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Monthly Archives: October 2025
Paying to Be Terrified: The Curious Case of “Safe Fear”
There’s something deeply odd about human beings: we actively seek out fear. No other species on the planet does this. You’ll never see a deer buying tickets to a prance though a predator habitat or a raccoon strapping itself into … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays
Tagged adrenaline, dopamine, fear, fight or flight, Halloween, horror, neuroscience, psychology, risky behavior, scary things, thrill seeking
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Because Rescue Starts with Compassion: A Reflection for National First Responders Day
The Calm After a Search The quiet always feels good. The search is over. The headlamps are off. When the radios go silent and the trucks pull back into the bay, there’s a moment of stillness, a pause between one … Continue reading
Black Cats: They’re Just Purr-fectly Normal
October 27 is National Black Cat Day and let’s be honest, these sleek, shadowy companions arrive with more baggage than a globe-trotting rock star, mostly thanks to some terribly outdated press. For centuries, black cats have had a PR problem. … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Holidays
Tagged adoption, cats, Halloween, melanism, National Black Cat Day, pets, superstition
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Take the Extra Minute: Don’t Let Your Costume Hide You
Halloween brings laughter, candy and a parade of superheroes, witches and ghosts filling the streets, but it also brings one of the riskiest nights of the year for pedestrians, especially kids. Darkness, excitement and costumes that limit visibility all combine … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Search and Rescue
Tagged costumes, danger, Halloween, kids, preventative SAR, safety, search and rescue, TakeTheExtraMinute
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The Real Value of Your Diploma: Why a Tier 1 Party School Changed My Life
I’m a big fan of education and I have a confession to make. I went to a Tier 1 Party School. You know the type, a university that regularly makes the Top 10 “Most Fun” lists, where the weekends start … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Education, Science
Tagged college, education, Ivy League, student life, university
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Take the Extra Minute: Keep It Real — Not Paranormal
Halloween is that time of year when the nights grow long, the air turns crisp and people go looking for a good scare. It’s a time to face the terrifying, defeat the sinister and prove you’re fearless, often under the … Continue reading
Posted in Search and Rescue
Tagged adrenaline, danger, Halloween, preventative SAR, search and rescue, spooky, TakeTheExtraMinute
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The Bittersweet Truth About Chocolate: From Bean to Bunk
Chocolate, the ultimate comfort food. We’ve all been there: devouring a whole bar in one sitting, hiding the evidence from our significant others, then pretending we’re surprised when those extra pounds magically appear. But have you ever stopped to think … Continue reading
Posted in Science
Tagged chemistry, chocolate, chocolate wars, cocoa, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, nutrition, white chocolate
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Take The Extra Minute: Outdoor Climbing Safety Matters
As a search and rescue team member, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a climbing trip can turn into tragedy. The impact ripples far beyond the mountain. It affects families, friends and the rescuers who respond. Lately, we’ve seen a troubling … Continue reading
A Light in the Forest
A girl with a doll, named Jubilee, Dreamed of the jungle, wild and free, To Africa’s shore, her spirit took wing, With no fancy credentials, but wonder to bring. She walked into Gombe, where shadows descend, A novice observer, a … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Science
Tagged chimpanzees, conservation, environmental activism, Jane Goodall, nature, primatology, tribute, women in science
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The Language of Law Enforcement: Talking About Law Enforcement with Respect
As a Public Information Officer with a search and rescue team, I spend a fair amount of time speaking to community groups about what we do and how we work alongside our served agencies. My job is to be the … Continue reading
Posted in Language
Tagged communications, history, language, law enforcement, public outreach, respect, slang
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