The above was the scene from our roof. Our hearts sank. We couldn’t tell for sure which house it was, but the street is filled with young families and with elderly people. And it was too close for comfort. After snapping a few pictures I headed downstairs to join the growing crowd.

It seems there was some sort of bbq mishap on the roof. After the owner finished with the bbq in the backyard – not sure if it was all shut off - he flicked a cigarette under the porch and the embers lit up the porch (CityTV), spreading upward and to the neighbouring house (CP24 story). At some point I do believe that the propane tank blew up as well. Fortunately, everybody got out of the house in short order, nobody was hurt. The damage to the house was extensive. As of this writing it still stood, the fire was out, but the work continues. Fire Command isn’t going anywhere yet. One neighbouring house apparently has notable damage, although I don’t know how notable. Not super serious, it would seem. The other neighbouring house seems to have minimal damage; fortunately that couple had moved into an apartment to make renovations easier – work that was supposed to start very soon.

It was wild to see the firefighters and police at work. They are a calm, cool and collected bunch. For them it’s probably just another fire. They know their jobs and they do them very well. For us it’s the story of the day, month, perhaps year.

And just to be absolutely clear, we’re all fine. We were never in any danger.

This all said, I think this piece over at Alternet, busting some myths about Canadian healthcare, is particularly insightful whether you are Canadian or American, whether you have experienced both systems or just one.

My two cents: spread the word — universal healthcare is something to be proud of, but also something to learn the whole truth about so we can protect it and continue improving it for everyone.

The couple who showed up a few hours early clearly should’ve planned 16 days in advance.

This said, I have managed to do some reading online, mostly via links from the various news digests I receive in my inbox, such as the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and Alternet.

The stories that seem to be captivating me the most are not the straight reporting pieces of what talking bureaucrat head said what, but the articles that tell the stories of the people who have been hit by this disaster with all its mighty force. Some are first-person accounts, all include vivid descriptions and quotes that either break your heart or light up your face. It’s these stories that have told me the most about the impact of this tragedy, more than the television images, news conferences and even poignant front page newspaper photos.

From the Chicago Tribune check out Mary Schmich’s columns from Sept.2, 2005 onwards. Most are her writing from the south and New Orleans in particular.

From the New York Times, I’ve got the archive links (i.e. you don’t need to register and they shouldn’t become pay-per-view pages) to three stories that put a lump in my throat and tears in the corner of my eyes. There is good reason why the New York Time is such a revered newspaper.

Macabre Reminder: The Corpse on Union Street
By Dan Barry
Published: September 8, 2005

Uprooted and Scattered Far From the Familiar
By Timothy Egan
Published: September 11, 2005

For Storm Survivors, a Mosaic of Impressions
By Kirk Johnson
Published: September 11, 2005

There is plenty of liberal-minded dissection, analysis and opinion pieces on Alternet about Hurricane Katrina and the government’s response. But I found the following article most useful:

Ten great ways you can help
By Don Hazen, AlterNet
Posted September 7, 2005

I’ve also read quite a few op-ed columns in addition to all the stories in the above publications. In Wired News, I found the following one humorous because of how well I think it conveys the American government mentality towards handling emergencies.

Terrorists Don’t Do Movie Plots
By Bruce Schneier
02:00 AM Sep. 08, 2005 PT

There is a lot more out there I will likely not get to for weeks or months. Let me know if there are any articles or posts you’ve found about Hurricane Katrina you think I might like to read.

I say stick with Survivor. They are mostly naked and have the chance to sleep together.

And now this: The Marlins batboy who accepted Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny’s dare has been suspended for the next homestand by Florida for his actions. The Marlins declined to comment on the unidentified batboy’s suspension, but Penny was angry about it. “It’s kind of ridiculous that you get a 10-game suspension for steroids and a six-game suspension for milk,” the ex-Marlin said. “It’s ridiculous that they worry about stuff like that. It shows they [the Marlins organization] don’t know anything about the game. That kind of stuff goes on everywhere. It didn’t affect the way he worked, the way he did his job.”

BTW: The unidentified batboy managed to drink the gallon of milk, but was unable to fulfill the second part of the bargain. “He drank it down to the last drop,” Penny said. “But he couldn’t hold it in. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.” (All reported by the Miami Herald)

Why suspend the batboy? What batboy wouldn’t take this dare (and money!)? If the Marlins really are unhappy about this, shouldn’t they go to the source — the players? Or maybe it should just be chalked up to boys being boys. Gosh knows worse things happen around baseball.

Update, 8:53pm: Seems the Marlins are the only ones without a sense of humor.