Those poor desert-dwellers in the Golden State could have used the floods we’ve been having recently in Washington. But every choking, black cloud of smoke has a silver lining: 100 youngsters whose homes and belongings were torched by the rampant flames have been given iPod Nanos free of charge by Apple. A local guy e-mailed Steve Jobs and ended up in contact with Foulkes, another higher-up dude, who hoped to get an iPod in the hands of every high schooler in the county who lost a home to the fires. Maybe flood victims up here will get some Zunes.

Youths who lost homes in wildfires given iPods [SignOnSanDiego.com]