Problem: Article: Volcanic eruptions can be very dangerous, and require thorough preparations to be made by those living or working in the vicinity of an active volcano. The first step of your preparation should be to draw up a comprehensive plan for how you will get in touch with your family if there is an emergency.  Start by writing down all the different ways you can contact each other, and the relevant phone numbers and email addresses. Don't forget landline phone numbers. The eruption might occur suddenly when your family are not all at home, so it's important to know the emergency plans of the relevant schools, workplaces, and local government. Identify somebody out of town, such as a family member or family friend, who can act as your central point of contact. If you get separated and can't get in touch with each other, check in with this person out of town who will be able to relay information between you all. As part of your emergency planning, you should decide on some specific meeting places where your family members can head to if there is an eruption and you have to evacuate. If you have a family member with disabilities, ensure all the places you choose are accessible. Include your pets in your planning and locate places that can accommodate animals. Determine four distinct meeting places.  One of these should be indoor, preferably at home or a nearby storm shelter, somewhere you will be protected from winds and potential volcanic ash. The second should be a place in your neighborhood that is not your home. If for any reason you cannot get to your house, a nearby location is the next best thing. The third place should be in your town, but outside of your neighborhood. A central public building such as a library or community center could be a good choice. Finally, decide on a place outside of your town. This is the place you will go to meet up with your family if you have to leave town suddenly. A family or friend out of town is the best choice for this meeting point. Take the time to talk through the plans with your family so everyone understands, and make sure everyone has a copy of all the relevant contact details in their purse or wallet. Everyone in your family should know what to do if there are warnings to evacuate, and understand that it is not fair to other family members if some of you choose to stay behind in spite of evacuation warnings.  You can rehearse the plans and revise them at regular family meetings to ensure that everyone is involved and feels part of the planning.  Talking to children about the possibility of a disaster is better than pretending it may never happen. If children are aware that everything is planned, and know what to do, their fear and anxiety will be reduced in the event of a disaster. As well as emergency preparations, you should also take care of the more mundane precautions. That means considering insurance for potential damage caused by volcanoes, and thinking about what impact an eruption could have on your business. If you run a business located in the vicinity of volcanoes, create a business continuity plan to ensure that staff can get to safety, and stock, equipment, and any other business essentials are protected.  If you run a business, you have a responsibility for your staff as well as your family. A volcano can cause severe property damage. Consider purchasing insurance if you are in a high-risk area.
Summary: Draw up an emergency communication plan. Identify emergency meeting points. Discuss the plans with your family. Consider potential financial implications.

Problem: Article: A disco ball adds particular fun to a dance party.   If you put up decorations, people will be more attracted to your party.  You can also build a light-up disco floor to make your place very party-friendly.  You could even have a hanging chandelier of glow sticks! Get all kinds of food, such as potato chips and dip, shrimp cocktails and desert.  You should have a birthday cake for a birthday party. Remember to provide an adequate amount of food for the number of people you have invited.  More people means more food.  If you're worried about providing enough, ask everyone to bring something to share. Depending on where you throw your party and what type of party you are throwing, you might or might not need a DJ.  If you can play your own music, this will save you the hassle of finding a DJ.  You can play music videos from your smartphone with a projector, which is a really cool idea.You can even invest in wearing a sound system on your back, which will play the music!  You do not necessarily have to play newer music.  You can play older music, which is appealing to many people to this day. It would be wise to hire a DJ for a bigger party, especially if you have plenty of space for the party. You might need alcohol, bottled water, and some food.  Most people are going to want alcohol, so have an ice chest full of beer ready.  People get thirsty when they are dancing, so they will need to stay hydrated with water.  Make sure you have plenty of snacks ready. You might even need someone to help you serve food and drinks.
Summary: Find some party gear. Get the food ready. Find a DJ or make your own CD playlist. Get other supplies for the party.

Problem: Article: Those first ten or so minutes after it starts to rain can be the most dangerous. This is because when rain first begins to fall, it stirs up oil and other substances that have dried on the road. The mixture or oil and water forms a film on the road that makes it extra slippery.  During those first few minutes, drive more slowly and be on high alert for other drivers skidding. Heavy downpour over an extended period of time will eventually wash the roads clean, so conditions might be a little less dangerous at that point. The faster you’re going, the harder it is for your car to maintain traction in wet conditions. If your tires connect with a puddle of standing water, instead of maintaining contact with the road, they'll be more likely to skid. That's why it's important to slow down in wet conditions, even if visibility is fine.  It’s fine to go under the speed limit if the roads are wet. Don't go slower than the flow of traffic, but don't feel you have to go 70 mph (110 km/h) on the highway during a downpour. It’s especially important to go slowly if you see standing water. These are the spots where you’ll be most likely to hydroplane, since your tires will have difficulty maintaining traction. They aren't always easy to see, so be extra cautious (and drive a little slower) when enough rain has fallen to start collecting in puddles.  Puddles are most likely to form along the sides of the road, so try to stay in the center of the lane.  Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you. This decreases the chance that water will build up in front of your tires and cause you to lose control of your car. Make sure your windshield wipers are working properly. Poor visibility during rainfall leads to more accidents in part because it's difficult to see puddles through a wet windshield. If you're driving on the highway and using cruise control, turn it off when it starts to rain. You’ll be more in tune with the conditions around you when it’s off. You may need to reduce your speed quickly, and that's easier to do when your foot is already on the brake and you're paying careful attention to the road conditions and your speed. This enables you to maintain traction more easily and will prevent you from going too fast. While it's not necessarily possible to do if you're on a highway, if you're on a road with a lower speed limit driving in a lower gear can help you safely take treacherous turns or drive down hills without hydroplaning. If you have to brake, do so in gentle pumps; if your car has anti-lock brakes, then you can brake normally. Make sure that you don't lock the wheels, which will throw your car into a skid.  Avoid sudden acceleration and braking. Don't make sudden turns, as these could throw your car off-course. Be extra cautious on curvy roads, taking care to steer smoothly and to drive slowly.
Summary:
Be careful during the first few minutes of rainfall. Slow down in wet conditions. Avoid driving through puddles and standing water. Turn off cruise control. Consider driving in a lower gear. Drive slowly and carefully to avoid skids, and maintain a mild pressure on your brake and gas.