Kirby Super Star (1996)

The platform-style was one of the first to take place in Dreamland. You play as Kirby through 8 unique game modes, that include mini-games, racing and adventure modes. It offered quite a bit of content, including boss battles against the likes of King Dedede and Metaknight, the 2 main antagonists of the series.

Super Ghosts ‘n Ghouls (1991)

One of the darker-styled games of the Super Nintendo, you play as the Knight Arthur in a quest to rescue a princess from an army of zombies, ghosts and ghouls across large graveyards, castles caves, temples and other maps. We loved this game because it found a way to stay fresh relative to other games of its genre, as it remained just as fun at the end as the first level. The boss battles are tough, but very rewarding when you finish it all.

Donkey Kong Country (1994)

A lot of people remember Donkey Kong Country for how innovative its graphics were for the time. The platform game was almost telling for what the graphics would begin to look like for the Nintendo 64, just a few notches below. It truly started a new chapter in gaming design that would only continue to get better.

The platform game has you play as Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr as you fight through 40 levels of Donkey Kong Island to stop King K Rool from getting away with the precious banana hoard. You have to swing through trees and shoot through barrels to get through each checkpoint. It’s challenging, without being too difficult for the children playing.

Mega Man X (1993)

Mega Man X represented a new era in the Mega Man series. Players could play as Mega Man alongside Zero to fight the AI-powered evils of Dr. Thomas Light. Mega Man X featured enhanced graphics and gameplay that you just didn’t see from the older, more simplistic Mega Man games, which made it that much more fun and exciting.

Star Fox 2 (1993)

The sequel to Star Fox met and exceeded expectations. The 3D motions made it somewhat unlike any other game from it’s time, which later gave rise to other popular ‘aero dogfighting’ games like Star Wars Rogue Squadron and Ace Combat. The added story and intense gameplay made Star Fox 2 a real keeper.

Super Castlevania IV (1991)

Castlevania did an unbelievable job of kicking things up a notch after the notorious Castlevania Dracula game. Here you play as Simon Belmont with a twist – this was the first game that let you control the vampire-slaying whip in any direction, giving the player more control in mobility and combo building.

Batman Returns (1992)

Based on the blockbuster movie, Batman Returns takes players through the streets, parks and sewers of Gotham City. The game was pretty much undeniably better than the movie, with a dark theme that later became “The Dark Knight”. This game was seen as more thrilling because of how many enemies and boss fights there were versus the previous games.

Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1994)

The force was with this game, as players hacked and slashed through multiple levels as many players including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and more, which was new. To make things even better, they mixed up the playstyle by adding 7 vehicle levels, letting players pilot iconic ships such as the Y-Wing and even Millenium Falcon!

Super Metroid (1994)

The first battle between Samus Aran and Ridley on the SNES was seen on Super Metroid, as you fought through space as Nintendo’s favorite intergalactic bounty hunter. Between the super creative aesthetics and interesting gadgets, it’s no wonder Metroid went on to become one of Nintendo’s highest-rated series.

Super Mario World (1990)

We still get the occasional bad dream from the original Super Mario World. It’s difficulties and sometimes-unnecessary time limits probably weren’t ideal for younger audiences, but nevertheless made for the best adventure game from the SNES. When many think retro gaming from the 1990s, Super Mario World always comes to mind. Fun fact: this was the first Mario game that let you ride Yoshi and also introduced many of the common villains like Hammer Bro and Monty Mole.

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Create Privacy

Privacy is key when it comes to creating a space you want to retreat to. Creating a private area can be done with a few upgrades. Adding a privacy fence is a great way to block off your whole yard or just a portion of it. Planting large green hedges or using large planters can also provide the privacy you are looking for. If you are looking to close off a deck or patio area, consider using outdoor curtains or trellises to create a private space.

Add A Hammock

Once you have created your private area what better way to relax than adding a hammock. When you think of relaxing many people often think of hanging out in a hammock on a nice fall or spring day reading a book or taking a nap or just hanging out. Hammocks are a great way unwind and just seeing a hammock swaying in the breeze can make your stress slip away. Hammocks can be hung between two sturdy trees or they can also be purchased with a stand. Make sure when placing a hammock that the ground below is a soft area of mulch or ground covering. Adding a hammock is an inexpensive way to provide a retreat-like upgrade to your backyard.

Create A Water Feature

Adding a water feature can be another way to create that relaxing spa-like retreat you’re looking for. Not only do water features create that soothing sound so many people enjoy, they are also beautiful to look at. These features can be as simple as a store-bought fountain, simple waterfall feature, or koi pond. You could also splurge on a pool with built-in water features that are sure to impress and provide the tranquility and outdoor living atmosphere you are looking for.

Add Outdoor Fire Pit

Your water feature provides just the right amount of soothing sounds and relaxing vibes but adding an outdoor fireplace takes things to another level. You can spend your days enjoying your water feature and your evenings enjoying the warmth of your outdoor fire pit area. Professional fire features are a great way to get back to those days of campfire chats and storytelling. Who doesn’t love a delicious roasted marshmallow or s’mores enjoyed around the campfire?

Install Outdoor Lighting

Lighting elements can be an easy way to create ambiance in your outdoor living area. Lights can also provide an additional security feature and extend the time you can enjoy your outdoor space. There are great solar and wired options to light up your walkway and pathways. Uplighting under trees can help showcase your property. Add string lights along your fences or trellis can help to frame out your area. Don’t forget your seating and conversation areas, adding candles or sconces are great easy ways to spruce up your outside oasis.

Bring The Kitchen Outdoors

Kitchens are not just for indoors anymore. Many homes and properties are now being equipped with outdoor kitchens or being added by the homeowners to provide an additional extension of their living area. These areas can be as simple as a stand-alone grill to very elaborate outdoor kitchen areas with grilling areas, prep space, and even outdoor sinks and refrigerators. Be sure your kitchen is equipped with the right grilling and cooking accessories.

Add Plants

Changing out old plantings or adding new plants can be a great way to spruce up your outside area. Adding in some new flowers that you don’t normally use can give your backyard a fresh new updated look leaving you feeling like you just visited and new spa-like destination right in our own backyard. You can match your plantings to the season and have a vibrant new appearance to go along with the change in weather.

Design A Kid-Friendly Area

Don’t forget the kids! If you’re updating your outdoor space you will want to create a fun space for the kids to enjoy. This can range from playsets and designated play areas for outdoor sports such as badminton or bocce ball for the younger aged kids to cool outdoor seating space with an outdoor movie screen. These areas can provide hours of entertainment for the whole family.

Eliminate Bugs

Even with all the right outdoor elements in place, your spa-like retreat bugs can really put a damper on your backyard plans. There is nothing worse than annoying mosquitoes and other insects to ruin your time outside. Totally eliminating bugs from a backyard or patio may be nearly impossible, controlling them should be easy to do. Adding elements such as citronella candles can help keep pests at bay. Also make sure you take away any of those areas that mosquitoes and other insects tend to gravitate too such as standing water, which attracts mosquitoes. You can also enlist the help of a professional pest control company to spray the yard for ticks, mosquitoes, and other bugs.

Outdoor spaces are a great way to extend your living space and connect with your family and friends and create lasting memories. Creating the perfect retreat doesn’t have to be difficult or a costly endeavor. Take all or some of our advice and you’re on your way to a sanctuary you will never want to leave.

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Up to the midterm, White House reports were grandiose in scale and have claimed responsibility for posting some of the highest employment rates in recent decades, along with the lowest unemployment rates for as long as this author can remember. And if we are doing so well, why has the stock market, granted it is ever volatile, just taken one of the wildest plunges in recent months? What does it all mean? And, most important, what does it mean to most Americans?

For those of us who cannot understand why the value of things are still measured in items such as pork bellies, stocks and bonds are never going to make sense. What real people need to understand is, “Will I have a job tomorrow?” “What is my spending power?” “Will my house sell for top dollar next year?” “My car has 180,000 miles on it. Can I afford to buy a new one or should I look at used cars instead?” And how does the Democratic party holding some semblance of power going to affect these outcomes one way or another?

It is important to assess what the Congress can and cannot do. A gridlocked House and Senate may not impact the economy as they do not control it. The House and Senate do not control economic growth, influence the willingness of consumers and commerce to spend, nor do either the House or Senate make monetary policy decisions. That is the job of the Federal Reserve. The Reserve as well as the U.S.’ chief trading partners, namely Europe and China, and our nation’s ongoing relationship with same influence the U.S.’s economic growth.

That means that increases and decreases in interest rates will eclipse corporate tax cuts to become the leading economic drivers. As the 2020 elections loom, congressmen and women who want to be reelected will shy away from any trickle down legislation that could possibly disrupt the economic cycle. In short, any major actions that affect the U.S. economy will be White House-driven, probably in the form of imposed trade tariffs, and not from the House.

Again, mindful of the the next election, it is unlikely that much legislation that could impact the economy will be passed, other than bills to improve our infrastructure (buildings and highways). This means the tax cuts or increases we enjoyed or bemoaned over the last two years are over. It also means that the current healthcare system will remain in place, and no more sweeping reforms or entitlements allocated to any economic sector.

Watchdog groups warn that an absence of legislation to curb the ever-expanding deficit will come home to roost, likely within the next 10 years. Taxpayers, brace ourselves! Perhaps the worst outcome from a gridlocked House and Senate is the negative impact the daily salvos have upon public confidence. It just makes voter turnout at the polls more difficult as the American public loses faith in their elected officials.

The Pros: Frivolous or ill-conceived legislation, such as allocating up to $25 billion to construct a wall the entire length of the U.S.and Mexican border will be reexamined, and likely highly modified. Also, in light of the recent disclosure that emails of top GOP officials were themselves hacked during the 2018 election, Hillary Clinton’s 2017 email debacle will finally be put to rest.

The Cons: Regardless of their political party, having the upper hand seems to go to the heads of those in power. In the name of Justice, time will be spent to uncover campaign wrongdoings, shots will be fired, most likely toward impeachment proceedings for both the sitting President and recent Supreme Court appointed judge, Brett Kavanaugh. With the term of office more than half over, these actions are pretty much a moot point, since the President, despite his veto, is a lame duck. Therefore efforts aimed at disgracing the 45th President would be a waste of time as well as a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Sadly, nothing can be done to prevent those early morning Presidential Tweets, read rants, that for many, have become ‘must read’ entertainment.

To summarize: The President retains veto power and the senate is notoriously known, regardless of which party controls it, as ‘the place bills go to die”. Therefore the upshot of the Democratic congress, especially for those seeking reelection, is not to forget why they are there: to serve the people. And if they (we) don’t, well, there is another national election in 2020. Stay tuned!

The post What a Democratic Congress Will Mean to the U.S. Economy appeared first on Koshka.

1. Orlando FLA/USA: Nope, exciting new attractions associated with the Disney enterprise are not the reason that Orlando tops our list for economic growth. Once a hotbed for aerospace and technology firms, this region has seen almost 24% industrial job growth since 2012. This surge can be traced to both multinationals like Mitsubishi and Siemens Energy, as well as Lockheed Martin and a wide number of small sub-contractors.
2. What is it with cities that start with the letter O? From Orlando we travel across the nation to Oakland, north of L.A. where factory workers have increased by 22% since 2012 in this smokin’ hot tech center.
3. Dear to Carl Sandburg, the heartland places third overall with the greater Grand Rapids region in Michigan posting a leap of almost 21% in industrial employment due to almost 2,500 manufacturing firms within its footprint. Here the leading employer is metals and plastics, followed by biopharmaceuticals and medical devices, production technology, food processing and lastly, automotive. As in Florida, the big employers such as General Motors, Cargill, Kellogg’s, Bissell, and Amway are reinforced by their much smaller subcontractors leading to an economic boost across firms of every size. Tied for number three is Reno Nevada, which on the strength of one industry, Tesla’s battery manufacturing plant, has seen an increase of 30% employment growth since the plant opened last year.
4. It’s back down to Florida for the 4th and 5th spots on this survey. Miami has posted an almost 23% growth in industrial employment over the past six years.
5. At number 5. West Palm Beach/Boca Raton/Delray Beach is generally associated with an upscale, recreational lifestyle, luxurious homes, boutiques, and dining destinations. Yet this region has posted an almost 28% increase in industrial jobs since 2012 due to a marked increase in executive positions within the aerospace and technology sectors.

Skilled workforces, low cost to work and to live, business-friendly regions that offer lower or no income taxes (which translates to higher wages), reasonable housing prices, and pro-development, low-restriction building policies are among the many reasons these urban areas have seen exponential industrial growth over the past 6 years. However, there are numerous urban areas, once known for their manufacturing companies, that have fallen down the charts. Some have morphed into sectors for other types of businesses such as educational, research, or recreational. Others have been supplanted by areas that offer milder climates, better education systems, and a lower cost of living overall. These tarnished regions include:

1. Los Angeles/Glendale/Long Beach: The garment industry, aerospace, and technology jobs in what was once the nation’s largest industrial center, have left at a rate of 20% over the last decade. It is believed that given an economic retrofit and a major reboot, this once thriving region will again diversify its economy and attract new industries to its cities.
2. Sadly, in recent years, the “city of the broad shoulders”, Sandburg’s Chicago, has not been pulling its weight economically. It has posted less than 1% employment gains since 2012. This means that jobs have been leaving in droves, most likely to the Grand Rapids area where the climate for business has been made as enticing as possible.
3. Another region that has been hemorrhaging jobs is the greater Houston area which includes the upscale semi-suburban towns of Woodlands and Sugar Land. Exponential grown in the early 2000s ended abruptly at the end of that decade, thereby encouraging economic expats. The nationwide energy industry decline caused regions that depended on this sector for its economic welfare post job losses of 12% since 2012. The aerospace industry was also hard hit contributing to this decline.
4. While New Orleans can fall back on its tourism, the state of Oklahoma is not a vacation destination. For decades refining energy from petrochemicals and natural gas had made this industry the state’s top employer. Currently, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City in particular, is turning to wind power, geothermal, and solar development hoping for a job resurgence via the state’s new diverse energy plan.
5. While New Orleans can fall back on its tourism, the state of Oklahoma is not a vacation destination. For decades refining energy from petrochemicals and natural gas had made this industry the state’s top employer. Currently, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City in particular, is turning to wind power, geothermal, and solar development hoping for a job resurgence via the state’s new diverse energy plan.

What is called America’s ‘great job resurgence’ is taking place primarily in smaller cities. Thanks to a number of factors it has become increasing possible for these more rural areas to compete for skilled workers with large urban areas. There are many reasons for this. As mentioned above, many municipalities tempt industries and workers to their regions with higher wages, lower taxes, low crime, and generally, an improved quality of life. These are factors that matter to families, and industries seeking the best and brightest workforces are taking heed. Other regions, like the Midwestern “rust belt”, have seen their economies suffer for decades, as older industries lacked the skilled workers or money for technology upgrades to keep pace with more prosperous regions. Here, the government has stepped in, providing incentives for businesses to employ and train local workers, thereby improving their economy and reducing both crime and poverty rates.

Our nation’s industries, long the backbone of our economy, are rallying after what for most, has been a very trying decade. Slow but steady growth is being seen and acceptable employment, taxation, and housing solutions are being implemented. Things are looking good, America. Here’s to continued our economic growth!

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Electrical Power

Most Americans are already accustomed to electricity and to be honest, most Americans couldn’t really imagine life without it. In an age where people have the full power of the internet at their fingertips, things tend to be taken for granted. Electricity is a great way to power our lives because we can always make more of it (hence it being an example of renewable energy) and it doesn’t leave any known negative impacts on our planet or ecosystems.

Having the ability to make more electricity means we can regulate prices easier, making it more affordable, and the machinery used to not extract, but CREATE it means more jobs for everyone from the engineering level, to manufacturing, testing, distributing and so on.

How Electrical Power Works

Now that we know that we CAN make electricity, the next step is knowing HOW. With the use of generators and batteries, we can make energy out of magnetism! Negatively charged electrons naturally want to move towards positive charged electrons. In the process, they emit energy which sparks and charges the battery. Knowing the laws of electricity allows us to design different batteries and manipulate it for our benefit.

Making The Most of Electricity With Energy Storage

Now that we know a little more about electricity, we can look into other methods of making it. These are, and will continue to be especially valuable methods for creating electricity in large supplies (for masses of people). To paint a better picture, energystorage.org divided the six main types of energy storage around the world.

• Solid State Batteries – a slew of chemically-based energy storage solutions
• Flow Batteries – slightly more advanced and user-friendly batteries in which the electricity is stored directly in the electrolyte solution. This is most known in lithium-ion batteries.
• Flow Batteries – slightly more advanced and user-friendly batteries in which the electricity is stored directly in the electrolyte solution. This is most known in lithium-ion batteries.
• Compressed Air Energy Storage – These utilize compressed air to create high units of energy.
• Thermal – Captures energy with hot and cold temperatures.
• Pumped Hydro-Power – Larger reserves of energy with the use of moving water, often with large turbines.

Solar Power

Not a bad idea harvesting energy from the single strongest source of energy (the sun). Other than its sheer power, what makes the sun such a great source of energy is its presence. When the day comes that we lose the sun, we’ll be gone anyway, so it’s as reliable, powerful, and consistent source of energy as we can get, here on earth.

How Solar Power Works

Of course, the idea is to capture energy from the sun and convert the radiation into usable electricity. This is achieved through solar panels and of course, the more the merrier. Solar panels by taking in photons from the sun (radiation) and knocking electrons lose from the captured atoms. The silicon panels are made with two layers that act as a battery (with a positive and negative charge), hence why the larger the panels and higher quantities can produce higher grades of power.

Wind Powder

Geographic locations pending, there’s a lot of wind out there. So it only makes sense to utilize this natural phenomenon to harness tons of clean, renewable energy. These, of course are more common in wide-open areas that are susceptible to higher volumes of wind.

How Wind Power Works

Heavy winds work to move turbines, creating kinetic energy. When connected to a line of generators, windmills can create large quantities of energy. Now there are quite a few types of wind turbines because they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They are mostly divided into horizontal axis and vertical axis, where the blades tend to range from two to four.

Wrapping Up

With so many new technologies becoming available, it’s becoming more and more clear that there is an increasing need for renewable energy. Recycling energy is the future! To leave a lighter carbon footprint and a more positive impact on the economy, we know electricity is the answer.

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Historians have noted that by the 18th century the world came to a crossroads. Long an agrarian society, improvements to inventions such as the printing press and the cotton gin were enabling more middle class people to move up in society and to achieve greater status in their communities. Civilization became industrialized, and the focus among nations became weath accrual through industrial means. Wars were fought and won based on innovative weaponry forged in factories and laboratories such as cannon, guns, and later tanks, finally the atomic bomb. Below we present a list of the industrial innovations from the 18th and 19th centuries that drew on previous breakthroughs and served to catapult civilization to the dawn of the digital age.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell/Ignition/friction matches: Unintentional fires were rampant, but how could man create fire at will? In 1826 a British druggist named John Walker created the sulphur tipped match, out of curiosity, not a specific need. Everyone from smokers to Boy Scouts owe him a debt. At the same time in Wales, William Grove, a physicist and attorney combined assorted metals, porcelain plates, and an acid solution to produce the first fuel cell. Without controlled ignition, combustion, and fuel cell advances, inventions such as the electric car would not be possible.

Faraday Principle- Electromagnetic Generator/Electromagnetic findings: we could not drive today, the Panama canal would not have its superior switching system, even today’s hospital operating rooms would not exist had William Sturgeon not built upon developments from Faraday, Oersted, Ampere, and Arago to create the world’s first electromagnet. Later his design was improved upon by Joseph Henry who built a strong electromagnet capable of lifting 3,600 pounds.
Photography: Joseph Niepce is considered the father of modern photography. From an 8-hour exposure of the view from his window, over the next 15-years Niepce produced long-lasting images through his unique chemical development process. Magazines and even movies would not exist had he not persisted in refining his early imagery and techniques.

The Bessemer Process: the mass production of steel from molten pig iron that produces strong metal created a boom in industries such as building (skyscrapers would not exist without it), appliances, tools, gages, automobiles, ships, and anything that requires a sturdy infrastructure or height.

The tin can: the next time you open a can of beans on a camping trip appreciate that this experience would not be possible without Peter Durand. In 1810 he created the first thick-walled tin can to preserve food. This invention has positively impacted health, sanitation, exploration, and even brought about the invention of the can opener!

The first factory: history has all but forgotten an Englishman named Lombe who invented the factory. The structure was built as a silk processing mill that employed 300 persons and is remembered as the first fully mechanized factory in the world. Henry Ford and his innovative assembly line came much later!

Steam engine/steam powered locomotives: trains as we know them today owe their existence to James Watt who created a steam engine based on earlier, less successful inventions. With the integration of a crankshaft and gears, soon the Iron Horse became a reality. Modern transportation was born.

Modern batteries: arguably, the first batteries date to ancient greece, but modern, electric-charged batteries were the brainchild of Volta, improved upon my Cruickshank and Plante with the rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery invented by Junger at the turn of the 20th century. Flashlights would not exist without it!

The Arc Lamp/Gaslight: Using batteries, Sir Humphry Davy built the first arc lamp which was later refined with the development of electric generators several decades later.

The Telegraph: attributed to many, the telegraph made nearly instant communication across great distances a reality, and the future digital age possible.

Portland Cement/McAdam paving roads: Portland cement was invented in 1824 and the construction industry has never been the same. Every structure from subways to sewage systems includes precast concrete to retain their strength and structural integrity. While superhighways did not begin to bisect the landscape until after WWII, paved roadways owe their existence to John McAdam. It was McAdam who revolutionized road construction by inventing durable paving compounds.

Computers: did you think this article could be written without mentioning the computer? From room sized metal and wire calculators used to crack enemy codes in wartime in twenty years time the computer morphed to more powerful yet desktop-sized machines that revolutionized the way we work in offices. Even today’s tablets and smartphones would not exist without some of the innovations mentioned in this article including batteries, fuel cells, steel, and factories!

These innovations have been narrowed to the industrial realm and do not speak to medical breakthroughs, such as the development of penicillin in the 1930s, nor chemotherapy, or even x-rays. Perhaps we’ll cover the worldwide impact of those advances at another time. For now, it is enough to realize how one invention influenced the development of another and yet another until we have arrived at the Digital Age. What’s next? Oh, that is not one article, but an entire series!

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First, let’s accept this common hypothesis about crises in general: In hindsight, everyone can see that the issue was looming. In real-time, however, most folks do not have the scope nor the access to information to take action to avoid potential disaster. Countless video conferences about global warming and its impact on energy resources have been debated at universities, corporations, and the government both here and abroad. Currently (pun intended), industry observers note that America’s electrical grid structure is a break-point. We are not only vulnerable to terrorist attack, but also to ‘catastrophic failure’ from a ‘major weather event’.

Examining this statement, one believes that terror attacks have historically impacted a targeted area, and that single-event weather anomalies like a hurricane, tornado, record rainfall, or a blizzard, will not affect the majority of the U.S. However, it is very important to listen to the advice from energy experts who warn that our country depends on wind, solar, and natural gas to generate our energy, instead of nuclear or coal sources. Again, this article is not a forum for debating the benefits and liabilities of each. Instead to realize that energy output needs to be increased, and that there are pros and cons to be weighed in every decision.
Americans Take Energy for Granted

As a nation we have to stop taking our energy resources for granted. We press a remote, our TV turns on, we turn a dial, our stove heats our food, or even our home. But what if one day it didn’t? Observers note that the existing power grid in the U.S. relies too much on what is termed, “baseload power”- energy that is produced by coat, nuclear, and hydro-electric. Following well-publicized meltdowns and the release of toxins at some nuclear facilities, many states have curtailed building additional nuclear resources yet have not offered viable substitutes. For example, on Long Island, public outcry forced the closing of a nuclear reactor in Shoreham. However, subsequent attempts to create wind power facilities off Long Island Sound, have met with resistance from industries that serve the area’s fabled tourist attraction, the Hamptons.

Often, widespread awareness of important facts can spur public action. The most important takeaway regarding America’s energy sources is that there is no way to store substantial amounts of energy. Energy must be produced as needed, not before. This can rule out sources such as solar and wind power which only produce power during two instances: when there is sunlight, and when there is sufficient wind. Natural gas lines rely on a steady supply of fuel which must be sent via pipeline. Surges in need cannot increase the rate of supply, the system is just not set up that way, nor apparently can be modified to respond to an immediate demand for more energy from this source.

On the subject of energy derived from natural gas, we’ve learned that this energy supply can be disrupted by a number of events. Human error is the most common, followed by pipeline repair, and a catastrophic weather event. Terrorism is often cited as a potential issue, but fortunately, to date, this threat has not materialized. The fact is, any of the above reasons can disrupt power plant operations. Each 500-megawatt plant will generate electricity to light up about 350,000 buildings. Energy advisors caution that there could be widespread outages lasting an indefinite length of time, possibly weeks, if regardless of the trigger, even one power plant went offline.

Time to Diversify Our Energy Supply

The proposed solution is to further diversify our energy supply, as well as to retain nuclear and coal-fired power plants that deliver consistent energy. Even if coal and nuclear plants were held in escrow to provide reliable power such as when an event triggers an huge spike in need would prove beneficial. Being able to quickly bring these power plants online to generate reliable energy almost immediately would avoid impacting hundreds of thousands of Americans and prevent a hit to the U.S. economy. Advisors urge politicians and local energy facilities to take the steps now to avoid calamity later.

To summarize, no one can tell exactly when or why a future energy crisis of national or global proportions will develop, only that the potential is present. Part of the reason for concern is that should a sudden demand for electricity occur, energy output from the most common sources can be taxed to a breakpoint. For decades due to public safety concerns, coal-fired and nuclear power plants have been abandoned or taken off-line. It is suggested that these and new energy sources be examined, reconsidered and implemented. What is agreed is that should the present power plants be taxed to the point of failure, that some form of reliable energy-producing backup system be in place, ready to circumvent widespread inconvenience and potential disaster. The time to act is now.

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