Straight Talk

Despite the thunder and rain clouds yesterday afternoon the rain we had prayed for, and hoped for, went around us leaving nothing but cooler temperatures, which was certainly welcome. But we needed rain, a considerable amount of rain.

And the wildfire at Los Alamos is growing into an insane predicament with 60,000 acres engulfed by this morning. So much heartbreak, so much worry for those whose homes are destroyed, and those who are in jeopardy.

Wildfire Reaches Los Alamos Nuclear Facility

SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - A raging wildfire on Monday briefly entered the property of the preeminent U.S. nuclear facility, Los Alamos National Laboratory, a vast complex that houses research laboratories and a plutonium facility.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the town of Los Alamos, which has a population of about 12,000. The speed at which the fire has grown surprised fire officials.

The laboratory, which ensures the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, is a national security research facility located in the Jemez mountains of northern New Mexico.

It was set up in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project to create the first atomic bomb and still maintains the nation's largest nuclear weapons arsenal.

Firefighters were able to douse flames on a one-acre (0.4 hectare) "spot fire" just inside the southwestern boundary of the lab site, about 25 miles (40 km) outside Santa Fe, authorities said.

Buildings still have not been touched by flames, and authorities said there was little threat to sensitive areas of the 28,000-acre complex (11,000 hectare).

The laboratory's plutonium facility is on the northeast side of the complex, while the fire seems to be moving south and east, said lab spokesman Kevin Roark.

"The facility is very well protected from any kind of wild land fire threat," said Roark. He said the facility survived a May 2000 wildfire that claimed some lab buildings and did more than $1 billion in damage.

Explosive materials on the laboratory's grounds are stored safely in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel, as well as earthen berms, Roark said.

"This fire is going to be with us for a while. It has the potential to double and triple in size," Los Alamos Fire Chief Doug Tucker said.

Nuclear watchdog groups are keeping a close eye on the fire, said Jay Coughlin, executive director of Nuclear Watch New Mexico.

One would think that I could but get one nights sleep.. but tonight isn't going to be it. I started to panic about the house/barn until late tonight, as I was getting ready to go to sleep, I heard that my youngest daughter is again suffering serious complications from the MRSA.

I am getting so worried about her health, and so frustrated being homeless and unable to find the stability I need to be a mother or daughter. Homeless, struggling to get a trailer and barn renovated, simply doesn't give me that opportunity.

The worry about my daughter is being compounded by the worry that my mother's birthday is upcoming. How many birthdays does a person born in 1927 have left to celebrate?
I keep thinking about Dorothy McKeever, and the awful circumstances she was in when she died. Her daughters recounted it on Topix:

My mother was a victim of Bob Hutchins she worked her whole life to retire in Ruidoso when he cheated her of her dream. He took advantage of her kind heart her trust and she is left with an unfinished home - he walked away with well over 100K. We thought the safety measures were in place the bank 'WAS' to send an inspector for each draw he requested. He would bring an invoice to my mother who is sight impaired and tell her what he had done she would sign and submit to the bank. The bank would send an inspector and release the money to him. Reviewing the paperwork of work he claimed to have completed was fabricated and not even started but there on the bottom of the page was a signature from an inspector - a co-conspirator I can only suspect. She had to return to work in her 70's to pay for other contractors to make the house livable. My stomach turns when I go there and see the hardships she has had to endure and the conditions she has had to live in.
I hope you get your due Mr. Hutchins - you are a crook. My faith is only in the judicial system that they will successfully convict you and you spend you time behind bars.

I am also disgusted with Mr. Huckins...He left my mother with a half built house as stated by Judy Torres my sister. I blame him and the bank for distributing the monies to him when a full inspection was not completed properly. When I asked the bank for the names of the inspectors I was told they could not disclose that information. I did have a signature but of course could not identify any of the letters. And it seems rather odd when all the monies were distributed to Bob the loan officer at the bank was transferred. My mother sits there with a half built house while he is still running around the town and not behind bars.

The mere thought of never seeing my mother again, of her not being able to see her only child, only grand-daughters and great grand children. Of not being able to help my daughter. Of not being able to get into a home before winter, of not being able to survive another winter homeless...

This is too great a burden and no women should be victimized this way.

I don't know whom to make an appeal to. I don't know if it's Liam Griffin, Michael Huckins, Dr Kenneth Ogilvie or Patricia Ogilvie-Huckins. But I am desperately trying to reach someone who has leverage.
I want to see my mum again, and as each day passes the chance of my ever seeing her again decreases. I want to be a mother with stability, not left homeless in dire straits. These are terrible economic times but your son, cousin, brother knew that he was stealing from people who had no other resources. That his actions would be total destruction for the victims.

I am simply begging for the return of our stolen building fund. I am begging as I have never begged anyone in my life before. He should have never been allowed to destroy Dorothy and so many other women. Please don't let him destroy my family. Please...

The act of compassion begins with full attention, just as rapport does. You have to really see the person. If you see the person, then naturally, empathy arises. If you tune into the other person, you feel with them. If empathy arises, and if that person is in dire need, then empathic concern can come. You want to help them, and then that begins a compassionate act. So I'd say that compassion begins with attention.~ Daniel Goleman