Episodes
Monday Jun 29, 2020
Monday Jun 29, 2020
Philipp Heinrich is an entrepreneur, security instructor, and weapons trainer in Germany. He’s an oracle of face validity and recognizes both gradual and rapid nuances in society. Are Germans smashing into Finite Voltage? How does it manifest? Is anyone spared? Read the full blog post for episode #141 at safetyphd.com. ABOUT PHILIPP HEINRICH. Philipp started his career in security working as a night watchman while attending university. After working in human relations and studying business psychology, he decided to become an entrepreneur at the age of 24 and sold his business 3 years later. Returning to his passion of teaching security and weapons training, he is now working as a security instructor and business consultant. FACE VALIDITY IN GERMANY - SCARCITY MINDSET OR LUXURY BINGE? Phil noted that things continue to rapidly change in Germany. He shared that the government put forth several economic stimulus initiatives for citizens including tuition and job training. As grocery stores presented with partially-filled shelves and limited hours, the cause was less a direct response to the virus pandemic and more attributable, per Phil, to people choosing not to work and accept government payments. He shared that stores are, surprisingly, flush with comfort items - trinkets, toys, etc. As a lifelong resident of Germany, Phil pointed out that these items are not ordinarily found on store shelves this time of year. CROWD IN THEORY. Commonly associated with economics, “Crowd In” theory also has a psychological interpretation described as people feeling they need to surround themselves with “comfort” items during a time of crisis - when they think they might be bound to their home for a long period of time. This is an intriguing concept and much different from “Scarcity” theory which fueled runs on toilet paper and pasta. Phil stated that video game systems had been sold out for three months and that it was impossible to even locate refurbished laptops. Doc and Phil unpacked Crowd In theory and recognized that observing it denotes that people believe a chaos event will be of a long duration. After purging the soup aisle, shoppers ramble their carts to the interior paint department. Phil perceives that elderly people in Germany remember World War II and how having physical possessions was deemed more important than money. MEASURING FINITE VOLTAGE. When the news of the pandemic stay-at-home orders were delivered at Phil’s workplace, he observed some co-workers immediately panic and embellish worst-case scenarios as if they had already come to fruition. He was shocked that some of the people that had been based in STEM and empirical processes were suddenly occupied with conspiracy theories and sought confirmation bias for their irrational, paranoid mindset. Phil judged that older Germans have become both anxious and reserved as they enter a fourth month of pandemic lockdowns or civil unrest curfews. The working class is choosing to limit participation in the workforce although the government is offering generous paid training and paid positions. Phil shared that high unemployment figures are, in part, due to people unwilling to accept training or jobs of manual labor, business, security, IT, etc. Finite Voltage becomes difficult to measure when people exist in an artificial environment that offers cash not to work. Doc and Phil speculate how this context might separate people from agency and purpose. Existing, but for what reason other than to exist? WHAT PREPARED PHIL FOR 2020? Phil is trained in a civilian defense role that is similar to how the National Guard in America would deploy after a natural disaster. He’s served in medical support and in technical support to the fire department. Familiar with safety systems, Phil is cognizant of safety bravado and leaders choosing to fatigue protocols. He tells a story of participating in a routine civil defense drill in late February that involved spraying water from fire hoses. Phil spoke up and suggested that participants wear face masks to prevent inhalation of dirt or other particulate matter within the water aerosol (this was prior to COVID19 fears). He was aware of Legionnaires disease - which is caused as bacteria spreads through mist. And, water pumped from standing ponds or stagnant reserves isn’t anything you would drink without boiling. Sadly, leaders and peers shrugged off his recommendations. Phil noted that this “it won’t happen to me” response was in line with society’s overall tendency to downplay risks. FOLLOW DR. PERRODIN: Twitter @SafetyPhD and subscribe to The Safety Doc YouTube channel & Apple Podcasts. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE & BLOG: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David Perrodin, PhD. ENDORSEMENTS. Opinions are those of the host & guests. The show seeks to bring forward productive discourse on topics relevant to personal or community safety. This is episode 141 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 6-29-2020.
- Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Book: School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Ex-Convict Larry Lawton | Situational Awareness in Prison | Livestream 6-23-2020
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Larry Lawton was America’s biggest jewel thief, on the FBI’s most wanted list, and spent 11 years in dangerous federal prisons. Released from prison in 2007, he focused on decision making and bringing awareness to his “The Reality Check Program” which guides people away from the felonious life path and brings clarity to the likely consequences of crime: losing your freedom, reputation, self-respect, and connection to family. Read the full blog post for episode #140 at safetyphd.com. ABOUT LARRY LAWTON. Larry has one of the fastest growing channels on YouTube and appears on TV and radio as an expert on crime, drugs, youth issues, and law enforcement community policing. He’s also the first ex-convict to become an honorary police officer and the only ex-con recognized on the Floor of the United States Congress for his work with helping young people and law enforcement agencies connect with the community. GANGSTER REDEMPTION. The book Gangster Redemption tells the true life story of Larry’s journey from making bad decisions to shifting the meaning and focus of his life to saving young people from habitual crime and incarceration. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SA can be defined as “knowing what is going on around us” and comprehending the meaning of those events and how they might project in the near future. For example, recognizing dark clouds and thunder affords a person time to seek shelter before the storm. In other words, there are 3 levels of situational awareness: (1) perception, (2) comprehension, and (3) projection. Larry mastered each level. CASING A LOCATION. As a prolific jewel thief, Larry was an expert at situational awareness. Before robbing a store, he observed the location for weeks - learning its vulnerable points and nuances, such as the specific time of day the reflection of the sun off the windows would make it difficult for anyone outside to see what was happening inside of the store. He identified vital patterns that most people would simply overlook in the bustle of day-to-day life. AWARENESS IN PRISON. Situational awareness in prison is sharply amplified - it’s a non-stop survival asset as being able to detect slight changes in routines or behaviors might literally keep an inmate from perishing by attack or from psychological collapse. Already adept at monitoring his environment, Larry refined and adapted his observation skills to an unmatched level while inside the nation’s toughest prisons. CAN YOU WATCH TV OR USE THE INTERNET IN PRISON? Prisoners are able to watch some TV channels, but not allowed access to social networking websites. Postal mail is monitored. There isn’t the convenience of a quick Google query on a laptop and there’s a tendency over time to become very dependent upon the institution for information. Larry explains how being an inmate separated him from keeping pace with changes in society - as familiar brick cell phones evolved to flip phones -- and his surprise, when released, to discover Subway restaurants attached to gas stations! TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO DEBATE. Larry encourages people to learn to debate and that communication is a tool to advance discussion and peacefully resolve matters. This means attempting to learn the other person’s argument and trying to view the issue from that perspective. He notes that across society, people are hunkering down with their viewpoints and unwilling to be informed by new knowledge. Larry offers an example of how his own debate skills improved as he studied legal cases. THE VELOCITY OF INFORMATION. How were inmates informed about what was happening outside of prison? Larry describes how he learned about the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks and strategies to ensure that he was receiving accurate information. MEMBER CHECKS IN PRISON. Member checks are people that tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. There’s a constant churn in prison as inmates are directed to change cells every few weeks, moved to different units, and transferred to other penitentiaries. Larry describes how he vetted a member check network as a jewel thief, prisoner and now as a consultant. WHAT WAS THE MOST INACCURATE INFORMATION LARRY RECEIVED IN PRISON AND THE CONSEQUENCE. All personal protection systems fatigue. We make decisions without assessing risk or we trust the wrong person. Larry shares an experience when flawed information almost cost him his life. FOLLOW DR. PERRODIN: Twitter @SafetyPhD and subscribe to The Safety Doc YouTube channel & Apple Podcasts. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE & BLOG: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David Perrodin, PhD. ENDORSEMENTS. Opinions are those of the host & guests. The show seeks to bring forward productive discourse on topics relevant to personal or community safety. This is episode 140 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 6-23-2020.
- Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Book: School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
- Larry Lawton’s YouTube Channel
- Reality Check Program
Thursday Jun 11, 2020
A Tree Fell on My House And Crushed My Bagel | Seattle TAZ | LIVESTREAM 6-11-2020
Thursday Jun 11, 2020
Thursday Jun 11, 2020
Violent storms slammed our intrepid host’s city and spun entire neighborhoods into chaos. Doc explains how simulated annealing guided him to the other side of chaos in record time as he had to inventory his options and progressively make correct decisions in response to a tree crashing into his house. Fumble this prescribed process, however, and Doc cautions that you’ll languish as others recover. Read the full blog post for episode #139 at safetyphd.com. THE STORM. At 8PM Tuesday, a severe storm rapidly descended upon Doc’s city. Although meteorologists cautioned of potential severe weather, the local news and emergency management didn’t activate the storm alerts and city sirens. This was the fastest onset storm Doc recalls and it also concluded in just 15 minutes. No hail, no heavy rains, just deafening winds. Seconds into the storm, Doc heard and felt a “thud” and immediately knew a tree had fallen on his house. He glanced out the front window and saw limbs thrashing against the siding and decided to shelter in the basement with his family. RISK ASSESSMENT [ALWAYS] AFTER A DISASTER. Within minutes, the storm subsided. Daylight enabled a cursory assessment of the situation. Doc’s next step harkened back to what he learned in firefighting training - always conduct an environmental risk assessment when entering a dangerous situation. Too many accounts of firefighters stepping off engines and onto downed power lines or utility workers being paralyzed by falling tree limbs as they hastily work to restore electricity to a neighborhood. It’s easy to take that first step as 99% of the time there won’t be a consequence. OUT OF THE BAGEL. The bagel is a metaphor Dr. Perrodin uses in his book School of Errors to describe how daily life has routines that periodically are disrupted or shattered. Doc assessed the point of impact between the tree and his house; then his entire property; and then his neighborhood. His house was damaged, but by luck, the windows weren’t smashed and water wasn’t leaking into the house. As the sun set, he went inside his house, retrieved a manilla folder and labeled it “June 2020 Storm Damage.” He then took a pad and scribed his recollection of the storm and his observations - carefully time stamping things. Next, he emailed his local insurance agent with a summary of the event, known damage, and photos. After that, he called the 24 hour claim number and filed a report. He was informed he had made the 8th report of damage in the area - and a day later when the adjuster arrived, she reported more than 150 claims had been in the area for that insurer. Act fast, get to the top of the queue, and you’ll be further ahead on the return to similarity than people who waited to make claims. RETURNING TO THE BAGEL. Within an hour of the storm, Doc texted his builder and asked if he could assess the damage to his property. At 8 AM the next day, one of the crew arrived with a truck, assessed the damage, and worked with Doc to remove the tree. Earlier that day, Doc took photos and videos of the damage and included a whiteboard with date and address in the images. He printed some of the images for the paper file and also for the adjuster. Doc then took the damaged window screens to the shop that morning and the insurance adjuster arrived in the afternoon. In less than 24 hours, Doc assessed and stabilized the damage and began the restoration process. MOST USEFUL ITEM AFTER THE STORM. Doc’s old, large-capacity steel wheelbarrow was in high demand to haul wood and debris. In fact, it was the only wheelbarrow he saw in the neighborhood. FRAYING FROM CYBERCHONDRIA. We are living in a time of concurrent crises: pandemic, civil unrest, and severe weather. Doc shares that his member check network is observing a lot of people fraying due to information overload. This condition is exacerbated by what is known as cyberchondria (a type of confirmation bias) which manifests as constant online searching for information which fuels your underlying worry. For example, if you spend your entire night on Twitter refreshing #Seattle #CHAZ, you will experience increasing anxiety and begin to display functional impairment such as not being able to sleep. SUMMARY: (1) Shelter during severe weather; (2) conduct a risk assessment before you wander outside; (3) document in writing and photos and timestamp; and (4) quickly report and secure resources to remedy problems. FOLLOW DR. PERRODIN: Twitter @SafetyPhD and subscribe to The Safety Doc YouTube channel & Apple Podcasts. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE & BLOG: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David Perrodin, PhD. ENDORSEMENTS. Opinions are those of the host & guests. The show seeks to bring forward productive discourse on topics relevant to personal or community safety. This is episode 139 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 6-11-2020.
- Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Book: School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
Sunday May 31, 2020
America is Burning - FACE VALIDITY with Bacon & Doc: LIVESTREAM 05-31-2020
Sunday May 31, 2020
Sunday May 31, 2020
Bacon and Doc kick off an unscheduled livestream to offer face validity on the rapid progression of rioting and civil unrest across America. Nick Schulaner and John Steele join to complete the cabinet. Regional observations from member checks across the country; dissecting the velocity of information; and what does this civil unrest chaos mean for our finite voltage? How close are people to the breaking point - and what happens if things further unravel? This marathon red eye raps up with predictions of how the events of the past week will transfer into changed or new things in the future. Read the full blog post for episode #138 at safetyphd.com. UNPRECEDENTED - TWO NATIONAL CHAOS EVENTS IN 90 DAYS. Doc explains that studies of civilian morale during times of war or similar sentinel events indicate that after 90 days, civilians begin to lose hope and this leads to a cascade of negative effects from depression to violence to suicide. This is known as finite voltage, as coined by military field psychiatrist Appel. It’s well-documented that during wartime, governments’ public propaganda units put a fresh spin on the situation every 3 months. That might be calling something a “new phase” or promoting some unifying event such as the scrap metals drives of WWII. Recently, city parades for medical staff and essential workers fell into this category of boosting civilian morale. FINITE VOLTAGE - MOTHER IN CALIFORNIA. Bacon shared a recent conversation with his strong-minded, resilient mother living in California, he detected psychological fray. In other words, she was becoming increasingly agitated with the virus lockdowns, requirements to wear face masks, and now the additional layer of restrictions due to civil unrest. This behavior is typical given the circumstances. He adds that Americans have had a relatively stable society for the past 60 years. Nick notes that people’s torus’, or what they are comfortable with from day-to-day, is very small (as described in the book School of Errors). HERD MENTALITY. Herd mentality, also called mob mentality, describes how humans adopt behaviors, buy merchandise, and follow trends based on their circle of influence. It explains how one’s point of view can be easily altered by those around them. This becomes dangerous when people simply follow others or the media narratives. Imagine walking outside and suddenly 500 people frantically run past you. The reaction by most will be to join them - as “they must be doing this for an important reason.” CONTAGION THEORY. Crowds easily become uncontrolled, wild, and frenzied. In this state, they can exert a hypnotic impact that results in unreasonable and emotionally charged behavior among the members. For example, with mob mentality, superstitions can evolve from a misconception or rumor between a small group of people and escalate quickly. John Steele notes that the police have demonstrated extreme restraint during protests that have become violent with rioting, looting, and rocks thrown at officers. Fights have erupted between protesters - an interesting twist on the binary nature of a protest. However, as protests devolve to riots and as more people become involved, the likelihood increases for a substantial deadly confrontation. David offers another contingency in stating that as protests continue, the targets might include power sub-stations, city water wells, fire departments, and hospitals. If that happens, martial law would be imminent and confrontations would include deadly force. RECOGNIZE CHAOS ASAP AND THEN PEG THE VELOCITY OF INFORMATION. Doc notes that following a sentinel event, such as 9/11, information is highly unreliable during the 72 hours following the event. There are two factors people need to be cognizant of, (1) recognize that they are in chaos and immediately begin making decisions based upon the evolving situations and contexts; and (2) obtain as much authentic information as possible from what you, and others, observe. DECISIONS WON’T BE PERFECT - BUT YOU MUST MAKE DECISIONS. Who is the perfect person in real time? Who has perfect, complete information - it must be sifted through. Be authentic - your decision is laminated to context and situation. You made the best decision at the time. WHAT WILL THINGS BE LIKE A YEAR FROM NOW (our predictions). Listen in as we balance between the negative and the positive - and address things you’re not thinking of right now. FOLLOW DR. PERRODIN: Twitter @SafetyPhD and subscribe to The Safety Doc YouTube channel & Apple Podcasts. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE & BLOG: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David Perrodin, PhD. ENDORSEMENTS. Opinions are those of the host & guests. The show seeks to bring forward productive discourse on topics relevant to personal or community safety. This is episode 138 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 5-31-2020.
- Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Book: School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com