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The packed-sand bluff beneath the cement patio fell away from the north end of the building on (about) June 12th. The result was a terribly dangerous situation for anyone walking on the beach below the building. Pacifica required that the patio and balcony be removed. (Full size images on Flickr here.)
Here’s what the building looked like before the balcony and patio was removed:
For a complete chronology and links to many more photos see Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade:
http://adequatebird.com/2009/12/17/evacuation-underway-at-330-esplanade/
See all of my pictures of the Esplanade crisis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/collections/72157622920945823/
Excerpts from the NASA Earth Observatory web page:
In May 2010, temperature records assembled by the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) showed wide expanses of slightly above- and slightly below-normal temperatures over most of the globe, but also dramatic warmth near the North Pole. […]
This color-coded map shows global surface temperature anomalies for May 2010 compared to average temperatures for the same time of year from 1951 to 1980. Above-normal temperatures appear in shades of red, and below-normal temperatures appear in shades of blue. Gray areas indicate areas of insufficient data.
[…]
“Where a lot of the big economies are—the United States, Western Europe, Japan—it’s been cool, but the world as a whole is quite warm,” Scambos observes. “The Sahel, the Indus Valley, and China didn’t see a cool spring the way other areas did.”
Boing Boing, Tom the Dancing Bug: Nate in “Risky Management”.
This weekend’s full moon will be accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse, as the earth’s shadow will briefly dim a portion of the moon’s face.
Will you be able to see it? Yes, in about half of the world, including North America:
And in North America, by timezone (table courtesy of Partial Lunar Eclipse Coming On June 26 by Joe Rao):
EDT |
CDT |
MDT |
PDT |
|
First bit of shading |
5:50 a.m. |
4:50 a.m. |
3:50 a.m. |
2:50 a.m. |
Moon enters umbra |
6:17 a.m. |
5:17 a.m. |
4:17 a.m. |
3:17 a.m. |
Maximum eclipse |
Below the horizon |
6:40 a.m. |
5:40 a.m. |
4:40 a.m. |
Moon leaves umbra |
Below the horizon |
Below the horizon |
Below the horizon |
6:00 a.m. |
Last bit of shading |
Below the horizon |
Below the horizon |
Below the horizon |
6:25 a.m. |
From the “Classroom Resources” pages of Starry Night Education, a helpful chart:
Great links and articles:
Helpful list from Scott Bourne, a leading photography blogger and educator, with the delightful reminder… when in doubt, leave it out. (Note, post edited in response to Mr. Bourne’s concern that I had quoted too much. No offense intended, I’m happy to use a non-infringing excerpt. It was truly the last item in the list that attracted my attention.)
1. Use negative space. 2. Avoid merges. . . . 15. When it doubt leave it out.
For the full list and much more, see the author’s website: Composition – Basic Tools – 15 Quick Tips « Photofocus.
Cola para ver el final de la crisis
by el silencio / Jaime Lluch
http://www.flickr.com/people/elsilencio/
xkcd.com Public Opinion.
In a story today from the San Mateo County Times (Owners of apartments on crumbling Pacifica cliffs may have found a fix) we learn that one / some of the owners are considering requesting the creation of a special “Geologic Hazard Abatement District”. This special District would have the ability to get loans to pay the cost of a plan for the prevention, mitigation, or abatement of a geologic hazard. The loans are to be repaid by a special tax assessment on the property owners.
The City of Pacifica would create this special District, but would not have any financial responsibility for it.
At the Esplanade Study Session on February 10th, the idea of a Geologic Hazard Assessment District was mentioned. At the time (according to my notes) it was described as a special property tax that would be used to make repairs or to remediate public property such as a street, sidewalk, gas, utilities, etc. but not parks. One of the key challenges to overcome in creating a District was isolating property proportion, i.e. charging property owners according to the benefit they require. It was said that it would require a minimum of 8 owners, though I do not know how that was determined. (See the section below listing property owners.) Bottom line: Property owners cover cost; Council votes to create the District.
I was not familiar with Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts, so I did some research. I’m not a lawyer, just a curious bystander. Anyway, here are some of my notes:
What is a Geologic Hazard Abatement District? It is comprised of the property owners who will BOTH benefit from the District, and pay for the District.
[26571] A district is comprised of an area specially benefited by
and subject to special assessment to pay the cost of an improvement.
Petition or Resolution. 10% or more of the property owners based on property valuation (not based on the number of owners).
[26550.5] Proceedings for the formation of a district may be
initiated by either of the following methods:
(a) A petition signed by owners of not less than 10 percent of the
real property to be included within the proposed district.
(b) By resolution of the legislative body.
A plan of control shall be attached to the petition.
Plan of Control
[26509] "Plan of control" means a report prepared by an engineering geologist certificated pursuant to Section 7822 of the Business and Professions Code or a firm of engineering geologists which describes in detail a geologic hazard, its location and the area affected thereby, and a plan for the prevention, mitigation, abatement, or control thereof.
Enacting (or thwarting) the District
[26566] If it appears at the hearing that owners of more than 50 percent of the assessed valuation of the proposed district object to the formation thereof, the legislative body shall thereupon close the hearing and direct that proceedings for the formation of a district be abandoned.
Levy and collect taxes
[26650] A district may levy and collect assessments pursuant to this chapter to pay for the cost and expenses of the maintenance and operation of any improvements acquired or constructed pursuant to this division.
Use the money from the taxes / assessments to borrow money.
[26593] A district may borrow money from or otherwise incur an indebtedness to a local agency, the state, any instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, the federal government, or any private source, and may comply with any conditions imposed upon the incurring of that indebtedness.
Acquire, build and fix stuff
[26580] The district may: (a) Acquire, construct, operate, manage, or maintain improvements on public or private lands. Such improvements shall be with the consent of the owner, unless effected by the exercise of eminent domain pursuant to Section 26576. (b) Accept such improvements undertaken by anyone.
Acquire property by eminent domain
[26576] Within the territorial limits of the district, or for the purposes set forth in this division, a district may acquire real property or any interest therein by eminent domain.
In addition, the District can hire staff, maintain an office, and be dissolved in various ways.
Following is my list of properties, but remember that by my reading the power of votes cast appear to be proportional to the assessed value of the property.
These pages from the State Department of Conversation were quite helpful:
The quotes and links above were from the current code:
From http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=prc&codebody=&hits=20
DIVISION 17. GEOLOGIC HAZARD ABATEMENT DISTRICTS CHAPTER 1. DEFINITIONS ........................................ 26500-26512 CHAPTER 2. DISTRICT FORMATION Article 1. Purpose ................................. 26525 Article 2. Lands Included .......................... 26530-26534 Article 3. Initiation of Proceedings ............... 26550-26560 Article 4. Notice and Hearing ...................... 26561-26567 CHAPTER 2.3. DISTRICT DISSOLUTION ............................... 26567.1-26567.3 CHAPTER 2.5. EMERGENCY FORMATION Article 1. Initiation of Proceedings ................ 26568-26568.3 Article 2. Notice and Hearing ...................... 26569-26569.4 Article 3. Nature of the District .................. 26569.5-26569.7 CHAPTER 3. NATURE AND POWERS OF THE DISTRICT Article 1. Nature of the District .................. 26570-26573 Article 2. Powers of a District .................... 26574-26581 Article 3. Meetings ................................ 26582 Article 4. Officers ................................ 26583-26586 CHAPTER 4. FINANCES Article 1. Improvement Act of 1911; Municipal Improvement Act of 1913; Improvement Bond Act of 1915 ........... 26587-26590 Article 2. Financial Assistance .................... 26591-26595 CHAPTER 5. IMPROVEMENTS .............................. 26600-26601 CHAPTER 6. MAINTENANCE ............................... 26650-26654
For a complete chronology and links to many more photos see Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade:
http://adequatebird.com/2009/12/17/evacuation-underway-at-330-esplanade/
See all of my pictures of the Esplanade crisis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/collections/72157622920945823/