Jack Spirko Quote On The Rat Race

I don’t recall which episode of The Survival Podcast I heard this on, but it hit home with me so much that I had to write it down (hopefully verbatim).

It is about the rat race that many of us are involved in on a daily basis.  Takes these words to heart and they can only change your life for the better:

“Modern society has conditioned us to not be human”.  “It is not human to drive a long distance in a metal casket with wheels on it, everyday, risking your life, spending money for the privilege of doing so, to get to a place you don’t want to be, to hang out with people you don’t want to be with, to do a job that you don’t like, to make less money than you’re worth, only to do it again to come home to a house you can’t afford, with bills you can’t pay, with kids and a spouse that are unhappy because they’re doing the same shit in their own microcosm.  It’s not normal for your kid to go sit still for 8 hours a day behind a desk and do what they’re told and keep their mouths shut – and be given a drug if they don’t do it the way they’re supposed to.  None of that’s human!  And we do it  And on some levels, we have to do it“

– Jack Spirko, The Survival Podcast

Computer Privacy

The programs & web applets I use for computer privacy

Between hackers, competitors, nosy kids, and nosier NSA agents, computer privacy is a very hot topic.  Well in Canada we have to also watch out for the nosiness of the CSIS, CSEC, and I’m sure that the CRTC wants to make sure we’re not using any naughty language.

Here are programs that I use or am looking into for my own computer privacy:

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Podcast Episodes Oct 19

Some Podcast Episodes Oct 19 for this weekend.  If you missed it, here’s last weekend’s picks.

Fat Burning Man Episode Rich Roll – Vegans vs Paleo

Lat Cozad’s – Freedom Redoubt

Ripple Outdoors Episode 1318 – How to Field Dress a Deer

The Outdoor Podcast Episode 31 – Basics of Deer Hunting

Podcasts are a great way to learn new things, be exposed to new ideas, and hear news not filtered by your local media’s biases.

Music: Pretty Boy Floyd – Woody Guthrie

Some will rob you with a six gun- Some with a fountain pen

“As through this life you ramble
You’ll meet some funny men
Some will rob you with a six gun
Some with a fountain pen
As through this life you ramble
As through this life you roam
You’ll never see an outlaw
Take a family from their home”

Questions Answered: For protection, is it better to carry a gun or pepper spray?

 

Guns and Firearms: For protection, is it better to carry a gun or pepper spray?

If it’s legal in your area, then both.
Some situations would be solved by the threat of pepper spray, some by its deployment.  Some situations may require the threat of a firearm, and – as much as we hate to admit – some situations do require the use of the gun for personal protection.

It would be a shame to use a gun where pepper spray would have been effective.  It would be just as regrettable to only have pepper spray where a gun was necessary.

Unfortunately, the gun option isn’t really possible here in Canada – unless you’re at home or out hunting.  Even then, you would still be treated like a criminal.

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Fitness Plan for Canadians

What is the best fitness plan for Canadians?

Step away from the celebrity trainers, machines, and fad workouts.  In reality, all you need is in the following three videos.  Try some things until you’re tired, rest, try some more; rinse and repeat.  After watching these videos you should never, ever complain that you don’t know what to do for a workout ever again!

Exercise should be simple.  Be able to lift and pull your own bodyweight, be able to lift some heavy weights, be flexible & supple, and be able to sprint and run when necessary.  Don’t underestimate the usefulness of pull-ups – being able to climb is important.

You should follow these three guys for more fitness inspiration.

Ross Enamait –  Words of Wisdom Training Compilation

 
Funk Roberts – 44 Best Burpee Exercises Ever

 

Scott Iardella – The 7 Most Important Kettlebell Exercises

 

Do you have a favourite workout?  What should be on a fitness plan for Canadians?

 

Vacation Reading: George Orwell’s 1984

Tomorrow I am heading out on Vacation for a little over a week.

Surviving the rainy Vancouver winter typically means getting a week or two of sunshine in each year.

I am not a fan of laying on the beach for hours, just soaking up the sun.  But I sure can snorkel and crash waves for hours on end.  Then I like to come back to the shade, put on the sunglass, and get out the Kindle to read a book.  I find that I can go through a couple Kindle books, some audioBooks, podcasts, and movies this way.

One of the books I’ve been meaning to read lately is George Orwell’s 1984.  Like many, I read this back in highschool.  Also like many, you don’t learn all of the lessons in this book as a teenager – though some of the topics do stay with you.

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Canadian Thanksgiving

My Thoughts on Canadian Thanksgiving

As we get deeper into the fall season every year, we come across the Thanksgiving holiday.

It’s such a great tradition; one that we must keep gong for future generations too.

Some think that it is a celebration of food – and that’s not exactly wrong.  But I feel there’s a lot more to it than that.

Other’s think it is a celebration of family – and again, this isn’t exactly wrong.

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How to Slaughter a Turkey

Question Answered: How to Slaughter a Turkey

It’s Thanksgiving weekend and Turkey is on the menu.  Sure you could buy a frozen, or even a fresh turkey.  But maybe you raised a few birds over the summer, or somehow got your hands on a live one.  Now you’re wondering to yourself, how to slaughter a turkey?

Many of us have slaughtered chickens, and a lot of us have cleaned ducks.  But a Turkey is a lot bigger and a lot stronger.  So I decided to learn this for myself – of course I just searched for videos on YouTube.

Now killing animals is never fun, and neither is watching it on the internet.
But eating food that you grow at home is very fulfilling and one of the healthiest changes you can do in your life.  And if you are going to try butchering your own animals, you owe them to at least learn how to do it correctly ahead of time.

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Not mine, just borrowed

Podcast Episodes Oct 12

Here are some podcast episodes I recommend for this weekend.

If you missed it, here are last weekend’s

The Survival Podcast Episode 269 – The Issues Test (Where do you stand and why?)
Important questions to ask yourself when an issue comes up.  Whether it is political, news, or in your everyday life.

The Survival Podcast Episode 417 – Reducing your tax footprint
The taxes that affect your daily life, how it enables the government to spend more and more, and how to reduce your tax burden.  Hint: Be self-sufficient.  The less you spend the less tax you pay.

Harvest Eating Episode 180 – How Much Food is in Your Pantry
Chef Keith discusses the economy and how a deep pantry is something to work on in the good times.

Harvest Eating Episode 181 – Some Fall Cooking Ideas
Some great ideas on fall cooking and what to do with the fall harvest.
(Sorry to hear about the apples Keith)

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