MLB Star's Home Gutted by Fire

106. I have to ask this question. Are these homes protected by fire insurance?
Or is this just a freak of nature and Will the insurance companies pay?

Posted at 8:33AM on Oct 25th 2007 by Janice

107. I live in San Diego, and for those of you wondering about insurance, I can tell you that it is very difficult to obtain insurance in certain areas that are deemed fire prone. You pay a lot for it, and if you don't meet certain qualifications you will lose your coverage. In these areas the home and surrounding area will be inspected before a policy is issued, and if you have a shake roof, any fire prone plant material on or near your property, you will be denied. Brush up to X number of feet (the amount depends on the area) from the property line has to be removed or you will not receive insurance. There are many other restrictions but too many to list. Also, you face very stiff fines by the fire department if you do not meet their standards for brush removal.

My experience with these types of fires is that they usually are not natural disasters. More often than not they are the result of arson or carelessness. The Cedar Fire in 2003 was started when a hiker got lost and shot up his flare gun. Just last night I heard on the news that they believe several of these fires were arson.

Posted at 9:37AM on Oct 25th 2007 by S

108. They called the Katrina victims "refugee's", but they are calling California fire victims "evacuee's". My my, what a difference, but they are both natural disasters. Shame on the media for being so blatantly discriminatory in reporting the news.

Posted at 10:22AM on Oct 25th 2007 by Observing

109. They called the Katrina victims "refugee's", but they are calling California fire victims "evacuee's". My my, what a difference, but they are both natural disasters. Shame on the media for being so blatantly discriminatory in reporting the news.

Posted at 10:23AM on Oct 25th 2007 by Observing

110. Hey Owner of 2 Danes

2 historical kill one in every ten of (a group of soldiers or others) as a punishment for the whole group. DERIVATIVES decimation |ˌdesəˈmā sh ən| noun decimator |-ˌmātər| noun ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin decimat- ‘taken as a tenth,’ from the verb decimare, from decimus ‘tenth.’ In Middle English the term decimation denoted the levying of a tithe, and later the tax imposed in England by Cromwell on the Royalists (1655). The verb decimate originally alluded to the Roman punishment of executing one man in ten of a mutinous legion.USAGE Historically, the meaning of the word decimate is ‘kill one in every ten of (a group of people).’ This sense has been superseded by the later, more general sense ‘kill or destroy a large percentage or part of,’ as in: the virus has decimated the population. Some traditionalists argue that this and other later senses are incorrect, but it is clear that these extended senses are now part of standard English. It is sometimes also argued that decimate should refer to people and not to things or animals such as weeds or insects. It is generally agreed that decimate should not be used to mean 'defeat utterly.'

decimate wasn't the appropriate term.

Posted at 2:47PM on Oct 25th 2007 by lil sis

111. Is it me or does David Justice look alittle like K Fed in the pic?

Posted at 10:38AM on Oct 25th 2007 by Sue

112.


My father is a retired firefighter and I can assure you that every firefighter, piece of equipment and volunteer are working their asses off to save anything and anyone they can. Fire doesn't "target" any particular socioeconomic group. Firefighters and their resources are located in areas where there is the greatest potential for loss of life.

These men and women take their profession seriously. Many of them have "hero" complexes and that is why they choose to run into burning buildings trying to save lives.

The fire and the winds ultimately control where those resources will be needed the most.

There has already been one known arsonist captured. One suspected arsonist has been killed trying to evade capture. Some of these fires were set intentionally. For someone to do that shows a total lack of conscience and humanity. Bastards.

Posted at 11:28AM on Oct 25th 2007 by OCD

113.

To # 103 Observing

The reason they are being called "evacuees" is because they are taking precautions to evacuate those in potential danger.

The people in New Orleans were "refugees" because Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco did not order an evacuation prior to Katrina. The buses that were available to begin evacuations were sitting under 10' of water after Katrina hit. President Bush pleaded with Governor Blanco to force evacuations 2 days before Katrina hit. She ignored his request.

Posted at 11:28AM on Oct 25th 2007 by OCD

114. Its called Karma. Didn't Halle say years ago that David had abused her? If so, that's karma for ya.

Posted at 4:46PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Marni

115. Karma's a bitch.

Posted at 12:14PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Kris

116. Re #28 and where's FEMA---the difference is that California took care of itself. The state/city/county set-up that shelter at Qualcomm sunday, had they stupidly waited for the federal government, people probably woulda burned to death....

BTW--stories I've read in the paper and seen on the news, I see a lot of Hispanic people using Qualcomm and other shelters.

Another big difference in San Diego and New Orleans---NO had a VERY HIGH crime rate loooooooooooooong before Katrina.

Posted at 5:35PM on Oct 25th 2007 by OscarP

117. KFed and DJust...separated at birth?

Posted at 2:13PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Daneen

118. #103, you are totally WRONG about New Orleans not being under a mandatory evacuation....they were.

The people that ended up walking to the Superdome, wading thru the water/sewer/sludge would be a better word, were suppose to have been evacuated, but did not leave.

by the time they found out so many others were left there, they had no way of getting them out.

80% of the city was flooded with up to 8 feet of water, there were no phone lines to contact anyone, no way of knowing where people that failed to follow the orders were.

Posted at 2:09PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Sandra

119. I know you will want to question the evacuation orders, but here are two links for you to refer to.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=136&sid=99456


http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3775049&nav=EyAzdqAx

I live here and my husband was on call for the entire event and we ended up with people in our home and making arrangements for others to stay further north and in Northern Mississipppi.

The ones that failed to evacuate, for whatever reason they chose, are the ones you saw left on the tv. Some claim they knew nothing about it, having no tv or radio, others say they had no ride, etc. They are same people that had gone to the Superdome for every hurricanek, until it was so heavily damaged they closed it as a shelter. With the magnitude of Katrina, it had to be reopened because it is the highest point in New Orleans.

Posted at 2:22PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Sandra

120. I still do not see how your theories relate to Katrina victims being called "refugee's". They were still on American soil.

Posted at 3:49PM on Oct 25th 2007 by Observing