Attached is this weeks report of data centers etc.
Training update:
I recently created some courses for my volunteer ham testing team and in doing so I realized that it would be good to have the ability to have a certificate of completion. That required some modifications to the format was needed to gate the lessons (complete the lesson and correct answers before moving to next lesson).
I then decided it would be good to offer you that capability for your records/MAG. So I’ve been working back through the courses to do that. At the same time I’m auditing them to have a consistent color palate and format, and to follow adult learning best practices. These include:
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Relevance first — Tie every module to a real scenario learners might face (grid down event, regional emergency, household disruption), not abstract theory.
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Build on existing experience — Many learners already carry preparedness knowledge from their own journey or career; connect new content to what they already know rather than starting from zero.
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Let learners control pace — Structure courses so learners can move through material on their own schedule and revisit sections as needed.
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Show the why before the how — Open each course with a clear statement of what the learner will walk away able to do and why it matters.
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Practice over lecture — Lean on scenario-based exercises and practical application across SEC, MED, COM, NAV, and LOG tracks rather than passive reading.
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Build in feedback checkpoints — Give learners a way to gauge whether material is landing, not just a final quiz score.
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Chunk content — Break complex topics into smaller modules instead of one dense document.
As you can image that takes time, a revision is taking about a day (8-10 hours). A new course takes 2-3 days, and I’m still trying to keep the development of new courses going as well. Right now I’m working on the SEC-01 MAG member vetting course, that was released in beta and now its getting the ‘updates.’ SEC-01, along with the logistics course, was one of the first courses I developed. The logistics course (LOG-01) is live but not with the certificate yet.
You can see a list of live courses, and a number of ones that I have planned, although the curriculum development plan includes about 70 courses, at https://fortunefavorstheprepared.com/curriculum/
My plan is to leave the entry level/basic courses free, and then some new courses will be free for about 5-days.
I appreciate those of you who are Patreon subscribers as its costs a few hundred dollars a month for web and associated cost. As most of you know I lost my full-time position in March and the job market sucks, especially around my area due to the number of feds let go and they get priority for any fed job listed. I’m putting in 10-15 applications a week and since March I’m averaging an interview less than 1% of them. So everything helps to offset the web costs.
I’m considering stopping the daily threat report. That takes about 4-hours each day, and that is time I should be looking/applying for jobs, working on book 4 and trying to promote sales of the fiction and workbooks – those haven been zero the past 2-months.
So again I appreciate those of you who are Patreon subscribers and I want to keep putting out this content for you but I also have to balance return on time.
Semper Paratus, Semper Gumby
Nick