The “anti-vaccine” movement is wreaking havoc in communities across the United States. It seems that rumors on parenting blogs have played a role in the recent uptick in refusals to vaccinate. Some blogs site religious beliefs.  Other blogs  tout the benefits of an organic lifestyle’s ability to overcome disease. Parents choosing not to vaccinate should question what will happen when their child gets sick and needs to take drugs in order to survive. There is never a 100% guarantee for anything. Risking the odds of contracting a serious, possibly fatal virus by refusing to get vaccinated seems absurd in today’s high tech information age.

Vaccines weren’t always so readily available. In fact, it was only 70 years ago in the 1940s that children were dying from outbreaks of measles, mumps and hepatitis B. Due to the invention of 40 different vaccines by Dr. Maurice Hilleman and better hygiene practices, over 732,000  lives will have been saved just over the past two decades. Current generations including Millennials, Gen Xers and Gen Yers appear to take disease free communities and longer life spans for granted. If these same generations had talked to their grandparents rather than browse online blogs perhaps this movement could have been avoided. Instead, we see the rise of diseases like Chickenpox, Measles and Influenza that can have serious consequences to young children and grandchildren.

Not only is it important to think of the safety of our loved ones, but we must think of our communities and society as whole. A concept known as “Herd Community” focuses on the impact to entire populations worldwide. Because travel is so readily available, disease can spread farther and faster than ever before making it even harder to contain to a small population. If the majority of people are vaccinated, the community as a whole is more protected against a disease; as it is harder for the virus to penetrate the population and even the non-vaccinated people of the “herd” have a smaller chance of getting sick. Unfortunately, due to the “antivaccine” movement in the US, diseases that were nearly extinct like Whooping Cough and Polio have begun to appear. The sad part is the unvaccinated children will suffer the most, as they will be the ones feeling the full impact.

There are many rumors and untruths related to vaccinations. However, the current facts showing the evolution of vaccination, demonstrate that vaccinating children is safe and effective. For example, in 1999 Thimerosal, the substance associated with Autism, was voluntarily removed from vaccines by the pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has substantiated that once harmful chemicals used in the 70s have been removed and vaccines are safe and effective. Should the anti-vaccination trend become more prevalent all of the people we come in contact with on a daily basis including family and friends will be at risk. Therefore, I urge everyone, especially parents of young kids, to research the current facts and statistical importance of vaccinations and then get vaccinated!

Here are some articles to help get you started:

LA Times: Sunday, September 7, 2014 front page, A vaccination heretic, by Paloma Esquivel
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/55944581/#55944581
http://vaccines.procon.org/#background
http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/vaccines-and-your-health.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/24/cdc-vaccine-benefits/8094789/

 Griff’s Electric, Inc. of Signal Hill, California would like to congratulate CHOC Hospital of Orange County for ranking in top of the nation, by US News & World Report for Best Children’s Hospital 2013-14.  CHOC hospitals cater to kids under the age of 21 with a mission to provide high-quality and innovative care to the children of Orange County, CA and wherever else kids travel from to receive treatment.

In regards to pediatric cancer, CHOC is dedicated to treating the “whole child”, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  They have dedicated teams to guide doctors, families and patients through the stressful times of dealing with cancer, and the healing and recovery process.   “When a child is ill and needs hospitalization, we understand that the entire family is affected.  Because we so strongly believe in allowing a child to be a child and creating a sense of normalcy through play, discovery and creativity, we are dedicated to offering the most comprehensive support programs in the region.” (http://www.choc.org/cancer/index.cfm?id=P00635)

Historic Union Station, located in Los Angeles, California, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary during the month of May. A rededication ceremony was held May 2, and walking tours are offered the third Saturday of every month.  Visitors to the May 2 festivities enjoyed train exhibits, live music from the 30's and 40's era as well as displays highlighting the history and future of Union Station.  As a matter of fact, the new display cases located along the main tunnel of the station were installed by Griff’s Electric of Signal Hill (www.griffselectric.com).

Completed in 1939, the station opened as automobiles were becoming more popular than trains.  However, 75 years later, some 60,000 passengers daily commute or travel via Amtrak, Metrolink and The Metro Bus. There are also continuing improvements to include a high speed rail service as well as retail stores and restaurants.  This is all in efforts of attracting tourists and residents to enjoy the beautiful historic grounds.    

Although Union Station is beautiful on the outside with its mixture of Spanish and Mission style architecture, the well preserved interior is a wondrous sight.  The craftsmanship of the inlaid stone floor, the details of the tile wainscoting and the hand painted ceiling are just a few of the magnificent, original features that can be enjoyed at Union Station.  There is so much preservation of the era that photographers and filmmakers alike use the Station as a backdrop for their projects.  So come on down and experience the tranquil gardens and stroll through all the history that Union Station has to offer.

For more about Union Station, please visit the following websites for more information:
http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/LAX
http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/toppicturegallery/ig/Downtown-Los-Angeles-Tour/Union-Station.htm
http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/what-to-do/events/la-union-station-75th-anniversary

Recently, the Rensselaer's Lighting Research Center (LRC) has been testing the effects that lighting with a blue tint can significantly help Alzheimer's patients with their sleep cycles. Our bodies follow rhythm that repeats approximately every 24 hours. This rhythm is called circadian rhythms. "Circadian rhythms are synchronized to the solar day by light/dark cycles. Figueiro says exposure to blue light is much better at improving the sleep cycles of Alzheimer’s patients through the circadian system than exposure to other colors and even to much brighter white light." 

At the Albany County Nursing Home, Mariana Figuerio has put these finding to use. She designed a table-like lamp with the bluish light for her senior patients to sit at during the day. Residents of the nursing home who sat by the light became calm and happier, when before they were very irritable. Some of the patients that once wandered the halls at night remain in their unit throughout the night. Their circadian rhythms improved because of the light. This research can be a great tool in what kind of lighting to install in different areas. Figerio says, "I think that ideally what we want to do is to be able to replace the lighting, the entire lighting in the space because then everybody can get the benefit of having that kind of lights. What I hope we can accomplish is show people that it works, and be able to now translate that to architects, to people doing the building, so that when they designed the building from start they do it right." 


Read more here:
http://www.rpi.edu/research/magazine/summer04/lrc.html

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/19/279709447/bluish-light-may-help-alzheimers-patients-find-bearings

• Every three years, the National Electric Code, or NEC, receives new revisions to keep the Code up to date and keep electricians safe while they're on the job. More than 3,700 proposals were submitted in 2011. Each of them were reviewed by the NPA Code-Making Panels and Technical Committee to bring about the 2014 changes. Below are some of the noteworthy changes:
  
• The nominal threshold voltage was increased from 600 Volts to 1,000 Volts. The higher voltage is needed for the installation for solar PV equipment.
  
• New Articles were added to the NEC topics concerning:
  
  • Article 393 Low Voltage Suspended Ceiling Power Distribution
  • Article 646 Modular Data Centers
  • Article 728 Fire Resistive Cable Systems
  • Article 750 Energy Management Systems
• The definition of "readily accessible" has been added to article 100. (Readily Accessible: Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal or inspection without requiring those concerned to use a tool, to climb over, remove obstacle or other.)
•  Article 210.12 AFCI Protection for Dwelling Units now required in kitchen, laundry and dormitories. 
  
• There is a revision in Article 445.11 to require marking at generators to indicate if the neutral is bonded to the frame.
  
• There was a revision to article 406.9(B)(1) Extra-Duty Covers at 15- and 20-Ampere for receptacles at wet locations.

• Articles 517.18(B); 517.19(B); and 517.19(C) for healthcare facilities will conform to NFPA 99 and change the number of receptacles in patient care facilities for the patient and in operating rooms.
  
• Article 690.12 will require Rapid Shutdown of PV Systems on Buildings.
  

To read these noteworthy changes in more detail, visit: http://www.ieci.org/codes-and-standards/2014_nec_changes

      Yesterday, the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as hundreds of companies and organizations, began participating in the GridEx 2013 Preparedness Drill. The drill will simulate physical and cyber attacks that could take down large sections of the power grid. The drill will test how the three national governments react to the loss of the power grid and what would follow such an event.

      The drill will not affect the general public unless a problem is encountered. If something needed repair or reinforcement, there would be a real-power shut down for however long it would take to correct the problem. During a power shutdown, we realize how much we depend on electricity to run our lives. Our food would perish without refrigeration, there would be no way to wash your clothes, no traffic signals and we would be living in complete darkness at night.

      You can prepare for the drill simply just making sure that you have extra food on hand, batteries for flashlights, gas in your car, money, water and first aid supplies.

Check out a full article from the Houston Chronicle here: 
http://blog.chron.com/fromunderthebridge/2013/11/power-grid-drill-november-2013-wed-thurs-ready/