Sandstorm near Gilligan's island!
This just in via email:
"Pictures taken yesterday about a mile away from Gold Base. This valley often whips up sandstorms.
The Air Quality Management is very strict about doing things right whenever land grading is involved. Before grading, they're supposed to install "silt screens" around the property to be graded and water sprayers are to be used as the work is being done to prevent dust storms.
Of course, because the staff is so busy clearing the planet, no such precautions were taken. This picture was taken on Nov 16 while they were grading Gilligan's island. Note the absence of silt screens, water sprays, etc.
Apparently the particulate level [air pollution] yesterday was so high that people could feel the grit in their eyeballs. [My editorial comment: Gasp, Cough, Choke!! Those poor people who have to work, and sleep, outdoors!]
Note the dust in the background:
Gilligan's island was free of dust because they had water sprinklers going:
Note the strength of that structure! Seems overdone for a thatch roof.
They told Code Enforcement that these buildings will be torn down in six weeks. Wanna bet anybody?
They landscaped a beautiful dry creek bed on the opposite side of the road."
Me again- on the news this morning they said that yesterday there were 22 brushfires caused by lightening strikes in and around the Hemet Valley area, three of them big enough to still be not under control and a concern to nearby residents, threatening homes... there's a lot of big open space out there, far spread apart homes and a lot of brush. Hope everybody is safe.
Just a thought...is there a fire or other disaster evacuation plan for Int Base filed with the state fire marshal? Considering they are a working facility with dormitories (and now African huts
) to house their staff, I think state law requires this, just as if this were a school or other facility. Another good reason not to close down Gilman Hot Springs road, if they ever need to evacuate people quickly. They are supposed to have their own fire marshal, "volunteer" fire department, etc.
If you got "overboarded" in this kind of dust storm, you would arise not a better thetan, but a big sandy mudball!
Eeewwww!
Also, it's interesting that in these pictures you can see the green line of vegetation just behind the Gillianesque film set, that's the riverine habitat of the San Jacinto river, which runs right through Int Base and is protected by both federal and state laws in addition to county ordinances... It's hard to tell from this angle if they are actually within the set back mandated by state water quality control laws. In pictures and vids, distance gets compacted due to foreshortening, so maybe they are not as close to the river as they seem to be. It would be really nice to see a current aerial view. I mention this because people who come from really wet and lush climates often don't recognize our wetlands! (Seeps, streams, springs, vernal pools, creeks and rivers) I hear "Where's the river?" a lot!
I think it was the water tanks that gave me the heebie jeebies about these pictures! Very labor campesque. 
