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March 20, 2025

An Emergency Hits: and You are at Work

An Emergency Hits: and You are at Work

On October 17, 2019, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area during the evening commute. Within minutes, BART trains stopped running, traffic signals failed across multiple counties, and thousands of workers faced a daunting question: "How do I get home now?" For many, a typical 30-minute commute became a very long day—not because of catastrophic damage, but due to the simple lack of a backup plan. According to the 2023 National Household Survey conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),  only 34% of adults in the United States reported having learned their evacuation routes in the...

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March 12, 2025

Critical Skill: Staying Alert in Today's World

Critical Skill: Staying Alert in Today's World

In our increasingly connected world, personal safety requires a balanced approach. While technology offers convenience, it also creates new vulnerabilities.  Situational awareness aka being alert to your surroundings, is your first line of defense against potential threats. It typically takes 2-5 seconds to recognize danger, which gives attackers an advantage. The more aware you are then the quicker you can react—possibly even before a dangerous situation develops.  You have heard these situational awareness suggestions before, but many times we need to be reminded more than we are taught.   Daily Habits  Top of Mind Safety ·       Practice maintaining awareness, especially...

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March 04, 2025

How to Reduce 90% of Cyber Attacks

How to Reduce 90% of Cyber Attacks

Pete noticed the young, attractive figure in a relatively short skirt and top that looked like it could pop off at any minute, frustratedly trying to gain access to the turnstile.  She would scan her badge over the reader, but nothing would happen. Not once did he look at the badge she carried. He said follow me, scanned his badge, and both passed through the turnstile. Pete pointed her towards the corridor where security could address the access badge issue, and then he walked away.  She ended up sitting at a ‘hotel desk’ and while appearing to be working like...

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February 25, 2025

4 Gardening Myths: Know Before You Grow

4 Gardening Myths: Know Before You Grow

Producing your own food is a necessary skill for survival. In today’s world, we can have groceries delivered to your door by the touch of a button. This can cause us to feel overly secure about the availability of food. But, as we have seen from the Avian Flu Outbreak of 2025, where egg prices soared, we have little control over our food supplies and how much they cost from the stores.  While I can’t teach you how to raise chickens, I can teach you a bit about gardening to produce an abundant harvest of fruits, vegetables, and legumes to...

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February 10, 2025

Freeze Drying Started with NASA, Right?

Freeze Drying Started with NASA, Right?

Have you ever wondered how a pouch of dried stroganoff in your emergency kit can last decades? While many associate freeze-dried food with NASA's space program, the first widely commercial freeze-dried product wasn’t a meal—it was coffee. In the 1930s, Nestlé started experimenting with instant coffee using freeze-drying techniques to preserve excess beans, leading to the launch of Nescafé instant coffee in 1938. During WWII, freeze-drying became a critical industrial process for preserving blood plasma and penicillin, ensuring they remained viable for transport to field hospitals for wounded soldiers without refrigeration. This wartime application significantly expanded the use of freeze-drying beyond food and...

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