We're Toast

On the same day that James Hansen, a top NASA scientist and global warming expert, told congress that "we're toast if we don't get on a very different path", much of California was on fire from a rare lightening storm.

Why was this lightening storm so rare? Mainly because it generated 8,000 lightening strikes that started 1,022 wildfires fires last weekend and they are still burning. This lightening storm was called "dry lightening" because any and/all precipitation that fell evaporated before it hit the Earth. Since California is in the middle of a drought, these 8,000 lightening strikes have basically turned California into toast. To the right is a satellite image from NASA to illustrate the severity of the situation.

For those of you who don't believe in Global Warming...think again. Not only are we in a drought, Southern California had tornadoes in May (RARE)- click HERE to read about them, 8,000 lightening strikes in June (RARE) and we are expecting more lightening today (read the news story HERE). We aren't the only ones experiencing extreme weather. The Midwest and the South have had some horrible tornadoes and now flooding.

Back to James Hansen; he says that if we don't curb our use of coal burning power plants which is the main cause of MAN-MADE greenhouse gases. He also says that global warming is happening right now before our eyes. He warned us twenty years ago that the arctic would start to melt and that would be the first sign that we are experiencing global warming. That is happening now and within 5 - 10 years all of the ice will be gone in the summer...mass extinction will occur and there will be a dramatic rise in sea levels. You can read the full article HERE. It is apparent that the entire world needs to find an alternative source of power and it seems as though this is going quite slowly. The obvious choices are solar, wind and water...all of which are free of carbon dioxide emitting gases. It seems as though the common person has no control over this...but there are some things that we can do collectively that will decrease our use of coal fired power plants. How?

Use less electricity. It's Easy. This is how:

1. Turn off the lights when you don't need them.
2. Unplug small appliances when they are not in use.
3. Turn off your monitor to your computer when not in use.
4. Use solar power.
5. Use wind power.
6. Wash your clothes in cold water.
7. Use energy efficient appliances.
8. Open the windows instead of using the AC (I know sometimes it is too hot...but sometimes it isn't)
9. Replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
10. Don't use any lights during the day. Use the sunlight!

Feel free to post your ideas on how to use less electricity! If you want to know more about Global Warming, get the book, "The Down to Earth Guide to Global Warming"...we highly recommend it!

Since Google will not allow me to post a link for you to buy this book directly, I thought that I would post a picture of this book to show you the cover and authors. You can buy it at Amazon and I have seen it at Barnes & Noble as well as Borders.

WE Prepare

Tornadoes have continuously swept through the Midwest for months leaving behind fatalities, shattered lives and destruction. We have witnessed images of Myanmar after it was devastated by a cyclone leaving 78,000 dead as the numbers seem to climb each day. Then China was hit by a 7.9 earthquake with numerous aftershocks that are still happening, killing at least 67,000 people and leaving millions homeless.

Wildfires are commonly associated with Southern California, it is a way of life for most of us over here in SoCal. However, wildfires can happen anywhere. Right now there are wildfires raging in Northern California in which 4600 homes are being threatended. There are also wildfires in Colorado and North Carolina. Any time that there is a shortage of rain or hot temperatures and/or wind, there is potential for a wildfire. Click HERE to assess your wildfire risk.

In light of these disasters and a 99% probablity that California will experience a 6.7 OR GREATER magnitude earthquake within 30 years, it is essential that Californians prepare themselves and their families for the worst. According to new research,"the probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake over the next 30 years striking the greater Los Angeles area is 67%, and in the San Francisco Bay area it is 63%, similar to previous Bay Area estimates. For the entire California region, the fault with the highest probability of generating at least one magnitude 6.7 quake or larger is the southern San Andreas (59% in the next 30 years). If you would like to read the whole news story related to these statistics, click HERE.

Here is what a 6.6 has already done to the Los Angeles area:



Click HERE to read about what a 7.8 could do to Los Angeles.

Click HERE to take a 10 question interactive quiz to see how much you know about earthquake preparedness.

The state of California wants to help us prepare for disaster, so they have started a campaign called WE Prepare. I was asked to review this new initiative and web site for the state of California. The purpose of this blog is to educate others about how to prepare for disasters and to review the We Prepare site.

Here are my opinions of the We Prepare campaign site:

The layout of the site is great. It is easy to navigate through and flows well. The information contained within the site and for disaster preparedness is extremely thorough and informative. I also liked seeing Maria Shriver and her message.

I did notice a few aspects of the site that could be improved upon:

1) After navigating through the site, it becomes unclear if the campaign is We Prepare or California Volunteers. I also feel as though being prepared for a disaster is very different from volunteering for a disaster, so I wonder if the two issues when placed together may either 1) confuse people or 2) scare them away because they are too busy to volunteer and if that is what "we prepare" is about then they will just click away from the site. I have a Masters degree and I was even confused :)

2) It took me a very long time (a couple of days) to find the Spanish version of We Prepare. That needs to be more prominent. There should also be translation services within the site for other languages.

3) There needs to be current and up to date news about disasters affecting California to make people see the need to prepare. Just telling them that they need to prepare and giving them facts won't do it. They need to see streaming video of what is happening in CA and read the latest research like the earthquake study that was just completed. Also, the earthquake that just happened in China could happen here within 30 years...people need these visual and emotional cues to take action.

4) The site needs its own URL. From what I can tell...the site is buried within the government site. This makes it difficult to find using a search engine (I know because I tried it). I think it needs to stand alone. You can point more than one URL to a site.

5) The Mom Brigade info is too vague. Moms need to know upfront what they are going to be asked to do. A bulleted list describing what being a member of the Mom Brigade means would be helpful and would enlist the service of more mothers. I personally would not sign up for something if I didn't know what was acutally going to be required of me ahead of time. Also, if reaching out to mothers to facilitate a family disaster preparedness plan is the main focus, then the message is completely lost until you see a little circle that says Join the Mom Brigade.

6) The PDF is too long. No one wants to print out 45 pages of stuff. There has to be a way to condense this :)

Besides all of these minute details that I have listed, I still feel like the We Prepare campaign is an asset to ALL Californians and even to people in other states. It is important to be ready for any type of disaster. In California, that could be earthquakes, wildfires, terrorism and/or other man made disasters, flash floods, tsunamis, mudslides...this list is everexpanding because of Global Warming. Tornadoes even touched down in Southern California last month...click HERE for more info.

Every person needs to take into consideration of living in a state of emergency for at least three days. You don't just need water and food. Make sure that you have every family member's needs met for three days including your pets. Make sure that you have an extensive first aid kit, solar powered flashlights and other devices,essential hygeine products,important medications etc. The state of California has an extensive checklist of items that you will need and a very thorough family disaster plan that can be filled in online and printed out.

Go to WE PREPARE to view the State of California website dedicated to disaster preparedness. Be sure to be prepared and help other families be prepared...let's take care of each other:)

Back to the Future

After being inspired by the movie "Back to the Future" and a book called "The Time Traveler's Journal", Tennessee decided to create his own time machine. See the pictures and notes below to learn how you can make a time machine for yourself...

You will need the following items (don't be afraid to use your own creativity):

1 Medium or Large cardboard box
1 roll of blue painter's tape
1 roll of clear packing tape
1 extra large scotch tape dispenser (without the tape)
any old calculator
1 lint roller (optional)
1 cordless phone or cell phone
3 cube world blocks (or if you don't have those, substitute with a laptop)
1 battery charger
4 rechargeable batteries
1 large flashlight
1 cat (optional)
YOUR IMAGINATION


The picture below shows Tennessee next to the "time panel". The calculator is used to set the date and time. Simply type in the date of your choice and put your seatbelt on. The phone is used to set the amount of years needed to travel. The lint roller tests to check if the air is suitable for breathing.







The picture to the right is of the thumbprint recognition panel. This ensures that the time machine remains secure. The sign says "Danger! Radioactive Explosives." This is used keep intruders out.

Below is a picture of the secret to time travel: a flux capacitor which can also seen in the movie "Back to the Future". Other secrets to time travel include warp drives (a theoretical phenomenon), tesseracts (as noted in "A Wrinkle in Time), going faster than speed of light and finally, worm holes as theorized by Stephen Hawking. Yours doesn't have to look like this...be creative!



The flashlight shown in the picture to the right moves the time machine around. It's not just a time travel device, it is also a travel device.

The small keypad shown in the picture below moves the angle of the flashlight which moves the machine around. The handle of the flashlight sticks out through the whole thing. It sends power to the flux capacitor and to the other end of the flashlight (which moves the time machine around). The cubes inside of the time machine are the information and enrichment blocks and are composed of three monitors. One is to download music, one is hold information about the animals and other natural things in the environment and one contains food order technology in case you get hungry.




This picture shows the time machine with a cat (and lunch) as a test pilot. Warning!!! Do not use yourself to test.