For Archipielago

Weather Miracles!

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:55:30 +0000

For islands, as we have discussed before, they can be very vulnerable to many types of weather events. For example, hurricanes can literally level and wipe out a small island. Cyclones can bear down on them and flood them out within a day. The miracles now for many of the residents are advanced warning systems though. These advanced warning systems can help them to make sure they are prepared for the worst. If they can then they can flee to higher ground if they know a weather system is approaching them. In the past, before communications like TV or radio, this was not the case. Sure, there may have been signs in the atmosphere to help them to determine what the weather may be like, but nothing like what is available today.

The key for many island residents now is having a safety plan for an upcoming storm. Storms are likely to happen, so being prepared, no matter where you are, can be a smart and wise thing to do. The next time you are visiting your favorite island, make sure that you know what to do in case of an emergency.

The Selling Of Islands

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:56:34 +0000

Can you believe it? You could buy your own island. In the news lately has been the country of Greece. Many experts are calling for them to sell off their assets in order to help their ailing country cover their debts. So what are their biggest assets that could handle such a request? -Islands. The country has and owns many different islands. Experts say that if they can sell many of these off that this will help them get on top of their debt. The issue is that Greece officials say there is no way that they can sell off their largest assets though. These islands apparently mean way too much to them and they are not willing to part with them no matter the price. Selling these lands could put them into the hands of countries that they have no desire to be neighbors with. Many of the so called experts around say if they do not do something quick, they may be forced into selling at cheaper prices. So what is your opinion? This seems to be a very tough decision. How many of us have had to sell off some assets to cover debt. I guess in a way there is big of a difference but the feeling of loss is similar.

One or More Islands

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:18:51 +0000

So many decisions. What happens when you find the most amazing tropical island vacation paradise? Do you ever again try another island and risk being severely disappointed? Do you only ever visit your favorite spot the rest of your life? Tough decisions, for many people having just the right place to get away, knowing exactly what you will get, and loving every minute of it will certainly be enough for them. Why not just go somewhere that you love and enjoy. Imagine how long it took to find that spot. Well if that’s the case, the searching can end. For generations many families would always visit the same vacation spot year after year. Although now that air travel has made it easier to get around, people tend to spread their wings more.

But there are the more adventurous types in the word that want to move around a bit. They are willing to risk not enjoying their vacation as much as the last spot just to get to try something newer. So what type are you? It seems the younger generations like to move around much more. But either way you slice it, taking some time off can be great for everyone no matter where you end up.

Island Athletes

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:14:11 +0000

Usually islands tend to be pretty small. Now there are some much larger islands with huge populations like Japan, but for the small islands, they are not short of talent when it comes to sports. Now you may not see that many representatives from islands at the winter Olympics due to the warm climates there, but you may see a few. Some islands have boasted and been able to send quite a few amazing athletes to the games in the summer though. Many of the top runners, both sprinters and long distance have come from small island nations. Islands can also be a great breeding ground for baseball players. Agents and scouts alike scour these islands in search of top talent hidden away to be possibly drafted.

Islands are not short of talent no matter how small they may be. They may not tend to play in many of the Olympic sports, but they do nonetheless produce top talent. The next time you are watching the Olympics or another sport, see how many athletes you may see from smaller island countries competing. You never know, you just may be surprised at how many you find.

The Show ‘Lost’

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:25:55 +0000

People really have a fascination with the TV show ‘Lost’. It seems that anytime there is a show about people being stranded on a long lost island, they just love it. There of course tends to be that romantic side of things, as we have said before. But if you have ever experienced something like this for yourself, you would realize that it is no picnic. There are actually survival schools and vacations for those that want to experience such a setting. Now there will not be any villains that are currently there to terrorize you. But you will for sure have your hands full as you try and make it in a place that very few can without tons of modern conveniences.

The show ‘Lost’ takes the island survival show to all new levels of intrigue and terror. The show gets most its popularity from the mystery that surrounds so many of the show’s characters, monsters and more. At what point does the show have to say enough is enough though? How many more twists and turns could there possibly be. Fans hope it never ends, but beware, at some point it will.

Loving Fish

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:34:06 +0000

How many people out there just love great fish and other types of seafood? Well, if you are an island go-er or think that some day you may end up living on an island, then you may find that if you are in doubt over how much seafood you can eat, then you may end up being sorely disappointed. Living on an island usually means that there will be fewer imports of food varieties and more sales of locally grown and caught food items. Sure, on most islands they will bring in various food items from the states. But many islands also depend on what they have on and around their island.

So before you go off and get this dream of going to an island and having the variety of food that most of us are willing to get, you may want to live there for some time first or take a long visit and try it out. Also do some research as to what foods may be indigenous to the area. Certainly an island paradise can be an amazing place to live, but at the same time there will probably be some major differences from what you are usually used to.

Island Populations

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:48:23 +0000

Compared to most land masses, islands are typically very small places for people to live. Take Staten Island for example. It is not that large at all yet the traffic and number of people that live or work there is really high. This can really cause troubles to the ecosystems in these areas, especially the water surrounding the island. Run off of rain water can carry tons of hazardous chemicals and waste into the delicate ocean. Many people think that because the ocean is so vast that there would be no way that we could pollute it. But now we have found out that we sure can. This pollution comes from all over the world and comes in many different forms; it is not all from island areas.

Many island areas struggle with the overpopulation. There is only so much space for highways and for people to work and live. Island officials must try and look ahead to the future to make sure that they come up with ways to improve on current problems. It is not only about fixing the problem but also about trying to deter them later on.

Haiti, An Island Devastated

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:34:49 +0000

In January of 2010, yet another island has been devastated by a huge earthquake. A 7.0 earthquake hit the heart of Haiti, toppling buildings and killing thousands of people. The death toll there continues to rise as volunteers and residents try and dig out those who have been buried underneath tons of rubble. The search efforts now seem to find more dead than alive. Even the presidential palace was completed flattened by the huge earthquake.

This can happen anywhere in the world. But many times islands tend to be near a major fault. These faults can give way at anytime and cause major natural disasters without any warning. Experts try to understand and predict when these may occur, but in the end they are left scratching their heads as to why they cannot figure out when the next big one will hit and where.

No matter what, islands can be very dangerous places to live. They have to deal with the possibility of earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. When something like this happens, much of the world sits and waits to hear how many will end up dying and how many will end up having to wait long periods of time to find out whether or not their loved ones are safe.

Island Earthquakes Continue

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:50:55 +0000

Islands in certain regions have been plagued by earthquakes on and off shore. Off shore earthquakes can sometimes be just as deadly due to their potential of unleashing huge tsunamis. These massive waves of water can do damage several miles inland. So even if you are inland quite a bit, you still may need to be really careful if you hear of a tsunami warning for the area. Islanders know that it is best to go as far inland as possible.

Just recently in the Solomon Island region, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit the area. It was off shore and sent residents in the region fleeing from the coast. Warnings or not, residents of the island know that if there is an earthquake, the disastrous effects of a tsunami may not be that far behind. These off shore earthquakes cause the land to shift and slide during an earthquake. So much land shifts that it causes a massive wave to be pushed out in many directions. The effects of the tsunami can be felt hundreds or more miles away.

So just because an earthquake is off shore, do not think that there is no cause for alarm. Keep in mind that off shore quakes can be just as dangerous.

Ellis Island

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:40:53 +0000

Many people have heard of Ellis Island but really do not understand what it really is and the role that it plays in our history. It was opened on January 1, 1892, and ended up becoming the United States main federal immigration station. It closed down around the year 1954 and did see and process over 12 million immigrants. This country saw most of its settlers come through this small island at one time or another. It is also said that over 40% of this country’s current residents can trace their ancestors and start here through this island.

In 1990 a museum honoring the island opened there. This can be a great place to visit and look into how history truly changed for this nation through the small island.

The American Family Immigration History Center also calls this island home. They can trace the over 25 million visitors to the island from the years of 1892 to 1924. For those that want to know more about their family history, this can actually be a great place to start. The center has be a good way for families needing to fill in missing pieces of their family trees to do so.