One thing that is in the news this week is the possibility that hurricane earl will hit the eastern seaboard and devastate the coast. Governors in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland are preparing for the worst and have ordered a state of emergency. Many actions are being taken to avoid loss of life and property.

Citizens are being advised to stock up on food and medicine. Disaster plans are in the works and advisories are expected. The only question now is whether the hurricane will actually hit the coast or stay out in the ocean. I hope it slides by us!

The people of Pakistan are struggling to overcome the effects of the massive flooding they have received over the last couple of weeks. Authorities have been hard-pressed to get relief to the outlying districts that need the most help. The floods have been estimated to have taken over 1,100 lives already. The death toll is still rising.

The United States is offering help in the form of money and assistance. The final toll of the disaster is not likely to be known anytime soon. Troops have been deployed to help distribute the food and water that is desperately needed. The threat of disease is now a concern as the rescue effort goes on. I hope these people will be able to recover from this dire disaster.

There will be a full moon tonight and it will be a special one. Because it is the first full moon of the year, it is known as the wolf’s moon. This is the name given to it by the Native American Indians who noticed wolves howling at the full moon. There is another reason it will be special, and that is because it is also a perigee moon. A perigee moon is when the moon is closest to the earth in its orbit. The two special combinations of tonight’s moon will make it bright and big.

There is also some speculation that a full moon causes humans and animals to act strangely. While many people believe that strange things happen when the moon is full, there is no proof as of yet. Many studies that have been done have found no correlations between the two. There are still those though who feel that the full moon brings out the worst in human behavior. I guess we’ll have to wait for another study to be done to find conclusive proof.

One thing that every inmate knows about is personal loss. That’s why I feel for the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake. While it’s true that I didn’t suffer as much as they have, I did go through some tough times in my life. There is good news for those people though; they have people who are willing to help. That is not always the case for the average inmate.

One thing I know about is feeling alone during a crisis. When life takes a turn for the worst, it can be a lonely feeling. I hope the people of Haiti will soon receive the benefits of all those who are reaching out to them. May god bless them and keep them safe until help arrives!

One thing that is very important to understand is that prison can be very uncomfortable. There is usually no air conditioning or other amenities that we all have come to enjoy. During the summer months, life can be almost unbearable when it comes to temperatures. It can be very hot and there is little relief.

I remember some of the tricks that inmates used to combat the heat. We used to put our mattresses on the floor just to be a degree or two cooler. Some would put cold water on their beds in order to make sleeping bearable. It can be very difficult to sleep when it is extremely hot. Fans can be an option for some, but even then, they are but a temporary relief.

Now that I am back out in the world, I take great pleasure in our AC. It is wonderful to crank it up and be chilly in the midst of summer. I enjoy the times when I need a blanket to sleep. It is a far cry from the nights when I had to sweat it out!