What if...

If we've learned nothing else from the twin disasters that hit Japan it's that we are all vulnerable not only to uncontrolled natural events but to their effects on our growing dependency on electricity.

When the power goes down everything that runs on current goes down with it. We've seen the effects in hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, blackouts, snowstorms, blizzards and just plain accidents.

On a smaller but no less disturbing scale, how many times have you heard this? “Sorry, but our system is down, please call back later.”

We take for granted we'll always have an uninterrupted supply of electricity to run our lives. Until there isn't. Eventually we recover, sometimes later rather than sooner. And then there are the endless recriminations and blame for why the systems failed or did not have back up.

Keeping this in mind, I generally go retro when accommodating myself to modern technology. I have flashlights handy in every room of the house and have used them occasionally when we've had a localized power outage.

I use a camera with changeable batteries and I charge my iPod and cell phone often (as long as there's power). If there isn't any, well, we'll just have to do without, won't we. I also keep good old paper maps in my car to back up my GPS.

Just some thoughts to keep in mind as you race to the store to buy the latest electronic gizmo. Remember, it could go blank at just the wrong moment.