Feb. 15 is Presidents Day and what better way to honor our country’s greatest than with strange little tidbits about them?
1. George Washington (The First President) believed he was psychic and predicted a great future for America, including victories in two great world wars and being able to overcome the devastation in the third. (WHAT? THIRD?)
2. Thomas Jefferson (The Third President) was a passionate inventor and created the coat hanger.
3. Andrew Jackson (The Seventh President) believed that the world was flat.
4. John Tyler’s (The Tenth President) death was the only one in presidential history not mourned in Washington because about 20 years after his term as president, he joined the Confederacy and was named a sworn enemy of the United States.
5. David Rice Atchison (The 111/2 President) served as president for a day without knowing it when Zachary Taylor refused to be sworn next in line because it was a Sunday.
6. Abraham Lincoln’s (The 16th President) third cousin four times removed is Tom Hanks. (In case you didn't know, that means that Tom Hanks is Abraham Lincoln's third cousin's great-great grandson)
7. Ulysses S. Grant (The 18th President) was issued a $20 speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast down a street in Washington.
8. Franklin D. Roosevelt (The 32nd President) is related to 11 other Presidents.
9. James Garfield (The 20th President) could write in Latin with one hand, while writing in Greek with the other hand at the same time.
10. William Howard Taft (The 27th President) was so large that he frequently got stuck in the White House bath.
11. Irony: After Robert Todd Lincoln witnessed the assassination of his father, Abraham Lincoln, and the assassinations of two other presidents, Garfield and McKinley, he swore he would never attend any other more state affairs, but if it wasn’t for John Wilkes Booth’s brother who saved his life years earlier on a train station, he would have never seen the assassinations.
Every one of the 44 President is special in his own way and it’s time to honor their hard work throughout history on Feb 15.

With the tragedy of the Haiti earthquake and its many victims still fresh in our minds, it is apparent that one incident can shake the entire world. California, one of the most seismically active regions in the world, is almost certainly destined to be rocked by a 6.7 earthquake or larger by 2037. The recent earthquakes, though minute, are constant reminders to Californians that a big one is on the way. Though a natural disaster’s impacts are often difficult to calculate and predict, there are certain precautions every household should take to prepare for catastrophic events that might occur at any given moment and procedures they should abide by after the incident.
To prepare for future emergencies and disasters, families are encouraged to store emergency aid kits around the house in several different spots in the event that falling debris bar entrances to cabinets and hallways and prevent accessibility to these essentials. Crucial first aid kit items include hydrogen peroxide for wounds, prescriptions and any long-term medications, eye drops, bandage strips, cold packs, and splinting materials. Important medical information such as prescriptions can be stored in the refrigerator, which also provides protection from fires and falling wreckage. Other than the first aid kit, emergency kits should include enough water for three to five days (five gallons per person) and enough canned food that requires minimal or no cooking to last three days. Water should be stored in plastic containers with tight fitting lids, kept away from sunlight, and changed every six months. Families are also encouraged to routinely hold practice drills on how to efficiently exit the house. Mapping out dangerous routes that involve cabinets and bookshelves and learning to avoid them will lower the possibility of injury.
In the event of an earthquake, the first rule of thumb is to seek out sturdy tables or desks that don’t move and swiftly get under them. If there are no tables, covering your face and head with arms and standing in a strongly supported doorway or corner will suffice. Avoid huddling against walls with glass windows and hanging objects. A common mistake is to run out in the open to avoid being crushed under the falling house. However, many people are injured at the entrances of buildings while trying to get out when an earthquake strikes so stay inside if you are already inside. People in crowded, public places should not run for an exit but should take hold of something stable and shield themselves from falling debris. If you’re in a vehicle at the moment of an earthquake, move over to the shoulder of the curb away from utility poles, set the parking brake, and stay inside the vehicle. However, remember to check for breaks in electric wiring, cracks in the pavement, and other hazards that might arise because of an earthquake.
After an earthquake, it is never safe to assume that the danger has passed. Expect aftershocks. Aftershocks, though less intense than the major earthquake, can weaken building structures and trigger their collapse. Turn on the radio for emergency broadcasts detailing what you should do next. After, go about the house and mop up any spilled liquids such as bleach or medicine that are highly flammable and can cause fires. Gas leaks, electrical wiring damage, and breaks in water tubes also call for immediate attention.
When disaster strikes, fear often smothers reason. With these few tips, hopefully every family will be able to face tragedy prepared and calm rather than frightened and anxious. If we all did our part in taking the necessary precautions, we could help lower injury rates and recover faster. The faster we can get back on our feet, the faster we can return to focusing on advancing America as a whole.