Tornado Safety For RVers

If one is an avid RVer, chances are they may find themselves in a region of the country prone to having tornadoes. Even areas not prone to tornadoes can get one, albeit on rare occasions.

I remember one struck in Los Angeles that damaged the Los Angeles Convention Center near downtown back in the 1980s. 

Do It Yourself RV has posted an article on tornado safety for RVers.

They begin it with:

Tornadoes might feel like something that happens to other people in other places—until you find yourself camped in their path. And unlike a traditional home, an RV doesn’t offer much in the way of protection.

If you’re on the road when a twister threatens, knowing what to do before it strikes can mean the difference between panic and protection. Here’s your go-to guide for tornado safety when you’re traveling in an RV—because riding out a storm in your rig should never be the plan.

 To read more, go here.

 

New Mt. Fuji Eruption Safety Recommendations

Above, a bullet train (Shinkansen) view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last time Japan's Mount Fuji erupted was in the early 1700s.

It is still considered an active volcano, just dormant. But that's not stopping Japanese authorities from providing recommendations for public safety in case the mountain decides to erupt.

According to Travel and Tour World:

The Japanese authorities have released new recommendations urging residents to remain indoors in the event of a possible eruption from Mount Fuji. An expert panel has classified ashfall into four distinct levels of severity, advising evacuations for wooden structures experiencing more than 30 cm of ash. The guidelines stress the importance of having emergency provisions for at least seven days, avoiding the use of cars, and effectively managing ash accumulation. Public readiness and awareness are key components of the recommendations.

In light of potential volcanic threats, the Japanese government has issued updated guidelines advising residents to stay indoors if Mount Fuji erupts, causing significant ashfall across the Tokyo metropolitan area. This comes after thorough evaluations by an expert panel assembled by the government. While Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak, last erupted over 300 years ago and the likelihood of another eruption is low, these new regulations aim to prepare the public for any unforeseen events.

To read more, go here.

Nassau and Freeport Under Safety Warning

Above, shopping in Freeport with our cruise ship in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Mitch Geriminsky and I took the Bahamas cruise back in August, two of our stops were at Freeport and Nassau.

We didn't know it then, and we weren't advised by Norwegian Cruise Line during the cruise, but both Nassau and Freeport were under a State Department Level 2 travel advisory. This is due to some violent crimes from gang activity. 

According to Yahoo!:

Both Nassau and Freeport are popular cruise destinations that are both under a travel advisory from the US Department of State. That has been the case since Jan. 26, 2024, but anyone visiting needs to be aware of exactly what the warning says in order to be safe if they decide to get off the ship in either destination.

A Level 2 warning is a little more serious and should be paid attention to, but it's not the US government telling you not to travel. In the case of The Bahamas, which is under a Level 2 travel advisory, you really have to read the warning.

"Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime," serves as essentially the headline for the Level 2 travel advisory which then gets much more specific.

"The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the 'Over the Hill' area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population. Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence," the State Department shared.

Although in a Level 2 safety warning, we saw nothing that would give us concern while we were in Freeport or Nassau. It would have been nice if Norwegian Cruise Line told us about the travel advisory.

To read more, go here.

Problem Shooters

People who use the shooting area in the Cibola National Forest next to our community are generally responsible people. The shooting area is cleaner than it used to be. Many left their junk in the area such as old television sets and the like.

There are some in our Whispering Cedars community who want the shooting area shut down. The reason is that stray bullets have entered the community. 

The photo above, Nandoh Munoz is shooting his Henry lever-action rifle. In the photo is a telephone pole at right. There is evidence of people using it as a target or mounting their targets on it.

The community is directly in the line-of-fire behind the pole and some stray bullets have hit some homes or narrowly missed people who were outside. Thankfully, this has been a rare occurrence. It boggles the mind how some people have a definite lack of common sense or are just plain stupid. There is a hill beyond the shooting area that allows for safe shooting. 

Above, the hill beyond the targets allows for safe shooting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It would behoove our community members to occasionally patrol the shooting area, whenever there are shooters there, to make sure they aren't shooting at the telephone pole or targets on them. If they are found to be doing so, either give them a warning or call the McKinley County Sheriff.

The problem is mainly caused by outsiders who don't live in the community.

Grisham Calls For Special Session For Gun Control

New Mexico Gov. "Malevolent" Michelle Lujan Grisham is calling for a special session of the legislature to take up "public safety protections", which is her euphemism for gun control. 

However, if this special session is for dealing with the southern border that the Mexican cartels control, then I would be for it. But she previously said that she wants her gun control proposals passed and may call a special session to do it.

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican:

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday she will call the Legislature into a special session July 18 "to take up additional public safety protections that New Mexicans demand."

“While we made some progress toward a safer New Mexico during the 30-day day session, we agree that we must do more,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

“The special session in July will enable us to deliver additional statutory changes that reduce the danger and risk New Mexico communities face every day," she said. "The best proposals for making our state safer will be under consideration, and I welcome input from my colleagues in the legislature."

She couldn't get all that she wanted during the legislature's regular session in infringing upon New Mexican's Second Amendment rights, so she is trying to ram them through in a special session. Despicable!

To read more, go here. 

Safest National Parks In The U.S.

Above, Petrified Forest National Park came in as the second safest national park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's been many reports of injuries and fatalities that have taken place in our national parks over the past several years.

Some have been caused by carelessness, stupidity, natural incidents (such as landslides) and animals. 

TheTravel has posted a list of the 10 safest American national parks. Not surprisingly, Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona ranked as the second safest national park. I thought the park would make the list before I even saw it.

They begin with:

There are 63 national parks in the US, preserving everything from temperate rainforests to coral reefs to fragile rock formations. With so much beauty to explore, it's no wonder that over 300 million people visited a national park in 2022.

For those hoping to join the statistics in the coming year, there are a number of factors to consider. Some US national parks will require reservations in 2024 and will take plenty of advanced planning to visit. Timing isn't the only thing at play when visiting national parks, however. Those less familiar with the parks may be worried about getting in over their heads out on the trails. Thankfully, there are many safety measures in place that ensure a positive and safe experience.

So, just how safe are the national parks in the US? American outdoor brand KÜHL has compiled data from the national parks regarding park fatalities, search and rescue missions, and proximity to hospitals to rank all 63 national parks by safety. Final scores ranged from 7.80 for America's safest national park to a mere 0.63 for the least safe.

To read more, go here. 

NMSSA Survey Shows Strong Opposition To Gov MLG Gun Edict

The New Mexico Shooting Sports Association (NMSSA) recently commissioned a survey on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's recent unconstitutional edict suspending the 2nd Amendment in Bernalillo County and public safety measures and the results aren't exactly a surprise.

According to the Piñon Post:

A recent statewide survey commissioned by the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association (NMSSA) has shed light on the sentiments of New Mexico voters regarding public safety measures. The data overwhelmingly suggests that most voters in the state believe that the key to ensuring safety for their families is addressing crime and incarcerating criminals rather than implementing unconstitutional gun bans.

A striking 68 percent of New Mexico voters expressed their opposition to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s order that prohibits law-abiding citizens from openly and concealed carrying firearms in Albuquerque. Moreover, 89 percent of voters firmly believe that criminals will ignore this ban.

The survey also revealed that an overwhelming 83 percent of respondents consider a “crackdown on crime,” which includes “putting criminals behind bars,” to be the most effective approach to protecting families and loved ones from harm. This perspective underscores the belief that it is the actions of criminals, rather than inanimate objects, that are primarily responsible for crime. The governor has refused to call a special session to address crime, despite the crisis ravaging New Mexico streets.

 To read more, go here.

RV Safety Advice From Truckers

Above, a traffic collision led to an I-40 back-up two years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that the majority of traffic accidents on Interstate 40 (that I live near) involve big rig semi trucks. I couldn't say who caused each accident, but I do know that most often trucks travel on the highway at excessive speeds beyond what is safe for conditions.

When I am on the highway in my motorhome, trucks blow past me at high speeds and the air suction sometimes is pretty unnerving. The same goes when we get high winds. That's why I drive in my lane favoring the right side.

With the above in mind, RV Travel posted and article and video on RV safety advice from truckers.

It begins with:

In this fun and informative video, Robin Barrett of Creativity RV chats with people in the know about RV and big rig safety: truckers!

Surprise, it turns out that truckers and RVers can peacefully co-exist and help to keep each other safe on the road.

Robin picked the brains of truckers from TruckersReport.com. The professional big rig drivers have a whole lot of knowledge that can benefit RVers, so the video presents some truly beneficial information from people in the know. In it, they give practical and actionable advice and also talk about their biggest concerns surrounding sharing the roads with RVers.

 To read more and see the video, go here.

Airline Pilots File Lawsuit Over Mask Mandate

Above, a jet being readied at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

During the past two years, I have flown several times and had to wear a mask during the duration of the those flights, no matter how many hours the flight durations were, and they were miserable experiences. The only times one can remove the mask is while eating or drinking.

Well, commercial airline pilots are getting fed up with the federal mask mandate and have filed suit to end it.

The Epoch Times reported (some snippets):

Hours after the U.S. Senate voted to repeal the federal transportation mask mandate—which the White House quickly threatened to veto—a group of commercial pilots filed the first legal challenge by airline workers to overturn the requirement to wear masks on all public transport.

On March 15, 10 commercial airline pilots from six states filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), asking the court to strike down the federal transportation mask mandate, arguing that it endangers aviation safety.

The complaint was filed the same day the U.S. Senate voted 57–40 to repeal the mask mandate, a move the White House quickly threatened to veto. This is the first legal challenge to the mandate filed by airline workers.

On Feb. 25, the CDC eased indoor masking guidance for the general public. However, the CDC’s update did not change the federal mask mandate on public transportation, which had already been extended multiple times by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The latest extension, announced March 10, orders travelers to keep wearing masks until April 18.

The pilots’ 61-page complaint (pdf) contends “the defendants have acted without statutory authorization or following the rulemaking process required by the Administrative Procedure Act” and that the “mandate also raises serious constitutional concerns” because “Congress never intended for the Executive Branch to have the authority to promulgate this policy–and even if it did, it’s unconstitutional.”

In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration reported there were 5,981 unruly passenger incidents. Of those, 4,290 involved masks. Of the 961 reports of unruly passengers already reported for the first three months of 2022, the FAA said, 635 were related to face masks.

To read the full article, go here.

Los Angeles Curfew

Above, Los Angeles City Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer

This brings back memories of 27 years ago when the L.A. riots took place in the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict.

I received a text message from the City of Los Angeles a little while ago (I still have my L.A. phone number):

LA City: Citywide curfew tonight from 8pm-5:30am. Info: www.lacity.orgCiudad de LA: Toque de queda esta noche en toda la ciudad de 8pm-5:30am. Info: lacity.orgReply with YES to confirm receipt or https://evb.gg/05oOwYit .

I am sure glad I'm out of there. 

Kobe Bryant Crash Puts Focus On Helicopter Safety

Above, departing the airport for an aerial tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Kobe Bryant helicopter crash brought to mind the two times I've flown in a helicopter.

The first time was a tour over Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2016 on the Big Island. In back of my mind during that ride, although pleasant and interesting, was the thought about having some sort of failure that would send the helicopter into a bubbling volcanic caldera.

The second time was when I was flown to a hospital in Twin Falls, Idaho in an air ambulance from Wells, Nevada after I had a heart attack in 2018. During that flight, I was more concerned about reaching the hospital as windy conditions made a normally 20-minute flight into a 40-minute flight than I did about any catastrophic failures of the chopper.

Naturally, a tragedy like the Bryant crash will put a focus on helicopter travel.

Hawaii Public Radio takes a look at helicopter safety.

They begin with:

For the vast majority of Americans, helicopters are hardly a routine form of transportation. But a high-profile helicopter disaster — like the crash in Calabasas, Calif., that killed Kobe Bryant and eight other people on Sunday — can draw widespread attention to helicopter safety. 

Helicopter rides are significantly riskier than commercial airline flights, but not as dangerous as a trip on a personal plane. And some trips — like personal or private helicopter rides — are far more likely than others to end in a fatal accident. 

"I think it is natural to the public, whenever an accident happens, to start to question the overall safety of a certain type of flying," says Anthony Brickhouse, a professor of aerospace and occupational safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "I would just caution people to be patient and to let the investigation play out so that we can figure out what happened." 

Commercial plane travel is extremely safe, despite recent catastrophes like the Boeing 737 Max crashes; in many years the fatal accident rate in the U.S. is zero. Helicopters are more dangerous, according to data from the federal government, with a fatal accident rate of 0.72 per 100,000 flight hours in 2018. 

But general aviation — like recreational flying — is even more dangerous than that, with a fatal accident rate of more than 1 accident per 100,000 flight hours in 2018.

To read more, go here. 

Staying Safe In Our National Parks

Above, a black bear and cub at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that every week a report of a death in one of our national parks hits the news.

Last week, a 21-year-old Romanian visitor to Yosemite National Park fell to his death near a waterfall.

Q13 Fox has posted an article on "7 Ways To Stay Safe In National Parks".

They begin with:

(CNN) — The urge to get a bit closer to Yosemite National Park’s waterfalls or Yellowstone National Park’s majestic bears is so tempting. 

Yet so many of the US National Park Service sites are wild natural wonders, with dangers such as unpredictable weather, epic precipices and wild animals that may view you as a threat. 

A visitor to Yosemite National Park fell to his death last week, a tragedy that park officials say may have been prevented if he had stayed on the marked trails. 

Our national parks are not zoos, with animals caged to protect you from aggressive behavior, and it’s not safe to ignore the rules, National Park Service officials say. It’s important to read up on your national park destination and follow rules and guidelines posted in the parks.

To read more, go here. 

Five Safest Cities To Travel To

Above, Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Big cities are usually associated with crime and other problems that large population centers bring. But there are some who have great safety records for locals as well as travelers.

New Zealand's IOL has posted the top five safest cities to travel to.

They begin with:

Every traveller has the fear of their safety being compromised when they are visiting another country, and the fear is understandable - but there are a few cities around the world that have an impeccable record when it comes to safety and security. 

Here is a list of five cities that are deemed safe by its visitors.

Of the five cities deemed safe, Japan (not surprisingly) has two of them.

To read more, go here. 

"No Evidence" Smaller Airline Seats A Safety Hazard

Above, the Economy section of an Airbus A380. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you were hoping that a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) study would either halt the shrinking of airline seating due to safety issues or make them larger, those hopes were dashed.

TravelPulse reported:

In what Judge Millet dubbed “the case of the incredible shrinking airline seat,” the suit was filed by the organization Flyers Rights, which argued that smaller seat sizes could affect the ability of passengers to evacuate an aircraft safely in case of an emergency. The organization also said smaller seat size could lead to increased risk of blood clots in air travelers.

A three-judge federal panel, led by Millett, ordered the FAA to undergo a “properly reasoned disposition” of safety issues related to seating configurations. 

This week, the hopes of the flying public have been dashed, after the FAA announced it would not impose new restrictions on the airline industry. 

The agency said it “has no evidence that there is an immediate safety issue necessitating rule-making at this time,” in a letter sent Monday. It also cited “research” indicates emergency evacuations aren’t slowed down by tighter seating. Instead, the choke points created by the emergency exits is what slows evacuations.

To read more, go here. 

Winnebago Safety Recall Notice

Above, the recalled (left) and replacement fire extinguishers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An envelope arrived in today's mail from Winnebago in Charlotte, North Carolina today marked, "Safety Recall Notice".

My immediate thought was, "What it is this time?" But then my concerns dissipated as there is a La Mesa dealership in Albuquerque that would be able to handle it.

It turns out that I already took care of the problem as it was for the Kidde fire extinguisher recall that I wrote about last November. I dealt directly with Kidde and a replacement fire extinguisher is in place in The Beast. The safety recall affects 2008 through 2018 model years of Winnebago RVs.

The letter from Winnebago provides the information people will need to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher.

As the saying goes, "Been there, done that!"

If you are a Winnebago owner whose RV is affected by the recall and are reading this, you'd best get on the ball and get your fire extinguisher replaced (if you haven't done so already).

Stay Safe During Summer Camping Season

Above, keep an eye on the weather. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Summer camping season is now upon us and so are potential hazards that go along with it.

Fortunately, KARE News has some good safety tips that will help to keep the camping experience a good one.

They begin with:

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - This time of year means many of us will camping in the great outdoors. But a sudden storm, animal bite or illness can ruin what is was supposed to be a fun adventure.  

Local camping and RV expert Mike Pearo from Hilltop Camper and RV joined the KARE News at 4 with some tips for making sure your next camping trip is both fun and safe.

To see the safety tips, go here. 

"The Yellowstone Pledge"

Above, one of many Yellowstone geysers erupts. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park is a beautiful, yet dangerous place. Park visitors can and do get seriously injured or killed through their own stupidity and not following the rules.

The park and media are currently promoting "The Yellowstone Pledge" to make visitors aware of the park's rules.

According to KPAX:

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK -Yellowstone National Park has rules about approaching animals and leaving established boardwalks. Yet last year a man lost his life at the Norris Geyser basin and a young bison was killed because people didn't follow those rules. 

Yellowstone is 2.2 million acres of photo opportunities but unfortunately, some who visit forget the animals are wild and the geysers are volcanically heated. 

Visitors are now being asked to take “The Yellowstone Pledge,” an online opportunity to review the rules of the park while also keeping themselves -- and those uniquely Yellowstone features -- safe.

To read more and to take "The Yellowstone Pledge", go here. 

Snake Season In Joshua Tree National Park

Above, the Cottonwood Campground amphitheater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is now May and that means it's snake season!

The Hi-Desert Star has a new article on avoiding snake bites in Joshua Tree National Park.

It begins with:

MORONGO BASIN — April showers bring May flowers and May temperatures bring out the rattlesnakes. 

Rattlesnakes lay dormant in the winter, but starting around May and ending in October, they come out to enjoy the sun. Joshua Tree National Park is home to seven varieties of rattlesnake: Mojave Desert sidewinder, Colorado Desert sidewinder, speckled, Mojave green, red diamond, Southern Pacific and Western diamondback rattlesnakes. With over 2 million visitors to the park each year, George Land, public information officer for the national park, offered some information on rattlesnake safety.

To read more, go here. 

10 Safest Countries In The World

Above, Godzilla peering over rooftops in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since 2017 is just around the corner, some may already be wondering, "Where to vacation next year?"

If international travel is what one desires for 2017, then Condé Nast Traveler has just the thing. They have a new article on the 10 safest countries in the world.

It begins with:

With so many sad, scary stories popping up in the news these days—from a tragic shooting in Orlando to ongoing unrest in Turkey—it can feel like travel is the last thing you want to do. That's one reason why Vision of Humanity, a project of the independent organization Institute for Economics & Peace, makes its annual chart of the most and least safe countries around the world. The Global Peace Index, whose 2016 edition came out today, takes into account factors like numbers of police or security personnel, presence of nuclear weapons, and political instability in order to reach its findings. Unsurprisingly, South Sudan and Syria are the two most unsafe countries in the world to visit right now, but these ten score high marks for locals and travelers alike.

Not surprisingly, there is one country that made the ten safest list. Can you guess what country it is? Here's a clue: What country has been regularly attacked by giant monsters for over 60 years?

To read more, go here.

Heartless Salomi Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant of North Hollywood

Above, Salomi Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant.

Jim Beaver posted the following update:

The restaurant in which my daughter had difficulty the other night has reached out to me. I am content with their response, and while I bear full responsibility for having set off the firestorm of comments, calls, and bad reviews on Yelp and other sites by merely posting my concerns about what happened, I wish to ask each of you who posted something negative about the restaurant on any site, Yelp, Facebook, or other, if you would delete your negative comment. This situation, despite my initial handling, is between me, my daughter, and the restaurant, and as far as I am concerned, it has been resolved to my satisfaction. 

I spoke with my daughter last night about how frightening it was that a small story about bad human behavior had led an enormous number of people into the same kind of reactive emotional action that I tell her everyday to fight against. We are defensive of those we love, and rightly so. But in the world in which I hope to live, we do not spank where we should upbraid, and we do not smash where we should spank. I set this off -- unintentionally, true, but nonetheless for that unintentionality. Now I must hope I can repair it somewhat. Please, if you value my friendship or our fan relationship, if you posted something negative about this restaurant based on anything but their food, please do me the honor and favor of deleting it. Thank you.

In compliance with Jim's request to his friends and fans, I have deleted my original posting. Since he's satisfied, that's all that matters.