“I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed, and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs 215 pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the gray truck outside….” –Jason Bourne, The Bourne Identity Wouldn’t …
Hiking Calamities: How to Avoid Them…and How to Handle Them
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, I used to get paid to hike. For over a decade, I was a professional biologist who spent a buttload of time in the field. I searched for plants. I collected data on plants. I collected plant samples and took them back to the lab for analysis. And I …
Everything You Wanted to Know about the Zika Virus…but Were Afraid to Ask
♦ READING TIME: 5 min, 25 sec Ah, the tropics! Sun, sand, surf…and now, Zika virus. One of the main messages I trumpet is the importance of being able to take care of yourself, regardless of the situation. And this includes in the realm of travel. When we hit the road, we’re away from our home base. We’re off balance. …
“Desk Prep”: Emergency Plan for the Office
Q: Where do most of us spend our days? A: At the OFFICE!!! Given this rather depressing fact, chances are pretty high that you’ll be staring at your company-issued computer screen when a disaster strikes. Thankfully, a lot of corporations have solid emergency response plans in place, but even so…if you’re sitting in your office all by your lonesome when …
How to Make Swimming Pool Water (Reasonably) Safe to Drink in an Emergency
Water, water everywhere…but is it safe to drink?? You’ve thought it. I’ve thought it. We’ve all thought it. If there were ever a major catastrophe that caused a long-term disruption in the water supply, your plan is to use your swimming pool’s (or your neighbor’s pool) water to get through the crisis, right? I know that had been MY assumption …
Five Unusual Tips to Protect Your Credit Card from the Bad Guys
It’s my least favorite annual ritual. Every year—at LEAST once—I receive notice from my bank that my credit card number is showing “suspicious activity.” Usually, this notice comes in the form of me attempting to purchase something at a store, and the store (embarrassingly, especially for someone who is absolutely OCD about never carrying a balance) declining my card. And …
Surviving a Stadium Stampede …and Other Critical Super Bowl Skills
READING TIME: 5 min 47 sec Unless you’ve been living in a small cave with no cell signal, you are likely aware that Super Bowl 50 is upon us. Ah yes, the annual Man Ballet where sadism and masochism collide with majestic and sometimes terrifying force on a wide expanse of greenery…and beers are $8 a pop. This year’s Super …
An Open Letter to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Regarding His Movie, San Andreas
Dear Mr. Johnson, Or, if you prefer, Mr. Rock. I love your movies. I really do. So it was with great anticipation that I awaited the opening day of your latest cinematic venture, San Andreas. Not just one mega earthquake, but TWO?! Disaster porn at its finest! How could I resist? Now, having sat through 114 minutes of stunning CGI, heart-pounding …
- Page 2 of 2
- 1
- 2