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Category: Opinion

Published on Saturday, 26 September 2009 06:51

Written by Keith Kirchner

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Fire is as much a part of nature as rain or wind. Life on Earth has evolved in its presence.

In fact, fire plays a critical role in the health of many ecosystems. Managed fires can be constructive, reducing dense vegetation and improving wildlife habitat. Accidental, out-of-control fires can be very destructive. There was only one thing that all the happy salesmen forgot to mention about their latest test drive.

The rocket fired from Vandenberg was carrying a global positioning satellite beacon that guided the kill vehicle toward it. In other words, it would be fair to say that the $100 million test was rigged. The pilot of the ill-fated Bahamas flight carrying pop star Aaliyah and eight others did not have federal authorization to fly the plane and had been in court on a crack cocaine possession charge 12 days before the deadly crash.

Aaliyah's plane was carrying about 574 pounds of baggage and an estimated 804 pounds of fuel, investigators said. That would allow for slightly more than 800 pounds for the combined weight of the nine adults. Officials were still working to determine the weight of those board.

Days after frustrated motorists encouraged a distraught woman on a bridge to jump, Seattle was searching its soul and wondering what ever happened to the caring, friendly city of laid-back latte drinkers. Seattle was thrust into the harsh and unflattering glare of the national spotlight on Tuesday, when a 26-year-old woman leapt from a 160-foot-high bridge after passing motorists, tangled up in the traffic snarls she created, yelled things like, "Jump, bitch, jump!"

The Masters of the Universe behavior exhibited by the White House troika of Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and top political advisor Karl Rove is illuminated in Vaclev Havel's laser-sharp description of politicians completely cut off from a sense of right and wrong:

"He believes that he has something like an unconditional free pass to anywhere, even to heaven. Anyone who dares to scrutinize his pass is an enemy who does him wrong."

Infirm comedian Bob Hope, whose 60-year career stretches from vaudeville stages through radio, motion pictures and television stardom, came to MTA Long Beach on April 22 for the formal naming of a C-17 Globemaster III in his honor as "The Spirit of Bob Hope".

"I like the idea of having a plane named after me. I've always been too cheap to have one of my own," said the 93-year-old comedian. Jump, Bob, Jump