PurifiCup Product Review

A few months ago I was surfing my Twitter feed and I first saw a RT (Re-Tweet) pop up mentioning a Twitter user named @purificup.  Because I follow so many survival, preparedness, disaster preparedness twitter users, I was curious and I clicked on the tweet. It took me to the companies web page www.purificup.com.  I was in love instantly with this product.  A small, lightweight, compact water filtration/purification system that kills 99.99999% of everything nasty that can be found in rivers, streams, tap water, etc.  I watched their videos and read some of their scientific reports and knew I had to get my hands on one of these to add to my survival and Search & Rescue kits.

I Immediately started following @purificup on twitter and soon after, they began following me.  I finally sent them a direct message stating who I was and that I was looking to purchase a PurifiCup to test out for Search & Rescue and for Disaster Preparedness.  The response blew me away....A gentleman named Robert Kao tweets me right back informing me he will be in Pittsburgh in 48 hours to demo the unit to a major sporing goods company and if I can meet him in the lobby of his hotel he will give me a unit to try out.  HOLY CRAP!!!!!! Do you know how many companies I have written to for outdoor products to test out?  Do you know how many of them have ever sent anything to be tested out?  Well friends, the answer is very few, and there was always some corny catch to it.  God forbid you would want to put your product in someones hand who could potentially help spread the word for you.  Not PurifiCup.  Their response was immediate and I couldn't be more excited to meet with them.

The day arrived and I met with Mr. Kao in Pittsburgh. We sat in the lobby of his hotel and he dazzled me with all of the science that PurifiCup rightfully can brag about.  They have accomplished something that no one else has been able to in such a lightweight, portable design.  Now, I could copy and paste all the facts and science and this could quickly look like everyone else's blog and review, but that's not me.  I got the science and I understood it, but I wanted the taste test.

He brought me back a glass of bathroom tap water and that's exactly what it tasted like.  That nasty, non-refreshing metallic taste that we all have experienced...the kind of water I would only allow in my mouth to rinse and spit with after I brushed my teeth.  He assembled the PurifiCup in about 5 seconds.  It's only 3 pieces (Large cup, small cup and a filter).  He poured the same tap water in the large cup and the magic immediately began.  The water started a small drizzle through the middle filter and into the drinking cup.  I was amazed that I could IMMEDIATELY see a clarity change in the water.  The taste was absolutely astonishing....I know..I know..It's just water, but until you experience this, you simply have no idea.  I was presented with my own PurifiCup and I was ready to take it into the field for it's test.

About a month later I finally was able to head out to Ohiopyle State Park in The Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania for my field test.  With 100% confidence I submerged the large cup into the moving waters and I was ready for action.  The cup assembled with ease, the filtration took about 90 seconds for a full cup and within minutes I was enjoying the cleanest, purest, most  refreshing glass of mountain water I have ever tasted.  I have tried out other filter and purification products...you know the ones with hoses, pumps, batteries, lights, chemicals, etc.  And although they were ok, the PurifiCup delivered to me something better than I have ever experienced without the hoses, batteries, chemicals and lights.  The more people hat watched me submerge and filter, the more that became curious and asked what I was doing.  A few samples were handed out to onlookers and I could tell they were having the same moment I was having.

PurifiCup makes two models.  A natural water unit that does 150 filtrations and a tap water unit that does 300 filtrations.  So if you are a frequent traveler and you don't want to pay $4 for a bottle of water, then this model is for you.  The shelf life is 4-5 years for the unopened filter, so preppers everywhere can have confidence that this can sit unopened on a shelf and be ready for use when they need it.  One of the coolest features about the filter unit is that it will mate to the drinking cup it comes with, a wide mouth Nalgene type bottle or a standard 3 ring water bottle.  The 3 white rings you see in the photo below are a unique counter mechanism to keep track of each filtration process.  At just $59.95 PurifiCup is a must have for your backpack, home, carry on etc.  Achieving safe drinking water anywhere has never been easier.  To see my full video review of this product please visit www.youtube.com/thepfav and look under the product review play list.  Thank you PurifiCup!!!!

NASA Triumphs once again

I have been a NASA junkie since I was a small boy. I can remember my dad taking me to see STS-2 and STS-4 and that was the beginning of the passion for everything space. I was the coolest kid on the block when I had the old refrigerator box converted into my own make shift Space Shuttle in my mom's backyard.

I was lucky enough to get to meet Joe Engle, Richard Truly, Sandy Magnus and Chris Ferguson. Last year I won a twitter contest and got to participate in a NASA Tweetup at NASA HQ in Washington DC. So it's safe to say I have had many "space" moments in my life.














But I have to tell you, there was something very magical watching Curiosity land on Mars this morning. There was a very real, unscripted reaction watching the celebration at mission control when they received confirmation of touchdown that gave me goosebumps on top of goosebumps.

For my generation it was our "That's one small step for man" moment. A moment I will cherish forever.

Congratulations to everyone at NASA who made this possible. I hope in the years to come they can receive the funding they need to keep the exploration and the dream alive. Space is our future. There are many more small boys and girls who deserve their "space" moments too.

The Attention of Chick-fil-a

Like so many of you, I am sick and tired of hearing about Chick-fil-a in the news.  The only time I want to think about this restaurant is when I am craving something from their menu.  Regardless of what their President said about his position on marriage, do you realize what all of the new attention is doing for Chick-fil-a?  Read the news.  "Record profits, all time sales...." Seriously if you are offended by what was said, then find a new way to protest. If you think you are hurting them, then think again.  They are laughing all the way to the bank.

What are these judges thinking?

It doesn't matter if it's the UFC, HBO Boxing or Olympic Boxing, there is a clear problem that is happening universally with the way that judges are scoring fights.  Today in the Olympics, I watched two matches and just walked away shaking my head at the decision; not because who I wanted to win lost (I had no idea who any of these fighters were) but because to the TV viewer it was so painfully obvious who won the fight, only to see the judges give it to the other guy.  Did anyone catch the NBC announcer who said "This is why boxing has become a joke".  Imagine the fighters and what they go through for a minute.  The training camps, the injuries, the time and commitment, the life style that they have to live, only to see their dreams destroyed by poor some judging & refereeing.  What exactly they are looking at and how they are scoring it is just mind blowing to me, and it's a shame that Olympic Boxing is prone to this as well.  It's just sad.......




****Follow Up****
The boxing referee in one of the above mentioned bouts was just expelled from the Olympic Games and sent home.  The fight was overturned on appeal and the Japanese boxer was awarded the bout.  That's great and some justice has been served, but at the end of the day his initial Olympic moment was taken from him by some biased referee.

What is a Champion?

19 Olympic medals? Being on a winning sports team? How do the common define champion? For me, my gold medal has always been being in control of my own destiny, both professionally and personally. Most of us reading this will never know the glory of standing on any kind of podium or receiving that big sponsor payday. No matter what we do or where we work, in our own minds we can never forgot that we are champions to those close to us and perhaps to people not so close to us. For that reason alone, I stand on my own podium in my heart holding my gold medal close to me.

Congratulations to Team USA for all that you have accomplished. For those that may not win a medal during these games always remember...you don't need a medal to be a champion. Just getting there is champion enough.

A logistical nightmare for The London Olympics

I can only imagine the time, stress and planning that went into pulling off the 2012 Olympics in London.  But as I sit here and watch the games through week one, I watch baffled at some of the logistical failures that I have seen and can't help but think, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!!

1.  Who was the mystery woman that walked out with the Indian delegation during the opening ceremony?  Did you all see and here about this one?  One of the volunteers who performed in the opening show was so overwhelmed and excited with "Olympic Fever" decides, "Hey, I'm just gonna walk out with Team India."  Are you freaking kidding me?  You just performed in the most magical performance in the last 4 years, and you decide you need more of the spot light?  Hey lady.....go buy a freaking t-shirt and enjoy your memories.  End result will be tightened security over volunteers at future games.  Thanks again lady for ruining it for future generations of volunteers.


2.  The Olympic Cauldron. So in seven years worth of planning and agonizing over every blueprint, detail, costume, venue that needed built, blah blah blah.....no one looked at that blueprint and said, "Hmmm do you think we should build it higher than 25 feet and not put it in the middle of the stadium where it will burn alone and unseen for a week until track & field begins?" Or do you think it was more of this type of conversation, "Hey, let's go with this idea, BUT we'll just transfer a smaller flame into a lantern, extinguish the most recognizable, traditional symbol in the world for a day or so and just rebuild it while the world is watching gymnasts cry and guy's are diving off a platform in their banana hammocks." Well friends, we all know which choice they went with and I'm still shaking my head over this one.  You don't extinguish the Olympic Flame until the closing ceremony and the "Dying Flame" is played.  I hope Joe Farnsworth or whatever his name was got to keep his torch he used to re-light it or do you think he went with a zippo?


3.  Empty Seats. Well gee Danny Boy, whatever are we going to do with all these empty seats. How about review the waiting list and contact those people for the tickets? Oh wait, you probably didn't have one of those either.  Well, how about give them away or sell them at a reduced rate? You know, spend your money at the Official Restaurant of the Olympics (McDonald's) and instead of upselling them to a Cafe McMocha give them a freaking ticket to Equestrian or something.  Needless to say I am sure there were lots of groups like the volunteers, non-profits & public safety personnel that would have enjoyed getting some ticket swag. Or better yet..... The CHILDREN.
ps....I'm sure the lady that walked out with Team India would have been ecstatic to get a free ticket, just saying.


4.  Police lose keys to Olympic Venue. Wow...just wow.  So the London Police have lost the keys to Wembley Olympic Football Stadium days before the games begin.  Scotland Yard dispatched a crack team of detective to investigate and they found nothing and that no criminal activity has occurred.....they are just lost.  So $10,000 more (laser keys) on an already taxed British Economy and all is right in the Olympic Universe.  Oooops!!!!


Ok, I am done for now.  Make no mistake: I love the Olympics, what it represents and what it means for the athletes, the nations and the world.  I have laughed and cried from the opening ceremony until now. Thankfully nothing evil has happened, but seriously all of this embarrassment could have been avoided.

Pug Life

See I wasn't lying about the pug in my last post. If there is one lesson I have learned from my dog: when the going gets rough, just find a warm blanket to crawl under for a few minutes.