Can Vespas Save the World?

I saw this article on Mashable about scooters and the reduction of gas consumption and emissions. Now reading this article it plainly reveals its bias as the company organizing the data and promoting it is Vespa. They have a vested interest, to say the least, in scooter/motorcycle sales and the accompanying policies that go with encouraging cities to become more scooter/motorcycle friendly. That being said, it doesn't detract from the fact that those numbers are staggering.

We all know that America is not necessarily built for mass transportation, it was built for a horse and carriage that then converted to cars (plus a bunch of other steps in between.) There just aren't enough people taking mass transportation to service varying routes if you don't work downtown. In fact it takes me ten minutes to get to work by car but an hour and fifteen minutes to get to work by bus. Even with the best intentions of trying to reduce my carbon footprint a two and a half hour commute compared to a half hour commute is just too big of a difference to take the bus. What Vespa is suggesting is to change some of our habits to help the environment, which is the same thing the bus suggests. The difference? Everyone can add a Vespa (well everyone who can afford it) whereas taking the bus just isn't an option for some of us.

Take my Uncle for example. He has an SUV and lives on the Lake. During the winter months he uses his snowmobile, during his summer months he uses his Vespa. The SUV gets approximately 12 mpg. The Vespa? 75 mpg. He takes it to the grocery store, the gas station to grab a newspaper, or basically anywhere that doesn't require a highway. He loves that the Vespa is not just beneficial for the environment but also economically beneficial.

We should all care about the one planet we have and want to save money. It's just smart to save money by practicing environmentally friendly actions, period. Whether it's introducing a scooter to your household or simply walking more often, the end result is money saved.

Happy Anniversary Designated Drivers!

21 years ago Harvard University and three of the major television networks launched the designated driver campaign.  May all of your holiday plans include a DD.

If you live in the Colorado area RTD is offering free bus rides, light rail rides starting at 7 pm Dec. 31st and ending the next morning.  If plan on spending time downtown please use the free transportation that they are providing, and have been providing for the past 19 years.

And in a related event the Colorado Congress is pushing for harder punishment on repeat drunk drivers.  The effort is being pushed through on both sides.  Hopefully this state, as well as every other state continues to make those who are wreckless and selfish pay for their crimes.

As always, have a Happy Holiday and enjoy the Blue Moon on New Year's Eve with a slice of orange. :)

Say Thanks

Yesterday I was sitting waiting for my plane to board at Minneapolis/St. Paul and there was a man dressed in his formal Marine gear.  He just sat down.  I wanted to say thank you for the sacrifice he was making, the same sacrifice many of my friends are making; yet my feet stayed planted.  I know I'm usually pretty outgoing, but I almost felt silly for wanting to go over to him.  Like he had heard it a hundred times or he might think I was weird.  Then I lost my opportunity, his flight boarded and he got up and left. 

Today I was watching the news and saw that at the airport in Denver (DIA) there are really only two places to come from the concourses.  The walkway (which few people use unless they're going to Concourse A and know DIA well,) and the escalators from the train.  There is one of those line guides that keep people back from crowding those coming up from the train.  I was unaware yesterday that the individuals with signs of thanks and cheering for members of our armed forces weren't their family or friends.  They simply went to the airport, paid for the parking, made the signs and waited for them to come up from the train.  They started cheering and clapping and saying thanks.

I know that our country, friends, & family are split on the war in Iraq, the sending of troops to surge in Afghanistan; however, it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus, etc.  I hope you have more courage than I did and say thank you to a soldier you see traveling this holiday season. 

Safety Precautions

A friend of mine recently returned to Brazil to travel, sight see and just live the Brazilian life. As many know, the Olympics in 2016 will be held in Brazil, and so I thought I should shed light on some violence that occurs down there, and well as remind people everywhere about safety.

Anne has been to Brazil before, she lived down there and speaks the language, she knows the area and is a pretty smart cookie. Anne was walking down a relatively safe street when a man approached her and told her to give him her cellular. Anne had a suitcase, her backpack and her cell phone; in her backpack was her very expensive laptop and other valuable items. Like instructed she threw the cell phone as far as she could and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction towards the main street. She started screaming at the top of her lungs screaming help me and get away from me. Luckily two taxi drivers heard her and both went running after the culprit to get him away from her.

This happened just last night, Anne was walking in the afternoon, in the broad daylight. The reminder is this, while we all like to believe we are aware of our situation and in a safe part of town the reality is that you need to be prepared for anything. What Anne did, throwing her cell phone, was probably the thing that saved her and her possessions. We’ve all received the emails about locking our doors right away, not walking in garages by ourselves, and many other things; however, rarely has anything they’ve warned about happen to anyone we know. Not all of you know Anne, I realize that, but her experience makes me aware that those emails aren’t being sent out for fun. There is a reason that people warn others about how to escape, dangerous situations to avoid, and all together remind us of safety in all situations.

I hope if nothing else this posting will keep one person safe, even if they never run into confrontation. I hope that maybe they will prepare and act smartly about their life so they never need to use any techniques that those helpful emails instruct us about. And just in case you deleted your emails with the information, here is a copy of mine:

Because of recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation...

This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, everyone you know.

It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2.. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it . As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: Look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor , and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted
his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. The Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on America 's Most Wanted when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.

Swine Flu

I recently traveled to San Antonio. Apparently those in San Antonio have come into contact with the Swine Flu. I have little knowledge of what this disease is, however, I do know I have had flu like symptoms and have enjoyed spending time with the elderly and the young, often coughing and sneezing on them while we hang out. I have even prepared large amounts of food for sleep deprived college students everywhere.

In all seriousness, I did travel to San Antonio. I heard about this swine flu today, and noticed San Diego was on the list of possible contaminated cities. I have to state the obvious, Shamu is obviously a carrier of said disease. Next thing you know Orlando is going to have cases of the swine flu as well. The common factor? Sea World. I know that others are going to believe that Mexico is the common link, but get serious people. All those dolphins giving rides to tourists in Mexico are Shamu's cousins. It's a world wide Shamu & Flipper conspiracy.

I just hope that the hype over the Swine Flu is not too big and not too little. I don't want to hear about Swine Flu if it's just going to be like the bird flu and disappoint. But I also don't want a sneak attack from the Swine Flu and end up dead because I didn't know enough about it.

Swine Influenza A (H1N1)
On April 17, 2009 the CDC and the California Department of Health identified two human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus in San Diego county California. Since then four new cases have been identified in San Diego and Imperial counties and an additional two cases in San Antonio Texas, for a total of eight cases of swine influenza in the US. None of the cases have recent contact with swine and there has been no link established between the cases except for one father and daughter. In addition, the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) has been identified by CDC from patients who are part of an ongoing outbreak of acute respiratory illness in central Mexico. A number of deaths have been reported from this outbreak.
Genetic characterization of these viruses shows that this is a novel virus not previously seen in swine or humans in the United States. A large proportion of the population might be susceptible to infection with these viruses, and the seasonal influenza vaccine H1N1 strain is thought to be unlikely to provide protection.
Reporting and Testing Guidelines
Testing for swine infuenza A (H1N1) is recommended for a patient who:

hhas febrile respiratory illness AND
htraveled in the 7 days preceding their illness to:
· San Diego area, OR
· San Antonio area, Texas, OR
· Mexico, OR
hwere in contact with persons with febrile respiratory illness who were in these locations
When suspected cases of swine influenza A H1N1 are identified, the following actions should be taken:
Patients should be placed in single room (if available) and wear a mask if moved to another part of the facility.
Patients should promptly be reported to the state (303-692-2700 / after-hours: 303-370-9395) or local health department.
Specimens should be collected for influenza PCR testing at the state laboratory (regardless of influenza test results obtained by the hospital or clinical facility).
Guidance on Specimen Collection:
obtain a nasopharyngeal swab or nasal wash from the patient
place the swab in a viral transport medium; place the nasal wash in a sterile container
refrigerate the specimen until transport to the state laboratory
Infection Control (for hospitalized patients with suspected swine influenza)
Standard, Droplet and Contact precautions for 7 days after illness onset (or symptoms resolved)
Wear N95 respirators when entering the patient room
Use an airborne infection isolation room with negative pressure, if available, otherwise use a single patient room with the door kept closed
For suctioning, bronchoscopy, or intubation, use a procedure room with negative pressure air handling
Recommended PPE for personnel providing direct patient care include: disposable gown, gloves, goggles, N95 respirator

Antivral Treatment
Antiviral treatment for confirmed or suspected ill cases of swine influenza virus infection may include either oseltamivir or zanamivir. Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after onset of symptoms.

More Information About Swine Influenza
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm

NOTE: this information will be updated as more guidance becomes available from CDC.