Survival Guide To Power Failures!
*******************************
Oh No - The Power's Out!
How Would You Survive?
**************************
Fruit & Veggie Recipes
*****************************
The Subjectivity of Words
*******************************
Power Failures
You're sitting watching TV one evening after work, when suddenly it goes off. And so do the lights. And the clocks. And the fans. What do you do? Relax; it's just a power failure! But could you really relax - honestly? After watching peoples' reactions to the last such incident in my city a couple of weeks ago, I'm not so sure most people are able to relax. So it's a little inconvenient, but is it really that bad? How long could you go without a TV, microwave, fan, lights? And what if someone took the cell phone and car away for a few days? People did it all for far longer than we've had all these luxuries. So sit down,
relax, and enjoy the read.
Okay - but seriously, losing power for a few days does come at a price. So we've got some tips on how to keep that food cooled, and you comfortable and entertained.
We've also found some quizzes on extreme survival. Forget not having a cell phone, what do you do when sinking in quicksand? Take the quiz and find out if you're ready for it.
And for a chuckle - we've found some headlines you might want to read over a couple of times. They were meant to sound serious, but instead came out looking more like jokes.
*******************************
Oh No - The Power's Out!
*******************************
Last week in Montreal, they were hit with a pretty powerful thunderstorm which knocked out power all over the island and its surroundings. And of course it just had to be during one of the hottest days of the summer - which means no fans, air conditioning or working freezers and fridges. Okay, I agree - these are inconveniences. But the more I looked at how people were acting, the more I couldn't help chuckle. On average, people lost power for about 20 hours and yet most were acting as if it was some sort of apocalypse. And yet a mere 200 years ago, people somehow managed with no electricity at all - summer, winter, rain or snow - they somehow survived it.
The more you think about how dependent we've become, not only on electricity but also on all modern-day technologies, the scarier the thought becomes. Most of our lives revolve so much around these things, that were they to disappear for some reason, our world seems like it would come to a screeching halt - even if we have to deal without our gadgets for a mere 24 hours.
So what would you do if you woke up one morning, and not only was the power out, but you couldn't use your cell phone, car or TV and still had to go on with all your daily activities? I am absolutely sure that most of us would panic. And what if you had to live like this for a few days? Honestly, at the beginning, it can actually be kind of fun - kind of like camping. But no electricity and modern technology means more than just not having air conditioning in the summer or a TV to watch. What about all that food that has to stay cold, or even frozen? What about taking a warm shower or bath? It's all possible, but everything takes much more time. (For those of you who lived through the Ice Storm of 1998 - which in some places lasted for over a month - you've got good practice. Besides all the inconveniences, I personally remember it as being somewhat fun (- for a while, anyway).
In some sense, I think it would be good for us to spend a few days having to live without power and all our gadgets. Besides the fact that it would likely make you quite appreciative of the things you do have, maybe it would slow us down a bit. Most of us don't stop running from the moment we get up to the moment we go to sleep - and even then, most of us can't stop running (in our heads, anyway). I'm slowly developing a theory that as much as cell phones, microwaves, and cars (etc.) have helped us out, they've also taken away a lot of the charm of life. They've put us on such tight schedules that we have trouble just sitting down and not doing anything for even a few minutes.
Up until about 2 years ago, I hated cell phones. They ring at all the wrong moments (like at the movie theater), people scream into them so loud you can't carry on a conversation with a friend on a bus or even listen to the thoughts in your head. Then my mom got one - I used it for a few days and I was hooked. Today, I'd rather have it than not, but it's come with many disadvantages too. For example, last year my boyfriend and I took a trip to Toronto for a few days - just the two of us. Sure, I could've left the cell phone at home, but I took it "just in case". The day after we left, I get a call from my dad asking me whether I want to go see a play in two and a half months time. Seriously - this couldn't wait two more days? And ever since I've had that phone, people have become increasingly paranoid about my whereabouts. If I don't answer my cell phone, this apparently means some great tragedy has occurred. "Mom, two years ago you couldn't get in touch with me at all and I was younger, and somehow you survived - and I did, too!"
I'll agree that many of our modern-day technologies are really helpful, but I think we've taken it too far. TVs and e-mails on cell phones, DVD players in cars, camping in trailers that cost more than houses? Besides the fact that these things are completely ridiculous (camping is about being out in the wild, not sitting in a fully-equipped house on wheels), they cause more anxiety than they help, not to mention some are outright dangerous (put down that cell phone and drive
.
So no matter how inconvenient it can be to have no power for a day or two, it's not the end of the world. People have walked the planet for thousands of years and we've only had electricity for about 200 - many more have survived without it than with it.
*****************************
How Would You Survive?
*****************************
What would you do in a plane cabin filled with smoke? If you were hiking and spotted, a bear close by? If your inflatable boat started leaking? Some of these are extreme situations, but if you can't even think of putting your cell phone down, maybe it wouldn't hurt to ponder on the "what ifs". Just type in "survival quiz" in Google and you'll get almost 4 million hits - here are a few to get you started:
http://quiz. ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/tests/survival.htm
http://www.wilderness-su rvival.net/quiz/quiz.php
http://dsc.discove ry.com/fansites/alive/quiz/quiz.html
**************************
Fruit & Veggie Recipes
**************************
Roasted Cauliflower
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cauliflower head
Olive oil
Fresh pepper
Salt
1. Cut a head of cauliflower (medium size) into florets and toss into a bowl.
2. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, a fair amount of fresh ground pepper and some salt.
3. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a baking pan and roast it in the oven at 425-250F (220-230C) for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges start to brown.
To use in a salad:
4. While the cauliflower is in the oven, toast a half a cup (125mL) of walnuts in a non-stick skillet for 5 to 8 minutes, over medium heat. Watch and shake the pan to make sure they don't burn.
5. Cut a small radicchio head into strips and prepare 2 cups (500mL) of watercress sprigs or arugula leaves.
5. Stir a teaspoon (5mL) of Dijon mustard with lemon juice.
6. In a large bowl, combine the sauce, cauliflower (and any oil from the pan), radicchio, greens and salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe was found in the Arts & Life section of The Montreal Gazette - August 9, 2006
Maple Butter
Makes 10 servings
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup (preferably pure maple syrup)
1. Mix the butter and syrup with an electric mixer until well blended. The final product will have a whipped texture.
2. Serve immediately or chill for a while if you want to firm up the texture.
This recipe was found at the Mr. Breakfast website
http://www.mrbre akfast.com/superdisplay.asp?recipeid=984
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Makes 12 half-pint jars
4 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
4 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced
4 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
10 cups granulated sugar
2 (3 1/2 oz) packages powdered fruit pectin
1. In large kettle, combine all ingredients except the sugar.
2. Cook over high heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
3. Add sugar and keep stirring. Be sure sugar dissolves into the mixture.
4. Return to boil and boil for another minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from the burner and skim off the foam with a spoon.
6. Spoon the hot jam into hot (preferably half-pint) canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch of space at the top. Wipe the jar rims and adjust the lids.
7. Place the jars in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes (begin timing when the water starts to boil). Remove jars from canner and cool on racks.
This recipe was found at the Cooks Recipes website
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/sauces/
*****************************
The Subjectivity of Words
*****************************
Sometimes what we say and write doesn't come out in quite the right way. Here are some headlines gathered from different newspapers that were meant to sound professional but instead can give you a real chuckle.
"New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group"
"Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft"
"Kids Make Nutritious Snacks"
"Chef Throws His Heart into Helping Feed Needy"
;
&
quot;Arson Suspect Held in Massachusetts Fire"
"Ban On Soliciting Dead in Trotwood"
"Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half"
"New Vaccine May Contain Rabies"
"Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors"
"Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms"
"Eye Drops Off Shelf"
"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"
"Clinton Wins on Budget, But More Lies Ahead"
&quo
t;Enraged Cow Injures Farmer With Ax"
"Plane Too Close to Ground, Crash Probe Told"
"Miners Refuse to Work after Death"
"Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant"
"Stolen Painting Found by Tree"
"Two Sisters Reunited After 18 Years in Checkout Counter"
And just to show you how subjective words can be, here's something a high school teacher once asked us to do - punctuate the following phrase:
"Woman without her man is nothing"
All the girls wrote: "Woman - without her, man is nothing."
And the boys? "Woman, without her man, is nothing."
The headlines were found here
http://www.writers-free-reference. com/
*******************************
Oh No - The Power's Out!
How Would You Survive?
**************************
Fruit & Veggie Recipes
*****************************
The Subjectivity of Words
*******************************
Power Failures
You're sitting watching TV one evening after work, when suddenly it goes off. And so do the lights. And the clocks. And the fans. What do you do? Relax; it's just a power failure! But could you really relax - honestly? After watching peoples' reactions to the last such incident in my city a couple of weeks ago, I'm not so sure most people are able to relax. So it's a little inconvenient, but is it really that bad? How long could you go without a TV, microwave, fan, lights? And what if someone took the cell phone and car away for a few days? People did it all for far longer than we've had all these luxuries. So sit down,
relax, and enjoy the read.
Okay - but seriously, losing power for a few days does come at a price. So we've got some tips on how to keep that food cooled, and you comfortable and entertained.
We've also found some quizzes on extreme survival. Forget not having a cell phone, what do you do when sinking in quicksand? Take the quiz and find out if you're ready for it.
And for a chuckle - we've found some headlines you might want to read over a couple of times. They were meant to sound serious, but instead came out looking more like jokes.
*******************************
Oh No - The Power's Out!
*******************************
Last week in Montreal, they were hit with a pretty powerful thunderstorm which knocked out power all over the island and its surroundings. And of course it just had to be during one of the hottest days of the summer - which means no fans, air conditioning or working freezers and fridges. Okay, I agree - these are inconveniences. But the more I looked at how people were acting, the more I couldn't help chuckle. On average, people lost power for about 20 hours and yet most were acting as if it was some sort of apocalypse. And yet a mere 200 years ago, people somehow managed with no electricity at all - summer, winter, rain or snow - they somehow survived it.
The more you think about how dependent we've become, not only on electricity but also on all modern-day technologies, the scarier the thought becomes. Most of our lives revolve so much around these things, that were they to disappear for some reason, our world seems like it would come to a screeching halt - even if we have to deal without our gadgets for a mere 24 hours.
So what would you do if you woke up one morning, and not only was the power out, but you couldn't use your cell phone, car or TV and still had to go on with all your daily activities? I am absolutely sure that most of us would panic. And what if you had to live like this for a few days? Honestly, at the beginning, it can actually be kind of fun - kind of like camping. But no electricity and modern technology means more than just not having air conditioning in the summer or a TV to watch. What about all that food that has to stay cold, or even frozen? What about taking a warm shower or bath? It's all possible, but everything takes much more time. (For those of you who lived through the Ice Storm of 1998 - which in some places lasted for over a month - you've got good practice. Besides all the inconveniences, I personally remember it as being somewhat fun (- for a while, anyway).
In some sense, I think it would be good for us to spend a few days having to live without power and all our gadgets. Besides the fact that it would likely make you quite appreciative of the things you do have, maybe it would slow us down a bit. Most of us don't stop running from the moment we get up to the moment we go to sleep - and even then, most of us can't stop running (in our heads, anyway). I'm slowly developing a theory that as much as cell phones, microwaves, and cars (etc.) have helped us out, they've also taken away a lot of the charm of life. They've put us on such tight schedules that we have trouble just sitting down and not doing anything for even a few minutes.
Up until about 2 years ago, I hated cell phones. They ring at all the wrong moments (like at the movie theater), people scream into them so loud you can't carry on a conversation with a friend on a bus or even listen to the thoughts in your head. Then my mom got one - I used it for a few days and I was hooked. Today, I'd rather have it than not, but it's come with many disadvantages too. For example, last year my boyfriend and I took a trip to Toronto for a few days - just the two of us. Sure, I could've left the cell phone at home, but I took it "just in case". The day after we left, I get a call from my dad asking me whether I want to go see a play in two and a half months time. Seriously - this couldn't wait two more days? And ever since I've had that phone, people have become increasingly paranoid about my whereabouts. If I don't answer my cell phone, this apparently means some great tragedy has occurred. "Mom, two years ago you couldn't get in touch with me at all and I was younger, and somehow you survived - and I did, too!"
I'll agree that many of our modern-day technologies are really helpful, but I think we've taken it too far. TVs and e-mails on cell phones, DVD players in cars, camping in trailers that cost more than houses? Besides the fact that these things are completely ridiculous (camping is about being out in the wild, not sitting in a fully-equipped house on wheels), they cause more anxiety than they help, not to mention some are outright dangerous (put down that cell phone and drive
.So no matter how inconvenient it can be to have no power for a day or two, it's not the end of the world. People have walked the planet for thousands of years and we've only had electricity for about 200 - many more have survived without it than with it.
*****************************
How Would You Survive?
*****************************
What would you do in a plane cabin filled with smoke? If you were hiking and spotted, a bear close by? If your inflatable boat started leaking? Some of these are extreme situations, but if you can't even think of putting your cell phone down, maybe it wouldn't hurt to ponder on the "what ifs". Just type in "survival quiz" in Google and you'll get almost 4 million hits - here are a few to get you started:
http://quiz. ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/tests/survival.htm
http://www.wilderness-su rvival.net/quiz/quiz.php
http://dsc.discove ry.com/fansites/alive/quiz/quiz.html
**************************
Fruit & Veggie Recipes
**************************
Roasted Cauliflower
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cauliflower head
Olive oil
Fresh pepper
Salt
1. Cut a head of cauliflower (medium size) into florets and toss into a bowl.
2. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, a fair amount of fresh ground pepper and some salt.
3. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a baking pan and roast it in the oven at 425-250F (220-230C) for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges start to brown.
To use in a salad:
4. While the cauliflower is in the oven, toast a half a cup (125mL) of walnuts in a non-stick skillet for 5 to 8 minutes, over medium heat. Watch and shake the pan to make sure they don't burn.
5. Cut a small radicchio head into strips and prepare 2 cups (500mL) of watercress sprigs or arugula leaves.
5. Stir a teaspoon (5mL) of Dijon mustard with lemon juice.
6. In a large bowl, combine the sauce, cauliflower (and any oil from the pan), radicchio, greens and salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe was found in the Arts & Life section of The Montreal Gazette - August 9, 2006
Maple Butter
Makes 10 servings
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup (preferably pure maple syrup)
1. Mix the butter and syrup with an electric mixer until well blended. The final product will have a whipped texture.
2. Serve immediately or chill for a while if you want to firm up the texture.
This recipe was found at the Mr. Breakfast website
http://www.mrbre akfast.com/superdisplay.asp?recipeid=984
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Makes 12 half-pint jars
4 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
4 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced
4 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
10 cups granulated sugar
2 (3 1/2 oz) packages powdered fruit pectin
1. In large kettle, combine all ingredients except the sugar.
2. Cook over high heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
3. Add sugar and keep stirring. Be sure sugar dissolves into the mixture.
4. Return to boil and boil for another minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from the burner and skim off the foam with a spoon.
6. Spoon the hot jam into hot (preferably half-pint) canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch of space at the top. Wipe the jar rims and adjust the lids.
7. Place the jars in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes (begin timing when the water starts to boil). Remove jars from canner and cool on racks.
This recipe was found at the Cooks Recipes website
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/sauces/
*****************************
The Subjectivity of Words
*****************************
Sometimes what we say and write doesn't come out in quite the right way. Here are some headlines gathered from different newspapers that were meant to sound professional but instead can give you a real chuckle.
"New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group"
"Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft"
"Kids Make Nutritious Snacks"
"Chef Throws His Heart into Helping Feed Needy"
;
&
quot;Arson Suspect Held in Massachusetts Fire"
"Ban On Soliciting Dead in Trotwood"
"Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half"
"New Vaccine May Contain Rabies"
"Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors"
"Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms"
"Eye Drops Off Shelf"
"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"
"Clinton Wins on Budget, But More Lies Ahead"
&quo
t;Enraged Cow Injures Farmer With Ax"
"Plane Too Close to Ground, Crash Probe Told"
"Miners Refuse to Work after Death"
"Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant"
"Stolen Painting Found by Tree"
"Two Sisters Reunited After 18 Years in Checkout Counter"
And just to show you how subjective words can be, here's something a high school teacher once asked us to do - punctuate the following phrase:
"Woman without her man is nothing"
All the girls wrote: "Woman - without her, man is nothing."
And the boys? "Woman, without her man, is nothing."
The headlines were found here
http://www.writers-free-reference. com/
