I find baseball boring. So let's talk about something else.
First Glimpse Into 2015 SDS Preparedness Conference
The speaker's roster is coming along well. So far, we have:
- Brian Brown of Team Rubicon talking about data and network security for preppers.
- John Kochan of KR Training makes his debut as a speaker on the issue of emergency lighting and power options.
- Kellie Bailey, the chair of the Austin Bar Association's Criminal Law Section, will speak on "Constitutional and Civil Liberties Issues for the Preparedness Community." She is a panel attorney for the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.
Update On Book Writing Project
Last evening, I sent the manuscript - the fourth rough draft of it - to my editor for drill down. That's freeing up some time for me to start thinking about publishing options.
It's never been easier to publish a book. Many major publishing houses have created self-publishing subsidiaries to help those of us who don't have a book deal or the financial backing of a big time publisher. It would be great to have the book picked up by a big publisher, but I am realistic.
If I were to summarize the manuscript in three paragraphs, it would look something like this:
The preparedness movement in America has failed. Despite numerous severe storms, earthquakes, pandemic threats, financial crises and civil unrest over the last 25 years, the typical American has not taken the most basic steps to be prepared for an emergency. And those who do - "preppers" - are often portrayed as mentally unstable.
America would be better off if it had a culture of preparedness. To create that culture, we can look to other successful cultural change efforts in American history and replicate those learnings in our effort to create a readiness culture. Preppers themselves need to lead the charge, migrating away from a "I've got mine...too bad you don't have yours" mentality to a leadership role where they set a good example and help others prepare.
If we want more resilient communities less reliant on government or charity after a disaster, we need to make preparedness more of an obligation of good citizenship and less of a symptom of a mental illness. To do that, we need to be able to "sell" preparedness by finding what themes and values resonate with our neighbors and then using those themes and values to motivate them to take action.
Obligatory Ebola Commentary
Like many of you, I have been following the developing news on Ebola. Like most people, I'm not a medical expert. I simply want to know the truth - not hype or downplaying. Just tell us what's going on and what the plan is.
I remain firmly convinced the Ebola threat is manageable in the United States....provided we actively manage it. One-time Obama supporter Peggy Noonan penned this piece outlines why Americans are losing confidence in the government's handling of this crisis. The New York Times reports this morning "Amid Assurances on Ebola, Obama Is Said to Seethe." It's in large part because of our reactive rather than proactive approach to this terrible disease.
For now, we need to be executing the basics well. Washing our hands, avoiding sick people, using Lysol wipes on surfaces in hotel rooms - this will go a long way not only to avoiding Ebola but the far more common contagion that is the flu.
Should you have masks? Of course...but not just for Ebola. I keep them handy not just for pandemics, but for other emergencies as well. Think back to 9/11 and all of those people who had on dust masks as they were fleeing the scene. While dust masks aren't ideal, they are better than nothing. I keep N100s at home and in my truck in case there's an emergency requiring some sort of respiratory infection.
Winter Weather Outlook
NOAA has issued its 2014-15 winter weather outlook.
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