Author Archives: Andrew

About Andrew

Self Sufficiency, Personal Liberty, Independence, Gardening, Firearms, Fitness, Health, Hunting, Fishing, Political Freedom, and Permaculture in CANADA

Set New Year Goals

Now is the time to set new year goals for yourself

Every new year, people set multiple resolutions, vow to follow them 100%, work really hard at it for a few days, then inevitably have a small slip.  Instead of just reacting to the slip-up and correcting any factors that may cause it again, they fall totally off the wagon and vowing to start the whole process over again in 1 week, 1 month, or maybe even next year.

This is not the way to improve yourself.

Set goals, not resolutions.  It is 2014 – so for simplicity, set 14 goals for yourself.  Try to not focus on more than one at a time.  Sure, if you are wanting to improve your diet, every nutritious item you add is important.  But only focus on that goal when you have a good chance of really attacking it and changing it from a goal into an acquired life habit.

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Federal Government Bans Incandescent Bulbs

The Canadian Federal Government Bans Incandescent Bulbs

Starting 01 January 2014, there is a ban on standard incandescent light bulbs with an output of 75W and 100W.  I had totally forgotten about this, since the discussions were seven years ago.  But now I see that this is still set to take effect in the new year.  40W and 60W are set to be off the shelves by the end of 2014.

The goal is to displace the use of incandescent bulbs with the more expensive compact fluorescent CFL bulbs.  This is still the direction that they are going, even though there is still much controversy on their efficiency claims, bulb life expectancy, and disposal concerns (these bulbs contain Mercury).

Personally, I feel there is a place in the house for both CFL bulbs and traditional incandescent.  I’m not an opponent of energy efficiency or protecting the environment.  But sometimes we are blind by trying to optimize for only one variable.

My go-to source for information on this has been a recent Globe & Mail Article:  Federal Incandescent Light Bulb Ban Set to Start in New Year

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Schools Teach Conformity Quote

Jack Spirko: “Schools Teach Conformity”

“Schools teach conformity.  Schools are not designed to educate.  Education is about teaching people to learn.  Schools are designed to breed conformity.

Everybody sit in a desk in a nice straight line.  Put your head down and take a nap when you’re told.  Be on time or you’re in trouble.  Learn at the same speed as the person next to you – even if the person next to you is a friggin’ moron!  It’s fair, it’s fair that Johnny is a dumb ass and Timmy is smart and that Timmy has to slow down his learning unless Timmy goes into a special place for the accelerated gifted child.  Where he will work harder and get the same.”

– Jack Spirko / The Survival Podcast episode 1269

High River Gun Grab

Updates to my thoughts on the High River gun grab

I had previously published some softer thoughts on the flooding in Alberta and the High River gun grab.  I still don’t want to make this into the usual cop-bashing “right to bear arms” rant, but I am more troubled by this than I was before.

 

What has changed in me?

Well first I want to say that we are allowed to change our minds, or even just allow our opinions to evolve somewhat.  In fact, I encourage it.  Not being open-minded and just sticking to your opinion because you’re afraid to keep looking at facts is just plain bad.  This is what leads to bigotry.

I definitely feel more negative about this RCMP gun grab than I did in the past.  Mostly because I have taken the CFSC & CRFSC – Canadian (Restricted) Firearms Safety Course.  The rules surrounding firearm storage are exact and easily understood.

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Richard Marcinko Quote on Conventional Wisdom

Dick Marcinko is a former Navy SEAL and an author of many books.  The most famous of them being the Rogue Warrior series of international military thriller type action novels.  But he also wrote the “Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior” and “A Commando’s Principle of Winning”

It is from one of these two books that (I believe) this quote came from.  It is very worth revisiting at times.

“Conventional wisdom is no wisdom at all. Conventional wisdom is taking somebody else’s word for the way things are… It’s the followers of this world who rely on assumption. Not the leaders.”

– Richard Marcinko

Christmas Gift Ideas

It’s that time of the year again where we are constantly looking for good Christmas gift ideas.

But what should you the the loved ones in your life?  Things that they will enjoy and will help promote self-sufficiency.  They may not be a homesteader, prepare, modern survivalist, etc – and they don’t have to be to make the most of the right gifts.

However, a gift is pretty useless if it doesn’t appeal to the person you give it to.  Choose wisely!

Some of my Christmas gift ideas:

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5.11 Tactical Rush MOAB 10 Unboxing & First Look

My first impressions of the Rush MOAB 10

Over the years I have tried a number of different bags for my everyday carry and laptop.

Messenger style shoulder bags, backpacks, and laptop sleeves – I’ve tried a lot of different combinations.  Things are more difficult because I have a 17″ MacBook Laptop – many packs and bags are meant more for 15″ units.  For about the past five years, I have used a Targus backpack that would take my large laptop.  It’s EDC capabilities were ok, but it was gear more just for the laptop, a book, and some documents.

I’ve also had a decent Oggi EDC backpack that my employer gave me.  I was better for carrying items (first aid, food, small jacket, flash light, multitool, etc.) and was pretty heavy-duty.  But the layout still wasn’t quite what I was looking for.  Plus my laptop wouldn’t fit, so I had to use a sleeve with handles.

So I decided to take a close look at the Rush MOAB 10 by 5.11 Tactical

Click here for Pricing and Reviews from Amazon

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Shooting the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum

Here is a short video I posted to YouTube of me Shooting the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum.

On my first trip to a shooting range, we finished up the session with a few shots of the big 500.

It sure was a blast and I’m definitely looking forward to getting a shot at some of the other big boys they have there: .460 and the .454 Casull, along with the famous Desert Eagle 50.

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Black Friday Sales

Black Friday Sales to take advantage of

Black Friday is a national holiday to our American friends, but up here in Canada there are also deals to be had.  Retailers noticed that Canadians cross the border each year to take part in the madness across the line.  As much fun is it is to do hand-to-hand combat over a Tickle me Elmo in a Walmart, I sure am glad that retailers here are taking part in the shopping action.

Check out Canadian Tire, Princess Auto, Cabela’s, and Amazon.ca

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Tax Reduction: Donate to a Charity

You reduce your taxes If you donate to a charity

Previously I discussed how you can reduce your taxes by making a political contribution.

Well, most of us aren’t exactly enamoured by Canadian politics and political parties, so we need another way to reduce our taxes.

The most noble way of reducing your taxes is by donating to a charity.  This could be something for helping the poor, medical research, or another form of approved charity.

Charitable donations are considered a non-refundable tax credit.

Some helpful links:

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