San Francisco Chronicle » San Francisco Weather

A San Francisco man who got stranded in the snowy wilderness with his family nearly two weeks ago was found dead Wednesday in a mountain creek. This real life family drama started at the end of November 2006, when this man from San Francisco, who happened to be a senior editor for CNET.com, not that that has any relevance to the story, by, still that was his job, got lost with his family. They were driving their car, took a wrong turn somewhere, and they ended up as characters in Oliver Stone movie. His wife and two children stayed with the car, a very sensible thing to do, and survived. The man, on his quest for help, walked a long distance in freezing temperatures. According to the article, he shed his clothes as to give people clues of his whereabouts. Rescue workers came to late for him, and he died a very lonely dead.

Many of you will ask me: Jenifer (yes, Jenifer with 1 n, not double n), what is the importance of this news item. Why spend even more attention to this tragedy?

Let me try to answer this. For those who are familiar with my work, and know that I present a daily video giving the days headlines, also know that I try to add my opinion in a few words. The very nature of my show is to inform you about the happenings around the world in an offbeat manner. But there are many instances that I would like to comment more on a subject, and this missing man is one of those subjects.

This man's dead illustrates a serious problem, which manifests itself again and again: American people are not prepared for changing weather conditions. Or, if they are prepared, think: something like that will never happen to us. OK, I understand, it will hardly ever snow in San Francisco, and the poor guy probably even did not know what snow was, but he must have realized that he was driving deeper and deeper into trouble when the snow got worse. Thankfully, the wife stayed with the car, and although she was of course freezing, she realized that the best thing to do was exactly that. Stay where you are. And try to get the attention of rescue workers who are in the neighbourhood.

Snow, flooding, storms, changing temperatures. All weather related, and all taking their deadly toll, every year again. I am very serious when I say: these are very serious threats to the people of the U.S.A. Perhaps the United States should do much more to prepare it's citizens for weather related incidents, and to start with, it would be a good idea, to teach every child what to do, and what not to do, when disaster strikes. My thoughts go out to the surviving members of this San Francisco man. My he rest in peace. Jenifer Bloom.

Jenifer Bloom presents her daily video: "Can you repeat that please?" news update. This video is posted together with her daily blog at: http://jeniferbloom.blogspot.com/ It is FREE and an abosolute must see and read. Please visit Jenifer, and become one of her friends at: http://www.sms.ac/Profile/newcustomprofile.aspx?u=tv_eaton461683977 And, don't forget to visit her shop: http://www.cafepress.com/brcnews

Source: www.articlecity.com