Welcome to Raising Califorina where you will be taken behind the scenes to peek at the lives of a Southern California family. You will have access to never before seen footage and exclusive interviews that will give you insight on what it is like to be a kid in California!
As mentioned in our previous blog post titled SUMMER ISN'T OVER YET (Click HERE to read it), we have been busy living it up throughout Southern California this summer. Our adventures have continued on as we stumbled upon Topanga State Park this past weekend. We were greeted by a very warm park ranger, with long braids and an infectious smile. She was such a beautiful soul that I wanted to snap her picture, but didn't out respect for her privacy.
As we entered the parking lot, we were dismayed to see a sign that read "Save Topanga State Park". To learn more about why Topanga State Park and at least a hundred other California state parks will be closed soon... Click here >>> SAVE TOPANGA STATE PARK Click here to send a letter to Arnold>>>>ENVIRONMENT CALIFORNIA
Read on to find out what a truly spectacular place Topanga State Park is and why it should stay open to the public.
Just look at these trails! We want to go on the hike to Mulholland Drive someday, but we won't be able to if this state park closes.
Upon entering the main trail at Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park, we saw a deer. Then another deer, then another, then another. We counted FOUR deer that were traveling together.
They ended up crossing the trail right in front of us as shown below. We maintained our distance and stayed very quiet. They didn't seem to be afaid of humans because there were hikers coming back down the trail the opposite way. It was almost as if the deer came down to say hello.
We were able to get close enough to all of them and take this picture of one sweet deer looking straight at us. So beautiful, so innocent and pure. They boys were amazed by their beauty. This is something they will never see again if this park and hundreds more close in California.
The trees are old and magestic. They speak of days gone by. They tell the story of how the moutains meet the sea. They provide oxygen for all of us to breathe. Save Topanga State Park and save these trees.
This pic below is a view from the top of one of the mountains in Topganga State Park. On a clear day, the ocean can be seen between these moutains. On the side of the mountain to the left is Pacific Palisades.
Deer tracks
Memories All of this might be gone forever. Save Topanga State Park.
It is now illegal in California to text while driving. The Governator signed the law to ban texting while driving yesterday. It is illegal to READ or SEND texts while driving in California. There will be a $20 fine imposed for the first offense and a $50 fine imposed for each offense thereafter. This law will go in effect next year.
FLEX ALERT has been declared for Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 thru Thursday, July 10th, 2008.
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), charged with managing the electricity grid in California, has issued a Flex Alert for Tuesday, July 8th 7:00 AM through Thursday, July 10th 7:00 PM.
Due to the CURRENT HOT WEATHER, electricity conservation is necessary. As a result, state officials have called a Flex Alert.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
In order to prevent power outages and rolling blackouts do the following things:
Turn off all lights that don't need to be used.
If the AC needs to be on, set the thermostat to 78 degrees.
Postpone using major appliances until after 7:00pm.
Click HERE to receive your own Flex Alert notifications!
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.
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:)
After July 1st, 2008, it will be illegal for anyone to hold a cellphone to their ear and talk while driving. This is good news! I personally only use my cell in emergency situations. If I need to use it at all, I pull into a parking lot or off onto the side of the road. From now on, those who insist on holding their cell phones to their ear, will be ticketed. Say good bye to this girl to the right :)
(not me...I only use mine while I am parked somewhere)
The law states that Californians will still be able to talk and drive but only with a hands free device. Here are the rest of dos and don'ts comprised within this piece of legislation:
* everyone 18+ is prohibited from holding a phone while driving (except when dialing a number and receiving a call)
* 16 or 17 year olds are only permitted to use a phone at all while driving is for emergencies only.
* the first offense is $20
* subsequent offenses are $50 a piece
* the final cost for these tix after court costs are added in are $76 and $190 respectively
You would think that text messaging while driving is illegal as well, right? Wrong! It is illegal for 16 and 17 year olds, but not for those 18 and older. If texting causes you to make bad driving decisions, you'll get a ticket for that...
Cell phone tickets won't go against a person's driving record either and their insurance premiums won't increase.
Click HERE to read a full article about this new cell phone law...and go out and buy an ear piece:)
I left off at # 16 on How to be a California Beauty, so I will start at #17. If you did not read "How to be a California Beauty (Part 1) or need a refresher course; click HERE.
#17 Don't be Shallow. It is unattractive to care more about what kind of car someone drives than what is actually in their heart. Don't judge people based on outward appearances, listen to your soul instead. This is how to be truly beautiful from the inside out. By the way, it isn't cool to be like Paris Hilton.
#18 Expect the Unexpected. Life isn't always going to work out the way you plan and when you least expect it; the unexpected will happen. If you already expect the unexpected then you won't be so surprised :)
#19 Don't be ashamed to want to change things about your appearance. It is perfectly normal to want to look as young as you feel, to want to be in shape and/or you want to sculpt your body. It isn't shallow to want to look and feel great. I had braces when I was 12 to make my teeth straight, there is not difference between this and straightening your nose or working out to build muscle tone. So, get a tummy tuck or work on those muscles...BE BEAUTIFUL!
#20 Support a cause outside of yourself. Become involved in something that you care passionately about that will help make the world a better place. Some examples of the causes we support are:
We give money and food (when we have a little extra) to the homeless in Los Angeles and we educate others about poverty, homelessness and violence prevention.
WE ARE:Vegetarians, Secular but Inclusive Home Schoolers, Green, Conscientious, Organic, Creative, Peaceful, Compassionate, Spiritual, Indigo/Crystal Children, Holistic, Independent Thinkers...WE LOVE:Music, ANIMALS, the EARTH, Science, Art, NATURE, our family & friends...WE LIKE TO:Take nature walks, go to the park, hike in the mountains, go to the beach, meditate, make wishes on stars, play in the rain, garden organically, do Yoga, celebrate diversity, climb trees...WE LIVEin the greater metropolitan area of Los Angeles; more specifically, the community of Santa Monica. Our pen names are: L.A. Mama & Daddio; Tennessee & California.Tennessee is TEN and was born in Nashville, TN. California is FOUR and was born in Burbank, CA. L.A. Mama is eternally young. No one knows her age. She was born in Missouri but fits in better in California :) Daddio is from Illinois and Missouri...he says he is 45 because he always rounds up to the nearest 5th.L.A. Mama got the idea for the title of this blog from the movie "Raising Arizona". It is a comedy about a free spirited couple who kidnaps a baby and attempt to be "good" parents. Nick Cage and Holly Hunter played the "adoptive" parents in the movie. It is cute.
L.A. Mama
Contact L.A. Mama
Send me an email at RaisingCaliforniaBlog@yahoo.com
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All of this might be gone forever. Save Topanga State Park. 
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