year for the parties to come to an agreement, but we presented a united front from the get-go and fought hard for these workers to get a fair deal. We commend Laz for negotiating with us in good faith and look forward to future organizing victories like this one."
The new union members will receive, among other benefits, guaranteed yearly raises, 727 health and welfare paid by the employer (with dental, vision, life insurance, and prescription discount card included), 727 pension and 727 legal and educational assistance. They also get an accelerated vacation schedule, a generous number of holiday, sick and personal days, plus enhanced job protection procedures.
"The parking industry has been the heart and soul of this local union for decades, and these new members will be vital to Local 727's future," Coli said. "We are proud to represent them."
The contract term runs from March 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
Members with questions should contact Teamsters Local 727 business representative Nick Micaletti at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected]
Category: PARKING, Union News
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CHICAGO PARKING APP
The Chicago Parking Map mobile app allows users to find nearby parking garages and lots in the Chicago area. It is now available to download for iOS and Android devices.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Emergency electricians and electrical contractors are typically classified into numerous categories by the sort of electrical work they do. Likewise inspect if the contractors have shown how they are going to satisfy your needs based on the design template. Electric contractors handle unique employers. Commercial electrics is a lot more than simply domestic or residential electrics on a bigger scale, it's an absolutely unique system with its own characteristics and subtleties. Finding the correct pool contractor isn't really everybody's cup of tea. On construction websites, electricians are typically thought to be the Primadonnas of construction, but regardless of whether that holds true or not, it is an excellent approach to produce a living. Some homeowners demand paying cash because they want to spend less and avoid paying taxes. Electrician guarantees and warranties are an indicator of exceptional workmanship and genuine client service. Usually, a wonderful contractor will attempt to provide you with an extra-competition quote, particularly in the initial location, simply to turn you into a customer.
At times, you may be having other contractors like an electrician who did an excellent task. It is just as essential to make sure he has the necessary insurance coverage. Finding an appropriate electrician is rather difficult, and if you disregard to find a terrific electrician featuring all the crucial skill, you could be in trouble.
Search for a person who may give you a one-to-one sort of service. Either way, employing the assistance of an electric contractor is vital. Industrial construction contractor's service isn't just needed when you're building a completely new structure. For the very best interest of your construction or renovation project, it is quite ideal to employ the expert services of a certified and licensed electrical contractor Hawkinsville. The contractor would be responsible for getting each of the suitable building permits and permissions for the job you're doing. After you have a couple contractors that you want to hire, you have to decide on one that's professional and skilled enough to do the job. Many people believe that an electrical contractor and an electrician are the identical thing but they're incorrect. Electrical contractors give an extensive number of electrical services Hawkinsville. Trained electrical contractors have a wide comprehension of how to train lights to illuminate only intended places. An exemplary electrical contractor has an inclination to carry a terrific reputation. Industrial electrical contractors, on the flip side, constantly keep updated on the numerous changes which occur within the business.
With advances in technology and equipment capabilities it is necessary to employ a contractor with the wisdom and experience to use them to their fullest. Lots of people mistakenly assume an electrical contractor and an electrician are the very same thing but they're very different. The residential electrical contractor is quite different from an industrial electrician Hawkinsville. If you prefer residential electrical contractors on Hawkinsville that may secure the business accomplished in a timely and effective fashion. Electrical contractors have unique needs in regards to estimating jobs. To learn what you require, speak to our electrical contractors. Electrical contractors for industrial jobs must bid competitively to find the job. The electrical service must be set up through an electrical contractor. Turn to us when you require a reliable electrical support. Our residential electrical service encompasses a wide selection of installations. Residential electrical contractor services can be hard and risky. If you have a look around your house you will notice you own a lot of things which deal with electricity. Few of the older homes have dedicated circuits, so the very first thing that any skilled residential electrical contractor will want to be aware of is the age of the home. A residential house is a significant investment, therefore it is logical which you would should make periodic improvements to it over time.
The absolute most effective method at which you can access their services is by uploading your needs on their site. You may use our electrical contractor services even when you are in possession of an overall contractor. You merely ought to search for the expert services of a certified electrician. When it has to do with electrician services in Hawkinsville, it's important to select the proper electrical contractors. Electrical emergencies Hawkinsville can be disruptive to your house and business. They are nothing to play around with. Although an electrical emergency can happen to anybody, there are a few things you can do in order to decrease the possibility of one occurring. When you've got an electrical emergency, you should not attempt to correct the issue all on your own. If you're looking for an electrician you may want to think about contacting your community Electrical Contractors Association for a listing of local contractors Hawkinsville.


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When are RTI applications paid by cheque or credit card valid?
When can an agency consider an RTI application fee paid, and consequently that the application is valid, if the applicant chooses to pay by credit card or cheque?
Tell us a bit about yourself: Demographics and privacy
Under Information Privacy Principle (IPP) 1, personal information collected by agencies must be directly related to or necessary for a lawful purpose of function of the agency involved. In addition, IPP3 requires that collected information be relevant for that purpose. If the information being collected is necessary for the purpose of collection under IPP1, it will generally be relevant for the purpose under IPP3.
Obtaining personal information held in another agency
When carrying out their functions, agencies may find themselves needing to access personal information held by another agency. There are a number of provisions in the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) (IP Act) which can enable this access. The provisions mostly operate to provide 'permission' for the agency to give the personal information to the other agency.
External Review case study - responding to applicant concerns as an alternative to focussing on access to documents
Sometimes, when access is refused under the RTI Act, applicants make incorrect assumptions about the information that has been withheld. While OIC is under strict obligations not to disclose information in issue, sometimes through discussion and negotiation, agencies agree to OIC providing an explanation to the applicant which directly addresses their concerns without the need to disclose information which would be contrary to the public interest. OIC has successfully resolved a number of reviews on this basis in the 2012-2013 financial year.
Parliamentary committee reports on OIC's performance
The Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee (Committee) recently published their report on the performance of the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) for the 2011-2012 financial year.
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News about Rick Scott, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Six months after hurricanes devastated the Southeast, Washington infighting has shelved a widely backed disaster aid package that President Donald Trump's allies in Florida and Georgia are desperately seeking.
Victims of natural disasters across the country want aid, but President Trump is unwilling to send additional money to Puerto Rico, and Democrats don't want to let him skip it.
Senate Democrats may block legislation proposed by their Republican counterparts that would allocate billions of dollars across the country, citing a push for more aid for Puerto Rico's recovery.
President Trump went to Miami not only to warn Nicolás Maduro that his days as Venezuela's leader were numbered, but also to court a key bloc of voters ahead of the 2020 election.
The Senate voted 54-45 to confirm William P. Barr as attorney general.
If President Trump helps force President Nicolás Maduro out of office, Democrats fear it could transform Venezuelan Americans into loyal Republicans.


WASHINGTON — Taurean Prince scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and hit five of Atlanta's 20 3-pointers, helping the Hawks defeat the Washington Wizards 137-129 on Monday night.
Rookie guard Kevin Huerter added 19 points and also hit five 3s in his return to the region where he played college ball at Maryland. Two of those 3s came during an early 16-2 run that put Atlanta up 28-16 late in the first quarter, a lead they did not give back.
Vince Carter scored 16 points in 16 minutes after halftime. John Collins had 15 points and 11 rebounds despite exiting at halftime with a cut on his face.
Trae Young added 10 points and 10 assists as nine Hawks reached double figures. Atlanta outrebounded the Wizards 51-39 and finished 20 of 41 from beyond the arc to close a 4-3 road trip.
Bradley Beal had 18 of his 27 points in the fourth for the Wizards, who slipped into a 10th-place tie with Orlando in the Eastern Conference playoff race, three games back of eighth-place Miami.
Jeff Green scored 26 points, Trevor Ariza had 25 and former Liberty County High School and University of Tennessee star Jordan McRae added a season-high 20 off the bench. But the Wizards never got within a possession after halftime.
Carter entered to a notable ovation in the third quarter. The 42-year-old, who is 12 years removed from his 10th and final All-Star appearance, then hit his first three shots — including two 3s. He finished 6 of 8 from the floor and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Hawks: Are 9-7 when grabbing at least 50 rebounds. . Collins' double-double was his 21st of the season. . C DeWayne Dedmon fouled out with 5:30 remaining.
Wizards: Started 0 for 10 from 3-point range before Tomas Satoranksy made one with 9:18 left in the first half. They finished 12 of 38. . Beal picked up his third foul with 8:41 left in the first half and sat until the break. . Reserve F Troy Brown sat out and will miss at least one more game with an ankle injury.
Hawks: Host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.
Wizards: At the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.


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Q: comparison between unsigned and signed int (to me) appears required (c++) I am making a game (for fun) and it has a scrolling screen. The following bit of code updates the position:
screen_x += screen_scroll_x;
if(screen_x < 0)
    screen_x = 0;

if(screen_x > map_width - screen_width)
    screen_x = map_width - screen_width;

I'm struggling to choose the correct integer type for screen_x. If it is signed, screen_x > map_width - screen_width induces a warning "comparison between unsigned and signed". If it is unsigned, if(screen_x < 0) fails (with creative results) as screen_x can never be negative.
map_width is compared to the length of a string when loading the map and so if we make map_width signed the problem is shifted to that portion of code.
Many people have said that you should use the correct integer. They also say pay attention to your warnings and it bugs me that I do get warnings (get too many and you stop paying attention to them).
What would be the ideal solution?

A: When the two sides of a binary operator are of different signedness, the signed operand will be promoted to unsigned. This is an oddity in the C standard but you have to deal with it, either by casting (but in this case that would be an error) or in this case, by using a signed integer for holding both values.

A: You should not compare directly arbitrary unsigned and signed ints if you're interested in mathematically sensible comparison. That's because C(++)'s arithmetic is not your regular math arithmetic.
In a C(++) expression involving a signed int and an unsigned int, the signed int is first converted to an unsigned int and then the operation is performed (+, *, <, etc).
To correctly compare a signed int and an unsigned int you should take into account C(++)'s "arithmetic rules" and those type/value conversions mandated by the programming language and invisible to the eye of the uninitiated.
So, you could compare the two like this:
/* returns -1 if s < u,
   returns 0 if s == u,
   returns 1 if s > u */
int CompareSignedUnsigned(int s, unsigned u)
{
  if (s < 0) return -1; // negative is always smaller than 0 or positive
  if (s < u) return -1; // obvious
  if (s > u) return 1;  // obvious
  return 0; // obvious
}

As for using the right kind of integer, that's a good advice, but sometimes one size doesn't fit all. And on-screen coordinates is one such area, where it can be more than reasonable to have coordinates signed.
Imagine, for example, you want a routine to render a box on the screen and that you want to be able to draw a box moving across the screen, starting outside of the screen (moving into it) and ending outside (moving out).
If you choose the API like this:
void DrawBox(unsigned x, unsigned y, unsigned width, unsigned height, color c);

the user of this function will have to do some extra math when drawing a portion of that box, when a part is on the screen and another is off the screen. All because there's simply no way to tell the function that the original/uncropped box really isn't all on the screen.
Now, if you choose this one instead:
void DrawBox(int x, int y, unsigned width, unsigned height, color c);

and move that extra cropping math inside of the function, suddenly the user of this function is enabled to write very simple code. It could be as simple as:
for (int x = -100; x < SCREEN_WIDTH + 100, x++)
  DrawBox(x, SCREEN_HEIGHT / 2, 100, 50, GREEN);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"This is the most ingeniously designed marked deck I have ever seen in my life! You can do miracles with this pack that cannot be performed with any other deck of marked cards. Wonderful... absolutely wonderful!"


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Q: Microsoft Planner - Expand Details Returning Null I've been trying to extract the details of task to also get the description when retrieving all of the tasks in a bucket. I've tried several query parameters. With $expand=details I see that there is an extra node in the response, but it is always null. This is true for any expand query parameter that I provide.
Here is the URL I am attempting:
/v1.0/planner/buckets/{BucketId}/tasks?$expand=details
I've attempted this with the /beta/ endpoint as well with the same result. See below for the result I am receiving:
{
    "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#Collection(microsoft.graph.plannerTask)",
    "@odata.count": 1,
    "value": [{
        "@odata.etag": "***"
        ",
        "createdBy": {
            "user": {
                "displayName": null,
                "id": "***"
            }
        },
        "planId": "***",
        "bucketId": "***",
        "title": "Name",
        "orderHint": "***",
        "assigneePriority": "***",
        "percentComplete": 0,
        "startDateTime": "2017-09-15T12:00:00Z",
        "createdDateTime": "2017-09-15T23:33:10.905638Z",
        "dueDateTime": null,
        "hasDescription": true,
        "previewType": "description",
        "completedDateTime": null,
        "completedBy": null,
        "referenceCount": 0,
        "checklistItemCount": 0,
        "activeChecklistItemCount": 0,
        "appliedCategories": {
            "category2": true
        },
        "assignments": {
            "***": {
                "@odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.plannerAssignment",
                "assignedBy": {
                    "user": {
                        "displayName": null,
                        "id": "***"
                    }
                },
                "assignedDateTime": "2017-09-15T23:33:10.905Z",
                "orderHint": ""
            }
        },
        "conversationThreadId": null,
        "id": "LeURQ5hVvU2tAP7fbbtaiWUANHup",
        "details": null
    }],
}

Notice that the details result is null, however, this task does have a description so should have some detail. How should I go about extracting the details of a task, hopefully without having to make multiple calls back to the API?

A: Expanding details objects and general purpose expansions are currently not supported in the Planner API. Details objects need to be read by separate queries, although the requests can be batched. Task object contains properties to indicate whether the details object has any relevant information (e.g. hasDescription, referenceCount, activeChecklistItemCount, checklistItemCount, and previewType), so that unnecessary reading of details objects can be avoided. Other child objects (e.g. task board ordering data) can be expanded with queries that only select id property from the task, however only one type of task board formatting can be expanded in a single query.
You can provide feedback about Planner and Planner API functionality here.


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**To list the policies for IAM groups in the current account**

The following ``list-group-policies`` command lists the names of policies that are attached to the IAM group named
``Admins`` in the current account::

  aws iam list-group-policies --group-name Admins

Output::

  "PolicyNames": [
    "ExamplepPolicy",
    "AdminPolicy"
  ]

For more information, see `Managing IAM Policies`_ in the *Using IAM* guide.

.. _`Managing IAM Policies`: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/ManagingPolicies.html

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Corky Carroll – Bio of a Surf Legend
We get asked a lot of questions here at Corky Carroll's Surf School. How do you turtle roll? What kind of surfboard should I ride? Are my feet positioned correctly? Where is the bathroom? Why is it raining? Can I have a donut? The list goes on. But by far the most asked question is: Who is Corky Carroll?
Well, we're glad you asked…
Corky Carroll and Our Surf School
Our surf school is the result of one man's awesome idea and another's amazing career. It all happened in 1996 when local resident Rick Walker approached professional surf icon Corky Carroll with a business proposition: opening the first surf school in Huntington Beach.
Read How Rick Walker Came Up With His Surf School Idea and Why It's Not Named After Him
The school was named after Corky, whose prolific surfing career has made him one of the most recognizable and accomplished surfers of all-time.
Today, we still use the fundamentals and techniques Corky came up with in our lessons.
So when you're taking a surf lesson from one of our instructors, you're also learning to surf from one of the most iconic surfers of all-time.
Which we think is pretty cool.
That said, the question still stands: Who is Corky Carroll?
Corky Carroll – The First Professional Surfer
Fun Fact: Corky Carroll is considered the first professional surfer of all-time.
So it just makes sense that the first surf school in Huntington Beach be named after him. But long before he joined Rick Walker in forming our surf school, Corky was making waves dating all the way back to when he was a little grom.
Here's a brief highlight reel of the Man, the Myth, the (Surf) Legend that is Corky Carroll:
His real name is Charles Curtis Carroll. (Corky is his nickname)
He won over 100 surf competitions
He was the first person paid to surf (and put "surfer" as his profession on tax returns)
He was the first surfer to receive endorsements
He was the first surfer to have a production model shortboard
He was voted "Best Surfer in the World" in a 1968 Surfer magazine readers poll
He retired from professional surfing at the ripe old age of 24
He was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame. Twice. And Surfers' Hall of Fame
He is the only pro surfer with a gold record (Tan Punks on Boards)
He wrote 3 books
He starred in 13 heroic Miller Lite commercials. Like this one:
While that highlight reel is impressive, the stories behind those accolades and achievements are even better. So let's start from the beginning and find out how Corky Carroll became Corky Carroll.
Corky Carroll Learns to Surf
Corky grew up in Surfside, California. Located between Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, the Surfside Colony was an awesome place where some of the best surfers of the Golden Age of Surfing lived and surfed.
Corky learned to surf when he was 8-years-old. (The same age when groms can start at our summer surf camp. Coincidence? We think not.) His first surfboard was an 8'7″ longboard made from balsa wood. It was shaped by famous Seal Beach surfboard shaper Dick Barrymore and weighed more than kid Corky did.
From then on Corky Carroll was stoked for surfing.
Corky Carroll Learns to Shoot the Pier
One memorable story Corky tells is how he learned to 'shoot the pier' in Huntington Beach. As a young gremmie (that's what they used to call groms back in the 50s), he built a makeshift surfboard rack for his bike using a red wagon.
Consider it the original surf wagon.
Using his awesome invention, Corky would tug his huge balsa surfboard down the PCH from Surfside all the way to HB's pier. Along the way he passed through Tin Can Beach (later renamed Bolsa Chica State Beach, and the home of our surf school. Coincidence? We think not). Paddling out into rolling 6-footers, he noticed a bunch of older surfers riding daringly through the pylons of the massive pier.
At first Corky was scared to try. You know, because death.
But then local HB surf legend Chuck Linnen paddled over and gave young Corky some sage advice on how to thread through the pier in style.
Just goes to show a surf lesson from a good instructor can go a long way.
Especially when that instructor has an awesome stache, as seen in this shot from a couple years later of Corky and his surf coach:
Before long Corky was shooting the pier with the best of them.
And thus began a long-lasting relationship between him and one of California's most iconic surf spots, which would one day culminate with the creation of our surf school.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Corky Carroll Learns to Win
Corky Carroll started competing in surfing contests when he was 11-years-old.
He placed 3rd in the first contest he ever entered — a junior division heat at the inaugural West Coast Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach. Held in 1959, this was the first major surf contest in California, and the forbearer of today's epic weeklong U.S Open of Surfing that takes place every summer on the pier's south side.
(That's right, for awhile there Huntington Beach made competitors wear helmets in contests. Everyone hated them.)
This kicked off a 13 year career as a competitive surfer. During that time Corky racked up five wins at the United States Surfboard Championships in HB (renamed from the West Coast Surfing Championships) and was named the United States Surfing Association's "best all around surfer" five consecutive times.
His first major win came in 1962 at the San Clemente Surf Capades. (Which might go down in history as the best named surf contest of all-time.) There was also three International Professional Championships, an International Big Wave Championship, a World Small Wave Championship, and, as Corky puts it, "a bunch of other less glorious sounding titles."
Below Corky (center) hoists the 1967 US Surfing Championships trophy.
(Props to anyone who can name the rest of the surfers in this photo.)
When all was said and done, Corky would go on to win over 100 contests.
Corky Carroll Becomes the First Professional Surfer
With each mounting success, Corky's reputation grew.
Soon he caught the eye of Hobie Alter, the pioneer surfboard shaper from Dana Point who a few years earlier had opened the first Southern California surf shop. Hobie decided to sponsor Corky, paying him $80 a week to use and promote Hobie Surfboards.
With that sweet payday Corky Carroll — at the age of 16 — became the first person paid to surf and the first surfer to strike an endorsement deal.
Two years later Corky kicked things up a notch when he won a $1,500/year sponsorship with Jantzen Sportswear. In other words, he was rolling in the dough.
At least as far as surfers go.
At age 18, Corky decided to make it official and put "professional surfer" on his 1965 tax return. Sure beats accountant. (No offense accountants.)
But his professional exploits weren't limited just to riding surfboards. He was also at the forefront of developing them. In 1967, Corky Carroll's Hobie Mini Model was introduced as the first production shortboard in America. That same year, thanks to board royalties, product endorsements and a nice bonus check from Hobie for several TV appearances, Corky earned over $30,000.
Adjusted for inflation that's the equivalent of over $230,000 today.
Not too shabby for a beach bum.
Corky Carroll Becomes a Star
Not too many people have enjoyed the popularity that Corky Carroll was able to ride thanks to one day at the age 8 deciding to pick up a surfboard. For starters there were the countless ads he's appeared in, like for Ocean Spray, Coca Cola, Chrysler and Jantzen Sports.
Some of them didn't even have anything to do with surfing.
Since then he's also appeared in countless films, most of them related to surfing. These include the two most iconic surf films of all-time: Five Summer Stories and The Endless Summer. And the surf cult classing North Shore.
In 1964, as part of the promotional tour for The Endless Summer, Corky appeared on The Tonight Show to teach Johnny Carson and the rest of America how to "sidewalk surf" (aka skateboard).
He's even voiced a character on SpongeBob. It doesn't get much bigger than that.
Corky Carroll Retires from Surfing, Becomes a Musician
By 1972 the competitive surfing world was changing and Corky decided it was time to hang up his board (as a pro) and replace it with a guitar.
In fact, Corky had been playing music even longer then he'd been surfing. When he was 7 his mom made him take piano lessons (as moms often do). But tickling the ivory took a backseat to riding waves. That is until he was a teen attending Huntington Beach High School when he picked up music again, teaching himself guitar.
He continued to riff here and there whenever he had the time in between surfing contests.
On one occasion the Beach Boys even asked if he'd go on tour with them, believing it would add credibility if they had a "real surfer" in the band. Corky passed. Music was still no match for professional surfing.
Later on, as his pro surfing career was winding down, Corky started to pursue music more seriously, learning multiple instruments and performing in local bars and small concert venues around Orange County.
In 1971, just prior to his retirement, Corky released his first album entitled Laid Back.
Over the next thirty plus years music would play a huge part in Corky's life. During that time he performed both as a solo act and with his many band incarnations including Corky Carroll and the Piranha, Corky Carroll and the Coolwater Casuals, and our personal favorite, Corky Carroll and the Funk Dog Surf Band.
In 1979 his musical output reached a high point with A Surfer for President.
A Surfer for President by Corky Carroll
That album included the hit single Tan Punks on Boards, which sold 500,000. As far as we can tell this makes Corky the only past or present pro surfer to have a gold-selling record. (Scroll down to track 6 in the player above to hear this gem.)
"Riding through a guitar solo or singing is much like riding a wave on surfboard. You're climbing and dropping and tucking into little sections and it's a lot of ad-lib and expression." ~ Corky Carroll
At the turn of the millennium Corky was the house musician at Duke's restaurant in Huntington Beach. Imagine that. Stop by Duke's for a fish taco and get sung to by one of the best surfers of all-time.
Reason 10,024 to love HB.
And Corky Carroll.
Corky Carroll Stars as a Beach Bum
While moonlighting as a musician, Corky ran through a gamut of other jobs. From bartender to waiter, lounge singer, manager of a car dealership, actor, tennis pro, ski instructor, advertising director for Surfer magazine, balloon salesman — Corky made the rounds.
In the early 80s Corky started living the dream by "playing" a happy go-lucky, perpetually jobless surfer in Miller Lite beer commercials. It was part of a very successful Miller ad campaign featuring retired athletes from different sports. They were known collectively as the "Miller Lite All-Stars."
As Corky tells it, the Miller Lite All-Stars' main job was to tour the country spreading good times and doing such things as visiting ski resorts, skiing all day wearing "Miller Lite All-Stars" parkas, and going to nearby bars to hand out Miller Lite swag and buy rounds for everybody.
It's a hard life but somebody's gotta do it.
And Corky Carroll did.
Corky Carroll Helps Start Our Surf School
It all started one fateful day in 1996 at the Windansea Surf Shop in Huntington Beach.
Well actually it started a little before that when Corky appeared on a LA sports talk television show called Life in Sports. The show featured interviews with pro athletes from the past and present. It was produced by a local HB guy named Rick Walker, who for the past 12 years had been commuting back and forth from Orange County to Los Angeles and was ready for bigger and wavier things.
Namely, starting a surf school.
After meeting Corky and having the surf legend on his show, Rick saw an opportunity.
Around then Corky was splitting his time between giving tennis lessons and managing Windansea. In fact, Rick's daughter had been taking one of Corky's tennis classes. (That's Kelsey, who today helps run the show at our surf school. Coincidence? We think not.) One night Rick Walker walked into Windansea.
Rick: Hey Corky.
Corky Carroll: Hey Rick.
Rick: I see you're teaching tennis these days.
Corky Carroll: Yeah, that's right.
Rick: Why?
Corky Carroll: I really enjoy it. I'm good at it. And people pay me to do it. What's not to love?
Rick: [looks at Corky funny] I don't get it.
Corky Carroll: Maybe you didn't hear the part about people paying me.
Rick: You're a surfer. You should be teaching surfing.
Corky Carroll: [laughs] Well, if you can show me how to make a living doing that I would be happy to listen.
Rick: [smiles]
By this time there had been no shortage of offers coming Corky Carroll's way. So he took Rick's idea of starting a surf school with a grain of salt. But, having nothing to lose, Corky said, "Yeah sure, you get it together and I'm in."
Five months pass. Corky has forgotten about the whole thing. And then one day Rick shows up at the surf shop and says, "O.K., I got it all organized. We have a location, boards, permits and insurance. The Corky Carroll Surf School opens June 15th."
And it did open. On June 15th, 1996 at an uncrowded stretch of beach in Bolsa Chica State Park.
[The conversations above are paraphrased from Corky Carroll's own enjoyable recount of how he first met Rick.]
Corky Carroll spent most of that first summer training instructors and developing the surfing techniques that would become the backbone of our lessons.
Techniques which we still use to this day.
Corky Carroll Gets Immortalized
The same summer Corky partnered up with Rick Walker to start our surf school, he was also inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame. You've probably seen it. Heck, you've probably walked your dogs over it.
The Surfing Walk of Fame is laid out on the sidewalk in front of Jack's Surfboards, at the corner of Main and PCH in Huntington Beach. It is a lineup of all the greatest surf legends, immortalized with plaques in the pavement. There you'll find Duke Kahanamoku ("the father of surfing"), George Freeth (the first person ever known to surf in HB), Bruce Brown (the director of The Endless Summer), PT Townend (the first pro surf tour world champion), and Joyce Hoffman (the first woman to charge Pipeline), amongst many other amazing surfers and shapers.
You'll also find Corky Carroll. Twice.
On Aug 8, 1996 he was honored as the Local Hero in one of the Walk of Fame's best classes (alongside Greg Noll, Rell Sunn, Bud Browne, and Nat Young). He was then honored again in 2004 with a second plaque as a Walk of Fame Surf Champion.
Because when you're that good one plaque just isn't enough.
Right across the street in front of Huntington Surf and Sport, Corky was also inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame. That was in 2002 as part of the Hall of Fame's inaugural first group of inductees. It included some other people you might of heard of like Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton, Robert August, Joel Tudor and Lisa Andersen.
Now that's a lineup!
Corky Carroll's Legacy as a Jobless Surfer
To say the least Corky Carroll has earned the right to have his name (and handprint) immortalized.
His impressive career as the first professional surfer speaks for itself. So too does his impressive career as a musician. Don't forget his equally as impressive career handing out free beer as a Miller Lite All-Star. Or helping inspire our surf school. His antics are stuff of local legend, like that time he stacked 40 surfboards atop a VW and successfully drove down HB's Main Street. Equally as legendary is his ability to talk story, proving it every week with his rad column in the Orange County Register.
Any way you look at it, he is a fun loving guy who has embodied surfing and its lifestyle to the fullest.
Or as Corky puts it, "Yes, I still surf all the time, and no, I still don't have a real job. Let's hope it never comes to that."
Because that is who Corky Carroll is.
November 12, 2019 /3 Comments/by Mark
https://www.surfschool.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/corky-carroll-surfing-big-wave.jpg 688 1000 Mark https://www.surfschool.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/corky-carrolls-surf-school-logo-header.jpg Mark2019-11-12 17:56:202020-06-24 16:04:41Corky Carroll - Bio of a Surf Legend
Best Place to Learn to Surf in California: Bolsa Chica
Bolsa Chica State Beach is the best place to learn to surf in Huntington Beach. It is the best place to learn to surf in Orange County. And it is the best place to learn to surf in California. Heck, it might even be the best place to learn to surf in the entire world. (Though Costa Rica might give it a run for its money.) This might all sound crazy, but a lot goes into making somewhere a contender for the best beginner surf spot. And Bolsa Chica has it all.
Below we'll go into detail why Bolsa Chica hits all the right notes. But let's be honest. Who has time to read all that. So in case you want to spend less time reading and more time surfing, here's the highlights of why Bolsa Chica is the best place to learn surf in California.
It is a soft, sandy bottomed beach break (the best break for beginners)
It's safe for all ages and ability levels
Waves are typically smaller, and more gentle
It is ideal for longboards (which every beginner should learn on)
It gets waves year-round
A nice gradual sandbar creates easier paddle outs and easier waves to catch
It is rarely crowded so you won't have to fight for waves
It's huge so there's room to spread out and not get in the way of other surfers
It's centrally located and easily accessible
It's the home of Corky Carroll's Surf School where you can take lessons to learn to surf
It's located in Surf City, USA
That's the short of it.
Consistent waves combined with a gentle beach break, mild water temperatures year-round, easy access, a cool laid back scene, and small crowds make Bolsa Chica a paradise for learning to surf.
Let's dive a little deeper and show why if you're a beginner interested in surfing you can do no better than paddling out at Bolsa. To help make the case we'll also breakdown what you should look for in any beginner surf surf spot, starting with…
Beginner Surf Spot Essential #1: Location
You know that saying — location, location, location? Well when it comes to surfing, whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting out, it's the most important thing. It's so important they made an entire movie about trying to find the perfect surfing location. Maybe you've heard of it. It's called The Endless Summer, and it's awesome.
In fact, everything else we will talk about is just an offshoot of location. Because not all surf spots are created equal. You need to consider so many different variables when picking the right location. The main ones being:
What type of surf break is it?
How big do the waves get?
Do the waves break hard or is it more of a beginner break?
When are the conditions best?
How easy is it to access?
How crowded are the waves?
What facilities are nearby?
Is there a blackball?
Is it safe for beginners?
On a scale of 1 to Kelly Slater how cool will I look in a selfie?
Know those and you'll know if you've found the right place to surf.
Except that last one. That was a test. And rhetorical. Because everyone looks cool surfing.
The answer to the rest of those questions are ingrained in the DNA of local and experienced surfers. They just know where and when to go without thinking twice about it. Beginner surfers have to be a little more inquisitive.
Which is why you did a Google search and ended up here. So you're off to a great start already. High five!
Why Bosla Chica is the Best Location for Beginners
Bolsa Chica State Beach is located in Huntington Beach on the north side of town. The beach extends three miles from Warner Avenue to Seapoint Avenue, running along the Pacific Coast Highway. It is probably best known for being connected to a super important ecological reserve, but it also just so happens to be an excellent surf spot.
Learn More About Bolsa Chica State Beach and Why Our Surf School Calls it Home
More importantly, Bolsa Chica is an excellent surf spot for beginners. Why? Because it is safe. As in the waves break soft and slow year-round, and there's little risk of getting thrown against rocks or pier pylons or other surfers. The water temperatures are warm in the summer and mild in the winter, allowing for year-round surfing. There is no blackball. There are awesome facilities all over the place, like free showers and bathrooms. It's super mellow and disconnected from the crazy crowds of other beaches. There are lifeguard towers every hundred yards and it even has its own dedicated lifeguard headquarters. And there is a ridiculous amount of parking right on the beach.
Also, Bolsa Chica is really, really easy to get to. It is about 15 minutes from the 405 freeway and right on the PCH. We'd go so far as to say it is one of the most accessible surf spots in California. Just take a look at the directions to our surf school to see how easy it is to reach.
As far as location goes it's hard to beat Bolsa Chica. (Don't believe us? Just ask the man himself — Corky Carroll — who ranked Bolsa Chica as one of the best beaches to surf for beginners.) And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Beginner Surf Spot Essential #2: Beach Breaks
Wanna know what surfer's do more than surf? Look at surf.
A few years back Matt Warshaw wrote one of the most epic books ever written about surfing. It's called The History of Surfing. And you know what he chose as the cover to his magnum opus? Not a photo of Kelly Slater ripping it. Not a photo of Duke Kahanamoku wave sliding. Not even a photo of a surfboard or even someone surfing. Nope. It's a photo of two guys laying on the beach looking at a wave.
Because that's what surfers do.
They look at waves. And by looking at the waves they learn the conditions. They see how the waves are forming so they can determine the best way to ride them.
How waves are shaped is largely determined by what type of surf break that spot is. Specifically, whether it is a beach, point or reef break. We'll discuss exactly what those are in another post, but as a beginner you should surf at beach breaks.
A beach break is a surf spot with a sandy bottom. This means there are practically no rocks and if you hit the bottom it won't hurt you (or your board) as much. They also provide more available space for surfing, as they let surfers spread out across the lineup. Point breaks on the other hand, for example, typically have a smaller "take off spot" so surfers tend to crowd together more closely vying for the same wave, creating a more competitive environment.
So when learning to surf you want to find a beach break. Which is exactly the type of break Bolsa Chica is.
Why Bolsa Chica is a Great Beach Break
Bolsa Chica is a perfect beach break for beginners. Its waves are typically slow and small, that break softly to create an easier face to ride. As a beginner you want small waves. Large, hard crashing waves are more powerful requiring you to react fast, paddle quick, and pop up. None of which comes naturally to beginners.
These gentle crumbling waves are caused by the soft sand bottom at Bolsa Chica and its gradual incline towards shore. The bottom shelf at Bolsa Chica State Beach stays shallower father out than other beaches. This creates calm waters and gentle waves. When a swell arriving from far out at sea hits a steep shelf, it crashes hard. As it does around the Huntington Beach pier. When it moves across a shallow shelf like the one at Bolsa Chica, it slowly topples over.
Gentle waves and a soft sand bottom also make wiping out not a big deal. Which you will do a lot when learning. Don't worry. Everyone does it. That's why they write songs about it. But if you're going to wipe out why not land on soft sand.
Know Your Surf Zone
Another great thing about a gentle beach break like Bolsa Chica is that it allows you learn how to surf on both the outside and inside. These are the two wave zones of a surf spot.
The Inside
Inside waves are best for first time surfers. These are smaller waves closer to shore. They consist mostly of white wash, and are easier to get into and ride.
The Outside
Outside waves are where swells initially break. They are better suited to surfing as they are typically longer, bigger and have cleaner faces than inside waves.
Outside waves are often difficult for beginners, but at Bolsa Chica they break slow and complement the inside nicely. In this regard, Bolsa Chica creates an ideal environment for progressing. A beginner can start on the inside and then quickly and seamlessly move to the outside.
Board Size Matters
The type of break at a surf spot dictates what type of board you should ride there. A beach break like Bolsa Chica, with slow, peeling waves is ideal for longboarding. Which is great, because beginners should learn to surf on longboards. (More specifically we recommend a 9ft wide soft top.)
If you were to go down the road a few miles to the Huntington Beach pier you would see a bunch of talented surfers all riding shortboards. That is because the pier's waves are better suited for shorter boards. When you enter Bolsa Chica you will notice a majority of longboards. As you might have guessed, that's because Bolsa Chica is a longboarding surf spot.
And a perk of hanging out at a longboarding suf spot is they typically have a more laid back and welcoming scene than shortboard surf spots. Which brings us to…
Beginner Surf Spot Essential #3: The Surf Scene
When it comes to the surf scene of a surf spot there are two aspects:
What's happening in the water
What's happening on land
If you are going to be learn to surf you might as well have the best experience possible. And there is no better place to experience surfing than Huntington Beach.
HB has a long and storied history with surfing dating all the way back to the early 1900s. Ever since it has been an epicenter for surf culture. Downtown HB is dubbed "the Times Square of Surfing." It is home to both the Surfing Walk of Fame and Surfers' Hall of Fame, and International Surf Museum. Some of the biggest surf companies are headquartered there as well including Quicksilver and Surfline — the end all, be all source for surf condition reporting.
That's what is happening on land near Bolsa Chica. It's an epic surf scene that makes it impossible not to get stoked on surfing.
In the water, Huntington Beach is one of the most consistent wave zones in California. (They don't call it "Surf City, USA" for nothing.) There is rarely a time when the surf isn't pumping. It might not always produce perfectly glassy overhead peaks, but it won't be flat. In other words, it is a rideable wave bonanza every day of the week in Huntington Beach. Bolsa Chica is no exception.
This is great news for beginners because the most important thing for someone starting out is to try to catch as many waves as possible. Experienced surfers can be more selective, but novices want to get as many opportunities as possible to progress. And you won't get that if you're just floating around looking at seagulls flying by.
But with all those waves come the crowds.
When you have an awesome surf scene on land and an abundance of waves in the water you're going to attract the masses. Sometimes to the chagrin of locals, whose longtime favorite surf spots are getting overrun. In these areas locals are not always keen to see a first time surfer paddle out.
Beginners require more room to surf. Understandably, they have less control on the board. So when picking a place to learn to surf it's important to take into consideration how crowded the water will be. It's better, and safer, when there is more room available to learn.
And that's where Bolsa Chica State Beach really shines as the best beginner surf spot.
Why Bolsa Chica Has a Rad Surf Scene
Check out some of the pages that pop up when searching for "best places to learn to surf" and "best beginner surf spots" in California. You will likely see Cowell's in Santa Cruz, Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, Surfrider in Malibu, Old Man's in San Onofre, and a few other of the greatest hits. But one place you will never hear about is Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach. And that's a good thing.
Bolsa Chica State Beach is a hidden gem.
It is close enough to downtown HB to take advantage of its amazing surf scene and culture, while avoiding the crowds in the water.
We're not bashing those other beginner surf spots. They are amazing. Even if you're not a beginner they are really fun. If you ever have the opportunity to hit up Malibu or Old Man's please do yourself a favor and go. Even if you don't get in the water, they are rad surf scene's worth experiencing.
However, they are not the best for learning to surf. Or at least Bolsa Chica is better.
It's one thing to be a famous surf spot with an iconic history, but it's another to be a practical place for learning to surf that is safe, easily accessible and provides as much fun as possible. And then there's the crowds.
Less Crowds Equals More Surfing
Probably the most notable thing about these famous beginner surf spots is that they can get really crowded. Because if everyone writes about it, they will come. Luckily Bolsa Chica does not have that problem. There's only one article espousing how wonderful a place Bolsa Chica is and you're currently reading it. High five!
Being a California state-owned beach you have to pay to park at Bolsa Chica. It costs $15. But that's actually a really good thing. In this regard it's no different than Doheny or San Onofre, both of which are state beaches. But unlike those locations, whose reputations attract surfers by the volkswagen-full from all over the world, Bolsa Chica is far less popular. And because of the entrance fee the crowds are a lot smaller than other locales. Seriously, we're talking like a tenth of the crowd you'll see other places. Drive up the road during the summer to other surf spots in Huntington Beach and you'll see what we mean.
When there's that many people in the water it is hard to have fun. And that's the first and last thing you should care about when picking a surf spot to learn.
Welcome to the Funnest Place to Learn to Surf in California
When all is said and done the most important question to ask is:
Will I have fun surfing there?
That's what it all boils down to. Whether you are looking to take up surfing seriously, just visiting and want to give it a try for the first time, or been surfing your entire life, it is all about having fun.
If you're a beginner, Bolsa Chica will provide. For every reason listed above and many more. And that is why it is the best place to learn to surf in California.
But you don't have to take our word for it. Swing on by anytime and we'll show you. Just don't tell anyone else about it. We're trying to keep it a secret.
November 5, 2019 /0 Comments/by Mark
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text:
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DIRECT ACTION: Chapter 2 (Part 1) →
03/Jun/2013 · 12:00
DIRECT ACTION: Chapter Two (part two)
The team followed him back down to the ground floor. Liquid Sky had tried to bail out a side exit to make their escape but Nikita had that angle in his field of fire. They retreated back into the hospital but now it was a question of whether they would hard point it and wait for extraction or attempt another breakthrough and escape. They could hear the shouting just ahead of them.
Women were screaming. Somewhere in the fray a man's voice could be heard.
"Get the fuck outta the way!" the voice echoed.
Bursting into the burn ward, Deckard shot glance over the front sight of his 1911 and caught a flash of the enemy as the Liquid Sky member moved into the next room. Sprinting between occupied beds, several patients turned to look at him. Others were in no state to do anything other than let a machine breath for them. Rear security hadn't spotted Deckard yet and he pushed into the next room.
His shot blasted through a hanging IV bag, spraying the fluid into the air. The .45 caliber round ricocheted off the metal pole that had held up the bag, saving his target from growing a third eye. The shooter ducked and dived through a doorway after his comrades.
A flashbang grenade rolled into the room and spun across the floor towards Deckard's feet. Without hesitating, Deckard kicked it back. The distraction device made it halfway back to the door before it went off. Even through he knew enough to turn away, the flash was momentarily blinding. The bang was enough to rattle all three of the mercenaries for a few seconds.
Shaking away the spots in his vision, the three mercenaries ran through the orthopedic department and out into the courtyard just in time to see the trail Liquid Sky member slip over the wall and out onto the street on the back side of the building. Their blind spot where Nikita and Pat had no coverage.
"Shooter-One, Gunner-One," Deckard called out Nikita and Pat's callsigns. "Secure the body you made and get to the extraction site. We are going to pursue."
Without waiting for a response, Deckard ran at full speed towards the high wall. Leaping into the air, he planted a foot on the wall and pushed off it, vaulting himself up onto the the lip of the wall where he grabbed hold. Pulling himself over the top, he stayed low as he slid over the wall and dropped down into the dirt and trash on the ground.
Five shadows moved down the street ahead of him. The third world stench was thick in the air as burning trash, body odor, and diesel exhaust combined with the stifling heat. The shadows were in a mad dash, no doubt having shifted their extraction point by radio. Kurt and Aghassi dropped down along side him as they scaled the wall.
Staying in the shadows cast by the wall, the Samruk mercenaries ran after Liquid Sky. They didn't get far before a white van blasted around the corner up ahead and screeched to a halt. Red brake lights blinked as the van rocked forward before settling into place. The sliding door opened and the five shooters piled inside.
Deckard stepped out into the street, leveling his pistol. With Aghassi and Kurt, the three of them unloaded their handguns into the van. Bullets pockmarked the metal siding, one taking out a rear light as the van sped away but none of them seemed to strike the driver of the getaway vehicle. Now under fire, the van took the first right hand turn to escape the killzone.
Cutting up another side street, Deckard's lungs felt like they were about to collapse on him. He still wasn't fully recovered from his previous mission. Although a week and a half had done a lot to help him heal up he still wasn't nearly at a hundred percent. For a moment, it seemed futile. Back on the main boulevard he turned his head. Sweat stinging his eyes, he spotted a single break light. The van was caught in traffic.
Kurt Jager moved to the nearest car as the driver slowed. Tearing open the door, he grabbed the mustached Pakistani by the head and tossed him out of the vehicle. The mercenaries got in and slammed the doors. Seeing the firepower they were carrying, the driver decided to leave well enough alone.
As Kurt took the wheel, Deckard keyed his radio again.
"We're heading West," he announced. Towards the port.
As Kurt began nudging cars out of the way and driving up on the shoulder to get ahead, the driver of the van noticed that they were still being pursued and did the same. Spinning the wheel, the driver took them onto another side street, finding an alternate route to the port of Karachi. By now they were less than a mile away from the port. The van driver now slammed on the accelerator, slowing down enough to prevent the vehicle from spinning out as the paved road turned to dirt.
Kurt Jager downshifted. Experienced in rally racing, Kurt got everything he possibly could out of the third world jalopy. It wasn't much. Deckard held on to the door to prevent himself from being thrown around the back seat. They were gaining on the van but now the plume of dust kicked up in its wake was obscuring Kurt's vision. He was forced onto the shoulder of the road, otherwise he would be driving faster than he could see.
As the dust cleared, Kurt immediately yanked the steering wheel to the left to avoid a giant crane the size of the tractor trailer that was parked on the side of the road.
The van driver realized he had an accidental weapon on his hands and began swerving back and forth to kick up an even bigger dust cloud. Leaning into the next turn, Kurt was forced to slow down or risk slamming into another crane or pallet of bricks.
Deckard gritted his teeth, the dust coming through the window sticking to his lips. His suspicions had been confirmed in triplicate. Liquid Sky was the real deal and they were about to slip outside his grasp for good.
Kurt veered left with the road and the dust finally cleared. Looking at a parallel running road, they could see that they had missed a turn. The van was racing towards the end of the port and now there was a set of train track between them and their target.
The port was lit up in a golden glow at night, the shadows wavering through the sedan as Kurt struggled to stay on their query. Tanker ships bobbed in the dark waters, the golden flow from their deck lights bouncing gently on the waves. Connex containers and oil containers flashed between them and the van as they ran parallel paths.
The former GSG-9 commando finally found a passage over the tracks and cut the wheel. The van was doing the same, nosing towards the towering cranes that indicated a commercial shipping yard. The vehicles shot through the connex container storage area and out onto the loading docks. The van stopped near the first crane and the five shadows spilled out. They driver jumped out as well for a total of six.
Anticipating their next move, Kurt put a small administrative building between themselves and Liquid Sky. Gunfire chased them until they reached their cover. Bullets continued to streak through the thin sheet metal walls and shatter windows. To their flank, Deckard heard the roar of a high powered boat engine gassing towards the dock. The long slick craft passed them and slowed down alongside the dock. The mercenaries kicked open the car doors before they had even slowed to a stop.
Taking a knee, Deckard broke cover from behind the structure and returned fire. At forty meters, it was a long shot with his .45 caliber pistol but at least it gave some maneuver room for Kurt and Aghassi to move.
The motor boat pulled up alongside the dock and one by one the Liquid Sky shooters dropped down into it. When the entire team was aboard the boat peeled off. The mercenaries ran for the edge of the dock, firing after the boat but it was too late. The boat powered off into the night, leaving them behind.
Deckard stood with his pistol in slide lock, trying to catch his breath while reloading.
That was when the van exploded and knocked them to the ground.
The sides of the van bulged outwards, tearing at the seams to let an orange fireball escape from inside. The fire curled into air and became black smoke. Deckard groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. He was sweating profusely and now dust was stuck to every inch of exposed skin. He could feel the heat from the fire on his face.
A black SUV pulled up behind them, no doubt vectored in by the giant fireball which gave away their position. Pat got out of the drivers side, hefting his PKM machine gun out with him. Nikita got out of the passenger side with his HK 417 sniper rifle.
"We lost them," Aghassi said shaking his head. He wasn't accustomed to losing his targets. As a Special Operations soldier he had lived as a nomad in Afghanistan where he watched terrorists for weeks and months, living like a local. He was once placed in a Pakistani prison in order to eavesdrop on imprisoned Al Qaeda operatives in an attempt to locate Osama Bin Laden. Everyone knew that Aghassi was someone who got the job done when it came to Human Intelligence. He had proved it to Deckard in Mexico.
"We lost them," he repeated. They all knew that they didn't have any other leads. They were on the trail of a black ops team that specialized in two things, killing and not being found.
Deckard slammed home a fresh magazine and thumbed the slide release. He said nothing as he holstered the weapon.
"Take a look," Nikita said to him, reverting back to his native language of Russian. Deckard was still learning that one but understood what the sniper meant.
Nikita opened the SUV's rear door. Inside was the body of the Liquid Sky shooter that he had killed when they had initially exited the hospital. The 7.62 round had smashed his face pretty good, enough to leave it unrecognizable in a photograph.
On the other side of the wharf, red and blue police lights were flashing.
"Get us out of here," he told Pat. The entire Samruk International team got inside with Deckard crawling into the back. As they began driving, he pulled out a small LED red light to look over the body. He he was a big dude, Caucasian, definitely lifted weights.
Underneath his clothes, the shooter wore concealable body armor. Over it was a locally procured chest rig that held magazines for the MP5 sub-machine gun that he had been carrying. It looked like the tags had been cut from his clothing and kit, predictably, the team had gone in sterile.
Deckard suddenly realized that he might have known this man in another life. Was he rifling through the body of a guy he had gone to Special Forces selection with? A Ranger buddy from back in the Regiment? Was this a former team mate who had gone over to the other side? He pushed the thought away.
As the police lights closed in, Pat positioned the SUV between two connex containers and cut the headlights. A half dozen police cars screamed by towards the scene of the explosion. Once they had passed, Pat crept back onto the road, turned on the headlights, and began driving towards their safe house.
The corpse also had tattoos. A red crusader cross on the forearm. SPQR tattooed on the shoulder. Stripping off the chest rig and body armor, Deckard located a black rectangle on the ribcage. It was where Nazi soldiers would get their dog tag information tattooed during World War Two. Many modern day soldiers, including Americans, had adopted the practice. This soldier had gone back to a tattoo studio to have that information blacked out rather than pay for a laser removal.
He had nothing. Maybe dental records if he could get access to military databases but even that seemed doubtful. Half the guys in the military had similar or identical tattoos.
Deckard leaned back against the side of the SUV as Pat navigated the back roads of Karachi. Cold sweat tickled down his neck and seeped into his clothes. It hit him like sucker punch.
He was trying to analyze what he had to try to find a lead where there was none. What he did have was a body. What he did know for a fact was that Liquid Sky had just had a member killed in action. What he had was an opportunity, an opportunity to entice Liquid Sky into finding him.
Come tomorrow morning, Liquid Sky would be looking for a new Operator.
Deckard grinned.
He knew just what name to drop in the hat.
Filed under Action Adventure, Military Fiction
Tagged as direct action, Jack Murphy, military thriller, novel, pakistan, terrorism, writer, writing
One response to "DIRECT ACTION: Chapter Two (part two)"
04/Jun/2013 at 02:20
Yep, Hooked…..
Those action scenes are just awesome. The characters are really well developed and completely believable.


text:
Q: Accessing methods of Observable class in Observer class How do you access a method/instance from an Observable class in an Observer class where the method/instance is not the object being observed.
For example, if these getter methods were in my Observable class but only book was being observed, how would I access name and store in my Observer class (namely in the update() method)?
public class MethodEx extends Observable {
        ...
    public String getName(){
        return this.name;
    }

    public String getBook(){
        return this.book;
    }

    public String getStore(){
        return this.store;
    }
}

A: You typically pass the observed object along with the event. This is done in for instance ChangeListener which uses a ChangeEvent. The ChangeEvent has a getSource method that tells which object was changed.
Translated to your terminology, you would do
public String setBook(Book book) {
    this.book = book;
    for (UpdateListener listener : listeners)
        listener.updated(new UpdateEvent(this));
}


text:
"I couldn't really picture that weight. It's like five circus elephants. Or 50-something grand pianos."
"It was a beautiful tree, it really was, but I kind of have a difficult feeling about it right now."
Said Eben Burgoon, after a 65,000-pound redwood fell on his house, quoted in "Trees were a California city's salvation. Now they're a grave threat" (WaPo).
Sacramento was once called "the 'city of Plains' because of its treeless vistas," but it became "The City of Trees" after the humans worked to develop a lush, shady canopy. But:
Stressed from years of severe drought, tree roots naturally die back. When this is followed by day after day of big storms and the soil becomes saturated, the weakened roots fail as anchors. Trees whose roots have already been damaged by construction, such as fresh concrete sidewalks being laid down, are especially at risk of collapse. So are trees with shallow roots that rely on sprinklers for irrigation.
During the recent storms, the Sacramento Tree Foundation found that wind direction compounded the problem. In the city and the surrounding suburbs, trees are accustomed to dealing with winds from the south, and they have built-in defenses. But when strong northerly winds arrived on New Year's Eve — with gusts that reached more than 60 miles per hour — they pummeled the trees on their most vulnerable side....
Should the city have planted all these trees? Did it make sense at the time and now the wonderful "salvation" has been ruined by climate change or were all these trees always vulnerable to toppling with an unlucky combination of dryness and rain?
I'm trying to understand the use of the word "salvation" in the headline. It doesn't appear in the text of the article. Why are trees "salvation"? If the natural environment of a place is "treeless vistas," why not embrace treeless vistas? If the trees fall, they are falling not to nature but to human folly.
The scientists are suggesting that, instead of "eucalyptus trees, cedars, redwoods, pines, evergreen oaks, Italian cypress and acacias," the fallen trees should be replaced with trees better adapted to the local conditions: "desert willow, netleaf hackberry and the Texas ebony." I had to look up those recommended trees — they all grow only to something like 30 feet. That's not going to give the city the "salvation" of a lush canopy.
Tags: California, global warming, trees
Gerda Sprinchorn said...
EVERY tree eventually falls down.
We know a lot about which trees are likely to fall down. So look around at your trees, and if one of them is in danger of falling on your house, cut it down or back.
RideSpaceMountain said...
I have a solution. Nuke California. It is the anti-goldilocks state. Nothing is ever 'just right'. It's a land of extremes, a constant see-saw battle between the most outlandish solutions. Always too dry. Or too wet. Always too many trees. Or not enough. Too much feces. No, too clean. Too much open space. They scream they've not enough housing.
It can't be happy. And misery loves company, so CA has decided that we can't be either. Nuke it. I suggested as much to the state legislature, and they said my proposal wasn't environmentally friendly enough. Shocker.
Cappy said...
Nice work, hippies.
Whiskeybum said...
"History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of men"
Fred Drinkwater said...
Redwoods? Coast redwoods? Maybe they were the slightly more inland variety called Woodside redwood. But whatever, they evolved to live with lots of winter rain and specifically, summer fog. Sacramento is ridiculous. Even here in southwest Silly Valley, conditions are poor for them.
Lem Former Twitter Aficionado said...
Maybe they meant to use 'salvation' in a new age kind of way. California is new age heaven.
Temujin said...
If the trees hadn't grown there naturally, you would think the professional arborists would consider why that is. Assuming the city government consulted with any arborists. Maybe they didn't.
I remember living in Atlanta, which is a very lush city- full of trees and green all over. Atlanta gets a pretty good amount of rain during the year- as does the entire Southeast. In Atlanta it was a regular thing to hear about trees toppling after a couple of days of heavy rains. It was not uncommon to hear about a motorist crushed while waiting at a red light. So many trees, some large and aging, some erosion here or there. A heavy rain, some wind, and...
Lazarus said...
California is like Australia? Everything there is trying to kill you: fires, earthquakes, mudslides, mountain lions, drug addicts, trees, taxes.
But at least this could be a chance to find out if what they say about redwoods is true. And is it a real redwood? Do the roots match the branches?
Critter said...
Everything must show a lesson in climate change. Perhaps the people of Sacramento are eating too much beef, or driving too many SUVs. There is probably a workshop in Davos about the problem of Sacramento trees.
As someone who lived in Humboldt Co, the foggiest and wettest place imaginable, I'm highly suspicious of redwoods in Sacramento. Especially since, in southern Arizona, I now have a desert willow in my yard. Those two species have nothing in common.
Incidentally, the willow is lovely. It's not elite like the redwood; just a charming blue collar tree.
The Drill SGT said...
Was raised in Sacramento. The story is hype. Winter rains and flooding happen. Sac is like 16 ft above sea level and 100 miles inland with levees holding its two rivers back in flood season
retail lawyer said...
Coastal Redwoods are from temperate rain forests, the opposite of the Sacto Valley. They also need the wind protection of the surrounding trees, i.e., a forest. But the rule is, "Never fail to blame a crisis on Climate Change.
Patrick Henry was right! said...
No, climate change, did not cause this. Please, show some self respect. You are too smart to be a follower of this cult.
hawkeyedjb said...
In keeping with current style requirements, we re-write portions of the article and (especially) the comments:
"As the climate changes, trees are paying the price, he said without evidence."
"Even some local species cannot survive in the current climate, he said without evidence."
"...add more intense weather systems because of climate change, he said without evidence."
"we need far more [trees] to mitigate climate change, he said without evidence."
"Severe heat, drought and heavy rain, all of which are becoming more extreme because of climate change, are making it more difficult to keep old trees alive, he said without evidence."
One commenter summed up the article and the conversation: Trees lived forever before climate change?
Sebastian said...
"they are falling not to nature but to human folly"
Just one of many cases of "human folly" provided by CA.
Waiting for the Big One, when CA will want the rest of us to bail them out.
WK said...
They had to plant something. "Treeless Vista Estates" is not a picturesque name for a residential development.
Yancey Ward said...
In Oak Ridge, we have lots and lots of very large trees in the residential northside of town which is largely built on the small ridge north of the the larger ridge separating us from the nuclear weapons facilities in the Bethel Valley area- the valley between the two ridges is the commercial area and the multi-family complexes. We lived here for a year when I was 4 years old, and the pictures from that era show the trees were not very prominent at that time since it is probable that the government, when it built the town, clear cut the ridge to build single family homes during the Manhattan Project- but 50+ years of additional growth, and we have beautiful and enormous trees of several varieties. Of course, not a month goes by when one of these trees falls, or breaks off a huge limb damaging a house. Right now, on our neighbor's property is a large tree that, if it ever fell in a windstorm, would likely fall on our home. It looks healthy right now, but who knows.
From what one reads, Sacramento is now the City of Tents.
rhhardin said...
Go with elms. Very nice street framing.
tommyesq said...
Should at least get lots of beautiful lumber out of this.
Krumhorn said...
The trees would be doing us a solid if they would manage to inclusively, as a community, unify to collapse upon the state gub'ment buildings…of course, including the legislature. In fact, do that first.
- Krumhorn
As a Sacramentan who lived through the recent weather mayhem, a couple comments. First, it's WaPoo, so consider the source. Second, although many trees did indeed come down, most did not. Come spring, there will still be a lush canopy of green shade all around the town. Further, both public and private entities will plant new trees and these will fill in the gaps of the fallen. Finally, as Gerda sensibly notes, trees around here are always dying and new trees are always sprouting. You can stop clutching your pearls now.
I read a bit about palm trees in LA. There was maybe one species of palm there in pioneer days, probably in a bit from the coast. There have been deliberate policies to plant many kinds of palm. Some last only about a hundred years, and become a big problem. The ones that last a long time may be a bigger problem. A palm is designed to suck up water and store it. They don't provide much shade, and they can kill other plants. One brilliant idea was to plant date palms. There was a whole era of postcards showing orange groves in LA. Why not date groves, with a dream of fresh fruit falling at your feet? The climate isn't quite right to ripen the dates, so hard green things fall on you.
Florida has many species of palm. It is really a sand bar, marbled with swamps, between the Atlantic and the Gulf.
Breezy said...
Make lemonade out of lemons, houses or furniture out of fallen trees... Or, never let a crisis go to waste.
Reminds me of the low power tornado that went over my apartment in SLC, didn't so much as disturb the papers inside, but all the trees along the road on the north side came down. I looked at their roots and there were hardly any, just a small ring around the base, they were pretty much just balanced on end. I suspect lack of water and the sidewalk was responsible for that. There were also a bunch of plane trees in the same area that were damaged, but they didn't come down, just lost a lot of branches.
It was all a bit of fun, actually. I had an ax and trimmed branches, the boy scouts showed up with saws, and the ladies set up some tables with snacks. When the city trucks showed up the debris was ready to load.
Gahrie said...
This post is the perfect illustration of something I try to clue the Watermelon activists about all the time. Whenever they start whining about deforestation I inform them:
A) In economically developed countries the vast majority of wood comes from tree farms...trees that are deliberately planted and grown so that they can be cut down and used. Every time a tree is cut down, at least one is planted.
B) There are currently millions of trees growing where they never grew before, How many of the trees growing in say, Phoenix Arizona would be growing there if Phoenix wasn't there?
Iman said...
The trees we saw falling were - with one exception - not redwoods, but some sort of pine. We had a neighbor about a block away from us who had a tree fall on a late model Mercedes Benz and an old Willys jeep that was in perfect condition, both parked in the driveway, along with a portion of his garage roof.
These taunts from shitbirds who find it acceptable to ridicule folks who've suffered loss are an indication of a lack of morals and said shitbirds can kiss my Caliunicornian ass.
Birches said...
Concrete sidewalks are killing the trees! Sprinklers are killing the trees! Oh brother on Al the scaremongering. Seventy years ago, people were less indiscriminate about their tree species planting, true, but trees and huge limbs fall down all of the time after sustained rain. Most people don't hire arborists to maintain their trees. It happens.
john mosby said...
Whiskeybum, great BOC reference!
SteveWe said...
Redwoods are forest trees and should not be planted in urban areas. A solitary redwood is certain to be blown down after 40 years. A Redwood is basically a tall pole with short branches stuck into it. It certainly is not a canopy tree unless it's in a Redwood forest of trees spaced about five yards apart.
Old and slow said...
Interesting that he seems to know the weight of circus elephants and grand pianos offhand. I know that in the US lengths are usually expressed in units of football fields or school busses, and height in statue's of liberty or empire state buildings, but what is the colloquial measure of weight? Volume, of course, is expressed in Olympic swimming pools the world over. But weight, I can't think of anything.
Rusty said...
No matter what you do. Gravity always works.
gilbar said...
the fallen trees should be replaced with trees better adapted to the local conditions:
SOUNDS Like, grasses are better adapted to the local conditions.
But it IS HORRIBLE(!) that evil climate change has made the environment adverse to what used to grow there
Wait a minute, maybe a can phrase that better.
it IS HORRIBLE(!) that the LACK of climate change has made california like it's been, for millennia
An dry desert, that occasionally gets flooding rains and snows.
Wait, that still sounds weird.. how about
MOST of central california can ONLY support vegetation through irrigation. Cali needs MORE dams
There! that's the ticket
Hippies? Hell, Sacto was like that when we first went there in 1953 to see my cousins. All the trees and the smell of the wet leaves on the ground were heavenly compared to dry and smoggy old LA.
Every place does this, plant trees from back East or Europe that just don't belong, from nostalgia and desire to put up breaks against the unrelenting wind. In half of California it was Eucalyptus from Australia.
Nothing lasts forever.
Serious Question: are there More, or LESS trees than 100 years ago?
Tom T. said...
I have to wonder whether Sacramento adequately maintains its trees. My mother's suburban city in northern Virginia employs an arborist, and he's always pruning and lopping at the trees at her curb and in the green space behind her house, presumably to justify his job.
TaeJohnDo said...
A large tree the size of a small, giant tree.
The LA Times posted a story just last week that it isn't climate change, but cyclical weather. Who'd a thought?
https://tinyurl.com/7nhyr9u8
Lurker21 said...
Los Angeles is also complaining that the palm trees don't really belong there. The palms, ill-suited to the climate, are dying off and being replaced by other trees. From what little I've been able to find out, the palm trees were planted in Los Angeles from the nineteenth century into the 1930s, when developers and city officials might not have been so knowledgeable about plants and climate, and the Sacramento redwoods where planted later when people should have known better.
But trees don't last forever, even if California's giant sequoias and bristlecone pines are among the oldest trees in the world (their record as the oldest, though, has been challenged by the discovery that some colonies of trees are actually one organism with common roots).
MartyH said...
Hey! There's another Sacramentan named Marty who reads Althouse! What are the odds?
We had a similar windstorm in 2021: https://www.abc10.com/article/syndication/ugc/photos-video-rain-wind-damage-january-storm/103-1b798ce7-ac0c-484e-b952-53b29989e8db
The stories could be interchangeable-fallen trees, blown over big rigs, etc. We had less rain in 2021 but more in 2019, and I am sure I can find a sensational story about all of the flooding then.
I've seen pictures of Discovery Park underwater on national news. It sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers. It's supposed to flood-that's why it's a park and not a housing development.
Tradeoffs exist. The trees always cool the city in May, June, July, August and stand a risk of falling in December, January, February.
There you go! think of The GOOD that could be done, if/when Godzilla attacked Sacramento !
With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
He pulls the spitting high-tension wires down
Helpless people on subway trains
Scream, bug-eyed, as he looks in on them
He picks up a bus and he throws it back down
As he wades through the buildings toward the center of town
Look at the things Godzilla HATES! high-tension wires, subway trains, buses.. The centers of towns
Godzilla isn't just a republican, he's a TRUMPIST!!!
MAKE GODZILLA GREAT AGAIN!
WaPoo and Global Warming/Climate change kind of go together in any story about nature. Kids are growing up terrorized by this nonsense. Some adults are making a lot of money off this scam. I see articles say the earth is still warming, which has not been true for about 20 years. The money is too good to admit it.
n.n said...
Babies... fetuses or adults?
My wife and I chose a home with few big trees in the yard. I dealt with fallen and shattered oaks at home and at Oma's growing up and later, and at our previous house too.
But our neighbors all have large, old trees--mostly oak--and there's a very tall lonely pine between our bedroom end of the house and the neighbor's carport. It's their tree, but as likely to fall on us as them from its narrow place.
Limbs fall on the power lines and sidewalks all the time, and one neighbor's big rotten old oak fell on a new truck and totaled it last year.
Trees are great, but they will turn on you without warning.
"Nothing lasts forever"
First BOC and now Maroon 5!?!?
This place went from the sublime to scat, in nothin' flat. Gosh dammit, Carol!
Planting eucalyptus in CA...
Terrible idea, except for the tiny decorative "gum" trees. The proliferation of huge eucalyptus in the hills on the east side of SF bay has already caused one major disaster fire, and will cause more. They burn like they've had gasoline poured on them.
Kill them all! ALL OF THEM!
In my youth in the 60s, we fully expected to lose about one tree every two years. But we planted so they wouldn't destroy things when they fell.
Many pine species are popular for landscaping Because they grow fast. But they also die fast. Redwoods require a relatively enormous land area around them, undisturbed and untrafficed, because they have wide, very shallow root systems. I'm talking 7 meters radius for a mature tree. A significant part of a redwood's dry-season water comes from fog captured by foliage and dripped on the ground.
Smilin' Jack said...
This is silly. If you're going to artificially plant trees, plant artificial trees. They make nice ones these days, and as the enviroweenies say, plastic is forever.
Leora said...
On Long Island oaks are a native tree but they still fall over eventually. If your house is near a large tree you may need to cut it down or some large storm will knock it over or it will fall over by itself. I felt awful cutting down a lovely tree that shaded my deck but it was the right thing to do to protect my home. Here in Florida I have a tree guy check out everything within reach of the house every couple of years.
"Hey! There's another Sacramentan named Marty who reads Althouse! What are the odds?"
Salvation in Sacramento — sounds so religious.
It's a trap! Satan's in Sacramento, hairgel and all.
Enigma said...
California and desert areas have a recurring issue with trees:
1. There's enough water for "100%" of the small trees planted in Year 1.
2. By year 20 there's only enough water for 80% of the trees to stay healthy.
3. By year 50 there's a drought and only enough water for 50% of the super large trees.
End result: Trees die, trees become weak and infected, insects attack, fires happen.
Sacramento is a flat farm city by a river. The farmers use every ounce of water they can get, and the cities buy water at whatever price it takes. This has been going on for 100 years -- see Chinatown (1974). There's no logic to growing water intensive crops in California...but when did logic ever stop California from doing anything?
Michael McNeil said...
I know that in the US lengths are usually expressed in units of football fields or school busses, and height in statue's of liberty or empire state buildings, but what is the colloquial measure of weight? Volume, of course, is expressed in Olympic swimming pools the world over. But weight, I can't think of anything.
A nice thing about a "football field" (100 yards or 300 ft) as an easily-visualized together with dual-system (both metric and English) unit of (linear) measure is that it's much the same length as 100 meters — 0.1 km — while a square 100 meters (or a football field) on a side defines the metric unit of area (0.01 square km), the hectare.
As for weight, the obvious well-known (as well as dual-system) unit of weight is the ton — also quite similar in both systems.
Coast redwoods (which can also live for thousands of years) do this: as exemplified in redwood "groves" or "fairy circles," where the original tree may long since have disappeared, but a circle of now-mature offspring (actually the same!) tree grow in a circle round where the parent got started — while younger "seedlings" (but not grown from seeds!) spring up from the living roots — for a total oftentimes of 3 generations (of the same tree!) all growing closely together. Thus, a giant redwood can technically be even (much!) older than the growth rings on its individual trunk would indicate.
Alu Toloa said...
No one has raised the possibility the fallen giant (not very, if the elephant equation is close to accurate!) was Sequoia gigantea (native to the much drier Sierra than Sequoia sempervirons [Coast Redwood], and all too often mistakenly referred to as a "redwood". Given the reporter is not native, this wouldn't surprise me in the least (worked way through college as Park Aid for four summers at Prairie Creek Redwoods state park), as we perpetually corrected vistors' confusion.
Also for those scoffing at a redwood's ability to thrive in a hot arid climate, I give you my late, California native mother, who planted a young redwood square in the middle of our front lawn in the San Fernando valley, watered it copiously (the key!) for years, and Zillow displays is now close to 100' and still thriving.
loudogblog said...
The problem is that the trees weren't a part of the natural ecosystem of the area. California has always been a place where drought is the natural way of things. Planting trees that can't develop strong root structures because of drought conditions is asking for trouble. When I planted my trees in my back yard, I bought a special tool to inject water deep underneath the trees so that the root systems would grow deep and strong.
BTW, the L.A. Times ran a story this week about how the recent California storms were not the result of Climate Change but just typical weather patterns. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-01-19/california-storms-more-hype-than-climate-change#:~:text=As%20California%20emerges%20from%20a,the%20result%20of%20global%20warming.
So ABC had to instantly rush out a story saying that Climate Change will increase rainfall by trillions of gallons. (FYI, increased rainfall will actually cool the planet.) https://abc7.com/california-storms-rain-atmospheric-river/12719094/
It's a real shame that real scientists are not involved in the media Global Warming reporting anymore. It's all about alarmism, hype and getting ratings.
"Serious Question: are there More, or LESS trees than 100 years ago?"
You know those moraines and hills Ms. Althouse and Meade like to wander? (me too). There are no trees on those hills that predate European occupation. Vast prairie fires scoured the hills and plains keeping trees and shrubs from growing on the hill tops. The rare exception would be the Burr Oak which as a sapling is fireproof. The trees on the plains grew in straem and river bottoms and around pot hole ponds. The pre-European old growth forests in the midwest were mostly hardwoods.
Gospace said...
A few years back a distant cousin died while stopped at an intersection when a tree, in perfectly good weather, no soaking rains or anything, toppled over onto his car. I was doing family tree research and found this a few weeks ago. I'd include a link to the clipping but it was a few weeks back when I found it, and no idea which part of my tree it was in. Over 21000 people currently on my tree. But decades from now his grandchildren may look him up on ancestry.com and find this tidbit of new waiting for them.
Hey, trees falling on random people happens. One of the more unusual deaths in my tree. A great-great uncle who fell off a wagon and got run over, 2 fratricides that I know of, and one ancestor in law who fell into a roaring creek during a storm. Though I suspect that one was more of a result of her male blood relatives discovering he had another family in London…
And then there are the ones who escaped death. One great uncle who between merchant marine and Navy ships had 5 ships torpedoed out from under him and survived without serious injuries. Don't know the world record for that, but he's gotta be in the top 10.
boatbuilder said...
"What goes up, must come down."
I think that was Sir Isaac Newton, but it could have been Ben Franklin or Samuel Clemens or Will Rodgers or Yogi Berra.
In any event, it has generally been proven to be true of most things, including large trees.
If the "climate" didn't "change," were the trees going to grow forever? Or justs gradually dissolve so as not to fall on anything?
A story that has nothing at all to do with global warming, that constantly mentions global warming.
Global warming is like Donald Trump.
Loudogblog, Flying east from San Francisco, pilots of my acquaintance often referred to the land between Tahoe and Kansas City as "the great American desert". People should read Marc Reiser's book, "Cadillac Desert" for a reality check.
~ Gordon Pasha said...
My guess is that it is a deciduous redwood. They grow like weeds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metasequoia
One great uncle who between merchant marine and Navy ships had 5 ships torpedoed out from under him and survived without serious injuries. Don't know the world record for that, but he's gotta be in the top 10.
There's a woman named Violet Jessop who survived the sinking of the Titanic and Britannic, and the near sinking of the Olympic, three sister ships of the White Star line.
typingtalker said...
Planting a tree is an inexpensive and rewarding action. Not maintaining and eventually harvesting a tree can be a very expensive, dispiriting and dangerous sort of inaction.
dwshelf said...
Adverse weather, and the consequences of adverse weather, are caused by bad people.
The government needs to crack down on bad people so that good people will be protected.
I'm imagining canopies of Grand Pianos and Circus Elephants....
Tmitsss said...
Bradford Pears say hold my beer
Oddhan said...
Having grown up on the edge of redwood country in Silicon Valley, it should have been obvious to the average homeowner in Sacramento that redwoods didn't belong there. Most of California is brown all year except for two weeks in winter after the rains. The redwoods thrive in the parts of coastal California that are green year round. Sacramento is not in one of those parts, it's dry year round, in a flood plain, in a large north-south valley that gets wind much of the year. Putting exceptionally tall trees with exceptionally shallow root systems across your town was always going to end in misery.