Tsunami Hits Coastal Communities Across Southeast Asia, Killing an Estimated 275,000 People

On December 26, 2004 the Asian Tsunami hit the coastal regions of Southeast Asia. It was the result of the second largest and longest lasting underwater earthquake ever recorded, and has since been referred to as the single worst tsunami on record. The earthquake that generated this tsunami reached a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale and lasted for between 500 and 600 seconds. The wave caused by this quake did massive damage to parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand, with crests reaching... Read more »

Infrastructure Decimated by Earthquake in Kobe, Japan on January 17, 1995

On January 17th, 1995 a massive earthquake hit the region of Kobe, Japan. This quake was unique in that it occurred at the intersection of three tectonic plates. This resulted in enormous damage to the area. Buildings collapsed, roads were destroyed, and utilities went offline for days. An earthquake will cause damage in two ways. Initially damage is caused as a direct effect of the shift in the tectonic plates. In this incident the shifting plates resulted in ground displacements as large as 3 meters... Read more »

Hydropower Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuel Replacement

Approximately ten percent of energy produced in the United States is from hydropower. In this process, water spins in turbines in generators. Hydropower is one of the renewable energy sources being researched and implemented to replace fossil fuels, which are in the process of depletion. It does not produce carbon dioxide, as coal power stations do, making it a cleaner, as well as, cheaper alternate way to produce electricity. It is also renewable, with the help of rainwater for replenishment. The... Read more »

Solar Renewable Energy - Sun Power

It is no secret that the sun can be harnessed to provide a source of energy for homes and businesses. The sun is a powerful star. It supplies us with energy, through a process called nuclear fusion, and sustains life on our planet Earth. Solar energy, or energy from the sun, has existed since prehistoric times when men would magnify the sun’s energy in efforts to start fires. The sun is a valuable resource that radiates enough energy on the United States in one day to meet the nation’s... Read more »

Ocean Tidal Power as Renewable Energy

One of the Earth’s great renewable energy sources is actually the energy that can be found in all the waves of the ocean. Let’s look at this further. If you have ever been to the ocean, you were probably fascinated by the phenomena of the waves crashing against the shorelines as the tides came in. The ocean’s tides are the product of gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, as well as, the Earth’s rotation. It causes the ocean waters to be raised and lowered from time... Read more »

Delaware Valley Flood Results in Severe Damage

On August 18, 1955 hurricanes Connie and Diane passed through the Delaware valley area dropping over 8″ of rain. Rushing water swept through the valley carrying with it homes, bridges, and debris. With little warning the Delaware River flooded creating havoc as a result. As the river swelled it became necessary to evacuate two camps located on Treasure Island and Pennington Island. Five hundred children from the camps had to be airlifted to safety. Fortunately there were no deaths associated... Read more »

Huge Landslide Destroys Ski Resort

On July 30, 1997 a huge landslide rolled over the Thredbo Ski village in Australia causing massive damage and virtually burying the resort; cars, buildings, people and all! The loose earth, rock, and foliage swept down the slope and crashed into the Bimbadeen Lodge, a multi-level building, used to house guests. Eighteen people died as a direct result of the landslide, most were buried alive. The landslide brought one thousand tones of earth, rock, trees and debris down the slope of the mountain cutting... Read more »

Put That Phone Down, Quit Cold Calling, and REALLY Start Prospecting

The days of traditional cold calling are going by the wayside. People are too busy to accept cold calls and really listen to a sales person pitch their services or products. Sales people get frustrated by doing cold calls and the time usually associated with any type of success from cold calling. So, what can both parties do to make this easy on one another? The internet has provided us with awesome resources that bring sales people and customers together. The resources found in this article are... Read more »

Hemp - Truth About This Misunderstood Plant

Hemp is one of the most misunderstood and underutilized plants grown in the world today. One of the first plants cultivated by man, and maybe the most versatile one ever grown, Cannabis Sativa l. Cannabis (Hemp), has been used for thousands of years in China and Egypt as a medicine. Criticized for the indulgent use of higher tetrahyclrocannabinol concentration plants by some to dry or compress into marijuana and hashish, hemp attempts to gain respect in the worldwide market have been thwarted by... Read more »

Geothermal Renewable Energy - The Earth

The heat of the Earth makes up what is known as geothermal energy. When dust and gasses from Earth mixed together 4 billion years ago, geothermal energy resulted. Inside the Earth at its core, some 4, 000 miles deep, the temperature is estimated at about 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Geothermal energy has been used throughout history for bathing, relaxing, cooking and heating. It was thought by some to have healing effects and was used to treat eye and skin diseases. The first geothermal generator that... Read more »