Speed of Light

How fast does technology have to be?

Today I was called to help a friend’s wife that was stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire. The only problem was the spare was at home.

By the time I loaded my kid and was on the road, the plan had already changed. Someone else picked up the tire and I was to meet them at the truck to help change the tire. My friend’s wife is on crutches and her father picked up the tire and just had surgery and isn’t suppose to be lifting anything.

By the time I got there, they had someone else to help and already changed the tire. From the call to my arrival was about 30 minutes. My friend and his wife arranged all this with their cell phones.

Seems that you can get technology to work faster then AAA. Just blows my mind how fast things move in today’s world.

Ben

How's Your Memory?

September 11, 2001

Have you forgotten? What happened and where were you that day? What did you feel?

I was on my way to work in Orange County California, working for an armored car company. I was listening live when the second plane struck the second tower.

At work everyone was surrounding the single TV in disbelief and anger. Most of my coworkers were former military and law enforcement. We all knew it was a terrorist attack long before the media confirmed it. The boss reminded us we had a job to do.

I went to work. Everyone was scared and not sure what to do.

About noon my Marine Reserve Unit was put on stand by (I think every unit in the country was called up). I went home and packed, not having any idea where I would be sent. And then I waited.

I waited until 2002 to be activated and then ended up as part of the invasion force for Iraq in 2003.

It changed my life. Do you still remember how you felt that day?

Don’t forget, ever.

Processes

Today at Wal-Mart I had to deal with a process of getting a tire changed that took over an hour. A couple weeks ago I had a tire changed at a local shop and it took 10 minutes flat. The difference is their processes.

At the local shop I talked to the tire guy, told him what I wanted, he told me the price, I agreed and he did the work right away.

At Wal-Mart I had to wait and talk to a service writer who put all the info into a handheld computer with a stylus pen that took forever. He spent 15 minutes with the customer in from of me to write up an oil change. Then he spent 5 minutes grilling me for personal information to put into the computer.

Now the tire guy had to get the information from the computer then spend more time on the computer half way through changing the tire.

Newer and more advanced is not always better. In personal defense just because it’s the newest greatest thing doesn’t make it faster or more effective. Anything you do for self defense should be easy, fast, and work any place, any time.

KISS everything in life.

Stay safe,

Ben