April 25th, 2025 - This week’s notables
Enjoy your warm spring weather alongside some highlights from the week with the inWorks LLC team!
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendar and join us at Longview Farm for the following upcoming events! We're excited to welcome you—just make sure to set your GPS to 143 Cedar Ln. Glenmoore, PA 19343 (avoid Cedar Ridge Ln) for the best route straight to the fun!
📆 April 26th | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Earth Day at Longview Farm
Event Highlights:
Nature Walks: Explore our scenic walking paths through the woods and fields.
Art Exhibit: Visit The Longview Gallery to see our latest artist solo shows and group exhibits.
Family Activities: Fun and educational activities for kids and families to learn about sustainability and the environment.
📆 May 3rd to June 28th | Pushing Up Daisies will be on display at the Longview Gallery for two months.
Opening Reception | May 3rd from 5 to 8pm
If you cannot make it to the opening, mark your calendars for the 1st Saturday in June — we will have Shayna Parker’s Artist Talk followed by live music!
We are delighted to host this body of work at the Longview Gallery, and we look forward to sharing it with you.
Highlight: art|Works Initiative
Have you checked in with art|Works Initiative? If not, you are missing out on some great, deep dives into personal practices for cyber security, understandings on social media algorithms, and informative tidbits about everything independent artists and small businesses!
Most recently, we have been publishing a limited series that uncovers all the mysteries about prevalent social media algorithms and how independent artists and small businesses can use this information to their advantage.
LVF Foresetry Update
We had a site visit with Timber Ridge Forestry this week, and Ricky had the privilege of joining our forester, Silas, for the forest stand evaluation. The 4.5 acres were divided into 6 plots, and each plot point helped gather data on the conditions present at that location. Silas observed factors such as tree density (basal area per acre - learn more about the process using a prism), tree species, average diameters, signs of regenerative growth, and the presence of invasive species.
While Silas was making his observations, Ricky made some observations and discovered thriving populations of Wood Aster and Mayapple. Silas commented that Morel Mushrooms are known to grow with Poplar and Mayapple.
Our goal in managing the forest is to minimize our environmental impact while conserving and promoting a variety of native trees. As mentioned earlier, the stand is dominated by Tulip Poplar, which are excellent trees; however, they have taken over the canopy and block sunlight from reaching the forest floor. This insufficient light hinders the regeneration of new trees, leading to the spread of invasive species in the understory. Without management, this will eventually result in a monoculture of Tulip Poplar.
Silas discussed two management techniques that could be effective for the forest at Longview Farm. Forest Stand Improvement involves various elements to enhance the existing forest. This includes clearing the understory to remove invasive species and aggressive native plants, creating debris piles for wildlife habitats, and planting or cultivating desirable native understory. The other management technique we discussed is Selective Logging. Though logging may sound alarming, selectively removing overcrowded trees, such as the Tulip Poplar, can benefit the remaining trees by increasing light and airflow through the canopy and encouraging healthy growth in the understory.
Another advantage of selective logging is the potential revenue from the harvested lumber. Silas introduced me to the term Board Feet, a measure of lumber volume, and noted that there is a substantial amount of it at Longview. While generating revenue through logging is not our primary objective, the income will be welcomed if selective removal is recommended.
After today's visit, Silas and the Timber Ridge team will start drafting our forest plan. Once the draft is ready, it will be shared with us and the NRCS for final approval. We expect to receive final approval later this summer. Meanwhile, we can start clearing invasive species from the forest and enhancing the current trails for better access. Once we have the recommendations, we can plan our next steps.
Operations & Growth
Exciting news from this week's Operations & Growth Lab meeting! While operational updates were minimal, we are thrilled to announce that the entire LVF/INW team is now utilizing Business Central for time entry. This incredible tool streamlines time tracking and helps us allocate resources efficiently across various business lines. Don't forget to submit your time sheet!
On the Growth front, Ilya inspired the team to envision opportunities beyond our core business and consider innovative ways to leverage technology to assist people. Let's dive into intriguing ideas and untapped niche markets, and embrace the entrepreneurial spirit to discover new avenues for growth and expansion.
We also had an exciting discussion about Home IT services. This service is now available to current INW clients and team members. More details will follow soon, but rest assured, the reliable and friendly support provided by INW is here to tackle your home IT challenges efficiently!
Information Radiation
In our recent Information Radiation discussion, the implications of the US pulling funding from the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program, a key component of global cybersecurity, were examined. The potential collapse of the CVE system without US support could hinder the ability to monitor and address vulnerabilities across various software systems worldwide. However, in a last-minute decision, the US government, through CISA, agreed to continue funding the CVE program, ensuring no lapse in its critical services. Additionally, a non-profit foundation has been formed to focus on continuing the program's work, providing a reprieve and maintaining the integrity of global cybersecurity efforts.
On April 16, 2025, the cybersecurity community faced a potential crisis as US government funding for the CVE program, managed by MITRE and sponsored by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), was set to expire. The CVE program, a critical global standard for identifying and cataloging software vulnerabilities, risked disruption, which could have led to deterioration of national vulnerability databases, advisories, tool vendors, incident response operations, and critical infrastructure. In an eleventh-hour turnaround, CISA extended the contract with MITRE, ensuring there would be no lapse in critical CVE services. This extension is expected to last 11 months, but the long-term future of the CVE program remains uncertain.
The reinstatement of funding highlights the importance of the CVE program to the cybersecurity community and underscores the need for proactive measures to ensure the resilience and sustainability of vulnerability management systems. This decision not only secures the immediate continuation of the CVE program but also emphasizes the critical role of global collaboration in maintaining robust cybersecurity defenses.