How to Protect Yourself From a Tornado

Tornadoes are destructive and deadly! I have purposely put myself in the path of these types of severe weather events for many years now. I chase tornadoes, study them for the sake of science and spot them to report them to the public in an attempt to help save lives. I have seen the terror they can bring and witnessed firsthand accounts of how furious and dangerous they really are. A lot of people don't understand how deadly a tornado can be until they experience them up close and personal. However, there are key survival tactics when being threatened by an approaching tornado.

Basements and Cellars

If you have a basement or storm cellar near, you need to be inside of them. A tornado will "blow" everything in its path away as it moves into an area. The tornado does not "suck" things up so you should be safe in a basement or storm cellar rather than being above ground in the damage path of a tornado. There are suggestions of what part of the basement you should be in, these suggestions are myths. Be in any part of the basement that you wish just be the in basement during the storm and you will likely be just fine.

Vehicles

If you are in a vehicle and you see a tornado getting close to you, there are several options you can do. You can attempt to drive away from it if you can tell what direction it is going and you are far enough away that you can safety get away. You can also drive your vehicle into a low lying area or ditch and get down in the floor board. The vehicle will provide more protection but there is also a chance it can get thrown around in the storm. One of the better methods is to lay down in a ditch or low lying area and cover your head with your hands.

At work or school

If you are at work or school and a tornado is coming, you should follow the advice of those in charge of your safety. If there is no advice given, then go to a hallway or restroom that has no windows and it on the interior portion of the building. You should get down to the ground and cover your head to protect it from flying glass and debris.

After the storm!

After the tornado has passed, you need to move around with caution. There is likely going to be down power lines and electrical systems that are still live and can electrocute you to death. There may be natural gas around that could explode at any moment. There may be trapped people in the debris that needs help of emergency responders. Never drive around to spot damage after a tornado because you are only getting in the way of emergency responders that are trying to get to people in need of emergency assistance. Be safe out there, folks!

Crustaceans of the World

Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods that are usually treated as a sub-phylum and have about 67,000 species worldwide. They range in size from the Stygotantulus stocki at.1mm or.004 in. to the Japanese spider crab with an impressive leg span of up to twelve and a half feet or 3.8 meters. Like all arthropods, crustaceans wear their skeleton on the outside of their bodies. These outside skeletons are known as exoskeletons. Due to having an exoskeleton, crustaceans like all arthropods, must shed their exoskeleton periodically in order to grow. This process is called moulting. After moulting, they are in a very vulnerable state until their new soft exoskeleton hardens.

Crustaceans live mostly in the water but some are terrestrial such as woodlice, fish lice and tongue worms. Some, like barnacles or sessiles live in the water but as the tide rolls out find themselves in the open air attached to rocks, pilings, hulls of ships or boats and even on whales. Some of the familiar crustaceans that live in the water include crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp and krill; all of which are tasty treats to seafood lovers with the exception of krill, which is a favorite delicacy of Humpback whales.

Crustaceans have been around for millions of years and have evolved some unique body designs. The body of a crustacean is composed of three distinct body segments; the head or cephalon, the thorax, and the pleon or abdomen. Depending upon the species, the head and the thorax may be fused together to form a cephalothorax, which may be protected by a large carapace. It is common for each body segment to bear a pair of appendages.

These appendages make up unique tools for the animal to use in its environment. The head segment has a pair of antennae and a pair of mandibles. The thorax is where the legs grow, which may be used for walking or feeding. The abdomen bears pleopods or swimming legs and is often flanked by a fan-shaped tail.

The circulatory system of crustaceans is located in the main body cavity and is usually referred to as an open circulatory system. Blood is pumped through this system by a heart near the dorsum. The kidneys or a structure that works similar to kidneys are located near the antennae. Also close to the antennae in the form of ganglia lies the brain.

Crustaceans have three main ways to reproduce. Most species are made up of males and females and reproduce sexually. A small percentage are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive systems. In the crustacean's world, it is not unusual for a male to change into a female or a female to change into a male; this usually happens when there is a shortage or lack of a certain sex. Many crustaceans reproduce through parthenogenesis, by which viable eggs are produced by a female without fertilization.

Next time you dip that delicious piece of crab meat in garlic butter, take a moment to ponder that you are filling your belly with one of the oldest and numerous animals on Earth.

Christopher spends his time on freelance writing, writing for change, seminars and private sessions to help people manifest the life they want to live. For weekly tips and information about upcoming events, subscribe to his periodic email list. http://quantumworthhealing.com

Hydroponics and Beneficial Microorganisms

Hydroponics is a subtype of hydro-culture or growing plants in water with nutrient solutions. It is a soil-less way of planting.Hydroponics derived its name from the Greek word "hydro" or water and "ponos" meaning labor. William Frederick Gericke of the University of California at Berkeley was one of the first ones to cultivate plants on mineral nutrient solutions. Gericke coined the term hydroponics in 1937 (although he asserts that the term was suggested by W. A. Setchell, of the University of California).

Through these types of studies, it was discovered that plants could thrive not only in soil, but also in water, since water contains the essential nutrients and beneficial microorganisms that are also present in the soil.

Hydroponics turned out to be more advantageous than soil culture, because pests are easy to control in this type of system. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics.

Since the water environment of the plant can be controlled, nutrient solutions can be incorporated into the water depending on the nutrient needs of the plant. Many hydroponics growers also incorporate beneficial microorganism as supplements to nutrients in the water.

There is actually a full range of ways to benefit from beneficial microorganisms, which can be utilized in hydroponics. The secret is only to know when to apply and how much to apply. Here are some of the benefits.

Development of Seeds and Clones: Beneficial microorganisms are not just used on the hydroponics systems itself, but also for propagating seeds and also on developing the cuttings. This stage of crucial development in plant life and beneficial bacteria will help boost the growth and development of these plants and cuttings. During this time, the microbe incorporation should be three times the normal use.

Elimination of Pathogens in the System: Harmful microorganisms that cause diseases increase even in the hydroponic systems during root development. These harmful microorganisms, which are also called pathogens, result to plant diseases or plant death. There are certain types of beneficial microbes that kill these pathogens.

It is important to know what type of pathogen is attacking the system to know what type to incorporate in the hydroponics system. Moreover, these also strengthen plants defenses against harmful pathogens in a way like the immune system is boosted by supplements.

Boosts Nutrient Uptake of Hydroponics Plants: Most good microorganisms types boost the nutrient uptake of plants in the hydroponics system by keeping the roots healthy by strengthening roots and increasing root size, since it is the one responsible for absorption. When spraying leaves with foliar fertilizer, these microorganisms may also be incorporated in the solution to enable the stomata of the leaves to absorb better.

Makes the Environment Suitable for Plant Growth: Beneficial microorganisms control the environment such as correcting the atmospheric nitrogen and producing nitrogen for plants, since plants cannot produce their own. Some fungi types also help in assimilating phosphorous when incorporated in the hydroponics system.

Hydroponics is a new way in cultivating plants where the environment can be controlled to eliminate any usual problems experienced from soil gardening. The strategy is to provide an environment that plants can thrive on and this is through providing the correct amount of nutrients supplemented with incorporating beneficial microorganisms.