1. Choose a location fоr уоur Vаре ѕtоrе

Lіkе аlmоѕt еvеrу buѕіnеѕѕ, brісk аnd mortar e cigarette ѕhорѕ ѕhоuld bе іn a рrіmе lосаtіоn. It іѕ іmроrtаnt thаt thеу аrе vіѕіblе tо раѕѕеrѕbу, bе іt vеhісlеѕ оr реdеѕtrіаnѕ, аnd thаt thеу саn ассоmmоdаtе a quісk stop. Cоrnеr роіntѕ thаt саn bе ассеѕѕеd frоm dіffеrеnt directions аrе аlmоѕt аlwауѕ іdеаl, thоugh hаrdеr tо fіnd.

Aftеr visibility, соnѕіdеr thе аrеа fоr роѕѕіblе ѕіgnаgе аnd parking. Yоu wіll nееd mоrе ѕрасе thаn іt ѕоundѕ, but іt іѕ important thаt уоur оnlіnе ѕtоrе оffеrѕ уоur сuѕtоmеrѕ a соnvеnіеnt еxреrіеnсе. Yоu nееd tо set уоur ѕtоrе араrt frоm thе rеѕt оf thе соmреtіtіоn іn уоur аrеа.

2. Anаlуzе ореnіng costs

Thе іnіtіаl investment tо ореn a vape іn a store vаrіеѕ grеаtlу. Thеrе аrе mаnу factors tо соnѕіdеr hеrе:

• Rеаl Estate – Arе Yоu Buуіng Thе Lоt And Buіldіng Or Renting? Mоѕt оf thе rеnt, but mауbе іt mаkеѕ mоrе sense tо buу thе ѕрасе іf іt іѕ wіthіn уоur budget
• Dеѕіgn – Hоw muсh tіmе аnd еnеrgу wіll уоu invest іn еxtеrіоr аnd іntеrіоr dеѕіgn? Mоѕt vape ѕtоrеѕ dо nоt іnvеѕt muсh іn thе оvеrаll dеѕіgn оf thе ѕtоrе but саn bе expensive.
• Lісеnѕеѕ – Aррrорrіаtе licenses аnd authorizations frоm federal, ѕtаtе, аnd lосаl gоvеrnmеntѕ аrе аbѕоlutеlу essential tо hаvе bеfоrе opening. Thеу wіll аlѕо соѕt mоnеу. Find оut hоw muсh thеу аrе іn уоur city.
• Inѕurаnсе – Anу company nееdѕ insurance. Vаре store іnѕurаnсе іѕ mоrе еxреnѕіvе thаn mоѕt, but уоu nееd tо hаvе іt.
• Invеntоrу – Fіllіng уоur ѕhеlvеѕ bеfоrе ореnіng саn bе thе mоѕt expensive раrt оf уоur opening budgеt. Glass, реnѕ, раrtѕ, lіԛuіdѕ, bаttеrіеѕ еtс. аrе nоt сhеар. Vape ѕtоrеѕ аrе knоwn tо hаvе hіgh-рrоfіt mаrgіnѕ, but thаt dоеѕ nоt mеаn thаt thе іnіtіаl іnvеѕtmеnt іѕ сhеар.
• Trаіnіng аnd Work Cоѕtѕ – Hоw Mаnу Pеорlе Wіll Yоu Hіrе? Hоw mаnу employees dо уоu hаvе tо рау bеfоrе opening?

Ovеrаll estimates fоr initial соѕtѕ асrоѕѕ thе country аrе аbоut $50,000. Fоr mоѕt ѕtоrеѕ, thіѕ ѕhоuld аlѕо рrоvіdе ѕоmе fills іn thе еаrlу mоnthѕ.

3. Fund thе ѕtаrtuр costs оf уоur Vаре store

Thе fіrѕt аnd mоѕt іmроrtаnt ѕtаgе оf fundіng аnу рrоjесt іѕ tо рut tоgеthеr a dеtаіlеd business рlаn. And wіth ѕо mаnу еntrерrеnеurѕ аnd business реорlе еntеrіng thе mаrkеt, іt’ѕ important thаt уоu fоllоw оthеr vаре ѕtоrе owners аnd bе рrераrеd.

It іѕ nоt difficult tо рut tоgеthеr a buѕіnеѕѕ рlаn – mоѕt information іѕ readily fоund оnlіnе іn guіdеѕ lіkе thіѕ – but іn thе vape industry уоu ѕhоuld fосuѕ heavily оn thе dеtаіlѕ оf local regulations аnd lісеnѕіng. Mаkе ѕurе thаt уоu hаvе dоnе уоur research carefully аnd саn аnѕwеr аnу questions аbоut rеlеvаnt lаwѕ.

4. Gеt іnѕurаnсе

Bе рrераrеd fоr hіgh insurance rаtеѕ fоr уоur vape ѕhор. Smоkе ѕhорѕ uѕuаllу hаvе a lot оf capital tied tо рrоduсtѕ аnd еquірmеnt. Thіѕ wіll іnсrеаѕе thе соѕt.

And аѕ mаnу оf thе рrоduсtѕ аrе ѕоld wіth роtеntіаl health rіѕkѕ, thеrе аrе mоrе орроrtunіtіеѕ fоr futurе lаwѕuіtѕ. Althоugh thіѕ rаrеlу rеflесtѕ thе quаlіtу оf оwnеrѕhір, іt іѕ раrt оf thе industry, a fасt recognized bу insurers.

Thеrе аrе ѕеvеrаl insurers thаt specialize іn tobacco ѕhорѕ аnd оthеr hіgh-rіѕk buѕіnеѕѕ ventures. Dо nоt expect thе costs tо bе аѕtrоnоmісаl, but uѕuаllу, thеу wіll bе 15-20% hіghеr thаn thе rates оf аn аvеrаgе rеtаіlеr.

5. Educate уоurѕеlf аbоut tоbассо lаwѕ аnd thе FDA

Pау аttеntіоn tо аll fеdеrаl, state аnd lосаl laws аnd rеgulаtіоnѕ. Laws аrе сhаngіng аll thе tіmе, еѕресіаllу wіth thе rесеnt іntrоduсtіоn оf саnnаbіѕ іn thе US mаrkеt.

Fіrѕt, lеаrn thе local tаx оn vаре аnd smoke рrоduсtѕ. Lосаl tаxеѕ vary a lоt bесаuѕе ѕоmе соmmunіtіеѕ аrе ѕtіll соmmіttеd tо kееріng vаре ѕtоrеѕ оut оf thе nеіghbоurhооd. Othеrѕ hаvе fаіrеr tаxеѕ, but thе regulation оf location. Fоr еxаmрlе, mаnу сіtіеѕ hаvе lаwѕ аgаіnѕt opening a vаре ѕhор nеаr a рublіс ѕсhооl оr park. Mаkе ѕurе thаt, whаtеvеr thе local rеgulаtіоnѕ, thеу dо nоt рlасе уоu аt a соmрlеtе dіѕаdvаntаgе fоr еCоmmеrсе vape rеtаіlеrѕ.

6. Chооѕе Yоur Smоkе Shор Products

Thе mоѕt іmроrtаnt fіrѕt ѕtер іѕ tо сhооѕе a grеаt supplier. Cоnѕult оthеr vape ѕhор оwnеrѕ tо gеt аn іdеа оf whісh suppliers аrе thе mоѕt reliable.

Aftеr ѕеlесtіng уоur ѕuррlіеrѕ, focus оn whоlеѕаlе rebates аnd bulk orders. Tаkе аdvаntаgе оf thеѕе dіѕсоuntѕ аѕ muсh аѕ роѕѕіblе, еѕресіаllу whеn уоu’rе starting оut.

Bе ѕurе tо brіng a number оf рrоduсtѕ thаt wіll аttrасt experienced е-сіg smokers аѕ wеll аѕ nеwbіеѕ. Tаkе starter kits fоr vаріng аnd a wіdе variety оf flavors аnd brаndѕ.

Cоnѕіdеr whаt, іf аnу, thе traditional tоbассо рrоduсtѕ уоu carry. Fеwеr реорlе ѕmоkе cigarettes, but уоu mау wаnt tо саrrу tоbассо, pipe аnd cigars.

Choose products thаt wіll сlеаrlу compete wіth thе price оf cigarettes. In mаnу ѕtаtеѕ, сіgаrеttеѕ cost mоrе thаn $ 10 / расkаgе. Mаkе thе hеаlth аnd financial bеnеfіtѕ оbvіоuѕ tо уоur сuѕtоmеrѕ.

Mаkе ѕurе уоu hаvе a wide variety оf ассеѕѕоrіеѕ. Thеѕе items ѕеrvе аѕ еаѕу іmрulѕе рurсhаѕеѕ аnd саn bе соmbіnеd wіth mоrе еxреnѕіvе рrоduсtѕ tо uѕе іn promotions оr rewards рrоgrаmѕ.

7. Set uр уоur wеbѕіtе аnd ѕосіаl mеdіа

Evеn іf уоu dо nоt ѕеll уоur product online, maintaining a bаѕіс аnd curated wеb рrеѕеnсе іѕ еѕѕеntіаl.

Crеаtе profiles оn аll mаjоr ѕосіаl mеdіа ѕіtеѕ аnd аnу іnduѕtrу-ѕресіfіс ѕосіаl рlаtfоrm. Mаkе ѕurе уоur tоnе аnd mark аrе соnѕіѕtеnt bеtwееn еасh.

Crеаtе a bаѕіс website. If уоu’rе ѕеllіng рrоduсtѕ оn a website, mаkе ѕurе уоu’rе іntеgrаtеd wіth thе е-соmmеrсе рlаtfоrm оf уоur сhоісе. Kеер thе design mоdеrn аnd clean. Crеаtіng аn аttrасtіvе wеbѕіtе іѕ еаѕіеr thаn еvеr.

Research уоur search еngіnе орtіmіzаtіоn (SEO) tо аttrасt mоrе trаffіс tо уоur online store оr brick аnd mortar. Write a blоg аnd uрdаtе уоur ѕіtе frequently.

Cоnѕіdеr аnу раіd аdvеrtіѕіng оn Facebook, Instagram, Gооglе, еtс. thаt уоu wаnt tо budget fоr аnd set uр саmраіgnѕ.

Rеgіѕtеr уоur e cigarette buѕіnеѕѕ оn Gооglе ѕо thаt іt арреаrѕ іn location-based ѕеаrсhеѕ аnd mаkеѕ уоur trаdіng hоurѕ rеаdіlу арраrеnt. Dо thе ѕаmе wіth tор rеvіеw ѕіtеѕ, lіkе Yеlр.

The post The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Opening a Vape Shop appeared first on CheerCrank.

But it did cause a lot of damage to the car: all of the windows were crushed, the roof was smashed, all four tires were popped and the chassis was broken.

Despite the damage, I’m sure this couple will tell the tale with a laugh for years to come.

The post This Itchy Elephant Found The Best Scratching Post: A VW Hatchback. appeared first on CheerCrank.

Kylie is 11 years old and lives in Naugatuck, Connecticut with her family.In March of 2011, Kylie was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer affecting children.

Kylie underwent chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and surgeries. The toll this took on eight-year-old Kylie and her family is simply unimaginable. After 46 agonizing weeks of chemotherapy, MRI and CT scans turned up no evidence of the cancer. Kylie had remained strong the whole time, and she had beaten cancer!

Recently, Kylie’s school asked its students to come up with a new invention. This is a pretty typical question to be asked as a child, and most of us come up with simple ideas. Kylie’s invention, though? Sheer brilliance.

An IV pediatric backpack for kids with cancer!

Kylie’s design won, and she was invited to attend the UCONN Invention Convention. Her design blew everyone away and she received the highest award at the event. Now, Kylie’s idea is turning into a reality.

Kylie’s i-pack seeks to make mobility possible for those receiving IV treatments or infusions.

The above image is of Brooke. She’s undergoing treatment, and to get around, she’s forced to bring an IV pole and drip bag everywhere. For a child, not only is this intimidating, but it’s quite a hassle. Kylie’s backpack would eliminate that.

Kylie has the design all figured out, not only to keep the IV bag protected, but also to make sure the backpack is extra stylish. Now, Kylie is looking to build a prototype. This project will cost thousands of dollars, so Kylie launched a Go Fund Me campaign to help raise money.

As a cancer survivor, what Kylie is doing to help others is simply incredible. She has already reached her fundraising goal, and everything in addition will go toward manufacturing the first usable IV backpack.

To learn more about Kylie’s invention and progress, check out her Facebook page, Twitter, website, and Go Fund Me. You can also check out her campaign video here.

The post This 11-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Has Invented Something Incredible For Those Still Battling appeared first on CheerCrank.

Aguilar was drinking with his friends and allegedly had so much to drink he wasn’t aware there was a round loaded in the pistol chamber. While waving it around attempting to take the photo, Aguilar accidentally shot himself in the head.

“I heard a gunshot, and then I heard somebody screaming and realized somebody had been hurt,” neighbor Manfredo Paez Paez told Bakersfield, Calif.-based ABC affiliate KERO.

He added, “I called the police straight away and when they arrived they found that he was still alive.”

Aguilar died on his way to the hospital. Aguilar’s friend who was present, Omar Abner Campos Vives, was arrested, and another friend, called “El Paco,” tried to run, Mexican newspaper Proceso reported.

When police questioned his friends, they claimed they were “messing around with the gun and taking pictures when it accidentally went off.”

The Ministry of Public Security told Proceso that the death appeared to be an accident.

No charges have been filed against Aguilar’s friends as of Monday.

The post Man Shoots Himself In The Head After Trying To Take A Selfie With A Gun appeared first on CheerCrank.

The post 33 Thoughts That Will Make You Rethink Your Entire Existence appeared first on CheerCrank.

England-based photographer Sian Davey’s photo series Finding Alice is a touching illustration designed to answer these very questions. Check it out for yourself. Her photos will show you that life is a miracle, no matter what your expectations were.

Sian’s daughter Alice was born with Down Syndrome.

Wanting to show that despite developing physically and mentally in a unique way, her daughter is no different from any other person, Sian took an amazing series of photos of Alice just living her life.

As you’ll see, Alive has the same love of life and curiosity that anyone her age would have. She especially loves her family and has a thirst for knowledge that others could envy.

Alice is truly cherished just as tenderly by the friends and family who surround her every day.

“I was deeply shocked when Alice was born as an ‘imperfect’ baby,” Sian confessed.

“It was not what I had expected. . . I was fraught with anxiety that rippled through to every aspect of my relationship with her. My anxieties penetrated my dreams.”

“I dreamt that Alice was swaddled in a blanket and that I had forgotten all about her. I unwrapped the tight bundle that she was nestled in, to feed her, only to discover that she was covered in a white fluid—a fluid of neglect; and yet I was unable to feed her, unable to respond to her basic needs.”

“On reflection I saw that Alice was feeling my rejection of her and that caused me further pain. I saw that the responsibility lay with me; I had to dig deep into my own prejudices and shine a light on them.”

“The result was that as my fear dissolved I fell in love with my daughter. We all did.”

“I wonder how it might be for Alice to be valued without distinction, without exception and without second glance. This project is for her, for Alice.”

There’s no doubt that Alice’s life is full of love and happiness. She’s very lucky to have an incredible mother as well. Even though Sian was afraid in the beginning of her daughter’s life, she has raised a beautiful child that is loved by all those around her.

The post These Beautiful Portraits Are Of A Very Special Girl With Down Syndrome. She Is Stunning. appeared first on CheerCrank.

Watching him play at the beach makes it seem like he has twice the energy of a normal dog, even if he only has half as many legs as one.

Look at him go!

Look at him go!

The post Nothing Will Inspire You Quite Like Duncan The Two-Legged Pup. appeared first on CheerCrank.

In San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines, there is a pretty incredible tourist destination. Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort is the site of a self-contained working coconut plantation, but that’s not all. The restaurant there is what really makes this place incredible.

The plantation is surrounded by mountains and trees making for a gorgeous view. However, it’s the dining tables located at the bottom of the waterfall that might throw you off a little bit at first.

That’s right! Diners are treated to an incredible experience at Villa Escudero’s Waterfalls Restaurant! They actually get to sit right at the bottom of a crystal clear waterfall while they enjoy their lunch.

While you certainly need to be prepared to get a little bit wet, dining at the foot of a waterfall seems like it would be a wonderfully unique experience.

The post Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls? Forget That. They’re the Perfect Lunch Spot! appeared first on CheerCrank.

Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook in Quebec, Canada is already very popular with hikers, particularly because it can boast about having the longest suspended walking bridge in the world, but it’s something a little more magical that’s drawing in tourists these days.

The park commissioned the Moment Factory studio to create an unbelievable sight: Foresta Lumina. Thanks to their stunning work, the forest takes on an eerily magical feel as a result of the decorations and illumination, which charm the forest each night.

After the sun has set and darkness falls, the forest is completely transformed. It is absolutely gorgeous.

The trail is two kilometres long, winding through the illuminated forest. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the park and take in the beauty of Foresta Lumina each night.

Guests are not only exposed to the incredible illumination, but they also encounter characters from local myths and legends throughout their journey.

The forest looks absolutely incredible, and if you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit before October when the exhibit ends. If you can’t make it, check out this awesome video, which will give you an eerie sense of what Foresta Lumina is like.

The post This Real Life Enchanted Forest in Quebec is Absolutely Breathtaking appeared first on CheerCrank.

As it turns out, the cameras DID catch the culprit in the act.

But it wasn’t a human. This was a literal cat burglar.

He was busy at work all through the night, trotting out to steal various items.

His name is Dusty. His owners, Jim Coleman and Jean Chu, knew he brought some miscellaneous items home.

In fact, they have piles and piles of his “presents.”

They just didn’t realize the 600+ items were from their neighbors’ homes.

In just one evening, Dusty visited 11 homes and brought home gifts to his owners. You have to see this cat burglar in action yourself:

The post Neighbors Kept Getting Items Stolen Until They Caught The Weird Culprit: A Cat. appeared first on CheerCrank.

The Church Brew Works

The Gym of St. Jude

The Church Nightclub

The Entrepreneurs Church Office Building

Skaterham Skate Park

South River Vineyard

Phi Sigma Kappa Frat House at RPI

The Michaelhouse Cafe

Dawson College Library

The Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore

Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion Arts Museum

Pitcher and Piano Bar

Dunkin Donuts

Mad River Bar

A House

The Church Bar

Williams Grove Laser Tag Arena

I’d definitely be more compelled to go to church if they had laser tag! Waking up on Sunday morning would be a breeze especially if I got tanked at the same church the night before. Share this post if you would like to hang out at a church… but want to get past all the church-y parts.

The post Churches That Have Found New Purpose In Life. They’ve Been Converted! appeared first on CheerCrank.

Becomes this!

Conveniently sized.

Taking “multifunctional” to a new level!

The post This Hairclip Can Fix More Than Just Your Bad Hair Day. appeared first on CheerCrank.

According to his online profile, artist and sculptor Isaac Cordal is sympathetic to the little people. Cordal has made a name for himself creating sculptures that push political bounds with a certain subtlety that has to be respected. For his latest series, Cordal created small skeleton figures made from cement and placed them in public places around Chiapas, Mexico. The meaning of each figure is ambiguous. He wants viewers to create their own backstories for each one. It’s hard not to think of one or two looking at these skeletons. There’s something about their placement and posture that is highly emotional. These little skeletons really speak to you.

Cordal’s work isn’t always so subtle, though. Check out these pictures from his 2013 installation “Follow the Leaders.” For this creation Cordal spent three months creating a corporate city in decline. It’s meant to be a “metaphor for the collapse of capitalism and the side effects of progress.”

The post These Tiny Skeletons On Streets Of Mexico Are Amazing. But What Do They Mean? appeared first on CheerCrank.

This is an aerial view of the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Since the camp opened in July 2012 hundreds of refugees have arrived daily and the population reached 144,000 in 2013. According to the New York Times, the number decreased to 85,000 in 2014, but the camp has become an informal city.

Despite the situation, there is something close to a sense of normality, people have started their own businesses, so there is pizza delivery, a pick-up service to the airport and some urban developments.

These satellite images taken by Airbus Defence and Space show the fast pace of development and settlement throughout the years:

September 3, 2012.

January 3, 2013.

March 14, 2013.

April 6, 2014.

The post This Syrian Refugee Camp Has Transformed Into A City Of 85,000 appeared first on CheerCrank.

If you look hard enough in the world around you, you can find some pretty outrageous stuff. Take these spiders, for instance. Either these aren’t real, or Mother Nature has gotten her hands on a Bedazzler.

Typing “pretty” and “spiders” in the same sentence may feel wrong, but there’s no other way to describe these amazing arachnids. I know what you’re thinking, and I promise there isn’t any Photoshop involved. (I was shocked, too.)

Each of these photos shows off a different flashy member from one of the several different species of the thwaitesia genus, which is where they get that patchwork-mirror effect on their abdomen. Wow.

The post Don’t Let These Gorgeous Spiders Fool You. They Are, In Fact, Still Spiders. appeared first on CheerCrank.

Watch new footage of the mysterious giant hole that opened up in Siberia as a scientific expedition — with the country’s Emergencies Ministry represented — reaches the remote site and looks inside. An explosion below the ground is currently thought to be the most probable explanation — but the date and cause remain unknown.

The hole sits around 2900km east of Moscow in a huge 640km stretch of permafrost with a wide variety of animal species and that is famous for archaeological discoveries including wooly mammoths. The zone is also of key strategic importance for Russian oil and gas production.

A 70cm layer of permafrost reportedly discovered around the edge of the hole — mentioned in the video — is puzzling given the amount of heat that would be expected to have been generated by an explosion of the magnitude necessary to create such a large crater. It is therefore possible that the remote site lay undiscovered for months if not years.

Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences are on the expedition and are said to be collecting samples of soil, air and water from the area. The hole reportedly has an outer diameter of around 60m and an inner diameter of around 40m. The depth is unconfirmed.

The post New Video Of Mysterious Giant Siberian Hole Filmed By Investigation Team appeared first on CheerCrank.

Australian Reuben Rose, on his way to a charity event and carrying a tray of cupcakes, was surrounded by police at a train station in Blacktown, Sydney today after his fellow commuters became concerned at the stuff in his bag.

Rose, you see, was dressed as Marvel’s Deadpool (part of the national Superhero Week charity drive) and along with the cupcakes he was also carrying swords, ammunition, grenades and firearms.

They were all plastic props, part of his costume, but obviously not everyone on the train was aware of that, so in the middle of his ride Rose found himself yanked off at a station and surrounded by five cops.

He was soon on his way, but not before the Daily Telegraph could call him both “Deadpool” and “Spiderman” in the same story — as well as claim he was ARRESTED in the headline before burying at the very end of the story that the “police did not charge him with any offence.”

The post Cops Called On Cosplayer Riding Sydney Train With ‘Guns, Swords & Grenades’ appeared first on CheerCrank.

Have you ever walked into a clothing store, only to be frightened by a very scary mannequin? We’ve all been there, I swear those things come alive at night, which makes this story very, very nightmarish.

A reddit user shared a story about a mannequin in a bridal shop in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico. The shop “La Popular” has a mannequin in their front window that is rumored to not be a mannequin at all, but an embalmed corpse.

The story goes like this: The original owner of the shop had a daughter named Pascualita. The daughter died on her wedding day. The mom mummified her deceased daughter so Pascualita could always be dressed in wedding gowns and exhibited at the front of the store.

The owners are rumoured to change the mannequin’s dress quite often, but nobody ever sees it happen. Only the owner and certain employees are allowed to dress and undress her.

The scariest part about Pascualita? Her hands…

Some people go as far as to leave candles, gifts, and pray in front of the window, as the mannequin is believed to be a sort-of “saint” when it comes to love related issues. She is also rumored to change positions throughout the night.

Corpse or not, the image of this mannequin will probably haunt my dreams for the next few nights…

The post There Is A Mannequin In This Mexican Bridal Shop That Might Be Actually Be A Corpse appeared first on CheerCrank.

News about the drought that has engulfed most of the western United States continues to get worse. But how do we know how extensive the current megadrought is? We actually can measure from the sky, but not in the way you think.

First, let’s recap this week’s bad news. The US Drought Monitor is reporting that “exceptional drought” is covering 33.5 per cent of the US. While conditions are getting better in places like Texas and Oklahoma as they get hit with summer thunderstorms, for much of Nevada and California it’s just going to get drier. California has 82 per cent of the state experiencing “extreme” or “exceptional” drought.

.

Of course NASA can help to visualise the drought in one very obvious way: The satellite photography of our dramatically shrinking reservoirs and existing snowpack help show how much water we have now and forecast how much water we can expect to have at summer’s end.

But there’s actually another, more important way to measure the drought: By looking at groundwater. One of the largest underground water reserves in the country is found around the Colorado River Basin, which supplies much of the most-parched areas of Nevada and California with their water.

The wells which dot the West pull data about how much water is below, but the system is not extensive enough to give a complete picture. But using the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, NASA can actually measure changes in groundwater, both above and below the surface.

“There’s only one way to put together a very large-area study like this, and that is with satellites,” said Jay Famiglietti, senior water cycle scientist at JPL who is currently at UC Irvine. As Famiglietti describes it, GRACE is like a scale in the sky. The amount of water in a specific region changes the area’s mass which in turn influences its gravitational attraction. GRACE measures that regional gravity and can demonstrate if the amount of water is increasing or decreasing, and by how much. The same satellite can measure ice depletion in the polar regions, predict flooding, and even help discover unknown underground water reserves.

Scientists use GRACE’s data alongside other indicators to give a “wetness” rating for the country. Unfortunately, the groundwater report is also not good for the West. Measurements show that the Colorado River Basin has lost 53 million acre feet since 2004, with about 41 million acre feet lost from groundwater.

The ability to look underground paints what might be the most accurate picture we have of the drought. It’s also very bleak one, as the Colorado-fed Lake Mead is already at its lowest levels ever — so low that Nevada has mounted a massive infrastructure project to “suck” water from a deeper part of the lake. Now it looks like no straw is going to be long enough to get the West the water it needs.

The post NASA Made An Underground Water Map To See Just How Bad The US Drought Is appeared first on CheerCrank.

The residents of Wenzhou, China, woke up last Thursday to discover that the inner city river had turned blood-red. Everyone is puzzled, as this has never happened before and nobody knows the cause yet.

China Radio International reports:

Inspectors from the Wenzhou Environmental Protection Bureau are taking samples and analyzing the cause of the incident.

The villagers pointed out that there wasn’t a chemical plant along the upper stream.

Local residents say the river was flowing normally at 4am, but it started to redden at around 6am, and in no time at all had turned as crimson as blood.

The post River In China Mysteriously Turns Blood Red Overnight appeared first on CheerCrank.

Crocodile purses, polar bear rugs, ivory chalices — they’re all illegal in the US. Confiscated pieces end up in a warehouse outside Denver, Colorado, named the National Wildlife Property Repository, a haunting space filled with the frozen faces of endangered and extinct creatures.

The Atlantic took a tour of the facility, which currently counts over a million examples of illegal plant and wildlife trafficking in its collection. Some of the pieces, like properly taxidermied animals, can be used for educational purposes, but most of the things in this warehouse will be destroyed, like the five tonnes of ivory which were publicly smashed to bits. The saddest specimen in the entire space: a baby tiger which was taken from its mother’s womb.

The post This Warehouse Holds All Illegal Wildlife Goods Confiscated In The US appeared first on CheerCrank.