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Thunderstorm? Here’s why you should skip washing those dishes

Every grade school kid knows to seek shelter during a thunderstorm, but did you know that washing dishes or taking a shower can be dangerous during a storm? It turns out that lightning can still shock you through the pipes in your house. According to John Jensenius, a lightening safety specialist for the National Weather Service, during a storm, you need to stay away from anything that conducts electricity. That includes both wires and plumbing. “Certainly showers would be dangerous. It would be dangerous to be washing your hands or washing dishes,” Jensenius said. “Just avoid those any time you hear thunder.” Anything that plugs into a wall is also dangerous. That means avoid using dishwashers and washing machines, too. If you have plastic pipes in your home, you’re still at risk. Impurities in tap water can also conduct electricity. “Water can conduct electricity as well,” Jensenius said. “We see that on the outside…

Here’s what you should have in your emergency food stockpile

Hurricane Lane dropped record-breaking heavy rains that battered Hawaii this week, but that’s likely to just be the beginning. Hurricane season is expected to run through November 30 this year, with September being the peak season for storms in the Atlantic. It’s alway best to be prepared — if not over prepared — for disasters like hurricanes, especially if you live in a high-risk area. Because you’re going to have limited supplies in the event of an emergency, it’s important to make each item in your stash count. FEMA suggests foods that require no refrigeration, water, or special cooking. Foods can also lift morale and give a feeling of security in times of stress, so leave room for a few comfort items, as well. Here are some foods suggestions that should be in your stash: 1. Water Of course water is first and foremost. FEMA recommends having one gallon of…

Hail storms wipe out eight million bottles worth of Champagne grapes

Today the Champagne industry has nothing to toast. Strong hail storms hit the famous wine growing region of France and wiped out the equivalent of eight million bottles of bubbly. The strong hailstorm damaged 4,450 acres of Champagne vineyards — completely destroying about 1,000 of those. This isn’t the first storm to wreck havoc on this year’s harvest. The northeastern Champagne region was hit hard four times between late April and May, which is unfortunately the exact time that the delicate vines begin to flower. The fourth storm, which hit May 27, caused the most harm. “Of course storm and hail are not unusual phenomena in Champagne, but what is rare is to see them at this very early stage and with this level of violence,” the industry’s Champagne Committee said. Thanks to the region’s reserves, the hail damage is not expected to result in a shortage for customers this…

You’ll soon be spending more for that cheap wine

Just when you found a few good, cheap wines to rely on, they’re about to get way more expensive. According to data from the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), wine production was down this year to the lowest production levels seen since 1957. According to Reuters, it’s the weather causing the problem. Three of the world’s top wine producers, Italy, France and Spain, were hit by harsh and unusual weather last year, like drought, hailstorms and late spring frost, leading to an overall drop of 14.6 percent in production. The 2017 harvest only brought 25 billion liters of wine. That’s down from the 2015 harvest which produced 27.6 billion liters, and the 2016 harvest which brought 26.7 billion liters. The continent accounts for 65 percent of global wine production. The OIV told the Independent that this doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a shortage of wine unless the weather conditions and poor harvest…