Somebody Call 9-1-1

Fiber Optic Cable Cut

A Century Link fiber line was severed near the junction of N.D. Highway 1 and Interstate 94, west of Valley City on June 14, 2012. A contractor was plowing the ground in the area and cut a fiber cable. The damage caused disruption on landline telephones, cellphones and internet across the region. The outage lasted roughly 7 hours.

Once again, the same Century Link fiber line was severed on June 23, 2012 by a farmer. Internet, long distance and 9-1-1 services were disrupted in Stutsman County. Officials had to establish alternate ways for emergency services to be accessed. 9-1-1 calls were rerouted so they could be answered by State Radio in Bismarck. This was the second outage in 10 days.

Both breaks in the cable caused disruptions to 911 services in Stutsman, LaMoure and Barnes counties and the ability to make long distance calls from some landlines. The outage also affected Internet service with some businesses reporting they could not process credit card transactions. The two incidents of cut fiber optic have officials looking for answers. “We’re still investigating the first cut,” said Brian Kalk, member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission. “In the past three years we’ve had a renewed emphasis on call before you dig and those things are usually easy to sort out.” “Construction companies are required to call NorthDakota One Call before digging,” Kalk said. “A construction company that does not do this can be subject of fines of from $500 to $5,000.”

Talk about “lack of communication”. My cell phone wouldn’t allow me to call anyone, but 9-1-1, my work landline wouldn’t allow me to make any outgoing calls and I could not access the internet. Many employees left work early. Some of the them left due to inability to reach their children or other loved ones, some left because they couldn’t perform their job due to inability to access the internet and operate machinery and some left to help others that were struggling with their businesses due to lack of services.

Blinders and Frog Juice

Published on June 19, 2012 in the New York Times is this story, Latest Illegal Drug for Racehorses: ‘Frog Juice’. Recently, more than 30 racehorses have conditionally tested positive for dermorphin, a powerful performance-enhancing potion drawn from the skin of a frog, native to South America, called Phyllomedusa sauvagei. For months postrace testing could not find the substance, a painkiller far more powerful than morphine. “We hear about some pretty exotic stuff,” said Dr. Steven Barker, who directs the testing laboratory at Louisiana State University. “Frog juice — this is exotic.”

Many people observe horse racing as an innocent sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the adventure. The hidden truth is that, behind the scenes, lays a story of immense suffering. Through my research, aapproximately 50% of foals born actually go on to become a racing horse. The horses that do not make the grade may be slaughtered for meat or repeatedly change hands and may become a case of neglect. Many of the horses, who do go on to race, are raced to death every year.

Behind its alluring mask, commercial horse racing is a ruthless industry motivated by financial gain and prestige. Animal cruelty - you can bet on it! Betting on a race became so much easier as all you needed to do was get online and get betting.

The horse racing industry has made some efforts to provide for the horses and horse athletes, but not enough. Changes need to be made to protect the horses in the industry and they need to happen much quicker than they have been or currently are. When will “they” take their blinders off?

For documentaries on "horse stories", watch these videos:
Disarray at the Race Track, Part I
Disarray at the Race Track, Part II

Media Up In Smoke?

Since June 8, 2012, firefighters and volunteers have been fighting wildfires that have spread quickly in the dried forests of Colorado. The fire spread 31-square-miles within about a day of being reported and now has consumed 80-square-miles.



“The fire is very large, unpredictable and aggressive. It was moving at 20 to 40 feet per second or about 1 mile an hour -- fast for a fire," reported by a firefighter. The fire has sent up heavy smoke, obscuring the sun and creating an eerie, orange dusk in the middle of the day. The smell of smoke drifted into the Denver area and smoke spread as far away as central Nebraska, western Kansas and Texas. Crews are working to build a fire line around the blaze. While lower temperatures, slightly calmer winds and higher humidity were offering some help to firefighters, the fire was entirely uncontrolled Monday morning. More than 100 structures had been damaged or destroyed; it is unknown if they were homes, sheds or other buildings. The fire has forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes, leaving the majority of their worldly possessions behind.

Even though many forms of media will be destroyed by fire, many lives will and have been saved by the media. The media (television, radio, print and internet) can help inform and educate you, your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends about the location and status of fires. Some people have received verbal warnings, phone calls, texts or messages warning them to be ready to evacuate. Due to technological advancements today, many more lives have been and will be saved. "These folks are doing everything they can, but Mother Nature is running this fire," a sheriff stated. Even when Mother Nature is in control, we have so many resources available to protect and help save lives through the many methods of communication we have available.

Example of an advanced notification that saved lives: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/colorado-wildfire-forces-evacuations/2012/06/14/gJQAulKDdV_video.html

Hands On The Wheel

Cell phone usage has drastically grown in the past two decades. It is unknown how largely cell phone calls and texting contribute to car accidents; however, it is clear that driver inattention is the number one cause of car crashes.

Technology has advanced enormously and texting while driving is on the rise and is increasing day by day. Many states in the United States have passed laws that ban the use of cell phone texting while driving. Certainly, more states are sure to follow and enforce cell phone driving laws. Texting and talking behind the wheel possible large contributors to driver distraction and inattention.

Everyday people are putting other's lives at risk! On June 6, 2012, Aaron Deveau of Massachesetts was convicted of homicide as a result of texting while driving. He was found guilty on charges of vehicular homicide, texting while driving and negligent operation of a motor vehicle in a 2011 crash that fatally injured one individual and seriously injured another, http://articles.cnn.com/2012-06-06/justice/justice_massachusetts-texting-trial_1_texting-while-driving-vehicular-homicide-novice-drivers?_s=PM:JUSTICE. Why can't one simply put the phone down until they are no longer operating a motorized vehicle?

There is a new app on the Android Market called Text Stop. With Text Stop, one has the ability to control if a phone is on or off from another cell phone. At this website, http://www.drivesafe.ly/, one can learn all about it. Although it may not solve all of the problems, it can drastically reduce the risks. The temptation will no longer be there!