ale rock or sandstone. Hardy Friedrich, communications liaison for the Oil and Gas Commission of BC (OGC) says, “The source is unconventional, the shale and sandstone in the Montney Basin. In the Montney and Horn River basins, the gas is trapped in tight shale formations, not conventional reservoirs where there is kind of a pool of resources in the ground.” Read more.
Map Reading Tips
Orienting a map is a starting point to identify where I am, where I want to go and where I have been. I orient my topographic map (topo) before I leave the trail head and at regular intervals during a hike.
It is a process where I involve both map and compass. Of course, orienting a map can be done without a compass and done visually. I find using a compass takes just a tad more time and the more hands on time with the compass the better.
Correctly orienting my map allows me to get “dialed in” to my surroundings. It is a process where I align the map, compass and GPS to the terrain before me. Read More.
If you are left without power and knowing where you are and what’s around you is critical information. I’d like to take this one step further and say that everyone should play around with Google’s satellite maps and print out a few different views of the location they are most likely to hole up in should a disaster event occur.
I myself have a few printouts that show my entire town, as well as a few that show close up views of my immediate neighborhood. If you’re not already familiar with Google Earth you’ll be amazed to find an interactive tool with actual satellite photos down to amazing detail (zooming in on my house actually reveals my dog sleeping on the back lawn).
Simply put, this is similar to a military style high-tech reconnaissance product that is available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Read More.
Another Active Volcano for New Zealand
The volcano in the center of New Zealand's North Island is showing signs of a possible imminent eruption, vulcanologists in the country are warning.
The Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences said the temperature beneath Ruapehu's Crater Lake was 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit but the lake itself was only 68 degrees F., suggesting a volcanic vent may be partly blocked.
A resulting pressure build-up beneath the Crater Lake would mean a heightened likelihood of eruptions in the near future, experts said.
"We think the pressure beneath Ruapehu Crater Lake has increased and this makes an eruption more likely over the next weeks to months," vulcanologist Steve Sherburn said in a statement. Read more.
Disaster Planning Tips
An article in this week’s Your Money special section takes a look on what residents in Joplin, Missouri learned about disaster-proofing your financial life, from the tornado that devastated their community in May 2011.
Many of the lessons sound simple. Renter’s insurance is a good idea. So is a fireproof box containing important documents and some cash. Prepare a list of your medications and specific dosages, so you can replace them.
To that list, I can add a few of my own. As a journalist, I’ve covered natural disasters, but was never directly affected by one until an ice storm struck my town in January 2009. It can’t compare to the Joplin tornado or Hurricane Sandy, but the ice storm knocked out power for days. My husband was traveling so I was alone with our two young children. I huddled with them under blankets, trying to stay warm while persuading them that we were playing Laura Ingalls Wilder in her book, “The Long Winter.” We cringed at the shotgun-like sound of branches snapping from the weight of the ice. Tree limbs crashed through our roof and through a large plate glass window, terrifying the children and letting in the icy cold. View Tips.
The Sleeping Giant
A recent earthquake study conducted by FEMA rated 12 Alabama counties as code critical, with those in northwest Alabama at highest risk of a New Madrid event. Geologists and other earthquake experts assessed the potential impact on Alabama in a WHNT News 19 special report produced by reporter Nic