Safety
5 ways to fight the winter blues
Ah, February. Does the thought of the year’s second month make you think of pink decorations and chocolate hearts? In reality, it can be endless stretches of somber gray skies, brown slushy snow, and fighting off the flu. Whether you call it the winter blues, cabin fever, or seasonal depression, the February blahs seem inevitable. […]
To frack or not to frack?
Folks in Youngstown, Ohio might take the cake for the most harrowing of New Year’s Eves; the Midwest town brought in 2012 with a December 31 earthquake. This event raised a red flag to local residents, who wondered if there was more behind the natural disaster than pure coincidence. Unusual seismic activity and environmental issues […]
How to Stop Subway Deaths
One of my favorite parts about taking the New York subway every day is the announcements. They come in two forms: one by the conductor, and then there’s the robotic, prerecorded voice that comes through the speakers. “Please stand away from the platform edge.” This phrase invokes my sense of readiness. I stop what I’m […]
Lithium batteries: safe or unstable?
New required lithium battery paper label (via SmartSign.com). We may not know it, but our modern world is entirely dependent upon lithium batteries. We find them in our cellphones, laptops, digital cameras, and even in our watches. Unlike many of our day-to-day Duracell batteries, lithium ion batteries are unique because they are rechargeable, and so offer […]
Color Codes for Buried Lines – APWA
You can tell where buried lines are, and what they are, by understanding the APWA’s color codes (via Southeast Missourian). If you’ve ever tried to install a pool in your backyard, you know that you can sometimes get yourself into deeper water than you ever intended — that is, by hitting a buried utility line […]
How to fight cyberbullying
Bullying has found a new home beyond the playground (via ThinkProgress). Nearly every American teenager has used social media, roughly 90% of 13- to 17-year-olds. Despite the benefits of online networking for kids — community engagement, enhanced communication and technical skills — constant connectivity poses real physical and emotional dangers. As kids become more plugged […]
Emergency shelters: relief and refuge for New Yorkers after Hurricane Sandy
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and this week’s Nor’easter, evacuees have been forced to seek refuge as far away as Albany (via Travelers Today). Having a roof overhead, once an everyday given for people in New York and New Jersey, has become a luxury in the wake of superstorm Sandy. Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated […]