opinions // 16 Warning signs ignored »Lacklustre earthquake should alert us, not relieve us theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor M opinions @theotherpress.ca I didn’t crawl under my table during the 6.7-magnitude earthquake near Vancouver Island on April 24. In fact, I didn’t even notice until my social media erupted with comments concerning the swaying of homes and buildings. I walked away from the situation slightly relieved that the worst that had happened was the reminder that I was spending too much time on the Internet and that I was so unprepared for natural disasters. But give me a break, it’s hard to think about the collapse of my city when I’ve got so many other immediate things to worry about—that’s right, I’m saying that I’m not the only one who didn’t go under a table or quickly locate the emergency kit. If you did feel the shake, you were probably too busy enjoying the novelty to notice what it was. Preparing for an earthquake is just not a human instinct. Still I don’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t : anticipating “the Big One,” : the name of the megathrust : earthquake that was prophesied : : to hit the Pacific Coast of : : Canada and the United States in : : the (very) near future. Images : of Japan, Indonesia, and Chile : : remind me that earthquakes are : : nothing to joke about. Should : it hit with the force predicted, : my life would shift, like if I : was diagnosed with a terminal : illness. At this current state of : preparedness, I just hope to survive if the Big One hits. The earthquake earlier this year was a reminder that our government, our emergency : teams, and we citizens are : never going to be ready for an : earthquake. There is just no : such thing as “ready.” There is : no saying when it would hit : and where you would be. Sure, : there are protocols to follow : after the incident and there : are measures to be taken to : mitigate damage, but aside from : : that it’s a crapshoot. I believe : natural disasters occur with the : consistency of lottery tickets— : you might be lucky enough to : survive or you might be less lucky. Individually, we cannot do : much after an earthquake, but : together we can pump money : into funding that will help Emergency Management BC : of funding to “emergency : services.” There is no plan to : can really assess the damage : before it occurs. Money is one : thing, but having experienced teams prepared is another. : to do after the earthquake. What : would people downtown do? : What would people on the coast : of Vancouver Island do? What : would people sleeping at home : do? What about the people : commuting ona highway? The : government should go into : some length explaining the i = proper procedures following the quake and the aftershocks. follow, because cluelessness : will surely lead to chaos. I am media—and lord knows I won’t : have that after the Big One : knocks out my Wi-Fi. : one thing, but we need to know : what to do once we emerge. us survive in the aftermath. currently supplies $6.2 million increase the figure since no one Civilians need to know what We need a plan we can all often clueless without my social Hiding under the table is By Joel McCarthy Smartphones and dumb phobia » Sooner or later, you'll have a smartphone Elliot Chan Opinions Editor M opinions 4) @theotherpress.ca Or" in five people currently owns a smartphone on planet Earth. That is quite remarkable, since five years ago I was convinced that I might never get one. I personally didn't want to bea slave to my phone. But once I felt the sleek design of the iPhone 4 and engaged with the user-friendly interface, I knew that I wasn’t going back. I'm not sure if I’ve gone to the dark side or not, but my life has gotten significantly easier with a smartphone in my life. Embrace technology. Believe it or not, we're already slaves to it. We rely on technology for every little thing in our lives, from making a cup of coffee to saving people from traumatic injuries. Technology is the hammer and nails that built our houses, as well as the app that tells us how to get to our friends’ houses. It’s true that hammers can be used maliciously just as the Internet can be, but as long ; as the number of good uses is : greater than the number of bad, : we can't really argue with it. As mobile devices and : wearables get more advanced in : our society, it’s important for us : to utilize it and learn as much : as we can. The sooner we know : how to operate it, the better : off we'll be. Technology does : not have to bean addiction. : Technology can also be a good : habit to help you live a better, healthier life. Have you ever seen a : child operate an iPad more : proficiently than their parents or : : grandparents? It’s cute, but that : bar is also being raised every day. : : Soon we'll be the inept parents : and grandparents, unable to : update to the next version of : {Tunes on our Google Glass. : We'll be asking our kids and : grandkids to help. While that : might seem like the inevitable : passing of the torch, I don’t : believe our generation will : suffer that fate if we continue to : progressively learn and use new technology as it comes along. Sure, it doesn’t make sense : for software and Facebook to : change every few months for no : real immediate purpose, but we : shouldn't judge technological : leaps upon their inception. : While many designers, : engineers, and manufacturers : are still working out the : kinks for wearables, such as we should be excited for these they are. : smartphone one day, because : it will become the standard : as innovations continue to : make strides. If you've been : resistant to new technology : for so long now, you probably : won't be convinced by me, but : I’m just saying that the longer : you go without it the more : handicapped you'll be should : smartphones be imposed on you : one day. Embrace technology. Believe it or not, we are already slaves to it. smartwatches and Google Glass, new innovations—disruptive as Everyone will have a By ThinkStock