Texting, Tweeting, and Communicating, Nasty-grams, insults, and meanness, or just a culture clash? I explain it here.

  It's foggy and cool on the California Delta this morning, we generally experience fog 3 days after a rain, so like clockwork, it came on its cat's paws yesterday morning. (Thanks to Carl Sandberg for his poem). My wife is dropping off our grandson at school, this is his last year, he graduates in June. As she was leaving the house she asked me if I had seen her telephone, a common occurrence in our house, we are always looking for something. So I dialed the number and waited to hear it ring, or it's tone or bell whatever alert she has on it. We could not hear it, maybe the batteries dead, or it may be in the car or something, I don't know. Chances are it will show up, (it was on the bathroom sink, now we are looking for her eyeglasses, that's the way it goes around here.) especially seeing as how she had it 15 minutes earlier in her hand, she left without it. She left her electronic umbilical cord at home, when we were young we had no inkling that cell phones would be so prominent in our lives. (We were raised in the 1950's and 1960's).

He had to have been wealthy to afford such a luxury when I was
young, a car phone, really?

  I remember the first "Car Phone" I had ever seen, I lived in a town South of Minneapolis, Bloomington, in a new subdivision built right after the second world war. It was a typical neighborhood for that time period, nothing fancy, just houses built, and bought by the veterans of that war. So this man was driving a big steel car, that was also the heyday of the huge two-ton American dream machine, I don't recall what make of car it was. I had never seen this person before in my life when he stepped out of his car, he pulled a phone out and began talking. He had a suit on and one elbow resting on the roof of the vehicle, he was gesturing with one hand and holding the phone with the other. I was about 10 years old, a friend and I were watching with our mouths gaping, we half way thought he was joking around after all who had ever heard of such a thing? My mom was home when I went running into the house I had to tell someone, much like the first time I ever saw wall to wall carpeting. (But that's another blog). She told me to wait until my Dad came home and ask him because he understood that kind of stuff. Wait I did, of course, my siblings did not believe me, even when I brought my friend home to testify on my behalf, I was declared "nuts". Of course, my dad didn't have a clue how it worked, he was in the Navy during the war so his only idea was it must be a radio. I don't know how a "Car Phone" worked either, I still don't, but he was probably pretty close to being right, it must have been a "walkie-talkie" type of deal.

On my honor, I swear I saw a man in a car on the telephone!

I had no idea what the future held in store, in that day and age a phone outside a "landline" was nowhere in our thoughts. We had no video games or any sort of electronics, transistor radios, black and white televisions along with a few neighbors that had "Ham" radios was our reality. We read a lot of comic books, played a lot of baseball and we were all in the Boy Scouts earning merit badges.
  Our communications in those days were in the dark ages compared to where they are now if we missed a call, well that's what we did, we missed a call. There were no answering machines to check in those days, later they would come out after cassette tapes were invented. A far cry from our instant communications of today, in those days we followed a fire engine or a squad car to the action, now as you know, we can sit at home and get a text that someone's house is on fire, the fire department is on its way, and a full-length movie is sent to us on our cell phones. All while the fire is ongoing and way before the fire department shows up, the amazing thing is it could be happening anywhere in the world! (excuse my amazement, but I still have a hard time believing communications are so instantaneous.)
  My family like many others, maybe most others, are scattered all over the country still communicating with them is no problem in this day and age, and I don't have to say a word, I text!
  Once again I have driven the herd around the pasture a few times to get them into the barn, this blog's subject is pertaining to how communications have changed our lives, in my mind mostly for the better. I will make an exception but I think it can be addressed as "growing pains" when I read comments on the internet I sometimes think we as a society are a bit immature for such rapid communications. It seems like some people don't think before hitting the "send" button, a learning process, I've sent some really terrible emails and text, some inadvertently, some intentionally and some with errors that made them read as nastygrams. The 1990's and 2000's were especially susceptible to misunderstood messages that read like insults.
  We see text and videos taken from the battlefields which are posted on social media within minutes of returning to the barracks, instant war reporting. When I was in Vietnam it took 30 days to receive a letter from home, another 30 days for the people on the other end to receive a reply, sixty days for a conversation to continue. Some of the conversations lasted for several months, talk about a slow boat to China, no wonder the nickname is "snail mail" for ground mail. We are all now amateur news reporters, on the spot minute by minute reporting accompanied by a color video in HD. All packaged by a computer program and sent within minutes of the event occurring, it truly is amazing.
  It's pay off is the fact our modern communications save lives, all of the anguish, frustrations, and confusion that may be caused by instant communications is worth a fortune during catastrophic events. We have reverse 911 alerts, they don't always go smoothly, it's still part of the learning/maturing curve we are all in. However, the alerts have become so expected on our cell phones lawsuits are often instigated by people feeling the alert should have included them. I am talking now specifically about the Anderson Dam near failure in San Jose, not everyone was alerted, I am sure there are other examples. Being human as we all are, that my friends is how we learn, sometimes we have to learn not to walk on the ice, sometimes the lesson is hard.
  I recently wrote a blog on earthquakes, (internal Link) I chose that subject because it seemed as if the West Coast has been experiencing an unusually increased amount of them. It sure seems like it to me as well as to a lot of people, after investigating this for several hours I realized what was really happening. The number of seismic instruments has been increased by an enormous number, science needs the information to enable them to predict earthquakes to hopefully save human lives, it makes perfect sense. The more active working detection instruments there are, the more earthquakes reported, the more it will seem more shakers are occurring.
  Instant communications are in the same boat, everyone is on the internet, almost everyone has a cell phone loaded with all kinds of communication apps and programs. We get instant reports on even minor events such as a 1 magnitude shaker 600 miles away, valuable? Sure, it's part of the learning curve and we are learning fairly rapidly, but the immaturity still shows. Where it shows the most to me is some of the arguments that take place at the end of some postings. I will explain what I mean, if two millionaires are texting or tweeting each other, one in Silicon Valley and the other in say Mississippi. The Silicon Valley person has made his fortune in computer and internet technology, the person in Mississippi made his millions farming rice, sorghum and being a professional alligator hunter in the swamps. They will most likely end their conversation not understanding the other, and declaring the other as being off their rocker when that's not the case at all. It's a difference in culture, instant communications dissolve the borders that at one time separated us. There was a time when we had to go on a road trip to experience another culture, now all we have to do is send a 120-word tweet, a disaster in the making, there is no meeting of the minds at all prior to the first contact. No wonder we are having such a hard time getting along in these times. If you've ever watched the "Beverly Hillbillies" old TV program,

Not dumb, just different cultures is all. 

that's a pretty good depiction of what I'm talking about, they experienced a cultural clash, but it was about the speed of a glacier compared to modern communications. Is it a case of one being dumber than the other? Not at all, it's a matter of a lack of understanding, and maybe a little bit of impatience, but that too is another blog.
  Communications in emergencies is where the most value in instant communications shines, we just have to plan for it, cell phone usage, charging needs and telephone numbers are all now included in our emergency preparedness plans. I constantly beat the drum of preparing, I'm not an advocate of extreme preparing, I encourage being set up to survive the first three days after an event starts. I strongly advise people to set up an emergency reporting contact out of the area, for all family members to call and keep in touch with during a catastrophic event. (Link to FEMA's family planning template) I advocate it because when an emergency occurs everyone will be on their cell phones, the local lines will be jammed solid, out of state lines will be clear. Clogging the airwaves, even more, is the fault of human nature, when we get a "busy tone", what do we do? Why we hang up and immediately dial the number again, it creates an atmosphere of everyone in the local area trying to get through to loved ones, jamming up the lines in the process. Texting may work, maybe, but none the less it will be prudent to address our communication needs during disasters well before they are needed.

  Thanks for reading my blog, please share it, and let me know what you think in the comments, I may be all wet, hit the nail on the head, or just a word salad from your perspective, I'd like to hear it all.
jacquesandkate emergencykitsplus.com 

Self-reliance, disaster preparations, emergency response how do they relate to Self-Awareness, read this to find out.

  I bought a camera last week, I've had one or two in my life so far, I had relatively little interest in photography until I started following photographers on G+. I have discovered there is an enormous amount of talent that is involved, I am not trying to be a "master" photographer, my goal is to make decent Youtube videos. I have made a few with my cell phone, it was awkward for me as well, they were good quality pictures and the audio was good, but the phone was not cutting it, mainly because I did not like using it. My desire was to use the zoom and take some videos of wildlife mostly, to catch a flying bird is extremely difficult for me. I don't know how camera operators at sporting events can follow for instance golf balls in flight, or a baseball after it is hit, to me it's magic.

I would like to be able to capture this, however, I am aware it
will take a lot of practice for me to accomplish.

It seems like magic even more so now that I bought a low-end video camera, I have a huge learning curve. I watch a fairly large amount of videos on Youtube, I watch them to enable me to figure out all aspects of producing a quality video, my first 5 are amateur, but not terrible in comparison to some. I bring this up not to advertise my video channel but to talk about another aspect of, well I guess you'd call it life in general. I realized that it is a process of self-evaluation, I am taking the videos', editing them (big learning curve there as well for me), evaluating the result, and finally making a decision as to whether or not I want to publish them for the world to see. Self-evaluation to me is a process of taking an internal audit of the skills I possess to accomplish any given task. That is a tough gig, after being so self-reliant and independent my entire life, (I'm 66 years old) to evaluate my self can lead to a position of denial, and if I'm not careful it can also become a negative mind exercise. The only other way is to ask for input from other perspectives, in other words asking someone to make an evaluation of me honestly. Boy, that's scary, I don't know where it originated but my French Canadian dad would say "Don't ask the question if you don't want to hear the answer." I have taken that saying to heart and put it use during my life, but even at that the evaluation from another person may not be accurate as well. So I can make a list on my own, on one column maybe title "things I know," about a certain subject, and on the other column "things I don't know." That exercise also turns into a completely different end result, although I believe it's the correct direction to go. The end result is "Self-Awareness", it's the place where I have to start, and is the subject of this blog. Self-Awareness and how it relates to being prepared for future events, disasters, celebrations, disagreements, and any other of life's experiences that we encounter.

Even the happiest celebrations in the world are stressful, prepare
for it and your self-awareness will be increased.

  Self-Awareness has been defined by many professional Psychologists, with many of them writing professional papers and books on the subject, it is a very involved subject. Most likely everyone in the world could come up with a definition of it and how they relate it to their own lives and behaviors'. I have a definition for self-awareness and how it relates to my life, however, it is no way adaptable to everyone's situations. This photography adventure I am embarking on is what started my gears turning pertaining to self-awareness. It has been defined as "Emotional Intelligence", which is to me Empathy, the ability to identify the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of our fellow human beings, that's only part of it. Some define it as being a self-conscience evaluator of one's self, yes that's what I'm talking about today.
  My definition is a continual self-evaluation of myself, in so far as how mentally prepared I am for any unexpected or even planned event, in other words, it's important for me to know my limitations. It is very important to know in advance how I may relate to any given situation that presents itself, whether it's dropping a watermelon and breaking it or reacting to a catastrophic explosion. Military training deals with this exact subject in training, when a person is afforded good training when a situation presents itself, the person most of the time reverts back to the training. I experienced explosions on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, my shipmates and I reacted almost automatically, due to our intensive training. That is the reason I am an advocate of preparing an emergency plan, practicing it, and having supplies on hand. In a nutshell that is how I see self-awareness being related to self-reliance, I'm not sure one is possible without the other.
  The more a person is aware of what their limitations as well as what they excel in the more effective they will be in the event of any situation. As far as being independent and self-sufficient it pays to recognize in advance what a person's capabilities are, I read an article by a professional writer where he stated that his knowledge of mechanics is non-existent. He stated that he knows grammar, spelling, editing, and every aspect of his trade, however, someone could spend all day explaining how a motor works and he would not catch on. That my friends is to me being self-aware, he knows his limitations and his expertise, he's got it figured out. That is very valuable in an emergency, realize your limitations and make allowances for them mentally before anything happens.
  A large part of how I define self-awareness is to be aware of the dangers of any situation you may be encountering, that sounds easy, and in some instances it is. If for instance, I fall out of a boat, my life vest will help me and make it easy to get back on board again, it helps to know if I can swim or not, how strong the current is, where the ladder to get back on board is, and what needs to be done to ward off hypothermia. If for instance, I could not swim, I would know that, and by being self-aware I would be able to prepare myself if I were to fall overboard, no one else could possibly know my limitations unless I were to tell them. That in many ways is self-awareness, I have to tell myself mentally which lives skills I do not possess to cope with in a boating incident, it can be related to every one of life's tasks.
  Self-Awareness is also the realization of the potential hazards of your everyday life, and it is included in FEMA's family disaster planning templates (Link to the templates) Many people have lived in the same location for many years, others' move around due to job transfers, traveling, or just the desire to move on. For those of us that are a bit shall I say, tied to a wandering star, we need to evaluate our surroundings, every local in the world is the same but different. (I love that saying.) As an example I have never been in a hurricane, I was in one as it headed north from Louisianna up through Memphis when Iived there, but it was the tail end, basically just a bad rain storm. If I were to move to Hurricane country, I would have to perform some serious mental preparations. I spoke to a friend from Florida after the last Hurricane, I told her I found it unbelievable that people actually did not evacuate before the storm hit them, I was critical. I told her I could not believe they were waiting until it was determined what category the storm was before they left their homes. I thought, holy cow! Run, run as fast and as far as you can. She informed me I was totally wrong in my opinion, the people living there are all very well versed after suffering many of the storms. In addition, she said a lot of building codes have been changed making it illegal to build any structure not able to withstand a category 3 hurricane, my reply was simply "Oh". Over on her side of the street, she is every bit as puzzled since she moved to California as to why we are so nonchalant when it comes to earthquakes, That is how I see self-awareness, knowing, and preparing mentally for expected and not so expected events, in other words, be aware of your surroundings. I have a grandson who lived in Orlando when the massacre took place at the nightclub last year, he lived two blocks from there, he was a song and dance man at Disney World. We talked about things before he left, I have a saying that I tell all of the kids, "Go in with your eyes wide open," which means, evaluate the situation as you encounter it, if it doesn't feel right, leave fast. That is being self-aware as well, when in dought I tell them, run fast, run far. (He reads my blogs, so allow me this Hi Anthony, he's in Michigan right now.)

This is Florida, known for its excellent orange juice, also Hurricanes.

  Being aware of our limitations and our exceptionalism is a very important part of our survival, how can we become and stay self-aware? By just living life and learning new skills constantly, feed your curiosity and read everything, catalog in our minds what we can and cannot accomplish successfully, ask and get help with the task we are not adept at. Study the geographical area where you reside, know the natural disaster threats, know the man-made disaster threats, know what areas are not the safe places to be, in other words, be aware of as many of life's challenges as you can be. Become mentally strong, prepare for life's unpredictability, you will become as Self-Aware as you possibly can be.
  Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, what is Self-Awareness to you? Does my definition make sense or is it one of those things I am way off base on? Let me know, I'd like to hear from you in the comments. Thanks again.
jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com 

Are earthquakes more frequent now on the West Coast in California, Mexico, and Alaska? Are more on the way?

  San Jose, Morongo Valley, Aromas, Los Angelos, Soledad, Geyserville, Willets, and Twenty-nine Palms, all in California have something in common. That something is each one has experienced at least one earthquake in the past 3 days. (today is January 26, 2018). During the past one week period, 138 earthquakes (M1.5 or greater) have been recorded in California, 18 have occurred in the past 24 hours, 583 during the past 30 days and 7,708 in the past year. (follow this Link for a map showing them) Is there something going on? Is it an indicator that more or worse yet more powerful earthquakes are on the launch pad and ready to quake at any time?
  What's happening is something going on? The United States Geographical Society states that a temporary change in the frequency, or strength of the shakers is not a precursor of a bigger one or more in the near future. The increase in frequency during the past recent years is no indication of more earthquakes, however, it does indicate an increase in more seismic instruments recording the incidents.

Seismic monitorng station in Chalome, California

  You know that makes sense to me, communications have become instantaneous worldwide, we are able to experience an event, go on the internet and report it to anyone in the world, instantly. The ability to report immediately worldwide, by anyone is a powerful force that has changed the very fabric of our society. Research has developed much more reliable, and accurate measuring instruments as well, and the more that are made the more cost effective they are.
  Records have been kept since 1900, historically we have found an average of 16 major earthquakes occur each year, 15 of which exceed 7 magnitudes, and usually one in the 8 magnitudes or greater range. From 1973 through 2011 the average number (16) has been bested 8 times, so it's a pretty good predicting tool for frequency. Once again history is able to predict the future, to a certain extent, for emergency response budgets it is critical. 2010 experienced the largest number of earthquakes with 24, 7 magnitudes or greater, in contrast, 1989 had 6, (7 were major) well below the average predicted. During the historical period of 1906 Through 1995 there were recorded 11 earthquakes exceeding 8.0, this number relates the big ones on the West Coast from Mexico to Alaska. If you are old enough (like me) you may remember the largest of these that shook Southern Alaska on March 3, 1964. I remember on the nightly news (with Walter Cronkite) showing large slabs of concrete upturned and open fissures crossing roadways.

I remember this damage from the 1964 Alaska earthquake.

During this historic period six occurred in Alaska, one in Canada, and four in Mexico, none of the "big ones" were in California. The Great San Francisco earthquake did not make the list, surprisingly it was a 7.9, just below the 8 required to make this list. That quake destroyed most of the City, 3,000 people lost their lives, 28,000 buildings were destroyed. It was felt as far north as southern Oregon, south to Los Angelos, and east into central Nevada. Surprisingly earthquake activity in California has remained low, even that is not an indication that all is well, the 10,000 miles long San Andreas fault is the sleeping giant. it has the probability of a 75% chance of causing a 7 magnitude or greater within the next 30 years.
  That's the West Coast, (Link to a map showing the number of quakes that occurred during the past week, in North America). Earthquakes can and do happen on every continent in the World. Some states appear to be immune, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and the northern half of Michigan. These states are situated on granite bedrock, some of the oldest in the world. The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 were some of the largest in the U.S. since European records have been kept. Occurring in the most populated city at that time in the country, 600,000 acres were affected, 5,000,000 square miles, in Missouri. No area is immune entirely, we should not rest on an assumption that it won't happen here. The New Madrid quakes were 10 times larger than the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, three times as large as the Alaska earthquake of 1964. (Wow.) One amazing side note is the great Native American Shawnee leader Tecumseh predicted the New Madrid earthquakes two years before they occurred, stating "when the big river flows backward and the earth shakes we will meet." The Mississippi did indeed flow northward, then resumed its natural flow.

The New Madrid Fault is active and extremely large. 

  With all of the information, we now have we are still not able to predict earthquakes occurring in a timely manner to save lives with an early evacuation. The best things we can do is prepare and remain ready.
  1)  Use a FEMA template to make an emergency response plan. (Link to FEMA's family make a plan template)
  2)  Have some emergency supplies on hand, either commercially prepared or put together individually. (Link to a typical commercially available earthquake kit)
  3)  Expect, blackouts, fires, and communication failures.
  If we each practice these three suggestions, we will be a step ahead of the crowd, and we will be able to sleep better at night. My kits are sitting next to the door, on the upper level, ready to go.
  Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, we experience a lot of minor earthquakes where my wife and I live, most are ho-hum, some cause extensive damage, I'm lucky, I've only experienced small shakers, otherwise referred to in my world as a "what was that? An earthquake?"

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Mount Mayon in the Philippines is erupting, listed here are proactive steps we can take prior to a Volcano eruption.

 When I was in the Navy I was stationed in the Philippines for a while, it is a beautiful country, and the people are very industrial, but being in the "ring of fire" presents its own challenges. The island country is located near where two tectonic plates meet, grinding against each other causing the conditions that make it highly susceptible to earthquakes, and volcanos. The heavy rains and saturated earth add mudflows to the already hazardous conditions. This week all of those forces join once again to place the nation in jeopardy, an all too familiar scene for the Phillipinos.

Mount Mayon is a beautiful sight, but oh so dangerous.

  Mayon, the most destructive volcano in the Philippines has blown its top. The deadly volcano, one of about 22 actives on the island nation, it began spewing ash two weeks ago. Wednesday (January 24, 2018) the volcano belched molten lava and thick clouds of ash a minimum of four times, displacing more than 75,000 people. The ash and lava fountains have been ejected as far as 2 miles from the crater, it's a spectacular sight but terribly dangerous. The Pyroclastic Flow which is superheated volcanic ash, rocks, and gas have been slung a distance of 3 miles from the top of the mountain crater. The flow is red hot, capable of burning and incinerating everything in its path. The number of evacuees keeps growing, it is impossible to predict the how long the eruption will last, it may be months. Evacuees are being housed in at least 70 shelters, scores of schools are being used as relief centers.

Mayon erupting lava, yesterday.

 Many of the people are farmers, having left their homes in designated "danger" zones they naturally are concerned for their livestock which supplies their only source of income. The farmers try to go back to their farms to check on the animals, it's very difficult to control their return. Some officials are recommending utilities in the danger zones be shut down to discourage the people from returning to their towns, homes, and farms. In a span of 500 years, Mayon has erupted 50 times, during an ash eruption in 2013, 5 years ago, five climbers were killed near the summit after ignoring warnings not to hike near the crater. The deadliest eruption occurred in 1814, more than 1200 people were buried under volcanic mud in the town of Cagsawa, to this day the stone churches belfry can still be seen sticking out of the ground, a testament to Mayon's awesome destructive power.

Built in the 1700's, the church was buried with ash, the belfry
remains jutting out from the ground, since 1814.

Mayon is having what is referred to as an "explosive eruption", the last one occurred in 2001 and shot ash 6 miles into the sky, that is inconceivable to me. Mayon is the same type of Volcano as Mount Vesuvius, the one that buried Pompeii preserving the 2,000 bodies under a thick blanket of ash for hundreds of years. That long ago eruption began the exact same way as this Philippine mountain is now, Mayon may erupt in a similar fashion soon, a powerful and deadly explosion is a very real possibility, it may be happening as you are reading this.
  So many people live in the shadow of volcanos, not just Mayon, there are active Volcanos all around the world. It makes me wonder how in the world people deal with the uncertainty of an eruption at any time, what can a person do to prepare? After all, an active Volcano is much different than any other natural event, capable of lasting from a few days to years, I don't remember a time when Hawaii did not have lava flowing into the ocean. Every year our world experiences an average of 50 eruptions worldwide, what can we do to prepare in advance for an eruption?
  Here I listed a few things we can do to prepare:

  *Have a Disaster Emergency Supply Kit made up either a commercially prepared kit or one of your own making. In it should be things like non-perishable food, a lot of water, an emergency radio, and lighting with extra batteries or solar powered. Goggles, gloves, leather boots or shoes, and breathing protection for all family members. In such an extreme environment I would purchase the best respirator I could afford, a full face "gas mask" with an ammonia filter is one that I would recommend. (Link to a suitable evacuation kit)

  *We need a Family Emergency Plan, written specifically for a volcanic event, everyone may not be together when it occurs, be sure to include contact information, where to meet, as well as a contact telephone number out of the affected area. Include the children in the planning, I am a strong advocate of that because it gives them a feeling of "ownership". When their ideas are included in the planning they will be more willing to go along with the plan and most likely will take a leadership role when it comes to their suggestions. Pets must be planned for, most pets never make it back home after a catastrophic event, they get scared and don't stop running. (Link to a FEMA planning template)

  *Emergency response personnel will be directing the evacuation, they will know the best avenue to take to avoid the ash, red-hot lava, and gasses. They will also have information from volcanologists as to what the prediction is in the direction an explosion may take in the event there is one. It is prudent to follow their instructions, stay away from the zones they have declared as being a danger.

  *Mudflows accompany eruptions, especially in locations such as the Philippines where they experience heavy rainfall, mudflows move faster than you or I ever could run or walk. Do not enter any streams or try to cross them, make sure to look upstream before crossing a bridge. A wall of mud may be approaching if it is you will never make it across. Do not travel in low lying areas, take the high road, stay out of valleys, river courses, and land depressions. Infants and elderly people will need your help.

  *Protect yourself from falling ash if you can not evacuate, stay indoors, close all windows, doors, and ventilation ducting, keep them closed and stay inside until the ash is no longer suspended in the air. If you suffer respiratory ailments do not come in contact with any amount of ash, wait until the authorities declare it is safe to go outside.

  *Turn your emergency radio on and stay informed, during most disasters, blackouts, and water outages are the norm.

  *Wear clothing that completely covers you, long pants, long sleeve shirts, a hat, respirator, goggles, and gloves should all be worn. Remove your contact lenses, wear regular glasses.

  *If you don't have a respirator or dust mask use a dampened cloth and hold it over your face, it will help you breathe.

  *Determine which way the wind is blowing and stay upwind of the ash flow if at all possible do not venture downwind of the event.

  *Do not run your vehicles, ash will clog up air filters in short order, and if it enters the engine it most likely will destroy the motor. Do not drive unless you have to.

  *The only reason to leave your house would be if there was a danger of the roof collapsing in on you or lava is heading towards you.

  *After the eruption, go to a public shelter if you have been directed to evacuate your home, or if you feel it is unsafe to stay there.

  *Watch TV, check the internet, and listen to the radio to stay informed, just because the flow may have stopped it does not mean the event is over, staying up to date on the conditions are extremely important.

  *To find a shelter in your area Text: SHELTER + your zip code to 43362 (4fema) you will be informed of the nearest shelter to you.
  I don't have to stress how Catastrophic a Volcanic eruption can be, we see on the television 50 or so every year. Some older residents advise their grandchildren to get an education so they won't have to spend their lives living in the shadow of a monster that may erupt at any time.
  Thank you for reading and sharing, leave your thoughts in the comments, during these natural events the human suffering is always in the forefront of our concerns, Mayon has not caused any deaths during this eruption so far, let's hope it stays that way.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Drones, become a professional operator I have a list of basic requirements, 9 basic rules and 3 requirements find it here

  I like drones, I don't really want one, I tried to fly one once and I did not do very well, I have good eye-hand coordination but flying one of the remote aircraft takes practice. Practice flying a drone is not one of my interest, I would much rather watch the grandkids fly them, they adapt to them well, maybe it's from playing computer games a lot, I don't know for sure but I suspect that's at least a part of it.

Photograph of a typical drone, with a camera. 

 Another huge part of it is using it to take videos, that is what I enjoy looking at, it's pretty cool to me. There is a lot of activities and experiences I have never participated in, even though I'm 66 years old, no matter how hard a person tries, they cannot accomplish every interest he/she has. I have recently discovered photography, I have extremely limited knowledge of taking pictures, I'm pretty good at handing a camera to one of the grandkids and let them take as many snapshots as they want. The drones are capable of filming almost anywhere, at anytime, they are restricted however, they are governed by the FAA, just like the airlines, every once in a while we hear on the news or read about a drone pilot (ok, let's call them pilots), that gets into serious trouble invading airspace in violation of Federal Law. A common refrain in conversation is "ignorance is no excuse when it comes to the law." The FAA has a different way of saying the same thing, "When you fly a drone in the United States, it is your responsibility to understand and abide by the rules."
  The FAA considers an aircraft a drone as a flying machine that is pilotless and is controlled by an operator on the ground. A special division of the FAA has been established, referred to with the abbreviation UAS, Unmanned Aircraft System, and defined by a public law 112-95, Section 331(8) (Link) which reads Ver Batum:
  "An unmanned aircraft system is an unmanned aircraft and the equipment necessary for the safe and efficient operation of that aircraft. An unmanned aircraft is a component of a UAS. It is defined by statute as an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft" (Public Law 112-95, Section 331(8)).
  Does a model aircraft qualify as a drone, (UAS) you know the type controlled by wires or radio control? Yes if it is capable of flying for an extended amount of time through the air, it's flown within sight of the operator as a hobby, it is unmanned and not influenced by the operator other than remotely. The type of model aircraft controlled from the ground, by a person, with the use of guide wires is not a drone and consequently is not governed by the FAA.

 Is there a license or other qualifier to enable a person to fly a drone as employment?

Yes, there are 3 requirements 

1) Obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA.
2) Register as a UAS "Non-Modeler", declaring you are a professional.
3) Adherence to CFR Part 107 rules. (Link to the rules)

 The following 9 points summarize the rules:

  1) The UAS must not weight over 55 pounds total.
  2) Occupy Class G airspace only
  3) The Drone must be in line of sight of the operator
  4) Restricted to fly below 400 feet
  5) Fly only during daylight
  6) Cannot exceed 100 miles per hour
  7) All aircraft operated by a pilot must be yielded the right of way, always.
  8) No flying overhead of people.
  9) Flying from a moving vehicle is restricted, there are exceptions.

  This is by no means an all-inclusive list, if a person is interested in becoming a professional drone pilot the first place to start would be reading, understanding, and accepting the Part 107 rules.

  To become a UAS operator the "Remote Pilot Certification" the certification procedure is involved, there are

 Six basic requirements that must be met.

  * The applicant must be 16 years or older.
  * Command of the English language is required.
  * Must be in a physical, and mental condition to be able to operate the aircraft responsibly.
  * Pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Exam, administered by the FAA.
  * The Certificate is valid for a two year period the applicant must pass the test every two years
  * The Pilot must have the Certificate available while flying the drone.
(Link to becoming a remote pilot)

  Can I just fly anywhere willy-nilly? No there are airspace restrictions, they are the same everywhere but different depending on the location. Flying around emergency response aircraft is always illegal, everywhere. There are also "No Drone Zones", which are up to the operator to be up to date on because they are fairly new technology the zones are often modified.

Never fly your drone around emergency response units of any sort

The FAA has developed a mobile app, B4UFLY (FAA's safety app), providing up to date real-time information about airspace restriction and other restrictions, it uses your GPS location on your cell phone.
  I am just touching the tip of the iceberg on drones, it is easy to imagine many uses for the unique flying machines. I am on the side of the street that advocates using them where ever lives can be saved, dangerous conditions can be reported on without endangering the reporter, search and rescue, and police activities. I am all for anything to assist emergency personnel in accomplishing their goal of rescuing people and keeping us safe. I like to watch the races on television, and the idea of remote deliveries as planned by some of the "Big Box" online e-commerce sites. (You know the outfit well). I have been acquainted with drones since I was in Vietnam, we used primitive ones for "target" practice, although most were towed. The one similarity I was familiar with was the ability of our aircraft to be able to perform every task of a mission with the exception of landing on the Aircraft Carrier. In 1970, it seemed like magic, but it was all controlled by a cassette tape in the dash of the plane, please remember 8 tracks had just come out that year. The tiny cassette was truly amazing to us during that long ago time.

Cutting edge technology in 1970, the players often "ate" the
8 track tapes, it was funny actually, not so back then, the tapes
were expensive, $3.50

  Thanks for reading and sharing, learning to use a drone is a self-reliance skill and is useful in many of the activities we are involved in, chasing coyotes away being one. Have you flown a drone? Are you good at it? Leave a comment and let me know, I will write a blog on "Hobby Drones" at some point, I thought I would be able to cover both professional and recreational uses, but clearly, it is more involved than what I thought.

jacquesandkate    emergencykitsplus.com

My home Garden, It's January, it's early so I planted my Jalapenos, started a you-tube channel and built a small greenhouse.

  I have started a Youtube channel, it is kind of fun, I don't know what I am doing yet but I'm learning. I have made a few videos, mainly to figure the systems out, I am in baby steps.

This is how I feel, and video I'm sure. 

It is fun, I have never done anything like it in my life, I am not an attention seeking sort of person, in fact, I am a textbook example of an introvert. I would like not to be introverted but that's the hand I was dealt, it's not like I am totally anti-social or anything like that, I prefer to be alone. So to appear in videos is a real change of style for me, but I approach it like I approach everything else in my life, as an adventure. My wife, on the other hand, is a song and dance person, she loves the spotlight, and she is very good at it, she is a semi-pro dancer. For myself, I play the guitar, uke, and banjo uke and would freeze solid if I had to play in front of a crowd, I don't know how she does it. (This is a Link to my video, critique it please)
  The latest video I made was dealing with how to set up a grip for the new video camera I bought. I have found the two most important aspects of a video are a quality 1080p format and stellar audio. I began using my Samsung cell phone, it had a good picture, and as long as an external microphone was used there was good audio as well. My issue with it shooting videos is that I just don't like the phone. I am unable to see the viewfinder, the zoom is not good at all, and it's awkward when it is on a tripod which has its own issues. I bought a Canon HF r800, not fancy and not expensive, just a very usable video recorder.
  My knowledge of photography is limited, and that is giving me a lot of credit, I know nothing about the subject, so I decided to tackle it. I decided to use the same angle of attack on the videos that I use on my blogs, it's simplified but it works, it's a good way to present my products to people as well, and it affords me a real chance to watch my self in so far as my speaking and presentation skills.
  When I write a blog I am writing to one person, I write it as if you are sitting across the table from me and we are talking, except in a blog I dominate the conversation hoping to inspire you to leave a comment. That one person I envision is intelligent, compassionate, and easy to talk to but not easy to manipulate. After I choose the person in my head, for example, this blog a person interested in gardening and developing self-reliance skills such as what is the subject of this particular blog.

One word is worth a thousand pictures, wait that's not right.

  I write my blog around one word, I will pick a word from the news cycle, some easy ones are weather-related, and there are others. such as I have chosen water, wind, and mosquitos as subjects, I will choose one and then set off on a mind exercise thinking of all of the words I can associate with the chosen one. It works for me, you will be surprised my choice for today's blog is not video, youtube, or any related subjects. My word for today is Jalapeno, yes the pepper, it is also the subject of a video I started to make yesterday.
  Even though it is January 18, 2018, I have decided to resist the urge I have each year and start my seeds early, in this case real early. One of my grandson's and I, mostly him, have built a rather small garden seed starting table. I like to make things out of reclaimed materials, some I get from neighbors, some I get from the side of the road, and some I have laying around the house. The table was built from 2x4's, an old 3-foot x 6-foot shallow wood box and a piece of plexiglass I was given by a neighbor. I have tried to start seeds in my garage under a light, it was not successful, I would get a few plants, the garage is just too cold. I would then end up buying plants, that is OK but it gets expensive, and even a few of those don't make it. So this year I made the table greenhouse box, it is a miniature greenhouse actually maintaining a steady 80 degrees during the day, overnight I'm sure it drops lower. It frosted last night so it will be a real test to learn how effective it is in protecting the seeds.

My functional garden table, it works fine.

I was not planning on starting the seeds this early but the weather seems to be so mild this year I decided to plant a few. (Until it frosted last night) Some years I get drawn into the trap of planting early, like this year. I have noticed every year towards the end of February, generally the first nice, warm day, people flock to the nurseries and garden supply stores to purchase plants for the garden. Every year I think it's way too early, but alas I too get caught up in it, this year I have been bitten especially hard by it. I want these to sprout and to eventually grow into mature plants, however, if they don't, I am no stranger to failure, I will merely plant some more, eventually, success will be mine.
  I make my own planting mix, my compost is made of leaves I gather in the fall and allow to decompose. I mix this with a little wood ash from the fireplace, and of course several big scoops of worm castings in a 5-gallon bucket. I am using fiber planting cups this year, I have used them other years with mixed results, but those years I got them with plants that I bought. So I fill the cups up with the mix and plant three seeds in the center, 1/4 inch deep, then I water them. They will take about 2-3 weeks to show their tiny green heads after they do I will water them with "worm tea". The worm tea is an organic compound made from the manure of worms, placed in a paint strainer bag and suspended in water with air circulating around it (the bag of castings) for 24 hours. The liquid fertilizer is rich in natural nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, and aluminum. It is recommended not to put the tea on anything you plan to consume, it is after all manure. Because it is a manure the threat of pathogens is always present, there are ways to lessen the chances, but regardless don't apply the tea to vegetables themselves. If you are making the tea yourself, and you raise your own worms which in turn create the castings you are a step ahead because you are in total control of what they are fed. I, for example, feed my worms table scraps only, no meat, no bones, no oil or grease, salt, citrus and the list goes on. If they are fed meat, bones, and animal feces the potential for pathogen creation is greater, the raccoons get the bones, meat, and all other foods related.

I make my compost in this compost bin, this photo was taken
right after it was built, now it is heaping full of organic material.

  The seeds are planted, and the lid is closed, I will check them every day, making sure they are kept watered, and I will finish the video. I am expecting good results, I always expect them, and actually most years I do pretty well, some years not so much. Last years garden was a bust, I have no excuses except one, extremely poor planning, normally I plan to a tee. People that are unfamiliar with gardening don't realize how much planning is involved, especially if the garden is in raised bed containers like mine are. There is limited room so to fit everything I want in them is very planning intensive. It's early to plant, I did it anyway, even if they fail I can get more seeds, if they don't fail then I am just a little further ahead and my wife will have her peppers to make her poppers with. That my friends are my driving reasons to grow them, my wife loves making and eating Jalapeno Poppers, I on the other hand due to medical issues cannot eat hot peppers. (Link to survival vegetable seeds)
  I will complete my Jalapeno video I hope the first week of February when they sprout, I will then post it. I will make videos of several of my projects, I plan on making a video of a steam chest to bend wood, a worm tea brewer, I make walking canes, I have a vegetable tower I made, and many equipment reviews to do.
  Thank you for reading and sharing, leave a comment or story, I'd like to hear from you, thanks.

jacquesandkate   emergencykitsplus.com

Freezing temperatures in Florida, how are the Alligators, Manatees, Iguanas, and other species coping? find out here

  The cold weather is a big change from the usual winters the Southern U.S. experiences, it has to be a real eye-opener for the residents. There is definitely a skill set needed to maneuver a vehicle over ice-shrouded roads and streets. It doesn't take very much ice or snow to make roads impassable, an extremely thin sheet of ice on a road will send a car careening out of control. I was raised in the snow, it was a long time ago, I do remember some of the impossible spots I saw cars in after running off the road. One, for example, was a car with a young lady driving it, or it appeared she was the driver, the road was iced over, she spun out of control and landed on top of a ten-foot-tall snow bank. It can be a real challenge to drive in, no matter what the level of experience is that the driver has.

A Green Iguana, I would not want one to fall on my head.

  The Southern States have another unique situation facing them, invasive species, I'm thinking mostly of Florida because that state is the poster child for them. There are all sorts of species invading our country, some brought in as pets, some brought in accidentally and some intentionally in years past with the intention of controlling some other animal. The Tropic environment of Florida is just right for reptiles and mammals of all breeds. I started to wonder if the invasive species, (thinking now mostly of the Boa Constrictors and Pythons) are suffering from the extreme temperatures, frost, and snow. Iguanas are one of the invasive species that have adapted really well to a perfect climate for them, until the cold snap. then Iguanas started falling out of the trees, they are having a hard time coping with the change in climate. The residents have found countless reptiles laying belly up everywhere, but not all of them are dead, some are in a "limbo" state. Reptiles are cold-blooded animals, as is typical of reptiles as the temperature goes down so follows their ability to function. (Link to a complete listing of Florida's invasive species)
The Iguanas are freezing, however, once the temperature rises they can snap back to life, endangering anyone who decides to pick one up, they get defensive when they cannot move, they will bite you. The critical temperature is about 50 degrees, as it gets colder the effects are much more severe making it incredibly hard for the animals to cope. At that temperature they become lifeless and begin to enter hibernation, they are not suited for cold temperatures. Typically Florida is the sunshine state, sunny, humid and rarely cold, but when it does get cold, Iguanas fall out of trees. If the lizards are exposed to the extreme temperatures for a period lasting longer than a few days, depending on their age and size, they will die eventually.
  My curiosity centered around the Burmese Python situation in that state, I have read about the contest that is conducted killing the invasive species of snake. They are not any more suited to the cold weather than the Iguanas are. The question is "Will this invasion of extremely cold weather help in the control of the Pythons?" The snakes are overpopulating the Everglades, and they fare poorly in the cold, however, they have a tendency to slither under heavy undergrowth, that protects them. The giant snakes that have not adapted well may expire after a few days in the extreme cold if they are unable to find a warm shelter. It would take a deep freeze to cause even a minimal dent in the population, their ability to crawl underground, underbrush and their size (they are large animals), all combine to protect them from the frost. When an abandoned animal den is found, underground dens the type Armadillos or Tortoise burrows are lifesavers to the giant snakes, underground the temperature remains a constant 60 degrees Fahrenheit. When the snakes occupy the den of a native species that native species will be left in a compromising spot, another example of the damage an invasive species is capable of causing. Estimates of tens of thousands of the animals have taken up residence in Florida, some were pets released after they became too large to handle, some escaped during Hurricanes, Tornados, and flooding.

Burmese Python, one picture is worth a thousand words.

They are excellent hunters and hiding is their strong trait, not only are they camouflaged but they are intelligent and very agile to boot. In the habitat the snakes evolved in, Southeast Asia, Burmese Pythons use Porcupine burrows to gain protection from the cold, they are smart animals and will seek shelter when they can. In many ways, they have survived "Natural Selection", are now at the top of their food chain. During 2010 Florida experienced an intense period of cold weather, the Burmese Python population appeared to drop, however when 2012 rolled around and another study was conducted it was found the invasive species bounced back, it would take an extreme cooling off for an extended period of time to kill off the snakes. It is predicted this cold snap will be ineffective in helping to eradicate that species. A sobering fact is over time they may adapt to become more tolerant of the cold snowy weather, and expand their range, oh great. (Link to more on Florida's Pythons)
  Manatees are one of the hardest hit species, although they are not an invasive species, they just are not adapted to the cold weather. In January 2018, 200 of the passive mammals have died, 429 is the most Manatees Florida has lost in any single year. To lose 50% of that number in one month is mind-boggling, to say the least, local wildlife officials are keeping a close eye on them. The waterborne mammals can experience "Cold Stress Syndrome", when the water temperature dips below 68 degrees for an extended period it can cause the Manatees to become weak, resulting in death. If they do survive the event more serious health issues may be suffered by them later down the road. Manatees are struggling in the cold, they will survive as long as the cold snap does not last weeks or as long as a month.
  The Sea Turtles suffer from much the same cold water conditions as the Manatees do, their low temperature is 50 degrees f. They become chilled, they are cold-blooded animals as well, they enter a "coma" type of state. The turtles cannot move, when they are in the water it may turn into a deadly event for them. The Sea Turtles have been found on beaches helpless after being washed up by waves, rescuing them has been a huge success. During the Month of January 2018 (I am writing this on the 18th, so we're not even close to the end of the month), 4500 sea turtles have been rescued from the freezing temperatures. After they are rescued the amphibians are placed in warm salt water and allowed some rest and relaxation time, during which they recover with 80% of them already having been released. A lot of the Turtles have been tagged, making the study of them much more effective than before the freeze.
  What about the alligators, did you see the video of the alligator with its snout sticking out of the frozen pond? The crocodilians are capable of surviving cold snaps, they don't like being cold even a little bit, in fact, they enjoy it less than humans. That alligator in the pond appeared to be dead or dying, but that can't be further from the truth, it was very much alive after having gone into "survival mode". That's what they do in the extreme cold, they can sense what's happening so they expect it, laying lifeless in the water they stick their noses out of the water to allow themselves the ability to breathe.

The Alligators snout frozen in ice, it did survive.

They go into a state called "Torpor", their metabolism comes to an almost complete stop, but they do not hibernate or go into a deep sleep state. When they enter Torpor they are lethargic, still barely moving, barely breathing but still very much alive, however, they would die within 24 hours if their ability to breathe was taken away. They must keep their snouts above the water, in the video, it just so happens this is one of the more rare times when the pond froze around the animal's muzzle, the alligator most likely did not notice. They cannot deal with the cold water for a long extended period, extended cold weather in the south is rare, so few die from exposure to the cold. Once the ice has melted and the water temperature reaches 65-70 degrees all is well in the alligator world, they become active again just like they have done for millions of years.
  So my curiosity is satisfied, I initially started this blog thinking that the invasive species would be in serious trouble with this bout of icy weather, I was mistaken. The native species like the Manatees are suffering worse than the invasive species from South East Asia, sometimes things just don't make sense. Doesn't it seem like native animals should be better equipped for the cold than the imported ones? It appears that is not the case, in fact, the one species suffering the most is the most native to Florida, the Manatees. I wonder why the Sea Turtles don't just turn around and head south instead of continuing in the direction of the freezing temperatures. The Iguanas will most likely bounce back, they are a tough species, but still, they don't belong in Florida along with hundreds of other invasives, they are not dying to take over, they are just taking over.
(Link to disaster emergency kit)
  Thank you for reading and sharing, let me know what you think about the cold, what experience do you have coping with it, write it in the comments below. Thanks again!
jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com
 

A video on how to assemble the Vivitar sports grip, external Vid-Pro mic and light, along with the Canon HF R800.

I have created a new video, it's explaining how to assemble the Vivitar Sports Grip, Vid-Pro external microphone, Vid-Pro external Light along with the Canon HF R800 video camera. I stepped out of my niche because of my failure to find a video on You-Tube explaining how it is done, of course, there are no written instructions included with the parts. If you are so inclined please give it a look and tell me what you think, I am a pure amateur and here is the Link

The False Nuclear Bomb Alarm in Hawaii, and how the Federal Government managed to scare all the kids in the 1950's

  I was raised during the 1950's and 1960's, just like any other two-decade period a lot of things happened. I entered the first grade in 1957, that makes me an old geezer I guess although I don't feel old, and I have never been able to figure out what a "geezer" is. It kind of sounds like a tool a person would use in a furnace or something of the like. I suppose it's just one of those words someone somewhere started using and it caught on like wildfire. The education I received during those long ago days was different than what the kids are taught today, for example just think of all the "new" countries and governments that have changed around or in fact, are no longer in existence.

A photograph of the Bikini Atoll Nuclear Bomb test, it very
nearly destroyed the world.

One big change that became evident during and after the "false" alarm of a nuclear bomb headed for Hawaii, is the way we react to the threat. Parents were lowering their children into the drainage system of the cities. A seemingly bogus alert was sent out, as the Washington Post reported it read:

“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” (Link)

A little less than two months ago Hawaii brought its early alarm system back from the dead, something I don't understand why it was ever de-activated. Testing was scheduled to begin the following first business day of each month, but they did not align the cell phone alerts to the antiquated system they were trying to restore. Normally the procedure follows this protocol: The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency receives a message from the U.S. Pacific command stating there is a "verified threat", then there is a checklist that is followed to be certain the report is accurate. If it is deemed true, a human sounds an alarm for phone and television, then a separate person flips the switch to the Nuclear Warning siren, that did not happen on Saturday. It was reported the alarm was triggered for the cellphone and television during a shift change by mistake. The agency stated in response to the mistake that an investigation would begin by examining their procedures and protocols for such an event. The Pacific Command in Hawaii received a message nearly immediately that it was not an accurate alarm, then they were tasked with how to handle it. These systems have not been activated in over 30 years, the tests in most locals ended when the "cold war" supposedly did. Once it was confirmed there were no "incoming" ballistic missiles with a nuclear warhead attached to it, officials in Hawaii had to be consulted prior to issuing a message to be certain they did not confuse the situation even more. They had to go through exactly what happened with assistance from the State Department. The warning message of the impending attack was sent at 8:07 am Saturday morning, it took until 8:48 am to report it was a false alarm. It took about 40 minutes, meanwhile, people were in a panic. I have faith the system will be fixed and most likely a similar incident will not be repeated. We will probably have false alarms, but it won't happen exactly like that again. (Link to how the alarm system is supposed to happen)
  I brought up being raised in the 50's because I am very well versed in evacuating for a "nuclear attack", it was part of our school curriculum believe it or not. We were trained or instructed on how to react to the threat of a nuclear attack, we called them "ICBM" missiles in those days, Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles to be exact. In fact, I remember some of the adults joking about it, the joke went something like this: One person would say "ICBM", another would answer with "where?", give it a little thought it will make sense. In grade school we had "Nuclear Bomb Evacuation" drills, there was a distinct set of rules we had to follow. If we did not follow those rules and practice them, yes as homework sometimes, and we had tests on the subject matter, this was serious stuff, if we did not follow the protocol we would DIE if a real missile ever was launched.

Everyone was involved in politics in the 1950's, they kept us scared that's
for sure. 

 The government had every grade school kid in the country scared to death one day a month, while we were evacuating to our homes. The way it would work is this, and I hope I remember all of what we were suppose to do.
  We would bring home a note from the school telling our parents the school was going to scare us half to death on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1959, the parents had to sign it. I would like to remind everyone that just over 10 years earlier WWII had ended and all of our parents were veterans, including a lot of the mothers as well, (I want to make certain the ladies get their credit, they were instrumental in the war effort) and they were all extremely serious about the nuclear drills. After bringing the "permission slip" back to school, everyone brought them back, I don't know what would have happened had we not have, then we would wait for Wednesday.
  Wednesday rolled along, all the little kids, of which I was one, would bring all kinds of weird stuff to school, I did not want to die without my stuffed tiger, so I brought him along, I suppose they encouraged us to bring that stuff to comfort us or something. (Who said we can't take it with us?) We showed up at school on the dreaded morning of the drill, anticipation was high, nothing got done. Of course, the drill was set to take place around lunchtime, so we did not get an entire day off. At the designated time the alarm would go off, two alarms actually, the school alarm and the teacher's alarm. One was a loud air raid siren, the other was the teacher hollering "Children! Children! Move swiftly!" or something in that order. Where did we move to? Under our desk, of course, we had to crawl under the desk, curl up in a fetal position and cover our heads with a book, yep, that was it. We stayed under there for a while, just how long I don't recall, but some kids fell asleep, I wanted to just leave. After we marinated for a while under the desk the teacher would clap and announce "Children it's time to evacuate to your homes", it was like the last day of school, kids were overjoyed. We all stood up, got in line (yes everything we did was in a line) then we filed out of the school as if there was more dignity in dying in an orderly fashion. However as soon as we hit the door all bets were off, Kids were running everywhere, we were not quite as serious as our WWII veteran parents were. I never could figure out why the Communist Russians would want to bomb Bloomington, Minnesota, perhaps to cripple a small segment of the corn crop? There is a large veterans cemetery in the vicinity, but those guys were already dead, we were the targets, but why us? All of those types of questions swirled around in our heads, in fact, the nuclear threat was most likely zero, or we were so far down on the list of targets it did not matter. Anyways, we walked home, we had a time limit to get there, our parents were supposed to report to the school how long it took, most of them were less than truthful about it. All the kids that normally took a bus had to walk home, so some of them had a long walk, I took the bus but the walk was only a mile or so, in those days all we did was walk. Well, we drilled, practiced, studied, and feared the Russian bombing of my small town, we all felt it was just a matter of time until we all died from a nuclear explosion. I'm here to say it did not happen, I personally don't believe it ever will.

The WWII vets didn't mess around when it came to getting
equipment, especially when it was to "save the children".

  At the end of all of this, I understand the reaction of the people of Hawaii, especially after years of not exercising the drills, alarms, or warning systems. I won't point a finger at the people whose jobs it is to warn people, or the total and complete failure of the governmental entities to educate the people on how to react or what to do. It surprises me how passively we have accepted the threat of Nuclear Destruction, since the 50's we have had many Nuclear accidents, all at the fault of mankind. The power of a Nuclear Blast now is much greater than it was when the Hydrogen Bomb was "tested" in the Bikini Atoll in the early 1960's. 10,000 people were sent to the atoll to set and detonate that beast, the largest ever assembled up to that point, this was still a top secret until about 10 years ago. When the bomb was set off, monkeys on distant islands, 200 miles away went blind, but that was not the worst of it. That bomb blew a hole through our atmosphere and jetted into outer space taking a giant chunk of the ozone layer with it, that bomb destroyed the ozone layer. It burned up the atmosphere from horizon to horizon, about a 75-mile diameter, and caused the giant hole in the ozone layer. It is my belief we are still dealing with that hole today, sure it's said that it is closing up, I have no dought after all of this time. Some of the Nuclear Scientists thought they had destroyed the world, most jumped on an airplane and flew home, never to work in the Nuclear field again, it scared the ever living dickens out of them, as it should everyone. Atmospheric testing of Nuclear bombs was no longer allowed after that incident, they almost destroyed the world.
  Hopefully, we never experience another Nuclear false alarm, I think there will be more, especially now when craziness in government is the rule of the day. I told my wife if there ever is an ICBM launched at our island, (tell me again how we could be a military target), I am going out on the levee and hope it hits me between the eyes, I don't want to live through a Nuclear winter, or a lot of human suffering.
(Link to a pre-assembled evacuation kit)
  Thank you for reading and sharing, I'm not sure what if any value I have added to your life with this blog, but a little history of things never killed anyone but ignoring history has.

jacquesandkate   emergencykitsplus.com

Sea Lion Bite you? What the heck would you do if one did, you will know after reading this.

  They follow the fish in from the ocean, at least that's the story I hear from people, they don't make much noise in the delta, unlike the bay where they are noisy as all get out. I have watched them in the slough, sometimes a lone male, he is a big guy, and sometimes a female and baby. We have all seen sea lions in circuses, aquariums, and in the wild as well, there are a lot of them on the California Coast. Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is crowded with them, noisy, unruly, and obnoxious, tourists love them, fishermen not so much. Some of them are extremely large, taking up an entire float and defending it as if they own the thing, in a way they do for a while. (Link sea lion facts)
  I have a tendency to believe they are harmless, at least I did believe that until recently when a few incidents occurred that made me curious. The first was on television news, a girl was sitting on the edge of what appeared to be some sort of a tank made of concrete. Suddenly a sea lion jumped out of the water, grabbed the seat of her pants and dragged her into the water, it was alarming. She was dragged under the water when a bystander leaped in, grabbed her and pulled her to safety, the young girl had to be scared at a minimum.

Photo of a large sea lion, powerful, and determined to survive.

  A fourth victim was bitten at the aquatic park in San Francisco Bay yesterday, January 11, 2017, A lady and her friend were swimming, a normal activity for them, when suddenly she was grabbed onto by the seal and dragged under the water. Bleeding badly when she was released, luckily a paramedic was in the water swimming at the same time, he assisted her. She did not want to go to the doctor, that is not the choice I would make, but we all decide for ourselves, her friend did convince her to get an examination.
 December 15, 2016, a male swimmer was bitten on the thigh by one of the sea creatures, it is not known if the same animal was involved. A severe bite he was taken to the hospital for treatment. That incident was one day after another person was attacked that did not require a medical exam or treatment.
 Sea Lion's attacking humans is not completely unknown, from 2011-2013 there were 10 people bitten in San Francisco Bay and 1 in Puget Sound, Washington. There is no predicting, and no patterns to the bites, although one person was bitten when he tried to pet a pinniped, they are after all wild animals. Being in such quarters with humans we do have a tendency to think of all wild animals as somehow being more "tame" when they are that close. We hear about tourist being gored by deer, elk, and bison as well as being attacked by wild bears, raccoons, and other vicious wild creatures that deserve our respect and a wide berth. When wild animals interact with humans it can be defined in many ways, the way I think of the relationship is, "humans are involved for the entertainment of some sort, the animals are involved for survival, every day is a struggle of life and death for them." There is no understanding, no compassion, no empathy, and actually very little thought on the part of the wild animal, just fight or flight.
 Especially hazardous to divers, and people involved with the handling of seals, when bitten, medical attention is needed. Although not unheard of, the attacks when they do occur may inflict serious injury, deep lacerations are sometimes the outcome. The treatment is typical for lacerations, clean the wound, sutures, clean dressing, and a tetanus shot. Sea lions do carry a much-feared disease known by the name of "Seal Finger", (Link to bacterium leptospirosis), people in close proximity to seals, aquarium workers, medical workers, people that hunt pinnipeds, and victims of bites are most apt to contract the disease. In fact, the young girl that was dragged into the water by the sea lion, (mentioned above), contracted "seal finger" and underwent treatment.
  If you are bitten by a sea lion, wash the wound very well, apply disinfectant, dry the wound, and receive medical care as soon as possible. When diving in a remote location, an emergency plan should be established, who to call, where you are, and what happened will all need to be listed. There could be other reactions, watch the wound for ten days if the person feels ill, weak, or in any way unwell they must seek medical attention.
  Rabies, any mammal can be infected with rabies, luckily it being a mostly land-based disease the incidences of seals carrying the disease are remote at best, An infected animal could be eaten by a sea lion and contract the disease, that is true, however animals with rabies are afraid of the water due to the difficulty in breathing, and swallowing as a result of being infected. Having very sharp germ infested teeth and mouths, not only is it dangerous to be near a pinniped, it is also illegal. The Marine Mammal Protection act prohibits feeding, harassing, touching, or swimming with them, it actually places the animal in danger. To put some muscle behind the act it is also illegal in the United States to come within 150 of a Wild Marine Animal, but when they are underwater, how can it be determined where they are, which adds to the problem of swimmers being bitten.

Whatever else you do, never get between the mother and her cubs.

  Sea Lions, Pinnipeds, are fun to watch, a real novelty to some people, however extreme caution must be applied when interacting with them.
 *  Respect wild animals, don't try to put the babies in your vehicle, don't feed them, pet them or try to "help" them, they don't need our help.
 *  Don't pet the animals, or attempt to pick them up, it can be disastrous, do you notice the "eye horns" on a male deer? That is the short antler just above the eye if a person is standing in front of the animal while petting it when the animal is startled they suddenly lift their heads, sometimes the eye antler impales the petter and the human ends up on the wrong end of that stick.
 *  Don't approach any maritime mammal, actually I would suggest not approaching any maritime animal, saltwater crocodiles come instantly to mind, they will stand their ground and defend it, mere mortals don't have much of a chance.
 *  If you come across a baby wild animal, leave it alone, and get away from it as soon as you can. If you are caught between a mother and baby, your chances are close to zero for survival.
  In conclusion, be careful and alert whenever you happen to be in an area where you may encounter wild animals of any kind, you have understanding, they don't.
 Thanks for reading and sharing, leave a comment or a suggestion.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com